BDO Network Bank brings its community service online
BDO Network Bank (BDONB) has launched the BDONB Facebook Page which will serve as its alternative channel in reaching out to the communities it serves.
The platform will complement its on ground services such as answering to product inquiries, conducting financial wellness roadshows, and getting customer feedback.
All these can be done on its official Facebook page without the need for face-to-face engagement or visiting BDO Network Bank branches.
The rural bank has become a valuable member of each community, responding to their financial needs and even beyond.
But due to the pandemic, the face-to-face, physical contact, and reassuring personal touch with the community that BDONB employees are accustomed to will have to be put on hold.
The solution that BDONB now offers to its clients, who are used to the warm, assuring community outreach of the bank’s employees, is to create its own social media community through the official BDONB Facebook Page.
“BDO Network Bank has been looking forward to an official Facebook page. And for us, this is the best time, as the team is geared up and more forearmed to support an online community. After a year from our rebrand, we deem this is the best follow through to continuously propagate brand awareness and improve our customer engagement,” BDO Network Bank president J.Antonio S. Itchon said.
“More importantly, we are a proponent of driving inclusive economic growth through our relevant financial products and services. We support our clients aspirations and business needs especially in unserved and underserved communities. By launching our own FB page, we envision to exponentially grow the number of lives that we can change and prosper,” he added.
SMC delivers on promise of P2-million life insurance coverage
for Cebu medical front liners
San Miguel Corp. (SMC) said it has completed providing life insurance coverage to about 5,000 medical front liners from 18 hospitals across Cebu, who are now insured for P2 million each.
“We started this initiative several months ago, at the height of COVID-19 cases in Cebu, when our medical front liners there were really having a hard time. Many of them were also testing positive for the coronavirus. We wanted to do something to help protect them, and to show our solidarity and support for them,” said SMC president Ramon S. Ang.
With the insurance packages, obtained through Cocolife, Ang said that medical front liners in Cebu can now have added security as they save lives and fight the virus.
Under the program, SMC pays for all the premiums for the insurance of medical front liners. Thus far, SMC’s P2 million coverage-each insurance package has benefited some 3,727 front liners in the 18 Cebu hospitals.
Some 61 infectious disease specialists and pulmonologists and hundreds of other medical workers were also provided the same insurance coverage.
Since the start of the pandemic, SMC has been at the forefront of private sector efforts to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19, such as its P500-million medical response package including donations of RT-PCR COVID-19 testing machines, fully-automated RNA Extraction systems, and PCR test kits to public and private hospitals nationwide. Its donations have raised the country’s PCR testing capacity by 15,000 tests per day.
SMC continues to support medical front liners by waiving toll fees for them at all its operating expressways, namely STAR, SLEX, Skyway, NAIAX, and TPLEX. It also provides free fuel for government’s free shuttle service program for medical workers.
Logitech PH announces Versatech as official distributor for video collaboration solutions
Logitech has joined forces with Versatech International to expand innovative video conferencing solutions to local markets and releases two new pro audio models for 2020.
The partnership opens a new door for the Philippines’ pro audio and video community as Versatech International becomes an official distributor of Logitech for its video and conferencing room solutions. This year also welcomes the release of additional models for Logitech’s video collaboration line up that includes professional conference cameras, webcams, and accessories for audio and video conferencing.
“We’ve tackled small, medium, and large meeting rooms with high-quality room solutions,” said Mr. Philippe Depallens, general manager of Personal Collaboration at Logitech. “Now, we’re establishing a category of products designed for the personal workspace that provide a complete personal collaboration experience, whether that’s with audio or webcams.”
To enhance people’s experiences on video conferencing platforms for office or work from home environments, Logitech has designed the ‘Swytch’, a one-cable link that enables your laptop to connect to a room’s AV equipment and run any video meeting or webinar, and the ‘Zone Wired Headset’, a USB headset for busy workspaces with premium audio drivers and advanced noise-canceling mic technology.
As video conferences become an essential part of everyday business operation and a new normal in 2020, Versatech International successfully held consecutive ‘Logitech Video Collaboration Conference’ webinars on September 11, 2020, via Microsoft Teams. Hosted by Versatech’s Vice President of Marketing, Ms. Jessa Camille Dasas.
For more information on Logitech visit www.logitech.com/en-ph/video-collaboration/products
Ayala bags 5 Stevie Awards
Ayala Corp. received five major honors for its COVID-19 initiatives at the recently concluded 2020 International Business Awards (IBA), also known as the Stevie Awards, the world’s premier business awards program recognizing companies and professionals worldwide.
Out of 3,800 nominations from companies across 63 nations and territories, Ayala won one Gold for its Project Ugnayan website, two Silvers for its “Most Valuable Employer” and “Most Valuable Corporate Response” entries, and two Bronzes for its “Tapat” and “Nandiyan Ka” corporate videos.
Ayala’s “Project Ugnayan” website took home a Gold Stevie® for its chronicling of an unprecedented private sector initiative led by Ayala to combat widespread hunger at the onset of the pandemic. The website features photographs by renowned photographer Xyza Bacani.
The Project Ugnayan consortium, spearheaded by Ayala, has grouped 270 of the country’s largest private companies to quickly raise PHP 1.7 billion in just a few days.
Ayala’s two entries under the COVID-19 Responses Categories, entitled “Ayala Group of Companies Supercharged Response to COVID-19” and “Ayala Group Puts Employees First”, both earned Silver Stevies®.
The Ayala group so far has allocated over P9.6 billion in COVID-19-related initiatives.
Ayala also won two Bronze Stevies for its “Tapat” and “Nandiyan Ka’ corporate videos, assuring its many stakeholders in simple and heartfelt language that Ayala remains steadfast in serving its people’s needs in these challenging times.
“Nandiyan Ka”, on the other hand, was a tribute to the Ayala Group’s 18,000 essential workers featuring an original composition by Philippine National Artist Maestro Ryan Cayabyab, recognizing workers across Ayala’s various businesses, for their unfailing commitment during this global crisis.
Despite the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of Quezon City’s junior and senior high schoolers may avail of quality online and offline private schooling options from APEC Schools and National Teachers College (NTC).
As a result of the Project TALA (Tuloy-Aral, Linang-Alalay) partnership that Mayor Belmonte signed recently, Quezon City students will benefit from an LGU discount.
APEC Schools will facilitate online classes premised on an experiential approach to students with access to mobile learning devices and connectivity. Meanwhile, NTC will provide printed correspondence modules to students with no Internet access, who can also have extensie consultations with learning facilitators through e-mail, call, or instant messaging.
Both schools will also offer a comprehensive readiness training for both learners and parents.
Despite the pandemic, APEC Schools and NTC have continuously innovated their learning design and delivery to keep students learning effectively. APEC Schools has launched a blended learning system called APEC Agile and a homeschool version called APEC Flex in August. On the other hand, NTC uses the Adaptive Community for the Continuity of Education and Student Services or ACCESS as its distance learning framework of NTC. Both schools prioritize employability training as a key element in their curriculum.
APEC Schools and NTC are two of the seven schools under iPeople, Inc., the merger of the education arms of the Yuchengco and Ayala groups, with over 50,000 students in total.
Online ASMs now possible
Azeus Systems Philippines Ltd. Will release Convene eAGM in two months to address the demand for a secure solution to hold annual shareholders meetings (ASM) amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Azeus’ Convene eAGM is an end-to-end solution equipped with features to take the shareholders’ entire decision-making process to an online platform.
From pre-to-post-meeting, everything has been simplified to ensure a hassle-free experience: tracking attendance with proper authorization, member registration, and digital proxy forms; allowing pre-voting, live polls, and proxy voting on decisions to be made; facilitating participation and engagement with a Q&A space before the meeting; exporting detailed reports and data exports once the meeting has concluded; broadcasting the ASM proceedings live for all attendees and; customizing the solution to fit the company’s branding.
Azeus’ software services, including the latest e-AGM solution, all feature a high level of security. Data is stored in secure hosting facilities audited under international standards, and protected with complex encryption algorithms to ensure data security. In addition, Convene e-AGM features two-factor authentication for added security and verification.
Aboitiz backs call to maximize use
of local construction materials
The Aboitiz Group fully supports the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) appeal for prioritizing the use of Philippine-made materials in the Build, Build, Build (BBB) program to help jumpstart the economy and sustain jobs for Filipinos amid the ongoing health crisis.
“As the country heals and slowly recovers from the current pandemic, the Aboitiz Group continues to look for ways to also address the economic impact of this health crisis. We will keep on investing resources to help the government fire up the economy through solutions and products that are proudly Filipino backed by global expertise,” said Sabin Aboitiz, Aboitiz Group president and chief executive officer.
The DTI earlier pushed for the use of local construction materials for projects under BBB and other national and local infrastructure projects. DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said that patronizing local products will revitalize various industries and create more jobs for Filipinos.
Aboitiz unit Republic Cement & Building Materials Inc. is ready to support calls to maximize the use of local construction materials. Republic Cement’s six plants nationwide are fully operational and running full-steam ahead.
Acknowledged in the industry as a leader in bulk cement for reliable consistency and predictability, Republic Cement manufactures bulk cement products Republic Type I and Republic Type II.
Republic Cement has long been supportive of big-ticket government projects like the 53-year-old Batangas International Port.
At present, Republic Cement is supporting the construction of the North-South Commuter Railway Phase 1 and the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 Extension.
Republic Cement products and services were also instrumental in building the Quezon Ecotourism Road, LRT, Pagbilao Power Plant, San Roque Dam, and the renovation, expansion, and modernization of the North Luzon Expressway.
Jollibee Group continues food donations to frontliners
The Jollibee Group continues to support frontline health workers responding to the COVID-19 pandemic by donating meals from its brands to about 300 hospitals around the country in August 2020. Health care workers have received food packs from Jollibee, Greenwich, Chowking, Red Ribbon, and Mang Inasal.
“The Jollibee Group recognizes that our medical frontliners have made tremendous sacrifice in the past months. The fight against the COVID-19 pandemic gets tougher as days go by. Providing them meals to enjoy is a way to refresh their tired bodies and refuel their heroic efforts. We are more than grateful for what they are doing for our countrymen,” said Jollibee Group Foundation executive director Gisela Tiongson.
As of August 2020, the Jollibee Group has mobilized a total of P268-million worth of food packs that have benefited some 4.3 million people in communities and served 1.5 million meals to frontline health and checkpoint personnel. Of this, the company donated P227 million, while the additional P41 million came from business partners, other corporate foundations, and the general public through the Jollibee Group FoodAID Coin Bank.
San Pablo Colleges gets AHEAD with the help of Globe
San Pablo Colleges Inc. has partnered with Globe for the use of an innovative platform known as Brightspace Learning Management System (LMS).
The school secured Brightspace (LMS) licenses and integrated it with the Alternative Home/Hybrid Education and Asynchronous Distance Learning (AHEAD) platform. With AHEAD, students can continue with their education anytime and anywhere while still ably guided by their teachers.
“We’ve partnered with Globe for almost four years now, and, so far, it has been a good partnership. What had started as direct Wi-Fi for the school has evolved into acquiring additional products such as subscriptions for Zoom which has been helpful for staff meetings and classes, Globe Amber Auto SMS, training for G Suite, and the Brightspace LMS,” said Carmela Maria Cielito Eala, vice president for Administrative Affairs and Human Resource Director of San Pablo Colleges, Inc.
Eala said with the help of Globe’s reliable team, the school has acquired the technology needed to step up and deliver quality online education in the new normal. The partnership has transitioned from providing simple connectivity to offering a trusted and reliable means of communication within the institution.
Globe is helping institutions integrate technology through mySchoolSURF, a lineup of internet promos designed to help students and instructors. Plans start at P199, which comes with 34GB of data allocation valid for seven days.
All plans come with 4GB daily data allocations for pre-defined apps useful for learning. This includes video conferencing tools like Zoom, and research and productivity platforms such as Office 365, Canva, Blackboard, and Course Hero. It also comes with access to messaging apps like Viber, Whatsapp, and Facebook Messenger. Institutions can allot data for other platforms for exams, special projects, or other learning needs.
