Filipino blogger joins elite world of finance

Katherine of bridging fear and greed, risk and gain. The discipline teaches investors how to make more rational decisions, while reining emotions from running amok.

Proof that trade psychology works was when the company was awarded the best trading group in Asia at the Vietnam Traders Fair Awards 2019, Rodriguez said, “with all other aspects taken into consideration.”

From being a military nurse in Saudi Arabia, Rodriguez jumped to the other side of the fence, answering the call of the finance world where it beckons her to pursue a career on finance as a licensed stockbroker at 2Trade Asia and educator at ZFT and eventually as lead instructor at YGG Philippines and Nas Academy’s collaboration course called Web 3 Metaversity while working as company ambassador.

As she built the foundation of ZFT for (not with) her boyfriend, she also built a digitized automated onboarding platform at YGG that briefed new members of the organization with an educational curriculum focused on Web 3 and personal development for the masses.

While people sometimes get lost in translation following the very eclectic life of Rodriguez on her blog accounts, her multiple roles continue to blend with added capacities which she finds exciting and challenging.

She left her previous role as marketing and education head at ZFT and instructor at YGG to nurse a rather hurtful break-up with her co-founder beau at ZFT. Rodriguez is now involved in crypto asset hedge fund and venture capital company HGR, while sustaining her influencer and content maker status.

“After the break-up, I realized that my job as a stockbroker and trade psychologist for forex investors was not bad at all, but with crypto upping the stakes and changing the entire finance landscape, I knew I needed to level up. So I decided to get a job as head of information at a web 3 company. And there was where I met my current boyfriend. So it’s not really a sad ending for me. I believe we are given the right opportunity at the right time,” she said.

The experience made her improve her craft and focus her energy to continue teaching trade psychology at HGR. As nce people discovered her as a warm spirit and an easy person to communicate with, her career as a finance advisor has spiraled to accommodate numerous requests for inspirational talks as a keynote speaker, and offers for hosting and co-hosting stints flooded.

At HGR, she continues to share her knowledge in finance and personally gives advice through her brand of trade psychology.

Rodriguez was a self-made woman—a start-up co-founder, a trading psychology specialist and a social media figure—before she actually jumped into another relationship with the managing partner at HGR, a Filipino-Chinese serial entrepreneur.

“It’s funny, though. He is from a prominent family with stakes in finance, insurance, retail. And despite him coming from a traditional FilipinoChinese family, I am accepted as I am, Celeste from humble beginnings, by his entire family,” she said. With every whirlwind in her job at HGR and her social media commitments, she still finds time for herself. A typical weekend for her is actually very simple—spending time with his boyfriend’s family, going to the gym and attending religious services in church.

Rodriguez disclosed she is an independent woman in her home country as her immediate family is always out of the country, with an elder brother working in Qatar and her widower father spending a great deal of time visiting her brother.

Her mom, the hero in her heart, passed not too long ago from leukemia. She remembered how her mother dissuaded her from becoming a journalist, a profession notorious for being best in public service but low in financial returns.

As a good daughter, she donned her white uniform and cap, but her first day on the job at the Makati Medical Center made her realize the career is not for her. While she loves being with people and nurturing them, the job profile asks for a lot—high stakes, high risks and many opportunities for emotional meltdown, which she is not prepared to deal with. This is something she overlooked while getting her nursing degree from the University of Santo Tomas.

Visa applications in PH rebound to pre-pandemic level

WORLD’s largest outsourcing and technology services specialist, VFS Global, reported that visa applications from Philippines almost hit pre-pandemic levels in 2022 - about 91 percent of 2019 levels - driven by pent-up demand, opening of international borders, and eased COVID-related protocols.

“We saw a healthy demand from Philippines in 2022 with steady volumes witnessed until December. We are confident that the travel momentum will grow even further in 2023 and hence it is advisable for applicants including students, to apply for their visas in advance to avoid last-minute surprises,” said VFS Global head for Australasia Kaushik Ghosh.

Still, she persevered and found a

Still, she persevered and found a stable career as a military nurse when she went back to Saudi Arabia but the thought of becoming another person with a life totally cut off from the medical profession kept nagging her.

Othel V. Campos

Humanitarian group honors leading virtual shopping platform

CHILD-FOCUSED humanitarian organization World Vision Development Foundation, Inc. recently honored Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asian and Taiwan, for its unwavering and generous support to World Vision’s various projects for vulnerable children and communities in the Philippines through the Project Salute.

“We thank Shopee for supporting the most vulnerable children.

World Vision is truly humbled to be working alongside partners like them who are committed to improving the wellbeing not just of children, but also of their families and communities,” said World Vision executive director Rommel V. Fuerte.

Shopee’s continued commitment to provide an online venue to help fellow Filipino citizens during the pandemic by hosting donation and fund drives through the app earned for the platform the One for Children Plaque. communities here in the Philippines. At Shopee, we want to be a force World

The partnership between World Vision and Shopee Philippines started in 2020 through Shopee Bayanihan, Shopee’s umbrella CSR program that seeks to contribute in the development of communities through collaboration with various stakeholders. Shopee provided a platform for users to send help to different sectors affected by the pandemic, and organizations to promote their causes to raise funds.

“We are honored and grateful to World Vision for this recognition and for the inspiring work they have done here in the Philippines. At Shopee, we want to be a force for good and with partners such as World Vision, we will continue to ensure that our platform and resources are able to help bring impactful changes in our communities,” said Shopee Philippines director Martin Yu.

Based on the report, Philippines visa application volume grew by 44 percent in 2022 compared to 2021, citing major destinations Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Netherlands, and United Another defining trend was the wider adoption of personalized service which began since the pandemic. Premium optional services such as Visa At Your Doorstep (VAYD) that enables travelers to book the entire visa experience at a location of their choice, almost doubled over the pre-pandemic levels VFS Global offers VAYD for 10 client governments in Philippines – Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Malta, Switzerland, and UK.

VFS Global head for Australasia Kaushik Ghosh.

Battery firm signs buy-back battery pact with local industries group

LEADING battery brand Motolite has partnered with the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) to help ensure used lead acid batteries (ULAB) are being disposed of and recycled properly under the “Balik Baterya” program.

Motolite and FPI signed on April 19, 2023, a memorandum of agreement to work together in the promotion and implementation of the Balik Baterya program to assist in clean up drive and recycling of used lead-acid batteries (ULABs).

“The program aims to rid the environment of hazardous chemicals from the batteries and put to good use all recyclable materials like lead, plastic and electrolyte to create another battery with 99 to 100 percent efficiency,” said Oriental & Motolite Marketing Corporation (OMMC) marketing head Alexander M. Osias.

Under the agreement, FPI will promote the Balik Baterya program to its members and other interested organizations, as well as sell the collected ULABs from its members and partner-organizations to OMMC for recycling based on the prevailing market buying price.

“We are, thus, calling on all our members and partner-organizations to support us in this advocacy by making sure their old batteries are going to a reputable recycler like EERI (Evergreen Environmental Resources, Inc.). This, in itself, is already a good way to show we truly care for the environment,” said FPI president Jesus Arranza. He added that Motolite and FPI, through the Balik Baterya partnership, seek to ensure used car batteries are not ending up in landfills or rivers and creeks, particularly since ULABs are considered hazardous wastes.

Motolite will collect, handle, store, transport, and recycle the ULABs through EERI accredited recycler, Evergreen Environmental Resources Inc. (EERI).