SMC opens H.E.R. Center
The facility is SMC’s fourth Better World community center and was opened on March 8, International Women’s Day
To mark International Women’s Day, San Miguel Corp. officially opened its Better World Cubao (BWC), a health, empowerment, and recovery (H.E.R.) center for women from underprivileged backgrounds, including victims of violence.
The facility is SMC’s fourth Better World community center built on unused company property to address various issues affecting communities and disadvantaged sectors.
Better World Cubao aims to empower underprivileged women, especially mothers, who have gone through difficult times. The center also provides services to support victims of abuse. A total of 360 mothers have signed on to the program.
SMC president and CEO Ramon Ang said the company saw the need to build the center after seeing the many adverse effects the pandemic has had on women, especially mothers from poor communities.
One of SMC’s partners in BWC is AHA Learning Center, a non-profit organization focused on providing educational support to public school students and their mothers.
Another partner, Likhaan Center for Women’s Health, which develops community-based primary healthcare programs in impoverished rural and urban communities, will run the clinic and address women’s sexual and reproductive health needs.
SMC will also be working with Akbayan Women, Women Writing Women, Bantay Bastos, Angat Buhay Women, and Miriam College.
GCash’s ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’, lending options
Leading mobile wallet GCash recently introduced GGives, a “Buy Now, Pay Later” feature that allows customers to buy big-ticket items and pay for them in easy “gives” or installments.
GGives, the newest feature on the GCash app, allows qualified users to pay for items valued up to P30,000 in up to 24 installments or ‘gives’ for as long as 12 months through twice-monthly payments.
GCash’s GLoan feature, on the other hand, allows eligible users to instantly borrow up to P25,000 and get it in the form of actual cash in their GCash wallet. Approved users have the option to pay in nine to 12 months.
GGives is available to users with a high GScore on the GCash app. Qualified users may activate GGives in just a few easy steps. First, tap “view all services” on the GCash app then select GGives. Next, simply verify and complete your information on GGives and upon approval, you’re all set to avail of the service.
To apply for a GLoan, qualified users can tap “View all GCash Services” on the GCash app then select GLoan. Once on the loan selection page, select your terms, and once approved, you will instantly receive the funds in your GCash account.
Eligible users can enjoy GGives in over 27,000 stores via Scan QR, with more branches and options to be made available for users soon.
Aside from this new service, users can also enjoy GSave, an online savings bank; GInvest, an easy investment feature; GInsure for insurance covering medical emergencies; and GLife, the e-commerce feature.
Home next door to a mall
Integrated residential developments with open areas and green spaces become more desirable, as convenience, safety, and health and wellness have become top-of-mind for buyers.
When it comes to these criteria, the superior option is SM Development Corporation (SMDC)’s Smile Residences. Located in the Visayas Region’s emerging economic powerhouse, Bacolod City, nothing embodies “iconic bayside lifestyle” more than Smile Residences. It offers a “home beside a mall,” making it a future-ready development.
Viber helps small online entrepreneurs
Viber has kicked off 2022 with Raket@Home, made possible in partnership with GCash and Globe At Home Prepaid WiFi.
The sessions turns the spotlight on independent online sellers and how they are maintaining the success of their businesses amid fierce competition and challenges.
The discussion emphasized how digital sellers have made the most out of the pandemic by pivoting to adapt to the fast-changing customer behaviors with the help of tools like Viber.
Viber Community, for instance, has provided these small online businesses some advantages by harnessing the power of two-way, personal conversations with their customers, while the app’s Channel feature has allowed them to open discussions with users.
The session featured entrepreneurs James and Juliet Gan of Coocoo House who joined a lot of village and food groups on Viber to push their products before creating their own Viber Community and being part of FoodPH, a directory of food businesses on Viber.
#UsapTayo reaches over 8.6M
As part of its month-long efforts for Safer Internet Day, PLDT and Smart, through its Better Today program, collaborated with Mental Health PH, through its #UsapTayo program.
The Twitter Conversations focused on #UsapangSafety, to be better digital citizens.
To date, the #UsapTayo collaboration has garnered over 8.6 million impressions on Twitter.
#UsapTayo is a regular tweet-chat about mental health, happening every zeroes (10th, 20th, 30th) of the month that aims to zero the suicide cases and stigma against mental health.
Better Today is a key part of PLDT and Smart’s continuing commitment to help the Philippines contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG), particularly UNSDG #3 that stands for good health and well-being, and UNSDG #16 that stands against abuse, violence, and exploitation of children.
Taiwan Gender Equality Week
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the Foundation for Women’s Rights Promotion and Development (FWRPD) jointly launched this year’s Taiwan Gender Equality Week (TGEW) on International Women’s Day, March 8.
The program will overlap with the two-week session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), which this year focuses on achieving gender equality within the context of climate change.
The TGEW has generated considerable interest online since it was first held two years ago, and has successfully attracted the attention of the international community.
The 2022 program includes an online Climate Justice Leaders Seminar, various parallel meetings on the NGO CSW66 Forum, and a Women’s Power Night reception on International Women’s Day to kick things off.
The Climate Justice Leaders Seminar will take place online on March 15. The NGO CSW Forum is slated from March 14 to 25.
1st e-hardware ng bayan
Konstruk, a Philippine-based e-commerce and the first e-hardware ng bayan, recently launched its online platform–making online transactions for home improvement and construction supplies a seamless experience for both customers and merchants.
The digital marketing platform helps community hardware stores, wholesalers and distributors, and manufacturers of construction materials including home appliances and furniture become part of the online business ecosystem to promote new products and push their inventory through the platform.
Conversely, customers can now conveniently shop at Konstruk website and app and choose from a wide range of products. Payment methods include Metrobank payment gateway system and Gcash.
EastWest appointments
EastWest has officially announced the appointment of Imelda Capistrano and Cristina Orbeta to its board of directors last January.
Capistrano, who has 40 years of experience in the industry, served as the director and country manager of American bank Wells Fargo for nearly 11 years. She has extensive expertise in various specializations in banking, including business development, governance, and offshore bank and representative office management.
Orbeta has over 42 years of experience in banking and governance. She is currently a World Bank consultant for deposit insurance. She was executive vice president of PDIC for 9 years until she assumed the top post as president and vice chairman of the board from 2014 up to her retirement in 2017.
Eastern partners with AICI
Eastern Communications partnered with the Association of Image Consultants International (AICI), a global leader in personal and corporate image consultants, in an effort to empower women leaders in business.
Eastern Communications supports AICI’s webinar entitled #BreakTheBias. The webinar is graced by guest speaker Yvonne Thompson, CBE DLGL, an activist, inspirational speaker, and life coach.
Eastern Communications and AICI are also collaborating with various business chambers to celebrate Women’s Month through a series of inspirational webinars.
As a company, Eastern Communications has been leading the charge in highlighting the critical role of women in technology. This is personified by one of its women leaders, Aileen Regio, whose leadership has been instrumental to the company’s resilience, growth, and success, even during the pandemic.
Lazada celebrates 18 women eCommerce entrepreneurs
Held in conjunction with International Women’s Day, Lazada hosted the second edition of the Lazada Forward Women Awards 2022. Adding four new award categories this year, a total of 18 women entrepreneurs owning successful businesses on Lazada were recognised across seven award categories.
This year, there were a total of seven award categories, as the Creative, Enterprising and Inspiring categories made a comeback, with the addition of Rising Star, Bricks to Clicks Tech Adopter, Social Star and the most prestigious Lazada Forward Woman of the Year Award. Top honors — the Lazada Forward Woman of the Year Award — were conferred to six sellers from each of the territories Lazada operates in.
Clinching top honors for Philippines is Monalisa Gao as winner of the Lazada Forward Woman of the Year (Philippines) award while Elyse Juan received the Bricks to Clicks Tech Adopter award. Fellow Filipina Evan Maderazo was also recognized, bagging the runner-up place for the Inspiring award.
The award categories demonstrate the resilience and can-do spirit of women business owners pursuing and realising their entrepreneurial vision. Beyond achieving economic success, they are also role models, contributing back and creating impact within their local communities.
