DBP bankrolls Puerto Princesa water project
State-owned Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) has granted a P375-million loan to the Puerto Princesa City Water District (PPCWD) to support initiatives aimed at upgrading the delivery of water services and addressing the needs of the rapidly growing population of the city, a top official said.
DBP president and chief executive officer Michael O. de Jesus said the loan was extended under the Bank’s Water for Every Resident (WATER) program, which is part of intensified efforts to improve local infrastructure and community facilities especially for fledging cities and municipalities.
PPCWD is a Category A water district established in 1976 that caters to 53,000 active customers. It currently serves 50 out of the 66 barangays in Puerto Princesa City, which has a total population of 307,000 as of latest government data.
De Jesus said DBP would be supporting PPCWD in the construction of a 3,000-cubic meter reservoir and an ultraviolet disinfection system that would expand availability to clean water of the city’s residents.
Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in PH presents “New South Bound Policy”
To promote public diplomacy through cultural exchanges and Taiwan’s soft power, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, R.O.C. (Taiwan) selected the Philippines, one of its “New South Bound Policy” partner countries as the 1st stop of the performing tour of Taiwan “Diabolo Dance Theatre.”
Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines (TECO) proudly introduced the world class art group and family entertainment show to its Filipino friends as well as compatriot communities. The amazing “Light of Life” shows on October 10 at 7 pm at CPR Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati & on October 11at 7 pm at Filipino Chinese Cultural and Economic Association (FCCEA), Liberty Hall, Binondo were both successful.
PRSP Opens Entry Submission for 59th Anvil Awards
The Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) invites all public relations professionals and consultants in the public, private, and non-profit sectors to enter their outstanding PR programs and tools in the 59th ANVIL Awards.
Interested individuals and agencies can submit an unlimited number of entries for outstanding PR programs and PR Tools carried out and completed between October 1, 2022, to September 30, 2023. Competition details, such as categories, awards, judging criteria, and submission details can be found on the PRSP Website, prsp.ph.
Submission of entries opens on Monday, today, October 16, and closes on Friday, November 10. All entries must be submitted online at prsp.ph using the prescribed templates and within the designated submission period.
Presented annually by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP), the Anvil Awards are the symbol of excellence in Public Relations. The Anvil is awarded to outstanding public relations programs, tools, and professionals, after careful screening by select PR professionals and judging by a distinguished multi-sectoral jury.
To proceed to the screening and judging phases, each entry must be fully paid and must be a complete submission composed of five (5) elements: its entry form, signed authorization form from the client (if applicable), executive summary, program or tool PR plan, supporting papers and samples.
Metro Pacific Health unveils “Project Nightingale”
Metro Pacific Health (MPH) proudly reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the well-being and health of the Filipino people, embodying its mission to be The Heart of Filipino Healthcare.
At the forefront of innovation and quality care, MPH continues to break boundaries by integrating state-of-the-art technology with compassionate care, ensuring that every Filipino feels seen, heard, and valued.
In line with this goal, during the recent October 11 media roundtable, MPH unveiled “Project Nightingale,” an initiative that brings The Heart of Filipino Healthcare to life by empowering nursing students and creating opportunities for current nurses.
MPH’s Project Nightingale aims to empower Filipino nursing students and current nurses in the country. It is a three-part event happening on October 20, during National Nurses Week.
The National Championships of the Metro Pacific Health Battle of the Nightingales (BOTN) will be an event that MPH hopes will inspire excellence in nursing students. It is an inter-nursing school, quiz-based competition, which is having its first-ever nationwide run this year, started by a series of hospital-level events across the Metro Pacific Health Group since May 2023.
Over 500 students spread across 200 schools throughout the country participated in the hospital-level rounds, competing to be their hospital’s representative in the National Championship. Each champion team of the hospital-level events received cash prizes and a generous scholarship to fund their nursing studies.
On October 20, BOTN will culminate in the National Championship, where 12 schools–all winners of their respective hospital level round–will compete for the title of the National Champions.
Payoneer powers the Bridge for Billions incubation program
Payoneer has collaborated with Bridge for Billions to create an incubation program that will help entrepreneurs thrive and unlock their full potential as business owners. The Bridge for Billions incubation program is part of the leading cross-border payments platform’s commitment to empowering aspiring small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in the Philippines. It is set to benefit up to 70 Filipino entrepreneurs nationwide.
Payoneer is looking for independent gig workers, freelance agencies, and small- and medium-sized outsourcing firms operating in any sector in the emerging digital freelance economy in the Philippines to join the program.
The entrepreneurship program will give participating startups the solid foundation they need to grow their business. They will be matched with an expert in their field for one-on-one mentorship to nurture their ideas and progress. Businesses will also be introduced to a dynamic community with their co-participants and other mentors. After four months, they will refine their pitch skills to succeed in post-program.
Bridge for Billions has a validated methodology that has proven fruitful. In the past eight years, the program has run 270 incubation programs in 134 countries. It has matched 3,709 entrepreneurs to 3,029 mentors. Of these entrepreneurs, 94% rated the program as important to their success, and many saw their revenues jump up to 2.4 times.
Experts and professionals are also invited to join the journey as mentors. As an adviser, they can generate a network of early-stage innovators with whom they can collaborate in the future. Joining also exposes them to upcoming innovation trends in their industry, and positions their brand within the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem globally.
COINS.PH-CIRCLE partnership to promote financial inclusion through remittances
Coins.ph, the Philippines’ leading cryptocurrency exchange and digital wallet provider, recently announced a strategic partnership with Circle Internet Financial (Circle), a global fintech firm and issuer of USDC, to drive awareness of USDC-denominated remittances as a secure, low-cost and near-instant solution for international money transfers for the 18 million Filipino users of Coins.ph.
USDC is a regulated, fully-backed digital dollar, or stablecoin, that is available 24/7, moves at internet speed and is always redeemable 1:1 for U.S. dollars. Because USDC runs on global blockchains — which have low barriers to entry and minimal transaction costs — it is playing a growing role in facilitating cross-border payments and remittances worldwide.
By driving real-time settlements and minimal transaction costs, Coins.ph and Circle’s partnership aims to improve the existing remittance landscape, starting in the Philippines, the fourth largest recipient of remittances globally. The initiative begins with educational campaigns and community engagement initiatives to help Filipinos abroad learn to use USDC for remittances.
USDC has gained global recognition as a trusted stablecoin, and its applications span from delivering humanitarian aid and relief to facilitating e-commerce and cross-border transactions and serving as an integral component of decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms.
The partnership between Coins.ph and Circle not only underscores the real world impact of digital currencies on millions of lives, but also heralds a shared vision for the future by both companies.
Unilab strengthens role in addressing mental health issues among the youth
Unilab, through Heads Up PH, has taken great strides to do its part in uplifting the mental health of Juan dela Cruzes who need it. Heads Up PH is the mental health and well-being umbrella program of Unilab Foundation and plays a pivotal role in addressing the prevalence of suicide and mental health disorders among Filipino youth.
Recognizing the need for action, Heads Up PH has been working tirelessly to provide a holistic approach in building a culture where mental health and well-being are accessible to every Filipino.
The program enables community-based discussions that promote information about different mental health issues and how to address them. More than just employing the expertise of psychiatrists and health professionals, the approach also greatly involves members of the community, as they are crucial in supporting persons undergoing mental health struggles. Comprehensive training, symposiums, and targeted activities are provided to different age groups and members of the community.
Heads Up PH’s sub-programs have connected goals, made possible by partnerships that push for the same advocacy of breaking the stigma about mental health, and making tangible actions to help persons who are fighting these battles. The sub-programs basically target different age groups of the youth, from elementary to secondary, and even tertiary students.
Guided by the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support framework, Heads Up PH covers universal and personal preventive interventions, including small group discussions that aid families and communities, as well as focused care and specialized care efforts such as tele-counseling and peer-to-peer engagements.
D&L cited for corporate governance
D&L Industries Inc. said that it has been cited for its corporate governance practices by the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) based on the ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard (ACGS), the company’s fourth consecutive year of being cited.
“The ACGS measures the performance of the companies in the areas of facilitating the rights and the equitable treatment of shareholders, how they relate to their different stakeholders, ensuring transparency and accountability thru timely disclosure of material information, and how the board guides the company strategically, monitors the management, and ensures the board’s accountability to the company and the shareholders,” D&L Industries said.
Established in 1963, D&L Industries engages in product customization and specialization for the food, chemicals, plastics and consumer products ODM industries. The company’s principal business activities include manufacturing of customized food ingredients, specialty raw materials for plastics, and oleochemicals for personal and home care use
