Jean Henri Lhuillier, President and CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier, highlighted the importance of recognizing employees across the organization: “ORO marks an important step in our longstanding recognition tradition, bringing recognition closer to our nine regions and honoring the Ka-Cebuanas whose dedication and hard work contribute to our success every day.”

Named after the Spanish word for gold, ORO represents excellence built over time through dedication, hard work, perseverance, loyalty, and meaningful contributions. The program brings recognition closer to Ka-Cebuanas across all nine regions, celebrating the people whose efforts drive the company’s performance and make a difference in the communities they serve.

The pilot run of ORO Regional Awards 2026 covers all nine regions, recognizing Ka-Cebuanas across categories ranging from 10- and 15-year service milestones to the Regional Manager (RM) Cup. The RM Cup underscores the Regional Manager’s role not just as a leader, but as a mentor who inspires excellence, nurtures talent, and recognizes the people who bring out the best in their teams. It celebrates leadership that sees potential, encourages growth, and brings out the best in people. Other categories include special performance awards, individual achievements, branch and area distinctions, customer experience, community impact, and overall regional performance.

Jose Miguel Jimenez, Senior Vice President and Branch Sales Group Head, emphasized the importance of recognizing employees where the company’s mission is carried out every day: “ORO brings recognition closer to where our mission comes to life every day—in our branches and the communities we serve. It is here that our people make a direct impact, making it important to celebrate their contributions where they happen.”

Beginning in 2027, ORO will also serve as the pathway to the Brillo Awards, Cebuana Lhuillier’s national stage for excellence established in 2009. This gives outstanding regional performers the opportunity to advance to the national level, making regional achievements an important part of the company’s broader recognition program.

Through ORO, Cebuana Lhuillier continues to strengthen its culture of recognition and commitment to employee engagement. By celebrating achievements across its nine regions, the company affirms that the Gold Standard of Excellence is built through the people whose dedication, consistent performance, and meaningful contributions drive its success and advance its mission of financial inclusion.

2026 ASEAN-Korea Innovative Culture Forum to Convene at Ayala Museum on November 7, Championing the Future of Human Creative Sovereignty and Cultural IP
MANILA, PHILIPPINES - The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea (MCST), together with the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE) and the ASEAN Foundation, has officially announced that the “2026 ASEAN-Korea Innovative Culture Forum (Partnership for Innovative Culture - PIC)” will be held on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at the prestigious Ayala Museum in Makati City.

Holding this year’s landmark forum in the Philippines carries exceptional diplomatic significance, as the nation assumes the 2026 ASEAN Chairmanship. Organized around the overarching theme, “On Human Creative Sovereignty: Shaping the Future of Imagination and Cultural IP,” the international conference aims to establish a high-level multilateral dialogue addressing the profound impact of generative artificial intelligence and digital transformation on creative industries, copyright protection, and cross-border intellectual property economies across Asia.

The forum is distinguished by an authoritative lineup of creative leaders and policymakers from Korea and all 11 ASEAN member states. Notably, Mr. Chang-seop Kim, General Director of NEXON’s iconic gaming franchise MapleStory, will deliver the forum’s Keynote Address. Reflecting on MapleStory’s unprecedented two-decade success across Southeast Asia via MapleStory SEA, Mr. Kim will share invaluable industry insights on expanding gaming worldviews into transmedia cultural intellectual properties (IP), sustained community building, and cross-sectoral brand collaborations.

Following the keynote, four comprehensive thematic sessions spanning Policy Governance, Industrial Expansion, ASEAN-Korea Multilateral Cooperation, and Youth Leadership will bring together over 20 prominent regional experts. Key discussions will explore how local cultural resources, indigenous heritage, and everyday creativity can be systematically transformed into legally protected, high-value cultural assets in alignment with the long-term strategic objectives of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.

Alongside the academic and policy sessions, the forum is intrinsically linked with the contemporary art exhibition, “Gathering Point,” curated at the Ayala Museum from November 7 to November 13, 2026. The special seven-day showcase brings together visionary contemporary artists from six Asian nations, including the Philippines’ internationally acclaimed Mark Justiniani, Latthapon Korkiatarkul (Thailand), Kim Joon (Republic of Korea), Ari Bayuaji (Indonesia), Adam Phong (Malaysia), and Imhathai Suwatthanasilp (Thailand). Through diverse mediums ranging from kinetic optical installations to acoustic archival work, the exhibition demonstrates how physical materials, everyday memories, and collective traditions are reinterpreted through creative sovereignty.

The Organizing Committee has officially initiated an exclusive Application-Based Pre-Registration process for local arts and cultural administrators, museum and gallery curators, hotel art collection managers and senior hoteliers, creative tech startup founders, and aspiring youth leaders. Shortlisted delegates will receive full complimentary access to the forum proceedings, supported by a professional simultaneous interpretation system (Korean-English). Attendees will also be hosted to an authentic premium Korean culinary luncheon buffet and enjoy a complimentary instant photo booth experience designed to commemorate regional friendship.

Furthermore, delegates who actively participate throughout the entire day’s agenda (10:00 AM to 4:30 PM) will be automatically eligible for the Grand Finale Raffle Draw during the closing ceremony, featuring state-of-the-art Samsung smart devices (including Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Fit3), official BTS and SEVENTEEN collectors' albums, and luxury Sulwhasoo K-Beauty cosmetic gift sets.

Prospective delegates, cultural professionals, and academic researchers may submit their attendance credential applications through the official Google Forms registration portal. Due to museum gallery capacities and curated seat assignments, early registration is highly encouraged.

Registration Information

Prospective attendees, arts and culture professionals, museum and gallery curators, creative technologists, and academic researchers may submit their applications via the official registration portal:

Registration Link:
Google Forms: https://forms.gle/Q4fUW5TLBXbK8oWSA
Website: https://joinenjoy.com.ph/asean-korea-forum/
(Due to limited gallery capacity and curated seating assignments, early registration is highly encouraged.)

MANILA, Philippines. The largest maritime gathering in the country has drawn to a close. BEACON 2026, home of the Beaconer's Job Fair, brought together manning agencies, ship managers, maritime schools, training centers, industry experts and government agencies on 29 and 30 September 2026 for two days of hiring, dialogue and partnership.

Behind the crowd was a story the industry has waited years to see. For the first time, a Philippine maritime job fair ran end to end on a single digital platform. Appointed Specialized Technology Partner of BEACON just three days before the doors opened, Seaker System Technologies Inc. replaced paper forms, handwritten logbooks and manual queues with in app tickets, QR gate passes, instant CV submission and live analytics. The result was the most modern job fair the Philippine maritime sector has staged, and the fastest turnaround seafarers have experienced at an event of this scale.

From paper lines to QR gates

For decades, a maritime job fair meant the same routine. Seafarers arrived early with printed CVs, wrote the same personal details at every booth, and waited in line after line. Agencies went home with stacks of paper to encode by hand.

At BEACON 2026, that routine disappeared.

• One ticket, claimed in the Seaker App. Seafarers claimed a free ticket inside the Seaker App, which issued a personal Job Fair Gate Pass QR.

• Seconds at the gate. Six registration stations scanned each pass at the entrance. Because every profile was already complete, entry took moments instead of minutes.

• One scan per booth. Every participating manning agency received a SEAker Manning RMS account and a booth QR code. When a seafarer scanned it, their Seaker profile converted automatically into a formatted CV and landed in the agency's system in just three seconds. No printing, no encoding, no lost paper.

One profile, entered once, delivered to every agency the seafarer chose. No repeated forms. No lost CVs. No encoding backlog after the event.

Three days to prepare, three seconds per CV

Seaker came on board as Specialized Technology Partner only three days before the event. In that window the team set up six registration stations, issued thousands of Gate Pass QRs and activated a SEAker Manning QR code for every participating agency.

What followed was the turnaround the event became known for. Seconds at the gate. Three seconds from a booth scan to a complete CV inside the agency's system. And 7,453 people processed across two days without paper queues. Seafarers spent their time talking to employers, not filling out forms, and agencies left with applicant pipelines that were ready to work the next morning.

Secretary Cacdac applauds the technology

Among the distinguished guests was Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac. Observing applicants move from the gate to the agency booths without paper processing, Secretary Cacdac praised the fast turnaround of applicants and applauded the technology behind it.

The recognition carries weight. The DMW has made digitalization of OFW documentation and processes a priority, and BEACON 2026 showed what that direction looks like on the ground: a seafarer's time respected, an agency's pipeline organized, and a crowd of thousands managed with precision.

SEAker LIVE PULSE Analytics: the numbers behind the Beaconer's Job Fair 2026

The two days of BEACON 2026 demonstrated how strong the demand for maritime employment remains among Filipino seafarers.

Seaker initially released 5,000 Job Fair Gate Pass QRs. Within three days of the announcement, every pass had been claimed. Responding to continued demand from seafarers who still wanted to take part, Seaker opened an additional 1,000 passes, which were again fully claimed. On Day 2, with long lines of seafarers still arriving, another 1,000 passeswere opened to accommodate the turnout.

The final count

According to SEAker LIVE PULSE Analytics, total attendance across both days reached 7,453 seafarers and visitors. Of these, 6,543 entered through SEAker Gate Pass QRs, while approximately 910 registered on site at the gate. Peak entry came between 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM.

Who came through the gates

The 6,543 digitally recorded attendees spanned an extraordinary 158 different ranks.

Vessel experience was equally broad, with Seaker detecting experience across 58 different vessel types.

What the data tells the industry

The figures reveal more than attendance. Cadets and aspiring seafarers who have never been onboard together account for 2,611 attendees, roughly two in every five digital entrants. That is a clear signal of how many young Filipinos are waiting for their first berth, and a reminder that shipboard training capacity remains one of the industry's most pressing questions.

At the same time, 1,365 Able Bodied Seamen, about one in five entrants, came looking for their next contract, alongside deep pools of cruise, general cargo and bulk experience. For manning agencies, this is a qualified pipeline measured in exact numbers rather than impressions.

Events no longer have to rely on estimates

What began with 5,000 QR passes became a two day gathering of 7,453 people. Beyond the numbers, LIVE PULSE showed something more important: maritime events no longer need to run on guesswork.

From QR issuance and actual gate scans to rank distribution, vessel experience, attendance patterns and live gate activity, Seaker turns an event crowd into maritime intelligence the moment it happens. Organizers see where to add capacity. Agencies see who is available. Policymakers see the real shape of the workforce.

7,453  total attendees

6,543  SEAker Gate Pass attendees

910  on site registrations

158  ranks

58  vessel types

One  live maritime pulse

This is what happens when technology does more than register people. It helps the industry understand the maritime community as it moves, connects and searches for opportunity.

Looking ahead

Seaker served as the Specialized Technology Partner of BEACON 2026, and the partnership continues into 2027. The model proven at BEACON 2026, paperless entry, instant CV delivery and live analytics, is now ready for every maritime event, school and agency in the country.

SEAker LIVE PULSE Analytics. Turning maritime participation into actionable intelligence.

The digital entertainment platform also introduced a new title to this year’s festival, crowning the first-ever Miss Casino Plus Bacolod during the Miss Bacolod MassKara pageant.

The Cultural Soul of MassKara

Unlike many Philippine festivals rooted in religious tradition, MassKara was born out of hardship. In 1980, Negros Occidental, the country’s sugar capital, was reeling from a collapse in global sugar prices. That same year, the sinking of the inter-island ferry MV Don Juan took hundreds of lives, many of them from Bacolod.

In response, local leaders, civic groups, and artists brought the community together for a street celebration built around smiling masks, a deliberate statement that the city’s spirit would endure. The festival’s name joins “mass,” for a multitude of people, and “kara,” from the Spanish cara, meaning face.

More than four decades later, MassKara’s smiling masks remain a symbol of hope and the source of Bacolod’s identity as the City of Smiles. For Bacolodnons, the festival is an annual reaffirmation of heritage, community, and optimism.

Setting the tone with Hataw MassKara!

On October 9, thousands of festivalgoers, residents, and visitors filled the BCGC grounds for an evening of retro-inspired dance performances, cultural showcases, and live entertainment, setting the tone for the city’s annual celebration.

Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya led the official launch of the city’s “10-Day MassKara High,” featuring around 50 major activities that celebrate Bacolod’s cultural heritage, creativity, and community spirit.

“As we kick off MassKara 2026, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who helped make this year’s festival a vibrant and joyful celebration,” Gasataya said during his opening address.

For Casino Plus, its participation in MassKara reflects its commitment to supporting local celebrations that bring communities together and showcase Filipino talent and culture.

“MassKara captures the energy, creativity, and resilience of the Filipino spirit. We are proud to be part of a celebration that brings people together through culture, entertainment, and shared experiences,” said Evan Spytma, CEO of Casino Plus. “Our partnership with Bacolod goes beyond supporting a festival. It is about helping create memorable experiences for the community, celebrating local talent, and contributing to an event that brings so much pride and joy to the City of Smiles.”

Crowning the first Miss Casino Plus Bacolod

The festivities continued on October 11 at the Miss Bacolod MassKara Coronation Night. From a field of 15 candidates, 25-year-old Daniella Louisse Merelos was named the first-ever Miss Casino Plus Bacolod. She received a Casino Plus crown, a sash, and a ₱50,000 cash prize, presented by Casino Plus Head of Branding Roj Tirona.

As Miss Casino Plus Bacolod, Merelos will join social media personality and Casino Plus brand advocate Zeinab Harake Parks at the Electric MassKara float parade on October 16, one of the festival’s most anticipated events. She will also be invited to take part in official Casino Plus activities.

A shared commitment to culture, talent, and ‘gugma’

The Bacolod Gugma Foundation, organizer of this year’s festival activities, described its partnership with Casino Plus as a meaningful contribution to MassKara 2026, one that extends the festival’s support to local performers and communities.

“MassKara 2026 is really about making the festival matter beyond the celebration itself,” the Foundation said. “Our theme this year is ‘Share the Smile. Celebrate Gugma.’ Gugma means love, and for us, that love is expressed through our people, our culture, our communities, and the many individuals who work together to make MassKara happen.”

“When a partner like Casino Plus comes in, we see it as more than a commercial partnership. It becomes an opportunity to create more experiences, provide additional support to our communities and performers, and help us make MassKara more meaningful,” the Foundation added.

Casino Plus will continue to support MassKara Festival 2026 through its remaining events, joining Bacolod in celebrating its cultural heritage, homegrown talent, and enduring spirit of togetherness.

RESPONSIBLE GAMING ADVISORY

In accordance with PAGCOR’s Responsible Gaming Code of Practice, Casino Plus wishes to remind all players of the following:

Gaming is for entertainment purposes only. It should not be considered a source of income or a means of financial relief. Players are encouraged to play responsibly and within their means.

Winning is never guaranteed. All gaming outcomes are determined by chance. Past results, including jackpot wins, do not influence or predict future outcomes.

CLARK FREEPORT, PAMPANGA, September 28, 2026. The Clark Development Corporation (CDC) has joined the i4C.PH 2026 Summit as a Resilience Partner. CDC will encourage businesses operating in the Clark Freeport Zone to send delegates to the summit, which runs November 3 to 5 at SMX Convention Center Clark.

Clark hosts the summit as a region with a documented recovery record. The area rebuilt after the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo and the departure of US forces from Clark Air Base later that year. It has since withstood the 2019 Central Luzon earthquake and repeated typhoon flooding, including Typhoon Carina in 2024.

i4C.PH integrates physical security and safety, disaster risk and crisis management, and cybersecurity into one scenario-based program. Each day covers one discipline:

November 3: Physical security and safety

November 4: Disaster risk and crisis management, including a specialized activity with CDC

November 5: Cybersecurity

"Crises spread across departments. An earthquake can cut power, the outage can open a door for an attacker, and the attack can slow down the response. i4C.PH trains the people who handle each part of that chain to work together before it happens," said Augustus Caesar Esmeralda, Founding Chief Convenor of i4C.PH.

The program includes simulations, training sessions, and hands-on exercises. Participants contribute to the National Resilience Protocol, a shared framework developed during the summit. Organizations can register delegates for single days or the full program, with group packages available for teams of three to ten.

Click here to register for the event. The full program is available at https://i4c.ph/.

About i4C.PH i4C.PH is a national platform for integrated security, crisis resilience, and digital trust in the Philippines. It operates as an event, a platform, a movement, and a protocol, built on the view that today's risks are systemic, cumulative, and interconnected. Learn more at https://i4c.ph/.

Join Enjoy Korea Launches Unlimited Data eSIM for Trips to South Korea

Join Enjoy Korea, the Korea travel arm of Island Resort Club Tour Services, Inc. (IRC), is rolling out a Korea data eSIM lineup for Filipino travelers, developed in partnership with FreeT, a Korean telecommunications provider. Both plans maintain a guaranteed minimum speed even after the daily high-speed allowance runs out, on premium Korean networks (SKT, KT, and LGU+).

What Makes the “No Speed-Trap Throttle” Guarantee Different?

While many standard eSIMs found on online marketplaces promise unlimited data, they severely drop speeds to a crawl (128–384 kbps) once a daily limit is hit rendering essential apps like Google Maps, Grab, and Instagram unusable. Enjoy Korea does things differently. Our plans guarantee minimum baseline speeds of 3 Mbps (Value) or 5 Mbps (Premium) for the remainder of the day, ensuring you always have enough bandwidth for seamless navigation, messaging, and standard video streaming.

What Are the Plan Options? Two lines are available for Filipino travelers:

Premium: 10GB total data for 5 days, then unlimited data at up to 5 Mbps after the 10GB high-speed allowance. Starting at PHP 1,250 for 5 days.Value: 300MB total data for 5 days, then unlimited data at up to 3 Mbps after the 300MB high-speed allowance. Starting at PHP 890 for 5 days.

How Does Delivery Work? Travelers receive their eSIM digitally via email or Messenger before departure, activate it through a QR code, and connect the moment they land in Korea, skipping the long pickup lines at Incheon Airport.

One of the most common complaints we hear from first-time travelers is slow or unreliable internet once they land in Korea,-Hyok Choi, CEO of Island Resort Club. “We wanted our travelers to stay connected for maps, translation apps, and sharing their trip in real time, without worrying about hitting a data wall.”

“An organization can only truly serve a community with different backgrounds when it first understands and values the individuality within its own people. Our journey toward greater inclusion is about creating an environment where every Ka-Cebuana can bring their experiences, talents, and perspectives to the table and know that they have a meaningful role to play,” said Cebuana Lhuillier President and CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier.

At the heart of that achievement is Cebuana Lhuillier’s belief that inclusion must begin from within. With more than 12,700 Ka-Cebuanas serving approximately 30 million customers nationwide, the company has made creating a workplace where people feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute an integral part of its culture and employee experience.

Cebuana Lhuillier’s inclusion journey has evolved through initiatives that progressively created more opportunities for its people to listen, understand one another, share their experiences, and see the value of their individual contributions. Intertwined opened conversations around diversity and mutual respect, while iBelong gave employees a platform to share their stories and perspectives. Last year, Amazing Cebuana brought those conversations closer to the people by celebrating the different experiences and contributions of Ka-Cebuanas, while this year, Tatak Cebuana, Proud Ka-Cebuana: Work That Impacts Lives builds on that foundation by connecting employees’ individual contributions to the work they do and the lives they impact. Together, these milestones have helped move inclusion from a conversation into an increasingly embedded part of Cebuana Lhuillier’s culture.

Employee participation has helped strengthen this culture, with more than 250 Tatak Cebuana influencers championing inclusion and bringing these conversations into everyday experiences across the company.

“Over the years, we have seen how these efforts can bring our people closer together and create a workplace where everyone feels they have a place. What makes this journey meaningful is that inclusion is no longer just something we talk about. It is something our people are helping shape and live out every day. This recognition is a reflection of that collective effort,” said Jo-Ann Tacorda, First Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Cebuana Lhuillier.

This growing culture of inclusion also supports a more engaged employee experience, strengthening how Ka-Cebuanas connect with one another and, ultimately, with the customers and communities they serve.

For Cebuana Lhuillier, an inclusive workplace is integral to its purpose of serving Filipinos from all walks of life. Being named a global finalist recognizes the progress made so far and marks another milestone in building a culture where every Ka-Cebuana can belong, contribute, and make an impact.

To mark the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) 2026, Asia Society for Social Improvement and Sustainable Transformation (ASSIST) is bringing the United Nations’ theme, "Resilience Starts at Home" straight to local communities. Moving beyond top-down emergency response, ASSIST brings parents and children together to build practical home safety plans.

While the Philippines ranks #1 on the WorldRiskIndex 2025, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative studies show that while 58% of households discuss emergency planning, only 20% maintain an actionable disaster plan. Without a practiced routine, families are prone to act out of panic and make poor decisions in times of emergencies.

To help build those critical routines, ASSIST created Master of Disaster (MOD). Replacing dense safety manuals with an engaging and innovative board game for all ages, MOD strips away jargon to translate knowledge into engaging and hands-on decision-making tools that even young kids understand. 

MOD gamifies learning about various types of disasters and how to prepare for times of emergencies.Through interactive challenges like "Act It Out," MOD gamifies learning on emergency prep, packing Go Bags, hazard response, and offline meetup spots. Community sessions even bring parents together to play alongside their peers and children, fostering collaborative learning and turning preparedness into a shared household habit. 

“It’s about building a readiness mindset,” says Francis Macatulad, Director for Business Development at ASSIST. “More than emergency equipment, evacuation centers and response plans, disaster resiliency requires a mindset shift for the whole community. This is what ASSIST Asia's Master of Disaster brings: practical, localized knowledge that unites families and schools to protect their communities and build a lasting mindset of preparedness.”

ASSIST partners with schools, local officials, and CSR sponsors to run MOD play sessions, train student and parent volunteers to lead local playgroups, and distribute readiness kits.

For teachers, the hands-on approach makes a critical difference. Teacher Cherry Talirongan of Fr. William F. Masterson Elementary School in Cagayan de Oro shares how gamified learning resonates with young minds: “Malaki ang maitutulong nito, lalo na sa mga batang hindi pa alam ang gagawin sa isang disaster. Sa paglalaro ng Master of Disaster board game, mai-aapply nila ang natutunan at magkakaroon ng ideya sa tamang gawin sa ganitong sitwasyon.” (“This will be a huge help, especially for young children who don't know what to do during a disaster yet. By playing the Master of Disaster board game, they can apply what they’ve learned and gain a clear idea of the right actions to take in emergencies.”)

To date, the MOD initiative has achieved major milestones:

471 MOD Rollouts deployed across schools, barangays, and youth councils (Sangguniang Kabataan).

703 Local Champions Trained, equipping teachers, students, parents, employees, and community leaders with practical disaster kits.

To leave no community behind, ASSIST is translating MOD into Taglish, Vietnamese, and Tamil, while the physical board game ensures offline learning reaches every home. 

As IDDRR 2026 calls for disaster preparedness to begin at home, ASSIST invites LGUs, corporate partners, and CSOs to adopt family-centered DRR tools that transform disaster anxiety into active self-reliance.

To learn more about bringing Master of Disaster to your school, barangay, or organization, or to explore sponsorship and partnership opportunities, visit assistasia.org or fill out the Partnerships Form.

Strategic partnership combines BNI's business referral network with BRAND CON's mission to empower Filipino SMEs through stronger brand-building capabilities.

MANILA, Philippines — BRAND CON 2026 has officially welcomed BNI Taguig Region as a Co-Presenter of this year's five-day brand-building congress, strengthening its mission to empower Filipino entrepreneurs and SMEs through greater access to brand-building education, mentorship, and professional networks.

The partnership was formalized during BNI Taguig Region's Monthly Leadership Team Round Table Meeting, attended by the presidents and leadership teams of all 10 chapters in the region.

With more than 600 member companies, BNI Taguig Region brings an established community of entrepreneurs and business leaders to BRAND CON's growing advocacy of advancing brand-building excellence in the Philippines.

Helping Businesses Grow Beyond Referrals

At the heart of the partnership is a shared belief that sustainable business growth requires both strong professional relationships and strong brands.

While BNI helps businesses expand through trusted relationships and referrals, BRAND CON advocates for the strategic discipline of building brands that customers recognize, trust, prefer, and ultimately choose.

"BNI has built an extraordinary community that helps businesses grow through relationships and referrals. At BRAND CON, we believe that strong brands enable businesses to grow beyond referrals by becoming the preferred choice of customers," said Bingo Soriano, Founder of BRAND CON.

"This partnership brings these two powerful drivers of business growth together. Our shared goal is to help Filipino entrepreneurs build not just bigger businesses, but stronger and more sustainable brands," Soriano added.

The collaboration recognizes that even businesses with excellent products, services, and referral networks face an increasingly competitive marketplace. Building a strong brand requires clarity of positioning, meaningful differentiation, and consistent delivery of a compelling value proposition.

These are among the critical capabilities that BRAND CON seeks to develop among Filipino entrepreneurs, business owners, marketing professionals, and future brand leaders.

A Partnership That Goes Beyond the Congress

The partnership was made possible through the leadership of BNI Taguig Region Executive Director Judee Quiazon, together with Cris Mananquil, Chief Executive Producer of Backstage Manila, BRAND CON's official event partner and also a proud member of BNI Taguig Region.

Under Quiazon's leadership, the region's 10 chapters provide a strong platform for extending BRAND CON's advocacy to an active community of entrepreneurs and SMEs.

"Our mission at BNI is to help our members build successful businesses through meaningful       relationships. This partnership with BRAND CON gives our members another valuable opportunity to strengthen their businesses by learning how to build brands that are more differentiated, relevant, and competitive," said Quiazon. More importantly, both organizations envision a collaboration that extends beyond participation in the annual BRAND CON congress.

The partnership opens opportunities for year-round brand-building education, practical learning sessions, mentoring, and knowledge-sharing initiatives that could help BNI Taguig members develop stronger brands and more competitive businesses.

The long-term vision is to make brand-building knowledge and strategic frameworks more accessible to entrepreneurs who may not otherwise have the resources to engage professional brand consultants.

Empowering Brand Builders at BRAND CON 2026

Carrying the theme "Empowering Brand Builders," BRAND CON 2026 will take place on November 24–28, 2026, at Newport World Resorts in Pasay City.

The five-day event will bring together entrepreneurs, SME owners, corporate marketing professionals, business leaders, students, and the next generation of brand builders.

Among its major highlights is the RIES Positioning Masterclass led by internationally recognized branding strategist Laura Ries, alongside sessions featuring Filipino entrepreneurs, business leaders, and marketing practitioners sharing real-world brand-building experiences.

The event will also feature the Brand Festival, providing additional opportunities for learning, networking, and engagement among the country's brand-building community.

For BRAND CON, the partnership with BNI Taguig Region represents another step toward its broader ambition of making brand-building excellence more accessible to Filipino businesses.

As Soriano emphasized, "Our mission is not simply to organize an annual conference. It is to help build a community of Filipino brand builders who understand that a strong brand is one of the most valuable long-term assets any business can create."

For event details, program updates, and registration, visit www.brand-con.com.

Sealing the Co-Presenter partnership between BRAND CON 2026 and BNI Taguig Region are seated (from left) Bingo Soriano, BRAND CON Founder; Judee Quiazon, Executive Director of BNI Taguig Region; and Cris Mananquil, Chief Executive Producer of Backstage Manila, together with the presidents and leadership teams of the BNI Taguig region.

 MANILA, Philippines — October 12, 2026 — Ginto Privilege Club (GPC) has confirmed six winners from its first Ginhawa Support Draw, held live on October 1, 2026, at 8:00 PM Philippine time.

The draw awarded a total of ₱12,500 in prizes, including a ₱10,000 main reward and five ₱500 GCash bonus rewards, marking an important milestone for GPC's new one-off Pack model.

₱10,000 Ginhawa Support Helps Winner Cover Household Bills

Teacher Wyzyn Patosa from Surigao City was named the main winner of GPC's first Ginhawa Support Draw.

After completing the required eligibility and identity verification, Wyzyn received the ₱10,000 prize through GCash on October 5, 2026.

Wyzyn shared that the reward would help pay the family's electricity and water bills, providing welcome financial relief for everyday household expenses.

“Malaking tulong po ang ₱10,000 Ginhawa Support prize sa amin, lalo na sa pagbabayad ng aming kuryente at tubig. Maraming salamat po sa Ginto Privilege Club!” Wyzyn said.

Alongside the main winner, five other participants each received a ₱500 GCash bonus reward:

Maria Ira P. – Surigao del Norte/Caraga

Rosalie P. – Sta. Ana/Pampanga

Josefa P. – Tuguegarao City/ Cagayan

Ferdinand R. – Surigao del Norte/Caraga

Jennifer L. – Catanauan/Quezon

 GPC Highlights Transparency and Prize Delivery

“Our first draw is an important milestone for GPC, but what matters most is seeing our winners receive their prizes,” said Kristine Henderson, Co-Founder and CEO of Ginto Privilege Club.

“We want every participant to feel confident that our draws are transparent, our winners are properly verified and our prizes are delivered as promised.”

All six winners completed GPC's verification requirements before their prizes were confirmed.

Winners were not required to pay any fees to claim their rewards.

To support transparency and public confidence, GPC maintains a dedicated Winner Proof page featuring confirmed winners, available prize delivery records and updates on reward fulfilment.

GPC also conducts its winner announcements through Facebook Live, allowing viewers to watch the computerized winner selection process.

GPC Continues Weekly Draws with ₱30,000 Smartphone Upgrade and Upcoming ₱10,000 Prize

On October 8, 2026, GPC held its second promotional draw, naming Ferdinand Rodriguez of Surigao City as the verified winner of the ₱30,000 Smartphone Upgrade Reward.

The prize provides store credit towards an eligible smartphone purchase. Ferdinand is currently completing the merchant selection and redemption process.

The next GPC draw, ₱10,000 You Win–You Pick, is scheduled for October 15, 2026, at 12:30 PM Philippine time, offering six prizes: one ₱10,000 main reward and five ₱500 GCash Bonus Rewards.

The main winner can choose from eligible prize options including groceries, food, beauty, or everyday essentials, depending on what matters most to them.

Entries close at 11:30 AM Philippine time on October 15.

The five ₱500 Bonus Rewards are available to eligible Sulit and Ginto Pack participants, subject to the official draw mechanics.

GPC offers three one-off Packs:

Try Pack – ₱49: 7 days of Partner Deals access and 1 free draw entry.

Sulit Pack – ₱149: 14 days of Partner Deals access, 6 free draw entries and eligibility for the ₱500 Bonus Reward.

Ginto Pack – ₱349: 30 days of Partner Deals access, 20 free draw entries and eligibility for the ₱500 Bonus Reward.

Participants may purchase multiple GPC Packs, with no limit on the number of Packs purchased, subject to the official draw mechanics.

Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) can also purchase GPC Packs for their loved ones in the Philippines, allowing eligible family members to participate in upcoming draws. Purchases must be registered using the Philippine recipient's name and contact details.

Each Pack is a one-time purchase with no membership, subscription, automatic renewal or referral requirement.

For more information:

Buy a GPC Pack

View Current Draw and Official Mechanics

View Confirmed Winners and Prize Records

GPC Draws are open to eligible Philippine residents aged 18 and above. Official mechanics, eligibility requirements, entry cut-offs and winner verification conditions apply.