Pioneering healthcare services
St. Luke’s-Global City has opened the country’s first and only facility specializing in High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU).
The unit performs a non-surgical treatment modality. It uses an extracorporeal focused ultrasound beam to generate heat, destroying solid tumors–whether malignant or benign.
“HIFU technology will revolutionize the treatment of our patients with uterine myoma, adenomyosis and liver tumors. It is a better alternative for patients who do not want surgery and those who are not in good physical condition for conventional surgical treatment,” said Dr. Ramon De Vera, head of the HIFU Unit.
Support for MSMEs
Security Bank joined the SME Finance Forum as the newest partner of its global membership network. The organization’s members include SME financing experts from over 80 countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance for small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation.
“Micro, small and medium enterprises are a priority at Security Bank. The Business Banking Segment (BBS), established in 2022, provides a holistic value proposition for these businesses who help uplift the Philippine economy. By joining the SME Finance Forum, we hope to receive timely and relevant information on the SME lending industry and help us accelerate our business rollout in 2023,” said John David Yap, SVP and head of Business Banking Segment at Security Bank.
The SME Finance forum is a group managed by the International Finance Corp. of the World Bank Group. It was established in 2012 by the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI) as a knowledge center for data, research, and best practice in promoting SME finance.
Meralco included in Bloomberg GEI
Meralco joins 483 other companies as a member of the 2023 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI), a modified market capitalization-weighted index developed to gauge the performance of public companies dedicated to reporting gender-related data.
This reference index measures gender equality across five pillars: leadership & talent pipeline, equal pay & gender pay parity, inclusive culture, anti-sexual harassment policies, and external brand.
The 2023 GEI reaches globally to represent 45 countries and regions, including firms headquartered in Luxembourg, Ecuador, and Kuwait for the first time. Member companies represent a variety of sectors, including financials, technology, and utilities, which continue to have the highest company representation in the index from 2022.
Meralco is the first and only electric utility in the Philippines to be included in the GEI.
Enstack raises $3M
Enstack, Southeast Asia’s first SME superapp, has announced the completion of a $3 million Series A funding round led by Mangrove Capital Partners, indicating investors’ growing interest in capitalizing on the demand for digitization among small businesses.
Founded by former Shopee Philippines country lead Macy Castillo and Skype co-founder Geoffrey Prentice, Enstack provides small and medium enterprises (SME) with an end-to-end app to manage their businesses, including multiple storefronts, inventory, and integrated payment and shipping solutions. A female-led startup that knows how to empower the predominantly female local SME landscape, Enstack came out of beta last October, saw 5x growth in the fourth quarter of 2022, and is expected to grow by another 10x by year-end.
Bannered by leading merchants in food, fashion, and beauty, the app’s growth highlights the appetite of SMEs to digitize business operations.
Enstack’s key investors help support the company’s strategic initiatives.
This investment marks Mangrove Capital’s first in Southeast Asia after a rich history of backing global tech leaders including communications giant Skype and website builder Wix. Other participants include Southeast Asia payments unicorn Xendit and William Kim of Shinsegae International
HCPH exec heads FinTech committee
Home Credit Philippines (HCPH) executive director and treasurer Zdenek Jankovsky was recently appointed by the country’s leading association of fintech and digital players FinTech Alliance Philippines as committee chairman of financing and lending.
With a solid commitment to helping build a more sustainable and financially inclusive country, Jankovsky brings to his role expertise in promoting responsible lending with emphasis on protecting Filipinos’ financial health. His leadership also aims to lead the discussion of loans, lending, and credit and address any negative perception to provide more Filipinos with a better understanding of these topics.
Home Credit Philippines, where Jankovsky serves as executive director and treasurer, has been at the forefront of promoting innovation and digital inclusion, and championing financial literacy and empowerment reaching more than 20 million Filipinos last year.
