SOCIAL MEDIA

Allianz Asia Pacific and INSEAD Celebrate First Pinnacle Excellence Program Graduation

Tuesday, April 29, 2025


Setting a New Standard in Future-Proofing the Next Generation of Financial Advisors

Allianz Asia Pacific proudly announces the inaugural graduation of 200 agents and agency leaders from its Pinnacle Excellence Program (PEP), a first-of-its-kind initiative co-designed with INSEAD, one of the world’s leading business schools. This milestone underlines Allianz’s dedication to equipping its agency force with advanced skills and insights to navigate the evolving financial landscape, while also supporting the broader Pinnacle 2030 strategy focused on sustainable growth and enhanced client engagement.

Among the 200 agents and leaders, are nine (9) LifeChangers from Allianz PNB Life: Artemio Wapanio, Carla Joyce Garcia, Sharon Joy Ang, Dan Angelo Mamerto, Hayde Zamora, Maricris Comendador, Mariel Mendoza, John Michael Licas, and Alfredo Emmanuel Butalid.

Transformative Outcomes and Strong Agency Performance

Graduates of this first cohort demonstrated over 40% growth in productivity, and nearly 40% qualified for the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT)—a global standard of excellence in financial advisory. These accomplishments contributed to Allianz’s robust 9M 2024 agency performance, marked by a 19% increase in New Business Value (NBV) and 8% growth in Annualised Premiums (ANP). Notably, ANP per active agent climbed by 11%, reflecting a strategic emphasis on developing a high-performing, client-focused agency network.

A Program Created "For Agents, By Agents"

PEP was developed through extensive collaboration with leading industry practitioners, including Allianz’s top-performing agents and leaders across Asia Pacific. Their on-the-ground insights shaped a specialized learning journey that addresses the key drivers of long-term success in today’s competitive market. Unlike conventional insurance training programs, PEP integrates both academic rigor and practical application through:

  • Blended Learning Delivery: Combining theoretical case studies, action-based projects, and role-playing exercises
  • Focused Skill Modules: Spanning Customer Psychology, Leadership, Communication, and Entrepreneurial Strategies.
  • Real-World Application: Equipping participants to translate classroom learnings into tangible results, from client engagement to team leadership.

“Our vision at Allianz is to build a world-class agency force that delivers exceptional service and trusted financial solutions,” said Anusha Thavarajah, Regional Chief Executive Officer, Allianz Asia Pacific. “The Pinnacle Excellence Program is a key pillar of our Pinnacle 2030 strategy, designed to elevate our agency force, enhance client engagement, and drive long-term growth. Through this program, we are not just transferring knowledge—we’re shaping the future of financial advisory by equipping our agents with the skills, tools, and mindset needed for sustainable success.”

Art Wapanio, one of the Filipino LifeChangers in the program, expressed his gratitude for being part of the experience: “I am deeply thankful to Allianz for giving me the opportunity to participate in the PEP program. Learning from a world-renowned business school broadened my perspective on both business and life. The opportunity to collaborate with passionate colleagues from different regional offices allowed us to exchange valuable ideas relevant to our work. I am eager to apply all the knowledge gained to ensure I can effectively help my clients achieve their financial goals and move closer to realizing their life aspirations.”

Elevating Industry Standards

In an environment where customer expectations continue to evolve, PEP graduates emerge as highly skilled advisors and leaders committed to safeguarding their clients’ financial well-being. By emphasizing lifelong learning, advanced financial planning expertise, and leadership development, Allianz aims to raise the bar for quality advisory services in the region.

“At INSEAD, we believe in developing responsible leaders who can navigate complexity and drive meaningful impact,” said Sameer Hasija, Dean of Executive Education and Dean of the Asia Campus at INSEAD. “Our collaboration with Allianz in the Pinnacle Excellence Program exemplifies this mission—combining world-class business education with real-world application to empower agents with the knowledge, skills, and strategic mindset needed to lead and create positive change in today’s financial landscape.”

Looking Ahead: Growth and Future Enhancements

The 200 graduates represent a diverse mix of new agents, aspiring leaders, and experienced professionals—each benefiting from PEP’s structured, hands-on approach. Building on this success, Allianz will expand the program in the coming years, allowing more agents to:

  • Access innovative learning methods tailored to an ever-changing market.
  • Develop leadership capabilities that drive team performance and client trust.
  • Contribute to sustainable growth in Asia’s dynamic financial services industry.

Allianz remains committed to creating industry-leading development pathways that prepare advisors for tomorrow’s challenges, ensuring clients receive best-in-class financial guidance well into the future.

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EmpowerHer campaign highlights value of recognizing unpaid care work rendered by women in households

Monday, April 28, 2025


Oxfam Pilipinas, Institute for Social Entrepreneurship in Asia, and OCI Group launched Asenso Squad, an online campaign that brings together the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) community to share lived experiences on breadwinning, unpaid care and domestic work, and gender equality.

The campaign, part of “EmpowerHer: Embedding Gender Equality in MSME Business Practices in the Philippines” project, addresses the issue of shared care work at home and how it limits work opportunities for women. The project, supported by Investing in Women, an initiative by the Australian Government, also promotes equal distribution of care work among household members.

“When household members share the responsibility of care work equally, it doesn’t just ease the burden on women—it builds stronger, more resilient households. It also gives everyone, regardless of gender, the chance to thrive both at home and in their careers,” says Lot Felizco, Executive Director of Oxfam Pilipinas.

She adds, “Women’s participation in economic activities brings a ripple effect—not only does it boost household incomes, but it also strengthens community economies and fosters inclusive growth. Redistributing care work is a crucial step in unlocking this potential.”

The campaign kicks off with an online forum, ‘Family or Career, Why Not Both? Pag-usapan natin paano sumakses sa bahay at buhay.’ The forum highlights the effects of assigning majority of unpaid care and domestic work to women in the typical Filipino household, limiting opportunities to seek employment or pursue entrepreneurship which can help support the family financially.

Gender gap in the workplace

The Philippines slid nine spots and ranked 25th in the 2024 Global Gender Gap Index, which measures gender parity or equal proportion of genders in four areas: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment.

The report showed the Philippines had 1.4 percentage points lower in overall economic participation and opportunity. The country dropped 5.3 and 2 percentage points in women’s share of legislators, senior officials, and managers, and perceived wage equality for similar work, respectively.

Studies have pointed to women performing more and longer hours of care work as the cause of the decline in women’s participation in the workforce. Care work may refer to domestic work such as laundry, cooking, cleaning, childcare, and caring for older people or persons with disabilities—all assumed to be part of the woman’s role in the household.

A National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) 2024 study mirrored the reported decline in the Global Gender Gap Report. It showed that 0.8 percent of women (21.9 million) were working, compared to 76 percent (30 million) of men. The study added that marriage and childbearing are associated with a significant decline in women’s labor force participation, noting that women take on domestic roles while men take on economic or productive roles in the Filipino household.

An Oxfam Pilipinas 2021 study on unpaid care and domestic work revealed that women spend on average 6.5 hours daily on care work— three times more than men. Girls were reported to spend longer time on care work and total work than boys in the same age group.

Care work also puts women at risk of injuries, illness, and other harm. Both women and men respondents of the study said that beating and yelling at women and shaming men for doing housework were acceptable.

Join the AsensoSquad Facebook group page to learn and share experiences on how to succeed at home and at work.
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DoubleVerify Expands Its AI-Powered Brand Safety & Suitability Offering for TikTok to Include Pre-Bid Video Controls




Global brands can access automated pre-bid video exclusion lists to protect brand equity and maximize ad performance on TikTok

DoubleVerify (“DV”) (NYSE: DV), a leading software platform for digital media measurement, data and analytics, today announced the launch of pre-bid video exclusion lists for TikTok—expanding the company’s footprint of trusted, independent brand suitability and media performance tools on the platform. This release will allow advertisers to proactively avoid content they deem objectionable before their ads are served, maximizing media quality, campaign performance and advertising ROI.

“We’re excited to launch DV’s pre-bid video controls on TikTok, empowering advertisers to enhance both the impact and quality of their campaigns,” said Mark Zagorski, CEO of DoubleVerify. “Powered by DV’s industry-leading, AI-driven classification technology, this solution helps advertisers ensure that ads appear in environments that align with their brand settings—driving stronger engagement, maximizing ad performance, and instilling greater confidence in their digital investments.”

With this release, advertisers will benefit from:

Comprehensive Coverage: Combine DV’s pre-bid controls with post-bid reporting to ensure end-to-end campaign measurement and optimization.

Operational Efficiency: Benefit from pre-bid activation that requires no manual upkeep and auto-refreshes in near real-time, ensuring seamless, always-on protection.

Enhanced Performance: Ensure ads do not appear next to objectionable content, reducing media waste and maximizing advertising ROI.

DV’s solution is powered by its proprietary, AI-powered Universal Content Intelligence™ classification engine. DV analyzes video, image, audio, and text elements to deliver superior content classifications at scale. Its innovative key frame extraction method is a smarter and faster way to analyze video content. Instead of examining each video frame, which can be repetitive and time-consuming, key frame extraction focuses only on the most important moments where changes happen. This streamlined approach uses less computing power and reduces environmental impact––ensuring an efficient, quicker, and more accurate analysis of campaigns, without sacrificing quality or precision.

DV’s automated pre-bid video controls and reporting insights are activated through DV Pinnacle®, the company’s unified service and analytics reporting platform, enabling advertisers to monitor and optimize their TikTok ad campaigns.

Additionally, DV is enhancing its TikTok dashboard in DV Pinnacle®, equipping brands with greater transparency into ad delivery and deeper insights for campaign optimization. Launching in the coming months, these updates will introduce top-level pre-bid filtering, enabling brands to analyze reporting specifically for campaigns with pre-bid controls, along with content previews for flagged incidents—empowering advertisers with more actionable intelligence.

For more information about DoubleVerify, visit http://www.doubleverify.com.
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To Thrive, Not Just Survive: The Need to Accelerate Digital Transformation in Southeast Asia’s Insurance Industry


How Insurtechs like Igloo are driving digital transformation and expanding access to coverage

Southeast Asia’s insurance industry is at a crossroads. Despite rapid economic growth and rising demand for financial protection, insurance penetration remains low. In fact, in many countries like the Philippines, it remains at 1.78%, while countries like Vietnam are at 2.8% and Indonesia is at 1.4%.

One of the biggest barriers in the industry is its continued reliance on outdated legacy systems, which create inefficiencies in underwriting, claims processing, and customer management, driving up costs and making insurance inaccessible to many. The region’s fragmented market, made up of numerous small, independent insurers, further complicates digital transformation efforts, leaving the industry ill-equipped to meet evolving consumer expectations.

“Unlike global insurance powerhouses that invest heavily in digital ecosystems, Southeast Asia’s insurance market remains highly fragmented. Many insurers operated independently, lacking the scale to afford large-scale technological upgrades,” said Raunak Mehta, Igloo’s Co-Founder and CEO. “As an insurtech that has been in the industry for almost a decade, Igloo has seen how shifting to digital is not an option anymore–it’s a necessity. Without it, the industry risks falling further behind and leaving millions of underserved individuals without access to affordable coverage. An accelerated digital transformation is the key to bridging this gap, enabling insurers to offer innovative products and improve accessibility for the growing middle class in Southeast Asia.”

Modernizing insurance processes end-to-end

Igloo, a regional insurtech leader with over 650 million policies facilitated and more than 75 partnerships, offers innovative embedded insurance solutions that seamlessly integrate insurance into core business products. This simplifies policy applications, purchases, and claims management, reducing friction for providers and distributors while streamlining underwriting and claims processing to make the system more efficient, user-friendly, and accessible to a broader audience.

Igloo partners with major online platforms like Lazada and Shopee, payment services such as GCash in the Philippines to develop customized insurance products that integrate into their digital ecosystems. It also collaborates with telecom companies like Smart, consumer finance platforms like Skyro and Salmon, and B2B MSME enabler Growsari in the Philippines to expand access to insurance across various sectors. This frictionless model simplifies the purchasing process, improving conversion rates and appealing to customers who may not have considered insurance otherwise.

Meanwhile, Igloo’s Ignite platform streamlines the sales process for intermediaries, offering a user-friendly interface, a quick quote system, secure payment processing, and real-time referral fee tracking. With 42 products across nine categories, Ignite has expanded to Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines, and was awarded Mobile App of the Year - Vietnam at the Insurance Asia Awards 2024.

The next step to digitalization? Leaving legacy systems behind

“But beyond this, we see immense value in helping insurers of all sizes fully embrace digital transformation by evolving their systems to become more agile and customer-centric,” said Mehta.

Igloo is helping the industry move away from legacy systems by introducing modular, no-code platforms that enable businesses to scale efficiently, reduce operational complexities, and enhance customer experiences. This way, Igloo empowers insurers to digitally define their underwriting rules, set up sales and operational processes, and launch products through the appropriate distribution channels. They can then monitor performance and identify areas for improvement. From creating their insurance marketplaces to seamlessly embedding products with retail partners' platforms, and improving agent-driven insurance sales, Igloo is reshaping how insurance can be delivered in a modern, scalable way.

“At the end of the day, our role as an insurtech is not only to facilitate digitalization but also to enable insurers to thrive in this era of digitalization. By adopting scalable technologies, insurers can simplify operations, expand their reach, and provide value to customers in ways that traditional systems simply couldn’t,” Mehta added.

Learn more about Igloo’s products and solutions by visiting iglooinsure.com.
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Life’s Camera focuses on InLife Sheroes in Motion

InLife Executive Chairperson Nina D. Aguas

InLife Executive Chairperson Nina D. Aguas shares her dream of touching the lives of a million men supporting women after InLife Sheroes has impacted more than ten million lives in 6 years.

Women are resilient, silently enduring struggles while remaining the backbone of their homes. As primary caregivers, they are a force to be reckoned with. Since its establishment in 2019, the InLife Sheroes Advocacy and Movement (InLife Sheroes) has been championing women empowerment, transforming their voices into a powerful call to action through its four pillars: financial literacy, health and wellness, women-specific solutions, and access to social and business networks. On March 12, InLife Sheroes celebrated its 6th anniversary through its Life, Camera, Action: Sheroes in Motion event held at the Insular Life Corporate Centre in Muntinlupa City, honoring the 1st InLife Sheroes Awards recipients for their courage, commitment, and advocacy.

Atty. Nelisa Guevara-Garcia: The Defender of the Voiceless


Atty. Nelisa Guevara-Garcia has spent two decades in the legal profession, dedicating 15 years to rescuing children from online sexual exploitation. As the Director of National Prosecution Development for International Justice Mission (IJM) Philippines, she leads efforts to develop sustainable prosecution strategies, ensuring justice for the most vulnerable.

“Children are my primary clients,” Atty. Garcia shares. “Awareness is the first step. You can’t just choose an advocacy at random—it has to be something you can commit to. For me, there was a tipping point where I knew I could no longer stand by. I had to act,” Atty Lisa explains when asked why she advocated for human rights.

Her work has led to numerous convictions, even reaching the Supreme Court. However, she measures success not just by legal victories, but by the transformation of survivors. “All the women I’ve helped in my cases are my Sheroes. I’ve seen them grow and change their lives after traumatic experiences. I share this award with the women and children I represented in court who were victims and now survivors. I thank all of them for their courage.”

Marge Aviso: Empowering Communities Through Digital Innovation


Leaving a high-pressure job in the call center industry to spend more time with her son, Marge Aviso found her calling in digital entrepreneurship. She founded TeleworkPH, a business process outsourcing company bringing employment opportunities to rural communities, particularly Bulacan and Bohol; co-founded Salig AI, a business management platform supporting local freelancers and businesses; and is the President of Global Impact Productions, a film and music production company.

“When I first started working from home, it became a turning point for me. I said, why not start training people in the barangays to learn about online work?” Marge recalls.

Her journey has been riddled with doubts and setbacks. “People questioned why I was teaching digital work in barangays. They assumed I was a scammer. But I kept pushing forward. If there’s a dream implanted in you, it’s there for a reason. Sometimes it’s scary but you just have to take the leap of faith. If your faith is very strong, you won’t be easily destroyed.”

Beyond business, Marge is driven by a deeper mission: breaking stereotypes. “Even now, in international conferences, people assume Filipinas are mere laborers rather than business owners. We need more women in tech—AI, metaverse, blockchain. All these technologies are here, and we need more people, women and youth; to understand these things so we can truly embrace and leverage them for our own good.”

Antoinette Taus: Champion of the Environment and the Underserved


A household name as an actress and singer, Antoinette Taus has used her platform to advocate for sustainability and social impact. She founded CORA (Communities Organized for Resource Allocation) and The Sustainable Planet, championing environmental conservation and livelihood programs for women and vulnerable communities.

“One of my dreams is to be able to keep placing the spotlight on local sheroes and heroes, people we should know and hear about, and recognize for dedicating their lives to things that benefit their countrymen and the rest of the world,” Antoinette says. “One small action can have a ripple effect and truly make a difference for years and decades to come without you even realizing it. Just start where you are.”

Through CORA, she supports grassroots environmental warriors: “…local communities, women, youth, fisherfolk, farmers, women grove warriors restoring mangroves in Leyte, women champions at the forefront of solid waste management and the circular economy, volunteers and everyone at team CORA.” This is an advocacy close to her late mother Cora’s heart.

She encourages all to be sheroes and heroes in their own right. “Through your gifts, skills and experience and the amazing and painful things you’ve experienced in life, you serve that purpose to be a shero and a hero to many others around you.”

The Power of a Voice, The Strength of a Movement

At the heart of this celebration was InLife Executive Chair Nina D. Aguas, who reflected on how the Sheroes Movement has grown from a bold ambition—reaching one million women in three years—to an unstoppable force that has impacted over ten million lives after six years.

“For too long, women were unheard—not because they had nothing to say, but because no one was listening,” Nina said. “InLife Sheroes has changed that. When a woman finds her voice, she finds her power. The InLife Sheroes is about everyday actions that create change, amplifying the voices of women, ensuring they are heard in boardrooms, businesses and communities. It is about breaking barriers and creating a future where every woman has the opportunity to thrive, not just survive. When one woman speaks, she inspires another to rise. When millions speak, the world listens.”

With InLife Sheroes surpassing its goal, Nina takes her dreams further. “Our collective dream is to touch the lives of a million men, supporting women if this is what it takes for the world to truly listen.

The Next Chapter: InLife Sheroes Awards 2026

During the event, InLife Sheroes announced the launch of the 2026 InLife Sheroes Awards, calling for nominations of exceptional Filipino women. The awards recognize champions in four categories:
  • Financial Literacy Advocates
  • Health and Wellness Champions
  • Women Empowerment Leaders
  • Business Innovators Addressing Women’s Needs

Aside from a plaque, winners will receive a life insurance policy for one year, and donation to their chosen advocacy or charitable institution.

Interested? Please send an email to: inlifesheroes@insular.com.ph for a copy of the nomination form. Deadline of entries is on November 25, 2025.

As this year’s InLife Sheroes Awardees have shown, life is not about waiting. It’s about taking the stage, owning the moment, and moving forward no matter what stands in the way. Before the celebration ended, InLife Sheroes made a powerful pledge: to “…hold space for ourselves and for our fellow Sheroes—a safe and brave space to own our roles, turn inspiration into action, and create the change we envision.”

The InLife Sheroes Advocacy and Movement 6th anniversary celebration featured performances by singer and actress Bituin Escalante, talented young singer, New York-based Dominique Aguas Alvarez, and the Philippine Educational Theater Association who performed a theater play featuring women empowered by the InLife Sheroes.
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Cebu Pacific Catering Services Joins Global Airline Caterers Shifting to 100% Cage-Free Eggs

Sunday, April 27, 2025

Cebu Pacific Catering Services

Leading airline catering provider Cebu Pacific Catering Services (CPCS) won praise today from international NGO Lever Foundation for committing to sourcing 100% cage-free eggs across its operations by 2030. This commitment aligns CPCS with a growing movement among international airline caterers to advance animal welfare standards in their supply chains.

"Our commitment to sourcing 100% cage-free eggs by 2030 reflects CPCS's dedication to aligning with global sustainability standards while maintaining the highest quality in airline catering," said Sherwin B. Olivar, General Manager at Cebu Pacific Catering Services Inc. "This initiative represents an important step in our ongoing efforts to implement responsible sourcing practices that meet international standards."

A joint venture between MacroAsia Corporation, Cathay Pacific Catering Services of Hong Kong, and MGO Pacific Resources Corporation, CPCS prepares over 2000 meals daily for International flights at Mactan-Cebu International Airport. The company's commitment follows similar pledges by major airline caterers worldwide, including its partner Cathay Pacific Catering Services in Hong Kong, demonstrating a coordinated industry shift toward more responsible sourcing practices.

"CPCS's full transition to cage-free eggs demonstrates its strong leadership in sustainability within the airline catering sector," said Robyn del Rosario, Sustainability Program Manager at Lever Foundation, which worked with the company on developing its new commitment. "Their decision will influence regional supply chains and show how international partnerships can drive positive change in the aviation services industry."

Cage-free egg production, in which hens are given the freedom to move in open indoor environments, improves animal welfare and significantly lowers food safety risks compared to caged egg production. Exhaustive research by the European Food Safety Authority found that cage-free egg farms are up to 25 times less likely to be contaminated with key strains of salmonella than caged egg farms. The production of caged eggs has been banned across Europe, as well as in the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Bhutan and parts of India, Australia and the United States. An increasing number of consumers have also been leaving eggs off their plate as the best way to help laying hens.
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Hapag Movement meets target one year early, helps over 120,000 families facing involuntary hunger


The Hapag Movement, Globe’s hunger alleviation program, has reached its impact goal one year ahead of schedule, supporting over 120,000 Filipino families through the collective support of Globe and TM customers, corporate donors, and mobilization partners.

Originally targeting 100,000 families by the end of 2025, the initiative raised Php 25.37 million in 2024 alone, bringing total funds raised to Php 53 million since 2022 and enabling it to provide meals to 120,455 families facing food insecurity.

“The overwhelming support for the Hapag Movement reflects the dedication of individuals, businesses, and organizations that share our vision of addressing involuntary hunger in the Philippines. Reaching this milestone sooner than expected strengthens our resolve to expand our efforts and create lasting change,” said Yoly Crisanto, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer at Globe.

Since its launch, the Hapag Movement has worked with the Ayala Foundation, Scholars of Sustenance, Tzu Chi Foundation, and World Vision. In 2024, it brought in three new mobilization partners—Rise Against Hunger and international organizations UN World Food Programme and Project PEARLS. This aimed to draw international attention to persistent hunger incidence in the Philippines, allowing the Hapag Movement to reach more communities in need.

The Hapag Movement has received support from over 1.1 million Globe and TM subscribers, who donated Php 11.67 million in Rewards points through the GlobeOne app. Total contributions to the program have accounted for 23% of all assistance provided through the platform.

In addition, 1,871 Globe employees took part in various Hapag Movement activities in 2024, demonstrating their commitment to making a difference.

To grow its impact, the Hapag Movement launched innovative fundraisers like the “Ibalik ang Sarap ng Pasko” holiday drive with SM’s shopper loyalty program SMAC, integrating donations into holiday shopping, and the Gourmet Giving Series, featuring fine dining fundraiser events with 12 top Metro Manila restaurants in partnership with Facebook community Fine Dining Club Philippines.

The Hapag Movement also tapped into the power of fandoms, enlisting support from Blackpink and BTS fan communities, Electronic Sports Gaming Summit gamers, ToyCon collectors, Lyropera enthusiasts, and Kwentoon artists to encourage contributions.

The program also gained invaluable support from the Rotary Club of Makati Business District, BPI Foundation, and Kumu, among others.

With its initial target surpassed, the Hapag Movement is now focused on scaling its livelihood training programs nationwide to provide families with sustainable means of supporting themselves.

The initiative is also exploring ways to contribute to the fight against child stunting, ensuring that Filipino children receive the proper nutrition they need in their critical early years.

The Hapag Movement remains committed to addressing hunger and poverty in the Philippines. Supporters can continue contributing through the GlobeOne app and GCash to help sustain and expand its impact.

For more information on Hapag and to donate directly to the cause, visit this website.
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