April 2022

Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft-focused organization, recently welcomed Miss Universe Bahrain Manar Nadeem ‘Jess’ Deyani to the Philippines in collaboration with Yugen Group Dubai, and asked her to meet patients cared for by its partner, Philippine Band of Mercy (PBM).

Jess, who is in the country for the Miss Universe Philippines coronation night, took time from her busy schedule to visit the young patients who were waiting for or have received cleft surgeries at the Smile Train Comprehensive Cleft Care Center at the PBM complex. Despite wearing a face mask, the beauty queen’s smiling eyes elicited the same wondrous smiles from the young patients.

The first-ever Miss Universe representative of Bahrain, Jess has been very keen on raising awareness on issues like equality, inclusivity, and has expressed her desire to support in bringing greater understanding of cleft conditions and the work that Smile Train does for the cleft community.

Visit smiletrain.org to learn more about Smile Train’s global initiatives and to donate. Visit smiletrain.ph/get-help to learn more about Smile Train’s local programs in the Philippines and to refer a patient in need. Smile Train Philippines can be found on Instagram as @SmileTrainPh and on Facebook as @SmileTrainPhilippines. 

File Photo: Aftermath of Typhoon Odette, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, December 2021

The Philippines has long been seen as disaster-prone and vulnerable. According to the 2018 World Risk Report, it ranked third among the world’s most dangerous countries. The geographical location and makeup of the country play a significant role. The Philippines is an archipelago made up of many small islands surrounded by water. It is also located within the Typhoon belt and the “Ring of Fire” and between the Eurasian and Pacific tectonic plates. Typhoons, tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions, for example, are usually always disasters waiting to happen – literally.

Typhoon Odette recently hit the Visayas and Mindanao regions, causing widespread devastation. The most recent eruption of Taal Volcano occurred in 2020, affecting around 736,000 people. Filipinos constantly experience a barrage of natural disasters, and yet, a study from the Harvard According to the Humanitarian Initiative (HHI) in 2018, 47.5 percent of all respondents claimed they had done nothing to prepare for a disaster in the previous five years, and only 36 percent felt adequately prepared.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ABOUT SM PRIME HOLDINGS

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

Mastercard’s Priceless Planet Coalition, which now comprises over 100 global banks, fintechs, and merchants, is expanding its reforestation work to include 15 new sites around the world ahead of Earth Day on April 22. New projects are being initiated in Asia Pacific, including the Philippines, Cambodia, China, and India, while planting in Australia continues. The Coalition is trying to restore 100 million trees globally by 2025 in order to cut carbon emissions, while Mastercard is also pursuing sustainability initiatives such as the launch of its Carbon Calculator.

At the Philippines, 417,500 trees will be planted in Mt. Mantalingahan, Palawan; Peablanca, Quirino; and Mindoro Island to safeguard animals and ecosystems while also providing economic advantages to local communities and boosting tourism.

A 2022 report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) sounded the alarm about the urgency of taking immediate action to mitigate climate change. The UN report stated that removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, in tandem with reducing emissions, will play a central role in mitigating the effects of climate change; reforestation is widely acknowledged as one of the most impactful and cost-effective ways to do this. And while a UN Global Compact study found that 81 percent of CEOs are already developing sustainable products and services, research from Bain revealed that nearly half of these sustainability initiatives fail to achieve their stated aims. This is often due to the significant investments required to hire talent and build new capabilities, external factors, and long program durations measured in decades rather than years or months. Uniting in action with partners and experts can help address these challenges and lead to better outcomes.

“Tackling environmental issues is a whole-of-society task, but efforts are often undertaken in isolation or without coordination,” said Sandeep Malhotra, Executive Vice President, Products & Innovation, Asia Pacific, Mastercard. “Given the urgency of the IPCC’s latest findings, now is the time to pull together to combat this challenge that affects every one of us on this planet. At the core of Mastercard’s business is a global network that spans banks, governments, merchants, and consumers. It is this connectivity that makes the Priceless Planet Coalition different and more effective. By pooling resources, it’s possible to rapidly scale forest restoration work and environmental initiatives, while providing businesses with pre-existing infrastructure that easily – and cost effectively – allows them to have a tangible impact.”

The Priceless Planet Coalition works by uniting companies, communities and consumers in collective, coordinated climate action. Guided by its restoration partners, Conservation International and World Resources Institute, the Coalition employs science-based best practices to identify new project sites, select the appropriate tree species and ensure long-term forest health through ongoing monitoring, while also providing economic opportunities for local communities.

In addition to funding the restoration efforts, partners also work to engage consumers by encouraging people to take climate-friendly actions or make personal contributions through a donation platform. Organizations that have joined the Coalition in Asia Pacific include 1derful and Archa in Australia, as well as multiple banks in Taiwan such as The Shanghai Commercial & Savings Bank, DBS, Mega International Commercial Bank, Taiwan Cooperative Bank, Taiwan Shin Kong Commercial Bank, and KGI Bank.

Carbon Calculator: ESG fintech solution enables banks to support eco-friendly spending

To help consumers understand the environmental impact of their spending, the company developed the Mastercard Carbon Calculator in collaboration with Swedish fintech Doconomy. The easily implemented API enables banks and fintechs to embed carbon tracking within their own digital products so that their customers can view the estimated carbon footprint of all their purchases. A user’s carbon footprint is tracked month by month across a variety of spending categories so they can better understand where they are having the greatest impact and make small modifications that can result in real change.

In March 2022, Taiwan’s O-Bank was the first bank in the Asia Pacific region to implement the Carbon Calculator. Soon after, Priceless Planet Coalition partner, Taiwan Shin Kong Commercial Bank, announced that it plans to offer the Carbon Calculator to its customers as well.

Building a sustainable digital economy

Creating a Long-Term Digital Economy With a digital economy that works for everyone, everywhere, Mastercard is committed to creating a more inclusive and sustainable world. The company has expedited its net zero goal to 2040 and recently revised its remuneration model for all employees, which is now linked to three environmental, social, and governance principles (ESG). Mastercard is developing products and services to assist its customers provide more environmentally responsible solutions to consumers around the world through its Global Sustainability Innovation Lab.

Visit PricelessPlanet.org. to join or learn more about the Priceless Planet Coalition

About Mastercard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com
Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. Our decency quotient, or DQ, drives our culture and everything we do inside and outside of our company. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.

Appendices follow.

APPENDIX I: Reforestation work in Asia Pacific

VIDEO: Spotlight on restoration work in Australia (Watch here)

PHOTO ESSAY – Australia: How regenerative agriculture can battle climate change (View here)

APPENDIX II: Reforestation work in other regions

In addition to the Asia Pacific locations cited above, the project portfolio of the Priceless Planet Coalition also includes diverse geographical representation in the following regions: Latin America (Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala); Europe (France, Portugal, Spain, Scotland); Middle East & Africa (Madagascar, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Malawi, United Arab Emirates); and North America (Mexico, United States). The expansion builds on the Coalition’s existing planting progress underway in Australia, Kenya and the Amazon in Brazil.

BLOG by Conservation International & World Resources Institute (Read here)