Leads change and innovation

The past few weeks have exposed our collective shortcomings as a nation, from our leaders down to each citizen. It has further highlighted divisions within our society, as well as our long-time neglect of our common home. We Filipinos are now being called to unite and act for our common good, and this starts with introspection and dialogue. The ongoing discussion within the Ateneo de Manila community about how to respond to these issues is a sign towards the right direction. Engaging with society,especially with people at the margins, has always been and will always be at the core of the University. Each Atenean is encouraged to continue the conversation, and we  hope that more voices and opinions will be heard. We hope that this will lead towards more meaningful, more inclusive, and more impactful  engagement with the people we have always vowed to serve. In the University President’s letter, we are being called to be in solidarity with those who are suffering, and at the same ... » Learn More about Ateneo working to bring positive change in society

SINGAPORE - Company bosses and workers have to transform their mindsets to ensure their businesses keep up amid the upheaval caused by the pandemic, experts said at a Budget discussion. They noted that part of this shift will include growing large local enterprises so that they become more attractive to job seekers and supporting them so that they can internationalise. Professor Hoon Hian Teck, dean of Singapore Management University's School of Economics and a Nominated MP, told the roundtable discussion organised by The Straits Times and UOB: "Going overseas can help them raise the productivity that can ultimately lead to better jobs and better pay." As these large local enterprises grow, graduates can also be drawn to start their careers with them rather than just aiming for multinational corporations, he added. "It can produce a little bit of signalling effect for our students, who might (find) it more exciting to join a large local enterprise because there is larger ... » Learn More about Help large local enterprises grow as part of mindset change: Experts

SINGAPORE - Singapore wants its young people to come up with innovative solutions to encourage sustainability in companies and the community. Media outlet Eco-Business's non-profit arm EB Impact came up with a mentorship programme where small groups of youngsters will help to solve environmental issues for companies, under the guidance of professionals in the green sector. This programme - which has seen 63 young people and 52 mentors signing up so far since mid-October - was officially launched at a virtual dialogue on Friday (Nov 20). The dialogue included Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment, students, climate activists and professionals from Temasek, Facebook and SP Group. The mentorship programme, called Sustainability Exchange, also opened up a second round of applications on Friday on the EB Impact website, which will close on Dec 11. Applicants must be aged between 19 and 30, and they should be passionate about sustainability ... » Learn More about Singapore youth to take the lead in sustainability innovations

SINGAPORE - A senior district judge has been appointed to lead the inquiry into the fatal Tuas explosion that killed three workers. Senior district judge Ong Hian Sun will chair the inquiry committee and be assisted by Mr Lucas Ng, general manager of plant, Petrochemical Corporation of Singapore, and Dr Peter Nagler, chief innovation officer at A*Star, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said in a statement on Friday (March 5). "The inquiry committee will look into and ascertain the causes and circumstances that led to the explosion and make recommendations to prevent the recurrence of such accidents," the ministry said. The dates and venue of the inquiry will be announced at a later date. Its proceedings will be held in open court. The committee visited the Tuas incident site with Senior Minister of State for Manpower Zaqy Mohamad on Friday and were briefed on the status of the investigations, MOM said. Three workers died and another five are still in hospital following the ... » Learn More about Senior district judge Ong Hian Sun to lead inquiry into fatal Tuas blast

In this first of a three-part series on design innovation, Senior Education Correspondent Sandra Davie talks to Minister for Communications and Information S. Iswaran on how design thinking has been used in formulating government policies and programmes Meet Mr Michael Hon, 63, who has persuaded scores of seniors - who once shunned e-payments - to use them on a daily basis. The semi-retired businessman, who signed on to become a digital ambassador during the circuit breaker period last year, has a special touch when teaching seniors how to use digital tools. He encourages them to take notes which they can refer to. To reinforce the teaching further, he gets them to practise in front of him. "Most of the time, they are worried about security issues when using e-payments, so I tell them how I had the same worries when I started, and what are the ways to protect oneself." He does not just tell the seniors and hawkers that they need to adopt technology. He also explains why they ... » Learn More about Singapore, a nation by design

ATLANTA, USA (February 16, 2021) – Asia’s largest Forbes five-star ultra-luxury integrated resort welcomed auspicious beginnings and celebrated another milestone as it is received its second five-star rating from Forbes Travel Guide (FTG). The award is a testament to how Okada Manila consistently offers unparalleled service and innovative, state-of-the art features, making it a truly extraordinary and world-class resort. Just a month ago, digital health leader Sharecare, together with Forbes Travel Guide, awarded the VERIFIED® certification badge to Okada Manila for being equipped with industry-leading and comprehensive safety protocols, making it one of the world’s best and safest integrated resorts. “While much of the world has changed due to the pandemic, we are proud to say that we have remained steadfast in providing exceptional guest experiences in a very safe environment,” shares Okada Manila Senior Vice President for Hotel Operations Ivaylo Ivanov. This milestone is a ... » Learn More about Okada Manila’s great story continues with its second Forbes Travel Guide 5 star award

SINGAPORE - This is the transcript of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's broadcast to the nation on Sunday (June 7) on overcoming the crisis of a generation. It is the first in a series of six ministerial broadcasts, scheduled from June 7 to June 20, on the theme of securing Singapore's future in a post-Covid-19 world. The next broadcast by National Development Minister and Second Finance Minister Lawrence Wong is on Tuesday. My fellow Singaporeans, good evening. Our fight against Covid-19 continues. We have made good progress. In the community, new cases have come down. In the migrant worker dormitories, the situation has stabilised. Our healthcare system is coping well, thanks to the outstanding work of our healthcare professionals, and many others on the front line. Most importantly, among both Singaporeans and migrant workers, we have kept fatalities low - one of the lowest rates in the world. As a result, we have been able to move out of the circuit breaker. We are ... » Learn More about Singapore will not falter in its onward march: Full speech of PM Lee’s national broadcast on Covid-19

SINGAPORE - The Covid-19 pandemic is the most dangerous crisis that humanity has faced in a very long time, and it will throw up immense challenges, but Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong believes that an even stronger and better Singapore can emerge from it. Speaking on Sunday (June 7), he did not downplay the magnitude of the task at hand. International trade would be hit. Many industries may never recover fully from the pandemic. Jobs would be lost. "The next few years will be a disruptive and difficult time for all of us," he said. This was especially true of Singapore, which makes a living by connecting itself to the rest of the world, said Mr Lee. "But despite these immense challenges, I say to you: Do not fear. Do not lose heart," said Mr Lee. After all, international trade may shrink but it would not disappear, he said, and the reputation that Singapore has built for itself over decades would be a big advantage. Also, Singapore has been preparing for uncertainties and ... » Learn More about Stronger Singapore can emerge from humanity’s ‘most dangerous crisis’, says PM Lee on Covid-19 pandemic

Ian Ang doesn't do business lunches and he's not making an exception for this interview. His public relations people have not been able to tell me why he wants to meet over tea instead. When we meet, the 28-year-old co-founder and CEO of gaming chair company Secretlab explains that a full meal means he won't be able to concentrate later. He usually has lunch in his office too, and prefers to keep to this. "I try to eat very few carbs for lunch to avoid food coma so I can continue working after," he says. "I eat the same thing every day. Codfish and chicken teriyaki, and just a little bit of rice. I don't want to deviate from this daily productive routine, hence I don't have business lunches on weekdays." So here I am, at Starbucks in Tekka Place at 3pm on the eve of Deepavali. Traffic in the area is jammed up. A few of his people have come early to make sure we have seats. He arrives soon after, having taken a taxi from the Secretlab office in the Bendemeer ... » Learn More about Lunch with Sumiko: One great idea later, Secretlab CEO Ian Ang has 70% stake in multimillion-dollar business

Two-Michelin-starred Chef Mok Kit Keung’s signature dishes are many – deep-fried whole boneless chicken filled with fried glutinous rice, for instance; or coddled sliced Soon Hock fillet and young coconut in fish broth – but at the end of a resplendent meal at Shang Palace, it’s the deceptively simple dessert of 20-year tangerine peel in red bean soup that lingers bittersweetly in your heart. Not only are the subtle flavours perfectly balanced, the chef’s emotions also come through cleanly: The dish is a tribute of sorts to his late mother, who would preserve batches of her own orange peel each year. “When my mother passed away in January, I found that she had left me boxes and boxes of orange peel. She hadn’t labelled the jars with their years, but when we opened one, it was incredibly fragrant, so it must have been 20 or 30 years old,” he said. READ: The heartland boy with the Italian hotspots: 'You can learn anything from YouTube' It’s a dish that has much emotional ... » Learn More about The old family recipes that let Shang Palace’s chef take fine Chinese cuisine into the future