Gracee's Lifestyle Journal

CHAMPIONING DIGITAL FINANCIAL INCLUSION: Executives of Bayad and Tala on their partnership signing. Seen in the photo (from L-R) are Tala President and Head of Finance Charisse Alvarez, Tala Chief Business Officer Jori Pearsall, Bayad President and CEO Lawrence Y. Ferrer, and Bayad Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer Dennis S. Gatuslao. Two fintech innovators – CIS Bayad Center, Inc. (Bayad), the country’s pioneer brand in the outsourced payment collection system, and Tala Financing Philippines, Inc. (Tala) - a global leading money app for the underbanked, has officially sealed its partnership, sharing the same goal of elevating the financial experience of Filipinos. Since 2017, Tala has been providing financial tools that help its customers manage their household expenses and help them navigate opportunities to invest in small businesses. Tala has recently reached one million wallet users on its mobile application since its official launch earlier this year. Through its partnership

FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) and one of the world’s largest express transportation companies, is enhancing the online shipping experience for its customers. The new automated e-commerce capability in FedEx Ship Manager™ (FSM) supports small businesses and e-commerce merchants across AMEA, helping them to efficiently manage their shipments online.  Available across 63 countries and territories in AMEA, this enhancement to FSM allows businesses to create shipments and paperwork from their online orders in a few simple steps, saving considerable time compared to manually entering information to create shipping labels. Customers will now be able to synchronise their Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, and PrestaShop store with FSM at fedex.com. More e-commerce platforms and marketplaces will be added over time. In addition, FedEx customers can now: Link their e-commerce platform or marketplace with FSM to automatically download their order information. Create and p

IN PHOTO (Left to right): SM Supermalls Vice President Liza Silerio, SM Prime Chairman of the Executive Committee Hans T. Sy, GUUN Chief Executive Officer Shinji Fujieda, GUUN Philippine Branch Senior Managing Director and General Manager Takeshi Konishi Leading real estate developer in Southeast Asia, SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime) recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Japan’s GUUN Co. Ltd. to explore a potential partnership to implement waste management solutions by recycling waste paper and plastics as an alternative source of energy called ‘fluff fuel’. Fluff Fuels are one type of RDF (Refuse Derived Fuel) which are produced from shredded and compressed plastics, papers, and fibers. These are used as fuels in cement manufacturing, paper mill companies, or power companies in Japan. SM Prime Chairman of the Executive Committee Hans T. Sy is positive that a partnership with GUUN will contribute to the waste reduction goals of the country. “Today, Japan’s waste managem

The ripple effect of the water crisis has reached every part of the globe. According to the World Wildlife Fund, some 1.1 billion people worldwide lack access to water, and a total of 2.7 billion find water scarce for at least one month of the year. Worst, two-thirds of the global population may face water shortages by 2025 and ecosystems will suffer. As the gravity of these issues becomes increasingly apparent, several countries have taken significant steps to forge a more sustainable future for the Earth. Noteworthy examples include Singapore's water management plan and The Netherlands' intricate conservation practices. Singapore’s Desalination Plant         Source: https://www.pub.gov.sg/watersupply/fournationaltaps/desalinatedwater  The Delta Works in The Netherlands was built by Rijkswaterstaat to protect the country against flooding from the North Sea.  Source: https://www.water-technology.net/projects/delta-works-flood-netherlands/   Inspiration for the Philippines In

New SM scholars recently joined the contract signing event in Pasay.   "I desire to become an educator not just to fulfill a dream but also to be a blessing to the next generation."    These inspiring words come from 18-year-old Princess Eunice Motel, an SM scholar currently pursuing her education at the Philippine Normal University. She is one of two children of Hildajane, an on-call factory re-packer, and Richard, a set man, hailing from Caloocan City.    Princess' dream of becoming a teacher has been a lifelong aspiration, deeply rooted in her heart and mind since her childhood. This calling became even more pronounced when she embraced her Christian faith.  SM Scholar and aspiring educator Princess Eunice Motel   "My unwavering commitment to becoming a teacher is directly inspired by the Kidz Life Ministry, a cherished initiative of our church dedicated to teaching children about God's word. I aspire to be a vessel for sharing knowledge, instilling hope, and

SM scholars from Roxas City volunteer to clean the new school building ahead of its turnover. In time for the school year opening, SM Prime through SM Foundation turned over a fully furnished two-storey building to the President Manuel Roxas Memorial Integrated School-South in Roxas City, Western Visayas. The 104th school building made through the collaboration is built in accordance with specifications set by the Department of Education (DepEd). It holds four classrooms, each furnished with desks, chairs for left-handed students, toilets per classroom, including a special toilet for PWDs on the ground floor. It also includes concave blackboards, electric fans, and LED lighting. Emergency lights were installed in the stairways for emergency-preparedness. Supporting DepEd’s commitment to ensure that learners have access to water for hygiene and sanitation, SM Foundation installed a handwashing facility along with liquid soap for the community’s use. To further assist, the SM group will

The worsening impact of climate change is driving the Philippines to prioritize peatland conservation. In May 2023, House Bill 8204 was approved to help improve the sustainable management of peatlands, recognizing their significance as natural climate change solutions. Peatland ecosystems, characterized by the accumulation of decomposed plant materials, permanent waterlogging, and various vegetation, offer nature-based climate mitigation by acting as carbon sinks, absorbing and storing more carbon than they release.  In the Philippines, there are two major peatlands: Agusan Marsh in Agusan Del Sur and Leyte Sab-a Basin in the island of Leyte.  However, peatland fires have frequently occurred in recent years, primarily because of drought and deliberate drainage for agricultural purposes such as palm oil, rice, and corn cultivation.  Alam Siak Lestari (ASL) , a community-owned enterprise in Indonesia dedicated to peatland protection, shared its best practices on how the Philippines can c

FedEx Express (FedEx), a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) and one of the world’s largest express transportation companies, has recently donated hygiene kits to children in Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte, Mindanao through collaboration with Feed the Children, an international nonprofit organization focused on addressing the needs of disadvantaged children in nine countries including the Philippines. A team of 30 FedEx volunteers came together to pack 1,500 hygiene kits containing a nail trimmer, towels, toothpaste, alcohol, toothbrush, and antibacterial soap, and helped deliver the kits to Zamboanga. “ For almost four decades in the Philippines, we are proud to support programs that enable positive sustainable changes for communities to thrive,” said Maribeth Espinosa, Managing Director, FedEx Express Philippines . “ FedEx is committed to delivering for good and contributing to the social and economic needs of those less fortunate. Our goal of connecting people and possibilities

Liminal, a leading regulated digital asset custody provider renowned for its innovative multi-party computation (MPC) wallet infrastructure, recently celebrated its successful two-year journey by announcing that it has processed transactions over $6.8 billion on its platform, with over $550 million worth of assets under protection. Liminal has grown its customer base annually by 178% CAGR and gross revenue from customers at 73.5% CAGR annually, showcasing its commitment to simplifying digital asset custody with its plug-and-play wallet infrastructure that is secure, compliant, automated, and efficient. Liminal's commitment to simplifying digital asset custody with its secure and efficient platform has helped it achieve significant milestones in just two years. In line with this, Liminal has announced the launch of its  Whitelabel Custody Solutions . This new offering will now allow Web3 enterprises to manage digital assets securely and efficiently through a fully customizable and c

The Department of Home Affairs, Australia, has awarded the global biometric collection service across seven regions to VFS Global, the world's largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions.  The agreement spanning Australian biometric collection centres (ABCC) at 165 locations worldwide include new geographies in addition to existing locations operated by VFS Global. Awarded regions comprise Americas, Mekong, Middle East and North Africa, North Asia, Pacific, South Asia and Southeast Asia. According to the agreement, VFS Global’s core services include Biometric Collection and Identity Verification, Digital Assistance with online visa applications submission and Online Payment Assistance on the Department’s ImmiAccount portal. The company would also provide additional (as required services) such as remote interview hosting, document and claim checking, paper digitisation and local addressing and document delivery. The roll out would t

With the Filipino populace becoming increasingly conscious about fitness and health, the demand for hydration fit for a healthy lifestyle has skyrocketed. In fact, the Philippines has witnessed a robust rise in its fitness culture in recent years. City streets that were once filled with vehicles now see morning runners and cyclists; parks that used to be quiet are buzzing with dance and Zumba classes. The country has also seen a swift rise in the number of fitness studios that offer indoor cycling, high intensity group workouts, yoga and other similar activities.  This shift has not just been about achieving a certain body aesthetic; it's about a comprehensive approach to well-being, encompassing both mental and physical health. Clearly, more and more people are making exercise a part of their daily routine, and because of this, hydration has become more important than ever. Enter Gatorade No Sugar — a game-changer in the landscape of electrolyte drinks. New Wave in Hydration Given

If you have been dreaming of a camera smartphone without breaking the bank, here are some incredible photos taken using the hot-selling HONOR 90 5G that can prove it is the one for you! Details, Details, Details! If you are very particular to the details in your photos, HONOR 90 5G sports a 200MP Flagship Camera, a 12MP Ultra-Wide and Macro Camera, and a 2MP Depth Camera equipped with a 1/1.4-inch sensor. The level of detail is simply unbelievable with 200 million pixels in each shot, you can even zoom into 1/8 of a photo taken with HONOR 90 5G, and still see every detail in complete clarity. Low-light shooting scenarios? No problem . The larger sensor size HONOR 90 5G has also enhances low-light performance to deliver high-definition images in stunning clarity. In Night Mode, the large sensor delivers night shots that are clear and transparent. Unlike other devices, you don’t need to wait after pressing the shutter button when shooting in Night Mode. Thanks to HONOR Image Engine, you

DoubleVerify (“DV”) (NYSE: DV), a leading software platform for digital media measurement, data and analytics, today released a report entitled: " Raising the Bar in APAC: How Media Quality and Performance Drive Outcomes ". The report, developed in conjunction with WARC, explores the impact of media quality and attention metrics on driving performance for advertisers in APAC. The study provides an overview of the region’s evolving and nuanced advertising ecosystem, examining key trends, the importance of media quality, and how brands can power performance. Key findings from the report: There is a gap between what marketers report and what they are actually doing The survey revealed that APAC marketers have a positive mindset towards media quality measurement, with 91% agreeing that it is critical for driving media effectiveness. 98% of marketers use ad verification tools in campaigns, with more than half being ‘ very confident ’ about ensuring quality across almost all me

Igloo, a regional insurtech providing people-first and simple insurance solutions, is leveraging upcoming technologies like blockchain and AI to protect underserved segments across Southeast Asia against emerging risks and needs. As part of its mission to provide “Insurance for All,” Igloo unveils how Gen Z (which McKinsey defines as people born between 1996-2012) will shape insurance in the near future. By 2025,  McKinsey  suggests that this segment will make up a quarter of APAC’s population, making them a big driver of the economy. In the Philippines in particular, around  40 million Filipinos  are considered to be part of this segment. Known for being true digital natives and digital savvy, this generation’s preference for speed and convenience, and different lifestyles open a new door filled with opportunities for the sector to tap into. The insurance industry is changing rapidly with the arrival of Gen Z in the workforce. Speed and convenience are now crucial, and the industry mu