38th dealership
Honda Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI), in partnership with Honda Cars Makati Inc. (Ayala Group) broke ground on March 22 Honda Cars Bacoor, Cavite, the 38th Honda Cars dealership in the country and 11th under Honda Cars Makati.
Strategically located at 4652B Molino Blvd., Honda Cars Bacoor covers a lot area of 4,200 square meters that will feature a five-vehicle display showroom and eight service bays. It will offer Honda’s latest vehicles, complete service facilities for general repairs, body-and-paint, and preventive maintenance.
Honda Cars Bacoor will open for business by December.
Protection from income loss
Singlife Philippines’ Singlife’s Cash for Income Loss offers the middle-income class in the Philippines solutions that have been exclusively available to the top 10 percent in the past.
For P280 per month, one can receive a replacement income of P30,000 per month for three years.
Singlife’s Cash for Income loss is available in GCash.
Singlife Philippines is giving everyone who has a personal quote made in GCash free P100,000 accident insurance.
The offer is available until May 15, 2022.
All verified GCash users, aged 18 to 54 years old who are Filipino citizens or foreigners that are legal residents in the Philippines can avail of this promo.
Pru Life UK donation
Pru Life UK, through Prudence Foundation, Prudential’s community investment arm in Asia and Africa, has contributed P8 million from its Prudential COVID-19 relief fund to the Philippine General Hospital Medical Foundation Inc. (PGHMFI).
The funds will support the University of the Philippines (UP)-PGH Bayanihan Na’s COVID-19 project to provide quality medical-grade equipment and supplies such as ventilators, unit oxygen concentrators, infusion, and syringe pumps for PGH and equip its healthcare workers who are deployed to assist COVID-19 patients.
In July 2020, Pru Life UK donated P5 million to PGHMFI as part of the Prudential COVID-19 relief fund in the previous year. In August 2021, PGH received a total of P763,000.
Gender lens investment forum
Manila Angel Investors Network (MAIN) recently kicked off its first Gender Lens Investment (GLI) Series, Women Leaders and Angel Investing in the Philippines, at the Sheraton Manila Hotel.
The forum focused on women business leaders and their attitudes towards angel investing, as well as providing a space for women angel investors to come together.
As the Philippines’ pioneer and premiere investors network, MAIN was formed to support the country’s startup ecosystem by connecting investors with promising early-stage startup companies. It mentors founders by providing expertise support and creating networking opportunities.
To date, MAIN has over a hundred active members of which, over a dozen of them are women. The organization’s female membership has grown from just two women members in 2018. Among MAIN’s portfolio of female founded startups are: 1Export, Fortuna and Taxumo.
MAIN’s members have already invested a total of $ 1.3 million in 2021, where $120,889 came from women.
Top insurer
BPI AIA (formerly BPI-Philam) holds the title as the World Finance Best Life Insurance Company in the Philippines for half a decade now.
In its Global Insurance Awards this year, World Finance recognized organizations that demonstrate the capability to address the changing needs of customers in a new decade that welcomed a record-high $42 billion in insured losses from natural disasters in the first six months alone.
BPI AIA has been consistently recognized by the Insurance Commission among the top insurance companies in the Philippines, ranking fifth overall and first among bancassurance firms in terms of premium income and New Business Annual Premium Equivalent in 2020.
BPI AIA urges Filipinos to secure their lives and health first, to protect their savings and investments from being wiped out in case of the unexpected. Among the financial services currently available to use as shield from disasters, insurance offers the most comprehensive protection that covers life, health, and accident security.
Pay duties, taxes in advance
DHL Express has launched an Advanced Duty Collection tool, a dedicated online payment portal which enables customers to pay all customs clearance-related charges before their shipments arrive.
Before the product is delivered, the platform will automatically notify clients through SMS or email of any required customs duties. These charges may be paid directly online with a credit card, debit card, or Gcash account. When the payment is completed, the customer is offered the option of selecting their preferred mode of delivery.
The portal is also available on mobile or desktop, enabling customers to arrange their shipments at any time and from any location. Through the portal, customers may also download all required paperwork related to their shipment, including the Duty and VAT tax invoice, allowing easy reading and understanding of the relevant charges.
Shipments with a value that does not exceed the de minimis value of P10,000 and do not include prohibited or restricted products are free from applicable taxes and charges.
Jumpstarting digital marketing careers
Refocus, an online education technology company, sees the potential of many Filipinos to jumpstart his or her digital marketing careers.
Refocus aims to provide its students with an education that provides further employment opportunities and increases their potential to earn.
Refocus targets to educate one million students by 2026.
Refocus offers an online program that helps students understand, practice, and immerse themselves in various aspects of digital marketing in a span of nine months. Graduates earn a certification once they finish the program. Students are gathered in communities and learn new job-ready skills with the help of Refocus’ corporate partners and curators.
In addition, Refocus’ program is designed to meet the standards and needs of real employers who seek qualified candidates.
Finis partners with BCDA for use of sports facilities
Finis Philippines has partnered with the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) to jumpstart sports activities and deliver grassroots competitions at New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.
BCDA Officer-in-Charge President and Chief Executive Officer Atty. Aristotle. B. Batuhan and Finis Philippines Managing Director Vince Garcia on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signaling the start of collaborative efforts to promote New Clark City and to hold various events in the sports facilities in the area.
Under the MOU, both parties are eyeing sustained cooperation over a one-year period, and renewable for another year.
Positioned as the new premiere sports destination in the country, the New Clark City sports complex is the first major sports hub built by the government since the completion of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in 1934.
This consists of the Fédération Internationale de Natation’s (FINA)- approved Aquatics Center, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF)- certified Athletics Stadium, and the 525-room Athletes’ Village accommodation facility.
Finis Philippines is the sole authorized distributor of US-based swim gear brand Finis, which specializes in technical devices used for swim training and competition, as well as technical swimwear. Its training products are widely used by elite swimmers and swim coaches in the US, Australia, Europe and Asia.
New NAPOLCOM Commissioners
The National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) has completed its set of top executives as President Rodrigo Roa Duterte appointed three (3) more Commissioners on March 8. Their appointment was issued to replace former Vice Chairman and Executive Officer Vitaliano N. Aguirre II, Commissioner Job M. Mangente, and Commissioner Zenonida F. Brosas whose term of office ended last March 7.
Former Deputy Executive Secretary for Internal Audit (DESIA) Atty. Alberto A. Bernardo, now designated as NAPOLCOM Vice Chairperson and Executive Officer (VCEO), is joined by Commissioner Ricardo P. Bernabe III and Commissioner Beatrice Aurora A. Vega-Cancio.
VCEO Bernardo was an alternate of the Executive Secretary in the National Coast Watch Council (NCWC), the National Cybersecurity Inter-Agency Committee (NCIAC), and in several other committees.
Commissioner Ricardo P. Bernabe III was the Undersecretary for Strategic Action Response (STAR) Office in the Office of the Executive Secretary in Malacanang. Commissioner Bernabe was an Associate General Counsel of the San Miguel Corporation prior to his appointment to the Office of the President in 2016.
Commissioner Beatrice Aurora A. Vega-Cancio, former Assistant Secretary in the Office of the Special Assistant to the President (OSAP), was a Senior Associate at the prestigious Calleja Law Office.
On February 14, President Duterte appointed former DENR Undersecretary Edilberto DC Leonardo as Commissioner representing the law enforcement sector, to replace former Commissioner Felizardo M. Serapio, Jr. whose term of office ended on February 11.
With the assumption to office of the new set of Commissioners, the NAPOLCOM is presently composed of DILG Secretary and NAPOLCOM Chairman Eduardo M. Año, Vice Chairperson and Executive Officer Bernardo, Commissioner Leonardo, Commissioner Bernabe, Commissioner Vega-Cancio, and Chief, PNP, Police General Dionardo B. Carlos as ex officio Commissioner.
Section 4 of Republic Act No. 8551 provides that the NAPOLCOM shall be composed of a Chairperson, four regular Commissioners and the Chief of the PNP as ex-officio Commissioner. Three of the regular Commissioners shall come from the civilian sector and one of whom shall be designated as the Vice Chairperson. The fourth regular Commissioner shall come from the law enforcement sector. It further provides that at least one of the Commissioners shall be a woman. The Secretary of the DILG shall act as ex officio Chairman of the Commission while the Vice Chairperson shall act as the Executive Officer.
