RICOH Continues to Innovate Philippine Print Industry

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Global imaging and technology leader RICOH opens the doors to new applications and revenue streams for local printing businesses with the launch of a new series of digital production devices, unveiled for the first time in the country at the recent Print Philippines 2016 industry expo in Pasay City.

The RICOH Pro C7100X series is the only machine in the market that boasts of a revolutionary fifth-color station for either clear gloss or white toner, which enables users to print additional colors than the traditional CMYK. This function allows more added-value applications such as spot gloss, flood, and watermark images along with regular printing, on both colored and clear media. Very soon, Ricoh will also be launching their fluorescent line of toners such as neon green and neon pink.

The RICOH Pro C7100X is ideal for high-end work on a wide range of print jobs, such as annual reports, catalogs, postcards, direct mail, business and invitation cards, posters, packaging, and a whole lot more. With digital technology, cutting-edge design and varnish effects that have previously been possible only with traditional offset printing is now made accessible for lower volume, on-demand print jobs.

“There are a lot of small and mid-sized printing businesses here in the Philippines, and all of them are always looking to expand their application portfolio to enter new markets and expand their business,” says Irene G. Santos, general manager and sales & marketing division head of RICOH Philippines. “This is definitely what we had in mind when we created the RICOH Pro C7100X series, especially when we added the fifth-station solution to the devices.”

“What’s happening with the market right now is that a lot of printing is moving from high volume analog to lower volume, short run digital printing,” affirms Eric Sulit, RICOH Philippines president and CEO. “That’s where a lot of features come in—variable data printing, capability to do very short runs and still have the quality of an offset machine. So jobs that previously a large printer would have turned down can now be accepted because of our machine.”

Foreclosures: Path to Home Ownership for Filipinos

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Don’t be limited by your budget. Take advantage of foreclosure investments at the Lamudi Housing Fair this November

As the Philippine real estate industry continues to flourish, more and more properties are being developed especially in all vibrant and emerging cities of the country. Although this progress means success to the sector and to the economy, it affects the purchasing power of common Filipinos toward home ownership, as it means more expensive homes.

To address this problem, other viable means to own a property are being explored. One option that continues to gain popularity is the acquisition of foreclosed properties. Lamudi Philippines and partner My Saving Grace Realty & Development Corporation (MSGRDC) will showcase some of the 15,000 foreclosed properties that they manage and will offer it for auction to the public at the Lamudi Housing Fair on November 18–20 at the SM Megamall.

MSGRDC is a brokerage owned by Ramil Alquileta that specializes in foreclosed properties. In the process, the real estate firm also educates Filipinos about the advantages of foreclosures. The foreclosed properties handled by MSGRDC are owned by different banks and Special Purpose Asset Vehicles Companies (SPAV).

Alquileta believes that with proper education, foreclosures can indeed be a smart way to put a real estate asset under your name. To further help people who are eyeing their first investment, Alquileta also enumerated some of the advantages of buying foreclosed properties: (a) Buyers can use regular mortgage financing; (b) Properties are clean and named under reputable owners such as banks; (c) and most especially, property is sold for outstanding mortgage balance, which means it is priced way lower than the market standard.

Know more about foreclosed properties acquisition and take advantage of the property auction only at the biggest housing event in the country this 2016. Apart from the auction, the Lamudi fair will also feature the widest selection of properties and offer exclusive discounts to home buyers and property investors. Investment and homebuying seminars and virtual reality application in real estate can also be learned and enjoyed at the fair.

For more information visit www.lamudi.com.ph/housing_fair/

Espinosa Killing: Awfully Unsettling, Height of Impunity

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The killing of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. inside his cell is awfully unsettling. That Espinosa was brazenly shot dead behind bars is the height of impunity.

Independent, inter-agency task force

I call on the Duterte government to immediately form an independent inter-agency task force to conduct a swift and thorough investigation of this disturbing incident. The government must get to the bottom of this issue and answer the following questions: Was there foul play behind the mayor's death? Why was a warrant served at 4:00 am to someone who is already behind bars and without proper coordination with jail guards? Why was the hard drive of the jail's CCTV cameras removed? Was there poor jail management?

I believe the majority of the police force is honest and trustworthy. Yet, the PNP, as an institution, cannot possibly earn the public's trust and ease their fears if incidents like this happen in its very backyard. It also cannot realize security sector reforms under such a climate. The Duterte government cannot convince the public that the country is safer now if the police force's image is continuously tarnished by cases of human rights violations and other abuses.