Financial

Unlock health goals and safeguard your assets with health insurance

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The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light the crucial role of good health in our lives. As a result, many individuals are seeking to ditch old unhealthy habits and adopt new and beneficial ones.

Maintaining good health shields you from financial ruin, particularly in the Philippines, where the surging cost of medical treatments can wipe out the savings of an average wage earner.

Prevention is always better than cure, however, there is no foolproof way to ensure a life free from illness and disease. The next best thing for you to do is to get a health insurance plan that will protect you and your loved ones from the escalating cost of medical care.

misconceptions about health insurance Sun Life health symposia insurance coverage family budget hospitalization benefits benefits of health insurance hospital bills sunlife event

Here are some things you should know and questions to ask yourself before getting a health insurance plan

Is getting Health Insurance during medical inflation worth it?

misconceptions about health insurance Sun Life health symposia insurance coverage family budget hospitalization benefits benefits of health insurance hospital bills francesca tolentino 1

According to Francesca Tolentino, Affinity Partnership Manager, Health & Accident Team of Sun Life “It’s now a fact that medical inflation is a part of life”.

These days, a medical emergency can quickly deplete your resources due to soaring medical inflation. In addition, medical expenses could not end with your stay in the hospital. Therefore, having health insurance is a crucial financial precaution to take in the event of unanticipated medical emergencies.

In addition to providing coverage for medical expenses, purchasing a health insurance policy has a number of other advantages that can protect your finances, such as tax advantages, cashless claims, and more.

Benefits of Having a health Insurance

Expenses for inpatient care and medical expenses are covered

Hospitalization bills, can be a significant financial burden. A medical emergency can deplete your savings and even lead to debt. However, a health insurance plan can cover hospitalization and other medical bills, depending on the policy you choose. This enables you to receive necessary healthcare without worrying about the financial strain.

Depending on your provider, you may get access to medical consultations, tests, and preventative care services without spending from your pocket. Providers often have a network of affiliated doctors, clinics, and testing centers that they directly pay for.

Preventive measures for future illnesses

Health insurance also offer protection from future ailments, particularly those that could be fatal and become more common as you age. When you become ill later in life, you might not be able to buy an inexpensive health insurance coverage.

Emergency assistance is provided

Health insurance policies frequently cover emergency services, sparing you from the high costs of ambulance and emergency room treatments. You can get quick medical care without worrying about the cost until you’ve recovered fully.

Back up protection

Having your own health insurance plan gives you additional security outside of your HMO, even if the majority of workplaces offer health benefits to their employees through group insurance policies. It also comes in handy when you’re no longer employed.

Factors That Influence the Price of Health Insurance and Is Health Insurance Expensive?

Garett Maralit, Muti-awarded Financial Advisor and Sales Manager of Sunlife said “If we want to fix our finances, we have to go back to the basic – budgeting,”

Having insurance will cost an arm and a leg is the biggest misconception people have about insurance. Many people have put off purchasing insurance because they believe it will be more expensive than the protection it will provide.

Listed are some factors that will impact the prices of your premiums

Age of the Insured

There are certain diseases, disorders, and other health issues that people are more likely to develop as they age. Thus, they end up utilizing more healthcare services than younger individuals. As you get older, it’s likely that your health insurance rates will climb as a result of the insurers’ expectation that you’ll need more medical attention.

Type of Plan Chosen

Not all insurance policies are created equal; some could have more expensive rates. As a general rule, your out-of-pocket costs will be lower the more expensive the premiums are. Your premiums will rise if you add extra benefits and riders.

Additionally, some insurance products come with investment options included. Take some time to research your options because investment-linked policies can cost more or less than traditional or guaranteed policies.

Duration of policy

Your total premiums may increase the longer you are under your policy’s protection. The rise in healthcare costs as well as other economic concerns may be crucial. Policies that provide coverage beyond the age of 60 are likely to have higher premium prices since older persons are often regarded to be more prone to illnesses and other medical issues.

Pre-existing medical conditions

Risks for various chronic illnesses and other forms of disorders will vary depending on a person’s health status. Pre-existing medical issues will be taken into account by insurance carriers when calculating the premium costs for each policy holder.

You could be forced to submit to medical exams when enrolling for a health insurance plan, as well as to divulge any pre-existing ailments or a family history of specific illnesses.

Conclusion

When you do your research, finding the best health insurance plan is simple. It may appear pricey at first, but it is a priceless investment that will protect you and your loved ones in difficult times. At the end of the day, purchasing a healthcare plan is always a wise decision.

To know more about Sun Life Philippines, visit: https://www.sunlife.com.ph/en/

Lumina Home extends ShopeePay Piso Deals

Article Banner ShopeePay Psio Deals with Lumina Homes

The heat is spelling summertime, but it keeps on raining P100 discount vouchers at Lumina Homes’ ShopeePay Piso Deals!

Extended to April 30, 2022, Lumina’s favorite vouchers are still up for grabs for only P1 at no minimum spend. Use them for various Lumina Homes transactions nationwide, such as reservation fees, monthly down payment, in-house monthly amortizations, and whatnot.

The vouchers are valid up to 30 days after purchase, and can be availed of through ShopeePay Discount, Cashback Vouchers, or offline payment vouchers purchased in advance.

How to get your own discount vouchers?

Using your Shopee app, follow these easy steps to get your own discount voucher:

Tap the “ShopeePay Near Me” section;
Click the “See All” and look for Lumina Homes “Discount Voucher”;
Read the voucher product details and click “Buy Now”;
Using ShopeePay, click ”Pay Now” to get your Php1 voucher;
You can now use or view your Discount Vouchers in the “My Vouchers” wallet.

How to redeem your Lumina discount vouchers?

Follow these simple steps to get your discount vouchers for your Lumina Homes transactions:

Look for the general scanner from the homepage of Shopee’s App;
Scan the QR in the Lumina Office;
Enter the total amount to be paid in the transaction;
In the voucher section, choose the “Lumina Homes: Discount Voucher” or “Cashback Vouchers and click “Use” to apply the discount;
The payment details will show the voucher’s instructions and rewards earned;
Click “Pay Now”.

Lumina Homes has 50 developments in several key locations nationwide, and it won’t be hard to choose among sites: Rizal, Bulacan, Bataan, Zambales, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pangasinan, La Union, Cagayan, Isabela, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Quezon, Albay, Sorsogon, Iloilo, Cebu, Negros Occidental, Agusan del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Bukidnon, Misamis Occidental, and Davao del Norte.

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It’s so hot to go house tripping, though, so feel free to get a first feel via virtual tour. Because who says you can’t go “dream home-hopping” around the country in a single day? Visits to Lumina projects have never been this amazing!

For more information and announcements, follow @luminahomesofficial on Facebook or visit Lumina Homes’ official website at www.lumina.com.ph

Universal Accounting app review for self employed and small businesses

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-a-black-remote-control-6694569/

Some of us become self-employed for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic, either by choice or need.

Making the switch to this kind of lifestyle might have a number of advantages. But there are also new obligations to get accustomed to, like taking care of your own bookkeeping and accounting.

Juggling your business, clients, and finances as a lone proprietor can be challenging. Separating company and personal purchases for tax purposes is a complicated affair.

Selecting the ideal accounting software allows you to focus on the tasks that are most important to you.

Universal Accounting 2022

Universal Accounting is a straightforward accounting solution for small businesses and individual contractors. It prioritizes ease of use and synchrony, allowing you to effortlessly create bookings, manage your expenses, and balance your books. The program takes pride in being created with the most modern tools and know-how that is constantly being expanded.

Choosing a Software Version

Universal Accounting Lite 2022 which cost $9.99. In this version you can create various bookings and balance sheet. You can also make a profit/loss statement. This software version also allows you to chart accounts in tree view.

Universal Accounting 2022 Best seller which cost $55. Now this version has the same basic features as the Universal Accounting Lite. Added features includes:

Automatic accounting period reopening
Administration of debtors and creditors
Vacant positions
Pay, offset and post vacant positions
Search for document number in vacant positions
Reminder system
Composed transactions
Account analysis
VAT transactions
VAT and Calculation
Cost Centers
Standard/Advanced capturing bookings
Second currency
CSV Import/Export
Transaction types
Backup/Restore

For the VAT the developers have optimized a standard capturing system to allow a very user-friendly and efficient handling which is suitable for every country.

App Review and Universal Accounting 2022 Features that I Like

User-Friendly Interface

When using accounting software, not every user, small business owner, or sole proprietor will have in-depth accounting knowledge. One of the most appealing features of Universal Accounting software is its easy-to-use interface. The platform provides you with a single dashboard to manage your finances and accounting. The software terminology is simple to understand, and there are numerous options for uploading files and supporting documentation for simple transactions.

Data Is Safe From Security Breaches

Most business owners would be petrified even at the thought of someone having unauthorized access to their accounts. Universal Accounting ensures that its services are safe and secure from security breaches. It is easy to change the admin password by clicking on “Accounting / Change SYSDBA password”. Creating secure backups is also a breeze. All you need to do is click the menu item “Accounting / Backup” and simply select a directory with the included bookkeeping and the target directory for the backup. It also offers the substantial benefit of providing 128-bit encryption as soon as you enter your password.

Tax Compliance Made Simple

One of the primary advantages of using accounting software is the facilitation it offers in the process of tax compliance. The required information and tax paperwork becomes a cinch when you have the correct accounting records, up-to-date financial statements, and reports.
With the new VAT calculation feature of Universal Accounting 2022, I can see precisely how much I owe and figure out my tax-related costs.

To use this tool all you need to do is click menu “Evaluations/VAT/VAT Calculation”:

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Now after selecting the time span for the VAT to pay, I click “Ok” vat

Instantly generates key financial reports

As a freelancer, being hands-on in monitoring the progress of my business on a regular basis is a key factor for success and sustenance. To be honest, no one has the patience and even the time to generate a report in spreadsheets. Excel is outdated whereas consolidating data and entering formulas manually for every report is way too time consuming. Newer accounting software are built with optimal features that can generate such reports automatically.

Likewise, Universal Accounting has built-in reporting capabilities to evaluate cash flow and help small businesses make informed decisions.

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Additionally, Profit-loss statements and balance sheet reports are generated to aid customers in comprehending the key financial aspects of their business. This also helps them make wise judgments and think critically about the direction and future of their business

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Automated processes saves time

Accounting software comes with the biggest benefit of offering automated invoicing and billing. These are extremely vital functions since they generate cash for my business, but maintaining them manually was a laborious and time-consuming task.

Universal Accounting 2022 addressed all my concerns by automating the process. Now, I can set up the software to automatically submit an invoice as soon as an order is placed. This feature is very handy for business owners like me as I have many repeat clients.

Accuracy in Accounting and Bookkeeping

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Traditional accounting procedures are often faced with human errors, while the freshness of the audited data may also posit multiple issues. That is why using the software can help ensure that accounting records are well-organized, current, and accurate.

Digital real estate selling made easy by Lumina Homes; commission rate increases 6%

Lumina

Real estate is one of the few industries that thrived during the pandemic. But as with other sectors, only brands that can quickly adapt to full digitalization and drive online sales can see light in the post-pandemic world.

Lumina Homes, the ever-innovative housing brand for the middle-income Filipino, continues to be at the forefront of digital real estate selling.

Not only has the company become a go-to brand for homeowners and investors during the lockdowns, it has also been offering a unique opportunity for candidate sellers.

Aside from providing regular training and webinars about digitization in the real estate industry, Lumina continues to provide digital tools that make home selling easier to its partner sales network.

Lumina Homes Online

The one-stop-shop online reservation portal makes it simple for accredited brokers and sales agents to hold the preferred unit on behalf of their customers. Once the seller has reserved units in the available inventories for their clients, Lumina Homes will automatically send a reservation payment link to their email addresses.

An Interactive Project Map also allows both buyers and sellers to view Lumina Homes’ available units in the subdivision map. This gives them a better idea of the unit’s exact location within the subdivision, similar to how you reserve a plane or theater seat when making an online reservation.

Lumina Online University

Gone are the days when candidate sellers and partners travel to Lumina’s physical offices to formalize their training.

Today, they can receive their certifications in the comfort of their homes by attending Lumina Online University’s two-level learning course.

The Beginner’s Course includes modules about the Fundamentals of Lumina Homes and Lumina Online Training System Guide, while the Advanced Course includes modules about Recruitment and Training, Facebook Marketing, and Digital Marketing.

Sellers’ Portal

All the mentioned digital tools can be accessed through the Lumina Sellers’ Portal—everything a seller needs to know about Lumina Homes’ condo units or house and lot packages. It’s also where sellers can track upcoming events and activities, promos, and ongoing sellers’ incentives. They can also check pricing updates, view maps, see a complete directory of Lumina offices and site locations nationwide.

Lumina Homes takes pride in introducing these sellers’ portal even before the pandemic happened, a proof of its forward-thinking characteristic that it wishes to extend to its sellers.

As such, site visits or trippings are easily scheduled online, which can also be done through 3D virtual tours, to the excitement of interested homeseekers during the lockdowns.

Virtual Tours and Online Appointments

Lumina is equipped with a virtual 360-degree house tour of its best-selling homes, so sellers and homebuyers can have a walk-through of their home models online. Homeseekers, with the assistance of their brokers or agents, can easily search for their dream home through Lumina’s digital solutions. They can choose from virtual home and subdivision tours, book online appointments, and pay through digital wallets and digital banking.

Lumina Homes’ official website, www.lumina.com.ph is an effective venue to explore its best-selling home models in 3D: Angelique at 35 square meters with two-bedroom and one carport provision, and Angeli at 42 square meters with three-bedroom and one carport provision.

There’s also a virtual tour of Lumina’s signature showcase area, which offers a preview of a Lumina Homes community.

Earn more at Lumina Homes

Lumina Homes has recently increased the commission rate by 6% for its partner sales network, on top of other perks and promos, such as “Complete It to Win It,” where sellers can get additional cash incentives as they guide their buyers through the homeownership journey.

Be an accredited seller of Lumina Homes today! Register at https://sellers-portal.lumina.com.ph/accreditation or contact (0917) 629-6523.

Lumina Homes to spread Christmas spirit at GMA’s ‘Kapuso Bigay Premyo sa Pasko’ promo

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Christmas is the season of hope, love, and family. However, it’s hard to feel the festive spirit in the middle of the pandemic. For months, we’ve witnessed losing our loved ones, being cooped up in our homes, and feeling uncertain about the future.

To boost the Christmas spirit, Lumina Homes will give away one house-and-lot unit at GMA’s “Kapuso Bigay Premyo sa Pasko” Christmas promo.

The Angelique Inner Unit Townhouse is part of Lumina Homes’ diverse catalog, which strengthens its goal to provide homes to every Filipino. The 35-square-meter townhouse, which sits on top of a 36-square-meter lot, is a place where families can celebrate the Christmas season together.

The Angelique Townhouse includes a living room, dining room, kitchen, two bedrooms, one toilet and bath, one carport provision, and a service area. It’s a homey space that all families need to experience the hopeful and festive spirit of Christmas.

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To join, participants must follow these simple steps:

Wait for the “Kapuso Bigay Premyo sa Pasko” invite plug that will be broadcast during the commercial gaps at GMA and GTV. You can also learn about the mechanics at http://promos.gmanetwork.com/gmapromos/.

Before joining, make sure to have a proof of purchase of the following products:

BEAR BRAND® Fortified Powdered Milk Drink

One (1) empty pack of any of the following:

BEAR BRAND® Fortified Powdered Milk Drink 33g, 99g/114g, 150g/170g, 320g, 700g/770g, 900g/1kg, 1.2kg, 1.6kg, 2kg, 2.4kg
BEAR BRAND® Fortified Choco Milk Drink 29g, 150g, 300g, 900g
BEAR BRAND® Fortified Real Strawberry Milk Drink 300g

Only packaging with an expiration date of April 2022 onwards is accepted.

MILO®

Two (2) empty packs of MILO® 24g
One (1) empty pack of MILO® 48g, 300g, 600g, 624g, 1kg, 1.2kg

Only packaging with an expiration date of May 2022 onwards is accepted.

NESCAFÉ® Creamy White

Two (2) empty packs of NESCAFÉ® Creamy White 29g or
One (1) empty pack of NESCAFÉ® Creamy White Twin pack 58g

Only packaging with an expiration date of August 2022 onwards is accepted

AJI-GINISA® Flavor Seasoning

Mix  five (5) empty packs of AJI-GINISA® Flavor Seasoning Mix 7g or 8g

Remember, a combination of proof-of-purchase from different sponsors is not allowed.

Write the following details on a piece of paper:

Name
Age
Complete Home Address
Contact Number
Handwritten Signature

For more chances of winning, you can also include the name of the Sari-Sari store where you got your proof-of-purchase:

Name of a valid Sari-Sari Store
Complete address of the Sari-Sari Store
Contact number of the Sari-Sari Store owner

Here’s an example of a complete entry for participants:

Name: Antonio Encias

Age: 45 years old

Address: 1975 Zobel St. Singalong, Manila

Contact no.: 09171777777

Signature: Antonio Encias

Sari-Sari Store Name: Joy Sari-Sari Store

Address of Sari-Sari Store: 1980 Zobel St. Singalong, Manila

Tel No of Sari-Sari Store: 09077771777

Place the paper and a proof-of-purchase in a plain white envelope of any size (long o short envelope) and include the following details at the back:

Kapuso Bigay Premyo sa Pasko
Included brands
Area of residence (NCR, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao)

Here’s an example for participants:

KAPUSO BIGAY PREMYO SA PASKO

(BRAND)

NCR

Drop your entry with the complete details and proof-of-purchase in the drop boxes located at chosen Mercury Drug branches or the GMA Network Annex Building, EDSA corner Timog Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, 1103.

The 10-week “Kapuso Bigay Premyo sa Pasko” Christmas promo will give bigger, more exciting prizes to over 3,000 Kapuso winners in the daily, weekly, and grand draws! There will be 1,400 cash winners of P1,000, 70 winners of P10,000 Pasko-buhayan cash packages, 50 winners of P100,000 Grand Aguinaldo cash packages, and a Grand Prize winner of a brand-new house and lot from Lumina Homes.

Lumina Homes remains committed to providing Filipino families an affordable home to call their own nine years since its launch, especially during the Christmas season.

For more information, visit https://www.lumina.com.ph/. Like and follow @luminahomesofficial on Facebook or contact 0917-629- 6523.

4 practical ways to keep your finances under control during unpredictable times

3 money-saving habits to keep your finances under control

It’s not always simple to keep a close eye on your money. In these hard times, it’s easy to lose one’s grip on finances in several ways. An increasing amount of debt and unanticipated costs are just a few of the reasons why most of us feel powerless in the face of layoffs and salary cutbacks. A person’s personal life and relationships might be negatively affected by financial difficulties.

However, financial security is not impossible despite the difficulties, although no one solution to our financial woes exists. However, there are still options available to help you deal with the present situation.

Even if you don’t need to be an expert in financial planning to be financially secured, you still need to know the basics. The following are four money-saving behaviors that can help you make better financial judgments.

1. Learn how to make a budget

It’s not always easy to keep track of your finances, but it’s the most direct method to figure out where your money is going. Understanding your spending patterns might help you determine whether they align with your financial or personal objectives. To begin, make a list of your earnings and expenses, and then segment your expenditure according to the categories you’ve created.

Decrease mindless spending

Change your monthly budget by making two to three simple adjustments. Begin by reducing your expenditure on things like work lunches, cosmetics subscriptions, or your streaming service bundle to see immediate improvements. Cutting down on your spending is one of the most efficient ways to save money in the long run.

Using tools to create your budget

Online budgeting apps may be used on any smartphone or tablet, so long as you have a computer or laptop. Most of these programs are self-contained, so all you have to do is input your data to observe the changes your funds have undergone. Good news! You may be able to personalize your budget plan using some of these budgeting tools.

2. Get a fall-back emergency fund

Make sure you’re not in a scenario where you’ll be using your credit to pay for unexpected costs. These situations need the use of emergency money. An emergency fund is a money put aside in the event of an unexpected expenditure or emergency. Building an emergency fund is as simple as setting away six months of your gross monthly income.

At first, it may seem like it is impossible to put up an emergency fund, particularly if you are already struggling to make ends meet each month. To establish your emergency fund, start by putting away a modest amount of money each month. Selling any unneeded stuff, you have lying around the home is another great option to get fast cash.

3. Pay Off your Debts

After you’ve planned for your minimum debt payments and understand how the daily interest expenditures on those loans operate, choose one priority debt to begin making additional payments on.

Now that you have a clearer grasp of your entire debt commitment think about the strategy you want to use to minimize it. Debts with smaller sums are prioritized first when employing the snowball technique, for instance. Many individuals like this strategy since seeing the accounts pay off quickly give them a sense of accomplishment and inspires them to continue.

Meanwhile, the avalanche approach is a method of paying down the highest-interest debts first. Even though it may not deliver the same quick benefit as the snowball technique, it may save you money by reducing your interest payments.

Others choose sites like debt consolidation. Debt consolidation is merging many smaller debts into a single bigger one with a reduced interest rate. There are several advantages to consolidating debts, such as cheaper monthly payments and lower interest rates, but it does not remove your original obligations or lessen your existing amounts. You may save time and money by having all of your debts consolidated into a single monthly payment, which you can make to a single lender (or kind of loan). Click here to become familiar with the advantages of debt consolidation and the whole procedure.

4. Be flexible and track your progress

As you begin to pay off your debt and feel less stressed about your finances, keep note of your progress. Being prepared and vigilant may help you escape disaster in the face of life’s unexpected twists and turns. If you have a contingency plan in place, you may be able to avoid a financial calamity.

Robinsons Bank is bringing smiles in the homes of children this Christmas

In this Season of Giving, Robinsons Bank’s promise of a brighter future for every Filipino took the path of donating electronic tablets to schoolchildren in various communities nationwide to help them cope with the requirements of online schooling for the coming year.

“Many families are still struggling with the setup of remote learning, whether it is the lack of a gadget to use or difficulty in accessing the internet. We wanted to provide support to these children so they can continue with their education and achieve the brighter future they deserve,” RBank President Elfren Antonio Sarte stated.

Mr. Sarte also added that “Our strong advocacy on financial literacy for children has led us to witness their eagerness and passion for learning. It would be disheartening to know that there are children out there who want to keep learning but have no means to. So, we pushed for this initiative to really help those children in need.”

In lieu of RBank’s corporate giveaways, the children received sim cards along with the electronic tablets, which they can use to access the internet for their online schooling.

Despite the challenges that this year has brought, the Bank’s passion for service remains unwavering. RBank will always be committed to fulfilling the needs of the Filipino people.

With Robinsons Bank, the future is bright!

Allianz PNB Life Unveils the Philippines’ First Solar-Powered Bike Pit Stop in San Juan

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In line with its commitment to sustainable mobility, Allianz PNB Life, through its Ride Safe Movement, unveiled the country’s first solar-powered bike pit stop in San Juan.

“We commend San Juan for taking the lead in establishing biker-friendly areas and it is only fitting that we put up the Philippines’ first solar-powered bike pit stop here. Biking is not just an alternative but an imperative transport solution during these times when we are facing challenges in mobility. Through this pit stop and other safety infrastructure we have put in place in partnership with the city, we hope that more people will be encouraged to use bikes,” said Allianz PNB Life President and CEO Alexander Grenz.

San Juan is known for its Bike Safety campaign. It has been awarded as one of the Most Bike-Friendly Cities in Metro Manila by the Mobility Awards. The city has designated bike lanes with corresponding safety infrastructure along its major thoroughfares. It has also deployed bike patrollers to ensure the safety of bikers and enforce the city’s strict quarantine protocols. In October, Allianz PNB Life became the exclusive Life Insurance Partner of its Bike Safety campaign.

“We’re very thankful that Allianz PNB Life has chosen the city of San Juan to be their partner for this very innovative, very progressive project,” San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora said during the unveiling ceremonies.

“Ang pagbibisikleta po, minsan iniisip ng iba, nakakatakot at delikado. Delikado, kung hindi tayo magbibigay ng proteksyon sa ating mga nagbibisikleta. Ngunit dito sa San Juan, bahagi na rin na bakit tayo nahirang na Gold Awardee ng Mobility Awards, ay dahil binibigyan natin ng proteksiyon ang mga nagbibisikleta. (Some people think that biking is scary and dangerous. It can be dangerous when there is no protection for our bikers. Here in San Juan, part of the reason why we are a Gold Awardee at the Mobility Awards, is that we give protection to bikers),” he added.

The design of the bike pit stop was patterned after the Allianz race car pit stops at Formula 1 races. It has bike parking, bikers’ resting area, and a small footprint bike repair station complete with hanger arms, repair tools, and an air pump.

San Juan City First Lady Keri Zamora, Vice Mayor Warren Villa, and city councilors were also present during the bike pit stop’s blessing and unveiling. The event also included the blessing of the 105 bicycles for San Juan’s Bike Sharing Program for its government employees.

After the ceremonial turnover of the pit stop to the local government of San Juan, Allianz PNB Life executives joined San Juan officials for a bike tour of the city. According to Mayor Zamora, the city government will be launching a historical bike trail of the city in January next year. The trail includes the historic Pinaglabanan Shrine, Museo ng Katipunan/El Deposito Museum/El Deposito Underground Tunnel, St. John the Baptist Parish, Ortigas Avenue, Santuario del Santo Kristo, Iglesia ni Cristo Property – F.Manalo (Gruet St.), Marcos House (P. Guevarra St.), Mini Park, Club Filipino, and the Greenhills Loop.

The bike pit stop is not the first project that Allianz PNB Life has worked on with the city of San Juan. Last month, one of the world’s leading sustainable insurers also put up signage and safety bollards in the city’s biking lanes.

“Sustainability is part of the Allianz DNA. Globally and locally, we have taken part in initiatives that promote environment-friendly solutions. We are looking forward to work with more local government units that share our ideals of providing a safer and healthier planet for our future generations,” Grenz concluded.

Lamudi Highlights Sustainability and Resiliency in the Philippine Setting

Panelists 1 Climate change is a global issue. It is one that is pushing the Philippines to act upon its weak spots and harness its strengths. “It’s inevitable,” Lamudi CEO Bhavna Suresh says at the media roundtable held last September 27 in partnership with Holcim Philippines and Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA). Though the country may be facing a dire situation, there is plenty to be done in response to climate change, from big, industrial efforts to small, household changes.

Lamudi reinforced their support for building resilient and sustainable cities with the first panel discussion, Sustainability Efforts for the Philippines of NGOs and Private Organizations. NGOs, private organizations, and green developers were represented in the discussion, which tackled the roadblocks to green development in the Philippines and determined the efforts already in place to steer the country into a greener future.

Highlighting Resilience

“Most of our coastal municipalities want to be cities eventually. How do we push them towards not just sustainability but also push them to also look at measures that will make them resilient as well?” Atty. Angela Ibay, Head of the Climate and Energy Program of the World Wide Fund for Nature, posed an important question at the roundtable, steering right into the thick of the important topic of sustainability and climate change.

Angela Ibay, Head, Climate and Energy Program of the World Wide Fund for Nature

In a country that is dotted with high-rise mixed-use buildings and humble coastal homes, the effort to save the environment is tightly coupled with the measures developers can take to safeguard the value of their legacy. One solution, something as simple as planting trees, encourages the growth of foliage and relieves some of the urban heat island effect our cities are experiencing right now. However, it is not enough.

Wesley Caballa, Senior Manager for Sustainability of Costa Del Hamilo Inc.

“It’s not a question anymore of whether you can control climate change or not. It’s about adapting to the effects of climate change. It’s here. We are experiencing it now,” says Wesley Caballa, Senior Manager for Sustainability of Costa Del Hamilo Inc. According to Caballa, Hamilo is actively pursuing efforts to protect mangrove forests to do their part as a company.

Hamilo is one of many companies that have started making changes in keeping with a more climate-conscious business ethos. Climate change has not spared the Philippines with its onslaught, and with lives at stake, developers cannot sit around and wait.

Justine Santos-Sugay, Director for Resource Development and Communications of Habitat for Humanity

“We are already in an area of the world that is highly, highly susceptible to all these natural disasters, and climate change made us more vulnerable to that,” adds Justine Santos-Sugay, Director for Resource Development and Communications of Habitat for Humanity.

Addressing Roadblocks to Sustainability

The Philippines has not been remiss when it comes to sustainable efforts. One of the problems developers and real estate experts face, however, is misinformation or lack of dissemination at the grassroots.

“When you ask a common fisherman, ‘What do you know about climate change?’ Sometimes they say it’s synonymous to disaster without knowing why,” adds Caballa. “It’s really important for them to know what is wrong, what climate change is all about.” Santos-Sugay weighs in: “When you think about it, when you look at the issue of climate change, climate change seems to exaggerate or re-highlight a lot of the already pre-existing social themes.”

Ferdz dela Cruz, Former Chief Executive Officer of Manila Water Company, Inc.

One issue all Filipinos will relate to, especially in the Philippine capital, is the water shortage. Despite the typhoons that visit the country and leave damage in low-lying areas, there is water shortage because the rainfall missed the dams that are meant to supply water to the majority of the city. Ferdz dela Cruz, former Chief Executive Officer of Manila Water Company, Inc., emphasizes the urgency of the matter: “It’s up to us to make hard choices for us to be resilient. There are no easy choices at this point. For us to make that, we need to have a constructive dialog and without the misinformation.”

Dela Cruz also mentions the disparity in the supply and demand for water supply. According to him, “There are two issues on water–there’s the supply side and there’s the demand side. On the supply side, there is a roadmap of what needs to be done, but there are delays in the execution of the roadmap. There’s always opposition to a big water project.”

Long-term solutions to water shortage and climate change are further hampered by the lack of initiative at the individual level. According to Dela Cruz, people forget about the problem once they have water, but it quickly resurfaces when another water shortage is felt.

Sustainability in the Commercial and Industrial Sectors

Much of the effort real estate developers have put into sustainability can be seen in the commercial buildings they have strategically positioned in key cities. Jaime “JJ” Fernandez, Strategic Management Consultant of Menarco Development Corporation, mentions the savings Menarco Tower is able to pass on to its tenants through its sustainable design. According to Fernandez, “There is an estimate that the tenant will save about 20% in terms of energy consumption because the way the building is built is very efficient.”

JJ Fernandez, Strategic Management Consultant of Menarco Development Corporation

Fernandez also highlights the human aspect of thinking sustainable. “Prospective tenants would rather pay a little bit more rent” when they know the building will take care of their employees.

This, paired with Dela Cruz’s observation that people will be more responsible if the problem pinches their bill, makes the case for green developments: rather than lose money in inefficient designs, developers, tenants, and residents can save by prioritizing sustainability.

James Buskowitz, Chief Executive Officer of Buskowitz Group

The Philippines, which receives ample sunlight because of its equatorial location, can do more to utilize solar energy, one of the most efficient ways to be sustainable. James Buskowitz, Chief Executive Officer of Buskowitz Group, explains that projects harvesting solar energy come in levels: “Residential scale has always been the goal, but not in the beginning. Typically, when a country starts developing solar projects, it always starts with utility, then it goes to commercial- industrial rooftops, then it goes residential.”

“If we combine all the roofs in the entire Metro Manila, we would have enough solar energy to power the entire Philippines,” Buskowitz shares.

Trickling to the Residential Developments

“What color is your roof?”

A simple question sparked discussion in the roundtable’s second panel discussion, Design and Construction Trends in Real Estate to Build Sustainable and Resilient Cities in the Philippines. It is not a pointless question either, as the simple selection of a white roof can already help a household save energy.

“A safe home, a resilient city, a safe community is at the heart of what we have to address to adapt to the changes in the climate,”mentions Santos-Sugay.

To add, Lamudi’s CEO says climate change is not an isolated problem: “All of these inequalities that exist in the world today are getting heightened because of global warming.

Ar. Amado de Jesus, Vice Chairman of the Philippine Green Building Initiative

” We are not at a standstill when it comes to sustainable solutions, thankfully. Dela Cruz says,“The supply solutions will come many years from now, but everyone could start doing something on the demand side.”

One of the solutions proposed is a mirror of what other countries have already implemented: water tariffs. According to dela Cruz, “In other countries, what they’ve done quite successfully during periods of water shortage is to actually adjust the price of water–double or triple–during hot summer months basically to curtail the usage.”

Though this price adjustment has been discussed but not yet explored, companies such as Hamilo Coast have already implemented their own guidelines to conserve water and safeguard the environment from climate change. Hamilo Coast, which aims to be a “microcosm of what could be done,” practices a “top-down approach” on implementing sustainable policies. “The only way that we will see individuals actually follow the rules is if you put a system of checks, balances, and penalties.”

To get to the finish line, where a more climate-resilient Philippines awaits, each individual has to make impactful changes, but at the forefront are the bigger organizations that can influence those in their respective industries as well.

With miscommunication proving to be a big roadblock, the discussion needs to be sustained. This is one of the reasons for the creation of the roundtable, as Architect. Amado de Jesus, Vice Chairman of the Philippine Green Building Initiative, mentions, “If you have a bigger role, that’s a bigger responsibility.”

“Lamudi is a giant brand. With all the buildings that are together, the organizations that you have a big influence on, you can create a big impact,” says de Jesus.

Finding A Lifetime partner with Sunlife Kaakbay Campaign

Most of us seek that one partner in this journey called life. We long for somebody to share our experiences, our time or whatever we have. No man is an island, we can probably survive by ourselves but life seems pale and uncertain without another person to lean on to.

I grew up admiring my parents partnership. They were strict with me and yet they indulged me in life lessons that I still apply until today. My dad taught me a lot of things when he was still alive but the most notable one would be is to invest my time and money wisely. My mom on the other hand taught me to share my blessings. I’m thankful to both of them as my sister and I grew up well insured.

Last Friday, July 5th, I was invited to attend an event organized by Sunlife Financial where the Sunlife ambassadors Piolo Pascual, Inigo Pascual, Enchong Dee, Matteo Guldicelli, and Charo Santos Concio also graced the occasion. It was dubbed ‘Kaakbay: Stories of Lifetime Partnerships.”

They all shared a video about their lifetime partners and how their lives were made brighter because of the respective lifetime partners who believed in them, supported them, and inspired them. I couldn’t help but shed a tear upon listening to each of their stories. These people are the persons who made them what they are today.

Enchong Dee, one of the ambassadors confessed “‘It was a very emotional experience developing my video with Sun Life,” He also added “When i saw the finished product, i couldn’t help but cry.” His coach was instrumental to his success in sports and showbiz and as such, is someone he will never forget.

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Matteo on the other hand shared his relationship with his grandfather. He appreciated the video and can’t help but get emotional. ”This is it as real as it gets. The authenticity of emotions was clearly captured in the videos, and I look toward to sharing it with everyone,” he said.

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Meanwhile, Charo made everybody fall in love with her love story. It was like a fairytale come true. she remembered every detail as if it has just happened. “Seeing an important part of my life immortalized through the video brought back so many memories that I share with my lifetime partner,” she said. “It was unnerving at first but in the end, it was a beautiful way to pay tribute to someone who impacted my life in so many ways.”

Embodying lifetime partnerships

Sun Life hopes to encourage our countrymen to find that lifetime partner who will bring out the best in them and that is through the stories shared by Piolo, Inigo, Enchong. Matteo, and Charo.

“Their stories exemplify the kind of partner Sun Life aims to be for every Filipino pursuing his financial journey,” Sun Life Chief Marketing Officer Mylene Lopa said. ”We are committed to helping them make life brighter.”

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All the said ambassadors are long-time Sun Life clients. “This brings truthfulness to their testimonies of having found a lifetime partnera ‘kaakbay’ in Sun Life in their financial journey. We’re thankful that they supported our vision and permitted us to share their stories to Filipinos,” she said.

The Kaakbay” videos will be posted on Sun Life’s Youtube channel, @SunLifePH, with a new one premiering every week beginning July 13.

Those who will watch the videos will get a chance to win a trip for two to Singapore by sharing their own stories of lifetime partnership on @SunLifePH on Youtube or Facebook. Consolation prizes will also be given away. The full mechanics are available on Facebook.

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Meanwhile, the soundtrack for the campaign, also entitled “Kaakbay‘ which was written and performed by Inigo himself, will soon be hitting airwaves nationwide, while its music video will be shown on Myx. ”It’s a song you can dedicate to an important person in your life,” he said. ”We don’t always tell our loved ones how much we appreciate them, but I hope that this song and our own ‘Kaakbay’ videos will inspire everyone to express just how much their loved ones mean to them.

Providing lifetime financial security

Sunlife introduces Kaakbay as its latest effort in renewing its promise to become the Filipinos’ lifetime financial partner and its goal of providing its clients with lifetime financial security, which it has consistently done since it introduced life insurance in the Philippines in 1895

”Providing our clients with lifetime financial security is the core of our mission. In fact, Sun Life pioneered life insurance in the Philippines 124 years ago so that Filipinos can enjoy its benefits. This advocacy is complemented by our products and services, which we have diversified through the years to serve even their health and wealth needs,” Lopa said. ”And we will not stop there. As our clients’ lifetime partner, Sun Life will continue to innovate and improve so we may serve our clients better.”

Piolo emphasized that his own relationship with Sun Life is truly one that can be defined as a lifetime partnership.”Sun Life has been my lifetime partner in every step of my journey. A ‘kaakbay’ in every way. With their help, I’ve been able to secure a brighter future not just for myself, but for my family as well,” he said. “i hope that my story, as well as that of my fellow ambassadors, will encourage more Filipinos to pursue financial security and live healthier lives with Sun Life as their lifetime partner.”