SM Celebrates National Autism Consciousness Week with great strides in true inclusion

First in the country, SM Sensory Lab launch marks a new chapter in inclusive spaces built for people on the Autism spectrum

SM Supermalls enters its new era as a truly inclusive Mall for All with ground-breaking milestones launched during this year's National Autism Consciousness Week (NACW).

Through its Corporate Social Responsibility arm, SM Cares, SM celebrated acceptance and appreciation with nationwide efforts that aimed to elevate the mall-going experience of Filipinos on the autism spectrum in accommodating spaces built to be loved.

SM Supermalls expands its nationwide presence for Pickleball

Largest number of pickleball courts at 61 across 25 properties by end of 2025

Pickleball continues to find its home in SM Supermalls.

Through the SM Sports and Lifestyle Center (SLC), SM expands its permanent pickleball court locations to SM Center Shaw and SM Center Muntinlupa, giving the all-inclusive sport, its athletes, and enthusiasts even more venues for their next friendly or competitive matches. Because of this, SM closed 2025 with 61 court locations across the Philippines with 37 total permanent courts—the largest among mall operators.

SM Job Fairs Kick Off 2026 Strong with Nationwide Jobs, Upskilling, and Career Opportunities

Start strong. Find what fits. Your future begins at SM. 

On-the-spot hiring success at SM Job Fairs in 2025 underscores the program’s real-world impact, symbolizing thousands of lives changed through accessible employment opportunities and strong public-private collaboration. 

As the new year opens, SM Supermalls reaffirms its commitment to Filipino job seekers by welcoming 2026 with renewed energy, bigger opportunities, and a proven track record of impact through its nationwide Job Fair program. 

The Ocean Cleanup to deploy plastic waste Interceptors in Manila Bay Region in 2026

The Manila Bay Region joins the 30 Cities Program against ocean-bound plastic waste

Global non-profit organization The Ocean Cleanup has officially reached the shores of the Philippines with its groundbreaking 30 Cities Program, marking a major milestone in the country’s fight against ocean-bound plastic pollution.

Manila joins major global cities such as Los Angeles, Mumbai, and Panama City as part of the program’s initial rollout, planned to start in 2026. The initiative will focus on the waterways that feed into the Manila Bay, wherein over 90% of collected waste from the area is reportedly composed of hard and film plastics, according to a study done by EcoWaste Coalition, KOICA, DENR, and De La Salle University-Dasmarinas.  

Vena Energy Turns Over 1,000 “Seats for Sustainability” to Talim Island Schools, Improving the Learning Environment for Students While Creating Livelihood for Locals

Vena Energy, a leading green energy solutions company in the Asia-Pacific region, has successfully turned over 1,000 handcrafted armchairs to elementary schools in the municipalities of Binangonan and Cardona on Talim Island.

The initiative, titled, “Seats for Sustainability,” was led by Vena Energy’s subsidiary, Island Wind Energy Corp. (IWEC). It marks a significant milestone in the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts, delivering a dual impact: improving the learning environment for thousands of students while providing sustainable livelihood opportunities for the island’s residents. 

SNAP, Connected Women, and Aboitiz Foundation empowers women in Ifugao through digital skills

Renewable energy provider SN Aboitiz Power Group (SNAP) continues to advance inclusive growth and community development by empowering women in its host communities through the Elevate AIDA (Artificial Intelligence Data Annotation) digital skills training program.

Elevate AIDA equips women with the skills needed to participate in the digital remote workforce, particularly in data annotation tasks such as image identification, categorization, and labeling using computer-based technology. 

In partnership with Connected Women’s (CW) Elevate AIDA Program and with funding from Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (AFI), SNAP facilitated the selection of prospective candidates for the program. An online orientation was conducted on October 14 and 15, 2025, with approximately 80 women participating. From this group, selected participants advanced to a 20-day data annotation training program and on-the-job training (OJT), which was held from December 10 to 22, 2025.

PH Hosts Asia Workshop on Protecting Oceans, Pushing for Conservation at Scale

As the world races to protect 30% of its oceans by 2030, the Philippines hosted the Asia Regional Large-Scale Marine Protected Area (LSMPA) Workshop in Iloilo City, where Zoological Society of London - Philippines (ZSL), in partnership with the Blue Nature Alliance (Alliance), and regional partners from the  government, academe, and non-governmental organizations, recently gathered to discuss science-based, community-driven strategies for large-scale marine protection.

Representatives from the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Maldives, Vietnam, and the Solomon Islands — from government, academe, and NGOs — gathered in Iloilo City for the Asia Regional Large-Scale MPA Workshop, organized by ZSL Philippines with the Blue Nature Alliance and Big Ocean, to share insights and advance science-based, community-driven marine conservation. Photo from ZSL Philippines.