Local Brand Makes Sabon Refilling Possible

There is a global call from environment advocates to urge multinational companies and leading brands of consumer goods to lessen use of plastics in their product packaging by refilling. It is yet to happen.

However, a local brand called SABON EXPRESS, has joined the global reuse and refill revolution to spur a transition to a plastic-free future. Its founder and Chairman, Mellany Zambrano, believes it is time to shift consumer behavior and habits when it comes to buying household products.

SABON EXPRESS, an innovative consumer goods brand and franchisable store chain, is paving the way for locally manufactured liquid soaps and detergents to have strong foothold in the market with its first-of-its-kind mechanized and automated ‘sabon’ refilling stations that allow consumers to have a refill of highly essential and consumable household products like dishwashing liquid, laundry detergent, fabric conditioner, liquid hand soap, car shampoo, reusing their own bottles and containers – in a hygienic way.

SABON EXPRESS dubbed as The Refill Authority, is trailblazing a more appropriate way of sabon refilling – one that does not require the ‘tindera” to use “tabo” or dipper to fetch products from the drum to manually refill bottles, which is a current practice of most local sabon refilling stores in the country. Said manual process potentially contaminates products and makes refilling messy and unhygienic. Sabon Express recently launched its liquid soap dispensing unit at the ZeroWaste Bazaar in Uptown Mall BGC Taguig last July 18-21 – as the first and only automated and hygienic sabon refilling station in the country.

The Zero Waste Bazaar is in celebration of Plastic-Free July, a collaborative event of Ecowaste Coalition of the Philippines, Greenpeace Philippines, Mother Earth Foundation, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives, Health Care Without Harm together with Break Free from Plastic, Oceana Philippines International, and Megaworld Lifestyle Malls. It showcased a photo exhibit and bazaar featuring art and eco-friendly stores to make plastic-free Pilipinas a reality.

SABON EXPRESS strongly advocates for “a world with less plastic” by promoting the reuse of plastic containers for household products via its conceptual and innovative hygienic ‘sabon’ refill dispensing unit in all its stores which comes in both manual and automated machines – a game changer in the local ‘sabon’ refilling industry.

With a vision to serve the country’s increasingly demanding market at scale, Sabon Express is committed to continuous research and development and is being assisted by the Department of Science and Technology’s Industrial Technology Development Institute (DOST-ITDI) for further product development, technical advancement and good manufacturing technology and processes.

“At Sabon Express, we are always looking for ways to innovate in order to serve our consumers better and to help save the environment in our own little way because our business is advocacy-driven”, says Mellany Zambrano.

Open for franchise, distribution and reselling

Among the signature products of Sabon Express are the Deesh dishwashing liquid, Lanza fabric conditioner, Hush hand soap, Savonex multipurpose cleaner, SoFresh washing machine tub cleaner, Glim glass cleaner, Switch liquid detergent, Vorox toilet care, and CarZ car care.

Sabon Express ALL-IN franchise+ package is worth P388,000 which includes Sabon refill dispensing machine, store fabrication and installation, display racks and counter table, store signages, P50,000 worth of initial product inventory, product marketing/sales training, and more.

For franchise, distribution and reselling inquiries, call Sabon Express hotlines: 0919-0967602/0970-5614670/0965-6912553 or visit their office at 1023 10thFloor, City & Land Mega Plaza, ADB Avenue, Ortigas, Pasig City.

The Relentless Rizaly: From SM Foundation scholar to SM Prime accounting manager

Twenty years ago, high school student Rizaly Lim and her four siblings would watch in awe every time they pass by the construction of the first SM City in her hometown Sta. Rosa, Laguna. All five children, packed in the tricycle their father rides for a living, were all excitedly looking forward to happy family weekends they would be spending at the huge mall.

Today, after graduating Summa Cum Laude through a scholarship from SM Foundation, Rizaly is now a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) working as Accounting Manager for the head office of SM Prime Holdings, a leading property developer in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.

From SM Foundation scholar to SM Prime accounting manager

At a young age, Rizaly was headstrong about getting her family out of poverty. She shares, “My father was the only one who worked for our family, and because we were a large family, his daily earnings as a tricycle driver were never enough.”

Rizaly finished high school at the Balibago National High School as class valedictorian in 2005 and was already sending applications for other college scholarships when her teacher asked the top 10 students to go to SM City Sta. Rosa for an interview with SM Foundation.

“Sa umpisa, hindi po ako naniwala kasi bago pa lang sa amin noon ang SM City Sta. Rosa,” she recalls. She proceeded of course, driven by the one goal of finishing college and helping her family. “Gusto ko rin po makapag-aral at makapagtapos noon. Maka-work at makatulong sa family.”

A few exams and interviews later, SM Foundation, Inc. (SMFI) went to visit her and her family at home to inform them that she will be receiving a full scholarship with monthly allowance until she finishes her course.

In 2010, Rizaly graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accountancy. She went on to pass the Philippine CPA Board Exams on first try in October 2010. The assistance of SMFI, she said, went beyond tuition and allowances. “With full scholarship grants and monthly allowances, as well as the opportunity to work at SM Store during our summer and Christmas vacations, the SMFI scholarship has enabled me to help my family financially.”

“I am the master of my fate”

While other parents were buying their college kids the latest Nokia phone back in the summers of 2000’s, Rizaly’s father gave her and her siblings weekly assignments to accomplish during the summer vacation. “Our late father instilled in us the love of reading and the value of studying,” she shared. “During summer, he would assign us English words and their meanings to memorize and asked us to recite these to him.“

Then there’s the memorization of motivational poems and speeches, one of which stuck with her for life: “It matters not how strait the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.” She shared that this last stanza of “Invictus” by W.E. Henley had kept her motivated to look past the limitations of her circumstances and focus on her personal goals.

Career at SM

SM Foundation was established in 1983 by Henry Sy, Sr. and Felicidad T. Sy as the heart of the SM group. It has established programs that are focused on nurturing and caring for underserved communities where SM is present. It supports and empowers host communities through education, healthcare, shelter, disaster response, sustainable agriculture, and care for persons with special needs.

To date, SM Foundation has assisted more than 8,000 college and technical/vocational students, and has donated over 100 school buildings with a total of 334 classrooms built across the country.

Nurturing the graduates extends beyond the classroom as SM Foundation also provides job opportunities across the different companies of the SM group. The foundation organizes a Career Fair specifically designed for its scholars.

From the Career Fair organized by SM Foundation, Rizaly was able to get job offers from three companies – among which was SM Prime Holdings, one of the largest integrated property developers in Southeast Asia that offers innovative and sustainable lifestyle cities with the development of malls, residences, offices, hotels and convention centers. It is also the largest, in terms of asset, in the Philippines.

I still want to level up

“I haven’t accomplished much yet, but I value what I have already accomplished and received so far,” said Rizaly, referring to the highest honors she has received in high school and college, becoming a CPA, and being promoted to manager in within only a few years of her work at SM Prime. “These are just a few of the accomplishments for which I will be eternally grateful. I’m also proud of my daily achievements at work, such as fulfilling particular duties assigned to me. They make me happy and proud of myself, and they inspire me to do better.”

“Ang mga dating pinapangarap ko lang, nagagawa ko na ngayon,” Rizaly said as she related how she has been able to travel to Taiwan for vacation and do the tri-city tour of Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. But her biggest dreams, she said, remain centered on her family: to provide better for her family by sharing with them what she has now. “Nothing is simple. Nothing is easy. Hindi ko naman to straight line lang na na-achieve. Life is full of challenges. Just stay strong, keep the faith and always give your best effort.”

Collaboration: A key in creating sustainable agri-enterprises

KSK Farmers’ Market Day at SM City Sta. Rosa

Limited market information and market access are two major obstacles to increased smallholder farmers’ income. According to studies, farmers in grassroot communities often lack access to profitable, value-added markets. In the absence of critical supporting functions, such as infrastructure and service provision – farmers struggle to transform their traditional subsistence farms into a feasible commercially oriented production. Buyers, on the other hand, such as wholesalers, find it difficult to get the quantity and quality of produce that they need for processing on a timely basis.

Because of this challenge, SM Foundation collaborated with various government agencies, and engaged various SM business units such as the SM Development Corp. (SMDC), SM Supermalls and SM Markets to ensure that local farmers under the Kabalikat Sa Kabuhayan (KSK) program have venues where they can sell their produce amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

From training KSK participants in practicing sustainable farming technologies via technology transfer and product development, SMFI, together with various SM business units used the power of collaboration to create farm-market linkage – which intends to create a powerful driver of rural poverty reduction.

Team social good
The Good Guys Market is a weekend market set up in SMDC properties to connect small-scale farmers directly with consumers—condo residents. This initiative links around 26,000 small-scale farmers directly with consumers.

Together with SM Supermalls, SMFI launched the Green Lane initiative. Led by the wives of the KSK farmers, the social enterprise offers a wide variety of quality yet affordable indoor and landscape plants which cater to every enthusiast’s preference. In addition, the team also launched the KSK Farmers’ Market Day to provide farmers with market exposure in select SM Malls nationwide.

Meanwhile, SMFI also partnered with SM Markets in creating market for onion farmers. Through the partnership, SMFI was able to establish specialized onion pop-up booths creating a stable market for small scale onion farmers.

Millions of smallholder farmers are seeking ways to improve the productivity of their farms and to improve their market performance. Modern farming technologies, paired with market linkage, such as the SM KSK, plays a vital role in improving the livelihood of small-scale farmers and their families.

SM Foundation’s Kabalikat Sa Kabuhayan (KSK) is SMFI’s Social Good program on sustainable agriculture that intends to uplift the lives of Filipinos in grassroot communities through sustainable agriculture via technology transfer, product development and farm-market linkage. To date, the program has trained more than 28,500 farmers from more than 900 cities/municipalities nationwide.

SM PRIME continues to explore ways to promote environmental consciousness

Climate change is one of the most pressing and defining global issues today. It has become imperative for both the public and private sectors to continue to band together to primarily, safeguard the welfare of the people and to step up to strengthen the resilience of the nation.

The Philippines currently ranks third globally when it comes to climate change vulnerability. In relation to its geographical location, it is more exposed to altering intensities of climate change manifested through erratic weather systems and natural calamities.

The private sector is called upon now more than ever to align with the principles of sustainable development and to take on the same firm stance on environmentally sound practices in its operations.

“I constantly encourage the private sector to work closely with the government. This way, we can be more cohesive in our efforts to make more meaningful progress towards a better and sustainable future. As a private enterprise, SM Prime will continue to do its share in addressing climate change for the benefit of communities,” said Hans T. Sy, SM Prime Holdings Chairman of the Executive Committee.

Water conservation

Sustainability at SM Prime is at the core of its corporate identity. SM Prime has spearheaded sustainable practices as well as set records in pioneering programs to consciously protect the environment and strongly focus on resilience in its developments.

For one, the property conglomerate embarked on a campaign to substantially reduce its water consumption. It pioneered the installation of sewage treatment plants even before the measure was required by way of the Clean Water Act in 2004.

Today, its sewage treatment plants recycle 8.7 million cubic meters of water, lessening its dependence on fresh water sources for air conditioning operations, gardening, water closet flushing and other non-potable uses. SM Prime’s water catchment basins across 20 SM malls can also catch and store almost 79 million liters of water in total every time it rains, or as much as 32 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

By controlling the flow of flood water, surrounding communities have been provided more protection against the devastating effects of floods, alleviating what communities would normally fear when the rains come.

Renewable energy

SM Prime continues to explore ways to promote environmental consciousness in its operations and developments to minimize environmental impact.

In 2014, SM Prime achieved an important milestone in the country with SM City North EDSA becoming then the world’s largest solar-powered mall. Today, SM Prime is adding eleven more malls with solar roof decks.

Showing its firm resolve to advance its sustainability agenda, the company is committed to increase the use of renewable energy by 50% in 2022 across its various business segments, ahead of the national goals to be 35% renewable by 2030.

Through these efforts, SM Prime is committed to provide affordable and clean energy to its tenant-partners, minimizing the carbon footprint emission in its operations.
Collaboration toward resilience

As a key figure in the private sector, Mr. Sy and his dedication to environmental protection continues to serve as a testament to how Philippine businesses can usher positive change toward disaster resilience and risk reduction management in the country.

In 2012, Mr. Sy joined the United Nations Private Sector Advisory Group (PSAG) for Disaster Reduction. In 2015, he was also inducted as the first and only Filipino member UNDRR ARISE (Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies) International Board. He currently serves as co-chair in the ARISE-Philippines network and National Resilience Council (NRC) of the Philippines, representing the private sector. He continues to help develop multi-sectoral partnerships in the country to strengthen the ability of corporations, including MSMEs, to prepare and respond to disasters brought about by natural hazards such as earthquake.

“Climate change is looming over our Mother Earth. If we can contribute no matter how little and if I can get everybody to be aware of it, I think we will make an impact. It’s never too late,” said Mr. Sy in a video interview for the 50 Sustainability & Climate Leaders initiative.

Sun Life: Partner in Health!

Sun Life Philippines has launched a promo for those keen to secure and invest in their health.

Entitled Sun Life: Partner in Health Promo, qualified participants can get a chance to win P2,000 worth of Giftaway e-vouchers.

To qualify, one simply needs to connect with their Sun Life advisor and schedule a financial consultation. During the consultation, the advisor will provide a registration form which participants will need to fill out. The completed form will serve as their raffle entry.

Those who want to join but currently do not have an advisor can connect with one via http://www.sunlife.co/TalkToAnAdvisor.

Interested participants have until June 30, 2022, to sign up and attend a financial consultation to qualify for the raffle draw.

Ten (10) winners will be electronically drawn on June 22 and July 6, 2022, and will be announced on June 25, and July 9, 2022, respectively. The list of winners will be posted on the official Sun Life Philippines Facebook page (www.facebook.com/SunLifePH).

“Sun Life is constantly finding new and exciting ways to engage our clients so that we can help them secure a brighter and healthier future,” Sun Life Philippines Chief Client Experience & Marketing Officer Carla Gonzalez-Chong said. “Through this promo, we hope to encourage more Filipinos to take the first step, and with the help of our Sun Life advisors, understand why it’s worth it to invest in their health.”

To stay updated on promos, follow @SunLifePH on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. To know more about how Sun Life can be your partner in health, visit http://www.sunlife.co/SLPIH.

The importance of Community-based Disaster Risk Reduction and Management

Artist’s illustration of SM’s rainwater collection facility in 22 SM Malls nationwide.

A person’s safety during calamities is mainly dependent on their community’s disaster preparedness. No matter how ready they are for all possible catastrophic scenarios, every bit of preparation can go down the drain if their community cannot respond effectively to such events.

It is why a community-based disaster risk reduction and management plan (CBDRRMP) is essential. It places the responsibility of being prepared for calamities and other emergencies on the community as a whole, ensuring that organizations, households and individuals can work together in making their community more resilient in the face of disaster.

CBDRRMP is important, especially for countries highly vulnerable to disasters, such as the Philippines. Situated within the Pacific Ring of Fire and typhoon belt, the Philippines is frequented by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions and typhoons respectively. The country ranked 9th in the world in terms of vulnerability to calamities in the 2020 World Risk Index.

One of the most common events experienced by the Philippines is flooding, which underscores the importance of effective floodwater management. There are many ways that local government units are doing this. Efforts range from structural measures such as sizeable underground drainage systems, floodways, pumping stations, flood warning systems, and urban greening to non-structural measures such as minimizing plastic waste, a primary culprit in urban flooding.

With the country situated on five active fault lines, Filipinos must also prepare for earthquakes. It is why many buildings are equipped with earthquake-resistance features. Taking earthquake resilience in the country further are the periodic earthquake drills implemented at the national and organizational levels.

These are good examples of effective CBDRR, where both the authorities and the citizens work together to ensure the safety of life and property in their communities.

SM City Masinag has a rainwater collection tank that can store 17,681 cubic meters of water.

As a trusted and responsible developer of integrated properties, SM has always been committed to promoting Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) in its communities, which is evident in many of its malls that employ infrastructure design centered on disaster resilience. SM allocates 10% of its capital expenditures to incorporate disaster-resilient features, of which installing water management design features is one of them.

Artist’s illustration of SM’s rainwater collection facility in 22 SM Malls nationwide.

A few examples of these are SM City Marikina, elevated by several rows of concrete stilts to protect tenants and mall-goers during extreme floods. SM Mall of Asia was built with a storm surge barrier for added protection during storm surges, and several malls employ catchment tanks for recycling rainwater.

Across the country, there are 22 SM Malls that have rainwater collection tanks under the mall. All these malls combined can catch and store 79,880 cubic meters of rainwater, equivalent to 32 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

“Wherever SM is, we try to help our communities become resilient to changing weather patterns,” explains Arch. Fides Garcia-Hsu, Vice President of SM Engineering, Design and Development. “Nationwide, we have 22 malls equipped with rainwater catchment facilities that help rain water management to avoid flash floods for surrounding communities.”

SM City Olongapo Central’s rainwater collection tank can hold up to 14,580 cubic meters of water.

Supporting these are several initiatives focused capacity-building for its stakeholders. It includes workshops & learning sessions on Disaster Risk Resilience Management and regular participation in the quarterly national simultaneous earthquake drills for its employees, and the annual Emergency Preparedness Forum for persons with disabilities and the elderly, two of the most vulnerable sectors of society during disasters.

Similarly, in line with its multi-stakeholder approach, SM Prime has also continuously built long-term partnerships with organizations that advocate for a disaster-resilient Philippines. It includes collaborations with ARISE-Philippines, the National Resilience Council, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the Office of Civil Defense, and the Bureau of Fire Protection, to name a few.

SM City San Mateo’s rainwater collection tank can collect 10,800 cubic meters of potential floodwater.

ABOUT SM PRIME HOLDINGS

SM Prime, one of the leading integrated property developers in Southeast Asia, remains committed to its role as a catalyst for economic growth, delivering innovative and sustainable lifestyle cities, thereby enriching the quality of life of millions of people. Sustainability and Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience form part of SM Prime’s core business strategies. It ensures that its risk-informed investments catalyze sustainable development and positive change in the communities where it operates.

For more information on SM Prime Holdings and its other programs towards disaster preparedness, visit their website at http://www.smprime.com.

Clorox Philippines helps you wrap the gift of a clean home: Cleaning Your Way to a Happy Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is just around the corner. And just like how you usually prepare for any season, you are probably glued to your screen searching for the best gift for your mom. And, with just a few clicks, you will get suggestions like “72 Unique Gifts for Moms” or “Flowers for Moms.”

A fragrant bouquet, a silky dress, a designer purse, a new ceramic dinnerware, or plant pots may excite her, but what if you give something beyond these usual gift items? What if you surprise her by showing your love and appreciation? After all, actions speak louder than words. This Mother’s Day, the best gift you can give might be a clean, virus-free home!

With all the household chores and the time she devotes to her family every day, she has less time for herself. The gift of a clean and organized home lifts a heavy load on her shoulder, giving her more time to bond with her family and do the things she loves. In fact, a survey conducted by The Clorox Company revealed that 80 percent of people felt more relaxed and 60 percent felt less stressed in a clean home.

Indeed, cleaning your sweet abode is a tedious job. Your mom can attest to that. Worry no more because you’ve got a partner!

Clorox Philippines, one of the country’s leading providers of cleaning and disinfecting products, is your partner in giving that tough power against germs and tender love to your mom!

Ready to wrap your present? Get yourself the Clorox Disinfecting Bleach. Not only does it clean your bathroom walls, floors, and sink, it also kills up to 99.9% of germs, including the COVID-19 virus. Going with it hand in hand is the Clorox Toilet Bowl Cleaner. With a bleaching power that destroys tough stains and kills germs, it leaves your toilet clean and shiny. With scents ranging from lavender to lemon, it also delivers a refreshing fragrance in your toilet bowl.

Most of the time, your mom spends a lot of time cooking in the kitchen. So now, it is your time to tidy things up! With all the delicate surfaces in the kitchen, you need a reliable partner to do the job. Clorox Disinfecting All-Purpose Cleaner is perfect for various surfaces, such as synthetic marble, stainless steel, glazed ceramic tile, plastic, glazed porcelain, and sealed granite.

Clorox Expert Disinfecting Wipes helps you with quick cleanup for items like gadgets and toys. And to put the ribbon on top, use Clorox Expert Disinfectant Spray for a 30-second sanitization of the soft and hard surfaces for a germ-free and odor-free home. (Follow Clorox Cleaners’ usage instructions as per label.)

“Having a clean home may be one of the best gifts you can give your mothers. We hope that with Clorox Cleaners, we can help Filipinos provide this heart-warming and perfect gift to moms out there. Let’s make this special occasion more memorable for mothers.” said Monique Gonzales, marketing manager for Southeast Asia at Clorox International.

It’s time to reciprocate your mom’s labor with your labor of love. Not just on a particular day, but every day.

SUN LIFE Remains #1 in the Life Insurance Sector

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.”

Converge uplifts a woman-run upcycling social enterprise

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.”

Smugglaz, Skant Vee, Hakob, and A$tro joins the patriotic rapper in the empowering music video for the youth

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.

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