BDO accelerates efforts in sustainable finance
BDO Unibank Inc. has continuously accelerated efforts in sustainable finance as part of its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) journey.
According to Marla Garin-Alvarez, vice president for Sustainability at BDO, the bank has long practised sustainability in its business operations to achieve stability and resilience in the financial value chain.
In 2010, BDO was among the pioneers of promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency project financing by putting together a risk-based Sustainable Energy Finance Program in partnership with the International Finance Corp., the private banking arm of the World Bank.
In 2017, BDO was the first to offer a green bond in the financial industry in the country and in the East Asia Pacific. This provided $150 million to seven renewable energy projects which have since been expanded to 50 renewable projects nationwide.
In over a decade of pursuing Sustainable Finance, BDO has financed up to 2,184 megawatts of the country’s total installed renewable energy capacity. BDO supports the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2040 which aims to reduce 70 percent of the Philippines’ greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030. Recently, its Sustainable Finance Framework (SFF) was endorsed by Sustainalytics, a leading independent ESG research and ratings provider in New York which makes BDO well positioned to issue sustainable finance instruments.
BDO provided the project finance structure and co-financed Alternergy Wind One Corporation’s wind farm in Pililia, Rizal. Today, the wind farm generates 146,642 Megawatt-hours each year and avoids 64,927 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) a year. The project provides clean energy to 66,000 households and creates various business infrastructure, learning and tourism opportunities for its immediate community.
Over the years, BDO’s Sustainable Finance Desk has expanded its scope to include energy efficiency, climate-smart agriculture, green infrastructure, and clean transportation.
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WeWork launches Growth Campus
WeWork, one of the leading global flexible space providers, has launched WeWork Growth Campus, a new initiative aimed at giving a boost to Southeast Asia’s entrepreneurial startup ecosystem.Growth Campus will support the sector and its role in the region’s economic recovery.
With campuses across key cities such as Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh , Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila and Singapore, Growth Campus gathers a whole entrepreneurial community together both virtually and through subsidized space. Members will have complimentary access to WeWork Labs which offers virtual acceleration support: online access to mentoring and coaching opportunities, customized educational programming, a global network and member community, and exclusive member benefits and discounts to help them grow.
Growth Campus is open to start-ups and scaleups, accelerators and incubators, investors of all sizes and corporates with an innovation agenda.
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ICTSI, Bloomberry continue pandemic aid
The ICTSI Foundation, as part of the ICTSI Group’s continuing support to the nationwide vaccination program and in partnership with Bloomberry Resorts Corp. (BRC), has donated 68,300 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from their inventory to 12 Philippine local government units (LGU) across the country.
The vaccine donations were distributed to the cities of Parañaque, Quezon, Dasmariñas, Sta. Rosa, Iloilo, Davao, and Cagayan de Oro; the provinces of Palawan and Ilocos Norte; and the municipalities of Itogon in Benguet, Jose Panganiban in Camarines Norte, and Balayan in Batangas.
“We are remain firmly committed to the country’s battle against the pandemic. The only way for the economy to recover is to have as many people vaccinated as soon as possible. Now that we are also dealing with the Delta variant, we need to further expedite the country’s vaccination efforts, and for our part, we are helping wherever and however we can,” said Christian Gonzalez, ICTSI executive vice president and BRC director.
Last year, ICTSI led the private sector initiative to procure an initial three million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine via an advance market commitment and donated half of the 300,000 doses it purchased to the Philippine Government. The vaccine donations to the LGUs are separate and are part of the company’s own allocation.
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30 days of Unli Data with the new Smart Bro Rocket SIM
With Filipinos gearing up for a new semester of virtual classes or preparing to clock in more productive hours working from home in another round of quarantine restrictions, Smart is giving everyone a much simpler and more affordable way to stay connected online with the launch of the new Smart Bro Rocket SIM, which comes with 30 days of Unli Data for an introductory price of only Php499.
With the new Smart Bro Rocket SIM, Smart Bro is bringing back once again its unli services to cater to the rising demand for more data and superfast connectivity.
Ready for use in any SIM-enabled device, the Smart Bro Rocket SIM is available at the Smart Online Store and the Smart Flagship Store in Lazada, and soon at all accredited retailers nationwide.
Smart Bro Rocket SIM subscribers can instantly enjoy 30 days of true Unli Data with absolutely no restrictions, data-capping, or speed-throttling. This way, users can enjoy rocket-like speeds for all their favorite online activities throughout their subscription.
Once the 30 days of Unli Data is up, subscribers may simply register to other data offers via the GigaLife App. Just download the GigaLife App now on Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
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Cebu Pacific flies home 294 Filipinos from Dubai
Cebu Pacific (CEB) on August 11 safely flew home 294 Filipinos from Dubai, to support the government’s call to facilitate return of overseas Filipinos in the Middle East who needed to go home despite an ongoing travel restriction.
Another special commercial flight is scheduled for August 18.
Passengers on these flights are subject to more stringent guidelines, including a 15-day/14-night quarantine stay in a pre-booked, accredited facility upon arrival; and RT-PCR test taken 48 hours before departure with negative result. Another swab test will be taken seven days after arrival.
The cost of quarantine accommodation and testing for land-based overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) will be shouldered by Overseas Workers Welfare Administration while the Philippine Port Authority will cover the cost for sea-based OFWs.
Non-OFW or Filipino tourists will have to pay for their RT-PCR test and accommodation in a hotel quarantine facility.
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RCBC receives award
The Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) has bagged the Philippines’ Domestic COVID Management Initiative of the Year Award 2021, conferred by Asian Banking and Finance (ABF).
This recognition was awarded to RCBC for proving to be the exemplary industry champion in the realm of digital innovations, which enabled them to service their corporate clients efficiently and unceasingly amid the pandemic.
At the height of the lockdown, the bank’s Global Transaction Banking Group (GTBG) embarked on an aggressive digital migration campaign to shift corporate clients to its electronic funds transfer (EFT) platforms, PesoNET and InstaPay. These alternative payment channels have enabled clients to continuously process supplier payments and like payables despite stringent lockdowns, and without sacrificing safety, security, and efficiency in their business operations.
To ensure uninterrupted delivery of cash management services and customer support, the bank re-engineered its customer support telephone system that enabled a fully-functioning, automated feedback and response mechanism. This was utilized by the relationship teams to attend to clients’ requests and concerns quickly and adeptly.
In addition to this, GTBG also installed back-office systems that activated full on-boarding capability so that the team could activate the online channels for customers, whilst working from home.
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Aboitiz secures Safety Seal
The Aboitiz Group has secured Safety Seal Certifications for various offices and facilities under its strategic business units (SBU) throughout the country.
“Parallel to our groupwide vaccination efforts for our team members and subcontractors nationwide, we ensure that all our offices and facilities strictly impose the minimum safety and health protocols set by the government and that we are constantly updated to continuously protect our people, our customers and other stakeholders from Covid-19 and the alarming threat of its new variants,” said Aboitiz Group president and chief executive officer Sabin Aboitiz.
The Group received certifications for its corporate headquarter NAC Tower in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), Taguig City, which houses its holding company Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. and several SBUs such as Aboitiz Power Corporation (AboitizPower), Pilmico, and AboitizLand. AboitizPower BU offices for AP Renewables, Inc., SN Power, Hedcor, Therma Luzon, Inc., SNAP-Magat, Therma Mobile, Inc., and Subic Enerzone as well as Republic Cement and Building Materials, Inc. which holds office in Menarco Building in BGC also secured Safety Seal certificates.
The Food Group’s (Pilmico) Feedmill and its meat-cutting facility “Tarlac MeatMasters” in Tarlac City, and Pilmico’s offices and plants in Iligan City were likewise granted the safety seal certificates.
All branches of its banking subsidiary Union Bank of the Philippines are also in the process of securing its respective Safety Seal certificates.
