ILOILO: HEART of the PHILIPPINES

 The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) with the support of the country's leading mobile wallet GCash, has introduced the Coin Deposit Initiative which aims to address coin shortage, reduce coin production and improve money circulation at the same time. To kick-off this groundbreaking initiative, Coin Deposit Machines (CoDM)  have been installed in leading malls in Manila with GCash being the first Electronic Money Institution (EMI)  provider who successfully integrated with the CoDM machine. According to BSP's data, there is an estimated P27 billion worth of coins lingering in the National Capital Region (NCR) alone. These coins often end up stored away in bank vaults, piggy banks, and drawers or discarded as an inconvenience. The Coin Deposit Initiative offers a convenient solution to the challenge faced by BSP regarding individuals accumulating coins at home. Through this collaborative effort, users now have the opportunity to deposit their coins into machines in conven...

  Cebu Pacific acknowledges the difficulties and frustrations that our passengers have been experiencing lately. This is primarily driven by fleet availability issues affecting the global aviation industry along with specific environmental factors.  We empathize with our passengers, and we sincerely regret the inconvenience that we have caused. To address these concerns, we have put in place initiatives to mitigate the situation: HEIGHTENED CUSTOMER CARE & RECOVERY – We have established a disruption management team to augment our ground staff and help passengers during unexpected events. Additionally, Cebu Pacific has expanded its customer service capabilities by increasing the number of live agents who can assist our customers around the clock.  We also refined our policies to give our customers more options beyond what is required by the Air Passenger Bill of Rights.  REDUCED SCHEDULED FLIGHTS – Given the sudden unprecedented number of grounded aircraft, some ...

SM Foundation officially launched the 156, 157 and 158 batch of Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan (KSK) on Sustainable Agriculture Program at the Centre for Agriskills and Livelihoods Inc at Sta. Barbara, Iloilo last June 14, 2023. This Corporate Social Responsibility Project of SM Foundation Inc. is in partnership with SM Supermalls, SM Markets, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and local government units. SM’s Kabalikat Sa Kabuhayan (KSK) aims to bring modern and sustainable farming skills in both rural and urban communities to help farmers have food on their table and have potential economic opportunities. To date, the program has trained more than 28,500 farmers from more than 900 cities/municipalities nationwide. The event was graced by the presence of TESDA Provincial...

One of the most important events in Philippine history is the declaration of our independence as a nation. As we inch closer to Independence Day, Filipinos have already started to commemorate the heroism of every Super Pinoy who fought mightily for our freedom. In celebration of the Philippines’ 125th Independence Day, SM Supermalls will be holding major events and activities to keep the Super Pinoy spirit alive and burning starting on May 28.  Flag Raising Ceremonies SM malls across the country will be simultaneously holding flag-raising ceremonies during National Flag Day on May 28 and Independence Day on June 12, respectively. Participants are encouraged to wear the colors of the Philippine flag which signify truth, patriotism, and valor. After the ceremony, a short program will follow featuring Filipino modern pop music. Check your favorite mall's Facebook page for schedules and venues. Score the best deals and treats From June 1 to 12, a sumptuous Pinoy food trip will welcome ...

The Medical City (TMC) Iloilo achieved another surgical milestone by having Iloilo’s first liver surgery guided by Intraoperative Ultrasound (IOUS).  A team of skilled surgeons led by Dr. Leandro Torre, Iloilo’s first and only Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgeon who completed his fellowship training in TMC Ortigas and assisted by Dr. Ryan Comuelo, Laparoscopic Surgeon, successfully performed Iloilo’s first Laparoscopic Hepatectomy (Segment 5) with Cholecystectomy under Intraoperative Ultrasound Guidance.  The patient was a 62-year-old female who got admitted because of extreme pain her abdomen. After undergoing a series of diagnostic procedures, a liver tumor was discovered.  The groundbreaking procedure, which involved the removal of a liver tumor and the simultaneous removal of the gallbladder, highlights the remarkable potential of laparoscopic techniques and the integration of cutting-edge imaging technology into surgical practice here in Iloilo City.  Traditionally...

TOWARDS the start of the new millennium, anticipation was in the air. There was apprehension about “Y2K” in an emerging digital world. People were excited about a new century. The country was a rising tiger of Asia. “Erap” Estrada had won the 1998 elections and was popular, though there was rising discontent with his presidency. The Growth of a City within a City BY VIC SALAS June 12, 1999 was a major milestone in Iloilo’s business community, as the first SM mall in Western Visayas opened (2nd outside Mega Manila) , forever changing the landscape of retailing in Iloilo. It also completed a decades-long, gradual shift of the main commercial areas of downtown Iloilo – the JM Basa- Iznart-Delgado-Ledesma nexus - to the Diversion road area. The first “mall” in the country is Ali Mall in Cubao, inaugurated by the great Muhammad Ali himself in 1976. Malls would have retail stores, restaurants, interconnected buildings and a central concourse area. The trendsetter is defini...

Feed your senses with thought-provoking works by selected artists from Western Visayas and Metro Manila in this exhibit running until August 2023. In Hiligaynon, “Kaon na ta!” (“Let’s eat!”) is an invitation to share a meal. Its meaning far exceeds its simple form, as it also implies generosity, hospitality, congregation, and gratification. Taking a cue from this phrase, the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art (ILOMOCA) sets the table for a feast of its own through Kaon Na Ta! | A Melding of Visual Flavors. Opening to the public on May 19, this major exhibition brings together 20 artists from Western Visayas and 22 from Metro Manila to build the idea of an “aesthetic cuisine,” in which food is used as a metaphor for cultural consumption, community and identity, and originality and invention. The mixture of different tastes fuses as one, to produce something fresh in the hopes of generating a dialogue on creativity. Curators of KAON NA TA: Rock Drilon, Manuel Ocampo and Marika Constantino...