Wednesday, December 7, 2022

Forbes’ World’s Best Employers list

SMC among the highest-ranked Filipino firms 



San Miguel Corporation (SMC) is one of the top-ranked Filipino firms in Forbes’ annual list of the World’s Best Employers, which includes 800 firms from some 57 countries. 

SMC landed number 174 overall, and is one of just two firms based in the Philippines--along with fast-food giant Jollibee Foods--to make it within the top 200.


The survey, compiled for the past six years by US magazine Forbes, was conducted together with its partner, Statista.


According to Forbes, Statista surveyed some 150,000 full-time and part-time workers from 57 countries working for multinationals and institutions, to determine which of these firms excel in key areas such as corporate impact and image, talent development, gender equality, and social responsibility.


“It’s a major honor for us at San Miguel to be included in such a list, and to be ranked within the top 200 in the world, and one of the very best in the Philippines. We’re also very proud to stand together with other Filipino companies who have emerged as among the best in the world in advancing the welfare of employees and workers,” SMC President and Chief Executive Officer Ramon S. Ang said.


Malasakit: SMC’s core foundation


“For all the time I have been in SMC, and for most of its 131-year history, “malasakit” has been the core foundation of our corporate values. We look out for the welfare of our employees, partners, stakeholders, communities. On the part of our employees, the company’s malasakit towards them also means they show malasakit for the company.”


Ang added that apart from compensation and benefits, SMC also implements various programs to:


  • Help employees hone their skills
  • Maintain their health
  • Advance in their careers
  • Pursue their passions 





COVID assistance


He said that assistance during times of need is also a hallmark of “the SMC way.” Throughout the COVID-19 global pandemic, SMC not only extended extraordinary assistance to the country, but also to its employees.


SMC was the first Filipino company to build a dedicated RT-PCR testing laboratory for its workforce at the start of the pandemic. It also guaranteed the full salaries and benefits of employees and workers in its nationwide network, through the most difficult and uncertain periods of the pandemic when most businesses lost income.


SMC also invested in putting in place additional health and safety protocols for employees, to ensure the continued delivery of essential goods and services to the public.


Initiative for support workers


For its support workers, SMC launched several initiatives, including providing interest-free loans with easy payment schemes, so they can buy alternative modes of transportation such as bicycles and motorcycles.


SMC also converted a part of its grounds at its head office complex for an urban farming project to augment the income and food supplies of repair and maintenance and security workers. The company partnered with the School for Experiential and Entrepreneurial Development (SEED) Philippines to train workers in urban farming.





SMC allotted P1 billion to procure COVID-19 vaccines and set up numerous vaccination centers nationwide, for its over 70,000 employees and extended workforce and their families. It also donated significant resources--including the expertise of over 100 healthcare practitioners it hired--to support the national vaccination effort.


How the survey was conducted


According to Forbes, the surveys conducted to determine the World’s Best Employers were all anonymous in order to allow participants to share their opinions openly.


“Respondents were asked to rate their willingness to recommend their own employers to friends and family. They were also asked to evaluate other employers in their respective industries that stood out either positively or negatively. Participants were asked to rate the companies on aspects such as economic impact and image, talent development, gender equality and social responsibility,” Forbes said in the opening statements of the list, published on www.forbes.com. 


 

Sunday, December 4, 2022

Rogen Inn lights up first Christmas Tree



Like younglings giddy with excitement for the Yuletide Season, the Rogen Inn founders and its team were thrilled to light up their first Christmas tree. It was a cause for celebration for Davao’s newest hospitality establishment.

“We wanted to share the joy we feel celebrating the first Christmas to our guests and everyone who passes by our address at the corner of Mt. Apo and Lopez Jaena streets. This is why we put up the 22-foot Holiday tree in traditional Christmas colors in front of the compound for all to see,” Rogen General Manager Gene Bangayan said. 



Ronald and Gene Bangayan


The evening’s guests were led to the function hall on the sixth floor of the South Wing where cocktails was served. From the gallery of the halls, everyone got a view of the newly-lit holiday tree with the downtown Davao landscape as the backdrop.



Rogen’s Gene Bangayan with DOT XI Director Tanya Tan, Davao City Tourism Office OIC Jennifer Romero, Davao City Councilors Myrna Dalodo-Ortiz, Al Ryan Alejandre and Office of the Vice President’s GeneRose Tecson




“We salute you all for withstanding those challenging times. Let this Christmas season also be a reminder to all of us of our resilience. We congratulate and welcome Rogen Inn to the growing list of  DOT-accredited hospitality establishments in our city,” Department of Tourism Davao Region Director Tanya Tan said.





Adding to the festiveness of the outdoor holiday montage are the restaurants in the compound which were decorated for the holidays as well. 


The line-up of dining options is one of Rogen Inn’s pride. Popular homegrown brands comprise the majority of the roster: Rogen Lounge, Marinatuna, Habi at Kape, Boiling Crab and Vines; and favorites Samgyupsalamat and Yo Froz complete the list.





“The options are diverse—Filipino, Thai, Korean, seafood to meat, savory to desserts— and dining service starts as early as 6AM until nighttime. The food scene at the Rogen Inn compound is very exciting,” Bangayan said.


“I would like to share another good news. As we light the Christmas tree, we are also officially launching Elements, a salon and a day spa,” she added.





Rogen Inn opened in the second quarter of this year as the tourism sector was slowly bouncing back, entering the recovery period after the pandemic. With health restrictions easing up, the inn is receiving its target occupancy rate. Bangayan said that the Christmas season’s private functions are a boost to the inn’s sales target.


Within the three buildings of Rogen Inn are 328 Deluxe Rooms uniformly sized per building. Each room is equally well-appointed with tap card access and necessities any business and leisure traveler needs.


“We are extending the room promotions until December 31. It’s P1,850 per room, good for two with complimentary breakfast,” said Bangayan.


Thursday, December 1, 2022

Unique Pinoy gifts from Kultura




Discover unique gifts for everyone on your list from Kultura, your one stop shop for the ultimate Filipino Christmas.  There are eco-friendly finds and festive fashion accessories, chic home accents, delicious treats and aromatic personal care items, all beautifully packaged in pandan and kraft boxes. 


Here are some meaningful, special gift ideas you can find in Kultura stores:  



 

• Something Decadent



Say it sweetly while supporting the local cacao industry with a basket full of chocolates from Davao. This bundle includes an assortment of dark and milk chocolates from Malagos, tree-to-bar chocolates from Auro, and Coco low-glycemic variants using coco sugar from Coco Dolce. 





• Something brew-tiful 


Merienda gift set includes Gourmet Farms’ expertly roasted drip coffee from Cavite, a statement mug and Manila Cookie Story’s shortbread cookies in an adorable jeepney tin.





• Something Comforting



Classic champorado, coco and strawberry jams, acacia bowls and plates from Pampanga plus a pair of handprinted napkins make a  delightful gift set that celebrates s Pinoy snack time with a dose of nostalgia. 


  



• Something Precious 



Give the gift of prayers and well wishes for those who share your faith and  make someone’s Christmas more meaningful with these lovely rosary bracelets made from Philippine pearls. 





• Something Sustainable and Eco Friendly



Encourage an eco- friendly lifestyle with gifts from Kultura like this sustainable tote, bamboo and aluminum lunchbox, and a bamboo tumbler mug.  Likewise, Versatile bamboo mugs and cutlery support sustainable living in practical ways while adding rustic charm to your kitchen 





• Something Stylish 



Embroidered fans, jute coin purses, and beautiful shawls all wrapped in pandan boxes. 

Discover and delight in local craftsmanship this Christmas at Kultura’s Christmas Market! 


Shop local artistry online at www.kulturafilipino.com Stay updated with new arrivals, sales and more by following Kultura on IG @kulturafilipino and FB @kulturaPH/


Wednesday, November 30, 2022

'KAON TA, KAIN PA!'

Davao’s Food and Travel Festival kicks off At Abreeza Mall Friday




The three-day “Kaon Ta, Kain Pa! Food and Travel Festival” kicks off on Friday, December 2 at Ayala Abreeza Mall in Davao City.  


This gastronomic celebration aims to position the Philippines as a premiere culinary destination not only in Asia but globally as well. 


With the theme "Food Tripping Christmas", the festival will feature a flavorful spread of local and modern holiday cuisines and local beverages. Visitors can expect lots of food, travel and Christmas. 


Kaon Ta, Kain Pa! will showcase the culinary wealth of Regions 1, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11,12, 13 as well as from the Cordillera Administrative Region and the National Capital Region.  


"With Kaon Ta, Kain Pa!, the DOT aims to provide a platform for the development and promotion of regional cuisine, farm tours and tourism circuits,” DOT Xl Regional Director Tanya Rabat Tan said.


Filipinos reunite during the holidays and splurge on food to wish for abundance in the new year. Thus, this culinary event will also highlight celebration dishes that are sure favorites in the noche buena tables. 


Friday, November 25, 2022

New Subsea Cable System to boost trans-Asian connectivity


A consortium of telecommunications companies has signed agreements to invest 
about $300 million for a submarine cable system in Southeast Asia that aims to boost data capacity in the region and upgrade local capacities.

The group is composed of the following:


  • China Telecom Global Limited (CTG) of China
  • Globe Telecom, Inc. (Globe)
  • DITO Telecommunity Corporation (DITO) of the Philippines
  • Singapore Telecommunications Limited (Singtel) of Singapore
  • Unified National Networks Sdn Bhd (UNN) of Brunei Darussalam

 

The planned Asia Link Cable (ALC) will be approximately 6,000 kilometers in length, connecting Hong Kong SAR China and Singapore as its trunk, with branches into the Philippines, Brunei Darussalam and Hainan, China. HMN Technologies Co., Limited (HMN Tech) was awarded as the system supplier and is expected to complete construction of the ALC by the third quarter of 2025.

 

ALC is seen to provide additional hyper-capacity within Asia and boost resiliency for international traffic. It will have a minimum eight fiber pairs in the system, with 18 Tbps/Fiber Pair minimum trunk design capacity, adding more capacity and diversity to existing networks in the region.

 

Here's what the Co-Chairs/CEO have to say:


“ALC is a great accomplishment of Asian carriers which overcame difficulties of Covid impacts, and it is also the only subsea project with zero face-to-face meetings from the MoU to the C&MA (construction and maintenance agreement) signing in the industry. ALC consortium adopts an open and inclusive principle and will attract more investors in the near future to make it more cost effective, which will reinforce the resilience of interconnectivity in Asia and better serve digital economy in the region."


-ALC Co-Chair Chang Weiguo (CTG) 

 

“We started planning and designing the ALC cable more than two years ago at the onset of the pandemic, having anticipated the inevitable growth in high-definition content consumption, trade and innovation in this region. Despite the challenges presented by safe management restrictions, we managed to come up with a system that will help meet the evolving needs of consumers and enterprises and boost local economies today and in the near future.”

 

-ALC Co-Chair Alan Tan (Singtel) 


“It is a great honor for HMN Tech to team up with the global leading telecom operators to provide innovative turnkey subsea cable solution for the ALC System. This new cable system will provide new impetus for the ALC consortium to establish digital and intelligent networks in Asia and around the world."


-CEO of HMN Tech Mao Shengjiang


An open cable system architecture is adopted for ALC, enabling parties to select and maintain independent line terminal equipment that would suit their customer requirement.

 

With strategic locations and bullish digital growth prospects in mind, there has been increased interest to interconnect the trans-Asian region, enriching the infrastructure for prospective customers. This subsea cable system will help enhance the existing facilities in catering future requirements in the region.

Thursday, November 24, 2022

Top 5 reasons to dine at Marinatuna, Rogen Inn Compound

MarinaTuna, your one-stop shop for everything seafood, is now at Rogen Inn Compound, Mt. Apo St.  





The Bangayan family, who owns the newly-opened Rogen Inn, added the MarinaTuna brand to the roster of home-grown brands at the compound, that are set to provide Rogen Inn guests a variety of flavors. 


Here are the top 5 reasons why MarinaTuna at Rogen Inn Compound, should be at the top of your tuna and seafood destination list.


1. Location

MarinaTuna Rogen Inn is located in the heart of the city. It is actually right in the middle of the bustling streets of Torres, Ilustre, and Quirino Avenue. If you have businesses along these areas, then you need not brave the traffic just to fill your tummies with delicious food.



2. Wide Parking Space


Everybody needs some space (no pun intended) especially during chow time! No need to worry even if you need to find a gastronomic destination in a crunch because MarinaTuna Rogen Inn is located in an area with a wide parking space.



3. Buffet Breakfast


Marinatuna Rogen Inn serves buffet breakfast which includes your favorite day starters like eggs, sausages, corned beef, a selection of breads, rice, Pinoy Kakanins, fresh fruits in season and coffee.


Bestsellers: Tuna Panga

Bestsellers: Kare-Kare


4. Lunch Buffet


MarinaTuna Rogen Inn serves buffet lunch every Friday and Saturday for P549.00 only.


Bestsellers: Bihod/Tendon

Bestsellers: Crispy Buntot


5. Experience the 10 ways of serving tuna


MarinaTuna Rogen Inn serves the famed 10 ways of serving tuna, including Tuna Sashimi, Tuna Kinilaw, Bagaybay, Bihod, Tendon, Kare-Kare, Crispy Buntot, Tuna Panga, and Tuna Head with Eye Paksiw.


How do you serve tuna? Let me count the ways...


There are actually more reasons to go to MarinaTuna at Rogen Inn Compound. Aside from the seafood specialties, it also serves other dishes to non-pescatarians like Fried, Buttered and BBQ Chicken, and Beef dishes cooked in many different ways.


Bestsellers: Tuna Sashimi/Kinilaw

Surprise, surprise! MarinaTuna Rogen Inn has a special menu consisting of Japanese Cuisine selections like Gyoza, Kani Salas and Okonomiyaki for appetizers, Japanese Miso Shiro Soup, and California Maki.






MarinaTuna Rogen Inn
Address: Corner Mt. Apo and Lopez Jaena Streets, Davao City
☎ 317-1004
📱 0917-623-3576











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