The University of Santo Tomas (UST) held the topping off ceremony of the Henry Sy Sr. Hall last October 7.

The seven-storey building is a tribute of the Sy family, the SM Group, and UST to the SM founder for his life-long education advocacy.

The Henry Sy Sr. Hall will serve as a hub for simulation in medical education, interactive student centered-learning, collaborative multidisciplinary research, and interprofessional education. It will house the Sts. Cosmas and Damian Simulation and Research Center.

“The Henry Sy Sr. Hall will be a state-of-the-art structure designed to meet the challenges and expectations of a digitally-inclined medical education landscape. It will house technologically advanced facilities and equipment, which will complement the existing teaching, learning, and research practices of the University. It is yet another milestone, securing the UST FMS (Faculty of Medicine and Surgery) a relevant spot, a significant spot in Catholic medical education in the country, the region, and the world,” said Dr. Ma. Lourdes Maglinao, dean of the FMS.

Medical students can access a broad range of digital tools and resources to enhance their learning and education as we were compelled to shift to e-learning and online course platforms,

Designed by C.A. Ventura & Partners, the Henry Sy, Sr. Hall is on track to be completed by June 2024.

Recognizing today’s youth’s key role as tomorrow’s guardians of the environment, SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime) and World-Wide Fund for Nature Philippines (WWF-Philippines) have teamed up to launch YOUth are the Future, a leadership program aimed to equip young student leaders on environmental conservation, climate change, and sustainability issues.

“There is no better time than now to educate the youth. As stewards of the planet, it is important that they have an opportunity to learn about environmental conservation, encourage them to voice out their fresh ideas, and share new perspectives,” said WWF-Philippines Education for Sustainable Development Project Head Dino Calderon.

“When we provide our young student leaders with learning opportunities and expose them to practical solutions, we have a chance to help them design a sustainable future. We are committed to make sure that things change for the better,” says Hans “Chico” Sy, President of SM Engineering Design and Development Corporation (SMEDD) and SM sustainability champion.

Commencing with the grand launch on October 10, 2023, the student ambassadors from various Metro Manila high schools participated in a discovery tour around the SM Mall of Asia Complex, which features SM Prime’s sustainability efforts and disaster resiliency practices. The formal introduction of YOUth is the Future Ambassadors was held at the SMX Convention Center and along with a pinning ceremony. Leaders and representatives from SM Prime, WWF-Philippines, government agencies, and foreign dignitaries are also present at the event.

In a message she delivered during the event, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said, “Our journey is really about the race to resilience, as our climate changes, society is changing. Sustainability is our pathway to survival as a planet and that is what resilience is really about, the ability to withstand the impacts of the hazards that we know and those that we could face in the future.”

The youth ambassadors will participate in a three-day eco-camp at the Pico De Loro Beach and Country Club in November, where they will learn about waste and energy management, resource optimization, and climate mitigation and adaptation strategies from some of the country’s experts.

Renowned for its role in Olive Ridley Sea Turtle conservation, the 3-day eco camp in Hamilo Coast also serves as an immersive natural classroom in environmental conservation. The expected output from the eco-camp is a Green Manifesto that outlines their plans to effect change and a storybook module co-authored by all the participants. The program will culminate through a series of mall and school tours throughout Metro Manila to boost youth engagement and student ambassador recruitment.

In a message sent by her excellency Vice President and Department of Education Secretary Sara Z. Duterte, she said, “This visionary program embodies the transformative power of education and empowerment in shaping a more sustainable and resilient future. Taking advantage of this program will give you all a head start on becoming influential figures in creating a more sustainable and ecologically aware culture.”

Together with its partners, WWF-Philippines hopes to empower young Filipinos further to become the next generation of sustainability champions. Programs like YOUth are the Future, can help future generations become proactive leaders who can #ChangeTheEnding for the planet.

Filipino alternative pop/soul trio of Mercury introduces a fresh and exhilarating era with the release of their new single “That’s Why”—out today via Sony Music Entertainment.

Updating their sonic direction with bits and pieces of retro-soul, Motown, and ‘70s funk, the band pays tribute to the sounds of a bygone era while taking listeners on a luscious blast of timeless grooves and smooth-talking.

“In terms of direction, we think that we’re in a phase where we want to try out new things and discover what else we can pull off together, regardless if the sound is different from the other previous releases we had. And we’re enjoying having to flow around wherever we go,” shares the multi-faceted, genre-blurring band. “That’s the essence of what of Mercury really is, just like the liquid element.”

According to the press statement, “That’s Why” was written in hyperbolic terms as their own way of sharing the most illogical, non-feasible reasons for loving a person, be it your partner or significant other. A love song in its purest form, the soulful track rides the romantic train with smooth production courtesy of frequent collaborator knōwmaad and guitarist Luigi Aganinta, and a swoon-worthy arrangement that brims with skill, class, and discipline.

“The whole band with knōwmaad wrote the lyrics, and I guess it was inspired from my own perspective on my love for my wife,” of Mercury’s Nathan Huang shares. “Originally, the title ‘That’s Why’ came from knōwmaad who gave us a file of production ideas titled daswhy.”

Of Mercury’s “That’s Why” is out now on all digital music platforms worldwide via Sony Music Entertainment.