Corporate Center

AEV Marks 25th Listing Anniversary At PSE

Infrastructure

Apo Agua Construction Update On Bulk Water Supply Project

Banking and Financial Service

UnionBank’s ‘Tech Up, Pilipinas’  resonates in Singapore expo

ABC Stories

Davao Pupils Learn Pawikan Conservation At First-Ever Aboitiz “PawiCAMP”

2019 Bankers’ Night

2019 Brigada Eskwela Cebu

Aboitiz Eyes

Enrique Aboitiz Mendieta
10 2019

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Again, I start, this is the way I look at life. Feel free to take it apart.
Teamwork is a word that is often used and, perhaps, not understood at depth. At
its most superficial levels, it is about getting along. That understanding is of
the concept is what those who end up last in a competition manifest in their
everyday behavior — pat people on the back and tell them how great they all are,
no matter what they have done.

The purpose of teamwork is to divide labor and then add labour back up together
again to enhance productivity. Think of it as a chain where the weakest link is
what defines the entire chain. To take on larger ships, each link of the chain
has to be stronger and as strong as the other lest we have the whole chain upon
the ocean floor and the vessel on the rocks.

Patting each other on the back is enforcement that adds to the emotional
stability of the team, but it is not the main activity that enhances teamwork.
Analysis and criticism is more valuable than cheering as it is where the real
value lies — in improvement.

“Pictures say a thousand words” is the old but all-true saying. We have one
conductor and 170 or so odd people in the team, each with a specific skill
uplifting the human spirit in times of so much volatility. All and each piece
must be the best at their trade and getting better to deliver Verdi’s Luisa
Miller to perfection; to make perfect music together.


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What builds this team? To start, an uncompromising conductor who will accept
nothing but the best for every piece of the ensemble. Each skill must be at the
top of the game. Then they must play in perfect sync. To do that, they must each
understand all communication and practice. If one is off, the rest will howl and
the audience will crucify.

The audience knows and the audience recognizes by the intensity and howling of
their clapping as they rise to occasions. It gives immediate feedback. The
orchestra revels in the clapping, but only for those short moments of
acknowledgment. It is in effect, feedback, after which they return to the
uncompromising quest for excellence.

The conductor never gets off the stage. He is there to conduct, coordinate, make
sure that each piece is the best possible and that no link will break. He turns
around to accept the praise of clapping but only for a few seconds. That is not
what he is there for. He is there to make music. He is there to please an
audience whose standards rise by the day in that virtuous circle of better and
better and better; uncompromisingly better.

In our culture, we tend to enter orgies of congratulations and use less energy
to help our chain links get stronger though the tool of robust critique and
analysis. The result is a weaker and shorter chain that anchors smaller boats.

Column

Notes by EMA: Teamwork

With the goal of extending its scope of services to its clientele, PETNET Forex
signed a partnership with First Circle, enabling its Forex Officers to refer
clients who need funds for temporary capital gaps and funding for new ventures.

First Circle is a fintech (financial technology) lender whose main focus is to
provide accessible financing to SMEs (small and medium enterprises), which drive
Philippine economic development. The company is an official finance partner of
the Department of Trade and Industry and a pioneer data provider to the Credit
Information Corporation as well as the first fintech company to be licensed by
the Securities and Exchange Commission.

First Circle believes in the potential of SMEs that will eventually drive the
nation’s development and improve the livelihood of millions of Filipino. This is
a core purpose that First Circle and PETNET share. With our strong alliance and
common values, I’m confident that we are one step ahead towards PETNET’s goal of
advancing business and communities.

– Ian T. Ocampo, President & CEO, PETNET

First Circle is a fintech (financial technology) lender whose main focus is to
provide accessible financing to SMEs (small and medium enterprises) which drive
Philippine economic development. First Circle is an official finance partner of
the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), a pioneer data provider to the
Credit Information Corporation (CIC), and the first FinTech company to be
licensed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

PETNET Forex is a bank-affiliated Forex solutions provider that offers buying
and selling of US Dollars with competitive rates and personalized service. With
PETNET Forex, all your transactions can be credited to your local bank in the
Philippines.

As the world’s first Western Union Business Solutions Agent, PETNET promotes the
company’s Accurate, Convenient, and Easy (ACE) ways of addressing cross-border
business payment needs of Filipinos across the country.

PETNET Forex Ties Up With First Circle In Bridging Business Financial gaps

The Aboitiz Dragon Boat Team (ADBT), an A-Club that prides itself in being
driven to excel and serve, once again made it to the semifinals of the recent
‘Dragons in Argao 5’ competition held at Maayo Stay in Argao, Cebu last
September 22. The team finished strong in the 200-meter mixed category with a
best time of 1:05:05 after competing against premiere and seasoned dragon boat
teams.

It was a remarkable achievement considering that it was the first race for some
of their paddlers. Here’s what the team had to share about winning attitude they
promote within their group.

Don’t get scared to try new things, regardless of how young or old you are. Age
should not be the number you’re counting, but the stuff that you tried as you
age. Explore a new hobby or try a different sport or anything that will motivate
you to lead, to serve, and to excel.

– Meyrick Grandeza (CitySavings), paddler

When I accepted the challenge of joining the club, I was nervous thinking that I
was too weak for the sport. This sport has taught me to be resilient — to be
courageous enough in pushing myself beyond my limits. It helped me boost my
confidence and made me believe that I can achieve more.

– Buts Butanas (AboitizPower), paddler

As a way to give back to the environment and waters where they train, ADBT took
part in the coastal clean-up drive last October 6 at the Cebu Yacht Club and on
the waters of the Mactan Channel. The activity was spearheaded by Cebu Pink
Paddlers Dragon Boat Team (CPPDBT) and Anytime Fitness Gym.

Cebu Pink Paddlers is the very first Breast Cancer Survivors Dragon Boat Team in
the Philippines. They are composed of breast cancer survivors and supporters who
paddle to spread awareness that early detection saves lives.

It’s a different level of satisfaction to be able to use our sport to help save
the environment in our own little way.

– Elle Kilantang (Ramon Aboitiz Foundation), ADBT paddler/drummer

After a day of living out the value of responsibility with the team, a total of
21 sacks of garbage were collected and properly disposed of from the coastal
clean-up drive.  Here in Aboitiz, it is encouraged that the employees explore,
have fun, and at the same time, live out the company values.

To know more about the ADBT, you may reach out to club president, Ken
Policarpio, at joaquin.policarpio@aboitiz.com

People & Culture

A-Clubs in Focus: Gaining Momentum With The Aboitiz Dragon Boat Team

UnionBank’s award-winning GoBeyond Communities program encourages UnionBankers
to promote our personal advocacies to gain greater support from fellow team
members. As someone who hails from the “art capital of the Philippines”, Angono,
Rizal, I have always wanted to promote our local painters at my workplace. This
led to the idea of organizing a fundraising art exhibit called A heART U Share
at the UnionBank Plaza.

Last August, with support from our key sponsors UnionBank HR CSR Manager Ilene
Geronimo and UnionBank HR Director Michelle Rubio, we mounted the A heART U
Share art exhibit (our third time) in partnership with the Angono Artists
Association (AAA) at UnionBank’s headquarters in Ortigas.

(From left) Kim Unidad, SOS Children’s Villages Corporate Relations officers
Ruth Angeli Pascua and Admore Alzate, UnionBank CSR Manager Ilene Geronimo, and
UnionBank General Services Officer John Leslie Andres(Middle) SOS Children’s
Villages Corporate Relations Assistant Ruth Angeli Pascua and Kim Unidad are
flanked by (from left) Angono artists Dennis De Vera, Felix Amoncio, AAA
President Frederick Sausa, and Jon Del Rio.Along with promoting and selling
their impressive paintings, the Angono artists also help others by donating a
portion of their sales to SOS Children’s Villages
[https://www.sosphilippines.org/]. The non-profit organization was chosen by AAA
for its good reputation and advocacy of helping abandoned children. Paintings
showcased at the exhibit evoked positive messages depicting childhood memories
and Filipino culture and traditions.

According to Mr. Frederick Sausa, AAA President, they are thankful that they
were given a chance to exhibit their artworks in UnionBank and at the same time
to help in the fundraising. This was the first time that they had an exhibit in
a bank as they usually have them in an art gallery or a mall.

The launch of the third A heART U Share exhibit was led by (from left) UnionBank
Commercial Banking Center Head Robert Abastillas, AAA President Frederick Sausa,
UnionBank HR Director Michelle Rubio, Kim Unidad, UnionBank President Edwin
Bautista, SOS Children’s Villages Corporate Relations representatives Admore
Alzatte and Ruth Angeli Pascua, and Angono artist Dennis De Vera.AAA President
Frederick Sausa talks about his painting “Talk HangDiptych” with UnionBank HR
Director Michelle Rubio (with UnionBank President Edwin Bautista in the
background).The artists, accompanied by representatives from SOS Children’s’
Villages, were able to meet a new audience, art lovers and collectors from the
banking industry including the special guests at the ribbon-cutting ceremony —
our President & CEO Edwin Bautista, Commercial Banking Center Head Roberto
Abastillas, and many more senior officers of the bank.

Art collections are a form of investment, especially if the artists are famous
or world renown and the value of their paintings are appraised. Think of the
likes of Angono’s own, National Artist for Visual Arts Carlos “Botong”
Francisco. Truthfully, the Philippine art scene is very competitive. But while
there are many artists who come from different places, there is one special
reason that perhaps explains why there is a lot of visual artist in my hometown.
Known as the Angono Petroglyphs
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angono_Petroglyphs], these rock carvings are the
oldest known works of art in the Philippines and are said to be from before 2000
B.C.

We hope this project continues, both for the love of art and helping the
community.


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Kim Unidad’s poems inspired by paintings exhibited at A HeART U Share
Shut Up! Keep Quiet!
(Inspired by the painting of the same title by Frederick Sausa)

When I was just a little girl,
I talk too much,
Because I want to say,
Everything inside my mind.

For me,
It is important,
That they know,
That I know.

That I am no longer,
A little girl,
I am a grown up,
Just like them.

That I am right,
I never tell a lie,
I saw what I saw,
And that is the truth.


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Ako Ang Hari
(Inspired by the painting ‘The Party’ by Manuel Unidad Chua)

Nasa akin na ang lahat ng bagay,
Ngunit wala pa ring saysay,
Kung ikaw ay wala sa aking buhay,
Mas nanaisin ko pang mamatay.

Kaya kong bilhin ang lahat ng nasa lupa,
Ngunit hindi pa rin ako masaya,
Dahil sa akin ikaw ay wala,
Hindi langit sa piling ng iba.

Ako ay makapangyarihan,
Sa akin ay maraming sunud sunuran,
Ngunit sa puso mo ako’y walang laban,
Alipin mo ako at tau tauhan.

Ano ang laban ng hari sa DIYOSa?
Lahat ng bagay ay bale wala,
Dahil lahat ng ito sa iyo nagmula,
Ako ang hari at ikaw ang aking reyna.


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Alaala ng Kahapon
(Inspired by the painting ‘Reminiscing the Past’ by Vic Gamido Jr., 25″
diameter, acrylic on canvas)

Sa aking paglalakbay,
Nasa harap ko ang kinabukasan,
Nasa likod ko ang nakaraan,
Halika sama ka.

Sa iyong pagsakay,
Sa aking sasakyan,
Sabay tayong maglalakbay,
Sa byahe ng buhay.

May mga diretso,
May mga paliko liko,
May mga kurbada,
May taas baba.

Ang sigurado ko lang sa iyo,
Ay makakarating tayo,
Kahit saan magtungo,
Sa huling tibok ng ating puso.


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Huwag Kang Susuko
(Inspired by the painting ‘After the Storm’ by Jan P. Blanco)

Ako ay anak ng mangingisda,
Araw araw ay sakay ng bangka,
Kasama ng aking ama,
Lumulusong sa dagat ng pag-asa.

Humihiling ng mga biyaya,
Sa makapangyarihang Bathala,
Na makahuli ng maraming isda,
Upang kahirapan ay mawala.

Hindi susuko sa pagsubok ng buhay,
Sa lakas ng agos ay hindi magpapatangay,
Lalaban hanggang sa mamatay,
Upang makamtan ang tagumpay.

Ang buhay ay parang pangingisda,
Kailangan ay sipag at tiyaga,
Dasal at pananalig sa Kanya,
Mabuting ani’y sa kanya magmumula.


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Sa totoo lang, hindi lahat ng mga pintor ng Angono ay maganda ang estado sa
buhay. Tanging talento lamang sa pagpipinta ang kanilang puhunan.

May isang member ng AAA na PWD ngunit ang kanyang kapansanan ay hindi naging
hadlang upang ipagpatuloy ang kanyang passion sa art.

Kaya maraming salamat sa mga tumangkilik ng proyektong ito. Sana balang araw ay
may sumunod pa.

– Kim Unidad, UnionBank Accounts Manager and art advocate

My GoBeyond Art-vocacy for Angono Artists

Cybersecurity attacks have been rapidly increasing and evolving around the
world, prompting international companies to heighten security measures to
safeguard information privacy and confidentiality.

In line with this, Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV) has partnered with BlueVoyant
International, a global analytics-driven cybersecurity firm to provide security
services through real-time monitoring and vulnerability detection, backed by
24/7 security operation centers located across the globe.

As part of our sustainability journey in 2019 and beyond, the Aboitiz Group aims
to work toward achieving an information security risk-aware culture to further
strengthen the prevention, detection and comprehensive response to growing
global cybersecurity threats.

– Sabin M. Aboitiz, Chief Operating Officer, AEV

We are excited to bring our world-class, corporate cyber defense capabilities to
businesses of all sizes in the Philippines, and we look forward to working with
AEV to enhance their cybersecurity posture. These partnerships play a pivotal
role in the launch of our operations in the country and around the world.

– Gad Goldstein, President, BlueVoyant International

The Aboitiz Group aims to achieve the optimal balance between retaining and
transferring risks. In 2018, AEV initiated the quantification of its cyber risks
in preparation for the creation of a risk transfer strategy. Policies and
guidelines for cloud storage and cybersecurity were instituted to protect the
organization’s information against unauthorized access; ensuring
confidentiality, integrity, availability, and privacy of information.

BlueVoyant is a global analytics-driven cybersecurity firm with a mission to
protect businesses and municipalities of all sizes against sophisticated
cyber-attacks by providing unparalleled visibility, insight, and responsiveness.
The company provides Managed Security Services, Professional Services, and
Threat Intelligence.

Aboitiz, BlueVoyant Partnership Aims To Tighten Cybersecurity

The Aboitiz Recognition Night, one of the most anticipated events in the Aboitiz
Group, pays homage to the dedicated service excellence, exceptional loyalty and
hard work, and the invaluable contributions our A-People have accomplished each
year. With this year’s theme of “Spectrum”, team members decked out in a band of
colors, representing the different backgrounds, roles, personalities, interests,
and points of view, yet finding meaning in the Group’s common purpose and our
unique culture, the Aboitiz Way.


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We anticipate that during the Team Awards, Service Awards, or during the special
performances, audience reaction can rival the energy of the crowd at a rock
concert. Indeed, it is inspiring to see the all-out enthusiasm when we cheer for
our teammates and I believe it captures how much we respect and value each
other’s contributions to our organization.

– Erramon I. Aboitiz, President & CEO, Aboitiz Equity Ventures


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THE ABOITIZ 2019 SERVICE AWARDEES
The service awardees, all of whom exude the Group’s core values in their work,
are a true testament that with the Aboitiz Way, they have withstood the test of
time. This year, the Group awarded 49 dedicated and hard-working A-People from
10 years to 35 years of service from Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. (AEV) and
AboitizPower (AP)

THE DON RAMON ABOITIZ AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
Another significant recognition to honor our exemplary team members and team
leaders is through the Don Ramon Aboitiz Award of Excellence (DRAAE). The DRAAE
award is the Group’s way of keeping alive the Aboitiz values by awarding this to
the individual who embodies the principles that Don Ramon Aboitiz, the Aboitiz
Group founder, strongly espoused. It is the highest and most distinguished award
an individual in the Aboitiz Group can receive.

Annacel A. Natividad, First Vice President – Chief Risk Officer of AEV,  was
given the distinct honor of being the sole receiver of this award for 2019.
Under her leadership, Annacel successfully developed and implemented a series of
Risk Management Systems and frameworks for the Group. She is also a leader for
AEV’s Quality Management Team. She is a very hard working and respected expert
in Risk Management, even spearheading the competency development for risk
practitioners in the Aboitiz Group, which is now a benchmark framework in the
risk industry across the region.

Peer and leader recognition is also closely connected to engagement. When we are
acknowledged for a job well done, it gives us a sense of accomplishment,
develops in us a stronger affinity to our roles, and raises our confidence
levels — all of which are paths to improving productivity and higher retention.
Across the Group, we have many A-People making a difference while pursuing our
ABCs, who win by thoughtfully responding to the needs of our stakeholders, and
go the extra mile to make sure we deliver on what we promised.

– EIA

Aside from the recognition of the service awardees and DRAAE, the event was made
even special as AEV and AP awarded the 2019 winners of the Aboitiz Way AEV Team
Awards and AP Team Awards. The refreshed Aboitiz Way Team Awards merely gives
more focus on our core values, which means categories are now grounded on
Innovation, Responsibility, Integrity, and Teamwork, which are also the base of
the awards’ categories and criteria. Here is an overview of each category:

INNOVATION (Improvement): This category gives recognition to projects that seek
continuous improvement, may it be in service, process, or product. Recognition
Night is our way of celebrating each other, to shine a spotlight on our fellow
team members, and honor each other’s achievements in a big way.

INNOVATION (Breakthrough): Projects that are bold and pioneering, projects that
are first of its kind for the Aboitiz Group. These initiatives are cutting edge,
trendsetting, and truly, speaks of innovation.

INTEGRITY: These are projects that managed to excel in delivering the Brand
Promise to our customers and untiring in terms of improving customer service to
exceed customer satisfaction. These efforts were also successful in bringing or
expanding our markets and customers.

TEAMWORK: This category champions projects that foster a collaborative
atmosphere within teams, inter-CSUs, or across the group. These are projects
that broke silos and made a significant impact to increase team member
engagement.

RESPONSIBILITY: category champions projects that were successful in balancing
the interest and involving our stakeholders to ensure that they have a fair
share of the value creation we are involved in. These projects also advocate
sustainability and care for our environment.

For AEV, a total of seven entries vied under various categories for this year.
The projects were carefully screened and were further filtered by the panel of
judges composed of AEV executives and leaders from various groups and
departments.

And the winners for the AEV Team Awards are…

INNOVATION (BREAKTHROUGH)
KINDer by Aboitiz by the Aboitiz Foundation, Inc., AEV Reputation Management
Department, and AEV TechGroup, won the hearts of our panelists as it is the
first crowdfunding platform of this kind for the Aboitiz Group that allows
everyone to help create a kinder world, one click at a time. As the Netflix for
advocacies, KINDer offers a simple and intuitive interface that empowers people
to support causes that speak to their hearts. It enables various Aboitiz
business units, nonprofits, and companies to reach more donors, connecting those
who need help with those who want to help. This platform is able to track who
the donors are, their giving behaviors, and the top causes they support is very
useful in re-engaging donors according to segmentations.

INTEGRITY
The project that undoubtedly won this category is The Aboitiz ABC Summit,
spearheaded by the AEV Reputation Management Department and Aboitiz Foundation,
Inc., combines the Aboitiz Group’s annual CSR Forum, Sustainability and
Reputation fora into a two-day landmark gathering of business, development, and
government representatives that features a comprehensive overview of how
sustainability and CSR are folded into corporate strategies, showing the link
between how the Group deliver its promise of Advancing Business and Communities
and our commitment to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals.

TEAMWORK
The AEV TechGroup bagged this category coming up with a project that is a
one-stop-shop for everything Aboitiz — inclusive, intuitive, and mobile-ready.
With the AGORA 2.0 powered by Workplace by Facebook, team members now have a
broader opportunity to collaborate internally and cross-functionally to increase
productivity while maintaining company security. This also strengthens the
sharing of best practices across business units and removing silos. Internal
groups and multi-company groups, live streams, calls and video calls, live
polls, and chatbots are just a few features of this new platform has to offer.
After only six short months, AGORA 2.0 achieved high engagement rates on
content, relevance and productivity and will only continue to accelerate in the
succeeding years.

RESPONSIBILITY
A clear winner for this category is KAWIYAGAN: Biyaya ng Pagbabago Livelihood
Program by the AEV Government Relations. This is the first and only concrete
Livelihood Program for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) inside the Marawi
Temporary Shelter Community. It was able to help the IDP of Marawi to establish
their own sustainable entrepreneurship through retailing of baked products done
from their own homes and sold within their community. To date, this is the first
tangible livelihood program in Sagonsongan Transitory Shelter. Each bakery kit
contains steel oven, bread racks, working table, display shelf, delivery
bicycle, baking tools and initial supply of Pilmico Halal flour.


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THE ABOITIZ WAY AP TEAM AWARDS
The same process follows, a rigorous screening in front of an esteemed panel of
judges in the Group, for The Aboitiz Way AP Team Awards, they only difference is
the added value of Service Excellence to their list of categories.

And the winners for the AP Team Awards are…

TEAMWORK
The Diversity and Inclusion Initiative by the AP Legal, AP Reputation
Management, AP Human Resources won this category as it aimed to highlight AP’s
culture statements on high performance and atmosphere. AP Legal, AP Reputation
Management, and AP Human Resources conducted a series of activities which
celebrate the diverse backgrounds of AP, spread awareness that the uniqueness of
each team member is a source of our success, and promote AP as an employer of
choice, with this project, they also hope to drum up employee engagement and
highlight teamwork.

RESPONSIBILITY
A winning project, Project BEAM (Building, Empowering, and Motivating the Youth
Project) by AP Energy Trading and Sales came up with this project as a response
to the call for each individual to be agents of impactful change through
education. CSR initiatives have been at the forefront of stakeholder and
community management for the AP Sales and Marketing team. Since its inception
more than 5 years ago, the teams have been committed to not only drive business
but also cultivate relationships with customers, the community and local
government stakeholders in a sustainable way.

A NIGHT OF BRILLIANCE
To add more color to the night, other activities were added such as game booths
(PacMan and BuzzWire) which helped the employees have fun. Special awards were
also given during the program such as Most Radiant Male, Most Radiant Female,
and Best Dressed Teams. In Cebu, a Pixel Perfect Photo Competition was held to
showcase the creativity of the A-People.

The program ended with a song number tribute for the service awardees, which
then commenced into a night of good music and everybody showing off their groovy
dance moves, because in The Aboitiz Recognition Night, the spotlight is on you.

Celebrating Recognition Night With A Kaleidoscope Of Achievements

According to LinkedIn, success is the status of having achieved and accomplished
an aim or objective. Beyond words, what does success truly mean? Is it the
amount of money in your bank account or the feeling of being able to provide? Is
it your position title or is it the number of people you inspire? Each one of us
can have our own meaning of success, but what is the secret behind finding
success through the eyes of happiness?

Here in Aboitiz, we believe that every story has its own version of success
which can be shared to inspire others. One of the strong believers of this is
our very own, Saved with Amazing  Grace (SWAG) Team, one of the pioneer A-Clubs.
In this world full of high standards, we find ways on how we can be happy and
content.

Last June 25, the SWAG Team, organized a simple forum at the Caf8 that talked
about success and how we can be successful in our own ways. Attendees were from
the different business units namely: Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc.,
AboitizPower, AboitizLand, SN Aboitiz Power, Therma Luzon, Inc., Aboitiz
InfraCapital, Inc., Aboitiz Foundation, Inc., and Pilmico Foods Corporation. Two
of the best leaders here in Aboitiz, Joseph Yu, President of SN Aboitiz Power
and Alex Coo, COO of APRI and Sacasun, joined the forum as guest speakers to
share their stories on what makes them successful.

Doing these things well – This means humbling ourselves to be His instruments
and then relying on God’s wisdom and strength to get things done. If I can say,
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith
(2 Tim 4:7), then I can say I have succeeded.

– Joseph Yu, President, SN Aboitiz Power

Personal success for me starts with understanding our purpose.  With clarity of
purpose, we should work with excellence….” Whatever you do, work at it with all
your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men” (Col 3:23).   Life’s ups and
downs will always be part of our journey… we need to have persistence and
perseverance and not lose the big picture (our life’s purpose). At the end of it
all, as long as we put God first, everything follows (Prov.3:6).

– Alex Coo, COO, AboitizPower Renewables, Inc. and Sacasun

Another highlight of the forum was the participation of motivational speaker
from Victory Christian Fellowship, Jeff Eliscupidez. For Jeff, the true meaning
of success is being genuinely happy in what you do and what you do for others.

To achieve genuine happiness, you must have the right formula which are
integrity of heart and skillful hands.

– Jeff Eliscupidez


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Jeff explained this through the story of King Solomon, a fabulously wealthy and
wise King of Israel who succeeded his father, King David. King Solomon, who had
skillful hands as a leader but did not have the integrity of heart to follow the
Lord’s words on his remaining days. He was rich and successful but he became
lonely when he abandoned the Lord.

In life, the true meaning of success is genuine happiness. We hope you find
genuine happiness here in Aboitiz through advancing business and communities.

SWAG is open to new family members! To join, you may reach out to Nelson Vivar
[https://aboitiz.workplace.com/profile.php?id=100026622079479] 
(nelson.vivar@aboitiz.com.)

SWAG Talks Success Through the Eyes of Happiness

AEV celebrated its 25th year on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), marking 25
years of advancing business and communities through its various BUs.

At the special ceremony held on November 22 at the PSE Tower in Bonifacio Global
City, AEV leaders joined PSE in ringing the opening bell to signal the start of
market trades for the day. They also received a commemorative plaque from the
PSE executives.

As businessmen, there is no doubt we seek profits and a return on our capital.
But as Filipinos, we are equally guided by a sense of purpose to find meaningful
ways of contributing to our communities across the country. This symbiotic
relationship of profit and contributing to society is our secret sauce to true
sustainability, allowing the Aboitiz Group to drive change for a better world by
advancing business and communities.

– Erramon I. Aboitiz, President and CEO, AEV

On November 16, 1994, AEV listed on the PSE following an Initial Public Offering
(IPO) that raised $184 million for future investments and growth.

As of the third quarter of 2019, AEV total assets have grown 66 times from 1994
to about PHP576 billion. Consolidated earnings before interest, taxes,
depreciation, and amortization grew about 90 times to PHP60 billion, while
consolidated net income grew 42 times to about PHP21 billion as of the last 12
months ending the third quarter this year.

Aside from its profitable ventures one of the things that the PSE as a regulator
appreciates about [the company] is its governance and sustainability programs.
In the last five years of the PSE Bell Awards, AEV [has been] a consistent
finalist. It also bagged the prestigious Bell Awards three times during the
five-year period…It is commendable that the company is proactive in ensuring
that its business not only benefits its shareholders and customers but the
bigger community as well.

– Jose Pardo, Chairman and Independent Director, Philippine Stock Exchange

Business Unit Growth
Since 1994, AEV’s BUs have expanded in line with the country’s growth
trajectory.

From being an emerging player, AboitizPower has built a robust and diversified
portfolio of generating assets with national reach, while from traditional
retail, UnionBank is now transforming itself into a digital bank.

From its beginnings in flour, Pilmico has grown to become an integrated food
company in Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, from its initial projects in Cebu,
AboitizLand is now an emerging real estate player nationally.

Meanwhile, the Aboitiz Group is now firmly in the infrastructure sector through
Aboitiz InfraCapital and Republic Cement.

UnionBank recently took home yet another international recognition as
Influential Brands 2019 Asia CEO Summit & Award Ceremony named it among the “Top
Employer Brands of the Year”. Based primarily on anonymous employee feedback,
the award hails companies who scored above international benchmarks in the areas
of employee engagement, company culture and relevant HR practices in the digital
age.

A total of 18 companies’ brands were recognized in the top employers category at
the summit’s seventh edition, which was held at the Chatrium Riverside Hotel
Some 300 prominent c-suite executives from over 100 leading companies across the
region including Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, China, Vietnam, and
the Philippines attended the event.

UnionBank is proud to be recognized as one of the top employers because of the
initiatives we have implemented to engage and develop our people holistically.
Our investments in people paved the way for UnionBank to deliver relevant
products and solutions to customers that make a difference in their lives.

– Michelle Rubio, Chief HR Officer, UnionBank

Jorge Rodriguez, Managing Director of Influential Brands® said, “It is our honor
to recognize Asia’s Top Employers as a true testament of their best-in-class HR
Practices and great culture making them the best employers to work for.
 Ultimately engaged employees translate to better customer service and brand
loyalty. My heartiest congratulations to all the 18 companies recognized by
their employees as choice employers.”

Awards

UnionBank Bags Another ‘Top Employers’ Award

Last October 22 to 23, Pilmico joined the second Sorsogon Bakery Fair, an event
that is part of the Kasanggayahan Festival, which celebrates local life in
Sorsogon since it officially became a separate province from Albay years ago.

The two-day fair was spearheaded by Duka General Merchandise, a loyal supplier
of Pilmico flour. Baking enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, home bakers, and even
students from around Sorsogon participated in learning sessions on the latest
innovations on baking technologies and techniques.

Pilmico shared its best practices, products, and services to the audience by
hosting a baking demo and giving away samples of our high-quality flour to the
bakers in attendance. Technical specialists were also present in Pilmico’s booth
so individuals can have a one-on-one consultation.

Pilmico prides itself on producing high-quality flour for 57 years. With its
quality product, Pilmico also puts a premium on its customers by providing
expert services and business solutions, as well; building and participating in
programs that ensure and secure the business success of every baker.

Food

Pilmico Joins Second Sorsogon Bakery Fair

For the past two decades, the Don Ramon Aboitiz Award of Excellence has
symbolized the timeless Aboitiz values and ideals by honoring the Aboitiz team
members who keep them alive. In its 21st year, the highest and most
distinguished recognition for an Aboitiz team member or team leader goes to
Annacel Natividad, AEV First Vice President & Chief Risk Officer.

The announcement was made by AEV Chief HR Officer Susan Valdez at the 2019
AEV-AP Recognition Night, and though the DRAAE screening process is kept under
wraps, it was not a complete surprise for all who have known Annacel throughout
her career in the Aboitiz Group.

As one who inspires others with her passion and dedication to continuously
deliver value to the organization, Annacel is widely regarded for her
commitment, integrity, and consistency to her word. She is described as
forthright, highly resilient and generous in sharing her knowledge and her
tenacity and drive to overcome challenges enables her and her team to create
meaningful impact. These qualities, and more, spell the reason why she has been
selected as the newest member of an elite group of individuals, the DRAAE
honorees.

Annacel was announced as the newest DRAAE awardee at the Aboitiz Recognition
Night 2019 Manila. She shared the milestone occasion on stage with Aboitiz Group
President & CEO Erramon Aboitiz, AEV Chief HR Officer Susan Valdez, daughters
Stefi and Dani, her husband Edwin, and AEV COO Sabin Aboitiz.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Being a risk manager requires one to have a good understanding of the business
unit, a strong awareness of the uncertainties, and a broad perspective on how to
deal with those uncertainties. As priorities remain in focus, risk management
oftentimes gets sidelined as demands on people’s time and resources get
constrained. Pursuing the risk agenda has never been easy, more so driving it
through different leaders and diverse businesses, as the Group CRO.

Beneath her smiles, Annacel is grit encapsulated. Through her passion,
persistence, perseverance, smartness, and personality, she has been able to
establish and drive a stronger risk management awareness and culture across the
Aboitiz Group.

Her integrity and loyalty to the Aboitiz organization and family values has been
her compass in staying the course in her 21 years journey with the Group.

As she transitions to a new role in 2020, Anne can take comfort that her legacy
will be safeguarded by what she has built: a strong core team of risk managers
and an institutionalized process.

– Butch Peralta, Chief Risk Officer, UnionBank


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

Over the years, Anne has demonstrated that she embodies the Aboitiz Way.

Her passion for better ways is always at the forefront of how she works and how
she inspires others to do the same. She is able to influence her team to do
their best and ensure that, in the process, improve their skills and abilities
both on technical knowledge and in dealing with others.

Raul (second from right) with Annacel and industry partners in Singapore
Integrity is something that is within her very core. Anne always reminds her
team to do their best in delivering their functions. She specifically teaches
her team by example. For instance, in each and every presentation Anne does, she
makes sure that she reviewed it over and over again. She practices what she
preaches.

Being a leader, Anne knows how to be a good team player. In every initiative
that the team has, aside from the directions she is giving, she makes sure that
she has a part in it. She owns up to her mistakes but makes sure that mitigation
or correction is implemented as well.

She exemplifies responsibility, objectivity, discipline, fairness and hardwork —
thus, inspires someone to follow her footsteps.

– Raul Imperial, AVP Risk Management, AEV


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

If there is someone who deserves to be given the DRAAE, yes, Anne must be one of
them.

I do not really have a picture in mind of the first time that I have met the
then Annacel Aban in 2000. Maybe we were just plainly introduced to each other
when I joined the corporate finance team of Aboitiz Transport where she was
already one of the highly reliable and trusted team leaders of the group.

Even back then, Anne has always been highly engaged, extremely driven, and
passionate in everything she does. She thrives on day-to-day work stress because
anything achieved and timely completed gives her a sense of fulfillment.

Her career with the Aboitiz Group has been quite a journey—from finance,
investor relations, ship passenger operations, supply chain, to insurance,
security, governance, compliance, and risk management. Anne would always look
forward to new work assignments that would challenge her to learn, to deliver,
and to get the job done—to fix inefficient processes, to reconcile accounting
books, to negotiate with insurers, and even to manage a passenger ship. She has
experienced being at the forefront of major crisis activities that she handled
with grace under pressure.

Anne is not perfect — she does not claim to be — but she makes sure she learns
from being imperfect. She acknowledges that people really do not learn anything
by doing everything right the first time.

Anne continues to be one of the key movers in the organization. She is a
leader-General that her team looks up to. She is a soldier-follower that
management relies upon. To be recognized as a DRAAE awardee is a testament to
the value that Anne has contributed and continues to contribute to the Aboitiz
group.

Amiga, we are proud of you!

– Marie Tanate, VP Group Internal Audit Head, AEV


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

You have been with the Aboitiz Group for 20+ years, what do you think sets the
company apart? What do you think makes you/A-People stay?
The reason why I have stayed for 21 years is that I was given opportunities to
make a difference and do my best in every function I was assigned to do. I was
not stuck in one function, I was allowed to “spread my wings” within the Aboitiz
Group. I was supported in my quest for continuous learning. There is a special
connection as far as my personal values are concerned with that of the company
and, because of this special connection, I know and I feel that I belong in this
organization.

Throughout all your leadership roles, what is one of the most important lessons
you’ve learned? Do you have any work philosophy you abide by that you can share?
In my 21 years in the Aboitiz Group, my learnings can be summarized in 4Ps — 
Perseverance, Patience, Passion, Prayer.

Perseverance takes you where you want to be – this is also about being
hardworking and diligent. Patience is a virtue. Passion – when you have passion
for work and life you are inspired to do your best, you are resilient, and you
can bounce back from every setback or challenge. Prayer – pray knowing that you
have done your best.

In fulfilling your everyday tasks, what is it that inspires you? What do you do
before starting a busy day?
What inspires me in fulfilling my everyday tasks is making a difference in
whatever role I play — mommy, wife, daughter, sister, friend, team member, and
team leader, and being part of a community. I pray before starting a busy day.
It’s not only about praying for my personal intentions but it’s about praying
for the people that I work with and the challenges that would come my way.
Knowing that I have done my best — God will do the rest.

What personal values do you have that aligns well with Aboitiz’s own core
values?
Integrity. For me, integrity is the be-all and end-all among the core values of
the Aboitiz Group. It means following my personal convictions that I learned
growing up and doing the right thing in all circumstances, even if no one is
watching you. Having integrity means you are true to yourself. It’s about taking
responsibility for my actions. I also believe that true integrity knows that 
everyone deserves respect.

What makes a good team? How would you describe the people in your team/s?
A good team is not only about working together. But having the trust, respect,
and care for each other. In my 21 years in Aboitiz, I learned that nothing beats
teamwork. The success of the teams that I belong to now and in the past, I
always owe it to each and every team member that has supported each other.

As Chief Risk Officer, Annacel leads the Risk Management, Enterprise Compliance,
Physical Assets Security, and AIMS (Aboitiz Integrated Mgmt System) teams.The
Risk Team now is very diverse, composed of different personalities, coming from
different disciplines — risk management, security, compliance — we have finance
and management professionals, lawyers, architects, accountants. Everyone is
unique but able to offer their own experiences and knowledge that others may not
possess but, in the end, are achieving one common goal. Each and every team
member knows that their hard work makes a difference. One common factor is
having that respect for each other. Even though we have loads of deliverables
and facing different challenges — we don’t forget to have fun together.

How do you make it clear to non-operations teams that they, too, are
instrumental in promoting our Group Purpose and Brand Promise (to drive change
for a better world by advancing business and communities)?
It’s about knowing our “why”, the reason for our existence as a team member
whether you are from operations or support group. Each of us will make a
difference to achieve our Group Purpose and Brand Promise. It should start from
living the company values and making sure that we walk the talk. It’s doing the
simple task with integrity that would lead you in achieving your purpose.

Share about a moment or time at work that you are very proud of.
Every time the team would accomplish our objectives and initiatives, or a team
member is promoted or gets certified globally.

One of my most memorable experiences in the Aboitiz Group was my 13-year stint
at ATS (Aboitiz Transport Systems)/SuperFerry. Aside from handling finance,
risk, and insurance requirements, I was also given a chance to handle operations
and facing customers and passengers. From this experience, I know and realized
that I can do more and can handle beyond what is expected of me most especially
during difficult situations. It was a character-building and life-changing
experience.

Annacel and Andy Torato (AEV AVP Physical Assets Security) exchange ideas during
a design thinking workshop for the team.Celebrating with the newly
PARIMA-certified members of her risk team.Annacel with former ATS VP for HR,
Corp Comm & QCG and now APRI VP Chief Corporate Services Officer Noemi Sebastian
and former ATS CEO and now AEV Chairman Endika Aboitiz.With the ATS finance team
leaders (from left) Jun Reyes (credit and collections manager), Edwin Natividad
(audit manager), and Amy Vanta (asst. vice president for credit and collection)
at the company’s 2001 finance conferenceHow do you overcome your biggest
challenge/s at work?
Overcoming my biggest challenges at work was not easy. I am thankful that I have
a good support system – my family, friends, and mentors who would always stand
by me and pointing out my areas for improvement. For every challenge that I
encounter I make sure that I learn from my mistakes and work on improving
myself.

Please describe the experience of being named a DRAAE awardee. What thoughts ran
through your mind?
At first, it was surreal. Then, after I got all the greetings – the thoughtful
and sincere messages especially coming from team members across the group
telling me that I inspired them and they feel like being awarded too – I feel
thankful and grateful. I never thought that simple acts of kindness and just
being true to myself would result in this. Now, for me its about paying forward
and sharing the best that I can to continue to make a difference wherever I am
in the organization.

For other Aboitiz team members who see you as inspiration, what advice can you
give them about living the Aboitiz core values in their respective roles?
Make the most of what you have, never settling for less than the life that you
are capable of living, believing that you will make a difference in whatever
role you play. It’s important that you don’t lose the core values that you
learned growing up.

Integrity And Purpose: Annacel Natividad, 2019 DRAAE Winner

Apo Agua Infrastructura, Inc. (Apo Agua) marked two milestones in September and
October this year as part of the construction phase for the Davao City Bulk
Water Supply Project (DCBWSP) of Davao City Water District (DCWD).

DESANDER – Excavations are now completed and concrete works have started.One
Million Safe Man-hours
Last September 25, J.V. Angeles Construction Corporation (JVACC), engineering,
procurement, and construction contractor for the bulk water supply project,
clocked in 1,000,000 safe man-hours without any lost-time incident. This is a
significant event in the history of the project which now employs close to 500
laborers and skilled workers who are mostly from its host barangays Gumalang,
Wines, Tawantawan, Tambobong, and Tamugan.

WEIR – The river flow is diverted to a temporary channel (in photo) to allow for
the construction of the weir along the Tamugan River, the project’s water
source.Tamugan River Diversion
DCWD, Apo Agua, and JVACC conducted a river diversion activity last October 5 at
Brgy. Tawantawan. This diversion of the river water to a temporary channel is
necessary to allow for the construction of the weir which is located along
Tamugan River, the project’s water source. A weir is different from the
traditional dams as it allows the water to flow through without obstruction and
only diverts a portion of the water towards the project’s pipeline.

PENSTOCK – Penstock pipe-laying is ongoing and includes welding of pipe lengths
and leak testing.Pipe-Laying
Apo Agua is progressing with excavation and foundation works for its water
treatment plant in Brgy. Gumalang and is estimated to start with its treated
water pipe-laying works this month. “We will be working at multiple sites
spanning 15 barangays [beginning October] up to January 2021,” Ones Almario, Apo
Agua General Manager said. “This will be done in segments within the barangays
so that work will be efficient and to effect as little inconvenience as possible
on the part of the pedestrians and motorists,” he added.

During a project site tour last October 7, Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang said:
“The Apo Agua and Water District deserve to be assisted in terms of moral
support, in terms of understanding especially on some challenges on the road
right of way, and of course traffic.” The 60-kilometer treated water pipeline
will start from the water treatment facility in Brgy. Gumalang and end in DCWD’s
five existing water systems namely, Dumoy, Calinan, Tugbok, Panacan, and
Cabantian, as well as three additional new water systems at Talandang, Mandug,
and Indangan.

We are coordinating with the 15 barangay councils, City Engineer’s Office, City
Transport and Traffic Management Office, Department of Public Works and Highways
Davao Region, and the Public Safety and Security Command Center, to ensure that
traffic, security, and rescue protocols are in place.

We will also disseminate the pipe-laying schedule through our website and social
media accounts so that the Davaoeños can plan their route ahead. We ask our
fellow Davaoeños to bear with us through the inconveniences such as traffic,
which may ensue as a result of these pipe-laying activities in the second and
third districts of Davao City. All of these works are for the Davao City Bulk
Water Supply Project of DCWD which will benefit more than a million Davaoeños by
the first half of 2021.

– Ones Almario, General Manager, Apo Agua

Apo Agua’s pipe-laying schedule will be available on its website at 
www.apoagua.com [https://www.apoagua.com/] and on Facebook, Twitter and
Instagram accounts through @apoaguainfra.

We want! We can! We will! This was City Savings Bank’s (CitySavings) battle cry
that resonated during the 2019 Sales Rally at Radisson Blu Hotel, Cebu City last
August 4.  More than 300 team leaders from sales and operations, the management
team, and executives from UnionBank and other subsidiaries were united under the
theme: Synergy and Transformation.

The event served as a perfect mid-year activity to reboot the sales and
operations troops into the final half of 2019 and end the year on a high mark.

“It was the best way to pump up everyone’s energy. It was definitely an
inspiring way to motivate them to reach our goals,” shared CitySavings SVP –
Sales Head Cathy Cheung.

Participants spent a day learning and drawing inspiration from the bank’s top
honchos including keynote speaker former Gilas Pilipinas Coach Chot Reyes. Reyes
emphasized the value of collective team effort as he shared the national
basketball team’s journey back in 2013 to win the FIBA Asia Championship and
advance into the FIBA World Cup finals.

Change in Mindset
CitySavings Chief Operations Officer Dennis Matutina kicked off the sales rally
on a high note, as he warmly welcomed everyone and anchored his message on the
importance of change. “City Savings Bank needs to start a lot of changes. Change
in the mindset – in the way we think, the way we work, the way we do things, and
in the way we are organized. And when these are achieved, we will have bigger
aspirations, larger client base, and impact larger communities” he said.

CitySavings Chief Operations Officer Dennis MatutinaA Good Year
UnionBank President and CEO and CitySavings Chairman of the Board Edwin Bautista
commended the thrift bank’s good performance despite the several business
challenges recently, as he mentioned: “Yours is a turnaround story that I think
generations of UnionBankers and CitySavings Bankers will talk about in the years
to come”.

Bautista also highlighted the significance of adapting to changes and having a
higher purpose at work.

In this new age, we need to unlearn, we need to learn, and third we need to
relearn. Let’s do our best, not just for our families, not just for ourselves,
but for our customers which we’re committed to. That’s why having a higher
purpose is so important in sales.

UnionBank President and CEO and CitySavings Chairman of the Board Edwin Bautista
Building the Finest Mass Market Bank

CitySavings President and CEO Larry Ocampo expressed that he sees the bank as a
great organization, owing to its Aboitiz heritage and UnionBank parentage. But
more than anything, Ocampo said that the bank’s main asset is its people, whom
he described as amazing and who will champion CitySavings’ transformation from
being a fine savings bank into the finest mass market bank in the country.

CitySavings has a broad, stable, and strong foundation upon which we can grow
our existing lines more and expand into new segments. We have our values,
integrity, customer-centricity, malasakit para sa Bangko, and a stellar
reputation. We are market leaders.

CitySavings President and CEO Larry OcampoGone Google
As part of the bank’s digital transformation, CitySavings is the first
Philippine bank to have ‘Gone Google’ with the use of G-Suite, Google’s cloud
computing, productivity, and collaboration tools, software, and products.

We needed something that could keep up with us. Something that could work given
that most people are on the field and often remote areas of the country.
Something that is easy to use yet powerful. Something that could help us work
faster, smarter, and more collaboratively every day.

–Martin Reyes, FVP – Chief Technology and Process Officer, CitySavings (as he
formally launched G-Suite at the event)

CitySavings FVP – Chief Technology and Process Officer Martin ReyesAmazing
Organization
FVP – Marketing Director Paula Joson, for her segment, delivered a moving
presentation that showed the sales team’s challenges to reach the bank’s main
clients, the teachers. Some had to cross rivers, traverse muddy and slippery
trails, and even wade through floodwaters just to bring CitySavings closer to
its clients. Joson clearly showed that booking a loan is an adventure all on its
own.

Every time I join an organization, I try to look at the business and try to know
more about the products, services, culture, and I really thought that I found a
lot of good things.  And I thought, ‘Wow! This is really an amazing
organization!’

– Paula Joson, FVP Marketing Director, CitySavings

Joson also said that the marketing team continues to do its best to support
sales by coming up with innovations geared towards making the sales team’s lives
easier. With this she launched Polaris, an app that enables the sales team to
prioritize key areas for selling and collecting loans by having real-time access
to customer data; Loan Ranger for Motorcycle Loans, the latest quick, seamless
and paperless loan origination app; and Talk to Maria, the newest member of the
CitySavings sales team,  Maria answers product inquiries real-time, 24/7.

CitySavings FVP – Marketing Director Paula JosonKeynote speech
Coach Chot Reyes delivered a powerful keynote message. He centered his talk on
teamwork and shared that in every organization, there are leaders—the MVPs—but
behind every MVP’s success, are the hustlers, who don’t get to share the
limelight but who worked doubly hard to set the stage for the MVPs to shine.

He further said that the biggest hustlers never get to be celebrated, but as a
coach, he knows their contribution to the team.

“If I don’t point it out to you, you wouldn’t even have noticed them (the
hustler). Such is the nature of the hustle play. That is why it is our job, dear
leaders, to acknowledge and recognize and validate the value of our hustlers,”
he said.

The real MVPs, they make others around them better. Your job as members of Team
CitySavings is really to make the people around you better, the entire team,
better.

– Coach Chot Reyes

Good coaching, Reyes shared, is a science and an art. But what is more important
is the heart – “Puso!”, as what basketball pundits would say.

Keynote speaker Coach Chot ReyesSynergy and Coming Together
This is the year where CitySavings strengthens its Motorcycle Loans business
after the merger with PR Savings Bank. And what better way to introduce it to
everyone than EVP – Managing Director for Motorcycle Loans Admiral Felix Angue
(Ret.), arriving in style inside the ballroom in a big bike putting everyone on
their feet.

Admiral Angue and Cheung explained the relevance of the Synergy and Coming
Together activity using the eggs as a metaphor. Earlier in the day, the
participants were divided into teams and were given supplies, which they used to
create a vessel that will protect an egg that symbolizes their 2019 goals and
targets. The teams ensured that the eggs will not break even if these are
dropped from a high distance.

“The eggs symbolize our goals which we have to protect. Because they can get
broken and they can also be stolen. Just like in business, we have to secure our
successes and sustain it,” they shared.

CitySavings SVP – Sales Head Cathy CheungCitySavings EVP – Managing Director for
Motorcycle Loans Admiral Felix Angue (Ret.)Strength in numbers
Unionbank EVP – Chief Mass Market and Financial Inclusion Executive Chut
Santiago Jr. said that while every single person’s role in an organization is
critical, more can be accomplished if everyone works together.

“Alone we can do little, but together we can do so much. Sales is not just a
number, it is an outcome. It is a function of doing numerous things. We have
made strides but there is more to accomplish,” Santiago said.

UnionBank EVP – Chief Mass Market and Financial Inclusion Executive Chut
Santiago, Jr.The future begins with U
Ending his speech, Bautista reminded everyone of the bank’s goal: to build
CitySavings into a bank of enduring greatness.

“Our goal is not just to build CitySavings into a great bank, which it already
is. Our goal is to build CitySavings into a bank of enduring greatness. And I
urge you to move on to the future and taking off from UnionBank’s credo – “the
future begins with U”, and we will do this together because we want, we can, and
we will!” he highlighted.

Recognizing the best
The Sales Rally ended with the team awards, where the top performers of 2018
were recognized. SVP – Human Resources Head Hannah Contreras said that they have
continued a 20-year-old tradition of the bank of recognizing and celebrating
CitySavings Bankers, who worked together as a team and made significant
contributions to the bank and the communities it serves.

“Today, we say thank you to all of you who made 2018 a year to beat. The
challenge, hard work, determination, and achievements will all be recognized.
You have all been exceptional and you have performed beyond what is expected of
you” Contreras said.

Brand and Operational Excellence Award Winners

 * Risk Champion: Tacloban Branch
 * CSR Champion: Calbayog Branch
 * Brand Champion: Catarman Branch
 * Highest Audit Rating (Branch): Cabanatuan Branch
 * Highest Audit Rating (Support): Reputation and Brand Management Team
 * NPL Buster: Calapan Branch (Champion); Iriga Branch (1st Runner-up); La Union
   Branch (2nd Runner-up)
 * PDR Buster: Tanjay, Alaminos, Tacloban, Calbayog, and Catarman Branches
 * Portfolio Quality Management Award (Small Branch): Ormoc Branch
 * Portfolio Quality Management Award (Big Branch): Catarman Branch

Sales Excellence Award Winners

 * Top Motorcycle Loans Sales Performers: Sherwin Isip, Inocencio Caguiat, Jr.,
   and Francis Manuel Legria
 * Special Recognition: Jaime Calumaya Jr.
 * Top Sales Performers (PERAHUB): Ben Gabalonso (Iloilo Branch, Teachers’
   Salary Loans) and Veronica Casal (Davao Branch, Pensionado Loans)
 * Individual Top Performers for Teachers’ Salary Loans: Isaiah Thomas Lim
   (Bacoor Branch, Bronze), Lucio Arnel Ebin (Dasmarinas Branch, Silver), and
   Edmund Gabriel (Vigan Branch, Gold)
 * Highest Budget Buster Award: Calapan Branch
 * Branch of the Year: Lemery Branch (Champion); Tacloban Branch (1st
   Runner-up); Sorsogon Branch (2nd Runner-up)
 * Region of the Year: Southern Luzon (Region 4A and 4B)

CitySavings Embarks on a Synergy and Transformation Journey

UnionBank has introduced a new type of branch ambassador, 3-feet-tall robots
named “Eve”, which will be deployed to four ARK branches — UnionBank Plaza in
Pasig City, Insular Life Building in Makati City, 32nd Street in Bonifacio
Global City, and Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City.

The ‘Eve’ robots will function initially as greeters but they are programmed to
learn certain functions in bank branches. They will help hand-hold customers
through digital banking, guide them through the self-service machines and the
queueing system, as well as teach them how to register to UnionBank Online, the
bank’s online banking website and mobile app. They can also direct people to the
ARK ambassadors, answer questions about bank products, invite guests for coffee,
and even sing and dance to provide entertainment.

UnionBank collaborated with a foreign robotics tech company to create Eve, which
is seen to be instrumental in further enhancing customer experience and
operational efficiency.

A frontrunner in digital banking, UnionBank is committed to utilize technology
to augment banking experience and address common pain points in banking. Most
recently, it was awarded the 2019 Frost & Sullivan Asia-Pacific excellence in
customer experience for the Philippine banking industry.

Frost & Sullivan lauded UnionBank’s customer-driven strategy which continues to
propel the company to even greater heights. “The bank is performing well beyond
the trail of innovation, completely transforming its banking capabilities and
enhancing customer experience,” it said.

All About ‘Eve’: Robot Ambassadors Ready To Welcome Clients of The Ark

AboitizLand made waves at this year’s The Outlook Awards: Philippine Buyers’
Choice Property Awards by taking home the grand prize for Best House in VisMin.
The property developer was also nominated for the categories Best Developer in
Luzon, Best Developer in VisMin, and Best Premium House for Seafront Residences,
its beachside community in San Juan, Batangas.

Amoa bested five other developments in the Visayas and Mindanao for the Best
House award.  The 60-hectare property in Compostela, Cebu boasts of a masterplan
set on a rolling terrain offering views of the sea and the mountain, featuring
abundant amenities and more than ample wide, open spaces for its residents to
enjoy. The house designs are inspired by modern Filipino architecture, taking
cues from the iconic bahay na bato.

We are honored to receive such recognition after having expanded from our Cebu
base, and we look forward to more AboitizLand developments in key areas in Luzon
in the coming months.

– Rafael de Mesa, First Vice President, AboitizLand

The awards ceremony was held on November 14, 2019 at the Makati Shangri-La
Hotel. AboitizLand FVP Rafael de Mesa, President and CEO David Rafael, Assistant
Vice President of Sales Joey Zamora, and Assistant Vice President of Marketing
and Branding Farrah Nina Mayol were on hand to accept the honor.

The Outlook Awards recognizes leading industry projects and developers of the
Philippines as selected by an esteemed panel of judges. The winners are chosen
through a survey of 10,000 active property seekers.

AboitizLand Projects Recognized at The Outlook Awards

As it remains the lone Philippine banking institution to participate at the
annual Singapore Fintech Festival (SFF) held from November 11 to 15 at the
Singapore Expo, UnionBank has established a powerful presence on the global
fintech arena that attracted the attention of well-known dignitaries, the prime
minister of Singapore included.

Replicating its success from debut at the SFF last year, UnionBank — thrice
honored by Asiamoney as the Philippines’ Best Digital Bank since 2017 — bannered
its suite of emerging technologies, along with those of its fintech and thrift
subsidiaries UBX and CitySavings, consistent with its relentless drive to extend
more affordable and accessible financial services to all Filipinos here and
abroad.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, together with Monetary Authority of
Singapore (MAS) managing director Ravi Menon, dropped by the booth and expressed
genuine curiosity about the bank’s cutting-edge digital products and platforms
and how it benefits people. It should be noted that UnionBank has partnerships
with OCBC Bank Singapore to pioneer remittance services from the city-state to
the Philippines through blockchain-based platforms, and with MAS for its SME
marketplace Business Sans Borders (BSB) that is seen to empower local SMEs to
explore and expand internationally.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong chats with UnionBank Chairman Justo
Ortiz as he made a stop at the UnionBank exhibition – the first booth he visited
at the SFF. Looking on are UnionBank President and CEO Edwin Bautista, UBX
President and CEO John Januszczak, Platform Development head Ramon Duarte, Human
Resource head Michelle Rubio, Transaction Banking head John Cary Ong, and
Fintech Business Group head Arvie de Vera.UnionBank President and CEO Edwin
Bautista (ERB) and Chairman Justo Ortiz (JAO) explained how, through the bank’s
comprehensive strategy called “Tech Up, Pilipinas,” it is utilizing technology
to promote financial inclusion for sustainable prosperity, particularly of the
unbanked and the underserved, who compose around half of the Philippines’ 108
million population. Financial inclusion is a vital component for the realization
of the Philippines’ vision to become a G20 country by 2050.

Other dignitaries who visited the UnionBank booth were Philippine Ambassador to
Singapore Joseph Del Mar Yap and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas BSP Governor
Benjamin Diokno, who looked visibly proud of the Filipino ingenuity while being
given a tour around the booth by ERB. The Central Bank chief thanked UnionBank
for raising the Philippine flag at what is dubbed as the biggest fintech summit
gathering global innovation and business leaders. To this, ERB responded with an
assurance of UnionBank’s commitment to remain agile and a frontrunner in this
digital revolution.

Enrique Aboitiz Mendieta
(and enhanced by the 3 Wolves team)

These notes are of my own opinion and I do not today, nor ever before, claimed
or thought it to be absolutely right.  It cannot, by definition, be so.  It is a
perspective anxious for your thoughts for its enrichment and enhancement.

Today’s world is complex and complicated — the complex being challenging to
understand, and the complicated being of many moving parts. It is also changing
rapidly from all sectors and corners. Both the complexity and complicatedness of
the world need intelligence for it to be broken down into simpler forms to be
better understood — the former needing knowledge and the latter requiring
experience.


There is no one single risk anymore. The biggest threat facing any enterprise
today is the unintended consequences of many risks coming to fruition at the
same time (i.e. Murphy’s kids are all grown-up and they are all traveling with
Murphy). The good part is that the benefit of opportunity does not come alone
either so let’s turn it on its head and view opportunities before we talk about
risks, keeping in mind that they now come in pairs or in triplets.

How does one benefit from this environment? How does one prepare for this?

We argue that it starts with a team that is attentive and engaged all of the
time, hence, the 24 x 60 x 60. Change is happening at speeds way beyond the
speed limits we are familiar with. We owe it to you to paint the right picture
of the saliency of the speed of change, so we react faster than we ever did
before. It is a reflex we must develop should we even hope to accelerate with
the worthy Darwinian rest into the future.

996 is about work ethic. One has to work 12 hours a day, 6 days a week because
that is about as much as one can without burning out. Does this make Sunday a
day of rest? Not necessarily. Flexibility is crucial, so it is a figure of
speech.

Does this mean that one will work only from 9 am to 9 pm 6 days a week?  Of
course not.  We work to live, not live to work. One must make time for exercise,
family, hobbies, learning, and meaningful endeavors. Of course, there has to be
a balance. But a person having that “balance” and still “getting it done” no
longer works from 9 to 6, 5 days a week.  The rest of the world’s best are
already putting in 24 x 60 x 60 and can, therefore, stay ahead. So, he who can
maximize his time the most for him to devote more to perfecting his craft and
still make time for health and well-being, family and relationships, reading,
the arts, and various other interests will, by definition, get much more done.

If you have been reading up to this point, there will be those of you who “get
it”. Those of you who don’t, ask questions like the above and allow us to
elaborate before coming to any conclusion. In between, please send us your
insights.

German farmers in Bavaria “make hay when the sun shines” so that is often on a
Sunday.  Does that mean they do not enjoy a beer garden, go to mass to pray, and
make love to their wives? No. But they make sure the hay is made when it has to
be made because if they do not, their cows will not have enough to eat in the
winter.

When one does not face winter and the coconut tree continues to grow coconuts
all year, then one can sleep and siesta.

Ergo, and we say this with all due respect to the different life choices one can
make vis-à-vis the reality and what the businesses of today need, if you decide
that you want a life with 10 kids, then this is not the place for you to work.

Survival of the fittest today means continually upgrading oneself. It starts
with having intelligence, emotional stability, and the adaptability to embrace
change.  But to ensure success, we must continually upgrade ourselves such as we
do our gadgets and software. Crucial decisions include what part of the software
do we upgrade first? What IS needed now?

We at 3 Wolves see no other way to “win the gold” and to stay ahead without
putting in hard work, attentiveness, and engagement at all times and in all
ways. We hope, as every generation after the other stands on the shoulders of
the last, that this evolves into our very DNA: A&E, 24 x 60 x 60, 996. Amen.

TOUGH TIMES PRODUCE TOUGH MEN!
TOUGH MEN PRODUCE GOOD TIMES!
GOOD TIMES PRODUCE WEAK MEN!
WEAK MEN PRODUCE BAD TIMES!

Get it and get it done!

Notes by EMA: On Attention & Engagement, 24 x 60 x 60, and the 996 Work Ethic

“I Teach: That’s my superpower!” This was the message that strongly resonated
during National Teachers’ Month from September 5 to October 5. Now in its 11th
year, CitySavings joined the Department of Education (DepEd) in celebrating our
modern-day superheroes, our teachers.

In her message at the National Teachers’ Day held in Cagayan de Oro City,
Education Secretary Leonor Briones looked forward to the developments in
education brought about by technology and commended the Filipino educators for
their dedication amidst challenges brought about by it. This was in line with
DepEd’s theme “Gurong Pilipino: Handa sa Makabagong Pagbabago”.

You, our dearest teachers, remain steadfast in your mission to hone the
country’s future leaders and nation-builders. While you utilize technology to
innovate your ways of teaching, you maintain your humanity, love, and care for
our learners as though as they are your own.

As a National Teachers’ Month partner organization, the bank offered up several
special activities for the month-long celebration to give more meaning to the
occasion. At the national culmination activity spearheaded by DepEd Central
Office, three teachers each received a brand new Honda Click Motorcycle from
CitySavings.

Jocelyn Dela Torre Bacerra who has been teaching for 25 years at Gaulan
Elementary School in Zamboanga Sibugay is thankful for being chosen as one of
the winners. For her, teaching is powerful because a good education can shape a
person’s future.

TEACHER TREATS: The winner of the brand new Honda Click Motorcycle happily
receives her prize – Jocelyn Dela Torre Bacerra of Gaulan Elementary School in
Zamboanga SibugayMeanwhile, a SPED teacher at Tangub City Central School,
Charmyne Tumala looks forward to driving her new motorcycle to school and to
Ozamis City every weekend to visit her parents. She shared that through
teaching, she is able to touch the hearts and change the lives of her learners.

TEACHER TREATS: The winner of the brand new Honda Click Motorcycle happily
receives her prize – Charmyne Tumala of Tangub City Central SchoolLastly, seven
years and counting in the profession, Odelio Ramoso, an Araling Panlipunan
teacher from San Luis National High School in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental is
grateful to CitySavings for the unexpected present he won. He shared that this
will greatly help him as he lives 15 kilometers away from the school.

TEACHER TREATS: The winner of the brand new Honda Click Motorcycle happily
receives his prize – Odelio Ramoso of San Luis National High School, Gingoog
City, Misamis Oriental.Teacher-clients were also treated to a day of merriment
as CitySavings branches nationwide prepared fun games, snacks, refreshments, and
personalized tokens last October 5.

MY TEACHER, MY HERO: Teacher-clients were treated to a day of merriment as
CitySavings branches nationwide prepared fun games, snacks, refreshments, and
personalized tokens last October 5.Recently cited as ‘Best CSR Bank Philippines
2019′ by the Global Banking and Finance Review, the bank also intensified its
education-focused corporate social responsibility initiatives as it did a
nationwide caravan of Project Peraparasyon, its practical wealth management and
program for teachers. In partnership with WeatherPhilippines, select educators
from the Divisions of Tanauan City, Batangas Province, Tayabas City, and Quezon
Province were trained to be #WeatherWiser to prepare and protect their school
communities from the impact of adverse weather conditions.

Indeed, not all superheroes wear capes, some teach. They can shift roles — from
being a teacher to a friend, a second-parent, a counselor, a mentor. They have
superhuman strength to work long hours despite challenges thrown at them.
Teachers have the ability to influence the youth to be the best version of
themselves. National Teachers’ Month engages the public and sectors of the
community to express gratitude to the teachers.

Beyond National Teachers’ Month For Today’s Heroes

As a U.S. military retiree, Dale Daniel was keen on looking for a place to
settle down in the Philippines. He and his wife Maristela moved to Ubay, Bohol
in 2012 and started a backyard pig farm of their own in 2014.

Dale, who had no prior knowledge in farming or agriculture, mainly let his wife
take the lead on managing their pig farm. Over the years, they slowly came to
realize that farming can be a steady source of income, which encouraged them to
expand their business. From five to seven hogs per cycle, they currently have
almost 15 to 17 hogs, from sows, gilts, fattening, to piglets.

While the Daniels have been using Pilmico Feeds since the beginning, Dale admits
that there have been a few times they tried other brands, but these failed to
match up to Pilmico’s products. Aside from his observation that their hogs
weren’t eating as well as they did when they tried other brands, the technical
service that they were getting was notably unmatched.

Glenn Dequenia, Pilmico Animal Production Specialist, has been helping the
couple in growing what Dale described was initially a “hobby farm” for nearly
five years now. Whether it’s taking a phone call to answer a question on their
pigs’ health or dropping by for a visit, his exceptional support has been a
significant factor in the Daniels’ trust of the Pilmico brand.

For the future, Dale and Maristela plan to further expand their swine-raising
business and put up a farming cooperative to help their community grow in
farming as well. What initially was a “hobby farm” is turning into a prime
example of what being Partners for Growth is about. Through the husband and wife
team, Pilmico is able to continue advancing business and communities with
consistently high-quality products and services that they can pass on to benefit
neighbor farmers.

Hear from the Daniels as they share about growing what initially was a “hobby
farm” with Pilmico Feeds:

Ex-US Military Finds Pig Farming Partner in Pilmico

What do you get when you mix a cup of coffee with meaningful conversations? A
fun and engaging get together we call Coffee with EIA. As one of the highly
anticipated events of the year, the town hall session continues to be an
engaging opportunity for A-People as AEV President & CEO Erramon Aboitiz himself
sets aside time to chat with Aboitiz team members and hear our thoughts and
opinions on matters concerning the organization.

For the past two years, the free-flowing conversation with EIA — the event’s
highlight — has touched on our Group Purpose to drive change for a better world
(2017) and our brand promise of Advancing Business and Communities (2018). The
2019 Coffee with EIA came full circle with a discussion of the Aboitiz values.
These three — Purpose, Promise, Values — are what make up the DNA of an A-Person
and the unique culture we call the Aboitiz Way.

The Cebu plenary audience included both AEV and AboitizPower team members,
joining forces for a “Coffee and Breakfast with EIA” session that was held in
Cebu Country Club. Towards the end of the session was a surprise tribute for
EIA.

We can all agree that when we gain a truly individual perspective of our Group
Purpose and Brand Promise, we set ourselves on the path towards making a
positive impact on the world around us in a more meaningful way. But before we
can get onboard with that, we must first truly believe in our purpose and our
core values and have a deeply personal connection to them. This is where it all
starts.

–EIA

Let’s look back at some questions from team members that EIA fielded:
Looking back at everything that has happened with Aboitiz, is there anything you
would have done differently in order to achieve purpose and strength in our
culture?

Regrets that we have are usually the things you didn’t do, not the things you
did. Perhaps looking back, I guess you have the advantage of hindsight. I think
the growth spurt of the Group could have been managed better if anticipated
instead of reacting to needs as they came along. Hindsight is 20/20, but that
happened because as we develop and grew and expanded, we stretched the
organization quite a bit and that put a lot of pressure on a lot of people.

We have lasted 100 years and we want to last 100 years more. What’s one value we
should practice more of to help us stay for the next 100 years?

The four values are equally important, but one value that I think spreads across
the other values is INTEGRITY– how we think, do, and deal with people– it covers
things like responsibility and teamwork. But you also have the one value that is
dear to you, so follow your heart.

What will you do when you retire?

I will still be involved in the board level and give advice to all of you if you
want it and need it. That’s always gonna be available to all of you. I hope to
not only reduce waistline but also play golf, travel a little bit, see places
I’ve always wanted to see and decide after that if there’s still something I
want to do. In a conference we attended, they talked about retirement and how
retired people end up as empty-nesters, they encouraged my wife and I to read
this book called “The Next Season” and it is about retirement and their advice
is when you retire for the first few months, do not do anything. People
anticipate, plan, talk, and you realize these things are not your passion, but
you accept these only because you have a lot of time. So my plan is to rest and
then start accepting and getting into things I’m passionate about.

When our actions and decisions are motivated by our core values, it is almost
certain that we are helping create an Aboitiz workplace that drives positive
results.

–EIA

What competencies are needed to be a great leader?

It’s basically getting people to believe in what you are doing or what the
organization is doing. If you can get the organization to believe and not just
do it because they are told, it’s only when you truly believe in it– that’s the
role of the leader; to have people believe it. Fostering collaboration and
getting people to believe in it and work together.

What is the one piece of advice you will leave to the next CEO and President?

Follow me! [Just kidding] Don’t necessarily follow me, follow your heart. Things
are changing and will continue to change. It is important we don’t get stuck in
how we do things in the past and live in the past. We have to have an open mind.
Follow what you think you have to do.

What is the greatest leadership tip or technique that worked well for you?

I’m the type that talks less. For me, what I feel is a very important management
style is management through example. Actions speak much louder than words. You
can say what you want, but if you don’t practice it, if you don’t have integrity
with what you say– whatever you say is useless. Leading by example, that to me
is important.

What are you most proud of as an Aboitiz employee?

What makes me proud is when you go around and people sense through your service,
what they experience with you, when they say, “He is an Aboitiz TM, employee”,
and they notice the difference. When they look at the service we provide, they
know the difference. They feel it and comment on it. When we have our
stakeholders realize the difference that we make and they tell it to us, that’s
what makes me very proud. Not necessarily just our customers, but everybody!
Including the community where they know what the behavior of the Aboitiz Team
Member is, they know what to expect from us and that makes me proud because they
can differentiate us from other people.

We are fortunate to have a good sense of what our culture is and is not, and we
take pride in its unique authenticity. But why is having the right culture so
highly coveted? Quite simply, a strong company culture translates to a high
level of engagement among team members. When we are fully engaged, we seek to
better understand what is expected of us, what we are working towards, or how we
can make a truly meaningful impact.

– EIA

Thank you, EIA, for all the cups of coffee and bits of wisdom you have shared
with us!

Coffee with EIA 2019: Coming full circle by “Driving a Culture of Values”

Davao City schoolchildren got the chance to learn about sustainable practices
and the conservation of marine biodiversity at Aboitiz PawiCAMP
[https://kinder.aboitiz.com/details.html?idCampaign=238], a day camp dedicated
to the pawikan conservation, protection, and preservation in the area.

Held within the eight-hectare Aboitiz Cleanergy Park (home to the
critically-endangered hawksbill sea turtle or pawikan and 66 other animal
species) in Punta Dumalag, Davao City, Aboitiz PawiCAMP welcomed last October 11
a total of 30 student-campers eager to learn more about pawikan conservation.
They were from nearby Matina Central Elementary School and Diego Silang
Elementary School.

ABOITIZ PAWICAMP-ERS HELP SAVE PAWIKANS. 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.Aboitiz PawiCAMP student-campers beam as they have fun
while learning all about the environment and saving the critically endangered
pawikan.Aboitiz PawiCAMP student-campers witness the release of pawikan
hatchlings into the ocean — a critical milestone and part of the area’s rich
biodiversity.The student-campers (and accompanying adults) were taught
sustainable community practices for the conservation of the pawikan in the area.
Since the Aboitiz Cleanergy Park’s opening, there are 3,482 hatchlings released
in the area. To contribute to biodiversity management in the coastal area,
13,179 mangroves were planted, which then increased bird sightings of 55 species
in the marine protected area.

The students’ visit culminated with their witnessing of the release of pawikan
hatchlings into the ocean.

The role of informing and educating communities about the importance of
protecting the critically endangered pawikan starts with our schools. We are
glad to provide an enriching experience for our Aboitiz PawiCAMP-ers as they
embark on a sustainability journey to help save our pawikan.

– Maribeth L. Marasigan, First Vice President and Chief Operating Officer,
Aboitiz Foundation

Aboitiz PawiCAMP is a partnership between the Aboitiz Foundation, Davao Light,
the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Region XI, the Department of
Education-Davao City and Junior Chamber International-Davao. It is solely funded
via KINDer by Aboitiz [http://kinder.aboitiz.com/], an Aboitiz-developed
crowdfunding website.

“Ang Diyos, hindi kaming ginawang pangit. (God made us all beautiful, in his
image)” With those six simple words, Cheska, who was born with a cleft lip and
palate, managed to powerfully speak her truth and shatter the ignorance of a
bully’s cruel taunts.

The 12-year-old is very much an average kid. When not studying her lessons at
San Joaquin Elementary School in Pasig City, she likes to color her activity
books at home, or ride her bike around their neighborhood in Ligid-Tipas, Taguig
City. Her mother, Maricel, occasionally gives her cooking lessons. As a result,
Cheska is already capable of making fried rice (sinangag).



But despite her relatively normaly life, Cheska admits to having endured
bullying and teasing as she underwent several surgeries to address her cleft lip
and palate.

“Tinutukso siya [Cheska]. Hindi nila matanggap na may iba sa kanila na may
kapansanan. Hindi nila maintindihan. Pero hindi naman puwedeng kada-bully,
susugod ako sa school. Ang payo ko, ‘Maging matatag ka. Huwag mo nalang silang
pansinin.’” (She gets teased. The bullies cannot accept nor understand physical
differences. But, of course, I can’t rush to her school every single time she
gets bullied. My advise to her is to be strong and simply pay no attention to
them),” shares Maricel.

And that’s exactly what Cheska did.

One time, binully siya at nasa harap rin ako at sinabi niya [Cheska], ‘Ang
Diyos, hindi kami ginawang pangit. Maganda kami. Kayo lang ang hindi makatanggap
sa amin. Sabi ni Lord, lahat ng ginawa niya maganda. Maganda ako. (God did not
create us ugly. We are all beautiful, and you simply cannot accept that. The
Lord said everything He made is beautiful. I am beautiful.)

Celebrating World Smile Day
Cheska was among the 30 children with cleft lips and palates who found a good
reason to flash bright smiles as they enjoyed an afternoon of fun at the recent
World Smile Day Celebration organized by Aboitiz Foundation and Smile Train
Philippines Foundation at Caf8.

Among the activities were face painting, group games, and stitching up their own
plushies with Binibining Pilipinas 2019 winners led by Miss Universe Philippines
Gazini Christiana Ganados.

World Smile Day,
[https://www.worldsmileday.com/index.php/article-index/item/373-about-world-smile-day] 
held every first Friday of October, traces its roots to the idea that “all of
us, should devote one day each year to smiles and kind acts throughout the
world. The smiley face knows no politics, no geography, and no religion, and
that for at least one day each year, neither should we.”

We in the Aboitiz Foundation are always thankful for the opportunity to make
kids smile. We hope that you can also find joy in our activities this afternoon
and be reminded that no one is ever too small to make a difference. I think in
the simplest sense, this is what we really want out of all of our social
development projects – to see a smile when we look at another person, and
ultimately, build good and happy communities.

– Maribeth Marasigan, COO, Aboitiz Foundation

Smile Train Area Director Kimmy Flaviano and Aboitiz Foundation COO Maribeth
Marasigan with Cheska and fellow Smile Train kids.KINDer by Aboitiz: An
Innovative Way To Help
Smile Train, an international children’s charity whose goal is “to provide every
child with a cleft the opportunity for a healthy and productive life,” is an
Aboitiz Foundation beneficiary through KINDer by Aboitiz
[http://kinder.aboitiz.com/], an Aboitiz-developed crowdfunding website.

We are grateful for our partnership with the Aboitiz Foundation through its
donations campaign, KINDer. More than a website for crowdfunding, KINDer gives
us the opportunity to reach more people and inspire them to be part of our
advocacy of making more kids smile.

– Kimmy C. Flaviano, Area Director-South East Asia, Smile Train

Ganados, for her part, said: “Doing good is important—it is as important as
taking care of ourselves. It is an honor and pleasure to be here with all of
you.”

Through a few clicks, KINDer users may browse through various campaigns, learn
more about it, and donate to provide support–similar to what Netflix has done
for movies and shows in terms of access and choice, and what Kickstarter has
done as an effective funding platform in realizing creative projects ーin this
case, to support a cause. As in the case of Smile Train, KINDer also welcomes
partnerships with foundations in need of a fundraising platform.

From September 2018 to May 2019, KINDer raised nearly PHP1.6 million through
more than 600 individual donors.

Features

Young Cleft Palate Patients Shine Brightest at ‘World Smile Day’ Celebration

Aboitiz Group leaders from various business units learned about increasing
influence in decision power using universal principles of persuasion from the
Dr. Cialdini Influence Workshops on Principles of Persuasion and Moment Maker: A
PreSuasion Training on September 25-27.

Facilitated by Dr. Gregory Neidert, developer of the Core Motives Mode of Social
Influence at Influence at Work, the workshops aimed to help participants
increase influence in decision power, and to ethically and effectively apply Dr.
Robert Cialdini’s Six Universal Principles of Persuasion. By applying these
principles, leaders can produce lasting change and avoid common influence traps.

The Principles of Persuasion are Reciprocity, Scarcity, Authority, Consistency,
Liking, and Consensus.

Reciprocity is defined as the obligation to return the same form of behavior,
gift, or service initially received. However, the Principle of Reciprocity
yields better and surprising results when it is first given – personalized and
unexpected.

Scarcity operates on the idea that people will want more if it is depleting or
they will have the short end of the stick.

Authority is equivalent to credibility, wherein people are more inclined to
trust more knowledgeable and experienced individuals.

Another principle is consistency, which can be activated by introducing small
initial commitments in line with what was being done before.

Liking is simply based on three important factors — discovery of similarities,
giving of compliments, and cooperation towards a mutual goal.

Lastly, individuals will often find a consensus or a validation based on other
people’s actions to help determine their decisions.

Also during the training, leaders learned to use the T.I.M.E. Pre-Suasion
System, which targets, identifies, and moves triggers and extends the impact of
these pre-suasive moments.

By learning of the T.I.M.E. Pre-Suasion System and Cialdini’s Six Universal
Principles of Persuasion, leaders learned a holistic approach for successful
influence.

Dr. Robert Cialdini is a social psychology professor at Arizona State University
and New York Times Best-Selling author for his ground-breaking book, “Influence:
The Psychology of Persuasion”. The book is a result of his years of research in
discovering scientifically-tested tactics that move people to change, act, and
say “yes” to all types of requests.

Dr. Gregory Neidert is the director at Influence at Work, an international
consulting, strategic planning and training organization based on Dr. Robert
Cialdini’s Six Principles of Influence. With a clientele ranging from Fortune
100 companies to SMEs, he is a sought-after organizational consultant for more
than 35 years with expertise in resolving organizational and social traps by
applying the science of social influence. He is also the president of World of
Work, Inc., a comprehensive psychometric assessment used throughout North
America, Britain, Australia, and New Zealand.

Why are we here today? To learn to build a skill that we sorely need to improve.
Are we bad at it? Of course not! If we were, we would not be here. Are we the
best at it? You will have an answer for yourself over the next few days,
moreover, into the future as you reflect. Are we good enough relative to the
need? You know!

It can be done. If history has taught us anything, it is that anything can be
done. We have asked Dr. Neibert from the Cialdini Institute to help us get
better at this.

– Endika Aboitiz, Chairman, Aboitiz Equity Ventures (in his opening remarks for
the workshop)


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

Aboitiz TLs shared their key takeaways and steps they intend to take in applying
the concept of pre-suasion and the principles of persuasion in their respective
functions.
People don’t know what is causing their behavior. Personalities, values, and
attitudes predict behavior only 1-9%…so people want to be convinced.

Saying “no problem” belittles the effect of all the effort you have made for
that person. Stop using it!

Spend more time thinking. We don’t think enough. We rely on our improvisation
skills way too much. Use contrasting more – by providing two things in
succession that are different from each other. You can make things seem more
different. I would like to master this.

– Jokin Aboitiz [https://aboitiz.workplace.com/profile.php?id=100026602941583],
 AVP – National Logistics, Pilmico

The Cialdini Persuasion Workshop is one of those few very insightful training
workshops I had attended in my entire worklife.  It is just so interesting to
know that you can figure out how to make other people agree to what you want
even before they would experience it and the guiding principles (6 Principles of
Persuasion) are just so practical to apply. I just realized that while it is
important to build good relationships with the other leaders and colleagues,
good relationship alone can not be a guarantee that you will be effective in
influencing them.

The Reciprocity principle taught me to do something which will give them an
opportunity to reciprocate or give back and that will enable you to get that
probability of them supporting you. Additionally, I just realized how powerful
it will be in convincing one when you capitalize Consensus and Scarcity. Because
in this kind of world where people are getting more intelligent, the actual
successful experience of others and loss framing of possible outcome will
greatly help in influencing others.

In Quality and Operational Excellence, the process improvement works that we do
would always cut across a number functional boundaries. Such would require
different leaders and colleagues to be unified in recognizing a better thing to
do. Sometimes, we would spend 70% of our time convincing people and 30% in
putting our best work forward. While not everyone is hungry for improvements in
their processes, there are a lot of cases where we need to influence them. The
Persuasion principles are very helpful and useful for me and my team in doing
our job more effectively. With this, I need to download what I learned from the
workshop to my team so that, functionally, we anchor to the same principles that
we need to capitalize when we drive process improvements, innovation activities
and ultimately build a culture of operational excellence.”

– Cleo Flores [https://aboitiz.workplace.com/profile.php?id=100031998408589],
AVP – Quality, Lean Six Sigma, Safety, Health and Environment, Pilmico


I highly appreciated the deep dive into the principles of persuasion. I realized
that while I was already using the methods with customers and other stakeholders
I interact with, it was really refreshing to understand the science behind such
principles and methods.

Incorporating the science with my existing stakeholder engagement methods, and
having awareness of such is, for me, the best way to apply these things better
and more effectively.

– Bigs Salvador [https://aboitiz.workplace.com/profile.php?id=100026707812871],
AVP – Energy Sales, AboitizPower

Persuasion is something we do in our daily lives and, more often than not, we do
not see the real value or impact of every act of persuasion we do. It is not
just about getting what you want and get people or a person to agree to whatever
you say (I must this say this is superficial). It has to be something that adds
value not only to a single party but to both and more importantly, has to be
done in a well thought and ethical manner.

In my current role in Sales, both are critical for me to deliver my and my
team’s goals. I need to do a lot of learning and unlearning for me to deeply
understand my internal and external client’s motivation, what influences their
behavior and thinking process – this adds more structure to how we approach
every sales pitch and negotiation table and create REALITY on the context of
what we want them to see and experience.

– Cathy del Villar
[https://aboitiz.workplace.com/profile.php?id=100026560253964], AVP – Retail,
AboitizPower


Persuasion is not just simply about having the right idea or marketing spiel. It
is not a one-sided affair. It’s a continuous cycle of the right spiel, how you
make your mark on another and how you are able to engage and enhance the thought
process of the one you are dealing with.

The concepts of pre-suasion and the principles of persuasion are very much
applicable to my line of work. Of course, with the right idea or study, these
concepts can be used in pitching these ideas to management. Careful study of the
matter and the audience is necessary as mentioned along with proper preparation
of oneself. A great idea can be be pitched through even simple ways like small
talking the audience to gain comfort (the principle of liking), wearing the
proper attire (the principle of authority) and addressing simple questions and
key points such as why this idea is needed (the principle of scarcity) and 
showing the feedback of others are following it (the principle of social proof).

– Anthony Co [https://aboitiz.workplace.com/profile.php?id=100034428857499], AVP
– Portfolio Management, AboitizPower

Business

Aboitiz Leaders Take Dr. Cialdini Workshop On Increasing Influence and Persuasion

Basketball is a sport much loved in the Philippines that in almost every corner,
every barangay, every organization, and every school, you will find a team of
players dedicated to the game. Naturally, our A-Club program has a group
dedicated to the sport called the A-Balleros.

The club is a mix of basketball fanatics who have professional and
non-professional experience on the court, and of course, from different Aboitiz
business units. (Talk about #Teamwork!) These players were brought together not
only by their love of the game but for the love of keeping true to the Aboitiz
value of responsibility.

Recently, the A-Balleros held their second run of ‘Hoops for a Cause’, which
aims to raise funds for a chosen charity while engaging A-People into playing
and supporting the beloved sport.

Back in 2018, this started as a friendly competition between AEV and
AboitizLand, and it created waves, until we decided to have a mini-tournament.
The amount of support we’ve received from the A-People is overwhelming and I am
reminded of how truly proud I am to be part of this organization. The value of
Teamwork and Responsibility is definitely manifested through this event.

– Francis Estolano (AEV), Chief A-Ballero

The basketball teams that battled it out for the crown were Aboitiz Equity
Ventures, Inc. (AEV), AboitizPower Corporation (AP), AboitizLand, Inc.
(AboitizLand), and Pilmico Foods Corporation (Pilmico).

The mini-tournament started with a round-robin competition. Last September 30,
Hoops for a Cause II held its battle for third and championship game at the
Treston International College, BGC, Taguig City, which was attended by A-People
from the different business units who wore their team colors to cheer and show
their support.

For the battle for third, AEV and AP went head to head resulting in a win by AEV
with a 74-35 score. Bernard Mamuad of AEV was hailed best player of the game
tallying an impressive stat line of 16 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists.

On the other hand, AboitizLand and Pilmico also put on a show for the
championship showdown. After an action-filled ball game, AboitizLand escaped a
thrilling match as they beat Pilmico with a final score of 61-42. To highlight
the champions, they have swept all opponents and remained undefeated. Earl
Morado earned the finals MVP honors recording an impressive 16 points, eight
rebounds, and three steals performance.

This became an instrument to break barriers and an avenue to strengthen bonds
among team members from across the SBUs by way of healthy competition through
sports. But among all these, what is most captivating to see is the support of
our team members along the way, that is how you define #Teamwork”.

– Jodo Fernandez (AboitizLand)

The outstanding players of the entire league were also recognized: Joshua Yu
from AboitizLand was crowned league MVP with his stellar performance, averaging
15.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per contest while also joining the
Mythical Five selection. Joining him are: Eric Diones (AboitizLand), Bernard
Mamuad (AEV), Jimmy Daguman (AP), and Jose Fernandez (AboitizLand)– players that
remained consistent in putting a good performance in the entire tournament.

A total amount of PHP47,398 was raised from the tournament which was split among
the business units to be used for their own CSR initiatives. For AEV,
AboitizLand, AP, and Pilmico donated their funds to their annual Christmas
Outreach program, whereas for SNAP, they donated their funds to Tsinelas
Initiative.

Want to play ball and at the same time do it for a cause?  Get in touch with 
Francis Estolano [https://aboitiz.workplace.com/profile.php?id=100025895777498] 
at francis.estolano@aboitiz.com to join the A-Balleros today!

A-Clubs in Focus: Scoring Buckets at ‘Hoops for A Cause II’

AboitizLand continues the roll-out of its expansion plans with the launch of
Asiera Homes, its economic housing brand. It will be the developer’s second
offering in Pampanga following Ajoya, making quality homes accessible to more
Filipinos in Central Luzon.

Asiera Homes offers affordable, well-built houses in a gated community with its
own amenities. With its affordable pricing ranging from PHP1.2 million to PHP1.7
million, as well as flexible financing schemes, Asiera Homes will give many more
hardworking Filipinos the ability to attain the home they have always dreamed
of.

Asiera Homes features more than 400 two-storey townhouses within a gated
community. Future residents can choose from the mid-unit, which features a 44
sqm lot and a 40 sqm floor size, or the end unit with a 66 sqm land area and 40
sqm floor size. All townhouses have an open layout on the second floor so
residents can customize space based on their needs.

They can also enjoy Asiera’s suite of amenities, which promotes bonding time
with friends and family. A multi-purpose hall and pocket green spaces can host
gatherings and parties, while a basketball court helps develop camaraderie among
neighbors. A nearby town plaza has commercial establishments that meet daily
needs and security personnel are present to ensure the safety of residents 24/7.

“We understand that every hardworking Filipino dreams of having their own home.
We want to help turn this into a reality with Asiera Homes, an affordable and
master-planned development perfect for starting families,” says AboitizLand
President and Chief Executive Officer David Rafael.

While the International Monetary Fund expects the Philippines
[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/03/philippines-housing-crisis-filipinos-affordable-homes-190331112948291.html] 
to be the fastest-growing economy in Southeast Asia, the national government
estimates that almost six million houses need to be built to accommodate the
growing population. AboitizLand aims to assist in the country’s housing
challenges with this new residential project.

Asiera Homes is located in Mexico, Pampanga, a progressive part of Central
Luzon. With a burgeoning economy with a growth of 7.1 percent in 2018
[https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/10/16/clark-expo-aims-to-boost-central-luzon-sme-growth/]
, this region is poised to be the next hub for major trade and investment.
Additionally, Asiera Homes is less than an hour away from New Clark City, the
country’s first smart, disaster-resilient and sustainable megacity that is 40
times bigger than Bonifacio Global City.

“As we celebrate 25 years in the real estate industry, we continue to challenge
ourselves to create more properties that help address the country’s housing
needs,” ends Rafael. “At the same time, we want to empower Filipinos by giving
them the opportunity to have a house they can call their own.”

Asiera follows the success of Ajoya Pampanga, a 17-hectare property launched in
August of this year. The Ajoya communities are also present in Cabanatuan, Nueva
Ecija, and Capas, Tarlac. Asiera Homes will begin development in the first
quarter of 2020.

Land

AboitizLand Further Expands in Central Luzon with New Economic Residential Property

Aboitiz Construction, led by its president and chief operating officer Albert A.
Ignacio, Jr. (AAI), showcased the company’s over 40 years of experience in the
highly anticipated Construction Program Management Course spearheaded by the
Philippine Constructors Association (PCA).

Dubbed as the premier master class series for practitioners, the course has
gathered the industry’s leaders and experts during the learning series that ran
in August and September.

AAI talked about the topic “Risk and Opportunity Management” covering the
company’s experience building vital infrastructure in the energy and utilities,
oil and gas, industrial, commercial, mining, and manufacturing sectors that
spanned over 44 years. The topic was also an opportunity to promote the Aboitiz
Group’s brand promise of advancing business and communities articulated by
Aboitiz Construction’s contribution to nation-building.

Unlike other construction companies, Aboitiz Construction focuses on projects
that are more industrial in nature located in remote areas. In so doing, the
work that the company completes eventually kickstarts progress in local areas
and communities. The company has also established its own fabrication shop that
assembles products like heaters and modular structures that are exported to
clients in the USA and Canada.

The 10-day course that ran on all Fridays and Saturdays of August, plus the
first Saturday of September, offered owners, developers, executives, and
managers of companies involved in construction projects the unique opportunity
to hear and learn from industry leaders and experts in various fields who will
share their knowledge and expertise on how to manage construction programs.

The program provided a holistic perspective on how construction programs are
conceptualized, implemented, and closed out from pre-construction, during
construction and post-construction not just from their areas of
responsibilities. Through lectures, open forums, and workshops, participants in
the master class will be equipped towards full understanding of the entire
program lifecycle to enhance their respective companies’ efficiency and
productivity.

Construction

Aboitiz Construction Leader is Expert Speaker at Construction Master Class

Host communities of power plants in the country now have easier access to their
financial revenue shares, thanks to new regulations issued by the Department of
Energy (DOE).

On September 5, AboitizPower subsidiaries AP Renewables, Inc. (APRI) MakBan,
Therma Mobile, Inc. (TMO), and SN Aboitiz Power (SNAP) signed a memorandum of
agreement (MOA) with their respective beneficiaries on the revised provisions of
Energy Regulations 1-94 (ER 1-94), introducing the direct remittance of
financial benefits to host communities for their immediate utilization.

DOE Undersecretary Felix William B. Fuentebella urged the local government units
involved in the signing ceremony to maximize their financial benefits from ER
1-94.

“Ipagkalat n’yo sa mga kababayan n’yo na ang laki ng benepisyong nakukuha n’yo
sa pag-host ng power plants. You’re operating (a business) na kilowatt-hour ang
benta. Wag po kayong papayag na may matumbang poste dahil hihina po ang kita
n’yo. Wag po kayong papayag na may maputol o matirhan yung poste ng NGCP sa
ilalim dahil mapuputol po yung supply n’yo ng pera para sa community n’yo. Sa
pagpirma ninyong ito, diretsong mapupunta sa inyo ang pera,” Fuentebella said in
a speech.

Through DOE Department Circular 2018-08-0021, power generation companies can now
directly download the ER 1-94 fund to their host communities. Streamlining the
release of funding will ease the process of implementing projects that benefit
the host communities.

APRI MakBan, TMO, and SNAP are set to turn over to their host communities P26.6
million, P1.3 million, and P10.5 million, respectively.

In 2018, AboitizPower generated P171 million ER 1-94 funds based on the total
attributable energy sales of its various generation facilities across the
Philippines. The funds will soon be turned over to its other communities all
over the country.

“Today’s event is a prime example of real partnership and teamwork between
AboitizPower, our local host communities, and the Department of Energy. I am
sure our partnership and collaboration will not end here. There are still a lot
of things that we can do, and a lot of things that we can achieve when we work
together,” AboitizPower Chief Operating Officer Emmanuel V. Rubio said.

The ER 1-94 program is a policy under the Department of Energy Act of 1992 and
Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (EPIRA) which stipulates that host
communities will get a share of one centavo for every kilowatt-hour (Php 0.01 /
kWh) sold by power generation plants operating in its area.

The signing ceremony of APRI MakBan and TMO was held at NAC Tower, Bonifacio
Global City, Taguig City. It was a kickoff event for a series of MOA signing
ceremonies across other AboitizPower business units all over the country.
Meanwhile, SNAP held simultaneous signing activities in Benguet and Isabela also
on September 5.

The ER 1-94 fund can be used by host beneficiaries for the electrification of
areas or households that have no access to power, development and livelihood
programs, as well as reforestation, watershed management, health, and
environmental enhancement initiatives.

“Let us all work together to further strengthen our partnership so we can
maximize opportunities moving forward for the ultimate benefit of the
communities we serve,” AboitizPower Generation Group Chief Operating Officer
Felino M. Bernardo said.

In attendance during the event were LGU officials from Batangas led by Gov.
Hermilando Mandanas, from Laguna led by Gov. Ramil Hernandez, and from Navotas
City led by Mayor Tobias Tiangco.

EYES

EYES

EYES

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