BCDA among the best in corporate governance
The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) was recognized anew as one of the top-performing government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) in the Philippines, after it gained an “outstanding” assessment rating in the 2021 Corporate Governance Scorecard of the Governance Commission for GOCCs (GCG).
This is the 7th consecutive year that the BCDA has scored over 90% on its performance scorecard. This shows BCDA’s continuous improvement in delivering consistent and efficient policies and practices in corporate governance and stakeholder relations, pursuing disclosure and transparency, and implementing Board responsibilities with competence and accountability in line with good governance conditions.
The GCG-implemented scorecard aims to raise corporate governance standards practices for GOCCs, patterned after the ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard and grounded on the Principles of Corporate Governance of State-owned Enterprises by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development on par with Asean state-owned enterprises.
GCG recognizes well-governed GOCCs and their potential as a significant contributor to the country’s economic development as declared by Republic Act No. 10149 or the “GOCC Governance Act of 2011.”
AIC-Kurabe partnership
Aboitiz InfraCapital (AIC) signed an agreement with Japanese manufacturing company Kurabe Industrial Philippines Inc. for the construction of the latter’s manufacturing facility within AIC’s LIMA Estate in Batangas.
The AIC-Kurabe deal, signed in Tokyo, Japan last November during the Philippine business delegation’s Japan Roadshow, follows the registration agreement between PEZA and Kurabe, which classified the Japanese company as an ecozone export enterprise.
The deal with AIC includes Kurabe’s purchase of a 5.9-hectare property within the 800-hectare LIMA Estate in Batangas, which offers industrial lots to foreign and domestic companies interested in expanding operations in the country.
New café
New caféThe Figaro Coffee Company has launched a new gourmet spot, Café Portofino which offers multiple delicious yet affordable beverage options below P100 consisting of both hot and cold caffeinated and non-caffeinated drinks. Aside from the classic favorites beloved by all such as the Americano and Iced Latte, some of the highly recommended must-try drinks at Café Portofino are: Hot Red Velvet, Ice Blended Sakura Strawberry, and Ice Blended Kiwi Slush.
The current menu also offers a variety of choices from each of the company’s main brands, Angel’s Pizza, Figaro and Tien Ma.
The café opened its first store in Makati with promos that include: Double Deal & Matcha Madness for P790; Bunwich & American Bundle: P69; Rice Toppings & Frappe Bundle, P149.
BAI Global innovation award
Tech B2B platform, Growsari, in the Philippines recently bagged the Innovation in Digital Commercial Financing Award in 2022 BAI Global Innovation Awards and is the only Asian and Philippine startup to receive the award.
BAI, a nonprofit independent organization that delivers the most actionable insights in financial services, named Growsari as one of the 10 organizational winners for innovating financial technology in micro, small and medium enterprises.
Growsari was recognized for empowering and elevating the sari-sari (mom-and-popup) store ecosystem into a one stop community services hub with a wide assortment of affordable products and E-services such as telco loading, bills payment, wallet cash-in, remittances. In its pursuit of innovation on financial technology, the B2B platform developed a financial services arm that could qualify these stores for short-term credit and digitized payments that would mitigate cash handling.
Puregold is most chosen retailer
Puregold was recently awarded as the country’s Most Chosen Retailer in the 2022 based on CRP (Consumer Reach Points) method which accounts for the number of occasions Filipinos to shop for FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) in-home direct to consumer purchases.
The award is presented by Kantar–one of the world’s biggest data analytics companies–that provides analysis and insight into all the relevant trends of Filipino consumers.
In a shopper study conducted, Kantar highlighted that Puregold can deliver on what shoppers want most from retailers–value, through best prices, and accessibility. With over 440 stores nationwide and increasing footprint in the provinces, Puregold squarely fits the trends noticed by Kantar in that Filipinos not only consider goods prices in their retailers, but also their proximity and accessibility.
Towards nationwide digital literacy, food security
In celebration of National Cooperative Month, PLDT and its wireless unit Smart Communications Inc. ramp up initiatives to empower cooperatives nationwide towards food security and digital literacy.
As part of this initiative, 30 cooperatives from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao received their PlantSmart kits, which aim to encourage them to produce food in their own community gardens and can eventually become an additional source of income. Each kit contains vegetable seeds, loam soil, and fertilizers.
The PLDT and Smart sales teams distributed PlantSmart kits to both urban and rural areas.
Some cooperatives paid it forward by sharing their kits with their partner public schools.
PlantSmart is a home-based, small-scale agricultural program that aims to encourage communities to start growing their own food, a contribution to help end hunger in their own way.
PLDT and Smart also rolled out eBiznovation trainings in Mindanao, in partnership with the Provincial Government of Lanao del Sur. Around 30 food and agriculture cooperatives joined the sessions on branding and marketing. Highlighting the importance of digital literacy in their livelihood, the trainings touched on the use of smartphones to access the internet, social media and e-wallets, as well as internet safety.
Bistro Group bares expansion
The Bistro Group will further expand this year after opening 41 stores in 2022, ending the year with a total of 136 stores nationwide.
In January alone, there will be multiple openings of Randy’s, Bulgogi Brothers, Olive Garden and Texas Roadhouse.
Fogo de Chí£o, the internationally renowned experiential restaurant from Brazil known for the culinary art of churrasco with whom Bistro has signed a development agreement last year, will be launched this year.
The scope of Bistro Group’s expansion stretches across practically all restaurant concepts, from American brands like TGIFridays, Denny’s, Italianni’s, Texas Roadhouse and Hard Rock Café to Asian brands Watami, Bulgogi Brothers and Modern Shang as well as the Spanish concepts like Las Flores.
Joy of education
Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF) recently launched the Scholarship Coin Bank at all Jollibee, Greenwich, Chowking, Mang Inasal, Red Ribbon, Burger King, Panda Express, and Yoshinoya restaurants across the country.
Proceeds of the campaign will benefit youth scholars of the Foundation taking up Quick Service Restaurant Operations (QSRO) and Agriculture courses.
JGF has been implementing the Access, Curriculum, and Employability (ACE) Scholarship Program in partnership with technical-vocational training institutions to provide indigent youth with the opportunity to stay in school and eventually help their families break out of extreme poverty.
The QSRO scholarship track fills the gap for professionalized personnel training in the food service industry, while agri-related scholarships align with JGF’s advocacy of engaging more youth in agriculture. The agro-entrepreneurship scholarship trains young farmers in business and leadership so that they can become the next generation of farmer entrepreneurs.
Data-driven operations in 2023
Ninja Van Philippines looks to strengthen data-driven operations in the coming year in its commitment to provide hassle-free deliveries for Filipino shoppers and shippers.
Ninja Van Philippines has continuously enhanced its operations to improve its services. Its automated sorting hub in Cabuyao – a 21,000-square-meter facility is the group’s largest in the entire region.
Ninja Van complemented this by launching another sorting hub in Novaliches, Quezon City to serve growing demand in North Metro Manila and Central and Northern Luzon.
Ninja Van became the first private courier service provider to be accredited by the Supreme Court and is a trusted partner of some of the region’s largest e-commerce platforms and brands, such as Lazada, TikTok Shop, Shein, Amazon, BDO, Robinsons, and Inditex (Zara), among others.
Mondelez is best company to work for
Mondelez Philippines is once again recognized as one of the recipients of the Best Companies to Work For in 2022 by HR Asia. The organization has won the prestigious award for three consecutive years. HR Asia recognizes companies that exhibit the best HR practices and demonstrates high levels of engagement and excellent workplace culture across Asia.
HONOR ready to dominate
Honor officially set foot in the Philippine market again in August 2022, launching a tablet, two smartwatches, and six mobile phones in just four months.
The leading global smart devices provider said 2023 will be a very busy year with more launches, events, and exciting treats for consumers.
Since the relaunch, Honor has opened and established more than 600 stores composed of kiosks and multi-brand stores. Honor has 17 dealers: Abenson, Cellboy, EC Panda, MemoXpress, Octagon, Present, Rules, Silicon Valley, Globe, Lazada, Shopee, and Kimstore.
In three months, HONOR grew its employees to 1,000, and hinted at the launch of its highly anticipated foldable flagship Honor Magic Vs.
