, the total IPO bonus amounts to $4.361 million.听 Hundreds of the company鈥檚 leaders have been awarded equity while employees spread across the eight countries will receive a one-time cash bonus based on their tenure at the company.听听

,听TaskUs听provides outsourced customer support services to companies like Uber and Netflix.听听

鈥淭his company only exists because of the tireless work of our frontline teammates and incredible efforts of our support organizations from HR to IT to Finance. Without them, there would be no IPO. We wanted to ensure every听TaskUs听employee got a chance to participate with a bonus, and to continue our investments to support their career growth,鈥澨齌askUs听Chief Executive Officer Bryce Maddock said in a press statement.听听听

To be launched as well is a global tuition reimbursement and professional development program for employees seeking professional and academic development. Employees can select courses as long as it is related to the skills or knowledge required for their current role or any potential career advancement within听TaskUs.听听

Despite the pandemic, outsourcing revenue rose 1.4% to $26.7 billion last year from the 2019 figure,听the Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines said.听听

Globally, the BPO market is expected to register a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.5% from 2021 to 2028,听.听 鈥斕�Patricia B. Mirasol听听

In a five-week online program, 20 teams will be guided through the steps of launching a startup. 鈥淪upporting new approaches and innovation is especially important as we seek to meet the challenges posed by this pandemic. Bootqamp in particular targets idea stage innovators who are looking to bring their concepts out into the market for the first time,鈥� said QBO director Katrina Rausa Chan.听

鈥淢any startups would build an app or a platform the moment they think of a brilliant idea and all is good until they encounter issues. My tip for founders is to explore different ways you can validate your idea to make sure you鈥檙e not wasting your time, energy, and money. Don鈥檛 stop until you discover which technique suits your company,鈥� said MK Bertulfo of FHMoms, a startup that completed QBO鈥檚 first Bootqamp run.听

Bootcamp will be delivered fully online, with learning sessions, workshops, feedback sessions, and allocated periods for the teams to run validation activities with potential customers. At the culminating showcase, select teams will win valuable resources to support their product or business launch.听

For details, visit . Registration is open until Aug. 23. Bootcamp begins Sep. 4.

Facial recognition software has improved much over the years thanks to artificial intelligence, offering distinct advantages in terms of safety, security, and convenience. Because there is little regulation among the private vendors providing it, however, there are concerns that the technology is vulnerable to inheriting (and further cementing) humans鈥� racial, ethnic, and gender biases. This, as well as infringe on people鈥檚 right to privacy. For these reasons, critics believe and ripe for wrongful surveillance, profiling, and abuse.

In a letter addressed to US Senators Cory Booker and Kamala Harris, and Representatives Karen Bass, Hakeem Jeffries, and Jerrold Nadler, . He also announced that his company has sunset its general purpose facial recognition and analysis products.

Here are some salient parts from Krishna鈥檚 letter:

鈥淚n September 1953, IBM took a bold stand in favor of equal opportunity. Thomas J. Watson, Jr., then president of IBM, wrote to all employees:

鈥�. . .Each of the citizens of this country has an equal right to live and work in America. It is the policy of this organization to hire people who have the personality, talent and background necessary to fill a given job, regardless of race, color or creed.鈥�

Watson backed up this statement with action, refusing to enforce Jim Crow laws at IBM facilities. Yet nearly seven decades later, the horrible and tragic deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and too many others remind us that the fight against racism is as urgent as ever.鈥�

The letter continued with an offer from IBM to work with Congress in pursuit of justice and racial equity, particularly in policy areas such as police reform through new federal misconduct rules, as well as expanding opportunities through training and education for in-demand skills. It also advocated for technology policies that responsibly protect communities:

鈥淚BM no longer offers general purpose IBM facial recognition or analysis software. IBM firmly opposes and will not condone uses of any technology, including facial recognition technology offered by other vendors, for mass surveillance, racial profiling, violations of basic human rights and freedoms, or any purpose which is not consistent with our values and . We believe now is the time to begin a national dialogue on whether and how facial recognition technology should be employed by domestic law enforcement agencies.

Artificial Intelligence is a powerful tool that can help law enforcement keep citizens safe. But vendors and users of Al systems have a shared responsibility to ensure that Al is tested for bias, particularity when used in law enforcement, and that such bias testing is audited and reported.鈥�

鈥淭he symbolic nature of this is important,鈥� who directs the nonprofit AI For the People. Nkonde believes IBM shutting down a business 鈥渦nder the guise of advancing anti-racist business practices鈥� shows that it can be done and makes it 鈥渟ocially unacceptable for companies who tweet Black Lives Matter to do so while contracting with the police.鈥�

鈥淥nly 20% of students are able to complete their journey from enriching education to gainful employment. The odds can be improved.鈥�

is the founder and CEO of , the leading edtech platform in the Philippines committed to helping students make better-informed decisions for their education, career and life choices. He has a background in finance and economics, and worked at firms like Bain Capital and Goldman Sachs before deciding to move to the Philippines in 2015.

Here, he shares his thoughts on distance learning and Philippine education in the new normal:

DepEd will be relying heavily on parents to help this coming school year. The new normal compels them to supervise schoolwork on a more constant basis. How will parents cope with this new responsibility?

This will be a challenge for parents, especially those with children who aren鈥檛 in the primary levels. For instance, if the last time you had to use algebra was 18 years ago, how are you going to explain the concept to your kids now? Additionally, they also have to think about how this new school schedule fits in their work schedule. There are going to be considerations in terms of even better organizing their limited time.

How can parents set up a conducive learning environment for their children at home?

Ideally, you will need to have an area dedicated to studying. We know, however, that this is a question of resources. Not everyone has that option. If you live in a small home with six other people, you鈥檙e not going to have that dedicated area to study. You鈥檒l probably also have to deal with learning how to overcome distractions like having to block out other people鈥檚 conversations.

Online teaching is a different ballgame. Preparing lessons for physical classes is completely different from preparing lessons for virtual ones. How can teachers prepare for this evolution in their roles?

There are free online courses that teachers can use to reskill and upskill on their own, but transitioning to teaching online will get more manageable as the months go by. There are three batches who are dealing with distance learning: the first batch were the ones that dealt with the end of classes last March. That was a trial by fire in terms of how to comply with final requirements and so on. The later batches – those that start on August 24 and on January 2021 onwards – will benefit greatly from the iterations resulting from the first one.

Online learning is different from offline learning too. How can kids shine and succeed while being educated remotely?

I think that for students there are two factors: logistics and aspiration. There鈥檚 logistics in terms of time management and organization. There鈥檚 also the aspirational factor. Students will have to become acquainted with the concept of grit even at a young age. Because let鈥檚 face it: this is an incredibly tough situation. Let鈥檚 not sugarcoat it. People will have to overcome. I mean, we hear a lot of stories about Filipinos being so resilient. The thing about resilience is that it also sounds like survival. We don鈥檛 want students to just survive; fundamentally, we want them to thrive.

Students in particular need to realize what their purpose for getting a quality education is. It鈥檚 to give them a chance at a better future鈥攆or themselves and for their families.

I hear that only 20% of state universities will be able to do online learning at this point. What鈥檚 the most affordable solution for them to get on board?

There鈥檚 no easy answer but things will change as we go along the journey towards distance learning. I am proud to be a Filipino but one thing we鈥檙e not good at is feedback. We鈥檙e not good at hearing out criticisms. We need to have honesty and clarity in terms of our feedback loop so we can constantly improve how we can effectively implement distance learning. There will be birthing pains for sure.

No discussion on distance learning is complete without mentioning our country鈥檚 connectivity problems. Technology is a bridge for some, a chasm for others. Will this aggravate the gaps between the haves and have-nots?

The country has always had inequality. It鈥檚 still going to be a similar situation this coming SY 2020-2021. There will be inequality in the post-Covid-19 new normal. Technology is an enabler, but children that do not have technological access will struggle. That is the reality.

There鈥檚 a great that鈥檚 been going around that illustrates equality and how it鈥檚 different from equity. It鈥檚 an apt illustration of what true inclusion is.

You mentioned that India is launching 12 new TV channels solely dedicated to education. What do you think of the DepEd鈥檚 plan of providing 15% of airtime dedicated to children鈥檚 programming? They鈥檙e currently working with the Presidential Communications Group towards that end.

I think it鈥檚 a great idea! Of course it鈥檚 one-way, but people watch TV with a sense of joy. Kids can evoke that same sense of joy when learning through TV. Radio is even better. It鈥檚 a cheaper medium and can reach even the remotest areas.

You also mentioned that students are usually around their peers all day long. IATF Resolution #34 says that curricular activities such as sports fests are cancelled. What can be good alternatives for fostering camaraderie and a sense of community?

It goes back to students having to find purpose in group activities. If the joy of sports was doing sports together, then can you work out together whilst live streaming? It鈥檚 never gonna replace an actual basketball game, but if you got served half-rotten lemons, what鈥檚 the best lemonade you can make?

It鈥檚 also being philosophical and answering questions such as: why did you enjoy doing sports with others? If it鈥檚 because of reasons like the physical aspect of things, or attaining skills, or spontaneity, can you still exercise by yourself? Watch YouTube videos to improve? Find other ways of being spontaneous with your friends? Understand your why鈥攖hen you can think of substitutes.

You normally ask this much introspection from adults, but this may be a silver lining that we get a generation that鈥檚 a lot more introspective and that understands itself much better.

What role do you see platforms like Edukasyon.ph playing as we learn to live in this brave new world?

We encourage students to really explore what鈥檚 out there. That鈥檚 at the heart of Edukasyon.ph. We鈥檙e not the silver bullet for education in the Philippines, but we want to create an ecosystem where students can find all the support that they need. The role we are trying to play is one of a support system.

We always go back to how we can help students make the best out of the cards they were dealt with. We can鈥檛 change the cards, but we can change their understanding of the other cards they might not know they were also dealt with: opportunities they didn鈥檛 know existed, scholarships, free online courses, really useful blogs. It鈥檚 helping the students through all the decisions they have to make and helping them stay resilient. It鈥檚 making sure they find their joy and their purpose.

It鈥檚 not easy for anyone. It鈥檚 gonna be hard work, but if you know your why, it’ll help you figure out the best available how.

He鈥檚 referring to service contracting, an 鈥渁greement whereby a contractor supplies time, effort, and/or expertise instead of a good鈥�. In this case, the contractor is the transport operator, offering a transport service defined by an agreed number of kilometers and trips per day. The government, their client, will pay the operators a fixed amount and collect the fares from passengers themselves, possibly through an automated system.

Currently, many jeepneys operate on a boundary system, where the driver鈥檚 profit is whatever鈥檚 left after gas expense and vehicle 鈥渞ent鈥� to the operator. This puts pressure on the driver to take on as many passengers as possible per trip, in as many trips as they can make for the day. This incentivizes poor road behavior, like stopping to load passengers at non-designated areas, adding to our traffic problems.

Compounding this issue is the general community quarantine (GCQ), these jeepneys are , among drivers as they struggle to feed their families. This also makes commuting more challenging for the public, with some lining up at rail stations to ensure that they get to work on time.

By employing service contracting, drivers are assured a fixed salary. And since the number of passengers per trip is no longer a concern, this makes the current general community quarantine (GCQ) period a good transitional phase for service contracting until it becomes, potentially, a permanent arrangement.

鈥淸The driver鈥檚] job is to pick up the passengers but most importantly, [their] second job is to fulfill performance requirements: is it clean, is it safe. And in the time of COVID, [they] can say, 鈥業 can only take on half the amount of passengers,鈥欌�� said de la Pe帽a.

While several groups welcomed the proposal, some suggested that it wouldn’t come without its own bumps in the road. Atty. Zona Tamayo of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) mentioned the apprehension of some drivers to transition to a new system. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 blame them naman po鈥� because they鈥檝e been doing this for, let鈥檚 say, the past 30 years. Some even inherited the operation or driving of the jeep,鈥� she said.

ASec. Tony Lambino of the Department of Finance cited a huge number of competing requests for the government鈥檚 stimulus package, a barrier considering the proposal鈥檚 P32 billion price tag for a three-month run. 鈥淥ur deficit is already higher than 8% of GDP, and the bills that we鈥檝e seen in terms of economic stimulus plan, let鈥檚 just say that they blow up the deficit,鈥� he said.

But for de la Pe帽a, it could be a measure well worth the price.

鈥淐ompetitiveness is not just about our tax levels, because we can have the lowest taxes in the world, but if our workers are exhausted and there鈥檚 a high cost to business not because of the taxes but because of the transportation in doing business, then we鈥檙e not competitive,鈥� he said.

With the IMF World Economic Outlook forecasting the country鈥檚 economic growth will crash to 0.6% in 2020, from 5.9% in 2019, the shock to the real economy and in turn society will be far reaching and long term.

As with all micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), technology startups have been hit hard by this crisis. In response there are currently 19 programs of government assistance available to MSMEs, in recognition that they are the backbone of the Philippines鈥� economy (comprising 99% of businesses and providing two-thirds of jobs).

However, due to their fundamental differences with most MSMEs, this support is not available to startups. Loan sizes are either inadequate, or loan criteria (such as required lengths of operation, positive cash flows, debt/equity limits, etc.) cannot be satisfied by most startups.

Much of the Philippine startup ecosystem is close to the point of bankruptcy or closure. A collapse in consumer demand, an inability to provide services during the Extended Community Quarantine (ECQ) period and soaring corporate late payment rates as cash flows tighten, have significantly affected startup revenues and compressed their runways.

A generation of Filipino startups could be wiped out without further specialized liquidity support.听

Not a handout, an investment in the Philippines鈥� future.

Offering handouts to startups beyond that available to other MSMEs is not the right response.

This crisis has created a long list of needs in the Philippines. Studies suggest that about three out of five Filipinos have limited capacity to subsist without additional support if community quarantines are extended beyond one month.

With unparalleled demand, the government cannot provide direct support to all sectors. Scarce taxpayer funds need to be used where there is the greatest need to respond to human suffering and stabilize the economy.

Rather, mechanisms are required to serve as a powerful catalyst to unlock private sector support for startups, to ensure that they receive enough liquidity investment to remain viable and survive this crisis.

The Manila Angel Investors Network calls for the establishment of a Development Finance Institution-backed blended finance facility to issue bridging finance, alongside private sector funds, in the form of convertible loans, to technology startups impacted by COVID-19.

Such catalyst is bridge financing would incentivize individual and corporate investors holding on to their cash reserves to back Filipino early stage technology companies in a meaningful way.

For use solely for working capital purposes, it is intended to mitigate the immediate impact of the COVID-19 liquidity crunch, instead of stretching the impact over several years.

Its focus of support would be on funded startups鈥攕eed stage and onwards鈥攖o ensure it backs only startups that have a chance of commercial success beyond COVID-19. Unfunded businesses would not be supported, as these have a high chance of failure even in a stable economy.

Such a fund should also have the option to do invoice factoring, that is, provide startups with cash flow by purchasing their outstanding credit worthy invoices.

As a matched fund it avoids damaging or distorting the ecosystem, as it:

– does not prop up unsuccessful companies or investors,

– limits the risk of the government spending taxpayer money on poor businesses,

– Is structured to give taxpayers upside, in effect a loan

– And requires skin in the game from the private sector.

This action needs to be taken quickly, as any delay will prove fatal for startups, which may be down to as little as a few weeks of cash runway.

Why save Filipino startups?

Startups have a high chance of failure, even in a stable economy鈥攕o why not let them?

Simply put, the current crisis is not normal market risk, and its impact will decimate Filipino startups across the board. The Philippines will be losing good companies with the bad. As a result, it will:

– lose talent,

– lose a key driver of economic innovation which develops new products and helps power exponential growth,

– and lose all the hard work from a. Generation of investments made into the startup ecosystem.

Petr Sadlacek, a professor of economics at the University of Oxford researching startups for the European Commission, found that startups 鈥渁re the ones that create the jobs.鈥�

鈥淎lmost 100 percent of the new people hired in an economy come through startups and young firms,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he large firms are where most people work, but the startups are where jobs are created.鈥�

Further, the impact of COVID-19 is not gender neutral. Women founders will be disproportionately impacted by the current crisis. Less than a quarter of startups in the Philippines are founded by women. In normal times, venture capital does not support female startup founders. Within the UK, for example, only 1p of every 拢1 of venture capital goes to women-led startups. This disparity will be felt for funding raised during this crisis period.

For this reason, MAIN calls for greater support for women owned or led startups during this crisis, and recommends that a higher level of leverage be provided by the proposed fund.

Most importantly, without action, the Philippines will be left behind, and startups domiciled in other ASEAN countries will capture our home market. Those startups that survive these times will be positioned to dominate the ASEAN markets. With the government of Singapore providing a 75% wage subsidy and deferred low interest bridging loans (up to SGD$5 million) providing cash flow support, their startups will preserve their capacity and capabilities, hitting the ground running once their ECQ is lifted.

We do not believe the future of the Philippines I served by standing by and doing nothing. Together with the private sector, we can unite for the survival and growth of Philippine startups that drive job creation and deliver compelling solutions to the country鈥檚 pressing needs.

SafePass

SafePass is an all-digital, contact-free authorizing, scheduling, and contact tracing platform. The system aims to help companies better manage their physical locations by allowing them to control the number of people in their premises, and by providing contact tracing capacities, notifying their customers should an incident arise from their location.

Among the platforms features are:

听– Scheduling and capacity management – for better implementation of physical distancing rules;
听– Guest reservation – for a more predictable visit for everyone;
听– Visitor health questionnaire – for the collection of health information from every visitor in an all-digital and contact-free way; and
听– Contact tracing analytics – for an improved incident management experience.

SafePass asserts they claim no ownership over the data they process. This information volunteered by users is to be used by the businesses only for contact tracing purposes.

Given the example of a grocery store using this system, UNAWA explains the user experience as follows:

End-users, whether customers (shoppers) or employees, will need to sign up for a SafePass QR from the establishment first. SafePass has a feature called Guest Reservation that will enable end-users (based on the Business鈥� subscription plan) to 鈥渞eserve鈥� his / her access to a specific establishment.

The grocery will need not email a health questionnaire, as this feature is built into the SafePass app. The questions include three specific questions related to: having fever over 37.5, experiencing symptoms (e.g. cough, vomiting), and contact with someone that has confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 or travel to another country.

You will not need to send a SMS to inform them of your preferred shopping time slot, nor will the grocery revert with a confirmation SMS.

Under the Guest Reservation feature, the user will be able to select the time slot to gain access / entry to the grocery, based on the time slots provided by the business. SafePass also allows admin operators (or those who will manage SafePass) to set the capacity per slot that it will define in its settings.

This Capacity Planning feature will help to minimize foot traffic and ease crowds. Scheduling and Capacity Management also help to make business more predictable.

If someone in the facility turns out to be COVID-19 positive or has confirmed diagnosis of COVID19, the system allows businesses to contact those who were in contact with said person provided that the information given is sufficient to trace the contact.

SafePass will be web-based, so will not need to be downloaded. Access via web browser is all that is needed. Once he/she receives a SafePass QR from a specific establishment, they may already be granted access to enter said establishment, given they meet the minimum health criteria.

SafeForm

The firm鈥檚 second offering, SafeForm, helps companies 鈥�take that next step in digital transformation鈥� by enabling business owners to create digital forms or convert their analog forms to digital platforms. It allows for securing company data and contact-free transactions and processes through:

听– Digitization – transformation of analog forms and information into digital data;
听– Protection – protection of data and compliance with Philippine Data Privacy laws; and
听– Transaction – creation of e-signatures, etc. to make forms legally binding.

As with SafePass, SafeForm will likewise not own any consumer data.

The realities of the next normal

These two systems were born out of the health concerns, mobility restrictions, and the necessary shift to the digital economy. With both platforms, UNAWA aims to enable entrepreneurs to operate effectively in the next normal.

Winston Damarillo, Chief Strategy Officer of UNAWA and Executive Chairman of Amihan Global Strategies, said, 鈥淕usto nating bigyan ng lakas ng loob ang ating mga negosyo para magbukas, at gusto nating bigyan ng tiwala ang ating mga consumers at pumunta at [tangkilikin ang] ating mga businesses.鈥�

[鈥淲e want to give our entrepreneurs the courage to reopen, and we want to give our consumers the confidence to go and patronize these businesses.鈥漖

The entry level plan for SafePass is free for one establishment. Scan the QR codes below to book a free demo for either system or email una@unawa.asia.

One inspired night, she decided to respond to an online job listing from a Canadian tattoo shop looking for email support. To her surprise, she got called for an interview a few hours later. It was the first of many similar, well-paying jobs she would end up taking鈥攋obs she could do from home, earning her the time for her family and financial freedom that she, and so many women in her position, yearned for.

In 2017, one of her friends, who had also worked at a call center, had a baby. Bertulfo knew she had an entire playbook of tips she could share to help her friend out. But, realizing that this struggle they shared was a universal one, she decided to create a Facebook group to share those strategies with all her mommy friends. The small group quickly ballooned to encompass more than 195,000 members from all over the country, all looking to Bertulfo for career advice.

Before long, she was flying out from Metro Manila to as far as Zamboanga every week, holding seminars, with her baby in tow. She even started conducting online training sessions for mothers who lived in far-flung areas.

In the span of two years, Bertulfo 鈥榮 online support group grew into a full-fledged business: Filipina Homebased Moms (FHMoms).

Tailor-fitted learning

Today, FHMoms has expanded beyond a simple support group, now offering market research services for brands looking for insights from working mothers. They also offer recruitment services, partnering with a BPO looking for call center agents among the group鈥檚 members.

But staying true to its original purpose, FHMoms is still primarily an e-learning platform for mothers, offering courses including:

– social media marketing,
– local and international e-commerce,
– photo and video editing,
– writing
– and basic SEO.

鈥淲e wanted them to choose the online course that they like,鈥� Bertulfo said. 鈥淭he idea is like it鈥檚 school where you only focus on one field, unlike other e-learning platforms that offer courses in bundles.鈥�

鈥淥ur trainers are also mommies, so it鈥檚 more personal and they can relate [to their students],鈥� said Bertulfo. 鈥淎nd our courses and platform are designed for busy moms鈥� That鈥檚 why they like [the courses], because once they鈥檙e done with their chores at home, for example, they鈥檙e more encouraged to study.鈥�

For those unable to take advantage of their online courses, FHMoms also does on-site training sessions.

Keeping mommies at heart

But beyond new revenue streams and the better lifestyles that come with it, Bertulfo shared that it鈥檚 the sense of pride and dignity that the members of her community鈥攎any of whom were never able to finish school鈥攈ave really come to appreciate. For one member, a single mother and PWD, her life changed when she was able to secure a post as a virtual assistant. For another, her nine-year stretch of unemployment finally came to an end with a writing gig she secured through the community.

鈥淲hen I started this, all I had in mind then was my officemates, my friends,鈥� said Bertulfo, believing her personal connection with her community has been instrumental to her success. 鈥淏ecause of that, I was able to create a culture and environment for the community that was more genuine, that wasn鈥檛 too focused on business and money.鈥�

鈥淚t was such a big help that my market represents who I really am. So it wasn鈥檛 hard to solve the problems because I understood them, I had experienced them, and I was able to come up with these solutions myself.鈥�

In a recent report by PwC Philippines, 36% of surveyed startup founders were concerned about reduced workforce productivity. With new quarantine guidelines slowly easing on-site restrictions for businesses, it鈥檚 no surprise that employers are raring for a return to the office.

With more and more employees coming out of their homes, what can employers do to make their facilities as safe as possible? KC Gamboa, AVP – Enterprise Solutions at KMC Solutions, shared a checklist during their webinar Work: To Return or Not to Return held last May 14.

1. Ensure cleanliness in your facilities.

Since COVID-19 can be through droplets on surfaces, it鈥檚 necessary for your office to be regularly sanitized. Make sure that your methods are approved by a reliable health authority, such as these from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Also, minimize points of contact as much as possible. One mode to explore is an RFID system for clock-in in lieu of the usual biometric access.

2. Reinforce best practices.

The cleanliness of your building is one thing; the sanitation of its occupants is another. While many best practices have been ingrained in our minds since the start of the pandemic, it鈥檚 wise to create tangible guides to reinforce these.

For example, marked pathways indicating traffic flow and proper positions can help your employees observe proper social distancing. You may also indicate the number of people allowed at a time in closed areas such as meeting rooms, and rearrange workstations so that the one-meter distancing is followed.

You may also want to send out constant reminders on essential knowledge such as the proper way of washing hands and the right kinds of masks to wear. This can be done virtually such as through group emails, or through tangible materials such as posters.

3. Remind your employees to regularly monitor themselves.

鈥淔irst and foremost, you have to check: are you healthy enough to go outside again?鈥� said Gamboa. 鈥淏ecause we are not 100% sure [that you鈥檒l be safe from infection], even though all sanitation exercises are being done.鈥�

Encourage your employees to take care of their bodies by following a healthy diet, taking vitamins, exercising, and getting enough sleep. To avoid transmission, ask them to bring and regularly clean their own face masks and eating utensils. Provide disinfectants like rubbing alcohol, if possible. And if they鈥檙e experiencing any , strictly enforce the recommended 14-day self-quarantine.

4. Keep work arrangement options open for your employees.

While you may have some employees reporting back to the office, it doesn鈥檛 mean that all of them have to. If you have certain employees who are performing well working outside the office, or are working on tasks that don鈥檛 require them to be on-site, then by all means allow them to work from home, satellite offices, or coworking spaces.

This kind of system is what Gamboa explains to be the , wherein several facilities or 鈥渟pokes鈥� in different locations are all connected to a centralized 鈥渉ub鈥�. This could be your company鈥檚 HQ. Through this model, your company can continue operating efficiently while lessening the risk of transmission.

Organized by Investagrams, this year鈥檚 Investa Online Summit gathers a lineup of speakers including:

• RJ Ledesma of Easy Franchise
• Steve Sy of Greatdeals E-commerce
• Jonathan Ravelas, BDO Unibank鈥檚 FVP and Chief Market Strategist
• Jet Mojica of BOH Society
• Javi Medina of Open Journal
• CJ Cajoles of Online Filipino Freelancers
• Edison Tsai of SeedIN Technologies
• Mariah Florence Czarah Cruz, a financial technician
• Joseph Aquino of Mesino
• and Investagrams CEO, JC Bisnar.

Also joining Investa Online Summit鈥檚 roster are global traders including Linda Raschke (United States), Mark Ritchie II (United States), Rolf Schlotmann and Moritz Czubatinksi (Tradeciety, Germany), and Adrian Reid (Enlightened Stock Trading, Australia).

鈥淲e’ve decided to adapt to our current scenario while providing higher value to everyone,鈥� said JC Bisnar, Investagrams CEO. 鈥淚nstead of just having the usual physical event, we’re ramping up our speakers and improving our accessibility by putting Investa Summit 2020 online. This way we’re bringing to you renowned speakers locally and globally. At the same time, we’re able to ensure everyone’s safety.鈥�

Bisnar shared that as our local index is having a major correction, it鈥檚 important to diversify and to consider transitioning to the global markets.

Investagrams is the leading social-financial platform and mobile app in the Philippines, providing virtual stock market trading, analytical tools, market education, and a social network to empower traders and investors of all levels. The firm aims to increase the investing population of the Philippines to 10 million Filipinos, with the Online Summit serving as another step towards that goal.

Tickets for the virtual summit start at P1,999.

For more information, you can visit the and receive updates through their .

Bayanihan, or the spirit of communal unity and collaboration, is a core essence of the Filipino culture. This ancient local custom lives on among Filipinos even in the modern age as they work hand-in-hand to achieve a common, ultimate goal. In a similar way, such kind of spirit is what the local startup community needs 鈥� collective action from the government, the academe, and private institutions across the spectrum 鈥� to sustain rapid development.

With the aim of fostering unity among every member of the Filipino startup ecosystem, SparkUp, 大象传媒鈥檚 multimedia platform for the next generation of businessmen and the growing startup community, staged the second SparkUp Summit at ABS-CBN Vertis Tent, Quezon City last October 19 that gathered more than 450 delegates, who are mostly students and entrepreneurs.

This year鈥檚 SparkUp Summit, with the theme 鈥淭he Bayanihan Ecosystem: Cultivating Philippine Startups,鈥� brought together founders, incubators, accelerators, venture capitalists, mentors, and members of the national government to converse on various points and help forge vital connections among the different stakeholders of the startup community.

SparkUp Editor Santiago J. Arnaiz opened the summit with a welcome remarks, highlighting the support that the Philippine startup community needs to continuously grow. 鈥淚t needs people shining light on the initiatives happening locally, the talents that exist locally,鈥� he said.

Meanwhile, Butch Meily, president of IdeaSpace Foundation and the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation, and head of QBO Innovation Hub, gave the summit鈥檚 keynote address where he underscored the importance of startups to the Philippine economy and the support needed from different sectors to help them grow.

Although the Philippine startup community is relatively small compared to other countries, Mr. Meily said that it is now on its right track. To further its growth, more mentorship, networking and funding are necessary, he said.

鈥淭he key message is we need to do this together. If one of you succeeds, we all succeed. So walang (there鈥檚 no) crab mentality because if one startup becomes a unicorn, it attracts more dollars, more pesos, more investments, more interests in this area of the economy. So we want you to succeed and we can only do it if we work together, if you collaborate with each other, if you exchange ideas and support,鈥� Mr. Meily said.

The whole-day conference went on with six sessions and two panel discussions. In the first session titled 鈥淪o You Want to Be a Founder?: The Trials and Triumphs of Launching a Startup,鈥� Carmina Bayombong, co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of InvestEd; and Spark Perreras, co-founder and CEO of Pearlpay, shared their respective entrepreneurial journeys and how they overcame challenges along their ways, especially in the early stages of a business.

In starting a company, Ms. Bayombong said that it鈥檚 important to focus on the mission. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not about you and your ego,鈥� she said, adding that criticisms must be taken constructively. For his part, Mr. Perreras highlighted the need for the kind of co-founder, mentor and early team members to look for in starting a business, who is somebody that a certain entrepreneur can grow old with.

During the second session, 鈥淔rom Seed to E: Founder鈥檚 Guide to Funding,鈥� Patch Dulay, founder and CEO of The Spark Project, discussed the basics of crowdfunding and the things to keep in mind to crowdfund the right way. Mica F. Tan, CEO of MTF Group, also spoke during the session and discussed the guide to funding and how to get investors to say 鈥測es.鈥�

Meanwhile, the third session, 鈥淎 Public-Private Effort: The Key Role of Governments in Empowering Startups,鈥� centered on the government initiatives and legislation that empower the startup ecosystem. Speakers of the session include Agnes Legaspi, assistant director of the Department of Trade and Industry 鈥� Export Marketing Bureau (DTI-EMB); Emmy Lou V. Delfin, director of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) – ICT Industry Development Bureau; and Dr. Enrico Paringit, executive director of Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD).

Andrew Rothgaber of drone-based delivery startup Zipline also joined the session and discussed how startups can complement the public sector in improving people鈥檚 lives.

The first part of the summit closed with a panel discussion about the challenges and opportunities of running a startup. Mr. Perreras, Mr. Dulay and Mr. Rothgaber sat as the panelists, with Ronster Baetiong of Podcast Network Asia as moderator.

The conference continued in the afternoon with a session titled 鈥淪tronger Together: Community Building Through Collaborative Entrepreneurship.鈥� Sharing their insights about the topic were Diane Eustaquio, executive director of IdeaSpace Foundation; Richard Prodigalidad, founder of LEENTech Network Solutions; and Kat Chan, director of QBO Innovation Hub.

To discuss more about innovations and how to leverage on them, Jay Fajardo, founder and CEO of Launchgarage; and Ibba Bernardo, CEO of I Am Cardboard PH, shared the stage during the fifth session, 鈥淭he Next Frontier: Identifying Opportunities for Innovation in the Philippines.鈥�

The last session of the summit, 鈥淔uture-proofing Through Learning: The Forces Shaping the Future, and How We Can Stay Ahead,鈥� centered on the forces that will shape the future and the ways to keep ahead of the game. Speakers of the session include Henry Motte-Mu帽oz, CEO and founder of Edukasyon; Lope Doromal, Jr., chief technology officer of IBM Philippines; and Carlo Calimon, director of StartUp Village.

According to Mr. Doromal, the only way to future-proof the company and ourselves is to continue learning new things. Mr. Calimon during his presentation shared the same sentiment, adding the importance of sharing these learnings to others.

An insightful panel discussion on how to spot business opportunities concluded the summit. It was moderated by SparkUp Editor Mr. Arnaiz, with Mr. Bernardo, Mr. Prodigalidad and Mr. Calimon as the panelists.

The SparkUp Summit 2019 is made possible by sponsors EastWest Bank, De La Salle University, and Philippine Business Bank, with organization partners Asia Society Philippines, Business Economics Association, IdeaSpace Foundation, Launchgarage, QBO Innovation Hub, StartUp Village and The Spark Project; media partners The Philippine Star, One News, Ambidextr, Benildean Press Corp, DZUP, The Varsitarian, and UP Maroon FM; podcast partner Hustleshare; venue partner ABS-CBN Vertis Tent; event partner Fiera de Manila, Inc.; and featured brands 1Export, Cawil.Ai, Chub Chaser, COCOTEL, ECFulfill, Tipsy Pig, and iRentmo.听

Fostering this unity is the goal of this year鈥檚 SparkUp Summit, aptly themed 鈥淭he Bayanihan Ecosystem: Cultivating Philippine Startups鈥� on October 19, 2019, from 8:00 am – 6:00 pm in ABS-CBN Vertis Tent, Quezon City. By gathering founders, incubators, accelerators, venture capitalists, mentors, and the government, the event aims to spark discourse on various points and help forge vital connections among the different stakeholders of the community.

Butch Meily, president of IdeaSpace Foundation and the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation and head of QBO Innovation Hub, will give the keynote speech. A total of 6 sessions will cover a wide array of topics, including the intricacies of launching a startup, stages of funding, the government鈥檚 role in supporting startups, and how to maximize the technologies of the future.

To register your team and know more about the program details, visit www.bworldonline.com/SparkUpSummit2019 or contact Ms. Shai Cordero at smcordero@bworldonline.com through 8-535-9901 loc. 824.

SparkUp Summit 2019 is brought to you by SparkUp powered by 大象传媒. With sponsors: De La Salle University, EastWestBank and Philippine Business Bank.

Organization Partners: Asia Society 鈥� Philippines, Business Economics Association, IdeaSpace Foundation, Launchgarage, QBO Innovation Hub, StartUp Village and The Spark Project; Featured Brands: 1Export, Cawil.AI, Chubs Chasers, Cocotel, eCFulfill, iRENT MO and Tipsy Pig Gastropub; Media Partners: Adobo Magazine, Ambidextr, DZUP, Maroon FM, The Philippine Star and One News; Podcast Partner: HustleShare Podcast Network Asia; Venue Partner: Vertis North; and Event Partner: Fiera de Manila.

We look forward to fostering the bayanihan spirit with you!

Bianca Eyales, associate consultant at Acumen Strategy Consultants, opened the series with her presentation about her firm鈥檚 findings about generation Z, a cohort whose members 鈥� born roughly between the latter half of 1990s to the first half of 2010s 鈥� are often lumped in with the millennials. 鈥淲hy is Gen Z relevant today? Because while many of us might think of them as children or students, the oldest Gen Zers are actually already entering the workforce and are emerging consumers. Hence, many organizations, many companies are trying to understand Generation Z,鈥� she said.

Gen Zers, Acumen found, are quite heavy Internet users, going online to connect with family and friends and to be informed; when they鈥檙e offline, they get bored easily. They express themselves better online than in person, and recognize that they have a problem with connecting with others offline. They enjoy life and pursue new adventures, but they do so with a sense of responsibility. They care not only about financial rewards when it comes to looking for jobs, but also ethical reputation and growth opportunities.

Meanwhile, Jay Soriano, vice-president and head of integrated planning at Energy Development Corp., emphasized the need to shift to renewable energy away from coal, the continuous use of which only exacerbates climate change. 鈥淲e believe that business, next to the government, has a pivotal role in protecting our planet from the disastrous effects of climate change and ensuring a sustainable future for our youth,鈥� he said.

Mr. Soriano encouraged audience members to patronize the products of companies that have committed themselves to clean energy. He also said, 鈥淔or those who are keen to embrace sustainability, there are green jobs and sustainable or environmentally responsible companies that you can apply for and build a career in.鈥�

In her talk, Kay Ma帽ebo, senior vice-president for wealth and investment management of Wells Fargo Enterprise Global Services Philippines, extolled the values of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very important that we don鈥檛 discriminate against race, religion, political views, etc. Why is that? It鈥檚 because we need to have diverse thoughts. Only when we have diverse thoughts can we really grow as a company. Because if we think alike, we will never progress,鈥� she said.

Stepping out of one鈥檚 comfort zone is another lesson Ms. Ma帽ebo imparted to the attendees of the talks. She recounted how she had to move out of her own comfort zone when she transferred from one company to another, from one role to another. 鈥淵ou have to be comfortable being uncomfortable,鈥� she said.

Ms. Ma帽ebo also touched on what corporate culture is. 鈥淐orporate culture is nothing but a company鈥檚 vision, values and goals that everyone brings to life. How do you bring it to life? You can only bring it to life if you believe in it,鈥� she said.

That鈥檚 when I began exploring entrepreneurship. Now steeped in the F&B world, I thought about starting a restaurant, or a food stall. But all around my home of Naga, I saw food businesses saturating the local market. Besides, I didn鈥檛 have the capital to put one up anyway. So I thought, what if I bring something new to Naga? What if instead of putting up yet another restaurant for Naga鈥檚 foodies, my customers are the restaurants themselves?

That鈥檚 when I founded Pandalivery

It was May 1, 2017. I was 19 years old with no real money, but the drive to make this business work. At the time, food delivery wasn’t a thing here in Naga. I knew I was going to have to get creative launching this concept. So I made my decision to launch the first food delivery platform in my area. Next step was to gather my resources. I borrowed two phones my parents鈥� had lying around, my brother鈥檚 four-year-old motorcycle, and a styrofoam box I tied to the back. All-in-all, I spent P500 on sim cards, load, and fuel for the motorcycle. That was the startup.

A few minutes on Facebook and I had a business page up and running. I called it 鈥淧roject INNOVATE鈥�. It was a generic name, but something I felt captured what I was trying to do in Naga. I began by reaching out to some friends I had who owned a cafe and restaurant. I knew they had some requests for home deliveries, but couldn鈥檛 be bothered to add that workflow into their business. So I drove my secondhand, styrofoam startup over and found my first clients.

In Pandalivery鈥檚 first month, I was both founder and sole employee of the startup. I started with three partner establishments/merchants, making 10 to 15 deliveries a day. Not to mention my mom鈥檚 ultimatum stood and I had to balance the business with school. While my teachers understood (and some even respected) my grind, I was cutting classes to make deliveries, studying from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. just to balance out work and academics. I needed to scale.

So I began hiring employees to handle deliveries, and the business began to take off. I never had a co-founder, so I taught myself to handle operations, finance, marketing, and creatives. If it wasn’t for those people behind my back, I wouldn’t have the guts and determination to keep this startup running. I owe the success of this company to the people who were part of it, my team, my staff, each and every one of them contributed to Pandalivery.

As a young entrepreneur and startup founder, not a lot of people believed in me. I would always get told behind my back that I was not fit to run my business or I was too young to run a food delivery startup. I would feel the sharp knives behind my back but as we were growing, each knife was removed slowly and surely.

Two years later, we’re still here, delivering over three thousand orders for awesome Pandas all over the province. We have more than 60 partner establishments and restaurants on our platform and we’re still growing. Running a startup may be hard but it honestly saved my life — teaching me to dream big and bounce back from failure.

There鈥檚 this notion that convenience driven services like on-demand food deliveries are models only fit for Manila. I proved them wrong.

I always tell my friends to build their own startups. Startups make real change and innovate the things we do everyday. It’s hard but it’s worth the struggle. You get to learn everything first hand. You’ll get to understand how great companies started and failed. I want people to understand that failure is inevitable because it’s not about your failure, it’s about how you get back up.

]]> /spark/2019/07/08/240907/sparkup-spark-zero-to-trading-hero-learn-to-invest-with-these-online-platforms/ Mon, 08 Jul 2019 07:57:54 +0000 /?p=240907 After a sharp decline in 2018, the Philippine Stock Exchange Composite Index (PSEi) rebounded in the first half of 2019, making it the third best performing index in Southeast Asia. In the first six months of the year, many prominent unicorns such as Uber, Lyft, and Slack debuted in the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). And after being valued below USD 3,500 last February, Bitcoin breached the USD 10,000 mark last June.听

All of these are interesting news bites, but they unfortunately fall on deaf ears for a majority of the population. In a national survey on financial inclusion, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) revealed that only three percent of Filipino adults invest their money in stocks, bonds, pooled funds, and other similar vehicles. The BSP added that the top three reasons why Filipinos weren鈥檛 investing were the lack of money from unemployment, the high cost needed to invest, and not being aware of the available options.

Fortunately, there are several digital platforms that are addressing these barriers to investing and making it much more accessible to the country鈥檚 tech-savvy population. From low minimum investment amounts to virtual trading, these platforms are introducing innovative ways to get the risk-averse Filipino to see the importance in investing their hard-earned money.

Here are four of these platforms helping Filipinos get started with their investing journey:

GCash鈥檚 Invest Money

Almost all investment vehicles in the Philippines require a minimum capital of P5,000 to start investing. While that鈥檚 already relatively low, especially compared to minimum amounts in traditional platforms, that鈥檚 still a hefty amount for most Filipinos.

That鈥檚 what mobile wallet app GCash aims to address with its Invest Money feature, which allows users to invest in mutual funds for a minimum of only P50. GCash also makes it easier for investors as they can manage their investments all within the app, such as adding more capital, transferring them to a different mutual fund, or redeeming the investments.

On top of having a very low cost of entry, GCash also allows Filipinos to invest in funds without needing to go to a bank branch and opening an account. Interested investors only need to register for a GCash account and fill up a few documents through thr mobile application. This allows GCash to not only reach Filipinos without investments, but even those without formal financial accounts.

ATRAM鈥檚 Seedbox

While GCash鈥檚 Invest Money feature makes investing much more accessible, it only offers a handful of mutual funds as options. In reality, there are many mutual funds available that cater to investors with different appetites for risk. Some funds are made for those who are more conservative with their capital, while others appeal to those who are more aggressive with their investments.

Although many investment houses offer a wide variety of funds, one of the very few that offers a comprehensive online facility is ATR Asset Management (ATRAM)鈥檚 Seedbox. In partnership with Indonesia鈥檚 Indivira Group, ATRAM launched Seedbox to make it easier for individuals to invest in its mutual funds online. By registering with their platform and with a minimum capital of P1,000, users can choose to invest in one of ATRAM鈥檚 10 mutual funds, each with varying degrees of risk. The entire process happens within the Seedbox platform, making it more seamless and more convenient for potential investors.

For those unfamiliar with the compositions of the different types of mutual funds, Seedbox also offers mutual fund packages based on an investor鈥檚 personal risk appetite, covering a spectrum between conservative and aggressive. On top of these, the Seedbox website also has a built-in goal planner for those who have a specific end-goal with their investments, allowing them to visualize how they can grow their capital in a specified amount of time.

Investagrams鈥檚 vTrade

Though it is not mentioned in the BSP survey, one other factor preventing Filipinos from investing is that many are inexperienced and afraid of losing their money to poor investment choices.

Fintech startup Investagrams offers a simple but effective solution with its Virtual Trading platform called vTrade. By becoming an Investagrams member, vTrade will provide users with virtual money that they can then use to practice investing in one of the most volatile investment instruments: stocks. They can then see their virtual capital increase and decrease in value depending on their chosen trades, allowing them to experience the volatility of stock trading without actually losing money.

When members are ready to move on to the real thing, Investagrams offers digital tools to analyze price movements and indicators of the over 250 stocks in the PSE. The platform also has a social media component encouraging members to interact with each other by sharing strategies, recommending stocks, and giving advice.

eToro鈥檚 CopyTrader

While the tools offered by Investagrams allow users to learn the basics of stock trading, forming a solid strategy takes years of experience. Investors with consistent returns on investment today all had to go through long spells of losses before figuring out the strategy that worked for them.

But one way new investors can receive the same benefits as their experienced counterparts is through eToro, an international social investing platform. With its CopyTrader feature, eToro users can go through the platform鈥檚 extensive database of experienced investors and choose which ones they鈥檇 want to copy. This means that any investments bought or sold by the expert investor will also be executed in the user鈥檚 capital, allowing them to receive the same profits (and losses) as the expert investor.

Similar to Investagrams, eToro allows its members to practice using its CopyTrader feature with virtual money. However, unlike the rest of the platforms listed above, eToro enables its users to invest in vehicles all over the world, from stock markets and exchange traded funds based in other countries to foreign exchanges and cryptocurrencies. This gives Filipino investors the chance to diversify their portfolios and find more opportunities beyond what鈥檚 available in the local market.

With these digital platforms, investing has become simpler, more accessible, and more inclusive than ever before. By giving investors more control over their capital and by introducing innovative tools that increase awareness and even decrease risk, these digital investment platforms all aim to cultivate investing as a means for profit among Filipinos.

]]> /spark/2019/06/28/239169/sparkup-spark-robot-bellboys-and-smart-concierges-whats-next-for-hospitality/ Fri, 28 Jun 2019 07:17:51 +0000 /?p=239169 Hospitality is an intrinsic part of being human. From pre-colonial communities welcoming foreign traders to our shores to Filipinos opening their homes to their balikbayan friends — over time, the forms it鈥檚 taken has evolved and grown, but the desire to make guests feel warm and welcome has always been constant.

Five-star hotels offer luxury accommodations and signature restaurants, while boutique hostels promise coziness and a feel of home. With millennials and Gen Zs becoming the market of choice for those in the hospitality industry, two main factors will influence the industry for the coming years: new technologies and a new customer mindset.

Machines and mindsets

Several establishments have already begun integrating new technologies into their operations. Multinational hospitality groups Marriott and the InterContinental are using autonomous robot developer Savioke鈥檚 Relay robots to perform menial tasks like room service deliveries. Opus Hotel installed an artificial intelligence-powered, smartconcierge system called Ivy to accommodate guests upon check-in.

And these changes aren鈥檛 just on the front-end. Shore Suite and Hotel Link Solutions are two of the many solutions providers for hoteliers looking to streamline their operations. These firms offer everything from booking engines to online reputation management systems.

This kind of industry innovation may be par for the course for millennials and Gen Zs. Growing up with different technologies like the internet has contributed in shaping their mindset as customers, a force which establishments will need to adapt to in order to capture their loyalty.

As digital natives, millennials and Gen Zs come to expect these kinds of adaptive, intuitive systems. Hospitality companies looking to capture their loyalty need to understand that for this market, new tech isn鈥檛 an advantage, it鈥檚 the baseline.

This inter-generational group values convenience, demanding access to services regardless of the time and place. Services like the Hilton鈥檚 Digital Check-in and Keyless Entry allows guests to skip the front desk and use their smartphones as virtual room keys.

These customers also want personalized experiences tailor-fitted to their needs. And they鈥檙e willing to share personal information with establishments to get that, not unlike the exchange between social media platforms and their users.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 part of the bargain: I鈥檓 providing you this information… part of that value should be [that] you should offer me something that鈥檚 of interest to me, that鈥檚 personalized to me,鈥� said Colin Christie, director of digital transformation at Enderun Colleges.

Addressing challenges

Local establishments are working to adapt to these changes effectively, but several challenges need to be overcome before the sector鈥檚 full potential can be realized.

One of these challenges is bridging the gap between education and global standards. Alistair Israel, CEO and founder of Shore Suite, shared his experience re-training fresh IT graduates for work. 鈥淸Schools] are still teaching this, but the rest of the world has moved forward,鈥� he said. 鈥淣ow we鈥檙e five to 10 years behind what is considered best practice. That鈥檚 probably true not just for IT but also for hospitality.鈥�

Ibrahim Bernardo, chief immersion officer of I AM Cardboard PH, sees the need to fortify infrastructure, essential to supporting current and upcoming technology. I AM Cardboard PH鈥檚 augmented and virtual reality platforms, for example, require a stable internet connection — a given in many other countries, but hard to come by even in our nation鈥檚 capital region.

While the Philippines is resource-rich and more than capable of bridging these capacity gaps, political will and cooperation among stakeholders are sorely needed and hard to come by. As in the hospitality industry itself, it鈥檚 a matter of connecting and collaborating. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got the raw materials; we鈥檝e got 7,000-plus beautiful islands; we鈥檝e got incredible people. It鈥檚 just so easy to get there, except it鈥檚 not,鈥� Bernardo said.

While much of the innovation in hospitality rides on technological advancements, the future of the industry isn鈥檛 necessarily streamlining human beings out of the picture and opting for robot bellboys and AI concierges. Rather, these tools will supplement the human touch at the core of the industry. 鈥淚t鈥檚 in the name itself: Hospitality,鈥� said Enderun鈥檚 Colin Christie. 鈥淚t鈥檚 all about relationships and engagement with people.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 still about listening to our guests, creating remarkable guest experiences, making an emotional connection and taking these opportunities that鈥檒l help us stand out,鈥� said John Paul Maclang, country manager of Hotel Link Solutions. 鈥淭hese elements of hospitality are constant and will remain the same for years to come.鈥�

]]> /spark/2019/06/28/239166/sparkup-spark-stronger-together-embracing-the-hard-of-hearing-in-your-business/ Fri, 28 Jun 2019 07:04:57 +0000 /?p=239166 How inclusive is the Philippine workforce? When it comes to persons with disabilities (PWDs), specifically the hard-of-hearing community, that becomes a complicated question to answer.

The deaf are a part of the Philippine workforce, and the law recognizes this. states that the private sector plays a role in promoting the welfare of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and requires PWDs be given equal opportunities for employment. calls businesses to reserve at least one percent of their positions for PWDs.

However, there鈥檚 still much to be done in turning legislation into reality. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, , with a large number being PWDs. To that end, some firms — like Helping Hands Cafe and Fruitas — have taken it upon themselves to jumpstart the integration of the deaf in the workplace.

Lending a hand

Since opening Helping Hands Cafe in 2015, Lorie Anthony Ortiaga committed his business to hiring and empowering deaf workers. A former teacher handling 30 children with disabilities, Ortiaga was forced to retire in 2015 when he suffered a mild heart attack and was diagnosed with lateral ischemia.

Refusing to end his advocacy of helping PWDs, he opened and managed the cafe鈥檚 first branch along Taft Avenue. When the branch closed, Cez Diamse, a DLSU alumnae who shared Ortiaga鈥檚 advocacy, took over as the company鈥檚 president. Since then, Diamse expanded the business with two more branches — in Makati and in Ortiaga鈥檚 native Antique.

Since many of the deaf workers at Helping Hands had never worked in food service before joining the cafe鈥檚 team, more experienced staff members train them on the job.

Joshua Mariveles, barista and cook, said it was initially a challenge interacting with his deaf co-workers. 鈥淎t first, we had no idea on how to use sign language, so we couldn鈥檛 communicate properly,鈥� he said. But with a little patience on the part of his deaf teachers, he eventually picked up signing the alphabet, and later on communicating through sign language.

In return, Mariveles and the other, more experienced employees taught them the ins and outs of cooking and serving, which they took on with gusto. 鈥淭hey asked us to teach them when there鈥檚 free time,鈥� Mariveles said. 鈥淭hey watched at first, then then they tried to do what they just saw.鈥� He shared how one of their cooks — a deaf employee — started off silently observing, and now helps develop entire recipes for the cafe.

Shaking up the status quo

And while Helping Hands Cafe began with the advocacy at its core, Fruitas Holdings, Inc.鈥檚 support of the PWD community began by chance — with a resume passed in 2007 by a deaf applicant. The applicant was deemed qualified, and subsequently hired. Since then, Fruitas has gone on to employ 41 employees with disabilities — 32 of which are deaf and hard-of-hearing — in both corporate and service departments.

鈥淲e just treated everyone like everyone else, and we saw that they do have the potential,鈥� said Teresa Trujillo, Fruitas鈥� human resources director. 鈥淓ven our evaluation processes didn鈥檛 change, and they passed the evaluation.鈥�

The team, however, admits that there are internal challenges to an otherwise fantastic practice. Some of their store managers, for example, hesitate to hire deaf employees because of the glaring communication gap it introduces to their team.

So, to address these concerns, the company decided to bridge it.

In August, they partnered with Unilab Foundation to launch a series of workshops on basic sign language and workplace inclusivity and sensitivity. Immediate superiors of employees with disabilities are required to participate and help cascade learnings to the rest of their team.

Training Director Chermaine Laceda said this is par for the course in creating an inclusive workplace. Just as they adjust to communicate with their hearing co-workers, 鈥渨e also need to step-up our skills to communicate with them,鈥� she said.

鈥楯ust like us鈥�

Fully embracing PWDs in the workplace opens up many new possibilities for its employees. 鈥淭here鈥檚 more collaboration, more opinions are shared, and you see different perspectives,鈥� Laceda said. 鈥淭his makes the company鈥檚 culture more sustainable.鈥�

鈥淭hey鈥檙e just like us,鈥� Mariveles said. 鈥淭hey just can鈥檛 communicate with us verbally. But everything that a 鈥榥ormal鈥� person can do, they can do.鈥�

]]> /spark/2019/06/28/239153/sparkup-spark-dispatches-from-the-future/ Fri, 28 Jun 2019 06:32:52 +0000 /?p=239153 Your alarm buzzes just as you finish brushing your teeth. Time to head to work, your watch display reads out. You pop on your earphones and give them a quick tap, prompting your morning briefing. Team meeting at 9:30 a.m. — cutting it a little close this morning. You stuff a sandwich in your bag and head out the door.

As you make your way down the block, you pass a queue of people lining up to board the bus headed into the city. One man thumbs his resident I.D. card, marking him as a tenant of one of the many townhouses in your neighborhood. As he boards the bus, he taps the I.D. against a terminal. The screen flashes green, and he makes his way down the aisle to his seat.

A few meters ahead of the bus station you see the neat row of bicycles docked onto one of the city鈥檚 countless bike-share racks. A delivery drone whizzes overhead. In the near distance, a handful of others dart across the sky, making their own deliveries. Beneath the sidewalk, you feel the rumble of the massive rovers ferrying trash through underground tunnels. At the bike rack, you whip out your own I.D., hold it against the dock, and watch as your chosen bike disengages. You walk it over to the end of the block before hopping on and veering over to the designated bike lane leading out of your neighborhood.

It鈥檚 been a couple years since your family moved to Iloilo from Metro Manila, a homecoming your Ilonggo mother had been planning for decades. It wasn鈥檛 until a new development project promising a 鈥淪mart City in the Heart of the Philippines鈥� was announced that she decided it was time. Today, New Iloilo City joins the ranks of a dozen or so smart cities spread all across the Philippines, all cropping up at the turn of the decade.

In 2018, Manila was ranked the world鈥檚 densest city, with the greater urban area home to over 20 million people. The megalopolis鈥� clogged arteries meant billions in lost revenues, countless hours of wasted productivity, and terrible living conditions for the majority not living in the walled-off subdivisions that peppered the metro.

Today, Metro Manila is liveable again — the population nearly halved since its peak over a decade ago. Headlines called it a 鈥渕ass exodus鈥�. The country鈥檚 largest developers partnered with local government units to build out sprawling new townships in key areas outside of the capital region. The response was massive and immediate, with millions of Manile帽os leaping at the opportunity.

Bulacan, Cavite, and Laguna were popular destinations, close enough to the capital to stay connected. But eventually, cities in Pampanga, Cebu, and Davao began growing as well. Prominent road networks in these regions meant they were accessible, developments easily scalable. By design, these cities were self-sufficient. Residential, commercial, and industrial zones were clearly marked out and interconnected via roadways and mass transit systems.

Pretty soon, proximity to Metro Manila was no longer a concern. La Union, Naga, Iloilo, Bacolod, and Cagayan de Oro saw their own influx of new residents. Developers like Megaworld began getting creative with their townships: building 鈥渓iveable art parks鈥� and 鈥渓iveable food parks鈥�, tapping famous artists, architects, and restaurateurs to create unique residential projects catering to niche communities. You recall your father suggesting an Amorsolo-inspired township an further out of the city proper, but convenience and accessibility ultimately won out. It was a bit too rural for your taste, in any case.

The opportunity to build entirely new cities and districts from the ground up meant future-facing developers could design them for the future. Taking the lead of firms like Google-subsidiary Sidewalk Labs, places like New Iloilo City have become global case studies for what a marriage of new technology and human-centered design could accomplish.

IoT-enabled beacons and sensors were literally built into the city, surveilling intersections and collecting traffic, air quality, noise, and occupancy readings from buildings, bridges, roads, and sidewalks. Today, that means truly responsive systems for traffic control, flood monitoring, building safety, and the like.

Even your bicycle is connected to this system, joining a network of shared bikes providing real time analytics on where, when, and how they鈥檙e being used. The city鈥檚 autonomous taxis use a similar platform, communicating with traffic lights, pedestrian crossings, and other cars to determine the best and safest routes for their daily journeys.

And in response to a citizen-led inquiry about the ethics of collecting this information, privacy laws and data trusts were established in each major township, keeping the monitoring system accountable for all the terabytes of data produced.

Fifteen minutes into your commute, you pump your brakes and turn back towards the sidewalk. Ahead of you is a massive intersection joining two major highways and a few diversion roads. Above the stretch of highway, a two-storey structure extending all the way into the central business district. You walk your bike up a ramp and onto the first level of the steel structure. A train pulls up to the elevated train station, and people begin filing in. You take one more ramp up to the top of the structure, a long walkway lined with greenery. Covering the expanse of the highway, the path is shared by pedestrians and cyclists alike. Straight ahead of you, a kiosk. You walk over and buy a bottle of water, paying with a tap of your watch against the cashier鈥檚 tablet.

The top floor of this highway superstructure connects various major community centers in New Iloilo City. Major malls, train stations, the sports complex and concert grounds — turning the entire road network into a massive central park. Jutting out like fins along the edges of the walkway are long stretches of solar panels built on hinges that pivot with the sun. These, along with the handful of solar farms in the outskirts of the city, provide a large chunk of power to New Iloilo City鈥檚 grid.

For years, private citizens have been installing solar panels on their rooftops, partnering with companies like First Philippine Solar Rooftops to cut annual electricity costs by up to forty percent. But city-wide solar grids were a moonshot only up until recently, when increasing government pressure to adopt renewable energy sources drove demand high enough to allow manufacturers to scale up production and produce in bulk. Slowly at first, then all at once, cities weaned off traditional energy sources, opting for renewable ones.

Gliding down the garden path, you watch the number of towering buildings around you begin to multiply, until you鈥檙e cutting through New Iloilo City鈥檚 skyline. All around you are young professionals walking, biking, scootering to work. Your watch buzzes as notifications start coming in. You slow down to swipe through them, hopping off your bike again to walk it down the exit ramps. On your way, you pass by a group of teenagers in uniforms headed to school in the city.

As townships like this began to swell in popularity, private universities began opening new campuses at the heart of these booming developments. Ateneo de La Union University. FEU-Cebu. UST-Bacolod. Families from surrounding regions no longer had to look all the way to places like Manila or Davao for quality education. There was always a new satellite campus cropping up somewhere close by..

With families drawn in by the schools and holistic communities, local governments led the charge in attracting big businesses by establishing special economic zones within these new cities. International companies set up satellite offices throughout the country. Top firms relocated out of Metro Manila. Public support allowed new startups to sprout and thrive.

New Iloilo City was born out of the local government鈥檚 desire to ride on the momentum of the booming business outsource processing sector, attracting new residents and boosting the local economy. But following massive improvements in telco offerings and the embracing of flexible work arrangements across firms nationwide, the city saw droves of new residents from across various industries. Many of your friends work out of the countless coffee shops-cum-coworking spaces in the central business district, reporting remotely to bosses based all over the world.

Your design firm, a collective of multimedia artists doing brand development for small and medium enterprises, is based out of a dedicated office in one of these coworking spaces. You steer your bike off the main road, towards a strip of cafes and restaurants in a prominent lifestyle mall downtown. Past the chapels and gardens. Past the bustling dog park. You dock your bike into the bike-share terminal, and make your way into the cafe to start your day.

 

Editor鈥檚 Note: As we hurtle into the fourth industrial age, business leaders and new entrants alike have obsessed over the disrupting forces of technology, leading to fragmented views of where we鈥檙e all headed. To help set the course, SparkUp consulted experts and futurists to explore a world set one decade from today, where today鈥檚 cutting edge trends have become our shared reality. This piece of speculative fiction hopes to inspire readers to build towards a world where technology is seen as an augmenting — and not disrupting — force to human work.

]]> /spark/2019/04/11/225400/sparkup-spark-imagining-a-future-of-difficulties-and-opportunity/ Thu, 11 Apr 2019 07:46:47 +0000 /?p=225400 Imagining the future of work is no easy task. Times are rapidly changing, and technology has quickened that pace even further. A new generation has taken over, injecting a diversity of values and perspectives over the workplace of today, as well as offering up new solutions to age-old problems. Meanwhile, new standards are constantly being expected of today鈥檚 companies, triggered by looming global issues such as climate change and the advent of the fourth Industrial Revolution.

But this was the goal of the fourth leg of SparkUp鈥檚 Spark Series for this year, this time held at the Dizon Auditorium of the University of Asia and the Pacific last March 27. Gathering industry experts to talk about relevant topics in building tomorrow鈥檚 workplace, from the coming of Generation Z, technological innovation, to climate change.

Bianca EleisseEyales, associate consultant at Acumen Strategy Consultants, kicked off the discussions, presenting insightful research on the newest generation of workers — the Gen Z, or those born between 1996 to 2014. According to Acumen鈥檚 鈥楧ecoding Digital Generations Study鈥�, Gen Z is characterized by a mindset that is mature, empowered, and one that seeks authenticity.

Having grown up in times of great socio-political turmoil and impending natural calamity, Gen Z-ers are hyper-aware of society鈥檚 issues and are more motivated than their predecessors towards finding meaningful solutions to such issues. Moreover, many people from this generation seek stability, financial security, and purpose in the careers they choose to pursue. Being champions of change, Gen Z seeks to bring an emphasis toward accountability, responsibility, ethical reputation, and positivity into the workplace.

鈥淲e find that Gen Z have experienced a lot of socio-political issues and natural disasters, but also the optimization and the rising dominance of social media. Because of this, technology plays an inherent part of their concept of being,鈥� Ms. Eyales said.

The world of the new generation, she added, is one of hyperspeed and connectivity, brought about by technological innovation, and so Gen Z has little tolerance for inefficiency or outdated practices when it comes to the workplace.

The discussion on technology and disruptions in the workplace continues in the second session. Bryan Makasiar, senior product manager for FinTech at UnionBank, spoke on the current and historical landscape of financial technology in the Philippines, and how might technology affect the future of established industries like banking.

FinTech, as it is now commonly known, are technologies used and applied in the financial services sector, chiefly used by financial institutions themselves on the back end of their businesses. But the rise of companies like PayMaya, DragonPay, and even technologies like cryptocurrencies are raising questions about the declining role of banks in the digital age.

But such technologies do not necessarily pose any threats to banks. Mr. Makasiar proposed that, instead of competing with FinTechs, banks in the digital age should seek to adopt them and collaborate with them to offer better financial solutions and services to their clients.

The rise of disruptors like Uber, AirBnB, and Netflix, he pointed out, was not because of the technology they offered, but of the convenience and overall better service these disruptors introduced to their respective industries.

鈥淭echnology by itself is not a disruptor. It鈥檚 not being customer-centric that鈥檚 the biggest threat to any business,鈥� he said.

Speaking on the topic of future threats, Miguel de Vera, head of strategic initiatives at Energy Development Corp. (EDC), in his session, shed some light on what may be the biggest threat to business facing the present: climate change.

Mr. de Vera talked about the destructive capacity of climate change on a country like the Philippines and the urgent need for clean, renewable energy to replace the country鈥檚 use of fossil fuels, which contribute huge amounts of the greenhouse gases responsible for climate change.

鈥淲e鈥檙e here today to talk about your future and the future workforce. If you ask me, there鈥檚 no use talking about the future workforce when our worsening climate, may be due to our poor choices when it comes to electric power, doesn鈥檛 guarantee that we will have a liveable world tomorrow,鈥� he said.

With the new opportunities emerging in the workplace of today, Mr. de Vera urged future workers to pursue ethical and meaningful careers that involve improving the country鈥檚 economic, environmental, and societal impact.

Cooperation and collaboration will be key in facing tomorrow. But with the rapidly changing times, it is easier said than done. Ken Lerona, head of marketing and corporate communications at Entrego, concluded the forum by speaking on one of the most pressing concerns facing new and old workers alike. How do you bridge a gap of multiple generations?

Mr. Lerona spoke on the varying differences between Gen Z-ers and those that came before them, the millennials and the baby boomers. But more importantly, he touched on their similarities, and how these different generations can find common ground despite varying age gaps. Intergenerational reciprocity, or mutual compassion and respect towards one generation with another, is the answer.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a two-way street. To bridge the generation gap, we have to learn how to understand each other and to respect each other. We have to remember this: no generation is better than the other,鈥� Mr. Lerona said.

The Spark Series 2019 at the University of Asia and the Pacific was presented by 大象传媒 and Energy Development Corporation, together with Acumen Strategy Consultants and J. Legaspi Computer Graphics (JLCG), in partnership with University of Asia and the Pacific, with media partners Philippine Star and ONE News, and organization partner Enterprise Management Association.

]]> /spark/2019/04/08/224674/sparkup-spark-on-gen-zers-and-bridging-generation-gap-in-the-workplace/ Mon, 08 Apr 2019 03:16:31 +0000 /?p=224674 A shift in workplace dynamics is underway as more and more members of Generation Z enter the workforce. These youngsters, born roughly between the late 1990s and the early 2010s, have values and attitudes that can be vastly different from and surprisingly similar to those of the cohorts that came before them 鈥� the millennials, Gen Xers, and baby boomers.

In the third leg of Spark Series 2019, held last March 14, the Gen-Z students of San Beda University in Manila gathered at Pamanang Bedista Heritage Center where three industry experts dished out important insights into their generation鈥檚 characteristics and nuggets of advice on navigating the world of work and dealing with older folks.

Starting off the talks was Bianca Eleisse Eyales, associate consultant at Acumen Strategy Consultants, who presented fascinating findings of her firm鈥檚 study of Gen Zers. According to that 2018 study, the world of Gen Zers is ultra connected, operates at hyper-speed, and is big and expansive.

Members of Generation Z use the Internet for hours to access information and socialize, and they want everything instant and fast, including feedback. They get bored easily when they鈥檙e offline and think they express themselves better online than in person. They also have a thirst for learning.

The study also discovered their emerging mindset. Gen Zers have a mature, hyper-empowered mindset, enjoying life responsibly and preferring experience to material possessions. They鈥檙e champions of change, who believe they have the power to shape the future. They filter what they see and believe. They pursue purpose and meaning, and value authenticity.

鈥淥ne thing that Gen Zers themselves should do as they enter the workforce is to be self-aware of how your generation is different in your approaches and your mindset,鈥� Ms. Eyales said.

But they must also be mindful of the fraught gap between generations in the workplace. 鈥淭here鈥檚 always a tension inside the office especially when you deal with people from different generations, different backgrounds, and with different beliefs,鈥� Ken Lerona, head of marketing and corporate communications at Entrego, a logistics solutions provider, said.

鈥淲e have to open our minds鈥� To me, it鈥檚 our closed minds that keep us from understanding each other and making our lives more harmonious,鈥� he said. Some of the questions he suggested that people should ask to understand those around them include deceptively simple ones like “What makes you happy or sad?” and “What are your dreams and fears?”

Learning to understand and respect one another is a key to bridging the gap, according to Mr. Lerona. 鈥淣o generation is better than the other. We鈥檙e not better than the generation ahead of us. Neither is the generation ahead of us better than us. Let us learn to make the most from our generations鈥� strengths and weaknesses,鈥� he told the audience.

Meanwhile, Miguel de Vera, head of strategic initiatives at Energy Development Corp., the largest producer of geothermal energy in the country, gave the audience the lowdown on the destructive effects of climate change 鈥� which every inhabitant of this planet must concern himself or herself with 鈥� and how renewable energy sources will help make the future sustainable for their generation.

鈥淲e can all help energize our future by being part of a workforce the upholds sustainability at all times, by adopting a low-carbon lifestyle and by using your voice to make a stand against practices that harm our planet and our future,鈥� he said.

The third leg of Spark Series 2019 at San Beda University was presented by 大象传媒 SparkUp and Energy Development Corporation, together with Acumen Strategy Consultants and J. Legaspi Computer Graphics (JLCG), in partnership with San Beda University, with media partners Philippine Star and ONE News, and organization partner Management and Entrepreneurship Society.

]]> /spark/2019/03/18/220356/sparkup-spark-series-tapping-the-potentials-of-future-work/ Mon, 18 Mar 2019 11:54:41 +0000 /?p=220356 A dynamic workforce, an energized work environment, and a transformative means of business are how the future of work is portrayed in the second leg of Spark Series 2019 last March 11 at Far Eastern University (FEU) in Manila. Students who gathered at the university’s Tech Building heard three business leaders share interesting thoughts on the theme “Imagining The Future of Work.”
Bianca Eleisse Eyales, associate consultant at Acumen Strategy Consultants, led the first session and presented an assessment of the Generation Z (Gen Z) as they enter the workforce, recommending organizations to consider and adapt to the needs, preferences, and habits of this generation.

Ms. Eyales shared that Gen Z 鈥� people born between 1996 to 2014 whose ages range approximately from 6 to 22 years old 鈥� view the world as ultra-connected, hyper-speed, and big and expansive.

Living in an ultra-connected world where the Internet offers them fast information and simultaneous socialization, Gen Z faces certain problems, according to Ms. Eyales. Gen Z get bored easily when they are not online, giving rise to the ‘boredom problem’. They also acknowledge the ‘people problem’, where they are concerned “about the generational gap that technology is causing in their personal and professional lives”.

As the world gets hyper-speed, Ms. Eyales said Gen Z expect to get information fast, as well as anticipate immediate responses. And as the world expands, they have more thirst for learning, since “[t]he Internet for them has become the indispensable, easy and fast channel for learning”.

Moreover, Ms. Eyales added that the Gen Z are living happy, yet tough, lives. While they enjoy the richness of the Internet, it has also allowed them to see all the bad that can be seen, as well as to feel emotionally taxed and out of place. Amidst these challenges, they still approach life with a lot of hope, as their mindset reveals.

With their thinking described as mature, Gen Z do not merely enjoy life, but they want to do so with responsibility. Acting as champions of change, Gen Z go beyond trying to unpack issues and plan initiatives into taking action. Both of these are evident in their careful career choices.

Being subject to frequent updates from varying sources, they filter what they see and what they believe. This filter, characterized by purpose, meaning, and authenticity, enables them to sort information into what is really relevant to who they are and what they are passionate about.

When asked for practical tips, Ms. Eyales advised the students to find a way to build trust within organizations and to make way for intergenerational understanding, acknowledging that Gen Z and older generations “have a lot to actually mine from each other’s knowledge and expertise.”

Miguel De Vera, head of Strategic Initiatives and Regulatory Office of Energy Development Corporation (EDC), started the second session and emphasized that potential clean energy is set to play a big role in empowering work in the future, and how the present generation can get involved.
“There’s no use talking about the future if, because of our worsening climate, we make poor choices when it comes to electrical power,” he said.

Mr. de Vera shared that the disruptions that occurred regarding energy consumption 鈥� the biggest of which was climate change 鈥� prompted them to initiate a fight for the environment. So, as much as EDC does its part in fighting climate change and pave the way for an energized future, the present generation, prompted by an “[i]ncreased awareness on what it takes to change the climate for the future”, can become “a workforce with increasing environmental acumen”.

He suggested that there are jobs in “environment-responsible companies that [students] can apply for, including those that help ecosystems and biodiversity, reduce energy, and companies that work in high-efficiency and decarbonized industries 鈥� altogether minimizing generation of all forms of waste and pollution”.

He told the audience that they “can help energize our future by being part of your workforce that upholds sustainability at all times by living a low carbon lifestyle and by using your voice to make a stand against practices that harm our planet in our future.”

Mr. de Vera also encouraged the audience to choose clean energy whenever they can, to patronize products from those who commit to clean energy, and to think about the impact that they are making to future generations.

Speaking on how e-commerce is transforming business, Zomato Philippines Country Manager Hardik Batra set the restaurant search and discovery service as an example, sharing about its development, which took place in three stages.

First, Zomato Philippines figured out how to be different among others by coming up with different products and seeing where they fit in. Then, they went into creating a close community, where stakeholders stay intact. Thereafter, they started planning their growth in the future through expansion.

Mr. Batra emphasized the importance of keeping a strong connection between two sides of the market that are involved in a platform, since “[e]very company, especially e-commerce, are nothing but two-sided platforms.”

“At Zomato, we constantly think how we can create a strong nexus of users and restaurants alive,” Mr. Batra added.

The second leg of Spark Series 2019 at Far Eastern University Manila was presented by 大象传媒 SparkUp and Energy Development Corporation, together with Acumen Strategy Consultants and J. Legaspi Computer Graphics (JLCG), in partnership with Far Eastern University, with media partners Philippine Star and ONE News, and organization partners FEU Entrepreneurship Club and FEU Student Development.

]]> /spark/2019/03/12/219161/sparkup-spark-series-st-paul-realities-and-uncertainties-on-the-future-of-work/ Tue, 12 Mar 2019 07:45:37 +0000 /?p=219161 There is no doubt that advances in technology will shape the future of work. However,
technology on its own is not enough. The growing diversity of views and expectations
across the workforce will also come into play, pushing companies to stay relevant and
embrace new business models.
Such insights were underscored at the first leg of Spark Series 2019 at St. Paul
University Manila with the theme 鈥淚magining the Future of Work.鈥�

Diving deep on the implications of Generation Z (Gen Z) 鈥� the generation after
Millennials, or those born from 1996 to 2014 鈥� into the future of work, Bianca Eleisse
Eyales, associate consultant at Acumen Strategy Consultants, discussed Gen Z鈥檚
unique characteristics that results from the world they live in.
According to Ms. Eyales, Gen Z have great similarities with Millennials. Both
generations are motivated to enjoy life and pursue new adventures. However, enjoying
life for Gen Z comes with a sense of responsibility. They are highly driven by being
matured and hyper empowered, valuing experience over material things, exercising
accountability for their actions, and desiring freedom with limits.
Reflecting such values in the workplace, Ms. Eyales explained that Gen Z strive to
balance their desire from financial security, growth opportunities, ethical reputation, and
even positive workplace culture.
In addition to being matured and hyper connected, Gen Z, according to Ms. Eyales, are
champions of change.
Amid all the bad occurrences they have encountered, Gen Z believe that they have the
power to shape the future. They want to brainstorm solutions then put those into
actions, and not just understand the problem itself.
Also, growing up in a world with frequent instantaneous updates from various
information sources, Gen Z apply a filter of purpose, meaning, and authenticity to how
they approach life.
鈥淕en Z want to see people to live out their personal purpose,鈥� Ms. Eyales said. 鈥淭hey
really highly value authenticity. Authenticity for them is the sign that someone is truly
honest about who they are and actually doing things that matter to them.鈥�
For organizations to prepare for Gen Z, Ms. Eyales said that they need to anticipate and
respect the values that this generation will be bringing in the workplace. Organizations
shall integrate Gen Z鈥檚 passion and interest with their career ambitions, engage them as
co-creators of change, and understand their purpose, among others.

Meanwhile, to answer the question on how Artificial Intelligence (AI) will transform the
workplace of the future, Ignatius Donato Javellana, client servicing director for Mobext
Philippines, opened the second session of the conference.
AI, according to Mr. Javellana, has already invaded some of the aspects of people鈥檚
lives, but such type of AI only refers to technology that focuses on one particular task.
This AI is called Narrow AI.
Mr. Javellana believes that AI will open up opportunities for humans to do their jobs
more efficiently and perform an 鈥渁rray of value-added functions鈥� like data and behavior
science or more creative pursues like design.
鈥淎s we progress towards the future, we will be able to gather more and more data which
will help AI better understand its new roles,鈥� he said.
Mr. Javellana assured that AI taking over humans in the workplace is still far from
reality. However, he pointed out that more advanced AI will continue to emerge.
鈥淎t certain point, if the AI becomes the Super AI, 50 or so on years in time, it will
become so much more intelligent that we cannot understand it. That鈥檚 why we should
always be part of the equation. Humans still need to be part of the development of AI.
We should still be there to not only safeguard it but to understand much better why is
this AI is heading this direction of thinking,鈥� Mr. Javellana said.
鈥淚 really think that AI will be for the better of humanity if we guide it correctly,鈥� he added.

Jay Joel Soriano, assistant vice-president and head of Integrated Planning Group of
Energy Development Corp., on the other hand, emphasized the importance of
renewable energy adoption to fight climate change and ensure a sustainable
environment that guarantees continued growth of companies in the future.
鈥淲e all need to keep moving forward to achieve it, it’s the only way to energize not only the future of work but of your own future,鈥� Mr. Soriano said.
Mr. Soriano stressed that the future members of the workforce, aside from finding their
niche, identifying their interests, and knowing their strengths, shall work in companies
that are mindful of their impact to the environment and to the society.
鈥淏e a part of a workforce that upholds sustainability at all times,鈥� he said.
The first leg of Spark Series 2019 at St. Paul University Manila was presented by
大象传媒 SparkUp and Energy Development Corporation, together with Acumen
Strategy Consultants and J. Legaspi Computer Graphics (JLCG), in partnership with St.
Paul University Manila – Business Management and Entrepreneurship Programs, with
media partners Philippine Star and ONE News, and organization Partners St. Paul
University Junior Marketing Association and EntrePaul Society.

]]> /spark/2019/01/12/208730/sparkup-from-the-front-page-phl-to-outpace-chinas-gdp-growth/ Fri, 11 Jan 2019 16:54:41 +0000 /?p=208730 The nation鈥檚 anti-money laundering council has set its sights on local nonprofit groups, estimating P600 billion in funds from illegal activities channeled through these outfits over the last five years. The group鈥檚 latest report pointed to 鈥�service type non-profit organizations particularly involved in charitable, agricultural, educational, and livelihood activities largely located in the National Capital Region.鈥� Most of the P600 billion was generated through investment scams and Janet Napoles Lim鈥檚 infamous pork barrel scheme, the report found.
Foreign currency reserves settled in at the highest level in seven months last December, marking the second straight month on the rise. Gross international reserves totaled $78.461 billion, up from November, but lower than the $81.57 billion recorded a year prior. The central bank attributed the relative growth to inflows from its foreign exchange operations, coupled with foreign currency deposits and gains from its gold holdings.
Finance officials say investor confidence in the country is up, following the recent sale of $1.5 billion in 10-year offshore dollar bonds. This marked a successful return to the international capital markets, the Bureau of the Treasury said, with the debt notes rated 鈥淏BB鈥�, a notch above minimum investment grade. Finance Secretary Dominguez says this illustrates the government鈥檚 鈥渁bility to maintain fiscal discipline while spending big on infrastructure modernization, human capital development, and social protection of the poor.鈥�
According to the World Bank鈥檚 latest global economic report, the Philippines is expected to weather the world GDP growth slowdown over the next few years. The nation will be among the fastest-growing countries in East Asia and the Pacific, roughly matching or outpacing China. But while a robust economic base and macroeconomic fundamentals have shielded the country from external shocks, some external and local risks still pose a threat to the Philippine economy.
With the May midterms closing in, 鈥減olitical positioning鈥� could dampen Philippine growth. That鈥檚 according to Moody鈥檚 Investors Service, which cited the tax reform and national budget approval delays as signs of rising political risks. 鈥�Rather than political infighting in the Philippines, what we see is a political calendar having an impact with regards to reform and the functioning of the government,鈥� said Christian de Guzman, Moody鈥檚 senior credit officer.

]]> /spark/2019/01/05/207622/sparkup-from-the-front-page-new-year-stock-market-forecasts/ Fri, 04 Jan 2019 17:46:06 +0000 /?p=207622 The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index fell 12.76 percent year-on-year in 2018, leading to an 8.17 percent drop in total market capitalization to P16.15 trillion. Forecasts are split on whether or not 2019 will continue this downward turn, with more optimistic analysts claiming this year may turn out “slightly better” than the last. Hopefully election-related spending in the upcoming midterms can help build momentum towards more economic growth.
The BIR is training its crosshairs on the local beverage industry after the Finance Department noted a P10-billion shortfall in excise tax collected over the first 10 months of 2018. While representatives of the Beverage Industry Association of the Philippines insist that members鈥� tax declarations have been truthful, Finance Undersecretary Chua is calling out firms that may be knowingly paying the wrong tax rates.
Philippine manufacturing continues to trail Vietnam in the ASEAN region, as local factory activity slowed once again in December. Experts point to dwindling remittances from FIlipino workers abroad and heightened inflation as the reasons behind slow factory business expansion. Overall, however, business optimism in the local manufacturing sector is high, thanks to solid growth in new orders, output, and job numbers 鈥� a strong end to 2018.

]]> /spark/2018/12/28/206700/sparkup-from-the-front-page-strong-lending-widening-gap/ Fri, 28 Dec 2018 04:40:57 +0000 /?p=206700 Despite several interest rate hikes introduced this year, the central bank expects loan growth to stay strong 鈥� thanks to a positive outlook on the local economy. Fitch Ratings, however, says 鈥渆xcessive鈥� credit growth poses an overheating risk to the country. The BSP鈥檚 monetary board made five consecutive rate hikes from May to November in an attempt to rein in inflation expectations, the most aggressive tightening move by the BSP in over a decade.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of the Treasury reported this week that the national government鈥檚 fiscal gap grew more than fourfold in November, amounting to P39.1 billion, 354 percent higher than the P8.6 billion recorded a year before. Tax and non-tax revenues came in at P259.7 billion, while spending for items like infrastructure and other capital outlays grew 18 percent to P274.2 billion, with interest payments growing 20 percent to P24.7 billion.
With the looming midterm elections, the nation鈥檚 economic managers will be discussing next month ways to mitigate the economic impact of the election-related public works ban and a potentially reenacted budget. Congress failed to ratify a new budget before their month-long holiday break this year. Experts believe that should government miss their new deadlines in the coming weeks, we could see a 1.1 to 2.3 percent cut in economic growth in 2019.

]]> /spark/2018/12/21/205986/sparkup-from-the-front-page-remittances-up-construction-boost-bbb-rating/ Fri, 21 Dec 2018 06:37:22 +0000 /?p=205986 Fitch Ratings maintained its 鈥淏BB鈥� credit rating for the Philippines, marking the economy as a stable investment opportunity for foreign creditors. Despite citing rapid bank lending and a growing trade gap as potential overheating risks, the debt watcher highlighted the country鈥檚 strong overall economic growth and rising infrastructure investments in its optimistic outlook.
As the government dives into its ambitious infrastructure push, improved bilateral relations with China is expected to boost the local construction industry. Fitch Solutions found that the sector could grow by an average of nine percent between 2019 and 2027. The group expects increased Chinese involvement in the road and railways sectors, in particular.
Remittances from overseas Filipino workers grew by 8.7 percent to $2.474 billion in October, the fastest growth rate in six months. This brings year-to-date remittances to $23.768 billion, led by OFWs from the United States, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Japan, United Kingdom, Qatar, Canada, Germany, and Hong Kong.
Despite falling short of their fundraising goal this year, the Philippine Stock Exchange is projecting P200 billion raised from listed companies in 2019. PSE President and CEO Ramon S. Monzon is hopeful that a strong market showing next year may encourage more firms to IPO and enter the public market.
Meanwhile, the Mining Industry Coordinating Council is maintaining a now six-year-old moratorium temporarily prohibiting the authorization of new mining permits as it waits for the passage of a bill outlining a new fiscal regime for mining. The bill is currently up for Senate committee-level deliberations, after passing its third and final reading in the House of Representatives.
 

]]> /spark/2018/12/14/204880/from-the-front-page-trade-deficit-halted-inflation-ease-of-business/ Fri, 14 Dec 2018 13:45:01 +0000 /?p=204880 The BSP voted to keep benchmark interest rates unchanged on Thursday, keeping the range at a nine-year-high 4.25% to 5.25%. Inflation is expected to trek a 鈥渓ower path鈥� over the next two years, prompting the BSP to steady benchmark rates. BSP Assistant Governor Dakila projects inflation to dip below four percent by the end of Q1 2019.
This decision comes after five consecutive tightening moves by the monetary board, bringing inflation up a total of 175 basis points. Analysts attribute the deceleration to price pressures from food and oil 鈥渇inally dissipating鈥�. After 10 straight months of accelerating, headline inflation has taken a turn and is likely to head back to target by next year,鈥� said BPI lead economist Emilio S. Neri, Jr.
Meanwhile, Congress adjourned this week for its Dec. 15 to Jan. 13 holiday break, putting discussions on the second tax reform package on hold. While talks will resume come Jan. 14, the Finance Department fears the looming midterm elections may distract from the Senate Ways and Means committee discussions on cutting corporate income tax rates and fiscal incentives.
Preliminary data from the Philippines Statistics Authority showed October trade at a $4.212 billion deficit, a new record high, up from September鈥檚 $3.723 billion and October 2017鈥檚 $2.585 billion. Cumulatively, the balance of trade yielded a $33.918-billion deficit, bigger than the $20.128-billion gap recorded in last year鈥檚 comparable 10 months.
The Trade Department leads a host of state agencies calling for the repeal or amendment of a suite of laws, in a bid to further ease the burden on small businesses and to improve public services. These include the Bulk Sales Law (made obsolete by technological developments) and the Bonded Warehouse Act (made redundant by new government measures to ensure food sufficiency and stable prices).

]]> /sparkup/2018/12/08/203486/from-the-front-page-two-new-tncs-inflation-slows/ Sat, 08 Dec 2018 03:16:33 +0000 /?p=203486 Even the holiday cheer failed to lift investor and consumer spirits this quarter, with听confidence plummeting to multi-year lows as inflation continues to bite. Business optimism eroded in the current quarter to a nine-year low while households were at their most pessimistic in four years, the central bank found.
Inflation, however, finally eased in November, clocking in at its slowest rate in four months. Headline inflation dropped to six percent last month from a nine-year peak of 6.7% in September and October, the PSA said yesterday. This, however, is still faster than the three percent clocked in November 2017.
Approved foreign direct investments swelled to a nearly two-year high of P45.85 billion last quarter.听If they materialize, foreign and local investments pledged in the third quarter are expected to generate 41,797 jobs across industries, 10.3% more than the 37,891 prospective jobs from investments pledged a year ago.
Local factory activity improved for the fourth straight month in November, marking its best performance in 11 months. Vietnam, however, outpaced the Philippines’ growth, taking the regional lead in the manufacturing sector after “the sharpest increase in output in over seven years.”
The LTFRB has just issued certificates of public convenience to two new transport network companies (TNC), Aztech Solution International Corp. and RYD Global. Their respective apps SnappyCab and RYD Global join six other accredited TNC offerings in the Philippines, excluding Grab Philippines, whose accreditation has yet to be renewed.

]]> /sparkup/2018/11/30/202174/from-the-front-page-green-light-for-fuel-tax-hike-rebuilding-marawi/ Fri, 30 Nov 2018 07:45:37 +0000 /?p=202174 In a reversal from their initial stance earlier this month, economic managers are set to issue another recommendation to Malaca帽ang next week, this time to proceed with the scheduled P2 per liter fuel excise tax hike. Should this proceed, the January-slated hike will be implemented only four months ahead of next year鈥檚 mid-term elections.
Expenditures outpaced revenue increases in October, causing the national government鈥檚 budget deficit to more than double in size. The fiscal gap surged by 175% to P59.9 billion in October from P21.8 billion a year ago. Experts expect that this deficit will continue to widen, in alignment with President Duterte鈥檚 plans for higher infrastructure spending.
Analysts at S&P Global Ratings hold that inflation has reached its peak this year, but will likely remain high through early 2019. As a result, any increases in household consumption will be dampened by elevated price hikes and higher interest rates. One credit rater suggests that the government could ease on state spending, in a bid to narrow the widening account deficit.
Meanwhile, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno says the economy won鈥檛 be seeing any boosts from state spending over the first half of next year, due to an expected delay in enactment of the proposed budget and the ban on public works ahead of May鈥檚 mid-term elections. Expect a five-month pause in the implementation of new projects, Secretary Diokno says.
Multilateral funding agencies (ADB, World Bank, IFAD) and foreign governments (China, Japan, Spain) have pledged P35.1 billion in assistance for the rehabilitation of war-torn Marawi City, covering almost half of the estimated P72.58 billion needed for the overall recovery program. The balance, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III says, will be sourced locally.

]]> /spark/2018/11/23/200885/sparkup-from-the-front-page-local-economy-back-on-track-to-lead-region/ Fri, 23 Nov 2018 05:37:11 +0000 /?p=200885 With inflation finally easing, the Philippines remains on track to maintain its lead as one of the fastest-growing economies in the region, a new report from Moody鈥檚 Analytics finds. Provided that overheating risks are contained, the nation鈥檚 gross domestic product is projected to grow at a strong 6 to 7 percent in the coming years.
The banking sector is also projected to remain 鈥渟table鈥� over the coming year, with an ample capital base and strong loan growth. Despite shifting economic environments over the years, the industry has maintained a 鈥渟table鈥� outlook from Moody鈥檚 Investors Service since 2015.
The Philippines ranked fourth among 55 nations in terms of financial inclusion, leading Asia and trailing only three other countries in the world. The 2018 Global Microscope of the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) cited recent BSP reforms that have allowed non-banks to offer more financial services, opening up more avenues for money transfers and payments.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives approved a general tax amnesty act designed to expand the country鈥檚 tax base by bringing more tax delinquents into the fold. This is expected to add P114.8 billion in revenues to the nation鈥檚 coffers. The House Ways and Means Committee also approved a tax reform proposal to raise the excise tax of various alcohol products.
The Philippines returns to the renminbi-denominated Chinese debt market with the signing of a memorandum of understanding on 鈥減anda鈥� bond issuance by Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III and Bank of China (BoC) chairman Chen Siqing. This was among the 29 agreements signed during the first day of China President Xi Jinping鈥檚 two-day state visit to Manila on Tuesday.

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