Coca-Cola Agos Program brings water to 16 communities with hydraulic ram pump

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The Philippines is known for its water resource – seas that are abundant with fish and other marine ecosystems, rivers and lakes that host freshwater flora and fauna, and springs that are considered to be one of the cleanest. However, there are communities that still do not have access to water.

For generations, upland communities have lived lives that required them to wake up early to draw water from distant sources; a life where children would spend more time drawing water for household use than playing outdoors; a life where mothers juggle between providing water for their families and finding the time to care and nurture.

Residents of a village near Mt. Kanlaon easily get water for their daily use from a common tap stand.

In line with its global thrust of returning the same amount of water used in the production of its beverages to nature and communities, Coca-Cola Philippines installed 13 hydraulic ram pumps this September and October through the Coca-Cola Agos Program. In 2015 alone, 1,984 million liters of water have been returned to nature and communities through the project’s water ram pump installations.

A section of the Coca-Cola Agos ram pump sits at the edge of a rice field in the foothills of Mt. Kanlaon, the highest peak and an active volcano in Negros Island.

The interiors of the Agos ram pump show that it is made of materials that are easily accessible at a local hardware store. The pump was designed in such a way that once turned over to the villagers, they can easily maintain and repair it on their own.

“We believe that water is an integral resource in ensuring the sustainability of communities. Through the ram pump’s simple and sustainable mechanism, we are able to bring water to people who need it most. More than the water, it is giving these communities a fresh start, an opportunity to create a more sustainable future,” said Diego Granizo, president and general manager of Coca-Cola Philippines.

The red tap stand is like an oasis in a desert – a source of refreshment for most villagers that are benefitting from the Agos ram pump. Most villages installed with an Agos ram pump are dotted with the red tap stand where they can draw clean water without having to travel directly to the source.

In the last two months, the villages of Ebag in Barugo, Templanza and Luwan in Matalom, all in Leyte, together with the villages of Libtong, Villa Caneja, Cabunga-an, Caray-Caray, and sitios Puro, Mocal Bocal, and Baras, and the village proper of Barangay Catmon in Naval, Biliran will be receiving the Coca-Cola Agos ram pumps. Completing the list of recipients are Sitio Sadsadan in Barangay Balbalan, Sitio Bullalayao in Barangay Pantikian, both in Kalinga Province, and two areas in Barangay Camias, including Sitio Pasbul, and Barangay Inararo in Porac, Pampanga.

After the Coca-Cola Agos Program ram pump was installed in Lake Lahit, residents started getting water from tap stands near their homes. Gone are the days when they have to trek for hours to get water for their daily needs.

Fetching water downhill was the way of life Todena Fadon was born into. She is more than thankful that the Coca-Cola Agos Program allows her to spend more time caring for her children and nurturing their future.

In partnership with the Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation, Inc. (AIDFI), Coca-Cola Philippines has been bringing the ram pump technology to various upland communities who do not have access to water. The ram pump technology allows the elevation of water from a remote source to upland areas without the need for complex machinery and electricity. The ram pump used in the Coca-Cola Agos Project relies on gravity-assisted hydraulic force to propel water into reservoirs which brings water to conduits near clustered households.

Since its introduction in 2011, there are already 30,817 households that have benefitted from 129 water pump installations made by the Coca-Cola Agos Project, 118 of which are ram pumps while the 11 are gravity installations. 

Amaia Scapes North Luzon treats guests to soothing ‘acoustic evenings’

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Soothing acoustic music, good company, and the chilly breeze of a “ber” month—all these under a starlit sky. Such was the mesmerizing scenario when Amaia Scapes projects North of Manila held their acoustic evenings last October 8, 15 and 21. 

Amaia Land held “acoustic evenings” at Amaia Scapes Bulacan, San Fernando, Capas, Tarlac, Urdaneta and Cabanatuan for residents and guests. . 

To let prospective homeowners experience firsthand the comfortable, relaxed, and homey lifestyle that Amaia Scapes offers, acoustic nights were held at Amaia Scapes in Bulacan; San Fernando City, Pampanga; Capas, Tarlac; Urdaneta, Pangasinan and Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija. 

Ching Higino, North Luzon’s regional sales head, warmly welcomed all guests at the events. According to her, Amaia Land wanted to provide clients with “a more pleasurable buying experience” by treating them to acoustic performances, which is seldom held in the provinces. 

“Unlike other Amaia events that are usually held during the day, we thought of having acoustic evenings to give clients a taste of the fun and convivial environment of Amaia Scapes,” she said. 

The acoustic evenings entertained guests and their families—all from nearby towns—and showed how Amaia Land cares for ordinary Filipinos, even before they become Amaia residents. 

This aligns with Amaia Land’s desire to accomplish its vision of providing affordable and high-quality residential homes to the average Filipino—teachers, small business owners, government employees, and start-up families. And Amaia Scapes properties are the fulfillment of this vision. 

As they empower people to attain their dream of having homes of their own, Amaia Scapes touts the convenience and ease of being located near transportation and commercial hubs. 

Amaia Scapes Bulacan enjoys a strategic location at the heart of Sta. Maria, Bulacan, placing the property close to commercial establishments and transport hubs. 

All residential units in Amaia Scapes are smartly designed, spacious and well-built, and feature one-of-a-kind community concepts tailored for Filipino families. Amaia homes are affrded provisions for expansion to adjust to the various lifestyles of growing families. Home owners may build additional space at the ground floor or heighten up by adding an upper floor.

To ensure safety and security in all Amaia Scapes projects, the properties are managed by Ayala Property Management Corp. (APMC). 

Lastly, Amaia Land places your dream Amaia Scapes home within reach with its easy-on-the-pocket and flexible payment options.

Amaia Scapes Urdaneta, offering innovative residential units with an array of amenities, is set in Urdaneta City in Pangasinan, with 849 house-and-lot units spread acros 14.8 hectares of land. 

All aspiring homeowners are free to join Amaia Scapes events and witness firsthand the promise of a better living experience. For inquiries, check out Amaia booths in provincial malls and sales offices. 

You may also get in touch with Amaia via www.amaialand.com, www.facebook.com/AmaiaLand or call 0977-842-AMAIA.

Celebrating Awe-Inspiring Talents

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i-Shine Talent Camp mentors, grand winners, and host Dimples Romana, are all-smiles as they culminate the successful fifth season of the first and biggest online talent search in the country

Watching your child learn and develop new skills is nothing short of rewarding. But as you do, it’s sometimes hard to remember that your child’s love and excitement for discovery is what’s behind all his or her new accomplishments. 

Young minds seek stimulation—and when your little one continues to show eagerness to learn, it’s important that you let support them him/her to foster creativity, growth, and a love for learning they that can nurtured through adulthood. 

i-Shine 5 Music Camp, Stage Camp, and Art Camp grand winners Seth Salada, Sean Bermudez, and Alliyah Umandal, through the support of their parents and mentors in nurturing their gifts, celebrate their well-deserved victory

This is precisely why PROMIL PRE-SCHOOL continues to aid parents in achieving their children’s potential by providing them with the unique combination of brain & body building nutrients which help support learning during the crucial window of talent development. Simultaneously, PROMIL PRE-SCHOOL continues to create platforms such as the I-SHINE Talent Camp, which gives kids an opportunity to hone their inherent talents to their maximum potential. 

Already on its fifth year, this year’s I-SHINE Talent Camp gave children a lot to work on, together with high caliber mentors meant to draw out their talents across various genres. Divided into three camps, each one features an expert in the field to help kids nurture their gifts to the highest potential. Teacher Georcelle Dapat-Sy and Rico Blanco team up to be mentors for the Stage Camp, Mr. Ryan Cayabyab shares his mastery of music among members of the Music Camp, and Robert Alejandro imparts his artistic vision to the creative minds being nurtured in the Art Camp. 

i-Shine 5 Art Camp mentor Robert Alejandro, together with the finalists, wave to the audience during the Talent Camp finale opening number

i-Shine 5 mentors Robert Alejandro, Ryan Cayabyab, Georcelle Dapat-Sy, and Rico Blanco watch the finalists with awe as their previous students showcase their inspiring talents

The grand culmination of this year’s I-SHINE Talent Camp was celebrated with the mentors, parents, and of course the children, who displayed everything they have learned at the Huseng Batute theater at the CCP. This year, Sean Hayden Bermudez won the top prize for Stage Camp after displaying exceptional moves and stage presence; Alliyah Umandal’s puppet art wowed judges who awarded her as the Grand Art Camp i-Shiner; and Seth Levi Salada, displayed his mastery of rhythm and took home the grand prize for Music Camp. 

“How you support your kids and nurture their brain and body are some of the best things the best investment you can make as a parent. I-SHINE serves as a way for PROMIL PRE-SCHOOL to give parents more opportunities to create unique experiences that can develop and foster potential in their child,” ends Yvette Villegas, Product Manager, Wyeth Nutrition Philippines. 

BGC Bus Now Accepts beep™ cards

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BGC Bus and AF Payments Inc. have announced that BGC Buses are now using the beep™ card system on limited public trial. Commuters who have a beep™ card may already use them to pay for their BGC Bus rides. Fare remains at P12 per ride.

“We are pleased to partner with BGC Bus as this will move us closer to our goal of making the beep™ card an all-in-one card for commuters in Metro Manila. BGC Buses serve thousands of commuters daily and our goal is to be able to provide them with a reliable and efficient payment system, especially those who hop from the MRT or the LRT to the bus,” said Peter Maher, CEO and President of AF Payments Inc.

“BGC Bus commuters can conveniently purchase and load their beep™ cards in the Ayala and Market Market Terminal. This is in addition to selected Bayad Center, Tambunting, Villarica and SM Bills Payment Counter locations, which also offer re-loading services for beep™ cards. There are also plans to add more loading locations in the coming months, including leading convenience stores,” added Maher.

“We are excited to announce this integration because this gives our BGCitizen commuters more convenience in their daily commute,” said Mr. Jun Galvez, GM of Bonifacio Transport Corporation.

The BGC Bus line connects BGC to EDSA and Ayala Center. It has a Euro-5 compliant fleet and operates 24/7 to serve thousands of commuters, mostly employees who work in BGC and Makati. BGC Bus also takes pride in its information systems, whereby waiting time for the next bus can be accessed using the BGC app, and are also shown in most bus stops within BGC.

BGC is a financial and lifestyle district in Taguig City. It is home to contemporary office blocks, storied high streets, and parks. It has grown into an urban oasis of unique selections for shopping, dining, and entertainment.

The beep™ card replaced the old Tap BGC stored value card. It can be purchased and reloaded at the BGC Bus Ayala and Market Market terminals as well as all LRT and MRT stations. It is reloadable and is valid for four years. More information about beep™ is available at and on Facebook (beep card) and Twitter (@beep_card).

About AF Payments Inc.

AF Payments Inc. is a consortium of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) and Ayala Corp. that provides contactless payment solutions in the Philippines through its integrated product and service offerings, thereby enhancing the transaction experience of every Filipino.

Its tap and go payment system, or the beep™ card, is available for use in all three elevated railways (LRT-1, LRT-2, and MRT-3).

Website and Social Media

www.beeptopay.com

www.facebook.com/beepcardph

www.twitter.com/beep_card

Akita Epson Completes New Printhead Factory - New Plant to Triple Inkjet Printhead Production Capacity

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Akita Epson Corporation, a group company of Seiko Epson Corporation (TSE: 6724, "Epson"), has held a ceremony to celebrate the completion of a new factory. Epson invested approximately 3.4 billion yen on the construction of the plant, which will triple Akita Epson's current printhead production capacity. Construction began in October 2015 and the new plant went online earlier this month.

Epson provides printers and services based on original Micro Piezo inkjet technology to customers in the home, office, commercial, and industrial markets. The printheads produced at the new Akita Epson factory will be the core devices to be used in Epson's high-capacity ink tank printers and business inkjet printers.

Epson’s high-capacity ink tank printers meet the needs of customers for low-cost prints with genuine Epson print quality. Initially launched in October 2010, sales of these products had reached as many as 15 million units worldwide as of June 2016. The office market is also seeing annual growth in demand for high-speed business inkjet printers that produce outstanding image quality at a lower cost per print and lower energy consumption than laser printers.

"Akita Epson is an important domestic production site with advanced technological capability and a close working relationship with Epson's corporate R&D function," said Takashi Mitsui, president of Akita Epson. "We make a significant contribution to the manufacturing capability of the entire Epson Group, sharing with Epson's overseas manufacturing plants the technical expertise we have gained from manufacturing core devices. By using Epson's original production equipment and automating and rationalizing production lines, the new plant will further raise our production capability."

Epson is committed to advancing its original technologies and to delighting customers by exceeding their expectations with products and services based on original core devices.

Inkjet printer printheads

Micro Piezo printheads eject droplets of ink via mechanical pressure. This mechanical pressure is created when piezoelectric elements in the print heads contract in response to an applied voltage. Two main characteristics set Epson's technology apart from other inkjet printing systems. The first is that Micro Piezo printing systems do not use heat to eject the ink droplets. The second is that they precisely control the volume of ink contained in each ink droplet.

For more information about Epson's technologies, please visit the following web site: http://global.epson.com/innovation/