4 Israeli hostages rescued after raid that killed 210 Palestinians

June 9, 2024 | 6:01 pm

Israel forces-rescued hostage — ALMOG MEIR JAN, a rescued hostage embraces a loved one, after the military said that Israeli forces have rescued four hostages alive from the central Gaza Strip, in Ramat Gan, Israel, in this handout image obtained by Reuters on June 8, 2024. — ISRAELI ARMY/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS

JERUSALEM/CAIRO — Israeli forces rescued four hostages held by Hamas since October in a raid in Gaza on Saturday that Palestinian officials said killed more than 200 people, one of the single bloodiest Israeli assaults of the eight-month-old war.

The hostage rescue operation and an intense accompanying air assault took place in central Gaza’s al-Nuseirat, a densely built-up and often embattled area in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian territory’s ruling Islamist group.

An Israeli military spokesperson said the operation took place in the heart of a residential neighborhood in Nuseirat where Hamas had kept the hostages in two separate apartment blocks. Israel’s forces came under intense fire during the assault and responded by firing “from the air and from the street,” the spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, said.

“We know about under 100 (Palestinian) casualties. I don’t know how many from them are terrorists,” he said in a briefing with journalists. An Israeli special forces commander was killed during the operation, a police statement said.

Gazan paramedics and residents said the assault killed scores of people and left mangled bodies of men, women and children strewn around a marketplace and a mosque.

Israel named the rescued hostages as Noa Argamani, 26, Almog Meir Jan, 22, Andrey Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 41. They were taken to hospital for medical checks and were in good health, the military said.

They were all kidnapped from the Nova music festival during the deadly raid by Hamas-led Palestinian militants on Israeli towns and villages near Gaza on Oct. 7, which precipitated the devastating war.

Hamas’ raid killed some 1,200 people, according to Israeli authorities, and Israel’s subsequent bombardment and invasion of Gaza has killed at least 36,801 Palestinians, according to an updated tally by the territory’s health ministry on Saturday.

CALL TO PRESIDENT
Gunmen took around 250 hostages back to Gaza on Oct. 7, more than 100 of whom were released in exchange for about 240 Palestinians held in Israeli jails during a week-long truce in November. There are 116 hostages left in the coastal enclave, according to Israeli tallies, including at least 40 whom Israeli authorities have declared dead in absentia.

The spokesperson for Hamas’ armed al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Ubaida, said some hostages were killed during the rescue operation.

“It’s a blatant lie,” Israeli military spokesperson Peter Lerner told CNN.

Asked about news reports that U.S. intelligence supported the rescue operation, Mr. Lerner said Israel and the US had a “close, intimate working relationship” as relates to intelligence but declined to elaborate.

Attempts by the United States and regional countries to forge a deal that would release all remaining hostages in return for a ceasefire have repeatedly failed as Israel presses its assault in Gaza. Fresh airstrikes in the southern city of Rafah hit homes later on Saturday, residents and Hamas officials said.

Israeli News 12 broadcast footage of Noa Argamani reunited with her father, smiling and embracing him. Video of Ms. Argamani’s kidnapping, showing her shouting “Don’t kill me!” as she was driven into Gaza on a motorbike, had circulated soon after she was taken on Oct. 7.

A smiling Ms. Argamani was shown speaking by phone to Israeli President Isaac Herzog from hospital surrounded by family and friends, in footage released by the president’s office. “Thank you for everything, thank you for this moment,” she said.

“I am so excited to hear your voice, it brings tears to my eyes … Welcome home,” Mr. Herzog said.

Poland praised the rescue of the hostages and said that one was a dual Israeli-Polish citizen.

US President Joseph R. Biden welcomed the return of the four Israeli hostages rescued in Gaza. “We won’t stop working until all the hostages come home and a ceasefire is reached,” Mr. Biden said at a news conference in Paris alongside French President Emmanuel Macron.

Following the hostage rescue, Israel’s centrist war cabinet minister, Benny Gantz, delayed a statement on Saturday in which he was widely expected to announce his resignation from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s emergency government. Gantz had presented the conservative premier a June 8 deadline to come up with a clear post-war strategy for Gaza.

BLOODY SCENES
A different picture unfolded back in Gaza, where Palestinian health ministry officials and local medics said an Israeli military assault in Nuseirat had killed scores of people.

The ministry did not say how many of the fatalities were combatants.

The Hamas-run government media office in Gaza said later the death toll had risen to at least 210 Palestinians with many more wounded, after medics and health officials gave earlier tolls of up to 100 dead. There was no immediate confirmation of the highest figure from Gaza’s health ministry.

Social media footage that Reuters could not immediately verify showed bodies spilling entrails onto blood-stained streets.

“It was like a horror movie but this was a real massacre. Israeli drones and warplanes fired all night randomly at people’s houses and at people who tried to flee the area,” said Ziad, 45, a paramedic and resident of Nuseirat, who gave only his first name.

The bombardment focused on a local marketplace and the al-Awda mosque, he told Reuters via a messaging app. “To free four people, Israel killed dozens of innocent civilians,” he said.

Emergency response teams sought to ferry the dead and wounded to hospital in the nearby city of Deir al-Balah but many bodies were still lying in the streets, including around the market district, Ziad and other residents said.

Nuseirat, a historic Palestinian refugee camp, has been subjected to heavy Israeli bombing during the war and there has also been fierce ground fighting in its eastern areas.

Late on Saturday, an Israeli airstrike killed five Palestinians in the Al-Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, Palestinian medics said.

The war has destabilized the wider Middle East, drawing in Hamas’ main backer, Iran, and its heavily armed Lebanese ally Hezbollah, which Israeli officials are threatening to go to war with on Israel’s northern border. — Reuters

South Korea to blast loudspeaker broadcasts after NK trash balloons

June 9, 2024 | 6:00 pm

SEOUL — South Korea will begin loudspeaker broadcasts directed at North Korea (NK) on Sunday that will be “unbearable” for the Kim Jong Un regime, its National Security Council said, after Pyongyang resumed sending balloons carrying trash across the border.

The Council met on Sunday morning, after dozens of balloons with trash attached were found in Seoul and in areas near the border earlier in the day and overnight.

“The measures we will take may be unbearable for the North Korean regime but they will send a message of hope and light to the North’s troops and its people,” the Council said.

South Korea has warned it would take “unendurable” measures against the North for sending the trash balloons, which could include blaring propaganda broadcasts from huge loudspeakers set up at the border directed at the North.

Pyongyang started sending balloons carrying trash and manure across the border in May and has said the move was in retaliation to anti-North leaflets flown by South Korean activists as part of a propaganda campaign.

On June 2, it said it would temporarily halt sending the balloons because 15 tons of trash it sent was probably enough to get the message across on how “unpleasant” it was. However, it vowed to resume if leaflets are again flown from the South by sending hundred times the amount.

A group of South Korean activists defied the warning and have since flown more balloons to the North with leaflets criticizing its leader Kim Jong Un together with USB sticks containing K-pop videos and dramas, and US dollar notes.

North Korea has shown some of the angriest reactions towards the leaflet campaign and the loudspeaker broadcasts, in some cases firing weapons at the balloons and speakers in the past.

South Korea stopped the broadcasts under an agreement signed by the two Korea’s leaders in 2018 declaring a new era of peace and harmony and vowing to ease military tensions to eliminate the chances of another war breaking out.

But tensions have mounted since then as North Korea pushed ahead with the development of ballistic missiles and declared it sees South Korea as its “enemy number one,” unveiling a range of weapons that it said were aimed at the South.

South Korea’s broadcasts are blasted from multiple speakers stacked in large racks and include world news and information about democratic and capitalist society with a mix of popular K-pop music. The sound is believed to travel more than 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) into North Korea.

South Korea’s military said the North launched about 330 balloons with trash attached starting Saturday and about 80 of them dropped in South Korea. — Reuters

Pope Francis invites comedians Whoopi Goldberg, Conan O’Brien to Vatican

June 9, 2024 | 6:00 pm

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis, who says he regularly prays “Lord, give me a sense of humor,” will welcome comedians from around the world to a cultural event in Italy to “celebrate the beauty of human diversity,” the Vatican said on Saturday.

Whoopi Goldberg, Jimmy Fallon, Conan O’Brien and Chris Rock will be among more than 100 entertainers at the Vatican on June 14.

The pope “recognizes the significant impact that the art of comedy has on the world of contemporary culture,” a Vatican statement said.

British comedian Stephen Merchant — the co-writer of the TV comedy series The Office — and Italian comedian Lino Banfi will also be at the event.

The meeting will take place on Friday morning, before the pope travels to Puglia to attend the Group of Seven (G7) leaders’ summit.

“The meeting between Pope Francis and the world’s comedians aims to celebrate the beauty of human diversity and to promote a message of peace, love and solidarity,” the Vatican said.

The audience has been organized by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Culture and Education and Dicastery for Communication.

Ms. Goldberg last month said in an interview that she had offered the pope a cameo in Sister Act 3, in which she will reprise her comedy role of a singer who takes refuge in a convent and organizes a choir.

“He said he would see what his time was like,” Ms. Goldberg said joking, when asked if the pope had accepted her offer. — Reuters

India PM Modi must now learn to share power

June 9, 2024 | 6:00 pm

India-Narendra Modi — India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the media at the Presidential Palace in New Delhi, India, June 7, 2024. — REUTERS

NEW DELHI — Flying back from a meditation break at the end of India’s grueling election, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi wrote in a column that he felt a “boundless flow of energy” within himself. He might need the energy as he gets ready to start a rare third straight term with a heavy reliance on fickle allies.

For the first time in his high-flying political career, which began in 2001 when he became the chief minister of his home state of Gujarat, Mr. Modi, 73, must accommodate the pulls and pressures of a coalition government after his party surprisingly failed to get a majority on its own.

One of Mr. Modi’s two main allies was with the opposition as recently as January, while the other isa regional leader who helped build the coalition that tried to unseat Modi at the last election in 2019. Modi was scheduled to be sworn in as prime minister later on Sunday for a historic third term.

“Modi has always functioned as a lone wolf, doing exactly what he wants to,” said political commentator Arati Jerath. “It’s going to be a very new role for him. And it’s something he will have to adjust to and adapt to.”

Addressing leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) coalition on Friday, Mr. Modi struck a conciliatory note, saying that for him all its constituents were equal, irrespective of the number of parliamentarians they had.

“It’s an experienced team and they will advise me well,” Mr. Modi said, pointing to the chiefs of more than half a dozen NDA parties seated together. “Together, the team will take the right decisions.”

“We have won the majority and it is needed to run a government. But to run the country, unanimity is crucial. We will strive for unanimity and leave no stone unturned in taking the country forward on the path of progress.”

Modi’s approval ratings have been among the highest among world leaders and,as he ran a presidential-style campaign for his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the loss of majority is likely to rankle with him, analysts said.

Since he became prime minister a decade ago, riding his Hindu nationalist base, Mr. Modi has been the ruling alliance’s unquestioned leader, with concerns growing about what his opponents see as India’s slide towards authoritarianism.

The man who as a boy sold tea in his home state has dominated India’s politics so completely in the last decade that few in his party or even the parent ideological group, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, dare stand up to him.

Indeed, throughout the campaign in scorching heat, it was Modi with his thinning white hair, neatly trimmed white beard and immaculate Indian attire who towered over everyone else.

Giant cutouts of him were everywhere and his face was on television screens every day as he courted India’s 968 million voters with a personal “Modi guarantee” to change their lives.

“He has become larger than the party itself,” said Surendra Kumar Dwivedi, a former head of the Department of Political Science at Lucknow University. “In a democratic system… a party should always supersede an individual.”

‘ONLY A PREVIEW’
Mr. Modi, the firstIndian leader to win a third straight term since founding prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, has promised a transformative next five years.

Under him, India has become the world’s fastest growing major economy and he has said he wants to make it the world’s third largest in three years, behind the United States and China.

“My every moment is for the country, my every moment is for you,” Modi said in his address to the alliance. “Together, we have to take the country forward. What we have done in the last 10 years is only a preview, a trailer.”

The BJP has dismissed opposition speculation that Modi might hang up his boots once he reaches 75, as some other party leaders have done in recent years. Mr. Modi has said he wants to lay the groundwork for India to become a fully developed nation by 2047, the 100th year of independence from British colonial rule.

A reduced mandate for Mr. Modi’s ruling alliance forecloses the possibility of changes to India’s secular constitution that opposition groups had warned against. Any such measures require the support of two-thirds of members of parliament.

Concerns have grown in recent years that the BJP’s Hindu nationalist agenda has polarized the country with Mr. Modi himself turning up the rhetoric, accusing the main opposition Congress of appeasing Muslims for votes.

Yashwant Deshmukh, founder of CVoter polling agency and a political analyst, said the BJP’s top goal of introducing common civil laws to replace Islam’s sharia-based customs and other religious codes would have to be put on the back burner.

“These will have to be debated,” he said. — Reuters

Allied Care Experts (ACE) Medical Center – Tacloban, Inc. to hold 2024 Annual Stockholders’ Meeting on June 20

June 9, 2024 | 12:03 am

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[B-SIDE Podcast] How to build a marketing plan for your small business

June 9, 2024 | 12:01 am

Follow us on Spotify BusinessWorld B-Side

Marketing is a tool that businesses can employ to increase brand awareness, acquire customers, and improve engagement. But is there a right way to do marketing? In this B-Side episode, BusinessWorld asks what businesses should prioritize in their marketing campaigns with Ashish Goel, product marketing manager of Zoho Corporation’s Campaigns, Marketing Automation, and Sites divisions.

Editing by Jino Nicolas and Arjale Queral

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GCash and Filipino community celebrate Independence Day in New York

June 8, 2024 | 12:19 am

GCash in US — GCash unveiled a float at the PIDCI’s Independence Day Parade, the biggest Independence Day Parade outside of the Philippines, which highlights GCash's main features that help connect Filipinos all around the world, especially with their loved ones back home.

GCash highlights new features and latest partnership with Meridian allowing transfers from over 12,000 US banks to GCash accounts

GCash, the Philippines’ leading finance app and largest cashless ecosystem, took part in Independence Day commemorations in New York City, hosted by the Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc. (PIDCI), a non-profit umbrella organization of Filipino-American associations along the East Coast. The PIDCI’s Independence Day Parade, the biggest Independence Day Parade outside of the Philippines and now on its 34th year, is an annual celebration of Filipino culture, the strengthening of familial and community ties, and a joyful display of Filipino pride.

At the event, Paul Albano, General Manager of GCash International, shared important new features that make digital financial services better for Filipinos living outside of the Philippines. GCash has made strides in its international expansion, with its app now available for download in the US using a US mobile phone number, and cashing in and sending money is easier from over 12,000 US banks to GCash accounts.

Highlighting its role as a seamless fintech solution for Filipinos overseas, GCash featured partnerships with financial institutions like Meridian, thus bridging US-based fintech services and the app that has become a staple for financial services across the Philippines.

“At GCash, when we say that ‘Finance for All’ is our vision, it means we are driven to go beyond the Philippines and reach as many Filipinos as we can around the globe,” said Albano. “We are honored to join our community in this distinctly Filipino celebration, and we’re eager to share all the ways GCash has been continuously innovating and enhancing our services to meet the needs of our kababayan overseas.”

The celebration of heritage and intergenerational community was held through a full-day cultural festival on June 2, 2024. GCash unveiled a float at its main event, an Independence Day Parade traversing Madison Avenue, that highlights GCash’s main features that help connect Filipinos all around the world, especially with their loved ones back home.

GCash booths were also set up during a parallel street fair between Madison and Park Avenues that featured trade and travel merchants. Highlighting its role as a seamless fintech solution for Filipinos overseas, the GCash booth featured partnerships with financial institutions like Meridian, thus bridging US-based fintech services and the mobile wallet that has become a staple for financial services across the Philippines.

GCash and Meridian enable transfers from US banks to GCash peso accounts

GCash’s partnership with Meridian, an instant payments technology company headquartered in New York City, has enabled the direct transfer of US-based user funds within the GCash app from a selection of 12,000 US banks to GCash accounts. Upon transfer, the service automatically converts dollar amounts into Philippine pesos, offering competitive ForEx rates and a nominal $1 fee per transaction.

Albano added, “At GCash, we want to help with the most important thing for our countrymen abroad: how they can care for their families and maintain connections with their loved ones despite the distance. With GCash’s international expansion, this is exactly what we are doing. We’re making it possible for Filipinos overseas to take better control of their finances, and sending money to the Philippines is more convenient with our competitive rates.”

Filipinos abroad visit GCash booths which feature trade and travel merchants set up during a parallel street fair between Madison and Park Avenues.

GCash International expansion to reach millions of overseas Filipinos

GCash announced in March that it has expanded its international reach and fully launched its global push following approval from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. Filipinos in 14 territories—the US, Canada, Italy, the UK, Australia, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Spain, Germany, and Singapore—can now use international mobile numbers to sign up and use the GCash app. Kuwait and Saudi Arabia will follow suit in the next half of 2024.

With its expansion outside of the Philippines, GCash is able to serve and empower more Filipinos, wherever they may be based. In addition to free real-time money transfers among GCash wallets for convenient access to funds and the ability to buy load for loved ones back home, GCash users abroad can now directly pay their bills—ranging from utilities and tuition fees to government payables like taxes and contributions—from more than 1,900 Philippine billers.

To access GCash outside the Philippines, simply download the GCash app on Google Play, App Store, or Huawei AppGallery with an active international SIM card. On the app, select the country, type in your mobile number, and fill out important personal information to register– residency requirements may apply. Next, set your MPIN then proceed to log in. Ready your valid ID, like your Philippine passport, for scanning to verify your account. Afterward, complete the facial verification via a selfie and provide additional information, then wait for the SMS confirmation. Upon receiving the confirmation, you may now enter your MPIN and use the app.

GCash is also expected to meet with the Filipino communities in Carson City, California and Dubai, UAE within the coming weeks to share its GCash Overseas innovations.

Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by publishing their stories on the BusinessWorld Web site. For more information, send an email to online@bworldonline.com.

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Allied Care Experts (ACE) Medical Center – Tacloban, Inc. to hold 2024 Annual Stockholders’ Meeting on June 20

June 8, 2024 | 12:02 am

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HealthFirst launches Williams Center health hub

June 7, 2024 | 9:50 pm

HealthFirst, a multi-specialty clinic network under the RelianceUnited portfolio, launched its healthcare hub in Williams Center, Mandaluyong, on June 7.

The hub has three levels of multi-specialty clinics that provide services such as primary and specialty consultations, diagnostics, ambulatory surgeries, and physical rehabilitation.

From being a clinic facility fifteen years ago, HealthFirst is now a consolidated platform “aligned with what a hospital can do in an outpatient facility,” according to Karl Aaron G. Dimaano, HealthFirst’s general manager and chief operating officer.

Its aim is to offer streamlined care from consultation to diagnostics to treatment, he said.

“We want to simplify the patient journey,” he said in a media tour of the hub during the launch. “After patient consult, the common dilemma is, ‘Where do I go to next?’ You don’t have to [go elsewhere], because everything’s here.”

The hub’s centralization of data, he added, “is also important in healthcare management…when assessing the patient.”

HealthFirst Williams Center has 33 multi-specialty rooms, specialized healthcare centers, and an imaging and central laboratory. It offers over 21 specializations, including allergology, dermatology, surgery, pediatrics, neurology, and gynecology.

In addition to its mental healthcare service, the hub is planning to develop a neurodevelopmental facility for children, Robert T. Castro, medical director at HealthFirst, said.

“We’re also looking into expanding our ambulatory surgical procedures,” he said during the launch. “Anything that can be safely done in an outpatient facility, like arthroscopy [a surgical procedure that allows a surgeon to examine and treat joint problems], we plan to bring here.”

HealthFirst has clinics in Alabang, BGC, Cubao, and Cebu, with more sites scheduled to open.

“We’re doing a hub-and-spoke model, where Williams Center is the hub and the other clinics are the spokes,” Mr. Dimaano told BusinessWorld. “We are planning to put up more hubs in the future.” – Patricia B. Mirasol

DOTr says current PUVs operating are ‘enough’

June 7, 2024 | 9:43 pm

jeepney — PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

A month after the consolidation deadline, public utility vehicles (PUV) nationwide are sufficient to cater to passengers, Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista said during the Maritime Industry Authority’s (MARINA) 50th anniversary.

“Overall, we have enough capacity. Yung mga nagconsolidate are offering required seats here in Metro Manila [Overall, we have enough capacity. Those who consolidated were enough to transport commuters in Metro Manila],” he expressed.

He added that 80% of operators and drivers who consolidated in the PUV Modernization Program (PUVMP) were already enough to transit the commuters in Metro Manila and other cities.

In contrast with Mr. Bautista’s statements, the Passenger Forum’s Convenor Primo Morillo claimed in an interview last May 29 that there is an evident shortage of operating PUVs.

“The government should allow more public utility vehicles on road kasi kulang yung masasakyan ng mga commuters [The government should allow more public utility vehicles on the road because it cannot cover the number of commuters],” he stated.

Aside from this, he also raised his concern about the government’s modernization program and how it added to the burden not only on the livelihood of drivers and operators but also on commuters.

“Hindi nakakatulong itong pagpilit dun sa PUV modernization program nang hindi nasasaalang alang yung livelihood ng mga drivers and ng mga operators…even sa commuters kasi kulang na nga ang masasakyan [Without consideration to the people’s livelihood, the PUVMP did not help drivers, operators, and even commuters. We already have a shortage of PUVs],” Mr. Morillo said.

According to Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairman Teofilo E. Guadiz, 160,000 units have met the PUVMP’s consolidation requirement. Meanwhile, 10,000 unconsolidated jeepney units nationwide are now considered colorum.

Apprehended colorum jeepneys could face different penalties such as a P50,000 fine for the operator, one-year suspension for the driver, and 30 days vehicle impound in Pampanga, the LTFRB elaborated in their official statement last May 16.

Rationalizing routes through LPTRP

Mr. Bautista further emphasized the need for the DoTr and LTFRB to work with local government units (LGUs) to rationalize routes through the Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP).

“With the finalization of this LPTRP, talagang masisiguro natin na magiging profitable at sustainable yung mga ruta and that would mean pwede silang maginvest sa modern vehicles [With the finalization of LPTRP, we can ensure that the routes would be profitable and sustainable for our PUV drivers and operators to help them invest in modern vehicles,”] he explained.

As defined in the LPTRP Manual Volume 1 in 2017, LPTRP is a plan that details the route network, mode, and required number of units per mode of delivering public land transport services. – Almira Louise S. Martinez

Okada Manila celebrates World Environment Day 2024 with commitment to ‘Generation Restoration’

June 7, 2024 | 5:50 pm

Okada-Manila-engages-in-reforestation-efforts-with-partners-like-Nuvali,-ASB-CBN-Bantay-Kalikasan,-OL — Okada Manila engages in reforestation efforts with partners like Nuvali, ABS-CBN Bantay Kalikasan, and the Motolite-PBSP Balik Baterya Program.

In support of the United Nations’ call to restore ecosystems, Okada Manila proudly joins the global community in celebrating World Environment Day 2024, reinforcing its commitment to environmental sustainability with this year’s theme, “Generation Restoration.” The focus is on land restoration, desertification, and drought resilience, highlighting the urgent need to revive natural spaces for a sustainable future.

Global Threat to Ecosystems

Ecosystems worldwide, including forests, drylands, farmlands, and lakes, are threatened and reaching a tipping point. This year’s World Environment Day focuses on land restoration, desertification, and building drought resilience under the slogan, “Our Land. Our Future. We are #GenerationRestoration.” The current generation is the first to witness severe environmental degradation and the last with the chance to counter it and achieve global climate and biodiversity goals.

Key Environment-friendly Initiatives

In alignment with “Generation Restoration,” Okada Manila has implemented several key initiatives that underscore its dedication to environmental stewardship, categorized as follows:

Land Restoration

Tree-Planting Activities: In partnership with organizations like Nuvali, ABS-CBN Bantay Kalikasan, and the Motolite-PBSP Balik Baterya program, Okada Manila has engaged in tree-planting activities that contribute to reforestation efforts in critical areas such as the Marikina Watershed and La Mesa Dam.

Plant Propagation: The Nursery at Okada Manila propagates, stocks, and grows plants for internal and external landscapes, replacing existing plants due to damage or senescence, and serves as a recuperation area for indoor plants displayed around the property.

Marine Restoration

Okada Manila conducts coastal clean-ups of Manila Bay to preserve marine ecosystems, with significant drives in 2018 and 2023.

Coastal Cleanups: The resort organized coastal cleanups of Manila Bay in 2018 and conducted another cleanup drive in September 2023. These efforts demonstrate the resort’s ongoing commitment to the environment and the preservation of marine life.

Okada Manila achieves zero waste discharge through advanced sewage treatment and ultra-filtration technology.

Zero Water Waste: Okada Manila utilizes state-of-the-art sewage treatment plants and ultra-filtration system technology to achieve zero water waste discharge, ensuring that water used in operations is treated and recycled, thereby minimizing environmental impact.

Sustainable Practices and Green Spaces

The Garden: Adjacent to the Asian cuisine restaurants, The Garden features Japanese pocket gardens and a gazebo with flowering vines overlooking Manila Bay, enhancing guests’ dining and strolling experiences.

The Zen Garden: Designed for relaxation, meditation, and contemplation, The Zen Garden places special emphasis on creating harmony, tranquility, and balance with every plant and rock.

The Herb Garden: A dedicated space for growing herbs used by The Retreat Spa, located in the Secret Garden and maintained organically to avoid contamination and insects.

Okada Manila cultivates the threatened Philippine plant, the King Fern, Angiospteris evecta.

The Winter Garden: Featuring the Giant Fern (Angiospteris evecta), a threatened Philippine plant, adding to the forest-like atmosphere of the property.

The Tropics at Cove Manila: Creates a tropical atmosphere with lush plants, pebbles, and white sand, enhancing the overall experience for guests enjoying the indoor pool.

“At Okada Manila, we are committed to building and designing an integrated resort that balances economic, environmental, and social considerations to ensure long-term viability and positive impacts,” said Byron Yip, President and Chief Operating Officer of Okada Manila. “This means adopting environmentally friendly practices, managing resources efficiently, and reducing waste and carbon footprints to combat pollution and climate change. We have the power and the knowledge to reverse the harm and restore the environment — if we act now.”

Okada Manila invites everyone to join in celebrating World Environment Day 2024 and to participate in ongoing efforts to restore and protect the environment. Together, a significant impact can be made, paving the way for a sustainable future.

Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by publishing their stories on the BusinessWorld Web site. For more information, send an email to online@bworldonline.com.

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Globe Business powers IT-BPM growth with strategic HR Solutions

June 7, 2024 | 5:15 pm

The Philippines’ IT and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) industry has been expanding in recent years. It aims to grow its workforce to 2.5 million by 2028. This underscores the need for innovative HR strategies to ensure the acquisition and retention of quality talent.

With a firm commitment to be the trusted digitalization partner of businesses, Globe Business is ready to provide comprehensive support to IT-BPM companies. Globe’s enterprise arm aims to harness technology to optimize recruitment processes and enhance employee experience.

“We understand the critical role of HR in every organization. Our collaboration with IT-BPM companies ensures they have the right tools to recruit effectively, boost productivity, and foster a positive work environment,” said KD Dizon, Head of Globe Business.

“As your trusted partner in digitalization, we are dedicated to helping your organization thrive and succeed by uplifting employee experiences that mirror customer satisfaction,” she added.

Utilizing the diverse capabilities of Globe’s portfolio companies, Globe Business presents a comprehensive suite of HR solutions curated specifically for the unique needs of the IT-BPM industry. These offerings encompass:

Recruitment

Give HR teams access to a powerful combination of data analytics and digital marketing prowess through Inquiro. This platform enables quick actionable insights and data-driven business decisions, allowing IT-BPM companies to find and engage with potential talent through data-driven and compelling digital campaigns.

Interview Process

Maximize automation to enhance communication with candidates through IVES. This web-based application helps create call flows for automated individual or bulk callouts for more efficient screening, response, and scheduling of applicants.

Hiring and Onboarding

Make recruitment management more efficient and streamline applicant tracking and onboarding using customized applications through Yondu, a top-notch Information Technology (IT)-solutions provider.

Employee Engagement

Power up communication allowance and salary disbursements through Load Up and GCash. Load Up is a platform used to seed internet data and load credits to employees, while Gcash is widely utilized to disburse payroll, incentives, and allowances.

Reward and incentivize employees by providing exclusive digital vouchers as part of the employee engagement programs with the Spark Rewards platform. Employers can then drive talent development, upskilling, and reskilling in the workplace through Training Vouchers.

By providing access to tested technologies, Globe Business equips IT-BPM companies with essential resources to remain competitive locally and globally. These tools are crucial in fostering an efficient and engaged workforce, which is key to the industry’s ongoing success.

IT-BPM companies looking to overcome HR challenges are encouraged to explore Globe Business’ suite of digital solutions and set up a business consultation. To learn more about Globe Business’ HR Solutions, visit https://bit.ly/globeitbpm2024.

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