September 2021

The ‘ber’ months have always had us counting down to the most delightful time of the year; Christmas music fills the air, sparkling tree lights line the streets, gift shopping becomes a sport, and everyone else goes on a diet to make room for Christmas feasts.

Although this year will not be as joyous as other years, it will undoubtedly be more significant. With “100 Days of Caring,” SM demonstrated the most uplifting approach to best celebrate the season, with 100 days of spreading love, compassion, and care for one another and the communities surrounding our beloved SM malls. It’s the most anticipated season of the year with SM Supermall and I’m delighted to have been able to join the virtual event that they held to commemorate the start of the countdown to Christmas, which is just 100 days away. The virtual event presenting the commitments took place on FB Live and WatchSM on YouTube on Thursday, September 16, 2021.

“A 100 Days of Caring.” To begin off the Christmas season, SM vowed to give to over 10,000 people, including underserved communities, diligent SM employees, medical frontline workers, and loyal delivery partners. The following are some of the beneficiaries and their partner malls:

• SM North EDSAis giving 100 pairs of World Balance rubber shoes to seniors from Graces Home for the Elderly in Quezon City.
• SM Megamall, The Podium, and SM Center Pasigchose delivery partners who will be recipients of 100 raincoats and rain boots.
• From SM Mall of Asia, 100 sets of care packages like face masks, face shields, Ensure milk, vitamins, supplements, and more, will be handed over to senior citizens within the community.
• SM Southmallchose SOS Children’s Villages as to receive various story and educational books.
• Metro Manila and Rizal malls chose several orphanages, namely: Associacion De Damas Filipinas, Bahay Aruga, White Cross Orphanage, and The Little Children’s Home to receive 100 toys and essential goods each, especially prepared by SM City Manila, SM City San Lazaro, SM City Sta. Mesa, SM City Taytayand SM Center Angono.
• In North Luzon, 100 Aeta families from Zambales and Tarlac will be given grocery packs by SM City Olongapo Downtown, SM City Olongapo Central, and SM City Tarlac; fishermen in Pangasinan will be handed with fishing supplies by SM City Rosales, SM City Urdaneta Central, andSM Center Dagupan; while select tricycle and jeepney drivers in Bulacan will be given 100 pairs of shoes by SM City Marilao, SM City Baliwag, and SM Center Pulilan.
• SM City Bacoorwill give 100 brail books to the Deaf & Blind Foundation Philippines.
• In the Visayas, SM City Cebuwill bring smiles to kids of Kythe Foundation with 100 toys; while SM City Iloilo will give 100 25kg sacks of rice to healthcare and peace & order frontliners. SM City Puerto Princesa on the other hand, will have 100 grocery bags to displaced tourism personnel.
• SM City Davaoand SM Lanang Premier will be handing out 100 farming tools to local farmers; while SM City Butuan will be giving 100 Fiesta Food Packs to Por Cristo Foundation, Inc.

‘Gift’ for your mental health. Aside from our physical health being at risk during a pandemic, our mental health is also affected due to the stress and anxiety these times bring. And since SM believes in the value of taking care of our mental health, Dr Gia Sison, MD DPCOM gave a ‘Call to Share’ talk during the virtual launch. Dr Gia Sison is a mental health advocate and co-founder of PH Leader Livestrong Foundation. Her talk centered on how to cope during this stressful time and still find hope in a better tomorrow.

There are 100 people who care. If there’s one thing that all Filipinos have in common, it’s our love and enthusiasm for music. While large gatherings may not be permitted this year, SM thrilled the crowd with a performance by the 3 Divas – Rahda, Frenchie, and Bituin Escalante – who were later joined by 100 artists, singers, and SM employees and stakeholders who sang during the virtual launch on September 16.

We may be in the midst of a pandemic, facing difficult times, and many of us being physically separated, but let us not forget what this season actually represents. To view the event, go to Watch SM on YouTube to see the celebration. Visit www.smsupermalls.com for additional information, and follow @smsupermalls on all social media channel

Beneficiaries from the Kalanguya and Bugkalot tribes plant the seedlings on behalf of BPI employees.

The social development arm of BPI, BPI Foundation has started to reforest 170 hectares of land in Pantabangan, Carranglan Watershed Forest Reserve, Nueva Ecija as part of the Bank’s 170th-anniversary celebration in August.

According to BPI Foundation Executive Director Owen Cammayo, “In previous years, we held nationwide volunteer activities as part of our anniversary celebrations. This year, we aligned with the Bank’s 170th anniversary theme and reinvented how we do volunteer work and give back to our communities as one BPI.”

Lakbay Luntian is the first-ever virtual tree planting initiative organized by BPI Foundation, in partnership with eco-social enterprise Bambuhay and Ayala Corporation’s Kasibulan Project, a long-term program on reforestation and forest protection. This is part of the Balik-Kalikasan program, which aims to preserve and restore rainforests across the country while equipping local communities with sustainable alternative livelihood and strengthening every Filipino’s commitment to protecting the environment through reforestation.

Through the collaborative efforts of BPI employees and BPI Foundation, a total of 68,000 bamboos and trees will be planted in Nueva Ecija. This will also help offset BPI’s total carbon emissions for the year 2020, while providing sustainable livelihood to 17 Indigenous People (IP) families in the area.

“Our BPI employees have shown that amid the pandemic, the bayanihan spirit remains very much alive in all of us,” said BPI President and CEO TG Limcaoco. “Remember that we have not survived 170 years by remaining still. It’s been 170 years of constant reinvention, progress, and thinking to do good for our friends, neighbors, clients, and colleagues.”

Visit https://www.bpifoundation.org to know more about BPI Foundation and its initiatives.

Photo by: Raymund Isaac

Gary Valenciano’s boundless enthusiasm is being directed into a new project. Pray.com, the world’s number one app for daily prayer and Bible-based audio content, has named the Philippines’ top singer/songwriter and ultimate performer as its Philippine ambassador, bringing attention to one of Gary’s lifelong passions: connecting to God’s power through prayer.

Valenciano is the right candidate for this prayer app, which was co-founded by Steve Gatena five years ago and is currently crammed with content featuring Gary V. Valenciano is known for his strong Christian faith and commitment. Gatena explains why the corporation chose to collaborate with the well-known Filipino-Puerto Rican artist: “Gary V is an inspiration to Pray.com and the world. The way he talks about his faith, his willingness to reach out to people directly, and encourage them to pray – it’s special. With so many out there struggling with mental and spiritual health because of the pandemic, Gary has chosen to share his voice with all of us. Now you can pray with Gary V anytime on Pray.com,” says Gatena.

For his part, Valenciano, a living miracle, reveals he was honored to join Pray.com and introduce the empowering prayer app to Filipinos. “I want to encourage everyone to pray. I have survived so many health challenges. I am here with you today only by the grace of God. I am unashamed to share my faith in my Lord Jesus Christ. I am grateful, first of all to God, and to Pray.com for giving me a platform to help others draw closer to the Almighty God who gave His only Son to save us,” says Valenciano.

Launched in 2017 with a mission to grow faith and cultivate a community, Pray.com now reaches more than 10 million people globally through its mobile app and website. It is the simplest way to incorporate prayer into your daily life. Pray.com provides encouragement and inspiration through daily prayers, pastor podcasts, and Bedtime Bible Stories. In this new venture, Valenciano becomes the voice behind bible stories like Joseph as well as meditation prayers that will inspire his millions of fans.

Prayer forms a vital part of Valenciano’s day. Whether he is working from home or at the ABS-CBN studios for his weekly ASAP Natin ‘To performances, an app like Pray.com on his mobile devices helps him seamlessly make time for quiet moments with God no matter how busy his schedule gets. Prayer has been Valenciano’s sanctuary and refuge, especially during this pandemic. During this heartbreaking season, no one has been spared from challenges, from grief, pain, and loss. Just recently Valenciano lost his photographer of 30 years, Raymund Isaac, to Covid19, who took his photographs for the posters of Pray.com.

“I want to encourage everyone – no matter what you are going through – take a moment, stop, and pray.  Prayer doesn’t have to be complicated. Start a conversation with God who loves you, God who is everywhere, God who knows you and hears your every cry. The Word promises – we can approach His throne of grace and always, we will find help in our time of need; He who has promised is so much more than able,” Valenciano adds.

Some of Valenciano’s most intimate conversations with God have found expression through songs of praise; many of his compositions have become timeless classics – multi-platinum hits like “Shout For Joy,” “Take Me Out Of The Dark,” as well as his vocal renditions of “Lead Me Lord” and “I Will Be Here.”  Prayer has taken many forms for the multi-awarded recording artist and these songs reflect this truth.  His timely ambassadorship with Pray.com becomes even more significant as he recently released yet another song of praise entitled “Make Us Whole Again.”  Written in the summer of 2020, the song is Valenciano’s way of expressing his journey during the pandemic, grappling with hope and fear, life and death, frailties and faith. As a line in the song goes: “No, our hearts won’t tire / Our faith’s on fire,” Valenciano’s faith is resolute as it flourishes, despite the persistent suffering and perplexing tragedies that plague the world.  This is a testament to the strength of his faith and the power of his connection to the divine.  With prayer as his priority from the moment he wakes, Valenciano lives a life of faith that stokes inspiration and admiration among many of his fans.

Taken during the zoom meeting

The new Pray.com app aims to enable more people of faith to make prayer a part of their daily lives. The platform has multiple functions that can be accessed by registered users: daily prayers every morning, nightly prayers before bedtime, audio Bible stories, Christian meditations, prayer plans, podcasts of pastors from around the world including globally renowned Christian personalities like John Piper, TD Jakes, Joyce Meyer, Manny Pacquiao, and even Philippine pastors such as James Aiton of Favor Church, Paul and Shoddy Chase and Mylene Evangelista of New Life Church, and Bo Sanchez of Light Of Jesus Family. It also has inspirational music of different genres.

In a time of global crisis, prayer is a path to guidance, healing, and comfort. Valenciano and Gatena hope that Pray.com will become part of every Filipino’s life as we navigate the uncertainties of a world in great turmoil and persevere to overcome.

Visit www.GaryV.com for the latest news and information on Gary Valenciano; follow @GaryValenciano1 on Twitter and @garyvalenciano on Instagram; subscribe to Gary Valenciano on YouTube; and like Gary Valenciano Official on Facebook for additional information. Pray.com can be found on the App Store and Google Play, and “Make Us Whole Again” can be found on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music. Use the hashtags #PrayPhilippines and #PrayWithGaryV to help spread the news about Pray.com on your social media platforms.

Scan to download Pray.Com

The long-awaited BER months have here, and you know what that means: the holiday shopping season is now underway! GrabPay, the Philippines’ best rewarded e-wallet, is offering you the chance to check out your cool stuff with the most sulit discounts this coming 9.9 sale to spark the excitement and bring everyone in the holiday spirit and festivities!

Do you want to know what GrabPay has planned for everyone between September 9 and 11? Whether you’re looking for new makeup, want to enhance your skincare regimen, or are just getting into gaming, here are some of the offers you should keep an eye out for to make the most of your 9.9 shopping binge!

Start filling your carts as GrabPay brings you the most sulit deals from your favorite online stores! Make sure that your GrabPay Card is activated and get up to 20% off on your Lazada purchases and even P200 cashback when you check-out from Shopee this 9.9 sale!

Fashion hunters in for a sulit treat as Zalora and Shein shoppers have a sure chance of scoring massive discounts as big as P2300 OFF on their shopping sprees this weekend!

Beauty and skincare enthusiast? Don’t fret, you are also in for the same rewarding treats! Check out with GrabPay as you shop for the most raved-about skincare and make-up products from BeautyMNL, Watsons, and ShopSM and get up to P200 cashback – you can even earn up to 9x GrabReward points to get the most rewarding bang for your buck from your shopping experience!

Gamers out there won’t have to miss out on the fun this 9.9, either. Snag your much-needed upgrades by using GrabPay to get Razer Gold credits and enjoy cashbacks and GrabReward points – which, in turn, you can use to purchase even more credits just by redeeming your points on the Grab app!

If you’re still on the fence about joining the 9.9 frenzy, this is your cue to start adding items to your cart right now and enjoy the most exciting and sulit shopping experience yet, courtesy to GrabPay! Visit https://www.grab.com/ph/blog/experience-grabpay-now/ for more details on GrabPay.

About Grab

Grab is the leading superapp platform in Southeast Asia, providing everyday services that matter to consumers. Today, the Grab app has been downloaded onto millions of mobile devices, giving users access to over nine million drivers, merchants, and agents. Grab offers a wide range of on-demand services in the region, including mobility,food, package and grocery delivery services, mobile payments, and financial services across 428 cities in eight countries.

(www.grab.com)