EFFECTIVE today people in Cagayan de Oro City are required to wear full coverage FACE SHIELD together with FACE MASK whenever they go out of their HOMES and WORKPLACES.

A city executive order no. 173 has been released by the Office of the City Mayor of Cagayan de Oro stating an order requiring people in Cagayan de Oro City to wear full-coverage face shield together with face mask whenever they go out of their homes and workplaces, and for other purposes.

All persons leaving the premises of their homes and/or workplaces shall be required, together with facemask, to wear full-coverage face shield, which can adequetely cover the eyes down to the chin area of a person's face. 

This requirement also applies to those entering the City for whatever purpose, whenever they are in public places and/or on board public transportation vehicles.

Check out the copy of the Executive order below for more info.

When Japanese entrepreneur Mr. Hayato Yazaki came to the Philippines to set up his business, he looked for a bank that fits the Japanese standards for a good partner.  Mr. Yazaki runs Izumi Global, an education company that provides after-school learning using the Nippon Math method for children ages 3-11 years old. It also provides licensing and has more than 10 branches.   

Mr. Yazaki asked from among the Japanese community in Makati about the local banks, so he could choose one that fits his needs. After picking out one Philippine bank, he started his relationship with it by opening a personal bank account. This was so he could experience for himself whether or not the bank lives up to its reputation. 

Trust and reliability, he said, are very important. These values are part of the Japanese mindset and are considered crucial when engaging in a long-term commitment. Mr. Yazaki, however, added he goes beyond these considerations, as he also looks into speed, overall performance, even personality and attitude of the people he deals with. 

The bank he chose was BDO. Mr. Yazaki said that he appreciates BDO customer service in the Philippines. “Ms. Lyn Lazona and Ms. Hiromi Shimoda of the Japan Help Desk are always a message away. If we have questions or asked for a meeting, they are always quick and willing to oblige. I think being under the Japan Help Desk really made the service speedy and convenient for us since they know Japanese expectations and requirements.”

A reliable partner during lockdown

When the pandemic struck and the quarantines and lockdowns were imposed, Izumi Global faced a lot of challenges. They had to quickly convert to online classes as children are not allowed to go out. The company also had to consider their licensees/franchisees, whose income also depends on their support.  

To answer the needs of both their students and franchisees, Izumi Global had to secure a shipment of educational materials. Mr. Yazaki didn’t think this was still possible due to the constraints brought about by lockdown but to his surprise, BDO’s Ms. Lyn went out of her way to help him secure the shipment.

“We were expecting that the documents would be delivered through courier. Instead, Ms. Lyn went through that extra effort that meant a lot to us. If no one assisted us with the requirements, the shipment will be abandoned and we cannot get our study materials. We almost had to cancel the online program for the students.” 

According to Mr. Yazaki, his bank made sure that even during the lockdown, their transactions proceeded at a nearly normal pace.  While some transactions were a bit slower, they made up for it with convenience by shifting the processes online. For him, the confidence he places on BDO and their relationship is well-deserved and meets his exacting ideals as a Japanese client. 

For more information on how BDO can help your business in good times and bad times, visit www.bdo.com.ph/keepbusinessmoving.

Even amid the new normal, BDO and SM Supermalls are finding ways to continue its annual tradition of paying tribute to overseas Filipinos (OFs) and their families during the Christmas season.

The companies said that this year, the much anticipated “Pamaskong Handog” will be held as a virtual event; online but still full of star-studded guests and performers and exciting activities that Pamaskong Handog has been known for all these years.

This announcement was made today at a media teleconference, which officially launched Pamaskong Handog 2020: Sama-Sama Tayo sa Pasko.

Among those who joined the announcement were BDO Unibank Senior Vice President Genie T. Gloria, BDO Unibank Senior Vice President Jamie Nasol, BDO Network Bank Senior Vice President Karen Cua, and SM Supermalls Senior Assistant Vice President for Marketing-South Luzon Ritchie Gonzales.

Ms. Gloria of BDO said this year’s Pamaskong Handog will be streamed through Facebook live on the BDO Kabayan Facebook page and will be simulcast on the BDO Unibank YouTube channel on December 13. The event will feature Piolo Pascual, Christian Antolin, Marcelito Pomoy, Beks Batallion, and Donekla.

“Our overseas Filipinos have been through a lot this year. We hope that by keeping the tradition of Pamaskong Handog alive, even under the rules of safety, we can still give a sense of optimism, that hope that we will get through this and we will all bounce back,” said Gloria.

Apart from the celebrities joining the event, viewers from all over the world will be treated to enjoy virtual games with many prizes.

Also participating as sponsors of the Pamaskong Handog event include World Remit, MoneyGram, Western Union, and Ria Money Transfer.

The event is one of the many initiatives of BDO, which has been actively engaging with OFs and their families, as many of them depend on the Bank for their financial-related transactions.

BDO Remit has become one of the nation’s lifeblood for years and during these trying times. It provides a safe, trusted, and reliable remittance channel for millions of Filipinos. Another service, BDO Cash Agad, provides bank services in remote locations of the archipelago. Meanwhile, BDO Network Bank, the rural bank subsidiary of BDO, takes care of the underserved and unserved customers, including the remittance beneficiaries who live in far-flung areas.

The number of OFs is estimated to number 12.5 million across more than 150 countries and continents.

As more OFs and their family members are expected to include Christmas shopping as part of their activities, SM Supermalls assured its commitment to serve the public through a safe malling experience for their needs amid the pandemic.

“Everyone was really concerned when the country went on quarantine. And since people still have to go out for their basic needs, SM Supermalls has prioritized customer safety and satisfaction with #SafetyMallingAtSM,” said Gonzales.

“We continue this practice with the utmost care given the increased operation of our malls with the lifting of the lockdowns. We make sure that each and every mall strictly follows safety and sanitation protocols that comply with government regulation to keep our malls as safe spaces,” he added.

Sama-sama tayo sa Pasko! The first virtual Pamaskong Handog will be streamed live on BDO Kabayan Facebook page and BDO Unibank YouTube channel on December 13.

In the photo is the BDO branch inside SM Mall of Asia A.

About BDO Unibank, Inc.

BDO is a full-service universal bank, which provides a wide range of corporate and retail banking services.  These services include traditional loan and deposit products, as well as treasury, trust banking, investment banking, private banking, rural banking, cash management, leasing and finance, remittance, insurance, retail cash cards and credit card services.  

BDO has the country’s largest distribution network, with over 1,400 consolidated operating branches and more than 4,400 ATMs nationwide.  It also has full-service branches in Hong Kong and Singapore as well as 15 overseas remittance and representative offices in Asia, Europe, North America, and the Middle East.

BDO ranked as the largest bank in terms of total assets, loans, deposits, and trust funds under management based on published statements of condition as of March 31, 2020. For more information, please visit www.bdo.com.ph. 

 Effective immediately!

"AN ORDER REMOVING THE HOME RESTRICTIONS TO THOSE WHO ARE FIFTEEN (15) YEARS PF AGE AND OVER, AND THOSE WHO ARE OVER SIXTY (60) YEARS OF AGE BUT NOT OVER SIXTY-FIVE (65) YEARS OLD."

Those who are between 15 years old and over, and sixty (60) years of age but not over 65 years old are now allowed to go out of their homes for non-essential purposes and they shall also be allowed to enter malls and other business establishments, subject to the strict compliance of the minimum public health standards. (EO No. 165-2020).

City Mayor Oscar Moreno also announced yesterday that curfew hours in Cagayan de Oro will now start at 10:00 pm and end at 4:00 am effective on December 1, 2020.