SOCIAL MEDIA

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Allianz Global Wealth Report 2022 sees positive outcomes in financial asset growth and insurance coverage for PH

Thursday, October 27, 2022

 

Leading global insurance brand Allianz has recently released its Allianz Global Wealth Report 2022, which compounds facts and figures based on the asset and debt situation of households in almost 60 countries, including the Philippines.

According to the report, 2019 to 2021 saw an exponential boom in the growth of global financial assets, with bullish stock markets powered by monetary policy and an increase in private wealth among households. Asia (excluding Japan), Eastern Europe and North America stood out as major contributors to asset growth, and savings were powered primarily by bank deposits, insurance and pensions.

However, the inflation crisis due to escalating situations in Europe seems to have stifled the global economic recovery from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on current estimations, global financial assets are set to decline by more than 2% this year, making it the first significant decrease since the 2008-2009 Global Financial Crisis (GFC). The projected increase in the next three years stands at only 4.6%, less than half the growth experienced in 2019 to 2021.

Fortunately, the Philippines remains one of the stronger players in Asia Pacific when it comes to financial asset growth. According to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Felipe Medalla, the Philippine economy is much stronger now in comparison to during the GFC. In fact, the country's gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 7.8% in the first half of 2022.[1]

Even amid rate hikes imposed by the US Federal Reserve System (US Fed) to combat inflation, Medalla stated the Philippine economy could remain stable, as long as appropriate policies are implemented.

Meanwhile, Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Benjamin Diokno agreed with the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO) projection that the Philippines is expected to post the highest economic growth rate in the region, due in part to the reopening of the economy, domestic consumption, and infrastructure investment.[2]

In terms of gross financial assets, the Philippines has seen a 10.4% increase, primarily driven by the development of life insurance and pension assets. Insurance growth, in particular, rose by 13.0%. However, insurance penetration in the Philippines is still among the lowest in Asia.

“There is a massive need for financial protection and literacy in the Philippines, considering an insurance penetration rate of just around 2%. This translates to millions of Filipinos exposed to financial losses, and a protection gap that amounts to trillions of pesos,” said Allianz PNB Life’s Chief Financial Officer, Fang Siong Chong. “But as observed, Filipinos are gradually investing in insurance protection products. In 2021, the Insurance Commission reported the annual growth rate in premiums earned was at its highest since 2016 at 25.03%.[3]Whether it’s through the realizations made during the pandemic, or because a new generation of Filipinos are thinking more about securing their future, we are confident that the insurance gap will continue to diminish.”

As one of the leading insurance companies in the Philippines, Allianz PNB Life plays a major role in closing the insurance gap. It ranked Top 4 in terms of Gross Written Premium (GWP) and New Business Annualized Premium Equivalent (NBAPE) in 2021, and in the latest ranking by the Insurance Commission for the first quarter of 2022, the company rose to occupy the Top 3 spot for GWP and NBAPE.

Allianz PNB Life is also strong in its efforts to further improve financial literacy and access to financial services in the Philippines. Through Allianz Kaagapay, the company’s financial literacy education program, it is able to encourage financial wellness and inclusion among underserved Filipino communities. Participants receive free life insurance for one year to give them an appreciation for the importance of being covered. The organization is also well known for its Ride Safe programs promoting sustainable mobility in partnership with local government units and cycling advocacy groups. 

“The Asia Pacific region is a substantial value contributor to the Allianz Group. We at Allianz PNB Life proudly play a more significant role in the region given our success in realizing the immense potential of the Philippine insurance market” said Allianz PNB Life President and CEO, Alexander Grenz. 

With regard to the economic stability of the Philippines in the next few years, Allianz PNB Life echoes the optimism of the Allianz Global Wealth Report. “The Philippines is an emerging market with double-digit financial asset growth. Alongside the outlook provided by AMRO, as well as the commitment of the government to implementing measures and policies that will ensure that the Philippines will be able to carry itself through the current economic weather, I am positive that we will see a continued trend of growth financially within the country.”

Since 2019, Allianz has been recognized as the number one insurance brand in the world. As a leading insurance provider, Allianz PNB Life’s products and services are designed to meet the lifetime financial planning, wealth accumulation, and well-being aspirations of Filipinos. To learn more about the Allianz Global Wealth Report 2022, view the video here. For more information on Allianz PNB Life’s products and services, please visit www.allianzpnblife.ph.




[1] https://www.manilatimes.net/2022/10/10/business/top-business/bsp-ph-economy-now-stronger/1861648
[2] https://www.dof.gov.ph/dof-ph-to-post-highest-growth-in-asean3-in-2022/
[3] https://www.insurance.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/IC-Press-Release-27-April-2022.pdf
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CSMC bags top award for MIS training program at PMAP Awards 2022

 

Cardinal Santos Medical Center (CSMC) was recently awarded National Exemplar under the People Program of the Year category at the People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) Awards 2022. The ceremony was held at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila on Oct. 14, Friday.

The award was given for CSMC’s exceptional training program under the Philippine Center for Advanced Surgery - Minimally Invasive Surgery Training Center (PCAS-MISTC). Prior to this, CSMC was already named Regional Exemplar in the same category. In 2016, the hospital bagged the Employer of the Year Award, making it the first private hospital to receive this accolade from PMAP.

The PCAS-MISTC is a world-class training center equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and staffed by leading medical experts in various surgical fields. It is the Philippines’ first, and only MIS training center, and its programs have been accredited by local and international organizations, such as the Endoscopic and Laparoscopic Surgeons of Asia (ELSA), Asia Pacific Hernia Society (APHS), Asia Endo-Surgery Task Force (AETF), Philippine Association of Laparoscopic and Endoscopic Surgeons (PALES), and Asia Pacific Endo-Lap Surgery Group (APELS). The center is headed by one of the leading MIS experts in the country, Dr. Alfred Allen Buenafe.

The PCAS-MISTC aids in nation-building by providing training opportunities for surgeons, particularly those who are based in the provinces. As a leader in the Asia Pacific region, the quality of training meets international standards, with foreign surgeons also attending workshops spearheaded by PCAS-MISTC.

“With much pride and great joy, we are extremely honored to receive such a prestigious award on behalf of our Caring Cardinal family. Yes, it is one of Cardinal Santos' own ways of contributing to nation-building in the Philippines,” said CSMC President and CEO, Raul C. Pagdanganan in his acceptance speech. “This award fires up our commitment to continue introducing innovations in healthcare and providing excellent training comparable to those in advanced countries to help make MIS and its benefits more accessible to a greater number of people across the country and the world.”

The PMAP Awards Program was established in 1977, with the goal of recognizing outstanding organizations and individuals that have made strides in the advancement and improvement of people management in the country. As an organization, PMAP helps members become effective people managers that are able to participate actively in nation-building. This makes CSMC’s win all the more significant.

To keep updated about the latest seminars and workshops at the PCAS-MISTC, please like and follow them at https://www.facebook.com/philippinecenterforadvancedsurgery. For more information about the programs and services that CSMC offers, please visit https://cardinalsantos.com.ph/. CSMC is also on Facebook, like and follow them at www.facebook.com/CardinalSantos.
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Get your hands on the new Champ Funko Pop from Jollibee!

Tuesday, October 25, 2022

Filipino toy collectors and Jollibee fans, especially enthusiasts of the popular Funko Pop line of vinyl collectibles, have another awesome release to snap up to complete their collection with the launch of the new Champ Funko Pop!

 



The Champ Funko Pop is this year’s highly awaited release from the Jollibee and Funko collaboration. The partnership between the two iconic brands first established in 2018 has produced collectors’ items such as Jollibee in Barong Funko, Jollibee on Delivery Bike Funko, Jollibee and Hetty Dual pack, Jollibee Funko Soda, and a lot more. This year, Jollibee fans and toy collectors alike can get their hands on another Funko variant from the brand’s roster of lovable mascots. 

 

The Champ Funko Pop is available in select stores exclusively via the Jollibee Delivery App from October 1 to October 15.  Customers can get one for only P650 when they order any Champ or Champ Jr. menu item. Orders of the Champ burger also come with a special Champ Funko sleeve packaging during the promo period.

 

All you have to do is go to the Promos page on the Jollibee App, choose between the Champ w/ Funko or Champ Jr. w/ Funko coupons, order, and enjoy the Champ Funko Pop with your Jollibee favorites!

 

So what are you waiting for—if you absolutely love Jollibee and Funko Pops, hurry and don’t miss your chance to get this latest must-have piece for your collection before it runs out! Order a Champ or Champ Jr. meal or solo burger now through the Jollibee App! 

 

For more info and updates, follow Jollibee on Facebook at facebook.com/JollibeePhilippines, and on Twitter and Instagram at @Jollibee.

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Learning Systems for Poverty Takes Center Stage at Education@theMargins

How do you tailor education to serve those who need it the most? To tackle this pressing global issue, multinational partnership Education@theMargins (E@TM): A Global Alliance invites aspiring and current educators, policymakers, and representatives of like-minded organizations to come together for a two-hour discussion on learning systems for poverty on October 28, 6 p.m., Philippine time.




In its second year, this year’s conference, “Serving the Underserved: Learning Systems for Poverty,” seeks to discuss what makes teaching students in circumstances of poverty different, and what pedagogical shifts can be taken to serve their learning needs.



“We believe that education experts and industry stakeholders must come together to discuss hard questions and encourage others to take part in creating solutions,” said PHINMA Education Chief of Corporate Affairs, Buen L. Bontigao.



The conference, spearheaded by PHINMA Education, will feature panelists from around the world. These resource persons include Dr. Nene Guevara, President of Synergeia Foundation (Philippines); Sujatha Muthayya, Vice-President of Policy and Partnerships-Asia of Bridge International Academies (Kenya); Jessica Rees-Jones, Founder of AfricaX Academy; and Dr. Charles Prince, Chief Higher Education Officer of Global Education Executives, Inc.



“When we launched E@TM in 2021, we envisioned a world where underserved youth are given access to quality education at prices they can afford, using the resources they have access to,” Bontigao explained. He noted that the world is still very far from reducing learning poverty, and by 2030, 43% of children will be learning-poor. The E@TM: Global Alliance hopes to drastically change that.



“We’ve already forged meaningful partnerships which show that many organizations across the world share our advocacy,” he added. Last year's conference featured Christopher Bernido and the late Ma. Victoria Bernido of Central Visayan Institute Foundation (CVIF), Rafael Oliveira de Ávila of Ânima Educação (Brazil), Amanda Kelleher of Luminus Education (Jordan), Sandeep Aneja of Kaizenvest (India), Edna Novak of Teach for All, and Aape Pohjavirta of mobile learning app Funzi.



“We believe that country experts, global thought leaders, and technology pioneers together can positively impact more youth across the world, towards a future that is sustainable for all. That is why we hope to welcome more people to our Global Alliance,” Bontigao concluded.






Want to attend E@TM: A Global Alliance? Register for FREE at tinyurl.com/EATM2022 or visit the website https://www.educationatthemargins.org/.
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Planting dreams with ‘Grow Trees Community’ in Benguet

Like his father before him, John Dizon, Jr. and his family have been long-time stewards of protected trees in their community in Tuba, Benguet. When the time came for him to take up the mantle, he did so willingly to honor his father’s legacy.






“My father passed away in 2012. It was then that we found out that the area he is managing in collaboration with the government was part of a community-based forest management program,” said Mr. Dizon.



A year later, Mr. Dizon, who now heads Benguet-based environmental conservation group, Nagawa, Manganese, Liw-Liw, Sadle Agroforestry Assoc. Inc. (NAMALISA), started working closely with the SM Foundation for an inaugural tree-planting campaign back in 2013 to pick up where his father had left off in his advocacy.



With the impact of climate change more felt in recent years, Mr. Dizon shared the importance of planting more trees in communities to thin out air pollutants in keeping the air fresh and people healthier. The trees which his father planted also helped prevent soil erosion and landslides caused by earthquakes.



He nurtures a dream that some of his children will take after him to help protect the environment. Getting closer to that dream, one of his sons is eyeing a career in forestry, a nod to his father’s chosen field.



To further this advocacy, Mr. Dizon supports the reforestation initiative of SM Foundation, Inc., the social good arm of SM and the Fast Retailing Foundation (FR Foundation), a general incorporated foundation in Japan through the Grow Trees Community campaign.



The project aims to plant and grow forest trees such as the Benguet pine, Alnus or Calliandra and Coffee trees to also help create livelihood opportunities for the community by working closely with People’s Organizations such as NAMALISA in Tuba, Benguet.






The proponents teamed up with SM Supermalls and government partners such as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Agriculture, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Science and Technology, Philippine National Police, Philippine Information Agency and the local government of Tuba.






Grow Trees Community was previously launched in Nasugbu, Batangas and Macabebe, Pampanga. Across the three locations, the project aims to plant over 200,000 seedlings and propagules.



It is in support of the SM Green Movement that seeks to improve the quality of life of communities through sustainable solutions to promote a green planet, green living and a green culture.



FR Foundation focuses on promoting research designed to help make the world a better place, spurring technological development, nurturing human resources, and supporting socially vulnerable individuals or groups.




It is part of Fast Retailing Co. Ltd., the leading Japanese retail company that owns well-loved casual wear brand, Uniqlo.





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SM Prime builds better, greener offices

E-com Centers at the Mall of Asia Complex



Many people have become more aware of the importance of sustainability in everyday living during the two years that the world faced the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Environmental awareness has caught on through practices such as shifting to paperless, reducing plastic use and planting more trees. For property developers, taking part in this movement means transitioning into green buildings and developments.




Such is the case for SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime), a publicly listed subsidiary of SM Investments Corporation (SMIC) that is committed to building innovative and sustainable lifestyle cities. SM Prime is future-proofing its developments to be more responsive and adaptive to community needs and the effects of climate change in line with comprehensive sustainability goals ranging from energy to ecology.


Over the years, SM Prime has continued to elevate its approach to building and development of community spaces. All these green initiatives have been recognized by reputable and well-known organizations such as the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) which awarded Conrad Hotel Manila and SM Aura Premier the Gold certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) in 2016 and 2017, respectively.


“When we build, we build with the community in mind. This is why it is important to integrate sustainability in our developments and operations. We remain committed as an environmentally-conscious and responsible integrated property developer ready to serve the ever-changing needs and aspirations of our communities and stakeholders,” said SM Prime President Jeffrey Lim.


Building green office spaces



SM’s Commercial Property Group is renowned for balancing green design features with operational and practical considerations, enabling more companies and locators to enjoy environmentally sound commercial developments.


The CPG’s flagship properties are its five E-com Centers – all future-forward buildings catering mainly to technological, business process outsourcing, and Fortune 500 companies. All five E-com Centers are located in the MOA Complex. Each building has a proportionate amount of green open spaces and communal areas where workers can socialize and decompress from work.


CPG further promotes sustainable practices with its LEED gold-certified office buildings, solidifying its foothold and commitment to building green offices and commercial developments. These certifications are a testament to SM Prime’s dedication to reducing its contribution to global climate change—all while enhancing the quality of life within its communities.


The ThreeE-com Center boasts architectural wonders and green features that eventually earned its LEED Gold certification. These include water recycling for landscape and non-potable use. The building is fitted with glass windows that minimizes heat from entering the building, allowing tenants to use less air conditioning. This 15-storey, semi-circular twin-tower office building features function and aesthetic complemented with state-of-the-art facilities. While it was the first office building in the Mall of Asia Complex to receive such an honor, the new FourE-com Center also recently achieved the same certification—designed with its tenants’ needs in mind, improving work-life balance and office culture accordingly.



Both designed by globally renowned firm, Arquitectonica, the Three and Four E-coms are unique amongst business centers. “We designed the E-coms to functionally meet the BPO industry’s need for large, continuous floorplates, but also sculpted them in interesting ways so as to allow views and airflows between the buildings, while also, of course, giving them interesting architectural identities. At the same time, their landscaped podium decks create attractive communal green spaces for the tenants; they are envisaged to be interconnected via landscaped skybridges in the future. The combination of all these factors, architectural design and green spaces, have made the E-coms highly attractive to multinational companies and brands,” said David Zaballero, Arquitectonica Director.


SM Mega Tower




Meanwhile, SM Prime’s tallest skyscraper located along EDSA will also join the company’s growing roster of LEED-certified green buildings. Called Mega Tower, the 50-story office building is future-ready as it provides spaces that respect both its tenants and nature itself.


Strategically located in the busy Ortigas Centre, the 50-storey LEED registered skyscraper is flexibly designed to meet the requirements of both corporate and BPO tenants. Though its design is highly sculptural, each floorplate remains efficiently planned – combining functionality and iconic identity.


“Incorporating sustainability in property development means having the whole life cycle of a building in mind. We invest a tenth of our capital expenditure to ensure that sustainability is integrated into our properties as we carefully plan our developments for our communities, the environment, and future generations ,” SM Prime’s Mr. Lim said.


In close collaboration with the SM Group’s other business units, the CPG’s multi-segment or mixed-use approach maximizes the socio-economic potential of its buildings and developments. As a result, SM’s commercial developments are connected to our malls, residences, and parks and civic spaces. Notably, they are all easily accessible to transport hubs to ensure mobility for pedestrians and the commuting public. This interconnectivity, alongside each property’s green and safety features, reduces the company’s carbon footprint, attracts more tenants and locators, and encourages greater productivity among its workforce.
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SM Prime Holdings hold 2022 International Coastal Cleanup together with SM Cares, SM By the Bay

SM Prime Holdings, together with SM Cares and SM By the Bay once again took part in the annual International Coastal Cleanup (ICC), bringing together thousands of volunteers into an event that underscored the importance of protecting the world's seas, oceans, and other bodies of water. The event was held last September 17 at the SM By the Bay Central Park, SM Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City.




A total of 2,438 volunteers joined this year's ICC, composed of students, professionals, and others from different private and public organizations. At the end of the activity, an estimated 12,158 kgs of trash, equivalent to a total of 1,613 trash bags filled, was successfully collected.


Among those who graced the event were Climate Change Commission Vice Chairperson Sec. Robert Borje, Department of Environment and Natural Resources - National Capital Region (DENR-NCR) Regional Executive Director Jacqueline A. Caancan, DENR-NCR Regional Executive Director for Technical Services Engr. Ignacio R. Almira, DENR-NCR Regional Strategic Communication and Initiatives Group Head Chris Villarin, DENR-NCR Communication Development Officer II Ariz Abad, SM Investments President and CEO and 2GO Group President and CEO Frederic DyBuncio, SM Prime Holdings Inc. SVP Glenn Ang, SM Supermalls SAVP for Operations Perkin So, SM By the BAY Mall Manager Marie Charlene Claire K. Canoy-Narvasa and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Philippines’ Markets and Assurance Executive Director Allan Cao.


The ICC is a yearly global event that encourages individuals to be part of the movement for cleaner seas and oceans. Every year, thousands of Filipino volunteers from various sectors and communities join the efforts to help ensure the cleanliness of the shorelines and waterways in the country.

“The International Coastal Clean Up is part of the overall SM Green Movement. As a proven responsible property developer and community partner, SM Prime’s various Sustainability programs across its malls, residences, hotels and leisure properties promote resource conservation & environmental protection for an improved quality of life in the communities it serves,” said SM Supermalls SAVP for Operations Perkin So.

This year's event was made possible by SM Offices, 2GO, PwC, Maynilad, and International Coastal Clean Up Philippines. DENR-NCR, the Climate Change Commission, and the Philippine Coast Guard were also present to provide their support.



Aside from the annual observance of ICC, other sustainability projects of SM Cares include the Trash-To-Cash Recycling Market where individuals can drop off their recyclable waste in exchange for cash; the Plastic Waste and Electronic Waste Collection Programs which promotes responsible plastic and electronic waste management affecting our seas, just to name a few.

SM Cares is the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Prime Holdings, responsible for initiatives that promote sustainability and the development of the community. SM Cares’ advocacies include programs on Women and Breastfeeding Mothers, Persons with Disabilities, Senior Citizens, and Children and Youth, as well as the Bike-Friendly SM initiative, in addition to its Programs on Environment.

To learn more about these, visit www.smsupermalls.com/smcares.
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UNDRR, SM Prime laud women leaders in disaster resilience

SM Prime Holdings (SMPHI) recently announced its support for the global search for women leaders in disaster resilience.





For the second consecutive year, SMPHI is sponsoring the Women’s International Network on Disaster Risk Reduction (WIN DRR) Leadership Awards, a flagship program of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).


SMPHI Vice President for Corporate Compliance Liza B. Silerio said that the support is aligned with the company’s drive to recognize women’s leadership in disaster risk reduction. “This is important in inspiring other women to fully and effectively participate in promoting gender equality and empowerment while building our collective resilience.”


UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction Mami Mizutori expressed gratitude for the support, stating, “The awards highlight the key role of women as leaders and agents of change in building resilience and actively participating in the creation and implementation of DRR strategies, policies, plans, and programs in their regions. Their stories reflect the diversity of solutions required to meet the converging challenges of accelerating climate change and disasters in the region.”


“We look forward to continued collaboration with SM in our DRR agenda,” Secretary General Mizutori added.


The WIN DRR Excellence Awards 2022 sponsored by SM Prime has 15 finalists shortlisted from 420 nominations received from across 24 countries in the Asia-Pacific. The winner will be announced at the Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Brisbane on 21 September 2022. US$10,000 will be awarded to an individual woman who has achieved exceptional professional success in DRR.


The WIN DRR partnership is consistent with SM Prime Holdings’ social commitment towards women empowerment, resilience, good health, and well-being of women. The company’s corporate social responsibility arm, SM Cares, supports programs that advance these causes.


The Women's International Network on Disaster Risk Reduction (WIN DRR) is a professional network to support women working in disaster risk reduction, in all their diversity. Its overall goal is to empower women to attain leadership and enhance their role in decision-making in disaster risk reduction in Asia-Pacific. The WIN DRR Philippine Network is powered by SM Prime and Asia Pacific College.


Earlier this year, SM Prime through its SM CARES, partnered with UNDRR in celebrating women empowerment through a webinar on the role of women in disaster resilience. In her keynote message, Mizutori emphasized “women’s equal participation and leadership in public life including disaster risk reduction is important and it is also essential to reducing disaster risk in achieving the United Nations sustainable development goals.”
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More metaverse innovations to be expected at Web3 Hackathon – UBX

Wednesday, October 19, 2022


 UBX, the leading open finance platform in the Philippines, has collaborated with globally renowned Filipino-led web3 companies in the world, Yield Guild Games (YGG) and Xave Finance, to organize the Web3 Hackathon, an official side event of the first ever Philippine Web3 Festival, to be held on November 12 to 13, 2022 in Makati City. 

The Philippine Web3 Festival is a week-long premier event, which will showcase everything that the Philippines has to offer in the metaverse. Powered by the biggest players in the metaverse, the festival will bring the brightest minds and most renowned thought leaders in the industry together. Co-presenters of the Hackathon are GCash, Globe, and MetaverseGo, it’s also supported by Archipelago Labs and BreederDAO. 

Web3 Hackathon is set to be the premier platform to drive Web3 concepts and innovations further, and to engage the builders of the Web3 community. As the popularity of the metaverse steadily escalates, UBX and YGG have teamed up to engage the community to encourage them to build web or mobile apps for the new Web3 frontier. 

Over 200 developers are expected to band together in various teams to come up with the next groundbreaking platform for CryptoGames and virtual worlds, NFT marketplaces, crypto wallets, Decentralized Finance (DeFi)-based payments and neobanking instruments, and identity and reputation systems. 

The hackathon will also challenge participants to find new ways to create, publish, and earn from self-created content on the metaverse, as well as educational projects that will help new users navigate the metaverse. 

“UBX has always been at the forefront of driving innovation in the world of finance. Web3 Hackathon is an ideal way of getting people involved in the metaverse and as a strong advocate of financial inclusion, our partnership with YGG and Xave Finance is a good opportunity to strengthen the sense of community among the players in the industry,” UBX Chief Technology Officer Scott Darrow said. 

YGG is the largest play-to-earn guild in the world, bringing players together to earn real money from playing NFT games and other blockchain-based economies. It is the architect behind community experiences which have created and built the web3 community in the Philippines and in over 20 countries.

“YGG, UBX and Xave Finance are three of the most solid and strongest drivers in the Web3 community in the country. It is an honor to be working with two other big players in the league committed to making innovations in finance, which makes us all the more excited to introduce our work through Web3 Hackathon this coming November,” said YGG Country Manager Luis Buenaventura.

On the other hand, Xave Finance enables fintechs to leverage DeFi for real time remittance transfers, and higher interest consumer savings, spanning different countries in Asia.

“Bringing together all these powerhouse players, Web3 Hackathon is expected to open doors for many groups in the community. We couldn’t have asked for better partners, as UBX and YGG both have the requisite expertise and drive to make this event possible,” Xave Finance CEO and Founder Chris Verceles said.

Interested participants may register at https://bit.ly/Web3Hckthn until October 27, 2022. 

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Allianz PNB Life reveals brand-new RideSafe Mural, upholds commitment to sustainable transport and health protection



Allianz PNB Life upholds its commitment to sustainable transport and health protection through the recent reveal of the brand-new Allianz Ride Safe Mural. The mural can be found at the Apartment Ridge Underpass in Ayala, Makati.

Prominent Allianz PNB Life executives like President and CEO Alexander Grenz and Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Sustainability Gino Riola were present at the unveiling, as were Makati City Mayor Abigail Binay, Makati Business Club Chairman Edgar Chua, AyalaLand Marketing Head Chrissy Roa, and LT Group Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer Lucio Tan III. Other guests include Economic Counsellor of the German Embassy David Klebs, Cong. Jose Francisco Benitez from the Third District of Negros Occidental, Head of Makati Central Estate Association (MACEA) Engr. Getty Granada, and star athletes and Allianz PNB Life brand ambassadors EJ Obiena and Alyssa Valdez. Glendford Lumbao, the rising Filipino artist commissioned by the organization for the creation of the mural, was also in attendance.

“It’s a beautiful piece of art that really captures the depth of Ride Safe’s sustainability message,” said Riola. “Cycling is not just a lifestyle change that vastly improves people’s health. It also contributes greatly to the reduction of carbon emissions and vehicular pollution, and it encourages a sense of belonging in a community that shares in your advocacy. Seeing the mural, it’s a concrete reminder of all these things.”

Allianz PNB Life’s Ride Safe Mural project was done in partnership with AyalaLand, the Makati Business Club, and MACEA. The mural shows the organizations’ dedication to supporting initiatives that make a difference, as well as uplifting the work of local artists and their advocacies.

“I am so honored to be part of Allianz PNB Life’s sustainability advocacy, it is something I deeply care about and believe in, too,” said Lumbao. “The point of the mural is to make people, especially bikers and pedestrians, stop, look, and appreciate the beauty of the world they live in. Ride Safe is all about promoting sustainability through biking, so hopefully, the mural touches people enough that they start making little changes in their lives that will impact the planet in a good way.”

The Allianz Ride Safe Mural is not the first time Allianz PNB Life has shown its support, both for local art and sustainability. In 2021, Allianz PNB Life partnered with the City of Manila to install bike racks that were creatively designed to reflect the rich history and culture of locations like Rajah Sulayman Park, Kartilya ng Katipunan, and Intramuros.

Additionally, Ride Safe has birthed other sustainable projects, such as a solar-powered pit stop and Ride Safe Bike Lanes along Ortigas Avenue in partnership with the City of San Juan, and The BikeYard, a dedicated hangout place with bike repair facilities for cyclists in Bonifacio Global City.

Allianz PNB Life has also expressed plans to expand Ride Safe further to include skills improvement and livelihood opportunities through bike mechanic training.

“I am very thankful to Glendford for sharing his talent with us by creating such a striking mural,” said Grenz. “Likewise, big thank you as well to AyalaLand, Makati Business Club, the City of Makati and MACEA for coming together with us to make this project possible.”

“Art is a wonderful medium that we have used in the past to communicate the importance of prioritizing one’s health and taking care of the environment, first with the bike racks, and now through this mural,” Grenz added. “It is a creative and effective way of inspiring Filipinos to think about the state of the planet today, and encourage them to do what they can to secure the future, both on a personal level and on a large scale. I hope it touches many people and sparks a need for positive change.”

For more information on Allianz PNB Life’s Ride Safe campaign, as well as its other products and services, please visit www.allianzpnblife.ph.
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