ACC:ESS February 2015 by PLDT Media

FEB 2015

THE OF F ICIAL PUBLIC AT IO N O F T H E P LD T G RO U P

acc:essfebruary2015

02 February marks the time of the

year when festivals are celebrated including being the month of hearts, the annual Valentine’s Day. Aside from the usual celebrations such as the Panagbenga in Baguio and the Dinagyang in Iloilo, the Chinese New Year is likewise celebrated in this month this year. This issue, ACC:ESS presents in vivid, festive colors these celebrations as a reflection of our own pride and spirit of festivity – clearly showing how Filipinos love the year-round festivals not just all about what and how traditions dictate with the extravagance that go with it. These celebrations are also manifestations of the rich culture and the connections Filipinos are more proud of.

our cover

26 regulars

01 From the Editor 07 Snapshots 18 Travelogue 25 The Bandwagoner 26 Life & Arts

news

02 2014 Full Year Financial and Operating Results PLDT reports net income at P34.1-B, core net income at P37.4-B 05 MVP now chairs EABC 05 PLDT UK, Telehouse Europe open global point of presence in London 06 Smart Pinoy Store inks new partners, adds new payment portal

14 featureS

09 Bright for Business PLDT SME Nation, SMEs welcome prosperous Year of the Wooden Sheep 10 Sharing Prosperity for ASEAN Integration: The legal challenges 14 PLDT opens first flagship store in Pasay City 16 PLDT blooms in 2015 Panagbenga festival Cover Story 22 There’s no stopping the MVP Media Golf Cup 24 Defend and Conquer: PLDT SME Nation kicks off 2015 with new battle cry

staffbox

C e l ebrations

Mon R. lsberto Public Affairs Head EDITORIAL Butch G. Jimenez Editor Jay-Anne R. Encarnado Editor-in-Chief Sennen F. Lacsamana Managing Editor

e celebrated at least four colorful events in February.

For most of us, this is also called the love month as we mark Valentine’s Day around the world on February 14th. Our Life & Arts section are filled with love stories that turned the pages RED for passion, endearment, and even heartbreak. Then we had our first non-working holiday for the year as we welcome the Year of the Wood Sheep last Feb. 19. The lucky color for the year is said to be GREEN because this is closely associated with the year’s element which is wood. Thus, feng shui expert Johnson Chua has predicted that wood-related industries such as agriculture, furniture and food-related businesses would enjoy a good year in 2015. The only occasion this month that wasn’t featured in this month’s issue is the 29th People Power Anniversary which is normally marked with YELLOW confetti and ribbons. It’s because this event is usually a politically-charged affair. Personally, this event is significant because it brought back democracy in our institutions. And we are all responsible in keeping this democracy alive. Finally, before the close of the month, millions trooped to Baguio City for the 20th Panagbenga Festival. Also called the Flower Festival, this feast that culminates in the grand parade of

blooms, painted the festival route with hues of vibrant ORANGE. Both PLDT and Smart participated in this annual festival that attracts over a million tourists every year. Aside from these four colorful festivals, there are other milestones that we celebrated in February. One of them is the opening of PLDT’s first flagship store. Located in Pasay City, this customercentric store could be a rich opportunity for sales as products and services are well-promoted in the facility. PLDT SME Nation, meanwhile, participated in the Hot Air Balloon Festival in Pampanga to showcase its asset tracker product. We are also recognizing two awards received by the PLDT family in this issue. First is the citation given to PLDT for its mobile dashboard app by Frost & Sullivan at the 2015 CIO Impact AwardMobility Category held in San Francisco recently. It is also with pride that we featured the 2014 Gawad Tanglaw Award that recognized the heart-tugging PLDT Gabay Guro TV commercial that presented real practicing teachers. It was indeed a colorful month for the PLDT Group in February. May the rest of the year be as vibrant and dynamic for all of us! CC

Jay-Anne R. Encarnado

Paul Anthony A. Isla Olive O. Barrozo Adrian T. Elumba Sarah G. Azucena-Reodica Raymond C. Co Writers Daniel G. Moratalla Jay F. Garcia Photographers Annie O. Salazar Arnel N. Samson Circulation Nonong F. Noriega Columnist Carlo D. Gonzalez Mark Daryll P. Sambat Graphic Design CONTRIBUTORS Melvin P. Artugue, Jan Lester E. Bisco, Ronald Catalan, Laemar John V. Chavez, Lolita H. Chun, Riza Cruz, Danny L. Handayan, Dodie Legazpi, April May P. Kagaoan, Ferdinand C. Lopez, Luis C. Maglanoc, Sarah Cielo Q. Meneses, Loida VerdaderoNardo, Marina Rowena I. Pumar, Jessica Daphne D. Salonga, John Paul M. Soriano, Marjory C. Sy, Mary Grace O. Sze

ACC:ESS is published monthly by PLDT Media Division for employees and friends. Address all communications to: The Editor-in-Chief, ACC:ESS, Ramon Cojuangco Building, Makati Avenue, Makati City. Telephones 810-3190 and 8168515. Email: jrencarnado@pldt.com.ph

News

2014 Full Year Financial and Operating Results

PLDT reports net income at P34.1-B, core net income at P37.4-B The Company recently announced its audited financial and operating results for 2014 with consolidated core net income, before exceptional items, amounting to P37.4 billion, 3% or P1.3 billion lower than the P38.7 billion recorded in 2013. The decrease was due mainly to the rise in cash operating expenses, an increase in product subsidies and a higher provision for income tax. Reported net income, after reflecting exceptional transactions for the period, declined 4% to P34.1 billion, from P35.4 billion in 2013, mainly due to the dip in core net income. EBITDA margin for the period was at 47%. Consolidated EBITDA for 2014 was 1% lower at P76.9 billion compared with the same period last year, as the increase in service revenues was offset by higher cash operating expenses and subsidies. EBITDA in the second half of 2014 was 2% higher than the second half of 2013 and stable compared with the first half of 2014; EBITDA in 4Q14 was 10% higher than the 4Q13 level and 6% up vs 3Q14. Consolidated service revenues for the period grew by 1% to P165.1 billion, as revenues from the data and broadband and domestic voice businesses offset the declines in SMS revenues and the international and national long distance streams. Consolidated free cash flow for the year remained robust at P27.7 billion. Consolidated capital expenditures for

ACC:ESS MAGAZINE

the period amounted to P34.8 billion, P6.0 billion higher than the capex level in 2013, in support of: • Improved coverage • Increased fiber reach and capacity • Modernized and fortified fixed line network • Expanded capacity of fixed and mobile broadband network components • Unified Smart-Sun network project to build operational efficiency Capital expenditures are expected to remain elevated for 2015 in light of the anticipated exponential growth in network traffic resulting from the continued growth in smartphone ownership and our own initiatives to stimulate data usage. The Group’s consolidated net debt rose to US$2.3 billion as at 31st December 2014, with net debt to EBITDA at 1.34x. Gross debt amounted to US$2.9 billion. The Group’s debt maturities continue to be well spread out, with over 50% due after 2018, including P15.0 billion of fixed rate retail bonds issued in January 2014. The percentage of US dollar-denominated debt to the Group’s total debt portfolio is at 47%. Taking into account our peso borrowings, our hedges and our U. S. dollar cash holdings, only 34% of total debt remains unhedged. The Group’s cash and short-term securities are invested primarily in bank placements and Government securities. PLDT was

the first Philippine company to be rated “investment grade” by three major international ratings agencies, namely Fitch Ratings, Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s. The Company’s Board of Directors earlier declared a final regular dividend of P61 per share as well as a special dividend of P26 per share. This brings the 2014 total dividend payout to P156 per share, equivalent to 90% of Core Income. “In addition to our committed 75% dividend payout, we announced a special dividend of 15% of our core earnings for a total dividend payout ratio of 90% of core net earnings; this takes into consideration the elevated capital expenditures we incurred in 2014 and which we expect to continue in 2015, as well as our plans to make investments in adjacent digital spaces similar to our recent investment in Rocket Internet. Not quite the 100% we paid out for an unprecedented seven consecutive years but still a significant return nonetheless to our shareholders,” said PLDT Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan. “We are also pleased to note the appreciation of our recent strategic investment in Rocket Internet. Our €333 million investment, representing 6.1% of the Company, is currently valued at €515 million, or 55% higher than our original outlay.” Broadband Total broadband and internet revenues for 2014 totaled P31.9

PLDT’s top management, from left: SVP and Treasurer Anabelle L. Chua, President & CEO Napoleon L. Nazareno, Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan and Regulatory Affairs & Policies Head Ray C. Espinosa share light moment as they answer queries from the business reporters.

billion, a 20% growth year-onyear; broadband and internet now account for 19% of total Group service revenues. PLDT Group fixed broadband businesses generated P13.9 billion in revenues for the year, up by 13% from P12.3 billion in 2013. Wireless broadband revenues, exclusive of mobile internet revenues, increased by 6% to P9.9billion, compared with the P9.3 billion recorded last year. Moreover, mobile internet usage continues to grow strongly, with mobile internet revenues increasing by 63% to P8.1 billion in 2014 from P5.0 billion in 2013. The Group’s combined broadband subscriber base crossed the 4.0 million mark at the end of 2014. Smart Broadband, Smart’s wireless broadband service offered through its wholly-owned subsidiary Smart Broadband, Inc., had a wireless broadband subscriber base of over 2.3 million at the end of the period, about 1.8 million of whom were on Smart Broadband’s prepaid service. In addition, Sun Cellular‘s wireless broadband subscriber base rose to more than 676,000. Meanwhile, PLDT’s fixed broadband subscribers increased by 16% from the end of 2013, bringing the PLDT Group’s

total fixed broadband subscriber base to about 1.1 million for 2014, and now represent 49% of the fixed line subscriber base. Given the success of their “Free Internet” campaign which was launched in September 2014, Smart, Sun Cellular, and Talk ‘N Text extended the promotion to 28th February 2015. The promo allows subscribers to avail of 30MB of data usage per day, free of charge. “The suite of services under our “Internet for All” campaign is expanding rapidly. They run the gamut from collaboration with the likes of Google for Android One handsets to partnerships with consumer giants such as McDonald’s for free coupons and global media players such as Disney for unique interactive content,” said Orlando B. Vea, Smart Chief Wireless Adviser. Cellular Smart and Digitel Mobile together continue to lead the industry in terms of both revenues and subscribers. Wireless service revenues of P115.0 billion for 2014 were 1% lower than the P116.7 billion recognized last year, reflecting the pressure on SMS

and inbound international revenues. Postpaid revenues now account for 21% of total cellular revenues, having grown 14% to P21.7 billion at the end of 2014. The PLDT Group’s total cellular subscriber base at the end of the year stood at 69.9 million, broken down as follows: Smart had 25.9 million subscribers under its mainstream Smart brands; value brand Talk ‘N Text ended with 28.1 million subscribers; and there were 15.8 million Sun Cellular subscribers. The Group’s combined postpaid cellular subscriber base grew by over 387,000 from the end of 2013, rising to just under 2.8 million at the end of the period, while the combined prepaid base stood at 67.1 million. Fixed line Fixed line service revenues for 2014, net of interconnection costs, increased to P57.0 billion, or 6%, from P53.7 billion last year. PLDT data and fixed broadband revenues, representing 53% of total fixed line revenues, continued to grow on the back of a 13% increase in fixed broadband revenues, an 8% rise in corporate data and other network services, and a 17% increase in data center revenues. Combined ILD and NLD businesses of PLDT, representing 14% of fixed line revenues, declined by 3%. Fixed domestic voice revenues, which now only account for 29% of total fixed line revenues, were higher by 2% at P16.6 billion. The fixed line subscriber base reached over 2.2 million at the end of 2014, about 49% of whom have fixed broadband subscriptions.

Graphical representation showing the extent of the PLDT Group’s growth in terms of subscriber base.

The PLDT Group is also uniquely positioned to serve the Enterprise sector with six data centers that offer co-location, server hosting/ outsourcing, disaster recovery, connectivity and data scrubbing. These centers are telco-grade,

FEBRUARY 2015

04 carrier-neutral and vendoragnostic with an aggregate rack capacity that is the largest in the country.

MVP expounds on the business directions reported in the recent press conference for the 2014 full year results during the ambush interview.

Multimedia/content In line with transforming the Company into a multimedia services organization, a number of initiatives integrating various forms of content into our products and services offerings were recently introduced. One of the most notable ones is the multi-year, multi-platform partnership with The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia, through its digital arm, Disney Interactive. Subscribers of Smart and PLDT Home Telpad will be able to access the growing portfolio of Disney’s online games and e-books using their smartphones, tablets, laptops and computers. In the pay TV business, Cignal TV now leads the industry with over 844,000 subscribers at the end of 2014, surpassing the 20-year incumbent. Digital With the increasing pervasiveness of data, it is incumbent to complement the telecommunications access business by participating in the digital world beyond connectivity. In particular, monetizing both domestic and global digital opportunities to deliver new income streams is at the top of the PLDT Group’s priorities. The innovation teams at Voyager, Inc. and Smart e-Money, are in fact already very active in developing pioneering products in this space.

PLDT’s partnership with Rocket Internet has also opened many doors in transforming what were previously local verticals into global horizontals. One such opportunity is the 50-50 global joint venture for mobile-first payment solutions with a focus on the unbanked, uncarded and

“We plan to expand our footprint in the digital space organically, through our various units such as Voyager and Smart e-Money, and in partnership with global players, typified by our recent investment and partnership with Rocket Internet.”

For instance, SafeZone was launched just last February – SafeZone is a digital platform that allows brands and businesses to easily reach their customers through their mobile phones by offering access to mobile apps and sites for free. Initially available to Smart subscribers and forming part of the Group’s “Internet for all” crusade, SafeZone also facilitates e-commerce transactions. SafeZone came on the heels of another groundbreaker LockByMobile, an app which allows a mobile user to protect their credit

ACC:ESS MAGAZINE

card accounts from widespread fraud using one’s mobile phone. LockByMobile is telco and bank agnostic, with granular settings that make possible real-time locking by account, by transaction and by channel, among other options.

unconnected in emerging markets. This joint venture will leverage Rocket’s network of online companies in more than 100 countries, as well as PLDT/Smart e-Money’s pioneering mobile payments platform. “In step with the rapid, dynamic nature of our industry, we at PLDT are always ready to transform ourselves. We have done so in the past - from a pure fixed line company, we added a mobile arm and subsequently, jumped into the broadband space. And now we are reshaping PLDT once again into a

converged, digital communications business, one that not only encompasses our current Individual, Home, Enterprise and Multimedia pillars but welcomes the new kid on the block – Digital. We plan to expand our footprint in the digital space organically, through our various units such as Voyager and Smart e-Money, and in partnership with global players, typified by our recent investment and partnership with Rocket Internet,” said PLDT President and CEO Napoleon L. Nazareno. Beyond providing access and connectivity “Our 2014 performance reflects the combined effect of the intense domestic competitive situation and the changing global landscape – where OTT players are disintermediating the traditional telcos, and data services and social media are overtaking legacy services. Taking these into consideration as we chart our future growth, PLDT recognizes the need to complement its present business by participating in the digital world beyond providing access and connectivity. While we can maximize our strengths as an infrastructure company, we also need to act as a mediator/enabler, as well as a service provider. To this end, we are focusing on adjacent businesses which have links to or which have the ability to enhance our access business. Some of these areas we are already well entrenched in mobile remittances and payments for one – and in others, we are just getting our feet wet. This transition is expected to carry on for the near-term and will likely involve an investment phase in both capital expenditures and corporate assets. As a result, we project higher depreciation costs and financing charges which, along with ongoing efforts to defend our market share, will impact our bottom line which we expect to be in the vicinity of P35.0 billion for 2015. Beyond 2015, we see brighter prospects for PLDT,” concluded Pangilinan. CC:

MVP now chairs EABC

PLDT Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan has been named chairman of the East Asia Business Council during the kick-off meeting with the theme “Enabling SMEs for Sustainable Regional Growth and Global Competitiveness” held in the country recently.

South Korea’s Kim Moohan handed over the chairmanship to MVP during the 30th EABC meeting.

MVP has now taken the leadership of EABC, a conglomeration of private sectors from the ASEAN countries.

In his remarks read by Interior Basics President Jay Yuvallos, Pangilinan said that while there may be a lot of opportunities for companies with the creation of an ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) may feel intimidated.

said. “Thus, in our discussions today, we would like to put forward a suggestion, let us open up this process to more SMEs. We want to bring in more SMEs as we pursue regional economic integration. We want them to become engaged in our aspiration for the creation of a globally competitive economic bloc.”

“But if the AEC really wishes to pursue equitable, sustainable and inclusive growth within the region, we believe that there should be a conscious effort to enable SMEs to participate in this effort,” Pangilinan

New EABC Chairman Pangilinan’s speech ended with a quote from US President Franklin Roosevelt: “Competition has been shown to be useful up to a certain point and no further, but cooperation, which is the

thing we must strive for today, begins where competition leaves off. May we always strive for cooperation among our nations and between large and small enterprises so that we achieve our common vision of a sustainable and equitable regional growth and development.”

Aside from Mr. Pangilinan, the other Philippine representatives to the EABC are Cebu-based Interior Basics President Jay Yuvallos, and SM Group’s Teresita Sy-Coson. EABC is composed of private sector representatives from ASEAN member countries Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam plus China, Japan, and South Korea. A total of 23 members representing seven countries attended the 30th EABC meeting. CC:

PLDT UK, Telehouse Europe open global point of presence in London PLDT has further expanded its global Points of Presence (PoP) with the launch of an additional PoP in the UK through Telehouse Europe, one of the world’s largest data centre owner operators.

The PLDT UK PoP has direct connections to Hong Kong and the United States of America, enabling optimal latency for its customers around the world. This builds on over 500 domestic ethernet nodes that it owns in the country and PoPs in Singapore, Japan, U.S. and Hong Kong.

Signed through PLDT UK Representative PLDT UK, this Oliver Calma and Telehouse deal allows the Company Marketing Director Michelle to offer pan-global Reid shake hands as both connectivity from the “We are very proud to add organizations formalize the the UK to our growing Philippines to the United partnership. Kingdom, and can now managed international provide clients with an network”, said PLDT Ethernet International FVP and PLDT ALPHA Private Leased Circuit (E/IPLC) service Enterprise Head Jovy Hernandez. from the United Kingdom to the rest of “Our constant drive to deliver worldthe world, as part of its Global Managed class service to our customers around Ethernet service offerings. the globe allows them to focus on

what matters most and allows their customers to do the same.” Michelle Reid, Director of Sales and Marketing at Telehouse added that “PLDT has made a great decision to expand their E/IPLC into the UK as the market becomes more significant in the global telecommunications infrastructure. She also said that “with over 535 connectivity providers now in the Telehouse Docklands campus, we look forward to enabling them to maximise the opportunity this expansion represents.” PLDT is the only Philippine telco to have been a consistent finalist and awardee at the prestigious Metro Ethernet Forum Ethernet Excellence Awards for APAC and continues to partner with regional and global providers to expand its coverage and deliver global-class Ethernet services to its customers. CC:

FEBRUARY 2015

Smart Pinoy Store inks new partners, adds new payment portal

Shown here during the signing rites are, seated, from left: Starmobile Head of Non-Traditional Sales Alma Buentipo, PLDT Global President & CEO Alex Caeg, Starmobile Chairman & CEO Joey Uy, PLDT EVP and Head of EICB, and ePLDT President & CEO Eric Alberto. Standing, same order: PLDT Global Marketing Head Edmund Pike, VP of ICT Research & Development Joey Limjap, Smart Pinoy Store & PLDT SME Data Solutions Head Christian Lim, Smart Pinoy Store Marketing Assistant Jervis Lacatan, Smart Pinoy Store Marketing Donna Ira, PLDT ICT International Carrier Head Andy Santos. Online retail store Smart Pinoy Store (SPS) is expanding its product offerings to more Filipinos abroad after it recently signed new merchant partners and a new payment channel. With its already extensive product deals, SPS has included more gadget deals and important life services for overseas Filipinos to their families in the country. New products in their online retail shop include phone and tablet offerings from Syntegraltech, gadget deals from online store Kimstore.com, discounted smartphones from leading local mobile manufacturer Starmobile,

and affordable insurance plans from BenLife Insurance via Txt2Order. “Since we re-introduced our Smart Pinoy Store portal, we’ve seen heavier traffic on our site and have really sparked the interest of the growing Filipino market overseas,” said PLDT Global President Alex Caeg. “We want to further increase that momentum with more products and services that our overseas Filipinos can choose from to send to their loved ones here.” Aside from new retail partners, SPS has also signed e-commerce payment channel Dragonpay to add to its

payment options allowing customers who do not have credit cards to pay for purchases at their designated ‘bayad centers’ located abroad. E-commerce has since gained traction in the local market giving consumers the convenience to shop from online sites and receive their purchases directly to their homes. Smart Pinoy Store has leveraged on the growing popularity of online shopping among Filipinos abroad who would want to send gifts to their loved ones, ranging from discounted items like appliances and gift vouchers to vital life services like educational plans and life insurances. Adrian T. Elumba

With Goldilocks Valentine Treats

PLDT SME NATION surprises customers to improve after-sales services As part of its earnest effort to improve its after-sales services for its customers’ concerns, PLDT SME Nation recently launched a range of customer care channels for SMEs with its PLDT SME Cares campaign. The campaign, launched last month, was aimed at showing just how valuable PLDT SME Nation’s clients coinciding with Valentine’ Day.. Partnering with one of the leading bakeshops in the country Goldilocks, PLDT SME Nation made a sweet endeavor even more memorable with the PLDT SME Cares Team delivering Goldilocks crafted heart-shaped cakes bearing the symbol of PLDT SME Cares to their customers’ nationwide from Regional Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas and Mindanao.

ACC:ESS MAGAZINE

PLDT SME Nation shares all the love with their customers with a Valentine treat from Goldilocks. Goldilocks Bakeshop has been a longtime partner of PLDT SME Nation. Other than using PLDT’s innovative ICT tools, its founders Clarita Leelin Go and Milagros Leelin Yee were recognized as 2013 MVP Bossings. Their story of turning a hobby into a successful franchise serves as an inspiration to both aspiring

entrepreneurs and established SMEs in the country. PLDT SME Nation continues to make it a priority to listen to its customers. For Valentine’s Day or any day of the year, help for your business is always within reach. CC:

snapshots

PLDT receives Frost & Sullivan award

PLDT was recently awarded the 2015 CIO Impact Award-Mobility Category during the 3rd Annual ConNEXTions 2015: A Frost & Sullivan Executive MindXchange event held in San Francisco, California, USA. PLDT’s entry was a mobile dashboard app that provides its enterprise sales (ALPHA and SME) operations team a consolidated, single view of customers that is reliable, fast and secure and can be accessed anytime, anywhere and from any device to support their critical information-based decisions and activities. Winners in the category should have collaborated closely with line-of-business executives to define effective, flexible governance programs and to deploy devices and applications that demonstrate the vast potential of mobile technologies to deliver measurable business value. The winning projects should have used mobile technologies to enable improved internal communication; to support rapid, information-based decisions; to enhance customer satisfaction; and to create smart products and services. Shown here receiving the awards are PLDT IT Sector Head Arvin Arbolado, IT MS/FRAS Head Joseph Sermonia, 1st and 2nd from left. With them is Frost & Sullivan Americas & Partners President Art Robbins.

PLDT Gabay Guro TV ad wins 2014 Gawad Tanglaw award PLDT Gabay Guro (2G), the teacher advocacy program of the PLDT Managers’ Club, Inc. and the PLDT Smart Foundation, was awarded the 2014 Gawad TANGLAW institutional advertising category - for its inspiring ad material for television featuring real teachers, at the 13th Gawad Tanglaw awards held recently at the Ernesto Palanca Crisostomo Hall of the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA, Las Piñas City. 2G has been supporting the country’s teachers and students since 2007, focusing on its core pillars, namely: scholarship grants, teachers’ training, housing and educational facilities, livelihood programs, broadbanding and computerization, and teachers’ tribute. Shown holding the Gawad TANGLAW trophy are PLDT First Vice President & Comptroller and 2G Founder and Chairman Chaye Cabal-Revilla, left, and PLDT VP and Head of HOME Marketing Gary Dujali. Inset is a screenshot of a scene from the winning ad. Gawad Tanglaw is an academe-based media critics group composed of faculty members from various disciplines of the country’s top colleges and universities.

PLDT SME Nation bolsters Alabang Country Club as prime recreational hub in PH PLDT SME Nation and Alabang Country Club recently partnered to help build the leisure club’s recreational facilities after signing up for a suite of ICT tools to innovate the way they serve club members. Envisioning itself to be the premier family country club in the country, Alabang Country Club aims to achieve this by embracing and maximizing the benefits of technology to its operations. Availing of PLDT SME Nation’s business solutions, it plans to upgrade its services with new ICT tools enabling it to become more reachable to their clients. The partnership will provide PLDT Cloud Infrastructure as a Service (IAAS), an OPEX-based solution that lets user have full control over computing resources (CPU, memory and storage) and save money on server space, utilities and hardware maintenance. On the other hand, it will also incorporate VOX in their operations allowing for professionally managed PABX (Private Automatic Branch Exchange) system that enables efficient handling of incoming and outgoing calls. Shown here are the Alabang Country Club officials, seated, President Virgilio Balaguer; standing from left, General Manager Cynthia Matias, Asst. General Manager Carla Maramara, Facilities Project Manager Rico Oliva, PLDT SME Nation’s Vince Ilagan, Finance Division Manager Enrico Verzosa, and Audit Manager Malou Garcia. FEBRUARY 2015

PLDT SME Nation features VOX portfolio at Davao roadshow event

PLDT SME Nation recently featured its VOX portfolio to small-and-medium enterprises (SMES) in Davao during the 4th PLDT VOX Event welcoming 24 companies from different municipalities and resorts. Participants during the event were able to experience the professionally managed PABX (private automatic branch xxchange) system that enables efficient handling of incoming and outgoing calls. This experience provides insights to SMEs on how VOX solutions may be useful for their operations. PLDT SME Nation offers various PABX brands to cater to different levels of SMEs to choose from with guaranteed security against hacking, regular monthly maintenance and a 5-year warranty. It likewise conducts regional roadshows to make SMEs realize the importance of reliable voice solutions as it continues to innovate these basic ICT tools for the changing needs of SMEs in the country.

LENS elects new officers

PLDT LENS Camera Club recently elected its 2015 set of officers, with Marc Edgar “Macky” J. Sevilla, Telecom Engineer at FNETQA-Data/Core Division, as president. Shown leading the oath-taking is ICT Enterprise Solutions Development Head Pablo C. Apostol. The new officers are, from left: Roger John R. Abad, chairman - contest committee; Pearl Marie J. Magbiro, chairman - special projects committee; Macky Sevilla, president; Joanna P. Dizon, chairman - membership committee; James R. Dilag, vice president (external); Alvin F. Santos, asst. auditor; Marvin L. Bernal, vice chairman - special projects committee; and Renelle John C. Magahis, vice president (internal). Not in photo are Natalie Nicole T. Lim, secretary; Mabelyn C. Mina, asst. secretary; Jan Lester E. Bisco, treasurer; Mary Grace L. Ramos, auditor; Mel Gareth P. Reamico, public relations officer; Marites F. Santiago, asst. public relations officer; Arjae S. Nuisa, asst. chairman - contest committee; and Marti Zuriel L. Mercado, asst. chairman membership committee.

EmpDev facilitates teambuilding, sales training for PLDT Global Hong Kong Brushing up selling skills to increase the harvest of productivity became PLDT Global Hong Kong’s preoccupation during the cascade of business goals for 2015. This was coupled by the tall order of strengthening solidarity and getting everyone aboard the bandwagon for responsible team playing. Photo shows the happy bunch of learners during the conduct of the sales training and teambuilding workshop headed by HR Team Head Rebecca Li, Country Manager Edith Gomez, EmpDev AVP Nonong Noriega, Lead Training Officer Lydia dela Merced and Certified Challenger Instructor Dome Gonzaga, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th from left, first row and extreme right last row, respectively. ACC:ESS MAGAZINE

Bright for Business

feature

PLDT SME Nation, SMEs welcome prosperous Year of the Wood Sheep By adrian t. elumba

Feng shui expert Johnson Chua shares his predictions for the new year.

n business, it’s hard work that pays, preparation and grit that will get one far, but luck is manna from heaven.

Gearing for the year of the Wood Sheep, some entrepreneurs and businessmen are looking to see how their luck would fare this 2015 from the feng shui session organized by PLDT SME for their clients featuring expert Johnson Chua. More than a hundred SME owners listened in on their forecast providing them an inkling of what industries are foreseen to prosper and which businesses would need careful treading. Though the practice of feng shui has built itself a following from ardent believers and skeptics, Chua says feng shui stems from the understanding of how the elements flow and affect the balance of positive and negative energy from one’s environment. According to Chua, this would be a great year to grow one’s assets as Wood signifies money or cash while the Sheep is seen to be generous with people not only through resources but also in knowledge. This would be a generous time and a great year to learn and to make money. “This year has a good balance of elements so it would mean well for the year,” said Chua. “Problems may still linger from last year but there is generally a strong energy for luck in business, so we can expect a lot of opportunities. It’s also a good year to invest in education to expand your knowledge and expect to gain recognition that will help you excel in your expertise.” For the Philippines, Chua notes good opportunities for Wood and Fire-related businesses like agriculture, plantation, furniture, food-related businesses, electronics technology, IT, and media. Investments related to properties and stocks are also shining bright for the year. “We’re really looking forward to this year as we’ve heard a lot of good predictions for good business,” said H John Baltazar, VP for Sales of AMP Lending Corporation. “Our business is in lending so we’re really excited to hear that investments and making cash flow means good for business in the Year of the Sheep. It’s my first time to attend this event for PLDT SME Nation, and it’s nice to attend events like these and get added insights for our business.” Aside from industry forecasts, Chua also gave insights on forecasts for each chinese Zodiac for wealth, career, health, relationship, and education. He noted how those born in the year of the tiger, pig, monkey, and rabbit will enjoy a bountiful 2015 while those born in the year of the horse, ox, and rooster will have to work harder and overcome hurdles that could strain their progress.

With prosperity being the dominant element this year, Chua still advises that hard work and perseverance will always be the driving factor for success of any entrepreneur. Despite the challenges or the circumstances that may arise, it’s positive thinking and encouraging positive emotions that will draw in the good fortune. “This has been our second year to organize this feng shui session with our clients and based on the turn out, our clients seem to enjoy and appreciate the things they get out from these enlightening insights, especially ones that matter to their business,” saidPLDT SME Nation SME Strategic Accounts Planning & Mgt Head Jecyn Chua-Teng. “There’s been a lot said about the good fortunes that we anticipate for the year, and with the client relationships and value we’ve seen here at PLDT there’s no doubt that this is the start of that prosperous New Year we’ve all been waiting for.” CC:

FENG SHUI FORECAST 2015 wealth

career

Health

Relationship

































































FEBRUARY 2015

“Sharing prosperity from ASEAN integration: The legal challenges” Remarks of PLDT Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan during the ASEAN Law Association (ALA) Event

hief Justice Hatta Ali, ALA Secretary General Swandi Halim, ALA President Ave Cruz, other ASEAN chief justices including our Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, honored guests – good evening.

– the third most populous economic entity in the world; GDP of 2.3 trillion dollars – 7th largest in the world; total external trade of a similar amount. ASEAN is perhaps the most dynamic amongst the world’s regional groupings.

As a businessman, I engage with a number of lawyers here and abroad, whose job it is to advise people like myself what to do. This is my first time to speak to so many lawyers in one place – and a chance in turn, to suggest to you what may be done to help regional integration. Your invitation is a unique opportunity, for which I am truly privileged and grateful.

We’re also blessed with the treasure of our people – their talent and their skills – hardworking, aspiring, family-centered. Which is probably why the Philippines’ most valued asset is also claimed by most of Southeast Asia: Manny Pacquiao, the people’s champion. We know you share our excitement for his coming fight with Mayweather this May.

Indeed, the world of law and the world of business do intersect; my task tonight is to describe the many challenges of integration from a business perspective.

I think Manny will go for a quick knockout. Unlike lawyers, he doesn’t get paid by the hour.

Introduction Let me start with an old lawyer’s story. I was told a group of you got lost on your way here. You stopped a man at a street corner and asked him: “sir, do you know where we are?” “The man replied, “You are here.” “Ah!” The Indonesian in the group exclaimed, “a lawyer!” “How do you know?” His Thai and Malaysian colleagues asked. “Because his answer is correct – but it led us nowhere.” As I prepared for this event, I asked lawyers, businessmen, and academics where we are in this whole matter of “ASEAN integration.” There were many answers, but only one consensus: “we are here.” Well, at least we know where we are. This, coupled with the knowledge of where we came from, suggests that we have somehow progressed in our journey. We at First Pacific believe in ASEAN. And we walk the talk. We’ve invested in infrastructure and agriculture in the Philippines; power in Singapore; food and agriculture in Indonesia; tollways and bridges in Vietnam; consumer products and tollways in Thailand; food production in Myanmar. The ASEAN community The notion of ASEAN integration is compelling indeed. Ten member countries aggregating a market of 620 million people

ACC:ESS MAGAZINE

Integration: political issues Forging a community needs commonalities and shared traits. But ASEAN is as diverse as one can imagine. Noted Thai journalist Kavi Chongkittavorn once asked – what can bind the people of ASEAN? Khun Kavi notes that our histories are so varied, as to be unable to impart quickly a strong sense of union, a tangible sense of common identification. People of the European Union feel they’re Europeans – but it took them at least 50 years to say this. On our part, we need to articulate the idea of what an ASEAN citizen really means. Our governments stand on varied thoughts, and a political rainbow straddles the region – from absolute monarchy to selfstyled democracies, and everything in between. Integration – economic issues Further, disparities in economic structure, financial systems, legal and regulatory environment — and the different states of their maturity — exist in the region. In per capita income, the wealthiest ASEAN country is 60x the poorest. The richest – is 15x the ASEAN average. Whilst ASEAN’s external trade stands at 2.4 trillion dollars, intra-ASEAN trade amounts to 609 billion dollars – only 24% of total trade. Intra-ASEAN foreign direct investments are significantly lower than exogenous FDI’s flowing inward. Yet convergence is progressing on two major streams – trade and security, albeit at a different pace.

As to trade, ASEAN’s is largely intra-industry, that is, trade in products within the same industry - electronics, motor vehicles, and petroleum. We must expand beyond this to create regional production and supply chains for export to the rest of the world. We do have some important similarities in mining, in agribusiness, aquaculture, tourism, and infrastructure needs. Indonesia and Malaysia are the world’s biggest producers of palm oil. Thailand and Vietnam are top rice producers. The Philippines and Indonesia lead the world in coconut oil, and are also one of the most mineralized countries in the world. All this is fertile ground complementaries to the root. Between and amongst ourselves, we are in a position to influence global markets for these commodities, not to mention the supply needs of China and India.

• Ultimately, a common currency to eliminate foreign exchange differentials which could cause pricing and pricing power distortions.

99.6% of all tariffs lines have already been reduced since 2010 to the target 0-5%. But there are non-tariff barriers which stand in the way – some of which are understandable. Take the case of sugar in the Philippines. Domestic prices are almost double international prices. In theory, we should import our sugar requirements because domestic sugar is uncompetitive. If we do, we will displace more than 500,000 workers, and affect a further 4.0 million of our people, whose livelihood, directly and indirectly, depend upon the industry. The reality is that non-tariff barriers would need to be in place for the meantime, to allow the industry to adjust to the competitive realities in the region. It would help if some member states extend their hand to improve our plantation yield with better varieties and agricultural methods, as well as invest in new, more efficient mills.

The question of vested interest Finally – the question of vested interest.

To push the point further, if the Philippines chooses to produce surplus sugar, we can export them to Indonesia – which imports at least 4 million tons yearly – and trade our sugar for their palm oil.

Isn’t “reservation” the antithesis to a “free and open investment regime” intended by ACIA? Isn’t discrimination the nemesis of integration?

As to security, we’re all aware that our economic growth and prosperity are anchored at having a stable and peaceful region. Yet, because of outstanding maritime and territorial disputes, stability has, from time to time, been threatened. ALA could play a positive role to regional peace by advocating the rule of law, adding its voice to the need for sobriety, reason, and pragmatism in regional affairs.

These conditions are tough to meet, will take time to effect, and require robust political will, especially on the matter of sovereignty. Countries will have to agree to forego some instruments of government policy, including fiscal policy and its national currency and, to a degree, its national laws. Look at Greece today. Part of its painful dilemma is its inability to deploy traditional financial tools like devaluation which can help save its economy – precisely because as part of an economic union, financial sovereignty has been subsumed into the broader notion of community.

The “ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement” (ACIA) aims at creating a free and open investment regime to achieve economic integration under the ASEAN economic community. Provisions on “national treatment” and “most favored-nation treatment” were incorporated in acia requiring members to be given no less favorable treatment, than each of them accords to other members, or non-member states. But – appendix “a” of ACIA contains each member’s “reservation” – a list of off-limits industries or transactions where other members are not welcome.

“...ASEAN integration, despite the challenges, is a noble goal to pursue. But the road to integration has many land mines, and the journey will take time.”

A single market At the end, the transformation of ASEAN into a single market will require the “principle of singularity” applied across the region: • The elimination eventually of non-tariff barriers to trade in goods and services. • Labor mobility. • Harmonization of standards, laws and regulations to encourage fair pricing across countries. • Common taxation regimes to ensure similarities in the cost of doing business; • Free flow of capital, by removing discriminatory regulations such as foreign equity caps or outright investment prohibition.

Conclusion It is time to close. Let me conclude by reiterating my earlier point that ASEAN integration, despite the challenges, is a noble goal to pursue. But the road to integration has many land mines, and the journey will take time.

We all know great concepts are attractively elegant. Yet the underlying realities do not necessarily agree with the beauty of the theory. Thus, we should not be seduced by the conceptual elegance of integration. Its advocates may sell the concept as if it were snake oil or silver bullet – promising an economic miracle, quickly. It simply is neither. In travelling that road, everyone in this hall are necessary companions. As lawyers, your challenge is precisely to craft coherent and converging laws, facilitating an ASEAN without borders in the flow of goods, services, money and people. And so I end as I began. Just like our friends who got lost on the way here, I ask you now: “do we know where we’re going?” It is my hope that years from tonight, our reply will be more than “we are here.” Thank you for your most kind invitation. CC:

FEBRUARY 2015

partnerships with MM Schools

Enterprise business empowers education with ICT

PLDT VP Renato Castañeda, PLDT FVP and Head of PLDT ALPHA Enterprise Jovy Hernandez, and Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian look at the brand new laboratory equipment that ValMaSci students will use as part of their enhanced educational program.

nnovation is certainly key in PLDT’s front in nationbuilding. With connectivity and communication services playing critical roles in the nation’s economic development, our partnerships benefiting education in the country show our commitment to enabling society – providing the best ICT facilities enabling the next generation to best direct the nation next. Enterprise business units PLDT ALPHA Enterprise and PLDT SME Nation recently partnered with Metro Manila-based schools and learning institutes to provide ICT services to better incorporate technology in their programs.

St. Benedict College. The school will be provided a suite of end-to-end ICT solutions that will help in centralizing business operation and giving well-enhanced learning experiences for all its students. “Change is a perpetual reality that we have to face; we have to stand up to the challenges of the times. We are more than willing to innovate with PLDT ALPHA Enterprise. This partnership will be an enduring one,” said San Beda College Alabang Rector President, Fr. Anselm Manalastas, OSB. San Beda College Alabang tapped PLDT ALPHA Enterprise solution such as structured cabling infrastructure, SIP (Session Initiated Protocol) Trunk lines, PABX (Private Branch Exchange) Systems, WIFI Access Points and CCTV (Closed Circuit Television) security cameras.

The new Valenzuela City School of Mathematics and Science (ValMaSci) has teamed up with PLDT ALPHA Enterprise to fully integrate ICT into their learning PLDT SME Nation aids Katrina Solano facility. With more 7,200 square “We are impressed with these schools’ Institute instructors on the benefits of ICT meters of floor area and an atrium, unwavering drive towards change and tools in their program. the four-story facility is equipped innovation, and we are more than ready to with 24/7 WiFi access and highturn their visions into reality. Our aim is to speed data connectivity to support numerous advanced consistently provide such institutions with our expert solutions education equipment such as Smart Boards in six laboratories, and offer our services for the benefit of the school, its students, and PLDT’s commitment to give a significant number of tablets and for future generations,” PLDT FVP and Head of PLDT for the school’s “collaborative room”. ALPHA Enterprise Jovy Hernandez said. “We look at education as a long-term business plan,” says Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian, remarking that many alumni have gone on as board topnotchers. “All you need to do is to give them a better learning environment so that the students of today will excel some more. You have to inspire them to push further.” By investing on infrastructure and technology, Mayor Gatchalian trusts ValMaSci’s students and faculty can break through traditional barriers to learning, taking take advantage of the Internet’s nearly infinite content of resources. “The online world is full of information that can enhance the skills and knowledge of teachers and students alike,” he said. Much like the ValMaSci, PLDT ALPHA Enterprise was also the go-to partner for the San Beda College in Alabang, formerly

ACC:ESS MAGAZINE

On the other hand, PLDT SME Nation has also been providing ICT solutions to several learning institutions with its recent partnership with the Katrina Solano Institute of Learning (KSIL). Through this partnership, PLDT SME Nation is providing the institute with connectivity with Samsung Chromebooks for the use of the students and to promote interactive learning in the classroom. KSIL Chairman and Private School Association of Parañaque (PSAP) President Josephine Solano agrees that children should maximize the benefits of technology today to promote the holistic development of students with interactive learning. Education has remained a big part of the country’s economic thrust towards progress and PLDT is one with the government

PLDT KaAsenso launches its new minigosyo services to members of the entertainment media. Photo shows the four lucky winners of Cyberya units which were raffled off during the event.

PLDT KaAsenso upgrades service for minigosyantes

Shown are some of the top entertainment media who attended the presscon.

op entertainment press gathered to witness the unveiling of PLDT KaAsenso’s upgraded services in a press conference, held in Quezon City recently. The enhanced offerings include Plan 1888, its most affordable package which comes with the ever reliable PLDT landline plus highspeed Internet now at up to 3Mbps. New add-ons were also introduced including Store Watch and WiFi Zone. Also highlighted in the event was the demonstration of Cyberya, PLDT KaAsenso’s all-in-one internet café. According to PLDT Vice President and Head of Home Marketing Gary Dujali, PLDT KaAsenso’s main thrust is to help the Pinoy minigosyante provide a better life for his family. “Filipinos are naturally very resourceful and really find creative ways to provide for their loved ones. The role of PLDT KaAsenso is to support them with services to help make their minigosyo profitable and sustainable ultimately leading to their family’s success. We want to make all their hard work and sacrifice worthwhile.” CC:

The PLDT KaAsenso team poses with the Cyberya units in its effort to upgrade service for minigosyantes.

FEBRUARY 2015

The trendy customers’ lounge of the brand new PLDT Flagship store.

PLDT opens first Flagship store in Pasay City By OLIVE O. BARROZO

etting an up close and personal experience of the latest multimedia products and services can be so exciting you can’t help wanting to own one to share with your family. This doesn’t have to remain in your wish list for long because you will find all these and more at the recently-opened PLDT Flagship store. The state-of-the-art facility has all the elements of a 21st century store, combining retail with entertainment and experiential components to enable subscribers to experience firsthand the latest in telecoms and multimedia products and services.

Gracing the blessing and inauguration of the PLDT Flagship store are, from left: PLDT EVP and Head of HOME Business Ariel P. Fermin, HOME Sales and Service Center Management Head Anna Marie Fernando, ComRel Division Head Evelyn M. Del Rosario, HOME CC & SS Strategy & Perf Management Head Weng Aquino.Second row, same order: Pasay-Parañaque Customer Serv Oprns Zone Head Cesar Embuscado, Consumer Credit & Business System Management FVP Ricky Sison, HOME SSC and Retention Management Head Paolo Lopez, and Property and Facilities Management Head Martin Rio.

ACC:ESS MAGAZINE

Located in Pasay City along the busy streets of FB Harrison, PLDT’s Flagship store is the first of its kind in the company. Welcoming customers outside the sleek new building is a 12 by 15 ft. LED billboard showing PLDT HOME’s TV commercials in high definition. Its trendy interiors include a cozy and luxurious customers’ lounge where guests are encouraged to explore the different interactive screens. The walls are lined with a pair of 32” displays which house custom-made PLDT games and apps that can keep both adults and children busy while waiting for

A guest during the inauguration tries the designer hot phone where customers may dial PLDT’s express hotline nos. (171,172,etc.) that connect them to an agent immediately.

Another guest makes an inquiry on the userfriendly Infotouch.

PLDT Sales and Service Center employees and executives ready to serve the flagship store’s customers. .

their turn to transact business. At the center is a 70” LED TV that entertains visitors with shows, movies, and videos. The Infotouch, a PLDT Sales and Service Center (SSC) staple, received an upgrade with its HD-quality 24” touchscreen monitor where subscribers can now learn more about PLDT products and make transactions such as bill inquiries and repair requests from its user-friendly and well-designed digital interface. Its bilingual button labels can be used with ease by PWDs (persons with disabilities) and it can identify available facilities when subscribers type in their addresses, as well as the different SSC branches, and Alternative Payment Channels just like Google maps. During the consumer launch of the brand new store, subscribers couldn’t help expressing their delight and enthusiasm. Giyenvar Singh noted that “all the facilities are excellent, even the workers are active and helpful...” Rossita Suicar added, “…ang lahat ng inyong aparato ay napakaganda at kagilas-gilas.” Observed Beth Gabito, “your office has improved. Very nice! The service is so quick and the representatives are very accommodating.” Danica Bueno couldn’t agree more,

Employees and guests watch an audio-visual presentation on the 70” LED TV at the center of the customers’ lounge. “saludo po ako sa maganda at kanais-nais ninyong office. Sana tuloy-tuloy na po itong pagbabago. Maraming salamat sa walang sawang pag-update sa akin.” Equally grateful, Josefina Romero was elated, “sobra po akong natuwa sa inyong office. Sobrang nag-effort ang PLDT management. ...Maraming salamat po sa serbisyo.” “This Flagship store is just the start. This is our tool, it’s now up to us to make the most of this tool,” said PLDT HOME SSC and Retention Management Head Paolo Lopez. “This marks the end of the traditional business office and the beginning of the 21st century’s state-of-the-art Sales and Service Center whose concept will inspire the 13 additional stores to be rolled-out this year.” CC:

FEBRUARY 2015

PHOTOS BY RONALD CATALAN

cover story

One of the participating dance groups during the Panagbenga festival perform at its best.

In photo is the façade of the PLDT Baguio Business Zone office bedecked with colorful decors.

By Jessica Daphne D. Salonga, PLDT Community relations

ith the theme “Across 20 years of blossoming together,” the 2015 Panagbenga Festival was, as always, a sight to behold with the colorful hues of flowers decorating the streets of the summer capital Baguio City becoming a tourist attraction. Truly a thousand flowers bloomed as participants and performers donned their colorful and vibrant costumes. Enticing floats were put up to suit the theme and reflected the rich culture of beauty, history, love and affinity of Baguio City and the Cordilleras. Locals and tourists alike crowded the city – from Panagbenga Park to Burnham Park Athletic Bowl – for the grand street dance and float parade. Exclusive promos and services PLDT Home booths were set up all over the city — SM Baguio, Session Road, Burnham Park Athletic Bowl, Sunshine Supermart, Assumption Road, Triple A Supermarket, Pines Theater Supermarket and La Azotea Session Road, etc. — so visitors and spectators can try out the new Fam Cam and avail of PLDT Home’s various offers.

PLDT HOME Telpad also gave out Bluetooth speakers with every upgrade while PLDT HOME Ultera excited booth visitors with free 8gb USBs for paid applications. CSR at its best PLDT Community Relations will always be a good part of any festival that the Company supports. Headed by the indefatigable Evelyn M. Del Rosario, the Company’s brand of corporate social responsibility again took center stage as festival partners Baguio Flower Festival Foundation, Inc. (BFFFI) with volunteers from Disaster Environment Lifesaving Traffic Assistance Network System (DELTANS), School Transport Assistance Traffic Information and Communication Inc. (STATIC), and other festival volunteers, partake of the food distributed by the PLDT Baguio employee-volunteers.

PLDT employee-volunteers at work during the food distribution.

With PLDT HOME DSL’s Family-sized Twin Sale, visitors of the booth experienced waived installation & monthly

ACC:ESS MAGAZINE

fees, free WiFi modems and even FREE speed boosts upon application.

The Company’s CSR arm, through the assistance of the PLDT Baguio Customer Service Zone headed by John Gerald Marasigan, also participated in “Session in Bloom” during which the PLDT Baguio office was decorated attuned with the festival theme. CC:

SIDEBAR

Panagbenga festival goers ‘live all out’ with Smart’s digital experience

Third-generation Igorots at the Tam-Awan Village in Baguio enjoy mobile devices powered by Smart during the 20th Panagbenga Festival.

Street dancers parade along Baguio’s famous Session Road in front of festival-goers at the culmination of the city’s month-long Panagbenga Festival.

icking off the summer festivities this 2015, Smart Communications has once again leveled up the Panagbenga experience of festival-goers by bringing the Internet for all their festival needs, packed with fun activities, allout parties, and digital experiences for everyone. These activities have definitely made their #SmartPanagbenga memories one for the books, and worthy of hundreds of posts on Facebook and Instagram to share with friends and family all over the world, powered by the country’s largest mobile network. Living it all out Firing up the Panagbenga experience were Smart’s “Live All Out” parties at two of the city’s prime bars, Spade Superclub and Ampersand Bar, where Smart subscribers who topped up their prepaid accounts or bought new Smart Prepaid SIM cards got the chance to enter the clubs for free. Get inside the Smart zone But the fun didn’t stop for festival-goers after the Panagbenga parades of the weekend. At the famous “Session in Bloom” where visitors got to enjoy various booths lined up along Session Road, Smart subscribers experienced fun activities and got to take home exciting prizes at the “Smart Zone” booth. Those who bought a Smart Prepaid SIM card or topped up their current prepaid accounts instantly earned a raffle entry plus freebies, where they stood a chance to win a brand new Apple iPhone 6 from Smart. Meanwhile, subscribers who registered to SPINNR, the country’s first and unlimited music streaming app, immediately entered

Panagbenga festival revellers experience a “digital” twist to their usual Baguio City tour thanks to interactive markers installed by Cebu-based startup Innopub Media in cooperation with Smart at various tourist spots around the city.

After the parades comes the party as Smart fires up this year’s Panagbenga Festival with the “Altitude Break” Live All Out party at Ampersand Bar. themselves in a raffle where they had the chance to win tickets to the upcoming One Direction concert. Digital Panagbenga Those who braved the uphill trip to Baguio were able to get around the city and explore famous haunts thanks to the Baguio Guide mobile app for Android phones, developed by Cebu-based startup Innopub Media in partnership with Smart. Apart from the section about the Panagbenga Festival, the app also features helpful information about the city. Articles on must-try food and must-visit places in Baguio, as well as the Department of Tourism-accredited tour guides and tour operators are also listed in the guide. In addition to the app, Smart and InnoPub have also deployed interactive tourism markers around the city that, when scanned or tapped with a phone, trigger the download of tourism and historical information about that certain place or structure. Those who weren’t able to physically join the festivities, meanwhile, still got to experience Baguio in full bloom thanks to the online livestream provided by Sunnex in partnership with Smart, now on its third year. The livestream was proudly powered by Smart LTE, which brought seamless and uninterrupted coverage of the Street Dance Parade and the Grand Float Parade to viewers all over the country. Nationwide festivities The fun is just about to start as Smart brings the exciting ‘Live All Out’ experience to various cities nationwide, after successful runs in Cebu City for the Sinulog Festival, Iloilo City for the Dinagyang Festival, and Baguio City for the Panagbenga Festival. CC:

FEBRUARY 2015

travelogue

Rediscovering Baguio

Tales and unique finds from the #SmartPanagbenga 2015 Tour By April May P. Kagaoan, Smart Public Affairs

hat is your fondest memory of Baguio? Whether it be renting out a horseback ride in Wright Park, cruising on Burnham Park’s man-made lake in those swanshaped boats, playing miniature golf at Camp John Hay, rewarding yourself with strawberry taho after surviving the long (and steep!) flight of stairs in Lourdes Grotto, or simply that joy of forming little clouds when you breathe out the cold air – most of us carry a memory of the Summer Capital and one way or another, the thought of it will always make us feel right at home. But if you think you have already seen enough of Baguio or know everything that there is to know about the place, think again. Baguio is continuously evolving and every first-timer or returning traveller will always have something new to discover, something new to experience. The Japanese caves of the Botanical Garden While serving its purpose as a breezy park for locals and as home to several species of flora and fauna, this botanical garden also boasts a newly unveiled attraction that has been capturing the interest of history geeks – the Japanese caves. Used to be an enter-at-your-own-risk site for curious and adventure-seeking locals, these caves are now lighted up for the public to have a look and feel of the place where the Japanese once sought shelter against falling bombs from the Allied Forces. According to historians, these were also used as treatment centers for wounded soldiers and were said to house a spring that supplied drinking water to the troops. Some locals also believed that Yamashita treasure had been buried in the place, but this was later on debunked because of the absence of dynamite charges which usually sealed treasure tunnels back then. There are just some places that give you the chills, and this one is definitely one of them. Only if these caves (and its walls) could talk, I bet they will give us all a lecture on how we should be grateful to be living at such relatively peaceful times. Note: After exiting the caves, notice the lichens or those light blue algae forms that surround the trunk of most trees. These indicate low sulfur levels in the air, hence less pollutants and happier lungs for park visitors. The Ifugao fertility huts of Tam-awan Village Located at the scenic hills of the artsy Tam-awan Village and under the care of the Chanum Foundation, this is a shout out to honeymooners or for couples who are scouting for their next romantic destination. Traditionally, Ifugao couples who fail to conceive after a year’s worth of trying would have to be locked in these fertility huts for a month. During this period, they will not be allowed to go out, not even to step on the soil. Couples

ACC:ESS MAGAZINE

will have to rely on servers to assist their daily needs and seek the help of a mambunog or a spiritual tribe leader to perform fertility rituals. Before entering the hut, they will also have to rub the belly of fertility bulol or a pregnant stone figure. In the unfortunate case that they fail to conceive after a month, the husband and wife would have to part ways and look for other mates for childbearing. Apparently, our Ifugao ancestors took childbearing and familybuilding very seriously. Can you just imagine the huge pressure and the 50% chance of heartbreak faced by every married Ifugao couple back then? Note: These fertility huts (Yes, the real thing!) are now for rent for just P500 per night for two persons. They come with the native mattresses and hot and cold shower, to boot. Go! The ruins in Café by the Ruins Popular among foodies and recently among romantics and/ or heartbroken fans of the latest Angelica Panganiban-starrer “That Thing Called Tadhana”, this place houses a lot more destiny than that of the arrow with a heart pierced through it (If you haven’t watched it yet, pardon the movie reference). The ruins originally stand in an area of prominence where American leaders settled in after the Spanish colonial era. After discovering the city’s cold climate and its great potential for housing country life, the Americans created a master plan to develop Baguio and make it the country’s Summer Capital. Following this was the establishment of the first government in the city and the eventual flourishing of civic life all over Benguet. As fate would have it though, most parts of the city would be bombed and reduced into ruins after the World War II. Among these would be the first city hall structure that was built in 1910 and across it would be the Governor General’s residence from which the actual ruins in Café by the Ruins have been part of. So the next time you visit the place and munch on its well-known favorites like its bread varieties, Pinikpikang Manok or even that Instagram-worthy strawberry shortcake, just remember that you are stepping on the very area that once served as haven to the great men who shaped Baguio to be the city that it is today. We are always reminded to maintain that childlike enthusiasm that sees thrill in exploration. Whether or not this article sparked your interest in visiting good old Baguio, be assured that there is always something new to uncover about the city. Better yet, when you finally hop on that roadtrip to the Summer Capital, make sure to download the Baguio Guide app (Android and Windows) and equip yourself with fascinating facts from the interactive tourism markers that were set-up by Smart and InnoPub Media all around the city. Who knows what your next Baguio discovery will be? CC:

‘Sum It Up to the Top!’

PLDT continues to support annual Dinagyang Festival Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog announces this year’s Ms. Iloilo Dinagyang beauty pageant. Also in photo are Iloilo City Vice Mayor Jose S. Espinosa III and Iloilo City Councilor Julie Grace Baronda, 2nd and 1st from left.

By Jessica Daphne D. Salonga, PLDT Community relations

Leading the awarding of winners of Dinagyang’s fairest is PLDT ComRel Head Evelyn M. Del Rosario, 4th from left. She is flanked here by Ms. Iloilo Dinagyang Ariane Gabriela, center, and her court. Also in photo is Ms. International 2013 Bea Rose Santiago.

s part of its continuous support to the annual celebration of the rich heritage, colorful history and passionate of the Ilonggos, PLDT has once figured well in the annual Dinagyang Festival making its presence felt with its new products and services, and participating in the beauty pageant as one of the distinguished board of judges in the person of PLDT Community Relations Head Evelyn M. Del Rosario. From the ten lovely young ladies vying for the title Miss Iloilo Dinagyang 2015, 22-year-old medical student from Iloilo Doctor’s College, Ariane Gabriela bested nine other candidates for the title of Miss Iloilo Dinagyang 2015. Gabriela also won the title of Miss PLDT 2015 and was awarded with a FAM CAM monitoring system which includes a DSL plan for six months, a Telpad unit, and additional P5,000.00 as cash prize from PLDT.

Happy customers visit the PLDT HOME booth.

venue to display PLDT HOME DSL’s festive banners along Diversion Road and Ledesma Street as they melded with the theme.

Meanwhile, Vyel Marie Brodit placed second followed by Zairah Marie Agsaluna, each of them receiving PLDT corporate giveaways.

The Kasadyahan parade, one of the main highlights of the festival, astounded thousands of spectators in Iloilo. Birthed after few years of Dinagyang, the parade was to help boost the cultural variety and preserve age-old traditions. At least ten tribes showcased and wowed the audience with their dazzling costumes, thundering fastpaced drum beats, and their extravagant choreography as they passed through the streets of Iloilo City proper. As revelers danced in the streets, PLDT employees also joined the event taking part in the parade.

Festival attendees also had a chance to experience the newly launched product from PLDT HOME – the FAM CAM powered by the reliable family-sized connection of PLDT HOME DSL which is best controlled by the quadcore PLDT HOME Telpad in booths situated along La Paz, Plazoletagay. It was indeed the perfect

This year’s celebration with the tagline ‘Sum It up to the Top!’ anchored on the theme: “Senor Santo Nino: Hope for the Poor.” The festival traces its roots as their thanksgiving celebration to their patron, Señor Sto. Niño of the Child Jesus as well as to celebrate the arrival on Panay of Malay settlers. CC:

FEBRUARY 2015

u Clo e h in t

PLDT SME NATION brings innovation to the skies at 19th Hot Air Balloon Fiesta

LDT SME Nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cloud Asset Tracking Solution was literally tested and successfully delivered up in the clouds as it journeyed with a balloon during the 19th Hot Air Balloon Fiesta in Clark, Pampanga.

The features of the PLDT Cloud asset tracking mechanism are showcased during the hot air balloon event.

The PLDT Cloud Asset Tracking is a GPS-based asset monitoring system that sends per-minute location reports to the user online where users may simply log on in a web portal using any smart device to begin tracking.

ACC:ESS MAGAZINE

Dodie by Photos

Specifically useful for SMEs aiming to reduce fuel and labor costs, as well as improve fleet safety and theft recovery, the device would help the owners identify where their assets are, so they can always ensure on-time delivery and customer satisfaction. CC:

Legaspi

The team was able to monitor the movement and direction of the balloon at 1,200 feet, through the PLDT SME Cloud portal. The team on the ground was able to assist the navigation of the pilot, using the real time location indicated in the web app. The device enabled them to identify their exact location enabling the team to prepare as it lands.

The innovative Mrs. Fields Café has become a template for growing the Mrs. Fields global brand.

revolutionizing a global brand Mrs. Fields PH puts innovation into the mix

necessary tools for efficient data management. “The evolution of technology significantly affects and shapes the way we manage our business, so we adapt and capitalize on what is available to make the business more scalable and sustainable, and I think that’s where PLDT is helping us now,” said Gerwyn See. “Partnering with PLDT SME Nation has helped us scale our business bigger.”

nown for its freshly baked goodies, the Mrs. Fields brand has satisfied the cravings of cookie and dessert lovers around the world with Filipinos already taking a bite of their delectable treats of cookies, muffins, and brownies. Though the smell of freshly baked cookies has become the Mrs. Fields trademark, it needed to expand its offerings and to innovate the global brand to quench the dynamic palate of the Filipino market. Mrs. Fields President Gerwyn See and his wife, Mrs. Fields Chief Communications Officer Sheryl, remember how “it was a big challenge for them to come up with the cookie café concept as most global brands have a set template and are guarded on how the brand is managed locally.”

In the span of ten years, Mrs. Fields PH has expanded to 22 stores operating in various parts of Metro Manila, and is the only Mrs. Fields franchise to offer sandwiches, pasta dishes, and even rice meals in their products to cater to Filipino taste. Geryn and Sheryl See They have also led the Mrs. Fields franchise in being the global template of the brand and as the first country to assist customers at the Mrs. Fields Café. have its own chain of cookie cafes. In the coming years, Mrs. Fields PH plans to widen the presence of Mrs. Fields to further by expanding outside of Metro Manila.

Adjusting to the local market was a challenge for the Mrs. Fields PH team, being a brand known to cater to mostly women. Gerwyn and Sheryl, however, found opportunity in the Filipinos’ hospitality prompting them to expand their product offerings that appeal to the gift-giving culture of Filipinos. This concept of adaptation has been the key to the Sees’ strategy in competing among the local chains of SMEs. “We adjusted the core design and mixing line of our stores to adapt to the target market. It also helps to have a supportive and open-minded board, a team optimistic and passionate about the brand and leadership that is innovative and forward-thinking,” said Sheryl. Mrs. Fields PH has also taken advantage of technological developments for their daily operations. Gerwyn and Sheryl both make sure how Mrs. Fields PH has access to all the

“Everybody can easily come up with brilliant ideas especially at this age where everything is conceptual and creative, but what is key in business is consistency and patience,” said Gerwyn. “No business, formula, or strategy is going to be perfect. But you need to be consistent to see through all these things and patient because it’s not going to happen overnight, or in a year or two. It will take a lot of time before you see the fruits of your labor.” CC:

Shown here is the hardworking team of Mrs. Fields PH brand.

FEBRUARY 2015

or its third year, the MVP Media Golf Cup was supercharged.

Made even bigger, better, and more fun than its previous runs, the 3rd MVP Media Golf Cup cemented its place as one of the most anticipated events in the golf circuit. Taking the game to a whole new level, the 3rd MVP Media Golf Cup found a new home at the Wack-Wack Golf and Country Club, where it welcomed close to 60 of the country’s top-caliber names in broadcast and print media, and over 40 executives from MVP-led companies.

PLDT Vice President Renato Castañeda gets his game on.

Spearheaded by PLDT and First Pacific, and with the contributions of the PR teams of ePLDT, Maynilad, Meralco, Metro Pacific Investments Corporation, Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation, Philex Mining, Smart Communications, Sun Cellular and TV5, the 3rd MVP Media Golf Cup wowed its participants with fun prizes and friendly matches. In the greens, Philippine Daily Inquirer Special Publications Manager Jong Arcano had the Lowest Net while Fox Sports News’ Vince Hizon had the Lowest Gross. DZBB radio anchor Orly Trinidad nabbed the 2nd runner-up title, just a few points from 1st runner-up winner Alex Magno of Philippine Star. But it was newcomer and Business Mirror Food Editor Dino Datu who emerged as the Champion. For the MVP Group executives, Philex Mining

Senate beat reporters take a break from politics and enjoy a game of golf.

THERE’S NO STOPPING

THE MVP MEDIA GOLF CUP By SARAH G. AZUCENA-REODICA

From left: Business Mirror’s Dino Datu, awarded by PLDT Public Affairs Head Ramon Isberto, and PLDT FVP and Head of Alpha Enterprise Jovy Hernandez, awarded by Philex Mining’s Mike Toledo, bag the championship trophies in their respective divisions.

ACC:ESS MAGAZINE

PLDT President Napoleon L. Nazareno welcomes the crowd by sharing stories of his playing experience.

TV5’s leading man Derek Ramsay shows off his playing skills.

“Señor” Rey Pacheco is this year’s lucky winner of the grand raffle car prize - a brand new Toyota Altis.

President Euls Austin maintained his threeyear stay at the top by earning the Lowest Gross award. TV5 Sales Director Ramon Toribio ended nicely with the 2nd runnerup title, while Meralco MGen Senior Vice President and Development Manager Dan Neil was 1st runner-up. Raising the flag of PLDT was First Vice President and Head of Alpha Enterprise Jovy Hernandez, who cinched the Champion title. Print media took home the top plum for their third consecutive win against the Broadcast Media as Overall Champions. Off course, the luckiest player was DWIZ radio anchor “Señor” Rey Pacheco who drove home a brand new Toyota Altis. At the end of the day, the camaraderie formed among the players was the true prize and most treasured memory from the tournament. And with the event’s success, the hardworking organizers are already planning an even better MVP Media Golf Cup for next year. CC:

Going off air, radio anchors and broadcast journalists have a good time at the 3rd MVP Media Golf Cup.

FEBRUARY 2015

er: u q con

and end f de n,

e y c r o f oneh new battle cr

o 15 wit i t a n one kicks off 20

SME nation

PLDT SME Nation don their Star Warsinspired costumes during the SME kick off ceremonies as the troops from PLDT, Smart, Sun, and ePLDT unite to defend and conquer the SME market. Teams participate during the teambuilding activities testing their mettle and collaboration with one another.

“D

efend and Conquer: One Nation, One Force,” is the new battle cry of PLDT, SUN, SMART, and ePLDT. The SME teams of PLDT, SMART, SUN, and ePLDT kicked-off 2015 as they joined forces as “One Nation, One Force”. The Star Wars-inspired event rallied the troops to join together as one alliance, poised to defend and conquer the SME market space by empowering SMEs with the right technology to enable their business. To open the main event, Kat Luna-Abelarde, PLDT First Vice President and Head of Business for SME, proudly recollected on the humble beginnings of PLDT SME Nation, a group that started seven years ago with a portfolio of only P2 billion to an incredible P8.8 billion last 2014. According to her, “what truly kept the revenues coming in – whether in trickles, or buckets - are its PEOPLE.” “Moving forward therefore, we will have to find a way to blend and draw from each one’s strength so that we become a force, greater and bolder than ever,”said Luna-Abelarde. “And it has never been more timely- as we are in the midst of a hypercompetitive, whirlwind environment -- that will continue to exponentially become even more challenging by the day. This will demand that we up our game; to not only respond, but lead and differentiate.” Fulfilling this objective will require two key propositions, according to Luna-Abelarde. First is to DEFEND by “upselling and cross-selling ICT solutions that make every access service stickier; and emphasizing effortless customer experience,” and to CONQUER by “expanding our market coverage, addressing

ACC:ESS MAGAZINE

new and untapped markets, and leveraging on our nation widest fixed and wireless network.” She added that being more aggressive in promoting ICT solutions would greatly affect how SMEs operate. PLDT Executive Vice President and ePLDT President and CEO Eric Alberto further reiterated the significance of transforming as he quotes Bill Gates: “Success itself is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking that they can’t lose.” Kodak and Blackberry are key examples of once renowned companies that have been “greatly dislodged from being top global brands” due to this very reason. “If companies stop evolving and innovating - customers will stop coming. Now, if we stop evolving and innovating ourselves and our business, our customers will definitely start leaving!,” he said. He also talked about how the market has rapidly transitioned to the digital era, increasing the demand for digital solutions. And with the ever-increasing local and global competition, it is but the perfect time to collaborate to empower SMEs with the right tools to remain in the game. During the course of the day, participants were tasked to complete challenges to further strengthen their collaborative spirit as One Nation, One Force, giving importance to teamwork, perseverance, ingenuity, and technology knowledge. To seal off the newly formed alliance, everyone gathered for the ceremonial bonfire, each feeling the excitement of a new tomorrow as they chant their new battle cry for 2015: “DEFEND and CONQUER: One Nation, One Force.” CC:

By nonong noriega

hey say everyone loves the winner. One song even says, “The winner takes it all.” But winning could really be a state of mind. When the cheers subside and the trophies gather dust on the shelf, what lingers are the lessons of the journey. Check out biographies of successful people and you’ll see that most of them were products of second, third and multiple chances. Thomas Edision, Walt Disney, Albert Einstein, to name three. We hail the valedictorians. We salute the Oscar awardee for Best Actor. Confetti gets showered at the basketball team that bags the championship plum. Applause, applause… But runners-up have their share of track records as well. Consistent nominees have earned our respect too. Second, third and fourth placers have created track records that keep them in the race. Quite often, it’s the finalist in American Idol, not necessarily the proclaimed champion that sells in the long run.

g n i n n i The W

t e s d n i M

“We are the champions of the world, “we get riveted by scenes where ecstatic praise and euphoric tribute lavishly embrace the winners. Let’s admit this – nothing less that this is worth aiming for.

All on the same page and winning mindset during the HOME Luzon Sales Rah-Rah in Clark Pampanga with Lydia dela Merced, Dome Gonzaga, Willy Capacite, the Bandwagonner, Walter Gaffud and Dhez Astorga. Competition makes us keep score on the state of your performance. In ancient literature, the hero ultimately shines because of the pressure he gets from his nemesis. That is why many times, MVP uses sports as a metaphor in our own quest of winning in the work place. You get subjected to the rigors of discipline. One must sharpen his focus on the goal and manage occasional setbacks. True, the one who finishes first gets heralded as a cut above the rest. History will secure his name in a distinguished roster. Who wouldn’t want that? Whenever Freddie Mercury belts out.

But is there honor in placing second or third? Yes. A hundred times yes if the process has made you a better person. Pitted against the rivals, the opportunity provided real training to level the quality of your talent and skill. It necessitated the value of ruthless assessment and increased your threshold for obstacles. Let’s ask ourselves: Did we have fun along the why? Did it nurture our relationships with teammates? Did we respond well to constructive feedback? Will this challenge us to do better the next time around? And best gauge of all – did we use our talents to glorify God? The ongoing transformation journey will pose challenging scenarios where we will envision more winning moments. That’s healthy. Just don’t confine the concept of winning to receiving a trophy or medal. Yes, these are certifications for jobs well done. But winning becomes more meaningful when we see competition as a means to improve ourselves and celebrate the gifts of talent and relationships. No gold, silver or bronze can capture that.

“But is there honor in placing second or third? Yes. A hundred times yes if the process has made you a better person. ”

So may I have the envelope, please? Drum roll… Fanfare music… And the winner is… the one who as kept the journey priceless! CC:

FEBRUARY 2015

life+arts

F E S T IV E F E B R U AR Y

Flower Girls Photography by Jan Lester E. Bisco Financial Business Intelligence Warehouse

ACC:ESS MAGAZINE

Artwork by Danny L. Handayan Tondo Home Business Office

An Ode to February

By Sarah Cielo Q. Meneses, HOME BO Management

14 Celebrate love in its many, varying, all wonderful forms; romantic and not, requited or not. 15 Celebrate your fandom and the fictional worlds theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re set in, as well as the people and beings who lived only in pages or on screens, but all of whom youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve come to love. 19 Celebrate the first day of the year of the goat, eighth of the twelve; and remember that, whatever your fortune, bad luck can be diverted with good deeds.

28 Celebrate the bountiful harvest of flowers proud in their ephemeral beauty; never once having a regretful thought and only living to the fullest until their too soon end.

25 Celebrate the power that lies dormant until needed, found in the hearts of people great and small, of a unanimous wish for peace, of democracy and prayers.

Celebrate February and the existence of all those born on her month be they water-bearer or twin fish. And lastly, celebrate the arts from the first to the twenty-eighth, then welcome March when he strides in.

FEBRUARY 2015

Colorful Love

By Laemar John V. Chavez Fixed Service Network Quality Assurance Love in its true color Is real and simple, ever faithful Like summer, winter and fall, this love is for all A great feeling it’s hard not to fall Love sometimes becomes black A feeling of escape and no way back But black is filled with magic No one can explain, it’s epic It’s the lightest blue inside of me Like clouds up high that we both see In that very moment that we look Around the corner for a little nook I never thought of what can happen When a spark has been lightened Filled with the brightest hues Colors that enhance the view A feeling of orange sun over the dawn An excitement that tickles my toes on Seeing your smile so bright In the morning full of light The love I have for you is white It’s pure, honest and sweet Also immaculate and neat This love I have for you is just so right Now that we are together My heart is burning red with fever Like this bouquet of roses in my hand Waiting for a kiss from you my love But I am thanking you my caring angel For bringing all the colors to my life Colors that are filled with your love You’re my angel sent from above

ACC:ESS MAGAZINE

My Kind of Heart

By Lolita H. Chun Simple Services Process and System QA The Heart seeks good in anyone Where a defiant mind would detest, And the eyes would not trust, But it is the Heart that sees the deepest! Sometimes we get mad at finding love before it finds us And much too soon, our Heart gets broken. We fall short of a happy ending, And our fantasy of love almost wanes. The Heart will keep beating, For those who know what loving means. For a Heart that’s filled with love and kindness, Is a Heart that’s pure and never gets shaken. A loving Heart neither ages, nor does it get sick. A happy Heart never runs out of tune, Or lyrics to express its feelings. A beautiful Heart will always be generous in Love, no matter what.

A Call to Celebrate

by Mary Grace O. Sze Customer Service Support Management People, come together! Let’s share a smile to one another. Be mesmerized by vibrant flowers all a-bloom By heads adorned by flora swaying, dancing in high noon. People, sing together! Let’s hum a tune or two. An ode to bravery and long-lost heroes Passion ignited and multiplied in throngs. People, dance together! Let’s march and sway as a whole To the beat of the drums and rumbling of horns. Cheering and clapping amidst the deafening noise. People, give thanks together! Let us be thankful for new beginnings. For a year of bountiful blessings And for a chance to start a new life journey. People, come together! Let us sing to acknowledge God’s grace. Light up the fireworks and start the fanfare Come, answer the call to celebrate.

Fab Feb Fever

By Marjory C. Sy, ProdServ Fabulous, most of the people are feeling that way Especially when counting the hours towards Valentine’s Day Singles are ready to mingle, as many would say True-blue romantics express their message in unique ways It is the time of the year where creative juices come to play Veering away from the tricks and fix of yesterday Every couple plan to make Hearts’ Day happy ye-ye-yay! Fortune is what most people wish for this CNY Every corner of Chinatown’s brimming with T-I-K-O-Y Busy streets of Binondo abuzz with passers-by Rushing to see dragon dancers jump and fly Unwary of the ear-popping sounds and irritated eyes Awestruck with mouth-watering sweets and stir-fries Red envelopes shared, greeting prosperity to come by “Yuan kuaile xingfu yong ban ni zuoyou” (May the joy and happiness around you today and always) February is fire, love and a hopeful start Embodies the fervent desires of the heart Vibrant colorful hues of flowers play part Enchanting the audience to stop and restart Reignite the passion engine on the verge of breaking apart

Dragon Dance Photography by Ferdinand C. Lopez, MMS FasMan

FEBRUARY 2015

Kwento ng Pag-ibig

Ni Marina Rowena I. Pumar, Regulatory Lahat tayo ay may kanya-kanyang kwento Kung saan nagmula at paano nagtagpo Dalawang nilikha pinagsama dito sa mundo Sina Eva at Adan ang tinutukoy ko

May kilala naman ako kapwa sila doktor Pag-ibig sa isa’t-isa ay sapul na sapul Sa I.C.U ng ospital unang nagligawan Sa year 2016 ang magaganap na kasalan

Masaya silang nagsama sa isang paraiso Di alintana ang haharaping gulo Dahil sa mansanas na sobrang mapanukso Kinain nila at pinagsaluhan ito

Ako man ay may kwento rin at nais ko siyang ipakilala Magkaklase kami noong elementarya Pag dating ng high school ay naging barkada At pag sapit ng kolehiyo kami ay nagkanya-kanya

Meron namang pagmamahal sa isang kaibigan Magkasundo kami noong aming kabataan Magpahanggang ngayon kami ay nagtutulungan Sa hirap at ginhawa walang iwanan

Sa isang class reunion ay muling nagkita Kami ay pinagpares ng aming barkada Di naman nagtagal agad nagpakasal na Biniyayaan ng mga anak makisig at magaganda

Pag-ibig sa anak ay mas matindi Siyam na buwan na pagbubuntis ating kine-carry Sa unang araw pa lang ng paglilihi Hirap ng katawan ating sinasarili

Tunay ngang ang pag-ibig ay may dalang hiwaga Di maipaliwanag kung anong nadarama May lungkot at saya ang dulot sa tuwina Di mapaghihiwalay kapag mahal mo ang kasama

Sina kuya at ate na nagmamahal sa magulang Pati na rin si bunso sa bahay nila ay laruan Mabait na sumusunod sa utos ng magulang May respeto sa isa’t-isa sa loob ng tahanan Ang pag-ibig naman ngayon sa ilang kabataan Jowa, Boyfriend/Girlfriend, Syota kung sila’y magturingan Di naman tunay na sila ay nagliligawan Mag un (MU) lang daw muna kanilang pakiramdam Sobrang pagmamahal nitong binata sa dalaga Sa paliparan ng eroplano ay nag-propose siya Isang engagement ring ang kanyang dala-dala Isang matamis na “OO” sagot ng dalaga Bakit nga ba ang pag-ibig ay nakakakilig Pati mukha ng dalaga ay nagkakatigidig Minsan ay tulala ngiti ay abot-langit Hawak ang picture ng paitik (jowa) at titig na titig May pag-ibig naman kahit ayaw ng mga magulang Ipaglalaban nila ang kanilang karapatan Gagawin ang lahat masunod ka lamang Upang mapatunayan pag-ibig na walang hanggan ACC:ESS MAGAZINE

One Great Love

By Riza Cruz, CCFM-CSMFixed Service Network You came into my life unexpectedly Never had any hint that LIFE would completely turn around I was enjoying my life as it was… until God had challenged me Words cannot explain what and how I felt then, knowing that you are comin’ my way Blessed, I was, for you are Thine gift My greatest love... my son LUIS I love you so much, son!

Platonic Love By Anonymous

I never thought he will let me meet you Maybe he has still plans for me and you Or maybe he will let us realize what we have to do Whatever it is, I will still love you. Thank you is not enough for what you’ve made me Specially for spoiling the kid here inside me You managed to be calm despite my temper I know it was hard to control, but soon it’ll be easier Sunset, stars, memories and a lot of photographs You know I would not forget all of that Buses, boats, walks and talks All of them are stored in our box of happy thoughts I don’t know why I am writing this Maybe because you are truly missed You inspire me in everything I do I know this is for me and for you too I will never leave you as promised I will always love you despite all the hindrances You will always be my platonic love Even if we will be miles and miles apart

Love Bounds No Reason

By Loida Verdadero-Nardo, FSQMQuality Assurance I am just about to say that I really, really care As much as I want it to be just and fair Considering the situation that seems to be unfair On all angles there seems to be no way. But if love respects no bound no reason And lasts longer than each and all season Then who am I to betray my emotion If love will give me the very perfect reason.

2 Twenty Two 94

By Luis C. Maglanoc, PMA Central – SSPRM/CSOM It was a beautiful day, my thoughts so vivid. My heart pounding as I need to keep my promise Never letting go, emotions screaming yet timid Another chapter of my life, starting with bliss. Stories are mostly grand, when hearts begin to feel Yet this day, there’s too much anticipation Thanking Him, I pray and humbly kneel. A soul mate He gave, a great union! Covering my nervousness with laughter I have never seen her so lovely, so happy! Though there’s not much fanfare, We took our vows as it was meant to be! Yes, February not only involves loving hearts! It was the month I dreamt of and hoped for. You and I, will journey thru life as one from two paths Our lives to cherish, and souls to soar! Over two decades, and three children after We still hold hands just like the way I remember! You are the reason for my prose, my undying ember. Always, I will love you forever! I Am Kristian Miguel 84139173 16Feb2015

My wanting to stay here the eagerness to go there Makes me a coward that could lead me nowhere The gap and the status are the main concerns And the friendship too that I must maintain. Ohh am I about to lose a very dear friend Is the friendship going to a sudden end, Will it be a choice between letting you go Or saying that “I Love You So” ? FEBRUARY 2015

Confessions of an FMA to an RM By Melvin P. Artugue, FMA, ESAM Team C You are like a celebrity, a star that I could not reach. How can this huge wall between us be breached? I am just a mere technical person tagged as “tester” or “ticket handler”, You hold the accounts that I test and you are the Relationship Manager.

Helping you with your escalated clients is all I can do. In return, I am always glad to hear your simple “thank you”. I cannot call or send you a message if it is not work-related. That is why I chose Facebook the bridge to be updated.

Restoration, ticket handling, coordination, and updating are my job. My feelings for you will just come to a blob. You now have a companion, upon hearsay, is a PMA. I am no match for him, but in my heart, I want you to stay!

There came an opportunity to talk to you face to face. That is one of the happiest moments of my days. Each time you mention my name, my heart jumps so high. On second thought, I was just left with a sigh.

You were both raised in a wealthy family. I struggle to climb to the top with all of my ability. How many times I had my head looked down like this? I wish the world would open wide for me 360 degrees.

I keep on saying someday we will end up in each other’s arms. But at the end of the day, it is just a dream that may not come to pass. This is the saddest fairytale at my workplace, A wind that will just fly away in PLDT space.

Almost Forgotten Valentine By John Paul M. Soriano Properties and Subsidiaries Audit

The feeling of wondering for a long time I thought I was doing really fine But this day came which I thought was a forgotten phase My eyes would not doubt and I see you face to face The reminiscence filled the spaces you emptied Visions of forever with you rushed like tides The promises of love we had then All of them pinched me all of a sudden I have lived and tried to forget For a while, I thought I will have no regret But as the sun set through the days, my feelings will not lie That I cannot completely go on without you is what I realized I remorse how we both became immature If the love we had could have been a bit more nurtured Our worthless jousts, senseless fights and endless cries I cannot fully throw no matter how my memory tries From this day on, let our paths never cross I will forever entomb the feelings we used to keep embossed My feet will take the other facet of fate And I plea our wonders will never meet at any rate

ACC:ESS MAGAZINE

book review

Live the Moment! By Olive O. Barrozo

f you knew the number of moments you have in one day and got around to reflecting about them, would you opt to bask in the pleasures of the world? Or strive to cultivate your mind and spirit, living more meaningfully with a higher purpose? It’s a difficult question. A conundrum. For how do you really live meaningfully in a cruel world ruled by bullies and sycophants? Such is the world inhabited by Nao, one of the main characters in the decidedly engrossing A Tale for the Time Being, a novel by Ruth Ozeki. A time being “is someone who lives in time, and that means you, and me, and every one of us who is, or was, or ever will be,” writes sixteen-year-old Nao, a Japanese girl who transferred from the United States to Japan in the middle of a school year and is essentially considered a foreigner by her sadistic classmates. She grew up comfortably in the beautiful and kid-friendly environs of Sunnyvale, California, her father, Haruki, being one of the computer geeks recruited from Japan to work in one of the start-ups in Silicon Valley. But when the dot-com bubble burst at the start of the new century, her dad lost his job and they had to go back to Japan flat broke. As a result of their extremely reduced circumstances, Nao had to go to a public junior high school, experiencing the worst kind of ijime (bullying), and the family had to live in a dingy apartment in a squalid neighborhood that “wasn’t like the image most people have of Tokyo… with skyscrapers made of concrete and glass.” Almost losing hope, Nao decides to write a diary – a book-long suicide note in fact, which, when found after several years, was wrapped in “a scarred plastic freezer bag, encrusted with barnacles that spread across its surface like a rash.” Inside the freezer bag was a Hello Kitty lunchbox that contained “a small stack of handwritten letters, a pudgy bound book with a faded red cover, and a sturdy antique wristwatch with a matte black face and a luminous dial.” Finding these things captured the other main character – Ruth’s curiosity and imagination which later develops into concern. Ruth’s quiet life in an island across the Pacific is the opposite of Nao’s turbulent and miserable existence. Her days revolve around cooking organic soups, grappling with intermittent internet connections, discussing philosophical questions and extinct flora, among other abstruse subject matters with her

cerebral husband, and trying to resume writing her memoir. Her life takes a different turn when she found Nao’s diary which she read in the pace she imagined the teen-ager would have written it. Though separated by a vast ocean and over a decade, Nao and Ruth share some common traits and experiences that unequivocally connect them to each other. For instance, both of them are writers and good storytellers and have Japanese roots (Ruth’s mother is Japanese). They also left a place and life they love and hanker for – Ruth’s New York and Nao’s Sunnyvale. Oblivious of the discrepancy in time, Ruth tries to locate Nao to prevent her from taking her own life. In her diary, written around 10 years earlier, Nao mentions the exact same things that currently exist in Ruth’s world without even knowing her. Constantly harping on the insignificance of her life, the young diarist nevertheless writes about her relatives whose interesting stories compel the reader – Ruth to search the internet for every possible link to these people. One of her heroes is her great grandmother Jiko, a 104-year-old Buddhist nun who teaches her how to sit zazen, to pray and be grateful for everything, including a prayer for the toilet: “As I go for a dump,/ I pray with all beings/ that we can remove all filth and destroy/ the poisons of greed, anger, and foolishness.” There’s also her great uncle Haruki I, the kamikaze pilot in World War II, who appears to her as a ghost. And her dad, the former hotshot computer scientist-turnedunemployed-turned-depressive, attempting to commit suicide several times in a span of two years. Ozeki’s book is a lot of things. While it is magical, philosophical and surreal, it is also disturbing and relevant – tackling a wide range of subjects, from bullying to Buddhism to the Japanese traditional concept of suicide, to environmental issues to quantum mechanics and Schrodinger’s Cat, among others. Reading the discussion on barnacles, exotic plants, and urban forests can be tedious but they can be instructive too. Ruth’s husband, Oliver, explains them with flair like your favorite teacher in college. Strangely addictive, the novel draws you like a hypnotic dream not only for its gripping narrative but also for its take on the incandescence of life and the impermanence of time which we often take for granted. For why would you choose to fritter away the precious 6,400,099,980 moments you have in one day knowing they will never come back? CC: FEBRUARY 2015