Pfizer’s medical drone project wins at 2023 LCF CSR Guild Awards
The medical drone project, a collaboration between Pfizer and its corporate social responsibility arm Pfizer Philippines Foundation Inc. (PPFI), has been recognized as winner in the 2023 League of Corporate Foundations (LCF) CSR Guild Awards for Outstanding Project in Health.
The Guild Awards is an annual recognition of outstanding corporate social responsibility programs, collaborations, and other initiatives that have achieved sustainable impact upon the communities and institutions served. The entries were screened by a panel of external judges, and the top prizes were acknowledged and collectively decided on by member organizations of LCF.
The medical drone project is a pilot program aiming to ease the logistical health challenges posed by the geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs) in the Philippines. These areas generally have poor health outcomes due to the lack of accessible health facilities and health professionals.
For this project, PPFI selected Barangay Binicalan in the municipality of San Luis, Agusan del Sur as the implementation site. The area consists of mostly forestland, and the roads are impassable especially during the rainy season.
The flight testing consisted of 12 flights which recorded only 10 minutes travel time.
The team concluded that the drone delivery was an efficient way to deliver essential medicines to the community. There was also a timely identification of water contamination during the flight testing, allowing an early intervention on water-borne diseases.
Okada Lounge presents guest bartender extraordinaire Kate Osmillo
Okada Lounge, the Forbes 5-star integrated resort’s upscale intimate cocktail lounge, presents national bartending champion Kate Osmillo as its first ever guest bartender for a one-night only engagement on July 29 from 7 PM to midnight.
Osmillo is a renowned mixologist and continues to stir excitement and anticipation for her extraordinary drink concoctions. It would be a night of new experiences and discoveries, as well as unexpected twists, with a special one-off beverage menu for the Okada Lounge patrons.
Okada Lounge, tucked in Okada Manila’s VIP area, is a premier bar to unwind and enjoy well-curated drinks in a relaxed and sophisticated setting. Aside from its premium offerings of the highest quality scotch, whiskies, and other aged liquors, the lounge also houses a well-stocked walk-in boutique humidor showcasing a fine selection of the best cigars, all carefully handpicked by seasoned tobacconists.
Osmillo entered the bartending scene 8 years ago. Osmillo’s immense talent blossomed as she rose the ranks to become one of the country’s best bartenders, winning championships on a national scale–including the Don Papa Cocktail Competition in 2017 and Glenfiddich World’s Most Experimental Bartender in 2019.
Velocity 2023: 917Ventures fuels innovation and collaboration to transform lives
Globe’s corporate venture builder 917Ventures, the largest in the Philippines, once again demonstrated its commitment to fostering innovation, collaboration, and entrepreneurship with the recent completion of Velocity 2023, its annual business-building program and 12-week innovation bootcamp.
Velocity 2023 exemplifies the unwavering commitment of 917Ventures to nurturing and investing in innovative solutions that address societal problems. It featured nine pitches in the areas of finTech, B2B SaaS, agritech, and climate tech from seven business units within the Globe Group and the Ayala ecosystem: Asticom, BPI, Brave Connective, ECPay, Entrego, GCash, and Globe.
The mission of 917Ventures has been further reinforced through its second-year partnership with AC Ventures on Velocity, accelerating the development and launch of new businesses aimed at solving the country’s pressing issues.
Team GCash received the Velocity 2023 top honors and a P100,000 prize for their idea called Quenta, a pioneering financial solution platform specifically designed for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
The event also celebrated other outstanding ideas, with the second and third-place winners receiving P50,000 and P30,000, respectively. In addition, teams that won the Audience Choice and Social Impact awards each took home P20,000, emphasizing 917Ventures’ commitment to rewarding innovation and impact. Similar to previous winners, top ideas from Velocity have the opportunity to be provided seed funding.
Teleperformance holds HIV advocacy exchange with Papua New Guinea delegation
Teleperformance (TP), a recipient of the Philippines Best Workplacesâ„¢ award, held a learning exchange with Papua New Guinea’s Key Population Advocacy Consortium (KPAC) and other organizations under its umbrella, on June 24 at the Teleperformance Vertis North Site.
In partnership with the Department of Health (DOH), through the Project Red ribbon Care Management Foundation, the company held a dialogue with KPAC regarding the latter’s implementation of community-led services for HIV-affected individuals in Papua New Guinea. Teleperformance also shared the organizational-wide effort to establish a program that destigmatizes safe sex and promotes HIV screening and awareness among employees.
Teleperformance in the Philippines was also recognized and given the Gold Anvil Award by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines for its advocacy program, titled, “HIV Awareness Program: Building a Circle of Advocates” in 2020.
In 2015, Teleperformance reinforced an HIV policy within the workplace, followed by HIV testing in different TP sites across the country in the following year. The comprehensive program also brought in HIV advocates by 2018.
Currently, at least a thousand TP employees have already availed the free and confidential testing. Condoms and lubricants are also made available on the 23 sites of Teleperformance.
KodeGo seals study now, pay later partnership with BillEase
KodeGo, a Filipino study-now-pay-later edtech company, has partnered with consumer finance app BillEase to provide local learners with easier access to IT education through interest-free and cardless installments.
Launched in 2021, KodeGo offers bootcamps on different IT courses to equip beginners, upskillers, and career shifters with critical and highly sought-after skills while offering company-matching support to jumpstart and progress their IT careers.
KodeGo is backed by 917Ventures, the largest corporate venture builder in the Philippines that ideates, launches, accelerates, and scales new business ideas that uplift the lives of Filipinos. Earlier this year, KodeGo joined 10 other Filipino startup companies in a ten-week virtual accelerator program designed to scale 917Ventures portfolio companies.
Through BillEase, learners can choose from competitive IT courses being offered at KodeGo and pay only the minimum upfront, then split the rest in easy installments.
Aspiring learners are encouraged to contact KodeGo’s official social media platforms or email help@kodego.ph to request a BillEase payment guide. Settle only the minimum upfront, then split the rest into 3 installments every 2 weeks at 0% interest.
Henann Group of Resorts invests in faster connectivity
Philippine premier telecommunications company Eastern Communications, has sealed its partnership with the biggest homegrown resort group in the country, Henann Group of Resorts, to help boost tourism and provide reliable connectivity to its offices in Boracay Island, which recorded over one million tourist arrivals in the first half of 2023
Eastern Communications now serves three of the hotel offices in the Henann Group of Resorts, specifically Henann Prime Beach Resort, Henann Park Resort, and Henann Regency Resort & Spa. The partnership delivers strong connections not only for the business’ day-to-day operations but also for hotel guests to enjoy personalized experiences with seamless online bookings and guest reservations.
Home to thousands of foreign and local travelers, Henann Group of Resorts is one of the largest hospitality companies in the Philippines with a number of hotels spread across Boracay Island, Bohol, and soon in Palawan. The resort chain has played a significant role in making Boracay a top-tier travel destination, receiving multiple awards for its top-notch accommodations, service, and amenities.
Henann Group of Resorts offices are powered by Eastern Communications’ Internet Direct Service (IDS) which offers a tailored business-grade connectivity solution suitable for hotels and emerging businesses that heavily rely on uninterrupted and secure connectivity.
Eastern IDS is recommended for hotels and similar enterprises that require high-speed dedicated internet access to eliminate business downtime.
CASH AGAD: The ‘Automated Tao Machine’ that helps MSMEs
In the recently concluded community day organized by BDO in several towns of Bataan and Palawan, Cash Agad is one of the services that provided opportunities to MSMEs to further grow and strengthen their earnings.
Cash Agad, a financial solution where BDO partners with businesses such as sari-sari stores and general merchandise stores, among others, offer cash withdrawal services in remote areas which lack the presence of bank branches. BDO calls it the ‘automated tao machine’ because instead of using electronic ATMs for withdrawals, partner-agents provide the cash needed by the customers.
With the help of Cash Agad, the income of MSMEs are expected to further increase due to the following: additional loyal customers due to added services; fast and convenient way to withdraw salaries, remittances, or pensions of BDO account holders, community members would prefer to withdraw cash from a store with Cash Agad service. Oftentimes, customers also purchase their daily needs from the same store, additional earnings from service fees.
For every withdrawal transaction of a customer, the Cash Agad partner-agent receives a service fee. The accumulated fees contribute to the overall monthly earnings.
In addition, the amount withdrawn by a customer, including their share of the service fee, is automatically deposited into the enrolled BDO account of the Cash Agad partner-agent.
For more information about Cash Agad service, visit bdo.com.ph
Former Lazada CEO joins sari-sari store enabler Packworks advisor board
Packworks, a local startup that provides a business-to-business (B2B) open platform to sari-sari stores, welcomes Ray Alimurung, former Lazada chairman and CEO, to its Board of Advisors.
Alimurung joins the ranks of former DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez, Angkas founder Angeline Tham, ZQR Corp. founder and CEO Simon Paterno, also a former president and CEO of the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), and former executive vice president of the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), and Integrated Microelectronics, Inc. CEO and vice chairman Arthur Tan, who is also president and CEO of AC Industrial at Ayala – View.
Alimurung is currently a general partner at early-stage investment firm Kaya Founders. Prior to this, he led Lazada’s Philippine expansion as its first Filipino CEO from 2018 to 2022, and he also served as the CEO of aCommerce Philippines and worked with Amazon.
