The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) is set to welcome new female line crew as part of its continuing efforts to champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Thirty-four (34) aspirants, including 13 women, have completed the six-month Meralco Linecrew Training Program (MLTP) that started last May. They will be endorsed for further assessment and possible hiring and deployment.

The MLTP is a comprehensive training course open to both men and women that involves a series of lectures, thorough physical conditioning, critical assessments, and on-the-job training (OJT) program geared towards Meralco’s efforts to continuously develop a pool of skilled line crew.

“All of the new MLTP trainees are equipped with the necessary training and tools so that they can safely perform their jobs to the best of their abilities. I am confident that the latest batch of MLTP graduates will use their new learnings to help deliver excellent service to Meralco’s customers,” MLTP Manager Roman Leandro Manlapaz said.

Traditionally operating in a male-dominated industry, Meralco pioneered the training and hiring of female linecrew in Southeast Asia back in 2013. A total of 11 women from the first batch are still working in the company in various capacities, helping deliver stable and reliable electricity service to Meralco customers.

This year’s relaunch of the MLTP forms part of the power distributor’s goal to increase women representation in the workforce to nearly half or 40% by 2030.

Zuzette Castro, a 32-year-old overseas Filipino worker who is part of the newest batch of MLTP graduates, said the MLTP gave her an opportunity to return to the Philippines at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to raise her one-year-old son.

“Being a linecrew is hard but what motivates me is the thought that this job will allow me to provide for my family and be of service to the public,” she said in Filipino.

From working as a gasoline station cashier in Dubai, Castro is now equipped to climb utility poles to ensure a steady power supply. During her OJT, Castro was among those who helped restore power in Rizal province following the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm Paeng.

Like Castro, John Dexter Alonte also joined the MLTP in hopes of finding a stable job so that he can better provide for his family.

The 27-year-old, who worked as a contractual hardware salesman for three years, takes inspiration from his fellow female linecrew trainees for their dedication to the craft.

“Seeing women take on jobs that are typically done by men motivates me to excel in my work since I can see them all striving to do well,” Alonte said in Filipino, adding: “When I feel discouraged or tired, I tell myself that if women can do it, so can I.”

The inclusion of female linecrew aspirants in the MLTP is part of #MBrace – Meralco’s overarching diversity and inclusion program aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (UN SDG) 5 on Gender Equality and UN SDG 10 on Reduced Inequalities.

Meralco also partnered with Don Bosco College-Canlubang for a technician scholarship program for the benefit of 15 aspiring female electrical technicians. The program covers the tuition and allowances of students undergoing the Technical Vocational Education Training Program for the dual NC II Program on Electrical Installation and Maintenance and Mechatronics that started in August.

The Philippine Domestic Submarine Cable Network (PDSCN) — designed to directly interconnect islands and provinces in the Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao island groups to the internet — has finally touched down in Boracay Island.

Representatives of the project proponents and joint-build partners InfiniVAN, Eastern Telecom, Globe Telecom, LGU officials, suppliers and community members gathered in a ceremonial cable pulling event on November 25 at the Savoy Hotel in Boracay’s Newcoast.

The joint-build project is regarded as a milestone because it will add  a huge amount of domestic data transmission bandwidth capacity and much needed resiliency to the country’s internet network infrastructure. When completed, the PDSCN project will improve mobile and broadband connectivity across the country, including far-flung islands and other underserved areas. It is in line with the current administration’s goal to make the Philippines a digitally-advanced nation that is in step with the advances and innovations going on in the world. Cable installation began in July 2022 and was marked by a kick-off event in Subic.  Since then, cable pulling events similar to the recently-held one in Boracay have been held in Mactan Island in Cebu and Siargao Island in Surigao.

The Boracay cable pulling event  was graced by Aklan City Mayor Hon. Frolibar Bautista, Aklan Provincial Administrator Atty. Selwyn Ibbareta, National Telecommunications Commission Director Imelda Walcien, Board of Investments Governor Atty. Marjorie Ramos-Samaniego and BOI Director Atty. Elyjean DC Portoza.

InfiniVAN, Inc. Chief Technology Officer Alberto “Abet” Espedido said that besides connecting major islands in the country, the project will also help boost tourism and commerce in more provinces. “We see this as an opportunity to fulfill our objective of providing connectivity to far flung areas and hope that the good communications infrastructure will also pump-prime economies,” he said.

Espedido said the fiber optic cable technology used in the country’s biggest and longest submarine cable installation is “future-proof.” Unrepeatered fiber cables used in the project can handle large data throughputs that can be further expanded through advances in terminal equipment over the next 20 to 25 years.

“As a new entrant in the market, we are happy to work with well-established partners on a project that will really create an impact on people and progress in the next few years. It is heartwarming to have our so-called industry competitors work with us on this gift to our countrymen and the country as a whole. We look forward to the next phases of this project,” Espedido added.

 

Gathering various industries engaged in the latest in packaging and processing technologies and connecting them with the business community, ProPak Philippines makes a comeback at the World Trade Center Metro Manila in Pasay City on 1-3 February 2023.

ProPak Philippines will highlight innovations and advancements in processing, manufacturing, and packaging technology, connecting international suppliers to local and regional buyers in the food, drink, and pharmaceutical industries.

Joining the event are companies engaged in processing machinery, technology, and materials in the sectors of filling, quality assurance, testing and measurement, maintenance, and their related fields of automation, instrumentation, transportation, refrigeration, storage, and pollution control. Also represented are businesses involved in labeling, printing, water treatment equipment, plastics processing, and wrapping machinery.

Among ProPak Philippines’ highlights is the Sustainability Square, an interactive exhibitor zone where visitors may learn about how the packaging industry and extended processing sectors (food, beverage, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, etc) adopt the Sustainable Development Goals; and ProPak Connect, a business-to-business online supplier platform and a content hub that facilitates targeted online marketing activities such as supplier and buyer sourcing, networking, interactive product, and machine demos, and virtual and hybrid events.

Another highlight is the Department of Trade (DTI) Packaging Awards which will recognize innovative packaging ideas by MSMEs, Women, Youth, PWDs, and IP-led companies, as well as the association pavilions of the Production and Operations Management Association of the Philippines and Philippine Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PROMAP).

The three-day exhibition will also feature conference and training courses from the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP); packaging consultations for MSMEs, talks, and workshops in manufacturing and packaging, led by DTI, PROMAP, and the Active and Intelligent Packaging Industry Association (AIPIA).

Among the early confirmed exhibitors are Asia Integrated Machine Inc., Miura Singapore Co. Pte. Ltd.; Krirub Industrial Sales; Formway Trading & Services Inc.; Rieckermann Machinery & Industrial Solutions; Aumpack Inc.; Conveying and Packaging Co. Inc.; Wolf Packaging Machines Co., Ltd.; Loopex Packaging Products Inc.; Elixir Industrial Equipment Inc.; Victorious Team Provider Corporation; and the VCP Trading International Corporation.

ProPak Philippines 2023 is supported by the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Science and Technology, the Philippine Association of Food Technologists Inc. (PAFT), the Philippine Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA), the Production and Operations Management Association of the Philippines (PROMAP), Philippine Printing Technical Foundation (PPTF), the Association of Laguna Food Processors Inc. (ALAFOP), the Association of Filipino Franchisers Inc. (AFFI), the Filipino International Franchise Association (FIFA), One Town, One Product (OTOP), Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP), World Packaging Organisation (WPO), Active & Intelligent Packaging Industry Association (AIPIA), GS1 Philippines, and the British Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines and a lot more.

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About Informa Markets

ProPak Philippines is organized by Informa Markets, a division of Informa plc. Informa Markets creates platforms for industries and specialist markets to trade, innovate and grow. Our portfolio is comprised of more than 550 international B2B events and brands in markets including Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals, Infrastructure, Construction & Real Estate, Fashion & Apparel, Hospitality, Food & Beverage, and Health & Nutrition, among others. For more information, please visit http://www.informamarkets.com.

With Christmas just around the corner, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce & Industry Malabon (PCCI Malabon) is opening the city’s doors and inviting everyone to discover Malabon’s best of the best as it holds the first-ever Malabon Food and Gift Expo 2022. The event is in partnership with the Local Government of Malabon with the support of Honorable Mayor Jeannie Sandoval. The event starts tomorrow, Friday, November 18 until Saturday, November 19 at the Malabon Sports Complex.

Explore the homegrown treasures of the city. You will be surprised to see how Malabon’s food business landscape is thriving from local delicacies to food products as well as the value chain in the food industry from equipment, tools, packaging, and distribution network in the city.

Through this expo, PCCI Malabon is creating a platform to help push Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) to grow and thrive. In line with the organization’s vision to be the voice of business owners and entrepreneurs and its mission to provide technical assistance through job matching, credit access and financial planning, and digital transformation in marketing. The expo is a testament to PCCI Malabon’s goal of fostering and positioning Malabon as the Philippines’ primary food industry hub and leading supply chain through warehouse and distribution facilities, according to PCCI Malabon President Elsie Chua.

“The Malabon Food and Gift Expo 2022 provides a platform for our Malabon MSMEs to showcase our products and services that are proudly ‘Made in Malabon.’ Being a businesswoman who slowly built Melawares 45 years ago, I firmly believe in the power of mentoring and the right support. Through projects like this expo, we are giving them the chance to grow so they too can thrive together with the homegrown Malabon business big brothers and sisters like Liwanag Candle, Rufina’s Patis, Master Sardines, Dolor’s Kakanin, Melawares or Remilly’s Yema Cake,” Chua said.

The event is free admission to the public — just present your government-issued ID to register. The two-day expo is filled with fun activities with learning and inspirational sessions. If you are online, you can join the event through the live and interactive online selling on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PCCIMalabonInc. To maximize the experience, join the expo onsite. Learn from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) food safety program on how to keep the shelf life of food and the BIST/ financing support program.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) / Small Business Corporation is about a credit access financing program. Also, KMME Program and BMBE Program. Learn from Francorp Philippines on how to grow their business through franchising. To further ignite the passion of our MSMEs, Philippines esteemed entrepreneurs will share some inspiring talks to be led by Vice President of FFCCCII Cecilio Pedro of Founder and CEO, of Lamoiyan Corporation, and Mrs. Natividad Cheng, Founder, and CEO, of Uratex, and Ms. Tess Ngantian, Owner of Lotsa Pizza and AVP, PCCI National.

Guests can also watch out for the live cooking demonstration by celebrity Chef Myke “Tatung” Sarthou and learn how to create brand marketing from Mr. Ian John White Hyndman, Manager Partner of Dagaz Consultancy from Dubai, UAE.

Plan your itinerary tomorrow and on Saturday and head on to Malabon Food and Gift Expo 2022. Tara na, Masarap sa Malabon!

The expo was made possible by Platinum Sponsors Melawares / Max Ideas and Spring Oil; Gold Sponsors include CDO, Dolores Kakanin, Remilly Cake, Ni Hao Express, Jamicos, Eagle Food, and Fudsource, and; Silver sponsors Pares Ave, Universal Canning, Manila Cocktails, Longlife, and Ideal Spaghetti.

BingoPlus, the first live-streamed bingo game licensed by PAGCOR, threw its support behind Filipino songwriter and music producer Jonathan Manalo by being a major sponsor of his recent concert entitled “Mr. Music”.

Manalo, the most streamed music producer and songwriter online who has recorded nearly 500 compositions, celebrated his 20^th anniversary in the business with a grand concert that featured Gary Valenciano, Kyla, KZ Tandingan, Jed Madela, Angeline Quinto, Moira de la Torre, PPop groups BGYO and BINI, Darren Espanto, Angela Ken, Sheena Belarmino, and VXON.

Manalo is known for masterpieces such as “Paano Ba Ang Magmahal”, “Kabataang Pinoy”, “Gusto Ko Nang Bumitiw” and “Tara Tena”, among others.

BingoPlus, which has consistently supported the arts, pop culture, music, cultural events, and sports said they supported the prolific producer-songwriter because “Filipinos love his songs, and we are all about reflecting and pushing for the expression of the Filipino taste and spirit”.

“As an exponent of Filipino leisure activities, one of the biggest goals of BingoPlus is to provide top entertainment to Filipino audiences. So if there are events or personalities that add value to the Pinoy pursuit of entertainment, we are always out there to support them. On our own, BingoPlus also stages its shows and special events. We have big entertainment plans for the future,” said Jasper Vicencio, AB Leisure Exponent Inc. president, the company that launched the Bingo Plus brand.

Fans at the Mr. Music concert downloaded the BingoPlus app and experienced the fun of playing BingoPlus for as low as P1.00.

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 the 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 generally 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.

People’s Organization NAMALISA plant trees at the launch of Grow Trees Community 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 a well-loved casual wear brand, Uniqlo.

The highly-anticipated “Quezon City Investors Summit: Future Ready” will promote Quezon City as an ideal destination for investors and businesses as they continue to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The summit will put the spotlight on Quezon City as a top business destination for local and international investors. We hope to attract many investors who can help further stimulate the economy and provide employment for QCitizens,” Mayor Belmonte said. Scheduled on Oct. 7 at Novotel Manila in Araneta City.

The event will engage investors, business leaders, business associations, chambers of commerce, foreign dignitaries, and Quezon City government officials in discussions on key areas for investments, public-private partnerships, and opportunities for expansion and growth. “Quezon City is future-ready, ready for investors, ready to build a better and more prosperous city so that our QCitizens will be able to enjoy the resulting benefits,” said Margarita Santos, head of the Business Permits and Licensing Department (BPLD) of Quezon City.

Aside from its strategic location, Quezon City also has the homegrown QC E-Services platform that makes business processes such as permit and license applications easy for investors, according to Santos. “The LGU has automated and digitized 95 percent of the city’s services through its QC E-Services platform. This means potential investors can apply for business permits online,” said Santos, adding that the “permit will even be delivered to the applicant’s business or home address free of charge.”

As a matter of principle, the Quezon City government constantly consults and coordinates with the business sector, which has enabled both sectors to build a relationship of mutual respect and support. “This continued dialogue with the private sector helps all stakeholders to address various challenges and issues, and to think up ways to create a free, fair, and fertile business environment,” Perry Dominguez, head of the Local Economic Investment Promotions Office, points out.

The local government is known as an ardent supporter of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), providing them with incentives from tax breaks, and tax payment extensions to changing the validity of business permits and licenses to help businesses, especially during the pandemic. Soon, Quezon City will launch its Start-Up QC program to further strengthen and develop the city’s start-up business ecosystem. “This program is calibrated to provide financial gains to innovative, creative, and promising business models that can help provide solutions and recommendations to social issues and challenges,” Jay Gatmaitan, Investment Affairs Office head, explained.

The city’s commitment to good governance saw results when the Quezon City government received its second straight unqualified opinion from the Commission on Audit for its annual audit report for the year 2021. An unqualified opinion is the highest audit rating that can be rendered by COA to a government agency.

Recognized for its quality public service, Quezon City has increased its social services budget over the past three years, enabling the local government to provide livelihood opportunities and create more jobs, support education, and provide permanent housing, better healthcare, and social safety nets, among others.

Earlier, Margie Santos, head of the summit’s organizing committee, said this gathering of business leaders aims to build investor confidence in Quezon City; generate investments and public-private partnerships and make Quezon City the top-of-mind preferred investment destination.

Following the landmark Subic Cable Loading Event in July, InfiniVAN, Inc. in a joint-build project with two other Philippine telcos, completed the Siargao landing of a segment of the Philippine Domestic Submarine Cable Network (PDSCN) in the Municipality of Dapa, Siargao Island on September 22.

InfiniVAN, Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed IPS, Inc. (TSE: 4390) took part in the ceremonial cable pulling event of fiber optic cables that are part of the ongoing cable-laying phase of PDSCN. Five (5) of the 24 segments have already been completed to date.

The cable-pulling ceremony was witnessed by Dapa Mayor Elizabeth T. Matugas, Vice Mayor Gerry Abejo, and municipal officials along with representatives from InfiniVAN, Inc., Globe Telecom, and Eastern Communications. Once completed, the $150-million joint project that spans around 2,500 km will provide ultra-fast and reliable connectivity across the country.

InfiniVAN, Inc. Chief Technology Officer Alberto “Abet” Espedido said that aside from connecting major islands in the country, the project is designed to bring connectivity to tourist destination islands to further boost tourism and other industries in those places.

“We see this as an opportunity to fulfill our objective of providing connectivity to far-flung areas. We hope that the project does not only provide good communications infrastructure to Siargao but also help pump-prime the island’s economy,” he said.

Espedido shared that the fiber optic cable technology used in the country’s biggest and longest submarine cable installation is “future-proof.” This means unregistered 96- core fiber cables used in the project can handle large data throughputs that can be further expanded through advances in terminal equipment over the next 20 to 25 years.

This InfiniVAN-initiated submarine cable project is a cost-effective solution to building a massive and extensive transmission network through a joint-build arrangement with Globe, the Philippines’ leading digital solutions platform, and Eastern Communications, the premier telecommunications, and ICT solutions provider.

“We consider it an achievement, as a new entrant in the market, to be working with well-established partners on this project that will really make a difference in the next few years. It is gratifying to have so-called industry competitors join hands to provide a very precious resource to our countrymen and the country as a whole, in a most unselfish manner,” Espedido added.

The Express and Western routes connecting Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao will be ready by December this year and the remaining Eastern routes will be completed by April 2023

The South China Sea dispute has taken center stage since China emerged as the regional power in the Asia-Pacific. The focus has been on China with all sorts of accusations being thrown at its leadership for being aggressive and belligerent. The vilification of China is deliberate because the narrative being sold is plain good versus evil.

The reality however is, it’s not only China that has been posturing to strengthen its position but all other claimant countries which are in a position to do so as well. Among the most aggressive is Vietnam.

Vietnam actually occupies the most number of features in the South China Sea. It has also built military facilities on these structures. It has been engaged in poaching and continues to do so in the contested areas in the South China Sea using its fleet of blue boats.

It is estimated that Vietnam has a fleet of at least 105,000 of these wooden vessels which catch not only fish but other marine products for both domestic consumption and export to other countries. These blue boats have been caught illegally fishing not only in the South China Sea but as far off as the coast of Australia and New Zealand, Palau, and Papua New Guinea.

Vietnamese fishing boats normally poach in Philippine waters which suffer from a lack of patrol vessels for its long coastline facing the South China sea, from the north near the border with Taiwan to the south near the border with Malaysia.

The Vietnamese have also strained relations with Indonesia over its fishing activities in the North Natuna Islands and recently Vietnam and Indonesia have been engaged in bilateral negotiations in order to resolve the maritime border dispute in the North Natuna Islands, which both claim as part of each other’s territorial waters.

Vietnam is not an archipelagic state as Indonesia is. Yet Vietnam insists that a single boundary for both the continental shelf and the EEZ should be the starting point of bilateral negotiations to resolve disputes between the two countries even if both have ratified UNCLOS. This is the primary sticking point as there is the need for a basic definition of terms to be acceptable to both parties if a compromise agreement is to be reached.

The base points indicated by Vietnam are located offshore which is inconsistent with the provisions of UNCLOS which states that the drawing of straight baselines must not depart from any appreciable extent from the general direction of the coast and the sea areas lying within the baselines must be sufficiently closely linked to the coast to be classified as internal waters.

Vietnam’s penchant for applying its own interpretation of international law, as defined by UNCLOS above, and imposing its own conditions in the conduct of bilateral negotiation, are often why it’s impossible to come to an agreement with them. This is also not in conformity with what has been adopted as the consensus in previous conferences, which have been sponsored by Thailand, for ASEAN member states which are claimants in the South China Sea. Thailand has taken it upon itself to be an honest broker because it is not a claimant and is a neutral party.

The fact remains that similar to Indonesia, the Philippines also have overlapping claims against Vietnam in the South China Sea. It’s not unlikely that there will be a conflict between the two in the near future, if and when bilateral negotiations take place to tackle the issue of conflicting EEZs and there is no doubt that Vietnam will employ the same strategy it has with Indonesia, with the Philippines, as far as the base points are concerned.

LOOK: Here are the artists who performed at the thanksgiving concert for PRRD in Manila on Sunday, June 26.