Sun Life recognized at HR Excellence Awards for commitment to employee experience and workplace excellence

Sun Life HR team led by Michelle Cordero-Garcia, Chief Human Resources Officer of Sun Life Philippines

Sun Life Philippines was recognized at the recent HR Excellence Awards, receiving Gold for Excellence in Hybrid Working and Bronze for Best HR Team, underscoring the company's continued commitment to fostering a workplace where employees can thrive and perform at their best.

The awards highlight Sun Life's people-first approach, which focuses on creating an environment that enables employees to collaborate effectively, grow professionally, and maintain flexibility in how they work. By cultivating a positive employee experience, Sun Life aims to empower its people to deliver meaningful impact to the advisors, clients, and communities they serve.

Security Bank recognized for digital innovation and project finance at the Asian Banking and Finance Awards 2026

Security Bank Corporation and Security Bank Capital Investment Corporation (Security Bank Capital) earned three recognitions at the Asian Banking & Finance Awards 2026, affirming their continued progress in digital innovation, client-centric solutions, and sustainable finance. 

Security Bank’s Retail Banking Segment (RBS) won Mobile Banking & Payment Initiative of the Year – Philippines, while its Wholesale Banking Segment (WBS) won Domestic Digital Transformation Bank of the Year. Security Bank Capital also received Syndicated Loan of the Year – Philippines for the PHP150 billion senior term loan for Terra Solar Philippines, Inc. 

The recognitions reflect Security Bank’s BetterBanking strategy: making banking more accessible for individuals, helping businesses operate more efficiently, and supporting landmark projects that contribute to sustainable national development. 

Billease signs ₱1-Billion facility with Philippine National Bank, adding another top universal bank to its local funding base

Billease, one of the leading consumer finance platforms in the Philippines, today announced that it has signed a ₱1-billion credit facility with Philippine National Bank (PNB), one of the country’s largest universal banks.  The facility utilizes the Personal Property Security Registry (PPSR), giving PNB a registered first-rank claim over a pool of Billease's consumer loan receivables. 

For Billease, this first facility with PNB is a key milestone.  It reflects the growing confidence among the country’s largest banks in lending against high-quality consumer finance receivables. As Billease grows, there is a conscious effort to expand its local funding base for both its economics and efficiency. AlphaPrimus Advisors acted as a transaction advisor for this debt facility.   

The art of space

What today's best event venues must get right

An event held at The Grand Atrium.

There is a reason some events linger in memory long after the program ends. It is not always the keynote speaker, the menu, or the entertainment. More often, it is a feeling that everything unfolded exactly as it should.

Behind that effortless experience is something guests rarely think about but event professionals understand intimately: the venue. A well-chosen venue shapes the rhythm of an event. It influences how guests arrive, how they move through a program, how they interact with one another, and ultimately, how they remember the occasion. 

As the calendar turns toward the holiday season, when corporate gatherings, appreciation events, and year-end celebrations fill social diaries, choosing the right venue becomes less about capacity and more about memorability.

As Local Businesses Grow, Digital Tools Help Stay Flexible Amid Changing Customer Behavior

For many small and medium-sized businesses today, growth no longer follows a single path. Some expand through new branches, while others build their customer base by moving between pop-ups and bazaars. As they grow, they’re also finding ways to ensure they meet the evolving habits and preferences of consumers – including the way they pay.

Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in 2025 showed that QR Ph person-to-merchant (P2M) transactions grew by 246.9% in volume, reaching 183.3M transactions from 52.8M only in 2024. Transaction value also grew by 211.3%, reaching ₱926.1 billion from ₱297.5 billion the previous year. 

As digital payments become increasingly embedded in everyday transactions, SMEs are quickly discovering that growth also means needing to adapt their operations to keep pace with how customers want to transact and ensuring payments don’t become a barrier to their growth. 

Sun Life teams up with Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry to empower entrepreneurs in Bataan

For many entrepreneurs, growing a business means making tough decisions every day amid changing market conditions, evolving customer needs, and unexpected challenges. To help Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) navigate these realities with confidence, Sun Life Philippines teamed up with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Bataan to host Coffee & Play: Power Up Your Business Game Plan.

Centered on the theme, "Resilience in Volatility," the event brought together Bataan-based business owners for an afternoon of learning, networking, and hands-on financial education. Participants gained practical insights on strengthening their businesses while exploring how sound financial planning can help safeguard both their enterprises and personal goals.

Security Bank CFO JD Yap named co-chair of SME Finance Forum East Asia and Pacific chapter

Recognition reflects Security Bank's commitment to entrepreneurs and MSME

Security Bank Chief Financial Officer JD Yap has been named one of four co-chairs of the newly launched East Asia and Pacific (EAP) Regional Chapter of the SME Finance Forum, a global network established by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group.

The appointment recognizes Yap's extensive experience in SME banking and reinforces Security Bank's commitment to helping entrepreneurs and growing businesses thrive. It also gives the Philippines a voice in regional discussions on expanding access to finance for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across East Asia and the Pacific.

Prior to his current role as CFO, he led Security Bank's Business Banking Segment, where he deepened the Bank's focus on MSMEs and strengthened support for Filipino entrepreneurs at every stage of growth.

Through tailored financing, cash management, and digital banking solutions, Security Bank helps businesses start, grow, and scale their businesses, contributing to economic growth and job creation.