Malaysia Week 2023 celebrates ‘Endless Discoveries: This is Malaysia’
Paseo de Roxas, Makati City came alive with the vibrant colors, flavors, and cultural richness of Malaysia as the much-anticipated Malaysia Week 2023 kicked off on September 16.
Themed ‘Endless Discoveries: This is Malaysia’, the 10am to 10pm event ran for two days, Saturday and Sunday, with immersive experience into the heart of Malaysia’s diverse culture, showcasing its traditions, cuisine, products, and more.
The opening ceremony begun with Malaysia’s national anthem, ‘Negaraku’, setting the stage for a day filled with excitement and cultural extravaganza.
Mr. Suhaimi Abu Hassan Shari, deputy director of International Promotions-ASEAN Tourism Malaysia, opened the program and shared insights into the rich tapestry of Malaysian tourism. Followed by the welcome address by His Excellency Dato’ Ambassador Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino Anthony, the Malaysian Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines, reinforcing the strong bonds between the two nations. Representing the Philippines was Ms. Shereen Gail C. Yu-Pamintuan, Undersecretary of the Department of Tourism (DOT).
Malaysia Week 2023 was an opportunity for everyone to explore and experience the essence of Malaysia, its traditions, and its people.
FirstMetroSec awarded for innovation, online trading
FIRST METRO SECURITIES Brokerage Corporation (FirstMetroSec), a subsidiary of First Metro Investment Corporation and the stock brokerage arm of the Metrobank Group, has recently received recognition for its operational excellence and innovation from UK-based financial publications Global Economics and Global Business Outlook.
FirstMetroSec was named Best Stock Brokerage House and Most Innovative Online Broker at the Global Economics Awards 2023. These awards recognize outstanding market players in their respective industries and highlight companies that have demonstrated dedication to fostering a positive work culture while contributing to regional and global economies.
The company also won Best Online Trading Platform and Most Innovative Brokerage House at the Global Business Outlook (GBO) Awards 2023. The GBO Awards celebrate exceptional achievements in various industries by businesses and leaders worldwide.
These awards from Global Economics and Global Business Outlook underscore the company’s commitment to making investing a positive and rewarding experience through its advanced and user-friendly trading platforms.
One notable platform, FundsMart, an online funds supermarket, demonstrates the company’s advocacy to making investments accessible to all Filipinos. With a minimum investment of just P1,000, anyone can start investing in peso- and dollar-denominated mutual funds and Unit Investment Trust Funds (UITFs).
In July of this year, FirstMetroSec was also recognized at the prestigious International Finance Awards 2023 for Best Online Trading Platform and Best Online Broker, the sixth consecutive year of recognition.
JICA, Ateneo de Manila University conduct 4th JICA Lecture Series
On September 20, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) successfully conducted the 4th JICA Chair Lecture Series at the ADMU Campus in Quezon City. Titled “Japan’s Experience on Peace Building: Bangsamoro’s Journey to Peace”, the lecture served as a venue for sharing Japan’s peacebuilding experiences in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Ambassador KOSHIKAWA Kazuhiko graced the occasion alongside JICA Philippines Chief Representative SAKAMOTO Takema and ADMU President Fr. Roberto C. Yap, S.J.
Professor SHINODA Hideaki of the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies served as the main Speaker of the JICA Chair lecture. Joining as Panelists were JICA Headquarters, Governance and Peacebuilding Department Director MUROTANI Ryutaro, JICA Headquarters, Division 5, Southeast Asian Department Senior Advisor OCHIAI Naoyuki, BARMM Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform Mohammad S. Yacob, Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) Director Farrah Grace V. Naparan, and ADMU Department of Political Science Assistant Professor Dr. Jennifer S. Oreta. Dr. Marie Danielle V. Guillen of the ADMU Japanese Studies Program and the University of the Philippines (UP) Asian Institute of Tourism served as the Moderator.
In his message, Ambassador Koshikawa underlined Japan’s commitment to assisting the Philippines towards lasting development and its view on the Mindanao peace process as a “pivotal chapter” in Philippine history.
PHINMA RCL Inaugurates new school building
PHINMA Rizal College of Laguna (PHINMA RCL) inaugurated the newly built PHINMA Hall on September 18, a four-storey building that will serve as the new home for a growing number of students in South Luzon. Its 18 classrooms and seven laboratories will cater to students from courses like Criminology and Hospitality and Tourism Management, as well as Senior High School (SHS).
To keep the spirit of Bayanihan alive not just for its students but also the greater Laguna community, PHINMA Hall is equipped with 86 solar panels to reduce its impact on the environment. Like other PHINMA Education campuses, it is also equipped with green facilities like rainwater catchment systems and sewage treatment plants. Finally, a tree planting ceremony was held during the event to underscore the network’s commitment to sustainability and environmental awareness.
Present at the inauguration were Laguna Mayor Roseller “Ross” H. Rizal and Congresswoman Charisse Anne Hernandez-Alcantara, PHINMA RCL Board Members Ramon del Rosario, Jr., Magdaleno Albarracin, Jr., Dr. Chito Salazar, Jose Ma. Lorenzo Tan, and University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) founder Bernardo Villegas, along with students and faculty members.
Inspiring success story of a Lalamove partner driver
Twenty-seven years old Rainer Salvador has defied the odds by pursuing his studies while working as a Lalamove partner driver.
Salvador worked as a supervisor for a small beverage shop in Metro Manila. He was introduced to Lalamove through his conversations with the partner drivers who would pick up orders and deliver supplies to their shop.
Salvador was a third-year college student during that time, taking up the Industrial Technology in Mechanical Technology course. In 2021, he signed up as a partner driver with Lalamove.
Through the stories of the partner drivers, he interacted with, he learned how flexible the work set-up is with Lalamove, having full control of their own time, setting up daily routines, and managing the orders they take. But it was the opportunity to earn more than his wages as an employed worker that convinced him to join the leading on-demand delivery platform.
Salvador managed to attend online classes in between deliveries in Metro Manila. Finally from his earnings from being a Lalamove partner driver, Rainer finished his bachelor’s degree at Bataan Peninsula State University.
PetPal makes waves at Paw Fest Pet Community Fair
PetPal, the innovative tech startup under 917Ventures, made its presence felt at the recent Paw Fest Pet Community Fair Event, one of the country’s most significant pet-centric gatherings. The event, which took place at Robinsons Magnolia, saw PetPal partnering with pet supplies store Kott’s to bring a unique experience to all attendees.
Paw Fest celebrated its first anniversary this year, leaving visitors in awe with its flawless execution. The enthusiasm for the event was palpable, with 62,000 attendees turning up on the first day, and an impressive 67,000 the day after.
Over the two-day activity, PetPal had the opportunity to share insights and knowledge with the community. PetPal’s Senior Venture Builder Carlo Flordeliza and Vet Consultant Dr. Franz Ubaldo talked about “Paw-some Solutions: Revolutionizing Pet Ownership with a One-Stop Shop Platform.”
PetPal’s all-in-one digital pet care platform, known for its ease of navigation and accessibility, offers a range of services from licensed and accredited veterinarians. The platform operates daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., ensuring flexibility for clients with varying schedules.
DITO introduces five new prepaid offerings
DITO has launched its “mas pinaTODO” mobile prepaid offerings, enabling DITOzens to go all-out in enjoying value-for-money prepaid products to help them chase their passions -powered by the speed of DITO Flash 5G.
DITO’s Level-Up Packs includes calls, texts, data, and exciting bonuses like Prime Video access, for as low as Php 99, already valid for 30 days. It
The Pack Php 99 includes 7GB all-access data, Unli All-Net Calls and Texts, 300 minutes calls to other networks and bonus 30-day Prime Video mobile edition subscription.
DITO’s Video over LTE (ViLTE) offers unlimited DITO-to-DITO video calls with absolutely no data charges. This feature is available for ViLTE-enabled phones only.
DITO UNLI 5G 299 encapsulates not only unmatched speed but a comprehensive mobile experience with 10GB 4G data, Unli All-Net Calls and Texts, and a bonus of 300 minutes calls to other networks.
DITO’s innovative DATA Sachets have been made affordable to make your digital needs more manageable.
These flexible prepaid data options offer choices spanning from 1GB at PHP 10, to 2GB over 3 days for just PHP 20, to exploring DATA 50, a package carrying an impressive 5GB of data, valid for 7 days.
DITO Starter Pack comes packed with up to 25GB of data, including 3GB of 5G data, and unlimited calls and texts across all networks.
SHAREit Group appoints country director
SHAREit, a next-generation global technology company headquartered in Singapore, has appointed Chay Mondejar-Saputil as country director of Philippines. In line with its growing expansion within the ASEAN region, this appointment seeks to shore up the various offerings and business solutions SHAREit has to offer within the region.
Mondejar-Saputil has over a decade of knowledge and experience within the industry, having previously been the Vertical Lead of the eCommerce and Retail side of Meta. While in this role, she was responsible for managing the team across a mixed portfolio of businesses covering multiple industries. As the Philippines retail lead, she has also helped to drive product development to include the needs of omnichannel retailers in Southeast Asia.
SHAREit Group specializes in performance marketing capabilities within the e-commerce, fintech, and gaming sectors, while also delivering mobile advertising solutions that link over 2.4 billion users worldwide to more than a thousand global advertisers.
The company has recently launched a new brand arm called Xtend, which is a game-changing digital advertising optimization solution dedicated to pioneering Android campaigns. Leveraging on years of expertise, the company aims to establish strong connections between brands and their audiences.
