BIZ BUZZ: NU rising

Enrolments at National University are rising at a healthy rate as the 122-year-old institution gets back on track on its expansion during the postpandemic period.

NU chair Hans Sy recently told Biz Buzz that the university was ahead of targets for the year after it reached 40,000 students.

NU was a pioneering institution when it was established in 1900 in Manila. Its current stewards are the Sy family, whose SM Group acquired the university in 2008 with a promise to expand its reach and bring more affordable quality education to broader segments of the population.

Sy admitted they had fallen a bit behind a more recent 10-year plan to reach 20 NU campuses with about 100,000 students due to the health crisis. Expansion continued nonetheless and they now have six campuses.

Running a school is very different from, say, managing the family’s property conglomerate, SM Prime Holdings Inc., but Sy shared it still “feels good.”

“NU is my father’s legacy,” he said, while explaining their focus was less to do with making money than providing quality education with competitive tuition rates. His job at NU adds to his other roles within the SM Group and regular golf games.

—Miguel R. Camus

Flying season

With the further easing of mobility restrictions, Filipinos are now looking forward to traveling more, especially during the holiday season to celebrate not only the religious tradition but to be with their friends and loved ones.

And they have set sights on going to Singapore and South Korea, among others, these last few months before everyone welcomes the new year.

AirAsia Philippines said that 55 percent of the total international bookings from its recent travel sale were for Seoul, Singapore, Osaka and Bangkok in the fourth quarter. For domestic flights, Caticlan was the most preferred destination.

Ricky Isla, CEO of the low-cost airline, said they were keen on restoring their international capacity to prepandemic levels by the second quarter of next year.

“The demand for international travel is getting stronger every month as more countries relax their border protocols. We plan on increasing our frequency to our current routes and grow our number of destinations before the year ends,” he added.

Earlier, AirAsia Philippines said it was increasing flight frequencies to Tagbilaran, Puerto Princesa, Cebu, Bacolod, Cagayan, Davao, Iloilo, Kalibo, Tacloban, Zamboanga and Roxas, among others.

It is set to reopen flights to Taipei, Taiwan and Osaka next month.

“The relaxed travel protocols in various countries have also contributed to more overseas workers taking the opportunity to fly home to the Philippines to spend the holidays with their loved ones in the provinces,” Steve Dailisan, spokesperson and head of communications and public affairs of AirAsia Philippines, previously said.

—Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

Help for heroes

Who helps the people who help us?

San Miguel Corp. president and CEO Ramon Ang had that question in mind when he decided to extend financial and livelihood assistance to the families of the five rescue personnel from Bulacan who perished heroically in the line of duty at the height of Super typhoon “Karding.”

Last Monday, Ang met and condoled with the families of Troy Agustin, George Agustin, Marby Bartolome, Jerson Resurreccion and Narciso Calayag Jr., members of Bulacan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office who died while undertaking rescue operations in San Miguel, Bulacan, last month.

He told the surviving relatives he joined millions of Filipinos “who will forever be grateful for their bravery and sacrifice and dedication to duty.”

Ang also personally handed checks worth P2 million each for a total of P10 million and business startup packages to the family representatives of the fallen rescuers during the meeting attended by Bulacan Gov. Daniel Fernando and Bulacan Rep. Lorna Silverio at the conglomerate’s headquarters.

“No amount of money can pay for the sacrifices made by our five heroes, but I am hopeful that the assistance would help ease the burden of their families during this difficult time and allow them to start over again,” Ang said.

—Daxim L. Lucas INQ