Pasig City, Philippines, Xpress Super App— October 5, 2025 – Fresh from a year of headline-making achievements—including its recognition by Forbes Asia as one of the “100 to Watch” companies, the successful launch of new services expanding XPRESS Super App’s footprint in Metro Manila, and its continued partnership growth with key industry allies like Cebuana Lhuillier—XPRESS Super App is once again proving that success starts with people.

With that spirit, XPRESS officially tipped off the inaugural XPRESS Basketball League (XBL) Season 1 at the SMB Prestige Basketball Court in Pasig City, marking the start of a month-long celebration of teamwork, sportsmanship, and unity across its growing driver network.

Building Stronger Connections Through Sports

At XPRESS, community is the heart of innovation. “We’ve always believed that building a stronger fleet starts with building a stronger community,” said an XPRESS representative. “Our riders and drivers aren’t just partners—they’re leaders, teammates, and ambassadors of our shared success.”

The XBL 2025 Season 1 features four teams, each composed of 15 player-drivers, competing in friendly yet competitive matchups that bring together drivers, riders, and XPRESS staff. The season runs through October to early November, culminating in the XBL Championship Game—a finale that promises energy, pride, and unity on and off the court.

A Night of Energy and Excitement

The opening night electrified the crowd. From the first whistle to the final buzzer, the SMB Prestige Court roared with cheers, laughter, and team spirit. Drivers displayed the same grit, precision, and determination they bring to the road every day—now channeled into every pass, drive, and shot on the hardwood.

The venue was alive with energy as XPRESS staff and supporters filled the stands, waving banners and chanting for their favorite teams. The atmosphere reflected what XBL stands for: connection, camaraderie, and celebrating the people who keep XPRESS moving forward.

Adding even more excitement were XPRESS’ valued partners—Seaoil and Motivo—whose presence elevated the experience for everyone in attendance. Seaoil rewarded fans with fuel vouchers, while Motivo offered exclusive discounts through their online store. Both partners also distributed free merchandise to players and guests, creating a festive and memorable night for all.

More Than Just a Game

The XPRESS Basketball League is about more than trophies—it’s about transformation. It’s about building connections, discovering leaders, and fostering pride in belonging to a community that drives forward together, both on the court and on the road.

“Every pass and every play represent what XPRESS stands for—teamwork, resilience, and progress,” said XPRESS President Cliff Cabungcal. “The same values that drive our business also drive our people.”

Next Stop: More Games Ahead

The action continues with the next XBL game days scheduled for October 11 and 12, leading up to the highly anticipated Championship Game on October 19, 2025. XPRESS invites all drivers, riders, partners, and supporters to join the celebration, cheer for their teams, and be part of this growing movement of unity and passion. Stay tuned for highlights, scores, and upcoming schedules on XPRESS Super App’s official channels. Whether on the road or on the court—Game On with XPRESS!

Next Stop: More Games Ahead

The action continues with the next XBL game days scheduled for October 11 and 12, leading up to the highly anticipated Championship Game on October 19, 2025. XPRESS invites all drivers, riders, partners, and supporters to join the celebration, cheer for their teams, and be part of this growing movement of unity and passion.

Stay tuned for highlights, scores, and upcoming schedules on XPRESS Super App’s official channels. Whether on the road or on the court—Game On with XPRESS!

Pila, Laguna — October 9, 2025. The Philippines’ first Rice Straw Bioenergy Hub was officially launched in Pila, Laguna on October 7, bringing together national leaders, local officials, international partners, and farmers to showcase groundbreaking solutions that transform rice straw from waste into valuable products.

The event was attended by the Economic and Climate Counsellor Lloyd Cameron of the British Embassy Manila, Regional Executive Director of the Department of Agriculture (DA) Region IV-A Fidel L. Libao, Chair of the Committee on Agriculture for the Province of Laguna, Hon. Karla Adajar-Lajara, representatives from other DA agencies, institutional partners, farmer leaders, and local government officials from the province of Laguna.

The Hub demonstrates how rice straw, an abundant but often wasted by-product of rice farming, can be transformed into valuable products such as renewable energy, biochar, and soil amendments. This innovation offers solutions to some of the Philippines’ most pressing challenges in rice farming: open-field burning, greenhouse gas emissions, high production costs, and low farmer incomes.

The Hub, developed by Straw Innovations Inc. with partners Aston University, Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), Koolmill Systems, Takachar, and Innovate UK, demonstrated how rice straw can be upcycled into biochar, renewable energy, soil amendments, and livestock bedding—while also providing farmers with new business opportunities and reducing harmful methane emissions.

Technologies Showcased

At the launch, participants witnessed live demonstrations of:

Straw Traktor® – a world-first 3-in-1 machine that can collect rice straw even in wet conditions, while spreading soil amendments and rotavating land.

Takavator™ (by Takachar) – a portable system that converts rice straw into biochar, improving soil health and enabling carbon credit opportunities.

Koolmill – a next-generation rice mill that uses up to 90% less energy and reduces grain breakage, increasing profits.

Biogas Production – a demonstration of how low-quality rice straw can be used to produce clean, renewable energy for rural communities.

A Farmer-Centered Approach

Beyond technology, the Hub is designed to put farmers at the center of innovation. By making machinery financially accessible, local farmers and entrepreneurs can run profitable businesses offering harvesting and land preparation services. In pilot sites, some operators have already improved their livelihoods to the point of renovating their homes and supporting their families’ education.

Rice straw is also being piloted as deep-litter bedding for swine farmers, reducing waste management costs and producing compost as an additional income source. These early interventions demonstrate how straw management can support farming communities socially, economically, and environmentally.

“What Straw Innovations has done is a huge help—not only are they a business, but they are truly helping the farmers. Not just for us, but we are also able to provide our services to our fellow farmers at a lower cost. That’s why Straw Innovations’ arrival is such a big deal.”
— Leonardo Lospe Jr., Farmer, Straw Innovations Partner

Partnerships with Local Government and Agencies

The success of this initiative relies on close collaboration with Philippine government agencies such as the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and Department of Science and Technology (DOST), as well as municipal agriculture offices in Laguna and nearby provinces.

“DA-CRAO welcomes partnerships that can help integrate rice straw solutions into local programs and pilots, supporting productivity, emissions reduction, and rural livelihoods.”
— Director Agnes Catherine Miranda, Department of Agriculture – Climate Resilient Agriculture Office

“Aligned with SEARCA’s mission to empower farmers, the development of rice straw management solutions will not only contribute to reduction of greenhouse gas emissions but also enable communities to turn agricultural wastes into livelihood opportunities that increase incomes. The promotion of policy-backed innovative technologies and strategies indeed help drive the use of climate smart practices that are beneficial to agriculture and environment.”
— Dr. Mercedita Sombilla, Center Director, SEARCA

“Businesses which treat climate risks as opportunities will define the markets of the future. When UK science meets Philippine innovation, rice straw becomes more than a byproduct, it becomes part of the solution. That partnership lies at the core of the Rice Straw Bioenergy Hub: harnessing new technology, developing local business models, and increasing productivity.”
— Mr. Lloyd Cameron, Economic and Climate Counsellor, British Embassy Manila

Driving Climate Action and Food Security

Rice is the lifeblood of the Philippines, feeding over 115 million Filipinos and sustaining millions of smallholder farmers. But it also sits at the heart of a global challenge. As a staple food for more than half the world’s population — with 90% of rice grown in Asia — the crop is increasingly vulnerable to climate extremes. Floods, droughts, and typhoons threaten harvests, while rising demand continues to put pressure on food systems.

At the same time, rice farming comes with a steep climate cost. Across Asia, rice straw is often left to rot or is burned in the field, releasing methane, a greenhouse gas more than 80 times more potent than CO₂ in the short term. In the Philippines alone, millions of tons of straw are burned each year, contributing to poor air quality, respiratory health issues, and climate-forcing emissions. In fact, rice cultivation is the country’s largest source of methane emissions, a major contributor to climate change.

The Rice Straw Bioenergy Hub offers a game-changing solution. By deploying innovations like the Straw Traktor®, which works even in flooded fields, farmers can now collect straw efficiently, halve methane emissions, and prepare land quickly enough to unlock an additional harvest each year. With complementary technologies like the Takavator™ biochar system, Koolmill’s energy-efficient rice mill, and biogas production, the Hub transforms what was once a waste problem into a suite of solutions that enhance soil fertility, sequester carbon, generate renewable energy, and improve rural livelihoods.

This integrated model directly supports the Philippines’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement by cutting methane and carbon emissions from agriculture, while also strengthening food security and farmer income. Beyond climate targets, the approach delivers immediate co-benefits: healthier air for rural communities, reduced costs for farmers, and a pathway towards low-emission, regenerative agriculture that helps the Philippines to remain resilient in the face of global food and climate crises.

In the Philippines, a country known for its relative gender parity and supportive stance towards female empowerment, a movement is gaining ground in its vibrant startup ecosystem.On October 14, 2025, over 500 founders and entrepreneurs, investors, startup ecosystem leader, and multi-sectoral allies and champions will gather in Manila for the FoundHer Summit, a full-day gathering that its organizers tout as the “biggest, boldest event championing Filipina founders to unlock the female-led economy.”

Organized by Imaginable Impact, an inclusion studio on a mission to close gender gaps for women in business and leadership, the FoundHer Summit builds on the earlier traction of FoundHer Forums held in Manila in October 2023 and March 2024, and other FoundHer events organized in 2025. In gathering the Philippines’s top startup leaders, the FoundHer Summit aims to make a loud, bold statement and a clear business case for the investibility of Filipina-led startups.

“The FoundHer Summit will make clearly visible what we have seen in data, and what we know from closed-door conversations and small discussions with investors and business leaders,” points out Niña Terol, Co-Founder and CEO of FoundHer by Imaginable Impact. “That Filipina founders are investible, bankable, and build healthy, sustainable businesses. They create positive outcomes for their customers, produce positive returns for their shareholders, and provide a tremendous multiplier impact on the economy and society.”

Terol, further, cites data from the World Bank, showing that closing gender gaps in employment and entrepreneurship could add up to $190 billion to the Philippine GDP from 2040 to 2050.

“It’s time for Filipina founders to step up from out of the shadows and shine,” Terol adds. “We’re building a bigger stage to show the tremendous impact of Filipina-led ventures here at the FoundHer Summit.”

Stellar speaker lineup

The FoundHer Summit speaker lineup is a veritable Who’s Who of Philippine startup leaders and champions. Headlining the event, to deliver the welcome remarks during the morning segment, is Senator Bam Aquino, the principal author and principal author of the Innovative Startup Act (Republic Act No. 11337)—himself a champion of women entrepreneurs and inclusive growth prior to becoming a senator. Jojo Malolos (PayMongo CEO, Sinigang Valley Association Trustee, and angel investor) will give the Investor’s Keynote on why now is the perfect time to invest in the Filipina founder and unlock the female-led economy.

The morning’s host and other speakers include Sarah Perez (Plug and Play APAC); Terol and her FoundHer co-founder, Candice Quimpo; followed by a Women Investors panel featuring Catrina Magsadia (Foxmont Capital Partners), Fatima dela Cruz (Qatalyst Ventures), Rowena Reyes (Sweef Capital), and Tina Di Cicco (Kerubin Capital).

The morning will be capped off by an Investor Allyship panel featuring Conrad de Jesus (Investing in Women), Joan Yao (Kickstart Ventures), Patch Dulay (The Spark Project), Paulo Campos (Kaya Founders), and Priya Thachadi (Villgro Philippines).

Quimpo explains, “We’ve carefully curated our speaker lineup to demonstrate that real change happens when the whole ecosystem is involved and engaged. At the FoundHer Summit, we’re spotlighting women investors and founders who are reframing the investibility narrative for Filipinas in startups. And, we’re amplifying the voices of mission-aligned allies who believe in closing the gender gap. Because driving progress isn’t a solo act; it’s a collective movement.”

Empowering program for women leaders and entrepreneurs

The afternoon will feature sessions, themed “Lead Like a Girl”, that aim to accelerate the business growth of female founders with founder-driven insights, stories, masterclasses, and empowering workshops.

The host and speakers include: Szachi Ducusin (QBO Innovation); Ina Flores, Founder and CEO of HeyRoomie, delivering a FoundHer Story on “Girl Power: Activated – Pivots and Breakthroughs”, followed by FoundHer Masterclasses on “Building a Women-Centered Marketplace” by Claire Ongcangco, Founder and CEO of Parlon; and “Feminine Leadership and Serial Entrepreneurship” by Crystal Lee-Gonzalez, CEO and Founder of nōna.

There are also FoundHer Workshops on “Periods and Productivity”, led by Jessica de Mesa-Lim, Co-Founder and CEO of Kindred; and “Presence and Influence” by Ceej-Tantengco-Malolos, Founder of Go Hard Girls.

“For women to thrive as leaders, we need to support and empower them holistically. A founder’s investibility isn’t just about strengthening skills in business and leadership. It’s also about mastering the self, which includes building confidence, deepening self-awareness, and understanding one’s own biology,” Quimpo shares.

Exclusive investor access

A highlight of the FoundHer Summit is the Investor Mentoring Sessions segment, which offers rare and valuable investor access to an exclusive session for FoundHer Access Members and FoundHer partners’ guests.

Here, delegates will participate in two roundtable discussions each with investor-mentors who will share expert-based insights on fundraising, business growth and scale, go-to-market strategies, startup culture-building, and other topics critical to the growth, investibility, and success of female-led ventures.

Over a dozen investor-mentors will participate from firms and networks such as AHG Lab, Brainsparks, Bullet Day Consulting, Endeavor Philippines, Far East Venture Credit, Findicate Angels, Foxmont Capital Partners, Gentree Fund, Gobi Partners, IdeaSpace Ventures, Kerubin Capital, Kickstart Ventures, KVG Ventures, Manila Angel Investors Network (MAIN), Quest Ventures, Sinigang Valley Association, and Sweef Capital, among others.

The session will be facilitated by Ron Baetiong, founder and CEO of Podcast Network Asia, and will also feature an Investor Masterclass to be led by Andre Yap of Ignite House of Innovation and the co-founder of the 100x Fellows Program.

“Our Investor Mentoring sessions give female founders a meaningful opportunity to connect with investors early in their journey,” Quimpo shares. “We recognize the gender capital gap in our ecosystem, and one way we address this is by creating safe, welcoming spaces for authentic engagement. Here, investors will serve as guides and mentors, helping build understanding, trust, and the confidence founders need to take bold steps forward. Through these open conversations and genuine connections, new opportunities can take shape for everyone involved.”

FoundHer Fair: A community experience for female founders

The FoundHer Summit also showcases partner-led experiences and special offers to demonstrate how women collaborate to support each other. A community lounge set up by The Company Manila, featuring OMO Furniture by Milo Naval, will be available for delegates to network and chill apart from the conference sessions, while Kindred will provide discounts to women’s healthcare services such as consults, vaccines, ultrasounds, IV drips, and the like. Go Hard Girls will be showcasing “Pinay Power” through postcards, posters, and other lifestyle products inspired by the achievements of Filipina athletes. Additional products, merchandise, and services will be available from Antonina, HOPE, and other partners.

Behind the FoundHer Summit 2025 is a network of support from across the startup ecosystem. The event is co-presented by Imaginable Impact, SPACE at One Ayala, and OMO Furniture and Home Living Designs; in partnership with The Company Manila, Kindred, Go Hard Girls, Ticketnation, HOPE, Butterboy, Modern Ads and Promo, Antonina, Parlon X Marqed, Candid Coffee, Cocopan, Dumbo Coffee, Hey Lucky Café, Tomoro Coffee, Zus Coffee, San Miguel Corporation, Rebisco, Project Vino, Quantity Solutions, Inc., VRITIMES, LIKED, and PLDT.

“If you’re a female founder—or an ally who wants to see women entrepreneurs succeed and thrive— and if you’ve been looking for her tribe of kindred spirits, bold dreamers, and ambitious achievers, this is where you need to be,” Terol says. “The FoundHer Summit recognizes and celebrates feminine impact and leadership, and we’re here with a network of partners, investors, fellow founders, and leaders to lift everyone up. When women thrive, everyone wins.”

FoundHer Summit 2025 happens on October 14, 2025, 9AM to 6PM at SPACE at One Ayala. For information and ticket registration, visit https://www.foundher.ph/.