PWS, a wholly owned subsidiary of Prime Infra, was established in response to the increasing demand for proper waste management and resource recovery solutions in industrialized and fast-growing cities in the Philippines. PWS’ model is based on Prime Infra’s overall objective to convert recovered resources into sustainable fuels.

“I need not tell you how groundbreaking this is because this is in fact the first in the country,” said DENR Secretary Ma. Antonia “Toni” Yulo-Loyzaga. 

“It’s efforts like this that make our job possible…The first thing we need to do in this country is regard the solid waste management sector as an industry and for that, it needs to realize the efficiencies according to scale. Investments will not make sense without all the moving parts put on the table and that includes local governance, environmental management; that includes private investment with government and aligned with government in addressing these particular issues,” she said.

The DENR secretary also lauded PWS for the “social impact of this transition in solid waste management technology” by incorporating the informal waste picker sector into the process. 

PWS Chair Katrina Razon said the “state-of-the-art MRF embodies innovation, and our commitment to building a regenerative future.”

PWS procured equipment from Europe and Asia such as vibrating sieves, baler systems, magnetic separators, as well as air density separator to maximize resource recovery leading to landfill avoidance, thus preventing over 15,000 tons of methane emissions per annum. 

“As we gather here today, we acknowledge the importance of responsible waste management in safeguarding our environment and the well-being of future generations. We recognize that every single one of you is a steward for a new way forward in the Philippines,” she added.

Also present during the inauguration were Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama, Consolacion Mayor Teresa Alegado, Cebu City Councilors, DENR Undersecretary Juan Miguel Cuna, and Director Steve Paradies, President and CEO Guillaume Lucci, Regulatory Officers Donato Almeda and Vince Dizon, Chief Financial Officer Sandy Alipio, Chief Legal Officer Philip Ranada, Chief Administrative Officer Minerva Matibag and Market Sector Lead for Waste Cara Peralta of Prime Infra. 

“We saw how critical the demand was for proper waste management solutions through Materials Recovery Facilities where we can sort, segregate and process—not just for our own sites, but also for cities or areas in need of proper waste disposal facilities,” said Peralta.

“Although we’ve come far, there is still much work to be done. PWS’ mission does not end with sorting, segregating, and stacking bales of waste. It ends with waste value creation. Our goal is to further enhance our process flow and to essentially go back to our original objective of turning waste into sustainable fuels to further reduce methane emissions and for our country to be able to provide sustainable fuels to the global market,” she added. 

Rama, for his part, congratulated PWS for keeping its commitment to make the facility at par with world-class MRFs in other developed countries like Singapore. 

“I’ve been [telling] the Razon Group and company that I want to be here for the first time,” said Rama. “I was assured that it’s going to be state-of-the-art…because the proof of the pudding is in the eating. So, I have seen the equipment, kindly give them a round of applause.”

PWS is also expanding its operations by developing other facilities across the country.

About Prime Infra

Building today’s critical infrastructure for a sustainable future.

Prime Infra is Filipino businessman Enrique K. Razon Jr.’s infrastructure arm that focuses on building assets that support the most urgent sustainability priorities - energy, access to clean water, and waste management.

With sustainability at the core of the business and projects carried out by a fast and lean management process,  Prime Infra helps transform countries around the world by developing economically critical and socially relevant infrastructure that people depend on today and tomorrow.

Prime Infra is committed to ensuring its investments are socially relevant so that its customers and stakeholders are able to transition to their decarbonization goals, multiply social benefits, and promote inclusive economic growth.

 Zonta District 17 Area 3 Zonta Clubs identify needs, proposed projects to promote women's empowerment.

Zonta District 17 Area 3 Zonta clubs identify top needs and come up with proposed projects to attain its goal of women empowerment following three simultaneous workshops tackling three topics – Education, Entrepreneurship, and Equitable Access.

The workshop on Education focused on the top needs of Literacy and Numeracy; Health and Nutrition of Mother and Child; Learning Loss and Remedial Tutorial. Suggested projects for education include Zonta-Department of Education Partnership; Responsible Parenthood, Adopt-a-School project in the locality of the clubs; and conduct of assessment, design program, and training of tutors.

Five top needs have to be prioritized to encourage or promote entrepreneurship.. These are Training, Instilling Values and Motivation, Funding, Marketing, and Opportunities. To address these, five projects were suggested during the workshop – Handy Women Training; Seminars; Collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Science and Technology; Trade fairs/bazaars; and support from Social Media/industrial organizations.

To achieve Equitable Access, there’s a need to prioritize the improvement of women’s economic empowerment and capacity building on laws protecting and promoting rights. This can be done through livelihood training based on gender analysis of identified needs and evaluation of impact on women leaders as well as leadership training for grassroots women.

At the end of two-year implementation for Equitable Access projects, Zonta Club Area 3 aims to address the concern of poverty among women by undertaking several projects. These include livelihood based on identified needs of target stakeholders; capacity building of grassroots women leaders; increased awareness of women’s human rights; and education through continuing literacy programs.

Zonta also has to undertake participative consultation, conducting gender analysis in designing Programs, Projects, and Activities. The implementation of the project also requires the crafting of monitoring and evaluation to determine the positive impacts of their projects for empowering women.

The workshops were conducted in the afternoon on January 27, 2024. The opening ceremony held in the morning of the same day featured the Parade of Clubs, the Entry of Colors, and dance numbers.

Area 3 Director Zn. Ma. Teresa Chan, who delivered the welcome address,  explains that the Area Meeting aims to foster camaraderie and fellowship among Area 3 members of the clubs and enhance their skills and respective capabilities to help serve our communities. 

“That’s why we have workshops so we can listen to insights of people. We listen to speakers who can give us new perspectives. We can look for other beneficiaries, improve what we are doing now and maybe even look for other types of projects,” Zn. Chan explains.

Vice Area 3 Director Evelyn D. Clarin conducted the roll call of clubs. The Clubs include Zonta Club of Cebu I, Zonta Club of Cebu II, Zonta Club Davao I, Zonta Club Davao II, Zonta Club Metro Iloilo, Zonta Club Bacolod, Zonta Club Iloilo, Zonta Club Cagayan de Oro, Zonta Club Cagayan II, Zonta Club Zamboanga, Zonta Club Tacloban, and Zonta Club General Santos.

District 17 Governor Zn. Ophelia C. Bautista congratulates Zn. Chan and Zn. Petite Garcia, chairman of the Area 3 Meeting Organizing Committee for the success of the activity, thanked the various clubs for the overwhelming attendance of the meeting. There were 165 delegates from the different clubs in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Zn. Bautista also stressed the need for Zontians to empower themselves to empower women. “The more we understand Zonta, the more we get enabled; the more we want to engaged. Let us engage to empower women through education, through entrepreneurship, and equitable access.

In her keynote speech, Myrish Cadapan-Antonio, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Philippine Living Heritage Initiative talks about the  Area 3 Meeting's theme "Women + Education + Entrepreneurship + Equitable Access EmpowerHer." She emphasized the pivotal role of education in the efforts to empower women.

“Education is the cornerstone of progress. Entrepreneurship is the catalyst that turns knowledge into action. Equitable access acts as the bridge,” Atty. Cadapan-Antonio said.

Atty. Cadapan-Antonio also served as Deputy Legal Counsel, Faculty of Law, and Director of the Dr. Jovito R. Salonga Center for Law and Development at Silliman University in the Philippines for over a decade before she and her family moved to the United States. She also serves on the boards of the Harvard Club of the Philippines Global, Save One Life (Interim President; an international non-profit serving children with bleeding disorders worldwide), and Khan Academy Philippines.

Meanwhile, the Club Presidents delivered reports on various projects and best practices in their respective communities.

Zn. Dr. Vivien Seno also briefed delegates on the three simultaneous workshops that will discuss Education, Entrepreneurship, and Equitable Access. 

These concerns are vital to the empowerment of women. The workshop speakers are Atty. Joan S. Largo, Vice President for Administration of the University of San Carlos for education; Ms. Laurie Boquiren, Marketing and R&D Director, Castilex Industrial Corp. and CEO/Founder Jamaica Markets Corp. for Entrepreneurship and Atty. Mylen Gonzales-Esquivel, Executive Director at Child Justice League Inc. for Equitable Access.

In the afternoon, Motivational Speaker Mader Perci Cendaňa, former Commissioner of the Philippine National Youth Commission, delivered an inspirational message. He discussed the topic “Celebrating Differences...Towards a more Diverse, Equitable and Inclusive Zonta.”

He cited the need to embrace diversity but should be combined with inclusion so there would be equity in the end.

Cendaňa holds the distinction of being the first openly gay Chairperson of the UP Diliman University Student Council and is currently a consultant of the Quezon City GAD Council and QC Pride Council. He is also the immediate past president of Babaylanes Inc., an NGO working on building capacities of young LGBTs.

The day ended with a fun-filled evening during the Fellowship Dinner held at NUSTAR Resort. It was the second social gathering of the delegates who were first treated to a Welcome Dinner also at NUSTAR Resort the previous day, on January 26, 2024.

On the third day of the Zonta District 17 Area 3 Meeting, a Mass and Memorial Service was also offered at NUSTAR Resort function room as tribute to the Zontians who had passed away. 

TimeWalkerIntimaLaser treatment involves several considerations to ensure a safe and effective experience. Before undergoing the procedure, patients are required to have a standard gynecological examination, including a pap-smear. The treatment is deemed safe, with no reported serious side effects, and numerous clinical studies support its safety.

Local anesthesia is not necessary, as the procedure is pain-free, causing only a slight heat sensation. Typically, two to three sessions are recommended at 4-to-6-week intervals for optimal results. While improvements may be noticed shortly after the procedure, the full benefits, attributed to the formation of new collagen, become apparent within one month to six weeks. There are no specific age limitations for the treatment, as long as patients have been diagnosed with vaginal health conditions, subject to the approval of a medical professional. Menopausal women can also undergo the TimeWalkerIntimaLaser treatment.

Each session lasts approximately 20 minutes, allowing patients to resume their daily activities immediately. No special preparation or post-operative care is required, but women should abstain from lifting heavy objects and engaging in prolonged, strenuous exercise for up to 14 days. Additionally, sexual intercourse should be avoided for two weeks following the treatment. Overall, the TimeWalkerIntimaLaser procedure offers a safe and efficient solution for addressing various vaginal health concerns.

Dr. Stephanie Gail Mesina, owner of SMV, shared her enthusiasm for the launch, stating, "At SMV, we are committed to providing innovative solutions that empower women to take control of their health. TimeWalkerIntimaLaser represents a significant step forward in addressing women's intimate health concerns with a safe and effective approach."

TimeWalkerIntimaLaser aims to empower women by providing a safe and convenient solution to enhance their overall well-being. For more information or to schedule a consultation, please visit their Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/smvobgyn/.

 Welcome to the dazzling world of beauty transformations and makeup magic!

In this blog post, we're going to explore and celebrate the most-viewed reels on my channel. From stunning makeup transformations to beauty tips and tricks, join me as we relive the moments that captivated audiences and ignited the beauty community!

 Achieve job hunting success with the exciting

new features of Jobstreet by SEEK

Today’s Philippine job market landscape has become highly competitive with the emergence of a growing number of skilled workers. According to SEEK's 2023 Philippine Employment Outlook article, this increase was likely driven by the inflow of foreign investments, opening more doors for growth. While this presents more opportunities, it also means that more candidates are vying for open positions, making it a test of who can stand out best to employers.

That is why, maximizing the digital tools and platforms widely accessible today can be crucial in making your job search journey less complicated. According to the Future of Recruitment report by Jobstreet by SEEK, 28% of the Filipino job seekers surveyed prefer to use online recruitment platforms because of the convenience they offer. Through these, job opportunities become readily available within your fingertips. At the click of a button, you can already find companies that fit your background and preferences.

However, matching with top roles and employers can still be tough given the wide range of opportunities offered. Every online job portal is also not the same and therefore does not offer the same perks. That is why Jobstreet by SEEK continues to innovate and adapt to the changing times to be able to empower Filipino candidates in their job hunting journey. Its newly transformed AI-powered platform redefines the way Filipino talents and hirers connect.

Better Job Matches. Gone are the days where you have to manually scrutinize each job post and see if it fits your preferences. With the improved platform, you can expect better job matching and receive a “Top Candidate Badge” if you are a strong applicant for a role, saving you hours of scrolling through job posts that don’t fit your credentials or are already over-saturated by competition. Through the AI-powered algorithm, it also offers a Smarter Search which recommends jobs that might interest you based on your career profile.

Better User-Experience. Not only do you get matched with better job opportunities, you also get a better user experience. You can now customize your profile visibility to hirers to give them a signal that you are open to opportunities even if you are not actively applying for jobs at the moment. This way, hirers can easily contact you if you are a good fit for specific open positions in their organization. To increase your visibility to hirers, you simply need to go to your profile’s settings, click “Profile Visibility”, and adjust your preferences accordingly.

In addition to that, this transformation makes it possible to have access to jobs in eight markets across the Asia Pacific region within just a single platform, giving you more opportunities to choose from! Better Career Advice. Jobstreet by SEEK also continues to invest in empowering talents through seek MAX, its own online content learning platform found inside the JobStreet app. This helps talents like you to further upskill and get equipped for free while also giving you a chance to connect with a community you can engage with in career-related discussions.

Aside from this, a dedicated Career Advice page can also be found on the site, so you will be equipped with relevant information to stand out and survive the competitive job-hunting experience.

“We understand that finding the right job has become complex, and it will only continue to progress in the coming years. We acknowledge the challenges and have embarked on a transformative journey with the hopes of catering to the needs of our customers and help connect employers with talent more effectively,” says Dannah Majarocon, Managing Director, Philippines, Jobstreet by SEEK.

To learn more about the new features of Jobstreet by SEEK, visit jobstreet.com.ph or download the mobile app via Google Play or App Store.

About Jobstreet by SEEK

Jobstreet by SEEK is the leading employment platform in Southeast Asia, helping people live more fulfilling and productive working lives and helping organizations succeed. It is a subsidiary of SEEK, a diverse group of companies comprised of a strong portfolio of online employment, educational, commercial, and volunteer businesses. SEEK is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and has a strong presence across the APAC region, including six Asian markets – Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand – through the Jobstreet and JobsDB brands. SEEK attracts over 500 million visits a year in Asia.

 SABAY SA BUHAY! - BPI EXPANDS REACH THROUGH PRINCE HYPERMART PARTNERSHIP WITH ‘’MAY BPI DITO!’’ 

After 33 years of serving the underserved nationwide, Prince Hypermart has officially launched its new tagline – Sabay sa Buhay!, As a way to update the new and better ways that Prince Hypermart is keeping up with the times in serving their customers. 

 The new tagline focuses on Prince being a part of the average Filipino’s life, not just in buying their daily needs and groceries, but also in providing services and providing a venue for them to complete their shopping experience. Prince continues to be a value – for – money retailer, but now emphasizes other offerings such as food / restaurant and service tenants, bills payment and payment services, cash withdrawals in-store even without an ATM machine, buy now pay later capabilities, online shopping platforms for those who need more convenient options to shop, and many more. Located in rural and semi-urban areas, Prince also has one of the strongest retail loyalty programs in the country with over 70% of customers as loyalty card holders, having perks and value additions to build longer – term relationships with customers. With personalized services and a focus on serving what their customers need, Prince has also grown from being a Cebu-homegrown retailer with 4 stores in Cebu, to now over 70 stores all over Visayas, Mindanao, Palawan and parts of Central and Southern Luzon. Kantar also awarded Prince as the 6th most preferred retailer in the country for 2022. 

 Living out the new tagline, Prince Hypermart has also forged a partnership with Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), the first and the oldest bank in the Philippines, through its ‘’MAY BPI DITO!’’ program. Sharing the same mission and vision to build and impact a better community by nurturing and making life easier for the communities that they serve, Prince and BPI are working to bring financial literacy and access closer to the Filipinos, particularly those in the countryside.

 This strategic partnership is poised to redefine banking convenience and accessibility by integrating banking into the daily lives of their customers, bringing BPI to where they are, through the stores of Prince Hypermart. This revolutionizes the way they serve their customers by offering accessible banking products and services to them. 

 Prince customers can now seamlessly open a savings account or apply for a credit card, apply for loans and insurance products among others, by simply scanning the BPI product QR codes available in any Prince Hypermart / Prince Town store nationwide. This partnership will further augment the network of customer touchpoints of BPI and Prince Hypermart as they jointly aim to serve the underserved. Anumang takbo ng buhay, si Prince palagi mong kasabay – Prince Sabay sa Buhay, kasama si BPI