Businesses commit to more sustainable paths forward post-pandemic

Tweet

With the continuing battle against plastic pollution in the country, Philippine business leaders highlight their initiatives and show support for the Extended Producer Responsibility.

Extended Producer Responsibility or EPR is an environmental policy approach introduced in the 1990s for accelerating the transition to sustainable waste management and a circular economy and more and more businesses worldwide are on board.

EPR relies on two factors - improvement of product design and recyclability and improvement of waste management systems - and businesses here in the Philippines have stepped up to the challenge, taking sustainability seriously, by working on both upstream and downstream measures to address the plastic crisis.

Coca-Cola Philippines is continuously moving forward with its “World Without Waste” campaign, a global effort of the Coca-Cola Company that aims to successfully recycle used bottles to new ones. In the Philippines, Coca-Cola’s one-billion-peso recycling facility is already nearing completion with a target to be open this year.

Meanwhile, Nestle Philippines which aims to make 100% of its packaging recyclable by 2021 recently launched its “Tibayanihan” project. This project upcycles used foil packs of its powdered milk into plastic school chairs and tables. This project is for the benefit of elementary schools in the vicinity of Nestlé factories and distribution centers.

On the other hand, Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Inc. is working on its “War on Waste” initiative to accomplish its goal of achieving 100% recyclability in its packaging by 2025. Currently, Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Inc. is working with the government for the release of their new recycled PET bottles.

Unilever Philippines is committed to transforming all of its plastic packaging into a reusable, recyclable, or compostable material. To do this, Unilever Philippines has a “Misis Walastik” campaign, a community-based waste collection program that gives incentives to the people who surrender sachets and other single-use plastics. The program is present in over 370 barangays across Metro Manila and nearby provinces through partnerships with LGUs, private organizations, and other stakeholders in the waste value chain.

NutriAsia also introduced to the public the concept of refilling stations to reduce single-use packaging through its pilot program “Bring Your Own Bote (BYOB)”. People can visit the first BYOB site in Bonifacio Global City and bring their reusable bottles and ask for a refill of NutriAsia products. The company is also looking at expanding the project to other key cities in the Philippines.

Like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Unilever are also looking into recycled plastics rather than relying on virgin plastics for their products and alternative delivery systems and waste collection - creating a more circular economy.

Businesses taking the lead and taking responsibility for their products like what these companies are doing is a great foundation for EPR and something that could be replicated by others but with support from the government in terms of mandatory legislation and proper implementation.

EPR is also gaining traction with legislators in Congress with House Bill 9147 or The Single-Use Plastic Products Regulation Act and Senate Bill 2425 or the Extended Producer Responsibility Act of 2021 which both seek to enact mandatory EPR.

There seems to be continuing progress for the adoption of an EPR scheme in the Philippines. Discussions on the specific EPR model and stakeholder groups' roles are being conducted. A recent study by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) presented a customized EPR scheme for the Philippines. It proposes a mandatory EPR scheme for all product packaging with a three-year transition phase for obliged businesses to redesign their product packaging and eliminate unnecessary plastics. In their proposed scheme, the responsibility of implementing the scheme for building high-quality recycling capacity should be assumed by an industry-led, non-profit Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO), acting as the system operator, with strict monitoring and control systems carried out by the government.

The government now faces the task of passing the EPR bill with the implementing rules and regulations. Businesses, on the other hand, continue implementing their solutions to address plastic pollution.

With all this progress, WWF Philippines is releasing a follow-up report in January 2022 which presents a detailed customized EPR model and roadmap for the Philippines to guide and help prepare stakeholders for what could come. We hope this consolidates all these efforts to stop plastic pollution in the Philippines.

COMCO Southeast Asia Bags Diamond and Silver ASEAN PR Excellence Awards and Gold Marketing Events Award

Tweet

As COMCO Southeast Asia culminates its Blazing Sapphire 5th Anniversary celebration with the launch of COMCO Middle East & Africa and COMCO AOX League of Enterprises, the trailblazing regional integrated communications agency also bags Best PR Agency in Southeast Asia - Silver Award and Best COVID-19 Response - Diamond Award for its work with Jobstreet Philippines at the 2021 ASEAN PR Excellence Awards, and a Gold Award for its work with Eastern Communications at the Marketing Events Awards 2021.

The agency’s work with brand partner Jobstreet Philippines for the #TogetherAhead initiative won a Diamond Award in COVID-19 Response in the ASEAN PR Excellence Awards for its efforts in supporting job seekers and hirers during the pandemic, while COMCO SEA’s longtime partner, Eastern Communications, won a Gold Award in Best B2B Brand Experience Category in the Marketing Events Awards for its Link VIP Club Loyalty Events which featured an educational webinar series, online magic show series and virtual thanksgiving event to help businesses learn about digital transformation and uplift their spirits during the pandemic.

COMCO Southeast Asia's Write to Ignite Blogging Project is also a finalist at the ASEAN PR Excellence Awards for Best Comm Use of Social Media and Best PR Campaign in ASEAN while Jobstreet's #TogetherAhead initiative is also a finalist as Best PR Programme in ASEAN.

In its 5 years, COMCO Southeast Asia has won recognition from various prestigious local, regional and international award-giving bodies, garnering a total of 85 awards and has worked with over 70 brands in diverse industries including Eastern Communications, JobStreet, Sunlife ASCP, Teleperformance, Xiaomi, Defensil, Lista.ph, World Vision, WWF, Lenovo and Lamoiyan Corporation’s Licealiz plus its recently won accounts from inter-agency pitches such as global bioresearch and pharmaceutical company Takeda, well-loved milk brand Alaska, international footwear Skechers, global technology company Emerson’s Copeland, development organizations United Nations (UN) Office for Project Services and United Nations Population Fund, (UNFPA) and premium artisan chocolate Theo and Philo.

In 5 years, COMCO Southeast Asia has worked with 70 brands or accounts and has won 85 awards from local and international award-giving bodies

The ASEAN PR Excellence Awards is a biennial event organized by the Jakarta-based ASEAN PR Network (APRN) in collaboration with World Communications Malaysia (World Comm) and Institute Public Relations Malaysia (IPRM). As a globally recognized organization, the APRN’s ASEAN PR Excellence Awards serves as a distinctive badge to recognize and celebrate achievements in public relations practice in the ASEAN region.

The Marketing Events Awards is organized by leading Asian news agency Marketing-Interactive. Designed to discover, recognize and reward the very best in event marketing, the Marketing Events Awards is open to entries from across Southeast Asia, South Asia and ANZ regions.

To know more about ComCo Southeast Asia, visit www.comcosea.com. Follow them on social media: facebook.com/comco.southeastasia on Facebook, linkedin.com/company/comco-hq and @comco_sea on both Instagram and Twitter.

About COMCO Southeast Asia

COMCO Southeast Asia is a powerhouse and global award-winning integrated communications agency formed by the coalition of premier brand architects, inspired storytellers, and communication trailblazers in the region. Based in the Philippines and with affiliate network presence in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, COMCO SEA takes the lead in the innovation of premier brands and growth of up-and-coming businesses through the emerging global disciplines of New PR – a strategy based, content-driven, and channel-agnostic way of doing PR, and Smart Social – a holistic, authentic and integrated approach in the maximization of digital and social channels.

At the core of COMCO SEA is its unique brand of Meaningful Storytelling based on its corporate mantra and the mission to Ignite Brand Love, Social Change, Talent Growth and Regional Collaboration. In just 5 years, the Agency has done groundbreaking works for more than 70 local, regional and international brands including reputable development and humanitarian organizations. COMCO SEA has been awarded twice as Agency of the Year 2nd Runner-up at the IABC Philippine Quill Awards, Finalist for Boutique PR Consultancy of the Year in Asia at Campaign Asia Pacific’s PR Awards Asia, Best PR Agency in Southeast Asia - Silver Award at the ASEAN PR Excellence Awards, and 85 metals from various local, regional and international award-giving bodies.

It’s all in the journey: Finding love with John Lloyd & Bea’s One True Pair The Movie, a film from Jollibee Studios

Tweet

Many people dream of falling in love with the right person at the right time and making it last forever, but many are left disappointed yet continue searching while some give up and find other kinds of love that work for them.

Love might be a powerful and universal feeling yet it’s anything but simple--that is at the heart of the newest Jollibee Studios film, One True Pair The Movie, starring the country’s most iconic love team, John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo.

One True Pair. Bea Alonzo and John Lloyd Cruz make a comeback film with Jollibee Studios.

The film tells the story of Ian and Gela, two famous celebrities who were once a popular on-screen tandem for many rom-com movies over the years. Ian, dubbed the “Prince of Philippine Cinema,” took a short break from showbiz while Gela continued being a top celebrity.

After his break, Ian and Gela reunite once again as they work on a project together. In their musings and conversations, we see how they are as real people, how they’ve matured individually over time, and their enduring friendship and love for each other.

The film is directed by JP Habac and is a deeply insightful film that shows that as people grow, so does the love they have for other people.

The country’s One True Pair gives a heart-wrenching, yet insightful, exchange of lines in a short film with Jollibee Studios.

The country’s one true pair

After the release of the film on Dec. 1 on the Jollibee Studios YouTube channel, One True Pair the Movie has amassed over 4 million views with many commenting that the film felt unscripted and surfaced the reality of what it meant to love a person and how the definition of love changes as life goes on.

The film also led the YouTube channel to grow from 652,000 subscribers before the release of the film to 704,000 subscribers to date.

“Parang ‘di scripted, parang totoo, parang lahat galing sa puso, parang nanonood ka ng totoong buhay ng dalawang artista na minsan sumugal pero natakot sa nararamdaman. Thank you Jollibee nakaka-touch kasi ito talaga ang reality,” said Crizell Susana on YouTube.

The film also highlighted why John Lloyd and Bea have remained the most iconic love team in the Philippine entertainment industry for more than a decade.

“I feel that the storyline was inspired by them…I love how John Lloyd and Bea had inputted their emotions into this,” said Cheenee in a comment on the film. “I realized how humans are so complex to the point that love cannot be explained in just one tense. There are indeed different types of love,” she added.

Well loved by Filipinos since the 2000s, Bea and John Lloyd bring waves of joy and kilig with Jollibee Studios’ One True Pair The Movie.

The journey of finding the love that lasts

Within the 35-minute film, One True Pair The Movie showed that there are different kinds of love and that the journey of finding the One is also a journey of finding oneself.

The story of Gela and Ian showed that throughout their lives, people may find several “loves” from the first love who taught them how to love–the fairytale, the ideal but one often does not last. The love that changed them and taught them how to love themselves. This is the love that’s painful but one that they’ll look back and be thankful for because it taught them how to choose themselves and walk away. The love that lasts–it's the one that stays even after the romance is gone--that inexplicable connection that remains even if the kilig is gone. This is the love that was built on all the lessons in a person’s journey. This is the love that has grown through joy and adversity, and is made even more special for it. And finally, the love that goes beyond romance–this is the love that has always been there while they are busy loving the first three kinds and all other kinds of love they wanted to be in.

The beauty of taking that journey in finding the love that lasts is that it is as much a journey of yourself--accepting yourself and loving yourself and how you appreciate the people that came and went in your life and how those experiences made you grow into the person you are now.

Find your own kind of love in Jollibee’s One True Pair the Movie exclusively on Jollibee Studios and find more lessons in love and life by subscribing to the Jollibee Studios YouTube channel.

 

Thanking Everyday Heroes with Shopee Bayanihan: Frontliner Holiday Package

Tweet

Medical frontliners, tourism workers, delivery and logistics providers, and more who are new to Shopee can also receive additional vouchers until 9 January 2022 

After launching Frontliner Package and Fully-Vaxxed Package earlier this year, Shopee launches a new digital bundle just in time to spread joy and cheer this coming holiday season with Shopee Bayanihan: Frontliner Holiday Package. Starting today until January 9, 2022, our everyday heroes can avail of the exclusive digital package that includes Shopee discount and free shipping vouchers, ShopeePay Bills Cashback vouchers, and discounts from Ultramega Supermarket, Shawarma Shack, Moonleaf, Tapa King, and National Book Store*. Eligible beneficiaries include: 

• Health Care Workers (Hospital admin and janitorial services, Health and service personnel in LGU facilities)

• Medical Professionals (Doctors, Nurses, Medical Technicians)

• Policemen and Military Personnel

• Coast Guards

• Hospitality Sector Workers (Restaurants, Hotels, Bars, Travel Agencies)

• Government Agencies (LGU workers, admin staff)

• Delivery and Logistics Providers (Food, restaurant, medicine, logistics company drivers and riders)

• Security Guards

• Mortuary Services Personnel

The brand vouchers included in the package are from ShopeePay and users can redeem these vouchers via ShopeePay’s Scan to Pay feature at the brand’s stores. Eligible individuals who are not yet on Shopee can also create an account by downloading the Shopee App from Google Play or the App Store to sign up for the package and receive an additional discount and free shipping vouchers. 

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “As we welcome this season of hope and gratitude, Shopee and its partner brands continue to support frontliners by offering exclusive vouchers they can use to enjoy the holidays. We are inspired by the number of frontliners who enjoyed the first two iterations of this package, and we added in industries like the hospitality sector, which have been integral in the country's economic recovery efforts. With the new year ahead, Shopee will push for more initiatives that will benefit not only our frontliners but the Filipinos community as well.”

Starting today, frontliners can avail of the bundle by signing up on the Shopee Bayanihan: Frontliner Holiday Package microsite in the Shopee App. Users can also check out the link here https://shopee.ph/m/frontliner-holiday-package. 

1. Sign up and upload a valid PRC license or company ID through the link found on the Shopee Bayanihan: Frontliner Holiday Package microsite 

2. Wait for Shopee to approve your application

3. Once verified, Shopee will notify you that your application has been accepted and will preload the package vouchers to your account (note: New Users will receive additional vouchers as part of the package)

4. Enjoy your Shopee Bayanihan: Frontliner Holiday Package vouchers

UnionBank CTO recognized as one of the biggest names in Data in the world

Tweet

Industry leader Informatica has recently named Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Technology and Operations Officer, and Chief Transformation Officer Henry Aguda as one of the thirteen globally recognized recipients of the first-ever Informatica Chief Data Officers (CDO) Awards.

Informatica has chosen its 13 awardees and honorees in its Awards across four categories, based on Informatica’s archetypes for data-driven leadership. Namely, these categories are the “Governance Gurus”, “Digital Innovators”, “Operational Optimizers”, and “Analytics Champions”.

Aguda was recognized as an honoree under the “Digital Innovators” category. He was recognized "for achieving 12x higher revenue by empowering customers to use digital banking services on mobile devices".

As a result of its incredibly fast and effective digital transformation, UnionBank is seeing strong evidence of financial inclusion: its customers are spending 6 times as much and maintaining 4 times higher outstanding balances, translating to 12 times higher revenue for the bank.

“I am very honored to receive this recognition from Informatica. Rest assured that we in UnionBank will continue to be at the forefront of digital innovation in the financial industry, both in the Philippines and in the region as well. This award is again dedicated to all UnionBankers who all believe in the responsible and effective use of data to serve our customers.” said Aguda. Aguda has been instrumental in the digital transformation journey of UnionBank leading several projects that aim to achieve the Bank’s ultimate goal of enhancing financial inclusion in the country.

Informatica is a software development company based in California that has launched several initiatives this year for the CDOs, who they consider as innovative business leaders. One of these initiatives is the CDO Awards that Informatica promises to be a new annual tradition. This event aims to acknowledge data-driven leaders who spearhead the new wave of innovation, as well as value creation in this data-led culture.

Nowadays, CDOs are appointed in two of three Fortune 1000 organizations. CDOs acknowledge the relevance of data as a strategic asset, and they are expected to manage and grow data-driven organizations and implement digital transformations while keeping up with day-to-day business needs.