From Setback to Second Chance: Cebuana Lhuillier Authorized Agent Turns Adversity into Opportunity

  

Naprey Almario (right), one of Cebuana Lhuillier’s top-performing Authorized Agents in Mindanao, turned a pandemic setback into a thriving business, bringing financial services closer to his community. 

Across the Philippines, more than 30,000 Cebuana Lhuillier Authorized Agents are strengthening local communities by transforming neighborhood businesses into trusted financial hubs that provide convenient access to essential financial services. Through remittances, bills payment, bank transfers, insurance, e-load, and other financial services, these community-based businesses are meeting everyday financial needs while unlocking new revenue streams. 

"Our Authorized Agents show how entrepreneurship can make a real difference in people's lives," said Jean Henri Lhuillier, President and CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier. "When local businesses grow, they create opportunities for their communities and help bring essential financial services closer to more Filipinos." 

One of the many Filipinos whose livelihood was transformed is Naprey Almario, a teacher, business owner, and advocate for persons with disabilities (PWDs) from Davao City. When the pandemic forced his travel agency to suspend operations, he suddenly lost his primary source of livelihood and began searching for a new way to support his family.  

"During the pandemic, travel was restricted, so my main source of income completely stopped," Naprey recalled. "I had to pivot and find ways to survive. That's when I decided to become a Cebuana Lhuillier Authorized Agent." 

Instead of simply recovering financially, Naprey built his business around what his community needed most. 

"I noticed there was only one bill payment center in our area," he said. "When you start a business, you should first look at what your community needs. That's the service you should provide." 

Starting with bills payment, Naprey steadily expanded his offerings as Cebuana Lhuillier entrusted him with more products and services. Today, his outlet provides domestic and international remittances, insurance, e-load, and other everyday financial solutions, making it a trusted one-stop financial hub for the community. 

As his business continued to grow, he was recognized as one of the top PeraLink Retail Agents in Mindanao in terms of sales and transactions. His inspiring journey also made him a finalist in Cebuana Lhuillier's Happiest Pinoy 2025, the company's flagship search that honors Filipinos whose stories exemplify resilience, purpose, and compassion.  

For Naprey, the partnership meant more than business growth. "When I applied for Happiest Pinoy, I shared how becoming a Cebuana Lhuillier Authorized Agent saved me during the pandemic," he said. "While travel was on hold, it became my source of income. It literally saved me. It wasn't just about the financial aspect. Even my mental health improved. From being stuck at home with nothing to do, I had something to focus on again. It helped me move forward." 

For Philippe Andre Lhuillier, Senior Executive Vice President of Cebuana Lhuillier, Naprey's story highlights the strength of the company's Authorized Agent network. "We are committed to helping our partners grow by continuously expanding our ecosystem of financial services and providing reliable support. Their success reflects the strength of a partnership built for long-term growth."  

Today, Naprey continues to grow Almario Ticketing Office and Laundry Shop while also balancing his roles as a teacher, entrepreneur, and an advocate. Through his journey, he hopes to inspire fellow entrepreneurs to build businesses around the needs of their communities, showing that even a modest investment can create sustainable opportunities while making essential financial services more accessible to all. 

Is AI Making Employees More Productive but Less Mentally Healthy? PVP Raises Workplace Concerns

 

As artificial intelligence reshapes the workplace, a critical question emerges: Is greater productivity coming at the expense of employee well-being? Premier Value Provider, Inc. (PVP), a Philippine-based workforce performance solutions company, explored the mental health risks and benefits of AI during its recent webinar, “Smarter Work, Healthier Minds? The Mental Health Impact of AI,” highlighting why responsible technology adoption, supportive leadership, and human connection remain essential to healthier workplaces.

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to transform how people work, organizations are embracing its ability to streamline tasks, accelerate decision-making, and improve productivity. But amid the growing enthusiasm for AI, one important question remains: Are workplaces becoming more efficient at the expense of employee well-being?

This question was at the center of Premier Value Provider, Inc. (PVP)'s recently concluded mental health webinar, “Smarter Work, Healthier Minds? The Mental Health Impact of AI,” held on October 28, 2026.

The session is facilitated by Jose Mari A. Hulleza, MA, RPm, RPsy, a Registered Psychometrician and Registered Psychologist, who explored the opportunities and potential psychosocial risks associated with AI adoption, highlighting why technology must support- not replace- human care, critical thinking, and meaningful workplace relationships.

The Hidden Mental Health Risks of AI in the Workplace

While AI offers opportunities to reduce repetitive tasks and simplify increasingly complex workloads, the webinar highlighted how excessive dependence on technology may create new challenges for employee mental health.

Among the concerns discussed were reduced opportunities for independent problem-solving, declining confidence in one's abilities, and fewer meaningful interpersonal interactions.

Hulleza explained how constantly turning to AI for answers, ideas, and decisions could gradually limit opportunities for employees to exercise their own judgment and critical thinking skills.

The discussion also explored the growing use of conversational AI for emotional support, emphasizing that while these tools may provide accessible information and interaction, they cannot replace genuine empathy, personal relationships, or professional mental health care.

Can AI Really Reduce Employee Burnout?

One of the webinar's most thought-provoking discussions centered on the relationship between AI, workload, and employee burnout.

Although AI can automate repetitive tasks and reduce administrative burdens, Hulleza emphasized that improving efficiency does not automatically address the organizational conditions contributing to employee stress.

Unrealistic deadlines, excessive performance expectations, unclear priorities, and unhealthy workplace systems may continue to affect employees even after AI tools are introduced.

The discussion challenged organizations to look beyond technological solutions and examine whether their policies, leadership practices, and work environments genuinely support employee well-being.

Putting People at the Center of AI Adoption

Beyond identifying risks, the webinar highlighted how organizations can use AI more responsibly to support healthier workplaces.

These approaches include developing clear workplace AI policies, protecting data privacy, providing continuous employee education, encouraging independent judgment, and evaluating how AI implementation affects workload and psychological safety.

The discussion also emphasized the value of establishing a baseline understanding of employees' mental health before introducing workplace changes or increasing performance expectations.

 

As highlighted in the webinar presentation:

“AI and technology can enhance productivity, but protecting mental well-being remains a human responsibility.”

For PVP, the discussion reinforces the importance of evidence-informed workplace strategies that consider both organizational performance and the people behind it.

As The Philippines' Data-Driven Workforce Performance Partner, PVP continues to promote conversations and solutions that help organizations better understand workforce experiences, strengthen leadership, and create healthier, more sustainable workplaces.

Explore the Full Webinar Insights

For a more detailed discussion of the webinar's key takeaways, including the mental health risks and benefits of AI and practical considerations for organizations, read PVP's feature article:

Smarter Work, Healthier Minds? What Organizations Need to Know About AI and Employee Mental Health

READ THE FULL ARTICLE - https://www.pvpi.co/stories

Watch the full webinar: https://youtu.be/Ka3Qxcdubys 

To learn more about PVP's workforce analytics, organizational mental health assessments, training programs, and organizational development services, visit https://www.pvpi.co.

About Premier Value Provider, Inc.

Premier Value Provider, Inc. (PVP) is a Philippine-based insights, solutions, and training company that helps organizations improve workforce performance through analytics, evidence-based strategies, and practical organizational solutions. Positioned as The Philippines' Data-Driven Workforce Performance Partner, PVP works with businesses, government agencies, and institutions to strengthen employee engagement, organizational mental health, leadership effectiveness, and workplace performance. Through workforce analytics, organizational assessments, training, and capacity-building programs, PVP helps organizations translate data into meaningful actions that support healthier people and stronger organizations. Website: https://www.pvpi.co Connect with PVP: https://linktr.ee/pvp.co

Miranalla Farm to Host Hands-On Earthbag Building Workshop in Bohol This November

 

Miranalla Farm will host a hands-on Earthbag Building Workshop in Guindulman, Bohol, from November 23–29, 2026, led by architect and natural builder Rebecca Whan of Auwa Earth.
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What if one of the most useful materials for building was already beneath our feet?

That question is at the heart of Miranalla Farm’s upcoming Earthbag Building Workshop, a seven-day hands-on natural building program taking place from November 23–29, 2026, at the working permaculture farm in Guindulman, Bohol.

Discover how earth offers a natural, durable, and beautiful way to build.
Discover how earth offers a natural, durable, and beautiful way to build.
Earthbag building is a construction method in which sturdy woven bags are filled with damp local subsoil, stacked in courses, tamped until solid, and secured between layers with barbed wire. The completed walls are then protected with natural earth or lime plaster.

The method is relatively simple, but its relationship with the land is what makes it especially relevant to Miranalla Farm.

As a working permaculture farm, Miranalla is built around observing natural systems, using resources thoughtfully, and finding ways for people, food production, structures, and the surrounding environment to work together. Hosting an earthbag workshop extends those same principles from growing and caring for the land into the way spaces can be built upon it.

Much of an earthbag wall can be made using subsoil sourced directly from the building site, reducing the amount of material that needs to be transported in. Its thick earthen walls provide thermal mass, while the construction process itself uses simple tools and repeatable techniques that allow many hands to participate in building.

The workshop therefore goes beyond demonstrating an alternative construction technique. It gives participants an opportunity to explore a larger question central to permaculture: how can we build in a way that responds to the resources, climate, and conditions already present in a place?

Leading the program is Rebecca Whan, an Australian architect, natural-building educator, and founder and principal of Auwa Earth. Whan’s work spans earth building, eco-design, and sustainable construction, with training in bio-architecture, bamboo construction, agroforestry, and specialized earth construction.

Over seven days, participants will follow the process from soil to wall, beginning with soil testing and earth-mix preparation before moving into foundation and circular layout, earthbag filling, laying and tamping, door and window construction, natural plastering and finishing, and principles of sustainable building.

Get hands-on with natural building at Miranalla Farm’s earthbag workshop.
Get hands-on with natural building at Miranalla Farm’s earthbag workshop.
The hands-on format is intentional. Instead of only discussing natural building, participants will experience how earth is prepared, shaped, compacted, protected, and ultimately transformed into a built structure.

For Miranalla Farm, bringing the workshop to a working permaculture setting creates an opportunity to connect how we cultivate land with how we inhabit it—treating buildings not as something separate from their environment, but as another part of how people live and work within a landscape.

The Earthbag Building Workshop will be held at Miranalla Farm in Guindulman, Bohol, from November 23–29, 2026. Participation is limited, with 10 slots remaining.

About Miranalla Farm
Miranalla Farm is a working permaculture farm in Guindulman, Bohol that creates space for hands-on learning, regenerative practices, and a closer relationship with the land. Through workshops and immersive experiences, the farm brings together agriculture, sustainability, intentional living, and practical skills that encourage people to engage more directly with the environments they inhabit.

Casino Plus makes history with Evolution's first-ever offline collaboration in the Philippines

Casino Plus, one of the country’s leading responsible digital entertainment platforms licensed by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), has made history as the first operator to stage an offline collaboration with Evolution in the Philippines, taking a partnership built online over nearly five years into a live setting for the first time.

Casino Plus hosted the historic, invitation-only event on October 30 at Dusit Thani, Makati City, Philippines, where Casino Plus players received an exclusive preview of Game Night, Evolution's newest live casino game show, ahead of its commercial release. The evening also included an awarding ceremony led by Cristina Hsia, Evolution's Country Manager for the Philippines, alongside the Casino Plus CEO. 

“This is a historic first for Casino Plus and for the Philippine market,” said Casino Plus CEO Evan Spytma.“Evolution's decision to bring its first-ever offline collaboration in the country to Casino Plus reflects years of consistent work under PAGCOR's regulatory framework. For our players, it is assurance that the platform they use every day is held to the standards of one of the most established names in live casino. For the industry, it shows what a regulated Philippine operator and a global supplier can build together.”

Why Casino Plus was first

Casino Plus began its partnership with Evolution in 2022 with slot games and expanded its online casino offerings to include Evolution's live casino portfolio in May 2023. Evolution, listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and active in regulated markets worldwide, conducts due diligence before entering customer relationships and continues to evaluate partners over time.

Gionata La Torre, Evolution CEO Asia, described Casino Plus as the company's “trusted partner in the regulated Philippine market” and “the natural choice” for its first offline engagement in the country.

“We value their reliability, how they run their platform, and their commitment to responsible gaming and the player experience,” La Torre said. “Our decision to work with Casino Plus on this milestone reflects the trust we have built in the relationship and the standards we have seen through our years of working together.”

Spytma said the partnership was earned through conduct rather than claims. “Trust is not something we announce. It is something partners like Evolution see in how we operate every day, under PAGCOR's rules,” he said. “Integrity is the foundation of everything we build, and this collaboration is what that looks like from the outside.”

A regulated operator with international reach

The collaboration adds an international proof point to the compliance record Casino Plus has built under PAGCOR, including Know Your Customer verification, anti-money laundering controls and a ₱1-billion PhilFirst Surety Bond Protection Program for qualified player funds launched in December 2025.

It also places Casino Plus at the centre of Evolution's growing Philippine presence. The supplier opened its first live casino studio in Asia, in Cebu, in 2025, and La Torre said the country is “a key part of our growth in Asia.”

Casino Plus and Evolution described the event as the beginning of a longer-term partnership, with plans to continue developing new gaming experiences for Filipino players. “Our biggest goal is to keep building our relationship over time and create experiences that matter to Filipino players,” La Torre said.

“A historic first only matters if it leads somewhere. Game Night is the first chapter, not the last,” Spytma said. “This is a milestone for the regulated Philippine market as much as for Casino Plus. It shows global suppliers that licensed local operators are ready to build world-class experiences with them.”

What it means for Casino Plus players

Casino Plus players were the first in the country to see Game Night, which adapts the format of a classic games night into a live casino game show. It is built around a 54-segment money wheel, with multipliers on every spin and five bonus games: Connect 4, Battleship, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Snakes and Ladders, and Rock Paper Scissors.

Evolution said it plans, where possible, to offer Casino Plus players early access to selected new Evolution games, alongside continued joint online and offline campaigns in the Philippines.

“Our mission is to bring fun to people, and to do it responsibly,” Spytma said. “Taking Evolution's games off the screen and into the room for our players is that mission at its best. They deserve experiences built to global standards, and that is what we intend to keep delivering.”

“For Evolution, partnering with Casino Plus means taking a relationship we have built over several years and bringing it to life in a new way for Filipino players,” La Torre said. “We share a focus on quality, innovation, responsible gaming and the player experience.”

Casino Plus began its partnership with Evolution in November 2021 with slot games and expanded its online casino offerings to include Evolution's live casino portfolio in May 2023.

RESPONSIBLE GAMING ADVISORY

In accordance with PAGCOR’s Responsible Gaming Code of Practice, Casino Plus wishes to remind all players of the following:

Gaming is for entertainment purposes only. It should not be considered a source of income or a means of financial relief. Players are encouraged to play responsibly and within their means.

Winning is never guaranteed. All gaming outcomes are determined by chance. Past results, including jackpot wins, do not influence or predict future outcomes.

Gaming is for persons 21 years old and above only. Gambling can be addictive. Know when to stop. For assistance, email ResponsibleGaming@pagcor.ph.

About IGO Digital High Technology, Inc.

Casino Plus is a PAGCOR-licensed online gaming platform in the Philippines that provides secure, regulated, and responsible digital entertainment for Filipino players. Guided by the principles of responsible gaming and player protection, the company is committed to a fair and engaging experience backed by verified payouts. Through its continued expansion, Casino Plus has become one of the country’s leading online gaming platforms, pairing entertainment with meaningful corporate social responsibility initiatives.

ABOUT EVOLUTION

Evolution is a global B2B provider of online casino entertainment, known for creating and growing the online live casino category. Founded in 2006, the company employs more than 22,000 people across 27 studios on six continents, including its live casino studio in Cebu, Philippines. Its group brands include Evolution, NetEnt, Red Tiger, Ezugi, Big Time Gaming, Nolimit City, Sneaky Slots and DigiWheel. Evolution is headquartered in Sweden and listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.