by Penny Angeles-Tan | Mar 20, 2023 | Business
Water remains the world’s top resource, as industry and community benefit from having access to clean, sustainable supply. Among the environmental commitments of Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Inc. (PCPPI), the exclusive manufacturer of PepsiCo beverages in the country, is practicing sound, responsible methods that help manage its use of water in collaboration with its various stakeholders.
The 22nd of March marks the commemoration of World Water Day, and aside from implementing industry best practices and policies, PCPPI encourages process improvement to further optimize how water is utilized across all areas of operations.
“Upholding our commitment to responsible water stewardship goes beyond having the systems and protocols in place that allow our teams to carry out their responsibilities effectively. Our employees are encouraged to embrace innovation as part of our advocacy,” said PCPPI president and chief executive officer Frederick D. Ong.
Strategic Plans Supported by Strong Partnerships
The water resource management policies of PCCPI are embodied in the Luntiang Yaman program, which covers the organization’s sustainability efforts. These include the 3Rs approach to managing water consumption: reduce, reuse, and recycle. Other than reducing water use, PCPPI also has protocols in place to optimize electricity use, optimize fuel yield, manage solid waste output, and community engagement.
PCCPI also works with government authorities in the communities where it operates. For example, the organization actively works with the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) to periodically assess the health of the waterways in the communities they operate alongside multi-sectoral groups.
Sto. Tomas: Shifting the Traditional Mindset
PCPPI’s commitment to responsible water management is demonstrated in its manufacturing facilities, particularly in Sto. Tomas, Batangas. The plant has twice received PCPPI’s Galing at Sikap Plant Excellence Award in Sustainability in 2021 and 2022. This recognition is given to the business units with the highest performance ratings on key focus areas of operations, including environmental resource management. “The Sto. Tomas facility was lauded for its efforts in consuming water and energy most economically, thereby minimizing environmental impact,” Ong added.
According to Plant Manager Chrysler Salcedo, one of the best practices at work at the Sto. Tomas plant includes setting definitive operating hours for the optimum target volume of water required, both for the products to be manufactured and for its manpower’s daily water consumption. This encourages all employees to become more mindful of their water use in daily operations. Regular training sessions on resource conservation are also scheduled and serve as checkpoint meetings where employees can proactively address potential areas of concern.
“Open communication and collaboration make even the most complex policies work. In Sto. Tomas, it remains important for our team to engage in discussions about how we can best manage the resources we look after water, electricity, and oil, among others,” said Salcedo. “To become more effective in our industry, we recognize the value of implementing more creative, cost-efficient policies so that we can better serve our communities,” he added.
Strategic and planned updates in the Sto. Tomas plant has also been implemented to further manage how the facility consumes water, one of which involves decreasing the frequency of production line Clean-in-Place (CIP) procedures. These pertain to the overall cleaning of equipment used after continuous production. “We shifted to a 72-hour cycle, which will allow us to save 780 liters of water a week. Combined with our stringent sanitation protocols, we are confident that our operations will continue to meet internal and industry standards while maximizing financial and resource savings,” Salcedo explained.
PCPPI is the exclusive manufacturer of PepsiCo beverages in the country. It distributes well-loved brands such as Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, 7-Up, Mirinda, Mug, Gatorade, Sting, Tropicana, Lipton Iced Tea, Milkis, Chum Churum Soonhari, and Premier. For more information about PCPPI and its products, please visit www.pepsiphilippines.com.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Mar 19, 2023 | Business
Excellence thrives where it is practiced consistently. Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Inc. (PCPPI)—the exclusive manufacturer of PepsiCo beverages in the country—recently honored three outstanding employees with this year’s Gold Crown Awards. This recognition is awarded to employees for demonstrating professional dedication per PCPPI’s ICARE Values, which stands for Integrity and Innovation, Care and Respect, Empowerment, and Excellence.
The three awardees for this year are (in the photo, from left to right) Faith Marie M. Zacal from PCPPI’s Cagayan De Oro plant, Lucky J. Mallari from the Central Luzon Operations (CLO) and Jona Marie S. Rollan from the Davao manufacturing facility.
PCPPI president and chief executive officer Frederick D. Ong said of the awardees, “Our people remain at the core of what makes us proud to be part of PCPPI. The Gold Crown Awards allow us as one team to acknowledge the exceptional contributions of our employees.”
He adds, “Jona, Lucky, and Faith are among the many brilliant team members who exemplify how true PCPPI Bravehearts are. We look forward to nurturing more inspiring professionals in the future.”
For more information about PCPPI and the organization’s ICARE values, please visit pepsiphilippines.com.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Mar 18, 2023 | Art and Science
One of the galleries that will be participating in Art in the Park 2023 is Art Cube Gallery featuring Isko Andrade for special exhibits. For this year’s art fair, 60 exhibit booths representing galleries, art collectives, independent art spaces, and student groups will showcase and sell an assortment of exceptional pieces by seasoned and rising artists.
Looking to build your art collection on a budget? Don’t miss this chance as the annual Art in the Park, famed for being the most anticipated affordable art fair in the country, returns outdoors on March 19, at Jaime Velazquez Park, Makati City to mark its 17th year of celebrating and championing Filipino artistry.
The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) once again teamed up with Art in the Park 2023 to offer flexible payment options for fairgoers with BPI Cards when they shop for art at the exhibit-sale, which runs for one whole day from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
“BPI has been supporting Art in the Park for continuously uplifting the vibrant Filipino art scene and for providing a platform for our valuable contributors of art whose works truly merit more support and respect. It also makes art accessible to Filipinos, helping them learn more about art and Filipino artists,” said Jenny Lacerna, BPI Product and Sales Head for Unsecured Lending and Cards.
For this year’s edition, 60 exhibit booths representing galleries, art collectives, independent art spaces, and student groups will be showcasing and selling an assortment of exceptional pieces by seasoned and rising artists.
One of the galleries that will be participating in Art Cube Gallery featuring Isko Andrade for special exhibits.
“Art Cube Gallery has been a backbone of the Philippine contemporary art scene since it was established in 2012 for helping Filipino artists get their well-deserved spotlight,” said Lacerna.
The said Gallery provides a platform for talented young artists to showcase their works before an extensive roster of art collectors, as well as help promote the careers of seasoned artists by giving art aficionados broad access to their work in international art exhibitions. The gallery has so far mounted over 100 art exhibitions here and abroad involving award-winning and seasoned artists, as well as promising young painters and sculptors.
Francis Eugene E. Andrade, also known as Isko Andrade, is a young artist based in Bulacan who has been known for sharing his stories through his artworks that evoke a sense of nostalgia. He received several awards and citations such as Shell National Student Art Competition and Metrobank Art Design Excellence Competition. He is a graduate of fine arts with a major in visual communication at Bulacan State University.
For his show titled Intersections II, Andrade uses knots as his art subject to depict his own impression of ‘persevering’ by utilizing oil paint on canvas.
Lacerna said art as an asset remains an auspicious investment as it tends to hold its value over time in contrast with other asset classes whose value has the propensity to decline sharply when the market crashes.
“What’s really enticing about collecting and investing in art is that aside from having a potentially lucrative return in the long-term, they can also make stunning display pieces at home,” she said.
BPI Cardholders can enjoy an exclusive Real 0% Special Installment Plan for up to 6 months and buy now and pay 3 months later using their BPI credit cards.
Organized by Philippine Art Events, Inc. and supported by BPI, Art in the Park will continue to benefit the Museum Foundation of the Philippines in support of its projects and programs for the National Museum of the Philippines and its network.
For more information about Art in the Park and BPI’s special offers, follow www.facebook.com/bpi and www.facebook/artinthepark on Facebook, or visit www.bpi.com.ph/ and www.artinthepark.ph.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Mar 14, 2023 | Advocacy
“What makes you wake up early in the morning?” asks veterinarian Dr. Nielsen Donato while strolling through his animal sanctuary. “It’s not work. It’s something that you’re excited about.”
When people think of veterinarians, they usually think of them tending to household pets such as cats and dogs. But Doc Nielsen isn’t a regular vet. He’s the managing partner and chief surgeon at Vets In Practice (VIP), which caters to not-your-usual pets, and he also has a background in Avian and Exotic Medicine.
But what makes him so special is his unbridled care for virtually any kind of animal, be it crawling, flying, galloping, or slithering.
Doc Nielsen’s passion started when he was around three years old. One of his favorite childhood memories was being excited about going to church just so he could see the yellow chicks and ducklings being sold by vendors outside.
Today, Doc Nielsen helps run the Laguna Wildlife Park & Rescue Center, which sits within his family’s property in Pansol. This non-profit organization houses around 100 species of farm animals and wildlife, including domestic and neglected pets, as well as exotic animals that were rescued from illegal sellers and dangerous living conditions. The wildlife park has everything from chickens and goats to monkeys and a serval cat, which he tends with the help of his staff. It’s also backed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), which assists in acquiring and transporting animals to the park.
The veterinarian calls the park his “happy place,” which he visits as early as 5 am to see all of the animals and listen to the different sounds that envelop the whole park. “When I’m walking here in the morning or afternoon, it relaxes me. Nalilimutan ko yung mga stress, that’s why I call it my ‘haven,’” says Doc Nielsen.
Compassion project
“We support the animals with our own resources,” Doc Nielsen says as he shows the many enclosures in the park that the animals call home. He also provides them with nutritious food and medicine to keep them healthy while they’re living in the park.
Feeding time: Violet, a rescued tortoise, snacks on papaya.
He doesn’t do this alone. Apart from the staff he works with, Doc Nielsen’s family also helps. His kids, Cedric and Nina, are studying veterinary medicine, so they’re well on their way to following in their dad’s footsteps.
Giving animals a second chance
While giving a tour of the park, Doc Nielsen stops to feed and pet the animals he passes by. One of them is a bearcat (binturong), a nocturnal mammal with cat-like features that’s endemic to Palawan. Doc Nielsen explains that the bearcats were transported to the park with the help of DENR, and they are raised until they’re ready to be released back into the wild.
“I promised that if I ever breed any endemic wildlife animal in the park, my goal is to help repopulate their species and bring them back to their natural habitat,” he says. He also takes time to assess animals who might need medical attention and treat them right away to prevent infections.
Doc Nielsen demonstrates how to bathe a Bayawak, with his resident monitor lizard, Bruce.
It’s not always easy for Doc Nielsen to let go of animals, especially those that have been used to being around humans. Many of the monkeys, for example, lived in crowded areas and were treated as pets in their past lives. Releasing them back into the wild would be a safety risk for them because a troop of wild monkeys might hurt them.
This is why he and his staff ensure that animals like these get the care they need so they can live long and healthy lives. The wildlife sanctuary is their safe haven until they are ready to be released in a protected space.
On full display: Drake the Peacock struts around his pen.
Whether it’s at his clinic in the city or the wildlife park in Laguna, Doc Nielsen is always ready to offer his expertise and care to all types of species, no matter how scary they may seem.
“I always dreamed of being someone like [British veterinary surgeon] James Harriot. I’ve always wanted to treat dogs and cats, and farm animals as big as horses, goats, and sheep,” he said. “There weren’t exotic animals to treat yet [when I was just starting out.] Now, I’m lucky because I get to treat more exotic animals, as well as farm animals, in my clinic and the park.”
Dr. Nielsen Donato in his wildlife sanctuary in Laguna: “I’m lucky because I get to treat more exotic animals, as well as farm animals, in my clinic and the park.”
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Mar 12, 2023 | Advocacy
Jollibee Group and Manila LGU officials convened anew for the signing of a new memorandum of agreement that will create employment opportunities for senior citizens and persons with disabilities in Jollibee-owned stores across Manila City.
MANILA, Philippines. The Jollibee Group recently announced the resumption of its inclusive employment program to hire senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWD) in Manila after renewing its partnership with the city government of Manila.
The partnership is consistent with Jollibee Group’s commitment to providing equal employment opportunities to different sectors while promoting and practicing inclusivity and diversity in the workplace.
Jollibee Group will hire 28 senior citizens and 17 PWDs as customer relations staff across the Manila branches of Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, and Burger King through the city’s Public Employment Service Office (PESO). Manila PESO will screen and determine qualified candidates before endorsing them to the company. Applicants must also secure a medical clearance from the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center, the accredited hospital for this program.
“We started this program in 2019 with the Manila LGU. Working on this program in the past few years has allowed us to see how our elderly and differently-abled individuals have appreciated the opportunity to find gainful employment. The Jollibee Group continues to support this initiative of the Manila LGU, and we have been very fortunate to have a partner that shares the same desire and passion as the company in looking after the interest of our elderly and PWDs,” said Ruth Angeles, Jollibee Group Vice President and Head for Human Resources-Philippines and Global Organization, Leadership & Culture.
“We look forward to forging more partnerships with other LGUs so we can improve more lives and find reliable staff who can join us in our mission to share the joy of eating with everyone,” Angeles added.
The signing of the new memorandum of agreement held last January 31 was attended by Manila City Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan, Vice Mayor Yul Servo Nieto, and Secretary to the Mayor Atty. Marlon Lacson, as well as officials from Jollibee Group represented by Public Affairs AVP Atty. Raul Academia and Philippine Region Human Resources Director Anna Prado.
Interested applicants can get more information on this employment program from the Manila Department of Social Welfare and the Office of Senior Citizen’s Affairs.
Back in 2019, Jollibee Group was the first restaurant company in the Philippines to partner with the Manila LGU in providing jobs to over a hundred qualified senior citizens and PWDs in the combined 39 branches of Jollibee, Chowking, Mang Inasal, and Greenwich in Manila. Besides Manila, Jollibee Group also partnered with the LGUs of Antipolo and Pasay in 2019 to implement the same inclusive employment program.
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