Senate bill to allow microgrids to be developed without franchise holders’ consent

July 12, 2019 | 7:55 pm

A SENATE bill aims to speed up rural electrification by boosting the development of microgrid systems by accredited developers, imposing sanctions on bureaucratic delays and lifting the requirement of securing waivers from franchise-holding utilities.

In a statement Friday, Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian said Senate Bill No. 175 or the “Microgrid Systems Act” creates a streamlined process for microgrid service providers (MSPs). The bill aims to provide reliable electric services to households and accelerate total electrification in areas with no electricity access, no distribution system lines, no home power systems, or no connection to any microgrid.

“The government has stated that total electrification in unserved areas cannot be done by traditional grid extension alone and that non-traditional means — such as microgrid systems — are needed. The problem of energy access is also a concern even in ‘electrified’ areas with limited electricity service, or what we call underserved areas,” he said.

Mr. Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy, said the bill will also level the playing field for system providers.

“The government has tapped the private sector as partner in delivering electricity and improving the quality service in unserved and underserved areas. However, there are significant barriers to entry because of tedious bureaucratic processes, lack of information on prospective areas for electrification, and difficulties obtaining waivers from incumbent utility franchise holders,” he said.

He said generation companies, distribution utilities, retail electricity suppliers, or their respective subsidiaries or affiliates may engage in the business of MSPs, provided that a separate account is maintained for the business undertaking.

He cited figures from the Energy department that as of 2018, up to 2,779,530 households, or 11.7% of the total number of households nationwide, have no access to electricity.

He vowed to prioritize the passage of the bill in the 18^th Congress to help the government achieve its goal of 100% household electrification by 2022. The bill is one of 10 priority bills filed by the senator early this month. — Victor V. Saulon

MARINA expects EO to boost efforts in passing shipping-industry audit

July 12, 2019 | 7:55 pm

THE Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) said it expects an Executive Order (EO) to help prepare the industry hurdle an international compliance audit and met the standards of the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO).

The regulator said the July 2 EO No. 84 directed the creation of an inter-Agency Council on the IMSAS will strengthen compliance efforts ahead of the audit.

Executive Order No. 84 is known as “Creation of an inter-agency council on the International Maritime Organization Member State Audit Scheme (IMSAS).”

The council will “ensure that its member-agencies… implement and comply with all the policies, laws and issuances pertaining to the implementation of the IMO instruments in an integrated manner.”

MARINA said in a statement Friday that “EO 84 serves as the legal framework of the IMSAS Council to fulfill its functions… as well as mechanisms to certify that the Philippines fully satisfies its responsibilities as a flag, port, and coastal State.”

The IMSAS audit, which will take place in 2021 and every seven years thereafter, will look into how member states implement and enforce IMO rules to ensure maritime safety and marine environment protection.

EO No. 84 appoints the Department of Transportation (DoTr) Secretary as chairperson and MARINA administrator as vice chairperson of the council. Its members include representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and Cebu Port Authority (CPA).

A technical working group (TWG) will also assist the council, headed by the DoTr’s Assistant Secretary for Maritime as Chairperson and MARINA’s Deputy Administrator for Operations as vice chairperson. The members of the TWG are representatives from DFA, PCG, PPA, CPA, the Commission on Higher Education, National Mapping and Resource Information Authority, the Environmental Management Bureau, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the Office for Transportation Security and the Philippine National Police Maritime Group.

MARINA is in the process of preparing for IMSAS by conducting an internal audit of its own to anticipate the possible issues that may arise in the audit proper. — Katrina T. Mina

ERC issues refund order to 12 power distributors

July 12, 2019 | 7:55 pm

THE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has issued orders to privately-owned power distribution utilities (DUs) directing them to refund customers on the unused “regulatory reset cost” including any remaining amount from the previous regulatory period plus interest.

“The Commission has ruled that regulation should be at the cost of the government, and we will consider the same ruling in our current review of the regulatory reset process,” said ERC Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer Agnes VST Devanadera in a statement on Friday.

Under the commission’s performance-based regulation (PBR) methodology, privately owned DUs are allowed to charge regulatory reset cost in their revenue requirement. The regulatory reset cost represents expenses incurred in engaging regulatory experts or consultants when setting and updating the DU’s electricity rates.

“We enjoin the privately-owned DUs to submit a report to the Commission on their compliance with our refund directive on or before 15 August 2019,” Ms. Devanadera said.

The private DUs that were ordered to refund and their corresponding refund amount plus interest are as follows:

1. Cabanatuan Electric Corp. — P602,070 or P0.0309 per kilowatt-hour (kWh)

2. Clark Electric Distribution Corp. — P583,434 or P0.0133/kWh

3. Dagupan Electric Power Corp. — P1,277,538 or P0.0422/kWh

4. La Union Electric Co. — P85,038 or P0.0058/kWh

5. San Fernando Electric Light and Power Co. — P1,395,821 or P0.0252/kWh

6. Tarlac Electric, Inc. — P897,685 or P0.0258/kWh

7. Bohol Light Company, Inc. — P277,684 or P0.0264/kWh

8. Cagayan Electric Power and Light Co. — P5,098,534 or P0.0556/kWh

9. Cotabato Light and Power Co. — P949,743 or P0.0694/kWh

10. Davao Light and Power Co. — P262,640 pr P0.0013/kWh

11. Iligan Light and Power Co. — P558,830 or P0.0274/kWh

12. Visayan Electric Company — P8,885,965 or P0.0447/kWh

The ERC earlier computed the regulatory reset cost to be refunded by Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), the country’s largest DU, at P0.0731 per kWh in July.

Based on ERC’s calculation, the regulatory reset cost refund ranges from P0.04 to P0.08 per kWh.

The commission said distribution utilities will be directed to submit a report on their compliance with the ERC’s particular refund directive, which is subject to audit and review in the next regulatory reset to determine if further refunds are needed.

Ms. Devanadera has said that the amount collected as regulatory reset cost for the past regulatory period remained unused since the 17^th Congress appropriated funds for purposes of regulatory reset.

The commission thus deemed it prudent to refund the amounts collected by DUs for this purpose, she said.

The ERC has advised power consumers of private DUs to check their electricity bills next month and find out if the regulatory reset cost refund has been effected, including any relevant interest earned thereon. — Victor V. Saulon

PAL, Cebu Pacific on-time performance improves in July

July 12, 2019 | 7:54 pm

PHILIPPINE Airlines, Inc. (PAL) and Cebu Pacific showed significant improvements in their on-time performance (OTP) in July, two weeks after they signed signed pledges to improve with the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

In a statement on Friday, PAL had a running average OTP of 82% from 80% in June. It was under 60% in April.

Cebu Pacific improved to 77% from 60% in June.

OTP is based on the number of departures and arrivals within 15 minutes of the scheduled time, counting flight cancellations.

Both airlines said the improvements came after five airlines signed the pledge on June 26, signifying their support for improving the air sector’s performance and aid in the decongestion of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) “through improved on-time flight performance, supporting the development of other gateways including Sangley Airport in Cavite, and improving the travel experience of air passengers.”

The pledge was signed with the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), and Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB).

“I can confirm that our participation in the (pledge) really helped improve our OTP. At the same time, we will continue to improve our internal processes and collaborate with CAAP, MIAA and CAB to make sure that our passengers will have a better experience when traveling to the Philippines,” Stanley Ng, vice president for flight operations of PAL, said in a statement.

On the other hand, Michael Ivan Shau, chief operations officer of Cebu Pacific, said, “Coordinated and concerted efforts from all stakeholders resulted in OTP improvement at the NAIA, and we will remain in cooperation with the government under the (pledge) to ease the travel of the public.”

They also noted that the daily release of OTP, which started May, has helped them improve their performance.

Both the DoTr and MIAA acknowledged the efforts of both airlines to improve their quality of service, and hoped that this spreads to other airlines, as well.

“I thank PAL and Cebu Pacific for their efforts to improve OTP. It is my hope that this be increased, and that more and more airlines follow suit,” Transport Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said.

“I laud the airline operators for doing their part to give Filipinos a comfortable life through improved on-time flight performance. We shall continue in this direction as we work on a number of solutions to decongest the NAIA,” MIAA General Mananger Ed V. Monreal said. — Vincent Mariel P. Galang

Apo Agua on schedule to complete Davao water project by 2021

July 12, 2019 | 7:54 pm

DAVAO CITY — Apo Agua Infrastructura Inc., a joint venture between Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. and JV Angeles Construction Corp., is on track to complete the P12.6-billion bulk water supply project for Davao City by the first half of 2021.

Apo Agua General Manager Cirilo C. Almario said the venture is now preparing to start laying the 55-kilometer raw water pipeline going to the reservoir of the Davao City Water District (DCWD)by August.

“I hope by June 2021, basically everything will have to end around that time… It is a multi-project, we have the water treatment plant, pipelines. Sabay sabay gagawin ito lahat at matatapos (All these will be constructed at the same time and done by the) first half of 2021,” Mr. Almario said at the Connect media forum on Friday.

The project, which will source water from the Tamugan River, will also have a small hydro-electric plant to power the water treatment facility.

Apo Agua broke ground for the project in November and started construction early this year for the intake and water treatment facilities.

Once operational, Apo Agua will deliver 300 million liters per day (MLD) to DCWD as provided under their bulk water supply agreement.

DCWD Deputy Spokesperson Jovana Cresta T. Duhaylungsod, meanwhile, said that its own P2-billion pipe laying project to improve and expand the distribution system, which started in 2015, is more than halfway done in sub-project terms.

Ms. Duhaylungsod said out of the 32 projects, 20 are completed.

DCWD currently takes in 300 MLD from groundwater sources.

Once Apo Agua starts delivering water, DCWD intends to stop tapping ground water and maintain these sources as back-up. — Maya M. Padillo

PNOC signs exploration agreement with Israel’s Ratio Petroleum

July 12, 2019 | 7:54 pm

PHILIPPINE National Oil Co. (PNOC) and Israel’s Ratio Petroleum Ltd. signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to “seek to establish cooperation” for the exploration and development of oil and gas resources in the Philippines, the Energy department said Friday.

In a statement, the Department of Energy (DoE) said the MoU was signed by Reuben S Lista, PNOC president and chief executive officer, and Itay Raphael Tabibzada, Ratio Petroleum chief, on Friday at the PNOC office in Taguig City. The signing was witnessed by Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi, the ex-officio chair of the company.

The DoE said the MoU includes the entry of PNOC to Service Contract (SC) 76 based on terms to be mutually agreed upon by the parties.

In October, the administration signed its first service contract — SC 76 covering eastern Palawan — with the Israeli firm, signaling the country’s intent to revive the upstream petroleum industry.

The DoE said the MoU provides for cooperation in the conduct of research and feasibility studies; the exchange of technical information, including coordination to facilitate necessary permits and clearances; and the sharing of technical resources and capabilities for project development, starting with SC 76.

It said PNOC had been looking for technology partners to assist its energy activities, particularly in the exploration and development of new oil and gas fields to intensify its contribution to building the country’s energy security and self-sufficiency.

It described Ratio Petroleum as part of the Ratio Group “with an experience of more than three decades in the exploration and production (E&P) industry.

The Israeli company is operating in six countries around the world and is credited with helping develop the Leviathan natural gas field — the largest natural gas field (22tcf) in the Mediterranean Sea.” — Victor V. Saulon

Shopee focuses on growing number of transactions

July 12, 2019 | 7:54 pm

ONLINE mall Shopee Philippines expects shopping activity to rise towards the end of the year, with the first half of the year comparatively more quiet on the e-commerce front.

Shopee Associate Director Martin Yu told reporters Thursday that Shopee is focusing on growing the number of transactions and gross merchandise value (GMV).

“A lot of Filipinos love shopping during Christmas and it’s just the start of that ber-months so it’s basically the time of the year, the most wonderful time of the year,” Mr. Yu said.

In Asia, GMV for the first quarter of 2019 amounts to USD3.5 billion, with Indonesia and Taiwan comprising the biggest chunk of the market.

“…between 1 to 2% of retail is now shopping online, on e-commerce, but in countries like Taiwan that number is 10 to 15% …it’s at a mire developed stage there,” he said, noting that the platform is not new in such markets. “So we can still see a huge potential to where it can get to eventually,” Mr. Yu added.

Asked to provide details on the number of transactions, he said: “We have seen sustained growth in the past months, and we’re still growing with ever-greater efficiency.”

Categories like health and beauty, women’s fashion as well as baby products were among its best-sellers.

“So now it’s between health and beauty and women’s fashion that are top categories, also mobiles and gadgets. So it’s a mix of young women’s products and electronics that are growing.”

Mr. Yu said that the motoring and the groceries categories are among the laggards because they started selling the products much later.
The company aims to raise awareness about its platform by working with more brands to reassure consumers that they are dealing with a credible seller.

“I think that’s something we want to build…how can we make it (that) you trust the online buying process, you’re confident that you do it every day,” he said.

Shopee had around 30 million downloads in the Philippines and around half a million active sellers on the platform.

Peso continues rally vs dollar

July 12, 2019 | 7:53 pm

THE peso continued to rally against the dollar on Friday amid lingering expectations of a rate cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve.

The local currency appreciated by 6 centavos to close at P51.13, according to data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines. It opened stronger at 51.25, posting its best intraday value of P51.08 against the dollar. It weakened during the day to as much as P51.28.

Dollars traded rose to $910.96 million from $883.31 million.

“The US dollar has slipped for a third straight day, which may have been due to the dovish comments of US Fed Chairman Jerome Powell that there is space for monetary easing,” said Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion, chief economist at Unionbank of the Philippines.

In a prepared speech to the U.S. House Financial Services Committee, Mr. Powell hinted of an interest rate cut, saying the central bank will act as appropriate to sustain expansion as trade tensions and global growth concerns weigh on the economy.

The U.S. was embroiled in a trade war with China as they imposed tariffs on each other’s imports. Tensions cooled late last month after Washington and Beijing agreed to resume negotiations.

Mr. Powell’s testimony strengthens the case of a rate cut from the Fed when its policy-making Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meets again later this month.

The peso is expected to continue to strengthen next week and may move between P51 and P51.30 a dollar as the Fed’s dovish stance lingers, Mr. Asuncion said. — Reicelene Joy N. Ignacio

Caritas to appeal IC stop order

July 12, 2019 | 7:53 pm

CARITAS Health Shield said it would appeal an Insurance Commission (IC) order that stopped it from selling new products and adding clients for alleged fraud.

The health maintenance organization (HMO) in a statement on Friday said it does not condone spurious practices among its staff.

The insurance agency on July 8 issued a cease order on Caritas after reports of “fraudulent swiping of credit/debit cards” and misrepresentation of the company’s sales agents. — Reicelene Joy N. Ignacio

PSEi closes in on 8,200

July 12, 2019 | 7:53 pm

By Vincent Mariel P. Galang, Reporter

LOCAL SHARES closed in on 8,200 on Friday — fueled partly by a return of net foreign buying — but failed to hit that level and finished lower at the end of the session amid lack of sufficient leads to sustain the lift.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) lost 12.67 points or 0.15% to finish at 8,141.82 — still up 0.29% from July 5’s 8,117.94 finish — after opening 0.06% stronger at 8,159.63 and hitting a high of 8,197.52 before closing at the day’s low.

The all-shares index gave up 13.27 points or 0.26% to close at 4,944.7.

“It almost looked as if the index was going to break the 8,200 mark as the PSEi traded strongly throughout the day. A strong sell-down at the close prevented this from happening however, with the PSEi closing 12 points in the red at 8,141.82,” Papa Securities Corp. Sales Associate Gabriel Jose F. Perez said in an e-mail on Friday.

At the same time, Mr. Perez said that “[w]ith the index maintaining its foothold above the 8,139 recent breakout level by just a few points, the trek to 8,200 in the near term is still very much alive.”

Jervin S. de Celis, equity trader at the Timson Securities, Inc., noted that the 2.04% drop to P960 apiece in price of SM Investments Corp. (SMIC) weighed on PSEi since it has one of the heaviest weights in the index.

“Our index retested the 8,200 resistance that it touched last Feb. 6…” Mr. de Celis said in a mobile phone message.

“Although the PSEi stayed positive during the day, it closed in the red and trailed the muted US market session last night and it was also dragged by the two percent drop in SM Investments after it failed to breach its resistance at P1,000.”

Reuters reported that Wall Street rose on Thursday as health insurers gained after the Trump administration scrapped a plan designed to rein in prescription drug prices. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.85% to 27,088.08 and the S&P 500 added 0.23% to 2,999.91, while the Nasdaq Composite Index retreated by 0.08% to 8,196.04.

Among major Asian markets on Friday, Japan’s Nikkei 225 went up 42.37 points or 0.20% to 21,685.90, Shanghai Composite gained 12.79 points or 0.44% to 2,930.55, South Korea’s KOSPI Index added 6.08 points or 0.29% to 2,086.66 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index increased by 46.33 points or 0.14% to 28,471.62.

Back home, the six sectoral indices were equally divided between those that gained and those that lost.

Sectoral indices that went up consisted of financials (22.61 points or 1.28% to close at 1,788.79), mining and oil (39.47 points or 0.53% to 7,437.16) and services (5.75 points or 0.34% to 1,693.65).

Those that lost consisted of holding firms (54.74 points or 0.7% to 7,758.23), industrials (62.55 points or 0.52% to 11,791.25) and property (14.57 points or 0.32% to 4,423.93).

Friday’s list of 20 most active stocks showed six that ended in red. Besides SMIC, they were: SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (-2.3% to P38.30 apiece); GMA Holdings, Inc. (PDR — -1.65% to P5.37); Security Bank Corp. (-0.44% to P179); Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (-0.42% to LP4.78) and Jollibee Foods Corp. (-0.21% to P280.40 each).

Those that gained were led by Filinvest Land, Inc. (6.11% to P1.91 apiece); Megaworld Corp. (3.79% to P6.30); GT Capital Holdings, Inc. (2.86% to P900); BDO Unibank, Inc. (2.21% to P148.20); Robinsons Land Corp. (1.85% to P27.50); Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. (1.25% to P72.90) and Bank of the Philippine Islands (1.06% to P81.05 each).

Stocks that gained outnumbered those that lost 108 to 82, while 52 others ended flat.

Trade volume increased to 3.387 billion shares worth P6.864 billion on Friday from Thursday’s 1.273 billion shares worth P6.094 billion.

Overseas investors returned to buying mode, resulting in P419.491 million in net buying on Friday that was a turnaround from Thursday’s P253.726-million net selling.

How OGPI keeps Didipio’s water safe and clean

July 12, 2019 | 12:30 pm

Can you imagine using clean water that’s already been used in a mining operation? In Didipio, Nueva Vizcaya, this is possible because of OceanaGold Philippines’ (OGPI) innovations.

Extractive industries like mining require large amounts of water to process mineral products. OGPI is taking the lead in using clean and sophisticated technologies, making it one of the best in the world in terms of water management.

“In 2016, the company recycled an average of 75% of the process plant’s water requirements. We reduced abstraction of water from local catchments and overall operating costs. As of December 2018, our continuous efforts to improve the water recycling rate resulted in an increase of 90%,” David Way, OGPI General Manager noted.

The company has a PHP 268 million (USD 6.1 million) water treatment plant (WTP), where water from tailings storage facilities (TSF) go through before being discharged to the receiving water body. This WTP has an operating cost of PHP 6.38 million (USD 128,000) per year and has a treatment capacity of 1,980 m3 per hour.

Non-toxic tailings dam

The Didipio Mine is among the 10% of mining companies in the world that does not use cyanide and mercury in gold processing. Therefore, the resulting tailings stored in the tailings dam is non-toxic and non-hazardous to the surroundings. The design of the mine’s Tailing’s Storage Facility (TSF) maintains a robust dam wall capable of containing the mill tailings in a mountainous terrain which experiences rainfall up to 3,000 mm per year.

To meet international engineering standards, the tailing’s dam foundation was stripped of all alluvial material down to base rock and keyed in to reduce seepage. Based on the bathymetric survey conducted in June 2018, the actual volume impounded is 12,572,851 cu.m. This is 34.5% of the TSF’s design volume capacity which is 36,351,006 cu.m.

Fish that thrives in the TSF is one biological evidence of the water’s non-toxicity. There are also migratory birds and wild ducks that prey in the area.

Surface water management

At the mine, separate drain systems were created to intercept mine runoff from haul roads and slopes; drains for clean water runoff from seeps and streams. Mine water is then diverted towards sediment ponds before being discharged into the environment, while clean water is channeled directly towards the river.

OGPI aims to minimize surface water runoff in the Didipio Mine as this reduces pumping costs; decreases risk of slope failure; improves mine safety and production; and maximizes clean water that goes to rivers.

“OGPI is an environmentally and socially responsible community member. We only use world-class technologies to ensure the safety and efficiency of our operations. Rest assured, we will continue to operate with the highest levels of safety and cleanliness, and with the benefit of our community in mind,” Way concludes.

In addition, the Didipio Mine’s environment team strictly implements washing only on designated vehicle wash bays equipped with oil and water separators. Water quality monitoring and maintenance are being conducted regularly to ensure efficiency of oil and water separator.

Sharing the technology

Recently, OGPI began collaborating with the International River Foundation (IRF) to bring coaching and mentoring to community members, leaders and regulators to help improve water quality in Didipio. It also partnered with the Isabela State University (ISU) and the Quirino State University (QSU) to conduct a study on the Integrated Watershed Management of Addalam Basin and to establish a Biodiversity Reservation Area.

Recognizing the significance of water to its operation and its surrounding communities, the Company is currently constructing the Didipio Water System Project which includes water storage, treatment and supply infrastructure. This will ensure potable water supply to each household and other institutions within the Didipio community. On completion, the system will have the capacity to provide water for up to 11,000 individuals or about 2,400 households.

Wells Fargo Embraces Diversity and Inclusion

July 12, 2019 | 12:07 pm

Wells Fargo Enterprise Global Services (EGS) Philippines showed its support to the LGBT (lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender) community this year by joining the 25th anniversary of the Metro Manila Pride March at the Marikina Sports Complex. The annual walk with the theme #ResistTogether aimed to call for heightened awareness on equality among the LGBT group in the country.

More than a hundred Wells Fargo EGS team members joined the parade led by the Pride Team Member Network (TMN) wearing shirts that read “you are empowerful”.

Deep-rooted cause

Ian Gabrinao, Wells Fargo operations manager, walked loud and proud supporting the cause. As Pride Team Member Network’s chairperson, he participates in the Pride march every year to freely express his gender identity and show respect to the LGBT advocates who fight for the community’s rights.

Pride Team Member Network (TMN) is a group that specifically caters to the members of the LGBT community and its allies while implementing noteworthy initiatives that address their interests. “It is the voice of equality for the LGBT community in the workplace. We are here to promote mutual respect among team members regardless of sexual orientation and diverse expressions.” said Gabrinao.

Pride TMN Philippines started in September 2015. This group now has 271 members and is regarded as a non-virtual Pride chapter outside the US.“We hold awareness campaigns on our main advocacies such as SOGIE (sexual orientation, gender identity and expressions) talks, HIV/AIDS education, support on anti-bullying and inclusion efforts for transgender team members,” added Gabrinao, who is certified by the Philippine Financial Industry Pride (PFIP) as a SOGIE facilitator.

Wells Fargo’s culture of diversity and inclusion

Over the past 30 years, Wells Fargo has built a reputation as the financial institution truly supportive of the LGBT community. The company’s ongoing and unwavering commitment to the LGBT community is evident through its support to various strategic partners. Wells Fargo has offered HMO coverage for domestic partners in August 2016, a benefit which is not yet prevalent in the local market.

Pat Zaraspe, Wells Fargo team leader, is a transgender woman and a mother to a 7-year old boy. “Wells Fargo has been very generous to me ever since I joined this prestigious company. I was very grateful when HR worked on the HMO plan for domestic partners. I was one of the team members who availed this. It was very helpful to us because my partner was previously diagnosed with a bladder tumor. Good thing it was benign,” shared Pat.

The inclusive workplace

Working in a safe and conducive environment is key to team member experience. Wells Fargo facilities cater to diverse groups of people such as the differently-abled and the LGBT community through PWD accessible fit-outs and gender neutral restrooms. Wells Fargo definitely considers diversity and inclusion as a priority.

Jess Porras, Wells Fargo quality manager, is a Pride core member. As a PFIP-certified SOGIE facilitator, he continues to promote awareness on causes related to diversity and inclusion. “I have been with the bank for 5 years and I see myself growing in this wonderful company which fosters a culture of equality and acceptance.” stated Porras.

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