Press Bits

MANILA, Nov. 10, 2016 – All over the Philippines, the iconic red and white logo of Coca-Cola always evokes a feeling of refreshing ice-cold beverages that can be enjoyed and shared with loved ones and friends to make meal times more special. 

But in other parts of the nation, in remote villages where water is scarce, in communities where women are struggling to improve their household income, and in schools where students are suffering from poor health, Coca-Cola has been a refreshing sign of hope and progress, thanks to the various social responsibility programs of the company through their social responsibility arm – the Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines Inc.

Since it was established in November 1986 as a manifestation of the commitment of Coca-Cola to corporate citizenship in the country, the Foundation has helped improve the quality of life of hundreds of thousands of Filipinos through education, health, water sanitation, and livelihood programs. Through the Foundation, Coca-Cola has also provided emergency assistance during disasters and implemented various environmental conservation projects.

Celebrating 30 years of fulfilling the mission of providing sustainable growth and well-being in Filipino communities, the Foundation’s current programs this year are focused on enabling access to safe water in underserved, rural communities as well as providing education and development opportunities to the Filipino youth. 

“At Coca-Cola, we have a shared vision of growing our business and enhancing the sustainability of local communities around the world. We are very thankful that for the past 30 years, we have been given wonderful opportunities to serve thousands of Filipino communities, share happiness and make a difference in the lives of countless people through programs implemented through the Foundation and our partners,” said Diego Granizo, Coca-Cola Philippines President and General Manager.

The Happiness Project

In celebration of its milestone year, the Foundation will publish a 30th anniversary magazine, “The Happiness Project”, which highlights its achievements in uplifting the lives of Filipinos in various communities. The publication features amazing stories written by University of Sto. Tomas-Journalism Society, and photos taken by De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLSU-CSB) School of Design and Arts students and faculty volunteers. They captured stories of struggles, hopes and dreams that came true for beneficiary communities of Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines and their program partners.

The Happiness Project magazine, along with videos and photos capturing these true stories of hope will be exhibited from November 10 to 12 at the Activity Area of Gateway Mall, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City – a project made possible through a partnership with the J. Amado Araneta Foundation and Araneta Group.

Among the “happiness” stories are that of a barangay captain in Bato, Leyte and a 74-year-old man in Baao, Camarines Sur who were blessed with finally having access to clean drinking water through the Agos project of the Foundation, in partnership with the Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation, Inc. and the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement. The project uses a gravity installation, which brings water from upland sources to communities downhill.

The Happiness Project also features eye-opening stories of the hardships of young Tacloban students in the aftermath of super typhoon Yolanda and a retired high school teacher in Butong, Quezon province who both found the passion to continue learning and teaching, respectively, after experiencing the Little Red Schoolhouse project which the Foundation built. The two-storey, typhoon-resilient Little Red Schoolhouse inside the Marasbaras Elementary School in Leyte has six classrooms, each fully equipped with chairs, tables blackboards, and comfort rooms, while the Little Red Schoolhouse at the Quezon National High School-Apyao Annex is the first one built for middle school students.

“Our work in Coca-Cola Foundation has rewarded us over a hundred-fold – with warm smiles and the sincere expressions of gratefulness from the people we have met along the way. Even a tearful speech of a grandfather who has turned hopeful that his grandchildren will have a better life because they now have free flowing fresh water a few steps from their home, beats any award or trophy,” said Cecile Alcantara, Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines President.

The Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines, Inc. is a founding member of the League of Corporate Foundations, and member of the Association of Foundations and the Corporate Network for Disaster Response. #

About The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands and more than 3,800 beverage choices. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world's most valuable and recognizable brands, our company’s portfolio features 20 billion-dollar brands, 18 of which are available in reduced-, low- or no-calorie options. Our billion-dollar brands include Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero, Fanta, Sprite, Dasani, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Del Valle, Georgia and Gold Peak. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, we are the No. 1 provider of both sparkling and still beverages.  More than 1.9 billion servings of our beverages are enjoyed by consumers in more than 200 countries each day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world's top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system associates. For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo, visit our blog, Coca-Cola Unbottled, at www.coca-colablog.com or find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company

There’s beauty in power—and power in beauty. That, in essence, is what Renee Alcantara found out.

Running her own company Southwest Persues Construction and Development Corporation as its President and CEO entails making important decisions day in and day out. She has to face different people—business partners, suppliers, and government officials in the course of her work.

Early on, Renee realized that it’s not easy being a boss at what many consider as “a man’s world”—the construction industry. “I have to assert myself as a woman and know the ins and outs of the business like the back of my hand. It is a difficult job, but one that I’ve learned to love,” Renee points out.

She says her success took years of hard work, but the pay off is fulfilling. Because of her position and status, Renee cannot take chances with how she looks and how she presents herself to others.

According to Renee, beauty has a very important role in her career and personal life because it makes her feel confident. “For me, looking good translates to feeling good,” she explains.

RENEE’S MUST-HAVES FOR BEAUTY REGIMEN AND TREATMENT

From the start, Renee opted to go to a Philippine Dermatological Society (PDS) board certified dermatologist.

“I consult with my PDS Dermatologist regularly because I know that I will get the best treatment since she is an expert in beauty. She knows exactly what my skin needs,” Renee shares.

For her beauty regimen, she says she washes her face in the morning and in the evening before going to bed. She also applies moisturizer every night and puts on sunblock every morning.

But for her regular beauty needs, enhancements, and treatments, she visits her PDS Dermatologist at least once a month for the following:

1. Facial for cleansing;

2. Diamond peel to tighten the pores and smoothen the skin;

3. Revlite treatment to remove irregular pigmentation and reduce fine lines and wrinkles;

4. Face contouring or RF for facial tightening and anti-aging;

Why did Renee choose to see a PDS Dermatologist over others?

“I don’t like to “gamble”, even in business. I want to be sure of the results so just like how I chose my business partners, I also carefully selected my dermatologist. That’s why a PDS Dermatologist is my choice,” Renee states.

Renee adds, “Aside from making my skin beautiful, healthy, and glowing, I’m also updated on all the latest procedures, current trends, and formulas in skin enhancement that will make my skin look younger than my age.”

Renee also believes that women should invest in beauty to maintain youthfulness. She added that being beautiful is a powerful position to be in because you can inspire other people to be confident and beautiful themselves.

“Confidence radiates pure happiness and real beauty, and that’s what matters, at the end of the day,” Renee concludes.

If you want to know more about the latest on beauty enhancements and treatments, visit a PDS Dermatologist today. #DermAuthorityPDS #BeautyIsPowerPDS

Quezon City, Philippines, October 27, 2016: IBM recently deployed a team of global experts from IBM Corporate Service Corps (CSC) to collaborate with key agencies from the Philippine government to enable the country’s growth agenda.

Twelve global IBMers from Australia, France, India, Italy, Mexico, Poland, Sweden, Turkey, and the United States worked pro-bono as consultants for the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Science and Technology- Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI), and Philippine Statistics Office, over the course of one month. The work aimed to solve specific challenges as defined by the organizations, and to help advance their mandates through the employment of global best practices in business and technology.

DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT (DILG)

One CSC sub-team worked with DILG on a Disaster Recovery and Risk Management system. Having studied the current framework, and assessing the needs of the local government units that the department supports, the team proposed an architecture that would enable DILG to provide guidance, air cover, and facilitate support, for a coordinated and cohesive disaster recovery plan. 

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY- ASTI

A CSC sub-team worked with DOST-ASTI to focus on the agency’s IT service Management (ITSM), under the flagship initiative, CoARE (Computing and Archiving Research Environment) project. The team reviewed, consulted with leaders, and came up with a set of strategic recommendations to enhance the agency’s Guidance and Framework for providing IT Service Strategy, Service Design, Service Transition, Service Operation, and Continual Service Improvement. They likewise conducted capacity building workshops to ensure sustainability of ITSM practices in ASTI.

PHILIPPINE STATISTICS OFFICE (PSA)

Two CSC sub-teams worked with PSA to advance its vision of becoming a solid, responsive, world-class authority on quality statistics and civil registration, through improvements in 1) Business Operations framework; and 2) leveraging data to create statistical insights.

The first PSA team looked at the current business operations model of the agency. After consulting with the leadership to define their desired end-state using Design Thinking methodology, they provided guidance on an Enterprise Architecture Blueprint that would significantly improve business operations efficiency.

The second PSA team focused on enabling the agency to optimize the opportunities in the era of Big Data to draw statistical insights on social and economic activities and challenges; for example, the comparative cost of commodities in different regions, and other indicators of living standards, needs and challenges that could aid decision makers in managing the country’s resources. 

“As IBM approaches its 80th anniversary milestone in the Philippines, we remain committed in supporting the communities we serve through capacity building and innovation,” said Luis Pineda, President and Country General Manager, IBM Philippines. “The Corporate Service Corps program or CSC is our way of bringing this commitment to life. Through an immersive, collaborative work between IBM’s top global talent and the government, we aim to help the Philippines realize its potential to grow and prosper as a formidable player in the global marketplace.”

IBM’s Corporate Service Corps program, the company’s version of the Peace Corps, sends top performing IBMers to emerging countries to help solve socio-economic challenges through business and technology expertise. The program aims to uplift the community, develop leaders in IBM, and help the company better understand the markets where it operates.

In the last 8 years, 17 Teams have been to the Philippines to work with government and NGOs in projects that resulted to some game-changing innovations such as the Intelligent Operations Center for Public Safety in Davao, or the now-launched and widely adopted Smarter Analytics Education curriculum which also started as CSC engagement with the Commission on Higher Education. Filipino IBMers have likewise traveled to Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and South America as CSC volunteers.