Commits to sustaining green jobs for the local community

Metro Pacific Investments Foundation (MPIF) took its Puhunang Pangkabuhayan Project to its coastal community partner in Del Carmen, Surigao del Norte, donating bicycles, pocket Wi-Fis, sewing and edging machines, and Smart retailer kits for the establishment of alternative livelihood programs amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kickstarting Alternative Livelihood

Most of MPIF’s coastal community partners depend on tourism as a source of income. Siargao Island in Surigao del Norte was even named one of Time magazine’s 100 unique destinations featured in its “The World’s Greatest Places of 2021”. However, the heightened restrictions and the strictly imposed lockdowns jeopardized this sector, forcing employees to search for other means to provide for their families. To augment this, MPIF sought to empower and give these individuals a source of stability against the looming uncertainty.

“The pandemic has brought several challenges upon us that drastically jeopardized the livelihood of our countrymen, particularly in remote areas like our municipality,” says Mayor Proserfina Coro. “Programs such as MPIF’s PuhunangPangkabuhayan empower our locals to rise amid the obstacles and move forward.”

In a turnover last July 20, MPIF President Melody del Rosario presented 10 bikes, 10 Smart pocket Wi-Fi units, 10 Smart retailer kits, three sewing machines, and two edging machines to beneficiaries in the municipality, alongside Municipal Mayor Engr. Proserfina M. Coro and Municipal Vice Mayor Alfredo M. Coro II. Beneficiaries included fishermen, salespersons, and construction laborers. The Del Carmen Women’s Association will be the sole beneficiary of the sewing machines, while the bicycles will be used for Del Carmen’s Mangrove Walk.

“MPIF has always been a reliable partner of the municipality and we are truly blessed to be part of a project that aims to get our people back on their feet,” says Vice Mayor Alfredo M. Coro II. “As a testament to our endless gratitude, we have passed the Sangguniang Bayan Resolution No 166, Series of 2021 – a resolution expressing heartfelt thanks and gratitude to Mr. Manuel V. Pangilinan, Metro Pacific Investments Corporation and the Metro Pacific Investments Foundation for the support extended to the Municipality of Del Carmen”.

Strengthening Green Jobs

“Del Carmen was strategically planned to be the site of Puhunang Pangkabuhayan’s next leg, primarily because we are renewing our commitment to the municipality through strengthening our Mangrove Eco-guides program,” says MPIF President Melody del Rosario. “The provision of alternative livelihood tools for more members of their community reinforces our long-standing partnership and creates a more holistic impact leading towards one of our most successful collaborations.”

The Mangrove eco-guides, who serve as ambassadors of the Mangrove Centers in Del Carmen, is part of MPIF’s thrust towards green livelihoods – incentivizing people to take care of the environment to serve as their security against the constant worry of providing food on their tables.

The commitment to strengthening green jobs, creating alternative livelihood opportunities, and reinforcing environmental sustainability through Shore It Up! is aligned with MPIC’s efforts to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), particularly SDG 1 No Poverty, 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, 13 Climate Action, 14 Life Below Water, 15 Life on Land, and 17 Partnerships for the Goals. It is also in support of the United Nations’ Decade of Ecosystem Restorationwhich aims to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems on every continent and in every ocean.

Reinforcing Environmental Sustainability

Establishing alternative livelihood programs and green jobs are MPIF’s measures towards achieving environmental sustainability. Contributory to this is the high value the Foundation places on the conservation and protection of existing resources, primarily of marine and coastal ecosystems.

To further its purpose of environmental stewardship, MPIF has recently announced the appointment of Mr. Marlito “Mar” Guidote to its Board as an Independent Trustee. His expertise in environmental protection working alongside the PNP Maritime, the Philippine Coast Guard, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, other government agencies and NGOs, and several coastal communities will boost MPIF’s objective of environmental protection, primarily focusing on safeguarding the Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in its partner sites.

Mr. Guidote’s guidance will be most apparent in the Marine Protection, Inspection, and Conservation (MPIC) Guardians Program in other SIU sites such as Medina, Misamis Oriental; Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro, and soon, in the province of Marinduque. Beyond this, his extensive experience in coastal resource management will help ensure the proper management of marine ecosystems along with coastal areas in all partner communities.

His onboarding will play an integral role in developing existing programs that benefit all MPIF’s coastal community partners and will contribute to the prolonged success of all SIU’s initiatives.

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The sheer dedication and hard work of Filipino athletes were rewarded this year. With a total of four medals won in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the Philippines has won more medals than it has ever had in a single year since the start of the country’s participation as an independent competitor in 1924.

Among the winners was Olympic Women’s Boxing Featherweight Division Silver Medalist Nesthy Petecio.

In recognition of her monumental achievement, real estate developer Suntrust Properties, Inc. announced that it has gifted a fully-furnished residential condominium unit worth P10 million to Ms. Petecio. The unit is located in Suntrust’s One Lakeshore Drive at Lanang, Davao City, just over an hour away from Sta. Cruz, the Filipina boxer’s hometown. Suntrust president Atty. Harry Paltongan personally met the female boxer to award her with the gift.

“We recognize how she prepared for this victory- a long journey indeed. One full of sacrifices and frustrations, yet one where she never gave up.  Our chairman, Dr. Andrew Tan, and his companies like ours, find fulfilment in supporting these hardworking achievers- especially those who bring honor to our country. It is our hope that this will inspire more people to dream more and pursue the same quest,” Mr. Paltongan said in a statement.

“We invited Nesthy to a special lunch because I wanted to personally assure her of our commitment to deliver her gift in due time. Construction of One Lakeshore Drive is still ongoing but I can attest that the waiting period will be worth it. Her unit will be on the top floor, and we will furnish it to her liking,” he added.

Suntrust arranged Ms. Petecio’s family to appear during the gifting ceremony via Zoom, together with the Suntrust Davao team, wherein Atty. Paltongan offered the ceremonial letter of their gift. The Pinay boxer then was treated to an afternoon golfing and driving a golf cart around the venue. Trece Martires Mayor Gemma Lubigan also attended and joined the special event.

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“I am exhilarated and so grateful for the experience, especially when I got to try golf and even spend time talking with my family,” Ms. Petecio said in Filipino.

The athlete recalled her difficult journey towards her Olympic medal, particularly all the times she was tempted to give up, and how her faith in God gave her the support and resilience she needed to push through.

“It was all because of the Lord. He sent me people who kept reminding me why I pushed myself so hard in the first place, the reason why I had this dream. From the hardships that my family and I went through, I got the strength to continue,” she said.

“All of this I do for them. I never thought about myself. I wanted my family, my mother, to be able to go wherever they wanted to go, eat whatever they wanted to eat. I don’t want them to experience the times when we had nothing to eat ever again.”

The unit awarded to the Olympic boxer is a 53.5-square meter, 1-bedroom condominium in One Lakeshore Drive, inside the 11.2-hectare Davao Park District in Lanang, Davao City. The residential enclave was recognized as ‘Highly Commended’ for the Best Residential Development in Davao during the 2016 Philippines Property Awards.

When asked about her plans for her future condo in Davao, she said, “I’m excited to see my mom’s reaction. I’ve been to so many places already, and they have not. That’s why I’m really excited to see what they will do.“

Suntrust Properties, Inc. is an award-winning property development company that is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Megaworld Corporation, which also gave a residential condominium unit in Eastwood City to weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, the country’s first Olympic gold medalist.

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Hinatuan Mining Corp. (HMC) and Taganito Mining Corp. (TMC), are Regional Winners in the 2021 Search for Outstanding Labor-Management Cooperation Program and are now contenders for the National LMC Competition, the awardees of which will be announced on December 2021.

The award is given by the National Conciliation and Mediation Board(NCMB) for Outstanding Labor-Management Cooperation (LMC) and Grievance Machinery (GM) for Industrial Peace, at the Regional level.

NCMB honors HMC and TMC, subsidiaries of Nickel Asia Corp. (NAC), for exemplary dedication, support, and determination in sustaining harmonious labor-management relations in the workplace.

Policarpo O. Asilo, President of Hinatuan Mining Labor Union-National Federation of Labor Unions-Kilusang Mayo Uno (HIMLU-NAFLU-KMU), shares the excellent relationship HMC has with its Labor Union.

“The Union and HMC management maintain a good and harmonious relationship by building trust and respect, with open table discussions in making decisions.”

Pedro D. Urbiztondo, TMC Labor Union president, says the award is “proof of the unity and harmony between management and labor union. Through the LMC, programs, and activities, and assistance are extended to employees as well as residents of neighboring communities.”

With the theme – “Responsiveness and Resilience in Times of Disruption”, the 2021 Search for Outstanding LMC is a special edition recognizing organizations that have remained focused and true to the very essence of cooperation and partnership, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

This recognition highlights the commitment of NAC’s Human Resources team to job security most especially during crises.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has had a negative impact on economies and employment across the globe and for a company to be able to give the sense of job security is part of the survival mechanism people need.  Job security is a big deal right now, more than ever.

“If we have to have one, I’d choose and use the hashtag #walangnafirebagkusnaghire because we are proud of the sense of job security NAC provides to its employees especially during these difficult and uncertain times of the pandemic,” says Maria Elena Sierra, HR manager based at the NAC Head Office in BGC, Taguig City.

Sierra says, NAC currently has 3,329 employees across the organization. Consistent in all its subsidiaries, no one was let go.  As a matter of fact, despite the pandemic, the Head Office personnel at the NAC Tower now totaling 185 is actually a 14.2% increase, when 23 new hires came on board between 2020 to 2021.

MayettPanioRavina, HR Manager at HMC says, “mine site management did not reduce its manpower despite huge expenses incurred in responding to COVID-19 and some due to delayed shipments because of the pandemic.”

Emy Tabula, HR Manager at Rio Tuba Nickel, a NAC subsidiary based in Palawan, says “RTNMC did not separate or suspend any of its workforces during the pandemic, and salaries and bonuses, up to 16^thmonth pay, were all given as usual. We also continued with the regularization, promotion, and hiring of needed employees. Currently, we have 1,124 direct hires in RTNMC alone”.

“We employ alternative working schedules to comply with the strict COVID protocol but we have had normal operations this whole time of the pandemic,” Tabula says.

Dave Borquit, Jr., HR Manager for Cagdianao Mining, NAC subsidiary with operations in Dinagat Islands, says “29 permanent positions were filled despite the pandemic.

Boraquit explains further that “salary increase system, on top of regular salary, continues despite the economic and health crisis, plus the advanced release of the 13th-month pay in March 2020, and midyear bonus in June, aside from the 15th and 16th-month bonus released in the year-end, a policy implemented NAC-wide”.

Anda newest addition to the NAC family, the Dinapigue Mining Corporation (DMC), operating out of Isabela, had 32 positions filled during the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021.

MarizelBismar, DMC HR Manager, says all employee benefits, consistent across the entire NAC organization, are retained despite the economic crisis.

NAC is the Philippines ’ largest producer of lateritic nickel ore and one of the largest in the world. Its operations are multiple winners of the Presidential Mineral Industry Environment Award (PMIEA), the highest recognition for environmental excellence in mining in the country.

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In 2013, the strongest landfalling typhoon on record, Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) brought to light the need to build more resilient communities against disasters.

Total damage cross-country was estimated at $5.8 billion. But it was Eastern Visayas that took the brunt, as coconut farms and maritime equipment – both sources of livelihood for the rural coastal communities – were wiped out.

This scenario gave birth to the B-READY or Building Resilient Adaptive and Disaster Ready Communities, an initiative that combines disaster preparedness, weather forecasting, and financial technology.

An acronym for ‘Building Resilient Adaptive and Disaster Ready Communities,’ B-READY is led by humanitarian and development organization Oxfam, together with PayMaya Philippines, the People’s Disaster Risk Reduction Network (PDRRN), PLAN International, Global Parametrics, and the Local Government of Salcedo, Eastern Samar.

Under the B-READY program, smart data is used for the community’s early warning system. Even before a typhoon strikes, digital cash transfers are disbursed straight to the PayMaya accounts of identified beneficiaries, enabling them to better prepare.  Beneficiaries use the funds to buy essentials at local PayMaya QR and card-enabled merchants or for telco load and utility bills via the PayMaya app. They can also cash out funds through Smart Padala outlets in their communities.

“During disasters, time is of the essence. People cannot wait. That’s why anticipatory actions are necessary so our people can stockpile essentials and secure their assets,” said Salcedo Mayor Melchor Mergal.

“Three days before dumating ang bagyo, may digital cash transfer kaming natatanggap,” said Barangay Captain Eduardo Ogalino of Barangay Butig, Salcedo. He also observes that community members use the anticipatory relief on rice and other food items before the prices go up.

(Three days before a typhoon arrives, eligible community members receive digital cash transfer.)

“Digital cash transfers are more appropriate because the most vulnerable communities do not have access to banks and traditional remittance companies. Everyone owns a phone, making mobile wallets suitable for humanitarian cash disbursement program,” said Niña Abogado, Oxfam Pilipinas Senior Manager for Programs and Partnerships.

“Using digital cash transfers streamlines the system for humanitarian efforts of the government, NGOs, and private sector partners, resulting in a more cost-effective, high impact delivery of aid,” said Shailesh Baidwan, President at PayMaya.

“For the beneficiaries, receiving financial assistance directly to their PayMaya accounts gives them the capability to determine how to best use the funds for their own needs. It adds dignity to the social aid process,” Baidwan added.

To date, the B-READY program has benefitted 1,975 households in Salcedo. Digital cash transfers are a central part of the intervention, but it is not the only component. Oxfam calls it the project that “bridges the gap between typhoon preparedness and financial inclusion.”

“The most vulnerable do not have formal bank accounts, so we integrate financial literacy in our program,” said Abogado.

Seeds are bearing fruit. Analiza Esco, a resident of Barangay Cagaut, Salcedo, is one of the first recipients of the B-READY project when it started in 2019– a lifeline when Typhoons Ursula and Auring visited in December of the same year and February 2021, respectively.

“Malaking tulong ang B-READY kasi may community drills at training sa tamang paghahanda,” said Esco.

(B-READY has helped us immensely because there are community drills and training for disaster preparedness.)

She also shares how getting used to digital payments has been helping them build a better financial footprint. “Nagagamit pa namin pang-savings,” said Esco, referring to her PayMaya account, which she uses to “store” funds to help better manage her finances.

Project B-READY provides a framework for more sustainable disaster preparedness by using weather forecasting and digital finance tools. According to Oxfam’s Abogado, it encourages a situation where there is “a far less expensive response needed after typhoons hit, as the action was already taken to limit the damage, preparations have boosted people’s confidence, and thus helping them recover sooner.”

“At PayMaya, we are proud to take part in building more resilient communities through digital financial services. With climate change, the mission becomes doubly important, and we hope more local communities can adopt the B-READY experience,” Baidwan concluded.

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PwC recently unveiled The New Equation, PwC’s landmark global strategy which responds to fundamental changes in the world, including technological disruption, climate change, fractured geopolitics, and the continuing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The New Equation is based on analysis of global trends and thousands of conversations with clients and stakeholders. It builds on more than a decade of sustained revenue growth and continued investment.

Bob Moritz, Global Chairman of PwC said: “The profound changes in the world mean that to succeed, organizations need to create a virtuous circle between earning trust and delivering sustained outcomes. By bringing our unique combination of capabilities together, and matching it with serious investment and our commitment to quality, we can help them do that. In doing so, we will help clients unlock value for shareholders, stakeholders, and wider society.”

How PwC will help build trust and deliver sustained outcomes

PwC’s multidisciplinary model is the foundation for the strategy, bringing together a passionate, diverse community to help organizations build trust and deliver sustained outcomes. The model enables investment at scale in the combination of capabilities that is essential to delivering quality and impact for clients, stakeholders, and society. PwC firms will invest US$12 billion over the next five years, creating over 100,000 net new jobs across PwC, as well as continuing to develop the skills of PwC’s partners and employees.

• PwC’s approach to building trust is designed to meet rising expectations of transparency and stakeholder engagement. It combines expertise in audit, tax, and compliance activity with an expansion of specialist capabilities including cyber security, data privacy, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), and AI. It recognizes the importance of quality and that reporting and compliance are just one link in a chain that includes organizational culture, executive mindset, aligned standards, certified professionals, stringent controls, tailored technologies, and appropriate governance.
• Similarly, delivering sustained outcomes requires an integrated approach. Instead of a traditional technology-driven approach to transformation, PwC’s approach is focused on the outcome that effort seeks to achieve. PwC then mobilizes expertise in strategy, digital and cloud services, value creation, people and organization, tax, ESG, deals, business recovery services, legal and compliance, among other areas to deliver the agreed outcomes.

Strengthening our capabilities and presence in Asia Pacific

The New Equation also accelerates PwC’s growth in Asia Pacific, with investments of US$3bn over the next five years to significantly enhance capabilities to support clients in the region, as part of an ambition to double the size of the business by 2026 and extend its leading position in the market. PwC will be establishing an Asia Pacific Institute to champion trust-building initiatives in addition to enhancing talent and leadership development programmes for the region. PwC in Asia Pacific also plans to scale up in a number of strategically important areas including ESG, digital transformation, M&A, and deals value creation capabilities, providing assurance beyond financial statements as well as strengthening regional delivery centers.

Commitments in PwC Philippines

As part of The New Equation, PwC Philippines is also announcing plans to meet the specific needs of client stakeholders in our market. Here in the Philippines, PwC will invest in the areas of ESG and digital solutions to deliver the strategy while continuing to ensure PwC delivers quality in everything that it does. We continue to upskill our people, supported by technology and flexible working arrangements. And to meet the rising demands and opportunities in the market, we strive to attract diverse talent.

“We are bringing the best of our people, capabilities, and technology together to support our clients in building trust and delivering sustained outcomes for their businesses and society,” said Roderick Danao, PwC Philippines Chairman, and Senior Partner.

For more on our strategy, visit our website.

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State-owned Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to strengthen cooperative enterprises in the country through improved access to bank financing opportunities and capacity building initiatives.

DBP President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel G. Herbosa said the bank’s partnership with CDA allows access to the bank’s credit programs, as well as to training programs on financial and operational management.

“DBP is pleased to partner with CDA in this initiative as we could efficiently further reach out to more cooperative enterprises in the country that need both financing opportunities and mentoring support,” Herbosa said.

DBP is the sixth-largest bank in the country in terms of assets and provides credit support to four strategic sectors of the economy – infrastructure and logistics; micro, small and medium enterprises; the environment; and social services and community development.

CDA is the lead government agency responsible for promoting the sustained growth and full development of cooperatives around the country. Based on the latest government data, there are an estimated 18,065cooperatives registered with the CDA.

Herbosa said that under the agreement, DBP shall offer financing assistance to eligible cooperatives initially under three programs, namely, the Expanded Rice Credit Assistance Under Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ERCA-RCEF), the DBP RESPONSE to Accelerate MSME Recovery (DBP RESPONSE-MSME RECOVERY), and the DA-Agricultural Credit Policy Council-DBP BuyANIhan credit program.

He said CDA shall help DBP identify cooperatives that are ready to apply for the bank’s financing assistance to ensure project viability and sustainability.

“DBP recognizes our cooperative enterprises as drivers of countryside development. Thus, it is our aim to reach out to them, with the ultimate goal of improving the livelihood of our cooperative members as they strive to recover from the ill-effects of the pandemic,” Herbosa said.

The ERCA-RCEF is a credit facility to support rice farmers and their cooperatives, while the DBP RESPONSE-MSME RECOVERY seeks to accelerate the recovery of micro, small and medium enterprises amidst the economic slowdown caused largely by the ongoing pandemic.

On the other hand, the BuyANIhan credit program aims to elevate the direct engagement of rice cooperatives in the industry value chain by providing credit access to working capital requirements.

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Online shoppers nationwide can now rejoice as leading delivery service PH Global Jet Express Inc. (J&T Express Philippines) and partner e-commerce giant Shopee to kickstart the holiday season starting this September with the biggest deals, brand promos, free shipping, and the lowest discounts to date.

Vice President of J&T Express Philippines Zoe Chi said that for the past two years since they partnered with Shopee, the “ber” months have traditionally been the highlight of the shopping season in preparation for the upcoming holidays. With Christmas just around the corner, J&T Express ensures that shopping for essentials and gifts alike for friends and family won’t be hampered by the pandemic with their premium delivery services.

“Filipinos are very generous, which is why when they buy, they don’t just buy for themselves. We are happy and excited to share the holiday spirit by offering discounted vouchers and promos with our e-commerce app partner to make gift-giving happier even during these tough times. We look forward to continuously supporting Shopee on their upcoming campaigns,” Chi added.

Aside from site-wide free shipping during Shopee’s 9.9 Super Shopping Sale and upcoming monthly double-day sales, customers can also avail of a 10% discount using J&T Express’ exclusive promo code SHPJT99 with a minimum spend of Php 500.00 and capped at Php 100.00, on September 9 only.

J&T Express is a proud partner of Shopee in helping entrepreneurs and brands express their online business and provide deliveries to customers. Over the years of working together with Shopee, as one of the official delivery couriers of the e-commerce giant, J&T Express has remained dedicated to providing fast and reliable delivery service among Shopee customers and sellers.

J&T Express also offers a free pick-up service within Metro Manila so Filipinos, especially small businesses, can still send essentials to their customers and remain operational despite the strict lockdown period. Customers can choose from scheduling their free pick-up online, mobile application, or phone call.

To know more about the company’s services, visit https://www.jtexpress.ph/.

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Touted in the academe and in the legal industry as “well-researched, well-written, and heaven-sent’’—the very first e-book on the revised corporation code is now available.

Authored by University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law Dean and DivinaLaw Managing Partner Nilo T. Divina, “Questions & Answers on the Revised Corporation Code” is a comprehensive compendium of the jurisprudence on corporation law, SEC opinions, and other legal resource materials written in simple and concise language.

Divina’s opus has been described as “straight-to-the-point and easy reading” by former University of the Philippines College of Law Dean Fides C. Cordero-Tan. “The Q&A format is genius. This is a good textbook for law students, resource material for non-lawyers (managers/corporate secretaries), and reviewer for Bar takers.”

In his foreword for the book, then-Supreme Court Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta hailed it as “a well-curated legal resource” and “a useful tool in navigating the new state of Philippine corporate law.”

The “Questions & Answers on the Revised Corporation Code” e-Book is available at the Central Books website: https://central.com.ph/bookstoreplus/products/AAD145/.

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After facing the massive impacts of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Philippine tourism and hospitality sector begins to bounce back and reinvent itself as it taps into the various opportunities that a transformed market offers. 

Ms. Valerie Soliven, Rockwell Land Corp.’s Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer, observed that the industry remains to be greatly challenged with extended restrictions on both local and foreign travel, yet the domestic leisure market was seen contributing to post-pandemic growth in the second quarter of 2021 while the economy was inching to return to normalcy. 

“However, this slow and steady recovery is still sensitive to the current conditions. Colliers announced in July 2021 that their year-end projection for the performance of Manila hotels remains at 30% occupancy rate,” Ms. Soliven added. 

Despite this, bright spots do remain. According to research by global property advisory firm Savills, while serviced apartments have not been immune to COVID-19’s impact, the sector is weathering the storm marginally better. 

In fact, serviced apartment brands operating in Asia-Pacific saw occupancy rates as high as 80%, even during the height of the crisis. Michael Roberts, director for hotels, Asia-Pacific at Savills, explained that the sector’s unique features of self-contained long-stay accommodation, alongside strict hygiene protocols required by highly regulated branded serviced apartments, have allowed the sector to outperform both mainstream hotels and the various alternative accommodation platforms like Airbnb. 

Rockwell Land’s Aruga Apartments is one such example. 

Ms. Soliven said that Aruga Apartments has been able to enjoy healthier occupancy rates relative to the industry, with bookings from existing corporate accounts and from the leisure market on account of its certificate to operate as a staycation hotel. Serviced apartments, she added, also performed better than regular hotels during the pandemic as they offer bigger spaces that come with a fully-equipped kitchen and some with balconies. 

“Renowned for its signature attention to detail and foresight for the little things that matter, Aruga Apartments takes pride in its location being a coveted address for those that aspire a holistic lifestyle experience,” she said. 

Units at Aruga Apartments offer bigger spaces for one’s safety and convenience.

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Beyond its hotel service, Aruga Apartments was able to adapt its offerings and operational strategies to navigate the changes in the business landscape during the pandemic. Most recently, Aruga received accreditation from the Department of Tourism and Bureau of Quarantine to operate as a multiple-use accommodation establishment in addition to its certification to operate for staycations. 

With staycations being top of mind for local guests who are not ready to hop on a flight and the remote working lifestyle that business travelers now require, Aruga Apartments can cater to these new normal lifestyles and offer conveniences by being a stone’s throw away from the Power Plant Mall and being within a secure neighborhood with safe open spaces for wellness and health buffs. 

“With the proliferation of choices for accommodations these days, it is easy to get lost in the rush of brands and promotions; but the discerning traveler knows that now more than ever, safety and convenience are key,” Ms. Soliven said. “Aruga Apartments offers a prime location, enhanced safety protocols, as well as the standard of comfort and service the brand has been known to its loyal patrons and its community, the Rockwell Center. Whether guests are checking in for business, a staycation, or for quarantine, the Aruga team is committed to providing from essential to a tailor-fit, personalized and sincere service throughout their stay.” 

The success of Aruga Apartments is further reflected in the property’s performance as an investment. Offering competitive recurring rental yields and hassle-free management, Aruga Apartments makes itself attractive as a viable real estate investment that remains resilient in the current conditions. 

“Investors looking to widen their portfolio can be assured that Aruga Apartments by Rockwell would be a hassle-free investment that will provide regular rental yields for the years to come and for investors to experience the joy of staying and celebrating family events for a fraction of the cost when staying elsewhere in the metro,” Ms. Soliven said. 

“While it’s always a good time to invest in real estate for capital appreciation, Aruga’s luxury homestay business model is backed by a brand with a reliable track record in property development and management. Experienced property managers and our hotel management arm are working hand in hand in realizing the value of our investors. Despite the challenges, the changes we have made have allowed us to keep our promise of delivering rental yields. We are optimistic that we have the right product in the new normal. During the first half of 2021, net rental yields averaged at 5% of their investment.” 

In keeping with Rockwell’s brand of exclusivity and luxury, Aruga Apartments provides over 100 units ranging from studios to two-bedroom accommodations, fully furnished in the Asian Contemporary style, infused with a sophisticated interior design and quality that is crafted to suit the needs of every kind of traveler. 

To learn more about Aruga Apartments and its sound investment opportunities, please visit aruga.com.ph/investment.

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GCash, the country’s number 1 mobile wallet company, is the top financial technology brand to be included in the Top 100 Brands in the Philippines, according to Campaign Asia-Pacific and NielsenIQ. GCash is also one of Asia’s top 1,000 brands 2021. 

Asia’s Top 1000 Brands is a consumer opinion survey across 14 markets in Asia-Pacific and measures brand preference in 15 product/service categories. It shows brands that are succeeding with their marketing and brand-building efforts and reveals the favorite brands among consumers. This year’s study saw the changing consumer behavior among brands and their increasing digital services. 

The leading e-wallet made it to the list while also hitting an exponential growth of 46 million users in June 2021, from 20 million users in January 2020. The app also had over 13 million log-ins per day on the GCash app, peaking at 15 million in the second quarter of 2021. 

With its vision for financial inclusion for all, GCash has quickly adapted to the needs of the Filipino people by being a digital payment essential for individuals and entrepreneurs, especially during the pandemic. The top mobile wallet company worked with the government and became its financial aid tool, disbursing over P16 billion to more than 2 million Filipinos and raising over P21 million to more than 3 million Filipinos via digital bayanihan. 

“We are honored to be part of the top brands in the Philippines and in Asia. This award further inspires us to continue with our mission to empower as many Filipinos as possible by giving them access to digital financial solutions that can make their lives better and more convenient especially during this pandemic,” said Martha Sazon, President and CEO of GCash.

No other fintech brand made it to the top 50 of the prestigious list, where the ranking of GCash rose from the previous year’s 51st spot to this 24th in the country in 2021.  Among the high-ranking brands in the list are  Samsung, Apple, LG, Sony, Panasonic, Nike, Nestle, Google, Colgate, and Starbucks.

GCash’s leap in the list can be attributed to strong consumer spending via the app: This year, GCash processed an average of PHP 300 billion in monthly transactions and is on track in breaching its PHP 3 trillion Gross Transaction Value (GTV) target.

GCash also provides customers an easy and secure cashless payment platform through digital products and services like free money transfers from user to user, frictionless bank transfers, and bills payments. The mobile wallet company also offers businesses, especially MSMEs, a contactless way to accept payment for goods through the use of QR codes and P2P platform, which has empowered over 2.5 million GCash merchants and social sellers. 

Currently, a third of GCash’s monthly active users utilize at least one of the app’s digital products like GCredit, GSave, GInvest, or GInsure. GCash provides customers easy access to a pre-approved credit line to pay for bills or QR transactions with GCredit, safely deposit money with GSave, easily invest in a market fund with GInvest, and buy essentials on GLife.  With the health risks of the pandemic, GCash also offers customers  COVID-19 health insurance for as low as P39 a month via GInsure. 

“We are glad to see that GCash has become an extension of the Filipino digital life. It is our goal to democratize access to financial services because everyone deserves to have ways to protect and grow their money, especially during these difficult times,” said Martha Sazon, GCash President and CEO.

GCash was recently named as an “Outstanding Partner” by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas at the agency’s 2021 Stakeholders Appreciation Ceremony. The recognition is for GCash’s continued support and commitment to deliver innovative financial solutions to all Filipinos, especially the unbanked and underbanked segments. 

GCash also garnered two awards from the prestigious Asian Banker Awards 2021, and was the sole Philippine fintech company to do so. It won awards for the “Best Financial Inclusion Initiative/Application” for its Social Amelioration Program together with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and “Best Digital Brand Campaign” for its CSR response to COVID-19, further solidifying the company as the #1 e-wallet app in the country.

Many Filipinos have come to rely on GCash for their daily cashless payment transactions, helping sustain the economy during the pandemic and propelling the mobile wallet to becoming one of the most respected and widely used brands in the Philippines. According to Visa’s latest Consumer Payment Attitudes study, Filipinos using digital commerce platforms like GCash helped boost the usage of digital payments in the country. It was also expected that it will continue to grow as more Filipinos appreciate the benefits of contactless payments like GCash during the pandemic

For more information, visit www.gcash.com.

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