All-women teams run McDonald’s stores in the Philippines for International Women Day

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McDonald’s Philippines’ celebrates Women’s Day with all stores staffed by women.

March 9, 2019 --- Female employees of McDonald’s Philippines’ took over all McDonald’s restaurants nationwide as they led store operations in celebration of International Women’s Day. The initiative aimed to demonstrate the strong representation of females in McDonald’s Philippines’ workforce.

To date, women employees account for 55% of McDonald’s Philippines’ total workforce, exceeding global benchmarks for a gender-equal workforce. Across over its 670 the restaurants, an average of 56% of Restaurant General Managers and 62% of service crew are women.

“McDonald’s Philippines takes pride in having women across the different department and levels in the company taking the lead. We are celebrating these employees this International Women’s Day as they have proven to be instrumental to the company’s continued growth. I’m very proud of the fact that 67% of key leadership positions are held by women—they are driving the business, and accelerating progress in creating a workplace that supports the growth and development of everyone in the country equally,” said Kenneth Yang, McDonald’s Philippines President and CEO.

McDonald’s Philippines also boasts that said women in key leadership positions are challenging gender narratives by thriving in roles that are traditionally handled by men like Real Estate, Construction, Legal, IT and Franchising.

“I am proud to be part of a company that gives all of its employees opportunities to grow in their roles. In McDonald’s, women are trusted and given equal opportunity to learn and develop, enabling them to lead. Women at McDonald’s are truly leaders who are empowered to drive the success of the company,” said Margot Torres, McDonald’s Philippines Managing Director.

Beyond its International Women’s Day celebration, McDonald’s Philippines remains steadfast in its commitment to continuously inspire employees, franchisees, suppliers and those beyond its system to build bias-aware workplaces with equal opportunities for career growth and development.

McDonald’s Philippines’ celebration of International Women’s Day is one of its efforts to promote gender balance and diversity within and beyond the industry. The celebration is in line with the company’s All Out culture where each one is equally supported and empowered. With such culture, McDonald’s Philippines is continuously working towards a gender-equal world.

Amid COVID-19 scare: KonsultaMD offers zero-rated Globe/TM mobile access to telehealth hotline

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With many people getting concerned about their health due to the continuous spread of COVID-19, Globe and TM customers who subscribed to KonsultaMD may now get in touch with a doctor via the 79880 telehealth hotline without incurring mobile call charges.

Maridol D. Ylanan, CEO of Global Telehealth, Inc. which runs KonsultaMD, said the company has decided to remove the P1 per minute charge for calls to the 79880 mobile hotline to make it easier for the public to avail of medical advice anytime they want to.

“We want access to trained and licensed medical practitioners to be as easy, affordable, and convenient as possible for every FIlipino especially these days when many people are afraid to leave their homes or visit the hospital because of COVID-19.  Since there is no physical interaction with our doctors, our customers avoid exposure from other illnesses when they seek advice for their health-related symptoms or queries,” she said.

KonsultaMD is equipped with modules and internal protocols in handling different health issues including COVID-19 and provides a telephone triage or a means of determining the urgency of the situation, whether it is an emergency or non-emergency.

Its team of doctors can also provide general health information, guidance and specific measures, interim care and self care recommendations, reading of laboratory and diagnostic results, health coaching and nutrition counseling, and permissible medication.

KonsultaMD offers unlimited immediate access to doctors 24/7 through flexible and affordable plans such as an individual subscription fee of P15 a week or P60 a month for Globe Prepaid and TM customers, deductible from their prepaid load.

For Globe Postpaid customers, they have the option to subscribe to a P99 per week plan which may be extended to one additional family member or P150 per month with four extensions, chargeable to their monthly bill.

Non-Globe and TM customers may also avail of KonsultaMD services through a one year subscription of P150 per month for group or P60 a month for individual, payable via credit card or mobile money and subject to regular cell phone charges if call is via mobile.

Subscriptions may be done by visiting  https://www.konsulta.md/subscribe, and calling 79880 toll-free via mobile (for Globe/TM customers) or (02) 7798-8000.

KonsultaMD is under 917Ventures, the largest corporate incubator in the Philippines and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Globe Telecom.

Simplify your Life and Spend Less

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Some places have many affordable, economically vibrant metropolitan areas that offer great job prospects, low living costs, and a bevy of lifestyle options for people from all walks of life.

One of the best things with living in the Philippines is the relatively low cost of living. As compared to other countries, we get to enjoy a lot of necessities and even luxuries at a lower price. Sadly, however, electricity is not one of them. 

The Philippines currently has the 2nd highest electricity rate in the whole of Asia. Given this fact, it’s only natural to look for all opportunities one can have in saving and being energy and cost efficient. 

LG Electronics, global leader and technology innovator, has been at the forefront of designing with the consumer in mind. Nowadays, it isn’t enough for home appliances and electronics to be just state-of-the-art. 

It has to be at the same time, cleanly designed, simple, minimalist, multifunctional, and above everything, energy and cost efficient. 

LG’s advances in Inverter technology has always been about innovating towards one goal - less energy consumption, more savings for the end user. Through efficient design, consumers can live a lifestyle they’ve always dreamed of without having to worry about the electric bill every second. Each product has been designed in such a way that it goes above and beyond what’s expected.

The LG Smart Inverter Washing Machine, for example, is so energy efficient that it can use only 67wh (watt hours) of energy to do a cycle – less than what it takes to iron a shirt or 4 minutes of using a blow-dryer. For refrigerators, LG’s Inverter Linear Compressor keeps yourfood fresh longer by maintaining temperature fluctuation within ±0.5℃. This allows you to cook with fresh ingredients every day for yourfamily, and minimizes spoilage. With air-conditioners, staying cool is made more efficient with the LG DUAL Inverter Compressor which reduces energy use up to 50％. Given our tropical climate and humidity, your family can enjoy a cool breeze whenever they want while using less electricity.

LG is designed to make life better. Whether it’s energy and cost efficiency, connectivity across multiple devices, or even artificial intelligence, every facet of LG’s design is conceptualized with efficiency and simplicity, giving you and your family more time and more savings. 

Sarap-In-A-Bun: Savor Max’s All-Time Favorite Chicken, Now In A Sandwich

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Max’s Restaurant has done it again with a classic reinvention of its all-time favorite Sarap-To-The-Bones® fried chicken: introducing Max’s Fried Chicken Sandwich!

The classic Max’s fried chicken is undoubtedly well-loved by Filipinos across all generations. Although, not a lot of people know that the truly original way that this Filipino classic was first consumed all the way back in 1945 was with fresh, hot rolls on the side. As a throwback to its roots, you can now treat your taste buds to a Sarap-In-A-Bun chicken sandwich.

What’s inside?

A filleted version of Max’s iconic juicy, no-frills fried chicken seasoned and spiced the signature Max’s way. Now, it wouldn’t be a true Max’s experience without the trademark blend of banana ketchup and Worcestershire sauce, and that’s what’s drizzled over the chicken meat to add tang. Pickled cucumbers and shredded cabbage are then generously spread from top to bottom in between two buttery brioche buns to complete this flavorful and filling experience.

“Creatively re-engineering our Sarap-To-The-Bones® fried chicken to a sandwich puts us forward in providing our customers with more delightful ways to feast over classic local dishes that have stood the test of time,” says Max’s Restaurant Head Culinary R&D Chef Adrian Azurin. 

“It’s Sarap-In-A-Bun, literally, with our hero fried chicken, now in a format that’s perfect for today’s adventurous, mobile consumers. We specially curated the blend of banana ketchup and Worcestershire sauce to stay true to the authentic Max’s experience. The pickled cucumbers are not something usually associated with our fried chicken, but we love how their tartness makes each bit surprisingly fresh and zesty.”

With the new Max’s fried chicken sandwich, you’ll be surprised by just how filling one bite can be. It’s also served with a side of Max’s sweet potato fries and a garlic mayo dip, making it even more satisfying for every diner’s appetites.

“Just one plate is an explosion of flavors. We’re proud to turn an everyday snack into every diner’s main course with the perfect meat-to-bun ratio, and toppings and condiments that make the whole dish shine,” adds Chef Adrian.

For 75 years, Max’s has continuously catered to the changing appetites of its diners with its product innovations, while also staying true to its culinary heritage built on Filipino values.

“Since 1945, Max’s has become the tradition and institution that it’s known to be now because of our founders Maximo Gimenez and Ruby Trota’s humble beginnings of befriending American occupation troops stationed in Quezon City and serving our Sarap-To-The-Bones® fried chicken with hot, fresh dinner rolls,” says Max’s Restaurant Marketing Director Mark De Joya. 

“Our new fried chicken sandwich is a loving, respectful tribute to that. We believe this demonstrates the ability of our brand to balance both its history and heritage with new formats, flavors, and experiences that make Max’s forever relevant across generations.”

Indeed, everyone will come running to their nearest store and savor a massive bite of Max’s Fried Chicken Sandwich, available starting March 9 for only PHP249.

For more information, visit http://www.facebook.com/maxsrestaurant/.

Providing access to the gatekeepers of the family’s finance: GCash empowers Filipino women to be included in the financial landscape

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For Filipinos, mothers are considered to be their light of the homes. They provide direction, clarity in difficult situations, and they manage the everyday lives of the Filipino family.

Women also play as the gatekeepers of the finances of Filipino homes. Typical in the Philippines, the husbands give their salaries to the wives, who then distributes the total household earnings to the daily needs and occasional wants of each member of the family.

Given this, it comes at no surprise that women are much more included in the local financial landscape, according to data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). Based on the latest central bank survey on financial inclusion, 38.9 percent of women in the Philippines have formal bank accounts, while only 30 percent of adult men hold savings accounts.

But while this may sound progressive, it should be noted that only 32 percent of Filipino adults have accounts to formal financial institutions. This means that almost seven out of 10 adults in the Philippines are still excluded from the financial landscape.

Globally, people who are excluded from the financial space often cite the lack of funds, high costs, access, and documentary requirements as reasons for not having an account at a formal financial institution.

This dearth in access, banking costs, and issues pertaining to identification are problems that are now being addressed through financial technology (fintech). Leveraging mobile technologies and applying them to finance, people now have a much simpler way to participate in the formal financial landscape.

As managers of the family’s wealth, women, in particular, should have greater access to finance and have more knowledge about how financial tools and instruments could help them balance their needs and their funds.

“We at GCash recognize this strong need of Filipinos -- especially women, who handle the laborious task of managing household finances -- to be included in the financial landscape. By employing data-driven and people-centric strategies, we are harnessing the power of mobile digital finance to provide financial access to more Filipinos, and allow them to reap the immense benefits of being included in the finance space,” GCash Chief Technology and Operations Officer Pebbles Sy-Manalang said.

Through GCash, individuals have access to a spectrum of financial services such as credit, savings, insurance, and even investments, all of which are previously untapped by the masses due to various constraints.

With a GCash account, Filipino mothers are now empowered with the ability to manage their families’ finances with ease.

“By using GCash, Filipino women can now save money with better-than-industry rates. They can also tap into a credit line for emergencies, have her family members insured, and even invest in money market funds for her family’s future,” Sy-Manalang added.

GCash also believes that it is important that Filipino mothers are also educated with ways to effectively manage their finances through financial technology, and that is why it provides useful information for each financial service in the app, as well as its various channels online and offline.

“We need to have financially-educated and decisive mothers, as they will also be the ones to impart those characteristics to their children. As we celebrate International Women’s Day this month, we hope to empower more women -- especially Filipino mothers -- to have greater access to finance,” Sy-Manalang said.