Exclusive Launch Offer – Starting August 15
To celebrate this global partnership, every DITO SIM Starter Pack (₱39) now includes:

• Free Viber data (1GB daily) for chats, calls, and sharing—without touching your main data allocation
• Up to 25GB total data for all your online activities
• Unlimited texts to all networks
• Unlimited DITO-to-DITO video calls and mobile calls, plus 100 minutes to other networks
• 5-day validity for all inclusions

Connecting Moments for the Digital-First Filipino

From quick check-ins to marathon video calls, DITO and Rakuten Viber are bringing people closer, no matter the distance.

“We Filipinos are among the most social and connected people in the world. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to make everyday connections faster, easier, and more enjoyable,” said Atty. Adel Tamano, DITO’s Chief Revenue Officer. “With the DITO SIM Starter Pack, new subscribers can enjoy free Viber access for five days—keeping conversations alive anytime, anywhere.”

More Ways to Connect – Coming Soon

This is just the beginning. DITO and Viber are set to roll out exclusive Viber Plus and Viber Dating offers, giving users even more ways to engage, connect, and meet new people—while continuing to enjoy free data for Viber.

“The Philippines is one of our strongest markets, and this partnership with DITO empowers Filipinos with affordable access to quality calls, chats, business tools, and even online dating,” said David Tse, Senior Director, Asia Pacific at Rakuten Viber. “Together, we’re delivering features that not only connect people but also keep them secure—paving the way for a smarter digital lifestyle.”

Empowering Filipino Connectivity

Aligned with its Kaya DITO campaign, this collaboration reflects DITO’s mission to merge cutting-edge network speed with meaningful innovation—proving that every Filipino has the power to say: Kaya DITO!

The DITO SIM Starter Pack is available through official retailers and online stores including Lazada, Shopee, TikTok Shop, and the DITO eShop. Activate today and experience the difference of seamless Viber connectivity.

From its humble beginnings to the present, Rakuten Viber has grown into a powerful super app, offering innovative features and services designed to empower Filipino businesses.

Joined by Rakuten Viber’s Executive Team, the Philippines becomes the first country to launch Viber’s new solution for micro and small business enterprises (MSMEs) — becoming a free messaging platform and self-sever communication hub to its users — as shared through a press briefing on Tuesday, October 10, in Conrad Hotel, Pasay City.

During the first six months of 2023, Viber saw a 30% growth in the number of business accounts established, with a 34% rise in the volume of business messages successfully delivered in the Philippines when compared to the previous year. Rakuten Viber Senior Director, APAC, David Tse mentioned that “the most important thing [in this superapp] is that we’re also cultivating a friendly [and] robust ecosystem.” He also highlights the app’s commitment to security and privacy for all of its users. 

Rakuten Viber reveals that there is 71% penetration in the Philippines, showcasing its bullish way of potentially helping microenterprises in various industries. Cristina Constandache, Chief Revenue Officer at Rakuten Viber shares that the App’s new innovative features focus on becoming the “one-stop shop for businesses of all sizes.” With the mission to offer customized services for different types of enterprises, Viber is ready to be their growth partner in their business journey. She also shared that this game-changing global launch will be beneficial to users, specifically Gen Zs having their small businesses with the superapp’s updated lenses. 

Some new features are the following: 

• Public business profile 

• Brand visibility 
• 1:1 Customer chat 
• Discoverability 
• Chat folders
• Product Catalog 
• Additional features

The Viber team ensures that they bring the best in their app — from conveniently being able to engage with local customers, managing incoming queries, enhancing business discoverability, and increasing sales through user-friendly features. 

Viber for Business Solutions: Trends in the Philippines 2023 

• +30% business messaging accounts created
• +46% chatbots created 
• +29% avg. monthly ads and impressions
• +34% business messages delivered
• +62% conversational 
• +42% promotional
• +21% transactional 

In addition, there are over 1,300 brands that use Viber for Business here in the Philippines. With various industries utilizing this, the top three include Retail and E-commerce, IT and telecom, and Finance. 

What’s next with the Viber super app ecosystem: Businesses of all sizes

It’s time to grow your local business with Viber today! 

Visit their website for more information here.

While transactions are currently finalized offline, Viber has plans to streamline the process. Moving forward until the next year, we can expect even more exciting developments by providing limitless possibilities for all users. 

The Philippines takes pride in being the first country to present Viber’s app tailored specifically for MSMEs. With its innovative features, commitment to security, and dedication to serving businesses of all sizes, Rakuten Viber is set to continue its game-changing super app for Filipino entrepreneurs and other business owners across the world. 

Currently, Rakuten Viber’s new self-serve business accounts are available in the Philippines and Greece and will launch in additional countries soon.

By THEPHILBIZNEWS STAFF

There’s no stopping Rakuten Viber as it recently announced two major launches worldwide as a new stage in the evolution of brand-user interaction on the app. The new offerings include a Business Inbox and a searchable Commercial Account, which will become the next step in Viber’s long-term superapp strategy.

According to research reports, 71% of consumers expect companies to deliver personalized interactions, and 82% of organizations plan to implement a strategy to deliver a better customer value through services. With both users and businesses in mind, Viber’s updates are a step toward providing a better customer experience and brand engagement and truly makes them deserve to be the global leader in private and secure messaging and voice-based communication.

To ensure enhanced user experience, Viber introduces Business Inbox globally – a dedicated space for brand-user interactions, accessible directly from an individual’s regular Chats screen. The feature allows for all business messages from official brand accounts to be stored and organized in one folder (such as a bank notification, an order confirmation from a delivery service, a special offer from a store, etc.). 

Business Inbox will be activated once the user receives their first business message. For users that have had conversations with businesses in the past, all the chats with businesses will move to Business Inbox automatically once the feature is released (for Viber version 18.0 and higher). Once the Business Inbox folder is created in the Chats list, all business messages will go there by default. Business Inbox will let users customize their Viber experience and organize the interactions with brands in a way that is most convenient to them:

• pin a specific brand’s conversation at the top of Business Inbox;
• move any brand out of the Business Inbox and into the main Chats screen;
• pin any business conversation to the top of the regular Chats screen.

At the same time, the latest updates from a business will be easier to find: the folder will be pinned to the top of the Chats screen by default and business messages will not mix with personal Chats. Business Inbox will enable more efficient communication between brands and users to improve customer service, increase brand engagement, and drive conversions. 

Another step towards better customer experience is a new Commercial Account, where users will be able to discover all of the ways to engage with a brand in just one place. It will host all business information, services, and Chats on Viber under a single searchable business entity:

• Users can search for these accounts (businesses) proactively by typing the name of the business into Viber’s main search bar. 
• Users who enter a Commercial Account will see the brand’s title, logo, verification badge, description, contact information, and communication channels available on Viber.      
• Brands will be able to add up to three addresses, a website, a phone number, and a description of up to 1000 characters to make sure users can find all the information they are looking for.

The new searchable Commercial Accounts will give more power to the users: they will be able to find brands, not just be found, and initiate communication with brands proactively. Commercial Accounts will also improve customer experience: users who want to connect with a business on Viber will be able to choose the channel they prefer and enjoy a mini-website experience within the app. Meanwhile, brands will streamline their communication with customers and create seamless customer experiences.

Viber will continue to expand the capabilities of Commercial Accounts post-launch, adding more channels of communication to be available at users’ fingertips, more services under a single account, and extended features.      

With Business Inbox and Commercial Account, Viber aims to further increase user safety and trust when engaging with a business. All business messages from verified brands will go to Business Inbox by default, which will be inaccessible for private accounts trying to impersonate a business. A valuable addition is the “blue tick” that helps users identify verified brands. Commercial Accounts will display all business information in one place, where users can easily access and check it.

“The recent updates to Viber provide a strong foundation for the introduction of additional features as part of the company’s superapp strategy,” says Cristina Constandache, Chief Revenue Officer at Rakuten Viber, who joins the media roundtable with the Philippine press launching the new features through a video call. “This strategy aims to improve the utility of the app for users and expand the ways in which brands can connect with their audience in a natural way, resulting in increased value for both parties. By adding more features, services, and communication channels, Viber is able to offer more value to both users and brands in a streamlined manner.”

“Users are seeking efficiency and clarity in the way they communicate. Consumers want to have convenient access to communication with a business. More importantly, as trends show us, users are appreciating the power of mobile messaging,” adds David Tse, Senior Director APAC at Rakuten Viber. “Knowing and responding to these personal and business communication needs of our users has resulted in growth in the usage of new features and solutions. This growth tells us we are on the right track in always prioritizing our customers.” 

The two features are now available globally, including the Philippines. 

Rakuten Viber connects people. No matter who they are, or where they are from. The global user base has access to a range of features like one-on-one chats, video calls, group messaging, and updates and discussions with their favorite brands and celebrities. Viber ensures our users have a secure and free environment to share their emotions. Rakuten Viber is part of Rakuten Group, Inc., a world leader in e-commerce and financial services. It is the official instant messaging and calling app partner of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors.

For businesses, Viber offers messaging solutions (chatbots, business messages), display ads, branded stickers and lenses, and the forthcoming business calling solutions. All these tools help businesses to reach their customers at each stage of the customer journey. 

All private, group chats and private calls on Viber are protected by built-in end-to-end encryption, and Viber Business Messages have encryption in transit, so users and brands can be sure that their conversations are always secure.

Photo collage from THEPHILBIZNEWS

Are you the ultimate Raketeer or Bestie Viber is looking for? 

The leading messaging and conversational commerce app has launched a program for small online entrepreneurs subscribed to its top Channels, RaketPH and FoodPH.  

Dubbed as Pinoy Dream Negosyo by Rakuten Viber, the program aims to empower Pinoy micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to launch a business or scale their side hustles up. As a kickstarter, Pinoy Dream Negosyo opens bigger opportunities for entrepreneurs to share their journey and at the same time acquire the right knowledge and tools to make their business goals a reality. Up for grabs for the Raketeer and Bestie Grand Winners are cash prizes worth Php80,000, special plaques,  merch items, plus the chance to appear in an online TV show and Instagram live of popular influencers!

Pinoy Dream Negosyo has two categories, Raket Mo ‘To for Raketeers and Da Best of FoodPH for Besties. After a series of online challenges, three finalists have been identified to pitch their raket or cook their way through the judges’ hearts during the program’s grand finale in Makati City on July 14.  

Judges for Raket Mo ‘To are Rakuten Viber APAC’s Marketing Director Chris Aguilar; entrepreneur, marketing consultant and branding expert Shaira Habon who’s known for her all-in-one shop ShyShop and clothing store Coco Bliss; and entrepreneur Nene Tamayo of Nene Prime Foods that offers the popular bottled Dagupan Spanish Style Bangus in Olive Oil. For Da Best of FoodPH, Besties’ culinary creations will be assessed by Rakuten Viber’s Business Development Manager Veronica Feleo, Philippine Daily Inquirer journalist Ruth Navarra-Mayo who’s also an avid homecook, and restaurateur and celebrity chef Gerick Manalo who has worked in top hotels like Sofitel Philippine Plaza and Diamond Hotel Philippines.  

Special prizes from Viber and partner brands are also at stake for those who wouldn’t be crowned the ultimate Viber Raketeer and Bestie and for Channel members who have shown unwavering support for the participants. 

A champion for micro, small, and medium enterprises or MSMEs, Viber has always recognized the valuable contributions of small businesses to their respective communities and industries, and also to the entire economy. 

“Small business owners, especially those who have relied solely on online tools during the pandemic, deserve to be given ample support as they collectively play an irreplaceable role in the country’s growth and more importantly, in the post-pandemic recovery,” says David Tse, APAC Senior Director at Rakuten Viber. “Viber believes that the micro and small online entrepreneurs should be granted every opportunity they need to keep their business going and even grow it bigger than they have imagined.” 

Who’s going to be the first ultimate Viber Raketeer and Bestie? Follow their Pinoy Dream Negosyo journey on RaketPH and FoodPH.  

Singapore-based esports company Mineski Global recently announced that its social casual gaming platform mgames is now available on Rakuten Viber, the world’s leading messaging app. The groundbreaking partnership marks a momentous milestone for the pioneer esports company of Southeast Asia and the entire esports industry in the region that has seen exponential growth despite still being a relatively new concept. 

Key market trend reports show that the gaming market is continuing to grow. Specific to esports, increasing internet penetration and, perhaps even more significant, the mobile segment’s tightening hold on the market share versus other platforms are two important elements boosting its steady rise. 

According to the latest statistics, there are approximately 250 million mobile gamers in Southeast Asia to date and the Philippines is among the most significant contributing countries alongside Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Singapore. A primary factor is the popularity of hyper-casual and casual games that are, by definition, easy to play and simple in terms of game mechanics and design; it doesn’t require much skill and is therefore easily playable for any user. Furthermore, over 55% of mobile gamers are around 55 years of age, and only 8% are teenagers.

“We are excited about our collaboration with Mineski Global in integrating mobile games into our platform for different segments of users,” said David Tse, Senior Director at Rakuten Viber. “We are not just launching games in Viber, we are building a community of hyper-casual gamers, giving our users another way of interaction and communication through the fun of games.”

Viber users across the Asia Pacific region now have free access to an extensive library of up to 70 hyper-casual games through the chatbot feature. mgames is set to introduce new titles every month.

“Our partnership with Viber is a testament to our commitment to creating rewarding experiences through gamification. This integration is reminiscent of Mineski’s early days of building communities through a common love for gaming, and now we are proud to deliver this promise to the larger and more diverse casual gaming audience that only Viber can aggregate,” said Ronald Robins, Mineski’s Chief Executive Officer.

Since its launch in December 2021, mgames now has over 200+ hyper-casual games and is also available on the leading fintech app Gcash and social media app Lyka. By collaborating with e-wallets and super app companies, Mineski Global has aggressively expanded its reach and brought hyper-casual gaming to a whole new level; boldly establishing itself as the clear-cut leader in a highly competitive Southeast Asia gaming market occupied by many small and large players that specialize in product innovation, service innovation, mergers, and acquisitions, among others.

“Through our mgames platform, we can offer our partners three main value propositions at no cost: (1) leveraging our love of games to increase time spent, engagements, and user retention, (2) monetization through targeted advertising to the different age groups in the gaming community, and (3) a growing subscriber base as our platform allows users to enjoy friendly competitions with their friends and families, as well as compete with users from different countries,” added Robins.

Interested in integrating with mgames? You may contact their Business Development and Partnerships team to start exploring how you can grow and scale with Mineski Global. Kindly look for Felix Susanto (felix.s@mineski.id) or Franco Pantangco (jose.pantangco@mineskiglobal.com).

Viber, one of the world’s leading apps for free and easy communication, has expanded its growth in the Philippines in 2021, as it has pursued strategic and effective local partnerships that respond to the shifting needs of the users and allow them to explore how the app can be an integral part of their day-to-day life beyond calls and messages. 

These partnerships have been Viber’s key driver for success, as the messaging app has recorded 57.37% growth in calls in 2021, with 31% increase in the use of messages. Group chats grew 17% while group chat messages saw a growth of 19%. 

What’s more interesting is that Viber has noted that over half of its users in the Philippines are part of the younger demographic with 40% belonging to the 25-34 age group, followed by the 35-50 at 30%. Filipinos below 24-years-old have also started using the app more, making up 17% of its users, while the remaining 13% are 52-years-old and up. 

“Partnering with local brands and businesses has allowed Viber to strengthen its presence in the Philippines while improving our connection with them, responding to their needs, and presenting them with new features that help them enhance how they communicate and make their lives more efficient,” said David Tse, Rakuten Viber Senior Director for APAC. 

With this, the app has noted significant growth in content collaborations across various categories like entertainment and sports. It has also pursued partnerships with fintech companies, tie-ups with government agencies particularly the health departments, and pacts with telecommunication companies. Viber in the Philippines has partnered with local brands like GCash to help micro, small, medium entrepreneurs on Food PH bot through the Negosyoserye webinars, LEB Holdings Inc. to help Cebuanos connect with local food sellers on Let’s Eat Bai Community, PGAG to provide its avid followers with its own open-for-all Community within the messaging app, and San-En Neo Phoenix to keep basketball fans updated on the latest sports news.

Viber Lens

Apart from partnering with local brands and organizations, Viber has also introduced a new feature in June 2021 that’s poised to become a new favorite feature among users. Viber Lens adds the magic of augmented reality AR to the in-app camera, allowing users to make their chats more fun and creative with virtual masks and filters. 

In half a year alone, the app has already recorded more than 7.3 million users adding Lenses to their photos, videos, or GIFs—and 56% of them are women. The 30-40 age group formed the largest segment of Lens users at 23%, followed closely by users in the 40-60 age group at 18%. Users under 17-years-old represented 13% of Lens users. 

“Viber is truly becoming an all-in-one app. It is not only a platform for users to express themselves, but it has also enabled them to transact and be entertained at the same time,” Tse shared. “What matters to us most is the user journey and how relevant we are to their daily lives. Our users remain and will always be at the forefront of our developments.” 

NO to Fake News

Given Viber’s performance in 2021, Tse is optimistic that Viber will be able to move into 2022 in a position of strength as it will also continue to find ways to better understand and engage Filipino users with features and local partnerships and content that resonate with them most. 

For instance, the Philippines will choose its next leaders in the 2022 National Elections. At this crucial time, Viber is supporting the Filipinos’ right to vote by partnering with legitimate sources of information to help combat misinformation.

“The team is working hard to make sure that Viber doesn’t become a platform where fake news or misleading information is possible,” Tse said. “In terms of public content which you often see in our Communities, we are starting to increase moderation and resources in the country to ensure that we pick up information that is inappropriate and remove these in a timely manner.” 

2022 and Beyond

As more Filipinos are also looking forward to a better year in 2022, Tse also pointed out that the app will remain an integral part of the users’ lives in 2022, even when restrictions are lifted and things are back to normal.

He explained that the pandemic has shown people how messaging apps like Viber makes things more efficient—like how it cuts business travel costs now that anyone can reach out to their colleagues in a few clicks and how educators can maximize online chats to improve relationships with their students and the parents.  

“As we continue to deal with our current reality, online communication will continue to strive, become more efficient, and change how people communicate,” Tse said. “And these new realizations and habits will definitely influence our plans and impact our performance in 2022.”