Toyota PH produces face masks, distributes to various stakeholders
Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. (TMP) donated 5,000 units of face masks to communities to help in the nation’s fight against the spread of COVID-19.
Recent beneficiaries include Pulong Sta. Cruz Barangay Hall, Pulong Sta. Cruz Elementary School, and Toyota-City of Santa Rosa-Gawad Kalinga Village in Laguna.
In Batangas, some masks were turned over to the Lian Fisherfolk Association, TMP’s environmental partner.
The donations form part of the 43,000 total units of face masks distributed, made through TMP’s in-house production initiative.
The company implemented in-house face mask production as early as May 2020. The globally-renowned Toyota Production System (TPS) enabled TMP to design a lean production capability, which is also mirrored in the local production of the Vios and Innova.
The project team, composed of production line team members and supervising engineers, stayed inside TMP’s lodging facilities at its headquarters in Santa Rosa City, Laguna during the enhanced community quarantine to oversee production start-up. They had in-house trainings, trial-runs, and continuous application of improvements in the processes to achieve viable production.
When Laguna province was put under the more lenient general community quarantine status in June, TMP ramped up face mask production with around 100 team members assigned in eight sewing lines running efficiently on two shifts. Through TPS, the team successfully increased production according to volume requirements, while achieving efficiency and quality targets.
SM bags 5 at global CSR awards
SM recently took home a total of five awards at the 12th Global CSR Awards, besting more than 300 companies from all over the world in a showcase of corporate social responsibility initiatives.
SM Supermalls, through its CSR arm, SM Cares, was conferred the “Best Country Award for Overall CSR Excellence in the Philippines”, an award given to organizations that have demonstrated exemplary and relevant community-based initiatives with illustrated and long-term results for its stakeholders.
SM Supermalls also received the Gold CSR Leadership Award for efforts and advocacies that promote social inclusion in all its business environments, helping communities who were displaced by calamities such as Typhoon Haiyan, and care for the environment, ensuring that its business operations are sustainable.
SM Foundation was given the Gold award for “Excellence in Provision for Literacy & Education” for its SM Scholarship Program. The program to date has provided more than 5,000 underprivileged Filipino youth with access to higher education, including tertiary education and technical-vocational education, among others.
SM Supermalls also won a Silver, under the category “Best Environmental Excellence Award” for its various Mall programs and operations, dedicated to energy efficiency, water conservation, responsible solid waste management, and the promotion of eco-friendly practices among the youth, as well as the company’s efforts to help protect the country’s waters through the annual International Coastal Cleanup and its monthly Trash to Cash recycling market.
SM Supermalls won a Bronze for “Best Community Program Award” for its CSR advocacies, particularly those that have benefited women and breastfeeding mothers, persons with disabilities and special needs, and the elderly. This also includes the company’s environment and sustainability advocacies.
“Our recent wins at the 12th Global CSR Awards are a testament to the commitment of our people in helping create a world where everyone is empowered, and where no one is left behind,” said SM Supermalls president Steven Tan.
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Ayala group reaffirms support for Batangas
The Ayala group has reaffirmed its commitment to providing assistance for towns
in the province of Batangas severely affected by the eruption of Taal Volcano earlier this year.
In an online gathering, Batangas Governor Hermilando Mandanas officially acknowledged the receipt of donations from the Ayala group, particularly the 10 Kia 2500 vans, which continue to be used for official functions.
Channeled through the Provincial Government of Batangas, the vans are now under the care of the following Batangas towns: Taal, Balete, Mataas na Kahoy, Alitagtag, San Nicolas, Talisay, Agoncillo, San Luis, and Lemery.
The vehicles were donated through AC Motors, the automotive distribution and retail group of AC Industrials.
The Ayala group also announced that it will provide support for public school teachers and students for the opening of classes in October.
The group’s Brigada ng Ayala initiative, which kicks off in October, will distribute health and hygiene packs, as well as provide support for online learning, to public schools nationwide, as a unified response to the Department of Education’s Brigada Eskwela and Oplan Balik Eskwela pro-grams.
In Batangas, 89 DepEd schools will receive learner’s kits for students, while teachers will receive their “teacher’s kits,” which contains a Globe SIM pack with P1,000 allowance for mobile data. Health and hygiene kits called “Ayala EduCare packs,” which contain face masks, rubbing alcohol, a face mask, hand soap, and instructional materials on protecting oneself from COVID-19.
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MVP Group goes paperless , contactless
MVP Group of Companies is accelerating paperless transactions and contactless solutions in its various businesses such as PLDT and its wireless subsidiary Smart Communications Inc., Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) and Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC).
“As we help build the new normal, we also continue to look for ways to serve our customers better. Minimizing face-to-face interactions, particularly in payments, not only helps curb the virus, but also facilitates smooth, seamless and convenient customer experience,” said Manuel V. Pangilinan.
PLDT and Smart are encouraging subscribers to shift to paperless transactions and use expanded digital payment channels and online billing services, as well as enroll to receive electronic statements.
To date, customer payments via PLDT-Smart’s digital channels have jumped three-fold compared to last year.
Smart Postpaid customers can pay their bills via the unique Smart Pay Express Link in their monthly billing SMS or by logging on to Smart’s website. PLDT customers can go to the company’s website.
Customers of Meralco can likewise opt to receive their monthly electric bills electronically. Customers can access their monthly bills via email or through their Meralco Online account.
Meralco customers can pay their bills via Meralco Online or the Meralco Mobile App.
Bayad Center is expanding its API portfolio to bring in more billers into the network and empower fintech companies’ access to bills payment.
MPTC is transitioning to electronic toll collection system in compliance with the Department of Transportation’s directives, with its lanes on its expressways in North Luzon, Central Luzon, and South Luzon undergoing progressive conversion to make them RFID-enabled by November 2020.
Maynilad customers who wish to view their e-SOA (electronic Statement of Account) can enroll in Maynilad’s “My Water Bill” Online Portal.
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Pilmico vets offer free webinars
Veterinary experts from Aboitiz-owned integrated food and agribusiness unit Pilmico offer free online and live consultations while sharing useful information on animal care through a series of free webinars.
Dubbed Maxime Talks and Usapang Pagmamanok, which are both aired via Facebook, discusses dogs and gamefowl nutrition and care, respectively, including diseases and prevention. According to experts, quality nutrition is key to maximizing the full growth potential of pets and gamefowls alike.
Maxime Talks, which has been running since August 2020, is hosted by Dr. Jose Mari Castro (Doc Jomar), a seasoned veterinarian with almost 20 years of experience here and abroad.
Maxime Talks episodes cover relevant pet issues such as parvovirus, canine distemper and leptospirosis, dog parasites, rabies, and other pet welfare subject matters. The webinar also aims to address concerns of pet owners who now have limited access to veterinary clinics due to imposed quarantine.
Usapang Pagmamanok features veterinarians, successful gamefowl farm owners, and experienced breeders from Salto, the company’s premium quality gamefowl feed.
Both Maxime Dog Food and Salto Gamefowl Feeds are carefully-formulated products that target optimum growth for dogs and gamefowl.
Pilmico’s goal is to make its feeds, pet food, and animal health products more accessible to customers nationwide. These products are manufactured in its plants in Tarlac, Iligan, and across Asia, which all follow strict biosecurity and quality standards.
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Shopee, Globe myBusiness empower MSMEs
Shopee and Globe myBusiness held a Sellers’ Masterclass Webinar for Globe myBusiness micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) clients last September 15.
The one-day exclusive masterclass featured key speakers from Shopee and Globe myBusiness, equipping sellers with in-depth e-commerce knowledge and skills to help them scale and succeed online.
This initiative serves as a vital stepping stone for both Shopee and Globe myBusiness sellers to understand and utilize the platform to achieve long-term success online. During the masterclass, sellers learned how to tap on marketing tools on Shopee and use effective advertising tactics to amplify their online presence and boost online sales.
Shopee and Globe myBusiness will launch the Shopee Live Super Seller Rewards campaign to build on the success of the Sellers’ Masterclass Webinar.
The upcoming initiative encourages sellers to leverage Shopee Live as a useful marketing tool to boost online sales and amplify their online presence. With Shopee Live, brands and sellers can interact and connect with their fans and consumers in real-time, offering an interactive shopping experience.
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Spotify unveils 9 platform-exclusive Filipino podcasts
Spotify recently announced a partnership with 9 Filipino podcasts, making these must-listen shows available only and exclusively on Spotify.
Available to Free and Premium users, the 9 shows from some of the country’s top content creators make up part of the more than 1.5 million podcast titles available on Spotify.
This announcement comes as Spotify continues to drive the explosive growth in Podcasts all around the globe alongside its commitment to connecting audiences with their next favorite creator.
Known and loved in the Philippines for its leading selection of music, Spotify’s growing catalog of podcasts includes genres such as comedy, chat, crime, horror, news and wellness. There is also exclusive content from some of the world’s biggest creators including Michelle Obama, Joe Rogan, Nas Daily and upcoming content from the likes of Kim Kardashian West, DC Comics and more.
To cater to Filipino’s thirst for fresh, local audio content, Spotify’s newest Podcast Exclusives include, Adulting with Joyce Pring, Sleeping Pill With Inka, Wake Up With Jim and Saab, The KoolPals, Boiling Waters PH, The Eve’s Drop, Ask Say, Ang Walang Kwentang Podcast, and Walwal Sesh.
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Cagdianao mine finds alternative to rice
In mining communities, the challenge has always been growing value crops in lateritic areas where the soil naturally lacks enough nutrients for them to propagate.
At Cagdianao Mining Corp. (CMC), with operations in barangay Valencia, Dinagat Islands, value crops such as — onions, cauliflower, carrots, lettuce and radish; and fruits such as papaya, dragon fruit, etc., are successfully grown in lateritic soil without aggressive intervention, applying scientifically-proven agricultural processes to improve the soil nutrients in mining areas. The growing of sorghum in CMC’s mined-out area is the company’s most recent accomplishment.
CMC, a subsidiary of Nickel Asia Corp. (NAC), says that the company takes agriculture seriously that has its very own and dedicated agriculturist in Jessie Dagami Dumanig.
The pandemic posed a challenge to the availability of rice seedlings that Marine Biologist Phoebe Jean G. Alac, CMC’s Environmental Manager, started looking for seedlings for other value crops, and came upon sorghum.
Sorghum seeds are easily available and there is an abundance of supply available to anyone.
The Department of Agriculture is currently campaigning for farmers to grow crops with market potential to raise their incomes and to address the threat to food security.
Resident mine manager Engr. Arnilo C. Milaor says that CMC has been encouraging those in the mining communities to consider high-value crops, sorghum in particular, because it grows all year round, it demands no special irrigation, and has a huge demand in the international market.
