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VIDEO | Aboitiz Stories: All Aboard the VECO e-Learning Bus

Aboitiz is the First PH Supporter of Global Climate Change Task Force

SMA Breaks Down One Aboitiz

Infrastructure

Apo Agua at the Frontlines of Sustainable Water

2019 Bankers’ Night

2019 Brigada Eskwela Cebu

Aboitiz Eyes

By Franz de la Fuente
[https://aboitiz.workplace.com/profile.php?id=100026684951792]

DDLS, Australia’s largest provider of corporate ICT and cybersecurity training
officially opened on February 20 its first training campus in the Philippines to
support the local workforce. The opening of the new campus in the Philippines
marks DDLS’ expansion into Asia Pacific and provides professionals in the
Philippines an opportunity to take up a career in a booming industry.

FIRST EXPANSION IN ASIA-PACIFIC. DDLS Philippines officially launched its first
campus in Bonifacio Global City, with the opening being officiated by (from
left) DDLS CEO Jon Lang, DDLS Philippines President Luis Miguel Aboitiz, DDLS
Philippines Director and Aboitiz Impact Ventures President Jokin Aboitiz, and
EdventureCo Asia Pacific Chairman Terry Farris.“With DDLS present in every major
city in Australia, we wanted to replicate this model in Southeast Asia, and the
Philippines showed the most potential.  Having skilled workers in the ICT
industry who can monitor, secure and mitigate against any risks is a requirement
that the industry has identified, and DDLS is responding to these needs by
training the next generation of professionals in a new state-of-the-art
facility.” said Jon Lang, CEO of DDLS.

Located in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, the 500sqm training facility
consists of seven state-of-the-art training rooms, equipped with the latest
technology as well as telepresence technology to help students and IT
professionals master skillsets necessary to immediately enter the workforce.

DDLS Anywhere is a telepresence setup that enables remote students to attend
classes in full HD video and audio, creating a virtual classroom experience from
anywhere.“The Philippines campus was designed to be conducive for learning, to
match the quality of instruction that our trainers are able to impart.”,
commented Mike Calma DDLS Philippines Country GM. “The campus will prepare
students to meet the demand for talent in cybersecurity, DevOps, cloud and
others through skill development, with technology that is at the forefront of
this digital future.”

DDLS Philippines Country General Manager Mike Calma showcases one of the seven
state-of-the-art classrooms.DDLS, a wholly owned subsidiary of EdventureCo,
joined forces with Aboitiz Equity Ventures in March 2019 to bring quality IT
Training to the Philippines. In less than a year of operations, DDLS Philippines
has trained more than 300 students in Microsoft courses. It has since rolled out
new training courses in IT service management, data science and cybersecurity.
The new campus also hosts a dedicated Pearson VUE authorized room for taking
online tests and certifications.

Rose Dyson, DevOps and ITIL Specialist, flew in from Melbourne to teach the
inaugural ITIL 4 Foundations class.As DDLS gains traction, it does not lose
sight of its long-term goals.

> Our vision for DDLS is to offer agile and accessible high-quality IT training.
These skills have never been more relevant and this style of teaching has never
been more appropriate. The world is changing quickly and education needs to
adapt. We need a modern way of training the modern workforce. We at Aboitiz have
always believed in the value of education and the role it plays in advancing
business and communities. 
- Jokin Aboitiz, President, Aboitiz Impact Ventures
For more information on DDLS Philippines, visit www.ddls.com.ph
[http://www.ddls.com.ph/] or connect with us on Facebook
[https://www.facebook.com/DDLSManila/] and LinkedIn
[https://www.linkedin.com/company/ddlsmanila/].

DDLS opens its first training facility in the Philippines




A special Aboitiz 100 edition of Notes by EMA

Five Hundred Years After Magellan Left Spain
Magellan, San Lucar, the Galleon Trade, Yrastorza, the Suez Canal, Aboitiz, and
the Unintended Consequence of the Silk Worm, Gun Powder, and the Crusades




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The mouth of the Guadalquivir River where Magellan set sail into the Atlantic
500 years agoThe Virgin that protected Magellan and guided him to Filipinas to
save our souls in 1519I am about to write an accumulation of what I have read,
what has been sent to me, my travels, discussions, and experience over many
years. Is it accurate? Probably not! Is it directionally correct? I hope so.
More importantly, I hope it gives you a perspective.

A persistent Portuguese finally convinced the Warrior Queen, Isabella de
Castilla, to finance the second major multinational venture capitalist operation
in the world — Ferdinand Magellan's dreams. (The first was probably Christopher
Columbus.) This decision changed our world, i.e. that of the Philippines
Islands.

The discovery of the silkworm, its silk, and its unintended consequences may
have very well started a whole new world. Here we will be brief, so we spend
more time on Aboitiz at 100 and how this possibly came about.

Adventurous young “Marco Polos” of the world found the silk of the silkworm in
China — until then Europeans lived in wool. That trade began and prospered. For
some reason, other than the stories we have been told, the Pope and his cohorts
decided to re-conquer Jerusalem from Islam. Their right reason was probably
completely different from their real reasons. The former, about saving souls,
and the real reason, as always, political and commercial, two twin sisters.

The silkworm trade brings another Chinese invention to the Islam world:
gunpowder. The Muslims packed this powder into cannons blasting stone and then
iron. They pushed back the Christians and took over the area. Their first move
was to stop the trade between the West and the East. The elite (call them that)
of the West turned to the only source of income, and that was the land — the
feudal system began.

The elite consisted of the nobility and the Christian church — both were exempt
of taxes, and they both took all they could from the system and left scraps for
the poor. The Americas brought wealth and guano fertilizer — wealth that was
stripped by the nobility and the Church to build their grandeur, witness of
which we see physically today. That abuse ended violently with the French
Revolution — liberté, égalité, fraternité — Karl Marx, Engels, the Russian
Communist experiment, and that disaster that may have been necessary. However,
maybe the most significant and most crucial unintended consequence was begun by
Adolf Hitler. One can argue that Bretton Woods would not have happened without
Adolf Hitler.

The American control of the Seven Seas and the opening up of the American
markets fuelled the wealthy world of today where 250,000 people come out of
poverty daily, where technology is enhancing lives and enriching minds and where
medicine is lengthening lifespans just as it improves their quality. The
possibility of a world without impoverished people is real, and it is close.

All these, in very simplistic terms, were the unintended consequences of a
silkworm. Now, let's not take it literally.

Trade had to continue so the Portuguese with Basque navigators began their
adventure towards the East as they explored southward on the west side of
Africa, across the horn towards India and the East.

Txanton Torre in Ispaster, Euskal Herria, Spain — the caserio (farm) where
Paulino Aboitiz y Mendazona was bornLequietio, Euskal Herria, Spain — the
fishing village where Paulino Aboitiz Mendazona studied to be a mariner and
where the present mayor is an Aboitiz.What matters to us is Ferdinand Magellan.
He left from San Lucar de Barrameda in 1519, 500 years ago, which Spain
celebrated in 2019. We will celebrate the 500 years in 2021 as that is what it
took for Magellan to arrive in our dear Cebu.

In 1565, after Andres De Urdaneta discovered the return route to Mexico
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manila_galleon], (tornaviaje) the Galleon Trade
began between China and Europe with Manila as the starting point on the Eastern
side, Mexico the connecting land point, and Europe the destination or origin as
you wish to look at it. In New Spain, the galleons were also known as the China
Ship (La Nao de la China).  They left Acapulco through the Marianas with a
quicker wind and return via a northern route towards Japan, across to
California, and back. Five hundred or so trips were made over a period of
roughly 250 years. This trade ended in 1815 when the Mexican War of Independence
broke out.

Brothers Ramon Aboitiz Yrastorza and Vidal Aboitz Yrastorza“Que dios bendiga los
que me hagan perder el tiempo.” – Ramon Aboitiz
“Si tu mujer te pide que saltes de una ventana baja, busca una ventana baja
porque vaz a saltar.” – Vidal Aboitiz
“Qualquier negocio menos casas de empeno, casas de muerte y casas de mujers
generosas (edited).” – Ramon Aboitiz
Chinese silk and porcelain were shipped to Europe and Spanish silver from Potosi
were shipped westward. The Spanish dollar called the piece of 8 (peso) because
it was worth eight reales. It was legal tender in the United States until the
19th Century and on which the US dollar was based. It was the first world
currency. The Chinese craved for it. Manila became the first Chinatown in the
world as a result of this trade.

When the Borbon Kings took over Spain, the trade moved from San Lucar de
Barrameda to Cadiz. From what we know, our great-great-grandfather (that of the
Morazas and Aboitizes) was born on a galleon in the early 1800s, and very
possibly, one of the last ones arriving in Manila.  One of our cousins came to
this conclusion from the research he did.

So the origin of our family in the Philippines is neither Aboitiz nor Moraza but
Yrastorza. Gregorio Yrastorza was our great-great-grandfather who was most
probably born on a galleon en route to Manila. The accuracy is not as material
as the fact that our bloodline has been here for over 200 years. The initial
capital for the Aboitiz enterprise was Yrastorza capital. Paulino Aboitiz
married the boss’ daughter, so to speak, and used that capital with his hard
work and entrepreneurial knowledge to start his enterprise. Basque captains have
traditionally been CEOs of their ships as they began ventures to find whale oil
and cod a very long time ago. This navigational skill and entrepreneurial talent
they learned over thousands of years navigating with the Inuits to the Americas.

Paulino Aboitiz & Emilia Yrastorza (left) and Guadalupe Yrastorza & Angel Moraza
(right)The Suez Canal opened in 1869 and that is how Paulino Aboitiz (Txanton)
crossed to the Philippines around 1870, which means Aboitiz blood has been here
for 150 years. His sons formed Aboitiz & Company in 1920 as a formal
corporation. That, however, is structure, not history. The history is of an
adventurous Basque called Yrastorza crossing on the galleon trade, another
adventurous Basque mariner marrying his daughter to start building a new life
and a business, five Aboitiz brothers building Aboitiz & Company, their children
(now cousins) entering a more modern, open, American age, their
great-grandchildren (now second cousins) making it through the industrial age
and now turning it over to the fifth generation of Aboitizes and Morazas doing
God only knows what with it in the information age. There have been trials,
tribulations, wars, recessions, and challenges along with the 200-year history —
as many as there will be over the next 200 years. We have been here longer than
the Philippine government. We have been contributing to the development of the
economy of our country for longer than almost anyone. 1929 must have been
particularly instructive when Aboitiz & Company almost went bankrupt under a
mountain of debt caused by betting the farm and losing before winning it all
back out of pure tenacity.

“Nostros los vascos no somos duros de cabeza; es que siempre tenemos la razon.”
– Augusto Aboitiz Baroja
What did they all have in common? Trust, education, pragmatism, meritocracy,
lots of hard work (996), and they were Basque? And maybe a little accumulated
wisdom along the way. Basque people are clannish, we stay together, we are
loyal, we support each other, we work and play hard, we are Catholic, and we
have been traders and entrepreneurs since we ventured towards the St. Lawrence
river in the Americas in search of whale oil and bacalao thousands of years ago
and way, way before Cristoforo Colombo and Amerigo Vespucci. We are among the
oldest navigators in history.

Maitena Uriarte AboitizCarolina Aboitiz Moraza and Maitena Uriarte Aboitiz, who
turned 100 in 2018. Both, like all Aboitizes and Morazas, are also Yrastorzas.
How did we sustain and thrive? What mattered? I summarize it as follows:
 1. Every generation took into account the interests of the next generation. We
    invested in the future and did not take it all.
 2. Institutions mattered to us — Family, Meritocracy, Hard Work, and Fun.
 3. We adapted to change just when we had to. Were we drivers of change? Maybe a
    little bit but, more pragmatically, our timing for change has always been
    relatively well chosen. Perhaps it is our pragmatism that managed that
    lever.




For the future, there is there, at the core, a need to re-invent the wheel or a
need to oil the axles. This is the challenge: outside forces are pressing us to
re-invent. Our pragmatism is being tested by the information age, social media,
and access to so much of the world so quickly. We have and we will adapt to the
two changes to our ROP (Republic of the Philippines)world.

Let me bounce off you these thoughts and this theory.

Our socio, economic, and political worlds are changing in these two ways, I
argue.
 1. ROP is a culture that is Latin and Catholic. We lack a sense of urgency and
    we lack a sense of accountability. As such, we are a choo-choo train. We
    keep going forward but at a slow pace. This is changing. That choo-choo
    train is speeding up.
 2.  Because of our geography and because we were the only westernized culture
    in Asia, we were isolated and insulated. Those walls are coming down.




Our enterprise, the Aboitiz family and firm, will have to face faster change,
more competition, and unintended consequences coming in multiples. Our
organization and our thinking have to adapt early to what we do not see are
coming by being alert and watchful.

Hence,  Attention & Engagement 24 x 60 x 60 : 996!

996 is Jack Ma's creation, which I have adopted, to symbolize the work ethic
required — working 9 am to 9 pm six days a week. Now it is a figure of speech as
much as it is literal. It does not mean you should take care of your personal
life and be at your desk 100 hours a week. I am sure you get his meaning.

From left: Vidal, Danel, Endika, and Enrique Aboitiz in 1981.So now, 200 or so
years later, slowly we start to pass our enterprise and its leadership to the
next generation of Yrastorza Aboitiz Morazas so they can prepare to pass it on
to their children entering the 22nd century.



– Enrique Aboitiz Mendieta Moraza Alvarez Yrastorza Lezama Yrastorza Salafranca

Notes by EMA: The Silkworm And Its Unintended Consequences (Special Aboitiz 100 Feature)

by Franz dela Fuente
[https://aboitiz.workplace.com/profile.php?id=100026684951792]

Following an initial wave of relief efforts, several Manila-based Aboitiz team
members traveled to Calaca, Batangas last January 25 to turn over more relief
packages to residents affected by the Taal volcano eruption. Over 5,200
residents in 14 evacuation centers received relief packages, as well as art
materials and toys.

"Seeing the Team Leaders and Team Members mobilized from the giving of
donations, packing, to the actual day of relief operations made me feel
extremely proud to be part of an organization that delivers on its promise. The
experience challenged me all the more to embody the Aboitiz Way, as well as to
go beyond myself and play a more active role in rebuilding the communities
around me." - Michelle Guerrero, AEV"Though undecided to volunteer at first, I
still joined because I want to dedicate my time to a cause that I feel
passionate about. Seeing the children in the evacuation center awakened my
desire to continue serving and helping those in need. I am grateful that in
simple ways, I was able to give joy and shared my talent, time, and treasure to
the evacuees. After volunteering, I felt that more than the people I helped, I
benefited on many different levels- mentally, spiritually, and emotionally.
Thank you to #OneAboitiz for organizing this activity." - Jennifer Pevidal, SN
Aboitiz Power> It took the simplest of gestures to make a difference. I am beyond
grateful that I was able to join the Aboitiz Foundation's initiative to help our 
kababayans in Batangas. The bayanihan spirit is truly alive and well.

– Crisia Llante (AEV Learning & Development) who joined the relief packing
activity at Caf8
“Our assistance to Batangas in the wake of the Taal Volcano eruption continues
with our turnover of relief packages in Calaca, Batangas. We hope that with the
presence of our team members, we were able to bring a bit of hope and cheer to
our Batangueño brothers and sisters,” said Maribeth L. Marasigan, Aboitiz
Foundation President and Chief Operating Officer.

Earlier, the Aboitiz Group's business units have conducted Taal relief efforts
covering a wide area. Read more on it here
[https://aboitizeyes.aboitiz.com/post/aboitiz-group-mobilizes-efforts-for-taal-eruption-evacuees]
.

A-People Reach Out To Taal Evacuees in Calaca

In line with its commitment to good corporate governance and sustainability
practices, the Aboitiz Group, through its holding company Aboitiz Equity
Ventures (AEV), is the first Philippine company to support the International
Task Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).

AEV is the first Philippine company that is registered as a supporter on the
TCFD website and joins over 930 TCFD international supporter organizations (as
of December 2019) whose total market capitalizations top $11 trillion globally.

> AEV, being the first Philippine company to express support for the Task Force on
Climate Financial Disclosure, is committed to strengthening its sustainability
track and enhancing its ESG integration practices. As part of the Aboitiz
Group's brand promise of advancing business and communities, our long-term
strategies include a defined governance structure on addressing climate-related
risks and improving our disclosures to provide clear and reliable information to
our stakeholders. - Manuel R. Lozano, Chief Financial Officer, AEV 
The TCFD develops voluntary and consistent climate-related financial risk
disclosures for use by companies in providing information to investors, lenders,
insurers, and other stakeholders.

It considers the physical, liability, and transition risks associated with
climate change and what constitutes effective financial disclosures across
industries.

The work and recommendations of the TCFD help companies understand what
financial markets want from disclosures in order to measure and respond to
climate change risks, and encourage firms to align their disclosures with
investors’ needs.

Companies that express support for TCFD recommendations “join a cohort of
leading companies that take action against climate change and are thoughtful to
consider how climate change will impact their businesses,” according to the
TCFD.

“Increasing transparency makes markets more efficient, and economies more stable
and resilient,” Michael R. Bloomberg, TCFD Chairman, said on the task force’s
website.

The Aboitiz Group is continuously strengthening its ESG reporting and
communication. Aboitiz published its first sustainability report in 2009, and
its first integrated report in 2016. The Aboitiz Integrated Report has been
Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)-certified for three years in a row, providing
assurance to our stakeholders of timely, accurate, reliable and complete
information, based on the GRI framework.

Since 2017, AboitizPower has been included as constituent of the Financial Times
FTSE4Good Index, an index series designed to measure the performance of
companies demonstrating strong ESG practices.

On the heels of consecutive recognition from local and international
organizations, UnionBank has been cited for its excellence in the area of
customer experience at the 40th Agora Awards presented by the Philippine
Marketing Association.

UnionBank Chief Customer Experience Officer Ana Aboitiz-Delgado took home the
Agora for Outstanding Achievement in Marketing Management in recognition of her
innovation and ingenuity in marketing, which vastly contributed to the company’s
growth.

UnionBank believes that customer engagement is a major driver of the company’s
growth and stability. As such, it is committed to constantly seek ways to
innovate and improve its products and services to ensure that it offers the best
customer experience to all via technology.

In her acceptance speech, Delgado emphasized that it takes an entire
organization working as one to deliver great customer experience. 

> I share this recognition with my fellow UnionBankers. We are proud and humbled
by the story we are writing.
> – Ana Aboitiz-Delgado, Chief Customer Experience Officer, UnionBank
UnionBank Chief Customer Experience Officer Ana Aboitiz-Delgado and UnionBank
President & CEO Edwin R. BautistaLast year, UnionBank was among Asia's leading
companies honored at the 2019 Frost & Sullivan Asia-Pacific Best Practices
Awards presented by world-renowned research and consulting firm Frost &
Sullivan.

The firm's research results showed that UnionBank was “voted with the highest
ratings by customers across multiple dimensions,” exhibiting a “phenomenal
performance and a very rare outcome in a competitive market such as retail
banking.”

It commended UnionBank for performing well beyond the trail of innovation,
completely transforming its banking capabilities to enhance customer experience.

Banking and Financial Services

UnionBank's Ana Aboitiz-Delgado Wins Agora Award For Customer Experience

By Mayren Cogtas

“The experience is incomparable to any program and it will stay with me forever
for which I’m grateful,” said Rudolf Tan after his three-day experience at the
Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI) Kool Adventure Camp in Balamban, Cebu. He
was among 85 school heads from DepEd Regions 1, 5, and 12 who, in 2019, took
part in Project Synergy, CitySavings's signature corporate social responsibility
program, which integrates values and leadership capabilities through
adventure-based learning.

ADVENTURE-BASED LEARNING. A group of educators from DepEd Region 5 took
CitySavings's Project Synergy adventure-based course implemented in partnership
with RAFI Kool Adventure Camp.In this program, participants were immersed in
various activities that challenged them to conquer their fears, develop inner
strength, build confidence and trust, and foster a stronger and more unified
team among themselves.

Marlon Martinez, Principal of Central National High School in San Jose, Mindoro
Occidental considers Project Synergy as "the best experience to make leaders".
“It shaped me to be the individual I always dreamed to be. I now have full
confidence to face my fears and to become a greater version of myself.”

When asked about the objectives of Project Synergy, RAFI Kool Adventure Camp
facilitator Leo Urpiana shared: “Our goal is to transform educators into
proactive leaders and catalyst of change by equipping them with the 3Cs –
character, competence, citizenship.”

Since 2014, Project Synergy has served to empower over 1,200 DepEd teaching and
non-teaching personnel nationwide. This program is a collaboration between
CitySavings and RAFI Kool Adventure Camp to advance business and communities.

Project Synergy Continues To Develop Educators Into Leaders

Jen Pascua [https://aboitiz.workplace.com/profile.php?id=100026542489091], 
Franz
De La Fuente [https://aboitiz.workplace.com/profile.php?id=100026684951792], and 
Amy Chua [https://aboitiz.workplace.com/profile.php?id=100024742804071]

Public schools from Regions 11 (Davao) and 12 (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan
Kudarat, Sarangani, and General Santos) bagged the most number of wins at the
recently-held 'Kabataan Inyovator' robotics competition.

A project of Aboitiz Foundation and Davao Light, and in partnership with Pinoy
Robot Games, Ateneo De Davao University, and DepEd Davao City, the competition
aims to introduce innovation and robotics in solving community problems. It also
served as launchpad for the Aboitiz Group’s efforts on the STEM (Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) track.

Davao City's Philippine Science High School- Southern Mindanao Campus
(representing Region 11) and Sultan Kudarat's Esperanza National High School and
Laguilayan National High School (both representing Region 12) each received four
medals (a mix of gold, silver, and bronze) and robotics kits, which will allow
students to code and program their robots — using a laptop or a smartphone — to
perform specific functions.

Innovative Tech Competition
Last December, 278 elementary, high school, and college students from 50 Visayas
and Mindanao schools competed at Kabataan Inyovator at the Ateneo De Davao
University.

The event brought to life innovative ideas in solving community problems through
technology and invention and gave the students the venue to showcase their
robot-building skills. Students from 20 Davao Light beneficiary public schools
in Davao City also joined a two-day robotics training program ahead of the
competition to help prepare them for the event.

Robot games categories included Line Tracing, Sumobot, Mystery Robot, Mission
Harvest, Robot Rugby, Underwater Robotics, and Innovative. 

In his address to the participants, Davao Light President Rodger S. Velasco
emphasized the value of learning robotics at an early age: 

> Continuous improvements in technology and new innovations make the world move
faster. We need to keep up. It is best to learn robotics while you are still
young and learning the skill will help you improve other aspects of your
development such as critical thinking, logical and analytical reasoning,
creativity and strategic problem-solving, which are very helpful to become
competitive in the future's workforce.

– Rodger S. Velasco, President, Davao Light
The competition was also graced by Diosdado Angelo Mahipus Jr., City Councilor
of Davao City who expressed that the Kabataan Inyovator project plays a
transformative role in the minds of the young science enthusiasts.

“We hope that this competition will lay the foundation for you to develop
meaningful skills that will serve as your weapons in this knowledge-based
economy,” said Mahipus.

Present also in the event were Abram Abanil, Director of the Information and
Communication Technology Services of Department of Education, Jerry Eliab,
Executive Vice President of Ateneo De Davao University, Fr. Charlie Cenzon,
School Administrator of Ateneo De Davao University, and Melvin Matulac, Founder
of Pinoy Robot Games. 

Aboitiz Support For SSES
In line with the government’s recognition of science and technology as essential
for nationalism, development, invention, innovation, and their utilization, 
Kabataan Inyovator represents the Aboitiz Group’s next level of support
following its earlier Special Science Elementary Schools (SSES) initiatives.

Kabataan Inyovator traces its roots back to AboitizPower geothermal unit AP
Renewables, Inc.’s Youth Leaders Summit themed “Powering Kabataan Inyovators” in
2018. AboitizPower introduced this brand name which aims to encourage innovation
and gives ownership to the summit participants, a.k.a. “Inyovators”, who will
develop innovative solutions and process improvements.

Aside from promoting the Aboitiz core values of innovation and teamwork, 
Kabataan Inyovator aims to provide supplemental support to the beneficiaries of
the Special Science Elementary Schools (SSES) through practical applications in
the robotics competition and increase STEM brand and corporate social
responsibility awareness by allowing youth to apply learnings through invention.

The Aboitiz Group has been a long-time supporter of SSES development. Through
the Aboitiz Foundation’s Education Program, the Group has constructed SSES
classrooms, trained teachers, and donated SSES equipment.

Davao and SOCCSKARGEN Schools Top Aboitiz Robotics Finals

Jill Ison

Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc. (InfraCapital), Aboitiz Construction, Inc. (ACI), and
JGC Corporation have signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to
pursue various infrastructure development projects in the Philippines.

Cosette V. Canilao, Aboitiz InfraCapital President & CEO, ACI President & CEO
Alberto A. Ignacio, Jr., and JGC Corporation Board Member & President of the
Infrastructure Project Company Terumitsu Hayashi led the signing of the MOU last
February 5, kicking off their collective efforts to help boost the country’s
infrastructure. 

Also in attendance were Antonio G. Cabrera, President of JGC Philippines, Anna
Victoria Lu, InfraCapital VP Business Development & Deputy Infra Group Lead,
Ryosuke Kashima, JGC Corporation Senior General Manager of Sales & Planning
Department, and Felma R. Yap, ACI FVP Business Development & Estimating.

From left: Member of the Board & President of the Infrastructure Project Company
of JGC Corporation Terumitsu Hayashi, Aboitiz InfraCapital President and CEO
Cosette V. Canilao, and Aboitiz Construction President and CEO, Albert A.
Ignacio during the MOU signing last February 5.Under the MOU, bothe ACI and JGC
will both support InfraCapital in its plans to pursue business opportunities and
the development of potential infrastructure projects. The three firms will work
together, combine their skills, competencies, resources, and expertise to
ultimately secure contracts for infrastructural projects execution. 

> We at the JGC Group are looking forward to partnering with the Aboitiz Group on
these potential developments and believe we are going to make a good team. We
will do our best for the Aboitiz Group.

– Terumitsu Hayashi, Member of the Board & President, JGC Corporation
Infrastructure Project Company
ACI has been a major subcontractor of JGC for almost 17 years building an
impressive track record together. Having JGC in this tripartite agreement could
immensely provide leverage for potential infrastructure projects. As for
InfraCapital and ACI, both plan to build together a solid portfolio of
infrastructure projects to uphold Aboitiz Group President & CEO Sabin Aboitiz’s
direction of One Aboitiz where all business units work and achieve together. 

Aboitiz InfraCapital is the Aboitiz Group’s fifth business leg that undertakes
all infrastructure and infrastructure-related investments, while Aboitiz
Construction is one of the country’s most trusted and respected engineering,
design, and construction companies. JGC Corporation is a global EPC
(Engineering, Procurement, Construction) company for various plants and
facilities in infrastructure fields such as energy, industrial and social; and
oil & gas fields, which covers oil and gas production, separation and
integration, petroleum refining, gas processing, LNG, petrochemicals and gas
chemicals.

Construction

Aboitiz InfraCapital, Aboitiz Construction, and JGC Corp Set Sights On Infra Dev't

By Rache Tolentino

UnionBank celebrated its 38th anniversary that was dubbed ‘Pedal to the Metal’
and highlighted by a refreshed and refuelled drive to boost employee morale by
kicking off 2020 with an awesome party.
The event opened by celebrating the milestones through the annual Service Awards
with some 400 UnionBankers recognized for their loyalty and service to the
company. Recipients included Dinesh Sahijwani, Bancassurance Sales Head, who
shared an inspiring message on his UnionBank journey and Teodolfo Simbre, the
sole 35-year Service Awardee who joined the Bank during its early years.

A pumped up audience of UnionBankers celebrate their milestones.The Onsite
Payroll Card Releasing project team receives the Integrity AwardThe Project i2i
team is recognized in the Innovation - Breakthrough categoryThe 2019 Heroes and
Champions, the highest form of recognition at UnionBank, were also awarded key
teams who went with maximum speed in delivering the best products, services, and
programs. Some of these notable teams and projects were Watchtower, Singapore
Fintech Festival, Digital RM (Polaris), and Digital RM (MAX) for the President’s
Award, while Financial Supply Chain, Digital Account Opening, The Portal, and
i2i for the Chairman’s Award.

Pedal to the Metal also celebrated Aboitiz & Company's 100th anniversary by
presenting the Aboitiz Team Awards, which recognized noteworthy and remarkable
projects that uphold the Group's inspired purpose and brand promise — “to drive
change for a better world by advancing business and communities.” Onsite Payroll
Card Releasing for JP Morgan Chase & Co., Agile Transformation Team, and Project
i2i initiatives received the Integrity, Teamwork, and Innovation awards,
respectively.

As an added treat, UnionBankers demonstrated how multi-faceted performers they
also are with performances from UBP Dance Crew, The Ark Ambassadors, Retail
Banking Center, and Bandwidth.

After nearly four decades in the banking industry, UnionBank has established
itself as a pioneer for many firsts in digital banking in the Philippines. Since
embarking on its digital transformation in 2016, it has emerged as a leader in
embracing digitization in the organization, for which it has gained numerous
local and international awards and recognition. Once referred to as ‘banking’s
best-kept secret’,  it is set to go full-throttle by putting the pedal to the
metal in 2020 and beyond.

UnionBank President & CEO Edwin R. Bautista is a staunch advocate of digital
banking and its benefits towards financial inclusivity.UnionBankers are all set
to put the pedal to the metal

UnionBankers Go Full Throttle On Its 38th

Amy Chua

What started as an idea to engage more people and promote the Aboitiz Group's
corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects, KINDer by Aboitiz (KINDer) has
evolved as a website powerful enough to enable more nonprofits to implement
their advocacies and community projects.

A little over a year after its launch in September 2018 at the Aboitiz Advancing
Business and Communities (ABC) Summit, which coincided with Aboitiz Foundation’s
30th anniversary, KINDer has changed the way Aboitiz team members live their
ABCs by giving them an accessible opportunity to financially support an advocacy
close to their hearts. It also made the Aboitiz Group’s volunteering activities
more versatile, giving options for people to give back with just a few clicks.

Aboitiz Foundation, in partnership with the Smile Train Philippines Foundation
and Binibining Pilipinas 2019 beauty queens, celebrated the World Smile Day and
made plushies with the Smile Train kids.From an initial eight donation campaigns
on the website, it has grown to support 20 campaigns, helping them tap more
donors and ambassadors. To date, KINDer has gathered the collective generosity
of 968 donors since going live. These donors receive monthly updates on
campaigns through a letter from "Ana of Aboitiz Foundation" to let them know
where their contributions go.

Thirty Davao City students signed up for the first-ever Aboitiz PawiCAMP, a day
camp dedicated to the protection and preservation of sea turtles or pawikan in
the area. Seen here are the student-campers showcasing drawings of activities
that they can do to help save the endangered pawikan.Through KINDer and the rest
of the community projects overseen by Aboitiz Foundation, the Aboitiz Group
stays committed to provide help where it is needed.

Aboitiz Foundation

[INFOGRAPHIC] Advocating Everyday Kindness

PRESS RELEASE
Western Union, a leader in cross-border, cross-currency money movement and
payments, has strengthened its 21-year relationship with PETNET, known for its
retail network PERA HUB. PERA HUB is a leading cash transaction center with a
nationwide retail footprint that offers a one-stop place to access a suite of
convenient financial services.

Western Union and PETNET have been working together, offering customers in the
country a mix of end to end retail service via a strategically placed network of
locations as well as through digital via the PERA HUB mobile app, connecting
customers to their loved ones in over 200 countries and territories.

“At Western Union we are committed to moving money for better, providing fast,
reliable and convenient cross-border money transfers to meet increasing demand
from global consumers. As our company continues to grow, it is extremely
important that we preserve the strong relationships we have with our existing
Agents throughout the world. We are very proud of our association with PETNET
and remain committed to driving seamless services together for customers,” said
Jeffrey Navarro, Western Union Regional Director for, Philippines, Malaysia,
Brunei and Indochina.

Jeffrey Navarro, Regional Director, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indochina,
Western Union and Adrian T. Ocampo, President & CEO, PETNET.> “We are pleased to
continue our successful relationship with Western Union. PETNET is deeply
integrated with the community, and by providing Western Union services, we
continue to offer our customers reliable, high-quality and added value services.
Our long-term relationship is testimony to the value we bring to customers. This
collaboration is aligned with the Aboitiz Group’s purpose of advancing business
and communities,” said PETNET President and CEO Adrian T. Ocampo.
PETNET also offers Western Union Business Solutions to corporate clientele
enabling them to offer convenient and reliable ways to process cross-border
business payments with access to over 130+ currencies.

PETNET is majority owned by City Savings Bank, Inc. and Union Properties, Inc.,
both wholly owned subsidiaries of Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank), the
financial services strategic business unit of publicly listed company Aboitiz
Equity Ventures Inc.

The Philippines ranked as the worlds’ fourth-largest remittance receiving
country in 2018, according to the World Bank. Western Union serves customers
from a large network of Agent locations facilitating convenience for customers
in the Philippines.

Western Union and PETNET Extend Fruitful Collaboration

Victoria Altiche

In partnership with the Roxas City Government and Sagana Agricultural Supply,
Pilmico Foods Corporation handed 1.3 million bangus fry to the typhoon-afflicted
fishing community of Roxas City, Capiz.

Roxas City, which has been dubbed as the country's “seafood capital” because of
its abundant fish and seafood production, was among the areas that took in much
damage from Typhoon Ursula last December 2019.


Pilmico's Aqua team led the creation of a program aptly named 'Bangon Capiznon'
that was aimed at providing fish farmers in Capiz the necessary seed stocks and
technical support to revive their aquaculture production. Through this, Pilmico
provided 635,000 fish fry on January 28 and another 665,000 on February 2 to a
total of 34 beneficiaries. 

> "Pilmico is here to assure our fish farmers that, together, we can recover and
revive the aquaculture industry here in Capiz," says Richard Rafio, Pilmico
category manager for aqua.

Roxas City Councilor and Presiding Officer for Agriculture and Fisheries Moreno
Gonzaga expressed his thanks and lauded Pilmico for its initiative in helping
the affected fish farmers, being the first feed company to give direct support
to their aquaculture operators.

For the farmers engaged in cage operations, their fry allocation will be reared
in assigned nurseries and will be distributed to them once they grow to 3 to 5
inches, the suitable size for stocking in cages.

'Bangon Capiznon' is one of Pilmico’s numerous projects that aims to help
livestock farmers continuously grow and uplift their business - being true to
its brand promise of being your Partners for Growth.

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