Pasig City — With digital technologies and innovations constantly revolutionizing the world around us, it’s easy to forget that the genesis of all such technologies begin with people – human learners who put in the work of developing their skills, so that they can apply their newfound knowledge creatively and produce innovations.

But neither UnionBank of the Philippines nor the Center for Research and Communication (CRC) are going to forget that fact anytime soon.

UnionBank, with its commitment to be the Philippines’ leading digital bank, has always been among the first to embrace technological innovations to empower its customers.  And CRC, as the research and consultancy partner of the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) and one of the Philippines’ most important research and consultancy institutions, has always leveraged the diverse specializations of its experts towards being attentive and responsive to the real needs of the community and of the Philippines and the Asia Pacific region.

So it’s no surprise that UnionBank and CRC forged a relationship agreement last September 28, 2020 – designed to maximize each other’s industry expertise to expand their respective reach, in service of the two organizations’ shared vision of upskilling the Philippines’ IT industry.

“With CRC’s thought leadership in the economics world and UBP’s pioneering dynamism in the financial technology space,” comments CRC Consultant Cyrus Paolo Buenafe, who also happens to chair the UA&P Department of Information, Science, and Technology “one should expect that the partnership between CRC and UBP will yield practical contributions that are aimed to tackle and solve the complex problems, while making sure that the benefits reach those in the peripheries of Philippine society in a sustainable fashion.”

The relationship agreement lays the foundation for UnionBank and CRC to cooperate on many future activities, aiding in each other’s implementation of digital technologies and innovations.

Ms. Nicolette Syjuco, Program Head of the UBP Xcellerator Program, which offers a variety of on-demand education programs and pathways that enhance skills and strengthen competencies, agrees that the agreement significantly strengthens both parties, noting that on their part, “UBP Xcellerator is no longer just a capability building project. We have innovated from being a provider of programs and builder of talents into a social responsibilty program where each one from the team can fulfill their higher purpose in co-creating innovations for a better world.”

This signing came after two online talks were hosted by CRC and featuring leading minds from UnionBank earlier this year.

June 10, 2020 saw UnionBank EVP and Chief Human Resource Officer Michelle E. Rubio share her perspectives on “People Tech” and its impact in the new normal, changes in career outlooks resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, and the essential skills one needs in order to tech up in today’s workplace.

Before that, on May 25, 2020, UnionBank Chief Technology & Operations Officer and Chief Transformation Officer, as well as UBX Philippines’ Chairman of the Board Mr. Henry Aguda shared some of the bank’s best practices in formulating and executing their digital transformation strategy, and the impact this has had on the way UnionBank serves its customers today.

The full video of Ms. Rubio’s “People Technology” talk can be found at https://lnkd.in/gsqp93U, while Mr. Aguda’s “Digital Transformation” talk can be found at https://lnkd.in/gfFgeug. • | RE de LEon || with CFG Buday, CRC.

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The Center for Research and Communication is a research and consultancy group that partners with the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P), drawing upon UA&P’s considerable human and knowledge resources to meet the research needs of businesses and development agencies throughout the Philippines. To find out more about CRC,  send an email to [email protected].