Corporate Roundup: July 29, 2024

Hydration drive

West Zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc. has joined nationwide efforts in bringing immediate relief to the victims of Super Typhoon Carina by distributing bottled water and deploying mobile water tankers to the hardest-hit areas in Metro Manila. 

Shown in photo are Maynilad head for Corporate Affairs and Communication Marie AntonetteDe Ocampo and Government and Community Partnerships head Emil Carlo Comsti (second and fourth from left, respectively) handing over the bottled water donations for Navotas City to Mayor Johnrey Tiangco (third from left).

An initial 26,000 pieces of bottled water and 600 pieces of 6-liter water jugs were brought to relief centers in Quezon City, Manila, Navotas, Malabon, and Valenzuela. 

Maynilad likewise provided 5-gallon water jugs to the local government of Muntinlupa to support local relief efforts. In addition, two 10-cu.m. water tankers are currently being deployed to the Baseco Evacuation Center in Manila and the Muntinlupa Evacuation Center to address the urgent requirement for potable water and ensure its sustainable supply for the evacuees. 

Maynilad also took proactive steps to ensure delivery of water to hospitals so that these medical facilities can sustain operations despite severe flooding. 

Lalamove to set up typhoon relief operations for farmers in recently launched Baguio City serviceable area

After recently launching its on-demand delivery services in Baguio City, Lalamove has been in talks with the local government to aid over 80 farmers during times of typhoon and produce oversupply. With the support of City Mayor Benjamin  Magalong, the leading on-demand delivery platform aims to ensure farmers’ earnings are secured in times of crisis and to reduce produce waste.

As a critical hub for the distribution of vegetables from the Cordillera Administrative Region, Baguio City’s farmers are vulnerable to oversupply issues especially during typhoon season and “Ber” months.

According to Djon Nacario, Lalamove Philippines managing director, the platform is working hand-in-hand with the Baguio local government to support the farmers’ needs during such incidents.

Lalamove is determined to extend this initiative to more farmers and markets across Metro Manila in collaboration with LGUs and other parties interested to serve as repository markets for the rescued produce.

2024 LCF Awards

PetroWind won the top award with Medal of Recognition in the education category for its Basic Education Support through Technology (BEST) Project at the 2024 LCF Awards organized by the League of Corporate Foundations (LCF). 

This program equips public schools with essential technology and resources to foster more accessible and engaging learning environment for students. 

PWEI was also recognized for its Ridge-to-River Rehabilitation and Restoration (R4) Program, a comprehensive approach to environmental protection and rehabilitation in its 50MW Nabas Wind Power Project located in the municipalities of Nabas and Malay in Aklan. 

In addition, PSC and MGI were recognized for their outstanding contributions to sustainability and social development through health, education, and environment projects. PSC was named a finalist in the health category for its Petrobibo Program, aimed at providing nutritious meals to malnourished and underprivileged children in Tarlac. 

MGI was also among the finalists for two of its initiatives in education — the Basic Education Support Technology Program and Waste-to-Ecobrick Project in Batangas and Laguna. 

Asialink Finance named SME Financial Inclusion Initiative of the Year

For two consecutive years, Asialink Finance Corp.  has taken home the win in the SME Financial Inclusion Initiative of the Year – Philippines category at the  Asian Banking & Finance (ABF) Retail Banking Awards. 

(From left)  Val Paolo Origenes, Asialink marketing and communications manager; Tim Charlton, CEO of Charlton Media Group; Lugtu; and Gabriel Doromal, Asialink digital marketing officer.

The award ceremony took place last July 4 at Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Singapore. This accolade recognizes Asialink’s intensified efforts to support micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) amid challenges in the Philippine economy.

The ABF Retail Banking Awards recognized the best institutions in the banking and finance industry. 

“Winning the SME Financial Inclusion Initiative of the Year for the second straight time underscores our strong dedication to make quality financing more accessible. This award shows the trust and confidence that our clients and partners have in the financial solutions that we provide,” said Ruben Lugtu II, chairman of Asialink Finance Corp. 

ePLDT, Genesys  redefine customer engagement

ePLDT, the ICT subsidiary of PLDT, announced a partnership withGenesys, a global cloud leader in AI-powered experience orchestration, to offer cloud-based solutions that will help businesses create a more personalized customer experience and boost workforce efficiency.   

Powered by the all-in-one Genesys Cloud platform , the ePLDT Next-Gen Contact Center as-a-Service (CCaaS) uses AI to provide a 360-degree view of the end-to-end customer experience. This helps organizations understand customers’ behavior, preferences, and even predict their needs to quickly address their issues and orchestrate meaningful experiences using both human and virtual agents. 

“For 20 years, ePLDT has been providing CCaaS solutions to enterprises in the Philippines, understanding their pain points and interconnecting these with the capabilities of the platform we have been offering to deliver the right solutions,” said Victor  Genuino, president and CEO of ePLDT.  “With Genesys, now part of the ePLDT partner ecosystem, we are in an even stronger position to bring our clients solutions that are cost-effective, highly flexible, and readily scalable according to their ever-changing needs.”  

ePLDT Next-Gen CCaaS offers an omnichannel approach, allowing customers to easily connect with contact centers via calls, SMS, email, and social media chats. For customers on hold, it automatically recommends alternative channels to reduce waiting time. This solution also gives agents a holistic view of end-customers’ profile, history, and interactions, ensuring seamless resolution through their preferred channels. 

ePLDT Next-Gen CCaaS helps improve workflow through its agent copilot that monitors the conversation and suggests relevant knowledge and actions to the agent. It also uses predictive routing to match common call types with the best-skilled available agents. The solution tracks the agents’ performance and provides them with feedback and comparison with their peers. Supervisors and administrators can also see the productivity and satisfaction scores of the contact center.

SB Capital recognized as Best Domestic Equity Capital Market House

SB Capital Investment Corp. took home the award for Best Domestic Equity Capital Market (ECM) House — Highly Commended at the FinanceAsia Awards 2024.

SB Capital’s award comes off a banner year of strong financial performance, active market presence, and participation in key transactions–including the PHP34 billion Preferred Shares issuance by San Miguel Corp. and ACEN Corp.’s P25- billion preferred shares, where SB Capital acted as joint lead underwriter and bookrunner.

In addition to the recognition from FinanceAsia, SB Capital has received numerous accolades. It was named the Top Corporate Issue Manager/Arranger in 2022 and secured the second position in 2023 by the Philippine Dealing System Holdings Corp. (PDS).

Furthermore, SB Capital ranked third in the Investors’ Choice Top Arranger for Primary Issues category at the 2023 Asset Benchmark Research Awards.

‘Honda Helps’

Honda Cars Philippines  Inc. (HCPI) is ready to extend a helping hand to those affected by super typhoon Carina through its ‘Honda Helps’ program.

A 30% discount will be offered for select spare parts for units damaged by the typhoon. This offer is available at all Honda Cars Dealers that receive inundated units until September 30.

DISCOUNTED SPARE PARTS UNDER HONDA HELPS

“We would like to offer our sympathies to all Filipinos affected by super typhoon Carina. ‘Honda Helps’ is our way of supporting our loyal customers in bouncing back from this calamity and get them back on the road as soon possible. We sincerely hope everyone stays safe at this time”, said Rie Miyake, president of HCPI.

Honda aims to provide quality service and products. Part of this commitment is to ensure the safety of its customers by making it easier to take care of their units. Those who need support following the events of Carina PH can find their nearest Honda Cars Dealership at https://www.hondaphil.com/dealer-finder. 

Aboitiz Group sends aid to areas hit by Typhoon Carina

Following the onslaught of Super Typhoon Carina, the Aboitiz Group and Aboitiz Foundation immediately mobilized the resources and manpower of various Aboitiz business units to provide assistance to affected communities in the National Capital Region and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

AboitizPower subsidiary Therma Mobile, Inc. and Aboitiz Foundation donated groceries and rice to 2,247 families in Navotas and Malabon, which experienced heavy flooding at the height of the typhoon.

In Parang, Marikina, Aboitiz Equity Ventures and Aboitiz Foundation distributed relief packs to 1,250 families and another 1,000 sets of school supplies for children to prepare them for the new school year.

Aboitiz Equity Ventures and Aboitiz Foundation immediately extended flood relief efforts in Parang, Marikina, providing 2,250 families with relief packs and school supplies.

To assist in road clearing operations in the Cordillera region, AboitizPower subsidiary Hedcor and Aboitiz Foundation provided 3,600 liters of fuel to the municipalities of Bakun, Sablan, Tuba, Itogon and La Trinidad in Benguet, and the towns of Bauko and Sabangan in the Mountain Province.

The fuel will power the heavy equipment and chainsaws used by local authorities in clearing debris on roads, some of which became impassable as a result of landslides caused by the heavy downpour. The prompt restoration of access to the main thoroughfares will help in the faster delivery of relief goods and other forms of assistance to the affected communities.