Sunday, March 23, 2025

The National Resilience Council’s colloquium proves resilience thrives in collaboration

The National Resilience Council (NRC) of the Philippines convened a diverse group of stakeholders for the event “From Surviving to Thriving: Transformative Strategies through Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships and Innovations.” As a science and technology-driven public-private partnership, the NRC unites national and local governments, academia, civil society, and the private sector to advance the interconnected objectives of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, Sustainable Development Goals, Paris Climate Agreement, New Urban Agenda, and other global commitments.

Held as the 2025 Resilient Local Government Unit Program (RGLUP) Colloquium, the event showcased progress and updates from participating cities and municipalities in the NRC’s Adopt a City (AAC) Initiative. This initiative enables corporations to move beyond disaster relief, investing in risk reduction through preparedness funding, prevention, pre-disaster recovery planning, and long-term resilience programs. By empowering local governments, AAC promotes collaborative efforts to build safer, more resilient communities.

The National Resilience Council (NRC) Board launches the Resilience Competency Assessment (CompAss) at the colloquium together with representatives of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of National Defense, the United Nations ARISE Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies - Philippine network, and the City Mayor of Baguio, Hon. Benjamin Magalong, and Mayor of the Municipality of Tiwi, Albay, Hon. Jaime Villanueva.

Step Forward for Inclusion: Happy Walk 2025 Unites Communities Nationwide

This March 30, 2025, thousands of families, advocates, and supporters will come together to celebrate Happy Walk 2025, a nationwide movement dedicated to fostering awareness, inclusion, and empowerment for individuals with Down Syndrome.

Hosted by SM Cares in partnership with the Down Syndrome Association of the Philippines, Inc. (DSAPI), this year’s event will take place at SMX Convention Center – Manila with simultaneous celebrations at SM City Cebu, SM City Bacolod, and SM CDO Downtown Premier, making it a truly nationwide effort to highlight the abilities and aspirations of individuals with Down Syndrome.

Two Happy Walkers take small, but meaningful steps with support and fanfare from the SM community.

SM Job Fairs: Bringing career opportunities nationwide

SM Supermalls is making job hunting easier, faster, and more rewarding! February’s job fairs set the stage for 2025, with the SM Retail Job Fair at SM North EDSA successfully connecting more than a thousand job seekers with top employers. Now, the momentum continues with a nationwide series of job fairs this March, offering even more opportunities for Filipinos to build their careers.

SM Retail's Job Fair at SM North EDSA bridges thousands of job seekers with leading employers.

Women on Fire 2025: Empowering Women, Building Resilient Communities

In recognition of National Women’s Month and Fire Prevention Month, SM Cares launched Women on Fire, a celebration of the remarkable leadership, strength, courage, and resilience of women in fire prevention, disaster response, and community safety. Through collaboration with key government agencies and private organizations, Women on Fire served as a platform for education, awareness, and empowerment, reaching over 25,000 participants across all initiatives.

SM Cares, in partnership with the United Nations Philippines and the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), kicked off Women’s Month on February 28 with the Purple Illumination Ceremony, lighting up the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) Globe and mall façades nationwide. As a globally recognized symbol of justice, dignity, and women’s rights, the color purple marked the start of National Women’s Month in the Philippines, reinforcing SM’s commitment to gender equality and empowerment.

The iconic SM Mall of Asia Globe lights up in purple to celebrate gender equality, together with SM Cares, United Nations Philippines, and the Philippine Commission for Women.

The Ultimate Youniverse Bucket List—Celebrating #WomensMonthAtSM

March is all about YOU! This Women’s Month at SM, we’re celebrating empowered women with beauty, wellness, and joy-filled experiences. Treat yourself to self-care, confidence boosts, and fun outings with friends. Step into your girlboss era with glow-ups, indulgences, and unforgettable moments. Start checking off the ultimate Women’s Month bucket list—only at SM Supermalls!

From Bin it Right to #SMWasteFreeFuture: How SM minimizes landfill impact

It is not “out of sight, out of mind”; landfills are not just eyesores in remote areas, but they also pose a significant health risk to the communities around them and emit a substantial amount of greenhouse gases from decaying food waste.

The RDC, or Recyclable, Disposable, and Compostable bins at SM Supermalls, are not only for show but serve as the start of the journey to achieve a net-zero landfill and beyond.

The SM Waste-Free Future initiative endeavors to reduce waste generation and increase the rate of diversion.

First Bite, Lasting Obsession: Burger & Lobster’s Philippine Debut at SM Supermalls

Manila’s food scene is about to get a major upgrade. Global dining sensation Burger & Lobster is finally making its Philippine debut at SM, the #HomeofFirsts, bringing its world-famous wild-caught lobsters and prime cut burgers to Manila’s most discerning foodies, ready to redefine casual dining with a premium feel in the country.

The London-based sensation started and found its success by focusing on two ingredients—perfecting them with precision and passion. By mastering the art of crafting exceptional burgers and cooking wild-caught lobsters to perfection, Burger & Lobster became a dining institution, drawing in food lovers from New York to Dubai, Singapore, and beyond. The result? Burgers toooooo good. Lobsters sooooo good. You’ll question your whole life after just one bite. Now, it's Manila’s turn to get #OfficiallyObsessed.