Solar energy system in off-grid schools
Solar Systems Philippines Inc. (SSPI), the contractor for the solar energization of Moamboc and Mambacayao Elementary Schools in Bantayan, Cebu has hired Paulo Canete, AndroEjes, Matt Hendrick Villamor and Jephte Salv. All completed senior high school under the electrical installation and maintenance (EIM) track, which has been upgraded by the EU-funded Project Renewable Energy for Livelihood and Youth (RELY) to include solar technology in the curriculum.
The four EIM-Solar graduates from Bantayan Senior High School are among the 12 EIM-Solar graduates hired by SSPI to energize a total of 16 off-grid and remote schools in Cebu and Bohol under Project RELY.
SSPI also hired EIM-Solar graduates in Palawan during the installation of solar energy systems in six off-grid schools in Puerto Princesa City and San Vicente.
EIM remains to be a skill requirement of the industry, particularly in the construction sector. With a National Certification from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), EIM graduates are recognized by local and international employers as equipped with innovative skills and positive work values.
RELY is a project funded by the European Union that aims to promote use of renewable energy to improve lives and foster climate change mitigation in poor and remote communities by energizing 16 off-grid public schools in the three Philippine provinces.
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PLDT Enterprise activates BEYOND FIBER
PLDT Enterprise, the B2B arm of PLDT has extended its BEYOND FIBER solution to the local government of Agdangan, Quezon in its bid to improve the municipality’s connectivity for its COVID-19 response initiatives.
According Mayor Rhadam Aguilar of Agdangan, a strong internet connection helps the province cope with the new normal as it supports their online processes in implementing relief measures for their constituents.
PLDT Enterprise will provide multiple lines of fixed connections through BEYOND FIBER to the offices within the Agdangan municipal hall. The company has been working with various local government units across the country.
PLDT Enterprise’s BEYOND FIBER is an all-in-one digital solution anchored on business-grade fiber suited to support the digital operations of offices, branches, micro and small enterprises, and work-from-home employees. It boasts of the 90-90 advantage or a minimum of 90 percent of the subscribed speed at 90 percent reliability.
This means a 50 Mbps BEYOND FIBER offer would give no less than 45 Mbps at 90 percent of the time, providing uninterrupted online transactions to organizations while eliminating the fear of network congestion during peak hours.
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Ayala Land tops 2021 International Business Awards
Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI) bested companies from around the globe as it received the most number of Stevie® Award wins at The 18th Annual International Business Awards®
The Stevie Award is a premier business award program that recognizes the achievements and positive contributions of organizations and working professionals worldwide.
ALI was the overall winner this year, taking home 36 Stevie Awards in total, 11 of which were Gold, 6 Silvers and 19 Bronzes.
More than 3,700 nominations were submitted this year by organizations of various sizes and industries, and coming from 63 nations and territories around the world. Stevie Award winners were determined by the average scores of more than 260 executives worldwide who participated in the judging process from June through early August.
Among Ayala Land’s Gold Stevie Award winning programs was its ‘Zero Waste’ Circular Waste Management Program, through which waste materials such as plastics were given alternative destinations for recycling and reprocessing.
ALI’s pioneering Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) in the Philippines, AREIT Inc., also won a Gold Stevie as Real Estate Company of the Year.
Makati Development Corporation, the construction arm of Ayala Land, won the Gold Stevie awardas Materials and Construction Company of the Year. Key subsidiaries Ayala Land Logistics Holdings Corp. and Ayala Land Offices Inc. also won Gold Stevies for industry contributions and organization achievements.
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Globe strengthens support to stakeholders
Globe remains committed to going the extra mile in supporting its stakeholders and addressing their most urgent needs. The company’s COVID-19 contributions hit P154 million in the first six months of the year, distributed among various stakeholders. These include customers, employees, vendors, and other beneficiaries in various communities, and the health and education sectors.
Among the projects included were the Globe Labs COVID-19 testing facility foremployees, their dependents and also employees of vendors and managed services partners.
For its stakeholders, Globe raised and contributed P1.9 billion reflecting cumulative employee and vendor-partner support, product and service packages for community programs, monetary donations, and fundraising efforts through various means, including its digital platforms.
Globe’s community partners received support amounting to P14.7 million consisting of of P9 million company investment in community programs and P5.7 million raised through employee and customer donation drives. There were P2.8 million total customer donations through Globe Rewards, P1.1 million through the #OneGlobeVsCovid internal fundraising campaign, and P1.8 million from the recently concluded #BrigadangAyala initiative for the Philippine General Hospital, Tondo Medical Center, and National Children’s Hospital.
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MPIC, PLDT bolsters gov’t vaccination initiatives
Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) and PLDT are set to distribute 50,000 AstraZeneca COVID vaccines for five local government units in Metro Manila and Mindanao, to augment the ongoing vaccination efforts of the government. With the assistance of Zuellig Pharma and four Metro Pacific Hospitals, the two batches of vaccines shared with PLDT-Smart Foundation are allocated for the Malabon, Navotas, Davao, Bacolod, and General Santos LGUs..
MPIC’s support for the government’s vaccination initiatives is aligned with its commitment to contribute to the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG#3 Good Health & Well-Being, which focuses on ensuring healthy lives and promote well-being for all, at all ages.
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RCBC wins at ACES Awards 2021 for sustainability efforts
Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) has been named as the Top Community Centric Companies in Asia award by the Asia Corporate Excellence & Sustainability Awards (ACES) for taking the right steps towards sustainability.
ACES is a prestigious award-giving body that recognizes top leadership and sustainability players across Asia. The winners list will be disclosed by ACES on Nov 19, 2021.
Since its inauguration in 2014, the ACES Awards has awarded as many as 331 companies, with combined sustainability investment of $16.5 billion and revenues of $1.23 trillion, across 17 countries within the region.
In its evaluation report on RCBC, ACES cited the Bank’s holistic approach in sustainability, its extensive disclosures in its Sustainability Report, and the effective incorporation of sustainability in the Bank’s governance and business activities.
Since 2011, RCBC has been implementing its Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS), for all lending relationships, both pipeline and portfolio.
The Bank’s ESMS Policy is a declaration of its commitment to sustainable development and management of E&S issues. The ACES notes that RCBC has been “aware of E&S impacts, long before their first published Sustainability Report in 2019.
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Medilines responds to the urgent need for critical medical equipment
Medilines Distributors Incorporated, a leading distributor of medical equipment in the country, eyes expanding itsproduct portfolio to help boost the country’s access to quality medical devices amid the ongoing pandemic.
Since the onset of the pandemic and despite strict lockdowns, Medilines has been deploying a significant number of COVID-related equipment, including CT scans and mobile x-rays, which help detect possible complications due to COVID-19.
They have also installed a total of 126 dialysis machines and 63 portable reverse osmosis machines in intensive care units (ICUs) across the country.
The firm continues to equip hospitals with more dialysis machines as 30-50 percent of hospitalized COVID-19 patients have shown to develop severe kidney injury from the infection.
Medilines’ established operational expertise and strong distribution network and capability showed its ability to adapt to the demands of the healthcare industry.
Founded in 2002, Medilines currently distributes world-renowned brands in healthcare, which include Siemens (Germany) for diagnostic imaging products, B. Braun (Germany) for dialysis machines, and Varian (USA) for cancer therapy devices.
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Shopee discount
Shopee encourages more Filipinos to get vaccinated through its #FullyVaxxed initiatives. To further encourage the community to get both doses of the vaccine, Shopee is offering an exclusive discount to those who are not yet Shopee users. New Shopee users* can enjoy a 100% discount** on their first online purchase with the code: FULLYVAXXED, and fully vaccinated individuals can look forward to an exclusive digital bundle when they sign up on the #FullyVaxxed microsite.
Until September 26, 2021, new Shopee users can use the voucher code FULLYVAXXED to enjoy 100 percent off, ₱50 cap, minimum spend of ₱50.
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Discovery launches new e-commerce catalog
Hotels and resorts under the Discovery group–Discovery Primea, Discovery Suites, Discovery Shores Boracay, and Club Paradise Palawan–have launched their online stores for treats and gifts to share.
The launch of its properties’ e-commerce sites is one of the ways the group has proven its drive to continuously spearhead trailblazing innovations for its products.
Discovery Primea brings home a five-star experience with its collection of signature favorites.
Discovery Shores Boracay and Club Paradise Palawan feature their unique gifts and souvenirs for takeaway, and delivery daily for in-house guests.
Both resorts’ online shops are available for incoming guests to view, making it easier to plan for pasalubongs to take home.
