Tuesday, October 31, 2023

Tears from Heaven: CHILD Haus celebrates 21 years

 

The SM Mall of Asia Music Hall was the venue of the 21st-anniversary celebration of CHILD Haus, an institution founded by ‘Mader’ Ricky Reyes to be a bastion of hope for children stricken by cancer. Throughout its history, one consistent major supporter of the establishment has been the Sy family – in its early years, Henry ‘Tatang’ Sy, Sr., and over the last decade, SM Prime Holdings Inc. Chairman of the Executive Committee Hans Sy continuing the tradition established by his father.

Saturday, October 28, 2023

SM Supermalls' Lady Security Guard Gilren Bajado honored for exemplary act

Gilren Bajado, lady security guard of RJC Security Solutions, was recognized as the Outstanding Security Guard of the Year at the 43rd Founding Anniversary of the Civil Security Group at Camp Crame. The recognition ceremony was presided over by PNP Chief PGen Benjamin C. Acorda Jr. SM Supermalls Customer Relations Services Senior Assistant Vice President Mr. Almus J. Alabe and Regional CRS Manager Harold James E. Herrera were also in attendance to witness the awarding ceremony.

Thursday, October 26, 2023

UST tops off Henry Sy, Sr. Hall at Manila campus

 A building with trees and a sun on the side

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The artist’s rendition of the Henry Sy, Sr. Hall, which will rise near Gate 10 (Dapitan St.).

The University of Santo Tomas (UST) held the topping off ceremony of the Henry Sy, Sr. Hall last October 7, 2023. The ceremony is a builder’s tradition that highlights the placement of the final beam on top of the structure. 

The seven-storey building is a tribute of the Sy family, the SM Group, and UST to the SM founder for his life-long education advocacy. It is equally a manifestation of the ever-growing desire of the UST Research and Endowment Foundation, Inc., Anargyroi: FMS Foundation, Inc. (AFI) and the 152-year old UST Faculty of Medicine and Surgery (FMS) to further level up in the field of medicine. 

Friday, October 20, 2023

SM Prime, WWF-Philippines join forces to nurture the future sustainability champions

 

Recognizing today's youth’s key role as tomorrow’s guardians of the environment, SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime) and World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines (WWF-Philippines) have teamed up to launch YOUth are the Future,a leadership program aimed to equip young student leaders on environmental conservation , climate change, and sustainability issues.

“There is no better time than now to educate the youth. As stewards of the planet, it is important that they have an opportunity to learn about environmental conservation, encourage them to voice out their fresh ideas, and share new perspectives,” said WWF-Philippines Education for Sustainable Development Project Head Dino Calderon.

Tuesday, October 10, 2023

Expanding sustainability: SM Foundation's 2nd rainwater harvesting system

 

Health workers in San Fernando, Cebu Primary Healthcare Facility water the locally sourced plants using the water from the rainwater harvesting system.

Rainwater harvesting is a way of collecting and storing rainwater for later use. It is an effective and adaptable way to conserve water and reduce reliance on main water supplies. Due to its efficacy, it has been applied by many civilizations in history and is being utilized today by forward-thinking institutions as a sustainable water management strategy.

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

SM group turns over 104th school building

 
SM scholars from Roxas City volunteer to clean the new school building ahead of its turnover.

In time for the school year opening, SM Prime through SM Foundation turned over a fully furnished two-storey building to the President Manuel Roxas Memorial Integrated School-South in Roxas City, Western Visayas.

The 104th school building made through the collaboration is built in accordance with specifications set by the Department of Education (DepEd). It holds four classrooms, each furnished with desks, chairs for left-handed students, toilets per classroom, including a special toilet for PWDs on the ground floor.

Sunday, September 24, 2023

SM Prime explores potential partnership with Japanese firm for waste-to-fuel solutions

 

(L-R): SM Supermalls Vice President Liza Silerio, SM Prime Chairman of the Executive Committee Hans T. Sy, GUUN Chief Executive Officer Shinji Fujieda, GUUN Philippine Branch Senior Managing Director and General Manager Takeshi Konishi


Leading real estate developer in Southeast Asia, SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime) recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Japan’s GUUN Co. Ltd. to explore a potential partnership to implement waste management solutions by recycling waste paper and plastics as an alternative source of energy called ‘fluff fuel’.

Fluff Fuels are one type of RDF (Refuse Derived Fuel) which are produced from shredded and compressed plastics, papers, and fibers. These are used as fuels in cement manufacturing, paper mill companies, or power companies in Japan.

Monday, September 18, 2023

Water Sustainability: Leading the change at SM Supermalls


The ripple effect of the water crisis has reached every part of the globe. According to the World Wildlife Fund, some 1.1 billion people worldwide lack access to , and a total of 2.7 billion find water scarce for at least one month of the year. Worst, two-thirds of the global population may face water shortages by 2025 and ecosystems will suffer.

As the gravity of these issues becomes increasingly apparent, several countries have taken significant steps to forge a more sustainable future for the Earth. Noteworthy examples include Singapore's water management plan and The Netherlands' intricate conservation practices.


Singapore’s Desalination Plant

      Source: https://www.pub.gov.sg/watersupply/fournationaltaps/desalinatedwater 



The Delta Works in The Netherlands was built by Rijkswaterstaat to protect the country against flooding from the North Sea.


Inspiration for the Philippines

In the Philippines, a multifaceted approach has also been embraced by the public and private sectors in safeguarding and managing water resources. SM Supermalls are at the forefront of the conservation and management of water resources in its mall facilities. Its endeavors form the foundation of a more sustainable and water-secure future that the company has long been advocating.

SM's Vision: Greening the Future

SM has been recycling water since the 1990s, treating an average of 1 billion gallons of water annually in recent years, equvalent to 1,600 Olympic-sized swimming pools. In line with the SM Green Movement, SM has been continuously working towards responsible consumption and water conservation in its properties.

To illustrate, the SM Supermalls’ comfort rooms have smart fixtures to manage water flow. There are also signages in the mall that advocate wise water use. Wastewater is channeled to the malls’ sewage treatment plants that recycle an estimated total of 4 million cubic meters of water, lessening their dependence on freshwater sources for non-potable uses. SM did this even before the measure was required by way of the Clean Water Act in 2004.


SM Mall of Asia has been involved in various sustainability and environmental initiatives, including water recycling among others.

SM Supermalls utilizes recycled wastewater from the mall for irrigating its gardens.

SM Malls have “Save Water” signages that typically aim to create awareness about water conservation and inspire people to take simple actions to reduce their water consumption.

Recently, SM took a step further in resource management by launching the first-ever water filtration system at SM City Baguio. This facility can turn collected rainwater into potable water for mall tenant use such as washing and cooking as well as dishwashing and handwashing, allowing the mall to further lessen its dependence on the freshwater supply of the Baguio community.

SM took a step further in resource management by launching the first-ever water filtration system at SM City Baguio.


The Rainwater Treatment Facility at SM City Baguio Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong (right) samples the potable water from the SM Baguio rainwater treatment facility with SM SVP for Marketing Joaquin San Agustin (left) and SM VP for Corporate Compliance Engr. Liza Silerio (center).

SM's dedication aligns with the world’s environmental sustainability and climate action goals. Rainwater catchment basins in flood-prone areas and the rainwater filtration in SM Baguio further exemplify this commitment. These significant efforts underscore the ongoing need for sustainable practices and policies.

A Brighter Future Ahead

The journey towards sustainable water management is ongoing. SM Supermalls, through its initiatives, paves the way for a greener, more secure future. 


Friday, September 15, 2023

SM Scholars aspire to share the gift of education

New SM scholars recently joined the contract signing event in Pasay.

"I desire to become an educator not just to fulfill a dream but also to be a blessing to the next generation."

These inspiring words come from 18-year-old Princess Eunice Motel, an SM scholar currently pursuing her education at the Philippine Normal University. She is one of two children of Hildajane, an on-call factory re-packer, and Richard, a set man, hailing from Caloocan City.

Sunday, August 27, 2023

Coastal land reclamation: A glimpse into today’s urban development strategies

Photo credit to Anastasia Yudin. An aerial shot of Flower Dome in Singapore. 


Coastal land reclamation is increasing and will continue to grow and be a popular urban strategy in places that experience urban growth. 

This is according to a study, “Mapping 21st Century Global Coastal Land Reclamation,” that analyzed landsat satellite images from 2000 to 2020 to quantify spatial extent, scale, and land use of urban coastal reclamation of 135 cities globally with populations exceeding one million. Key findings indicate that 78% of these cities have turned to reclamation to create additional land, resulting in 253,000 hectares of new land, an area equivalent to Luxembourg.

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