Alsons Power’s Siguil hydro plant on track to operate in 2022
The Alsons Power group’s 14.5 mega-watt (MW) P4.5 billion run-of-river hydroelectric power plant at the Siguil River basin in Maasim, Sarangani Province is in the advanced phase of construction. The hydro plant is expected to begin operations in the first quarter of 2022 as a source of renewable power to key areas of Mindanao.
Work is being done on the Siguil Hydro plant’s head tank to control the pressure of water from the Siguil River as it powers the facility’s turbine and generator.
Alsons Power- Mindanao’s firs private sector power generator plans to develop at least seven more run of river hydro power facilities in different parts of Mindanao and Negros Occidental.
Mondelez programs promote WFH employees’ well-being
To aid colleagues in their journey to better physical, emotional, and mental health challenges brought on by new ways of doing work, Mondelez Philippines has been providing three different programs to improve employee support: Meet-Less Fridays, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and the Sabbatical Leave.
Started this year, the Meet-less Fridays program allows employees to have meeting-less time to focus on their individual projects or tasks in support of the company’s Flexible Working policy. No meetings means employees can complete other deliverables, gather as a team to celebrate small and big wins, recharge for the next week, or attend other activities initiated by the company that promote well-being.
The Meet-less Fridays drive help employees get a “breather” from a full week of virtual meetings doe them to focus on weekly targets, in time for their much awaited weekend with their families.
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides confidential online counseling for various mental health topics and practical information including physical, financial, legal, and family care resources, through counselling over the phone, online, or in person.
The Sabbatical Leave program allows a prolonged leave from work to recharge and reenergize or prioritize other needs. The sabbatical leave provides an opportunity to help find the time, space, and perspective employees need before getting back to work fully energized and engaged.
Bloomberry Foundation to build Aeta family care centers
Bloomberry Cultural Foundation Inc. (BCFI), the corporate social responsibility arm of Solaire Resort and Casino will build five Pagsasarili Family Care Centers for each of the five Aeta sitios located within the municipalities of Mabalacat, Pampanga and Bamban, Tarlac. These are in Sitios Calapi, San Vicente, Sto. Nino, Burog and Marcos Village — all within the Sacobia Mountain.
With funding from BCFI, the centers will be one-stop-multi-purpose structures where Aeta residents of the said sitios may avail of social services such as daycare education, livelihood trainings, a feeding program and health services. The centers will also showcase Aeta culture.
In line with one of BCFI’s pillars on the protection of the environment, all the centers will be equipped with solar panels and rain harvesting capability to support the centers’ water and power requirements.
The Clark Development Corp. (CDC) will handle the centers’ operation in partnership with O.B. Montessori and the local government units of Mabalacat and Bamban.
Alibaba Business School Launches Netpreneur in PH
Alibaba Business School, the education arm of Alibaba Group, launched its first-ever Alibaba Netpreneur Training Program in the Philippines with support from QBO Innovation Hub and regional venture capital firm Gobi Partners via their Gobi-Core Philippine Fund (“Core Capital”).
The Netpreneur Training Program is designed to equip entrepreneurs and business leaders with tangible and actionable steps they can take to advance in the digital economy, based on Alibaba’s own entrepreneurship journey. It is part of Alibaba’s wider initiative to promote inclusive development and empower entrepreneurs and businesses both large and small. Applications for this program are open from now until June 20.
The program, designed as a combination of online and offline training modules, will be conducted via a series of virtual seminars from July to September 1, providing first-hand exposure to e-commerce and digital innovations, access to business leaders across Alibaba and China, as well as an opportunity to connect with like-minded, leading entrepreneurs in participants’ own region, through exercises, interactive lectures, and dynamic discussions.
Over the six-week period, the sessions will cover China’s digital economic transformation, Alibaba’s key learnings from its growth from a fledgling startup into a full digital ecosystem, and give practical advice to help businesses digitally transform operations and embrace global business opportunities.
foodpanda launches pandaBIZikleta
foodpanda and the city government of Manila have partnered together to support the LGU’s constituents through pandaBIZikleta, a corporate social responsibility program involving donation of bicycle units and biker’s kits to 30 deserving city government recipients under its livelihood recovery program and other programs.
pandaBIZikleta provides livelihood opportunities by onboarding these beneficiaries as freelance delivery service providers of foodpanda.
The free bicycle units and safety gears were donated by the international relief organization Samaritan’s Purse. In addition to being onboarded as freelance delivery bikers, the 30 will receive foodpanda rider kits consisting of uniforms, thermal box, thermal bag, and panda masks.
Rakuten Viber, Huawei expand partnership
Rakuten Viber has strengthened its alliance with global technology firm Huawei in sustaining the public’s accessibility to easy communication services.
All Viber-owned sticker packs will be free for users with the latest version of the Viber app that is downloaded from AppGallery, Huawei’s app marketplace. Filipinos can now weave more fun and color into their messages and express themselves more creatively with the free sticker packs, as they continue to use Viber for connecting with loved ones and colleagues.
Viber has hundreds of millions of users located in 190 countries and is one of the most accessed apps from AppGallery, where consumers can find a variety of apps that cater to their unique demands and experiences.
Metro Market! Market! recertified for GMP, HACCP standards
Metro Supermarket in Market! Market! Taguig has been recertified for Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), further assuring its shoppers of the quality, safety, and freshness of the food they buy.
The auditing was conducted by the British Standards Institution Group Philippines Inc.
With this latest recertification, MRSGI holds the distinction of being the only retailer whose Fresh Section has GMP and HACCP citations across four supermarkets, the other three being the ones at Metro Alabang, Metro Ayala Center Cebu, and Metro Mandaue.
Honda Brio winner
Last May 27, Honda Cars Phils. Inc. (HCPI) I awarded a Honda Brio 1.2 S MT unit to Richie San Jose at Honda Cars Bulacan. San Jose was the lucky customer who joined the customer contact information update under the “Stay Connected with Honda” raffle.
The raffle activity is in line with the celebration of HCPI’s 30th year in the country, and Honda’s way of staying connected with customers.
In addition, 39 winners from the raffle draw took home prizes.
In partnership with Petron, aside from the 25 free gas worth P8,000 each, all winners were also provided with customized value cards under their respective names.
SMEs rally towards business growth
PLDT Enterprise has partnered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), JCI Manila, and PayMaya for the #UNBREAKABLETuesdays Virtual Forum Series and #UNBREAKABLETuesdays x eBossing Online Class Series, dedicated to empowering businesses through digital solutions.
PLDT Enterprise has highlighted digital solutions that businesses have been availing of are BEYOND FIBER, PayMaya, Smart Bro, and Smart Enterprise Postpaid.
BEYOND FIBER empowers businesses of all sizes with a reliable connectivity that enables them to go beyond and take the digital shift.
PayMaya remains one of the biggest financial technology service provides in the country, leading Philippine partners for safe and secure payments both online and face-to-face, through bank payments, credit or debit cards, online payment, and use of QR codes. Smart Bro offers wireless broadband connectivity which empowers users to work from anywhere.
Smart Enterprise Postpaid is another offering which allows businesses to access voice, SMS and data services.
The #UNBREAKABLETuesdays Virtual Forum Series and #UNBREAKABLETuesdays x eBossing Online Class Series are projects of PLDT Enterprise in cooperation with DTI, the JCI Manila Business Academy and PayMaya.
Shopee, DOH tie up
Shopee has partnered with the Department of Health (DOH) to promote education on COVID-19 vaccines through in-app and social media initiatives.
The partnership augments the concerted effort of the private sector and local government units to encourage Filipinos to get vaccinated and protect themselves and their loved ones.
Starting this month until August, users can learn more about vaccines’ safety and effectiveness from DOH and World Health Organization representatives. On June 23, 9 p.m., users can watch a discussion on “Fake vs Fact on COVID-19 Vaccine Safety and Efficacy” on Shopee Live. Shopee will post helpful information about the vaccines on its official social media pages. A separate microsite will also be available on the Shopee app.
