Dubbed #OneBagOneDream, World Vision Philippines aims to raise enough funds to provide learning kits worth P1000 to about 24,000 Filipino children.听

鈥淸This initiative] provides opportunities for people to escape poverty, so they can become better versions of themselves,鈥� Jun N. Godornes, World Vision Philippines鈥� interim national director said in the July 16 media launch. 鈥淚t provides opportunities for sustainable change.鈥�

World Vision Philippines raised P2.5 million last year, according to Precious Hope T. Basco, its resource development director officer-in-charge.听

The funds, Ms. Basco said, were used to distribute school supply kits for 24,000 children nationwide.听

鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping to reach at least the same amount this year – or even more,鈥� she said in the same event.听

World Remit, a digital remittances brand, found in 2023 that Filipino families must to cover essential school items, including pencils and notebooks.听

According to the report, the average number of children per household is between two to three, and the cost of sending each child back to school is P2,661.听

This year, the Department of Trade and Industry鈥檚 (DTI) 2024 showed that nearly a quarter (24%) of the stock keeping units (SKUs) have increased prices this year.听

鈥淲e increased to P1000 per school kit this year, up from P1000 for every two school kits last year, because school supplies cost more now,鈥� Ms. Basco said.听

The organization鈥檚 priority areas include Aklan, Leyte, Cebu, Misamis Occidental, and North Cotabato, she added.听

鈥淲e stay until several kids graduate at least from K-12. That already elicits a significant change in the lives of Filipino families,鈥� Mr. Godornes said.听

About 18.6% (7,856,000) of children aged 5 to 24 years were not attending school, based on. Of those who were not attending school, 9.9% said the reason was the high cost of education or financial concerns. – Patricia B. Mirasol

Better together: A partnership to drive progress through levelled access to opportunities

Through collective action, this partnership between Draper Startup House Ventures and QBO Innovation Hub fosters a well-supported, resilient, entrepreneur community.

Apart from access to local opportunities through QBO’s partnerships and accelerators, Draper Startup House Ventures complements by bridging these startups to opportunities beyond geographical borders. Leveraging on Draper Startup House Ventures’ network of global partners, comprising of the Draper Ventures Network with access to 23 global funds, accelerators, incubators, Angels, VCs, PEs, niche investment firms, alternative debt firms, consulting firms and corporate investment arms who are interested in various opportunities not limiting themselves to physical borders, Filipino startups have the opportunity to launch and successfully scale their startups. Draper Startup House Ventures took off in May this year, to help connect entrepreneurs who were raising capital with relevant investors, looking to modernize the current venture capital model by democratizing the fund-raising process.

Collaboration is at the core of what we do. In partnering with Draper Startup House Ventures, we鈥檙e excited to expand our support, and boost access to funding for Filipino startups that are scaling up and changing the world. 鈥� Katrina Rausa Chan, Executive Director of QBO Innovation Hub

QBO has been integral in elevating the Philippine startup ecosystem. We look forward to this partnership, and to helping local entrepreneurs access both global capital and strategic opportunities through the Draper Startup House ecosystem. 鈥� Cristian Munoz, Founder of Draper Startup House Manila听

With this collaboration, diverse-minded individuals in the Philippines now have borderless access to support, and opportunities to connect with the rest of the world to raise capital.

To learn more about QBO, visit . Meanwhile, to find out more about Draper Startup House Ventures, visit .

In the midst of the current pandemic, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has submitted a proposal for the establishment of the Virology Science and Technology Institute of the Philippines (VIP). Announced by DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Pe帽a , it is envisioned to be the premier research institute in the field of virology, encompassing all areas in viruses and viral diseases in humans, plants, and animals.

A lab for ground-breaking research

The institute will 鈥渃onduct innovative scientific research on viral agents requiring high or maximum containment (biosafety level-2 to biosafety level-4) following the World Health Organization鈥檚 guidelines on the establishment of a virology laboratory in developing countries. Research studies on viral agents will focus on vector/reservoir transmission, viral ecology, clinical virology, pathogenesis, pathophysiology, and host immune response to these viral pathogens.鈥�

In the same post, the Sec. de la Pe帽a said that the institute may explore the fields of:

• enteric infections,
• respiratory infections,
• central nervous system infections,
• viral infections in the immunocompromised host,
• antiviral and antimicrobial resistance,
• viral diversity,
• plant pathology,
• plant鈥搗irus interactions,
• and major plant viruses.

The establishment of this institution may help develop our nation鈥檚 capacity to contribute to global efforts such as the development of a vaccine to viruses such as COVID-19. Currently, there are no local efforts to create such a vaccine due to the lack of proper facilities and resources.

鈥淭he development of vaccines requires very good research on viruses, particularly those that are circulating in our environment,鈥� said Secretary de la Pe帽a. 鈥淭his will also require the establishment of a virus high containment laboratory for the study of viruses.”

The necessity for preparedness

VIP will be a space for scientists to collaborate and study viruses that are crucial in the agricultural, industrial, clinical, and environmental spheres.

鈥淲e have to be prepared because pandemics, such as what we are experiencing now, can occur again in the future,鈥� said Secretary de la Pe帽a . 鈥淚 think it is not only the vaccines that we have to pay attention to; it is also diagnostics as well as the therapeutics that will be needed.鈥澨�

鈥淢ay I just add that when we talk of the viruses, it is not just those that attack humans but also those of animals,鈥� he said. 鈥淔or example, we have the problem of the African Swine Fever and the viruses that attack our important crops like abaca, papaya, mango, banana, etc., so this is very important.鈥�

The Philippines is currently seeking to collaborate with institutions in China and Chinese-Taipei (Taiwan) in the creation of a COVID-19 vaccine. 鈥淪o we communicated with them and we are in the process preparing what is needed to execute the collaboration,鈥� the Secretary shared.

Through other such strategic partnerships, the hope is for VIP to be a venue for pioneering virology research advancing the frontiers of virology in the country.

Guo Ping, Huawei鈥檚 rotating chairman, shared business results of the past year. The company reported 楼858.8 billion (P6.1 trillion) in revenue, with a net profit of 楼62.7 billion (P445.6 billion). In order to help cope with Huawei鈥檚 in the US government鈥檚 entity list, they invested 楼131.7 billion (P936.8 billion) into their research and development, a significant 29.8% more than the amount last year.听

This investment and innovation falls into three domains: connectivity, computing, and smart devices. One of the technologies that the company is exploring, naked-eye 3D, displays capable of creating 3D images without the need for specialized eyewear, is believed to have great value in entertainment, healthcare, and education. It also has the potential to create a new market worth hundreds of billions of US dollars.

If accurate, this new technology, along with AI, Internet of Things, and 5G, will contribute to the digital economy estimated to be worth $23 trillion by 2025. 鈥淭he ICT infrastructure is the cornerstone of the intelligent world鈥� They will promote sustainable development, become new drivers for economic growth, and enable better consumer experience, smart cities, and industrial digitization,鈥� said Guo Ping.

Huawei believes that this is possible only with continuous collaboration. 鈥淲e now live in a highly-integrated, globalized world鈥� there are more opportunities for cooperation than competition. Huawei calls for the industry to make certain efforts in strengthening IPr protecting IPR protection, safeguarding fair competition, protecting unified standards, and promoting a collaborative supply chain.鈥�

But with heightened usage, comes higher scrutiny as well鈥攚ith consumers paying more attention to what brands are saying, and doing, more than ever before.

Through the lockdown, consumers are becoming hyper-aware of corporate reactions towards the crisis, and are quick to drop their thoughts and criticisms online.

With such delicate conditions to consider, how can marketers ensure that they are communicating helpfully and respectfully?

Experts weighed in on the matter during “Staying Sensitive: How to Communicate during COVID-19”, a webinar organized by media production agency Near Creative, held last May 8.

Here are some of the insights they shared:

1. Fill yourself in on what鈥檚 going on around you鈥攁nd respond sensitively.

We鈥檝e seen the likes of KFC receiving backlash for some in the face of the pandemic. And when local influencer Cat Arambulo-Antonio went on a against minimum wage workers stranded during the lockdown, netizens quickly from the brands she was endorsing, prompting of them to clarify that her thoughts did not reflect theirs.

With millions of people struggling through real crises, marketers and their partners should keep updated with current events and the sentiments of consumers across all segments. For example, you may want to avoid sales-driven content considering the financial troubles experienced by many.

鈥淐ompanies should鈥� focus on building that brand, that relationship鈥� on content that helps the community,鈥� said Roxi Biribicchi, co-founder of Near Creative. 鈥淚n that sense you don鈥檛 concretely promote your product, but at the same time, you still deepen that relationship by providing relevant content.鈥�

Camille Co, content creator and entrepreneur, also advises to double-check the timing of your material. 鈥淪ometimes, it鈥檚 not really offensive to say a certain thing at a certain point in time, but because of something that happened, it could be misconstrued or people might get hurt.鈥�

2. Engage with your consumers so that you know what they need.

Of course, this practice of listening and keeping informed also extends to your customer communications. 鈥淪o much has changed about the way that we interact with the world, with each other, and with brands,鈥� said Aika Lim, managing director at Bridges PR. “And we鈥檝e been so accustomed to a set kind of communications blueprint [which] is not going to apply in the future.”

To keep your finger on the pulse, regularly ask your customers about their needs and experiences with your product using a tool that best suits your capacity. Lim says it can be as simple as a social media poll, while Samuel Jeanblanc, market lead at Google Philippines, suggests using CRM platforms such as Salesforce and HubSpot.

鈥淢ake sure that you have this database of clients that you can interact with and re-engage, reach out to, and delight,鈥� he said.

3. Support the community in your own, genuine way.

This pandemic has seen every able hand doing their part to help鈥攁nd companies from this expectation.听

Brands like were lauded for their huge efforts in helping frontliners. But even if your brand can鈥檛 match these large-scale relief efforts, it’s enough to simply invest in a better communication strategy, one fit for the times.

鈥淚f you can directly help, then the messaging should be around 鈥楾alk to me鈥�, meaning [it]鈥� has to be around, 鈥楬ow can my brand help you as someone struggling with the crisis?鈥欌�� said Jeanblanc. exemplified this when they launched Angkas Food to support their riders.

On the other end of the spectrum, your messaging can also revolve around 鈥淭alk to we鈥�, meaning the community. Lots of brands have been doing this through social media posts reminding people to practice good hygiene and social distancing.

You can also explore other ways鈥攁nd even specific communities鈥� to provide help to those in need. 鈥淔or instance, a lot of beauty professionals are struggling. So some [beauty] brands have been using their platform to support those professionals, like stylists, and giving them a platform to share their expertise,鈥� said Lim.

]]> /community/2020/05/25/296095/sparkup-community-farmers-and-fisherfolk-share-covid-19-stories-from-the-field/ Mon, 25 May 2020 05:33:30 +0000 /?p=296095 The Philippines has been in various forms of a lockdown since March 16, when the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases set quarantine measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. These measures have included restrictions on travel and movements within and outside of communities. And while food is supposedly able to pass through checkpoints unimpeded, small-scale food producers say this is not always the case.

Cathryn Leonaga, a fisherfolk woman from PANGISDA Bataan, said that despite being declared by government agencies as frontliners allowed to pursue their production activities, fisherfolk in their locality who tried to go out to sea to fish were arrested by 鈥渂antay dagat鈥� (local sea patrol).

鈥淚nstead of buying food, the money they earned is posted as bail for violating the quarantine. If they don鈥檛 have money, they are forced to borrow money from other people,鈥� she said.

While food and relief measures are becoming scarce in many areas, some food-producing provinces like Benguet and Tarlac experience an oversupply of vegetables, resulting in both income loss and food wastage.

As our country continues to grapple with the health and economic issues brought about by the current pandemic, another issue looms on the horizon: food security.

In addition to the restrictions they鈥檝e experienced out at sea, fish sellers and fisherfolk like Leonaga have also incurred massive losses from fish spoilage due to the closure of some ice plants. Ven Carbon of the Cebu Tanon Strait Fisherfolk Federation, shared that these losses have been further compounded by limited transportation and other logistical challenges like checkpoint queues lasting hours.

Meanwhile, farmers bringing their produce from farms to the market face similar challenges due to the quarantine. Farmers in Benguet, Tarlac, and Antique reported that they could not bring their produce to major cities.

Monina Geaga, a vegetable farmer from Capas, Tarlac, shared that her high-value crops intended for the Quezon City market couldn鈥檛 be shipped, prompting her to sell the vegetables in her village at 1/3 of the original price.

Government aid for farmers and fisherfolk

These insights were shared at the recently concluded webinar, 鈥淜wentuhuan Tayo鈥� which fielded stories from the food producers at the frontlines of COVID-19. This was the first in a three-part webinar series titled 鈥淭he Better Normal: Re-imagining our food and agriculture system in a post-COVID-19 Future鈥�.

In response to the plight of our nation鈥檚 food producers, the Philippine government is providing Covid-19 aid to fisherfolk, farmers, and farm laborers through the Php 2.8 billion of the Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Credit Policy Council (DA-ACPC).

SURE provides loans of up to Php 25,000. each at zero interest for farmers and fisherfolk affected by calamities and disasters.

The Department of Agriculture, through the Financial Subsidy for Rice Farmers (FSRF), is also providing aid to farmers in 24 provinces who are not covered by the program, for those tilling one hectare and less.

Farmers and fisherfolk have complained, however, that too many of them are 鈥渦nqualified鈥� to avail of these aid programs.

鈥淥nly those who till one hectare of land and below can avail of the aid,鈥� Randy Cirio, a member of the National Council of Pakisama in Bula, Camarines Sur said. Cirio, like other agriculture advocates, point to poorly crafted and poorly communicated rules and guidelines as the problem.

Despite these challenges, local government units continue to partner with the stakeholders and the civil society organizations to mitigate the effects of the lockdown due to Covid-19.

The province of Laguna executed an Executive Order encouraging all LGUs to buy farm produce from local farmers for relief packs distribution to their affected constituents. Quezon province likewise signed a MOA with Las Pi帽as City, allowing the LGU to assist the fisherfolk and farmers in transporting and selling their products to urban centers. Davao City鈥檚 city government introduced the buyback 鈥淭abang sa Mag-uuma (Buy Back Scheme): Purchase, Repack, and Distribute.鈥� This activity supports the farmers against the loss of livelihood amid the current crisis.

, the Department of Agriculture Communications Group particularly emphasized the importance of local chief executives (LCEs) in their key role as 鈥渇ood security czars.鈥� The LCEs are deemed crucial in cascading national policies and sectoral interventions of food production and the entire value chain. 鈥淲hile we rally and steer the agri-fishery industry to propel and reach its optimum potential, it is really the LGUs and respective local chief executives or LCEs that do the rowing, making sure that support mechanisms at the local level are in place and in sync with the priorities at the national level,鈥� Agriculture Secretary William Dar said.

directs the offices of the provincial agriculturist and the city or municipal agriculturist to conduct an information drive to make farmers aware of all the ongoing interventions of the DA, and to ensure that support mechanisms have been cascaded and are in place.

Edlyn Rosales of PANGISDA Bataan noted in the aforementioned webinar that Covid-19 highlighted the significant contribution of their sector to society. in an earlier statement: 鈥淭he country鈥檚 farmers and [fishermen], who we consider as food security 鈥榝rontliners,鈥� play a crucial part in our fight against Covid-19,鈥� Sec. Dar said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why it is important that we continue to empower them to ensure continued production and delivery of food to our countrymen.鈥�

]]> /community/2020/05/22/295788/sparkup-community-our-new-normal-should-be-a-green-one-wwf/ Fri, 22 May 2020 03:34:17 +0000 /?p=295788 Businesses have ground to a halt and whole industries have dried up as we enter into the third month of modified lockdown measures. As we progress ever further into our quarantine journey, the question remains 鈥� what will our post-pandemic world look like? With all this talk about shifting to the new normal, we also have to think about the bigger implications in terms of making economic recovery more ecologically-responsive and sustainable.

The argument for sustainability and environmental responsiveness

Atty. Angela Ibay, WWF-Philippines Head of Climate and Energy, lays out three arguments for businesses and cities to become more sustainable:

鈥淔irst, we need to be more self-reliant as a country, even in terms of our energy needs,” she said. Much of the coal we use to power our plants is imported. With whole countries in lockdown, this importation has stopped. Meanwhile, we have abundant indigenous and renewable energy sources right here in the Philippines, that are ready and available for use whenever we need them.”

According to the Department of Energy, the country鈥檚 renewable energy potential is vast with at least 4,000 megawatts (MW) for geothermal, 76,600 MW for wind, 10,000 MW for hydropower, 5 kilowatt-hours per square meter per day for solar, 170,000 MW for ocean, and 500MW for biomass. The recent proposed auctioning of 2,000 MW and identification of competitive renewable energy zones (CREZs) of renewable energy capacity is a good start, Atty. Ibay says.

“However, we need to be able to support ourselves, which is why we must continue to explore and use these renewable sources of power. ”

Atty. Ibay continues by outlining a second need: To address our looming power needs.

“The lockdown has caused a delay in the construction and commissioning of several fossil-fueled power plants that had been slated for operation,” she said. “This could lead to supply challenges in the future. Commercial and industrial power demand may have decreased during the lockdown, but this has been offset by an increase in power demand from our own homes. Once community quarantines are lifted or eased, we can expect a surge in demand. There is immense opportunity, therefore, for us to plug our growing gaps in local power production, if only we were to tap into our bountiful sources of clean, renewable, and indigenous energy and implement stronger energy efficiency initiatives.”

Finally, Atty. Ibay says we need to stray away from thinking that our economic recovery will be a choice between livelihood and the environment.

“The dichotomy… does not exist,” she said, stressing that sustainable business can easily meet our needs as a country.

“We鈥檝e seen that investing in natural capital for ecosystem resilience, especially in climate-responsive sectors such as sustainable agriculture, does not only come with the associated environmental and health benefits, but can also provide a much needed economic boost,” she said. “It is possible for our economy to recover on the back of green industry, so long as companies are innovative and we create the environment for sustainable businesses to thrive. It is not a choice between the economy and the planet.鈥�

Making the new normal green

According to Atty. Ibay, we can look to investments in clean energy infrastructure, clean research, and the greenification of private and public spaces as a way to expand the economy while addressing the looming climate crisis.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas recognizes this with their recent sustainable banking framework, which integrates sustainability in the banking sector with increasing financing flows and investments to green and sustainable economic development.

The pandemic has forced us to dramatically rethink and recalibrate our way of life, Atty. Ibay said. Hopefully, we will see this crisis as an opportunity to rebuild our economies for a better and more equitable future, one that is more resilient to systemically disruptive factors such as pandemics and climate change.

]]> /community/2020/05/21/295602/sparkup-community-local-brands-get-online-boost-as-lift-lokal-goes-live/ Thu, 21 May 2020 08:58:12 +0000 /?p=295602 As stay-at-home orders temper consumer demand and mandatory lockdowns shutter stores and establishments, many small and independently-run businesses are feeling the pinch of the current COVID-19 pandemic.

To help ease the strain and provide a lifeline for local businesses, Veronica Eala and her team (in partnership with Luxx Lash and The Good Trade PH) created Lift Lokal, a non-profit initiative and online portal that aims to serve as an avenue for local businesses to promote their respective brands and trades.

Grounded in the Filipino spirit of bayanihan, Lift Lokal aims to assist local and independent businesses by giving everyone easy access to brands they can support. Through the online platform, visitors can learn about not only these brands’ products, but also the social impact initiatives they’re championing. After choosing a product, visitors will be redirected to the partner brand’s online store to make a purchase.

So far, Lift Lokal has partnered with brands like Numad, Habi Home Shop, Tropik Beatnik, Orlas Studios, Luxx Lash, and Kool PH.

鈥淭hrough this initiative, our goal is to foster a community of support to both local independent brands and groups that are strongly impacted by the pandemic,鈥� said Eala.

鈥淥ur country is held together by medical and service frontliners who fight to keep us safe and at home,” she said. “By closing the loop, we can support local brands while simultaneously helping them strengthen their initiatives towards these people who protect us. We want to send the message that this change can start with anyone. And that together, we can close the loop.”

Brands looking to partner with Lift Lokal must have their own online storefront from facilitating purchases, as well as an initiative that supports groups greatly affected by, or are at risk, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Lift Lokal鈥� does not charge any fees from brand partners.

Interested parties may register anytime at or learn more about the platform at their .听

]]> /community/2020/05/21/295538/sparkup-community-immap-offers-free-webinar-to-jumpstart-your-digital-media-strategy/ Thu, 21 May 2020 03:21:24 +0000 /?p=295538

Web Wednesdays is a webinar series organized by the , designed to support digital education in the country.听

Pushing for Digital Marketing Transformation, each webinar is a live one-hour session online that features industry experts and leaders discussing a variety of digital topics. Last year, the series was guided by four pillars: e-commerce, content marketing, digital media, and analytics.

This leg of the series will explore topics like the basic principles of digital media strategy, the rise of hyperlocal communities, and tips on how to deal with post COVID-19 scenarios.

Joining next Wednesday鈥檚 session are resource persons:

• Dennis Perez, Media Director for Philippines & E-Commerce Media for SEAA,
• Lana Macapagal, Business Development Manager of Rakuten Viber,
• Abhishek Gupta, Managing Director of Mindshare,
• Tin Amper, Executive Director for Media of The Nielsen Company
• and moderator, Bea Lim Managing Director of TeamAsia.

Spearheaded by the IMMAP education committee and co-presented by ABS-CBN and the (CDM), the series aims to spread awareness on the latest digital data, trends, and best practices that can be adapted to different kinds of businesses.听

IMMAP’s Web Wednesdays series is free and open to everyone. Their next session is slated for May 27, 2020 at 6PM.

]]> /community/2020/05/19/295116/sparkup-community-four-highlights-from-the-2020-philippine-startup-survey-covid-edition/ Tue, 19 May 2020 06:33:10 +0000 /?p=295116 Last May 12, PwC Philippines, together with the Department of Trade and Industry, QBO Innovation Hub, and IdeaSpace, shared the , which aims 鈥渢o understand the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the tech startups in the Philippines.鈥� The effort follows a previous report released in February that mapped out the same landscape pre-pandemic.

鈥淭his crisis is really forcing us to make decisions quickly and to act with urgency,” said Jade Roxas-Divinagracia, deals and corporate finance managing partner at PwC Philippines. “And while it brings with it numerous challenges, admittedly, we sense a lot of opportunities especially for startups.”

鈥淕iven the right support, founders and startups with the ability to seize these opportunities and to make the necessary adjustments or pivot will survive this crisis and will be well-positioned to thrive thereafter.鈥�

Here are four important highlights from the report.

1. Majority of startups are worried about the long-term effects of the pandemic.

Out of the 90 founders interviewed for the survey, 48% felt threatened by the pandemic鈥檚 impact on their startup, while only 23% consider it as an isolated concern. Their top concerns include the financial impact and effects on operations, a potential global recession, and difficulties in funding.

Of the respondents surveyed, 36% also expressed concern about reduced workforce productivity, which may be partially attributed to the country鈥檚 slow internet connection.

But according to Atty. Alexander Cabrera, chairman and senior partner at PwC Philippines, this may be a case-to-case basis. 鈥淔or instance, in our business, I think the productivity level is up鈥� for the primary reason that people don鈥檛 have to travel. So the travel time going to the office and to clients are no longer needed.鈥�

He also believes that productivity spans a wide array of activities that don鈥檛 only achieve revenue generation. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also upskilling people and activities鈥� R&D, thought leadership, [and] even developing critical relationships.鈥�

2. Startups are implementing countermeasures to compensate for loss.

The crisis has challenged many founders鈥� creativity, employing various ways to keep their startup afloat. 51% reduced their level of operations, while 36% implemented cost reductions (aside from employee costs) and prepared a business continuity program. Almost half of the surveyed startups even started offering a new product or service.

On top of these internal measures, startups are also looking to acquire funding from other sources. These include government grants and subsidies, equity financing, and bank loans and financing.

3. Some startups have uncovered opportunities amidst the crisis.

However, the situation isn鈥檛 completely bleak for several startups, with 21% saying that they even experienced an increase in demand for their products and services.

It may be assumed that these are startups from the logistics, education technology, enterprise services, financial technology, and healthcare sectors, since they have been critical to making life convenient for consumers under quarantine.

The pandemic also saw new players such as food market startups and on-demand delivery service platforms. For Ellard Capiral, CEO of sniper advertising firm AdMov, it will inspire further innovation among budding entrepreneurs.

“This situation will create a new breed of startups, and will probably change how we do business in the long run,鈥� he said. 鈥淪tartups need to adapt to the new needs and behaviors of people. They should not expect that things will go back to as they were before COVID-19.”

4. Startups need additional funding and other forms of support to normalize their post-quarantine operations.

A harrowing 20% of the surveyed startups found that they only have enough cash and capacity to sustain their business for more than a year. Given this, they鈥檙e calling to the government to implement helpful measures that will help boost and bolster their operations.

Their top suggestions include loans with a longer grace period and relaxed credit requirements, tax incentives, and incentives for startup investors, such as tax holidays, that will encourage them to accelerate fundraising activities. 鈥淚 hope the government will provide strong and deliberate financial assistance to all startups in the same way it has implemented its strong enforcement of the ECQ,鈥� one founder said.

Founders are also carrying other kinds of considerations on top of funding. 76% need a wider customer base to secure more possible revenue sources, while 61% that are experiencing growth in their startup require additional talent to support it.

鈥淭he negative effects of the pandemic may persist up to a year after the lifting of the ECQ,鈥� said a founder. 鈥淚t is therefore important to develop support systems as well as funding options and collaborations with big firms to support the SMEs, since SMEs account for more than 66% of employment in the Philippines.鈥�

]]> /community/2020/05/19/294901/sparkup-community-healthtech-startup-jojocare-offers-new-telemedicine-platform-for-filipinos/ Tue, 19 May 2020 06:08:08 +0000 /?p=294901 First Shoshin recently announced its healthtech venture JoJoCare as a response to the general public鈥檚 limited mobility brought about by the enhanced community quarantine. JoJoCare, a holistic healthcare app that helps people connect with qualified practitioners and get expert advice fast, is now in its soft launch.

The founders shared that they named the platform after their go-to friend for sourcing goods from the United States. Like their ever-reliable pal, JoJoCare bridges barriers, connecting users with licensed doctors and lawyers, yoga teachers, fitness trainers, and tutors ready to accept virtual bookings.

Sally Ponce-Enrile, JoJoCare Chairperson, sees the app as an opportunity to make these essential needs accessible to all. 鈥淲e want to help more people by offering holistic health and wellness-related services at competitive prices under one platform. At the same time, we want to help professionals to continue earning and providing their services even when in-person visits aren鈥檛 possible,鈥� explained Ponce-Enrile. The company says it does not get a cut from professional fees; practitioners get the complete amount of whatever they charge for their virtual consultations.

Healthcare in the digital era

JoJoCare is set to onboard more vetted professionals to make the platform comprehensive and all-embracing. 鈥淲e鈥檙e excited to bring something that鈥檚 never been done before and that鈥檚 making JoJoCare as the all-in-one platform for accessing and offering a variety of virtual care services that will ultimately allow everyone to experience what better, faster, and holistic care means on the verge of a new era,鈥� added Ponce-Enrile.

Telehealth services is about providing service when people need it most, as well as protecting life in new ways. JoJoCare is among a growing number of providers that seeks to ease the healthcare strain brought about by the pandemic.

You can now sign up for JoJoCare and book a virtual visit with its professionals. Membership fees start at Php 250. per month. Those interested to join and become a JoJoCare professional can visit .

]]> /community/2020/05/15/294592/sparkup-community-lessons-from-the-valley-twitter-allows-work-from-home-indefinitely/ Fri, 15 May 2020 07:09:43 +0000 /?p=294592 While Twitter has long offered work-from-home arrangements to its workforce, the COVID-19 pandemic has seen a significant expansion of that model, with more employees conducting more critical functions remotely. In an internal email sent yesterday, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey announced that employees looking to continue working from home may do so indefinitely.

“We were uniquely positioned to respond quickly and allow folks to work from home given our emphasis on decentralization and supporting a distributed workforce capable of working from anywhere,” Twitter representatives confirmed in an email to TechCrunch.

“The past few months have proven we can make that work,” they said. “So if our employees are in a role and situation that enables them to work from home and they want to continue to do so forever, we will make that happen. If not, our offices will be their warm and welcoming selves, with some additional precautions, when we feel it鈥檚 safe to return.”

Jennifer Christie, Twitter’s chief human resources officer, outlines the company’s plans:

• Opening offices will be our decision; when and if our employees come back, will be theirs.
• With very few exceptions, offices won鈥檛 open before September. When we do decide to open offices, it also won鈥檛 be a snap back to the way it was before. It will be careful, intentional, office by office and gradual.
• There will also be no business travel before September, with very few exceptions, and no in-person company events for the rest of 2020. We will assess 2021 events later this year.

Twitter’s move is in line with similar setups being extended by other major companies like Google and Facebook, all towards building more resilient systems for the current pandemic. Beyond COVID-19 and in the years to come, these may lead to new opportunities for global tech workers interested in joining top firms but unable or unwilling to relocate to expensive US cities.

]]> /community/2020/05/15/294579/sparkup-community-women-leaders-shaping-ai-honored-by-ibm/ Fri, 15 May 2020 04:42:18 +0000 /?p=294579 You hail rides using your phone; you rely on algorithms to decide what food to order; you get help from Siri and Alexa with your tax computations鈥攁rtificial intelligence (AI) has become as regular a part of our days as the Internet. But despite its prevalence in the lives of nearly every person in the world today, the development of this technology is hardly inclusive.

A global study by Morning Consult of more than 3,200 AI professionals found that women in AI worldwide were nearly five times as likely as men to say their career advancement was negatively impacted by their gender. Moreover, 74 percent of AI professionals who believe diversity hasn’t improved say the industry must become more diverse to reach its potential.

In a pre-conference event, Rob Thomas, Senior Vice President of IBM Cloud & Data Platform, noted the current gender gap: 鈥淥nly 26% of professionals in AI are women, according to the World Economic Forum, and that needs to change. We need more diversity of thought.鈥�

Women Leaders in AI

IBM鈥檚 Women Leaders in AI program was created last year to help provide visibility to women leading in AI, encourage increased female participation in the field of AI, and provide honorees a network for shared learning. Recognizing leaders spearheading AI initiatives and learning from their experiences in building AI that鈥檚 inclusive and transparent becomes even more crucial in this time of digital transformation.

This year鈥檚 Women Leaders in AI list recognizes 35 exceptional female business leaders from 12 countries who are using artificial intelligence to drive transformation, growth, and innovation across industries.

鈥淎rtificial intelligence will be at the center of business transformation over the next decade, and for us to mitigate bias moving forward we need women and diverse teams at the forefront of AI. That鈥檚 why we are proud to share the stories of 35 remarkable women who are driving progressive use of AI using Watson,鈥� said Michelle Peluso, IBM’s Senior Vice President for Digital Sales and Chief Marketing Officer. 鈥淭heir accomplishments are an inspiration to all of us.鈥�

The 2020 women leader honorees include:

1. Tiphanie Combre, Senior Director, AI Assisted Service and Automation, ADP (U.S.)
2. Amy Shreve-McDonald, Lead Product Marketing Manager for Business Digital Experience, AT&T (U.S.)
3. Mara Reiff, Vice President, Strategy and Business Intelligence, Bell Canada (Canada)
4. Tammy Lucas, Vice President of Marketing, Best Western Hotels & Resorts (U.S.)
5. Sheila Ambruster, Senior Manager, Strategic Architecture, The Boeing Company (U.S.)
6. Claire Lucas, Head of Artificial Intelligence, Bouygues Telecom (France)
7. Rosa Martinez, Cognitive Project Manager, CaixaBank (Spain)
8. Mich猫le Brengou, Cognitive Factory Business Leader, Cr茅dit Mutuel (France)
9. Ashley Lawrence, Research and Innovation Project Manager, Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (U.S.)
10. Maiga Bishop, Director of Business Intelligence and Analytics, Dillard’s (U.S.)

The full list can be found .

]]> /community/2020/05/14/294167/sparkup-community-facebook-invests-2m-in-support-of-asia-pacific-newsrooms/ Thu, 14 May 2020 03:30:52 +0000 /?p=294167 Despite the rising need of verified, trusted information through this pandemic, newsrooms are no exception to the COVID-19 crunch. Just last month in Malaysia, shut down after a 46-year run. Earlier in Thailand, announced cessation of its operations. Over in Australia, announced that it was suspending the printing of 鈥渃ertain titles鈥� as the virus continues to impact their local advertising industry.听

In the face of flagging profits, and in the spirit of helping publishers address immediate and critical business needs, in grant funding, coaching, and training to support Asia-Pacific news organizations鈥� COVID-19 stories. The following initiatives enables media outfits to receive funding and business support:

• Redirection of a portion of the to aid more than 50 news organizations鈥� business operations.听
• Administration of a financial support program for news publishers in Australia and New Zealand through .
• Partnership with the (ICFJ) to offer a combination of grants, webinars, and professional mentorship.
• Launch of a virtual edition of its grant and training program to strengthen reader revenue strategies.

Journalists are also joining remote training sessions across the region. The Project has restructured WAN-IFRA鈥檚 into a five-month Newsroom and Business Transformation 2020 online curriculum. More than a thousand media professionals across the region have also joined a to learn Covid-19 coverage best practices for products.

Co-founder & CEO of Splice Media Alan Soon said, “It’s important that news orgs not only survive, but are in a stronger position when COVID-19 passes. The funds that the industry is gathering and distributing are key if we’re to build more sustainable and more relevant media next year.”

“Asian newsrooms were the first in the journalism field to feel the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,鈥� added Johanna Carrillo, ICFJ鈥檚 vice president of programs. 鈥淲ith this new grant from the Facebook Journalism Project, we can build on our work together helping newsrooms and publishers in the region at this difficult time.鈥�

]]> /community/2020/05/13/294161/sparkup-community-nasa-partners-launch-virtual-hackathon-to-develop-covid-19-solutions/ Wed, 13 May 2020 03:21:59 +0000 /?p=294161 The U.S. space agency National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA), European Space Agency (ESA), and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) are inviting coders, entrepreneurs, scientists, designers, storytellers, makers, builders, artists, and technologists to participate in a virtual hackathon May 30-31 dedicated to putting open data to work in developing solutions to issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since the start of the global outbreak, Earth science specialists from each agency have been exploring ways to use unique Earth observation data to aid understanding of the interplay of the Earth system 鈥� on global to local scales 鈥� with aspects of the COVID-19 outbreak, including, potentially, our ability to combat it. The hackathon will also examine the human and economic response to the virus.

During the global Space Apps COVID-19 Challenge, participants from around the world will create virtual teams that 鈥� during a 48-hour period 鈥� will use Earth observation data to propose solutions to COVID-19-related challenges ranging from studying the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 and its spread to the impact the disease is having on the Earth system. Registration for this challenge opens in mid-May.

“There鈥檚 a tremendous need for our collective ingenuity right now,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA鈥檚 Science Mission Directorate. “I can鈥檛 imagine a more worthy focus than COVID-19 on which to direct the energy and enthusiasm from around the world with the Space Apps Challenge that always generates such amazing solutions.”

The COVID-19 Challenge will be the program鈥檚 first global virtual hackathon. Space Apps 2019 included more than 29,000 participants at 225 events in 71 countries, developing more than 2,000 hackathon solutions over the course of one weekend.

Since 2016, many Filipinos have participated in this annual hackathon. Recently, a dengue mapping forecasting system was developed by data scientists from CirroLytix using satellite and climate data with the goal of addressing the sustainable development goals of the United Nations. This web application, called Project AEDES won globally for the best use of data. “Earth observation data has the potential to be used in fighting epidemics and outbreaks threatening humanity nowadays, as well as to analyze its socio-economic impact,” according to software developer Michael Lance M. Domagas, who led the Philippine hackathon in collaboration with De La Salle University, PLDT, Department of Science and Technology, United Nations Development Programme, and the U.S. embassy.

The very first Philippine winner used citizen science and environmental data to develop a smartphone application informing fishermen the right time to catch fish. ISDApp is currently being incubated at Animo Labs.

Space Apps is a NASA-led initiative organized globally in collaboration with Booz Allen Hamilton, Mindgrub and SecondMuse. The next annual Space Apps Challenge is scheduled for October 2-4.

Registration opens May 12. Y.

]]> /community/2020/05/12/293946/sparkup-community-mad-travel-launches-tree-planting-crowdfunding-platform-for-partner-communities/ Tue, 12 May 2020 05:10:14 +0000 /?p=293946 As a young entrant in the travel and tourism industries, Make a Difference (MAD) Travel and its network of indigenous communities it services have been greatly affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In response, the sustainable travel platform has launched Feed the Farmers Today and Fund Tomorrow鈥檚 Forest, a global crowdfunding project where participants purchase a tree for P150 or $3.

Each purchase pays Aetas of Yangil Zambales and Bataan, two of MAD Travel鈥檚 partner communities, to plant the tree on behalf of the participant. Through the crowdfunding project, MAD Travel is able to help the Aetas earn income to provide for their daily needs. This also helps sustain their 鈥渁gricultural forest鈥� project for the communities, which aims to help secure their long-term food security goals.

鈥淲e need to pivot and make sure no one gets left behind,鈥� said Raf Dionisio, the social enterprise鈥檚 co-founder. “The most marginalized are even more marginalized in this pandemic and we have to watch out for them.”

As of writing, MAD Travel has been able to turn over their first P100,000 to the Aetas of Yangil Zambales, equivalent to 100 trees planted and 45 families earning income. MAD Travel aims to raise P2 million by the end of the project in September, an amount that will help tide the communities over as tourism continues to be an unviable means of support.

鈥淲e are extremely grateful for the outpour of support we have received globally鈥攚ith backers as far as Sweden鈥攃oming together for communities that need us the most in this critical time,鈥� said Tom Graham, another co-founder. “We may be socially distant but we are more together now than ever.”

Those interested to purchase a tree may log on to and pay through Paypal, credit card, or bank deposit.

]]> /community/2020/05/12/293941/sparkup-community-covid-19-accelerates-digital-transformation-for-companies-2/ Tue, 12 May 2020 03:50:49 +0000 /?p=293941 This Covid-19 pandemic has caused disruption, uncertainty, and even heartache for a lot of us. In a lot of other ways, however, it鈥檚 also been a turning point for many companies in different fronts – including technological.

The current pandemic has been a powerful force of disruption, and an unprecedented tragedy, said IBM’s Arvind Krishna during his company鈥檚 last week.

鈥淏ut it is also a critical turning point,” he said, marking his first keynote address as IBM鈥檚 new CEO. “It鈥檚 an opportunity to develop new solutions, new ways of working and new partnerships that will benefit your company and your customers, not just today, but for years to come.鈥�

Investing in AI is not optional

Because the crisis has exposed many enterprises鈥� vulnerabilities, organizations are now adopting artificial intelligence (AI) and hybrid cloud-based IT architectures. These key technologies enable them to build agility and resiliency into their networks now, as well as prepare them to embrace emerging technologies like 5G and edge computing.

Companies that don鈥檛 invest in AI and cloud computing will find themselves at a profound competitive disadvantage. 鈥淚鈥檓 predicting today that every company will become an AI company鈥攏ot because they can, but because they must,鈥� Krishna said.

This prediction is something that Rob Thomas, Senior Vice President of IBM Cloud & Data Platform, agrees with. 鈥淚 like to think the crisis we鈥檙e dealing with, it鈥檚 going to accelerate perhaps what was going to happen anyway鈥攖hat鈥檚 the opportunity in front of all of us,鈥� Thomas said in his Think Digital presentation, 鈥淎ct, Don鈥檛 React: How AI and Automation Will Change the Way You Work.鈥�

Digital transformation matters

Digital transformation means , Krishna explained, and using the insights generated from that process to constantly improve products and services. A hybrid cloud architecture powers this using open source software, making companies more secure and allowing them to quickly adapt to changing client demands and market conditions.

from this setup include the airlines operator Lufthansa, which employs AI to assist them in decisions both big and small. 鈥淲e truly believe that if we provide the right data at the right point in time, enhanced with AI and analytics, we provide an even better experience for our customers,鈥� said Mirco Bharpalania, Lufthansa Group鈥檚 head of Data & Analytics. 鈥淲e also help our employees make the right decisions.鈥�

AI is also helping package delivery company UPS manage real-time data to cut costs and boost efficiency. 鈥淕etting that culture of innovation is something that we see as key for the future of AI and data science at UPS,鈥� said Mallory Freeman, director of Data Science and Machine Learning at United Parcel Service Advanced Analytics Group. Through its smart logistics networks, UPS saves around 100 million miles each year, which conserves 10 million gallons of fuel and $50 million.

A better working culture

It鈥檚 a brave new world, and firms that invest in AI and automation will have an edge over the others that don鈥檛. 鈥淧eople are more open to AI now. AI won鈥檛 replace managers. It鈥檚 managers who use AI that will replace managers who do not,鈥� Thomas asserted in a pre-conference event.

鈥淚f you鈥檙e entirely dependent on in-person meetings and email in order to make decisions and evaluate progress and communicate, it鈥檚 a pretty rough transition,鈥� noted Stewart Butterfield, chief executive and co-founder of the collaboration software company Slack.

But the public health crisis has also created the impetus for 鈥渄eliberately making some changes,鈥� he added. 鈥淪o, hopefully for some companies, they actually come out with a better working culture on the other side of this.鈥�

]]> /community/2020/05/11/293720/sparkup-community-shopee-and-billease-offer-seller-loan-program-for-msmes/ Mon, 11 May 2020 05:04:09 +0000 /?p=293720 FDFC, the fintech company behind digital credit app BillEase, and Shopee have launched their Seller Loan Program to help Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) registered on Shopee as they struggle through the country’s continued quarantine.

The year-long program aims to help Filipino MSMEs cope with the adverse effects brought about by the COVID-19 outbreak and enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

Interested Shopee sellers must have been operating for at least six months and ramping up their working capital. If they fulfill these requirements, they can then apply on BillEase for Business, BillEase鈥檚 financial service platform for small business lending, based on their sales record prior to the ECQ. Successful applicants can avail of P20,000 up to P2 million commensurate of their sales transactions, an extra one-month grace period for the loan repayment, and up to 12 months maximum loan term.

The loan program comes after Shopee鈥檚 announcement of its P200-million Seller Support Package, which will help up to 80,000 MSMEs. FDFC also has a tie-up with Lazada that offers interest-free financing, this time for consumers.

鈥淲e understand that Shopee sellers are still navigating the effect of ECQ and they are looking for partners that would look after their business financially,鈥� said Georg Steiger, CEO of FDFC. 鈥淥ur Shopee Loan Program will help these sellers who are either producing essential goods to continue operations amid the increasing demand or those preparing to recover after the quarantine.鈥�

Shopee sellers can apply through this .

]]> /community/2020/05/11/293704/sparkup-community-how-mad-travel-is-tackling-tourism-in-the-time-of-covid-19/ Mon, 11 May 2020 03:29:41 +0000 /?p=293704 Travel is often hailed as the ultimate cathartic experience. Whether we see it on the silver screen or read it between the pages of a book, we鈥檝e heard some tale of an individual finding themselves and their purpose by embarking on a journey. But for some, this is more than just a tall fantasy. Just ask Thomas Graham and Rafael Dionisio.

Travel is universally held as the ultimate cathartic experience. Across films and books, we find countless examples of journeys that begin and end with characters exploring foreign worlds and, in so doing, find themselves. For avid travelers Thomas Graham and Rafael Dionisio, that passion for exploration paved the way to a shared adventure in the form of a startup, MAD Travel. And, fittingly, that journey began when they happened to meet on a trip.

Graham, a journalist from the United Kingdom, and Dionisio, an entrepreneur in the tourism industry, first crossed paths in 2013 on a volunteering trip for Gawad Kalinga. Dionisio had been setting up hostels across various provinces in the Philippines, but wanted to do something more meaningful. That piqued Graham鈥檚 interest.

鈥淲e thought, 鈥榃hy not pull together our expertise?鈥�,鈥� Graham said. 鈥淢ine was really in storytelling and giving the outsider鈥檚 perspective on how much we have to learn from these amazing communities that we were, at the time, volunteering for. [Dionisio] obviously brought more local expertise and the community development side of what we do.鈥�

And so Make a Difference (MAD) Travel was born.

Setting direction

Graham and Dionisio started Make a Difference Travel as a tourism platform offering tours to local destinations such as Zambales, Bataan, and Rizal.They work with marginalized communities, such as the Aetas in Yangil Village, in creating authentic experiences– from storytelling with the tribe to learning their traditional music and dances.

The firm takes a clear stance on what they mean by authentic. They take extra efforts to ensure the worlds their travelers experience aren鈥檛 just 鈥渄ifferent鈥�, but true to the experiences of the communities they meet.

鈥淓verything we do is aligned with their own values and vision for their community. We never dictate鈥� 鈥榊ou should always dress in your Aeta wear because it looks more authentic for photos.鈥欌�� said Romina Na艌agas, communications manager. 鈥淲e consult our partners and they have the right [to] say no.鈥�

They also incorporate long-term initiatives within the tours that help foster inclusivity and sustainability among their partner communities, such as growing farms and forests in their Zambales and Bataan programs. 鈥淭his is all in the backdrop of massive deforestation in the country… and the massive exclusion of countryside communities from better education, localized racism against them, [and lack of] access to water or electricity,鈥� said Dionisio.

If it sounds like an ambitious set of goals for a tourism startup to tackle, that鈥檚 because it is. But it鈥檚 precisely the transformative role that Graham and Dionisio see travel playing in people鈥檚 lives that they feel confident in taking them on. Through MAD Travel, the two believe they can exponentially grow their advocacies through the travelers that join their programs.

Chef Chele Gonzalez, known for his acclaimed restaurants such as Gallery by Chele, started sourcing ingredients directly from some of MAD Travel鈥檚 partners. Artist Issa Barte founded Fund a Forest, a reforestation effort for Philippine forests, after being inspired by the tour鈥檚 reforestation activities. Even some members of MAD Travel鈥檚 team were former tourists, including Na艌agas, who left the advertising industry to help the company.

鈥淭here are so many things that we know theoretically, and yet we don鈥檛 [understand them] until we know it on an experiential level,鈥� said Graham. 鈥淒on鈥檛 just read about the communities, or hear a nice speech, or donate some money, but come be part of it.鈥�

Off the beaten track

But, as with nearly every business in the tourism industry, the current COVID-19 crisis saw many of MAD Travels鈥� projects come to a grinding halt. Faced with the responsibility of sustaining not just their team but also their partner communities, MAD Travel has had to pivot their services鈥攁ll while keeping them aligned with their vision.

Over the past few weeks, they launched a number of new programs based on the advocacies towards caring for local communities in their network. These include Feed the Farmers Today, Fund Tomorrow鈥檚 Forest, a global crowdfunding project where each purchase of a tree pays for an Aeta鈥檚 labor of planting it.

There鈥檚 also MAD Market, an online delivery service that sources produce directly from farmers and communities in areas like Benguet and Davao. They鈥檙e group is even offering an e-learning program called MAD Courses which offers training into topics such as sustainability and social enterprise.

鈥淲e identified some time ago that鈥� we鈥檙e a platform that connects people,鈥� said Graham. 鈥淲hen you look at it more broadly like that鈥� then you see that even when tourism has dried up and we all remain pretty slow for let鈥檚 say the next six months at least, we鈥檙e now looking in a broader sense at our mission. We still believe that there鈥檚 something very special in our communities and our community partners.鈥�

While these may not be the original services that MAD Travel planned out, the team is confident that they鈥檙e delivering on their promise of affecting change through authentic experiences鈥攁lbeit through a different kind of experience.

]]> /community/2020/05/08/293384/sparkup-community-airbnbs-internal-memo-on-letting-go-of-a-quarter-of-their-workforce/ Fri, 08 May 2020 06:02:11 +0000 /?p=293384 Following an unprecedented global slowdown in travel that has sent related industries plummeting to a standstill, AirBnB CEO Brian Chesky announced on May 5, that he would be making the difficult decision of letting go of roughly a quarter of the travel giant’s workforce.

It’s a decision many firms the world over are facing鈥攐ne necessitated by financial clampdowns (Chesky cited AirBnB’s revenue projections for 2020 being less than half of their 2019 numbers.), rising uncertainty over when the current crisis will come to an end, and what world we’ll be entering into once it does.

Below, in full, is Chesky’s internal message to his 7,500 employees. It outlines the practical steps his company will be taking, expressing his sincere empathy, and at points sorrow, for those affected by the decision. For firms finding themselves at similar crossroads, it can serve as an example of how a leader that truly values their workforce navigates these difficult conversations.

鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌�

This is my seventh time talking to you from my house. Each time we鈥檝e talked, I鈥檝e shared good news and bad news, but today I have to share some very sad news.

When you鈥檝e asked me about layoffs, I鈥檝e said that nothing is off the table. Today, I must confirm that we are reducing the size of the Airbnb workforce. For a company like us whose mission is centered around belonging, this is incredibly difficult to confront, and it will be even harder for those who have to leave Airbnb. I am going to share as many details as I can on how I arrived at this decision, what we are doing for those leaving, and what will happen next.

Let me start with how we arrived at this decision. We are collectively living through the most harrowing crisis of our lifetime, and as it began to unfold, global travel came to a standstill. Airbnb鈥檚 business has been hit hard, with revenue this year forecasted to be less than half of what we earned in 2019. In response, we raised $2 billion in capital and dramatically cut costs that touched nearly every corner of Airbnb.

While these actions were necessary, it became clear that we would have to go further when we faced two hard truths:

We don鈥檛 know exactly when travel will return. When travel does return, it will look different.

While we know Airbnb鈥檚 business will fully recover, the changes it will undergo are not temporary or short-lived. Because of this, we need to make more fundamental changes to Airbnb by reducing the size of our workforce around a more focused business strategy.

Out of our 7,500 Airbnb employees, nearly 1,900 teammates will have to leave Airbnb, comprising around 25% of our company. Since we cannot afford to do everything that we used to, these cuts had to be mapped to a more focused business.

A more focused business

Travel in this new world will look different, and we need to evolve Airbnb accordingly. People will want options that are closer to home, safer, and more affordable. But people will also yearn for something that feels like it鈥檚 been taken away from them 鈥� human connection. When we started Airbnb, it was about belonging and connection. This crisis has sharpened our focus to get back to our roots, back to the basics, back to what is truly special about Airbnb 鈥� everyday people who host their homes and offer experiences.

This means that we will need to reduce our investment in activities that do not directly support the core of our host community. We are pausing our efforts in Transportation and Airbnb Studios, and we have to scale back our investments in Hotels and Lux.

These decisions are not a reflection of the work from people on these teams, and it does not mean everyone on these teams will be leaving us. Additionally, teams across all of Airbnb will be impacted. Many teams will be reduced in size based on how well they map to where Airbnb is headed.

How we approached reductions

It was important that we had a clear set of principles, guided by our core values, for how we would approach reductions in our workforce. These were our guiding principles:

Map all reductions to our future business strategy and the capabilities we will need. Do as much as we can for those who are impacted. Be unwavering in our commitment to diversity. Optimize for 1:1 communication for those impacted. Wait to communicate any decisions until all details are landed 鈥� transparency of only partial information can make matters worse.

I have done my best to stay true to these principles.

Process for making reductions

Our process started with creating a more focused business strategy built on a sustainable cost model. We assessed how each team mapped to our new strategy, and we determined the size and shape of each team going forward. We then did a comprehensive review of every team member and made decisions based on critical skills, and how well those skills matched our future business needs.

The result is that we will have to part with teammates that we love and value. We have great people leaving Airbnb, and other companies will be lucky to have them.

To take care of those that are leaving, we have looked across severance, equity, healthcare, and job support and done our best to treat everyone in a compassionate and thoughtful way.

Severance

Employees in the US will receive 14 weeks of base pay, plus one additional week for every year at Airbnb. Tenure will be rounded to the nearest year. For example, if someone has been at Airbnb for 3 years and 7 months, they will get an additional 4 weeks of salary, or 18 weeks of total pay. Outside the US, all employees will receive at least 14 weeks of pay, plus tenure increases consistent with their country-specific practices.

Equity

We are dropping the one-year cliff on equity for everyone we鈥檝e hired in the past year so that everyone departing, regardless of how long they have been here, is a shareholder. Additionally, everyone leaving is eligible for the May 25 vesting date.

Healthcare

In the midst of a global health crisis of unknown duration, we want to limit the burden of healthcare costs. In the US, we will cover 12 months of health insurance through COBRA. In all other countries, we will cover health insurance costs through the end of 2020. This is because we鈥檙e either legally unable to continue coverage, or our current plans will not allow for an extension. We will also provide four months of mental health support through KonTerra.

Job support

Our goal is to connect our teammates leaving Airbnb with new job opportunities. Here are five ways we can help:

Alumni Talent Directory 鈥� We will be launching a public-facing website to help teammates leaving find new jobs. Departing employees can opt-in to have profiles, resumes, and work samples accessible to potential employers. Alumni Placement Team 鈥� For the remainder of 2020, a significant portion of Airbnb Recruiting will become an Alumni Placement Team. Recruiters that are staying with Airbnb will provide support to departing employees to help them find their next job.RiseSmart 鈥� We are offering four months of career services through RiseSmart, a company that specializes in career transition and job placement services. Employee Offered Alumni Support 鈥� We are encouraging all remaining employees to opt-in to a program to assist departing teammates find their next role.Laptops 鈥� A computer is an important tool to find new work, so we are allowing everyone leaving to keep their Apple laptops.

Here is what will happen next

I want to provide clarity to all of you as soon as possible. We have employees in 24 countries, and the time it will take to provide clarity will vary based on local laws and practices. Some countries require notifications about employment to be received in a very specific way. While our process may differ by country, we have tried to be thoughtful in planning for every employee.

In the US and Canada, I can provide immediate clarity. Within the next few hours, those of you leaving Airbnb will receive a calendar invite to a departure meeting with a senior leader in your department. It was important to us that wherever we legally could, people were informed in a personal, 1:1 conversation. The final working day for departing employees based in the US and Canada will be Monday, May 11. We felt Monday would give people time to begin taking next steps and say goodbye 鈥� we understand and respect how important this is.

Some employees who are staying will have a new role, and will receive a meeting invite with the subject 鈥淣ew Role鈥� to learn more about it. For those of you in the US and Canada who are staying on the Airbnb team, you will not receive a calendar invite.

At 6pm pacific time, I will host a world@ meeting for our Asia-Pacific teams. At 12am pacific time, I will host a world@ meeting for our Europe and Middle East teams. Following each of these meetings, we鈥檒l proceed with next steps in each country based on local practices.

I鈥檝e asked all Airbnb leaders to wait to bring their teams together until the end of this week out of respect to our teammates being impacted. I want to give everyone the next few days to process this, and I鈥檒l host a CEO Q&A again this Thursday at 4pm pacific time.

Some final words

As I have learned these past eight weeks, a crisis brings you clarity about what is truly important. Though we have been through a whirlwind, some things are more clear to me than ever before.

First, I am thankful for everyone here at Airbnb. Throughout this harrowing experience, I have been inspired by all of you. Even in the worst of circumstances, I鈥檝e seen the very best of us. The world needs human connection now more than ever, and I know that Airbnb will rise to the occasion. I believe this because I believe in you.

Second, I have a deep feeling of love for all of you. Our mission is not merely about travel. When we started Airbnb, our original tagline was, 鈥淭ravel like a human.鈥� The human part was always more important than the travel part. What we are about is belonging, and at the center of belonging is love.

To those of you staying,

One of the most important ways we can honor those who are leaving is for them to know that their contributions mattered, and that they will always be part of Airbnb鈥檚 story. I am confident their work will live on, just like this mission will live on.

To those leaving Airbnb,

I am truly sorry. Please know this is not your fault. The world will never stop seeking the qualities and talents that you brought to Airbnb鈥hat helped make Airbnb. I want to thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for sharing them with us.

Brian

]]> /community/2020/05/05/292702/sparkup-community-project-ark-conducts-pilot-run-at-mayor-iskos-manila/ Tue, 05 May 2020 09:40:59 +0000 /?p=292702 Project ARK has officially started its pilot run in the City of Manila. Launched last April 24, the massive rapid testing initiative in Sampaloc successfully conducted 854 tests out of the target 1,500 sampling size, and had consequently identified 31 persons as potential cases of Covid-19. A similar activity was conducted in Tondo, while the community went under a two-day hard lockdown last Sunday, May 3. A total of 1,409 successful tests were done utilizing the antibody rapid test kits donated by Angkas. Of these, 109 tests were potential cases.

Those identified are immediately directed to the appropriate hospital facilities for confirmatory testing.

Project ARK, an initiative led by Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion bands together the country鈥檚 biggest economic and business players to ramp up mass testing in order to safely and gradually reopen the economy. The gathered data will be used so everyone can gain a better visibility of鈥攁nd formulate better strategies to combat鈥攖he virus.

Barangay-level implementation

鈥淥n behalf of the people of the City of Manila, thank you very much for your efforts,” said Manila Mayor aisko Moreno. “Malaking bagay ito sa amin. It was very timely when Project ARK was introduced to us because we had to address two districts of Manila: District 4 which is Sampaloc, and District 1 which is Tondo. We are very grateful to our donor Angkas, Presidential Adviser Joey Concepcion, and all the groups who are part of this project kasi we were able to take the opportunity to do mass testing by rapid tests.”

Barangay implementation is part of the project鈥檚 bayanihan core. In addition to encouraging the regular screening of employees to ensure safety at work, Project ARK is shorter by companies that are funding the voluntary testing of barangay residents.

Rapid testing protocol

In a May 3 press briefing, Dr. Minguita Padilla, Medical Team Leader and Clinical Associate Professor at the UP College of Medicine, noted that there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to how often one should test employees and residents. Those who are tested to be positive for the IgG antibody, for instance, may have some immunity to the coronavirus already and thus do not have to be tested as frequently as those who have never had the disease (i.e., those who are negative for the IgG and IgM antibodies) and are thus more vulnerable. Those who belong to high-risk groups (such as client-facing staff and the elderly) and/or go home to barangays that have been identified as hot zones, on the other hand, may have to be tested with more regularity.

鈥淭his is a new virus. We are learning a lot of things,鈥� Dr. Padilla explains. “We are changing our protocol depending on what we learn everyday. It is a living protocol. So the possibility is every two weeks. If you’re high-risk or if you develop symptoms, then by all means test, even if wala pang two weeks.”

George Royeca, Chief Transport Advocate of Angkas, also points out the other ways to mitigate risks. Employers, he says, can consider work-from-home schemes or shifting schedules for those who really need to report for work at a physical office. 鈥淲e really have to change this mindset na pansamantala lang po ito鈥� This is our new normal. Cost of doing business na ito ngayon sa ating ekonomiya.鈥�

A delicate balancing act

Concepcion emphasizes the importance of both life and livelihood and of mass testing as a prerequisite to safely reopening the economy. Moreno agrees with the sentiment: 鈥淏inabalanse talaga namin. If we are to lock it down, magugutom ang lahat. I-address ang Covid-19, i-address ang kabuhayan ng tao pero we should impose and follow regulations鈥︹�� The mayor adds that his city could not afford another ECQ. 鈥淲e may have different approaches but we must act in synchronicity. Flattening the curve is the minimum goal of every government unit… There is no right formula, but we have to try.鈥�

To date, Project ARK has secured close to one million Antibody Rapid Test kits and is already prepping the cities of Makati and Antipolo for their own massive rapid testing endeavors this week. They are currently in talks with the local governments of Quezon City, Pasig City, and Region 4A in Batangas for possible collaboration.

]]> /community/2020/05/05/292698/sparkup-community-5-tips-to-help-startups-and-smes-navigate-the-covid-19-pandemic/ Tue, 05 May 2020 04:21:03 +0000 /?p=292698 While the current pandemic has been a major challenge for businesses at large, it’s been especially tough for startups and SMEs. Keeping up with shrinking revenues and rapidly changing operational restrictions, these small firms need all the help they can get.

Speakers from 鈥淯nlocking the Lockdown: Startup and SME Challenges and Opportunities Amid the Pandemic鈥�, a webinar held last April 17 organized by regtech startup UNAWA, share some tips on navigating through these difficulties鈥攁nd hopefully also unearthing new opportunities in the process.

1. It鈥檚 time to face the music鈥攐r rather, the numbers.

With revenues of many startups and SMEs greatly affected since the lockdown, it may not be so palatable to look at one鈥檚 books. But for Reese Fernandez-Ruiz, president and co-founder of fashion social enterprise Rags2Riches (R2R), it must be done or it could make things worse in the long term.

One measure is to conduct daily cash flow planning and management. 鈥淓very time something goes in and out, check it. I created this Google Sheet that I track every single day and have a list of all the payables and receivables.鈥�

It鈥檚 also important to check how far your runway is. 鈥淲hat I do is stretch it out up to two months, so that I have a two-month [window] at any given point in time. It鈥檚 stressful because you can see, 鈥楢t this time, if nothing comes in, I鈥檓 in a bad place.鈥� But you have to know it so that you can find ways to stop it.鈥�

2. Listen to your customers.

Unusual times create unusual situations, and therefore, unusual consumer needs. As a startup or SME, this is your chance to help address them.

Rommel Ng, president and co-founder of Buffalo Wings N鈥� Things, cited an example from the restaurant industry. 鈥淎side from disposing of the inventory, the reason the big [restaurant] players are starting to sell ready-to-cook [products] is because people are confined in their homes, and it鈥檚 cheaper if they cook it.

鈥淲hat drives our businesses now is what the customers need鈥e鈥檙e so blessed now because鈥� [consumer] behaviors are being broadcasted by people. You鈥檒l get a clue, and you have to adjust.鈥�

3. Think of the future.

With the current situation making the present already so difficult as it is, it may be easy to raise one鈥檚 eyebrows on this piece of advice. But the actions of now determine the results in the future.

鈥淵ou can鈥檛 pivot anymore 鈥榓fter this鈥�, 鈥榳hen things go back to normal鈥�, 鈥榳hen this is all over鈥�. All of those sentences don鈥檛 apply because you have to think about the things that you can do now,鈥� said Fernandez-Ruiz.

鈥淚f you do have cash, go on the offense also鈥� investing in a little bit of R&D, designing things for use in the future. And by 鈥榝uture鈥�, I mean the next two weeks, because that鈥檚 what the future is during these times.鈥�

4. Always put your people first.

The pandemic and consequent lockdown have inflicted different kinds of stress on employees. Now more than ever, it鈥檚 vital to be there for them. 鈥淲e prioritize people: taking care of their physical health, financial needs, and also their mental health, with the latter often being overlooked,鈥�

This, of course, should also reflect on your cash allocations鈥攅ven if it may mean making sacrifices. 鈥淥ur team knows that I鈥檇 be the first not to get paid my salary before everybody else,鈥� said Fernandez-Ruiz. 鈥淲hen your people understand that, the trust is being built. You don鈥檛 build trust during the good times; you build the trust during these times.鈥�

5. Go beyond your business.

It鈥檚 also just as important to make your presence felt outside in the community. If you don鈥檛 have a lot to contribute materially as a small enterprise, there are other ways to help.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 have a lot of money. But I can contribute experience, knowledge, and insight,鈥� said Ng. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an opportunity to get intimate with people, the community, and all the stakeholders: the customers, your employees, and your investors.鈥�

For Fernandez-Ruiz, it鈥檚 also about making a stand. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very important to show your values right now鈥� It鈥檚 easy to live our values when times are easy. But living your values during the crisis, it鈥檚 actually when values are most critical and most needed.鈥�

]]> /community/2020/05/04/292462/sparkup-community-this-pandemic-is-posing-an-array-of-cybersecurity-challenges/ Mon, 04 May 2020 03:58:53 +0000 /?p=292462 While the eyes of the world are focusing on how the Covid-19 outbreak is threatening to overload the healthcare system and the global economy, bad actors are taking advantage of the pandemic by adapting and updating attack methods as the crisis unfolds.

While cybersecurity takes the backseat to more urgent concerns like workforce well-being, availability of financing, and the resilience of operations and supply chains, cyber criminals have found an opportunity to target already vulnerable firms.

A surge in cybersecurity threats

A study from IBM Security and Morning Consult on highlights that – since the virus was declared a pandemic on March 11 – IBM X-Force has seen a more than 6,000% increase in Covid-19-related spam campaigns. From phishing emails and WHO impersonations, to U.S. banking institutions offering relief funds, spammers and scammers are targeting small business owners pretending to offer anything from stimulus relief funds to small business loan applications, all in an attempt to steal these individuals鈥� information and gain access to their bank accounts.

Another report, 鈥�,鈥� shows that the coronavirus-themed spam include new threats such as on the dark web, and Covid-19-related domains that are than other domains registered during the same time period.

Closing the loopholes

Employees working remotely can also make organizations more vulnerable. The shift to remote work has opened new loopholes for cybercriminals to exploit since many displaced workers lack the secure equipment or protocols to optimize digital safety. Employees aren鈥檛 the only ones who are unprepared: enabling . Security preparedness is uneven as organizations are making an unprecedented transition to remote working.

IBM notes from their cumulative research that organizations that are highly resilient tend to do three things well:

• organize and deploy resources,
• communicate regularly,
• and coordinate responses.

Cybercriminals are seeing the coronavirus crisis as an opportunity to exploit loopholes. Organizations can see it as an opportunity to beef up their critical security needs and iterate their business continuity plans even while in the middle of this pandemic. Steps can still be taken to mitigate the impacts of an uncertain environment plus use the experience for future crisis planning.

]]> /community/2020/04/30/292039/sparkup-community-the-final-pitch-heroes-edition-highlights-best-covid-19-solutions/ Thu, 30 Apr 2020 03:00:51 +0000 /?p=292039 The Final Pitch, CNN Philippines’ business reality TV show, is looking for non-profit organizations, startups, and innovators with solutions to address Covid-19 challenges. Themed the Heroes Edition, its sixth season is set to begin filming by the third quarter of this year.

Best 鈥渘ew normal鈥� solutions

The Final Pitch is a competition where entrepreneurs and startups pitch their proposals and get the chance to fund their businesses with help from elite investors. The upcoming season aims to address the economic and social impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.听

Entrepreneurs, inventors, and startup teams are also invited to pitch their solutions towards the country’s new post-COVID-19 normal.

鈥淲e are hopeful as we introduce this relevant and timely format for The Final Pitch: Heroes Edition,鈥� says The Final Pitch host and creator John Aguilar.

“We have seen in our past five seasons the exponential effects of matching the right ideas with the right investments. We hope that through this season, we will identify the best high-impact advocacies and solutions to help turn around the economic and social ramifications of the Covid-19 crisis for the sake of our kababayans.”

Sample target industries include retail, transport, and tourism. Ideas for employment of both locals and displaced OFWs, and MSME business solutions, are welcome as well.

Applicants may send their online entries and one-minute pitch videos through TheFinalPitch.ph/application. Investors and corporate partners may reach the show through submit@TheFinalPitch.ph or 0917 8136674. For more information, visit and follow its social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

The show is currently open for pitches from non-profits for support in the form of donations and grants.

According to showrunners, these pledges must come from reputable organizations that have a specific ask for beneficiary communities such as medical frontliners, farmers, indigent communities, and displaced workers.

Interested investors and conglomerate partners are also being called upon to assist in the show鈥檚 selection process, refinement of proposals, and financial backing.

]]> /community/2020/04/29/291855/sparkup-community-digital-bayanihan-on-facebook-in-the-time-of-covid-19/ Wed, 29 Apr 2020 08:40:22 +0000 /?p=291855 Bayanihan is a local concept that refers to the act of helping out one鈥檚 neighbor as a community. This concept is manifest nowadays in digital form on Facebook, the most popular social media platform among Filipinos. With the stay-at-home government directive still in place, Filipinos are flocking online to find ways to lend a virtual helping hand. From online concerts to game streaming for a cause, check out how we are supporting each other during this difficult time:听

Fundraising concert series

Organized and led by National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab, brings together homegrown musicians to perform nightly online concerts on Facebook Live. With the participation of big names in the local music industry, they have raised P42 million and counting鈥攖he proceeds of which go to providing food and health support for urban poor communities across Metro Manila.

鈥淭hrough Bayanihan Musikahan we want to uplift the spirits of Filipinos everywhere with music and critical support. Seeing artists and people pitching in has been overwhelming and inspiring, so we will continue to raise funds for a community-based COVID-19 care center,鈥� says Mr. Cayabyab.

Gamers鈥� charity stream

Creators on Facebook Gaming from across the world have been hosting charity streams for the . The fundraiser鈥檚 goal is to reach $10 million in donations, which Facebook will match to support the work to prevent, detect, and respond to the outbreak around the world.

Locally, 23 Pinoy creators participated in the #GamersVsCOVID and United as One campaigns for a cause with top game streamers Alodia Gosienfiao and ChooxTv鈥檚 livestreams reaching 1.5 million and 1.1 million views, respectively. Continued efforts under the are giving gamers a chance to show how they can do their share in the fight against COVID-19 both online and offline.

Meal drops for healthcare workers

Members of the are stepping up to aid our frontliners. Operating under their motto, #TulunganPare, they have been able to provide full-day meals for 9 hospitals including The Medical City, Makati Medical Center, UERM Memorial Medical Center, and VRP Medical Center.

鈥淲e鈥檝e discovered that some hospitals already have enough meal sponsors but are seriously lacking in medical supplies,鈥� shared Mark del Rosario, founder of Let鈥檚 Eat Pare. 鈥淭his is a gap that we are trying to bridge.鈥�

If you are in the food industry or if you have any leads in line with Let鈥檚 Eat Pare鈥檚 efforts, coordinate with them via lepassoc@gmail.com.

Web workshops for mompreneurs

Facebook group continues to take strides to help its community of moms keep up with parenting, freelancing, and entrepreneurship in the time of COVID by providing home-based work .

They鈥檝e so far set up webinars featuring guest speakers and volunteer hosts who discuss topics ranging from mental health to virtual learning, homeschooling, e-commerce, and a design thinking workshop to solve lockdown problems.

They are also starting a paid workshop on Facebook Group Growth Hacking with a pay-what-you-can scheme鈥攁ll proceeds of which will go to supporting frontliners and people who need it the most.

]]> /community/2020/04/28/291627/sparkup-community-upskill-with-e-tesdas-free-courses-while-on-quarantine/ Tue, 28 Apr 2020 04:20:36 +0000 /?p=291627 The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is encouraging Filipinos to register and enroll in the online courses available on their platform e-TESDA or the TESDA Online Program.

The authority says taking advantage of this free opportunity allows workers to remain productive despite the mobility restrictions issued by the government to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.

鈥淲e are enjoined to stay at home, as this is among the ways to prevent the spread of the virus,”. “We encourage those with available time to make good use of this period, while Metro Manila is under community quarantine. I invite the students and workers to try enrolling in our online classes.听 This is offered for free.”

There are a total of 68 online courses on , which is also accessible through the TESDA app in Google Play and Apple Store. Among the offerings available are courses in Agriculture, Automotive, Electronics, Entrepreneurship, and Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration. There are also resources on Human Health/Health Care, Information and Communication Technology, Lifelong Learning Skills, Maritime, Social, Community Development and other services, Tourism, and Technical Vocational Education and Training.

There are no requirements to enroll apart from computer literacy and an Internet connection. Enrollees are required to pass the quizzes that accompany each course. A certificate of completion will be given to successful enrollees, but assessment tests that require one鈥檚 physical presence at the technical schools are required for those who also wish to receive a national certification.

鈥�Once na mag-normalize ang sitwasyon, kailangan mo magtake ng assessment kasi kailangan ng physical presence para ma-assess nila yung paggamit mo ng equipment at kung ang skills ay kwalipikado na,鈥� .

(“Once the situation normalizes, you need to take an assessment (test). Physical presence is needed so that they can assess how you used the equipment, and if your skills are qualified enough.”)

The term 鈥渄isruption鈥� has been used countless times since the start of the pandemic to describe how Covid-19 has turned the world upside down. Workers whose jobs have been suspended can take heart and bide their time by taking free courses to improve their career prospects.

]]> /community/2020/04/28/291613/sparkup-community-facebook-compiles-platform-specific-tools-to-fight-the-covid-19-infodemic/ Tue, 28 Apr 2020 02:26:48 +0000 /?p=291613 As information on COVID-19 continues to saturate the social media channels we rely on for news around the current crisis, a secondary danger of misinformation and fake news are fueling an infodemic that could potentially be as damaging as COVID-19 itself.

In response, Facebook, the company managing many of these platforms, has compiled a list of tools to ensure the news and knowledge we share are reliable.

Below are several ways to quickly access accurate and timely updates on the COVID-19 situation in the Philippines and globally across Facebook鈥檚 family of apps.

Facebook

On the Facebook app, you can find the featured at the top of your News Feed. It leads to the latest statistics and updates from the Department of Health (DOH), World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children鈥檚 Fund (UNICEF), with links to their verified Facebook pages.

The COVID-19 Information Center on Facebook also shares tips to handle staying at home, social distancing, how you can prevent spreading the virus, and what to do when you鈥檙e not feeling well. It even has a Community Help section to make it easier for people to post a request for help or offer help in their area.

People can opt in to follow the information center to get notifications and see real-time updates directly in their News Feed or find it bookmarked on the left side of their feed or when they tap on their mobile app.

In the coming weeks, Facebook will also start showing messages to people who have liked, reacted, or commented on harmful misinformation about COVID-19 that have since been removed from the platform. These messages will connect people to COVID-19 myths including those that Facebook removed for leading to imminent physical harm.

On Messenger, you can message KIRA the KontraCOVID Chatbot, brought to you by the Department of Health (DOH). When you chat with KIRA, you can get immediate responses to the most common questions about the virus, information on how to protect yourself and your loved ones against COVID-19, and even do a self-check of your symptoms to gauge your risk for COVID-19. You can search for the Department of Health on the Messenger app or go to the official and click the Messenger button to get started.听

Instagram

While scrolling through Instagram, you鈥檒l find a notice at the top of your feed that directs you to credible resources from expert health organizations like the WHO and DOH. When searching for information and viewing hashtags related to COVID-19 on Instagram, resources from these health organizations are also put at the top to highlight them, making accurate information more accessible.

WhatsApp

If WhatsApp is your messaging app of choice, you can sign up to receive the which provides daily reports, tips on how to prevent the spread of the disease, and answers to COVID-19 FAQs that you can easily share with your friends and family. Just send 鈥淗i鈥� to +41 79 893 18 92 on WhatsApp or . The same WHO Health Alerts are
With COVID-19 information available to you 24/7, it鈥檚 important to remember that accurate information can save lives. So it鈥檚 crucial for everyone to take that responsibility very seriously and ensure that we only share legit and verified info. Factual sharing is caring.

You can learn more about how Facebook is keeping people safe and informed about Coronavirus .

]]> /community/2020/04/27/291362/sparkup-community-private-sector-led-project-ark-spearheads-rapid-testing-for-covid-19/ Mon, 27 Apr 2020 05:03:45 +0000 /?p=291362 In strategizing around COVID-19, business often arrive at a question of life vs. livelihood, health vs. the economy. When we open the economy, what are the repercussions on health? What role then does the private sector play in ensuring our nation’s well-being through the current crisis?

These are the questions that Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion tackled in an April 23 video conference, where he and his group publicly introduced Project ARK, a private sector-led initiative that aims to make massive testing possible through the use of Antibody Rapid test Kits.

A two-pronged approach

Project ARK听 is anchored on the combined efforts of the government and businesses to make massive testing possible at the community level.

鈥淭his isn鈥檛 a binary, zero-sum game. This is about how long we can manage the virus until a vaccine is available,鈥� said George Royeca, Chief Transport Advocate of Angkas. “We鈥檙e doing a two-pronged approach at Project ARK. Companies that have partnered with us will commit to spend out-of-pocket for the regular testing of their own employees. They will also be encouraged to adopt a barangay and support the testing efforts of the said barangay. It鈥檚 important to include residential areas in our efforts because it鈥檚 where workers live.鈥�

The project will also launch a data-driven initiative and testing protocol that will help identify persons with antibodies against the virus and possible convalescent plasma donors. Pilot tests have been done in various barangays in Metro Manila as partner companies have donated test kits to different hospitals following the Department of Health protocol.

Data gathered from all the testing activities will be used to map Covid-19 exposure levels in the capital too. This will then enable authorities to determine which barangays need to undergo a targeted quarantine, and which barangays can already be allowed to gradually resume economic operations.

Mass testing as a form of prevention

Mass testing is one of many response systems being discussed by public health experts鈥攚ith some officials skeptical of its practical effectivity. Among them, Dr. Edsel Salvana, director of the National Institutes of Health, who said mass testing would be a waste of money.

Mr. Concepcion begs to differ, framing it as simply part of the costs of doing business in today’s environment.

鈥淲e disagree that massive rapid testing of our employees is a waste of resources,” he said. “It is, in fact, a way of protecting our businesses and the lives of our people. If the business owner does not know who among his employees are infected, that is a far greater risk. This might even result in more damages and might place our factories and plants under future lockdown. The private sector would rather spend more money to ensure the safety and security of our people, rather than risk the health and future of the company.”

Mr. Concepcion explained that mass testing is a form of prevention, one that most mitigation models that were presented to the business sector proved to be key to restarting the economy.

“We just can鈥檛 allow things to fall apart,” he said. “This is not a time for finger-pointing; we must take immediate action and seek the cooperation of all parties concerned.鈥�

Companies interested to participate in Project ARK may email opae.gov@gmail.com for further information.

]]> /community/2020/04/27/291357/sparkup-community-isip-holds-second-social-impact-accelerator-demo-day/ Mon, 27 Apr 2020 02:49:18 +0000 /?p=291357 Innovation for Social Impact Partnership, or ISIP, held its second Demo Day through a web-based conferencing app last April 17.

ISIP is a project co-implemented by PhilDev Foundation (PhilDev) and United Nations Development Programme in the Philippines (UNDP) and supported by the Australian Embassy.

ISIP’s recent event culminates six months of support and training under the ISIP Social Impact Accelerator for four social enterprises:

• Filipina Homebased Moms (FHMoms) – a digital platform that equips Filipino mothers with skills that are useful for online jobs
• MAD Travel – a sustainable experiential travel platform that educates guests on sustainable development issues and practices
• Magwayen Organics – a sustainable personal care company advocating for marine conversation with products such as MAGWAI, a coral reef-safe sunscreen
• PeoplePods – a property management platform that provides dignified housing solutions to female migrant workers in Batangas and Laguna

After pitching their solutions to businesses and investors such as the Manila Angel Investors Network, ADB Ventures, the Department of Trade and Industry – Export Marketing Bureau, and Plug and Play Tech Center, the enterprises were also given the opportunity to match with them through separate breakout sessions in the afternoon.

During the event, various stakeholders also addressed the challenge posed by recent events. According to Titon Mitra, resident representative of UNDP, four out of the 15 social enterprises that have been supported by ISIP had to close shop due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite this, there remains a common belief that businesses will pull through these times. 鈥淭he health crisis has forced us to rethink how we can run our businesses under a new set of conditions,” said Dr. Paco Sandejas, chairman of PhilDev. “Today鈥檚 Social Enterprise Showcase demonstrates that through innovation and entrepreneurship, we can develop unique solutions that can address problems and multiply opportunities.”

]]> /community/2020/04/24/291093/sparkup-community-media-prod-agency-near-creative-to-hold-webinars-on-covid-19-marketing-practices/ Fri, 24 Apr 2020 05:01:53 +0000 /?p=291093 Near Creative, a media production agency, will be holding a free webinar series entitled 鈥淢arketing in the time of COVID-19鈥�, which will revolve around best marketing practices during this current pandemic. According to Roxi Biribicchi, the company’s co-founder, the goal is to provide a localized perspective for Filipino marketers navigating the shifting needs of the current crisis.

鈥淚鈥檝e been looking online for resources to help during this time, but none of them were truly relevant and contextual to the situation in the Philippines,” she said. “So we鈥檝e invited experts from different backgrounds to share their thoughts on the situation in hopes that they provide some guidance in a time that is challenging for us all.”

Details on its three sessions are as follows:

How to Adapt: The Coronavirus Forces Brands to Innovate

• Schedule: May 6, 4:30-5:30 PM
• Description: How businesses and brands can innovate digitally to survive and stay relevant
• Speakers: Walter Wong, Head of Marketing & Co-founder, Angkas; Shahab Shabibi, CEO, MyKuya; Dann De Guzman, CEO, CloudSwyft

Recovery Plan: How to Prepare For a Post COVID-19 World

• Schedule: May 7, 4:30-5:30 PM
• Description: What businesses and brands should expect post COVID-19 and how they can prepare
• Speakers: Carlo Asuncion, Chief Economist, Unionbank; Paul Rivera, CEO, Kalibrr; Paula Quea帽o, Managing Director, Haptic PR

Staying Sensitive: How to Communicate During COVID-19

• Schedule: May 8, 4:30-5:30 PM
• Description: Communication strategies
• Speakers: Sam Jeanblanc, Market Lead, Google Philippines; Aika Lim, Managing Director, Bridges PR; Camille Co, Content Creator & Entrepreneur

Those interested in participating in any of these webinars can find out more on .

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