Category: Business Mirror

A LAWMAKER is pushing for the passage of the proposed Magna Carta for Public Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Workers, which seeks to improve the working conditions and grant additional benefits to government personnel who risk their lives to save others during calamities.

Parañaque City Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan said his proposed House Bill 5239 aims to recognize the heroism of DRRM workers who dedicate their lives to protect communities and help disaster victims recover.

‘DRRM workers, while exposing themselves to significant risks, including physical danger, psychological stress, and occupational health gaps, especially during disaster response operations, face the challenge of insufficient benefits. Our proposed measure seeks to address these inadequacies by institutionalizing measures that will promote their welfare,’ Yamsuan said.

He emphasized that DRRM personnel serve as the country’s frontline defenders against disasters and deserve both recognition and protection.

‘DRRM workers have a very important job as disaster response and risk reduction frontliners, which is why we should also give importance to, and safeguard, their welfare. Providing them the benefits that they should be entitled to will serve as incentive and inspiration for them to continue with their profession as protectors of our communities from calamities,’ he added.

Among the benefits proposed under HB 5239 are hazard allowances, access to protective equipment, free vaccinations, prophylactic medicines, and compensation for work-related injuries or illnesses.

A key provision of the bill is the creation of a Public DRRM Workers’ Education Trust Fund, which will provide educational assistance to the children and dependents of DRRM workers who die in the line of duty. The scholarship covers primary, secondary, and tertiary education for up to four years of undergraduate studies in accredited institutions.

The bill also grants DRRM workers continuing training and scholarships, mandatory insurance coverage, medical and psychosocial support, and retirement benefits.

It defines a public DRRM worker as a government employee engaged in any of the four thematic areas of disaster management-prevention and mitigation, preparedness, response, and rehabilitation and recovery.

For those with permanent appointments, HB 5239 provides security of tenure, ensuring that they cannot be dismissed from service except for cause and after due process.

Other entitlements include overtime pay, night-shift differential, leave benefits, transportation, communication, and subsistence allowances, laundry allowance, and legal assistance related to official duties.

Public DRRM workers who render at least five years of continuous, efficient, and meritorious service will also receive monthly longevity pay equivalent to 5% of their basic salary.

Additionally, those deployed far from home will be entitled to free living quarters or housing allowance, and will be protected from discrimination and unjust workplace transfers. The measure likewise upholds their right to self-organization and mandates the creation of a Code of Conduct for Public DRRM Workers.

Violations of the Magna Carta’s provisions may be penalized with fines of up to P10,000, imprisonment of up to one year, or both. Government officials found liable will face disqualification from public service as an additional penalty.

Clark Freeport Zone has been named Asia’s Leading Meetings and Conference Destination at the 32nd World Travel Awards (WTA) for Asia and Oceania, marking a historic first for the Philippines in this category.

CDC President and Chief Executive Officer Agnes VST Devanadera welcomed the recognition, calling it a ‘defining moment’ for Clark and the country’s growing MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) sector.

‘This award affirms Clark’s emergence as a world-class destination for business events and reflects the strength of our partnerships and shared vision,’ Atty. Devanadera said.

The WTA, held on October 13 at the InterContinental Grand Stanford here and regarded as the ‘Oscars of the Travel Industry,’ announced the results following a four-month global voting campaign. The CDC Tourism Promotions Division, led by Manager Elenita Lorenzo, mounted a dedicated push from April to August, enlisting support from locators, stakeholders, and the general public.

The Department of Tourism Region 3, headed by Regional Director Richard Daenos, nominated Clark for the award and formally confirmed the win on September 18. Clark bested regional heavyweights including Singapore, Bangkok, Tokyo, and Beijing.

The victory adds to the Philippines’ growing list of WTA accolades, which include Asia’s Leading Beach Destination (Boracay), Asia’s Leading Dive Destination, and Asia’s Leading Tourist Board. The award was made possible through the joint efforts of Clark Development Corporation, DOT Region 3, and tourism stakeholders in positioning Clark as a competitive MICE hub.

Also present at the awarding ceremony were Noelle Mina Meneses, vice president in charge of the Business Development and Business Enhancement Group; Astrud Aguinaldo, Communications Division manager; and Ian Paulo Mejia, Tourism Officer III.

The protein craze that turbocharged energy bars and meat sticks is now coming for sugar-frosted Pop-Tarts.

Starting in early November, pop-tart maker Kellanova will offer a version of the sprinkle-strewn toaster pastries with the kind of higher protein content reserved for what are typically considered healthier foods. This follows PepsiCo Inc.’s plans for a higher-protein version of Doritos. Elsewhere, protein is being added to popcorn, pasta, bread, cookie dough, ice cream and macaroni and cheese.

The trend shows how packaged-food companies are betting that protein can lure back shoppers who have moved away from highly processed products. Food companies say consumers are looking for some nutritional benefit even in foods that aren’t considered healthy as they try to lose weight and ward off cravings. Many users of GLP-1s are also increasing their protein intake to help retain muscle mass.

‘A Pop-Tart is a bit of a treat,’ said K. T. Mccann, vice president of research and development and innovation for Kellanova North America. ‘The opportunity for us was to bring a little bit of protein to something they already love.’ Kellanova sold nearly 3 billion of the toaster pastries in 2023.

The global market for foods fortified with protein is estimated to reach more than $100 billion by 2030, up from roughly $67 billion in 2023, according to Grand View Research.

‘I don’t think we’re anywhere close to the peak’ of protein demand, which has been building for years, according to Randy Burt, a managing director at AlixPartners specializing in food and beverages. ‘Most consumers in the US believe they need to increase their intake of protein,’ he added, predicting that increasing popularity and availability of GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro would continue to fuel demand for protein.

First sold in 1964, the Pop-Tart was originally called a ‘fruit scone,’ but was quickly renamed. In 1967, the company added frosting that wouldn’t melt in the toaster and the following year, it added sprinkles. Today, there are dozens of flavors of the toaster pastries as well as Pop-Tart branded breakfast cereal and a miniature version known as ‘Bites.’

The new versions of Pop-Tarts will have 10 grams of protein per serving in three flavors: brown sugar cinnamon, strawberry and blueberry. To up the protein intake, the company is adding wheat protein concentrate and a milk protein concentrate to the dry ingredients that are used to make the toaster pastries’ dough.

The filling, frosting and sprinkles will remain the same and the pastries will overall appear very similar to their standard counterparts, though they will taste slightly different, Mccann said.

‘When you add protein to things, it browns a little differently,’ she said. ‘It creates a bit of a toasty flavor to the dough, or the crust of the Pop-Tart.’

The sugar content will be similar to regular Pop-Tarts, which have about 30 grams of sugar per serving, depending on the flavor. That’s roughly 60 percent of the recommended daily intake. The high-protein version will cost $3.99 for an eight-pack, compared with $3.49 for the standard pastries.

Kellanova developed Pop-Tarts Protein after getting the request from several retailers in the spring. The products were developed on an accelerated timeline given strong demand for protein-infused foods.

The food industry’s ‘from-the-griddle’ category, which includes Eggo waffles, is the fastest-growing segment of frozen breakfast foods, with higher-protein options driving that growth, Kellanova said. Eggo waffles hold 54 percent of that ‘from-the-griddle’ market, according to the company, which also makes NutriGrain snack bars and Pringles chips.

Kellanova already sells a high-protein version of Eggo waffles, which they renamed earlier this year to emphasize the protein content.

Big restaurant chains have also sought to capitalize on the trend: Starbucks recently added new protein lattes and cold foams to its menu. The coffee chain plans to launch ready-to-drink versions in grocery stores next year.

Still, big food companies have lagged behind startups and even private-label brands when it comes to protein, said Oisin Hanrahan, chief executive officer of Keychain, an AI-powered manufacturing platform for the consumer packaged goods industry.

‘Insurgent brands are on the forefront of pushing the boundaries on innovation, but private-label teams are quickly adding protein to more products,’ he said, ‘and they’re doing it faster than the biggest legacy players.’

Mccann said small companies can be ‘nimble and fast’ but noted that Kellanova has also acted quickly to add protein to its products.

She also referred to acquisitions, such as the company’s purchase of RXBar, which was announced in 2017.

‘There’s probably more to come around protein and not just from us, but across the board,’ she said. ‘It’s going to keep coming.’

The government said it would not allow sugar imports until the second quarter of 2026 amid concerns over the drop in the farmgate prices of the sweetener.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. recently met with Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona and SRA Board Member Dave Sanson to address low prices of raw sugar during the first bidding in Negros last October 9.

The DA said initial discussions with sugar traders revealed that market hesitation, largely influenced by conflicting statements from sugarcane farmer groups, resulted in major traders refraining from purchasing sugar during the previous bidding.

With this, they assured stakeholders that there would be no sugar importation until the end of the current milling season, which is projected between May and June next year.

‘Let us be clear-there is, and never was, any talk of an importation program for Crop Year 2025-2026 until we finish significant milling, have firm production figures, and ensure any imports would only be classified as C or reserve sugar.’

In the same meeting, the officials agreed that a two-month buffer stock of refined sugar would be maintained to ensure market stability.

All sugar imports, if any, would continue to be classified strictly as C or reserve sugar, thus it would not directly enter the domestic market.

‘This move assures our farmers that the current administration prioritizes their welfare. It’s a welcome development, and we hope this stabilizes prices now that speculation has been addressed,’ Sanson said.

The DA noted that since 2022, the sugar industry has seen a steady expansion in planted areas-from 380,000 hectares to 409,000 hectares this year.

Meanwhile, some 226,693 metric tons (MT) of the 424,000 MT approved import volume under Sugar Order 8 in the previous crop year 2024-2025 have entered the country as of September 28, based on the latest SRA data.

For crop year 2025-2026, the SRA said raw sugar production could fall to 1.92 million metric tons (MMT) as torrential downpours and pest infestation battered plantations in Negros, which accounts for 65 percent of total output of the sweetener.

However, the agency noted that output in the current crop year may even be lower than the initial forecast owing to the potential impact of red-striped soft-scale insects (RSSI) infestation on yield.

The average price of refined sugar in Metro Manila remains stable at P84.77 per kilo, while raw sugar settled at P76.38 per kilo, latest SRA reports showed.

President Ferdinand Marcos said his administration remains on ‘solid ground’ when it comes to getting wide support from the public and military but he is cautious of efforts to bring down his administration.

The chief executive made the statement when asked in a press conference in Malacañang last Wednesday if he is concerned over coup threats from the military and the looming anti-corruption rallies next month.

He said he is confident he still has the support of ‘important sectors of society’ since he constantly listens and try to address to their grievances. The said dialogues, he said also allows him to be wary of potential threats to his administration.

‘And you know, it is never – it doesn’t serve any – it is dangerous for someone in my position to be complacent and to say, don’t worry everybody is okay, everybody,’ he said.

‘So, when you ask me how confident I am, all I can say is that in our assessment, we are still very much – the administration is still very much on solid ground in terms of support from the different sectors of society,’ he added.

The President, however, said that the opposition is actively trying to remove him from office for political reasons.

‘They want to oust me. Okay, let’s just see what they’ll do,’ he said in Filipino.

Open to investigation

He said he is ready to face head on the said attempts from the opposition, particularly when it comes to the multi-billion flood control projects.

‘And on this, I’m confident that whatever mud might be slung at the administration, that we will be able to show that these are politically motivated and do not actually have any validation in fact,’ Marcos said.

Any attempt to link him to the controversies, he said, will fail since he knows he did nothing wrong when it comes to flood control projects and other public works.

In fact, he said he open to being investigated by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI).

The ICI is currently conducting probes on billions worth of substandard, non-existent, and overpriced public works

‘That’s why we have the ICI. They are an independent commission. And that is their job. And their job is to follow the leads that they receive. And if necessary or if it is justified, that they can – they will now recommend to either the Ombudsman or to the DOJ (Department of Justice) that cases be filed,’ Marcos said.

‘So, let them do their work. We do not interfere with what they do.We are not hiding anything.,’ he added.

SCAM calls in the Philippines jumped by nearly 80 percent in the third quarter of 2025, even as text-based scams continued their dramatic decline, according to new data released Tuesday by anti-scam app Whoscall.

The global scam prevention platform recorded 62,390 scam calls from July to September 2025, representing a 78.44-percent increase from the 34,964 calls logged in the previous quarter.

Mel Migriño, Country Head and General Manager of Gogolook Philippines, the company behind Whoscall, said the spike signals a tactical shift by fraudsters who are increasingly impersonating banks, collection agencies, and telemarketing firms to target unsuspecting Filipinos.

‘We see abuse on third-party brands-meaning those that are pretending to be a business identity, a bank, a collection agency, or even telemarketers,’ she said in a press briefing on Tuesday. ‘That will continue to surge until we finish off this year.’

Filipinos, Migriño explained, love rewards and promos. Hence, scammers are mimicking legitimate promotional calls like credit card limit upgrades and rewards, following a spiel and ‘operating like a call center’ to make their scams sound more believable to unsuspecting consumers.

Looking ahead to the final quarter of 2025, she expects scam calls to continue rising through the holiday season, driven by Filipinos’ appetite for rewards and loans during the ‘ber months.’

However, she does not anticipate figures reaching the levels seen in 2024.

‘Maybe not the same figure as last year, when we were at six digits. It could breach potentially, but not to the point that it’s going to be like half a million-not as significant,’ Migriño said.

Furthermore, scammers are now using AI in voice scams. According to Migriño, ‘less than 10 percent of total scam calls’ were powered by AI.

Despite the quarterly surge, scam calls remain 62.24 percent lower year-on-year compared to 165,236 calls recorded in the third quarter of 2024, largely due to law enforcement raids on major scam hubs last year.

Text scams decline

Meanwhile, SMS scams continued their downward trajectory. Whoscall detected 37,609 text scams in the third quarter of 2025, a 42.17 percent drop from 65,035 in the previous quarter and a staggering 97.71 percent decline year-on-year from the 1.6 million SMS scams recorded in the third quarter of 2024.

Migriño attributed the sharp decline in SMS scams to increased public awareness driven by a ‘whole-of-society approach’ involving government agencies, law enforcement, and private sector partners.

‘Filipinos now recognize that any SMS from an unknown number with a link is a text scam,’ she said. ‘These collaborations are working.’

Risky URLs, online gambling

Whoscall also detected a 31.65-percent increase in risky URLs, rising from 18,735 in the second quarter to 27,510 in the third quarter. Most of these malicious links imitated loan offers or rewards from banks, jumping from 14,421 to 25,309 cases.

However, online gambling URLs plummeted by 93.61 percent following a massive crackdown led by the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC).

CICC Executive Director Undersecretary Renato Paraiso said that while the numbers are encouraging, maintaining them will be the challenge.

‘What’s important for me is not really the numbers-that 93 percent of online gambling has gone down. My joke is it’s easier to get an A than to maintain an A. So the pressure is on us,’ Paraiso said.

He also announced that CICC together with Scam Watch Pilipinas will launch educational campaigns about the ’12 scams of Christmas’ to help Filipinos navigate various fraud schemes expected to proliferate during the holiday season.

‘We continue to urge the public to report scam incidents, as these serve as leads for further investigation and as the foundation for various initiatives that raise public awareness against online scams,’ Paraiso said.

SISI RONDINA and Bernadeth Pons and four other Alas Pilipinas pairs have their hands full as the main draw of the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour at the Nuvali Sands Court by the Ayala Land get going on Thursday in the City Santa Rosa, Laguna.

Rondina and Pons take on a duo from Brazil and Sunny Villapando and Dij Rodriguez face rivals from New Zealand hoping to make up for Alas Pilipinas’s bad hair day in Wednesday’s qualification round.

Rondina and Pons square off with Mylene Thainarra and Talita Simonetti in the 3 p.m. match of the tournament hosted by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation, with Villapando and Rodriguez tackling Shaunna Polley and Olivia McDonald at 1:20 p.m. both on center court.

Kly Orillaneda and Gen Eslapor will compete against Anniina Parkkinin and Vilhelmiina Prihti in the 2:10 p.m. duel also both at center court.

Cambodia 2023 Southeast Asian Games bronze medalists James Buytrago and Ran Abdilla begin their campaign in the men’s main draw against world No. 47 D’ Artagnan Potts and Jack Pearse of Australia also on Thursday at 10:10 a.m.

It wasn’t the way three Alas Pilipinas pairs wanted in the qualification round on Wednesday when the matches in all five courts of the Nuvali facility were played in a drizzle in the morning and under overcast skies the whole day.

Jenny Gaviola and Alexa Polidario had a good chance of pulling off an upset but squandered the opportunity against Canada’s Amanda Harnett and Devin Corah, 15-21, 16-21.

‘This is our first time to play together in an international competition, but we gave it our best although we failed to snatch the opportunity,’ the 26-year-old Gaviola, playing out of the Philippine Coast Guard and Muntinlupa City said. ‘We learned a lot of things in this match as we saw how our opponents adjusted when they trailed.’

The 27-year-old Polidario, of the Philippine Army, also said they would learn from the experience to get better ahead of the Thailand 33rd Southeast Asian Games in December.

‘It was bad moment. We lost our focus in this mental game,’ Alas Pilipinas’s Brazilian beach volleyball coach Joao ‘Kioday’ Luciano Simao Barbosa said. ‘It’s the same result with our men’s game earlier.’

In the men’s qualifiers, Larry John Francisco and Edwin Tolentino suffered a 15-21, 10-21 loss to Freddie Bialokoz and Issa Batrane of England while Ronniel Rosales and Rancel Varga fell to Canada’s Luke Se Greeff and Martin Litch, 17-21, 15-21.

‘We expect a strong oppositions because we are competing in the Challenge level-far more competitive than the Futures,’ Rondina said. ‘But we will be ready for tomorrow against anybody. We trained for this.’

Puregold CinePanalo 2026 has released their official Top 15 shortlist for the festival’s full-length category. The select entries come from the country’s most driven directors who range from emerging voices in the field to eminent visionaries of the industry. The diversity and quality of the line-up assure cineastes that this will be the most competitive and exciting year of the Puregold CinePanalo yet.

From the list of 15, only seven filmmakers will be selected, each of whom will receive PhP 5 million-the highest production grant in Philippine film festival history.

The top 15 full-length films for the 2026 Puregold CinePanalo are:

Ennui – Alpha Habon

Pasilyo – Allen Galindo

Gods and Thieves – Tyrone Acierto

Apol of My Ai – Thop Nazareno

Multwoh (Patay na Patay Sa’yo) – Rodina Singh

And There was Silence – Jonathan Jurilla

Wantawsan – Joseph Abello

Stuck on You – Mikko Baldoza

Mono No Aware – BC Amparado

Ang Lalakeng Lumuluha ng Perlas – Khavn

Beast – Lawrence Fajardo

I’ve Seen Where it Ends – JP Habac

Aripuen – Christopher Gozum

Patay Gutom (Dead Hungry) – Carl Papa and Ian Pangilinan

Catch Me if You Stan – Rayn Brizuela

Puregold’s senior marketing manager and festival chair Ivy Hayagan-Piedad spoke on what the Top 15 line up means for the festival as a whole. ‘The 2026 Puregold CinePanalo line-up is a revelation to us at the festival. Only three years in, we’ve earned the attention and trust of some of the country’s most important filmmakers,’ said Hayagan-Piedad. ‘We are indebted to all the participants who entrusted their best-kept stories to us. We are humbled and extremely excited to make these dream projects a panalo reality.’

Puregold CinePanalo has undeniably developed a reputation for producing internationally acclaimed films. This includes Kurt Soberano’s Under a Piaya Moon, Sigrid Bernardo’s Pushcart Tales, TM Malones’ Salum, JP Habac’s Olsen’s Day, and many more, which have received recognition in Pakistan, Morocco, Singapore, and the United States, among others. Today, the record-breaking production grant and the global prestige achieved by the festival’s past films have enticed even more directors to participate in the biggest Puregold CinePanalo yet.

The Top 15 filmmakers will face one more round of selection before the announcement of the official festival line-up. The shortlisted filmmakers will pitch directly to the festival’s selection committee, which will have the difficult task of curating a final list of seven that will move on to the production phase.

The selected full-length films will screen at the 2026 Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival at the Gateway Cineplex 18 on August 7 to 18, 2026.

Meanwhile, applications for the Puregold CinePanalo’s student shorts category continue. Interested applicants may still submit their dream projects to https://tinyurl.com/PCPFFShorts before 11:59 PM on November 25, 2025.

THE National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) reported Wednesday a slight reduction in overall transmission rates which are reflected in the October bills of end-consumers.

On Wednesday, the grid operator said overall transmission rates stood at P1.3998 per kilowatt hour (kWh), down by 1.23 percent from P1.417 per kWh.

NGCP Assistant Vice President and Regulatory Management Head Julius Ryan Datingaling said during a news briefing that the lower transmission rates were brought about by the reduction in ancillary service (AS) and transmission wheeling rates.

AS and transmission wheeling rates are components of transmission rates. Transmission wheeling rates refer to what the NGCP charges for its core service of delivering electricity, while AS rates cover the pass-through costs of services sourced from the Reserve Market and from providers with bilateral contracts with NGCP to stabilize the grid during power supply-demand imbalances.

NGCP does not earn from AS rates, as these are remitted directly to generating companies, and it does not benefit from any movement in their prices.

NGCP’s transmission wheeling rates went down by 0.84 percent, from P0.5970/kWh in the August 2025 billing period to P0.5920 per kWh in the September 2025 billing period.

‘For the October 2025 electric bill of the end consumers, NGCP charges only 59 centavos per kWh for the delivery of its services,’ NGCP said, adding that AS still accounts for the bulk of transmission charges.

Average AS rates for the September 2025 billing period decreased by 1.7 percent to P0.6546/kWh, compared to P0.6659/kWh in the August 2025 billing period.

Transmission rates are one of the components of an electricity bill. For this month, the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) reported that transmission, taxes, and other charges registered a total increase of P0.0428 per kWh.

‘We don’t know how the amount is being translated by the distribution utilities to their consumers. We don’t know the bill determinant to translate that amount into their rates for their consumers,’ said Datingaling.

NGCP spokesperson Atty. Cynthia Alabanza maintained that their rates have gone down and that it is up to Meralco to explain this to its customers.

‘How the distribution utilities compute what we charge them is really up to them. We have no idea if it was different from last month or the same from last month. But what we do know is what we charge them really went down,’ said Alabanza.

THE Gotianun-led East West Banking Corp. announced last Wednesday its three-year partnership with LinkedIn Corp. to train its employees across functions and roles.

According to the bank, it has purchased the services of the Sunnyvale, California, US-headquartered firm to allow employees ‘to build skills at their own pace, explore personalized learning paths and apply insights directly to their work, whether in customer service, branch operations, risk, technology, finance or human resources (HR).’ The bank didn’t disclose its investment.

When checking the prices for LinkedIn’s services, a Google AI-aided search revealed that ‘LinkedIn offers a variety of learning content, but specific pricing depends on the subscription plan, such as ‘Premium Career’ at around $29.99/month, ‘Premium Business’ at about $59.99/month, and ‘Sales Navigator’ at approximately $99.99/month.’

According to East West Bank CEO Jerry G. Ngo, the partnership brings LinkedIn’s ‘global library of expert-led content directly to every EastWestbanker.’ ‘It doesn’t matter if the employee is in branch operations, risk, technology, HR, finance, or customer service, our team will now have access to thousands of courses covering leadership, communication, data analytics, digital skills and more,’ Ngo said.

‘For me, learning has always been personal. It helps me stay curious, ask better questions, and keep moving forward even in uncertain times. That is why I believe learning should never stop. The combination of study and practice keeps us sharp, helps us make better decisions, and shows us that growth is possible at every stage of our careers, from the first role to leading a team,’ he added.

The launch event featured a ceremonial signing with East West Bank and LinkedIn executives.

‘What we’ve launched today is an enabler of purpose, growth, and leadership continuity. As we move forward, this partnership allows us to support every EastWestbanker with resources that are relevant, personalized, and accessible, no matter what function they’re in, or what point they are in their career journey,’ East West Bank Executive Vice-President Alfie D. Suarez said during the launch.

‘Through LinkedIn Learning, our teams can now build skills at their own pace, explore curated learning paths based on their roles, and apply what they learn directly to their work. For EastWest HR, this also enables more strategic workforce planning. This is especially important as we aim to make learning a daily habit and not just a training calendar item,’ Suarez added. According to him and other executives, the bank’s move ‘is designed to nurture a future-ready organization, where learning is not confined to a classroom but becomes part of the bank’s culture and edge.’

‘With tools to track progress and tailor learning journeys, the bank aims to accelerate leadership development and strengthen its talent pipeline,’ read a statement the bank issued.