PUP FilAC braces for more events as part of FDCP’s Academic Film Society

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The Film Aficionados Circle (FilAC), the official student film organization of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines College of Communication, is gearing up for more film-related activities after recently concluding “Sineminuto: Buhayin at Lakbayin, Pelikulang Atin!” with the theme “Lakbay.”

“As the only film organization in PUP, we really want to give a platform to aspiring filmmakers on campus. Sineminuto is like a bridge for the mentees of the Film Aficionados Circle into the basics of film production,” Adelbert Abrigonda, FilAC President, shared.

“Bakit Maingay ang EDSA?” which was directed by Rafael Nuyad of Carousel Productions bagged the Sineminuto Best Film award. The short film about two homeless siblings wandering around the highway also won Best Male Performance for Ralph Capinig, who played Anthony, Best Screenplay, Best Sound Design, and Best Concept. It placed second in terms of direction, cinematography, and editing.

“The Portrait of a Man” from Nilay Productions got Best Direction for Ronalyn Antonio, Best Production Design, and Best Editing. It ranked second overall in film, screenplay, and sound design categories.

Meanwhile, “meet me halfway” from After Hours Production finished third and received Best Female Performance for Frances Danielle Tan as Emma and Best Cinematography, as well as second in production design.

“En Route” from Loop Productions brought home the second best concept among those which were realized into films for Sineminuto. The only horror film entry in the competition tells the story of a student who gets trapped in an infinite loop on a hallway in campus, preventing her from attending her class.

“Balikat” by ACDK Pictures, “Kaya Kaya” by Aninuno Productions, “Pihit” by 2RDS Productions, “Urong Sulong” by Yapak Productions, and “Yapak” by Amping Productions completed the Sineminuto entries.

Director and screenwriter Rod Marmol, filmmaker/photographer Arjanmar Rebeta, producer and writer Seymour Sanchez, PUP scriptwriting and TV production professor George Gamayo, and FilAC alumnus Edrian Pabona made up the jury for Sineminuto, FilAC’s flagship event for student filmmakers.

FilAC also recently became a member of the Academic Film Society of the Film Development Council of the Philippines. The organization plans to hold more events to promote and teach the art of filmmaking to students who share their passion for cinema.

Through the AFS, the FDCP provides support and makes resources more accessible in the academic setting. As part of its initiative, the FDCP co-presented Sineminuto with FilAC together with IDP Philippines, Motivo PH, Urban Chick, M' Finesse PH, and Cinemata, Sineminuto’s official media partner.

Abrigonda was elated that Sineminuto mentees were able to showcase their craft through their films and apply “what they have learned from the PelikuLearn sessions” that FilAC spearheaded this year with National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee and director Jules Katanyag among their mentors.

“I'm also happy to see the enthusiasm of the student filmmakers and their desire to develop their passions into something meaningful through their work. This is something to be proud of and I'm really looking forward to seeing how the organization will grow more in the future. Especially now since there are many students in the campus who are very eager to explore the world of filmmaking,” he concluded.

Don’t take the bait: how to avoid getting phished and other kinds of digital fraud

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With the prevalence of digital fraud in the Philippines, simple proactive measures can help keep you and your financial information safe

As more transactions are made without the use of cash, the use of credit cards continues to climb[1]. However, the increase in credit card usage also comes with an increase in credit card scams and other forms of digital fraud that look to prey on unsuspecting members of the population.

Digital Fraud in The Philippines

In a consumer survey commissioned by global credit agency TransUnion last year, findings from the Philippines showed that 71% of respondents were targeted by digital fraud attempts via email, phone calls, text messaging and other online channels within a three-month period beginning from September 2022. Among those targeted, 11% of respondents fell victim to some form of digital fraud within the same timeframe.

While the local financial sector is collectively beefing up measures against cybercriminals[2], the methods in which fraudsters aim to scam victims are also growing more sophisticated in style and scale. As the digital fraud rate in the country still stands at a level higher than the global average[3], here are practical ways to help protect yourself or your business from falling victim to digital fraud.

 

Guard your online information

Avoid entering financial information on public computers or when using public wi-fi. These computers could contain software that captures passwords or other details upon entry. When browsing the internet, look for an “https:” at the start of a web link especially when banking or ordering things online.

Monitor your accounts

It is recommended to regularly monitor your financial accounts to keep an eye on your balances and your account activity. As most banks and financial institutions now offer personal banking apps for added convenience, some apps have transaction alerts to update users of any transactions made. The use of such features can help ensure that any unauthorized transactions are quickly caught.

Enable multi-factor authentication

Multi-factor authentication is a means of online identity verification that requires users to show multiple means to verify one’s identity when logging into a website or using a service. These factors can be something you know (your password), something you have (a verification code sent to your mobile number), or something inherent to you such as your face or your fingerprint. Having multi-factor authentication activated can help keep fraudsters from successfully carrying out some attacks.

Think twice about sharing information

As phishing scams are usually carried out through email, be cautious of emails that request information. One way to prevent falling victim to phishing scams is to check the content of the email. Was it sent from a public email domain? Is the domain name or message misspelled? Is it poorly written? These are telltale signs of phishing. Being able to identify these signs is a big help in keeping you and your financials safe.

Check your credit report

Credit reports contain information about your credit history. They also help you understand and improve your credit status. To catch any potentially fraudulent activity from going under your radar, review your credit report for any suspicious details such as accounts you did not open. You can request for a credit report from TransUnion Philippines here.

Implement fraud detection tools

For business owners, having fraud detection tools at your disposal can help you catch fraud before it affects your bottom line. Aside from credit reports, TransUnion Philippines also offers TruValidate™ - a host of solutions that work by using data and analytics to stop fraud as it happens. Solutions include identity proofing to validate consumers with confidence, risk-based authentication to verify consumers with ease, and fraud prevention to identify risky transactions and fraudulent devices in real-time.

Report suspicious activity

If you think you may have fallen victim of any form of financial fraud, contact your bank as soon as possible. The sooner your bank is made aware of what has transpired, the better your chances of your hard-earned funds being recovered.



About TransUnion Philippines (NYSE:TRU)

TransUnion is a global information and insights company that makes trust possible in the modern economy. We do this by providing an actionable picture of each person so they can be reliably represented in the marketplace. As a result, businesses and consumers can transact with confidence and achieve great things. We call this Information for Good®. TransUnion provides solutions that help create economic opportunity, great experiences and personal empowerment for hundreds of millions of people in more than 30 countries.

In the Philippines, we were the first comprehensive private credit reference agency (CRA) and we have helped Filipinos to better understand and manage their personal finances for more than a decade. We serve a range of clients across multiple sectors, including international, national and rural financial services providers, telecommunications, utilities, FinTech and retail organizations.



[1] Philippines: card payment transaction value 2022 | Statista


[2] https://www.bsp.gov.ph/Media_And_Research/Primers%20Faqs/Digital%20Payments%20Transformation%20Roadmap%20Report.pdf


[3] https://newsroom.transunion.ph/transunion-report-finds-digital-fraud-attempts-fall-18-in-the-philippines-but-rise-80-globally-from-pre-pandemic-levels/

United Nations Acclaimed Scientist is PAL’s new Chief Resiliency and Sustainability Officer

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Sci. Dpl. Glenn S. Banaguas, a globally recognized scientist and science diplomat, has been appointed as the new Chief Resiliency and Sustainability Officer of Philippine Airlines (PAL), the official flag carrier of the Philippines. Capt. Stanley Ng, President and Chief Operating Officer of Philippine Airlines, expressed his excitement over the acquisition of Sci. Dpl. Banaguas, acknowledging his immense expertise and the valuable contributions he would bring to PAL.

"PAL is extremely blessed to have multi-awarded climate and disaster scientist, Sci. Dpl. Glenn Banaguas, finally on board, as the nation's flag carrier is at the crossroads of a transformative shift of direction of integrating the PAL Carbon Footprint Calculator and implementing the Environmental and Energy Management Systems, both pioneering initiatives ever implemented in the country under our R.I.S.E. program. He will be a tremendous asset to our company," the President Ng recently remarked.

Sci. Dpl. Banaguas joins Philippine Airlines at a critical juncture as the airline is launching its ambitious "R.I.S.E. Philippine Airlines" program. The program's strategic thrust encompasses resiliency, inclusivity, sustainability, and enculturability, aimed at transforming the airline's direction and operations. Within this framework, the integration of the PAL Carbon Footprint Calculator, the implementation of the Environmental and Energy Management Systems, and other resilient, sustainable, and gender transformative projects are groundbreaking efforts in the region.

His impressive accolades and achievements in the field of environment, climate change, and disaster risks make him the ideal candidate to spearhead PAL's resiliency and sustainability endeavors. He is not only a multi- awarded scientist but also an educator and science diplomat dedicated to finding science-based policy solutions to environmental challenges. He is the first and only Filipino individual recipient of the prestigious United Nations (UN) Sasakawa Laureate for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) award, recognizing his outstanding contributions to the field. He is the first Filipino who was awarded by the US Department of State for science and technology in the field of climate change and sustainable energy under the US-ASEAN Science and Technology Fellowship program. And he is also the first Filipino who was featured by “The Big Idea”, a US Mission to ASEAN platform that features people who have made significant contributions in South East Asia.

He has received numerous other international fellowships and awards, which include the Distinguished Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts in the United Kingdom; an Executive Fellow of the Geneva Center for Security Policy in Switzerland; a Lee Kuan Yew Senior Fellow in Public Service in Singapore; Asia Leader Award for Sustainability Leadership; and recently he was awarded as one of the Top 100 Asian Scientists for 2023 by the Singapore-based magazine. He was a grantee of the Solar Radiation Management Initiative, The Royal Society, The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). He is part of the team that won The Rockefeller Foundation Food System Vision Prize - Special Mention Award. One of his research advocacy works was featured as one of the top 10 projects in “Gender Equality in Water Governance” in the world conferred by the Global Water Partnership (GWP) in Stockholm, Sweden. He was also featured by “About Resilience”, an international platform managed by Panta Ray from Milan, Italy that presents the outstanding contributions of individuals in the world. He is the recipient of the Outstanding Young Scientist (OYS) Award for Environmental Management conferred by the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) and The Outstanding Filipino (TOFIL) Laureate in Environment Conservation and Science Diplomacy, often referred to as the "Nobel Prize of the Philippines."

Sci. Dpl. Banaguas has also served as a consultant and adviser for various United Nations agencies, government bodies, and development institutions, working on projects related to climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and environmental management. He is also the advisor of the private sector in the areas of environmental, social, and governance (ESG), Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosure (TCFD), Net Zero Emissions (NZE) and Low Carbon Diet Programs and sustainability projects. He is the Climate Diplomat of the European Union (EU)-Asia Expert Panel for climate diplomacy and environmental security; the Chairman of the Asian Science Diplomats; the Chairman of the US – ASEAN Science and Technology Fellows, and also the Vice President of the Board of Trustees of Statweather Institute, the humanitarian arm of Statweather, which has garnered the achievement of the #1 Climate Technology in the world by Environmental Business International (2018) and has also received distinction as the #1 Data Services Company in the world by Energy Risk.

Furthermore, he has been recognized for his efforts in community empowerment, humanitarian activities, and peacebuilding initiatives. He has founded the Environmental and Climate Change Research Institute (ECCRI), which brings cutting-edge research to marginalized communities in the Philippines, addressing climate change and disaster risks. His expertise in accessing multilateral funds and developing science and evidence-based projects will greatly benefit Philippine Airlines in its pursuit of resilient and sustainable practices.

Sci. Dpl. Banaguas studied Climate Change and Energy at Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University and Sustainability Leadership from the Center of Environmental Law and Policy, Yale University. He took Applied Remote Sensing Technology from the National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA). He also took Conflict Sensitivity, Religious Engagement in Peacebuilding, and Peace Mediation from the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) and also studied Geopolitics and Global Futures, Movement of People and Security, Environment and Security, and Critical Incident Management from the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP). He took Chemical Engineering from the Mapua University and Environmental Management from the Ateneo De Manila University.

The globally-renowned science diplomat’s vast experience, combined with his passion for sustainability, will be instrumental in guiding PAL towards a more resilient and environmentally responsible future. As Chief Resiliency and Sustainability Officer, he will oversee the assessment and reduction of the airline's carbon footprint and the execution of a net-zero emission roadmap by 2050, specifically tailored for the aviation industry.

Under his leadership, PAL aims to strengthen its organizational capacity to adapt to change, foster stakeholder engagement, promote gender-transformative and nature-based solutions and enhance awareness and stakeholder empowerment. His role will be crucial in integrating scientific and innovative approaches into PAL's operations, ensuring the airline's commitment to resiliency, inclusivity, sustainability, and enculturability.

Sci. Dpl. Banaguas's appointment marks a significant milestone for Philippine Airlines and reinforces its commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable practices. With his expertise and visionary leadership, PAL is well-positioned to become a regional leader in the aviation industry's sustainable transformation, contributing to the global fight against climate change and promoting a more resilient and environmentally conscious future.