SM Group receives 15 Philippine Quill Awards for stakeholder communications

SM Foundation's health and wellness programs continue to bring basic healthcare services directly to communities nationwide.

SM Group companies received 15 Philippine Quill Awards, including six Excellence Awards, for communications programs spanning community engagement, customer service, financial education, investor relations and digital communications.

The awards went to SM Investments Corporation, the parent company of the SM Group, and businesses across the Group, including SM Foundation, Inc., SM Supermalls (Shopping Center Management Corporation), BDO Unibank, Inc., China Banking Corporation and Signature Series by SM Residences (Signatures Development Corp).

“Good communication helps people understand what our businesses do and why it matters to them,” said Frederic C. DyBuncio, President and Chief Executive Officer of SM Investments. “These awards reflect the work across the Group to communicate clearly with the customers, investors, partners and communities we serve.”

SM Foundation received four awards, including three Excellence Awards. Its “Utilizing Social Good as a Force for Transformation” campaign received Excellence Awards for Community Relations and Corporate Social Responsibility, while #SpreadingSocialGood Stories Online: Transforming Lives Through Heartfelt Storytelling received an Excellence Award for Social Media. Its social good report was also recognized under Publications.

“Communication is an important part of strengthening the impact of development programs,” said Debbie Sy, Executive Director of SM Foundation. “It helps communities understand the opportunities available to them, gives people a voice, and brings partners closer to our mission. That is what spreading social good means to us, using communication to help social good initiatives reach and engage more people.” 

BDO received four awards, including three Excellence Awards. “Life Insurance: The Key to Heaven?” and “Tuloy ang Plano: Making Plan B a Family Necessity” received Excellence Awards for Marketing, Advertising and Brand Communication, while “Your Child’s Dreams Need a Plan B” received an Excellence Award for Audio/Visual Communication. BDO Remit’s “Alagang Kabayan: Where Every Kabayan Belongs” was also recognized for Social Media.

SM In Focus host Rico Hizon (center) visits the Philippine Geothermal Production Company’s Tiwi site to gather groundbreaking business initiatives and sustainability stories for the online channel.

SM Investments was recognized for SM In Focus, a group-wide online channel as part of SM’s evolving approach to stakeholder communication, leveraging on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to provide timely, structured, and relevant insights on the group’s operations and impact.

Through Mindanao Art, SM Supermalls provides a platform for Filipino artists to showcase Mindanao's diverse creativity and cultural heritage.

SM Supermalls received three awards for Active Hub, Mindanao Art, and International Coastal Cleanup 2025, covering Community Relations and Corporate Social Responsibility. 

“Our programs begin with understanding what our customers and communities need,” said Steven Tan, President of SM Supermalls. “Communication helps us listen, respond and keep improving how we serve them.”

Chinabank received two awards. Its Investor Relations: Focused on Value campaign was recognized for Financial Communication and Investor Relations, while My CBC Campaign: An App Fit for Beauty Queens was recognized for Marketing, Advertising and Brand Communication.

Signature Series was recognized for “Setting a New Mark in Premium Residential Living” under Marketing, Advertising and Brand Communication.

Organized by the International Association of Business Communicators Philippines (IABC), the Philippine Quill Awards recognize communication programs and practices across organizations in the country. This year’s winners were selected from more than 800 entries evaluated against IABC standards.

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About SM Investments Corporation

SM Investments Corporation (SM) is an owner-operator of market-leading businesses in retail, banking, and property, with investments in high-growth opportunities in the Philippine economy. Through its portfolio, SM generates resilient cash flows and reinvests with discipline to compound value over the long term.

Its retail operations are the largest and most diversified in the country. Its property arm, SM Prime Holdings, Inc., is the largest integrated property developer in the Philippines. Its banking interests include BDO Unibank, Inc., the country’s largest bank, and China Banking Corporation, one of the country’s largest private domestic banks.

For more information, please visit www.sminvestments.com

Chinabank wins Quill awards for Investor Relations program and beauty queen campaign for My CBC

Chinabank achieved a double victory at the 22nd Philippine Quill Awards for its Investor Relations program and marketing campaign for its redesigned mobile app. The bank’s triumphs anchored a 15-Quill haul for the SM Group, which saw SM investments, SM Foundation, SM Supermalls, SM Residences, and BDO Unibank also recognized at the prestigious communications awards.

From left: CBC Corporate Communications Officer Hershey Villegas, Marketing Communications Head Aileen Vallesteros, Senior Marketing Consultant Nita Claravall, Investor & Corporate Relations Group Head Gerald Florentino, and Investor Relations Officer Vicky Quisido at the 22nd Philippine Quill Awards on August 27, 2026 at the Solaire Resort in Parañaque City.

An initiative highlighting Chinabank’s commitment to shareholder value creation, “CBC Investor Relations: Focused on Value” won in the Financial Communication and Investor Relations category.  Meanwhile, "My CBC: An App Fit for Beauty Queens," a campaign that humanized technology through creative storytelling and levity, secured an award in the Marketing, Advertising, and Brand Communication category.

CBC Chairman Hans Sy (third from right) with directors (from left) Genaro Lapez, Romeo Uyan Jr., Claire Ann Yap, Joaquin Dee, and Jose Sio at the PSE bell ringing ceremony to mark the start of trading under Chinabank’s new stock symbol “CBC.”

The revitalized Investor Relations program addressed a share-price valuation discount by actively engaging local and international institutional investors and equity analysts. By increasing transparency, consistently highlighting CBC’s stellar financial performance, and accentuating the company’s brand refresh initiative, the program considerably helped improve CBC’s stock valuation and supported its re-entry into the PSE Main Index in 2025.

“We shifted our Investor Relations from a compliance-driven function into a proactive, high-visibility platform that consistently communicates Chinabank’s growth story,” Investor & Corporate Relations Group Head Gerald Florentino said.  He also credited President & CEO Romeo Uyan Jr. and Chief Finance Officer Patrick Cheng for their hands-on leadership that led the market to re-rate the stock.

My CBC: An App Fit for Beauty Queens featuring Miss International 1979 Melanie Marquez and Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Michelle Dee

Featuring Miss International 1979 Melanie Marquez and Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Michelle Dee, “My CBC: An App Fit for Beauty Queens” successfully introduced My CBC, framing the improved app as a tool for connection and empowerment across different age groups. The authentic mother-daughter bond and the lighthearted humor of “Melanisms”—Melanie’s trademark funny phrases—served as a metaphor for My CBC’s powerful features. Launched in time for Mother’s Day 2025, the video reached 14.1 million views and 15,000 reactions across social media platforms in just four months. It was also distinguished as the Best Program in Digital Marketing at the 2025 Bank Marketing Awards.

“The video bridged the digital divide by showing that My CBC is intuitive enough even for non-tech-savvy users. While humor was the primary hook, we ensured the comedic elements neither compromised the strength, reliability, and trust associated with Chinabank,” Marketing Communications Head Aileen Vallesteros said.

CBC Chairman Hans Sy (standing, center) and his friends join beauty queens Michelle and Melanie, flanked by MCD Head Aileen vallesteros and Senior Marketing Consultant Nita Claravall, for Mother’s Day lunch in 2025.

Organized by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines, The Philippine Quill Awards represent the country’s premier benchmark for professional business communication. This year, awardees were chosen from a highly competitive pool of over 800 entries through a strict evaluation process utilizing IABC's highest global standards. 

This year's Quill awards build on Chinabank's momentum from last year, when it also secured twin wins for its Brand Refresh Program in the Change Communication category and for its “Focused on You” campaign in the Marketing, Advertising, and Brand Communication category.

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About Chinabank:  China Banking Corporation (Chinabank; PSE: CBC), founded in 1920, is the fourth largest private universal bank in the Philippines and a member of the SM Group, one of the country’s biggest conglomerates. Driven by its brand promise, “Focused on You,” Chinabank supports individuals, small- and middle-market businesses, and large corporations, with its consolidated network of 673 branches, 1,150 ATMs, and 24/7 digital banking channels:  My CBC and My CBC Business.  The bank also offers a wide range of allied financial services through its subsidiaries China Bank Savings, Chinabank Capital, Chinabank Securities, Chinabank Insurance Brokers, and affiliate Manulife Chinabank Life Assurance.

For over a century, Chinabank has built a deep connection with its customers and the communities it serves, leveraging the dedication and diversity of its empowered people and the strength of its enduring partnerships to help uplift the lives of Filipinos.

For more information, visit www.chinabank.ph or follow ChinabankPH on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn.

Contact: Investor & Corporate Relations Group - 8885-5601; Investor-relations@chinabank.ph; Gerald O. Florentino, FVP & Head - goflorentino@chinabank.ph

SM Group receives 12 Stevie® Awards for reporting and community programs

PASAY CITY, Philippines, 20th August 2026 — The SM Group received 12 Stevie Awards at the 2026 International Business Awards, with recognition spanning parent-company reporting and programs delivered through its malls and communities.

SM Investments Corporation, the parent company of the SM Group, received four awards. It won Gold Stevies in the Conglomerates (Large) and Best Annual Report (Publicly Held Corporations) categories for its 2025 Integrated Report.

Its 2025 Sustainability Report received Bronze for Best Sustainability Report. The SM Sustainability School also received Bronze in the Sustainability Initiative of the Year category for Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.

Frederic C. DyBuncio, President and Chief Executive Officer of SM Investments.

“Clear reporting gives investors and other stakeholders a better view of how we make decisions, manage the business, and plan for the long term,” said Frederic C. DyBuncio, President and Chief Executive Officer of SM Investments. “The other awards show how that same sense of responsibility is carried through by our businesses in the communities they serve.”

That work is evident in the eight awards SM Supermalls received.

Steven T. Tan, President of SM Supermalls.

“People experience a mall through the things they do there, not through what we say about it,” said SM Supermalls President Steven T. Tan. “A place to read, an event that brings local art to more people, or a program that makes the mall easier to use can make a practical difference to a community.”

The Philippine International Pyromusical Competition won Gold for Brand Experience of the Year (Consumer), while the Find Your SM campaign received Silver in the same category.

The SM Green Movement won Silver for Achievement in Corporate Social Responsibility. The SM Cares Coastal Cleanup initiative received Silver for Achievement in Environment, while SM Cares: A Mall for All received Silver for Achievement in Diversity and Inclusion.

The SM Cares Book Nook received Bronze for Most Innovative Creative Project. The program makes space in malls for people to read and share books. The Empowering Communities campaign was also recognized in the Corporate Social Responsibility Program of the Year category for Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.

SM Mindanao Art received Bronze in the Corporate and Community (Community Engagement Event) category, giving Mindanaoan artists and their work a wider public audience.

More than 300 business professionals took part in two months of judging. Winners were determined from their average scores.

The International Business Awards, now in their 23rd year, recognize organizations, executives, entrepreneurs, and teams worldwide.

Chinabank wins regional award for HR digital transformation

From left: AIA Indonesia Chief Human Resources Officer Ichsan Adiwijaya, CBC HR Business Solutions Department Head Gene Modequillo, CBC HR Strategic Support Division Head Rizza Salvino, and People Matters New Markets Head Aditya Chopra.

Chinabank was recognized among the best organizations, teams, and individuals in Southeast Asia that redefine the future of work through technology and purposeful transformation. 

The bank earned the Silver Award for Human Capital Management (HCM) Innovation and Implementation under the Visionary Organizations category at the recent People Matters Infini‑T Awards SEA 2026 in Singapore.

The award is in recognition of the bank’s successful digital transformation of its HR ecosystem through SyncHROne, developed in partnership with Darwinbox and launched in 2025. The AI-powered, mobile-enabled SyncHROne streamlines HR operations and enhances employee engagement and productivity.

“We are proud of this achievement, which reflects our shared commitment to building a future-ready, inclusive, and innovation-driven workplace. Through SyncHROne, we have empowered Chinabankers with a unified ‘source of truth’ that allows them to focus on what matters most—growth and excellence,” Chinabank Human Resources Group Head Tani Cruz said.

Aside from its triumph at the Infini-T Awards, the highlight of the two-day People Matters TechHR Singapore 2026, Chinabank also shared its HR transformation journey during the “Futurist Circle” breakout session. HRG Strategic Support Division Head Rizza Salvino explained how Chinabank leveraged AI and data-driven insights to redefine the employee experience and boost performance. She said leaders drive business results when they take charge, supported by HR’s efforts to enable agility through technology and to strengthen decision-making with data-driven insights. She also noted that digital transformation is about transforming the people who use the new technology—empowering them to think, work, and lead differently.

About Chinabank:  China Banking Corporation (Chinabank; PSE: CBC), founded in 1920, is the fourth largest private universal bank in the Philippines and a member of the SM Group, one of the country’s biggest conglomerates. Driven by its brand promise, “Focused on You,” Chinabank supports individuals, small- and middle-market businesses, and large corporations, with its consolidated network of over 650 branches and 1,140 ATMs, and 24/7 digital banking channels My CBC App and My CBC Online.  The bank also offers a wide range of allied financial services through its subsidiaries China Bank Savings, Chinabank Capital, Chinabank Securities, Chinabank Insurance Brokers, and affiliate Manulife Chinabank Life Assurance. 

For over a century, Chinabank has built a deep connection with its customers and the communities it serves, leveraging the dedication and diversity of its empowered people and the strength of its enduring partnerships to help uplift the lives of Filipinos. 

For more information, visit www.chinabank.ph or follow ChinabankPH on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn.

SM companies among Top 5 in ASEAN good governance

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Capital Market Forum (ACMF) recognized SM Investments Corporation, the parent firm of the SM group, and its property arm, SM Prime Holdings, Inc. among the Top 5 Philippine publicly listed companies (PLCs) and Top 50 ASEAN PLCs.

Held at the Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur on July 24, the biennial awards highlighted the top publicly listed companies assessed under the 2024 ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard (ACGS). Recently cited were SM Investments Corporation, SM Prime Holdings, Inc. BDO Unibank, Inc. and China Banking Corporation.

SM’s banking arm, BDO Unibank, Inc. ranked among the Top 50 ASEAN PLCs. Among the six Philippine PLCs awarded, three were from the SM group. BDO was the only Philippine bank to earn a spot on the Top 50 list.

Receiving the awards on behalf of the SM group were Maria Virginia A. Tolentino-Uy, Senior Assistant Vice President – Governance, Risk and Compliance at SM Investments Corporation (leftmost); and Joana B. Tiangco, AVP – Enterprise Risk Management and Governance at SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (second from right); Joining them were Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Francis Ed. Lim (second from left) and SEC Commissioner Mcjill Bryant T. Fernandez (rightmost).

In addition, China Banking Corporation (Chinabank), another financial institution under the SM group, was also named to the ASEAN Asset Class of publicly listed companies, an honor given to firms that have achieved consistently high scores under the ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard (ACGS).

Receiving the awards on behalf of the SM group were (from left) Maria Virginia A. Tolentino-Uy, Senior Assistant Vice President –Governance, Risk and Compliance at SM Investments Corporation; Joana B. Tiangco, AVP – Enterprise Risk Management and Governance at SM Prime Holdings, Inc.; and Lorelei Lorraine L. Sy, Senior Vice President and Head, BDO Singapore Branch.

Anchored on the 2024 ACGS Regional Assessment, this is the second time the organization affirmed SM’s corporate governance standards at par with internationally-accepted best practices after both SM Investments and SM Prime secured the top 5 spots in the Philippine Asset class and top 20 ASEAN Publicly Listed Companies in the 2022 awarding ceremony.

“Good governance is essential to long-term value creation. We continue to align our governance practices with global standards to help build trust and deliver sustainable outcomes for our stakeholders and the communities we serve.” said Frederic C. DyBuncio, President and Chief Executive Officer of SM Investments Corporation. 

“Our recognition at this year’s ACGS Awards validates our commitment to building sustainable and resilient communities,” said Jeffrey C. Lim, President of SM Prime Holdings. “It affirms our belief that good governance goes hand in hand with long-term value creation for shareholders and stakeholders alike.”

“BDO’s corporate governance principles are about effective oversight, strict compliance with regulations, and sustainable value creation to promote the best interest of its various stakeholders. We value this recognition which affirms our deepest commitment to the highest standards of corporate governance practices,” Nestor V. Tan, BDO Unibank, Inc. President said.

“This recognition reaffirms Chinabank’s steadfast commitment to responsible corporate governance that goes beyond compliance while embedding ethical stewardship into our culture,” said Chinabank President and CEO Romeo D. Uyan, Jr. “We are driven by our goal to always create long-term value for our stakeholders.”

The ACGS evaluated 569 large-market-cap PLCs across the region, recognizing companies that uphold the highest standards of corporate governance aligned with international best practices. These are conducted by domestic ranking bodies per ACGS-member country followed by peer evaluation at the regional level. The assessments are based on publicly available and accessible information such as annual reports, corporate websites, corporate governance policies, and sustainability reports, among others.

The ASEAN Corporate Governance Initiative, comprising the ACGS and the assessment of PLCs, is a flagship effort under the ACMF, which has been collaborating with the Asian Development Bank since 2011.  Over the years, the ACGS has been instrumental in fostering a strong corporate governance culture in ASEAN, encouraging PLCs to adopt internationally recognized corporate governance principles, driving improvements in transparency, board accountability, shareholder rights and sustainability practices. The scorecard has also contributed to innovative business models prioritizing ethical leadership and long-term value creation. (SM Prime)