Sun Life of Canada (Philippines), Inc. is the No. 1 life insurance company in the Philippines, after garnering Php 45.46 billion in Total Premium in 2021.
This is according to a report released by the Insurance Commission based on submitted unaudited Quarterly Reports on Selected Financial Statistics.
This is Sun Life’s 11th consecutive year to be the industry leader, an achievement it attributes to its clients’ trust and support.
“The past year was marked by various challenges, as the pandemic heightened and a typhoon devastated our country. Knowing that our clients rely on us to help build their brighter future helped us focus on what matters most,” Sun Life of Canada (Philippines), Inc. President Alex Narciso said. “We thank our advisors and employees for staying faithful to our purpose.”
With the pandemic situation slowly improving, Sun Life is eager to build on the Filipinos’ heightened interest in financial planning and health protection. Adapting to the clients’ evolving priorities and expectations, the company has opened new branches nationwide and upskilled its advisors. Sun Life also continues to be innovative, launching new products and tools to enhance client experience.
Meanwhile, its efforts to serve the greater community also continue. The Sun Life Financial-Philippines Foundation, Inc. recently welcomed the third batch of participants for Sun Pera-Aralan, its behavioral design financial management program for public school teachers. It has also partnered with Health Futures Foundation, Inc. to set up Sun Life Barangay Health Stations in remote areas in Batangas, providing residents with much needed access to basic healthcare.
“As we mark our 127th anniversary this year, we remain faithful to our purpose. We are fully committed to fulfill our promises to the generations of clients that we have been granted the honor to serve. We are ready to be their partner for life,” Sun Life CEO & Country Head Benedict Sison said. “Being Number 1 means that we are Number 1 in the hearts and minds of the people we serve. This, for us, is the most important measure of success, and we will always strive to let them feel that the confidence they give us is worth it.”
In doing business, people often say there’s no room for emotion – just logic and business sense. For one woman-owned social enterprise though, it’s compassion and empathy for others that drove the business to the success it is today, proving that a female-run business can grow, even with emotion at its heart.
Akrisah D. Helig is the founder and owner of Kreations Upcycle Furniture Manufacturing, a Rizal-based business that creates handicrafts and home furnishings from retaso (scrap cloth), and which employs housewives and home-makers in Rizal.
“I started Kreations selling retaso or fabric yarns. Eventually I thought of making crochet products. I tapped our community in our barangay in Antipolo City and nagturo ako sa mga mothers sa paano mag-crochet (I taught mothers in our community how to crochet). We started making bags and ano-ano pang handicrafts, out of those fabrics,” shared Akrisah, who’s fondly called by her mother-employees as ‘Akre’.
What started as a hobby turned into a passion, a passion that enabled her to empower the women in her community.
“When I started Kreations, talagang andon yung desire ko to train mga women from the community para makapagbigay ng income or sustainable na livelihood sa kanila (When I started Kreations, it was with the goal to really help give income or a sustainable livelihood to the women),” said Akre.
Kreations has a regular workforce of 8-10 women, but overall, benefits as much as 50 women from Angono, Taytay, and all over Rizal. Pre-pandemic, the upcycling business used to tap as much as 200 women from these communities but had to downscale due to the health crisis.
For the seamstresses, Kreations was not just a hobby – it became a source of livelihood that economically empowered them to contribute to their household.
“Malaking tulong na nakapasok ako sa Kreations, kasi noon po bilang ang asawa ko isang tricycle driver syempre alam naman natin na nakadepende sa ginagawa niya yung kita. Dahil nakapasok ako sa Kreations nakakatulong ako sa kanya sa bayarin, sa kung ano kailangan namin sa tahanan, sa pagaaral ng anak ko (Working in Kreations allowed me to help my husband, who is a tricycle driver. With my job, I’m able to contribute to paying for household expenses and for our children’s education),” said Annaliza Santos, Production Manager of Kreations Upcycle Furniture Manufacturing.
With Kreations acquiring financial support and internet connection from Converge, done through the start-up show, “The Final Pitch”, the business is ready to further expand.
From Akre’s home in Antipolo, Kreations is now in a manufacturing hub in Angono,Rizal, where the mothers and home-makers create handicrafts and home furniture for SME clients and corporations.
Powering her connection in both Antipolo and in Angono is Converge’s fiber broadband, which has become instrumental in the way they do business.
“Since meron na kami ng napakabilis at napakagandang internet connection through Converge, mas nakatulong ito sa pag communicate sa customers – mas mabilis kami nakakareply, mas marami kaming clients kasi easier to post promotion and advertising online and sobrang helpful din siya sa community sa mga mothers. Mas ginagahanan sila mag-tahi kasi nakakanood sila ng Youtube and nakakapag soundtrip sila and even sa mga anak nila pumupunta sila dito to do their online classes and research so hindi lang sa amin but family and community nakakatulong (Since we have Converge’s fast and reliable connection, we’re able to communicate faster with customers, we’re getting more clients because we’re able to promote and advertise more online, and the connection is helpful for the mothers too. They’re encouraged to work because they have YouTube, they can listen to music, and even their children come here to use the internet for online classes. It’s not just the business but the community),” said Akre.
Because of her compassion and desire to help, Akre has made not just a successful business but a caring family from the mothers she employs – a family that shares its resources and works together.
Looking ahead, Akre is sure that Converge’s fiber fast connection will be even more important for their growth, saying: “One of our plans this year is to have our own website where we will put all of our orders in. We’re going to need a really fast and reliable internet to maximize that online platform.”
Filipino rapper Flict-G links up with PUBG MOBILE for “Bawal Sumuko Dito” music video
Flict-G teams up with fellow rappers Smugglaz, Skant Vee, Hakob, and A$tro for the star-studded track “Bawal Sumuko,” considered to be PUBG MOBILE’s biggest collaboration of the year. Watch the full music video here.
Familiar PUBG MOBILE characters are brought to life in the music video, interspersed with Battle Royale scenes in-game. The artistic direction also features vibrant blues, pinks, and yellows hinting at the game’s 4th-anniversary celebration.
Flict-G is a Filipino rapper known in hip-hop circles for his patriotic rap and lyrics of resistance and inspiration. He encourages everyone, especially the youth to become the best version of themselves in the PUBG MOBILE story-inspired music video. The Microphone Mechanics and Cursebox production connect real-life adversities to in-game competition faced by gamers.
“Naniniwala ako sa kakayahan ng kabataan, at lahat ng Pilipino (I believe in the ability of the youth, and of all Filipinos, to surmount any obstacles),” said Flict-G. “Iyan ang mensahe ng pakikipaglaban at pag-asa na gusto ko ihayag (That’s the message of the fight and of hope that I want to share.)”
Together with fellow rapper Smugglaz, he broke into the music scene with the hip-hop/rap track hit “Nakakamiss”. The rap masterpiece became 2015’s most downloaded song, recognized by the Philippine Awit Awards.
In the Philippines, PUBG MOBILE marked the milestone with flying colors, starting with the launch of the 1.9 update, the release of the game’s first-ever Tagalog Voice Pack featuring Moymoy Palaboy’s Rodfil, and gearing up to travel the country with the emergence of the anticipated Pop-Up Crates. Limited-edition mountain bikes painted in PUBG MOBILE 4th-anniversary colors are up for grabs.
The music video for “Bawal Sumuko Dito” is a collaboration between Sony Music and PUBG, and is out now on Flict-G’s Youtube channel and the PUBG MOBILE Philippines Facebook page.
When your surroundings at home are clean, you feel happy, motivated, and healthy. However, hearing the word ‘cleaning’ turns away eyes to avoid shouldering the responsibility as some may find it tiresome or boring.
So, fret not as Clorox Philippines, one of the country’s leading providers of cleaning and disinfecting products, provides you a long-term solution to keep your home neat and clean all the time – a cleaning calendar. Why? Because cleaning your household can be fun and meaningful when the cleaning schedule is done right.
To help you decide whether having a cleaning calendar is better or not, here’s why it’s important to adopt in your household and encourage your family members or housemates to start doing their part when it comes to cleaning.
Everyone shares responsibility at home
Whether daily or weekly, having a cleaning schedule helps you and everyone in the household share responsibility in keeping your home clean and tidy. You can help them choose a specific task that they will enjoy doing, like sweeping the floor or making sure that they follow proper waste segregation.
In the long run, you will not nag them anymore to remember since keeping the house well-kept all the time will be second nature to them.
Ensures that all tasks are not falling on one person
From commercials to TV dramas, homemakers tirelessly doing the house chores all by themselves is a familiar scenario. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Planning a cleaning calendar puts everyone at work. Someone must be assigned to wash the dishes after eating, vacuum the floors, wipe down the kitchen counters, disinfect doors and walkways, clean the bathroom, and so much more.
Prevents Big Pile of Messes
Most of the time, spending the whole day just scrubbing and cleaning the house is the dragging part of cleaning. However, making a weekly cleaning calendar for every member of the household would designate the tasks equally and avoid chores piling up. Mondays can be for bedrooms, Tuesdays for bathroom, Thursdays for living room, Saturdays for the kitchen, or whatever works with your other activities.
Builds bonding and relationship
Who said that cleaning couldn’t be fun? Keeping your house clean requires a team effort like how you play in a game to win. A little bit of creativity and a family movie night reward at the end of the day is already a booster. Not to mention, all those funny stories and a few bubbles can make your kids giggle while doing their cleaning task.
You save budget from hiring a professional house cleaner
Whether you have your family, friends, or workmates sharing in one space together, it is vital to take part in picking up a cleaning task. If no one wants to do it, then a professional house cleaner will do it for you, of course, for a fee. But why hire someone if you can do it yourself and save costs?
Clean your home with Clorox Cleaners
Yes, cleaning can be tiresome and time-consuming, but with the help of suitable cleaning and disinfecting products, your housework efforts can be lessened. So, with superb cleaning power, Clorox provides you with its cleaners that you can use to maintain your home clean and free of germs, especially in the new normal.
To thoroughly clean your bathroom, specifically the walls, floors, and sink, use Clorox Disinfecting Bleach. Not only does it clean every part of your bathroom, but it also disinfects them and kills up to 99.9% of germs, including the COVID-19 virus. And as its partner, apply the Clorox Toilet Bowl Cleaner. Its bleaching power destroys tough stains and kills germs, leaving your toilet clean and shiny. With scents ranging from lavender to lemon, it also delivers a refreshing fragrance in your toilet bowl.
The Clorox Disinfecting All-Purpose Cleaner, on the other hand, is your new household partner in the new normal. Perfect to use on various types of surfaces, such as synthetic marble, stainless steel, glazed ceramic tile, plastic, glazed porcelain, and sealed granite, this bleach-free cleaner with an easy-to-use spray can kill 99.9% of bacteria and viruses and leaves no harsh odor while keeping everything fresh and clean.
Also, make it a habit to wipe down your home’s high-touch surfaces with Clorox Expert Disinfecting Wipes, as it kills 99.9% of germs, including the COVID-19 virus, in just a minute. It is best for quick cleanup wherever you go and can clean and disinfect gadgets and toys.
To top it all off, utilize Clorox Expert Disinfectant Spray for a 30-second sanitization of the soft and hard surfaces in your house. Capable of also removing 99.9% of viruses, bacteria, and fungus, you and your family can say goodbye to your home’s germs and odors.
“At Clorox, we encourage everyone to keep their homes neat and clean to prevent bacteria and viruses that could affect our health. We hope that with our cleaners, we can help Filipinos maintain safe and clean surroundings, especially in the new normal,” said Monique Gonzalez, marketing manager for Clorox Southeast Asia.
SM Cinema reopens at SM City Baliwag with the biggest films to watch this February including the highest grossing Spiderman: No Way Home. Other films to watch out for are Fast & Furious 9: The Fast Saga, Scream, and The King’s Man. In addition, SM Cinema highlights the safety procedures to ensure patrons of a worry-free movie going experience.
There is so much to love this February as SM Cinema in Baliwag finally reopens with the biggest lineup of films for 2022 including Spiderman: No Way Home, Fast & Furious 9: The Fast Saga, Scream, and The King’s Man.
While nothing beats the joy of watching movies once again on the big screen, SM Cinema highlights the safety procedures that need to be observed to ensure patrons of a worry-free movie going experience.
All moviegoers need to wear well-fitted face masks at all times. Temperature and symptoms will be checked upon mall entry. A health declaration must also be presented upon ticket purchase. Moviegoers from adults to kids, must be fully vaccinated to be allowed inside the cinemas.
Ensuring a safe and fun theater-going experience, SM Cinema will likewise have capacity restrictions to allow customers to physically distance one seat apart from each other. Bringing food inside will also be prohibited at the time being, but drinking water will be allowed in consideration of possible emergencies and health risks.
SM remains committed to the safety and well-being of its mall-goers as each cinema underwent intensive sanitation. SM Cinema, in partnership with Hygiea Innovations and Technology, Inc, has installed MERV filters and air purifiers to ensure safe and clean cinema for everyone. A health and safety officer will be present for every screening, while movie theaters will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized regularly. SM Cinema employees are also fully vaccinated to serve you better.
Moviegoers can also book an entire theater for a change! Get your own exclusive movie space with the current movies you like! SM Cinema is feeling good to bring you “Book-a-Theater”, reserve an exclusive cinema perfect for a private movie screening by treating your family and friends to a truly movie theater experience.
SM Cinema is encouraging cashless transactions by using touch-free payment methods for safety and convenience. For more information about SM Cinema’s safety protocols and latest movie updates, follow SMCinema on Facebook and @SM_Cinema on Instagram.
Bata’s Lifesole technology ensures that customers can get 50% more comfort in every step while promising them long lasting cushioning.
With things easing up and less of us working from home, it’s time to step out in style – and of course, comfort –with Bata’s Red Label women’s collection with Lifesole by Ortholite.
Trendy, stylish, and elegant, the Bata Red Label women’s heels collection will make every woman step above the rest with updated designs in functional and comfortable footwear for those on the go.
All engineered with Ortholite Lifesole for perfect comfort, Bata’s Lifesole technology ensures that customers can get 50% more comfort in every step while having a long- lasting cushioning for your feet. And with this, Ortholite has created ‘Lifesole’ EXCLUSIVELY for Bata.
Aside from footwear and shoes, Bata also offers accessories such as wide selection of bags, purses, wallets and belts that are also guaranteed and designed with comfort, style, and finest quality.
They also created a complete line of Shoe care products to help you clean, restore, and protect your shoes. These include quality shoe care products such as shoe care polish, cleaners, insoles, heel grips, cushions and more.
The Bata Red Label x Ortholite collection is available at The SM Store of SM Malls in Marilao, Baliwag, San Jose Del Monte as well as Bata boutique stores at most SM Supermalls nationwide.
About Bata Shoes
The Bata Group is one of the world’s leading manufacturers and retailers of quality footwear. A global concern with more than 30,000 employees, 24 production facilities, over 5,000 stores in more than 70 countries across the globe, Bata has been providing the best shoes at the best prices, backed by unparalleled service, for 120 years. In the Philippines, Bata is in partnership with SM Retail.
Since its founding in 1894 by Thomas Bata, the company has consistently demonstrated its commitment to responsible and innovative business models in the belief that capital is not just money, buildings or technology, but more importantly, people, knowledge and core values. This visionary approach has enabled the company to meet each new challenge with creativity and foresight, while earning the trust and confidence of customers, employees and the communities in which it does business.
The LausGroup of Companies (LGC), owner of dealer principal Global Cars Philippines, is the pilot Ford dealership to fully implement the Balik Baterya Program, in partnership with Ford Philippines, Motolite, and the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP).
First launched by Motolite in 2006, the battery recycling program aims to collect used lead-acid batteries (ULABs) from PBSP’s member companies for proper recycling and production of new automotive and industrial batteries. In turn, the participating companies and partners may allocate the proceeds of the sale of their ULABs for CSR projects in health and education, or for their chosen beneficiaries.
As the pioneer Ford dealership to adapt the Balik Baterya Program, LGC’s Global Cars Philippines has collected over 75 used car batteries within seven months and has just transferred its first batch for recycling to Motolite.
The program is also being implemented in most service departments across other LausGroup dealerships, as part of the Pampanga-based conglomerate’s commitment to foster environmental stewardship and sustainability in its line of business.
In her keynote speech, LGC Chief Executive Officer and 2021 Ford Dealership Honoree Lisset Laus-Velasco said, “It is our hope that through this program, we are able to affect change in our communities by pioneering sustainable business practices, geared towards promoting progressive countryside development that is shared by all.”
“Through the Balik Baterya Program, we are able to bring to life Ford’s global commitment to environmental sustainability in the Philippines and work with our Ford dealers and like-minded partners such as Motolite and PBSP to reinforce this advocacy. At the same time, the program provides an opportunity for our dealer partners to create and even expand their corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs to support more beneficiaries,” Ford Philippines President and Managing Director Michael Allen Breen said.
Various representatives from the PBSP and Ford Dealer Principals and dealerships across the country were also in attendance in the virtual signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) last October 22 to mark the significant milestone for the flagship battery recycling program.
In its Organizational Board Meeting held on December 17, 2021, Premiere Horizon Alliance Corporation (PHA) announced the appointment of current director Mr. Roberto B. Ortiz as the new President & CEO of the Company following the retirement of Mr. Augusto Antonio C. Serafica, Jr.
Mr. Ortiz is a well-respected financial and management advisor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist who has over 40 years’ experience in corporate finance and strategic financial management and investments. He serves as a director and consultant for several multinational, domestic, and public companies in the sectors of telecommunications, industrial gases, food, renewable energy, construction, and retail. Most recently, he was also elected as the Chairman of the Board of PT&T.
A director and the Group CFO of PHA since December 2020, Mr. Ortiz sees the appointment as an opportunity to refocus PHA’s growth trajectory moving forward.
“Over the next three years, our immediate priority will be rationalizing, assessing, and growing our core investment portfolio, and focusing on those that generate cash flows. We are also exploring other avenues to build the resource base of PHA,” shares Mr. Ortiz. “We want to position PHA to exploit growth and investment opportunities in technology-driven businesses as the digital economy expands to the countryside.”
To succeed Mr. Ortiz as the Group CFO is Mr. Adrian F. Luzuriaga. Mr. Luzuriaga is a finance and audit executive with over 30 years of experience in international business, corporate finance, internal and external audit, risk and compliance, and internal control functions. Prior to his appointment in PHA, he was the VP of Internal Audit of Nissan Motor Asia Pacific, the Regional Audit Director of Delphi Asia Pacific, the Audit Manager of General Motors, and a Senior Auditor of SGV & Co.
Mr. Luzuriaga is a graduate of the University of the Philippines-Diliman with a degree in Business Administration and Accountancy. He placed in the Top 20 in his CPA Board Exams, and has a Master of Management majors in Finance, Marketing, Economics, and International Business from Kellogg Graduate School of Management.
The Board also expressed its gratitude and commendation to Mr. Serafica for his service and contribution to PHA as its President & CEO since January 2013. “I would like to thank Tito for leading PHA through difficult times. It was a yeoman’s job indeed,” concurs Mr. Ortiz. Mr. Serafica will continue to serve as a non-executive director of PHA.
Premiere Horizon is an investment holding company with a vision of countryside development through pioneering technologies and innovative business models. PHA holds investments in contract mining through its subsidiary, Premiere Georesources and Development Inc. (PGDI); real estate development through its subsidiary, Goshen Land Capital, Inc.; and tourism estate development through its subsidiary, West Palawan Premiere Development Corp (WPP). At present, PHA remains keen in investing in technology and innovations.
Tis the season to show you care by sending healthy goodies from The Goodwill Market to family and friends. The gift baskets have been carefully curated to fit different lifestyles, filled with wholesome products that focus on health and wellbeing.
What’s more, they can be delivered safely and conveniently to your loved ones doorstep via orders on The Goodwill Market website. You don’t have to leave the comfort and safety of your home to send out healthy and high-quality gifts this Christmas.
The Goodwill Market is an online shop owned and operated by Dygen Pharma Distribution Corporation (DPDC), a subsidiary of Dyna Drug Corporation. Its mission is to make premium brands more accessible to Filipino consumers with online orders and fuss-free delivery. “This is a very valuable e-commerce service especially as everyone stays safe inside their homes” says DPDC General Manager May Panganiban. “Our gift packages contain a wide selection of health and wellness products that are sure to add a spark of joy to the holidays.”
Here are some of the gift selections that you can send as corporate giveaways, or as personalized gifts to your loved ones.
The Holiday Flavor Pack delivers goodies that are fit for the season’s feasts. It contains a selection of imported pasta sauces for easy meals made special.
Work from Home (WFH) is a healthy spread of snacks and ingredients that are perfect for who like to bond over good food while working. Wholesome meals and snacks are more accessible with tasty treats and premium ingredients.
The Lunch Box Buddies is the perfect gift for parents who shower this kids with love and care. It’s got everything they need to make bath time fun while taking care of baby’s sensitive skin. It’s also got kiddie vitamins for that extra boost of protection. Make your Christmas list and check it twice. Find out which gift sets from The Goodwill Market will fit your friends and family members best, or check out the other items that are available at http://www.goodwill.market and its official social media pages on Facebook and Instagram and have these wholesome gift packs delivered directly to your recipient hassle-free. Book your corporate giveaways, customized orders and special requests through customer@goodwillmarket.ph
Sony Music Philippines recently announced the launch of WATERWALK RECORDS, a music label focused on bringing fresh Christian music to a new, streaming generation. The label will feature faith-based entertainment artists from across not just the Philippines, but throughout Asia, who represent the best of Christian music combined with their own unique styles.
After launching several new songs from artists in the Philippines such as Morissette, Hazel Faith, Nathan Huang, and more, WATERWALK RECORDS is releasing a song from Ariel Tsai, a popular Taiwanese singer-songwriter, pianist, and YouTuber signed under Sony Music Taiwan. Her track, “MY ALL IN ALL,” is a beautiful and heartfelt piano-driven worship song written by Ariel herself.
“I wrote this song this past year during a time where I felt quite lost and uncertain about the future,” says Tsai. “I felt I was holding on to the worldly definition of success and chasing it, just to end up realizing that it could never fill the void in my heart. That was when I came to God and resurrendered myself to Him, and God had let me experience His peace again, the peace that the world could not give. Therefore, I wanted to use this song to record what I felt and experienced—the fact that nothing could ever compare to God, and He is indeed the only one I need.”
Kevin Foo, General Manager of Sony Music Taiwan, was also actively involved in the production of the track. “It is truly a blessing for me, leading the Sony Music Taiwan company, to be working in something I’m deeply passionate in every single day, and that is the music industry. Working with Ariel to produce her release with WATERWALK RECORDS was really an opportunity to dovetail my personal faith, with my passion in music,” says Foo. “It was truly a privilege for me to be able to play a part in this amazing song of worship, a song that reflects Ariel’s journey and her declaration of faith. I hope people will be drawn in to the message of hope in this song, and lives will be impacted.”
“MY ALL IN ALL” is out now on all digital music streaming platforms. The official lyric video is also available on Ariel Tsai’s YouTube channel.
PHL Lifestyle News 