Corporate Round Up: August 26, 2024

Triple P Awards set

The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines invites organizations to showcase their commitment to a sustainable future by participating in the Triple P Awards. 

The deadline for submission is on Aug. 30, 2024.

The Triple P Awards for planet, people, and progress, honors and celebrates excellence in sustainable business practices, transparency, and impactful communication. 

Participating in the IABC Triple P Awards positions companies as leaders in this transformative arena, allowing them to highlight their commitments to sustainability and social responsibility.

“The Triple P Awards represent a powerful opportunity for businesses to demonstrate how they are making a difference. Each entry contributes to a growing narrative of purposeful business, and I encourage all organizations to share their sustainability stories and inspire positive change,” said Melody del Rosario, IABC chair and ESG Committee head.

Interested organizations can visit the IABC Philippines website at www.iabcphppp.com, where they will find the submission guidelines and criteria. 

MCIA: Skytrax 4-Star Terminal aims for Best Airport Staff

(From left)  Rafael Aboitiz, head of Airports — Aboitiz InfraCapital, Athanasios Titonis, CEO — Aboitiz InfraCapital GMCAC, Cong. Cynthia King-Chan, Congresswoman — City of Lapu-Lapu, Sabin Aboitiz, CEO – Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, Governor of Cebu, Undersecretary  Roberto Lim, Undersecretary of Aviation and Airports – Department of Transportation, Julius Neri, Jr., General Manager – Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority

Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA), recently awarded a prestigious Skytrax 4-Star Terminal rating, is now setting its sights on a new goal: being recognized for having one of the World’s Best Airport Staff at the Skytrax Awards 2025. Through its ‘Abiba Sugbo’ Skytrax Launch Event, MCIA is rallying passengers and partners to support its bid by casting their votes.

The Skytrax 4-Star rating, awarded to MCIA Terminal 2, reflects the terminal’s high standards in staff efficiency, hospitality, service consistency, and language proficiency. This rating is a testament to MCIA’s commitment to delivering top-tier passenger experience, underpinned by exceptional service and product quality. 

As part of its ongoing efforts to enhance the passenger experience, MCIA is actively campaigning for the Best Airport Staff award at the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2025. The 7-month campaign, dubbed ‘Abiba Sugbo,’ encourages the public to vote for MCIA in the Best Airport Staff category.

SmarTrade welcomes top executives from ATFX

SmarTrade, a leading provider of financial education through workshops and one-on-one coaching, recently welcomed key executives of globally-acclaimed broker ATFX to its headquarters in the Philippines. 

The visit highlights the ongoing collaboration between SmarTrade and ATFX as they continue to drive financial empowerment and education in the country.

The distinguished guests included Siju Daniel, chief commercial officer of ATFX, Jeff Hsu, CEO of ATFX Southeast Asia, and Journey Zeng, business development manager for Southeast Asia. Their presence underscored the strong and growing partnership between SmarTrade and ATFX, which has been instrumental in providing Filipino traders with world-class financial tools and educational resources.

The ATFX officials engaged in productive discussions with Joyce Mayo, president & CEO of SmarTrade Philippines, and her leadership team, sharing valuable insights into the latest trends and developments in the global financial markets. 

As SmarTrade and ATFX continue to build on their partnership, Filipino traders can expect more innovative solutions and enhanced educational services that cater to their evolving needs in the dynamic world of trading.

For more information on SmarTrade’s offerings and upcoming events, visit www.smartradeph.com.

BDO wins at FinanceAsia Awards

(From left) Sharlene Soo, FVP and country head of BDO Hong Kong, receives BDO’s Best Bank for Financial Inclusion award from Atifa Silk, Haymarket managing director, at FinanceAsia Awards 2024 in Hong Kong. BDO Unibank was also recognized as Philippines’ Best Bank, Highly Commended while BDO Private Bank earned the Best Private Bank award. These accolades underscore BDO’s continuing contributions to financial education, wealth management excellence and customer-centric innovations, reinforcing BDO’s position as a leading bank in the country.

Newport World Resorts recognized for CSR and sustainability efforts

Newport World Resorts shines in the HR Excellence Awards 2024 with I LOVE Earth commitment to sustainability beyond corporate social responsibility. The multifaceted lifestyle and leisure destination has been honored with the prestigious Silver Award for Excellence in CSR Strategy category, highlighting the company’s all encompassing and fully integrated I LOVE Earth (ILE) sustainability program. In addition, Newport World Resorts was also a finalist for Excellence in Employee Engagement.

Newport World Resorts made sustainability a bigger part of its business operations with ILE, which weaves together the company’s sustainability efforts since 2009 with that of its international hotel brands. Beyond sustainable operations, ILE endeavors to “spread the love” to the company’s over 5,000 employees and their families, other organizations, and communities. 

Moving forward, sustainability and promotion of these activities have become ingrained in the very culture of Newport World Resorts from employee onboarding, training sessions, community volunteer activities, and employee engagement initiatives.

Organized around the objectives of transforming business operations to be more sustainable, while raising awareness on sustainability, ILE has also earned Newport World Resorts an EarthCheck Silver-Certified Status, the first and only integrated resort in the country with the coveted distinction in the world of sustainable destinations and tourism. 

PLDT, Smart collaborate with DICT for School-in-a-Bag program

PLDT and its wireless unit, Smart Communications Inc.  have recently partnered with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to incorporate inclusive learning in the agency’s digital inclusion efforts under its Smart Island initiative. PLDT Group together with DICT, turned over a School-in-a-Bag (SIAB) package to Sta. Cruz National High School in the Island Garden City of Samal in Davao del Norte, to help elevate the quality of education, especially in hard-to-reach areas.

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A student of Sta. Cruz National High School tries out the pre-loaded interactive games in the tablets included in PLDT & Smart’s School-in-a-Bag.

A portable digital classroom, the School-in-a-Bag is designed to provide students and teachers with essential devices and innovative pedagogy for modern-day learning. Each SIAB package includes a laptop, 10 tablets pre-loaded with DepEd curriculum-based learning materials, Smart Bro LTE Pocket Wi-Fi, and expandable storage devices.

Since its inception, more than 600 SIAB packages have been deployed, benefiting around 7,000 teachers and more than 116,000 students in last-mile schools all over the country.

6 decades of bringing comfort

New Creation Manufacturing, a leading producer of baby, children’s and ladies’ garments, and Canadian Manufacturing, one of the leading home linen brands in the Philippines, celebrated their 65th anniversary at the 16th annual trade show “Saluté” held on August 14 and 15 at Sheraton Manila, Pasay City.

The event showcased the companies’ flagship brands– Lifestyle by Canadian under Canadian Manufacturing, and Hello Dolly under New Creation Manufacturing. The trade show featured exhibits that recreated common household settings, demonstrating the full range of their product innovations.

Canadian Manufacturing introduced a range of sustainable home linen products under the Lifestyle by Canadian brand. These offerings include bed accessories such as waterproof mattress and pillow protectors, designed to enhance sleep environments, extend mattress life, and provide protection against allergens and stains. The towel collection features fabrics like Organic Cotton, USA Cotton, Brazilian Cotton, and Eco Cotton. The bedsheet collections offer options like Tencel Lyocell, USA Cotton, Egyptian Cotton Percale, and the new Tencel Plus blend, all crafted with eco-friendly materials.

New Creation Manufacturing’s  Sanggol brand, predominantly known for infants’ wear, has a new line of disposable diapers featuring a super absorbent polymer for moisture absorption. The Hello Dolly collection introduced an antibacterial and antimicrobial line of baby and toddler apparel.

The company also expanded its offerings with the Hello Dolly Ladies’ Wear collection, featuring versatile sleepwear designed for women who prioritize both comfort and sophistication. 

Local health workers undergo disaster, disease prevention training

Blueleaf Energy Philippines through its floating solar project, NKS Solar One, initiated a disease and disaster prevention training to community health workers last July 30 in Lumban, Laguna. 

The training was designed to equip the participants with skills and knowledge necessary to prevent disaster and diseases like cholera, dengue, and malaria. A total of 48 barangay health workers, barangay nutrition scholars and tanods from San Antonio and San Juan from Kalayaan; Lewin from Lumban; and East Talaongan, West Talaongan, Inao-Awan, Mahipon-Lumot, and Tibatib from Cavinti attended the training. 

“We believe that investing in the health of our host communities is not just a duty but a privilege; and that by empowering these local health workers with the tools and knowledge they need, we are contributing to a healthier and a more resilient community,” said Jason Gavina, head of Marketing and Community Relations for Bluealeaf Energy Philippines.

The company has partnered with the Laguna Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) and Municipality of Kalayaan Rural Health Unit in conducting the training. The sessions were interactive, combining theoretical knowledge with practical exercises. Participants learned about preventive measures for waterborne and vector-borne diseases, effective communication with their constituents, and how to organize health awareness campaigns.

Representatives from Laguna PDRRMO also taught the attendees on how to respond to emergencies which aims to reduce the loss of life and property during disasters. As trained individuals, these participants can act as first responders, providing immediate assistance and support to their kabarangays until professional help arrives.

Travelhood Travel Expo returns

Travelhood, the premier travel expo for discerning travelers, makes its much-awaited return from August 31 to September 1  at The Fifth at Rockwell Powerplant Mall.  

Founded by event specialist Czarina Ledesma, travel industry veteran Chal Lontoc-Del Rosario, and retail expert Claud Paulino, Travelhood offers a curated selection of exclusive travel destinations, airlines, and packages.

One of the highlights of Travelhood is the live travel auction, where attendees can bid on incredible travel packages at discounted prices. This exciting event adds an element of fun and excitement to the expo.

Knauf Gypsum Ph eEarns Great Place to Work® Certification

Knauf Gypsum Philippines has earned the prestigious Great Place to Work Certification, solidifying the company’s leadership in the construction and infrastructure sector, and strengthening its commitment to fostering an exceptional workplace culture that values its employees and promotes their growth and well-being.

With the Great Place to Work Certification, the company further solidifies its reputation as an employer of choice in the construction industry. This certification is based on rigorous analytics and confidential employee feedback, reflecting a workplace environment where trust, pride, and camaraderie are paramount.

Knauf Gypsum Philippines’ core values — Menschlichkeit, Commitment, Partnership, and Entrepreneurship — have laid the foundation of everything the brand does. Menschlichkeit reflects its dedication to respect, fairness, and empathy in all its interactions.

ZTE honors outstanding students

ZTE Corp. announced the launch of its first-ever scholarship program in the Philippines, recognizing six exceptional students from top universities across the country.

The scholarship is a cornerstone of the company’s S.T.A.R. (Skills, Talent, Attitude, and Responsibility) Industry-Academe Linkage (IALP) Program, which was initiated in 2022 through a Strategic Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between ZTE, the University of Santo Tomas (UST), and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.

ZTE Philippines CTO Jin Zhi Chao said the scholarship program aims to “cultivate emerging talents in telecommunications” as part of the company’s commitment to driving the digital economy forward.

Liu Feng, ZTE Philippines HR director, highlighted the significance of this scholarship as a pivotal milestone in the industry-academe partnership. “ZTE will continue to expand our talent pool through collaborations with various educational institutions in the Philippines.