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Noted urban planner Palafox says it’s time to implement Pasig River plans and end ‘analysis paralysis’

STUCK IN TRAFFIC? Waterborne transport may offer relief

THE Pasig River, as seen from the MRT 3 Guadalupe Station, in Makati City.

ED DAVAD

By Jonathan L. Mayuga

OTED urban planner Felino A. Palafox Jr. has lauded the government’s plan to revive the Pasig River ferry system, but stressed, with exasperation, it is about time for concrete actions to clean up the heavily polluted waterway, and make it viable for in-city transport.

Palafox stressed that watertransport projects should not be left out in the Duterte administration’s “Build, Build, Build” program, saying the benefits of investing in water-transport infrastructure will be for the long-term benefit of the people. “It should be included in the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program. The government should invest in water transport. There will be more benefits than the cost. There will be more beneficiaries than the sufferers,” he said. Palafox has been calling for the sustainable development of

waterways and other water bodies, including the Pasig River, as he asserts having developed through the years over 1,000 innovative urban plans and designs.

‘Analysis paralysis’

THIS, as Rep. Luis N. Campos Jr. of the Second District of Makati recently announced the plan of the national government to revive the Pasig River ferry system with a P2billion allocation in the proposed 2019 national budget. Last year the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) and the Pasig River Rehabilitation

Commission (PRRC) bared that they will jointly plan and implement the Pasig River-Laguna Lake Multi-modal Transport System to decongest Metro Manila’s traffic by as much as 40 percent. The plan begins with the revival of the Pasig River ferry system. Apparently, a year after, traffic in Metro Manila remains a big problem. Sought for his reaction, Palafox, the principal architect-urban planner and founder of Palafox Associates, welcomed the government’s allocation of such a budget and plan to revive the ferry system, but expressed his exasperation

over what he describes as a failure to implement or even start a single project, saying that such inaction only leads to what is called “analysis paralysis.” “For so many years, we have had proposals. Not only for Pasig River ferry but for Laguna Lake. The contract for Laguna Lake was canceled by PNoy [former President Noynoy Aquino]. We [could have] interconnect[ed] all the towns in Laguna Lake and Pasig River,” he said. He was referring to an P18-billion project with a Belgian contractor Continued on A2

At the ‘core’ of battle over contractualization

By Samuel Medenilla

ENATORS are in for a tough balancing act after stakeholders of the Security of Tenure (SOT) bill called for legislation that would be stringent enough to address ambiguities on the policy on contractualization, but still be flexible to cover the possible impact of new technology in the work force. During the hearing on Thursday of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment, and Human Resources and Development presided by its head, Sen. Joel Vil-

lanueva, employers and workers blamed the vague provision of the law for the confusion on which positions could be contracted out and regularized.

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 53.0250

Senators face tough balancing act in fine-tuning Security of Tenure bill: protecting labor from ambiguities in law and policy, but giving business flexibility to adjust to new technology that impacts work force.

PROTESTERS display placards as they picket the Department of Trade and Industry on May 29, 2018, in Makati City. AP/BULLIT MARQUEZ

Under the Labor Code, workers should be deemed regular if their jobs are “necessary or desirable”, except when the employment has been fixed for a specific project or undertaking. Partido Manggagawa Chairman Renato Magtubo said it is this ambiguous provision of the law, which makes it “pregnant” to interpretation from both labor and management. “The gap is in what is contained in the law and what is being asserted by business. There is need to clear in the law on what is security of tenure,” Magtubo said. Likewise, PLDT Inc. Senior Vice President Menardo Jimenez attributed its pending case at the Court of Appeals (CA), which stems Continued on A2

n JAPAN 0.4778 n UK 68.3174 n HK 6.7558 n CHINA 7.7615 n SINGAPORE 38.9260 n AUSTRALIA 39.4029 n EU 61.5726 n SAUDI ARABIA 14.1400

Source: BSP (August 9, 2018 )

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A2 Saturday, August 11, 2018

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Stuck in traffic? Waterborne transport may offer relief

THE Pasig River, as seen from the Makati Park and Garden on J.P. Rizal Extension, Makati City. ED DAVAD Continued from a1

that was signed during the presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, but which the then-Aquino administration unilaterally canceled when it assumed power in 2010. The Philippine government was dragged to an international arbitration case over that cancellation.

Just do it

HE said Palafox Associates also has studies and proposals for a ferry system from the Pampanga River to the Pasig River, which will take only 35 minutes to negotiate. “We also have elevated walkways proposals. You can use walkways, walk or ride a bike along Manila Bay, along Laguna Lake,” he said. Unfortunately, Palafox said

that with one administration replacing another, none of these, even the government’s own plans, were actually implemented. “What I can say is, just do it. What is happening right now is analysis paralysis. Just do it! There are numerous plans already. I have more than 1,000 plans for [the] Pasig River,” Palafox told the BusinessMirror in a telephone interview. “No more analysis paralysis. What we need is implementation. There are many investors willing to invest,” he added. Palafox’s expertise in urban planning and design made him one of the most sought-after Filipino architects. He had made his mark and implemented designs that promote sustainability in as many as 39 countries.

Vital waterways

IN his numerous lectures both here and abroad, Palafox has called for the utilization of water bodies for faster, safer and efficient public transportation, underscoring its potential to address the perennial traffic problems, especially in Metro Manila. He said rehabilitating the Pasig River, and using it for transportation purposes, will not only help address Metro Manila’s traffic woes, but will promote a healthy lifestyle among the people, with an added bonus of living in a community with a lot of tourist attractions. Campos, in a news statement, had said the P2 billion will be spent to build 17 new stations along the 25-kilometer river in the cities of Manila, Mandaluyong, Makati,

Taguig, Pasig and Marikina. The new stations will be on top of the 12 previously built under the old ferry system, which had ceased to operate. The new ferry service is projected to transfer some 76,000 commuters every day on water buses—24 air-conditioned boats with 50 seats each moving through 29 terminals in 15-minute intervals, according to Campos.

Smaller boats needed

BUT for the Pasig River ferry system to work, Palafox said, smaller passenger boats with a 16-seater capacity like the average jeepney is more appropriate. He also said that ferry stations should be carefully planned to make them safer. Palafox said among the reasons for the failure of the old ferry system was due to a number of factors, including poor planning and design. “The passenger boats are big and the ferry stations are unsafe,” he said. However, before coming up with such plans and design, he said the government should first invest in massive river-dredging projects. “You have to dredge the Pasig River, dredge the Marikina River, dredge the San Juan River, dredge

the Laguna Lake,” he said.

Dump

PALAFOX said another major challenge for the government to make the Pasig River ferry system work is to stop the indiscriminate dumping of garbage into the river and its tributaries. According to the PRRC, last year alone, it was able to remove around 400,000 kilos of garbage from the river. Palafox said the stench of the decaying garbage will definitely discourage passengers from using ferry boats. “The national government should talk to the local government units. Talk to the mayors. Because no matter how much cleanup you do, if the people will continue to dump garbage into the river, the problem will continue,” he said. According to reports, the previous ferry service failed after the private operator insisted on deploying bigger boats with 150 seats each that took a long time to fill. This caused a decline in ridership due to delayed departures and arrivals. An improvised ferry service with a limited capacity is being run and managed by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority

since then.

Convergence program

UNDER the new Pasig River Ferry Convergence Program, which is being carried out by 10 agencies led by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the program is assured of continuous funding, Campos was quoted as saying in various news reports. “We expect the government itself to run the new ferry service, should private firms be unwilling to come in,” he said. Palafox said whether it is to be financed by the government or private investors, rehabilitating the rivers should be given priority. The average harassed commuter and bone-tired motorist will certainly welcome the alternative of being able to avoid Metro Manila’s monstrous road traffic by taking a modern ferry system. After all, much time would have lapsed before a critical mass of the key projects under Build, Build, Build can take shape, including vital road networks and mass transportation. Till then, if people can only find a good way to travel by boat, the government should be ready with that option by all means.

At the ‘core’ of battle over contractualization Continued from a1

from the regularization order of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), to the vague definition for a regular employee. The DOLE ordered PLDT Inc. to regularize over 7,300 of its contractual workers, but PLDT insists it does need to. The case reached the CA, which ruled that only some of the 7,300 contractual workers involved in the installation, repair and maintenance of its communication lines should be regularized. “We just don’t need a law. We need a clear law. If we have a clear law, which defines these issues, we will not need to be here today and all of these disputes will not happen,” Jimenez said. Even Labor Undersecretary Joel B. Maglunsod admitted the law on contractualization is hampering them in going after illegal contractors. “Our inspection system is not perfect. Aside from lack of people for inspection and hearing officers, there are deficiencies in the law,” Maglunsod said.

Core functions

VILLANUEVA committed to ad-

dress the said gap in Senate Bill (SB) 1862, or the Security of Tenure bill, which they are eyeing to pass this Congress. SB 1862’s twin bill at the House of Representatives, House Bill (HB) 6908, already passed its third and final reading. Among the salient points of SB 1862 is putting a more restrictive definition for labor-only contracting, imposing fines against companies engaged in illegal contractualization, providing a transition fund for displaced contractual employees, and requiring contractors to be licensed by the DOLE. Villanueva said they will also include the input of stakeholders who attended the hearing on Thursday, on which positions, which they consider “core function” to their business operations and should be regularized. During the Senate hearing, NutriAsia Inc. President Angie Flaminiano said they regularized positions of people who handle confidential information of their company, proprietary information and trade secrets. This was rejected by Magtubo, who maintained all workers in-

volved in the operation of company should be regularized.

Future-ready

WHILE PLDT’s Jimenez supports specifying in the SOT bill which positions should be regularized, he said it should still provide flexibility to employers to adjust to future trends. He pointed out the legislation should allow them to reduce their regular workers, if a new technology allows them to do so, so they could maintain their competitiveness. “We have to be cognizant because of the fast-changing technology, infrastructure, and platform and business today. Core today may not be core two years from now. So if we don’t put that flexibility in the law, we are dead. Because you define core now, and three years from now it is no longer core to our business,” Jimenez said. “If the law does not agree or does not have a component that adjusts to the way business adjusts, your law five to three years from now is going to be quite useless,” he added.

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New space force affirms US control in orbit–Pence

Saturday, August 11, 2018

Japan’s economy rebounds as biz spends on labor-saving technology L

Flames inch closer to California homes as thousands leave

resident Donald Trump’s administration will call on Congress to allocate $8 billion over the next five years to establish the US Space Force as the sixth branch of the military, Vice President Mike Pence said. “It’s not enough to have an A merican presence in space,” Pence said Thursday in a speech at the Pentagon. “We must have American dominance in space. And so we will.” Trump first broached the idea in March, reviving a debate that began almost 20 years ago about whether the Pentagon’s space activities should be moved to a new command. In June, Trump called for the new branch to be created, despite resistance from the Air Force, which currently oversees military space programs. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the new force would be a component of the Air Force, as the Marine Corps is to the Navy. Secretary of Defense James Mattis had also disapproved of the idea in the past, saying last year he opposed creating additional bureaucracy at the Pentagon. On Thursday Mattis said “space is one of our vital national interests” and is “no longer a new domain.” Congress would have to approve a new military service, and lawmakers have been divided on the idea. The new branch would need to compete for money with other big, politically protected defense department priorities that Congress already funds. The US already has a spacebased military footprint. The sky is teeming with spy satellites and other platforms that support government surveillance, communications, weather forecasting and other activities. The Air Force also has a top-secret aircraft, the X-37B, built by Boeing Co., which orbits the earth for extended periods. Much of the push to formalize an off-planet branch of the US armed forces is motivated by space investment by Russia and China. In 2007 China fired a missile to destroy an aged weather satellite, demonstrating in a dramatic fashion its ability to deploy antisatellite weapons. Bloomberg News

Pedestrians holding umbrellas walk through a back street in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo, Japan, on August 7, 2018. Keith Bedford/Bloomberg

apital Investment drove a strong rebound in Japan’s economy in the second quarter, as companies turnes to technology to cope with a labor shortage

Signs that domestic demand is beginning to take over as a source of growth will be welcome at the Bank of Japan (Boj), which is struggling to hit its inflation target of 2 percent. It also helps bolster the economy before a hit next year, when the Abe government is scheduled to hike the sales tax. Japan’s extreme labor shortage is fueling business investment, which, in turn, is driving economic growth, Kathy Matsui, chief Japan equity strategist at Goldman Sachs, told Bloomberg TV.

“It’s really all about capex, and particularly IT capex, which can enhance productivity and overall output over the long run,” Matsui said. “We think that is going to remain a core driver of growth.” Gross domestic product expanded at an annualized rate of 1.9 percent in the three months ended June 30, topping a forecast of 1.4 percent. Business spending jumped 1.3 percent from the first quarter. That was the biggest increase since the fourth quarter of 2016. Private consumption rose

0.7 percent, beating estimates of 0.2 percent. While consumption improved, it remains a question mark. Wage gains are rising, but they haven’t reached levels that would drive inflation to the BOJ’s target anytime in the foreseeable future. The numbers looked better this quarter, but the overall consumption trend hasn’t changed dramatically, said Toru Suehiro, senior market economist at Mizuho Securities Co. Ot her possible headw i nd s for Japan include any move by the US to impose new tariffs on car imports, an economic slowdown in China and the impact of poor weather in Japan, Matsui said. Japan has been hit by extremes of heat and rain in recent months that have brought fatalities and disruption to business and transport links. “The animal spirits of corporations are coming back. We’re seeing

a record amount of M&A activity, which does tell you that corporate chief executive officers are actually engaging,” Jesper Koll, chief executive officer of Wisdomtree Japan Inc., said on Bloomberg TV. “Now we’ve got positive business expenditure data. That suggests investing for growth, investing in better technology.” Koll, like Masujima, was also worried by the trade outlook, describing possible US auto tariffs as the “elephant in the room.” “If there were to be 25 percent tariffs on Japanese cars and car parts, that could cut economic growth about about h a l f -a- percent , wh ic h wou ld quite enormous,” he said. Net exports, or shipments minus imports, subtracted 0.1 percentage point from GDP growth. A rise in imports of commercial aircraft was one key contributor to the picture here. Bloomberg News

OS A NGELES —A n intentionally set wildfire grew perilously close to homes in Southern California on Thursday as evacuation orders expanded to more than 20,000 residents, though some homeowners stayed behind to fend off the flames themselves. Firefighters fought a desperate battle to stop the Holy Fire from reaching homes as the blaze su rged t hrough t he C level a nd National Forest above the city of Lake Elsinore and its surrounding communities. They were trying to keep the f lames from devouring neighborhoods and taking lives, as gigantic fires still burning in Northern California have done. “Our main focus this afternoon was getting everyone out safely,” said Thanh Nguyen, a spokesman for the crews battling the Holy Fire. Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency for Orange and Riverside counties because the fire threatened thousands of homes. The proclamation directs state agencies to provide help to local governments. As f lames raged closer, some residents ignoring evacuation orders stood in driveways or on top of roofs and used garden hoses to keep their homes wet and to fight the f lames as smoke billowed around them. Joe Rodriguez was using a power washer to wet down his patio in the McVicker Canyon Park neighborhood on Thursday morning. Although the neighborhood is under an evacuation order, the 38-year-old Rodriguez told the San Bernardino Sun that he decided to stay to help save his home. “Until this thing is barking at my door, I’m going to stick with it,” he said. He said a line of fire retardant dropped on the hill above his house has so far checked the fire’s advance, along with helicopter water drops. Rodriguez’s wife and two daughters evacuated. Lake Elsinore Mayor Natasha Johnson and her family were among the families evacuating on Thursday, Councilman Bob Magee said at a community meeting about the fire. Earlier in the day, Johnson told residents in a video posted on Twitter to stay vigilant and listen to evacuation orders. “Stay safe,” she said as smoke billowed behind her. “God bless.” AP

Melania Trump’s parents are America’s ‘newest’ citizens By Michael R. Sisak The Associated Press

EW YORK—US First Lady Melania Trump’s parents were sworn in as US citizens on Thursday, completing a legal path to citizenship that their son-in-law has suggested eliminating. Viktor and Amalija Knavs, both in their 1970s, took the citizenship oath at a private ceremony in New York City. The Slovenian immigrants, a former car dealer and textile factory worker, had been living in the US as permanent residents. The Knavses slipped in and out of a side entrance at a Manhattan federal building flanked by Department of Homeland Security police. Some workers inside didn’t know what was going on. The couple said little, other than Viktor telling a reporter “thank you” when asked how they felt about becoming Americans. The Knavses’ lawyer said they had “travailed a wonderful journey.” Lawyer Michael Wildes

said the Knavses applied for citizenship on their own and didn’t get any special treatment. He confirmed that Melania Trump sponsored their green cards. Her husband, President Donald Trump, has proposed ending most family-based immigration, which he refers to as “chain migration.” “This golden experiment, these doors that are in America, remain hinged open to beautiful people as they have today,” Wildes said after the ceremony. Amid a bitter debate over immigration—particularly the Trump administration’s separation of children from families crossing the border illegally—Wildes said the Knavses’ attaining citizenship was “an example of it going right.” Melania Trump, who has been vacationing with her husband in Bedminster, New Jersey, did not accompany her parents. Her spokesman, Stephanie Grisham, declined to comment. She said the first lady’s parents “are not part of the administration

Viktor (left) and Amalija Knavs listen as their attorney Michael Wildes makes a statement in New York on Thursday. First Lady Melania Trump’s parents have been sworn in as US citizens. A lawyer for the Knavs says the Slovenian couple took the citizenship oath on Thursday in New York City. They had been living in the US as permanent residents. AP

and deserve privacy.” Along with targeting illegal immigration, President Donald J. Trump has proposed sharply curbing legal immigration. The Republican president proposed replacing most family-based immigration with a skills-based system after an attempted bombing by a Bangladeshi immigrant in New York last December. He also called for eliminating a visa lottery program for people from countries under-represented in the US. The plan, which Trump reiterated last

week at a Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania rally, would limit immigrants like his wife to sponsoring only their spouses and underage children to join them in the US—not their parents, adult children or siblings. Experts estimate those measures, so far resisted by Congress, would cut legal immigration into the US nearly in half. Wildes wouldn’t say how long the Knavses have lived in the US. Under the law, permanent residents must live in the country for at least five years before applying for citizenship.

The Knavses’ citizenship ceremony was kept hushhush around the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building. Security guards and US Citizenship and Immigration Services workers in offices adorned with President Trump’s portrait said they were unaware of anyone being sworn in there on Thursday. New citizens are normally minted on Fridays, they said, and often the ceremonies are held at the federal courthouse across the street.

ExportUnlimited BusinessMirror

A4 Saturday, August 11, 2018 • Editor: Efleda P. Campos

Lifestyle Philippines gets ready for Japan’s leading furniture fair O

Mideast supermarket chain aims to import $100-M PHL products by 2020 By Elijah Felice E. Rosales

IFTEEN Philippine companies underwent product development geared toward the Japanese market in preparation for the country’s participation in the upcoming International Furniture Fair Tokyo (IFFT) Interior Lifestyle Living to be held at Tokyo Big Sight in Tokyo, Japan, from November 14 to 16.

The Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (Citem), the export promotion arm of the Department of Trade and Industr y (DTI), provided the participating companies a series of product development sessions with Japanese industrial and interior designer Kohei Takata, the designated design director for the IFFT/Interior

Lifestyle Living 2018. It focused on tailoring the Philippine furniture and home décor and houseware industry toward the Japanese high-end interior market, and choosing the pieces that will be appropriate for the Japanese market. Takata also provided a brief lecture on Japanese culture and lifestyle to give the exhibitors an idea of what is in

demand in the Japanese market. Takata’s take on this year’s Lifestyle Philippines will focus on baskets, ga rdening items and seasonal indoor decorative items. This will highlight the handicrafts sector in order to showcase local craftsmanship, which is profusely lauded by Takata. “Filipino products are [mostly] handcrafted, and they have very good techniques [which] I think is very important because Japa nese people l i ke h a nd icrafts,” he said on his impression of what he saw in the product development meetings with the participating companies. W hile he commends the ingenuity of Filipino products, Takata admits the task of marketing Lifestyle Philippines to the Japanese can be a challenge, mainly because of the differences in the culture and tastes of the Filipino and Japanese markets. He cited the differences in terms of aesthetics as one of the challenges he will try to hurdle.

“[The] Japanese [people] like more functional and modern designs,” he added. “[Filipinos and Japanese] have distinct tastes but I hope [that I can come up with a] combination and make more new sets of products.” IFFT Interior Lifestyle Living was formed in 2008. It combines the International Furniture Fair Tokyo, the leading trade fair for the Japanese high-end interior market, with the concept of Interior Lifestyle Tokyo. This is a sister fair for Interior Lifestyle Tokyo, based on Messe Frankfurt’s largest international consumer goods fair, Ambiente, and the international textile fair, Heimtextil. IFFT is a showcase for the finest international home and lifestyle products from Japan and other parts of the world. The country’s participation in IFFT is the perfect opportunity for the Philippines to further its promotional activities in Japan since the country will also play host to the 2020 Olympics.

NE of Middle East’s most popular supermarket chains is now importing farm products and other commodities from the Philippines, and is targeting to procure at least $100 million from local producers by 2020. May Exports Philippines Inc. officially launched its operations on Wednesday, and will serve as the new center for sourcing, storing, packaging and exporting agricultural and commodity goods to the more than 150 supermarkets of Lulu Group International. The firm is registered with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza), and has initially invested $1 million for its facility in the Calamba Premiere International Park. “At present, [May Exports’s] initial investments is $1 million for this facility only. But they are allocating $10 million to $20 million a year in buying food and all Philippine products they will distribute in their chain of supermarkets,” Peza Director General Charito B. Plaza said in an interview with reporters. Moreover, the firm is planning to acquire hectares of land, most probably in Mindanao, to develop an agricultural-industrial economic

DTI leads business workshop for Filipinos in LA M ORE than 50 professionals, food-trade entrepreneurs and representatives of Filipino-American organizations in Los Angeles, California, attended a workshop for overseas Filipino investors (OFIs) officially launched by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). The workshop called “Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhayan” (TNK) for OFIs was cosponsored by the Philippine Trade and Investment Center-Los Angeles (PTIC-LA), in cooperation with the Philippine Consulate General and Philippine Department of Tourism in Los Angeles. The workshop was attended by Consul General Adelio S. Cruz of the Philippine Consulate General, Los Angeles. The seminar served as an avenue for the announcement of the establishment of the TNK clinics as part of the Consulate’s regular program in collaboration with PTIC-LA. The TNK clinic is set to be a monthly workshop for OFIs of PTIC-LA. Trade Commissioner Celynne Layug provided updates on the Philippines’s overall economic performance and the DTI’s 7Ms strategy for the development of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) which include mind-set, mastery, mentoring, markets, money, machines and models of business. Trade Assistant Rowena Namay talked about the available resources in Negosyo Centers located in various regions and provinces in the Philippines. The seminar also featured a panel discussion on “OFIs as catalyst for growth.” Panel members included APR Consulting Inc. Founder and CEO Linda Stone; Sual Global International Inc., Owner Dr. Edgardo Arcinue; GMB Management Services Global Inc. President Armando Bartolome; and Asset Laboratories Finance/Administration Representative Eduardo Romualdo. As professionals in their respective fields, the panel members shared their insights and experiences on the various opportunities and learnings in starting a business in the Philippines with respect to services, testing, livestock/manufacturing and franchising. TNK is a new government blueprint for decent job creation through employment and entrepreneurship. It was a joint effort of the DTI and the Department of Labor and Employment.

Pagadian gears up to attract locators, increase investments

PANEL members include (from left): Armando Bartolome, Linda Stone, Dr. Ed Arcinue, Eduardo Romualdo, with Trade Commissioner Celynne Layug (standing) of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Jollibee opens restaurant in Mississauga, Canada J OLLIBEE Foods Corp. (JFC) continues its aggressive expansion into Canada as it opened the doors of Jollibee Mississauga on July 20, the fast-food company’s second outpost in Toronto. Jollibee Mississauga is housed inside Seafood City, a 50,000square-foot Filipino marketplace, located in Mississauga’s Heartland Town Centre. The newest restaurant marks the company’s 41st North American location and fourth Canadian store, following two openings in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 2016 and one in Scarborough, Toronto, in April this year—proof of the brand’s commitment to this region as a key growth market. The company’s expansion into Canada follows the steady rise of Filipino food in the country, with several Filipino restaurants gaining visibility and popularity in recent years, as well as major grocery stores carrying more Filipino products and brands on their aisles. The large and growing Fili-

zone (eco zone). May Exports, Plaza added, plans to utilize the land as a plantation that will supply their export output of farm products. “For now, they start with buying, and then, in fact, they are also looking out the possibility of leasing thousands of hectares to really grow their crops. We are helping them look for agricultural-industrial eco zones or halal hubs and production zones,” Plaza said. As a locator, May Exports is qualified to avail itself of tax incentives, including income-ta x holiday, 5-percent gross income earned, duty-free importation and zero value-added tax in procuring local goods, Plaza said. In a separate interview, Lulu Group Chairman Yusuff Ali MA said his firm is looking to expand operations in the Philippines over the next two years. Part of his plans is to bring the popular Middle East supermarket chain to the archipelago, as well as accelerate its import bill to $100 million by 2020. “This year, we hope to [import] $25 million and, within two years, we will reach $100 million,” Ali said. He also shared Lulu Group is determined to invest another $100 million for the entry of its supermarket to the country and the development of an agricultural-industrial ecozone.

pino diaspora, coupled with many Canadians’ enthusiasm to sample international cuisines, are among the reasons that make Canada a smart choice for Filipino foodservice businesses. Before opening its doors to the public, Jollibee Mississauga held a preopening and store blessing on July 19. In attendance during the event were JFC Group President for North America Jose Minana, Consul Edwin Gil Mendoza of the Philippine Consulate General of Toronto, Senior Trade Commissioner Maria Roseni M. Alvero, Seafood City Mississauga CEO Matthew Go, the JFC North America Management Team and representatives from Sysco, the North American food-service conglomerate providing logistics to the fast-food chain. The opening of Jollibee Mississauga contributes to boosted economic activity in Ontario. The newest store generates 120 direct and indirect jobs. The menu also features the fastfood chain’s well-

loved favorites made from ingredients already sourced from Ontario. The brand’s famous Jolly Crispy Chicken is made with Ontarioraised chickens. The brand aims to bring to Filipino-Canadian customers a true taste of home. Favorites such as the “Palabok Fiesta” and Jollibee’s famous gravy are made with spices and ingredients imported from the Philippines, or in the case of the Peach Mango Pie, flown straight from the Philippines. The store is also designed with interiors reminiscent of the Jollibee locations in Manila, which are intended to give Filipino-Canadian visitors the feeling of being back in the motherland. For members of the Filipino diaspora in Canada, a visit to Jollibee is as much about the experience and connection to their home country as it is about the food. Learning from the hourlong lineups at Jollibee Scarborough, the Mississauga branch also makes use of a ticketing system that in-

dicates their turn to manage the crowds. The new store is also built with a larger counter and fitted with more cashier lanes to take more customer orders and has a larger in-store dining area than in Scarborough. Opening weekend saw Jollibee devotees lining up for the promise of the fast-food chain’s beloved offerings and a Jollibee plush toy going to the first 100 customers on Saturday and Sunday. Seafood City and its food establishments, such as Grill City, Noodle Street, Crispy Town and Valerio’s Bake Shop, readily received the overflow of customers from Jollibee. The complex saw heavier foot traffic and greater activity than usual, with customers doing their grocery shopping while waiting and others discouraged by the wait at Jollibee dining in the food court for their fix of Filipino food. Both of Jol libee’s Toronto locations continue to draw big crowds, with even non-Filipinos

venturing to the store to see for themselves what the hype is all about. People are still reporting lines of up to two hours of waiting time, even three months after Jollibee first arrived in the city. This weekend saw the visit of newly elected Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who, like his predecessor, Premier Kathleen Wynne, experienced the exuberance that this homegrown iconic Philippine brand adds to the diverse food-service industry not only of the province, but of Canada, the country. Jollibee Mississauga is the second of three stores the company has planned to open in Toronto this year. A recent announcement made by Jollibee CEO Ernesto Tanmantiong stated that “Jollibee will open 100 stores in Canada in the next five years.” This can be considered a very aggressive stance on the part of a Filipino company in making a mark in the mainstream market outside of the Philippines.

AGADIAN City, the capital of Zamboanga del Sur, is ready to attract more locators and increase investments as the Philippine Board of Investments (BOI), the country’s lead industry development and primary investment promotion agency, recently capacitated key stakeholders in the province on the investment opportunities under the 2017-2019 Investment Priorities Plan (IPP). The IPP, a three-year rolling plan, lists the preferred invesment activities that may be given incentives by the BOI. With the theme “Scaling Up and Dispersing Opportunities,” the IPP brings forth significant additions and changes, following the President’s Zero + 10-point Socioeconomic Agenda, the aspirations embodied in AmBisyon Natin 2040, and the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022. The BOI, through its Domestic Investments Promotion Service-Cagayan de Oro Extension Office, facilitated the road show participated by 92 representatives mostly from the business sector, local government units (LGUs) and other government agencies in Zamboanga del Sur. Commercial banks Land Bank of the Philippines and Security Bank, likewise, presented during the road show their financing windows for micro, small and medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The forum concluded with a one-on-one consultation with the investors on agribusiness and tourism. “We are happy to note the active participation of Pagadian key stakeholders in the road show. Such enthusiasm means the readiness of the city to attract more locators, thus increasing investments and generating more employment opportunities for the people,” said Trade Undersecretary and BOI Managing Head Ceferino Rodolfo, who added locators in the city may enjoy various investment incentives offered by the agency. The city has four less-developed areas (LDAs), namely, the municipalities of Josefina, Sominot (Don Mariano Marcos), Tigbao and Vicenzo A. Sagun. Investors who locate in these areas are considered pioneers entitled to six years of income-tax holiday.

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Editor: Jun Lomibao • mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph

T. LOUIS—Only two players made the side trip to Bellerive Country Club last week to check out the site of the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Championship, squeezing in a quick practice round before the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio. Zach Johnson thought it benefited him. Phil Mickelson might have been better off staying at home. Johnson opened with four-under 66 on Thursday to sit two shots off the lead, a solid start by the two-time major winner on a brutish course that doesn’t necessarily suit him. Johnson is hardly one of the big hitters in the field, relying instead on steady iron play and guile around the greens, yet he managed to get around the old-school layout in fine shape. Johnson thinks that one practice round last week—played using a golf cart, no less!— turned out to be a smart decision in that he was able to catch his breath this week. “I could really coast into my practice session Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday,” Johnson explained. As other players tried to squeeze in rounds, “I didn’t do anything Monday.” He still played nine holes on Tuesday and Wednesday, leaving him with 36 holes of total practice. Or, about what everybody else tried to jam into this week. “I think the key there—I don’t know if it’s an advantage, but from a recovery standpoint this week and the fact that it’s August and the year’s been long and the humidity and the heat, I think it was a wise move,” Johnson said. “I don’t want to say an advantage, but it was a wise move for me so I only had to play 18 holes in a three-day period.” Mickelson, likewise, worked in a practice round last week, and for a while it looked as if it had also paid off—he was one under after his first five holes. But he stumbled with a double-

APAN ran away with six of the eight category crowns, while the Philippines swept the Junior Elite classes in the Mt. Mayon Asian Triathlon Confederation Paratriathlon Championships on Friday in Legaspi City. Kaji Tetsuki—a silver medalist in the World Cup in Magog, Canada—led the Japanese charge by ruling the 750-meter swim/20-km bike/5-km run race of the Men-PT55 category in one hour, four minutes and four seconds. Paratriathletes from eight countries competed in the category with another Japanese, Sato Keichi, finishing second in 1:04.45 and Korean Jong Kwan Kim winding up third in 1:16.17. Jumpei Kimura won the Men-PTWC class with an even faster time of 1:03.20, leading a Japanese sweep of the category. Ryota Yoshida finished more than two minutes behind, while Seiji Tanaka was a distant third. In the Men-PTVI, Hong Kong’s Kim Wa Chu broke the Japanese streak as he finished in 1:05.18 for the gold medal. Zhaladin Abduvaliev clocked 1:07.23 for the silver

bogey at the par-4 15th, and another doublebogey on his second nine compounded his problems. He was five over at one point before two late birdies gave him some hope heading into Friday. There were others that managed to get in practice rounds last month, such as first-round leader Gary Woodland, but opinions seemed to be mixed on whether they were even necessary. “This kind of course, you don’t need a whole lot of practice,” said Pat Perez, who opened with a 67. “When it’s that wet and long, it’s simple: You hit the fairway, and the greens are so big, you find a way. You make some putts, you’re going to play well. “I’m not saying there’s no strategy. I’m not saying that,” Perez added. “It’s a big course and there is really only one way to play it: Try to hit as far as you can and hit the fairway, and try to attack the pins when the greens are soft. That’s kind of what it is.” Big hitters certainly seemed to have an advantage on the beefy course. Woodland drives it as far as anybody, and Rickie Fowler, Dustin Johnson and Jason Day parlayed their prodigious power into easier approach shots and solid rounds that left them firmly in contention. But there were also exceptions such as Johnson, who averages about 290 yards off the tee. Kevin Kisner and Austin Cook also found their ways around the course just fine. Justin Rose made it around in 67 after skipping his practice rounds because of a balky back, though he did walk each nine. Tiger Woods managed to shoot 70 despite missing a couple of holes on the front side, which he skipped when rain shortened his Tuesday practice round. In a roundabout way, Woods and Rose wound up taking Johnson’s approach to the week, getting a bit of unintended rest ahead of the first round. It seemed to pay off for them, too. AP

and Japanese Satoru Yoneoka checked in at 1:08.41 for the bronze. Jerome Nelmida was the best placed Filipino at seventh place with a time of 1:19.26. His twin brother Joshua finished a dramatic last in 1:26.38. “We gave it our best and for me, this is my biggest race. Just hearing the people cheering us in the bike leg really touched me,” Jerome Nelmida said. China’s Jiachao Wang clocked 1:04.25 to win the Men-PTS4 category, where Philippine entries Alex Silverio and Sixto Ducay were disqualified. Silverio made the wrong turn in the swim leg claiming he was disoriented, while Ducay failed to complete the bike loops. Japanese Hideki Uda (1:06.18) and veteran Nurbek Toichubaev (1:12.15) completed the podium. “It was unfortunate that Silverio and Ducay were disqualified, but it should serve as a good lesson for them. Overall, this was a very good race with 11 Asian countries participating, including the Asia Cup race this Sunday,” Triathlon Association of the Philippines President Tom Carrasco Jr. said. Cebu’s Kim Remolino and Karen Manayon won in their respective categories in the Junior Elite with Remolino clocking 1:00.02, beating Macao’s Chin Wa Wong (1:00.15) and Yiu Fung Ng (1:02.45). Manayon finished almost a minute ahead of national teammate Lauren Plaza with a 1:08.58 time. Jacqui Lamparero finished third in 1:14.45.

PERPETUAL ALTAS WIN

San Sebastian College’s JM Calma (right) tries to score against University of Perpetual Help’s Glenn Gallardo during their National Collegiate Athletic Association seniors basketball game last Thursday at the Perpetual Help Gym in Las Piñas City. The Altas won, 78-76. ALYSA SALEN

NIVERSITY of Santo Tomas (UST) tries to formalize its entry to the semifinal round as it shoots for a fifth straight victory against a resurgent College of St. Benilde side today in the Premier Volleyball League Season 2 Collegiate Conference at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan. The Tigresses swept their first three matches in smashing fashion then disposed off the University of the Philippines Lady Maroons in four sets to zero in on the first slot in the Final Four of the midseason conference of the league organized by Sports Vision. But they expect a tougher challenge from the Lady Blazers in a duel of offense-againstdefense at 4 p.m., with St. Benilde coming off a four-set romp of the San Beda Lady Red Spikers last week that snapped their back-toback setbacks. Ejiya Laure and Milena Alessandrini, along with Tin Francisco, Kecelyn Galdones, Jamie Jimenez, Carla Sandoval and setter Alina Bicar, have been dishing out big games for UST with Laure and Alessandrini tipped to preside the team’s offense again against the Blazers, to be led by Anne Umali and Marites Pablo, currently the Nos. 2 and 5 in blocking with averages of 0.92 and 0.62 kill blocks, respectively.

Saturday, August 11, 2018

JUSTIN QUIBAN leads by seven strokes with one round to go.

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A8 Saturday, August 11, 2018 • Editor: Efleda P. Campos

‘Tata’ Juan’s sweet legacy: Muscovado sugar Story and photo by Ceasar M. Perante | Correspondent

in blue print, homemade production of the organic sugar is done at the backyards of local sugarcane farmers. Initially, the city government, through its agriculture department, allotted 260,000 hybrid sugarcane rootstocks dispersed to interested farmers. The Philippine Sugar Authority has provided scientific training to local farmers engaged in muscovado sugar production. While into organic farming, Paredes is optimistic in upgrading and maximizing the quality and quantity of organic sugar products to world-class standards. “Because of our limited space, there is really a need for us to ensure our products would stand out to command attractive prices, not only domestically but also in the foreign market, as well,”

‘T

DESPITE his age, Lolo Juan Paredes of the sugarcane-growing village of Bannawag Norte, Santiago City, still manages to extract sugarcane sap using a traditional metal cane crusher to process muscovado sugar right in his backyard. As his sweet legacy, the enterprising old man first introduced the sugarcane industry in his village decades ago with the production of the Ilocano version of cane wine called basi, cane vinegar and today’s organic muscovado sugar which is the official One Town, One Product of the city.

Paredes projected. Muscovado is an unrefined golden-brown sugar with a strong molasses aroma. Ideal for black

coffee, other drinks and baked products, it is a major export product of the country. “For health reasons, I encourage

everyone to shift to using muscovado sugar because of its organic attributes without artificial preservatives,” Paredes said.

Mizuho eyes $11 trillion held by Japan’s rich elderly

IZUHO Financial Group Inc.’s trust banking arm has its sights set on exactly where the wealth is in Japan: the $11 trillion held by the nation’s elderly. The company has begun selling a type of trust that gives rich retirees more options for managing their money, and sales of the product are exceeding expectations, CEO Tetsuo Iimori said. “There’s no question this is going to be a pillar of our retail trust business,” he said in an interview. “The potential here is clearly enormous.” Japan’s biggest banks are expand-

ing their wealth management business to make up for declining profitability from lending. With most of the population’s financial assets held by people over 60, there is a clear incentive to boost services for older clients. The average age of customers of Mizuho Trust & Banking Co.’s new “selectable” trust product is 83.6. The bank aims to achieve an asset balance of ¥300 billion ($2.7 billion) in the next few years and ultimately make it a “trillion-yen business,” Iimori said. It’s already sold about 750 of the trusts since they started in August last year, he said.

The product provides more flexibility than other trusts offered by the Tokyo-based bank. It allows customers to pay themselves or family members a regular income and make preparations for leaving the money as an inheritance. Clients can instruct the bank to pay for things like nursing care, renovations, security or home help. They can also restrict access to the funds to prevent fraud and even protect it from themselves in case they suffer from dementia. Almost 70 percent of Japan’s roughly ¥1,800 trillion in house-

hold financial assets is held by people over the age of 60, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government estimated in a 2017 report. Iimori said he also plans to push forward with the unit’s consulting business for pension funds. Under a law change introduced in April, companies managing such investments must meet additional governance and reporting requirements, which may be arduous for some smaller funds. By March Mizuho Trust expects to be providing the consulting service to funds that manage a combined ¥1 trillion of assets, up from

about ¥400 billion a year earlier, Iimori said. The firm charges a fee of about 5 basis points for the advice based on the amount of assets the pensions manage, he said. Funds are “starting to be questioned about their responsibility for risk management as owners of assets,” particularly in an environment where earning stable returns is difficult, said Akira Kunikyo, a client portfolio manager at JPMorgan Asset Management in Tokyo. “The level of expertise required has without doubt gotten higher” since the law changes, he said. Bloomberg News

Antique seniors receive DSWD’s unconditional cash aid of ₧2,400 each

AN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique—The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is now releasing the P2,400 cash assistance to the elderly qualified for the unconditional cash transfer (UCT). In an interview, Melrose Amaran, of the DSWD office in Antique, said there are senior citizens from Culasi town, who received their P2,400 financial assistance during the payout through the Land Bank of the Philippines (LandBank) on July 28. “We have a target of 2,058 beneficiaries in Culasi,” she said. On Monday the payout was done in Tibiao town with 1,494 seniors as beneficiaries. “All over the province we have a total target of 24,998 beneficiaries,”she said. Amaran said the UCT in the amount of P2,400, or P200 per month, is an assistance to 64 years old and above senior citizens in the province, who have been identified through the National Household Targeting System—an instrument used to identify the poorest of the poor elderly. She said Antique is the second province in Western Visayas to have the payout after Iloilo. She said senior beneficiaries from other towns will also receive their UCT based on the schedule of the LandBank. PNA

HEREFORE, John, you must work hard!” was a famous line from the sitcom John en Marsha in the 1970s, the same line that inspired retired seaman Julian “Dodong” M. Bercero, now 68, to strive hard to succeed. “I was a young boy from Antique who dreamed and worked hard to achieve my goals to become a successful man who could provide for my family,” Dodong said. “I did not want my children to experience the hardship I went through. That’s why I became a seaman. I was told the work gives good benefit and compensation.” Dodong said that as early as when he was 10 years old, he started helping his mother on their small farm. His father passed away when he was still 1 year old. He did all the farm work from guiding the carabaos to plowing the rice and corn fields to smoking the mango trees to help them bear fruits to make both ends meet. He helped his mother until he graduated college. When he became a seaman, Dodong described his work as difficult. “The job of a seaman was dangerous,” he said. They had to contend with strong waves and tornadoes that were inevitable when they were on duty. The situation was made even more difficult because he was away from his family for months at a time. Unlike now when communication is instantaneous, 20 to 30 years ago, it took weeks for letters to arrive or days before people, especially those working at sea, to be able to speak with loved ones. “There was no Facebook nor Skype during my time,” he said. “Being mostly at sea, we mainly communicated by snail mail.” Dodong, a second engineer, sailed almost all the continents all over the world during his almost four decades in service. He is a father to three children who are now all successful in their own fields. One is an electrical engineer who followed his path on being a seaman. Another is a psychology graduate, while the third child is still studying to become a chemical engineer. These days, Dodong enjoys his time with his four grandchildren and his seven fighting cocks. “The blessings my family has right now were the fruits of all the hard work and sacrifices I made over the past 37 years of being a seaman,” Dodong said.

3rd US nursing home employee charged in abusing patient

COFFEE BREAK Mark Castro, 61, a jeepney barker working near the Baguio City public market, takes a sip from his coffee while waiting for passengers to arrive.

MAU VICTA

How older Americans are raising and lowering labor participation

BSENT an aging population, America’s rate of work force participation would have started to rebound in recent years to its prerecession level, according to a Barclays Plc. report that highlights how the elderly are at once raising and lowering the total share of Americans at work or looking for a job. Between October 2013—when the overall rate of participation

Hard work will take you places By Sharmaine O. Paden

ANTIAGO CITY—While the world is scrambling for its sugar supply, this city in southern Isabela is intensifying its muscovado sugar production.

“The reported high demand of sugar in both domestic and international markets does not alarm us because we have the healthy answer right in our backyards,” said Lolo Juan Paredes, the sugarcane farmer in Bannawag Norte of this city, who first introduced the industry in his village. Shifting to high gears, the Santiago City local government has changed its One Town, One Product from the chunky sweet patupat (glutinous rice cooked in sugarcane syrup wrapped in palm leaves) to muscovado sugar. “While patupat is an Ilocano classic, it cannot provide farmers a lucrative source of income because it is perishable and limited to the domestic market only,” Paredes said. W hile a large-scale muscovado sugar processing plant is

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began to stabilize after digging out from the recession-induced slump—and June 2018, the proportion of Americans age 65 and older who were either working or looking for work rose from 18.4 percent to 19.5 percent, unadjusted data from the Labor Department show. That’s up from a low of 10.4 percent in the mid-1980s, continuing a decades-long trend of Ameri-

cans delaying retirement either out of choice or necessity. But older Americans, on average, are still much less likely to work than their younger counterparts. More than 82 percent of those age 35 to 44, by comparison, were either employed or looking for a job in June. As the country ages—Americans 65 and over accounted for 19.9 percent

of the working-age population in June, up from 17.8 percent in late-2013, the Barclays research report notes—the competing pressures have helped push the overall rate sideways. “Population aging continues to weigh down participation, and will continue to do so for some time,” said Jonathan Millar, a senior economist at Barclays and author of the

report, which came out on Monday. “The overall participation rate has flattened since 2013 because the drag from aging has been offset by increasing rates within age groups.” Without such demographic shifts, the overall rate would have steadily risen in recent years, the Barclays report found after holding group population shares fixed at their October 2013 values. Bloomberg News

OYNTON BEACH, Florida— A third Florida nursing-home employee is charged with using duct tape to restrain a patient with dementia. A Boynton Beach Police statement on Wednesday said 27-yearold Sherlie Tesyeux of Delray Beach was arrested on July 29 at Fort Lauderdale International Airport after returning from Haiti. Police Spokesman Stephanie Slater said Tesyeux was charged with elderly neglect and released on bond from the Broward County jail. Two other nursing-home employees also face charges for allegedly duct-taping a 67-year-old woman to a chair on July 3 and using tape to cover her mouth to quiet her. A probable cause affidavit said Tesyeux was present when the victim was restrained, but did not stop nor report what the others did. A phone message left for Tesyeux wasn’t immediately returned. AP

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Editor: Gerard S. Ramos • lifestylebusinessmirror@gmail.com

Saturday, August 11, 2018 A9

CHURCHES USING CARD READERS FOR DONATIONS

NORMAN KING

CLAIRE ADORNA

Eye drop brand’s campaign focuses on millennial achievers PRIMETIME

DINNA CHAN VASQUEZ @dinnachanvasquez luckydinna@gmail.com

O be honest, there are probably more than a dozen ongoing campaigns about millennials in the Philippines. You see these campaigns on YouTube, Instagram and even Facebook. Admittedly though, some of the campaigns can be pretty boring because they feature the same people over and over. It gets to a point where you actually want to submit a list of names to the brand just so they would tap new faces and names. But many of the campaigns are interesting because they promote hard work and perseverance, and actually feature millennials and influencers who are worth emulating and not just the “fab” ones, if you know what I mean. To mark National Eye Care Awareness Month, eye drop brand Eye Mo launched its second campaign, titled “#REDvolution,” under the umbrella campaign “Eyes Mo, Care Mo.” The #REDvolution campaign, which kicked off in May and will run until August, celebrates red as the color of love and care via Eye Mo’s Red Eyes Formula, which is for quick relief of eye redness and minor

discomforts caused by irritants. “Millennials are highly exposed to eye irritants on the road, at work and in school, and this may affect their health and overall productivity,” said Earl Jayona, sales and marketing manager for Eye Mo Philippines. “The campaign is a call-out to the youth, an encouragement to better take care of their eyes.” As part of the campaign, Eye Mo is featuring three millennials, who are all achievers: Norman King, 29, the first Aeta graduate of the University of the Philippines (UP); Nikko Ramos,29, radio jock and sportscaster; and Claire Adorna, 24, one of the 29 Filipino gold medalists in the 2015 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games. You can watch the video here https:// youtu.be/-a_fyU3qF-8. “I faced a lot of discrimination,” King said in the documentary. “People will look at you from head to toe. Sometimes they will call you names, like you’re a lesser individual.” The video follows King’s journey to become the first Aeta graduate of the country’s most prestigious state university. King is now a part-time lecturer in UP, teaching Community Psychology at the Pampanga campus. Also featured in the documentary are the stories of Adorna, who won the gold at the SEA Games despite suffering from a broken ankle; and Ramos, who uses his voice to inspire change. “I’d like to be able to be one of many voices that bridge the gap between generations,” said Ramos. “If you’re able to do that, you’re able to help people from both generations understand each other better.” “Change comes from within, and with this

documentary, we aim to remind the youth that just like believing in oneself can inspire positive change, self-care is also a vital step to achieving good health. The eyes are the most neglected part of the body, and yet are the most important. We want to strengthen this information campaign—that taking care of your eyes is just as crucial as taking care of the rest of your body,” said Jayona. The three-month Eye Mo campaign kicked off with a medical mission anchored on the brand’s corporate social responsibility. The event brought in renowned ophthalmologists to Barangay Payatas in Manila to service about 1,000 residents in community-wide eye checkups. Eye Mo Philippines also teamed up with TV5’s Alagang Kapatid Foundation for the CSR’s feeding program, donating breakfast, hygiene kits and Eye Mo products. The subsequent leg of the Eyes Mo, Care Mo campaign focused on millennial commuters by conducting free eye checkups at the busiest train stations in urban Manila. Dubbed “EyeGo,” the second leg took place at MRT stations in Recto, Katipunan and Cubao to distribute samples and freebies. Capping off the campaign is its final leg, “EyeDucation,” a campus tour to be fronted by Star Music artist RJ Agustin and rock bands Rocksteddy, Soapdish, Silent Sanctuary and True Faith. The tour will be held at University of Makati, Arellano University, Central Colleges of the Philippines, Rizal Technological University, Our Lady of Fatima University, University of the East, Lyceum of the Philippines University, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila and University of Santo Tomas. ■

LONDON—Thousands of Christian churches across the world are now using portable card readers or apps to take donations as people increasingly stop carrying cash on them. The Church of England says 16,000 religious sites now have access to portable card readers. In the United States hundreds of churches have installed kiosks where the faithful can swipe a card to donate. Others are popularizing smartphone apps where money can be sent over at any time. “How we pay for things is changing fast, especially for younger churchgoers, who no longer carry cash, and we want all generations to be able to make the most of their place of worship,” said John Preston, the Church of England’s national stewardship officer. The technologies vary from donations via web site to apps and physical screens set up at the church. The contactless card reader, which can be passed around the pews like the traditional offerings plate, is a newer evolution that the Church of England in particular has been adopting. It struck a deal with contactless payment companies iZettle and SumUp to create a system that all its religious sites can install. It takes Apple Pay and Google Pay but can also be used with a PIN code if needed. The innovation seems to be yielding good results. AP

LEVEL UP YOUR KARAOKE SESSION

KARAOKE, without a doubt, is an essential part of the Filipino culture of celebrations. Whether it be at your own home, garage, or even out in the streets, it is part of our culture and personality to be musically inclined. We treasure our time with families and friends, and one of the best ways to spend quality time with them is through singing our hearts out during karaoke sessions. Experience Sony’s Ultimate Party Machine by joining the Sony Party-oke Challenge, open to all ages young and old alike. To join, simply visit the Party-oke booth, register, pick a song of your liking and show them what you’ve got. Exciting prizes are in-store for everyone. Aside from bragging rights, the overall champion will take home P5,000 worth in cash and their very own karaoke set (43”TV, MHC-V41D and a Sony Microphone). For the dates and venues of the Sony Party-oke series that begins this month, visit facebook.com/SonyPhilippines. With the Sony V series, you can now level up your karaoke session. It comes complete with flashy 360 degrees party lights, Live Sound feature for high-quality music output and two mic inputs. Definitely a bonding moment for you and your friends to hit your favorite duet songs. Even better, you can connect your guitar with three modes: clean for a clear sound, overdrive for a distorted guitar sound and bass for your bass guitar to showcase a complete performance.

Take home entertainment to the next level ASSEMBLE a state-of-the-art home cinema with Samsung’s cuttingedge TVs. With the tech giant’s 20th anniversary in the country, now is the best time to upgrade and experience next-level family entertainment with the Great Samsung TV Sale ongoing until September 2. Here’s how one can set up their first home cinema: ■ FIND A WIDE SPACE FOR THE EXPANSIVE SCREEN. The anniversary models—the QLED 6 Series, the Premium UHD (PUHD) TV and the Curved UHD TV—carry sizes from

49- to 82-inches. Make sure that there’s a spacious wall or sturdy platform for the TV. With the Samsung TVs’ sophisticated design, less space is needed for the cables. The unit keeps all the wires intact and hidden at the back. This ensures boundless and uninterrupted viewing experiences. ■ SET THE AMBIANCE WITH MOVIE POSTERS, TOYS OR COZY PILLOWS. Replicate the movie house atmosphere with film-inspired decorations, such as playbills and figurines of popular characters. Make sure that everyone’s cozy with huge bean bags

or plush pillows. These further elevate the cinematic clarity and feel that the QLED TV delivers. It takes audiences to a world of a billion colors with the Color Volume 100-percent feature, and its Q High Dynamic Range (HDR) upgrades movies by making shadows and silhouettes sharper. The QLED TV can even blend with the interiors with Magic Screen. ■ DEDICATE SPACE FOR A GOOD SOUND SYSTEM. The immersive viewing experiences that the Curved TV variants deliver are best paired with surround

sound. As one gets to the heart of exciting visual action, feel every beat and rhythm with Samsung Soundbars. The Curved TV reduces instances of eye strain, while the Soundbars make any room have top-notch acoustics. Combined, these devices provide a pleasing and engaging sensory experience. ■ PREPARE A GOOD LINEUP OF CONTENT. With the anniversary models, enjoy any program that the family might like for movie night. Samsung TVs offer Smart Hub, a feature that pools multiple channels in a central panel. The TVs also

support the SmartThings App, which allows users to introduce unlimited content from their smartphones to the unit with ease. Meanwhile, the One Remote feature of QLED 6 Series and PUHD enables users to control the TVs and compatible devices for hassle-free moments. Also, register in the Great Samsung TV Sale raffle and get a chance to take home exciting prizes, such as soundbars, smartphones, refrigerators and other TV units. For information, visit www.samsung. com/ph.

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Google working on censorship-ready search for China GOOGLE is reportedly working on a mobile version of its search engine that will comply with strict censorship controls in China. The Intercept reported that the work has been ongoing since the spring of 2017 and was accelerated in December following a meeting between Google CEO Sundar Pichai and a top government official in China. The report cited internal Google documents and unnamed people familiar with the plans. The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal confirmed the work in separate reports on Wednesday, also citing unnamed sources. Google did

not reply to a request for comment. According to The Intercept, Google created a custom Android app that will automatically filter out sites blocked by China’s so-called Great Firewall. Google has not offered search services in China since it largely exited the country in 2010. Google had previously complied with censorship controls starting in 2006 as it sought a toehold in the booming Chinese economy. But it faced unrelenting pressure from human-rights groups and some shareholders to leave. Google cofounder Sergey Brin was born in the Soviet Union in 1973 and lived there

until age 6 when his family fled. He has said his experience with a repressive regime shaped his and the company’s views. Pichai, who became CEO in 2015 when Google became part of parent Alphabet, has said he wants Google to be in China serving Chinese users. Since Google exited, Baidu has become the dominant search engine in China. Its shares are down about 7 percent since Tuesday’s close on speculation about Google’s return. Google has been making small inroads into the country recently.

In June Google invested $550 million in JD.com, a Chinese e-commerce platform that is second only to Alibaba in the country. The companies said they would collaborate on retail solutions around the world without mentioning China, where Google services including Gmail and YouTube are blocked. In December Google announced it was opening an artificial-intelligence lab in Beijing. Fei-Fei Li, a Stanford researcher who joined Google as its chief artificial intelligence scientist in January 2017, said in a blog post at the time, “AI and its benefits have no borders.” AP

PHL can be technology, innovation driver–ICCP REPRESENTATIVES of Smart, Nokia and the Philippine Red Cross sign an agreement for the operation of the Nokia Saving Lives drone system in the Philippines.

Global mobile group to support disaster-response cooperation SMART Communications and Nokia recently announced that they have received funding from the GSMA, the organization representing mobile operators globally, for a disaster-response drone system. The Nokia Saving Lives drone project, which will operate on Smart’s frequencies during emergencies, has been selected as a grantee by the GSMA Disaster Response Innovation Fund. The Nokia Saving Lives program seeks to provide communications technology and technical assistance to emergency response teams. In the Philippines, Smart will provide high-speed connectivity for a drone-based system to help boost the disasterresponse efforts of the Philippine Red Cross. The system consists of drones, a portable data center, a mobile broadband network and applications like video streaming, gas sensing, mapping and analytics, which can help Red Cross responders assess current status of lifelines and analyze immediate needs and gaps. This will enable Red Cross to provide emergency assistance to communities in more timely, effective and efficient ways. Using Smart’s high-speed LTE connectivity and the portable Nokia Ultra Compact Network, the system can also create a secure communication between drones, other equipment and rescue team members. The drone can be equipped with different types of cameras, sensors and speakers, and can also be used to carry first-aid kits. The portable data center, meanwhile, is a computing and storage unit that can be used for immediate data analysis. The initiative was presented to the delegates of the GSMA Humanitarian Connectivity Charter (HCC) Regional Workshop for Asia-Pacific during a visit to the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation Emergency Operations Center. Representatives from the GSMA, humanitarian organizations and other telecommunications providers all over Asia attended the HCC meeting, held in July in Angeles City, Pampanga. “We are proud to present this collaboration with our colleagues here in Asia and the rest of the world,” said PLDT and Smart Public Affairs Head Ramon R. Isberto. “Disaster preparedness is one of our priority advocacies. At Smart, we provide continuous network service, as well as multi-platform technology and training, as we work with the government and other partners. We believe our communications support for the drones will help enhance disaster response and, ultimately, save lives,” he said. Smart’s support to the Red Cross and commitment to HCC are part of the company’s #SafePH advocacy, which aims to help build resilient communities and reduce disaster-related casualties through technology.

BY RODERICK L. ABAD Contributor

HE Philippines has a huge potential to become a pivotal player in global technology and innovation, but it needs to invest more in education, provide a business-friendlier environment and improve further its foreign relations, particularly with leading tech nations, according to a top-ranking official of a group of Israeli companies based here. At the sideline of TechUp Tuesday forum held last week at the ARK by UnionBank in Makati City, Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ICCP) President Itamar Gero told BUSINESSMIRROR that the country has gone so far in terms of adopting technological advancements mainly due to its techsavvy young population. “I think that in the last few years, you can feel it the most. Most advancements came in the last few years because it’s happening all over the world. And the Philippines, it’s not skipping a bit, trying really to keep the pace,” he said, adding that the young populace “is very fast to adopt to new technologies.” The business-process outsourcing (BPO) industry, according to him, brings a lot of technology, knowledge and opportunities that people are now capitalizing on. “So now is the time for the Philippines and Filipinos to take everything they learn and move forward very fast,” said Gero, who is also an entrepreneur and digital genius having programs and solidified his first commercial software at the age of 16. Israel is ranked 10th in the 2018 Bloomberg Innovation Index. Its second most populous city, Tel Aviv, has been named as one of the global tech hub “heavyweights,” being the home of big tech companies like Viber, Wix.com and Waze, as well as a destination for tech start-ups. Multinationals like Google, Apple, Facebook and Microsoft also have research centers in this Middle Eastern country. While the Philippines has a lot to learn from Israel to follow in its footstep and become one of the tech centers worldwide, the ICCP leader suggested both the public and private sectors to invest in quality education. “It starts with education because there’s no magic bullet,” he said, citing the urgent need to work on a long-term plan and spending more to improve the education system in preparation of a very technical or technological time ahead. “So if the curriculum is being updated to reflect it, the future is yours.” Gero, likewise, recommended the government to allow foreign ownership on businesses that are education-related to bring in external knowledge that is most relevant and up-to-date to international

standards. He noted the positive impact of incentivizing the higher education institutions to hasten their upgrade of the curriculum because it takes time for its effects to be felt—ideally up to five years. “So they need to start today and they need to get a strong mandate. I think the government should be mandating that in preparation for artificial intelligence and the like, in preparation for higher technology adaptation in the country,” he said. While the top ICCP officer lauded the provision of some financial stimulus for business locators in economic zones wanting to bring technological advancements in the country, he cautioned that there are still some tax reforms deemed disadvantageous to them. For instance, he cited, the second package of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law, a priority measure expected to be passed soon by the House of Representatives aimed at lowering the income tax for corporations. “I think it might be a bit too early,” he stated, while citing that the removal of incentives would scare away potential foreign investors. “And to pull the plug now might mean that a lot of the knowledge and the knowhow and the inspiration might move to countries like Vietnam, Indonesia [and] Thailand.” Cognizant of the need to support local companies, however, he pointed out that the government should strike a balance by also backing foreign locators because driving away “30 percent of the industry right now will be detrimental to the technological advancement of the country.” “These BPOs, or these big companies, they’re bringing in with them not only knowledge but also equipment,” Gero stressed. He also emphasized the importance of giving equal footing to technology solutions providers here and abroad to participate in the “Build, Build, Build” project of the government. “A lot of infrastructure projects are on the table, and some of them are starting to really happen and materialize. Again, it’s about striking a balance. Because there’s a strong push for the Build, Build, Build, maybe the push is bigger than the capacity to provide for it,” he explained. “So maybe balancing between this but still keeping important technological players in the country will be advisable.” Given the good trade relations between the Philippines and Israel, the ICCP top executive sees that both countries can drive technology and innovation in various industries, most especially in agritech. Even though a lot of the arable lands in Asia is in Southeast Asia, he particularly mentioned that the Philippines is not making use of it in contrast to Israel that leveraged on technology to become a big producer and exporter of citrus products at present, as

APPLE iPHONE CHIP SUPPLIER SAYS VIRUS WILL DELAY SHIPMENTS A COMPANY that makes semiconductors for Apple iPhones says it is recovering from a virus outbreak but expects the incident to delay shipments and raise costs. Taiwan Semiconductor Co. Ltd. said 80 percent of the fabrication tools affected by Friday’s virus had been recovered by Sunday. TSMC expects full

recovery on Monday. The company didn’t detail the impact on Apple or other customers. Apple Inc. did not immediately return a message seeking comment. The semiconductor company blames the outbreak on a mistake during installation of software for a new tool, which was then

connected to its computer network. It says confidential information was not compromised. The company says the incident will cut third-quarter revenue by about 3 percent. But it’s confident it will get that back in the fourth quarter. AP

well as the third provider of flowers to the European Union after Nigeria and the Netherlands. “How does a country that is half desert becomes that? It’s about pointing your efforts and seeing that is the right thing for this decade and just doing it properly. So obviously for this decade, technology is such an important move, and such an important push for the country,” he said. “Bringing in more technologies that allow you to do more with less effort or resources, but give more yield or produce can make the Philippines a hub for the region, not just to be an importer but to become an exporter,” he added. It’s noted that the Philippine government has asked the help of Israel, through its innovation agency, to implement an initiative to develop local industries. Together with manufacturing and services, agriculture is another sector that the Inclusive Innovation Industrial Strategy (i3S) of the national government is focused on to accelerate growth with the assistance of the Israel Innovation Authority. “I think it will be a very good move. I’m very much in favor [of it],” Gero said of this effort, which will be among the agenda in the upcoming visit of President Duterte to Israel this September. “I know that this is part of their discussion. Aside from opening a direct flight between Manila to Tel Aviv, they’re also going to talk about innovation and defense, and everything that currently matters to the Philippines. So I think he’s doing a good job at going to Israel and talking about the things that matter.” The past few years saw the improving bilateral trade between the Philippines and Israel. In 2016 local goods exported to Israel grew by 23.6 percent to $57.14 million, from $46.23 million in 2015, mainly because of the hike in shipments of semiconductors, fish fillets and polypropylene. The import value of the country from Israel, on the other hand, increased by 27.32 percent from $103.99 million to $132.4 million during the two periods in review. The Philippines outsources tanks and other armored fighting vehicles, semiconductors and raw materials for dice. Organized in 2009, ICCP is an organization of individuals and companies that share a common interest in the pursuit and encouragement of bilateral and investment opportunities between the Philippines and Israel. It has since grown to have 130 active members nationwide. Tech Pilipinas introduces TechUp Tuesdays, a meet-up for tech company owners, those who want to tech-up their businesses, tech enthusiasts and evangelists. ■

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Facebook reaches out to banks, could gain access to users’ financial data BY JACK POINTER The Associated Press WASHINGTON—Facebook is hoping to connect with America’s financial institutions—all in an effort to access its users’ financial data. Over the past year, it has reportedly reached out to JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citigroup and US Bank Corp., according to a report on Monday from The Wall Street Journal. Included in the data it’s seeking: creditcard transactions and checking account balances. “The idea is to build services on top of its Facebook Messenger platform that would allow people to do things like check their account balance or get fraud alerts or things like that,” cowriter Deepa Seetharaman told WTOP’s Debra Feinstein and Mark Lewis on Monday. The social-media giant is making the effort amid ongoing concerns about its ability to keep data private. One of the more recent examples is from June, when a software glitch allowed some posts to be public. Facebook is also still dealing with the fallout from the Cambridge Analytica scandal, in which the data-mining firm affiliated with President Donald J. Trump’s 2016 campaign inappropriately accessed data from 87 million users. “There are definitely some uneasy questions,” Seetharaman said. “...We know at least one bank walked away from Facebook in the middle of some of these discussions, and this data privacy [issue] came up all the time.” But amid that trepidation, there might still be temptation: Banks see mobile commerce as an area of opportunity. “Messenger has over a billion users—it’s popular,” Seetharaman said. “That’s where your customers are. I think the banks are thinking, ‘Maybe we should be there, too.’” Users who would opt in to such features would get “one-stop shop convenience,” Seetharaman said. “It’s the ability to not download another app,” she said, “and it’s the ability to do all of this kind of important financial checking account balance stuff on the side while you’re still talking to your friends.” But the risk of providing that convenience apparently has been hard for these institutions to ignore, despite Facebook’s assurances that they’ve changed privacy standards and wouldn’t use the data for advertising. “It’s so hard for them to kind of get through and break away from that image of being irresponsible with our data,” Seetharaman said. The Wall Street Journal reports that Google and Amazon have sought similar data, in hopes of providing banking applications for its Google Assistant and Alexa smart speakers.

Saturday, August 11, 2018 A11

Stakeholders weigh in on the importance of security and privacy in an oversharing age

OU would think that with the billions of dollars in profit they make annually, the most popular social media and messaging platforms would take pains to ensure their integrity, as these apps have become almost like the second home to the millions of global subscribers who fuel the sustained profitability of the companies behind these platforms—men, women and even children who freely share bits and pieces of their lives and their thoughts to families and friends near and far, and even to random strangers who seem like kindred spirits. Of course, after every privacy breach or scandal that grabbed headlines since these social media and messaging apps achieved ubiquity, the companies sought to assure subscribers, quickly and efficiently, with ostensibly stricter security measures to be taken immediately going forward. By and large, the public appears to have shrugged off these intermittent security breaches as par for the course in this age of “oversharing,” obviously putting a larger premium on the conveniences these social media and messaging platforms provide. True enough, even with steady stream of disturbing and even shocking revelations regarding the 2016 US presidential elections, this continuing scandal also involving three of the world’s biggest Internet companies, there has been no reported widespread shunning of these apps. However, not a few of the country’s popular bloggers, influencers and tech pundits are weighing in on why people who regularly use these social media and messaging platforms should read the fine print and be mindful of security and privacy issues. Manila Bulletin’s Badong Hilario, for one, places the issue in an everyday layman’s perspective: “The privacy setting is placed there for a purpose. Foremost, of course, is security. Social messaging means you deal with different people. You communicate or engage with friends, families and business associates. Each of them needs various interaction personally, hence the precaution to deal with them differently. “To simplify, you can’t afford to mix your conversations with them. You can’t afford to send a message of business importance to an acquaintance, a secret love affair convo with a second lover to your first lover. Just imagine ‘mwah-mwahing’ a good night to your boss, or a sexy photo to the head of your human-resources department.” Meanwhile, beauty blogger and influencer Lee Shen Gee says that how one approaches or uses social media and messaging “depends on how open you are with your life. In this day and age that people get to track you wherever you are, privacy seems to be a privilege. But you can definitely control it by limiting what you share. “Whatever you put on these apps are up for grabs anyone. Control what you share. Even if the app is doing everything they can protect your privacy and your content, there’s always something that could go wrong. With the fast-paced advance of technology, it also comes with a fast-paced way for criminal activities.” For Lee Shen Gee, the privacy options the public should look out for include: “I should be able to download all my content. It should be that if and when I delete something, it is really forever deleted. And there should better verifications of accounts.” To blogger and fashion photographer John Bueno, “privacy is paramount in any platform. Keeping your details safe from unscrupulous individuals should always be first. You choose what you post—but information these apps require sometimes are the same information you give to government agencies and banks, and [unscrupulous individuals] may get access to vital information which

only you should know. If they get access to that, what’s going to stop them from doing something evil? Hack your connections, your money, control your life.” Bueno also cautions the public to “only trust apps that have been reviewed by a huge number of people, trusted web sites and sources. Otherwise, you may become victim to phishing and malware. Choose the amount of security to your posts, choose the people who can only see them. Always make sure you put and segregate people on lists—so you can simply click and choose what you need to show people, and not the other way around. Don’t post birthdates, full names, things that can be asked to recover your passwords easily.” Finally, BUSINESSMIRROR beauty columnist and blogger Dinna Chan Vasquez takes issue with one hugely popular social-media platform, saying it “is very invasive in the sense that once you have an account, it would be quite easy for others to track you. The other social media and messaging apps are not as invasive but still not foolproof in terms of protecting your privacy. For instance, you can block someone on one micro-blogging platform but he or she could still access your profile picture.” She cautions that consumers “should be aware that using an app or social-media platform means you’re out there and that people see whatever you post and share. Being out there is helpful, yes, but it can be risky, too, in terms of privacy. And if you ask me what privacy option should be added to these apps, I will say these apps should make it unable for users to screen-captue anything.” Viber, a free cross-platform instant messaging and voice over IP (VoIP) application operated by Japanese multinational company Rakuten, has become one of the most popular applications among iOS and Android users, with a growing base among desktop users, as well. No doubt Viber’s popularity has been fueled by the app’s easy-to-use interface, and the lack of intrusive ads that

are common to free applications. However, the security it provides users has also gained prominence in light of the endless stream of news involving privacy concerns. Not only does it provide end-to-end encryption for messages and calls all the time (this means in plainspeak that only you and the recipient have access to your messages and calls), but it also has such additional security features, such as Secret Chats, which allows you to set a self-destruct timer for every message in the conversation (messages in these chats are not only end-to-end encrypted but if the recipient is using an Android phone, they can’t be screenshot); and Hidden Chats, which allows you to completely hide a conversation from your chat list and can be accessed only via a PIN you provided. Moreover, with Viber you can also verify the identity of who you’re chatting with by exchanging secret keys. The app will notify you if anything about the contact’s details changes so you can be sure the person you’re talking to is who they say they are. You can also hide your online status and the delivery status of the messages they send you. Finally, if you need an added feature to help protect the content you’re sharing, you need only use the app’s delete messages feature, which hit its 7-billion mark last year. Delete any message you may have accidentally sent to the wrong recipient or simply regret writing in a matter of seconds. Despite headlines constantly bearing troublesome news about security and privacy breaches on the Internet, it’s highly unlikely that consumers will abandon the popular social media and messaging platforms they have embraced to share aspects of their private lives. That said, it must be underscored that it behooves the public to be mindful of the dangers that lurk in the ethers, and use only applications that provide security with no compromises. ■

Abstract art for your gadget OF all the art forms, abstract painting is said to touch a wide spectrum of emotions, simply because it does not present a rigidly defined set of images, but leaves its interpretation up to the beholder. Renowned Czech abstract artist and designer Radim Kacer says: “Abstract painting doesn’t mean anything; it’s supposed to only evoke imagination. It’s like a mirror for our mind. When you observe pure abstract space and calm your mind, you start seeing your own thoughts on a conscious and subconscious level. It’s like dreaming and being awake at the same time. You can observe your dreams consciously. The main feature of our brain is imagination. It works all the time, it never stops. This process is individual and reﬂects only the mind of the observer.” Indeed, Kacer knows whereof he speaks. The abstract expressionist painter, currently based in Ostrava, is an experienced UX designer with a track record of over a dozen international projects for universities, as well as artistic and research projects. Kacer shares his art via the digital medium. His study and

work with abstract patterns in digital images led him to invent OrganikPixel technology, a method for ultra-high definition digital images. And in 2018, he established his own brand, Radim Kacer, which is focused on making original wallpapers for screens by using OrganikPixel technology. This technique that Kacer invented can create textures in 20K resolution. And because it does not use any pattern generators, plugins or scripts, his one-of-a-kind designs cannot be easily used or copied by anyone else. Having resided in the Philippines for some time, Kacer has experienced a glimpse of the Filipino soul. And so, he also wants Filipinos to enjoy his designs. Thus, he has teamed up with Argomall for his Yombi cases and wallpapers, which are exclusively available in Argomall.com. With some of Kacer’s art selling for over €100,000, and some of his exclusive wallpapers retailing at €100 or more, this special tie-up with Argomall for matching cases and wallpapers is definitely a good and affordable deal. Argomall chief argonaut Karel Holub says, “In embracing

this partnership, Argomall hopes other Filipinos will be inspired by Kacer’s artwork and would want their work to be featured in Argomall cases and wallpapers. And as this trend catches on, the company looks forward to seeing more Filipino-themed designs created by Kacer.” Argomall is the first-ever on-demand online shop in the Philippines. Established November 2015, Argomall.com was born out of a creative dream by Filipino-owned conglomerate Transnational Diversified Group to deliver quick, efficient and simple solutions to the discerning Filipino tech shopper. “We put our consumers front and center to deliver [to] them the best possible online shopping experience in the Philippines,” Holub continues. “We are passionate about what we do and constantly improve our service as the smartphone and e-commerce industries continue to grow rapidly and become part of the lives of Filipinos.” Radim Kacer’s abstract artwork are currently available at Argomall for cases and wallpapers on iPhone X (P1,690), iPhone 7 (P1,690) and iPhone 8 (P1,690). For details, visit www.argomall.com.

MATCHING Yombi case and wallpaper

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos • lifestylebusinessmirror@gmail.com

BusinessMirror

Saturday, August 11, 2018 A12

Honor among geeks THE TECHNIVORE ED UY

whereiseduy@gmail.com

F it wasn’t for Nino Carandang, I would’ve never discovered the vast smartphone universe beyond the Samsung galaxy. I was a content and loyal user who just waited for the next S or Note series—until Nino introduced me to a brand that I’ve never heard before. That brand was Honor. And true to its catchphrase, “For The Brave,” it was really for the few bold souls who dared to take a chance on the young and upstart brand. I still remember the date—May 12, 2015—and unlike most launches today which are held either in the ballroom of a hotel or in some large event venue, Honor held its media launch at The Tree House, a bar in Makati that although was a bit cramped, was bursting with personality. It was a haven for geeks with lots of pop-culture stuff and even an old-school arcade cabinet. Our guest list included the usual tech media and lifestyle writers, and the few of us who were able to try out the phone a few days ahead. We became an unofficial club of sorts—I used to refer to it as the Honor Society or the Honor Boys. The few. The proud. For the brave. We posted our photos with the hashtag #ForTheBrave and even dared compare our Honor 6Plus to flagship phones which cost twice or even three times more. It replaced my pricier Samsung phone and I used and abused that phone for almost two years until the battery eventually gave out. I took more photos on that Honor 6Plus than all my previous phones combined. It was because of my two favorite camera features: night mode and wide aperture. I think I “bokehed” almost everything and back then it made all my photos stand out. So when the brand came back early this year, I was very excited. Unfortunately, it was one-sided. Sir Nino had left the company and went on to the “Smart-er” path, and I don’t think the new guys running the brand knew or was interested in us Honor Boys. If it hadn’t been for a few friends, I don’t think I’d even reconnect with the brand. But as they say, you can’t keep a good brand down and in just a few months, Honor is again disrupting the local market as it reestablishes its presence with a series of good smartphones with even better price tags.

GAME WITH THE BRAVE

TODAY, the e-brand is launching Honor Play, the newest addition to its smartphone portfolio. The Honor Play was designed specifically for mobile gamers—both casual and hardcore—delivering optimum, high-end performance. The Play brings major ground-breaking and industryleading smartphone technologies to mobile gamers such as the GPU Turbo technology and the powerful Kirin 970 flagship

chipset. This pair of features dramatically increases graphics processing, providing a smoother, faster gaming experience. The GPU Turbo is an integrated hardware-software graphics processing acceleration technology that reconstructs the traditional graphics processing framework at the lower layer system, greatly improving the efficiency of GPU graphics processing and user gaming experience. Honor has achieved this key technological breakthrough with the GPU Turbo, improving graphics processing efficiency by 60 percent and reducing SoC (System on Chip) energy consumption by 30 percent, setting new records in smartphone performance and energy consumption balance. This fast gaming device is AI-enabled for total immersion. The 4D gaming experience includes not only graphics and 3D audio effects, but AI vibration that’s smartly driven by the AI capability, customized for the most popular games and matched to gameplay modes and scenarios, to deliver the truly immersive mobile gaming experience to gamers. For example, the AI real-time image and audio recognition will vibrate in 30 different scenarios according to the direction of approaching enemies and gunfire in selected games, and you will feel the kickback as you pull the trigger. 4D AI vibration and in-game notification mute can be switched on in gaming assistant and covers 30 different gameplay scenarios and 10 modes and weaponry options. The Histen 3D audio technology, meanwhile, offers an ultra-wide 3D sound field for gamers. This virtual surround sound offers a cinematic experience with three modes: near, front and wide. This is supported by both wire earphones and headphones with 3D stereo effect. Not much of a gamer? No problem. The Honor Play is still a very capable smartphone packed with other exciting features for those looking for value in the midrange market. It has an AI-enabled dual rear camera with a 16MP+2MP resolution. The AI camera can identify different scene types and adjusts the camera settings accordingly, even regulating exposure and the color after taking the shot to ensure the perfect image. It can recognize 22 objects and 500+ scenarios in real time with the AI Motion Detection, while the Image Stabilization function enables a stable photo every time. With the Honor Smart Gallery, the Play can intelligently identify the characters and scenes in each photo, and create a tag for each group. You can also search for photos in the gallery using keywords like a search engine. Through a range of preinstalled applications, photos in the smart gallery can also be grouped and generated into music videos while adding AR gestures, makeup and backgrounds. The Honor Play will be available in the Philippines in black and blue, with a RAM of 4GB, and with up to 64GB of built-in storage expandable via a microSD card slot of up to 256GB at an unbelievable price of P15,990. So, game on with the ultimate performance beast and head to SM Fairview today and join the preorder “Game with the Brave” event. Just pay a down-payment of P1,000 and choose a preferred branch to claim your Honor Play and a free JBL Clip 2 starting August 13.

TOSHIBA NEW PORTÉGÉ Z30-E

PACKING professional performance with full-size ports into a thin and durable design, the Toshiba Portégé Z30-E is the latest addition to the brand’s business lineup. The Portégé Z30-E has been engineered with mobility and reliability at its core to increase business productivity by

providing professional performance for today’s increasingly mobile work force. Built to perform and designed to move, the ultralight Portégé Z30-E offers premium performance in any setting. What’s more, with a range of full-size ports and common features across Toshiba’s entire business lineup, organizations can be sure of a consistent, compatible and customizable solution across their IT infrastructure. Weighing in at just 1.2 kg, with a highly robust magnesium chassis, and a 18-hour battery life from a single charge, the Portégé Z30-E provides convenient portability. Meanwhile, its 33.8 cm (13.3”) nonreflective HD or Full HD screen with LED backlighting means users won’t be distracted by glare, even in direct sunlight, enabling users to work confidently wherever the day may take them. The Portégé Z30-E is powered by the latest Intel Core processor with DDR4 RAM (2400MHz). The Portégé Z30-E offers a range of convenient full-size ports to keep users connected to their surroundings. Three USB 3.0 ports and a HDMI port allow for work to be shared quickly or presentations projected in high-resolution brilliance. Gigabit LAN allows fast access to local networks, meaning users can work wirelessly if required. The Portégé Z30-E is designed to withstand the pressures of professional life and is backed up by HALT (Highly Accelerated Life Test), which simulates approximately three years of wear and tear. The tests by independent German test institute TÜV Rheinland include drop-testing, spill-testing and pressure-testing, so users can work confidently in the knowledge that they are using a robust device. A Trusted Platform Module (TPM) keeps critical data safe and sound on the local storage of the Portégé Z30-E. The optional Smartcard and SecurePad with fingerprint reader mean that no one but the intended user can log in. The Portégé Z30-E will be available from Q3 2018.

CAN THE PHILIPPINES BECOME A CRYPTO NATION?

OKAY, so everyone’s been talking about blockchain technology these days. Some even compare it to the introduction of other disruptive technologies that have since become widespread, such as automobiles, mobile phones, and the World Wide Web. Governments have approached blockchain regulation in different ways. Some governments have chosen the “waitand-see” approach, deciding not to regulate cryptocurrencies as crypto assets are not yet threats to current financial systems due to its relatively small market capitalization. Some have banned or blocked the usage of cryptocurrency within the country’s borders entirely. Others have set out to create very detailed and specific rules and recommendations to regulate blockchain technology. One country, in particular, that is being heralded as one of the best proof-of-concepts of a blockchain-powered nation is Switzerland. In a study released at the blockchain conference Blockshow Europe 2018, Switzerland ranked first in a list of top 10 European countries for starting a blockchain company. The study examined the regulations of 48 countries related to ICOs, cryptocurrency as a payment service, and taxation framework for cryptocurrencies. With its historical strength in financial services, global network and community, talent, and flexible and competitive taxation program for blockchain, Switzerland

has been among the pioneers in the implementation of blockchain technology. However, it is their advanced regulation that has allowed innovation and creativity in blockchain to thrive in Switzerland. Crypto Valley in Zug, which is a short train ride from Zurich, Switzerland, is now home to a growing number of blockchain-based companies which are attracted to the low corporate tax and business and blockchain-friendly policies. Experts are saying that the Philippines can also benefit a lot from the technology, and there’s even a chance that we can actually become one of the leaders because of organizations such as the Blockchain Association of the Philippines (BAP). The BAP was formed to spread understanding and adoption of blockchain technology among Filipino entrepreneurs and fintech professionals, and provide this community with the information and guidance needed to implement this new technology in their industries. Though registered in countries like Singapore, a handful of Philippinebased companies, such as Salarium and Loyalcoin, have rolled out ICOs. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has also published Circular 944, more commonly known as the BSP’s Guidelines for Virtual Currency (VC) Exchanges, a six-page document which currently serves as the rules and regulations that govern operations of VC exchanges in the Philippines. Since then, the BSP has received around 30 applications seeking approval to operate as a virtual currency exchange in the country. As of July 2018, only two have been granted licenses: Betur Inc., which operates Coins.ph; and Rebittance Inc. of SCI Ventures, which operates Rebit.ph. At a recent media event I attended, I got to meet Cecilia Mueller-Chen, one of the global forerunners in compliance and regulation when it comes to blockchain and the crypto economy. Mueller-Chen is a former award-winning global chief compliance officer and chief operating officer with 17-plus years of international cross-functional experience in stock exchange, investment and corporate bank, and private bank, and has worked closely with 60 central banks and financial regulators worldwide. As a member of the Crypto Valley Association’s Regulatory and Policy working group, Mueller-Chen was the lead author of the Crypto Valley Association’s Code of Conduct. She currently assesses regulations governing ICOs around the world. Justo Aboitiz Ortiz, the president of the Blockchain Association of the Philippines and chairman of UnionBank, hosted the event saying they invited Mueller-Chen to the Philippines because “she’s a presenter of a country that we respect—Switzerland—whose leaders in the Federal Council have publicly announced their desire to make Switzerland a crypto nation. We want to take inspiration from that.” In Switzerland the regulations involving crypto currency are very liberal and principle-based. That is, regulations are more like boundaries rather than pathways. The technology and the communities behind blockchain are seen to be moving faster than what existing regulations can prescribe, or faster than regulations can be drafted and enforced. Therefore, Mueller-Chen believes that while there needs to be a clear line of what is acceptable and what is not acceptable, the regulations should not stifle innovation. To build a crpyto nation, there needs to be a partnership between the regulators and the industry. “Ultimately,” says Mueller-Chen, “regulations need to enable innovation, be technology-neutral, and have zero tolerance for criminal activity.” ■