The Philippine subsidiary of social media giant Facebook has formally unveiled its new office in Taguig, touting it as a ?growing investment? that represents its commitment to the country.
The office, located in Bonifacio Global City, exudes that unmistakable Silicon Valley vibe but with a local flavor. Its lobby, for instance, is adorned by artworks designed by local artists.
The new facility, the company said, is aimed at helping local businesses grow, as well as foster a safe and informed community for the more than 66 million Filipinos on Facebook each month.
?Facebook is committed to helping the Philippines build for the future by helping businesses grow and in turn, contribute to the country’s economy — and working with local partners to help create a safe and informed community on Facebook,? said John Rubio, country director of Facebook Philippines.
?In today’s mobile world, people and businesses in the Philippines are embracing a digital take on the ?bayanihan? spirit, a traditional value that’s core to the Filipino culture of coming together to create progress and build community.?
At a press briefing during the unveiling, Facebook spoke about its efforts to help SMEs thrive through education programs that will give them the tools they need to succeed, as well as efforts to unlock growth for large businesses as they embrace mobile strategies.
With nearly 87% of Filipino Internet users using social networks, Facebook said it Philippine team is focused on helping businesses better serve consumers and drive growth through social commerce and Messenger innovation.
?In the Philippines alone, more than 50 million Filipinos are connected to an SME business Page on Facebook. Looking internationally, we’re also focused on helping businesses connect with the 130 million people living outside of the Philippines who are already connected to an SME on Facebook based in the Philippines,? added Rubio.
Among local firms, Facebook said Messenger is helping evolve the ways businesses interact, respond and get real-time feedback from their customers.
For large Philippine businesses, Facebook said it is doubling down its efforts to help them address challenges in implementing digital strategies to embrace a mobile future and evolve their organizations.
According to industry research, 86% of Filipino business leaders believe future growth is dependent on transforming their organizations into digital businesses; however, only 32% have a full digital strategy in place.
New data also revealed that in the Philippines, there is a $4-billion (approximately P208.9 billion) growth opportunity, if businesses evolve their digital strategies to move faster, and build a more efficient experience for customers.
Facebook said it is also helping Filipino companies evolve the way they collaborate through ?Workplace by Facebook?. Employees at Meralco, PSBank, and 7-Eleven are connecting on one platform, creating more efficient workflows and collaborating better.
Facebook said Filipinos have also created more than one million Groups on Facebook, including those that aim to create positive social impact.
