COVID-19

Innovation and DSAI

Sabin Says

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University of Experience

People & Culture

Infrastructure

PSA, LIMA Estate team up for National ID registration in Batangas

Power

AboitizPower Marks 4th Year On FTSE4Good Index

Banking and Financial Services

UnionBank Kicks-off #UBProtected COVAX Program

Aboitiz Supports Community Pantries, Provides Livelihood To Local Bakers

Aboitiz Group Advisory to External Stakeholders regarding COVID-19

2019 Bankers’ Night

2019 Brigada Eskwela Cebu

Aly Virrey

The opening ceremony for the National ID Registration Center was led by PSA
Regional Director Charito C. Armonia (second from left), Aboitiz Integrated
Economic Center First Vice President Rafael Fernandez de Mesa (center), and
Malvar Mayor Cristeta Reyes (second from right) with LIMA Land Senior Operations
Manager Mary Ann Macaisa (leftmost) and PSA Provincial Statistics Officer Raul
Maximo (rightmost).To help speed up the registration of Batangueños for the
National ID, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has teamed up with
Aboitiz-owned LIMA Land, Inc. to put up a National ID Registration Center within
LIMA Estate’s premier Central Business District, specifically at LIMA Exchange
in Malvar, Batangas.

The registration site is located in the LIMA Exchange covered court, beside
Robinsons Supermarket. LIMA Exchange also hosts the LIMA Transport Hub, which
makes it safer, more accessible, and more convenient for the 60,000 employees
working for the businesses in LIMA and the nearby residents of Malvar and Lipa
to complete their registration.

The opening ceremony for the site was led by PSA Regional Director Charito C.
Armonia (second from left), Aboitiz Integrated Economic Centers First Vice
President Rafael Fernandez de Mesa (center), and Malvar Mayor Cristeta Reyes
(second from right) with LIMA Land Senior Operations Manager Mary Ann Macaisa
(leftmost) and PSA Provincial Statistics Officer Raul Maximo (rightmost).

The PhilSys National ID Registration Center is located in LIMA Exchange’s
covered court and opens daily.The PhilSys National ID Registration Center in
LIMA’s CBD at LIMA Exchange is open daily from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Walk-ins are
allowed on a limited basis; the first 30 walk-ins will be accepted during
weekdays and first 150 walk-ins during weekends. COVID-19 protocols are strictly
implemented in the well-ventilated covered space to ensure people’s safety and
comfort. 

LIMA Exchange is an integrated hub located within the Central Business District
of LIMA Estate in Lipa-Malvar, Batangas. It features a transport terminal,
supermarket, pharmacy, hardware store, appliance center, quick-serve
restaurants, and a covered basketball court. LIMA Estate is a 794-hectare
Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) – registered industrial-anchored
development that is home to 130 locators and their 60,000 employees, and 2,500
households. It also has a 138-room 4-star hotel development and 167 shops
located in its mall establishments.

Jowelle Ann Cruz

Helping Create Resilient Schools. Aboitiz Group kicked off the DRR 101 lecture
series in Regions 4A and 4B last June. The program is expected to benefit 1,200
teachers nationwide.As part of its goal to continuously create resilient,
empowered, and sustainable communities, the Aboitiz Group reached out to the
teaching community, one of the sectors that bore the brunt of the pandemic, to
help educate them on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR).

Aboitiz Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of the Aboitiz
Group, partnered with City Savings Bank, Pilmico, and Aboitiz Construction to
conduct DRR 101 training for public school teachers under the Department of
Education (DepEd). DRR 101 is a two-day virtual training designed to strengthen
the culture of preparedness and resiliency for the teachers in different regions
across the country.

The lecture series started last June and will run until September this year
covering Regions 1, 2, 3, 4-A, 4-B, 5, and 10 and is expected to benefit 1,200
teachers.

The first batch of training sessions kicked off in the Divisions of Lipa and
Binan City in Region 4-A and Divisions of Calapan and Oriental Mindoro in Region
4-B where more than 90 educators and DRR coordinators participated.

“As teachers and DRR coordinators, you have been given the twin responsibility
of ensuring service continuity, and teaching about disaster preparedness to
young people. In service continuity, just like running an organization or a
business, you need to be prepared for critical service disruptions and you must
be able to pursue your school’s disaster recovery plan. Moreover, it will be
through you that we are able to teach the young of the value of being disaster
prepared and resilient. And you do these even when you yourselves are also
facing difficult moments. Kaya’t saludo po kami sa mga guro. Saludo po kami sa
DepEd,” Aboitiz Foundation President and COO, Maribeth L. Marasigan said.

City Savings Bank has always been actively providing substantial teacher
training opportunities for the welfare of Filipino public educators.
“Preparedness is a part of the effort to anticipate and manage disaster and
mitigate risks and together, we hope to build disaster resilience within the
DepEd community,” City Savings Bank AVP for Reputation and Brand Management
Head, Paula V. Ruelan said.

The teachers appreciated the initiative as they see how it would help prepare
their schools for any disruption. “Napaka-helpful po ng activity na ito, parang
kailangan nga po lahat ng teachers malaman ang ganitong seminar dahil kagaya ng
COVID 19, hindi natin alam na maaring  mangyari ang ganitong mga sakuna,
mahalaga na may service continuity planning, (This activity is very helpful, all
teachers need to know about this seminar.  Just like in the face of COVID-19
pandemic, we didn’t have any idea that this could happen. It’s important that we
do have service continuity planning,"  said Roxanne Nacino, a teacher from DepEd
Calapan City.

Aboitiz Foundation invited speakers from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology
and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), Department of Environment and Natural Resources -
Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB), Philippine Disaster Resilience
Foundation (PDRF), and WeatherNews. The topics include volcanic eruption,
earthquakes and faults from PHIVOLCS; geologic hazards such as landslides and
floods from DENR-MGB; weather and tropical cyclones from WeatherNews; and public
service continuity orientation from PDRF.

“Public institutions are expected to be the last ones standing, especially
during  times of crises. Having a well-supported and properly developed public
service continuity plan ensures the Filipino people that critical and frontline
services will always be accessible. The collaboration between PDRF and Aboitiz
Group has been beneficial to promote resiliency in the country, " PDRF Business
Continuity Program Officer Abigail Guiang said.

Meantime, Pilmico Foods Corporate Social Responsibility Supervisor Katrina
Angelie Bayog-Mercado shared tips on Food Safety while Aboitiz Construction
Safety Manager Kishler Pascual shared several School Safety Emergency Tips.

“While we are cultivating the safety culture across all project sites of Aboitiz
Construction, we also find it valuable to impart our knowledge about safety to
our teachers who are taking care of school infrastructures. Our participation in
the DRR 101 training is in line with our commitment to help in building a better
future for many communities,” Pascual said.

In light of the recent Taal volcano eruption, Aboitiz Construction recently
conducted a Disaster Preparedness Capacity Building for the barangay officials
of Brgy. Bagongpook in Lipa City in partnership  with the Lipa City Disaster
Risk Reduction Management Office (LDRRMO). It also donated personal protective
equipment and two welding machines to help fortify a steel bridge in the area.

In 2015, the Aboitiz Group through WeatherPhilippines partnered with City
Savings Bank to strengthen DepEd’s disaster resilience by helping transform
schools into #WeatherWiser communities. This means that the communities can
optimize their weather knowledge and prepare people before and during extreme
weather events. To date, we have trained a total of 5,264 DepEd educators and
DRR coordinators across the nation through Weather101 and DRRM 101. This
initiative has benefited close to 5,300 teachers from 73 Divisions in 16
Regions.

Aboitiz Group’s Disaster Risk Reduction lecture series to benefit 1,200 teachers nationwide

Earl Gio Manuel

ADVANCING BUSINESS AND COMMUNITIES. Aboitiz Construction partnered with Lipa
City Disaster Risk Reduction Management office to conduct a Disaster Capacity
Building program for barangay officials of Brgy. Bagongpook, Lipa City,
Batangas.In partnership with Lipa City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office
(LDRRMO), Aboitiz Construction conducted a Disaster Preparedness Capacity
Building program for the local government officials  of Brgy. Bagongpook, Lipa
City, Batangas last July 9, 2021.

A total of 47 participants including barangay police officers, health workers,
nutrition scholars, and sangguniang kabataan attended the program held at the
barangay covered court.

Mr. Leonardo Tadeja, LDRRMO Officer, facilitated the review of the Disaster Risk
Management Plan of the barangay and provided insights on how the plan can be
executed effectively. Meanwhile, Mr. Joseph Mitra, LDRRMO Staff, discussed the
safety preparedness for the Taal volcano eruption since Lipa City will be one of
the most affected areas when the volcano erupts.

“We value this partnership with Aboitiz Construction and Lipa DRRMO. We are
truly uncertain as to when a disaster would occur. However, one thing should be
certain and it is our preparedness and mindfulness. The impacts of the disasters
will be minimized if we are ready enough,” said Hon. Lope Mario Lina, Barangay
Captain of Bagongpook.

To further enable the barangay to become disaster ready and to promote safety
culture, Aboitiz Construction donated personal protective equipment and two
welding machines that will be used to strengthen the steel bridge of the
barangay.

“In Aboitiz Construction, we are committed to safety and disaster preparedness.
 We recognize that we can do this even better in partnership with the local
communities and its leaders. That is why we welcome this joint effort with the
Lipa City Disaster and RIsk Reduction Management Office.  And we look forward to
more in the future,“ said Nina Ylagan-Pedro, Division Chief for Enterprise Risk,
Corporate Affairs and Services of Aboitiz Construction.

This year, Aboitiz Construction is also set to implement disaster preparedness
programs in more  communities where it operates.  The company is currently
involved in the Aboitiz Foundation-led Disaster Risk Reduction Training Program
for the Department of Education teachers.


Learn more about us here: www.aboitizconstructioninc.com
[https://www.aboitizconstructioninc.com/]

Construction

Aboitiz Construction conducts Disaster Preparedness Capacity Building program
 for Lipa City LGU

Aboitiz Eyes

The Aboitiz Group, Development Academy of the Philippines-Graduate School of
Public and Development Management (DAP-GSPDM), and National Union of Career
Executive Service Officers (NUCESO), Inc. officially welcomed the 38 incoming
co-learners for Batch 2 of the Executive Course on Leadership, Innovation,
Communication, and Knowledge Management (CLICK2) for career executive service
officers (CESOs) and other third-level government officials.

NUCESO President Asec. Lynn Danao-Moreno (left), DAP Senior Vice President &
Dean Dr. Lizan Perante-Calina (center), and AEV First Vice President of
Corporate External Relations Christopher Camba (right) lead the MOA signing
ceremony formalizing the CLICK2 Program.Building on its successful pilot run
which saw senior public servants undergo an extensive capacity-building course,
the CLICK2 program was officially formalized through a memorandum of agreement
(MOA) signing between the same institutional partners. Main signatories were
Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV) First Vice President of Corporate External
Relations Christopher Camba, NUCESO President Asec. Lynn Danao-Moreno, and DAP
Senior Vice President & Dean Dr. Lizan Perante-Calina.

> This is an important advocacy for Aboitiz because we all need to come together
to help build and strengthen our leaders, present and future and from across
sectors, especially now when it’s all hands on deck to manage and overcome this
pandemic. 

—Sabin M. Aboitiz, President and CEO, Aboitiz Group
The program aims to help enhance the knowledge and competencies of its
participating co-learners through augmenting their holistic leadership and
management skills to cope with changing demands in the workplace. For its second
run, CLICK will place further emphasis on public-private partnerships through a
special focus topic facilitated by Aboitiz InfraCapital President and CEO
Cosette Canilao on the best practices demonstrating its significance to the
stakeholders, the communities, and the country at large. 

In his message during the opening ceremony, AEV First Vice President of
Corporate External Relations Christopher Camba, highlighted the Aboitiz Group’s
commitment to nation building and the importance of empowering the civil
servants who are tasked to consistently deliver in this area.

“We thank NUCESO and DAP for your continued trust in Aboitiz as your partner in
this groundbreaking program. Our first run last year was a rewarding experience
for the Aboitiz team leaders and executives who shared their knowledge and
expertise. Our best practices highlighted the right balance that is driven by
public-private partnership that signified an innovative approach to learning,”
he said.

The CLICK2 executive course will officially kick off on July 7 and will run
until August 18, covering six modules to be delivered through virtual classes.
Unique to the program is its major final output where the participants will
integrate all their key learnings into their individual policy foresight project
or capstone papers that are applicable to their respective agencies.

“CLICK is not just a course where knowledge is gained but it is also about
experiential and practical learning,” explained NUCESO President Asec. Lynn
Danao-Moreno. “CLICK aims to reinforce existing and develop new competencies
needed by our senior government officials to better cope with the demands of the
changing workplace, especially now that we are also asked to adapt to a new work
environment brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid change in
technology.”

DAP Graduate School Dean Dr. Lizan Perante-Calina described how the program is a
culmination of the institution’s vision of continuously augmenting the
capacities of government officials, through courses with a strong focus for
public governance, futures-thinking and strategic foresight.

“CLICK is a manifestation of the steady fulfillment of DAP's mandate as career
executives and senior officials of government are given the opportunity to learn
cutting-edge ideas, practices, and techniques that they may plant in their
respective organizations,” she shared.

Leadership Course For Government Executives Welcomes New Batch Of Learners

Victor Silva

Aboitiz Power Corporation (AboitizPower) has been recognized as a constituent
company in the FTSE4Good Index Series for the fourth consecutive year and has
managed to get a higher overall rating in the latest assessment.
The company’s score increased by 24 percent to 3.1 in 2021 from 2.5 in 2020
because of improvements in its health and safety initiatives as well as its
campaign on diversity, equity, and inclusion, among others.

> Having been recognized as a FTSE4Good constituent for four years in a row is an
affirmation of what we are doing. Sustainability has always been at the core of
our operations and with this development, we are even more encouraged to
strengthen our ESG standards and practices.

—Emmanuel V. Rubio, President and CEO, AboitizPower
Created by global index provider FTSE Russell, the FTSE4Good Index Series
measures the performance of companies demonstrating strong Environmental,
Social, and Governance (ESG) practices. A wide variety of market participants
use these indices to create and assess responsible investment funds and other
products.

AboitizPower has been independently assessed according to the FTSE4Good criteria
and has satisfied the requirements to become a FTSE4Good Index Series
constituent, keeping its place on the list since 2018.

By 2021, AboitizPower saw an increase in its scores in metrics on biodiversity,
climate change, health and safety, labor standards, anti-corruption, and risk
management.

“While we are proud of what we have achieved so far, we know that we still have
a long way to go in terms of sustainability. We will strive to learn and improve
where we can so we can continue creating positive change for our communities and
stakeholders,” Rubio added.

With sustainability at its core, AboitizPower’s support for environmental
conservation runs in parallel with the company's commitment to providing
reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy through a balanced portfolio mix of
renewable and thermal power facilities, which it operates in compliance with all
applicable standards and regulations.

Over the years, AboitizPower has also built strong partnerships with its host
communities and local government units. These partnerships have paved the way
for sustained corporate social responsibility initiatives for the communities
hosting AboitizPower facilities.

Firmly believing that good corporate governance is integral to sustainable
business, the company is committed to ensuring that all its practices positively
impact and remain relevant to future generations.

Rachelle Ann Real-Tolentino

Aboitiz-led UnionBank ensures that no one gets left behind with the roll-out of
its vaccination program last July 17, 2021 to help protect its over 5,000
employees, including those from its subsidiaries City Savings Bank and UBX.
Vaccinees during the kick-off last July 17, 2021.Frontliners as the priority 

The first leg of UnionBank’s COVAX program prioritizes over 20% of its workforce
that fall under the A4 category or frontline personnel in the essential sector
in the vaccination program.

The Bank ordered a total of 7,000 AstraZeneca and 40,000 Moderna vaccines
through the groupwide vaccine procurement made by the Aboitiz Group, in
partnership with the Philippine Government.

Agile response to the vaccine delivery delays

The Philippines was greatly affected by the AstraZeneca manufacturing and
delivery delays caused by various factors such as the concerns on the side
effects and holdup in its Thailand-based plant. As a result, AZ vaccine
allotment for the private sector, including that of UnionBank’s, has been
delayed.

The Bank originally planned and allotted free AstraZeneca vaccines for its
employees. Moderna vaccines are also available for pre-ordering as early as
November 2020 for the employees’ family and household members at a rate which
covers the complete vaccination package.

The Management was quick to pivot changes, thus the Bank immediately scheduled
the kick-off to vaccinate its frontline employees on July 17, 2021.

To fast-track and increase the percentage of inoculated employees, the Bank also
forged partnerships with the local government units of Parañaque, Pasig, Taguig,
and Quezon City. Its Retail Banking Center Group, one of the client-facing units
in the Bank, leveraged its good working relationship with various sectors and
spearheaded the group vaccination arrangements for the A4 employees.

Nationwide site assignments

As more Moderna and Astra Zeneca vaccines arrive in the coming weeks and months,
the Bank will also roll out its nationwide vaccination in selected sites
beginning from the key cities in the Philippines such as NCR+, Cebu, Pampanga,
and Davao.

To date, 28% of UnionBank employees are already vaccinated. The Bank still
observes a hybrid work set-up with 30% of its employees work on-site and 70% in
various locations in the Philippines and neighboring Asian countries.

A Summary Of Give And Take

Iligan residents receive freshly baked breads from Aboitiz through the RMN
Community PantryThe Aboitiz Group, through its corporate social responsibility
arm Aboitiz Foundation and the Group’s various business units, supports
community pantry initiatives covering 22 barangays in several provinces through
its ‘Accessible Bread for Communities’ campaign.

The campaign aims to assist community pantries by providing freshly baked breads
daily for one month. Aboitiz Foundation, in partnership with the Aboitiz
business units, started it in Tarlac, Cebu, Iligan, Davao, Zambales, and Taguig.

Aboitiz Foundation President and COO Maribeth L. Marasigan stressed the need for
collective efforts and support for communities that are still reeling from the
effects of the pandemic. “In the spirit of modern-day Bayanihan and inspired by
the Maginhawa Community Pantry initiative, we join everyone in this endeavour
through ‘Accessible Bread for Communities.’ It’s a long road to recovery and we
might be far from over—but through collective generosity, we can feed our fellow
Filipinos and recover together as one community,” she said.

The campaign not only brings donations to the communities, but more importantly
provides livelihood to many bakers in the barangays covered. A total of seven
(7) bakeries were tapped by Aboitiz Foundation and Pilmico, the food unit of the
Group. Together, the bakeries produced 27,000 bread packs for the project. This
brought in much-needed income to their bakeries, especially given all the
uncertainties caused by the pandemic.

C&G bakery preparing breads for the Community Pantry in IliganMarlon Gecale of
C&G Bakery, a partner bakery covering community pantries in Iligan City, thanked
Pilmico and Aboitiz Foundation for the livelihood opportunity. “Talagang
malaking naitulong ang partnership ng Pilmico dahil alam natin na mahirap kumita
ng pera gawa ng pandemya. Nagpapasalamat talaga ako sa Pilmico na binigyan kami
ng opportunity. Natutuwa ako na nakatulong ako sa aming mga kabarangay. Happy
din ako sa mga comment nila tungkol sa tinapay, kaya kahit na gumising kami ng
alas-dos ng umaga, worth it naman ang ginawa namin. (This partnership with
Pilmico is a really big help to us, especially now that it is difficult to find
income because of the pandemic. I am so thankful to Pilmico for giving us this
opportunity. I also feel happy that I’m able to help others in our barangay.
Their comments about our bread also make me really happy, so even though we wake
up at two in the morning, everything we do is worth it.),” he said.

Meanwhile, Ghiner Cabanday, a community pantry organizer in Iligan, reiterated
the importance of the community pantries in their area and their commitment to
keep them running. “Malaking tulong ang community pantry sapagkat isang tulay
ito para maibsan ang kahirapan ng komunidad, lalong-lalo na’t limitado ang galaw
ng mga Iliganon dahil sa patuloy na pagtaas ng kaso ng COVID-19 sa siyudad.
Mananatili ang DXIC Community Pantry depende sa budget, at kapag may magbibigay
pa ng kanilang donasyon ay ipagpatuloy namin ang community pantry. Maliban sa
Pilmico, may mga private individuals din na nagbibigay ng kanilang donasyon. 
(Community pantries are a big help as they are one way to alleviate the
suffering of the community, especially now that the movement of Iliganons are
limited due to the continuing rise of COVID-19 cases in the city. The DXIC
Community Pantry will remain open, depending on the budget, and if there are
others who’ll give more donations, we will continue the community pantry. Aside
from Pilmico, there are also private individuals giving their own donations),”
Cabanday shared.

Hapag ni Juan Community Pantry in Capas, TarlacRyan Sulit, an organizer of the
New Lower Bicutan Community Pantry, said the continuous outpouring of donations
from individuals and companies like Aboitiz and Pilmico keeps their community
pantry alive. He said he intends to keep it sustainable to benefit the community
members who lost their jobs (mostly pedicab and jeepney drivers and factory
workers) when the pandemic hit.

“Plano ko naman na gawing sustainable ito. Like mamigay ng mga seeds na pwede
nilang itanim. Also, balak kong magbenta ng mga printed shirts and the proceeds
will go to the pantry. Hindi ko rin naman po pwede pilitin mag-donate nang
mag-donate ang mga donors natin. Ang problema ko lang po is the capital (I
really plan to make this sustainable. I could give away seeds that they can
plant. I also plan to sell printed shirts and the proceeds will go to the
pantry. After all, I can’t force donors to keep donating. My only problem now is
the capital),” he shared.

Zyrone Espiritu, Sangguniang Kabataan Chairman of Brgy. Pag-Asa in Olongapo
City, where Aboitiz Construction, Inc. (ACI) joined the Foundation in the
‘Accessible Bread for Communities’ project, appreciated the donations from the
Aboitiz Group. “Since many families are struggling because of the pandemic,
these donations will help in alleviating the impact of the situation. Your
donations proved that the spirit of camaraderie is very important, now more than
ever,”  they said.

For the Aboitiz Group, supporting communities is part of the DNA of the
conglomerate. “This activity is a testament to the core values of teamwork and
responsibility within the Aboitiz Group. In Aboitiz Construction, we strive to
help our project sites’ host communities and find ways to fulfill our commitment
to building a better future,” said Nina Ylagan-Pedro, Vice President for
Corporate Affairs and Services of ACI.

Since 2013, the Aboitiz Group has been supporting the livelihood of local bakers
through Pilmico’s Kutitap Feeding Program, an initiative addressing malnutrition
by providing baked goods in public schools. Pilmico sources the bread from local
bakers that it supports through technical training and equipment donation. In
the same manner, the ‘Accessible Bread for Communities’ campaign centered on
sustainable livelihood development by tapping local bakeries while supporting
community pantry initiatives in the areas. The campaign also provided
donors—especially those based abroad—the means to donate and help their
communities through the Aboitiz Foundation’s crowdfunding platform KINDer.

Jomes Kemuel Ibanez

by Jomes Kemuel Ibañez

CITI MICROENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR: National Awardee Luzviminda Sunit (middle),
a dried fish microentrepreneur from Medellin, Cebu receives the distinction from
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas governor Benjamin Diokno (left) and Citi Philippines
chief executive officer Aftab Ahmed at the 18th Citi Microentrepreneurship
Awards (CMA) virtual ceremony last June 15, 2021. (Photo from the Microfinance
Council of the Philippines, Inc. Facebook page)Success comes to those who work
hard and never give up, so the saying goes, and fish vendor Luzviminda Sunit of
Medellin, Cebu is one shining example.

Sunit, fondly called “Nanay Luz”, was recently named Citi Microentrepreneur of
the Year National Awardee, a far cry from her early days as a fish vendor with
an initial capital of P4,000. Launched in 2002, the Citi Microentrepreneurship
Awards (CMA) is a nationwide search for outstanding microentrepreneurs in the
country, organized by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Citi Philippines,
and the Microfinance Council of the Philippines, Inc.

“I would take the basin full of fish and peddle it around town to make a sale,”
Nanay Luz recalled her humble beginnings in 1975, adding that she eventually
ventured into making dried fish, commonly known as  “buwad” in Cebuano.

PROUD FAIRBANK CLIENT: Citi Microentrepreneur of the Year National Awardee
Luzviminda Sunit, a dried fish vendor from Medellin, Cebu has managed to grow
her business with the help of FairBank, an affiliate of City Savings Bank - the
Philippines finest mass market bank today.Her determination, optimism, and
confidence were Sunit’s strongest weapons, but she also received some major push
from First Agro-Industrial Rural Bank (FairBank) in Bogo City, Cebu where she
was able to get a loan to help expand her business. FairBank, whose primary
focus is to address the needs of rural communities by offering banking services
for micro, small and medium enterprises, is an affiliate of City Savings Bank -
the Philippines finest mass market bank today.

Since then, Nanay Luz’s business has soared to greater heights – with her
product now available in the local public markets of Medellin and Bogo, as well
as in Leyte. She now has over 20 workers, including some who lost their regular
jobs during the pandemic.

The success of Sunit’s business also paved the way for the realization of her
dreams, including owning properties and the completion of her children’s
education.

Resilience is another trait that has been synonymous with Nanay Luz that, even
when the current public health crisis struck, she was unperturbed and instead
became more innovative in her business approach.

“We had to shift to delivering directly to our customers to make better sales,”
she said.

Her journey has become an inspiration to others that Sunit, along with nine
other Filipino microentrepreneurs, was honored at the 18th Citi
Microentrepreneurship Awards virtual ceremony last June 15, 2021.

A pride of the Visayas, Sunit received the distinction from BSP governor
Benjamin Diokno and Citi Philippines chief executive officer Aftab Ahmed.

Diokno cited the awardees as purveyors of hope and perseverance in these
challenging times.

> We take this occasion to recognize our microentrepreneurs who, despite the odds,
have shown great resourcefulness, courage, and resilience to flourish amid the
COVID-19 pandemic.
- Benjamin Diokno, Governor, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)
Sunit advised aspiring entrepreneurs to pursue their dream and there are
individuals like her and institutions like FairBank who will lend a helping
hand.

“Ang ganahan mag-negosyo atong tabangan ug tagaan nato og puhunan (We will help
those who want to start their own business and provide them with capital),”
Nanay Luz said.

Despite her success, she never fails to look back to where she started, and
express her gratitude to FairBank, the institution that guided and supported her
for the past 17 years.

(Photo from the Microfinance Council of the Philippines, Inc. Facebook page)
FairBank, for its part, said Sunit is a testament to the achievement of its
corporate pursuit of better lives and brighter future.

> It is a distinct privilege for FairBank to have been a part of the success of
CMA National Awardee Luzviminda Sunit in growing her microenterprise over the
years. She was able to nurture a dried fish backyard venture into a prosperous
trans-island operation.
- William Amado Castaño, President and CEO, FairBank

Cebuano Dried Fish Vendor Is Citi Microentrepreneur Of The Year National Awardee

by Earl Moreno

BRINGING JOY TO EDUCATORS: CitySavings in partnership with Akadasia and Thames
International held a free virtual concert for teachers dubbed as Viva La Vida
Lockdown.Recognizing the sacrifices of teachers amid a changing educational
landscape due to the global pandemic, City Savings Bank, Inc. (CitySavings), in
partnership with education technology provider Akadasia, and Thames
International - an international business school in Manila, thought of bringing
joy to the country’s educators through an unforgettable lockdown experience.

Dubbed Viva La Vida Lockdown, a free virtual concert for teachers was held via
Facebook Live on May 28, 2021.

The concert was jam-packed with performances from singer, songwriter, actress,
and pageant queen Isabelle de Leon who serenaded the teachers with heartwarming
song numbers - You’ve Got a Friend, originally by James Taylor, and her own
composition, Bayanihan: Saludo Sa’yo, a heartwarming tribute to educators.

Teachers from all over the country joined the affair, hosted by TV and theater
actress Pinky Amador.

Highlights of the show were the performances of Department of Education (DepEd)
teachers who showed the world that they can do more than their lesson plans and
modules.

Xerxes Culang, a Grade 7 MAPEH teacher from San Jose National High School in
Antipolo City, kicked off the festivities with his rendition of Kahit Isang
Saglit, while Ozamiz City Public School district supervisor Selina Macas wowed
the audience with her version of Go the Distance, which served as a fitting
reminder of how much teachers are willing to give for their students.

The teachers were also treated to a laugh trip session with a monologue from
veteran comedian Jon Santos as the infamous Ate Vi, where he poked fun at the
day-to-day challenges encountered by teachers.

Teachers sent their warmest appreciation for CitySavings’ effort to provide them
a breather from their everyday battles.

CitySavings President and CEO Lorenzo Ocampo, for his part, said the main goal
of the virtual concert was to express the bank’s gratitude for the hard work and
dedication of teachers.

> CitySavings salutes all of you, our education frontliners, for continuing to
break ground and for trying to make things better for our learners.
- Lorenzo Ocampo, President and CEO, CitySavings
Meanwhile, the virtual concert also served as a venue for the relaunch for
CitySavings’ Facebook Messenger chatbot Talk to Maria
[https://www.facebook.com/TalkToMaria.CitySavings].

The innovation has been enhanced from its previous iteration to allow customers
to send in their bank inquiries, search for the nearest CitySavings branches and
ATMs, and file loan applications without having to go out of their homes.

As a gift, the teachers were given an exclusive promo code (VIVALAVIDA) so they
can try out Talk to Maria.

CitySavings, Partners Delight Teachers With Virtual Concert 'Viva La Vida Lockdown'

Jennifer Anne Pascua

THEN AND NOW. (Left) Aboitiz-Dualtech Scholar Pelagio Guanzon II in his early
years as student. (Right) Guanzon is currently working as a maintenance
technician for an electrical manufacturing company

The COVID-19 pandemic brought a lot of challenges to schooling and learning, yet
it did not demotivate the  Aboitiz Technical Vocational scholars to finish their
education.

The Aboitiz Foundation Technical Vocational (TechVoc) Program currently supports
two technical vocational educational institutions: the Banilad Center for
Professional Development in Cebu, and the Dualtech Training Center in Laguna.

The current batch of Aboitiz TechVoc scholars finished their program last June
2021. Despite the limitations of face-to-face training – the main mode of
learning in TechVoc education – the scholars graduated at the top of their
class.

Pelagio Guanzon II, one of the pioneer Aboitiz scholars in the Dualtech Training
Center, uprooted himself from Bohol, his hometown, and took his chances in
Laguna hoping for a life-changing opportunity. Like many other youths in the
province who come from poor families, he put education aside  and worked part
time  jobs as a laborer. Guanzon was ready to settle down until he learned about
Dualtech. He realized it would be better to earn a degree so he’ll have better
opportunities for work.

“Mas maganda pa rin pala ang may pinag-aralan. Kaya noong nalaman ko po ang
Dualtech, hindi na ako nagdalawang-isip na i-grab ang chance para makapag aral.
Kung mabibigyan kayo ng opportunity para mag-aral, ‘wag ninyong sayangin dahil
ang Aboitiz Foundation ay matutulungan tayong abutin ang ating mga pangarap (I
realized it is always better to finish one’s studies. When I learned about
Dualtech, I did not hesitate to grab the chance to study. If you are given the
opportunity to study, do not waste it; Aboitiz Foundation can help us reach our
dreams),” said Guanzon, who is now employed as a maintenance technician.

Dualtech lauded Aboitiz Foundation as one of its exceptional scholarship
partners amidst the pandemic. Arnolfo Morfe, President of Dualtech Training
Center, congratulated the scholars for having exceeded his expectations.

“It is the best batch among the sponsorships. I was expecting that perhaps some
would fall out normally, as in other groups, especially since COVID-19 struck us
last year. The pioneer batch of Aboitiz scholars survived with flying colors,”
he said, adding that the incoming batch of Aboitiz scholars were chosen not on
the basis of poverty alone but because they have ambitions.

All 20 Aboitiz scholars, the pioneer batch in Dualtech, completed their program
with four finishing with awards.

Women Empowerment

The Aboitiz TechVoc Program also empowers  women to pursue national
certifications from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
(TESDA)

Dwinzelle Suico is a graduate of Hotel and Restaurant Services II (HRS II) from
Banilad Center for Professional Development (BCPD), an all-girls techvoc
training center in Cebu. She was a working student and an Aboitiz scholar at the
same time. She emphasized that the support she got from Aboitiz Foundation made
her life easier as a student, and told fellow scholars that nothing is
impossible if you have the drive to succeed.

THEN AND NOW. (Left) Dwinzelle Suico during her on-the-job training in a local
cafe in Cebu. (Right) Suico graduates from Banilad Center for Professional
Development with three TESDA NC II certifications
“Don't worry about the tuition fees. What's important is your willingness to
learn. I got the scholarship from Aboitiz Foundation  for having good grades in
my secondary level," said Suico, who graduated from BCPD last April and has
since achieved four TESDA NC II Certifications.


Aboitiz Foundation President and COO Maribeth L. Marasigan stressed how having
the right institutional partners played a key role in the success of the Aboitiz
techvoc scholars under the new normal.

“Like many academic institutions, we are happy to know that our techvoc partner
schools have quickly adapted to how education must continue, without sacrificing
the level of learning and quality of skills of the students. We very much
appreciate all our scholars who graduated with awards, and those who were
immediately absorbed by their on-the-job training partners. With this bright
opportunity for the youth, we are glad to be partnering again with Banilad
Center for Professional Development and Dualtech Training Center for the school
year 2021-2022. We know that once the scholars graduate, employment will come
easy as their expertise is highly needed by the workforce,” Marasigan said.

For the school year 2021-2022, the Aboitiz Foundation Technical Vocational
Scholarship Program will have 68 scholars. Since its inception in 2005, the
program has produced 4,561 graduates.

Aboitiz TechVoc Scholars Thrive Under The ‘New Normal’

Aboitiz Construction’s Executive Director, Antonio Peñalver, served as one of
the judges for this year’s Plastic 3Rs Hacks PH. His leadership and expertise in
the construction industry became instrumental in determining the team with the
most innovative proposal to solve plastic issues in the country.With its
commitment towards sustainability, Aboitiz Construction, Inc. (ACI) fully
supported the Plastic 3R Hacks Philippines which is a nationwide hackathon that
aimed to harness solutions to the pressing plastic problems in the country. 


Antonio Peñalver, Executive Director of Aboitiz Construction, served as one of
the judges during the final demonstration day last June 8, 2021. His leadership
and expertise in the construction industry helped in determining the winners of
the competition. Other sponsors of the hackathon was Aboitiz Group’s financial
arm,  Unionbank of the Philippines 


A total of ten teams nationwide presented their innovative solutions to solve
plastic problems. All teams proposed the use of technology that involves mobile
applications, waste management equipment, and monitoring tools. 


Plastic 3R Hacks PH was organized by Redwizard, in close collaboration with the
Healthy Oceans and Clean Cities Initiative, a project implemented by United
Nations-Habitat Philippines, which aim to enable local governments and
communities in the Philippines to reduce marine plastic pollution.


“Sustainability is at the heart of everything that we do in Aboitiz
Construction. Our support in this endeavor is a testament of our efforts to
contribute to sustainability particularly on waste management. We hope to adopt
some of the ideas in this hackathon and implement more environment related
projects to the communities where we are as a business ,” said Antonio Peñalver.


The grand winner of the hackathon was Team STP who presented the  “WeGarden”
project which is an offline-first, technology enabled, and hydroponics community
garden built to help Legazpi City, Albay curb marine plastic litter by
detecting, collecting, and repurposing plastics into vertical farms for the
community’s consumption and profit. The winning team received Php 50,000 in cash
and their project got the chance to be adopted by various organizations and
local government units.





Meanwhile, Aboitiz Construction is currently implementing a project in chosen
communities to contribute to food sustainability and waste management efforts of
the local government units. This project involved the donation of materials and
capacity building to equip community members on the said environmental aspects. 



Aboitiz Construction is the construction arm of the Aboitiz Group of Companies,
one of the prominent conglomerates in the Philippines. Aboitiz Construction is a
privately-held company, with a 45-year track record in value construction and
engineering that advances businesses and communities by building a better
future.


Learn more about us here: www.aboitizconstructioninc.com
[https://www.aboitizconstructioninc.com/]

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