DTI Secretary Pascual Distributes Assistance to Small Businesses in Samar and Pampanga

On 17 July 2023, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. together with Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Fred Pascual led the opening of the Kadiwa ng Pangulo Caravan and the distribution of financial assistance for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the province of Pampanga. As part of the program, President Marcos witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) by different government agencies to expand the Kadiwa ng Pangulo in various Local Government Units (LGUs).

The Kadiwa ng Pangulo aims to provide high-quality and affordable agricultural products to Filipino consumers. Meanwhile, the distribution of financial assistance aims to aid small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, calamities, and disasters to help them recover and restart their businesses.

The said MOA was signed by different government agencies that were part of the Kadiwa ng Pangulo namely: Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Presidential Communications Office (PCO), and Presidential Management Staff (PMS).

Following the Kadiwa ng Pangulo conducted in Catarman, Samar last 14 July 2023, the simultaneous opening of Kadiwa Caravans only shows the administration's unwavering commitment to ensure every Filipino's access to affordable goods.

Aside from this, the Kadiwa is instrumental in expanding the market reach of products and services produced by MSMEs that are also supported by the DTI. Through this program, MSMEs were given spaces or booths where they can sell their products.

Together with President Marcos Jr., Secretary Pascual expressed strong support and cooperation of the DTI in expanding the Kadiwa ng Pangulo in different areas of the country. Kadiwa is also an important aspect in pursuit of the goal of attaining food security.

Through the Kadiwa ng Pangulo in Catarman, the DTI distributed assistance to four (4) beneficiaries of the RISE UP Micro Multi-Purpose Loan Program which received PHP 300,000 each. The DTI also provided financial assistance to one (1) beneficiary of the Wholesale Microfinance Program amounting to PHP 3,500,000. In total, the DTI was able to distribute financial assistance amounting to PHP 4,700,000 to the residents and small businesses in Samar.

Further, sixteen (16) beneficiaries of the Pangkabuhayan sa Pagbangon at Ginhawa (PPG) Program in San Fernando, Pampanga received PHP 11,900 each. Aside from this, seven (7) beneficiaries of the RISE UP Micro Multi-Purpose Loan Program received assistance amounting to PHP 6,351,000. In total, the DTI granted financial assistance to small businesses in San Fernando, Pampanga amounting to PHP 6,541,400. The ceremonial distribution of various government assistance today was held at the Benigno Aquino Hall in the capitol of San Fernando.

The Kadiwa ng Pangulo will simultaneously open in different parts of the country through the collective efforts of different agencies involved in the MOA signed today.

“As part of our mandate to ensure every Filipino's access to affordable and high-quality basic necessities and prime commodities, we at DTI will continue to work collaboratively with different government agencies to strengthen and expand the Kadiwa ng Pangulo. I express my deepest gratitude to President Marcos Jr. for this Kadiwa as this also helps MSMEs promote their products and reach wider markets,” Secretary Pascual added.

ANDREAH: SO FAR AWAY, BUT CLOSE TO OUR HEARTS

ANDREAH, the Irish-Filipina singer-songwriter behind the song “So Far Away” and the artist who opened for The Script Live in Manila Concert 2022.

ANDREAH came to Manila from her trip from Hong Kong. She went straight to the hotel to prepare herself for her first guesting of her 2-day stay here in the Philippines: Wish bus. Her guesting was a success as she was able to share about her music and later on perform her latest single, So Far Away which was released on that very day and her most popular song, Best Friend.

ANDREAH and Sophia, her guitarist, on Wish 107.5 Bus guesting.

She was able to captivate the Eton Centris crowd who, prior to her performance, were merely people going about their businesses. But 2 songs later, they are now new fans of ANDREAH. She then capped off her day with a quick drive-thru at her favorite Filipino restaurant chain on the way to her band rehearsals.

ANDREAH and a fan who took a photo together.

ANDREAH inside her hotel room while guesting on Showtime Online U via Zoom.

She conducted her guesting remotely at her hotel and she was able to perform and talk about what her new song, So Far Away was about. She shared with the host that it was written about another person who she wants to be somewhere far away with.

ANDREAH during soundcheck, hours before her live performance at MOA Arena to open The Script concert.

After this, she proceeded to the venue of the concert, which was organized by Wilbros live and Midas Promotions, where she and her band did soundcheck. They made sure that the show would run smoothly and free from technical difficulties. Hours before the start of the show, the people are slowly filling the seats and as ANDREAH and her band are preparing to take the stage, they are greeted by the sound of a sold out Mall of Asia Arena crowd.

ANDREAH performing her songs at The Script Live in Manila concert at MOA Arena.

ANDREAH made sure to make the most out of her 25-minute set as she wowed the crowd with her songs namely, Magic, Let Me Go Easy, Feels Just Right, Best Friend, and her latest single which she performed live for the first time: So Far Away.

ANDREAH showing her setlist for the concert.

The fans then showered ANDREAH with their applause after her performance as she went backstage where her and the band’s families and friends were waiting for them to celebrate their successful performance.

SM Supermalls Welcomes You into a New Era of Change

The honest truth: No one came out of the COVID-19 pandemic in quite the same way. The pandemic was an isolating period of self-discovery, emotional growth, and life-altering realizations. It changed people, and in the process, it shaped the way so many of us view ourselves and the world around us.

Because of this, consumer tastes and behaviors have shifted. Where in a pre-pandemic world, people often spent on luxuries and experiences that allowed them to celebrate their accomplishments, studies show that consumers now want a different experience, one that is kinder and more embracing of the changes that each individual had gone through in the past 2 years. People are now prioritizing their personal wellness and supporting products and services that champion growth.

As consumer tastes have shifted, brands are starting to adapt to these changes. And true to its foundational commitment to make people happy, SM is ready with a host of new offerings as the entire brand is poised for a refresh this year.

“The history of SM Supermalls is one that has been built on innovation and change to serve the needs of millions of Filipinos,” says SM Supermalls President, Steven Tan. “We’ve been with our customers through their every milestone for almost four decades. And we are committed to always changing, always growing with our customers in the years and decades to come.”

SM Supermalls: Welcoming Every Change in You

SM continues to stay true to its mission to provide Filipino families with a fun and engaging in-mall experience so they can go home with a smile on their faces.

There will always be a plethora of experiences for each person who comes through SM’s doors. This is true for the various personalities that emerged during the pandemic; from eco-warriors and Plantitas to health buffs and sports personalities who embraced biking, healthy eating, and home gyms, and bakers and homemakers who turned their passion projects into small businesses.

     

“I believe that now more than ever, it is important to recognize the new changes to our world,” adds SM Supermalls President Steven Tan. “And people are continuing to grow as they invest in experiences that uplift their lives.”

Ushering the Future with the Transformation of SM Supermalls

In the next few months, Filipinos across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will get to experience the wellness-oriented and sustainability-driven transformation of SM Supermalls with a host of new and exciting activities. These include paw parks for pet moms and dads, al fresco dining areas for hangout groups, plant hubs for eco-enthusiasts, bike facilities for the growing cycling community, co-working spaces, experiential retail, blockbuster and larger-than-life cinema escapades and so much more. 

       

As SM’s brand refresh campaign ushers in a newness to the Philippine mall experience, curious visitors, foodies, friends and families will have much to rediscover. So come on in, you’re always welcome here! 

For more information, follow SM Supermalls on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smsupermalls to experience what’s new in any SM Supermall near you today!

It’s #SuperMoms Day at SM Supermalls!

If there’s one thing that our #SuperMoms love about Mother’s Day, it’s spending quality time with the whole family. This Sunday, make the day extra special when you celebrate at SM Supermalls!

Got no idea what to do this weekend? Don’t worry because SM Supermalls’ got your back! Get awesome discounts on food, shopping, and pampering for your #SuperMoms at SM!

Cater to her cravings and give her a memorable feast

Treat mom to a scrumptious meal in the mall or at home because SM Supermalls has all the perfect deals for you. From May 1-8, there are a lot of SuperMoms Deals from the participating tenants to choose from! Just check out SM Deals for the full list of exciting deals and promo bundles.

Grab a sweet treat at the SuperMoms Fair

Short on gift ideas for the #SuperMoms on your list? The SuperMoms Fair has all the hearty treats that #SuperMoms will really love. SM tenants will be selling different cakes and flowers so you can indulge your moms, grandmas, titas, sisters, and all other momma figures out there this Mother’s day!

Take her to the cool SuperMom Photo Spots

Moms love looking at pictures and seeing family members with all their happy faces. Take her to the coolest photo spots at SM so she’ll have something to look at while remembering all the good memories you’ve made with her this Mother’s Day.

Give her a treatment fit for a queen

The queens of our household really deserve VIP treatment. Give her convenient and safe ways to get her celebration essentials at SM. There are dedicated exclusive sales, vouchers, and promotions, as well as discounts for advance reservations or online orders just for them!

Arrange a special day for furmoms and their pets

There are different types of moms and this includes furmoms, too! Indulge furmoms and their furbabies in a bonding treat like no other! Pawsome activities await them like the PAW Pageant where they can wear twinning outfits as well as paw-friendly games that both of them can join.

Dedicate some prayer time for the #SuperMoms

Motherhood is not only physically demanding; it can be spiritually demanding, too! So to celebrate this special day, SM Supermalls will be hosting a Mother’s Day Mass at the malls’ event centers or chapels which will also be live-streamed via Facebook. Moms pray for our wellbeing all year round, so this Sunday, make it your time say a prayer for thank you for our #SuperMoms.

“This day, we honor our wonderful SuperMoms who have been there for us all throughout our lives. Their unconditional love and hard work for the family are truly remarkable and incomparable. And as they look forward to celebrating this day with us, it’s our goal to make it even more special as we help you create more memories together here at SM in a safe and fun way,” said SM Supermalls President Steven Tan.

No think to overthink this.  Plan the best, most convenient, and safest Mother’s Day celebration for your SuperMoms this Sunday at your nearest SM Supermall! 

Find out more about the Mother’s Day celebration at SM and visit https://www.smsupermalls.com/super-moms-day-at-sm/?utm_source=media&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=SuperMomsDayatSM. For exclusive news about SM Supermalls, visit www.smsupermalls.com.

Why Disaster Preparedness Should be Part of Your Plan

The Philippines has long been considered calamity-prone and vulnerable to disasters. In fact, it placed third among all the highest-risk countries worldwide, according to the World Risk Report of 2018.

A big contributor is the country’s geographical location and make-up. As an archipelago, the Philippines is composed of many small islands and is surrounded by water. It is also located within the Typhoon belt and the “Ring of Fire” and between the Eurasian and Pacific tectonic plates. Thus, natural occurrences such as typhoons, tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, are almost always a disaster waiting to happen - literally.

Just recently, the Visayas and Mindanao regions suffered from the devastating effects of Typhoon Odette. Taal Volcano’s last eruption was only in 2020, and it affected more than 736,000 people. Filipinos constantly experience a barrage of natural disasters, and yet, a study from the Harvard

Humanitarian Initiative (HHI) in 2018 shows that 47.5% of all the respondents said they have not done anything to prepare themselves for a disaster within the past five years, and only 36% feel prepared enough.

November 2013. Tacloban, Philippines. Typhoon Haiyan, known as Super Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines, was one of the most intense tropical cyclones on record.

Still, there seems to be hope in encouraging Filipinos to start prioritizing their safety and investing in disaster preparedness. In the same Harvard study,4 many of the respondents said if they had enough funds and resources, they would definitely be willing to prepare ahead. This shows that, in spite of it all, Filipinos do want to be ready.

So, what can we as individuals do to make sure that we are well-equipped when the next typhoon, earthquake, or volcanic eruption hits? The first step is to know your location well. Is it prone to flooding? How far away is it from the nearest volcano? Is it close to a fault line? All this information can be found with just a click of a button, thanks to digitalized documentation efforts led by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). (Link: https://www.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph/index.php/gisweb-hazard-maps) 

Once you have assessed your location’s vulnerabilities, now you can actively prepare yourself and your home for any incoming calamities. Check your house for any damages, and if it is made from materials that can withstand ground movement or strong winds. Keep a Go Bag with emergency resources accessible, both in your homes and places of work. 

SM Lanang Premier in Davao has a rain water catchment tank with a capacity of 600 cubic meters

Finally, make it a habit to listen to the radio and the news for any updates, and monitor your local government unit’s social media for any announcements. Familiarize yourself with as many routes as you can to your nearest evacuation center. Schools, barangay courts, and even malls like SM Supermalls often open their doors to receive evacuees in times of crisis.

   

SM DRR Facilities: (Left) Automated Weather Stations: SM Prime Holdings, Inc. has inked a partnership with the Manila Observatory for the “High Definition Clean Energy, Climate, and Weather Forecasts for the Philippines” Project, a data-driven system that utilizes automated weather stations (AWS) and high-performance computer modeling to provide clean energy and weather forecasts up to five days in advance. (Right) SM has also installed Earthquake Recording Instrumentations (ERI) on all malls for earth movement real time monitoring being recorded in an ERI dashboard.

SM, as a responsible member of the community, has taken disaster resilience as a necessary investment to help ensure that our communities thrive. SM allots 10% of its capital expenditures to incorporate disaster-resilient features, of which installing water management design features is one of them. By ensuring that its investments, employees, tenants and partners are resilient, no Filipino will be left behind.

“It is simply not a matter of if, but when,” said Hans T. Sy, Chairman of the Executive Committee of SM Prime Holdings. “We already know that there will always be another typhoon, another earthquake, another natural calamity. Our best bet to avoid personal losses and damages is to be ready for when it comes.” 

SM Marikina stands tall above a 23-meter Marikina River water lever rise because it sits on 246 stilts and an additional 20 meters farther than the suggested 90-meter distance from the Marikina River centerline. 

Some of SM’s notable resilient infrastructure is SM City Marikina and SM Mall of Asia, designed to help mitigate the effect of flooding in the community. Most SM malls feature disaster-resilient designs including SM City Puerto Princesa in Palawan wherein the mall es elevated approximately 1.40 meters from the City Road, thus preventing it to be flooded from the heavy rain throughout the year. SM City Consolacion in Cebu has an adequately designed draining system discharging to adjacent creek and area surface drain along the perimeter walls.

SM Seaside City Cebu 

SM Seaside City Cebu's protection against storm surges is provided by elevating the site above mean sea level, thereby allowing the mall to be a place of refuge during times of flooding. The complex road was constructed 4.0m (not 3.0m) higher than the city road. Instead of flood barrier walls as a solution to the threat of flooding, the building's main floor was also elevated at 4.0m (not 4.5m) from the complex roads. The first level was designed to be a parking area with a 4.0m elevation difference from the main floor.

“We often ask ourselves – how else can we make it better for the people? We don’t want to just simply build malls, but more importantly, we make sure that our developments improve the lives of the community by adding disaster-resilient features to help mitigate the potential effects of disasters,” Sy added. 

ABOUT SM PRIME HOLDINGS

SM Prime, one of the leading integrated property developers in Southeast Asia, remains committed to its role as a catalyst for economic growth, delivering innovative and sustainable lifestyle cities, thereby enriching the quality of life of millions of people. Sustainability and Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience form part of SM Prime’s core business strategies. It ensures that its risk-informed investments catalyze sustainable development and positive change in the communities where it operates.

 

For more information on SM Prime Holdings and its other programs towards disaster preparedness, visit their website at www.smprime.com.