Citi Ph gives back through Global Community Day

Nearly 3,000 employees engaged in volunteer work as Citi recently celebrated Global Community Day (GCD). 

For this year’s 19th GCD in the Philippines, Citi employees, led by Citi country officer and banking head Paul Favila, shared their time, skills and talent to help in communities where they live and work, in partnership with select nonprofit organizations (NGOs).

Sharing their knowledge and skills, Citi volunteers worked with World Vision to mentor Citi Foundation’s Project AID youth beneficiaries on financial literacy; Philippine Business for Education (PBED) to coach youth beneficiaries of the JobsNext Program on job preparation activities ; and Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) to mentor public school teachers on how to use Microsoft Excel. 

Citi volunteers also joined Gawad Kalinga’s Bayani Challenge in Cavite and Muntinlupa, for house-building activities, such as piling hollow blocks and repainting.  Through PBSP’s Kain Tayo campaign, and in collaboration with  Scholars of Sustenance Philippines , over 1,200 daycare students were given hot, nutritious meals.

Working with Childhope Philippines, Citi volunteers also put together around 1,500 snack packs for 500 street children and their families. They supported the Philippine Animal Welfare Society  and CARA Welfare Philippines Inc.  by donating pet care items.

In support of GMA Kapuso Foundation’s Operation Bayanihan program, Citi volunteers helped repack more than 17,000 hygiene kits and disaster relief goods, and over 5,6000 school bags. They also partnered with World Vision to clean, repaint and spruce up the grounds and classrooms of two public schools in Baseco, Manila. 

Metro Home Improvement Store opens in Marquee Mall

Metro Retail Stores Group, Inc. (MRSGI) has launched its first Metro Home Improvement store at Marquee Mall, Angeles. 

Spanning 1,000 square meters, the Metro Home Improvement store is designed to cater to homeowners and DIY enthusiasts. It offers a broad selection of hardware, lawn  and garden, car care, pet care, appliances, electronics, appliances, housewares, and storage solutions, all organized in clearly marked sections for convenient shopping.

The store features several exclusive brands and product lines, along with interactive displays and appliance demonstration areas designed to elevate the shopping experience.

Customers will benefit from key vendor partnerships and exclusive collaborations for regular promo offers and unique finds, making shopping equally a rewarding experience.

Metro Retail operates a total of 64 branches across Luzon and the Visayas 

Puregold, Nissan electrify sustainability efforts

Puregold Price Club Inc. has partnered with Nissan Philippines to accelerate its sustainability efforts.

“Our efforts to be more sustainable are central to a better future for younger generations and our long-term success as a company. We are committed to integrating sustainability across our operations and motivating our customers to join us in these efforts,” said Puregold Price Club, president Ferdinand Vincent Co. 

Puregold initiates a major transition of its store operations fleet by incorporating seven Nissan Kicks e-POWER vehicles.

Nissan Kicks e-POWER uses a 100 percent electric motor-driven system, utilizing the Battery Electric Vehicle  technology perfected in the Nissan LEAF. The vehicle features a gasoline engine that acts as a range extender, charging the high-voltage battery pack for exceptional power efficiency 

Puregold’s other sustainability efforts are  ‘Walang Plastik Grocery Days’; LED lighting transition, solar power expansion and wastewater treatment and water conservation.

Free laundry service for typhoon-hit residents

Responding to the needs of Filipinos affected by the recent super typhoon Carina, Beko  partnered with GMA Kapuso Foundation and Ariel Philippines to provide free laundry services to the residents of Brgy. Tumana, Marikina City last  July 28.

Beko provided free use of its washing machines and dryers, while Ariel Philippines supplied the detergents to help alleviate the residents’ laundry needs. 

Beko employees volunteered to facilitate the laundry station, serving almost 100 families in the community and offering over 800 cups of free coffee for volunteers and residents.

MMDC ,  Globe Prepaid hold first ever Step Up Sessions

Mapúa Malayan Digital College (MMDC) and Globe Prepaid partner up for Step Up Sessions, anopportunity for working students and hustlers to learn from top industry leaders through six free upskilling talks all hosted on the immersive GoHUSTLE digital interactive platform of the Globe Hangouts portal.  

The Step Up Sessions are in line with the mission of the Step Up sa Pangarap movement which was launched by MMDC last year, giving working students enough support to earn a college degree while excelling at work and empowering them to step up in their careers.

With these upskilling talks, MMDC and Globe Prepaid aim to equip participants with the right tools to achieve their dream careers and empower them to make it happen at their own time. Top industry leaders from CEOs of startups to digital marketers and content creators share their expertise and experiences on different topics such as leadership, financial literacy, and content creation. 

MMDC’s very own Kirbie Lao and April Rose Punay from the Integrated Advising Team are the hosts of the Step Up Sessions. 

With more than 800 registrants for the first four sessions, the Step Up Sessions were successful in reaching a diverse audience from around the country who have the opportunity to level up in their careers and are ready to grow personally and professionally. 

Two more Step Up Sessions are happening on August 1 and August 15 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. 

Global tech roadshow

GeiserMaclang Communications Inc. (GMCI) in collaboration with Digital Pilipinas (DP) and International Digital Economies Association (iDEA) held the Malolos Investment Conference and the first leg of the Global Tech Roadshow recently . 

Some of the digital tools launched at the event included marktech leaders VRITIMES, Shopback and Libra. Marktech, or marketing technology, refers to technology used to optimize marketing efforts. Participants gained insights and new ideas for their businesses on how these tools can help achieve better company performance.  

The Malolos Investment Conference was held with partner brands Dragonpay, BPI VYBE, CIS Bayad Center, Smart, Overseas Filipino Bank, Cyber Q Group and Proxtera.  

Bulacan State University, BARAS Technology Business Incubator (TBI), SULONG Central Luzon Start-Up Consortium and DOST PSTO Bulacan also collaborated with GMCI. 

The next Global Tech Roadshow will be held on August 30 at SM Megamall. It will include panels, workshops and discussions on digital SMEs, marktech,  fintech, innovating government, igaming, digital health, youth digital leadership, proptech and smart cities and the National Brainstorm. 

The National Brainstorm is a pioneering initiative that is designed to bring together diverse professional associations, industry experts and thought leaders to bring solutions to pressing challenges in certain ecosystems, including e-commerce and retail, trustech, creative digital economies, sustainability, healthtech, insuretech and AI, blockchain and other frontier technology.  

Roadshow dates are set on September 23 and 23 in SMX Aura;  September  30, SkyHall Cebu;  October 15, SMX Clark; October 25, SMX Davao  and; November 11 to 14, SMX Manila.

IELTS mini fairs in key cities

The British Council, the UK’s international organization for cultural relations and educational opportunities, recently announced a series of mini fairs on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), bringing global opportunities closer to Filipinos in key cities across the country. 

IELTS is a widely accepted English test taken by students and professionals who want to study, work, and live abroad. It is recognised by over 12,500 organisations and institutions worldwide in over 140 countries.  

The IELTS Mini Fair, co-presented by The Travel Club, will bring together a diverse range of partners from education, employment, and migration, allowing participants to consult with experts, meet industry professionals, and network with like-minded individuals.  

Participants who register onsite can save as much as 10 percent on their IELTS test fee.

IELTS Mini Fairs goers can also win free vouchers for the IELTS Ready Premium, an online course that is exclusively accessible for British Council test takers designed to engage and improve all four language skills: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. 

The IELTS Mini Fairs will be held on August 10 in Cagayan De Oro; August 17,  Bacolod; August 31,  Cebu; September 14, Batangas; September 21, General Santos; October 12, Vigan and; October 13 in Laoag.

Schools in Mindanao receive new furniture

Tetra Pak, a world-leading processing and packaging solutions company, and Del Monte Foundation, the non-profit CSR organization of Del Monte Philippines, have refurbished classrooms in six schools in Mindanao through their collaboration under the Cartons for Communities recycling initiative, in support of Brigada Eskwela.

Since the launch of the Cartons for Communities initiative last year, the partnership has successfully provided 115 desks, 460 chairs, and boards that can be used as walls, floorings, and roofs made with recycled used beverage cartons (UBCs) to the schools. 

“Sorting UBCs responsibly is crucial for the recycling process. The Cartons for Communities initiative showcases how recycling and circular economy principles can drive positive change,” said Catherine Chua, sustainability manager for the Philippines, Tetra Pak.

Teleperformance supports confab on disability inclusion

Teleperformance in the Philippines was among a growing roster of advocates and sponsors of the Philippine Business and Disability Network’s (PPBDN) third annual conference on Disability Inclusion in the Workplace, which was recently held at the SMX Convention Center at the Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay.

Themed “Working Beyond Barriers: When Social Good Meets Business Sense,” the conference brought together policymakers, advocates, and leaders from various organizations in the country to discuss and promote disability inclusion in the workplace. 

“At Teleperformance in the Philippines, we ensure that Filipino Sign Language (FSL) interpreters are available at all our events. We encourage our leaders and employees nationwide to take formal FSL lessons,” said Aileen Sibal, TP HR associate, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team member, and leader of TP’s deaf community.

TP officially joined the Philippine Business and Disability Network back in September 2020.

In a move to further support disability inclusion, Teleperformance in the Philippines pledged to support the implementation of an annual disability sensitivity training for all its employees. 

As part of Teleperformance’s current partnership with the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde  School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies, Teleperformance will act as a Host Training Establishment for the DLS-CSB Student Internship Program, giving Bachelor in Applied Deaf Studies students practical experience in visual media arts, entrepreneurship, and business outsourcing and services management at its business centers.

As part of the organization’s Citizen of the World’s initiatives, Teleperformance in the Philippines will be launching its 2nd run of Project Echo. The program aims to train and hire deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in select TP sites nationwide. 

Sun Life’s Shine Pinoy Program

Sun Life Philippines is keeping its commitment to help overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) achieve the brighter life through the Shine Pinoy Program, an initiative designed to support OFWs in realizing their financial goals for them and their loved ones.

For OFWs venturing abroad for the first time, Sun Life offers guidance through investment options that lay the foundation for a secure future. Seasoned OFWs can benefit from the program’s insurance solutions. Retiring OFWs can pursue their personal passions through the Shine Pinoy Program, as it provides the financial security they need to turn their dreams into reality.

Cary Casipit, Client Segment Marketing head at Sun Life Philippines, said through the Shine Pinoy’s  comprehensive plans and investment solutions targeted specifically to the needs of OFWs, the company aims to help them achieve their goals and secure a prosperous life for generations to come.

Travel safely, connect freely

Advanced Abilities’ insurance marketplace platform Policymate, and Advanced eSIM have joined forces to offer free 2GB data to the first 30 travelers to avail of a travel insurance from Policymate for the month of August 2024 with its Travel Safely, Connect Freely campaign. 

Policymate provides a more convenient way to compare coverage options, understand policy limits, and read customer reviews with a user-friendly interface to make it easier to choose the best policy tailored to each one’s unique needs.

Bundled with Advanced eSIM for hassle-free and stable connectivity, one does not have to carry extra gadgets or subscribe to expensive international roaming plans,

Insurance marketplace platforms like Policymate are able to provide an abundance of travel insurance policies for users to choose from. For some policies, trip cancellation and interruption coverage reimburse non-refundable trip costs if unforeseen events canceled or shortened trips. Insurance also safeguards belongings, covering loss, theft or damage to luggage and personal items, while travel delay coverage compensates for additional expenses incurred due to delays. 

Aside from travel insurance, Policymate also provides options for Accident Insurance, Property Insurance, Automobile insurance, and even plans for Pet and Gadget protection.

After sharing best practices on integrating sustainability into corporate governance, representatives of GCNP’s participant companies had an informative discussion on pragmatic ways to create an environment of good governance and accountability with the goal of creating lasting impact not only within the organization, but in communities they serve as well.

The peer learning session concluded with the participants having a heightened commitment to further integrate sustainability into their business strategies, recognizing the importance of transparency, accountability and stakeholder engagement. This collective aspiration to foster a culture of responsibility aims to promote a more inclusive decision-making process, ensuring all voices are heard in the pursuit of progress.