Facebook opens Philippines office

Facebook has opened its first office in the Philippines.

Facebook's vice president for Asia-Pacific, Dan Neary, announced the news on his Facebook page -- naturally -- on Wednesday.

Like some of the other offices Facebook has set up in the region, the new Manila outfit will help Facebook reach out better to the growing number of companies that maintain a business presence on Facebook, and use their accounts to communicate with customers.

Neary said: "2 in 3 Filipinos are connected to a business Page on Facebook, and they're using the platform to discover new brands and products."

Facebook counts some 49 million Filipino users, making that over 91% of the connected population, Neary said. 

Smartphone penetration hovers at about the 40% mark in the emerging market, which relies heavily on phones over traditional desktops for Internet needs. The rapid growth of new mobile users means the country continues to hold great potential for Facebook.

Facebook has installed former Samsung mobile business unit director, Digs Dimagiba, at the helm of the new office.

Guests and staff at the launch have excitedly been posting photos of the company's new digs.

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