Working together to serve more communities for a sustainable future

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Climate change is one of the most pressing and defining global issues today. It has become imperative for both the public and private sectors to continue to band together to primarily, safeguard the welfare of the people and to step up to strengthen the resilience of the nation.

The Philippines currently ranks third globally when it comes to climate change vulnerability. In relation to its geographical location, it is more exposed to altering intensities of climate change manifested through erratic weather systems and natural calamities.

The private sector is called upon now more than ever to align with the principles of sustainable development and to take on the same firm stance on environmentally sound practices in its operations.

“I constantly encourage the private sector to work closely with the government. This way, we can be more cohesive in our efforts to make more meaningful progress towards a better and sustainable future. As a private enterprise, SM Prime will continue to do its share in addressing climate change for the benefit of communities,” said Hans T. Sy, SM Prime Holdings Chairman of the Executive Committee.



Water conservation

Sustainability at SM Prime is at the core of its corporate identity. SM Prime has spearheaded sustainable practices as well as set records in pioneering programs to consciously protect the environment and strongly focus on resilience in its developments.

For one, the property conglomerate embarked on a campaign to substantially reduce its water consumption. It pioneered the installation of sewage treatment plants even before the measure was required by way of the Clean Water Act in 2004.

Today, its sewage treatment plants recycle 8.7 million cubic meters of water, lessening its dependence on fresh water sources for air conditioning operations, gardening, water closet flushing and other non-potable uses. SM Prime’s water catchment basins across 20 SM malls can also catch and store almost 79 million liters of water in total every time it rains, or as much as 32 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

By controlling the flow of flood water, surrounding communities have been provided more protection against the devastating effects of floods, alleviating what communities would normally fear when the rains come.



Renewable energy

SM Prime continues to explore ways to promote environmental consciousness in its operations and developments to minimize environmental impact.

In 2014, SM Prime achieved an important milestone in the country with SM City North EDSA becoming then the world’s largest solar-powered mall. Today, SM Prime is adding eleven more malls with solar roof decks.

Showing its firm resolve to advance its sustainability agenda, the company is committed to increase the use of renewable energy by 50% in 2022 across its various business segments, ahead of the national goals to be 35% renewable by 2030.

Through these efforts, SM Prime is committed to provide affordable and clean energy to its tenant-partners, minimizing the carbon footprint emission in its operations.

Collaboration toward resilience

As a key figure in the private sector, Mr. Sy and his dedication to environmental protection continues to serve as a testament to how Philippine businesses can usher positive change toward disaster resilience and risk reduction management in the country.

In 2012, Mr. Sy joined the United Nations Private Sector Advisory Group (PSAG) for Disaster Reduction. In 2015, he was also inducted as the first and only Filipino member UNDRR ARISE (Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies) International Board. He currently serves as co-chair in the ARISE-Philippines network and National Resilience Council (NRC) of the Philippines, representing the private sector. He continues to help develop multi-sectoral partnerships in the country to strengthen the ability of corporations, including MSMEs, to prepare and respond to disasters brought about by natural hazards such as earthquake.

“Climate change is looming over our Mother Earth. If we can contribute no matter how little and if I can get everybody to be aware of it, I think we will make an impact. It’s never too late,” said Mr. Sy in a video interview for the 50 Sustainability & Climate Leaders initiative.

Philippine Post Office, UPU announced letter writing contest winners

Wazzup Pilipinas!?



The Philippine Postal Corporation (Post Office) recently announced the winners of the 51st Universal Postal Union (UPU) International Letter Writing Competition for Young People, to promote better understanding around the world through the post office.

The first prize winner will represent the country in the worldwide competition to be held in Berne, Switzerland.

This year’s winners are Ms. Loraine C. Evangelista, a student of San Ildefonso National High School, Bulacan– first prize; Ms. Lucia Camila Perez Sta. Ana, of Paref-Woodrose School Inc., Ayala Alabang Village, Muntinlupa City – second prize; and Ms. Sofia Luxel C. Alburo of General Santos City National High School. General Santos City – third prize.

The contest is a yearly event organized by the Philippine Post Office under the auspices of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), which is composed of 192 countries around the world of which the Philippines is an active member. The chosen theme for this year is: “Write a letter to an influential person about why and how to take action on climate change.”.

This year’s judges are National Press Club of the Philippines President Ms. Lydia Bendaña Bueno, MC, PMJF; Mr. Genaro R. Gojo Cruz, Professor of Literature, De La Salle University; Asst. Prof. Joreen T. Rocamora, Ph.D., Director, Office of Public Affairs, University of Santo Tomas and Mr. Romeo B. Parayno, Head Special Events Unit, Department of Education.

The Universal Postal Union (UPU), through the International Bureau, has invited youth ages nine to 15 to join its letter writing competition, to strengthen literacy with one theme, making young people aware of the important role postal services play in our societies.

The contest is designed to develop the young people’s skills in composition and the ability to express their thoughts clearly, to foster their enjoyment of letter-writing and to help strengthen the bonds of international friendship, one of the basic missions of the UPU,” the post office said in a statement.

The first prize winner will be awarded P25,000, the second prize P15,000 and the third prize P10,000 plus corresponding medals, plaques and albums of Philippine stamps.

The awarding ceremony will be held on Oct. 9, coinciding with the worldwide celebration of World Post Day.

The Super Bowl and Other Big Sporting Events

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Super Bowl event puts the USA on a figurative pause annually. Fans troop in from all corners of the United States to watch their top two NFL teams battle it out for the Super Bowl title. The Super Bowl is famous for its massive showcasing of sports and the incredible entertainment it provides. Many sports fans root for the Super Bowl because it affords them the unique opportunity to bet on Super Bowl lines. The Super Bowl is arguably the highest-grossing sports event in the United States.

Most estimates of the Super Bowl’s viewership suggest that it garners hundreds of millions of viewers. The actual figures are more than that because the Super Bowl attracts viewers from other parts of the world who equally explore BetUS options while watching the big game.

In every American home, eyes are glued to the TV for the brilliant sports on show, particularly for the half-time show, which has always delivered a brilliant collaboration between sports and arts. People love to watch the Super Bowl, and those in the corridors of America’s power never miss out on it because when they reference the Super Bowl, they tend to endear more people to themselves.

Undoubtedly, the Super Bowl is a big sports event and remains a major attraction for the NFL. The Super Bowl is also beginning to attract massive global audiences with viewership in countries like The Philippines.




Is the Super Bowl the biggest sports event?

You may be wondering what necessitated this question. Many NFL pundits usually regard the Super Bowl as the greatest sports event. All over America’s media, the submission is that the Super Bowl ranks first, and others come after it. This may be true to an extent because the Super Bowl happens annually.

However, several other sports events are known to Filipinos with wider viewership than the Super Bowl. In terms of revenue generated, these sports events equally generate more revenue than the Super Bowl. This does not imply that the Super Bowl is a small sports event, but saying it is the biggest sports event is not true either.

What are some of the biggest sports events?

The Super Bowl has massive appeal in America. Since Americans reside in every nation on earth, its appeal is spreading like wildfire.




Here are some other sports events that have already established global appeals:



The Olympic Games

The Olympic games are another quadrennial event that brings different sports competitions together. The Olympic games are the melting pot for all sports. Every country in the world is duly represented. Likewise, virtually every sport is always on show. Whatever your sports preferences are, the Olympic games definitely have something that will interest you.

Viewership estimates of the Olympic games run into billions because the global appeal of the Olympic games is unprecedented. The Olympic games also accommodate winter games alongside the regular summer Olympic games. There is also a Paralympic version for disabled sportsmen and women. All of these events contribute to the massive viewership of the Olympic games.

Regarding sports, the Olympic games deliver the biggest opportunity to every sports person irrespective of their differences. From water sports to track and field events, the Olympic games create a global showcase for the less popular sports, making it an outstanding sports event for sports fans around the globe.

The FIFA World Cup

The FIFA World Cup is a quadrennial soccer event that brings national soccer teams from 32 countries to compete for four weeks. A total of 64 matches are played in every FIFA World Cup tournament. The FIFA World Cup final, which is the climax of the tournament, attracts viewers from all over the world.

According to FIFA, the last World Cup in Russia in 2018 raked in an estimated 3.572 billion viewers with the final match between France and Croatia estimated to have 1.12 billion viewers. Every FIFA World Cup game rakes in an estimated viewership of over 100 million. It remains one of the biggest sports events that consistently rake in such massive viewership for one month.

The next FIFA World Cup will be held in Qatar by November, and the viewership is projected to surpass the tally achieved in Russia four years ago.




ICC Cricket World Cup

Cricket is another massive sport with a huge following. It is prevalent in England, India, Pakistan, and many parts of Europe. The ICC Cricket World Cup is another quadrennial sports event that brings together national cricket sides to compete for the biggest title in world cricket.

Cricket games are some of the most-watched games that deliver quality sports entertainment to fans for over 6 hours over several days. Cricket is India’s national sport. Given India’s massive population, cricket matches enjoy a vast viewership and following in India.

Indians are also spread across the globe, and their immense passion for the game of cricket makes Cricket World Cup matches one of the biggest sports events in the world.




UEFA Champions League Final

The UEFA Champions League is the biggest prize in European club football, or soccer as it is called in the United States and Australia. Every year from September to May, Europe’s top teams vie to win the big-eared trophy using a home and away format.

The Final, which is the climax of the competition, is usually played on neutral ground between the two best teams in the competition. The UEFA Champions League enjoys massive viewership from everywhere around the world, including America. Many people describe the UEFA Champions League final as soccer’s version of the Super Bowl.

Conclusion

Many pundits who believe that the Super Bowl is the biggest sports event may be right. There are no fixed metrics for determining which sports event is the biggest sports event in the world. The Super Bowl rakes in impressive numbers every year, and these numbers rightly qualify it as one of the biggest sports events in the entire world.