Hub for marine biodiversity education, conservation opens in Cordova, Cebu

CORDOVA, Cebu – The Metro Pacific Investments Foundation, Inc. (MPIF), the corporate social responsibility arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) that manages the Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corporation (CCLEC), inaugurated the newly renovated Mangrove Propagation and Information Center (MPIC), a hub facility for marine biodiversity education and conservation in Cordova, Cebu with a renovation budget of P4.5 million for its repair and rehabilitation.

“Today marks not just an inauguration, but the beginning of a shared legacy. The opening of the Cordova Mangrove Propagation and Information Center—the only one of its kind in the Visayas—is a historic step forward in preserving, understanding, and empowering communities through our mangrove ecosystems,” MPIF President Melody del Rosario said as she reflected on the greater meaning behind the project.

This center is not just a building. It is a symbol of partnership, science, stewardship, and local pride. In MPIF, we believe that protecting our environment is not just a philanthropic duty or corporate responsibility—it is an act of love, she added.

The MPIC is the first and only center of its kind in the Visayas, dedicated to the protection and propagation of mangrove forests in Cordova and surrounding coastal areas. The facility serves as a hub for raising awareness on the role mangroves play in coastal defense, biodiversity preservation, and climate resilience, while also offering opportunities for nature appreciation and ecotourism, del Rosario bared.

The MPIC is provided with tools and equipment essential for the center’s operations, including a Smart TV, sound system, electric fans, tables, and chairs, to support its daily activities and visitor engagement with the newly-inducted Mangrove Eco-Guides to assist in the Center’s operations.

According to Del Rosario, the five newly trained Mangrove Eco-Guides are local community members nominated by the municipality. These individuals handle the daily operations of the Center, including leading tours, conducting orientations, and assisting in mangrove park maintenance.

Their training included immersive sessions with environmental consultants and local government partners, where they gained essential knowledge and learned best practices. MPIF will co-provide a monthly allowance for these Eco-Guides over the next three years, ensuring the continuity and sustainability of their service. With their training and commitment, they are fully equipped to guide visitors through the Center and surrounding mangrove park, Del Rosario said.

More than P30 million was raised through contributions from Manuel Pangilinan himself, First Pacific, Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), Maynilad, Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), PHILEX Mining Corporation, and Benny Santoso.  Other support came from the Makati Medical Foundation, Alagang Kapatid Foundation, and PLDT.

“Thank you for changing the image of this center. It becomes the best place for us to be proud of, along with our mangroves. Rest assured that under my command, we will take care of this center, we will continue our projects, and we will invest more for the future of Cordova,” Mayor Cesar Suan said. (Photos: CCLEX/Max Limpag)

MPIC-mWell leaders win back-to-back int’l honors

​MANILA— mWell of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation’s (MPIC), a fully integrated health app won global honors for its Chairman Manny  Pangilinan and CEO Chaye Cabal-Revilla.

MPIC Chairman and CEO Manny Pangilinan was named Asia's Best CEO (Investor Relations) Governance Asia in the 12th Asian Excellence Awards 2022 Corporate while Cabal-Revilla, MPIC Chief Finance, Risk and Sustainability Officer and mWell CEO, was cited as Asia's Best CFO (Investor Relations)

in the 12th Asian Excellence Awards 2022 Corporate Governance Asia and received the Management Excellence in Finance Award from BizNews Asia.

 

"MPIC was established with a goal of achieving synthesis between global governance standards and Asian values and practices. This recognition is a welcome affirmation of our work. We regard this award as a responsibility to set a higher standard for companies in the Philippines, as well as in Asia. This inspires us to perform better, so that we may live up to the distinction bestowed on us,” Pangilinan, who was also named as a 2022 BizNews Asia Management Excellence Awardee, said. 

Cabal-Revilla has also been named as the Best Sustainability Officer in The Asset ESG Corporate Awards 2022, which recognizes the top teams in investor relations and sustainability. 

Dubbed by peers as the “Queen of Sustainability” in the Philippines, Cabal-Revilla led the company’s business transformation by modernizing its enterprise resource planning systems and steered the company to achieve global firsts, which included the launch of mWell app. 

She firmly believes that digital transformation is necessary for sustainability as it optimizes costs, accelerates growth, and places the company a step ahead in preparing for a more digital future.

Also hailed as the 2022 Sustainability Leader of Campaign’s Women Leading Change Awards Asia-Pacific, Cabal-Revilla has transformed the business beyond being purely profit-driven, futureproofing its operations and its advocacies for generations to come.

 

Cognizant of the need for better access to healthcare, she led the launch of the country’s first fully integrated health and wellness app – mWell PH – to support the Filipino’s holistic well-being by providing accessible professional consultations, wellness programs, products, and medicine delivery services. 

mWell seeks to democratize healthcare by making it accessible to more Filipinos anytime, anywhere. She also inspired the creation of the National mWellness Day, the first online digital medical mission where Filipinos can avail of free consultations from mWell’s volunteer doctors. 

She also pioneered the mWell OnTheGo, a portable digital clinic in a backpack, to bring healthcare access closer to remote communities, especially the Indigenous Peoples. The bag contains a tablet with a pre-installed mWell app, a solar panel and battery, and an mWellness gift box that has a thermometer, oximeter, and sphygmomanometer.

 

“Sustainability and the passion for inspiring positive change have always been the backbone of the work that we do, allowing us to do good while doing well. I gratefully share this recognition with my MPIC and mWell Family, who share the same purpose of making a difference in the lives of many. We are committed to bolstering our sustainability efforts and be an instrument to our country’s sustainable development,” Cabal-Revilla said.

 

With her empowering leadership, MPIC also bested giants in the global business arena and clinched the most coveted Finance for the Future Award. After a rigorous three-stage judging process, MPIC emerged as the winner in the “Embedding an Integrated Approach” category in the solely merit-based sustainability accolade. The Finance for the Future Award is a partnership between Accounting for Sustainability, Deloitte, and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. It recognizes organizations and individuals that support the integration of sustainability into financial decision-making.

 

She was also named Best CFO (1st Place, Sell Side, Industrials) in the 12th Institutional Investor Research (II Research). II Research recognizes Asia’s leading CEOs, CFOs, Investor Relations Officers, Investor Relations programs and ESG attributes that best uphold corporate governance standards and facilitate investment into their company. 

 

Paving the way for health-tech innovation in the Philippines

 

Supported by globally recognized leaders, mWell continues to set the standards in digital healthcare. A DOH-recognized Telelemedicine Service Provider, it brings together technology, medicine, wellness, and healthcare experts in one sustainable living ecosystem. It is backed by the leading names in insurance--PhilCare and Generali. Technology partners include global leaders in wellness, Active8me and Aktivo. The robust platform is built on Microsoft Azure to ensure protection against cyber threats. mWell is supported by sophisticated technologies and highly skilled cybersecurity professionals.  

 

As part of the MPIC Group, mWell is committed to working towards the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being. It also supports the MVP Group’s “Gabay Kalusugan” advocacy focusing on quality and affordable healthcare