Love Japan? You’ll Love the BDO JCB Platinum Credit Card

We brought our kids to Osaka last summer and they loved it so much, they’ve decided we need to keep on coming back to Japan to explore more of it. 

 Kani Doraku in Dotonbori 

 The fake food that still looked appetizing 

Ichiran ramen 

The sights were a treat, but it was the everyday experiences that fascinated them. From the food we ate, to the vending machines we’d pass by, from riding the subway to just getting lost in the streets – it was a visual feast. 

Xavi loved the vending machines, he would ask us to take photos of him beside each one 

And that was just one city! There are still so many Japanese cities and towns to discover, and from watching documentaries on Netflix, it does not even require any convincing on their part to get us to schedule regular visits. 

I’m sure we are not the only family that thinks this way. As they say, Japan is the new Hong Kong, so it makes sense to get the newly launched BDO JCB Platinum Credit Card if you also foresee more trips to Japan in the years to come. 

The BDO JCB Platinum card is exclusively issued by BDO. Their partner is JCB, a major player in the Japanese card business and accepted not only in most Japanese shops and restuarants, but also by many merchants all over the world.

It comes in with all the standard Platinum Card features like: 

• Complimentary access to select VIP airport lounges 
• 24/365 Platinum Desk Concierge Desk for restaurant and golf course reservations, sightseeing, entertainment and support for credit-card related emergencies 
• Special rates for Airport Meeting Service 
• Up to Php20,000,000 Travel Insurance Coverage 

With the BDO JCB Platinum Credit Card, you earn one (1) point for every P40 transaction you charge to your credit card. Your points are convertible to travel miles, gift certificates for shopping and dining or Annual Membership Fee waiver. Credit Card points do not expire, and up to 6 Supplementary cards are FREE for LIFE. 

But here’s where it gets exciting. When you use the card in Japan, you get: 

• Free Wifi access in more than 200,000 hotspots across Japan, 
• 10% discount on the Kansai Rail Pass 
• free admission to various Japan towers 
• extra discounts on tax free shopping for electronics and home appliances 
• plus so many more exclusive benefits only for BDO JCB Platinum Credit Cardholders 

From L to R: Ma. Nannette R. Regala, BDO Senior Vice President and Consumer Lending Group Marketing Head, Yuichiro Kadowaki, JCB Senior Vice President - Head of Development and Coordination, Rolando C. Tanchanco, BDO Executive Vice President and Consumer Lending Group Head, Mikihisa Asano, JCB Country Manager and Geraldine C. Liggayu, BDO First Vice President and Consumer Lending Group Cards Issuing Head 

To learn more about the BDO JCB Platinum Credit Card, visit https://bdo.com.ph/personal/credit-cards/jcb/jcb-platinum

Security Bank Cash Rewards + Photo Contest on Facebook

Don't you just abhor "Cash Only" stores and restos?

Cash Only? Thanks, but no thanks!

Or maybe that's just me. And Karrots. Because we hardly bring cash. Maybe enough for parking and such lang. 

When we are out, and the SA or waiter tells us, "Cash only po", we look at each other with panic. Sorry na lang, but no deal happening if there's no ATM in sight.

Maybe Security Bank has folks like us in mind. Because they want to reward their bank account holders with cash. Yes, cold. hard. cash. 

Add fresh funds, apply for & use a VISA/MC card, or enroll for online banking or bills payment and you automatically get rewarded with cash to spend any way you like. No expiry dates to keep track of or gift certificates that might get lost involved.

Spend your cash any way you like, anywhere. They will definitely come in handy when like me, you would want to:

- shop for kids clothes at bazaars, like at the recent Mom Pop Up! at Kensington Place in Fort Bonifacio.

- hoard gorgeous home accents at the Greenhills tiangge.

- or buy a quirky cocktail ring from a store that just opened and hasn't installed their credit card terminal yet.

No credit card? No checks? No GC? No problem!

Speaking of which, go and join the Security Bank Cash Rewards Photo Contest on Facebook, where you can win Php5,000 just by submitting a photo of how you will spend your Cash Reward.

Simply post photos of unique and hard-to-find items that you would like to use Cash Rewards for.

The more unique and interesting the item, the greater the chance of being chosen! Php5,000 is given away weekly. Join, join, join!

Watch a Movie for Php 2.00

If you are a Citibank cardholder that is!

Your single receipt purchase of at least Php 2,500 from October 2 to 8, will entitle you to get SM movie passes worth Php 150 for only Php 2.00 from October 12 to 14! 

Visit www.facebook.com/CitibankPH for details!

A FREE Lacoste Tote Bag with your new Rustan's Citibank Card

Apply for a Rustan's Citibank Credit Card and get this exclusive gift worth P4,050 with your approved card. Also, enjoy the many benefits that come from the only luxury shopping card in town. 

Rustan's Citibank Cardholders get:

- access to the exclusive Preview Sale at Rustan’s and Stores Specialists Inc. and first pick at every end-of-season sale

- 5% rebate for all your purchases at Rustan’s Supermarket and Shopwise throughout the year. This effectively translates to savings of P150 for every P3,000 grocery spend.

- P100 in savings for every P5,000 spent at Gap, Nine West, Zara and many other lifestyle brands carried by Stores Specialists Inc.

- up to 10% rebate at Rustan’s, Shopwise and Store Specialists, Inc. when you accumulate a minimum of P20,000 worth of outstore spend per billing statement. You also earn 0.05% rebate for these outstore spend, which include dining, gas, utilities payments and travel expenses.

- a 10% birthday discount at Store Specialists, Inc., 20% off for Platinum cards or 15% for Gold cards at Rustan’s Department Store, and 10% discount for Platinum cards or 5% for Gold cards at Rustan’s Supermarket.

- Platinum Rustan’s Citibank Cardholders get exclusive access to the Platinum Lounge and free valet parking in Rustan’s Makati. You also get to use the Star Sapphire Exclusive Checkout at Rustan’s Fresh branches. 

Apply for a Rustan’s Citibank Card from August 15 to November 15, 2012 and get your very own Lacoste Vertical Tote Bag as a welcome gift for new Citibank cardholders.

To redeem, qualified cardholders should spend at least P2,000 using the new credit card within 60 days from receipt of the electronic redemption voucher from Citi. The bag can be claimed beginning September 20 at any Lacoste branch.

To apply for a Rustan’s Citibank Card, call the Citibank Sales Hotline at 423-3000 (Metro Manila), 234-9999 (Metro Cebu), and 1 800 10 995-9999 (toll free), or visit Citibank Online (www.citibank.com.ph)

Citi Rewards!

A week before I gave birth, Aneth, who I used to work with at Citibank, sent me this yummy package of goodies from Marks & Spencer (I ate the caramel mini-bites before I could take this photo haha), plus an e-Plus movie card, along with a hand-written note:

Turns out, this was just but a feel of how it's like to be a Citibank Rewards cardholder. The Citibank Rewards card, which was only launched in July, is the new credit card that features instant rewards available to cardholders throughout the year and is set to be a new benchmark for loyalty programs in the market. 

Citi Country Officer Sanjiv Vohra (from right), MasterCard Vice- President for Marketing and Member Relations Judith Dayrit, Citibank Consumer Business Manager Sergio Zanatti and Citibank Credit Payment Products Director Bea Tan

From year round free movie passes to generous shopping rebates and waived annual fees, Citibank Rewards cardholders can expect instant rewards.

For example, with this card, you get a free P100 movie pass for a minimum single-receipt purchase of P2,500 anywhere. And this applies whether you shop locally, online or abroad.

Plus, redemption is easy peasy! No more vouchers, charge slips or forms to fill out. Just present your credit card at their partner merchants and claim your treat.

How easy? Well, to redeem movie passes, card members just need to swipe the card at participating cinemas, and they can see how many movie passes they can redeem*.

Cardholders are also entitled to:

- generous 5% rebates when shopping at Aldo, Aldo Accessories, Celio, Charles & Keith, Giordano, Marks & Spencer, Nike Park, Pedro, Runnr, Toby’s, Topshop, Topman, Urban Athletics and Zara. 

- as much as 3% at The Landmark Department Store, Metro Department Store, Rustan’s Department Store and SM Department Store 

- and 1% rebate for all other department stores. Cardmembers can use the rebates in denomination of P100 to pay for their next purchase at the participating merchants and these DO NOT expire. 

The new card also waives annual fees for principal cardholders who spend at least P20,000 per month, or P240,000 within their year of membership. In addition, their first three supplementary cardmembers are free when they each make purchases at least six times every membership year. 

Now, isn't this the ultimate rewards card for regular movie-goers and frequent shoppers? Makes me want to switch cards from our regular card to the Citibank Rewards card na!

*The P100 movie passes are credited to their accounts three business days after the purchase and are valid for 30 days. Up to two movie passes can be redeemed per day in Cash & Carry Cinema, Eastwood Cinemas, Festival Cinema, Greenhills Promenade, Greenhills Theatre Mall, Robinsons Movieworld, SM Cinema and Walter Mart Cinemas.