Jobstreet by SEEK Introduces seekAi for Smarter Hiring

Jobstreet by SEEK Introduces seekAi for Smarter Hiring

Friday, September 25, 2026

Artificial intelligence is becoming a bigger part of how companies find and manage talent, but for employers, the business question is no longer simply whether to use AI. It is how to use it in ways that improve hiring decisions without removing the human judgment behind them.

That was the focus of Jobstreet by SEEK’s Jobstreet Connect, a recent gathering of more than 200 business leaders, HR practitioners, and industry decision-makers held under the theme “Turning AI into Organizational Advantage.”

At the event, Jobstreet by SEEK introduced seekAi, its proprietary artificial intelligence engine designed specifically for employment and integrated into the hiring workflow.

The platform is intended to address some of the persistent challenges faced by recruitment teams, including large volumes of applications, difficulty finding qualified candidates, administrative workload, time constraints, and hiring costs.

Why AI is becoming part of recruitment strategy

AI adoption in recruitment is gaining ground across Southeast Asia. According to Jobstreet by SEEK’s Hiring, Compensation & Benefits Report 2025, 27% of employers surveyed across the region had adopted AI tools in their recruitment processes. In the Philippines, the figure was 39%, according to the report.

For businesses, the appeal goes beyond simply automating repetitive work.

Recruitment teams can spend significant time screening applications, coordinating interviews, checking references, and managing candidate information. When these processes are supported by technology, recruiters can potentially devote more time to activities that require human interaction and judgment.

Jobstreet by SEEK positions seekAi within this shift, using employment-specific data and AI capabilities to support employers throughout the hiring process.

The company says the engine draws on more than 25 years of market intelligence and 750 million daily candidate and employer signals across the Asia-Pacific region.

Moving beyond keyword matching

One of the challenges in digital recruitment is that a candidate's suitability cannot always be captured by matching keywords in a résumé with words in a job advertisement.

Job requirements can differ from one organization to another, even for similar positions. Companies may also have different preferences based on their previous hiring experiences and the types of candidates who have performed well in particular roles.

seekAi's Personalised Targeting feature is designed to account for these differences.

Rather than relying solely on broad matching, the system learns from a business's role requirements, preferences, and historical hiring activity. It also incorporates real-time intent data to identify candidates that may be a closer fit for a particular employer.

According to Jobstreet by SEEK, candidates identified through this approach can be up to five times more likely to apply.

For recruiters, the potential business impact is straightforward: spending less time sorting through unsuitable applications can free up resources for evaluating candidates and engaging with people who are more relevant to the role.

From automation to an AI hiring partner

Another component of seekAi is Assist, which Jobstreet by SEEK describes as an agentic AI capability.

The distinction is important for businesses evaluating AI tools. Traditional automation typically handles predefined, individual tasks. Agentic AI is designed to work across multiple steps by using context to determine what needs to happen next.

Within recruitment, Assist can support activities including AI pre-screening voice interviews, applicant ranking, next-best-action guidance, and automated reference checks.

The objective is not to have AI make the final hiring decision. Instead, the technology is positioned as an additional layer of support that can handle administrative work and guide recruiters through parts of the recruitment process.

Jobstreet by SEEK Managing Director Dannah Majarocon emphasized this human-AI relationship during the launch.

“We believe that AI should make hiring better, not busier.”

For organizations considering AI adoption, that distinction matters. Technology can process information and automate workflows, but hiring decisions also involve organizational culture, interpersonal dynamics, leadership judgment, and an understanding of what a business needs from its people.

What AI means for the future of HR

The discussion at Jobstreet Connect extended beyond recruitment technology itself.

Liza Manalo-Mapagu, CEO of ASEAMETRICS and Chair of the AI and Innovation Committee of the People Management Association of the Philippines, delivered a keynote focused on leading people through human-AI collaboration.

The event also featured insights from Jobstreet by SEEK Head of Country Marketing Joey Yusingco on the company's Salary Pulse 2026 Insights, covering issues including salary expectations, workplace flexibility, and career development.

These topics highlight an important reality for employers: finding talent is only one part of workforce strategy. Organizations also have to understand what employees expect from their workplaces and what influences their decision to stay.

Other speakers included Holy Ampaguey, CHRO of DITO Telecommunity; Ralph Vincent Regalado, Chief AI Officer of Kollab; and Kin Enriquez, Risk & Compliance Manager, GRC of Emerson ROHQ. Discussions covered applications of AI in talent development, organizational culture, risk and compliance, and business growth.

The business case for smarter hiring

For companies, the emerging role of AI in recruitment is ultimately tied to a broader question of productivity.

A hiring process that takes too much time can delay team expansion. Poor candidate matching can increase the resources required to fill a position. Administrative work can also take recruiters away from activities where their expertise is most valuable.

Tools such as seekAi are being developed to address these operational pressures by combining data, automation, and contextual AI within existing recruitment workflows.

But technology does not eliminate the need for people. In hiring, the more practical role for AI may be to reduce the administrative burden surrounding decisions while allowing recruiters and business leaders to retain responsibility for the decisions themselves.

As AI becomes more embedded in HR, that balance between automation and human judgment will remain central to how organizations determine whether the technology is creating genuine business value.

seekAi is now part of Jobstreet by SEEK's employment technology offering for businesses.

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Lampara Books Expands Literacy Efforts Through Storytelling

Lampara Books Expands Literacy Efforts Through Storytelling

Lampara Books is expanding its literacy advocacy through Batang Lampara, Batang Kuwentista 2026, a nationwide storytelling competition that brought together 416 young participants from 139 schools.

The initiative, whose Grand Finals were held on September 12 at the SMX Convention Center Manila, is designed to encourage children to engage with books and literature through storytelling. Lampara Books positions the program as part of its broader literacy efforts and as a complement to the Department of Education’s ARAL Program, which provides structured learning interventions for students who need additional support in foundational academic competencies, including reading.

The development highlights a role that publishers can play beyond producing books: creating programs and experiences that encourage children to see reading as an activity worth pursuing.

How can publishers contribute to reading literacy?

Reading intervention is not limited to classroom instruction. Publishers, educators, schools and other organizations can contribute to literacy by creating opportunities for children to encounter books in engaging ways.

Lampara Books has developed several initiatives around this idea, including Magbasa Tayo!, which uses the Marungko Approach, and Let’s Read!, which uses systematic phonics.

Batang Lampara, Batang Kuwentista takes a different approach. Rather than focusing primarily on reading instruction, it uses storytelling as an avenue for children to interpret and present literature.

That distinction is important.

A storytelling competition does not replace structured reading instruction. Instead, it can provide children with another reason to read, understand a story and communicate what they have learned from it.

For businesses operating in education and publishing, such programs also demonstrate how corporate initiatives can intersect with broader social priorities without being limited to product promotion.

What is the DepEd ARAL Program?

The ARAL Program, or Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning Program, is a Department of Education intervention designed to provide additional learning support to students who need help developing key competencies.

Reading is among the areas addressed by the program. The broader objective is to help learners recover or strengthen foundational skills through structured interventions.

Lampara Books' storytelling initiative operates in a different space. Its emphasis is on cultivating children's interest in reading and literature, rather than serving as a formal substitute for the intervention framework implemented by schools and the Department of Education.

The distinction illustrates how public and private-sector efforts can address different parts of the same education challenge.

What happened at Batang Lampara, Batang Kuwentista 2026?

The 2026 competition was divided into two categories based on grade level.

Category A: Grades 1–3

1st Place: Catriona Xia C. Gacutan

2nd Place: Zander Skye H. Saplagio

3rd Place: Ameera Estelle E. Incognito

Category B: Grades 4–6

1st Place: Czarina Sophia L. Hinanay

2nd Place: Ma. Daniela C. Mejos

3rd Place: Alamela G. Cacho

The winners were announced during an event at the Manila International Book Fair.

The finalists were evaluated by a multidisciplinary panel that included artist and children's rights advocate Pepot Atienza; storyteller and puppeteer Melanie Ramirez; UP Diliman creative writing and literature professor Eugene Evasco; UP Diliman reading education professor and children's author Portia Padilla; and Philippine Educational Theater Association senior member Csairus John Habla.

One notable aspect of this year's competition was its geographic reach.

The organizers received 416 entries from 139 schools, with 45 percent of participants coming from cities and provinces outside the National Capital Region.

Online submissions allowed children from different parts of the country to participate without having to travel to Metro Manila during the initial stages of the competition.

For an education-focused program, accessibility matters. Digital submission removes one logistical barrier that can prevent students outside major urban centers from joining national programs.

However, access to a competition is only one part of the larger literacy equation. Sustained reading development still depends on factors such as access to books, quality instruction, teacher support, learning environments and family engagement.

Can storytelling encourage children to read?

Storytelling can give children an active role in engaging with literature.

Instead of simply consuming a story, participants have to interpret characters, understand the narrative and communicate it to an audience. For young learners, these activities can make reading feel more social and expressive.

Segundo Matias Jr., co-founder and president of Lampara Publishing House, Inc., said this year's participants demonstrated creativity and spontaneity in their performances.

That observation also points to an important consideration for literacy programs: children's engagement should not be measured only by how much they read, but also by whether they develop a meaningful relationship with stories and books.

Reading in an increasingly digital and AI-driven environment

The literacy conversation is also changing as children grow up surrounded by digital platforms and artificial intelligence.

AI tools can make information easier to access, but access to information is not the same as developing strong reading comprehension. Children still need the ability to understand narratives, distinguish information, interpret meaning and communicate ideas.

For publishers such as Lampara Books, this creates an evolving role.

The challenge is not necessarily to position books against technology. Instead, literacy initiatives can explore ways to keep reading relevant while children navigate an increasingly digital environment.

Batang Lampara, Batang Kuwentista approaches that challenge through an activity familiar to children: telling stories.

A broader role for the publishing industry

The initiative also reflects how publishers can participate in education beyond traditional book sales.

Programs involving schools, teachers and young readers can help publishers build longer-term relationships with the communities they serve. For Lampara Books, literacy advocacy provides an opportunity to connect its publishing work with children's development and reading engagement.

For the education sector, these efforts are most useful when they complement—not replace—the work of schools, teachers and government programs.

That distinction becomes increasingly important as the Philippines continues to address foundational learning needs while children adapt to a rapidly changing digital environment.

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DOJ Highlights Schools’ Role in Preventing Bullying

DOJ Highlights Schools’ Role in Preventing Bullying

Tuesday, September 22, 2026

Schools remain at the center of efforts to prevent and address bullying, with teachers, parents, school personnel and students sharing responsibility for creating a safe learning environment.

That was the message of a recent anti-bullying awareness workshop at Bagong Tanyag Integrated School (BTIS) in Taguig City, where Department of Justice (DOJ) Undersecretary Atty. Ian Norman E. Dato spoke to learners, parents and teachers about recognizing bullying, understanding student rights and knowing where to seek help.

The discussion also clarified an important point about handling bullying cases: schools have a primary responsibility to respond to incidents involving their learners, while government agencies can provide assistance when cases require intervention beyond the school.

The approach places prevention, reporting and early intervention at the school level while providing a formal pathway for complaints that may require legal or prosecutorial assistance.

Why do schools have a key role in addressing bullying?

Schools are often the first setting where bullying is observed, reported or experienced. This makes school personnel and established child-protection mechanisms important in identifying incidents and responding before they escalate.

During the BTIS workshop, Dato emphasized that responding to bullying should not fall solely on the learner experiencing it.

Teachers, parents, school personnel and other members of the school community all have a role in listening to concerns, responding appropriately and helping maintain a safe environment.

The message is particularly relevant because students who experience or witness bullying may not always know whether an incident should be reported or where to seek assistance.

Awareness therefore needs to be accompanied by accessible reporting and response mechanisms.

What should students do when they experience or witness bullying?

Students who experience or witness bullying should know that they can report their concerns to trusted adults and appropriate school personnel.

Schools can help by making reporting channels clear and ensuring that learners understand who they can approach for assistance.

Parents and teachers also have an important role in listening without dismissing a learner's concerns and in referring incidents to the appropriate school-based personnel.

At the school level, Child Protection Committees (CPCs) are part of the mechanism for addressing concerns involving learner protection.

The Department of Education's child-protection framework provides for Child Protection Committees in schools, which are tasked with helping ensure that policies and procedures protecting children are implemented at the school level.

How does the Anti-Bullying Act apply to schools?

The Philippines' Anti-Bullying Act of 2013 (Republic Act No. 10627) requires elementary and secondary schools to adopt policies addressing bullying and to establish procedures for responding to incidents.

The law covers bullying committed by one student against another within the school, as well as certain incidents involving students that occur in school-related contexts.

The law and its implementing rules also recognize that schools have responsibilities when bullying occurs outside school premises but involves school-related activities or relationships covered by the rules.

The workshop highlighted a specific point concerning incidents occurring within a two-kilometer perimeter of the school. Cases falling within the law's coverage should be handled through the appropriate school-based mechanisms, rather than immediately treating every incident as a matter for prosecution.

This distinction matters because not every bullying incident automatically becomes a criminal case.

The first response may involve school investigation, intervention, protection of the learner and appropriate administrative or disciplinary measures, depending on the circumstances and applicable rules.

What role does the DOJ play in bullying complaints?

The DOJ's role becomes more relevant when a case requires assistance beyond the school's existing mechanisms.

According to the workshop, Department Circular No. 026, Series of 2026, issued on July 30, 2026, establishes an Accessibility and Referral Mechanism on Complaints of Bullying.

The mechanism allows DOJ Action Centers and National Prosecution Service offices nationwide to receive and process bullying-related complaints or referrals that may require legal or prosecutorial intervention.

This creates an additional pathway for cases that cannot be adequately addressed through school-based mechanisms alone.

The distinction between the school and justice-system roles is important. A referral mechanism does not remove the school's responsibility to respond to bullying. Instead, it provides another avenue when circumstances call for government legal assistance.

Why does early intervention matter?

Bullying can affect a learner's ability to participate fully in school and can create wider problems within the school community if concerns are ignored.

Early reporting gives schools an opportunity to assess what happened, protect affected learners and determine the appropriate response.

It also allows schools to address behavior before conflicts become more serious.

At BTIS, Principal Donnabel F. Balantac said creating a safe environment begins within the school.

She highlighted the importance of the workshop for learners moving from elementary school into junior high school, a transition that can involve new classmates, relationships and social environments.

The school's approach also encourages older learners to become positive examples for younger students.

Students are part of the solution

The workshop did not frame bullying prevention solely as an adult responsibility.

Guidance Advocate Jonathan L. Carlos emphasized the involvement of students and parents in creating a safe school environment, while Master Teacher I Josephine Jane A. Daileg encouraged participants to apply the lessons in their classrooms and communities.

That approach recognizes students as participants in school culture rather than simply recipients of protection.

Students can contribute by refusing to participate in bullying, supporting classmates who seek help and reporting incidents through appropriate channels.

For schools, the challenge is to create an environment where those actions are supported by adults and reinforced by clear procedures.

What can schools do to strengthen anti-bullying efforts?

A school-based anti-bullying program involves more than conducting a single awareness seminar.

Practical measures include:

• Explain what constitutes bullying and distinguish it from ordinary disagreements or conflicts.
• Make reporting channels visible so students know whom to approach.
• Strengthen Child Protection Committees and ensure their responsibilities are understood.
• Train teachers and school personnel to respond appropriately to reported incidents.
• Engage parents in prevention and intervention efforts.
• Protect students who report concerns from further harm or retaliation.
• Refer appropriate cases to government agencies when legal intervention is necessary.
• Build a respectful school culture where students feel safe asking for help.

These measures work together. A reporting system is less effective if students do not trust it, while awareness campaigns have limited value if there is no clear response after a student comes forward.

Building safer schools requires more than awareness

The DOJ workshop at BTIS underscores a broader principle in child protection: preventing bullying requires systems that work before, during and after an incident.

Students need to understand their rights and know where to seek help. Parents and teachers need to recognize concerns and respond appropriately. Schools need functioning child-protection mechanisms. And when a situation requires intervention beyond the school, government agencies need accessible referral pathways.

The DOJ's new referral mechanism adds another layer to that system, while the Anti-Bullying Act continues to place schools at the center of prevention and response.

Ultimately, creating a safer school environment depends not only on rules but also on whether students feel heard when they speak up.

For learners navigating new classrooms, friendships and social environments, knowing that there are adults and systems prepared to listen can be an important part of feeling safe enough to learn and grow.

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Ormoc City Expands Digital Services With GCash Card

Ormoc City Expands Digital Services With GCash Card

Ormoc City is expanding its digital government infrastructure through a partnership with GCash that combines citizen services, government disbursements, digital payments and tools for local businesses.

At the center of the initiative is the Ormoc Cityzen’s Card, a co-branded card being developed as part of a wider digital services ecosystem for the city's residents.

The partnership covers several GCash services, including Fund Disbursement Service (FDS), Scan to Pay and BillsPay, alongside the Cityzen’s Card integration. The initiative is currently in its data collection and onboarding phase, while the first generic cards have already been used for a pilot disbursement of allowances to City Hall employees.

For Ormoc, the development illustrates how digitalization at the local-government level is moving beyond simply accepting cashless payments. The broader objective is to connect payment collection, government disbursements, citizen access and local business transactions within a more integrated system.

What is the Ormoc Cityzen’s Card?

The Ormoc Cityzen’s Card is a GCash-powered initiative designed to become part of the city's digital services ecosystem.

The city is currently collecting data and onboarding users, with the initial release of co-branded cards targeted for September 2026. Generic cards have already been issued for the pilot distribution of City Hall employee allowances.

The card is therefore not being introduced as an isolated payment product. It forms part of a broader partnership covering several digital services that connect the local government, residents and businesses.

That distinction is important when looking at digital transformation in local government. A payment card can facilitate a transaction, but an integrated platform can potentially connect several government processes around the same user.

From payments to government disbursements

One component of the partnership is GCash's Fund Disbursement Service, which can be used to distribute funds digitally.

For a local government, digital disbursement can be relevant to employee allowances and other authorized government payments. The Ormoc pilot involving City Hall employee allowances provides the initial use case for the Cityzen’s Card.

The partnership also covers Scan to Pay and BillsPay, expanding the role of digital transactions beyond receiving government funds.

GCash currently offers fund-disbursement and payment solutions to organizations, while its public-sector business specifically focuses on digital ecosystems for government partners.

Why does LGU digitalization matter?

Digital government services can affect more than the technology used by government offices. They can change how residents pay, receive funds, access services and interact with local institutions.

For local governments, moving selected transactions online can also reduce dependence on manual processes. However, the value of such systems ultimately depends on accessibility, user adoption, data protection and the ability of residents to use digital services reliably.

This makes the rollout phase particularly important for Ormoc.

The city is still in the process of collecting information and onboarding users, meaning the initiative is developing rather than representing a completed citywide digital transformation.

How will local businesses be involved?

The GCash partnership also extends beyond City Hall.

As part of the initiative, GCash will provide GCash Business Solution Kits, including SoundPay devices, while conducting financial literacy sessions for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

MSMEs are businesses classified as micro, small or medium enterprises. They form a large part of the Philippine business landscape and often operate directly within local communities.

GCash's current business platform offers merchants tools for accepting QR and card payments, managing transactions and accessing other business services. Its SoundPay product provides audio confirmation when a customer completes a payment.

For Ormoc businesses, the local rollout therefore goes beyond encouraging consumers to pay digitally. It also introduces merchants to tools intended to help them accept and manage digital transactions.

Bringing digital services closer to communities

The partnership includes a GCash Barangay Outpost program that will provide assisted Know Your Customer (KYC) onboarding and account creation in communities across Ormoc.

KYC refers to the identity-verification process financial institutions and regulated financial-service providers use when establishing customer accounts.

Bringing assisted onboarding into barangays addresses one of the practical challenges of digitalization: having a digital service available does not necessarily mean every potential user can independently register and navigate it.

The partnership also included Piso-Treats activities at Ormoc City Hall, where participants could experience Scan to Pay.

These community-level activities are significant because digital adoption involves more than infrastructure. Users also need familiarity with the tools and confidence in using them.

What does GCash's partnership model mean for local governments?

Ormoc's initiative fits into a wider effort by GCash to work with the public sector on digital ecosystems.

GCash describes its public-sector offering as a way for government partners to develop digital services that support financial inclusion.

The company's business portfolio also includes payment acceptance, fund disbursement and bills-payment services.

For LGUs, partnerships with established financial technology platforms can provide access to existing payment infrastructure rather than requiring government offices to build every digital financial capability internally.

At the same time, these partnerships require clear governance around data, user authentication, cybersecurity, service accessibility and accountability. Those considerations become increasingly important as more government transactions move into digital environments.

Ormoc positions digital access as part of local governance

Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez said the partnership reflects the city's effort to develop more accessible and digitally enabled public services.

Vice Mayor Toto Locsin likewise highlighted the role of technology partnerships in improving access to government programs and services.

For GCash, Vice President and Head of Regional Business Unit Maria Tania Katrina Padilla said the partnership aims to make digital financial services more practical and accessible to Ormoc residents.

The statements point to a shared objective: using existing digital financial infrastructure to support local government services rather than treating digital payments as a standalone technology project.

What happens next?

The immediate focus is on data collection, onboarding and the rollout of the Cityzen's Card.

The initial co-branded cards were targeted for release in September, while the pilot involving City Hall employee allowances provides an early test of the system.

The next phase will be particularly relevant to residents and businesses as the city expands access to the various services covered by the partnership.

The experience could also provide a useful case study for other Philippine LGUs exploring digital government. The key measure will not simply be how many digital tools are introduced, but whether those tools make government transactions easier to access and use for the communities they are intended to serve.

For Ormoc, the Cityzen's Card is the visible component of a larger initiative: connecting local government services, financial transactions and business participation through digital infrastructure.

That makes the partnership less about introducing another payment option and more about how local governments can build practical digital systems around the everyday transactions of citizens and businesses.

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Vista Land Sweeps Honors at the Dot Property and Lamudi Philippines Real Estate Awards 2026

Vista Land Sweeps Honors at the Dot Property and Lamudi Philippines Real Estate Awards 2026

The Philippines’ leading integrated property developer solidified its industry standing with multiple distinctions at the Dot Property and Lamudi Philippines Real Estate Awards 2026, led by Camella being named Best Housing Developer in Visayas and Mindanao.

The recognition was accompanied by other major honors across the Vista Land portfolio: Best Multigenerational Housing Development and the People’s Choice Award for Camella Praverde; Best Lifestyle Development for Siena by Crown Asia; Best Student Residential Development for Hawthorne Heights by Vista Residences; and Best Investment Property in Emerging Communities for The Upstate by Vista Manors.

These accolades reflect a strategy built not around a single residential format, but on a widening range of household priorities, locations, life stages, and investment preferences. Vista Land has continued to pursue parallel growth across house-and-lot communities and condominium properties as economic activity decentralizes and regional cities and growth corridors acquire greater demographic importance.

Anchoring lifelong homeownership nationwide

For Camella, the Best Housing Developer in Visayas and Mindanao award carries particular significance. The flagship housing brand of Vista Land has built more than 600,000 homes across 1,250 communities, with a presence in 49 provinces and 147 cities and municipalities. Its geographic scale places Camella across metropolitan centers, tourism destinations, growth corridors, and infralink projects, allowing the housing brand to respond to residential requirements while keeping Filipino family life at the center of its communities.

“This honor for Camella as Best Housing Developer in Visayas and Mindanao on its road to 50 years affirms our continued commitment to bring lifelong homeownership to generations of Filipinos across the archipelago. More than expanding our footprint for nearly five decades, we want families to have places where they can begin their forever in communities that reflect their values and remain relevant through the years,” said Mary Lee S. Sadiasa, Chief Operating Officer of Vista Land.

The same long-term view finds a more vivid expression in Camella Praverde, named Best Multigenerational Housing Development. Set in Dasmariñas City, Cavite, the close-to-12-hectare Spanish Mediterranean-inspired residential community combines functional layouts with lifestyle amenities and adaptable spaces. Its position within one of Cavite's growth corridors complements a proposition that caters to shared living and flexible settings while accommodating shifting household priorities.

Camella Praverde was also the People’s Choice awardee, earning the confidence of industry leaders, market observers, and property buyers who took part in the public vote. Beyond professional distinction, the accolade signals longstanding trust in a community created for continuity and a legacy of value across life stages.

Distinguished addresses for differentiated demand

Recognition extended to Siena by Crown Asia, recipient of Best Lifestyle Development. Located in Bacoor City, the 5.9-hectare themed residential development draws architectural direction from Tuscany, translating Italian influences into landscaped surroundings, leisure facilities, and refined residences conceived around a considered way of living. Its location likewise benefits from access to the regional city's major road networks connecting Cavite with Metro Manila and other parts of South Luzon.

In Quezon City, Vista Residences’ Hawthorne Heights under its University Series was named Best Student Residential Development, underscoring the heightened relevance of purpose-positioned housing in established educational clusters. Situated along Katipunan Avenue, near Ateneo de Manila University, Miriam College, and the University of the Philippines Diliman, the 41-storey condominium property offers studio and one-bedroom units complemented by a swimming pool, gym, function hall, study rooms, and fitness trails. Its configuration brings proximity, productivity, and redefined student living into a vertical community for residents and investors assessing academic-led residential demand.

The Upstate by Vista Manors, meanwhile, received the award for Best Investment Property in Emerging Communities. Rising in Bay, Laguna, the vertical village places studio and one-bedroom layouts near resort destinations, educational branches, retail parks, and developing transport links in South Luzon. Recreational facilities, roof decks, and smart home-ready features strengthen its residential offerings, while its address demonstrates the approach of entering locations where infrastructure, institutions, and local enterprise can support long-term property fundamentals.

Recognition reinforces a broader residential strategy

The awards arrive as Vista Land advances a multi-market expansion model geared towards the changing geography of Philippine economic growth. Rather than relying on a single buyer profile or concentrating its portfolio in metropolitan centers, the company has expanded across master planned developments and landed neighborhoods calibrated to the demographic conditions of their respective segments.

This approach allows each housing brand to perform a distinguished role. Camella extends broad-based access to lifelong homeownership with multigenerational house models; Crown Asia addresses the upscale market through themed residential developments; Vista Residences responds to metropolitan mobility, academic activity, and high-rise demand; while Vista Manors introduces resort living and investment opportunities into regional cities and growth corridors.

Collectively, the 2026 distinctions do more than add to Vista Land's record of industry recognition. They demonstrate how scale can translate to specialization, and how these selections can serve a social purpose. Housing becomes more responsive when real estate reflects where Filipinos study, work, raise families, invest, and build their futures.

As demand continues to diversify across the country, Vista Land is positioning its offerings to keep pace with shifting requirements: bringing its expertise in residential development to more markets while creating properties for families putting down roots, pursuing possibilities, and creating lasting value for generations.

Pioneering nationwide excellence in property development

As the holding company for Vista Group's residential ventures, Vista Land is primarily engaged in developing integrated estates, house-and-lot communities, condominium properties, and commercial assets across the country.

Filipinos deserve the best—this guiding belief has long been central to the enduring success of the Philippines’ leading integrated property developer. Creating visionary, secure, and enriching environments and services for its residents, as well as delivering exceptional long-term returns for its investors, has always been the driving force behind Vista Land's continued evolution.

To learn more about Vista Land and its residential developments across the archipelago, visit www.vistaland.com.ph and follow @VistaLandAndLifescapesOfficial.

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FWD Reports 23.5% Growth in New Life Insurance Business in Q2 2026

FWD Reports 23.5% Growth in New Life Insurance Business in Q2 2026

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Life insurance remains a competitive market in the Philippines, with insurers looking for ways to make protection and financial planning more accessible to consumers.

Against that backdrop, FWD Life Insurance Philippines reported ₱5.26 billion in new business annual premium equivalent (NBAPE) for the second quarter of 2026, a 23.5% increase from the same period last year.

According to the company's announcement, the figure gave FWD a 12.2% share of the market in NBAPE for the quarter and placed it at the top of the Insurance Commission's ranking for the measure.

The company also reported that it ranked first in single premiums and third in total premiums during the period.

What does NBAPE mean for life insurance?

New business annual premium equivalent, or NBAPE, is a measure used by life insurers to assess new business written during a period. It combines first-year premiums from regular-payment policies with a portion of single premiums, allowing different types of new policies to be expressed on a more comparable annualized basis.

This makes NBAPE different from total premium income. A company's position can therefore vary depending on which measure is being examined.

That distinction is important when looking at FWD's latest figures. Its reported number-one position for the second quarter specifically refers to NBAPE, rather than all measures of life insurance business.

FWD's latest numbers in context

FWD's Q2 performance follows several years of expansion in the Philippine market.

Its 2025 annual report, citing Insurance Commission data, showed FWD ranked third in full-year NBAPE with ₱9.03 billion and third in audited total premium income with ₱50.36 billion. It also ranked first in single premium income at ₱38.25 billion for the full year.

The latest quarterly figures therefore represent a change in the company's position for the specific NBAPE measure.

FWD reported that its Q2 NBAPE increased by 23.5% year on year, reaching ₱5.26 billion. Its reported 12.2% market share means that roughly one out of every eight pesos represented in the industry's NBAPE during the period was attributed to FWD, based on the company's reported figures.

Where is FWD getting its business?

FWD Philippines operates through several distribution channels, including its agency network, its exclusive bancassurance partnership with Security Bank, and digital platforms.

The company's 2025 annual report identified agency and bancassurance growth, increased manpower and productivity, and digital initiatives among factors contributing to its business expansion.

Bancassurance is particularly relevant in the Philippine insurance market because it allows banks and insurers to offer insurance products through banking relationships and channels.

For consumers, this can make insurance available in places where they already manage other aspects of their finances.

Why does this matter to Filipino consumers?

An increase in new insurance business does not automatically mean that every Filipino is becoming better protected financially. It does, however, provide one indicator of how much new business insurers are generating and where companies are gaining market share.

For consumers, the more important question is whether an insurance product actually matches their financial situation.

Premium affordability, coverage, exclusions, policy duration, benefits, payment terms and the financial strength of the insurer are among the details that should be considered before purchasing a policy.

A higher industry ranking does not by itself determine whether a particular insurance product is appropriate for an individual.

FWD's focus on financial confidence

FWD entered the Philippine market in 2014 and has positioned customer experience and simplified insurance solutions as part of its business strategy.

Its latest announcement connects the company's growth with its broader goal of helping Filipinos build financial confidence.

FWD Philippines President and CEO Soon Liang Lau said the company's continued market position reflects the trust customers place in it and pointed to its focus on making insurance simpler and more accessible.

The company also continues to operate its agency business alongside its Security Bank bancassurance partnership and digital capabilities.

What the Q2 results show

FWD's second-quarter results provide a snapshot of its current position in the Philippine life insurance market.

The headline figure is ₱5.26 billion in NBAPE, up 23.5% year on year, with a reported 12.2% market share.

But the numbers also highlight why insurance rankings need to be read according to the measure being used. FWD's Q2 position in NBAPE, its reported leadership in single premiums and its third-place position in total premiums describe different parts of the company's business.

For consumers, those distinctions are more useful than a single "number one" label when considering what the latest industry figures actually mean.

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How Coconut Oil Is Building Livelihoods in Raja Ampat

How Coconut Oil Is Building Livelihoods in Raja Ampat

For communities that grow coconuts but have limited access to markets, the difference between selling a raw fruit and processing it into a finished product can be significant. In Solol Village in Raja Ampat, Indonesia, residents are learning how to turn locally grown coconuts into virgin coconut oil (VCO), creating an additional livelihood option from a resource already present in the community.

The initiative combines skills training, small-scale processing and market development. It also illustrates a broader challenge in coconut-producing communities: how to move beyond selling raw agricultural products and retain more economic value locally.

Why does turning coconuts into oil matter?

Value addition means processing a raw agricultural product into something that can command a higher market value. For coconut-growing communities, this can include turning coconuts into oil, coconut milk, sugar, flour, fiber or other products instead of selling the fruit in its least-processed form.

The approach is not new. The Food and Agriculture Organization has documented the importance of value-added coconut products in improving opportunities for smallholders, particularly in regions where farmers have traditionally depended on raw coconut or copra markets.

The Philippine Coconut Authority has similarly identified value-added products such as virgin coconut oil, coconut sugar and coconut-based non-food products as part of efforts to expand the economic opportunities available to coconut farmers.

Solol offers a smaller, community-level example of the same principle.

From household resource to community enterprise

Solol Village is located in West Salawati District, Raja Ampat Regency. Coconuts are already part of the landscape and household economy, with families managing relatively small areas containing scattered coconut trees.

For years, however, the crop was largely used for household needs or sold as fresh coconuts. According to the community account provided by Bentara Papua, coconuts harvested in the village could be sold to buyers in Sorong for relatively modest prices, with the amount affected by season, weather and transportation conditions.

That left the community exposed to a familiar problem in rural value chains: the producer has the raw material but captures only a portion of the value created further along the chain.

A 2019 study of the coconut value chain in North Misool, also in Raja Ampat, found that coconut production was connected to processing and copra trading, with products eventually moving to inter-island markets. The research illustrates how transportation and market access can shape the economics of coconut production in island communities.

In Solol, the response has been to develop processing skills within the village.

How are Solol residents making virgin coconut oil?

The initiative developed through Sekolah Kampung Merdesa (SEKAM), a village learning program established by Bentara Papua. Following an assessment of local potential, the organization established a station in Solol where residents, particularly young people, could learn about natural-resource management and community-based enterprises.

Philipus Charles Fiataly, a 39-year-old village official and chairman of the Church Youth Fellowship, became involved in learning how to produce VCO.

The group experimented with processing methods and developed standard operating procedures for production. The resulting process uses medium-mature coconuts, which are grated, squeezed, fermented and filtered.

According to the community, a production cycle can use around 10 to 30 coconuts and take approximately 12 hours.

The emphasis on process consistency is important. For a small community enterprise, producing a product is only the first step. Maintaining consistent quality, packaging, supply and delivery is necessary if the product is to move from occasional sales to a repeatable business.

What is virgin coconut oil?

Virgin coconut oil is coconut oil produced from fresh coconut meat using processes that do not involve the chemical refining typically associated with refined coconut oil. Small-scale production can involve methods such as fermentation, depending on the processing system used.

The quality of VCO depends on factors including the raw material, processing method, sanitation and storage. Research published by the Philippine Coconut Authority has also examined how coconut varieties and agronomic factors influence 

VCO characteristics and production performance.

That makes training and standardized production practices particularly relevant for community-based producers.

Can small-scale coconut processing create more income?

Solol's experience suggests that processing can create a different economic proposition from selling coconuts as raw material.

The community reports selling its VCO at around Rp40,000 per 100 milliliters and Rp100,000 per 250 milliliters. Production averages about 20 bottles a month, using roughly 40 coconuts.

Those figures should not be interpreted as net income. They do not, on their own, account for labor, packaging, equipment, transportation, unsold inventory or other operating costs.

What they do demonstrate is the basic value-addition principle: the community is selling a processed product rather than simply transferring raw coconuts to another buyer.

The distinction matters across the coconut industry. The FAO has noted that coconut-producing regions can remain vulnerable when they depend heavily on low-value raw materials, while processing and diversification can create additional opportunities along the value chain.

Where is Solol's coconut oil being sold?

The community markets its products through Koperasi Bekal, a cooperative connected to Bentara Papua's production stations, as well as through exhibitions, donor visits and resorts in Raja Ampat.

The community has also reported sales to international visitors from countries including the United States, Norway, Brazil, Germany and Japan.

Resort buyers could potentially provide an important market for a village producer because tourism businesses already operate within the local economy. However, the experience also highlights a practical limitation for island-based enterprises: getting products to customers consistently can be as difficult as producing them.

Weather and sea transportation can disrupt deliveries, particularly during periods of heavy rain.

For that reason, expanding production is not necessarily the immediate solution. Building a reliable supply chain may be just as important.

What happens to the rest of the coconut?

One of the more interesting aspects of the Solol initiative is its attempt to use more of the coconut rather than treating the fruit as a single-product resource.

The community is exploring or producing several uses:

• Coconut oil: processed into regular cooking oil and VCO
• Coconut shells: turned into decorative lamps and orchid vases
• Coconut husks: used for smoking fish
• VCO residue: being explored for animal feed and briquettes

This approach reflects a broader circular-economy principle: finding additional uses for materials that would otherwise become waste.

It also creates the possibility of developing several small income streams rather than depending entirely on one finished product.

Why youth participation could matter to the business

The Solol initiative is also a skills-development story.

Coconut trees can remain productive across generations, but the knowledge and economic systems surrounding them do not automatically continue. Teaching younger residents how to process, package and market coconut products gives them a role in the local value chain beyond harvesting.

That distinction is important for rural economies where younger people may otherwise look outside the community for employment.

The model also begins with an existing resource. Rather than introducing an entirely new crop or requiring residents to acquire large areas of land, it builds an enterprise around coconuts that families already grow and understand.

Bentara Papua has described the Solol station as part of its broader effort to develop economically valuable local commodities while reducing pressure from activities such as illegal logging. Its documented work in Solol includes VCO, coconut cooking oil, banana flour and other community products.

What Solol's experience says about rural value chains

The larger lesson is not necessarily about coconut oil itself.

It is about who captures value.

A farmer or community that sells a raw commodity is positioned at the beginning of a value chain. Processing, packaging, branding, distribution and retail happen later, and each stage can add economic value.

Moving some of those activities closer to the producer can create new opportunities. But doing so requires more than a product recipe.

Community enterprises need:

• Reliable raw materials to maintain production.
• Quality standards so customers receive a consistent product.
• Skills and equipment appropriate to the scale of the enterprise.
• Market access beyond occasional visitors or exhibitions.
• Reliable logistics for moving products from remote areas.
• Basic business systems for costing, inventory, pricing and cash flow.
• Succession and youth participation so the enterprise can continue beyond its founders.

The experience of coconut-producing communities elsewhere reinforces this point. Research on value addition in the Philippines has found that farmers often remain concentrated at the raw-material stage, while processing, packaging and distribution create additional layers of value.

For Solol, the challenge now is to turn a promising community activity into a sustainable enterprise without outgrowing the village's ability to supply and manage it.

The coconuts were already there. The more consequential change is that residents are learning how to create more value from them locally.

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