Skip the High Fuel Prices, Charge Your EV This Holy Week at Your Nearest SM

As the Holy Week travel season arrives, and fuel prices continue to rise, electric vehicle (EV) drivers across the country can count on their most-loved SM Supermalls as a convenient recharging stop along their journey. SM Cares, the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Supermalls, announced that with over 160 EV charging stations available across multiple SM locations nationwide, motorists can recharge their vehicles while maxing out their malling by enjoying the wide range of shopping, dining, and leisure experiences that SM malls offer.

The growing presence of EV charging infrastructure in SM Supermalls reflects the company’s continuing efforts to support more sustainable mobility options for Filipino motorists. With fluctuating fuel prices, electric vehicles are becoming an increasingly practical alternative for many drivers looking for more efficient and environmentally conscious transportation.

For EV users, the convenience goes beyond simply plugging in. At SM malls, drivers can make the most of their charging time, while having some free time for themselves—whether by enjoying a meal with family, shopping for essentials, or simply taking a break during a long trip.

As part of the larger SM Green Movement, and by making EV charging accessible in familiar community spaces, SM Supermalls helps make sustainable travel more practical, empowering, and accessible for everyday journeys and holiday road trips alike.

This Holy Week, motorists planning their travels can include SM malls along their route—making it easy to charge up while maxing out the SM malling experience.

For EV drivers on the road this season, the message is simple: plan your mall visit, charge up on the go, and choose SM for a greener, more sustainable trip.

Globe Group’s 917Ventures, Ayala Corp and Gogoro introduce new era of sustainable transport in PH

Globe Group’s 917Ventures, Ayala Corporation, and Gogoro Inc. on Monday made history as they launched Gogoro Smartscooters® and battery-swapping in the Philippines. The companies are introducing a new era in sustainable transportation that brings together smart, convenient and accessible electric two-wheelers to customers.

The announcement was made at a ceremony at the Globe headquarters in Bonifacio Global City where the three companies also announced the commercial public release of Gogoro Smartscooters® and battery-swapping stations in Metro Manila in Q4 2023.

“We in the Globe Group are very proud to bring Gogoro Smartscooters® and battery-swapping to the Philippines, a transport ecosystem that marries mobility innovation and sustainability. This year, Filipinos will have access to these electric two wheelers and Gogoro’s convenient and cost-efficient battery-swapping technology, another first in the Philippines,” said Globe Group President and CEO Ernest Cu at the launch.

Gogoro’s launch is the Globe Group’s debut in the climate tech space, as it continues to deliver innovations that address Filipinos’ daily pain points. As a better transportation alternative, Gogoro aims to address commuter woes on expensive gas prices while helping curb carbon emissions, in line with the partners’ shared commitment to sustainability, and the Philippine government's sustainable development agenda.

It also marks the Philippine entry of Gogoro, a brand that has transformed two-wheel mobility in Taiwan and fostered a new smart mobility industry with a network of eco-friendly businesses and end-users. In addition to Taiwan and the Philippines, Gogoro is also operating in China, India, Japan, Indonesia, Korea and Israel.

Horace Luke, Founder and CEO of Gogoro, said the company is excited to bring the Gogoro ecosystem to the Philippines and is committed to replicating its success in Taiwan, where Gogoro has 540,000 riders and has deployed more than one million smart batteries at 12,000 battery-swapping stations. Gogoro riders have swapped more than 450 million total swaps, 400,000 per day, and Gogoro has saved more than 627,000 tons of CO2 since it launched.

“Our partnership with the Globe Group and Ayala Corporation in the Philippines is a major milestone in our mission to transform urban transportation and provide an accessible path for riders to adopt sustainable urban mobility and play a key role in battling climate change and making the world better for all. We look forward to working together to deliver a sustainable transport system that will improve air quality, reduce carbon emissions, and provide a superior riding experience for consumers in the Philippines,” Luke said.

At the event, the partners unveiled the first Gogoro battery-swapping station at The Globe Tower – the start of a network of Gogoro battery-swapping stations planned to be established initially in Metro Manila and eventually across the country.

They also announced the Gogoro pilot in Globe, where 70 employees will be the first to try out the Gogoro Smartscooters® and battery-swapping. They will test the system for two months starting in May and share insights on their experience to ensure an even better customer experience once the e-bikes become available to the public later this year.

"The Gogoro ecosystem is very convenient as its swap-and-go technology allows riders to swap out depleted batteries for charged ones in just seconds and go on their way. With the current traffic situation in the metro, these Smartscooters® will serve as an eco-friendly alternative to ease congestion while at the same time reducing carbon emissions,” said Bernie Llamzon, Globe Capital Venture Holdings Inc. Director.

917Ventures Managing Director Vince Yamat, meanwhile, thanked the government’s support for the shift to EVs as he cited the importance of enabling policy for electric vehicles to succeed in the country.

“The shift to EVs, particularly deploying Gogoro’s battery-swapping system, will go a long way with sustained government support that will allow private sector initiatives to prosper. Sustainable transportation projects are, after all, aligned with the government’s long-term agenda to promote environment-friendly transport options and foster digitalization as mobility needs of Filipino individuals and businesses rise,” Yamat said.

The Globe Group, 917Ventures and Ayala Corporation consistently lead the way in utilizing technology to enhance the lives of Filipinos and safeguard the environment through their innovative change-making initiatives.

To learn more about Globe, visit www.globe.com.ph.

PH Focuses on Innovation to Level Up Trade, Investment Partnership with Japan

TOKYO - The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) highlighted the Philippine (PH) government’s new industrial policy that will push for innovation as it strengthens PH-Japan trade and investment relations. During the Nikkei BP Publications’ PH-Japan Business Investment Forum last 28 October 2019,DTI Undersecretary Rafaelita Aldaba discussed the country’s Inclusive Innovation Industrial Strategy (i3S) and the areas that both PH and Japan can collaborate under this policy.

“In the context of these trade and investment trends between the Philippines and Japan along with global developments such as the entry of new technologies, we feel the need to focus our efforts on innovation to address the opportunities and challenges arising from Industry 4.0 but also from increasing global competition, US-China trade war, and regional economic integration,” said Usec. Aldaba to over 600 members of the Japanese business community.

“i3S puts innovation at the heart of our industrial policies. Our goal is to grow globally competitive and innovative industries,” she added.

The Undersecretary underscored PH’s drive to develop its innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem through strong collaboration between and among government, academe, and industry; utilize new technologies to make the country’s industries more competitive; reduce barriers in investments; and link manufacturing with agriculture and industry to expand PH’s global value chain participation.

“With Japan and the Philippines sharing complementing natural and human resources, technology and innovation will play a key role in helping us achieve the full potential of our economic partnership with Japan,” said Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) – Tokyo Commercial Counsellor Dita Angara-Mathay

At the sidelines of PH-Japan Business Investment Forum, eight investment meetings were arranged by PTIC – Tokyo, DTI’s field office in Japan with Undersecretary Aldaba and various Japanese firms to discuss business opportunities in PH. A total of USD 215 million-worth of investment projects to PH was reported following these meetings.

These investment intentions -- covering infrastructure development, railways, Electric Vehicle (EV) public transport systems, retail, manufacturing, logistics, warehousing, factory automation, construction, and real estate industries-- were presented and discussed with Undersecretary Aldaba and Commercial Counsellor Angara-Mathay.

The investment projects include the opening of PH’s first MOS Burger, Japan’s second largest burger chain, in March 2020; Assemblepoint Co., Ltd’s interest to develop smart 4WEV (4-wheel EV) using the latest IOT technologies; Japanese anime studio Satelight’s intention to outsource animation work in PH; as well as Kanepackage’s new factory facility.

Sumitomo Wiring also presented their two expansion projects in wire harness and components manufacturing. Marubeni Corporation likewise shared their joint venture project with Metro Pacific and LSI to build 30 primary care clinics, 10 cancer centers, and install five centralized laboratory testing hubs in strategic cities.

“There are many potential opportunities for the Philippines and Japan to deepen trade and investment partnership through innovation. I am delighted that the companies I met during this trip are making significant contributions in the areas of creating new industries, products and leapfrogging to Industry 4.0 by adopting smart manufacturing to transform our industries,” said Undersecretary Aldaba.

“We will try to reach out to more Japanese companies specializing in among others, electrified vehicles & parts, advanced manufacturing, factory automation, mobility solutions and smart cities. Philippine startups are also seen as future drivers of innovation. More learning missions to Japan will be organized to facilitate new learnings on and establish key connections with holders of new technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI),” shared Commercial Counsellor Angara-Mathay.