Zero Hunger Alliance
Century Pacific Group (CPG) and Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation Inc. (GK) officially inaugurated the Zero Hunger Alliance, a coalition of organizations that seeks to help alleviate hunger in the Philippines in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. For 2022, the group aspires to serve 10 million meals to various underserved communities in the country.
CPG is one of the largest consumer-focused companies in the Philippines, behind such household as 555, Century Tuna, Argentina, and Birch Tree. Gawad Kalinga, on the other hand, is a leading poverty alleviation and nation-building NGO.
The Zero Hunger Alliance project was born out of a feeding program called ‘Kain Po’, a flagship initiative by CPG’s RSPo Foundation that provides protein servings and meals to school-age children from vulnerable communities nationwide. Since its inception in 2010, Kain Po has delivered over 45 million meals.
“To make a dent in combating hunger and malnutrition, we recognize that we need more partners who can lend a hand. We need to craft holistic and sustainable solutions if we want to bring long-lasting change,” said Kamille Corpuz, program director of the RSPo Foundation.
DBP reaffirms commitment to economic recovery
In a reaffirmation of a strong commitment to help hasten economic recovery through intensified development lending, state-owned Development Bank of the Philippines’ (DBP) net income for the six months of 2022 surged to P2.76-billion, showing a hefty increase of 131% from the P1.19-billion recorded during the same period last year, as the Bank ramped up lending activities in support of the National Government’s economic recovery program, a top official said.
DBP President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel G. Herbosa said the growth of the Bank’s net income is attributable mainly to the significant increase in loan volume and interest income and lower cost of funds.
“DBP reaffirmed its commitment to help hasten the economic recovery of the country by intensifying its development lending activities,” Herbosa said. “Its solid financial performance in the first half of the year puts it in a prime position to bolster its support to the various priority programs of the National Government”.
DBP is the sixth largest bank in the country in terms of assets and provides credit support to four strategic sectors of the economy — infrastructure and logistics; micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs); the environment; and social services and community development.
Herbosa reported that “…about 55.33% or P273.43-billion were released to bankroll projects in the infrastructure and logistics sector, majority of which are located in the National Capital Region, Central Visayas, and Central Luzon…”
He said DBP’s outstanding loans for social infrastructure and community development projects as of end June 2022 totaled P98.49-billion, while outstanding portfolio for other developmental initiatives covering finance and insurance, manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, accommodation, and food services as of the same period amounted to P65.20-billion.
“The Bank also provided P48.69-billion in loans for the agriculture sector in support of the government’s food sufficiency program, as well as P52-billion for environment-related projects and P31.58-billion for the MSME sector,” Herbosa said.
Labor agreement
Officials of Maynilad Water Services Inc. and the Maynilad Water Supervisors Association (MWSA) recently signed the 2021-2023 collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which provides for the increase in salary and welfare benefits of the company’s more than 300 supervisor employees. Present during the CBA signing were (from left) MWSA vice president Jessimay Salas, MWSA president Josefino Santos, Department of Labor and Employment conciliator-mediators Estelita Bautista and Khristine Joy Mary Vergara, Maynilad Human Resources head Martin De Guzman, and Maynilad Customer Experience and Retail Operations head Christopher Lichauco.
The CBA signing with the supervisors’ union comes on the heels of the signing of the new CBA between Maynilad and its rank-and-file union, the Maynilad Water and Sewerage Union-Philippine Transport Workers Group Organization, which covers more than 1,100 employees.
Honda Cars at PIMS
Honda is participating at the 8th Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS) September 15 to 18 at the World Trade Center, Pasay City.
The event will feature Honda’s advanced technologies, namely the Honda SENSING and the new Honda CONNECT. It will also feature the official Philippine debut of the All-New HR-V RS Turbo Honda SENSING, accessorized City 1.5 S CVT and Civic RS Turbo CVT Honda SENSING, and preview of an All-New Honda model to be launched within the year.
Visitors also have the chance to test drive select Honda models such as the City 1.5 RS CVT, City Hatchback 1.5 RS CVT, All-New Civic RS Turbo CVT Honda SENSING, CR-V SX Diesel 9AT AWD Honda SENSING (7-Seater), BR-V 1.5 V CVT, All-New HR-V V Turbo CVT Honda SENSING, and Brio 1.2 RS Black Top CVT.
Ensuring health protection
Starting at P10,739 per year, MediCard offers different Individual and Family plans, which give family hospitalization (in-patient) services or outpatient care.
Depending on the diagnosis and the plan, this can also cover X-ray and laboratory examinations and the expenses of using the operating and recovery room. One can acquire the services of MediCard specialists, such as anesthesiologists, internists, surgeons, and other doctors.
Members who seek outpatient care have access to physicians in MediCard free-standing clinics and in MediCard-accredited clinics or hospitals nationwide. This plan also covers specialist referrals, regular consultations, and laboratory or diagnostic examinations prescribed by a MediCard physician, such as treatments for eyes, ears, nose, and throat, depending on the plan’s available coverage.
Libreng Sakay
Following its successful Libreng Sakay program for public school teachers, motorcycle taxi company Move It will provide free rides to government law enforcers and military servicemen from September 12 until October 12.
“All they need to do is present their ID and Move It drivers will transport them for free,” said Move It chairman Francis Juan. Move It will also assist uniformed personnel with their booking needs via Move It booths strategically set up in key locations across Metro Manila.
Juan wants Angkas, the dominant MC taxi platform, to return to it the 7,000 driver allocation it borrowed from Move It. Each of the 3 MC taxi operators were allocated 15,000 driver slots but Move It, being the smallest, lent to Angkas half of its allocation so the public could be fully served.
Alagang SEAOIL campaign
SEAOIL reiterates its pledge to deliver excellent customer experience through the Alagang SEAOIL campaign.
At the height of the pandemic, SEAOIL partnered with Locq, OPC to give customers power over volatile fuel prices through the PriceLOCQ mobile app. Over 200,000 PriceLOCQ app users can buy and store fuels for future use before a series of price hikes. To further add convenience for its users, the RFID top-up feature was recently added in the app to enable customers with Autosweep RFID accounts to also reload through the PriceLOCQ app. Easytrip will be added soon.
SEAOIL also recently opened its second LubeServ branch in San Fernando, Pampanga to offer change oil and preventive maintenance services using its top-quality lubricants to customers based in the Central Luzon area. Apart from its fuels, SEAOIL also made STP additives available in its lubricant product line when it expanded its partnership with world-renowned oil treatment brand STP last November. Three more Lubeserv branches located in Cavite and Caloocan are expected to open by the end of 2022.
More customers will have access to quality products and value-added programs as SEAOIL is set to close the year with over 700 stations nationwide. SEAOIL recently broke ground for its Zamboanga Bulk Terminal in May this year. Scheduled to open by the end of 2023, SEAOIL’s 12th terminal nationwide will serve retail and industrial customers in the Zamboanga Peninsula and the neighboring islands of Tawi-Tawi, Jolo, and Sulu.
Driving awareness for SEAOIL’s campaign is no less than award-winning actress, entrepreneur and philanthropist Anne Curtis-Smith, who is recently introduced as the brand ambassador for the Alagang SEAOIL campaign.
Jungo Pinoy now in PH
Los Angeles-based media company Jungo TV recently launched its latest entertainment app Jungo Pinoy, the streaming service specifically created and curated for Filipinos.
Providing superior on-demand streaming experiences with an impressive selection of free movies, series, and shows, Jungo Pinoy boasts the largest Tagalog-dubbed movie library in the world. With new movies published weekly, subscribers will never run out of action, drama, and comedy films to enjoy.
The Jungokada can watch loads of content that span everything from K-pop and Asian films to rare Filipino movies as well as wrestling matches, and concerts
To unlock more content, Jungo Pinoy’s partnership with DITO Telecommunity provides affordable subscription plans.
Grandparents’ Day at Shangri-La Plaza
For Grandparents’ Day on September 11, Shangri-La Plaza has a lineup of sweet ideas and fun activities.
These include a painting workshop on September 10 and 11 at the East Atrium; art exhibits at Galerie Stephanie, Art Circle and The Saturday Group Gallery; Cine México film festival and a Grand Pop-Up Fair at the East Atrium.
Shangri-La Plaza also has shopping finds at Marks & Spencer and Jewelmer as well as dining options at Modern Shanghai, Green Pastures and Via Mare.
