Cebuana Lhuillier Wins Best Employee Engagement Program at 2026 People Insight Awards

A growing workforce brings new opportunities, but it also creates a challenge: how can an organization ensure that employees across different roles and locations remain connected to one another and to the company? For Cebuana Lhuillier, the answer has been to make connection, participation, recognition, and well-being part of everyday work—not simply activities that happen from time to time.

As a cornerstone culture-building initiative, Amazing KaCebuana stands out by recognizing the value of inclusivity, honoring how diverse perspectives and individual differences ultimately make the company stronger.

“Our people are at the heart of Cebuana Lhuillier’s success. We believe that when employees feel valued, connected, and empowered, they are better positioned to create meaningful impact. This recognition affirms our commitment to building a culture where our people can grow, thrive, and take pride in being part of something bigger than themselves,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, President and CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier.

This approach earned Cebuana Lhuillier the Best Employee Engagement Program award at the 2026 People Insight Awards, organized by TalentView to recognize organizations advancing the future of work through impactful people and workplace initiatives.

The award recognizes Amazing KaCebuana, Cebuana Lhuillier’s continuous initiative designed to strengthen relationships among employees, leaders, and teams across the organization. Rather than relying on one-time activities, it integrates opportunities for employees to connect, participate, share their voices, recognize one another, and experience the company’s culture regardless of their role or location.

Making Connection Part of Everyday Work

Amazing KaCebuana brings together initiatives that strengthen recognition, communication, leadership, and employee well-being. Workvivo, the company’s digital employee community, is one of these touchpoints, giving employees across branches, field operations, and headquarters a space to share stories, celebrate milestones, recognize colleagues, and connect with leaders.

Other initiatives include the Brillo Awards, which recognize employees who exemplify loyalty and business excellence, and Cebuana News Ngayon (CNN), which keeps more than 12,000 employees informed about company developments, people stories, and milestones. Leadership programs such as Coaching and Mentoring sessions, and Leading at the Speed of Trust program foster open communication, transparency, and active listening, while REBEL, the company’s wellness app, supports employees’ mental, physical, and emotional well-being.

“Creating a meaningful workplace experience requires more than programs. It calls for consistency in how people are heard, supported, and recognized across the organization. Amazing KaCebuana brings this commitment to life through initiatives that meet employees where they are and reflect the different ways they contribute to Cebuana Lhuillier,” said Jo-Ann Tacorda, First Vice President and Group Head for Corporate Services of Cebuana Lhuillier.

Building a Culture Through Everyday Experiences

The strength of Amazing KaCebuana lies in how its initiatives work together—giving employees opportunities to share experiences, recognize colleagues, connect with leaders, stay informed, and access support.

The approach has delivered measurable results, with strong employee participation, readership, retention, PR value, and social media engagement. More importantly, it has made participation a consistent part of the workplace, giving employees more avenues to contribute while encouraging leaders to foster open communication and collaboration.

For Cebuana Lhuillier, the recognition affirms that culture is built through everyday interactions. Amazing KaCebuana gives employees not only the opportunity to experience the company’s culture but also to help shape it.

Bescost Printing Expands Multi-Branch Signage Services for Retail and Franchise Businesses

  

The expanded service allows businesses to manage storefront signage, lightboxes, window graphics, large-format printing, and interior branding through a single production partner, helping maintain consistent brand execution across branches.

Bescost Printing & Signage, a Metro Manila-based large-format printing and signage company, has expanded its multi-branch signage solutions for retail chains, franchise businesses, restaurant groups, mall tenants, and companies growing their physical presence across the Philippines.

The expanded capability is designed for businesses that require consistent signage and visual branding across multiple locations while coordinating production, fabrication, and installation at scale.

With more than 8,000 printing and signage projects completed over 11 years in the industry, Bescost provides an end-to-end production model covering design coordination, large-format printing, signage fabrication, and on-site installation.

“Franchise owners and retail chains face a common challenge: keeping their brand identity consistent from one branch to the next,” said Jim Besinio, CEO and Founder of Bescost Printing. “When production is divided among different suppliers for each location, differences in color, materials, and finishing can affect how the brand is presented. Our approach is to manage the process from design and fabrication through installation.”

Supporting Consistent Signage Across Multiple Locations

For retail and franchise businesses, physical signage is one of the most visible expressions of brand identity. Storefront specifications, colors, materials, dimensions, and finishes often need to be reproduced consistently as businesses open new locations.

Bescost’s commercial signage capabilities include exterior storefront signage, illuminated and non-illuminated signs, acrylic and stainless-steel build-up letters, lightboxes, pylon signs, window graphics, wall murals, wayfinding systems, and interior corporate branding.

Its large-format printing division also produces storefront decals, wall graphics, construction hoardings, and other printed materials commonly required during store openings, renovations, and commercial fit-outs.

By bringing these services together, Bescost can coordinate multiple components of a branch rollout through one production workflow rather than requiring businesses to work with separate suppliers for printing, fabrication, and installation.

Built for Retail, Franchise, and Commercial Expansion

Multi-location projects introduce additional production requirements beyond creating individual signs. Businesses must ensure approved brand specifications are followed while coordinating fabrication schedules, installation requirements, and opening timelines across different sites.

Bescost is strengthening its focus on these larger commercial projects as part of its continued expansion in the Philippine signage and large-format printing industry.

The company works with marketing teams, brand managers, procurement officers, contractors, and project managers to translate approved brand standards into physical signage and printed applications for individual branches.

The expanded multi-branch signage service supports Bescost’s broader strategy of serving businesses that require scalable production as they establish and expand physical locations.

By consolidating commercial signage, large-format printing, fabrication, and installation, Bescost aims to provide Philippine businesses with a more coordinated approach to maintaining their visual identity across multiple locations.

About Bescost Printing

Bescost Printing is the Philippines' premier large-format printing and signage company, known for its world-class output and people-first work culture. Based in Quezon City, Bescost serves businesses nationwide with store dress-up solutions, exterior signage, large-format printing, and full installation services. Bescost Printing does not just print — they transform businesses and build stories worth telling.

Philippine Medical Expo 2026 Explores What Makes a Health System Future-Ready

  

At the Philippine Medical Expo 2026, healthcare innovation was examined as part of a wider system of people, institutions, data, financing, and trust.

The Philippine Medical Expo 2026 brought together healthcare professionals, hospital leaders, technology providers, pharmaceutical companies, distributors, entrepreneurs, investors, innovators, and students at the SMX Convention Center Manila from August 19 to 21.

The event showcased medical technology, hospital and laboratory equipment, pharmaceutical solutions, digital health platforms, healthcare artificial intelligence, and software. Beyond the technologies on display, however, was a larger question: How can innovation create meaningful and equitable value within the health system?

This question shaped the lecture “Healthcare 360: Connecting Care, Talent, and Learning for a Smarter, Future-Ready Health System,” delivered by Dr. Venus Oliva Cloma-Rosales, Founder and Managing Director of 101 Health Research, through the invitation of the University of the Philippines Manila Technology Transfer and Business Development Office.

Healthcare is a system

Drawing from systems thinker Donella Meadows, the lecture described a system as a set of elements, interconnections, and a purpose. Its outcomes are shaped not only by its individual components, but also by the relationships, information flows, rules, incentives, and feedback connecting them.

This perspective is essential in healthcare. A new medical device, digital platform, diagnostic tool, or artificial intelligence model does not operate independently. It enters an environment of patients, health workers, facilities, workflows, financing arrangements, regulations, data systems, and institutional cultures.

“A technically excellent AI tool will not improve health if clinicians do not trust it, data are unreliable, workflows cannot support it, patients cannot access the next stage of care, or no one can finance what follows,” Cloma-Rosales said.

The World Health Organization identifies six interconnected health-system building blocks: leadership and governance, service delivery, health financing, the health workforce, medical products and technologies, and health information systems.

Systems thinking emphasizes that these components cannot be strengthened in isolation. Introducing a technology may alter workforce roles, service workflows, data requirements, financing needs, and governance responsibilities.

Situating innovation within the system

The lecture used the micro–meso–macro lens of Health Policy and Systems Research.

At the micro level are patients, families, communities, and frontline health workers - the people who experience care, make clinical decisions, and build or lose trust.

At the meso level are hospitals, primary-care facilities, universities, research institutions, professional networks, and healthcare businesses. These organizations translate policies, resources, and technologies into actual services.

At the macro level are health policies, financing systems, regulation, markets, digital infrastructure, political conditions, and the wider social and environmental context.

An innovation may be safe and effective in a controlled setting, yet fail in practice if patients and health workers do not accept it, organizations cannot integrate it, or financing and regulation do not support it.

Situating innovation within the system therefore requires asking: What problem does it address? Who will use it, and who may be excluded? Does it fit existing workflows and institutional capacities? Are the necessary data, infrastructure, financing, and governance mechanisms available? Can it be maintained, evaluated, improved, and scaled responsibly?

Three drivers reshaping healthcare

The lecture identified three major forces influencing health systems and healthcare innovation: artificial intelligence, climate change, and the policies and politics of Universal Health Care.

AI and digital transformation can expand diagnostic, administrative, and clinical capabilities. However, they may also amplify bias, fragment information systems, and widen inequities when access, infrastructure, or digital literacy are uneven.

Climate change affects disease patterns as well as the resilience of healthcare facilities, supply chains, health workers, transportation networks, and digital infrastructure. A facility may remain physically intact during a disaster but lose functional capacity if workers cannot safely reach it or essential supplies cannot be delivered.

Universal Health Care policies and politics shape who receives care, how services are financed, which technologies are adopted, and whether reforms can be sustained. Expanding access requires not only policy commitments, but also financing, institutional capacity, governance, public trust, and political support.

These forces interact. AI may support climate surveillance and UHC planning, but it may also create new costs or inequalities. Climate disruption can undermine service delivery and health financing. UHC reforms may create demand for new technologies while requiring stronger regulation and accountability.

Building a Learning Health System

The lecture introduced the Learning Health System, one that continuously converts care and experience into trusted data, data into knowledge, and knowledge into better care.

Digital tools and AI can accelerate this cycle, but technology cannot independently determine what matters, what is equitable, or what action should follow. Human judgment remains essential for contextual interpretation, accountability, ethical decision-making, and trust.

Examples from 101 Health Research’s nursing workforce study and the mid-term evaluation of the National Unified Health Research Agenda 2023-2028 illustrated this point.

Follow 101 Health Research on Instagram and Facebook (@101healthresearch) for more updates, research findings, and insights on health systems and evidence-based healthcare.

The nursing study showed that digitalization may improve nursing work and create new career pathways, but may also increase workload when training, infrastructure, workflow design, and institutional support are inadequate. It also demonstrated that climate resilience is closely linked to workforce resilience.

The NUHRA evaluation showed that setting research priorities is only the beginning. A future-ready research system also requires skilled people, capable institutions, connected data, appropriate financing, efficient processes, and pathways that translate research into policy, practice, innovation, and community benefit.

A future-ready health system is not necessarily the one with the most advanced technology. It is the one that learns, adapts responsibly, protects its people, and ensures that innovation creates equitable public value.

About 101 Health Research

Founded in 2014, 101 Health Research® is an independent health research consulting and analytics firm dedicated to producing trustworthy, ethical, and decision-relevant evidence for clinical care, public health, and health systems.

We serve hospitals, universities, pharmaceutical and medical device companies, government agencies, and international partners across the Philippines, Southeast Asia, and global markets.

Our work spans clinical research, epidemiology, biostatistics, medical data science, and research governance. Through rigorous methodology, collaborative engagement, and strong ethical standards, we design, conduct, and support research that strengthens decision-making at institutional, national, and regional levels.

Vietnam Wedding Week 2026 Brings Together 7 Runway Shows and Artists to Shape an Immersive Runway Experience

 

Ho Chi Minh City, August 2026 – Taking place on 22–23 August 2026 at White Palace Hoang Van Thu, Vietnam Wedding Week 2026 brings together seven runway shows, each defined by a distinct creative language, alongside artists contributing in diverse roles, from music production to live performances on the runway.

The 2026 Bridal Fashion Show lineup features DO LONG BRIDAL, LAM BRIDAL, MINH TUAN COUTURE, LE HOA BRIDAL, FALVAON by Luu Viet Anh, ADAM STORE and LOVINE BRIDAL by Thanh Ho. Alongside the fashion presentations, 2PILLZ, NAOMI and THƠM will further expand the runway experience through music and special performances.

Under the theme The Love City, Vietnam Wedding Week 2026 is envisioned as an accessible and comprehensive wedding platform led by bridal fashion. Here, runways, brands, experts, vendors and couples preparing for their big day come together within a shared journey of discovery and experience.

Each runway, experiential space, workshop and brand becomes a “destination” within the city of love. Fashion therefore goes beyond designs to be admired, becoming a source of inspiration for brides and grooms to discover their style, meet the right names and gradually transform inspiration into real choices for their wedding day.

7 RUNWAYS – 7 CREATIVE LANGUAGES

The gathering of seven designers and brands presents a diverse portrait of contemporary bridal fashion and the modern bride and groom.

DO LONG BRIDAL brings a sensual, sharp and highly theatrical spirit to the runway. Figure-enhancing silhouettes, corsetry and intricate embellishment create the image of a confident and striking bride, while preserving the elegance of the wedding day.

LAM BRIDAL, under the creative direction of Designer Lâm Lâm, approaches bridal beauty through emotion, refined lines and personalized details. The designs aim to help every bride discover the most fitting and beautiful version of herself.

MINH TUAN COUTURE brings the spirit of couture and a distinctly theatrical beauty into the wedding setting. Its glamorous and sharp design language envisions the bride entering her wedding day as the leading character in the most radiant moment of her life.

LE HOA BRIDAL embraces the spirit of “Not every presence needs a voice” – a design that is striking enough to tell its own story. Flowing silhouettes, light-catching fabrics, intricate embellishment, corsetry and personalized tailoring come together to create a bride who is glamorous and poised, while retaining her own distinctive identity.

FALVAON by Luu Viet Anh introduces an emotionally driven fashion language. Conceived as a fashion diary by Designer Luu Viet Anh, FALVAON explores materials, silhouettes and narratives to evoke emotions, memories and different facets of womanhood.

LOVINE BRIDAL by Thanh Ho continues to broaden the aesthetic spectrum of the Bridal Fashion Show with its own perspective on bridal beauty, offering another choice for women seeking a language that reflects their personality and story.

Alongside bridal designs, ADAM STORE brings groom fashion into the broader picture of the Bridal Fashion Show, expanding the runway from “bridal fashion” into a more complete dialogue around the style of both protagonists on their wedding day.

Seven runways, seven distinct identities, yet all converge at one point: bringing fashion from the runway closer to real weddings.

WHEN MUSIC BECOMES PART OF THE RUNWAY

Bridal Fashion Show 2026 is shaped not only by design and the movement of models. Music and live performance also become creative layers within the runway experience.

2PILLZ joins the Bridal Fashion Show as Music Producer for the runway, directly contributing to the musical atmosphere, rhythm and emotion of the shows, while also delivering a special performance at the event.

Meanwhile, NAOMI and THƠM will appear with special performances on the runway, bringing music beyond its supporting role to become an integral part of the performance narrative.

The combination of designers, models, music and artists reflects the approach of Bridal Fashion Show 2026: each show is not simply a sequence of looks, but an experience built around its own rhythm, emotion and identity.

FROM RUNWAY TO REAL CHOICES FOR THE WEDDING DAY

Bridal Fashion Show is one of the pillars of Vietnam Wedding Week 2026, but the guest journey does not end when the runway lights go down.

At The Love City, couples can continue exploring wedding gowns, suits, jewelry, beauty, photography, wedding planning and a wide range of other services; meeting brands directly, trying products, receiving consultations and accessing exclusive offers available throughout the event.

This approach reflects the “accessible” spirit of Vietnam Wedding Week: turning inspiration into experience, and experience into a step closer to a real decision for the big day.

With seven runway shows, multiple fashion languages and the intersection of design, music and live performance, Vietnam Wedding Week 2026 aims to create a new meeting point for the wedding industry – where fashion does not stand apart from the market, but becomes a gateway for couples to enter the wider ecosystem of wedding preparation.

Vietnam Wedding Week 2026 warmly welcomes couples, industry professionals, media and fashion enthusiasts to step into The Love City – where everyone can discover a style that is uniquely their own, and every wedding inspiration can move one step closer to becoming a real choice.

EVENT INFORMATION

Vietnam Wedding Week 2026 – The Love City

Date: 22–23 August 2026

Venue: White Palace Hoang Van Thu, Ho Chi Minh City

Positioning: An accessible and comprehensive wedding week led by bridal fashion

Vietnam Wedding Week: Free admission upon registration

Bridal Fashion Show: Separate ticket/QR access applies to each show

Registration and updates: vietnamweddingweek.vn

ABOUT THE PROMOTIONAL PARTNERS

Vietnam Wedding Week 2026 is supported in its promotional activities by Italian Atelier Asia-Pacific and CjC Marketing Agency. Italian Atelier Asia-Pacific is a creative and strategic platform focused on luxury lifestyle and hospitality, while CjC Marketing Agency is a Vietnam-based marketing agency specializing in communications, content and experience development. Through this collaboration, the two partners contribute to extending the event's communications reach and connecting Vietnam Wedding Week 2026 with creative and industry networks across the region.