World Vision joins Globe’s Hapag Movement to help alleviate hunger

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Christian humanitarian organization World Vision Development Foundation has become the newest member of the Globe of Good ecosystem of partners, as it has joined Globe’s hunger alleviation program, the Hapag Movement.

World Vision’s participation will contribute significantly to the larger goal of feeding and empowering 100,000 families or half a million individuals within four years.

The Hapag Movement is Globe’s united fight against hunger through technology. It helps address the problem of involuntary hunger and joblessness affecting millions of low-income Filipinos by connecting multi-sectoral partners and mobilizing local and international donations from multiple sources.

As a global group devoted to improving the lives of children and their communities, World Vision joins other Globe partners– the Ayala Foundation, Caritas Philippines, and the Tzu Chi Foundation– in a holistic intervention to benefit vulnerable families in the country.

Hapag’s community support includes food distribution programs in the most disadvantaged communities, capacity-building sessions for upskilling and micro-entrepreneurship, provision of seed capital through microlending to jumpstart livelihood activities, and access to employment opportunities via partner companies.

Specifically, World Vision’s livelihood programs under the Hapag Movement center on financial literacy, capacity-building for the Antique CoMSCA Credit and Cooperative (AnCCC), with plans to put up a mini grocery and meat processing business.

It also includes swine dispersal and basket weaving training, as well as the Himaya 2 Fishing Boat Project, which aims to increase the daily income of fishing families in the program area.

“Our goal is to bring nation-builders together to achieve sustainable and inclusive development by leveraging the power of technology. Beyond supplemental feeding, our collaboration with mobilization partners like World Vision will also provide our beneficiaries with livelihood opportunities to help sustain them long after the program’s roll-out,” said Yoly Crisanto, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer at Globe.

The Hapag Movement is anchored on Globe’s Alagang Globe campaign, focusing on the company’s ecosystem of relevant services and products which enable Filipinos to uplift their lives.

This is part of Globe’s commitment to leverage technology to make meaningful change in society, aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which highlight the roles of infrastructure and innovation as crucial drivers of economic growth and development under SDG No. 9.

World Vision Resource Development Director Jun Godornes shares, “Tackling the issue of hunger involves more than just the usual supplemental feeding and one-time activities. Interventions should also involve providing livelihood opportunities and capacity-building programs that can help sustain families even after initial interventions.”

He continued, “World Vision believes in nurturing, not just the immediate beneficiary, but also creating a sustainable and holistic program for the whole community. As the famous saying goes: ‘If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.’”

Hunger has been a major challenge for Filipinos since the onset of the pandemic. According to the 1st Quarter 2022 Social Weather Stations Survey, 12.2% or 3.1 million families, or an estimated 15.5 million individuals, regularly experience involuntary hunger.

This is primarily caused by loss of livelihood, which has affected low-income families’ capability to support their daily needs. The Philippine Statistics Authority’s Labor Force Survey placed the unemployment rate at 5.8% or 2.87 million individuals as of March 2022.

Globe invites its customers and partners to help put food on the table for every family in need. They may donate via GCash or use their Rewards points to support the movement through the New GlobeOne app.

To support, simply download the New GlobeOne app and donate your Rewards points for as low as P1. 

Just follow these steps:

QR ng AUB, GCash, Metrobank, and Unionbank? I-Maya na yan!

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You can now use your Maya app to scan to pay AUB, GCash, Metrobank, and Unionbank QR codes at your favorite stores – making your payments easy and hassle-free. Similarly, the Maya QR is ready to be scanned by these different financial apps as soon as these apps make the feature available.

To start paying with Maya using the QR codes of these e-wallets and banks, just look for the QR Ph logo featuring the blue, red, and yellow design in the middle. QR Ph is the national standard for QR payments, launched by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

Spotting this design in a QR code means it is QR Ph-enabled, and you can conveniently scan it using your Maya app to pay for your purchases. Maya users will be delighted to know that they can quickly scan to pay for their purchases in more merchants nationwide wherever they see the QR Ph symbol. In the same way, users of any financial app that is QR Ph-compliant can also scan Maya QR codes to pay for their purchases.

Maya is the first fintech in the Philippines to adopt the QR Ph national standard for person-to-person payments in November 2019 and for person-to-merchant payments in April 2021. As the leader in QR Ph adoption, Maya fully supports the BSP thrust for interoperable payments, including QR Ph, making convenient cashless payments more accessible to Filipinos.

Maya is the all-in-one money app bringing Filipinos bolder ways to master their money. On top of enabling users to pay via QR, it empowers users to manage all their finances in one app. Completely free to download and register, it packs a feature-rich e-wallet, an inclusive digital bank, and everything else you need to save, spend, grow, and manage your money—right from your smartphone.

Maya is powered by the country's only end-to-end digital payments company, PayMaya Philippines, and Maya Bank for digital banking services. To know more about Maya, visit maya.ph or follow @mayaiseverything on Facebook, IG, Tiktok, and YouTube and @mayaofficialph on Twitter. Join our Telegram community at https://t.me/TeamMayaPH for Maya exclusives.

The Cherry Home Smart Multi-Color Bulb will add more life to your Crib

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The era of traditional light bulbs that can do no more than just keeping your home lit, is long over. Enter, in all its glory, the Cherry Home Smart Multi-Color Bulb which is crafted to upstage your old and boring LED.

A far cry from your average light bulb, this product lives up to its name and works wonders as an IoT device. Imagine adjusting your smartphone’s brightness at a level that’s suitable for more comfortable use. Through the Cherry Home application, you can do the same with your Cherry Home Smart Multi-Color Bulb. Whether you want to dim or brighten it is all up to you and that is also made very easy—just download the app for FREE.

In terms of convenience, this is compatible with both Google Home and Amazon Echo/Alexa so you can control it using voice command. It is fairly bright at 806 lumens and 11 Watts, plus it comes with a wide array of 16 million RGB multi-colored lights to choose from.

Level up your home lighting for only P285. To purchase, visit your nearest Cherry Concept Stores and partner retail stores. For other smart IoT devices check out:

Cherry Shop PH: www.cherryshop.com.ph

TCL Introduces TCL FreshIN Series Air Conditioner to Offer Healthier and More Comfortable Experience

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TCL FreshIN Series Inverter Air Conditioner FreshIN+ 60m/h Air Engine Temp. Balancing QuadruPun Filters SMART AIR SOFT CARE

TCL Electronics, a leading consumer electronics brand, has introduced the TCL FreshIN Series air conditioners to the Philippine market—the latest premium addition to the TCL Smart home ecosystem, different from conventional AC, which circulates air inside the house. TCL FreshIN Series features an all-around fresh air system that transports the fresh air from the outdoors to the indoors helping increase the oxygen and humidity level to offer users an unprecedented intimate experience of health and care.

FreshIN Series is available in 1.0HP and 1.5HP models, which can complement any space.

The FreshIN Series includes premium key features, such as its “FreshIN+” that will let you know when the fresh air enters your room with a blue light. The Temperature Balancing feature avoids uncomfortable temperature fluctuations. After the fresh air is drawn in, it will be either cooled down or warmed up to match the level required with ±0.5°C precision control.

FreshIN models feature a high-powered air engine, so you can enjoy up to 60 cubic meters of fresh air per hour, which could easily deliver pure clean air for most indoor spaces.

Air purification has now become a priority for consumers. The FreshIN Series features a highly efficient system using QuadruPuri Filters: the fresh air will pass through 4 different layers (a preliminary filter, a silver ion antibacterial layer, a HEPA high-efficiency filter, and a high-density filter).

TCL FreshIN Series also features Gentle Breeze Mode with more than one thousand micro-holes to create a soft laminar airflow, offering a comfortable breeze without a harsh, direct cold draft.

Connected with the TCL Home App, the FreshIN Series is compatible with Google Assistant, which gives users control of the air conditioner 24/7 with a smartphone or TCL TV with simple voice commands.

Only a clean air conditioner can keep the air in your home fresh. The CleanXpress function reminds you when it’s time to clean and makes it easy to keep it pristine. Controlled through the TCL Home app, the auto clean function is an efficient system that utilizes water molecules in the air to eliminate impurities. And, for effortless manual cleaning, the unit is designed to be taken apart and reassembled quickly.

Key features

FreshIN+

QuadruPuri Filter

Temperature Balancing

Air Engine

Gentle Breeze

Smart Inverter Technology

CleanXpress Innovation

Smart Control (IoT)

Native Style Cooling

360° Airflow

4-Way Airflow

Sleep Mode

Fast Cooling

Deep Clean

Ion Generator

*Product availability, appearance, and functionality may differ between regions. For regional sales information, please consult the TCL representatives in your community.

For more information, please visit: https://www.tcl.com/ph/en/air-conditioners/tac-chsd-fai

Coca-Cola Philippines and partners mobilize over 400 volunteers to join coastal cleanup

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Despite rain, volunteers from over 30 organizations join International Coastal Cleanup activation at Subic Bay

Over 30 organizations gathered last September 17 at Subic Bay to pluck away debris and trash along its coastline and waters. Armed with cleaning kits provided by Coca-Cola Philippines and taught to properly segregate waste collected from the cleanup by the Lighthouse Legacy Foundation, some 430 volunteers were undeterred by the rain and joined many other groups and organizations in the country who participated in the annual International Coastal Cleanup (ICC). Employees of Coca-Cola Philippines from Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, and Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines’ (CCBPI) North Luzon Commercial Unit also joined this year’s ICC at Subic.

Organized by Coca-Cola Philippines in partnership with Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and the Lighthouse Legacy Foundation, this year’s ICC activity at Subic Bay helped to deliver on the ongoing commitment of Coca-Cola Philippines to create partnerships that promote a debris-free environment, consistent with the World Without Waste vision of the company.

“At Coca-Cola, we recognize our responsibility to help solve the global plastic waste problem. To help create a World Without Waste, we have a global goal to help collect and recycle the equivalent of every bottle and can we sell by 2030. This is an ambitious goal that we cannot achieve alone, which is why we collaborate with like-minded organizations to help drive collective action,” said Jonah de Lumen-Pernia, Director for the Philippines Franchise, Coca-Cola ASEAN & South Pacific.

“We are grateful to all the volunteers who traveled to Subic, brought their family and friends, and chose to spend their Saturday with us doing coastal cleanup. It feels great to see the sense of volunteerism for the environment alive through this ICC event, especially after a two-year hiatus,” said Atty. Cashmer Dirampaten, Director for Public Affairs, Communications, and Sustainability, Coca-Cola Franchise East Region, Coca-Cola ASEAN & South Pacific.

The ICC is a global movement where volunteers from more than 90 countries simultaneously remove debris from shorelines, rivers, lakes, and waterways; raise environmental awareness; and provide information that will guide and influence decision-making bodies and industries in developing smart solutions to the persisting marine debris problem.

Addressing a persisting challenge

SBMA Chair Rolen Paulino emphasized the importance of working together to ensure a sustainable future and healthy environment for the next generation. “Mga bata, makinig kayo. Para sa inyo itong ginagawa namin. Sana may maiwan pa kami na environment [para sa inyo]. Sana ‘yung ilog natin malinis pa, sana ‘yung beaches natin [ay] pwede pang paliguan. Request ko lang [na] huwag na tayong makadagdag [ng basura]. Be conscious, sa atin lang [galing] ito lahat,” he said, addressing the volunteers. “Nagpapasalamat ako [na] merong Lighthouse [Legacy Foundation] at Coca-Cola na gustong maging maganda pa ‘yung titirhan ng mga bata, ng mga next generation."

(Kids, listen. We are doing these cleanup initiatives for your generation. I truly hope that we can leave a clean, healthy environment for you. I hope we can keep our rivers clean, and our beaches safe for swimming. I ask you all to please avoid throwing away trash into the environment. Let’s manage it properly. Be conscious because this pollution was also caused by us. I thank the Lighthouse Legacy Foundation and Coca-Cola for undertaking programs that address the roots of plastic pollution for our children and their next generation.)

“Joining the coastal cleanup, I learned a lot about proper waste collection, segregation, and recycling, which I plan to share with my loved ones. We all need to help reduce waste, and this initiative is an opportunity to get everyone to realize that safeguarding the environment is a shared responsibility,” shares a volunteer from Alon at Araw organization, which had the largest delegation of volunteers during the cleanup.

The annual ICC event is an opportunity to reinvigorate the spirit of volunteerism among Filipinos by enlisting their participation in helping reduce marine litter. “It is important for the Philippines to act quickly on the matter because failure to do so would mean irreparable damage to our marine resources,” said Zed Avecilla, Executive Director, Lighthouse Legacy Foundation. “The annual ICC is always a good opportunity to raise awareness on marine pollution and the importance of proper waste segregation and disposal.”

This ICC activity in Subic this year was able to divert 733.46 kilos of marine debris, equivalent to 295 sacks of waste. Recyclable plastics will be brought to partner recycling organizations such as Precious Plastics Philippines and Sentinel Upcycling Technologies, while the rest will be considered for waste to energy or will be brought to landfills.

ICC activity in other areas

CCBPI—the bottling arm of Coca-Cola in the Philippines—also activated 20 of its sites to participate in ICC activity in other parts of the country from September 16 to 17, and 19. Across its vast footprint in the country, CCBPI aim to refresh the Philippines and make a difference as it strives to operate its business with the highest sustainability standards.

“CCBPI’s yearly participation in the International Coastal Cleanup is just one of the many ways we ensure that we remain an integral part in supporting a debris-free environment for the communities we operate in. As we help reduce marine litter, we unceasingly accelerate our used clear PET plastic bottle collection efforts nationwide — helping to turn our World Without Waste commitment into reality through the collaboration of our employees and partners across the Philippines,” said Atty. Juan Lorenzo Tañada, Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Director of Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines Inc.

Commitment to a World Without Waste

In 2018, Coca-Cola announced its global vision of a World Without Waste including the ambitious goals of helping collect a bottle or can for every one it sells by 2030 and using at least 50% recycled content in its packaging by 2025.

To encourage recycling and promote a circular economy, in 2019, the beverage company introduced the Philippines’ first beverage bottles made from 100% recycled plastic material (excluding the cap and label) with the launch of its Viva! Mineralized water and Sprite 500ml clear bottles made from 100% recycled plastic.

Moreover, Coca-Cola also placed “Recycle Me” on all of its package labels across Coca-Cola brands in the Philippines to promote and remind consumers about the value of recycling and how everyone can take part in the recycling process.

Coca-Cola Philippines, and its community partners nationwide, also made its accessible for consumers to know where to drop off their used PET bottles through the Coca-Cola Philippines website.

“We recognize that there continues to be too much plastic in the world ending up where it shouldn’t be. Nobody wants to see that. At Coca-Cola, we’re fully committed to making our vision of a World Without Waste come to life,” said Tony Del Rosario, Coca-Cola Philippines President and VP for Franchise Operations for the ASEAN and South Pacific Unit-East Asia Region.