RSA pays tribute to employees lost to COVID-19
San Miguel Corp. (SMC) president Ramon S. Ang led the company’s senior management team in paying tribute to SMC personnel who succumbed to COVID-19 since the pandemic began, during a simple mass held at the company’s Pasig City offices–which serves as vaccination site for its NCR-based employees–as part of activities marking the company’s 131st anniversary.
Ang, who was joined by the business heads of the diversified conglomerate’s Food and Beverage, Power, Fuels, and Infrastructure businesses, as well as members of its Ligtas Lahat employee vaccination task force, called on all SMC employees nationwide who joined via video teleconferencing, to honor their fallen colleagues and continue the work of serving the public, and answering a higher purpose.
Ang also paid tribute to members of the company’s Ligtas Lahat task force nationwide, who had been organizing vaccination activities in various provinces as part of the company’s mandate to make the vaccines available to all employees and workers in its nationwide network.
Ang vowed San Miguel would continue to help in government’s national vaccination effort even as the company has reached around 90 percent of its nationwide vaccination goal, with over 64,000 employees and extended workers receiving either their first or second dose of COVID-19 jabs. The company aims to fully vaccinate up to an estimated 70,000 individuals by November, Ang said.
Coinciding with its anniversary, Ang instructed the donation of some 15,000 doses of company-procured Astra Zeneca vaccines to various cities as well as the national government.
Cebu Pacific brings home 346 Filipinos
Cebu Pacific (CEB) brought home this week 346 Filipinos from Dubai via two Bayanihan flights, in response to the government’s call to repatriate overseas Filipinos who were stranded in the Middle East.
The Bayanihan flights on September 27 and 29 were mounted by CEB in coordination with the Philippine government’s special working group.
Passengers on these flights received an additional 25 kg baggage allowance, meal upgrades and a gift pack from Universal Robina Corporation (URC).
Upon arrival, the passengers were required to follow current health protocols, including a mandatory 15-day/14-night quarantine stay in a pre-booked, accredited facility. Another RT-PCR test will be taken in seven (7) days.
The cost of quarantine accommodation and testing for land-based overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were shouldered by Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA); while the Philippine Port Authority covered the cost for sea-based OFWs.
CEB has coordinated with the hotels accredited by the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) to ensure that there are adequate facilities for OFWs and their dependents.
The accredited hotels for the September 27 flight were Go Hotels Airport, Go Hotels Ortigas, Holiday Inn Galleria, Sheraton RWM and Go Hotels North Edsa.
For the September 29 Bayanihan flight, the accredited hotels were Go Hotels Ortigas, Go Hotels Ermita, Eurotel North Edsa and Lub d Makati.
Since July, CEB has safely flown more than 4,600 Filipinos from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman, India, Vietnam, Lebanon and Bahrain through bayanihan and DFA-arranged charter flights.
SM Aura Premier outdoor pop-up salon
As new guidelines are released allowing salons and barbershops to open at a limited capacity, but exclusively for fully-vaccinated patrons — SM Aura Premier creates an outdoor pop-up salon to meet the needs of those who are waiting to complete their vaccinations. Partnered with Bruno’s Barbers, the open-air set up, called Patio Parlor is ready to welcome at the mall’s Skypark, Level 5 near Fitness First.
Appointments are required and may be made with Bruno’s Barbers online through tinyurl.com/brunos-booking and through call or message through (02) 8856-0705 and +63 (977) 815-7786.
For more information on the Patio Parlor and other mall features at SM Aura Premier, visit @SMAuraPremier on Facebook and Instagram.
Pre-employment screening service raises fund
Veremark, the global pre-employment screening service that helps companies verify employee credentials, has raised a $2.8 million seed round in follow-on investment from ACF Investors, Triple Point Ventures and SOV Ventures. This brings the total funding to $3.8 million
Veremark provides an automated digital first solution that instantly lets companies, large or small, order a wide range of checks like employment history, academic, criminal and credit records checks.
Veremark has grown more than 800 percent in the last 12 months, delivering thousands of checks per month to its range of BPO and professional service clients in the Philippines.
The team plans to use this funding to increase its expansion in the pre-employment screening market.
Pocket Wi-Fi donation
West Zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services nc. (Maynilad) and First Pacific Company Ltd. donated pocket Wi-Fis with P1,000 load to Navotas City for the benefit of the city’s small-to-medium entrepreneurs (SME) who operate online shops.
The pocket Wi-Fis were given to 40 online business owners under the “NavotaAs Hanapbuhay Center” (NHC)–a program which aims to help Navotas residents find a job or establish and sustain small-to-medium businesses. I
The turnover of donations was witnessed by NHC program director Jayne Rillon, Navotas City Mayor Toby Tiangco, Maynilad Corporate Affairs and Communication head Antonette De Ocampo, and Maynilad Navotas/South Caloocan Business Area head Peter Patacsil.
“We thank Maynilad and First Pacific Company for their donation of pocket Wi-Fis. This will help our SME recipients boost their business ventures, and support the mission of our NavotaAs Hanapbuhay Center to make Navoteño entrepreneurs flourish even amidst the pandemic,” said Tiangco.
This donation drive is held in line with the celebration of First Pacific’s 40th Anniversary
Cybercrime prevention
In support of the Bank Marketing Association of the Philippines’ (BMAP) #FightFraudTogether information campaign, Security Bank continues to drive awareness to protect its customers against various forms of fraud attacks.
The most common types of scams are: phising and interbank fund transfer scams.
Phishing is a type of social engineering attack where a cybercriminal pretends to be an employee of the bank and emails customers about “problems” with their account. Customers are then prompted to click on a link, leading them to a fraudulent website where they can enter data such as account or credit card number; Interbank fund transfer scam happens when customers are told they paid a certain amount to an entity. Those who are unaware of this scam are then tricked into clicking the link provided to them and entering their confidential information. Those links may direct you to a fake bank website designed to steal data and money.
Security Bank offers these tips:
– Do not give your sensitive data to anyone under any circumstances. Security Bank will never ask for your OTP, CVC/CVV, and PIN via call, text, or email;
– Examine the email, texts, or calls you receive.
– Verify the claims.
– Know and follow official channels
Financial support to Cebu frontliners
PLDT-Smart Foundation has turned over cash assistance to Cebu medical frontliners via Project Balik Buhay’s (PBB) SalBaBida Program.
Project Balik Buhay (PBB), spearheaded by leaders from the public and private sectors, seeks to assist COVID-19 frontliners and safely reopen the economy with minimum health protocols in place.
The two-month SalBaBida Program was initially launched in support for nurses, whether full-time or project-based, who are attending to COVID-19 patients in participating private hospitals in Cebu.
Recipients of the cash assistance include nurses working in the following private hospitals: Chong Hua Hospital (Fuente and Mandaue branches), Cebu Doctors’ University Hospital Group, Perpetual Succour Hospital, University of Cebu Medical Center, ARC Hospital, Cebu Velez General Hospital, Adventist Hospital Cebu, Southwestern University Medical Center, St. Vincent General Hospital, The Hospital by Maayo Well, and Visayas Community Medical Center.
PSF also recently turned over Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) sets such as hospital-grade gowns and surgical masks, and boxes of vitamins to Cebu City LGU’s Emergency and Vaccination Operations Centers to assist them in their day-to-day operations.
TCS goIT students develop apps
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) held an awarding ceremony on September 29 for the students of Cordillera who successfully completed their goIT program journey.
Ten groups from different schools in the said region created mobile applications to provide solutions to the many societal issues that their respective communities are facing today.
A year after its successful launch in Cordillera, TCS’ goIT program, which aims to demystify computer science and encourage students to pursue STEM education, successfully introduced to the students the design thinking, digital technologies, and agile methodologies.
The goIT program was implemented throughout the academic year with an engaging curriculum which includes innovation life cycle, product prototyping and industry-relevant entrepreneurial skills. The program was facilitated by TCS employee volunteers who are delivery heads, system analysts and team leaders from different business units. These employees provided industry context and real-world scenarios which helped students have a better grasp about the different IT careers.
Cordillera Regional Science High School bagged the champion award with its entry “Transformers” which provided a solution to the community’s dilemma on waste management.
