As part of their ongoing efforts to empower women across the country, another batch of beneficiaries from the National Capital Region (NCR) received aid from the offices of Senators Alan Peter and Pia Cayetano during visits to Batasan Hills, Quezon City on August 19, 2024 and Navotas City on August 20, 2024. In partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program and with the help from former Congresswoman Carol Lopez of LUNAS Partylist, the sibling senators brought assistance to 850 women from marginalized communities. Among them was Emelita Sereno, who expressed her gratitude to the senators. “Maraming salamat po sa ibinigay niyo para sa aming mga kababaihan. May maiuuwi po kami para sa aming mga pamilya,” she said.   These activities were part of the Cayetano siblings’ continuous efforts to bring aid closer to every Filipino in need.      

As part of its net-zero commitment by 2040, one of Asia’s leading real estate and property developers, SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime), partnered with global integrated energy company TotalEnergies for the installation of a 2 Megawatt-peak (MWp) Solar Photovoltaic (PV) System Rooftop project in Pasay City. The partnership venture aligns with SM Prime’s efforts in expanding its renewable energy portfolio and affirms TotalEnergies’ commitment to advancing renewable energy solutions in various urban settings. Designed with a power yield of 3,000 Megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity annually, the solar partnership project has over 3,672 PV panels installed and is expected to provide huge cost savings for SM Prime. Located at the MOA Square in the Mall of Asia Complex, the solar installations are expected to reduce the building’s carbon footprint by about 1,430 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions annually. “SM Prime is proud to work alongside TotalEnergies on this project. This partnership is our commitment to sustainability and achieving Net Zero by 2040. We are also taking a proactive stance in supporting the Department of Energy’s (DOE) target of reaching 35% renewable energy by 2030. Together, we’re driving meaningful change towards a more environmentally conscious future,” said John Nai Peng Ong, SM Prime Chief Finance Officer. “We are thrilled to announce the successful deployment of solar rooftop installations at the Mall of Asia in the Philippines, marking a significant achievement in both environmental and economic sustainability for SM Prime,” said Elodie Renaud, Managing Director of TotalEnergies Renewables Distributed Generation Asia. For the past few years, SM Prime continues to grow its partnerships with key clean energy players, leveraging its relationships and earned experiences to drive its environmental stewardship campaign. Capitalizing on these partnerships has provided for SM Prime huge economic, environmental, and social dividends. In 2022, SM Prime secured a long-term deal with AboitizPower for its clean energy supply. Under the agreement, AboitizPower will provide reliable and responsibly-sourced energy from Tiwi-MakBan Geothermal Power Plants, and PV Sinag’s Power Plants, operated and managed by AboitizPower subsidiary, Aboitiz Renewables, Inc. (ARI). The following year, SM Prime signed a memorandum of agreement with Citicore Renewable Energy Company (CREC), wherein SM Prime will source 90 megawatts (MWac) from CREC’s upcoming Lumbangan Solar Power Plant in Tuy, Batangas. Apart from contributing to the DOE’s 35% renewable energy goal by 2030, all these partnerships are aligned with the energy department and Energy Regulatory Commission’s (ERC) policy of expanding the adoption of Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA) in the energy industry. To date, SM Prime currently sources at least 50% of its electricity utilization from clean, renewable energy. SM Prime supports the Philippine government’s aim to increase the country’s renewable energy supply component to 50% by the year 2040. It 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. SM Prime is pursuing the next horizon on integrated property development and onward to building sustainable cities of the future.

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday lauded the Department of Education (DepEd) for providing entrepreneurial skills training to students and teachers, saying it is a step towards fulfilling K to 12’s objective of improving employment opportunities especially for the youth. Cayetano made the remark as DepEd, now under the new leadership of former Senator Sonny Angara, committed to continuing the entrepreneurial programs it began last year in partnership with the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) from the private sector. Cayetano emphasized the need to close the gap between livelihood opportunities and formal education in the country, a promise that the K to 12 curriculum has failed to fulfill. “The main reason for the introduction of K to 12 was to better prepare students for higher education, and kung hindi mag-higher education, employable na and developed na ang middle level skills. Pero hindi nabigyan ng resources ang DepEd para magawa ito,” he said. He also said giving students a chance to be mentored by veteran businessmen and entrepreneurs in the country provides young people with more viable career choices. Cabinet Cluster for education that will craft and oversee a quality national education plan that satisfies the needs of the labor market. In the resolution, he pushed for the inclusion of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Department of Budget and Management to ensure sustained operational funding and alignment with workforce development goals. EDCOM 2’s proposal was heeded by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday after a sectoral meeting in Malacañang, recognizing the need for a “system-wide national integrated education and workforce development strategy that starts from early childhood education to basic education, senior high school, and so on.” According to Palace press briefer Daphne Oseña-Paez, Marcos has directed the concerned agencies to devise the national plan, ensuring that “education issues are tackled as a whole system rather than in multi-agency silos.

Universal Robina Corp. (URC) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) have agreed to sustain a program that has significantly enhanced potato farming and overall farm productivity in the Philippines. “Since its inception, this program has exemplified the power of public-private partnerships in driving positive change,” said Department of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. “This agreement solidifies our shared commitment to improve access to quality planting materials, enhance potato production practices and technologies, increase local sufficiency, and ultimately uplift farmers for a sustainable future,” he added. URC – one of the country’s largest food and beverage firms – and the DA will continue providing potato farmers in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Northern Mindanao and Davao access to farm inputs, training and market opportunities for five more years. This falls under the Sustainable Potato Program (SPP) meant to raise the country’s output of a vital staple crop. Since the program started five years ago, URC has distributed 506 tons of generation 3 Granola potato seeds from Canada to more than 900 farmers in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Davao del Sur, and Bukidnon.   An estimated 23,000 MT of potatoes have been produced from these seeds, generating a minimum gross income of 920 million pesos. The program has benefitted 15 farmer organizations and contributed to a 4% increase in national potato production. “We at URC are committed to contributing to the country’s sustainable development goals. Through the Sustainable Potato Program, we aim to uplift people’s lives and support the growth of the potato farming industry,” said URC’s President and Chief Executive Officer Irwin Lee.“In collaboration with  Canada Agriculture and Agri-Food, and the PEI Potato Board, we provide our local farmers with access to relevant trainings and research,” he added. As part of this initiative, 10 farmers from Cordillera joined a delegation on a potato seeds educational visit to Prince Edward Island last June 9-15. The mission was designed to benchmark farming practices, ensure a continued source of Granola seed variety and explore alternative varieties for a sustainable seed source. Under its Memorandum of Understanding with URC, the DA will provide training on good agricultural practices, seed multiplication, pest and disease management, storage, handling, and marketing.The DA will also organize a Program Management Unit (PMU) in the three regions to oversee the program’s implementation and ensure that targets are met. The Bureau of Plant Industry will facilitate timely import clearances and conduct pest and disease surveillance. In addition to providing high quality potato seeds direct to farmers, URC will collaborate with relevant institutions to offer capability-building opportunities and training for farmers.  URC will also leverage its network to establish market access for the potato farmers’ produce. “At URC, we believe in the power of community empowerment and the transformative potential of agriculture,” said Lee. “Our commitment goes beyond business; we are dedicated to changing lives and fostering sustainable growth in every community we touch. Together with our partners, we strive to create a lasting impact, ensuring that our farmers not only thrive but also prosper in evolving agriculture landscape.”

Globe has retained its spot in the prestigious FTSE4Good Index Series for the ninth consecutive year, underscoring the mobile leader’s unwavering commitment to sustainable practices. Created by the global index and data provider FTSE Russell, the FTSE4Good Index Series is designed to measure the performance of companies demonstrating strong Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices. The FTSE4Good indexes are used by a wide variety of market participants to create and assess responsible investment funds and other products. FTSE Russell evaluations are based on performance in areas such as Corporate Governance, Health & Safety, Anti-Corruption, and Climate Change.  Businesses included in the FTSE4Good Index Series meet a variety of environmental, social and governance criteria. “We are dedicated to driving positive change within our organization and the communities we serve. This recognition motivates us to further our efforts and continue being a responsible corporate citizen,” said Yoly Crisanto, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer at Globe. Globe has embedded sustainability into its core operations, starting with identifying its material topics. Through its biennial materiality study, the company is able to prioritize the key concerns of its stakeholders. Globe also conducts an enterprise-level risk assessment exercise where sustainability-linked risks are included. This yearly activity, where top management and management committees across all business units participate, ensures that Globe remains vigilant and proactive in its sustainability efforts. Applying both a top-down and bottom-up approach, executives set the sustainability ambitions, align them with the company’s business objectives, and allocate the necessary resources to reach their goals.  Employees innovate and come up with solutions to ensure that the ambitions are on track in terms of attainment. Both employees and executives are provided incentives to drive greater adoption and accountability of sustainability commitments and targets. Sustainability Councils have been established as platforms to upskill, share best practices, and discuss sustainability-linked challenges and opportunities to better serve the customers. Internal ESG Playbooks have also been crafted to offer practical guidance. Adhering to the principles of  transparency and accountability, Globe annually publishes its Integrated Report to share its ESG performance. This summarizes how Globe creates value for and with its stakeholders to deliver positive societal and environmental impact. The report also marks the second year of adopting the GSMA ESG Metrics for Mobile, highlighting the company’s material impact across the mobile industry’s industry-specific KPIs, particularly in Environment, Digital Inclusion, Digital Integrity, and Sustainable Supply Chain. The Integrated Report is externally assured to ensure that the non-financial sustainability-related disclosures and performance data meet the reporting standards of GRI and SASB and the principles of Stakeholder Inclusiveness, Materiality, Responsiveness, Reliability, Completeness, and Neutrality. Likewise, for the first time, Globe has secured an Independent Verification Statement certifying the fair representation of the GHG emissions data of Globe, covering Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and National Security Adviser Eduardo M. Año joined  the 123rd Police Service Anniversary of the Philippine National Police (PNP) held at Camp Crame, Quezon City this morning, August 8, 2024. The event, themed “Sa Bagong Pilipinas, ang Gusto ng Pulis Ligtas Ka!,” reflected on the PNP’s long history of service and its ongoing role in maintaining public safety across the country. During the celebration, President Marcos Jr. recognized the exemplary efforts of PNP personnel and units by leading the awarding ceremony. He also inspected the newly acquired PNP assets, which included various vehicles and equipment aimed at bolstering the police force’s operational capacity. NSA Año’s presence at the event emphasized the constant collaboration between the National Security Council and the PNP, reinforcing their shared commitment to addressing the country’s security challenges and ensuring the safety of the Filipino people. Photo Courtesy RTVM Malacañang

On July 23, SM Prime Holdings, Inc. proudly commemorated its 30th anniversary as a publicly listed company at the Philippine Stock Exchange, BGC, marking three decades of service and transformative growth in the Philippine real estate industry. Founded in 1994 by the visionary Henry Sy, SM Prime has remained steadfast in its mission to develop world-class shopping, dining, entertainment, residential, and amusement destinations throughout the country and beyond.     Reflecting on the Journey From the initial offering of four malls, SM Prime has expanded into a dominant force in Southeast Asia’s property sector. The company now has a multi-sector Philippine portfolio of 22 lifestyle cities that include 91 residential developments, 86 malls, 22 office towers, 10 hotels and 8 convention centers. This robust growth trajectory has been fueled by the trust and support of its investors and the flourishing capital market provided by the Philippine Stock Exchange. Incorporated in January 1994, SM Prime has remained committed to shared prosperity. Raising approximately PHP 5.89 billion (US$221 million) during its IPO, SM Prime is now one of the most active stocks in the Philippine market, alongside its parent company SM Investments Corp., and subsidiaries BDO and Chinabank. Over the years, SM Prime has faced and overcome significant challenges, including the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the 2008 global financial crisis, and the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Despite these hurdles, the company has remained resilient, continuing to drive system growth. Celebrating Successes, Together On its 30th anniversary year, SM Prime is opening three malls: SM City Caloocan, SM City J Mall in Cebu and SM City Laoag in Ilocos Norte. This year also marks the start of the redevelopment and expansion of SM Megamall and ongoing projects at SM Mall of Asia, SM City Cebu, SM City Iloilo, and SM City Bacolod. Additionally, SM Prime will enhance its Leisure Homes in Tagaytay and Batangas, establish new hotels with around 17,000 rooms, and continue developing mixed-use commercial buildings that combine office and retail spaces. As a leading property developer in major Philippine cities, SM Prime continues to help Filipino communities thrive. With MSMEs making up 63% of its commercial tenants, SM Prime developments offer significant job and business opportunities through various support programs and job fairs, fostering economic growth for local enterprises and the LGUs. This commitment to sustainable growth is a testament to the collective efforts of SM Prime’s shareholders, customers, business partners, and employees. The steadfast support of shareholders has been a driving force behind SM Prime’s achievements, while the loyalty and trust of customers have inspired ongoing innovations. The collaborative spirit of business partners has been instrumental in reaching new heights, and the dedication of SM Prime’s employees has been foundational to its continued success. Looking Forward to a Sustainable Future SM Prime is dedicated to continuously integrating sustainable practices across its operations, from energy-efficient building designs to comprehensive waste management programs. SM Prime’s commitment to sustainability ensures that it maintains its positive impact on the environment and society, paving the way for a greener and more resilient future. As SM Prime celebrates this significant milestone, it extends heartfelt gratitude to all forces who have been part of its journey. Looking ahead, the company is poised to further its growth and innovation, continuing its legacy of delivering exceptional value, enriching communities, and contributing to socioeconomic development as it aims for a more sustainable and prosperous Philippines. SM Prime 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. For more information, visit SM Prime website.  

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano took to the session floor on Monday to sponsor the Konektadong Pinoy Act, a landmark bill that he said will pave the way for reliable, affordable, accessible internet connection in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. “This is a bill that is long overdue. I’m talking about the act establishing a comprehensive and inclusive data transmission and connectivity framework for the Philippines,” Cayetano, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology, said on August 5, 2024. Cayetano said Senate bill #2699 under Committee Report number 262 will mark a significant step for the country’s internet connection in terms of accessing reliable and affordable internet. Outlining four critical areas of concern, he said this can be accomplished by streamlined authorization processes, spectrum management, infrastructure development, and enforcement and monitoring of service providers that will enter the market. “There are many countries poorer than us, pero ang baba ng ating average na mga bahay na mayro’n pong fix na broadband. Pagdating naman sa mobile, oo nga mas marami pang cellphone sa tao sa Pilipinas, but only 70 percent use the internet. And then isa pa tayo sa pinakamahal,” Cayetano said. “I really feel that this is an opportunity to comprehensively approach this and once magawa natin to, we will in a year, two, or three years see the difference of having reliable, affordable, accessible internet connection in Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao,” he added. Cayetano also urged his colleagues in the Senate as well as advocacy groups and non-government organizations to submit their input for this bill. “We need your input and I look forward to discussing this bill in the next few days, and hopefully [this] August matapos natin,” he said.

MANILA — Aiming for a more efficient and inclusive Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP), Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, along with other senators, seeks to temporarily suspend its implementation through a Senate resolution. Filed on July 30, 2024, Senate Resolution No. 1096 underscores the valid and urgent concerns raised by affected drivers, groups, unions, and transport cooperatives, aiming to improve the execution of the PTMP, formerly known as the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP). Under the program, individual operators are required by the government to “consolidate” or join cooperatives and corporations for easier processing of bank loans when they avail themselves of the modernized public utility vehicles. Cayetano and his co-authors acknowledged the plight of drivers who will be left behind, writing in the resolution that the small stakeholders, “particularly the drivers, who remain unconsolidated, are effectively forced out of their livelihoods, with most of them expressing that the only skill they have is driving.” As of April 30, 2024 – the latest deadline set by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for the consolidation of public utility vehicles (PUVs) – 36,217 units, or approximately 19% of the jeepneys and other PUVs, have not yet consolidated. The resolution states that the high figure of unconsolidated units is primarily due to “insufficiency of information drive on the part of the government to educate the drivers, operators, and transport groups about the PTMP and burden of financing the cost of modern PUVs, which greatly exceeds the financial capacity of drivers and operators.” While Cayetano and the co-authoring senators believe the goal of modernization is commendable, they assert that there is an urgent need to thoroughly review and reassess the program’s impact due to these matters. “While the intent of PTMP is laudable, continuing with the Program without threshing out these concerns would go against the Constitutional directive of promoting social justice in all phases of national development,” they stated in the resolution. Cayetano earlier said the PTMP presented a “one-size-fits-all” transport modernization program and had not taken the differences among localities into consideration. “Kung sa gamot walang cure-all, sa programa ng gobyerno lalo in a country with more than 7,000 islands, wala namang one-size-fits-all,” he said. Cayetano also said that drivers, transport groups, and cooperatives would be willing to modernize as long as it does not overly burden them and ensures the sustainability of their livelihoods. “Basta ‘win-win’ ang sitwasyon, most drivers and operators ay papayag sa modernization,” he said.