AXA Philippines Strengthens Protection for Underserved Workforce

AXA Philippines Strengthens Protection for Underserved Workforce

Thursday, April 10, 2025

The gig economy in the Philippines is rapidly expanding, with freelancers, ride-hailing drivers, and delivery riders making substantial contributions to the workforce. However, unlike traditional employees, many gig workers lack employment security, health benefits, and insurance coverage, exposing them to financial risks in times of medical emergencies or accidents.

Despite a 208% increase in freelance earnings from 2019 to 2020, as noted by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, the absence of financial protection remains a major challenge. Recognizing this gap, AXA Philippines, one of the largest and fastest growing life insurance companies in the Philippines, is stepping in to empower gig workers with accessible, relevant, and sustainable protection solutions.

Addressing the Protection Gap in the Gig Economy

AXA is committed to making insurance inclusive and accessible, ensuring underserved communities have the financial security they need to thrive. Through AXA EssentiALL, its global inclusive insurance unit, AXA delivers affordable, tailored solutions to those who traditionally lack coverage. Operating in 14 markets with over 14 million customers as of 2023, AXA EssentiALL helps communities build financial resilience against life’s uncertainties.

In the Philippines, this commitment is taking shape through AXA Philippines’ partnership with PhilPacific Insurance Brokers & Managers, Inc. (Philinsure), Grab, and MOVE IT—extending critical protection to gig workers, a sector long excluded from traditional financial safeguards. Through this initiative, thousands of Grab and MOVE IT drivers and riders will receive up to PHP 1 million insurance coverage should anything untoward happen to them, under the companies’ incentive-based program. This ensures these hardworking individuals can work with confidence and peace of mind, knowing they are financially protected.

“Ensuring inclusive protection has always been a core part of our mission. At AXA, we believe that every worker, regardless of employment status, deserves financial security and support. Gig workers demonstrate the same dedication, hard work, and competence as traditional employees, and it’s time they have access to the protection they deserve,” said Ayman Kandil, AXA Philippines President and CEO. “Through this partnership with Grab, MOVE IT, and Philinsure, we are taking concrete steps to close the protection gap for gig workers in the Philippines, especially drivers and riders who are on the road all day and are exposed to so many risks.”

Philinsure, a key partner in the initiative, shares the same vision of financial security for all by combining their microinsurance expertise with AXA’s innovative insurance solutions.

Building a Resilient Future for Gig Workers

For Grab Philippines, supporting their driver- and delivery-partners’ well-being goes beyond just providing livelihood opportunities—it’s also about ensuring they have the right protection.

As the workforce continues to evolve, insurance solutions must adapt to new employment models. By breaking barriers to insurance access, AXA reaffirms its commitment to helping gig workers build a stronger, more resilient financial future.

To learn more about AXA Philippines’ workforce protection initiatives, visit https://www.axa.com.ph/.

Read More

Avian Influenza: A Growing Threat to Poultry and Public Health

Avian Influenza: A Growing Threat to Poultry and Public Health

Avian Influenza (AI) is emerging as a potential crisis, with recent reports confirming three active H5N1 cases affecting nine farmers in Tarlac, Pampanga, and Nueva Ecija.

This year, a total of 99 municipalities have reported bird flu cases, leading to outbreaks among various poultry species in Pampanga, Kalinga, Nueva Ecija, Bataan, and Leyte Province. The emergence of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza threatens human and animal health, as well as the country’s poultry production and livelihood.

Recognizing the urgency of this issue, the German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI) and Boehringer Ingelheim (Philippines), Inc. organized a roundtable discussion on “The Urgency of Vaccines in Preventing Avian Influenza in the Philippines.” The event brought together experts from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Department of Agriculture (DA) to discuss the vital role of vaccination, the current state of AI prevention efforts, and the challenges of implementing sustainable disease control strategies.

“With the increasing threat of avian influenza, Boehringer Ingelheim underscores the urgent need for robust biosecurity measures. We must take immediate action to effectively control the spread of the disease and safeguard both the agricultural sector and public health,” said Raul Senedrin, Head of Business Segment – Poultry at Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Philippines, Inc.

Protecting Livelihoods: The Threat of Bird Flu in the Poultry Sector

The poultry sector is a vital component of the Philippine economy, valued at Php 68.76 billion value, providing livelihoods and contributing to the country’s agricultural production.

As poultry demand rises, the sector confronts significant challenges due to the increasing risk of bird flu. A broiler breeder chicken farm in Leyte Province experienced an outbreak, resulting in 4,475 casualties from a flock of 60,259 birds.

In support of the industry, Boehringer Ingelheim donated Avian Influenza test kits in 2023 to trade and partner stakeholders in Luzon and Mindanao as part of the surveillance efforts to track the presence of the disease.

On 12 August 2024, the Food and Agriculture Organization issued a regional alert highlighting the persistent threat of bird flu to the poultry industry, warning that the ongoing outbreaks could drive up production costs, increase consumer prices, and cause potential supply shortages.

“The poultry industry plays a vital role in ensuring stable food supply and supporting the economic sustainability of rural communities in the Philippines. Through this roundtable, GPCCI helped identify forward-looking solutions, and we remain committed to fostering continued collaboration to strengthen the sector’s resilience against Avian Influenza,” said GPCCI President Marie Antoinette Mariano.

Safeguarding Farmers from Rising Public Health Risks

Avian Influenza, also known as bird flu, primarily spreads among poultry, waterfowls such as ducks and geese, and livestock, increasing the risk of exposure for poultry workers and farmers.

This viral exposure has led to 887 H5N1 infections and 462 fatalities in humans from 2003 to April 14, 2024, with the majority occurring in Asia and Africa. Previous infections have led to complications such as conjunctivitis, gastrointestinal symptoms, encephalitis (brain inflammation) and encephalopathy.

The World Health Organization warns that the virus may mutate to become more contagious among humans, heightening public health concerns. These warning signs indicate that avian influenza could escalate into an emergency, potentially causing severe economic losses, undermining food security, and posing significant public health risks nationwide.

The escalating threat of Avian Influenza calls for an urgent, coordinated response among stakeholders, including government agencies, health organizations, and the agricultural sector, to safeguard communities and mitigate the impact of Avian Influenza. Prioritizing vaccination and health monitoring mitigates risks, sustains livelihoods, and prevents potential pandemics.

“Germany is continuing to support the Philippines’ effort to fight Avian Influenza. Germany and the Philippines share a long history of exchange in the fields of public health, food security, international trade as well as the support of livelihoods in the Philippines, says Dr. David Klebs, Economic Counsellor of the Germany Embassy Manila. “German businesses like Boehringer may provide a suitable solution to Avian Influenza making available scientific-based solutions to the Philippines.”

Safeguard health, livelihoods, and poultry production. Learn more about AI vaccination and disease prevention in the GPCCI white paper: https://philippinen.ahk.de/en/info-hub/news/2025/white-paper-the-state-of-the-avian-influenza-vaccine-in-the-philippines.

Read More

Monde Nissin, Hapinoy celebrate first batch of Sari-sari upskilling program graduates

Monde Nissin, Hapinoy celebrate first batch of Sari-sari upskilling program graduates

Monde Nissin Corporation in partnership with social enterprise Hapinoy, celebrated the graduation of its first batch of beneficiaries from its "45@45 Sari-sari Store Enablement Program." This is a continuation of Monde Nissin’s initiatives for its 45th anniversary on upskilling and supporting sari-sari store owners nationwide building up its network of KaSulongs or Kakampi sa Pagsulong ng Hangarin (KaSulong sa Komunidad – Enhancing Livelihoods).

The program upskilled 40 existing sari-sari stores through hands-on training modules conducted by Hapinoy called “Hapiskwela”. Monde Nissin offered packages that included inventory grants, store merchandise, and marketing materials to the beneficiary sari-sari stores.

“Gusto po naming magpasalamat sa inyong lahat sa inyong pagtitiwala at pagtitiyaga upang makumpleto ang inyong training para maging ganap na sari-sari store kasulong ng Monde Nissin. Hindi po matatapos ang ating samahan ngayong araw. Kasama po natin ang ating sales team upang patuloy na tutulong magbigay gabay sa ating mga tindahan,” Atty. Olive Misa, Head of Corporate and Government Affairs shared during a celebration event held at the Monde Nissin office.

(We would like to thank you all for your support and hard work in completing your training to become sari-sari store kasulongs of Monde Nissin. Our collaboration will not end today as our sales team is here to guide our store owners continuously.)

“Nagpapasalamat kami sa ating participants dahil sa kanilang pinakitang tiyaga sa ating Hapiskwela programs. Sana magamit niyo ang mga natutunan niyo para maikamit niyo ang mga pangarap niyo at ng pamilya niyo, at lalong mapalago ang inyong mga negosyo,” said Hapinoy president Mark Ruiz.

(We would like to thank our participants for their hard work during the Hapiskwela programs. We hope you can take what you’ve learned to achieve your and your families’ dreams and further grow your businesses.)

Graduates from the program also shared their experience with the three Hapiskwela modules, which were held online. Some beneficiaries set up their shops despite the concerns of friends and families and without formal training.

“Malaking bagay na naging parte po ako sa magkaroon ng opportunity na mabigyan ng guide kung paano magtayo ng isang magtayo ng isang negosyo. Binibigyan po kami ng training at seminar kung paano magpaikot ng pera. Ang cash in and cash out flow po ay malaking bagay para sa atin na matutunan kung paano natin maiwasan ang pagkalugi sa tindahan,” shared Rose Asunson, a former BPO employee and one of the program beneficiaries.

(It’s a huge deal for me to have the opportunity to be guided on how to set up my own business. We were given training and seminars on managing cash flow. We must learn how to manage cash in- and outflows to avoid our stores losing profit.)

Monde Nissin also partnered with Puregold and Angat Buhay Foundation to provide training opportunities to more than 200 sari-sari store vendors affected by Typhoon Kristine in Naga City. By giving participants seminars on financial management, inventory control, and customer engagement strategies, participants were equipped with the knowledge and skills to bounce back from the typhoon and sustain their livelihoods.

According to Jazzy Centeno, Group Key Accounts Manager, these programs are part of Monde Nissin’s goal to empower sari-sari store owners to advance their livelihoods. “It’s all part of our commitment to Making Better Possible. Kung may tinulungan kang isang tindahan, lahat ng tindahan sa komunidad, lalong lalago na akmang-akma sa atin sa Monde Nissin bilang isang KaSulong,” she said. (If we’re able to help one store, all the stores within a community grow, which is what we at Monde Nissin want as a KaSulong.)

Monde Nissin's dedication to Making Collective Action Possible equips entrepreneurs with tools, knowledge, and opportunities to grow their businesses, fueling progress and resilience in local communities nationwide.

Read More

Accelerating Inclusion: How GCash is leveling the playing field for women through responsive digital financial tools

Accelerating Inclusion: How GCash is leveling the playing field for women through responsive digital financial tools

GCash—the Philippines’ leading finance super app and largest cashless ecosystem—reiterates its commitment to accelerate action, accelerate inclusion to advance women’s economic empowerment through tech and innovation.

Under the mission of “Finance For All,” GCash continues to seek ways to break barriers to inclusion, going beyond digital financial solutions to create a responsive digital economy where women can thrive.

GCash heeded the call of International Women’s Day (IWD) 2025, the global day celebrating women’s social, economic, cultural, and political achievements, as it further dedicated itself to strategies that advanced gender equality. In keeping with this year’s IWD theme, “Accelerate Action,” GCash upheld women’s month with its own thrust, “Accelerate Action, Accelerate Inclusion,” which focused on empowering women with tools to make better-informed financial decisions, invest in themselves and their future, and take control of their finances to achieve independence.

“At GCash, we don’t just celebrate women—we invest in their success. Women are leaders, innovators, and changemakers, and their resilience drives not just our company but entire communities forward. Through our initiatives, we are creating an ecosystem where women have the tools to thrive in and beyond their careers. When women rise, we all rise,” Martha Sazon, President & CEO of Mynt, the holding company of GCash shared.

The inclusion of women as key to nation-building

GCash remains aligned with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the institution behind the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion (NSFI) that sees financial inclusion as a pathway to sustainable and equitable national development.

In creating the NSFI 2022-2028 strategy in 2019, the BSP identified tactics for coordinating a whole-of-nation approach to inclusive growth and financial resilience for every Filipino. The BSP and GCash consequently saw the status of women emerge as a crucial indicator in areas relevant to the nation’s progress and well-being.

“This informed our belief that empowering women leads to uplifting communities, and this is why GCash has always set out to confront the barriers and biases existing on both individual and systemic levels,” shared Sazon.

Empowerment through effective access

The lack of access to financial institutions has been reported as a fundamental systemic barrier, where account ownership is a core indicator of financial inclusion. According to the 2021 BSP’s Financial Inclusion Survey, seven in 10 adult Filipinos were categorized as financially excluded. The survey also identified the Philippines’ underserved sectors: the agriculture sector; the labor sector; women-owned and women-led micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs); and the youth.

GCash has helped confront this barrier by accommodating the lack of identification documents, credit history, and other documentation often required by traditional financial institutions granting access to basic financial services. Using tech as both a democratization and a tool for good, the fintech leader has opted to use alternative data based on a user’s digital footprint, thus modernizing and improving the accessibility of financial solutions.

GCash ensures that its products—from saving and payment transfers to investing and getting insured—are flexible and responsive, capable of meeting specific needs and tailoring services wherever necessary. This has paved the way not only for widespread but also effective access. Five out of 10 registered GCash users are women who now have access to an e-wallet and a broader financial ecosystem; five out of 10 GSave users are women, with the majority residing outside Metro Manila.

In addition, women now have greater access to holistic protection. Seven out of 10 GInsure users are women, now safeguarded by diverse insurance products like coverage policies for life, health, business, car, and more. By offering one of the lowest premiums in the Philippine market, GCash has also transformed the insurance landscape with GInsure, making insurance affordable and attainable.

A focus on women’s economic empowerment

To drive equality and inclusion even further, GCash aims to innovate further and expand its digital financial ecosystem. This agenda focuses on women-led MSMEs and the leveraging of private-public partnerships to guarantee an intersectional approach.

Offering support to address the unique challenges faced by women, GCash has already disbursed more than PhP 186 billion worth of loans to over 6.9 million Filipinos, including those from grassroots sectors (such as sari-sari store owners, public market vendors, and farmers).

Providing fair and inclusive loans, once inaccessible to the vast majority, is only one way GCash levels the playing field. The company has gone on to successfully facilitate women’s access to capital and assets, with six out of 10 GLoan users being women. This is determined through the in-house credit scoring model of GCash, GScore, which uses transactional behavior as a proxy for measuring a user’s creditworthiness and has ultimately changed the landscape of microlending.

GCash further ensures that initiatives to promote women’s economic empowerment are active throughout the year. Using a multi-sectoral approach to projects, GCash widens its reach and strengthens its impact by collaborating with local government units, non-governmental organizations, educational institutions, and more.

“Having long pursued meaningful partnerships to bring tech for good to more unbanked and underserved sectors, our experience at GCash has taught us that collaboration is the key to advancing gender equality,” said Sazon. “However, if we maintain our current pace, per the World Economic Forum, we stand to achieve full gender equality only in the year 2158. We at GCash feel the urgency now more than ever—and we know the only way we can move the needle and advance equality is if more of us work together.”

GCash intends to build on its progress to advance gender-inclusive finance and guarantee its sustainability beyond 2025. Staying true to its pursuit of “Finance For All,” GCash’s pact for the future remains grounded in accelerating the inclusion of women in marginalized, vulnerable sectors—thus ensuring that no one is left behind in the journey toward financial empowerment.

Read More

Anne Curtis Shares What It Takes to be a Super Mom

Anne Curtis Shares What It Takes to be a Super Mom

Monday, April 7, 2025

Actress, TV Host, Mother, and Manulife Brand Ambassador Anne Curtis talks about the joys of motherhood and importance of ensuring her family’s financial and health protection

Anne Curtis can do it all. From delivering dramatic dialogue on the big screen to making audiences laugh with her wit and humor on a noontime show to taking the fashion and beauty world by storm, the actress, host, entrepreneur, and Manulife brand ambassador is a familiar woman to Filipinos.

But for Anne, her most important role is that of “Mommy” to her daughter Dahlia Amélie.

“Becoming a mother transformed my priorities and deepened my respect for working moms. I’m so inspired by all the amazing women I’ve met who provide for their families while managing personal careers and goals. In the same way, I hope I inspire Dahlia that she is empowered to chase her own dreams,” Anne shared.

To Anne and her husband Erwan Heussaff, every moment with their daughter is precious. They make it a point to spend time with Dahlia, whether by going on trips together, hanging out with family and friends, or simply cooking delicious meals.

“No matter how busy life gets, we want to be by Dahlia’s side as she grows up. That’s why early preparation with the right financial and health plans has been key to secure our family’s future. We can count on our Manulife insurance plans to protect our financial stability as healthcare costs rise, especially due to critical illnesses. With a trusted insurance provider like Manulife, I hope more Filipinas feel reassured that their families are financially protected,” Anne added.

Manulife offers HealthFlex, a comprehensive plan, to help moms like Anne manage financial concerns around critical illnesses, such as breast cancer and heart disease—among the leading causes of death for Filipino women. HealthFlex offers lifetime protection until 100 years of age or reaps maturity benefits and long-life bonuses through dividends.

“Like our brand ambassador Anne, Filipinos can make empowered financial choices and have the advantage of comprehensive coverage with a plan like HealthFlex. Manulife is dedicated to ensuring our customers’ financial protection and safeguard their hard-earned savings in the face of critical illness,” shared Sonali Verma, Chief Marketing Officer, Manulife Philippines.

Verma added, “Manulife HealthFlex plan gives customers a financial safety net for potential critical illness expenses, allowing them to focus on what truly matters—helping them realize better days with their loved ones."

To know more about HealthFlex and Manulife’s broad suite of health and life protection plans, visit www.manulife.com.ph or talk to a Manulife financial advisor.

Resources:

● HealthFlex: https://www.manulife.com.ph/products/health/health-flex.html

● Critical illness - breast cancer: https://psa.gov.ph/content/philippine-statistics-authority-raises-awareness-fight-against-breast-cancer-through

Critical illness - heart disease: https://psa.gov.ph/statistics/vital-statistics/node/1684066791

Read More

Ever Bilena Cosmetics Inc. supports Prince Retail Group’s 35-year milestone

Ever Bilena Cosmetics Inc. supports Prince Retail Group’s 35-year milestone

Friday, April 4, 2025

Prince Retail Group of Companies recently marked its 35th Anniversary and Partners Night with a grand celebration at Radisson Blue Hotel in Cebu.

Ever Bilenca Cosmetics Inc. (EBCI) showed its full support with founder and president and CEO Dioceldo Sy leading the delegation alongside COO Siliman Sy, retail sales manager Renato “Noel” Anel, key accounts manager Jerby Lagaday, and key accounts supervisor Reo Salubre.

Founded in 1990, Prince Retail Group of Companies is a chain of retail and wholesale stores based in Cebu City. Its leading brand, Prince Hypermart, is a one-stop shop known for its wide variety of affordable grocery, general merchandise, and department store items. Prince Hypermart is currently present all over the Philippines with stores in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

As Prince Retail Group sets its sights on reaching 100 branches by 2030, EBCI remains a strong partner, ready to meet the growing demand with its diverse range of cosmetics and personal care products.

Read More

ManageEngine Expands Its Integration Network With 100+ Prebuilt Integrations for Enterprise Identity Management

ManageEngine Expands Its Integration Network With 100+ Prebuilt Integrations for Enterprise Identity Management

The Company's IAM Platform, AD360, Helps Converge Disconnected Identities

• ManageEngine AD360 expands its integration support, with 100+ new ready-to-use integrations
• These integrations empower enterprises for seamless, scalable identity management across diverse IT applications
• Explore the complete lineup of integrations available in AD360 at https://mnge.it/ad360-marketplace

ManageEngine, a division of Zoho Corporation and a leading provider of enterprise IT management solutions, today announced that AD360, its identity and access management (IAM) platform, is further expanding its integration offerings, by adding over 100 new prebuilt integrations. This expansion is a decisive step in the company's endeavor to strengthen its converged IAM platform capabilities. In addition to the extension of support to popular HRMS, ITSM, SIEM, and other enterprise applications, AD360 also comes with REST API capabilities for custom integration with third-party and in-house applications.

Why This Matters: The Enterprise Perspective

Large enterprises today face a major challenge: managing various tools with widespread, fragmented data. In a press release titled "Gartner Identifies the Top Cybersecurity Trends for 2025" (issued March 3, 2025), Gartner® highlights a common challenge for large enterprises: the need to optimize their cybersecurity toolsets for efficiency and security while balancing selections for an average of 45 cybersecurity tools available from over 3,000 vendors.

Although enterprises often operate in multi-vendor IT environments out of necessity, this is an added complexity that leads to fragmented identities, resulting in delays in access and increased IT overhead. For example, Gartner’s 2024 IAM Leadership Survey found that 54% organizations have seen an increase in the number of identity-related breaches, with one in three organizations experiencing increased business interruptions, financial loss or regulatory penalties from such incidents. As many as 85% of identity-related breaches can be attributed to hacked machine identities such as service and automation accounts. Additionally, according to Verizon's 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report, around 31% of all breaches since 2013 involve stolen credentials.

With global compliance laws and regulations requiring organizations to maintain accurate and up-to-date identity and access data at all times, keeping these records updated is critical. Seamless integration of identities is no longer just an IT challenge for enterprises; it's a business imperative.

"Our vision is to eliminate identity fragmentation and radically simplify enterprise identity governance," said Manikandan Thangaraj, vice president at ManageEngine. "With AD360’s expanded integrations, we're empowering businesses to build truly unified digital ecosystems. With this release, we want to help our customers transform identity management from an operational burden into a strategic enabler of productivity, agility, and security. Now, a hospital can auto-provision clinician access in Epic EHR the same day they’re hired in Workday, with no coding and no delays."

Enabling Business Agility with Seamless Integrations

ManageEngine AD360's integrations leverage industry-standard protocols—including SCIM, SAML 2.0, OpenID Connect (OIDC), OAuth 2.0, and REST APIs—ensuring seamless compatibility across diverse IT ecosystems. Through an intuitive no-code configuration interface, IT teams can effortlessly establish connections and design automated workflows without specialized programming knowledge, dramatically accelerating implementation timelines from months to mere days.

ManageEngine's extensive integration network for identity access management enables:

Accelerated Value Realization: Enterprises can quickly integrate and automate identity workflows, reducing operational costs, minimizing errors, and enhancing productivity through unified life cycle management and real-time identity synchronization.

Strategic Flexibility and Choice: Maintain the freedom to integrate with a vast range of enterprise applications without vendor lock-ins, ensuring compatibility, scalability, and support for diverse business needs.

Advanced Identity Automation: With businesses seeking productivity improvements, AD360 can implement sophisticated, no-code identity orchestration processes to automate critical activities such as user provisioning, access modifications, identity synchronization, and secure offboarding across a company's identity ecosystem.

Zero-Gap Compliance: Automatically align identity records across HR, IT, and security systems to pass audits for the GDPR, HIPAA, and SOX.

"The interoperability between critical business applications streamlines processes such as onboarding and offboarding, delivering measurable business value and accelerating ROI. Legacy IAM tools often treat integrations as an afterthought, requiring months to integrate an organization's IAM tech stack with ITSM or HCM tools. AD360 helps accomplish this with just a few clicks. It's not just about connecting systems—it's about fundamentally changing how enterprises manage identities while minimizing security risks," Thangaraj stated.

Read More