Starbucks commits $10 Million in COVID-19 relief for partners around the world

Starbucks announced the new Starbucks Global Partner Emergency Relief Program as part of its $10 million (USD) commitment to support partners (employees) around the world impacted by COVID-19. The program marks the first time both company-operated and international licensed market store partners across Starbucks may access hardship grants. These one-time, direct relief grants will be made available to partners facing extreme hardship as a result of COVID-19 and help ensure that partners around the world have access to emergency support during this difficult time.

In every community Starbucks serves, partners are the foundation of the company’s fundamental Mission to inspire and nurture the human spirit. Support from the Starbucks Global Partner Emergency Relief Program will be made available to retail partners in licensed store markets through the Emergency Assistance Foundation, to partners in company-operated markets through the established Caring Unites Partners (CUP) Fund, and to partners in Europe through the Starbucks EMEA Partner Relief Fund, a new fund established for European company-operated markets including the U.K., Austria, Switzerland, as well as the company’s Roastery in Italy and roasting plant in the Netherlands. 

“As we navigate this global crisis, we never lose sight of the wellbeing of our partners, who are the heartbeat of this company,” said Lucy Helm, chief partner officer, Starbucks Coffee Company. “During this very difficult time, we believe it is our responsibility to create additional support for partners facing unexpected financial hardship wherever they are. We are proud to be a catalyst for a first-of-its-kind global funding initiative to further demonstrate to our Starbucks partners that we are in this together.”

Starbucks has a long history of supporting partners. In 1998, the CUP Fund was started in the U.S. by partners, for partners facing unexpected financial hardship. Since then, the CUP Fund has supported more than 28,000 individuals. To date, the program has been extended to Starbucks company-operated markets in Canada, China and Japan.

Starbucks $10 million commitment to the Global Partner Emergency Relief Program will support the existing CUP Fund as well as the new Starbucks EMEA Partner Relief Fund and create a pathway for international licensed markets to set up their own funds with Starbucks contributing an initial investment, a first for the company. 

As each community faces unique response and recovery challenges, the new funds will be processed through the Emergency Assistance Foundation and enable licensed store operators in international markets to join Starbucks in providing support for partners in disaster designated areas, who are immediately eligible to apply for assistance.Qualified categories for fund grants include, but are not limited to, housing and utilities, sudden loss of home, death of a family member or partner, and related funeral expenses.

“Our goal at the Emergency Assistance Foundation (EAF) is to help individuals financially during times of disaster and hardship,” said Doug Stockham, President, EAF. “People around the globe are affected by COVID-19, and we pride ourselves on being the financial first responders. We are pleased to partner with Starbucks and look forward to making an impact together.” 

To learn more about how Starbucks is managing through COVID-19 please visit Starbucks.com/covid-19.

To learn about the countless ways that Starbucks partners are uplifting their communities in times of need, visit The Good Things Are Happening blog.

Frozen Jollibee Chickenjoy now available in Alfamart stores

Everyone’s favorite Jollibee Chickenjoy just got closer to home!

  

Jollibee’s Marinated Frozen Chicken Cut-Ups is now available in select Alfamart stores. 

The pre-marinated Chickenjoy cut-ups are seasoned with Jollibee’s signature spices, so all you need to do is thaw, coat in egg and flour, and deep fry.  

Alfamart is the first and only Super Minimart chain in the Philippines with over 800 branches throughout north, central, and south Luzon. 

Now you won't have to worry about travel restrictions or facing long lines at the check-out counter to get your Chickenjoy fix. Just waltz over to the nearest Alfamart in your neighborhood to know more. 

Jollibee’s Marinated Frozen Chicken Cut-Ups are available while supplies last.

Solane gives back to Cebu frontliners

Solane, the country’s leading LPG brand, recently showed appreciation and gratitude to frontliners in Cebu who have been selflessly serving the community during provincial lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Solane employees in Cebu prepared and distributed meal packs, grocery items, and other essentials to police officers, security guards, food vendors, barangay officials, and other frontliners in Mandaue City, Liloan, and Consolacion, Cebu. 

Previously, Solane, together with Solane Kitchen Hero winner Chef Coke Semblante and his team from Cebu City, also worked together in providing free food to health workers and other frontliners in different areas of the province who are actively fighting the spread of COVID-19.

For more information, visit https://www.solane.com.ph/ or https://web.facebook.com/solane.ph/.

Life lessons from the pandemic

The COVID-19 outbreak has been putting a large amount of stress on everyone. However, we must also remember that this is not going to last forever and that if we are open to it, we can learn many life lessons that can help us live better lives.

Here are some valuable lessons we can take from the health scare and enhanced community quarantine. 

Be prepared for any scenario. The best defense we can have against life’s uncertainties is to be ready for anything. Have an emergency fund and insurance for chaotic times like these. If you haven’t yet, build up a savings plan or take out health insurance— these are a couple of the best ways to deal with financial setbacks that may be caused by unforeseen events. 

Make adjustments to your lifestyle. Since restaurants and gyms have been either limited or closed, this pandemic has been teaching us to eat better, get enough sleep, and make time to exercise even at home. Remember, what you do every day essentially affects how long and how well you’ll live. It’s always better to establish good habits sooner rather than later.  

Be a friend of the environment. COVID-19 has been a wake-up call to how badly we’ve been treating the environment. With the enhanced community quarantine in place and limited cars on the road, nature has been healing, as evident in the smog-free skies. Taking even small steps like carpooling, recycling, and planting more trees can help further restore the balance of nature. 

Take time for yourself. Participating in the rat race entails multitasking and promotes staying busy as a measure of success. Taking breaks to unplug and recharge is usually seen as weakness. However, overexerting yourself is unhealthy so it’s best to listen to your body. You are not required to stay busy. One of the silver linings of the pandemic is the gift of time. Use it wisely to honor your needs, whether that is reading a book or simply having more time for family.

Share your blessings with others. We should try helping those who find it hard to get by. In addition to the numerous deaths and cases, the pandemic has brought on negative economic implications: small businesses are closing, many people are losing their jobs and are finding it hard to take care of themselves and their families. We must strive to be empathic and give what we can – no amount or donation is too small. In the same vein, now is also a good time to show Pinoy pride and support local businesses.

For more information on AXA Philippines insurance products, visit www.axa.com.ph.

BDO Leasing ends 1Q 2020 with P83 million Profit

BDO Leasing and Finance, Inc. (BDO Leasing) recorded a net income of P83 million in 1Q 2020 vs. the P24 million loss in the comparative period last year. The results reflect successful measures undertaken to address margin compression, which dragged down its financial results in 2019. 

For the 1Q 2020, gross revenues amounted to P696 million, while total expenses dropped by 30 per cent to P569 million, largely due to the 52 per cent drop in interest and financing charges as funding costs normalized.

Earlier this year, BDO Leasing’s Parent Company, BDO Unibank, Inc. (BDO) announced that it entered into an agreement to sell a controlling stake in BDO Leasing to a third party as part of the Bank’s restructuring of its leasing business. The sale transaction is subject to closing conditions and approval by regulatory authorities. 

More Pinoys enroll in ATI’s free online courses as community quarantine continues

With the extension of the enhanced community quarantine, now is as good a time as any to expand one’s knowledge and try other ventures such as farming. Through the “e-Learning for Agriculture and Fisheries” of the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), this is possible for thousands of Filipinos without having to leave their own homes.

Launched in 2007, e-Learning is a component of the e-Extension Program of ATI, the training and extension arm of the Department of Agriculture (DA). The program offers alternative means of gaining new knowledge about farming for free.

With the need to increase food production efforts amid the fight against a global pandemic, e-Learning is seen to boost the DA’s nationwide promotion of urban agriculture and community farming under the “Plant, Plant, Plant” Program.

Over 92,700 Filipinos are currently registered in the e-Learning site—a huge increase from the 87,200 enrollees recorded before the quarantine measures were in place. At present, there are more than 60 online courses offered for free, which cover crops, livestock and poultry, fisheries, social technology, and sustainable agriculture.

“The main reason I tried e-Learning is that I wanted to learn more about agriculture as well as develop some skills necessary for my professional development as an agriculturist and a teacher,” Ronel De Guzman, an instructor at President Ramon Magsaysay State University in Zambales shared. He added how much he is enjoying learning through this platform and thinks that this is a more productive use of his internet connection and electronic gadgets.

Some of the e-Learning courses are on basic urban gardening, Good Agricultural Practices for vegetable production, and production technologies for straw mushroom, tomato, banana, citrus fruits, and yam, among others. Basic beekeeping, goat-raising, and quail production courses are also available through the portal.

Under the social technology category, courses on product costing, marketing, food safety, and even effective human communication and community organizing may be accessed. Sustainable agriculture practices such as the production of organic fertilizers, vermicompost, and mokusaku (wood vinegar) are also open to interested users.

Depending on one’s pace, most of the courses can be completed within a day. After which, the e-Learner receives an electronic certificate that can be downloaded from the site.

“The e-Learning courses being offered are really wonderful. [I like that] these are short but concise courses depending on the topic. Also, if you want, you get to apply the planting techniques right away, whether you have a small or big space, and especially now that almost everyone is staying home,” 56- year-old Alberto Ang from Caloocan City said.

Ang has finished around five courses so far, most of which are on sustainable agriculture technologies. He proudly shares his love for farming in his backyard by recycling plastic containers to grow vegetables like okra, tomato, and even chili pepper.

Interested individuals may visit www.e-extension.gov.ph/elearning to create an account and enroll in any chosen course. For questions and concerns, chat with the ATI e-Learning team through facebook.com/atiinteractive or text the Farmers’ Contact Center at 0920-9462474. (Erika Vizcarra, ATI- Information Services Division)

Child rights organizations call for the prevention of physical and humiliating punishment against children during the COVID-19 pandemic

Physical and psychological violence, particularly at home, are among the most pervasive types of abuse experienced by Filipino children. Both can be worsened by the COVID-19 enhanced community quarantine.

In fact, 3 in 5 children have experienced some form of physical violence, the 2016 National Baseline Study on Violence Against Children revealed. Sixty percent of these cases happened in their own homes, with 1 in 2 children experiencing corporal punishment.  

“This disturbing figure can exponentially increase, especially now that parents and caregivers are experiencing added stress,” said Rowena Cordero, Joining Forces Alliance Convenor and Save the Children Philippines Chief of Programs. “Children should be protected from experiencing violence at home. And parents need to be supported in coping with stress and in ensuring that parenting practices respect and uphold children’s rights.”

While the quarantine measures imposed by the government help in controlling the spread of COVID-19, it may also unintentionally expose children to increased protection risks.

The economic, health, and security problems resulting from the pandemic may take its toll on the mental health of parents and caregivers. Hence, they may be unable to effectively manage their stress and frustration. As a result, these adults may resort to using physical, humiliating, and degrading punishment on their children.

To prevent this from happening, we urge the government to:

●      Ensure timely delivery of social protection and amelioration programs.

●      Establish accountability and feedback mechanisms for families and children.

●      Provide mental health and psychosocial support for parents and caregivers, through online platforms or hotlines, in coordination with private groups.

●      Set up hotlines and online platforms where children and the public can send complaints about child abuse cases.

●      Regularly assess child protection risks throughout the COVID-19 response, including disaggregated data of children based on age, sex, and disability.

●      Closely monitor children at increased risk of violence, exploitation, abuse, and neglect.

In particular, we call on the Department of Social Welfare and Development to:

●      Activate child protection programs and response and referral mechanisms.

●      Ensure that protection and social welfare services are adequately funded and are central throughout all the stages of the COVID-19 response.

We also urge all local governments to:

●      Set up child-friendly hotlines for reporting and psychosocial counseling.

●      Ensure compliance with the DILG Advisory (2 April 2020) on the activation of the Barangay Violence Against Women (VAW) Desk and the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC) during the Enhanced Community Quarantine.

●      Disseminate information by dovetailing informative leaflets in relief distribution i.e., stress management, how to report child abuse, among others.

“The rights of children to be protected from all forms of physical, humiliating, and degrading punishment in all settings should be everyone’s concern, especially of the government,” said Cordero. “As much as we don’t want children to be exposed to COVID-19, we also don’t want them to be vulnerable to any form of violence.”           

DIGITAL WALKER Work From Home Essentials

Working remotely can sometimes be a difficult endeavor but this list of essentials will help make the transition easier — from charging cables to power banks and earbuds.

These Work From Home Essentials are especially curated by Digital Walker – the country’s premiere gadget store to make sure you need your ‘new normal’ office routine more productive than even before.

With the right mindset and with the right tools – Working From Home might just be what we need; staying safe at home while still maximizing productivity.

Here’s the Step by Step Guide on How to Place your Order https://bit.ly/WFHEssentialsHowToOrder
STEP 1
Place your orders in the Google Form link below:

https://bit.ly/WorkFromHomeEssentialsOrderForm
You will receive a receipt of your order via e-mail. Your reservation will be active for 48 hours from receipt of this email

STEP 2
Choose from the listed payment modes available. Pay and take a screenshot of your proof of payment
STEP 3
Open the e-mail we sent (Subject: Customer Order Form) and click the “Edit response” button.
Scroll to the bottom of the form and click “Attach File” to upload your proof of payment. Click submit afterwards.
STEP 4

Wait for your pick-up schedule from our Customer Support Team then proceed to book your preferred Delivery/ Courier Service to pick up orders at our Head Office.

For more information check the link below
https://bit.ly/WorkFromHomeEssentialsFAQs
For more updates like Digital Walker on Facebook @digitalwalkerstore, and follow us on Instagram @digitalwalkerph
#DigitalWalkerPH #DWxWorkFromHomeEssentials #MomaxPH
#JoyroomPH

Simplehang luto sa panahon ng Covid-19 lockdown

Kamuzta na po kayo mga mumshies, madur and pudra?  How are you  all doing? Coping pa din po ba tayo or nasanay na? Its been a month since lockdown. Ano na po ang nagawa nyo na kinasaya nyo? Kamuzta naman ang health natin? Naumay na ba kayo sa noodles and sardines? Kung ako naman po ang tatanungin nyo eto po kapa palengke lang at meron pa akong menu na bagong bago hahaha. Omelette hotdog po with fried Spam lite.

Dahil wala pong magawa sa bahay, kundi ang kumain at matulog.  Check nyo pa ang ref nyo kung may tira tira or yung lamesa nyo na lang kung may natatakpan na ulam na lumamig na. Yung hotdog sa umaga pede din po yang maging instant snack sa hapon pede po natin gawin yang omelette na walang gatas po ha. Simplehan lang po natin. Pero dahil sa gusto ko po naman sumaya ang mga kakain nag bukas po ako ng Spam lite. Marami po nyan sa supermarket. Eto po ay padala lang ng anak ko na aksidenteng nakita ko ng nagwalis walis at ligpit sa kwarto. 

So eto na po ang ingredients at how to cook Hotdog omelette.

Ingredients
Tira tirang hotdog
2 itlog 
Mantika 
asin and pepper (panglasa)
Isang latang Spam

Pano lutuin:
Madaling madali lang po, di po to kumplikado katulad ng relasyon nyo hahaha
Batihin ang itlog.
Hiwain ang hotdog ng cute na mga bilog.

Magpainit ng mantika.
Iprito ang mga hotdog. Wag sunugin. Itabi. 
Ilagay ang mga pritong hotdog sa binating itlog ibalik sila sa kawali at baligtarin. 

Magprito ng spam na nakahiwa ng naaayon sa gusto nyong bitesize. Sorry wala po ako vid nalimot ko ang sarap kase ng amoy ng spam habang piniprito. 

Pagsamahin sa pinggan ng maayos. Pede po yan sa pandesal, tasty or kanin lamig.



Tawagin ang mga kasama sa bahay at enjoy po natin ang fudang. =) Stay home po tayo lahat muna. Stay sane and well. Kaya natin to. =)

Craving for Pizza? Italiannis Greenbelt 2 is open for delivery and pick-up

Good news! Because of The Bistro Group's continous commitment to bring you good food in the comfort of your homes, Italiannis at Greenbelt 2 has joined the select Bistro restaurants and opened its Greenbelt 2 branch for delivery and curbside pick-up via Food Panda or Grab Food. Get your favorite American-Italian fare (also available for pick-up) from 10am until 5pm only. 

#StaySafeAtHome and just call ahead for curbside pick-up orders: Italianni's Greenbelt 2 7728-0283 0995-095-1002 0961-756-0728 Payment is via bank transfer (Unionbank) or cash. Please see details and get your fill of your much missed Italiannis dishes now!