DigiPinas Group calls on gov’t to accelerate digital transformation efforts

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With the Philippine digital economy seen to balloon to as much as $150 billion – or about P8.3 trillion by current peso-dollar exchange rates – the government must accelerate its digital transformation initiatives to maximize the potential of the so-called e-conomy.

Digital Transformation ng Pilipinas (DigiPinas), a UBX-led multisectoral initiative for digital transformation in the government, believes that while the government is treading the right path towards a new digital world, the Philippines has yet to unlock the true potential of its digital economy.

“The national government is definitely on the right track towards achieving a new digital world where everyone is included. But while the Internet is considered the greatest equalizer, the national and local governments play an important role in driving digital services that fully cater to their constituents on a more intimate scale,” said DigiPinas Spokesperson Mikan Leachon.

According to a 2022 study conducted by Google and Temasek on Southeast Asia’s e-conomy through 2030, the Philippine digital economy is currently valued at $20 billion. It is expected to grow on a steady upward trajectory, ballooning to as much as $150 billion in the next decade.

Digital retail, online travel, online media, digital payments, and online transportation and food deliveries make up most of the values derived from the e-conomy. According to the study, more and more Filipinos are adapting to the digital trend.

The reopening of Southeast Asian economies created a significant impact on consumers and the digital economy with the pandemic normalizing online transactions. Google and Temasek data point to a continued growth path for digital transactions despite the resumption of onground economic activities.

Given this, the Philippine government must quickly address the demand for digital government solutions to complement this uptrend.

“The Philippines is going through a digital revolution and the government has to step up its game to enable this to succeed. The current administration’s desire to pursue digital transformation is a welcome development, we just have to turn this idea into a reality. DigiPinas is able and willing to support the government in this initiative,” Leachon said.

DigiPinas champions the enforcement of policies related to digital transformation, geared towards solving age-old problems such as low digital adoption, lack of awareness, gaps in access, digital skills gap, and complex regulations.

It aims to equip each government partner with digital tools and solutions to bring their services closer to their constituents.

UBX, the leading open finance platform in the Philippines, is leading this initiative, providing its expertise in digital financial solutions to the national and local governments, especially those that are in the far-flung and rural municipalities.

“We are eager to partner with various government agencies – both national and local governments – and equip them with the right solutions for digital transformation,” Leachon said.

JobStreet shares in-demand skills that will benefit jobseekers in 2023

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The year 2023 is an interesting year for the job market, considering the evolving work environment and the growing demand for hybrid work setups. As hirers and employees transition to their most optimal work arrangement, this likewise requires candidates to upgrade their skills to stay competitive in the coming year.

With this, leading online job platform JobStreet by SEEK shares skills that will enable candidates to become future-ready, seek better opportunities, and put themselves at an advantage over other talents.

Digital literacy is critical

Hirers are more likely to look for jobseekers who are able to use and work with digital tools and devices. Therefore, candidates are encouraged to upgrade their digital skills since they are an integral part of business operations. Gaining essential digital skills opens a lot of opportunities. You can improve this by taking free digital courses, increasing your online presence, learning emerging digital platforms, and staying updated on tech trends, among others.

Adaptability is key

As businesses adjust to the changes brought by the pandemic, employees are also expected to become more adaptable, which allows them to efficiently embrace and deal with different situations at work.

According to JobStreet, hirers value candidates who are able to adapt to changes in processes and operations, modify plans when necessary, learn new tools and technologies, and welcome new roles and responsibilities.

“The world is so unpredictable, we learned that very well with the recent global pandemic that took us all by surprise. As industries evolve, it matters not who is the most skilled in the field, but more so, who can adapt quickly,” said JobStreet Philippines Country Manager Philip Gioca, “since trends and demands from different careers change over time, candidates who are in for the challenge and can pivot immediately have a great advantage.”

Refresh your interpersonal skills

The pandemic has impacted our social life, keeping us away from our friends and colleagues. With hybrid work becoming a trend among industries, jobseekers are encouraged to strengthen their interpersonal skills. This helps create meaningful and strong working relationships among colleagues as well as improves the productivity and morale of the entire team.

JobStreet advises candidates to start by embracing team assignments or projects, being active listeners with seniors and colleagues, and having empathy and support in every way possible to help them grow.

Multi-task efficiently

More often than not, performing several tasks simultaneously and successfully is a valuable skill sought by hirers. However, mastering how to multitask can be tricky when done the wrong way, especially for people who find it difficult to work in between tasks.

The coming year is an opportunity to step out of your comfort zone and enhance skills like multitasking. To practice this effectively, JobStreet suggests jobseekers to list down the tasks, identify the most urgent items, and focus on what’s most important at a time while keeping track of other tasks. Remember to not do multiple challenging tasks at once as it may lead to not accomplishing anything at all.

Master time management

Time management is also a major skill that contributes to productivity and is desired by many employers. Especially for a hybrid work setup, companies are looking for candidates who can efficiently manage their tasks and deliver quality work according to timelines. It helps to create your plan and organize your tasks for the day, and do not forget to give yourself scheduled breaks to minimize stress and fatigue.

“With hybrid working becoming normalized, we are expecting more hirers to look for talents who already have and are open to learning both hard and soft skills that are relevant to their industry. We hope to inspire more candidates to seek better opportunities by also acquiring new knowledge and improving their skill set,” shared JobStreet Philippines Country Manager Philip Gioca.

To learn more about how you can advance in your career in 2023, visit https://www.jobstreet.com.ph/career-resources/.

MILO® Philippines energizes over 5,000 athletes in Batang Pinoy 2022 National Championships

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Beloved nutritious beverage brand MILO® Philippines and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) celebrated the success of its annual youth sports program Batang Pinoy Championship returning after 2 years of the pandemic. The 6-day championship took place from December 17 to 21, 2022 in the Heritage City, Vigan, Ilocos Sur where thousands of student athletes joined different sports competitions and earned their respective medals. The City of Baguio emerged victorious as the overall champion with 100 medals, followed by Pasig City and Quezon City with 48 and 46 wins respectively.

MILO® Philippines also presented the MILO® Batang Pursigido Awards to deserving athletes and Batang Pinoy teams who showed exemplary grit, perseverance and dedication to sports. The recipients of the MILO® Batang Pinoy Pursigido Awards include Adrian Jessie Magbojos of City of Sta. Rosa (most bemedaled female athlete), Miguel Adrian Carlos of City of Puerto Princesa (most bemedaled male athlete), City Pangasinan (with the biggest delegation), six-year-olds Art Joe Cabatan of Davao de Oro and Hailey Bolico of Pasig City (youngest male and female athletes).

Batang Pinoy is known as the Philippine Sports Commission’s grassroots development program that student athletes and other kids from around the country may join. After being forced to a halt because of the pandemic, Batang Pinoy has finally returned to a hybrid of online and on-ground events. There are a total of 9 on-ground events conducted in Vigan, Ilocos Sur with athletics and swimming garnering the most number of participants. 

“The Batang Pinoy has become an integral part of our national sport program, and now one of the flagship programs of the country, especially for the grassroots. From the tracks to the courts and other fields of play, dreams of young athletes began, dreams of waving our flag, wearing our colors and bringing pride to our country in international sports competitions. These dreams were offered through the Batang Pinoy platform,” said PSC Commissioner Emmanuel “Noli” Eala. MILO® Ambassadors, Olympic medalist and world champion Hidilyn Diaz and Carlos Yulo were once participants of Batang Pinoy.

In order to make this happen, Batang Pinoy 2022 was also supported by the Provincial Government of Ilocos Sur. “WOur province warmly welcomes our athletes, coaches, parents and guests to Vigan, and we are honored to be part of your sports journeys. One thing is for sure, we all are winners in our own ways, and may this triumph be the perpetual success of Batang Pinoy,” said Gov. Jerry Singson.

“We are very happy to be back on ground with kids from different parts of the country! We’ve worked hard with PSC over the last years to work on making sure that kids are continuously active throughout the pandemic and it’s amazing to see them in person again doing what they love in person and with their peers,” said Carlo Sampan, MILO® Sports Executive.

MILO® Philippines continues to show parents across the country that it is consistent in finding ways for kids to continue their Champion journey whether they are at home or outside adjusting back to face-to-face classes and activities. 

Batang Pinoy 2022 is an exciting welcome to kids back to in-person competitions with more to come in 2023. To learn about other activities that kids may join throughout the year, make sure to watch out for updated in the official MILO® Philippines website.

Red Ribbon gives love, grants children’s wishes in Christmas outreach

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Red Ribbon gives love to the children of Alay Pag-Asa Foundation by granting their Christmas wishes

and spending a fun and love-filled day with the kids.

What better way to celebrate Christmas than making children's wishes come true? This holiday season, Red Ribbon brings the magic of Christmas to the children of Alay Pag-Asa Foundation Inc., in Mandaluyong City through an outreach that furthers the brand's purpose of encouraging Filipinos to give love everyday in big and small ways.

The children’s eyes sparkled with joy as they received special boxes that were especially made for each of them. Gifts from their wish lists, Red Ribbon treats, school supplies, and Noche Buena packages were all packed with love by Red Ribbon.

The children were also treated to games, balloon art, and even a magic show. Completing the Christmas party was a table filled with their favorite food and delectable Red Ribbon cakes and pastries.

“Christmas is a very special occasion for us. This is the season when we give love through our cakes and pastries. Today, we are giving love to our community by granting kids their wishes and giving them gifts that we have specially prepared for them,” Joey Dominguez, Red Ribbon President, shared.

Red Ribbon spreads Christmas cheer and gift-giving through a donation to Alay Pag-Asa Foundation, a community-based NGO helping indigent families in Mandaluyong City.

Celebrating moments of love

Alay Pag-Asa Foundation is a community-based NGO helping indigent children, youth & their families in Mandaluyong City. Atty. Eduardo V. Bringas, Alay Pag-Asa Foundation Chairman, thanked Red Ribbon for the generous love that has been extended to them. “We are blessed to have been chosen as a beneficiary of the Red Ribbon Give Love Today program, so that these children can experience the joy of Christmas,” Atty. Bringas said.

“We really wanted to bring to life the brand's mission by giving love today to the kids. Red Ribbon has always been part of Filipino celebrations, and today, we celebrate Christmas with the kids of Alay Pag-Asa,” says Cathleen Capati, Red Ribbon Assistant Vice President and Marketing Head

Christmas is about making others happy with presents and your presence. Give love this season with Red Ribbon cakes and pastries, available at your nearest Red Ribbon branches, or through www.redribbondelivery.com.ph, the official Red Ribbon App, or through Grabfood and Foodpanda

The children of Alay Pag-Asa Foundation each got a gift box containing an item they wished for, Noche Buena packages, toys, school supplies, and Red Ribbon treats.

The children of Alay Pag-Asa Foundation were surprised to see their wishes come to life!

Noche Buena packages, school supplies, and Red Ribbon pastries completed the 

Give Love Today gift boxes

A child from Alay Pag-Asa Foundation with her Christmas wish granted by Red Ribbon

A child beneficiary from Alay Pag-Asa Foundation with her gift from Red Ribbon

Alay Pag-Asa Foundation kids and staff were treated to a buffet of sweet treats from Red Ribbon!

The children happily enjoyed their meals after a fun and love-filled day

Caltex gives brand-new SUVs to Fuel Your Fortune winners

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Lucky winners from Luzon, Visayas, and Metro Manila received their brand-new Toyota Fortuner at Caltex station located at JP Rizal, Makati City

Caltex, marketed by Chevron Philippines Inc. (CPI), recently announced the winners of their ‘Caltex Fuel Your Fortune’ raffle promo. For every Php500 single receipt purchase of any Caltex Fuel with Techron, Delo, Havoline lubricants, and Techron Concentrate Plus customers were entitled to one (1) raffle entry for a chance to win a brand-new Toyota Fortuner and Php5,000 Caltex StarCash. The promo ran from August 8, 2022 to October 30, 2022.

“We at Caltex are more than grateful to give back to our customers for the continued trust and support they’ve been giving us. We will continue to strengthen our service offerings to ensure that our customers will always have a smooth and wonderful journey. Our warmest congratulations to all the winners of the Caltex Fuel Your Fortune promo,” said CPI Country Chairman, Billy Liu.

The three lucky winners of a brand new 2022 Toyota Fortuner are Benzen Llamado from Iloilo, Jupiter Bacaoat from Baguio, and Leopoldo Concel from Taguig City. The awarding was held at a Caltex station in JP Rizal, Makati wherein all three winners got the keys and papers for the formal turnover of their Toyota Fortuner.

Bacaoat shared, “I have been a user of Caltex products and services for almost 2 years now since there are a lot of Caltex stations in Baguio which is very convenient for me. I’m thankful to Caltex for this promotion and of course for winning the grand prize that we will surely make use of.”

Aside from the Toyota Fortuners, 200 lucky motorists won Php5,000 Caltex StarCash that they can use for fueling up.

Follow Caltex’s official Facebook page to be updated on upcoming and current promotions.

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