Briefs: Five-Continents Drive arrives

Toyota Motor Corp. (TMC) is bringing the 5 Continents Drive to the Philippines. In line with Toyota’s commitment to making ever-better cars, the 5 Continents Drive team aims to drive various Toyota vehicles in local communities, diverse terrains, and challenging environments which customers experience on the road on a daily basis. Their motto: “Roads build people, and people build cars.” Globally, the 5 Continents Drive started in 2014 in Australia, and has since travelled across North and Latin America, Europe, and Africa. The team started their Asia drive in February in the Middle East and is slated to end in Japan in time for the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.

In November, TMC, through its local affiliate Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) together with the global affiliates concluded the Philippine leg of the global project at the Philippine Goal Event at Toyota Manila Bay Corp. Officially launched in a send-off ceremony at TMP’s Santa Rosa, Laguna plant on 19 November, the project brought 27 Toyota engineers and technical experts from TMC, TMP, Toyota Daihatsu Engineering and Manufacturing and Toyota Motor Asia Pacific to the roads of Metro Manila, Bulacan, Tarlac, La Union, Baguio, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Zambales and back to Manila for a goal event at TMP’s dealership along Manila Bay. The 5 Continents 9-vehicle convoy for the Philippine drive is composed of the locally-assembled Vios and Innova, together with the Hilux, Corolla Altis Hybrid, Rush, Fortuner and the RAV4.

SteelAsia supports research, training center

Leading Philippine steel firm SteelAsia Manufacturing Corp. has partnered with the University of Asia and Pacific Foundation Inc. (UA&P Foundation) and the provincial government of Batangas for the construction of a research and development center in the southern Luzon province.

Through the Philippine Foundation for Cultural and Educational Development Inc. (PFCED), the future campus is expected to begin construction in the second quarter of next year through the help of UA&P Foundation, who will also be operating and managing the research center once erected.

Eventually in the future, UA&P Foundation hopes to see the center to expand and be comparable to the Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University Manila campuses.

SteelAsia recently turned over the donation to PFCED, a non-profit organization focused on values transformation and professional excellence, for the establishment of its new research center in Batangas.

The turnover ceremony was held last 12 September in the headquarters of the UA&P in Ortigas, Pasig City where Batangas Governor Hermilando “Dodo” Mandanas was present as he expressed his utmost support to the project as this is seen to provide further economic and social development for the people of Batangas.

The Dagdag Puhunan loan program, which was conceived through the partnership between leading payments and remittance network TrueMoney Philippines and Unionbank, recently won the social, sustainable and responsible banking award at the recently concluded Efma Retail Banking Summit Asia Awards 2019.

The annual Efma Retail Banking Summit Asia Awards celebrates developments in the banking industry that promote financial inclusivity. Out of the seven categories, the social, sustainable and responsible banking category recognizes innovations that address social concerns, support SME growth and help promote environment-friendly policies.

The Dagdag Puhunan loan program allows sari-sari store owners with TrueMoney cards to use their Unionbank loan line to purchase FMCG stocks from their suppliers.

The program is a testament of TrueMoney and Unionbank’s commitment to help provide affordable working capital loans and business opportunities to the unbanked.

“We are proud to receive this award by Efma and Accenture as it validates TrueMoney’s efforts and expertise in serving the sari-sari store owners who need more access to traditionally out-of-reach loan facilities in growing their business,” Rocio-An Rentuza, TrueMoney Loans Business Unit head, said.