Billy Belleza and Jazz Manzano are former overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). When they ended their careers and went home to Bicol, they both found a lucrative business opportunity in the Balik Pinas Program of Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines Inc. (CCBPI), the bottling arm of Coca-Cola in the country. In July 2019, Belleza decided to end his…
In January, the small but extremely active Taal Volcano had another “tantrum,” sending residents of nearby towns in Batangas and Cavite scampering to escape its fury. Ash fall reached Alfonso, where Varias lives and where his main shop is based. Then in March an even bigger crisis had to be faced. The deadly COVID-19 pandemic…
While life in lockdown isn’t ideal, it is made bearable by one key thing: the internet. For many businesses in the Philippines—big, small and everything in between—the internet has enabled them to stay productive sans the physical office, and bounce back amid the pandemic. However, just because you are connected does not mean you have…
Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, holds the inaugural Shopee University Summit with the theme, “Equipping MSMEs for E-Commerce,” to help budding entrepreneurs capture e-commerce opportunities. This May 27, industry leaders, successful online sellers and top brands will share their knowledge and expertise to help online business owners utilize evolving digital…
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) and Nestlé Philippines announced their partnership to upskill workers and trainers in the agriculture sector through the Tesda registered Coffee Production Level II Program and Scholarship. This progressive Robusta coffee production training program provides enterprise-based competency training in coffee farming to aspiring agripreneurs, particularly smallholder farmers and indigenous…
(Editor’s note: We begin with this commentary a series on big ideas and bold moves that some of the country’s leading business leaders are ready to share and act on as the Philippines navigates through a changing business environment.) In my years as head of engineering for the SM malls, I had come to realize…
Globe Telecom rolled out free wifi in government buildings and select medical facilities in Antipolo, a statement on Friday showed. The telco giant further provides the local government with Automated Mobile Blaster (Amber) services to quickly disseminate information to residents as COVID-19 vaccination efforts are ramped up. The measures were announced as Globe extended its…
Amid expectations of slower growth this year, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has committed to sustain its short-term financing arrangement with the national government and assist in economic recovery, Governor Benjamin Diokno said on Friday. At the Washington-based Institute of International Finance’s (IIF) 2021 Asia-Pacific Summit, Diokno said the BSP had already released P2…
The global pandemic has jabbed a wrench into many organizations’ plans, making the future seem even more uncertain. But as new consumer trends begin to emerge and more leaders are now able to combine hard data with experience, ways have emerged for organizations to remain forward-looking in this crisis.Twelve market masters share here their insights…
Selina Maristela Ocampo is no stranger to the hospitality industry. For three years, she was the R & D head at Manila House Private Club. Around that time, she also created a culinary and front-of-house internship program with the Magsaysay Institute of Hospitality and Culinary Arts, as well as a consultancy service, tailored toward the…