Viber CEO- Philippines is an important market

MANILA, Philippines - Following the onslaught of super typhoon "Yolanda" in the Visayas, one of the first major communication firms that extended help to the country was Viber. Viber is a cellphone app with 200 million users worldwide that offers free calls and messages to other Viber users via the Internet. When Yolanda hit the Philippines, they offered a free call service even to non-Viber users. Viber creator and CEO Talmon Marco said the company was not supposed to launch the feature yet, but because of Yolanda, the need was strong. "The typhoon happened, we asked ourselves what we could do... The started this crazy effort to try to enable a service which was not meant to be available at that time," Marco told ANC. Marco, who recently visited the country, expressed confidence in the Philippine market. "Philippines is a very important market for us. We have over 8 million users in the Philippines. Philippines is the texting capital of the world, if you can make something work here, you can make it anywhere," he said. Marco said communication is very important, especially for Filipinos, who have many family and friends abroad. "We see people staying in touch all the time. With groups, it's really a conversation that never stops. You always have your friends with you, all your kapamilyas... When you have your cellphone groups, you're always with your friends and family, you're never alone. What is more important than that," he said. Marco expects most Filipinos will soon own a smartphone. Viber is banking on this potential, and on the growing economy, to further expand their business and help Pinoys communicate with ease.