COMCO Mundo concludes its Mission 2024 with the launch of landmark advocacy projects with IABC Philippines, Save the Children and other NGOs

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Global award-winning and powerhouse communications group COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises is ending the year strong with its commitment to its Mission 2024 initiative through the launch of milestone advocacy projects with various industry and non-government organizations (NGOs).

This initiative highlights two major projects: the Save the Children #LahatDapatSafe campaign, which promotes child and family safety during natural disasters, especially around the holiday season and The Communications Olympiad, in partnership with the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines, a training and education program for the skills development of the next generation of communications practitioners across the country.

This was announced during the Movie Night with COMCOmigos 2024, COMCO Mundo's traditional holiday treat for its community comprised of media, bloggers, content creators, influencers, brand representatives, industry colleagues, and members of the Camp COMCO Alumni Society. With Century Tuna as major sponsor; Century Tuna Nuggets, MIDEA, SAMSUNG and URATEX Monoblock as sponsors; ASEANA, Lamoiyan Corporation, LENOVO, Sunlife Global Solutions and Teleperformance as supporters; IABC Philippines and Save the Children as industry partners; and SEA Wave Pop Culture Magazine and SEA Wave Pilipinas as media partners, this year's Movie Night with COMCOmigos screened the highly anticipated movie adaptation of the musical, “Wicked”.

#LahatDapatSafe Campaign with Save the Children

The #LahatDapatSafe Campaign by Save the Children aims to mobilize the public to support emergency relief efforts for natural calamities and promote disaster preparedness, particularly during the holiday season when intense tropical storms are more commonly worsened by climate change. Through donations and active participation, supporters of the cause can provide emergency kits and living essentials such as food, water, and shelter, ready to be distributed to vulnerable families. Working with them can help children achieve resilience and support in education to ensure that their development continues even after being affected by natural disasters. COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises partnered with Save the Children to intensify the appeal for support for this much needed initiative.

Interested organizations and individuals may visit http://bit.ly/LahatDapatSafe to know more about the campaign and how to extend their support.

The Communications Olympiad with IABC Philippines

COMCO Mundo, together with its training and education unit COMCO School of Communications and advocacy arm Citizen COMCO Advocacy Movement, has partnered with premier business communications organization IABC Philippines to formally mount the Communications Olympiad. The initiative is a learning program that will provide a platform for collegiate students across the country to learn more about the professional practice of communications, adapt the necessary knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the industry, and how to use their roles as next generation of communicators to address important social issues and support causes that matter.

The Communications Olympiad will formally open in January 2025 with an inaugural theme anchored on environment and sustainability, a cause fully championed by IABC Philippines. The initiative will hold a series of roadshows, webinars and a summit for participating schools and students of Communication Arts, Mass Communication, Advertising, Public Relations, Marketing Communications, Journalism and other related disciplines. It will culminate in an actual Olympic-like competition for communications where schools and their students will vie for bronze, silver and gold medals for different categories, and the Grand Championship for the overall winner. Interested schools, students, sponsors and organizations may email communicationsolympiad@comcomundo.com or tune in to the Facebook page of COMCO Mundo or IABC Philippines for more information and updates.

Upcoming Projects with Make-A-Wish, Philippine Eagle Foundation and COMCO’s Southeast Asia Affiliate Network

Citizen COMCO has been at the forefront of the group’s various advocacies such as children, youth and education; wildlife conservation and environmental sustainability; indigenous culture and national heritage; social entrepreneurship; and the Southeast Asian integration, since 2016. The team’s advocacy arm has made several partnerships with reputable non-government and development organizations that shared long-lasting impact to its beneficiaries. This coming 2025, COMCO is onboarding two more organizations to its roster of NGO partners to launch and mount landmark advocacy projects. They are the Philippine Eagle Foundation which aims to provide ecological conservation efforts that encompass wildlife protection and environmental reinforcements, and Make-A-Wish Foundation which is focused on supporting the psychosocial well-being of terminally ill children and fostering their healing.

Together with COMCO Mundo’s affiliate network in Southeast Asia such as Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, the coalition of independent communications agencies formed and led by COMCO is also embarking on a regionwide advocacy program that will help address important social issues affecting the region and support causes that will drive its mission of #OneSoutheastAsia integration. The coalition will have a summit in Manila in early 2025 to reinforce this commitment and fully rollout the group’s projects.

Mr. Ferdinand L. Bondoy, COMCO Mundo’s Group Chief Executive Director and Lead Strategic Communications Counsel / Partner and Co-Founder

“Igniting social change is at the forefront of our work and is part of our DNA. From supporting children on their right to safety this holiday to using communication as a tool for sustainable action, we work as a team to provide the best livable standard that does not only benefit us but impact the world we live in. We will continue the cause and keep our battle cry of Mission 2024 heard and seen, now and beyond, making a difference through Meaningful Storytelling, in which the COMCO brand is known for,” said Mr. Ferdinand L. Bondoy, COMCO Mundo’s Group Chief Executive Director and Lead Strategic Communications Counsel / Partner and Co-Founder.

Stay updated with COMCO Mundo by visiting www.comcomundo.com or following

fb.com/comcomundo on Facebook, linkedin.com/company/comcomundo on LinkedIn, and

@comcomundo on Instagram.

Golden Haven Celebrates the 1st Anniversary of Its Pet Crematorium, Announces Expansion

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Golden Haven, a leader in memorial care services in the Philippines, celebrates the first anniversary of its pet crematorium this October 2024. Known for providing dignified memorial care to Filipino families, Golden Haven’s comprehensive services include memorial parks, columbariums, chapels, crematoriums, and mortuary services. Expanding into pet cremation, Golden Haven has now brought its compassionate approach to honoring beloved pets, making it the first memorial care provider in the country to venture into pet memorialization.

Golden Haven celebrates the first anniversary of its pet crematorium this October 2024, its compassionate approach to honoring beloved pets.

The pet crematorium journey began at Golden Haven’s flagship branch in Las Piñas, situated along the C5 Road Extension in Global South. As the initial site for this service, it established a warm, respectful environment where pet families could honor their departed fur babies with the same dignity and care that Golden Haven extends to human memorials. Within a year, the service has seen an overwhelming demand, underscoring the essential need for respectful and loving farewells for pets.

Golden Haven is the first memorial care provider in the country to venture into pet memorialization, through its Pet Crematorium.

Recognizing the importance of pet cremation for Filipino families, Golden Haven is launching new pet crematoriums across the nation by year’s end. This expansion ensures more communities can access these services, making it easier for families to honor their pets without the stress of traveling long distances. “As we celebrate this milestone, we’ve seen how vital it is to support families grieving their pets. Our aim is to provide comfort and closure while honoring pets in a dignified manner,” shares Ms. Analyn Anero, Division Head of Golden Haven Chapels and Crematorium.

The pet crematorium service also features thoughtful touches, including free pickup within a specific radius, and options for families to hold a viewing for their pets in a comforting, serene space. Pets are gently bathed and prepared with care, providing families a final, loving memory before their beloved pets cross the Rainbow Bridge.

Golden Haven’s seamless service network for pet cremation extends to partnerships with veterinary clinics, pet grooming providers, and pet accessory shops, creating a supportive community for pet parents. In line with its dedication to responsible pet parenting, Golden Haven even organizes an annual “Pawsome Day” event, celebrating the bond between families and pets—a tradition established even before launching its pet crematorium services.

In its commitment to compassionate service, Golden Haven also facilitates the donation of items left by fur parents, redistributing these belongings to animal welfare organizations. This thoughtful initiative, combined with affordable service options, underscores Golden Haven’s mission to support pet families across every step of their journey.

Golden Haven’s holistic approach to memorial care for both people and pets, combined with its continuous drive for innovation, further solidifies its status as the leader in the industry—a position that has earned it the title of the “Gold Standard in Memorial Care.” For more information about Golden Haven’s pet cremation services and other offerings, please visit www.goldenhaven.com.ph, reach out via social media, or contact 09998864176 / 09190790205.

PCX Solutions report shows Philippines’ new EPR Law making an impact on plastic pollution

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The majority of large plastic producers met or exceeded targets in first year

New EPR Law creates recycling livelihood for communities

 

The Filipino people, economy, and environment have been heavily hit by the escalating plastic pollution crisis. The nation, which is made up of thousands of islands with a limited and fragmented waste management infrastructure, is one of the world’s largest contributors of marine plastic litter. This is made worse by the ‘sachet economy’, where brands deliver goods in small units that are affordable for the majority of the population.

Two years ago, the Philippines rolled out one of the world’s most ambitious laws on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which holds manufacturers accountable for waste resulting from their products and packaging to enable a circular economy. That act, which lapsed into law in 2023, requires companies with at least one hundred million pesos in assets to take responsibility for an increasing percentage of their plastic footprint, rising from 20% in 2023 to 80% in 2028.

A case study published by PCX Solutions, “Extended Producer Responsibility in the Philippines: Early Learnings and Insights for Emerging Markets Battling Plastic Pollution”, shows that while it’s still early days, the country’s approach to EPR is showing promising results.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Environmental Management Bureau estimates that 2,130 businesses fall into the current Obliged Enterprise scope. The DENR-EMB reports that as of August 2024, a total of 947 companies had registered an EPR program. Together, those companies enabled the recovery and diversion of 163,000 metric tons of post-consumer plastic packaging waste in 2023.

While not all Obliged Enterprises complied in the first year, continued education efforts aimed at raising awareness and compliance levels are ongoing. Companies that don’t comply also face escalating fines, and ultimately the loss of their business license for repeated offenses. The majority of the largest plastic packaging producers have complied, and many went beyond the minimum 20% recovery target for 2023, indicating strong support among the country’s largest Obliged Enterprises.

There are still significant milestones to unlock, like dealing with decades of legacy plastic pollution; enabling policies to create the supply and demand for recycled materials and to reduce and eliminate unnecessary plastic packaging; further mechanisms and guidance to achieve social inclusion and just transition; and national standards to establish transparency, credibility and accountability, according to PCX Solution’s analysis.

But enacting and implementing EPR has allowed the country to see immediate results, start constructive discussions, realize and understand the gaps, and gather support from stakeholders through an inclusive and systematic approach, PCX Solutions says in its report.

“This case study offers insights and analysis for other developing countries in a similar situation to boldly and urgently address the problem, and for negotiators of the UN plastics treaty to consider innovative approaches and voices from the Global South,” said Stefanie Beitien, Managing Director of PCX Solutions.

There are already well-established EPR regimes in a number of developed markets, including Europe, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, which typically involve government funded collection, sorting and processing of plastic waste.

The Philippines has taken a pragmatic approach and crafted an accessible law that makes these goals achievable. There are six upstream measures that can reduce their footprint, such as the use of recycled content, reusable packaging or refilling, and six downstream measures to recover their footprint, and plastic crediting is one of them.

“The Philippines’ approach shows that a market-based mechanism like credits, which facilitates the cleanup of plastic waste and encourages the private sector to invest in waste infrastructure, can play a pivotal role in supporting EPR laws - particularly in emerging markets that lack collection and recycling systems,” said Nanette Medved-Po, Founder of PCX Solutions.

Joseph Anthony Montecillo launches collection of horror fiction

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Writer Joseph Anthony Montecillo is celebrating the release of his debut collection of short fiction, In the Blood and Other Stories. A launch event marking the occasion is set to be held at Palm Tree Abbey, November 24, from 4-7 PM. The launch will include a program with first come, first served limited seating, followed by a book signing open to all attendees. Copies of the book will also be available to purchase at the venue at a discounted rate.

In the Blood and Other Stories is the debut collection of Joseph Anthony Montecillo with UP Press.

Published by the University of the Philippines Press, the collection collates fourteen of Montecillo’s short stories released over a decade of writing. This is the first time the stories have been collected into a single volume. All the stories had previously been published in anthologies such as the Philippine Speculative Fiction series or magazines such as Philippines Graphic or The Sunday Times Magazine.

Included in the collection are the titular story, “In the Blood,” about a mother trying to keep her sons from following in the steps of their serial killer father. In “Pressure and Release,” the stress of an EDSA traffic jam finally overwhelms an everyday bus driver. In “The Forgotten Bones,” a man who lives in a cemetery has an unexpected experience between the rows of tombs.

Joseph Anthony Montecillo signing copies of his book at the UP Press store.

“I’ve been fascinated by horror for as long as I can remember,” said Montecillo. “It’s always appealed to me and it’s no shock that my work moved in that direction through the years. I hope that this collection makes for an exciting addition to the long tradition of horror here in the Philippines.”

Joseph Anthony Montecillo made his first professional fiction sale at the age of 12. In the time since, he has published over 20 short stories, many of which feature dark or macabre subject matter. Outside of his writing ventures though, he regularly performs as a stand-up comedian around Metro Manila.

Joseph Anthony Montecillo is a writer and comedian who recently released his first book 

with UP Press.

For Montecillo, the connection between the two is natural. “I’m far from the first comedian to work in the horror field,” he said. “Both deal in instant feedback and the goal of leaving an intense and immediate sensation upon the audience. They go hand in hand in a lot of ways, and sometimes that comes across in a few stories in the collection.”

In the Blood and Other Stories is now available for purchase from UP Press’ on campus and online stores, as well as their stores on Shopee and Lazada.

The New Trust.ph Website Empowers Filipinos with Vital Reproductive Health Knowledge

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Trust Reproductive Health Choices, the commercial brand of DKT Health Inc., has officially announced during a virtual event today the launch of its newest website that offers reliable and accessible reproductive health resources for Filipinos. The online platform aims to establish itself as a leading digital hub for vital and empowering sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information in the Philippines.

The site features a user-friendly and straightforward layout that enables users to find relevant resources easily and anonymously, ensuring they can access the information they need without worry. Other noteworthy features include:

● An empathetic AI chatbot named ai-Thea to answer users’ concerns and frequently asked questions

● Resources and interactive quizzes to help users determine the best contraceptive method for their needs and make informed choices

● Pregnancy assessment tools that support individuals in exploring their options early on 

● Digital magazines featuring expert articles, stories, and information on reproductive health and wellness

● Nationwide directory of stores and clinics offering accessible reproductive health services 

 A set of simple, straightforward questions helps suggest ideal contraception methods for your needs.

Get quick access to a list of trusted clinics offering sexual and reproductive health services near you.

The launch event kicked off with Miss Mela Habijan, a host and LGBTQIA+ advocate, as moderator, followed by an inspiring opening remark from Denise R. van Dijk, CEO and President of DKT Health Inc. “The new Trust RH Choices website is not just a source of information; it’s a safe space for individuals to learn, ask questions and explore reproductive health topics free from judgment,” van Dijk said. A short video presentation was presented afterward, providing an in-depth overview and guide to the mobile-friendly website.

 

Dr. Rica Cruz (top right) and Ms. Denise R. van Dijk (bottom) shared their insights and perspectives on reproductive health topics during the Q&A session moderated by Miss Mela Habijan (top left)

Dr. Rica Cruz, a prominent sex and relationships therapist and educator, was the keynote speaker at the event. Her presentation revolved around pressing reproductive health issues faced by Filipinos, particularly the country’s high teenage pregnancy rate, the rate of traditional contraceptive method users, and the continuously increasing HIV cases in the Philippines. Additionally, she highlighted the critical role of trustworthy and comprehensive platforms in reducing stigma and ensuring that individuals, especially the youth, have access to the information they need to make better choices. “Investing in reproductive health education helps people and enables them to thrive. It’s not about encouraging sexual activity, but rather empowering them through continuous development without judgment,” she remarked. 

As the country’s largest provider of contraceptives, the launch of the new Trust website reinforces the social enterprise’s ongoing mission to promote reproductive health literacy in the Philippines and drive positive social impact to communities in need. Learn more about the new website’s features and services by visiting trust.ph on any device.

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About Trust Reproductive Health Choices

Trust Reproductive Health Choices is the commercial brand of DKT Health Inc., a social enterprise at the forefront of sexual and reproductive health and rights in the Philippines. Their mission is driven by a deep commitment to creating a positive social impact. DKT is the largest provider of contraceptives in the Philippines.