FSSI supports social entrepreneurs to grow local communities

 

Press Release:

The British Council, supported by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, reported that social enterprises in the country have struggled to balance their environmental and financial goals to achieve business stability and effectively measure their overall impact. FSSI addresses this challenge through its triple bottom line (3BL) approach, which measures People, Planet, and Profit as the main indicators. Through this approach, FSSI has benefited over 280 local social enterprises, resulting in deeper support to the communities they belong to, more paths to sustainability, and more profitable businesses – all at the same time.

“Social enterprises aim to create social and environmental impact, while maintaining a viable business at the same time,” said Sixto Donato C. Macasaet, Executive Director at FSSI. “In order to achieve their goals, we and our partners from national civil society organizations and international organizations help them address their challenges through our needs-based services that include loans, developmental deposits, seed capital, and equity investment.”

Boost socio-economic impact

Women-led enterprise Mallig FST Multi-Purpose Cooperative is engaged in lending, savings deposits, agricultural inputs trading and mechanization services, and rice milling. In 2022, the cooperative expanded and opened a gas station in Mallig, Isabela to create jobs for their immediate community.

The cooperative also started the construction of a multi-purpose building which will be used as the cooperative’s office, convenience store, agricultural trading store for bulk purchase of agricultural supplies, and other stalls for rent. Through FSSI’s Investing in Women project, they are able to augment their working capital for agricultural inputs trading and thus, offer agricultural inputs to farmer members at a lower price. They also give them technical advice for better yield per cropping.

“We are now able to establish a one-stop-shop that will cater to the various needs of farmer members and non-members alike in Mallig,” said Marilyn Binag, Manager at Mallig FST Multi-Purpose Cooperative. She added that this will also be an opportunity for the cooperative to grow beyond its 642 members—234 of whom are women—by helping them realize their potential economic contributions through helping more communities even outside of Isabela.

Empower local communities

Nueva Ecija-based women-led social enterprise Kilusang Lima para sa Lahat Multi-Purpose Cooperative (K5 MPC) already began partnering with FSSI through a loan program in 2006 to sustain its financial support to its members who are farmers and owners of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

“Our members' need for capital for various purposes outweighs the share capital contributed by investing members,” said Guillermo Bacsa, General Manager at K5 MPC. Guided by the 3BL approach, in 2006, FSSI offered K5 MPC a credit line to support their members and to empower the communities they serve and contribute to local economic development.

FSSI joined the inauguration of K5 MPC's Peaks and Waves Bed and Breakfast at Dingalan, Aurora. (L-R: Nikki Natan, FSSI Knowledge Management, Advocacy, and Communications Officer, Leah Embuido, FSSI Financial Services Manager, Mark Tañedo, FSSI Credit Officer, Evelyn Roxas, Sherlyn Alcantara, and Ma. Loida Dela Cruz, K5 MPC Board Directors)

In 2022, K5 MPC worked with FSSI, under a renewed partnership, to expand its services to nearby province, Aurora, and launched its first lodging business, “Peaks and Waves Bed and Breakfast.” FSSI supported the construction of the lodging house which now contributes to the local economy of the town of Dingalan through tourism, employment generation, and environmental protection by segregating, composting, and recycling wastes, and reusing containers to reduce plastic usage.

“Our members’ trust is a vital part of community development,” Bacsa said. “By empowering them and providing them solutions that fit their needs, our capital grew from PHP 60,000 to PHP 40 million to date.”

Founded on the principles of People, Planet, and Profit, FSSI offers customizable services that empower social enterprises to ensure they thrive in their respective sector and foster holistic community development.

To discover more about how FSSI supports local social enterprises, visit fssi.com.ph or go to their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/FSSI.Philippines.

Celebrate the Holiday Season at The Manila Hotel

 

Press Release:

This festive season, The Manila Hotel presents a gastronomic celebration like no other. With an unwavering commitment to providing memorable experiences, the Grand Dame invites guests to partake in a feast of flavors and revel in the joyous spirit of the holidays.

 

Café Ilang-Ilang Festive Buffet

Enjoy different cuisines from around the world at the famed Café Ilang-Ilang, where an opulent festive buffet awaits discerning diners. Whether celebrating Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or welcoming the New Year – guests can enjoy special rates while savoring a delectable array of dishes. Rates start at P4,500 per person.

A Christmas party well “dasurved” by everyone

 

Taiwan Excellence believes that Filipinos are among those who throw the best parties during the Christmas season, where the holiday season is celebrated at its longest in this part of the world.

And Taiwan Excellence, which honors the most innovative and value-added products produced by leading companies in Taiwan, believes that every Christmas party in the Philippines deserve to be thrown in the best and most excellent manner to make it truly memorable.

To celebrate this, Taiwan Excellence introduces a holiday contest called “A Dasurved Christmas Party,” where Filipinos can win a Christmas Party package worth P10,000 so they can celebrate all day long.

“A Dasurved Christmas Party” is open to various groups of Filipinos such as families, blood relatives, office mates, close friends, or even groups of individuals that possess a strong bond with each other.

To join “A Dasurved Christmas Party,” simply “Like” and “Follow” Taiwan Excellence’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

In order to win the Christmas Party Package, simply answer the question “Why do you deserve a holiday celebration worth Php 10,000?” and explain why your group deserves to win the Christmas Party Package and have some Christmas fun. Your comment will serve as your entry to the contest.

More importantly, do not forget to include the correct contest hashtags #ADasurvedChristmasParty, #TheBestMadeInTaiwan, and #TaiwanExcellencePH in your comment. Comments with incorrect hashtags will be declared invalid and will not be counted.

The contest is open for posting of entries until December 7, 2023. A total of Three (3) winners will be chosen to win the Christmas Party Package.

For more details, check out the link to the official post here: https://bit.ly/DasurvMagChristmaswithTE

USHER THE HOLIDAY SEASON WITH PPO’S ODE TO JOY CONCERT

 

Celebrate the most joyous season with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra as they hold the fourth concert of their 39th Concert Season: Switch on December 8, 2023, 7:30pm, at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater.   

Dubbed Ode to Joy, the Concert IV program features Franz Liszt's Piano Concerto No. 2 in A Major and Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, Op. 125 in D minor, under the baton of PPO music director and principal conductor Maestro Grzegorz Nowak. 

Renowned pianist and former CCP president Raul Sunico takes center stage as he performs Liszt's Piano Concerto No. 2 in A Major, a dazzling and virtuosic piece that highlights the composer’s inventive approach to the piano and his ability to integrate solo and orchestral parts fluidly. 

Hailed for his “unusual gifts of lyricism and poetry,” Sunico has an illustrious international career as a concert pianist, orchestral soloist, and composer-arranger of Philippine music. A TOYM Awardee for Music in 1986, Sunico’s impact extends beyond performance. He is a music education advocate, textbook author, and former dean of the UST Conservatory

of Music. With unique distinction like performing all four Rachmaninoff pianos concertos in a single evening, Sunic continues to contribute significantly to the world of classical music. 

Experience the grandeur of Beethoven's monumental Symphony No. 9, Op. 125 in D minor, with guest performers baritone Byeong-In Park, mezzo soprano Krissan Manikan-Tan, soprano Rachelle Gerodias, and tenor Arthur Espiritu. 

The Beethoven piece has been known for its innovative use of a vocal quartet and a choir in the last movement, which includes the well-loved “Ode to Joy.” The PPO’s rendition features a 120-voice choir composed of singers from the CMU Consortium of Voices, Eastern Chamber Singers, Ateneo Chamber Singers, Novo Concertante Manila, and Kammerchor Manila, with chorus master and CCP trustee Jonathan Velasco. 

A much-sought after choral conductor, clinician and adjudicator, Velasco and his choirs have won first prizes in major European choral competitions. He regularly adjudicates choral competitions in Europe and Asia, gives choral conducting workshops and coral clinics worldwide. In 2008, he was elected the first president of the Philippine Choral Directors Association. He currently conducts the Ateneo Chamber Singers. He represents the Philippines to the Interkultur World Choir Council.  

Celebrating its 50th founding anniversary, the PPO is the country’s leading orchestra and is widely regarded as one of the top musical ensembles in the Asia-Pacific region. The PPO has premiered Filipino compositions and has featured works by foreign composers not yet performed in the Philippines. It continues to promote music appreciation through outreach concerts in schools, parishes, government agencies, and underserved communities in Metro Manila and different regions of the country.

For ticket inquiries, group discounts, and subscriptions contact the CCP Box Office at 0931 033 0880 or email at salesandpromotions@culturalcenter.gov.ph. You can purchase tickets at TicketWorld (09175506997 / 09999545922) at https://premier.ticketworld.com.ph. 

Visit the CCP website (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph) or follow the official social media accounts on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates.

Add more color to your holidays with DQ's latest Blizzard of the Month offer featuring M&M's

 

This holiday season, DQ is adding more color to your celebrations with a new collection of cold treats featuring one of the most iconic sweets of all time—M&Ms!

Join the M&Ms Spokescandies as they liven up the holidays with their fun and vibrant personalities with the new DQ x M&Ms Collection, DQ's latest Blizzard of the Month offer, which comes in six different creations!

First are three new Blizzards made with DQs creamy vanilla soft serve mixed with M&Ms candy pieces: the Nutty Blizzard, a dreamy dessert elevated by the interplay of chewy and crunchy; the Choco Fudge Blizzard, for those who seek the ultimate chocolatey treat; and the Caramel Brownie Blizzard, made with bite-sized brownies and caramel topping to satisfy any sweet tooth. Joining these limited-edition Blizzards is the new M&Ms Parfait, made with layers of soft serve and chocolate topping and then topped with whipped cream and M&Ms.