Month: October 2018

  • HIV awareness must be made more understandable for young adults

    HIV awareness must be made more understandable for young adults

    Only 15 percent of young adults aged 15 to 24 years old have knowledge about HIV prevention, a UNAIDS Philippines study showed. The lack of an extensive sex education in the curriculum is seen as a contributing factor—directly or indirectly—to the country’s high HIV growth rate. 

    Discussions on the human immunodeficiency virus or HIV have always been done in extremes – either it is too technical and clinical or it is peppered with myths and falsehoods – creating a large disconnect with young adults, the audience who matter the most. 


    “We believe that education is the best way to prevent HIV, especially among the young adults. If they are equipped with the right knowledge about HIV and its potential risks to their health, we believe that they stand a chance in protecting themselves against the chronic disease,” said (Karol Canlas) Durex Philippines (Brand Manager). 

    In September, Durex Philippines took the playful and quirky approach to bringing HIV awareness to mind with the launch of its “Always Come Prepared” campaign. Led by the radio trio of Sam YG, Tony Toni, and Slick Rick, the campaign aims to make the conversation on the threats and dangers of the disease lighter and easier to understand for the general public.  

    To pique the interests of young adults on the campaign, Durex also presented a unique visual of a toy soldier using the condom as a parachute.

    “Their openness and tongue-in-cheek manner of talking about sex-related issues and concerns, particularly HIV, is a good way for us to reach the younger audience. Medical experts have long talked about the dangers of HIV, but why is it still rising in the Philippines? The message must have been lost somewhere,” said (Chrisel Segundo, Category Manager – Relief and Wellness). Condoms are still the only known effective method of preventing the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. With its latest campaign, Durex Philippines aims to raise awareness and encourage the public to take active precautionary measures against HIV.

    John Paulo Ondra Caparros
    Public Relations Department
    Strategic works, Inc.

    +63.893.7472 | +639. 17.158.7918
    john.caparros@stratworks.ph
    2nd Floor Zaragoza Building, 102 Gamboa Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City PH

  • Our Lady of Fatima University Rises in the South with New Laguna Campus

    Our Lady of Fatima University Rises in the South with New Laguna Campus

    OLFU enters another milestone after 50 years of quality education.

    Breaking ground for another milestone. Together with the University Chaplain, OLFU executives set a time capsule in the four-hectare Macabling property in Santa Rosa, Laguna, for the groundbreaking of a new campus. From left: Yvonne S. Guevara, Chairman of the Board of Trustees; Enrico O. Santos, Member of the Board of Trustees; Don August O. Santos, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer; Fr. Lito Caliwag, University Chaplain; Dr. Caroline Marian S. Enriquez, University President; Dr. Mylene S. Abad Santos, Vice President for Student Affairs; and Robert Bjorn O. Santos, Alumni Affairs Director.

    Our Lady of Fatima University (OLFU) takes its first foray to the south following 50 years of providing quality education in and around Metro Manila as well as Central Luzon with the groundbreaking of a sixth campus set to rise in Santa Rosa, Laguna.

    “When we open a campus, the first and foremost that we have in mind are the students coming in,” said Don August O. Santos, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of OLFU. “With any person who goes through Fatima, and graduates with a degree from Fatima, there’s a sense of achievement that we were able to mold that person to the best that he or she could be.”

    The new campus is set on a spacious four-hectare property in Macabling and will initially house a five-story building complete with school facilities and amenities for holistic student learning. Like in OLFU’s other locations, the Laguna campus will offer business courses together with the university’s trademark healthcare programs to meet the demands of the Santa Rosa community.

    “We’ll offer both medical and business programs so we are able to address current needs. If there’s a strong calling for business programs, we’ll include them in our offerings,” OLFU President Dr. Caroline Marian S. Enriquez said. “Because we are known for our medical programs, we’ll include those as well. We’re delivering the best for each program.”

    A nod to heritage, this milestone reflects a return to the humble beginnings of one of OLFU’s founders, Professor Jose Olivares. In 1967, Professor Olivares founded a 25-bed general hospital in Valenzuela City to convince his son-in-law, Dr. Vicente Santos, to cancel migration plans to the United States. Soon the hospital grew to a nursing training center in 1973 and then to a medical college in 1979. Further expansion led to a second campus as well as a more diversified academic program in the 1990s. In 2002, Our Lady of Fatima College was granted university status by the Commission on Higher Education.

    “It’s like coming full circle. When we were kids, we would go to the Olivares ancestral house in Santa Cruz, Laguna, and we would always pass along this path (the new campus site),” Santos said. Santos and Dr. Enriquez are among Professor Olivares’ seven grandchildren who are part of the university leadership.

    “We thought it would be a good idea to come back to where we came from. Our roots are from Laguna,” Dr. Enriquez explained regarding why the university chose Santa Rosa for its latest campus.

    The Laguna campus adds to Our Lady of Fatima University’s roster of educational institutions located in Valenzuela City, Quezon City, Antipolo City, City of San Fernando (Pampanga), and Cabanatuan City (Nueva Ecija).The university offers several courses including Hotel and Restaurant Management, Information Technology, Accounting, Education, Civil Engineering, Criminology, Psychology, and Maritime Education, as well as its heritage healthcare programs, namely Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Medical Laboratory Science, and Dentistry. OLFU is currently home to about 45,000 students across all campuses.

    Catherine Llanes

    Media Relations Manager

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    T. +63 2-332-10-31 loc. 103

    M. +63 917 582 0573

    M2COMMS  | M2SOCIAL  | M2LIVE  | PROI

  • RCBC joins industry forum on the future of payment for Filipinos with ePiso

    RCBC joins industry forum on the future of payment for Filipinos with ePiso

    RCBC took part in the recent The Future of Finance, Philippines 2018 conference with the theme “Strong Economy and Vital Innovation for the Philippines”. Organized by The Asian Banker, the annual forum featured discussions on the opportunities and challenges in the local banking market, how to reach the unbanked through digital technology, and how to successfully usher the country into the new era of digital banking.

    Margarita Lopez talks about RCBC’s continued efforts towards financial inclusion through empowering consumers and local businesses with ePiso. She shared that Filipinos can quickly adapt to digital solutions as she recounted the success of ePiso test launches where communities appreciated using the digitized currency and enjoyed cashless transactions with RCBC partner merchants in Muntinlupa City and Bulacan, and where farmers received loans and bought input supplies via ePiso in Bukidnon province.

    A set of global speakers and panelists, including RCBC first senior vice president and head of digital banking group Margarita Lopez, presented case studies and best practices among more than 200 bankers, financial services professionals, policymakers, investors, innovators, regulators, academics, local, and international business leaders.

    Margarita Lopez talks about RCBC’s continued efforts towards financial inclusion through empowering consumers and local businesses with ePiso. She shared that Filipinos can quickly adapt to digital solutions as she recounted the success of ePiso test launches where communities appreciated using the digitized currency and enjoyed cashless transactions with RCBC partner merchants in Muntinlupa City and Bulacan, and where farmers received loans and bought input supplies via ePiso in Bukidnon province.

    During the panel discussion on the Future of Payments for Filipinos, Lopez talked about the RCBC ePiso. “We want to enable easy, secure and convenient electronic payments as part of their day-to-day habits and once we do that, we then become part of their everyday lives,” noted Lopez as she underscored the bank’s mission to become part of consumers’ activities and to enable them with access to digital payments through ePiso.

    Industry experts led the discussion on how to effectively drive the nation to a cash-lite economy. The panelists included (from left) The Asian Banker international resource director Richard Hartung, RCBC first senior vice president and digital banking group head Margarita Lopez, Development Bank of the Philippines head of branch banking sector and marketing group Antonio Maramag, USAID/E-PESO Activity chief of party Mamerto Tangonan, and Total System Services vice president and regional head of Asia, Middle East & Africa Malek Mroueh.

    Earlier this year, RCBC introduced the country’s first-of-its-kind digital currency, ePiso, that provides a more secure, affordable, and efficient way to handle cash for daily transactions. With ePiso, the bank hopes to bring a sustainable economic network that would advance financial inclusion in the country. ePiso has been successfully test-launched to residents in Brgy. Poblacion in Muntinlupa City, farming communities in Bukidnon, and merchants in Bulacan.

    John Paulo Ondra Caparros
    Public Relations Department
    Strategic works, Inc. 

    +63.893.7472 | +639. 17.158.7918
    john.caparros@stratworks.ph
    2nd Floor Zaragoza Building, 102 Gamboa Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City PH

  • Send a child to school with TravelBook.ph and World Vision

    Send a child to school with TravelBook.ph and World Vision

    Sadly, it has been a common scenario—seeing children along sidewalks with no shelter while others cross the streets to knock on car windows and beg for money.

    It will probably take forever to eradicate poverty in the Philippines, but we cannot deny that small acts of kindness can go a long way. You can do your part by participating in creative initiatives from corporate partnership programs that you can access anytime and anywhere with your computer or smartphone and will not cost you a lot.


    Hotel and tour booking mobile application and website TravelBook.ph, through its partnership with World Vision Philippines, has been helping send kids to school through their “Donation for Education” project. When booking a room in their favorite hotel for their vacation, customers can donate as little as PHP 1.00, which will go to the child sponsorship and culture of reading program of World Vision Philippines.

    TravelBook.ph has also supported World Vision Philippines through efforts in designing Disaster Risk Mitigation Program for public schools in Isabela in 2017 and Lakbay Pag-asa in North Cotabato this 2018.

    TravelBook.ph believes that “The most valuable means to nurture a child is to create a community that is both safe and resilient. When a child is provided with life’s basic necessities, has access to education, and is empowered for a holistic development, everyone takes a step forward to an improved society.”

    Small acts of kindness, when put together, create a huge and lasting impact, and with the numerous opportunities—both online and offline—to contribute, maybe eradicating poverty completely can be a reality. 

    For more details, please contact:
    Hyacinth Anne S. Uri
    PR and Media Specialist
    HyacinthAnne.Uri@travelbook.ph
    +63 (998) 840-4054
    +63 (2) 304-5580

    About TravelBook.ph

    TravelBook.ph is the leading online travel e-commerce company (online travel agent or OTA) in the Philippines dedicated to offering great value hotel bookings and with a varied selection of Philippine hotels and resorts in Baguio, Batangas, Bohol, Boracay, Cebu, Davao, Laguna, Metro Manila, Palawan, Pampanga, Tagaytay, Zambales, and more. A total of 3,200 affordable hotels are currently listed in Travelbook.ph.

    TravelBook.ph also offers the best / lowest prices with attractive discounts for hotels and resorts and innovative payment options without credit card – “Pay at Hotel, No Credit Card Needed.”

    TravelBook.ph also offers exclusive reward points: Customers also automatically earn back 5% of the total amount they spend as reward points, which they can use to get discounts on their future bookings (1 point is equivalent to PHP 1.00).

    Customers can also use TravelBook.ph’s convenient mobile app to book accommodations on the go. It is available on the App Store and Google Play.

    Lastly, TravelBook.ph is a proud Philippine-based company with 24/7 support. It has a Filipino call center ready to assist customers anytime.

    To know more about convenient and affordable hotel bookings all over the Philippines, visit www.travelbook.ph. Follow TravelBook.ph on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TravelBook.ph/, Twitter https://twitter.com/travelbookph, and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/travelbookph/.

  • Discover the winning formula for business success

    Discover the winning formula for business success

    World-renowned executive coach and best-selling author, Dr. Marshall Goldsmith, tells business executives to always take a step back and ask themselves one critical question – is it worth it? It is one of the things that most business schools do not teach but every CEO must know, or one can always learn the hard way.

    According to Dr. Marshall, there are three life lessons that every person must learn, especially CEOs and business leaders, in order to succeed in both their professional and personal lives. The first is winning is not everything.

    “One problem of the successful people I work with is winning too much. It is important for one to win – meaningful win, critical win, trivial win, and even those not worth it, we want to win anyway. Winners love to win. Problem is we want to win too much,” said Dr. Marshall.

    A key to success is you don’t have to always win. The more you make others win, the more successful you become. In the drive to win all the time, most people lose out on life’s other equally important aspects.

    Dr. Marshall adds another lesson – stop trying to add value to everything. “In most cases, when a person comes up with a great idea, the natural tendency is instead of saying it is a great idea, one would say it’s a nice idea but why don’t you add this to it,” said Dr. Marshall.

    While the value of the idea comes up by 5 percent, the commitment of the person to executing the idea goes down 50 percent.

    And the third lesson is – don’t judge too much. One of the key lessons that are not taught is to help others more and judge less. “Before making a judgmental comment, stop, breathe, and think if this is going to help your relationship. If the answer is no, do you really have to say it?” said Dr. Marshall.

    Dr. Marshall will have a two-day, two-city tour in Asia this October and will be at the Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria on October 26, 2018, for the CEO, HR, & Senior Leaders Conference. He will be joined by Dr. Peter Chee, ITD President and the 1st Asian ranked among the top 6 Global Coaching Gurus, and Serely Alcaraz, #1 master trainer and chief coach at ITD World.

    Dr. Marshall Goldsmith, the World’s #1 Leadership Thinker (by Harvard Business Review) will share his Executive Coaching Secrets, and his #1 NY Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling book: Triggers during the conference.

    The Conference is an ITD Mega Guru event that will let you learn from the best to be the best. Attending this one-day-only event is a must for top-level leaders, entrepreneurs, and HR, Organizational Development and Training professionals. For more information and registration, call ITD World Philippines at +632 887 7428, email at itdmanila@itdworld.com, or visit https://www.itdworld.com/ceoconference/manila/

    John Paulo Ondra Caparros
    Public Relations Department
    Strategic works, Inc. 

    +63.893.7472 | +639. 17.158.7918
    john.caparros@stratworks.ph
    2nd Floor Zaragoza Building, 102 Gamboa Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City PH

  • Power up your travel lifestyles with Cebu Pacific GetGo Visa Cards

    Power up your travel lifestyles with Cebu Pacific GetGo Visa Cards

    Traveling to new destinations and discovering the wonders of the world is already a rewarding experience in itself. But, did you know that your daily expenses and shopping can get you more exciting benefits for your weekend trips and holiday vacations?

    Amazing shopping benefits and travel rewards await when you apply for your own Cebu Pacific GetGo Visa cards.

    As more people are enjoying a lifestyle of travel, debit and credit cards are doubling as loyalty rewards cards to bring more thrilling and memorable experiences. The country’s leading local carrier, Cebu Pacific, offers a bigger fleet of GetGo cards powered by Visa and UnionBank to make traveling a rewarding experience in more ways than one. With your own Cebu Pacific GetGo Visa cards, you can enjoy the following:

    Cashless transactions abroad

    Most cards, whether debit, credit, or prepaid, are now accepted worldwide. This makes souvenir shopping more convenient and hassle-free as you don’t have to worry about carrying physical cash abroad. Cebu Pacific GetGo’s newest prepaid card also works as a multi-currency card that frequent travelers can reload and use at Visa-accredited merchants anywhere in the world.


    First-class treatment

    Cebu Pacific and GetGo also let you experience world-class accommodation while waiting for your next flight. Cebu Pacific GetGo Platinum Credit cardholders can have access to airport lounges in NAIA Terminal 3 where they can rest and relax before their international flights. You can also get priority check-ins, free 5kg baggage allowance, and even free travel insurance. 


    Early alerts on promos and seat sales

    What also makes travel rewards programs worthwhile is the exclusive notices on seat sales to your favorite local and international destinations. When you have a Cebu Pacific GetGo Visa card, you can instantly avail of special flights with your points or earn points for free travels when you use your card to pay for your tickets. You can also enjoy exciting promos with partner merchants of GetGo and UnionBank. 


    Instant points for more adventures

    Converting points has never been easier with the line of Cebu Pacific GetGo Visa cards. The cards provide one of the best earn rates in the country – one GetGo point for every P30 spent using the credit card and P88 spent using the debit and prepaid card. You can even earn twice when you purchase from GetGo’s partner merchants using your debit or credit card. GetGo points are also automatically transferred to your GetGo account every month so you can fly for free faster.

    Enjoy all these exclusive travel benefits when you apply for a card for your everyday lifestyle. You can select from CEB GetGo Debit Card (http://bit.ly/CEBGetGoDebitCard), Credit Card (http://bit.ly/CEBGetGoCreditCard), Platinum Credit Card, and Prepaid Card (http://bit.ly/CEBGetGoPrepaidCard).

    Cardholders who will apply for a Cebu Pacific GetGo Credit or Platinum Credit Card from now up to October 31, 2018 can enjoy 8,000 GetGo points by spending P20,000 using their new credit card within 65 days from card approval date. A special 8,000 GetGo points promo code will be rewarded to Platinum cardholders who will spend another P20,000 within the same period. Go to https://unionbankph.com/8kgetgopoints for the full promo mechanics.

    So, what are you waiting for? Live the best life with your own Cebu Pacific GetGo Visa cards by UnionBank and enjoy points for a free trip to your dream travel destination! Promo is extended until October 31, 2018.

    Amazing shopping benefits and travel rewards await when you apply for your own Cebu Pacific GetGo Visa cards.

    For more information on memberships and partners, visit www.getgo.com.ph. Stay updated on the latest promos by liking GetGoPH’s official pages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

    John Paulo Ondra Caparros
    Public Relations Department
    Strategic works, Inc. 

    +63.893.7472 | +639. 17.158.7918
    john.caparros@stratworks.ph
    2nd Floor Zaragoza Building, 102 Gamboa Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City PH

  • RCBC Savings Bank launches Dash and Drive raffle promo

    RCBC Savings Bank launches Dash and Drive raffle promo

    As the inflation uptrend continues to impact consumer spending, hefty offers that give more value for money are a welcome breather.

    RCBC Savings Bank (RSB) introduces the Dash and Drive raffle promo, where a free dash cam and a chance to win an all-expense-paid 4 days/3 nights trip for 2 to Bangkok awaits buyers of brand-new cars at selected Honda and Isuzu dealerships.

    To earn an electronic raffle entry, visit any participating Yuchengco Group of Companies’ (YGC) Honda or Isuzu dealership and avail of an RSB auto loan worth at least P300,000. A free dashcam is given to those with a minimum loanable amount of P850,000 and a loan term of at least 3 years.

    Participating dealerships are as follows:

    Honda Dealerships: Fairview, Greenhills, Kalookan, Marcos Hi-way. Manila, Marikina and Quezon City

    Isuzu Dealerships: Commonwealth, Greenhills, Manila and Leyte.

    Promo period is from October 2 to December 31, 2018. Terms and conditions apply.

    RCBC Savings Bank (RSB) is the consumer banking arm of Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) and a member of the Yuchengco Group of Companies (YGC). It is one of the top thrift banks in the country, with over 150 business and lending centers nationwide. Retail financial services include deposit and investment products, as well as auto and housing loans. For more information on RCBC Savings Bank, visit www.rcbcsavings.com. 

    John Paulo Ondra Caparros
    Public Relations Department
    Strategic works, Inc. 

    +63.893.7472 | +639. 17.158.7918
    john.caparros@stratworks.ph
    2nd Floor Zaragoza Building, 102 Gamboa Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City PH

  • Want to be a CFO? 5 Tips on Becoming a Chief Financial Officer

    Want to be a CFO? 5 Tips on Becoming a Chief Financial Officer

    Who does not dream of becoming a CFO? Only those who are not working in the field of finance will be uninterested. If you have a finance-related job, of course you would like to become a CFO someday. Some people are lucky because they can become CFOs in a short amount of time. There are some who were able to do it because of connections and there were also some who achieved it because of hard work.

    You may want to become a part of the latter group. It will make you feel good when you know that you have earned the position that you have right now. You can always start by finding the right Los Angeles finance recruiters that will inform you of the various openings available.

    In order to work your way to becoming a CFO, these are the five simple tips to remember:

    1. Gain as much knowledge as you can about finances. You cannot become a CFO when you do not have any knowledge about things that are related to finances. It will be your job to make sure that everything is financially sound. Without proper knowledge, this will not be possible.
    2. Allow yourself to improve the overall customer experience provided by the company. Right now, you need to improve how your department handles customers. It will help you become prepared for what lies ahead.
    3. Do not be afraid to learn new things. It does not mean that just because you are an aspiring leader, you will focus on that alone.
    4. Earn degrees that will give you an advantage over others for the position. To become a CFO you are required to have an MBA or a CPA. Your background may be simple but having these degrees will make you more sought after.
    5. Expect that the role will expand to various aspects and departments. Being a CFO means that you sometimes have to tackle HR issues. Be aware of CFO job opportunities for potential employees.

    It might help if you would have different experiences in other jobs first. If you have taken the jobs given to you by accounting recruiters Los Angeles before persevering the field of finance, this is okay.