The Philippine chapter of the Paris-based International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI) remains upbeat on the property sector’s recovery from the market slump beginning in the fourth quarter this year despite the surge of the delta variant. Reghis Romero II, former chair and now president of FIABCI-Philippines, cited the country’s continued infrastructure buildup, low interest rate…
CEBU CITY—Not even the COVID-19 pandemic can stop this new “city” from rising at the South Road Properties, a 300-hectare reclaimed area in the southern part of Cebu City. The construction of the South Coast City is in full swing—while strictly complying with health protocols—to meet its target completion by the second quarter of 2022.…
SM Hotels and Conventions Corp. (SMHCC) has expressed its support for the United Nations Environment Program campaign to phase out single-use plastics in the tourism sector. It has partnered with the Philippine Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development, Inc. (PCEPSDI) under the Transforming Tourism Value Chains (TVC) Project and the Department of Tourism through…
School is an integral part of the rhythm of Filipino life. The entire year is often planned by families based on when school opens and ends, and the students plan their future based on the subjects they are taking. So when the COVID-19 pandemic caused the largest disruption in education systems in history, we were…
When Mondelez Philippines launched its “Joy Schools” program in 2011, they thought the nutrition supplementation project at a neighboring public school was just a one-off thing. But now, not only has the program extended to 10 years, it has also expanded to other parts of the country. It has also made such a positive impact…
Digital banking is transforming the traditional financial landscape. There are now 249 digital challenger banking players globally, comprised of dynamic digital upstarts and transitioning legacy operators. The Philippines offers an attractive opportunity for this expanding market. The release of the Digital Banking Guidelines in April this year, swiftly followed by agreed licenses for Overseas Filipino…
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic that wreaked havoc on the economy and the lives of millions, Filipino millennials and Gen Zs remain optimistic that the world will be able to conquer the crisis and emerge victorious, according to a recent study by Deloitte. According to Deloitte’s “2021 Global Millennial and Gen Z Survey,” 85 percent of…
In a recent online conference in Bangkok hosted by the World Spa & Wellness where I represented the Philippines, spa and wellness stakeholders from the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam shared one grim observation: the industry has been . In preparation for the country update that I had to do, I conducted a quick survey among…
Megawide is no stranger to crises. Since we started operations more than two decades ago, we have developed key insights that have helped us navigate through the different cycles and thrive amid the most difficult times in our company’s—and country’s—unfolding history. We were born during the 1997 Asian financial crisis and started out as a…
We asked three CEOs from different industries what they expect from their marketers during (and eventually after) the COVID-19 crisis. These three CEOs — Aleli Arcilla, President and General Manager of Reckitt Benckiser Philippines (better known as the maker of Lysol, and Strepsils); Johnlu Koa, Founder and CEO of French Baker; and Jet Parma, President…