OPA 2014 by SMIPHL

outstanding PROFESSIONAL award

2014

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

CREDITS

CHAIRMAN Superbrand Marketing International Inc. Karl McLean PRESIDENT & CEO Superbrand Marketing International Inc. Harry Tambuatco MARKETING DIRECTOR Superbrand Marketing International Inc. Larry Brouhard LEGAL COUNSEL Atty. Sara Jane Suguitan SENIOR MARKETING MANAGER Kenneth Rocete GRAPHIC DESIGNER Richelle Lim MARKETING STAFF Corazon Villanueva FINANCE Nelia Villarete SMI offices are located at the Makati Central Business District with address: 1908 – 88 Corporate Center Building 141 Sedeño Street corner Valero, Salcedo Village Makati City Tel. 728-8880 Fax. 7581220 www.superbrands.com.ph The logo is subject to copyright of Superbrand Marketing International Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any other storage or retrieval system relating too all or part of the text, photographs, or logo types without written permission of the publishers.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

FOREWORD

nderstanding the “Outstanding” projects of SMI, be it for professionals, dignitaries and politicians is about understanding the concept of branding outside the traditional perceptions between good, better and best. It is not about being number 1 nor is it about the amounts of monies accumulated. Simply put; branding is the consistent delivery of the brand promise generating integrity making it the brand. Outstanding is how we at SMI brand the Professionals who have been nominated into this publication. While there are no doubts the achievements of each professional stand out on their own, the nominations remain uncontested for the awards bestowed. The brand promises promoted by each of the nominees are of a firm resolve and remain without fatigue towards its delivery generating the integrity each and every participant enjoy. Our Outstanding Professionals in the Philippines are a clear manifestation of the strong character built and the proper moral grounds being captains of industry that exemplify what it takes to be the professional. The successes featured over decades are not necessarily about the financial gains accumulated or the high offices managed but to the brand they have lived by. This criterion is singularly the exception to the rule for “Outstanding” to have managed their lives with dignity and the integrity inherent of their promises promoted. We congratulate the “Outstanding Professionals” for 2014 that are celebrated in this publication. This book becomes the testament of their achievements towards civil society with their contributions to have made.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

CONTENTS

Dante F.M. Ang II

President and CEO, and concurrently the Executive Editor of The Manila Times....................... 6

Barbie Lozano Atienza, DPM

HEAD-External Affairs of Manila Bulletin VICE-PRESIDENT of United Print Media Group (UPMG).................10

Ronald C. Costales

Alleviating Farmer’s lives through Organic Agriculture and Farm Tourism............................................. 14

Hon. Emmanuel F. Dooc

Philippine Insurance Commissioner....................................................18

Lars Bøgvad Jeppesen

CEO and co-founder of Tech One Global ........................................... 22

Ronald Daniel Ricaforte Mascariñas

President of Bounty Agro Ventures Inc.............................................. 26

Rommel Sangalang

Fortress Business Development Manager of Asia Sugi Financial Services . ............................................................. 30

Gil H. A. (a.k.a. Guillermo) Santos

Futurist, Professional Journalist, College Professor, Geopolitical Analyst, and Environmentalist...................................... 34

Maria Lourdes Navarro Tiquia

Founder, General Manager of PUBLiCUS Asia Inc.......................... 38

Benjamin S. Tiu

President and CEO of Salem Oceanic Industries Corporation.......... 42

Jim Cruz Valerio

The Pleasure of Serving the Public...................................................... 46

Lars Wittig

Country Manager of Regus Philippines.............................................. 50

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

Dante F.M. Ang II President and CEO,

and concurrently the Executive Editor of The Manila Times

ante Francis M. Ang II, better known by his endearing nickname “Klink”, is currently the President and CEO, and concurrently the Executive Editor of The Manila Times—the oldest-running news publication in the country, which has earned the Superbrands award numerous times under his administration.

His exposure to journalism began in the late 1970s when his father, then a fledgling entrepreneur, started publishing small weekly papers and monthly magazines. However, after the assassination of the late Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino in 1983, along with his mother and siblings, Klink was forced to flee to the U.S. because the Ang patriarch was publishing a newspaper that was among the so-called “mosquito press”. It was at Sharpstown High School, in Houston, Texas, where Klink finished his secondary education in 1986, and where he fired up his passion for journalism as the Assistant Editor of the school newspaper. Four years later, he earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Texas A&M University in Commerce, Texas, where he was twice named Editor of the university newspaper, and one time as editor of the college magazine. He went on to work as a reporter for the Tulsa Tribune in Oklahoma, where he covered state and local politics until 1992, after which, in that same year, he became Vice President for Marketing of the Bell Publishing Corporation, where he was responsible for opening distribution outlets in Rome for Diwaliwan, a monthly magazine for overseas Filipino workers, thus, hinting at his fixation on the welfare of his kababayan.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014 He then returned to the Philippines in 1993 where he began to use his journalistic skills for the common good. Shortly after his return, Klink was appointed as the Foreign Information Officer at the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto, a position which he held until 1997. It was here that Klink discovered the opportunity, not only to serve as a bridge between our country and our fellow Filipinos in Canada as the Philippine government liaison to Canadian media and Filipino community press, but also to play a very important role in significant diplomatic activities, specifically in holding consultations with the stakeholders in Canada’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) Program. The ODA is a program wherein the Canadian Government bestows grants or loans to developing countries, such as ours, with the main objective of promoting economic development and welfare, much of which goes through the Canadian

International Development Agency or CIDA which has benefited many government agencies and organizations in the Philippines for the betterment of the Filipino. Through his efforts as an intermediary in such collaborations, Klink while abroad, contributed to Filipino communities here at home and to our country’s economic growth. After his foreign tour of duty in 1997, Klink returned home to resume his career in journalism and launched Kabayan, a respectable national daily broadsheet in Filipino which soon became a well-regarded newspaper. In 2001, his family acquired The Manila Times, where Klink was able to fully utilize the skills which he had honed in his many years in the field as the Executive Vice President of The Manila Times Publishing Corporation, successfully merging it with Kabayan Publishing in order to publish what we now know as the new, updated and dynamic version of The Manila Times.

President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan receives Dante “Klink” Ang II during a visit to Taipei.

Dante “Klink” Ang II, past president of the Rotary Club of Makati North, delivers a speech at a club fundraising event.

Dante “Klink” Ang II with President Truong Tan Sang of Vietnam before an interview with journalists in Manila.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014 Despite this success and the consequent reward of being able to rest in his proverbial laurels, Klink chose to immerse himself in a variety of other endeavors apart from running The Manila Times. His desire to expand his knowledge led to achieving his Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from De La Salle University in April of 2005 and is currently a candidate for a Ph.D. in economics at the University of Santo Tomas. His belief in investing in education has steered him to take on one of the many hats he wears: that of being an educator. Apart from teaching journalism subjects at The Manila Times College, of which he is also Vice Chairman, Klink also teaches various MBA subjects at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, a highly reputable local governmentoperated university that offers a valuable opportunity to study for their degrees to students who otherwise cannot afford college education. Klink Ang is also an environmentalist and conservationist, as evidenced by his long-time involvement in the Haribon Foundation for the Conservation of Natural Resources Inc., whose aim is to conserve and protect Philippine biodiversity through activities such as forest and mangrove preservation, and the like.

Dante “Klink” Ang II in his Manila Times office.

As an active volunteer, Klink has taken his role in this fight for our environment to heart and has been re-elected to a second three-year term as a member of the Board of Trustees. It is worth noting that his active stance caused his election as Vice Chairman. It was during those years that the Haribon Foundation, alongside Civil Society Organizations, drafted the Civil Society Organization’s version of “The Sustainable Forest Management Bill,” launched the Biodiversity on Wheels Project, wherein biodiversity and socio-economic assessment are conducted in local Watershed Reservations, as well as involving members of the public in their reforestation efforts of Philippine rainforests, culminating in 2013 with the celebration of 41 years of environmental conservation through an environmentally focused concert aptly entitled “Biodiversity Rocks!”

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

Mahathir Mohamad of Malaysia exchanges pleasantries with Dante “Klink” Ang II when the former Malaysian prime minister visited the University of Santo Tomas.

However, his achievements in Haribon Foundation only show a man who recognizes that the boons given to him in life are a sign that he must “give back” to his fellow Filipinos. Hence, Klink has long been involved in the Rotary movement, serving as the President of the Rotary Club of Makati North in 2008-2009, and more recently as PR Committee CoChairman of the Rotary International District 3830. During his term as Club President, the Rotary Club of Makati North turned over about P1 million-worth of computers to a public school in Pampanga and sustained a feeding program in two depressed communities in Makati City, which, ironically, is the country’s financial hub. The feeding program, which continues today, has won a number of awards. Also during his term, the club organized its 6th LEAP Leaders Conference, conducted a book drive and book-reading program, and awarded scholarships to deserving poor students.

Environmentalist Dante “Klink” Ang II joined a tree-planting project of Isuzu and Haribon Foundation in Caliraya.

Hollywood director Ang Lee poses with Dante “Klink” Ang II in Bonifacio Global City.

All these simply reflect the kind of man Dante Francis Ang II is. He is a Communicator, using the skills he has refined for the benefit of our Filipino communities abroad. He is an Educator, choosing to impart his knowledge to our young underprivileged people who have been given the golden opportunity to access quality college education. He is an Environmentalist, understanding that in order to protect a sustainable way of life, man must protect and preserve his environment. He is a Philantropist, wanting to share his time, talent and resources to uplift the welfare of our citizenry through the collective effort of like-minded colleagues and brothers. Most of all, Dante Francis Ang II is a FILIPINO, dedicating much of his life to working toward the greater good of his countrymen and his beloved country.

Dante “Klink” Ang II shared his experiences in managing a national daily during the 2nd Strategic Management Alumni Convention of the De La Salle University-Masters of Business Administration.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

Barbie Lozano Atienza, DPM HEAD-External Affairs, Manila Bulletin VICE-PRESIDENT, United Print Media Group (UPMG)

arbie started his professional career as an Employee Relations assistant for American Microsystems Inc.. AMI was an American multinational company engaged in the manufacture and testing of semiconductors, the sunrise industry of the day then. Weaning from his previous career as a radio DJ and a singer in a band, he was in strange territory but was eager and able to learn quick as to become well adjusted and effective on the job in no time. He proved to be so effective, that in about only a year’s time, he had become the head of Human Resources Management in the company. Being one of the youngest in the field, he ventured as well into getting involved in the industry and community advancing excellence in the practice of the profession while continuously learning more. He always believed that the sound practice of best HR principles among managers and companies in the Philippines will help harness the best out of people which would eventually contribute to the betterment of society and the nation. He always maintains that people are the most valuable resource of any company, organization, any country. In no time, peers and industry leaders took notice of Barbie’s potentials and tenacity. This led him to be “drafted” and elected to take leadership roles in the premier organization of HR managers in the country-the People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP). In 1998, he became the president of the association and would steer PMAP to greater heights of influence. After his tenure, he has remained active and a constant beacon to PMAP in its undertakings and advocacies. In 2007, he was again elected, this time as president of the Society of Fellows in People Management, the elite group of HR pros, affiliated to PMAP that conferred upon him the highly distinct and exclusive suffix FPM (Fellow in people management) to his name which eventually was elevated to DPM (Diplomate in People Management).

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

Barbie became top HR man for two other multinational corporations, where he earned his stripes in labor and industrial relations. He dealt with several unions and labor organizations, where he proved to be a proficient negotiator and communicator. He later moved on to become Managing director for a Filipino company, where he was honed to take on general management tasks. Across companies and industries, Barbieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s career as an HR professional spanned a total of 25 years. He did not only serve the companies he worked for , but also engaged himself in matters that concerned the community, the industry and society. Because of his eloquence and mastery of various subject matters and possessing outstanding public speaking and presentation skills, he also became a much sought after

resource speaker, trainor, moderator and emcee in various fora here and abroad. He also later on went back to his love affair with broadcasting, doing TV and radio anchoring gigs on the side. This time he used this media to pursue his advocacies and render public service. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree, Major in Psychology from Colegio de San Juan de Letran, his alma mater which awarded him a Colegio alumni award in 2004. He presently also teaches as a special lecturer in the same school. He pursued his studies on Masters in Business Administration at De La Salle University. Barbie has also been part of the Manila Jaycees as well as the PagIbig sa Diyos Catholic Community, where he serves in various capacities. He was also elected a Barangay Chairman in his home city, Manila.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

In 2002, he and his current employer, the Manila Bulletin stumbled upon each other and launched him into a new career path. It was not too common for publication and media companies then to have a public relations function within its organizations. They were actually the target publics that PR people would have in their shooting ranges instead. But realizing how much more complex and competitive the industry has become, Manila Bulletin had one of the first PR men in the industry to join them. Barbie was ecstatic at the thought of reinventing himself and putting on a brand new hat. There was much to learn and that was exactly what got him excited. Besides, he also saw the challenges as well as the opportunities to do something different and again help not only the company, but the community/industry as well.

Despite being relatively new to the profession and the industry, Barbie saw his way around and in no time won the respect and admiration of many in the field. He did not only deliver the message of Manila Bulletin to its target markets but also built on a reputation strongly founded on credibility, integrity and reliability. He also made excellent use of his communication prowess coupled with individual and organizational sensitivity and sharp critical thinking. He also engaged himself with some of the best in the field with whom he would learn from and share ideas with actively. No sooner than when he became a member, he was also soon elected as an officer of the prestigious Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP). He later became its Vice President, not once-but twice. He also was invited to join the board of judges for the prestigious Anvil Awards, the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Oscarsâ&#x20AC;? of public relations, three years in a row.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014 In the print media industry, Barbie also became an active leader in the United Print Media Group (UPMG), an organization which boasts of having the leading publication companies, from broadsheets to tabloids to magazines as members. After serving as PRO, he was elected as Vice-president again twice and also chaired the 2nd Print Media congress in 2012. It was here that he helped lead the industry in a campaign that reasserted the importance and relevance of the print. UPMG and its members also actively encouraged the advocacy for the resurgence of the reading habit, especially among the young. All these were carried out in the midst of the rapid aggressive emergence of the new digital age and the strong dominance of other mainstream media. Barbie and the UPMG leadership did not see the new medium as a foe or threat; they saw this as an opportunity and a new platform to embrace. As congress chair, he rallied the members of the industry to unite and close ranks to assert the conference’s theme that “Print is here to Stay”. Armed with creativity and innovativeness, Barbie and UPMG called for new approaches and disciplines without compromising credibility to keep print interesting and responsive to people’s needs. It reasserted that the print media remains to be a key player in the nation’s development and success.

Barbie has also been invited to speak at the PublishAsia, the biggest gathering of publication executives and editors from all over Asia. There he shared some insights and ideas on how to cope with the challenges print media faces through new and creative executions. He underscored the need to introduce and embrace new ideas and open new opportunities to convey the message of newsmakers and advertisers in order to remain competitive and sustain patronage. He used the stage to showcase to publishers in the region what Manila Bulletin has intitiated and introduced. Barbie has also been invited to host the Asia Media Awards, the highly acclaimed award giving body for works of excellence in print media, for several years in a row held in various Asian countries including Thailand, Indonesia, Hongkong, Macau and India. In a span of almost 4 decades, Barbie has traversed across companies, industries and careers. This notwithstanding, he has always achieved things through his brand of work style and ethics. This has also consistently won for him admiration and respect from people who he would work with or would see him at work. It was also during this time that he has continuously proven and demonstrated, time and again the discipline, dynamism and dedication that characterize him as a true professional and a compleat achiever. He has shown how it is to perform any job with utmost zeal and passion, not only to pursue excellence, but more importantly, at the end of the day, to make a real difference for many others!

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

Ronald C. Costales Alleviating Farmer’s lives through

Organic Agriculture and Farm Tourism

• Graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1989 with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering in PUP; • Former Executive Vice President of PhilWeb Corp and head of 3 different departments- Information Technology (IT), Engineering and R&D; • Retired in 2004 at the age of 39 to enjoy life!; • National President, Association of Certified Trainers for National Organic Agriculture Welfare (ACT-NOW); • Back-to-back regional awardee of Gawad Saka as the Most Outstanding Organic Farmer– 2011 and 2012; • Regional Awardee of GAWAD SAKA as the Outstanding Farmer Family of 2012-Region IV-A; • MAGSASAKA-SIYENTISTA of Region IV-A; • Executive Vice President and Chairman of the Speakers Bureau of GO ORGANIC FARMERS CLUB, INC; • A national awardee as the 2011 Most Outstanding Organic Agriculturist of the Philippines (TOPOA) given by Rotary International; • Chairman of COSTALES NATURE FARMS; and • GAWAD SAKA NATIONAL AWARDEE as the Most Outstanding Organic Agriculture Farmer for 2012.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014 He graduated Magna Cum Laude at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering in 1989. Early Life and Career Just after graduation, he was immediately hired as Computer Programmer in a telecommunications firm. He was promoted to a Managerial position after 3 years, the youngest manager in the history of the firm and stayed with the Company for 20 years.

Family Support- With wife Josie in their organic herbs & spices plantation

Mr. RONALD C. COSTALES, a native of Umingan, Pangasinan, is an organic farming practitioner and a staunch advocate of organic agriculture, an agri technology innovator, a self-sacrificing extension service provider and an astute agri-entrepreneur. He is the national awardee for the most prestigious award in Agriculture in 2012 as the GAWAD SAKA’s Most Outstanding Organic Farmer of the Philippines. Mr. Costales was the former Executive Vice President of Philippine Global Communications, Inc. specialized in Information Technology, Network Engineering and Research & Development, opted to retire in 2004 at the age of 39 to enjoy life in organic agriculture and farm tourism. He is now the Chairman of Costales Nature Farms, a family corporation and the leading certified organic farm and the 1st Farm Tourism Destination in the Philippines accredited by Department of Tourism. School of Hard Knocks Ronald was born to a family of farmers on September 18, 1966. Finished his secondary education in Umingan Central High School and completed with flying colors as the batch Valedictorian in 1983. Because his parents can not afford to send him to College, Ronald worked in the province as Jeepney driver and barker at times for 2 years. After earning an amount sufficient to finance his travel to Manila, he left the province and worked as Security Guard in the Jungle city. Realizing his potentials, he enrolled in the university and took up a degree course. For 5 years, he worked during day time as a Guard and studied at night time.

Retirement (Changing Tires) Upon retirement in 2004 as the Vice President of the Philippine Global Communications Inc. (PhilCom), he ventured into organic farming. What started as a hobby and in pursuit of his main belief that an all-Natural and Chemical-Free Food is the cornerstone for a Healthy Lifestyle has given rise to the 5-hectare Costales Nature Farm – an Integrated Organic Farm. With this as a mission, the farm started producing safe, fresh and tasty products that contain optimum nutrient without a trace of synthetic fertilizers or pesticide. They take pride in their farm produce that has been lovingly planted, grown and harvested by hand. Top-of-the line post-harvest facilities and properly trained personnel are employed in the handling of products to ensure the highest standards in food handling, food packaging, and in general food hygiene. His adoption of organic farming has made the food that reaches the tables of every Filipino families safer, tastier, and healthier.

Farm Visitors - ATI Director Asterio P. Saliot, DFA Dir Ambassador Cariño and students of Southern Luzon State University

Farm Tour - touring the group of ATI Director Asterio P. Saliot and DFA Director Consul Felipe Cariño in the 5-hectare Costales’ organic farm

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

Farm Tourism Allies - bringing visitors to other farms to promote other agritourism sites in the country

Marketing & Promotions- Ronald and wife Josie in their exhibit booth during the 10th Organic Congress in PICC

The Rise of Costales Nature Farms Ronald, as a staunch advocate of organic agriculture, established the Costales Nature Farms in 2005 together with his lovely wife, Josephine Costales and two children, Reden and Angelica utilizing integrated organic farming system for the production of high value organic vegetable, culinary herbs, tilapia and livestock. The farm was recognized as the Most Outstanding Organic Farm of the Philippines for the year 2012 by His Excellency President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III and was accredited as the first Agri-tourism destination in the Philippines by the Department of Tourism. Recognitions As an agri - technology innovator and a selfsacrificing extension service provider, he was awarded the Magsasakang Siyentista in Organic Agriculture and was accredited as an Extension Service Provider National Level for Organic Agriculture giving him the privilege to conduct trainings in organic agriculture in the entire archipelago. Recognizing his agricultural breakthroughs in organic farming, he was invited as resource speaker on organic agriculture and agritourism development during the 2013 APO International Convention in Bali, Indonesia and again just recently in Kuala Lumpur and Sri Lanka.

Recognitions- With wife Josie during the 9th National Organic Agriculture Congress in Cebu City where Ronald’s contribution in Organic Agriculture was recognized by Department of Agriculture

Partnership with Filipinos Working Abroad In 2012, he introduced the innovative agri-entrepreneurial approach through Joint-Venture (JV) Programs among Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). This program aimed to address the need for additional capital investments for the expansion requirement of the farm. The scheme provided OFWs the opportunity for additional earnings from their invested savings. At present, it provides a 140% - ROI for the JV Builda-greenhouse Program and a 40% - for the JV on Agri-tourism Development Program and JV on Farm Accommodation Program. This is way above the 1% annual interest rates offered by commercial banks. Earning the trust of Business Partners Also at the same year, Costales Nature Farms partnered with top-of-mind organic processed food distributor and number one wellness store in the country, Healthy Options, in the production of organic eggs, organic free-range chickens, and pigs. Healthy Options, also helped-out in the establishment of top-of-the line post-harvest facilities to ensure the highest standard of food hygiene. Their other market outlets are SM Supermarket, SM Hypermarket, Makati Shangri-La, Rustan’s Supermarket and Dizon Farms. By 3rd quarter of 2013, the biggest chain of high-end restaurant concepts, Bistro Holdings who owns the well known restaurant brands Italliannis, TGI Fridays, Krazy Garlik, Village Tavern, Tonkatsu and Modern Shanghai, ventured with the Costaleses’ for the production of high value vegetables and culinary herbs. These high-value veggies and herbs are served in the company’s chain of restaurant with the label “I Love Organic”.

The Image of Progressive Farmers - The Costaleses during the 0th National Organic Congress in PICC. From left, Reden, Guia, Ronald, Josie and Angel

International Exposure- Wife Josie, Ronald and Asian Productivity Organization (APO) Director, Mr. Jojo Bernardo during the Farm Tourism event in Bali, Indonesia where Ronald was one of the international resource expert of the event.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014 Grand Awards Acknowledging his expertise and noble contributions in the advancement of organic agriculture in the Philippines, he was adjudged as 2011 Most Outstanding Organic Agriculturist of the Philippines by the Rotary Club International and the 2011 Gawad Saka - Outstanding Organic Farmer by the Department of Agriculture. In 2012, he was also awarded the Gawad Saka Most Outstanding Organic Farmer of the Philippines by the Department of Agriculture and the 2012 Gawad Saka - Outstanding Farm Family by the Department of Agriculture - Region IV-A.

Seminars & Business Forums -Sharing the technology and inspiring the marginalized farmers of the country

Sharing the Technology and inspiring farmers

Government Partnerships-Partnership with Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) of DA as the private ESP for organic agriculture

Awarding ceremony for the 2012 Most Outstanding Organic Farmer of the Philippines- GAWAD SAKA Receiving another award from the Agriculture Department

Market Presence - Certified Organic farm produce displayed at Healthy Options outlets

“

We know because we farm; We teach because we want to share; Because it is only in sharing that we find true happiness.

„

His unselfish sharing of expertise created new niches in organic integrated farming like the Rancho Domingo in Isabela, Gardenscape Philippines in Bulacan and Our Farm Republic located in Barangay Torre 2nd, Mangatarem, Pangasinan, which now serve as a new avenue for technology replication on organic farming. And just recently, The Farm Republic has been accredited as a Technology Demonstration Farm on Organic Agriculture by the Department of Agriculture – Regional Office I. These joint ventures with different farming industries has confirmed Mr. Costales’ selflessness in considering other farm industries as partners not as competitors for the common pursuit of a safe and healthy food for every Filipino family and in support to the Food Staple Sufficiency Program of the country. Awards and recognitions bestowed on Mr. Ronald Costales have confirmed the magnificence of his works, however these are but secondary, for he remains humble as he avers, “It is not the number of awards that counts, but it is the number of people’s lives that you have touched and inspired that matters.”

Family Bonding Ronald, daughter Angel and wife Josie while harvesting in their lettuce field

Ronald during the Asian Productivity Organization (APO) Farm Tourism event in Colombo, Sri Lanka where he was tapped as one of the international resource expert

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

Hon. Emmanuel F. Dooc Philippine Insurance Commissioner

tty. Emmanuel Feliciano Dooc began his stint as Insurance Commissioner (IC) on January 5, 2011. As the first appointee of President Benigno S. Aquino III to the post, he held the position until the passage of Republic Act 10607, otherwise known as the Revised Insurance Code of 2012, which provides a 6-year fixed term of office to the Insurance Commissioner. Though Commissioner Dooc tendered his resignation to give President Aquino a free hand to appoint a new Insurance Commissioner under the new Insurance Code, the President instead reappointed Commissioner Dooc on December 4, 2013 for a fresh term of 6 years under the new Code, thus extending his tenure until 2019.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014 Before working for the Insurance Commission, Commissioner Dooc previously served the government as a public school teacher from 1969 to 1979. He taught in the public schools in various capacities as a regular teacher, school head of a small elementary school, and Special Education Teacher for the Blind after completing his degree in Special Education in Teaching the Blind. He was also a volunteer teacher for the Negritoes in Igang Valley, Batobalani, Paracale, Camarines Norte and the youth offenders at the Manila Youth Reception Center in Arroceros, Manila. He then took his Bachelor of Laws at San Beda College and passed the Bar examinations after graduating in 1979. Subsequently, he joined Sycip Gorres Velayo & Co. (SGV& Co.) under its Tax Division. After leaving SGV in 1983, he worked as the Assistant Vice President & Assistant Corporate Secretary for the PAIC Savings and Mortgage Bank for a couple of years. Commissioner Dooc’s vast experience and expertise in the insurance industry took shape when he started to work for the American International Assurance Co. Ltd. (AIA) and served as its Assistant Vice President of the Claims Department in 1985. Barely three (3) years thereafter, he was promoted to the position of Vice President for Operations. In 1996, Commissioner Dooc transferred to the Philippine American Life and General Insurance Company (Philam Life) and served thereas its Senior Vice President & General Counsel. In a concurrent capacity, he also served as the company’s Chief Compliance and Governance Officer.Aside from his work at Philam Life, Commissioner Dooc was also appointed as the Chairman of the Legislative and Legal Committee of the Philippine Life Insurance Association (PLIA) from 2005 to 2010.

Among his accomplishments as committee Chairman, were his invaluable assistance to the Insurance Commission in the formulation of the Market Conduct Guidelines; the drafting of the “Expeditious Product Approval”; the enactment into law of R.A. 10001 which rationalized Premium and Documentary Stamp Taxes for life insurance policies; and most importantly, the drafting of the bill proposing the amendments to the Insurance Code which eventually was enacted and signed into law on August 15, 2013. During Commissioner Dooc’s first term, the Insurance Commission had seen unprecedented growth of the Insurance Industry, particularly the life sector. The total assets have increased from Php554.7 billion to over Php900 billion in 2013. From Php80.3 billion total premium income in 2009, it rose to Php200 billion in 2013. The Insurance Penetration Rate also increased from 1.02% in 2009 to 1.9% in 2013. The capital buildup program was successfully carried out and institutionalized in the Amended Insurance Code, which further increased the

Commissioner Dooc during a consultation hearing with representatives from both life and non-life insurance industries on capitalization.

Commissioner Dooc as Guest of Honor with (from R-L) Ambassador Antonio Cabangon Chua, Ms. Evelyn Carada and Mr. Arnold Cabangon during the Fortune Life Annual Awards.

Commissioner Dooc signing the MOU with Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista and QC Council Minority Floor Leader Pinggoy Lagumbay during the launching of the microinsurance pilot project.

Commissioner Dooc with AXA Philippines and Metrobank at the ceremonial ringing of the bell during the NASDAQ stock exchange-themed launch of AXA’s Global Advantage Fund.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

Commissioner Dooc during a consultation hearing on the proposed rehabilitation plan of Prudentialife Plans, Inc.

minimum net worth to Php1.3 Billion in 2022 with scheduled gradual increases every 3 years between 2012 and 2022.

industry, introduced other much needed reforms to grow the industry without sacrificing the interests of the insuring public.

The recent years also saw mergers and consolidation of smaller companies as well as voluntary and involuntary cancellation of licenses. Under Commissioner Doocâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leadership, the Insurance Commission was reorganized to further streamline its operations and make IC an efficient and effective regulator. Three (3) additional Deputy Commissioners were appointed and the total number of headcounts at the IC was significantly increased to enable IC to discharge its functions, particularly the additional responsibility of supervising the pre-need industry following its transfer from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to the IC. The IC, with the support of the

With his appointment, Commissioner Dooc and his team have already formulated the banner program for the coming years. They include the review and rationalization of the tax structure for the non-life sector, eventual transfer of the health maintenance organizations (HMOs) from the Department of Health (DOH) to the IC, capacity building of the regulator, expansion of Microinsurance program, promotion of financial inclusion, development of disaster insurance, crop insurance, health insurance and effective implementation of the Amended Insurance Code, among others, to better serve the insuring public and the industry.

Commissioner Dooc (2nd from left) joining hands with the Department of Finance â&#x20AC;&#x201C; National Credit Council (DOF-NCC) and German International Cooperation (GIZ) to sustain the push for microinsurance in the Philippines.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

Commissioner Dooc with President Aquino during his oath-taking as Insurance Commissioner in MalacaĂąang Palace.

Commissioner Dooc with DOF Secretary Cesar V. Purisima congratulating him on his reappointment.

Commissioner Dooc chats with President Aquino during the ICâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 65th Anniversary celebration.

Commissioner Dooc leads the welcoming of President Aquino as Guest of Honor during the 65th Anniversary of the Insurance Commission.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

A global innovator, defined. 22

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

Lars Bøgvad Jeppesen CEO and co-founder of Tech One Global

A successful Danish entrepreneur, Lars Jeppesen believes that the technological revolution gathers its strength from the people. A self-starter and an innovator, he has grown Tech One Global and his former startups under his guidance and leadership. Lars Bøgvad Jeppesen’s journey from Denmark to the Philippines was a long one but marked with successes along the way. The successes came in part of his leadership style of empowering people to share their energy to make an organization succeed, with him in the sidelines. This leadership perspective was a fruit of his experience during his apprenticeship years at Merlin, a camera and electronics company, where the company, including its leadership, believed and listened to his ideas. “The reason why I [seek to] have a lot of ideas is because I don’t have to be the best” he said, with regard to his belief in his people. These ideas have proven to be the best, as these were transformed into successful business ventures. Today, Lars guides his company, Tech One Global, an information (IT) solutions company, from its offices in the Philippines, Brunei, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the United States. Under his leadership, the company has grown to become one of the top Microsoft partners and document imaging companies in South East Asia. Building a path for himself Lars built a solid foundation in business after becoming inclined to start business ventures during his apprenticeship. While as an apprentice, he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Retail, Business, and Trade in Copenhagen Business School. Later, while working for Kodak and Dicom Group he was qualified to earn a company sponsored Executive MBA at Harvard Business School and IMD Business School in Switzerland. However, before he decided on taking the path for business, Lars was torn between taking a course related to photography or music. As a child, Lars was immersed in creative activities such as music, film and photography. His parents, John and Yvonne, were key factors in developing his interests. His father, John, in particular, developed interest in photography. As an avid photography hobbyist, John would process his films in make-shift darkrooms in their house’s bathroom. With this influence, Lars started to take on photography as a hobby.

At the same time, Lars excelled in music as a band member and also showed promise in leadership and entrepreneurship. Taking after his parents who, Lars was involved in the student government, where he was elected chairman of the student council. Lars’ tertiary degree was a choice between music and photography but eventually chose Nørre Gymnasium in Copenhagen over the School of Photography. However, during his first year in Nørre Gymnasium, Lars felt dissatisfaction over his career path. Unmotivated, at age 18, he finally decided to drop out of school to work full time. Although he was not able to secure an undergraduate degree at that time, he continued his education through the management programs of Kodak and Dicom Group. Shortly after dropping out of college, Lars took an apprenticeship under a local camera store as an apprentice at Merlin, a camera and electronics company. It was in Merlin where he started to envision business ventures, particularly in computer retail. Working in the marketing department of Merlin, under the leadership of Svend Erik Noerklit, Lars started of thinking of his actual career path, which should be directed to business.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

More than 30 years of experience in building businesses At 23 years old and just after two years of working, Lars worked with his boss Mogens Merlin to establish Spaceworld, the first Danish IT retailer. His business venture almost coincided with the launch of the Disk Operating System (DOS) in 1986. Space World and Merlin was later acquired by FDB/COOP.

document and information capture copmaty in the Middle East and Africa. Document management giant, Dicom Group, saw Valuevadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s potential, and acquired it on 2004 to enter the Middle East market. He maintained the post as the Managing Director for the company until the acquisition was completed in 2008.

The venture was a stepping stone to a career in IT and less than two years after he established Spaceworld, he moved to Kodak A/S as a Business Consultant, where he implemented Kodak-based enterprise document management solutions for the commercial and industrial market segments.

Driving the business at Tech One Global In 2003, Lars, together with his partners Wasantha Weerakoone, Rakesh Wahi, and Ali Bagash, founded Tech Distribution, which rapidly developed to become the leading value-added Microsoft distributor. For five years, the company was led by Wasantha, while Lars served as director since he worked full time in Valuevad. During these five years, the company grew to having more diverse services outside software licensing and distribution and included services such as IT learning and certification, software development, document imaging, and professional photo retouching. In 2008, Lars started to work full time at Tech One Global.

Lars was promoted as Solutions Marketing Manager for the airline industry after four years to handle the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. In 1995 Lars relocated to Dubai to take up a position as the Business Manager for Business Imaging Systems at Kodak Near East Inc, here he was given the task to increase the Document Imaging channel sales throughout Middle East and Africa. At the end of 1998, during the peak of his 10-year career in Kodak he left to co-founded Valuevad, an information capture technology company in based in Dubai. He considers this move as the biggest free fall and upturn of his business career. His career gamble eventually paid off, as after five years of leading the company, Valuevad became the leading

In 2009, after seeing growth over a span of six years, Tech Distribution was rebranded to Tech One Global. In 2014, a major merger with document management solutions company Sanje Pvt Ltd has allowed Tech One Global to expand its products and services offerings to offer software trainings, systems development, and mobile applications development.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014 With its merger with Sanje Pvt Ltd and the addition of mobile applications development and document management, Lars and his team developed two more products – Enadoc, a document imaging system, and Etikado, a mobile-only app that helps organize photos through tags. Moreover, drawing from Lars’ passion in photography, he started ImagePerfekt, a photo retouching and image processing company. To form this service, he partnered with Cherie Steinberg and Hedley Jones, one of the world’s most published wedding and boudoir photographer. To strengthen the ImagePerfekt service, Lars formed a team of Filipino artists who worked on image retouching, image and color correction, and image selection for wedding photos, portraits, boudoir photography, and photos of kids and pets. This service is delivered from the office in the Philippines, where it services clients all over the world. Based in the Philippines, Lars continues to drive the business forward at Tech One Global as Chief Executive Officer. He leads close to 500 employees at Tech One Global in its offices in six countries. Believing that the people can drive a business forward, he gives guidance to the management teams of other locations in the company while based in the Philippines. He also shares his marketing expertise by being a hands-on manager to the marketing team, which he formed after seeing the potential of Filipino talent.

technological literacy, the company engages the youth through computer education and prepare them as future global leaders in a technology-driven environment. In the Philippines, Tech One Global empowered prisoners in the School of Fine Arts of Camp Sampaguita, New Bilibid Prison, Muntinlupa City to express themselves through art. Lars and his wife, Michelle, donated art materials and encouraged them to hone their skills by creating more artworks and paintings. A small art collaboration was also organized with the Muntinlupa inmates in 2013 with Iris Sidler, a Swiss lawyer and artist. Aside from education as its main corporate social responsibility, Lars and his company participate in relief operations. Specifically in 2013, Lars and his wife received special recognition from the Philippine Red Cross for their support during the aftermath of typhoon Yolanda. Lars now permanently reside in The Philippines with his wife Micelle and two children Amara Santana and Aaron Matthew, while his older daughter Amanda studies nursing in Denmark.

Going into the tourism business Having relocated to the Philippines, Lars recognized how special and beautiful the country is. Together with his partners in Tech One Global, he decided to invest and promote the Philippines as a tourist destination and established Ananya Farms, an eco-retreat and wellness resort located in Cavite. The resort embraces nature and hopes to sustain it with green architecture and natural resource management. For the farm to be truly sustainable, Lars’ vision is for it to provide livelihood to the local community. The farm will feature several individual luxury villas with five-star eco-friendly facilities. Moreover, the farm features Ayurveda Wellness programs, a holistic wellness program. Giving back to the community Following his belief in developing people, Lars and his team at Tech One Global have a vision of giving back to the community through education. The team’s special mission is to equip the youth with IT skills especially in developing countries in Asia. In Sri Lanka, Lars and his company have taken steps in improving education of the youth by partnering with the Ministry of Education, Microsoft and Adobe. The company has launched a number of IT trainings for young people, where over the past six years, more than 10,000 academic licenses were given across the country. With a vision to improve Sri Lanka’s

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

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I was once asked to describe what I do in my profession. I said I am a killer, and I have killed so many. After the momentary shock of my audience, I of course discussed my work as head of a poultry integrator company. We kill chicken, lots of them, to feed people, to provide employment, to help the needy, and contribute our fair share in nation building. Through it all we strive to maintain focus on our goals. The work of the professional is never done, but we can choose to make it fulfilling with integrity and social responsibility.

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Outstanding Professional Award 2014

Ronald Daniel Ricaforte Mascariñas President, Bounty Agro Ventures Inc.

Born on October 13, 1961, Ronald grew up in the city of Butuan, Philippines. He is the third of the five children of Pablo Mascariñas and Patria Ricaforte. Now married to Angelita V. Mascariñas, they reside in Sta. Rosa City, Laguna with their four children.

He was the President of the Philippine Association of Broiler Integrators (PABI) for two consecutive terms from 1999 to 2001 and was largely responsible for stopping the dumping into the country of leg quarters imports in 1999.

Ronald is a graduate of the University of the Philippines Los Banos with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (1982). He earned his master in management degree from the Asian Institute of Management in 1991, and completed a course given by the International Law Institute, Washington D.C., USA on the Rights & Obligations under the World Trade Organization in 2000.

He joined the Bounty Fresh Group in 2002 as the President and General Manager of the Bounty Agro Ventures, Inc. (BAVI) and embarked on a serious professionalization, modernization and extensive geographical expansion of the company, setting up operations nationwide with farms and processing plants spanning from the Ilocos region to Calbayog all the way to Zamboanga.

He started his professional career as Assistant Manager for the Purefoods Corporation Poultry Operations as one of the pioneers in 1982, and rose through the ranks handling various assignments including Grandparent & Breeder Operations, Hatchery, Broiler Production, Processing & Sales both for domestic & export markets. He steered Purefoods poultry to survive the poultry crisis years of 1996 – 1997. He was appointed Senior Vice President – Poultry Business, concurrently as Senior Vice President - Food Service Division, and concurrently as President – Smokey’s Fast Food Chain. He was then the youngest Senior Vice President appointed to that position in the Purefoods management team.

In 2009, he launched the Chooks-To-Go chain of chicken rotisserie stores to counter the impending challenges the 2010 implementation of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) Agreement will pose to local poultry companies. Under his leadership, Bounty Agro Ventures, Inc., from being a virtual unknown in the industry in 2002, has become the country’s second largest poultry integrator, and the country’s #1 rotisserie chicken chain with close to 1,000 stores nationwide.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

Outstanding Professional Award 2014 In the years since he joined the Bounty Fresh Group, the company garnered practically all of the national awards in the industry, from Product Quality Excellence all the way to Consumer Services. In 2010, the Bounty Fresh Group was conferred the most prestigious 2009 Asian Livestock Industry Award, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in terms of technological excellence, food safety, marketing excellence and industry leadership, the first ever award for the Philippines since the inception of the ASEAN regional block. Personal Awards Received • Outstanding Alumnus Award in the field of Entrepreneurship, University of the Philippines at Los Baños, College of Agriculture, 2004. • Plaque of Excellence from the Philippine Association of Broiler Integrators in 2001 in recognition of his exceptional performance and innovative contributions to the Philippine Broiler Industry as president of the Association.

• A “Medical Mission Cum Psycho-Social Relief Operation” in partnership with Ciudad Medical Zamboanga in Tetuan, Zamboanga City in October 2013 • A Donation Campaign “Stand Up and Donate” for the benefit of the Bohol earthquake victims in partnership with Bantay Bata 163 thru BAVI’s Cebu Branch office in October 2013. • Three branches of BAVI in Tacloban, Ormoc and Roxas City were severely affected by Super Typhoon Yolanda. The BAVI Sagip Relief Mission was immediately launched by the company to help all its employees affected by the disaster. All 48 affected employees were fully assisted with food, basic needs and repair/ reconstruction of their destroyed homes, independent of any outside or third party assistance. • BAVI also is a regular active donor and participant in several local projects and events in the cities and municipalities where it operates.

• Outstanding Alumnus Award from his high school alma mater, Urios College, in Butuan City in 2003. Social Responsibility Under Mr. Mascariñas’ leadership, BAVI reached out to the community thru the following activities: • Its “Handog Ka-Chooks” feeding program was started in 2010 which benefitted urban poor children in Barangay Bagong Lipunan, Cubao, Quezon City in coordination with the Lord of the Harvest Community Church. • In 2011, BAVI launched a broiler grower program with the “Emmanuel Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Inc.” (EMCI) in Southern Tagalog, and the “Katilingbanong Pamahandi sa Mindanaw Foundation, Inc.” (KPMFI) in Mindanao, for smallcapacity farmers to grow broilers in their small farms, thus enabling them to enter the poultry industry which otherwise they would not have been able to do for lack of capital. • A feeding program thru the HAPAG-ASA NGO was undertaken in 2012. • Financial support of a worthy cause thru the Zonta International NGO for uplifting women’s rights was undertaken in 2012. • Financial support for sending underprivileged kids to school thru the Sacred Heart Institute for Transformative Education (SHIFT) was undertaken in 2012. • A Community Tree-planting Program “Planting seeds of hope for bountiful tomorrow” in partnership with the DENR in Naga, Cebu City in October 2013

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

Rommel Sangalang Fortress Business Development Manager, Asia Sugi Financial Services

ommel graduated summa cum laude from Robert Morris University in Chicago, Illinois. He obtained a Business Administration Degree with a concentration in Computer Network Systems. Previous to this, he had obtained an Electronics Technology degree from DeVry University in Lombard, IL. In 1989, his first career after DeVry University was with General Electric Healthcare Systems as a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging Engineer. The Information Technology field became very strong in 1994 so he felt inclined to become an Information Systems Specialist for the prestigious law firm Patton, Boggs, and Blow. In his belief for childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s welfare, he was delighted to be hired in 1999 as an Information Systems Specialist by Child Care Association of Illinois which represented all of the private Child Welfare Agencies in Illinois. These represented institutions which handled adoption, transitions centers, and foster care systems for all of the children of Illinois. This is where he became proficient in the art of negotiation. Namely with third party services, state entities, and technical suppliers that bid for multi-year contracts worth millions of dollars. In 2002, his colleagues at General Electric Healthcare asked him to rejoin the company. This entailed leading global projects for the Service Operations division at GE Headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Food and Drug Administration, Health and Human Services, Sarbanes-Oxley, and post-September 11 security requirements forever changed compliance and regulations for Healthcare. Data protection, monitoring, and transfers were now all treated with intense scrutiny in the new internet age. He learned Six Sigma, Phase Review Milestone Management, GE Project Leadership, Human Capital Assessment, Corporate Finance and Document Security. As the Indirect Third Party Sourcing Leader, he saved GE Healthcare 6 million dollars annually. He did this by auctioning many of the services, identifying and closing loop holes, and assisting the GE Corporate Fuel Hedge Program in which GE Healthcare was 60% of the car fleet spend.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

Rommel Sangalang left Calapan, Oriental Mindoro when he was five years old. His Overseas Foreign Worker (OFW) father, who worked to build the city of Chicago as a Professional Civil Engineer, arranged to bring his wife and two youngest to live in America’s “Second City” in 1972. Rommel vividly remembered the snow coming down from the sky and freezing his face. He realized just how far from home he had traveled, but soon adapted to life in the Midwest. His older sister, Maria, came with him from the Philippines while the two oldest sisters Theresa and Penny stayed to finish their high school and college years. The Chicago area where he grew up was actually a turbulent place rife with street gangs and inner city poverty. Stolen bicycles were repainted in the alley of his apartment building by the Latin Kings. His best friend was recruited by a rival gang and local stabbings and shootings became all too common. In the end, like Rommel himself, most of his friends found the resources to go to college. To this day, he believes that community assistance given to high risk kids is paramount in changing society so that kids aim higher and believe in their own success.

His father, Romeo Sangalang, instilled in him the belief that the bond of the family is the core of most achievements. Although personal perseverance is a top virtue, the bond of family would overcome any obstacle. His mother, RemediosSangalang, was a Home Economics major. She enriched the lives of the Sangalang children by promoting the arts, theater, reading, scale model making, and after-school activities. To Rommel’s delight, at age 7, his dad sent him back to the Philippines every two years to spend the summers with his college-age sisters, grandparents, and cousins so that he may understand his roots. Calapan was also where he did his catechism and confirmation to the joy of his grandparents. In 1981, the day before his 8th grade graduation, Rommel lost his dad to lung cancer. Although the family was devastated and his widowed mother had little money, the three sisters united in helping foster Rommel. In the next 8 years he lived with each of his sisters and took out college loans to continue his education.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014 Being raised by Filipino parents, Rommel had an old-fashioned view of marriage. He felt the need to fall in love with someone who was loyal not only to him, but to the family as well. God was gracious. In 1993, he met his beautiful wife while she was studying in Chicago for her Masters Degree in Occupational Therapy at Rush University. Eleanor Eusebio was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota to professional Filipino parents. Her father was an OFW surgeon who was practicing medicine in the state of Minnesota. Her mom suspended her pharmacy career to help raise five children. Before Rommel and Eleanor got married, they promised each other that if either of their parents ever got to the point where they would need assistance, they would not send them to a nursing home, but instead open their own home to their elderly parents. At the age of 26, they married in 1994. After trying for many years to have children, they finally had their firstborn boy, Ian James, when Eleanor was 40 years old. Three years later, Eleanor gave birth to a baby girl, Remy Marie, whom they named after Rommel’s mom. In 2012, Rommel’s mom requested to retire in the Philippines. This was after her recovery from major surgery where her gall bladder was removed. She was 76 and wanted to

move back to the country of her youth. Rommel found a contract with Merlin Information Systems to become their Director of Corporate Accounts Asia, and brought his wife, two children, and his elderly mother back the land of his own birth. One of Manila’s visual characteristics that impacted Rommel and his family when they arrived was the poverty and hardships that affect the children of the Philippines. He had joined the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks Manila Lodge 761, a private American based Non-Government Organization. This is an old organization that has made it their mission for over 150 years to assist children in their immediate community. Rommel became the Chairman for a children’s outreach program for drug awareness. He currently organizes the Beacon Grant which is a fund that educates children about the dangers of illegal drugs. Together with his wife, they collect slightly used toys and clothes from friends along with donations of personal hygiene products to give to the children in the Pasig City holding and detention centers. In 2014 he was voted into office as the Elk’s Esteemed Lecturing Knight, a position that holds the charge for the protective services of the order. It is his personal mission to secure many of the annual BPO Elks grants for these “at risk” children residing in Metro Manila.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014 In 2013, he met a fellow Filipino Canadian looking to start an investment group with a new and unique product from Canada. As faith would have it, the Global Director for Fortress Mortgage Professionals went to the same Chicago high school Rommel did. Fortress was a 12-year old company that was not hurt by the financial crisis of 2008 and 2009. Rommel joined the team as the Asia Regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Business Development Manager. Fortress allows for a group of people around the world to combine their funds to produce a mortgage against a major development in Canada. They essentially become a 2nd bank that a developer can use to purchase soft cost services such architectural design, model homes, marketing agents, and offices. None of which can be spent by the first bank due to strict regulations in Canada. He is projecting that the Philippines will soon be a hub in ASEA for Fortress Mortgage Professionals.

Also in 2013, Rommel became one of the first Accredited Professional Partners for Paradigm Global Investment Management, Inc. based out of Bonifacio Global City. This company came to the Philippines to help Filipino businesses secure Private Equity to use for their growth and possibly assist in becoming a publicly listed company. Negotiations are currently in place for a Power Company, a Tele Communication Company, and large land development for tourism use. Rommel is hoping to assist many infrastructure and service companies to prepare for the competition that will arise from the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement. He hopes to create a strong Philippines through strong businesses.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

Gil H. A. (a.k.a. Guillermo) Santos Futurist, Professional Journalist,

College Professor, Geopolitical Analyst, and Environmentalist

In 1982 during one of his home leaves as Associated Press-Dow Jones News Services regional correspondent and representative, Gil Santos was invited by Enrique Zobel de Ayala, then Chief Executive officer of the Ayala Group of Companies, to join the Philippine Futuristics Society. It was a group of business executives--including the late Business Day and BusinessWorld publisher Raul Locsin, Pilipinas Shell Oil President Cesar Buenaventura, David SyCip of General Motors Philippines, Mariano Que of Mercury Drug Company—he and Locsin assembled to determine where Martial Law dictator President Ferdinand E. Marcos was leading the country into the future. The Society found out there was no national vision-mission. Culturally, the average Filipino Juan de la Cruz takes the stance of “bahalana, God will take care of us” as a philosophy in their daily lives. Philippine political practices were and are still personal and transactional. Thus futurism or strategic planning outside of private corporate circles is unheard of in the Philippines. Worst, the average Filipino prefers to be entertained by TV and movie celebrities than read in-depth analytical

newsfeatures or listen to the international news networks. This, precisely, is the reason Philippine mass media are rather more entertainment-oriented and even their world news sections are limited when compared with foreign newspapers and magazines. Anyway, he had been writing for the AP, the AP-Dow Jones, Time magazine group, the defunct International News Service since 1950 as a college dropout so Santos agreed to be elected to the Futuristics Society Board of Trustees. The mission is to educate Juan de la Cruz to adapt futurism as an integral part of the national discipline—even though admittedly, it is a generational and Herculean job. Revising the average citizen’s mindset takes time. World history books show it takes time to change civilizations. He added: “Our ASEAN Tiger economies neighbors— Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam are now MORE PROGRESSIVE THAN US because they took on strategic and sustained futuristics planning. In the late 50’s and in the 60’s they were 20 years BEHIND us.”

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

The Futuristics Society was one of the few Philippine non-government organizations to advocate the inclusion of the environmental rehabilitation and demographic/food security issues in 1983. Santos was appointed one of the editors of the Philippine position paper on environment issues for the Rio Conference in 1992. He hosted radio and TV programs on strategic planning for better future quality of lives of the Filipinos after he quit his foreign correspondence job and his associate publisherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s job in the Bangkok Times group of publications in 1988. He was one of the consultants of President Fidel V. Ramos in the 1992 presidential campaign, specifically for geopolitical analyses.

Ramos took futurism as his administrationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s policy and governance tool. But the succeeding short-lived Estrada regime threw it out of the window. The Futuristics Society was forced into hiatus in 1997 when the Asian financial crisis hit and Santos, as its president, decided to shelve its conferences, fora and lectures because the corporate members chose to suspend their subscriptions to the Society. It resumed its strategic planning conferences and lectures in 2007 as the Center for Philippine Futuristics Studies and Management with a grant from Coca-Cola Export Corporation which ended in 2012.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014 Santos and the Board of Trustees included the young college students as special members this time to contaminate their minds to adapt futurism as a national discipline to excel in the global race for progress. “It will take quite a while but we are getting there,” said Santos when asked for an assessment of their effects on the younger generations. “The Lyceum of the Philippines University and the Development Academy of the Philippines are the first two institutional members we have. And students from Lyceum and DAP, U.P., Ateneo, FEU, UST, De La Salle U and Mapua have been coming to our conferences.” He added: “Hopefully, this leads to the cultural changes in our Society so our future generations—and the country—will rise from the last rungs of the ladder in the global competition for progress. It is about time we stop degenerating and the upward climb starts. We will just sustain our efforts even if we do not see the positive results in our lifetime. Like the pitbull, we have bitten the enemy and we will never let go til we win.”

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

Maria Lourdes Navarro Tiquia Founder | General Manager of PUBLiCUS Asia Inc.

ARIA LOURDES NAVARRO TIQUIA is a noted lobbyist and political strategist in the Philippines and in Asia. She is a trained and experienced political management expert and a policy analyst, hence combining politics and policy in her 25 years of professional career. She has gained such training and experience moving from the public sector to non-government then to the academe and the private sector. She brought her 15 years of public sector experience into what she does best today â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as Founder/ General Manager of PUBLiCUS Asia Inc. Malou served in the Philippine Government for 15 years covering the Executive and Legislative branches. Her first government stint was in the Environmental Management Bureau in 1985. When the Philippine Congress was reconvened in 1987, she joined the technical staff of human rights lawyer, Sen. Rene Saguisag. She was later invited to join the Office of the President in 1990 under the Cory Aquino Administration to implement the Organic Act in Muslim Mindanao. In 1991 she was awarded the U.S. Congressional Fellowship of The Asia Foundation. She worked in the 100th U.S. Congress under the Subcommittee on the Environment of the Science, Space and Technology Committee chaired by New York Democrat, James Scheuer. She handled policy work on Climate Change. She later joined the Office of Sen. John Seymour, a Republican from the State of California where she did research, program and policy review on the United States Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and its proposed amendments as well as on the designation of sole source aquifers on Native American reservations pursuant the Safe and Drinking Water Act and RCRA.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014 During her fellowship in the US Congress, she was likewise part of the Parliamentary Exchange Visit in the Canadian Parliament in 1992. In 1997, Malou was awarded with a MASHAV Scholarship and went to Israel to study the Knesset. She remains a keen student on parliaments or legislative bodies and political party building. In 1992, she joined the House of Representatives of the Philippines as Chief of Staff to US Naval Academy graduate Rep. Roilo Golez. She worked for Rep. Golez until 1999, overseeing his re-election twice, in 1995 and 1998. In between 1989 to 1998, Malou taught political science courses on a part time basis in various schools, namely: De La Salle University and University of the Philippines-Diliman. By 1999, she joined the Faculty of the National College of Public Administration of the University of the Philippines on a fulltime basis. She handled both undergraduate and graduate classes on public policy, research methods, regulatory reform, and democracy audit. And in 2003, she also taught part-time at the Political Science Department of Ateneo de Manila. She taught lobbying, advocacy and campaigns.

PCL Training-3rd Leg 2nd batch Bayview Hotel September 27-28, 2012

Wanting to bring her experience to bear and pursuing what she really wanted to be, Malou went to graduate school once more in 2000. This time in the US, in a city she has been most familiar with, she completed her degree in political management. Offers were made for her to stay in the US but she strongly believed then, as it is today, that the only way to help the country is to go back and do pioneering work in political management the Philippines and Asia. She has done advocacy trainings in Central and East Asia and political management work in Indonesia, Cambodia and Malaysia. She is often invited to do capability building trainings on political communication, marketing and management.

Million People March-Luneta-August 2013

Malou completed her college from the University of the Philippines with an AB Political Science degree in 1985. She pursued her graduate studies in Public Administration (Public Policy and Program Administration) from the same university in 1990 and a Master of Arts in Political Management from the Graduate School of Political Management, George Washington University in 2001.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

1 Million People March-Luneta-August 2013

She is a long standing member of several professional organizations, such as the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) where she is currently the Board Secretary, International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), Online News Association (ONA), Philippine Statistical Association (PSA), International Association of Political Consultants (IAPC) and a convenor of the Association of Political Consultants in Asia (APCA). She is likewise a council member of the Gerson Lehrman Group, the world’s largest network of expert consultants connecting referrals to new projects and leading decision makers around the world. In 2003, Malou founded PUBLiCUS Asia, Inc. – the first and only registered lobbying and campaigns management firm in the country. Under her management, PUBLiCUS has set the standards in this nascent industry in the government relations and political campaigns management. PUBLiCUS has defined the industry standards by creating a niche and distinguishing itself from law offices, public relations firms, and issue advocates.

PCL Training-1st Leg-Luzon Metro Manila July 24-27, 2012

Iskor Ko ‘To Team with FVR

Personal Social Responsibility Malou had always been a staunch advocate of human rights and freedom of speech. Back in college she was active in Samahang Agham Pampulitika (SAPUL) and Association of Political Science Majors (APSM). As a young professional and a government employee –her first job after earning her college diploma, she was always behind various initiatives in putting in place professional excellence, transparency in governance, and accountability in performance. She was part of the team tasked to draft the reorganization of National Environment Protection Council (NEPC) that was the basis in forming the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the policy framework on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In the early years of PUBLiCUS, Malou was behind various advocacies of public interest - the passage of the Fair Election Act or RA 9006 which advances automated elections; the Absentee Voting Law or RA 9189; the Juvenile Justice System or RA 9344; and Patient’s Rights.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

MNT with Anwar Ibrahim

Personal Environmental Responsibility With her first stint in public service as Legal and Research Staff of the National Environmental Council of the Philippines, Malou was highly influenced by the thrust of this government agency towards the conservation of the country’s natural resources and protection of the environment. This she espouses in the talks she would give before students, interviews in media, and columns for a broadsheet. She continued with her advocacy on sustainable development, climate change, toxic substances, and hazardous waste, clean air, reforestation, among others. In the recent natural disaster brought about by typhoon Yolanda, Malou was active at the background orchestrating volunteer relief operations with corporate friends. Dubbed “Operation Paglaum”, PUBLiCUS’ corporate social responsibility initiative, this institutional advocacy was conceived and put to work with the end in mind of helping Yolanda devastated areas rebuild their people’s lives. Among the projects in the pipeline are: backyard gardening as alternative livelihood for mothers in the community, planting organic plants as sources for alternative medicines, and treeplanting/mangrove rehabilitation.

Projects in Progress Another of Malou’s initiatives as institutional advocacy is NEWGENRocks! This advocacy was first introduced in 2006 to address the perception that the Filipino youth seemed disengaged with what is going on in local and national politics. NEWGENRocks! was an attempt to interest the youth to be involved in choosing the right leaders for the country, entice them to be engaged in politics, and empower them to vote right. The Voter’s Education Program initiated by NEWGENRocks! carried on from that year and one year before every election cycle. Still another initiative of Malou where she is so passionate about is the organization of the Association of Political Consultants in Asia, otherwise called APCA. APCA is a concrete attempt to professionalize political campaigns management by setting up ethical standards and promoting scientific way of running campaigns. Jasmine Stands is the Asian counterpart of EMILY’s List in the US where females interested to enter public office are trained, molded and nurtured.

Judiciary In Focus- La Salle Event 2012

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

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Humility is a virtue man needs to acquire as he climbs the corporate ladder to lead and to build not for himself but for the Nation Building.

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Outstanding Professional Award 2014

Benjamin S. Tiu President and CEO Salem Oceanic Industries Corporation

Mr. Benjamin S. Tiu is the President and CEO of Salem Oceanic Industries Corporation (SOIC); the award-winning bed and furniture manufacturer in the Philippines, a sustaining Superbrand. He has heralded the company to stir it to great heights it enjoys today employing thousands of workers providing jobs, generating commerce whilst practicing humility above all. It is not common to experience the man who boasts of nothing but works with diligence dedicated to a job he has had to succeed. Early Life and Career Benjamin was born throughout the years of Salemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growth. He grew up immersed in the processes of manufacturing having to learn from the grass roots. The manufacture of beds have come a long way with innovations introduced over decades with Ben having to reinvent himself to understand and appreciate the science, the discipline and the dedication general management requires. Whist in school Ben has had to tackle the multiple positions given him to prove himself struggling with time schedules education demands. He has had to work parttime while attending to school. Ben would not only assist and take on supervisory positions in manufacturing but attended to deliveries of the companies products seeing to it its clients and distributors were well attended to. His father Mr. Tiu Kim Chuan saw to it Ben was trained by him personally in handling the business, teaching him the basic fundamentals towards establishing this world class corporation. Ben never had the luxury of a time-off with his involvement in the company requiring the dedication management requires. Ben took up BS Accountancy at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran in the early 1980s. At this point in time he was immersed with sourcing and the setup of new stores and outlets to grow the company. Neglect and frivolity did not present themselves for options. Hard work and an understanding of how the company grew was an appreciation Ben enjoyed most.

Mr. Ben Tiu holding the trophy for the 8th Annual Consumers Awards from the Consumers Union of the Philippines (CUP). This award was the third consecutive honor bestowed upon Salem by the CUP.

After graduation Ben joined the ranks of management as an Accounts Collector where he handled big accounts and dealt with important distributors. From being an Accounts Collector, Mr. Benjamin Tiu was soon promoted to different managerial positions, allowing him to learn more about the management of the company. In just a little over a decade of working full time Mr. Benjamin Tiu took over the reins of the family business and initiated innovative efforts to further improve the company. Ben reaps the benefits of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success but not for its profits but for the role the company plays towards nation building.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

Outstanding Professional Award 2014 Achievements Salem produces its own raw materials needed in the manufacture of beds and furniture. Under his supervision, the company made the great leaps from importing components to manufacturing their own. Today, the company does not have to rely on other suppliers to create the world class mattress they now easily manufacture locally from coils to foams. To date the company he manages has six plants with a strong workforce employing thousands of dedicated employees. It has also won numerous of awards now enjoying the ISO 9001:2008, ISO 9001:2000 certifications and of course the distinction of being a sustaining Superbrand. Social Corporate Responsibility Despite his busy schedule Benjamin Tiu’s fear of God has made Ben spiritual ensuring his responsibilities towards his fellow man. Within the Iglesia ni Cristo, Mr. Tiu holds a high rank and is a very active as a community member. Not only is he a Head Deacon (Pangulong Diakono) in the Locale of Bagbaguin, but holds office being the President of the Buklod Organization in the Church’s Metro Manila North District.

Ben obviously is a natural-born leader. He continues to provide greater support and participation in several community outreach programs that is initiated by the Church. There has been countless bloodletting drives, clean-up drives, alternative learning systems for out of school youth, and tree planting events that Mr. Tiu led and participated in. Most recently, he has been actively involved in the Church’s initiative of providing medical and dental services for his fellowmen known as the ‘Kabayan Ko, Kapatid Ko’ program. Accorded for his humility, his successes, his dedication towards Nation Building, generating employment and consistent with his beliefs and love of God; Benjamin Tiu is celebrated to be 2014’s Outstanding Professional Award. Ben has always stood proud to accept awards given to Salem Beds but today he accepts with great humility this Outstanding Professional Award accorded to him Congratulations Ben!

Mr. Ben Tiu and wife, Mrs. Myrna Tiu, during the reception of the Business Initiative Directions (BID) in Spain, after he received the International Recognition of Efficiency Award for SOIC.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

Jim Cruz Valerio The Pleasure of Serving the Public

n the past, the Province of Bulacan has prominently secured its place in the pages of our nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s colorful history. From its womb, unadulterated nationalism was conceived and democracy was born. The trail of independence traversed through it fertile soil, occasionally bedewed with tears, sweat and blood of its heroes. Upon its sacred grounds, the first Philippine Constitution and Republic was promulgated and enacted. Today, Bulacan is acknowledged as one of the most thriving provinces in our country in terms of economic growth and development. It is also a melting pot of the arts, affluent traditions, diverse cultural heritage, and breath-taking scenic places.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

The Son of Bocaue Jim Cruz Valerio is proud to be one of Bocaueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s son. Kuya Jim as he is fondly known to his peers and the community is the eldest child of Jaime L. Valerio, who served as a policeman and Avelina DC. Valerio, a fish and fruit vendor. At an early age, he learned the value of hard labor, perseverance and the patience. Raising 5 children all at once was a painstaking struggle for his parents as their meager income was hardly enough to support the family. Recognizing this hardships and to make ends meet, Kuya Jim tried to help his family by working in his spare time, as a helper in the market by putting ice on fish containers and delivering them to their would be buyers. Later on, he would assist her mother in selling fish and fruits before and after he went to school. It is through this exposure that he learn the hardships of a middle class family and from then on, he made a vow that he will devote his life to public service and alleviate the sad plight of the under privileged and emancipate them from the bondage of poverty. Henceforth, he ran and won

as a Sangguniang Kabataan Chairman (SK) for Bambang, Bocaue, Bulacan and had his first taste of public service. As an SK Chairman, he religiously promoted the welfare of the youth in his barangay and earnestly devoted much time in undertakings to keep them away from illegal drugs and activities. Later on, he would serve as the Executive Director of the Sulong Pa Bulacan Movement, a non-governmental organization established for the proliferation of economic growth and development of the province. He went on to finish his studies and earned a degree in Bachelor of Arts in Chemical Engineering at the prestigious University of Santo Tomas. After serving in the private sector for a short stint, he realized that his heart belongs in public service and in April, 1999, he was appointed as Secretary to the Sangguniang Pambayan, at the Municipal Government of Bocaue. He held this post until January, 2002, after which he was appointed Chief of Staff by then Hon. Lorna Silverio, Representative of the 3rd District of Bulacan. House of Representatives until June, 2010, after serving three

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

full terms. On July, 2010, Jim C. Valerio was appointed as Provincial Administrator of the Province of Bulacan by the Hon. Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado, Governor of the Province of Bulacan. This inarguably was the most challenging and exhilarating office he had occupied and which he sincerely served until January 2014. Recently, he was appointed as the Governor’s Chief of Staff and head of the Governor’s OfficePersonal Staff. In more than two decades of public service, Jim C. Valerio manifested utmost devotion and dedication to public service. In all the positions, he occupied, never did he regard his job as a mere ministerial duty performed 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week. In his heart and action, he was a public servant 24 hours a day and 7 days a week and regards every minute of his service as a great privilege and honor. Public Service in its Finest Form At the onset of his duties as Secretary to the Sanggunian, Mr. Valerio first priority was to develop efficiency within the office to reduce the delay caused by institutionalized bureaucratic practices. He meticulously kept the Seal of the Municipal Government of Bocaue and carefully prepared and signed all ordinances, resolutions and other official acts of the Sangguninan. He also served as the official emissary of the local legislative body in all national and local agencies, consistently coordinating with them the concern of the same and that of the municipality in general. Later, upon appointment as Chief of Staff of the Honorable Lorna Silverio, he undertook, as a priority to conduct a thorough perusal of the basic social needs of the Third Legislative District of Bulacan comprising of the Municipalities of Angat, Dona Remedios Trinidad, Norzagaray, San Rafael, San Ildefonso and San Miguel, specifically the underprivileged and the grassroots, through close coordination with their respective local chief executives. While propagating the aforesaid objectives, he was also instrumental in

formulating the legislative agenda of the district and religiously participated in its eventual implementation. In addition thereto, he also headed and supervised the congressional staff of the Hon. Silverio and performed all the requisite administrative support for the same. During his stint as Chief of Staff, several landmark projects were conceptualized and implemented in the Third Legislative District, to wit: the Construction of the San Rafael Government Center; the Rehabilitation of Daang Maharlika; the Rehabilitation of the Angat-Maasim River Irrigation System; the Rehabilitation of Biak-na-Bato National Park; the Construction of the Plaridel Arterial Road Bypass; and the Construction of the Third Bulacan Circumferential Road Network. It is also note worthy to mention that during this term through the able guidance of Congresswoman Silverio, the conceptualization and inception of the Integrated Area Development Plan was undertaken. It was a remarkable feat for the Third Legislative District considering this was the first of such program in the country which is designed to address the sustainable socio-economic growth and development of all six municipality comprising it. The Administrator When he assumed the Office of the Provincial Administrator of Bulacan, He made a sacred vow not only to continue public service he had began more than two decades earlier, but strived for utmost excellence and professionalism in the bureaucracy, in furtherance of Bulacan’s sustainable economic growth and development. Upon assumption of the aforesaid office, he brought commitment, devotion and transparency in the organization and made certain that strict adherence to the spirit and letter of the law shall be observed in handling official transactions. Foremost of his primary thrust was to ensure the adherence of every department of the Provincial Government of Bulacan to the Seven Point Development Agenda of Governor Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

Among the multifarious duties and functions he performed as Provincial Administrator was to ensure an effective and efficient implementation of the provincial governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s development policies, programs and projects; coordinate the concerns of all officials of the Province under the supervision, direction and control of the Governor, and for this purpose, he/she may convene the Chief of Offices of both the provincial and national government agencies; accomplish a continuing organizational development of the Provincial Government with the end view of instituting effective administrative reforms; and coordinate with other government agencies and non-government organizations on all matters pertaining to the interest of the Provincial Government of Bulacan and the whole province in general. In addition thereto, part of his duties as administrator was to be in the frontline of the delivery of administrative support services, particularly those related to the situations during and in the aftermath of man-made and natural disasters and calamities; spearhead, develop, manage and supervise special executive concerns including special programs and projects; and to recommend to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and advise the Governor on all matters pertaining to the interest of the Provincial Government of Bulacan.

Public Service is the Greatest Privilege In his long and continuing career as a public servant, Kuya Jim has received a variety of recognitions and awards, but inasmuch as he values said accolades, he maintains that he was just doing his job. A job that not everyone is given the opportunity and the opportunity to serve is the greatest privilege a citizen can wish for, he stressed. In all his arduous endeavors as a public servant, he makes certain that he does at least twenty acts of goodness a day, as his small contribution to the people of Bulacan. He passionately hopes that someday said act will be contagious and strengthen the very foundation of the bureaucracy. Enthralled with the principles of social justice, accountability and good governance, Kuya Jim has made a solemn vow to devote his strength and wisdom to secure for his beloved province a sustained socio-economic growth, development and peace.

During his tenure as Provincial Administrator, he was at the forefront of Governor Sy-Alvaradoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kapitolyo sa Barangay Program delivering the basic social services of the provincial government, including medical, dental and laboratory processes to the barangay, specifically the most remote in the province. This is a continuing program which has reached and endowed benefits 295,000 Bulakenyos in 855 communities as of date.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

Lars Wittig Country Manager Regus Philippines

ars is highly engaged and a hands-on type of personality. He possesses international management experience in sales, marketing, and customer service systems. He has lived and worked for five years in the USA and was transferred to Asia first time in 1990. He is now the Country Manager - Regus Philippines and oversees strategic growth and operations across this market. He leads a number of group and company level teams dealing with sales, marketing, operations, finance, development, human resources, customer services and training. His responsibilities include generating partnerships, handling business procurements and driving sales.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014 In the Philippines Through highly innovative marketing initiatives, demand for Regus flexible workspace in the Philippines has quadrupled in less than two years and the number of business locations tripled to about a dozen and growing, - including the first outside Metro Manila in the city of Cebu. Lars is engaged in various forums in the Philippines, including community work, as well as in several Chambers of Commerce. World-Class Flexible Office Space For flexible office space in the Philippines, Regus is the solutions-provider of choice. With over 1,800 locations in 100 countries, Regus is well known for offering its customers the chance to do business “whenever, wherever, and however they want,” explains Lars Wittig, Country Manager for the Philippines.

Regus began operating in the Philippines in 1999 with its first centre in Makati, Metro Manila. From 2012 to 2013, however, Regus has added five new locations – including the first in Cebu – bringing the total to nine centres nationwide. This year, two more will come online with new centre openings in Pasay and Alabang, Metro Manila this April.. According to Mr. Wittig, “as the Philippines becomes a more attractive investment economy, we are seeing more investors and companies looking for office space here”. The demand for our flexible workspace solutions is growing as a result of the “flexible workspace revolution,” especially in the Philippines. “We will continue our network expansion in support of the economic development in the Philippines,” explained Mr Wittig, pointing out that the country has maintained strong growth these last 5 years.

Innovative mobile marketing demonstrating flexible workspace

Outstanding Professional Award 2014

US TV interview for Fox 5 in Manila, 2014

Global network Regus Philippines provides flexible work spaces for businesses and organisations to operate efficiently and productively in the Philippines and indeed worldwide, thanks to its global network. “If you are a member of Regus anywhere in the world, you already have an office in the Philippines,” Mr. Wittig points out. In all its markets, Regus offers workspace solutions that fit each customer’s needs, from a lounge to a conference room or a private executive office. All customers benefit from networking opportunities with other Regus clients, ranging from multinationals and Fortune 500 companies to SMEs. Investors coming to the Philippines can “have their office address at the Regus facilities and be up and running in no time, focusing on their core competency first and as a platform for faster company registration and administration,” Mr. Wittig explains. An added attraction is that all Regus facilities are environmentally friendly and the company supports many in corporate-social-responsibility projects. Mr. Wittig welcomes investors to the Philippines and to Regus. He says, “There are many more reforms ahead for the Philippines, and with the current administration there is renewed confidence in this country. At Regus we provide the tools to make your business venture in the Philippines a success.”

Lars Wittig with Regus Philippines Senior Team members

Flexible working stems costly staff turnover Attract and retain top staff with flexible working Business people in the Philippines reveal flexible working is often the make-or-break of job offers. 78% reveal that they would choose one job over another similar one, if it offered flexible working. A staggering 75% confirm that flexible working also improves staff retention, finds the latest survey by Regus, the global workplace provider. Recruitment is an expensive process that many global businesses are keen to reduce. The UK-based Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), a professional association for human resource management professionals, estimates the cost of an employee leaving at £4,625, rising to £5,000 for managers and professionals. With employee retention reported as a priority for over a third of business, what measures should businesses be prioritising to slash hiring costs, attract and retain top staff? Flexible working, respondents reveal, provides a solution to all three. The survey, canvassing the opinions of more than 20,000 senior executives and business owners across 95 countries, confirms that in the Philippines flexible working can be used to avoid employee churn (and the consequent expense of recruitment agencies) as 76% of respondents point to flexible working as a perk that attracts top talent.

Outstanding Professional Award 2014 The research also found that: 74% of respondents say offering flexible working makes employees more loyal; 60% of workers would actually turn down a job that ruled out flexible working; 66% say they would have stayed longer in their last position had flexible working been an option. Commenting on the study, Commentator at Regus says: “Hiring and retaining top talent is an age-old priority for successful businesses, but not all companies can afford to offer golden bonuses or mouth-watering salaries while remaining competitive. Stemming churn is also vital to avoid incurring recruitment agency costs and the inconvenience of starting the hiring process. “Flexible working, which is lower cost than fixed office working, offers the attractive perks of lower stress and better work:life balance to existing and prospective employees, and provides a low cost solution to attracting and retaining those top

workers. It’s also striking how mainstream the perk of flexible working has become, with many respondents actually choosing their jobs on the basis of flexibility.” Regus is the global workplace provider. Its network of more than 1,800 business centres in 100 countries provides convenient, high-quality, fully serviced spaces for people to work, whether for a few minutes or a few years. Companies like Google, Toshiba and GlaxoSmithKline choose Regus so that they can work flexibly and make their businesses more successful. The key to flexible working is convenience and so Regus is opening wherever its 1.5million members want support - city centres, suburban districts, shopping centres and retail outlets, railway stations, motorway service stations and even community centres. Founded in Brussels, Belgium, in 1989, Regus is based in Luxembourg and listed on the London Stock Exchange. For more information, please visit: www.regus.com