Kapuso star Bianca Umali visits children affected by Taal Volcano eruption

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Bianca Umali joined child-focused NGO World Vision in Laurel, Batangas last February 7 to visit and help distribute learners’ kits to about 400 school-aged children from Grade 1 to 7. Each kit contains a school bag, school supplies, and art materials to help hundreds of children who temporarily stopped schooling due to the eruption.

As World Vision’s Youth Ambassador for Education, Bianca Umali hoped to inspire the children with a message of hope amidst difficult times brought by Taal Volcano eruption.

As Taal Volcano still indicates signs of volcanic threat to its surrounding communities, World Vision commits to assist affected families, including thousands of children whose schooling have been disrupted for almost a month.

Nine year old Jhylian from the locked-down village of Buso-buso said, “I used to have 10 notebooks but after Taal erupted, most of my school things were destroyed. Now, I only have three notebooks for nine subjects. I’m worried what I will use after I’ve used up all the pages of my three notebooks.”

According to the Department of Education’s (DEPED) report, at least 575,456 students coming from 1,034 schools are affected due to class suspensions.

“Education in emergencies is crucial. A lot of children were not able to spare their bags or notebooks and worse, could not go back to their school because of the damages caused by the eruption. This should not stop them from learning though and that’s where we all come in – to support them in any way possible to keep them in school,” says World Vision National Director Rommel Fuerte.

“We are grateful to Bianca for making time to serve with us, despite her hectic schedule. The children and the people of Laurel are certainly encouraged and touched by her,” added Fuerte.

Since 2017, Umali has been an active advocate and generous supporter to various World Vision’s campaigns for the benefit of children. Months ago, Umali offered her voice and influence to promote the “1,000 Girls” campaign and the “Hope Town” experiential booth at the Trinoma Mall in Quezon City.

To date, World Vision has reached 1,845 families with hygiene kits (soaps, undergarments, etc.) and non-food items (mosquito nets, blanket, and plastic mats). 12,000 individuals also received N95 dust masks while at least 4 child-friendly spaces continue to provide psychosocial support to children in evacuation centers.

World Vision continues to appeal for support in providing learners’ kits to the communities affected by Taal’s eruption. Click this link to go to World Vision’s donation page: https://wvph.co/DonateForTaal. You may also call World Vision at (02) 8372-7777 or (0917) 866-4824.

For more updates and information, like and follow World Vision Philippines on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit their official website www.worldvision.org.ph.

 

About World Vision

 

World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, their families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. Inspired by its Christian faith and values, it is dedicated to working with the world’s most vulnerable people. It serves and collaborates with all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender.

 

 

 

SM Cares – Walk For Life

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Thousands of Senior Citizens are set to participate in various activities lined up from October 1 to 7, as the nation observes the annual Elderly Filipino Week Celebration. Some of the week-long events will be held at select SM Supermalls, and will be led by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Office of the Senior Citizens Affair (OSCA), in partnership with SM Cares, the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of SM Prime Holdings, Inc.

This annual observance falls under Proclamation No. 470 issued on September 26, 1994, which aims to increase public awareness on the different issues concerning the sector. Elderly Filipino Week 2019 will have the theme: “Healthy and Productive Ageing Starts with Me.”

This year’s celebration will kick-off with the annual “Walk for Life” event, which is expected to gather more than 3,000 senior citizens at the Music Hall of the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City. Walk for Life, which promotes the good health and well-being of the elderly, is scheduled on October 1 and will have a parade of seniors around the MOA complex at 6:00AM. The walk will be capped by a program that will feature performances by, and entertainment for the elderly.

On October 2, hundreds of senior citizens will have a chance to relive beautiful memories and enjoy the nostalgic music of the Rockin’ 60s band, at “Seniors Prom”, an event that shows no one is ever too old to dance and have fun in the mall. This will be at the Skydome of SM City North Edsa, and is expected to begin at 4:00PM.

Capping the celebration is the annual, “Talakayan”, a forum that informs the Filipino elderly about legislations concerning the sector. This includes discussing the various benefits that seniors can take advantage of. Talakayan will be led by the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA).

“SM supports the cause of the Filipino elderly, by hosting activities and projects that promote their good health and well-being. Through our CSR Program on Senior Citizens, we wish to let our elderly know that SM will always be their second home, and that there is life after 60 at SM. We also thank DSWD and OSCA for partnering with us for this advocacy,” said Danilo Chavez, Head of SM Cares Program on Senior Citizens.

Apart from mall events, and to further promote their social inclusion, SM offers a Community Service Program for Senior Citizens which invite the elderly to become project participants and do weekend jobs in the mall. This project is in partnership with OSCA.

To know more about SM Cares, you may visit www.smcares.com.ph, www.facebook.com/OfficialSMCares, or send an e-mail to smcares@smsupermalls.com.

WHO Philippines promotes UHC through Walk the Talk Manila

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World Health Organization (WHO) Philippines organized the first “Walk the Talk Manila: The Health for All Challenge” in Alabang as part of the global Health for All Challenge. The event brought together 2,000 people from all walks of life to highlight universal health care, while promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Participants ran, walked, wheeled, and biked in 3-kilometer, 5-kilometer, and 10-kilometer distances. The non-competitive event was open to all ages and abilities and was free-of-charge.

Since 2018, WHO has led Walk the Talk events with participation from partners around the world. In May this year, WHO headquarters hosted the Walk the Talk in Geneva in parallel to the World Health Assembly, while the New York leg will be happening on 22 September 2019 on the eve of the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the High-level Meeting (HLM) on UHC.

“Walk the Talk Manila is the first of its kind in the Philippines,” said acting WHO Representative in the Philippines Dr Rabindra Abeyasinghe. “By coming together today, a week before the High-level Meeting on UHC, and the adoption of R.A. 11223 in the Philippines on UHC, WHO together with the Government of the Philippines is sending a strong message from Manila to New York that we are one with the global advocacy towards health for all.”

The Philippines will be sending delegates to the UNGA and the HLM, led by the Secretary of Health Francisco Duque III.

The Philippine Government, through the Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and local government units, has been leading the way since the enactment of the landmark Universal Health Care (UHC) Act or Republic Act No. 11223 on 20 February 2019. The landmark measure showed the political commitment of the Philippines to provide access to quality health care for all Filipinos, without suffering financial hardship. The law automatically enrolls all Filipinos in the National Health Insurance Program and prescribes complementary reforms in the health system. Among the significant reforms proposed under this law, are lowering of out-of-pocket health expenses and improvement of health services and facilities.

WHO supported the DOH, PhilHealth and the Philippine Congress during the legislative process of the UHC Act. WHO is also supporting the DOH and PhilHealth as they finalize the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the law as well as the operations of the UHC integration sites.

For more information, contact:
Faizza Tanggol, Communications Officer, WHO Philippines
tanggolf@who.int, 0998 573 1357

WWF-Philippines reinforces battle against unnecessary plastic with “No Plastics in Nature” initiative

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In line with the 1st anniversary of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines’ #AyokoNgPlastik movement, the leading environmental organization launches the ‘No Plastics in Nature’ Initiative, a larger approach that seeks to stop the flow of plastic waste in nature by 2030.

The problem with plastics has been escalating for decades, where the Philippines has been identified as the world’s third largest contributor of plastics in the ocean. Plastic pollution has always been a huge issue in the Philippines with the continuous generation of plastic wastes and poor waste management.

In 2016, global plastic production has reached 396 million metric tons, which translates to 53 kilograms of plastic per person on the planet. A third of this number has already become land or marine pollution and with a projected increase of 40% by 2030, an additional 104 million metric tons will leak into nature in a business as usual scenario. This poses harmful effects not only to our environment, but to human health as well. It is estimated that on average, people could be ingesting approximately 5 grams of plastic every week.

Recognizing the threat brought about by plastic pollution, WWF-Philippines rolled out the #AyokoNgPlastik movement last year in hopes of addressing the issue by creating awareness among Filipinos to reduce dependence on single-use plastics such as straws, bags, bottles, and cups, among others.

This year, WWF-Philippines reinforces their campaign against unnecessary plastics by adopting the ‘No Plastics in Nature’ Initiative, a global WWF approach that intends to stop the flow of plastics entering nature by 2030 through elimination of unnecessary plastics, doubling reuse, recycling, and recovery, and ensuring remaining plastic is sourced responsibly.

“With the ‘No Plastics in Nature’ Initiative, we are hoping to make the Philippines free of unnecessary plastic wastes, but we cannot do this alone, we need the help of everyone. Every individual, company, and institution should be mindful of the amount of plastics they produce and use daily, and take action accordingly, to make this goal a reality,” said Joel Palma, WWF-Philippines President and CEO.

The initiative is a holistic approach consisting of four main strategies such as lobbying for a global legally binding agreement on plastic pollution, Plastic Smart Cities movement for cities and tourism destinations, Plastic Action (PACT) for businesses, and #AyokoNgPlastik for the general public.

The WWF network is continually pushing for a new international legally binding agreement to comprehensively address marine plastic pollution throughout the full life cycle from both production to disposal and recovery back into a circular loop. This is the network’s response to the agreement made at the recent 14th Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention (COP 14) in Geneva, which stresses that the developing world could no longer be a plastic dumping ground and that any trade would require the prior consent from the receiving country.

Plastic Smart Cities, on the other hand, is a global movement of cities and tourism destinations that are fighting plastic pollution through improved collection, recycling, reduction of key waste plastics, and landfill management. Currently, the Philippines is working in six cities including Davao City, Digos City, Tagum City, Manila City, Parañaque City, Island Garden City of Samal, and four municipalities including Lupon, San Isidro, Sta. Cruz, and Donsol.

Meanwhile, WWF-Philippines was able to partner with at least 20 businesses for the sustainable journey movement where programs to reduce or eliminate single-use plastics in their supply chain system, workplace, and business operations were implemented. This program resulted in the prevention of over 1.5 million pieces of plastic waste from leaking into nature. Currently, WWF-Philippines is adopting the Plastic Action (PACT), which is a regional initiative on engaging businesses to take on a circular economy.

Finally, WWF-Philippines’ successful #AyokoNgPlastik movement will continue to educate the general public about plastic pollution, its impacts, and how people can help in addressing it through the Facebook community and the recently launched AyokoNgPlastik microsite. Members of the movement have also demonstrated their commitment to this cause by signing the petition to support the call for a new legally binding international agreement on plastic pollution.

“The problem on plastic pollution will only continue to worsen if we don’t do anything about it. We are determined to address this issue to ensure that there will be no more plastic pollution in nature by 2030, and we hope to achieve that through the ‘No Plastics in Nature’ Initiative,” Palma reiterated.

WWF-Philippine’s ‘No Plastics in Nature’ Initiative was launched on the 5th of September at Shakey’s Quezon Avenue. Shakey’s Philippines is one of the newest partners and supporters of the #AyokoNgPlastik movement.

To know more about WWF-Philippines and the ‘No Plastics in Nature’ Initiative, visit www.ayokongplastik.org or follow /WWF.Philippines on Facebook. To engage in conversations on plastics, join facebook.com/groups/ayokongplastik.

For more information, please contact:

Ms. Czarina Constantino
Project Manager – No Plastics in Nature Initiative, WWF-Philippines
cconstantino@wwf.org.ph

For media arrangements, please contact:

Mr. Dan Ramirez
Communications and Media Manager, WWF-Philippines
dramirez@wwf.org.ph

About WWF

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with over 6 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

WWF-Philippines has been working as the 26th national organization of the WWF network since 1997. It has been successfully implementing various conservation projects to help protect some of the most biologically-significant ecosystems in Asia.

World Vision launches 1,000 Girls campaign with young actress Bianca Umali

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World Vision in the Philippines, together with World Vision Ambassador for Education Bianca Umali, launches “1000 Girls,” a campaign that aims to give girls a better future and help them to reach their potentials and achieve their dreams.

Globally, millions of girls do not have the chance to go to school because they are forced into child labor, child marriage or child pregnancy. According to a survey released by the Philippine Statistics Authority, 63.3% of the Filipino out-of-school youth are girls. It was also revealed that the main reason for the high percentage is marriage and family matters.

In response to this alarming problem, World Vision is introducing the “1000 Girls” campaign, a global movement that intends to help 1000 Filipino girls through the organization’s Child Sponsorship program. The project will pave the way for the celebration of International Day of the Girl on October 11.

“Each girl deserves to be in school, overcome poverty, reach her full potential, and eventually, be a valuable member of the community. I encourage everyone to help us reach our goal and help these girls fulfill their dreams,” shared World Vision Ambassador for Education Bianca Umali, a staunch advocate of women empowerment.

“We decided to adapt the ‘1000 Girls’ campaign in the Philippines because Filipino girls share similar struggles with girls who live in poverty in other countries. There are so many challenges in fulfilling their dreams. If no one will help them and stand for them, how can they attain their goals?” said World Vision Executive Director Rommel V. Fuerte. “We implore everyone to join our cause in helping Filipino girls who are suffering from circumstances brought by lack of access to their most basic needs. With everybody’s help, we can reach more children.”

Running to empower girls’ dreams

In support of the campaign, business mogul Victor Consunji and his race partner Enrico Menichetti pledged to join and finish the 2019 Fire + Ice Ultra Marathon, which will take place from August 26 to 31 in Iceland. The duo has set up a fundraising page where people can pledge their support not only to cheer Victor and Enrico on but also to empower the dreams of girls still living in poverty.

“When we join a marathon, we have a specific goal in mind and that is to reach the finish line. We overcome obstacles and push ourselves to the limit to reach this goal. The same can be said for the thousands of Filipino girls who also have their own goals, dreams and aspirations. Sadly, not everyone has the means to do so because of poverty,” Victor explained. “We believe child sponsorship can help change this.”

“Enrico and I are dedicating this race to these girls because we want them to know that reaching their dream is possible. We want to empower them through this fundraising run. I hope that you can support Enrico and I as we run another race for children,” Victor added.

This is not the first time Victor and Enrico are running for the benefit of World Vision children. In 2018, the race partners successfully finished the Marathon Des Sables, also known as ‘the toughest foot race on earth.’ The funds raised from Consunji and Menichetti’s run were used to support World Vision’s nutrition project in Batangas, provide school supplies for children in Malabon, give water facilities in West Misamis, and build a new water system in Bohol.

World Vision’s “1000 Girls” campaign is also supported by its major partners Shopee Philippines, UL Skin Sciences, Tupperware Brands Philippines, and Elev8 Media.

To know more about “1000 Girls,” visit www.worldvision.org.ph. You may also follow /worldvisionph on Facebook and @worldvisionphl on Instagram for updates.

About World Vision

World Vision is a global Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.

World Vision Inks Partnerships with Corporate Donors to Support Children’s Programs

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World Vision Philippines together with several corporations continues to help thousands of Filipino children in need through partnerships aimed to support the organization’s child-focused projects in the Philippines.

In line with the back-to-school season, World Vision and Procter & Gamble (P&G) Philippines launched the “Pag-asa sa Basura” campaign, a sustainable waste collection and recycling system targeting several areas in Metro Manila. The pilot implementation of the project will be done in 25 schools in Malabon and Quezon City.

The participating schools will be outfitted with school-based materials recovery facilities (MRF) for various solid waste materials including sachet packaging. The students who will be participating in the campaign are encouraged to bring a certain number of sachets to receive incentives such as school supplies. Furthermore, the profits that will be collected from the MRF will be used for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) programs like improvements in their handwashing facilities and WaSH education.

This initiative will not only be benefiting the children but also saving the environment with the goal of preventing at least one million pieces of sachets going to the ocean. Educators and students will also be trained on the principles of solid waste management specifically recycling.

Earlier this month, World Vision together with Elev8 Media Inc., an out-of-home advertising company, signed an agreement to support the NGO’s (non-government organization) awareness drive for child sponsorship. Elev8 Media Inc. donated 90 lamp post banners in key areas of Makati City, Taguig City and Paranaque City featuring photos and testimonials from former sponsored children and donors of World Vision.

The partnership aims to increase public awareness about World Vision’s Child Sponsorship Program, an initiative where donors commit to give monthly sponsorship to provide the basic needs of a child supported by World Vision.

Another partnership forged by World Vision is with Domescape, a private glamping vacation home in Nasugbu, Batangas. They recently conducted the “A Star of Something Good”, a stargazing event for the benefit of World Vision.

Domescape’s willingness to support the children thru World Vision and the owners’ generosity as seen during the launch resulted to one child being sponsored by the corporate partner and two sponsorship pledges from the guests who attended the event. They look forward to doing more of these events that will help increase awareness and move people to support for World Vision’s children’s programs.

”World Vision Philippines is so blessed with the success of all of our initiatives with our partners and on behalf of our organization, I would like to thank them for their unwavering support to our advocacy. Let’s continue to work together for the Filipino children,” said World Vision Philippines Executive Director Rommel Fuerte.

To know more and support World Vision Philippines activities, visit www.worldvision.org.ph. You may also follow /worldvisionph on Facebook and @worldvisionphl on Instagram for updates.

About World Vision
World Vision is a global Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.

Congressman Teodorico “Nonong” T. Haresco Jr, celebrates his victory with the media.

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Once again, Honorable Congressman Teodorico “Nonong” Haresco Jr was elected and with a landslide victory as congressman of the second district of Aklan where the Boracay island is covered under his administration.

Invited during the celebration were bloggers and media friends at Dads, West Avenue Quezon City.

As he would say, we should work hand in hand to pursue our dreams. His goals is to continue what he started to serve and improve the well being of his people in the second district of Aklan.

He also mention a get together in Boracay during the celebration, were the media had applauded. And he reminded the media, that we now have a representative in the House of Representatives.

As part of his advocacy, he wanted to assist and help the people of his district to improve their livelihood and give them a better life.

1. For the medical needs, in the heart center, lung center and PGH.
2. Scholarship for deserving students, who would want to go to DSLU, Ateneo, UP etc.
3. Support the build, build, build program of the president to build infrusture.
4. Livelihood projects that would assist micro entreprenuer in Aklan, and welcoming us for a
retirement (stay) were he mentioned that Aklan has the best peace and order in Region VI.

With the vision and goals of Congressman Teodorico “Nonong” T. Haresco Jr, this will give an opportunity for the second district of Aklan to be successful with their projects and a better life to everyone.

Sun Life Presents life, health and wealth solutions for Financial Independence Month

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Here are the speakers for the Sun Life presentation Krie (CEO ans Founder of Messy Bessy), Sara Black and Lay Preacher Bo Sanchez talks about Life, Health and Wealth.

Filipinos are eager to prepare for the future, but are still tied to traditional ways of handling their finances.

This was revealed in a nationwide study of 1,200 respondents conducted by Kantar Milward Brown and commissioned by Sun Life Financial Philippines (“Sun Life”).

According to the study, 68% of Filipinos were concerned about saving for emergencies, 62% on securing their family’s future, and 57% on retirement. In order to address these priorities, 62% said they are managing their finances while 54% are spending only on things that are planned. Only 39% replied that they were investing their money in order to fund their goals.

Many pointed to their financial situation as a reason for not availing of life insurance or mutual fund products, where an average of 44% said that these products are considered as added expenses rather than tools to be financially secure. Moreover, it appears that lack of knowledge was also a factor, where 16% admitted they knew little about life insurance, 15% confessed to not knowing much about accident insurance, and 17% felt the same way about health insurance.

This prompted Sun Life to adopt the theme ”Life, Health, and Wealth” for its Financial Independence Month campaign this June.

”Life, health, and wealth are the essentials of a brighter future, but one can only achieve them if they save and invest for the future,” Sun Life Chief Marketing Officer Mylene Lopa said. ”This is possible with the right partner, tools, and products, and these are what we would like to highlight this Financial Independence Month.”

Life solutions

Among the initiatives under ”Life” is the Life Insurance Calculator, which would help one assess how much life insurance he would need to properly cover the needs of his loved ones, giving him a clearer goal to pursue. The digital tool can be accessed via bit.ly/SLlnsuranceCalc.

Meanwhile, SUN Smarter Life Classic is a protection plan that provides double life insurance coverage throughout one’s lifetime. Available in flexible premium payments, it also offers benefits that he can use in case of emergencies or immediate need for cash.

Sun Life is also set to team up with Waze to promote road safety in an initiative dubbed ”Brighter Drive, Brighter Life,” which will alert Waze users on accident-prone areas. This may also serve as a reminder for Waze users, who are also registered Lazada members, to insure themselves with a digital life insurance from Sun Life, such as Life Armor. It may be availed via the said online marketplace for as low as P100.

Health solutions

Under ”Health,” Sun Life endorses SUN Fit and Well, a new generation wellness plan that offers comprehensive life and health protection. It covers the whole health Journey from prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation, offering comfort and peace of mlnd should a serious illness strike.

GoWell, Sun Life’s wellness community, has also expanded its tie-up with Fitness First to offer club benefits and preferential rates for Sun Life clients, advisors and employees.

Wealth solutions

Those eager to pursue their wealth goals can give the Investment Calculator 3 try at bit.ly/SL|nvestmentCalc to see how their money can grow over time using various financial instruments.
Once they are ready to start investing, they can opt to invest in the Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Funds from Sun Life Asset Management Inc. (SLAMCI). The first target date investment funds in the Philippines, these funds are designed to help investors achieve their goals on time with the minimum investment at only P1,000.

Should they wish to encourage their loved ones to start their own investing journey as well, they can give them a Sun Life Prosperity Card, 3 gift card which can be invested in any of Sun Life’s peso-denominated funds. It is available in P1,000 and P5,000 denominations.

In order to keep them on track as they pursue their life, health, and wealth goals, Sun Life also created Sun Future Planner, a comprehensive financial planning guide that would help one determine his life stage, analyze his needs, and take concrete steps to achieve his goals. The Sun Future Planner may be availed via a Sun Life advisor.

“We hope that Filipinos would utilize these solutions to create a more holistic and hardworking financial plan and serve more of his and his family‘s needs,” Lopa said. ”By saving, investing, and being more proactive in this pursuit, there is no doubt that they can look forward to a brighter future, and we aspire to be their partner for life in theirjourney towards financial freedom.”

For updates on Sun Life’s Financial Independence Month initiatives and for details on Sun Life’s products and digital tools, follow @SunLifePH on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, visit sunlife.com.ph, or talk to a Sun Life advisor today.

Public School Teacher named Cebuana Lhuillier’s Happiest Pinoy 2019

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Zaldy Bueno, a 37-year old teacher from Gumaca, Quezon was hailed as the 4th Happiest Pinoy, winning Cebuana Lhuillier’s Search for the Happiest Pinoy which honors and celebrates the Filipinos’ innate “optimism, resilience, and hope amidst different life crises.”

Zaldy bested nine other finalists from different categories, winning one million cash and a trophy.

The board of judges composed of Usec. Zenaida Maglaya, Gang Badoy Capati, James Deakin, RJ Ledesma, Love Anover-Lianko, Jonathan Yabut, Winston Maxino, Rommel Arellano, and Richardson Navor chose Bueno unanimously by virtue of his advocacy to see more children’s lives change through education. Zaldy volunteered as an ALS teacher and taught on weekends, he even had his mother as his student at one point and helped her finish her secondary education. Zaldy also co-founded project PADYAK in 2017, PADYAK stands for Pidal Apakan Dunong Yayaman, Asenso’y Kakamtan, which aims to provide bicycle units for students who could not afford to travel to school.

The project turned out huge with so many people donating new and used bicycle units from all over the Philippines even getting donations from OFWs abroad. This project drastically increased attendance for students at school for which their school received a perfect attendance award.

“I am very happy with the results of this year’s search — with over 800,000 entries received through our branches, online, SMS, and walk-in entries. It’s been amazing to read the entries of the 10 finalists and Zaldy proves to be a worthy winner as his tale will definitely inspire countless people to push on despite life’s difficulties, Zaldy exemplifies the commendable Filipino spirit of rising up from your current predicament and using that as fuel to make a difference in the lives of others.” said Cebuana Lhuillier President and CEO, Jean Henri Lhuillier.

Currently, Bueno serves as the head teacher of the English department at the Gumaca National High School. As a kid, their family would often encounter financial difficulties, Zaldy would help his mom wash clothes for their neighbours and would get his daily allowance from selling vegetables he planted to augment the family income. Zaldy vowed to work hard and study hard in order to improve their life.

A turning point in Zaldy’s life was when typhoon Rosing hit in 1995 which completely obliterated their house, and forced to stay at the barangay health center. During clinic days, Zaldy and his family had to move their things on the street to accommodate the influx of patients.

After graduating secondary school, Zaldy tried to get a college education but had to stop schooling due to financial constraints. In order to get back to school, he had to work two jobs, including stints at a tile store and as an advertiser scout for a local radio station. He finished college after 6 years.

Bueno is the fourth winner of the biennial search following Richardson Navor (2015), Rommel Arellano (2012), and Winston Maxino (2009).

When asked what Bueno will do with the prize money, he shared that he will use it to further improve Project PADYAK by acquiring more bike units which more youths can use to get to school. He also shared that he will use a part of it to bring his parents to Singapore for a well-deserved vacation.

Breaking its own record, the Cebuana Lhuillier search received over 800,000 nominations this year, the most entries it received in its ten-year history.

ProtectNow.com: All the best insurance products at your fingertips

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ProtectNow.com is an online platform that will enable s to conveniently compare and select the most ideal insurance products from a comprehensive list provided by some f the country’s leading insurance companies.

“We are living in the best of times and in the worst of times with the confluence of technological advancements and natural disasters. With ProtectNow.com, Filipinos have the power to compare and personalize their insurance plan according to the covereage that they can afford and the insurance company that they prefer,” said Jonathan Batangan, PJLI Insurance Group head during the website’s launch at the New World Makai Hotel.

ProtectNow.com allows users to easily compare a full range of vehicle, home, travel and personnel accident insurance products, for free. Its search engine generates a list of products according to the user’s budget, needs, and preferences to ensure that each and every quote provided are personalized and tailor fitted.

The website also enables users to take full control of their policies with their own insurance dashboard. Here, they can monitor their policies and transactions and files and submit documents for insurance claims. It is also equipped with the a live chat and help desk feature to connect users to an insurance analyst in real time.

Payment of premiums via the website is convenient and hassle-free. Users can simply choose to pay through PayPal or any of Cebuana Lhuillier’s close to 2,500 branches nationwide.

Already, PJLI Insurance is hoping to expand ProtectNow.com to include more financial products and services categories, partner with more insurance comapanies, as well as offere microinsurance. The website will soon cater to a global market and for every insurance policy availed, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to OurHelp.com, an online platform provides insurance for free to those who cannot afford to pay for insurance coverage.

For more information, please visit www.protectnow.com or email at support@protectnow.com.