ADB, Tavan Bogd Group Sign Loan to Support Food Security, Inclusive Business in Mongolia

ULAANBAATAR, MONGOLIA (9 December 2022) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB), Ulaanbaatar Flour (UBF), Tavan Bogd Foods (TBF), and Tavan Bogd Foods Pizza (TBF Pizza) today signed an $18 million loan to support food security and job creation in Mongolia. This assistance will help mitigate supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The loan comprises $8 million in assistance to UBF, $6 million to TBF, and $4 million to TBF Pizza. The proceeds will be used for additional working capital support for UBF to procure 60,000 tons of wheat directly from 6,000 local farmers. TBF and TBF Pizza will use the financing to construct eight additional quick-service restaurants and warehouses. Between the three companies, this project will support the livelihoods of 1,503 employees and create 358 new jobs.

“Securing domestic wheat supply is essential to the country’s food security, as wheat products account for a third of Mongolian’s caloric intake,” said ADB Private Sector Operations Department Director General Suzanne Gaboury. “We are delighted to work again with the Tavan Bogd group to boost food security and promote inclusive business in Mongolia.”

The loan will support gender equality and disability inclusion by hiring people with disabilities with a focus on women, displaying gender equality messaging in TBF restaurants, training staff on gender-sensitive disability inclusion, and by providing internships for women at UBF.

”We are pleased to cooperate again with ADB,” said Tavan Bogd Group Executive Director Khulan Dashdavaa. “The project will create more employment opportunities for UBF, TBF, and TBF Pizza as these companies already have in place strong policies to provide job opportunities to the disabled segment of the population. The new warehouses and restaurants will support local vendors and businesses while mitigating supply chain and food security risks due to logistics disruptions in the region.”

Food security is a priority for ADB, which recently announced plans to provide at least $14 billion over 2022–2025 to ease a worsening food crisis in Asia and the Pacific. Direct support to farmers and agribusinesses is key to this initiative with an expected $3.5 billion from ADB and $5 billion in cofinancing to be provided to the private sector, including the loan to Tavan Bogd.

UBF is one of the country’s largest buyers of domestically grown wheat and is the leading wheat miller with a 35% market share. TBF and TBF Pizza operate KFC and Pizza Hut quick-service restaurants and are key players in the food delivery industry. UBF, TBF, and TBF Pizza are members of the Tavan Bogd Group, one of the country’s largest diversified business groups.

ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.

Source: ADB

Mama Mary and Her Children Book 7 on CNN Philippines

Thank you @rowiejuanmatti for sharing this moment on @cnnphilippines with me! Our book Mama Mary and Her Children Book 7 tells stories of miracles, personal transformations, and faith during the time of the pandemic and beyond! It is available here. 📖 And you can watch our interview here. 📖 Special thanks to @askmigslopez for the PC and headset which I used during the interview 🥹 God bless us all!💙 #authorlife #MamaMary #havefaith #catholic #virginmary #blessedmother

#ImmaculateConception #miracleshappen #truestories #catholiclife #mothermary #iReadAnvil #MamaMaryAndHerChildren

Mama Mary and Her Children Book 7 on CNN!

@rowiejuanmatti and I had an amazing time during our guesting on @cnnphilippines’ The Final Word. We talked to @rico.hizon about Mama Mary and Her Children Book 7, which features my essay and was co-edited by Rowie. It is available here. 📖 You may watch our interview here. 📖 Hope you can buy our book and be inspired by real-life stories of faith and hope during the pandemic and beyond!💙 #authorlife @anvilpublishing

The Final World

Join us later! My good friend Rowie and I will be guesting on CNN Philippines TONIGHT 9PM!

“Mama Mary and her Children: True Stories of Real People” continues a legacy of enriching young readers’ relationship with the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Author Samantha Lucas and co-editor Rowena Juan Matti will tell us more on #TheFinalWord with Rico Hizon.

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📱 Live stream bit.ly/3uxucI4

📺 Free TV ch. 9, Cignal ch. 10, Sky Cable ch. 14

Sony Music Entertainment Philippines gives back this holiday season with ‘season of giving’ campaign

Funding will support the charity Reach Out and Feed Philippines in acquiring mobile kitchens and strengthening food programs for the community

 

Filipino band NOBITA performed their favourite hits for the charity at a special live performance 

Manila, PHILIPPINES – Sony Music Entertainment Philippines and popular band NOBITA have partnered with Reach Out and Feed Philippines to support local communities impacted by hunger this holiday season. 

 

This comes as part of Sony Music Group’s global ‘Season of Giving’ campaign, where the company and its artists are giving back to every local community in which Sony Music Group (SMG) operates. Across the world, SMG is supporting global organizations dedicated to providing aid for those facing food insecurity, homelessness and refugee support, as well as music industry relief and educational programs for communities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

This also follows the support provided through the Sony Music Group’s Global Social Justice Fund, to move the needle in broadening opportunities for underserved communities worldwide. In October, the company partnered with SPARK! Philippines to champion young women’s rights through music and film. 


Beginning in the month of November, the Season of Giving program saw SMG committing sizeable amounts in each geography where the Company conducts business: Africa, Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Canada, Continental Europe, Latin America, United Kingdom, and the United States. 

 

In the Philippines, non-profit organization Reach Out and Feed Philippines Inc., which provides food aid to children who have little or no access to nutritious food, had its outreach efforts hindered by the COVID-19 pandemic and the typhoons that struck the Philippines over the past two years. With this funding, Reach Out and Feed Philippines Inc. will be acquiring mobile kitchens that can provide meals to vulnerable communities where needed, reaching more children and their families through the organization’s ongoing feeding and nourishment programs.   

 

Anna Pauline Castro, Executive Director of Reach Out and Feed Philippines Inc., said, “The funding from Sony Music Group will be a great help in pushing forward with our school and community outreach programs. We expect these mobile kitchens to reach 1,000 children and their households on ongoing feeding programs, as well as families affected by the pandemic and recent typhoons, to provide them with nutritious meals.” 

 

“Ultimately, we hope that this will bring us closer to realizing our vision of seeing every Filipino child healthy, nourished, and empowered to reach their maximum potential for growth and learning.”

 


 

As a band that actively gives back to society, NOBITA also partnered with Reach Out and Feed Philippines Inc. to support outreach efforts and put on an intimate concert for some of the children who are beneficiaries of the organization. 

 

NOBITA said, “It means a lot to be part of a label that strives to make a positive impact on society by reaching out to underserved communities. We are truly glad to have had the chance to spend time volunteering with Reach Out and Feed Philippines – seeing smiles from children and families whilst connecting with them through music was an unforgettable experience for us.”

 


 

In speaking of the seasonal initiative, Towalame Austin, Executive Vice President, Philanthropy and Social Impact, Sony Music Group, said, “Globally, SMG is committed to supporting local communities throughout the year. For the holiday season, we wanted to bring extra support and relief aid to those in need and dedicate our efforts to more than three million people worldwide. We’re grateful to our artists and international partner organizations who work on-the-ground to provide direct assistance to their neighbors.”   

 

In addition to NOBITA, notable artists and songwriters who volunteered with partner organizations in their communities during a series of in-person events include India Shawn (Epic Records), Tyler Shaw (SME Canada), Kobie Dee (SMP Australia), Tom Wilson (SMP Canada) – who volunteered with partner organizations in their own communities during a series of in-person events. 

 

This campaign represents the Company’s ongoing philanthropic commitment to forge partnerships and support communities that need it most, inside and outside the music industry. For ‘Season of Giving’, every global organization selected to receive funding was determined by a group of global stakeholders including the Company’s internal task forces, legal and public policy teams. Learn more about SMG’s giving approach here.

 Source: Nyou

ADB, Tiger Infrastructure Sign $40 Million Loan to Support Rural Connectivity in Southern Philippines

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (7 December 2022) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $40 million loan with Tiger Infrastructure Philippines, Inc. (Tiger Infrastructure) to build 380 telecommunications towers in the Mindanao and Visayas regions of the Philippines. This infrastructure will enable mobile network operators to provide a full range of mobile and data services to consumers.

The financing comprises $25 million from ADB’s ordinary capital resources and a $15 million loan from the Leading Asia’s Private Infrastructure Fund administered by ADB.

Telecommunication towers support one or more wireless telecommunication antennae. The project will support common tower sharing, which will allow multiple mobile network operators to lease the same location while Tiger Infrastructure will be responsible for construction, land leasing, operation, and maintenance. All telecommunication equipment installed on the towers will belong to the tenants.

“Digital connectivity’s impact in helping to achieve Sustainable Development Goals cannot be understated, especially in areas like education, health care, financing, and payments,” said ADB's Private Sector Operations Department Director General Suzanne Gaboury. “This project will improve access to the digital economy in the underserved regions of Visayas and Mindanao and have a tangible impact on the quality of life for local communities.”

The Philippines has only 164 towers per 1 million people or about 27,000 telecom towers as of 2021, one of the lowest coverage rates in the region. The Government of the Philippines estimates that an additional 60,000 towers are needed by 2031 in unserved and underserved areas.

"We are honored to receive this support and endorsement from ADB. Together, we share a vision of supporting Philippines' development through mobile network connectivity and digital transformation,” said Tiger Infrastructure Group Executive Chairman Simon Skouboe. “We are confident that by working with ADB, Tiger can strengthen our digital infrastructure portfolio as we continue to respond to demand for reliable mobile network connectivity in Asia."

Tiger Infrastructure is jointly owned by Cell Tower Services Pte. Ltd (CTSP) and Daily Life Renewable Energy Pte. Ltd (DLRE), both incorporated in Singapore. CTSP is well established in the telecommunications towers business with projects around the world, while DLRE is involved in customized design, engineering, procurement, construction, installation, and commissioning services for renewable energy systems across Asia and the Pacific.

LEAP is an ADB-managed fund capitalized with a $1.5 billion commitment by the Japan International Cooperation Agency. Established in 2016, LEAP is focused on the delivery of high-quality and sustainable private sector infrastructure projects that reduce carbon emissions, improve energy efficiency, and offer accessible and affordable health care, education, and communication services to ADB’s developing members.

ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.

Source: ADB

P-Pop star Mona Gonzales shows global potential with debut single “Always Remember”

The breakthrough act drops a banger about “bravely facing the world” and valuing self-worth

Sony Music Entertainment and ShowBT PhilippinesCorp., the entertainment company responsible for the breakthrough of award-winning boyband SB19, are set to launch another P-Pop star with immense global potential.

With more than 17 million followers on TikTok alone and an impressive portfolio of anime soundtracks that went viral, breakthrough artist Mona Gonzales ranks among the industry’s newest batch of megastar hopefuls.

The promising solo act marks her debut as a recording artist with “Always Remember,” an effervescent cut that champions the value of self-worth and preservation in an attempt to bravely face the world and conquer everything. Capturing the unabashedly colorful spirit of K-Pop and J-Pop with commanding confidence, Mona Gonzales aims to uplift listeners with her anthemic and captivating delivery—doing it like a seasoned pro.

“The way I personally describe it is something like a soft pop rock for me,” says the promising TikTok sensation turned P-Pop star. “The sound of electric guitar with a pop style beat is dominating through the whole song. The style is not really new, but the sound is unique in its own way. It’s a little different from the OPM that we’re used to. I think that makes it interesting.”

Produced by Oh Won Lee, an industry veteran who has helmed tracks by K-Pop icons Stray Kids, SHINee's Taemin, and Wanna One, and the country’s very own SB19, “Always Remember” is an inspirational track that pushes the envelope of modern pop production with breezy, summer hooks and a minimalist instrumentation. The end product is a mesmerizing take on P-Pop, one that is creatively boundless and flows with so much effortlessness.

As Mona Gonzales puts it, “Pinoy Pop Music doesn’t really have a certain and specific style and sound. Most of us new artists want to be unique. That’s true for me, but I want to add a new flavor and variety along with the existing Pinoy pop music right now. And with every Pinoy music artists, we will prove that P-POP can expand. And then people will talk about how the Pinoy pop music has evolved, its potential and where it can go.”

The release of the song comes with a vibrant music video that metaphorically follows Mona Gonzales’ journey as an artist with so much to explore and grow on. Shot in multiple locations that showcase the beautiful scenery of the Philippines, Mona Gonzales dances, sings, hops, and walks with the excitement of someone ready to navigate the world on her own terms.

Mona Gonzales’ “Always Remember” is out now on all digital music platforms worldwide via Sony Music Entertainment and ShowBT Philippines Corp. Watch the music video here.

Source: Nyou