Why I love shopping at SSI stores
Poof! Just like that, half of 2018 is gone! Time is, indeed, the new priceless luxury that we all strive to make the most of.
After devoting quality time to the family, we choose to spend some of it on things we need and enjoy. For me, that residual time is for shopping.
I’ve been a loyal customer of products offered by Stores Specialists Inc. ( SSI)—which has been in the specialty retailing industry for three decades. As the leader in the Philippines with the biggest portfolio of international merchants in Asia Pacific and a network of over 600 stores, the SSI Group has permeated our lives with its curated selection of worldwide brands.
How fitting then that the SSI Group is marking its 30th anniversary with a campaign dubbed, “The Curated Life.” After all, it is the only retailer with the widest range of specialty and lifestyle concepts—from luxury fashion and fast fashion, to home, beauty and original concepts.
The SSI Group is also the retail arm of the Rustan’s Group of Companies, the country’s high-end retailer since our grandparents’ era all of 65 years ago.
For “The Curated Life,” SSI has partnered with Citibank, whose cardholders can join the “Spend Anywhere” campaign, in which P500 shopping credits are valid at all SSI Group stores with every P10,000 spend using their Citibank card from July to September.
As the holiday season comes around, more rewards await Citibank card shoppers as instant shopping credits of up to P30,000 will be given away at SSI Group stores.
The partnership with Citibank will continue with the Big Fashion Sale featuring wellloved SSI Group brands on Aug. 15-30 at Greenbelt and Sept. 310 at Glorietta; as well as exclusive shopping events from July to December.
There is also the “Love to Shop” installment program ongoing until May 2019, which lets customers shop with deferred payment schemes of up to 24 months at select SSI Group brands.
Online shopping
Reaching beyond the tangible, SSI will go digital through its website, www.ssilife.com.ph, to be launched this October. More than a shopping channel, the site features lifestyle articles that incorporate its brands and products while delivering informative and inspiring content. There will be three overall categories: Fashion, Beauty and Home. The website will also allow consumers to purchase SSI’s gift card, the Purple Card.
The My SSI Life app will likewise be launched this August. It’s a digital gateway that allows consumers to curate the life they want to live. The My SSI Life app will allow shoppers to the latest trends, hottest promos and perks. Visit www.ssilife.com.ph or follow @ssilifeph on Instagram.
Transmodal turns 25
Another company marking a milestone this year is Transmodal International, which provides freight forwarding and total logistics solutions nationwide. Last month it celebrated its silver anniversary at Blue Leaf Filipinas.
Transmodal’s employees, local and international partners, and valued clients enjoyed the grand celebration, a memorable night full of glitz and glam, prizes and surprises, certification and recognition.
With Luis Manzano as emcee, the event featured performances by Jona, Kyla and Jay R,
Ogie and Regine Alcasid, and The Company singing the Transmodal International jingle.
One of the highlights was the performance of El Gamma Penumbra, grand winner of “Asia’s Got Talent.” The group presented the history of Transmodal, with an interpretation of
Irene Manguiat-Tan’s humble beginnings to the time she became CEO.
A certified ISO 9001:2015 company providing top comprehensive logistics solutions, Transmodal has five offices around the country with close to 300 employees. It has partners in over 100 other countries and over 1,000 clients in the Philippines and around the world.
Hats off!
Congratulations to all the finishers of the first full-distance Ironman race in the country, the Century Tuna Ironman Philippines, held last weekend in Subic Bay. The occasion also marked the 10th anniversary since our first Ironman 70.3 race, at the CWC Waterpark in Camarines Sur. It’s amazing to see how far organizer Fred
Uytengsu and Sunrise Events has brought triathlon in the country.
I have to give a special shout-out to our Girls Run For Breakfast (GRFB) finishers, especially coach Ani de Leon
Brown, whose podium finish qualified her for the prestigious Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii, later this year. Our GRFB contingent included Doray Ellis, Camilla Brooks, Gem Padilla and Lara Parpan. Also among the finishers was my cousin Amanda CarpoBond and her hubby Mike, representing the amazing Polo Tri team. My hubby Dennis also wanted me to congratulate PhilWeb’s CFO, Zaldy Prieto, who completed his first Ironman.
The inaugural Ironman 70.3 in Camsur in 2009 had 583 participants. A decade later, the full Ironman Subic had more that twice the number of entrants.
The challenging race started with a 3.8-k ocean swim in Triboa Bay, followed by a 180-k bike ride around Subic, and finished with a full 42-k marathon ending in Remy Field. Sunrise Events has truly created a renaissance sport in the Philippines.