Globe’s 917 GDay Puts Employee Volunteerism at the Center of Community Work

Globe’s 917 GDay Puts Employee Volunteerism at the Center of Community Work

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

More than 800 Globe employees volunteered their time and skills in communities across the Philippines as part of 917 GDay 2026, turning the company's annual celebration into a month-long series of community activities.

Through 917 Globe of Good, employees participated in programs covering digital inclusion, education, hunger alleviation, nutrition, disaster relief, and online safety. Employees also pledged more than ₱2 million to support the initiative.

The activities illustrate how employee volunteer programs can extend a company's social impact beyond financial contributions. Instead of limiting participation to donations, Globe employees were involved directly in activities such as teaching seniors how to use digital services, preparing food packs, supporting children's learning, and screening scholarship applicants.

What did Globe employees do for 917 GDay 2026?

One of the largest activities was Senior Digizen, which reached more than 600 senior citizens in Makati, with the program also extended to seniors in Taguig.

Globe volunteers helped participants navigate technology for everyday tasks, use digital services, identify potential scams, and practice safer online habits.

Digital inclusion refers to efforts that help people access and use digital technologies effectively. For older adults, that can involve more than providing internet access. It can also mean developing the confidence and skills needed to use smartphones, online services, digital payments, communication platforms, and other tools safely.

Globe has been running Senior Digizen initiatives for several years as part of its broader digital-inclusion work. Previous programs have focused on helping senior citizens become more comfortable with everyday technology and online services.

Community work went beyond digital literacy

Other Globe employee activities focused on more immediate community needs.

In partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), volunteers helped repack family food packs. Employees also prepared and served meals through SOS Rescue Kitchen.

Through its work with Ayala Foundation, Globe employees supported feeding and reading activities for schoolchildren and spent time with children and young people in partner institutions.

Employees also helped screen applicants for U-Go scholarships online, allowing volunteers to contribute professional and administrative skills rather than only participating in physical community activities.

That range of activities is notable because it allows employees with different skills, schedules, and interests to participate in community programs.

Why employee volunteerism matters to corporate social impact

Corporate social responsibility programs have increasingly moved beyond one-time donations toward longer-term community engagement.

Employee volunteerism is one way companies can involve their workforce directly. Employees contribute not only money but also time, professional skills, technical knowledge, and personal effort.

For a technology and telecommunications company, digital inclusion is particularly relevant. Access to connectivity does not automatically mean that every user has the same ability to benefit from it. Seniors, students, low-income households, and people with limited digital experience may require additional guidance to use online services effectively and safely.

Globe's recent community activities reflect that broader approach.

The company's 917 GDay program has historically combined employee and customer participation with community initiatives. In 2025, Globe marked the 10th year of 917 GDay and highlighted employee volunteer time as part of its broader Globe of Good efforts.

This year's activities continue that model while placing particular attention on digital skills, community welfare, and employee participation.

What happens after the main GDay activities?

The volunteering does not end with the two major activity days on September 15 and 16.

Globe said employees around the country will continue supporting communities within their respective territories throughout September. Employees can also contribute their own acts of care as the company works toward 917 acts of good by the end of the month.

That month-long approach also fits the company's broader direction for GDay 2026. Globe has positioned this year's celebration as more than a single September event, with customer rewards and experiences continuing beyond the traditional GDay period.

For the company's workforce, however, the community component provides a different dimension to the annual celebration. It creates opportunities for employees to participate directly in activities that address specific needs in the communities where Globe operates.

From connectivity to digital confidence

The Senior Digizen activities are particularly relevant as more everyday services move online.

Booking appointments, accessing government services, communicating with family, managing accounts, making payments, and identifying fraudulent messages can all involve digital tools. For people who did not grow up using smartphones and online platforms, these tasks can present a steeper learning curve.

Online safety is also increasingly important. Globe's Senior Digizen sessions specifically include guidance on recognizing possible scams and staying safer online.

This makes digital literacy a practical community issue rather than simply a technology topic.

The business case for employee engagement

For companies, programs like Globe of Good also connect employee engagement with corporate purpose.

Employees are given opportunities to see how their skills can be applied outside their usual roles, while the company can mobilize its workforce around community priorities.

The effectiveness of such programs ultimately depends on consistency, meaningful community partnerships, and whether activities respond to needs identified by the communities themselves. A single volunteering day cannot address structural problems such as food insecurity, unequal access to technology, or educational gaps.

But sustained programs can complement the work of government agencies, nonprofit organizations, schools, and community groups.

Globe's 917 GDay 2026 activities demonstrate that approach through partnerships with organizations including DSWD and Ayala Foundation, alongside programs that draw on employees' own skills and time.

For Globe, the goal is to carry the spirit of GDay beyond the September celebration. For the communities involved, the more important measure will be whether these efforts provide useful, sustained support long after the event ends.

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Philippine Coffee Industry Gets Dedicated Government Office

Philippine Coffee Industry Gets Dedicated Government Office

The Philippine coffee industry now has a dedicated government office, as the Department of Agriculture (DA) establishes the Coffee Industry Development Office (CIDO) to coordinate programs, policies, funding, and partnerships for the sector.

Created through Department Order No. 06 issued in February 2026, CIDO is intended to bring greater focus to an industry that has struggled with low domestic production while demand for coffee continues to grow. The office operates under the DA’s Office of the Undersecretary for Special Concerns and Official Development Assistance, headed by Undersecretary Jerome Oliveros.

Nestlé Philippines, a major buyer and manufacturer of coffee products in the country, has welcomed the new structure. The company has also been discussing potential areas of cooperation with CIDO, including initiatives under its NESCAFÉ Plan that involve farmer training, productivity, regenerative agriculture, and local sourcing.

Why does the Philippines need a stronger coffee industry?

The creation of CIDO comes against a long-running supply problem: the Philippines produces only a fraction of the coffee consumed locally.

The DA's previous coffee industry programs have identified low productivity, aging coffee trees, limited farm infrastructure, access to planting materials, and farmer capability as some of the challenges facing the sector. The government's 2021–2025 Coffee Industry Roadmap was designed to address these issues while improving farmer incomes and reducing reliance on imported coffee.

The issue is not simply about producing more beans. A stronger domestic coffee sector requires improvements across the supply chain, from planting and farm management to post-harvest handling, processing, market access, and pricing.

That makes the creation of a dedicated office significant from a policy and industry-coordination perspective. Rather than having coffee initiatives dispersed across different programs, CIDO gives the commodity a specific institutional home within the DA.

What is the Coffee Industry Development Office?

The Coffee Industry Development Office (CIDO) is a dedicated unit of the Department of Agriculture created to coordinate the government's efforts to develop the Philippine coffee sector.

Its mandate includes bringing together coffee-related programs, policies, funding, and stakeholder engagement. The office is also expected to work with private companies, farmer groups, government agencies, researchers, and other organizations involved in the coffee value chain.

For farmers, the practical importance of CIDO will ultimately depend on how effectively these policies translate into assistance on the ground. That includes access to better planting materials, technical training, farm infrastructure, financing opportunities, market connections, and support for sustainable production.

What role can Nestlé play?

Nestlé's involvement gives the government's coffee agenda an important private-sector dimension.

The company says it sources coffee locally through the NESCAFÉ Plan, which includes farmer training, productivity initiatives, regenerative agriculture practices, and sustainable sourcing. It has previously worked with the DA on efforts tied to the government's coffee roadmap, including programs intended to improve farmers' technical capabilities and yields.

The company's interest in local sourcing also reflects a broader business reality. Food manufacturers need reliable agricultural supply chains, while farmers need dependable markets for their crops. Stronger connections between the two can potentially benefit both sides when supported by appropriate standards, pricing mechanisms, training, and long-term procurement arrangements.

The current discussions between Nestlé and CIDO therefore extend beyond a single corporate partnership. They illustrate how government policy and private-sector demand can intersect in an agricultural value chain.

Why reducing coffee imports is difficult

Reducing imports is not simply a matter of encouraging farmers to plant more coffee.

Coffee trees take time to establish and produce commercially useful harvests. Farmers also face weather risks, changing input costs, limited infrastructure, and the need to maintain consistent bean quality. Even when production increases, farmers need buyers and processing systems capable of handling the additional supply.

The DA's earlier programs show how broad the challenge is. In 2022, the department allocated P84.15 million through its High Value Crops Development Program for coffee-related activities, including rehabilitation of old trees, planting materials, research, training, storage facilities, roasting centers, and equipment.

The government has also continued to identify infrastructure as a constraint. In May 2026, the DA said it had earmarked P2.5 billion for a farm-to-market road network in Sultan Kudarat intended to improve access to agricultural areas and support expanded domestic coffee production.

These investments point to an important distinction: coffee industry development is an agricultural infrastructure and supply-chain issue as much as it is a farming issue.

What could stronger local production mean for Filipino coffee?

For consumers, a stronger domestic coffee industry could eventually mean greater availability of locally grown beans and more opportunities to identify Philippine coffee by origin and variety.

For farmers, the larger question is whether increased demand translates into sustainable income. Higher production alone does not guarantee better livelihoods if farmers continue to face weak market access, inconsistent prices, or high production costs.

For businesses, a more reliable local supply could reduce exposure to international coffee markets and import requirements. The Philippines has been a net coffee importer for decades, according to the DA's coffee industry roadmap.

The opportunity is particularly relevant as coffee has developed into a wider consumer and business ecosystem in the Philippines, encompassing traditional coffee-growing communities, processors, manufacturers, cafés, specialty roasters, retailers, and food-service businesses.

A dedicated office is only the beginning

The establishment of CIDO gives the Philippine coffee industry a more centralized government structure, but its long-term impact will depend on implementation.

The DA has already continued strategic planning and assessment activities for CIDO in 2026, including a national planning exercise held in Davao City. The department's recent initiatives also continue to identify coffee as a priority commodity for investment and production expansion.

For the private sector, including major coffee buyers such as Nestlé, sustained engagement can help connect government programs with actual market requirements. For farmers, the measure of progress will be more tangible: higher productivity, better access to support, stronger market links, and more sustainable farm incomes.

The Philippine coffee industry's next phase will therefore depend less on a single program or company and more on whether government, farmers, businesses, researchers, and local communities can coordinate across the entire coffee value chain.

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PLDT Home Expands Fiber Internet to Camotes Island

PLDT Home Expands Fiber Internet to Camotes Island

Sunday, September 13, 2026

Reliable internet access is becoming increasingly important to how communities learn, work, do business, access government services, and participate in the wider economy. On Camotes Island in Cebu, PLDT Home has expanded its fiber network to the municipalities of San Francisco, Poro, and Tudela, bringing fixed broadband service to more households.

The expansion makes the PLDT Home Fiber Unli All 1499 plan available to eligible households in the three municipalities. The plan provides fiber internet with speeds of up to 200 Mbps, along with entertainment and mobile connectivity benefits.

For an island community, however, the significance of better broadband goes beyond the ability to stream movies or browse social media. Reliable connectivity can become part of the infrastructure that supports education, remote work, digital commerce, tourism, and access to services.

Why does fiber connectivity matter to Camotes Island?

Fiber broadband uses optical fiber to transmit data, allowing high-speed internet connections with the capacity to support multiple connected devices and demanding online activities.

For households, that can mean more dependable access to online classes, video calls, cloud-based work tools, digital banking, e-commerce platforms, telehealth services, and government websites.

For businesses, connectivity can influence how easily they communicate with customers, process transactions, manage digital operations, and promote their products or services online.

The impact can be particularly relevant in communities outside major urban centers, where physical distance can make digital access an important link to opportunities elsewhere.

Camotes Island is a tourism destination known for its beaches, caves, and other natural attractions. Better connectivity can also help local tourism operators maintain digital channels for communicating with visitors, promoting accommodations and experiences, and managing inquiries and bookings.

What is the PLDT Home Fiber Unli All 1499 plan?

PLDT Home Fiber Unli All 1499 is a residential broadband plan that offers unlimited fiber internet with speeds of up to 200 Mbps. It also bundles home entertainment, landline calling, and Smart mobile data into one subscription.

According to PLDT Home, the package includes:

• Unlimited fiber internet with speeds of up to 200 Mbps
• 63 Cignal channels
• HBO Max Standard
• Unlimited landline-to-landline calls
• Landline-to-mobile calls to five nominated Smart or TNT numbers
• 9GB of Smart mobile data each month
• The ability to share the 9GB allocation with up to three nominated Smart or TNT numbers

The mobile-data component extends the plan beyond the home. Family members can use their allocated data while away from the house, making the broadband subscription part of a wider household connectivity setup.

How could better internet access affect local businesses?

The business case for connectivity is particularly relevant as more small businesses use digital channels to reach customers.

A local entrepreneur can use internet access to maintain social media pages, respond to customer inquiries, accept digital payments, source supplies, manage online listings, or promote products beyond the immediate community.

Tourism businesses have another reason to maintain a strong digital presence. Accommodation providers, restaurants, tour operators, transport services, and local attractions increasingly depend on online discovery and communication before visitors arrive.

For Camotes Island, improved connectivity therefore has potential relevance beyond individual households. It can support the digital infrastructure surrounding an economy that includes tourism, retail, services, and small enterprises.

That does not mean connectivity alone will solve the challenges faced by island businesses. Digital skills, affordability, reliable electricity, devices, logistics, and access to markets remain important factors. But broadband can provide one of the basic connections needed to participate in digital commerce.

How is PLDT extending the rollout into local communities?

PLDT Home worked with local government units and community partners in San Francisco, Poro, and Tudela as part of the rollout.

The company is conducting community visits and setting up information booths at locations including the Agora Public Market in San Francisco, the RBC Business Center near Poro Port, and an area beside Tudela Municipal Hall.

PLDT Home is also engaging local agents and partners to assist households interested in applying for fiber service.

This community-based approach is significant because network availability and actual household adoption are two different parts of digital inclusion. Residents still need clear information about service availability, plans, installation, and the practical requirements of getting connected.

What does the Camotes rollout mean for the wider digital divide?

The expansion reflects a broader challenge for the Philippines: extending digital infrastructure beyond the country's largest cities.

The digital divide is not simply a question of whether an area has internet access. It also involves affordability, network quality, device ownership, digital skills, and people's ability to use technology productively.

For businesses and communities, broadband becomes more valuable when it connects people to actual opportunities.

A student needs more than a connection to attend an online class. A small business needs more than internet access to compete online. A tourism operator needs more than a social media account to attract visitors.

The infrastructure is a starting point.

PLDT's Camotes expansion places fiber connectivity within reach of more households in three municipalities, potentially giving residents more options for how they work, study, communicate, transact, and engage with markets beyond the island.

Residents in San Francisco, Poro, and Tudela can visit PLDT Home booths and authorized local representatives to inquire about Fiber Unli All 1499 and confirm whether their specific residential address is within the serviceable area.

What is the bigger business story?

The more important story behind the Camotes rollout is the continuing shift of connectivity from a consumer convenience to a piece of economic infrastructure.

As more transactions, services, education, work arrangements, and customer interactions move online, broadband access increasingly affects how individuals and businesses participate in the economy.

For island communities such as Camotes, expanding fiber networks can help narrow the physical distance between local residents and the digital markets, services, and opportunities available elsewhere in the Philippines.

The value of that connection will ultimately depend on how households, entrepreneurs, schools, government institutions, and other community stakeholders are able to use it.

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Cebu Advances Digital Governance With PLDT Enterprise Solutions

Cebu Advances Digital Governance With PLDT Enterprise Solutions

Thursday, September 10, 2026

The Province of Cebu is strengthening its digital governance efforts through a partnership with PLDT Enterprise, bringing connectivity and collaboration technologies into government operations as the province works to make public services more efficient and responsive.

The partnership combines digital infrastructure with the province's broader push to modernize government systems. Among the solutions adopted are iGate connectivity, Smart Corporate Lines, and Microsoft 365, with Microsoft 365 deployed and enabled by ePLDT, the information and communications technology subsidiary of the PLDT Group.

For a local government serving a large and economically active province, the move highlights the growing role of reliable digital infrastructure in day-to-day governance, from internal coordination and workforce productivity to the delivery of services to constituents.

Cebu Builds a Framework for Digital Government

Cebu's technology push is supported by policy initiatives intended to create a more coordinated approach to digital government.

A key development was the enactment of the Cebu Province Digital Services Act of 2025, which established a province-wide framework for digital services. The initiative aims to streamline government transactions, strengthen data protection, and improve the quality and accessibility of public services.

The province has also established the Provincial Information and Communications Technology Council (PICTC) as its policy-making and coordinating body for information and communications technology development.

These initiatives provide a governance framework for Cebu's digital transformation, while technology partnerships can provide the infrastructure and tools needed to put that framework into practice.

What Role Does Digital Infrastructure Play in Government?

Digital transformation in government is not limited to moving transactions online. It also requires the underlying connectivity and collaboration systems that allow government employees and agencies to work effectively.

For Cebu, PLDT Enterprise's solutions are intended to provide that foundation.

iGate connectivity supports high-speed access and continuity for digital services, while Smart Corporate Lines provide connectivity and mobility capabilities for government users.

Microsoft 365 adds workplace applications designed for communication, document collaboration, productivity and workflow management.

Together, these technologies can help government teams coordinate more efficiently and maintain access to the digital tools required for modern public administration.

“This collaboration underscores Cebu’s continued effort to modernize government systems and adopt digital tools that support better service delivery across the province,” said Cebu Governor Pamela S. Baricuatro.

She added that the partnership reflects a shared vision of using technology to make government operations more connected, productive and responsive to the needs of the public.

Why Public-Private Partnerships Matter to Digital Transformation

Local governments face a different set of technology requirements from private companies. Digital systems need to support not only internal productivity but also public-facing services, data protection, continuity and coordination across government offices.

This makes collaboration between government and technology providers an important part of digitalization efforts.

“For a province as dynamic as Cebu, reliable digital infrastructure is essential to keeping public service moving,” said Javier Lagdameo, PLDT Vice President and Head of Domestic Enterprise Business, Regional & Commercial.

According to Lagdameo, the partnership is intended to provide connectivity and collaboration tools that allow government teams to work more seamlessly and serve constituents more efficiently.

For PLDT Enterprise, the Cebu partnership is also part of its broader effort to support local governments as they build digital capabilities.

Ma. Hazel Amoyan, CRM Head of PLDT Enterprise, said the company aims to help local governments establish stronger digital foundations through connectivity, collaboration and mobility solutions.

From Digital Tools to Better Public Service

The significance of Cebu's digitalization effort ultimately goes beyond the technology itself.

Reliable connectivity and workplace collaboration platforms can help government employees coordinate information, communicate across teams and maintain continuity in their work. At the public-service level, these improvements can contribute to more efficient processes and more responsive interactions with constituents.

The combination of the Cebu Province Digital Services Act, the PICTC and technology investments also points to a broader approach to digital governance: establishing policies and organizational structures while strengthening the infrastructure required to support them.

For Cebu, the objective is to build a digital environment that can support government operations today while providing a foundation for future services.

Cebu's Digital Transformation Continues

Cebu's partnership with PLDT Enterprise demonstrates how digital governance increasingly depends on both policy and infrastructure.

The province's digital services framework establishes a direction for modernization, while connectivity and collaboration technologies provide tools that government teams can use in their daily operations.

As local governments across the Philippines continue exploring digital approaches to public administration, Cebu's experience illustrates an important consideration: successful digital transformation is not simply about adopting new technology. It also requires reliable infrastructure, coordinated governance and systems that ultimately serve a practical public purpose.

For Cebu, strengthening those foundations is part of its continuing effort to make government more connected, efficient and responsive.

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How Maya Business Helps Filipino Entrepreneurs Grow

How Maya Business Helps Filipino Entrepreneurs Grow

For many small business owners, growth does not necessarily begin with a large investment. It can start with enough working capital to replenish inventory, keep essential services running or respond to what customers are already asking for.

That has been the experience of Ma. Christine Vito, Mohammad Hadji Mahmod, and Von Bindolo, three Filipino entrepreneurs whose businesses have grown alongside their use of Maya Business.

Each started with a relatively small Maya Advance loan: ₱10,000 for Christine, ₱1,000 for Mohammad, and ₱20,000 for Von. They used the funds for practical business needs, including inventory, mobile load and day-to-day operations.

As they continued transacting through Maya Business and managing their loans, they became eligible for additional working capital. Over time, their cumulative Maya Advance loan utilization reached more than ₱3 million for Christine, ₱2.2 million for Mohammad, and ₱2.6 million for Von.

Their stories illustrate a familiar reality for micro and small enterprises: sometimes, the ability to access working capital when it is needed can make a difference in keeping a business moving and creating room for the next stage of growth.

Christine Vito: Building a Bigger Business From a Sari-Sari Store

Christine Vito did not initially set out to become an entrepreneur.

After an internship at a shipping company gave her experience in selling dry goods, she became interested in running a business. Christine and her family first opened a small store in Boracay Island before relocating to Sebaste, Antique, when the property where their store stood was sold.

They started again with a sari-sari store.

During the pandemic, the business remained open to serve the local community. Demand for services such as mobile load, bills payment, and cash-in and cash-out eventually became an important part of the store's operations.

As customer demand increased, Christine also needed more inventory.

Her first Maya Advance offer was ₱10,000. Although she was initially hesitant about taking out a loan, she decided to use the funds to purchase additional products for the store.

“Noong una, natakot akong kumuha ng loan, pero dahil sa Maya Business, nagkaroon kami ng puhunan para tuloy-tuloy na mapalago ang negosyo namin.”

Since that initial loan, Christine has utilized more than ₱3 million in Maya Advance loans over time.

Her sari-sari store has since expanded into a mini grocery, supported by a kitchen and mini warehouse. The family has also invested in a vehicle for the business.

For Christine, growth came through a series of practical investments rather than one major expansion.

Mohammad Hadji Mahmod: Starting With Just ₱1,000

Mohammad Hadji Mahmod's first Maya Advance loan was considerably smaller.

After working as an overseas Filipino worker, Mohammad returned to the Philippines to help with his family's business in Boracay Island. He became a Maya Business user in 2023, offering customers mobile load, bills payment, and cash-in and cash-out services.

When his first Maya Advance offer came, it was for ₱1,000.

Rather than waiting for access to a larger amount, Mohammad used the available capital for his load business. The additional funds helped him maintain operations while gradually building his working capital.

As he continued using Maya Business and managing his loans, he gained access to additional capital. He has since utilized more than ₱2.2 million in Maya Advance loans over time.

The additional working capital has supported daily operations, expanded product offerings and allowed Mohammad to explore other business opportunities.

“Hangga't may Maya Business, mas kampante akong patuloy na palaguin ang negosyo ng pamilya namin.”

His experience reflects a simple principle for many small businesses: capital does not have to start large to be useful. What matters is how it is deployed and whether it supports a clear business need.

Von Bindolo: From Side Income to Growing the Family Business

For Von Bindolo, Maya Business became part of her entrepreneurial journey even before she took over her family's sari-sari store.

While working in Manila, she discovered Maya Business through Facebook and began selling mobile load to earn additional income through commissions.

When she eventually returned to Boracay to take over the family store from her mother, Maya Business became another way for her to serve customers.

The pandemic presented a particularly difficult period for the business as tourism in Boracay came to a standstill. Von continued providing mobile load, bills payment, and cash-in and cash-out services to people in the community.

Her first Maya Advance loan was ₱20,000, which she used as additional working capital for the business.

“Malaking bagay kahit maliit lang ang puhunan, lalo na kapag ginagamit mo para madagdagan ang paninda at mapagsilbihan nang mas maayos ang mga suki. Unti-unti, nakita ko rin na kaya palang lumago ang negosyo namin.”

Since then, Von has utilized more than ₱2.6 million in Maya Advance loans over time.

The additional capital has supported business growth, including the purchase of an e-bike for daily operations. Her business has also helped support her child's education.

What began as a family sari-sari store continues to serve as both a source of livelihood and a business that provides services to its surrounding community.

What These Stories Say About Small Business Financing

Christine, Mohammad and Von operate different businesses and started with different amounts of capital. Their experiences, however, share a common thread: working capital was directed toward immediate, identifiable business needs.

For a small enterprise, that can mean buying additional inventory before stocks run out, maintaining a service that customers rely on, or investing in equipment that makes daily operations easier.

Digital platforms can also bring several business functions together. Through Maya Business, entrepreneurs can accept QR Ph payments and offer services such as mobile load, bills payment, and cash-in and cash-out.

Eligible users can also access working capital through Maya Advance.

The broader lesson is relevant to the country's micro and small business sector. Access to capital is only one part of business growth, but having funds available for productive, timely use can help entrepreneurs respond to customer demand and reinvest in their operations.

Growth Does Not Always Start With a Big Loan

The stories of Christine, Mohammad and Von show that entrepreneurship can develop incrementally.

One entrepreneur started with ₱10,000. Another began with ₱1,000. A third started with ₱20,000. Over time, each used additional capital as their business needs evolved.

Their journeys also highlight an important distinction between starting capital and growth capital. A small amount can help address an immediate need, while continued access to financing may become relevant as a business takes on more customers, inventory, services or operating requirements.

For Filipino entrepreneurs, the next step in growing a negosyo may not always require starting over with a major investment.

Sometimes, it starts with understanding what the business needs today, putting available capital to productive use, and building from there.

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Jollibee Group Expands Joy Learning Centers Nationwide

Jollibee Group Expands Joy Learning Centers Nationwide

The Jollibee Group is expanding its investment in education infrastructure through the Joy Learning Center initiative, which has now delivered six new classrooms across communities in Cebu, Occidental Mindoro and Sarangani.

The latest two classrooms were turned over at Alabel Integrated School in Sarangani, marking the third Joy Learning Center established under the initiative since its launch in July. The program brings together the Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF), Jollibee, the Department of Education (DepEd), private-sector partners and local governments to help provide learning spaces in underserved communities.

Rather than treating classroom construction as a standalone corporate giving activity, the initiative forms part of the Jollibee Group's broader education agenda, which includes nutrition, volunteerism and other programs intended to support children's ability to participate in and benefit from education.

Where are the new Joy Learning Centers?

The first three Joy Learning Centers are located in:

• Tangub Elementary School in Pinamungajan, Cebu, where two classrooms were opened in July
• Buriraoan Elementary School in Magsaysay, Occidental Mindoro, where two classrooms were subsequently turned over
• Alabel Integrated School in Sarangani, where the latest two classrooms were turned over

Together, the three sites account for six new classrooms.

The Sarangani turnover was made possible through a partnership involving JGF, Jollibee, DepEd, the Conrado and Ladislawa Alcantara Foundation, Inc. (CLAFI) and the local government of Alabel.

The collaboration reflects a public-private approach to education infrastructure, with partners contributing to the development of learning spaces that can serve students and communities over the longer term.

Why classroom infrastructure remains important

Access to education depends on more than enrollment. Students also need physical spaces where teaching and learning can take place safely and effectively.

The Joy Learning Center initiative supports DepEd's efforts to address the country's classroom shortage by helping schools add learning spaces in communities where additional infrastructure is needed.

For companies and foundations supporting education, classroom construction can also provide a relatively tangible form of long-term community investment. Unlike short-term donations, a classroom can remain part of a school's infrastructure and serve successive groups of learners.

That longer-term perspective is central to the initiative's stated goal of creating learning environments that support children's development and aspirations.

Education programs extend beyond classroom construction

The Joy Learning Center initiative is one component of JGF's wider education agenda.

Other programs include Busog, Lusog, Talino (BLT), which includes a Central Kitchen initiative, and Jolliskwela, Jollibee's employee volunteerism program focused on education.

Taken together, these programs address different aspects of the education experience, from learning environments to nutrition and employee engagement.

This broader approach recognizes that improving educational outcomes can involve several interconnected factors. A student needs a place to learn, but nutrition, community support and participation can also influence a child's ability to benefit from schooling.

Partnerships turn education commitments into community assets

The initiative also highlights the role of partnerships in delivering social-impact programs at the community level.

Ferns Yu, Jollibee Philippines President, said the Joy Learning Center program is guided by the principle that access to knowledge and a good learning environment should not depend on geography or circumstance.

CLAFI President Cecile Dominguez-Yujuico described the new classrooms as representing continuity, recovery and hope, emphasizing how partnerships can turn shared commitments into tangible resources for children.

Alabel Mayor Lilibeth "Ybing" Salarda likewise expressed appreciation for the organizations involved, noting that the classrooms create opportunities for local children and reinforce the idea that education is a shared responsibility.

The statements point to an important aspect of the initiative: the infrastructure is delivered through collaboration rather than by a single organization working independently.

How the Joy Learning Centers fit Jollibee Group's sustainability strategy

The Joy Learning Centers are also connected to Joy for Tomorrow, the Jollibee Group's global sustainability agenda, which is anchored on Food, People and Planet.

Within that framework, education and skills development form part of the Group's broader efforts to contribute to more inclusive and resilient communities.

The Group has also positioned the Joy Learning Centers as part of its "Through the Joy of Learning" partnership, with the initiative expected to continue expanding ahead of the Jollibee Group's 50th anniversary in 2028.

The longer-term objective is not limited to adding classrooms. The Group says the program is intended to support better learning outcomes, skills development and preparation for future careers.

A longer-term investment in Filipino learners

The expansion from Cebu to Occidental Mindoro and Sarangani shows how the Joy Learning Center initiative is moving from an initial project into a broader education program.

With six classrooms already established across three provinces, the initiative illustrates how corporate foundations, businesses, government agencies, local governments and community organizations can combine resources around a shared development priority.

For the Jollibee Group, the program also provides a concrete expression of its sustainability commitments, turning education goals into physical infrastructure that can continue serving learners beyond the initial project period.

As the initiative grows, its impact will ultimately be measured not only by the number of classrooms built, but by how effectively those spaces support students, teachers and communities over time.

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EastWest Expands Investment Access and Wealth Guidance

EastWest Expands Investment Access and Wealth Guidance

EastWest is strengthening two parts of its wealth and investment business by making selected investment opportunities more accessible while expanding the advisory services available to affluent clients.

The Bank recently received two recognitions from International Finance Magazine (IFM): Most Innovative Securities Broker – Philippines and Best Priority Banking Experience – Philippines. The latter marks EastWest Priority's fourth consecutive win in the category.

The awards recognize initiatives across EastWest's Financial Markets Distribution Group and EastWest Priority, reflecting two related aspects of the Bank's wealth management strategy: widening access to investment products and providing more personalized guidance around clients' broader financial needs.

Making selected investments more accessible

One of EastWest's initiatives focuses on US dollar-denominated government securities, an investment category that can carry relatively high minimum requirements for individual investors.

The Bank introduced US dollar Treasury Bills and Bonds with a minimum investment of USD10,000, compared with market thresholds that can range from USD50,000 to USD200,000.

The initiative was developed in collaboration with Philippine Dealing Services Corp. and is designed to combine a lower entry point with transparent pricing and a more streamlined transaction and settlement process.

EastWest also enrolled 21 US dollar Treasury Bills in the central securities depository. This means the securities are available not only to the Bank's own clients but also to investors elsewhere in the Philippine market.

That distinction is significant from a market-access perspective. Rather than limiting the initiative to EastWest's customer base, placing the securities in the central depository allows the instruments to participate in the broader Philippine investment ecosystem.

What is Bond Pooling?

EastWest also introduced Bond Pooling, a mechanism that allows multiple investors to combine their funds to meet the minimum investment requirement for certain securities.

For investors who cannot independently meet a higher minimum investment, pooling can provide another route to participating in opportunities that might otherwise be inaccessible.

According to EastWest, the combined initiatives contributed to a 390% year-on-year increase in volume.

EastWest Priority takes a broader approach to wealth management

The Bank's second area of recognition is EastWest Priority, which received the Best Priority Banking Experience – Philippines award for the fourth consecutive year.

The Priority proposition extends beyond preferential banking services. It brings together investment solutions, advisory support, market intelligence and lifestyle privileges as part of a broader wealth management experience.

Its approach is built around four areas:

1. Hyper-personalized portfolio solutions
2. Expert relationship management
3. Market intelligence
4. Curated lifestyle privileges

These services are intended to support clients across different stages of financial decision-making, including financial planning, investment management, protection and legacy planning.

Clients can access a range of financial products and services through the Priority platform, including deposits, insurance, bonds, Unit Investment Trust Funds, equities, foreign exchange solutions, portfolio management services and selected alternative investments.

Rather than applying the same investment approach to every client, recommendations are tailored around individual objectives, risk profiles and changing financial priorities.

Relationship management becomes part of the investment proposition

A key component of EastWest Priority's model is the role of dedicated Priority Relationship Managers, who serve as a central point of contact for clients' banking and wealth management requirements.

EastWest currently operates 13 dedicated Priority Banking centers nationwide, supported by digital banking and advisory services.

The Bank reported that EastWest Priority's assets under management increased 40% year on year by the end of 2025.

For wealth management businesses, this type of relationship-based model reflects a broader shift from product-focused banking toward more integrated financial guidance. Clients increasingly need help not only selecting individual financial products, but also considering how investments fit into longer-term goals, risk tolerance, protection and eventual wealth transfer.

What the two IFM awards say about EastWest's strategy

Taken together, the two recognitions highlight two different but complementary parts of EastWest's approach.

The securities brokerage award recognizes efforts to reduce barriers to selected investment opportunities, particularly through lower minimum investment requirements and mechanisms such as Bond Pooling.

The fourth consecutive Priority Banking recognition, meanwhile, underscores the Bank's emphasis on relationship management and a broader suite of wealth services.

For investors, the practical value lies less in the awards themselves and more in what the initiatives represent: greater access to certain investment instruments and a more integrated approach to financial guidance.

Mr. Rafael S. Algarra Jr., SEVP and Head of Financial Markets and Wealth Management of EastWest, said the Bank aims to help more clients participate in investment opportunities that may previously have appeared out of reach while providing advice suited to different stages of their financial journey.

As investment needs become increasingly diverse, EastWest's latest initiatives show how financial institutions are competing not only through the products they offer, but also through the accessibility, guidance and overall experience surrounding those products.

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