Lifestyle

Rex Education was honored at the 45th Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA) and the 21st Manuel L. Quezon Gawad Parangal.

Every year in October, the Quezon Gawad Parangal is a component of the local government’s celebration of the creation of the city. At the 2023 awards ceremony, people and organizations that demonstrated excellence in the domains of social service, business and entrepreneurship, law and justice, environment and sanitation, and science and technology were honored.

Rex Education was one of the fifteen people and organizations honored at the esteemed event this year. On October 25, the 21st Manuel L. Quezon Gawad Parangal was held at the PETA Theater Center.

The award was given to REX for its noteworthy commitment to teaching the public via literature by a selection panel consisting of department heads from Quezon City, past recipients of the prize, and well-respected individuals from other industries. Additionally, the local government highlighted REX’s innovative contributions to the educational publishing sector, especially through Rex Book Store, Inc. (RBSI).

Learning materials covering early childhood education, basic education, high school, tertiary education, law, and post-collegiate materials are among RBSI’s contributions to education publication. RBSI is proud of its wide network, which consists of 24 branches spread throughout Mindanao, Visayas, and Luzon. This just serves to reinforce REX’s goal of preparing each child for lifelong learning. It is a pleasure and an honor to be the preferred study partner for Filipino students and to be acknowledged by the communities REX serves.

At the 45th CMMA, REX’s published works received recognition as well. Every year, the CMMA honors people and groups that create content for print, radio, and social media that upholds moral principles. Virtual winners were pre-announced by the CMMA on October 27.

With the magazine “Backpack,” REX and Catechetical Media Network (CMN-Asia, Inc.) won Best Children’s Magazine; in the Best Youth Magazine category, REX and CMN-Asia’s “Crossroads” took first place.

Allan Alejo Jr.’s “Tangkilikin ang Sariling Atin (Marketing Our Local Products),” which was released by REX and CMN-Asia, won the Best Editorial Cartoon award. Felix C. Alcantara’s “Si Nelia, Si Marta, at Si Maria,” which was released by REX and CMN-Asia, won an award for Best Comic Story.

These citations increase REX’s motivation and commitment to creating high-quality educational resources that can encourage morality and spirituality in Filipino youth. REX consistently aims to support the whole growth of the learner—one who is engaged, safe, healthy, supported, challenged, and values-driven.

With these honors, REX is still motivated to keep becoming better and aiming for greatness—for the sake of the bata, mamamayan, and bayan.

During its yearly Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, Hotel Lucky Chinatown (HLC) brightened the hearts of its respected guests, customers, families, and friends during the busy holiday season. The message conveyed was one of hope, which goes beyond festive cheer.

The celebration, which took place on November 8, 2023, in the hotel’s Main Lobby, was enhanced by the attendance of students from the Philippine Institute for the Deaf (PID), which is HLC’s official partner. Honoring his city with love and support, Hon. Chairwoman Marissa Alejandro of Barangay 293 and Vice Mayor Yul Servo’s representative, Mr. Archie Dema-ala, were present to lend their distinguished presence to the occasion.

The glowing lights and the exquisitely decorated tree weren’t the only things that added to the evening’s grandeur and spectacle. The ceremonial lighting of the “Tree of Hope” represents the community’s radiating oneness and hope, which promotes harmony and coziness.

“Christmas is not a season for me, it’s a feeling,” says Jeremy Russell Go, Hotel General Manager. “In a world where hope is more vital than ever, our ceremony symbolizes a collective wish for brighter days and shared joy.”

As part of their sustainability partnership with the Philippine Institute for the Deaf this Christmas, HLC provided nearly 300 kg of used bar soap from the hotel operations for PID’s “Soap for Hope” campaign, an initiative that helps reduce hotel waste by turning used soap into something useful.

Back to the event’s highlight, this year’s tree adorned with dazzling lights, red and gold ornaments, and a star atop the tree, took center stage, exuding an ethereal glow that captivated the onlookers.

Each ornament stood not only as a magnificent design but as a metaphorical representation, with the red decors reflecting warmth, comfort, and the love shared among family and friends during the festive season, and the gold blings bringing light, wealth, and the presence of God.

Without a festive treat from its host, this magnificent occasion would fall short of its expectations. The Cafe dé Chinatown provided a great meal for the attendees. Using regional fruit, HLC’s culinary heroes worked their magic to create Sampaguita Shortcake, which features tastes exclusive to the Megaworld brand.

The Tree Lighting Ceremony at Hotel Lucky Chinatown served as more than just an extravagant show of celebration; it was a symbolic act that brought people together in the spirit of the season by serving as a reminder that, even among the twinkling lights, there is a beacon of hope.

Please visit  www.hotelluckychinatown.com/ for additional details.

An annual ceremony known as the Outstanding BSP Stakeholders Appreciation Ceremony honors the significant contributions made by financial industry stakeholders. Financial institutions who have exhibited outstanding support for the BSP’s mandates—which include price stability, financial stability, and secure and effective payment and settlement systems—are the recipients of the awards. In order to guarantee that more individuals have access to financial services, the ceremony also recognizes BSP’s leading financial inclusion advocacy.

“We are humbled and honored to receive this recognition,” said Clayton Lee, Executive President and Treasurer of Sterling Bank of Asia. “This award affirms our unwavering commitment and relentless efforts to support the mandates of BSP, ” Lee added.

“We at Sterling Bank of Asia remain dedicated to providing top-notch service to our customers and upholding our support to BSP mandates,” said Cecilio Paul San Pedro, President and CEO of Sterling Bank of Asia.

For more information, visit https://www.sterlingbankasia.com/.

Credit is a useful instrument for assisting people in reaching their financial objectives. Those with credit access can make purchases today, on the basis of an agreement to pay for products and services later.

But it’s crucial to understand the difference between “bad” credit—which is unaffordable—and responsible credit, or “good” credit.

The difference between good and bad credit

Whether it’s used for purchases that improve one’s quality of life, to handle unexpected bills, or to take advantage of certain perks such as rewards points or special discounts, good credit is credit that a borrower can affordably repay.   

As credit is a tool, there are cases where tools can be misused. Credit becomes bad credit when you use it to take on debt you can’t afford to repay. The longer you go without paying, the more likely you could run into fees, damage your credit score, see interest rise, and possibly face legal issues. By saddling yourself with the responsibility to take care of unaffordable outstanding debts, you run the risk of closing yourself off from better economic opportunities that credit used responsibly can unlock.  

The impact of bad credit  

The repercussions of taking on bad credit can be seen as a possible contributing factor to the negative stigma surrounding credit in the Philippines. In the country, the word credit is synonymous with the Tagalog word “utang” which carries notions of bad debt and financial irresponsibility.

The recent TransUnion Philippines Credit Perception Index study highlighted how negative stigma has shaped how Filipinos see credit. Findings showed that 58% of Filipinos believe that users of credit products tend to overspend while 55% do not want to be indebted.

As a result, in lieu of turning to formal financial institutions, there is a high reliance among Filipinos on family, friends, and other informal sources of borrowing. These sources include unregulated “5-6” moneylenders who issue small loans with often high interest charges over an agreed period, and “sangla-ATM” schemers who require physical ATM cards and a person’s personal identification numbers (PIN) as collateral for loans. Relying on these measures often puts borrowers at huge disadvantages that make it difficult for them to break free from their debts.

The importance of championing responsible credit use

While much work remains to be done to fully dispel the negative stigma surrounding credit in the country, more Filipinos are seeing the opportunities that come from having access to credit. Findings from the Q3 2023 TransUnion Philippines Consumer Pulse Study showed that 62% of Filipinos agreed that credit can help them access new opportunities that can lead to a better quality of life (i.e. buying a house, starting a business, financing my education, buying a car) – an increase of four percentage points from findings in Q2 2023.

Additional results from the study found that 72% of Filipinos agree that credit is widely available and easy to apply for as long as good financial management is demonstrated, an increase of four percentage points from the previous quarter. Asked whether they were comfortable owning credit accounts such as loans and credit cards, 41% of Filipinos expressed being comfortable, an increase of six percentage points from Q2 2023.

With perceptions changing and with more Filipinos growing accustomed to the ownership of credit products, the formal financial sector must continue to work together on educating Filipinos on responsible credit use and how it can pave the way towards better financial inclusion in the country.

To help promote responsible credit use, TransUnion Philippines’ credit reporting solutions help people understand and improve their credit status. Checking your credit report can help consumers stay informed of factors affecting their credit score and can help them take action to improve it. This can help people act to improve their credit standing faster.  

Other data, including telco data, is a useful tool for evaluating consumers’ creditworthiness, especially for New-to-Credit (NTC) consumers who are limited by their lack of credit history. TransUnion Philippines, a global provider of risk information, helps lenders find lower-risk borrowers and offers them better terms and pricing on credit products and services by leveraging information and insights from alternative data. When TransUnion Philippines uses information for good, it means this.

Opportunities are created by credit. It is feasible for more Filipinos to achieve more in life by emphasizing the advantages of having excellent credit and persistently promoting education on the proper use of credit.

Get your TransUnion Philippines Credit Report HERE.

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The 21st anniversary celebration of CHILD Haus, an organization established by “Mader” Ricky Reyes to serve as a pillar of hope for kids affected by cancer, took place in the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall. The Sy family has continuously been a major backer of the establishment throughout its history: Henry “Tatang” Sy, Sr. in the early years and SM Prime Holdings Inc. in the last ten years. Hans Sy, the chairman of the executive committee, is carrying on his father’s legacy.

Mr. Sy and “Mader” Ricky led the event, and invitations were sent to a number of people and organizations that have supported CHILD Haus throughout the years. There were also a lot of kids there who had been “adopted” by CHILD Haus and were now living there. The media was also present and acknowledged the significant impact that organizations such as CHILD Haus make, as well as how they serve as the “answered prayers” for countless children and their parents.

Three CHILD Haus stories, featuring Aya, Laura, and Jessa, were turned into video vignettes that highlighted the message of hope and the life-saving work of the organization. While it is easy to describe such events as heartwarming and tear-jerking, it was truly remarkable to witness even the most seasoned press photographers being moved to tears by these videos. This is a clear testament to the profound impact that these testimonials had on the audience at the event.

After ‘Mader’ Ricky’s heartwarming welcome, Mr. Sy himself took the stage to present plaques of appreciation to the many friends of CHILD Haus whose generous donations have made the organization’s life-saving work possible.

Those suffering from cancer and ‘adopted’ are provided food and shelter. There are presently two CHILD Haus locations – one in Manila, near the Philippine General Hospital, and one in Quezon City. Until the children are declared cancer-free and/or have completed their treatments and medical procedures, one child and one parent are allowed to live at CHILD Haus. If it’s an infant, both parents can stay.

Karylle, a CHILD Haus regular and ardent supporter, led the kids in a lively song written by her husband, Yael Yuzon. Subsequently, the daughter of “Mader” Ricky performed a reworked version of “Handog” by Florante, tailored to the emotions of the kids at CHILD Haus. The kids had learned and rehearsed these two songs as a way to say “thank you” to all of the visitors who had contributed to the “haus” becoming a reality.

Ultimately, “Mader” Ricky and Mr. Sy agreed on the importance of this occasion, which honors 21 years of kindness, tenacity, and the giving and sharing attitude.

You can follow @smsupermalls on social media or visit www.smsupermalls.com to learn more about SM’s motivational events and stories.

At the 43rd Anniversary of the Civil Security Group at Camp Crame, Gilren Bajado, a female security guard for RJC Security Solutions, was named the Outstanding Security Guard of the Year. PNP Chief PGen Benjamin C. Acorda Jr. presided over the recognition event. Mr. Almus J. Alabe, Senior Assistant Vice President of SM Supermalls Customer Relations Services, and Harold James E. Herrera, Regional CRS Manager, was also present to see the award ceremony.

The extraordinary deed of honesty and integrity that LG Bajado committed on August 3, 2023, in SM Cinema, SM City Marikina, is the source of her extraordinary accomplishment. While performing her clearing duties, she found a misplaced black pouch that contained 64,800 pesos, as well as various ID cards and ATM cards that belonged to Mr. Starsky D. Paunan, a 44-year-old Palarong Pambansa employee.

Without hesitation, she reported this to the CRS office, ensuring the safe return of the lost valuables to their rightful owner. Her integrity, honesty, and dedication have earned her this prestigious recognition and admiration from her peers and superiors.

SM Supermalls and RJC Security Solutions take immense pride in her achievement, as it reflects the company’s core values of professionalism, honesty, and integrity. Her commitment to her duties, her sense of responsibility, and her exemplary character have brought honor not only to herself but also to RJC Security Solutions as a leading provider of comprehensive security services.

SM Supermalls’ dedication to upholding the highest standards of excellence is strengthened by the announcement that LG Gilren Bajado has been named the Outstanding Security Guard of the Year. The organization constantly aims to offer security solutions while making certain that all of its workers uphold the greatest moral standards.

SM Supermalls would like to congratulate LG Gilren Bajado on her remarkable accomplishment and for setting a bright example of professionalism and honesty. Her deeds inspire us all and serve as a reminder of the power one person may have in creating a society that is more reliable and safe.