BusinessMirror April 29, 2021

PHL banks strong vs pandemic impact B B C @BcuaresmaBM

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HE Philippine banking system is on a par with the majority of financial institutions in the region and the world in navigating the effects of the global health crisis, an international credit watcher said.

In its recent research publication on banks worldwide, Moody’s Investors Service said prospects of an economic upturn and adequate credit reserves support stable banking outlooks worldwide.

In particular, two thirds of

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STILL ON QUEUE: RETURNING OVERSEAS WORKERS, AND THEIR GROWING ECONOMIC NEEDS AT HOME

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banking systems around the world are now assigned a “stable” outlook. This is up from the one fifth at the height of the pandemic in 2020.

The Philippines is among those whose outlook was reverted from negative to stable this year.

Just earlier this month, Moody’s Investors Service put the Philippine banking system outlook back to stable.

Moody’s said the main basis of their action reflects their expectations that a “mild economic recovery” will support the operating environment for Philippine banks. The rat-

ings agency, however, warned that asset risks remain high because of a “prolonged curtailment” of business activity, high unemployment rate and weak consumer sentiment.

Banking system outlooks given by credit rating agencies are forward-looking assessments of fundamental credit conditions that will affect the creditworthiness of banks in a country over the next 12 to 18 months.

A stable outlook means the current rating is likely to hold barring any extreme and unforeseen development.

The most recent research

publication of Moody’s shows that most of the banking systems in the region were also given a stable outlook including Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

This stable outlook trend extends to the larger Asia Pacific, with China, Hong Kong, Korea, Mongolia, Pakistan, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand all in the “stable” outlook territory.

Outliers are the banking systems of India, Japan and Bangladesh, which remain with “negative” outlooks.

S “PHL ,” A

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A broader look at today’s business

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Thursday, April 29, 2021 Vol. 16 No. 197

P.  |     | 7 DAYS A WEEK

PANDEMIC’S LONG-TERM JOBS DAMAGE FLAGGED ■

ADD to the 300-plus variations of community pantries this one in Mandaluyong City.

Residents of Barangay Addition Hills exchange their recycled trash for vegetables and food packs as part of the barangay community pantry. In exchange for the food items, the barangay requires residents to bring recyclable trash consisting of snack and candy wrappers, food containers, and other similar items. BERNARD TESTA

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B C U. O

@caiordinario

HE magnitude of the shock brought by the pandemic on the Philippine economy may lead to “hysteresis” characterized by long-term adverse effects on formal employment in the country, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Octa: Not yet time for NCR Plus bubble to exit MECQ B R L. A Contributor

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S the effectivity of the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus bubble is about to expire by end-April, the OCTA Research Group believes that it’s not the right time to ease the lockdown in Metro Manila and nearby provinces as the Covid-19 pandemic situation remains unstable.

According to OCTA Research fellow Fr. Nicanor Austriaco, the decreasing number of active new cases must be sustained and the healthcare capacity needs to be improved in order to downgrade the current quarantine status in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

“This will take careful planning with the length of the MECQ,” he

told reporters at a recent online multisectoral discussion conducted by the Cardinal Santos Medical Center (CSMC). “[So] we urge the national government, as one possible benchmark for changing quarantine levels, is not to exit the MECQ until at least the R [reproduction number] is less than 0.9 in a sustained manner.”

Based on data from OCTA Research, the R, which pertains to the number of people that a single Covid-19 patient can infect, has decreased to less than 1 in NCR. From 1.30 in the first week of this month (April 2 to 8), it went down to 1.17 the following week (April 9 to 15), and then continued to decline to 0.98 in the third week (April 16 to 22).

“This is a very good news, in fact, for the National Capital Region. It

PESO EXCHANGE RATES ■ US 48.4080

S “O,” A

In its Asian Development Outlook (ADO) 2021, ADB downgraded its forecast for Philippine GDP to a “floor” of 4.5 percent this year, significantly lower than the 6.5 percent it projected for 2021 last year. In 2022, the economy is forecasted to grow 5.5 percent.

Prior to the pandemic, the last time the economy posted a growth of below 6 percent was in 2011 when GDP growth averaged 3.9 percent. The ADB projections are also below government’s growth

expectations.

“What we’re concerned about is this pandemic [could] have a much longer-lasting negative impact, particularly on formal employment,” ADB Philippines Country Director Kelly Bird said in a presentation on Wednesday.

“Formal employment, [consists of] more regular employment [that offers]far higher salaries. Workers in formal employment have access C  A

PPE MAKERS TO GOVT: ‘BUY LOCAL’ WHEN GETTING COVID ITEMS B J E Y. A @jearcalas

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HE Confederation of Philippine Manufacturers of Personal Protective Equipment (CPMP) urged senators to immediately pass legislative measures that would require government agencies to prioritize the purchase of locally produced PPE to ensure the survival and growth of the industry.

CPMP Executive Director Rosette Carrillo said the biggest challenge that their industry faces is lack of demand or market, since they are unable to get bulk of the government contracts for PPE. “We would like to call the attention of the Senate to hear the plea of the exporters, who have repurposed and reinvested [to manufacturing of PPE], to have the policies, especially those under the [proposed] Pandemic Act of buying Filipino-made PPE,” Carrillo said at the joint Senate Committees on Economic Affairs and on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship on Wednesday.

“And second, support the

stockpiling program which CPMP is also proposing so the Philippines is ready when the whole shuts down during any health crisis. These are the two elements we need support from the Congress,” she added.

Carrillo disclosed that they are disadvantaged with how the government procures its PPE requirement during this pandemic, a situation worsened by the flooding of imported “very low-cost and substandard” China-manufactured PPE in the domestic market.

“Unfortunately, the way the government purchases PPEs is subject to certain standard rules for purchasing. So, we were subjected to the lowest cost and at the same time the Philippine market is flooded with very low cost PPE from China, and even some of them are substandard,” she said. See related story in A12, “Manufacturers want workers on Covid vaccine priority list.”

CPMP was formed last year after five high-quality manufacturers and exporters of garments repurposed their facC  A

■ JAPAN 0.4453 ■ UK 67.3258 ■ HK 6.2369 ■ CHINA 7.4669 ■ SINGAPORE 36.5068 ■ AUSTRALIA 37.6033 ■ EU 58.5350 ■ SAUDI ARABIA 12.9102

Source: BSP (April 28, 2021)

A2

News BusinessMirror

Thursday, April 29, 2021

PPE MAKERS TO GOVT: ‘BUY LOCAL’ WHEN GETTING COVID ITEMS C  A

tories and invested $35 million toward the production of medical-grade PPE, Carrillo explained. She added that about 7,500 workers retained their jobs due to the repurposing of the factories.

Confederation of Wearable Exports of the Philippines (CONWEP) Executive Director Maritess Agoncillo echoed the need for the immediate passage of the Pandemic bill, which has currently at least four versions filed at the Senate and two versions at the House of Representatives.

“We would need legislative [measures] to move things so we can sell [products],” Agoncillo said. CPMP is an affiliate of CONWEP. Sen. Risa Hontiveros, one of the authors of the Pandemic bill, supported the proposals made by Agoncillo and Carrillo, noting that the passage of the legislative measure is urgent to support the growth of the local manufacturers.

“It is bad faith to ask them to repurpose to serve our needs and not to buy from them. The least we can do is give them the first option, and that’s the bare minimum to give them a fighting chance [against imported PPEs],” Hontiveros said.

Hontiveros filed Senate Bill 1796 that requires government agencies to “give preference to the purchase of domestically produced and manufactured” PPEs, medicines and other essential supplies during a pandemic.

Furthermore, the bill mandates the government to stockpile PPEs, medicines and other essential supplies in order to ensure the readiness of the country “for an imminent or potential pandemic or public health emergency.”

It was disclosed during the joint hearing that local manufacturers were only able to supply 14 percent of the P4.8 billion worth of PPE contract of the government, with the remaining percentage being bagged by PPE importers.

Due to lack of domestic demand, local PPE manufacturers are now considering the export market to keep their factories going and retain the remaining work force, Agoncillo said.

Agoncillo added that even some of the factories producing PPEs are semiclosed since they do not have a lot of orders from the government. She disclosed that they have retrenched about 25,000 workers last year, out of 120,000 workers comprising CONWEP. “Out of these 25,000 workers, there were about 3,000 to 3,500 workers from those three companies that repurposed [to PPE production],” she said.

PHL banks...

C  A

The banking system of Vietnam is the sole industry in the Asia-Pacific region with a positive outlook.

Despite the stable outlook in most banking systems, Moody’s warned that rising non-performing loan (NPL) ratios and potential under-provisioning are the key downside risks for banking systems worldwide.

Duterte forms new task force on real property tax reform

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B S P. M

@sam_medenilla

RESIDENT Duterte created a new interagency task force to spearhead reforms in real property tax collection and management of local government units (LGU).

Last Tuesday, Duterte issued Administrative Order (AO) No. 40 forming the Interagency Governing Board (IGB), which will be tasked to oversee Local Government Reform Projects (LGRP).

“To ensure the successful implementation of the LGRP, and as part of the implementing arrangements, there is a need to convene an interagency body that will set the policy direction of the Project and ensure proper complementation,

cooperation, and coordination of executing and implementing agencies and relevant stakeholders,” Duterte said in the three-page issuance.

LGRPs aim to boost the revenue of LGUs through efficient real property tax policies by eliminating outdated rates and overlapping valuations.

The IGB will be chaired by the Department of Finance (DOF), and will have representatives from the National Economic and Development

Authority (Neda); Department of Budget and Management (DBM); Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG); Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT); Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR); and the Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF).

The IGB should also have one representative each from the League of Provinces, Cities, and Municipalities; one representative from a nongovernment organization, which may be a women’s organization; and one representative from the private sector.

“The IGB shall convene at least twice a year, or as may be necessary upon the call of the Chair,” Duterte said.

Among the functions of the IGB is to provide policy direction for LGRP relative to property valuation and assessment reform activities; review overall project strategy and

@rectomercene

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OREIGN Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Wednesday ordered his department to fire off another diplomatic protest after China reiterated its claim over the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and warned the country’s Coast Guard and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to stop their joint maritime exercises.

“Have we fired off a diplomatic protest? Do it now,” Locsin ordered.

“They can say what they want from the Chinese mainland; we continue to assert from our waters by right of international law what we won in The Hague. But we must

PRESIDENT Duterte

direction of LGRPs; and call on other government agencies and other stakeholders to support LGRPs. AO 40 took effect on April 27, 2021 and will last until July 31, 2021, unless extended by the President.

Prior to its dissolution, the IGB must publish an accomplishment report detailing its projects, funds it utilized; and evaluation of projects.

A copy of the report must be submitted to the Office of the Executive Secretary.

ECC benefits may apply to some workers hit by Covid

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UALIFIED workers who were infected with Covid-19 will now have an easier time claiming their Employee’s Compensation (EC), according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

In an online press briefing on Wednesday, Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III announced the Employees Compensation Commission (ECC) finally issued Board Resolution 21-04-14 declaring Covid-19 an occupational and work-related disease.

Under the issuance, the Covid-infected worker will immediately qualify for an EC benefit if he or she has a direct connection with the infecting agent or event based on epidemiologic criteria and occupational risk.

A worker may also claim compensation for Covid infection if the task assigned to him or her requires frequent face-to-face and close proximity interactions with the public, i.e., they got it in the workplace or in commuting to work.

ECC said the applicants will be required to submit a diagnostic proof including a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test.

If approved, ECC Executive Director Stella Zipagan-Banawis told BusinessMirror in a Viber message, the applicants could get P480 per day for every day they are not able to go to work.

She said they could also receive EC medical benefits on top of what is provided by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) and if they succumb to Covid-19, their beneficiaries could get a P30,000 fixed funeral benefit and a death benefit depending on their contributions and monthly salary credits.

“It is only proper that we formulate and pass policies that will effectively and efficiently respond to the current situation and changing needs of our workers. We recognize the risk of those who courageously and willingly put their lives on the line as we continue to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic,” Banawis said in a statement.

PANDEMIC’S LONG-TERM JOBS DAMAGE FLAGGED C  A

to skills training etc.; they [formal sector jobs] are the desirable quality jobs. So we are concerned about a shift in the composition of jobs in the medium term,” he explained.

The report noted that 1.7 million wage and salary jobs in private establishments and government were wiped out in the 12 months to January 2021.

Bird noted that based on the latest data, some 435,000 Filipinos shifted to informal jobs from formal employment due to the lockdowns.

He noted that while there was a strong rebound in employment after the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) was lifted, employment data has not recovered to 2019 levels.

Further, working hours also declined to 39.3 hours per week from 41.3 hours per week. This, Bird said, eventually led to “compressed earnings” in the informal sector.

“Job losses can lead to hysteresis through skill erosion. [The lockdowns disrupted] schooling, on-the-job training, and [caused] longer periods of unemployment for job seekers [which] leads to lost skills—they [workers] become less employable—and lowers potential supply [of workers for] the economy,” Bird said in a presentation.

Changing nature of work

HE said there was “massive sectoral employment reallocation” to sectors that were not heavily dependent on personal contact during the lockdown.

Jobs linked to information and communication saw the highest increase in employment followed by administration sup-

port services, agriculture and construction.

However, there was a decline in the jobs linked to services, public administration, other industries, transport and storage, manufacturing, and—the steepest decline—accommodation.

“With this massive sectoral reallocation, we expected to see therefore in the medium term, an increase in skills mismatches in the labor market as workers do not transition easily between sectors because of differences in skills and experiences. So we might expect to see lower rates of employment and higher rates of unemployment,” Bird explained.

The pandemic, Bird said, will have a significant impact on the nature of work because of digital transformation, remote or work from home arrangements, and accelerate automation.

He said this would require workers to have higher skills, particularly in information and communication. The automation will significantly affect jobs in the manufacturing and services sectors.

“We know this [automation] has been a long-term trend but this pandemic may also accelerate efforts to automate. It could also accelerate consolidation of regional production hubs as well,” Bird said.

Best practices

IN order to cope with these changes, some best practices recommended by the ADB include targeted wage subsidies, hiring subsidies, and social employment insurance.

Targeted wage subsidies, Bird explained, keeps employees connected to employers during recessions and the early stages of recovery. Such subsidies, Bird said, were successful in the Philippines.

These wage subsidies could later on be transformed into hiring subsidies that will

Locsin orders filing of new protest vs China over WPS B R L. M

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not fail to protest,” Secretary Locsin tweeted, in reference to the 2016 ruling favoring Manila in the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

The latest round of note verbale is the 80th the Philippines has filed against China, including the daily protests that the DFA vowed to make until all of China’s blue-hulled maritime militia vessels have left the WPS. On Wednesday, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana repeated his warning to China to pull out its boats from the WPS, as the National Task Force on the WPS reported that nine vessels remained in the area. Related story on A3 On Tuesday, Ivy BansonAbalos, executive director, DFA Strategic Communica-

tion’s Office said 79 diplomatic notes have been filed since President Duterte assumed office.

“China enjoys sovereignty over Nansha [Spratly] Islands including Zhongye [Thitu] Island and Zhongsha Islands including Huangyan Island [Scarborough Shoal] and their adjacent waters, and exercises jurisdiction in relevant waters,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said in a press briefing on Monday.

Last month, the US Embassy announced that: “We stand with the Philippines, our oldest treaty ally in Asia.”

Pentagon spokesman Ned Price similarly declared: “An armed attack against the Philippines’s armed forces,

public vessels or aircraft in the Pacific, including the South China Sea, will trigger our obligations under the USPhilippines Mutual Defense Treaty.”

In mid-April the two governments held annual military exercises which were dropped last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Also, the US Defense Department announced that Secretary Lloyd Austin—in a phone call to his counterpart, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana—had “proposed several measures to deepen defense cooperation between the United States and the Philippines, including by enhancing situational awareness of threats in the South China Sea.”

encourage firms to hire more workers and allow them to transition to new employment.

Social employment insurance, Bird said, will provide workers with income stability during shocks. Malaysia, for one, has adopted a national pooled insurance model while Chile adopted an individual savings account and a Solidarity Fund.

The ADB Executive also said these best practices can be complemented by Enterprise led training systems which help workers access reskilling opportunities during a transition.

This can be provided through matched grants to a network of firms for short-term skills training or reforms to industry-led apprenticeship schemes.

“Sufficient reallocation of resources across sectors, support workers and firms that are impacted by the transition, and reforms to boost productivity growth and investment,” Bird said in a presentation.

Growth 2021, 2022

DATA showed ADB projects inflation to average 4.1 percent this year and 3.5 percent next year. The new 2021 forecast is higher than the bank’s estimate of 2.6 percent made last year.

Merchandise exports are expected to post a growth of 6.6 percent in 2021 and 10.2 percent in 2022. Imports are projected to growth 9.6 percent this year and 12.5 percent next year.

The country’s trade deficit is expected to reach $36.35 billion this year before widening to $42.03 billion next year.

ADB said economic growth drivers for this year and next year include the government’s infrastructure spending and social assistance; the implementation of Covid-19 vaccination; and the recovery of the global

Octa...

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shows that we have made significant gains over the past three weeks,” pointed out OCTA Research fellow Dr. Guido David. “Now, what we hope to do is to sustain this range. Of course, this reproduction number is still unstable at the moment.

What that means is it could still increase.”

Even if the current reproduction number is below 1 or exactly at 0.9, the UP research group predicted that hospital bed occupancy will not go down to pre-surge numbers.

Citing figures from the Department of Health, OCTA Research said that 43 hospitals and infirmaries in Metro Manila were still at full capacity, while 59 were above critical risk as of April 24. “So at the moment it’s below 1. We are hoping that

economy.

“Public investment will drive domestic investment. Roads, bridges, expressways, ports, and railways are among the major infrastructure projects under way,” the report stated.

“Election-related spending ahead of the national elections in May 2022 will provide a modest lift to aggregate demand,” it added.

However, ADB noted that the Philippine economy’s recovery will be fragile due to uncertainties linked to the rising Covid-19 infections.

The increase in infections prompted the government to impose strict community quarantine in late March for two weeks in Metro Manila and some neighboring provinces.

While mobility restrictions are gradually being lifted, this has brought uncertainties that continue to dampen the confidence of households and businesses.

“Domestically, the vaccine rollout may suffer supply delays as wealthy nations have stockpiled vaccines and community quarantines could be prolonged to curb the spread of Covid-19,” ADB added.

Another major downside risk is the disruption of government programs with the 2022 implementation of the Mandanas ruling, which increased internal revenue allotments to local governments units.

ADB noted that some functions of the national government will be devolved, including local infrastructure projects, such as school buildings and social protection programs.

The transition, ADB said, could disrupt government programs. “Transition plans being prepared by the government will be crucial to facilitate the devolution and delineation of functions.”

it will go to at least 0.8. This will decongest our hospitals by the end of May [or at] the beginning of June,” Austriaco said.

“While that’s happening, we could, in the short term, expand capacity of our hospitals, especially the hiring of nurses so that those hospitals that are now congested can be relieved of some of the stresses,” added OCTA Research fellow Ranjit Rye. Seeing that several local government units (LGUs) still have not stabilized the decline in the number of new cases in their jurisdictions, the group raised the concern that a premature return to general community quarantine or GCQ would result to resurgence of the virulent disease in some LGUs and then would overflow into neighboring cities or municipalities. “[There’s] always [a] possibility that as some of the LGUs recover, there will be an outbreak in one LGU that

will spill over to the adjacent LGUs. So we are looking for consistent pattern of decrease throughout all the 17 LGUs [in the NCR] for a significant period of time before we know we have successfully pass through the surge,” explained Austriaco.

To prevent a resurgence, OCTA Research recommends an extension of the MECQ to one more week to keep on knocking down the reproduction number to decongest the hospitals at a fast pace. Per the group’s estimate, the number of Metro Manila’s new daily cases, averaging at about 3,500, should be around 2,688 or less to avoid overwhelming the hospital system.

An additional week of MECQ status in the NCR Plus bubble, it said, would give the national government more time to enhance its contact tracing capacity and finish the construction of new quarantine and isolation facilities.

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Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Thursday, April 29, 2021 A3

China told: Pull out vessels and respect PHL sovereignty

By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM

& Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

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HE National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTFWPS) reported on Wednesday the continued “illegal presence” of Chinese Coast Guard ships in at least three features in the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) and WPS, even as lawmakers urged China to pull out its vessels and respect Philippine sovereignty.

At the same time, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana castigated China over its persistent illegal claims over the WPS and reiterated his demand that Chinese ships leave the country’s 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

“China has no business telling the Philippines what we can and cannot do within our own waters. The arbitral award has categorically stated that the Chinese claim bounded by their so-called nine dash line according to their ‘historical right’ has no basis in fact,” Lorenzana said in a news statement released through Department of National Defense spokesman Arsenio “Popong” Andolong.

“Therefore, it is they who are encroaching and should desist and

leave. We will continue to do what is necessary to protect our sovereign rights,” he added.

Firm stand

THE lawmakers likewise urged t he D ute r te ad m i n i s t r at ion to take a firm stand against China’s “invasion.”

Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez branded as “ridiculous” China’s statement for the Philippines to stop its maritime training exercises in the WPS being undertaken by the Philippine Coast Guard and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and to “respect Chinese sovereignty” over the disputed sea.

“That statement is ridiculous.

That area is part of our 200-mile exclusive economic zone under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the ruling of the UN arbitral court. We have every right to patrol it, conduct drills there and explore it for its fishery and other natural resources. But they are the ones taking tons and tons of fishes and destroying the environment there,” Rodriguez said.

‘Filing of appropriate actions’

THE NTF-WPS said that five Chinese Coast Guard vessels were illegally moored at Scarborough Shoal (Bajo

Cayetano, House allies seek probe into Bayanihan 1 and 2 fund spending

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OLLOWING confirmation that billions of pesos in two stimulus packages have remained unreleased and unutilized, lawmakers on Wednesday filed a resolution calling on the House of Representatives to exercise its oversight functions to look into the utilization of funds appropriated under Bayanihan 1 and 2.

In House Resolution 1731, former House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and his allies, including Camarines Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte, said the leadership of the lower chamber should activate its oversight powers to look into the implementation and utilization of appropriated funds under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act and the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act and to aid the national government in the creation and implementation of future stimulus and programs.

“Basically we want to inquire into Bayanihan 1 and 2 and use that inquiry also in the discussion [in] Bayanihan 3,” Cayetano said. “[We want] to see which programs were effective and which were not and determine how good or how bad the implementation was. Which programs were funded and which were not? If they were effective, do we legislate more of such programs? If not effective, why weren’t they? We must also propose alternatives,” he added.

In filing the resolution, the lawmakers said immediate relief and mitigation of the socioeconomic impacts of the pandemic “are paramount during this time when our countrymen are in dire need of social assistance.”

“The necessity and importance of reports on the utilization of funds cannot be over-emphasized,” they said.

The resolution said based on the latest report to the Joint Congres-

sional Oversight Committee under the Bayanihan 1, around P1.5 billion that had been allocated for the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) or Emergency Subsidy Program (ESP) for NonPantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) “has not been disbursed.”

According to the same report, around P500 million allotted for the implementation of SAP under the Bayanihan 1 has not been disbursed, the resolution adds.

The solons also noted that for Bayanihan 2, the DBM “failed to show the utilization rate by majority of the agencies concerned” in its report to the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on January 4, 2021, which was the latest and final report submitted to Congress.

“It is necessary to determine the utilization rate of implementing agencies not only to see how they performed, but also to help streamline the process of budget legislation, identify and solve problems in the budget execution stage, and strengthen the government’s ability to deliver services,” the resolution read.

The resolution cited the Department of Social Welfare and Development as having unused funds amounting to P75 billion from its regular budget and P6.7 billion from allocations in Bayanihan 1 and 2.

The Department of Education (DepEd), for its part, was allotted P4 billion for the implementation of Digital Education, Information Technology (IT), and Digital Infrastructures and Alternative Learning Modalities but “only issued its implementing guidelines on 16 December 2020 and the program is yet to be implemented.”

Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

de Masinloc), Ayungin Shoal and in the waters of Kalayaan municipality, incursions, the task force said, that are now “under review for possible filing of appropriate actions.”

“In response to the continued illegal presence of CCGs [Chinese Coast Guard], the PCG conducted maritime patrols in the Municipality of Kalayaan and BdM [Bajo de Masinloc], coinciding with its ongoing maritime capacity building exercises, Task Force Pagsasanay,” the NTF-WPS said.

The PCG has launched maritime training exercises beginning last week within the country’s EEZ with eight ships participating in the undertaking, and which will also take them to the waters of Batanes, at the Philippine Rise and to the eastern portion of the country.

China has called on the government to stop the exercises, reiterating its illegal claims that the waters where the maritime training is being undertaken are part of Beijing’s maritime territory.

Despite the presence of Chinese ships in the KIG and WPS, the NTFWPS said the government would continue to undertake patrols in those areas in exercise of its sovereignty and “sovereign rights” under local and international laws.

“The PCG, Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and Philippine National Police-Maritime Group are closely coordinating in the continuous regular deployment of vessels in the country’s maritime domain for law enforcement, monitoring, ensuring the safety of Filipino fishermen and protecting the environment,” said the NTF-WPS. Monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) vessels and multi-mission offshore vessels (MMOVs) of the BFAR are currently deployed in the Municipality of Kalayaan and were collaborating with PCG vessels and aircraft deployed in the area.

The NTF-WPS said that members of the Philippine National Police-Maritime Group would also be deployed in Kalayaan by being “shipriders” aboard Philippine Navy, PCG and BFAR vessels.

The task force said the police’s maritime group is also readying the deployment of its high-speed tactical watercraft, police gunboats and fast boats.

“Our government shall not waiver in pursuing peaceful, rulesbased and proactive initiatives on environmental protection, safety of navigation, maritime and food security within our maritime do-

mains,” the NTF-WPS said.

Rodriguez said it is China that should not be in the WPS “because that is not part of their EEZ.” “They should leave the WPS. They are the interloper,” he stressed.

Rodriguez also pointed out that the WPS is about 600 miles from China.

“In contrast, up north, Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc to Filipino fishermen, is just 120 miles off the coast of Zambales and Pangasinan.

They are in control of it despite the fact that it is within our EEZ,” he said.

Down south, Julian Felipe Reef, which is 175 miles from Bataraza, Palawan, where they still maintain presence despite our repeated protests, “is also part of our EEZ,” he said.

“So they are claiming and occupying a large part of the sea that should exclusively belong to us under international law, and illegally taking resources from it. They are the ones complicating the situation, not us,” the House leader added.

Condemnation

MEANWHILE, Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate asked the Duterte administration to strongly condemn China for harassing and taking the catch of Filipino fishermen in Bajo de Masinloc and other

parts of the WPS. “Send our Coast Guards now to escort our fishermen in the West Philippine Sea!” said Zarate.

“We call on the Duterte administration to send the Philippine Coast Guard, not just for momentary drills, but more importantly to accompany or escort our hapless fisherfolk at Bajo de Masinloc and in the other areas where we have valid claims in the West Philippine Sea. We have to show China that we are serious in defending our people as well as our territory. Our officials should always assert our independence, instead of them acting as apologists for China, who apparently now treat the Philippines as her vassal state,” he added.

Zarate also called on neighboring countries and fellow claimants like Vietnam, Brunei, Taiwan and Malaysia together with the Philippines to band together and stand up against China’s invasion.

“We are not saying that we declare war on China. But what we need is for President Duterte to stand up for our fisherfolk and our territory.

We have already suggested in the past the increasing of patrols of our seas, among others. One thing is clear though, the government must do something now to stop this invasion of China,” he added.

SC orders DAR to settle ‘just compensation’ with Cojuangco-owned Hacienda Luisita Inc.

T

HE Supreme Court has unanimously ordered the creation of a task force that would gather all necessary documents to determine the “just compensation” that the Cojuangco clan-owned Hacienda Luisita Inc. (HLI) is entitled to following the distribution of its 4,915.75-hectare sugar land plantation in Tarlac to more than 6,000 farmworker-beneficiaries (FWBs).

In a 20-page resolution released to the public on April 26, 2021, the SC en banc, through Associate Justice Henri Jean Paul Inting, said the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council (PARC), the Department of Agrarian Reform and the Register of Deeds should come together and create the task force “for purposes of completing and collating the documentation required to validate the homelot awards.”

Upon completion of the validation procedures, the SC directed DAR to determine just compensation for HLI. It also ordered the Land Bank of the Philippines (LandBank) to release the payment of just compensation for the homelots in accordance to the result of DAR’s validation process.

The Court said the just compensation for HLI should be derived from the Agrarian Reform Fund (ARF) of DAR. The Court directed the creation of a task force after HLI claimed that they do not have the original copies of the transfer documents, which have either been submitted to the Register of Deeds or given to the FWBs. Prior to this, in compliance with the Court’s directive to implement the main decision and subsequent resolutions on the case, the DAR be-

gan the process of validating the list of homelot awardees.

Based on its research, it found out, among others, the total homelot area and the number of FWBs awarded with homelot titles.

However, the PARC/DAR noted that the certified true copies of the transfer documents that serve as evidence in the award of homelots to the individual recipients are necessary to complete validation process.

Thus, it directed HLI to furnish DAR with the needed documents.

“Significantly, the completion of the DAR’s validation procedures is a pre-condition to the payment of just compensation. Thus, it is in HLI’s best interest to fully cooperate with the DAR, which includes providing the necessary documents to the best of their ability. It is difficult to believe that HLI no longer possesses the originals/certified true copies of these documents,” the SC noted.

“Certainly, as the transferor in the disposition of homelots, it must have retained copies of the documents evidencing those transfers,” it added.

However, the Court recognizes that the DAR’s request involves voluminous records, some of which may have already become unavailable, or difficult to locate due to the passage of time.

It also acknowledged that producing the documents might be both too costly and burdensome if imposed on a single party or entity.

Thus, the Court urged PARC/ DAR, HLI to form a task force and agree on their respective responsibilities in order to immediately retrieve the records.

Furthermore, the SC denied with finality the motion reconsideration of its

April 24, 2018 resolution filed by Noel Mallari of the Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang Bukid ng Hacienda Luisita (Ambala) and Winsor Andaya of the HLI Supervisory Group.

In the said resolution, the Court turned down Mallari and Andaya’s motion to execute the Court’s main decision issued in July 5, 2011 and November 22, 2011 resolution insofar as it directed that “any unspent or unused balance and any disallowed expenditures as determined by the audit shall be distributed to the 6,296 original FWBs.” The Court held that said order is considered “fully complied with.”

It can be recalled that on November 22, 2011, the Court issued a resolution ordering the direct distribution of the sugar land plantation to its FWBs. The resolution modified the Court’s July 5, 2011 original decision, which gave the FWBs the option to remain as stockholders of HLI in lieu of land distribution which is mandated under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

The Court also directed the HLI to pay the original 6,296 farmworkerbeneficiaries the consideration of P500 million received by it from Luisita Realty Inc. for the sale to the latter of 200 hectares out of the 500 hectares covered by the August 14, 1996 Conversion Order; the consideration of P750 million received by its owned subsidiary, Centennary Holdings Inc., for the sale of the remaining 300 hectares of the said 500-hectare lot to Luisita Industrial Park Corp.; and the P80.5 million paid by the government through the Bases Conversion and Development Authority for the sale of the 80.51-hectare lot used for

the construction of the Subic-ClarkTarlac Expressway road network.

For this purpose, DAR was ordered by the Court to engage the services of a special audit panel approved by the parties to audit the books of HLI and Centennary Holdings Inc. to determine if the P1,330,511,500 proceeds of the sale of the three lots were actually used or spent for legitimate corporate purposes.

The SC said any unspent or unused balance and any disallowed expenditures as determined by the audit should be distributed to the 6,296 original FWBs. “Still, the Court finds no reason to rule contrary to the Special Audit Panel’s findings. Each member of the Special Audit Panel arrived at the results after performing agreed-upon procedures, which are in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in engagements/services such as those required in the present case,” the Court ruled.

“The results were resounding. All three Special Audit Panel members found that the legitimate corporate expenses exceeded the proceeds from transfers, leaving nothing more to distribute to the FWBs. That these were supported by ‘internal’ documents, as respondents Mallari and Andaya claim, do not diminish the documents’ persuasiveness, probative value, and reliability in audit. Their attempt to discredit the audit results cannot overturn the Special Audit Panel’s unanimous findings.

Certainly, the movants, Mallari and Andaya cannot substitute the Special Audit Panel’s wisdom with their own, inasmuch as these auditors are recognized experts in their field,” it added.

Joel R. San Juan

Six Cagayan de Oro churches shuttered amid uptick in Covid-19 infections

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

T

HE Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro has temporarily shutdown the operation of six churches after several priest within its jurisdiction became infected with Covid-19.

In a Pastoral Letter, Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Jose Cabantan made the decision after

consultation with their Covid-19 Health Crisis Committee.

“I, in consultation with our Health [Covid-19] Crisis Committee, am forced on my own volition [motu proprio] to decide painfully to order the closure to religious activities and other related activities of some parish churches,” Cabantan said.

He urged the public to pray for the recovery of the

infected priests.

The closure will affect the following churches in Misamis Oriental: Our Lady of Candelaria Parish Church in Tagoloan, Immaculate Conception Parish Church in Jasaan, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish Church in Bobontugan, and Sta. Cruz Parish Church in Laguindingan.

The other two churches— Archdiocesan Shrine of the Black Nazarene and San Isidro

I, in consultation with our Health [Covid-19] Crisis Committee, am forced on my own volition [motu proprio] to decide painfully to order the closure to religious activities and other related activities of some parish churches.

Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Jose Cabantan

BM

Labrador Parish Church—are located in Cagayan de Oro City.

During the closure, Cabantan said the churches would undergo disinfection. “ This is our way of showing that we are one with the people, the government, and every other person or entity concerned with the overcoming of the spread of the virus of Covid-19,” Cabantan said.

BusinessMirror

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ANOC99 CORPORATION 5/f Ayala Malls Manila Bay Building D. Macapagal Blvd. Cor. Aseana Street Tambo Parañaque City

NO.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS POSITION

NO.

44.

GUO, ZIXUE Chinese

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89.

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137.

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138.

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91.

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CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

139.

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CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

92.

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CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

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CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

CHINA COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES PHILIPPINES CORPORATION 12/f One/neo Bldg 26th St. Cor 3rd Ave., Bgc Fort Bonifacio Taguig City

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ZHANG, JIAN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

6.

JUNG, JAEEUN South Korean

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7.

ZHANG, KUN Chinese

ELITE ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE (MULTI-LINGUAL)

8.

ZHANG, MENGQI Chinese

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BEST RELIABLE RESOURCES CORP. Ub 111 Paseo De Roxas Bldg. Paseo De Roxas San Lorenzo Makati City 9.

LITVINOFF, ROTEM Israeli

FINANCIAL ANALYST

47.

HUANG, ZHUQUAN Chinese

BUSINESS CONSULTANT

48.

RUAN, SHENG Chinese

BUSINESS CONSULTANT

49.

ZHU, BINGYONG Chinese

BUSINESS CONSULTANT

CAO, CHENG Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CABLING INFRASTRUCTURE TECHNICIAN

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51.

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IT SPECIALIST

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IT SPECIALIST

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IT SPECIALIST

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1.

BAYVIEW TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 43/f Yuchengco Tower Rcbc Plaza Ayala Ave. Cor. Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. Bel-air Makati City

www.businessmirror.com.ph

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EASTERN GOLD CORPORATION 503 Nueva St Binondo Manila 100.

GUO, YUTING Chinese

MARKETING AND SALES AGENT

101.

JIN, MINGMING Chinese

MARKETING AND SALES AGENT

102.

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103.

MA, JUN Chinese

MARKETING AND SALES AGENT

104.

WANG, JUNJIE Chinese

MARKETING AND SALES AGENT

105.

WU, ZHENXING Chinese

MARKETING AND SALES AGENT

106.

ZHANG, TIANYING Chinese

MARKETING AND SALES AGENT

BRICK, DVIR Israeli

PROGRAM COORDINATOR (HR OPERATIONS & RECRUITMENT)

11.

SACHS, ABRAHAM Israeli

SALES MANAGER

56.

WANG, XIANGYANG Chinese

IT SPECIALIST

12.

KINAN, ORIN Israeli

TALENT ACQUISITION SPECIALIST

57.

ZHENG, DENGDENG Chinese

IT SPECIALIST

58.

CHEN, ZIFENG Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING PROJECT MANAGER

59.

CUI, HANG Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING PROJECT MANAGER

60.

GU, JIARUI Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING PROJECT MANAGER

61.

HUANG, LIANGLIANG Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING PROJECT MANAGER

62.

HUANG, LIQUN Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING PROJECT MANAGER

107.

63.

LI, ZAN Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING PROJECT MANAGER

64.

LIU, YUDONG Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING PROJECT MANAGER

FLYING DRAGON NETWORK PHILIPPINES INC. Malate Bayview Mansion 1781 M. Adriatico Street 076, Brgy. 699 Malate Manila 4th-11th Floor Aseana 3 Building Aseana Avenue Corner Diosdado Macapagal Tambo Parañaque City

65.

MO, WEILIN Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING PROJECT MANAGER

108.

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CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

66.

TIAN, FUGONG Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING PROJECT MANAGER

109.

ZHAO, HONGZHOU Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

67.

WU, ZHITANG Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING PROJECT MANAGER

110.

CAO, XIFENG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

68.

LUO, ZHANPING Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING PROJECT SUPERVISOR

111.

DUAN, DONGDONG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

69.

PANG, ZHI Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING PROJECT SUPERVISOR

112.

FU, XIANGFENG Chinese

70.

XIE, WENZHEN Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING PROJECT SUPERVISOR

113.

71.

ZHAN, MIAOMIAO Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING PROJECT SUPERVISOR

72.

ZHANG, XIANGJIE Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING PROJECT SUPERVISOR

10.

BETUR, INC. (COINS.PH) 30/f Union Bank Plaza Meralco Ave. Cor. Onyx Road, Ortigas Center San Antonio Pasig City 13.

PAULSSON, ANDERS MIKAEL Swedish

FINANCIAL PLANNING AND ANALYSIS MANAGER

BIG EMPEROR TECHNOLOGY CORP. Eastfield Center Cbp1, Macapagal Blvd. Brgy. 076 Pasay City 5f-13f, Jiaxing Tower Building Aseana Avenue, Aseana Business Park Tambo Parañaque City 14.

PHAN PHUONG HANG Vietnamese

COMPUTER SYSTEM ANALYST

15.

CHEN, XIAOJUN Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

KONG, CHEN Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

LI, RUONAN Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

PAN, YAQI Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

WANG, HAIJIAO Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

WANG, BAOSONG Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

21.

WEN, HUIGANG Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

22.

XU, YUNFEI Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

23.

YUE, XIAOLAN Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

24.

CHEN, ZIJING Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

25.

CHEN, XIAONAN Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

26.

CHI, HANJIE Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

73.

MA, YANXIANG Chinese

PROJECT PLANNING AND DESIGN SPECIALIST

27.

FAN, QIN Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

74.

CAI, JIANYE Chinese

STRUCTURAL MAINTENANCE SPECIALIST

28.

PAN, HONGJIE Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

CITY OF GOOD HOPE HOLDINGS CORP. Unit 401 Valero One Center 102 Valero St. Bel-air Makati City

29.

SHAO, WEIQI Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

75.

ZHONG, KENGRUI Chinese

CHINESE MARKETING OFFICER

30.

SHAO, ZHE Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

76.

QI, ZHICHENG Chinese

CHINESE MARKETING SPECIALIST

31.

TENG, JING Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

77.

CHANG, LIANG Chinese

32.

WANG, JIAQI Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

MANDARIN SPEAKING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

33.

WANG, WEI Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

LI, LINHU Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

34.

XIE, RUJIE Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

35.

YANG, KAIHAI Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

36.

YIN, YONGKANG Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

37.

ZHANG, ZHILONG Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

38.

ZHAO, CHUNXIAO Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

ZHAO, ZHONGYUAN Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

39.

BOWENHILLS TECH INC. 19/f Lepanto Bldg. 8747 Paseo De Roxas Bel-air Makati City 40.

HUANG, JIAXUAN Chinese

CHINESE- SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE OFFICER

C’EST LA VIE EVENT MANAGEMENT INC. 230 Narra Street Marikina Heights Marikina City YANG, RONGHUI Chinese

CHINESE - BOOTH FABRICATION SPECIALIST CONSULTANT

42.

ZHANG, HUIJUN Chinese

CHINESE - FIELD SALES CONSULTANT

43.

LIN, JIANPENG Chinese

CHINESE - GENERAL TRADE MARKETING SPECIALIST CONSULTANT

41.

CHINA HARBOUR ENGINEERING COMPANY 5/f Rm 501 Ramon Magsaysay Center 1680 Roxas Blvd. 076, Bgy. 699 Malate Manila

78.

COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS PHILIPPINES, INC. 5th And 6th Floors, 8/10 Upper Mckinley Building Mckinley Hill Cyberpark Fort Bonifacio Taguig City 79.

ZHOU, JING Chinese

PROCESS SPECIALIST -VOICE

80.

KANNADASAN, BALAYOGANATHAN Indian

SENIOR ASSOCITE - PROJECTS

DYNAMIC STUDIO TECHNOLOGY INC. 5th To 10th/f Platinum Tower Building Aseana Ave. Cor. Fuentes Street Baclaran Parañaque City

NO.

FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY

POSITION

GATEWAYSOLUTIONS CORP. Unit 2306 Antel Global Corporate Center Julia Vargas Ave. Ortigas Center, San Antonio Pasig City 140.

KE, JIANTI Chinese

KE, JIANTI Chinese

141.

LU, XIAOMEI Chinese

LU, XIAOMEI Chinese

142.

SHI, ENDIAN Chinese

SHI, ENDIAN Chinese

143.

WU, WANQING Chinese

WU, WANQING Chinese

144.

XU, GENQIANG Chinese

XU, GENQIANG Chinese

GLOBAL B2B CONSULTANCY, INC. 50/f Pbcom Tower 6795 Ayala Avenue Bel-air Makati City 145.

RAYMOND ROY Indonesian

CUSTOMER SERVICE INDONESIAN SPEAKING

GOLDENSKY INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC. Midas Hotel 2702 Roxas Blvd. Brgy. 076 Pasay City 146.

CHEN, QINGFENG Chinese

CALL CENTER AGENT MANDARIN SPEAKING

147.

HE, JUN Chinese

CALL CENTER AGENT MANDARIN SPEAKING

148.

LI, XINPING Chinese

CALL CENTER AGENT MANDARIN SPEAKING

149.

LI, DAPENG Chinese

CALL CENTER AGENT MANDARIN SPEAKING

150.

XU, CONG Chinese

CALL CENTER AGENT MANDARIN SPEAKING

KONGANBUDDIES MARKETING INC. 48/f Lower Ground Pbcom Tower 6795 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a. Rufino St. Bel-air Makati City 151.

ALBERT Indonesian

BAHASA/CHINESE LANGUAGE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

152.

CALVIN Indonesian

INDONESIAN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

153.

HARDI SUTA WIJAYA Indonesian

INDONESIAN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

154.

HONANTO BASTIAN Indonesian

INDONESIAN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

155.

LEONARD WIJAYA Indonesian

INDONESIAN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

156.

MARTHA DINATA Indonesian

INDONESIAN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

157.

ROBET Indonesian

INDONESIAN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

158.

RODES Indonesian

INDONESIAN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

159.

WULAN MARCELINA RINDU Indonesian

INDONESIAN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

FU, WENKE Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. 4th-11th Flr. Nexgen Tower C4 Rd. Edsa Ext. Brgy. 076 Pasay City

114.

GUO, RURU Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

160.

GUO, SHIJIAN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

115.

HE, CHEN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

161.

LAI, XIANCHANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

116.

HUANG, HUA Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

162.

LAI WOON CHUN Malaysian

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

117.

JIA, CHAO Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

163.

LI, LIN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

118.

LAN, TIAN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

164.

LI, XIUJUN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

119.

LIANG, SHAOXUAN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

165.

LIU, YINGSHUANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

120.

LIANG, SHIHONG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

166.

LIU, ZIRUI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

121.

LIU, YINGQUN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

167.

LU, XIAO Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

122.

LIU, TIANSHENG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

168.

LUO, MEIXIA Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

123.

LUO, GANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

169.

MA, PANPAN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

124.

WANG, JINGYU Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

170.

MO, YIZHOU Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

125.

WANG, XING Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

171.

SUN, YU Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

126.

WU, TIANQU Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

172.

TRAN THI NHU NGOC Vietnamese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

127.

XU, YANBIN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

173.

VENI MONICA Indonesian

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

128.

YANG, YING Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

174.

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

129.

YIN, MINGCI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

WAN HWAE HON @ SAI LAIN WAN Myanmari

175.

WAN HWE NEINT @ SAI SENG WAN Myanmari

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

FAST RETAILING PHILIPPINES, INC. Sm Corporate Offices Bldg. A. J. W. Diokno Blvd. Brgy. 076 Pasay City TANAKA, TAKAHIRO Japanese

SENIOR CORPORATE PLANNING MANAGER

81.

CHEN, FENG Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

130.

ZENG, CHENGTAO Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

131.

ZHANG, SHILIN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

176.

WU, YUNA Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

82.

DING, FAN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

132.

ZHAO, SHUANGLI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

177.

WU, TENGTENG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

83.

HE, HUI Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

133.

ZHAO, GUOQING Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

178.

ZHAI, HONGTAO Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

84.

HU, XIN Chinese

85.

HUANG, ZONGTING Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

134.

ZHENG, CHENGWU Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

179.

ZHANG, WEIXIN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

86.

LIU, MIAOMIAO Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

135.

KHAING SU SHIN Myanmari

MYANMARI CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

180.

ZHENG, KUN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

87.

LYU, XUEHU Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

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181.

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Thursday, April 29, 2021 A5

ADB allots $3.9B for PHL’s 2021 firm lending program

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

T

HE Asian Development Bank (ADB) has disclosed that its firm lending program for the Philippines may reach $3.9 billion this year.

In a briefing on Wednesday, ADB Philippines Country Director Kelly Bird told reporters that the amount would cover at least eight projects divided into the three pillars set in ADB’s Country Partnership Strategy with the Philippines.

For this year, the lending program under the pillar on Accelerating Infrastructure and Long-Term Investments amounts to $1.93 billion; Promoting Local Economic Development worth $734 million; and Investing in People at $1.2 billion.

“These are our programs, our firm programs for this year. We also have several standby projects that are still in preparation stages,” Bird said in a briefing.

The largest project is the $1.75billion South Commuter Railway Project, which, Bird said, will be approved this year.

He added ADB aims to finalize the contracts for the project awarded by the end of this year to begin civil

works next year.

Bird said the South Commuter Railway Project will be complemented by the Malolos Clark railway project that was approved in 2019.

He said the ADB approved all the civil works contracts for the project, worth $2.4 billion, in 2020. Bird said the civil works for the project would begin this year.

Another project under this pillar is the Metro Manila Bridges Project worth $180 million, which will cover the construction of three bridges around Marikina.

Under the Promoting Local Economic Development pillar, the projects are the $400-million Local Governance Reform Program; $238-million Davao Public Transport Modernization Project; and the $96-million Sustainable Palawan Tourism Development Project.

“It will [not only] focus on capacity development for marine resource management but also [on] providing [the means for] tourism enterprises to improve the competitiveness and skills training,” Bird said.

“The project is designed to ensure environmentally sustainable tourism in Palawan.”

The last pillar on Investing People would include three loans worth

$400 million each.

This includes the Facilitating Youth School-to-Work Transition project; Building Up Implementation and Local-Level Drivers for Universal Health Care Program; and the Heal-2 (APAX) Vaccine Project Loan.

Based on data from the ADB, around 14 projects are currently in the list of proposed projects by the Philippine government. The list already includes those in the firm lending pipeline for this year.

Other projects in the list include the $50-million Baguio Urban Sanitation Improvement Project; $100million City Disaster Insurance Pool Project; $400-million Integrated Flood Risk Management Sector Project; and $100-million Supporting Innovation in Philippines Technical and Vocational Education Training System, among others.

There are also regional projects that include the Philippines such as the Building Coastal Resilience through Nature-Based and Integrated Solutions, which will provide technical assistance to 13 countries and the Strengthening Public Financial Management in Timor-Leste and Selected Countries of Association of Southeast Asian Nations, among others.

Covid-19 cases in Davao City continue to drop

By Sabrina Pangilinan

Special to the BusinessMirror

D

AVAO CITY—The city government has recorded a declining number of Covid-19 infections here, as well as a decreasing positivity rate within the past two weeks.

“We are lower than the WHO [World Health Organization] threshold of 5 percent, which only indicates that we have a relatively low transmission for Covid-19 here,” City Health Office chief, Dr. Ashley Lopez, told the Covid -19 Alert program on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.

Davao City has recorded between 35 and 40 cases daily, a sharp drop from the 100 or more cases recorded during the local surge early this year. By April, the number of cases were in the vicinity of 20, and declining. A daily Department of Health monitoring shows 27 new cases

on April 14, going down to 20 the week later on April 20, and further down to 12 new cases on April 27.

Lopez said that for the past two weeks, the city’s average Covid-19 positivity rate stood at 3.8 percent, below the WHO threshold of 5 percent.

Also, he said, the city has relatively lower death rates compared to the previous months. On the selected monitoring dates by the DOH, there was only one death recorded, on April 20, and none on the other two sample monitoring days.

“The low death rate is an indication of the city’s efficient Covid-19 response and the efficient utilization of care and treatment facilities,” Lopez said.

However, the death of Covid-19 patients may be likely due to underlying health conditions or comorbidities.

The hospital’s critical utilization rate has also decreased by 50 percent.

Lopez said that due to the low occupancy rate at the country’s largest government hospital, the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) could now accommodate more patients with moderate, severe and critical cases.

Lopez cautioned however, that “because of our intensified activities in contact tracing and mandatory testing, it is not surprising that our positivity rate will rise, although, it is not that significant.”

He attributed the city’s improved Covid-19 situation to stricter implementation of Covid-19 policies and regulations. It included stricter contact tracing and surveillance activities to continue the downward trend of positive cases in the city.

This month, the National InterAgency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases classified the city at “minimum risk” and was now at “low risk.

Manufacturers want workers on Covid vaccine priority list continued from a12 “Another thing, we don’t know how many are for government hospitals. I got information that most of the allocation was for private hospitals,” Recto said. “The data should be unbundled so we will know the inventory in government hospitals.

Here is where the poor people flock, so we should know if there are enough ICU units, ventilators, high-flow oxygen therapy machines,” he added.

RecallingthelatestdailyreportbytheDOH,henotedit alsoshowedanationwidetotalof2,521ICUunitsallocated forCovid-19patients.“Again,thisisamixofgovernmentand private.Buttheimportantquestionis,isthisenough?”Recto

said.“Whenpublichospitalsstartposting‘Noadmissionfor Covid patients’ signs, then we know the answer.”

Recto recalled that the DOH’s capital outlays (CO) budget, or funds for equipment and buildings, for 2019 and 2020 was P29 billion, adding that “for this year, P14.7 billion was appropriated by Congress, bringing the three-year CO total of the DOH to P43.7 billion.”

He noted, however, that allocations of the four Quezon City-based hospitals—which are classified as government corporations and whose annual operating budgets are not included in the Department

of Health’s—were not included.

“This excludes the augmentations and realignments allowed by Bayanihan Act I and II,” Recto said.

“For example, part of the DOH’s P35.51-billion share from Bayanihan II authorized expenses is the procurement of P3 billion worth of PPEs. Also included is P4.5 billion for the construction of temporary medical isolation facilities and field hospitals,” Recto said.

In its latest report, the DOH said there are 10,788 beds in wards for Covid-19 patients, from 1,751 in May 2020. The number of isolation beds also rose from 4,999 in May 2020 to 19,572 this month.

EU-PHL accord to focus on resilient economy, justice continued from a12 Over the past nine months, the EU said it has extended a total of P6.3 billion or over EUR 110 million and extended a EUR 4.5 million or P261 million for an off-grid energy project in Mindanao.

The assistance will be used for a project undertaken by the National Electrification Administration (NEA) in partnership with the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), to help energize and improve livelihoods for off-grid, marginalized and under-served communities in Mindanao.

“In addition, lessons learnt and operational matters were reviewed to enhance cooperation; and coordination mechanisms were also examined,” EU said.

“In this context, it was agreed to streamline respective internal approval processes for proposed cooperation programs where possible, to enable a more efficient collaboration between the EU and the Philippines,” it added.

On April 19, 2021, the Government of the

Philippines and EU held the first meeting of the Sub-Committee on Development Cooperation under the PCA on a virtual platform.

The Sub-Committee on Development Cooperation was created during the first PH-EU Joint Committee Meeting under the Philippines-EU PCA, which took place on January 28, 2020 in Brussels, Belgium. With the launch of this Sub-committee, a significant step has been made towards a fullyfledged implementation of the PCA. Cai U. Ordinario

TheBroa

Business

A6 Thursday, April 29, 2021• www.businessmirror.com.ph

Still on queue: Return and their growing eco

By Prof. Jeremaiah M. Opiniano

T

OFW Journalism Consortium Special to the BusinessMirror

HE answer to government’s problems on returning overseas Filipinos amid the economic and health crises may lie in a Chinese proverb: “To know the road ahead, ask those coming back.”

And those coming back were considered modern-day heroes; and they number to over half a million—519,566 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), to be exact, as Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III told President Duterte last April 19.

In the good old days, from countries near and far away, these “heroes” whip out wallets to wire home their wherewithal to their motherland.

Families whoop as worries on wealth are wiped away and wishes for a better life are whisked into reality. Market confidence is bolstered as remittances buttress the country’s dollar reserves— buoying up such financial reservoir should national economic growth wither.

But, as Mary Hopkin sang, those were the days many thought would never end. The coronavirus disease of 2019 started the end of these days.

Still in the process

BASED on the transcript of the “Talk to the People of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Covid-19 last week, Bello said that out of the 3,497,261 documented Filipinos living and working overseas, 19 percent or 647,827, were displaced because of Covid-19.

“Meaning, they lost their job or even if they did not lose their job, they could not earn a living because they were prevented from reporting to work because of Covid-19, Mister President.”

Of those displaced, Bello said the government was able to repatriate about 519,566 OFWs through a P5-billion fund. This meant the government spent on the average around P9,623.40 for the repatriation of an OFW. The chief of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said the remainder of the 647,000, or about 49,000, are “still in the process of repatriation.”

Bello said that around 78,519 opted to stay on-site.

“It’s not because they don’t want to go home but because many of them got vaccinated,” he told the April 19 forum with Duterte, noting that many of these are in countries in the Middle East.

“So with the vaccination, the opportunity for reemployment was very high, so they opted to stay,” Bello said.

The Labor Chief noted that of the more than 3 million documented OFWs, 19,148 were infected with Covid-19 and 950 of them died. On the bright side, Bello said

that 10,466, though were infected, have fully recovered.

OFW hopes

IN a Facebook group called “Returning OFWS,” migrant workers complain of cancelled flights.

They share photos of returning Filipino workers in chartered or mercy flights. They highlight the despair but cite the patience while waiting to be released from quarantine facilities (within seven days to 14 days, as medically advised).

They express longing to be with their loved ones here even though the number of Covid-19 cases has reached the millionth-mark.

Their thirst for home will see them meet up with struggling business activities, cash-strapped compatriots and widespread joblessness. That’s the homeland they want to come back to; still with the reasons that made them leave in the first place.

The Philippine government had no choice: it is duty-bound to bring some of these “heroes” home. To this day, the government agencies servicing migrant workers handle returnees’ quarantine and safe return journey, as well as provide some financial help.

Fourteen months since the first pandemic-induced repatriation of Filipinos (coming from Wuhan, China), return migration remains a problem for the Duterte administration.

The biggest problem of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) is the repatriation of our OFWs, Bello told Duterte last April 19.

“And in order to bring [them] home, repat r i ate ou r OF Ws, which includes airfare, sea-fare, land-fare, hotel expenses serving as quarantine accommodation, food and financial assistance, our OWWA spent P11,466,874,371.”

Land, air, sea

IF OFWs wish to come home, they reach out to the nearest Philippine embassy or consulate and express intent to join a flight. They can also reach out to the government through social media pages such as “OWWA Quarantine Operations” and “OFW Help” (by the Department of Foreign Affairs).

On the journey home, returnees get fetched to join the scheduled flight, and then receive food and hygiene kits. The Philippine government primarily shoulders the costs of the flight home, even as the Migrant Workers Act (Republic Act 10022) mandates recruitment agencies to co-finance the

costs of repatriating the workers they hired.

Upon arrival in the country’s international airports, the returnees’ profiles get recorded and they are asked to register to an online system called “OASIS,” or the OFW Assistance Information System, by the DOLE and its attached agency OWWA. And before being sent to designated quarantine facilities such as hotels, motels and inns, returnees receive arrangements for swab testing in the quarantine facilities (six days after arrival, as per current regulations).

After quarantine, whether one gets positive or negative, the returnee migrant worker is then transported—by land, air and sea—to her or his community of origin.

Integration, loan

ALL these procedures are shouldered by OWWA, with funds from the national government through Republic Act (RA) 11429, or Bayanihan 1, and RA 11494, or Bayanihan 2, OWWA Administrator Hans Leo J. Cacdac said last April 10.

These services are on top of a one-time financial assistance (P10,000 or $200) that OWWA g ives to af fected OF Ws sent home, stuck at home and still abroad, through the Abot Kamay ang Pagtulong (help on-hand), or Akap, program.

OWWA had even collaborated with private companies to offer returnees entrepreneurial training and livelihood packages, like a program with a carbonated-drink manufacturer where women returnees get trained and open sari-sari (hodge-podge) stories that become wholesalers or retailers of the manufacturer’s products.

Departments engaged

HANDLING returning and repatriated migrants has already become an entire government’s burden. Never in the history of the country’s involvement with overseas migration have so many government offices became involved with returning overseas Filipinos.

The droves of repatriations prompted the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging and Infectious Diseases (IATF) to designate a “Task Group” on the Management of Returning Overseas Filipinos.

Handling these returnees is from expressing intent to return (coming from their host country) to reaching her or his origin community in the Philippines.

Sixteen government agencies, eight of them departments led by DOLE and the Department of Foreign Affairs, all help manage the needs of returning overseas Filipinos (be it repatriated migrant workers, seafarers being brought home by their shipping companies, OFWs voluntarily coming home, or even vacationing Filipinos who permanently reside abroad).

As of April 10, Cacdac said that nearly half a million OFWs and returnees received money from the AKAP. OW WA relies on the funds mandated by Bayanihan 1 and 2 to render its services to returnees.

Its trust fund (worth some P18.3

billion) bankrolls the economic reintegration programs under OWWA’s aegis, says Cacdac.

Recently, Bello appealed to Duterte to lessen the number of quarantine days for returning OFWs given financial constraints.

But after hearing the medical explanations of epidemiologists, the President maintained the current 14-day quarantine.

Assistance, aid

BEYOND the assistance and facilitation during their return trips, returned overseas Filipinos have also been offered a menu of economic packages and business training services (the latter both face-to-face and online). Five departments, two line agencies, three government-owned banks and two state-run financial institutions have offered these business packages and loans.

OWWA and the National Reintegration Center for OFWs (or NRCO, attached under OWWA) offer the usual economic programs for returnees. For displaced or repatriated workers who are OWWA members, the Balik ‘Pinas, Balik Hanapbuhay (BPBH) program gives them a maximum of P20,000 as

start-up capital.

For OFWs incarcerated or who had died abroad, OWWA gives their families a P15,000 livelihood assistance through a Education and Livelihood Development Program (ELDP).

If OFWs and their families are organized into groups (with at least 51 members), they can avail of up to a million pesos worth of capital, raw materials, equipment and business development assistance. This is through OWWA’s Tulong Pangkabuhayan para sa mga Samahan ng OFWs (Tulong Puso).

OWWA’s mother agency, the DOLE, also runs its own economic services. For a day, returnees can go to the nearest DOLE provincial or regional office and avail of a financial management seminar (FMS) and small business management training (SBMT).

If they wish to run enterprises after being trained, DOLE directs these returnees to its Livelihood Development Assistance Program (LDAP) which gives them a “business enterprise start-up kit” worth P10,000, plus technical assistance to prepare business plans.

The Agricultural Credit Policy Council (under the Department

of Agriculture) had created a loan window for repatriated OFWs. The Expanded Sure-Aid and Recovery Project that gives returnees loans for agri-businesses of up to P10 million. Returnees also get agribusiness training from the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI).

Revolving loan

THE Land Bank of the Philippines (Landbank), the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and the Overseas Filipino Bank (a Landbank subsidiary) run the OFW Enterprise Development and Loan program (ELDP) credit facility, with revolving loan funds from OWWA. Returnees can borrow a minimum of P100,000 and a maximum of P2 million (for single proprietors) and P5 million (for a group of OFWs).

Under the Department of Trade and Industry, the Small Business Corporation launched HEROES (“Helping the Economy through OFW Enterprise Start-ups”) as a P100-million credit window coursed through partner financial institutions. Returnees may borrow a minimum of P10,000 and a maximum of P100,000, with this loan being interest-free and not requiring any collateral.

aderLook

sMirror

Editor: Dennis D. Estopace • Thursday, April 29, 2021

A7

ning overseas workers, onomic needs at home came about even when OWWA had turned over the ELDP to LandBank and DBP in 2011 (with OWWA providing a P2-billion revolving fund).

WHO returns home matters.

A lana’s evaluative research showed many OFW returnees “have limited skills and capital and are largely unable to invest in, or contribute to, local development projects.”

There are even five “types” of returnees, Japan-based migration analyst Jhemarie Chris Bernas finds in a 2016 survey for DOLE’s Institute of Labor Studies (ILS).

All these types of returnees came home during this pandemic.

There are returnees who are “struggling to be reintegrated,” such as household service workers (HSWs), as they have a low level of preparation to return. There are also returnees “disengaged to be reintegrated:” they have insufficient level of preparedness to return, and may be willing to stay home and not return abroad, Bernas finds.

Some returnees are also “undecided to be reintegrated” since they would like to go back overseas. They’re somewhat prepared for the return flight and, at home, they are “temporarily engaged” in salaried employment or business.

Others are “engaged to be reintegrated,” meaning these returnees have “high levels of preparedness” to come back home.

A fifth type of returnees will be “undocumented workers” who were forcibly repatriated home and may also struggle in their reintegration.

THIS is why previous government initiatives and efforts by civil society groups prod departing or re-migrating overseas Filipinos to prepare for their return migration before their flights. The predeparture orientation seminars (PDOS) by recruitment agencies and migrant NGOs usually lecture departing OFWs on reintegration and handling remittances.

Si nce t he 19 8 0 s, m ig ra nt NGOs have ran entrepreneurship programs for OFWs. In the last decade, overseas Filipino associations have delivered financial education training —both catering to Filipinos intending to come home and those staying permanently abroad.

One-shot financial education seminars may be insufficient to actually change financial behaviors, Cristina M. Liamzon of Pilipinas-Overseas Filipinos Society for the Promotion of Economic Security (OFSPES) told the OFW Journalism Consortium. In cooperation with the Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) and the nonprofit Wimler Foundation Hong Kong Ltd. for Social Progress, OFSPES conducts financial literacy, leadership and social entrepreneurship (FLSE) training courses to overseas Filipinos, leading to a diploma from AdMU. “We have realized from our sixmonth, 12 session program (with four full-day, six-hour sessions are devoted to personal financial education) that there is a stronger chance that financial behaviors actually being altered with longer and more substantial financial literacy programs,” Liamzon said.

Comprehensive approach

Invest, save

All types

Also under DTI, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) had lured OFWs abroad and returnees at home to its free online training programs.

These economic packages and entrepreneurship training activities are rolled out through the regional and provincial offices of the departments concerned, like the DOLE, DTI or DA.

Innovation, amelioration

The weak link

THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has included some returning OFWs in its Social Amelioration Program (SAP) when geographic communities are placed under enhanced community quarantine.

And if returnees want to open enterprises using technology, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) launched iFWD PH, or “Innovations for Filipinos Working Distantly from the Philippines.”

Separate from this set of economic packages for reintegration is another inter-agency effort, this time spearheaded by the Agriculture department. Last year, the DA, DOST, DTI, Tesda and the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) released Joint Memorandum Circular 7 to unify agri-business related programs and services that target repatriated OFWs.

FOR more than two decades, migration analysts remark that return migration and economic reintegration are the Philippines’ “weakest links” in managing Filipinos’ overseas migration. A 2012 study by De La Salle University’s Stella Go for the International Labor Organization (ILO) said that “returning workers have been of less concern to the government over the years.”

“For the longest time, the Philippines’ reintegration services were the weakest component in the government’s overseas employment program,” the veteran migration researcher Go wrote.

But the Philippines is among the first migrant-origin countries to create official reintegration programs, American Alana Murphy wrote in a chapter for a freshly-released book. Yet Murphy thinks these reintegration services—from job referrals to entrepreneurship training and

cred it—sti l l leave lots to be desired.

And with the Philippines still searching for d ata on which OFWs return home and what are their profiles, political scientist Jorge V. Tigno of the University of the Philippines-Diliman wonders if previous and ongoing reintegration programs have become effective aid for returnees.

Yield from assistance

“THERE has not been any clear assessment of how effective these ‘entrepreneurial programs’ (for returnees) are, especially at local levels,” Tigno told the OFW Journalism Consortium. “So we are left with paper accomplishments for the sake of complying.”

Tigno and fellow UP political scientist Jean Encinas-Franco were previously contracted by the OWWA to assess the agency’s reintegration programs. They found that “a lot of the loans extended to OFWs and their families are not being paid back.”

The two added that credit being extended and cash assistance being provided “are not that much to convince the returnees to stay permanently.” Their conclusion

Training courses

BUT regardless of which “type” of returnee comes home, Bernas tells the OFW Journalism Consortium return migration boils down to why they went abroad to begin with, as well as their duties for their families.

“For people with a strong family orientation, they are the ones who most likely to go back ahead of their retirement age,” Bernas said. At the same time, Bernas thinks the family duties of OFWs may “become a barrier for their individual growth and (accumulation of) financial resources for self-improvement.”

“This level of strong family connection can result in some overseas Filipinos deciding to go back to the Philippines despite the lack of financial security,” Bernas adds.

Regardless of those who have returned, Tigno thinks around 7080 percent of OFWs do not know these reintegration programs from the Philippine government. And with such lack of information, returnees “are left to fend for themselves,” he adds.

Which is why Tigno still believes return migration and economic reintegration “continue to be the Philippines’ weakest link in the migration front.” That is even if today’s pandemic has seen the mushrooming of economic packages and return migration assistance, already revealing a “wholeof-government” approach.

THIS was what FLSE alumnus Dino Reyes (not his real name) realized.

This returnee and former factory worker under South Korea’s employment permit system (EPS) went home to their hometown in Cavite province last June, invested his savings and opened a food business.

FLSE’s online classes staged prior to and during the lockdowns in Korea helped Reyes. “Given today’s hardships, it pays that we are financially aware,” he told the OFW Journalism Consortium.

“We need to save and prepare for the day that we come home.”

While Tigno thinks most of returnees do not know what to do in their economic reintegration, the current pandemic had seen some returnees and repatriated workers do business.

But not all overseas Filipinos or even returnees can be entrepreneurs overnight, economist Alvin Ang explained. Ang also notes that overseas Filipinos to not expect business earnings to be immediately as high as their incomes abroad.

Opportunities

TODAY’S economic reintegration by returning overseas workers provides gloomy scenes. With the Philippines still in a recession, and new variants spiking today’s COVID-19 surge, face-to-face business activities remain limited.

Online ventures mushroomed.

Agriculture, an essential commodity in the pandemic era, emerged as a necessary venture for Filipinos.

But with unemployment currently at 8.8 percent (as of this February), and locked-down Philippine communities await financial assistance from government, doing business may not be easy for all entrepreneurs currently.

Many Filipinos at home, their jobs and incomes stashed by Covid-19, are even looking for work.

It doesn’t mean though that the entrepreneurial window is closed.

Ang said there are still opportunities for entrepreneurs to do business, while Filipinos abroad can learn more knowledge—including entrepreneurship and money management— online.

Which is why knowledge about money for Filipinos abroad matters, says WIMLER Foundation founder and migrant advocate Leila Rispens-Noel.

Saving money, for example, “is not an easy thing to do, and needs discipline,” says the former resident of The Netherlands. “What more for those low-skilled OFWs who earn only small salaries?”

“Except perhaps for the ‘financially literate’ OFWs, savings may not be a top priority for OFWs. They have to meet their families’ basic needs,” Rispens-Noel told the OFW Journalism Consortium.

No matter how

AS the country’s “modern-day heroes” face tougher times ahead, the pandemic has taught returnees major lessons.

“For OFWs who have managed to save substantially, the loss of employment has not caused as much stress and anxiety. This is compared to those who have not adequately prepared and managed enough savings nor investments,” Liamzon said.

Bernas recommends that returnees capitalize on the many economic programs and services being offered to them. These economic services for returning overseas Filipino workers is perhaps the most extensive in the country’s history of managing overseas employment.

Get the assistance “no matter how small or big the amount (of assistance) is,” Bernas said.

But for individual returnees, the pandemic may have changed their financial lifestyles in their reintegration here. The pre-pandemic era of sending and receiving more remittances may have to be controlled currently, says the former Korea-based migrant worker Dino Reyes.

“Our lifestyle should be within our means. We cannot always eat hearty meals and then next month you don’t have money anymore,” Reyes told the OFW Journalism Consortium.

“We have to think of the long term; we don’t know until when this virus will affect us. We have to thus extend our patience here at home.”

Hopefully, government would heed a Chinese proverb to know t he road a head for Fi lipinos coming back.

A8

Thursday, April 29, 2021

The World BusinessMirror

India tops 200,000 dead as virus surge overwhelms health system

N

EW DELHI—India crossed a grim milestone Wednesday of 200,000 people lost to the coronavirus as a devastating surge of new infections tears through dense cities and rural areas alike and overwhelms health-care systems on the brink of collapse.

The health ministry reported a single-day record 3,293 Covid-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, br ing ing Ind ia’s tota l fata l ities to 201,187, as the world ’s second most populous countr y endures its darkest chapter of the pandemic yet.

T he countr y a lso reported 362,757 new infections, a new global record, which raised the overall total past 17.9 million. The previous high of 350,000 on Monday had capped a five-day streak of recording the largest single-day increases in any country throughout the pandemic.

India, a country of nearly 1.4 billion people, is the fourth to cross 200,000 deaths, behind the United States, Brazil and Mexico.

And as in many nations, experts believe the coronavirus infections and fatalities in India are severe undercounts.

T he f irst k now n Cov id-19 deat h i n Ind i a h appened on March 12, 2020, in southern Karnataka state. It took five months to reach the first 50,000 dead.

The toll hit 100,000 deaths in the next two months in October

2020 and 150,000 three months later in January this year. Deaths slowed until mid-March, only to sharply rise again.

For the past week, more than 2,000 Indians have died every day.

India thought it had weathered the worst of the pandemic l ast yea r, but t he v ir us is now rac ing t hrough its popu l at ion a nd systems a re beg inning to col l apse.

Hospitalizations and deaths have reached record highs, overwhelming health-care workers.

Patients are suffocating because hospitals’ oxygen supplies have run out. Desperate family members are sending SOS messages on social media, hoping someone would help them find oxygen cylinders, empty hospital beds and critical drugs for their loved ones.

Crematoriums have spilled over into parking lots, lighting up night skies in some cities.

With its health-care system sinking fast, India is now looking at other nations to pull it out of the record surge that is barreling through one state and then another.

Asian lender sees strong rebound for region in 2021

D

eveloping Asian economies will grow at a solid 7.3 percent pace this year after contracting slightly in 2020 due to the pandemic, the Asian Development Bank says in its latest regional outlook.

But the regional lender said that forecast is in doubt as outbreaks of coronavirus flare in several countries, including Thailand, India and the Philippines.

Those setbacks threaten just as growth has been gaining momentum, said the ADB’s chief economist, Yasuyuki Sawada.

“Economies in the region are on diverging paths,” he said. “Their trajectories are shaped by the extent of domestic outbreaks, the pace of their vaccine rollouts, and how much they are benefiting from the global recovery.”

China, which first reported the virus and has been the first major economy to bounce back from the pandemic, is forecast to grow 8.1 percent this year, slowing to 5.5 percent in 2022, said the ADB report, released Wednesday.

It estimates that India’s economy will expand at an 11 percent pace in 2021, in line with similar forecasts from the International Monetary Fund and private economists.

Surging new cases in India—at more than 300,000 per day for the past five days—may derail that progress as hospitals are inundated with seriously ill patients, it noted.

So far, the overall impact of this spike in cases is unclear.

“Real-time data on traffic, electricity demand and mobility suggest that, so far at least, India’s virus outbreak has had more of an impact on behavior than it

has on activity,” Shilan Shah of Capital Economics said in a separate report.

So far, the Indian government has resisted taking the sort of drastic lockdown measures it ordered in March 2020 when millions of workers were stranded in cities, unable to work or return to their villages.

“The big unknown is whether these restrictions will be sufficient to curb the outbreak. If not and it continues, more draconian measures may still be needed,” Shah said.

The ADB forecast that Myanmar’s economy will contract nearly 10 percent this year following a military coup that has thrust the country into turmoil. The economy grew at a modest 3.3 percent level in 2020, before the military seized power on Feb. 1, provoking a mass civil disobedience campaign that has stifled most business activity.

The ADB economists did not foresee a significant increase in inf lation, despite concerns in the US and elsewhere that massive government spending and other stimulus might spark surging prices.

The ADB expects inflation in the region to fall to 2.3 percent this year from 2.8 percent in 2020, when disruptions from the pandemic pushed food prices sharply higher in some places. The inflation rate for developing Asia is forecast to rise to 2.7 percent in 2022.

Apart from the cost of lost lives and misery, damage to health and productivity, the pandemic has extracted a harsh toll in many ways, wiping out millions of jobs, sinking families into poverty. It also has put children far behind in their studies, the report said. AP

In this April 24, file photo, multiple funeral pyres of those who died of Covid-19 burn at a ground that has been converted into a crematorium for the mass cremation of coronavirus victims, in New Delhi, India. India crossed a grim milestone on April 28, of 200,000 people lost to the coronavirus as a devastating surge of new infections tears through dense cities and rural areas alike and overwhelms health-care systems on the brink of collapse. AP/Altaf Qadri

Many countries have offered assistance, including the US, which has promised to help with personal protective equipment, tests and oxygen supplies. The US will also send raw materials for vaccine production, strengthening India’s capacity to manufacture more AstraZeneca doses.

Health experts say huge gatherings during Hindu festivals and mammoth election rallies in some states have accelerated the unprecedented surge India is seeing now.

They also say the government’s mixed messaging and its premature declarations of victory over the virus encouraged people to relax when they should have continued strict adherence to physical distancing, wearing masks and avoiding large crowds.

The national capital New Delhi

is in lockdown, as are the southern states of Maharashtra and Karnataka. Some other states, too, have enforced restrictions in an attempt to curb the spread of the virus.

India has also called on its armed forces to help fight the devastating crisis. India’s chief of Defense Staff, General Bipin Rawat, said late Monday that oxygen supplies would be released from armed forces reserves and its retired medical personnel would join health facilities to ease the pressure on doctors.

Meanwhile, India’s vaccination program appears to be struggling.

So far nearly 10 percent of the country’s population have received one jab, but just over 1.5 percent have received both vaccines.

Ind i a ns 18 a nd older w i l l be el ig ible for a vacc ine f rom Sat u rd ay. AP

Editor: Angel R. Calso • www.businessmirror.com.ph

Myanmar guerrillas capture govt base; airstrikes follow

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ANGKOK—Ethnic Karen guerrillas said they captured a Myanmar army base on Tuesday near the border with Thailand, representing a morale-boosting action for those opposing the military’s takeover of the country’s civilian government in February.

Myanmar’s military staged airstrikes several hours later on villages in territory controlled by the Karen forces, according to a guerrilla spokesman, a senior Thai official and a relief worker.

The fighting took place three days after a meeting of Southeast Asian leaders to try to hammer out a plan to restore peace in Myanmar, where the military government has attempted to suppress widespread opposition to its rule through the use of lethal force.

More than 700 protesters and bystanders have been killed by security forces, according to several detailed estimates. The junta’s figure is about one-third of that.

A spokesman for the Karen National Union, the minority’s main political group seeking greater autonomy from Myanmar’s central government, said its armed wing attacked the base at 5 a.m. and burned it down just after dawn.

Casualty figures were not yet known, the KNU’s head of foreign affairs, Padoh Saw Taw Nee, said in a text message. There was no immediate comment from Myanmar’s military government.

The KNU, which controls territory in eastern Myanmar near the Thai border, is a close ally of the resistance movement against the military coup that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Its armed wing is called the Karen National Liberation Army.

Video shot from the Thai side of the border showed flames rising from the government position on the banks of the Salween River amid the sound of heavy gunfire. The river marks the border with Thailand.

Padoh Man Man of the KNLA’s 5th Brigade, which launched the morning attack , said Myanmar’s military carried out airstrikes in the early afternoon, but he did not know how many casualties there were. He described the air raids as a “heinous war crime” and called for the international community to pressure the junta to stop them.

Sithichai Jindaluang, the governor of Thailand’s Mae Hong Son province, confirmed at a news conference that Karen guerrillas had overrun the Myanmar base and said a woman on Thai soil was wounded by a stray bullet. He said about 450 villagers have been evacuated from Mae Sam Lap for their own safety.

Sithichai also said a Myanmar military aircraft later bombed a Karen village.

Dave Eubank of the Free Burma Rangers, a humanitarian aid group with extensive experience in the area, said he could confirm there had been airstrikes on Karen villages in Papun district. He said five bombs were dropped but caused no casualties.

Myanmar’s army was also staging ground attacks in the area, Eubank said.

Fighting between the KNU’s armed wing

and Myanmar’s military has been intense since February.

Myanmar jets have bombed and strafed Karen villages since March 27, and its army has deployed new battalions to the area, in possible preparation for a large-scale offensive.

Up to 25,000 villagers have fled their homes and are hiding in jungles and caves, according to Eubank.

In response, the KNLA has kept up guerrilla attacks on Myanmar patrols and bases. The KNU has also given shelter to activists against military rule who have fled the government’s crackdown on the resistance movement in the cities.

There is a similar situation in nor thern Myanmar, where the Kachin minority says it has captured several government outposts and has been the target of air attacks.

The Karen and the Kachin are two of the bigger minority groups that have been seeking greater autonomy for decades, during which there have been periods of armed conflict punctuated by cease-fires.

The city-based resistance movement against the ruling junta has wooed the ethnic guerrilla groups in hopes that they can form a federal army as a counterweight to the government’s armed forces.

A parallel National Unity Government established by elected lawmakers prevented from taking their seats by the army has appointed representatives of several minority groups to ministerial posts.

On Tuesday, a flash mob of anti-military protesters surged through an area of Yangon, Myanmar’s biggest city, for the second successive day to show fleeting but unyielding defiance of the ruling junta.

Such open protests have become less frequent since a brutal crackdown by the security forces began, but activity has picked up following Saturday’s meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, with junta chief Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing in attendance.

The meeting prompted some guarded optimism after it issued a statement reporting a “five-point consensus” on Myanmar’s crisis. It called for the immediate cessation of violence, a dialogue among all concerned parties, mediation of the dialogue process by an Asean special envoy, provision of humanitarian aid through Asean channels, and a visit to Myanmar by the special envoy to meet all concerned parties.

However, a statement from the junta about the meeting published in Tuesday’s state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper made no mention of the consensus statement. It emphasized that Myanmar would “give careful consideration to constructive suggestions made by Asean Leaders when the situation returns to stability in the country since priorities at the moment were to maintain law and order and to restore community peace and tranquility.” AP

Japan, China tensions heat up over Tokyo diplomatic report

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apan criticized China in an annual diplomatic report as a source of “strong” concern in terms of security for the region and the international community, a move that led Beijing to chastise its neighbor.

The government used the wording for the first time in its so-called diplomatic Blue Book, according to the Nikkei newspaper on Tuesday.

Japan’s Foreign Ministry also for the first time referred to activities

by Chinese government vessels around disputed East China Sea islands as a breach of international law, the paper said.

The Blue Book added to friction between the neighbors, which has

stepped up in recent months as Tokyo has joined the US and Europe in criticizing China over human rights in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, as well as over security issues.

“The Blue Book hypes up the China threat, smears China and interferes in China’s domestic affairs,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a regular press briefing in Beijing on Tuesday. He added that “we firmly oppose that and have lodged solemn representation with the Japanese side.”

Japan’s Defense Ministry used its annual secur it y white paper released in Ju ly to condemn C h inese act ions in t he reg ion,

accusing Beijing of “relentlessly” pushing its way toward uninhabited East China Sea islands claimed by the two countries and saying it was becoming a “matter of grave concern.”

In his briefing, Wang said the islands—known as the Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China—are China’s “inherent territory.” China has repeatedly urged Japan not to align itself too closely with the US, its only formal military ally.

“We urge Japan to redress these mistakes and build a stable China-Japan relations with concrete actions,” Wang said.

China was high on the agenda when US President Joe Biden

hosted Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga at the White House earlier this month, his first in-person meeting with a foreign leader since taking office in January. Japan’s Toshimitsu Motegi is also set to attend the meeting of Group of Seven Foreign Ministers in London from May 3-5, at which concerns over China are expected to be a major topic of discussion.

A state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Japan scheduled for spring 2020 was postponed amid the Covid-19 pandemic, and some prominent voices in Suga’s ruling party have called for it to be canceled. Bloomberg News

Indonesia: Clash in Papua killed 5 rebels, 1 police

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AYAPURA, Indonesia—An Indonesian police officer and five Papuan independence fighters were killed in an ongoing clash between security forces and a rebel group in restive Papua province, authorities said Wednesday.

The clashes began early this month in Indonesia’s easternmost Papua province after rebels set fire to several schools and shot to death two teachers in Beoga village in Puncak district.

Police, military and intelligence forces joined together to find the attackers, who authorities believe belong to the West Papua Liberation Army, the military wing of the Free Papua Organization.

Rebels in Papua have been fighting a low-level insurgency since the early 1960s, when Indonesia annexed the region, a former Dutch colony. Papua was formally incorporated into

Indonesia in 1969 after a UNsponsored ballot that was seen as a sham by many.

Papua police chief Mathius Fakhiri said a joint military and police force killed five of the Papuan fighters in a battle with dozens of rebels armed with military-grade weapons as well as axes and arrows in Makki village Tuesday. He said a police officer was shot at his stomach and died while two others were injured.

Security forces managed to evacuate the body and injured officers to a hospital in nearby Mimika district near the mining town of Tembagapura on Tuesday while the joint force was hunting other rebels who fled to the jungle, Fakhiri said.

Sebby Sambom, a spokesman for the liberation army, who has earlier confirmed the police claim, changed his statement after re-

ceiving latest information from a National Liberation Army of West Papua commander, Lekagak Telenggen, who told him that all five victims who died during the clash were civilians. “ There are no casualties on our side, this is all public deception,” Sambon said. “Indonesian securit y forces have stormed several villages in Puncak district and shot villagers, many died and injured.”

Tuesday’s clash happened two days after Papua’s intelligence agency chief Brig. Gen. Gusti Putu Danny Nugraha was shot in his head and died in a rebel ambush. The ambush occurred while the general was patrolling Dambet village in Puncak district with 13 other personnel on motorcycle after rebels set fire to an elementary school and houses in the village.

President Joko Widodo has ordered government forces to hunt down the rebels.

“I emphasize that there is no place for armed criminal groups in Papua and in all corners of the country,” Widodo said in televised remarks on Monday.

Attacks by rebels in several districts in Papua have spiked in the past year, including in the Grasberg mine.

The Grasberg mine’s vast gold and copper reserves have been exploited for decades by US-based Freeport-McMoRan, damaging the surrounding environment while providing significant tax income for the Indonesian government.

But indigenous Papuans have benefited little and are poorer, sicker and more likely to die young than people elsewhere in Indonesia. AP

The World Thursday, April 29, 2021

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CDC says many Americans can now go outside without a mask

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EW YORK—The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eased its guidelines Tuesday on the wearing of masks outdoors, saying fully vaccinated Americans don’t need to cover their faces anymore unless they are in a big crowd of strangers.

A nd t hose who a re u nv acc i n ate d c a n go out side w it hout m a sk s i n some sit u at ions, too.

The new guidance represents another carefully calibrated step on the road back to normal from the coronavirus outbreak that has killed over 570,000 people in US. For most of the past year, the CDC had been advising Americans to wear masks outdoors if they are within 6 feet of one another.

“Today, I hope, is a day when we can take another step back to the normalcy of before,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said. “Over the past year, we have spent a lot of time telling Americans what you can’t do. Today, I am going to tell you some of the things you can do, if you are fully vaccinated.”

The change comes as more than half of US adults—or about 140 million people—have received at least one dose of vaccine, and more than a third have been fully vaccinated.

Walensky said the decision was driven by rising vaccination numbers; declines in Covid-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths; and research showing that less than 10 percent of documented instances of transmission of the virus happened outdoors.

Dr. Mike Saag, an infectious disease expert at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, welcomed the change.

“It’s the return of freedom,” Saag said. “It’s the return of us being able to do normal activities again. We’re not there yet, but we’re on the exit ramp. And that’s a beautiful thing.”

Some experts portrayed the relaxed guidance as a reward and a motivator for more people to get vaccinated—a message President Joe Biden sounded, too.

“The bottom line is clear: If you’re vaccinated, you can do more things, more safely, both outdoors as well as indoors,” Biden said. “So for those who haven’t gotten their vaccinations yet, especially if you’re younger or thinking you don’t need it, this is another great reason to go get vaccinated now.”

The CDC, which has been cautious in its guidance during the crisis, essentially endorsed what many Americans have already been doing over the past several weeks.

The CDC says that whether they are fully vaccinated or not, people do not have to wear masks outdoors when they walk, bike or run alone or with members of their household.

They can also go maskless in small outdoor gatherings with fully vaccinated people.

But unvaccinated people—defined as those who have yet to receive both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or the one-shot Johnson & Johnson formula—

should wear masks at small outdoor gatherings that include other unvaccinated people, the CDC says. They also should keep their faces covered when dining at outdoor restaurants with friends from multiple households.

And everyone, fully vaccinated or not, should keep wearing masks at crowded outdoor events such as concerts or sporting events, the CDC says.

The agency continues to recommend masks at indoor public places, such as hair salons, restaurants, shopping centers, gyms, museums and movie theaters, saying that is still the safer course even for vaccinated people.

“Right now it’s very hard to tease apart who is vaccinated,” Walensky explained.

She said the CDC guidance should be a model for states in setting their maskwearing requirements.

The advice to the unvaccinated applies to adults and children alike, according to the CDC. None of the Covid-19 vaccines in use in the US is authorized for children under 16.

“The biggest thing that it helps us is our mental health,” said Tim Stephens, a 52-year-old software salesman in Birmingham, Alabama, who suffered a bout of Covid-19 and has since gotten vaccinated.

“To be able to feel like we’re turning the corner and can confidently go out and experience life and do a lot of the things that we did before Covid became an acronym in our world. It’s one more step in the process of moving beyond this.”

In Oxford, Nebraska, population 800, hardly anyone wears a mask, and the school district dropped its mask mandate last month. Superintendent Bryce Jorgensen said maybe 10 of the 370 students are still covering their faces.

“What goes on in other states is what goes on in other states,” Jorgensen said.

“You just can’t compare Chicago to Oxford, Nebraska. Things are just different.”

Dr. Babak Javid, a physician-scientist at the University of California, San Francisco, said the new CDC guidance is sensible.

“In the vast majority of outdoor scenarios, transmission risk is low,” Javid said.

Javid has favored outdoor mask-wearing requirements because he believes they increase indoor mask-wearing, but he said Americans can understand the relative risks and make good decisions.

He added: “I’m looking forward to maskfree existence.”

“The timing is right because we now have a fair amount of data about the scenarios where transmission occurs,” said Mercedes Carnethon, a professor and vice chair of preventive medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

What’s more, she said, “the additional freedoms may serve as a motivator” for people to get vaccinated. AP

Brazil health regulator rejects Sputnik jab; Russia cries foul

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IO DE JANEIRO — Brazil’s health regulator cited safety concerns while rejecting several states’ requests to import almost 30 million doses of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine, prompting criticism from the Russian government.

The five -person board of the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency unanimously decided late Monday that consistent and trustworthy data required was lacking for approval of the requests from 10 states, according to a statement. Another four states and two cities have also sought authorization to import the vaccine.

The agency, known as Anvisa, said there were faults in all clinical studies of the vaccine’s development, as well as absent or insufficient data.

The agency statement said that analysis indicated that the adenovirus on which the vaccine is based has the capacity to replicate, which could cause sickness or death, particularly among those with low immunity or respiratory problems. The Russian fund overseeing the vaccine’s marketing globally denied the claim.

“We will never permit, without the existence of due proof required, millions of Brazilians to be exposed to products without the due proof of their quality, safety and efficacy or, at minimum, in the face of the grave situation that we’re living through, a favorable cost-benefit relationship,” Anvisa’s president Antônio Barra Torres said in the statement.

Anvisa’s decision doesn’t affect a separate request from Brazilian company Uniao Quimica for emergency use authorization of Sputnik V produced locally, according to an e-mailed statement from Anvisa’s press office.

Still, it came as a blow to Russia’s efforts to promote worldwide adoption of the vaccine, whose exports have helped it regain diplomatic footholds in countries where relationships had languished.

“We need additional information on what this lack

[of data] means, because there’s already more than enough data,” Kremlin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a daily briefing.

“The contacts [with Brazil] will continue. If some data is lacking, it will be provided,” he added.

The Russian Direct Investment Fund said in a three-page statement that “no replication-competent adenoviruses were ever found in any of the Sputnik V vaccine batches produced.”

It was also more pointed in its criticism, saying that dozens of national health regulators have approved Sputnik V and Anvisa’s decision was “of a political nature and has nothing to do with the regulator’s access to information or science.”

The fund pointed to the US Department of Health and Human Services’ 2020 annual report, which said in a section titled “Combatting malign influences in the Americas” that it had convinced Brazil not to buy the Russian shot. The US Embassy in Brazil has denied exerting any pressure regarding vaccines approved by Brazil’s health regulator, and Brazil’s foreign ministry has denied being contacted.

Daniel Dourado, a Brazilian doctor and lawyer who is a researcher at the University of Sao Paulo, said on Twitter that he doubted politics played any role in Anvisa’s decision, as that would have required its directors to lie in their analysis. He added that, while the state governors’ hurry is understandable, Anvisa is correctly fulfilling its duty.

Brazil hasn’t lived up to its proud tradition of mass vaccination programs in this pandemic, with the Health Ministry ignoring early opportunities to purchase shots and facing shortages locally of vaccines it did acquire.

The country has the world’s second-highest death toll, and will surpass the milestone of 400,000 deaths this week. The majority of that staggering tally came in just the last four months. AP

Opinion BusinessMirror

A10 Thursday, April 29, 2021 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

www.businessmirror.com.ph

editorial

No one is safe until everyone is safe

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he Covid-19 pandemic has killed more than 3 million people worldwide since the initial outbreak in China in December 2019. Apart from the cost of lost lives and damage to health, the pandemic has extracted a harsh toll in many ways, wiping out millions of jobs and sinking million of families into poverty. With the virus still showing no sign of slowing down, governments around the world are placing their hopes in vaccines. However, estimates show that there will not be enough vaccine doses to cover the world’s population until 2024, as only about a dozen countries currently have the capacity to produce Covid-19 vaccines.

On April 24, less than five months after the first Covid jab was given to a 90-year-old grandmother in the UK, the world celebrated the first billion doses of coronavirus vaccine given around the world. Vaccine trackers can’t say who received the one-billionth dose, or where it happened, but the milestone alone gives the world one billion exhalations of relief. Bloomberg said the world is currently dispensing 18.5 million doses of Covid vaccines a day. At this pace, it will take 19 months to vaccinate 75 percent of the world’s population.

From the Associated Press: “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eased its guidelines Tuesday on the wearing of masks outdoors, saying fully vaccinated Americans don’t need to cover their faces anymore unless they are in a big crowd of strangers. And those who are unvaccinated can go outside without masks in some situations, too.” The US can do this because more than half of American adults—or about 140 million people—have received at least one dose of vaccine, and more than a third have been fully vaccinated.

This is good news for Americans. But it shows the bitter reality that inoculation is still largely a privilege of high-income countries in the West, home to 16 percent of the world’s population but administering 47 percent of vaccine doses. A stark contrast can be seen in low-income countries, which account for less than 3 percent of Covid vaccines given thus far.

The Associated Press reported last week that 87 percent of doses had been administered in rich countries, with one in four people in wealthy nations having received a jab, versus one in more than 500 in impoverished countries.

According to the New York Times’ vaccination tracker, only 0.2 percent of doses have been dispensed in low-income countries. Up to 60 of those nations might not receive any additional supply of the vaccine until June.

Here’s how the rich countries cleared the global vaccine shelves: The United States has secured 100 million doses from Pfizer, with the option of buying 500 million more, and 200 million from Moderna, with an additional 300 million on offer. It has also pre-ordered 810 million doses from AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Novavax and Sanofi combined; expansion deals could push that number to 1.5 billion.

The European Union has secured 1.3 billion from most of the same companies, as well as the German company CureVac. The EU can have another 660 million doses if it chooses.

Britain has claimed 357 million doses from all of those companies, along with a small company, Valneva, with options to buy 152 million more.

Some experts predict it will take until 2024 before there is enough vaccine for the global population. Models suggest that even if all rich countries are fully vaccinated by the middle of this year, and developing countries manage to vaccinate only half of their populations, the global economy could still lose around $4 trillion. Rich countries should heed a proposal backed by around 100 countries to temporarily suspend certain intellectual property rights on Covid-19 vaccines until herd immunity has been reached in all corners of the world.

The Covid-19 pandemic requires no less than a unified global effort to end it. The rich countries may have excess Covid shots at their disposal. But it’s important to remind them that as long as the virus keeps mutating in poor countries that are struggling to immunize their populations, the world won’t be able to bring the pandemic under control. As new variants spread, “no one is safe until everyone is safe.”

‘Fighting inflation’ John Mangun

OUTSIDE THE BOX

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nflation is like the zombie apocalypse. No one really knows where it came from. But government is obviously at fault since they did not prevent it and are helpless to stop it. The public does not have many options.

You can respond like Hershel Greene, the farm owner in The Walking Dead.

Strengthen your fences, grow your own food, and hope and pray the world goes back to normal one day. Maybe the other choice is found in the movie Zombieland.

Kill as many zombies as possible while looking for a safe place. And follow the rules.

The reality is that inflation is more like the zombies in the Netflix series Z Nation. There are Zombie Animals, superfast moving Blasters, the zombieplant hybrid Phytos, the super-strong Mad Zs, the intelligent Franken Zs, and the Talkers that are undead but function like normal humans.

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prices going higher. Nerijus Poskus at freight forwarder Flexport: “Everything on the trans-Pacific is sold out.” January trans-Pacific imports were up 10 percent versus 2019, then jumped 51 percent in March. “So, we’re now at 1.5 times prepandemic levels.”

There has been an explosion in commodity prices since last year. Lumber: up 265 percent, Brent Crude: up 163 percent, Corn: up 84 percent, Copper: up 83 percent, Cotton: up 54 percent, Wheat: up 19 percent, and Coffee: up 13 percent.

Over the next months as Philippine inflation stays “high,” there will be those that will call it the “inflation apocalypse.”

Fear not. Supply is out of balance and will return to normal.

Unless, of course, the government over-reacts with things like further “price controls.” The US did that with oil products in 1979 and inflation went to 15 percent. It took six years to overcome that government policy disaster for inflation to return to 1.9 percent.

Maybe the zombie movies are correct. Maybe it is all government’s fault.

E-mail me at mangun@gmail.com. Follow me on Twitter @mangunonmarkets. PSE stock-market information and technical analysis provided by AAA Southeast Equities Inc.

Can Joe Biden save the world from climate catastrophe?

Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo

Since 2005

BusinessMirror A broader look at today’s business

Likewise, there are various types of inflation, each with a different cause and with different consequences. In Z Nation there is also the Radioactive Zombies that occur in only one place—the Edgemont Nuclear Power Plant—that is sort of like a currency-induced hyperinflation of Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

But unless you can do a “Hershel Greene” you cannot escape inflation.

Regardless of the underlying cause, price increases will touch everything you use and buy. Thinking that all you must do is “kill enough inflation-zombies” will not work either. Palliative measures like eating chicken instead of pork will not kill

inflation. Further, believing that there is a cure or a standard root-cause is foolish.

The Zombieland apocalypse started at a fast-food restaurant. The Train to Busan apocalypse was caused by a chemical leak at a biotech plant. You may think my zombie/inflation analogy is silly.

Maybe. But it is as concise as anything you will read in an economics textbook.

Inflation is as much a psychological event as it is an economic one.

Gerald Ford took office in August 1974 during one of the worst economic crises in US history, with high unemployment and inflation rising to 12.3 percent that year as crude prices quadrupled in 1973. But crude prices stabilized and went sideways for six years. Inflation peaked in 1974 and went down to 5.7 percent in 1976.

But in October 1974, Ford gave his “Whip Inflation Now” speech, calling inflation “public enemy number one.”

Even as actual price increases were going down, people were scared into buying in anticipation for further price increases.

Alan Greenspan on ‘WiN’: “This is unbelievably stupid.”

If you think the price is going to be higher tomorrow, you buy today.

Because demand went down so much in 2020, we are seeing a kickback of

LABOREM EXERCENS

A

fresh wind of change is sweeping Planet Earth that is facing a climate emergency. The United States, a climate crisis denier under the Trump administration, has now reconnected to the global campaign to limit the rise in global temperature to a maximum of 1.5 degrees Celsius (pre-industrial era), as agreed upon in the 2015 Paris Agreement. President Joe Biden and his climate team have re-asserted US leadership in the global fight against global warming by convening last week a “Leaders Climate Summit” attended by 40 heads of state, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

As the biggest GHG emitter, US also has the biggest responsibility to reduce GHG emissions and to provide financial assistance to developing nations trying to fortify their countries against climate change risks. As the Asian People Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD) puts it, this is all a question of climate justice.

For who, in the first place, is responsible for rising global temperature? Yes, all countries have been contributing to global warming by burning fossil fuels to run transport and provide electricity for their populations. But who are the biggest contributors? Are they not the big advanced capitalist countries? They have been accumulating a high “carbon debt” since the start of the industrial era (circa 16th/17th centuries). With less than 20 percent of the world’s population, they account for half of the global GHG emission total. It was only in the last three to four decades that China and India have joined the club of big GHG emitters.

And the rest of the developing world?

They contribute little GHG emissions, and yet they are the most vulnerable to climate change risks. In Asia, six countries are included in the most vulnerable: Bangladesh, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. And yet, the contribution of each of these countries to global GHG emissions is less than 1 percent.

Now back to Biden’s Climate Summit. Almost all the developed countries declared ambitious GHG reduction targets, for examples, US—reduction of GHG emissions by 50-52 percent below 2005 level by the year 2030; Japan—46 percent reduction of 2013 level by 2030; EU—55 percent from the 1990 level by 2030; and UK, 63 percent below 2005 level. The problem, APMDD said, is if these developed countries can be resolute in developing and implementing programs to fulfill their commitments.

Secondly, the “climate justice” obligations of the developed countries, that

is, providing the developing countries the financial support for various adaptation-mitigation measures have not been clearly fleshed out, with President Biden announcing a doubling of their contribution to global finance.

Thirdly, the socio-economic roots of the climate crisis are critically important.

And yet, they were hardly discussed in the Summit.

Why is this topic important? The reality is that climate change is not a mere question of how to reduce GHG emissions. It is also a question of having a new growth paradigm. In particular, there is the need to adjust or overhaul a socio-economic system that is GDPobsessed while profusely emitting GHG gases allowing the way. This model has been refined by the neo-liberal economists into a globalization model, with the multinationals on top of a global system promoting fossil-based global production and consumption with limited rules under a liberalized global trading regime.

The UNDP, in a special report (HDR, 2007/08) on global warming, called attention to the fact that the poor are the ones “bearing the brunt of climate change.” The UNDP labeled the inability of countries of the world to stop global warming as an “outrage to the conscience of mankind.” Further, the UNDP wrote that: “Carbon-intensive economic growth is symptomatic of a deeper problem. One of the harshest lessons taught by climate change is that the economic model which drives growth and the profligate consumption in rich nations that goes with it, is ecologically unsustainable.”

This brings us to the challenge of re-thinking the dominant neo-liberal export-oriented economic model, which is now questioned by many as unsustainable. Imagine if all Asian, African and Latin American countries will become

dynamic export dynamos like China.

Can the world afford three or five or more “Chinas” emitting GHG gases at the same level as China today because of the requirements of export production?

Where will they source the materials, minerals and fuels to make their export offensive succeed like what China did?

And where are the markets where they will dump their products?

During the 2008-2010 global financial crisis, many economists agreed on one major conclusion: under runaway globalization, there is a tendency for the world to over-produce in a global market that is unable to absorb or consume everything. The over-production/underconsumption contradiction is at the roots of the GFC. Another related conclusion, propounded by trade unionists and labor economists, is that the over-production phenomenon is due to the global Race to the Bottom involving the multinationals (MNCs) and host countries. The Global Race to the Bottom means MNCs and host countries tend to relax the rules protecting not only labor rights but also environmental, health and social standards. This system is obviously unsustainable.

This is why as early as early as 1987, the World Commission on Environment and Development, in the seminal book Our Common Future, called the attention of the world on the urgent need for a rebalancing of the economy—at the national as well as global levels. The Commission came up with a famous definition of what is sustainable development, as follows: “…development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It contains within it two key concepts: n The concept of “needs,” in particular the essential needs of the world’s poor, to

See “Ofreneo,” A11

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

EWC, energy firms, ready for post-Covid economic rebound Val A. Villanueva

Businesswise

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he Philippine unit of Energy World Corp. (EWC) of Australia, which is in the final touches of building its transmission facilities in its liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in Pagbilao, Quezon, is raising AU$65 million through a fully underwritten nonrenounceable one-for 2.21 entitlement offer.

Shareholders are offered one new fully paid subscription ordinary share for every 2.21 existing shares held at 8 cents per share. The price carries a 17.5 percent discount to EWC’s 30-day volume-weighted average price. It is reported that the energy company has issued 812,503,019 shares fully underwritten by Gleneagle Securities, even as EWC’s largest shareholder EWC International committed to subscribe for up to its current pro-rata shareholding of 38.8 percent.

Roughly AU$43 million will be allocated to paying the Standard Chartered Convertible Note, which has now been assigned to Augusta Investments.

About AU$18 million will fund the development of EWC’s projects in Australia and Southeast Asia, while the remaining AU$4 million will be used to cover the costs of the entitlement offer. The entitlement offer started on March 31 and closed on April 20. The new shares should have been settled on Monday, April 26.

Former Quezon Governor Eduardo Rodriguez, who owns part of the property on which the LNG plant nestles, told BusinessWise that a substantial portion of the raised capital allotted to Southeast Asia will be used by the company for the completion of Pagbilao LNG plant’s transmission facilities that has been delayed because of the pandemic.

Rodriguez expressed optimism that the project would be fully operational by 2022 or early 2023.

The Pagbilao LNG plant is now more than 95 percent complete. The only thing keeping the company from operating is an infrastructure that would have allowed it to export power. If the company had been allowed a “cut-in” connection to an existing 230kV transmission line within its project site, it could have started exporting power years ago.

The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines—mandated to encourage power producers to export power on a firstcome-first-served basis—had rejected EWC’s request to hook its plant—notwithstanding that it was technically feasible to do so—to the existing power plant because of the opposition of Team Energy (Pagbilao coal-fired plant). EWC is now in the final construction stages of its own 12-14km transmission line.

Rodriguez said that the EWC’s fundraising effort reflects the company’s commitment to the project, even though several delays—the latest of which was due to the pandemic —had kept it from fully operating the Pagbilao LNG power plant. I believe that this also underscores EWC’s and other power companies’ confidence in the Philippine economy’s postpandemic turnaround.

For one, San Miguel Corp. recently bagged a 1,800-megawatt supply contract from the Manila Electric Co. through a competitive selection process.

The Meralco TPBAC recently announced that Excellent Energy Resources Inc. and Masinloc Power Partners Co. Ltd.—both owned by SMC—had submitted the “two best bids” for Meralco’s 20-year 1,800 MW supply contract. EERI offered a levelized cost of electricity of P4.1462 per kilowatt-hour, while Masinloc Power Partners Co. Ltd. offered P4.2605 per kWh. The supply deals cover SMC ’s 1,200-megawatt liquefied natural gas (LNG) power project that its subsidiary

Ofreneo. . .

continued from A10

which overriding priority should be given; and n The idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment’s ability to meet present and future needs.”

In line with the above development

EERI will be setting up in Ilijan, Batangas; and the 600MW expansion of its existing Masinloc Power Partners Co. Ltd. coal-fired generating facility will be in Zambales province.

San Miguel’s LNG facility has already been purchased, and the plant will be built close to the existing Ilijan gas-fired power facility in the area. The plant is expected to be operational by 2024, but SMC CEO Ramon Ang is confident that it would be ready by 2023.

EWC did not participate in the bidding, but Rodriguez said that the Pagbilao LNG’s levelized electricity cost is about P2 per kWh. It should be noted here that EERI and Masinloc power have opted to sell their power to Meralco, instead of the Independent Electricity Market Operator (IEMOP), now a private entity; and the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market. WESM is the venue for trading electricity as a commodity in the Philippines.

Philippine Electricity Market Corp., a non-profit corporation that governs WESM, continues to claim that they regulate IEMOP. However, under RA 9136 or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act and based on Department of Energy circulars, PEMC should have ceased to exist when IEMOP is formed.

Securing bilateral contracts with Meralco and other electric cooperatives, to my mind, is both profitable and convenient. The primary business objectives of most, if not all, generating companies is to secure a Power Supply Agreement and have their excess production sold to the market. If a generating plant does not have a bilateral contract and decides to sell its production in the spot market, it would have to make a zero-price offer to be able to compete with other registered companies, which usually set already very low prices.

Another market challenge is the proliferation of Renewable Energy companies, especially those that offer solar power. Recent IEMOP reports revealed that prices in the spot market decreased drastically—to as low as P2.00 kWh— due to RE companies coming online.

Under Philippine Law, RE plants have a “priority dispatch” order, even though most of them have no PSAs and are traded in the market.

Due to the market’s numerous players, dispatch challenges are a likely scenario: high competition would likely result in lower rates, which will cause most of the participants’ prices to dive in order to sell to the market. This scenario is feared by market players to lead to corruption.

Daily bidding operations pose a strenuous workload and budget constraint on a company’s marketing group, which may have spent more on its selling efforts than its operating budget can allow.

Be that as it may, EWC, San Miguel and other power generating companies’ focus are locked in a post pandemic economic future where experts see an energy deficient Philippines. Malampaya gas reserves depletion and the country’s dependence on imported oil are just but a few roadblocks that would have to be hurdled in order for the country’s economy to prosper in an after-Covid business scenario.

Pruned to bear more fruit Msgr. Sabino A. Vengco Jr.

Alálaong Bagá

T

he vine and its branches is our next allegorical metaphor for the intimate relationship between Jesus and His disciples (John 15:1-8). Jesus shares His life with His followers on the level of grace and indwelling.

Fruitful branches of the vine IN the prophets’ language, Israel is God’s vine or vineyard (Hosea 10:1; Isaiah 5:1-7; Jeremiah 2:21), expected to deliver to the satisfaction of the vine owner; the people’s infidelity compare them to fruitless and wild vine (Jeremiah 5:10; 12:10-11). Jesus now clarifies that He is the true vine, and His Father is the vinedresser who is glorified by much fruit. Jesus is replacing Israel as God’s vine that gives life to humanity, and the works He has done pleasing to the Father proves His true identity, the promised messiah who would fulfill God’s will (John 10:25; 17:4). His own fidelity and fruitfulness is the sign that should open the eyes of the

public asking for a sign from Him. As Jesus is the fruitful vine, His disciples are His branches that must also be fruitful. “By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit.” The barrenness of Israel must now be redeemed by the fruitfulness of the new people of God in Jesus, which is guaranteed if they remain in Him like branches remaining on the vine. As a branch on its own cannot bear fruit, neither can a disciple who does not remain in communion with Jesus. Branches that are barren are cut off from the vine and wither. They are gathered and piled together in a corner of the vineyard to be burned.

The sterile branches are the believers who are so only in name.

Thursday, April 29, 2021 A11

Pruned by the word

IF the disciple by remaining in Jesus bears much fruit, what will insure that the disciple like a branch remains in Jesus as on the vine and therefore will not be barren? For us to be in communion with Jesus means that his words remain in us. He is the Logos, the Word of the Father communicating to us the saving will of God. Union with Jesus is sharing the same life of intimacy with the Father. And this union with Jesus demands that his gospel is our lifeblood, His word our nourishment, his spirit our vitality.

The word of Jesus in His gospel is what makes the disciples like fruitful branches. It is like the pruning knife that trims the branches clean. By the word of Jesus, what is in excess is excised and what is in deficiency augmented. The pruning takes place regularly. Cut to the quick and gnarled, the branches of the vines display no beauty but rugged endurance and fierce strength. It must be so if they are in a matter of time to come out with verdant foliage heavy with succulent grapes. From apparent death to abundant life, what dies produces much fruit (John 12:24).

Join me in meditating on the Word of God every Sunday, from 5 to 6 a.m. on DWIZ 882, or by audio streaming on www.dwiz882.com.

Positive actions to save Philippine education Dr. Carl E. Balita

Entrepreneurs’ Footprints

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he landscape of the education sector has changed since the adoption of the recommendations of the first Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM) in 1990. But problems persisted, and the state of Philippine education remained problematic even prior to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

of the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations, Fr. Onofre G. Inocencio Jr. SDB, President of Don Bosco System, Mrs. Irene Isaac, Former Director-General of Tesda, Dr. Ricardo Pama, Secretary-General of the Association of Universities of Asia and the Pacific, Dr. Nilo Rosas, President of New Era University, Atty. Ulpiano Sarmiento, Dean of San Beda Alabang - College of Law, and Dr. Bert J. Tuga, President of Philippine Normal University.

PCCI Education Development Model

timate the current and future supply and demand.

For comments and suggestions, e-mail me at mvala.v@gmail.com

Are we producing quality graduates?

In 2018, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) conducted the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) to some 600,000 15-year-old students in secondary schools from 79 countries representing some 32 million people of the same age. Fifteen-year-old students in the Philippines scored lower in reading, mathematics and science than those in most of the countries and economies that participated.

It is noteworthy that the expenditure per student in the Philippines was the lowest among all PISA-participating countries/economies—and 90 percent lower than the OECD average.

Are the graduates employable?

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority say that of the 5.3 percent unemployment rate in October 2018, 24 percent of these were college graduates, 16 percent were college undergraduates, and 27.5 percent have completed junior high school. There is a slow school-to-work transition.

High School graduates take 3 years to find their first job and 4 years to have permanent wage job. For college graduates, it takes a year to find a job and 2 years to have a permanent job.

Bernarte pointed out that the full potential of the academia-industry partnership is far from being utilized due to basic attitudinal differences and driven interests of the stakeholders making partnership problematic.

Espinoza pointed at jobs-skills mismatch as one of the top three concerns of employers. A study by the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) reported that the graduates are not job ready and that companies cope by conducting their own training.

Furthermore, there is a limited labor market information that will es-

The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed challenges, gaps, and deficiencies that call for a need to review, assess, and evaluate the country’s education system at all levels. The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the country’s biggest business organization, is convening the Education Task Force (ETF) to come up with a Policy Paper similar to the one produced by the first EDCOM. PCCI’s ETF will be composed of 12 recognized experts in their respective fields. The PCCI will be represented by its Human Resources Development Cluster headed by its Chairman Dr. Alberto Fenix, Jr. and Co-chairpersons Mr. Emerson Atanacio, Dr. Carl E. Balita, and Dr. Eduardo G. Ong. The Basic Education, TVET, Higher Education, and Teacher’s Training institutions are duly represented in the PCCI ETF with Dr. Rene Colocar, President of the Association of Local Colleges and Universities, Atty. Joseph Noel M. Estrada, Executive Director

The Philippine Education Development Model by the PCCI Education Task Force is based on the Quality Improvement framework, namely, structure, process and outcome. It is composed of the 4 Major Elements, namely: 1) Philippine Qualification and Learning Outcomes.

2) Curriculum and Instructions.

3) Competencies of Teachers and Educational Leaders.

4) Institutional and Policy Reforms.

These elements shall be the basis of discussions towards the formulation of policy recommendations for the development of education in the Philippines. The state of current education shall be presented within the model with the intention to propose doable recommendations and concrete solutions. Each member of the PCCI Education Task Force shall present evidences, researches, data, documents, insights and experts’ opinions along with stakeholders in the entire educational eco-system with the clear intention of providing solutions and recommendations leading to the development of the Philippine Education.

Philippine Qualification and Learning Outcomes refer to the end-in-mind of education to prepare the learners for the industrial and societal requirements of the present and the future.

They cover the qualification standards based on the demands of the world of work and society in general. They cover the competencies as outcomes of education leading to appropriate assessment and evaluation processes, which measure the competencies based on acceptable standards. The demonstrated competencies shall then be quality-assured for corresponding certifications.

Curriculum and Instructions refer to the curricular content and alignment across the educational levels in the educational system from basic education to post-graduate school

framework, the Commission listed the following “strategic imperatives” that different countries must address in charting sustainable development path, namely: n strategizing growth for redistribution and poverty reduction, n changing the quality of growth to make it less material-and-energy intensive, n meeting the essential needs of the

population for jobs, food, energy, water and sanitation, n ensuring a sustainable level of population, n conserving and enhancing the resource base, n reorienting technology and managing risk to respond to the challenges of sustainable development, and n merging environment and economics in decision making.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and UN Environmental Programme (UNEP), through the various reports on climate change and sustainable development they have been issuing, have been reiterating the importance of the above environmentaleconomic guideposts propounded by the Commission report, also called the Brundtland Report (after the chair Bro Brundtland). It is obvious that the one-

size-fits-all formula advanced by some neo-liberal economists through institutions such as the World Trade Organization collides with the above imperatives outlined by the World Commission on Environment and Development. The same holds true for the export-or-perish development framework often articulated by the neo-liberal globalizers.

What the Commission, IPCC and UNEP are asking is for countries, big and

Alálaong bagá, the symbol of vine and grapes adorning our liturgical altar and vestment should not be seen only in terms of Jesus and of the miracle of the transformation of the wine into the blood of Jesus. The completeness of the metaphor lies in the subsequent miracle, the transformation of the communicants into greater Christ-likeness and fruitfulness in Jesus. Such fruitful faith is assured by the fidelity to the word of Jesus. On the other hand, sterile unbelief is identifiable with the rejection of Jesus, as also in the barrenness of nominal Christians who do not live according to the gospel of Jesus. Trimmed clean in order to increase yield, attentive to the word as they approach the Eucharistic table, the true believers are literally the community of Christ’s fruit-bearing disciples glorifying the Father. Their fruits are love, truth, justice, mercy, joy and courage. The fruitful branches united to the vine, in the schema of John (13:1-15), are those followers whose feet have been washed clean by the Master and are in turn directed to wash the feet of others.

The disruptors of the times

The Fourth Industrial Revolution has threatened the readiness of Philippine graduates in the language of rapid technological developments and fastpaced industry advancements. The key employment generators, namely construction, manufacturing, tourism and information technology are at high risk of being automated. Drastic changes are predicted to impact the overall business landscape. The International Labor Organization (ILO) predicted that 49 percent of Philippine industries are at high risk of automation over the next 20 years, with Business Process Outsourcing in the frontline.

The business sector to the rescue

program. The realities of the blended and flexible learning shall cover the digital and technological education.

The alignment with industries may be strengthened by Dualized Education and Training within the curricular program. The educational ecosystem shall be explored as learning resource across and within the curricula.

Competencies of Teachers and Educational Leaders refer to the preparedness of the teachers and school leaders, like principals and supervisors, in delivering the quality improving system of education. The quality of teacher education and training will be reviewed as a lifelong-learning requirement of these frontliners in learning.

The Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers will be explored along with the Philippine Professional Standard for School Heads. The Technological, Pedagogical and Content Knowledge Competencies of the teachers will be evaluated towards the development of training and other intervention programs based on their perceived needs.

Institutional and Policy Reforms shall integrate all the inputs of the other areas of development and shall be the basis of recommendation and solutions. The Task Force and the educational stakeholders shall look into the effectiveness of the tri-focalized system of education. Educational policies shall be reviewed for their appropriateness and alignment and capitalize on available policies for effective execution. Strengthening of the educational collaborations between private and public sectors in the educational ecosystem will be explored.

The Philippine Education Development Model shall be an integrated approach to quality improvement in education.

Dr. Fenix expressed the importance of having a multi-stakeholder perspective in developing policy recommendations. “PCCI understands that the current situation has been very challenging to the country’s educational system, learning institutions, teachers, learners and even their families. Therefore, we in the PCCI have sought the formulation of the ETF in order to help the country move forward by identifying gaps in the system that was made prevalent by the pandemic,” Dr. Fenix said.

PCCI President Ambassador Benedicto V. Yujuico launched the ETF on Wednesday, April 28, 2021.

For feedback, please send e-mail to drcarlbalita@ yahoo.com. small, rich and poor, to do a rebalancing of their respective economies based on the above framework of sustainable development.

Now, will Joe Biden have the courage to lead this rebalancing program—at home and in the world?

Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo is a Professor Emeritus of University of the Philippines. For comments, please write to reneofreneo@gmail.com.

A12 Thursday, April 29, 2021

PRIVATE SECTOR OFFERS HELP ON LEARNING WOES

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad @Tyronepiad

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HE Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) extended support to the Congress’ plan to convene an Education Commission (EdCom) in response to the learning crisis, saying the business community is ready to offer its expertise.

In a recent statement, the advocacy group said the private sector can provide knowledge on several topics for the EdCom, including education financing, decentralization and public-private education complementarity.

The business community can also help in making assessments, digital transformation of education for equity and industry-academe linkages in standards, training and employment, PBEd said.

In the filed resolutions, the group noted, the EdCom is tasked with crafting strategic long-term policy recommendations for the education sector.

“We hope that congressional hearings will be held on the EdCom resolutions as soon as possible so that we can set up an EdCom that meets the needs of our education system,” PBEd Executive Director Love Basillote said.

“We believe that convening the EdCom now is an immediate response to the learning crisis. We understand that we can only overcome the crisis when we work together with Congress,” she added.

Along with other industry groups, the PBEd last month

called for reforms for the education sector, including a bigger budget, to address the looming learning crisis seen threatening the country’s economic growth in the long term.

PBEd Chairman Ramon Del Rosario Jr. said that the Philippines should increase its resource allocation for education like its Southeast Asian peers are doing.

He called for the proper implementation of the Philippine action plan for nutrition to ensure the health of the students.

Del Rosario said there is a need for an independent assessment agency for the check and balance of the country’s education system. Lastly, the PBEd chairman stressed the need to prioritize the teachers and incentivize them to encourage more to go into the teaching profession.

On Wednesday, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) launched its Education Task Force (ETF), which is tasked with assessing and evaluating the current state of the Philippine education sector.

PCCI said that the policy paper to be produced by the ETF will be using the Quality Improvement Framework to review the education system and to pitch reforms.

It will cover four major areas of development: Philippine Qualification and Learning Outcomes, Curriculum and Instructions, Competencies of Teachers and Educational Leaders, and Institutional and Policy Reforms.

Manufacturers want workers on Covid vaccine priority list

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By Butch Fernandez

@butchfBM

ANUFACTURERS on Wednesday sought Senate intervention to work out the inclusion of their workers in the priority list for the government’s vaccination program, saying Covid-19 infections at the worksite are stalling the recovery of badly battered businesses.

While the business owners would have wanted to shoulder their workers’ vaccination, the cost of shuttle services alone, as well as installation of required health protocols in work places are “already killing us,” according to an official of the Confederation of Wearable Exporters of the Philippines (Conwep).

Maritess Agoncillo, Conwep executive director, told Sen. Imee Marcos and Koko Pimentel, chairmen of the Economic Affairs and of the Trade and Commerce committees, respectively, that the “immediate reclassification” of factory workers for inclusion in subsector priority A4 is of urgency to them, as “infections are happening each week” in many work sites and there is a huge cost both for labor and management from this.

Senator Marcos acknowledged that, indeed, “many employers are protesting” the non-inclusion of manufacturing, especially exports manufacturing, in the vaccine priority list.

Pimentel to call hearings

FOR his part, Sen. Koko Pimentel said he would call a hearing right

away as soon as pending resolutions for an inquiry into the government procurement of urgent Covid-related supplies are referred to his Committee on Trade and Industry. The resolutions were earlier referred to the Committee on Health of Sen. Bong Go. Marcos, as head of Economic Affairs, had called Wednesday’s joint hearing in relation to another resolution seeking to obtain updates on the government’s response in helping hard-hit industries amid the pandemic, where enforced and extended lockdowns shuttered businesses and displaced millions of workers.

Conwep and its allied Coalition of Philippine Manufacturers of Personal Protective Equipment (CPMP)—representing mostly repurposed factories that responded to government’s call to ramp up PPE production at the height of the pandemic in 2020—lamented that of the P4.8-billion procurement package bidded out in the first series of biddings by the Department of Health and the Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC),

their group got only 14 percent of contracts. The rest went to foreign suppliers. The groups said some shipments of “substandard” imported PPEs entered the country, mostly from China. See related story on page A1, “PPE makers to govt: ‘Buy local’ when getting Covid items.”

Marcos recalled that the local coalitions lost out in bulk of the biddings because of two apparent tweaks in the bidding requirements: First, the insertion of the phrase “or its equivalent” in the required “Level 4” PPEs sought to be bought by the government. The Level 4 PPEs are “medical grade” ones and had in the past been made mostly in the US, but the local manufacturers are capable of making them.

Second, the bidders were required to deliver 1 million units in 15 days, which worked against local bidders because they were not yet stockpiling before the bidding was done. Apparently, some “parties have been stockpiling” and were thus ready to meet the very tight deadline, senators noted.

Moreover, according to CPMP, their bids, though “very competitive,” suffered as rivals’ bids “dove deeply.”

Sen. Nancy Binay wondered aloud why DOH would include the “or its equivalent” for the “Level 4” requirement when it had “no capacity to test” whether the goods offered were, indeed, medical grade.

The “introduction of the “or its equivalent” phrase in the bid requirements allowed for undue “discretion” for officials, Senator Pimentel lamented.

Ventilators, oxygen machines MEANWHILE, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto wants to know if the DOH was finally able to buy enough ventilators, ICU units and high-flow oxygen machines for Covid patients.

“One year and one million cases after the country’s first recorded Covid-19 case, a count on the number of ICU beds, ventilators and critical care equipment in government hospitals is in order,” Recto reminded.

“In any war, we should always look at the logistics,” the senator said. “For the frontlines to keep on fighting, the supply lines must keep on running,” he added.

The senator suggested that as the nation grapples with another surge that saw Covid cases breach the one million-mark recently, the Senate should begin its “mandatory review” of DOH spending “to find out if funds meant “for ventilators, ICU equipment were indeed utilized.”

Recto raised the need for a Senate inquiry in the wake of reports that “the DOH bungled” the acquisition of 200 ICU beds offered by an Austrian company late last year that, he noted, the DOH has strongly denied.

He added, however, that the increase in the number of Covid-19 dedicated mechanical ventilators in private and public hospitals from 1,446 units in May 2020 to 2,601 units this month “does not seem to be commensurate with the need.”

Continued on A5

DOLE: Govt agencies, employers reject PNP bid to require clearance Even the Neda and the Anti-Red Tape Authority are against the proposal of PNP chief Debold Sinas, since it is “against [the] principle of easing business.

SILVESTRE BELLO III

BM

SECRETARY OF DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT

By Samuel P. Medenilla

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@sam_medenilla

VEN employers and government agencies are opposed to the Philippine National Police (PNP) proposal to require a national clearance for transactions in the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Citing the initial result of their stakeholder consultation, Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said they are likely to reject the PNP’s recommendation as it adds another layer of documentary requirements in their transactions.

He noted that even the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) and the Anti-Red Tape Authority are against the proposal of PNP chief Debold Sinas, since it is “against [the] principle of easing business.”

In a letter to Bello, Sinas recommended to DOLE the use of its Na-

tional Police Clearance (NPC) in its transactions so the agency can “have a broader information as to the character” of its applicants.

The DOLE chief had noted, however, the impact this could have on both businesses and workers, already burdened by the Covid-19 pandemic, and having difficulty in transacting with government as even state agencies have had to resort to online arrangements in a bid to reduce infections.

Bello said they expect to submit their reply to PNP’s proposal next week once they consolidate the response of their stakeholders.

Last week, labor groups already called on DOLE to reject the proposal from PNP for being anti-labor and violating international labor conventions.

DOLE deferred acting on the appeal of the organized labor due to its ongoing stakeholder consultation on the matter.

SAN Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora and Vice Mayor Warren Villa show the laptops and other gadgets to be used for online learning at the San Juan City Hall before the scheduled distribution to K-12 public school students living in San Juan City. A total of 12,500 tablets, 1,000 laptops and 1,000 pocket WiFis were turned over to the San Juan City government by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) this month. NONOY LACZA

EU-PHL accord to focus on resilient economy, justice

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HE Philippines-European Union (EU) Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) will focus on a green resilient economy, justice, and peace in the next seven years.

In a statement, the EU said, however, that the immediate priority of its assistance to the Philippines will be in supporting socioeconomic recovery from the Covid-19 crisis.

These were discussed during a recent meeting between the EU and Philippine governments for the new program cycle of 2021 to 2027.

“The meeting reviewed ongoing cooperation in areas such as peace and development in Mindanao, sustainable energy, and justice reforms. Both sides discussed the strategic areas of cooperation over the next seven years, with a

focus on promoting a green resilient economy, justice and a peaceful society,” the EU said.

The EU said both governments agreed to cooperate on the peace agenda and development in Mindanao, as well as the pursuit of justice sector reform. They also considered new avenues of cooperation that will contribute to climate action and sustainable development in

focal areas.

These focal areas are referenced in the Philippine Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), which includes supporting the green transition; reduction of carbon emissions; improving plastic waste management; and promoting green digital connectivity, among others.

Continued on A5

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Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Del Monte PHL sets sights on raising ₧44B via IPO

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By VG Cabuag

@villygc

ampos-led Del Monte Philippines Inc. has revived its plan to go public as it resubmitted its registration papers for its initial public offering (IPO) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Wednesday.

The company is hoping to raise as much as P44 billion. Documents it submitted to the agency showed that Del Monte Philippines, an indirect unit of listed firm Del Monte Pacific Ltd., will sell some 699.33 million in secondary common shares and an over-allotment option of 104.89 million common shares at P54.80 per share.

The said shares will come from the holdings of Central American Resources Inc. (CARI), a company incorporated under the laws of Panama, and SEA Diner Holdings (S) Pte Ltd, a company incorporated under the laws of Singapore.

Del Monte Pacific Ltd. owns 87 percent of DMPI through CARI while SEA Diner owns the balance of 13 percent. DMPL and SEA Diner intend to offer up to 15 percent and up to 10 percent of their stake in Del Monte Philippines, respectively, for a combined offering of up to 25 percent to

be floated in the proposed IPO. There is expected to be an over-allotment option of up to 15 percent of the total offer shares.

Morgan Stanley Asia (Singapore) Pte. and Credit Suisse (Singapore) Limited were picked as joint global coordinators and bookrunners along with CLSA Limited and DBS Bank Ltd. as international bookrunners.

BDO Capital and Investment Corp. and BPI Capital Corp. will be its domestic underwriters and bookrunners.

“The planned IPO of Del Monte Philippines Inc. is a moment of pride for the board and the DMPI management team. It represents the realization of an ambition we have set – to provide the people of the Philippines with the opportunity to share in the continued growth and success of our Asia business,” Joselito D. Campos Jr., the company’s CEO, said.

“Our company has demonstrat-

ed resilience during the last 12 months, growing our operations and efficiency in a challenging year. This gives us the confidence to embark on the next phase of our journey. We firmly believe that this will better position us to take full advantage of our market leading position and to further accelerate our strategy across the region.”

The company shelved its plans to go public and list its shares on the Philippine Stock Exchange in 2018, citing volatile market conditions.

Del Monte Philippines said some 70 percent of the entire offer will be sold overseas and the rest to the domestic market.

Proceeds from the offer’s firm shares of about P38.32 billion, of which P12.56 billion will be used to repay certain facilities extended to its indirect parent firm Del Monte Pacific and P9.62 billion to redeem its series A-1 preferred shares.

The company has a $100-million loan from the Bank of the Philippine Islands due in May 2023, $75 million from BDO due in August 2023, $75 million from Development Bank of the Philippines due in October 2024, $5 million from DBS due in June this year and $6.1 million from RCBC due in July this year.

SEA Diner, the selling shareholder, will also have its share of the proceeds of about P15.33 billion. “ T he prepay ment of these loans will allow the DMPL Group to deleverage and strengthen its balance sheet. Such prepayments

Pagcor net income down 80% in Q1

By Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM

S

tate-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.’s (Pagcor) net income in the first quarter plunged by 80 percent to P152.6 million, from P777.4 million a year ago, as lockdown measures continued to hamper gaming operations.

Based on its latest financial statements, Pagcor’s total income from gaming operations from the January-to-March period was slashed by 51.4 percent to P8.36 billion from last year’s P17.2 billion. It also paid a total of P4.39 billion in gaming taxes and contributions as of endMarch this year.

Its total expenses for the first three months of this year dropped by 45.8 percent to P4.38 billion, from last year’s P8.09 billion.

Pagcor Chairman Andrea Domingo on Wednesday said she expects gaming revenues to decline further to P16 billion to P17 billion this year from below P30 billion last year if lockdown restrictions will remain in place to contain the spread of Covid-19.

Domingo revealed that Pagcor is losing an average of about P15 million a day due to the pandemic.

“Last year was better because for the first three months...we were in full operation which allowed us to accumulate savings to tide us over. But in 2021, the GCQ [general community quarantine] limited operations and then the ECQ [enhanced community quarantine] which closed down the 26 casinos that we have, Pagcor-owned, in the National Capital Region [NCR] Plus Bubble, 6 casinos in the NCR Plus Bubble and about 540 e-bingo and e-games establishments at about 830 in NCR alone.”

With the decline in its revenues because of the pandemic-related restrictions, Domingo said Pagcor would have fewer funds for government programs, including Universal Health Care (UHC).

From contributing about P18 billion for the implementation of UHC in 2019, Domingo said Pagcor was able to set aside P8 billion for the program last year.

“This year, Pagcor could only contribute about P5 billion or even less. And that makes us very sad

because, you know, we have so many problems with Covid. If this trend continues, then, we may not be able to help at all.”

Despite this, Domingo is hoping to recoup some of Pagcor’s losses if the lockdown restrictions in Metro Manila will be eased to GCQ or Modified GCQ in the next two weeks.

Domingo also reported that 33 Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos) and over 200 service providers have ceased operations.

Nonetheless, the Pagcor chief expressed optimism that Pogos will return once issues related to manpower and tax rates are resolved.

“I think that some of them, the bigger ones who will be coming in, wants two things settled: that they have enough manpower to run their BPOs [business process outsourcing] operations and two, the tax rates are finally settled by law,” she said.

Domingo said Pagcor is fine with the Senate bill on taxing Pogos and Pogo operators have also agreed to pay taxes.

She also revealed that Pagcor is hoping to earn P250 to P350 million a month from electronic sabong.

ICCP, PCCI hold Vaccine Summit on April 30

T

o help ensure the effective administration of Covid-19 vaccines throughout the country, the International Chamber of Commerce Philippines (ICCP), Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) have organized a virtual meeting of experts and policymakers dubbed the “Vaccine Summit: Equitable Distribution and Safety” set on April 30.

Amb. Francis Chua, Founding Chairman of ICCP and ChairmanEmeritus of PCCI, said the summit will provide information on the status of the global distribution of the vaccines against Covid-19.

“Weknowhowcriticalthisvaccinationprogram is to achieve herd immunity faster and hasten our socioeconomic recovery. This is why we have to make sure the inoculation programs of the government and the private sector will be effective, safe, and equitable,” Chua stressed.

Amb. Benedicto V. Yujuico, president of PCCI and ICCP also highlighted the importance of equitable administration of the vaccine to the speedy rebuilding and recovery of the country’s economy and society.

Leading the presenters at the Summit are: Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso Mayor, City of Manila; Sec. Carlito Galvez, Jr. Chief Implementer Amb. Francis Chua and Vaccine Czar, NationalTaskForceAgainstCOVID-19;HisExcellency Huang Xilian Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Republic of the Philippines; His Excellency Marat I. Pavlov Ambassador of the Russian FederationtotheRepublicofthePhilippines;andDr. Sutayut Osornprasop Senior Human Development Specialist, Global Practice on Health, Nutrition, and Population, World Bank Group.

Participating in the panel discussions are: Jose Ma. Concepcion III, Presidential Adviser on EntrepreneurshipandPresident/CEOofRFMCorporation; Jannette Jakosalem, Chief Business Officer, Zuellig Pharma Corporation; Dr. Luningning Villa Medical and Regulatory Affairs Director, Faberco Life Sciences, Inc.; Dr. Allan Landrito Concerned Doctors

and Citizens of the Philippines (CDC Ph); Dr. Sergio Ortiz Luis, Jr., Honorary Chairman and Director for CSR, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and President, Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP); Dr. Beverly Ho, Director for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention and Control Bureau, Department of Health; Dr. Samuel Ang, Administrator, Chinese General Hospital; and Jesus Varela, Chairman, GS1 Philippines, Inc. and Director General, International Chamber of Commerce Philippines (ICCP).

Roberto Amores, Director for Agriculture and Fishery Committee, Vice Chair for Asia and ASEAN Affairs Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), and Board of Director and Treasurer, International Chamber of Commerce Philippines (ICCP), and Mary Grace Khu, TV and Event Host, will serve as hosts of the Summit.

Setting the tone of the discussions are; Yujuico; Chua; John W.H. Denton, Secretary General, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC); and Dr. Henry Lim Bon Liong, President, Federation of FilipinoChinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII), through their opening statements.

B1

are allowed under the loan facility agreements without any fee or penalty,” it said.

Proceeds from the over-allotment option of P5.74 billion, will be used to redeem Del Monte Pacific’s Series A-2 preferred shares and to pay its $15.4-million from RCBC due in July.

Meanwhile, Asian Mergers and Acquisition Links Inc. also filed its registration statement with the SEC for its public offering of 130 million in primary common shares at a price of P2 apiece.

Proceeds from the offer of about P260 million will be used for the establishment of subsidiaries in Singapore and Indonesia; additional investments in the Philippines, its affiliate in Thailand and subsidiaries in Vietnam and Malaysia; and the establishment of a subsidiary engaged in the lending business in the Philippines.

The company engaged Investment and Capital Corporation of the Philippines as the underwriter and issue manager for the transaction.

The company was incorporated in the Philippines in May 2015, with its principal business of providing business consultancy services.

SMIC vows to give jabs to all workers this year

S

M Investments Corp. (SMIC), the holding firm of the Sy family, on Wednesday said it will vaccinate its employees for free within the year as part of its efforts to boost consumer confidence.

SMIC President and CEO Frederic C. DyBuncio said its facilities will remain as vaccination venues nationwide for use by local governments in reaching as many citizens as possible.

Vaccination sites are in SM malls in Pulilan, Olongapo, Marilao, Cabanatuan, Cauayan, Tuguegarao, Masinag, San Mateo, Parañaque, Muntinlupa, Antipolo, North EDSA, Taguig, Trece Martires, Rosario, Calamba, San Pablo, Lemery, Lipa, Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod, Ormoc, Butuan and General Santos with more to be added soon.

“These will help to build the confidence that our consumer-led economy urgently needs. The key is to continue to innovate and operate safely, which we have done and continue to do.

We continue to respond and adapt to changing customer needs and touch points to serve our customers better,” DyBuncio said.

He said online shopping may remain permanent in people’s behavior, but this will just be a “minor” part of their overall shopping.

“That’s why we accelerated investments in this area from telephone-based shopping, social media platforms and campaigns, different means of delivery and pick up. We see people going back to the malls and shops but these are in community centers,” he said during

the company’s annual stockholders’ meeting. “In the foreseeable future, inperson and in-store based shopping experiences will still be preferred by our customers. But we continue to work hard to develop innovative online and offline delivery channels that are integrated into our business while enhancing customer service,” he said.

The SM Group said it has continued to support its partners especially the thousands of small and medium-sized companies in its supply chain. As a group, it provided over P30 billion in overall support in the form of waivers, payments and donations, it said.

SM also provided loan extensions on top of group-wide donations and onthe-ground relief efforts for host communities during the pandemic.

“Our collective resilience is necessary to safeguard our long-term growth and to ensure we can continue to promote responsible development nationwide,” DyBuncio said.

Last year, its grocery chain launched smmarkets.ph to provide more convenient options for pick-up or delivery for customers’ essential needs, while Waltermart grew its online grocery format and adopted the strategy of Call/Text and Pickup.

The malls introduced its newest shopping platform, SM Malls Online, available in three of its biggest malls.

SM’s two logistics companies in the group, 2GO and Airspeed, also played important roles in fulfilling the requirements of these online platforms, the company said. VG Cabuag

B2

Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Core profit of AboitizPower nearly triples in Jan-March

T

By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

he improvement in the availability of its coal power facilities, higher water inflow of its hydro-power unit and higher spot sales increased Aboitiz Power Corp.’s core profit to P6.2 billion at end-March, up 197-percent year-on-year.

These improvements offset the depressed demand for power brought about by the pandemic.

Also, the power firm was able to claim liquidated damages for the delay in the construction of GNPower Dinginin Ltd. Co. and received the final payment for business interruption claims resulting from the GNPower Mariveles Energy Center Ltd. Co. outages in 2020.

“Our first quarter results are very encouraging. We intend to keep this growth momentum by continuously

working towards our availability and reliability targets. We are excited about GNPower Dinginin getting very close to commercial operations.

We look forward to our incoming capacities, especially renewable energy, which will be our primary focus in the next 10 years,” said AboitizPower President and CEO Emmanuel V. Rubio.

The first unit of the Dinginin plant in Bataan with 668MW capacity is targeted for commercial operation within this year. The sec-

ond unit of the same capacity will be commercially available in March or April next year.

“We will be able to synchronize by this weekend all the way to June; and another further tuning, then after that, the reliability and performance runs leading to COD [commercial operation date] of Unit 1,” said Rubio.

Aboitiz Power is targeting to grow its capacity to more than 9,000MW in 10 years by hitting a 50:50 balance between its renewable and thermal portfolios, exploring overseas opportunities, and venturing into gas power projects.

At end-2020, the power firm recorded 4,429MW of capacity. Of which, 79 percent was thermal and 21 percent renewables.

The company has lined up a number of renewable energy projects to help meet its goal.

“Whether it’s solar, whether its wind. But mainly for the renewable energy projects that we have, a significant portion obviously will come from solar. But in the end, the main constraint with that

would be land—and he who has land will win,” said Rubio.

Also, the company has plans to put up floating solar power facilities.

“We feel that we have a very valuable asset in our reservoirs. These are our hydros in Magat, in Ambuklao, in Binga where we can consider putting up sizeable floating solar capacities moving forward.”

The power firm is also engaged in generation and distribution businesses.

Power generation capacity sold from January to March this year increased by 3 percent to 3,558MW, compared to 3,445 MW in the same period in 2020. Energy sold increased by 8 percent to 6,130 gigawatt-hours (GWh) for the first quarter of 2021, compared to 5,675 GWh for the corresponding period in 2020.

The energy sales of the distribution business declined by 8 percent to 1,308 GWh during the first three months of 2021, compared to 1,429 GWh in the same period last year.

This was driven by lower energy consumption from the commercial and industrial customer segments.

Zuellig Pharma files EUA application for Moderna

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco Correspondent

H

ealthcare services provider Zuellig Pharma said it looks forward to securing the emergency use authorization (EUA) for the Covid-19 vaccine of American drug firm Moderna from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Zuellig Pharma filed the application for EUA as it was authorized by Moderna as the emergency use authorization holder and distributor of its vaccine in the Philippines.

Moderna has forged a partnership with Zuellig Pharma’s division, ZP Therapeutics, to supply the Covid-19 vaccine in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

Moderna earlier announced that the Philippines has secured 20 million doses of their Covid-19 Vaccine. Deliveries will begin in mid2021. The FDA said the company has applied for an EUA on April 26.

“We have filed the EUA application with all required documents,” said Raymund Azurin, Senior Vice President for Government Affairs and Sustainability of Zuellig Pharma Asia Pacific.

Moderna’s application for an EUA, according to National Task Force against Covid-19 and Vaccine Czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., will bring the Philippines a step closer to its goal of vacci-

nating 70 million of its adult population this year.

“We welcome the EUA application of Moderna, following the signing of the tripartite agreement with the private sector. We know the FDA Phillipines will give it urgent attention.”

Moderna’s mRNA vaccine against Covid-19 has been approved for emergency use in the United States, Canada, Israel, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Qatar, Singapore and Taiwan.

Collaboration

Meanwhile, Zuellig Pharma said its collaboration with Moderna to supply the Covid-19 vaccine in Asia reaffirms Zuellig Pharma’s commitment to help fight the global pandemic.

“We are committed to making healthcare accessible through innovation, commercial excellence and robust in-market capabilities that will not only improve healthcare but will expand patient access,” said John Graham, CEO of Zuellig Pharma.

“We are drawing upon our expertise, resources, and extensive distribution network to support governments and where allowed private healthcare institutions across the region in implementing end-to-end vaccination programs.

As importantly, we are working closely with governments to help them plan for the security of their vaccine supply.”

mutual funds

April 28, 2021

NAV One Year Three Year Five Year Y-T-D per share Return* Return Stock Funds ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a 204.82 13.54% -7.77% -4.05% -9.86% ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 1.2532 32.11% -6.76% 1.05% -4.55% ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 2.8048 16.6% -12.17% -6.26% -10.48% Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.7179 14.13% -7.84% n.a.

-10.7% First Metro Consumer Fund on MSCI Phils. IMI, Inc. -a 0.6729 3.63% -7.02% n.a.

-9.26% First Metro Save and Learn Equity Fund,Inc. -a 4.5019 14.47% -5.4% -3.06% -8.89% 5.96% First Metro Save and Learn Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a,4 0.6453 -9.47% -7.79% -15.07% MBG Equity Investment Fund, Inc. -a 95.15 29.58% -6% n.a.

-6.66% PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a 41.8759 16.34% -5.68% -2.83% -10.61% Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 440.49 13.51% -5.64% -3.29% -9.92% Philequity Alpha One Fund, Inc. -a,d,5 1.0121 22.77% n.a. n.a.

-7.76% Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. -a 1.0797 16.17% -5.07% -2.08% -7.58% Philequity Fund, Inc. -a 31.5199 15.9% -5.31% -1.79% -9.35% Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.8145 14.19% n.a. n.a. -10.79% Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc. -a 4.2904 17.03% -5.36% -2.07% -10.45% Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a 717.54 17.12% -5.26% -2.22% -10.49% Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 0.6506 17.2% -9.42% -5.62% -9.5% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 3.2553 13.19% -7.44% -3.58% -10.17% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.8195 16.57% -5.63% -2.35% -10.7% United Fund, Inc. -a 3.029 16.17% -4.81% -0.96% -8.74% Exchange Traded Fund First Metro Phil. Equity Exchange Traded Fund, Inc. -a,c 96.2752 17.2% -5.08% -1.55% -10.49% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ATRAM AsiaPlus Equity Fund, Inc. -b $1.2778 45.42% 5.6% 8.61% 6.23% Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.7771 47.09% 12.14% n.a.

6.24% Balanced Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ATRAM Dynamic Allocation Fund, Inc. -a 1.6232 8.9% -1.59% -1.34% -2.72% ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 2.1323 10.37% -2.5% -0.78% -6.7% First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund Inc. -a 2.4746 8.24% -1.22% -1.43% -5.8% First Metro Save and Learn F.O.C.C.U.S. Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a,1 0.1861 2.48% n.a. n.a. -6.29% NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a 1.8793 6.47% 0.43% 0.46% -4.31% PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a 3.5089 7.99% -0.85% -0.88% -7.37% Philam Fund, Inc. -a 15.7323 8.32% -0.75% -0.86% -7.11% Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a 1.9687 8.9% -2.01% -0.65% -5.99% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.3323 8.78% -3.33% -1.92% -6.74% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a,d 0.9508 8.11% n.a. n.a.

-7.02% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a,d 0.8528 11.14% n.a. n.a. -10.16% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a,d 0.8353 12.27% n.a. n.a. -10.48% Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a 0.82 9.33% -4.48% -2.62% -7.63% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Cocolife Dollar Fund Builder, Inc. -a $0.03809 0.47% 2.95% 1.34% -2.63% PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -b $1.1489 26.35% 3.32% 5.16% -0.11% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $4.7094 33.82% 9.08% 8.68% 4.35% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a,3 $1.2116 17.71% 4.8% n.a.

0.79% Bond Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 370.69 2.41% 3.1% 2.52% -0.1% ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a 1.9108 -0.89% 0.82% 0.12% 0.55% Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a 3.2216 1.75% 3.98% 4.44% 0.21% Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a 2.257 -0.4% 2.28% 1.58% -1.7% First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.431 0.86% 3.14% 1.74% -0.9% Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a 4.4618 -0.08% 4.1% 1.7% -3.73% Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a,6 1.3187 3.57% 4.24% 2.7% -0.19% Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a

3.9585 2.57% 4.23% 2.52% -1.06% Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a 1.0262 1.08% 4.22% 1.79% -1.52% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.1831 2.29% 4.99% 2.79% -0.71% Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a

1.7364 0.86% 4.28% 2.12% -1.06% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $483.49 3.47% 3.07% 2.37% -0.08% ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a Є219.86 2.91% 1.09% 1.22% 0.31% ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b $1.1758 -0.24% 1.8% 1.14% -8.17% First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.0259 1.17% 1.59% 1.04% -2.63% PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -b $1.055 1.01% 0.71% -0.46% -3.45% Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $2.4826 4.28% 4.83% 2.19% -2.09% Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a $0.0626674 5.37% 3.46% 2.2% 0.56% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $3.1372 0.04% 2.61% 1.04% -2.68% Money Market Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 129.96 2.09% 3.15% 2.52% 0.12% First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.0506 1.34% n.a. n.a.

0.24% Sun Life Prosperity Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.3023 2.89% 2.57% 0.44% 1.97% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0559 1.42% 1.72% n.a.

0.33% Feeder Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities Sun Life Prosperity World Equity Index Feeder Fund, Inc. -a,d,7 1.2422 n.a. n.a. n.a. 9.97% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund Inc. -b,d,2 $1 11.11% n.a. n.a.

2.04% a - NAVPS as of the previous banking day. b - NAVPS as of two banking days ago. c - Listed in the PSE. d - in Net Asset Value per Unit (NAVPU).

1 - Launch date is September 28, 2019. 2 - Launch date is November 15, 2019. 3 - Adjusted due to stock dividend issuance last October 9, 2019.

4 - Renaming was approved by the SEC last October 12, 2018 (formerly, One Wealthy Nation Fund, Inc.). 5 - Launch date is December 09, 2019.

6 - Re-classified into a Bond Fund starting February 21, 2020 (Formerly a Money Market Fund). 7 - Launch date is July 6, 2020.

"While we endeavor to keep the information accurate, the Philippine Investment Funds Association (PIFA) and its members make no warranties as to the correctness of the newspaper’s publication and assume no liability or responsibility for any error or omissions. You may visit http://www. pifa.com.ph to see the latest NAVPS/NAVPU."

www.businessmirror.com.ph

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

April 28, 2021

Net Foreign Stocks Bid Ask Open High Low Close Volume Value Trade (Peso) Buy (Sell) FINANCIALs

BDO UNIBANK BANK PH ISLANDS CHINABANK EAST WEST BANK METROBANK PBCOM PHIL NATL BANK PSBANK PHILTRUST RCBC SECURITY BANK UNION BANK BRIGHT KINDLE COL FINANCIAL FIRST ABACUS FERRONOUX HLDG MEDCO HLDG MANULIFE NTL REINSURANCE PHIL STOCK EXCH SUN LIFE VANTAGE

105 82.5 23.6 9.75 44.95 22 29.95 56 98.05 18 115 70 1.53 3.93 0.6 3.23 0.4 950 0.69 155 2,340 0.97

105.9 83 23.75 9.79 45 22.3 30 56.4 101 18.26 115.5 72.3 1.54 3.95 0.64 3.24 0.42 992 0.72 155.8 2,346 1

104.4 82.95 23.75 9.5 44.5 22.1 27.5 56 98.05 18 114.4 72.5 1.45 3.94 0.6 3.16 0.425 950 0.68 152 2,346 1

105.9 83 23.9 9.81 45 23.4 30 56.4 98.05 18.36 115.7 72.7 1.54 3.95 0.6 3.25 0.425 950 0.69 155 2,346 1

103.2 82 23.6 9.5 44.5 22 27.5 55.9 98.05 18 114 70 1.43 3.9 0.6 3.16 0.4 950 0.68 152 2,340 1

105.9 83 23.6 9.75 45 22 30 56 98.05 18.26 115.5 70 1.54 3.95 0.6 3.24 0.42 950 0.69 155 2,340 1

1,837,560 1,111,320 80,200 405,600 1,342,600 42,100 3,534,200 3,150 300 17,800 608,070 17,380 212,000 185,000 2,000 23,000 110,000 20 131,000 16,500 705 10,000

193,058,647 91,995,641 1,901,565 3,910,570 60,239,430 933,475 103,132,220 176,438.50 29,415 323,124 70,004,032 1,233,013 310,630 727,790 1,200 74,150 45,050 19,000 89,360 2,527,798 1,649,730 10,000

INDUSTRIAL

AC ENERGY ALSONS CONS ABOITIZ POWER BASIC ENERGY FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG MERALCO MANILA WATER PETRON PETROENERGY PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL SPC POWER VIVANT AGRINURTURE AXELUM CNTRL AZUCARERA CENTURY FOOD DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EMPERADOR SMC FOODANDBEV ALLIANCE SELECT FRUITAS HLDG GINEBRA JOLLIBEE LIBERTY FLOUR MAXS GROUP MG HLDG SHAKEYS PIZZA ROXAS AND CO ROXAS HLDG SWIFT FOODS UNIV ROBINA VITARICH VICTORIAS CONCRETE A CEMEX HLDG DAVINCI CAPITAL EAGLE CEMENT EEI CORP HOLCIM MEGAWIDE PHINMA TKC METALS VULCAN INDL CROWN ASIA EUROMED PRYCE CORP CONCEPCION GREENERGY INTEGRATED MICR IONICS SFA SEMICON CIRTEK HLDG

6.99 1.35 22.65 0.96 31 67.25 271 14.84 3.21 3.75 12 21.65 10.44 14.04 6.53 3.19 13.2 19.8 11.74 7.15 9.91 67.7 0.63 1.36 58.05 175.7 31 5.88 0.315 7.39 1.02 1.45 0.139 136.5 0.84 2.34 55 1.18 2.87 11.8 7.38 5.52 6.6 12.2 1.15 2.79 1.82 1.99 5.36 22.4 3.78 10.26 1.08 1.33 6.1

7 1.36 22.95 0.97 31.05 68.9 271.2 14.9 3.25 3.76 12.16 21.75 10.46 15.46 6.7 3.27 13.46 20.1 11.76 7.18 9.98 67.8 0.65 1.37 58.45 175.8 31.3 5.93 0.32 7.48 1.03 1.49 0.14 137 0.85 2.41 58.4 1.2 2.88 12 7.42 5.65 6.62 12.36 1.16 2.8 1.84 2.06 5.4 22.9 3.79 10.34 1.09 1.35 6.18

7 1.36 22.9 0.93 30.9 68 274.6 14.96 3.15 3.75 12.16 21.3 10.28 15.46 6.74 3.29 13.2 19.5 11.3 7.15 10 67.8 0.62 1.38 58 174.1 30.05 6 0.315 7.39 1.03 1.45 0.134 135.1 0.82 2.4 55 1.18 2.86 11.8 7.4 5.5 6.76 12.3 1.15 2.46 1.82 1.99 5.35 22.4 3.63 10.22 1.09 1.36 5.86

7.05 1.37 23.2 0.97 31.2 68 274.6 14.96 3.21 3.76 12.16 21.75 10.48 15.46 6.86 3.3 13.2 20.2 11.74 7.22 10 67.8 0.65 1.38 58.55 176.4 31 6 0.32 7.65 1.04 1.45 0.145 137 0.86 2.4 55 1.2 2.88 11.8 7.42 5.68 6.76 12.36 1.17 2.8 1.85 1.99 5.41 22.9 3.83 10.4 1.09 1.36 6.18

6.95 1.32 22.6 0.93 30.9 67.25 271.2 14.6 3.13 3.75 12.16 21.25 10.26 15.46 6.5 3.2 13.2 19.5 11.3 7.13 9.89 67.5 0.62 1.35 57.55 174.1 30.05 5.88 0.315 7.3 1.01 1.45 0.134 134.4 0.82 2.4 54.15 1.18 2.81 11.7 7.38 5.41 6.52 12.2 1.15 2.44 1.81 1.99 5.3 22.35 3.58 10.22 1.06 1.33 5.86

7 1.35 22.65 0.96 31.05 67.25 271.2 14.9 3.21 3.76 12.16 21.65 10.46 15.46 6.7 3.27 13.2 20.1 11.74 7.15 9.98 67.8 0.64 1.37 58.45 175.8 31 5.88 0.32 7.5 1.03 1.45 0.14 137 0.85 2.4 55 1.18 2.87 11.8 7.42 5.5 6.6 12.36 1.15 2.8 1.84 1.99 5.4 22.9 3.79 10.26 1.09 1.33 6.18

8,538,400 1,451,000 4,371,500 33,306,000 564,800 14,020 242,780 771,500 513,000 18,000 73,500 245,100 111,500 300 2,050,400 514,000 8,500 1,006,000 608,400 2,121,600 4,093,500 156,620 63,000 2,836,000 51,800 357,340 200 108,300 990,000 64,000 360,000 8,000 23,520,000 998,540 2,331,000 5,000 1,280 1,453,000 646,000 2,800 29,500 566,900 349,500 41,200 142,000 20,510,000 169,000 18,000 25,200 900 19,258,000 230,400 108,000 477,000 1,416,200

-9,106,778 -35,955,486.50 -584,185 247,649 -23,146,900 639,450 -28,089,725 118,720 -44,346,579 27,099 -142,200 19,000 2,218,948 1,567,800 -

59,813,891 1,960,030 99,741,870 31,699,490 17,510,730 944,350 66,028,234 11,432,450 1,632,160 67,620 893,760 5,265,855 1,156,942 4,638 13,979,727 1,665,660 112,200 20,063,161 7,052,076 15,169,147 40,609,624 10,611,725.50 40,540 3,879,130 3,021,078 62,829,953 6,105 639,937 314,300 478,180 366,030 11,600 3,310,450 135,874,963 1,960,020 12,000 69,594 1,717,140 1,842,420 32,880 218,690 3,118,139 2,304,315 506,252 163,900 54,933,880 306,670 35,820 134,963 20,300 70,931,670 2,366,818 116,840 639,790 8,520,766

-3,501,403 -21,990,350 293,130 -7,446,090 -417,537.50 -37,682,764 -2,769,202 -123,340 7,520 2,299,640 -23,973 6,440 -2,244,050 3,653,246 -11,727,152 679,514 1,324,193 -34,470 679,350 -25,691,159 153,853 -102,400 -37,574 -93,340 233,260 -13,963,769 -574,600 82,850 -5,860 -1,238,600 -1,249,453 -29,690 9,702 4,470 -751,380 -462,152 73,710

HOLDING & FRIMS ABACORE CAPITAL 1.15 1.16 1.15 1.16 1.12 1.16 9,793,000 11,180,830 7.34 7.35 7.34 7.34 7.1 7.34 5,000 36,495 ASIABEST GROUP AYALA CORP 761.5 770 760 770 760 770 110,180 84,544,770 35.35 35.4 34.8 35.4 34.8 35.35 3,572,800 125,619,540 ABOITIZ EQUITY 10.5 10.52 10.36 10.56 10.34 10.52 742,000 7,775,456 ALLIANCE GLOBAL AYALA LAND LOG 2.98 3 2.98 3.05 2.93 2.98 1,322,000 3,952,750 6.62 6.8 6.8 6.8 6.7 6.7 15,200 103,350 ANSCOR 0.81 0.82 0.82 0.85 0.8 0.81 5,910,000 4,885,920 ANGLO PHIL HLDG ATN HLDG A 0.71 0.72 0.72 0.72 0.71 0.72 1,261,000 897,200 0.71 0.75 0.72 0.75 0.71 0.75 49,000 34,980 ATN HLDG B 5.03 5.04 5.08 5.1 5.04 5.04 2,954,900 14,940,341 COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG 5.29 5.31 5.31 5.32 5.28 5.31 1,366,600 7,241,631 8.16 8.4 8.22 8.22 8.2 8.2 21,700 178,002 FILINVEST DEV 0.3 0.31 0.285 0.31 0.26 0.31 3,910,000 1,132,700 FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL 537 542 536 542 533 542 27,730 14,980,195 53.1 53.65 52.3 53.9 51.6 53.1 3,612,580 190,838,826 JG SUMMIT 4.67 4.92 4.92 4.92 4.92 4.92 2,000 9,840 JOLLIVILLE HLDG KEPPEL HLDG A 4.67 4.99 4.99 5 4.99 5 13,000 64,980 1.01 1.03 1.02 1.04 1 1.03 2,075,000 2,096,550 LODESTAR 3.36 3.42 3.46 3.46 3.33 3.36 333,000 1,115,010 LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP 13.38 13.4 13.5 13.64 13.38 13.4 11,881,700 161,021,280 3.97 3.98 4 4.04 3.98 3.98 19,005,000 76,120,080 METRO PAC INV 3.6 3.65 3.54 3.67 3.54 3.67 4,000 14,550 PACIFICA HLDG PRIME MEDIA 2.85 2.88 2.82 2.92 2.82 2.85 599,000 1,721,150 374 385 390 390 372.8 385 530 202,934 SYNERGY GRID SM INVESTMENTS 980 990 958 990 955 990 299,580 293,191,490 SAN MIGUEL CORP 114.7 114.8 114.9 114.9 114.7 114.8 193,970 22,269,073 0.69 0.71 0.71 0.71 0.71 0.71 2,000 1,420 SOC RESOURCES TOP FRONTIER 131.2 133.9 133 134.5 131 133.9 4,060 541,073 WELLEX INDUS 0.255 0.26 0.25 0.27 0.25 0.26 1,720,000 441,000 0.235 0.24 0.235 0.24 0.23 0.24 720,000 170,000 ZEUS HLDG

33,900.00 -4,839,215 9,166,445 -4,279,888 50,780 -17,300 -6,909,966 -1,354,227 -178,002 -27,900 -4,528,805 41,646,815.50 -695,800 -27,119,444 -20,892,080 51,420 40,547,515 -2,084,042 8,040 -13,250 -

PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.64 0.66 0.63 0.66 0.63 0.66 301,000 192,090 7.56 8.14 7.48 7.48 7.48 7.48 200 1,496 ANCHOR LAND AYALA LAND 32.7 32.75 32.25 33.1 32.15 32.75 29,086,500 949,848,195 1.2 1.26 1.2 1.26 1.2 1.26 16,000 19,670 ARANETA PROP 34.45 34.5 34.4 35 34.4 34.5 1,070,900 37,181,765 AREIT RT BELLE CORP 1.51 1.52 1.53 1.53 1.51 1.51 532,000 805,520 0.94 0.95 1 1 0.94 0.95 3,956,000 3,795,860 A BROWN 0.92 0.93 0.92 0.94 0.89 0.92 993,000 899,920 CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES 0.132 0.135 0.136 0.136 0.131 0.135 290,000 38,210 5.85 5.87 5.88 5.92 5.81 5.87 377,000 2,208,426 CEB LANDMASTERS 0.39 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.385 0.4 3,930,000 1,557,400 CENTURY PROP CYBER BAY 0.33 0.34 0.33 0.33 0.33 0.33 40,000 13,200 12.8 12.82 12.9 12.96 12.74 12.82 470,900 6,041,332 DOUBLEDRAGON 2.11 2.12 2.12 2.14 2.1 2.11 12,504,000 26,408,490 DDMP RT DM WENCESLAO 6.8 6.86 6.9 6.9 6.8 6.86 74,200 506,682 0.285 0.29 0.29 0.29 0.29 0.29 150,000 43,500 EMPIRE EAST 0.192 0.193 0.152 0.195 0.152 0.192 256,700,000 45,595,500 EVER GOTESCO FILINVEST LAND 1.11 1.12 1.12 1.12 1.1 1.11 5,465,000 6,066,140 0.82 0.83 0.81 0.81 0.81 0.81 12,000 9,720 GLOBAL ESTATE 7.4 7.45 7.35 7.45 7.35 7.4 235,800 1,756,295 8990 HLDG PHIL INFRADEV 1.36 1.38 1.39 1.39 1.35 1.38 232,000 315,320 1.98 1.99 2.02 2.06 1.97 1.98 3,302,000 6,589,990 CITY AND LAND 3.13 3.15 3.15 3.19 3.13 3.13 40,487,000 127,489,250 MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED 0.46 0.465 0.46 0.47 0.45 0.46 131,420,000 60,613,000 0.65 0.66 0.62 0.67 0.61 0.66 18,361,000 11,899,520 PHIL ESTATES PRIMEX CORP 3.2 3.21 3.2 3.26 3.13 3.2 6,521,000 20,862,850 ROBINSONS LAND 16.86 16.9 16.68 17.26 16.68 16.9 1,999,000 33,822,704 0.25 0.26 0.265 0.265 0.25 0.25 90,000 23,200 PHIL REALTY ROCKWELL 1.56 1.57 1.53 1.57 1.53 1.57 247,000 385,100 2.62 2.69 2.69 2.69 2.69 2.69 1,000 2,690 SHANG PROP 2.23 2.3 2.3 2.35 2.3 2.35 15,000 34,750 STA LUCIA LAND SM PRIME HLDG 35.15 35.4 34.7 35.4 34.7 35.4 4,802,600 169,193,295 SUNTRUST HOME 1.46 1.47 1.49 1.5 1.42 1.46 348,000 508,700 3.58 3.61 3.64 3.64 3.58 3.58 1,148,000 4,131,500 VISTA LAND

-161,931,270 570,505.00 -211,740 120,120 -180,187 -87,300 -2,080,096 -2,079,630 -20,700 1,012,160 -5,339,600 -1,190 202,550 -54,715,300 -2,512,000 -64,040 9,490,660 -8,643,650 -43,300,170 29,600 -1,578,320

SERVICES ABS CBN 11.06 11.08 11.1 11.1 10.96 11.06 32,000 353,838 7.77 7.78 7.71 7.77 7.7 7.77 689,800 5,341,983 GMA NETWORK GLOBE TELECOM 1,886 1,889 1,901 1,919 1,883 1,886 49,115 92,876,070 1,267 1,268 1,290 1,290 1,267 1,268 76,315 97,167,690 PLDT 0.211 0.212 0.21 0.214 0.208 0.211 197,160,000 41,562,620 APOLLO GLOBAL CONVERGE 18.5 18.54 18.4 18.62 18.34 18.5 2,909,500 53,902,068 4 4.05 3.92 4.1 3.9 4 310,000 1,245,770 DFNN INC 10.44 10.46 9.97 10.46 9.85 10.44 16,965,300 172,178,903 DITO CME HLDG IMPERIAL 1.63 1.85 1.8 1.87 1.8 1.87 70,000 129,120 2.23 2.26 2.25 2.25 2.25 2.25 9,000 20,250 JACKSTONES 2.76 2.78 2.75 2.78 2.74 2.76 816,000 2,246,450 NOW CORP TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.42 0.425 0.42 0.43 0.415 0.425 9,830,000 4,140,700 2.69 2.73 2.72 2.74 2.65 2.73 506,000 1,366,120 PHILWEB 8.28 8.3 8.21 8.49 8.21 8.28 29,300 244,087 2GO GROUP ASIAN TERMINALS 15.8 15.84 15.8 15.84 15.8 15.8 16,600 262,460 2.98 2.99 3.01 3.05 2.95 2.98 1,463,000 4,366,840 CHELSEA 47.8 47.85 47.7 47.85 47.15 47.8 31,300 1,493,255 CEBU AIR INTL CONTAINER 127.1 129.5 127.6 129.5 126.7 129.5 1,062,100 135,959,997 16 16.1 15.38 16.26 15.38 16.26 3,400 55,108 LBC EXPRESS 4.66 4.67 4.71 4.76 4.66 4.67 1,323,000 6,203,310 MACROASIA METROALLIANCE A 2.29 2.31 2.25 2.29 2.25 2.29 45,000 102,590 6.1 6.14 6.14 6.14 6 6.1 31,000 187,290 PAL HLDG 1.2 1.22 1.19 1.24 1.19 1.2 77,000 92,900 HARBOR STAR ACESITE HOTEL 1.8 1.88 1.85 1.89 1.73 1.88 151,000 279,850 0.116 0.117 0.116 0.12 0.113 0.116 448,560,000 52,519,170 BOULEVARD HLDG DISCOVERY WORLD 3.38 3.39 3.3 3.41 3.3 3.39 96,000 324,080 WATERFRONT 0.6 0.61 0.58 0.62 0.57 0.6 3,491,000 2,083,440 0.37 0.375 0.375 0.375 0.37 0.375 1,170,000 433,000 STI HLDG BLOOMBERRY 6.68 6.7 6.45 6.68 6.25 6.68 2,665,700 17,069,725 PACIFIC ONLINE 2.05 2.12 2.12 2.12 2.12 2.12 13,000 27,560 1.69 1.71 1.72 1.72 1.67 1.7 1,768,000 3,001,260 LEISURE AND RES PH RESORTS GRP 2.09 2.1 2.08 2.11 2.06 2.1 1,978,000 4,117,950 PREMIUM LEISURE 0.415 0.42 0.415 0.415 0.41 0.415 1,340,000 556,050 6.05 6.2 6.2 6.2 6.2 6.2 100 620 PHIL RACING ALLHOME 7.71 7.92 7.7 7.92 7.68 7.92 91,500 716,157 METRO RETAIL 1.29 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.28 1.3 764,000 985,050 36.75 37 36.55 37.15 36.5 37 773,900 28,592,285 PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL 51.9 52.2 52.7 52.7 51.75 51.9 1,824,830 94,825,579 PHIL SEVEN CORP 106.5 107 106.5 106.6 106.5 106.6 103,600 11,038,776 1.18 1.2 1.19 1.2 1.18 1.18 880,000 1,043,140 SSI GROUP WILCON DEPOT 17.2 17.56 17.12 17.56 17.12 17.56 584,800 10,267,516 APC GROUP 0.395 0.4 0.39 0.4 0.39 0.395 1,030,000 409,800 6.21 6.46 6.18 6.2 6.18 6.2 500 3,092 EASYCALL GOLDEN MV 382 413.6 400.2 420 400 413.6 850 344,126 IPM HLDG 4.95 5.1 5 5 4.95 4.95 3,200 15,990 2.19 2.2 2.09 2.19 2.09 2.19 7,432,000 16,006,330 PRMIERE HORIZON SBS PHIL CORP 4.18 4.47 4.13 4.3 4.13 4.3 22,000 92,870

-40,716,250 -37,795,875 -1,432,840 -1,877,366 668,760 1,926,291 319,550 48,600 8,220 -59,320 520,065 -11,578,393 -1,511,760 -15,095 -28,770 2,305,280 26,960 173,570.00 780,887 -2,547,110 204,610 -83,000 -35,609 8,276,445.00 -42,587,027.50 0 219,380 -6,556,668.00 -20,680 133,370 -

MINING & OIL ATOK 8.9 9 9.2 9.31 8.75 9 1,787,100 16,058,122 -535,455 APEX MINING 1.68 1.69 1.62 1.69 1.6 1.69 8,809,000 14,698,030 -594,270 8.22 8.23 8.44 8.44 8.15 8.23 3,120,500 25,806,121 1,073,257 ATLAS MINING 3.18 3.28 3.28 3.28 3.14 3.28 166,000 530,880 BENGUET A BENGUET B 3.05 3.2 2.97 3.24 2.95 3.2 233,000 721,870 0.325 0.33 0.34 0.345 0.325 0.325 3,950,000 1,312,250 299,000 COAL ASIA HLDG 2.72 2.87 2.87 2.87 2.7 2.86 46,000 131,750 117,400 CENTURY PEAK DIZON MINES 7.83 8.16 8.43 8.43 7.85 8.2 20,400 166,193 2.58 2.6 2.62 2.65 2.55 2.6 3,031,000 7,915,590 -1,075,590 FERRONICKEL 0.35 0.355 0.365 0.365 0.345 0.35 2,610,000 912,800 31,050 GEOGRACE LEPANTO A 0.17 0.171 0.174 0.175 0.167 0.17 74,330,000 12,635,030 0.17 0.174 0.179 0.179 0.17 0.17 2,310,000 395,190 LEPANTO B 0.013 0.014 0.013 0.014 0.013 0.014 986,600,000 13,399,100 MANILA MINING A MANILA MINING B 0.014 0.015 0.013 0.014 0.013 0.014 59,600,000 834,100 1.35 1.37 1.32 1.38 1.32 1.37 1,523,000 2,062,820 -23,830 MARCVENTURES 1.64 1.69 1.8 1.8 1.62 1.69 1,162,000 1,933,510 NIHAO NICKEL ASIA 5.44 5.45 5.42 5.49 5.37 5.45 2,940,400 15,969,677 2,473,460 0.4 0.41 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 120,000 48,000 OMICO CORP 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.03 1.06 1,795,000 1,906,680 20,800 ORNTL PENINSULA PX MINING 6 6.01 6 6.14 5.91 6.01 5,157,900 31,060,882 -112,607 12.14 12.16 12.02 12.18 11.98 12.16 1,075,300 12,973,794 1,975,110 SEMIRARA MINING 0.01 0.011 0.0098 0.011 0.0098 0.01 185,000,000 1,863,700 -39,700 UNITED PARAGON ACE ENEXOR 19.2 19.28 19.2 19.5 19.1 19.22 145,300 2,782,994 563,580 0.011 0.012 0.012 0.012 0.011 0.012 75,500,000 884,700 ORNTL PETROL A ORNTL PETROL B 0.012 0.013 0.013 0.013 0.012 0.012 4,100,000 50,300 0.012 0.013 0.013 0.013 0.012 0.012 14,800,000 181,900 PHILODRILL 7.62 7.64 7.65 7.86 7.55 7.62 457,400 3,524,754 644,461 PXP ENERGY

PREFFERED HOUSE PREF A 100.6 101.5 100.6 101.5 100.6 101.5 1,500 151,350 100.6 102.9 101 101.5 100.5 100.5 49,980 5,024,000 ALCO PREF B AC PREF B2R 516 530 515 515 515 515 6,000 3,090,000 44.15 44.4 44 44.15 43.5 44.15 72,900 3,209,810 -489,450 CEB PREF 103.5 104 103.5 103.5 103.5 103.5 10,770 1,114,695 CPG PREF A FGEN PREF G 108 110.5 108 108 108 108 30 3,240 508 515 508 508 508 508 40 20,320 GLO PREF P 1,002 1,028 1,028 1,028 1,028 1,028 15 15,420 GTCAP PREF A MWIDE PREF 100.6 101 100.8 101 100.7 101 3,620 364,770 101 101.7 101.8 101.8 101 101.7 41,360 4,189,440 739,490 MWIDE PREF 2B 100.5 104 103 104 100.3 104 24,860 2,507,237 PNX PREF 3B PNX PREF 4 1,000 1,002 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 19,965 19,965,000 1,015 1,038 1,021 1,037 1,020 1,037 180 183,785 PCOR PREF 2B 1,080 1,117 1,080 1,080 1,080 1,080 1,720 1,857,600 PCOR PREF 3A PCOR PREF 3B 1,129 1,130 1,130 1,130 1,130 1,130 5 5,650 1.68 1.84 1.68 1.68 1.68 1.68 2,000 3,360 SFI PREF 78.05 79.85 79.8 79.85 78 78 2,260 178,979 SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2E 76.5 77.5 76.5 76.5 76.5 76.5 45,000 3,442,500 78.6 78.75 78.75 78.75 78.75 78.75 42,010 3,308,287.50 SMC PREF 2F 77 77.25 77 77 77 77 5,000 385,000 SMC PREF 2J SMC PREF 2K 76 77 75.8 75.8 75.8 75.8 4,500 341,100 -

PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR 10.54 10.9 10.9 10.9 10.9 10.9 10,000 109,000 7.35 7.38 7.37 7.37 7.35 7.35 113,100 832,111 -559,020 GMA HLDG PDR

WARRANTS LR WARRANT 1.97 1.99 1.96 2.03 1.95 1.99 714,000 1,416,350 10,100

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ALTUS PROP 18.56 18.9 18.46 18.9 18.46 18.9 14,100 264,296 -33,998 2.39 2.4 2.36 2.41 2.34 2.39 161,000 382,650 21,540 ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH 5.32 5.58 5.34 5.34 5.32 5.32 2,200 11,721 5.08 5.09 4.9 5.1 4.9 5.08 4,736,000 23,976,990 29,990 MERRYMART

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS

FIRST METRO ETF 98.2 98.25 96.8 98.25 96.8 98.2 15,280 1,496,528 -160,809.50

Agriculture/Commodities BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng • Thursday, April 29, 2021 B3

DA to tighten rules on livestock, poultry trade

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

T

HE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it is currently drafting an administrative order (AO) that would put in place a more stringent process for accrediting traders and retailers in the livestock and poultry sectors.

The DA said the AO aims to ensure regulatory compliance and prevent the manipulation of pork and chicken prices.

According to Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar, the agency is already in the “process of strengthening the traceability systems” in the livestock and poultry trade, including meat and processed products, by expanding existing accreditation and licensing rules being implemented by its attached agencies.

“This will be done through a more robust, and inter-connected registration and accreditation process from local government units [LGUs], to the concerned national agencies such as the DA’s Bureau of Animal Industry [BAI] and the National Meat Inspection Service [NMIS],” Dar said in a statement on Wednesday.

Currently, the DA said the BAI

THIS BusinessMirror file photo shows hogs grown in one of the biggest swine farms in Soccsksargen.

issues a handler’s license to operate to livestock traders only while the NMIS accredits and registers only meat transport vehicles.

It added that the BAI is currently

looking into the potential role of LGUs in the licensing while the NMIS is studying how its existing system could be strengthened and expanded “to further impact the supply chain.”

The expansion and strengthening of the accreditation in the livestock and poultry trade would allow the government to monitor and scrutinize traders and middlemen in the

LGUs told to stop collecting fees from vehicles transporting goods

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad @TyronePiad

T

HE Anti-Red Tape Authority (Arta), along with other government agencies, joined forces to ban the illegal collection of fees and taxes by the local government units (LGUs) for the transport of goods.

On Wednesday, Arta, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Finance (DOF) issued Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) 202101 or the Omnibus Guidelines on the Suspension of LGU Imposition and Collection of Illegal Fees and Taxes Relative to the Transport of Goods and Product.

Arta Deputy Director General Ernesto V. Perez said during the virtual ceremony that stakeholders have been flagging the authorities about the illegal costs imposed on the transport of goods despite the existence of several DILG issuances prohibiting it.

Perez noted that illegal fees come in different forms, such as sticker fees, entry fees, recharging fee, and

mayor’s fees, among others.

“The Philippine logistics sector is facing a regulatory environment that stifles rather than encourages efficiency and competitiveness. Due to the country’s archipelagic nature and inconsistent regulations, the Philippines has one of the highest logistics costs among the member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation,” the Arta official said.

With this, Perez said the logistics sector has become one of the priorities for streamlining.

The JMC stresses the limitations of the LGUs in collecting fees, taxes and other charges on transporting goods carried into or out or passing through their territorial jurisdictions under the Local Government Code of 1991.

It enjoins all local chief executives to refrain from enforcing “any existing ordinance authorizing the levy of fees and taxes on inter-province transport of goods or merchandise, regulatory fees in local ports, and other additional taxes, fees or charges in any form upon the transport of goods or merchandise.”

The current local ordinances on pass-through fees and taxes for the transport of goods and products are subject to regulatory impact assessment as per the JMC. Arta, under the JMC, can conduct its own regulatory review of the subject ordinance. It is tasked with assisting the DILG in implementing the order; and investigating and filing appropriate charges against erring government officials.

The JMC noted that noncompliance “shall be dealt with in accordance with pertinent laws, rules and regulations.”

Finance Undersecretary Antonette C. Tionko said they are hoping that the JMC will be able to address the recurring complaints on the imposition of local taxes, fees and charges that disrupt the transportation of goods and products, which is critical especially at this time of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“So hopefully this initiative will give assurance to the sectors involved in the movement of goods and products that such concerns will not add to the challenges they face in the

midst of the Covid-19 pandemic as these activities are vital to facilitate trade and commerce to help businesses and essential service providers deliver their products to customers and clients,” Tionko said.

“With the cooperation of the local governments, we want to address disruptions that would affect economic activities that are critical in this time of the pandemic and that will support response, and recovery measures.”

Under the JMC, Tionko said the DOF through the Bureau of Local Government Finance is tasked to monitor the compliance of local treasures during the conduct of treasury evaluations and to provide technical assistance to LGUs in updating and amending the tax ordinances.

Arta Director General Jeremiah B. Belgica encouraged the public to report to the authorities instances wherein LGUs impose and collect illegal charges.

“By lending us your voice, we are able to know what your pains and pangs are so that we can create better regulations and improved services.”

With Bernadette D. Nicolas

DTI organizes free webinar on opportunities in coco sector

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HE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Region 2 held a free webinar on business opportunities in the coconut industry via Zoom and was simultaneously broadcasted through Facebook Live last April 22 and 23.

Over 100 coconut farmers, enterprises, growers, processors, local government units, enthusiasts, and potential investors participated in the webinar.

“The possibilities and opportunities for coconut both in the local and global scene are almost endless, and Region 2 has the potential to become an active industry player having a vast

agricultural land that could serve as expansion areas for coconut production along with suitable agro-climatic conditions,” said DTI-Region 2 Regional Director Leah Pulido Ocampo in her opening message as she encouraged the participants to level up the region’s contribution in the coconut industry value chain.

Regional Manager Dennis D. Andres of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) said 5 years from now, Cagayan Valley could be one of the major coconut-producing regions in the country.

The presentation on the value-addi-

tion of coconut products heightened the interest of the participants to engage in various business activities in coconut particularly on virgin coconut oil (VCO), coconut flour processing, coconut sap sugar production, coco coir and peat production, as well as coco shell and charcoal production as the profitability and market potential were highlighted.

“It was affirmed in the discussions that based on studies, VCO has antiviral, anti-microbial, anti-protozoal, and anti-fungal characteristics and is also loaded with anti-oxidant properties which strengthen the immune system,” the DTI said.

Maureen Pasciolco, owner of Pasciolco Agri Ventures, inspired the participants by sharing her humble beginning as an entrepreneur until she became one of the pioneer producers of VCO in 2002. From a small production area, her venture has expanded and now has three plant locations in Quezon and Batangas, creating over a hundred direct and indirect jobs.

Pasciolco’s Agri Ventures’ market has reached as far as Europe, United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and countries in Asia like Japan, Korea, Singapore, Macau, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Malaysia.

supply chain, Dar said.

“The draft DA administrative order governing trader registration is currently being reviewed by the BAI to effect the needed changes to ensure that the system will bring about transparency and subsequently benefit the consuming public,” he said.

“This will address the information gap in the supply chain, which is often being exploited by unscrupulous traders and wholesalers to manipulate both supply and prices of the commodities.”

Dar said the incomplete records of middlemen and traders have become a “perennial problem” in the livestock sector, making it difficult for government agencies to impose strict regulation of the movement of farm animals, meat and byproducts, and address supply fluctuation and price manipulation.

“We recognize the need to identify the legitimate traders in order to establish a feasible traceability system and pinpoint exactly at a certain level of the supply chain where the manipulation occurred,” he added.

The DA said the trader registration initiative will also complement the ongoing registration process for

swine and poultry growers under the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture.

“The DA chief agreed to the suggestions made by the Philippine Competition Commission [PCC] during the recent joint hearings of the committees on agriculture and food, and trade and industry, of the House of Representatives, where the antitrust body cited the need for a trader database and identification of participants at each level of the supply chain,” it added.

During the said hearing, PCC Competition Enforcement Office Director Orlando P. Polinar noted that the DA should “provide a traceability database of the commodities, as it is important to know where the supply comes from and where it ends up.”

The DA added that Polinar told the agency that it is incumbent upon them to provide the PCC with more specific information to detect cartels and other anti-competitive conducts in the hog and poultry sectors.

“Clamping down [on] both ends of the supply chain would help the DA narrow down and pinpoint the unscrupulous suppliers, traders or retailers of pork products,” Dar said.

Govt distributes carabao’s milk to children in 8 PHL cities

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HE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) have rolled out a 120-day milk feeding program in 8 Philippine cities.

The milk feeding program is being implemented in the cities of Olongapo, Angeles, Lucena, Puerto Princesa, Iloilo, Tacloban, Zamboanga, and Bacolod and has 10,619 beneficiaries.

Pursuant to the Republic Act 11037 or “Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino,” the DSWD in coordination with the local government units (LGU) and agencies is mandated to implement a supplementary feeding program (SFP) to address undernutrition among children (ages 2-5 years) currently enrolled in the day care centers or Supervised Neighborhood Play (SNP) groups by incorporating fresh milk and fresh milk-based food products in the hot meals.

Several memoranda of agreement between the DSWD Field Offices and PCC Regional Centers were signed to implement the program with a total funding of P24.211 million provided by DSWD. The DSWD coordinated with the attached agency of the Department of Agriculture to link them with local dairy producers and cooperatives where milk can be sourced from. PCC identified and tapped its assisted dairy farmer-cooperatives as suppliers of milk in the feeding program, which include Catmon Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MPC), Rosario Livestock and Agriculture Farming Cooperative, Yamang Bukid, Calinog Farmers’ Agriculture Cooperative, Baclay MPC, Baybay Dairy Cooperative, and San Julio Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and ensuing health protocols, the co-ops delivered milk products to the designated drop-off points, which were inspected afterwards by LGU and DSWD Regional Office milk feeding focal persons.

Under the program, each child is given 200 ml toned carabao’s milk for 120 days to combat malnutrition.

The DSWD-funded milk feeding program carries twin benefits, as it will not only protect children from malnutrition by improving and/or maintaining their nutritional status, but will also contribute to the sustainable economic activities of the local dairy farmers.

Meanwhile, the DSWD also partnered with PCC through its assisted co-ops in Region 3 for the facilitation of the 10th Cycle SFP with 588,492 beneficiaries. Through this scheme, the children are given 200 ml of milk each for 12 days (once a week for three months) in addition to the regular nutritious, hot or alternative meals under the government’s SFP. “We provided them [carapreneurs] technical assistance on aspects of proper and hygienic milk handling and processing to produce food safety-compliant pasteurized toned carabao’s milk.

Aside from that, we also target to teach them how to develop sustainable milk-based livelihood enterprises like Milkybun production,” said Mina Abella, DA-PCC’s milk feeding national coordinator and Product Development and Innovation Section head.

“DSWD considers Milkybun as alternate food for its SFP, so this is another livelihood for the carapreneurs. Hopefully, they will start the inclusion of Milkybun in their 11th cycle SFP.”

Pricey corn has farmers feeding wheat for humans to livestock

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HINA’S expanding hog herd is vacuuming up the world’s feed grains and forcing traders to dip into wheat reserves, a crop that’s normally saved for humans to eat.

According to Archer-DanielsMidland Co., one of the biggest agricultural traders, corn arriving in China will soon be more expensive than wheat.

“China continues to be buying everything they can,” ADM Chief Executive Officer Juan Luciano said Tuesday on a call

with investors. “ They’re buying corn. But they’re buying wheat” as well.

The Asian nation’s soaring demand for animal feed has helped lift crop prices to the highest in years, benefiting traders like ADM and signaling higher meat prices for consumers.

Chinese hogs aren’t the only culprits behind pricey corn. The world’s cattle, hogs and chickens are all gobbling up the grain faster than farmers can grow it.

Corn is so expensive that it has

SOFT red winter wheat in a grain cart during harvest in Kirkland, Illinois, United States, on July 17, 2020.

PHOTOGRAPHER: DANIEL ACKER/BLOOMBERG

at times surpassed wheat, a rare occurrence.

Earlier this month, a type of wheat grown in the southern United States Plains that’s usually used to make flour for bread traded at the biggest discount to corn since 1977.

The disparity prompted some US cattle feeders to buy wheat that will get harvested beginning around June.

“We are running out of the corn in the country and wheat got really cheap,” said Joe Nussmeier, a

broker at Frontier Futures in Minneapolis. By mid-June, “the only thing to feed critters at that time will be wheat.”

There are risks, though. Wheat shouldn’t be fed to younger cattle and if cattle eat too much wheat, they get bloated, according to Penn State Extension research.

Researchers at North Dakota State University recommend that wheat make up no more than 15 percent of an animal’s diet when it’s being introduced.

Bloomberg News

Envoys&Expats BusinessMirror

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Thursday, April 29, 2021

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PHL, Saudi Arabia, IOM labor mobility virtual forum highlights PHL legacy of promoting migrant workers

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OP officials from the Philippines, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) recently affirmed the welfare of migrant workers in a breakthrough virtual forum.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)-Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs, in cooperation with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, as well as the IOM, successfully conducted the virtual forum: “Labor Mobility and Human Rights:

Examining Migrant Labor Governance in the Middle East in the Context of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM)” on April 20.

President Duterte addressed the forum as he reaffirmed the Philippines’s commitment to protect millions of migrant workers around the

MODERATOR, officials, discussants, reactors and speakers from the Philippine government and Saudi Arabia at the first virtual forum on labor mobility (from top row, left to right): President Rodrigo Duterte, Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr., Undersecretary Sarah Lou Y. Arriola, Assistant Secretary Enrico Fos, Ambassador Adnan Alonto, Deputy Minister Sattam Alharbi, former CEO Ausamah Abdullah Al-Absi, International Organization for Migration’s Mohamed El Zarkani, Ambassador Abdullah N.A. Al Bussairy and IOM’s Kristin Dadey. RIYADH PE

world. He called for the abolition of the kafala, or the sponsorship system of migrant workers.

The forum also highlighted the progressive Labor Reform Initiative rolled out by the kingdom on March 14 which directly benefits around 850,000 Filipinos present in Saudi Arabia by giving them the opportunity to transfer to a new employer if a migrant worker has not received a salary for three consecutive months, or if the employer has been absent; not allowing employers to cancel any worker’s valid Automatic Exit Visa; and letting migrant workers transfer employment if their former employers failed to appear in at least two judicial hearings or two amicable settlement hearings.

“We are moving forward [with] our goal for migrant protection

accorded with decency and equal respect,” said Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. in his video message.

“The Philippine government will continue to strongly advocate for, and work with, all partners for the immediate fulfillment of the objectives of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration,” confirmed Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Sarah Lou Y. Arriola Around 200 participants coming from different parts of the world attended the virtual forum, with more than 500 combined live views on simultaneous public telecasts of the DFA’s YouTube account and the Facebook pages of OFW Help, as well as Radio Television Malacañang.

Netherlands knights SFA Locsin leads PHL side in Asean Leaders’ Meeting The Filipina agriculture advocate S I

ECRETARY of Foreign Affairs Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. joined the call of the Asean chair and the other leaders to recommend the de-escalation of conflict in Myanmar, as well as conducting dialogue among concerned parties and mediation through a special envoy to be appointed by the region— including the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the peoples of the besieged country.

The Philippines’s top diplomat supported the bloc’s consensus to appoint either the Asean secretary-general or the Asean chair to visit Myanmar and initiate talks among concerned parties, with the view to improve the situation on the ground. He emphasized Brunei’s role as chair puts it in a strong position to lead Asean as it offers assistance to Myanmar in ending violence, restoring peace, and facilitating its return to political normalcy. He also reiterated his

LOCSIN and Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi discuss bilateral matters between the Philippines and Indonesia. DFA previous calls for the immediate release of political prisoners.

The meeting was conducted in a candid and “family-style” manner, where member-states expressed their concerns on the mounting death toll and the escalating violence against civilians following the takeover of the government by the Myanmar Armed Forces, locally known as the Tatmadaw.

Locsin recalled how Asean came together to support the Philippines during the 1986 People Power Revolution, then called for all parties in Myanmar to restore national unity and resolve the crisis peacefully.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar’s chairman of the State Administration Council, said his country is focused on restoring peace and stability

to improve the current situation, and that his compatriots would consider Asean’s positive and sound proposals, taking into account their domestic situation.

Duterte designated Locsin as his special envoy to the meeting. Urgent matters in the region—including key initiatives on pandemic recovery, Asean’s external relations, as well as regional and international issues—were also discussed.

Following a bilateral meeting with Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi of Indonesia upon his arrival in Jakarta, Locsin attended a working dinner among foreign ministers on April 23 at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to prepare for the Asean Leaders’ Meeting.

The gathering was the first faceto-face event convened among Asean heads of state and governments as well as their special envoys since the pandemic’s onset.

UNDP: Covid-19 disrupted BARMM development amid dwindling cases

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OTABATO CITY—Despite logging relatively lower numbers of pandemic cases last year, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM)—which registered a 5.9-percent gross regional domestic product growth in 2019 and was enjoying steady economic gains before 2020—was still disproportionately impacted by the health crisis in terms of its socioeconomic development, as well as in aggravating existing and emerging vulnerabilities.

The recently released “Socioeconomic Impact Assessment of Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019)” report was commissioned by the Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BPDA), supported by the Embassy of Japan and undertaken by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Philippines. It was launched through a forum in this city, in the presence of the BARMM Interim Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim, BARMM ministers, United Nations Resident Coordinator Gustavo Gonzalez, members of the diplomatic corps, as well as representatives of local government units and civil society organizations.

The Bangsamoro is among the regions in the country that was able to manage and contain the spread of Covid-19. But while government measures deterred the virus from spreading, indirect impacts associated with restrictions in mobility have affected the lives and livelihoods of many—including the most vulnerable groups.

According to the report, around

53.5 percent of respondents interviewed indicated that their livelihoods or businesses were affected by the restrictions. The assessment further noted that the informal sector—many of whom are women— were among the hardest hit by the pandemic because of work stoppages.

The findings also highlighted the impact of the pandemic in BARMM beyond income, such as on health, education, and food security.

“The crisis brought to fore the need for data and information that captures the real-life situations and underlying conditions of the people on the ground,” said Engr. Mohajirin T. Ali, director general of BPDA, who highlighted the purpose of the report during the public dissemination forum. “In support of this goal of understanding the real-life situation in the region, the BPDA engaged the UNDP to conduct a region-wide socioeconomic impact assessment to help the BARMM government produce accurate and necessary projections that can be translated into strategic action plans [responsive] to the needs of the constituents, and eventually help them recover from the challenges brought by the pandemic.”

UNDP Philippines Resident Representative Dr. Selva Ramachandran also noted that, “It is important to identify and document the impact of the pandemic to those who are facing high levels of vulnerabilities. Likewise, it is [vital] to understand how the pandemic is affecting regions that have already elevated risks of conflict, instability, insecurity, violence and population displacement.

It is within this framework that UNDP in collaboration with BPDA, conducted the assessment to generate insights that could inform the regional recovery planning.”

The BARMM government’s response during the Covid-19 crisis focused on improving social welfare and development, essential health services, economic recovery, infrastructure support and governance.

“The assessment is extremely helpful to make sure...we will truly surpass this phase and restore our public health and economy to normal,” said Ebrahim in his keynote message. “[Our] government is working tirelessly to make sure that no Bangsamoro is left behind. The launch is symbolic towards our joint efforts in revitalizing our economy and allowing its growth to trickle down to every...household.”

Aside from identifying hardest hit sectors in the region, the assessment also examined policy and program responses of the BARMM government to the crisis, then provided recommendations to support the government’s transition while pushing toward achieving an inclusive, resilient, and sustainable development.

Ambassador Kazuhiko Koshikawa of Japan—a staunch supporter of the peace-building and development efforts in the said region—stated that “the assessment would be a big push to BARMM’s recovery efforts.

Clearly, there is a need to recalibrate our strategies to rise over and above our current challenges.”

He added: “The fast way to go is to carefully identify the socioeconomic

fallouts of Covid-19, and match them with policy recommendations, which are evidence-based and pragmatic.

This report sheds light on the real plight of the locals, which might have been otherwise overlooked by our existing efforts.”

During the public dissemination forum, the presentation of the findings was followed by a panel discussion among key stakeholders, moderated by Atty. Ishak Mastura, chairman of the BARMM Regional Board of Investments.

Panelists included Atty. Laisa Alamia, member of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA); Atty.

Raissa Jajurie, minister of Social Services and Development and member of the BTA; Dr. Bashary Latiph, minister of health; Dr. Marjanie Mimbantas Macasalong, chairperson of the Bangsamoro Youth Commission and BTA member; Oyunsaikhan Dendevnorov, representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Philippines; Andrew Morris, UNICEF Field Office head-Cotabato; and Guiamel Alim, chair of the Bangsamoro Civil Society.

Among key insights for BARMM recovery highlighted in the discussions were the strengthening of health systems and the deployment of a comprehensive and coordinated regional vaccination program, establishment of inclusive socialprotection systems, integration of green-recovery approaches in Covid-19 economic recovery packages, scaling up of the regional capacity for digital transformation, as well as broadening and diversifying sources of economic growth.

N recognition of her tireless dedication in promoting relations between the Netherlands and the Philippines, Dr. Mary Ann Pelagio-Sayoc was recently honored with a Knighthood in the Order of Orange-Nassau.

With the conferment of the prestigious royal decoration, Ambassador Saskia de Lang said, “I am very proud to announce that it has pleased His Majesty King Willem Alexander to award a knighthood on a leading personality of the Dutch-Filipino community. It is a recognition of exceptional merit to the Netherlands.”

The two countries have developed strong ties in the agriculture-food sector covering the areas of trade, investments, agricultural technology and knowledge transfer. In her various capacities, Dr. Sayoc has significantly contributed in realizing efforts aimed to transform Philippine agriculture and boost local farmers’ productivity.

At present, the Filipino doctor is the public affairs lead for the East-West Seed Group, a local company with Dutch roots having been founded by Dutch seedsman Simon Groot with Filipino seed trader Benito Domingo in 1982. Since its establishment, EWS has become a dominant market leader in vegetable seeds in the Philippines and has expanded its operations to countries in Asia and Africa, according to the Embassy of the Netherlands.

Dr. Sayoc is also the chair of the Philippine Seed Industry Association and was key in involving Dutch expertise in the scoping mission on creating the National Seed Technology Park. The first step for the planned multiyear collaboration between the Philippines and the Netherlands is on horticulture development.

She also heads the Philippine-Dutch Fellows Network Inc., the alumni associa-

AMBASSADOR Saskia de Lang (left) and Dr. Mary Ann Pelagio-Sayoc EMBASSY OF THE NETHERLANDS tion of Filipino professionals who have studied in The Netherlands. Through PDFNI, she has been active in promoting Filipino-Dutch friendship while leveraging on Dutch education in contributing to nation-building.

Furthermore, Dr. Sayoc is a board member of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines since 2014, together with a number of Dutch-Filipino companies. Through DCCP, she selflessly makes her knowledge and experience available to Dutch companies interested in doing business in the Philippines.

Prior to her move to the seed industry in 1998, Dr. Sayoc was involved with the International Training Center on Pig Husbandry—an institution created by government of the Netherlands, through Barneveld College, as well as its Philippine counterpart through the Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Training Institute.

The Order of Orange-Nassau is awarded to individuals for their longstanding meritorious service to Dutch society.

AMBASSADOR PRESENTS CREDENTIALS TO THAILAND’S KING Philippine Ambassador to Thailand Millicent Cruz-Paredes (left) formally presented her letter of credentials to King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua and with Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana of the Kingdom of Thailand on April 20 at Ambara Villa, Dusit Palace. She arrived in the royal kingdom on November 4, 2020 to assume her post as the country’s envoy there.

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ABS-CBN files over $40M lawsuit vs pirates in U.S. Federal Court ABS-CBN, a leading global Filipino media and entertainment company, filed a $40-million lawsuit, titled “ABS-CBN v.

123Fullpinoymovieshub.com,” in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida against 40 pirate domains pirating ABS-CBN’s content and infringing its copyrights and trademarks. The court recently issued a preliminary injunction against these 40 pirate domains to take down the domains with a serving notice. The US District Court for the Southern District of Florida is the Federal United States District Court with territorial jurisdiction over the southern part of the state of Florida.

The lawsuit comes as news reports show piracy has made a comeback during the Covid-19 pandemic. According to a report by www.tvtechnology.com on how media companies are dealing with piracy in the age of Covid, lockdowns resulted into more breaches of streaming security as a result of higher demand. Criminals were isolating at home as well and likely had more time and inclination to devote to nefarious activities.

“Beware of pirate domains, especially clicking on them.

They usually contain malware which can substantially infect your computer,” said Elisha Lawrence, assistant vice president and head of Global Anti-Piracy. She continues, “Watch our content on safe legitimate services such as ABSCBN’s OTT platform iWantTFC and the TFC channel on all major cable and satellite providers.”

“We see it as our job to protect the consumer from the dangers that pirated content brings and, at the same time, provide quality content for their enjoyment,” said ABS-CBN managing director of North and Latin America Jun del Rosario. ABS-CBN is represented by Stephen M. Gaffigan and Christine Daley of the Law Offices of Stephen M. Gaffigan, PA.

FIFTY-ONE year old beneficiary Merlita Lausa of Baranggay Kinawitnon, Samal Island, receives food packs from GMA Regional TV.

Community service continues throughout the regions

GMA Regional TV (RTV) remains committed to providing community service to Filipinos in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao via its Kapuso Barangayan on Wheels, which to date, has benefitted 11,850 families.

The service was launched in May 2020 as a mobile version of GMA RTV’s Kapuso Barangayan, which was originally a community activity held in different barangays across the regions.

With the community quarantine, GMA RTV introduced Kapuso Barangayan on Wheels to reach more communities and directly provide residents the assistance they urgently need. The areas covered include North Central Luzon, South Luzon, Central and Eastern Visayas, Western Visayas, Northern Mindanao, and Southern Mindanao.

“It has been almost a year since we transformed our Kapuso Barangayan into a mobile activity to benefit our fellow Filipinos during this pandemic,” said GMA Regional TV and Synergy first vice president and head Oliver Victor Amoroso.

“No one has been spared and many families are still struggling to cope—most especially our Kapuso in the regions who have lost their sources of income during the pandemic. We thank our partners in the local government and private sectors for joining us in this regional initiative.

We are now on our fourth leg and we will continue to work hand in hand with the government and private sectors as we face these difficult times because of the Covid-19 pandemic,” he added.

Just recently, the Kapuso Barangayan on Wheels won an Excellence Award in Communication Management under the Corporate Social Responsibility Division 1 category at the 18th Philippine Quill Awards. The Philippine Quill is considered one of the country’s most prestigious awards programs in the field of business communications. It also received a Special Citation merit at the 42nd Catholic Mass Media Awards in the Best TV Ad-Public Service category.

GMA RTV has already rolled out three legs of the regional initiative. The first wave was held from May to August in 2020 with a total of 2,610 family beneficiaries. This was followed by the second Kapuso Barangayan on Wheels which saw 4,200 families gaining assistance from August to December. From December 2020 to March 2021, a total of 5,040 families were served. The fourth leg is being conducted this month.

On top of distributing essential items to thousands of families across the country, GMA RTV led various brief and relevant lectures on proper health and safety protocols. To further instill hope in the hearts of beneficiaries, each pack of Kapuso Barangayan on Wheels items included notes with messages of encouragement from the anchors and hosts of GMA RTV’s news and morning programs.

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Thursday, April 29, 2021

To ‘Colette’ the Oscar goes: A documentary on loss

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olette Marin-Catherine is a 92-year old Frenchwoman. She is a living resistance fighter who fought the Germans during World War II. It has been more than 70 years already but she, unlike those who have lost their loved ones abroad, has not visited Germany. It was in that country where her brother, Jean-Pierre, also a resistance fighter, was taken by the Nazi.

This morning, Colette, is opening the windows of her apartment and calling the birds. She asks them if they are scared. This scene with the birds does not create a deep meaning until the end, after being in the place where her brother died, she looks at the birds again.

Colette is in Germany, finally. She agrees to visit the country that brought so much personal sorrow to her and her family, if only because they are going to honor the memory of her brother. With Colette is Lucie Fouble, a young student of history and a museum docent, or a museum educational tour guide.

Together, the two embark on a journey that Colette calls “morbid tourism.”

The long train ride brings the two to Nordhausen, once the location of a huge camp with thousands of prisoners making up a significant part of slave labor for the Nazi war machinery. One of these laborers was Colette’s brother.

There are many expected scenarios in this short documentary about the evil of Nazi Germany but it is in the character of Colette where the surprises reside. In a café, where she is welcomed by the Mayor of Nordhausen, Colette shocks the welcoming crowd when she stops the city leader’s speech because “I’ve had enough tonight.”

The mayor wants to proceed with his short speech about how the war and the concentration camp in his city had a huge impact on his childhood, but Colette thumps her hand on the table. The old woman’s rage underscores how trite indeed are the speeches of reconciliation can be even when one is past anger, as Colette puts it.

How does one reason with an old lady who has spent 74 years trying to forget?

This is where the power of this documentary, titled Colette, lies: It gives a thumbs-down on all the monumental responses memorial sites and museums have made of places where, in the case of Nordhausen, some 60,000 laborers suffered, many of them ending up dead.

War does not make sense. Remembering the horrors of war, even if it is with the aim that we never repeat the same mistake (as the mayor was about to pompously announce it), is similarly a senseless act.

In her visit to Germany, Colette reminds us that no one is ever prepared for the memories of terror.

That day comes when Colette and Lucie travel to the area where the concentration camp was. The younger woman tentatively annotates the path they are treading.

“This is the cell where your brother was kept. Here, as with others, Jean-Pierre slept on the bare floor, sometimes with nothing to eat.”

At this point, Colette tells Lucie to look away. The camera moves away as we hear the wail of this brave, old woman. Then we face her again as she trembles and cries because she has not even brought some flowers for her brother’s grave.

The two continue their fieldwork. They reach the crematorium where we see and hear again Colette let out a keening.

Lucie all throughout the moments where Colette confronts the place with her rage and grief also cries.

To this, Colette says: “We make a terrible team.” To Lucie, Colette wonders how those “morbid details can enrich your documentation.”

At some point, we see the two women seated on a bench, where the trees have overtaken the structures of the concentration camp. Colette who loves birds tells Lucie to listen to the songs of the birds as she asks if the songs of the birds are a collection of all our sorrows.

Where many documentarians have seized the tales of the war and transformed them into huge canvases of structured conflict, Colette brings back into the fold an ignored reality—that of deaths and losses which affected individuals. This is also about the fact of how the family of nations, a term threatening to be another oxymoron, can always sign treaties to bring peace and accord because they who brought war upon men and women were never thinking in terms of persons

Britney Spears set to speak in court on her conservatorship LOS ANGELES—Britney Spears has asked to address the court to talk about the conservatorship that has controlled her life and finances for 13 years, her attorney said Tuesday, and a judge scheduled a June date to hear from her.

Spears’ court-appointed attorney, Samuel Ingham III, said in a hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court that she had asked to speak to the court soon, and agreed with Judge Brenda Penny on a June 23 date.

He did not say what she would specifically like to say.

It would be the first known time in more than two years that the 39-yearold pop star has spoken in court.

The last time, on May 10, 2019, the courtroom was sealed. None of what she said became public.

The judge may also close the June hearing to the media and public. But Spears, through Ingham, has been pushing for more transparency in the court proceedings and documents of the conservatorship.

Spears did not take part in

Tuesday’s hearing, and she very rarely attends them.

As with nearly every Spears hearing about 50 fans from the so-called #FreeBritney movement picketed outside the downtown courthouse.

On Tuesday, they carried signs that read “CONSERVATORSHIP IS SLAVERY” and “THIS IS TOXIC.” One woman, wearing a #FreeBritney T-shirt, had her head shaved during the demonstration in solidarity with Spears, who famously shaved her own head just before the conservatorship was put in place in 2008.

Spears herself has said in court documents and on social media that she welcomes the support for her and scrutiny of her circumstances that have come from fans.

Through Ingham, she has been pushing in court to incrementally exercise more control over her life and finances. But she has yet to request that the court end the conservatorship. AP

and personal relationships. Nations have always engaged in wars because of boundaries, politics and economics, and not because, at the end when victories are achieved, individual happiness will take place.

Sincerity and candor are two attributes of Colette, the person. In one of her most difficult memories, she tells Lucie how her own mother confronted her about the death of her brother by this statement: It could have been you.

Sincerity and truthfulness are two traits of Colette, the documentary, and this filmic decision to use minimum footage of the events from the 1940s. It is, after all, the memories of Colette on which this narrative of loss derives its virtues and veracity.

Colette knows that she will be a changed person after her visit to Germany. She says she will be crying for years...for all the years to come.

Colette, the documentary, will do the same to us: we will be crying for years to come, for all the years to come, for the many more senseless wars nations and leaders will wage on this Earth.

Directed by Anthony Giacchino, Colette, a short film featured in the Oculus VR game Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond, is the winner of this year’s Academy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject).

Presented by Oculus Studios and Electronic Arts’ Respawn Entertainment, and later acquired and distributed by The Guardian, it is said to be the first time a video game industry project has won an Oscar.

The award-winning short can be seen on YouTube (youtu.be/J7uBf1gD6JY). n

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B6 Thursday, April 29, 2021

First Metro Investment bags PDS Awards Richmonde’s takeaways should be your go-to choice for to-go meals

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HOICE overload is real and can add to your stress especially in our current situation where there’s so much to think about. With the slew of restaurants and home businesses offering a variety of food items, just choosing one can already be timeconsuming and there’s still the matter of whether your order will be accepted, delivered when you need it, and as good as you expect it to be.

The Richmonde Hotels, namely Eastwood Richmonde Hotel, Richmonde Hotel Ortigas, and Richmonde Hotel Iloilo, have created takeaway collections of satisfying familiar fare and gourmet creations, for easy options to make ordering a cinch. With Richmonde takeaway, you get hotel-quality food minus the exorbitant price. Richmonde always aims to provide good value for money. So, for the food offerings in all three properties, expect highgrade ingredients and tasty flavors at reasonable rates. Since splurging is not an option these days, Richmonde provides menu options that are still affordable so you can treat yourself to enjoyable and indulgent meals without spending a lot.

All kitchen and food & beverage teams of the Richmonde Hotels strictly observe stringent hygiene protocols in food handling and preparation. You order in to keep safe but are you confident that the food you’re ordering is safe as well? The kitchens of Richmonde Hotels have passed the quality inspection of the Department of Tourism and have been duly certified to operate. Hotel

management enforces strict safety and sanitation standards to ensure the hygienic preparation and packaging of food. Proper PPEs are supplied to all staff who follow all established COVID-19 prevention guidelines to a T. You get to select from a menu of familiar comfort food favorites.

Ordering becomes so much easier when you know what you’re getting.

Richmonde Hotels curated some of the best sellers of all their menus to create the ultimate takeaway list to satisfy any craving. Offering dishes from breakfast items, gourmet meals and bento boxes, to snack bites and sweet desserts, Richmonde is your very own one-stop shop for food to-go. What’s more, all three hotels offer your favorite signature items like the Richmonde Burger made with 100% Angus beef and freshly baked pretzel bun, the soft and cheesy Richmonde Ensaymada, and the super moist Richmonde Chocolate Cake.

You can be assured of a warm meal anywhere you may be. Because you don’t always consume your takeaway at home or in places where there is a stove or oven, Richmonde has meals packed in self-heating Hotboxes so you can conveniently warm up your food anytime and anywhere with just a pull of a string.

You can choose menu items with just the right serving size you need. There are combo meals if you have a big appetite, family sizes and food platters that are great for sharing, and bento boxes for solo eating that’s still quite filling.

Even party-like feasts perfect for home celebrations are available with servings

good for up to 4 to 6 persons.

Customization is possible for bulk orders. These days, bulk ordering of packed meals for delivery is the new catering. For these requirements, the Richmonde can accommodate requests for custom-made meals for a minimum order requirement. Plus, you can even add your own label, note or branding to the Richmomde Black Box packaging.

Advance ordering means you get your order on time. A specified lead time is required for certain menu items to ensure that your order gets to you exactly at the time you want. And because you communicate with the hotel directly, you can be assured that there is no chance of your order getting cancelled once it is confirmed.

Delivery is free within neighboring areas. Richmonde offers complimentary delivery service of takeaway orders to addresses within Eastwood City and within the areas of San Miguel Avenue, Pearl Drive, Lourdes St., and Escriva Drive, if ordering from Eastwood Richmonde and Richmonde Ortigas, respectively.

Delivery fees help displaced hotel workers. As a way of helping displaced hotel associates, Eastwood Richmonde and Richmonde Ortigas gives those willing to work part-time the opportunity to earn some money by being part of the hotels’ pool of delivery riders. Delivery charges are given to them in full.

Contactless transactions are available.

Convenient online payment options available.

Minimize physical contact during ordering and pickup. Payments for your takeaway orders can be settled via an online payment gateway for credit card transactions, or online bank transfers, whichever is more convenient for you. Richmonde even accepts LYKA gems now as payment. If you opt to pickup your takeaway from the hotel, there’s no need to park and get out of your car because you can have your order conveniently handed over to you at the hotel driveaway.

Staying home and staying safe doesn’t mean depriving yourself of the delectable dishes you’ve come to love and The Richmonde Hotels are members of the Megaworld Hotels group.

Eastern Communications commits to provide worldclass connectivity, partners with Cato Networks

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ASTERN Communications, one of the premier telecommunications companies in the country, recently announced its partnership with Cato Networks, a global enterprise networking and security company based in Israel.

Eastern Communications is the first Philippine telecommunications company to partner with Cato as part of its commitment to provide worldclass connectivity and more simplified wide area networking solutions to the enterprise sector, allowing them to continue to thrive in the post COVID-19 world.

Cato is the world’s first Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) platform, an enterprise networking technology that converges the functions of network and security point solutions into a unified, global cloud-native service. It provides a single network that connects and secures any enterprise resource – physical, cloud, and mobile – anywhere. This emerging cutting-edge service is a response to the need of today’s digital enterprises, offering holistic security, reduced costs, hyper scalability, and simplified management.

With Eastern Communications and Cato, all enterprise network resources, including branch locations, the mobile workforce, and physical and cloud data centers will be unified, providing a holistic, agile, and adaptable service to the business.

VIRTUAL partnership was attended by (top photo, from left): Cato Networks Chief Revenue Officer Alon Alter, Eastern Communications Co-Coordinators Atty. Aileen Regio and Hermi Hizon, (bottom photo, from left): Cato Networks Vice President Daniel Lee, Cato Networks Regional Sales Director Eric Cheng, Eastern Communications Sales Head Michael Castañeda and Eastern Communications Product & Innovation Head Edsel Paglinawan.

“We want to help Filipino businesses become future-proofed, and to bring technology conversations from cost to business benefits and cost savings.

Cato’s SASE platform is a perfect fit for Eastern Communications’ customers who are seeking a transformative evolution on how multiple domestic branches should be connected, and bringing their Philippine offices closer to their global branches or headquarters and to the public cloud infrastructure, in the simplest possible way of orchestrating networking and cybersecurity,” said Edsel Paglinawan, Eastern Communications Head of Product and Innovation.

“We are very pleased to have Eastern

Communications join our regional partner program.

The solutions provider has a strong reputation for helping organizations of all sizes understand and address their digital transformation challenges, from cloud migration to work-from-home,” shared Daniel Lee, Cato Networks Vice President of Sales, Asia-Pacific and Japan.

With the joint forces of Eastern Communications with Cato, the company will continue to fulfill their promise of the highest level of service to their customers while helping them adapt to the changing business environment. For more information, visit eastern.com.ph.

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OR the tenth consecutive year, First Metro Investment Corporation, the investment banking arm of the Metrobank Group, won the Top Corporate Securities Market Maker at the PDS Annual Awards. It also ranked among the Top 5 Corporate Issue Managers/ Arrangers (Investment House category) and the Top 5 Fixed Income Brokering Participants.

First Metro’s parent bank, Metrobank, won the coveted Cesar E.A. Virata Award for Best Securities House (Bank Category).

The Best Securities House award is given to the trading participant that has focused

on the fixed-income securities business as evidenced by its exceptional performance in trading, distribution and settlement activities for the year.

The PDS Annual Awards recognizes members of the investment community and market stakeholders that exhibit outstanding performance, leadership, innovation, and contribution to the growth and stability of the domestic capital markets. This year’s awards ceremony was especially memorable as the year set a milestone in both primary and secondary markets activities, reaching P387 billion and P6.13 trillion, respectively.

ATTENDING the virtual awards ceremony are, top photo, from left: SEC chairman Emilio Aquino, PDS Group chairman emeritus Cesar E.A. Virata, PSE president Ramon Monzon, PDEx president and CEO Antonio Nakpil, First Metro trading officer Bernice Joyce Nobleza, Treasury Group head Anna Graziela Banaad and local markets head David Ignacio Estacio.

Vital Cover offers vaccination, financial protection vs COVID-19

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HE next best thing available to defeating the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) is to get the antivirus vaccine injections. And the next best thing to embracing all the accepted precautionary health safety measures is get insurance protection.

A number of vaccines have already been delivered to the country, and Filipinos are encouraged to get their jabs to help lessen the transmission of the deadly virus.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States of America (US), apart from preventing the spread of Covid19, getting vaccinated offers protection such as natural immunity from the virus.

It also lessens the chance of re-infection, as the vaccine helps create an antibody response in a person’s immune system.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said that a massive rollout around May and June will be done for groups not belonging to the categories of frontliners and senior citizens as more vaccines are expected to be shipped into the country.

The government is aiming to vaccinate 70 million

Filipinos by the end of 2021.

Incidentally, the private sector, including the major conglomerates, had also purchased recognized vaccines for use of its millions of employees.

As an added protection for risks brought about

by Covid19, Filipinos are also encouraged to have insurance protection.

“It is important that Filipinos have the best possible protection from all sorts of risks especially during this time of uncertainty,” said Malayan Insurance Co., Inc. vice chairperson Yvonne S. Yuchengco.

Malayan Insurance has recently rolled out its Vital Cover insurance product, a protection plan to help manage the ill effects of Covid19.

Vital Cover is an accident and hospitalization cover that provides loss of life cash assistance, a daily hospital income benefit for a maximum hospital confinement of up to 14 days, when the policyholder is stricken with Covid19, Dengue or Chikungunya.

Malayan Insurance is a member of the Yuchengco Group of Companies (YGC).

LEGO Group announces new Star Wars helmet and droid construction sets

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HE LEGO Group reveals three new LEGO® Star Wars™ construction sets for adult builders to recreate some of the most iconic designs from the Star Wars galaxy.

The new sets will feature two additions to the LEGO Star Wars helmet collection first revealed last year - a bust inspired by Darth Vader™ and one in the likeness of a loyal Scout Trooper™. Moreover, a stunning new model honoring the imposing Imperial Probe Droid™ completes the trio.

Designed for adults and experienced LEGO builders with a passion for the Star Wars galaxy, fans can now build, display and pay homage to the Dark Lord of the Sith™ by taking on these new building challenges.

LEGO Star Wars Darth Vader Helmet (75304) captures the sinister look of the Star Wars icon and ultimate villain, with the 834-piece displayable model. Offering an immersive building experience, the finished helmet makes an impressive display piece.

LEGO Star Wars Scout Trooper Helmet (75305) is a stunning 471-piece helmet which has been created as an homage to the Scout Troopers’ ultimate reconnaissance and infiltration abilities. Dust off your speeder bike and enjoy recreating every contour and detail with LEGO bricks.

LEGO Star Wars Imperial Probe Droid (75306) allows adult builders to recreate scenes from Star Wars. The Empire Strikes Back on the ice planet Hoth when constructing this distinctive droid. The 683-piece model features a transparent pole to ‘suspend’ the droid over the buildable snowy scene.

“Some of our favorite Star Wars characters have the most profound, intimidating onscreen presences, despite the fact that you can’t see their facial expressions,” says Jens Kronvold Frederiksen, Creative Director, LEGO Star Wars. “In recreating the sinister helmets of Darth Vader and the Scout Trooper, it was important to capture the details and essential

features that people around the world will recognise, even those who aren’t too familiar with the Star Wars galaxy. I think all three display sets are extremely cool and I hope fans will enjoy the building process and be thrilled to display them once complete.”

Passionate builders can enjoy some time to relax as they take on these complex creative challenges, recreating every authentic detail in true LEGO style. When done with the build, the models can be displayed with a bespoke plaque to put the final touch that will make the perfect desk ornament or centrepiece in the home for Star Wars fans.

All three items are available in all LEGO Certified Stores and on bankeebricks.ph starting April 26. These iconic sets are also available on Lazada, Shopee, Dotcom, and Zalora.

Follow LEGO on Facebook and Instagram for updates and promos.

Editor: Anne Ruth Dela Cruz

Health&Fitness BusinessMirror

Thursday, April 29, 2021 B7

Increase in hospital waste noted during the pandemic

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

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he improper management of hospital waste can harm healthcare workers (HCWs), patients, the general public and even the environment.

Hospital waste contains potentially harmful microorganisms which may cause infections.

Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) Southeast Asia and the Department of Health (DOH) conducted a waste audit during the pandemic lockdowns in five hospitals, namely, Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center (ARMM), Lung Center of the Philippines, National Center for Mental Health, National Children’s Hospital, and Quirino Memorial Medical Center to determine the effects of Covid-19 on the quality and quantity of waste produced by health institutions.

According to Dr. Ma. Via Jucille M. Roderos, the Climate Reality Project Leader, said that based in their healthcare waste audit, half of the waste produced in four of the five mentioned hospitals are “infectious.”

The audit did not indicate total hospital waste but only the waste generated

in four areas—Emergency Room, Dietary Department, Medical Ward, and Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Dr. Roderos said 50 percent of the total waste across all hospitals are infectious and that the average weight of waste produced by four surveyed areas is 226 kilograms per day in five hospitals. “Medical paraphernalia comprise of the 25 percent of the total items discarded in surveyed hospitals,” Dr. Roderos said.

She said that syringes are the most commonly used medical paraphernalia comprising 65 percent of the total waste discarded and 16 percent of the total waste produced.

“Most of the plastic waste are nonessential single-use plastics comprising 57 percent of the total waste produced in the surveyed areas,” she said.

Plastic food containers comprise 23 percent of the total waste collected in the five hospitals.

Hospital waste increase

Dr. Imelda Mateo, medical director of ARMM, observed that their collection of hospital waste increased during the pandemic.

From January to December 2019, Dr. Mateo said that the waste collected in their four areas was 209,298 kgs. From the same period in 2020, it was recorded at 294,734 kgs; and 132,772 kgs from January to present.

“This shows that there is a significant increase in the production of hazardous plastics due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” Dr. Mateo said.

Dr. Roderos also stressed that there is a noted increase in the use of personal protective equipment (PPEs) in each hospital due to the current situation that the country is battling Covid-19.

“We estimate[d] around 10 to 20 percent increase of PPEs waste alone,” she added noting that commonly used medical paraphernalia are syringes “and this has an implication in terms of our vaccine rollout.”

“But it can also harm the environment in a way. Before the rollout of the vaccines most of the medical paraphernalia used in the hospitals alone are syringes,” she said.

Cigarette and e-cigarette waste

Just like hospital waste, HealthJustice Philippines, a non-profit organization, also warned that cigarette and e-cigarette waste will end up harming the health of the people and the environment.

HealthJustice stressed that everyone deserves to breathe clean air and called on the public to exercise utmost environmental responsibility and

refrain from littering and smoking.

Former Health Secretary Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan, HealthJustice Philippines Board Member, said that as Earth Day 2021, an annual event celebrated globally to support environmental protection, was observed on April 22, people should be reminded of the negative impact of littering on the environment and human health.

“Not only do we need to achieve a healthy environment but a smoke-free environment as well and prevent the common practice of littering cigarette butts,” said Dr. Tan. He lamented that smoking has a pernicious effect. HealthJustice has been pushing for effective tobacco control measures in the Philippines.

Dr. Tan said people tend to throw litter anywhere without minding the environmental consequences.

According to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, the most common litter are cigarette butts, plastic bags, plastic bottles, paper and plastic food wrappers, polystyrene containers, food leftovers, and papers.

Of the litter the agency collected, there were 2,957 pieces of cigarette butts in 2020 while 1,765 pieces were recorded from January to April 18 this year.

This made environmentalist Anya Mendoza frown as littering should not be tolerated and not be taken lightly for it may also lead to disease.

“They should understand that littering can be avoided. It is high time that people start contributing contribute by protecting the environment,” Mendoza of the Climate Change Network for Community-based Initiatives Inc. said, stressing that the

public should know how their actions in their daily life greatly affect the environment.

Dangers to the environment

America’s largest nonprofit public health organization Truth Initiative also underscored the need to dispose of e-cigarette and cigarette waste properly.

If e-cigarette and cigarette waste make their way to the environment they end up “polluting water, air, and land with toxic chemicals, heavy metals and residual nicotine.”

The group’s fact sheet also showed that cigarette filters are made from cellulose acetate, a plastic which only degrades under severe biological circumstances, such as when filters collect in sewage.

Under optimal conditions, it can take at least nine months for a cigarette butt to degrade. The sun may break cigarette butts down, but only into smaller pieces of waste which dilute into water/ soil. Unlike cigarette butts, e-cigarette waste, on the other hand, “cannot biodegrade even under severe conditions.”

E-cigarette cartridges that are discarded on streets get mixed with leaf litter and get pushed around by the weather, the group stressed. This will eventually break down into microplastics and chemicals that flow into storm drains to pollute waterways and wildlife.

Data from the Truth Initiative further showed that cigarette and e-cigarette waste can pollute soil, beaches and waterways.

Studies have also shown that cigarette and e-cigarette waste is harmful to wildlife.

UP webinar tackles issues DOH observes World Immunization Week that health workers face V

By Rory Visco Contributor

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hile the country has been through so much this past year, has anyone thought about the health-care workers? How do they feel about carrying out their duties with utmost passion and dedication, even at the risk of their own lives?

The University of the Philippines, in partnership with UP Manila NIH National Telehealth Center and UP Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH), organized a special edition webinar that tackled “Covid-19 Frontliners: Kumusta na Kayo?”

Dr. Anselmo Tronco, Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the UP-PGH, shared how frontliners can seek and continue to find meaning in serving the patients despite the adverse conditions they face.

What everybody has been going through so far, says Dr. Tronco, could be captured in one or two words—suffering and pain. “I thought that a year and one month after the pandemic, it is important to talk about how to find meaning in our suffering, in our remaining uncertainty and fear.”

Life’s meaning

Dr. Tronco proceeded by asking, “What is your life’s meaning at the moment in your present situation as a caregiver, in your personal circumstance, and in relation to the present uncertainty and reality of our lives?” He said that finding meaning is a personal journey, where “we need to pause, to linger, and in the end, pray more to hopefully find the answer as we move through the uncertain future of the finish line.”

He cited the experience of Dr. Victor Frankl, a doctor, neurologist and psychiatrist who survived the Auschwitz concentration camp in World War II. Despite that gripping experience of the uncontrollable suffering and fear of dying, he lived to tell his story, his experience, “I thought it might be fitting, because right now, many of us feel that this is testing beyond our limits, because we’re still far from the finish line.”

Dr. Tronco pointed to Dr. Frankl, who said that one remains optimistic despite the tragic triumph, one finds life’s potential meaning in spite of its tragic aspects, even in the most miserable of times.

“Tragic optimism includes turning pain into human achievement and accomplishment.”

But how does one find meaning? Dr. Tronco said that in the end, it is the attitude where we take over unavoidable circumstances that helps us find meaning. As Dr. Frankl recounted in his book, The Search for Meaning, Dr. Tronco noted that Frankl recalled a time where he saw that people in the concentration camp were hungry but still managed to share bread with their best friend or anyone who they felt was in greater need.

“As they were herded from one camp to the other, along the way, some of them looked out the window to view the beautiful scenery as they moved between camps. Perhaps, despite our miserable state now, what will emerge of it will be kindness, self-compassion, kindness for others and simply put, loving one another,” He said.

Adversity and suffering

Dr. Tronco also shared stories of people who were

seriously ill but found meaning in adversity and suffering in the pandemic. Most of them, he said, discovered renewed spirituality in the face of serious Covid-19 infection that it was really their faith and how they surrendered to God that made them survive. One doctor said he realized that fame, money, accomplishments, being good in one’s field do not really matter. What really matters is one’s unceasing faith in God, and that one has to surrender to Him. He also related the story of a surgeon who suffered a stroke that paralyzed his left hand. The moment a surgeon loses the strength of one of his hands, it becomes a very tragic event. The surgeon did all that he could to recover and to bring back his capacity as a surgeon, but his most touching story was when he brought his very young daughter to the park.

She played at the monkey bar and then fell, but he was able to catch his daughter with his left hand. Dr. Tronco said that contrary to the surgeon’s belief that the meaning of his life is about being a surgeon who had trained abroad, and spent a lot of time treating patients, he realized that the meaning of his life is changing. “He would want to be a good surgeon but primarily, he wants to be a father who is around to catch his children before they fall.”

Dr. Tronco said they have been getting people to share their stories as they work in the Covid ward. “We realized that people have to witness the experience of our front liners. By witnessing their difficulty, hopefully, it will alleviate their pain and they will not feel alone because people are also experiencing a range of human emotions, anger, fear, anxiety, and then you listen to another, sharing the same story. It is a very important event when you feel that you are in this together.”

Life meaning

He also related the story of a female resident in internal medicine who found meaning in serving in the Covid ward, of taking care of Covid patients despite the fear of getting it. The resident gave a refreshing point of view as she finds a sense of pride in the fact that someday, she can tell her grandchildren that she worked at the front lines of a global pandemic.

Dr. Tronco brought up a second question: “What is your own meaning of life?” “Probably the most overarching meaning now is to be more intentional in kindness, and compassion to self and others.”

Being a social psychiatrist he saw the strength of the Filipino can be in terms of culture. “We are a relational people rather than individualistic compared to the West. We want to listen and engage in an emotional way to the person next to us. Because of our relational nature, we actually share our personal narratives with one another as we realize that we are not alone in the face of Covid-19, that we’re able to cope, that we’re able to provide solutions and finally, we find meaning in this experience.”

Also, it is with prayer and the Filipinos’ reservoir of faith from which their resilience emanates. “Most of us have a sense of prayer and spirituality, and that is a very important context, when we actually pause, reflect, sit down in prayer.”

accines have proven to be critical in containing or limiting outbreaks of infectious diseases and in combating the spread of antimicrobial resistance, the Department of Health (DOH) said as the Philippines joins the global celebration of World Immunization Week 2021 from April 24 to 30, 2021.

World Immunization Week 2021, according to the DOH, is also a time to renew public trust in the value of all vaccines and to continue to build long-term support and awareness for immunization.

With the theme “Vaccines Bring Us Closer,” the World Immunization Week recognizes and honors the importance of immunization and its role in improving the health and well-being of everyone, everywhere, throughout life.

The DOH, in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) and other organizations, lead a series of online activities lined up for the local celebration such as media fora, a ceremonial recognition of health workers and partners, and engagement events for parents, caregivers and local leaders.

only around 1.3 million being vaccinated or 61.5 percent of the eligible population for vaccination. In 2019, 69 percent of children completed their routine vaccines.

“This is more than 30 percent below the national target even if the vaccines were accessible and available during community quarantine periods,” Vergeire said. “Vaccines saved millions of children from the debilitating effects of Vaccine Preventable Diseases [VPDs] like polio, measles, mumps, and a lot more.”

Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said that this year’s theme “Vaccines Bring Us Closer” takes on additional importance as Covid-19 vaccines join the “arsenal of preventive measures to control the pandemic.”

“With the way this pandemic changed our relationships, now there is hope—through the continuous rollout of Covid-19 vaccine— that vaccines will bring us closer once more.

For this year’s celebration of the World Immunization Week, we hope to further raise awareness on the crucial role of immunization in saving lives and intensify our campaign for routine immunization against various vaccine-preventable diseases, especially in this time of pandemic,” Duque added.

Reaching children

Covering lost ground

However, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, in an online forum on Monday, April 26, admitted that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of children who received the complete basic life-saving routine immunization in 2020 is below the target with

This year’s activities, Duque said, shall be aimed at ensuring that the country covers lost ground—children who missed routine vaccines during the pandemic—and ensuring adequate uptake of vaccination.

WHO Representative to the Philippines

Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe said that they recognize the Philippines as one of the few countries that successfully conducted largescale vaccination campaigns during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It is important that we use our gains from the recent immunization campaigns— investments in building health workers’ capacity, strengthened collaborations within and beyond the health sector, increased local government ownership—as a fresh foundation for a stronger immunization program and for the restoration of immunization uptake that has been impacted by the pandemic,” Dr. Abeyasinghe said.

High, equitable coverage

He added that WHO looks forward to that day “when we achieve high and equitable coverage through routine immunization and prevent outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.”

“WHO has been and will be closely working with the DOH towards this goal,” he stressed.

For her part, Oyunsaikhan Dendevnorov, UNICEF Philippines Representative, said thatthey have been in the Philippines working hand in hand with the government so that children can reach their full potential.

“UNICEF is fighting for a world where no child dies from a preventable disease and all children realize their right to good health.

As we battle Covid-19, our aim is not just to return to normal, because for millions of children around the world, normal was never

good enough. We need to redouble our efforts by investing in health and essential services that reach all children,” she said.

Road to strong immunization system

The DOH said that World Immunization Week activities aim to engage local leaders, parents, health workers and partners to build a strong and resilient immunization system, improve vaccination coverage rates, and ensure that more lives are protected from vaccine-preventable diseases. Longtime immunization partners such as WHO and UNICEF have once again affirmed their commitments to work with the DOH toward achieving these goals.

Globally, immunization from diseases like polio, measles, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and influenza prevents 2 to 3 million deaths every year.

In the Philippines, the polio outbreak response continued in 2020 with the Nationwide Vaccination Campaign to prevent a possible measles outbreak and halt the continuing spread of polio and rubella.

Under this program, more than 8.5 million children were vaccinated with the measlesrubella vaccine, and more than 6.1 million children were immunized against polio between October 2020 and March 2021.

Currently, the Covid-19 vaccine is also being rolled out among priority groups, beginning with health workers, and vulnerable individuals such as the elderly and persons with comorbidities. Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

Guagua hospital expands services, goes green

By Roderick L. Abad Contributor

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NFAZED by the ensuing Covid-19 crisis, Guagua, Pampanga-based Rosario Memorial Hospital (RMH) has managed to move forward with its expansion program that involves a sizeable amount of investment to upgrade its facilities and modernize its equipment beyond the expectations of a Level 2 health-care institution.

In an e-mail interview, RMH Medical Director Dr. Lourdes Garcia Cordova bared that such an initiative, as approved by their management, is progressing as scheduled. There are some components of the program that cannot be accomplished due to the strict implementation of the lockdowns due to the growing number of Covid-19 cases in Metro Manila and in other areas nationwide.

“The expansion, structurally speaking, has not been seriously affected by the present pandemic, but it somehow caused some delays because of the government restrictions imposed by the IATF[-EID or the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases],” she said.

Stalled inauguration

The executive was referring to the stalled

inauguration last month of the newly-built Medical Arts Building and Dialysis Center.

“It has been the intention of management to make the new facilities and services available to its prospective patients but, unfortunately, because of the present pandemic, the plan will have to be put on hold, as patients are now unwilling to be confined in the hospital or even have a person-to-person consultation with the attending physician,” Dr. Cordova explained.

While they are waiting for the right time and opportunity to formally introduce them to prospective patients, she noted that RMH can already utilize the new facilities and equipment if needed since their licenses and permits have already been secured.

Strategic location

Strategically located within the more than 2-hectare lot of the hospital, the Medical Arts Building is where the doctors’ outpatient clinics are located, while the Dialysis Center is well-equipped with top-notch medical equipment, including an osmosis machine that cannot be found elsewhere in the province.

“We can humbly say that our dialysis center is comparable and even better than

those being managed by known hospitals and dialysis centers. Our newly built facilities and state-of-the-art HD [hemodialysis] equipment address not only the quality of treatment that the patients must receive but also their comfort and convenience,” she said.

The family-owned company looks forward to rescheduling the launch of these new facilities as soon as the lockdown restrictions will be relaxed and the Covid-19 situation in the town of Guagua and other parts of Pampanga will improve.

Going green

WHILE RMH has been at the forefront of providing affordable and quality healthcare service within and outside of its home province since its inception in 1994, it has also transformed into a “green” hospital.

As part of its long-term plan to become a leading provider of medical and health services and reinforce its credibility as such, the management believes that it must also be an advocate of environmental protection, which can be demonstrated through its eco-friendly facilities and equipment, according to her.

“We have installed solar panels in order

to decrease our electric consumption. We have installed a sewage treatment plant so that we can reuse our wastewater for toilet use and to water our plants,” cited the medical director.

Old building

Replacing the old 34-bed RMH building, the newly-constructed green hospital is now located in an adjacent property that was acquired by its owner, Engr. Eulogio del Carmen. Currently, its 98 beds separately serve patients with or without Covid-19.

The hospital boasts of in-patient specialties and subspecialties, tertiary diagnostics and laboratory services. Soon to open are the six-theater ambulatory/day surgery center, eye center, ENT, dental, endoscopy, burn and wound center, chronic and assistive living facility, wellness center and stem cell therapy center, and hostel for medical tourism.

“Given the additional and improved facilities the RMH now has, we can humbly say that its capability to serve the community could be considered a lot better than before, in terms of medical and health services that RMH can offer and the quality of medical and health services that its patients will receive,” Dr. Cordova stressed.

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| Thursday, April 29, 2021 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

Sports

Jaja, Aby, Majoy lead PNVF volley tryouts

BusinessMirror

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TOKYO, I.O.C.: OLYMPICS A GO

TOKYO 2020 Organizing Committee President Seiko Hashimoto (center) poses with representatives and staff of the Pride House Tokyo Legacy during her visit to the house in Tokyo on Tuesday. AP

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OKYO—Local organizers and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) pushed ahead Wednesday with plans to open the postponed Tokyo Olympics in just under three months, unveiling the latest set of rule books to show how the games can be held during a pandemic.

The timing of the second edition of the “Playbooks” is not ideal. The version for Olympic athletes is out Wednesday, with similar guides for other participants out on Friday.

Tokyo, Osaka and several others areas came under a third state of emergency this week, and the death toll in Japan from Covid-19 has passed 10,000. The numbers are good by global standards,

but poor compared with other places in Asia such as Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand or South Korea.

The state of emergency has closed department stores, theme parks, and bars and restaurants serving alcohol. It also has forced baseball games to be played in empty stadiums after having allowed fans for much of the pandemic.

Polls consistently show 70 to 80 percent in Japan think the Olympics should not be held.

Only 1 percent of the Japanese population has been vaccinated and that number will still be small when the Olympics open on July 23. So far, officials say Japanese athletes have not been vaccinated.

This contrasts with many of the 15,000

Marcial savors comfort of home in Zamboanga

UMIR FELIX MARCIAL was at the comfort of home in Zamboanga City on Tuesday but one of his first stops didn’t border on being happy at all—he visited his late brother’s grave at a local cemetery.

Marcial, his father Eulaleo and his late brother’s son Euwie Jay Marcial, paid their respects

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Olympic and Paralympic athletes entering Japan who—encouraged by the IOC—will have shots.

As will thousands of judges, officials, sponsors, media and broadcasters.

This version of the Playbooks will offer more details than the first edition in February, but much of the specific planning will remain in flux until the final update comes out in June.

Though vaccines are now available, the strategy for the Olympics is geared around holding the games in a “bubble” as if there were no vaccines.

Organizers are not expected to announce until June if fans will be allowed into venues— and if so, how many. Fans from abroad have to Eliver at the Forest Lake Tumaga Memorial Park.

The eldest Marcial died of cardiac arrest in October last year, two days after the Tokyo Olympics-bound boxer flew to Los Angeles to start training as a pro at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym. “It breaks my heart, but that’s the way life goes,” said Marcial, who arrived from Los Angeles

already been banned. The decision on venue capacity was promised to come to this month by organizing committee President Seiko Hashimoto, but has been pushed back.

Taro Kono, the minister in charge of vaccination, suggested earlier this month that empty venues seemed likely. Ticket sales were to account for $800 million in revenue.

Organizers are expected to announce daily testing for athletes, up from once every four days in the early edition. They are also expected to drop a 14-day quarantine, allowing athletes to train upon arrival. Athletes will be required to stay in the Olympic Village on Tokyo Bay, and venues and training areas. AP Tuesday last week but had to complete six days of quarantine at the Marine Base in Ternate, along with trainer and manager Joven Jimenez, sparring partner Jonas Sultan and International Boxing Federation super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancjacas.

Marcial will stay home with his fiancée Princess for at least two weeks in Barangay Lunzuran, but will continue to train with Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (Abap) coach Gerson Nietes monitoring his progress.

Marcial said he hopes to compete in the Asian Elite Men and Women Boxing Championships which were transferred to Dubai from New Delhi because of the rampant Covid-19 infections in India.

The Abap is contemplating of sending the national team— including Olympic qualifiers Irish Magno, Nesthy Petecio

HE road to Hanoi started inside the Subic Gymnasium bubble on Wednesday with 16 aspirants—a mix of veterans and promising collegiate players—answering the whistle in the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) tryouts for the women’s volleyball team.

Jaja Santiago—to date the most successful Filipina with a championship she earned with Ageo Medics in the Japan V.League— joins fellow 2019 Southeast Asian Games veterans Aby Maraño, Majoy Baron, Mylene Paat and Eya Laure in the tryouts supervised by women’s Head Coach Odjie Mamon.

Among the veterans who joined tryouts were Iris Tolenada, Ria Meneses, Dell Palomata, while the collegiate hopefuls were Kamille Cal, Mhicaela Belen, Ivy Lacsina, Alyssa Solomon, Jennifer Nierva, Faith Nisperos, Imee Hernandez and Bernadette Pepito.

Santiago and teammates Laure and Paat were clad in their red PPE-like Cherry Tigo practice uniforms as they gamely participated in skills tests at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority facility.

The participants observed protocols— with the players and coaches wearing face masks throughout the proceedings in accordance with health and safety protocols set by Dr. Raul Canlas, medical commission

Mandaue City torches Tabogon with 3-pointers and Carlo Paalam—to the May 21 to June 1 Dubai tournament, which is a must for the Filipino boxers to gauge their preparedness for Tokyo.

“That tournament [Dubai] is very important for me to see how prepared I am for Tokyo,” Marcial said.

“My priority now is to keep on training and sparring,” said Marcial, who already got two shots of Pfizer vaccines in Las Vegas. “It’s not a bubble type training because we have lenient quarantine guidelines here.”

Marcial will train at the Zamboanga Valientes-MLV Gym also in Zamboanga City.

Josef Ramos

EUMIR FELIX MARCIAL, his father Eulaleo and his late brother’s son Euwie Jay Marcial, pay their respects to the late Eliver at the Forest Lake Tumaga Memorial Park in Zamboanga City.

Folayang-Aoki III Tessa Jazmines |

tessa4347@gmail.com

PART OF THE GAME THERE’S something about a trilogy that makes for great spectating. The third encounter of an ongoing battle that stands at 1-1 is downright exciting because it decides the ultimate victor in a perfect tug-of-war.

After the third match of an even battle, there’s nothing more to prove. Should the encounter be extended to a Best of Five or a Best of Seven, that’s mostly just to lengthen the series so both opponents can get second or third chances. The magnitude of forces are no longer as perfectly aligned as in a triangle. The winner of the Best of Three breaks the equilibrium and sends a powerful, definitive statement.

There have been many memorable trilogies in mixed martial arts that have pitted irresistible forces against each other. The Geje EustaquioAdriano Moraes One Championship trilogy comes to mind. As does Kevin Belingon-Bibiano Fernandez III. Even the girls want to star in a trilogy as well. China’s Xiong Jingnan wants a third shot against Angela Lee when the pandemic is over. Miesha Tate wants to prove something to Ronda Rousey when the lockdown ends.

As you’re reading this, another big-time ONE Championship trilogy is unfolding in Singapore.

The third and most dramatic fight between old foes Shinya Aoki of Japan and our very own Team Lakay hero Eduard Folayang is happening at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. The fight, however, is geared towards American audiences and will take place in this part of the world at around 9:30 to 10 a.m. PST. It is the fourth and last of a series of ONE Championship bouts on American television network TNT. Veteran champion fighter Eddie “The Underground King” Alvarez describes the ONE TNT Series as “ONE’s

Coming Out Party in America.”

Folayang-Aoki III is intensely interesting because, among all of the fights happening on the series, this one seems to have been decreed by the gods. Both Folayang and Aoki were to have faced different opponents in TNT IV. But their respective opponents had to bow out of the fight because of illness or injury.

Thus the beloved Filipino martial arts hero is on another dangerous mission against his old foe. Their fabled rivalry began in November 2016 when Folayang pulled the rug from under Aoki with a TKO victory at a time when Aoki was the reigning lightweight king. Folayang surprised the “baron of submission” with a flurry of kicks, wushu weaponry and a decisive hit on the solar plexus.

As the Japanese reeled, Folayang took advantage and unleashed a hard knee to the head followed by rapid-fire punches. The fight was stopped and the Filipino ascended the lightweight throne.

It took Aoki two years and four months to face Folayang again, this time in front of a hometown crowd in Tokyo. On March 31, 2019 Aoki succeeded at doing what he does best. Humble his opponent to submission. Even as the Team Lakay stalwart succeeded at evading Aoki’s initial moves to bring him down well enough to summon his punches and leg kicks, Aoki was able to accomplish a body lock on the Pinoy champ, then ease him onto the canvas.

There he delivered his kiss of death: an arm-triangle choke that left “The Landslide” unconscious in Round One. Folayang, Aoki, one-one.

Now they meet again. The be-spectacled, low-key Japanese samurai whose looks and demeanor outside the Circle belie his ferocity and heartless tactics inside is in a head-on collision

head of both the PNVF and the Philippine Olympic Committee.

“The federation puts the health and safety of the participants in equal footing with our goal of forming the national teams as soon as possible,” PNVF president Ramon “Tats” Suzara, adding the teams will be fielded in the Hanoi SEA Games in November and possible in the Asian Women’s Championships in August— in the event the Asian Volleyball Confederation awards the hosting chores to the country.

MJ Phillips couldn’t join the tryouts as she was forced to go into quarantine after a staff in her Sta. Lucia team tested positive of Covid-19 only the other day.

The men’s volleyball tryouts are scheduled on Thursday and the beach volleyball tryouts are set on Friday. The participants immediately returned to Manila after the exercise on board quarantined buses.

JAJA SANTIAGO wears Sta. Lucia’s red PPE-like practice uniform in the tryouts.

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CS Computer Specialist-Mandaue City put on a shooting display in its 82-71 victory over a nine-man Tabogon side in the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup on Wednesday at the Alcantara Civic Center in Cebu.

It was Mandaue City second straight win, and seventh in nine outinga, as they cruised toward the semifinals as guaranteed No. 2 seeds.

Down 23-25 early in the second period, Mandaue City quickly went on a three-point shooting spree, making six in a row in a scorching 26-2 scoring tear that vaulted them to 49-29 at half time.

Steve Castro came off the bench and gave Mandaue City a lift with two triples while Gryann Mendoza, Gileant Delator and Phil Mercader accounted for four treys in the game-changing rally.

“It’s about time that Steve Castro gets his breakout game since he is the most consistent who always gives quality minutes for the team,” Mandaue City Assistant Coach Jabby Bautista said.

Mandaue City made 10 three-pointers in the first half.

Mandaue City led by as many as 29, 61-32, but Tabogon fought back in the fourth quarter and trimmed the deficit to 62-69 on a threepoint play by Richmond Bersabal.

But Mandaue City was unfazed and responded behind Mendoza, Castro and Delator to bring their lead back to 13, 75-62, with three minutes left.

Mendoza led Mandaue City with 19 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals while Castro played the best game of his pro career so far with 16 points, two rebounds and three steals.

Tabogon lost for the third straight time and dropped to 3-6 won-lost with just one more game left in the double round-robin elimination round. Arvie Bringas paced Tabogon with 19 points and nine rebounds.

with the rock-solid former high school teacher whose golden virtue is humility but whose incredible striking skills are as proud and cruel as a rain of poisoned javelins on an advancing army.

Aoki said he is super motivated for Folayang-Aoki III. “I think this fight has a lot of meaning. It’s fate that we meet again. As always, I will fight anyone, because I am a proud wrestler and fighter.” The man whose Japanese nickname is “Tobikan Judan,” meaning “grandmaster of flying submissions” once said: “I have trained my whole life to master submission holds, and I continue [my training] to this day. When competing in the cage, I am constantly looking for an opportunity to apply a submission. If my opponent makes the slightest mistake and gives me an opening, I will finish him.”

True to his character and demeanor, Eduard Folayang is humble, soft-spoken and philosophical. “I have prepared well and have made the adjustments. I think we have perfected our defense and am now embracing the other aspects of the sport. This fight is really intended to go and it is the right time for us to meet. My greatest motivation is my faith in God and the strength and protection that He gives me. In this fight, I am the underdog and I like being the underdog. There are less expectations for me to win and it gives me greater motivation.”

“This is definitely one of the most important fights of my career,” he admits. “I am up against a legend of the sport. But I know that as a warrior and as an athlete I have power over circumstances. I want to leave a legacy for younger Filipino fighters.”

The fighting in the Circle for Folayang-Aoki III may be intense and ferocious, but underneath all that there is mutual respect. Aoki thinks Folayang is one of the best fighters he has fought against. The warrior from the Cordilleras acknowledges his rival’s legendary status in the sport they both love.

If you missed “ONE on TNT TV” on One Sports at 8:30 a.m. today, both One Sports and One Sports+ will re-air the fight on Friday, April 30 at 8:30 p.m. You can also catch it at midnight (12 a.m.) on Sunday, May 2 on TV5. Enjoy.