Sun Life Grepa Financial, Inc. (Sun Life Grepa), a major life insurance company in the country, recently launched its first sustainability-driven VUL equity fund, the SLG Peso Global Sustainability Growth Fund.

The Fund aims to generate long-term capital appreciation by investing in global funds that are focused on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors. It aims to deliver this long-term value through strong fundamentals and sustainable investing principles.


“We are always innovating financial solutions for the different needs and preferences of our clients,” said Sun Life Grepa president Richard S. Lim. “In the recent years, we’ve observed that clients are inclined to support companies with values that align with theirs, especially those who would like to make a positive impact to the world. Through this new fund, our clients can diversify their Peso assets among offshore funds that actively integrate ESG investing principles while still addressing their wealth accumulation and protection needs.”

The SLG Peso Global Sustainability Growth Fund can be availed as a fund option with the following Sun Life Grepa PHP-denominated investment-linked insurance products: Sun Grepa Power Builder 1, Sun Grepa Power Builder 5, Sun Grepa Power Builder 10, and Sun Grepa Power Builder 100 which provides life insurance protection until age 88 or 100, depending on the product chosen.

The launch of the Fund is just one of the many ways Sun Life Grepa is contributing to build a brighter and more sustainable future for Filipinos.

Those interested to avail of the SLG Peso Global Sustainability Growth Fund can contact their Sun Life Grepa Advisor, visit any Sun Life Grepa or RCBC branch, or email wecare@sunlifegrepa.com.

Sarah Geronimo and Matteo Guidicelli

Sun Life Philippines has revealed that Asian Popstar Royalty Sarah Geronimo is joining its roster of brand ambassadors.

Sarah is at the forefront of Sun Life’s latest campaign dubbed Partner for Life, together with her husband Matteo Guidicelli, who is a long-time Sun Life brand ambassador himself. The campaign emphasizes the importance of having someone who will help us achieve our financial goals, live a healthier life, and be the best version of ourselves.

“We’re delighted to welcome Sarah Geronimo as part of the Sun Life family. Her values align with ours and having her as a partner in furthering our advocacies on financial literacy, health and wellness and sustainability is something that we’re very excited about,” Sun Life Chief Client Experience and Marketing Officer Carla Gonzalez-Chong said.

“Sarah’s journey to becoming an empowered woman taking control of
her career, businesses, health, finances, and advocacies inspires us. Her eagerness to continuously learn and find support from the people she loves makes her a perfect ally of Sun Life in encouraging more Filipinos to pursue their own version of a brighter life.”

As part of the campaign, Sarah and Matteo are starring in a thematic video that highlights Sun Life’s promise of being a Partner for Life. The couple co-created the video with Sun Life, exuding sincerity as it gives a glimpse of the way they support each other. The video will be shown on national television, as well as @SunLifePH on Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.

Sarah is also the voice behind the new Sun Life jingle entitled “Kasa-Kasama,” a duet with Inigo Pascual, who co-wrote the song and is himself a part of the Sun Life family. The jingle, a fun yet heartfelt tribute to one’s Partner for Life, will likewise be shared through Sun Life’s social media platforms and played on select radio stations nationwide.

A series of digital and on-ground activities will also be mounted to further amplify the campaign and encourage more Filipinos to secure the future of their loved ones.

“I’m happy and thankful to be part of the Sun Life family,” Sarah said.
Apart from Sarah and Matteo, Sun Life has Piolo Pascual and Donny Pangilinan as Clients and advocates of financial literacy and health and wellness.

“We are grateful to have the support of our brand ambassadors in advancing Sun Life’s purpose,” Gonzalez-Chong said. “We are privileged that they have chosen to partner with Sun Life to help more Filipinos pursue lifetime financial security and live healthier lives.”

• Cats that are kept indoors are not susceptible to parasite infections and do not require regular veterinary visits.
• Cats only require treatment when they are infected with parasites. Preventive treatment is not necessary.
• Parasite infections are self-limiting and do not cause serious health issues.
• Removal of ticks and fleas can be effectively managed with parasite prevention shampoos alone.

According to Dr. Ross Antonio Banayo, Technical Manager for the Companion Animal Business Segment of Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Philippines, Inc. “Parasite infections can be particularly dangerous for cats. Common feline behaviours like grooming and roaming outdoors put them at a higher risk of contracting a variety of parasites. Often, cats only present with symptoms much later into the infection, resulting in worse complications. This highlights the need for us to change perceptions and move towards a preventive approach to parasite infections to safeguard their health.”




Parasites can be transmitted and affect human health too

Parasite infections not only impact the health of cats but can be transmitted to humans to cause complications such as skin infections, anaemia, gastrointestinal disturbances and more. Fortunately, transmission can be effectively prevented by administering regular parasiticide treatment for cats and adhering to regular follow-ups with a veterinarian.

“The lives of pets and humans are so deeply interconnected that their health issues can impact our own. Just as we are shifting towards a preventive approach to human health, NexGard® COMBO is our preventive solution to preserve the health of cats. It represents the next step that we are taking to improve the health of animals across the region and drive a positive impact on our own health into the future,” said Sung.

The monthly treatment protects pet cats and their households from the deadly, debilitating, and transmittable internal and external parasites.

Important Safety Information

NexGard® COMBO is for topical use only in cats. The most frequently reported adverse reactions include vomiting, application site reactions, and anorexia. If ingested, hypersalivation may occur.


Avoid direct contact with application site for 4 hours or until visibly dry.


Esafoxolaner is a member of the isoxazoline class. This class has been associated with neurologic adverse reactions including tremors, ataxia, and seizures in cats with or without a history of seizures.


Use with caution in cats with a history of seizures or neurologic disorders.


The safety of NexGard® COMBO has been tested and is approved in breeding, pregnant, or lactating queen (cats) in the Philippines. The safety of the product has not been established in breeding male cats.


NexGard® COMBO is for use in cats 8 weeks of age and older, weighing 0.8 kg or more.


For more information, click here for full prescribing information.

In the recent past, text scammers would claim to be an OFW relative using their new roaming number and ask for prepaid load, or pretend to mis-send load credits and ask you to return them. While we still get our share of text scams from time to time, a lot of us already associate these messages with fraud and simply ignore them.

But as the use of e-wallets and online payment channels have become increasingly popular and indispensable, scams have evolved to be much more sophisticated. A common scam is done through phishing, wherein a fraudster gathers personal information like MPINs and OTPs, and uses this to gain access to accounts and steal the funds of the user.

Targeting users of leading e-wallet platforms, phishing scams happen not just through text messages, but also through call and social media platforms. While trusted financial institutions such as GCash double up on their security measures through security features such as DoubleSafe Face ID against cybercrimes, it is also helpful to be aware of new scams, how they work, and warning signs to catch them early. Here are common phishing scams e-wallet users should look out for:

• ‘Magtop-up para sa online gambling’ phishing scam

It’s very tempting to earn extra income while having fun, but that could be the opposite if you find yourself a victim of scammers that pose as online gambling sites. This phishing scam involves fraudsters leading players to a non-PAGCOR licensed gaming provider, where they will be asked to ‘top-up’ using a fake GCash portal, often using the same layout, color and logos, to retrieve credentials and access the victim’s account. 

How do you spot this? 

When you create an account with suspicious gambling sites, you will be given the option to use  your GCash account so you could top up your account. You will be redirected to a fake website that looks like a GCash portal, and will be prompted to enter your mobile number, OTP and MPIN. Once you’ve provided your information, hackers will now be able to access your account.

How could you stop this?

When asked to link your GCash account, always check the URL or name of the link to make sure you are on the GCash portal. Legitimate GCash portals begin in https:// and only end in ‘gcash.com’ while suspicious portals may have a series of numbers in the beginning, extra characters, and have misspelled words (ex. Gccash vs GCash). 

When requesting an OTP, always read the SMS to make sure you are not unknowingly linking a foreign device to your account. Never share your MPIN and OTP to anyone, including suspicious online gaming sites.

• ‘Nakahold ang account mo’ phishing scam
  
  

While there are scams that exploit different forms of entertainment, there are also those that cause panic and simulate emergency situations. The ‘Nakahold ang account mo’ phishing scam involves fraudsters pretending to be from legitimate financial institutions and making up negative consequences to encourage users into immediately providing their sensitive information.

How do you spot this? 

The fraudster will contact you, either through a phone call or social media platforms, and will claim to be a GCash employee, telling you that your account is on hold or frozen. They will then tell you that you can only have your account activated by sharing your MPIN and OTP. Once they have this information, they can gain access to your account and steal your funds. 

How could you stop this?

GCash will never ask you to activate your account through a phone call or through messaging applications. All transactions are only done through the official GCash app, including resolving concerns related to your account.

If a notice feels rushed, it’s most likely a phishing scam! Check your account through the GCash app first to confirm if it is indeed on hold and don’t share your MPIN and OTP to anyone – even those who claim to be from GCash. Remember that GCash will never ask these details from you.. 

• ‘Nanalo ka ng prize!’ Phishing Scam

Remember those earlier text scams telling potential victims that they’ve won a raffle and asking them to send a processing fee to be able to claim a prize? Just like this, a third phishing scam also notifies potential victims that they’ve won prizes to a GCash raffle they did not join. However, instead of asking them for a fee, this involves using a seemingly legitimate link to gain your credentials and access your account. 

How do you spot this? 

The fraudster, pretending to be from GCash, will send you an SMS or email saying you’ve won a reward, cashback or prize. You will be directed to click a link to claim the prize, leading to a fake website that looks like a GCash portal. Once you enter your mobile number, MPIN and OTP, your account can now be accessed by the cyber criminals.

How could you stop this?

Remember that GCash will never send links via SMS, email and messaging apps and all legitimate rewards and promos will only be communicated through the official GCash app, so never click on links and never share your MPIN and OTP to anyone. Always make it a habit to check any SMS or email you receive. Any communication from an unexpected or unfamiliar sender with an offer that’s too good to be true is usually a phishing scam.

Cybercriminals will continuously find ways to become more creative with their tactics and remain unsuspicious and realistic. Even if you might think you are not worthy of being the target of online predators, being a technology user will always put you as a potential target of any attack, especially if you’re one of the millions of user base of a leading e-wallet app like GCash. 

Fortunately, you have one of the best defenses against any phishing scam: you. Now that you are aware of how common phishing scams work, doing your part to protect your e-wallet account only takes a simple action: Do not ever share your MPIN and OTP.

If you encounter phishing scams and fraudulent activities targeting your GCash account, you may report by visiting the official GCash Help Center at help.gcash.com/hc/en-us  or messaging Gigi on the website and typing, “I want to report a scam.”

The 7-track release also features the Gloc 9-assisted track “TAKAS”

After dropping ethereal tunes that capture the struggles of youth in the most genuinely honest way, Filipino recording artist LOIR is now ready to open up old wounds and deliver an unsparing narration of her teenage life in her debut EP, Chapters, out today via Sony Music Entertainment.

The 7-track EP, which exhibits a knack for confessional songwriting and tender, spacey production, reflects emotional maturity beyond her years. In moments when the soulful newcomer needed some rescuing, she wasn’t afraid to examine her decisions in life with both sides of the coin: never consumed by ego, but instead, looking for answers with a hopeful, open mind.

“Chapters represent the ups and downs of my life,” the young singer-songwriter explains. “I’ve learned along the way that sometimes, it’s okay to pause and embrace defeat. But while there’s beauty in acceptance, I’ve always made it a point to celebrate my imperfections and use it as a motivating factor to keep going. Sharing my story is my own way of healing.”

The release of her new EP Chapters is accompanied by the focus track “TAKAS,” featuring Filipino hip-hop icon Gloc-9. “From the beat to the melody, pure devastation is felt at every part, desperately clinging to that hope that might change the heart,” she describes the song. Buoyed by dramatic strings and intricately powerful arrangements, the ethereal track is LOIR’s way of finding escape in a world troubled by uncertainty and not knowing what lies ahead.

Aside from “TAKAS,” the EP shines just as bright with songs that communicate storytelling in particularly nuanced ways.

Her debut record includes “PANAGINIP,” featuring rapper Melrhyme, and “UMAGA,” which are both crossover jams with hit potential. The stripped-down ballad “MAMA” is LOIR at her most vulnerable, asking big questions about life’s purpose and her conflicting sense of direction. And then there’s “PAHIYOM,” which shows just how charismatic LOIR can be as both an interpreter and a storyteller.

Despite its introspective themes, the production always stands out with refreshing ideas, thanks to contributions by urban/R&B collaborators such as Goodson, Havo and Shaq.

LOIR’s new EP, Chapters, is out now on all digital music platforms worldwide via Sony Music Entertainment.