ACC:ESS May 2015

MAY 2015

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

closing THE

DIGITAL divide

acc:essmay2015

02 The telecommunications industry is at the forefront of exciting changes

as technologies evolve, and a Digital Economy emerges. In this month’s issue, we put a spotlight on the four new pillars of PLDT, namely Enterprise, Consumer, Digital and Multimedia. To encapsulate these developments, Media Graphic Artist Daryll Sambat emulates a zoomed-in Google Maps view of how people live in a Digital Economy powered by the Company’s solutions and services. Rendered with colorful imagery and an avantgarde perspective, the cover perfectly captures a digital landscape where people thrive in a new era of technology.

our cover

24

regulars 01 From the Editor 01 Mailbag 23 The Bandwagoner 24 Life & Arts

news

02 2015 PLDT First Quarter Results Company on track of targets for the year 03 New Appointments: PLDT Group key changes, executive appointments bared 05 PLDT, IBM tie-up to enhance PH enterprise Cloud service adoption

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featureS

10 ePLDT unit opens new globalgrade BPO facility 15 PLDT Group launches Big Data services in the Philippines 18 Closing the Digital Divide Cover Story 18 MVP’s Remarks during the PLDT Group Big Data Launch 21 PLDT SME Nation, Rappler team up to empower entrepreneurs on the world of digital business

“E

digitalenabler

ither we pivot or we perish.”

This is how MVP described the importance of digital transformation to our business.

He stressed that the world is going digital and we should embrace this change.

We should be leading this change because we are in the best position to do so.

Thus, the PLDT Group is leading this pivot that will enable the country’s digital economy. With the recent launch of Big Data, we can provide our customers with business insights that will enable them to make more informed decisions that lead to better performance, improved operational efficiencies, and reduced risks.

The PLDT Group is also one big data factory with 73 million mobile subscribers, 2.2 million fixed line customers, and 4.5 million data and broadband users. We can look into this huge amount of data to better understand our own customers and develop more relevant products and services for them.

Our first quarter results also reflected the need to accelerate this digital pivot.

MVP said there would be much pain and it is going to be a bumpy ride but the important thing is that we are now walking the talk.

Two key officers were recently appointed who are vital in this transformation. We now have a Chief Strategy Officer in the person of Winston Damarillo who is a Silicon Valley technology entrepreneur.

Also appointed was German Joachim

MAILBAG

Horn as Chief Technology and Information Advisor.

Our businesses were also realigned for a more converged, digital communications set-up. We are now looking at one Consumer Business for both fixed and wireless segments under one leader, Ariel Fermin. Orlando Vea who was Smart’s Chief Wireless Advisor will now focus full time in Voyager and all the digital subsidiaries to lead our digital offensive. Mediaquest President and CEO Noel Lorenzana, meanwhile, will lead the Group’s multimedia initiatives.

The Enterprise pillar which already cuts across PLDT and Smart is still led by Eric Alberto. Charles Lim has been tasked to establish and head the Wireless Strategic Investments and Acquisition Group.

There were also movements in our Finance Group. Chris Young will soon assume the CFO role of the First Pacific Group. Thus, Anabelle Chua is appointed CFO of the PLDT Group. Chaye Cabal-Revilla will then take the post of Smart CFO and Leo Posadas is appointed as Treasurer.

These are overwhelming changes but we can be sure that these are not the last. As Master Yoda in Star Wars said, “Always in motion is the future.” Thus, we should keep moving and embrace these changes if we are to lead the digital future.

Using MVP’s parting shot (which also came from Star Wars) during the Big Data launch, “May the force be with (us)!”

staffbox Mon R. lsberto Public Affairs Head EDITORIAL Butch G. Jimenez Editor Jay-Anne R. Encarnado Editor-in-Chief Sennen F. Lacsamana Managing Editor Olive O. Barrozo Literary Editor Paul Anthony A. Isla Adrian T. Elumba Sarah 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 Paul Edward Alvarez, Trudy Gine Amoranto, Laemar John Chavez, Melvin Artugue, Danny L. Handayan, Jonah T. Ibardolaza, Luis C. Maglanoc, Josephine F. Meneses, Sarah Cielo Q. Meneses, Marina Rowena I. Pumar, Jessica Daphne D. Salonga, Reynold U. Sarte, Marjory C. Sy, Mary Grace O. Sze, Mark Jason Teves, John Mark V. Tuazon, Caroline A. Umali, Camille C. Villareal

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

Jay-Anne R. Encarnado

Sharing his extreme pleasure with the PLDT service, US Embassy Manila Information Management Officer Meredith “Tiny” Donaway sent an email to PLDT Enterprise Subsidiaries & VIP Acct Mgmt Executive Anthony L. Lim who is all praises to PLDT Makati Customer Service Operations Zone Senior Telecom Technician Gregorio D. Sanchez and another technician. He was able to successfully restore the service. “So, I want to share this good news… and ‘give flowers to the living’ for their efforts. I sincerely appreciate everything that was done,” Donaway said. CC: Sanchez

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02

News

PLDT Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan, 3rd from left, candidly answers questions on the Company’s 2015 outlook. With him in photo are, from left: PLDT Group Chief Financial Officer, PLDT and Smart President and CEO Napoleon L. Nazareno, and PLDT Regulatory Affairs Head Ray C. Espinosa.

2015 PLDT FIRST QUARTER FINANCIAL AND OPERATING RESULTS

Company on track of 2015 targets

By Paul Anthony A. Isla

Despite growing competition in the local telecommunications industry, PLDT remains bullish it would meet its growth targets for the year.

In a press briefing for its first quarter financial and operating results, PLDT Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said the Company is on track of its profit targets [of P35 billion] for the year.

“We’ve gone ahead of the numbers that we expected for this quarter, and we’re on track with our core profit guidance this year,” Pangilinan said.

In the first quarter, PLDT consolidated net income stable at P9.4 billion, while core net income dropped by five percent to P9.3 billion from P9.8 billion during the same period last year.

PLDT added that consolidated revenues also remained stable at P42.6 billion in the first quarter of the year, while consolidated service revenues dropped by two percent to P40.5 billion from P41.2 billion in the same period last year.

PLDT attributed the decrease in service revenues to declining short messaging service revenues and the international and national long distance streams, which offset the increases in revenues from the data and broadband businesses.

PLDT said Ebitda margin for the period was at 48 percent and identical to the same period last year, but higher than the 47 percent

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margin for the fourth quarter of 2014.

Consolidated Ebitda was two percent lower at P19.3 billion in the first quarter of the year, as the decrease in cash operating expenses was offset by lower service revenues and higher provisions.

Consolidated free cash flow grew by 36 percent to P14.6 billion for the first quarter due to the P5.1 billion dividends from Beacon in connection with the same of the five percent Meralco stake in June last year.

PLDT added that consolidated capital expenditures for the period amounted to P3 billion to support the expansion of 3G and 4G networks, increase in fiber reach and capacity, enhance indoor and outdoor coverage, augment network resiliency and redundancy, increase data network capacity, and the Unified Smart-Sun network project to build operational efficiency.

Total data revenues grew by 11 percent to P11.2 billion with data and broadband accounting for 27 percent of the group service revenues and the group’s fixed broadband business generating P3.8 billion in revenues for the period from P3.5 billion in the same period last year.

“We continue to lead in the broadband space where our subscriber count and revenues are growing at a healthy rate. And the unqualified success of our Free Internet promotion just underscores our premise that once exposed to

the ease and relevance of being ‘on’ consumers will pay for data,” Napoleon L. Nazareno, PLDT and Smart president and chief executive said.

Pangilinan said while core revenues sources undergo a transition phase where the erosion of high-end legacy businesses still outpaces the growth of newer initiatives for now, PLDT is taking significant steps to ensure it is ready and prepared for the digital future – a future will require looking at customers from a different set of lenses, as both Individuals and Enterprises embrace a digital life.

“On the enterprise side, we are looking to data center infrastructure, big data and the Cloud as our digital enablers; for the Individual, digital commerce, mobile money and entertainment. In both instances – Enterprises and Individuals – our major task is to deliver and ensure that the digital experience is enriching,” Pangilinan said.

He added, “To achieve this, we need to invest in a transformative infrastructure that will provide the digital spine for our networks, engage in strategic partnerships with the internet community that will bring value beyond connectivity, invest in ventures that will transform our local verticals into global horizontals of which Rocket Internet is a clear investment case, and develop our own applications and initiatives – of which LockbyMobile represents an outstanding example.” CC:

03

PLDT Group key changes, executive appointments bared

Winston L. Damarillo

Charles A. Lim

Joachim Horn

Ariel P. Fermin

As the PLDT Group gears towards the digital economy, key changes and executive appointments were recently bared. With these changes and new appointments, the various business units in PLDT and its subsidiaries are expected to be more customer-focused and to more effectively harness the resources of the entire PLDT Group in developing and delivering relevant and innovative services.

with Orlando B. Vea for the roadmap of the Group’s digital strategy. A technology entrepreneur with a proven track record in enterprise software, he is also concurrently President/CEO of Talas, the Group’s Big Data Unit. He has founded several companies across the ASEAN region and his most recent stint was as Chairman and CEO of AGSX specializing in digital enterprise transformation.

Corporate Strategy Winston L. Damarillo was appointed Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) for the PLDT Group tasked to develop, communicate, execute, and sustain strategic initiatives. For synergies within the PLDT Group, he now closely partners with Enterprise Business Head/Executive Vice President Eric R. Alberto and Consumer Business Head/Executive Vice President Ariel P. Fermin. He also closely collaborates

Technology Joachim Horn has been named Chief Technology and Integration Advisor for the PLDT Group’s entire Network and Information Technology domains. He has over 30 years of global experience in telecommunications having worked at Siemens, T-Mobile, and Bharti Airtel. His last assignment was Group CTIO at Tele2 based in Sweden. He has managed teams of up to 7,000 members and his regional experience

Orlando B. Vea

in Asia covered Indonesia and India.

Commercial Charles A. Lim, currently Executive Vice President/Head for Individual Wireless Business, is now tasked to establish and head the Wireless Strategic Investments and Acquisition Group. He was previously responsible for growing the individual postpaid, broadband and mobile internet businesses by a consistent double-digit rate. His strong leadership background in telecommunications will be critical to concretizing potential global business ventures, expansions, and partnerships.

Ariel P. Fermin, currently Executive Vice President/ Head for PLDT Home, expands his role to assume leadership of the entire Consumer Business, recognizing that the Individual and Home Businesses are symbiotic and

MAY 2015

04

Noel P. Lorenzana

Anabelle L. Chua

complementary. Technology has transformed the home from what used to be a closed, shared network environment into a “boundary-less” one, as people comprising the home have evolved into a set of highly mobile, highly personal, highly connected, digitally-driven and digitally-centric individuals. He has spearheaded the growth of the Home business on the back of an aggressive broadband program and will bring this knowledge and experience to this collective business.

Voyager With the PLDT Group’s increased thrust of building and growing digital business streams, Smart Chief Wireless Advisor Orlando B. Vea will lead and drive the Group’s digital initiatives in his capacity as President/CEO of Voyager Innovations, Inc. and its subsidiaries. Voyager is the Group’s unit focused on creating and delivering innovative, digitally-centric solutions and services.

As media usage and consumption becomes increasingly digital in form, the Group’s media resources are now part of Voyager. As head of the Multimedia vertical, Noel Lorenzana, President/CEO of

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Christopher H. Young

June Cheryl A. Cabal-Revilla

Mediaquest, TV5 and Cignal TV, are now working closely with Vea in charting this digital course.

Finance Christopher H. Young, currently Chief Financial Advisor of the PLDT Group, assumes the role of Chief Financial Officer of First Pacific Company Limited. He will be based mainly at First Pacific’s headquarters in Hong Kong taking over Paul Wallace.

Joining First Pacific in 1987 and was subsequently assigned to PLDT in 1998 where he advised on the liability management program that stabilized PLDT’s financial position, he has been instrumental in enhancing PLDT’s standing in the investor community with his commitment to transparency and good governance. Most recently, he led the deal team that successfully negotiated the Rocket Internet transaction.

Anabelle L. Chua, currently the Chief Financial Officer of Smart, has been appointed Chief Financial Officer for the PLDT Group. She continues to concurrently hold her position of Senior Vice President for Corporate Finance at PLDT. Along with Young, Chua has been a key member of the deal teams that handle the Group’s

Leo I. Posadas

various mergers and acquisitions and other financial initiatives. She has been vital in raising the Group’s standard of financial reporting to comply with international regulatory requirements.

She also serves as Board Director for a number of companies within the PLDT Group and a member as well of the Board of Directors of the Philippine Stock Exchange.

June Cheryl A. Cabal-Revilla is now Chief Financial Officer for Smart and DMPI/Sun Cellular and PLDT Group Controller, concurrent with her present assignment as PLDT’s Head of Financial Reporting and Controllership. She was CFO of ePLDT and PLDT Global, in addition to Cignal TV and all of the PLDT Fixed Line telco-related subsidiaries such as ClarkTel, Subictel, and Maratel. She also heads Gabay Guro (2G), one of the biggest CSR advocacies for teachers nationwide.

Leo I. Posadas has been appointed Treasurer of the PLDT Group concurrent with his position as Head of Treasury Center of PLDT. Leo has been leading treasury operations for the PLDT Group for the past few years. CC:

05 PLDT Group and IBM officials lead the signing of the strategic partnership to help promote innovative cloud services in the country for the enterprise.

PLDT, IBM partners to enhance PH enterprise cloud service adoption and the entrepreneurs PLDT is further enabling in appreciating the country’s digital the advantages of economy with a renewed adopting a flexible partnership with IBM cloud environment,” Philippines that will help President and Country thrust leading industries General Manager of IBM ahead with a wider suite Philippines said Luis of cloud-based services Pineda. “We are bringing akin to ICT-advanced a full suite of leading-edge economies. Through the cloud solutions to best enhanced partnership, answer the growing needs PLDT enterprise clients of businesses today from can leverage on IBM’s scalability, performance, Cloud offerings and and security requirements, solutions through Softlayer easing the transition Infrastracture-as-a-Service of business owners to (IaaS) giving them a wider implement Cloud-driven choice and flexibility in operations.” implementing a cloud PLDT Cloud product manager Francis Arjonillo explains features of environment suited to the PLDT and IBM cloud service at the executive kick-off attended by PLDT has been leading the local their business. officers from PLDT ALPHA Enterprise and PLDT SME Nation, and some front in offering innovative members of the press.

Cloud-based services to leading “The country is large and small-and-medium undoubtedly ready to lead a full-range of SoftLayer infrastructure enterprises in the country offering an digital economy evident in our culture services, including bare metal servers, array of tailor-fit business solutions of being sociable, curious, creative, virtual servers, storage, security for critical industries. Since 2012, tech-savvy, and innovative. With services and networking that can lower the PLDT Cloud has introduced some of our clients already enjoying costs of implementing their own ICT various enterprise-grade cloud the benefits of cloud, there has been infrastructure. solutions in the market that supported positive impact on their bottomline operational efficiency and mobility because of operational efficiencies The IBM Cloud, offered through to companies in leading industries and lowered operating costs that have PLDT Cloud, gives organizations the such as Infrastructure as a Service helped them manage their businesses speed and security of expanding its (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), better,” said PLDT EVP and ePLDT IT capacity based on dynamic needs Software as a Service (SaaS), Microsoft President and CEO Eric Alberto. such as seasonal demand. Philippine Office 365, Contact Center as a Service “Together with IBM’s unique Softlayer businesses will also benefit from cost (CCaaS), Unified Communications Baremetal offerings, we hope to better efficiencies delivered by the on-demand as a Service (UCaaS), and the Oracle evangelize cloud benefits and help and pay-as-you-go model as the cost Suite. Such solutions have successfully more Filipino enterprises to integrate can lower depending on the time of integrated the cloud services in cloud into their business and enable usage that they need the service. business operations that are well them move ahead in the competitive supported by the PLDT Group’s digital era.”

“We are optimistic of the value of diverse service offerings and expansive this partnership for the businesses network. Adrian T. Elumba Businesses can opt to roll out the

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Three lucky subscribers win P100,000 each from PLDT HOME’s Cash Rush Shown during the recent awarding ceremonies of PLDT HOME’s second batch of grand prize winners for Cash Rush: The 100K Raffle Promo are, from left: PLDT HOME Product Manager for Customer Care and Retention Management Nida Limpiada, winners Richie Defensor (representing Lynford Yu), Omna Jalmaani, Pacifico Liwanag, and PLDT Vice President and Home Marketing Head Gary Dujali.

PLDT HOME recently awarded the second batch of grand prize winners for Telerewards’ Cash Rush: The 100K Raffle Promo.

The lucky subscribers were Pacifico Liwanag, Lynford Yu and Omna Jalmaani. Each of them received P100,000 worth of Smart Money credits.

Some 200 other subscribers also received consolation prizes of either P1,000 worth of Krispy Kreme gift certificates or PLDT vouchers of the same value which were automatically credited to their PLDT accounts.

“We are elated by your support and your loyalty,” PLDT Vice President and Home Marketing Head Gary Dujali said during the awarding ceremony. “We’re one big family here in PLDT, and there’s always a reason for you to stay with us. As your family grows or changes, we’ll be here to support you with the right services that will best suit your needs and help you keep the strongest connections at home.”

Congratulating the winners, PLDT HOME Customer Care & Sales Support Coordinator Paolo Lopez also thanked them for their loyalty as PLDT subscribers. “The Telerewards Cash Rush

raffle promo is PLDT’s way of thanking its loyal subscribers like you. Rest assured that we will always be here to serve your telecoms and multimedia requirements.”

To qualify for Cash Rush, PLDT HOME residential and PLDT KaAsenso postpaid subscribers simply have to pay their bills in full and on time.

During the first round of the grand prize raffle held last year, PLDT HOME also awarded P100,000 each to subscribers Antonio Alvarado from Laguna; Felicidad de Leon, Parañaque; and Nestor Flores, Batangas. CC:

ABM Global Solutions, Epicurean Partners Exchange, forge ties for optimized service operations ePLDT subsidiary ABM Global Solutions (AGS), a leading business management solutions provider, recently formed a partnership with Epicurean Partners Exchange, Inc. (EPEI), a local franchisee of Kenny Rogers Roasters and Seattle’s Best Coffee in the Philippines.

EPEI has tapped AGS to provide and implement the globally recognized SAP Enterprise Resource Planning system to manage the operations of its expanding chain of restaurants across the country, anticipating the benefits of more streamlined operations and more efficient delivery of data that will enable them to make better and faster decisions for the benefit of its customers and ultimately the company itself.

“We are excited for this partnership of assisting the Epicurean group to become even more successful, more competitive and to create more value for their stakeholders through this milestone project with AGS and our partner—SAP,” said ePLDT Group COO and AGS President Nerisse Ramos during the contract signing ceremony. “The implementation is one thing but helping

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ePLDT Group COO and AGS President Nerissa S. Ramos, 2nd from left, shakes hands with EPEI President Frederick T. Siy after agreeing to share the promise of the future with the recent AGS and Epicurean contract signing. Also present during the event are, from left: AGS General Manager Luis Ignacio A. Lopa and EPEI General Manager Rea Enrica V. Cruz.

EPEI adopt the system is even more important because only in optimizing the benefit of the solution can our customer derive value out of it.”

For more than 20 years, AGS has helped companies in improving its clients’ businesses by delivering software applications and implementation

services through its Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Supply Chain Management (SCM), and Spend Management systems offerings.

Through numerous years of experience, AGS takes pride in having the highest number of satisfied clients among SAP partners. CC:

07

PLDT pushes for higher PH ranking in global DEI PLDT is gearing for higher Philippine ranking in the global Digital Evolution Index (DEI) as it accelerates efforts to enable the country’s digital economy through expanded internet access, continuous innovation, and increased digital adoption.

In a DEI study created by US-based Fletcher School at Tufts University with support from Mastercard and DataCash using data from 2008 to 2013, the Philippines was ranked on the verge of the high-potential or “break-out” category and was noted as one of the “rapidly-advancing countries” alongside China, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam in the global digital topography.

The study was made to compare the readiness for a digital economy of 50 countries which were selected based on the location’s internet usage.

PLDT Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said that the PLDT Group is wellpositioned to support the country in meeting these challenges and sustain its rapid digital transformation through its 76.4 million subscribers nationwide.

“We have been taking significant steps in the past decade to ensure that we are ready and prepared for the digital future. We are, however, accelerating our digital initiatives as this future will require engaging our customers from a different set of lenses, as both individuals and enterprises embrace a digital life,” he said.

He noted that on the enterprise side, PLDT is looking at data center infrastructure, big data, machine-tomachine (M2M) solutions and cloud as digital enablers while for the individual, the drivers will be digital commerce, mobile money, and entertainment.

PLDT has also invested in ventures that would transform its local verticals into global horizontals such as its investment in Rocket Internet. This partnership has already produced a joint venture that aims to drive the massive adoption of online and mobile payment solutions in emerging markets.

The Company is also making a strong push for greater internet access. Smart

recently partnered with Facebook to debut Internet.org in Southeast Asia.

This enabled Smart’s over 70 million wireless subscribers to enjoy free access to select web services.

The PLDT Group, on the other hand, is also developing its own applications and initiatives such as the LockByMobile which is a mobilebased, anti-fraud security service that will empower card users to “lock” and “unlock” their ATM, prepaid, debit and credit cards with the use of their smartphones. It is also enriching its multimedia content through partnerships with various providers like Disney. It recently expanded its multi-year, multi-platform partnership with The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia, through its digital entertainment arm Disney Interactive. After initially providing access to Disney’s popular online games and e-books to Smart, the Disney Interactive portfolio will now be offered at home through HOME business unit. Adrian T. Elumba

PLDT ALPHA Enterprise feted as Polycom alliance partner PLDT ALPHA Enterprise was recently named the Alliance Partner for Polycom by regional distributor Transition System Philippines. The recognition was given during the Polycom appreciation and awards gala to celebrate its strategic partnerships and to recognize the outstanding work and contributions of its valued partners. The Alliance Partner distinction is given to Polycom partners whose services drive value for its line of products. PLDT ALPHA Enterprise was recognized for its strategic approach in mobilizing complete communication capabilities to provide topnotch collaboration suites for its enterprise customers.

Ranking second in IDC’s Worldwide Enterprise Videoconferencing and Telepresence Equipment Qview, Polycom currently has a 23.8% share of the worldwide market. In the Philippines,

Polycom products are part of the PLDT ALPHA Enterprise portfolio of services, enabling PLDT customers to enjoy

world-class collaboration solutions such as audio and video conferencing.

CC:

Shown here receiving the recognition are, from left: Thep Ritrangkla, Polycom Regional Manager for Thailand, Vietnam, Indochina and Philippines; Tovia Va’aelua, Microsoft Office Division Business Group Lead; John Lao, PLDT Product Manager for Conferencing Suite; Laramarie Tubino, PLDT Product Manager for Managed Unified Communications; Fay Ocampo, PLDT Head of Enterprise Voice Category; Mira Osis, General Sales Manager of Transition Systems Philippines Converged Group; and Kim Malinao, Polycom Country Systems Engineer.

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2015 Earth Day Celebrations

pldt among the 1-B participants from 192 countries

Striking a pose after the Pro Earth Run 2015 are the PLDT employee-volunteers.

In partnership with Earth Day Network Philippines, Inc. (EDNPI), PLDT Community Relations spearheaded

by Evelyn M. Del Rosario recently supported anew a grander celebration of Earth Day 2015 participated in by various environmental advocates both from the government and the private sectors, featuring as well the Ms. Earth 2015 candidates.

A total of one billion participants from 192 countries was recorded for this year’s celebration.

PLDT ComRel Head Evelyn M. Del Rosario, DENR Strategic Communication and Initiatives Service (SCIS) Director Jesus Enrico Moises Salazar, EDNPI Executive Director Ryan Vita and EDNPI President Isagani Serrano, seated, 2nd and 1st from left, and standing, 1st and 2nd from right, respectively are shown here with the PLDT employeevolunteers who participated in the Earth Day celebration.

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This year was also an important milestone in environment history as it was the 15th year celebration of Philippine Earth Day and the 45th anniversary celebration of the International Earth Day. With the theme “Earth Day Every Day, Everywhere for Everyone,” the event was not only aimed at celebrating the environment but raising as well the awareness of environmental challenges and what people can do about them.

Del Rosario emphasized the importance of cooperation and volunteerism in making the celebration bigger and more meaningful for the Filipinos – to enable people and communities improve lives and contribute to nation building. A call to action, she believes that Earth Day is to compel the whole world to recognize the urgency of responding to climate change.

PLDT had always been active and constant with their participation as they have established many

09

PDRF co-hosts disaster capability management forum The Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation (PDRF) recently collaborated with Australian disaster recovery expert Graeme Newton, the Australian Embassy in the Philippines and the Urban Land Institute in a capability management forum that discussed lessons for Yolanda-stricken areas.

The forum is one of a series of PDRF’s Prep Lab, a research and training arm of its Disaster Operations Center (DOC), to be located in the Clark Airport area

that aims to collaborate with the government as well as mobilizing the assets of the private sector to provide disaster mitigation and immediate response in time s of calamity.

Newton leads Deloitte’s Australian Crisis Management business as well as the firm’s Centre of Excellence for Crisis Management for the South East Asia region. His skills and experience encompass the fields of strategic planning, issues management, and corporate governance, among others.

PDRF President Butch Meily, Australian Ambassador Bill Tweddell, disaster recovery expert Graeme Newton, PDRF adviser and National Competitiveness Council Head Bill Luz and Australian Senior Trade Commissioner Anthony Weymouth show all hands are on deck for the country’s disaster preparedness and recovery efforts.

As part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, Australia and the Philippines have equally had their share in disasters—with Australia dealing with bushfires, floods, storms, earthquakes, and landslides, while the Philippines has been visited by at least 20 storms a year, with three to four of these being destructive, on top of the earthquake fault lines running through the archipelago.

This forum is one of many proactive approaches to make both countries resilient. Melissa Lavente, PDRF Program Officer

Graeme Newton shares his experiences in leading a $14-billion reconstruction effort in Queensland, leaving insights on how the country can emulate its success.

initiatives to improve the environment such as their coastal and highway cleanups, tree-planting projects, among many others, not just for Earth Day, but every day. PLDT received a Certificate of Appreciation as recognition of support for the special event.

Del Rosario, center, accepts the certificate of recognition from DENR for PLDT’s active involvement in the Earth Day celebration. With her are, from left: Salazar, Vita, EDNPI board member Mimi Sison and EDNPI treasurer Leonor Berroya.

As a kick-off event, Pro-Earth Run 2015 was held at Mall of Asia Grounds to encourage and expand the campaign for people to protect, respect and oversee the sensible care of Mother Earth. All proceeds will go directly to the environmental programs and projects of EDNPI. Jessica Daphne D. Salonga, PLDT Community Relations

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ePLDT unit opens new global-grade BPO facility Curo Teknika, ePLDT’s BPO subsidiary, is gearing for expansion in business process outsourcing (BPO) with the opening of its newest and biggest global-grade facility in Ortigas Center recently. Located at the 25th and 26th floors of Robinson Cyberscape Alpha, the spacious new home of Curo Teknika was formally launched last March 30.

PLDT President and CEO Napoleon Nazareno said the new space is a dramatic improvement from its former offices that shows the company’s commitment to support the BPO industry and to uplift its

Curo Tecknika General Manager Jojo Uligan, PLDT President and CEO Napoleon L. Nazareno, ePLDT Group President and CEO Eric Alberto, and Curo Teknika President Nerisse Ramos (partly hidden), from left, lead during the ribbon-cutting ceremonies.

quality of service. “I’m glad that we are now up to these standards and I hope you will have many collaborative and productive relationships and success here with your clients.”

During the launch, a tour At the ceremonial toast are, from left: PLDT and Smart Customer Service Support Head Cesar Enriquez, was facilitated by Curo Curo Teknika Operations AVP Jon M. Cervantes, Alberto, Ibrahim, Nazareno, Ramos, Uligan, Curo Teknika employees and Teknika Sales and Marketing AVP Coco Pablo III, IT Operations Services Group Head Jemuel Luciano, provided intricate details Curo Teknika Finance AVP Clea Amenamen, and Curo Teknika HR AVP Josette Lloren. on the design origins, the numerous company colors “Our aspiration is that a Filipino BPO strategically placed on the “As the country continues to be the company will become a global leader walls, to the minute facts about the world’s top BPO destination, PLDT and it seems that we have it now delicate lighting and carpet materials. through Curo Teknika, is now indeed here,” he said.

Of special interest was the huge poised to get the big chunk of that boardroom of the new facility, which business for the Group. It is indeed Others who attended the launch event the top executives said was even more exciting times for PLDT,” noted ePLDT were representatives from PLDT spacious than PLDT’s boardroom.

Group Chief Operating Officer and Curo SME Nation, ePLDT subsidiaries and Teknika President Nerisse Ramos. existing clients from Smart.

PLDT EVP and ePLDT President and CEO Eric Alberto challenged the Mon Ibrahim, Deputy Executive With the inauguration of Curo leadership of the IT support firm to fill Director of the Department of Teknika’s new facility, employees are in the seats quickly in the new facility Transportation and Communications now better equipped to handle the given the robust growth in the BPO (DOTC) - ICT Officer, who was an diverse and growing needs of their industry. honored guest during the launch clients. CC: seemed happy with what he saw.

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First place winning team Halo Halo Developers, composed of Paolo Samontanez, Kristine Quirante, and Emmanuel Bueta, front row – 4th, 5th, and 6th, from left, respectively, are shown here with event partners, sponsors, organizers, and judges.

improving digital lives of overseas Filipinos

PLDT Global launches first hackathon

could be the next big idea that could help improve the lives of our fellow Filipinos abroad.”

“The Global Pinoy Hack is in line with PLDT’s vision of paving the growth for our country’s digital future,” PLDT ICT Head, Joey Limjap noted. “Our constant investments in solidifying the PLDT’s network stems from this vision.”

In photo are the winners of the Pinoy Global Hack (3rd, 4th, and 5th from left), with PLDT ICT-ICDev Head Andy Santos, PLDT IC’sKarl Sena and Shyr Amador, Smart DevNet’s Marica Uchida, and PLDT ICT’s Patrick Coralde, from left, respectively.

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ostalgic Filipinos abroad will soon get closer to home with mobile phone apps that are distinctly Pinoy.

Three teams emerged top winners among over 18 other teams during the two-day event.

Backed by Smart DevNet and IdeaSpace, the initial program will undergo an evaluation process by the sponsoring organizations.

The winning team will enter a partnership agreement with PLDT Global for deployment overseas. CC:

When PLDT Global and PLDT ICT – Int’l & Carrier ProdDev launched a nationwide search for uniquely Filipino mobile applications, they had our overseas countrymen in mind, aiming to improve their digital lives while alleviating homesickness as well.

They have recently gathered together local developers for the very first hackathon, dubbed Pinoy Global Hack, an event that sought to incubate winning ideas to be supported and promoted among PLDT Global’s overseas market including Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, UK, Taiwan, Macau, Guam and the US. According to PLDT Global Corp. President and CEO Alex O. Caeg, “The Philippines has a very rich pool of young, tech-savvy, and creative minds that, with the right funding and support,

Shown during the hackathon event are, front row – from left: PLDT Global SDM Head Gerald M. Gili, CTO Mar Lanuza, Product & MarComm Head Mon Pike, PLDT ICT- ICDev Head Andy Santos, ICT VP Joey Limjap, PLDT HongKong GM Edith Gomez, and Ideaspace President and Co- Founder Earl Valencia.

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From PLDT Gabay Guro and Partners

More Classrooms for Rising Bohol

BY OLIVE O. BARROZO PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAN LESTER E. BIsCO

Guro program ra presents PLDT’s Gabay 2G Volunteer Jett Tabane classrooms. new the of ticipants in one to livelihood seminar par

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ne-and-a-half years after the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that devastated Central Visayas, especially Bohol, which bore the brunt of casualties and damages in infrastructures, the island is rising fast from the woeful destruction. The cracked roads and shattered bridges are being repaired, the affected churches that could still be restored are undergoing renovations. And the Boholanons are bouncing back. Exuberantly.

Pupils of Mocpoc Eleme ntary School attend the program during the turn-over ceremony.

Loon, which was among the hardest hit towns in Bohol, is home to Mocpoc Elementary School, recent recipient of a three-classroom donation from PLDT Gabay Guro (2G), the flagship program of the PLDT Smart Foundation and the PLDT Managers’ Club, Inc. Its partners include the Asian Carriers Conference (ACC), the Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation (PDRF), and MyHouse Solid Group Inc. “These beautiful brand new classrooms will be a great help to our school, especially our pupils, and we’re very thankful to PLDT 2G and its partners,” said Principal Felix Segitarrius who personally led the preparations for the turnover ceremonies, even carrying the tent frames himself and setting them up for the program.

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ol teachers and c Elementary Scho Seated are Mocpo 2G volunteers, arrius, center, with Principal Felix Segit s. ive pEd representat PECCI, LGU and De

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oms reduced by One of the classro ake to debris. the strong earthqu

The pre-fabricated typhoon-and-earthquakeproof classrooms are equipped with chairs, tables, blackboards, electric fans and a comfort room. These bring to 11 the total number of 2G-donated classrooms in various towns of Bohol since 2013.

red ones as PLDT 2G and partners Three brand new classrooms replace the shatte ribbon during the classroom turnthe g cuttin n help Bohol rise from the ruins. Show Facilities Pillar Bong Padiz and over ceremonies are 2G Chairman for Educational left, respectively. Also in photo are, Loon Mayor Dr. Lloyd Lopez, 4th and 5th, from Segitarrius, ACC Representative Felix ipal Princ from left, Mocpoc Elementary School ngo Lemuste, 2G Volunteer Bong Vivian Bacolod, DepEd Representative Engr. Domi ins of Mocpoc Norte and Sur, and Lintag, PECCI Director Pete Pinlac, Barangay Capta d Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto. sente former Board Member Billy Tongco who repre

PLDT FVP & Controller and 2G Founder Chaye Cabal-Revilla with 2G volunteers responded immediately to Bohol’s cry for help. Two months after the major earthquake struck in October 2013, they turned over twin classrooms each to Hinawanan National High School in Laoay, Loreto Elementary School in Cortes, and Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School in Tagbilaran, in cooperation with the Department of Education and Local Government Units.

Coordinating with school officials and negotiating with building suppliers are some of the responsibilities of 2G Chairman for Educational Facilities Pillar and PLDT Head of Cost Planning and Settlement Bong Padiz. He also facilitates the turn-over of classrooms which he said is the easier portion of his duties. “But being able to help teachers and students is really the most fulfilling part,” Padiz said.

Providing valuable support is PLDT Cebu Customer Service Operations Zone Head and 2G volunteer Bong Lintag.

The turn-over event also included a livelihood seminar for teachers and their family members organized by 2G’s Livelihood Pillar Chairman Ofel Ortiz-Padiz, in partnership with the PLDT Employees Credit Cooperative, Inc. (PECCI) represented by Board Director Pete Pinlac.

The livelihood seminar where almost 70 eager participants from Loon and surrounding towns gathered together to learn the beneficial skill of making liquid soap is a testament to the Boholanons’ energy and vivacity. Their remarkable resilience makes it possible for them to maximize their talents and skills. Here, you’ll meet a tourist guide who expounds on the fantastic water scenery while running the boat, a hotel receptionist who turns into a bellhop and incarnates as a waitress, and a school principal who entertains guests and later carries the tent frames under the sweltering sun to provide some shade to visitors. CC:

Teachers and their family members learn how to make liquid soap during the livelihood seminar.

Seminar participants with 2G Livelihood Pillar Chairman Ofel Ortiz-Padiz, standing - extreme left.

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ements of brate the achiev le ce a ill ev l-R e Caba ion night.

Chairman Chay nner and recept di 2G e d pl an m o si en a h ar az roug esident Polly N the country th led by PLDT Pr various parts of m fro e m co The 2G family ho lar graduates w the 82 2G scho

s e o Her re u t u F o t st

Toa

2G awards a plaque of recognition to its scholar Nixon Balandria, who finished as topnotcher in the licensure examination for teachers in August last year. In photo are, from left: PSF President Esther Santos, Cabal-Revilla, Nazareno, Balandria, Bb. Pilipinas 1st runner-up Hannah Sison, and 2G Scholarship Committee Head Melanie Manuel.

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Magna Cum Laude. 19 Cum Laude. 1 Presidential Academic Awardee. 1 Academic Excellence Awardee. 82 New Teachers.

These were the bountiful harvest of Gabay Guro (2G), the teacher advocacy program of PLDT through the PLDT Smart Foundation (PSF) and the PLDT Managers’ Club Inc. (MCI), for the school year that just ended.

In recognition of their hard work and commitment to the teaching profession, 2G’s new teachers were honored with a testimonial dinner attended by PLDT President Napoleon Nazareno, PSF President Esther Santos, PLDT FVP and Controller and 2G Chairman Chaye Cabal-Revilla, and other 2G volunteer executives.

“We are extremely proud of our 2G graduates because we believe that they will also be good teachers in the very near future. For us, they are our future heroes who will change the lives of their students as we have changed theirs through the Gabay Guro program,” said Cabal-Revilla.

Two outstanding scholars – Rolan Aribato of PNU Visayas and Camille dela Cruz of Cebu Normal College – shared their stirring stories that led them to 2G and how the scholarship which they received has changed their lives.

A Magna Cum Laude graduate, Dela Cruz said she would have stopped schooling when she finished high school if not

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Cabal-Revilla underscores the significance of the event as she believes that the graduates will also be good teachers in the future.

for the scholarship that she received from 2G. “Araw-araw po, you will always be in my prayers,” she said.

Meanwhile, Aribato who had to take on odd jobs from being a houseboy to a construction worker to just continue school.

However, tertiary education had been too expensive for him that he had to stop when he was in first year college. He said that 2G enabled him to continue. “Dahil sa 2G, eto na po ang simula ng katuparan ng aking mga pangarap,” he said.

Hosted by Ogie Alcasid, the scholar graduates from Northern Luzon to Mindanao and their mentors were inspired by talks from Bb. Pilipinas 2015 1st Runner Up Hannah Sison who is also a teacher and Bb. Pilipinas Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach who emphasized the need for perseverance in any field as she related how she tried three times in Binibining Pilipinas before getting the top honor in the competition.

“Excellence is not about being the best but doing your best,” said 2G scholar Nixon Balandra who graduated Magna Cum Laude from PNU Visayas and topped the Licensure Examination for Teachers in August 2014, giving inspiration to the scholar graduates to also prepare well for their own upcoming licensure exams.

To make the event more memorable for the scholars, world class performer Janine Desiderio and young singer Michael Pangilinan entertained them during the event. CC:

PLDT Group launches

Big Data services

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in the Philippines

DEI study co-author Dr. Bhaskar Chakravorti discusses the slow pace of fast change in his talk citing innovations that have pushed countries into rising digital economies.

The panel discussion, with PLDT CSO Winston Damarillo and PLDT EVP and ePLDT President and CEO Eric Alberto, 1st and 2nd from left, enlightens the audience on the advantages of Big Data for local businesses.

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ith the goal of helping local enterprises advance their businesses through a range of digitally transformative solutions, PLDT recently launched Big Data services in the country allowing enterprises to analyze openly the available data and gain insights to drive predictive and data-driven decision-making in their businesses.

“Big Data drives our everyday lives. Every action generates data, which become valuable insights that empower enterprises, organizations, government agencies, and even small and medium enterprises to develop more effective products, services, and programs for their target markets. By offering Big Data services, PLDT enables the country’s digital economy by providing capabilities that leverage our network infrastructure and data service expertise,” said PLDT Executive Vice President and ePLDT President & CEO Ernesto Alberto.

Considering the amount of data created and consumed by enterprises, there is a need to ensure that Big Data analytics services are backed by a reliable network infrastructure. As a company that heavily generates data, PLDT’s infrastructure is designed to handle Big Data processes generated by over 75 million wired and wireless PLDT subscribers.

PLDT’s network of data centers can process industry-level data center requests, and enable PLDT to offer Big Data services such as Expert Consulting, Managed Platform services, and Breakthrough Insights. These services, backed by PLDT’s robust communications and technology infrastructure, highlight the company’s digital transformation initiatives of developing new service offerings that take advantage of a continuously transforming consumer and business landscape.

“PLDT’s world-class infrastructure is capable of handling the most demanding data analytics tasks. The introduction of Big Data analytics in PLDT’s portfolio reinforces its commitment to provide customers with game-changing capabilities and insights that can propel their business to the ASEAN landscape,” said ePLDT Group Chief Operating Officer Nerisse Ramos.

Large enterprises as well as SMEs in the financial services, logistics, retail, hospitality, healthcare and utility industries are

set to benefit the most from Big Data analytics. Applications of Big Data vary according to a business’s size. SMEs can benefit from Big Data by equipping them with the data processing backbone to match business capabilities of large enterprises with a portion of the cost—something that cannot be achieved with traditional business models. Large enterprises, on the other hand, can get to know their consumers and think like an SME through insights that they receive at the individual level.

Customer behavior can be tracked through online transactions and loyalty card usage to help retailers and banks create relevant offers. Logistics companies can optimize routes; and organizations can use historic and location-based data to evaluate and manage disaster risks.

In PLDT’s case, Big Data helps the company determine opportunities for cross- and up-selling products, promoting various platform events, and developing promos depending on actual consumer usage. These decisions are based on data that provide valuable insight into the profiles of PLDT’s users, helping the company develop relevant products, services, and promotions for its consumers.

“The Digital age provides a highly-competitive environment for business. The PLDT Group’s introduction of Big Data services aims to reinforce the competitiveness of our country by leveraging on our continued investments in network infrastructure and technology platforms. This promotes the country’s digital transformation, and the ICT solutions we enable our customers with contribute to the development and sustainability of our business and the economy at large,” Alberto added.

This milestone announcement follows PLDT’s recent membership in the Open Data Platform (ODP), a worldwide consortium of Big Data global technology leaders that aims to standardize the core platform and accelerate Big Data delivery across markets. PLDT is the pioneer ASEAN company in the ODP which has a membership of multinational companies including GE, Hortonworks, IBM, Infosys, Pivotal, SAS, and VMWare among others. CC:

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cover story

closing

By Sarah Azucena-Reodica, Olive Barrozo, Adrian Elumba, and John Mark Tuazon

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he Filipinos are a digital savvy lot – they interact within digitally empowered communities, live in a digitally evolving world, and are consumers in a digitally growing economy.

The Philippines is at a perennial pivot with its thriving economy and changing consumers, thanks to digital empowerment. Admittedly, it is no Singapore when it comes to internet speeds and a far cry the way Americans do most of their purchases online, but undoubtedly, it is getting there. In fact, it has been cited in a study as a “break out” country poised to improve its levels of digital development should it continue its momentum in the Digital Evolution Index. (See related story on page 7).

As a major provider, the PLDT Group has become an instrumental catalyst to the economy as it delivers technologies and digital services that have definitely changed lives. The PLDT Group connects more than 70% of the country’s business enterprises, over two million home subscribers, and more than 70 million mobile individuals. It has empowered the local BPOs to become a $20-billion strong industry and a leader in the global rankings.

To be abreast with the needs of the evolving landscape, the PLDT Group has repositioned its stance in filling up the digital divide. As Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan mentioned in his message during the Company’s first quarter briefing, “We are taking significant steps to ensure that we are ready and prepared for the digital future. This future will require looking at our customers from a different set of lenses, as both Individuals and Enterprises embrace a digital life. In both instances – Enterprise and Individuals – our major task is to deliver and ensure that the digital experience is enriching.”

Through these lenses of the Enterprise, the Consumer, Digital, and Multimedia, the PLDT Group aims to enrich the connections that will keep it ahead of the game.

Enabling the Enterprise The Group’s business units catering to the enterprise market are leaders in their fields. The PLDT ALPHA Enterprise has been powering top corporations and companies in key industries, while PLDT SME Nation corners a significant share of the thriving SME market. Both have heavily supported their customers with business solutions that help enable the digital economy.

The recent launch of PLDT’s Big Data services plays a critical role in PLDT’s digital pivot, particularly as the strategic enabler for digital enterprise transformation. With the wave of information sweeping the country, the PLDT Group is rolling out key initiatives on Big Data technology, Cloud Computing, and the Internet of Things that will help drive market transformations in the country.

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As a local provider, PLDT has pioneered in Big Data platform and business insights solutions that aim to help clients gauge and make real-time data-driven decisions for their target markets and programs.

With the information generated from all that people do, PLDT has always been a step ahead of the curve to cater to the growing demands of storing and protecting these digital footprints of information with continuous investments in data center expansion.

The construction of two more data centers – in Makati and Clark – are expected to boost the Company’s data center service offerings that are crucial in expanding businesses and business continuity during disasters.

Mobility solutions have also helped employees evolve and become more efficient breaking the traditional way of the limitations of the cubicle. Mobile services have empowered professionals to be able to work just about anywhere and become more productive thanks to wireless solutions.

People today are more digital. PLDT’s M2M solutions through Smart Enterprise provides professionals the ability to immediately access information and perform their jobs on their mobile devices including applications used for sales force planning and workload management, or wireless payment solutions using smart devices as POS terminals, to name a few.

These are just a few of the expanding Enterprise M2M portfolio as PLDT plans to expand these service portfolio further through its pioneering efforts in the Phil. Internet of Everything Consortium as well as alliances with key application developers.

Unifying Experience for the Digital Consumer A happier consumer in the digital world requires a unified experience that brings together both content and connectivity.

The empowering aspect of the digital realm provides consumers with innumerable choices, making things more convenient and giving them more meaningful connections.

As the country’s leading multimedia and telecoms provider, the PLDT Group has integrated its extensive talents and

17 resources and established partnerships with international content and internet companies to present a delightful experience to its customers.

According to PLDT President and CEO Napoleon L. Nazareno, “PLDT is uniquely positioned to offer a unified customer experience – that of a Connected Individual and a Connected Home. This ‘boundary-less’ environment allows us to fuse our consumer and home businesses into one that is symbiotic and complementary.”

Focusing on the digital consumer’s distinctive preferences, PLDT has started to integrate various forms of content into its products and services. Among the most recent initiatives are data bundling and partnerships with fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) to deepen customer engagement by offering value.

Other integrated content and services that seek to emphasize customer experience include the following: Cignal on Telpad which enables PLDT HOME Telpad subscribers to access select kid-friendly Cignal programs on Telpad; Cignal on Broadband (Cignal over Fibr, Cignal over DSL), the only IPTV service in the country; the Best Telpad ever with infra-red functionality that controls devices at home; and the all-new FAMCAM which gives parents peace of mind with its home-monitoring functionality that runs over broadband which can be accessed through Telpad and over mobile phone.

Into Digital Voyager Innovations, Inc. (Voyager), the Digital Unit of the PLDT Group, is quickly becoming a force to reckon with in the digital space as it launched one globally viable innovation after another, ever since it spun off from Smart in 2013.

To help grow the Filipino digital community, Voyager developed game-changing innovations such as SafeZone and PowerApp, which both provide sustainable and affordable Internet access for all. Through SafeZone, users can access partner apps and websites for FREE, while PowerApp makes mobile Internet access within reach of everyone through “sachet bundling.” Both products are breakthrough platforms that can be exported globally.

Voyager is also leading the charge toward changing the e-Commerce landscape in the Philippines with TackThis, which allows users to easily create their own storefronts online and on social media, and Takatack, one of the biggest e-Commerce aggregator in the country with more than 100,000 products featured on the site.

Meanwhile, Smart e-Money, Inc. (SMI), the mobile money subsidiary of Smart, has grown to become the biggest domestic remittance platform in the country with a P250 billion throughput, and is seeing further expansion with plans to launch in four Asian countries in the near future. The same platform is also responsible for processing more than P5.2 billion in cash disbursements in 2014 as part of the government’s conditional cash transfer program.

Soon, SMI will be unveiling yet another game-changing innovation in mobile payments that will further enable the unbanked, uncarded, and unconnected population to participate in the growing digital economy in the Philippines.

Multimedia: Content is Still King With all the access that the PLDT Group provides for the subscribers, creating compelling content has become its next natural step.

TV5, showcasing its commitment to innovation, banks on the introduction of its new arm Digital5 as they pioneer digital multimedia. Aiming to deliver full 360-degree services to advertisers, Digital5 will provide digital content ideation and creation across different genres, target consumers and platforms, as the first end-to-end marketing outfit in the country.

Its digital pay TV subsidiary, CignalTV, is also making waves in its segment. Recently, CignalTV overtook its 20-year-old competitor, as it snatched the crown to rake in over 868,000 subscribers by the end of the first quarter of 2015.

Another sound investment that will shape the digital multimedia landscape is the Company’s US$15 million deal with Southeast Asia’s leading internet TV service iFlix, in an effort to make videoon-demand subscription viewable through the multiple screens of a subscriber.

With all these and more, the PLDT Group has steadily steered the direction to help advance the country’s potentials to lead among the global digital economies that will ultimately benefit the nation.

And in the words of Chairman Pangilinan, we must always remember that: “While technology will empower us, and data bind us, it will be the welfare of our people – and the improvement of their lives – that should give us direction and inspiration. After all, the PLDT Group pursues technology not for the elegance of it – but in the belief that technology’s whole purpose is improvement of welfare.” CC:

a i d r e e m m i u t Mul Cons Digital Enterprise MAY 2015

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A Digital Evolution & Transformation Series Remarks of PLDT Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan PLDT group Big Data Launch

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irst off, let me say that I’m no techie. The good thing is that the digital revolution is not only about technology – but it is ultimately eminently human. It’s on that level that i hope to contribute to today’s discussion.

Second, we all know the world is changing very fast—faster actually than what one supposes. Like you, I’m constantly having to update my views about some of the things we need to do. My mind is in perpetual beta. In everything i will say, therefore, i reserve the right to never be wrong, only updateable.

An IT guy told me: artificial intelligence usually beats real stupidity.

That’s true, and our topic of big data today comes with all of us dreaming of using technology to fixing finally our traffic, our airports, our hospitals, our light rail. But wisdom, I’d like to believe, cannot be programmed, and empathy remains the domain of our limited brains and boundless hearts.

We’d love to change the Philippines with technology – but we don’t have the source code.

The network as enabler To make this digital revolution work, the first pre-requisite is an enabling network – an all I.P. data network. This so-called digital spine will be the strategic enabler on which all digital apps and solutions will hang.

landing stations, international cable systems and international points of presence.

Further, we’ve invested more than P26-billion in digital infrastructure, platforms, and capabilities. And this is just the start.

PLDT has a network of six data centers with close to 2,500 racks.

Two more data centers are under construction. This will bring full capacity to 8,000 racks by 2016, the largest in the country.

Smart has a big data engine which enables us to generate insights that can radically enhance customer experience, and create newfrontier solutions for both our consumer and enterprise markets.

All these technologies will redefine entertainment, appliances, cars, clothing and accessories – from smart watches to smart cars and from smart refrigerators to smarter electricity and water utilities. We are on the cusp of real-time knowledge sharing and big data understanding – we leave it to our imagination and our boldness to turn data into knowledge, and knowledge into better service – to help people manage their costs, their health, their dreams, their lives – better.

The traffic navigator Let me share a simple story about a simple data service that has benefited millions of Filipinos.

PLDT is a pioneering member of the open data platform, consistent with our vision of creating a center of data excellence in the ASEAN region.

In 2012, TV5’s news portal, interaksyon.com, paid a visit to the MMDA to access their real-time videos. When they got there, all went well with the videos, and the MMDA was happy to share its feeds. But Interaksyon was disappointed to discover that MMDA didn’t have the means to capture its data digitally. The status of traffic for nearly 200 Metro Manila intersections were being written down on white board and updated – erased, to be precise – every 15 minutes.

Over the last ten years, we’ve invested about P30-billion annually to enhance our networks: internet, fiber optic networks, high bandwidth ethernet nodes, 3G & LTE-enabled cell sites, cable

Interaksyon developed this simple solution – the traffic navigator – that has since allowed the MMDA to give real-time traffic updates for nearly 200 intersections. That simple service is

This is precisely why PLDT has been steadily morphing itself into an all I.P. data network—the largest and most extensive in the country.

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“...whilst technology will empower us, and data bind us, it will be the welfare of our people – and the improvement of their lives – that should give us direction and inspiration.”

what powers MMDA’s own traffic app – the most popular government app.

I share this story only to point out that Interaksyon’s traffic navigator does not even begin to scratch the surface of what “data service” or “big data” mean. Indeed, it’s relatively low-tech.

The whole first Pacific Group is a huge data factory. Consider these: :: Each time our 70 million wireless subscribers send a text or make a call or use an app, they generate data. :: Each time Meralco’s 5.6 million customers turn on a switch, they generate data. :: Each time Filipinos take a shower, and that’s twice a day (maybe?), they generate data. :: Everyday, about 400,000 vehicles pass our tollways, generating data along the way.

Imagine what insights and applications are possible with data generated by all of us.

Data, insights, knowledge, wisdom In collecting big data, the question must be – how can we harness intelligence and knowledge? How can we demonstrate wisdom?

There is no real barrier to generating, collating, and analyzing data. We are limited only by our imagination, and by our insight into our people and their behavior.

Innovation thru labs and partnerships To stress an earlier point – PLDT cannot just lay down a dumb pipe – digital though it may be – it must become a smart platform.

To become smart, PLDT will take any one or more of these three options: first, partner with over-the-top (OTT) players,

second, invest in these OTT; and third, develop our own apps and solutions.

In respect of partnerships and alliances with OTTs, we’ve established strong, strategic relationships with internet.org and Skype to enable further our people all over the world.

Partnerships with Visa and Mastercard meanwhile, allow us to reach the unbanked.

We’ve partnered as well with Facebook, Google and Uber, amongst others.

In terms of developing our own apps, we’ve launched the international rollout of Powerapp via OEM by Sandvine that will connect the unconnected all over the world. We’re in the midst of creating a mobile payment system provider, in partnership with Rocket Internet, that can empower consumers and merchants all over the world.

Safezone, for example, gives Filipinos free access to many of the best websites, apps, and platforms from the Philippines and around the world. Safezone is the entry point for Filipinos to experience the smart life.

Within the PLDT Group, innovation centers such as Ideaspace Foundation, Voyager Innovations, and our six PLDT Innovation Laboratories work closely with the R&D teams and business owners within our group, to develop new and exciting digital services and solutions.

Finally, with regard to internet investments, we’ve invested in Rocket Internet and in iFlix, so far. We have a healthy pipeline of internet investment opportunities, and we intend to keep that list long and healthy.

From ‘break out’ to ‘stand out’ The network readiness index stated in the world economic forum’s global information technology report 2015, that there is an “almost perfect correlation between a country’s level of ICT uptake and the beneficial impact which ICT has, on such economy and society.”

By this measure, Dr. Bhaskar notes that the Philippines is already a “break-out” country: we have the potential to develop a strong digital economy.

That is heartening, but the question now is: how can we level up from “break out” to “stand out?” That remains our supreme task.

Conclusion In closing, whilst technology will empower us, and data bind us, it will be the welfare of our people – and the improvement of their lives – that should give us direction and inspiration.

After all, we pursue technology not for the elegance of it – but in the belief that technology’s whole purpose is improvement of welfare. Thus viewed, the effectiveness of big data should be regarded not on the basis of how sophisticated our networks or platforms may be – but on how they both serve the needs of our people.

All this excitement about big data will be meaningless if we do not remind ourselves of this larger vision. Let us excite our people in turn, by delivering what has only been imagined, and making our country literally, the stuff of dreams.

Thank you. May the force be with you. CC:

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The grand finalists are flanked here by UPOU Dr. Melinda D. Bandalaria, PLDT Public Affairs Head Ramon R. Isberto, and PLDT ComRel Head Evelyn M. Del Rosario, 8th, 9th and 10th from

2015 PLDT HOME DSL BROADBAND QUIZ GRAND FINALS

Outstanding teachers and students honored

By Jessica Daphne D. Salonga, PLDT Community Relations

“N

on scholæ sed vitæ discimus.” (We do not learn for school, but for life.”) – Seneca AD65

For seven years now, the PLDT Community Relations with Evelyn Mamauag Del Rosario at the helm has been staging the PLDT HOME DSL Broadband Quiz. And it in this span of time that it has helped numerous public high school students and teachers by offering free computer training course.

Take a look at the numbers: 145 schools in 14 areas, 2,388 teachers, 2,125 students for a total of 4,513 who graduated recently for the 2014-2015 school year.

This year, in partnership with the UP Open University (UPOU), Department of Education (DepEd), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), local government units (LGUs) and Intel, PLDT Community Relations has just concluded the 7th PLDT HOME Broadband Quiz, the country’s largest online competition, with four teams of students and four teachers from all over the country competing.

with UPOU’s Dr. Melinda D. Bandalaria as the quiz master.

Del Rosario, on the other hand, acted as the quiz master for the students’ category.

After each round, the audience, too, was given a chance to take part in the 30-question and answer portion. Participants who gave the correct answers were given special tokens from PLDT ComRel. Winners all For the first category, the four teachers hailing from Roxas, Bantayan Island, Daet and Naga City competed against each other. After three rounds, Willford Abunas from Tanque National High School of Roxas City was adjudged the grand champion. Abunas also bagged first place during the regional competition.

In the second category, the students from Las Piñas, Batangas, Bogo, and Naga City went up against each other. After the third round, excitement and tension brewed up. Unlike before, the students of Naga and Las Piñas were up for the tie-breaker portion. People anticipated who would win for until the second round for both teams still had the same score. It was then on the third round that John Oliver Rubi and Jumari With Isberto and Del Rosario, 2nd and 1st from right, are the grand Caretos of Naga City got the champions of the student category: John Oliver Rubi and Jumari correct answer and bagged Caretos of Concepcion Pequeña National High School. the championship crown.

The PLDT HOME DSL Broadband Quiz is part of the Company’s Infoteach Outreach Program – an online quiz competition to test teachers and students’ know-how in information technology (IT). The questions given range from Microsoft Office applications to internet knowledge, cybercrime law, licensing, creative commmons, media literacy, lifelong learning, leadership and effective communications.

Usual proceedings After the welcome remarks, messages were delivered by the special guests. Representing Mandaluyong City Mayor representative Councilor Boy Esteban, Education Program Supervisor Division of Mandaluyong DepED Marife Arias, Renato Dumla, Education Consultant of the Office of the Las Piñas City Mayor, Administrator of Naga City School Board, Ernani Suron; and University of the Philippines’ Open Education Chancellor Grace Alfonso shared their respective messages. It was followed by an audio-visual presentation.

Then came the most important part of the event. The PLDT HomeDSL Broadband Quiz. After the mechanics have been presented, the event proceeded with the Teacher’s competition

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Grateful After the rewarding ceremonies, the champions and their respective ICT coordinators were given the opportunity to relay their gratitude. Each of them expressed how grateful they were for the many opportunities they were accorded to and for being part of the PLDT Infoteach Outreach Program and the Broadband Quiz.

And on behalf of PLDT Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan, Del Rosario thanked and all those who participated and helped making the event successful.

“We knew it was difficult. We knew that you devoted extra time amidst the other various demands just so you can complete this program. Therefore, you really deserve our congratulations and our salute for taking this challenge of being our agents of change. Thank you.” CC:

21 Shown here during the event are, 1st row, from left: PLDT SME Nation AVP Amil Azurin, PLDT SVP and Treasurer Anabelle Chua, Rappler CEO Maria Ressa, and PLDT FVP and Head of Business for SME Kat Luna-Abelarde.

STEPPING UP TO THE POWER OF THE PLATFORM PLDT SME Nation, Rappler team up to empower entrepreneurs on the world of digital business

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he internet and the digital world have truly redefined the business landscape. From the one-way linear business to consumer model, it has become a “twosided marketplace” where both sides empower and give value to each other through platforms.

Online social news network Rappler is an example of a disruptive media e-enterprise. By leveraging on technologies such as cloud, the Internet, and mobility, an SME such as Rappler was able to grow its business exponentially in only a few years.

At the forefront of enabling the small and medium enterprise segment, PLDT SME Nation teamed up with Rappler to educate entrepreneurs to harness technology to thrive in the digital landscape, as well as empower them to make a mark in the ASEAN market.

In explaining today’s platform, PLDT SME Nation partnered with Rappler in hosting “ThinkPH The Next Big Thing: Platform Thinking” at 12 Monkeys Music Hall and Pub in Makati City. The event featured distinguished speakers who shared their insights, expertise, and best practices on platform thinking, and why entrepreneurs and leaders should start adopting the same.

Participants from local start-ups and different organizations listen attentively during the jampacked #ThinkPH event. business model of creating and selling products to allowing consumers to also be producers through “platforms.”

All on Platforms An example of a noteworthy business platform is Uber.

As explained by its Manila General Manager Laurence Cua, Uber has improved the transportation experience for riders as well as improved the living and working standards of drivers.

Google Country Manager Ken Lingan also discussed how a platform operator such as Google has capitalized on the power of connected users. He mentioned that through platforms such as Youtube and Google Maps, users can now easily create original content that is accessible in global scene.

The Future of Businesses Changing the Way the Building platforms through technology is the Guest attendance is made easy World Works future of businesses. In the Philippine context, and convenient with #ThinkPH’s The summit venue featured a slick companies of all sizes should use platform thinking digital registration. ambience to welcome an estimated to come up with an innovative and effective 250 guests to a packed day of engaging business model. discussions and exchanges. All were encouraged to ask questions and post their thoughts and As strong advocates of technology and innovation, PLDT queries on social media using PLDT SME Nation’s superior SME Nation is one with Rappler in pushing for events connectivity. that empower SMEs and leaders, such as #ThinkPH. This partnership continues to equip SMEs with new concepts “We are now in the business of enabling interactions,” said on the digital business landscape, as well as use top-notch Platform Thinking Lab Founder Sangeet Paul Choundary ICT solutions that will position enterprises to not only during his keynote address. He discussed that the world have a disruptive impact on the market but also promote a has now moved from “pipes” or the traditional linear-based progressive change in society as a whole. CC:

MAY 2015

22 The intensified fighting stance gets SOC leaders setting the momentum for breakthroughs.

EmpDev partners with Smart SOC to reign in the service experience race

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nvade and protect. Analyze and strategize. And ultimately, guard and charge! Ferocious vigilance among team players happens when competition heats up and this has to be matched by responsible empowerment to get everyone embracing shared accountabilities and mandates to stay ahead of the game.

This stage of the journey heightens the need for topnotch team playing and charted action plans that promise a harvest of quick wins. The determination to conquer the intensifying war in the wireless customer service battlefield became Smart Service Operations Center’s preoccupation during EmpDev’s facilitation of a Strategic Planning cum Teambuilding Workshop at Smart Staffhouse in Tagaytay. SOC Head and Vice President Debbie Hu’s call to galvanize forces and get everyone on the same page when it comes to envisioned targets was met with enthusiastic resolve to revisit game plans to ensure continuous dominance.

ceremonial boxing, hitting and kicking of the punching bag which collectively symbolized everyone’s combative stand to prevail and knock out opponents whose agenda is to thwart Smart’s stature as a wireless industry champ.

Marathon rounds of cascade sessions are scheduled for the entire SOC in the upcoming weeks to sustain momentum and further strengthen team solidarity.

The essential next step would be cross-functional alignment to get all initiatives in sync with business priorities.

Definitely, SOC has been charged up to charge on! CC:

Hard hitting reality checks in teamwork practices that prompted the imperative to synergize hovered all throughout EmpDev Head Nonong Noriega’s facilitation. An interactive environmental scan and a quadrant for forecasting and pinning down quick wins helped set the climate for identifying timelines and deliverables.

An all-time high in commitment sharing happened during the

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Participants are all aboard the bandwagon to dominate and rule.

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ivals. Nemesis. Competitors. They keep us on guard with our next strategic schemes. We study their moves. They study ours. We scan the market battlefield with ferocity and pursue tactics to enlarge our sphere of impact. Dare we not cast the verdict on a single season’s harvest because game changers in trends can alter the direction of relevance. Let’s take a closer look at the variations of the race and how the scorecard in one stream can advance or stagnate victory.

1. The technology war. Who has the more reliable network infrastructure? Which signal is faster or better yet, more available? During big events, whose presence was more felt?

During calamities, who did the people herald as heroic in providing dire help? Defining differentiator: dead spot for one while strong signal for the other.

2. The service experience war. Who has the friendlier and more caring breed of frontliners? Which service center in the mall proves to be more welcoming? Which outbound service operations give more accurate information? Who is more proactive in handling complaints?

3. The talent war. Which enterprise boasts of bench strength for career growth?

Which system for talent stewardship is more agile and clear with paths for professional development? Where is it more promising especially for millennial team players? Where are there more leaders who coach, mentor, empower and nurture relationships?

4. The price war. I have reservations on indulgence in this battle believing that this shouldn’t be the norm for industry leaders since quality comes with a cost. We pay for topnotch service. Still, it’s a war that’s strongly felt with the way we bundle features, offer promos and value added come-ons.

Which service provider can truly claim value for money as they penetrate the consumer’s wallet? Most horror stories are borne out of feeling short changed for what was paid for.

5. And finally, the digital war. The arena that’s most coveted as it will determine if we’ve truly stayed ahead of the game.

Who has the more upbeat online presence? Whose broadband culture is more exciting? Who gives the consumer more ‘aha’ moments during social media interfaces and innovative service encounters?

You be the judge as to how our shops are scoring. This simply underscores the imperative to get all systems in place and all forces fuelled up to get us conquering all the way! CC:

Student campers huddle after they get primed up by the Bandwagoner on the growth inducing battles in the business world that await them in the future. They are joined by Career Management Head Angelie dela Cruz and Lead Training Officer Lydia dela Merced.

MAY 2015

24

life+arts

Long Legged Friends Photography by Jan Lester E. Bisco, Financial Business Intelligence Warehouse

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25

Summer Wishing

By Marjory C. Sy, ProdServ

Sun-kissed cheeks of children running around Unabashed of the sweat seeping down May is the month where kids come out to play Mesmerized by Mr. Sun and his golden rays Enticed by the sights and sounds of beach…

Roaring waves, pristine white sands within reach It is the season of freedom for the young Season to recharge, unwind a little and have fun

A Remarkable Escape

Happy cheers heard while diving into cool water Everybody needs a little time off from the heater Replenish the soul by enjoying each other Embrace the warmth of this great summer

One night, I dream of dreams while I lie awake Follow invisible dots that lead me to a scenic lake Trek a mountainous challenge that’s calling me But I choose to follow the path along the deep blue sea

It is the season to revitalize the spirit, which may Need some degree of gusto, to endure and not be swayed

By Laemar John V. Chavez Fixed Service Network Quality Assurance

Awakened to a beautiful morning far away from the city It was a strange moment but like my last journey Once overwhelming and without a schedule A sense of adventure and a lot of curiosity

May the delightful days of summer inspire us All through the year, be it rain or shine Young and old alike, stay blessed and be fine

These thoughts of mine become reality I lunge for my bag and double check what I need It’s still dim but I know I’m ready Before the warm sun glazes over my skin The charms of nature never fail to amaze me The outback sunrise with calming tones Its aquamarine sea that feels the host Not enough words to describe all these hues I surrender to whatever I can take a grasp Allow myself to enjoy visual spectacle in my lap Making the most of the stories I got Piecing things together to create a coherent whole This panoramic view taking me back Away from the city which is full of freight Away from the concrete jungle and its roaring tiger Routes and back plans that are getting lighter Every minute passes by with these fantastic scenes That I wish my lens could capture them inch by inch The beauty of the places where I am in Taking off on a break, far away from the buzz of routine

Port of Ivana in Batanes Photography by Caroline A. Umali, FinClose

MAY 2015

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The Never-Ending Summer Vacation #GreatSummers

By Trudy Gine B. Amoranto, Policies & Procedures Development

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few days after many of us officially began our pursuit of the perfect summer vacation for 2015, I asked myself, “Why do we live for the summer?”

You see, school is finally out, the sun is making an intense cameo appearance in the city, and many of us are preoccupied with planning the perfect summer. And while many Filipinos will be engaging in the typical summer activities, such as island hopping, mountain climbing and going on “desperately needed vacations,” a persistent question remains - Why are we planning these things? Why do we live for the summer and spend our hardearned money relentlessly pursuing that perfect place or that perfect day? Perhaps all vacations are simply our way of looking for paradise and practicing for heaven.

Call me strange or call me foolish, but I do believe that our pursuit of a perfect summer experience is our attempt to find the paradise lost by Adam and Eve. The Bible tells us that the original paradise was created by God as a gift to be enjoyed by Adam and Eve – and that it may be shared with all generations. But unfortunately, our first parents sinned against God, wrongly thinking they could live their lives on their own terms and own ways – in effect, functioning as their own gods. Because of our separation from the living God, death entered paradise, infecting everyone and affecting everything.

Yep, you may sequentially check that out in Isaiah 59:2, Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23 and Hebrews 9:27.

So today, instead of enjoying paradise, we seek it out by booking airline flights, gassing up our cars, hiking in the woods, and biking to the beach. Deep down we feel homeless and restless.

But how can we be assured that we can have a never-ending summer vacation? The answer is found in John 14:6. It is only through Jesus Christ.

In John 5:24, Jesus Christ says, “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” Right at this moment, you are actually hearing His word already but do you believe?

Believing in Jesus however does not necessarily mean knowing Jesus. Knowing Jesus is just like driving your car on your way to a beach with Jesus sitting at the passenger seat. You just know that He is there. Believing in Jesus is different – it is when you get out of your driver’s seat and you let Jesus do the driving, and you allow Him to take over your life. Come on, when we try to drive our lives towards our own concept of a “perfect” vacation, we lose gas, we get caught in heavy traffic, we fail. But if we surrender the driving to Jesus, we will never run out of gas, the paths are straight (see Proverbs 3:5-6) and He will never fail.

A never-ending summer vacation is free regardless of how dirty or beautiful you think your past, present or future is. But you have to make a choice today. God did not make you a robot – He blessed you with freewill. And I pray that before you start booking another flight searching for another “perfect” summer getaway or “perfect” summer paradise – you choose Him today.

God loves you. His mercy and grace are His gifts – way better than the perfect summer package of your dreams! CC:

Because “paradise is lost,” our attempts at experiencing that perfect day or place often leads to disappointment because sin is also there and things are not as perfect as we had hoped for: we get sunburned, seasick, or bumped off our flight on the way home from searching for paradise, left to wander through the airport, which is perhaps the best earthly illustration of what hell must be like.

Eternal life for believers in Jesus Christ is comparable to a never-ending summer vacation.

And by “believers” I do not mean “religious people” or “people who do good works” or “people who try to be good”, I mean “those who have a genuine personal relationship with Jesus Christ – not by religion nor by works (not even by human knowledge nor tradition), but by faith in Jesus Christ. Check out: Ephesians 2:8-9.

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Remarkable Bicol Photography by Josephine F. Meneses Home Sales and Service Center Management

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Life Is A Gift

By Reynold U. Sarte, South GMM Fixed Access and Transport Operations Today before you say an unkind word - Think of someone who can’t speak.

Before you complain about the taste of your food - Think of someone who has nothing to eat.

@Caliraya Hanging Bridge Photography by Jonah T. Ibardolaza Home Bro Credit and Account Management

My Sweet Summer Escapade

Before you complain about your husband or wife - Think of someone who’s crying out to GOD for a companion.

Today before you complain about life - Think of someone who went too early to heaven.

By Camille C. Villareal, TONDO SSC

Before whining about the distance you drive Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet.

Been there, done that Staycation once again Same old routine everyday My summer was a non-event

And when you are tired and complain about your job - Think of the unemployed, the disabled, and those who wish they had your job.

Till summer plans came Oh, what a blast!

I’ve seen paradise Ever the same, nothing was

And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down - Put a smile on your face and think: you’re alive and still around.

Unforgettable memories The laughs we shared You were truly my family You showed me you cared Now my summer’s worth expecting It’s no more a bore For I know we’ll get together We will meet once more My eyes saw new wonders It blew me away “Veni, vidi, vici”-I came, I saw, I conquered My sweet, sweet summer escapade MAY 2015

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Slices of Summer

By Sarah Cielo Q. Meneses, HOME BO Management might go outside if and only if it’s cloudy otherwise, never more of a gamer goodbye for now, world outside off to hunt monsters catching up on sleep will hibernate in summer please do not disturb

Photography By Jan Lester E. Bisco, Financial Business Intelligence Warehouse

not enough money many dream destinations good thing there’s TV sunblock lotion, check; flip-flops, check; sunglasses, check; now where’s my car key? may the waves and tides be called from the deep to steal and drown my sorrows lesson learned today: mountain climbing in summer? go at your own risk work, work, work, work, work two days of much needed rest back to work again

Off We Go To Build Memories

By Luis C. Maglanoc, QAO-CSOPM/SSPRM

If I were to create memoirs my children will cherish Gadget and things they value less What they want are vivid pictures of memories Places and sites, no tinge of stress.

Marveling in awe, we bow to nature’s might.

Her beauty either yields amazement or fright These treasures might be found far from the city As they lay unspoiled, for all eternity to see.

Yet the experiences I’ve shared with my children As we anticipate and savor our travels together Surpass the gifts I’ve occasionally given Encrypted in their minds, each spent with laughter!

I hold in my heart long walks with their endless stories.

Of school crushes and dreams, a few secrets revealed!

Becoming a part of their youth, assure me no worries.

This my hope, a future I lovingly build!

There will not be too many summers, I pray.

Though it is inevitable, I dare not say…

Let us not count tomorrow, what matters is today!

As long as we enjoy our summers together, in places far and away!

Photography By Laemar John V. Chavez Fixed Service Network Quality Assurance ACC:ESS MAGAZINE

I Am Kristian Miguel 84139173 15May2015

29

A Different Take on

#GreatSummers

By Mary Grace O. Sze, Customer Service Support Management

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ummer has always been associated with out-oftown trips, white, sandy beaches and leisurely activities that people tend to give less focus on any other time of the year (well, I guess except long holidays). In other words, summer is a time to unwind, to take a break from the daily grind of life. Our family is no different. We’d usually spend a few days of summer on a road trip and get a bit sunburnt. This summer though, our experience was more laid-back. A WHOLE LOT more laid-back, I should say.

Picture this - my husband and I lying on the couch watching the new season of Game of Thrones, Georgie quietly doodling on her Megasketcher while our hands are alternately dipping in the can of Pringles. If that is not unwinding, I don’t know what is. :-)

from string It was at first challenging to ily mean creating beautiful artworks Summer staycations for the Sze fam think of ways on how to keep rgie. and watercolor for three-year-old Geo our daughter pre-occupied for a few a cheat and all that (I think, it does. Does it?). Despite her months since my husband and I are ‘hectic’ schedule, this summer has been a memorable one. both working. Actually, before the school year ended, we Our daughter had her first movie theater experience (we already had plans of enrolling our daughter to (at least one) watched “Cinderella”. No surprises there.), her first visit to the summer class. We got swimming, ballet, arts and other sports dentist and we had a couple of weekend lakwatsa to the mall. on the list. In the end, we ended up with… none.

I’d say that it may not sound as grand as it really was but I would like to think that our family had one heck of a vacay.

Yep. Our daughter had been holed up in our house all through summer. Oh, but she did have swimming lessons I guess what I’m saying is, we all have a choice on how we are (if you can call lounging in our batya as swimming), ballet to spend our time. Whether it is a couple months’ summer (hey, “Just Dance 2014” on the Xbox counts!), arts and crafts break or just a weekend getaway, we could still have a grand (I bought a couple of Artzoona art and crafts kits that were time. Take what little (or a lot of) time you have and make on sale and we had a blast making puppets from wooden wonderful memories with it – go on a trip, take up a new spoon. I also read and watched a lot of toddler activities on hobby, re-discover yourself or spend quality time with the the Internet. So now, my daughter asks me why we don’t ones we love. Create memorable snapshots that will not last have different shaped pastas in our pantry so we could make not only for one summer but for all the #greatsummers of a mosaic like Mister Maker on YouTube) and sports! Pillow your life. CC: fights teaches us lessons on sportsmanship and not being

MAY 2015

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ight now, it stands almost at the edge of my desk. The marble cup hides behind the 2015 calendar that is permanently set to the holidays page. There are 11 rubber pens that rest inside it. The rubber pens also hide, they look like Anthuriums. There are two highlighters that keep them all in place and the smallest post-it slab you could possibly find.

The marble cup that became a flower vase

By Leopoldo Lalim

The marble cup didn’t come here on its own.

There were three. This marble cup was the only black one - upon my request – because I wanted mine to be just a little bit more special.

I had the notion that black marble was more expensive.

I like to adorn my desk with valuable things. The marble cup can’t really hold hot water, it’s too conductive to heat.

I almost dropped the thing the first time I thought about using it for my coffee. It feels great on the lips though. Every time I drink from it, I could imagine hearing stories of the larger rock it was hewn from or the banter between the sculptor and his wife. I ask it how come there are white lines where they are on the marble cup’s supposed skin. How could the bottom be so rough and the sides so smooth to the touch? I am too much of a curious one I gather. I fade away into random questions right between the various objectives that need to be met and the multitudes of conversations to make those objectives come into fruition.

Work. Pray. Travel Light. I often tell myself lately – especially this summer. The last part, travel light, was a recent addition. The recent year for this curious being was a rocky one yet I came to that conclusion. Why? The marble cup The marble cup didn’t come here on its own. It was brought by a lady, “G” standing 5’2, with a smile. Sixty-two inches of humanity had carefully brought it from her province. A ACC:ESS MAGAZINE

bus ride, a long ferry that took longer with delays, and another bus ride came with the itinerary for delivery.

Fourteen hours. The marble cup’s “sisters,” the white ones are now with her other close friends – I had no jealous response at all I promise.

Now why did it become a flower vase? Mr Writer, could you have degraded the gift so much for its lack of use? Mr Writer, you could’ve been seriously mistaken using it as a cup in the first place. Mr Writer, could you be so cold hearted as to shrug off the kind gesture this lady, who had put down gift-giving as never satisfying for herself, had done? – No.

My dear reader, each month, there would be fewer Anthuriums that the marble cup will hold. With hidden affinity and with now a penchant for a certain letter, this writer continues to meet this lady, “G.” My dear reader, each month there would be fewer Anthuriums as I will give them to her one by one until all are gone by December.

With each gift, a few words in a smallest piece of post- it, snuck in the minutest space that you find between the ink tube and its container. They hold me. They hold promises that I intend to keep. January had time. February - laughter.

March had health (how else would you hold “March”), April – hugs, May – I’ll let you think about it. I love the mountains and she loves the sea – yin and yang right? We each had chosen the places where our souls are filled. Those Anthuriums show how I see love – a decision. Love is a feeling first and foremost, but that is only scratching the surface. The decision seals it. That cup will be the flower vase for a while longer.

I love to adorn my desk with valuable things. Before summer is over, I would’ve decided.

I want to love her. #greatsummers CC:

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#summerlove

Ni Melvin Artugue, FMA – ESAM Team C Tagaktak ang pawis sa mainit na panahon Tila mas maalinsangan kaysa kahapon Ngunit susunggaban pa rin ang pagkakataon Na maging masaya ang summer ko ngayon Napagod maghanap ng lugar na mapupuntahan Nakakainggit yung mga nasa galaan Sa bahay sana’y iistambay na lang Nagbago ang isip ko pagkat ika’y nariyan Pagkarating sa resort, nag-volleyball agad tayo Kahit mainit at naka sando lang ako Sa pool nama’y naghanapan ng piso Ginawa ang lahat mapalapit lang sa’yo

Nagpahinga saglit at nag-ayang lumabas Nang magutom ka’y pinagbalat ng singkamas Pinatikim din sa’yo ang pinagmamalaking gambas Ang iyong mga ngiti ay walang katumbas Lumipas ang mahabang oras ng kulitan at saya Kahit nangitim ang kutis, ako nama’y maligaya Kahit ang malunod ay di ko inaalintana Basta’t sa tuwi-tuwina’y kapiling kita Mas refreshing pa sa buko juice ang mga ngiti mo Wala ring sinabi ang softrinks na may yelo Sa pag-ibig mo’y natutunaw ang puso ko Mas mainit pa sa summer ang pagmamahal mo

Marlboro Country (Racuh A Payaman) of Batanes Photography by Caroline A. Umali, FinClose

MAY 2015

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Tag-init sa Tag-araw

Ni Marina Rowena I. Pumar, Regulatory Habang namamahinga ako sa gitna ng kabukiran Nakalatag ang isang banig sa papag na higaan Masasayang ala-ala sumagi sa aking isipan Eto iisa-isahin ko at ating pag-kwentuhan Ang sarap gunitain ang pagpapalipad ng saranggola Sa lakas ng hangin na kanyang dala-dala Sina Paola at Claudine sa luksong tinik ay ayos na Sa kabilang dako nama’y abala sa luksong baka May nagpapatintero sa kabilugan ng buwan At nagkakatakutan dahil baka daw may aswang Mag-iipon ng mga sako, karton at kawayan At saka itatayo ang munting bahay-bahayan Naalala ko pa noon na lagi kang taya Sa tagu-taguan na laro nating mga bata Tuwang-tuwa tayo sa karera ng gagamba At bilang pambayad ang bago mong baraha (teks) At kapag nauhaw na sa kanto naman ay may tinda Di pa rin malilimutan halo-halo ni Aling Iska May matamis na kamote at saging na saba Kinaskas na yelo at gatas na evaporada Barkadahan din tayo sa paglalangoy sa ilog Maghapon tayo doon at di napapagod Mamimitas ng bayabas kahit ito ay bubut pa At kapag nauhaw buko juice naman ang tinitira Excited ang mga kabataan sa liga ng basketball Doon sa plaza nagpa-praktis ng pagdi-dribol Sa oras ng laro kantiyawan ay buhol-buhol Mas marami ang pikon at meron namang cool na cool Sa kabilang barangay minsan tayo ay namiyesta Inihain sa atin lechon, menudo at afritada Malamig na buko salad, leche flan at ube halaya May melon, pulang pakwan at hinog na mangga Upang maging ganap ang pagkalalaki Kapitbahay naming si Emson agad nagpatuli Salawal na maluwag pantakip sa kanyang sarili Mangangamatis raw pag tiningnan ng babae Laking mangha naman pagkakita sa dalaga Kahit walang make-up ako ay gandang-ganda Pwedeng pwede siya maging isang sagala Agad kong kinausap mga hermano at hermana ACC:ESS MAGAZINE

Artwork by Danny “Bimbo” Handayan, Tondo ssc Usong- uso rin ang damit na bulaklakan Sleeveless at shorts suot ng kadalagahan Puruntong na hanggang tuhod sa kalalakihan Kung saan komportable kanya- kanyang pormahan Pataasan ng lundag sa pambabaeng chinese garter Kitang kita sa ere ang kulay berdeng bloomer Pag-uwi mo ng bahay napagalitan ka ni mother Napangiti ka lang kasi palagi ka namang winner Sa larong jackstone ikaw naman ang bida Di ka mauunahan sa pagsalo ng bola At sa kaibigan natin madali lang ang sungka Sa buto ng sampalok at batong pinulot sa kalsada Summer na naman at matindi ang sikat ng araw Masakit sa balat ang nangangating bungang-araw Kamot dito kamot doon pawis ay umaalingasaw Maligo kaagad pwede dalawang beses sa isang araw Sa panahon ng tag-araw tayo ay nagmumuni-muni Mga pangyayari naganap sa ating sarili Sa Semana Santa na hinihintay ng marami Pananampalataya sa Kanya’y ipinagbubunyi Bigla akong naalimpungatan aba tanghali na pala Ramdam ko ang halik ng asawa kong si Rowena Isang basket na pagkain ang kanyang dala-dala Kanin, inihaw na bangus, manggang hilaw, itlog na pula Meron pang pahabol dalawang mainit na bibingka

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boo k revie w the kite runner: something to read “a thousand times over”

By Mark Jason B. Teves, Cash Accounting & Assurance Division

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s much as I love books, buying brand new ones is a rarity for me. A miser to the core, my book-buying skills are carried out best in second-hand bookstores and book sales. It is in one of these that I bought my copy of The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.

I was scrounging at a humongous mound of books at NBS Cubao (that store is amazing; the top floor holds books that are on sale the whole year round) when a stranger beside me points at a book and says, “Bilihin mo yan. Napakaganda ng librong yan.” (“Buy that one. That book is really beautiful.”)

Now, I am not a snob, but really, the man looked seedy. The instance was startlingly scary.

I picked up the book, browsed through the synopsis and looked at the price. P10.00. I slowly placed it down and pretended to look more. “Hindi mo ba bibilhin?

Bakit?” (Aren’t you buying it? Why not?). The man looked at me like I snatched a discounted bestseller from his hands. I smiled, got the book again, placed it in my basket and walked away. Later on in the cashier, I decided to buy it. It was only P10.00 after all. It turned out to be one of my best buys ever.

The book is about two young boys in Afghanistan, covering the years 1975 to 2001. It follows the story of their “friendship” and how the simple game of playing with kites pivots a life that is as broken as the country that they grew up to love. As a child, I remember hot and windy summers filled with neckcraning afternoons when we would fly our own kites. We also ventured in kite-fighting, dipping strings in glue and crushed glass to make them “sharper”. The Afghan way is not so far from this but perhaps a bit more. High regard is given to the “last kite standing,” the lone kite flyer that outlasts all the others. In Afghanistan, however, equal honor is given to the person who retrieves, to run, the last fallen kite. Kite running is as important as kite flying.

This first novel by Hosseini covers a lot of themes, from the rich culture of Afghanistan, encompassing literature, religion, courtship and marriage, FOOD (I do not know about you but naan - wrapped meatball and pickles with

chutney dipped potatoes and rosewater ice cream topped with crushed pistachios sounds delectable) to war and violence: A surprising and regretful brand of violence. Amid all these, two themes recur more than the others: Guilt and Redemption.

Guilt: in the heart and eyes of a child, how far would one go to cover up guilt? Redemption: as an adult, to what lengths would one go to absolve himself? These two notions flit across the book among the characters, notwithstanding the passing of time and the changing milieu.

“The Kite Runner” pulls you from start to end. Its grasp, however, extends beyond its pages. Reading it feels like a dream. Not the whimsy, fantastical sort but one that leads to the discovery of an Afghanistan that is far different from the one portrayed in the news . A country not stereotyped with the word “terrorism.” When I finished the book, I went and read about Afghanistan for the first time, without prejudice. What happened to this country? What of its leaders, its people? The book jokingly describes Afghans as “a reckless bunch” that “cherishes custom but abhors rules.”

By the end of the book, I took the description as perhaps a possible cause of some of their dilemmas. I started to think and regret some of my realizations: all of us are taught to build ideas, to stand up for what we believe in. In the end though, we can become incredibly crude, immensely cruel with our ideologies.

I hope that more than the money and honors that the novel might garner, Hosseini wrote it as a way of cleansing the name of Afghanistan to the world. It is an effective eye opener, complete with the waterworks that it wrings from its readers.

I never recommend books based on the amount of tears that it can squeeze out of people but man, I will exaggerate and say that you must have a desiccated heart as dry and barren as the parched and bombarded roads of Kabul if you do not shed even a single tear after reading the book. To the readers who love a good crying out, this one is for you. To everybody else, you should read this book.

(This year marks the 1oth year anniversary of “The Kite Runner’s” first release. Special editions are being sold in bookstores including graphic ones complete with illustrations.

Trust me. They are worth more than 10.00. I would willingly pay full price now for my copy.) CC: MAY 2015