Google, the American multinational technology company responsible for the world’s most reliable search engine, launched the first Google for Philippines event at The Blue Leaf Filipinas last Wednesday, with the aim of helping drive the country’s economic growth and support the Filipino people in this evolving digital reality.
Google does this by helping the Filipino people connect to the internet via Google Station while making it easier to explore the digital with the help of Google Go. They also provide relevant and localized experiences with their all-new job listings on Jobs on Google Search, the motorcycle and number coding features on Google Maps and, the Digiskarteng Pinay on Youtube that empowers women with content that would improve their lives. The technology company also helps in growing businesses via their Google My Business app.
“Today we’re very excited to share with you product and partnership launches that would showcase our ongoing commitment towards our mission and more importantly, our ongoing commitment to the Philippines,” said Kenneth Lingan, Google Philippines Country Manager.
Google Station
Filipinos are well-known users of the internet as their source of information and even entertainment. However, according to Global Director for the Next Billion Users Initiatives, Mahesh Bhalerao, there are two things that hinder us from utilizing the internet. The first one is the low capabilities of our devices and the second one is our internet connection. Because of the second reason, Google launched their new wifi platform for free. Mahesh Bhalero, Global Director of the NBU Partnerships introduced the Google Station.
Google station will be available in more than 50 venues like transport stations and terminals, schools and universities, government buildings, and mall and establishments across the country at the end of February and will provide a “free and high-quality internet” for all.
When users encounter a Google Station, their devices will automatically connect for the free internet.
Google Go
Google Go is a new and innovative way to access the web when a user is just starting out. It is like a light step-by-step guide for those who know little about the web. It eases them in via a tailor-made, easy-to-use and fast app through the Google Go. It can work in less favourable settings like a small, low data connection mobile phone. It was introduced by Simon Tokumine, the Group Product Manager at Google Search.
Google Maps
Nowadays, people tend to rely more on the internet like how we navigate inroads, where to hang out and relax or the newest destination a foodie can go to, and even locating the address you’re looking for when applying for a job or to meet up. That’s Google Maps for you which was presented by Nikka Arcilla the Brand Marketing Manager for Google Maps.
However, what’s more, exciting were the three latest features google maps can offer. The first one is for the number coding of vehicles where the user will indicate their coding day in the google maps and the application will tell the user on where is the best route they can take to avoid restricted roads. This will enable vehicle owners to use their transportation and reach their destination without the hassle of getting caught in the road. This was made possible by Google in collaboration with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
The second one is the navigational mode for motorcycle riders who use iOS devices. This features will have attributes like it tells the shortcuts for motor vehicles, it has customized ETAs, and even turn by turn navigations.
The third one is the Boracay Street View. This was done by working together with the Department of Tourism and the Municipality of Malay. With this feature, anyone can now search and enjoy the view of Boracay even at home. Also, one of the most beautiful beaches in the world can be easily located and recognized through this newest add-ons on Google Maps when tourists want to visit this destination.
Jobs on Google Search
With so many activities to do, meetings, gatherings to attend to, and with the busy schedule most of us have, physically checking out for jobs you might be interested in is tiresome. Given also that there are job offerings which are not widely known to make the whole job searching inconvenient. That situation pictured, Google for the Philippines is now launching jobs on Google Search. This new feature was presented by Stacie Chan, Search Product Partnerships Lead—Asia Pacific.
The Internet has been a significant help in the present generation. Combining the need of the situation and the help that the Google can provide, jobs on Google Search is now accessible that will help those who want to find a job that is near to their location, aligned to their courses and skills more conveniently.
The advanced feature is right on Google Search. If you search for a job, the results will be all the job listings over the web. Job offers will be coming from the websites of jobs on Google Search partners like the Department of Labor and Employment, Kalibrr, Jobayan, and Jobs Cloud.
You can explore an over half a million job listings that vary in any field from sales to engineering. Using the special type module in the search results, you can go into detail of the more in-depth experience.
Google My Business
With the oncoming trends today, businesses not only need to have a physical store but also an online presence. Google helps through its app, Google My Business. It is a tool that allows businesses to manage their online presence through the Google Search engine and Google Maps. A Filipino Merchant can easily verify and edit their business information, publish posts that promote an event or a special promo and, getting feedback from their customers. This new feature was introduced by Gabby Roxas the Head of Marketing at Google Philippines.
Google My Business works in three ways. The first one is standing out on the web by managing their business information that displays the products and services they offer and, what users can see when they search for their business. They can fill out their information and the hours, website and, street addresses would be shown to users. Another part of standing out is the website that Google My Business offers which is absolutely free and syncs with their business profile whenever they update it or when they post something. They can showcase their business in those websites, they can customize the themes, photos, and text of their site to their liking.
The second way is engaging the customers and building loyalty through feedbacks in Reviews or in Q&A’s, it is even possible to call them. Reviews can be written about a customer’s experience or they can leave their rating in the form of stars.
The third way is through insights that show how many people view their businesses or how many people asked for direction to go to their business and many more. These statistics allow them to be able to create strategies to promote their business.
Digiskarteng Pinay
Even now on the time that there are househusbands, housewives will never go out of trend in some of the Philippine households. Those moms are powerful and innovative women in their own ways. That’s now the idea of launching the program in Google for the Philippines called Digiskarteng Pinay. It was a combination of the word, ‘Digital’ and the Filipino word, ‘Diskarte’. It was coined at a presentation by Gara Santos-Ontiveros, the Google Philippines Industry Head for CPG.
“We believe technology can play a critical role in making this happen. Enabling connectivity and access to the internet; providing relevant and useful content; and localized product experiences for all, individuals and businesses are critical and we at Google Philippines are committed to playing our part. Para sa bayan, para sa lahat.” said Lingan.
Internet connectivity has always been a problem in the Philippines. The provincial areas have a hard time connecting to signal towers and there are places that have absolutely no signal even in the city. If it’s not the signal it’s the slow internet that holds the people back. The internet is almost always a requirement for communication, for information searches and many more. With Google and their many products, they will help push the Philippines to a brighter and a much favourable future with the knowledge they get from the web.
