March 4, 2017

ASIA SEES HIGH RATES OF PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP SATISFACTION (68%) IN NEW PRUDENTIAL RESEARCH

Being “easy to get along with”, laughter and avoiding arguments over money key to making relationships happy, positive and fulfilling

It’s the season of relationships. With the start of the Year of the Rooster and Valentine’s Day this month, families, friends and loved ones across Asia are celebrating their love, affection and friendships. Amidst the festivities, a new research study, the Prudential Relationship Index, recently released by Prudential Corporation Asia, decoding relationship dynamics and highlighting relationship trends in Asia.

The Prudential Relationship Index measures, via a numerical score, how satisfied people in Asia are with their primary relationships with partners, children, family and friends. Findings suggest “being easy to get along with” and “laughter” are key attributes of healthy relationships. However, while many couples offer expressions of love to each other, they often argue over money matters. Many also feel that digital technology is disrupting their relationships.

Conducted by Ipsos, the independent international research firm, the Index covered 5,000 interviews across 10 Asian markets – Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam. 

Who has the best relationships overall? Across Asia, the Prudential Relationship Index average satisfaction score is 68/100. This means, in Asia, people’s primary relationships fulfill 68% of their relationship needs. It also means there is a “satisfaction gap” of 32% in personal relationships. People in Vietnam expressed greatest fulfillment with their relationships (83/100), followed by the Philippines (79/100) and Indonesia (73/100). 

Tony Wilkey, Chief Executive, Prudential Corporation Asia said today, “The Prudential Relationship Index offers insights into relationships in Asia and on how to make them stronger and more rewarding. As a company that believes in ‘Always Listening and Always Understanding’, Prudential understands rewarding and fulfilling relationships are crucial to healthy living and longevity. For more than 90 years, we have been helping people in Asia protect their loved ones and valued relationships with products that cater to their evolving needs at different life stages.”

Who are most fulfilled with their partners? 85% of the adults surveyed in Asia are in a relationship with a partner, including 69% who are married. The average relationship score that people in Asia have with their partners is 63/100, indicating that partners provide 63% of what people think is important in relationships. The Vietnamese are the most fulfilled by their relationships with their partners, with an average relationship score of 83/100 followed by the Philippines (74/100) and Indonesia (69/100).

What do people want the most from their partner? The one thing that people in Asia want most from an ideal partner is that they are easy to get along with (68%). This is particularly true in Singapore with 77% citing it as a desirable attribute from an ideal partner. It is least important in Indonesia (56%). Laughter is also reported as vital to relationship fulfilment, with 63% stating that an ideal partner would make them laugh or smile. Laughter is most important among adults in the Philippines (79%) and Thailand (75%). 

Who says “I love you” the most? 57% of adults in Asia tell their partners that they love them at least once each week. Expressions of love are most important in the Philippines: 87% of Filipinos tell their partners they love them every week, including 68% who do so every day. It is the lowest in Hong Kong with just 39% of adults doing so each week. However, only 29% of people in Hong Kong consider it important that an ideal partner offers expressions of love, also the lowest proportion in the region.

Who wants to leave? Each week, 20% of those surveyed in Asia seriously think about leaving their partners. People in Thailand think about leaving their partner the most (28%) and people in Vietnam the least (8%). 24% of couples in Asia argue with each other every week, 65% do so at least once a month and 7% every day.

What makes people argue the most in Asia?In Asia as a whole, money (39%), children (39%) and lack of attention (33%) are the most likely sources of arguments. These are closely followed by housework (28%) and drinking or smoking (26%). Money is the biggest source of arguments in Vietnam (55%), Malaysia (41%), the Philippines (46%) and Thailand (46%). People in Cambodia (23%) and Hong Kong (29%) argue about money the least. With couples arguing regularly over money matters, the research also revealed almost one-third (32%) did not seek for help with their financial planning. For those who did receive help with their financial planning, 49% consulted their friends or family; only 34% obtained advice from bank or insurance representatives or independent financial professionals. 

Mr. Wilkey said, “Money clearly is a significant stressor inmany relationships, but this does not need to be the case. A key insight from the research shows that professional financial advice offers proven relationship benefits: couples who consult professional financial advisors are less likely to argue about money(35%) than those who only ask friends and family for financial planning advice(47%).”

Parents are happiest when their children interact with them. 63% said they most wanted their children make them laugh or smile from within. This is highest in Vietnam (80%). Adults in Asia want their parents to provide them with moral and emotional support: 70% want their parents to stand up for them, including 85% of adults in the Philippines. 59% of adults in Asia want parents to have a calming effect on them, with Indonesians being the most likely to want parents to help calm them down (68%). 

Friend or foe? People in Asia greatly value their friends. Filipinos have the highest relationship score in the region with their best friends at 50/100. Filipinos particularly enjoy companionship with their friends and are the most likely in the region to want friends to enjoy doing things with them (71%). Laughter is also very important: 59% of those surveyed in Asia want their friends to make them laugh or smile. This is also highest in the Philippines (69%) as well as Thailand (68%) and Vietnam (66%) butlowest in Cambodia (43%). 

Technology is disrupting relationships. Many feel that technology is disrupting their relationships at home. 37% of adults in Asia say that their partners sometimes prefer their smartphones to being intimate. 31% admit that they themselves prefer their smartphones to being intimate with their partners. This situation is most acute in Thailand where 51% say their partners prefer their phones to intimacy. In view of this disruption, 82% would consider having technology-free days in order spend more time with other people, including 32% who say they already do so.

Who is most social? Although many report that technology can be disruptive to their relationships, it is also welcomed: 68% of people in Asia surveyed think it makes it easier for people to keep in touch and 65% think it facilitates making friends. On average, those surveyed say they have 210 different contacts on social media. The most social are people in Indonesia with an average of 367 contacts across all their social media; the least social are people in South Korea with an average of 83 contacts. 

Mr. Wilkey concluded, “A primaryinsight from the Prudential Relationship Index research is that it is the simple, little things that matter like making each other smile and doing things together. Given relationships are precious, we need to nurture them not only through daily action but also through long-term protection during good times and bad. Long-term financial planning is just as important: it helps reduce stress and uncertainty and measurably strengthens family relationships in Asia.”






About the Prudential Relationship Index
The Prudential Relationship Index was developed to understand the state of personal relationships in Asia. More than 5,000 interviews were conducted in 10 markets in Asia by international research firm Ipsos.

These markets included Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. Interviews were conducted between 13 and 31 July 2016 with adults between 25 and 55 years of age. 


About Prudential Corporation Asia
Prudential Corporation Asia is a business unit of Prudential plc (United Kingdom)*, comprising its life insurance operations in Asia, and its asset management business, Eastspring Investments. It is headquartered in Hong Kong. 

Prudential is a leading life insurer that spans 12 markets in Asia, covering Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Prudential has a robust multi-channel distribution platform providing a comprehensive range of savings, investment and protection products to meet the diverse needs of Asian families. 

Eastspring Investments manages investments across Asia on behalf of a wide range of retail and institutional investors. It is one of the region’s largest asset managers with a presence in 10 major Asian markets plus distribution offices in the US and Europe. It has £104.9 billion (about US$140.3b) in assets under management (as at 30 June 2016), managing funds across a range of asset classes including equities and fixed income. 

*Prudential plc is incorporated in England and Wales, and its affiliated companies constitute one of the world's leading financial services groups. It provides insurance and financial services through its subsidiaries and affiliates throughout the world. It has been in existence for over 165 years and has £562 billion in assets under management (as at 30 June 2016).Prudential plc is not affiliated in any manner with Prudential Financial, Inc, a company whose principal place of business is in the United States of America. 

Prudential plc is listed on the stock exchanges of London (PRU.L), Hong Kong (2378.HK), Singapore (K6S.SG) and New York (PUK.N).


About Pru Life UK
Established in 1996, Pru Life UK is a subsidiary of British financial services giant Prudential plc. Pru Life UK is the pioneer and current market leader of unit-linked or investment-linked life insurance products, and is one of the first life insurance companies approved to market US dollar-denominated unit-linked policies in the country. Pru Life UK is a life insurance company and is not engaged in the business of selling pre-need plans.

Headquartered in the United Kingdom, Prudential plc has an extensive network of life insurance and mutual funds operations around the world covering Europe, the United States (US) and 14 markets in Asia. Its regional office, Prudential Corporation Asia, is based in Hong Kong. Prudential plc has around 24 million insurance customers worldwide and manages £562 billion of assets as of 30 June 2016.

Pru Life UK and Prudential plc are not affiliated with Prudential Financial, Inc. (a US-registered company), Philippine Prudential Life Insurance Company, Prudentialife Plans, Inc. or Prudential Guarantee and Assurance, Inc. (all Philippine-registered companies). 

For more information: www.prulifeuk.com.ph

March 2, 2017

LBC Supports Aspiring OFW Entrepreneurs via Smart World Negosyo




LBC continues to support OFWs through the recent Smart World Negosyo Caravan held in Tampines, Singapore. Attended by about 500 people, the financial literacy seminar recognized the desire of OFWs to acquire entrepreneurial mindset which is essential if they put up their own businesses in the future. 

Highlights of the caravan included on-ground activities of Filipino companies, franchising opportunities, and seminars. Through the Negosyo Caravan, LBC was able to showcase products and business solutions services that they can offer to aspiring OFW entrepreneurs. 

The Smart World Negosyo Caravan was made possible in partnership with Smart World and Philippine Franchise Association.



Leading Asia Pacific cruise line Star Cruises brings surprises to Filipino globetrotters in Captain’s Night


Travel is the new black now that it has become a huge sensation among the youth and adults alike. Whether it’s a local tour or trip abroad, by road, air or sea, people go out to see and enjoy the world that’s beyond their four walls as the tourism industries develop, growing more efficient and becoming more accessible to the public.


From March 1 to 5, 2017, the leading cruise line in the Asia Pacific, Star Cruises, makes its way to the Greenbelt 5 Fashion Walk to showcase its new and available cruise offers and promos especially for the summer. Star Cruises travel agency partners will be at their designated booths by the mall’s entrances to accommodate interested tourists and travelers.

As the company starts off its 5-day promotional event with the launch of Captain’s Night on March 1, guests from the media, and other celebrities and personalities gathered there for a short soiree, along with the new faces of Star Cruises ‘It Boy’ LA Aguinaldo and Miss International 2016 titleholder Kylie Verzosa. Along with them are also Star Cruises Assistant Vice President for Sales Andrea Manzano, and Star Cruises Senior Vice President for Sales Michael Goh who gave a short speech during the program.



LA Aguinaldo and Miss International 2016 titleholder Kylie Verzosa
Building new bonds: (L-R)  Star Cruises Senior Vice President for Sales Michael Goh , new brand ambassadors LA Aguinaldo and Kylie Verzosa and Star Cruises Assistant Vice President for Sales Andrea Manzano


The event was also set to celebrate the opening of Star Cruises new homeport in Manila, an achievement that marks the cruise line as the first major one to mainly dock and deploy from the Philippines’ capital region, giving Filipinos the opportunity to reach further destinations in the Asia Pacific much closer from home, while being hassle-free and visa-free.

Tweetie de Leon-Gonzalez and Jo Ann Bitagcol 
Fashion designers Rhett Eala and Patrice Ramos-Diaz

With the new Manila homeport, Star Cruises has now made new luxury cruise trips available, coming straight from Manila to Laoag, then to Taiwan and Hong Kong starting March 19 to May 23, 2017!

As the season shifts to summer, there is no way to explore and discover what awaits you beyond the shores than onboard the leading cruise line in the Asia-Pacific, Star Cruises. 

To know more about Star Cruises, Dream Cruises and its available cruise offers and promos, visit the Star Cruises booth at Greenbelt 5 Fashion Walk from March 1 to 5 during mall hours, or visit Star Cruises official website at www.starcruises.com.


March 1, 2017

The New DAIKIN's Airconditioner Series

DAIKIN, industry leader to phase out R22 within fiscal year 2017, 3 years ahead of targeted year in country’s roadmap

With the coming of Fusion 20, a strategic management plan that defines the five-year development of the Daikin Group, Daikin Philippines (DPH) is prepared with the new challenges it is bound to face. The determined and diligent team is led by President Mr. Lee Wai Kok. DPH is confident that it can be the top air conditioning solution provider in Philippines as it has been worldwide.



DAIKIN, one of the world’s leading air conditioning company, held  a special media conference at Shangri-la The Fort last Thursday (Feb 23). 

Daikin Philippines President Mr. Lee Wai Kok

Mr. Lee Wai Kok shared that all of their units that contains ozone-depleting refrigerants like the R-22 (HCFC) will be phased-out within the fiscal year of 2017-2018. Being ahead in research and development, Daikin are now in the process of replacing all of its products with environmentally friendly refrigerants – particularly, with HFCs or hydrofluorocarbons (R-410A, R-32) that has no ozone depleting properties and a much lower GWP.


COOLING KING SERIES

The NEW Daikin Cooling King Series

Do you want to enjoy the coolness right after you turn on the air conditioner?  Do you want to cool every corner of your house with even air flow and lower sound level? What’s more, do you want to save your electricity bill as much as possible?

A brand new series residential split air conditioner, Cooling King, will be launched in the Philippine market with stronger cooling capacity yet better energy efficiency. 

DAIKIN's newest brand – the COOLING KING wall-mounted split-type home air conditioning series boast of the following features:

  • It comes in standard or premium unit designsStandard and Premium
  • It uses the more eco-friendly R-410A (HFC) refrigerant
  • It has a high 4-star Energy Efficiency Rate (EER), more cooling comfort with less power
  • It’s more quiet, with a sound level that is as low as 23dBA (imagine the rustling leaves of nature)
  • It’s 1HP unit has a cooling capacity of 9,500 BTU/H better than the ordinary window type AC of the same power
Another thing they’re offering right now is the Home Central Air Conditioning System

THE HOME CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM

There is nothing more important than spending quality time in a comfortable and relaxing space with your loved ones.

Going beyond the limits of air conditioning, Daikin reinvents its highly successful commercial VRV (Variable Refrigerant Volume) system to define once again what comfort is in residential market.


Developed by Daikin, the VRV system is a multi-split type air conditioner for commercial buildings that uses variable refrigerant flow control.

Bringing this revolutionary technology and principle to homes, a unified system which incorporates temperature, moisture and air flow control can now be enjoyed soon by various residential units here in the Philippines, giving Filipinos the most comfortable cooling according to the unique requirement in each type of room in their house.


DAIKIN

Daikin Industries Ltd is a Japanese multinational company founded in 1924 manufacturing radiator tubes for aircraft purposes. They supplied the Japanese naval office with its first refrigeration units in 1938 and produced Japan’s first packaged commercially available air conditioners in 1951.

Joining Mr. Lee Wai Kok during the media launch last Thursday were Mr. Chengxian Cai, Mr. Jed Caburian, Mr. Ogie Quitco, Mr. Gerry Cortez, Mr. Bart Roa and Ms. Arianne Lamug.

The event was hosted by Ms. Lia Guerrero and organized by R & A Events Specialist by Ricci Ang. 

More information on DAIKIN PHILIPPINES visit www.daikin.com.ph. 

One K Global campaign : 2017 Global Peace Concert at SM Mall of Asia Arena



Civic-led campaign for Korean reunification, a development that could help promote regional stability and build a new economic powerhouse in Asia.

The One K Global Campaign’s current efforts to gain international support, including the One K Global Concert Global Tour, whose Manila leg is happening on March 2, 2017 at The Mall of Asia Arena.

United Korea an impossible dream? Mounting tensions won’t quash civic movement’s hopes of a unified Korea.

Despite on-going hostilities and unrelenting North Korean nuclear aggression, a civic-led movement continues to voice stronger calls for an end to the post-war schism that persisted in the Korean peninsula for more than 70 years.



Known as the One K Global campaign, this civic movement is taking its campaign to a global level as a means of rallying international support for Korean unificiation. 

Action for Korea United (AKU) Co-Chairman In-teck Seo


“Unifying Korea is about forging long-term peace and creating new opportunities in the peninsula, East Asia, and throughout the world. Bringing the two Koreas back together would be tough but we can and should make it happen,” said Action for Korea United (AKU) Co-Chairman In-teck Seo.

The AUK, a coalition of 850 Korean NGOs, partnered with the Global Peace Foundation Korea in launching the campaign last year during a conference on Korean reunification.


Threats to global stability

The division of the Korean peninsula traces its beginnings to the end of World War II and the outbreak of the Korean War, which caused the deaths of more than 2.5 million people, the separation of more than 10 million individuals from their families, and the suffering of more than 25 million Koreans under a repressive regime. 

In a press briefing held at Manila, Seo explained that the continuing division aggravates North Korea’s nuclear prorgam, which he called the biggest threat to peace and prosperity worldwide.

Seo added that the conflict blocks opportunities for economic growth such as the creation of a tunnel that could link North America to Asia, a development which could help boost trade and other economic activities in the two continents. 

For the One K Global Campaign, the best possible way to end these dire scenarios is to realize the “One Korea” dream. 


Korean music making waves for peace

To make the “One Korea” vision a reality, the One K Global Campaign taps on the sweeping effects of hallyu or the Korean wave, which saw K-Pop music as a global phenomenon that the Internet helped create. 
“We are taking our efforts to the international scene and we are proud to be working with artists who are helping us spread the message through their music,” Seo said.
In 2015, more than 30 K-pop artists supported the One K concert at the Seoul World Cup Stadium. The concert featured the unification song, “One Dream, One Korea,” which earned more than 13 million new YouTube impressions from over 200 countries. 

The campaign plans to go global this year with another song like the United Support of Artists for Africa’s 1985 hit “We Are the World.” Grammy Winners Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis will help compose the new anthem of the unification campaign. 

A concert tour promoting the campaign is also scheduled to take place in countries like China, US, and Russia. The concert tour’s Manila leg is happening on March 2 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

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