Unilever, CIRCLE Alliance announce PH grant
Unilever and its partners have established the CIRCLE Alliance to award grant funding to qualified enterprises in the Philippines and other countries in South Asia and Southeast Asia to introduce innovations and improve existing practices in plastic waste collection, processing, and recycling.
Catalyzing Inclusive, Resilient, and Circular Local Economies or the CIRCLE Alliance was founded by Unilever, the United States Agency for International Aid (USAID), and Ernst and
Young Global Ltd (EY). The collaborative platform aims to support women’s economic empowerment, improve livelihoods, and protect the environment by accelerating the development of circular economies.
Aside from its active participation in the CIRCLE Alliance, Unilever also continues its long-standing waste collection effortsin Metro Manila and nearby provinces through its flagship program Misis Walastik (Wise on Plastic). This program’s goal is to address plastic pollution through reduction, circulation, and collaboration.
“With the Circle Alliance across Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, Unilever is putting its expertise and networks to help build a fair and equitable circular economy for plastics in the Philippines and hopefully across Southeast Asia,” said Rondell Torres Philippines Sustainability lead; Circle Alliance lead for Southeast Asia.
Enterprises intending to apply for the CIRCLE Alliance grantcan send in their application until October 4.
Relief operations, Brigada Eskwela efforts
Newport World Resorts’ leaders, employees, including those of its five international hotel brands, and network of partners, extended aid to communities affected by recent calamities and bolstered the country’s Brigada Eskwela efforts.
Newport World Resorts, in coordination with ABS-CBN Foundation’s Sagip Kapamilya, handed over a total of 1,627 kilos of gently used blankets, linen, and pillows to the communities devastated by Super Typhoon Carina. The in-kind donations were sourced from its five international hotel brands–Hilton Manila Hotel, Hotel Okura Manila, Holiday Inn Express Newport City, Marriott Manila, and Sheraton Manila Hotel.
Newport World Resorts also partnered with the Philippine Air Force for the immediate deployment of food pack donations for 500 families affected by the calamity.
Newport World Resorts extended its charitable efforts by donating 3,000 meals to Ronald McDonald House Charities.
Last July, Newport World Resorts volunteers cleaned and refurbished classrooms, donated appliances, and provided cleaning supplies to Maricaban Elementary School and Villamor Air Base Elementary School.
MCIA’s PWD-friendly amenities earn Level 1 Accessibility Accreditation
In support of Persons-With-Disabilities (PWD) travel, Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) is featuring PWD-friendly amenities that recently earned the airport a Level 1 Accessibility Accreditation from the Airports Council International.
MCIA’s PWD-friendly amenities include wheelchair assistance, PWD washrooms, ramp passageway and lift, reserved seats, and priority call during boarding in both terminals.
The amenities also comply with the Accessibility Law (Batas Pambansa Bilang 344), adhering to the standards and dimensions for vanities, grab bars, and water closet heights.
“One of the pioneering advancements done in the Philippine airport community is the integration of sliding doors in PWD-friendly restrooms, emergency push buttons, and designated seating areas to ensure comfort and convenience for all travelers,” said Aboitiz InfraCapital GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. CEO Athanasios Titonis.
Searce appointment
Searce, an engineering-led modern tech consultancy, announced the appointment of Ferdie Saputil as the country director for Searce Philippines effective May 27, 2024.
The senior leader to spearhead cloud and AI-focused business transformation in the Philippines. Saputil brings over 24 years of experience in IT, sales & marketing. He held key leadership positions at major technology companies like Google and Microsoft.
“My vision is for Searce to be the go-to partner for Philippine corporations, enabling them to use the cloud as a real differentiator, maximize their data for better decision-making, and adopt Gen AI to enhance internal productivity and create new customer experiences, “ Saputil said.
FEU, Turnitin tackle AI
Far Eastern University (FEU), in collaboration with Turnitin, hosted an exclusive forum and roundtable discussion to explore challenges and opportunities presented by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
The event emphasized the role of educators in harnessing AI competence to improve teaching pedagogy and enhance learning experiences.
Turnitin is a leading educational technology company that employs AI writing detection solutions aimed at helping educators promote academic integrity. Currently, the technology is integrated into FEU’s Canvas Learning Management System and serves as an assistive tool in the overall learning journey.
The utilization of the platform’s Similarity Report feature, which scans student outputs and compares it to a larger database of student work and materials.
Shoppers prefer interactive shopping
Shopee has once again set a new benchmark for online shopping with its annual 9.9 Super Shopping Day after recording a three times uplift in orders compared to the average day.
The e-commerce platform also saw a whopping 3 million items sold within just the first two hours, with the highest order volumes coming from Metro Manila, Cavite, Bulacan, Laguna, and Rizal.
“Shopee’s mission has always been to innovate and enhance the customer shopping experience by deeply understanding our users’ preferences and shopping habits. This year’s 9.9 Super Shopping Day highlights our success in leveraging engagement features such as Shopee Video and Shopee Live to deliver exciting personalized content and a wide range of deals,” said Vincent Lee, head of Shopee Philippines. “These results reflect not just groundbreaking numbers but Shopee’s ability to remain relevant and continue to provide an exceptional shopping experience in a fast-changing e-commerce landscape.”
