Global Spotlight
from the Philippines
Explore the Philippines―My country
MOT-BARKO MANILA INC
An affiliated company of Mitsubishi Ore Transport Co., Ltd.
Ms. Jenalyn G. Taguba
Accounting Staff
The Batanes group of islands is one of the most beautiful destinations in the Philippines and has a little bit of everything for different types of travelers: the mountains, the sea, the rolling hills, and the food. But above all, Batanes offers a unique type of refuge — peace and quiet, and the taste of a back-to-basics lifestyle. Batanes, called the Home of the Winds, is considered the smallest province in the Philippines, with only 230 kilometers of total land area. A trip to Batanes is a welcome escape from the hustle and bustle of city living. The name Batanes derives from the word Batan, the local word for the Ivatan people. Batanes is the perfect place to unwind and enjoy the wonders of nature. It’s a magical, almost surreal place to go if you want to get away from your busy daily life.
My job: I love my job because . . .
from Brazil
São Paulo, a global city
BURCO (Business Unit Risk and Control Office) MUFG Brasil
A subsidiary of MUFG
Ms. Thais Melendez
Assistant Vice President–Risks and Controls Coordinator
Brazil is famous for its natural beauty, carnival, and soccer. Of course, we all love those things, but there is much more to know. Brazil is the largest country and the biggest economy in Latin America, as well as the world’s largest country with Portuguese as its official language and one of the most multicultural and ethnically diverse societies anywhere. Although one of our most famous cities in Brazil is Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo is where everything happens: It has the largest GDP in Latin America and is the most populous city in Brazil, with 12 million people. Folks from all over the world came to work and build a life in São Paulo, with the result that around 1.5 million Japanese descendants live here, creating the biggest Japanese community in the world outside Japan. The neighborhood of Liberdade is famous for its food, shops, and culture, and is a little piece of Japan in São Paulo.
100 years of history
In 1919, MUFG Brasil — at the time the Yokohama Specie Bank — was the first Japanese bank to open a subsidiary in Latin America. Today, with over 100 years of history in Brazil and about 230 employees, it is one of the biggest foreign banks in the country, focused on large national and multinational companies, offering a variety of services and products for corporate and investment banking. From 2012 to 2018, our branch received the bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility Award in recognition of “Gives Back,” a social work program that brings the whole team together every year to support a local cause in our community.
São Paulo by a paulistana
I joined MUFG in 2017, and I currently coordinate the Risk and Control Self-Assessment program in Brazil. During my free time, I enjoy being with my family, cooking, and watching TV series. I also practice Kung Fu and volunteer at a local NGO as an English teacher. I was born and raised in São Paulo. My family history is no different from that of many paulistanos, since São Paulo was a major destination for immigrants. My father’s family is from Chile, and my mother’s has origins in Bahia, a northeastern state in Brazil, and also from Germany, as her mother was a daughter of German immigrants. What I love the most about São Paulo is its diversity of people, food, and opportunities, besides the challenges that a big metropolis faces. I believe it is a city for everyone who is committed to work hard and dream big.