BusinessMirror December 29, 2021

Farms, fisheries typhoon losses at ₧8B

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

F

@jearcalas

ILIPINO farmers and fisherfolk have now lost P8 billion in income as Typhoon Odette (international code name Rai) destroyed over 171,222 metric tons (MT) of produce, according to the government’s latest estimate.

The latest report by the Department of Agriculture (DA) showed that 113,479 farmers and fisherfolk in 11 regions incurred losses as the typhoon ravaged across 341,280 hectares of farms.

The DA has recorded damage and losses in the regions of Cala-

barzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao, Soccsksargen and Caraga.

“Affected commodities include rice, corn, high value crops, coconut, livestock, and fisheries.

Damage has also been incurred in agricultural infrastructures, machineries and equipment. These values are subject to validation,” the DA said in its report issued on Tuesday evening.

The DA’s latest damage report showed that the fisheries sector suffered the brunt of the typhoon as it accounted for 31.3 percent of the total estimated agricultural

damage and losses.

The losses recorded by the fisheries sector have now climbed to P2.5 billion from an earlier estimate of P1.8 billion with 44,751 fisherfolk affected, according to the DA. The DA said the typhoon damaged various fisheries produce, fishing boats and gears, fishnets and gillnets.

The damage to the rice sector is now at P1.9 billion as the typhoon damaged 100,818 MT of produce across 71,004 hectares of farms, according to the DA. The DA has now recorded P1.5 billion worth of damage in the coconut sector as recent reports showed that the typhoon affected

211,630 hectares of coconut farms.

The DA’s latest report showed the agency recorded damage and losses in the sugarcane industry with an initial estimate of P1.2 billion across 51,159 hectares.

The DA said losses incurred by corn farmers now stood at P190.2 million as 11,004 MT of produce in 5,150 hectares of farms were damaged by the typhoon.

The damage to the high-value crops sector increased to P249 million with 2,337 hectares of assorted vegetables, fruit trees, root crops, cacao, banana and rubber affected.

See “Typhoon,” A2

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n Wednesday, December 29, 2021 Vol. 17 No. 82

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DTI CRACKS DOWN ON TYPHOON PROFITEERS REGULATOR THREATENS TO SHUTTER PRENEED FIRM DESPITE INFUSION

By Lito U. Gagni

T

HE Insurance Commission (IC) has come under fire for its refusal to grant a preneed company some regulatory leeway that will allow it to continue operations in view of the economic wreckage that the Covid-19 pandemic has brought to businesses.

Insurance Commissioner Dennis B. Funa has written a letter to Eternal Plans Inc. (EPI) threatening to put the company under conservatorship by December 28, should it fail to cough up cash within just a week from the delivery of its letter dated December 22.

Assistant Secretary Ann Claire C. Cabochan of the Department of Trade and Industry’s Consumer Protection Group (DTI-CPG) leads in monitoring the price and supply of basic necessities and prime commodities, including Media Noche items, at a supermarket in Quezon City on Tuesday. The DTI has stepped up its monitoring activities ahead of the New Year, with special focus against profiteering in typhoon-hit areas. NONOY LACZA

By Samuel P. Medenilla

T

@sam_medenilla

HE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has started its crackdown on establishments allegedly engaged in profiteering in areas hit by Typhoon Odette (international code name Rai).

See “DTI,” A2

Two months ago, the company had infused P300 million in cash to, among others, ensure that preneed clients can continue to be serviced despite setbacks in the pandemic, but this was not mentioned in Funa’s letter to EPI’s President and COO Elmer Lorica.

The IC’s plan to put the EPI under conservatorship is seen to hit hard the plan holders of Eternal Plans whose claims are now being serviced by Eternal Plans even with the losses it had incurred, as business was shuttered even for big preneed companies.

See “Regulator,” A2

Hoteliers see leisure travel, MICE revenue rising

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo

@akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror

L

EI SU R E t r ave l a nd t he conferences business will likely boost revenues of the hospitality sector in 2022, even as business travel is expected to remain sluggish.

This was the forecast of Al Le-

gaspi, President and Chief Officer of AyalaLand Hotels and Resorts Corp., in a recent online presser of the Philippine Hotel Owners Association (PHOA). “There is tremendous pent-up demand for leisure travel as early as now, so we’re confident this will carry through on 2022,” he said. “Business travel may not pick up that fast, but eventually it will, because

companies and corporations overseas will have to visit their principals here. So hotels just have to redirect their marketing efforts and capture the leisure and MICE [Meetings Incentives Conventions Exhibitions] markets. That’s also a strong potential market for us. It’s been strong in the past for us and even stronger moving forward,” said Legaspi, who is also PHOA’s

Vice President for Internal Affairs.

This was echoed by Peggy Angeles, Executive Vice President of the SM Hotels and Conventions Corp. “Business travel, as Al [Legaspi] said, would not be that strong, it is the domestic tourism. Small MICE business is coming back, particularly this

PESO exchange rates n US 50.1340 n japan 0.4366 n UK 67.3851 n HK 6.4283 n CHINA 7.8665 n singapore 36.9502 n australia 36.2669 n EU 56.7968 n SAUDI arabia 13.3513

See “MICE,” A2

Source: BSP (28 December 2021)

BusinessMirror

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

A2

PhilHealth. . .

Continued from A12

Binay weighs in

Voicing serious concerns over the impact of a “Philhealth Holiday” protest on people needing hospitalization, Senator Nancy Binay on Tuesday prodded private hospitals to reconsider their plan to stage a protest while demanding that PhilHealth management resolve the issue of unpaid hospital claims once and for all.

“This is a serious matter,” Binay said and added that “the situation merits an emergency meeting of the PhilHealth board and all members that are cabinet secretaries,” stressing that “not just representatives should attend.”

In a statement, she lamented that, “it is sad that some hospitals have to resort to this,” saying the situation should have been resolved much earlier.

“It’s dismaying because this issue with PhilHealth has repeatedly been tackled in Senate committee hearings and until now there is no clear solution in sight,” said Binay.

A “PhilHealth holiday is a major cause of concern,” she stressed, and asked aloud, addressing officials: “Is it just to make patients advance funds for their hospital coverage, and then be left to run after PhilHealth for reimbursement?”

Noting that the Covid contagion is still around, she stressed the need to “be prepared for a possible surge of its variants.”

Binay said both PhilHealth and the DOH should “get their act together to prevent more hospitals from disengaging.”

Earlier on Monday, Sen. Panfilo Lacson aired similar concern over the impact on the public of a PhilHealth holiday. Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz, Butch

Fernandez

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SC’s 110% clearance rate in ’21 reflects reduced backlog in cases

By Joel R. San Juan

T

@jrsanjuan1573

HE Supreme Court has recorded a 110-percent clearance rate, reflecting its success in reducing its backlog of cases for the year 2021.

Based on data released by the SC’s Office of the Clerk of Court-En Banc and the Division Clerk of Court, there were a total 8,391 pending judicial cases and 3,603 new cases and one reinstated case at the start of the year; thus, the total case input was 11,995.

The Court had a total output of 3,975 from January to December 20, 2021, which means a clearance of 110 percent.

Clearance rate is the rate of disposed cases vis-à-vis new cases (total output/ new cases).

“A one-hundred percent clearance rate means that the Court’s total case output is equal to the number of incoming new cases and is ‘keeping up’ with the new case filed,” the report explained.

With the disposal of 3,975 cases, there are now only 8,020 pending judicial cases as of December 20 of this year.

The High Court also reported that

it exceeded its performance in clearing the administrative and bar matters.

“The 110-percent clearance rate in judicial cases is also echoed in the SC’s resolution of administrative and bar matters, where it ended the year with a 105-percent clearance rate,” it added.

The Court disposed of a total of 1,176 administrative and bar matter cases.

At the start of the year, there were a total 2,230 pending administrative and bar matters. With 1,116 new cases, the total case input was 3,346—consisting of 2,230 pending cases as of December 31 last year, and 1,116 new cases.

With the disposal of 1,176 cases, there are now only 2,170 pending cases as of December 20 this year.

“Thus, dividing 1,176 total case output by 1,116 new cases would equal to a 105-percent clearance rate for administrative and bar matter

cases,” the report said.

The report said the SC also recorded an increase in its disposal rate at 33 percent for judicial cases, and 35 percent in administrative and bar matters.

Disposal rate is the rate of total disposed cases vis-à-vis the total case input.

Thus, for judicial cases, the disposal rate is computed by dividing 3,975 by 11,995.

On the other hand, for administrative and bar matters, the disposal rate is computed by dividing 1,176 by 3,346.

Prior to this year, the SC had recorded below-100 percent clearance rate for the past four years—87 percent in 2017, 99 percent in 2018, 96 percent in 2019 and 95 percent in 2020.

DTI. . .

Continued from A1

During the public address of President Duterte late Monday, Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez disclosed they are already looking into the compliance of 100 establishments with the price freeze in areas which are currently under the State of Calamity.

He noted that 50 establishments were required to submit an explanation letter and another 50 were given inquiry letters

by DTI. “If they are not able to explain well the reason...they increased their prices, they will face charges,” Lopez stressed.

Price freeze

DTI launched the investigation after getting reports that some retailers violated the price control in Regions 4B, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 13, which were placed under State of Calamity last week due to the impact of Typhoon Odette.

“Many were apprehended in Bohol and Cebu since we got reports they increased the prices of their genset [generator set].

We sent [our personnel] to establishments which were reported to us,” Lopez said.

He also said they got reports of some gas stations which tripled the prices of their gas per liter in typhoon-hit areas from P70 to P120.

The Trade chief added that they monitored only 52 percent of the establishments in Bohol as following the Standard Retail Price (SRP) of basic commodities; while in Cebu, 99 percent of establishments were able to do so.

Duterte warned that establishments proven to be engaged in profiteering or hoarding will be arrested and face charges.

The penalty for such illegal price manipulation includes a fine and imprisonment.

Loan support

Lopez also reported they will be extending P20-million livelihood aid for 2,000 micro, small and medium enterprises (SMES) in each of the Odette-affected provinces.

“So that our total initial [livelihood] assistance will be P100 to P150 million,” Lopez said.

He said they will distribute the initial P8.2 million for their Livelihood Seeding Program (LSP) to qualified 1,036 typhoon-affected SMEs in Guimaras, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Southern Leyte, Surigao del Norte, and Dinagat Islands.

Lopez said they will use their remaining budget for the initial livelihood aid distribution this week.

But starting next month, he said they will be tapping their 2022 budget to provide aid to additional LSP beneficiaries, whom they are currently profiling.

Lopez said the Small Business Corporation (SB Corp.) will also extend P500 million worth of microfinancing facility for the typhoon-affected SMEs. The loan will have no interest, needs no collateral, and will be payable in six months or one year.

Regulator. . .

Continued from A1

Officials of Eternal Plans said the company had been compliant with all the requirements that IC had imposed, and all it was asking was for it to be granted “regulatory leeway,” as the preneed company has the assets to cover up for its supposed trust fund deficiencies.

But Funa, in his letter of December 22, warned instead that the IC will put the company under conservatorship if it does not put up cash equivalent to P209,704,404.43.

“The Commission,” he said, “shall be prompted to issue a cease [and] desist order and place your company under conservatorship “ for failure to comply with the requirements of the Pre-Need Code.

Funa, however, failed to mention that other preneed companies have been granted regulatory leeway, or a way to comply with the cash required of preneed companies. One such company was granted such regulatory leeway by way of contributing land in a memorial park in 2017 to satisfy its trust fund deficiency.

Eternal Plans is in a similar situation as it has enough assets to comply with the trust fund requirements. Thus, all that is needed is for so-called non-cash contributions, since the assets of Eternal Plans are affected by the pandemic’s effect on businesses.

Eternal Plans asked, in an earlier communication with regulators, that it be given ample time to monetize its assets to cover for the perceived shortfall in its trust fund, since such assets are difficult to sell during the pandemic.

P300-M infusion

As a sign of good faith, Eternal Plans had put in P300 million in cash two months ago to serve as buffer fund for the claims that its clients will seek. These include those who had preneed claims against the company.

A cursory examination of the Reserve Fund of Eternal Plans shows that it will take 10 years before its trust fund can be depleted, a fact that Eternal Plans had already notified the Commission when the P300-million cash infusion was sought of the preneed firm.

Eternal Plans officials said that Funa seemed to have forgotten the fact that the company had been absorbing its losses brought about by the runaway rise in tuition that affected several big companies in the past, such as CAP and Pacific Plans.

Even with the losses it incurred from the payment to claims of preneed clients, the company has continued to operate, while other preneed companies had to endure brickbats and even bombings from their unserved preneed clients when they closed down.

The officials said that Funa should have taken into account the need for regulatory leeway since even the World Bank has acknowledged the fact that the pandemic is a force majeure that governments must consider.

Similar to a crisis, the pandemic is a force majeure event that has caused massive economic disruptions that include supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, mounting debts for poor countries, and closure of many businesses.

Meanwhile, Eternal Plans cited the fact that it was earlier given regulatory leeway by the Commission when it approved the non-cash funding of its 2015 and 2016 deficiencies in 2017 and 2018 with the contribution of its Sta Rosa memorial lots.

Eternal Plans officials wondered aloud: “If the company was given the regulatory leeway, that it is now seeking, before the pandemic, how come Funa does not want it now—when there is a Covid 19 pandemic whose economic wreckage includes that of a P3-trillion debt for the country?”

MICE. . .

Continued from A1

December when...small social events, particularly small family reunions, are being reactivated.”

She added that the growing number of social events stems from the increased confidence of many Filipinos because more have been vaccinated, or in most cases, many have received booster shots. “So, barring any variants into the country, 2022 should be a good recovery year—not quite prepandemic days, but much, much better than 2021.”

Angeles, who is also board director of PHOA, noted, “November was the best month in the last 11 months, in terms of revenue performance for our group, and I would think, that will be the same as other hotel groups,” laying the foundation for the hotel association’s optimistic outlook for 2022.

Legaspi said he foresees the quarantine business of most hotels “tapering off in the next quarter or so, hopefully with the improving Covid situation.”

Latest data from the Department of Health indicated, however, an average of 115 new Covid-19 cases in Metro Manila from December 20 to 26, up 49 percent from the 77 average daily cases from December 13 to 19.

Typhoon. . .

Continued from A1

The DA report also showed that 699,802 heads of livestock and poultry (chicken, swine, cattle, carabao, goat, duck, sheep, horse) worth P211.8 million were damaged as well.

The DA said Odette’s damage to irrigation and agri-facilities (shallow tube well, rain shelter, crops nursery, green house, vermi-composting facilities, fertilizer processing center) has now been estimated at P312 million.

The DA also recorded P6.2 million worth of damage to various farm machinery and equipment—disinfectant applicator, mechanical dryer, rice mill, forage chopper, rice cutter, cassava spinner and shredder.

The DA said its available interventions to affected farmers and fisherfolk has now reached P2.9 billion, with P1 billion being quick response fund (QRF) for the rehabilitation of affected farms.

The DA said the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) has P828 million of available funds to indemnify affected farmers while the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) has P500 million worth of emergency loan assistance available.

The DA is ready to distribute P314 million worth of rice seeds, P129 million worth of corn seeds, and P57 million worth of assorted vegetables. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) will provide P47 million worth of assistance to fisherfolk, according to the DA. Lastly, the DA said P6.6 million worth of animal stocks, drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry will also be distributed. The DA added that the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) will also provide assistance to affected coconut farmers.

The Nation BusinessMirror

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OCTA: No need to impose tight curbs for now

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

D

ESPITE an uptick in Covid-19 case count in recent weeks, the OCTA Research still sees no need for the imposition of stricter quarantine measures for now.

Instead of attr ibuting t he trend to the possible presence of the Omicron variant of the Covidcausing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2), OCTA Research Group member Guido David said the increase may have been caused by the increase mobility of the public during the Christmas holidays.

He noted they have already anticipated the increase since they observed a similar trend in 2020.

“So if we compare it to the last [Christmas] holiday season in December 2020, there was also an uptick [in Covid-19 cases],” David said in a televised interview last Monday.

“So we cannot say it is Omicrondriven,” he added.

The Department of Health (DOH) confirmed last Monday it detected the fourth case of Omicron-infected individuals in the country, but it noted it has yet to observe any local transmission of the said variant.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared Omicron a variant of concern since its mutations cause more infections compared to other SARS-CoV-2 variants.

David said it might take until next month or after the Christmas holiday season before authorities could determine if the increase in infections can be attributed to the Omicron variant.

“We cannot say [the increase in cases] is alarming. Let us wait for more data [on the increase in infections]. Probably by January, we can reassess the pandemic situation.”

He said while they are not advocating for immediate stricter quarantine measures, they urged the public to strictly practice minimum health standards to prevent the spread of Covid-19 during the Christmas season.

Manileños told: Don’t set aside health, safety protocols

M

ANILA Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso on Monday asked Manila City residents to continue practicing physical distancing and follow all health and safety guidelines to prevent a spike of Covid-19 cases in the city.

Moreno made the call after a granular lockdown was enforced in three Manila barangays where a slight increase of Covid-19 cases were monitored over the weekend.

“Ang lockdown naman po, katulad ng polisiya ng IATF [Inter-Agency Task Force], kapag medyo nagkakaroon ng konting kapabayaan at lumalago ’yung Covid infection sa isang lugar eh normal po na i-lockdown ’yung isang area.

So, we would continue to have those kinds of surgical lockdown kasi ang gusto natin, makapagbukas ang negosyo, makapagtrabaho ang tao, makapaghanapbuhay, unti-unti tayong mag-normalize,” Moreno said over DZRH. The Department of Health previously said the National Capital Region and most regions in the country will remain under Alert Level 2 status from December 16 to 31 amid declining Covid-19 cases.

“Pero kailangang maging responsable rin tayo. Kailangan magsuot pa rin tayo ng face mask. The mask is a must. ’Yun lang kailangan natin. Tapos magpabakuna tayo,” Moreno said.

As of 12 noon of December 26, the City of Manila has a total of 91active cases with 90,501 recoveries and 1,763 deaths. The Manila Health Department said they recorded 11 new active cases, five new recoveries and zero deaths for that day.

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Wednesday, December 29, 2021 A3

DND chief signs ₧28-billion deal for procurement of two corvettes

D

By Rene Acosta

@reneacostaBM

EFENSE Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana has formally closed the deal for the Philippines to procure two corvettes from South Korea during a ceremonial signing of contract on Tuesday.

“I share the jubilation of our valiant sailors and marines, the

entire Armed Forces of the Philippines, as well as the entire nation

for this acquisition of two more capital assets for our Philippine Navy,” Lorenzana said in signing the P28-billion contract.

The contract with South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries will give the Navy two brandnew corvettes from the same firm that has previously supplied it with two brand-new frigates.

“I am very pleased that we were able to meet our target to have the contract for the Philippine Navy Corvette Lot 1 Acquisition Project contract signed before this

year ends. Despite delays due to the pandemic, we are finally signing the contract, the last phase of procurement process,” Lorenzana said.

“For a total approved budget of P28 billion, this project will give the Philippine Navy two modern corvettes that are capable of anti-ship, anti-submarine and anti-air warfare missions,” he added.

The defense chief said that in acquiring the corvettes from the same company that delivered the frigates will ensure “commonal-

ity” and interoperability with the Navy’s existing assets, and will serve as “backstop” to the two frigates.

Lorenzana said the corvettes would not be the last projects under President Duterte as the Department of National Defense is also expecting to sign the contracts for the acquisition of 32 Black Hawk helicopters and six offshore patrol vessels next month.

The Black Hawks have a contract price of P32 billion and the six patrol vessels for P30 billion.

Husband of 4th Omicron variant case tested positive for virus

T

HE RT-PCR test of the husband of the 4th case detected with Omicron variant yielded positive result from Covid-19, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said on Tuesday.

“Both wife and husband were tested on the same day and isolated upon release of positive result. After a 10-day isolation, both were discharged asymptomatic. They will be retested based on existing protocols,” Vergeire said.

The husband’s sample will be processed by the Philippine Genome

Center for sequencing.

The 37-year-old husband and his 38-year-old wife came home together from the US on December 10 via Philippine Airlines PR 127.

Vergeire said that the 4th case experienced throat itchiness and colds on December 13.

A day before her flight to the Philippines, she met her friends in the US. She had a negative pre-departure PCR swab last December 7, 2021.

On December 14, she was tested positive from Covid. She was released on December 24 but was reswabbed

Group appeals for more govt, private sector aid for ‘Odette’ victims as deaths reach 387

By Jonathan L. Mayuga

H

@jonlmayuga

UM A NITA R I A N g roup Oxfam Pilipinas is calling on the government and the private sector to prioritize the distribution of shelter repair materials in areas devastated by Typhoon “Odette” (international code name Rai), warning that those living in congested evacuation centers are still in danger of contracting Covid-19.

“Typhoon survivors already spent Christmas in evacuation centers; let’s not keep them there for New Year’s Day, too as we are still battling the Covid-19 pandemic,” Oxfam Pilipinas Country Director Lot Felizco said in a news statement.

The statement came as the military continues to ferry and transport assistance to areas ravaged by Odette, whose number of casualties continued to rise nearly two weeks after it ravaged parts of Visayas and Mindanao.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said the fatalities from the typhoon have reached 387 as of Tuesday, with 83 still missing and 1,147 injured.

TheNavy’slandingshipBRPBacolod CityhasarrivedatthepierinLooc,LapuLapu City where it unloaded 199.793 tons of relief goods and equipment intended for affected families.

Naval Forces Central spokesman Lt. Junior Grade Frances Maye Macapinig said aside from assorted relief goods, the vessel sealifted and transported personnel from Manila Water and Meralco who will help produce drinking water and restore damaged power lines.

The Naval Task Force 50, with its sea assets, distributed potable drinking water and bags of rice to typhoonaffected residents of Coahagan and Pandanon Islands in Bohol.

Sailors also distributed 1,200 liters of water and 150 kilograms of rice donated by partner stakeholders to residents living within the islets of Mactan, which was also ravaged

by Odette.

The distribution of construction materials, which were requested both by residents and local government officials, would allow typhoon survivors

to repair and rebuild their homes.

“This will in turn help decongest evacuation centers,” Felizco added.

According to Oxfam Pilipinas, while Covid-19 cases in the Philippines may have decline in previous weeks, other countries are experiencing a surge in new cases due to the Omicron variant.

As of December 27, the government reported that 4.5 million Filipinos across 10 regions have been affected and displaced by Odette. Initial monitoring showed that at least 400,000 houses were damaged—127,000 of which were completely destroyed.

Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines brought its mobile kitchen to Cebu City to provide hot meals to thousands of residents affected by the typhoon.

On Christmas Day, the mobile kitchen served three meals each for 1,000 residents of four sitios in Barangay San Roque before it moved to Barangay Ermita and Pasil where it also served an additional 3,000 meals for 1,000 residents.

It is scheduled to park at Barangay Tejero on December 29 and is expected to continue operating in Cebu City until December 31.

In Northern Luzon, the Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM), under acting commander Major Gen. Andrew Costelo, is spearheading a relief operation drive through its joint task forces to raise assistance for the victims of Odette.

Assorted donations, including cash, noodles, biscuits, canned goods, rice, clothes, bottled water, medicines, hygienic kits, containers, sleeping kits and solar lights have been raised with stakeholders by the Joint Task Forces Kaugnay and Tala, the Joint Task Force Karagatan of the Naval Forces Northern Luzon and by the Tactical Operations Wing Northern Luzon and Tactical Operations Group 1, 2 and 3.

“With the onslaught of Typhoon Odette, we are committed to working alongside our people and stakeholders to provide emergency supplies and assistance to support communities devastated by Typhoon Odette,” said Costelo, who is also the commander of the 7th Infantry Division. With Rene Acosta

on December 25 following the sequencing result wherein the Omicron was detected. Both husband and wife will be retested.

Vergeire also said that their household members would be tested based on protocols.

The Department of Health (DOH), meanwhile, reported that Covid-19 cases in the country reached 2,839,111 after 421 additional infections were logged.

There were also 248 recoveries and 2 deaths recorded.

Of the 421 reported cases, 410

(97 percent) occurred within the recent 14 days (December 15-December 28, 2021).

The top regions with cases in the recent two weeks were NCR (170 or 41 percent), Region 4A (55 or 13 percent) and Region 3 (39 or 10 percent).

The two deaths were from September 2021 (100 percent) that were only reported now due to late encoding of death information to COVIDKaya.

This issue, the DOH assured, is currently being coordinated with the Epidemiology and Surveillance Units to ensure information is up to date.

Of the total number of cases, 0.3 percent (9,750) are active, 97.9 percent (2,778,148) have recovered, and 1.80 percent (51,213) have died.

There were two laboratories, which were not operational on December 26, 2021, while 16 laboratories that were not able to submit their data to the Covid-19 Document Repository System.

Based on data in the last 14 days, the 18 labs contribute, on average, 2.9 percent of samples tested and 2.4 percent of positive individuals.

Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

A4 Wednesday, December 29, 2021 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

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Govt to extend ₧5K aid to 97.5K typhoon-hit families in 6 regions

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

T

HE Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) on Tuesday said about 97,500 families affected

by Typhoon “Odette” in six regions will each receive P5,000 worth of financial assistance.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), meanwhile, has announced that the distribution of the P4 billion worth of cash aid to victims of Typhoon Odette (international code name Rai) will start this week.

During the public address of President Duterte on Monday, Interior Secretary Eduardo M. Año disclosed they already completed the joint

memorandum circular (JMC) with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Department of National Defense (DND) for the distribution of the financial aid.

“The joint memorandum circular will serve as the guide for the distribution of the assistance worth P4 billion. DBM [Department of Budget and Management] will be released to our LGUs [local government units] tomorrow [Tuesday],” Año said.

In a news statement, DHSUD said it has downloaded P487.5 million worth of financial assistance to typhoon-affected Regions 4B, 6, 7, 8, 10 and Caraga. Recipient families in the identified regions will receive P5,000 each, DHSUD added.

DHSUD vowed to fulfill its commitment of providing P100 million

for every province hit by Odette with severe damage to housing and procurement of housing materials for targeted island local government units (LGUs) until the first quarter of next year.

“We are hastening efforts to immediately assist families in typhoonhit regions, especially those whose homes were damaged or destroyed

by Odette. We are also stepping up coordination with other government agencies to ensure faster delivery of relief and financial assistance to regions that were battered by the typhoon,” DHSUD Secretary Eduardo del Rosario said.

“Rest assured that the government is doing the best it can to help all affected families as soon as possible,” del Rosario added.

The DHSUD said as of Monday about 506,404 residential structures were damaged or destroyed

by Odette, with 339,327 houses partially damaged while 167,077 were totally destroyed by the typhoon in Regions 4B, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

“In coordination with USAID and the International Organization for Migration, DHSUD had already distributed shelter-grade tarpaulin sheets to affected families,” it said.

“A total of 5,598 shelter-grade tarpaulin sheets were handed over to ‘Odette’-affected local-government units in Cebu, Bohol, Southern Leyte and Caraga region,” it added.

The DHSUD said it has also distributed 14,000 shelter-grade tar-

paulin sheets, 250 modular tents for evacuation centers and 1,310 solar lamps to typhoon-affected families.

“Meanwhile, 700 Shelter Repair Kits, which contain CGI sheets, lumber, plywood, tarps, nails and carpentry tools were sent to the Caraga region on Monday, while 300 more such kits are slated to arrive in Maasin City on Friday,” it said.

The DHSUD added that the PagIBIG Fund has allocated P5 billion in calamity loans for members affected

by Odette.

“According to the Fund, members may borrow up to 80 percent of their total Pag-IBIG Savings, with an interest rate of only 5.95 percent, which is the lowest in the market. Such loans are payable for up to three years with a grace period of two months,” it said.

OFWs switching employers in Saudi face jail, deportation threats–DFA

By Malou Talosig-Bartolome

F

ILIPINO workers in Saudi Arabia who would like to switch employers are still beholden to their original employers for fear of being deported or declared absconders, Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Sarah Lou Arriola has revealed.

Saudi laws are very strict on huroob, an Arab term for runaway expatriate workers. A foreign worker declared as huroob will be penalized as high as SR50,000 (P670,000), meted six months jail term, and face deportation and perpetual ban to return to Saudi.

This is probably one of the reasons Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia still do not benefit from the recently passed labor law abolishing the Kafala system, Arriola said.

Kafala, or sponsorship, is the decades-long legal framework in Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries, which gives individuals the right to sponsor foreign workers. The system was later abused by employers, making their foreign workers like Filipinos vulnerable to exploitation.

Workers’ employment and residency visas are linked as only sponsors have the power to renew or terminate them, which the Philippine government and other international human rights groups have raised in international fora as a form of modernday slavery.

Early this year, Saudi Arabia announced the Labor Reform Initiative, which introduced, among others, the abolition of the Kafala system.

Arriola and her delegation recently visited Saudi Arabia and spoke with diplomatic and labor officials in the Kingdom.

She said Saudi officials have assured her that they are sincere in enforcing the Labor Reform Initiative, but asked for patience and indulgence as there are still local employers who resist following these new policies.

Since the Kafala system was scrapped in March 2021, only around 300 Filipinos who were able to avail of the opportunity to transfer to new employers, compared to thousands of Egyptians who were able to transfer to new employees, the DFA official said citing data from the Saudi authorities.

There are around close to a million Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia.

“Di namin alam kung di lang masyadong alam ng mga kababayan natin o di lang talaga sila interesado. As for our domestic helpers, sabi nga sa kin, pag transfer ng employer, ma-huroob. Pag ganitong may problema, ipaalam lang natin sa Embahada,” Arriola told the Filipino community in Riyadh during the town hall meeting.

Philippine Ambassador to Saudi Adnan Alonto, who was also present during the town hall meeting, said he also spoke with the other ambassadors of sending countries in Riyadh and also shared the same complaints.

“They [Saudis] are overhauling a very long tradition on how they deal with expats. These changes will encounter resistance, growing pains,” Alonto said.

Alonto said the Saudi government has asked for a list of Filipino workers who were denied by their Saudi employers to be transferred to other employers.

“We are hoping sincere sila [Saudis] sa pagsasagawa nito [labor reforms]. Sabi nila, ‘Submit nyo sa amin kung sino-sino yang hindi pinayagan, at isasama namin sa listahan na kailangan aksyunan,’” the envoy added.

‘Odette’ damage to schools may reach P3.37B, Briones says

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

I

T may cost the government around P3.37 billion to fix the damage caused by typhoon “Odette” (international code name Rai) to public schools nationwide, according to the Department of Education (DepEd).

During the public address of President Duterte last Monday, Education Secretary Leonor M. Briones disclosed the amount is their estimated cost for the reconstruction of 1,086 totally damaged classrooms, and the rehabilitation of 1,316 partially damaged classrooms.

She noted the damaged school structures are in Regions 4B, 6, 7, 8, 10, Caraga and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Typhoon Odette, the DepEd chief said, also caused over P4 million worth of non-infrastructure damage.

The bulk or P3.25 billion covers the destruction of secondary school computer sets. It also includes damages in elementary school computer sets (P657.46 million), damaged school furniture (P73.43 million), and learning materials (P26.47 million).

Briones said they have insufficient funds to address all their Odette-related expenses.

She noted they currently only have P3.8 million Quick Response Fund left and P227 million worth of savings, which can be used for the said expenses.

Of the said available fund, Briones said, they will make use of P200 million to print modules essential for the continuation of face-to-face and blended learning classes.

Acting Presidential Spokesman Karlo B. Nograles said some of the fund woes of DepEd might be resolved once the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) completes its postdisaster needs assessment in typhoon-hit areas.

He noted the report would identify the damage caused by the typhoon and then identify possible fund sources, which can be used to address it using the 2022 budget or the existing Calamity Fund of the government.

Public told: Buy fireworks from licensed manufacturers

A

FEW days more before the New Year’s Eve celebration, the Department of Trade and Industry’s Consumer Protection Group (DTI-CPG) has reminded the public to only buy fireworks from licensed manufacturers.

As of December 22, 2021, DTI-CPG Undersecretary Atty. Ruth B. Castelo said there are only six licensed manufacturers that can make and supply fireworks in the country this year, namely, Dragon Fireworks Inc., Diamond Fireworks Inc., Leegendary Fireworks Inc., Pegasus Fireworks, Phoenix Fireworks, and Double L Fireworks.

Castelo said these companies passed the necessary requirements and testing conducted by the Bureau of Product Standards.

“Buying uncertified fireworks can cause damage to property or even pose danger to life. We are here to remind everyone to only buy and support licensed fireworks produced by certified andauthorizedmanufacturersbecause these products underwent the conformity assessment process, including inspection and testing prior to market distribution to ensure the safety of the general public,” Castelo added.

In coordination with Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau (FTEB), Bulacan Provincial Office and the Philippine National Police (PNP), the DTI has cracked down 573 pieces of unlicensed fireworks with a retail value of P26,340.00 in Bocaue, Bulacan last week. Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

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

TheWorld

Record Covid case numbers reported in 2 Australia states

S

YDNEY—Australia’s Victoria and Queensland states reported record levels of new daily coronavirus infections on Tuesday as pressure on testing centers prompted calls for wider use of rapid antigen tests.

Queensland state reported 1,158 cases, the first time the state has seen more than 1,000 cases in a day, but hospitalizations remained low. The state has more than 4,000 active cases of which 257 are reported to be the Omicron variant.

State Health Minister Yvette D’Ath announced Tuesday that travelers from out of state no longer will have to have a PCR test five days after arrival. D’Ath said of the tens of thousands who had crossed the state’s borders recently, only 0.6 percent had tested positive on day five.

“Anyone who is waiting in lines now for the day five test...will not be required to get day five tests from now,” she said. “We thank everyone for doing the right thing.

We have made sure we’ve done this in a safe and responsible way but from now, that no longer applies.”

Victoria state reported 2,738 new cases Tuesday, beating the previous state record of 2,297 cases in mid-October.

Au st ra l i a’s most- popu lou s state, New South Wales, saw a slight fall in case numbers but that corresponded with fewer tests around Christmas Day. The state reported 6,062 new infections Tuesday, down from 6,324 a day earlier.

New South Wales Heath Minister Brad Hazzard said the requirement for travelers to Queensland to have a negative PCR test 72 hours before departure was putting unnecessary strain on testing facilities. He said in enforcing the requirement, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was “perverting the purposes of pathology testing.”

“If Queensland thinks people are arriving free of Covid, that’s not necessarily true,” Hazzard said. “These tests have been done three or four days before arriving.

It’s counterproductive.

“This rule is contributing to the breakdown of the biggest pathology system in the country. We are not getting the turnaround times we need.”

Long lines were reported at testing centers around Sydney on Tuesday.

Australian federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has called for rapid antigen tests to replace PCR tests for most interstate travelers, to relieve pressure on testing centers.

“Using that rapid antigen test ahead of interstate travel is a better approach than the more expensive and time consuming PCR test,” Frydenberg told the ABC. “I think that’s a sensible balance recognizing that people want some level of surety about their health status before they travel.

“But at the same time they want to avoid the long queues and long waiting times coming with the PCR tests.” AP

North Korea holds key meeting as Kim marks 10 years in power

In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, attends a meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers’ Party in Pyongyang, North Korea on Monday, December 27. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: “KCNA” which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP

S

EOUL, South Korea—North Korea opened a key political conference Monday to review past projects and discuss new policies amid the pandemic and a diplomatic deadlock with the United States.

The official Korean Central News Agency said Tuesday that leader Kim Jong Un presided over a plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers’ Party. The report did not carry any remarks by Kim. T he meet ing approved u ns p e c i f ie d a ge nd a it e m s a nd went into t he d isc ussions of t hem, KCNA sa id.

The report said the meeting would review major polices this year and decide on “the strategic and tactical policies and practical tasks for dynamically guiding the struggle of our party and people to usher in a new period of the development of socialist construction to the next stage of victory.”

The plenary meeting is one of the highest-level decisionmaking bodies in North Korea.

Kim has previously used plenary meetings to announce his

positions on relations with the United States and South Korea or his country’s nuclear program.

It’s not known how long this week’s meeting may last. In 2019, a plenary meeting was held for four days.

T he meet ing comes as K im is ma rk ing 10 yea rs in power.

Since h is fat her a nd long t ime r u ler K im Jong I l ’s deat h in December 2011, K im Jong Un has established absolute power at home a nd for t if ied Nor t h Korea’s nuclear and missile arsena ls. T he economy has been devastated by t he coronav ir us pa ndem ic, U.N. sa nct ions a nd m isma nagement, but few e xper ts st i l l quest ion h is g r ip on power.

After a torrid run of nuclear and missile tests in 2016-2017, K im Jong Un participated in a series of landmark summit talks with then-President Donald Trump to discuss the future of his weapons arsenals. Those talks collapsed in 2019 over disputes about how much sanctions relief North Korea would get in return for steps toward partial denuclearization. AP

BusinessMirror

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

A5

World hits record daily cases as Omicron mars Christmas

G

lobal Covid-19 cases hit a daily record on Monday, disrupting the holiday season a year after vaccines first started rolling out and two years after the emergence of the virus that many hoped would be fleeting.

The more than 1.44 million worldwide infections smashed the prior record after factoring out a day in December 2020 when Turkey backdated a significant number of cases. A more conservative gauge—the seven-day rolling average that smooths out one-time fluctuations and holiday reporting irregularities—is also at an alltime high, owing to a tidal wave of Omicron infections.

The highly mutated and most transmissible variant yet, Omicron is fast becoming the dominant strain globally as it evades immunity normally provided by

vaccines and previous infections.

The seven-day rolling average of cases on Monday stood at about 841,000, a jump of 49 percent from a month ago, when Omicron was first identified in southern Africa.

Studies suggest that although Omicron infects 70 times faster than previous strains, the illness it causes may not be as severe, especially for people who have been vaccinated and received a booster shot. The ease of transmission and soaring number of cases could still squeeze hospital capacity worldwide, leaving the unvaccinated and anyone who

needs medical care for other conditions in the lurch.

Governments already are warning that infections and hospitalizations may soar following the holidays, setting a grim tone as the world heads into the third year of the pandemic.

Steady deaths

The silver lining is that daily Covid deaths have not significantly increased. The seven-day rolling average of deaths has hovered at about 7,000 since mid-October after falling from a Delta-driven peak, despite the emergence of Omicron.

The outlook heading into 2022 depends on whether the death toll follows cases and surges higher in the days to come, or if the Omicron wave proves mild as more real-world data emerges. While deaths tend to lag infection rates by a few weeks, early indications from southern Africa and other locations where Omicron has been circulating suggest some decoupling of the measures.

Better pandemic tools may

explain some of the rise in case counts. More infections are being found during this Omicron wave thanks to improved contact tracing and testing capabilities in the worldwide fight against the pathogen.

The record case counts are increasing pressure on public health officials to reassess their Covid-control policies. The US cut the recommended isolation time for people who test positive for Covid-19, allowing them to return to work sooner and potentially helping reduce widespread d isr upt ions t hat cou ld c lose schools or snarl supply chains.

The arrival of Omicron broadly halted the march toward normalization that characterized muc h of 2021. A re luc t a nce to return to pre-vaccine lockdowns and other Covid curbs may be allowing the virus to spread more widely, though it’s also giving some people a more traditional holiday season with family and friends after a dismal 2020 before vaccines were widely available. Bloomberg News

India blocks foreign funds for Mother Teresa’s charity

N

EW DELHI—India’s gove r n me nt h a s blo c k e d Mother Teresa’s charity from receiving foreign funds, saying the Catholic organization did not meet conditions under local laws, dealing a blow to one of the most prominent groups running shelters for the poor.

The Home Ministry said in a statement Monday that the Missionaries of Charity’s application for renewing a license that allows it to get funds from abroad was rejected on Christmas.

T he ministr y said it came across “adverse inputs” while considering the charity’s renewal application. It did not elaborate.

Its troubles come in the wake of a string of attacks on Christians in some parts of India by Hindu right-wing groups, who accuse pastors and churches of forced conversions. The attacks have especially been prominent in the southern state of Karnataka, which has seen nearly 40 cases of threats or violence against Christians this year, according to a report from the Evangelical Fellowship of India.

Earlier on Monday, the chief minister of West Bengal state, Mamata Banerjee, sparked outrage when she tweeted that the government had frozen the bank accounts of the charity. But the government soon clarified that it had not frozen any accounts.

The charity confirmed in a statement that the government

Homeless people gather beside a portrait of Saint Teresa, the founder of the Missionaries of Charity, to collect free food outside the order’s headquarters in Kolkata, India on August 26, 2021. India’s government has blocked Mother Teresa’s charity from receiving foreign funds, saying the Catholic organization did not meet conditions under local laws, dealing a blow to one of the most prominent groups running shelters for the poor. The Home Ministry said a statement Monday that the Missionaries of Charity’s application for renewing a license that allows it to get funds from abroad was rejected on Christmas. The ministry said it came across ‘adverse inputs’ while considering the charity’s renewal application, but did not elaborate. Its troubles come in the wake of a string of attacks on Christians in some parts of India by Hindu right-wing groups, who accuse pastors and churches of forced conversions. AP/Bikas Das

had not frozen its accounts but added that its Foreign Contribution Regulation Act renewal application had not been approved.

“Therefore...we have asked our centers not to operate any of the [foreign contribution] accounts until the matter is resolved,” it said.

Earlier this month, the Miss ion a r ie s of C h a r it y, w h ic h Mother Teresa started in Kolkata in 1950, found itself under investigation in the western state

of Gujarat following complaints that girls in its shelters were forced to read the Bible and recite Christian prayers. The charity has denied the allegations.

The charity runs hundreds of shelters that care for some of the world’s neediest people who Mother Teresa had described as “the poorest of the poor.”

India is home to the second largest Catholic population in Asia after the Philippines, but the roughly 18 million Catholics represent a small minority in the largely Hindu nation of nearly 1.4 billion.

Critics say religious tensions have grown under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government, with more frequent attacks against minorities.

Mother Teresa received the Nobel Peace Prize for her work in 1979, and Pope Francis declared her a saint in 2017, two decades after her death. AP

A6

BusinessMirror

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

8 STONE BUSINESS OUTSOURCING OPC 5-10/f Tower 1, Pitx Kennedy Road, Tambo, City Of Parañaque

ZHANG, XIAOLEI Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 1.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin speaking

ZHAO, RUOHONG Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 2.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin speaking

Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs.

14.

15.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

16.

17.

ANOC99 CORPORATION 5/f To 10/f Ayala Malls Manila Bay Building D., Macapagal Blvd. Cor. Aseana Street, Tambo, City Of Parañaque

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

ANDY BUDIMAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

CHEN, HAIYANG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

DENG, ZHIQIANG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

HY PHU PHONG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

GUO, WEIXIN Chinese Customer Specialist Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

8.

Brief Job Description: The Chinese Customer Service Officer is a first point of contract for the company’s Chinese Clients The Primary role of a Chinese Customer Service Officer within the team is to respond to a variety of Chinese requests and inquiries via the telephone and via live chat YANG, MAOSHENG Chinese Customer Service Officer

9.

Brief Job Description: The Chinese Customer Service Officer is a first point of contract for the company’s Chinese Clients The Primary role of a Chinese Customer Service Officer within the team is to respond to a variety of Chinese requests and inquiries via the telephone and via live chat TSAN TRAC SOI Customer Service Officer

10.

Brief Job Description: The Chinese Customer Service Officer is a first point of contract for the company’s Chinese Clients The Primary role of a Chinese Customer Service Officer within the team is to respond to a variety of Chinese requests and inquiries via the telephone and via live chat

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

11.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails

20.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

21.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

22.

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

23.

Basic Qualification: A Chinese and Fluent in CHinese Writing and Speaking Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: A Chinese and Fluent in CHinese Writing and Speaking Language

24.

25.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 26.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in CHinese Writing and Speaking Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

12.

Brief Job Description: Leads the overall direction of sales and distribution strategy, responsible for maximizing value in various distribution channels.

27.

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers

13.

Brief Job Description: Identify the organizational needs of IT system

HOU, GAOYUAN Mandarin Customer Service Brief Job Description: Provide and maintain customer service

JIANG, WANZHI Mandarin Customer Service Brief Job Description: Provide and maintain customer service

LI, CHAO Mandarin Customer Service Brief Job Description: Provide and maintain customer service

LI, LING Mandarin Customer Service Brief Job Description: Provide and maintain customer service

LI, ZHIFANG Mandarin Customer Service Brief Job Description: Provide and maintain customer service

SUN, XIAO Mandarin Customer Service Brief Job Description: Provide and maintain customer service

WANG, FAN Mandarin Customer Service Brief Job Description: Provide and maintain customer service

WANG, HUAZHONG Mandarin Customer Service Brief Job Description: Provide and maintain customer service

WU, CHANGLONG Mandarin Customer Service Brief Job Description: Provide and maintain customer service

YANG, XIAOJIA Mandarin Customer Service Brief Job Description: Provide and maintain customer service

YAO, SHUANG Mandarin Customer Service Brief Job Description: Provide and maintain customer service

ZHAO, YUE Mandarin Customer Service Brief Job Description: Provide and maintain customer service

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

Brief Job Description: Oversees the collection and analysis of financial information for an organization

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in managing incoming calls Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

30.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in managing incoming calls

FAN, FEIXIANG Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 28.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin Speaking

31.

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer system Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

29.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin Speaking

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in managing incoming calls

ZHOU, CHENGJIE It Supervisor 32.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Decision making, problem solving, critical thinking, and verbal communication. Maintains records of hardware and software inventory.

CHIN KOK WUI Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 33.

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in managing incoming calls Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

34.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 35.

36.

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in managing incoming calls

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in managing incoming calls Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Assist / Help customers, give customers information about product and services

ZHAO, JIAWEI Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Assist / Help customers, give customers information about product and services

TAN, HONG Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in managing incoming calls

Brief Job Description: Assist / Help customers, give customers information about product and services

HUANG, YU Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in managing incoming calls

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in managing incoming calls

Brief Job Description: Assist / Help customers, give customers information about product and services

ZHU, HAIRUI Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 37.

Brief Job Description: Assist / Help customers, give customers information about product and services

38.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Fluent both oral and written Chinese/ Mandarin speaking language.

Knowledge of computers, networks, software, and hardware. Provides it support, training and orientation for new technology users.

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/ Good in oral communication and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/ Good in oral communication and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/ Good in oral communication and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/ Good in oral communication and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/ Good in oral communication and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

JDB MANAGEMENT AND CONSULTANCY CORP. 107 T & D House, Magallanes St., 069, Bgy. 655, Intramuros, City Of Manila XIAO, HUAHUA Strategic And Facilitation Officer

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in any related field

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

INFOVINE INC. 8th, 9th, 10th/f Aspire Corporate Plaza Bldg., Macapagal Blvd. St., Zone 10, Barangay 076, District 1, Pasay City

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in managing incoming calls Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in managing incoming calls Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

HIGHFOCUSED INC. 16/f Tower 6789, Ayala Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati

Brief Job Description: Your primary function is to help the company and its client to generate more income for the company

Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

JOHN CLEMENTS CONSULTANTS, INC. 14/f Lkg Tower, 6801 Ayala Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati BANDO, SAYAKO Japanese Speaker Business Development Manager

39.

Brief Job Description: Develop business relationships with the Japanese companies that operate in the Philippines; promote the company’s services to the potential clients through activities such as participation in networking events, reaching out the key persons by phone calls and emails, and visiting offices of the clients; provide professional solutions for the challenges of the clients in the recruitment; make job order sheets that specify the qualifications and employment conditions to be used in the recruitment activities of the recruiters.

Basic Qualification: Experienced in human resource (hr) work and business development; with excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and Japanese; has a well-knowledge in Philippines and japan labor law.

Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999

JT INTERNATIONAL (PHILIPPINES) INC. Penthouse, W Office Building, 28th St. Cor. 11th Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

LAI, RIXING Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin Speaking

ZHANG, HUI Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in managing incoming calls

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

SANDAR OO Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in managing incoming calls

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: 25 years total work experience in the financial sector with the last 10 years spent in senior leadership.

No.

GLOBALLGA BUSINESS PROCESS OUTSOURCING Ground Level, Level 2-5 Floor, Silver City 4, Ortigas East, Ugong, City Of Pasig

FIRST GREAT COMPUTER TECHNOLOGIES INC. Lot 5, Sta. Agueda Cor. Queensway Pagcor Drive, Sto. Niño, City Of Parañaque

PHAM THI THUONG Computer System Analyst

Brief Job Description: Provide and maintain customer service

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

FUJIAN ELECTRIC POWER ENGINEERING COMPANY 5 West, Lawin, Phil-am 1, Quezon City

EAST WEST AGEAS LIFE INSURANCE CORPORATION 15th Flr. One World Place, 32nd St. Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig DELONG, JAMES MATTHEW Executive Vice President-chief Distribution

HE, ZEPING Mandarin Customer Service

LIN, WEI Chinese Finance Supervisor

DAXIFA CORPORATION Mpire Center 93 West Avenue, Project 7, Bungad 1, Quezon City KANG, LINCHUN Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

19.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

DATACLICK INTERNATIONAL CORP. E. Rodriguez St., Roxas Blvd. St., Barangay 003, Pasay City KONG, XIAOQIANG Chinese Customer Service Officer

18.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

www.businessmirror.com.ph

DINESH K BALASUBRAMANIAM IT Director 40.

Brief Job Description: Drive it strategy development and execution in Philippine market factory. Working closely with respective market/factory excom to align it strategy and priorities with the business plan.

Basic Qualification: University degree in information technology or related discipline.

Solid experience in it organization leadership (preferably) within the FMCG industry Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

KEYSQUARE INC. 21/f Hanston Square Bldg., San Miguel Ave. Ortigas Ctr., San Antonio, City Of Pasig

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION OHBA, TAKESHI Director Telecommunication Department

41.

Brief Job Description: In charge of TelCo clients and also managing the operations of the company.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Trained locally and abroad, articulate in dealing with clients and has advance education.

42.

Brief Job Description: Maintain and update an organized agenda detailing quotas, territory analyses, and results reports; Create and deliver sales presentations that are compelling, accurate, and informative ZOU, KAIJUN Senior Sales Engineer

43.

Brief Job Description: Maintain and update an organized agenda detailing quotas, territory analyses, and results reports; Create and deliver sales presentations that are compelling, accurate, and informative

Basic Qualification: With at least 4 years experienced in Construction Industry and College Graduate in any field

44.

Brief Job Description: Analysis on call logs in order to discover any underlying issues or trends

57.

58.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 4 years experienced in Construction Industry and College Graduate in any field

59.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 60.

KINDOSAR PROCESS SOLUTIONS INC. Unit 5d, Rose Industries Bldg., Pioneer St., Kapitolyo, City Of Pasig JEONG, EUN SUNG IT Consultant

56.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

KIN LONG INDUSTRIAL (PHILIPPINES) INC. Unit Nos. 2006 & 2007 Antel Global Corporate Center, Julia Vargas Avenue, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig YANG, YANMING Senior Sales Engineer

No.

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing korean and English

61.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

KP JOEUN CONSULTANCY INC Unit 7 Goldland Millenia Tower, Escriva Drive Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig PARK, JUNG EUN Business Consultant 45.

Brief Job Description: develop and implement marketing plan to for Korean market

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking , Reading and Writing korean and English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

62.

63.

KUMON PHILIPPINES, INC. 19/f Philam Life Tower, 8767 Paseo De Roxas, Bel-air, City Of Makati

46.

TAKAHASHI, HIROAKI President/general Manager Brief Job Description: Oversee entire operations of Kumon Philippines Inc.

Basic Qualification: Extensive of experience in developing business plan Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

MAIDEHAO TRADING, CORP. Level 10-1 Fort Legend Tower, 3rd Ave. And 31st St., Bgc, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

47.

ZHAO, JINYUAN Chinese Marketing Officer Brief Job Description: prepare and deliver promotional presentations.

64.

65.

Basic Qualification: business admin such as managing staff and delegating task Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

66.

MEGA-WEB TECHNOLOGIES INC. 6,7,8,9,10,11/f Met Live Bldg., Edsa Cor. Macapagal Blvd., Brgy. 076, Pasay City

48.

LEE, JIMIN Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

MERCK BUSINESS SOLUTIONS ASIA INC. 36th To 39th Floor, The Finance Centre Condominium, 26th Street Corner 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, City Of Taguig

RYANDA SUVITRA HADINATA Global Support Center Advisor

49.

Brief Job Description: Provide administrative and operational support; proactively collaborate with the country & regional stakeholders; work with the local hr operations team based in Indonesia and hr business partners; maintain & administer employee info on hr systems; actively partner and work with the team lead; seek opportunities & identify any knowledge gaps.

67.

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s/college degree in human resource management, psychology or any equivalent degree; preferably 3-5 years minimum professional experience; understanding and experience in the use of hr systems and tools.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

68.

69.

70.

MINDSCAPE CREATIVES INC. Unit 19-o, Burgundy Corporate Tower, 252 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati CHENG, YI-CHANG Mandarin Marketing Specialist 50.

Brief Job Description: Conducting research and marketing strategies to develop areas of the business

GAO, HANGFEI Mandarin Marketing Specialist 51.

Brief Job Description: Conducting research and marketing strategies to develop areas of the business

GAO, SHIDA Mandarin Operations Specialist 52.

Brief Job Description: Committed to improving customer experience and operational efficiency

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in Mandarin

71.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

72.

73.

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

74.

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

53.

54.

55.

BE VAN TUAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries CHU VAN CUONG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries DUONG HUU NGHIA Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read and write Chinese language

75.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write chinese language

76.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

77.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION DUONG THI DUNG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

DUONG THI HA Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

DUONG TIEN DAO Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

DUONG VAN TRONG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

DUONG VIET ANH Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

ELVIN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

GIAP VAN NGHIEM Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

HO LINH Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

HO THI MAI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

HO VAN QUYNH Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

HOANG NGOC SON Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

HOANG THI DIEN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

HOANG THI GIANG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

HU, DAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

KELVIN OSKAR Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

KHONG THI THU Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

LE PHU LINH Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

LE QUANG NGAI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

LE THI HUONG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

LE THI VAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

LE VAN CHINH Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

LE VAN MINH Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read and write Chinese language

No.

78.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

79.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read and write Chinese language

80.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read and write Chinese language

81.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read and write Chinese language

82.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write chinese language

83.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write chinese language

84.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write chinese language

85.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

86.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

87.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write chinese language

88.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

89.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

90.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

91.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write chinese language

92.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

93.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

94.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write chinese language

95.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

96.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

97.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

98.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

99.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION LE VAN THANH Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

LUO, HUANGQIN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

LUONG VAN VINH Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

LUU DINH DUC Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

LUU THAI SON Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

LUU VAN DINH Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

LUU XUAN THANH Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

LY VAN LONG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

LY VAN PHONG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

NGUYEN DINH KHOI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

NGUYEN THI BICH Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

NGUYEN VAN DUC Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

NGUYEN VAN GIANG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

NGUYEN VAN THANH Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

NGUYEN VAN VANG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

NONG THI IN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

PHAM THI HUYEN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

PHAN THI THANH TAM Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

PHUNG THI LY Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

QIN, YONGKUN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

TIONG XIAO ZHI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

TRAN MANH DUC Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

A7

A8

BusinessMirror

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

100.

101.

102.

103.

104.

105.

106.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION TRAN QUOC CUONG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

TRAN VAN HA Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

VOONG MY LINH Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

WEN, ZHENG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

YAO, NIANQING Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

ZHAO, CHUNHUI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

SHAO, JIAOJIAO Chinese Customer Specialist Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

WANG, PEIAN Chinese Speaking Admin Associate 118.

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

119.

LI, XIAOYAN Foreign Language Coordinator 120.

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

107.

Brief Job Description: The Country Representative is empowered to represent Naval Group in Country

SHIBUYA, YOHEI Manager 121.

122.

Basic Qualification: Advanced Master Degree

108.

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers, give customer information about product and services

HAN, HUAN Chinese Speaking Admin Associate 109.

Brief Job Description: Assist / Help customers, give customers information about product and services

HE, JIAJIE Chinese Speaking Admin Associate 110.

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers, give customer information about product and services

HUANG, YUSHENG Chinese Speaking Admin Associate 111.

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers, give customer information about product and services

KUANG, XIANG Chinese Speaking Admin Associate 112.

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers, give customer information about product and services

LIANG, SHAOXUAN Chinese Speaking Admin Associate 113.

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers, give customer information about product and services

LU, BOYING Chinese Speaking Admin Associate 114.

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers, give customer information about product and services

PENG, XIAOGANG Chinese Speaking Admin Associate 115.

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers, give customer information about product and services

TANG, HONGHONG Chinese Speaking Admin Associate 116.

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers, give customer information about product and services

WANG, GUAN Chinese Speaking Admin Associate 117.

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers, give customer information about product and services

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/Good in oral communication and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/ Good in oral communication and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/Good in oral communication and written

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Observe business activities of NTT Communications shareholding companies (PLDT, NTT Communications Philippines, etc) and compile business activities.

Brief Job Description: Handles growth-related activities. Working closely with the marketing team including the customer life cycle management team

123.

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/ Good in oral communication and written

Brief Job Description: Highlight TPM areas of improvement to meet the overall objective and engage with them to develop, activate and follow up on action plans

MATSUMURA, MARC KAZUO Chief Financial Officer 124.

Brief Job Description: Analyzes financial statements and prepares reports and recommendations to Top management and Board of Directors.

Basic Qualification: 5-10 years experience in working for british curriculum schools/postgraduate certificate of education (pgce) or similar accreditation/ experience with computer-based training software

Basic Qualification: Provide strategic advice to NTT Communications headquarter on their business activities in the Philippines.

Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

126.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/Good in oral communication and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: 5-8 years knowledge in manufacturing or operations related areas such as engineering, production & QA.

KIM, BYUL Lead - Customer Experience 127.

Brief Job Description: Monitoring interactions as per defined sample plan and targets: provide coaching and feedback to the consultants.

TRAN MINH TRANG Bahasa Indo Operations Team Leader

128.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

THERMA LUZON INC. 14/f Nac Tower, 32nd Street, Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig FLOREZ FERNANDEZ, LUIS ANGEL Technical Services Manager 132.

Brief Job Description: Providing technical expertise to coal plants, plant performance

Brief Job Description: Provides expedient and accurate customer service to French speaking clients and customers. Addresses Bahasa Indo customer concerns, queries, issues, complaints and/ or places sales orders and product information requests.

Prepares reports by accessing account database, analyzing the information contained and providing useful accurate and appropriate data.

BAIHAQI ADI UTAMA Bahasa Indo Operations TSR 129.

Brief Job Description: Provides expedient and accurate customer service to French speaking clients and customers. Addresses Bahasa Indo customer concerns, queries, issues, complaints and/or places sales orders and product information requests

Basic Qualification: Life cycle management plants Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

THRUDATA INFORMATION INC. 19th Floor Marco Polo Ortigas, Sapphire Road, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig

MA, JUI-AN Consultant Brief Job Description: Conducts research to understand how a company functions and where a company can improve.

TAGUCHI, TOMOHISA Admin Manager 134.

Brief Job Description: Responsible and in-charge of three division: General Affairs, Accounting and Purchasing.

TAKEDA, KENSAKU Assistant Admin Manager 135.

Brief Job Description: Responsible and in-charge of three division: General Affairs, Accounting and Purchasing.

Basic Qualification: Must be Chinese to deal with Chinese clients; Must have vast experience in related field; Must have good personal ethics.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Proficient in both Japanese and English languages and with experience in Japanese construction firm.

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in both Japanese and English languages and with experience in Japanese construction firm.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Candidate must possess at least a bachelor’s/ college degree in business administration, management, economics or any related fields.

W.E.W RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, INC. 50/f Pbcom Tower, 6795 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a. Rufino St., Bel-air, City Of Makati

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

136.

Basic Qualification: College graduate, fluent in English, preferably 6mos1year customer service experience

137.

MENG, XUHUI Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer Support for mandarin speaking client

ZHANG, LI Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer Support for mandarin speaking client

Basic Qualification: With Knowledge in computer application Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With Knowledge in computer application Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: At least two (2) years of working experience in the related field; Fluent in Mandarin/Chinese language

WISHLAND SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY INC. 28/f Techzone Condo Corp., 213 Buendia Ave., San Antonio, City Of Makati

138.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

139.

Basic Qualification: Strong understanding of social media platforms, content moderation and or digital content management work streams.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

140.

LUO, YI Chinese Language-customer Service Staff Brief Job Description: Deal with and help resolve customer complaints

TAN, HUIEN Chinese Language-customer Service Staff Brief Job Description: Deal with and help resolve customer complaints

ZHANG, LONG Chinese Language-customer Service Staff Brief Job Description: Deal with and help resolve customer complaints

TELUS INTERNATIONAL PHILIPPINES, INC. Units 23/f, 31st/f - 37th/f Discovery Centre, Adb Avenue, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/Good in oral communication and written

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/Good in oral communication and written

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

SUTHERLAND GLOBAL SERVICES PHILIPPINES, INC. 12th Floor Philplans Corporate Center, Kalayaan Avenue & Triangle Drive, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/Good in oral communication and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Manage database access

Brief Job Description: Provides expedient and accurate customer service to French speaking clients and customers. Addresses Bahasa Indo customer concerns, queries, issues, complaints and/or places sales orders and product information requests

TOYO CONSTRUCTION CO. LTD. 3/f Planters Products Bldg., 109 Esteban St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

SUPREME CHENGHAO MANAGEMENT OPC Level 26-a Rufino Pacific Tower, 6784 Ayala Ave., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

131.

Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/Good in oral communication and written

YENI FEBRIARIESKI Bahasa Indo Operations TSR

Basic Qualification: Candidate must possess at least a Vocational Diploma in any field, must be fluent in both written and verbal French and English language, at least 1 year of working experience as a BPO Professional, preferably with experience supporting a Bilingual Queue

133.

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/Good in oral communication and written

SU, CHANGCHUN Database Administrator

Basic Qualification: Candidate must possess at least a Vocational Diploma in any field, must be fluent in both written and verbal French and English language, at least 1 year of working experience as a BPO Professional, preferably with experience supporting a Bilingual Queue

Basic Qualification: Experience in developing digital, seamlessly integrated, ultraconvenient financial services software for consumers

125.

Brief Job Description: Answering inquiries, resolving problems, fulfilling requests and maintaining data base

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

RIGHT CHOICE FINANCE CORP. 5e-1 Electra House Bldg., 115-117 Esteban Street, San Lorenzo, City Of Makati CHEN, CHANGLI Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Provides expedient and accurate customer service to French speaking clients and customers. Addresses Bahasa Indo customer concerns, queries, issues, complaints and/or places sales orders and product information requests

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

PSB TECHNOLOGY SERVICES INC. Unit 301 And 302 Level 3 Silvercity 1a, Frontera Verde Drive Ortigas East, Ugong, City Of Pasig

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/Good in oral communication and written

130.

PMFTC INC. Plant C & D, Champaca Ii, Fortune, City Of Marikina ZHANG, DAQUN Manager Manufacturing

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

MUHAMAD LATIF AZIZ Bahasa Indo Operations TSR

PAYMAYA PHILIPPINES, INC. 6/f Launchpad, Reliance Cor. Sheridan, Brgy. Highway Hills, City Of Mandaluyong

NEO INCORPORATED North Tower Centrum Bldg., Aseana Avenue, Entertainment City, Baclaran, City Of Parañaque

AN, JING Chinese Speaking Admin Associate

Brief Job Description: To provide formal or informal language instruction and to provide workers with resources for independent language study.

KHATTAK, MOEZ MALIK Manager Of Consumer Growth And Ecosystem

Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

No.

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/ Good in oral communication and written

NTT COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION 9/f Mgo Bldg., Legaspi Cor. Dela Rosa Sts., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

NAVAL GROUP PHILIPPINES REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE 5/f V-corporate Centre, 125 L.p. Leviste St., Bel-air, City Of Makati CLAUSARD, ANNE MATHILDE MARIE ELISE CLAIRE Country Representative

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Assist / Help customers, give customers information about product and services

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

NORD ANGLIA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL MANILA INC. Neo Chinatown Bradco Ave., Aseana, Tambo, City Of Parañaque

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers, give customer information about product and services

WEI, YANLI Chinese Speaking Admin Associate

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Basic Qualification: Candidate must possess at least a Vocational Diploma in any field, must be fluent in both written and verbal French and English language, at least 1 year of working experience as a BPO Professional, preferably with experience supporting a Bilingual Queue Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999 Basic Qualification: Candidate must possess at least a Vocational Diploma in any field, must be fluent in both written and verbal French and English language, at least 1 year of working experience as a BPO Professional, preferably with experience supporting a Bilingual Queue Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in Chinese Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in Chinese Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in Chinese Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

XUSHENG TECHNOLOGY CORP. Flr. No. 1-5 Bldg., No. 0050 F.b. Harrison St. Cor. Williams And Roberts St., Zone 4, Barangay 013, District 1, Pasay City

YANSHENG Mandarin Speaking Technical Support 141.

Brief Job Description: Deals with hardware and application support queries and issues reported

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 *Date Generated: Dec 28, 2021

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 publication.

Please inform DOLE National Capital Region if you have any information on criminal offense committed by the foreign nationals.

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph Republic of the Philippines

13.

ZHIYONG TANG Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE Respond promptly to customer inquiries and communicate with customers through various channels

14.

YINGMEI QIN Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING TECHNICAL SUPPORT SPECIALIST Interview clients to gather information.

Php30,000.00+++/ month

15.

MINGTANG ZHAO Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE Respond promptly to customer inquiries and communicate with customers through various channels

Php30,000.00+++/ month

16

CHOO PING WEN Malaysian

MANDARIN SPEAKING TECHNICAL SUPPORT SPECIALIST Interview clients to gather information.

Php30,000.00+++/ month

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT Regional Office No. IV-A 4 Flr. Andenson Bldg. II, Brgy. Parian, Calamba City Telefax No.: (049) 545-7362 th

December 29, 2021

NOTICE OF FILING OF APPLICATION FOR ALIEN EMPLOYMENT PERMIT (AEP)

Notice is hereby given that the following employers have filed with this Regional Office application/s for Alien Employment Permit/s.

Name and Address of Employer: AMKOR TECHNOLOGY PHILIPPINES, INC. LTI, Biñan City, Laguna

1.

2.

Name and Citizenship of Foreign National

Position and Job Description

DONGGYUN KIM Korean

SENIOR MANAGER - P1 WB ME Ensure effective development and implementation of maintenance engineering operating guidelines and technical services.

Php60,000.00+++/ month

DIRECTOR - MOLD ME Support manufacturing through linesustaining activities such as equipment setup and troubleshooting.

Php60,000.00+++/ month

JAEJIN PARK Korean

Salary Range

3.

Position and Job Description

TAKUYA MIZUNO Japanese

PRODUCTION ADVISER Php90,000.00+++/ Check, monitor and give constructive advise to month manufacturing process.

Salary Range

Name and Address of Employer: CANON BUSINESS MACHINES (PHILIPPINES), INC. FPIP, Tanauan City, Batangas

4.

Name and Citizenship of Foreign National

Position and Job Description

HIDETOMO MIZOBE Japanese

PURCHASING CONTROL DEPARTMENT ASSISTANT MANAGER Ensure that manufacturing processes run reliably and efficiently.

Name and Citizenship of Foreign National

Position and Job Description

Salary Range

CHENG HOE TEOH Malaysian

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE Field incoming help request from end user from the People’s Republic of China through telephone and work orders in a courteous manner.

Php30,000.00+++/ month

18.

YIHUANG SUN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE Field incoming help request from end user from the People’s Republic of China through telephone and work orders in a courteous manner.

Php30,000.00+++/ month

19.

MEI LUO Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE Field incoming help request from end user from the People’s Republic of China through telephone and work orders in a courteous manner.

Php30,000.00+++/ month

20.

XIAOFAN LU Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE Field incoming help request from end user from the People’s Republic of China through telephone and work orders in a courteous manner.

Php30,000.00+++/ month

21.

MENGLONG FENG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE Field incoming help request from end user from the People’s Republic of China through telephone and work orders in a courteous manner.

Php30,000.00+++/ month

RUIQI LIU Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE Field incoming help request from end user from the People’s Republic of China through telephone and work orders in a courteous manner.

Php30,000.00+++/ month

ZENGQIANG XU Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE Field incoming help request from end user from the People’s Republic of China through telephone and work orders in a courteous manner.

Php30,000.00+++/ month

HUAN ZUO Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE Field incoming help request from end user from the People’s Republic of China through telephone and work orders in a courteous manner.

Php30,000.00+++/ month

GUANGHUA ZHAO Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE Field incoming help request from end user from the People’s Republic of China through telephone and work orders in a courteous manner.

Php30,000.00+++/ month

YUCHENG ZHENG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE Field incoming help request from end user from the People’s Republic of China through telephone and work orders in a courteous manner.

Php30,000.00+++/ month

17.

Salary Range

Php150,000.00+++/ month

Name and Address of Employer: FCC (PHILIPPINES) CORP. Laguna Technopark - SEZ, Biñan City, Laguna

5.

Name and Citizenship of Foreign National

Position and Job Description

Salary Range

KEIZO YAMAMOTO Japanese

DIRECTOR AND ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT Assist the Vice President and perform functions in the absence of the latter.

Php90,000.00+++/ month

22.

Name and Address of Employer: GOSHI PHILS INC. 108 North Science Avenue, Laguna Technopark, Biñan City, Laguna

6.

Name and Citizenship of Foreign National

Position and Job Description

Salary Range

KOHJI KAWAKAMI Japanese

AVP FOR PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT & FACILITIES MAINTENANCE AND QUALITY CONTROL Overall management of production equipment and facilities maintenance and QC.

Php90,000.00+++/ month

23.

24.

Name and Address of Employer: JG SUMMIT OLEFINS CORPORATION Brgy. Simlong, JGSOC Complex, Batangas City, Batangas

7.

Name and Citizenship of Foreign National

Position and Job Description

ARI DZIKHRI ROBBI Indonesian

SENIOR MANUFACTURING CONSULTANT Serve as subject matter expert in particular for Php150,000.00+++/ the operations, process and product technology month of monomodal and bimodal polyethylene utilizing different technology.

Salary Range

25.

26.

Name and Address of Employer: NIDEC PHILIPPINES CORPORATION SPEZ, LTI, Biñan City, Laguna

8.

Name and Citizenship of Foreign National

Position and Job Description

Salary Range

TOMOHIRO HASEGAWA Japanese

VICE PRESIDENT Assist production development center.

Php60,000.00+++/ month

Name and Address of Employer: PHILSYNC TECHNOLOGIES CO LTD. CORPORATION Tecnozone Aguinaldo Highway, Talaba IV Bacoor, Cavite

9.

10.

11.

12.

Php30,000.00+++/ month

A9

Name and Address of Employer: SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY INC. 4-12TH Floor Southwoods Mall, Tower 2, Halang St., Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna, Philippines

Name and Address of Employer: ARKTECH PHILIPPINES INC. FPIP, Sto.Tomas, Batangas Name and Citizenship of Foreign National

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

Name and Address of Employer: THE PIN & CO. INC. 151 Bagtas Road, Bagtas, Tanza, Cavite 4108

27.

Name and Citizenship of Foreign National

Position and Job Description

TAO GAO Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE Respond promptly to customer inquiries and communicate with customers through various channels.

XUELIANG WANG Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE Respond promptly to customer inquiries and communicate with customers through various channels.

Php30,000.00+++/ month

ZHIWEI LIN Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE Respond promptly to customer inquiries and communicate with customers through various channels

Php30,000.00+++/ month

QI LONG Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE Respond promptly to customer inquiries and communicate with customers through various channels

Php30,000.00+++/ month

Name and Citizenship of Foreign National

Position and Job Description

Salary Range

TIMOTHY NATHAN HARVEY Australian

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER TECH & TOURISM Set up and manage businesses across industries and ensure that all systems are in place to deliver quality consumer experience.

Php60,000.00+++/ month

Name and Citizenship of Foreign National

Position and Job Description

Salary Range

BHIMSEN MASKIKAR Indian

SUPERVISOR – NPD Responsible in all day-to-day activities of the NPD and interrelated matters.

Php30,000.00+++/ month

Salary Range

Php30,000.00+++/ month

Name and Address of Employer: VEER-O-METALS (PHILIPPINES) INC. Cavite Economic Zone, Rosario, Cavite

28.

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 the DOLE Regional Office within 30 days from the date of publication.

Please inform the DOLE Regional Office if you have an information of any criminal offense committed by the foreign nationals.

To avail of free job referral, placement, and employment guidance services, visit the nearest Public Employment Service Offices (PESO) or log on at http://www.philjobnet.gov.ph

A10 Wednesday, December 29, 2021 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

editorial

Hunger is a national security threat–UN

F

ood insecure people lack regular access to enough safe and nutritious food for normal growth and development and an active and healthy life, according to the United Natio ns’ Food and Agriculture Organization. Food insecurity can be experienced at different levels of severity. Those who are severely food insecure, FAO said, have run out of food and gone a day or more without eating and have most likely experienced hunger.

The latest report on the state of food security and nutrition in Asia and the Pacific rings alarm bells. Titled “2021 Asia and the Pacific Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition,” the joint report published by the FAO and the United Nations Children’s Fund revealed that hunger and inadequate access to nutritious foods have increased last year. Data presented by the FAO and UNICEF showed that more than 375 million people in Asia and the Pacific faced hunger last year, an increase of 54 million over the previous year.

The report also indicated that more than 1.1 billion people in Asia and the Pacific did not have access to adequate food in 2020—an increase of almost 150 million people in just one year. FAO said the high cost of a healthy diet and persistently high levels of poverty and income inequality continue to hold healthy diets out of reach for 1.8 billion people in this region.

In the Philippines, the number of people who experienced severe and moderate food insecurity rose by more than 2 million. The FAO and UNICEF report revealed that Filipinos who experienced food insecurity reached 46.1 million in 2018-2020, up from the 44 million recorded in 2017-2019. Those experiencing severe food insecurity expanded by nearly 1 million to 4.3 million last year, from 3.4 million recorded a year ago (See, “Food-insecure Pinoys up to 46.1 million—UN report,” in the BusinessMirror, December 27, 2021).

The FAO-UNICEF report did not provide the data for 2018, but even before the pandemic, the number of food insecure people had risen by nearly 2 million in 2019, from the 41.2 million recorded in 2016. The Covid-19 pandemic aggravated an already limited access of people to affordable and nutritious food due to the mobility restrictions and the disruption to economic activities, which swelled the ranks of the unemployed. Those in the so-called Bottom 30 of the country’s population usually bear the brunt of disruptions to economic activities as food accounts for 70 percent of their expenditures (See, “Bottom 30% expenses swell on costlier food,” in the BusinessMirror, June 25, 2019).

The next administration would do well to keep these figures in mind when crafting a plan for the food-agri sector. Improving crops and animal production is one of the solutions to the country’s food insecurity; assisting people in rural areas with the sustainable management of local natural resources is another effort. But the real challenge is how to ensure access of poor Filipinos to affordable and nutritious food. A long-term and sustainable plan must be given careful thought. The food system that policymakers need to craft must also prioritize the dietary needs of vulnerable groups, including women and young children.

It’s best to remind our policy-makers that no less than the United Nations views hunger as a national security threat. The next administration would do well to take care of the nutrition needs of more than 2 million food insecure Filipinos.

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Lantern parade of hope and love Dennis Gorecho

Kuwentong Peyups

T

he University of the Philippines (UP) system normally celebrates the Christmas season the best way one can imagine with a parade of lights, floats and every single extravaganza UP students could practically think of.

The Lantern Parade started in 1922, inspired by the folk practice of carrying lanterns of various shapes and sizes to light the way to the early morning December masses or misa de gallo during the Spanish period.

It was institutionalized in 1934

by UP President Jorge C. Bocobo “so that students can have a frolicsome activity before the year ends.”

“From its beginnings as a simple homage to an old Christmas tradition to the elegant, colorful, sometimes controversial creations that strut [or sometimes sputter] around the UPD academic oval each Yuletide, the Lantern Parade has evolved into an event that reflects both the people and milieu of its time, depicting the changing social and political landscape of the University and indeed, the country,” according to the UP web site.

UP is known to be a sanctuary of advocates of civil rights and academic freedom, especially in times of uncertainty and social turmoil.

Lantern parades are held in all UP constituent universities, with administrative offices, academic units, organizations, and community groups getting creative on their lanterns and presentations.

I remember my first lantern pa-

rade in 1987 lasted for six to eight hours during my freshman year when six wheeler trucks were still allowed.

Lanterns are basically a light source (candle, wick in a fuel or mantle) enclosed in a container that protects the flame so the wind would not put it out but light can pass through. It can be made from a variety of materials from non-flammable to flammable.

Due to the pandemic, the traditional face-to-face lantern parades were not celebrated in the various UP campuses for two years in a row.

UP launched last December 21 a virtual campus map that livestreamed the lantern parade via UPD’s Facebook and YouTube channels.

I celebrated my birthday last December 21 by joining the “People’s Lantern Parade,” which is an informal lantern parade at the UP Diliman campus.

The two-hour parade was organized by Colleges of Social Work and Community Development and Engineering and the School of Economics (my home college as well as that of Vice President Leni Robredo). The parade, which lasted until six in the evening, began at the CSWCD, went

around the Academic Oval and ended at the University Avenue fronting the Administration Building.

With the theme “Parada ng Pag-ibig at Pag-asa,” most participants carried pink parols of various sizes as the parade aims to symbolize calls to end corruption and its adherents, and to fight for democracy, human rights, and the welfare of Filipinos.

It also aimed to raise funds for the areas recently affected by Typhoon Odette.

Pink is considered “the color of hope and love.”

The pink parol movement coincided with the Christmas season that became not merely initiatives to raise funds but also for voters’ education activities.

Pink parols not only give hope but also enlightenment to voters on who they should vote for in the upcoming 2022 elections.

It was also during my birthday last year when the so-called Christmas Star or Star of Bethlehem appeared, which is symbolized by the parol.

On this day, Jupiter and Saturn appeared closer to each other.

It is called a “great conjunction” because Jupiter and Saturn are the two largest planets in the Solar System, and to the naked eye they look

like a single bright star during this “celestial summit meeting.”

One of the more popular theories for the “Christmas Star” was that it was part of a series of conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn in 7 BC wherein these planets met not once but three times that year (in May, September and December).

In Christian belief, the Christmas star is found within the New Testament only in the Gospel of Matthew.

The Christmas Star led the three wise men (Magi) to Jesus’ home in the town of Bethlehem where they worshiped him and gave him gifts.

The wise men were then given a divine warning not to return to Herod, so they travelled back home by a different route.

“O star of wonder, star of light, Star with royal beauty bright, Westward leading, still proceeding, Guide us to thy perfect light.”

May the pink parol be the country’s guiding Christmas star. “Mas radikal ang magmahal.”

Peyups is the moniker of University of the Philippines. Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the seafarers’ division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan law offices. For comments, e-mail info@sapalovelez.com, or call 09175025808 or 0908-8665786.

‘So difficult’: Northwest cold forces some into shelters

By Manuel Valdes | Associated Press

S

EATTLE—With temperatures in normally mild Seattle dropping well below freezing, Kaety West walked a short distance in the snow from the tent where she usually stays to find refuge at a small warming center at an American Legion hall.

“I’m not even willing to stay in it right now. It’s just so difficult,” she said of her tent on Monday.

Severe weather sweeping parts of the US brought frigid temperatures to the Pacific Northwest and heavy snow to mountains in Northern California and Nevada.

Across western Washington and Oregon officials and private groups opened emergency spaces for people to find refuge as forecasters said the extreme cold from an arctic blast could last until the weekend.

Snow showers blew into the Pacific Northwest on Sunday from

the Gulf of Alaska, dumping up to 6 inches (15 centimeters) across the Seattle area and snarling traffic throughout the greater Seattle and Portland areas.

The National Weather Service said Seattle’s low Sunday was 20 degrees F (-6.7 C), breaking a mark set in 1948. Bellingham, Washington, was 9 degrees F (-12. 8C), 3 degrees colder than the previous record set in 1971.

State officials in Oregon have declared an emergency. In Multnomah County—home to Portland—about a half dozen weather shelters were

open. Seattle city leaders also opened at least six severe weather shelters and the mayor declared an emergency.

Utilities reported about 5,000 customers without power Monday in western Washington and Oregon.

Farther south blowing snow in the mountains of Northern California and Nevada closed key highways, with forecasters warning that travel in the Sierra Nevada could be difficult for several days.

At Donner Pass in the Sierra, officials with the University of California, Berkeley’s Central Sierra Snow Laboratory on Monday said recent snowfall has smashed the snowiest December record of 179 inches (4.6 meters), set in 1970. The record is now 193.7 inches (4.9 meters) as more snow is expected.

The Northstar California Resort in Truckee closed its mountain opera-

tions on Monday amid blizzard conditions. The ski resort has received more than 6 feet (1.8 meters) of snow over the last 48 hours, according to the resort’s Facebook post.

The snowpack in the Sierra was at dangerously low levels after recent weeks of dry weather but the state Department of Water Resources reported on Monday that the snowpack was between 145% and 161% of normal across the range with more snow expected.

In Nevada, freezing air and blinding snow blasted across the northern part of the state on Monday, affecting travel and business, closing Sierra Nevada highway passes, delaying airport flights and shutting state offices.

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak ordered nonessential state workers other than public safety and corrections See “Northwest,” A11

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Wednesday, December 29, 2021 A11

China pursues tech ‘self-reliance’, fueling global unease Immigrants welcome Afghan refugees, inspired by own journeys B

S

By Janie Har | Associated Press

AN JOSE, California—Tram Pham tears up recalling how tough life was at first in the US. But she also remembers the joy she felt as a 22-year-old refugee from Vietnam when a nurse spoke to her in her native language and guided her through a medical screening required of new arrivals.

Nearly three decades later, Pham hopes to pay that comfort forward as a registered nurse at the same San Jose, California clinic that treated her family. The TB and Refugee Clinic at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center is screening people from Afghanistan who began seeking asylum in the US after American troops withdrew from the country in August.

Pham can’t speak Farsi or Pashto.

But she can soothe patients stressed out over the job they can’t find or the rent that’s due. The other day, she held the hand of an older Afghan woman as she cried out her fears.

“I can see patients from all over the world come in. I see, you know, Vietnamese patients. I see a lot of refugee patients,” she said. “I see myself.”

The TB and Refugee Clinic joins a vast network of charities and government organizations tasked with carrying out President Joe Biden’s plan to relocate nearly 100,000 people from Afghanistan by September 2022. Nearly 48,000 Afghans have already moved off US military bases and settled in new communities, the US Department of State said in an e-mail, including more than 4,000 in California.

The operation has been hampered by the need to scale up quickly after steep cutbacks to refugee programs under President Donald Trump. But the community response has been overwhelming and enthusiastic, said Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, president of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, one of nine national resettlement agencies.

“We know that resettlement isn’t a weekslong or monthslong process.

Success requires years of effort. And so that’s where it’s really important to have strong community ties,” Vignarajah said.

The nonprofit, which operates in at least two dozen states, has resettled roughly 6,000 newly arrived Afghans since summer, including 1,400 in northern Virginia, 350 in Texas, 275 in Washington and Oregon and 25 in Fargo, North Dakota.

The state of Oklahoma has received about half of the 1,800 people it was told to expect, said Carly Akard, spokeswoman for Catholic Charities of Oklahoma City. Akard said that in their rush to escape, many of the refugees arrived without identification.

“They fled and didn’t have anything,” she said.

In San Jose, the clinic is scrambling to hire more people and reallocate staff for the more than

Northwest. . . continued from A10

personnel to remain home due to the storm.

The storms that have been pummeling California and Nevada in recent days also brought rain and snow to Arizona. A record inch of rain in one day was reported at the airport in Phoenix Friday when 11 inches (28 centimeters) of snow fell at the Arizona Snowbowl ski resort just outside Flagstaff.

More storms were expected to hit the desert state starting Monday afternoon and continuing throughout the week and snow was again expected in the greater Portland area through Tuesday morning.

With temperatures in western Washington and Oregon not forecast to rise above freezing for days, officials were planning on keeping emergency shelters for longer than initially expected.

800 people expected in the county through September. Not only is the number a large increase from the 100 people the clinic assessed in all of the last fiscal year, it is uncertain when they will arrive, said health center manager Nelda David.

But David said that won’t stop the staff of roughly three dozen from rolling out the welcome mat at the clinic, founded four decades ago specifically to assist Southeast Asians after the Vietnam War. Most of the nurses, assistants and other staff are immigrants or former refugees themselves, and understand the shock of starting over in a new country.

Medical interpreter Jahannaz Afshar welcomes Farsi speakers at the front door even before they check in for their first visit. In a windowless office, she explains what to expect over at least four visits as part of a comprehensive health assessment, which includes updating immunizations and checking for infectious diseases. A medical exam is required of all refugees.

But Afshar, who moved from Iran in 2004, also explains cultural differences, such as the American preference for personal space and chitchat.

She’ll tell newcomers how to take the bus or use the public library, and reassure them that in the US, people help without expectation of getting anything in return.

Most staff members are bilingual, and come from a number of countries, including China, Myanmar, Sierra Leone and Mexico, said Mylene Madrid, who coordinates the refugee health assessment program. But staff can help even without speaking the same language.

An Afghan woman was tense and nervous when she arrived the other day for her first medical exam. By the end of the hourslong visit, however, she was cracking jokes and sharing photos with public health assistant Nikie Phung, who had fled Vietnam decades earlier with her family.

Another new arrival from Afghanistan dropped by the clinic complaining of chest pains but was so anxious she couldn’t elaborate on her symptoms. Pham, the nurse, asked if she could hold her hand.

They sat as the woman sobbed, then finally spoke of the stress of having her entire family living in a cramped hotel room.

By then, her pains had receded.

Pham noticed that the woman’s daughter and son-in-law were upbeat and more comfortable speaking English. She pulled the daughter aside.

Seattle leaders said city shelters will remain open through the new year. Nearly 200 people stayed at the shelters overnight on Sunday, officials said, and they were expecting the numbers to grow.

At the shelter where West went to get warm, American Legion Hall Post 160, there was room for about a dozen people.

Keith Hughes of the American Legion said the capacity is limited by lack of volunteer staff.

“Volunteers, this is a problem for myself as well as everyone else in town, it’s really hard to get with Covid going on,” he said, adding there were plans to keep the space open for about 10 days. The last time the Legion post opened its doors longterm as a warming center was three days, Hughes said.

“The longer it goes on the harder it’s going to be on people that don’t have a place to get out of this,” Hughes said. “We’ll just keep helping people as much as we can help them.”

By Joe Mcdonald | AP Business Writer

EIJING—To help make China a self-reliant “technology superpower,” the ruling Communist Party is pushing the world’s biggest e-commerce company to take on the tricky, expensive business of designing its own processor chips—a business unlike anything Alibaba Group has done before.

Its 3-year-old chip unit, T-Head, unveiled its third processor in October, the Yitian 710 for Alibaba’s cloud computing business. Alibaba says for now, it has no plans to sell the chip to outsiders.

Other rookie chip developers including Tencent, a games and social media giant, and smartphone brand Xiaomi are pledging billions of dollars in line with official plans to create computing, clean energy and other technology that can build China’s wealth and global influence.

Processor chips play an increasingly critical role in products from smartphones and cars to medical devices and home appliances. Shortages due to the coronavirus pandemic are disrupting global manufacturing and adding to worries about supplies.

Chips are a top priority in the ruling Communist Party’s marathon campaign to end China’s reliance on technology from the United States, Japan and other suppliers Beijing sees as potential economic and strategic rivals. If it succeeds, business and political leaders warn that might slow down innovation, disrupt global trade and make the world poorer.

“Self-reliance is the foundation for the Chinese nation,” President Xi Jinping said in a speech released in March. He called for China to become a “technology superpower” to safeguard “national economic security.”

“We must strive to become the world’s main center of science and the high ground of innovation,” Xi said.

Beijing might be chasing a costly disappointment. Even with huge official investments, businesspeople and analysts say chipmakers and other companies will struggle to compete if they detach from global suppliers of advanced components and technology—a goal no other country is pursuing.

“It’s hard to imagine any one country rebuilding all of that and having the best technology,” said Peter Hanbury, who follows the industry

for Bain & Co. Beijing’s campaign is adding to tension with Washington and Europe, which see China as a strategic competitor and complain it steals technology. They limit access to tools needed to improve its industries.

If the world were to decouple, or split into markets with incompatible standards and products, US- or European-made parts might not work in Chinese computers or cars.

Smartphone makers who have a single dominant global operating system and two network standards might need to make unique versions for different markets. That could slow down development.

Washington and Beijing need to “avoid that the world becomes separated,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told The Associated Press in September.

China’s factories assemble the world’s smartphones and tablet computers but need components from the United States, Europe, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea. Chips are China’s biggest import, ahead of crude oil, at more than $300 billion last year.

Official urgency over that grew after Huawei Technologies Ltd., China’s first global tech brand, lost access to US chips and other technology in 2018 under sanctions imposed by the White House.

That crippled the telecom equipment maker’s ambition to be a leader in next-generation smartphones.

American officials say Huawei is a security risk and might aid Chinese spying, an accusation the company denies.

Huawei and some Chinese rivals are close to matching Intel Corp., Qualcomm Inc., South Korea’s Samsung Electronics and Britain’s Arm Ltd. at being able to design “bleeding edge” logic chips for smartphones, according to industry analysts.

But when it comes to making them, foundries such as state-owned SMIC in Shanghai are up to a decade

behind industry leaders including TSMC, or Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp., which produces chips for Apple Inc. and other global brands.

Even companies such as Alibaba that can design chips likely will need Taiwanese or other foreign foundries to make them. Alibaba’s Yitian 710 requires precision no Chinese foundry can achieve. The company declined to say which foreign producer it will use.

“My country still faces a big gap in chip technology,” said industry analyst Liu Chuntian of Zero Power Intelligence Group.

China accounts for 23 percent of global chip production capacity but only 7.6 percent of sales.

Packing millions of transistors onto a fingernail-size sliver of silicon requires some 1,500 steps, microscopic precision and arcane technologies owned by a handful of US, European, Japanese and other suppliers.

They include KLA Corp. in California for super-precise measurement and Japan’s TEL for machines to apply coatings a few molecules thick.

Many are covered by restrictions on “dual use” technologies that can be used in weapons.

China “lags significantly” in tools, materials and production technology, the Semiconductor Industry Association said in a report this year.

Washington and Europe, citing security worries, block access to the most advanced tools Chinese chipmakers need to match global leaders in precision and efficiency.

Without those, China is falling farther behind, said Bain’s Hanbury.

“The TSMC horse is sprinting away and the Chinese horse is stopped,” he said. “They can’t move forward.”

Washington stepped up pressure on Huawei last year by barring global foundries from using American technology to produce its chips. US vendors can sell chips to the company, but not for next-generation “5G” smartphones.

For its part, the European Union said it will review foreign investments after complaints China was eroding Europe’s technology lead by purchasing important assets such as German robot maker Kuka.

Alibaba’s Yitian 710 is based on architecture from Britain’s Arm,

highlighting China’s enduring need for foreign know-how. Alibaba said it still will work closely with longtime foreign suppliers Intel, Arm, Nvidia Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. T-Head’s first chip, the Hanguang 800, was announced in 2019 for artificial intelligence. Its second, the XuanTie 910, is for self-driving cars and other functions.

In November, Tencent Holding, which operates the WeChat messaging service, announced its first three chips for artificial intelligence, cloud computing and video.

Beijing says it will spend $150 billion from 2014 through 2030 to develop its chip industry, but even that is a fraction of what global leaders invest. TSMC plans to spend $100 billion in the next three years on research and manufacturing.

China is trying to buy experience by hiring engineers from TSMC and other Taiwanese producers. Taiwan, which Beijing claims as part of its territory and has threatened to attack, has responded by imposing curbs on job advertising.

Beijing encourages smartphone and other manufacturers to use suppliers within China, even if they cost more, but officials deny China wants to detach from global industries.

“We will never go back in history by seeking to decouple,” Xi said in a speech by video link to a November meeting of Asia-Pacific leaders in Malaysia.

The latest conflict is over photolithography, which uses ultraviolet light to etch circuits into silicon on a scale measured in nanometers, or billionths of a meter.

The leader is ASML in the Netherlands, which makes machines that can etch transistors just 5 nanometers apart. That would pack 2 million into a space one centimeter wide.

China’s SMIC is about one-third as precise at 14 nanometers. Taiwan’s TSMC is preparing to increase its precision to 2 nanometers.

SMIC wants to upgrade by purchasing ASML’s latest machine, but the Dutch government has yet to agree.

“We will wait for their decision,” said an ASML spokeswoman, Monica Mols, in an e-mail. AP researcher Yu Bing

in Beijing and AP Writer Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed.

Omicron spreads global gloom over New Year’s celebrations

By Raf Casert Associated Press

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RUSSEL S — A s Omicron spreads ever more gloom around the globe ahead of New Year’s Eve, governments are moving at different speeds to contain the scourge, with some reimposing restrictions immediately and others hesitating to spoil the party again.

In Britain, where the highly contagious variant of the coronavirus has sent caseloads soaring to record highs, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said Monday no further restrictions will be introduced in England before the new year. New daily infections in England are hovering around 100,000, and hospital admissions were up more than 70 percent on Christmas from a week earlier.

“When we get into the new year, of course, we will see then if we do need to take any further measures, but nothing more until then, at least,” Javid said.

Elsewhere in the United Kingdom, though, nightclubs have been ordered closed and limits on gatherings imposed in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, leaving the country divided in its approach to the crisis.

The Netherlands, meanwhile, has already shut down all nonessential stores, restaurants and bars and extended the school holidays in what largely amounts to a new lockdown.

In Belgium, new measures went into effect Monday and over the weekend: Shopping in large groups was banned, and movie theaters and concert halls closed in the middle of the holiday season.

In France, Prime Minister Jean

Castex announced a set of restrictions set to kick in next week, after New Year’s. Among them: Big events will be limited to 2,000 people indoors and 5,000 outdoors; eating and drinking will be banned in theaters, at sports venues and on public transportation; and working from home will be mandatory at least three days a week for employees whose jobs make it possible.

Also, a bill will be voted on in France next month to create a vaccine pass that will allow only inoculated people to enter public places, including restaurants, bars and movie theaters.

The measures come after France recorded more than 100,000 Covid-19 infections in a single day for the first time in the pandemic.

In the US, the Biden administration has strongly emphasized the importance of vaccinations, boosters and rapid testing, while New York City’s sweeping mandate requiring nearly all businesses, big and small, to bar unvaccinated employees from the workplace took effect Monday.

It was announced three weeks ago, soon after Omicron gained a foothold in the US. The top US infectiousdisease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, warned that with Omicron, “it’s going to get worse before it gets better,” and he said authorities should seriously consider requiring that domestic airline passengers be vaccinated.

“When you make vaccination a requirement, that’s another incentive to get more people vaccinated,” Fauci told MSNBC. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday cut isolation restrictions for people who have

the virus, saying it’s in line with the science of when people are most infectious and could also help industries continue to function as cases surge.

“We want to make sure there is a mechanism by which we can safely continue to keep society functioning while following the science,” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky told The Associated Press.

Omicron has forced thousands of flight cancellations and delays around the globe because of staffing shortages linked to the virus, scrambling travelers’ holiday plans.

FlightAware, a flight-tracking web site, counted more than 2,700 cancellations worldwide by Monday evening in Europe—about 1,100 of them within, into or out of the US. Despite the variant’s extraordinary ability to infect people, early indications are that it might cause milder illness than previous versions. That uncertainty is keeping governments guessing and resulting in widely varying strategies for beating back the surge.

In Greece, authorities announced additional restrictions—also effective after New Year’s—after recording its highest-ever one-day total of new infections, nearly 9,300.

Health Minister Thanos Plevris said that starting January 3, highprotection or double masks will be mandatory at supermarkets and on public transportation; entertainment venues will close at midnight, and capacity will be cut to 10 percent at soccer stadiums, among other measures.

Other parts of Europe have likewise hesitated to slap more restrictions on their citizens.

In Poland, a nation of 38 million where the daily death toll now often tops 500, now-closed nightclubs will be allowed to reopen on New Year’s Eve, with the government unwilling to go against the will of the many voters opposed to restrictions and mandatory vaccinations.

And despite the highest death toll from Covid-19 in Europe, Russia will ring in the new year with little if any restrictions. Many precautions will be lifted during the holiday period that runs for 10 days starting New Year’s Eve. Russia also will not impose any additional travel curbs.

The official Rosstat statistical agency estimated that between April 2020 and October 2021, Russia had 537,000 virus-related deaths.

In Belgium, the move to close theaters and arts centers came in for especially heavy criticism.

“We need it also for our mental health. It is the only way for people to live experiences, to tell stories. It is of paramount importance for us to be open in these complicated and complex times,” said Michael De Kok, artistic director of the Flemish Royal Theatre. Some movie theaters stayed open in an act of civil disobedience.

A major staple of British holiday celebrations, the stream of English Premier League soccer games, is also under threat. The league has called off 15 games over the past 2 1/2 weeks, and more could follow. Associated Press writers Zeke Miller in Washington; Colleen Barry in Milan, Italy; Sylvia Hui in London; Sylvie Corbet in Paris, Molly Quell in The Hague, Netherlands; Geir Moulson in Berlin; Jari Tanner in Tallinn, Estonia; Uliana Pavlova in Moscow; and Vanessa Gera in Warsaw contributed to this report.

A12 Wednesday, December 29, 2021

DENR ALLOWS, MINERS HAIL RETURN OF OPEN PIT

By Jonathan L. Mayuga

@jonlmayuga

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INING regulators have finally lifted the ban on open-pit mining method, in effect reversing an environmental policy put in place in 2017 by former Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary (DENR) Regina Paz L. Lopez.

The move was welcomed by the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (COMP) on Tuesday, saying it will enable the mining industry to contribute more to economic recovery from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Most mining companies prefer to use open-pit mining, which is considered the safest, fastest and most economically feasible way to extract minerals.

To recall, a similar ban on openpit mining caused the delay of the multibillion Tampakan CopperGold Project in Mindanao on account of a local ordinance passed by the Province of South Cotabato even before Lopez, an anti-mining advocate, imposed the ban during her short stint as DENR Secretary.

“We welcome the decision to lift the ban on open-pit mining.

As most mining applications propose the use of the open-pit method, this decision will enable the industry to contribute more to our country’s economic recovery, particularly from the devastating effects of this ongoing pandemic through investment promotion, job creation, and poverty alleviation,” COMP said in a statement.

According to COMP, thousands of mines worldwide have adopted open-pit mining, the primary method of extracting ores, particularly gold, including in Australia, Canada, and the USA. “There are economic, safety, and environmental considerations for employing this method. Where underground mining cannot be applied, the open-pit method is primarily employed although there

are other forms of surface mining. The shape nature and location of the ore body determine the mining method. Open-pit mines can be operated safely, according to globally accepted standards, and can be rehabilitated properly in a manner that provides alternative and productive land use after the life of the mine,” COMP said.

It was learned from DENR sources that Cimatu has signed DENR Administrative Order (DAO) 2021-40 but the document was not yet officially released to the media. The Cimatu order formally repealed Lopez’s DAO 2017-10.

DAO 2017-10 decried open-pit mines as a perpetual liability for the government and asserted that it caused “adverse impacts to the environment, particularly due to the generation of acidic and/ or heavy metal-laden water, erosion of mine waste dumps and/or vulnerability of tailings dams to geological hazards.”

DAO 2021-40, however, said open-pit mining method is a globally-accepted method of mining and is considered to be the most feasible option for mining nearsurface or shallow ore deposits.

The signing of DAO 2021-40 was recommended by members of a technical working group of DENR. In a statement, the anti-mining group Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) said it is deeply dismayed by the lifting of the ban on open-pit mining. “This is a cruel Christmas gift from DENR and a truly ironic act of cowardice and betrayal from DENR Secretary Cimatu and President Duterte,” it said.

“At this time when climate change brings devastating typhoons such as Odette, lifting the ban on open-pit mining is a shortsighted and misplaced development priority of the government.

Once again, the Duterte regime puts more premium to its flawed economic agenda categorizing destructive mining as an ‘essential industry’ as part of the pandemic recovery,” ATM said.

PhilHealth gets ₧80-B subsidy in ’22; told to resolve claims row

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MID issues of unpaid claims and the threat by private hospitals to go on a “holiday” as protest, state insurer Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) will receive an increased taxpayer subsidy of nearly P80 billion next year.

Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor, in a statement, said next year’s PhilHealth subsidy amounting to P79,990,995,000 is contained in the proposed P5.024-trillion General Appropriations Act of 2022.

According to Defensor, PhilHealth 2022’s financial infusion is P8.368 billion higher than this year’s P71.353-billion subsidy.

“The money is for the insurance coverage of millions of so-called indirect contributors, including indigent citizens, the elderly and unemployed persons with disability,” he said.

Aside from its annual budgetary support, Defensor said PhilHealth collects more than P100 billion from millions of workers from both the private and public sectors.

“So the state health insurer will have more than P180 billion next year for health services for its members,” he said. Defensor said providing insurance cover for these sectors of the population is part of the mandate of the universal health care program.

‘Resolve issues’

MEANWHILE, lawmakers including Defensor urged the insurer and hospitals to resolve their conflict on unpaid claims through dialogue.

He said Philhealth should facilitate the payment of legitimate claims while guarding against questionable and fraudulent submissions.

“This has been a recurring problem. The two sides should agree on a common solution that protects the interests of honest health facilities and medical practitioners, on one hand, and taxpayers and Philhealth members, on the other,” he said.

He said dishonest hospitals and doctors are partly to blame for the recurrent payment processing issue.

Defensor noted there were documented cases of fraudulent claims submitted by a number of health facilities and physicians.

PhilHealth has in fact filed charges against several of these claimants, he added.

As former chairman of the House committee on public accounts, Defensor has exposed cases of fraud on the part not only of PhilHealth clients but of the state insurer as well, including the irregular release by the agency, in the early stage of the pandemic, of P15 billion in advances to hospitals, some of which did not treat Covid-19 patients.

He said the threat of some hospitals to totally disengage from PhilHealth “is contrary to the mandate of the Universal Health Care Law.” “Health facilities are part of the universal health care program. If they separate themselves from PhilHealth, they may not be able to serve poor patients who are covered by state insurance,” he said.

See “PhilHealth,” A2

PHL inks $600-M loan with ADB for health-care support

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By Bernadette D. Nicolas

@BNicolasBM

HE Philippines has signed a $600-million policy-based loan with Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) for a program that will help the government boost financing for the country’s Universal Health Care program.

The loan agreement was signed on December 16 by Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III and ADB Country Director Kelly Bird.

Proceeds of the loan will be used to fund the Build Universal Health Care Program, which seeks to support government’s initiatives to improve the financing and delivery of health services and implement measures to monitor the performance of health-care providers.

It is also expected to support the local government units’ efforts to expand and help improve

access to health-care workers and health-care facilities, particularly in underserved LGUs. Moreover, it also aims to expand the use of digital tools for the sector and ensure the sharing of data among health information systems and databases, as well as bolster the implementation capacity of the Department of Health and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation.

The loan has a principal repayment period of 12 years.

Meanwhile, the ADB also an-

nounced that it has allocated $4.1 million in technical assistance to help agri-food value chains and rural economies in Asia and the Pacific recover from the impact of Covid-19 pandemic.

According to ADB, the Green and Resilient Rural Recover y through Agri-Food System Transformation in the Asia and Pacific Region program will assess the effects of the pandemic on the region’s food and nutrition security and rural livelihood.

Apart from this, it will also help developing member countries to transform investments toward a green, resilient, and inclusive recovery from Covid-19, which has exacerbated rural poverty and food and nutrition insecurity, particularly among women and the vulnerable.

“Our food systems, nature, and climate are inextricably linked,” said ADB Vice-President for Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development Bambang Susantono.

“As ADB looks to achieve its climate ambition and scale up nature capital investment, food system trans-

formation has become a pressing priority.”

Funding for the assistance comes from the ADB’s Technical Assistance Special Fund ($1.5 million), the Climate Change Fund ($750,000), Regional Cooperation and Integration Fund ($500,000), Strategic Climate Fund ($550,000), and the People’s Republic of China Poverty Reduction and Regional Cooperation Fund ($800,000).

The technical assistance will also help develop the concept of a three-pillared Innovative Natural Capital Financing Facility (INCFF) consisting of a regional Natural Capital Lab, a Natural Capital Fund, and a Digital Marketplace Platform.

The INCFF will catalyze climatepositive adaptation and mitigation investments and reduce the erosion of biodiversity while protecting rural livelihoods.

Under the program, funds will also be deployed to test climatesmart agriculture interventions and build new approaches to developing sustainable and inclusive agribusiness value chains.

THE country’s Covid-19 vaccines inventory got a boost on Tuesday morning with the arrival of 2,005,300 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines procured through the private sector. The arrival of the shipment was witnessed by Victor Sepulveda (Head of Government Affairs, Astra PH) Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. (NTF/OPAPP), Joey Concepcion (Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship/Go Negosyo Founder), Josephine Romero (Go Negosyo) and Lotis Ramin (President, Astra PH). NONIE REYES

Go Negosyo way: 2-M AstraZeneca doses here

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ARM weather at the Naia Terminal 1 greeted the arrival of 2 million doses of privately procured AztraZeneca vaccine on Tuesday, welcomed by government and private business led

by Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion.

Vaccine Czar Carlito Galvez Jr., AstraZeneca Country President Lotis Ramin and officials from the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) and the Department of Health (DOH) were also on hand to receive the shipment, which significantly boosts the countr y’s vaccine stockpile amid concerns over the spread of the new Omicron variant.

“We express our utmost gratitude to AstraZeneca for fulfilling its commitment to deliver almost 17 million doses of its Covid-19 vaccine to Go Negosyo. Without their help, the private sector’s vaccination program would not have succeeded,” Concepcion said.

AstraZeneca’s Ramin said, “The completion of the delivery of AstraZeneca doses to the private sector through the multilateral agreement with the national government is a testament that with the bayanihan

spirit, we are stronger together. This significant milestone is a symbol of hope and I am truly inspired by all the tireless efforts of the private sector and the National government in making this possible.”

Through Go Negosyo’s initiative, the private sector and local government units (LGUs) entered into a tripartite agreement with AstraZeneca for the purchase of vaccines under its “A Dose of Hope” program.

The Covid-19 shots earlier provided by AstraZeneca were used to inoculate private sector workers, providing them with ample protection as the country reopened its economy.

“With the arrival of additional shots, we will have enough supply to complete the vaccination of private sector workers. We can also use these to start providing our workers with booster shots while we work on another agreement with AstraZeneca for additional supply,” Concepcion said.

The Go Negosyo founder said the private sector has been given the gosignal by the IATF to start negotiating the procurement of vaccines for booster shots.

Concepcion said he organized a meeting between AstraZeneca and more than 350 private companies for the purchase of vaccines to be

used as booster shots of private sector workers starting next year.

The government has approved Covid-19 booster shots for fully vaccinated adults aged 18 and older three months after receiving their second dose. Concepcion said boosters form part of the strategy to make the pandemic endemic. “Covid will not completely disappear. Instead, it must become a part of life,” he said.

He explained that for this to happen, enough people have to become immune to the virus either through vaccination or natural immunity.

And though breakthrough cases may still happen, data is showing that cases tended to be mild. And just recently in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shortened quarantine days from 10 to five days if patients exhibited no symptoms or their symptoms have improved.

Fur ther mitigating possible surges, said Concepcion, is the fact that Filipinos have been diligent in observing public health and safety protocols, especially with the wearing of face masks.

OCTA Research fellow Fr. Nick Austriaco said in an interview that demographics may become a factor in an Omicron outbreak in the Philippines. If

the country mimics the sharp rise and steep fall of Omicron cases in South Africa, he said, this would not likely overwhelm the country’s health-care system. He added, though, that the Omicron experience of a Southeast Asian country may be more indicative.

Concepcion believes it may be time to stop looking at daily new case counts and panicking over the mild cases. “We monitor only the severe cases which are being hospitalized.

Put simply, we just monitor the hospitals and find out which of the infected are unvaccinated, fully vaccinated, or boostered. That kind of information would be more useful,” he said.

“Life must go on,” he said, saying that as the country learns to manage cases, crippling lockdowns can be a thing of the past. ““We must trust the vaccines. And in places now strengthened by vaccination, it is certain that the spread of the virus can be controlled and we can finally learn to live with Covid.”

“When Covid becomes endemic, we will have built a wall of protection through vaccinations, we will know how to avoid catching it, and we will know how to treat it,” Concepcion said. “That is why our goal for 2022 must be to make the pandemic endemic.”

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

Companies BusinessMirror

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

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Unionbank, Century Pacific told to notify PCC in M&As

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By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

@joveemarie

HE Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) urged parties involved in merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions to voluntarily notify the agency to avoid competition concerns.

PCC Director for M&A Krystal T. Uy said in a statement issued last Tuesday that the PCC has not yet received the notification submission of Union Bank of the Philippines Inc. on its plan to acquire the consumer banking unit of Citibank N.A. Philippine branch. Likewise, Uy, a lawyer, said it was the same with Century Pacific Food Inc. (CPFI), which announced last Monday plans to buy the “Ligo Sardines” brand of A. Tung Chingco Manufacturing Corp. and Cinco Corp., owner of the “Potato Corner” brand.

“Given the P50-billion thresholds qualification, the parties are encouraged to conduct due diligence to check if they meet the thresholds for

compulsory notification, or to steer clear of any competition issues by undergoing voluntary notification in case they do not meet the thresholds,” Uy said.

“Parties are allowed to file their notifications before consummation, in PCC’s consideration of waiving the usual notification period of 30 days upon signing of definitive agreement, due to the pandemic,” she explained. To recall, the PCC has issued rules to implement Section 4 (eee) of Republic Act 11494 (“Bayanihan to Recover As One Act” or Bayanihan 2 relating to the review of M&As. Section 4 (eee) exempts from compulsory notification M&As with transaction values below P50 billion

if entered into within two years from the effectivity of Bayanihan 2 on September 15, 2020. Additionally, it suspends PCC’s exercise of motu proprio review of these transactions for one year.

Under the rules, the following M&As are still subject to compulsory notification: the transaction value is at least P50 billion; or, the transaction is entered into before the effectivity of Bayanihan 2 and exceed the applicable thresholds when the definitive agreement was signed.

While change of ownership of well-known brands means efficiency or expansion for former competitors into partners, Uy said this also means consumers may be faced with fewer choices and possible changes of price points.

“As the antitrust authority, PCC’s merger reviews will ensure that the transactions do not lead to substantial lessening of competition in the relevant markets,” she said.

“Transactions of this nature may very well indicate the outset for economic recovery or post-pandemic restructuring,” Uy added.

The Po family-owned CPFI, which produces canned goods under the “Century Tuna” and “555 Sardines” brands, said it is purchasing all the

assets and intellectual property related to the manufacturing of Ligo’s product lineup, which consists of shelf-stable marine products.

The company did not announce the acquisition cost but said it had secured the necessary board approvals late last week.

Meanwhile, the Po family’s Shakey’s Pizza Asia Ventures Inc. will also purchase assets and intellectual property relating to the Potato Corner business.

Meanwhile, Unionbank’s acquisition of Citigroup’s consumer banking business, whose total assets currently stand at P89.5 billion, is slated to be completed by the second half of next year. The Aboitiz-led bank formally announced last week that it has entered into a “share-and-business transfer” agreement with several subsidiaries of the American multinational investment bank to buy the latter’s consumer banking business.

The acquisition covers the multinational lender’s credit card, personal loans, wealth management and retail deposit businesses. In addition, the transaction includes its real estate interests in relation to Citibank Square in Eastwood, three full service bank branches, five wealth centers and two bank branch lites.

Biotech firm to open new office

By Roderick Abad @rodrik_28 Contributor

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NTERVENN Biosciences Inc., a biotechnology company based in the United States, is set to open next year a new office in the Philippines with plans to hire up to a hundred employees.

Scheduled to open on January 15, the new facility located at the Podium West Tower in Ortigas, Mandaluyong City, will expand the local team’s pool of developers and engineers that runs the proprietary artificialintelligence (AI) technology used in the firm’s research.

The first medical company in glycoproteomic research and development, InterVenn employs a proprietary platform powered by AI and mass spectrometry to help advance oncology and other related fields.

It attracts some of the world’s

top glycoproteomic scientists, immunologists, oncologists, chemists and molecular biologists, including American immunologist and Nobel laureate James Allison and cofounders Dr. Carlito Lebrilla of the University of California, Davis and Chemistry professor Dr. Carolyn Bertozzi of Stanford University.

Even if it’s headquartered in the Bay Area of San Francisco, California, Filipinos residing in the Philippines comprised mostly the team that maintains the AI technology.

“One hundred percent of our software is done in the Philippines,” said InterVenn Founder and CEO Aldo Carrascoso, who also hails from the Philippines.

“Our engineering team in our Mandaluyong City office takes care of the cloud infrastructure, front end, back end, and even security.

Information security, information event management, events like infil-

Converge bares capex

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

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ONVERGE ICT Solutions Inc. will allot a “slightly higher” capital expenditures (capex) program for 2022 versus 2021, as it plans to strengthen its core network and invest in redundancy infrastructure to support its digital transformation initiatives.

Dennis Anthony H. Uy, the company’s CEO, said the group’s capital outlays will be north of the capex this year, which is at P25 billion.

“It will be used to finance more ports to serve more customers nationwide. We will also be investing in redundancy and digital transformation as well as IT platform,” he said in an interview.

Converge ICT’s share price was down 2 percent or P0.80 from the previous day to close at P32.10 per share.

Volume of shares traded reached 3.62 million valued at P116.86 million.

Converge is aggressively expanding its network to serve more areas in the Philippines, revising its target of covering 55 percent

of the total Philippine households with fiber connectivity by 2025 to 2023.

As of the third quarter of the year, the nationwide fiber backbone of Converge spans 90,000 kilometers with the 1,800-kilometer subsea segment interconnecting the major islands of the Philippines. The company’s total residential subscriber base reached nearly 1.6 million as of end-September, with almost 5.5 million fiber ports installed across the country.

Converge is one handful of companies that benefited from the pandemic, which forced the majority of the people to adopt digital technologies due to mobility restrictions.

For the first nine months of the year, Converge more than doubled its net income to P5.20 billion from P2.19 billion, owing to its strong revenue growth and the effect of a new tax law.

Its consolidated revenues surged by 76.4 percent to P18.31 billion from P10.68 billion driven largely by its residential business and complemented by its enterprise segment.

tration, penetration testing. We have a full staff that does dev ops, server systems administration,” he added.

InterVenn recently completed a P10-billion Series C financing led by SoftBank Group, one of the biggest investors in the world, fueling the firm’s growth and bringing timely investments to the local healthcare industry and economy.

The funding is now being used for

its hiring and expansion and to back up the development and commercialization of “Dawn,” a blood-based test that aids physicians correctly match cancer patients to the best possible immuno-oncology therapy.

“Dawn” is in the advance validation process for use in patients with pancreatic and lung cancers as well as melanoma. Its application on other tumor types is still being studied.

NGCP repairs 86% of Odette-hit hubs T HE National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) announced it has restored 86 percent of transmission facilities that were damaged by Typhoon Odette.

In its latest report released Tuesday, the grid operator said the Mabinay-Bayawan 69-kiloVolt (kV) line, serving parts of Negros Oriental 1 Electric Cooperative Inc. (Noreco I) located at Tadlong, Mabinay, Negros Oriental, and Noreco II (Banaba, Bayawan and Santa Catalina sub-stations), was restored last December 27, four days ahead of its target restoration date.

It earlier reported the restoration of facilities last December 19 and December 20 in Northern Samar, Samar, Biliran, parts of Leyte, Eastern Samar, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, among others.

NGCP facilities in some parts of Leyte, Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, are expected to be restored on December 25 and 31.

In Mindanao, the NGCP said there are seven 138kV lines which remain unavailable and one 138kV line ready for “energization.”

Meanwhile, House Energy Committee chair Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel M.

Arroyo lauded the NGCP for its non-stop work in restoring power to areas ravaged by the typhoon.

“I would like to commend the NGCP and their people and all those in the energy sector who have been working tirelessly even in the holiday season when everyone is supposed to be spending time with their loves ones, to restore power for the areas rendered powerless by Typhoon Odette,” Arroyo said.

It also cited power-distribution utility Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) for sending and deploying a 160-man contingent of engineers, linemen and support personnel, as well as vehicles, generator sets and heavy equipment to typhoon ravaged Cebu and Bohol.

A total of 54 Meralco personnel are already assisting in power restoration activities in Cebu; while 31 out of 106 personnel are already deployed in Bohol.

Meanwhile, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) reported that the total cost of damage amounted to P1.86 billion.

“There had been significant progress in overcoming these damages. Out of 937 municipalities, the electricity of 683 [has] been fully restored, with 87 municipalities having partially been restored,” the NEA said. Lenie Lectura

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Wednesday, December 29, 2021

Companies BusinessMirror

Arthaland sells shares to HK firm, buys out Dutch partner

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By VG Cabuag

@villygc

ROPERTY developer Arthaland Corp. announced last Tuesday it sealed a deal to sell some of its stake in two of its units to a Singapore company while buying out its Dutch partner in Cebu Lavana Land Corp.

In a series of deals, Arthaland, led by the Po family, sold 40 percent of its shareholdings in Bhavya Properties Inc. and Bhavana Properties Inc. to Narra Investment Properties Pte. Ltd. “This transaction is aligned with the corporation’s key strategy of inviting strategic partners for its new projects as a means to mitigate execution and financing risk as the corporation grows its development portfolio. As a result, the corporation is able to broaden its access to capital for its projects,” it said.

Its deal with Bhavya involves the sale of its 10 million common shares at P1 apiece and, also, Arthaland’s shareholder advances worth P258 million, which include the accrued interest on principal balance.

Bhavya was incorporated on July 19, 2019, with the primary purpose of engaging in the realty development business. This is the investment vehicle used by the corporation to acquire a 916-square meter property in Legazpi Village in Makati, which will be the site of a low-density, multi-certified, ultraluxury development. The company expects to formally launch this project within the first quarter next year.

For the Bhavana deal, Arthaland is also selling its 40 percent stake or 10 million common shares at P1 apiece. It will also ask for its advances made in the company and its accrued interest worth P258 million.

For the two deals, Arthaland is asking for a P5 million in payment

each after the close of the deal and the rest after six months after the execution of the deed of absolute sale.

Arthaland will continue to own 60 percent in both Bhavya and Bhavana.

Bhavana was incorporated on July 15, 2019, with the primary purpose of engaging in the realty development business. This is the investment vehicle used by the corporation to purchase a parcel of land with a total area of about 2,245 square meters, located in the corner of Cardinal Rosales Avenue and Samar Loop Road, Cebu City. The property will be developed into the first and only premiere, multi-certified, sustainable residential high-rise development in the city and will be known as Lucima.

Narra is a private limited liability company based in Singapore, and managed by Arch Capital Management Company Ltd, a Hong Kongbased private equity fund set up to pursue investments in Asian property markets, which are in strong growth phases such as China, India and Thailand.

Meanwhile, Arthaland is buying out all the stake of Dutch firm Rock and Salt B.V. in Cebu Lavana Land Corp.

The acquisition include the Dutch firm’s 40 percent share in the company or 214,351 common shares and

also the 118,982 in preferred shares for about P113.11 million.

“This transaction arose following the end of the investment period for Rock and Salt B.V. which was preagreed with the corporation in 2016,” Arthaland said.

“As the majority shareholder in CLLC, it is in the best interest of the Corporation to acquire the share of Rock and Salt B.V. and allow it to consolidate its ownership over the Cebu Exchange project and CLLC, especially as the said project is about to reach operational status by yearend 2021,” it said.

CLLC was incorporated on September 11, 2015 to engage in the realty development business. It is the vehicle used by the corporation to acquire two parcels of adjacent land in Cebu City, with a total area of 8,440 square meters.

CLLC is the project company for Arthaland’s Cebu Exchange Project.

Arthaland also purchased and acquired by way of secondary sale all of the rights, title and interest of Rock and Salt’s advances in CLLC, amounting to P762.34 million, which include interests.

Rock and Salt is a foreign private limited liability company existing and duly constituted under the laws of The Netherlands and managed by Arch Capital Management Co. Ltd.

Stocks rise with US equity futures

S

tocks in Europe advanced along with US equity futures as traders evaluated the resilience of the global recovery to a record spike in coronavirus cases.

The Stoxx Europe 600 index nudged closer to last month’s record high, with utilities and car makers leading the advance as all

industry sectors gained. Contracts on the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 fluctuated before turning higher following the S&P 500’s 69th record close this year on Monday. The US 10-year Treasury yield and the dollar were little changed. Oil held near a one-month peak, while iron ore futures extended a decline af-

ter data showed softening Chinese steel output.

A tidal wave of omicron infections took global Covid-19 cases to a daily all-time high on Monday. The surge has disrupted global reopening and could squeeze hospitals. At the same time, investors are taking comfort from studies suggesting omicron, while highly contagious, causes less severe illness.

Global shares are on course for a third year of double-digit returns, powered by the US surge. The climb has overcome coronavirus waves and a shift by some key central banks toward tighter monetary policy to fight high inflation. Concerns remain that those variables could spur heightened volatility.

“The remedies that we put in place to counter the Covid recessions, they were so substantial, we had massive stimulus,” Sandip Bhagat, chief investment officer

of Whittier Trust, said on Bloomberg Television. “We’ll be left with a legacy of those policy responses well into the future” and stocks can continue advancing, he said.

Most Asian stocks rose, but a Hong Kong technology gauge missed out as tightening oversight of overseas share sales by Chinese authorities provided a reminder of Beijing’s regulatory zeal. Volumes were lower than average in some markets due to the holiday season.

The latest escalation in Beijing’s wider regulatory clampdown on private industry casts more doubt over the prospects for overseas initial public offerings, which had proceeded virtually unchecked for two decades.

Meanwhile, the People’s Bank of China which on the weekend vowed more economic support boosted a short-term liquidity injection. Bloomberg News

China unveils IPO rules

C

HINA has unveiled sweeping regulations governing overseas share sales by the country’s firms, taking one of its biggest steps to tighten scrutiny on international debuts in the wake of Didi Global Inc.’s controversial listing.

The regulations, issued by the country’s securities watchdog, commerce ministry and top economic planning agency over the past week, cast more uncertainty over the prospects for overseas initial public offerings that had proceeded virtually unchecked for two decades. The Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index dropped 1.1 percent overnight despite another all-time high for US shares, while the Hang Seng Tech Index slipped as much as 1.6 percent in Hong Kong trading Tuesday, dragged down by losses in Tencent Holdings Ltd. and Meituan. Chinese firms in industries banned from foreign investment will need to seek a waiver from a negative list before proceeding for share sales, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement

on Monday. Overseas investors in such companies would be forbidden from participating in management and their total ownership would be capped at 30 percent, with a single investor holding no more than 10 percent, according to the updated list effective January 1.

Meanwhile, the China Securities Regulatory Commission proposed last Friday that all Chinese companies seeking IPOs and additional share sales abroad would have to register with the securities regulator. Any company whose listing could pose a national security threat would be banned from proceeding.

The overhaul represents a major step taken by Beijing to tighten scrutiny on overseas listings, after ridehailing giant Didi proceeded with its New York initial public offering despite regulatory concerns over the security of its data. While regulators stopped short of a ban on IPOs by companies using the so-called Variable Interest Entities (VIE) structure, the new rules would make the process more difficult and costly. Bloomberg News

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Riot Games settles ’18 class-action suit R

iot Games Inc., a Tencent Holdings Ltd. subsidiary, settled a 2018 gender discrimination class-action suit by agreeing to pay $100 million in compensation and legal fees.

The settlement agreement announced last Monday stipulates that Riot will pay $80 million to all current and former employees and contractors who identify as women and worked for Riot at any time since Nov. 2014. The payment will be distributed via a fund, pending court approval.

A further $20 million will cover attorneys’ fees and miscellaneous expenses and Riot has agreed to have its pay processes overseen by a third party for a period of three years, the company said in a statement.

“This is a great day for the women of Riot Games–and for women at all video game and tech companies–who deserve a workplace that is free of harassment

and discrimination,” said Genie Harrison, whose law firm represented the plaintiffs. “We appreciate Riot’s introspection and work since 2018 toward becoming a more diverse and inclusive company, its willingness to take responsibility for its past, and its commitment to continued fairness and equality in the future.”

The video games industry has been going through a period of reckoning around sexism, both in the content of the entertainment it produces and in the workplace. The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, which took part in the suit against Riot Games, has been at the forefront of this push. It also sued Activision Blizzard Inc. over its “frat boy” culture this summer, leading to a settlement that produced an $18 million fund for alleged victims of discrimination or harassment at the company. Bloomberg News

mutual funds

December 28, 2021

NAV One Year Three Year Five Year per share Return*

Y-T-D Return

Stock Funds ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a

231.07

0.8%

-2.86%

-0.27%

1.7%

ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a

1.6462

24.19%

4.9%

4.77%

25.38%

1.16%

-6.37%

ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 3.2062

Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.7545 -7.05% First Metro Consumer Fund on MSCI Phils. IMI, Inc. -a 0.7606 First Metro Save and Learn Equity Fund,Inc. -a

1.2%

-3.05%

2.34%

-5.39% n.a.

-7.17%

-2.58% n.a.

2.56%

5.1458

3.13%

-0.76%

1.46%

4.14%

First Metro Save and Learn Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a

0.7751

0.9%

-2.45%

-2.24%

MBG Equity Investment Fund, Inc. -a

-7.55%

-7.48% n.a.

-8.29%

93.42

PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a

47.6109

0.7%

-1.18%

1.48%

1.65%

Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a

496.37

0.63%

-1.22%

0.72%

1.52%

5.71% n.a. n.a.

1.1509

Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. -a

Philequity Alpha One Fund, Inc. -a,d

1.3398

Philequity Fund, Inc. -a Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a

4.88%

14%

2.17%

3.28%

36.21

3.55%

-0.44%

2.08%

4.14%

0.931

1.32% n.a. n.a.

1.97%

14.69%

Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc. -a

4.9072

1.46%

-0.43%

2.16%

2.42%

Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a

819.58

1.31%

-0.43%

2.11%

2.24%

Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a

0.7459

2.33%

-4.67%

-1.22%

3.76%

Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 3.7372

2.05%

-2.76%

0.43%

3.13%

Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.9343 0.86%

-0.78%

1.83%

1.81%

United Fund, Inc. -a

-0.92%

2.44%

2.59%

-0.22%

2.6%

3.4044

1.68%

-0.17%

Exchange Traded Fund First Metro Phil. Equity Exchange Traded Fund, Inc. -a,c 110.2694

1.59%

2.52%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities $1.1267

-4.09%

6.77%

6.4%

-6.33%

Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.8302

ATRAM AsiaPlus Equity Fund, Inc. -b

9.76%

18.85%

12.06%

9.41%

Balanced Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ATRAM Dynamic Allocation Fund, Inc. -a

1.6764

0.34%

0.46%

0.42%

0.47%

ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a

2.267

-1.27%

0.86%

0.78%

-0.81%

First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund Inc. -a 2.6788

1.37%

1.76%

2.45%

1.98%

First Metro Save and Learn F.O.C.C.U.S. Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a 0.207 NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a

2.0059

1.68%

3.6% n.a. n.a.

2.83%

2.62%

1.97%

PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a

3.7435

-1.69%

1.92%

1.61%

-1.23%

Philam Fund, Inc. -a

16.7511

-1.58%

1.72%

1.52%

-1.12%

Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a

2.1088

0.13%

0.6%

1.38%

0.85%

Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.623

0.78%

-0.29%

1.13%

1.39%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a,d 0.9848

-4.05% n.a. n.a.

-3.7%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a,d 0.936

-2.18% n.a. n.a.

-1.39%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a,d 0.925

-1.7% n.a. n.a.

-0.87%

Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a

5.47%

0.9449

0.85%

1.45%

4.49%

6.44%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Cocolife Dollar Fund Builder, Inc. -a

$0.03793

-3.12%

2.53%

1.74%

-2.99%

PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -b

$1.067

-5.97%

4.86%

4.13%

-5.58%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $4.7714 6.09%

13.12%

8.93%

5.73%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a,2 $1.1944 1.19%

7.3%

4.69%

0.92%

Bond Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a

374.07

0.77%

2.89%

2.59%

0.79%

ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a

1.8844

-0.81%

0.49%

-0.13%

-0.84%

Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a

3.2429

0.93%

2.97%

3.92%

0.86%

Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a

2.2486

-2.11%

1.82%

1.71%

-2.16%

First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.4241 -1.14%

3.15%

1.92%

-1.19%

Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a

4.3907

-5.27%

3.85%

1.73%

-5.17% -0.09%

Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a

1.3201

-0.02%

3.77%

2.83%

Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a

3.9558

-0.9%

4.03%

2.79%

-1.13%

Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a

1.0282

-1.16%

4.83%

2.22%

-1.47%

Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.1873

-0.44%

4.86%

3.66%

-0.59%

Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a

-1.28%

3.98%

3.02%

-1.43%

1.7299

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a

$489.48

1.19%

2.98%

2.53%

1.13%

ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a

Є219.99

0.36%

1.14%

0.99%

0.35%

ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b $1.2029

-6%

2.25%

1.88%

-6.01%

First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.026 -2.26%

1.45%

1.03%

-2.26%

PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -b

$1.0232

-6.38%

-0.34%

-0.41%

-6.13%

Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a

$2.5091

-1%

4.94%

3.09%

-1.22%

Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a $0.0623138 -0.11%

3.02%

2.03%

0.02%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $3.1967 -0.89%

3.64%

1.98%

-0.83%

Money Market Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. -a

2.56%

1.05%

First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.0578 0.95% n.a. n.a.

131.18

1.09%

0.93%

Sun Life Prosperity Peso Starter Fund, Inc. -a,1 1.3155

1.43%

1.49%

2.78% 2.58%

2.53%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0606

0.8%

1.46% n.a.

0.66%

Feeder Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities Sun Life Prosperity World Equity Index Feeder Fund, Inc. -a,d 1.3623

22.6% n.a. n.a.

20.6%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund Inc. -a,d

$0.97

-1.02% n.a. n.a.

-1.02%

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

1 - Renaming was approved by the SEC last July 8, 2021 (formerly, Sun Life Prosperity Money Market Fund, Inc.).

2 - Adjusted due to stock dividend issuance last November 25, 2021.

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

www.businessmirror.com.ph

LGUs’ Q3 revenues dip mildly to ₧208.9B

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

T

AX and non-tax revenues of local government units (LGUs) in the third quarter slightly contracted to P208.98 billion from P209.68 billion in the same period of last year amid the Covid-19 pandemic, latest government data showed.

In a statement, the Department of Finance (DOF) said LGUs continue to rely “heavily” on their respective internal revenue allotment (IRA) to bankroll their operations and programs.

In a report to the DOF, the Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) said the thirdquarter locally-sourced revenue (LSR) of the LGUs was 23.41-percent higher than the P169.34 billion they collected in the second quarter. With this, the LGUs have reached about 92 percent of their full-year 2021 LSR collection target of P223.9 billion.

“Local business tax collections, which account for 47 percent of the LSR of LGUs, already reached almost 100 percent of the full-year target,” BLGF Executive Director Niño Raymond B. Alvina said.

Alvina said cities collected the highest LSR at P147.89 billion, which is 71 percent of the total LSR of LGUs; followed by municipalities and provinces, with P39.57 billion (19 percent) and P21.53 billion (10 percent).

Alvina said the National Capital Region posted the highest LSR collections at P89.28 billion, accounting for 43 percent of the total LSRs of all LGUs. This was followed by Region IV-A (the Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon area or Calabarzon) and Region III (Central Luzon), with a respective P32.54 billion (16 percent) and P19.32 billion (9 percent) in LSR collections.

“On a per-LGU basis, there were 468 LGUs or 27 percent of the total number of provinces, cities and municipalities that experienced a decline in LSR as of Q3 [third quarter] [fiscal year] 2021. Almost half of the cities had decreased revenues in LSR compared to the same period of the previous year,” Alvina said.

Alvina said the current operating income of provinces, cities, and municipalities has reached P648.7 billion in the third quarter, P2.45-billion higher than the P646.25 billion posted in the same period last year.

He noted that IRA remains as the biggest source of LGUs’ operating income, accounting for 64 percent or about P414.5 billion of their total operating income for the third quarter. The amount was 7.2 percent higher than the P386.64-billion IRA received by the LGUs in the third quarter of last year.

IRA accounted for 60 percent of the operating income of LGUs in the third quarter of last year, according to Alvina.

“On IRA dependence, provinces showed the highest dependency at 81 percent, followed by the municipalities (78 percent) and cities (43 percent) in the third quarter of 2021,” he said.

“In aggregate terms, LGUs’ dependence on external sources (e.g. IRA, other transfers from national government) in the third quarter of 2021 reached 68 percent, which is 0.72 percent or P3.14 billion higher than the third quarter 2020 levels,” Alvina added.

Banking&Finance BusinessMirror

Editor: Dennis D. Estopace • Wednesday, December 29, 2021

B3

PHL to use 16% of $500M WB loan for typhoon-hit areas’ relief, rehab

T

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

@BNicolasBM

he Bureau of the Treasury has already received $80 million (about P4 billion) that the Duterte administration borrowed from the World Bank for the government’s relief and rehabilitation efforts following the onslaught of Typhoon Odette.

Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III told reporters last Tuesday the amount has already

been released by the World Bank from the $500-million standby loan facility (Fourth Disaster

Risk Management Development program) with a Catastrophic Deferred Drawdown Option (CATDDO4).

On top of this amount, the Department of Finance said last week that the Philippine government will draw another $120 million (about P6 billion) from the same facility in the first week of January when the loan cover will be available in the 2022 national budget.

A presidential declaration of a state of calamity or a public health emergency is required to trigger the release of the funds available under the standby loan facility.

President Duterte declared on December 21 a state of calamity in six “Odette”-battered areas: Region 4B (Mimaropa–Mindoro,

Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan); Region 6 (Western Visayas); Region 7 (Central Visayas); Region 8 (Eastern Visayas); Region 10 (Northern Mindanao); and, Region 13 (Caraga).

Sought whether these amounts would be sufficient based on the government’s latest assessment of damage caused by the typhoon, Dominguez replied: “I suppose so, as P10 billion was the amount requested by the OP/DBM [Office of the President/Department of Budget and Management].”

Duterte earlier vowed to release that amount in response to the damage caused by the typhoon.

Last Monday, DBM Officer-InCharge Tina Rose Marie L. Canda said they have already released the

additional P1 billion in financial assistance to aid local government units’ response. This is on top of the P1 billion released by the DBM last Friday, which was also sourced from the OP’s contingent funds.

Canda also said they are looking at releasing another P4 billion sourced from this year’s unprogrammed fund before this year ends and another P4 billion next year under the 2022 national budget.

Earlier, Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon and Senator Juan Edgardo M. Angara urged the government to do a cash sweep of undisbursed funds and savings in the state coffers to provide funds for the relief and reconstruction efforts in “Odette”-hit areas.

DTI told: Boost info drive on available loans for typhoon-hit MSMEs

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

T

HE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) was pressed Tuesday to step up public awareness on available government loans and grants for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMES) hit by recent typhoons.

To prevent loan sharks and online lending schemes targeting small business owners, Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian prodded the DTI to boost its information drive on the availability of soft loans that provide longer grace period for repayment terms with lower interest rates and financial grants

to typhoon-affected MSMEs. Even before they are taken advantage of or induced to resort to illegal lenders, the typhoon-affected MSMEs should be reminded there are funds and government programs available to them, the senator said. (“Bago pa samantalahin o mahikayat ng mga iligal na nagpapautang ang sitwasyon ng mga pinadapang negosyo ng bagyong Odette, dapat nating ipaalala sa mga negosyong ito lalo na ang mga MSMEs na may pondo at programa ang gobyerno para sa kanila.”)

Gatchalian emphasized that what is important for affected MSMEs is access to capital in order to get back in business to save jobs and prevent

skyrocketing prices of basic commodities. (“Ang importante ngayon ay magkaroon sila ng pang-kapital upang makabalik sila uli sa pagne-negosyo nang sa gayon ay maisalba ang mga trabaho at mapigilan din ang posibleng pagtaas ng presyo ng mga pangunahing bilihin.”)

The senator suggested that MSMEs can avail of collateral-free loans through the Small Business (SB) Corp., the micro-lending arm of the government under the DTI. He added that through the “Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso” (P3) program of SB Corp., micro enterprises with an asset size not exceeding P3 million can borrow up to P200,000 with a 2.5-percent

interest rate per month.

Moreover, Gatchalian reminded that under the P3 Program is the “enterprise rehabilitation facility,” which covers all natural and manmade calamities that adversely affect microbusinesses in vulnerable areas. This, he added, is “a quick response for efficient mobilization of loan funds for immediate recovery,” noting that “areas and sectors to be financed must be declared under the state of calamity or reported to be severely devastated.”

Through government initiatives like these, the senator added that struggling MSMEs can have an alternative financial line instead of borrowing from informal lenders or

the “5-6” money lenders.

Gatchalian saw the extent of damage left behind by typhoon Odette as he has been making the rounds in Maasin City in Southern Leyte, Loboc in Bohol, Surigao City and the municipality of Tagana-an in Surigao Del Norte. The Senator was informed

by Mayor Cesar B. Diaz Jr., the first elected national official to visit the municipality of Tagana-an after Typhoon Odette hit the area.

At the same time, the Senator noted that Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez confirmed the availability of an initial P200 million for livelihood assistance to micro enterprises affected by typhoon Odette in Visayas and Mindanao.

Marikina shoemakers, leather-goods Voting for a fresh future manufacturers given tax relief by LGU F

By Claudeth S. Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3

T

O help shoemakers and other leather goods manufacturers in the “Shoe Capital” of the country during the Covid-19 pandemic, Marikina City Mayor Marcelino R. Teodoro signed an ordinance providing tax relief to all shoemakers in the city, meaning they will get a discount from business tax and permit fees for five years.

Teodoro signed the Marikina City Ordinance 110 (series of 2021) or “Ordinance Granting Business Tax Exemption and Relief to Local Footwear and Other Leather Goods Manufacturers of Marikina City Mayor Marcelino R. Teodoro signs on December 28, 2021, OrdiMarikina” last December 28 at the nance 110 (series of 2021), which provides tax relief to shoemaker and leather Marikina Shoe Bazaar, located at goods manufacturers at the shoe bazaar located at the freedom park, right in the Freedom Park, right in front front of the city hall. CREDIT: Marikina LGU photos of the City Hall. based Philippine Footwear Federation Inc. Under the aforementioned ordinance, all (PFFI), and Corazon Espiritu, chairman of the manufacturers of footwear and other leather Marikina bags and leather goods association, goods in Marikina, both presently in operation expressed their gratitude to city officials for or are about to establish news shoe manufacthe tax relief. turing business, are hereby granted business Teodoro also led last December 6 the reopentax exemption and relief, as follows: 1. For new businesses to be opened/opering of the Shoe Bazaar at the Freedom Park, in front of the City Hall. The bazaar will run until ated starting Calendar Year 2022 January 15, 2022. a. Upon application of business license-free According to the mayor, the bazaar aims to from payment of business tax; help shoemakers and revitalize the shoe indusb. On the second year of operation, 75-pertry amid the pandemic. The bazaar showcases cent discount on the business tax due; ingenuity and craftsmanship of Marikina shoec. On the third year of operation, 60-percent makers and manufacturers, he said. discount on the business tax due; A total of 40 manufacturers composed of d. On the fourth year of operation, 50-perfootwear and leather-goods makers participatcent discount on the business tax due; ed in this year’s bazaar, wherein they can find Meanwhile, businesses presently in operaquality, affordable and durable shoes, bags, tion are given a 50-percent discount for five belts and other products made by Marikina’s years. craftsmen.

Teodoro thanked the Marikina City Council Teodoro said he is bullish that despite the “for swiftly reenacting the tax exemption and challenges faces by the local shoe industry relief for shoemakers and other leather goods amid the pandemic, local shoemakers will be manufacturers in the city.” able to cope and overcome the negative effects Originally, this tax relief is only effective up of the pandemic. to three years but the city council gave addiIn 2020, the city government of Marikina tional two more years, according to the official. opted not to hold the annual shoe bazaar due Teodoro said the livelihood of shoemakers is to health restrictions brought about by the Comore important than collecting taxes. vid-19 pandemic.

Tony Andres, chairman of the Marikina-

As a sign of confidence RUI TA S Holdings in the Philippine economy, Inc. (Fruit), a Philipwholly-owned subsidiary Bapine Stock Exchange lai ni Fruitas Inc. or Balai is (PSE) listed company, has to file a registration statere-launched its “PresidenFinex free set ment with the Securities and tial Cups” campaign with enterprise Exchange Commission (SEC) the tag line: “Vote for a fresh for an initial public offering fruiture.” This unique pro(IPO) of up to P309 million. mo involves five specially- Joseph Araneta Gamboa Proceeds will fund future designed cups that bear the acquisitions while supporting Balai’s store faces of the five leading presidential candinetwork expansion and commissary setup. dates in the May 9, 2022, elections.

Balai’s target is to have 150 “Balai PandeAccording to the Property Report PH Team, sal” outlets across the country by end-2023.

Fruit President and CEO Lester C. Yu said Currently its range of baked products is also this campaign is intended to raise awareness available through “Babot’s Mart,” the Fruitas among the Filipino electorate to vote for a Group’s online delivery portal for all its brands. “fresh future.” Actually, these “Presidential Its IPO is subject to compliance with requireCups” were first introduced in 2010 during ments of the SEC and the PSE. that year’s presidential campaign season. They Subject to market conditions and regulatory have since become an informal street survey approvals, Balai plans to list on the PSE’s Small, of sorts―allowing buyers of Fruitas drinks to Medium and Emerging (SME) Board before choose the cups with the image of their favorthe end of March 2022. It intends to issue up ite “presidentiable.” to 325 million primary common shares for its In a recent PSE corporate disclosure, the IPO, with a maximum price of P0.75 per share. food and beverage retail firm reported strong The Fruit board has likewise approved its sales in November 2021 when it posted its participation by selling up to 50-million sechighest monthly sales level since the Covid-19 ondary shares of Balai to increase the latter’s pandemic started. Outlet sales last month IPO size and public float. It will provide an jumped 59 percent compared to the Novemover-allotment option of up to 37.5 million ber 2020 figures. The average daily sales per secondary Balai shares. If this option is fully company-owned store was 88-percent higher exercised, the post-IPO public float can reach than the year-ago level and even 26-percent 27.6 percent of Balai’s total issued shares. higher than the corresponding pre-pandemic “We evaluated several capital-raising oplevel in November 2019. tions to fund the next phase of growth of BaFruit attributed the significant rise in sales lai. Given the significant growth prospects of to the permanent closure of unprofitable kithe bakery sector, distinct from kiosks within osks as well as the opening of more than 100 Fruit, we decided to undertake an IPO for community stores. The latter was facilitated by Balai,” Yu revealed. First Metro Investment the acquisition of the “Tofu Store” (re-branded Corp. has been appointed as its issue manager, to Soy & Bean) in February 2020 and “Balai bookrunner and underwriter.

Pandesal” in June 2021, which only had two Two more companies are scheduled to list and five stores, respectively, when they were at the PSE in January 2022 after a banner year acquired. For the current month, the comfor IPOs and follow-on offerings in the local pany anticipates the usual uptick during the bourse. Barring the spread of the omicron Christmas season that will contribute to a betvariant to our shores, it would hopefully be ter performance vis-à-vis the previous year. a Happy New Year for the investing public in Yu disclosed that “the introduction of the run-up to a very crucial presidential eleccommunity stores diversified our channels tion in our nation’s history. and complemented our presence in high foot traffic locations such as malls, offices, and terminals.” He was elated at the results of Joseph Gamboa is the co-chairman of the Finex Annual Contheir efforts to pivot Fruit’s business during ferences for 2020-2021, chairman of the Finex Business Columns the pandemic and expects the firm to benefit Subcommittee and a director of Noble Asia Industrial Corp. The from the continuing economic recovery amid views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the further easing of quarantine restrictions. these institutions and the BusinessMirror.

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Show BusinessMirror

Wednesday, December 29, 2021 • Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Today’s Horoscope

By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Mekhi Phifer, 47; Jude Law, 49; Patricia Clarkson, 62; Ted Danson, 74.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Trust your instincts. Don’t hesitate to make a move. Put your needs first, express your thoughts and feelings, and make changes that help you reach your goals. Be ready to take advantage when opportunity knocks, and use your insight and creativity to separate you from the crowd. Live, love, laugh and be grateful for what you have. Your numbers are 8, 17, 21, 23, 35, 38, 46.

SOON TO BE PARENTS?

THE actor and the actress used to be an item but they eventually drifted apart. But recently, they have been seen in each other’s company again. There is even a rumor the actress is now pregnant and the actor is the father. This isn’t the first time he will be a dad, if this rumor is true, but this is the actress’s first supposed pregnancy. The actress is known to be picky about dating and the actor is the only public figure she has dated openly. So when will they reveal the pregnancy, if it is true? This is exciting news because the couple is old enough and well-loved in many circles.

SHE NOW KNOWS HER PLACE

THE actress is working with the actor for the first time and she is slightly regretting her decision to do so. The actor also has creative control over his show and the actress, being more senior, thought she could inject some ideas of her own. But the actor did not take too kindly to this. He may seem pleasant and a bit dim in public but the actor is actually very astute when it comes to work and creative control. He does not like being second-guessed, nor does he appreciate unsolicited opinions. The actress only had the best intentions but now, she has realized that she should not have been so presumptuous.

SCARED OF CANCEL CULTURE

THE actor is being wooed by a presidential candidate to be an endorser but he is hesitant to accept the offer for obvious reasons. The actor has always supported the candidate and his family quietly. This is because his family comes from the same region as the candidate. But with the ongoing cancel culture on social media and his existing advertising contracts, the actor is being very cautious. On the other hand, he is very tempted by the financial renumeration offered by the potential endorsement.

WEDDING BELLS SOON?

THERE are talks that a celebrity and her actorboyfriend plan to tie the knot in 2022. This comes as no surprise since the celebrity and actor have been together for a while now. What is surprising is that the celebrity plans to get married ahead of her older sister, who got publicly engaged first. The couple has been through a lot together. They’ve been attacked on social media and the actor’s parents have not been spared from attacks, too. But they have stayed strong and loyal to each other.

3 members of K-pop sensation BTS diagnosed with Covid-19

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By Hyung-Jin Kim The Associated Press

After returning to South Korea this month, Jin underwent PCR tests twice—upon arrival and later before his release from self-quarantine—and tested negative both times. But he had flu-like symptoms on Saturday afternoon before he took another PCR test that came back positive, the agency said. Media reports said he also had traveled to the US. Suga, who has had a number of personal engagements in the United States during the band’s official time off, was diagnosed with Covid-19 during quarantine after returning from the US, the agency said.

The agency said it’ll continue to provide support for the three members for their speedy recovery. It said it will cooperate with the requests and guidelines of the South Korean health authorities.

Since their debut in 2013, BTS has garnered global recognition for their self-produced music and activism, which includes giving a speech at the United Nations and publicly calling out anti-Asian racism.

BTS was named artist of the year and favorite pop duo or group, and also won the favorite pop song award for “Butter” at the American Music Awards in November.

In October, the group’s collaboration with British rock band Coldplay, “My Universe,” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was BTS’ sixth Hot 100 No. 1. n

EOUL, South Korea—Three members of the K-pop superstar group BTS have been infected with the coronavirus after returning from abroad, their management agency said.

RM and Jin were diagnosed with Covid-19 on Saturday evening, the Big Hit Music agency said in a statement. It earlier said another member, Suga, tested positive for the virus on Friday.

All three took their second jabs in August, the agency said.

BTS is a seven-member boyband. The four other members are J-Hope, Jungkook, V and Jimin.

According to the agency, RM has exhibited no particular symptoms while Jin is showing mild symptoms including light fever and is undergoing self-treatment at home. The agency said on Friday that Suga wasn’t exhibiting symptoms and was administering self-care at home in accordance with the guidelines of the health authorities.

RM had tested negative after returning from the United States earlier this month following his personal schedule there. But he was later diagnosed with the virus ahead of his scheduled release from self-quarantine, the agency said.

Finding love with John Lloyd & Bea MANY people dream of falling in love with the right person at the right time and making it last forever, but many are left disappointed yet continue searching, while some give up and find other kinds of love that works for them.

Love might be a powerful and universal feeling, yet it is anything but simple—that is at the heart of the newest Jollibee Studios film, One True Pair The Movie, starring the iconic love team of John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo. It can be viewed on youtu.be/ xw3yzsvUw8k. The film tells the story of Ian and Gela, two famous celebrities who were once a popular onscreen tandem for many rom-com movies over the years. Ian, dubbed the “Prince of Philippine Cinema,”

took a short break from showbiz while Gela continued being a top celebrity.

After his break, Ian and Gela reunite once again as they work on a project together. In their musings and conversations, we see how they are as real people, how they’ve matured individually over time, and their enduring friendship and love for each other.

The film is directed by JP Habac, and is a deeply insightful film that shows that as people grow, so does the love they have for other people.

After the release of the film on December 1 on the Jollibee Studios YouTube channel, One True Pair The Movie has amassed over 4 million views with many commenting that the film felt unscripted and

surfaced the reality of what it meant to love a person and how the definition of love changes as life goes on.

The film also led the YouTube channel to grow from 652,000 subscribers before the release of the film to 704,000 subscribers to date.

“Parang ’di scripted, parang totoo, parang lahat galing sa puso, parang nanonood ka ng totoong buhay ng dalawang artista na minsan sumugal pero natakot sa nararamdaman.

Thank you Jollibee—nakaka-touch kasi ito talaga ang reality,” said Crizell Susana on YouTube. Within the 35-minute film, One True Pair The Movie showed that there are different kinds of love and that the journey of finding The One is also a journey of finding oneself.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Be careful.

Don’t let your emotions steer you in the wrong direction. Spending on something to impress someone will not bode well when it’s time to pay the bills. Honesty is the best policy when it comes to financial and contractual differences. HHH

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Change will excite you. Dig in and see what life has to offer. Explore something that interests you, and consider if it’s a viable or lucrative option.

A partnership looks promising. Be open about your intentions, and start the ball rolling. HHH

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Don’t be too hasty. A laid-back attitude and approach will offer insight that can help you dodge a mistake. Spend more time on personal improvement and less on trying to change someone. You can be amicable without being gullible. HHH

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Plan to do something you enjoy with someone you love.

A change will lift your spirits and give you something new to explore. Discuss your plans and intentions, and the feedback you receive will prompt you to make a positive change. HHHHH

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): An emotional moment can limit progress if you aren’t prepared to compromise. Look at every angle, and you’ll find a way to appease others and satisfy your needs at the same time. Don’t waffle if you want to stay in control. HH

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Share your intentions, and make plans with someone you love. Make a change at home conducive to improving your life; the information you gather will offer insight into something you want to pursue. Romance is featured. HHHH

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Slow down and distance yourself from turmoil, chaos and people causing havoc. Self-discipline, personal growth and exercise will encourage you to spend more time perfecting who you are instead of trying to change others. HHH

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Emotions will lead to fluctuating circumstances. Be a good listener, contemplate what’s going on around you and how others think and feel, and take a reserved approach to the changes you want to implement. Keep life simple, moderate and in control. HHH

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Use your energy wisely. Too much of anything will be your downfall. Focus on getting things done on time and moving on to activities aimed at selfimprovement and closing the year on a high note.

HHHH

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Step up and make a difference. The changes you implement will help you head into next year with optimism.

Say what’s on your mind, and pursue what excites you. Set goals, and proceed with enthusiasm. Forward thinking will pay off. HHHH

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Hold on to that thought; once you speak your mind, you cannot take it back. Emotional problems will develop if you judge others quickly. Focus on personal goals and improvements, not trying to change someone. Choose peace over discord. HH

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Listen, learn and verify. The information you gather will help you make better decisions. Don’t spend unnecessarily or neglect to take care of matters you should address before the end of the year. Take heed of your intuition. HHHHH BIRTHDAY BABY: You are insightful, entertaining and thoughtful.

You are proactive and persistent.

‘space travel’ BY PAUL COULTER The Universal Crossword/Edited by Amanda Rafkin

ACROSS 1 Friend, in French 4 Flow out 7 Her partner, sometimes?

10 Disguised form for a vampire 13 Atrocious 14 Ballet footwear 16 Tavern order 17 Best club in Vegas, often?

18 Resolving a Mafia dispute, e.g.?

19 Martini ingredient 20 Bogus 22 Got down to pray, perhaps 23 Midterm, e.g.

24 Polynesian dances 26 Angsty genre 27 Alternatives to suspenders 28 Which campfire treat are you referring to?

31 Composer ___ Lloyd Webber 34 Says “Skip my turn this round!”

38 Feathery neckwear 39 Snuggly kitties 43 Shack 44 “Have some food!”

45 Feature of italic text

46 47 52 53 54 55 58 61 62 66 67 68 69 70 71

What might follow you?

Familiar TV program?

Pioneering astronaut Jemison Org. with a 3-1-1 rule Pot-bellied pet, perhaps Refractors of light Not abundant Long, long time Lineup of computer support whizzes?

Charged particle Mimic Establishment serving rice wines ___ of the land Color of a blood moon African country where the Guerewol is celebrated 72 Letters before an alias DOWN 1 Embarrass 2 ___ Picchu 3 Best-possible 4 “Wheels up” guess: Abbr.

5 Reserve, like a flight 6 Pride and Prejudice surname 7 Hello or goodbye, in Hebrew 8 Emcee

9 10 11 12 15 21 23 25 27 29 30 31 32 33 35 36 37 40 41 42 48 49 50 51

“OMG a cockroach!”

Food with an everything variety Top-tier celebrities They might be pitched in the backyard Cherry parts that might be tied with a tongue Bryn ___ Golfer’s props Poet Silverstein Bikini tops Flooded Decide you will Drive a getaway car, e.g.

Galvin of The Good Doctor Dug for digital insights Mythical Himalayan utopia French bread?

Gamjatang or goulash, e.g.

Story line Crow sounds Taylor-Joy of Last Night in Soho Aides for profs 18-wheelers Keep a stiff ___ lip Seoul-based Soul maker

55 56 57 58 59 60 63 64 65

Fruit in a holiday basket Tug-of-war need Jazz saxophonist Getz One of 50 on the US flag Take a good, long bath “Only Time” singer Tackle a bunny hill Table part 16th prez

Solution to today’s puzzle:

Image BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

4 NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS FOR A HEALTHIER ENVIRONMENT IN 2022

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Wednesday, December 29, 2021

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Lessons of 2021 PHOTO BY SANIBELL BV ON UNSPLASH

BY VINIECE JENNINGS Agnes Scott College

Compliment people for their good work and mean it. This works every time to uplift the mood, not just of the person but of the group as well. Lifting others up, instead of complaining how they work, can also help make that person appreciate the value they bring to the group and engenders positive feelings from those who hear it. People have their own issues to deal with, and a good word from you can help them be proud of what they do. It will also help coworkers adjust to multiple changes happening all at once in the workplace.

This year has also reinforced that change is constant, and oftentimes it can come abruptly. And with these changes come adjustments to the way we live and work. I have learned to focus on the things I can control and are within my immediate sphere of influence, and to let go of those that are beyond my control. Much of my frustrations and anxieties this year revolved around events beyond what I could do, and I realized I spend way too much time focusing on things that have yet to happen, or will not happen at all.

In understanding my organization better, I have also come to be more appreciative of what is given to me. Every organization is different, and they come with their own perks and inconveniences. But focusing on what the organization gives and continues

to provide even during the pandemic helps me realize that I have a lot to be thankful for.

But I also realized that you cannot expect your company to protect you all the time. They can only do so much based on what they have and are willing to give to their employees. You also need to take responsibility for your own health and well-being.

If you are given the opportunity, learn something new. This year, our team launched a contest and I had to make eight animated videos using just PowerPoint.

I learned most of the animation techniques from watching videos and experimenting with the morph function. It helped me improve my kinetic typography skills and understand my tools better.

And lastly, I rediscovered that cleaning can be cathartic. Staying at home more has helped me reevaluate how I use my space and to let go of things that I have not used for a long time, and probably never will. This clears space for things I can use and which give me joy. As Marie Kondo has said, “The objective of cleaning is not just to clean, but to feel happiness living within that environment.”

This year may be a bit better than the last, but it also comes with its own lessons and realizations.

You just need to take the time to get to know yourself better, so you can reach out to others effectively, and do your work efficiently. ■

Comfort meets style

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WITH things easing up and less of us working from home, it’s time to step out in style—and, of course, comfort—with Bata’s Red Label women’s collection with LifeSole by Ortholite.

Trendy, stylish, and elegant, the Bata Red Label women’s heels collection will make every woman step above the rest with updated designs in functional and comfortable footwear for those on the go.

All engineered with Ortholite LifeSole for perfect comfort, Bata’s LifeSole technology ensures that customers can get 50 percent more comfort in every step while having a long-lasting cushioning for your feet. And with this, Ortholite has created LifeSole exclusively for Bata (www. bata.com.ph).

Aside from footwear and shoes, Bata also offers accessories such as wide selection of bags, purses, wallets and belts that are also guaranteed and designed with comfort and style, and in finest quality.

They also created a complete line of shoe care products to help you clean, restore and protect your shoes. These include quality shoe care products such as shoe care polish, cleaners, insoles, heel grips, cushions and more.

BE it formal, semiformal or casual, a pair of these Bata Women’s Red Label Winifred Heels sandals elevates your outfit with ease and style.

BE a step above the rest with these Bata Women’s Red Label Wilabel Heels, a sleek shoe that is easy to incorporate in every ensemble.

Available in Black and Off-White.

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THE CONVERSATION

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HILE the pandemic continues to disrupt how we work and relate with others, the year has been replete with realizations and lessons that can help us live our lives better in the coming year. As the year comes to a close, these are the lessons I have learned while navigating my way around the pandemic.

A lesson that I keep reminding myself this year is putting myself first. There is nothing selfish about doing whatever you can to feel safe. Some people resort to spraying alcohol on whatever surface their bodies touch, even wearing personal protective equipment when going out just so they can feel safe.

Everyone has their own levels of feeling safe and if it makes you feel better to do those things, then do it.

I have also realized that taking care of yourself also means looking at your entire well-being and paying attention to your mental health. One thing I am thankful for is being active in a peer support group where I get to talk to other people and help them process their own issues. Helping others is a way of self-care because you will find meaning and purpose from helping others.

Some people also had time to think about what really mattered to them and they ended up shifting careers and realizing that corporate life is not for them. This year, I have realized that most of my work involves creating communication materials and information campaigns. While it was not my core function, it was a welcome break and an opportunity for me to know different units of my organization and understand how to communicate better to different audiences.

Being cooped up at home and the lack of faceto-face interactions can oftentimes bring us to read online posts on social media and unwittingly react to them. I learned to stop being reactive to just about everything on social media by ignoring those that disrupt my mental health, especially since the incoming elections have further polarized different social groups.

This year, I have also learned to enjoy my own company and to be kind to myself. I have always been an introvert but because of previous work requirements, I had to force myself to be more outgoing. The pandemic has made me realize the joys of being alone and enjoying the things I have not done in a long time like reading a book, following a sitcom or series, or just listening to music. I have also become more comfortable with my waistline and stopped being too self-conscious about it.

And probably one of the best things I learned this year that I can do for myself is to stop and rest when needed. For me, working from home has that added feeling of guilt such that I compensate by working longer hours just to prove to myself and to my organization that I can still do the work even if I am at home. It took working until midnight for me to realize that I had to stop and rest because my work quality suffered.

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WHEN many people think of New Year’s resolutions, they brainstorm ways to improve themselves for the year ahead. What if we expanded those aspirations to include resolutions that benefit our communities, society and the planet, too?

It might not be a typical approach, but it can broaden your horizons to show ways you can also be of service to others.

Here are four popular New Year’s resolutions with a twist for improving your relationship with nature in 2022 and beyond.

■ EXERCISE MORE CONSIDERATION FOR HOW YOUR ACTIONS IMPACT THE ENVIRONMENT. We each have an environmental ethic reflecting how we value, manage and ultimately relate to nature. Balancing the scales of reciprocity between us and nature—how much we give and take—can improve this relationship in many ways. Whether it’s our addiction to one-use plastics that pile up in landfills or fossil fuels that warm the planet, a mishandled relationship with nature is not doing us or the Earth any favors.

In 2022, we can all take more responsibility for how our actions exacerbate environmental problems. We can also encourage governments and businesses to make it easier for people from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds to protect the environment. This includes making recycled goods affordable and reliable public transportation widely accessible.

Check out the US Environmental Protection Agency’s resources describing some very simple ways to reduce waste at home, work, in our communities and during the holidays. Tips from the web site include turning off or unplugging lights during the day, reusing packaging materials and using online billing services instead of paper mail.

■ LOSE THE WEIGHT OF SOCIAL INJUSTICE—IT HARMS NATURE, TOO. The perils of social injustice stress multiple aspects of society. Racism and inequality can lead to health disparities, and they also have consequences for the natural environment.

A recent study described how practices such as redlining and residential segregation led to unequal access to nature, excess pollution and biodiversity loss. These practices brought in highways and industries that harm environmental quality in marginalized communities. They also left neighborhoods with fewer parks and trees that provide cooling in summer and benefit the planet.

Perpetuating social ills like systemic racism and inequitable resource allocation is detrimental to the environment, marginalized people and society as a whole.

To help turn this around, you can speak out in your community. Join groups that are trying to promote environmental protection and social justice and are bringing nature back to communities.

■ LEARN SOMETHING NEW ABOUT NATURE AND HOW TO REDUCE HARM TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND YOURSELF. Clean air, water and soil are fundamental for our survival, but research shows many people lack basic environmental and health literacy to know how to protect themselves.

In 2022, get to know your own impact on the environment. Read more and start exploring ways to preserve the integrity of your area’s natural resources.

For example, find out where you can stay abreast of local land-use decisions that impact the environment and your overall community.

You can also support local educators and encourage them to bring the environment into lessons. Environmental issues overlap many other subjects, from history to health. This website includes a framework and materials for educators to help students expand their environmental literacy.

Staying plugged in with media that discuss the latest research can enhance awareness. You can also try tying environmental facts and knowledge into your game night and team-building activities.

■ SPEND MORE TIME WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN NATURE. Studies show that spending time in nature, including urban green spaces, can improve your relationship with nature and with others.

Time in nature can increase social cohesion.

Throughout the pandemic, many people discovered the outdoors as a place to decompress and reduce stress. Spending more time outdoors can encourage social interactions that benefit health, buffer emotional distress and encourage use of these spaces, which can help protect them for the future.

Collectively, thinking about our relationship with nature and finding ways to protect the environment can help us be better stewards of the planet.

THESE Bata Ladies Vella Red Label Pointed Heels are designed to carry you in comfort with synthetic upper material, high-heels that highlight your femininity, and a comfortable insole which distributes weight perfectly.

B6 Wednesday, December 29, 2021

GBP turns over P20M ER 1-94 fund to Toledo City’s pandemic response

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LOBAL Business Power Corporation (GBP), through its subsidiaries Cebu Energy Development Corporation (CEDC) and Toledo Power Co. (TPC), has turned over a total of P20.6 million to Brgy. Daanlungsod, Toledo City, Cebu in aid of its pandemic response and initiatives. The remitted amount represents the Energy Regulations 1-94 (ER 1-94) fund share of the Company’s host barangay from the electricity sales of its Cebu subsidiaries.

In accordance with the Department of Energy’s Department Circular No. 2020-04-0008, ER 1-94 funds can be utilized by host local government units to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 health emergency, anchored on the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act. The said fund will then enable the barangay of Daanlungsod to mobilize their plan of action in battling the ongoing pandemic, such as the purchase of a multi-purpose van for the LGU’s disaster risk reduction management programs.

“We are one with our kababayans in overcoming the challenges brought by the coronavirus. We will continue to

BARANGAY Daanlungsod officials led by Barangay Captain Rogelio Maybuena (right) receiving the ER 1-94 fund share from GBP Cebu site head Engr. Leah G. Diaz. support the community in their endeavors for our recovery and healing as we gear up for the ‘new normal’,“ said Engr. Leah G. Diaz, GBP First Vice President for Cebu Operations.

The ER 1-94 fund is one of the benefits received by the host LGUs under the Electric

Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) of 2001. It entitles the host communities to financial benefits of one-centavo for every kilowatt-hour (P0.01/kWh) of the total electricity sales of generating companies to subsidize electrification, livelihood and development projects.

ABS-CBN Foundation launches fund drive “Tulong-Tulong sa Pag-Ahon”

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NIGHT filled with songs of hope and stories of survival was shared

by Filipinos all over the world in ABS-CBN’s “Tulong Tulong sa Pag-Ahon: Andito Tayo Para Sa Bawat Pamilya” benefit concert last December 23 for victims of super typhoon Odette.

Proving again that Filipinos will not leave anyone behind as they help each other rise from tragedy, the benefit

concert jumpstarted the “Tulong-Tulong sa Pag-Ahon” online fund drive of ABS-CBN Foundation for its on-going relief efforts and subsequent initiatives to help the families from heavily-hit areas start anew.

Among those who offered their talents were Robi Domingo, Bianca Gonzalez, and Bernadette Sembrano, singers Jona, Jed Madela, Nyoy Volante, Angeline Quinto, Jeremy Glinoga, Sheena Belarmino, Kyle

Echarri, Angela Ken, Gigi de Lana and GG Vibes, and Mr. Pure Energy Gary Valenciano, who closed the more than three-hour event.

ABS-CBN stars Coco Martin, Gerald Anderson, Belle Mariano, Seth Fedelin, Andrea Brillantes, Julia Montes, and Piolo Pascual explained to viewers the different ways they can help, whether through cash donations sent via bank transfer or payment merchants, or through in-kind donations of items like canned goods, rice, water, hygiene kits, and blankets.

“A donation of P400 can provide meals for a family for three days. A big amount can help in other aspects as they start over and rise again from today until next year. I hope that we extend our help kapamilya,” said Coco.

The Foundation is still accepting donations through their BDO (003930214711), BPI (4221-0000-27), PNB (12637000-4128), GCash, PayMaya, and PayPal accounts. International donations may be coursed through abscbnfoundation.org.

Philippine professional wrestling rises from the ashes with MWF: Medyo Noche

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ANILA Wrestling Federation launches their comeback professional wrestling event after a two-year indefinite hiatus called MWF: Medyo Noche on December 31.

Medyo Noche is an independent Filipino pro wrestling show organized

by MWF in collaboration with Brawl Pit Bulusan.

Given what has happened in the previous two years, Medyo Noche sparks new life into the burgeoning Pro Wrestling Community here in the Philippines.

Medyo Noche features the soft opening of the MWF roster in 2022.

The Almighty member of Bahay ng Liwanag: Jomar Liwanag faces a debuting female wrestler temporarily going by the moniker “Red Shirt”. The Former MWF champion Robin Sane returns after his supposed retirement in 2019 and is better than ever, but HSSL’s Keyan Khayl Sison gets first dibs on the former champion.

Rex Lawin will introduce his Filipino Strong Style to a debuting Blue Shirt named CJ Serafin. Lastly, the main event

features the MWF championship’s number one contender, Nigel San Jose against Fabio Makisig, the leader of HSSL. Incidentally, no match is booked for the reigning MWF champion, the Hong Kong local Ho Ho Lun. Furtherly, the ex-ECW (Extreme Championship Wrestling), and WWE veterans, Chilly Willy and current

MLW (Major League Wrestling) World Middleweight champion Yoshihiro Tajiri are not on the card as well.

Medio Noche, is Philippine professional wrestling’s comeback show in two years. A one-time viewing is premiering just before New Year’s Eve, on December 30th, 8PM. (Llermo Gil)

PandaCare Protection Program offers free accident insurance for all riders via Igloo

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OODPANDA recently announced that it has partnered with regional insurtech Igloo to offer an added benefit to riders amidst the risks of making a delivery. Thus, from the long line of projects designed to help riders with their needs on and off the road comes the PandaCare Protection Program.

The initiative serves as an added layer of protection to help minimize risk and make accidental loss more manageable for foodpanda riders. Benefits include accidental death at P125,000, accidental dismemberment at P125,000, medical reimbursement at P5,000, hospital assistance for 10 days at P500, and burial expense at P5,000.

The initiative preludes more projects to come next year to assist riders, their way to show their commitment to keeping their riders safe while protecting their livelihoods.

“The PandaCare Protection Program is just the beginning of our plans for our riders as we shift towards a long-term and sustainable initiative for them in the year 2022. This is our way to show appreciation, especially we will not be here without the commitment and resilience of our partner riders.” foodpanda Philippines Managing Director Daniel Marogy said.

Mario Berta, Country Head for Igloo, added: “We are delighted to extend Igloo's partnership with foodpanda in Singapore and Thailand to now include The

Philippines, to offer protection to this very important segment of the gig economy.”

On top of presenting riders with an honest livelihood, foodpanda consistently rolls out projects designed to give them an easier, safer, and more enriching delivery experience. These include extending perks and privileges at partner establishments such as gasoline stations and motorcycle shops, as well as providing top-performers with rewarding incentives through the PandaQuest program.

Zumbarangay Pilipinas: Solo Exercise OnCam Challenge 2021 announces winners

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HILIPPINE Sports Commission chairman William Ramirez prides that Zumbarangay Pilipinas was launched by the PSC Women in Sports mid 2021 to avert the increasing number of women having physical, emotional and mental health issues. A nationwide campaign to promote solo exercising as a form of exercise, Zumbarangay Pilipinas received over 300 video entries from all over the Philippines. Several qualifying rounds were made to select the best winners.

PSC Commissioner for Women in Sports said that the contest which was open

to women, girls and LGBTQI encourages regular solo dancing at home. The PSC produced an original music “Igalaw-galaw ating Katawan” for the public to use. A local artist from Laguna, Jian Aguilan, was tapped to write the lyrics and make the beat of the exercise music. The lyrics of the song itself is our campaign for the public to start fitness at home, says Kiram.

“At the height of pandemic mid this year, we cannot afford to just sit down and watch the rising concerns about the mental health of a generation of children caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Production Director and Women in Sports Consultant Marilou Cantancio.

“With powerful emotions like anxiety, uncertainty, grief and loneliness affecting the lives of our children, we need to be creative in ways to drastically get them moving through dancing.”

Proclaimed winners were from Manila City (Jaycent Hortilano, LGBTQ+), Pasay City (Katrina Nocum, Women Open), and Zamboanga City (Dayne Farnacio, Girls Open).

A cash prize of P30,000 is given to the 1st placer, P20,000 for the 2nd placer, and P10,000 for the 3rd placer. A consolation prize of P3,000 is given to each of the top 10 entries for each category.

George T. Yang, Jose Mari Chan reunite online to ‘Share the Light’ to victims of Typhoon Odette

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CDONALD‘S Philippines Chairman and Founder George T. Yang once again joins forces with one of the country’s OPM icons, Jose Mari Chan in an online video to share the light and happiness of the holiday season. In the short clip, the two friends who first shared the screen in a McDonald’s video for Grandparents’ Day in 2019 give a new meaning to virtual caroling with fun animated versions of themselves caroling one silent night in a classic Pinoy Christmas setting.

The online video, 'Share the Light', campaign aims to spread happiness and kindness this season.

Yang and Chan collaborated for the benefit of the McDonald’s Kindness Kitchen, a program of the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) that was set up to serve meals for frontliners and marginalized communities. With the support of its partners the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), Naval Reserve, CocaCola, Air Asia, and the Philippine Airlines, McDonald's activates its Kindness Kitchen to serve 20,000 meals in communities affected by the typhoon.

Since March 2020, McDonald's Kindness Kitchen has served over 550,000 hot meals nationwide. It continues to serve kindness to more communities with the support of its corporate and individual donors.

Help #ShareTheLight, visit rmhc.org.ph.

Check out McDonald's Facebook at facebook. com/McDo.ph.

BusinessMirror

Editor: Tet Andolong

Wednesday, December 29, 2021 B7

Reinvigorating the culture and arts scene in Makati City

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By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

fter a two-year hiatus, the cultural scene especially in Makati City is again alive with the recent soft opening of the Ayala Museum and Filipinas Heritage. It was also a perfect time as Ayala Museum celebrated its 60th anniversary.

Closed for renovation since June 2019, t he management of Ayala Museum and Filipinas Heritage said the soft opening provided a peek of the newly renovated museum and library with five galleries initially accessible to the public with pre booked admissions, timed entries, and limited capacity on admissions.

In response to the pandemic, the management have introduced operational adjustments and safety protocols to ensure guests will feel secured and safe when visiting the museum and and gallery.

Moreover, all visitors of the museum and the library, regardless of age, must be fully vaccinated and will have to provide proof of vaccination upon entry for the safety of all visitors and staff.

Re-energized space The management said the new Ayala Museum will provide a lovely experience to the onsite visitor with new exhibition, event, and retail spaces. To ensure it will provide a distinct Asian design suited to Philippine culture, Ayala Museum tapped Leandro V. Locsin Partners (LVLP) for a marvelous aesthetic and at the same time with great functionality by integrating it closer to the Greenbelt complex and its environs. The resulting outside-inside atmosphere is a wise pandemic response alongside plans to ensure the museum is a safe zone, defined by physical distancing and safety from the transmission of disease.

A fountain of stories Five new exhibitions were intro-

duced along with the new Ayala Museum website and the upcoming Ayala Museum app. The management ensured all these new features guarantee a fountain of stories that will provoke curiosity and move people about what is uniquely Filipino.

To give tribute to the to this year’s quincentennial celebration of the circumnavigation of the world, the exhibition “Intertwined: Transpacific, Transcultural Philippines” was shown highlighting entangled cultures brought about by man’s ability to circumnavigate the world with over 240 carefully curated objects and artworks. A new dedicated gallery in honor of artist Fernando Zobel who envisioned Ayala Museum will be unveiled with the exhibition “Landscape into Painting: Fernando Zobel Serie Blanca”. As an art and history museum, the Orientations Gallery conveys, with a display of tangible objects from the Ayala Museum collections, the wealth and diversity that abound in the cultures and peoples throughout the islands and the nation’s past.

Aya l a Museu m was a lso a trailblazer in the country with the launching of the Digital Gallery located in the museum’s new lobby. Made up of eight sprawling screens, the gallery enables visitors to digitally explore objects from the museum and library collections and engage in interactive and up-close conversations with art and history for free.

The rest of the Ayala Museum galleries will open by the first half of 2022.

Ayala Museum gallery

Going Omnichannel Ayala Museum and Filipinas Heritage are on a mission to broaden the appeal of art and culture by making it more accessible.

It has adopted the omnichannel approach. Omnichannel is a term derived from retail to describe a visitor-centric approach to ensure customers what they want, when they want it, and how they want it.

Going omnichannel was originally hatched before the pre-pandemic. Nevertheless, the timing was right as people have been used to watching through the digital platform. In response, everything in the newly renovated Ayala Museum will be networked, multiple channels digitally connected so one can move seamlessly between them, enabling Filipinos here and abroad to readily access Philippine art and culture 24/7, as exemplified by the collections and programming of the museum and library.

Onsite exhibitions will be supported by exclusive content that enriches the viewer’s understanding through the upcoming Ayala Museum app.

Ayala Museum facade

Property developers underscore factors driving real-estate growth in Davao

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ENHANCING COMMUNITIES PIK Country Manager Mai Yang leads the official turn-over of planting materials to the Sambahayan Condominium community in Mandaluyong. The largest technology and homebuilding company in Russia and Europe and the Breakthrough Developer of the latest PropertyGuru Philippines Property Awards, PIK donated garden soil, seedlings of vegetables and ornamental plants for the community’s sustainable gardening. She was joined by Mandaluyong City District II Councilor and head of the environment committee Benjamin Abalos III, Mandaluyong City Environmental Management Department representatives Emmanuel Oblea, Jr. and Shirley Dizon, and Sambahayan Condominium Association President Jean Candelaria in the program. With this activity, the developer, which also received a special recognition award for Environmental and Social Governance as PIK Operations Director Roman Mukhomadeev emphasized that the developer applied various technologies in their maiden project, One Sierra, to make it green and sustainable, underscores its commitment to sustainability by supporting one of the city’s priorities of implementing sustainable and green initiatives for Mandaleños. “We at PIK are committed to bringing sustainable living solutions to Filipinos, not just in how we design our developments but also in communities we are present in. This is just a start as we enter the Philippine market, and we look forward to working with more communities to achieve our commitment,” said Yang.

By Roderick L. Abad

EAL-estate is among the many industries that have been increasingly attracting investments into the Davao region as it positions itself as one of the country’s economic pillars at the start of 2022. This booming sector is very evident as townships, mixed-use developments, and subdivisions continue to rise.

At the recent 6th Davao Investment Conference 2021, Ayala Corp. President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Fernando Zobel de Ayala underscored the important infrastructure developments that make the region an investment magnet.

These include the Davao City Bypass, the Davao Coastal Road, the Mindanao Railway, and the expansion of the Davao Interna-

tional Airport, he enumerated.

The top executive of one of the country’s formidable companies emphasized that Ayala Land ’s more than P40 billion investments, “including land acquisitions and... residential projects, retail outlets, offices, hotels, and tourism, and various other commercial properties… reflect our inherent belief in the growth potential of the region.”

Meanwhile, Cebu Landmasters Inc. (CLI) Chairman, President and CEO Jose Soberano III, mentioned one public need that can be a springboard for economic opportunity.

Acknowledging that the Davao region is one of the top areas in Visayas and Mindanao in terms of gross domestic product and population, he said that those factors will lead to concerns “of addressing the housing backlog.”

“That’s why we in Cebu Landmasters are here: we look at the opportunity… and would like to address those needs,” Soberano III pointed out.

Major regional property developer CLI is currently developing the Davao Global Township, an upcoming mix-used project just a stone thrown away from President Rodrigo Duterte’s humble abode in his hometown Matina, Davao City that is on track to meet its target completion in 2022.

Various investments like in real estate have continued to come into region amid the pandemic, making it listed it as the second most popular provincial city or real estate hotspot outside Metro Manila in 2020 based on overall page views of property seekers using the online property portal of Lamudi.

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Sports BusinessMirror

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

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

NBA changes Covid protocols, shortens path to return to play

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ATIONAL Basketball Association (NBA) players who test positive for Covid-19 now have a quicker path to return to play, after the league completed a significant update to its health and safety protocols on Monday.

The biggest change: Isolation periods for players who test positive may now be significantly shortened—down to six days from what has been the customary 10—provided those players are asymptomatic and meet other testing standards.

Teams were told of the new protocols Monday in a memo sent by the league, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press.

That memo was sent on the same day the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cut isolation restrictions for Americans who catch the coronavirus from 10 to five days. CDC officials made that move saying that evidence shows people with the coronavirus are most infectious in the two days before and three days after symptoms develop.

The NBA also relied on data, telling teams the updated protocols “reflects analysis of testing data that the league and its infectious disease experts and epidemiologists have gathered throughout the pandemic.”The changes were made in agreement with the National Basketball Players Association.

The NBA has seen coronavirus numbers soar in

TRAP adds youngsters to natl team

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HE Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP) put premium on young potentials as it added seven new members in the national team, according to association president Tom Carrasco on Tuesday.

Added to the women’s team were duathletes Raven Alcoseba (20 years old) of Cebu, Heart Quiambao (18) of Bukidnon and Jena Valdez (17) of Pangasinan, as well as Matthew Justin Hermosa (18) of Cebu and Lorenzo Joaquin Solda (17) of Parañaque City in the men’s side.

Veterans Alexandra Ganzon of Iloilo and Raymond Torio of Pangasinan are the other new members.

Carrasco said the TRAP is focused on the continental level, as well as on gender equity in coming up with a rejuvenated national squad.

“We aim to step up to the Asian level as we target the Olympics and world championships,” Carrasco said. “With this young crop of athletes who have shown great potentials and commitment, we are very optimistic of achieving our long term goals.”

Carrasco said that they intend to add more female members in the national team by 30 percent.

“The female ratio to total will stand at 35 percent or 8 of 23 ratio by next year. We hope to move up to 40 to 45 and eventually 50 percent,” he said. “We should manage and develop our national team for the long term.”

The newcomers were picked based on their performance in National Duathlon Trials in Clark early this month, Carrasco said.

The TRAP, Carrasco added, will host the National Triathlon Trials in Subic on February 6 as part of its second wave of recruitment for the national team with the strong support from the Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine Olympic Committee. Josef Ramos

recent days, even with 97 percent of players vaccinated and at least 65 percent of eligible players boosted against the virus. A pair of coaches—Phoenix’s Monty Williams and Portland’s Chauncey Billups—entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols Monday.

“In the league, everyone's kind of going through the same thing,” said Suns assistant Kevin Young, who is taking over in Williams's absence. “We had a slogan going back to last year—navigating uncertainty—and here we are.”

More proof of the uncertainty: The Suns had been listing Elfrid Payton as out and in the protocols throughout the day on Monday, then declared him available about 90 minutes before game time.

The Blazers said the team will be coached by assistant Scott Brooks, a longtime head coach, during Billups's absence.

Phoenix hosted Memphis on Monday, while Portland—with seven players in the protocols as well—was hosting Dallas. The Trail Blazers had been off since December 21; their game that had been scheduled for December 23 against Brooklyn was postponed because of virus issues decimating the Nets’ roster. That was one of nine games postponed by the NBA so far this season.

Williams and Billups being off the sideline raises the total of head coaches in the NBA currently

sidelined by virus issues to four, including the Los Angeles Lakers’ Frank Vogel and Chicago’s Billy Donovan. Vogel has missed the Lakers’ last four games, and Donovan is missing his second consecutive game when the Bulls visit Atlanta on Monday. “With Frank right now, it’s a matter of testing and getting those negative tests in,” said Lakers assistant coach David Fizdale, who is running the team in Vogel’s absence. “But he’s doing well health-wise. His spirit’s right. Obviously, he’s chomping at the bit to get back and start competing.”

The count of players in the NBA’s protocols remained around 120 on Monday evening. Among the new notable additions to the list: Olympic gold medalist Jayson Tatum, placed into protocols by the Boston Celtics.

Atlanta listed 12 players as out—10 for virus reasons, two for injuries—for its game against Chicago, but the Hawks said guard Trae Young was cleared to return, making that announcement about 90 minutes before tip-off.

Teams that have been hit particularly hard by virusrelated issues have been able to cobble together rosters over the last couple weeks primarily by signing players to 10-day hardship deals.

Tatum was one of 15 players—eight Celtics, seven Timberwolves—ruled out of the Boston-Minnesota game for virus-related reasons alone. AP

THE Brooklyn Nets' James Harden fouls the Los Angeles Clippers' Serge Ibaka during the second half of their game on Monday in Los Angeles. The Nets won, 124-108. AP

‘Lakas ng Tatlo’ 10-team finale on at Big Dome

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P.O.C. DECLARES JUICO PERSONA NON GRATA T

By Josef Ramos

HE Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) Executive Board declared athletics chief Dr. Philip Ella Juico as persona non grata—an offshoot of Juico’s rift with Olympic pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena—upon the recommendation of its Ethics Committee.

“The POC approves the recommendation of the Ethics Committee declaring Juico as persona non grata,” said President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino after the POC Executive Board meeting on Tuesday at the East Ocean Seafood Restaurant in Pasay City. “We do not recognize him anymore as president of PATAFA [Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association] until the new election of its president.”

Tolentino, however, said that the PATAFA remains as the POC’s recognized national association for the sport. He added that all of the association’s officers are also recognized by the POC. The sanction resulted from the Ethics Committee’s investigation that concluded that Juico “harassed” Obiena by making “malicious public accusations” against the

PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino presides over the body’s Executive Board meeting on Tuesday.

pole vaulter.

The committee report said that Obiena, a finalist at the Tokyo Olympics and Asian men’s pole vault record holder, was accused and maligned publicly by Juico in media in November for allegedly falsifying his liquidation report on his Ukranian coach Vitaly Petrov’s salaries.

The report also said

that accusations against Obiena led to potential theft charges, according to rowing association president Patrick Gregorio who heads the Ethics Committee.

Eleven of the 15-member POC Executive Board approved the committee recommendation, which will be ratified by the General Assembly in January.

POC honorary president Ricky

Vargas, first vice president Al Panlilo, second vice president Richard Gomez, treasurer Cynthia Carrion-Norton, auditor Joaquin Loyzaga and board members David Carter, Dr. Jose Raul Canlas and Pearl Managuelod favored the recommendation, along with Athletes’ Commission head Nikko Huelgas and Secretary General Edwin Gastanes.

Charlie Ho of netball and International Olympic Committee Representative to the Philippines Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski abstained.

Tolentino presided over the meeting in the absence of chairman Steve Hontiveros and didn’t vote.

Juico is the second NSA official to be declared persona non grata after Go Teng Kok, who was also the PATAFA president when then POC chief Jose Cojuangco Jr. meted the same sanction in 2011.

Tolentino assured the 26-year-old Obiena that he will represent the country in various overseas competitions in 2022, including the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi in May and the 19th Asian Games in Huangzhou in September.

“If PATAFA won’t endorse him, which I doubt they would, then we will,”Tolentino said.

POC can take lead Al Mendoza alsol47@yahoo.com

THAT’S ALL

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RONALDO HEADER Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo heads the ball during their English Premier League match against Newcastle United at the St. James' Park in Newcastle, England, on Monday. AP

AY I suggest that our top sports officials do something about it?

I refer to reports recently circulated that boxing and weightlifting have been removed from the Olympic Games calendar in Los Angeles 2028.

The 2024 Paris Summer Games have yet to begin and here we are talking of scrapping two major events that count among the quadrennial’s centerpiece competitions.

Isn’t weightlifting an original Olympic fare? It was one of 12 events featured when the modern summer spectacle was unveiled in 1896.

Sadly, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) itself is taking the lead in scrapping both disciplines.

Two reasons for the IOC’s shocking action were corruption and doping plaguing both events for years now.

But the usual suspects have always been First World countries like Russia

(weightlifting) and some of its fellow former Soviet Union republics like Ukraine and Kazakhstan (boxing).

Said countries have always been singled out as perpetrators of doping scandals in weightlifting, not to mention match-fixing incidents rampant in boxing competitions worldwide.

In fact, just to avoid the twin scandals from happening, the IOC took charge in administering boxing and weightlifting competitions in the July 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Russia escaped being kicked out of the last Games when the IOC agreed to a compromise of not recognizing Russia as an official competitor. The IOC renamed that country’s Olympic movement in Tokyo as the Russian Athletic Federation or something.

The Aiba (International Boxing Federation) was likewise declared offlimits in Tokyo 2020 and the boxing

HE inaugural grand champion of the Philippine Basketball Association 3x3 Lakas Ng Tatlo will be crowned on Wednesday as 10 teams battle it out in the first conference finale at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Top seed Meralco leads nine other teams in pursuit of the title as the first ever winner at the conclusion of the sixleg, stand-alone tournament backed by 1Pacman Party List headed by Deputy Speaker Mikee Romero.

The Bolts of coach Patrick Fran earned the No. 1 spot when it emerged with the highest number of points after six legs of grueling action in the 3x3 tour. The first conference champion will receive the top prize of P750,000.

The winner of Leg 2 and owner of two runner up finishes, the Bolts have been seeded outright in the knockout stage along with Leg 1 champion TNT (No. 2), back-to-back titlists Limitless App (No.3) and guest team Platinum Karaoke (No. 4).

All four automatically made it to the quarterfinals for emerging as the top teams at the end of the month-long preliminaries.

The next six teams will battle it out for the remaining four spots in the next round through a single round, six-game pool play before the quarterfinals.

No. 5 Terrafirma is bracketed with Leg 3 champion Sista Super Sealers (No. 8), and ninth-ranked San Miguel in Pool A, while No. 6 Purefoods, winner of Leg 4, seventh seed Pioneer Pro Tibay, and No. 10 Barangay Ginebra are grouped in Pool B. The Dyip and Beermen open hostilities at 1 p.m., followed by the Titans versus Kings at 1:25 p.m.

The No. 2 team in Pool A will then meet Meralco in the quarterfinals, while the top team in Pool B arranges a showdown with Platinum Karaoke.

Limitless App takes the No.1 ranked team of Pool N and TNT faces no. 2 of Pool B. The runner-up will receive P250,000, while the third placer gets P100,000.

Games are free for the first 1,000 fans at the Big Dome.

competitions were run by IOC-designated officials in a bid to totally rid the world boxing body of misfits and suspected match-fixers.

Anyway, since the LA Olympiad is still a good seven years away, may I suggest that this early, our boxing association now headed by my kumpadre Ed Picson and the weightlifting group with my buddy Nyuks Puentevella at the helm prod the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) to initiate moves to stop the IOC from cancelling the said events in LA 2028?

I think it’d be a good idea if POC president Bambol Tolentino request the 11-nation Southeast Asia Sports Federation to convene and discuss the matter in a determined bid to save boxing and weightlifting from Olympic extinction.

After all, SEA nations being mostly Third World countries, are never involved in any monkey business on the global stage, their integrity historically beyond reproach.

Punish the guilty. Spare the upright; reward them even.

THAT’S IT Let’s not be overconfident at all times. Wear your face mask, always. The Covid-19 is starting to be naughty and not nice again...Happy New Year!