AGC Building, Alabang, Muntinlupa City – John Paul Aclan together with City Police Chief Angel Garcillano led the awarding ceremony of 15 honest and deserving cops of Muntinlupa City with AGC Honest Cop Awards.

The AGC Honest Cop Award aims to give recognition to the hardworking police men and women who have deemed exemplary and has given outstanding service with integrity in the community.

Awarded by a private company, Aclan Group of Companies, led by the visionary JP Aclan, Founder, President and CEO of Aclan Grouo of Companies, this event was established to inspire our brave and selfless police, for them to be encouraged to uphold the rule of law with compassion, integrity and humility.

“The AGC Honest Cop Award is an initiative by AGC Group of companies to give recognition to honest cops here in Muntinlupa. In coordination with the leadership of Col. Angel Garcillano of Muntinlupa City Police, we have selected deserving policemen who not only have shown their dedication and commitment to work, but more importantly, have been honest and truthful. Now a days, when unfortunately, we have some uniformed personnel who have issues, it is always a breath of fresh air to know that we have cops that are still honest and can be trusted by our constituents here in Muntinlupa” said Aclan.

A total of 15 deserving cops were recognized during the AGC Honest Cop Awards. They are: PMAJ John Glenn Siguan, PMAJ Peter C. Aquino, PCPT Michael F. Tilan, PSSg Rodolfo Motio Jr. , PSSg Abdul Rahman Atabay, PCpl Melvin Dejan, PCpl Nino Paolo Ganaden, Pat Mark Diloy, PMAJ Eutecio Ona, PCPT Reynaldo Par, PSSg Marlon Argame, PSSg Rolly Boy Antoniega, PCpl Albert Mallete, PCpl Reynaldo Quilala and Pat Zander Capillo all assigned in the city of Muntinlupa.

During the recognition, each awardee was treated with refreshments and food and each were given a plaque of recognition plus a special ACG Honest Cop Award pin that symbolizes their honesty and integrity in doing their work as uniformed men and women.

“We hope that with this simple gesture from AGC Group of Companies can inspire and motivate our hardworking policemen and police women to continue their passion and commitment in serving the people of Muntinlupa in all their honesty and with integrity. We are also looking forward that this event can have a ripple effect of having honest uniformed personnel not only here in Muntinlupa but in all parts of the Philippines as well” added Aclan.

The Aclan Group of Companies is a true game-changer in the business world. The highly respected and imaginative John Paul Aclan, who is the company’s founder, CEO, and chairman of the board, has led it to enormous growth and success, expanding into a variety of industries and sectors. It is understandable why so many people in the business community have such high regard for the Aclan Group of Companies.

‍The monthly AGC Honest Cop Awards is just one of the many community projects that was initiated by the company and mainly, this is because of their appreciation for the Muntinlupa City Police in doing a great job of maintaining the city’s peace and order.

Teaching surpasses the realms of jobs or professions–it encompasses service, vocation, and life mission. 

Proving this day and night are millions of Filipino teachers who stand as second mothers to students. One of them is Rosalie Macaspac, an SM scholar alumna who chose to pursue a career in Special Education (SPED).

Life’s work

Choosing to teach, especially pursue SPED, is a path less travelled. Out of over 800,000 public school teachers, only about 4,000 are in SPED, and Rosalie is one of the few who took the path. For 21 years now, the SM scholar alumna has dedicated her life to teaching SPED students. She wanted to empower and give special children a voice by advocating the welfare of deaf learners.

Rosalie Macaspac (left) interprets the contents of the program for her students.

With much dedication and determination to have the right skills for her students, she pursued graduate studies in special education and Filipino sign language at the Philippine National University and De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, respectively. 

She currently teaches at the Philippine School for the Deaf in Pasay, the only government-owned institution for the deaf in the country. Here, she spearheaded the numeracy skills training program for deaf learners.

Embedding grit, greatness

Her journey to becoming an educator was not easy. Her parents separated when she was three years old, and her mother became the breadwinner. 

“In the early years of my life as a three year old, awareness of how hard life is became a part of my growing up. I grew up with a mindset that whatever happens, I will not abandon my studies. Sensing my determination, my mother earned a living by washing and ironing clothes of our neighbors. I came to realize my mom had to wash and press thousands and thousands of clothes so I could finish my studies. But I did not pity myself. Instead, I kept a strong determination to battle on and promised my mother that she will not grow old and die as a laundry woman,” she said.

The weight on their shoulder became heavier when her mother became bedridden for half a year. Instead of slowing her down, it did the opposite. She continued her studies with much determination. With the help of her uncle, the Missionaries of Charity, and the puto bigas she sold, they could get by. 

She finished primary school with good grades, and was a consistent honor student in high school, despite having one centavo allowance and rice and coffee as meals. With good standing, she had her mind set on her next goal: going to college.

“Giving up or surrendering wasn’t in my vocabulary. The strong heart of my mother was passed on to me as she was my inspiration to strive to get us out of the predicament we were in,” she stressed.

“When I was in fourth year high school, I was deep in thought of what to do to support my college education.  Then, God in all His goodness, stepped in again. The Guidance Office in our school announced that the SM Foundation was offering scholarships for qualified students. I knew at that very moment that He was with me. All I had to do is to apply for the scholarship,” she recalled.

Rosalie (fifth from left) and her fellow scholar alumni take a photo with SMIC Executive Director Harley Sy (third from left)

She vividly remembers sending her SM College Scholarship program application at the Customer Service of the SM in Quiapo and how she learned on May 9, 1995 that she would be interviewed for the scholarship in room 214 of the MSE Bldg. The three-digit number has since become unforgettable for her. By June 1995, Macaspac was among the SM scholars who had started their college education under the scholarship program.

According to her, the scholarship helped her become a well-rounded individual. It was the key to the realization of her dreams and paved the way to success. The activities provided by SM Foundation, such as the scholars’ assembly, the orientation, leadership training, sports fest and annual retreat, were very memorable for her.

“Looking back, the retreats, monthly meetings and being able to work in SM as an employee, followed up by our project director boosted my self-esteem and opened my world to service,” she said.

Rosalie at the Philippine School for the Deaf

Before teaching, she first worked as a Merchandise and Planning Control-Clerk at the SM Head Office, which was then located in Calle Echague, Manila. She was hired immediately after college.

Working in DepEd has always been her dream, and she is proud of where she is today: “Since day one of my college days, I aimed to be a public-school teacher. I am happy with my work now as a High School Teacher for Deaf learners. I am so privileged that I am in this community and my heart is entwined with my students.”  

“I am not ashamed to tell my colleagues that I had a humble beginning and I thank SM Foundation for putting me where I am now. I owe these blessings to SM, Henry “Tatang” Sy, SM Foundation, Ma’am Nilda Bernaldez, and my fellow SM-Scholars, most especially, my mother. They are all the instruments to why I chose to give back to a special community and dedicate my life to being an effective SPED teacher.”

MANILA, Philippines. The Jollibee Group recently announced the resumption of its inclusive employment program to hire senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWD) in Manila after renewing its partnership with the city government of Manila.

The partnership is consistent with Jollibee Group’s commitment to providing employment opportunities to different sectors while promoting and practicing inclusivity and diversity in the workplace.

Jollibee Group will hire 28 senior citizens and 17 PWDs as customer relations staff across the Manila branches of Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, and Burger King through the city’s Public Employment Service Office (PESO). Manila PESO will screen and determine qualified candidates before endorsing them to the company. Applicants must also secure a medical clearance from the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center, the accredited hospital for this program.

“We started this program in 2019 with the Manila LGU. Working on this program in the past few years have allowed us to see how our elderly and differently abled individuals have appreciated the opportunity find gainful employment. The Jollibee Group continues to support this initiative of the Manila LGU, and we have been very fortunate to have a partner that shares the same desire and passion as the company in looking after the interest of our elderly and PWDs,” said Ruth Angeles, Jollibee Group Vice President and Head for Human Resources-Philippines and Global Organization, Leadership & Culture.

“We look forward to forging more partnerships with other LGUs so we can improve more lives and find reliable staff who can join us in our mission to share the joy of eating with everyone,” Angeles added.

The signing of the new memorandum of agreement held last January 31 was attended by Manila City Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan, Vice Mayor Yul Servo Nieto, and Secretary to the Mayor Atty. Marlon Lacson, as well as officials from Jollibee Group represented by Public Affairs AVP Atty. Raul Academia and Philippine Region Human Resources Director Anna Prado.

Interested applicants can get more information on this employment program from the Manila Department of Social Welfare and the Office of Senior Citizen’s Affairs.

Back in 2019, Jollibee Group was the first restaurant company in the Philippines to partner with the Manila LGU in providing jobs to over a hundred qualified senior citizens and PWDs in the combined 39 branches of Jollibee, Chowking, Mang Inasal, and Greenwich in Manila.

Besides Manila, Jollibee Group also partnered with the LGUs of Antipolo and Pasay in 2019 to implement the same inclusive employment program.

The world’s leading ship registries will gather in the Philippines next year to participate in the first-ever Flag State & Shipbuilders Convention and Expo: Maritime Philippines 2023 on February 1617, 2023 at the Hotel Sofitel Philippine Plaza, Manila.

For many years now, Manila has been a favorite venue for many international conferences, most notably in the shipping and transportation sector. Some of the biggest conferences in the world have made Manila a regular venue and have successfully created an awareness of the issues that these conferences have put in focus.

Organizer Rachelle Lopez of WMOC Group of Companies sees this as a favorable opportunity to ventilate critical maritime issues to gather traction for the new government under President Ferdinand Marcos to respond and push for the country’s maritime development.

The President, who showed his good grasp of maritime issues, had earlier declared during the presidential campaign his bias in favor of developing the Philippines as a major shipping hub.

The event can serve as a reminder to the President of the country’s vast maritime potential as an engine of economic development.

Notable speakers from some of the biggest Flag States like Panama, Liberia, Marshall Islands, Hongkong, and Singapore will be sharing their experiences and success stories that helped propel their countries’ reputations among shipowners and ship managers around the globe.

Participants will be given the rare opportunity to learn and understand the requirements to have a vessel registered in a flag state, and how to comply with all maritime rules and stipulations by the Flag State following the international maritime rules.

Lopez said, “Our participants will have an understanding of how a country to be a flag state has to have the necessary maritime infrastructure – both financial and financial and most importantly adhere to all the norms and regulations established by the International Mantme Organization (IMO).

It will also be a rare opportunity for all participants to have a first-hand look at what these flag states can offer especially with the heightened focus of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) on all seafarers onboard European-owned ships.

“We are happy to announce that Manila, the vibrant and modem capital of the Philippines, is hosting a very timely and important conference and exhibition focusing on the Flag State Ship Registry, and the promising future of shipbuilding in the Philippines,” explains Lopez

Lopez also informed that the conference will also be holding a simultaneous exhibition and forum that will also present the Ship Building and Ship Repair (SBSR) industry in the Philippines.

The event will also present the current situation and the future of Ship Building and Ship Repair in the country with both private stakeholders and investors and representatives from the government presenting their agenda and plans for a robust SBSR industry that will fuel the country’s dream to be a shipping and logistics hub in the globe.

Lopez hopes that the 2-day event can position the country’s manpower, facilities, and policies to support a robust international maritime and waterfront industry.

“The Philippines is truly a land of great opportunity. We believe, therefore, that it’s time for all the players and stockholders to meet with investors, policymakers, and international developers to share insights as well as exchange information on matters and issues of mutual interest”, she added.

Be part of this worthy event. If you have relatives and friends who will benefit from this expo, please feel free to share the info with them.

The exhibit is still open for sponsorships and exhibitors. You may contact us at 09205033408 and 09099547102 or email us at operations@expomaritimephils2023.

Visit http://www.expomaritimephils2023.com for more details.

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.