Gracee's Lifestyle Journal

Aprio opened its second office in the Philippines on December 4, 2025, at KMC One Ayala, Makati City. (From L-R) Dave Kothari, Global Solutions Delivery Leader, Partner, Aprio; Gemma Raab, Philippine Office Leader, Director, Aprio Philippines; Paul Rubner, Director, Offshore Operations, Aprio Philippines. Aprio , the 24th largest business advisory and accounting firm in the U.S., has expanded its presence in the Philippines with the opening of its second office in Makati City. Aprio's new office is located at KMC One Ayala Mall in Makati City, placing the company in Metro Manila's primary business district. It is designed to support Aprio Philippines' expanding workforce and enhanced service delivery, ensuring scalable capacity for future growth while providing a more accessible workspace for its over 100 employees in Metro Manila. “Aprio Philippines' rapid expansion, showcased with our new, strategically located office in Makati City, underscores our commitment to both...

Bitget , the world's largest Universal Exchange (UEX), took part in   La Liga’s Youth Tournament  in Manila, supporting one of Asia’s most exciting grassroots football events focused on promoting sport, community, and camaraderie. Held from November 14 to 16 at the New Clark City Athletics Stadium, the tournament brought together more than 7,000 young players, families, and coaches for three days of competition, community spirit, and youth development. Bitget’s presence centered on creating a welcoming space for parents and children through its   Blockchain4Youth  initiative. The booth featured a simple penalty shoot-out activity where kids could unwind between matches, with successful attempts rewarded with complimentary refreshments and La Liga x Bitget branded items. For many families, it became an easy meeting point, offering shade, water, and moments of fun amid a packed tournament schedule. The event was designed purely around community value. Bitget chose to s...

Leading universal exchange (UEX) platform Bitget extended its support to communities affected by the recent 6.9 magnitude earthquake in northern Cebu by sending P100,000 relief goods to victims. In partnership with The Ascent Project, the donation drive included food packs and hygiene kits distributed to 118 residents in Bogo City and San Remigio who were heavily impacted by the disaster. Bitget CEO Gracy Chen stressed the importance of teamwork in the community through the Filipino value of kabayanihan , during disasters such as this.  “ My heart goes out to people that have been struggling during this difficult time. Our community in Cebu has helped us stand with those in need during such distress, we hope to support and continue building trust ,” Chen said.  The relief operation took place last November 2, and was mobilized through Bitget’s local trading community, one of the company’s longest-running grassroots groups in Southeast Asia.  “ Bitget remains committed to...

Designed as an evening of insightful discussion and curated wine tasting, Legacy Uncorked brought together an intimate circle of the country’s most respected business leaders, wealth advisors, and high-net-worth families in a sophisticated setting at the Grand Hyatt. In photo: (Left-right) Rozanne Magararu, Pru Life UK Chief Customer & Marketing Officer; Sanjay Chakrabarty, Pru Life UK President and Chief Executive Officer; Michael Ferrer, ATRAM Group Chief Executive Officer; Rex Mendoza, Rampver Financials Chairman and Chief Executive Officer; Princess Charm Balingit, Pru Life UK Chief Investment Officer; and Julien Fey, Pru Life UK Chief Strategy Officer  With family-owned businesses and property values rising in the Philippines, a growing number of Filipino families face a silent financial risk: wealth transfer delays and estate settlement issues that can lead to frozen assets, legal disputes, and forced liquidation. According to Rex Mendoza, Chairman and CEO of Rampver Fina...

Vena Energy, a leading green energy solutions company in the Asia-Pacific region, was recently recognized at the prestigious AmCham Philippines 2025 Corporate Social Impact (CSI) Awards. The company, through its entity, Helios Solar Energy Corp. (HSEC), was honored with the Bronze Award in the highly competitive Community Impact & Civic Engagement category for its Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Program. Presented by the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines in partnership with the U.S. Embassy, this award underscores Vena Energy’s strong belief that its role extends beyond clean energy production to encompass holistic sustainable development within its host communities. The Impact of Clean Water and Sanitation in Cadiz City Implemented in partnership with the Cadiz City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) and the City Health Office (CHO), the WASH Program directly addresses the pressing public health issue of insufficient hygiene and sanitation infrastruc...

Globe Coop, the employee cooperative of Globe Telecom, continues to turn challenges into opportunities through its Globe Coop CAREavan, which recently brought education and livelihood support to students and families at Dingalan Community College (DCC). This first stop marks the start of an employee-led outreach effort with Globe’s regional teams, delivering tailored initiatives across the country to create sustainable, localized impact for vulnerable groups including special children, teen mothers, fisherfolk, out-of-school youth, students, and indigenous communities like the Mangyan and the Aeta communities.   In response to financial challenges that previously led to student dropouts, Globe Coop rolled out  the Bag-to-School program  designed to give students the tools to succeed and families the means to support them. Seventeen deserving students were selected to receive support packages that combine essential school supplies with practical income-generating resources...