by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jun 27, 2019 | Advocacy
SM Cares, the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Prime Holdings, Inc., will be conducting the 5th Emergency Preparedness Forum, in its continuing thrust to make persons with disabilities (PWDs) and senior citizens more resilient and better prepared in times of disasters. From what was an annual event held in a single venue, SM Cares now brings the forum across five SM malls nationwide from June 21 to July 12, 2019, in observance of the National Disaster Resilience Month.
Participating malls include:
- SM City Clark (June 21)
- SM City Marikina (July 2)
- SM City Dasmariñas (July 5)
- SM City Batangas (July 9)
- SM Center Muntinlupa (July 12)
all happening from 10 AM to 12 Noon.
Facilitating the forum are DOST Undersecretary, PHIVOLCS director, and leading expert in geology and seismology, Dr. Renato Solidum Jr., joined by Dr. Ted Esguerra, who is an active member of numerous emergency preparedness and disaster response units around the globe. Both highly-regarded experts will impart knowledge about natural disasters and how to properly respond to them.
Bien Mateo, SM SVP for Operations
“We believe that there is a strong need to reach out to the communities that include persons with disabilities. They may either be out of reach from proper information, or they may have misconceptions on how to react to emergencies. And we are very fortunate to have Dr. Solidum and Dr. Esguerra, to help us understand and develop a more disaster-resilient way of living for PWDs,” said Bien Mateo, SM Cares program director for persons with disabilities.
“For our elderly, we have our undeniable limitations such as mobility and sensory capacities. They may know that there is an emergency but are unable to act upon it. We want to enlighten them that there are responses that they can do that best fits their situation. This is one way we want to strengthen the communities of our senior citizens,” added Danilo Chavez, SM Cares program director for senior citizens.
The project is in line with the United Nations Sustainable Goal No. 11: to make cities and human settlements sustainable. It is projected that by 2050, 70% of the world’s population will be living in cities, making sustainability a critical priority. SM, together with national government agencies and community members, are collectively engaged in pursuing objectives to make cities safer, resource-efficient, resilient and inclusive.
SM continues to promote a barrier-free and disability-inclusive environment to ensure that SM becomes a place for all, and where everyone is cared for. More than these sectors of the community, this series of events also encourages everyone to make emergency preparedness more than just a vital piece of knowledge, but a way of life.
SM Cares is the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of SM Prime Holdings, Inc. Its advocacies include Environment Sustainability, Programs on Persons with Disabilities, Children and Youth, Women and Breastfeeding Mothers, Senior Citizens, and Overseas Filipino Workers (SM Global Pinoy).
As a responsible member of the community, SM Supermalls, through the CSR programs of SM Cares, aims to serves as a catalyst for positive change in society. To know more about SM Cares, you may visit www.smcares.com.ph, www.facebook.com/OfficialSMCares or email sm*****@**********ls.com.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jun 26, 2019 | Advocacy
Filipinos who want to contribute to environmental preservation can now conveniently use an innovative mobile phone app to help plant trees and increase the Philippines’ forest cover.
Leading mobile wallet, GCash, Is introducing an exciting “green” feature on the app called GCash Forest, which lets subscribers plant virtual trees that will have real life counterparts. By the end of 365 days, GCash Forest aims to plant 365 thousand trees with the help of GCash subscribers.
According to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Forest Management Bureau (FMB), the Philippines is losing 47,000 hectares of forest cover every year. The FMB also reported the need to rehabilitate 1.2 million hectares of forest lands by 2022 to prevent landslides, ensure water availability, and preserve biodiversity.
Anthony Thomas, Mynt CEO
“GCash Forest is about making it easier, more convenient, and even rewarding for everyone to take care of our environment for the benefit of future generations,” said Mynt CEO Anthony Thomas.
“GCash is no longer just providing an excellent platform for accessible financial products and services but also enabling Filipinos to be more active in responding to real-life issues, such as climate change mitigation through reforestation.”
GCash considers GCash Forest as a last mile initiative that fully recognizes the emergence of an all-digital Filipino lifestyle.
To implement its tree-planting initiatives, GCash Forest partnered with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and The Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN). The DENR will provide land resources in lpo Watershed, an essential component of the Angat-Umiray-Ipo watersheds system supplying 98 percent of Metro Manila’s water. WWF will be providing trees and manpower while BIOFIN will provide expertise on monitoring.
Thomas added that recent findings on the Philippines’ vulnerability to climate-related hazards call for greater collective action. Results of the Global Peace Index 2019 identified the Philippines as the most susceptible country to the adverse effects of climate change. By leveraging the GCash platform and scale, GCash Forest aims to rally a coalition of individuals, non-government organizations, and international organizations to meet its 2020 targets.
To plant trees through GCash Forest, GCash users need to collect “green energy” by frequently using the app. Users who get enough green energy can choose which species of trees they want to plant in a selected area at the lpo watershed. Once the trees are physically planted, users get to receive a certificate of ownership with a serial number, fun facts and updates on the growth of their trees on their GCash apps.
“Many Filipinos, especially the younger ones, care about the environment but a lot of them don’t know how they can actively take part in environmental protection. This is a barrier that GCash Forest addresses because they only need to use their smartphones-an already integral part of their daily lives-to make a difference,” concluded Thomas.
The new feature is inspired by Alipay Ant Forest, a product operates by Ant Financial, an Alibaba affiliate parent company of the world’s leading payments and lifestyle platform, Alipay. Via the mobile platform, more than 500 million users have planted 100 million real trees and advanced a shared vision of sustainable and inclusive development.
“The GCash Forest shows digital technology holds a huge power to mobilize people in support of sustainable development and the fight against climate change. And this power goes beyond border and is at our fingertips through our mobile devices,” said Yan Meng, Ant Financial’s Global Head of International Partnerships. “We’re more than happy to open up our technology and expertise to current and potential partners to make the world a better place.”
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jun 26, 2019 | Advocacy
SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SM Prime) signs a memorandum of understanding with Cagayan de Oro City (CDO) and the National Resilience Council (NRC), as part of NRC’s new Adopt-A-City campaign. By supporting NRC’s 3-year program, corporations can directly invest in reducing the city’s risk to old and new hazards and in the partnership’s long-term resilience. It implements a whole-of-society approach towards co-creating science and technology-based solutions and capacity building for evidence-informed risk governance.
This program can include structural interventions and projects to address specific social, economic, and environmental exposure and vulnerability. This campaign enables the city not just to bounce back after a hazard strikes, but to also prepare for and prevent a disaster so as to “bounce forward” together in ways to reduce future risk.
The NRC is co-chaired by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana representing the government, and sole Filipino ARISE Global board member Hans Sy representing the private sector. Witnessing the MOU signing was SM Supermalls Chief Operating Officer Steven Tan.
In photo: (standing L-R) SM Supermalls’ VP for corporate compliance Liza Silerio and COO Steven Tan, CDO local economic investment promotions officer Eileen San Juan, NRC executive director Malu Erni; (seated L-R) Hans Sy, CDO mayor Oscar Moreno, and NRC president Antonia Yulo Loyzaga.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jun 24, 2019 | Travel
To boost efforts in attracting Korean tourists to visit the Philippines, Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines, the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism, will be participating in two major travel fairs happening in South Korea —The Korea World Travel Fair (KOTFA) on 06 to 10 June 2019 and HanaTour International Travel Show on 07 to 09 June 2019.
KOTFA
KOTFA is the biggest international travel fair in Korea with the participation of both international and domestic tourism-related organizations. This year, KOTFA is expected to generate an attendance of approximately 500 companies and 70 countries. The Philippines reserved six (6) booth spaces to be shared with airlines, hotels and top Korean travel agents in Seoul.
HanaTour
Meanwhile, HanaTour is Korea’s largest tour wholesaler with 1,200 HanaTour exclusive sales offices selling 14,000 tourism products through its 7,000 partners across the globe. This year, the Philippines is the featured country, co-marketing and promoting with HanaTour from June to July 2019, with multiple online and offline activities. The Philippines will also have eight (8) booth spaces at the event to help retail agencies aggressively sell and promote Philippine tour products, and provide general information about the country to the public.
South Koreans make up a huge portion of tourists visiting the Philippines annually, sharing approximately 22.3% of 1,587,959 visitors in 2018. TPB aims to increase Korean visitor arrivals by 25.80% upon completion of all tourism development plans by 2022, which will highlight the natural wonders of the Philippines.
As the country strengthens its campaign “It’s more fun in the Philippines” Korean tourists will get to choose from many offerings such as its beautiful pristine beaches, expansive shopping centers, dozens of adventure-laden activities, and the renowned warm hospitality of the Filipinos.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jun 23, 2019 | Technology
Over the years, we are met with the constant evolution behind today’s fast-paced lifestyle. In keeping up to speed with the ever-growing possibilities of technology, Rock Space provides innovative solutions that put the spotlight on further pushing the envelope behind today’s digital advancements, while keeping in touch with contemporary tastes.
Rock Space: Your Go-to for Innovative Tech Accessories
Rock Space is your ultimate source for stylish mobile accessories, with a wide range of designs made to suit diverse lifestyles, focused on the commitment to provide innovative and user-friendly products
Established in 2009, Rock Space is a brand that embodies the power of simplicity and performance, all the while promising to provide value for money to all its consumers. Rock Space has made a name for itself both locally and internationally, backed up by recognition from various prestigious international product design awards
Last year, Rock Space entered the Philippine market as they saw an opportunity to become an essential part of the Filipino’s everyday life. 9 months since their local operation, there are over 27 concept kiosks, 3 concept stores, and 1,377 retail stores established nationwide. In the years to come, more and more branches will be rolled out to reach more Filipinos
In line with the latest needs and trends, Rock Space stays at the forefront of what the modern-day progressives are keeping an eye out for. When it comes to finding the right balance between maximizing technological innovation and practicality with fresh and stylish looks, Rock Space provides just that for tech-savvy individuals that opt for both function and fashion
Sleek, Stylish, and Fit for your Lifestyle
The brand’s diverse portfolio has something to offer to individuals of varied lifestyles from fitness, gaming, traveling, and music. One of the highlight accessories is the new EB 70 True Wireless Stereo Earphones.
EB70 True Wireless Stereo Earphones
For a great audio experience, it is equipped with Hi-Fi Speakers and Digital Signal Processor (DSP) allowing for clearer sound transmission. The Rock Space EB 70 is also powered by Bluetooth 5.0. This latest Bluetooth capability is guaranteed to be 2x faster than the previous version, giving users faster and better connectivity. It also improves battery life so users can enjoy the device for 4 hours of continuous use and can last up to 17 hours!
Users can now be worry-free with using their earphones even during active sessions, as the new Rock Space EB 70 is IPX 45 Waterproof. Users can work out and go about their daily tasks without thinking about damage from water, sweat, and dust. The EB 70 earphones are priced at Php 3,999.00 SRP.
Rock Space P66 Power Bank
Next up is the Rock Space P66 Power Bank. Power banks are definitely a must-have nowadays because no matter how big your phone’s battery is, it’s best to always be ready to juice up your mobile phone with power to get you through long periods being out and about.
What’s unique about this power bank is that not only does it carry the capacity of 10,000 mAh, but it also holds this up in such a convenient and handy package at only 182 grams, and in a size that’s smaller than your palm. It also has an LED display and is equipped with protective features from overheating and short-circuiting. The P66 Power Bank is now available at Php 1,299.00 SRP.
W20 Quick Wireless Charger
Rock Space also offers the new W20 Quick Wireless Charger. Setting it apart from other devices, it is equipped with a smart chip phone protection which automatically identifies the charging current of the devices. It also sports the same protection as the P66 Power Bank, avoiding incidents of overcharging and short-circuits.
This device is supported by 7.5W/10W for a convenient fast-charging experience. Its slim and compact design makes it easy to be installed over your car’s AC vent, allowing you to power up your phone even while on the road. The W20 Quick Wireless Charger is priced at Php 1,299.00 SRP.
Up your game, and discover how you can opt for Rock Space’s premium and fashionable mobile accessories, now available in multiple kiosks and stores nationwide, and online via Lazada and Shopee. Through a brand partnership with OPPO Philippines, you can also check out Rock Space’s products at OPPO concept stores.
Get the freshest news on Rock Space on www.facebook.com/rockspacePH/.
Leading mobile wallet, GCash, Is introducing an exciting “green” feature on the app called GCash Forest, which lets subscribers plant virtual trees that will have real life counterparts. By the end of 365 days, GCash Forest aims to plant 365 thousand trees with the help of GCash subscribers.
To boost efforts in attracting Korean tourists to visit the Philippines, Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines, the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism, will be participating in two major travel fairs happening in South Korea —The Korea World Travel Fair (KOTFA) on 06 to 10 June 2019 and HanaTour International Travel Show on 07 to 09 June 2019.
Meanwhile, HanaTour is Korea’s largest tour wholesaler with 1,200 HanaTour exclusive sales offices selling 14,000 tourism products through its 7,000 partners across the globe. This year, the Philippines is the featured country, co-marketing and promoting with HanaTour from June to July 2019, with multiple online and offline activities. The Philippines will also have eight (8) booth spaces at the event to help retail agencies aggressively sell and promote Philippine tour products, and provide general information about the country to the public.
You must be logged in to post a comment.