Morong becomes 1st LGU with advanced emergency response
Morong in Rizal Province is the first local government unit in the Philippines with a first-class, next generation emergency response and public safety system to respond to emergency calls and ensure the protection of its residents.
Morong Mayor Sidney Soriano, Vice Mayor Jose Fred Feliciano and other key municipal officials signed an agreement with NGA Philippines, the local subsidiary of multinational corporation NGA 911, LLC headquartered in California, in April last year to provide Morong with world-class and complete solutions for emergency communication and public safety services.
NGA is known globally as the innovator of emergency calling technology, and the leader in Next Generation 911 (NG911) emergency communications worldwide. The NGA NG911 system is built on the industry standards adopted by the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) in the United States and the European Emergency Number Association (EENA).
On May 6, Morong local officials led by Mayor Sidney Soriano and NGA Philippines country head Robert Llaguno led the Go Live activation of the Morong Disaster, Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Command Center in Sitio Paglabas, Barangay San Pedro in Morong. Present at the Go Live event were Department of Interior and Local Governments Undersecretary Juan Victor Llamas, Rizal Rep. , Rizal Governor Nina Ricci Ynares and Emergency 911 National Office executive director Francis Fajardo.
Now the local government of Morong is ready to respond accurately and efficiently to disasters, accidents, medical emergencies and other distress calls, using the NGA NG911 state of the art digital technology that can save lives and property in the fastest possible time.
Cebuana Lhuillier Bank bags World Economic Magazine Awards
Cebuana Lhuillier Bank scored consecutive victories at the World Economic Magazine Awards.
The bank secured wins across three prestigious categories: Best Microfinance Bank, Fastest Growing Bank for Financial Inclusion and Most Innovative Microfinance Bank for the year 2024, marking its second consecutive triumph after clinching the same accolades last year.
“We want to reach more people and provide our services to the ones who need them the most. We just want to continue our financial inclusion advocacy, to carry over that mission from the small pawnshops we operate to a bank that can be the people’s ally in their financial success,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, president and CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier.
The recognition as the Best Microfinance Bank in the Philippines for 2024 highlights its impact on Filipino lives. The Teachers’ Loan portfolio, for example, registered a staggering 425 perxenr increase in housing loans amounting to $13.4 million.
As the Fastest Growing Bank for Financial Inclusion in the Philippines, Cebuana Lhuillier posted exponential growth in its loan portfolio, soaring from $7 million in 2018 to $64 million in 2023.
As the Most Innovative Microfinance Bank of the Philippines for 2024 Cebuana Lhuillier has integrated technology to enhance customer experiences.
Accelerating MSME growth in Iloilo City
PLDT Enterprise and Smart Communications Inc. empowered over 70 local, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Iloilo City through the #eBiznovation Buy Local Bazaar with Tiktok Shop Philippines and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Iloilo.
The participants received comprehensive training to unlock new revenue streams and promote their products effectively on the popular social media platform, Tiktok.
The training aimed to equip local business owners with the necessary knowledge and skills to leverage Tiktok’s one-stop e-commerce solution, Tiktok Shop. Participants gained insights into basic content creation, smartphone photography and videography, content storyboarding, and internet safety basics.
“We recognize the vital role that MSMEs play in driving economic growth and jobs creation. By empowering these local businesses with the tools and knowledge to thrive in the digital age, we are not only supporting their success but also contributing to the overall development of the Philippines,” said Jinky Francisco, head of PLDT Enterprise SMBiz Visayas.
Tiktok Shop PH representatives provided valuable insights into effectively selling products through engaging short-form videos, and discussed various mechanics and techniques, including the do’s and don’ts of selling in the platform. This hands-on training session aimed to help MSMEs leverage the power of social media and e-commerce to reach new customers and grow their business.
Iloilo City marks the first stop in the Visayas region for the #eBiznovation Buy Local Bazaar in 2024, an initiative by PLDT and Smart to support local businesses in their digital transformation journey.
Capital One Ph creates a great workplace
Capital One Philippines has rolled out Invest in Yourself Day (IIYD), a program that gives associates some time to dig into learning or prop up their feet for some much-deserved rest.
“Capital One Philippines is all about being the best we can be,” says Capital One Philippines Head of Country Joseph “JP” Paperman. “And IIYD is one of the many ways we enable that. It’s a day dedicated to just taking a break, learning something new, or whatever helps you recharge. When we take care of ourselves, we come back feeling refreshed and ready to tackle anything. It’s like hitting the restart button and coming back even stronger — which is an excellent way to work.”
Invest in Yourself Day (IIYD) is part of Capital One Philippines’ overall associate wellness program. Associates have the option to pursue personal goals and activities, leverage Capital One’s learning and development offerings, or pursue personal advocacies by joining Business Resource Groups (BRGs) or Capital One PH’s community outreach efforts.
“We continue to explore initiatives and programs dedicated to strengthening and nurturing the potential of our associates,” said Capital One Philippines director of Human Resources Phil Bravo. “Combining IIYD with a suite of learning and development options, and activities that enable self-care and mental health hopefully makes it more impactful and meaningful to our teams.”
“IIYD also provides an opportunity for our teams to connect offline, and so we invested in redesigning and updating our physical workplace such as collaboration areas and meeting rooms to give associates more avenues to connect in-person.”
PLDT Enterprise bags 3 Stevie Awards
PLDT Enterprise bagged several accolades at the 2024 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards.
The Philippine Digital Convention (PH Digicon) 2023 VISION: Reimagine Tomorrow’s Enterprise secured a Silver Stevie® under the category of Innovation in the Use of Events and a Bronze Stevie® for Innovation in Business-to-Business Events, while the “Visionaries”campaign received a Bronze Stevie® in the category of Innovation in the Use of Social Media.
“We are deeply honored by the recognition bestowed upon us at the Stevie Awards, which underscores our unwavering dedication to business excellence and innovation,” stated Mitch Locsin, FVP and head of Enterprise and International Core Business at PLDT and Smart.
PH Digicon 2023 VISION: Reimagine Tomorrow’s Enterprise was the most recent leg of the pioneering annual digital conference that once again brought together industry leaders to discuss and explore the future of digital enterprise. The convention offered a platform for businesses to reimagine their operations in the emerging digital landscape.
The “Visionaries” campaignwas a transformative movement celebrating customer success stories across diverse personas and industries, from SME founders, large enterprise leaders, local government unit partners, to international carriers. It showcased the digital transformation journeys of PLDT Enterprise’s customers and reinforced the brand’s customer-centric approach.
The “Visionaries” campaign exemplifies PLDT Enterprise’s role as an architect of change, demonstrating their expertise in crafting impactful stories that resonate with the audience and galvanize the market.
Jobstreet by SEEK democratizes platform
Jobstreet by SEEK has democratized its all-new platform with Free Lite Ads, giving employers the opportunity to post unlimited job listings anytime and for any role, for free.
Free Lite Ads lets employers enjoy free access and seamless hiring on the Philippines’ largest AI-powered career platform that delivers faster and better matches. Jobstreet by SEEK has the largest talent pool with over 11.6 million Filipino registered candidates so you can ensure greater talent reach and applications.
This initiative seeks to empower employers with freedom and value, strengthening Jobstreet by SEEK’s goal of attaining eight million jobs nationwide, and allowing small to medium enterprises (SMEs) and large businesses to meet their demands for quality talent.
Free Lite Ads job listings are visible to candidates for 30 days per job post.
Pru Life UK wins 2024 Gold Quill Award
Pru Life UK was conferred the prestigious Gold Quill Award for its outstanding local initiatives celebrating Prudential’s 175th anniversary.
Awarded under the Communication Skills – Special and Experiential Events category, this recognition affirms Pru Life UK’s continuous pursuit of effective corporate communications strategies.
“We are deeply honored by this award, which underscores our unwavering commitment to empowering our stakeholders through impactful storytelling grounded in our shared values and rich heritage. Emphasizing trust and relationships as fundamental to our success, we dedicate this accolade to our clients, partners, employees and agency force,” said Sanjay Chakrabarty, president & CEO of Pru Life UK.
The Gold Quill Awards is the premier program of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), recognizing and fostering excellence in the field of business communication for more than 40 years now.
BillEase launches QRPh integration
Consumer finance app BillEase has launched its integration with QRPh, the national QR code standard. The new feature, enabled through a strategic partnership with Asia United Bank (AUB), will enable BillEase users to have a seamless checkout experience.
With the QRPh feature, BillEase users can seamlessly scan any P2M QR code and utilize their credit limit to pay for online and offline purchases. This expands the payment options for customers, allowing them to transact at any QRPh-accepting merchant while enjoying the benefits of BillEase’s flexible installment plans, whether choosing the convenience of pay later or the increased spending power of BillEase’s Limit Boostâ„¢.
“We’re thrilled to finally bring QRPh to our customers, unlocking more opportunities for them to conveniently scan and pay wherever QRPh is accepted,” said Kurt Molina, BillEase’s head of Merchant Products. “By offering QRPh, both for in-store purchases and online transactions, we’re delivering on our promise to provide Filipinos with flexible payment options through our pay later and installment products. Now, our users can enjoy a seamless checkout experience anywhere they shop, whether it’s at a physical store or an e-commerce site.”
The new feature will also enable merchants to tap into a wider customer base that favors digital payments, speeding up transaction times, and reducing the operational hassles associated with cash handling. “It’s a win-win: consumers enjoy the ease of use, and merchants benefit from streamlined operations and potentially higher sales from our customers,” Molina added.
IPN accelerates growth for Filipino impact enterprises
Impact Pioneers Network (IPN), a first-of-its-kind impact investing network in the country, secured key partnerships with Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation (NWTF), Dungganon Bank, and an angel investor to provide growth capital to three impact enterprises growth in the Philippines.
Through these collaborations, Magnus Renewable Tech Corp., Agro-Digital PH, and Suds Sustainable Pods, have received collateral-free loans to accelerate their growth.
“By unlocking crucial financing to impact enterprises like Magnus Renewable Tech Corp., Agro-Digital PH, and Suds Sustainable Pods, the Network and our partners aim to accelerate sustainable development and empower communities nationwide through innovative solutions,” said Priya Thachadi, co-founder and CEO of Villgro Philippines, one of the Network’s co-managers.
Magnus Renewable Tech Corp., an enterprise focusing on solar energy solutions based in Negros Oriental, will utilize the working capital provided to increase solar energy access to communities nationwide.
Agro-Digital PH, an innovative digital platform empowering farmers and enhancing agricultural productivity, will harness the loan to advance its technology and broaden its farmer network.
Suds Sustainable Pods, known for its innovative personal hygiene and household cleaning products packaged in water-soluble film, also received a working capital loan from an individual angel investor from the Network to scale up operations and further diversify its product line to lessen plastic pollution.
