Belle, Melco Foundation provide P100 M for 80 new classrooms
Belle Corp. has facilitated the donation of P100 million by the Melco Resorts (Philippines) Foundation Corp. (Melco Foundation) to the Province of South Cotabato and the Department of Education South Cotabato, for the construction of classroom buildings in 40 public schools throughout the province.
Belle initiated the donation to address the critical shortage of classrooms in the province, with 40 public schools set to benefit from the initiative.

“We at Belle, and the entire SM Group, firmly believe that education is key to lifting marginalized families out of poverty. Although South Cotabato is geographically distant from our main communities in Metro Manila and Luzon the need for classrooms and educational infrastructure in South Central Mindanao, particularly in areas inhabited by the Blaan and T’boli indigenous communities, is pressing,” said Armin Antonio Raquel Santos, Belle president and chief executive officer.
“Our collaboration with the Melco Foundation to fund these 80 new classrooms–capable of accommodating up to 4,000 students–is a vital step towards addressing this gap. We believe these new facilities will greatly support the educational journey of students and contribute to the overall betterment of their families and communities,” Raquel Santos added.
The classroom buildings are being constructed in public schools located in the Provincial Capital of Koronadal City and key localities of South Cotabato including the municipalities of Polomolok, Tampakan, and, Tupi. Each building will house two classrooms, accommodating up to 100 students in total.
Eight of the classroom buildings have completed construction in public schools at Koronadal City, Tampakan, Tupi, and Banga in time to start the school year. The first school building to finish construction was the Tupi Central Elementary School -currently being used by over 40 grade three pupils. The rest of the school buildings are in advanced stages of construction and are expected to open within the current school year.
Malayan Insurance appointments
Malayan Insurance Co. Inc. (MICO) has announced the appointment of Eden Tesoro as its new chief operations officer (COO).
Adelo Abeleda–previously head of Underwriting Cluster 1–succeeded Tesoro as the chief underwriting officer (CUO). Both appointments are effective from last July 1.

Prior to this assignment, Tesoro served as senior vice president and CUO. Abeleda spent 11 years fulfilling various key roles in MICO. His previous posts as chief underwriting officer, cluster head of Property, Engineering, Risk Services and Policy Issuance Departments, and senior assistant vice president.
These strategic appointments are part of MICO’s plan to enhance its leadership in the non-life insurance industry for almost 95 years, and leverage its legacy of trust and reliability as a member of the Yuchengco Group of Companies.
EastWest celebrates DepEd’s National Teacher’s Day
The event took place at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City last October 3. The event is the culmination of the DepEd’s month-long campaign to honor the contributions of educators across the nation. With around 10,000 teachers and educational stakeholders in attendance, the day featured a variety of activities, including Zumba, heartfelt tributes to teachers, raffle prizes, and lively entertainment.

A special highlight of the day was the surprise visit and performance by Donny Pangilinan, ambassador of EastWest’s newest digital banking platform EasyWay.
As part of EastWest Rural Bank’s commitment to supporting educators, one of its core products is the Teachers’ Loans, which offer special rates and flexible financing options designed specifically for educators. This product aims to support teachers in achieving their personal and professional goals, whether it’s for personal expenses, or further development. It highlights EastWest Rural Bank’s dedication to empowering those who shape the future.
Maynilad donates 85 drinking fountains
Maynilad installed an initial 33 drinking fountains in public schools across Quezon City, with an additional 44 units scheduled for installation in the succeeding months. The donation also includes several drinking fountains for the Caloocan, Valenzuela, and Las Piñas LGUs.

“Providing ready access to clean drinking water is a vital step toward improving public health. It will also help to reduce single-use plastics, as people can just refill reusable containers with water from these drinking fountains,” said Maynilad head of Corporate Affairs and Communication Marie Antonette De Ocampo.
Similar initiatives include Maynilad’s installation of rainwater harvesting facilities, donation of garbage boats and fire trailers, as well as the distribution of bidets through the “Oplan Balik Eskwela” program.
Consultancy secures double victory
Public relations and public affairs consultancy ALPAS earned two prestigious wins at the Gold Standard Awards in Singapore on October 9.

As the only Filipino PR agency nominated, ALPAS stood alongside distinguished PR firms across the region, showcasing the country’s prowess in strategic communications and public affairs by winning in The Gold Standard Award for a Public Service Campaign and The Gold Standard Award for NGO Engagement.
For the Public Service Campaign, ALPAS won for “Batang Bakunado, T odong Protektado!” , a digital-led campaign from early 2023 addressing the misinformation surrounding COVID-19 pediatric vaccination.
ALPAS also won for Best NGO Engagement with their “Negros Occidental Impact 2025 Campaign,” addressing the housing gap in Negros Occidental by hosting housing fora and collaborating with important stakeholders in the government.
The company was also recognized for its corporate social responsibility arm ANGKLA, which has supported several schools and organizations through media literacy and fake news training workshops. ANGKLA was shortlisted in two categories at the Gold Standard Awards: Issues Management and Crisis Communications, and Corporate Citizenship.