Diplomats for a Cause charity gala
of Norway; and Thuy Nguyen, spouse of the Ambassador of Vietnam.
SM, through Kultura and SM Retail, signed a memorandum of agreement with the Spouses of Heads of Mission (SHOM) Manila on August 30 to hold Diplomats for a Cause, a charity gala advocating for the betterment of the marginalized sectors in the country.
Slated on October 8, the Diplomats for a Cause charity gala will feature a fashion show and a silent auction of artwork. Both events will be participated by foreign ambassadors and heads of international institutions accredited to the Philippines, other ranking diplomats and their family. Leading the event is SHOM, a group of spouses of heads of mission accredited to the Philippines.
Tanduay’s Especia Spiced Rum wins
Especia Spiced Rum was awarded a gold medal and declared Best in Category for Spiced Rum at the recent New Orleans Spirits Competition.
Evaluated by a panel of esteemed experts, the competition recognizes fine beverages and spirits from top-flight producers across the globe.
Being awarded a gold medal means that Especia Spiced Rum achieved excellence in various aspects such as aroma, taste, balance, and finish. Made from heirloom sugarcane and infused with exotic spices and tropical fruits, Especia Spiced Rum is one of Tanduay’s most-awarded products in recent years.
Several Tanduay rums were also awarded medals.
Tanduay Asian Rum Silver received a silver medal while Tanduay Asian Rum Gold and Tanduay Double Rum received a bronze medal each.
Another award-winning product, the Tanduay Asian Rum Silver is aged up to 5 years in bourbon barrels .
The much-lauded Tanduay Asian Rum Gold, meanwhile, is a dark rum that has a good balance of alcohol level and sweetness.
Another highly-praised product, the Tanduay Double Rum is made from a blend of rums aged for 16 and 5 years and mixed in bourbon barrels for two years.
Beauty All Access celebrates beauty
One-stop destination for all things beauty. Robinsons Department Store’s Beauty All Access showcased the best deals for top brands makeup, skincare, and hair care brands.
Robinsons Department Store held “Beauty All Access,” a five-day shopping fair at Robinsons Place Antipolo September 11 to 15.
The event featured renowned brands, like Maybelline, L’Oreal Olay, Bobbie, Colourette, Nivea, Garnier, with some products sold at 50 percent off.
Robinsons Department Store also prepared games and activities to keep things fun. The event culminated in the Beauty Forum on September 14, a big gathering of shoppers and influencers sharing their love of all things beauty and self-expression.
Back-to-back awards
At back-to-back ceremonies recently held in Taguig City, PLDT Inc and its wireless unit Smart Communications Inc. hauled major awards for programs and initiatives in the areas of brand communications, corporate social responsibility and human resources.
During their maiden foray at the HR Excellence Awards, PLDT and Smart bagged a gold award of Excellence in CSR Strategy for “PLDT and Smart Communities”, their umbrella shared value program that promotes the use of technology to bridge the digital divide in the areas of digital wellness, disaster resilience, education, inclusion, and livelihood.
The group also bagged a bronze award for Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the effective implementation of programs and strategies aimed at creating a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment for all employees to thrive.
PLDT and Smart were also shortlisted under the Excellence in Learning and Development category, which recognizes an organization’s effective and innovative implementation of training and development programs.
For its “Visionaries” campaign that puts a spotlight on PLDT Enterprise customers who have turned their aspirations into successful businesses, PLDT bagged the gold award of Excellence in B2B Marketing at the recently concluded Marketing Excellence Awards. The same campaign also received a bronze award of Excellence in Communications and Public Relations.
Smart also bagged major citations for brand initiatives in 2023. Smart bagged silver in the Excellence in Digital Marketing category for its SIM Registration Campaign.
Smart also bagged a bronze award for Excellence in Out-of-Home Advertising for turning the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) Ball into a giant basketball with a hoop, to drum up the excitement for the world’s biggest basketball tournament, FIBA. The outdoor installation not only highlighted the Philippines’ participation as one of the hosts of this historic event, but also the nation’s unmatched passion for basketball.
BDO Foundation donates rescue boats
BDO Foundation, with the help of BDO Network Bank, donated six rescue boats for the barangays of Naga through the Angat Buhay Foundation.
The boats will help rescuers provide aid to flooded households and support Angat Buhay’s goal of improving the barangay’s capacity for disaster response efforts.
“We hope that these rescue boats enhance the capacity of the ones in the frontline and help them safeguard affected families in times of natural calamities,” shared BDO Foundation president Mario Deriquito. Apart from its commitment to disaster response, the foundation also puts importance to building long-term resilience in vulnerable communities.
CREIT clinches first Golden Arrow from ICD
Citicore Energy REIT Corp. (CREIT) receives its very first Golden Arrow Award, conferred by the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) on September 19 at the Manila Marriott Hotel.
The award recognizes top performing publicly-listed companies in the Philippines, based on the 2022 Asean Corporate Governance Studies (ACGS) and Corporate Governance Scorecard (CGS) Assessment Results, both of which measure the performance of companies in facilitating the rights and equitable treatment of shareholders, stakeholder relationship, transparency and accountability through timely disclosures, and the ability of the board of directors to strategically guide the company, monitor management, and ensure their accountability to shareholders.
“Our first Golden Arrow for our Citicore Energy REIT reflects our continuous commitment to ensuring transparency in investments and empowerment to our shareholders, while operating with the highest standards of corporate governance,” said Oliver Tan, president and CEO of CREIT.
The company’s Corporate Governance initiatives enhance the company’s value proposition as a sustainable investment platform with a current portfolio of 7.1 million square meters of total leasable space, solely leased out to solar power plant developers and operators with a gross installed solar generation capacity of 145MW.
CREIT’s shareholder commitment also extends to the continually increasing shareholder value through its resilient portfolio, focus on value accretive asset acquisition and the consistent pay-out of dividends above the minimum requirement of 90% of distributable income.
CCIP holds 50th anniversary fellowship
The Chamber of Cosmetics Industry (CCIP) gathered almost 200 participants in a Bingo Night held at the Podium Hall in Mandaluyong City to celebrate the group’s 50th anniversary
Dubbed as #GoBingo50, the Bingo event is a long-time tradition for CCIP not only as a means to earn but to create camaraderie among the CCIP member companies and their family and friends.
This year’s major sponsors include CLARIANT, GSRI, Anton Paar, and Environatural Corporation. Other sponsors that helped make the event a success include DJM Grandeur Corporation, NPack, Greenika, Euro Chemicals, Inc., Aromatic and Allied, DS Cosmeceutical Manufacturing Laboratory, Natura Aeropack (a subsidiary of Chemrez), Refinette, Ever Bilena Cosmetics, Inc., Pure Essentials Specialist Corp., Marklene, Likha Collab, and First Skincare.
Armscor unveils RIA Defense brand
Armscor Global Defense, Inc. (AGDI), the biggest defense manufacturer in the Philippines and one of the largest inAsia, announced the launch of Rock Island Armory (RIA)Defense, a homegrown, international Filipino company that is set to change the landscape in the local firearms manufacturing industry.
Leveraging the engineering experience, excellent craftsmanship and innovative technology of AGDI in producing world-class quality firearms, ammunition anddefense products, RIA Defense worked with local science and technology experts and sought the expertise of seasoned former military and law enforcement (MI/LE)personnel from various major services for the design and development of products that are attuned to the evolving needs and requirements of the Filipino MI/LE community.
RIA Defense came out with its initial products: the RD4P Cobra, a short-stroke Gas Piston Rifle that can shoot while and after being submerged in water;and the RD1, a multi-caliber pistol platform that can fire 9mm rounds or 22TCM armor-piercing rounds through the use of a conversion kit, enabling the end-user to deal with higher threat levels as the firearm can penetrate body armor with protection level III (NIJ LVL III).
Aboitiz Construction recognized
Aboitiz Construction was honored by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Region 10 for its significant contributions to the Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector in Bukidnon. The accolade was presented on September 6 during the 30th TESDA Anniversary Celebration in Cagayan de Oro City.
The award acknowledges the company’s role as a vital industry partner of the Provincial Office of Bukidnon. The company’s support has been instrumental in the successful implementation and development of TVET programs in the province, contributing to TESDA’s vision of becoming a transformational leader in the skills development of the Filipino workforce.
In Bukidnon, Aboitiz Construction has partnered with Maces Skills Training Institute, Inc. to train individuals in Technical-Vocational courses. These trained individuals are now deployed at the firm’s project sites in Surigao del Norte and Davao City.
As an active industry partner in the region, Aboitiz Construction signed a partnership with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology Region 10 in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon last June to provide employment opportunities and rehabilitation support to Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) last June. This underscores the company’s commitment to community empowerment and employment provision.
BPI wins multiple awards for its marketing campaigns
The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) received five awards at the recently concluded Marketing ExcellenceAwards 2024, reflecting the bank’s commitment to cybersecurity, digitalization, and the use of AI-driven, hyper-personalized marketing strategies to enhance customer engagement through innovative and strategic initiatives.
The Marketing Excellence Awards, which is now in its fourth edition, is heralded as the pinnacle of recognition for outstanding achievements in marketing in the country,honoring marketing professionals and businesses that take an active role in reshaping the landscape of growth and success in the Philippines.
BPI won a Silver Award for Excellence in Data Privacy and Security Marketing category for the “BPICybersecuriTips – Maging Listo, Huwag Magpaloko” campaign, which is part of the bank’s effort to establish a more secure online environment by educating banking customers on best practices against cyber threats.
It also received a Silver Award for Excellence in Location-Based Marketing for its “Predicting the Unforeseen: Identifying Home Loan Needs Using Location-Based Marketing” initiative, demonstrating its strategic use of location-based services, geofencing, and proximity marketing to provide personalized and targeted content to consumers.
BPI also clinched another Silver Award for Excellence in Artificial Intelligence (AI) -Powered Storytelling for its “Outcome-Driven AI Campaign Innovation for Hyper Personalization” campaign. This award highlights the bank’s effective use of artificial intelligence to produce engaging brand stories that resonate with its clients on a deeper level.
Still under the Excellence in AI-Powered Storytelling category, BPI also won a Bronze Award for its “AI-Powered Conversations: Transforming Customer Engagement with BEA Chat” program. The bank has been using BEA Chat, a 24/7 chatbot service that uses conversational AI technology, to improve customer experience by providing accurate real-time responses to clients’ queries about the bank’s products and services via chat.
Meanwhile, under the Excellence in eCommerce Marketing category, BPI’s Agency Banking won a Bronze Award for “May BPI Dito sa Lazada.” Through this program, BPI products are available in partner stores, barangays, and on mobile phones.The bank launched Agency Banking in 2022 to expand its capability to reach, acquire, and serve more Filipinos by forging strategic partnerships in the retail sector.
Poultry business conference
On September 10, Cargill Philippines hosted its 2024 Poultry Business Conference (PBC) at the Hilton Clark Sun Valley Resort in Clark, Pampanga. With the theme “Leading Business Through Synergistic Collaboration,” the event stressed the vital role of strategic partnerships in addressing the evolving needs of the poultry industry and securing our food future.
Cargill’s Poultry Business Conference brought together industry leaders, poultry owners, and stakeholders to discuss emerging trends and strategies that are essential for the sector’s future.
Sonny Catacutan, managing director of Cargill’sanimal nutrition business in the Philippines, reiterated its commitment to supporting the growth of the local poultry sector. “Being at the center of our nation’s food systems, Cargill has a unique role and responsibility in making it more sustainable and resilient for generations to come,” said Catacutan. “Advancing food security in the Philippines is something that we cannot do on our own. Through partnerships with customers and industry stakeholders, we are driving progress and deepening our impact when it comes to productivity and efficiency in animal nutrition and health and feeding a growing Filipino population.”
Top barangays in PET bottle collection initiative named
Officials of Barangay Tejeros–Tapon to Ipon: Basta Klaro, Panalo! Barangay Contest second placer–actively collects recyclables for the Mobile Material Recovery Facility (MMRF).
Championing collective environmental stewardship, Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines, Inc. (CCBPI) and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) recently concluded the pilot run of their joint waste recovery and recycling campaign, Tapon to Ipon: Basta Klaro, Panalo! Barangay Contest.
The initiative integrated Coca-Cola’s Tapon to Ipon: Basta Klaro, Panalo! Program with the MMDA’s Mobile Material Recovery Facility (MMRF) project “Recyclable Mo, Palit Grocery Ko,” in which participating barangays competed to collect the highest volume of clear PET plastic bottles of any brand, Coca-Cola glass bottles, and crates. The pilot run took place from June to August 2024 and recognized the top barangays out of over 20 participants across Metro Manila. Barangay Pinagsama in Taguig secured first place, while Barangay Tejeros in Makati and Barangay Bayanan in Muntinlupa claimed second and third, respectively.
CCBPI and MMDA launched the inter-barangay program as a joint sustainability and waste management project initiated upon its memorandum of agreement signing last March 2024.
Beyond raising public awareness about the recyclability of clear PET plastic bottles and the importance of returning Coca-Cola glass bottles and crates, the program harnesses the strong support and ingenuity of each participating community as they executed their own innovative strategies to support their collection efforts.
CCBPI’s national collection program, “Tapon to Ipon: Basta Klaro, Panalo!”, aims to collect clear PET plastic bottles and recyclable bottle packaging, regardless of brand.
Mylo Speech Biddy wins awards
Mylo Speech Buddy, an app designed to support individuals with speech delays and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), has won two Gold awards at the 2024 Stevie Awards, a premiere global business competition. The Speech Development System was recognized as the “Tech Startup of the Year – Software” at the 21st International Business Awards and as the “New Product of the Year – Educational Technology” at the Technology Excellence Awards.
Dubbed ‘The Olympics For Technology’, the Technology Excellence Awards is the newest program from Stevie Awards and it received more than 600 nominations from organizations across 21 nations and territories.
These wins testify to Mylo Speech Buddy’s capabilities and its growing prominence on the international stage. Winning in these esteemed categories is a testament to Mylo Speech Buddy’s capabilities and its growing prominence on the international stage.
These awards highlight the significant impact of Mylo Speech Buddy in providing support for speech therapy. Its key features include customizable speech exercises, a research-backed video modeling method for clear enunciation guidance, and progress tracking.
