BusinessMirror August 23, 2022 by BusinessMirror

By Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM

THE GREAT COMEBACK Students attend a flag-raising ceremony during the opening of classes at the San Juan Elementary School on Monday, August 22, 2022. Millions of students wearing face masks streamed back to grade and high schools across the Philippines Monday in their first in-person classes after two years of coronavirus lockdowns that are feared to have worsened one of the world's most alarming illiteracy rates among children. FAVILA

By Bianca Cuaresma @BcuaresmaBM P RIVATE economists see inflation averaging at 5.4 percent in 2022, paral lel with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) latest forecast on consumer price growth for theRyear. esults of the BSP’s survey of private sector economists for Au gust 2022 showed higher mean inflation forecast for 2022 at 5.4 percent from 5.3 percent in the July 2022 survey. The pri vate economists’ forecasts align with the 5.4-percent forecast announced by the BSP in their latest monetary policy meeting on August 18. A nalysts, however, were not yet convinced that inflation will recede to within-target for 2023. The survey showed that private economists’ mean infla tion forecast for next year at 4.2 percent. Thisis a more pessimistic view than the BSP’s 4-percent forecast for 2023 as announced in August. The target band for next year is still at 2 to 4 percent.

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THEoutstandinggovernment’snational debt is expected to further balloon to P14.63 trillion by the end of next year. T his would be almost 9 percent higher than the projected debt stock level at P13.43 trillion by the end of this year, based on the documents from the proposed P5.268-trillion national budget submitted by the Department of Budget and Man agement to the 19th Congress on Monday. Former President Duterte ended his term with the national govern ment’s debt stock soaring to anoth er record-high of P12.79 trillion as of end-June this year as the country needed to borrow more to fund its fight against Covid-19 pandemic. Next year’s gross borrowings of the national government is seen to hit P2.207 trillion, of which 75 percent or P1.65 trillion will come from local sources while the remain ing P553.5 billion will be generated from foreign lenders.

“Analysts expect inflation to breach the upper-end of the gov ernment’s target range in 2022, with risks to the inflation outlook tilted to the upside amid lingering inflationary pressures brought about by global supply chain dis ruptions, second-round effects, and continued depreciation of the peso against the US dollar,” the BSP’s reportMeanwhile,read. inflation is ex pected to settle above the upper end of the target in 2023 and de celerate to within the target range in 2024. Most of the analysts an ticipate the BSP to further tight en monetary policy settings and increase the reverse repurchase rate by a range of 25 to 150 basis points in 2022, with the possibil ity of taking a pause in its tight ening cycle in 2023 and 2024,” it added. Interms of balance of risks, analysts pointed to the following: the still elevated global food and oil prices amid global supply chain disruptions brought about by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war; as well as the continued Covid-19related lockdowns in China and local weather disturbances and the higher prices of selected goods and services as a delayed reaction to ris ing input costs.

By Andrea E. San Juan T RADE Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual has asked the Senate to ratify the Re gional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), noting that prospective investors consider the Philippines’s accession to the regional trade deal before invest ing in the country.

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas M ORE than 3 million coconut farmers and workers are now registered with the government’s registry, which serves as the basis for the number of people to be covered by the utilization of the P75-billion coconut levy fund.

Latest data from the Bureau of the Treasury showed that the government’s gross borrowings during the 10-month period fell by 5.99 percent from P2.92 trillion a year ago. With only two months left for this year, the latest figure is already equivalent to 89.6 percent of its P3.07-trillion borrowing program. Broken down, gross domestic borrowings from January to October settled at P2.23 trillion, down by 5.08 percent from P2.35 trillion in 2020.

“On the other hand, if people would see names on the list and they think they are not coconut farmers or their details are incorrect, they can report it to the PCA for immediate action,” he added.

The PCA official noted that the completion of the initial list of coconut farmers registry would be just in time for the expected rollout of coconut levy-funded programs as President Duterte is expected to sign the industry development plan in early 2022. Rosales said the PCA will not stop updating its list of coconut farmers and enjoined them to register in order to reap the benefits of the decades-long idled coconut levy fund. “We will not stop at 3.1 million. We hope that more individuals will register in our coconut farmers registry,” he said. The updating of the coconut farmers registry is mandated by Republic Act (RA) 11524 or the Coconut Industry Trust Fund Act.

withbudgetresilient’‘Proactive,’23nowHouse POLIO CASES IN US, UK AND ISRAEL REVEAL RARE RISK OF ORAL VACCINE THE WORLD ›› A9

BSP poll: Private economists see 5.4% inflation in

THE P2.75year-on-yearbyend-Octoberborrowingsgrossgovernment’snationalasofshrankalmost6percenttotrillion.

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The PCA’s next step is to conduct an exclusion-inclusion procedure by making the updated farmers’ registry public, providing everyone the opportunity to check the veracity of the list, Rosales added.

I n terms of domestic borrow ings, the government plans to is sue almost P1.6 trillion in Fixed Rate Treasury Bonds and another P54.05 billion through the issuance of Treasury Bills. O n external sources, the govern ment is eyeing to source almost half of the amount from bonds and other inflows at P265 billion. Meanwhile, program loans and project loans will account for P219.2 billion and P69.3 billion, respectively. T he government borrows to cover its budget deficit and fund its spending requirements. T he budget deficit next year is pegged to reach P1.45 trillion, narrower than this year’s P1.65trillion program. A budget deficit occurs when the government dis bursements exceed its revenues. A part from borrowings, the government funds its spending requirements through revenues, which are seen to reach P3.63 tril lion next year. Disbursements, on the other hand, are projected to hit P5.086 trillion.

A2 w P25.00 nationwide | 2 sections 20 pages |n Monday, November 29, 2021 Vol. 17 No.52

‘Close borders, cut Omicron exposure risk’ See “Omicron,” A2 PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 50.4600 n JAPAN 0.4374 n UK 67.2329 n HK 6.4722 n CHINA 7.9013 n SINGAPORE 36.8968 n AUSTRALIA 36.2807 n Tuesday, August 23, 2022 Vol. 17 No. 319

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario C LOSING the country’s borders is one of the most immediate courses of action the government must take to prevent the latest Covid-19 variant, Omicron, from reaching Philippine shores, according to local economists. The new variant is a threat, especially with the holidays coming up and more foreigners being allowed to travel to the Philippines, De La Salle University economist Maria Ella Oplas toldTheBusinessMirror.holidaysusually bring in Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who are eager to spend Christmas with their loved ones, while foreigners living in temperate regions usually want to relax in tropical countries like the Philippines. This year’s influx of OFWs is expected to be heavier since many of them were unable to come home for the holidays in December 2020. “My recommendation is to protect the borders. Do not allow people with a history of travel to countries with positive cases to enter,” Oplas said. “We should be more restrictive. [We have to be] more protective in terms of our Oplasmeasures.”saidthat while this will be a setback to some industries, this is a fair measure considering that this could help prevent placing the country in another strict lockdown, which, she said, the economy can no longer afford. “It is better that we do protective preventive measures than get exposed again. We have a lot to lose,” Oplas said. “We should do it now so that we can open just before Christmas. If it gets contained, we can open it again.”Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development (ACERD) Associate Director Ser Percival K. Peña-Reyes said closing the country’s borders would be effective but should still adhere to the standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO). What is needed, Peña-Reyes told this newspaper, is for travel restrictions to be put in place swiftly and for government to be proactive in imposingPreviousthem.instances when the country had the opportunity to impose travel restrictions did not prevent the spread of Covid-19. That was mainly because the decision was not made immediately, he said. “ Kung papatay patay [If we’re slow] and we get caught flat-footed, [that’s risky] We were too reactive instead of proactive before. We should learn from that,” PeñaReyes said. “It’s a delicate balancing act. We need to push testing and tracing to be properly informed of our decisions. Blanket/shotgun approaches could have dire consequences on the economy.”

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Rosales explained that about 500,000 coconut farmers and workers were added to the PCA’s 2018 list that had about 2.5 million coconut farmers and farm workers.

It is very important . . . I’d like to emphasize that the RCEP be ratified or be confirmed by the Senate because we’ve always been asked with prospective investors by foreign chambers about how soon we’ll be receiving ratifica tion of RCEP,” Pascual said at the Organizational Meeting of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Partnership held virtually on Monday. T he Trade chief underscored that the foreign chambers have always prodded the DTI on the country’s accession to the re gional trade deal as companies under the chambers’ ambit usu ally take this into consideration before they make final decisions on investing in the Philippines.

PEOPLE walk past the mural of Gat Andres Bonifacio at Manila City Hall Underpass. The country will celebrate the 158th birth anniversary of Filipino revolutionary hero Gat Andres Bonifacio on Tuesday, November 30.

A nalysts also said the continued depreciation of the peso against the US dollar, due in part to the aggressive policy rate hikes by the US Federal Reserve, and secondround effects such as higher trans port costs and wage hikes may also continue to push inflation upward for the year. O n the other hand, they ob served that the recent easing of global oil prices is a possible source of downside risk to the inflation outlook. Other downside risks cited are expectations of policy rate hike by the BSP, resurgence of Covid-19 cases, fears of an im pending global economic reces sion, along with weaker-thanexpected global economic recov ery due to the slowing down of China’s economy.

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

“ Because their own people, the companies in their respective jurisdictions, are asking them be fore they consider investments in the Philippines,” added Pascual. Pascual said this after Sena tor Pia Cayetano asked about industry clusters, particularly Health and Life Sciences, which are among the DTI’s priorities under Pascual’s watch. C ayetano said she earlier asked Finance Secretary Benja min E. Diokno at the Committee on Ways and Means hearing, “if [Department of Finance] DOF will be open to considering for a limited time only tax-free impor tation of health equipment and I aligned this with the president’s SONA statement that we need to improve access to specialty hos pitals all over the country.” S ince specialty hospitals will need equipment, Cayetano wanted to know what the DTI’s direction will be, i.e., “would you be open to explore and to possi bly propose incentives for these sectors?”

See “Proactive,” A2 See “DTI,” A2 See “NG debt,” A2 DTI CHIEF PRODS SENATE ON RATIFYING RCEP SOON w P25.00 nationwide | 2 sections 20 pages |

Meanwhile, gross foreign borrowings in the same period also contracted by 9.7 percent to P518.7 billion from last year’s P574.4 billion.

Net debt redemption means there were more debts repaid compared to the amount borrowed during the period.

“The list will be posted in public spaces where people can easily see them. This allows everyone to see who are listed in the registry and if farmer doesn’t see his name then he shall coordinate with the PCA immediately,” he explained at a recent dialogue with coconut farmers.

NTERNATIONAL concerns over the possible spread of the more infectious Omicron Covid-19 variant prompted the government to reimpose mandatory facility-based quarantine for all arriving passengers in the country. Acting Presidential spokesperson Karlo B. Nograles announced on Sunday that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) suspended the implementation of its Resolution No. 150A (s.2021), effectively imposing stricter protocols for all inbound travelers. Tonote, IATF Resolution 150A had allowed fully vaccinated non-visa travelers from Green List areas to enter the country without the need for facility-based quarantine as long as they secure negative Reverse TranscriptionPolymerase Chain Reaction (RTPCR) test within 72 hours prior to their “Exceptdeparture. forcountries classified as ‘Red,’ the testing and quarantine protocols for all inbound international travelers in all ports of entry shall comply with the testing and quarantine protocols for ‘Yellow’ list countries,” Nograles said, citing the provision of IATF Resolution He noted Hong Kong, which has confirmed a case of the Omicron variant, will also fall under the YelThe suspension of the rules for “Green List” countries will be in effect from November 28, 2021 to By Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM

n his budget message, Marcos

The bulk of the amount was sourced from Fixed Rate Treasury Bonds (P1.19 trillion), followed by short-term borrowings from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas or BSP (P540 billion), Retail Treasury Bonds/Premyo Bonds (P463.3 billion), Retail Onshore Dollar Bonds (P80.84 billion). In the same period, there was also a net redemption of Treasury Bills amounting to P43.94 billion.

This was raised through global bonds (P146.17 billion), program loans (P139.98 billion), euro-denominated bonds (P121.97 billion), a project loan (P86.41 billion), and yen-denominated samurai bonds (P24.19 billion). “Borrowings,”

NG DEBT SEEN TO SWELL TO P14.63T BY YEAREND

OVER 3-M FARMERS LISTED FOR P75-B COCO LEVY FUND

Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Deputy Administrator Roel M. Rosales said about 3.11 million coconut farmers and farm workers have been registered with the government since it started updating its registry following the enactment of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund law.

Omicron risk spurs revival of rulesquarantineinPHL

’22

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 55.9790 n JAPAN 0.4092 n UK 66.2232 n HK 7.1352 n CHINA 8.2117 n SINGAPORE 40.2322 n AUSTRALIA 38.4688 n EU 56.2085 n KOREA 0.0419 n SAUDI ARABIA 14.9091 Source: BSP (August 22, 2022)

THE House of Representatives on Monday received the “pro active and resilient” P5.268trillion National Expenditure Pro gram (NEP) for 2023, which lawmak ers described as continuing booster shot to revitalize the economy. Budget and Management Secre tary Amenah F. Pangandaman said the first proposed national budget of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is designed to withstand future risks, challenges and shocks. T he proposed P5.268-trillion national budget, the highest ever if approved by Congress, is P244 bil lion more than this year’s P5.023.6trillion spending program. It rep resents 22.1 of GDP. Pangandaman said the proposed budget was formulated within the overarching theme “Agenda for Prosperity Economic Transforma tion Towards Inclusivity and Sus tainability” to achieve a meaningful national development.

NATL GOVT BORROWINGS FOR 10 MOS DIP TO P2.75T

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

THE government has allocated P12 billion to extend the country’s rice buffer stock capacity next year from 9 days to 15 days to boost the country’s resilience amid the looming “global food crisis.” set aside to extend ’23 rice buffer stock capacity

Proactive... Continued from A1 NG debt... Continued from A1 DTI... Continued from A1

T his will also include the follow ing agriculture infrastructure ex pansion programs: P13.1 billion for the construction, rehabilitation, and repair of farm-to-market roads; P29.5 billion for irrigation services; P5.1 billion for the construction, rehabilitation, and repair of fish ports.

T he Department of Public Works and Highways will receive P718.4 billion budget in 2023, while the Department of Transportation gets P167.1 billion—120.4 percent more than its P75.8-billion budget in 2022, which covers the augmented funding requirements for foreign-assisted railway projects.

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

cited various challenges affecting the country’s economy, including the Covid-19-induced recession, typhoons, earthquakes and RussiaUkraineAwareconflict. ofallthese challenges, we must transform our economy from one that is reactive, where our people suffer the effects of economic shocks, to one that is proactive, where our people are prepared and our economy is spared. We must meet our produc tivity goals regardless of the disasters and crises that may come our way,” Marcos said. DBM said the 2023 budget was formulated consistent with the cash budgeting system. For 2023, the DBM said revenues are expected to grow by 10 percent yearon-year to P3.632.9 trillion, or 15.3 percent of GDP, while disbursements will increase by 2.6 percent to P5.085.8 trillion. The deficit, on the other hand, is expected to decline to P1.453.0 tril lion, or 6.1 percent of GDP, from this year’s program of P1.650.5 trillion or 7.6 percent of GDP. We have identified the priority sectors in our 2023 National Ex penditure Program, which stands at P5.268 trillion and 4.9 percent higher than this year’s budget. These priority sectors include education, infrastructure development, health, agriculture and social safety nets,” Pangandaman added.

T he economic team earlier pointed out that the goal of the Marcos Admin istration is to achieve 6.5 to 8.0 percent real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth annually between 2023 and 2028 in order to attain a single-digit (9.0 percent) poverty rate by 2028.

“Around P29 billion has been al located to purchase drugs, medicine and vaccines while more than P19 bil lion has been allocated for the salary and benefits of healthcare workers,” shePsaid.23billion, meanwhile, was al lotted for the Health Facilities En hancement Program (HFEP), to fund the purchase of medical equipment as well as the construction, rehabili tation and upgrading of barangay health stations, rural health units, polyclinics, LGU hospitals, DOH hospitals, and health facilities na tionwide.

A lso, the administration allocated P453.1 billion for climate change ex penditures, where the DBM, in col laboration with the Climate Change Commission, developed a mechanism —the Climate Change Expenditure Tagging (CCET)—to track and report climate change expenditures focused on food security, water sufficiency, ecosystem and environmental stabil ity, human security, climate smart industries and services, knowledge and capacity development and sus tainable energy.

Taking into consideration the dire plight of our food producers, we will accelerate the implementation of a special financing program and support services designed specifi cally for them,” Marcos said.

We are determined to develop strategic infrastructure that will cut costs in transporting agricul tural products from farms to mar kets,” Marcos said. A lso to be established is the P1billion Cold Examination Facilities in Agriculture to allow border in spection facilities for poultry and other agricultural commodities to prevent the entry of pests, disease and smuggling in the country. T he President said he wants comprehensive aid to agriculture workers to help boost their pro ductivity by providing them P5.9 billion worth of new agricultural facilities and machinery. A fund of P1.7 billion will go to the Agriculture and Competitive ness Enhancement Fund and P2.8 billion for extending credit to farm ers and fisherfolks. A nother P4.5 billion will go to the Crop Insurance Program for 2.29 million farmers and workers; and P1 billion for fuel assistance.

used for the National Rice Program to keep rice at “affordable levels” by providing fertilizer support to farmers. Thebudget for the program is P19.5 billion higher than its P15.8billion budget this year.

The country’s debt-to-gross do mestic product (GDP) slightly eased to 62.1 percent in the second quarter of the year from 63.5 percent in the first quarter, but remained above the countryeconomicstrategyratiotry’sationthereachesyearreachtheDioknoeconomy.60-percentinternationally-recommendedthresholdforahealthyFinanceSecretaryBenjaminE.earliersaidtheyexpectcountry’sdebt-to-GDPratioto61.8percentbytheendofthisbeforetaperingdownuntilit52.5percentin2028whentermoftheMarcosadministraends. WhileDioknosaidtheyarenotinhurrytoquicklyreturntothecounhistoriclowpre-pandemicdebtof39.6percent,hesaidtheiristoprioritizesupportinggrowthinorderforthetooutgrowitsdebt.

Continuing booster SPEAKER Martin G. Romualdez on Monday said the proposed P5.268trillion national budget is envi sioned to pave the way for economic recovery in the first year of Marcos administration.Romualdezdescribed the pro posed appropriations measure, spelled out in the NEP, as an excep tional fiscal program formulated to provide a continuing booster shot to revitalize an economy still feeling the ill effects of the pandemic.

“ Ensuring sufficient rice supply helps us maintain the price of rice at affordable levels,” Marcos said. O ther efforts by the adminis tration to raise food production includes allocating P10 billion for the Rice Competitiveness Enhance ment Fund (RCEF), P296 million for the implementation of the National Dairy Industry Development Pro gram, and P820 million to develop the coconut and palm oil industry. M arcos said enhancing the ca pacity of local farmers and fisher men and their infrastructure will also help bring down the price of food items.

T he DepEd budget shall increase from P633.3 billion in 2022 to P710.6 billion in 2023. As the President said during his first SONA, we should not hold back on investing in education, as educa tion is the only legacy we can leave our children that will never go to waste. This proves this administra tion’s commitment to invest in hu man capital development and youth empowerment,” Pangandaman said.

In his message for the 2023 Na tional Expenditure Program (NEP), President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. said the fund will be used by the National Food Author ity (NFA) for the procurement of “631.579 million metric tons (MMT) of palay from local farmers.” T he concurrent Agriculture Sec retary said the P670 million will be allocated to establish a rice and corn seed buffer stock under the Department of Agriculture (DA). This is to ensure . . . enough supplies of these seeds to be used during calamities and emergencies affecting rice and corn produc tions,” Marcos said. I n June, DA had expressed con cern over threats to the country’s food security, including the export restrictions being imposed by some countries and the rising price of fertilizers. Higher budget THIS prompted Marcos to stress the importance of increasing local food production by raising the bud get of DA, Philippine Crop Insur ance Corporation (PCIC), and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) next year to minimize the country’s exposure from said ex ternal risk. As such, the Agriculture sec tor—composed of the DA, its at tached agencies and corporations, PCIC and the DAR—will receive a much-needed unprecedented boost of 39.2 percent year-on-year and receive a budget of P184.1 billion,” Marcos said. O f which, P30.5 billion will be

Cayetano noted that she’s the author of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act (CREATE) law, adding that “it’s covered within the CREATE law.” Pascual said “we welcome any move to facilitate the establish ments of enterprises in these in dustry clusters that we have iden tified.” Hebelieves that by industrializ ing, “we’ll be able to provide higher quality jobs and higher paying jobs to people. So we welcome any move to facilitate, for example, the im portation of equipment by enter prises.” Pascual assured senators that “most likely” the enterprises that will be going into these clusters will be registered with the Board of Investments (BOI) so they will be enjoying these incentives. He added, however, that most of these investors in these industry clusters will most likely come from abroad. “These will be foreign in vestors setting up these enterprises here, together, in partnership with local investors.” T he target of these industry clusters is the export market. With this, he said, “We want these en terprises to be participating in the global value chains in the products … under this cluster.” I n relation to this, the Trade chief then raised the importance of the Senate ratifying RCEP. However, Cayetano said, “I re call that we were not able to pass it [RCEP] in the last Congress because there were lots of concerns from different senators but I wouldn’t go into that.” At the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP)’s General Membership Meeting in July, Pas cual said DTI will continue to push for the immediate ratification of RCEP and other trade agreements.

Agri sector TO improve the performance of the agriculture sector, the DBM said the budget of the Department of Agricul ture (DA), its attached corporations, and the Department of Agrarian Re form will be P184.1 billion, a 39.2-per cent increase from its 2022 allocation. The figure includes P29.5 billion for irrigation services.

BusinessMirror www.businessmirror.com.phTuesday, August 23, 2022A2 News

T he DBM said this is in line with the President’s directive that top pri ority must be given to the agriculture sector so as to invigorate and trans form it from being an economic lag gard to a main driver of growth and employment.Insupport of the mandate of our President, and in anticipation of a global food crisis and for the longterm goal of food self-sufficiency, we increased the budget of the DA by 43.9 percent, to cover the fund ing requirements for its programs and projects,” Pangandaman said.

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Vulnerable sectors TO address the needs of the margin alized and vulnerable sectors of soci ety, the Department of Social Welfare and Development gets a P197-billion budget in 2023. T he government shall continue to fully support the Pantawid Pamily ang Pilipino Program, the Social Pen sion for Indigent Senior Citizens, Pro tective Services for Individuals and Families in Difficult Circumstances, Sustainable Livelihood Program, and the Supplementary Feeding Program. “Our budget provides for the im plementation of the projects and pro grams of the DSWD. The President said it himself—we must not neglect the poorest of the poor,” Panganda manMsaid.eanwhile, P18.4 billion of the total P26.2-billion budget for the De partment of Labor and Employment will be used for its Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program, to help beneficiaries recover from economic displacement caused by the pandemic. This includes the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvan taged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD), DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program, among others.

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“ We welcome the submission of the proposed 2023 national budget that will provide the broad strokes needed to speed up our economic recovery,” Romualdez said.

I n anticipation of destructive typhoons and other natural calami ties, the budget of the Department of National Defense has been increased by 9 percent in 2023 at P240.7 bil lion. Meanwhile, P31 billion was allocated for the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund.

C onsistent with the 8-Point So cio-Economic Agenda of the Marcos administration, Pangandaman un derscored the need to support iden tified priority sectors, and to sustain the growth momentum to make the economy inclusive and robust in 2023.By sector, the social services gets the biggest chunk of the P5.268trillion national budget with P2.071 trillion; followed by economic ser vices with P1.528 trillion; general public services with P807.2 billion; debt burden with P611 billion and defense P250.7 billion. Education top priority AS mandated by the Constitution, the education sector—composed of the Department of Education (DepEd), State Universities and Col leges (SUCs), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda)—will get 8.2 per cent more next year at P852.8 billion and will remain as the highest bud getary priority.

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P1.196 trillion for infra MEANWHILE , Pangandaman said a total of P1.196 trillion was allocated for the government’s 2023 infra structure programs.

“ President Marcos earlier said that this administration shall continue to implement infrastructure projects and refocus to Build Better More. These projects—subway, regional air ports, railways and farm-to-market roads— will surely benefit the Filipino people,” Pangandaman said. Major transportation infrastruc ture projects to be implemented in clude the North-South Commuter Railway, the Metro Manila Subway Phase 1, the LRT-1 Cavite Extension, and the PNR South Long Haul. Health system T O RAMP up vaccination efforts and the uptake of boosters for vulnerable populations while strengthening the health system through improvement of health facilities and services, the government’s health sector gets a 10.4-percent budget increase at P296.3 billion in 2023, inclusive of the budgets of the Department of Health and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation.

BM’S YOUNGEST COLUMNIST Lyca Agnes M. Balita (center in dark suit), the youngest columnist of BusinessMirror and daughter of Dr. Carl Balita (fourth from left), also a BM Columnist, has graduated as Juris Doctor at the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P). She was a merit scholar for seven years and holds a Bachelor of Science in Humanities degree, cum laude, from the same school. BM Chairman Edgard Cabangon (second from right) and Sharon Tan (third from right) join the Balita family in a post-graduation celebration. Dr. Lyne Balita (right), a pediatrician, is joined by Lyca’s siblings Aimee, Lyza and Lambert (from left to right) in the picture.

Replying to Tulfo, DTI Undersecre tary Ruth Castelo said the agency has been seriously running after MLMs that are not legitimate. She said “we work with SEC [Securi ties and Exchange Commission] which has the proper information” on these outfits and can advise DTI properly.

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bong bong” R. Marcos Jr. said more students would receive better education with the return to face-toface (F-to-F) classes on Monday amid dwindling Covid-19 cases. In a brief statement posted in his Facebook account, the President said F-to-F classes would provide bet ter learning experience to students compared to online classes, which became the norm in the last two years after the onset of the pandemic “It has always been my belief that learning will be more effective inside classrooms where students fully in teract with their teachers and fellow students,” Marcos said. “I have no doubt that with Vice President Inday Sara Duterte at the helm of the Department of Educa tion (DepEd), we can be sure that the more than 28.21 million students enrolled in the K-12 system will fi nally get the quality education that our parents want for their children,” the President pointed out. A considerable portion of the said students or those going in 24,175 schools for school year 2022 to 2023 will undergo five days of F-to-F classes per week. T hose enrolled in 29,721 schools will still make use of blended learn ing, while learners studying in 1,004 schools will still be engaged in re mote classes. DepEd is pushing to bring back F-to-F classes to almost all schools by November. Marcosurged teachers and students, particularly those in Fto-F classes to continue to adhere to minimum health standards to minimize their risk from Covid-19 infection. “Sincethe threat of Covid-19 is still in our midst, it is important that our teachers and students con tinue to observe the minimum health protocols to ensure that they remain healthy while learning new things,” Marcos said. A side from being beneficial to students, the government is also pushing to bring back face-to-face classes, which it expects to help boost the economic activities, particularly for retail and public transport.

THE Department of Health (DOH) on Monday confirmed the detection of the fourth case of monkeypox in the country. According to the DOH, the fourth case is a 25-year-old Filipino national with no documented travel history to or from any country. The patient is now in isolation. T he case was tested and con firmed positive for monkeypox via real time polymerase chain reaction or PCR by the DOH Research Insti tute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), with results released August 19, 2022. Intensive case investigation and contact tracing is ongoing. “ Let us remember that mon keypox is different from Covid-19. Monkeypox spreads through skinto-skin contact with cases who have rashes or skin lesions, or with ob jects that have come into contact with the case. If you have fever, swollen lymph nodes, and rashes or skin lesions, immediately consult your health-care provider,” said Dr. Maria Rosario Vergeire, DOH Of ficer in Charge. To date, 14 close contacts have been identified. One is currently taking care of the case in the isola tion facility, while six are undergoing quarantine.Oneisahealth-care worker who had complete personal protection equipment at time of consultation of case, assessed as low risk, and is now self-monitoring. Details of the other six are being verified. A ll four confirmed monkeypox cases in the Philippines are unrelated to each other. Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM A MOTORIZED boat exploded and sank in the waters of Catbalogan City, Northern Samar on Monday after its occu pants engaged Army Special Forces in a firefight, the military reported. T he encounter stoked the interest of the public after a social-media site reported that among the occupants of the boat were Benito Tiamzon and his wife, Wilma Austria. Tiamzon is the chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines and his wife is the group’s secretary general, the military claimed. W hile confirming the firefight, Major Gen. Benito de Leon, com mander of the 8th Infantry Divi sion (ID), could not ascertain the identities of the people the soldiers hadHengaged.ecouldnot also confirm whether the armed men were communist reb els and how many armed suspects the Special Forces encountered dur ing the firefight which occurred at around 4 a.m. A ccording to the 8th ID, its men received information from a tipster that a group of armed individuals have boarded a boat “with boxes” from a shoreline north of Catbalo ganTCity.hesoldiers immediately con ducted water-borne interdiction operation in the area. However, as they approached the boat and asked its occupants to submit themselves to plain view inspection, they were fired

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM FIRST-TERM Sen. Raffy Tulfo whatairedhisfrustrationMondayoverhedescribedasfailureof the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to act on mounting complaints of scam victims reported to his office. Tulfo said numerous reports of scams were reported to him by victims of “multi-level marketing and networking companies,” who prey on consumers by promising them exorbitant returns on their investments.Attendinga hybrid organizational meeting on Monday of the Commit tee on Trade, Commerce and Entre preneurship, Tulfo challenged the DTI to “step up efforts to scrutinize and regulate fraudulent companies who apply for DTI accreditation to seduce unwitting victims.” He suggested that the agency “look for ways to ensure that these fraudulent multi-level marketing and networking companies would not continue to increase, especially during the pandemic, by promising big bucks or better futures to the Filipino people,” stressing that “it is about time that you ensure that these companies would stop domi nating markets, especially online.” Moreover, the first-term law maker reminded DTI officials that “it is also time that you start coordi nating with law enforcement agen cies, such as the NBI (National Bu reau of Investigation) and the PNP (Philippine National Police) and that you all work together to stop these companies from scamming people,” Tulfo stressed. T he steep rise in digital trans actions forced by the lockdown re strictions during the pandemic had apparently enabled more scammers to ply their trade.

C astelo added that during the Duterte administration, the DTI is sued a memorandum order regulating the operations of MLMs.

Whileupon.the soldier on megaphone is yet to finish the verbal advisory, passengers from (the) motorized boat fired shots towards the govern ment troops. An encounter ensued. During the gunfight, for reasons still being determined, the hostile boat suddenly exploded,” the divi sionIndeed,said. there was a water-borne interdiction operations conducted against a hostile motorized boat this morning,” de Leon confirmed. “Pag -approach palang ng tropa natin, ay nakiusap na tayo para magpa plainview inspection sila. Pero, pinaputukan habang nagsasal ita, buti hindi tinamaan, nagkaroon na ng habulan. Tapos bigla nalang sumabog ang motorized boat,” the commander said. Sa ngayon, inaalam pa namin kung sino ang mga nakaengkwentro ng tropa natin. Mino -monitor talaga namin ang shorelines in support sa anti-illegal fishing campaign, criminal gangs eluding arrest, ginagamit din itong mo bility corridor ng CPP-New People’s Army sa pag-transport personnel, baril at ng anti-personnel mines. Rev elation ito ng mga kasamahan nilang (NPA) nagbalik-loob na sa gobyerno,” he added.

www.businessmirror.com.ph Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Tuesday, August 23, 2022 A3BusinessMirror The Nation

THE National Citizens’ Move ment for Free Elections (Nam frel) reiterated on Monday its call to push through the holding of the Barangay and Sangguniang Ka bataan Elections (BSKE), as initially scheduled on December 5, while con tradicting arguments in favor of its postponement by the lawmakers. T he House of Representatives Committee on Suffrage and Elec toral Reforms met last August 16 and voted 12-2 to defer the BSKE to December 2023. A s to the lawmakers’ argument of savings amounting to some P8 billion that could instead be used for the country’s economic recovery and pandemic response, neither the President nor Congress can transfer any savings from any BSKE post ponement for those purposes, ac cording to the poll watchdog. A rticle VI, Section 25 of the Con stitution states, “No law shall be passed authorizing any transfer of appropriations; however, the Presi dent, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Repre sentatives, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and the heads of Constitutional Commissions may, by law, be authorized to augment any item in the general appropria tions law for their respective offices from savings in other items of their respective appropriations.” W hen it comes to the use of sav ings, the head of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the Chair, is the one authorized to augment any item for the Commission from savings in other items, Namfrel said. A s regards the stability and conti nuity offered by the current barangay and SK officials, it has no worth if not supported by a renewed mandate from the public. It said: “A lot has changed since the 2018 BSKE. After the last four years, incumbents have shown whether they could be trusted in carrying out their programs and projects. Let the people decide now if they have earned that trust and so deserve to continue.”

Roderick L. Abad

In terms of the need to recover from the divisiveness of the last May 9 polls, the elections monitoring orga nization said that the BSKE “will still be divisive” even if delayed to May or December of next year or even to 2024 as candidates campaign in every vot ing period why they should lead their communities.

Socmed post says Tiamzon couple ‘neutralized’ by govt forces in Samar

DTI urged to do its part

in drive vs scammers PBBM says students get better education, learning experience with F-to-F classes DOH logs casemonkeypox4thinPHL Namfrel opposes BSKE postponement

THE youngnotrecognizeAugustcommemoratedYouthInternationalDaywason12andwemustahardtruth:It’saneasytimetobeaperson. C ovid-19 stopped the world in its tracks. The climate crisis continues to progress ever more rapidly. The invasion of Ukraine threw the global economy into greater turmoil as jobs become ever more scarce and precarious

I n conclusion, let me repeat again—the wise words of Ramon del Rosario, Chairman of Philippine Business for Education: “It’s the private sector that is creating the jobs. But government has to create an enabling environment for the jobs to be created!”Feedback is highly appreciated; contact me at hjschumacher59@ gmail.com

Understandably, young people are deeply concerned about the state of the world: A recent global survey shows that they are seeking real, sustained change. B ut they’re not just watching from the side lines. Young people are taking initiative through social movements and activism— with extraordinary results!

T he investment in human development is a strategy for economic recovery and inclusive growth. The private sector would love to cooperate with VP and Education Secretary Sara Duterte to specifically focus on technical training and “learning by doing.”

By Henry J. Schumacher

Just consider the impact of the youth-led global climate movement calling for radical change. Today’s youth are also making their mark on the fight against corruption. The youth deserve an end to corruption. Young people are not just our future. They are key to creating a just, peaceful and prosperous world just now. Remember: 37 million youth were involved in the May 9 elections! Taking the “smell” of the youth spirit into consideration, we will have to look at some numbers. The DepEd targets 28.6 million enrollees this school year. The high-school students are dreaming already about the next steps: college or employment. We in business have to catch those heading for employment.Education must intensify and broaden the need to educate all its people. No longer will it suffice to educate a tiny elite that will then manage and direct the politics, the economy, and the culture of the many. Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte will be busy!Development will require not only a corps of highly skilled individuals capable of absorbing advance technology; it will also require a minimum of scientific literacy and technological skill; it will also need the setting of professional standards, the delineation of fields of expertise, and the organization of communities of knowledge. E ducation can no longer afford to leave anybody behind. All young people whether they go to college or not—will need a similar set of core competencies if they are to succeed in today’s labor market. Government, the private sector and civil society have to work closely together to Save the Children. We must realize that 40 percent of the Philippine population is in school! I f the Philippines is to survive in the ever-changing, fast moving, technology-driven world taking shape before our eyes, the country has to position itself strategically in this new economy. The end-effort must be to secure the Philippines’s place on the right side of the digital divide the revolutions in communications, information, and computer technologies are creating. T his requires a work-class workforce, something that the ICT, BPO and creative industries have been asking for. And because knowledge has become the modern economy’s central resource, we must keep in mind continuous learning has become essential. So swift is the generation and transmission of knowledge that learning has become a life-long process for every one of us.

A4 BusinessMirror www.businessmirror.com.ph Economy Tuesday, August 23, 2022 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie A SENIOR official of the Department of Ag riculture (DA) on Monday said the com mitment of supermarkets to sell sugar at P70 kilogram will influence retail prices and bring down prices of the sweetener. Department of Agriculture Senior Undersec retary Domingo Panganiban, in an interview, said the price of refined sugar in supermarkets is expected to go down to P60 to P55 per kilo. We expect to bring down the price of refined sugar maybe by P10 to 15 per kilogram as the P70 per kilo of refined sugar in supermarkets will influence the retail price in the wet mar kets,” he Withinsaid. the week, we will probably see the decrease [in prices of sugar],” he said. Based on its regular market monitoring, the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) reported the price of sugar in Metro Manila su permarkets was at P93.01 per kilogram, while those being sold in public markets in the region was at P95 per kilogram. Meanwhile, the price of refined sugar in Metro Manila was even higher, reaching P115 per ki logram in supermarkets and P100 per kilogram in public markets.

Youth spirit and their expectations

Malacañang announced last Friday that Rob insons Supermarket, Savemore, SM Supermar ket, and Puregold Supermarket had agreed to sell at least three million kilos of sugar at P70 per kilo instead of P90 to P110 per kilo follow ing a series of talks with Executive Secretary VicTRodriguez.heavailability of P70 per kilo of sugar is good “until the supply lasts,” according to the supermarket owners. Supermarkets will add a purchase limit of one kilo per customer to prevent possible household hoarding by enterprising consumers. Moreover, Panganiban said at least 1.8 mil lion bags of sugar from Victorias and Universal Robina Corp. will be distributed to several su permarkets in the country. According to Panganiban, the country has enough supply of sugar following sugar ware house raids in Bulacan and Pampanga. T he Bureau of Customs announced its opera tives raided separate warehouses in Pampanga and Bulacan where they seized a combined total of 44,000 sacks of imported sugar estimated to be worth P220 million. A lso, Panganiban said the government might import up to 150,000 metric tons (MT) of sugar if the country’s supply is depleted by end October. Earlier, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the Philippines might only need to import 150,000 metric tons (MT), half of the 300,000 MT earlier proposed by the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA). Various sugar industry groups were unani mous—before the “unauthorized” importation fiasco blew up—in proposing for a second round of sugar importation program to reverse a dwin dling local supply and arrest rising prices.

DA exec sees lower retail price of sugar ‘until the supply lasts’

I am glad to report that the first day of face-to-face classes in Makati’s public schools was successful,” Binay said adding that nearly 80,000 stu dents were able to come to school and were provided adequate protection through the strict implementation of health protocols. Prior to the opening of classes, Binay said the city had equipped all 38 schools with thermal scanners at entry points, accessible hand wash ing facilities, alcohol dispensers and foot bath mats. Air purifiers and UV light filters were also installed in every classroom as part of the city’s compliance with health protocols set by the Department of Health.

Rene Acosta, Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco and Malou-Talosig-Bartolome

“ We have already set the opera tional guidelines to ensure peace and order and public safety during the opening of classes and the succeed ing school days,” PNP chief General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said. Thus, my instruction was to in tensify law-enforcement activities in learning institutions, transport hubs, and places of convergence to suppress any form of criminality like theft and robbery where children and parents can be vulnerable victims,” he added. With the implementation of more F-to-F classes, some 7,509 PNP Co vid-19 patrollers have been activated to monitor public areas and make sure that minimum public health standard is strictly observed amid the ongoing pandemic.

Farmers told: harvest mature crops

T he firms also conducted a 40hour basic occupational safety and health training for Safety Officer 2; emergency prepared ness and response; and drug-free workplace training. M ore than half of the recorded OSH-related training/seminars were conducted by the Bureau of Fire Protection and by the compa ny itself at 57.7 and 54.1 percent, respectively.PSAdataalso showed 43.6 per cent of the OSH trainings/seminars were also conducted by the Philip pine Red Cross; and by the Occupa tional Safety and Health Network/ OSHNet at 33.7 percent. “ The result of this survey mod ule on OSH Practices will serve as a significant contribution to gov ernment policymakers to assess compliance of establishments to mandatory training and work place standards to ensure safety and health at the worksites,” PSA explained.Another objective of this sur vey is to give additional informa tion on workplace standards in establishments to augment labor standards statistics generated by administrative reports and compliance reports based on in spections conducted to establish ments,” it added.

T he data collected included the prevention and control measures/ activities against work safety and health conducted by establish ments; occupational safety and health policies/programs imple mented in establishments; and occupational safety and healthrelated trainings/seminars availed by employees in establishments, among others.

Firms bare OSH workplacepoliciespriorityinthe Storm Florita intensifies, some Luzon areas under Signal No. 2

I t has maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 70 kph.

T he PNP deployed a total of 23,653 policemen in strategic lo cations around the country to help ensure the orderly opening of F-toF classes after more than two years of nationwide suspension due to the Covid-19.

T he state weather bureau forecast Florita to reach the tropical storm category by Monday. It is expected to make landfall on Tuesday. By Tuesday, Pagasa said heavy to intense with at times torrential rains over Cagayan, Isabela, Batanes Cor dillera Administrative Region, and Ilocos Region are expected. Meanwhile, moderate to heavy with at times intense rains over Au rora, Zambales, and Bataan. Light to moderate with at times heavy rains over the rest of Cagayan Valley and the rest of Central Luzon.

T he department also advised the farmers to secure seed reserves, planting materials and other farm inputs, as well as feed and water for livestock; relocate animals, farm ma chineries, and equipment to higher ground; and clear drainage in irriga tion and rice paddies from obstruc tions to prevent flooding.

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday reported the smooth and peaceful open ing of face-to-face (F-to-F) classes in both public and private schools across the country.

Success MAKATI City Mayor Abigail Binay is filled with pride as she reported that Monday’s full implementation of the F-to-F classes in the city was a success.This,as the Department of Educa tion (DepEd) said that the opening of classes went smoothly and peacefully after a total of 28,035,042 trooped back to school. The number is 101.72 percent higher as compared to the fig ure of enrollees last school year (SY).

PNP, DepEd, teachers report smooth, peaceful opening of in-person classes

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) has advised farmers to harvest ma tured crops and utilize post-harvest facilities as 1.2 million hectares of farmlands are being threatened by tropical storm Florita. Based on the combined data of Regions I, II, III and CAR, the DADRRM said the area of standing crops that may be affected by the incoming storm totals 949,854 hectares for rice and 294,644 hectares for corn.

The NGCP earlier said it is close to unifying the Philippine grid af ter completing several components of the Mindanao-Visayas Intercon nection Project (MVIP), particularly the Santander and Dapitan Cable Terminal Stations, the 350kiloVolt (kV) submarine cable, and the LalaAurora 138kV transmission line. NGCP completed the construc tion of the Cable Terminal Stations (CTS) in Santander, Cebu and Dapi tan, Zamboanga del Norte, as well as installation of two (2) 92-km 350kV high voltage direct current power cables and two 92-km fiber optic cables. Site acceptance tests (SATs) were conducted at the Dapitan and Santander CTS to ensure the said facilities meet NGCP’s requirements.

Jonathan L. Mayuga, Lenie Lectura and Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

T DC attributed this to the close coordination of the local govern ment units, community, police, and parents through the Oplan BalikEskwela of DepEd.

www.businessmirror.com.ph Tuesday, August 23, 2022 A5BusinessMirror News

The DA also asked fisherfolk to perform early harvest and mobilize post-harvest equipment and facili ties; secure fishing vessels in higher ground; and dismiss sea travel as potentially rough conditions prevail over affected seaboards.

SEVERAL provinces in Luzon have been placed under Tropical Cy clone Wind Signal No. 2 as Tropi cal Depression Florita has intensified while moving west southwestward. A ffected areas include Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, the eastern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Alfonso Castañe da, Dupax del Norte, Kasibu, Quezon, Bambang, Ambaguio, Bayombong, Solano, Villaverde, Bagabag, Diadi), Apayao, the eastern portion of Abra (Tubo, Boliney, Bucloc, Daguioman, Sallapadan, Licuan-Baay, Malibcong, Lacub, Tineg, Lagangilang, Bucay, Manabo, Luba), Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, and the northern and central portions of Aurora (Di lasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dip aculao, Baler, Maria Aurora) T he Philippine Atmospheric, Geo physical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), in its 5 p.m. weather bulletin said the weather disturbance was last spotted 540 kilometers (km) east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan.

DEPED spokesperson Atty. Michael Tan Poa said that based on the re ports gathered from regional di rectors, the opening of classes was smooth and peaceful and that there was no untoward incident reported as of 9:20 a.m. “Wala pa pong nakakarating sa amin na untoward incidents. Patuloy po ka ming naka-monitor sa ating mga paara lan [No untoward incidents reported to us. We will continue to monitor the situation of our schools],” Poa told reporters. T he DepEd said that Region 4A registered the most number of en rollees with 3,826,697 followed by Region III with 2,903,610, and Na tional Capital Region with 2,717,755. Of the total number of enrollees, 23,905,615 came from the enroll ment quick counts while 4,129,427 from the early registration. Meanwhile, the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) agreed with the as sessment of the DepEd that the open ing of classes for SY 2022-2023 was smooth and peaceful.

Lauded THE United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) lauded Monday the Philip pines for the return of in-person schooling and prods parents and other members of the community to help the 27 million Filipino stu dents to recover their two years of “lost learning.”

“ We have directed police sta tions to conduct mobile and foot patrols along major routes and highways leading to all learning institutions and within the imme diate vicinity of school premises to monitor and evaluate the daily activities,” Azurin said. A zurin has reminded police offi cers that they were only limited out side school premises following the mandate from the Department of Education, but in case of emergency, policemen can assist inside the school in pursuit of peace and order.

“ Unicef commends the De partment of Education, the Early Childhood Care and Development Council and the Bangsamoro Re gion’s Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education for taking decisive steps to fully reopen inperson schooling,” the UN agency office in Manila said in a statement. As we welcome children back into the classrooms today, let’s remember that this is the first of many steps in our learning recov ery journey. Each day spent in the classroom is an opportunity for us to improve and chart the path to an effective, equitable, and resilient education system,” Unicef Philip pines Representative Oyunsaikhan Dendevnorov says. Unicef stressed though that aside from bringing children back to F-to-F learning, children’s journey towards learning recovery “requires a sus tained whole of society approach.” “Experience from schools and early learning centres that piloted inperson classes revealed that parents, local officials, the business sector and community members played a crucial role in ensuring that learning continues,” Unicef added.

“Our students were visibly excited and glad to finally go back to school after two years of blended learning. We made the right decision in push ing for the 100 percent face-to-face classes. It will allow our students and teachers alike to adapt faster to the new normal and learn to co-exist with Covid-19,” the mayor said. Binay said that close coordina tion with the Department of Edu cation-Makati (DepEd-Makati) has ensured adequate preparations for the full implementation of F-to-F classes in the city. She said they will be closely monitoring the conduct of classes and make the necessary ad justments in the coming days. Each school has a morning and afternoon shift, with an average classroom size of 30 to 45 students. Smooth and peaceful classopening

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario A SMOKE-FREE workplace, fire prevention and con trol, and anti-sexual ha rassment programs were the top occupational safety and health policies implemented by firms, ac cording to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). O ver 80 percent of firms imple mented anti-smoking and fire pre vention programs and 77 percent instituted policies and programs against sexual harassment.

NGCP’s Integrated Disaster Ac tion Plan (IDAP) prescribes these and other procedures to ensure the readi ness of all power transmission facili ties expected to be affected by the passage of the weather disturbance.

T he data showed 85.3 percent implemented policies for a smokefree workplace; 83.6 percent fire prevention and control program; and 77.7 percent of firms imple mented policies and programs on anti-sexual harassment in the workplace.Toensure occupational safe ty and good health conditions among the employees, almost all or 95.8 percent of the total es tablishments had implemented various occupational safety and health (OSH) policies/programs in 2019,” PSA said. O ther OSH policies and pro grams included an emergency preparedness and response pro gram implemented by 74 percent of firms and work accident pre vention program, 72.3 percent of establishments.ThePSAdata also showed that during the reference year, some 85.8 percent of the total establishments conducted various OSH-related training/seminars.Themostcommon among the training/seminars were first aid training and fire safety training, which accounted for about three in every five establishments.

T he data was based on the Occu pational Safety and Health Practices (OSHP), which is a rider survey from the Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC), an attached agency of the Department of Labor and Em ployment (DOLE).

NGCP preps MEANWHILE, the National Grid Cor poration of the Philippines (NGCP) said Moday it has implemented the necessary preparations and precau tions to minimize the impact of tropi cal storm Florita on transmission operations and Preparationsfacilities.include ensuring the reliability of communications equipment, availability of hardware materials and supplies necessary for the repair of damage to facilities, as well as the positioning of line crews in strategic areas to facilitate imme diate restoration work.

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32. YANG, GamingXUEYANSupport Specialist

Basic PhpSalaryspokenskillsExcellentQualification:communicationinChinese,bothandwrittenRange:30,000-Php59,999

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No. NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No. NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No. NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE 7 PRIME TECH, INC. 10/f Ewestpod, Eton Westend Square, Yakal St. Cor. Don Chino Roces Ave., San Antonio, City Of Makati 1. ANTO BilingualWIJAYAFinance Support Specialist Brief Job Description: Handle and support the finance department. Basic PhpSalaryspeaking.ForeignQualification:languageRange:30,000-Php59,999 2. EDDY WIJAYA SAPUTRA Indonesian - Speaking Customer Service Officer Brief Job Description: Manage large amount of calls, handle customers concerns. Basic PhpSalaryForeignQualification:language.Range:30,000-Php59,999 3. DELVIN IndonesianTANDYASSpeaking Customer Service Officer Brief Job Description: Manage large amount of calls, handle customers concerns. Basic PhpSalaryspeaking.ForeignQualification:languageRange:30,000-Php59,999 4. JIMMY IndonesianJOHANSpeaking Customer Service Officer Brief Job Description: Manage large amount of calls, handle customer concerns. Basic writingExcellentQualification:inreading,andspeaking in foreign language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 5. IndonesianNOVIANTO Speaking Customer Service Officer Brief Job Description: Manage large amount of calls, handle customers concerns Basic PhpSalaryspeakingForeignQualification:languageRange:30,000-Php59,999 6. PHILIPIN IndonesianTANTRASpeaking Customer Service Officer Brief Job Description: Manage large amount of calls, handle customer concerns. Basic writingExcellentQualification:inreading,andspeaking in foreign language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 7. REYHAN IndonesianMAHADIKASpeaking Customer Service Officer Brief Job Description: Manage large amount of calls, handle customers concerns. Basic PhpSalaryspeaking.ForeignQualification:languageRange:30,000-Php59,999 8. SRI DEWI KOMALA SARI Indonesian Speaking Customer Service Officer Brief Job Description: Manage large amount of calls, handle customer concerns Basic WritingExcellentQualification:inReading,andSpeaking in Foreign Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 9. WALIA NURUL FITRIYANI Indonesian Speaking Customer Service Officer Brief Job Description: Manage large amount of calls, handle customer concerns. Basic writingExcellentQualification:inreading,andspeaking in foreign language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 10. WENDY IndonesianAPOLONIUSSpeaking Customer Service Officer Brief Job Description: Manage large amount of calls, handle customers concerns. Basic PhpSalaryspeaking.ForeignQualification:languageRange:30,000-Php59,999 11. Indonesian-speakingDARWIN Customer Service Officer Brief Job Description: Manage large amount of calls, handle customers concerns Basic WritingExcellentQualification:inReading,andSpeaking in Foreign Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 ABOITIZ POWER CORPORATION 21st Nac Tower, 32nd St., Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig 12. ANTUKH, ALEXANDER Chief Information Security Officer Brief Job ResponsibleDescription:foracting as a business leader Basic PhpSalaryOT/OITreducepolicyDevelopQualification:cybersecurityandcontrolstoriskintheIT&Range:500,000andabove ALL OUT MULTI-MEDIA SOLUTIONS CORP. Unit 2302-a West Tower, Pse Centre, Exchange Road, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig 13. KIM, PerformBriefMarketingKWANGYOUNGOfficerJobDescription:productdemonstrations for both prospective Korean clients as needed Basic PhpSalaryKoreanreadingProficientQualification:inspeaking,andwritinginandEnglishRange:30,000-Php59,999 14. LEE, TechnicalDONGCHULSupport Specialist Brief Job MaintenanceDescription:andmonitoring of computer hardware computer systems and applications Basic PhpSalaryKoreanreadingProficientQualification:inspeaking,andwritinginandEnglishRange:30,000-Php59,999 ALUE PHILIPPINES INC. 2/f Maripola Bldg., 109 Perea St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati 15. OZAKI, HumanBriefCorporateYOSHIHIKOManagerJobDescription:Resources,General Affairs, Accounting, Financing, IT, and Training-related tasks

Basic PhpSalaryexperiencesJapan,ofskills,AdvancedNativeQualification:Japaneseskills,EnglishAtleast3yearsworkexperienceinLeadershiproleRange:90,000-Php149,999 PhpSalaryExpertQualification:inmenuplanningRange:30,000-Php59,999

AMAZON OPERATION SERVICES PHILIPPINES, INC. B21 Three E-com Moa Complex, Harbour Drive Cor. Bay Shore, Brgy. 076, Pasay City 17. PUNYATIN Ahs SpecialistActs as primary interface between amazon and partners (sellers) by phone and with objectives of coaching and helping them with account health related

27. CHONG WAI KEONG Gaming Support Specialist

third-party business

28. CHOW KAI JUN Gaming Support Specialist

the company

Basic PhpSalarystrategicexperiencecompany.equipmentmachineryandfamiliarity,managementmandarinProvenQualification:experienceasconstructionspecialist,knowledgeawarenessonandheavyusebyDemonstrableindevelopingbusinessplan.Range:30,000-Php59,999

EASTERN GOLD CORPORATION

and

BusinessMirrorA6 www.businessmirror.com.phTuesday, August 23, 2022

DONSILA,

25. LI,

31. KHONG JIA JUN Gaming Support Specialist

503, Nueva St., Barangay 289, Binondo, City Of Manila

old and above, fluent in Korean language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 BRIGHT LUME IT SOLUTIONS INC. Unit 202 Erisha Condominium, 1142 P Ocampo Street, Sta Ana, 082, Barangay 757, Santa Ana, City Of Manila 20. WEI, MandarinWEI Speaking Data Analyst Brief Job Description: Manage master data including creation updates and deletion; provide quality assurance of imported data; process confidential data information according to guidelines Basic PhpSalaryMandarinVerbalinRelatedMarketing,ComputerManagement,ExperienceBachelorsQualification:DegreewithinBusinessFinance,Software,SalesorField;FluentBothWrittenandEnglish,Chinese,LanguageRange:30,000-Php59,999 CGI (PHILIPPINES) INC. 2/f One World Square, Mckinley Hill, Pinagsama, City Of Taguig 21. KARLSSON, BJÖRN ANTON Multilingual Service Desk Member Brief Job Description: To support Multilingual Service Desk Basic PhpSalaryLanguageQualification:proficientRange:90,000-Php149,999 22. UDOMPHANIT, TONY PRATHAN Multilingual Service Desk Member Brief Job Description: To support Multilingual Service Desk Basic PhpSalaryLanguageQualification:proficientRange:30,000-Php59,999 CHINA HARBOUR ENGINEERING COMPANY 5/f Section E Ramon Magsaysay Center, 1680 Roxas Blvd., 076, Barangay 699, Malate, City Of Manila 23. SU, MandarinWANBOConstruction Management Specialist Brief Job Description: The

26. CAO, GamingWEISupport Specialist

most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goals. Basic PhpSalarystrategicexperiencecompany.equipmentmachineryandfamiliarity,managementmandarinProvenQualification:experienceasconstructionspecialist,knowledgeawarenessonandheavyusebyDemonstrableindevelopingbusinessplan.Range:30,000-Php59,999 24. WANG, MandarinHAIMINMechanical Project Administrator Brief Job Description: The mandarin construction management specialist will be

Representative Brief Job Description:

DATACLICK INTERNATIONAL CORP. E. Rodriguez St., Roxas Blvd. St., Barangay 3, Pasay City

29. DUONG TRUNG HOAI Gaming Support Specialist

Brief Job PreparingDescription:andfollowing general maintenance schedule

Basic PhpSalaryMandarinReadingProficientQualification:inSpeaking,andWritinginRange:30,000-Php59,999

topics

will be

Basic PhpSalaryspokenskillsExcellentQualification:communicationinChinese,bothandwrittenRange:30,000-Php59,999

Basic Qualification: 21 years old and above, fluent in Korean language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 CustomerMINWOOService To assist customers regarding their queries, complaints, and promotions

Basic PhpSalaryspokenskillsExcellentQualification:communicationinChinese,bothandwrittenRange:30,000-Php59,999

CHO,

CURRENTCORE SERVICES INC. Unit 2c, Flr. No. 4f, One Ecom Center Bldg. Ocean Drive St., Barangay 76, Pasay City MandarinBIN Site Technical Officer

AMAZING HOUSE, INC. G/f Oceanaire Residences, Cbpi, Sunrise Drive, Barangay 76, Pasay City 16. ZHANG, HAO Chinese Cuisine Specialist Brief Job Description: Assist head chef and training staff with regards to Chinese menu. Basic

Basic PhpSalaryspokenskillsExcellentQualification:communicationinChinese,bothandwrittenRange:30,000-Php59,999

while

41. LANG THI ANH Customer Support Specialist

42. LE THI THAO MY Customer Support Specialist

Brief Job Description: To work with a variety of customers and use your expert relationship-building skills to provide world-class service.

Brief

43. LIN, CustomerYILINGSupport Specialist

Basic PhpSalarywritten.Chinese,communicationtoattitudeexperiencegamingonlineexperienceskills,SuperiorQualification:customerserviceNicetohaveworkingwithgaming/offshoreindustryorlessbutagoodandmotivationlearn,ExcellentskillsinbothspokenandRange:30,000-Php59,999

PhpSalaryEnglishinSalesCustomerlevel,CollegeQualification:graduate/preferablywithServiceorexperience,fluentMandarinandbasicinRange:30,000-Php59,999

Brief Job Description:

45. NGUYEN THI DIEP Customer Support Specialist

46. NGUYEN THI NGOC Customer Support Specialist

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No. NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No. NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No. NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE 33. LEE, MarketingJOONSEOAnd Sales Agent Brief Job ResearchesDescription:anddevelops various marketing strategies for products and services and implements marketing plans and works to meet sales quotas Basic Qualification: Can Information,ContributesIdeas, and Research to Help Develop Marketing Strategies; Can Help to Detail, Design, and Implement Marketing Plans for Each Product or Service Being Offered Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 34. XU, MarketingXINLONGAnd Sales Agent Brief Job ResearchesDescription:anddevelops various marketing strategies for products and services and implements marketing plans and works to meet sales quotas Basic Qualification: Can information,contributesideas, and research to help develop marketing strategies; can help to detail, design, and implement marketing plans for each product or service being offered. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 ENERGY CHINA PHILIPPINES BRANCH OFFICE Unit 1718, High Street South Corporate Plaza Tower 1, Bonifacio Global, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig 35. ZHAO, ChineseRONGBINMandarin Business Translator Brief Job Description: Provide support in accurate translation of written project documents. Perform quality audit and translations. Read given material and research industry-specific terminology. Basic PhpSalarytranslation.fornote-takinglanguages.andexpresslanguages.vocabularyeducationcultures.familiaritybefieldsubjectKnowledgeQualification:ofthegeneralandtechnicalofthematerialtointerpreted.IntimatewithbothSolidgeneralandextensiveinbothAbilitytothoughtsclearlyconciselyinbothExcellenttechniquesconsecutiveRange:30,000-Php59,999 36. YANG, ChineseRUIMINGTechnical Manager Brief Job Description: Serve as the technical expert for detailed design and construction aspects of the project. Propose and oversee timelines for engineering proposals and submissions are met. Set up procedure and processes in monitoring and tracking of engineering related documentation throughout project lifestyle. Basic AbilityQualification:toworkina highpressure, PhpSalaryprogrammingrequiredworkingreportingcommunicationenvironment.deadline-drivenExceptionalandskills.Solidknowledgeinallsoftwareandlanguages.Range:30,000-Php59,999 GRANDSERVICES INC. 10/f Newport Entertainment & C Newport City, Manlunas, Barangay 183, Pasay City 37. CAI, SousLIGANGChef-Chinese Cuisine Brief Job ProvidingDescription:goofquality of food product Basic PhpSalaryandProficientQualification:inMandarinCantoneseRange:90,000-Php149,999 38. FAN, JUNLIN Sous Chef - Chinese Cuisine Brief Job ProvidingDescription:goodqualities of the product. Basic ProficiencyQualification:inmandarin & PhpSalarycantonese.Range:500,000and above ITECHNO SPECIALIST INC. 7/f Aseana I Bldg., Bradco Avenue Aseana Business Park, Tambo, City Of Parañaque 39. DUONG SAM MUI Customer Support Specialist Brief Job Description: To work with a variety of customers and use your expert relationship-building skills to provide world-class service. Basic PhpSalarywritten.Chinese,communicationtoattitudeexperiencegamingonlineexperienceskills,SuperiorQualification:customerserviceNicetohaveworkingwithgaming/offshoreindustryorlessbutagoodandmotivationlearn,ExcellentskillsinbothspokenandRange:30,000-Php59,999 40. GIENG SAM MINH ANH Customer Support Specialist Brief Job Description: To work with a variety of customers and use your expert relationship-building skills to provide world-class service. Basic PhpSalarywritten.Chinese,communicationtoattitudeexperiencegamingonlineexperienceskills,SuperiorQualification:customerserviceNicetohaveworkingwithgaming/offshoreindustryorlessbutagoodandmotivationlearn,ExcellentskillsinbothspokenandRange:30,000-Php59,999

48. TOUCHSHER,

editing, retrieving and transmitting test data and graphics from English to another language such as Hebrew, Malay and Mon-Khmer. Basic PhpSalaryKhmerHebrew,ProficiencyQualification:inEnglish,MalayandMon-language.Range:60,000-Php89,999 49. YAHALOMI, NACHMAN CHEN Multilingual - Product Development Specialist Brief Job ResponsibleDescription:forproducing information, transcribing, formatting, inputting, editing, retrieving and transmitting test data and graphics from English to another language such as Hebrew, Malay and Mon-Khmer. Basic

Brief Job Description: To work with a variety of customers and use your expert relationship-building skills to provide world-class service.

JP L BEAUTY PRODUCTS INC. 22 The Trade And Financial Tower, 7th Ave. Cor. 32nd St., Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig DAVID PINHAS Multilingual - Product Development Specialist

Job Description:

MAJOREL Bldg.,

PHILIPPINES CORP. 5th Floor E-commerce Plaza

Brief Job ResponsibleDescription:forproducing information, transcribing, formatting, inputting, PhpSalaryKhmerHebrew,ProficiencyQualification:inEnglish,MalayandMon-language.Range:60,000-Php89,999

Brief Job Description: To work with a variety of customers and use your expert relationship-building skills to provide world-class service.

44. LONG, CustomerJIAOSupport Specialist

To work with a variety of customers and use your expert relationship-building skills to provide world-class service.

Brief Job Description: To work with a variety of customers and use your expert relationship-building skills to provide world-class service.

47. VAN NGOC XUYEN Customer Support Specialist

To work with a variety of customers and use your expert relationship-building skills to provide world-class service.

54. CAM THI LINH Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Supports customer by providing helpful information, answering questions and responding to complaints Basic PhpSalaryEnglishinSalesCustomerlevel,CollegeQualification:graduate/preferablywithServiceorexperience,fluentMandarinandbasicinRange:30,000-Php59,999 55. CAO TRONG VINH Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Supports customer by providing helpful information, answering questions and responding to complaints Basic PhpSalaryEnglishinSalesCustomerlevel,CollegeQualification:graduate/preferablywithServiceorexperience,fluentMandarinandbasicinRange:30,000-Php59,999 56. CHONG CHEE KEI Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Supports customer by providing helpful information, answering questions and responding to complaints Basic PhpSalaryEnglishinSalesCustomerlevel,CollegeQualification:graduate/preferablywithServiceorexperience,fluentMandarinandbasicinRange:30,000-Php59,999 57. CHUONG MY LAM Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Supports customer by providing helpful information, answering questions and responding to complaints Basic PhpSalaryEnglishinSalesCustomerlevel,CollegeQualification:graduate/preferablywithServiceorexperience,fluentMandarinandbasicinRange:30,000-Php59,999 58. DANG VAN THIET Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Supports customer by providing helpful information, answering questions and responding to complaints Basic PhpSalaryEnglishinSalesCustomerlevel,CollegeQualification:graduate/preferablywithServiceorexperience,fluentMandarinandbasicinRange:30,000-Php59,999 59. HOANG THANH LUAN Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Supports customer by providing helpful information, answering questions and responding to complaints Basic PhpSalaryEnglishinSalesCustomerlevel,CollegeQualification:graduate/preferablywithServiceorexperience,fluentMandarinandbasicinRange:30,000-Php59,999 60. HOANG TRONG THIN Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Supports customer by providing helpful information, answering questions and responding to complaints Basic PhpSalaryEnglishinSalesCustomerlevel,CollegeQualification:graduate/preferablywithServiceorexperience,fluentMandarinandbasicinRange:30,000-Php59,999 61. HTEIN LINN Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Supports customer by providing helpful information, answering questions and responding to complaints Basic PhpSalaryEnglishinSalesCustomerlevel,CollegeQualification:graduate/preferablywithServiceorexperience,fluentMandarinandbasicinRange:30,000-Php59,999 62. LAI XUONG TAI Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Supports customer by providing helpful information, answering questions and responding to complaints Basic PhpSalaryEnglishinSalesCustomerlevel,CollegeQualification:graduate/preferablywithServiceorexperience,fluentMandarinandbasicinRange:30,000-Php59,999 63. LANG THI PHUONG Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Support customers by providing helpful information, answering questions and responding to complaints. Basic PhpSalaryEnglish.insalescustomerpreferablyCollegeQualification:graduate/withserviceorexperiences,fluentMandarinandbasicRange:30,000-Php59,999 BusinessMirror A7www.businessmirror.com.ph Tuesday, August 23, 2022

1 Garden Rd., Eastwood City, Bagumbayan, Quezon City50. CHOUHAN, LALIT Workforce Management Director Brief Job ResponsibleDescription:forshort and long range capacity management including forecasting inbound and outbound volume case work AHT shrinkage and projecting future hiring needs; Create scheduling strategies and plans that optimize resource costs and ensure SLAs are consistently met Basic 499,999PhpSalaryPreferredAnalyticsScience,BackgroundDegreeLocalPreferableQualification:IndianorResident;BachelorsWithStronginDataEngineering,andaMust;MBARange:150,000-Php MELCO RESORTS LEISURE (PHP) CORPORATION City Of Dreams Manila, Aseana Ave. Cor. Roxas Blvd., Tambo, City Of Parañaque 51. CHOU, CHIH-HUANG Senior Host, Global Marketing Brief Job Description: Identify, develop and/or acquire new business and potential players Basic TertiaryQualification:education, pref a degree in business ad or marketing field, at least 1 yr experience in sales or customer service, preferably in gaming marketing, multilingual or ability to converse in a 3rd PhpSalarylanguageRange:90,000-Php 149,999 MINDSCAPE CREATIVES INC. Unit 19-o, Burgundy Corporate Tower, 252 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati 52. HA TU MandarinSANOperations Specialist Brief Job CommittedDescription:toimproving customer experience and operational efficiency Basic PhpSalarymandarinreadingProficientQualification:inspeaking,andwritinginRange:30,000-Php59,999 MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. 4th-11th Flr. Nexgen Tower, C4 Rd. Edsa Ext., Barangay 76, Pasay City 53. BANG THI DU Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Supports customer by providing helpful information, answering questions and responding to complaints Basic

Brief Job Description: To work with a variety of customers and use your expert relationship-building skills to provide world-class service.

Basic PhpSalaryEnglish.insalescustomerpreferablyCollegeQualification:graduate/withserviceorexperiences,fluentMandarinandbasicRange:30,000-Php59,999 providing helpful answering Mandarin Field Marketing Officer

Basic readingProficientQualification:inspeaking,andwritingin PhpSalaryMandarin.Range:30,000-Php 59,999

Basic PhpSalaryEnglish.insalescustomerpreferablyCollegeQualification:graduate/withserviceorexperiences,fluentMandarinandbasicRange:30,000-Php59,999 VAN customers by providing helpful information, answering questions and responding to

65. LE VAN LINH Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Support

information,

TREASURE CUISINE INCORPORATED Unit No. L7 B. Flr 2/f Oceanaire Condo., L7 B Central Business Park, Barangay 76, Pasay City WANG, ChineseHAOYUCuisine Specialist

Brief

Basic PhpSalaryEnglish.insalescustomerpreferablyCollegeQualification:graduate/withserviceorexperiences,fluentMandarinandbasicRange:30,000-Php59,999 customers by providing helpful information, answering questions and responding to

59,999 102.

Brief Job Description: Define a region-specific marketing plan that supports the regional sales strategy.

QUAN Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Support

Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Support

complaints.

BusinessMirrorA6 www.businessmirror.com.phTuesday, August 23, 2022 ATTY. SARAH BUENA S. MIRASOL REGIONAL DIRECTOR

68. MA

dishes

complaints.

69. NG WAN EE Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Support customers by providing helpful information, answering questions and responding to complaints. Basic PhpSalaryEnglish.insalescustomerpreferablyCollegeQualification:graduate/withserviceorexperiences,fluentMandarinandbasicRange:30,000-Php59,999 70. NGO THI HOA Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Support customers by

LINH Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Support

Brief Job Description: Responsible in ensuring only the highest quality of Chinese food for guests through meticulous consistency, taste, and presentation of all

67. LOC

Basic Qualification: Two years’ experience in PhpSalarypreparingRange:30,000-Php Generated: Aug 22, 2022

Basic PhpSalaryEnglish.insalescustomerpreferablyCollegeQualification:graduate/withserviceorexperiences,fluentMandarinandbasicRange:30,000-Php59,999 VAN HUAN customers by providing helpful information, answering questions and responding to complaints.

66. LE

Basic PhpSalaryEnglish.insalescustomerpreferablyCollegeQualification:graduate/withserviceorexperiences,fluentMandarinandbasicRange:30,000-Php59,999 LUONG customers by providing helpful information, answering questions and responding to

questions and responding to complaints. Basic PhpSalaryEnglish.insalescustomerpreferablyCollegeQualification:graduate/withserviceorexperiences,fluentMandarinandbasicRange:30,000-Php59,999 71. NGUYEN NHAT THANH Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Support customers by providing helpful information, answering questions and responding to complaints. Basic PhpSalaryEnglish.insalescustomerpreferablyCollegeQualification:graduate/withserviceorexperiences,fluentMandarinandbasicRange:30,000-Php59,999 72. NONG THI PHUONG Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Support customers by providing helpful information, answering questions and responding to complaints. Basic PhpSalaryEnglish.insalescustomerpreferablyCollegeQualification:graduate/withserviceorexperiences,fluentMandarinandbasicRange:30,000-Php59,999 73. NONG VAN DUYET Call Center Agent Brief Job CustomerDescription:Service Basic PhpSalaryBasicandCollegeQualification:Graduate/LevelFluentinMandarin/EnglishRange:30,000-Php59,999 74. NONG VAN TRUONG Call Center Agent Brief Job CustomerDescription:Service Basic PhpSalaryBasicandCollegeQualification:Graduate/LevelFluentinMandarin/EnglishRange:30,000-Php59,999 75. TANG NHU QUYNH Call Center Agent Brief Job CustomerDescription:Service Basic PhpSalaryBasicandCollegeQualification:Graduate/LevelFluentinMandarin/EnglishRange:30,000-Php59,999 76. TRAN MY LE Call Center Agent Brief Job CustomerDescription:Service Basic PhpSalaryBasicandCollegeQualification:Graduate/LevelFluentinMandarin/EnglishRange:30,000-Php59,999 77. TRIEU THANH TAM Call Center Agent Brief Job CustomerDescription:Service Basic PhpSalaryBasicandCollegeQualification:Graduate/LevelFluentinMandarin/EnglishRange:30,000-Php59,999 78. VONG SAY DAU Call Center Agent Brief Job CustomerDescription:Service Basic PhpSalaryBasicandCollegeQualification:Graduate/LevelFluentinMandarin/EnglishRange:30,000-Php59,999 79. VU VAN ANH Call Center Agent Brief Job CustomerDescription:Service Basic PhpSalaryBasicandCollegeQualification:Graduate/LevelFluentinMandarin/EnglishRange:30,000-Php59,999 MPOTECH DIGITAL SYSTEM INC. 47/f Pbcom Tower, 6795 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a Rufino St., Bel-air, City Of Makati 80. MICHELLE IndonesianHERMANLanguage Customer Service ProvideBriefRepresentativeJobDescription:product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems Basic PhpSalaryproblemcriticalbachelorGraduateQualification:4yearsdegreewiththinkingandsolvingskillsRange:30,000-Php59,999 NOCMAKATI, 8,9,10,11,12,14,15,16,17,18INC. & 19 Floors, Century Diamond Center, Poblacion, City Of Makati81. YEW NGIE SIANG Malaysian Customer Service Representative Brief Job ManagingDescription:callsandcustomer services Basic PhpSalaryEnglishFluentQualification:inMalayandRange:30,000-Php59,999 NOKIA SHANGHAI BELL PHILIPPINES, INC. Penthouse W Fifth Bldg., 5th Ave. Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig 82. LI, GeneralGANGProject Manager Brief Job Description: Lead Team to deliver the project including equipment and service to customer according to contractual agreement Basic 499,999PhpSalarySkills;Skills,ExcellentBachelor’sQualification:Degree,CommunicationandAnalyticalTechnicalExpertiseRange:150,000-Php ORIENT DRAGON MANUFACTURING INC. 164 P., Faustino St., Punturin, City Of Valenzuela 83. YANG, OverseeBriefGeneralSHULINManagerJobDescription:dailybusiness activities, manage budgets, and develop strategic plans. Basic ProvenQualification:trackrecord of successfully leading and motivating diverse teams Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999 PESTECH CORPORATION Unit 202 21 Lki Bldg., Congressional Ave., Bahay Toro, Quezon City 84. LIEW KHAY ANN Equipment Specialist Brief Job InstallationDescription:andmodification for specific ngcp substation equipment Basic Qualification: 10 years in substation PhpSalaryprojectRange:60,000-Php 89,999 85. RAVI, VINOTH KUMAR Testing And Commissioning Manager Brief Job SchedulingDescription:andcoordination site testing and commissioning work Basic Qualification: 5-10 years of experience in substation , electrical. Secondary and primary testing works. Can supervise and oversees the direction of the PhpSalaryprojectRange:60,000-Php 89,999 PH GLOBAL JET EXPRESS INC. 11th Floor, The Marajo Tower, 26th Street Cor. 4th Avenue Bgc, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig86. ZHOU, MandarinFENGFUSales And Marketing Specialist Brief Job Description: Monitor the day-to-day sales and marketing within the company, such as market data on a local, regional or national level, by build sustainable relationships and trust with customer account through open and interactive communication through the use mandarin native language. Basic PhpSalarymandarinmarketingBachelorQualification:degreeinmanagement,speaking.Range:60,000-Php89,999 SAAN FASHION INC. Unit No. S-34, Flr. No. 2f, Lrt Terminal One Bldg., Barangay 79, Pasay City 87. SEHRA, PreparingBriefMarketingABHISHEKCoordinatorJobDescription:marketingand advertising strategies, plans, and objectives Basic Qualification: With good oral and communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 88. ASHOKAN, PADMINI Sales Consultant Brief Job CoordinateDescription:withmarketing department for all sales concerns Basic Qualification: With good oral and communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 SEAGULL-WORLD INC. Unit 2807 28/f Cityland, Pasong Tamo Tower, 2210 Chino Roces Ave., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati 89. HAN, MandarinYONGBOSpeaking Customer Service Brief Job ResponsibleDescription:forinbound and outbound service calls Basic PhpSalarymandarinreadingProficientQualification:inspeaking,andwritinginRange:30,000-Php59,999 90. WU, MandarinTAO Speaking Technical Support Brief Job Description: Responsible for IT system management Basic readingProficientQualification:inspeaking,andwritingin PhpSalarymandarinRange:30,000-Php 59,999 TATA CONSULTANCY SERVICES (PHILIPPINES) INC. 8th-12th, 14th & 15th Floor, Panorama Tower, 34th Street Corner Lane A, Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig 91. PAL, TechnicalKANCHANLeadFor Major Incidents And Services Brief Job Description: Responsible for taking care of incidents and service requests to restore the service and reduce impact to the customer environment, QA tool admin for SPOC for APAC region and responsible for admin/development/ support team to follow the process and provide solution in case of any process failures. Basic Qualification: Minimum of 10 years IT experience in a combination of the following industries: Banking, PhpSalaryInsurance/HealthcareTelecom,Range:150,000-Php499,999 TCK LINK INC. 2/f King’s Court 1 Bldg., 2129 Chino Roces Ave., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati 92. WANG, ChineseYALANSpeaking Site Technician Brief Job Description: Provide accurate information on it products and services Basic ReadingProficientQualification:inSpeaking,andWritingin PhpSalaryChineseRange:30,000-Php 59,999 93. YAO, ChineseLIHONGSpeaking Site Technician Brief Job Description: Provide accurate information on it products and services Basic ReadingProficientQualification:inSpeaking,andWritingin PhpSalaryChineseRange:30,000-Php 59,999 TCL SUN, INC. 4/f Zen Tower, 1111 N A Lopez St., 071, Barangay 659, Ermita, City Of Manila 94. LI, SupplyZHENGChain Manager Brief Job ResponsibleDescription:forpreparing and escalating some necessary reports and documents related to his assigned product line to be submitted to respective HQ officers of TCL China. Basic Qualification: Year of experience as Supply Chain Manager. Excellent organization and project management skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 95. ZHANG, CHI Supply Chain Manager Brief Job ResponsibleDescription:forpreparing and escalating some necessary reports and documents related to his assigned product line to be submitted to respective HQ officers of TCL China. Basic Qualification: Year of experience as Supply Chain Manager. Excellent organization and project management skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 THE NIELSEN COMPANY (PHILIPPINES), INC. 24/f & 25/f Wynsum Corporate Plaza, Don F. Ortigas Jr. Rd., Ortigas Ctr., San Antonio, City Of Pasig96. NAY CHI OHN KYAING Senior Executive, Customer Success, Analytics And Insights Brief Job Description: Client management and analysis Basic Qualification: Experience in working in analytical capacity. Bachelor’s degree holder Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 TOTAL CREST BUSINESS SUPPORT, INC. 26/f & 27/f Alphaland Corporate Tower, Ayala Ave. Extn. Cor. Malugay St., Bel-air, City Of Makati 97. LAI, PO-LING Bilingual Customer Service Officer Brief Job Description: Prepare product or service reports by collecting and analyzing customer information. Basic readingProficientQualification:inspeaking,andwritingin bilingual languages. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 98. HO QUOC MINH Mandarin Field Marketing Officer Brief Job Description: Define a region-specific marketing plan that supports the regional sales strategy. Basic readingProficientQualification:inspeaking,andwritingin PhpSalaryMandarin.Range:30,000-Php 59,999 99. HO THI HONG DAO Mandarin Field Marketing Officer Brief Job Description: Define a region-specific marketing plan that supports the regional sales strategy. Basic readingProficientQualification:inspeaking,andwritingin PhpSalaryMandarin.Range:30,000-Php 59,999 100. PHAM THI HUONG

complaints.

59,999 *Date

101.

Any person in the Philippines who is competent, able and willing to perform the services for which the foreign national is desired may file an objection at DOLE National Capital Region located at DOLE-NCR Building, 967 Maligaya St., Malate Manila, within 30 days after this Pleasepublication.inform DOLE National Capital Region if you have any information on criminal offense committed by the foreign nationals.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php XU, ChineseMINGHUACuisine Specialist Job Description: Responsible in ensuring only the highest quality of Chinese food for guests through meticulous consistency, taste, and presentation of all dishes

AP YOUNG-JOON US and South Korea open biggest drills in years amid North threats

Singapore to decriminalize gay sex, protect marriage law

BusinessMirror Tuesday, August 23, 2022 The World www.businessmirror.com.ph • Editor: Angel R. Calso A9

Other former British colonies still retain similar laws that criminalize sex between men, including neighboring Malaysia where a former deputy premier was jailed twice for sodomy. He was sentenced in 2000 and again in 2014, in cases that critics say were politically motivated.

LONDON—For years, global health officials have used billions of drops of an oral vaccine in a remarkably effective campaign aimed at wiping out polio in its last remaining strongholds—typically, poor, politically unstable corners of the world.

Polio cases in US, UK and Israel reveal rare risk of oral vaccine

Nordic countries and the Nether lands never used the oral vaccine. The ultimate goal is to move the entire world to the shots once wild polio is eradicated, but some scien tists argue that the switch should happen sooner.

AN Afghan health worker uses an oral polio vaccine on a child as part of a campaign to eliminate polio, on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, April 18, 2017. For years, global health officials have used billions of drops of an oral vaccine in a remarkably effective campaign aimed at wiping out polio in its last remaining strongholds—typically, poor, politically unstable corners of the world. Now, in a surprising twist in the decades-long effort to eradicate the virus, authorities in Jerusalem, New York and London have discovered evidence that polio is spreading there. The source of the virus? The oral vaccine itself.

“What’s different now is a re duction in trust of authorities and the political polarization in countries like the US and the U.K.,” Barrett said. “The presumption that we can quickly get vaccina tion numbers up quickly may be more challenging now.”

Ulchi Freedom Shield, which started along with a four-day South Korean civil defense training program led by government employees, will reportedly include simulated joint attacks, frontline reinforcements of arms and fuel, and removals of weapons of mass destruction. The drills came after North Korea last week dismissed South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s offer to exchange denuclearization steps and economic benefits, accusing Seoul of recycling proposals Pyongyang has long rejected.

AP/RAHMAT GUL

By Michelle Fay Cortez H ONG KONG reported 6,513 new daily Covid cases on Sunday, the highest number since March 31, as authorities reopen facilities used during the height of the last outbreak to ease pressure on hospitals and other facilities. There were 6,276 local cases and 237 brought in by travelers, health officials said at a briefing Sunday. The rising numbers, top ping 6,000 for the past four days, are taxing the densely populat ed city that still requires every infected patient to isolate in a government-sanctioned facil ity if they don’t have their own bedroom and bathroom at home. The new facilities are needed as Penny’s Bay, the isolation mainstay for the city, is nearly 80% full with 6,500 occupants, the government said. It has also been reducing non-emergency services at hospitals to free up beds and manpower.

Hong Kong reports most daily Covid cases in over 4 months

By Kim Tong-Hyung The Associated Press S EOUL, South Korea—The United States and South Korea began their biggest combined military training in years Monday as they heighten their defense posture against the growing North Korean nuclear threat. The drills could draw an angry response from North Korea, which has pushed its weapons testing activity to a record pace this year while repeatedly threatening conflicts with Seoul and Washington amid a prolonged stalemate in diplomacy.TheUlchi Freedom Shield exercises will continue through Sept. 1 in South Korea and include field exercises involving aircraft, warships, tanks and potentially tens of thousands of troops. While Washington and Seoul describe their exercises as defensive, North Korea portrays them as invasion rehearsals that justify its nuclear weapons and missiles development.ChoJoong-hoon, a spokesperson of South Korea’s Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, said the South hasn’t immediately detected any unusual activities or signs from the North. The United States and South Korea had canceled some of their regular drills and reduced others to computer simulations in recent years to create space for diplomacy with North Korea and because of Covid-19 concerns.

“We probably could never have gotten on top of polio in the devel oping world without the (oral polio vaccine), but this is the price we’re now paying,” said Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “The only way we are going to eliminate polio is to eliminate the use of the oral vaccine.”Aidan O’Leary, director of WHO’s polio department, de scribed the discovery of polio spreading in London and New York as “a major surprise,” saying that officials have been focused on eradicating the disease in Af ghanistan and Pakistan, where health workers have been killed for immunizing children and where conflict has made access to some areasStill,impossible.O’Learysaid he is confi dent Israel, Britain and the US will shut down their newly identified outbreaks quickly. The oral vaccine is credited with dramatically reducing the number of children paralyzed by polio. When the global eradica tion effort began in 1988, there were about 350,000 cases of wild polio a year. So far this year, there have been 19 cases of wild polio, all in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Mozambique.

SOUTH Korean army soldiers prepare for an exercise at a training field in Paju, South Korea, near the border with North Korea on Wednesday, July 27, 2022. The United States and South Korea began their biggest combined military training in years on Monday, August 22, 2022, as they heighten their defense posture against the growing North Korean nuclear threat.

By Eileen Ng The Associated Press K UALA LUMPUR, Malaysia— Singapore will decriminalize sex between men by repealing a colonialera law but will amend the constitution to ensure same-sex marriage is not allowed, the city-state’s leader said Sunday. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he believed repealing the law is the “right thing to do now” as most Singaporeans will now accept“Privatedecriminalization.sexualbehavior between consenting adults does not raise any law and order issue. There is no justification to prosecute people for it nor to make it a crime,” Lee said. “This will bring the law into line with current social mores and I hope provide some relief to gay Singaporeans.” During his speech at the annual National Day Rally, Lee vowed the repeal will be limited and not shake Singapore’s traditional family and societal norms including how marriage is defined, what children are taught in schools, what is shown on television and general public conduct. He said the government will amend the constitution to ensure that there can be no constitutional challenge to allow same-sex marriage. “Even as we repeal Section 377A, we will uphold and safeguard the institution of marriage,” Lee said. “We have to amend the constitution to protect it. And we will do so. This will help us repeal Section 377A in a controlled and careful way.”

Bloomberg News

In 2020, the number of polio cases linked to the vaccine hit a peak of more than 1,100 spread out across dozens of countries. It has since declined to around 200 this year so far. Last year, WHO and partners also began using a newer oral po lio vaccine, which contains a live but weakened virus that scientists believe is less likely to mutate into a dangerous form. But supplies areTolimited.stoppolio in Britain, the US and Israel, what is needed is more vaccination, experts say. That is something Columbia University’s Barrett worries could be challeng ing in the Covid-19 era.

Oyewale Tomori, a virologist who helped direct Nigeria’s ef fort to eliminate polio, said that in the past, he and colleagues balked at describing outbreaks as “vaccine-derived,” wary it would make people fearful of the“Allvaccine.wecan do is explain how the vaccine works and hope that people understand that immuni zation is the best protection, but it’s complicated,” Tomori said. “In hindsight, maybe it would have been better not to use this vaccine, but at that time, nobody knew it would turn out like this.”

The Asia World Expo, an exhi bition and entertainment venue that was turned into one of Hong Kong’s largest isolation facili ties during the pandemic, will provide an additional 200 beds starting this week. The Kai Tak facility began operating on Aug. 19, offering an additional 2,700 units, including some for large families. It is already housing about 60 patients. The rising number of infections and the stress caused by trying to isolate many of them hasn’t translated into a commensurate increase in severe disease and deaths, however. There were an additional eight patients in critical condition, bringing the city’s total to 43, and eight new serious infec tions, for a total of 30, reported on Sunday. Three people died. Woo Ying-ming, commis sioner of the city’s Independent Commission Against Corruption, was among those to test positive, the agency said in a statement on Sunday.

Kim Yo Jong, the increasingly powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, described Yoon’s proposal as foolish and stressed that the North has no intentions to barter away an arsenal her brother apparently sees as his strongest guarantee of survival.Sheharshly criticized Yoon for continuing military exercises with the US and also for Seoul’s failure to stop South Korean civilian activists from flying antiPyongyang propaganda leaflets and other “dirty waste” across the border by balloon. She also ridiculed US-South Korean capabilities for monitoring the North’s missile activity, insisting Seoul wrongly identified the launch location of the North’s latest missile tests last Wednesday, hours before Yoon at a news conference urged Pyongyang to return to diplomacy. Kim Yo Jong earlier this month warned of “deadly” retaliation against South Korea over a recent North Korean Covid-19 outbreak, which Pyongyang dubiously claims was caused by leaflets and other objects floated by southern activists. There are concerns that the threat portends a provocation which might include a nuclear or missile test or even border skirmishes, and that the North may try to raise tensions sometime around the allied drills. In an interview with Associated Press Television last month, Choe Jin, deputy director of a think tank run by North Korea’s Foreign Ministry, said the United States and South Korea would face “unprecedented” security challenges if they don’t drop their hostile military pressure campaign against North Korea, including joint military drills. Last week’s launches of two suspected cruise missiles extended a record pace in North Korean missile testing in 2022, which has involved more than 30 ballistic launches, including the country’s first demonstrations of intercontinental ballistic missiles in nearly five years. North Korea’s heighted testing activity underscores its dual intent to advance its arsenal and force the United States to accept the idea of the North as a nuclear power so it can negotiate economic and security concessions from a position of strength, experts say. Kim Jong Un could up the ante soon as there are indications that the North is preparing to conduct its first nuclear test since September 2017, when it claimed to have developed a thermonuclear weapon to fit on its ICBMs.

Section 377A of the Penal Code was introduced under British colonial rule in the 1930s. British rule over the island ended in 1963 when Singapore became a state of Malaysia. It became independent two years later but retained the Penal Code, which made sex between men punishable by up to two years in jail. Since 2007, when Parliament last debated whether to repeal Section 377A, its position was to keep the law but not enforce it. But gay men say the law hangs over their heads and discriminates against them.

PHOTO/AHN

Now, in a surprising twist in the decades-long effort to eradicate the virus, authorities in Jerusa lem, New York and London have discovered evidence that polio is spreading there. The original source of the virus? The oral vaccine itself. Scientists have long known about this extremely rare phe nomenon. That is why some coun tries have switched to other polio vaccines. But these incidental infections from the oral formula are becoming more glaring as the world inches closer to eradication of the disease and the number of polio cases caused by the wild, or naturally circulating, virus plummets.Since2017, there have been 396 cases of polio caused by the wild vi rus, versus more than 2,600 linked to the oral vaccine, according to figures from the World Health Or ganization and its partners. “We are basically replacing the wild virus with the virus in the vaccine, which is now leading to new outbreaks,” said Scott Barrett, a Columbia University professor who has studied polio eradication. “I would assume that countries like the U.K. and the US will be able to stop transmission quite quickly, but we also thought that about monkeypox.”Thelatest incidents represent the first time in several years that vaccine-connected polio virus has turned up in rich countries. Earlier this year, officials in Israel detected polio in an unvac cinated 3-year-old, who suffered paralysis. Several other children, nearly all of them unvaccinated, were found to have the virus but no Insymptoms.June,British authorities re ported finding evidence in sew age that the virus was spreading, though no infections in people were identified. Last week, the government said all children in London ages 1 to 9 would be of fered a booster shot. In the US, an unvaccinated young adult suffered paralysis in his legs after being infected with polio, New York officials revealed last month. The virus has also shown up in New York sewers, suggesting it is spreading. But officials said they are not plan ning a booster campaign because they believe the state’s high vac cination rate should offer enough protection.Genetic analyses showed that the viruses in the three countries were all “vaccine-derived,” mean ing that they were mutated ver sions of a virus that originated in the oral vaccine. The oral vaccine at issue has been used since 1988 because it is cheap, easy to administer—two drops are put directly into chil dren’s mouths—and better at pro tecting entire populations where polio is spreading. It contains a weakened form of the live virus. But it can also cause polio in about two to four children per 2 million doses. (Four doses are re quired to be fully immunized.) In extremely rare cases, the weak ened virus can also sometimes mutate into a more dangerous form and spark outbreaks, especially in places with poor sanitation and low vaccination levels. These outbreaks typically begin when people who are vaccinated shed live virus from the vaccine in their feces. From there, the virus can spread within the community and, over time, turn into a form that can paralyze people and start newManyepidemics.countries that eliminated polio switched to injectable vac cines containing a killed virus de cades ago to avoid such risks; the

Thousands of activists annually stage a rally in the city-state known as the “Pink Dot” in support of the LGBTQ community. Lee said he hopes the government’s move will help reconcile and accommodate both the concerns of conservative religious groups and the desires of gay Singaporeans to be respected and accepted. “All groups should exercise restraint, because that is the only way we can move forward as a nation together,” he said. “I hope the new balance will enable Singapore to remain a tolerant and inclusive society for many years to come.” One of Lee’s nephews, Li Huanwu, is gay. The son of Lee’s estranged younger brother Lee Hsien Yang married his partner in South Africa in 2019. Li Huanwu has attended Pink Dot events with his partner and parents.

Cheng

By Maria AP Medical Writer

AlMoST everybody thinks that the reopening of face-to-face classes in the Philippines, although still limited, will lead to chaos, given the millions of students trooping back to learning institutions.

I do not totally disagree with this observation. One can imagine the huge traffic that the partial reopening of classes will create—but this is a sign of normalcy and a healthy development both for the mental health of our children and the economy in general.Students going back to school and getting in touch with their classmates again are a big relief to the parents. They can now re-channel their energy to more productive activities, knowing that teachers can responsibly educate their children. Many parents, especially mothers, can re-join the labor sector and contribute their share to the growing economy.Limited face-to-face classes started yesterday after more than two years of virtual learning. Schoolrelated activities prior to the reopening of classes as a result have noticeably perked up. Traffic was a little heavy last week, while shopping malls and bookstores became the hub of parents and their children who were set to attend classes. Students were obviously excited about the development. One can hear of stories about students going to the tailor shops to buy or fit their uniforms, and schoolgirls and schoolboys purchasing a new pair of shoes. Or parents haggling with operators of private school buses that will fetch their children from home to school and back. Our transportation authorities are facing the challenge of the new normal. The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board committed to open more than 100 “modified” routes starting yesterday to address the need for more buses and vehicles for the resumption of face-to-face classes. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, meanwhile, predicted the volume of vehicles along Edsa could balloon to 436,000 with the limited opening of face-to-face classes. MMDA Task Force Special Operations chief Bong Nebrija last week was quoted as saying his group would deploy 581 personnel on roads leading to and near public schools. About 146 public schools in Metro Manila resumed face-to-face classes yesterday.Theresumption of in-person classes, although limited for now until November, will clearly boost the Philippine economy. As I have been saying in my previous columns, the resumption of in-person classes will have a trickle-down effect on the economy because about 40 percent of the Philippine population is of school age. I just want to reiterate the economic benefits of reopening our school system. Opening all the nation’s 60,743 schools for in-person learning will increase economic activity by P12 billion a week, according to an earlier estimate of the National Economic and Development Authority.Moreover, schools are economic hubs. They create services like transportation and board and lodging for students who come from the provinces. Schools give rise to food stalls and carts—mostly operated by small entrepreneurs—and add to the incomes of sari-sari stores, book outlets and other commercial establishments.Theexpenditures of students, who by now are receiving allowances from their parents, will support the operations of shopping malls and fast-food outlets, which on several occasions have laid off workers or resorted to a skeleton staff during the height of the pandemic. My column a few months back has stressed the impact of school activities on the economy. For one, the neighborly kindergarten schools in their own little way will boost economic activities. And so are the drivers of thousands of ubiquitous and yellow-colored school buses that fetch children from their homes to schools and vice versa. All told, and as the Neda estimated, the absence of schools or face-to-face classes and the services generated around them had cost the economy P22 trillion in the past two years. Equally worrisome are the “lost” years of physical learning and the psychological impact on children. Students have lost touch with their classmates, which may limit their personal, behavioral and social development. Much of the learning and development in school comes from interaction with other students. I am, thus, in full support of the decision of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to go ahead with the full resumption of face-to-face classes by November this year. It is an encouraging step to full normalcy.

Sugar shortage can curb economic growth

Sari-sari store and carinderia owners appealed to the government to ease the sugar shortage, which is now threatening their livelihood. In the past few weeks, they have already noticed the dwindling delivery of stocks of beverages, particularly soft drinks. “What used to be about P1,500 sales in soft drinks has become only P600 in the past few days as there is nothing to sell because there is no delivery of stocks,” Philippine Association of Stores and Carinderia Owners members told the BusinessMirror on Thursday. They said this is equivalent to a decline of almost 75 percent in sales (Read, “Sugar shortage hits sari-sari stores and carinderias,” in the BusinessMirror, August 19, 2022). Our economic managers know the urgency of boosting sugar supply to stabilize prices. If the price of sugar continues to soar, it will help worsen the country’s inflation woes and “a lot of employment will be affected.” If soft drinks production goes down, billions of pesos in government revenues will be lost. Arranza said “sales of fast-moving consumer goods have been growing at a rate of 8 percent to 12 percent.” Without sufficient sugar stocks to support the production requirements of manufacturers, to support the requirements of carbonated soft drink producers and the confectionery industry, to meet the needs of banana cue and kamote cue vendors, the Philippine economy will suffer.

For comments, send e-mail to mbv_secretariat@vistaland.com.ph or visit www.mannyvillar. com.ph See “Mangun,”

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THE EnTrEprEnEurMannyB.Villar h eR e in the Philippines, there is as much attention on China as there is on the US, a fundamental shift in the past decades.

Welcome to the post-Covid world. Someday, maybe, we will learn all the truth about the pandemic. But in the meantime, China may be the biggest loser from its own ‘Zero-Covid’ lockdowns, and those in the West. My column item a few months back has stressed the impact of school activities on the economy. For one, the neighborly kindergarten schools in their own little way will boost economic activities. And so are the drivers of thousands of ubiquitous and yellow-colored school buses that fetch children from their homes to schools and vice versa. All told, and as the Neda estimated, the absence of schools or face-to-face classes and the services generated around them had cost the economy P22 trillion in the past two years.

www.news.businessmirror@gmail.com

OuTSIDE THE BOX John Mangun

BusinessMirror columnist Dr. Jesus Lim Arranza said in his column on Monday—Win-win-win solutions to the Philippine sugar crisis—that the country’s annual average domestic consumption of sugar had reached about 2.3 million MT to 2.5 million MT, citing reports from USDA. He said this “leaves a shortfall of approximately 600,000 MT given the estimated production figures. Sales of fast-moving consumer goods have been growing postCovid lockdown, at a rate of 8 percent to 12 percent. This necessarily implies requiring the same growth rates in terms of raw material input. This means 2023 will likely see a GDP growth of around 8 percent—which will lead to an even larger sugar deficit next year.” Arranza said the current sugar crisis is not only the result of recent weather disturbances and the skyrocketing prices of fertilizers and other farm inputs. Low Philippine sugar production, he explained, is also the result of many plantations being transformed into housing subdivisions, malls and buildings. Arranza said: “I have heard that some carbonated soft drink producers have been forced to reduce operations by at least 30 percent to 40 percent. Worse, shutdowns are feared if sugar supply does not stabilize. The confectionery industry and other support industries are also bracing themselves for the bitter aftertaste of a worsening sugar crisis.”

editorial T he good news: President Marcos has appointed three new members of the Sugar Regulatory Board, allowing it to resume issuing new orders. The bad news: The country’s low sugar productivity remains an issue due to various factors, including extreme weather events that damaged crops and sugar refineries, and after high fertilizer prices reduced yields.

Tuesday, August 23, 2022 • Editor: Angel R. Calso Opinion BusinessMirrorA10

During a seminar on the economy I gave for the Philippine military in 1994, one retired general asked my thoughts on China. That year the gross domestic product per capita for China was $1,384. By contrast ours was $1,675. In 2021, the respective numbers are $11,188 and $3,412. Fidel Ramos was president and trying to recover from the last years of the Marcos administration and the post-Edsa Aquino presidency. China’s leader was Jiang Zemin, and that nation was beginning to benefit from post-Tiananmen economic reforms and was seeing a consistent growth trajectory. I said then that it would be at least several if not many years before China would catch up to the Philippines as foreign investment was coming in strongly. However, I underestimated China because Jiang had two secret weapons. The first might be that until today, Jiang remains the only paramount leader of China known to speak English. Foreign investors like government leaders who can speak the global lingua franca. By 1998, China had overtaken the Philippines. The second weapon was Zhu Rongji who implemented Jiang’s doctrine of the “socialist market economy” and transition to a market economy with vigorous macroeconomic control measures and tight monetary policy. Zhu funded massive infrastructure projects and had previously as mayor created Shanghai’s Pudong New Area Special Economic Zone. By 2002, FDI in China was growing by 20 percent annually. It also helped that both Hong Kong and later Macau was returned to Chinese control. But it is 2022, and China is no longer the roaring dragon that it once was. One of Zhu’s first acts was to clean up the Chinese banking system that was drowning in bad loans. China has many creative ways to hide bad debt, including the Local

The Marcos administration’s economic team has expressed concern that the country’s sugar crisis could hurt the poor even more. In a recent EJAP forum sponsored by San Miguel Corp., Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said the sugar situation is a matter that needs the economic team’s attention, as it will impact local producers and food manufacturers (Read, “Economic team: Sugar mess to weigh on poor,” BusinessMirror, August 17, 2022). Balisacan said local prices of both raw and refined sugar have been rising “quite fast” at over 5 percent a month since the beginning of the year. “That would have an impact not just on our local producers but also on our food manufacturers, our SMEs, banana cue and kamote cue vendors. So there is a lot of employment that will be affected by soaring prices,” he said. What is needed right now, Balisacan said, is for the government to sit down with industry players and planters to ensure sufficient supply and prevent any further spikes in prices. Efforts to also “put producers to task” is also needed considering that the rise in prices were mostly supply-driven.

The Sugar Regulatory Administration previously projected that raw sugar production for 2022 would reach 2.1 million metric tons. But due to the factors mentioned earlier, the country is seen missing its 2022 sugar production target. Total sugar production for the year is projected at 1.7 million MT.

Reopening of schools a boon to the economy

Will China fail?

The presidency is the hardest and most complex job in the world. That’s why the President needs competent and expert help to manage the difficult affairs of government. While he wields tremendous powers, any excessive use or abuse of the same can be checked by Congress and the Judiciary in the exercise of the principle of checks-and-balances and the system of separation of powers. For instance, an opposition Congress can thwart the President’s legislative agenda or reject his appointments, and a vigilant Judiciary can check executive actions and policies that are deemed unlawful and unconstitutional.

SACRAMENTO, California—As wildfires rage across California each year, exhausted firefighters call for reinforcements from wherever they can get them—even as far as Australia.Yetonehomegrown resource is rarely used: thousands of experienced firefighters who earned their chops in prison. Two state programs designed to get more former inmate firefighters hired professionally have barely made a dent, according to an Associated Press review, with one $30 million effort netting jobs for just over 100 firefighters, little more than one-third of the inmates enrolled. Clad in distinctive orange uniforms, inmate crews protect multimillion-dollar homes for a few dollars a day by cutting brush and trees with chainsaws and scraping the earth to create barriers they hope will stop flames. Once freed from prison, however, the former inmates have trouble getting hired professionally because of their criminal records, despite a firstin-the-nation, 18-month-old law designed to ease their way and a 4-yearold training program that cost taxpayers at least $180,000 per graduate. “It’s absolutely an untapped pool of talent,” said Genevieve Rimer, who works with former inmates trying to clear their records. “Thousands of people are coming back from California’s fire camps annually. They have already been trained. They have a desire to go and put their lives on the line in order to ensure public safety.”

Government Financing Vehicles (LGFVs). Even the National Audit Office (equivalent to Commission on Audit) found “Some local government officials had ‘incorrect views’ about their political achievements and used excessive borrowing to boost their performance.”OneLGFVtechnique they might have learned from Enron was borrowing money from each other in a rather creative circular Ponzi scheme. Lu Ting, chief China economist at Nomura, estimates that local government hidden debt is $7 trillion, equivalent to 44 percent of China’s GDP. The Ministry of Finance said in 2018 all hidden debt must be repaid within five to 10 years. In February 2022, Guangdong province declared: “We cannot tell you how, but we cleaned up all of our hidden debt. Trust us.” I added the last part. Welcome to the post-Covid world. Someday, maybe, we will learn all the truth about the pandemic. But in the meantime, China may be the biggest loser from its own ‘Zero-Covid’ lockdowns, and those in the West. Since the first of August, data has been released not least of which is “Residential Property Sales YTD YoY,” which was down 31 percent. “Industrial Production” YoY up 3.8 percent versus a 5 percent forecast. ‘Retail Sales YoY’ was supposed to grow by 5.7 percent but came in only 2.7 percent higher. The lifeblood of every economy—Fixed Asset Investment—was expected to grow by 6.5 percent but managed only a 5.7 percentNowincrease.comes “Apple is in talks to make Apple Watches and MacBooks in Vietnam for the first time, as the US tech giant looks to diversify production away from China. Apple suppliers have started test production in northern Vietnam.”

California is hardly alone in needing seasoned smoke eaters, but the nation’s most populous state faces different challenges than other more sparsely settled Western regions. A wildfire that nearly leveled the Sierra Nevada foothills town of Paradise nearly four years ago, for instance, was the nation’s deadliest wildfire in nearly a century, killing 85 people. The US Forest Service is short about 1,200 firefighters, 500 of them in California, and the Interior Department is down about 450 firefighters, 150 of them in California, said two of the state’s top elected officials, US Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla, in a recent letter to Biden administrationOtherofficials.Western states are grappling with the issue. Nevada is considering a program like Arizona’s “Phoenix Crew,” which started in 2017 and provides mostly former inmate firefighters a pipeline to firefighting jobs. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the California legislation in 2020, allowing former inmates to seek to withdraw guilty pleas or overturn convictions. A judge can then dismiss the charges. Former inmates convicted of murder, kidnapping, arson, escape and sex offenses are excluded. Since the law took effect, the nonprofit Forestry & Fire Recruitment Program, started by two former inmate firefighters, has worked with the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles to help former inmates clear their records and getYethired.they have only been able to file 34 petitions, and just 12 had records expunged during what the program warns “can be a long and drawn out process.”Ashleigh Dennis is one of at least three attorneys filing expungement petitions through the Oakland-based advocacy group Root & Rebound. She has similarly been able to file just 23 requests, with 14 granted. Among other hurdles, applicants must show a judge evidence they have been rehabilitated, and the expungement only applies to crimes they were incarcerated for while working in firefighting crews. Many people have unrelated convictions that must be separately expunged. It’s been a learning curve to educate judges about the law and get the corrections department to speed up certifying to the court that inmates have served as firefighters, said Dennis and one of her clients, Phi Le. He petitioned the court in October and his record was expunged in January. Da’Ton Harris Jr.’s record was finally cleared in August, about 18 months after starting the process.

The recent debacle surrounding the unauthorized approval to import 300,000 metric tons of sugar has exposed the vulnerability of the President to the abuses of his subordinates. While the President is endowed with enormous powers, the challenges that confront the President are overwhelming. The executive branch of government, which the President heads, has tremendously expanded over the years. The number of executive departments has greatly increased with the creation of new cabinet portfolios.

Tuesday, August 23, 2022 Opinion A11BusinessMirrorwww.news.businessmirror@gmail.com

Chief Executive of a private corporation. The cabinet members may be his alter egos but they are totally under the control of the President. All the President’s men that he appointed should be loyal to the President. They are installed to their position to work for the President, not to promote their own ends to serve their personal political interest. Needless to mention, every decision or government policy of significant import to our country and people should be decided at Malacañang or with the approval and knowledge of the President. The cabinet can vet them and make recommendations to the President but should not decide for the President. Otherwise, the latter will appear weak and a mere figurehead before his own people. A weak President will not command the respect and attention of his constituents. He will be a pushover and will be disrespected by his own cabinet. Afraid that his President husband would not be noticed when US President James Polk would enter a room, Mrs. Sarah Polk, the First Lady, ordered the Marine Band to play “Hail to the Chief” every time the President showed up for a big official function.

While exports continue to grow, so do imports. Despite clear evidence of weak economic growth, China is not launching a huge stimulus program like it did after the 2008 FinancialFinally,Crisis.with China lowering, not raising rates versus the US, the yuan looks like it is ready for a breakout to the down side after having been in free-fall for all of 2022, currently down 7.5 percent. Good for the US; bad for China. 2022 is not over yet. E-mail me at mangun@gmail.com. Follow me on Twitter @mangunonmarkets. PSE stock-market information and technical analysis provided by AAA Southeast Equities Inc.

The author is a senior partner of Du-Baladad and Associates Law Offices, a member-firm of WTS Global.The article is for general information only and is not intended, nor should be construed as a substitute for tax, legal or financial advice on any specific matter. Applicability of this article to any actual or particular tax or legal issue should be supported therefore by a professional study or advice. If you have any comments or questions concerning the article, you may e-mail the author at irwin.c.nideajr@ bdblaw.com.ph or call 8403-2001 local 330.

Western fires outpace California effort to fill inmate crews

There are no complications if everything is in black and white. Blurred lines exist even in tax, unfortunately. This is more evident when taxpayers are left in quandary of what remedy to take to protect their rights.

Before, when a taxpayer receives a warrant of distraint and levy after it files its protest to a Final Assessment Notice (FAN), it is deemed to have received a decision of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) that is appealable to the Court of Tax Appeals. But the Supreme Court (SC) recently ruled in the LRT Case (GR 231238), that a WDL will only be considered a decision by the BIR that is appealable to the CTA when the taxpayer did not file an administrative appeal to the Commissioner of Internal Revenue. In other words, when a WDL is received by a taxpayer while an administrative appeal on the tax assessment is pending with the CIR, the taxpayer cannot file an appeal to the CTA that questions the validity of the assessment. If that is the case, what should a taxpayer do when it receives a WDL while the administrative appeal is pending with the CIR? According to the SC, the 30-day period for filing a petition for review to the CTA cannot be reckoned from a taxpayer’s receipt of any of the following issuances: the Preliminary Collection Letter, the Final Notice Before Seizure, the Warrant of Distraint and/or Levy. According to the SC, when an administrative appeal is pending with the CIR, all of these are not final decisions on the appeal to theTheseCIR.collection letters remain tentative given the pendency of the taxpayer’s appeal with the CIR. Also, if there is a pending administrative appeal, all of these are issued on the premise that “delinquent taxes” exist, which according to the SC is an incorrect premise. The SC emphasized that if the assessment is still pending appeal with the CIR when a WDL is issued, it means that the same emanated from a non-demandable assessment. As such, the WDL is void and should be of no force and effect. If a taxpayer files an appeal of an assessment to the CIR, he must wait for the decision of the CIR on his appeal before he can go to the CTA. What if the Regional office of the BIR issues a WDL while an administrative is pending with the CIR, what is the remedy of the taxpayer? The SC ruled that the warrant of distraint is a non-demandable assessment. It is void. So, the taxpayer must wait for the decision of the CIR before he can question the validity of the assessment.Whatifthe Regional office pursue collection despite the administrative appeal that is pending before the CTA? What is the taxpayer’s remedy? It seems that he must still go to the CTA to question the validity of the WDL. But this time, the taxpayer will not be questioning the validity of the assessment, but the propriety of the collection process. What bothers me though is that the SC, in the LRT Case, is saying that the taxpayer must wait for the Decision of the CIR before going to the CTA since the taxpayer has filed an administrative appeal. But in this case, the SC considered the letter of the Regional Director that denies the administrative appeal as the decision of the CIR. Does it mean that the Regional Director can decide for the CIR in an administrative appeal? It defies logic since it would mean that the Regional Director is allowed to review his own decision that is on appeal not to his office but to the office of the CIR. It is a welcome development that the SC clarified that issuance of WDL while an appeal is still pending with the CIR is void. This will hopefully deter the BIR from collecting assessments that are still disputed and are not yet final and executory. But whether the Regional Director can decide for the CIR in an administrative appeal is questionable. Should a taxpayer consider the decision of the Regional Director in an administrative appeal as the decision of the Commissioner that is appealable to the CTA? This is not clear in the LRT Case and I am afraid that this leaves taxpayers vulnerable. I am a fool to believe that everything can be black and white. I must realize that there will always be shades of grey.

The awesome tasks of the presidency

While tapping the services of technocrats and public servants with proven track record to assist the President in his gargantuan job is commendable, the President himself must possess the basic qualities and virtues that would make him an effective leader. He must have wisdom and prudence to make the right decisions. They may be unpopular but he must have the courage to stand and fight for them. This would require an independent mind unbeholden to any party with vested interest or hidden agenda. He must have passion and commitment to pursue his vision and program of government. Most of all, he must be a person of integrity and accountability. He values honor and truth and accepts responsibility when he is at fault. He despises corruption and demagogues in government. ThePresident’s veto of a couple of bills enacted by Congress showed his independence, and his nullification of the resolution adopted by the Sugar Regulatory Administration and the censure of the officials behind it demonstrated his decisiveness to prevent a government irregularity. However, its investigation should continue and be pursued to its logical conclusion. ThePresident may be surrounded by worthy members of the cabinet like Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Neda Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, BSP Governor Felipe Medalla, DTI Secretary Alfredo Pascual, and others, but he cannot leave everything to his cabinet and completely rely on them for decision and action. They may recommend, but the final decision on critical issues should rest on him. Our President practically grew up in Malacañang and is thoroughly familiar with the exercise of power. And most importantly, he should learn from the lessons of the first Marcos administration. Our President should keep in mind and remember that “without making mistakes, there won’t be lessons learned. Without getting hurt there won’t be knowledge gained. The only way to grow is by learning from the past.” We all want the President to prosper because we’re all winners if he succeeds.

WDL based on incorrect premise

Mangun. . . Continued from A10

The President’s veto of a couple of bills enacted by Congress showed his independence, and his nullification of the resolution adopted by the Sugar Regulatory Administration and the censure of the officials behind it demonstrated his decisiveness to prevent a government irregularity.

Currently, there are now more than two-dozen executive departments, not to mention the other agencies and several minor offices under the Office of the President. The most recent executive department formed is the Department of Migrant Workers headed by Secretary Toots Ople. And Congress is still contemplating to create a Department of Disaster Resilience to address the perennial problems resulting from the occurrence of calamities. Under our Constitution, the “President shall have control of all the executive departments, bureaus, and offices.” No question that the office is overburdened and whoever occupies the Office of the President needsThehelp. President wields awesome powers to discharge the functions of his office. Unlike in other forms of government where there is a president who merely exercises ceremonial power and a prime minister who wields real power, our presidential form of government clothes our President with the combined powers of the two. The Philippine President fits what American historian Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. described as the “imperial presidency.” In the words of Supreme Court Justice Irene Cortes in Marcos v. Manglapus (177 SCRA 668), “... the powers of the President cannot be said to be limited only to the specific powers enumerated in the Constitution. In other words, executive power is more than the sum of specific powers so enumerated.”

What then are the specific powers given to the President under the Constitution? Article VII, Executive Department of the 1987 Constitution, specifies the powers of the President. The late SC Justice and foremost constitutionalist Isagani A. Cruz enumerates them as follows: the appointing power, the removal power, the control power, the “take-care” power, the military power, the pardoning power, the borrowing power, the diplomatic power, the budgetary power, the informing power and others. His powers are vast and limited only by laws and the Constitution. For instance, appointments of certain officials of the government may require the confirmation of the Commission on Appointments. Likewise, other officials, although appointed by the President like the members of the SC and the constitutional commissions and the Ombudsman, may only be removed by impeachment pursuant to Article XI of the Constitution. Under the “take-care” clause, the President takes care that all laws are faithfully implemented until and unless they are declared unconstitutional. One of his extraordinary powers is that “the President is the Commander-In-Chief of all armed forces of the Philippines and whenever it becomes necessary, he may call out such armed forces to prevent or suppress lawless violence, invasion or rebellion.” ThePresident cannot just delegate his duties and transfer powers to his subordinates unlike the

“I’m out here, a public servant, risking my life every day to try and better my community,” said Harris. “I don’t think it was a smooth transaction at Despiteall.”his record, Harris obtained firefighting jobs with the US Forest Service, the state’s firefighting agency Cal Fire, and the Forestry & Fire Recruitment Program. But like Le, his advancement was limited because his criminal record made him ineligible for an Emergency Medical Technician certification, an obstacle that disappeared with the expungement. Outside of temporary federal and state firefighting agency jobs, most fire departments require applicants to be licensed EMTs—a certification the state bans certain felons from obtaining because the job comes with access to narcotics and sharpRimer,objects.theForestry & Fire Recruitment Program’s director of supportive services, said California should automatically expunge records of eligible former inmates, much as it does for those convicted of antiquated marijuana crimes. And it should include their entire criminal record, she said. “I think it spearheaded opportunity for people, but I don’t think it’s good enough,” she said of the expungementThelaw.law’s author, Assembly Majority Leader Eloise Reyes, a Democrat from San Bernardino, has been struggling ever since to learn how many former inmates it has helped. She said many former inmates have contacted her office to praise “the life-changing impact of the legislation.” Gabe Stern contributed to this story from Reno, Nevada. Stern is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

By Don Thompson

TAx LAw For buSinESS Atty. irwin C. nidea Jr.

The Associated Press

TELLTALESMannyF.Dooc

A t a press briefing, PAO Chief Per sida Rueda-Acosta said CHED Memo randum Order No. 01 Series of 2022 issued March 18, 2022 and CHED and Department of Health (DOH) Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) N0. 2021 are “illegal” and “unconstitu tional” and should be immediately revoked. CHED Memorandum Order No. 01 Series of 2022 supplemented CHEDDOH JMC No. 2021 in connection with the guidelines on the conduct of face-to-face classes for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). T he CHED-DOH memorandum provides that: “Only vaccinated stu dents of HEIs located in areas under Alert Level 1, 2, and 3 shall be allowed to join limited face-to face classes.”

PAO urges CHED: Void

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573 T HE Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) on Monday called on the Commission on Higher Educa tion (CHED) to recall its memoranda allowing colleges and universities to impose a “no vaccination, no enrol ment policy” or bars students who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated against Covid-19 from attending face-to-face classes.

employees while a third resorted to work from home arrangements in order to continue operating in 2020. P SA said 48.3 percent of firms reduced work hours; 36.6 percent adopted work from home arrange ments; and 16.9 percent laid off workers.Around 16.1 percent of firms also stopped their operations but continued compensating workers; while 13.9 percent stopped their operations and the compensation for their Aroundemployees.72.5percent of estab lishments stated that their business operations were affected by quar antines and lockdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic,” PSA said. As of June 2020, seven out of eleven (64.1 percent) establish ments cited that their sales position had decreased as compared to June 2019 while almost half (48.3 per cent) had adopted reduced working hours on their business operations,” it also said.

PSA data show school bans vs PLANS

T he data also showed that some 12 percent of firms delayed the payment of their taxes while 10.3 percent sought loans from family members and friends. P SA said 4.8 percent sought loans from non-bank financial in stitutions; 4.3 percent secured loans from the government; 2.6 percent obtained loans from informal lend ers; and 0.9 percent loaned funds from digital financing platforms. Meanwhile, nearly half of firms also reduced working hours of their

Andrea E. San Juan “The House of the People will effectively respond to the needs of the people, and we will do our best to address the continued impact of the health crisis, create more jobs and ensure food security,” Romual dezRadded.omualdez, along with House leaders Majority Leader Manuel Jose “Mannix” Dalipe, Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan, House Committee on Appropriations chairman Rep. Zaldy Co and his senior vice chairperson, Rep. Stella Luz A. Quimbo, received the budget document from the DBM. “And as the highest ever spend ing proposal ever to reach the halls of Congress, we will make sure that each bit of spending will contrib ute to our goal of reigniting the fires of our economic forges and at least propel the country to reach economic growth at pre-pandemic levels,” Romualdez said.

T he survey aimed to assess the impact of recovery measures adopt ed by establishments to counter the effects of COVID-19 pandemic; the effects of the lockdowns; sources of funds; and recovery plans.

T he business organization underscored the long-term role of the EDSA busway in helping cater to the demands of the high volume of commuters, adding that it will complement the MRT3, the railway located along EDSA that stretches from North Avenue to TaftTheAvenue. upgrade will complete the EDSA busway, a work-inprogress, scale up its capacity and raise it to the level of global standards to optimize the sys tem to achieve its full potential as a cost-effective, efficient, high-capacity, urban mass pub lic transport system commen surate to the high-commuter density of EDSA, and, as well, to ensure long-term sustain ability to ably serve its role as the complementary mass trans port to the MRT3,” said MAP in a statement on Monday. To improve commuter con venience and comfort, the busi ness organization suggested the augmentation of vehicles in the EDSA Carousel, MRT3, LRT2, LRT1 and PNR Commuter lines when conditions in their respec tive stations allow.

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario NEARLY half of business establishments delayed their payments to suppliers, and a third turned to advanced payments from customers in order to cope during the pandemic, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

O ther business actions identi fied w Were to lay-off workers and to reduce employees’ wages/salaries at 25.4 percent and 23.5 percent, consecutively. The least measure was to apply for bankruptcy at 0.4 percent.Thedata was based on the Pro ductivity Improvement Program and Gainsharing Practices (PIPGP) which is a rider module from the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC).

October 1 target Romualdez said the House leader ship is eyeing to finish committee and plenary deliberations on the budget proposal before October 1, or before the 19th Congress goes on its first recess that will last up to November 6. “ We will perform our constitu tional mandate to scrutinize next year’s national budget,” he said. R omualdez said the Commit tee on Appropriations will “hit the ground running” and start budget deliberations at the committee level on August 26. He is optimistic that the House can scrutinize, deliberate and pass a general appropriations bill before deadline. The passage of the 2023 na tional budget will be transparent. This will be a product of the entire House of Representatives where the majority will listen to the concerns of our friends from the minority bloc. In a manner of speaking, this will be a ‘Unity National Budget’ because we plan to get the widest consensus on our spending plan,” the Speaker said.

Dalipe said the House created 3 teams—composed of Deputy Majority Leaders and Assistant Majority Leaders—for the plenary deliberations on the budget. “ We are also closely coordinat ing with the committee on appro priations in order to facilitate our members who would want to fully discuss the budget. Of course, we only have one thing to do and that is to pass this budget, the General Ap propriations Bill. If there is any law that is required for us to act on and that is the General Appropriations Bill. We have prepared for this, we have arranged the teams and we will not be remiss in our job to properly scrutinize the budget,” he said.

Budget utilization Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker Ralph Recto said when it comes to pub lic spending, the problem is not in budget authorization, or when Congress approves the budget, but in budget execution, when agencies spend the budget given to them.

FOR PRIVATIZED BUSWAY

T he data showed 45.7 percent of firms resorted to delayed pay ments to suppliers; 33.1 percent requested for early payments from customers; and 24.5 percent availed themselves of loans from banks. “ Four out of nine (44.5 per cent) of establishments reported that they have different sources of funds to continue their operations/ stay liquid during the pandemic in 2020,” PSA said.

T HE Management Asso ciation of the Philippines (MAP) has submitted to the Department of Transporta tion (DOTr) its recommendation for the agency to prioritize the to tal system upgrade and privatiza tion of the EDSA busway and bus service on the “Carousel Line.” I n a letter jointly signed by MAP President Rogelio Singson and MAP Infrastructure Com mittee Chair Eduardo H. Yap, the business organization laid out its recommendations to the Transportation department. M AP urged the DOTr to con sider the privatization of the EDSA busway and bus service, and urban commuter rail sys tems, consisting of the MRT3, LRT2 and PNR Commuter lines, under the so-called hybrid mode. Under the hybrid mode, the government provides the infra structure and its improvements. A private concessionaire will operate the service and maintain the facili ties under an operate and mainte nance (O&M) concession.

A costa said she wrote CHED chair person Prospero “Popoy” De Vera III last week asking him to withdraw the memoranda and instead adopt the policy of the Department of Education (DepEd), headed by Vice President Sara Duterte, allowing all students, vaccinated or not against Covid-19, to attend face-to-face classes. Shesaid De Vera has yet to respond to her plea which she made on behalf of students and parents who sought PAO’s assistance to look into the ille gal and discriminatory policies being implemented by Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) on the basis of the CHED memoranda. The said letter was an action tak en by PAO in response to the requests for legal assistance from a number of parents and students who are about to enroll, are enrolling, and are cur rently in their third, fourth, or fifth year in their studies at certain Higher Education Institutions (HEIs),” the chief public defendant said.

How did PHL business cope in pandemic?

T he PSA data also showed that 38.3 percent of the establishments in 2020 have undertaken various measures as part of their busi ness action plan to attain recovery from the pandemic in the next six months.Thebusiness actions being con sidered by 46.5 percent of firms included requesting from the gov ernment for delayed payments on taxes, SSS contributions, etc.

“ There should be no repeat of last year’s budget utilization rate, when P784.8 billion remained un disbursed by end of the year, on top of P88.8 billion in unreleased appropriations,” he said. R ecto said COA reports on pro curement fiascos and huge unob ligated amounts are a continuing indictment of the failure to obligate funds promptly and properly. The budget is supposed to be spent for the right purpose, at the right time, by the right agency, for the right price,” he added. “ That failure betrays the public because the tax-budget dynamic is that taxes paid by the people with out disputing must be spent for projects that would benefit them without delay,” he said. Deputy Speaker Isidro Ungab as sured that Congress will now buckle down to work upon receiving the pro posed P5.268 trillion budget of the national government from the Office of the President, through the Depart ment of Budget and Management. With Congress having the pow er of the purse, you can expect that we will diligently scrutinize the submitted budget and pass one that will be responsive and dynamic,” Ungab said.

A12 Tuesday, August 23, 2022

Proactive...

O n the other hand, CHED Memo randum Order No. 01 Series of 2022 mandates HEIs to allow “only fully vaccinated teaching, non-teaching personnel and students in the prem ises while unvaccinated or partially vaccinated students shall continue under flexible learning modalities.”

unvaxxed students MAP SENDS DOTR

Continued from A2 UK-AWARDED NURSE May Parsons, the Filipina Thomasian nurse who administered the first Covid-19 vaccination in the world and recipient of the George Cross Award from Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles during an audience at Windsor Castle in July 2022, receives a special prayer from UST Rev. Fr. Louie Coronel (left), UST Secretary General and Rev. Fr. Julius Factora, Regent of the College of Nursing, during a homecoming event at the UST on Monday. Parsons obtained her Nursing degree from the UST in 2000 and worked at the UST Hospital from 2000 to 2003. She joined the National Health Service (NHS) and has been with the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire, NHS Trust, in the United Kingdom since 2003. BERNARD TESTA

These students, with their par ents, called and wrote the PAO to seek help, regarding their fate of ever starting or finishing their courses, considering their Covid-19 vaccina tion status. The concerned students include those who are not fully vac cinated with any Covid-19 vaccine (with incomplete vaccination or no booster shots, and those who are not at all vaccinated for varied valid reasons, such as, health concerns (those with history of severe allergic reactions to vaccines, immunocom promised, etc.) and unavailability of vaccines,” she added.

A costa told De Vera that the mem oranda should be recalled as these violate Section I, Article XIV of the Constitution which mandates the government “to protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels” and to take all the necessary steps “to make such education accessible to all.” T he memoranda, according to Acosta, violate Section 1, Article III of the Constitution that provides: “No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due pro cess of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of the laws.” As such, all students should be treated equally, without distinction, especially when there is really no sci entific basis in distinguishing and segregating them from each other, to the effect of actually depriving one calls or kind (i.e. students under the HEIs – Colleges and Universities) of their human right to education,” the PAO chief said. To deprive these students of their basic human right, tramples upon their dignity as human persons, es pecially that in a few months or years, these students can already join the workforce into becoming economi cally independent, and already be of help to their households and the country’s progress, in general, should they finish their chosen courses, promptly and appropriately,” she added. Acosta added that the memoranda violate Republic Act No. 11525 or the Covid-19 Vaccination Program Act which provides that “the vaccination cards shall not be considered as an additional mandatory requirement for education, employment and other similar government transaction pur poses.” Acosta said she is hoping that De Vera would voluntarily withdraw the memoranda to prevent facing legal action from PAO.

MPIC weighs construction of ₧90-B Cebu-Bohol link

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

Companies B1Tuesday, August 23, 2022

“The second quarter’s positive EB i T Da is a clear signal that the company is on its track in realizing net profitability for 2022 assuming there are no further operational restrictions for the rest of the year,” said LRWC President and CEO a n dy Tsui. Overall, the performance is in line with the company’s expectation that its financial position together with the subsidiaries continue to be on solid ground, it said.Forthe a p ril to June quarter alone, it managed to contain its loss to P33.38 million from last year’s P230.32 million. Revenues for the quarter tripled to P1.69 billion from last year’s P483.49 million. g r oss gaming revenues rose 89 percent to P2.62 billion in the first half from last year’s P1.38 billion as its retail, bingo games and electronic games more than doubled.Withthe lifting of quarantine measures and majority of the population going out, LRWC said it expects a continuous revenue growth especially from its retail segment, the company said. LRWC’s units include a B Leisure Exponent i n c., which provides amusement and recreation to the public in traditional, electronic, pulltabs and rapid bingo games. a s of end-2021, it owns some 132 bingo parlors. The company also owns Total g a mezone Xtreme i n c., which is the assignee and purchaser of the assets, rights and interests of Digiwave Solutions i n c., which in turn is the operator and licensee of e g a mes stations of the Philippine a m usement and g a ming Corp. VG Cabuag

Stardust is a Singapore-based metaverse platform that aims to connect creators in the entertainment world to a global audience and creator community. Content in this upcoming virtual space will range from film and games to music and the arts.

Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) is P90billion connect Cordova, Cebu to Bohol. S. Marasigan

T HE i n tellectual Property Office of the Philippines ( i P OPHL), through its Bureau of Copyright and Related Rights (BCRR), has signed a memorandum of understanding ( m O U) with metaverse platform Stardust Digital Private Ltd. to help local creators create content in virtual worlds.

bridge that will

BusinessMirror

LRWC loss narrows in Jan-June Smart deploys more 5G base stations people on the planet will be subscribed to 5 g “ We encourage our subscribers to experience 5 g like m s n a dela who has shifted and is very happy with our 5 g service. PLDT and Smart continue to invest in expanding our 5 g network to make it more accessible, boosting the country’s digital transformation,” he said. Lorenz

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

“There are so many talented creators here and forward-looking organizations that understand the myriad of possibilities that Web3 presents. We look forward to many exciting collaborations with partners in the Philippines such as i P OPHL, which is among the first government agencies in the Philippines to include the metaverse universe in its radar,” said g i n Kai Chan, CEO of UnderStardust.themOU, i P OPHL and Stardust agree to collaborate and promote the development, protection, commercialization and internationalization of original Philippine-registered i P products and services and creative content through the Stardust metaverse. The signing event in July also served as a soft launch for Stardust which eyes to run in full swing by end-2022. The event paved the way for several partnerships to be sealed among Creative Content Creators a s sociation of the Philippines, g a me Developers a s sociation of the Philippines, a n imation Producer Lawrence Panganiban, Stardust’s Southeast Region Head and i P Ecologist m a goo Del m u ndo, Taktyl Studios, Overmind, Thirty Six-0, Robosheep and SeedCore i n c. The event saw the announcement of n e o m a nila and Cebu Entertainment City—virtual cities that will be built in Stardust. Five companies inked contracts to set up offices in n e o m a nila.

‘Profound trust in Kuok family’ O R i gina L Ly operated as a Holiday i n n, then as Traders Hotel in 1995, the 308-room hotel was rebranded as Hotel Jen m a nila in December 2014, to cater to a “new JE n e ration of independent business travelers.” Traders was a brand established by the Shangri-La g r oup in 1989 for its midrange, business hotel category. During the signing of the contract to extend Shangri-La’s management of the then Traders Hotel in December 2012, Benedicto-Paulino said, “We selected Shangri-La to manage this property because of our profound trust in the Kuok family (owner of the Shangri-La group) before the hotel transpired…. Our company believes in the Shangri-La vision of hospitality from a caring family. more than a business partnership, it is the close familial bond with the Shangri-La group through the years that made us continue with this relationship in the next two decades and hopefully beyond.” That contract signing was to have extended for an additional 20 years Shangri-La’s management of the hotel starting January 1, 2015. Honoring reservations ’til August 31 mE a n W HiLE , JEn manila said it will “continue to operate, and honor reservations made up to and including 31 august 2022, after which it will cease operations.” it added, “Every effort is being made to support all affected colleagues through this transition, including the provision of a fair compensation package and extension of healthcare insurance coverage until 31 December 2022.”

Another Shangri-La hotel in PHL closes IPOPHL, metaverse platform forge MOU

The hotel management expressed gratitude to its guests, partners, and colleagues, “for their unwavering support over the past 27 years, particularly during the challenging pandemic years.” it said it will continue to offer its “trademark a sian hospitality” to guests at its four other properties in the country: Edsa Shangri-La manila in mandaluyong, Shangri-La The Fort in Bonifacio global City in Taguig, Shangri-La mactan in Cebu, and Shangri-La Boracay. The hotel firm temporarily closed its ma kati property on February 1, 2021, owing to poor revenues due to the global pandemic travel restrictions (See, “Another Covid victim: Makati Shang closes doors in February,” in the BusinessMirror January 20, 2021).

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo @akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror JEn ma nila by Shangri-La will close its doors effective September 1, 2022. This, despite a 20-year hotel management contract between the property owner, new Riviera Hotel Development Corp., with the Shangri-La international Hotel management Ltd., which was supposed to end in 2035. in a news statement, the hotel along Roxas Blvd. in Pasay City said the “permanent closure” was decided by new Riviera “as part of their redevelopment plans for the property.” new Riviera is owned by the heirs of former sugar baron, diplomat, and Ferdinand E. marcos Sr. crony, Roberto S. Benedicto. The company was chaired by former TV producer and director Kitchie Benedicto-Paulino, the elder Benedicto’s daughter, until her death in august 2021. Sources in the hotel industry said the closure was “not expected. [The employees] were also caught by surprise.” The hotel was known as a profit center for the Shangri-La group, and operated as a quarantine hotel during the pandemic. it has been consistently receiving high marks among guests on Tripadvisor. new Riviera officials could not be reached as of press time.

studying the possibility of building a

S ma R T Communications i n c. has rolled out 2,500 additional 5 g base stations across the country to further promote 5 g adoption and enhance customer experience. i n a statement, Smart said the additional 5 g base stations beefs up the telco’s capacity to accommodate the connectivity requirements of consumers in several areas in Luzon, Visayas, and m i Withndanao.thenew stations deployed, Smart now has 7,300 5 g base stations in the following areas: m e tro m a nila, Tarlac City; Silang in Cavite; Cabuyao, Lumban and Santa Rosa in Laguna; i l oilo City and Dumangas in i l oilo; the cities of Bacolod and Sagay in n eg ros Occidental; the cities of Cebu, Lapu-Lapu, and m a ndaue in Cebu; Baybay, Ormoc and Palo in Leyte. i t also has 5 g connectivity in the cities of Pagadian and Zamboanga in Zamboanga del Sur; Cagayan de Oro City; Butuan City in a g usan del n o rte; and the cities of Digos and Davao in Davao del Sur, among others. Citing an Ericsson m o bility Report, PLDT Head of Technology m a rio g Tamayo his group is bullish about the prospects of 5 g given that it is expected by the end of 2023, about 1 billion m a nuel V. Pangilinan, the company’s chair, said Cebu g o vernor g w endolyn g a rcia has “asked us to look at building a bridge from Cordoba to Bohol,” but hinted that the project might be too expensive.“That a P90-billion project. The key there is really financing of it because it’s a very big project for us,” Pangilinan said. “ i think we have to find out first how we’re going to finance it. There is some chance that financing could be raised for the feasibility study.” m e tro Pacific Tollways Corp. ( m P TC) President Rodrigo E. Franco noted that his office will be looking at how to make it commercially viable for the group. “Viability is the issue because the project cost is high. Were looking for ways to make that viable. i f there are ways in the financing side to make it viable we will look at it,” he said. Both Pangilinan and Franco could not provide more details.

Photo by NoNoy Lacza G aming firm Leisure and Resorts World Corp. (LRWC) said its loss narrowed to P257.1 million in the first half from last year’s P358.32 million.Revenues for the first half, meanwhile, grew 90 percent to P2.62 billion from last year’s P1.38 billion, mostly as a result of its performance in the second quarter.Thecompany said it already had a positive earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EB i T Da ) to P105 million in the second quarter from last year’s P90-million loss due to the resumption of majority of its site operations and the launching of its own technology platform.

m P TC built Cebu’s third bridge called the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX), its first bridge expressway in the Visayas region. m P i C reported that its core net income rose 24 percent to P7.5 billion in the first half from last year’s P6 billion. The company said its constituent companies delivered a 15-percent increase in contribution from operations, mainly driven by a strong recovery in road traffic and growth in power consumption as more industries ramped up operating capacity. Power accounted for P5.9 billion or 60 percent of net operating income, toll roads contributed P2.5 billion or 26 percent, water contributed P1.4 billion or 15 percent and the other businesses, mainly real estate, hospitals, fuel storage and light rail, incurred a net loss of P35 million. Revenues rose 25 percent to P243.3 billion from last year’s P194.7 billion. This, however, excludes m a nila Electric Co.’s passthrough revenues. Light Rail m a nila Corp., which operates the 20-station LRT Line 1, reported a core net loss of P329 million due to the start of the amortization of concession assets and borrowing costs. Reported net income attributable to the parent reached P9.5 billion, lower by 9 percent from the previous year when the company reported a gain from the sale of g l obal Business Power and Don m u ang Tollways.

HEALTH SUPER APP Photo shows (from left to right) Head of Corporate Strategy and Development of AC Health RJ Recio; 917 Ventures’ Managing Director Vince Yamat, KonsultaMD CEO Cholo Tagaysay, President and CEO of AC Health Paolo Borromeo and Salud Interactiva Principal and Co- Founder Jorge Woolf during the signing of an agreement to conslidate the Philippines’s three market-leading digital health apps, at the Globe Tower in Taguig City. The KonsultaMD super app--a consolidation of KonsultaMD, HealthNow and APPPPS Partners Inc. (AIDE)--will be launched in the ﬁrst quarter of 2023. It is packed with ﬁrst-in-the-market features on end-to-end patient care that’s set to change the country’s healthcare landscape. The consolidation will integrate the three applications into one super app, bringing together KonsultaMD’s expertise in ondemand consultations, HealthNow’s strength in medicine delivery, storage of medical records, and implementation of vaccination and other health programs, and AIDE’s mastery of providing health services in the home.

“The metaverse allows our artists and creatives to have more control over the promotion, utilization, commercialization and monetization of their intellectual property creations in a manner that has not been observed before,” BCRR Director Emerson g C uyo“Sosaid.whether we look at the metaverse as an extension of the real world or a totally new digital universe, it stands to benefit the Philippine creative industry as the Philippines has always been recognized for the innate creativity and talent of its people.”

In a research note published on Monday, Fitch Solutions—the research arm of Fitch Group—said they are revising their end-of-year

“During this time, the nank also partnered with various industry leaders for its learning, engagement and wellness initiatives,” the bank’s statement read. SBC said RBI also recognized both the bank and SBFI for its CSR programs that have contributed to the growth of communities outside Metro Manila. In recent years, the bank and SBFI have launched various programs that focus on improving the health and wellness of Filipinos, as well as building ties with the community it serves. “As we work towards becoming the most-customer centric bank in the Philippines, we will continue to invest in our clients and in what they value the most. Alongside this, we will continue to nurture our people and the communities we serve,” SBC President and CEO Sanjiv Vohra was quoted in the statement as saying. “This RBI award and recognition re-affirms our commitment to be better and to provide Filipinos with BetterBanking service.”

DUE to reliance on digital banking during the height of the pandemic, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said the number of Filipinos that own a financial-transaction account hit a record high in 2021. The Central Bank reported on Monday that more than half of the country’s adult population now owns a financial account. In particular, account ownership surged to 56 percent in 2021, up from 29 percent in 2019. “This increase is the highest twoyear growth since the [Financial Inclusion] survey (FIS) began in 2015. The expansion was spurred by the Covid-19 pandemic, accelerating the use of digital payments,” the BSP said in aBrokenstatement.down, the rise of account ownership was attributed to the uptake of e-money accounts, which climbed to 36 percent in 2021 from 8 percent in 2019. This became the most common type of account among adults in the middle class and low-income population, as well as with those aged 15 years old to 49 years old. The share of adults with a bank account also rose, almost doubling to 23 percent in 2021 from 12 percent in 2019. Banks remained the preferred formal institution for saving money by a third of those with savings, followed by co-operatives and microfinance institutions.Alsoaccording to the FIS, six out of 10 Filipinos altered their financial behavior during the pandemic. In particular, 37 percent of Filipinos started saving more for emergencies, 17 percent began or increased their usage of online banking and digital payment, and 15 percent borrowedThemore.FISalso showed that of those with mobile phones and internet access in 2021, 60 percent performed financial transactions online, such as fund transfers and payments, which is a considerable jump from 17 percent in 2019.

While we acknowledge the recent decline in oil prices, they remain elevated relative to 2021 levels,” Fitch SolutionsDespitesaid.slower growth of the country in the second quarter of the year, the think tank said they believe that the Philippines’s economic resilience will also provide more room for the central bank to normalize its monetary policy. Fitch Solutions expects the economy to grow 6.6 percent on average for“While2022. we expect growth will likely slow in the second half of 2022 as a result of rising economic headwinds stemming from a softening global economic outlook, tightening monetary conditions, and elevated energy prices, the 2022 economic performance would still be stronger than the 5.6 percent recorded in 2021,” Fitch Solutions said. In their August 18 meeting, BSP Governor Felipe M. Medalla said the BSP currently does not have the data yet to make an effective guidance at this“Ipoint.wishI could tell you ‘this is the last increase.’ I wish I could tell you that even if this is not the last increase, the next one will be the last,” Medalla has said. “But the data and information that is needed to be able to say that is not available at theThemoment.”BSPisexpected to have their next scheduled monetary policy review on September 22.

Inflation to prompt more rate hikes–Fitch

BSP EYES SECRECY LAW

Banking&Finance

This photo courtesy of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas shows Governor Felipe M. Medalla (left) explaining that the central bank is looking into proposed amendments to the Bank Secrecy Law that will allow for a thorough examination of bank accounts with suspicious financial transactions. In a recent meeting of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines in Makati City, Medalla said that the amendments being reviewed will strengthen BSP’s capacity to protect depositors from losses due to fraud and other unlawful activities. With the Governor in the photo are GlobalSource Partners’ Philippines Country Analyst Romeo Bernardo (left) and GT Capital Holdings Inc. Independent Director Consuelo Garcia (right). Photo courtesy of the Bangko sentral ng PiliP nas

Bloomberg News

The 182-day T-bills fetched an average rate of 3.336 percent, higher than the benchmark secondary market rate of 3.06 percent. Meanwhile, the 91-day T-bills capped at an average rate of 2.07 percent, slightly up from the benchmark secondary market rate pegged at 2.053 percent. The 364-day T-bills’ average rate stood at 3.782 percent, exceeding the comparable secondary market rate of 3.765 percent. The auction was more than twice oversubscribed, with total bids reaching P30.8 billion.

THE publishing unit of United Kingdom-based business intelligence firm GlobalData Plc has recognized Security Bank Corp. (SBC) for having the “Best Advance in Managing a Remote Workforce” and “Best CSR Initiative-Contribution to the Local ACommunity.”statementby SBC said the awards were handed out by finance journal title Retail Banker International (RBI), a unit of GlobalData, at the 2022 RBI Asia Trailblazer Awards.

“Amid the latest figures, the BSP will continue to broaden its efforts to foster the wider adoption of digital technology, which has effectively enabled the onboarding of more Filipinos into the formal financial system,” BSP Governor Felipe M. Medalla said. Bianca Cuaresma

THE resurgent dollar is threatening to snuff out the nascent rally in the yen, just as speculators had given up on betting against the Japanese currency. The greenback jumped almost 3 percent against the yen last week, helped by a spike in Treasury yields as traders readied for hawkish Federal Reserve commentary at their upcoming Jackson Hole symposium. The strength was broad based as the US currency surged against all Groupof-10 peers, but it has put dollar-yen back on track for a push toward the closely-watched 140 level.

By Bianca Cuaresma @BcuaresmaBM

Fitch Solutions Inc. said more rate hikes are in the cards for the country this year, even after the back-to-back rate hikes by monetary authorities in July and August. monetary policy forecast from 4.25 percent to 4.5 percent. The central bank’s benchmark rate is currently at 3.75 percent, after the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) unleashed a 75-basis point off-cycle rate hike in July and another 50-basis point increase in their scheduled August meeting last week.

Renewed strength in the greenback comes just as currency traders were leaning toward the view that the worst of this year’s losses for the yen were behind it. The currency had been pummeled by a widening USJapan interest-rate gap, soaring oil prices and a weakening of its haven status but mounted a recovery from mid-July as hedge funds covered short positions.Leveraged investors have slashed their net-bearish yen wagers to the least since March 2021, according to the latest data from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. While further strength in the greenback could reignite what had been one of the hottest macro trades of the year, for now yen watchers see any retreat as temporary. But a push past 140 per dollar would renew pressure on the Bank of Japan over its super-easy monetary policy and on the government to intervene. “The dollar-yen may approach the year-high 139.39 as markets price in a hawkish Powell speech,” wrote Masafumi Yamamoto, chief currency strategist at Mizuho Securities in Tokyo, in a note Monday. “But given that the dollar appears to be rising faster in light of US yields, the pair may also be prone to fall after his speech as markets have factored in theDollar-yenhawkishness.”traded around 136.90 in Europe on Monday, down slightly on the day as investors took a pause from last week’s rally. Fed Chair Jerome Powell is expected to reiterate the central bank’s resolve to keep raising rates to contain inflation in his speech Friday, snuffing out speculation for a rate cut next year. “The dollar may be supported leading up to Jackson Hole on expectations for a hawkish Fed with the range for dollar-yen seen between 134 and 139,” said Shinsuke Kajita, chief strategist at Resona Holdings in Tokyo. “But the pair may become top-heavy as the dollar’s appreciation also has a risk-aversion element which could be reflected in yen strength.”

BusinessMirror Editor: Dennis D. Estopace • Tuesday, August 23, 2022 B3www.news.businessmirror@gmail.com

The lender said RBI also feted SBC and its corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm, Security Bank Foundation Inc. (SBFI) “for helping local communities adapt and recover from“We’reCovid-19.”honored to be recognized by Retail Banker International for our efforts in ensuring the safety of our employees at the height of the Covid-19 lockdowns,”

Senior Vice-President Nerissa Gloria C. Berba was quoted in the statement as saying. “This is testament to our passion for our people as we work towards becoming an employer of choice in the Philippines.”Thelender said that at the height of the lockdowns in 2020, it “immediately enabled employees to work remotely, equipping them with the tools needed to work productively, while keeping operations safe and secure.”

“Looking ahead, a combination of strong economic growth and an elevated inflationary backdrop will prompt the BSP to remain hawkish in our view,” Fitch Solutions said. The research firm also said they are maintaining their inflation forecast for the country at 5.6 percent average by the end of the year, a tad bit more pessimistic than the 5.4 percent latest forecast of the Central“AgainstBank.the backdrop of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and adverse weather conditions in several foodproducing countries in the region, energy and food prices will continue to be a significant source of upward price pressure in the Philippines.

FINANCIAL-information services provider

PROFIT is a major driver for entrepreneurs, traders and investors. Entrepreneurs earn when revenues are higher than expenses. Traders gain when securities are sold at a higher price. Investors aim to get a positive return over time. One cannot travel the road to profitability without acknowledging its headwinds and roadblocks otherwise known as risks. When risks try to spook us entrepreneurs and traders, how low are we willing to go? My sister bought a pharmacy franchise in 2018. All in all, she had invested P800,000 for this business. Though the rent expense was minimal, much of her capital was for inventory and for the salary of a licensed pharmacist. To be sustainable, the projection was for the pharmacy to earn at least P1,000 per day. Because the pharmacy was new in the area, income for the first few months was good. Half a year later, things started to change. In most days, the quota was no longer met. More cash was injected to keep the business afloat. The pharmacy continued for three more months until, eventually, the net negative cash flow was too much and the business closed. A “Stop-Loss” strategy could have mitigated such loss. The Investopedia website describes this as a strategy to limit potential losses if the price moves against the intended strategy. Much like signposts that warn us to slow down or take a detour, this notifies us to exit our position on a security or in our interests on a Whilebusiness.the concept of stop-loss applies to all, its execution varies for each person. Each of us has a different risk-reward tolerance. If you want to earn more, you need to risk more. Some people can take a high degree of risk; some could not. A risk profile questionnaire can give us an idea of our risk appetite. We can either be conservative, moderate or aggressive. We would never know unless we take this test. Next is to quantify your stop-loss. This can be 5 percent, 10 percent or 20 percent of your investment, depending on your risk tolerance. The more aggressive you are, the more open you are to potential losses. Note that a 5 percent stop loss is relative to the principal amount. The margin for potential loss is smaller for a P100,000 investment versus a P1millionAnotherinvestment.factor to consider is volatility. Forex, cryptocurrency and certain commodities are more volatile than stocks. As an effect of volatility, prices fluctuate more and, thus, a sudden steep drop may trigger your stop loss faster. Years ago, hype caused me to buy a certain IPO with the objective of selling it when the price appreciates. Having excess cash at the time made me execute this at a heartbeat. Without a definite stop-loss strategy, I lost nearly half of my money. I did not know what to do with the other half I was able to pull out. After executing a stop loss, have a contingency plan. For traders, you may want to buy shares of a company in another sector or another country. For conservative entrepreneurs, you may want to park your cash in a digital bank or money market fund as you revise your business strategy or ponder on your next Creditorsventure.canalso benefit from having a stop-loss strategy. While it is true that creditors can increase the risk premium when the repayment period is longer and the loanable amount is bigger, there is not much to do when the debtor defaults. Recall when friends or relatives borrow cash from you. Should you find merit on their request, you lend them money. In some instance, the same person borrows again, even if the first loan is not yet fully paid. As a close friend or relative, how can you turn them down? Many creditors find it hard to quantify how much is enough. Financial planners say that a creditor must only lend money he or she can afford to lose. Check excess cash that you can afford to lend, but do not exhaust all of it. The loanable amount must not trigger your stop-loss amount. Should the same or another person attempts to borrow from you, deny the request as your stop loss has already been Maximizereached.yourprofits and minimize losses—that is the end goal. A stop-loss strategy is a helpful tool to achieve this. Let’s go for stop loss. Marion Evangelista, RFP CTEP CTA is a registered financial planner of RFP Philippines. To learn more about personal-financial planning, attend the 97th RFP program in August 2022. To inquire, e-mail info@rfp.ph or text at 0917-6248110.

Yen’s weakness returns ahead of Jackson Hole with 140 back in play personal finance Marion evangelista

BTr raises ₧12B from sale of T-bills amid high rates

Go for stop loss Rise in e-money use boosts financial-account ownership

UK zine honors Security Bank for CSR, HR policy

By Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM NATIONAL Treasurer Rosalia V. De Leon said the recent 50-basis-point (bps) policy rate hike by monetary authorities last week prompted rates across all tenors of the Treasury Bills (T-bills) auctioned last Monday to rise. The Bureau of the Treasury raised P12 billion out of its P15-billion offering as it fully awarded 182-day T-bills and partially awarded the 91day and 364-day securities.

Meanwhile, the Treasury announced it cancelled auctions for Treasury bonds and replacing it with the sale of at least P30 billion in 5.5year Retail Treasury Bonds (RTBs). De Leon expressed optimism that “stars are aligned” for the RTB auction today, August 23, despite the recent policy rate hike by the Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). Last Thursday, the BSP chose the more aggressive path to monetary policy tightening, as it unleashed a fresh 50-basis-point hike in its main benchmark rates. In March last year, the Treasury raised a total of P457.8 billion from its sale of 5-year RTBs. Generally considered low-risk investment instruments, RTBs allow investors to earn a fixed interest based on prevailing market rates that are paid quarterly during the term of theThisbond.year, the government is set to borrow a total of P2.21 trillion, of which 75 percent will be sourced locally while the remaining 25 percent will come from foreign sources.

“The 2022 edition of the awards received a record number of entries across the Asian continent representing the best-in-class consumer finance and retail banking companies,” the statement quoted RBI as saying. “Among the key takeaways from the awards submissions in 2022 has been the quality of submissions RBI has received, resulting in the awardgiving institution recognizing over 50 banks this year.” SBC said the journal recognized the lender “for its successful efforts to rapidly transition to a remote workforce setup due to the Covid-19 pandemic.”

n The Integrated Performing Arts Guild (IPAG), a trailblazer in the establishment of an active theater in the Southern Philippines. Its productions are built from local creative expressions in dance, music, literature, the visual arts, and indigenous lore. n Nestor Horfilla, a major force in the propagation of cultural work as part of development work in the regions. He pioneered the establishment of the firstever Mindanao Community Theater Network in the 1980s along with development and social worker Karl Gaspar, which organized hundreds of community and church-based cultural organizations in the regions.

BusinessMirror

B4 Art Tuesday, August 23, 2022 • Editor:

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Pay more attention to how you present yourself. Don’t let problems at home or work infiltrate into how well you do overall. Address the pros and cons in your life, and adjust what isn’t working for you. A pick-me-up is overdue. HH TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Refuse to let what others do confuse you. Don’t be a follower when taking the path that suits you best is where you belong. Put your energy into physically getting things done instead of laboring over what others pursue.

HHHH GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Rely on your intellect to maneuver your way through networking and meetings. Take care of personal business that can influence your reputation or financial position. Gather information and strategize. HHH CANCER (June 21-July 22): Double-check information before you overreact. Emotions will spin out of control if you act prematurely. Concentrate more on self-improvement and less on trying to change others. Put your energy into freeing up cash and living within your means. HHH LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Doors will open if you are persistent. Do your homework and push a foolproof plan. Don’t lose sight of what’s doable, regardless of what others propose. Stick to what makes the most sense and will bring the highest returns.

By Eugenia Last CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Jeremy Lin, 34; Scott Caan, 46; Aaron Douglas, 51; Shelley Long, 73. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Take nothing for granted and control your anger. Pour your energy into gathering facts, searching for answers and completing whatever mission you decide to pursue. Take pleasure in what and who puts a smile on your face and helps you maintain balance, integrity and hope. Choose the life you want and make it happen. Your numbers are 7, 12, 22, 24, 33, 39, 45.

HHHH LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Go over every detail thoroughly before verbalizing your thoughts or signing a deal. Refuse to let your emotions interfere with your decisions or influence how you deal with peers, superiors and work-related protocol.

BIRTHDAY BABY: You are persistent, intense and eager. You are dedicated and original.

HoroscopeToday’s

n Cristina Turalba, an advocate of heritage conservation and part of several heritagerelated activities of the United Architects of the Philippines. She implemented the NCCA-UAP Documentation of Philippine Heritage Structures and Cultural Sites. Architect Turalba was one of the first Filipino female architects, and a pioneer in the field of architecture. n ‘Liwayway,’ a Filipino magazine established in the Philippines in 1922 that published significant works of known writers and poets, as well as the works of National Artists. At the same time, Liwayway brought Filipino literature to the masses and helped gain an appreciation for homegrown writers.

HHH CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You’ll find information that helps you make an informed decision regarding investments, contracts or health issues. Open a conversation with an expert and clear up any misconceptions about what you want, and you’ll feel at ease about what’s to come. HHH AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Act fast, but don’t lose sight of the truth, how you feel and how you can protect yourself from anyone trying to railroad you into something that isn’t in your best interest. Take better care of your health and emotional well-being. HHH PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Use your imagination, and you’ll devise a plan that attracts support from someone offering something rare. Avoid a disagreement with a peer, friend or relative. Take control and avoid disappointment. HHHHH

Don’t hesitate to step into a leadership position.

ACROSS 1 Collision sound 4 Sauvignon ___ (white wine) 9 Outset, slangily 14 Monster within “armor-clad” 15 Home that’s always cold 16 Exit sign symbol 17 Knee tissue, for short 18 Assignment to pick up a laundry detergent? 20 Part of a devil’s head 22 Rink surface 23 QBs’ successes 24 Workday-ending performance? 29 Zealous 30 Eye part, or something over an eye 31 Half of bi32 Home for cubs 33 Self-referential 34 One born in the early 2010s, in 2022 36 Initial untruths? 38 Move in together, with “up” 40 George of CSI 41 Drink from a bowl of hot ramen 44 ___ system (GPS) 45 The Lion King lioness 46 Maniacal Melville mariner 47 Gown for a presidential ceremony? 51 ___ and downs 52 Make after taxes 53 Stops waiting around 54 Product for carpet stains, and a theme hint 59 Spoke connector 61 Contradict 62 Delete 63 Australia’s unofficial national bird 64 Walk like a giant 65 Polite fellows 66 “Indubitably!” DOWN 1 Squeezing snake 2 Record holder? 3 “Romantic” alias in “Superbad” 4 Definitive rejection 5 Queens airport code 6 Mahershala of True Detective 7 Prefix for “binary” 8 Stand-up people 9 Neon and xenon 10 Trauma centers: Abbr. 11 Interval of three whole steps, in music 12 Ginnifer of Once Upon a Time 13 Possesses 19 “Eww” 21 Like a literary herring 24 It’s hot until it’s not 25 Judge’s assistant 26 “Why don’t we!” 27 Killing it 28 Shades of color 33 Word before “drop” or “check” 34 Powerful kind of wave 35 Name hidden in “narrow escape” 36 Broad kind of bean 37 Syllables repeated while plugging one’s ears 38 Bit of a conversation 39 Chewbacca’s co-pilot 41 Trans person’s pronoun pair, perhaps 42 “That’s my guess” 43 POV network 45 Component of pumpkin spice 46 Lob trajectory 48 General Assembly figure, for short 49 “Aw, shucks!” 50 Takes a risk 51 Some PC ports 55 Actor Curry 56 Rock to assay 57 Moving vehicle? 58 Winter setting in NYC 60 City tour vehicle ‘commercial-free’ BY TAYLOR JOHNSON AND DYLAN MERRILL The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg Solution to today’s puzzle: AMONG the 2020 Gawad CCP Para sa Sining Awardees are Dr. Alice Froilan.CatalinoTuralba,architectGuillermoGuerrero-(fromleft),CristinaandRafael“Nonoy” After delay, conferment of 2020 Gawad CCP Para sa Sining awardees set next week

FOLLOWING years of pandemic-induced delay, the Conferment Ceremonies for the distinguished recipients of the Gawad CCP Para sa Sining in 2020 will be held on September 2, 6 pm, at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo, or the CCP Main Theater. Twelve individuals, a performing group and a publication are set to receive the triannual award considered the highest bestowed by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). The Gawad CCP Para sa Sining is awarded to artists or groups of artists who have consistently produced outstanding works and enriched the development of their art form. The award is also given to cultural workers who, through their works in research, curatorship and administration, have helped to develop and enrich Philippine art. Meanwhile, the Tanging Parangal is handed to individuals or organizations to honor their outstanding contributions to the development of the arts in the country.

n Kenneth Cobonpue, an internationally acclaimed industrial designer who made his mark with his signature designs in natural fibers and materials. His unique furniture pieces are found in private homes and public establishments all over the world, and the recognition given him by the international design community has put Philippine modern design on the map of the world.

HHH VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Understanding and compassion will help you envision the results you want to achieve. Use the power of speech, not brawn, to help you enforce what you want.

H: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes. HH: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others. HHH: Focus and you’ll reach your goals. HHHH: Aim high; start new projects. HHHHH: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

HH SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Mull over what’s important to you and make arrangements that will fit into your schedule. Don’t put yourself in a position of danger. Taking a health risk or participating in competitions that can lead to injury are discouraged.

n Felix “Nonon” Padilla, one of the most original, accomplished and influential figures in contemporary Philippine theater. With a career spanning more than 50 years, he is both a theater artist and a visual artist. He founded the Tanghalang Pilipino’s Actors Company that became the breeding ground of Filipino theatrical talents that now dominate Philippine theater.

The 2020 Gawad CCP Para sa Sining awardees, named in July 2020, are as follows. (Bio notes courtesy of The CCP): n Rafael Catalino “Nonoy” Froilan, one of the country’s most talented and prolific dancers/ choreographers. A pioneer of Ballet Philippines, he is known as the Philippines’ beloved Premiere Danseur, partnering with the leading ballerinas of his time and best remembered for his leading roles in groundbreaking dance productions, such as Songs of a Wayfarer and Song of Adarna by Norman Walker, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, among others.

n Antonio L. Fabella, one of the country’s most talented and prolific choreographers. His works contributed to the development of Philippine dance. He popularized the medium of classical and contemporary ballet, fusing them to evolve a distinct form and style. n Dr. Alice Guerrero-Guillermo, a giant in the field of art criticism and art history. She was conferred The CCP Centennial Honor for the Arts in 1999 in recognition of her remarkable contributions to Philippine Art Criticism with a distinctly nationalist perspective. Among her legacies are her multiple books and essays on art history, art criticism and cultural studies that served as the foundation for Art Studies in the Philippines. n Danilo Dolor, the recipient of the Tanging Parangal for the development and support of the arts, is known to be a patron of Philippine culture and arts. He founded The Tribung Pilipino Foundation in 1978, which has shown more than 400 concerts that focus on promoting, preserving, and disseminating traditional Filipino music. Last year, the CCP launched the Gawad CCP Para sa Sining Folio, the official publication of the award. The folio was released in printed and digital formats, featuring citations, essays, photos and notable works of the recipients of the 2020 Gawad CCP Para sa Sining for their outstanding achievements and contributions to Philippine arts and culture. n Gerard S. Ramos www.businessmirror.com.ph

n Raul M. Sunico, an outstanding Filipino pianist, arranger, composer and teacher. He is an advocate of Philippine music, preserving it for the enjoyment of future generations through his large discography that encompasses around 50 compact discs recordings, including his piano transcriptions of Filipino folk songs and kundimans, original compositions, and more.

n Luis “Junyee” Yee Jr., who a sizeable body of work that established the trend in indigenous materials. His work assembles, binds, or weaves together into various shapes organic materials such as dried pods, twisted roots, banana pulp, coconut shells, twigs, and coconut fiber. n Lualhati Bautista, one of the foremost Filipino female novelists in the history of contemporary Philippine literature. Her major works include books, such as Dekada ‘70, Bata, Bata, Pa’no Ka Ginawa?, ‘GAPÔ, Desaparesidos, Bulaklak sa City Jail, Hinugot sa Tadyang, and Sonata n Clodualdo “Doy” del Mundo Jr., the legendary screenwriter of films that have become classic gems of Philippine cinema, namely Maynila...Sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag, Kisapmata, Itim, Batch ‘81, ‘Merika, Mulanay, and Bayaning 3rd World.

HHHHH SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Ask questions, address confusing issues and look at every angle before making a decision. Dedicate more time to research and setting guidelines that will help you avoid making mistakes. Put your money and personal paperwork in a safe place.

‘Dragon Ball Super’ bests ‘Beast’ at box office with $20.1M

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos • Tuesday, August 23, 2022 B5 Show BusinessMirrorwww.businessmirror.com.ph

The lawsuit, filed a year later, alleged that the surgeon, Dr. Ali Khoynezhad, used a “high risk and unconventional surgical approach” that was unnecessary and that he lacked the experience to perform, and that he downplayed the procedure’s risks. The misguided treatment caused Paxton to suffer excessive bleeding, cardiogenic shock and a compromised coronary artery, the suit alleged, and said that Cedars-Sinai knew that Khoynezhad, tended to “engage in maverick surgeries and show suboptimal judgment.”Thedefendants said in court documents that Paxton and his family knew and understood the risks involved in the procedure, and voluntarily went on with the surgery. The defendants’ said there was no negligence that led to his death. The four-year legal battle was marked by frequent attempts by the Paxton family to extract more discovery evidence from the hospital, and frequent court hearings over the issue. Paxton, who was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas, was among the industry’s busiest actors from the early 1980s until his death, amassing nearly 100 credits, including Twister and Weird Science. He was starring in the CBS drama series Training Day when he died.

Well-earned respect for Rio Locsin

THE family of the late actor Bill Paxton has agreed to settle a wrongful death lawsuit against a Los Angeles hospital and the surgeon who performed his heart surgery shortly before he died in 2017, according to a court filing on Friday. The suit, filed against Cedars-Sinai Medical Center more than four years ago, had been scheduled to go to trial next month. But attorneys for Paxton’s wife of 30 years, Louise, and their two children, James and Lydia, filed a notice in Los Angeles Superior Court that they had agreed to settle the case.

ASK anyone involved in films and television who has worked with Rio Loscin, and one gets a horde of superlatives as reply—how pleasant and professional she is, how consistently focused and prepared when she reports for work on the set. Many will tell you that aside from being an amazing actor, she is also very kind and sincerely nice, too. It has been more than 40 years since Locsin first graced the big screen with her alluring and luminous presence. Film aficionados hold her in high esteem for her unforgettable performances in movies, such as Disgrasyada, Manila by Night, Kambal sa Uma, Ina Kapatid Anak (where she held up well with the late great actresses Lolita Rodirguez and Charito Solis), Haplos,

“It’s not that there’s not going to be any movies, there’s just not going to be a $100 million blockbuster for a while,” Dergarabedian said. “But in the interim, there’s going to be a lot of cool movies, like Don’t Worry Darling [September 23].” n

Elba also has another film opening in theaters next weekend—George Miller’s fantasy epic Three Thousand Years of Longing Sony’s Bullet Train, meanwhile, landed in third place after two weekends at No. 1 with an estimated $8 million, bringing its domestic total to $68.9 million. Paramount’s Top Gun: Maverick placed fourth in its 13th weekend in theaters with an additional $5.9 million. Top Gun has made over $683 million in North America to date, which was was enough to overtake Avengers: Infinity War as the sixth highest grossing domestic release of all time. “DC League of Super-Pets” rounded out the top Paramountfive.also released Orphan: First Kill on Paramount+ and in 498 locations this weekend. The Esther origin story made an estimated $1.7 million fromThetheaters.weekend overall saw about $77 million in North American ticket sales—up over 168 percent from the same weekend last year—bringing the year to date to $5.2 billion, according to comScore. But the summer movie season continues a wind down that may last deep into the fall.

According to PostTrak, the Dragon Ball Super audience was heavily male (79 percent) and 44 percent between the ages of 25 and 34.

“The matter has been resolved to the mutual satisfaction of the parties,” plaintiffs’ lawyers Bruce Broillet and Steve Heimberg said in a statement. The terms are confidential, the attorneys said. Emails seeking comment from the defendants were not immediately returned. The agreement must still be approved by a judge. Paxton, who starred in films, including Apollo 13, Titanic and Aliens, and in television series, including Big Love, died on February 25, 2017. The cause was a stroke that came 11 days after surgery to replace a heart valve and repair aorta damage, according to his death certificate.

“Japanese anime is a cinematic tradition, but rarely do you see a movie like this topping the domestic chart,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for comScore. “To be ahead of all these other mainstream Hollywood movies is quite incredible. It speaks volumes to the globalization of the box office.” Beast, meanwhile, opened on 3,743 screens in North America. The film, directed by Baltasar Kormákur (Everest), stars Elba as a widowed father of two teenage girls, played by Iyana Halley and Leah Jeffries, who find themselves on the run from a bloodthirsty lion during a trip to South Africa. Including international showings, Beast has made $21.8 million so far. “I think this is a terrific start for Beast,” said Jim Orr, Universal’s head of domestic distribution. “I believe we will have a great run at the box office.”

IDRIS ELBA stars as a father who takes a trip to the South African savanna with his kids and runs into a killer lion in the survival thriller Beast

BILL PA XTON FAMILY SETTLES L AWSUIT WITH HOSPITAL OVER DE ATH

WATCHING dramas on GMA in the afternoons has become even more exciting as they can now win cash prizes via the promo “GMA Afternoon Prime Papremyo.”Viewers get a chance to win P5,000 up to P50,000, while enjoying the latest episodes of GMA afternoon series Apoy sa Langit, Return to Paradise, and The Fake Life weekdays, from 2:30 to 5 pm. The promo is ongoing until September 9. To participate, viewers must simply tune in to the GMA afternoon block, wait for the signal and the photo of the day’s featured character from one of the afternoon shows that will appear on the screen.After identifying the character, participants must register their complete name, address, email, and mobile number; and submit the answer in the entry at bit.ly/3Cn6Yck. Each participant can submit as many entries as they want. Submission of entries for the day will be automatically closed when the GMA afternoon block ends at 5 pm. All entries are qualified for the electronic raffle held every Saturday. There will be weekly raffle draws on August 20, 27, September 3, and 10. Each week, five lucky viewers will win P5,000, while one lucky viewer will receive P50,000 in the grand draw on September 10. After each draw, verified winners will be announced on the GMA afternoon block, www. gmanetwork.com, and the network’s official Facebook pages. The announcement of winners is posted every Monday.

Working Girls, Bayaning Third World and Stepsisters She has also lent her talent to independent productions, such as Bilanggo sa Dilim, Mike de Leon’s 1986 screen adaptation of The Collector, a novel by John Fowles. One of her more memorable roles in recent years was in Chuck Gutierrez’s Iisa. Locsin has also shared her talent for local festival movies, like Mudraks and Si Baning, Si Maymay at ang Asong si Bobo. We gathered that Locsin almost won the Gawad Urian in 2011 for the American-Philippine drama film Amigo, edged out only by Rosanna Roces for the movie Presa. “Awards, especially the legit ones, certainly make an actor happy. But I also believe in destiny—if it’s meant for you, it will be yours. As an actor, I do not work because I want an award, that shouldn’t be the end goal. I work hard, I prepare, I study my role because I want to give life to a character. I want to get lost in my character and allow those who’d watch to see my character and not me. That is the essence of being an Locsinactor.”isinthe main cast of the much talkedabout new fantasy drama TV series Darna, playing a grandmother to lead star Jane de Leon. “I am just so happy that I get to work on this classic, original Filipino female superhero created by Mars Ravelo many decades ago. Any remake of Darna becomes a milestone, be it on TV, the stage or the big screen.” When she was a newcomer, Locsin also played the iconic superhero. “I counted the years. I was a teenager, 43 years ago to be exact, when I played Darna. Back then, everything was done so simply. I was on top of a table when we shot my flying scenes, with electric fans blowing under. Nowadays, technology has changed how we shoot, and it continues to evolve and change our lives on a daily basis.” Locsin recalled that the late character actress Moody Diaz played her grandmother, while Romnick Sarmenta, who is still active as an actor, played Ding, Darna’s younger brother. During the recent media conference for Darna, Locsin was given a rousing, sustained ovation by her coactors and the guests as she was introduced. To sustain longevity in this business, an artist has to evolve, but more importantly, he or she has to be unquestionably credible, too, because credibility, like reverence, is something that one earns through time, solidified by one’s body of work and experience. And for the amazing artist that she has become, Rio Locsin is a reminder to many that being real is always a requisite for longevity, and both happiness and respect become the ultimate and priceless

More rewarding afternoons for viewers

By Lindsey Bahr The Associated Press I DRIS ELBA may go head-to-head with a lion in Beast, but the action flick was no match for the latest Dragon Ball movie at the North American box office this weekend. Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero first weekend in theaters, with $20.1 million in ticket sales according to studio estimates on Sunday. meanwhile, settled for a second-place debut with $11.6 million.Crunchyroll released Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero on 3,900 screens in North America, marking the widest-ever opening for an production was directed by Tetsuro Kodama, who had the support of Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama. The Dragon Ball universe is almost 40 years old, and includes manga, television shows, movies, games and toys.“We’re absolutely thrilled that could come together to experience and enjoy this amazing film in theaters,” said Mitchel Berger, senior vice president of global commerce for the distributor, in a statement. “Crunchyroll thanks all of the fans, whether or not you are a ‘super’ fan or a newcomer, and we hope they come back again and again.”

PCPPI MARKS 33 YEARS WITH ACTIVITIES TO PUSH SUSTAINABLE AGENDA. In celebration of its 33rd anniversary, various regional units of the Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Inc. (PCPPI) held environmental activities to support communities and further promote the company’s sustainability agenda. On July 25, 2022, PCPPI’s Metro Sales region participated at Manila City’s Clean Up Drive. Its Batangas plant and the Bicol Region Operations (BRO) each held tree planting activities, while its Zamboanga plant conducted a blood-letting activity in partnership with Blood Bank, PNP Culianan, and PNP Special Action Force. Aside from nurturing communities and the environment, PCPPI also recognized its loyal employees. The Loyalty Awardees have been with the company for 25 and 30 years. PCPPI’s growth and success for 33 years is greatly attributed to the hard work and contributions of the employees. PCPPI is the exclusive manufacturer of PepsiCo beverages in the Philippines.

“We are grateful and honored to be the first family ambassador of Jolly Heart Mate Canola Oil,” Carmina says. “Number 1 thing in the Legaspi family is that being busy is not an excuse; we need to spend time together as a family especially during mealtime,” adds Cassy. The family said cooking and eating healthy have always been a priority. Noong dumating itong pandemic, mas naging conscious kami in making sure that we cook and eat healthier food,” she says. “Mas gusto naming home-cooked meals than food deliveries para we know the ingredients, the way it’s cooked and prepared, at ano ‘yung cooking oil na ginamit. 'Yung mga ganung details na akala natin hindi importante, sobrang mahalaga pala. Every member of the Legaspi family shares their own favorite home-cooked meals. Carmina's favorite is adobo, while Zoren goes for “anything with noodles or pasta.” For Mavy, it’s “Salpicao ni Mama,” and for Cassy, it’s “Mommy’s tuna pasta.” “I usually cook with whatever’s in the pantry,” Carmina says. “So, anything gisa-gisa. And when you sauté, you need canola oil. Ang pinakamadali, gambas. Kapag dinner time, I prepare salmon escabeche or pag wala ako maisip - salpicao!” The Legaspi family calls on everyone to keep their family ties strong, starting with cooking and sharing meals whenever they can. With Jolly Heart Mate Canola Oil and its health benefits, bonding moments are made extra special with home-cooked meals that are good for theJollyheart.Heart Mate Canola Oil has high amounts of monounsaturated fats or the “good fats” that helps lower bad cholesterol levels in your body. It contains Omega 3 and 6 which are essential to your heart, brain, and overall body development.

 HopeChat – a 24/7 counseling platform co-developed with Australia-based Virtual Psychologist (VP) in July 2020 to help employees cope with the psychological impact of COVID-19.  GCheck – a self-assessment tool that determines if an employee is allowed to enter Globe premises for the day. Fit-to-work unlocks GAccess space features, while the latter triggers the HR COVID-19 team for support.

 Wanda – a recognition chatbot that enables employees to send special e-Cards to one another to nurture Globe’s culture of recognition even while working apart. By implementing these technologies, Globe was able to manage employees’ health remotely and when they needed to visit the office.

GLOBE, the country’s digital solutions provider, leveraged its strength in technology to keep its 8,000 employees safe, connected, and engaged during the pandemic. With this, Globe took home the first-ever United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (UN SDG) Awards under the People Category hosted by the UN Global Compact Network Philippines (UNGCP).

“It is with deep gratitude and thanks that we receive this award. The pandemic has taught us to maximize the power of technology to bridge connections and keep our employees together. This award inspires us to stay true to our commitment,” said Nico Bambao, Globe’s People Experience Director, during the virtual awards ceremonies held recently. Globe immediately saw the need to support and enhance the physical and mental well-being of its workforce. With technology within its reach, Globe used the opportunity to develop internal digital solutions for employee communication and connection such as:

 DUDE Bot – Digital Usher for Disaster and Emergencies, a Workplace chatbot designed to perform automated daily health checks and direct employees to relevant sources of information, links to healthcare partners, and direct contacts to the company’s COVID-19 Response Team for immediate support.

The Legaspis advocate for healthy cooking and eating together during mealtime

PHILTOA launched the Philippine Travel Mart (PTM) in 1994, under the initiative of the Department of Tourism, as a way to fulfill their mission and vision. After a two-year hiatus, this year’s PTM theme is “Safe Travels”. With at least 70 million Filipinos fully vaccinated and tourism outlets welcoming foreign tourists, a safer and more relaxed environment awaits eager travelers looking for memorable tropical adventures. They call it “revenge travel”, a way to get back at isolation and boredom while responsibly exploring new trails or planning a much-awaited return to a beloved place. “It is with great joy and excitement that we invite everyone to the biggest Philippine Travel Mart to date. We’ve been waiting for a long time and now is the perfect time to travel again, support local businesses, and explore the Philippines and beyond,” shares PHILTOA President Ms. Fe Abling-Yu. Happening from September 30 to October 2, 2022 at the SMX Convention Center Manila (Halls 1 – 4), Seashell Lane, SM Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City, PTM will feature over 200 exhibitions from local and international participants showcasing exclusive domestic and international travel packages, some of which offer the best bang for every traveler’s buck. With sustainable tourism and community engagement in mind, the PTM only partners with reputable agencies and businesses. Local tourism is at the forefront of the expo with a zone designated for different offers: Yellow Zone for MICE and Entertainment; Blue Zone for Beach, Cruise, and Marine Sports; Green Zone for Cultural and Agro/Farm/Eco-Tourism; and Pink Zone for Health, Wellness, and Culinary. Each zone is bursting with information and offers from duly accredited tour and travel agencies, hotels and resorts, theme parks, airlines, as well as provincial and regional agencies.Taking the expo to more high-tech and convenient heights, visitors can scan the QR codes of exhibitors to find their locations as well as conduct paperless transactions.

“The Philippines is such a gorgeous country. We are so blessed to be living here and local travel allows everything to be very accessible for all of us,” she shares. “Now when it comes to beaches, my recommendations of course would be Palawan, Boracay, but you should also check Siquijor and Mati, Davao Oriental, my mom's hometown and it's stunning there.”

Digital Solutions Provider Globe bags UN SDG Award for ‘People’ in 1st SDG Awards in the PHL

Tuesday, August 23, 2022B6

The Awards, which recognize companies that have showcased best practices in implementing the UN SDGs in their operations, recognized Globe for its outstanding contributions to people's overall wellness. The recognition affirms Globe’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly UN SDG No. 3, which promotes healthy lives and well-being for all, and SDG No. 9 on fostering innovation.

“Our employees and workforce are major factors in delivering uninterrupted services to Filipinos, especially during the pandemic so we had to keep them safe and healthy. We value our connections at work the way we value our customers,” said Bambao. To learn more about Globe’s sustainability initiatives, visit about-us/sustainability.html.https://www.globe.com.ph/

DOTr Usec. Elmer Sarmiento (center) met with PPA and ATI officials to ensure that the country’s major ports are full steam ahead to support seamless trade and deliver passenger convenience.

PHILTOA returns with the 33rd Philippine Travel Mart

ONE of the Philippine entertainment industry’s famous celebrity families, the Legaspis represent the typical Filipino family that bonds over food, made healthier and extra special with Jolly Heart Mate Canola Oil.

‘Byaheng Ayos’ assured through Batangas Port as F2F classes start

T HE longest-running interactive tourism expo is back with new offers for excited travelers. Renewed with the hope of the tourism industry gaining strength after lockdowns brought about by the pandemic, the Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA), Inc. announces the return of the Philippine Travel Mart (PTM) for its 33rd PHILTOAyear.is an organization of tour operators and allied members actively involved in the advocacy of responsible tourism founded in 1986, aims to become the “leading inbound and domestic tourism association with global networks actively contributing to national economic growth” by forging “national and global affiliations and alliances with tourismrelated associations and organizations… [and] providing members with dynamic and proactive education and training, product development, programs and fellowship [for] the common good of Philippine Tourism”.

Sam YG shared how much he and his wife love beaches. And in the Philippines, we have a surplus of world-class beaches. His favorite destination is El Nido, with its pristine beaches and vibrant marine life, Cebu, as well as Panglao, Bohol, and of course,PattyBoracay.Laurel-Filart loves traveling with her family and they hit beaches regularly.

Anton Diaz, who’s also an entrepreneur, gets his inspiration from his travels. “I always look forward to travel as an educational experience, to open my mind to new possibilities, to new opportunities, and it serves as an inspiration to me for my work and my business. This is actually where I get a lot of my new ideas for content or new businesses.”Queenmelo Esguerra uses travel to broaden her perspective. “I have always considered travel to broaden her perspecthive. “I have always considered traveling as my means of learning more about life. Travel allows me to know new cultures, experience new adventures, and meet new people.” Patty Laurel Filart says it best: “There's just so much to discover so much to explore in the Philippines. Local travel is the best gift you can give yourself.” And perhaps also the best gift you can give to yourForcountry.more information, visit www. philtravelmart.com. For inquiries, contact the PHILTOA Secretariat at (632) 8812-4513, (632) 8822-6964, (632) 8925-6265, (+63) 922-816-2772, or email philtravelmart@philtoa.com.

T HE world-class Batangas Passenger Terminal (BPT), operated by listed trade enabler Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI), is more than ready for the expected passenger influx in support of government’s Oplan Byaheng Ayos as schools reopen for face-to-face classes nextThisweek.was assured by ATI officials as Transportation undersecretary for maritime sector Elmer Sarmiento recently visited the port operator’s flagship terminal in Manila along with Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) Officer-in-Charge and assistant general manager Atty. FrancisUsec.Mancile.Sarmiento emphasized the need for the country’s ports and maritime assets, in partnership with all stakeholders, to remain full steam ahead in supporting seamless trade and delivering convenience to the riding public following the marching orders of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ATI said that BPT is designed to provide utmost convenience and comfort to passengers, including students, resulting from its major upgrades which were unveiled in June. BPT, the country’s biggest and most modern interisland travel hub, can comfortably seat around 3,000 passengers at any one time in Phase 1 of its expansive passenger lounge. It is equipped with airport-like amenities such as LED travel advisory boards, food kiosks, genderneutral restrooms, mobility features for PWDs, and free wi-fi and phone charging stations, among others. Students are exempt from paying BPT’s terminal fee, along with senior citizens, PWDs and the uniformed personnel, pursuant to PPA AO 04-2019. Students can avail of this privilege by presenting their valid school ID for the current school year. A dedicated student lane has also been set up inside BPT in support of the Department of Education’s Balik Eskwela Program. From January to June this year, BPT has handled nearly 1.1 million outbound passengers signally the resurgence of traveler traffic in the new normal.

Meet the travel advocates THE 33rd Philippine Travel Mart is also proud to present the country’s top lifestyle influencers as the expo’s official Travel Advocates: gender equality activist and broadcast journalist, Queenmelo Esguerra; journalist and events specialist, Marbee Shing Go; Anton Diaz, one of the pioneers of the blogging community and founder of Our Awesome Planet; host and digital creator, Patty Laurel Filart; and TV/radio and events host, Sam YG. “There's just so much about Baguio and the Cordilleras that meets the eye. More than the tourist spots I got to visit in my childhood, Baguio is the perfect destination for different kinds of escape. The cold, the trees, the fog, the art all over the city, and the culture that's evident in everyday life,” shares Marbee Shing Go, who grew up in Baguio and moved back home during the pandemic.

Balsamo reported from Wash ington.

Trump’s turbulent White House years culminate in Florida search

The decision to keep classified documents at Mar-a-Lago—a prop erty frequented by paying members, their guests and anyone attending the weddings, political fundraisers, char ity dinners and other events held on site—was part of a long pattern of dis regard for national security secrets. Former aides described a “cavalier” attitude toward classified informa tion that played out in public view. There was the dinner with thenJapanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Mar-a-Lago’s patio, where fellow diners watched and snapped cellphone photos as the two men reviewed details of a North Korean missileTheretest.was the time Trump revealed highly classified information alleged ly from Israeli sources about Islamic State militants to Russian officials. And there was the time he tweeted a high-resolution satellite image of an apparent explosion at an Iranian space center, which intelligence offi cials had warned was highly sensitive. Trump insisted he had “the absolute right” to share it.

EW YORK—Mounds of paper piled on his desk. Framed magazine covers and keepsakes lining the walls. One of Shaquille O’Neal’s giant sneakers displayed alongside football helmets, boxing belts and other sports memorabilia, crowding his Trump Tower office and limiting table space.

THEN-REPUBLICAN presidential candidate Donald Trump is photographed during an interview with The Associated Press in his office at Trump Tower in New York on May 10, 2016. The legal investigation into former President Donald Trump’s handling of sensitive information is the culmination of a lifelong habit of collecting memorabilia, disregard of rules governing recordkeeping and a chaotic transition of his own making after he refused to accept defeat in 2020. AP/MARY ALTAFFERWell before he entered politics, former President Donald Trump had a penchant for collecting. And that lifelong habit—combined with his flip disregard for the rules of government record keeping, his careless handling of classified information, and a cha otic transition borne from his refusal to accept defeat in 2020—have all culminated in a federal investigation that poses extraordinary legal and political challenges. The search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club earlier this month to retrieve documents from his White House years was an unprecedented law en forcement action against a former president who is widely expected to run for office once again. Officials have not revealed exactly what was contained in the boxes, but the FBI has said it recovered 11 sets of classified records, including some marked “sen sitive compartmented information,” a special category meant to protect secrets that could cause “exception ally grave” damage to US interests if revealed publicly. Why Trump refused to turn over the seized documents despite repeated requests remains unclear. But Trump’s flouting of the Presidential Records Act, which outlines how materials should be preserved, was well docu mented throughout his time in office. He routinely tore up official papers that later had to be taped back togeth er. Official items that would tradition ally be turned over to the National Archives became intermingled with his personal belongings in the White House residence. Classified informa tion was tweeted, shared with report ers and adversaries—even found in a White House complex bathroom.

Bolton said that, during his time working for Trump, he and others often tried to explain the stakes and the risks of exposing sources and methods.“Idon’t think any of it sank in. He didn’t seem to appreciate just how sensitive it was, how dangerous it was for some of our people and the risks that they could be exposed to,” he said. “What looks like an innocuous picture to a private citizen can be a gold mine to a foreign intelligence” entity. “I would say over and over again, ‘This is really sensitive, really sensi tive.’ And he’d say, ‘I know’ and then go and do it anyway.”

The Washington Post first reported in February that the National Archives had retrieved 15 boxes of documents and other items from Mar-a-Lago that should have been turned over to the agency when Trump left the White House. An initial review of that mate rial concluded that Trump had brought presidential records and several other documents that were marked classi fied to Mar-a-Lago.

The investigation into the han dling of classified material intensified in the spring as prosecutors and fed eral agents interviewed several people who worked in the Trump White House about how records—and particularly classified documents—were handled during the chaotic end of the Trump presidency, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. Around the same time, prosecutors also issued a subpoena for records Trump was keeping at Mar-a-Lago and subpoenaed for surveillance video from Mar-a-Lago showing the area where the records were being stored, the person said. A top Justice Department offi cial traveled to Mar-a-Lago in early June and looked through some of the material that was stored in boxes. After that meeting, prosecutors interviewed another witness who told them that there were likely ad ditional classified documents still stored at Mar-a-Lago, the person said. The person was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

By Paul Wiseman & David Mchugh AP Business Writers M ECKENHEIM, Germany—Martin Kopf needs natural gas to run his family’s company, Zinkpower GmbH, which rustproofs steel components in westernZinkpower’sGermany.facility

Yasin Limpo, Indonesia’s agriculture minister, warned this month that the price of instant noodles, a staple in the Southeast Asian nation, might triple because of inflated wheat prices. In neighboring Malaysia, vegetable farmer Jimmy Tan laments that fertilizer prices are up 50 percent. He’s also paying more for supplies like plastic sheets, bags and hoses. In Karachi, Pakistan, far from the battlefields of Ukraine, Kamran Arif has taken a second, part-time job to supplement his “Becausewages. we have no control on prices, we can only try to increase our income,’’ he said.Avast majority of people live in poverty in Pakistan, whose currency has lost up to 30 percent of its value against the dollar and the government has increased electricity prices 50 Muhammadpercent.Shakil, an importer and exporter, says he can no longer get wheat, white chickpeas and yellow peas from Ukraine.“Now that we have to import from other countries, we have to buy at higher prices”—sometimes 10 percent-15 percent more, Shakil said. As the war fuels inflation, central banks are raising interest rates to try to slow price increases without derailing economic growth.The resulting increase in loan rates is punishing FlooringStores, a New York company that helps customers find flooring material and contractors. Sales are down because fewer homeowners are borrowing to pay for home improvements.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE 6 MONTHS: ECONOMY IN GROWING DANGER

WAR AFTER

The Justice Department later sought a search warrant and re trieved the additional tranches of classified records.

Former White House press secre tary Stephanie Grisham said Trump was “careless” with sensitive and clas sified information and “seemed never to bother with why that was bad.”

“A huge percentage of our customers finance their projects with home-equity loans and similar products, meaning that the hike in interest rates really killed our business,’’ CEO Todd Saunders said. “Inflation wasn’t helping, but the interest rates had a bigger effect.’’ Wiseman reported from Washington. AP reporters Rodney Muhumuza in Kampala, AyaUganda;MogomotsiMagomeinJohannesburg;BatrawyinDubai,UnitedArabEmirates;HauDinhinHanoi,Vietnam;EileenNginKualaLumpur,Malaysia;EdnaTariganinJakarta,Indonesia;TassaneeVejpongsainBangkok;MuhammadFarooqinKarachi,Pakistan;andMunirAhmedinIslamabadcontributed.

By Jill Colvin & Michael Balsamo The Associated Press

John Bolton, who served as Trump’s third national security ad viser, said that, before he arrived, he’d heard “there was a concern in the air about how he handled information. And as my time went on, I could cer tainly see why.” Others in the Trump administra tion took more care with sensitive documents. Asked directly if he kept any classified information upon leav ing office, former Vice President Mike Pence told The Associated Press on Friday, “No, not to my knowledge.” The investigation into Trump’s handling of documents comes as he’s facing mounting legal scrutiny on mul tiple fronts. A Georgia investigation into election interference has moved closer to the former president, with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a top defender, informed earlier this month that he is a target of a criminal Meanwhile,probe.Trump invoked his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination as he testified un der oath in the New York attorney gen eral’s long-running civil investigation into his business dealings. A top ex ecutive at the business pleaded guilty last week in a tax fraud case brought by the Manhattan district attorney. But few legal threats have galvanized Trump and his most loyal supporters like the Mar-a-Lago search. The for mer president and his allies have ar gued the move amounts to political persecution, noting the judge who ap proved the warrant has given money to Democrats. The judge, however, has also supported Republicans. And White House officials have repeatedly said they had no prior knowledge of plans to search the estate. Trump allies have tried to claim the presidency granted him unlimited power to unilaterally declassify docu ments without formal declaration. But David Laufman, the former chief of the Justice Department’s counter intelligence section, said that’s not how it works. “It just strikes me as a post hoc public affairs strategy that has no relationship to how classified infor mation is in fact declassified,” said Laufman, who oversaw the investiga tion into Hillary Clinton’s personal e-mail server during her tenure as secretary of state. While he said it is true that there is no statue or order that outlines procedures the president must abide by to declassify informa tion, “at the same time it’s ludicrous to posit that a decision to declassify documents would not have been contemporaneously memorialized in writing.”It’s“notself executing,” he added. “There has to be some objective, con temporaneous, evidence-based cor roboration of the claims that they’re making. And of course there won’t be because they’re making it all up.”

outside Bonn uses gas to keep 600 tons of zinc worth 2.5 million euros ($2.5 million) in a molten state every day. The metal will harden otherwise, wrecking the tank where steel parts are dipped before they end up in car suspensions, buildings, solar panels and windSixturbines.monthsafter

Russia invaded Ukraine, the consequences are posing a devastating threat to the global economy, including companies like Zinkpower, which employs 2,800 people. Gas is not only much more costly, it might not be available at all if Russia completely cuts off supplies to Europe to avenge Western sanctions, or if utilities can’t store enough for winter. Germany may have to impose gas rationing that could cripple industries from steelmaking to pharmaceuticals to commercial laundries. “If they say, we’re cutting you off, all my equipment will be destroyed,” said Kopf, who’ also chairs Germany’s association of zinc galvanizing firms.Governments, businesses and families worldwide are feeling the war’s economic effects just two years after the coronavirus pandemic ravaged global trade. Inflation is soaring, and rocketing energy costs have raised the prospect of a cold, dark winter. Europe stands at the brink of recession. High food prices and shortages, worsened by the cutoff of fertilizer and grain shipments from Ukraine and Russia that are slowly resuming, could produce widespread hunger and unrest in the developing world. Outside Uganda’s capital of Kampala, Rachel Gamisha said Russia’s war in faraway Ukraine has hurt her grocery business. She has felt it in surging prices for necessities like gasoline, selling for $6.90 a gallon. Something that’s 2,000 shillings (about $16.70) this week may cost 3,000 shillings ($25) next week. “You have to limit yourself,’’ she said. “You have to buy a few things that move fast.’’ Gamisha has noticed something else, too—a phenomenon called “shrinkflation”: A price may not change, but a doughnut that used to weigh 45 grams may now be only 35 grams. Bread that weighed 1 kilogram is now 850 Russia’sgrams.war led the International Monetary Fund last month to downgrade its outlook for the global economy for the fourth time in under a year. The lending agency expects 3.2 percent growth this year, down from the 4.9 percent it forecast in July 2021 and well below a vigorous 6.1 percent last year. “The world may soon be teetering on the edge of a global recession, only two years after the last one,” said Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, the IMF’s chief economist. The UN Development Program said rising food and energy prices threw 71 million people worldwide into poverty in the first three months of the war. Countries in the Balkans and sub-Saharan Africa were hit hardest. Up to 181 million people in 41 countries could suffer a hunger crisis this year, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization has projected. In Bangkok, rising costs for pork, vegetables and oil have forced Warunee Deejai, a street-food vendor, to raise prices, cut staff and work longer hours. “I don’t know how long I can keep my lunch price affordable,’’ she said. “Coming out from Covid lockdowns and having to face this is tough. Worse is, don’t see the end of it.’’ Even before Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine, the global economy was under pressure. Inflation had skyrocketed as a strongerthan-expected recovery from the pandemic recession overwhelmed factories, ports and freight yards, causing delays, shortages and higher prices. In response, central banks began raising interest rates to try to cool economic growth and tame spiking prices. “We’ve all got all these different things going on,’’ said Robin Brooks, chief economist at the International Institute of Finance. “The volatility of inflation went up. The volatility of growth went up. And therefore, it’s become infinitely harder for central banks to steer the ship.’’ China, pursuing a zero-Covid policy, imposed lockdowns that have severely weakened the world’s second-biggest economy. At the time, many developing countries still grappled with the pandemic and the heavy debts they had taken on to protect their populations from economic disaster. All those challenges might have been manageable. But when Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, the West responded with heavy sanctions. Both actions disrupted trade in food and energy. Russia is the world’s third-biggest petroleum producer and a leading exporter of natural gas, fertilizer and wheat. Farms in Ukraine feed millions globally. The resulting inflation has rippled out to theNearworld.Johannesburg, South Africa, Stephanie Muller has been comparing prices online and checking different grocery stores to find the best deals. “I have three children who are all in school, so I have been feeling the difference,’’ she Shoppingsaid. at a market in Vietnam’s capital of Hanoi, Bui Thu Huong said she’s been limiting her spending and cutting back on weekend dinners out. At least there’s one advantage to cooking at home with her children: “We can bond with them more in the kitchen, while saving money at the sameSyahrultime.’’

A GLOBAL

Bolton said that top intelligence officials would gather before brief ings to discuss how best to handle sensitive subjects, strategizing about how much needed to be shared.

Briefers quickly learned that Trump often tried to hang onto sensitive documents, and would take steps to make sure documents didn’t go missing, including using iPads to show them to “Sometimeshim.hewould ask to keep it and they’d say, ‘It’s really sensi tive.’ Sometime he just wouldn’t give it back.”Trump’s refusal to accept his election loss also contributed to the chaos that engulfed his final days in office. The General Services Admin istration was slow to acknowledge President Joe Biden’s win, delaying the transition process and leaving little time to pack. While other White House staff and even the former first lady started making arrangements, Trump large ly refused. At the same time, White House staff were departing in droves as part of the regular “offboarding process,” while morale among others had cratered in the aftermath of the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. Bolton said he doubted that Trump had taken documents for nefarious reasons, and instead thought Trump likely considered them “souvenirs” like the many he’d collected through his “Ilife.think he just thought some things were cool and he wanted them,” Bolton said. “Some days he liked to collect french fries. Some days he liked to collect documents. He just collected things.”

BusinessMirror Tuesday, August 23, 2022 World Features www.businessmirror.com.ph • Editor: Angel R. Calso B7

“Because he wanted the publicity, out went Conan,” she said. “It’s an example of him not caring if he put lives in danger. ... It was like it’s his own shiny toy he’s showing off to his friends to impress them.”

Grisham recalled one incident involving Conan, a US military dog hailed as a hero for his role in the raid that killed Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. She said that before the dog’s arrival at the White House, staff had received a briefing in which they were told the dog could not be photographed because the images could put his handlers in danger. But when the dog arrived, Trump decided he wanted to show it off to the press.

Th i Nhu Quynh Vi led Vietnam with 14 points, while Thi Thanh Thuy Tran and Thi Nguyet Anh Pham had 13 points each. C hina will face the Philippines at 7 p.m. Tuesday while Vietnam takes on Iran at 4 p.m. Yuki Nishikawa hammered 11 kills, including eight in the first set, while Miyu Nakagawa had three blocks and two service aces for a ninepoint outing for the Japanese. Tanaka and Asuka Hamamatsu each produced nine kills. It’s kind of hard for us to get on our own pace but in the end, we were able to play our game. That was really nice,” said Japan setter Mika Shibata through an interpreter. We’re getting better and better, little by little. We got to play our vol leyball,” said Shibata, who tallied three attacks and an ace. “The fact that we won two games in a row, that’s great.” C hang Li-Wen led the Taiwanese with 16 points while Lin Shu-Ho added 10 points. Japan will have a two-day rest before wrapping up its Pool B assignments against Australia at 1 p.m. on Thurs day. Chinese-Taipei, meanwhile, will take on the Volleyroos at 1 p.m. on Tuesday.

SPRINT triathlon, one of the most popular types of endurance competitions, levels up as it shares center stage with the main event in Penong’s 5150 Davao on September 4 in Tagum City, Davao del Norte. The Sunrise Sprint or S2 features the 750-meter open-water swim, 20-km bike and 5-km run, the length of which is a perfect entry-level distance for athletes making a comeback in the ever-growing sport or those looking to practice and build up to reach Ironman level. I t is also ideal for competitors who are new to the sport because it requires less training and experience.Theorganizing Ironman Group/ Sunrise Events Inc. expects another spirited battle for top honors in the sub-category to the centerpiece 5150 triathlon on an Olympic-style setup from the Banana beach to the Hijo Resorts the way it was when the S2 marked its return to the triathlon scene in Bohol last July after a long hiatus due to pandemic. The sponsoring Go for Gold is also confident of another successful S2 event held as part of the company’s commitment to promote nationbuilding through sports development and create ways to encourage young individuals to pursue excellence through physical literacy. R egistration is ongoing until race week. For details, log on to penong’s.5150philippines.com or follow us on social-media accounts: Penongs5150Davao with Hashtags (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter): #Penongs5150 and #5150Davao.

“ Many events are under sports that don’t have international federations [IFs] or most of the SEA Games countries aren’t familiar with,” said Tolentino during the meeting held at the Knights Templar Hotel in Tagaytay City. This is the biggest SEA Games in history with 632 events, but we will lessen them because they are so many, particularly in martial arts where most of the countries aren’t familiar with,” Tolentino said. C ambodia organizers bared during the SEA Games Federation meeting in Bangkok last week that there will be an additional 30 events in vovinam, 24 events in martial arts Korea and 13 in dragonboat, a sport the hosts are strong at. M artial arts korea is distinct from taekwondo, which will be played with 24 events. Martial arts Korea, in memory, was never played in the SEA Games. Tolentino said that Cambodia’s traditional martial arts, Kun Bokator, will be allowed as a gesture of respect for the host country. “ We respected the Kun Bokator because that’s their traditional sport, but we cannot allow the others,” Tolentino said. “They [hosts] also have a different IF in Muay Thai and the martial arts Korea.” Tolentino said that the SEAG Federation will meet virtually next week to decide on the sporting events program. T he Philippines hosted the most number of sports at 56 but with 530 events in 2019, while Vietnam held a 40-sport with 526 events last May. Brunei owns the record-low program with 22 sports and 233 events in 1999. Vovinam wasn’t on the Philippine program in 2019 but was played in Vietnam with 15 events. Palembang also hosted 14 events in vovinam in 2011. P resent during the Executive Board were chairman Steve Hontiveros, secretary general Atty. Edwin Gastanes, treasurer Cynthia Carrion, auditor Chito Loyzaga, depury secretary general Carl Sambrano and general manager Carla Maramara. Board members Pearl Managuelod, Raul Canlas, Charlie Ho, second vice president Richard Gomez, International Olympic Committee Representative to the Philippines Mikee Jaworski,Cojuangco-Karen Caballero and Athletes Commission representative Nikko Huelgas attended online. Ernest John “EJ” Obiena’s parents, Emerson and Janette, and Vietnam SEA Games pole vault silver medalist Hockett delos Santos also paid Tolentino a courtesy call.

KIMI BRODETH is on a hot streak.

KELI NASCIMENTO was my guest on Sports For All guest a few weeks ago. She talked about gender equity, sports diplomacy, her foundation, The Nascimento Foundation, and a guy who was pretty good at football, Pele.

K eli is the eldest daughter of the Brazilian legend and world football icon. One of the greatest to ever set foot on the pitch if not the greatest ever. Most, if not all countries all over the world have gender equity as an area for improvement. The mother of four told us a story about how Brazil’s media thought Brazil’s women’s football team’s uniform should look like through a magazine cover and I think I speak for all the fathers out there when I say that you wouldn’t want to see your daughter in that uniform representing their country. You can check it out on google and see for yourself. The Director and Producer of the yet to be released documentary, “Warriors of a Beautiful Game,” is also a public speaker and the president and founder of the The Nascimento Foundation, narrated to us about the disparity in the FIFA travel arrangements between men’s and women’s national teams. A serious matter that the world governing body for football needs to look into and address.

A question I forgot to ask Keli in sports diplomacy is have there been times where gender equity took a backseat to maintain a harmonious sports diplomacy with other countries?Fromwhat she told me, her parents did a good job protecting her and her siblings from the limelight and spotlight brought about by her father’s exploits on the football field.

It will be the first time on Monday that Clarkson will be playing before Filipino fans. His mother, Anette Tullao Davis, traces her roots to Bacolor, Pampanga.

Sports BusinessMirror B8 Tuesday, augusT 23, 2022 Editor:mirror_sports@yahoo.com.phJunLomibao Sunrise Sprint shares 5150 spotlight in Tagum City

FIRST-TIME host Cambodia intends to go big time by laying out a 49-sport program with a potentially record number of events at 632 when the 32nd edition of the Southeast Asian Games are held May 5 to 16 next year. But Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino told the POC Executive Board during its regular meeting on Monday that the other member countries are contesting the inclusion of dozens of events.

AP Keli’s stories

quickLIGHTNINGreactionfromKylianMbappe.

THIRDY RAVENA gets to guard Jordan Clarkson during practice. BIGGEST SEAG EVER

L ILLE, France—Kylian Mbappe scored after just eight seconds of play to claim the jointfastest goal in the history of the French league on Sunday. M bappe found the net at the start of a 7-1 win for defending champion Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) over Lille on Sunday.Thevisitors needed just four passes from kickoff to score as Lionel Messi hit a superb ball over the top for Mbappe, who cleverly lobbed Lille goalkeeper Leo Jardim. PSG coach Christophe Galtier gave credit to his technical staff and to the club’s Under-19 team. From kickoff, Neymar played the ball back before receiving it again and passing to Messi, who spotted Mbappe’s run and had the technical brilliance to exploit it. Our Under-19 team did it in the youth league against Salzburg,” Galtier told a news conference. “We showed it to the players. They were OK to try it. So, we worked on it in training and it was very well executed tonight.”

W hen Pele accepted an offer to play for the New York Cosmos in the mid 1970s, he had to uproot his entire family to the United States where according to Keli, “nobody knew who we were.” In Brazil, Keli says, “we were in a bubble,” which was brought about by her father’s superstardom. I n New York, they were free to roam and walk around without being recognized and my sense from her was they didn’t want it any other way.

Not necessarily the best, but right mix vs Lebanon–Barrios CAMBODIA 2023:

Th irdy Ravena, on the other hand, was amazed with Clarkson, describing the Filipino-American as truly world class. It seems unreal and amazed,” said Ravena, who’s tasked to man the 6-foot-4 Clarkson, named the National Basketball Association’s Sixth Man of the Year in the 202021 National Basketball Association season.You’ll realize why he’s there playing in the NBA. It’s not every day that you train alongside an NBA player,” Ravena said. “But we haven’t seen him in his full force yet. So we’re expecting to see more of Clarkson in the games.”

K IMI BRODETH and Mcleen Gomera pulled off a win and runner-up finish each to split Most Valuable Player honors in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala (PPS-PEPP) national age group tennis circuit for the second straight week in the City of Naga leg in Cebu over the weekend. Brodeth bucked a lackluster opening set game then wore down Judy Ann Padilla in the decider to pound out a 0-6, 6-2, 10-2 victory for her third straight triumph in the girls’ 16-under class following her romps in the Lapu Lapu City and Mandaue City legs of the four-leg swing of the country’s longest talent-search in Cebu. The Ormoc City lass, however, missed matching her golden double feat in Mandaue as Lapu-Lapu City’s Tiffany Nocos got back at her with a 6-2, 4-6, 10-4 reversal in the premier 18-under category of the Group 1 tournament put up by Palawan Pawnshop president

By Josef Ramos T HE Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) put together a team that’s not necessarily the best mix but the right brew for Gilas Pilipinas’s away match against Lebanon in the fourth window of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) World Cup Qualifiers.

JAPAN’S Miyu Nakagawa dives for the ball during their game against Chinese Taipei. NONIE REYES

Keli is a storyteller of diversity and inclusivity in sports, sports diplomacy, gender equity, and I’m positively sure, a treasure trove of Pele stories from Brazil and all over the world.

C HINA struggled past Vietnam while Japan survived a tight three-setter to remain unbeaten in two matches on Monday in the Asian Volleyball Confederation Cup for Women at the PhilSports Arena. C hina needed five sets in beating Vietnam, 25-12, 25-6, 29-31, 21-25, 15-12, for the solo lead in Pool A with Zhou Yetong scoring 27 points, Zhuang Yushan contributing 21 kills and Wu Mengjie and Hu Mingyuan also playing big with 17 and 16 points, respectively. Yielding a two-set lead and a 9-5 ad vantage in decider, the five-time champi ons regained composure in the endgame to frustrate the Vietnamese, who on Sunday night frustrated the Creamline national team, 25-19, 25-17, 31-29. Japan, on the other hand, moved on the cusp of sweeping Pool B following a 25-22, 25-22, 25-22 tripping of Chinese-Taipei.TheJapaneseovercame a sluggish third set start, closing out the onehour and 45-minute contest with a Mizuki Tanaka kill. With their dominant attacking and blocking, China held Vietnam to a combined 18 points in the first two sets of the two-hour and 21-minute match.

The French league tweeted that Mbappe’s goal ties midfielder Michel Rio who also needed just eight seconds to score for Caen against Cannes in 1992. French sports paper L’Equipe was more cautious, calling it the fastest goal since Rio’s with Mbappe’s goal closer to nine seconds, it said. The French league started in 1932. Galtier was referrring to Edouard Michut’s goal in a 3-1 loss to Salzburg in the youth league in March. Michut needed 11 seconds to score according to PSG’s official website. The French coach also said that his staff studied similar kickoff routines in the German, English and Spanish leagues, Bournemouthmentioning and Rayo Vallecano as teams that scored such goals.

R enauld “Sonny” Barrios, SBP’s Executive Director and spokesperson, announced a final 13 team during the online Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Monday. They are the Utah Jazz’s Clarkson, Kai Sotto, Dwight Ramos, Bobby Ray Parks Jr., Carl Tamayo, brothers Thirdy and Kiefer Ravena and Philippine Basketball Association players Japeth Aguilar and Scottie Thompson of Ginebra, Chris Newsome of Meralco, Jamie Malonzo of NorthPort, Calvin Oftana of NLEX and free agent Roosevelt Adams. We observed and evaluated what’s the best mix for the Lebanon trip. That’s our consideration there,” Barrios said. “It’s not necessarily the best [players] in the country, but they are the best team to play against Lebanon based on the available players.” O ne from the final 13 will be cut during Thursday’s team managers’ meeting in Beirut. The team flew to Lebanon on Tuesday morning and will face the Lebanese at 2 a.m. (Manila time) on Friday. BusinessMirror learned that Sotto didn’t join the Monday morning practice at the Meralco Gym along Ortigas Avenue because of a minor ankle sprain. No one from SBP confirmed the injury. Gilas Pilipinas told Manila on Saturday to prepare for Monday’s home game against Saudi Arabia at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. B arrios said Clarkson gamely attended all practices and had fun with the other players during posttraining team building activities.

and CEO Bobby Castro. The Cebu leg of the circuit— backed by ProtekTODO, PalawanPay, Unified Tennis Philippines and Universal Tennis Rating—winds up in Consolacion, Laray, starting Thursday. For details, contact Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464. Gomera also reasserted his mastery of the boys’ 16-under field, blasting Benedict Lim, 6-1, 6-1, in the finals although the Bacolod (Lanao del Norte) bet fell short of his 18-under title bid, absorbing another 6-2, 6-1 defeat from last week’s tormentor John David Velez, also from Ormoc.

China, Japan go unscathed in 2 matchesMbappe scores in 8 seconds, ties French record Brodeth, Gomera sustain run in Naga

E arly Sunrise Sprint bidders are youthful Edsel Belican Jr., Christopher Te of Trivengers and Tandag Tri Team’s Lawrence Uy, Ricaredo Gonzales of Team Surcyc, John Allan Honungan, Steve Lagapa, Arjay Machete of Southplus Triathlon, Florante Madali of Team Blanko and Karlo Mollejon of Haguros.