Sitel Honored with Four Anvil Awards

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Leading Global Customer Care Provider awarded for exceptional employee engagement and trailblazing BPO training programs for persons with disabilities

Pasig, Philippines Sitel, the BPO subsidiary of Sitel Group, one of the worlds largest customer experience companies, was honored with four prestigious Anvil Awards (one Gold and three Silver) – for Sitel Academy Plus: Gearing PWDs Toward Success in the BPO Workplace and Sitel Fit: Taking Steps to a Healthier BPO Workplace. These accolades shine the spotlight anew on Sitels continued commitment to strengthen and improve BPO employee engagement through health and wellness programs and provide exceptional BPO training to a wider range of next generation customer care professionals.

A symbol of excellence in Public Relations, the Anvil Awards of the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) are given out annually to exemplary public relations programs, tools, and practitioners for achieving the highest standards of PR practice, specifically outstanding professional insight, creativity, skill, and resourcefulness. A multi-sectoral panel of communications professionals painstakingly vets hundreds of entries to handpick award winners.

We are deeply honored to be recognized once again by the PRSP, stated Craig Reines, Sitel Chief Operating Officer Asia Pacific. These prestigious awards highlight Sitels commitment to continuously improving our workplace for our associates by launching fun and innovative programs aimed to promote their wellbeing while investing in the growing BPO industry in the Philippines. Our award-winning Sitel Academy program provides free essential BPO skills training to aspiring applicants and students and this year weve taken it a step further with Sitel Academy Plus, Reines explained. We now offer the same skills training to Persons with Disabilities, helping them overcome work skill gaps and gain employment at Sitel.

Sitel puts a premium on programs that put people first and provide opportunities to more Filipinos. These latest accolades underscore the companys dedication to creating a more inclusive and diverse BPO industry and improving the lives of BPO professionals in the Philippines.


Photo Caption:

Gabi ng Pangaral. Sitel executives received the companys four Anvil Awards at the 54th Annual Awards Night held at Marriot Hotel Manila in Pasay City. (L-R) AJ Maralit, General Manager ANZ; Tracy Elaine Molina, Vice President-Talent Acquisition; Jamie Blocker, Senior Director-Learning and Development; Urman Singh Jolly, Workforce Management Leader.

MARINA to Shipping Operators: Uphold Passengers' Rights at All Times

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To intensify and ensure the protection of the public against inefficient shipping services, the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) reminds shipping operators to uphold passengers rights at all times, especially in cases of cancelled, delayed, or uncompleted voyages.

The MARINA clearly established the rights of passengers in cases of cancelled, delayed, or uncompleted voyages through MARINA Circular No. 2018-07 addressed to all owners and operators of inter-island passenger liner ships.

In the MARINA Circular, the agency emphasized that all passengers of a cancelled or delayed trip have the right to information, right to refund or revalidation of ticket, right to amenities, and right to compensation.

Trips are considered cancelled if it has been called off to more than 24 hours from the scheduled departure or to an indefinite date and time. This also covers trips where passengers have been denied boarding due to overbooking or errors in booking.

If the voyage involved late departure from the point of origin resulting to late arrival in the port of destination not exceeding 24 hours from the scheduled departure or arrival of the ship, it is considered delayed.

Moreover, the passengers of an uncompleted voyage or any trip that commenced but failed to reach its port of destination have the right to information, right to comparable transport to intended destination or to a place nearest thereto, right to amenities, and right to compensation.

However, the MARINA noted that these rights are absolutely applicable to passengers only if the cancelled, delayed, or uncompleted voyage is caused by the shipping operator. These are not applicable if the unfortunate event is caused by the passengers themselves.

Also, some rights have relative application. The right to amenities and the right to compensation apply only if the cancellation, delay, or non-completion of the voyage is attributable to the operator. These do not apply if it is of passenger’s fault or there were extraordinary circumstances that occurred such as port traffic / congestion or receipt of orders from competent authorities. It will also not apply if the cause is a fortuitous event like a natural calamity or any incident involving government intervention.

Furthermore, the right to refund or revalidation of ticket applies for both cancelled and delayed voyages regardless of the cause, including extraordinary circumstance or fortuitous event. The only exception is if it is of passenger’s fault.

Finally, the right to comparable transport only applies to cases of uncompleted voyages, even if the event is caused by a fortuitous event.

The passengers are encouraged to refer to the whole text of the MARINA Circular 2018-07 for complete details on these rights and on the circumstances entitling them to exercise or avail of such rights. It may be accessed via this link: https://marina.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/MC-2018-07.pdf

The public is further encouraged to report non-compliance to MARINA Circular 2018-007 by filing a complaint to the nearest MARINA office for appropriate action.

If found guilty of non-compliance, the shipping operator will be fined P 100,000 for each voyage for the first offense; P 200,000 for each voyage and a five-day suspension of operations for the second offense; and P 300,000 for each voyage and a ten-day suspension of operations for the third offense.

Initial complaints may be sent to the MARINA’s Enforcement Service (ES) via mobile number: 0995-400-7336 or email address: es@marina.gov.ph

The Araneta Center Celebrates Women’s Month

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As part of the celebration of the International Women’s Month, the Araneta Center and SPARK! Philippines launched on March 1 the #DontTellMeHowToDress Exhibit at the Gateway Mall.

The exhibit, which is the centerpiece of the "Respeto Naman" campaign, showcases clothes worn by women (and even children!) when they experienced gender-based violence in various settings - at home, in school, at the workplace, in the community.

“According to a report by the Center for Women’s Resources in 2017, Philippine Police records show that 1 Filipino woman or child is raped every hour in this country,” said Ambassador Harald Fries of the Embassy of Sweden.

“At the heart of the "Respeto Naman" campaign is the message of the importance about respect – respect for women’s basic human right for body ownership and respect for safe spaces for women regardless of their line of work, what they are wearing, where they are, or who they are. Nothing can ever justify harassment, violence, or rape,” explained Fries.

“I think it is particularly appropriate to have this exhibit here in Quezon City where the gender and development ordinance against catcalling and other forms of sexual harassment was passed in 2016 – the first among the cities in Metro Manila,” Fries added.

The clothes displayed at the "Don't Tell Me How to Dress" Exhibit are ordinary everyday outfits, which were worn by survivors when they were sexually harassed and assaulted. The exhibit aims to “transform the idea among misconception that it’s the surivors’ fault for sexual harassment, sexual abuse for what they wear,” explained Iori Kato, country representative of the United Nations Population Fund.

“Sexual harassment, sexual abuse is never, never the fault of the survivor,” Kato emphasized. “Stop the victim-blaming. Let’s put the blame on who should be blamed – the perpetrator!” he added.

“The "Don't Tell Me How To Dress" Exhibit reminds everyone what people wear should never justify harassment and rape,” Fries concluded.

The "Don't Tell Me How To Dress" Exhibit at the Gateway Mall is open to the public from March 1 to 8. It is part of “FilipinAmazing: Honoring Filipino Women at the Araneta Center,” a series of activities focusing on women empowerment.

Aside from the exhibit, the Araneta Center also held the “Neon Fitness Party” at the Manhattan Row last March 2. “Through the Neon Fitness Party, we are given the opportunity to work out together towards achieving our fitness goals! I believe that helping women to stay fit is one way to uplift them,” said Karen Gallman, first Filipina to bring home the Miss Intercontinental crown.

Women’s Bazaar will then be held at the Gateway Mall from March 15 to 17 to promote artisanal Pinay-made items. The bazaar will highlight the products made by women from Spark-sponsored communities, including those from Marawi.

“Filipinamazing: Honoring Filipino Women” is made possible by the Araneta Center, SPARK! Philippines, Novotel, Pizza Hut, Flawless, Ever Bilena, and Rustans.

For more information and other Araneta Center updates, visit www.aranetacenter.net and follow
@TheAranetaCenter on Facebook and Instagram and @AranetaCenter on Twitter.



PHOTO CAPTION:

PHOTO 1_ #DontTellMeHowToDress Exhbibit ribbon-cutting activity (L-R): SPARK Philippines Founder Victoria Garchitorena, J. Amado Araneta Executive Director Diane Romero, Ambassador Harald Fries of the Embassy of Sweden, United Nations Population Fund Country Representative Iori Kato, and Office of the Vice President’s Angat Buhay Head Jill Javiniar