The leading home-grown brands in the UAE have won big at The Filipino Times Awards 2019, the largest event that honors exemplary Filipinos in their respective industries and recognizes top brands in the UAE.
Emirates, RAK Bank, Du, Global Village, and Noon were among the top 25 brands preferred by Filipinos in UAE, according to the fifth edition of the awards, which gathered 76,000 online votes during the voting period from September 1 to October 25. The Filipino Times Awards is organized by The Filipino Times, the leading newspaper for Filipinos in the UAE and the largest source of news and information for Filipinos in the region.
Over 500 nominations were received under the brand category, of which, 269 brands were shortlisted. The winners were revealed in a red-carpet event that was held at Sofitel Dubai The Palm. Furthermore, six brands were conferred with Company Awards for their distinct product features and offerings which gained high popularity in the community.
With around 1 million in number, Filipinos in the UAE are the third largest expat population and are one of the fastest growing consumer segments in the country. Companies understand that getting their loyalty is vital to their continuous business growth in the country.
Dr. Karen Remo, CEO and Managing Director of New Perspective Media Group, Publisher of The Filipino Times, said: “As one of the largest expat communities in the UAE, the Filipinos have become a major consumer segment for many brands – both local and international – in this country. The winners of the 5th edition of The Filipino Times Awards have proven that their services have benefitted the lives of many Overseas Filipinos. I am confident that many more brands will up their game to capture the hearts of this important target market.”
Vince Ang, General Manager, The Filipino Times, added: “Filipino consumers in the UAE now have more purchasing power and are more discerning when it comes to choosing the brands that they vote for. In addition to familiarity, they opt for brands that provide good customer experience.”
Gracing the event were Her Excellency Philippine Ambassador to the UAE Hjayceelyn Quintana, His Excellency Consul General Paul Raymund Cortes, and spouse Dr Yasmin Balajadia-Cortes.
The Filipino Times Awards 2019 was sponsored by RAKBANK, Honda, Prime Group, Prime Medical Centre, UAE Exchange, West Zone and Frontrow International. It has also partnered with Book My Show as the official invitation system partner and P&A Grant Thornton as the auditing partner.
Below is the full list of winners of The Filipino Times Awards 2019:
BRAND CATEGORY:
- Preferred Bank of the Year –RAKBANK
- Preferred Remittance Center of the Year –UAE Exchange
- Preferred Remittance Pay-Out Provider of the Year –Cebuana Lhuillier
- Preferred Car Transport Network of the Year –Careem
- Preferred Freight Forwarding Company of the Year –LBC Express
- Preferred Sedan Car Brand of the Year –Al Futtaim –Honda
- Preferred SUV Car Brand of the Year –Mitsubishi
- Preferred Electronics Shop of the Year –Jumbo Electronics
- Preferred Telecommunication Company of the Year –Du
- Preferred Healthcare Provider of the Year –Klinika Maharlika
- Preferred Pharmacy of the Year –Aster Pharmacy
- Preferred Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year –Chowking
- Preferred Fast Food Restaurant of the Year –SFC Plus
- Preferred Filipino Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year –Teriyaki Boy & Sizzlin’ Steak
- Preferred Discount Centre of the Year –Sun and Sand Sports Factory Outlet
- Preferred Jewelry Brand of the Year –Pure Gold
- Preferred Online Shop Brand of the Year –Noon
- Preferred Retail Fashion Brand of the Year –Aeropostale
- Preferred Sports Brand of the Year –Skechers
- Preferred Sports Retail Shop of the Year –Sun and Sands Sports
- Preferred Supermarket of the Year –West Zone Supermarket
- Preferred Airline of the Year –Emirates Airline
- Preferred Entertainment Destination of the Year –Global Village
- Preferred Online Booking Company of the Year –Travel Wings
- Preferred Travel Agency of the Year –AMR Travel Tourism
COMPANY AWARDS:
- TFT Consumer-Friendly Product Award –Dubai Islamic Bank
- TFT Product Reliability Award –Al Futtaim – Toyota
- TFT Excellence in Philippine Connectivity Award –Cebu Pacific
- TFT Outstanding Filipino Hospitality Award –Philippine Airline
- TFT Innovative Entertainment Award –Imagine by DFC
- TFT Filipino Centric CSR Activity –Emirates NBD
