Filipino Youth Summit 2023: A Call to Action for a More Inclusive Philippines

Wazzup Pilipinas!?



Over 300 student leaders from all over the Philippines gathered at the De La Salle University (DLSU) in Manila for the Filipino Youth Summit (FYS) 2023, an advocacy-based youth conference held from August 17-19, 2023. The summit was organized by the USG Office of the Vice President for External Affairs (OVPEA) and co-presented by Hello! and Vitasoy.

The theme of the summit was "Kabataan Para sa Inklusibong Pilipinas", which means "Youth for an Inclusive Philippines". The summit aimed to provide a platform for young people to discuss the challenges facing the Philippines and to take action to address them.

The summit featured a series of panel discussions on the four pillars of the theme: economy, politics, environment, and society. The panelists were experts from various fields, including government, business, academia, and civil society. They shared their insights on the challenges facing the Philippines in each of these areas, and discussed the role that young people can play in addressing them.

One of the most popular panel discussions was on the economy. The panelists discussed the high unemployment rate among young people, the rising cost of living, and the need for more investment in education and skills training. They also stressed the importance of entrepreneurship and innovation as drivers of economic growth.

Another popular panel discussion was on politics. The panelists discussed the need for electoral reform, the importance of voter education, and the role of young people in holding elected officials accountable. They also discussed the need for a more inclusive political system that represents the interests of all Filipinos.

The panel discussions on the environment and society were also well-attended. The panelists discussed the challenges of climate change, the need for environmental protection, and the importance of social justice. They also discussed the role of young people in building a more sustainable and equitable future.

In addition to the panel discussions, the summit also featured workshops on topics such as leadership, advocacy, and social media activism. The delegates also had the opportunity to network with other young leaders and learn from each other's experiences.


The Filipino Youth Summit 2023 was a successful event that brought together young people from all over the country to discuss the issues that matter to them. The summit provided a platform for young people to voice their concerns and learn from experts in various fields. It also inspired the delegates to take action and work towards creating a more inclusive Philippines.



Here are some of the key takeaways from the summit:

● The youth are a powerful force for change. They are passionate about making a difference, and they are willing to work hard to achieve their goals.

● The Philippines is facing a number of challenges, including poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation. These challenges can only be addressed if the youth are involved in the solution.

● The youth need to be empowered to take action. They need to be given the tools and resources they need to make a difference.

● The youth need to work together. They need to build relationships and collaborate with each other to achieve their goals.

● The Filipino Youth Summit 2023 was a step in the right direction. It brought together young people from all over the country and inspired them to take action. The summit is a reminder that the youth are the future of the Philippines, and that they have the power to make a difference.

In the coming months and years, the delegates of the Filipino Youth Summit 2023 will continue to work together to address the issues that matter to them. They will use their voices to advocate for change, and they will work to create a more inclusive Philippines.

BPI launches new AI-powered tool to help Filipinos ‘Track and Plan’ their spending like a boss

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The new BPI app’s Track and Plan is a pioneering feature that empowers people to manage their money wisely. It’s like having a personal finance manager right at your fingertips!

The Bank of the Philippine Islands recently rolled out its first-in-the-industry feature on the new BPI app. Aptly called Track and Plan, this tool utilizes AI to track and analyze your financial activities on the BPI app, share insights on your spending habits, and even offer suggestions for smarter financial investments—so you can plan for your future.

You may have already seen it when you logged on to your BPI app. It’s the animated scrolling cards at the top of the screen. Based on your latest transactions, Track and Plan will generate insights around your cashflow and float up snippets to notify you of, say, similar withdrawals made back-to-back.

You can get the full insight with more details when you click on the notification and easily get in touch with BPI if you need to.

Another insight could be about unexpected changes in deposits from a familiar payor made to your account.

When your balance is consistently high that it sufficiently covers your average monthly expenses, Track and Plan will suggest ways you can invest and grow your extra funds.

Track and Plan can also monitor trends in your spending and alert you in case your bill was higher than your average—so you can be more mindful of your budget.

This AI-powered tool generates unique insights that only you can view, and you can rest assured about the privacy of your financial transactions. It is the first of its kind in the industry. By design, Track and Plan will continue to give you new insights based on your app usage.

"I have been covering the financial industry for decades and I have never seen a banking app that acts like a financial advisor with powerful access to tools that allow anyone to move from knowledge to action,” says veteran journalist and ‘Financial Beshie ng Bayan’ Salve Duplito. “Let’s face it, most of us get offended when someone tells us we are spending too much, but with Track and Plan, it’s like you telling you! So our emotional human experience gets a big jolt of logic — and that could be transformational in bringing our country’s savings rate higher.”

“We at BPI are excited to unveil Track and Plan, our AI-powered personal finance management tool on the new BPI app,” says Mariana Zobel de Ayala, Consumer Marketing and Platforms Head at BPI. “We are leveraging technology to simplify money management to empower Filipinos to do more and make their lives better every day. This feature essentially scales BPI’s seasoned and personalized financial advice to millions of Filipinos and is the next step forward in BPI’s evolution. Our customers can look forward to more in-depth insights and actionable advice as we continue to develop this feature.”

As AI learns from patterns or features in data, insights from Track and Plan gets better the more you use it. BPI will also be expanding its capabilities in the coming months so users will eventually have the option to turn on automatic monthly investments, schedule their most frequent transactions, and best of all, stay on top of their spending and earnings with a built-in budget tracker. All these will be available exclusively on the new BPI app.

Time to “move app,” don’t you think?

To start getting AI-powered insights, download the new BPI app if you haven’t yet—or update to the latest version. Download it here or scan the QR code below.

Sunsetting of the old BPI app is targeted for September 30, 2023. Download the new app and activate your devices by then!

CIC Prepares for Girder Launching Activity in CAVITEX

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Cavitex Infrastructure Corporation (CIC), the concessionaire of the Manila-Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX), is set to commence the girder launching activity for the CAVITEX C5 Link Segment 2 R1 Interchange.

Scheduled from September 15 to September 25, 2023, between 10 PM to 4 AM, CIC will implement counterflow schemes at the Parañaque Toll Plaza. The scheme will be in effect from September 15 to 19, 2023, for Manila-bound traffic, and from September 19 to 25, 2023, for Cavite-bound traffic. To alleviate congestion during the activity, CIC will activate counterflow lanes as needed.

CIC President and General Manager, Mr. Raul L. Ignacio, emphasized, "CAVITEX C5 Link Segment 2 once completed by the first quarter of 2024 will help cut travel time to Sucat Road from CAVITEX (Coastal Road) and vice versa by 10 minutes, making daily commutes more efficient and seamless for our motorists."

 

The R-1 Interchange is a vital 1.9-kilometer segment (Segment 2) of the CAVITEX C5 Link project, a 7.7-kilometer, 2x3 lane expressway set to connect CAVITEX R1 to C5 Road in Taguig. Once CAVITEX C5 Link is fully completed, it is anticipated to serve over 50,000 vehicles per day, significantly reducing travel times to and from Makati and Taguig from Parañaque City, Las Piñas City, and Cavite Province, ultimately easing traffic congestion within Metro Manila.

CIC is a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) - the leading mobility infrastructure and solutions provider in the Philippines. It is the toll road development arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC). Aside from CAVITEX and CAVITEX C5 Link, MPTC also holds concession rights for the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX), the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), the Subic-Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), the NLEX Connector Road, and the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) in Cebu.

Actual photo of girder launching activity for CAVITEX C5 Link last 2018 over SLEX. Similar activity will be done at CAVITEX Paranaque (near Toll Plaza) for CAVITEX C5 Link R1 Interchange construction. During the girder launching activity starting September 15 to 24, 2023, counterflow lane will be activated for all vehicle classes.