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SM: Creating shared value through tech-voc education

One of the flagship programs of SM Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of the SM group, is its scholarship program. Aside from the college education offerings, the program also provides venues for students who would like to pursue a career in the skilled labor industry.

Hands-on training of SM tech-voc scholars
SM-Pasay tech-voc scholar Stephen Parina





    
SM-Pasay tech-voc scholar Jeorge Angelo Madrid
 
SM tech-voc scholar alumnus Anthony Andales

       
                                    

The gradual reopening of the economy not just in the country, but around the world, brings hope to more job opportunities for Filipinos who lost their jobs because of the health crisis. Indeed, the support for individuals eyeing to be part of the skilled industry is needed now more than ever.
It was in this light when SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime), together with SM Foundation (SMFI), Don Bosco One TVET Phils. Inc. and the city government of Pasay partnered to give educational support to 20 deserving youth coming from Pasay. To date, SMFI has already produced more than 4,500 tech-voc graduates who are now gainfully employed.


A dream to be fulfilled
One of the current SM tech-voc scholars from Pasay is Stephen Parina. His dream is to put up his own automotive shop since aside from his interest in cars and motorcycles, he intends to uplift the economic status of his family. Both of his parents are temporary employees at the Pasay City Hall.

“Nakita ko sa Facebook post ng SM Foundation na nandun ang aking gustong course kaya dali-dali akong pumunta sa city hall ng Pasay para alamin ang mga detalye nito at kinabukasan ay nagpasa na ako agad ng mga requirements,” said Stephen, who is now studying Automotive Mechanic course at the Don Bosco Makati.

“Gusto kong matuto kung paano mag ayos ng mga sasakyan at makatapos ng pag-aaral dahil hirap kami sa aming pamumuhay. Alam ko na makakatulong ang edukasyon, kagaya ng techvoc upang matupad ang aking pangarap na makapagpatayo ng sarili kong automotive shop. Magiging susi ito upang mai-angat ko ang antas ng pamumuhay ng aking pamilya” he added.

“Taos pusong pasasalamat sa SM at sa Sy family dahil nabigyan nyo ako ng pagkakataon na makabalik muli sa pag aaral. Hinding hindi ko ito malilimutan. Dadalhin ko ito hanggang sa aking pag tanda,” Stephen said.
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The importance of Community-based Disaster Risk Reduction and Management

File photo: Flooding brought about by Typhoon Ondoy 2009



A person's safety during calamities is mainly dependent on their community's disaster preparedness. No matter how ready they are for all possible catastrophic scenarios, every bit of preparation can go down the drain if their community cannot respond effectively to such events.

It is why a community-based disaster risk reduction and management plan (CBDRRMP) is essential. It places the responsibility of being prepared for calamities and other emergencies on the community as a whole, ensuring that organizations, households, and individuals can work together in making their community more resilient in the face of disaster.

CBDRRMP is important, especially for countries highly vulnerable to disasters, such as the Philippines. Situated within the Pacific Ring of Fire and typhoon belt, the Philippines is frequented by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and typhoons respectively. The country ranked 9th in the world in terms of vulnerability to calamities in the 2020 World Risk Index.



One of the most common events experienced by the Philippines is flooding, which underscores the importance of effective floodwater management. There are many ways that local government units are doing this. Efforts range from structural measures such as sizeable underground drainage systems, floodways, pumping stations, flood warning systems, and urban greening to non-structural measures such as minimizing plastic waste, a primary culprit in urban flooding.
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Top Tips To Encourage Your Child’s Musical Talent


                   Image - Pixabay CC0 License


Playing music is a talent that can enrich a person’s life for many years to come. Moreover, there have been plenty of studies to show links between musically gifted kids and academic performance. As a loving parent, then, actively supporting your child’s love of music is highly advised.

However, knowing how to do this in style may not come naturally, especially if you are not a musically gifted person yourself. The following tips should point your family in the right direction.

Invest in Good Equipment

First and foremost, kids need instruments to play music. Whether it’s a half-sized guitar or an electronic drum kit doesn’t matter, they should be of a good quality. It doesn’t have to be professional quality equipment, but it should be reliable. As kids get older, they may also increase their skills with loop pedals and other advanced tech. Check out the Aeros loop studio as a great example. Kids naturally embrace tech with ease and will quickly find ways to make it enhance their music.

Most musically gifted kids will play several instruments. Having cheap keyboards, recorders, and tambourines can all aid the cause.

Incorporate Music Into Daily Activities

Music is all around us, and it can easily be incorporated into a variety of activities. When looking for fun online games, a focus on music can be key. Meanwhile, you can go back into the archives of Rock Band titles to take this to the next level. It’s not the same as playing an instrument but still helps with timing and keeping to the beat. It’s also a great way to enjoy social activities as a family and expand your child’s music tastes with classic songs from the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and 00s.

Singing can brighten up a host of daily chores and even support academic progress as tunes make it easy to teach valuable lessons.

Find A Tutor

Kids can develop their skills simply by picking up an instrument. However, a lack of guidance may lead to frustration. If you’re not a skilled musician yourself, finding a tutor can be highly rewarding. While some schools are naturally blessed with great music departments, many are not. Either way, the one-on-one sessions can facilitate far faster progress. It also encourages the development of key skills. These can translate to increased academic learning and human interactions.

Online tutors and video guides are available too. For the best results, though, a face-to-face tutor is the answer.

Get Them To Analyse Music

A deeper understanding of music, including their own efforts, will make a huge difference. Recording their music and listening back to it will help them identify their strengths and weaknesses. Meanwhile, attending gigs will inspire them while also encouraging them to think more about how to improve their own music. Buying noise reduction headphones with help from Headphonesty will protect their young ears. So, it will be possible to interact with music as frequently as wanted.

Of course, you mustn’t let the analytical side of things stop them from having fun. As with most aspects of life, finding balance is the key. You’ve got this.
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What Happens When People Dispute a Will?

People usually write a will before they die. This could be because they own valuable things and want their loved ones to get them when they die. But sometimes, after a person dies, family members can't agree on what the will says. It can cause confusion, fights, and broken relationships if it's not handled right. It's best to stop it in its tracks as soon as possible so it doesn't get out of hand. In this same vein, this article will tell you what happens when people disagree about a will.


Photo by Alex Green


They Decide Whether They Have Grounds

Before a will can be contested, there needs to be a reason for the other side to do so. Most of the time, they would need to be a spouse, family member, or someone who was financially dependent on the person who made the will before they could take the dispute to court. Also, there are some things that would need to be shown to be true first. This means that the person who died was of sound mind and that their will wasn't changed against their will. A will can also be contested if it wasn't signed according to state law or if it was made by lying. Once either side can prove this, they can decide whether or not to go to court.


They Take It To Court

When people disagree about a will, one thing that often happens is that they want to go to court. This usually means taking the beneficiary to court or trying to show that the will is not valid. Most of the time, you need a professional estate planning attorney to help you through this process. They can best represent you and tell you what steps to take. It has been found that many cases involving wills are solved before they go to court. So, this is a choice you should think about because it will probably cost you much less money and time.


They Try Mediation

As we briefly talked about above, mediation is often used when people disagree about a will. This is when the lawyer helps you and the other person agree on the best way to solve the problem so that everyone is happy. This works best when both parties are willing to agree and are at peace with each other. Since it's usually a family dispute, it might also be best to see if you can listen to each other and talk to each other in a good way to come to an agreement. It could also be a better choice than having the courts make a decision that might not be good for both sides. But mediation isn't always an option. If that's the case, they would have to fight it out in court, which could take years and cost both sides a lot of money in legal fees.


When a loved one dies, the last thing you want is to spend the time you should be spending grieving fighting over their will. But when money and property are involved, it can be hard for people to agree on fair terms. If the right steps are taken to find a peaceful solution, it could all end in a way that is good for most people and gives respect to the dead.
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Easy Ways to Update your Home while Increasing Its Value

Do you want to try and update your home? Maybe you just want to make sure that you are doing everything you can to try and rocket its value. Either way, this guide will help you to make the right decisions so your home ends up looking great while increasing your possibility of making a profit.




Update your Finishes

Superficial changes can have a huge impact on buyers. A lot of property agents will tell you how much of a difference a fresh coat of paint can make, especially when you look at how affordable it is. Some experts also agree that a fresh coat of paint can make a huge difference to your home’s sale price. It can add up to 5% to your value, and this can really make it easy for you to make a profit. If you can look around your home, try and look out for any light fixtures that need to be replaced or even think about changing your front door. This will give your home a huge bump in value.

Upgrade your Appliances

Energy-efficient upgrades can really reduce your utility bills. When the time comes for you to sell, these upgrades will offer a lot of appeal to your buyers. A lot of them will be interested in some of the energy-saving features that you have to offer as this will help them to lower the costs when they move into your property. If you want to help yourself even more here, then try and get your air conditioning unit cleaned out. The DUCTZ company can help you with that.

Freshen your Curb Appeal

Simple landscaping can work in your favor more than you realize. Fresh plants, new mulch, and more can all make a fantastic first impression. The great thing about changes like this is that they do not cost a lot, and most of the time you can take care of it yourself. Potential buyers and appraisers can easily be influenced by this kind of impact as it is strikingly visual.

Kitchen and Bathroom

Most real estate agents will tell you that it is the kitchen and the bathroom that adds the biggest value to your home. In a lot of cases, a remodel can give you an ROI of 100% and this number could actually be higher depending on the finish that you decide to go with. It could also come down to the amount of labor that you are willing to take care of yourself. If you do have some of a renovation budget, then upgrades in the kitchen and bathroom can be the way to go.

Finish off the Basement

Square footage is so important when you are trying to determine your home’s market value. Even if you do not want to have a full make-over, you need to try and carry out simple steps, such as putting up drywall or even trying to add carpet to a room. If you can do this, then you will soon find that it is easier than ever for you to make a positive impact.



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