BDO bags 4 awards at the 9th Asian Excellence Awards

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BDO Unibank, Inc. was again honored at the recently held Asian Excellence Awards, bagging highly-coveted titles such as Asia’s Best CEO, Best Investor Relations Company, and Best Corporate Communications.

BDO Hong Kong branch head Nancy Estrada receives the award from Corporate Governance Asia founder, managing director and publisher Aldrin Monsod.

BDO’s chairperson Teresita Sy-Coson and president and CEO Nestor V. Tan were chosen as Asia’s Best CEOs (Investor Relations) for their superior leadership and excellence in driving the overall management and growth of the Bank.

Meanwhile, BDO executive vice president and head of Investor Relations & Corporate Planning Luis S. Reyes Jr. was awarded Best Investor Relations Professional (Philippines). The Best Investor Relations Professional is given to those who excelled in keeping investors well-informed about the developments in their company. Investor relations is critical to generating shareholder value for investors.

Spearheaded by Corporate Governance Asia, the 9th Asian Excellence Awards is a highly-coveted recognition for corporates that have adopted the highest standards of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) in the way they operate and grow their businesses.

Winners for this year were picked from several countries across the region, including China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines

Strategically linked to its corporate vision and core values, corporate governance is an integral part of BDO’s operations. From mere compliance, the country’s largest bank* has successfully put in place a framework, policies, committees, and initiatives that not only strengthened its financial position but also enhanced its reputation among its shareholders and foreign investors.

BDO’s corporate governance philosophy–empowerment with accountability–“gives its leaders the freedom to move the business forward without undue restraint but are expected to act with due care, responsibility, and accountability,” the bank told to Corporate Governance Asia. As such, BDO is able to deliver its commitment to its shareholders: sustainable corporate growth and long-term value creation.

“When we set out on our mission to honor Asia’s finest executives and corporates, we embark on a journey to enhance their standards of corporate governance, and through this advocacy to institutionalize the best practices across the region, we recognize that they key to long-term sustainability and success of companies us having a solid reputation in the market and exemplary business models, and how they are applied and conducted in accordance with the highest principles of corporate governance,” Mr. Aldrin Monsod, founder, managing director and publisher of Corporate Governance Asia said in honoring this year’s winners.

Young Christians to Unite in Biggest Youth Celebration of the Year

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Nick Vujicic, Planetshakers headline Jesus Global Youth Day,

simultaneous local celebrations in provinces and hundreds globally  

MANILA, Philippines - Jesus Global Youth Day (JGYD), the first-ever simultaneous gathering of youths from all over the globe, kicks off today at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, Metro Manila. The youth conference, which runs from August 8 to 10, aims to spur Gen Z and millennial Christians to love Christ, live committed and lead change through the message of the Gospel and the love of Jesus Christ.

Speakers from around the world will share their insights on different topics such as leadership, evangelism and missions, worship, discipleship and campus ministry through the various plenary sessions. There will also be worship festivals every evening led by celebrated Christian bands and artists.

Aside from the main activities happening in MOA Arena, local JGYD celebrations will be happening at the same time in Laoag, San Fernando City in La Union, Pampanga, Quezon, Cebu, Rizal and other provinces. Also, about 400 JGYD events will unfold in various countries worldwide.

Popular evangelist and founder of Life Without Limbs Nick Vujicic and Australian worship band Planetshakers are two of the renowned names headlining the first day of the three-day event.  Vujicic will lead the main session in the evening while Planetshakers will cap off the day with a praise and worship session.

Pastors can look forward to the Global Pastors Congress on the Next Generationhappening on the afternoon of the first day. Youth leaders can join the Global Youth Leader Congress on the second day.

Baldwin, Luce and Samuel Dhinakaran, said to be one of the most-prolific voices to the young generation in India, join Vujicic as speakers for the main session on the first day.

Ron Allen Luce, CEO of Generation Next and co-chairman of the Jesus Global Youth Day global advisory council, joins the speakers forthe Global Pastors Congress on the Next Generation. The congress also features Mats-Ola Ishoel, senior pastor of the Word of Life megachurch in Moscow, Russia; Opoku-Onyinah, a Ghanaian theologian, minister, televangelist and chair of the renowned Church of Pentecost in Ghana; Stephen Andrew Baldwin, founder of Breakthrough Ministry, Antioch Ministry and Now More Than Ever Ministry; Jason Lozano, pastor of Freedom Christian Center in California; and Russell Evans, senior pastor of the Planetshakers Church in Melbourne, Australia.

Dr. Paul Enenche, senior pastor and founder of Dunamis International Gospel Centre in Abuja, Nigeria and regarded as one of the most-exciting preachers and leaders in all of Africa, joins Luce as speaker for the main session on the second day.

The congress speakers for the second day include Bryce Manderfield, founder and president of Youth Solutions Inc., Luce and Dhinakaran.

The third day will see Nick Hall, visionary of Together, author of the book Reset, and the founder and chief communicator for PULSE,leading the main session for the final day of the conference.

American Christian musician and guitarist Austin Adamec, together with Planetshakers, will be performing on the first day. Adamec will perform again on the second day and will be joined by American music label and worship ministry Bethel Music and the internationally known Christian praise and worship band Miel San Marcos. Adamec and Bethel will once again perform on the third day with Sheldon Bangera, one of the most widely sought-after worship leaders in India.

Jesus Global Youth Day 2019 is presented by the World Evangelical Alliance, Generation Next, TBN Networks, Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches and Philippines for Jesus Movement.

Amid the evolving challenges the youth face is the need to encourage them to be catalysts of change for the next generation. Local churches and organizations can take part by sending their pastors, staff, disciple makers, youth frontrunners and leaders to the different learning sessions, youth engagements and worship celebrations.

About Jesus Global Youth Day

Jesus Global Youth Day (JGYD) 2019 is the first-ever simultaneous gathering of youth from all over the globe, with a historic assembly at the Mall of Asia Arena, Manila, Philippines. This celebration coincides with the United Nations International Youth Day in August. The three-day conference from August 8 to 10 will feature different conferences, plenary talks, and training conducted by world renowned resource persons  on various topics such as leadership, evangelism and missions, worship, discipleship, and campus ministry. There will also be worship celebrations led by celebrated Christian bands and artists every evening.

Prior to this momentous gathering, several week-long Youth Mission Immersions (YMI) for international youth groups will be held in the Greater Manila Area.

Enderun launches cashless campus with GCash

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With university campuses becoming a crucial venue for innovation, Enderun Colleges, a premier management and hospitality school in the Philippines, has gone cashless with GCash, the no. 1 mobile wallet in the country.

Enderun’s cashless campus is powered by GCash’s scan-to-pay feature, which can be used in the bookstore, cafeteria, photocopying center and main cashier.

Outside the school, Enderun alumni can avail of the GCash Enderun Alumni Mastercard for the same cashless convenience on campus. The card can be issued only to graduates of Enderun, which has been known to produce some of the most successful young restaurateurs and entrepreneurs.

“We are introducing mobile solutions to students so that when they leave the school and start their own businesses, as many Enderun alumni do, they can create the same cashless ecosystem in their enterprises and allow more people to experience the convenience of managing and accessing financial services via digital platforms,” Luigi Reyes, Vice President and Group Head for Enterprise at Mynt, the company behind GCash, said.

“We are also getting all employees and staff of Enderun onboarded with GCash so that it’s a complete ecosystem within the campus,” he adds.

Enderun Colleges is one of the Philippines’ leading and most highly-respected management colleges which offers degree programs in the fields of international hospitality management, entrepreneurship and business administration. In 2017, Enderun also launched its Senior High School program and now has over a thousand students studying in its McKinley campus in Taguig. It has also expanded its portfolio to include business units that offer other services such as certificate programs, short courses, hotel management, food and beverage management, and digital marketing services.

“We choose only the best partners who present the most innovative and accessible solutions to the needs of our students, and this is why we have launched our cashless campus with GCash. This move will surely be beneficial for the entire Enderun community,” shares Daniel Perez, Senior Vice President and one of the co-founders of Enderun Colleges.

GCash, which now has some 20 million users, has ties to industry leaders Ayala Corp., Globe Telecom, and Ant Financial, the world’s largest provider of payments via mobile devices. In the Philippines, GCash users can load their accounts in over 13,000 cash-in outlets.

L’Oréal and Shopee Bring Beauty and Skincare partnership to life in Southeast Asia with AI and AR powered tools

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• L’Oréal’s AI and AR powered tools, Shopee BeautyCam by ModiFace and Effaclar Spotscan by La Roche-Posay on Shopee’s platform will provide digitally-savvy consumers convenience, as well as an interactive and personalised shopping experience
• Partnership blends digital innovation with e-commerce in response to increasing demand for mobile self-diagnostic tools to help shoppers discover their individual beauty and skincare needs

Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan has teamed up with L’Oréal the world leader in beauty and skincare to roll out artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) powered tools on Shopee’s platform. The joint partnership demonstrates both Shopee’s and L’Oréal’s commitment to continuously innovate and power Southeast Asia’s beauty and skincare categories into the future, and to provide shoppers a convenient and personalised online shopping experience. The AI and AR powered tools will also benefit millions of users across Southeast Asia, especially digitally-savvy millennials who are drawn to innovation, creativity and a sense of self-discovery.

With L’Oréal’s AI and AR powered tools, Shopee BeautyCam by ModiFace and the Effaclar Spotscan by La Roche-Posay, Shopee users are able to digitally try on different shades of L’Oréal’s lipsticks as well as receive personalised advice on the best L’Oréal skincare treatments to tackle acne. Users only need Shopee’s app and a front-facing camera on a mobile device to access these tools. The partnership also sees L’Oréal tapping into Shopee’s key interactive entertainment features such as Shopee LIVE and Shopee Slice to deepen consumer engagement.

Ian Ho, Regional Managing Director, Shopee said, “We are excited to partner L’Oréal to bring these AI and AR powered tools to our platform. This partnership demonstrates our joint commitment to transform Southeast Asia’s beauty and skincare market with innovation and technology. With more consumers purchasing their beauty and skincare essentials with Shopee, we are confident that shoppers will enjoy a more personalised and seamless shopping experience with these digital innovation tools.”

AI and AR powered tools for the empowered online shopper

With more consumers entrusting mobile self-diagnostic tools to help uncover what best suits them1, the digital innovation tools, Shopee BeautyCam and Effaclar Spotscan on Shopee, will help consumers better understand their individual beauty and skincare needs as they shop online. With more than 95% of Shopee’s transactions occurring on mobile across the region, the partnership promises shoppers a seamless mobile shopping experience, from the use of L’Oréal’s mobile AI and AR powered tools to discover products, to delivering the products right to their doorstep. The launch of these digital innovation tools is done in collaboration with both of L’Oréal’s make-up and skincare divisions.

The Shopee BeautyCam employs AR simulation to allow Shopee users to try different shades of makeup, resulting in photo-realistic results in the form of a video or a selfie. To achieve this, ModiFace by L’Oréal uses AI-enabled shade calibration, AI-powered analysis of information provided by makeup brands, as well as images and descriptions available on social media. The Shopee BeautyCam will launch on Shopee Singapore during L’Oréal’s campaign, ‘International Lipstick Day’, from 27 to 29 July and in conjunction with International Lipstick Day on 29 July. Shopee users will be able to try the feature first with L’Oréal lipsticks. The proprietary technology will eventually be extended across other L’Oréal make-up products in the future across Southeast Asia.

L’Oréal’s other AI-powered digital innovation tool, Effaclar Spotscan, harnesses artificial intelligence technology to offer users instant, personalised and professional acne analyses. Users are awarded an acne score and are given a personalised Effaclar routine with specific skin care tips to best tackle their acne spots. Featured during selected campaigns, the tool was launched in conjunction with other in-app activations such as in-app dermatologist consultations. Effaclar Spotscan was launched successfully on Shopee Singapore in March this year, and will be incorporated in the upcoming L’Oréal campaign, ‘Your Best Skin Yet’, from 12 to 15 August.

Ninell Sobiecka, Vice President, Active Cosmetics Division, APAC said, “We are pleased to partner Shopee to make our first acne diagnostics tool, the Effaclar Spotscan by La Roche-Posay, available to users across Southeast Asia. This AI-powered tool helps users make more educated skin care choices based on their own unique skin type, all in the comfort of their own homes with the Shopee app. Together with Shopee, we are committed to empowering users and making lives better with innovative technology.”

Chris Driver, Commercial General Manager, Consumer Products Division, APAC adds, “We are thrilled to partner Shopee to bring the Shopee BeautyCam by ModiFace to millions of users across the region and to reinvent the beauty industry. This technological innovation gives consumers the freedom and creativity to explore L’Oréal’s wide array of lipsticks and helps users learn more about which lipstick suits them best. All done within Shopee’s app, this provides users a convenient, effective and simple way to discover more make-up products as they make their next make-up purchase online.”

Interactive entertainment for a personalised online retail experience

Coupled with L’Oréal’s digital innovation tools, the partnership sees L’Oréal tapping into Shopee’s key interactive entertainment features such as Shopee LIVE, Shopee’s in-app live streaming feature, and Shopee Slice, a popular in-app game, to deepen engagement with consumers for a more personalised online retail experience. Through this, Shopee and L’Oréal are able to provide users higher entertainment value and benefits, as they learn more about L’Oréal’s extensive array of products, digital innovation tools, as well as make-up and skincare tips.

Shoppers can watchout for amazing deals and discounts up to 50% on L’Oréal foundations and other products  during the L’Oréal Brand Day on August 10. 

All L’Oréal , Maybelline and Garnier make-up and skincare products can be found via their respective official stores on Shopee, under Shopee Mall, which offers 7-days returns, 100% authenticity, and free shipping2.

Download the Shopee app for free on the App Store or Google Play Store

Federal Land extends to Cebu legacy of personifying cities

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Towering over any key city across the country are standout structures that embody its personality—emphasizing the city’s profile, reshaping its skyline, while hinting at its strong economic potential.

For Federal Land Inc. General Manager Thomas Mirasol, the presence of diverse architectural structures in booming cities across the country not only serve to beautify, but also represent what their cities are like and what they have to offer.

“Aesthetic variety among city buildings are proof of the economic progress and the modernity of this country’s best urban areas,” said Mirasol. “Most importantly, distinct structures can serve as new landmarks that capture the essence of their respective cities.”

In a survey conducted by global property portal, Lamudi, western respondents named the Makati Central Business District’s (CBD) skyline as the most recognizable across emerging markets. The Makati CBD, after all, is punctuated by Federal Land’s iconic architectural marvel, GT Tower International with its distinct blade-like apex and eye-catching streamline lights.

Driven by an industrial intuition sharpened through its 47 years of expertise, the premier real estate giant has built a reputation of personifying rising metropolises with their prominent developments.

According to Mirasol, “Luxury residential properties showcase the changing lifestyles of today’s more affluent consumers by harmonizing a cosmopolitan city life with the comfort, and privacy of a suburban home.”

The premier real estate developer, also known for collaborating with reputed global partners and bringing world-class hospitality brands to the Philippines, possesses a portfolio of impressive residential projects. Its iconic award-winning skyscraper, Grand Hyatt Manila and the anticipated $400-million The Seasons Residencesin Bonifacio Global City are just some of Federal Land’s landmark structures.

While cities in the country’s National Capital Region continue to flourish with consistent modernization, Mirasol noted that many factors are now driving strong interest and urbanization to regional metropolises like Cebu.

Crowning the Queen City of the South

Consistently marked as one of the country’s top cities, Cebu retains its position as one of the preferred investment destinations outside of Luzon, according to Colliers International’s first quarter report for 2019.

“Cebu’s enduring economic growth has strengthened its market for upscale residential properties,” Mirasol said. “The city’s natural beauty contributes to its effortless tourist appeal, while its skilled workforce continually influences various businesses, including multi-national companies, to set up operations there. This spurs the migration and local settlement of their executives and high-ranking officers.”

With its four-tower Marco Polo Residences atop the exclusive Nivel Hills district in Cebu, Federal Land personifies the city by marrying its classic culture of history and tradition with its chic urbanity. This year, Federal Land will be launching Parkplace, the fifth tower in this luxury condo township backed by the five-star Marco Polo Hotel brand.

“The residences parallel Cebu’s heritage through the Marco Polo brand, fusing Asian hospitality with Western innovations,” said Mirasol.

Architecturally designed to resemble two connecting pearls, Park Place is unique in its visual fluidity and structural integrity. With this design, residential units are strategically arranged to take advantage of the property’s hilltop location, providing a visual sampler of Cebu by framing the panoramic view of the sea, sky, and city. With only 14 units per floor, residents are given a sense of personal space while having access to hotel services for utmost comfort.

Parkplace makes use of the expansive property to provide residents the freedom of space and openness to experience an extensive set of amenities within the Marco Polo Residences township. Within Parkplace, residents have access to fitness facilities such as Circuit Training, Yoga Studio, and Golf Simulation. Recreational areas such as the Art Room, KTV Room, and the Mini Theater also provide families more spaces to connect within the comfort and convenience of their own homes. They also have access to facilities and amenities of the four existing towers and outdoor amenities including three swimming pools, play areas, co-working spaces, function halls, a spa pavilion, and a day care center.

Driven by the growing appeal of Cebu, Mirasol considers Parkplace an expansion of the township, adding another dimension to the city’s persona and fortifying its identity further. “Federal Land is poised to continue developing Marco Polo Residences, precisely reflecting Cebu as it advances and evolves.”