ABS-CBN, KROMA, and 917Ventures launch PH’s newest ‘tradigital’ entertainment channel in May

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A new era will dawn in Philippine entertainment as the country’s leading content provider ABS-CBN, innovative entertainment company KROMA, and foremost corporate venture builder 917Ventures, introduce “tradigital” viewing to Filipinos through PIE, the Philippines’ first real-time and multi-screen interactive channel that will officially launch in May 2022.

PIE or Pinoy Interactive Entertainment offers Filipinos a digital upgrade to their traditional media consumption habits by allowing them to watch TV shows, join all-day contests, build following, and even steer the storyline of a teleserye across multiple screens including TV sets, laptops, desktops, and mobile devices.

On PIE, those in the audience are not just viewers but a well-engaged community that plays an active role in storytelling, game shows, and talk shows.

“Filipinos are very social. We love hanging out with our friends, doing activities together, and simply having fun together. But this kind of connection is something we abruptly lost at the onset of the pandemic. Filipinos long for collective fun, and PIE hopes to fill that gap,” said KROMA Entertainment CEO Ian Monsod.

PIE is bringing back the classic game show “Pera o Bayong” that takes on a new level with an interactive format and prizes given away every hour to viewers at home. It is also introducing the country’s first interactive teleserye “UZI,” and reality show “Palong Follow,” where viewers will work together to find the Philippines’ next big digital content creator.

The channel also has a roster of exciting shows that will invite viewers to take part and own: “Ekstra Ordinaryo,” “Bida Body Part” and “Playlist Natin.”

“Our goal as a company is to continue bringing pioneering digital solutions to Filipinos especially as the pandemic lingers. This time, with PIE, we want to bring our kababayans an entertainment experience they can share. We want Filipinos to have a new way to enjoy and celebrate everyday wins to help uplift them despite their daily battles. We want them to feel like we are still together even while physically apart,” said Vince Yamat, Managing Director of 917Ventures.

ABS-CBN Chief Operating Officer of Broadcast Cory Vidanes said the company’s venture into PIE is testament to their organization’s boosted digital pivot.

“ABS-CBN is committed to bringing innovative content to as many Filipinos as possible, and in recent years, we have been engaging audiences more through a stronger digital presence and collaboration with various groups. Our partnership with PIE is a significant step in that direction and we’re looking forward to engaging with Kapamilyas in a whole new way,” said Vidanes.

Test broadcast of PIE began this month. Its revolutionary brand of entertainment will also be available 21/7 to everyone through YouTube. It will be accessible to some 11 million households with digital TV boxes in Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Zamboanga, Naga, Baguio and nearby provinces and to 85 Million digitally-connected Filipinos this May 2022. To find PIE, viewers may rescan their digiboxes now.

You may also visit and follow PIE (@iamPIEofficial) on social media for more updates!

Cleene Ethyl Alcohol launches Towards a Cleener Philippines campaign, partners with Plastic Bank to help reduce ocean plastic waste

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Cleene Ethyl Alcohol, a trusted Filipino brand that provides high-quality and affordable alcohol products from Philusa Corporation, extends its effort in reducing ocean-bound plastic waste as it partners with social enterprise Plastic Bank Corporation.

Event host Joyce Pring-Trivino with Philusa Corporation President and General Manager Neogin Evangelista and Plastic Bank Philippines Country Manager Rene Guarin.

The initiative is unveiled during the virtual launch of Cleene Ethyl Alcohol’s campaign entitled “Towards a Cleener Philippines,” a movement encouraging the public to be more mindful of the environment by adopting an eco-friendly lifestyle. This is in collaboration with Plastic Bank, which is known for building recycling ecosystems in coastal areas through its community of plastic collectors.

With the Philippines named as one of the top producers of marine waste, Cleene Ethyl Alcohol has taken the leap in creating a bigger impact on the environment together with Plastic Bank.

Cleene Ethyl Alcohol is supporting Plastic Bank’s Impact Program which intends to help prevent 1.25 million plastic bottles from entering the ocean. Cleene Ethyl Alcohol will also help improve the lives of more than 600 plastic waste collectors in vulnerable coastal communities in Makati, Pasig and Mandaluyong.

“It’s always been our commitment to finding sustainable ways to help our environment. And we hope that through this effort, we can contribute to minimizing ocean plastic waste and be of help to our hardworking Plastic Bank collectors,” shared Philusa Corporation President and General Manager Neogin Evangelista.

Promoting collaboration between consumers and brands, Plastic Bank’s Impact Program enables Cleene Ethyl Alcohol to achieve its annual sustainability goals and empower its consumers to make an impact on the environment.

Cleene Ethyl Alcohol’s support for the Impact Program will also contribute to the collectors’ income, enabling them to afford basic family necessities such as food, clean water, and cellular service, among others.

Additionally, the company is distributing health kits in several cities nationwide to help improve the health of the collectors.

To date, the Impact Program has stopped over 2,401,315,100 from entering the ocean, impacting over 588 communities.

“We are honored to be joining Cleene in their journey in making this project come to life. As a partner, we at Plastic Bank are driven to strengthen our ocean-bound plastic recycling efforts and give Cleene the opportunity to take a leadership position in the regenerative society,” said Plastic Bank Philippines Country Manager Rene Guarin.

“We look forward to creating more impact on our oceans and coastal communities in the years to come together with Plastic Bank. We encourage everyone to create sustainability programs in our own simple ways and join our movement towards a Cleener Philippines,” Evangelista added.

To learn more about this initiative and how you can take part in this movement, visit philusa.com and plasticbank.com.

Event host Joyce Pring-Trivino with Philusa Corporation Marketing Manager Maya Leander, Cleene Ethyl Alcohol Brand Manager Janna dela Cruz, Plastic Bank Philippines Country Manager Rene Guarin, and Plastic Bank Customer Relations Manager Ted Guayco during the Q&A portion.

About Philusa Corporation

Established in 1957, Philusa Corporation remains as one of the country’s leading marketers of high quality and competitively priced personal care, household care, baby care and selected pharmaceutical products, making it the source of pride for its customers, business partners, employees and shareholders.

Now with 10 branches in key cities nationwide, Philusa Corporation is a market leader or major player in different categories like cotton (Cleene), cotton buds (Babyflo Gentle Buds), wound care management (MEDIPLAST), bathroom deodorizer and air care (ALBATROSS), home care and muriatic acid (Gleam and Apollo), home remedies (RHEA Alcohol, RHEA Aceite de Manzanilla and RHEA Hydrogen Peroxide), and uni-branded generic medicines (RHEA Generics).

Philusa Corporation continues its operations, guided by the core values it lives by — championing sustainability; placing its customers’ needs first; achieving the best possible results through innovation, continuous quality improvement, and teamwork; taking proactive steps in delivering its commitments on time; acting with integrity by doing what is right; and having genuine concern for its customers, employees, and the company itself though taking initiatives in helping one another.

About Plastic Bank

Plastic Bank® empowers the regenerative society. We build ethical recycling ecosystems in coastal communities and reprocess the materials for reintroduction into the global supply chain as Social Plastic®. Collectors receive bonuses for the materials they collect which helps them provide basic family necessities such as groceries, cooking fuel, school tuition, and health insurance. Plastic Bank’s Alchemy™ blockchain platform secures the entire transaction and provides real-time data visualization – allowing for transparency, traceability, and rapid scalability. Learn more at plasticbank.com.

Meralco reopens doors for aspiring female linecrew as it reaffirms commitment to diversity and inclusion

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The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has relaunched a recruitment and capability-building program for aspiring female linecrew members as part of the Company’s commitment to drive and heighten gender diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

The Meralco Linecrew Training Program (MLTP) aims to develop a pool of skilled female line workers, who are envisioned to eventually become part of the Meralco workforce.

A total of 15 individuals will be part of the newest batch of trainees under the MLTP. For a period of five months beginning May, they will undergo a series of lectures and rigorous physical training and endurance conditioning programs that will build and hone their skills to properly use manually operated tools and safely climb Meralco utility poles. They will subsequently be assessed for hiring and deployment.

Meralco, which operates in a traditionally male-dominated industry, pioneered the training and hiring of female linecrew in Southeast Asia back in 2013. The power distributor currently has nine female line workers who help deliver reliable electricity service to Meralco customers.

Charmaine Angeles, who was part of the pioneering batch and currently works as a linecrew member at Meralco’s Valenzuela Sector, said that the program helped broaden her knowledge and experience in her line of work.

“I learned how to drive a truck, got along with my colleagues, and most importantly, helped in delivering electricity service to homes,” she said in Filipino, adding: “I believe that women are also capable of doing what men do. It only takes courage, knowledge, positivity, and trust in oneself to be a successful linecrew member.”

Solidifying commitment to diversity and inclusion

The MLTP is among the initiatives on gender inclusivity geared towards helping Meralco reach its goal to have women employees represent 40% of its workforce by 2030.

Meralco’s recently established policy on Diversity and Inclusion further cements its commitment to advancing workforce diversity and to nurturing an inclusive and safe workplace for its employees by ensuring equal employment opportunities for all.

Through this new policy, Meralco pledges to respect all individual and value differences across gender, age, ethnicity, physical appearance, health, family status, religion, sexual orientation, and socio-economic background.

“The Company believes that when its people feel respected, valued, and treated fairly, they are more motivated to perform – delivering the Meralco core value of malasakit when serving customers and community,” the policy states.

The Diversity and Inclusion Policy extends to all areas of Meralco’s business and is also promoted across the Company’s subsidiaries and affiliates.

In addition, earlier this year, Meralco partnered with Don Bosco College-Canlubang for a technician scholarship program that will benefit 15 aspiring female electrical technicians.

The program will cover the tuition fees and allowances of the students who will undergo the Technical Vocational Education Training Program for the dual NC II Program on Electrical Installation and Maintenance and Mechatronics beginning August.

All the above initiatives fall under Meralco’s overarching Diversity and Inclusion program called #MBrace, which aims to promote and nurture a gender-balanced and inclusive workplace.

#MBrace’s aims are aligned with United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (UN SDG) 5 on Gender Equality and UN SDG 10 on Reduced Inequalities.

The program also fortifies Meralco’s commitment to the UN Global Compact’s Principle 6 on Elimination of Discrimination in Employment, and supports the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles as well as the advocacies of the Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment.#

Lista challenges every Filipino to create savings goals with new features

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Lista, a financial management tool for small business owners, freelancers and individuals, has launched the Ipon Challenge, which encourages every Filipino to set savings goals through their newest features - the Savings and Sales Target.

The Ipon Challenge aims to empower Filipinos to meet their savings goals or set financial targets for the things they want to buy using their two new main features. The Savings feature allows the user to track their savings for their next dream item whether it is a phone, car, or vacation, while the Sales Target feature will allow business owners to set a target profit for their business. Users will be able to customize their target timeline and amount using the feature.

Due to uncertainties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a survey conducted by Hong Kong-based AIA Group Limited found that more Filipinos saved more money without careful preparation. But despite the fact that Filipinos appear to have a more disciplined attitude toward saving, a quarter of respondents simply save what money they have after expenses without making a proactive saving strategy, and 22% set aside a specific overall amount. Only 29% of people make a list of their savings goals and set aside money to achieve them.

Lista intends to make financial planning and literacy more accessible to millions of Filipinos, assisting entrepreneurs in managing their digital cash flow, normalizing debt collection or "paniningil ng utang” and now, helping them manage their personal budget and expand their enterprises through savings and goal setting.

Through the new features, each user can begin small, with a goal of as low as 500 pesos, or go big, with a car down payment. The Lista app includes features such as hosting "ipon challenges" and tracking users' progress so they can stay on track with their goals.

Lista’s Ipon Challenge

The Ipon Challenge was created to officially launch the two new features that the founders hope will help more Filipinos start building the habit of proactive saving. The campaign hopes to encourage new and existing users to explore the feature and participate in the savings challenge, which is intended to help users learn how to set and stick to financial goals, both short and long term.

Anyone with Lista mobile app can join the Ipon Challenge for the chance to win grand prizes from Lista as well as weekly minor prizes. Interested participants can download the Lista app, register using their mobile number then create a savings challenge with the help of the “savings'' icon.

Participants are required to input savings at least twice a week, following their daily or weekly savings amount. The deadline to reach their goal is before May 30, 2022.

Once participants reach their savings goal, they will receive a savings badge. To be eligible for the raffle, participants should share a screenshot of their savings badge on Facebook with the hashtag #IponChallenge and tag the Lista. Each savings challenge is equal to one raffle entry. Prizes include brand new motorcycle, Macbook, mobile phone, Ikea gift certificate worth Php 10,000, and a summer getaway package for two! The winners will be announced on the Facebook page of Lista PH.

Lista also partnered with SariSuki, a community selling platform that delivers fresh groceries straight to your doorstep, who will be giving away Php 10,000 worth of Kabuhayan Package. Financial services company Sun Life Philippines, tying up with e-commerce platform Lazada, will also be giving away weekly vouchers that will entitle the winners to a free one-year Life Armor Insurance coverage.

“Lista wants to encourage every Filipino to set a savings goals for the things they dream of - whether they start with a small amount or go big with a car down payment. Through the help of our partners, we look forward to seeing everyone complete their ipon challenge and help them move towards the goal of understanding their finances and empowering them to make better purchase decisions,” shared Khriz Lim, co-founder of Lista.

Lista is a free bookkeeping app for Filipino MSMEs that aims to help them digitize their cash and credit transactions and get cash flow visibility, which can help them grow their profits. Lista not only maintains track of business transactions, but it also provides a simple invoice generator, which is especially beneficial for freelancers, an easy way to collect debts with free SMS reminders, and a savings challenge to help people save for their goals.

Since its launch early last year, Lista has received 600,000 downloads and has recorded approximately USD 12.6 million in debt.

To know more about Lista, you may visit their website at www.lista.com.ph or follow their Facebook page at facebook.com/ListaPhilippines.

Home Credit Philippines bags Gold Stevie® at the 2022 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards

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The leading consumer finance company wins Innovative Use of Technology in Human Resources Category

The leading consumer finance company Home Credit Philippines was named Gold Stevie^® awardee in the ninth annual Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards for the Innovative Use of Technology in Human Resources category. The award recognizes technology-driven human resource initiatives of Home Credit Philippines as "a way to connect, engage and transform people as they use technology to adapt to the future of human resource in the Philippines."

 

Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, Home Credit Philippines has been focusing on creating initiatives driven by technology to connect and engage with its employees all over the country and help streamline the company's overall processes. 

 

As a global company with more than 13 thousand employees in the country alone, Home Credit Philippines always makes its people the core of its business. In early 2021, the company launched its HR Gateway and Intranet to help HR Management connect and engage with its employees on a daily basis. It also developed an E-recruitment portal that serves as its primary gateway for all candidate applications. The portal can integrate with external job bulletins that allow recruiters to reach a diverse set of applicant pool.

 

"We at Home Credit Philippines are proud of this achievement which testifies our commitment to putting our people at the heart of all our actions and decisions. The dedication and commitment of our employees serve as the driving force and our motivation to stay focused on creating ways and initiatives to provide them easy access to all our resources," shares Home Credit Philippines' Chief People Officer, Alpha Omega Aquino.

 

Alpha added, "As we continue looking for other opportunities to further improve our processes, we at Home Credit Philippines will stay committed to helping our employees and future talents through the power of technology and continue to be at the forefront of innovation in the Philippine HR landscape."

 

More than 900 nominations from organizations across the Asia-Pacific region were considered this year in categories such as Award for Excellence in Innovation in Products & Services, Award for Innovative Management, and Award for Innovation in Corporate Websites, among many others. Home Credit Philippines is joined by other Gold Stevie® awardees from the Philippines like AirAsia Philippines, Megaworld Foundation, PLDT-Smart, Globe Telecom, Meralco, and IBM Philippines.

 

"The ninth edition of the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards attracted many remarkable nominations," said Stevie Awards president Maggie Miller. "The organizations that won this year have demonstrated that they have continued to innovate and succeed despite the COVID-19 pandemic, and we applaud them for their perseverance and creativity. We look forward to celebrating many of this year's winners during our virtual awards ceremony on 29 June."

 

The Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards are the only business awards program to recognize innovation in the workplace in all 29 nations of the Asia-Pacific region. The Stevie Awards are widely considered to be the world's premier business awards, conferring recognition for achievement in programs such as The International Business Awards® for 20 years.

 

Details about the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards and the 29 June awards ceremony, and the list of Stevie Award winners, are available at http://Asia.Stevieawards.com.