NEW CLARK CITY – All roads led to this brand-new economic zone and sports hub for the closing ceremony of the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games on Wednesday. What a fitting finale – with the Philippines winning the overall championship after tallying 149 golds, 117 silvers, and 120 bronze medals.
Athletes from the 11 participating nations and thousands of fans were entertained by an awesome musical concert featuring international acts headlined by Filipino singers Arnel Pineda of Journey and Allan Pineda Lindo (Apl.de.Ap) of Black Eyed Peas.
Significantly, our national leaders managed to observe a 12-day political truce for the duration of the 30th SEA Games. True to the spirit of sportsmanship, they refrained from attacking each other while our guests from neighboring countries were in town. Everyone agreed to let the reckoning begin after the visitors have already left.
While all eyes were on the world of sports over the past two weeks, a couple of developments in the business sector should not go unnoticed.
INTERNATIONAL FINTECH AWARD
Filipino information technology firm DFNN, Inc. gained recognition when it won the 2019 International Finance Technology Award from the eponymous financial and business analysis magazine published by the International Finance Publications Ltd. (IFP) of the United Kingdom.
Now on its seventh edition, IFP’s annual fintech awards celebrate global business and corporate excellence with a focus on industry talent, leadership skills, corporate net worth, and capability on the international platform. The gala awarding ceremonies will be held next month in Bangkok and Dubai.
Last year, DFNN also figured in the global arena when another prestigious UK-based publication, the Financial Times of London, named it among the Asia-Pacific region’s fastest growing firms as part of the FT1000 High Growth Companies for 2018.
These accolades are testaments to DFNN’s position as a market leader in the provision of innovative technology solutions since the company’s founding in 1999. Two decades later, it remains committed to harnessing various technologies for untapped opportunities and transforming the quality of technology within the Philippine market.
NEW LPG SUPPLY AGREEMENT
Another homegrown company that has been making waves is South Pacific, Inc. (SPI), one of the top three firms in the Philippine liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) industry. The 100% Filipino-owned company operates the country’s largest LPG storage facilities located in Southern Luzon and Central Visayas.
Recently, SPI bagged a new supply deal with Wanhua Chemical Group (WCG) of China, the world’s leading polyurethane producer. This would ensure the reliability of supplies for SPI’s LPG depots at the Calaca Industrial Seaport in Batangas and the Arctura Petroterminal in Mandaue City, Cebu.
SPI President Inigo Golingay and WCG General Manager Tony Liang signed the 450,000-metric-ton annual supply contract that was witnessed by SPI Founder Arnel Ty and Vincent Yang of WCG.
Golingay said more plants are going to be constructed in southern Philippines to bolster SPI’s bid for a bigger share of the nationwide LPG market. Currently it has a 16.4% market share and aims to achieve the second-highest industry rank by 2020.
Source: https://business.mb.com.ph/2019/12/12/celebrating-filipino-athletic-and-business-prowess/
