Landco, known for pioneering landscapes for more than 30 years and its strong thrust on sustainability, allotted a portion of the BeachTowns CaSoBe (Calatagan South Beach) in Batangas to provide a safe, convenient, and round the clock access road for fisherfolks to easily reach the Calatagan seas from the public road and vice versa.
“Landco works closely with the community, the local government of Calatagan, Batangas, and our landowners for inclusive socio-economic development of different sectors in the vicinity of our BeachTowns developments, particularly the fisherfolks. Ensuring their source of livelihood and stimulating the growth of their microenterprise are our prime concerns. Our team undertakes measures for community involvement because it’s the right thing to do and sustainability is deeply rooted in Landco’s DNA,” said Erickson Y. Manzano, President and CEO, Landco Pacific Corporation.
Complementing this support for fisherfolks, Landco provides jobs to the local community: 69 out of the 104 or 66% of Millennial Resorts staff are residents of Calatagan.
The access road for fisherfolks along with various community and environmental initiatives is part of Landco’s long-term sustainability program which is aligned with Metro Pacific Investment Corporation’s commitment to help achieve the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable; and strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.
For more information about Landco visit https://www.landco.ph/ or FB page: https://www.facebook.com/LandcoPacificCorporation.
Filipinos will now experience more seamless commutes as beep™ operator AF Payments Inc. announced that QR ticket acceptance is going live in four partner bus lines, namely, BGC Bus, TAS Trans, Precious Grace Transport Services, and San Agustin Transport. These cover several areas in the cities of Taguig, Makati, and Las Piñas, as well as the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, and Bulacan.
beep™ continues to expand its use of QR technology that it pioneered in the transport sector. It has partnered with GCash to allow commuters to generate their own prepaid beep™ QR ticket anytime anywhere, thereby eliminating the need to line up to buy tickets in select routes.
To do this, simply open your GCash app, tap GLife, and select “beep™” from the list of partners. Select among the four bus operators, then choose your route, as well as starting and destination terminals. Your fare will automatically be computed. After reviewing the details, tap “Buy Ticket” and complete your payment. Click the Ticket History to view your QR ticket or take a screenshot, which you can scan on the reader at the bus terminal or upon entering the bus.
“We constantly evolve the beep™ payment solution not only to keep up with technology but, more importantly, to help improve the quality of life of Filipinos. With QR, we are empowering commuters to take back a fraction of their time usually spent lining up. Our goal is to enable growth and digital transformation in the transport sector to make progress more inclusive and beneficial to more people in the long run,” said Sharon Fong, Chief Commercial Officer of AF Payments Inc.
The available routes include:
BGC Bus
East Route
Central Route
West Route
Weekend Route
TAS Trans
Makati-Nuvali
Nuvali-Makati
Precious Grace Transport Services
Cay Pombo-North
Malolos-North
North-Bulacan
San Agustin Transport
Las Piñas-Makati
Makati-Las Piñas
Noveleta-Makati
Makati-Noveleta
Imus-Makati
Makati-Imus
Note that the app can only generate one ticket per transaction. Simply repeat the process if you wish to generate another. Each ticket must be used within 24 hours from the date and time of purchase, or it will be forfeited without refund. There is no service fee for generating a QR ticket, but a minimal convenience fee may be charged.
Interested organizations may visit <https://business.beep.com.ph/> to know more, or reach beep™ via landline (02) 8737 9600 or email <customer.info@afpayments.com>. To be updated on news and promotions, follow the official beep™ Facebook <fb.com/beepcardph>, Twitter <twitter.com/beep_card>, and Instagram <instagram.com/beep_card> accounts. More information is also available at the website <www.beeptopay.com>.
What makes a great relationship is when you complement each other – to be the best of who you are with each other. A relationship that complements brings out the best in you.
Just like Subway®’s NEW Meatball Bowl – it complements your favorite sub and brings out the best as a side. Available for a limited time offer until April 19, 2022, it’ll complement your favorite sub that is a budget-friendly yet tasty side dish.
For only PHP 99.00 (in-restaurant price), you can get four (4) meatballs in a bowl with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese on top. Available for dine-in & take-out, while for delivery via Grab or Foodpanda at a different price.
Order the New Cheesy Meatball bowl #SubwayMBB for your meaty cravings today!
True to its acclaim as the Best Workplace in Asia, Globe continues to enhance its employee care initiatives by leveraging innovative technology for more efficient program delivery as pandemic restrictions remain.
“Especially at this time of a prolonged health crisis coupled with the recent Omicron surge, Globe has made it a point to keep listening to its employees and ensure their safety and good health through digital interventions that are easy-to-use, responsive, and reliable,” said Ato Jiao, Globe Chief Human Resource Officer.
“We know full well that our workforce’s overall well-being must be prioritized so we can continue to deliver the best service and connectivity experience to our customers,” he added.
Best Workplace
Globe was named Best Workplace of the Year at the 2021 Asia Corporate Excellence & Sustainability Awards (ACES), particularly for its focus on enabling and empowering its employees.
Aside from holistic COVID-19 support packages, expanded medical coverage, post-COVID care therapy sessions, and employee engagement sessions, Globe has keyed in on innovative technologies and applications that have helped employees adjust easily to new ways of working.
These include chatbots such as the Digital Usher for Disasters and Emergencies or DUDE, which serves as an official COVID-19 health monitor where employees may report symptoms and receive immediate assistance from a dedicated COVID-19 response team.
DUDE also serves as wellness and mental health channel, providing daily health check-ins and safety reminders. It also connects employees to Hopechat, Globe’s virtual counseling service.
Yet another initiative is Wanda, a recognition chatbot that enables employees to send special e-cards to each other, a gesture that helps foster Globe’s culture of recognition even while working apart.
More recently, the company also launched the Employee Virtual Assistant or EVA, an AI-powered chatbot that can answer employees’ HR-related questions. For more complex requests or inquiries, EVA also serves as a portal for raising tickets to the HR department.
The use of chatbots and other technologies has helped boost the daily experience of employees. Herl Ramos, a User Experience Design Manager, shares: “Our chatbots have helped us employees in so many ways. With the pandemic situation, DUDE has assured that Globe is there to take care of them in case something happens.”
Over the past year, Globe adopted a multi-faceted approach to active employee engagement, relying on more digital tools due to limitations brought about by the new work environment. These include virtual learning and fitness sessions, talk shows, educational webinars, and podcasts.
Through these health and wellness initiatives, Globe reinforces its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG No. 3, which aims for good health and well-being for all. The company also supports the UN Global Compact principles and contributes to 10 UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Our way of life may have truly changed, but industry-wise, there are still so many opportunities post-pandemic. Niche industries are expected to grow exponentially, like the contract cleaning services sector, which is seen to boom up to $330 billion by 2027.
Entrepreneurs can already operate their own Cleen and Green business within weeks. The multi-million-peso business, established in 2020, has become the leading and most trusted eco-friendly cleaning provider in the country, catering to customers in Lipa, Cavite, Laguna, and Quezon City. Cleen and Green’s services include deep house cleaning, car interior deep cleaning, facilities disinfection, post-construction intensive cleaning, and so much more!
Unlike other providers, Cleen and Green uses plant-based, non-toxic, non-chemical cleaning solutions, which are safe even for babies, pregnant, elderly, and pets. With its range of gentle solutions that are antimicrobial, anti-parasitic, and anti-viral, Cleen and Green becomes the preferred choice, most especially for families and individuals who suffer from allergies and respiratory and skin health concerns.
For franchisees, ROI can be expected in just a few months as Cleen and Green offers a valuable and in-demand service. In addition, management lends end-to-end support – from training personnel to set up inventory and other matters. Their goal is to help Filipino overseas workers to put up business here in the Philippines that will help their families to work with them, to run the cleaning service instead of sending their monthly allowance just like the story of their existing partners overseas.
Franchisees stories
Pam de Jesus, a partner who’s based in San Jose, California, jumped at the chance to manage Cleen and Green in Cavite as this aligned with her business goals for the year. “For me, Cleen and Green was the perfect fit because my dream has always been to own my own business and to retire early in the Philippines.” Even though based abroad, Pam can keep a close eye on their operations with the help of Philippine partners. She’s also helping grow the business through effective online marketing. “I take care of inquiries via social media and even market the business to other kababayans here in the US.”
Another partner, Nova Sante from Sacramento, California, also saw the great potential of the Cleen and Green franchising program. “Before, I regularly sent money to my sister in the Philippines to help support their families. But through this business, she’s now able to support herself and help me out, too. It’s empowering to provide jobs – not just only for a family who work with us but also for all the employees who rely on us. That’s my goal – to provide more jobs and opportunities to Filipinos.”
Faye Daway and Lei Calastre sisters in Power, based in Quezon City, joined the Cleen and Green family as a franchisee three (3) months ago and now manages the Quezon City operations. “Since they came from the pharmaceutical industry, their immediate network became their first clients. And now, proudly, they’ve become regular clients, too!” When Faye was considering a business, Cleen and Green was her first choice for several reasons: the business offered a service in great demand; it aligned with her interests (Faye is a confessed “OC cleaner”), and it provided her the opportunity to augment her income while giving her the flexibility to continue with her current business Marketing agency.
While her sister, Lei Calastre, also her partner, manages the franchise business. Lei likes the benefits of being the only eco-friendly cleaning service, and she is also a first time mom that cares so much about the welfare of kids. Lei mentioned that an effective plant-based solution is a must when choosing a cleaning service. “We don’t want to compromise the welfare of our families as well as our environment. These two sisters are very hands-on, that they also joined their cleaning team to make it appoint, that they are delivering quality and efficient services.”
Through the stories of these three franchises, Cleen and Green hopes to inspire more Filipinos to kick start their entrepreneurial journeys.
For more information on Cleen and Green’s franchising program, visit https://cleenandgreen.com/ or call 09561428382.
In an age where tackling global warming is becoming more felt by everyone than ever, responsible corporations are now putting this as a centerpiece of their sustainability agenda and brand DNA.
Leading this wave is retail giant Abenson, through its e-commerce arm Abenson.com, who activated the “Go Green and Give Back” campaign putting primacy on its environment-friendly inverter technology.
Through the campaign, all online “green purchases” of its inverter-powered refrigerator – those that are energy-efficient and reduce electricity consumption – will automatically come with an Abenson-donated farmer pack from Mayani, a leading agricultural technology startup uplifting small farmers and boosting rural livelihood. The packs will then be funneled towards various community pantries in the country.
“Bringing the good life to every Filipino’s home – being Abenson’s core mission has taken an expanded meaning through this collaboration. From helping our farmers to supporting local community pantries and preventing environmental degradation, this is truly a triple-bottom aspiration which Mayani shares and is galvanizing with them,” said Ochie San Juan, who also leads farmers cooperative in Lian, Batangas and the Co-Founder & Chief Farmer of Mayani.
Abenson, now over 50 years as an institution, already breached the 120-mark in terms of its nationwide footprint of store branches and is known for its fast delivery and click-and-collect order fulfillment service.
Since 2021, they have been consistently providing Mayani-sourced food packs to different community pantries and even their employees as part of their corporate social responsibility and people engagement.
Globe customers have raised P1,925,284 worth of Globe and TM Rewards points to help survivors of Typhoon Odette, sending critical aid to families reeling from the impact of the deadly December storm.
The donations have been turned over to Globe’s partner organizations — the Ayala Foundation, GMA Kapuso Foundation, and Rise Against Hunger Philippines.
Such support came at a crucial time when typhoon survivors needed life-saving aid, as Odette destroyed over 344,000 houses and damaged more than 1 million others. The destruction displaced over 58,000 families, leaving them straining for basic needs.
A total of 406 people were killed, while 1,265 were hurt and 65 remain missing.
“The devastation left by Typhoon Odette called for a swift response. We are very grateful to our customers who are with us in this undertaking. The Rewards points that they donated will go a long way in helping step up humanitarian efforts to help as many people as we possibly can,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe Chief Sustainability Officer and SVP for Corporate Communications.
Globe Rewards currently has 15 non-government organizations, charitable institutions, and foundations in its program roster, supporting several advocacies in line with the company’s vision towards national development and upliftment of lives. These include disaster relief, reforestation, child protection, hunger mitigation, education, animal welfare, marine biodiversity, mental wellness, and medical support.
Through Globe Rewards, Globe and TM subscribers can provide support and malasakit to worthwhile causes in time of need within the safety of their homes.
For Odette response, one of Globe’s major partners Ayala Foundation through its disaster relief and recovery efforts under the #BrigadangAyala program continues to provide food packs in heavily affected areas in partnership with the Ayala Group of Companies.
Another partner is the GMA Foundation, which provides aid through the “Operation Bayanihan” program. The organization extends immediate relief and assistance to victims of disasters and calamities nationwide.
Other donation partners that extend support to disaster survivors are ABS-CBN Foundation and the Tzu Chi Foundation.
To date, relief efforts led by Globe and its partner organizations have now reached over 10,000 families in Palawan, Visayas, and Mindanao.
With thousands of Filipinos affected by the disaster still in need of urgent help, Globe continues to send out a call for support to its customers.
Globe and TM customers can still donate their Rewards points to ongoing relief operations for as low as P1 via the New GlobeOne app at glbe.co/NewGlobeONE. Customers can go to the Rewards section, click the “DONATE” icon, choose the organization and corresponding denomination, and then press “REDEEM.” A confirmation message will be sent by 4438 upon successful donation.
The company strongly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly UN SDG No. 9, highlighting the roles of infrastructure and innovation as crucial drivers of economic growth and development. Globe is committed to upholding the United Nations Global Compact principles and contributing to 10 UN SDGs.
Araneta City opens to the public the “Ang Batang Hesus” exhibit in Ali Mall in partnership with Santo Niño devotees to honor the Child Jesus.
In time for the feast of Santo Niño, the faithful are invited to visit the solemn display of the different images of child Jesus near the Gen. MacArthur entrance of Ali Mall from January 7 to 15, 2022.
The “Ang Batang Hesus” exhibit features more than 50 images from Santo Niño devotees and benefactors. Among them are the famous replicas of the three oldest Santo Niño images in the Philippines: Santo Niño de Cebu, Santo Niño de Tondo, and Santo Niño de Arevalo.
Aileen Ibay, Ali Mall Property Manager, sees the exhibit as an opportunity to strengthen the faith of the public given the ongoing health crisis. “This exhibit aims to give hope to people by reminding them the symbolism of Santo Niño to our faith and culture,” she said.
In Philippine history, the original image of the Santo Niño was given as a baptismal gift to native Filipinos by Spanish explorers. The image was venerated and accepted by the locals but was lost in warfare. It was, later on, discovered intact and safe amidst burning debris, a miracle regarded to show that anyone can rise from any tribulation.
A formal opening and blessing of the exhibit on January 7 were led by Rev. Fr. John Thomas of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish. The exhibit is open for public viewing for free during mall hours.
Under Alert Level 3, Ali Mall and other Araneta City malls (Gateway Mall and Farmers Plaza) are open from 10 am until 9 pm from Sunday to Thursday, and until 10 pm every Friday and Saturday.
Get a chance to win 1 year of FREE groceries, and more.
The holiday spirit is now a million times more merry and bright with the MetroMart ₱1 Million Christmas Prizes. Over a million pesos worth of groceries, gadgets, and store credits can be won by customers through online grocery orders from supermarkets and specialty stores on MetroMart.
Customers must enter the promo code “MMRAFFLE” upon checkout to join the e-raffle. Every completed order with the minimum spend requirement from all specialty stores and supermarkets on the MetroMart app and website entitles a customer to get e-raffle entries. You can avail of 1 e-raffle entry for a minimum purchase of ₱2,500. Get 3 e-raffle entries for a minimum purchase of ₱4,000, and 5 e-raffle entries for a minimum purchase of ₱6,000.
The Minor Prizes include 50 MetroMart store credits worth ₱2,000 each, 1 Black and Decker Cordless Vacuum worth ₱9,835 from True Value, 20 Holiday Gift Packs worth ₱1,000 each from Fly Ace Corporation, 5 Holiday Grocery Packs worth ₱5,000 each from P&G, 3 winners of Samsung Galaxy S21+, 2 winners of Apple Macbook Air with M1 chip, and 5 winners of iPhone12 Pro.
The Major Prizes include 5 MetroMart store credits worth ₱25,000 each, 3 MetroMart store credits worth ₱50,000 each, and 1 grand prize winner of ₱100,000 worth of MetroMart store credits. These are equivalent to 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year worth of groceries, respectively.
The MetroMart ₱1 Million Christmas Prizes runs from December 10, 2021, until January 15, 2022. There will be four weekly e-raffle draws of the minor prizes every Wednesday afternoon on December 22 and 29, January 5 and 12. The raffle for major prizes will be on January 17, 2022.
New to MetroMart? Get a ₱200 discount for a minimum order of ₱2,000. Use the promo code “MM1MPRIZES” on the MetroMart app or website upon checkout. This is applicable for new customers from December 13, 2021, until January 15, 2022, one-time use only.
MetroMart Philippines is the #1 on-demand online delivery service in the Philippines. Customers can get groceries, pet food, electronics, cosmetics, medicine, and so much more. Order online at https://www.metromart.com or download the app on iOs or Android.
MetroMart rider.
For more updates on MetroMart, visit https://www.metromart.com/ and follow us on Twitter and Instagram @MetroMartPH. Like and follow us on Facebook at https://facebook.com/MetroMartPH. Order groceries online through the website at https://www.metromart.com/welcome/shops or download the mobile app for iOs or Android at https://bit.ly/2SLCdJ2.
About MetroMart
MetroMart Philippines is the #1 on-demand online delivery service in the Philippines. Founded in April 2015, it is the first digital platform to provide on-demand store deliveries in the country.
Customers can get groceries, pet food, electronics, cosmetics, medicine and so much more through our leading partner supermarkets and specialty stores delivered within 2 hours. Over 120,000 products are available with our 150-plus partner supermarkets that include Robinsons Supermarket, S&R Membership Shopping, Landmark, The Marketplace, AllDay Supermarket, and partner specialty stores that include Toy Kingdom, Pet Express, True Value, HandyMan, Marks & Spencer, National Book Store, Pan de Manila, and many more. Order your groceries through MetroMart.com, or download the app, available on iOs or Android.
Bread market leader Gardenia Bakeries sends more bread to regions hit by Typhoon Odette in Eastern, Western, and Central Visayas and Northern Mindanao.
Gardenia president Jun Umali confirmed in a statement that the company is exerting efforts to provide adequate bread supply in areas affected by the onslaught of the tropical cyclone.
“We are doing our best to ship bread products from our plants in Laguna and Cagayan de Oro to typhoon-hit areas in Visayas and Mindanao. To avert food shortage, we continuously resupply goods using our large feeder trucks thru the RORO shipping system. Additional Gardenia stocks are being delivered to Sorsogon, Samar, Leyte, Bohol, Panay, Negros, Cebu, and affected parts of Mindanao,” Umali explained.
He noted the need for ready-to-eat food in times of calamities. “Food is one of the immediate needs of typhoon-affected families in, especially to those areas with no electricity and enough water supplies. Convenient and ready-to-consume goods like Gardenia bread, which do not require cooking, are essential.
Strategic facility location
Umali said that the locations of Gardenia factories in the country are strategically situated to continuously serve the Philippine communities especially during crisis periods like floods, typhoons, earthquakes, and other natural disasters.
“Gardenia currently operates five bakery plants in the Philippines – three in Luzon, one in the Visayas (Cebu), and one in Mindanao (Cagayan de Oro). Our facilities are purposefully located not only for commercial operations. All plants also serve as support to other factories and markets. We can also dispatch bread easily to other areas when the need arises, during unforeseen events or major calamities, or natural disasters. This way we can ensure continuous food supply, especially when it is needed most,” he explained.
Gardenia bread donation bound to Siargao.
Umali also cited the importance of its unique logistics and distribution systems to ensure the proper delivery of products nationwide. “Our extensive and sophisticated distribution system and large fleet of trucks are indispensable to distribute Gardenia loaves across various distribution channels all over the country,” he said.
Bread donation
Gardenia is also at the forefront of relief efforts to alleviate the suffering of the victims in the severely affected areas. Umali shared that Gardenia is also donating bakery products, aside from its efforts to stabilize the bread supply.
Gardenia works with the Philippine Red Cross, government agencies, media foundations, and socio-civic organizations to extend help to damaged communities.
Gardenia plants in Laguna and Cagayan de Oro are operating continuously and set at maximum production capacity to serve bread to consumers and provide bread donations for relief works in the Visayas-affected areas.
Gardenia, the country’s largest bread manufacturer, accounts for more than 60 percent market share of the branded loaf bread market in the country.
