Gokongwei Group, Pin-An Holdings, and Maxicare launch MaxiLife

Gokongwei Group, Pin-An Holdings, and Maxicare launch MaxiLife

Maxicare, the biggest health maintenance organization, has inked a partnership with Pin-An Holdings and the Gokongwei Group’s JE Holdings to launch Maxilife, the newest member of the Philippines’ dynamic life insurance industry.

According to Insurance Commissioner Atty. Dennis B. Funa, MaxiLife is notable for being the first domestic insurer to be founded as a new domestic life insurance company under Section 194 of the Insurance Code of the Philippines as amended by Republic Act 10607.

The newly-formed company will offer various life insurance products that will complement the existing HMO services of Maxicare.

MaxiLife is a comprehensive life insurance company that will offer new innovations in customer experience, affordability, and availability, as it leverages the technological advantages of the Pin-An Group as well as the ecosystems and leadership experiences of Maxicare and the Gokongwei Group.

According to Maxicare President and CEO Sean Argos, “MaxiLife provides us with an opportunity to reach beyond what traditional HMOs offer and to give Filipinos next-level benefits that they have not seen before. It fulfills our mission of helping Filipinos live their best lives.”

The country’s newest insurance player MaxiLife has a 2 billion peso capitalization, the fourth-highest paid-up capital in the insurance industry this year. This is 100 percent more than the 1 billion pesos requirement for capitalization set by the Insurance Commission for new insurers.

“This new investment in the insurance industry marks a growing confidence in the manner by which the industry has been regulated over the past six years,” said IC Commissioner Funa.

The capitalization is built on the resources of Maxicare, the Gokongwei Group’s JE Holdings, and Pin-An Holdings Corporation — the parent company of Maxicare.

Appointment of New President and CEO

Mr. Jose Pastor Puno will assume the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of MaxiLife. He was formerly the President and CEO of Maxicare, a position he held for ten years.

“This is an opportunity and honor that I cannot pass up: heading a new venture that will revolutionize both the healthcare and insurance industries in the Philippines,” Puno said. He added that combining both MaxiLife and Maxicare will allow them to offer life insurance and HMO coverage within one ecosystem.

MaxiLife aims to offer insurance coverage to the current Maxicare members who are afforded treatment, prevention, and wellness benefits through their HMO agreements with the company. As such, it will be embedded into the Maxicare group plans. This will make it convenient for members since they will only need to deal with one ecosystem and ensures that they are given the best possible care.

“In the traditional health or life insurance model, risk has to materialize first before the consumer becomes entitled to any sum. For us, the value is not in waiting for a health risk to materialize but rather in reducing that risk. No other insurance company right now can claim this,” Puno explained.

Mr. Lance Gokongwei, chairman of JE Holdings and MaxiLife Chairman, expressed that the new venture will have a huge impact on the country.

“We have always been proud of the way our group has revolutionized and transformed industries to make lives better and provide better choices. MaxiLife provides us with an excellent platform to create meaningful breakthroughs in the delivery of healthcare services to Filipinos who wish to invest in their physical well-being.”

Puno mentioned that they will be offering Filipinos competitive pricing to provide them with more access to insurance products.

“Aside from more accessible price points, we will also leverage modern technology so that we can offer better customer experience, given that we will be packaging insurance and HMO together as symbiotic products.”

MaxiLife will be offering Basic Group Life Insurance, Group Critical Illness, and Group Critical Illness Accelerated Life as its initial products.

When asked about his vision for MaxiLife in the immediate future, Puno said, “While Maxicare will continue being the dominant HMO in the country, MaxiLife will certainly soon become a significant player in the life insurance industry.”

Never Say Werewolf Again by Violet Vaughn

Never Say Werewolf Again by Violet Vaughn

Never Say Werewolf Again by Violet Vaughn was such an enjoyable story to read! From the beginning an important fact is established … Brindle and Katie love each other. They were high school sweethearts. They loved each other so much that they felt that it would last forever.

Brindle is a werewolf. For once, a story about a regular werewolf … not an Alpha, Beta, Delta, Gamma, etc. He discovers that the girl he has loved for a long time is his true mate.

Katie is human and when she discovers that Brindle is a werewolf she was ok with it and even asked him to turn her into one, too, so that they could be together forever. But somehow, after her first shift, she got scared and changed her mind, and ran away.

Brindle finds her again at university a year later because she is in heat. No matter how many men she goes through no one would be able to satiate her except for her mate. While things between them are still unresolved he is still there to help her.

Something to look forward to in this story … not a lot of angst but a good narrative. It is a quick read and entertaining. 🙂 Never Say Werewolf Again by Violet Vaughn is on Amazon and is the first book of the Winter Valley Wolves series. Best of all, it is absolutely FREE! The succeeding books are 2.99 a pop. If you enjoy this one you may end up getting the next books (like I did, lol!)

Enjoy this freebie!

PCPPI champions quality excellence culture

PCPPI champions quality excellence culture

Quality assurance and food safety are at the core of Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Inc.’s (PCPPI) operations. The organization recently reinforced its commitment to uphold excellence in line with PCPPI and PepsiCo’s observance of World Quality Month this November.

“Customer satisfaction drives our commitment to excellence at PCPPI. We encourage employees to perform beyond expectations in line with our vision to be the country’s leading beverage company,” said PCCPI president and CEO Frederick D. Ong.

Compliance with stringent safety regulations ensures quality at PCPPI. All facilities received the Safety Seal Certification from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), certifying all plants and offices practice public health standards and occupational safety and health standards set by the government. PCPPI was also recognized for its compliance and enforcement efforts of COVID-19 health standards.

Accreditation and Certification

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is among the various organizations conducting regular audits of PCPPI’s facilities. Aside from ensuring compliance with food safety regulations, the FDA reviews PCPPI’s implementation of Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) and compliance with the provisions of the facilities’ Licenses to Operate.

Currently, six PCPPI plants have retained their Food Safety System Certification (FSSC) V5.1 through a comprehensive audit by reputable testing, inspection, and certification authority SGS in early 2022. PCPPI’s plant in San Fernando, Pampanga also completed the first McDonald’s Social Welfare Accountability (SWA) and Supplier Quality Management System Audit (SQMS).

Quality and Food Safety Training

At PCPPI, development programs are in place to support ongoing learning for employees and business partners. Since 2015, over 1,800 employees and partners have enrolled in Level 1 Capability Building Program courses to broaden their understanding of quality assurance and food safety. Courses include Food Fraud Mitigation, Vulnerability Risk Assessment, and Statistical Process Control.

PCPPI’s pool of PepsiCo-certified site expert trainers has also conducted nearly 5,000 training hours. Certified training leaders have also completed courses focused on improving product quality and productivity.

Fostering Values through Engagement

Among PCPPI’s initiatives to further enhance the company-wide commitment to excellence are regular communication on policy updates, as well as best practice sharing across teams. Employees also undergo refresher courses on managing customer feedback in compliance with national regulations.

The organization’s focus on ensuring product and service quality goes beyond mere process. PCPPI upholds excellence as one of its core values. “Excellence is a shared responsibility. By holding ourselves accountable to our standards, we aim to continuously inspire our employees to remain steadfast in our commitment to delivering the best value to all our stakeholders,” added Ong.

PCPPI is the exclusive manufacturer of PepsiCo beverages in the country. It sells well-known brands such as Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, 7-Up, Mirinda, Mug, Gatorade, Tropicana, Lipton, Milkis, Aquafina, and Premier.

Billionaire’s Fake Fiancée by Tara Brent

Billionaire’s Fake Fiancée by Tara Brent

Billionaire’s Fake Fiancée by Tara Brent is supposed to be an age gap romance but as I was reading I did not really feel the age gap. If there is a gap, it does not seem significant. Either that or Kelci is just really mature for her age. I don’t recall it being mentioned but I would probably put her at about 24. Nolan’s age was never mentioned either, only that he was in a relationship years ago and has not been in one since. If I had to guess I would probably place him in his early 30s tops.

Falling in love was not something either Kelci or Nolan planned. Trust does not come easy for Kelci … not after the disaster of her last relationship. For Nolan, it was all about work, work, work. But interest is piqued from the moment the two of them meet. Nolan was very proactive and actively “courted” her but with her mindset, Kelci couldn’t trust his intentions.

As the story progresses Nolan finds himself in a pickle when a business deal he wanted to close required him to be a family man and he got it into his head to ask Kelci to pretend to be his fiancee so that he could close the deal.

To be honest, there was no reason for them to fake anything because it is obvious from the start that their feelings for each other are real. That and the fact that when they are behind closed doors they can’t seem to keep their hands off each other, lol!

Billionaire’s Fake Fiancée by Tara Brent is an easy story to read. There isn’t a lot of drama and there is a lot of love. You can find it on Amazon for 3.99 but if you have KU then it’s free!

PCPPI wins Corporate Excellence Award at Asia Pacific Enterprise Awards

PCPPI wins Corporate Excellence Award at Asia Pacific Enterprise Awards

Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Inc. (PCPPI) wins at APEA 2022. The photo shows PCPPI president and chief executive officer Frederick D. Ong proudly showing the company’s Corporate Excellence Award and his Master Entrepreneur Award from the Asia Pacific Enterprise Awards 2022. The annual recognition program honors the region’s best in business performance towards sustainable growth.

Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Inc. (PCPPI), the exclusive manufacturer of PepsiCo beverages in the country, was presented the Corporate Excellence Award at the Asia Pacific Enterprise Awards (APEA) 2022 for achieving operational and entrepreneurial excellence. Held last October 20, 2022, in Penang, Malaysia, the APEA ceremony also honored PCPPI President and Chief Executive Officer Frederick D. Ong with the Master Entrepreneur Award. This honor highlights industry trailblazers whose strong entrepreneurial characters inspire up-and-coming leaders.

Since joining PCPPI in 2020, Ong has led the organization in embracing digitization and organizational transformation. He was instrumental in driving the renewal of PCPPI’s go-to-market strategy and the strengthening of its distribution network and the expansion of PCPPI’s product portfolio.

PCPPI has also demonstrated its resilience and agility in the face of adversity. Even at the height of the global pandemic, PCPPI remained true to its sustainability commitment with a clear focus on developing talent, ensuring profitability, and being responsible stewards of the environment. The organization continued to drive operational efficiencies while ensuring employee well-being. PCPPI also supports health and safety initiatives in the local communities where it operates.

Ong attributed PCPPI’s success to the organization’s initiatives to uphold the ICARE (Integrity and Innovation, Care and Respect, and Excellence and Empowerment) values in how it conducts business and the manner in which employees interact and collaborate.

“Despite recent challenges, PCPPI‘s commitment to our values and our vision remains strong,” said Ong. “We extend our appreciation to the Asia Pacific Enterprise Awards for recognizing our contributions to the country’s sustainable growth. These awards motivate us at PCPPI to continue driving business growth without compromising our commitments to our stakeholders,” he added.

APEA is a regional recognition program spearheaded by the non-government organization Enterprise Asia. The annual awards honor organizations and leaders that demonstrate remarkable performance and leadership while remaining true to their social responsibilities.

Aside from the most recent accolades from APEA, Ong was recently named among the Top 50 Rising Tigers in the Asia Pacific by the Asia Leaders Awards. PCPPI has also received the 2022 Golden Globe Tigers Awards for Best Change Management Initiative (for Project SWIFT) and Excellence in the Production of Learning Content (for the GREAT Playbook, PCPPI’s guide to the new normal).

PCPPI is the exclusive manufacturer of well-known beverage brands in the Philippines: Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, 7-Up, Mirinda, Mug, Gatorade, Tropicana, Lipton, Sting, Premier, Milkis, and Aquafina.

The 5-Time Rejected Gamma and the Lycan King by Stina’s Pen

The 5-Time Rejected Gamma and the Lycan King by Stina’s Pen

Rejected mate? Huh! No one is more rejected than Lucianne in The 5-Time Rejected Gamma and the Lycan King by Stina’s Pen. In most shifter romances the most times a wolf could be rejected is once … then they could possibly get a second chance mate. Many do not even survive rejection. So, can you imagine how strong Lucianne is to survive 5 rejections?

When she meets Xandar, the Lycan King, at a gathering of Alphas, Lunas, and Gammas and he asked for her name, she already assumed that he was going to reject her. Turns out it was furthest from the truth! Xandar was eager for his mate and while he could not understand why anyone would reject her, he was glad they did because it meant that he got to be her mate. He set out to prove himself worthy to Lucianne. Can you imagine that? The Lycan king trying to convince a werewolf that he is good enough.

This story is really good and is unlike most shifter stories I have read. Despite Xandar being the king, it is obvious from the start that Lucianne is our protagonist and is stronger than most. Unlike what we are used to, she is well-loved by many and is actually on good terms with most (if not all) of the men who rejected her. I know that is weird but you have to read the book to find out why. There is something very special about her and a large part of the book is devoted to either following Xandar and Lucianne’s romance or figuring out what makes her special.

As with most strong protagonists she has deadly enemies who put a smattering of spice to an already rich story.

The 5-Time Rejected Gamma and the Lycan King by Stina’s Pen story is long so while I started reading it on Goodnovel, I ended up buying the ebook at Barnes and Noble for 14.99. It sounds expensive but for 753 pages of a good story, I am willing to spend. The paperback version is available on Amazon for 24.09, sadly no Kindle version. I almost bought it, too, but when I was about to check it out, Amazon ran out of copies.

The 5-Time Rejected Gamma and the Lycan King by Stina’s Pen is an excellent story. You won’t regret the purchase, I promise.

First-ever gathering of home-cooks set on Dec 4!

First-ever gathering of home-cooks set on Dec 4!

A pioneering community of home cooks in the country brings the first-ever gathering of home cooks, dubbed “Let’s Cook, Pare! First Out-of-Home Cooking Fair and Grand Family Day!”

The event slated on December 4, Sunday, at the Central Park, Greenfield District in Mandaluyong is in partnership with the Greenfield District Corporation. Let’s Cook, Pare! (LCP) aims to replicate the effort to help its members that it extended at the height of the pandemic.
LCP, a non-government organization that started on Facebook became relevant to the cooking community as quarantine cooking became one of every Filipino’s anxiety outlets.

The Sunday event is supported by Aguila Gourmet Meats, Condura, Fruitas, Glorious, Golden A, Hotel Sogo, Masflex Philippines, McCormick, Midea, Mother Nurture, Phoenix Super LPG, Premium Choice Meatshop, Sweet & Fit Stevia, Tocoms Philippines, Inc. for Russel Hobbs, Koizumi Philippines, and Panasonic Small Appliances, Sunlife Financial, Easy Brand, Save ALL, Recycle PH, Eatsplorations, Malaya Business Insight, Manila Standard, PEPTalk, Made it through Mum, What’s New Philippines, Frenzie, and The New Channel.

LCP event will also highlight the homecooked products and other cooking ingredients and utensils of its homegrown Accredited Sellers, among them, Baba Black Chef, BrownRoots, Cordillera Landing on You (CLOY), Crafty Cuts, Eat Girls, Food Delight, Krav, Mang Itz Kebab, The Bistro Box, Sayonora, Sweetums Tasty Delight.

With a Pinoy Christmas Fiesta theme, a whole day of fun-filled activities awaits LCP members, their families, and the public. Among the activities lined up are the annual 14 Days of Christmas gift-giving, 10 livelihood starter sets for lucky members, a home cooking challenge and demo, learning sessions for home-based entrepreneurs, and so much more! The livelihood starter kits will help 10 LCP private group community members to start their respective home-based businesses to augment their income during this challenging time.

The Let’s Cook, Pare! community became a creative outlet for its members and allowed them to get connected outside of their homes. The members actively participated in community discussions and shared their home-cooked meals, taking advantage of a platform that allows them to flex their ‘creations’ and enjoy their dreams of living a ‘chef-life’.

Aside from helping its members, the LCP was also able to help the country’s SMEs and some corporate brands because of its accessibility online where they were able to sell food and other relevant kitchens/home cooking appliances, items, etc. A number of members here and abroad likewise shared that recipes they got from the community inspired them to start their own food-selling business that allows them to have an alternative source of income.

For more information about Let’s Cook, Pare! check them out on Facebook, and letscookpare.com.

ABOUT LET’S COOK PARE

Let’s Cook, Pare! was created on August 16, 2018, by Jeff Chua and Archie Chua, who both share the same passion for food. The creators wanted to form a community where people can share their home-cooked recipes, which were either original, passed on from generations or inspired by others.

They were later on joined by friends and family members. Five admins, among them entrepreneurs, Jeff and Vince Chua of Bigbert’s Professional Detailers; Archie Chua of Crystal Lamps; Liberty Insurance executive, Bobet Arandia, and Tsaris Salgado, an experienced PR and marketing professional, oversee the community. The community believes in sharing knowledge and information. It promotes positivity and positive reinforcement.

Mistletoe Grump by Ruby Emhart

Mistletoe Grump by Ruby Emhart

It started with a kiss under a mistletoe at a masquerade ball … Mistletoe Grump by Ruby Emhart is the story of Emilia and Hunter. Emilia is a young, beautiful, hardworking woman whose only desire for the future is to have a permanent, well-paying job. Hunter is a handsome billionaire and CEO of one of the most successful dating apps who never wanted to be in a relationship.

The attraction was instant for both Emilia and Hunter and no one would have thought that fate would bring them together as boss and secretary and in a fake relationship.

Hunter, grumpy? Only because he is resisting Emilia’s charms!

The way they interact with each other is so refreshing! It doesn’t matter if Hunter is her boss, Emilia has no problem bringing on the snark and he likes it! Despite himself, Hunter is unable to resist Emilia’s charms and proposes a fake relationship with her in an effort to kill two birds with one stone … to solve his work-related issue, and to give in to the demands of the not-so-little guy in his pants!

All their unprotected sex honestly bothered me, but it kind of led to a predictable ending. Mistletoe Grump is a HEA story and a quick read. It took me less than a day. I had fun reading about their relationship journey. 🙂

You can get a Kindle copy of Mistletoe Grump by Ruby Emhart on Amazon for a mere 0.99 or free with a Kindle Unlimited account.

Get your tickets to Head in the Clouds with GCash

Get your tickets to Head in the Clouds with GCash

Live events and concerts are on the comeback, and if there’s one way to give yourself a well-deserved treat before the year ends while also getting an early Christmas gift, purchasing tickets to the biggest music festival of the year doesn’t sound like a bad idea. With Head in the Clouds Music and Arts Festival coming to the Philippines this December, GCash is making sure you achieve your concert goals by not missing out on getting tickets!

GCash lets everyone enjoy their hobbies and passions by giving them access to a range of financial services with exclusive offers. Now, there’s no need to wait in line or stress about how to pay for passes thanks to GCash’s GCredit or GGives features.

GCredit, which extends convenience to GCash users to purchase tickets to Head in the Clouds through a “book now, pay later” system. Qualified users with GCredit receive a credit line of up to PHP 30,000, which you can use to pay for your online transactions instantly, payable within 30 days.

GCash also has a lending feature called GGives, which offers light and flexible installment payment plans depending on how many months you want to pay for your purchase. GGives is also available for Head in the Clouds tickets and can be selected when paying online or offline via QR.

How to Purchase Your Tickets to Head in the Clouds via GCash

VIP and GenAd 2-day passes are now available for sale via the SM Tickets website. To purchase your ticket, create an account or log in at smtickets.com then tap the Head in the Clouds banner to add tickets to your cart.

Review your order and select GCash as your payment option. Eligible users may maximize GCash’s pay-later options when paying for their tickets using either GCredit or GGives. Finally, confirm your GCash payment and wait for your confirmation receipt to appear!

With music festivals making a comeback, don’t miss out on the chance to see Asia’s best performers on the Philippine stage on December 9 and 10, featuring global acts Jackson Wang, NIKI, Joji, Rich Brian, eaJ, and YOASOBI. Fresh off their homecoming show for their Where You At world tour, GCash is proud to present Filipino boy band SB19 to perform exclusively on the first day of the festival. SB19 joins some of the country’s best homegrown talents who will be taking the stage during the two-day event.

Look no further for ways to celebrate the season and enjoy that music festival experience you’ve been missing! The Head in The Clouds Music and Arts Festival by 88rising is dedicated to showcasing Asian artists from all around the world. Head in the Clouds Manila will take place on December 9 and 10 at the SM Festival Grounds in Paranaque City.

For the latest news on the biggest music festival to hit Metro Manila, follow Head in the Clouds Manila on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Head in the Clouds Manila is presented by Globe and sponsored by GCash.

About GCash

GCash (G-Xchange, Inc.) is the #1 Finance App in the Philippines. Through the GCash App, 71M registered users can easily purchase prepaid airtime; pay bills at over 1,600 partner billers nationwide; send and receive money anywhere in the Philippines, even to other bank accounts; purchase from over 5.2M partner merchants and social sellers; and get access to savings, credit, loans, insurance and invest money, and so much more, all at the convenience of their smartphones. GCash is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mynt (Globe Fintech Innovations, Inc.), the first and only double unicorn in the Philippines.

GCash was recognized by The Asian Banker (TAB) and by the IDC in 2021 for its outstanding digital financial inclusion programs.

The Alpha and His Vet by Twyllie

The Alpha and His Vet by Twyllie

I read The Alpha and His Vet by Twyllie on Novelbee where it is called The Alpha’s Vet. I started to read this story because the title intrigued me. Why would an Alpha need a vet? Do they not have a pack doctor? Or maybe he only shows himself to her when he is a wolf?

Lacey Macoy is at university studying Veterinary Medicine and is at the top of her class. Her parents are surgeons and were disappointed that she didn’t want to pursue “people medicine”. She is very beautiful and often catches the eye of several men although she isn’t always aware of it.

Ronan Basco is a werewolf, but Lacey doesn’t know it. His mate passed away some time ago and upon meeting Lacey he was so enamored with her that he made the decision to imprint on her. In Twyllie’s world, an imprint is something like a chosen mate but more intense, as it has all the same manifestations as a fated mate, except the imprint is a conscious decision by the individual.

Luca Basco is no ordinary werewolf. He is the Alpha King, the Alpha of Alphas. He rules over all werewolves all over the world. He was vocal about never wanting a mate and yet the moment he smelled her from afar his fate was literally sealed. The fiercest, scariest werewolf of all became the most romantic and loving mate you could ever ask for.

Lacey met Ronan first and they have become close but her feelings for Luca are strong. Will she really have to choose? The Alpha and His Vet by Twyllie is a romance but it is also about friendship and a little bit of mystery to spice things up. It has a little over fifty chapters and is a pleasure to read.  There are more than a few grammar issues but forgivable. I hope her editor catches them before she publishes the story for print.

I loved it. I hope you get the chance to read it, too, either on Novelbee or Dreame.

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