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UnionBank Supports BSP And DILG’s 'Paleng-QRPH' Initiative

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UnionBank threw its support to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the
Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) "Paleng-QRPH", a joint
program of the two government agencies, recently launched at the Malcolm Square
in Baguio City.

In an effort to contribute to the strengthening of the country's digital
payments ecosystem, BSP and DILG collaborated to create “Paleng-QRPH.” This aims
to promote cashless transactions in public markets and local transportation.
Targeted are not only customers and passengers, but more so the market vendors
and drivers of public utility vehicles such as tricycles, by making the cashless
payment more accessible to them as they transact with customers on a day-to-day
basis.

UnionBank enables QRPH transactions via person-to-person and person-to-merchant.
The Bank utilizes its superior digital capabilities to simplify the digital
payments process between individuals. In the process, UnionBank allows users to
enjoy cashless transactions that are easy, secure, and real-time, anytime and
anywhere.

A team from UnionBank travelled to Baguio City to participate during the
"Paleng-QRPH" launch. Representatives were deployed to booths to assist and
provide support to individuals who are interested to learn more about the
program; and those who wished to open an online account for the first time;
among others.

"The Paleng-QRPH program of the BSP and DILG is a perfect example of multiple
stakeholders working together to promote financial inclusion in the country,"
said UnionBank SME and Micropreneurs Segment Head Jaypee Soliman. "For us at
UnionBank, we know how essential collaboration and co-creation are in achieving
a common goal, thus, we will continue to back up measures like this."As an
acknowledged leader of digital initiatives in the country, UnionBank has been
very supportive of the government's various endeavors to help the country
transition to the digital economy. This is another proof of the Bank's "Tech-Up 
Pilipinas" advocacy, to enable inclusive prosperity by democratizing digital
services, improving Filipinos' digital literacy, and creating an environment
that is conducive to digital innovation.

Jomes Kemuel Ibanez

DIGITAL INNOVATIONS FOR THE MASS MARKET: City Savings Bank (CitySavings) joins
the 2022 UnionBank Innovations Festival held last September 7 - 9 at the newly
inaugurated UnionBank Innovation Campus, City of San Pedro, Laguna. The booth
features the thrift bank’s innovative and relevant products that make banking
simple for the mass market. Aboitiz Group President and CEO Sabin Aboitiz
(front, 4th from left) joins the CitySavings team.On September 7 to 9, 2022,
Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) launched “The Future of Banking is
with U”, the 2022 UnionBank Innovation Festival at the UnionBank Innovation
Campus in San Pedro, Laguna. The event was hosted in celebration of numerous
digital solutions, trends, and innovations in technology and their applications
to the lives of Filipinos.

Among the participants at the prestigious event was UnionBank’s thrift bank
subsidiary, City Savings Bank (CitySavings). CitySavings is one of the largest
thrift banks in the country, with the goal of providing comprehensive yet simple
banking solutions for the Filipino mass market.

With the tagline “Simple is Good”, CitySavings offers straightforward banking
services, as well as a wide range of mass market financial products. These
include salary loans for both public and private school teachers and government
workers, pension loans, motorcycle loans, and even company loans.

Guests visit the City Savings Bank (CitySavings) booth at the 2022 UnionBank
Innovation Festival held last September 7 - 9 at the newly inaugurated UnionBank
Innovation Campus, City of San Pedro, Laguna. It showcases various simple,
straightforward, and innovative banking solutions that the thrift bank offers to
pave way for financial inclusion in the Philippines.CitySavings remains
steadfast in its commitment to serving customers and the community through
innovative and relevant products that make banking simple.

> Since the Bank was founded more than five decades ago, the focus is really on
the mass market which differentiates us from the other featured groups here [at
the UnionBank Innovation Festival]. Our goal is to become the leading digital
mass market bank in the Philippines and further promote financial inclusion.
- Paula Ruelan, AVP - Reputation and Brand Management Head, CitySavings
Apart from promoting simple and straightforward banking solutions, CitySavings
is also an advocate for sustainability. Because of transportation challenges
posed by the country-wide lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, CitySavings
saw an opportunity to provide a more affordable mode of transportation to
Filipinos, while also giving traditional tricycle drivers a way to increase
their income and switch to a more sustainable livelihood.

Tricycles are the most widespread mode of transportation in the country for its
practicality and convenience, especially in far-flung areas. However, due to
their increasing population, tricycles are becoming one of the major
contributors to air and noise pollution, as well as traffic congestion in some
areas. This presents an opportunity for City Savings Bank to help in curbing and
minimizing the adverse impacts of the use of conventional tricycles.

San Antonio Barangay Captain Eugenio “Jun” Ynion (seated, front) and members of
the Tricycle Operators and Drivers' Association (TODA) leaders from various
barangays in San Pedro, Laguna pose in one of the Elaia e-trikes donated by City
Savings Bank (CitySavings) after the letter of intent ceremonial signing last
September 8 at the 2022 UnionBank Innovation Festival.By partnering with Elaia
Green Vehicles Corporation (Elaia), CitySavings was able to launch its e-trike
program, which was proudly featured at the UnionBank Innovation Festival.
Through the program, interested clients can apply for a motorcycle loan with
CitySavings and receive their own e-trike unit supplied by Elaia.

This initiative contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) in
reducing urban poverty by providing an affordable financing system and
sustaining an affordable mode of transportation for the masses. This will also
contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions mostly emitted by
conventional tricycles.

> We see a lot of possibilities that can be achieved through this project with
Elaia. It’s a win-win solution for everyone. CitySavings helps the tricycle
drivers finance the e-trikes and earn a livelihood while we are all saving the
environment through a sustainable mode of transportation for the masses.
- Ret. Adm. Feliciano Angue, EVP - Motorcycle Loans Business Head, CitySavings
CitySavings and Elaia’s e-trike program has seen growing success; during the
UnionBank Innovation Festival, they recently signed a brand-new partnership with
the City of San Pedro, Laguna, where both organizations would extend this
program to the Tricycle Operators and Drivers’ Association (TODA) within the
locality.

As for its future plans, CitySavings is hoping to expand its e-trike program
even further.

READ: City Savings Bank partners with Elaia and City of San Pedro, Laguna for
the latest e-trike livelihood program
[https://aboitizeyes.aboitiz.com/post/city-savings-bank-partners-with-elaia-and-city-of-san-pedro-laguna-for-the-latest-e-trike-livelihood-program]

For more information on City Savings Bank, its products, and its services,
please visit www.citysavings.com.ph.

Financial inclusion and digital transformation: CitySavings and the future of banking

A SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION: A safe, affordable, and sustainable mode of
transportation for the residents of the City of San Pedro, Laguna as City
Savings Bank (CitySavings) and Elaia Green Vehicles Corporation (Elaia) expands
their joint motorcycle loan and e-trike venture last September 8 during the
UnionBank Innovation Festival. (L-R) CitySavings EVP - Motorcycle Loans Business
Head Ret. Adm. Feliciano Angue; UnionBank Chief Technology and Operations
Officer and Chief Transformation Officer and CitySavings Chairman Henry Aguda;
San Antonio Barangay Captain Eugenio “Jun” Ynion; Elaia President Ronaldo Miguel
“Mike” Puno; CitySavings President and CEO Lorenzo Ocampo; CitySavings SEVP -
COO Manuel “Chut” Santiago, Jr.; CitySavings VP - Dealer and Internal
Stakeholder Management Head for Motorcycle Business Ruelito Aquino; and
CitySavings VP - Institutional and Retail Sales Head for Motorcycle Business
Eric Valdez.City Savings Bank (CitySavings) and Elaia Green Vehicles Corporation
(Elaia) expand their joint motorcycle loan and e-trike venture through a
brand-new partnership with the City of San Pedro, Laguna. A ceremony honoring
the partnership took place on September 8 during the 2022 UnionBank Innovation
Festival at the UnionBank Innovation Campus in San Pedro, Laguna.

Present at the event were CitySavings President and CEO Lorenzo Ocampo, Chief
Operating Officer Manuel “Chut” Santiago, Jr., EVP - Motorcycle Loans Business
Head Ret. Adm. Feliciano Angue, and VP - Dealer and Internal Stakeholder
Management Head for Motorcycle Business Ruelito Aquino.

Also in attendance were Elaia President Ronaldo Miguel “Mike” Puno, San Antonio
Barangay Captain Eugenio “Jun” Ynion, Tricycle Operators and Drivers'
Association (TODA) leaders from various barangays in San Pedro, Laguna, and
other representatives from both the local government and CitySavings.

CitySavings is a thrift bank subsidiary of UnionBank and is one of the largest
thrift banks in the country. It provides a broad range of mass market financial
products and services, including motorcycle loans that enable clients, such as
tricycle drivers, to switch from traditional tricycles to having their very own
e-trikes. The Bank’s e-trike partner, Elaia, supplies clients with the units and
also offers them both onsite and offsite after-sales services.

> We are truly delighted to support Brgy. San Antonio and San Pedro’s
sustainability efforts for a greener and more environmentally-friendly city.
With Elaia’s proactive and timely electric vehicle advocacies, and CitySavings’
support to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we are focused to
pursue this initiative and are hopeful of expanding it across the country.
- Lorenzo Ocampo, President and CEO, CitySavings
This initiative aims to contribute to the country's efforts at promoting SDGs 11
and 13 which promote Sustainable Cities and Communities and Climate Change
Actions respectively. Specifically, this venture seeks to reduce greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions by public transportation in the Philippines.

Apart from promoting eco-friendly mobility and sustainable livelihood through
the e-trikes, CitySavings and Elaia’s program also provides opportunities for
tricycle drivers to increase their income to an average of Php 1000 daily,
thanks to factors such as a larger passenger capacity, cheaper alternative
source of power through fast charging stations, comfort during travel, zero
smoke emission and noise pollution, and longer battery life. The Bank seeks to
show other local government units that by investing in the e-trike project, they
will also help in promoting a safe, affordable, and sustainable transport system
for their communities.

(L-R) Elaia President Ronaldo Miguel “Mike” Puno and UnionBank President and CEO
and CitySavings Vice Chairman Edwin Bautista proudly showcase one of the Elaia
e-trikes displayed last September 7 - 9 at the 2022 UnionBank Innovation
Festival held at the newly inaugurated UnionBank Innovation Campus, City of San
Pedro, Laguna. CitySavings motorcycle loans enable clients, such as tricycle
drivers, to switch from traditional tricycles to having their very own e-trikes.
The partnership with Elaia is part of the Bank’s sustainability advocacies.> Our
e-trike project, in collaboration with CitySavings, opens the door to so many
new opportunities of giving people better livelihoods, better lives. We’re
looking at a future that is sustainable, not just because we are able to reduce
the pollution and carbon emissions produced by current tricycles or vehicles,
but also because economically, these tricycle drivers are able to earn a more
decent living, and give their families more than what they need on the daily.
- Ronaldo Miguel “Mike” Puno, President, Elaia
“It is a great privilege to be partnering with CitySavings and Elaia for this
new program that will benefit the TODAs here in Brgy. San Antonio and in all of
San Pedro,” said Ynion. “And it is a real honor for us here in San Pedro to be
part of it. We are looking forward to its success here, and we are also excited
to see how it will grow and change public transportation in the future for the
better.”

San Antonio Barangay Captain Eugenio “Jun” Ynion (seated, front) and members of
the Tricycle Operators and Drivers' Association (TODA) leaders from various
barangays in San Pedro, Laguna pose in one of the Elaia e-trikes donated by City
Savings Bank (CitySavings) after the letter of intent ceremonial signing last
September 8 at the 2022 UnionBank Innovation Festival.A donation of one e-trike
and one charging station to Brgy. San Antonio, and one e-trike to the City of
San Pedro City, Laguna were facilitated by CitySavings and Elaia that same day.

For more information on City Savings Bank, its products, and its services,
please visit www.citysavings.com.ph [http://www.citysavings.com.ph].

City Savings Bank partners with Elaia and City of San Pedro, Laguna for the latest e-trike livelihood program

Rachell Janine Leyva

It’s been almost a year since Facebook made the big shift to Meta, and it has
launched the whole tech world into a journey towards (or into?) the metaverse.
The metaverse is currently one of the biggest buzzwords in tech, although the
actual definition of what it really is still highly debatable. What we know so
far, however, is that the metaverse is not a specific type of technology, but
rather a way of interacting with technology.


This is what inspired our Cyber and Information Security (CIS) team to explore
how to utilize the metaverse to raise our cybersecurity practices, standards and
regulations. The team has invested in learning from a keynote speaker regarding
the technologies that are key to understanding metaverse like the W3, and
cryptography, among others, as well as an audio book by Matthew Ball: The
Metaverse and How It Will Revolutionize Everything.

This is a long-term project that will focus on utilizing virtual reality for
security training and simulation. The result that it targets to achieve is a
more interactive A-people experience, not only for security, but also for the
other BUs’ virtual projects. The AEV CIS team hopes to be a leader in metaverse
security standardization and governance, not just in the Aboitiz domain, but
also in the Philippines.


Rome wasn’t built in a day, and there’s definitely more for us to look forward
to in the world of meta and AI.

Speaking of AI, the team has also been busy working on another project,
Synthesia.IO. Synthesia has been used for years in the gaming community and
hearing them launch an AI based video generation program, the team figured that
this could be a great way to develop more engaging training videos that would be
especially useful in the hybrid work setup.


They are currently in the proof of concept phase, using a licensed software that
would allow them to design and develop test scenarios. Initial testing has shown
great promise with the development time being significantly less than video
production through Adobe or other softwares.

Synthesia.io in action: CIS’ microsite showcases the very first output from
their A-dea experiment stage. View it through this link CIS (google.com)
[https://sites.google.com/aboitiz.com/cis/home]The team is hopeful that by the
end of the year, a sample training video would be completed and available for
sharing with the other business units as a successful proof of concept for
Synthesia.

With these in mind, we projected a 90% improvement of  A-people awareness and
engagement of rising security technologies, and a 100% better security incidents
simulation through virtual reality.


These are definitely exciting times ahead for cybersecurity and AI technologies,
and our CIS team are poised and ready at the frontlines to lead the race.

Cyber and Information Security:
Into the Metaverse and the World of AI

Greetings, Aboitiz Eyes readers! 
I am super excited to introduce my new monthly column here called SabiNi, where
I can have a little fun and share my thoughts on anything under the sun. Thank
you to the Aboitiz Eyes team for giving me this space where I can be much more
casual, conversational, and candid about discussing things I think might be
relevant to all of us here at Aboitiz. 

From random musings to deep thoughts, funny stories to strong opinions, I will
be using this column to help my own personal transformation as your CEO, and to
practice the new core behaviors of a transformed A-Person, which we talked about
in our Super Duper Conversations. In particular, this column will allow me to be
more Open and Articulate, and it certainly makes communicating with you guys a
lot more Fun! 

No, this column will not replace my regular CEO email messages, as those will
always be important and necessary. SabiNi will just complement or add to all
other communications in a much more laid back and, hopefully, entertaining way.
Consider this the diary of a CEO, and you all get to read it and get sneak peaks
at what I think about on a variety of things. 

There won’t be too much structure to it because, like I said, this will be more
of a freewheeling ramble of thinking out loud that will give me the chance to
open up my mind and let my thoughts flow as they will. This column is my hallway
conversation with each and every one of you and, in today’s world of hybrid
working, I think it’s important to keep those and maintain this kind of casual
connection and communication that I’ve always enjoyed with all of you.

This month, for example, I sent out a CEO message about a really good book
recommended by Emilie (our Chief Transformation Officer) called Corporate Rebels
– Make Work More Fun by two Dutch authors named Joost Minnaar and Pim de Morree.
It’s amazing how much of what’s in the book are things that we at Aboitiz have
already been doing for a long time, and how much of it just jibes with how we’ve
been wanting to do things. You can rebel in a good way!

The book has a lot of great examples and good reminders for us to take note of.
In relation to AEV, for instance, it talks about decentralization and how the
role of a corporate office is shifting from one of control to one that’s more of 
support. This is exactly what we are doing with our new federated structure
where AEV will be less controlling of the SBUs and much more supportive and
value-adding. “Leaders should lead by supporting and not commanding,” the book
goes on to say. 

It even cites an example that pretty much describes our SuperDuperCons, where a
certain company conducted “Thank God It’s Friday” meetings, inviting 90,000
employees to come together or phone in. At the Spotify office in Stockholm,
Sweden, the authors found a similar ritual where the founder and some colleagues
would go on a stage and share company developments, but as I paraphrase the
book, “a rookie error was that they made attendance compulsory, and taking that
route meant they would never find out if the employees found the meeting
useful.”

That section goes on to talk about another company claiming that “gatherings are
not simply for standard management updates. An important part of the process is
the sharing of adversity and distaste. This way everybody can learn. So we want
to give our employees the chance to receive all relevant information. Employees
can ask questions and nothing is taboo, but we noticed that there have not been
too many tricky ones. Most employees were not comfortable bringing up the
touchier subjects. That was one of the most difficult things — convincing people
that it’s really OK to ask anything because we want to be completely
transparent.” 

Sound familiar? Reading this made me think about our Undiscussables SDC episodes
and what improvements we need to make. But I noticed a lot of similar thinking
between us and these corporate rebels, which is probably a good affirmation of
our consistently forward-thinking attitude, now even more emboldened by our
Great Transformation. I guess being a techglomerate of the future is sort of
like being a rebel or a maverick in a world of conglomerates that in some ways
might still be living in the past. 

Anyway, food for thought. There is so much more I want to say about this book,
so stay tuned for my next column in October. Let me end this here as a taste of
what’s to come, and as a proper introduction to the tone, content, flavor, and
purpose of this column. We would love to get your feedback on this new
communication channel, and I hope your experience with it was just as refreshing
as mine. 

Till next time, A-Peeps!

Aboitiz Group CEO Sabin Aboitiz speaks before the investors at the New York
Stock Exchange, representing the Philippine business communityAboitiz Group
President and CEO Sabin Aboitiz addressed global investors, traders, and the
rest of the audience at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). As the largest stock
exchange in the world, NYSE is a microcosm of global trade and industry, the
perfect stage to remind the international business community of what the
Philippines has to offer.

“As a representative of Philippine business, and on behalf of the delegation
with us today, I want to thank you for the invitation to be here, in the
financial center of the universe, touching base with our friends in the American
business community,” Aboitiz began, addressing NYSE Chairman Sharon Bowen, NYSE
Vice Chairman John Tuttle, and the rest of the distinguished members in the
audience.

“The friendship between our two countries has always been like Wall Street
itself, a busy two-way street of economic give-and-take, and we sincerely hope
and believe it will remain this way forever. We are here today to support our
President in his genuine efforts to revitalize this relationship and remind you
of our total commitment to it. We are here to underscore his efforts to assure
you of the integrity, stability, and solidarity of his administration and of the
Philippine economic system, which is not without wounds, but neither without the
determination to heal them — and to unlock the massive economic potential our
country has to offer, with the help of good friends like you.”

“We live in uncertain times, but in our corner of the world, the Philippines
remains one of Asia’s fastest growing economies,” he continued. “And with the
pandemic now largely out of the way, we are back on that fast track,
accelerating out of recovery mode and onto the promising possibilities of the
future. Now more than ever, with the dawn of a new era of digital progress, and
an environment that has never been more enabling and conducive for business, the
Philippines is ripe and open for investment.”

Aboitiz Group CEO Sabin Aboitiz addresses global investors, traders and the
crowd at the New York Stock Exchange.Aboitiz was one of the 30 representatives
of the Philippine business community selected to accompany the Department of
Trade and Industry (DTI)–led government delegation to the United States. The
trip was organized to strengthen mutually beneficial bilateral business
relations between the two countries.

The short program at the NYSE began with remarks from Secretary of Finance
Benjamin Diokno, followed by Secretary of Trade and Industry Alfredo Pascual.
After Aboitiz spoke, NYSE Chairman Sharon Bowen touched on the dynamic
opportunities for Philippine companies to list on the NYSE. After a tour of the
NYSE building in the Financial District of New York City, there was the
ceremonial ringing of the bell to mark the closing of the day’s trading.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. rings the closing bell at the New York
Stock Exchange. With him (from L - R), House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez,
Department of Trade and Industry Sec. Alfredo Pascual, First Lady Louise “Liza”
Araneta-Marcos, House Senior Deputy Majority Leader Rep. Sandro Marcos, NYSE
Vice Chairman and Chief Commercial Officer John Tuttle, Department of Finance
Sec. Benjamin Diokno, and PSAC Convenor and Aboitiz Group CEO Sabin Aboitiz.Much
like the NYSE building that the delegation had the distinction of visiting, the
Aboitiz Group stands tall as a century-old landmark amidst the evolution of
trade and industry. As the Aboitiz Group undergoes its Great Transformation
growth strategy, it is positioned to become the Philippines’ first
Techglomerate. This will set the innovative entrepreneurial tone of Philippine
business and empower local industries to continue to be a force to be reckoned
with on the international level.

Sabin Aboitiz is also the Convenor of the Private Sector Advisory Council
(PSAC), which was formed to provide President Bongbong Marcos with practical
recommendations, and strengthen the collaboration between the private and public
sector. In this distinguished capacity, the Aboitiz Group President has
witnessed firsthand the Marcos administration’s dedication to fostering
productive ties between government and business to uplift the country and, most
importantly, the average Filipino citizen.

“I’ve seen many presidents in my lifetime and they all have their strengths. The
one we have today has quite cleverly gotten 30 of our country’s busiest CEOs to
voluntarily work for him and for our country,” Aboitiz observed. “I know this
because I’m one of them. As Convenor of the Private Sector Advisory Council to
the President, I have witnessed the ability of this man to bring together the
best minds in business, use them to find real solutions to real problems, and
then immediately implement them like he was flipping a switch.”

The Philippine business delegation was filled with the most highly-regarded
business minds of the country: International Container Terminal Services Inc.
Chairman and President Enrique Razon; Metro Pacific Corp. Chairman and President
Manuel V. Pangilinan; San Miguel Corp. Chairman, President, and CEO Ramon Ang;
Ayala Corp. Chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala; JG Summit Holdings Inc.
President and CEO Lance Gokongwei; Magsaysay Group President and CEO Doris Ho;
and SM Prime Holdings Director Hans Sy, among others.

“This is why we work for him. Because he listens to reason and gets things done.
Because he has the humility to seek the help of those who know more, in order to
provide help to those who need more. This is the kind of decisive,
action-oriented leadership we have in our country today,” Aboitiz concluded.
“And this is the kind of inclusive and collaborative leadership that will
transform the Philippine economy into the Next Big Thing in Asia.”

Earl Gio Manuel

RECYCLE TODAY FOR A BETTER TOMORROW. Aboitiz Construction Inc. (ACI) recently
signed a memorandum of agreement with Envirotech Waste Recycling Inc. to collect
and recycle plastic wastes from ACI project sites nationwide. Clockwise from
top-left: ACI Reputation Manager Jana De Leon, Envirotech President Winchester
Lemen, and ACI Executive Director Antonio Peñalver.In line with its commitment
towards environmental sustainability, Aboitiz Construction (ACI) has partnered
with Envirotech Waste Recycling Inc. (Envirotech) to better manage plastic waste
across all ACI project sites nationwide.

On August 5, a virtual signing of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) was led by
ACI Executive Director Antonio Peñalver and Envirotech President Winchester
Lemen, and was moderated by ACI Reputation Manager Jana De Leon.

Under the MOA, Envirotech commits to processing and recycling collected plastic
waste by turning them into useful items like school chairs, bricks, and
planters.

This is a level-up initiative by ACI as it already mandated a policy against
single-use plastics on all its sites and facilities last year.

“This initiative marks our strengthened commitment to have environment-friendly
operations where all our practices are geared towards protecting the
environment,” remarked ACI Executive Director Antonio Peñalver.

LESS PLASTIC IS FANTASTIC. Last year, ACI implemented its Policy Against
Single-Use Plastics, which aims to encourage team members to manage their
plastic wastes effectively as well as develop partnerships with recyclers to
help reduce plastic pollution in the country.It is estimated that 1.5 tons of
plastic waste is collected yearly from all project sites of ACI. Under the
established Policy Against Single-Use Plastics, team members are encouraged to
minimize use of, and, if necessary, properly dispose of, single-use plastics. It
also encourages the company to establish meaningful partnerships with recycling
organizations like Envirotech, which contribute towards environmental
protection.

“We are very thankful for this partnership and we will do our best to maximize
this opportunity to work with you in turning plastic wastes into useful
products,” said Envirotech President Winchester Lemen.

As the Aboitiz Group undergoes its Great Transformation, at its core remains a
commitment to sustainability. In line with this growth strategy, ACI looks
forward to growing its environmentally friendly practices while ensuring quality
and safety along its construction projects.

###


About Aboitiz Construction


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 46-year track record in value construction and
engineering that advances businesses and communities by building a better
future.

Construction

Aboitiz Construction forges partnership with Envirotech for effective plastic waste management across all project sites

PANAGHIUSA. Mayor Georgia D. Gokiangkee hands over the award to Aboitiz
Construction Inc. (ACI) team members, recognizing the firm as the second-highest
business tax contributor in Claver, Surigao del Norte under the Contractors and
Other Independent Contractor Category.On September 3, Aboitiz Construction (ACI)
was recognized by the municipal government of Claver, Surigao del Norte as the
second-highest business taxpayer of 2021 under the Contractors and Other
Independent Contractor category.


Mayor Georgia D. Gokiangkee led the awarding ceremony that was held as part of
the Panaghiusa Festival, which is organized by the Department of Social Welfare
and Development (DSWD). The word “panaghiusa” means “solidarity” in Cebuano,
with the festival highlighting the positive impact on the livelihood of DSWD
beneficiaries.


“This great recognition speaks about our responsibility to ensure our compliance
with the government and to amplify our purpose of building a better future,”
said ACI Assistant Vice President for Finance Charisse Nierra-De Villa.


Since 2012, ACI has been involved in the maintenance works for a mining plant in
Claver. Over the past decade, they have provided jobs to nearly 800 workers from
the local community. Their scope of work includes preventive maintenance,
conditional monitoring, and electrical and instrumentation works to ensure
efficient operations of the plant. 


Beyond building and growing businesses, the Aboitiz Group has always been
committed to advancing the communities that have opened themselves up to them.
Working with and for the people of Claver, a bond of solidarity, or
“panaghiusa”, has been born between them. This municipal government recognition
validates the values that underpin the work ACI has been conducting within the
community.


As the Aboitiz Group undergoes its  Great Transformation, with a renewed
entrepreneurial mindset fueling its growth, ACI has been focusing on projects in
the industrial, infrastructure, and maintenance sectors. True to its commitment
to advancing businesses and communities, these projects provide job
opportunities for Filipinos nationwide.


###


About Aboitiz Construction


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 46-year track record in value construction and
engineering that advances businesses and communities by building a better
future.

Aboitiz Construction named Top 2 business taxpayer in Claver, Surigao del Norte

Lady Cherbette Agot

As the remittance industry expands, it has become a challenge for many companies
to meet the growing customer demands for more accessible financial services and
forge connections with multiple financial partners all at once. 

PERA HUB, the Philippines’ foremost consumer financial services center, aims to
bridge this gap and create a more seamless process of connecting these
businesses to a network of financial services provided in go.

Over the years, PERA HUB has been successful in bringing relevant remittance and
cash transaction services to Filipinos through its over 3,000 locations
nationwide. With PERA HUB’s capability to offer these financial services, it saw
an opportunity to develop a new platform that would enable businesses to connect
to their roster of financial partners.

In 2021, the company introduced the PERA HUB Digital Remittance Platform,
Philippines’ and Southeast Asia’s first single aggregated application
programming interface (API) remittance platform regulated by the Bangko Sentral
ng Pilipinas. 

The platform aims to allow businesses to connect to a network of remittance
companies; retail and over-the-counter partners; major Philippine banks;
wallets; and fintechs.

PERA HUB's platform provides a modern and secure API developer portal that
enables partners to access the PERA HUB network with an Open API standard.

It is the company’s desire to empower customers to access digital financial
services in the most convenient, safe, and affordable way. For remittance
companies, the platform enables them to extend their reach --- not only to PERA
HUB’s physical locations but also to the digital partner communities that PERA
HUB serves. For PERA HUB’s digital partners, they are now able to offer their
customers access to digital remittances through a single API. 

> Our goal is to build more connections as we offer world-class remittance and
financial services that our market needs. We’re grateful to be recognised for
our capability in creating relationships with partners in the industry and
adopting fintech to bridge the market gap in the country through our digital
remittance platform. 

-Ian T. Ocampo, President and CEO, PETNET
PERA HUB’s remarkable development of its digital remittance platform has earned
the recognition of the Asian Technology Excellence Awards, as the company
brought home the Philippines Technology Excellence Award for Fintech -
Remittance award.

The prestigious awards program aims to recognize exceptional companies that are
riding the digital disruption wave and leading the technological revolution and
digital transformation journeys in their respective industries.

> This award is a stepping stone for us to continuously innovate and make progress
towards adding real value to our customers and to our partner communities as
well. We are excited to share what else PERA HUB can do in the field of fintech. 

-Bryan Makasiar, Senior Assistant Vice President for Digital Business, PETNET

“THE COMMUNITY GROWS WITH US.” AboitizPower subsidiary Davao Light, together
with the Aboitiz Foundation, donated nearly Php 8 million worth of renovated and
refurbished facilities to Boystown Davao. Standing, left to right: AboitizPower
Distribution Utilities COO Anton Perdices, Davao Light President and COO Rodger
Velasco, Aboitiz Group President and CEO Sabin Aboitiz, former President Rodrigo
Duterte, Senator Bong Go and Boystown Davao President Salvador Angala.Davao
Light and Aboitiz Foundation Inc. recently turned over nearly PHP 8 million
worth of renovated and refurbished facilities to Welfare Action Foundation of
Davao Inc, also known as Boystown Davao. The non-profit organization provides
basic education and skills training to boys from poor families.

During the ceremony, Aboitiz Group President and CEO Sabin Aboitiz formally
turned over the facilities to Boystown Davao President Salvador Angala. Also
present at the occasion was former  President Rodrigo Duterte, Senator Bong Go,
Davao Light President and COO Rodger Velasco, AboitizPower Distribution
Utilities COO Anton Perdices, and other Davao Light executives and Aboitiz Group
officials.

> We have always believed in this vision and cause, for it is the right of every
Filipino to have a comfortable home and a conducive place for learning. We
sincerely hope that the renovations made here at Boystown will go a long way in
transforming the environment, upbringing, and education of these young Davaoeños
as they grow up to become men of dignity and productive members of the
community. 

-Sabin Aboitiz, President and CEO, Aboitiz Group
FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF DAVAOEÑOS. Aboitiz Group President and CEO Sabin
Aboitiz and Davao Light President and COO Rodger Velasco tour former President
Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Bong Go around the refurbished facilities donated to
Boystown Davao.This was echoed by Davao Light President and COO Velasco, who
expressed his full support for Boystown Davao.

“These restored and improved facilities serve as our support to the vision and
cause of Boystown Davao, in its desire to help underprivileged boys in the
streets by providing them shelter and education,” Velasco said. “You might
wonder why a power utility is helping Boystown, but we believe in honing the
youth. We have been continuously supporting programs such as this, as we
continue to advance both business and communities.”

CONDUCIVE PLACE FOR LEARNING AND TRANSFORMATION. The renovated facilities
donated by Davao Light and Aboitiz Foundation to Boystown Davao include a
building with an office, conference room, library and computer room.The
renovated and refurbished facilities include a building with an office,
conference room, library, computer room, chapel as well as two dormitories, and
another building with kitchen, mess hall, infirmary and baking room. Also
renovated were the reception and working area of the staff. The infirmary was
also stocked with medical supplies and equipment.

The facilities were designed to provide a comfortable home, as well as a
conducive place for learning and transformation for the 50 boys as they prepare
to become productive members of the community. Davao Light and the Aboitiz
Foundation are long time supporters of Boystown Davao.

Power

Aboitiz Group Donates PHP 8M-Refurbished Facilities To Boystown Davao

Victor Silva

Aboitiz Power Corporation (AboitizPower) has maintained its spot in the
FTSE4Good Index Series for the fifth year, underscoring its drive to uphold
corporate sustainability practices.

The company maintained its overall rating of 3.1 out of a rating scale of 5.0,
mainly due to its performance in the social and governance themes, highlighting
its dedication to people and integrity as a partner in good governance.

“We are honored to be recognized again in this index. This external recognition
affirms progress in our continuing sustainability journey. Our inclusion in the
index over the past five years provides us insights on how we as a company can
do better and deliver more value to society and the planet,” AboitizPower
President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel V. Rubio said.

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.

The company gathered maximum ratings of 5.0 in Anti-Corruption and Risk
Management, bringing the aggregate Governance theme score to 4.7. In 2021, the
company revised its Code of Ethics and Business Conduct to reflect its adherence
to sustainable business practices, prevention of bribery, corruption, and money
laundering, and compliance with relevant international trade and data privacy
laws.

AboitizPower’s social theme score increased, driven by improvements in the
company’s labor standards. Early last year, the company released its Human
Rights principles on its website to strengthen its position on addressing its
operations' potential impact on various stakeholders' rights. 

Furthermore, the company formally institutionalized the Anti-Sexual Harassment
and Safe Spaces Acts to prevent all forms of harassment in the workplace.

“More than the destination, sustainability is all about the journey. We are
thankful for the valuable lessons and guidance we have received. These will aid
us as we continue on this path to a sustainable future for our business and the
communities we serve,” Rubio said. 

AboitizPower’s support for environmental conservation runs in parallel with the
company's mission of providing reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy
through a balanced portfolio mix of renewable and thermal power facilities. 

The company is eyeing to spend around ₱190 billion over the next decade for an
additional 3,700 megawatts (MW) under its Cleanergy portfolio, resulting in a
50:50 balance between its renewable and thermal capacities by 2030. 

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. 

As a partner in nation-building, AboitizPower fulfills its role of driving
positive social change primarily through educational scholarships, CSR
activities, cooperative assistance programs, and environmental campaigns.

Firmly believing that good corporate governance is integral to sustainable
business, the company is determined to deliver business practices that
positively impact society and remain relevant to future generations.

AboitizPower in FTSE4Good Index For Fifth Straight Year

City Savings Bank (CitySavings), the thrift arm of Union Bank of the Philippines
(UnionBank) wins another international recognition as the Philippines’ Fastest
Growing Savings Bank at the 2022 International Business Magazine Awards.

The Dubai, UAE-based publication recognized CitySavings for its excellent
performance and drive for growth amidst the business challenges.

> City Savings Bank from the Philippines is one of those few global banking brands
that have clocked in a promising figure in their financial sheets after taking
on the full onslaught of the pandemic and the subsequent economic distress.

- Ujal Nair, Editor, International Business Magazine
The Bank’s latest financial report gave the publication a clear picture of this
year’s winner among all the nominated banks. Nair noted, “We commend the amount
of dedication and commitment made by the staff and its leaders.”

Fresh from its corporate DNA refresh, CitySavings has been rapidly expanding its
loan portfolio beyond its traditional client base for teachers’ salary loans.

> We are honored to receive this award from the International Business Magazine.
This validates our continuous effort to grow CitySavings and become the leading
mass market bank in the Philippines.

- Lorenzo Ocampo, President and CEO, CitySavings
He adds, “We thank our dear clients for the trust and support they have given. I
also congratulate our team members and team leaders for upholding our values of
integrity, magis, and ubuntu.”

The International Business Magazine Awards was established in 2018 to honor the
best in class achievements of global leaders and organizations in the
international business, and finance arena across the globe, from the Middle East
and Africa to the Americas, Asia, and Europe.

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