August 2016 – Touched by An Angel

Here I am exploring the world of robotic surgery at the Medical City. I have been operated twice in this hospital: fix my broken ankle and the removal of my gall bladder. I never knew they had robotic surgery since 2010. If you have had surgery or medical operation , you would know what a pain it is , literally. My two surgeries followed the traditional surgical procedures which are invasive in nature. Good thing I did not have complications except incisions that took time to heal.

The latest advancements in medical technology allow us to opt for a less traumatic approach to their care. The introduction of robotic surgery or robot-assisted surgery easily avoids all the complications brought about by most operations. Getting to understand robotic surgery required me to visit the surgery room but I had to dress up properly for such a sterile environment with a cap, shoe cover, mask and the scrub gown.

It was strange seeing media in sterile gowns but we were eager to learn more about the future of surgical procedures. The Medical City (TMC) has been offering robotic surgeries since 2010 for procedures that target difficult and hard-to-reach areas. . Doctors at The Medical City have been using this innovation for urological, colorectal, and gynecological procedures, which focus on sensitive parts of the human body.

Dr. Julius Cajucom, TMC Urologist and head of the Robotics Surgery Program of The Medical City, explained that prostate surgeries target a “tight area” in the body. “The degree of difficulty is so great,” explains Cajucom. “The area is very tight, and movements are so limited.” The use of the robot makes the operation in the said areas more convenient and easier.

console of the Da Vinci surgical system

The advantages of robotic surgeries are manifold. Compared to open surgeries, it only makes tiny incisions on the patient’s body where holes are made, as in laparoscopic procedures.

Through these holes, the arms of the machine are inserted to perform the needed operation within the patient’s body.

The doctor operates the robot through a console that allows him to see the inside of the patient without having to open him up. Since the patient has smaller incisions, the chances of infection from external causes are minimized.

“It is less traumatic, less bloody, causes less pain post-operatively, and promotes faster recovery,” says Cajucom.

Dr. Kristine Katimbang, TMC Robotic Gynecologic Surgeon, says robotic surgery is beneficial for many gynecological procedures, such as hysterectomies, myomectomies, and excising ovarian cysts, endometrial cancer and cervical cancer. Katimbang adds that many patients who undergo robotic surgery leave the hospital in just a day or two.

“Since there is no pain, they can move easily. They can eat well after a procedure, which isn’t the case compared with an open surgery,” she says. “Since there are no long incisions, there is less pain, less stress, and less agony. You cannot imagine how doctors feel when they see their patients with smiles on their faces after robotic surgery.”

Vision system

Take a look at the incisions of a hysterectomy using Open surgery, traditional laparoscopic hysterectomy, and da Vinci Single site hysterectomy .

The Medical City highly-qualified personnel trained with the leading health institutions abroad. While the procedure is presently available for urologic, colorectal, and gynecological operations, Katimbang says it can also be utilized for head and neck, trans-oral, thoracic, and vascular surgeries. Patients no longer need to fear surgeries and their after effects on their bodies with robotic surgery.

If you want to consider surgery, there are options now. Robotics surgery provides an alternative to both traditional open and conventional laparoscopic surgery, putting the doctor’s hands at the controls of a state-of-the-art robotic platform. It enables physicians to perform even the most complex and delicate procedures through very small incisions with unmatched precision. Benefits to the patient includes

Shorter hospitalization
Reduced pain and discomfort
Faster recovery time and return to normal activities
Smaller incisions, resulting in reduced risk of infection
Reduced blood loss and transfusions
Minimal scarring

It is best to talk with your doctor about the benefits and risks of robotic surgery and how it compares with other techniques, such as other types of minimally invasive surgery and conventional open surgery.

24Aug 2016

Farm to Fork: The 6 highlights of my visit at the Bounty Agro Ventures, Inc. facilities

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

When I eat lechon manok, I ponder… how was this roasted? What seasonings went into this chicken? Why does it taste so yummy? It never occured to me that a Lechon Manok went through a long chain of process from the farm to the table until I visited my hometown Cebu for a Familiarization (fam) Tour of the Bounty Agro Ventures, Inc (BAVI) facilities. BAVI is the second largest broiler integrator “in the Philippines and the dominant market leader for roasted chicken. It operates close to 1,200 company-owned rotisserie stores under 3 brands: Chooks to Go, Uling Roasters and Reyal.” I am sure you are familiar with these brands. I use Bounty Fresh Chicken for my cooking needs at home.

If you are familiar with Bounty Fresh Chicken, then you will be interested to know more about their integrated operations. BAVI is a poultry integrator company and a member of the Bounty Fresh Group of Companies. The company is fully supported by hundreds of broiler contract farms, dozens of hatcheries, feed mills, poultry processing plants and processed meat plants.

Being a food technologist graduate, I worked in manufacturing plants but never in chicken processing . It felt like the good old days, wearing a white gown, boots , mask and cap at BAVI facilities. Let me give you the top 6 highlights of the BAVI fam tour.

I think it’s important for all of you to get a good grasp of where our chicken originates and of the processes involved in getting it from Farm to Fork.

The company-owned Hatchery located in Sitio Pilapilan, Dawis Norte, Carmen, North Cebu

It was a beautiful sunny day when we reached the hatchery . I did not expect so much biosecurity procedure before entering the premises and even the blue colored office. Our van got sprayed with some liquid disinfectant. To help prevent the introduction of infection to the hatchery or transfer from one building to another, biosecurity procedures are put into place and adhered to at all times.

Slippers were provided but I still had to wade in the disinfectant footdip, containing a broad spectrum virucidal disinfectant solution.

I wasn’t ready to take a shower which was needed to observe the hatchery itself but I got an overview . The hatchery has 16 machine units and at full utilization, it can produce Day Old Chick (DOC) at the output of up to 392,112 weekly (24,507 each units) and/or 1,568,464 monthly (98,029 each units). Wow, that’s a lot.

2. Over 400 contract growers

I did not get to visit the contract growers due to limited time but I want to put this here to complete the chain. There is a combination of conventional open sided houses and modern closed or controlled environment farms.

3. Inoza Feed Mill Plant at North Cebu

Located in Sitio Bali-Bali, Brgy Cogon, Compostela, North Cebu, the feed mill is owned by INOZA a sister company of BAVI, and operated by Mr. Jerome G. Cinco referred to as Feed Mill Toll Operator .

I didn’t need to take a shower to check out the feed mill but for biosecurity reasons, I had to wear a white lab gown, hard hat and mask.

The feed mill has a capacity of 3,200 bags of feeds daily production, expandable up to 6,400 bags .

I often wondered why the taste of eggs differ among the suppliers. I discovered that the taste of the egg is affected by the quality of the feed. Feed is carefully formulated by BAVI for the optimal protein levels for various chicken ages.

4. Daily Fresh Foods, Inc. at South Cebu

This Toll Poultry Processing Plant (or Dressing Plant), located in Brgy Inayagan, Naga City, South Cebu is owned and operated by Ms. Herminia Dayon. The capacity of the plant is a line speed of 2,100 birds or broilers per hour or 16,800 birds for 8-hours dressing, expandable up to 24,000 birds dressing a day .

This is the first stop when the chickens are stunned before they are killed and dressed. The chickens are hung and de-feathered by an automative process.

“Safety first” is plastered all over the plant.

I had to wear white boots this time with hair net, mask and white gown.

Before entering the processing plant, I went through the handwashing and wading through the footdip.

This is where I observed how the chickens are segregated as to size and weight.

Some are marinated and most of these are used for the Chooks-to-go brand which is marketed as the only roast chicken that can be enjoyed without sauce (masarap kahit walang sauce).

Chooks-to-Go offers oven-roasted chicken in sweet and pepper roast flavors. Fried Chooks is chicken that is fried after roasting, creating a deep flavoured taste.

Fresh Chicken, Chicken Cut-Ups and Marinado are available under the Chooksie’s brand.

5. Uling Roasters in Mandaue City

After visiting the hatchery, the feed mill and the dressing plant, it is now time to taste the final product. The catchy tagline ‘Di ‘raw’ masyadong masarap pero pwede na.’ amused me.

Mr. Ronald Mascariñas, President and General Manager of Bounty Agro Ventures, Inc. explains:

That tagline started as a joke but that joke stuck. Every time we shared the joke with various groups people are always amused. We eventually saw that as an opportunity to differentiate given that all other brands have various claims that they are the best or # 1 for so and so reasons. Nobody is making a claim that they are second best…The sloppy tagline encouraged trial, boosted name recall of the brand Uling Roasters and more importantly same store sales went up significantly with the wild re-branding. This tagline may be here for long.

I love the inasal flavor. I wished there are more stalls in Metro Manila.

BAVI is extremely lucky to create a niche in the oven roasted chicken . I can see they will soon become a dominant market leader in the roasted chicken industry.

6. Giving the people the best so they can be the best

What I love best about the Cebu Fam tour is knowing that they value the people behind BAVI . Mr. Ronald Mascariñas, ” saw the wisdom and benefit in the Toastmasters system of developing leaders through mentoring in writing and speaking.”

He said, “I want to develop their potentials, so they can be of help to one another. I will not allow my employees to miss this opportunity.” I can see it aligns with their company values by giving professional and personal development.

The BAVI fam tour enlightened me on the journey of the chicken adobo, roasted chicken, tinolang manok on the table, from the farm to my fork.

22Aug 2016

21 things to do during the golden years

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

I have been reflecting about our empty nest situation and golden years with my husband. There are times we reflect on our being parents …that we were not the best parents. We wish we could have done this and that. Though we talk about regrets, we talk also about the gains . If only we knew this…if we only knew that . I told my husband, we cannot wallow in the past but instead move forward and make a better life for ourselves whether with our children or not. So I cannot help but agree on this list of 21 Rules For a Good Old Age . I especially like number 21 “there’s still much to be written, so get busy writing and don’t waste time thinking about what others might think.” I am grateful, blogging gave me this opportunity to share lessons learned to all of you. I am grateful, blogging opened doors for me to meet new friend, rekindle old friendships and have a new life that is more meaningful.

In the meantime, check out this list .

1. It’s time to use the money you saved up. Use it and enjoy it. Don’t just keep it for those who may have no notion of the sacrifices you made to get it. Remember there is nothing more dangerous than a son or daughter-in-law with big ideas for your hard-earned capital. Warning: This is also a bad time for investments, even if it seems wonderful or fool-proof. They only bring problems and worries. This is a time for you to enjoy some peace and quiet.

2. Stop worrying about the financial situation of your children and grandchildren, and don’t feel bad spending your money on yourself. You’ve taken care of them for many years, and you’ve taught them what you could. You gave them an education, food, shelter and support. The responsibility is now theirs to earn their own money.

3. Keep a healthy life, without great physical effort. Do moderate exercise (like walking every day), eat well and get your sleep. It’s easy to become sick, and it gets harder to remain healthy. That is why you need to keep yourself in good shape and be aware of your medical and physical needs. Keep in touch with your doctor, do tests even when you’re feeling well. Stay informed.

4. Always buy the best, most beautiful items for your significant other. The key goal is to enjoy your money with your partner. One day one of you will miss the other, and the money will not provide any comfort then, enjoy it together.

5. Don’t stress over the little things. You’ve already overcome so much in your life. You have good memories and bad ones, but the important thing is the present. Don’t let the past drag you down and don’t let the future frighten you. Feel good in the now. Small issues will soon be forgotten.

6. Regardless of age, always keep love alive. Love your partner, love life, love your family, love your neighbor and remember: “A man is not old as long as he has intelligence and affection.”

7. Be proud, both inside and out. Don’t stop going to your hair salon or barber, do your nails, go to the dermatologist and the dentist, keep your perfumes and creams well stocked. When you are well-maintained on the outside, it seeps in, making you feel proud and strong.

8. Don’t lose sight of fashion trends for your age, but keep your own sense of style. There’s nothing worse than an older person trying to wear the current fashion among youngsters. You’ve developed your own sense of what looks good on you – keep it and be proud of it. It’s part of who you are.

9. ALWAYS stay up-to-date. Read newspapers, watch the news. Go online and read what people are saying. Make sure you have an active email account and try to use some of those social networks. You’ll be surprised what old friends you’ll meet. Keeping in touch with what is going on and with the people you know is important at any age.

10. Respect the younger generation and their opinions. They may not have the same ideals as you, but they are the future, and will take the world in their direction. Give advice, not criticism, and try to remind them that yesterday’s wisdom still applies today.

11. Never use the phrase: “In my time.” Your time is now. As long as you’re alive, you are part of this time. You may have been younger, but you are still you now, having fun and enjoying life.

12. Some people embrace their golden years, while others become bitter and surly. Life is too short to waste your days on the latter. Spend your time with positive, cheerful people, it’ll rub off on you and your days will seem that much better. Spending your time with bitter people will make you older and harder to be around.

13. Do not surrender to the temptation of living with your children or grandchildren (if you have a financial choice, that is). Sure, being surrounded by family sounds great, but we all need our privacy. They need theirs and you need yours. If you’ve lost your partner (our deepest condolences), then find a person to move in with you and help out. Even then, do so only if you feel you really need the help or do not want to live alone.

14. Don’t abandon your hobbies. If you don’t have any, make new ones. You can travel, hike, cook, read, dance. You can adopt a cat or a dog, grow a garden, play cards, checkers, chess, dominoes, golf. You can paint, volunteer or just collect certain items. Find something you like and spend some real time having fun with it.

15. Even if you don’t feel like it, try to accept invitations. Baptisms, graduations, birthdays, weddings, conferences. Try to go. Get out of the house, meet people you haven’t seen in a while, experience something new (or something old). But don’t get upset when you’re not invited. Some events are limited by resources, and not everyone can be hosted. The important thing is to leave the house from time to time. Go to museums, go walk through a field. Get out there.

16. Be a conversationalist. Talk less and listen more. Some people go on and on about the past, not caring if their listeners are really interested. That’s a great way of reducing their desire to speak with you. Listen first and answer questions, but don’t go off into long stories unless asked to. Speak in courteous tones and try not to complain or criticize too much unless you really need to. Try to accept situations as they are. Everyone is going through the same things, and people have a low tolerance for hearing complaints. Always find some good things to say as well.

17. Pain and discomfort go hand in hand with getting older. Try not to dwell on them but accept them as a part of the cycle of life we’re all going through. Try to minimize them in your mind. They are not who you are, they are something that life added to you. If they become your entire focus, you lose sight of the person you used to be.

18. If you’ve been offended by someone – forgive them. If you’ve offended someone – apologize. Don’t drag around resentment with you. It only serves to make you sad and bitter. It doesn’t matter who was right. Someone once said: “Holding a grudge is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die.” Don’t take that poison. Forgive, forget and move on with your life.

19. If you have a strong belief, savor it. But don’t waste your time trying to convince others. They will make their own choices no matter what you tell them, and it will only bring you frustration. Live your faith and set an example. Live true to your beliefs and let that memory sway them.

20. Laugh. Laugh A LOT. Laugh at everything. Remember, you are one of the lucky ones. You managed to have a life, a long one. Many never get to this age, never get to experience a full life. But you did. So what’s not to laugh about? Find the humor in your situation.

21. Take no notice of what others say about you and even less notice of what they might be thinking. They’ll do it anyway and you should have pride in yourself and what you’ve achieved. Let them talk and don’t worry. They have no idea about your history, your memories and the life you’ve lived so far. There’s still much to be written, so get busy writing and don’t waste time thinking about what others might think. Now is the time to be at rest, at peace and as happy as you can be.

And of course remember the five simple lessons in life to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred – Forgive.
2. Free your mind from worries – Most never happens.
3. Live simply and appreciate what you have.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less from people but more from yourself.

airbnb

21Aug 2016

Remember the 5 simple lessons in life to be happy

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ 2 Comments

I am resurrecting this blog post because I failed to apply it recently . I continue to remind myself.

This post is short and sweet so the words speak for itself.

Everyday, we face a gamut of emotions but just remember three simple tips

1. Don’t promise when you’re happy
2. Don’t reply when you’re angry, and
3. Don’t decide when you’re sad

Finally remember the five simple lessons in life to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred – Forgive.

2. Free your mind from worries – Most never happens.

3. Live simply and appreciate what you have.

4. Give more.

5. Expect less from people but more from yourself.

You have two choices… smile and close this page, or pass this along to someone else to share the lesson

14Aug 2016

Explore the charm of the islands #MyMarianasPH #Blogapalooza

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

I love to travel and explore places that I have never been to. I want to get wonderfully lost in the Northern Mariana Islands which has three principal islands : Saipan , Tinian , and Rota.

Coast near Forbidden Island, Saipan. Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Saipan by David Burdick. Some rights reserved.

Coast near Forbidden Island, Saipan. Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Saipan by David Burdick via Flickr . Some rights reserved.

Yes, I want to “Explore the Charm of the Islands” with my sister and two good friends.

Saipan, Northern Marianas by flickr.com/photos/ctsnow/ . Some rights reserved

Bird Island, Saipan, Northern Marianas by flickr.com/photos/ctsnow/ via flickr. Some rights reserved

The tropical climate is similar to my beloved country but there is something to do in the Northern Mariana Islands that I want to strike out on my bucket list .Actually I have two things in my bucket list that I will meet when I visit the Marianas. And what is that?

Bring my sister and two good friends to “explore the charm of the islands” and to visit the latte sites .

House of Taga, Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands. by Kevin Dooley. Some rights reserved.

House of Taga, Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands. by Kevin Dooley via Flickr. Some rights reserved.

The Mariana Islands are home to “the only known latte stone historical sites in the world. Tinian’s House of Taga and the As Nieves Taga Quarry at Rota, as well as other latte sites on Saipan..” These are priceless symbols of Chamorro culture.

Now that is unique to Northern Mariana Islands .

Cap Taga Stone The island of Rota, CNMI (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) by Michael Lusk. Some rights reserved.

Cap Taga Stone
The island of Rota, CNMI (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) by Michael Lusk via flickr. Some rights reserved.

Wikipedia says “Latte stones have been made of limestone, basalt, or sandstone.” The largest standing latte is the House of Taga in Tinian, where capstones measure between 2.7 – 2.48 meters in diameter and shafts are 3.87 – 4.23 meters long. The Chamorros never completed what would have been the largest latte in the Marianas. Those latte elements remain in the quarry at the As Nieves in Rota. The northern most latte sets or structures are located on the island of Pagan.”

House of Taga, Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands by Kevin Dooley via flickr Some rights reserved.

What is the story behind this latte architecture? I would love to visit these historical sites and know more about this significant icon of the Chamorro people.

Even if I have crossed out the visit to the Latte sites, I will continue to “Explore the charm of the islands”.

There are other charming places to explore in Saipan, Tinian and Rota islands. One charm is the variety of birds. Did you know that the Northern Mariana Islands have a total of 104 bird species, of which one is endemic, one has been introduced by humans and three are rare or accidental? Five species are globally threatened. Next on my list is bird-watching .

The island of Rota, CNMI (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). June 2010.
Provides breeding for red-footed boobies, brown boobies and brown noddies. by Michael Lusk via Flickr. Some rights reserved.

Maybe I can spot the Micronesian megapode , a “stocky medium-sized bird that is mostly dark brownish-black in appearance. Its head is paler than its body, and it has a pale grey crest, a yellow bill, and large dull-yellow legs and feet.” I wouldn’t mind hearing its “keek-keer-keet” cackle.

Micronesian megapode (Megapodius laperouse) by Michael Lusk. Some rights reserved.

Micronesian megapode (Megapodius laperouse) taken in the Sariguan , Northern Mariana Islands, by Michael Lusk via flickr. Some rights reserved.

Another charm is the Grotto in Saipan as a unique diving spot with “a collapsed limestone cavern and a pool of cobalt-blue seawater filled by three underwater passageways.” I don’t dive though but I hope to just go near the cave just so I can catch a glimpse of the whitetip sharks,turtles, titan triggerfish, parrotfish, and corals.

The Grotto, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. by Kevin Dooley . Some rights reserved.

The Grotto, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. by Kevin Dooley via flickr. Some rights reserved.

Or explore the charming beaches through a road trip and island hopping adventure. It would be great to explore the Managaha, a white sand beach-fringed island which is just a short boat ride away from Saipan. Or explore other beaches in Tinian Island.

Kammer Beach, SW Tinian,by Stefan Krasowski

While the Marianas is known for its sun and sand, the islands are also known for its history. “The island is now a US territory in the Pacific, as the Americans won it from the Japanese during World War II.” Perhaps we can take a submarine tour and see if we can spot the sunken Japanese warships at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.

Micro Beach, Saipan, Northern Marianas by tata_aka_T in flickr. Some rights reserved.

I can envision it now. As the day ends, my friends and I will lie on the sand and watch the dazzling sunset at the Micro Beach. Perhaps, we will be sipping red wine, laughing and telling stories of our silly past. Maybe, we will just be…meditating for being blessed and witnessing this spectacular and colorful sunsets.

The four of us will surely love the adventure as we explore the charm of the islands…. the Northern Mariana Islands.

—-

Blogapalooza in partnership with the Marianas Visitors Authority is celebrating its 5th year anniversary by holding a contest for a free, all-expense paid adventure to the Northern Mariana Islands.

10Aug 2016

“Ready to Parent” app helps first-time parents

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

I remember the first time I found out I was having a baby. Oh the joy and the uncertainty. It was also difficult not having a mother to guide me or even a big sister to give advice. Communication even by telephone was not convenient in the mid-80s. Not many owned landlines then. I turned to books. There was also a library at my workplace so I did my research there. Will I have a safe delivery? What do I need to know about pregnancy and raising a child?

These days, there are many ways to get information from companies, parents , organizations and even the government. FWD Life Philippines (FWD) , has taken up as it leads a consortium of thought leaders and industry experts in advocating empowered parenthood for Filipino families. The consortium—spearheaded by FWD in partnership with the Department of Health (DoH) and the University of the Philippines-National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH), among others—is seen to become instrumental in building a community that actively helps first-time parents prepare for the wide range of health and financial risks tied to pregnancy. This is good news to a lot of parents.

Complementing the consortium is FWD’s community parenting app for expectant parents, “Ready to Parent”.

The highlight of the consortium, dubbed as “PATH TO LIFE,” will be the partnership with DoH spokesperson and long-standing public health champion Dr. Eric Tayag, and obstetrics and gynecology expert, Dr. Blanca de Guia.

The idea of “safer birth”

I know most first time parents want to ensure they are empowered with the right information about parenting. They need to have access to or can communicate with third parties that can provide them with correct information, which will lessen their anxiety and improve their disposition about pregnancy.

Establishing a community that understands what constitutes the idea of safer birth—that is, instances of pregnancy and delivery with minimal to no complications—is paramount in spreading the word, according to Tayag.

FWD Life Philippines President and CEO Peter Grimes believes that combined efforts by a consortium of like-minded advocates will only help make safer births more achievable for Filipino families. “We felt that efficiently addressing this mounting challenge will become a lot more feasible with the support and participation of both the government and private sectors, particularly with experts like Dr. Tayag and the DoH,” he said.

That’s comforting to parents, right?

Fostering a community of advocates via technology

FWD recently introduced its mobile-first community parenting app—“Ready to Parent” —designed as a companion for first-time parents. Tied to DoH’s vision of creating a community of empowered and informed Filipino parents, FWD’s “Ready to Parent” app, can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play. This is such a helpful app as it will serve as one of the channels through which first-time parents can share their journey to parenthood, as well as exchange useful tips and advice on better maternal and infant health, all done in real time. This is not just for mommies but daddies too.

Expectant parents can chat with fellow community members, learn from a host of shareable parenting- and pregnancy-related articles, and journal their pregnancy journey. I talked to FWD regarding the concerns of providing accurate information. The parent advocates and moderators have been trained and continue to be trained in handling parenting issues.

I wish I had a community of parents back in the late eighties. I know I made so many mistakes which I cannot undo. I know parents who will be using the mobile app can also help build a more well-informed community of expectant mothers by sharing the information they access online. They can even meet offline for real life interaction.

About FWD Philippines

FWD Life Insurance Corporation (“FWD Life”) is the first life insurance company licensed by the Insurance Commission of the Philippines under the new Insurance Code. FWD launched its commercial operations in September 2014. After its first full year of operations in 2015, FWD Life now ranks #13 in terms of total premium income according to the Insurance Commission’s end-2015 report.

FWD Group spans Hong Kong & Macau, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam, offering life and medical insurance, general insurance, and employee benefits across a number of its markets. Established in Asia in 2013, FWD is the insurance business arm of investment group, Pacific Century Group.

FWD is focused on creating fresh customer experiences, with easy-to-understand products, supported by leading digital technologies. Through this customer-led approach, FWD will achieve its vision to become the leading pan-Asian insurer that changes the way people feel about insurance.

For more information please visit WWW.FWD.COM.PH.

Monthly Archives: August 2016

Medical City’s robotic surgery offers minimally invasive option

Farm to Fork: The 6 highlights of my visit at the Bounty Agro Ventures, Inc. facilities

21 things to do during the golden years

Remember the 5 simple lessons in life to be happy

Explore the charm of the islands #MyMarianasPH #Blogapalooza

“Ready to Parent” app helps first-time parents