Philippine Homeschool Conference Expo (PHC) : Securing a Child’s Future through Education

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The sixth annual Philippine Homeschool Conference Expo (PHC) held at the SMX Convention Center, SM Aura Premier in Taguig City on October 22, 2016.

With this year’s theme “From roots to wings”, PHC hopes to nourish the firm foundation that they have with parents by continuing to equip them with knowledge and virtues that would help them soar together. The event, led by the Homeschooling Association of the Philippine Islands (HAPI) gathered some of the country’s experts on homeschooling to share their insights on the importance and implications of homeschooling.

Among them was Eric Nicdao, District Manager of Philam Life. Nicdao explained that while there are distinct advantages to homeschooling, it is never without a challenge. 

“The cost of education for homeschooling a child is not inexpensive as others perceive it to be”, said Mr. Nicdao.

He further explained that this is because homeschooling entails the presence of one of the parents at home which will potentially reduce the family’s overall income. With the increasing costs of college education, it will be very daunting to have only one breadwinner. Mr. Nicdao also shared why it is important to plan early for the child’s education.

“As a parent myself, I understand the real-life struggles that parents go through to give the best to their children. It is, therefore, wise and even necessary to invest in a plan with guaranteed education benefits even if school-going children are still quite young. Plans like this should have the potential to grow to cope adequately with annual tuition fee hikes.” Nicdao added. 

“More to the point, a parent and a child should not have to guess what the future brings. There are too many uncertainties already and having something secure and reliable allows a family to focus on learning and academic excellence rather than trying to make sure that there is a school they can afford.”

To help address these concerns, Philam Life launched a new education product, Future Scholar.

Future Scholar offers guaranteed education benefits and long term growth potential through access to expertly-managed funds. The plan will continue without the need to pay future payments should the payor pass away or suffer total and permanent disability.It is to these concerns that Philam Life’s Future Scholar plan focuses with its guaranteed educational benefits and unique features available like making life insurance coverage for parents or premium adjustments in times of great need.

To learn more about Future Scholar, please visit http://www.philamlife.com.

Over 51,000 education benefit payouts released for 2nd Semester of SY 2016-2017

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With increasing tuition fees and extended years of basic education, having an education plan has become even more relevant nowadays. Many parents who have made a decision decades ago to invest in a good education plan for their children, are now reaping the fruits of their hard-earned savings, thanks to Philam Life. 

In May of 2016, 50,000 scholars received their education payout for the 1st semester of SY 2016-2017. This second semester, Philam Life released over 51,000 education benefit payouts to policy owners. Most of the benefit payouts were made through CTA (credit to account) as part of the company’s “ease of doing business” drive to ensure policyholders receive their benefit payments in a fast and convenient manner. 

“Providing the best education for their loved ones continues to be a key priority among Filipinos. Nothing is more important and more fulfilling for parents than to see their children finish school,” said Philam Life CEO Aibee Cantos. “We understand this real life need and we are proud to be part of the journey in helping parents send their children to school,” Cantos concluded.

In a related matter, Philam Life introduced a new education product called ‘Future Scholar,’ which addresses the needs and specifications of middle-class families who want the best education for their children. 

Future Scholar is an investment and life insurance plan that provides long-term growth potential and guaranteed education benefits. It allows access to Philam Life’s expertly-managed funds, offers guaranteed education benefits, waiver of premium, an optional term insurance for the payor, which the family can use to expand education costs in case the unexpected happens. Customers can also choose from two simple payment options – pay over 5 years or pay regularly until the child turns 17 years old. 

Philam Life remains a trusted partner of parents in ensuring the continued education of their children. It has delivered timely payouts of over PHP10 billion in education benefits for the past 10 years, and over PHP131 billion in insurance benefits for the past six decades.

For more information, please visit http://www.philamlife.

Philam Foundation and Happy Hearts Fund renew partnership for Pinoy children

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The Philam Group’s CSR arm, Philam Foundation (PFI), continues its philanthropic endeavours by continuing its partnership with the Happy Hearts Fund (HHF), which aims to rebuild safe, resilient schools in areas impacted by natural disasters. PFI and HHF recently signed an agreement for another joint project to build nine classrooms worth US$225,000 (Php10Million). 

The Happy Hearts Fund was founded in 2006 by Petra Nemcova after she survived the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. Its mission aligns perfectly with the Philam Paaralan program of Philam Foundation, which aims to build classrooms in calamity-stricken areas around the country with the assistance of the Department of Education. To date, the program has constructed 101 classrooms since it started 4 years ago in 2012.

Present during the MOA signing at the Philippine Consulate in New York City were (from left) PFI President Max Ventura, Ms Universe Pia Wurtzbach, who lent her support for this project that will benefit her fellow “kababayans”, HHF Founder and President Petra Nemcova, Handang Tumulong President Nelsie Parrado and Philippine Consul Felipe Cariño III. 

For more information on Philam Foundation please visit www.philamlife.com

Doing Good While Doing Well: Philam Group institutionalizes annual donation to intensify CSR efforts

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This year, Philam Group  pledge to do more by institutionalizing its annual donation to intensify its CSR efforts.

Many companies adhere to a sense of corporate social responsibility through educational and social programs that benefit a marginalized sector of the population or the society at large. 

One of these is the Philam Group of companies, which has been a staunch advocate of the importance of giving back to the community. 

Philam Life Chief Executive Officer Aibee Cantos

“For the past 69 years of philanthropic success, we have been actively enriching the lives of Filipino families through our various CSR programs. This year, we want to do more by pledging a portion of our annual income to ensure our CSR programs continue to expand its reach and enable us to serve more communities,” Philam Life Chief Executive Officer Aibee Cantos said during the recent briefing with the press dubbed as “Doing Good While Doing Well," held at the Philam Tower, Makati City. 

The Philam Paaralan is one of the notable projects of Philam Foundation, Philam Group’s CSR arm.  Philam Paaralan aims to build classrooms in calamity-stricken areas around the country, in coordination with the Department of Education. To date, the program has constructed 101 classrooms for the past four years.

The Philam Paaralan classrooms are typhoon-resilient, fully-furnished and complete with water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities that are essential in providing schoolchildren a healthy environment conducive for learning.

The Philam Group, composed of Philam Life, BPI-Philam, and Philam Asset Management Inc., (PAMI), has pooled their combined annual donation amounting to Php31 million, which will be used to finance more Philam Paaralan classrooms and other noteworthy projects. 

A ceremonial check turnover from Philam Group to Philam Foundation was held during the event.

Also present during the event were AIA Regional CEO Gordon Watson, Philam Foundation President Max Ventura, Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Armin Luistro, and Insurance Commissioner Emmanuel Dooc.

Insurance Commissioner Emmanuel Dooc.

In his speech, Commissioner Dooc commended the Philam Group’s selfless act of institutionalizing its annual donation that would benefit more marginalized sectors of society.

DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro 

DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro also gave a short message, thanking the Philam Group for being a forerunner in providing support to the education sector. The DepEd has been working closely with the Foundation in identifying schools that are most in need of new classrooms.

“Given Philam Group’s strong financial position, we want to be able to ‘do good while doing well,’ and we are happy to create a sustainable contribution to the community thorugh the Philam Paaralan programme. In line with our thrust to empower more Filipinos to live longer, healthier and better lives, we want to build more classrooms and give more children a healthy education and a better life for the future,”  said Cantos. 

For more information on Philam Life and Philam Foundation, please visit www.philamlife.com

Painting a better future for students of Taguig

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Many public schools in the Philippines require constant maintenance, owing mostly to the torrential rains and high humidity brought about by local weather. This makes their upkeep a race against nature. 

While some school buildings may have lost their sheen, it takes a bit of help to make them look bright and conducive to learning.

Taguig National High School is an example of such an institution. Through the DepEd’s “Brigada Eskwela” program, Philam Life Foundation has recently repainted and turned over a brand new-looking building to the school, which currently educates about 2,000 students in its K-12 program. The Math building includes eight newly-repainted classrooms, complete with about 40 desks and a blackboard for each classroom.

Philam Foundation KaAkbay volunteers and Taguig National High School volunteers worked hand in hand to repaint the building including some areas of the school. 

Following the activity, Philam Life’s newly-elected CEO Axel Bromley expressed his heartfelt thanks to all the volunteers. “As you know, our corporate headquarters is located in Taguig, so we were doubly inspired to do our part to help this community,” he explained. “I believe that one of the best forms of community service is educational support, so I am truly honored to be a part of this initiative. Moreover, it was amazing to see Filipino bayanihan in action,” Bromley further enthused. 

In addition, Philam Foundation also donated a 3-classroom building to Taguig National High School under its Philam Paaralan Program. The Foundation has donated over 80 classrooms across the country since it started the program in 2011. 

Philam Foundation is the CSR arm of Philam Life, the country’s premier life insurance company. As part of the AIA group of companies, Philam Life began its commitment to reach out to communities in need, with a special program dedicated to the Philippine public school system through the Philam Paaralan program. 

For more information about Philam Foundation or to volunteer for their programs, please email philamfoundation@aia.com