8/27/22

Meralco Group bags 22 wins at the 19th Philippine Quill Awards

 

The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) emerged as one of the top companies at the recently concluded 19th Philippine Quill Awards after the power distributor bagged 22 wins and the Company of the Year 1st Runner-up award.

Recognized for its internal and external communication programs, the Meralco Group won eight Excellence Awards and 14 Merit Awards for various programs and initiatives on pandemic response centered on health and safety, customer-centricity, service excellence and stakeholder engagement.



“We have always been committed in creating communication plans and programs that help empower our customers and the public, most especially since the pandemic continues to pose challenges in our way of life. These said challenges invigorate us to strive harder because we firmly understand how crucial stable and reliable electricity service is in enabling work-from-home and online distance learning arrangements and in getting our responsibilities done,” said Meralco Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications Joe R. Zaldarriaga.

“To be recognized as one of the top companies in communications is truly an honor and it pushes us to develop and implement more programs that will benefit our customers, our communities, and our country,” he added.

Among Meralco’s campaigns that received highest awards include those that ensured customers, stakeholders, and employees were protected, healthy and equipped with helpful information against the COVID-19 pandemic. “#AyokoMagViral: A Meralco internal campaign against COVID-19” under the Internal Communication category and “Safety First: Empowering Enterprises to Fight an Invisible Enemy” under the Safety Communication category received Excellence Awards on Communication Management.

Meralco’s initiative to make customer payment process more convenient via the “Fitting the Bill: Meralco makes paying bills easier with the Customer Account Number”, and its relentless efforts to ensure its external stakeholders remain safe and informed despite the pandemic through the “Meralco Power Up Live: Empowering Business Customers Amidst the Pandemic” both won Excellence Awards in the Customer Relations category.

Also recognized with an Excellence Award under the Customer Relations category was the “Safeguard the Economy at All Costs by Waiving Energy Demand Charge” program, which demonstrated Meralco’s efforts to support its business customers amid the global health crisis.

The Company’s push towards sustainable transportation through “Electric Motorcycle Deployment for Meralco Business Center Field Representatives” campaign likewise earned an Excellence Award in the Change Communication category.

Meralco PowerGen Corporation subsidiary Atimonan One Energy, Inc. (A1E), meanwhile, received two (2) Excellence Awards under the Corporate Social Responsibility category. “Kaisa sa Kabuhayan: Aplaya Sardines Enterprise with Atimonan Fisherfolks” and “Kaisa sa Kalusugan radio health program” are both pandemic response programs that benefitted A1E’s host communities in Quezon province.

One Meralco Foundation (OMF), the company’s social development arm, bagged four (4) Merit awards for “Household Electrification Program: Powering-Up Communities Amidst the Pandemic”, “Meralco One for Trees: Helping Farmers Survive the Pandemic through Sustainable Reforestation”, COVIDCOMMS 2021: Farmers to Frontliners and Marginalized (F2FM) Project: Invigorating the Livelihood of Farmers”, and “Stronger Together-The 2020 MVP Academic Achievement Awards Virtual Ceremony”.

Other Meralco’s initiatives that received Merit citations were the following campaigns: “Unwavering Service and Malasakit amid the Pandemic and May-June 2021 Power Shortage”, “Providing Consumers the Power During Summer”, “Meralco Corporate Partners Viber Community – Engagement When Connectivity is a Must”, “Ensuring our Stakeholders are Informed Despite Social Distancing: Quarterly Operating and Financial Media Briefings”, “Putting Things in Perspective: Meralco Communicates the Upward Trend of Power Rates 2021”, “Meralco’s 2020 Corporate Reports (Power On, Live Life and Give Hope)”, “Biyaheng Meralco: A Virtual Townhall with our CEO”, “Customer Experience Index (CXI): The Case of Meralco Business Centers”, “COVIDCOMMS2021: Meralco’s Facebook Page Keeping the Lights On in the New Normal”, and “MVP: The Man and His Art – A Visual Inventory of Filipino Artistry Gracing the Halls of Philippines’ Major Companies”.

Organized by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines, the Philippine Quill Awards is considered the country’s most prestigious awards program in the field of business communication – emphasizing the excellent use of communication in achieving goals and in making a difference in society.

IABC President Belle Tiongco lauded Meralco on its performance, saying: “For as long as I have been involved with the Quills, Meralco has always been a beacon of communications excellence. Meralco is a communicator that prioritizes its role as a mover, a force for good, in Philippine society. That’s a mindset, I believe, that organizations should emulate so that communications can really be a platform for national development. Mabuhay Meralco, for your performance in this year’s Quills.”

This year’s awardees came from a crop of more than 800 entries - the highest in Quill history, according to the IABC, an association of top business, industrial and organization communicators, and professionals that supports the highest professional standards and practice of exceptional quality and innovation in organization and business communication.

8/23/22

Sinag Schools program powers up school in Batangas

SM Foundation (SMFI), the corporate social responsibility arm of the SM group, together with Maxeon Solar Technologies, recently powered up the Lemery Pilot Elementary School (LPES) in Batangas through the Sinag Schools program.

 

SM Foundation and Maxeon Solar Technologies formally held the community launch of the Sinag Schools Program at Lemery Pilot Elementary School in Batangas

This social good collaboration between SMFI and Maxeon aims to provide clean and renewable energy to schools in grassroot communities by installing solar panels on an SM school building, especially to those that have low operating expenses.

 

In addition to the solar panel installation which intends to power positive change in the way energy is consumed in public schools, the program also aims to enhance the understanding of students in terms of energy management and the need to transition to cleaner energy alternatives with lower environmental impacts.

 

“Through this program, we want to power up the learning and development of young people. We want to help teach young people about solar energy, about renewable energy. We want to power up the next generation to help save our planet,” Maxeon Fab4 General Manager Glenn Everett said.

 

The SM school building at the LPES, which was donated by SMFI in partnership with SM Prime Holdings (SMPH) in 2017, now boasts 21 solar panels—estimated to produce 6510 watt-p. With the savings on electricity, the school may realign their budget to more efforts and other innovations that will give the students an environment more conducive to learning.

 

Through the Sinag Schools program, SMFI and Maxeon installed 21 solar panels— estimated to produce 6510 watt-p—on an SM school building in Batangas.

It takes a village to raise a child

SMFI executive director Debbie Sy underscored the importance of collective efforts in advancing the learning experience of every student in the country: “We believe that collaboration can drive growth and become a force for good in addressing societal challenges. CSR partnerships can create solutions that improve society by fostering learning, promoting innovation and gaining access to new technologies, such as the Sinag schools program. CSR collaboration can pool resources, both financial and human resources - between multiple organizations which can amplify social good impact.”

 

“The establishment of an ever-evolving CSR strategy and partnerships will help companies and non-government organizations in developing and implementing crucial social good programs over decades while having procedures in place that integrate social and environmental priorities into CSR core strategy – all in close collaboration with stakeholders,” she further added.

Moreover, Everett mentioned how SMFI and Maxeon share the similar set of values and interest when it comes to helping Filipino learners: “We have this concept of powering positive change in the world. We are happy to be working together with SM Foundation to power up the Lemery Pilot Elementary School.”

 

“Individually, we can do so much. But together we can do actually more. For us to bring our solar technology and SMFI to bring in their schools, these things are much better together than they would be apart,” he concluded.

 

Spreading social good all the way

SM Foundation made sure to truly touch the lives of the learners and teachers of LPES as it donated eight desktop computers, 200 bags with school supplies, and more than 160 pcs brand new kinder and elementary books to further promote the love for reading among the students. Clothing items for parents were also distributed.

 

SM Supermalls employee volunteers led the distribution of donations from SM Foundation to the students of Lemery Pilot Elementary School

For more information about this initiative, follow SM Foundation on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube: @SMFoundationInc.

 

Maxeon is headquartered in Singapore. The company designs, manufactures, and sells Maxeon® and SunPower® brand solar panels. Maxeon has sales operations in more than 100 countries, operating under the SunPower brand in certain countries outside the United States. Maxeon is a leader in solar innovation with products that span the global rooftop and solar power plant markets through a network of more than 1,700 trusted partners and distributors. A pioneer in sustainable solar manufacturing, Maxeon leverages a +35-year history in the solar industry and numerous awards for its technology.

 

SM Foundation, through its School Building Program, is an active partner of DepEd’s Adopt-a-School program. This social good initiative aims to promote quality public education by building classrooms nationwide. To date, it has turned over more than 100 school buildings to grassroots communities.

SM Prime and AboitizPower Secure Long-Term Cleanergy Deal

 


(From left to right) SM Prime Energy Consultant Jaime Patinio, AboitizPower Senior Vice President for Commercial Operations Sandro Aboitiz, SM Engineering, Design and Development President Hans Sy, Jr., SM Prime President Jeffrey Lim, AboitizPower President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Rubio, Aboitiz Renewables, Inc. Vice President for Commercial Strategy, Sales, and Engagement David Aboitiz, AboitizPower Vice President for Retail - Commercial Operations Business Unit James Byron Yu, and SM Prime Chief Finance Officer John Nai Peng Ong gather for a luncheon on Thursday, August 4, after sealing a long-term partnership with the commitment to helping build a cleaner and brighter future.       

 

SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime), one of the leading property developers in Southeast Asia, secures a long-term deal with AboitizPower for Cleanergy supply, realizing its goal of increasing its renewable energy portfolio to more than 50%. This is in support of the Department of Energy’s program of moving up the renewable energy supply component of the country to 35% by year 2030.

 

Under the agreement, AboitizPower is poised to supply reliable and responsibly-sourced energy from Tiwi and MakBan Geothermal Power Plants, and PV Sinag’s Power Plants, operated and managed by AboitizPower subsidiary, Aboitiz Renewables, Inc. (ARI). This long-term contract will power SM Prime properties, including malls, leisure homes, offices, hotels, and other establishments under the Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA) by the end of 2022.

 

“This partnership with AboitizPower is aligned with our unwavering commitment to being a catalyst for economic growth and steward of nature. We will continue providing world-class amenities within our sustainable lifestyle cities that have been beneficial and inspirational to millions of Filipinos,” said Jeffrey Lim, SM Prime Holdings Inc.’s President.

 

SM Prime builds legacy communities based on its core sustainable pillars: Economy, People, Environment, and Community. It is dedicated to generating value sustainably through its diverse business segments.

 

“AboitizPower is thrilled to be SM Prime’s partner in building sustainable lifestyle cities. We thank SM Prime for trusting us to be their partner in their transition to clean and renewable energy. It is a privilege to be given the opportunity to power various SM Prime properties with our renewable assets”, said Sandro Aboitiz, Senior Vice President of the Commercial Operations Business Unit. 

 

“We consider it a great milestone for our group to be in support of SM’s transition to renewable energy and are working to rapidly expand our renewable portfolio as the demand for Cleanergy grows. We have supported a growing number of corporations transitioning to clean and renewable energy and we are excited at the prospect of seeing a future where Cleanergy is the norm.” said David Aboitiz, Aboitiz Renewables, Inc. (ARI) Vice President for Commercial Strategy, Sales, and Engagement.

 

The leading renewable energy provider plans to expand its Cleanergy portfolio in the next 10 years to support the government’s plans of boosting the renewable energy industry in the country. AboitizPower is targeting approximately 50:50 Cleanergy and thermal capacity mix by 2030. 

 

About SM Prime

SM Prime Holdings Inc., one of the leading property developers in Southeast Asia, is committed to providing safe and sustainable spaces for its stakeholders.  Its development strategy is anchored on the responsible use of resources. In the communities it serves, it is able to promote resource conservation, environmental protection, and disaster resiliency by implementing solutions for water, waste, and energy management.

SM Prime is a key player in the SM Green Movement that aims to improve the quality of life of communities through sustainable solutions to promote a green planet, green living and a green culture.


Find out more about SM Prime and the SM Green Movement

 

8/5/22

5 Things you can do at SM this Cyber Month

 

Great tech and gaming deals are coming your way this August!

 



Calling all tech geeks and gadget fanatics- this is your month!

 

SM Supermalls is celebrating tech and innovation this August at the #SMCyberMonth2022. It’s going to be an #AweSM, action-packed month at SM with these activities and offerings that will keep you at the edge of your seat.

 

SM Cyber Month 2022 launching at SM MOA

Experience the Great Gadget Sale

Truly, there is no place like SM Cyberzone when it comes to the hottest tech deals and the lowest price guaranteed gadgets. Get your hands on the best deals, special promos, and bundles on select items with up to 60% off in participating stores at the Great Gadget Sale. Delightful, tech-citing deals are up for grabs at SM Cyberzone, SM Appliance, and The SM Store Gadgets!

 


 

Hop on the Gadget Lab

From fun, entertaining displays and touch & try product exhibits, to interactive product guides and the latest gadgets available in the Philippines, go crazy over all things tech at the Gadget Lab. See for yourself all the best smart home devices, gaming, productivity devices, and smartphones on display in the activity areas.

 

See what the future of tech and gaming looks like

Aside from the epic battles, you can also see what the future of tech and gaming looks like at the PlayZone. Immerse yourself in the live demonstrations of the newest gaming technology there is! You can also check out the gaming pods, gaming set-ups, and PC rig displays in the activity area.

 

Witness some action at the PlayZone

SM Supermalls is bringing together e-sports players and mobile gamers for some intense and epic battles. Tag along with your gaming squad and watch the gamers outplay each other at the special exhibition matches.




 

 

Grab the special deals exclusive via the SM Online App

But if you can’t go to any SM Cyberzone branches in the Philippines, there’s still a way for you to score these offerings and discounts. All you have to do is download the SM Malls Online App, add to your cart all your tech must-haves, use the voucher deals in-app, and just pick up the items at the SM mall near you.

 

For first time shoppers, SM Malls Online is offering a P200 OFF when you use voucher code SMGOESONLINE upon checkout. Shop for your favorite tech brands and gadget needs! Download now the SM Malls Online app here - https://click.smmallsonline.com/DFqS/btxb3s1w

 

“The #SMCyberMonth2022 is a celebration of tech and gadgets that can definitely make our lives more fun, easier, and convenient. And no matter what your interest is– may it be gaming, virtual reality, smart home, music, or smartphone photography – there will be something for you at Cyberzone!” said SM Supermalls President, Steven Tan.

 

you'll find great deals this Cyber Month at SM Malls

Experience all these and more this August at the #SMCyberMonth2022! Visit www.smsupermalls.com or follow SM Supermalls’ official social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram so you won’t miss out on all the cool happenings in your favorite SM mall.