2023

SGV was the technical adviser and official tabulator in the 2023 European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) Europa Awards held on 11 October 2023 at the Raffles and Fairmont Makati. 2023 Europa Awards Tabulators with the ECCP Europa Awards organizing team Climate Change and Sustainability Services (CCaSS) Partner Benjamin N. Villacorte, CCaSS Directors Diana Rose A. Sadili and Ricardo S. Maulion Jr., Senior Associate Marsha P. Batusbatusan, and Associate Sofia Maria J. Evangelista served as tabulators and technical advisers for the event. They provided technical advice on the awards categories and scoring framework developed by ECCP and tabulated data from ECCP’s technical judges. The Europa Awards aim to recognize companies with exceptional performance in and contributions to promoting sustainability in line with global standards and the Philippine Development Plan.

SGV Consulting Leader Rossana A. Fajardo was one of the speakers at the 8th Mindanao Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Cluster Conference, with the theme “Accelerating SMART CITY in Mindanao: Built on connectivity and cybersecurity.” The conference was held from 18 to 19 October 2023 in Butuan City. Rossana at the 8th Mindanao ICT Cluster Conference Rossana’s talk shed light on the remarkable intersection between women and technology, showcasing the invaluable role that women play in today’s innovation and digital advancement-driven technology industry. She also shared recommendations for closing gender disparities in the field of technology.  She highlighted SGV and EY initiatives to support and empower women in technology, such as the Women in Technology (WiT) program and the EY STEM app. Rossana with Caraga ICT Cluster Inc. President and Butuan City Councilor Cherry May G. Busa The WiT program is a comprehensive and inclusive endeavor aimed at supporting girls and women to explore, excel, and lead in the world of technology. It includes educational programs to promote and develop girls' interest and skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), incubation efforts to nurture women's leadership potential in technology, support for female tech entrepreneurs, and the innovative fostering of a diverse and empowered technical workforce. The EY STEM app is an interactive platform which aims to inspire young girls to pursue STEM professions by offering gamified content focused on science and technology. This educational tool has already been successfully deployed in New Delhi, Seattle and Atlanta, as well as in other locations in Oceania, India and the Philippines. SGV is currently in discussions with a school to roll out the EY STEM app in Mindanao. Rossana’s talk also aligned with the launch of Butuan City's SMART Gender and Development (GAD) Code, which sets the stage for a gender-responsive, inclusive, digitally resilient, and safe environment in the city.

SGV Financial Services Organization (FSO) Climate Change and Sustainability Services (CCaSS) Partner Glenda C. Anisco-Niño was a speaker in the “Empowering Young Professionals: Navigating Sustainable Finance for a Bright Future” sustainable finance event hosted by The American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc. (AmCham). (From left to right) AmCham Young Professionals Co-Chair Atty. Alden C. Labaguis (ACL), SGV FSO CCaSS Partner Glenda C. Anisco-Niño, AmCham Financial Services, Taxes and Tariffs Co-Chair and BDO Unibank, Inc. Senior Vice President & Head of Financial Institutions Rombit Co, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Commissioner Atty. Kelvin Lester Lee, AmCham Young Professionals Co-Chair Atty. Paolo Villonco, and Sierra Madre Investment Partner Gregory Rivera Glenda talked about the economic statistics of sustainable finance on companies and consumers. She emphasized the importance and benefits of sustainable finance to meet the global goal of attaining a sustainable world. Glenda also touched on the drivers of sustainability, creating long-term value, business benefits of integrating sustainability, key drivers of sustainable finance, the Philippine sustainable-finance ecosystem, sustainable-finance products, advantages and disadvantages of purchasing sustainable-finance products, most promising sectors for green bond investments, and main obstacles preventing investment in green bonds. Glenda was joined by SEC Commissioner Atty. Kelvin Lester Lee and Sierra Madre Private Equity Investment Partner Gregory Rivera. They talked about the climate change regulatory landscape and outlook, investments, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG), respectively. AmCham’s Young Professionals (YP) and Financial Services, Taxes, and Tariffs (FSTT) Committees organized the event.

The SGV Climate Change and Sustainability Services (CCaSS) team held its first in-person Sustainabits session titled “Sustainable Tourism: Increase Footprints, Decrease Carbon Footprints” at the Washington SyCip Development Center. The session was also streamed via MS Teams as part of the inaugural SGV Sustainability Summit 2023. It was attended by more than 500 participants both in-person and online. The session aimed to increase awareness of coastal and marine environments and promote sustainable tourism practices among SGVeans to support marine and coastal conservation.  Executive Director and Chief Mermaid of Save Philippine Seas Anna Oposa presents SPS-developed guidance on sustainable tourism The session’s resource speaker, Executive Director and Chief Mermaid of Save Philippine Seas (SPS) Anna Oposa discussed topics on coastal and marine environments and key issues surrounding these ecosystems. She also talked about mangrove forests, coral reefs, and seagrass meadows, and described the ecological benefits of each environment, as well as the threats they face.  SGV Consulting Partner Conrad Allan M. Alviz presents a certificate of appreciation to resource speaker Anna Oposa for sharing her knowledge and insights on sustainable tourism To help SGVeans become more responsible tourists, Anna also detailed and emphasized different sustainable tourist practices. These practices include respecting the locals, leaving no trace behind, and not taking shells as souvenirs, among others. She concluded her presentation by sharing how to take part in coastal and marine conservation efforts. She then led a fun and insightful open discussion to answer questions from the participants.  As part of SGV’s commitment to sustainability, participants were encouraged to declare their commitment to sustainable tourism and to support marine and coastal conservation. The Declaration of Commitment segment was led by Sustainabits team-in-charge and CCaSS Senior Director Crystal Aleli Cornell, CCaSS Senior Associate Russel James Andrade, and CCaSS Associate Franchezka Mendoza. The SGV Sustainable Actions for Value-Creation and Enablement (SAVE) Council’s Sustainabits initiative is a series of half-hour webcasts covering ideas, movements, principles, and leading industry practices regarding sustainability, social equity, and climate change.

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SGV Tax Associate Shania Rose A. Lozano ranked 4th in the May – June 2023 US Certified Management Accountant (CMA) exam. She also received the US CMA Distinguished Performance Award for her excellent scores on the exam. The results were announced on 20 September 2023.  SGV Tax Associate Shania Rose A. Lozano, CPA, CMA The CMA title is a credential that represents enhanced expertise in areas of accounting and finance, with competencies in strategic thinking, business analysis, and leadership. It is offered by the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA). Congratulations, Shania!

SGV Climate Change and Sustainability Services (CCaSS) Partner Benjamin “Benjie” N. Villacorte and Business Tax Services (BTS) Partner Atty. Cherry Liez O. Rafal-Roble were speakers in the 2nd World Clean Energy Philippines Conference + Expo 2023 held at the Novotel Hotel. Benjie and Liez talked about “Carbon Emissions Reduction: Replacing Fossil Fuels in Electricity Generation” and “Philippine Sustainability Laws, Incentives, and Taxation,” respectively.  Liez and Benjie at the at 2nd World Clean Energy Philippines Conference + Expo 2023 Benjie described decarbonization as one of the solutions in mitigating the effects of climate change. He also emphasized shifting to renewable energy as one of the means to securing a sustainable energy future. Liez discussed the impact of relevant legislation favoring cleaner energy sources. The event was organized by Escom Events.

Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) Metro Manila Region (MMR) Chair Sonia D. Segovia, with the assistance of PICPA MMR Professional Development Committee Chair Maricris “Crissee” U. See, organized the PICPA MMR’s Non-government Organization (NGO) Summit held from 11 to 12 September 2023 at the Century Park Hotel Manila. More than 160 participants attended the event. Sonia and Crissee (center) with the PICPA MMR NGO Summit speakers and panelists The summit’s theme was “Beyond Numbers: Building Resilience in NGOs through Effective Compliance, Governance and Financial Management.” The summit covered topics related to Philippine Council for NGO Certification (PCNC) accreditation process and guidelines, areas of evaluation, and the applicable taxes for NGOs. It also covered the tools or accounting systems for NGOs, tips on how to properly handle the challenges and risks faced by NGOs, and common issues encountered by NGOs in relation to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) matters. PICPA MMR NGO Summit attendees PICPA Southern Metro Manila Chapter (SMMC) President Aileen L. Saringan and PICPA Western Metro Manila Chapter (WMMC) President Peter John R. Ventura introduced some of the speakers, while Crissee moderated the technical session on “Common Findings in Evaluating NGOs: Strategies for Addressing and Implementing Corrective Measures.” The roundtable discussion panelists comprised PCNC evaluators and executives from various companies. 

SGV Chairman and Managing Partner and Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX) President Wilson P. Tan was featured in CNN Philippines’s The Final Word on 28 September 2023.  Wilson during the interview He gave an overview on the FINEX Week which was held from 2 to 6 October 2023, where online and in-person sessions engaged participants around resilience and recalibrating their sustainable growth strategies while navigating the uncertainties prevailing in the present business environment. Wilson was joined by FINEX Week Committee Co-Chairperson Mailene Bisnar. Wilson’s interview can be viewed here.

SGV Chairman and Managing Partner and Philippine Financial and Sustainability Reporting Standards Council (PFSRSC) Chairman Wilson P. Tan attended the World Standard-setters Conference organized by the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation from 25 to 26 September 2023 in London. The conference provided national standard-setters with updates on the IFRS Foundation’s activities, panel discussions, interactive Q&A sessions, and networking opportunities with fellow delegates. (From left to right) SGV Chairman and Managing Partner Wilson P. Tan, IASB Board Member Jianqiao Lu, PH SEC – OGA Atty. Noel Artiza, and IASB Technical Staff and SGV Alumnus Jan Carlo Pereras Wilson was joined by International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) Board Member Jianqiao Lu, Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) General Accountant Atty. Noel Artiza, and IASB Technical Staff and SGV Alumnus Jan Carlo Pereras.