Driven by its commitment to inclusion, innovation, and social impact, GCash took home two Merit awards and one Excellence distinction at the prestigious 2026 Philippine Quill Awards.

The recognitions highlight the company’s tangible impact on Filipinos: from mobilizing 12,000 runners for climate action to reaching over 1.5 million people with engaging scam awareness campaigns on social media.

Turning everyday transactions into real trees

Transforming Everyday Digital Behaviors into Environmental Impact: Through GForest, routine actions like sending money, paying bills, and making transactions allow users to collect energy points to plant virtual trees. In turn, GCash, its partners and local communities plant real trees on the ground, helping restore critical ecosystems while supporting sustainable local livelihoods.

Cutting through scam tactics before they cause harm  

GCash was also honored with a Merit Award in the Communication Skills Division (Audio/Visual) for its campaign against SMS spoofing scams. Faced with rising threats from International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) catcher technology, the company turned a complex fraud tactic into a simple, memorable rule: “Basta may link, ‘wag mong i‑click! "Animated, bite‑sized videos made scam awareness instinctive, reaching more than 1.5 million users organically and driving a 22.6% engagement rate—over four times the industry benchmark.

A digital ecomovement brought to life by 12,000 runners and 128,000 trees

“Driving Collective Climate Action Through GForest and EcoRun.” was awarded the Excellence in Communication Management (CSR). This initiative bridged digital engagement with real-world impact. The initiative mobilized 12,000 race participants to fund mangrove restoration and plant 76,000 trees and mangroves nationwide. Supported by corporate sponsorships that contributed an additional 52,000 trees, the project reached a total of 128,000 trees, demonstrating how digital mobilization can scale into tangible environmental outcomes alongside NGOs, universities, and merchant partners.

The real measure of impact 

Taken together, these campaigns show how communication can move beyond awareness to inspire measurable change.

“For us, these recognitions are not just about winning awards—they are about proving that communication can drive real, positive change in people’s lives,” said GCash vice president for corporate sustainability and communication Michelle Fernandez. “Whether it’s protecting families from scams or mobilizing communities for climate action, we see every campaign as part of a larger responsibility to make digital innovation meaningful for Filipinos.”

These recognitions reflect the role of communications in shaping everyday behavior, from encouraging safer choices and greater awareness of risks to promoting more responsible practices that benefit both people and the environment.

For more information, please visit www.gcash.com.

 Officials from the City Government of Muntinlupa and GCash formalize their expanded partnership through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing, reinforcing their shared commitment to making financial assistance more accessible and convenient for scholars and beneficiaries.

Officials from the City Government of Muntinlupa and GCash formally expanded their partnership through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), reinforcing the joint commitment to making financial assistance more accessible and convenient for scholars and beneficiaries.

The City Government of Muntinlupa is expanding its existing partnership with GCash to provide scholars and other beneficiaries with more flexible ways to access financial assistance, including the option to use GCash Cards alongside digital disbursement services.

This growth extends the city's financial disbursement system (FDS) partnership from select, limited scholarship programs to a broader student population, ensuring more scholars across Muntinlupa benefit from streamlined digital payouts.

Building on the city’s ongoing use of digital disbursements, the expanded initiative has introduced physical GCash Cards to college beneficiaries. The first batch of cards was distributed to 180 Colegio de Muntinlupa scholars in August 2026.

The GCash Card serves as an additional access method alongside the primary GCash app, giving students the flexibility to withdraw cash or pay via card terminals, even if they choose not to use the mobile app directly.

The initiative forms part of Muntinlupa's broader commitment to modernizing public service delivery and enhancing the distribution of government assistance through digital solutions.

By expanding available disbursement options, the city seeks to make financial assistance programs more efficient while ensuring beneficiaries have greater flexibility in managing the support they receive.

“The City Government of Muntinlupa remains committed to making education and social assistance programs more accessible to our constituents. Through this collaboration, we are helping ensure that government support is delivered in a manner that is convenient, secure, and responsive to our constituents’ needs,” shares City mayor Ruffy Biazon.

For many scholars and beneficiaries, having multiple ways to access financial assistance, whether through the GCash mobile app or the physical GCash Card, helps improve convenience and makes government support more accessible based on individual needs and preferences.

Meanwhile, GCash head of B2B sales, Cleo Celeste Santos, expressed gratitude for the continued trust of the City Government of Muntinlupa, noting that the partnership reflects a shared commitment to making financial assistance more accessible for scholars and beneficiaries. She added, “At GCash, we are honored to support the city's efforts to empower scholars and beneficiaries through digital financial solutions that provide greater convenience, flexibility, and inclusion.”

As Muntinlupa continues to invest in education and community development, the expanded partnership highlights how digital financial tools and physical payment cards can help local governments deliver assistance in ways that are more accessible, convenient, and responsive to the city’s needs.

For more information, visit https://www.gcash.com.

Ballet Manila re-stages Ibong Adarna at Hyundai Hall, Areté, Ateneo de Manila University on October 9 and 10.

A magical  story that generations of Filipinos love and know by heart is once again set to  come alive in a completely different and enchanting way.

This October, Ballet Manila brings Gerardo Francisco Jr.’s Ibong Adarna back to the stage, transforming the beloved Filipino tale of an enchanted bird, royal brothers, forbidden love, and a quest for healing into a spectacle of music, movement, and dance.

One of the company’s most beloved and performed productions, Ibong Adarna will be staged at Hyundai Hall, Areté, Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City on October 9 at 7:30 p.m. and October 10 at 5 p.m.

“Ibong Adarna is one of Ballet Manila’s most requested offsite performances. This year, it already had two shows at Jose Rizal Coliseum in Laguna, and now the production is bound to return to Areté in Ateneo before continuing its way to Iloilo,” shared Lisa Macuja Elizalde, Ballet Manila’s CEO and Artistic Director.

Ibong Adarna tells the story of a mythical bird whose magical song has the power to heal the sick. When King Fernando of the Kingdom of Berbanya falls ill with an incurable disease, his three sons — Don Pedro, Don Diego, and Don Juan — set out on a quest to find the legendary Adarna and bring it back to save their father. The prince who succeeds in capturing the bird will inherit the throne.

The Areté run will feature a new set of leads from Ballet Manila’s powerhouse lineup. Performing as Ibong Adarna is Shaira Comeros, alongside Mark Sumaylo as Don Pedro, Rafael Perez as Don Juan, and Romeo Peralta as Don Diego. The alternate cast is led by Jessica Pearl Dames as Ibong Adarna, with Juan Angelo De Leon as Don Juan, Ralp John Balagot as Don Pedro, and Sean Pelegrin as Don Diego.

Ibong Adarna is fast becoming a Filipino ballet classic. Although Ballet Manila has staged the production numerous times in various venues, each re-staging brings something new, shaped in large part by its evolving cast of dancers.

“Every time we bring Ibong Adarna to a new audience, we discover something new about the story and the characters. That is what makes it special. It remains familiar to many Filipinos, but ballet allows us to experience the story in a different way,” Macuja Elizalde said.

Staging Ibong Adarna at the Areté is part of Ballet Manila’s broader mission of bringing people to ballet and ballet to the people. By taking the production beyond the traditional theater setting and into communities or cities, the company opens more opportunities for audiences to experience live ballet and discover this art form through stories already part of Filipino culture.

For those who may have encountered the classic tale in school, books, or childhood, Ballet Manila offers an exciting way to see the story as it combines a well-loved narrative with music, movement, complex characters, and the artistry of its dancers.

Don’t miss Ibong Adarna at Hyundai Hall, Areté, Ateneo de Manila University on October 9 and 10 only. For tickets, visit Ticketworld at www.premier.ticketworld.com.ph. Keep up-to-date with Ballet Manila’s schedule of performances and celebration events by visiting www.balletmanila.com.ph.

Building wealth means different things to different clients. For many, it is about entering markets at more attainable investment levels, receiving advice suited to their goals, and having access to relevant insights as their financial needs evolve.

EastWest has continued to address these needs by lowering barriers to selected investment opportunities and developing a more personal and comprehensive wealth management experience. These efforts have earned the Bank two International Finance Magazine (IFM) recognitions: Most Innovative Securities Broker – Philippines and Best Priority Banking Experience – Philippines, the latter marking EastWest Priority's fourth consecutive win.

The Bank received the awards for two areas of its business. Through its Financial Markets Distribution Group, the Bank has expanded access to US dollar-denominated government securities. Through EastWest Priority, it has strengthened its advisory, investment, and lifestyle proposition for affluent Filipino clients.

Providing guidance beyond individual transactions
Winning Best Priority Banking Experience – Philippines for the fourth consecutive year, EastWest Priority continues to evolve from traditional preferred banking toward a broader wealth management proposition built around personalized advice, investment solutions, market intelligence, and lifestyle support.

EastWest Priority’s approach is anchored on four interconnected pillars: hyper-personalized portfolio solutions, expert relationship management, market intelligence, and curated lifestyle privileges. Together, these support clients across financial planning, investment management, protection, and legacy planning.

Clients have access to deposits, insurance products, bonds, Unit Investment Trust Funds, equities, foreign exchange solutions, portfolio management services, and selected alternative investments. Recommendations are tailored to each client’s objectives, risk profile, and evolving financial priorities.

Dedicated Priority Relationship Managers serve as a single point of contact for clients’ banking and wealth management needs. EastWest Priority currently operates 13 dedicated Priority Banking centers nationwide, complemented by digital banking services and advisory support. By the end of 2025, its assets under management had grown 40% year on year.

Making currency diversification more accessible
US dollar-denominated government securities have traditionally required minimum investments that place them beyond the reach of many retail and affluent investors. To help close this gap, EastWest introduced US dollar Treasury Bills and Bonds with a minimum investment of USD10,000—significantly lower than market thresholds that can range from USD50,000 to USD200,000.

Developed through EastWest’s collaboration with Philippine Dealing Services Corp., the initiative combines a lower entry point with competitive and transparent pricing, as well as a more seamless transaction and settlement process.

EastWest has also enrolled 21 US dollar Treasury Bills in the central securities depository, making the instruments available not only to the Bank’s clients but also to investors across the wider Philippine market. This expands the initiative’s impact beyond a single institution and supports broader participation in foreign-currency investments.

To further widen participation, the Bank introduced Bond Pooling, which allows several investors to combine their funds to meet the minimum requirement for securities that would otherwise remain inaccessible to them individually. Collectively, these efforts drove a 390% year-on-year increase in volume.

“We want more clients to participate in investment opportunities that may have seemed out of reach before, while giving them advice that is relevant to where they are in their financial journey. Winning Best Priority Banking Experience for the fourth consecutive year makes this recognition especially meaningful, alongside our Most Innovative Securities Broker award. That is the thinking behind the solutions we continue to develop, and we are grateful that these efforts have been recognized,” said Mr. Rafael S. Algarra Jr., SEVP and Head of Financial Markets and Wealth Management of EastWest.