BusinessMirror February 11, 2022

Pandemic spurs big shifts in jobs generation

By Cai U. Ordinario

T

economy. He said this shift in jobs is one of the major changes in the past two years.

“What I wanted to call attention to is the fact that we have indeed a changed economy. [When] comparing your data from October 2019 to October 2021, first let’s look at jobs. There was a dramatic decline in jobs between those two periods in transport and storage, food, and of course in industry, particularly manufacturing and construction,” Habito explained. “ W here d id t hese jobs go?

Well, it turns out, the displaced work, the displaced workers in industry, and in services massively shifted to either farming, fishing, or trading,” he added.

Based on a presentation, Habito

@caiordinario

HE pandemic leaves in its wake a Philippine economy that is changed in terms of industry winners and job quality, according to a former Socioeconomic Planning Secretary.

In an economic forum of the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) on Thursday, former National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Director General Cielito F. Habito said there has been a dramatic shift in job generation in the country as a result of the pandemic.

However, as a result, Habito said this has led to greater informality in terms of the jobs created in the

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said between October 2019 and October 2021, agriculture and fisheries gained 650,000 workers.

This has made the sector the “biggest single provider of jobs in the economy.”

Further, the data showed some 1.151 million workers became part of the wholesale and retail trade sector. This, however, increased informality in the work force.

This happened as the industry lost 324,000 jobs composed of 288,000 jobs in manufacturing and 70,000 jobs in construction. Habito also said tourism saw a decline of 663,000 jobs, including 524,000 jobs in accommodation and food industries.

“In terms of change in jobs, again, the quality of jobs obviously suffered. Why? because there’s been a 2.8, almost 2.9-million gain in workers who are working less than 40 hours a week; in other words, part time.”

—Former Neda chief Cielito Habito

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11-MO TOTAL HITS $9.2B L

Jobless rate up to 6.6%; Palace sees Q1 rebound

By Bianca Cuaresma @BcuaresmaBM

ONG-TERM investments made by foreign investors to the Philippines grew strongly in November last year as global and local economic activity improved during the period, bringing the cumulative January-November 2021 FDI net inflows to $9.2 billion, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported on Thursday.

By Samuel P. Medenilla

M

‘DIGITAL DIASPORA’ Foreign tourists show their documents to Philippine Coast Guard personnel screening foreigners coming in at NAIA Terminal 2 in Pasay City. The Philippine government on Thursday (February 10) reopened its borders to vaccinated foreign tourists as Covid-19 alert levels are eased. Stories on page A3 Nation, “IATF further eases entry rules for foreign nationals” and “Canadian tourists are first through the PHL’s doors.” NAIA MEDIA AFFAIRS DIVISION

ALACAÑANG is confident the country’s employment rate will rebound during the first quarter of the year as the government eases the Alert Level in the National Capital Region (NCR) and other parts of the country.

Acting Presidentia l spokesman K arlo B. Nograles issued the statement after the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Thursday that the unemployment rate in December rose to 6.6 percent compared to 6.5 percent the month before.

“With the easing [of restrictions] up in Febr uar y, we expect, bottom line, more of our citizens will be going back to the labor force,” Nograles said.

He said the increase in unemploy ment rate i n t he sa id month was actually a sign that more workers were finally ret ur ning to t he l abor ma rket.

Labor Secretary Silvestre H. October 2021.

Bello III attributed the higher labor The National Economic and Deforce participation rate in Decemvelopment Authority (Neda), howber to the increased economic activever, cited the larger increase in ities brought about by the holidays the labor force participation rate, and the Alert Level 2 which was imwhich improved to 65.1 percent posed in many parts of the country. from 64.2 percent.

The Inter-Agency Task Force Ned a sa id t his meant t hat for the Management of Emerging around 800,000 more people were showsofofproducts, products,with withhosts hostsand and shows Infectious Disease (IATF) hoisted able to find work as mobility reguestsproviding providingmore moredetails detailsand and guests an Alert Level 3 in NCR and other strictions were relaxed in Decemgivingtestimonies, testimonies,Zalora Zalorasaid. said. giving parts of the country last month ber. This brings net employment wouldalso alsohelp helpbrands brandsininItItwould amid the surge in Covid-19 infeccreation to 3.7 million above prenovateon onflexible flexiblesales salespromopromonovate tions, triggering the closure of more pandemic levels. tions,such suchasasgiving givingdiscounts, discounts, tions, establishments brought about by loand offering offering easier easier and and attracattracand See “Unemployment,” A2 cal spread of the Omicron variant. tivepayment paymentoptions optionssuch suchasasthe the tive buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) opbuy-now-pay-later (BNPL) opSee “Jobless,” A2 tion,which, which,ititsaid, said,emerged emergedasas tion, themost mostpopular popularoption optionamong among the Asian shoppers.

Asian shoppers.

36.8784 n EU 58.7034 n SAUDI arabia 13.6947 Source: BSP (February 10, 2022) Indonesia, for for example, example, InIn Indonesia, Google saw saw a a “10x “10x increase increase inin Google searchesfor fore-wallet e-walletservices servicesand and searches 15xrise riseininBNPL BNPLservices servicesininthe the 15x lastfive fiveyears. years.Other Otherappealing appealing last payment options options like like monthly monthly payment installments,toto00percent percentinterinterinstallments, estfees feeson oncredit creditcards, cards,provide provide est access toto quality quality products products and and talsavviness savvinessand andtaste tastefor forluxury luxury access tal serviceswhile whilealso alsoimproving improvingfi-fiandsustainability. sustainability. services and nancialinclusion. inclusion.

“Thereport reportisispositioned positionedasasa a nancial “The Zalora,for forinstance, instance,offers offers21 21 referencepoint pointthat thathelps helpsZalora’s Zalora’s Zalora, reference paymentmethods methodsacross acrossthe therere900brand brandpartners partnersnavigate navigatethe the payment 900 gion, including including cash-on-delivery cash-on-delivery region’sdiversity diversityand andevolving evolvingreregion, region’s andBNPL BNPLoptions optionsacross acrossthe themarmartaillandscape,” landscape,”Zalora’s Zalora’sCEO CEOGunGunand tail kets.ItItlaunched launchedits itsfirst firstco-brandco-brandjanSoni Sonisaid. said. kets. jan creditcard cardininpartnership partnershipwith with Aside from from digital digital partners partners ededcredit Aside RCBCand andMastercard Mastercardininthe thePhilPhillike Google, Google, Mastercard, Mastercard, H&M, H&M, RCBC like ippines,the thefirst-ever first-everfashion fashionand and Lush,Paula’s Paula’sChoice, Choice,HABIB, HABIB,AtAtippines, Lush,

AVAOCITY—A CITY—Aleading leading AVAO onlinebrand brandretailer retailerin inAsia Asia online seeingaasharp sharpbehavioral behavioral isisseeing online presentation of its Trender shiftamong among consumersand andbrand brand shift Continued onconsumers A5 Report2021.

2021.

Report Shedescribed describedthe the“shoppers “shoppersofof She makersthat thatmay mayreinvent reinventand andinnovate innovate makers tomorrow”asas“digital “digitaland anddiverse diverse tomorrow” approaches, especially from the latter, approaches, especially from the latter, across Southeast Asia.” across Southeast Asia.”

PESO exchange rates n US 51.3770 n japan 0.4449 n UK 69.5439“It’s n HK 6.5949 n CHINA 8.0751 “It’s a a digital digital diaspora,” diaspora,” she she asdata dataanalytics—since analytics—sincethe theonset onsetof ofthe the as said,citing citingGoogle Googletrend trendmonitormonitorsaid, ingthat thatshows shows40 40million millionnew newInIning pandemic—indicatethe theemergence emergenceof of pandemic—indicate ternetusers userscame cameonline onlineinin2021, 2021, ternet morediscerning discerningconsumers consumersadaptive adaptiveto to more “bringingthe theinternet internetpenetration penetration “bringing in Southeast Asia to 75 percent.” in Southeast Asia to 75 percent.” electronic, or online, shopping experience. electronic, or online, shopping experience.

“Infact, fact,eight eightout outofof10 10InterInter“In

For one, one, the the Southeast Southeast Asia Asia For Trender Report Report 2021 2021 byby Zalora Zalora Trender showsthat that40 40million millionAsians Asiansmade made shows theirdebut debutininInternet Internetuse useand and70 70 their millionhave havemade madetheir theirfirst firstonline online million purchasewithin withinthe the2020 2020and and2021 2021 purchase period, many many ofof them them attracted attracted period, anddrawn drawninto intoactual actualpurchase purchasebyby and productsales salespromotion promotionand anddisdisproduct countofferings. offerings. count

netusers usersininthe theregion regionare aredigidiginet talconsumers. consumers.Recognizing Recognizingthis this tal shiftininadoption, adoption,brands brandsquickly quickly shift expandedtheir theironline onlinepresence presencetoto expanded reachthese thesenew newdigital digitalconsumconsumreach ers,and andZalora Zalorareported reporteda a19-per19-perers, centincrease increaseininnew newbrands brandsthat that cent joinedthe theplatform platforminin2021,” 2021,”she she joined added. added.

Withmore moreSoutheast SoutheastAsians Asians With browsingnow nowand andgetting gettingthemthembrowsing selves more more online, online, the the average average selves

and 1.5 million more” Mapa said, speaking partly in Filipino.

In December 2021, there were 3.27 million unemployed Filipinos, an increase of 110,000 from November’s 3.216 million. This is, however, a decrease of 230,000 from the 3.5 million posted in October 2021.

In terms of underemployment, there was a decrease of about 810,000 to 6.81 million in December 2021 from the 7.62 million recorded in November 2021. There was also a decrease of 230,000 from the 7.04 million posted in

n singapore 38.2982 n australia

Internetand andelectronic electroniccommunicommuniInternet cationgadgets gadgetsbybytheir theirside. side.Google Google cation trendshows showsMalaysian Malaysianshoppers shoppers trend spendclose closetoto99hours hoursonline onlineon on spend average,“and “andare arethe themost mostlikely likelytoto average, value-driven.” bebevalue-driven.”

Singaporean shoppers shoppers are are Singaporean mostlikely likelytotoinvest investininluxury luxurypurpurmost chases, with with Google Google search search data data chases, showinga a21-percent 21-percentyear-on-year year-on-year showing increaseininSingaporeans’ Singaporeans’searches searches increase

BANG OLAND | DREAMSTIME.COM BANG OLAND | DREAMSTIME.COM

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in 2021, or 2.1 percentage points below 2019 level.

For unemployment, Mapa said, there were 3.7 million unemployed Filipinos in 2021, which is still 1.4 million more than the 2.26 million recorded in 2019. There were 7 million underemployed Filipinos in 2021, 2.8 million higher the consumers become morethan discernconsumers become more discern5.8 million recorded in 2019. ing and connected, we are seeing ing and connected, we are seeing “If you innovations look at the pre-Covid sitincredible innovations happening incredible happening uation in 2019, unemployment rate theretail retail sector thatcompletely completely inin the sector that was really low, 5.1 percent only, reimagine theat shopping experireimagine the shopping experiso now in 2021 it’s at 7.8 percent ence,” Gunjan Soni, chief executive ence,” Gunjan Soni, chief executive whichof isofquite high. In my estimate, officer theZalora Zalora Group, toldan an officer the Group, told we still have to regain 1.4 online presentation ofbetween its Trender

NMEDIA | DREAMSTIME.COM NMEDIA | DREAMSTIME.COM

UNEMPLOYMENT IN DECEMBER RISES TO 3.27M–PSA Onlineshopping shopping platform notes behavioral shift Online platform notes behavioral shift D amongconsumers, consumers,brand brandmakers makersamid amidCovid Covid among

Fore ig n d i rec t i nvest ment ESPITE the recent economic (FDI) net inflows posted a 96-pergains notched by the Philcent increase in November 2021 ippines following the easto reach $1.1 billion during the ing of mobility restrictions, the country still needs to create more month. jobs for the unemployment rate to FDI are investments made by return to prepandemic levels, acforeign players to the Philippines cording to the Philippine Statistics in the hopes of long-term return.

Authority ByManuel ManuelT.T.Cayon Cayon (PSA).

By Since these are in the counIn a briefing on Thursday, Natry for a longer-term compared tional Statistician Claire Dennis to their short-term counterpart, S. Mapa said full-year unemploythe foreign portfolio investments ment rate is pegged at 7.8 percent, (FPI), FDI usually create jobs for which is 2.7 percentage points Filipinos and have a multiplier efbelow 2019 levels while underfect on the economy. employment is at 15.9 percent

@sam_medenilla

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A2 Friday, February 11, 2022

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Comelec junks consolidated case vs BBM; only 1 of 7 cases left

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

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N LY o n e c a s e against presidential candidate Ferd i n a n d ``B o n g bong" R. Marcos, Jr. remains pending with the Commission on Elections, after the First Division unanimously voted to junk the consolidated case against the former senator on Thursday.

“The consolidated petitions of Ilagan v. Marcos Jr., Akbayan v.

Marcos Jr, and Mangelen v. Marcos Jr. have been dismissed for lack of merit,” Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said in a post in his Twitter account.

In the decision penned by Commissioner Aimee P. Ferolino and signed by Comelec Commissioner Marlon S. Caquejo, the First Division said the petitioners failed to prove that the Court of Appeals penalized Marcos with perpetual disqualification from public office for his several counts of tax violation.

It said the consolidated case did not show any proof that Marcos was convicted for a crime involving moral turpitude, citing the Supreme Court ruling on the case of Philippines vs Ferdinand Marcos and Imelda Marcos.

"We see no legal infirmity in adopting the said dictum in the hopes of finally putting the issue on moral turpitude to rest," the

Unemployment...

“By accelerating the vaccination program and safely reopening more sectors of the economy, we were able to generate more and better jobs for the people. We look forward to building on these gains in 2022 now that we have contained the spread of Omicron and have reverted back to alert level 2 in the National Capital Region and several

Continued from A1

provinces,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua said.

The government’s progress in implementing the 10-point policy of the Economic Development Cluster (EDC) will help bring back more employment opportunities, especially in hard-hit sectors like tourism and education.

Under Inter-Agency Task Force

First Division said.

Apply the law

In his separate opinion on the case, Casquejo defended the validity of their decision.

"The Commission is confronted with legal issues subject to strong public scrutiny. But no matter how unpopular our findings and appreciation of facts and the law is, we must remain unperturbed and apply the law as it is," Casquejo said.

Following the decision of the Comelec First Division on the consolidated case, only the case filed by Pudno Nga Ilokano against Marcos is left of the seven original cases seeking to remove the former lawmaker from the 2022 Resolution 159, the Covid-19 risk classification of countries under “green,” “yellow,” and “red” categories was temporarily suspended.

Starting February 10, fully vaccinated Filipinos and international tourists from visa-free countries are only required to show a 48-hour negative RT-PCR test result prior to departure from their country of origin.

International arriving passengers who meet these requirements are no longer required to undergo facilitybased quarantine to support tourism’s

presidential race.

The Second Division earlier junked the petition of Danilo Lihaylihay to have Marcos declared as a nuisance candidate; and the petition of Christian Buenafe et al., as well as that of Tiburcio Villamor to have the former senator's COC cancelled.

New Division compositions

The case of Salandanan will now be handled by the Second Division, with Casquejo now serving as its new presiding commissioner.

Acting Chairman Socorro B. Inting decided to reshuffle the members of the Comelec Division following the retirement of Comelec chairman Sheriff M. Abas and commissioners Rowena V. Guan-

zon and Antonio T. Kho Jr. The First Division now has Inting as its new presiding commissioner and Ferolino as its member.

Meanwhile, Casquejo was assigned as presiding commissioner of the Second Division with Commissioner Rey E. Bulay as its member.

Inting decided that cases not yet raffled to a Division or those filed after Feb. 9. 2022 will be given to the newly constituted Divisions.

Cases, which were a lready raffled prior to last Wednesday, will remain in the Division it was assigned "to ensure its orderly, speedy, and judicious disposition."

recovery and return tourism-related jobs.

Chua said the expansion of the vaccination program to the pediatric population will help pave the way for resuming face-to-face classes and restore employment in education.

“While employment outcomes are expected to slightly deteriorate in January 2022 due to the higher alert levels, this will only be temporary as we vigorously pursue the implementation of the EDC’s 10-point policy. This will set the stage for our full recovery in 2022,” said Chua.

Low job creation

Ibon Foundation Inc. said that given the latest jobs data released by the PSA that the Duterte administration will leave behind a legacy of having the biggest increase in joblessness among all post-Marcos administrations.

Ibon blamed the administration’s “over-reliance” on lockdowns which hindered the economy’s recovery and prevented the creation of more employment.

On top of this, Ibon said the government also failed to provide cash assistance for millions of poor households and subsidies for small enterprises and producers grappling through the pandemic and economic crisis. “ The unemployment crisis under Duterte is even more stark when looking at preliminary annual labor force figures and comparing these to previous governments,” Ibon said.

Comparing December 2021 jobs data to those at the start of the Duterte administration, Ibon noted that the number of unemployed significantly grew by 940,000 from 2.3 million in July 2016 to 3.3 million in December 2021.

The unemployment increase under the Duterte administration from 2016-2021 grew by a huge 1.3 million from 2.4 million in 2016

Jobless...

to 3.7 million in 2021, the biggest among all post-Marcos regimes.

The next biggest rise in unemployment was under the Arroyo administration from 2001-2010 (632,000), followed by Estrada from 1998-2001 (611,000) and Ramos from 1992-1998 (449,000).

Under Corazon Aquino from 1986-1992 unemployment grew by 68,000 while under Benigno Aquino III from 2010-2016 it decreased by 261,000.

The group said the least jobs were created under the Duterte administration from 2017-2019 at a 313,338 annual average compared to the other post-Marcos administrations of Arroyo (858,250 jobs were generated), Benigno Aquino III (827,167), Corazon Aquino (810,042), Ramos (489,208); and Estrada (410,750).

“Relatedly, the real wage has fallen at the start of the Duterte administration and is at its lowest since 2014, which is no longer simply due to the long and stringent lockdowns. Pre-pandemic the government was already giving the least number of wage hikes and the smallest amount in the postMarcos period,” Ibon said.

“To jumpstart real economic recovery, the government needs to understand that it is aggregate demand that most of all has to be boosted especially with substantial cash assistance to poor households and subsidies to production sectors and small businesses,” it added.

Based on the latest data, the average monthly wage of timerated workers on full-time basis was recorded at P16,486 in 2020, a contraction of 9 percent from the P18,108 posted in 2018.

PSA said the highest average monthly wage rate was recorded for mathematicians, actuaries, and statisticians in insurance, reinsurance, and pension funding except compulsory social security at P63,368 in 2020. Cai U. Ordinario

Continued from A1

It only started downgrading the Alert Levels in the said areas, including NCR, this month as Covid-19 cases finally started to decline allowing more businesses to resume operations.

Nograles said the reopening of the country to foreign tourists on Thursday will help bring back more workers not only in the tourism sector, but also to other sectors, which depend on it such as food and transportation.

“We will be able to bring economic growth and development since we will be able to revive the tourism industry and all other industries are dependent on it,” Nograles said.

Pandemic...

Continued from A1

“In terms of change in jobs, again, the quality of jobs obviously suffered. Why? because there's been a 2.8, almost 2.9-million gain in workers who are working less than 40 hours a week, in other words, part time,” Habito said.

“But [there was a] 2.9-million decline in people who are working 40 hours or more per week. So the informal sector work is likely to be the dominant kind of work now,” he added.

With the jobs came the shift in the growth of the economy with agriculture, fishery, and forestry’s (AFF) share to GDP increasing to 9.6 percent from 9.2 percent in 2019. In 2020, Habito noted, the share of the AFF sector reached as high as 10.2 percent.

If it weren’t for the decline in the growth of the livestock sector, which was ravaged by the African swine fever (ASF), Habito said, agriculture growth may have reached 2.4 percent in 2021.

“If you look at agriculture, if you look outside of livestock, which was subject to an unusual disturbance, or this African Swine Fever—it was the pandemic for swine like our own Covid pandemic for humans—agriculture actually showed significant growth,” Habito said.

“I think the Philippines has this inner capability to grow much faster than it has shown in the past years.

Agriculture alone, my favorite, because you know I’ve shown how it’s really the backbone, has so great potential, has much scope for further growth if only we would have a much more outward looking orientation in the sector,” he also said.

Invest in people

In order to address the ill effects of these changes, Habito said there’s a need to invest in people first, which means investing in health, nutrition, and education as well as copy the country’s neighbors to strengthen the economy’s backbone which is agriculture and agribusiness.

Habito added the government must also become more aggressive in terms of exporting the country’s products. This will boost income growth and improve the country’s foreign direct investments.

Apart from these, World Bank Philippines Senior economist Rong Qian said efforts to implement structural reforms should become a priority for the Philippines.

Qian said the Philippine economy’s growth over the last 15 to 20 years was mainly productivity-driven growth.

But this type of growth usually tapers off without structural reforms.

“The Philippines has been experiencing fast growth for the last 15 to 20 years and a lot of that is productivity growth. As we know from global experience, productivity growth tends to slow down if there are no new reforms. So to go back to 6 percent, we need to implement those structural reforms,” Qian said.

Neda Undersecretary for Planning and Policy Rosemarie G. Edillon said if not for the pandemic, many more reforms would have been implemented by the current administration.

However, some of the notable reforms, such as the e-government and digitalization efforts in the public sector, would pave the way for greater transparency in government. These are the creation of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) and the National ID. In 2020, the President tapped ARTA, along with the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Budget and Management, and other government agencies, to lead the transition to a paperless government through e-governance.

In September 2020, the Authority launched a series of webinars featuring the E-Governance Agency of Moldova, the Embassy of New Zealand, and the Republic of Serbia to showcase their best practices in terms of e-governance.

Earlier, the national government aimed to register 92 million of the country’s population in the National ID system by year-end, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

National Statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa said this would include some 31.3 million Filipinos who are set to receive their physical IDs by the end of 2022.

As of February 4, Mapa said some 54.956 million Filipinos have already completed Step 1 and 2 of the National ID. Step 1 is the provision of demographic information, while Step 2 is the provision of biometric data.

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IATF further eases entry rules for foreign nationals

T

HE government eased the entry, testing and quarantine protocols for more foreign nationals (FN) planning to visit the country.

In a news statement issued on Thursday, Acting Presidential Spokesman Karlo B. Nograles said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) issued Resolution 160-D exempting some FNs from the requirement of presenting valid return journey tickets.

The exemption will cover foreign spouses and/or children of Filipino citizens and former Filipino citizens with balikbayan privilege including their foreign spouse and/ or children who are not balikbayans and who are traveling with them to the Philippines.

Foreign spouses and children of Filipino citizens who are not nationals of Executive Order (EO) 408 (series of 1960) countries, and posses a 9 (a) visa with appropriate notation, will also no longer be required to present entry exemption document (EED) to enter local ports.

IATF Resolution 160-B also allowed FNs, who intend to stay beyond 30 days for purposes other than tourism or leisure, to enter the country on the condition they secure an EED. All of the aforementioned FNS must be fully vaccinated and possess acceptable proof of vaccination, except only for minor children below 12 years of age traveling with their fully-vaccinated parents.

They must also present a negative Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test taken within 48 hours prior to date and time of departure from country of origin or first port of embarkation in a continuous travel to the Philippines excluding layovers.

“They must not have also left the airport premises or been admitted into another country during such layover,” Nograles said.

In a related development, Nograles said the IATF also approved the recommendation of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to recognize the Covid-19 vaccination certificate of Brazil, Israel, South Korea and Timor Leste for purposes of arrival quarantine protocols, as well as for interzonal and intrazonal movement.

“As such, the Bureau of Quarantine, the Department of Transportation—One-Stop-Shop, and the Bureau of Immigration are directed to recognize only the proofs of vaccination thus approved by the IATF,” Nograles said.

IATF’s Resolution 160-D, which amended the provisions of its Resolution 160-B, was approved last Thursday. Samuel P. Medenilla

BFAR and NTC told: Enforce VMM rule to control unregulated fishing

F

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

@jearcalas

ISHERFOLK groups urged the government to fast-track the implementation of the mandatory installation of vessel monitoring measures in commercial fishing boats to boost efforts to curtail illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUUF) in the country.

The Pambansang Katipunan ng mga Samahan sa Kanayunan (PKSK), Pangingisda Natin Gawing Tama (PaNaGaT), ANAK KO Fisherfolk Association and Oceana called on the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to fulfill their mandate under the law of mandatory installation of vessel monitoring measures (VMM) in all commercial fishing vessels

weighing 3.1 gross tons and higher.

“We condemn the continued violations committed by commercial fishing vessels and call on enforcement agencies to include non-compliance to vessel monitoring measures in the list of violations of apprehended vessels,” the coalition of fisherfolk and civil society organizations said in their statement issued on Thursday.

Oceana Vice President Gloria Estenzo Ramos reiterated that the

installation of VMM on commercial fishing vessels is mandated by Republic Act 10654 or the amended Fisheries Code.

“FAO 266 is the implementation of this absolute requirement to strengthen the monitoring, control and surveillance system required by the law to encompass all Philippineflagged fishing vessels,” Ramos said.

“Agriculture Secretary William Dar already vowed to implement vessel monitoring measures. The recent reversal in the position of the Office of the Solicitor General on FAO 266 implementation is baffling, to say the least,” Ramos added.

The groups said BFAR’s records showed that only half or about 1,526 of the 3,077 total commercial fishing vessels with license have already installed VMMs. “Illegal fishing has remained a problem even if we have the law. The intrusion of commercial fishers in municipal waters caused this problem of overfishing. Our fish stocks are continuously decreasing at an alarming rate,” Ramos said.

“This has caused unjust suffering to

poor artisanal fisherfolk that’s why the government has to abide by its mandate to protect the coastal communities’ livelihood and the food security of the Filipino people,” she added.

Oceana noted that the use of VMM has been a welcome development to municipal fisherfolk and government officials as it helped in monitoring and apprehending vessels that illegally fish in municipal waters.

The municipal water is the critical 15-kilometer zone from the shoreline of our oceans that is the spawning ground of fish and their habitat, according to Oceana. Commercial fishing vessels are prohibited from entering the municipal water, according to the Amended Fisheries Code.

The groups issued the statement following recent news reports wherein Solicitor General Jose Calida was quoted urging both BFAR and NTC to comply with the ruling of the Malabon City Regional Trial Court that the FAO 266 is unconstitutional.

Oceana and PaNaGaT argued that RA 10654 prohibits trial courts from issuing injunctions, as provided un-

der Section 134.

“Prohibition on the Issuance of Temporary Restraining Orders, Preliminary Injunctions, and Preliminary Mandatory Injunctions. – No injunction or restraining order from the Municipal Trial Courts and Regional Trial Courts shall lie against the Department and BFAR upon the ex parte motion or petition filed by any person or entity in the exercise by the Department and BFAR of its regulatory functions in support of the implementation of this Code,” Section 134 read.

The prohibition against the enforcement of environmental laws is further reiterated in the Supreme Court’s own rules on environmental cases, and the Office of the Court Administrator’s Circular 87-2016, according to the groups.

“Nananawagan kami sa BFAR at NTC na ipatupad ang vessel monitoring measures para masugpo ang commercial fishing sa municipal waters at makasuhan ang mga lumalabag sa batas,” Norlan Pagal, President of ANAK KO Fisherfolk Association, said.

Canadian tourists are first through the PHL’s doors Duterte ‘not wasting time’ DOT thumbs down aid to hotels waiting for June 30 to exit

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo @akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror

O

,CANADA! Foreign tourists and business travelers from Vancouver were among the first to arrive in Manila on Thursday as the Philippines reopened its doors to the world.

The first foreign tourists arrived via Philippine Airlines PR117 from Vancouver at 4:30 a.m. at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia), followed by PR103 from Los Angeles at 7:30 a.m., according to a news statement from the carrier.

There was no formal welcome ceremony from the Department of Tourism (DOT), which had long been pushing for the lifting of travel restrictions to foreign leisure travelers with the local tourism losing over P1 trillion in terms of tourism direct gross value added in 2020.

Manilahasdecidedtoallowtheentry fully vaccinated foreign tourists from 157 visa-free countries and two Chinese territories,withouthavingtoquarantine inahotel.In2019,priortothepandemic, thePhilippineswelcomedsome8.26million foreign tourists.

#LoveNotTourism

AMONG those who arrived later in the afternoon was Keith Saunders,

Peza revives 100% WFH proposal for IT-BPO continued from a12

“The proposal of Peza is merely temporary in consideration of the ongoing pandemic,” Peza Director General Plaza said.

“The approval of the Peza Board of our proposed temporary measure was submitted to the FIRB for further approval as required under the rules. We have yet to receive formal notice on the FIRB’s decision regarding our recommendation,” she added.

Plaza also asked that penalties not be imposed under the FIRB resolution covering the mandated WFH arrangements.

“Peza-registered companies are coping with or recovering from the impacts of the pandemic. If it’s supposed to be a relief measure, we should not penalize the companies; rather, we must continue to assist our registered companies as much as possible given that protecting

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Friday, February 11, 2022 A3

livelihoods of millions of Filipinos is an important national interest,” she said.

In November last year, Plaza told the BusinessMirror that they were no longer appealing their bid to implement a revenue-based WFH scheme for the IT-BPO industr y because the FIRB was not responding to their request.

(Related story: Peza backs down on revenue-based WFH, https://businessmirror. com.ph/2021/11/30/peza-backsdown-on-revenue-based-wfh/) The Peza proposal, which seeks to base the threshold on gross revenues, will allow locators to have 100-percent WFH arrangement for the work force. However, it also means that only 90 percent of the revenues of the activity will be subject to incentives.

53, from the United Kingdom, via Cebu Pacific. He told reporters that he came to the Philippines to visit his girlfriend. “It’s been a long journey for 18 months, away from my girlfriend, family. Glad to be back,” he said in a video shared by the DOT. “I’m going to Subic and hopefully I can share tea with my girlfriend.”

Saunders said he camped out in a Bangkok hotel while waiting for the Philippines. “It’s been a stressful two year for everyone,” he noted, as Covid-19 forced countries to shut their borders. #LoveNotTourism was among the popular hashtags on the Internet as Covid-19 made its way into many countries, and couples were separated by travel restrictions. The Philippines, however, does not have “fiancee” visa category.

Speaking from the Naia during the Laging Handa news briefing, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat said, among the tourism markets being targeted is South Korea: “They were our number one tourists before the pandemic, and they are a visa-free country. We are also looking at our neighboring countries, and of course, our balikbayan (homecoming Filipinos) from the US. They’ve long been wanting to come home, but couldn’t because of the quarantine restrictions.”

TO the request of hotels for financial assistance, she said, “I was surprised with that, because I always talk with the Philippine Hotel Owners Association [PHOA] and the hotel owners themselves. So in my view, those asking for the financial assistance are just a few, because when it was announced that the Philippines would reopen quarantine-free, the hotel owners I spoke with said they were happy with this development.”

She added, “What the hotel owners have asked from us is to keep promoting [the country] abroad so the reopening would continue and everybody gets back their jobs.”

PHOA asked for financial aid to tide their members over due to the loss of quarantine rooms. (See, “Hotels losing quarantine guests ask for ‘lifeline,’” in the BusinessMirror, February 9, 2022.)

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the DOT and the its marketing arm, the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) launched Virtual Destination Videos and 360������������������������������ ° Virtual ���������������������������� Reality (VR) Experiential Tours, under its SmarTourism program, to promote the country’s top tourist spots and attractions. SmarTourism is one of the key strategic directions of TPB that aims to market the Philippines via the digital platforms to foreign and local tourists.

A

DMI NIS T R AT ION Sen. C h r i s to phe r L aw re nce “Bong” Go assured Thursday President Duterte is “not wasting time” waiting to end his term and is continuing to serve Filipinos even as he prepares for his looming exit from Malacañang after formally turning over power to his elected successor on June 30.

A trusted long-time Duterte ally, Go affirmed in a statement that the outgoing Chief Executive “did his best serving the country and will continue to fulfill his duty as President, making sure that no time is wasted” in serving the people until his last day in office.

The administration lawmaker issued the statement recalling President Duterte’s Talk to the People address on Monday, February 7, disclosing he already packed his belongings ready to vacate Malacañang Palace even as there were still four more months left in his official term.

“That’s life. All things have an ending. That is why President Duterte is getting ready to go as we all know his term is ending” the senator said, “He (Duterte) did his job to the best of his abil-

ity.” Duterte started serving his six-year term on June 30, 2016, when he was sworn into office as the Philippines’ 16th President.

Go recalled Duterte earlier saying: “I am packing my things... So I should be out...by March. I won’t be here anymore by April. I won’t sleep here anymore. Wherever God will bring me, I will practice sleeping there.”

This, even as the administration senator added that Duterte is also moving to ensure “a smooth transition of power for the next elected top leader of the country.

“Gusto rin niyang siguraduhing maayos ang transition patungo sa susunod na administrasyon ng kung sino man ang pipiliin ng taumbayan sa halalan,” Go said, adding, “Until that day comes, the President will keep on serving the Filipino people. He will definitely continue to work until the last day of his term.”

However, the trusted presidential ally claimed he still had no idea who among the presidential wannabes would likely win the President’s coveted endorsement. “Abangan na lang po natin at magtiwala tayo sa kanyang pagpapasyahan,” Go said. Butch Fernandez

Neda chief’s To-Do list for next admin: Keep fiscal discipline, liberalization push continued from a12 “If the wealth is fixed then we should at least tax it equitably,” Chua said. “If the wealth can run away, then that’s (wealth tax) not how we should do it. That’s how I think we should look into this wealth tax.”

Priorities

CHUA said part of Neda’s proposals to the next administration is to place climate change as the core of the government’s development planning.

This means, he said, whether policies and plans are in the agriculture, infrastructure, or energy sectors, these will be anchored on the need

to mitigate or adapt to the impact of climate change.

Apart from this, Chua said efforts to innovate would also be crucial. Instead of simply copying the ideas or research and development of the country’s neighbors, efforts must be made to create new ideas, products, and ways of doing things in the country.

These need not be limited to hightechnology products in basic sectors such as agriculture and in the provision of basic public services.

Efforts to create smart infrastructure in the country are also included in the priorities. This means creating in-

frastructure that improves the mobility of Filipinos, bearing in mind that roads are not always the best projects to do this since there are times this could just lead to more emissions.

These infrastructure projects should also be evenly distributed nationwide. While the government has implemented many projects, some regions and provinces have not benefited from them, he said.

He pitched more equity in the allocation of the infrastructure budget, based on an objective assessment that’s not only based on how well a region or a province, or politicians,

fight or lobby for the projects.

“We are preparing the foundation for this and I hope the next administration will continue the work. And we are thinking about how we can improve productivity over the medium term and we think that we need to focus on a number of important thematics,” Chua said.

“These are some of the important priorities that we, in Neda think, should form the foundation of the next administration so that we can further accelerate and sustain growth after we address the Covid 19 pandemic threat,” he also said.

Senators grill DA execs for importation of 60K MT fish continued from a12 The BusinessMirror earlier reported that the government could earn as much as P30 million from the 60,000 MT importation of small pelagic fishes as it required importers to pay P500 for every metric ton of fish that they will import.

The DA issued Administrative Order (AO) 01 of 2022 outlining the guidelines for the implementation of the 60,000 MT importation of small pelagic fishes to boost local supply and prevent price spikes in the first quarter.

Dar have earlier cited the factors he considered in issuing the 60,000 MT Certificate of Necessity (CNI): the P3-billion losses incurred by the fisheries sector, the need to curb the contribution of fish to rising food inflation, and persisting logistical

problems hindering the smooth transport of food products.

“The fisheries subsector is the number one subsector badly hit by Odette. The capacity of our fishermen to catch will be in question,” he said.

Economy BusinessMirror

A4 Friday, February 11, 2022 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

www.businessmirror.com.ph

PHL, Japan ink $2.2-B loan accord on 2nd tranche fund for MM subway

By Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM

T

HE Philippines signed on Thursday a JPY 253.31 billion (about P112.87 billion or $2.2 billion) loan agreement with Japan, assuring the country’s second tranche funding from the bilateral partner for the construction of the Metro Manila Subway Project.

Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III and Japan Internationa l Cooperation Agenc y (Jica) Chief Representative Eigo Azukizawa signed the loan accord for the Philippines’ first-ever underground railway.

The second tranche loan extended by Japan for the project is payable in 27 years with a grace period of 13 years, for a total maturity period of 40 years.

Back in March 16, 2018, the Philippines and Japan signed the JPY 104.53 billion (about P47.58 billion or $933.73 million) first tranche loan agreement for the subway project.

This accord also has a 40-year total maturity period.

For the remaining three to four tranches of the total loan, the Department of Finance said in a statement that Jica will release the funds based on the project requirements and will be subject to further discus-

sions between Jica and the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the project’s chief implementing agency.

Dominguez thanked the government and the people of Japan for continuing to extend financial support for the construction of the Metro Manila Subway, one of the flagship projects under President Duterte’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program.

Also present at the signing ceremony was Japan Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa and Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan.

The National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Board

chaired by the President approved the revised total project cost of P488.48 billion (about JPY1.08 trillion or $9.58 billion) for the Metro Manila Subway on September 23 last year.

Jica will finance 75.9 percent of the project through a time-sliced loan totaling P370.77 billion (about JPY804.46 billion or $7.27 billion), while the Philippine government will fund the remaining 24.1 percent or P117.71 billion (about JPY273.66 billion or $2.31 billion).

Utilizing cutting-edge Japanese tunneling technology, the Metro Manila Subway involves the construction of a 27.5-kilometer (km) railway

line from Valenzuela in Bulacan to Bicutan in Taguig City and the Naia Terminal 3 in Pasay City with a 33.1km electromechanical system.

The project will also cover the physical integration segment with the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) System (i.e., FTI to Bicutan).

It also involves the construction of a depot and 17 stations (two of which will be constructed through a separate loan under the NSCR System), and the procurement of 30 train sets.

The preparation of the detailed engineering design and bidding documents for the project started in November 2017, financed by a grant from Jica.

DOLE to employers: Allow workers to accompany kids for vaccination

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HE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is pushing to excuse the absence of employees from work if they would have to accompany their children for inoculation against the virus during the third round of the National Vaccination Day (NVD).

In his Labor Advisory (LA) No. 4 (Series of 2022), Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III urged employers to grant the exemption to help in the government target of vaccinating 15 million children aged 5 to 11.

“Employers are highly encouraged to allow their employees to accom-

pany their children for vaccination, without considering them as absent from their work, provided they present proof of vaccination of their children,” Bello said.

He said the excused worker could use their available credits to cover their absences during the NVD, subject to company policy or collective bargaining agreement granting the same.

LA No. 4 will only apply to workers in the private sector.

The third NVD coincides with the ongoing government vaccination drive for children aged 5 to 11 years old,

which started last Monday initially in some pilot areas in Metro Manila and then in Regions 3 and 5.

National Task Force Against Covid-19 Adviser Teodoro J. Herbosa said they plan to start the inoculation of children in the said age group outside of Luzon by February 14, 2022.

The government is targeting to administer 5 million Covid-19 jabs during the third NVD on February 10 and 11, 2022.

Herbosa said the latest round of NVD is part of the government’s measure to fully vaccinate 70 million individuals by March. Samuel P. Medenilla

Rubber tree farmers get support from DAR

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

T

HE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has provided members of four agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBO) who are into rubber tree farming in the province of Zamboanga Sibugay to boost their production.

Bags and sacks of fertilizers and herbicides amounting to P2,815,400 were distributed by DAR to members of the Timbabauan Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organization in Timbabauan,Tungawan;SilinganRubber Farmers Association in Silingan, R.T Lim; Tambanan Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organization in Tambanan, Naga and Goodyear Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Goodyear, Kabasalan.

DAR Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Mohammad Dassan Adju said the fertilizers and herbicides would spur rubber production in the province.

“The DAR is not just about giving lands to landless farmers, we also provide support services to uplift the economic lives of our agrarian reform beneficiaries,” he said.

T he fer ti lizers and herbicides they receive would be a big help to increase the quantity and quality of their products.

The farm inputs, provided under Project ConVERGE (Convergence on Value Chain Enhancement for Rural Growth and Empowerment), were directly delivered to the ARBO’s respective warehouses under the supervision of DAR provincial office personnel.

News BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Verification stamp issued to 393 YouTube channels

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

T

HE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has verified around 393 YouTube channels as credible source of information for several candidates in the 2022 polls.

This after the said channels from the popular video-sharing platform were able to comply with the verification process set by the poll body.

“Verification of accounts is a step towards ensuring the availability of trusted and credible sources of information for the public, a vital part of the fight against disinformation,” Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said in a brief statement last Thursday.

The poll official said they coordinated with YouTube to verify the said channels “regardless of the number of subscribers” just before the start of the campaign period last Tuesday.

“All official candidates, both national and local, party-list groups and political parties who have submitted their YouTube channel to the Commission on Elections now have a verified badge,” Jimenez said.

Comelec Resolution 10730 mandates web sites and other social-media platforms used for the endorsement or candidacy of all registered political parties/ coalitions and bona fide candidates to be registered with Comelec.

Some candidates expressed concern over the said requirement especially for their YouTube channels, since they expected it would require them to have a minimum number of subscribers.

“We have worked with YouTube to verify these channels, regardless of the number of subscribers, and we will continue to work in close coordination as we strive to push out information that will be helpful to the voters through these reliable channels,” Jimenez said.

Friday, February 11, 2022 A5

Lawmaker urges LTO to halt driving test as requisite for license renewal

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

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HOUSE deputy speaker on Thursday urged the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to suspend an eight-hour-long driving education test requirement for people renewing their driver’s license.

Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez, in a news statement, said imposing the requirement when the Covid-19 Omicron variant is still spreading poses a risk to the health of tens of thousands who will renew their licenses this year.

Rodriguez said the start of the election campaign period has already caused supporters of candidates to gather in large numbers in sorties and rallies.

“This is already a cause for concern for all of us and for health officials in particular. Let us not exacerbate the situation by having people converge in LTO offices,” he added.

“The convergence of people at this time in LTO offices, many of which are just cramped spaces in malls, could be a virus ‘superspreader.’ I’m sure LTO officials and Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade are aware of this,” he said.

Also, he said while drivers have the option of taking the test in LTO-accredited driving schools, they would have to pay P3,000 to P5,000 for it.

“How can we expect public utility vehicle [PUV] drivers to pay that sum when they are even asking for financial assistance from the national government and local government units?” he asked.

He said the huge amount would be an added financial burden not only to PUV drivers but also to employees as well who drive their own vehicles.

Rodriguez reminded the LTO that it would be suspected of corruption again if it insists

on the requirement by having drivers comply with it through its accredited driving schools.

Rodriguez stressed that the imposition “is also unfair and unjust to millions of vehicle owner-drivers, especially the law-abiding ones, because the government should not be making it hard for them to renew their licenses.”

“The vetting of drivers should be conducted when people apply for driving permits for the first time. After that, renewal should be ministerial on the part of the LTO, except for those with infractions,” he said.

In the case of offenders, the LTO has a system of punishment and reeducation whenever they violate traffic rules and the conditions of their permits, he said.

“Repeat offenders whose licenses are confiscated are even required to attend a seminar on complying with driving and traffic rules before their licenses are released. So the renewal test is clearly superfluous,” he added.

Comelec told to resolve pending election cases expeditiously

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

T

HE Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) called on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday to abide by its own rules in the expeditious resolution of election cases.

In a four-page statement, IBP clarified that it is not referring to any particular candidate or intends to dwell on the merits of pending petitions for cancellation of certificates of candidacy (COC) or disqualification of a candidate for

President in the forthcoming May 2022 elections.

“The IBP’s only concern is to urge the Comelec to abide by the rule of law in the disposition of such cases pending before it,” the group said.

It explained that under the Omnibus Election Code and Article IX-C of the 1987 Constitution, the Comelec is given the mandate to enforce and administer all laws to ensure free, orderly, honest and peaceful elections.

Pursuant to this, the Comelec had promulgated its own Rules of Proce-

dures in order to expedite disposition of election cases that are brought before it.

Based on its own rules, special actions namely petitions for cancellation of COC against nuisance candidates and disqualification of candidates are required to be “heard summarily after due notice.”

As for issuing decisions, the ponente has 15 days, from the last date of deliberations to prepare the decision and to furnish the other commissioners copies of the draft for their review.

“Any pending petition for can-

Defensor promises to open QC public library 24/7 if elected mayor

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O serve as breeding ground for Bar and licensure exam topnotchers, Rep. Michael Defensor of Anakalusugan has vowed to open the Quezon City Public Library 24/7.

In a news statement, Defensor, who is running for Quezon City mayor, said a 24/7 library will provide students a safe and quiet place to study.

According to Defensor, Bar topnotcher Marcley Augustus Natu-el credited the Cebu City Public Library for providing him a good environment to study and review.

Natu-el posted on social media a photo of him studying at the Cebu City Public Library a year before he would rank 2 in the 2018 Bar exams.

Justine Lei Ramos, who ranked No. 1 in the 2019 Architecture licensure exams, also recognized the Cebu City Public Library for giving her space to focus on her review.

“We want the Quezon City Public Library to serve as a breeding ground for future topnotchers in the Bar exams and other professional licensure exams, just

like the Cebu City Public Library that is also open 24/7,” said Defensor.

“On our watch, the Quezon City Public Library will never close, because we want it to be always ready to accommodate students who want to concentrate on their studies or in their reviews for their eligibility exams,” Defensor added.

Defensor said he intends to expand the Quezon City Public Library and improve its high-speed Internet connectivity to draw in more students looking for a peaceful place to study.

At present, Defensor said he Quezon City Public Library is open only from 8 a.m. to 5 a.m., Monday to Friday. It is closed on weekends and public holidays.

In contrast, Defensor added that the 24/7 operations of the Cebu City Public Library has drawn national attention for helping to produce topnotchers.

“We will allow students to bring their own food or snacks while they are studying in the library, which will also provide free charging for their laptops, tablets or mobile phones,” Defensor said.

Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

Nov FDI up 96% to $1.1B, 11-mo. total hits $9.2B continued from a1 The strong November performance of FDI inflows to the country brought the cumulative FDI net inflows in January to November 2021 to $9.2 billion, a 52.5-percent growth from the $6.1-billion net inflows in the same period in 2020.

Broken down, foreign investors’ net investments in debt instruments climbed 82.1 percent to $6.8 billion in the first 11 months of the year, from the $3.8 billion in the comparable period in 2020.

Reinvestment of earnings, meanwhile, rose by 12.8 percent to $1 billion from the $907 million recorded in the first 11 months of 2020.

Meanwhile, the growth in FDI inflows could have been larger, if not moderated by the contraction in foreign investors’ net investments in equity capital by 1.2 percent to $1.4 billion.

The BSP said the bulk of the equity

capital placements during the period were sourced from Singapore, Japan, and the United States. These were invested mostly in the manufacturing; financial and insurance; electricity, gas, steam, and air-conditioning; and real estate industries.

Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) chief economist Michael Ricafort said the country’s strong FDI performance has been vital to the economy’s recovery from the pandemic-related disruptions.

“FDIs remain one of the bright spots and one of the major pillars of the economic recovery program from Covid-19,” Ricafort said. “Encouraging more FDIs into the country is a pillar in the country’s economic recovery program since they create more employment and other business activities in the country.”

cellation of COC or disqualification of a candidate for president must be resolved at the earliest opportunity and within the prescribed period by the Comelec itself in order to encourage the people’s confidence in the electoral process,” IBP said.

Among the official presidential candidates, only former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has a pending disqualification case before the Comelec.

“Surely, a timely resolution of any dispute will allow everyone to focus on ensuring that the

people are able to express their sovereign right in choosing the country’s next President through an informed and free exercise of their vote. Vox populi, vox dei! The voice of the people is the voice of God,” IBP added.

There is also a pending motion for reconsideration for nuisance and a pending partial motion for reconsideration for cancellation of COC of two other candidates.

The IBP stressed that it recognizes Comelec’s independence as a constitutional body tasked to administer free and credible elec-

tions as well as to resolve election disputes in accordance with the Constitution and the Omnibus Election Code.

“Such dual function of the Comelec is essential to the preservation of our democracy in upholding the sovereign people’s right to suffrage,” it said.

It can be recalled that the Philippine Bar Association (PBA) also issued a similar statement calling for the Comelec to resolve expeditiously and with transparency the pending election cases filed against candidates.

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BusinessMirror

Friday, February 11, 2022

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

ANOC99 CORPORATION 5/f To 10/f Ayala Malls Manila Bay Building D., Macapagal Blvd. Cor. Aseana Street, Tambo, City Of Parañaque Basic Qualification: JASON Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese Customer Service Chinese Language 1.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 BIGCAT SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS, INC. 18/f Pbcom Tower, 6795 Ayala Avenue Cor. Rufino Street, Salcedo Vill., Bel-air, City Of Makati Basic Qualification: ANSELMUS ARIO DIMANTORO FUDDIN degree holder; must fluently Bahasa Indonesian Language-manager Marketing speak and write in Bahasa Indonesian language to cater 2.

Brief Job Description: foreign market identify, develop and implement new strategies for selling products or services Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: TJONG ROMY Degree holder, must fluently Bahasa Indonesian Language-manager Marketing speak and write (Bahasa Indonesian) to cater foreign 3.

Brief Job Description: market Identify, develop, and implement new strategies for selling products Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: HERNAWATY Degree holder, must fluently Bahasa Indonesian Language-marketing Officer speak and write (Bahasa Indonesian) to cater foreign 4.

Brief Job Description: market Create specific promotions for affiliate, promote business and product Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: degree holder; must fluently SUNADEE, PRAPAPRON speak and write any of the Thai Language-officer Customer Service following languages (Bahasa 5.

Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai) Brief Job Description: to cater foreign market initiate conversation to uncover customer needs, promote business product Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: degree holder; must fluently VO THI MY LE speak and write any of the Vietnamese Language-supervisor Customer Service following languages (Bahasa Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, 6.

Brief Job Description: mandarin) to cater foreign initiate conversation to uncover customer needs, promote market business product Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 BOSKALIS PHILIPPINES INC. Unit 3701, 3801 The Orient Square, F. Ortigas Jr. Road, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig Basic Qualification: DEGELING, RENE MARK Superintendent experience Spraying Superintendent in working with excavators and dry earth movement in Brief Job Description: international dredging land 7.

Manages and Supervises the execution of a part of the reclamation and rock works project according to the contract in a safe timely, qualitatively projects , optimal and cost-efficient manner and occasionally stands in for the works manager during their absence Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 C’EST LA VIE EVENT MANAGEMENT INC. 230, Narra Street, Marikina Heights, City Of Marikina Basic Qualification: can work as an independent consultant to provide GUO, TIANSHANG marketing expertise to clients; General Trade Marketing Specialist Consultant can research industries, markets, demographics, 8.

Brief Job Description: trends, sales results, and other Responsible for developing and executing commercial data related to the client’s strategies. products or services.

MOHAMAD ABDELJABBAR SH. F. SAMARA General Trade Marketing Specialist Consultant 9.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for developing and executing commercial strategies.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: can work as an independent consultant to provide marketing expertise to clients; can research industries, markets, demographics, trends, sales results, and other data related to the client’s products or services.

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 COMMUNICATION AND RENEWABLE ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE CREI PHILS INC. Unit A, 7th Flr., Clipp Center 11th Ave. Cor. 39th St. Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig Basic Qualification: REY RODRIGUEZ, RICARDO ENRIQUE 15 years plus experience Consultant in a similar field. Excellent presentation and people’s 10.

Brief Job Description: skills. BSc in Civil/Electrical/ Ensure operational and strategic objectives are achieved.

Telecom Engineering Achieve set of KPIs, objectives and roadmap as defined by the CEO and the Group management team Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 EASTERN GOLD CORPORATION 503, Nueva St., Barangay 289, Binondo, City Of Manila Basic Qualification: Can contributes information, CUI, TIANPENG ideas and researches to help Marketing And Sales Agent develop marketing strategies; Can help to detail, design and 11.

Brief Job Description: implement marketing plans for Researches and develops various marketing strategies for each product or service being products and services and implements marketing plans and offered. works to meet sales quotas.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Can contributes information, ZHENG, MIN ideas and researches to help Marketing And Sales Agent develop marketing strategies; Can help to detail, design and 12.

Brief Job Description: implement marketing plans for Researches and develops various marketing strategies for each product or service being products and services and implements marketing plans and offered. works to meet sales quotas.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 FIBERHOME PHILS., INC. U-19d 19/f Rufino Pacific Tower, 6784 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a. Rufino St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati XIANG, QI Project Manager 13.

Brief Job Description: the project manager will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long-term goals.

Basic Qualification: proven experience as project manager, excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills.

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

FLYING DRAGON NETWORK PHILIPPINES INC. 4th-11th Floor Aseana 3 Building, Aseana Avenue Corner Diosdado Macapagal, Tambo, City Of Parañaque

No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION AGUSTIAN GUSNADY Customer Service Representative

14.

Brief Job Description: Supports Customer by Providing Helpful Information, Answering Question , And Responding to complaints

LAM QUOC VINH Customer Service Representative 15.

Brief Job Description: Supports Customer by Providing Helpful Information, Answering Question , And Responding to complaints

LE DINH THIEN Customer Service Representative 16.

Brief Job Description: Supports Customer by Providing Helpful Information, Answering Question , And Responding to complaints

LEE, I-HUNG Customer Service Representative 17.

Brief Job Description: Supports Customer by Providing Helpful Information, Answering Question , And Responding to complaints

LIANG, PING Customer Service Representative 18.

Brief Job Description: Supports Customer by Providing Helpful Information, Answering Question , And Responding to complaints

LUU THI THUONG Customer Service Representative 19.

Brief Job Description: Supports Customer by Providing Helpful Information, Answering Question , And Responding to complaints

LY CONG VAY Customer Service Representative 20.

Brief Job Description: Supports Customer by Providing Helpful Information, Answering Question , And Responding to complaints

PHAM DUC ANH Customer Service Representative 21.

Brief Job Description: Supports Customer by Providing Helpful Information, Answering Question , And Responding to complaints

PHAM HOANG VIET Customer Service Representative 22.

Brief Job Description: Supports Customer by Providing Helpful Information, Answering Question , And Responding to complaints

PHAM TUAN ANH Customer Service Representative 23.

Brief Job Description: Supports Customer by Providing Helpful Information, Answering Question , And Responding to complaints

SHEN, XINGZAI Customer Service Representative 24.

Brief Job Description: Supports Customer by Providing Helpful Information, Answering Question , And Responding to complaints

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ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level, Preferably with Customer Service or Sales Experience , Fluent in Mandarin and Basic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level, Preferably with Customer Service or Sales Experience , Fluent in Mandarin and Basic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level, Preferably with Customer Service or Sales Experience , Fluent in Mandarin and Basic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level, Preferably with Customer Service or Sales Experience , Fluent in Mandarin and Basic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level, Preferably with Customer Service or Sales Experience , Fluent in Mandarin and Basic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level, Preferably with Customer Service or Sales Experience , Fluent in Mandarin and Basic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level, Preferably with Customer Service or Sales Experience , Fluent in Mandarin and Basic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level , preferably with Customer Service or Sales experience, fluent in Mandarin and BAsic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level , preferably with Customer Service or Sales experience, fluent in Mandarin and BAsic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level , preferably with Customer Service or Sales experience, fluent in Mandarin and BAsic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level , preferably with Customer Service or Sales experience, fluent in Mandarin and BAsic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

GM PHILIPPINES, INC. A.t. Yuchengco Centre, 26th And 25th Streets, Floor 20, Bonifacio Global City, City Of Taguig Basic Qualification: YULI SAPUTRO Working knowledge of SAP GM CCA Regional Planning Manager and materials and planning 25. tools Brief Job Description: Understanding of automotive (or equivalent) supply chain Salary Range: and distribution network Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 HECTECHURE CORP. Units A&b 20/f Rufino Pacific Tower, 6784 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a. Rufino St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati Basic Qualification: CHEN, JINLONG Proven experience as Mandarin Digital Marketing Officer MANDARIN DIGITAL MARKETING OFFICER, excellent Brief Job Description: 26. communication, interpersonal The MANDARIN DIGITAL MARKETING OFFICER will be a and presentation skills. strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, Salary Range: mission and long term goals.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 INFOSYS BPM LIMITED - PHILIPPINE BRANCH 19th-23rd Flr., Bgc Corporate Center, 11th Ave. Corner 30th Sts., City Of Taguig Basic Qualification: MIRABAL INDRIAGO, DIEGO ALBERTO Spanish Native speaking Customer Service Process Specialist Billingual Language Computer 27.

Programmer Brief Job Description: Providing Technical Supports, Configuration Transaction in Salary Range: Spanish Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.- PHILIPPINE GLOBAL SERVICE CENTER 23/f Net Plaza, 31st St. E-square Zone, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig Basic Qualification: GULWADI, VAIBHAV NITISH Strong background in Global Specialty Product Manager Ii Trade Finance especially with Commercial LC and Standbys Brief Job Description: and Guarantees, Expertise 28.

Specialty Product Operations roles are responsible for the with Anti Money Laundering management of specialty asset products and services such as Compliance, estate and trust, alternative investments, trade Finance, or other specialty assets.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 JTI GBS PHILIPPINES, INC. 14th And 17th Floor - Office A, Ten West Campus Building, Le Grand Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION MCVEY, SUZANNE FRANCES Accounting And Finance Service Delivery Director

29.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for accounting and finance services for Asia and America entities.

GOLUBIEV, IEVGEN Regional Factory It Director Asia

30.

Brief Job Description: Act as head of IT function in the region to lead and oversee all IT related matters

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: With over 13+ years of financial and management accounting.

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above Basic Qualification: 13+ years of it management and senior management experience in FMCG organization degree holder MBA or equivalent is a plus.

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

LEISURE & RESORTS WORLD CORPORATION 26/f West Tower, Pse Ctr., Exchange Rd., Ortigas Ctr., San Antonio, City Of Pasig Basic Qualification: XIE, XIANGPING Excellent communication skills, AVP And HR Head Of Management including the ability to listen and effectively verbalize ideas.

31.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for running an organizations human capital Salary Range: management and other HR technology systems.

Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 Basic Qualification: LEE, JONGMOON College graduate with Customer Service Representative expirience in the related position, fluent in englist and 32.

Brief Job Description: korean hangul.

Customer service representative to manage customer queries and complaints.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 MAI MAI INFO TECH INC. 9/f Double Dragon Plaza Tower 3 Bldg., Macapagal Ave. St. Zone 10 District 1, Barangay 76, Pasay City Basic Qualification: HA, JIHOON 2 years experience; ability Korean Finance Supervisor to analyze financial data; excellent leadership skills 33.

Brief Job Description: especially with koreans.

Supervision and control of the general accounting functions and responsibilities, department’s goal.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: KIM, JIHOON 2 years’ experience; ability Korean Finance Supervisor to analyze financial data; excellent leadership skills 34.

Brief Job Description: especially with Koreans.

Supervision and control of the general accounting functions and responsibilities, department’s goal.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: KIM, SUNGHYUN 2 years’ experience; ability Korean Finance Supervisor to analyze financial data; excellent leadership skills 35.

Brief Job Description: especially with Koreans.

Supervision and control of the general accounting functions and responsibilities, department’s goal.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: SONG, DONG JU 2 years experience; ability Korean Finance Supervisor to analyze financial data; excellent leadership skills 36.

Brief Job Description: especially with koreans.

Supervision and control of the general accounting functions and responsibilities, department’s goal.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: KIM, HANWOONG 2 years experience; can relate Korean Information Technology Specialist well, speak and understand korean; leadership skills 37.

Brief Job Description: especially with koreans Ensure that it systems meet demands and data storage is secure; resolve co-workers issues with it systems.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: KIM, YOUNGSUK 2 years experience; can relate Korean Information Technology Specialist well, speak and understand korean; leadership skills 38.

Brief Job Description: especially with Koreans Ensure that it systems meet demands and data storage is secure; resolve co-workers issues with it systems.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: LEE, CHAN 2 years’ experience; can relate Korean Information Technology Specialist well, speak and understand Korean; leadership skills 39.

Brief Job Description: especially with Koreans Ensure that it systems meet demands and data storage is secure; resolve co-worker’s issues with it systems.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: PARK, JIHUN 2 years’ experience; can relate Korean Information Technology Specialist well, speak and understand Korean; leadership skills 40.

Brief Job Description: especially with Koreans Ensure that its systems meet demands and data storage is secure; resolve co-worker’s issues with its systems.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 SIM, MYEONGHUN Korean Information Technology Specialist 41.

Brief Job Description: Ensure that it systems meet demands and data storage is secure; resolve co-workers issues with it systems.

JEONG, SUNG Korean Marketing Manager

42.

Brief Job Description: Manage the marketing department staff; direct marketing strategy; keeping informed of new trends.

MOON, KYUNG HO Korean Marketing Manager

43.

Brief Job Description: Manage the marketing department staff; direct marketing strategy; keeping informed of new trends.

CHOI, JUNGDAL Korean Operations Manager 44.

Brief Job Description: Manage the overall operations of the company; market the company and prepare plans

OH, PILGYUN Korean Operations Manager 45.

Brief Job Description: Manage the overall operations of the company; market the company and prepare plans

Basic Qualification: 2 years experience; can relate well, speak and understand korean; leadership skills especially with koreans Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 2 years’ experience; can speak and relate well especially to Korean nationals.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 2 years’ experience; can speak and relate well especially to Korean nationals.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 2 years’ experience; can read and write Korean language; leadership skills especially with Koreans Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 2 years experience; can read and write korean language; leadership skills especially with Koreans Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

BusinessMirror

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ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION HA, HAE JIN Korean Sales Manager

46.

Brief Job Description: Hire and train sales team members; set quotas and reach sales targets; develop process to drive sales.

HEO, DA UN Korean Sales Manager

47.

Brief Job Description: Hire and train sales team members; set quotas and reach sales targets; develop process to drive sales.

JUNG, SUNHEE Korean Sales Manager

48.

Brief Job Description: Hire and train sales team members; set quotas and reach sales targets; develop process to drive sales.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: 2 years’ experience; ability to lead to meet quotas; excellent leadership skills specially with Koreans Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 2 years’ experience; ability to lead to meet quotas; excellent leadership skills specially with Koreans Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 2 years’ experience; ability to lead to meet quotas; excellent leadership skills specially with Koreans Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

MCKINSEY & CO., (PHILS.) 7th Floor Zuellig Bldg., Makati Avenue Cor. Paseo De Roxas, Urdaneta, City Of Makati KOO CHING GIOK (QIU QINGYU) Basic Qualification: Client Delivery Associate Bachelors degree required with preferred focus on Brief Job Description: instructional learning design, 49.

Lead a cross-functional team of instructional designers, education and/or instructional experts and external vendors to design, produce and deliver technology. digital courses and in-person workshops on topics related to business and professional development and capability Salary Range: building.

Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 MERCK BUSINESS SOLUTIONS ASIA INC. 36th To 39th Floor, The Finance Centre Condominium, 26th Street Corner 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, City Of Taguig Basic Qualification: LEE, SEUNGWON Preferably of 3-6 years Global Support Center Advisor - Korean experience in Accounts 50.

Payable Experience Brief Job Description: Manage the internal and external requestors through Salary Range: standardized processes Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 MHI ENGINE SYSTEMS PHILIPPINES, INCORPORATED Warehouse 4-c Sunblest, Cmpd Km 23 West Service Rd., Cupang, City Of Muntinlupa YAMASAKI, JUNYA Basic Qualification: Senior General Manager Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering graduate 5 years Brief Job Description: experience with diesel engine 51.

Communicate well with subsidiaries/dealers solve any gas generator set service. technical problems on the products operates in the field; Communicate well with MHIESA Parts department to solve Salary Range: any commercial/ technical problem to sell spare parts.

Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. 4th-11th Flr. Nexgen Tower, C4 Rd. Edsa Ext., Barangay 76, Pasay City Basic Qualification: CHU NGOC HAI Able to speak, read, and write Chinese Customer Service Chinese language 52.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: LEE CHOK TONG Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese Customer Service Chinese Language 53.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: LI, ZHIBAO Able to speak, read, and write Chinese Customer Service Chinese language 54.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: LIN KYEIN SEINN Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese Customer Service Chinese Language 55.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: LY VAN THUY Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese Customer Service Chinese Language 56.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: LYE MOA QIN Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese Customer Service Chinese Language 57.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: PENG HSIAO LEI Able to speak, read, and write Chinese Customer Service Chinese language 58.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: SWE SWE WIN Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese Customer Service Chinese Language 59.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: THANDAR TUN Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese Customer Service Chinese Language 60.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: TRAN QUANG THAI Able to speak, read, and write Chinese Customer Service Chinese language 61.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: WANG, FENG Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese Customer Service Chinese Language 62.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: WANG, HUIJUAN Able to speak, read, and write Chinese Customer Service Chinese language 63.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: YAP BOON JING Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese Customer Service Chinese Language 64.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: YIN YIN HTAY Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese Customer Service Chinese Language 65.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: ZHANG, CAIYU Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese Customer Service Chinese Language 66.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 MPOTECH DIGITAL SYSTEM INC. 2/f 331 Bldg., Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati Basic Qualification: ERIN CHANDRA Graduate of bachelor degree, Indonesian Customer Service Representative willing to work in high pressure 67. environment Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and Salary Range: resolve emerging problems Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: FENNY Graduate of bachelor degree, Indonesian Customer Service Representative willing to work in high pressure 68. environment Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and Salary Range: resolve emerging problems Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION FRANSISKUS SAVERIUS AQUINO Indonesian Customer Service Representative

69.

Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems FRASLEY Indonesian Customer Service Representative

70.

Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems FUJI HAMDANI Indonesian Customer Service Representative

71.

Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems

86.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file the documents.

WANG, JIANRONG Chinese Customer Service

87.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents

XU, JIAWEI Chinese Customer Service 88.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents

A7

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Graduate of bachelor degree, willing to work in high pressure environment

No.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Graduate of bachelor degree, willing to work in high pressure environment Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1yr experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language and English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (Native language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (Native language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION ZHANG, YAN Chinese Customer Service

89.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Graduate of bachelor degree, willing to work in high pressure environment

NEW ORIENTAL CLUB88 CORPORATION 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th & 10th/f, Pearl Marina Building Pacific Drive, Don Galo, City Of Parañaque Basic Qualification: CAI, AIYU College graduate, preferably 1 Chinese Customer Service year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently 72.

Brief Job Description: (native language & English) Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file Salary Range: documents.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: CEN, YANGYANG College graduate, preferably 1 Chinese Customer Service year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently 73.

Brief Job Description: (native language & English) Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file Salary Range: documents.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: CHEN, BOWEN College graduate, preferably 1 Chinese Customer Service year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently 74.

Brief Job Description: (native language & English) Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file Salary Range: documents.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: CHEN, YE College graduate, preferably 1 Chinese Customer Service year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently 75.

Brief Job Description: (native language & English) Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file Salary Range: documents.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: CHEN, ZAIJIN College graduate, preferably 1 Chinese Customer Service year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently Brief Job Description: 76. (native language & English) Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file Salary Range: documents.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: DING, XIHUA College graduate, preferably 1 Chinese Customer Service year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently Brief Job Description: 77. (native language & English) Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file Salary Range: documents.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: FAN, YUHANG College graduate, preferably 1 Chinese Customer Service year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently Brief Job Description: 78. (native language).

Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file Salary Range: documents.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: GAN, JINGYUAN College graduate, preferably 1 Chinese Customer Service year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently Brief Job Description: 79. (native language & English) Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file Salary Range: documents.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: GUO, SHIJIE College graduate, preferably 1 Chinese Customer Service year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently 80.

Brief Job Description: (native language & English) Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file Salary Range: documents.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: JIANG, XIAOBAO College graduate, preferably 1 Chinese Customer Service year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently 81.

Brief Job Description: (native language & English) Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file Salary Range: documents.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: LAN, JIANCHEN College graduate, preferably Chinese Customer Service 1yr experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently 82.

Brief Job Description: (native language and English) Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file the Salary Range: documents.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: LI, JIANMEI College graduate, preferably Chinese Customer Service 1yr experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently 83.

Brief Job Description: (native language and English) Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file the Salary Range: documents.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: LI, YAWEI College graduate, preferably Chinese Customer Service 1yr experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently 84.

Brief Job Description: (native language and English) Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file the Salary Range: documents.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: LU, JIDAI College graduate, preferably Chinese Customer Service 1yr experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently 85.

Brief Job Description: (native language and English) Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file the Salary Range: documents.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 RAN, PENG Chinese Customer Service

Friday, February 11, 2022

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

ZHANG, YUCHI Chinese Customer Service

90.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

ZHONG, YAJUN Chinese Customer Service

91.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

ZHOU, CHENG Chinese Customer Service

92.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

ZHOU, XIACHEN Chinese Customer Service

93.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

KOM KOK SEONG Malaysian Customer Service

94.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

KONG PING TAK Malaysian Customer Service

95.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file the documents.

LEE POOI SAN Malaysian Customer Service

96.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file the documents.

LIEW CHUAN PING Malaysian Customer Service

97.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file the documents.

CHEN, LIANG-CHUN Taiwanese Customer Service

98.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

CAO DINH HOP Vietnamese Customer Service

99.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

HONG CON SANH Vietnamese Customer Service

100.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

SHANG SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS, INC. 11/f Pbcom Tower, Ayala Avenue, Salcedo Village, Bel-air, City Of Makati DESMOND TAN CHUNG HON Malaysian Language-b2b Channel Support Officer 101.

Brief Job Description: Ensure that all prices changes, and delivery of events are timely accurate

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (Vietnamese & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1yr experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language and English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1yr experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language and English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1yr experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language and English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, and other relevant courses Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

SHELL SHARED SERVICES (ASIA) B.V. 16/f-25/f Solaris One Bldg., 130 Dela Rosa St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati SULEIMAN, AMINA BELLO Supply Chain Commercial Manager Operations Project And Basic Qualification: Wells Extensive experience across the supply chain, both at a Brief Job Description: local and regional/global level. leading a team of 12 Contracting and Procurement 102.

CP experience in large capital Professionals to deliver CP Operations’ Transformation projects and/or Wells Programme for Projects and Wells in QGC (Australia) by completing and optimizing the pioneering work of Salary Range: insourcing—from a third party EPC contractor—the pre- and Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 post-award contract management of all operational contracts in Projects and Wells category.

SIFANG AUTOMATION PHILIPPINES CORPORATION Unit W-2102c 21/f West Tower, Philippine Stock Exchange Centre, San Antonio, City Of Pasig Basic Qualification: YIN, LIANGFANG With working experience President & CEO in Senior Management and 103.

Business Operation.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for creating, planning, implementing and Salary Range: integrating the strategic direction of an organization.

Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 TPPH-FHCS, INC. Teleperformance Center, Ayala, Corner Sen. Gil J Puyat Avenue, City Of Makati Basic Qualification: At least 15 yrs. experience in workforce management SHARMA, TUSHITA and team management for a Senior Director, Workforce Management multinational company.

Proficient in managing, Brief Job Description: 104. motivating and leading Responsible for the performance of this team on its defined people and teams for running objectives. successful business process Recommend procedural and operational guidelines changes operations. to improve communications and operational efficiency.

Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 *Date Generated: Feb 10, 2022 In the ad material of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on November 19, 2021, the position of JÄRVENPÄÄ, TOMMI PETTERI under CGI (PHILIPPINES) INC., should have been read as MULTILINGUAL SERVICE DESK MEMBER and not as published.

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.

ATTY. SARAH BUENA S. MIRASOL REGIONAL DIRECTOR

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ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION HA, HAE JIN Korean Sales Manager

46.

Brief Job Description: Hire and train sales team members; set quotas and reach sales targets; develop process to drive sales.

HEO, DA UN Korean Sales Manager

47.

Brief Job Description: Hire and train sales team members; set quotas and reach sales targets; develop process to drive sales.

JUNG, SUNHEE Korean Sales Manager

48.

Brief Job Description: Hire and train sales team members; set quotas and reach sales targets; develop process to drive sales.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: 2 years’ experience; ability to lead to meet quotas; excellent leadership skills specially with Koreans Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 2 years’ experience; ability to lead to meet quotas; excellent leadership skills specially with Koreans Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 2 years’ experience; ability to lead to meet quotas; excellent leadership skills specially with Koreans Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

MCKINSEY & CO., (PHILS.) 7th Floor Zuellig Bldg., Makati Avenue Cor. Paseo De Roxas, Urdaneta, City Of Makati KOO CHING GIOK (QIU QINGYU) Basic Qualification: Client Delivery Associate Bachelors degree required with preferred focus on Brief Job Description: instructional learning design, 49.

Lead a cross-functional team of instructional designers, education and/or instructional experts and external vendors to design, produce and deliver technology. digital courses and in-person workshops on topics related to business and professional development and capability Salary Range: building.

Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 MERCK BUSINESS SOLUTIONS ASIA INC. 36th To 39th Floor, The Finance Centre Condominium, 26th Street Corner 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, City Of Taguig Basic Qualification: LEE, SEUNGWON Preferably of 3-6 years Global Support Center Advisor - Korean experience in Accounts 50.

Payable Experience Brief Job Description: Manage the internal and external requestors through Salary Range: standardized processes Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 MHI ENGINE SYSTEMS PHILIPPINES, INCORPORATED Warehouse 4-c Sunblest, Cmpd Km 23 West Service Rd., Cupang, City Of Muntinlupa YAMASAKI, JUNYA Basic Qualification: Senior General Manager Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering graduate 5 years Brief Job Description: experience with diesel engine 51.

Communicate well with subsidiaries/dealers solve any gas generator set service. technical problems on the products operates in the field; Communicate well with MHIESA Parts department to solve Salary Range: any commercial/ technical problem to sell spare parts.

Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. 4th-11th Flr. Nexgen Tower, C4 Rd. Edsa Ext., Barangay 76, Pasay City Basic Qualification: CHU NGOC HAI Able to speak, read, and write Chinese Customer Service Chinese language 52.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: LEE CHOK TONG Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese Customer Service Chinese Language 53.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: LI, ZHIBAO Able to speak, read, and write Chinese Customer Service Chinese language 54.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: LIN KYEIN SEINN Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese Customer Service Chinese Language 55.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: LY VAN THUY Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese Customer Service Chinese Language 56.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: LYE MOA QIN Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese Customer Service Chinese Language 57.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: PENG HSIAO LEI Able to speak, read, and write Chinese Customer Service Chinese language 58.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: SWE SWE WIN Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese Customer Service Chinese Language 59.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: THANDAR TUN Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese Customer Service Chinese Language 60.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: TRAN QUANG THAI Able to speak, read, and write Chinese Customer Service Chinese language 61.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: WANG, FENG Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese Customer Service Chinese Language 62.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: WANG, HUIJUAN Able to speak, read, and write Chinese Customer Service Chinese language 63.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: YAP BOON JING Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese Customer Service Chinese Language 64.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: YIN YIN HTAY Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese Customer Service Chinese Language 65.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: ZHANG, CAIYU Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese Customer Service Chinese Language 66.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 MPOTECH DIGITAL SYSTEM INC. 2/f 331 Bldg., Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati Basic Qualification: ERIN CHANDRA Graduate of bachelor degree, Indonesian Customer Service Representative willing to work in high pressure 67. environment Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and Salary Range: resolve emerging problems Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: FENNY Graduate of bachelor degree, Indonesian Customer Service Representative willing to work in high pressure 68. environment Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and Salary Range: resolve emerging problems Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION FRANSISKUS SAVERIUS AQUINO Indonesian Customer Service Representative

69.

Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems FRASLEY Indonesian Customer Service Representative

70.

Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems FUJI HAMDANI Indonesian Customer Service Representative

71.

Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems

86.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file the documents.

WANG, JIANRONG Chinese Customer Service

87.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents

XU, JIAWEI Chinese Customer Service 88.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents

A7

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Graduate of bachelor degree, willing to work in high pressure environment

No.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Graduate of bachelor degree, willing to work in high pressure environment Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1yr experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language and English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (Native language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (Native language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION ZHANG, YAN Chinese Customer Service

89.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Graduate of bachelor degree, willing to work in high pressure environment

NEW ORIENTAL CLUB88 CORPORATION 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th & 10th/f, Pearl Marina Building Pacific Drive, Don Galo, City Of Parañaque Basic Qualification: CAI, AIYU College graduate, preferably 1 Chinese Customer Service year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently 72.

Brief Job Description: (native language & English) Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file Salary Range: documents.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: CEN, YANGYANG College graduate, preferably 1 Chinese Customer Service year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently 73.

Brief Job Description: (native language & English) Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file Salary Range: documents.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: CHEN, BOWEN College graduate, preferably 1 Chinese Customer Service year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently 74.

Brief Job Description: (native language & English) Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file Salary Range: documents.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: CHEN, YE College graduate, preferably 1 Chinese Customer Service year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently 75.

Brief Job Description: (native language & English) Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file Salary Range: documents.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: CHEN, ZAIJIN College graduate, preferably 1 Chinese Customer Service year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently Brief Job Description: 76. (native language & English) Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file Salary Range: documents.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: DING, XIHUA College graduate, preferably 1 Chinese Customer Service year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently Brief Job Description: 77. (native language & English) Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file Salary Range: documents.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: FAN, YUHANG College graduate, preferably 1 Chinese Customer Service year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently Brief Job Description: 78. (native language).

Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file Salary Range: documents.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: GAN, JINGYUAN College graduate, preferably 1 Chinese Customer Service year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently Brief Job Description: 79. (native language & English) Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file Salary Range: documents.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: GUO, SHIJIE College graduate, preferably 1 Chinese Customer Service year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently 80.

Brief Job Description: (native language & English) Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file Salary Range: documents.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: JIANG, XIAOBAO College graduate, preferably 1 Chinese Customer Service year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently 81.

Brief Job Description: (native language & English) Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file Salary Range: documents.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: LAN, JIANCHEN College graduate, preferably Chinese Customer Service 1yr experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently 82.

Brief Job Description: (native language and English) Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file the Salary Range: documents.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: LI, JIANMEI College graduate, preferably Chinese Customer Service 1yr experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently 83.

Brief Job Description: (native language and English) Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file the Salary Range: documents.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: LI, YAWEI College graduate, preferably Chinese Customer Service 1yr experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently 84.

Brief Job Description: (native language and English) Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file the Salary Range: documents.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: LU, JIDAI College graduate, preferably Chinese Customer Service 1yr experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently 85.

Brief Job Description: (native language and English) Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file the Salary Range: documents.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 RAN, PENG Chinese Customer Service

Friday, February 11, 2022

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

ZHANG, YUCHI Chinese Customer Service

90.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

ZHONG, YAJUN Chinese Customer Service

91.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

ZHOU, CHENG Chinese Customer Service

92.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

ZHOU, XIACHEN Chinese Customer Service

93.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

KOM KOK SEONG Malaysian Customer Service

94.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

KONG PING TAK Malaysian Customer Service

95.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file the documents.

LEE POOI SAN Malaysian Customer Service

96.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file the documents.

LIEW CHUAN PING Malaysian Customer Service

97.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file the documents.

CHEN, LIANG-CHUN Taiwanese Customer Service

98.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

CAO DINH HOP Vietnamese Customer Service

99.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

HONG CON SANH Vietnamese Customer Service

100.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

SHANG SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS, INC. 11/f Pbcom Tower, Ayala Avenue, Salcedo Village, Bel-air, City Of Makati DESMOND TAN CHUNG HON Malaysian Language-b2b Channel Support Officer 101.

Brief Job Description: Ensure that all prices changes, and delivery of events are timely accurate

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (Vietnamese & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1yr experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language and English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1yr experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language and English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1yr experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language and English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, and other relevant courses Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

SHELL SHARED SERVICES (ASIA) B.V. 16/f-25/f Solaris One Bldg., 130 Dela Rosa St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati SULEIMAN, AMINA BELLO Supply Chain Commercial Manager Operations Project And Basic Qualification: Wells Extensive experience across the supply chain, both at a Brief Job Description: local and regional/global level. leading a team of 12 Contracting and Procurement 102.

CP experience in large capital Professionals to deliver CP Operations’ Transformation projects and/or Wells Programme for Projects and Wells in QGC (Australia) by completing and optimizing the pioneering work of Salary Range: insourcing—from a third party EPC contractor—the pre- and Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 post-award contract management of all operational contracts in Projects and Wells category.

SIFANG AUTOMATION PHILIPPINES CORPORATION Unit W-2102c 21/f West Tower, Philippine Stock Exchange Centre, San Antonio, City Of Pasig Basic Qualification: YIN, LIANGFANG With working experience President & CEO in Senior Management and 103.

Business Operation.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for creating, planning, implementing and Salary Range: integrating the strategic direction of an organization.

Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 TPPH-FHCS, INC. Teleperformance Center, Ayala, Corner Sen. Gil J Puyat Avenue, City Of Makati Basic Qualification: At least 15 yrs. experience in workforce management SHARMA, TUSHITA and team management for a Senior Director, Workforce Management multinational company.

Proficient in managing, Brief Job Description: 104. motivating and leading Responsible for the performance of this team on its defined people and teams for running objectives. successful business process Recommend procedural and operational guidelines changes operations. to improve communications and operational efficiency.

Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 *Date Generated: Feb 10, 2022 In the ad material of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on November 19, 2021, the position of JÄRVENPÄÄ, TOMMI PETTERI under CGI (PHILIPPINES) INC., should have been read as MULTILINGUAL SERVICE DESK MEMBER and not as published.

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.

ATTY. SARAH BUENA S. MIRASOL REGIONAL DIRECTOR

A8

TheWorld BusinessMirror

Friday, February 11, 2022

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

As case counts fall, WHO chief warns ‘Covid-19 isn’t finished’

G

ENEVA—The head of the World Health Organization insisted Wednesday that “Covid isn’t finished with us,” appealing for more support to fight the pandemic after his agency reported that new infections fell but virus deaths rose worldwide over the past week.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, launching a new $23 billion campaign to fund WHO’s efforts to lead a fair rollout of Covid-19 tests, treatments and vaccines around the world, cautioned that “diseases know no borders” and the highlytransmissible omicron variant has shown that “any feeling of safety can change in a moment.”

WHO’s weekly epidemiological report, released late Tuesday, showed that case counts fell 17 percent worldwide over the last week—including a 50 percent decline in the United States—while deaths globally rose 7 percent.

“Depending on where you live, it might feel like the Covid-19 pandemic is almost over, or, it might feel like it is at its worst,” Tedros said. “But wherever you live, Covid isn’t finished with us.”

“We know this virus will continue to evolve, but we are not defenseless,” he added. “We have the tools to prevent this disease, test for it and to treat it.”

Omicron, which is more contagious than other variants but has generally brought less-severe disease, made up nearly 97 percent of all cases tallied by the international virus-tracking platform known as GISAID. Just over 3

percent were of the delta variant.

In all, WHO reported more than 19 million new Covid-19 cases and just under 68,000 new deaths from January 31 to February 6. Experts say the figures are believed to greatly underestimate the real toll from the pandemic.

Case counts fell in each of WHO’s six regions except its eastern Mediterranean zone, which reported a 36 percent jump, notably with increases in Afghanistan,

Iran and Jordan.

In Europe, new infections fell 7 percent—led by substantial declines in Belgium, France, Italy and Spain—even as countries in Eastern Europe like Azerbaijan, Belarus and Russia posted increases in daily infections. In the Americas, case counts fell 36 percent, with the United States—still the single most-affected country—reporting 1.87 million new cases, down 50 percent from the previous week.

Vaccines appeared to be most effective to prevent severe disease from Omicron. The agency said booster doses increased estimates of vaccine effectiveness to over 75 percent for all vaccines for which data are available, though the rates declined after three to six months after injection.

WHO, bringing together leaders like South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre as well as health ministers, led a pitch on Wednesday for new funding for its ACT-Accelerator

The logo of the World Health Organization is seen at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland on June 11, 2009. The World Health Organization chief on February 1, says 90 million cases of coronavirus have been reported since the Omicron variant was first identified 10 weeks ago, amounting to more than in all of 2020, the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic.

AP/Anja Niedringhaus

program to get Covid-19 diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines to people around the world.

“If you want to ensure vaccinations for everyone to end this pandemic, we must first inject fairness into the system,” UN SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres said.

“Vaccine inequity is the biggest moral failure of our times, and people and countries are paying the price.”

Ramaphosa said rich countries have administered 14 times more doses of life-saving vaccines and carried out 80 times more tests than have low-income countries.

In Africa, he said, just 8 percent of people are fully vaccinated.

While many wealthy countries roll out third or even fourth booster doses, he noted that many vulnerable health workers and elderly people in Africa “remain unprotected.”

“The end of this pandemic is in sight, but only if we act together for equity, and for solidarity,” he said.

The appeal comes as many rich Western countries—key donors for WHO—have been easing restrictions to fight the pandemic after Covid-19 cases have begun falling.

“Let’s be honest. It’s not selfevident that that leaders in the North—if you put it that way, will respond” to support global efforts to fight Covid-19, Gahr Støre said.

But he pushed for “advocacy” to show leaders that “it is really in their interest to choose to stay committed and be engaged.”

“If we have some kind of sleepwalking out of a shortsighted view on your national Omicron challenge, around the next corner, you may be very badly surprised,” he said, directing comments to officials in wealthy nations. AP

Tonga’s virus outbreak growing rapidly; Omicron confirmed

Blinken says century will be shaped by Indo-Pacific region

A NGKOK— Coronav ir us cases continue to rise rapidly in Tonga, and tests have confirmed that the particularly contagious Omicron variant is behind the isolated Pacific island nation’s first community outbreak since the start of the pandemic, officials said Thursday.

Health Minister Saia Piukala told reporters that 31 more people had tested positive for the virus, nearly doubling Tonga’s active cases for the second day in a row to a total of 64, the online Matangi Tonga news portal and other media reported.

While the number may seem small, the nation of 105,000 had managed to escape thus far without any infections aside from a single case brought in from a missionary returning to Tonga from Africa last October, which was successfully isolated.

But with the deliveries of critically-important international aid following the Jan. 15 eruption of the massive undersea volcano and a resulting tsunami, two dock workers tested positive at the start of last week for Covid-19.

Despite efforts to contain the outbreak, it has been spreading and is now being reported in more areas, Piukala said.

Five tests that had been sent to Australia for analysis confirmed it was the omicron variant of the virus, he said. AP

ANBERR A, Australia— The United States remains focused long-term on the Indo-Pacific region despite concerns over Russian aggression toward the Ukraine, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday.

Blinken is in the Australian city of Melbourne for a meeting on Friday with his counterparts from Australia, India and Japan.

The four nations form the socalled “Quad,” a bloc of Indo-Pacific democracies that was created to counter China’s regional influence.

“There are a few other things going on in the world right now, some of you may have noticed. We have a bit of a challenge with Ukraine and Russian aggression. We’re working 24/7 on that,” Blinken said in his first public address since arriving in Australia on Wednesday.

“But we know, the president knows better than anyone else, that so much of this century is going to be shaped by what happens here in the Indo-Pacific region,” he added.

The Indo-Pacific is the fastest growing region in the world, accounting for two-thirds of global economic growth over the past five years and home to half the world’s population, Blinken said.

What matters in the region matters around the world and challenges like climate change and Covid-19 can’t be tackled by

B

C

any nation alone, he said.

“More than ever before, we need partnerships, we need alliances, we need coalitions of countries willing to put their efforts, their resources, their minds into tackling these problems,” Blinken said.

“What really drives us is a shared vision” of a “free and open society,” he added.

Blinken’s trip is designed to reinforce America’s interests in Asia and its intent to push back against increasing Chinese assertiveness in the region. He will also visit Fiji and discuss pressing concerns about North Korea with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts in Hawaii.

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, who will chair the Quad meeting, said the agenda would include Covid-19 vaccine distribution, cyber and critical technologies, countering malicious and dangerous disinformation, terrorism, maritime security and climate change. India will be represented by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Japan by Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa.

“As a network of liberal democracies, we are committed to very practical cooperation and ensuring that all Indo-Pacific nations – large and small – are able to make their own strategic decisions and make those decisions free from coercion,” Payne said.

In Beijing on Wednesday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao

Lijian responded to a question about Blinken’s visit with a lengthy attack on American democracy and a defense of China’s contributions to the global order.

“With its so-called democracy having collapsed long ago, the US is forcing other countries to accept the standards of the American democracy, drawing lines with democratic values and piecing together cliques. That is a complete betrayal of democracy,” Zhao told reporters.

Blinken is expected to address threats posed by a growing partnership between authoritarian Russia and China, particularly after the Sunday meeting in Beijing between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the opening of the Winter Olympics.

The US had hoped that the X i-Putin meeting would have demonstrated Chinese wariness about Russia’s military buildup along Ukraine’s borders. But Xi was largely silent on the matter.

Australian Defense Minister Peter Dutton expressed concern over the Russian-Chinese alliance and said the threat posed by China was growing.

“We know that our nation is facing the most complex and potentially catastrophic regional security environment since the Second World War,” Dutton told Parliament on Thursday. AP

South Korean President Moon Jae-in is pictured at the presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea on February 8. Moon, in his final months in office, has expressed concern over North Korea’s expanding weapons program and the possibility it could resume nuclear and long-range missile tests that would revive fears of war in the region.

Joint Press Photo/Pool Photo via AP

S. Korea’s outgoing president calls for US-North Korea talks

S

EOUL, South Korea—South Korean President Moon Jae-in, in his final months in office, has expressed concern over North Korea’s expanding weapons program and the possibility it could resume nuclear and long-range missile tests that would revive fears of war in the region.

Renewed tensions between Washington and Pyongyang have been a major setback for Moon, a dovish liberal and son of northern war refugees who staked his single presidential term on his ambitions for inter-Korean rapprochement.

His written comments on North Korea and other topics were provided Thursday to The Associated Press and other news agencies. South Korea’s presidential election is in March, and Moon leaves office in May after serving a five-year term.

He called for a summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and President Joe Biden to resolve deep disagreements in exchanging the release of crippling US-led sanctions against the North and the North’s disarmament steps.

“If North Korea’s repeated missile launches go as far as to breach (Kim’s self-imposed) moratorium, that would instantly bring the Korean Peninsula back to the crisis situation of five years ago when there were concerns of war,” Moon said. “The political leaders of related nations should engage in persistent dialogue and diplomacy to prevent a similar crisis.”

Kim orchestrated a highly provocative run of nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests in 2017 that triggered a verbal exchange of war threats between him and then-President Donald Trump, before he initiated diplomacy with Seoul and Washington in 2018.

Moon met Kim three times in 2018 and lobbied hard to help set up Kim’s meetings with Trump. But the diplomacy never recovered from the collapse of the second Kim-Trump meeting in 2019 in Vietnam, where the Americans rejected North Korea’s demands for major sanctions relief in exchange for dismantling an aging nuclear facility, which would have amounted to a partial surrender of its nuclear capabilities.

North Korea has also severed all cooperation with Moon’s government while expressing anger over US-South Korea military exercises and Seoul’s inability to wrest concessions from Washington on its behalf.

Asked what’s left of his foreign policy legacy, Moon said he remained proud about his role in converting the tensions of 2017 into high-stakes diplomacy between the Koreas and the United States, which at least stabilized the situation on the peninsula.

He regretted the outcome of the Hanoi meeting and said Washington and Pyongyang should have kept the diplomatic momentum alive by pursing a smaller interim deal rather than allowing negotiations to entirely fall through.

While Biden had accused Trump of chasing the spectacle of summits rather than meaningful curbs on the North’s nuclear capabilities, Moon still urged a return to top-down diplomacy, saying it would hopefully be “only a matter of time” before Biden and Kim meet. He called for South Korea’s next government to push for a political declaration between the Koreas, the United States and possibly China to formally end the 1950-1953 Korean War, which stopped on an armistice, not a peace treaty.

“If the North Korea-US talks resume and the leaders of North Korea and the United States historically meet once again, I hope they could reach substantial progress in the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, the implementation of a peace process and the normalization of US-North Korea relations,” Moon said.

Reviving an old pattern of brinkmanship, North Korea kicked off 2022 with a flurry of missile tests before apparently pausing the displays during the Winter Olympics in China, its main ally. Analysts believe North Korea will dramatically increase its weapons testing after the Olympics to try to move the needle with Biden, whose administration has offered open-ended talks but has shown no willingness to ease sanctions without meaningful cuts to North Korea’s nuclear program.

Moon is spending his last days in office grappling with an unprecedented wave in coronavirus infections driven by fast-moving omicron variant, which has stretched worn-out health workers. The surge has come after a delta-driven spread that spiked hospitalizations and deaths in December and early January, which erased the country’s earlier epidemiological gains Moon had touted as a major accomplishment.

Unlike in those earlier speeches, Moon did not boast about gains made against the virus in his latest comments. He noted that Covid-19 left many people struggling for an extended period, which he said was “more regrettable than anything else.”

Moon’s government has also been criticized over soaring house prices and decaying job markets while his party has been accused of partisan politics that critics say stoked public division along the lines of ideology, generation and gender.

“The real estate issue was the heaviest burden through my term,” Moon said, acknowledging policy failures. He said his government will work “until the end” to stabilize the housing market by increasing supplies and suppressing speculative buying.

As for his life after leaving office, Moon said he hasn’t had time to think about it really, but that he had no plans to stay involved in politics and was “not even planning to do social activities as a former president.”AP

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AstraZeneca sees $4B in Covid vaccine sales as revenue soars

L

ON D ON — A s t r a Z e ne c a recorded a big jump in revenue on Thursday as it begins to take a profit from its coronavirus vaccine for the first time.

The company recorded fullyear revenues of $37.4 billion, an increase of 38 percent from the year before at constant exchange rates. Part of the boost came from $4 billion in sales of its Covid-19 vaccine, developed with the University of Oxford.

Despite rising revenue, AstraZeneca reported a pre-tax loss of $265 million due to costs from its purchase of U.S. drug company Alexion Pharmaceuticals and new drug research.

The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker said in November it would begin to take a “modest” profit from the Covid-19 shot, which it had been providing “at cost”— around $2 to $3—following an agreement with Oxford. Other Covid-19 vaccine producers, such as Pfizer and Moderna, have been booking hefty profits on their shots all along.

In the three months to September, the company said revenue jumped by about 50 percent, to a record $9.9 billion. The increase was due to sales of more

than $1 billion in Covid-19 vaccines and the inclusion for the first time of some $1.3 billion worth of revenue from its rare disease business unit following the recent acquisition of Alexion.

A straZeneca forecast total group sales to rise by a “high teens percentage” in 2022, but said Covid-19 revenues would decline by a “a low-to-mid twenties percentage.”

Chief executive Pascal Soriot said AstraZeneca had “delivered on our promise of broad and equitable access to our Covid-19 vaccine with 2.5 billion doses released for supply around the world.”

“AstraZeneca continued on its strong growth trajectory in 2021, with industry-leading R&D (research and development) productivity, five of our medicines crossing new blockbuster thresholds, and the acquisition and integration of Alexion,” he said.

Soriot said the company would raise the dividend to shareholders by 10 cents to $2.90, the first increase in a decade.

AstraZeneca shares were trading about 3 percent higher at 8.62 pounds ($11.68) on the London Stock Exchange on T hursday morning. AP

Ukrainians not panicking as West ramps up Russia invasion rhetoric

A

VDIIVK A, Ukraine—In the trenches of eastern Ukraine, across the tense contact lines with Russia-backed separatists, a soldier’s calm verges on numbness after a sniper’s bullet recently killed one of the 50 or so men under his command.

It is the sort of thing that has happened from time to time in the eight years Ivan Skuratovskyi ’s been deployed up and down the 250-mile (400-kilometer) front line—a member of the Ukrainian army in a war he never imagined when he enlisted in 2013. He grieves, but death and conflict have become an inescapable part of his life.

“The war has put pressure on me and broken my soul,” said Skuratovskyi, 30. “I’m becoming more cold-hearted, some would say dead-hearted. I have a tough sense of humor. It’s a protective reaction to extreme situations.”

US officials say that with more than 100,000 Russian troops nearing Ukraine’s eastern and northern borders, the threat of a Russian invasion is more serious than others that have come and gone during the years of fighting between the Russia-backed rebels and Ukrainian forces.

T he W hite House national security advisor warned that an all-out invasion could happen any day, and President Joe Biden said “it would be wise” for Americans other than essential diplomats to leave Ukraine and ordered the deployment of 1,700 troops to neighboring Poland.

But even as the rhetoric out of Washington ramps up, a sense of calm prevails in the Eastern European nation among soldiers and citizens alike, from relatives of those in the trenches on up to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who campaigned on a promise of ending the drawn-out conf lict and has repeatedly called for diplomacy to carry the day.

“We are defending our country and are on our own territory. Our patience can have an impact on provocations, when we don’t respond to provocations but behave with great dignity,” Zelenskyy said Tuesday in an appearance with French President Emmanuel

Macron.

W hile waves of Ukrainians f led their homes during 2014 fighting that saw Russia annex the Crimean Peninsula and back separatists in the eastern province of Donbas, so far people are staying put in the areas closest to the Russian troop movements.

The calm expressed by Zelenskyy and others owes in part, perhaps, to the fact that they have little control over the situation before them.

Ukraine is vastly overmatched

by Russia not only in troop numbers but in arms and equipment, such as the fighter jets poised nearby and the naval ships maneuvering off the coast. Nothing Nata countries have provided to Ukraine—from anti-tank weapons sent by Britain to the 5,000 helmets that came from Germany—comes close to evening the scales.

American officials have said explicitly that no US troops will fight in Ukraine.

Macron, for his part, spoke Tuesday not of a looming possible invasion but of a tense standoff that could go on for “weeks and months to come.”

US officials believe the danger is much more immediate—and haven’t been shy about sounding the alarm.

“Our effort is to ensure we’re informing the American public and the global community of the seriousness of this threat,” White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said last week when asked about the difference in tone between Washington and Kyiv. “I can’t speak to the motivation or the reasoning for the comments of Ukrainian leadership.”

The two governments share the same motivation, averting an invasion, but may see themselves as speaking to different audiences.

T he W hite House believes t h at spot l ight i ng concer ns about possible militar y action will dissuade the K remlin from following through on it, according to a senior administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. AP

Friday, February 11, 2022

A9

Truck blockade in Canada shuts down Ford factory

T

ORONTO—A blockade of the bridge between Canada and Detroit by protesters demanding an end to Canada’s Covid-19 restrictions forced the shutdown Wednesday of a Ford plant and began to have broader implications for the North American auto industry.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, meanwhile, stood firm against an easing of Canada’s Covid-19 restrictions in the face of mounting pressure during recent weeks by protests against the restrictions and against Trudeau himself.

The protest by people mostly in pickup trucks entered its third day at the Ambassador Bridge between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario. Traffic was prevented from entering Canada, while US-bound traffic was still moving.

The bridge carries 25 percent of all trade between the two countries, and Canadian authorities expressed increasing worry about the economic effects.

Ford said late Wednesday that parts shortages forced it to shut down its engine plant in Windsor and to run an assembly plant in Oakville, Ontario, on a reduced schedule.

“This interruption on the Detroit-Windsor bridge hurts customers, auto workers, suppliers, communities and companies on both sides of the border,” Ford said in a statement. “We hope this situation is resolved quickly because it could have widespread impact on all automakers in the US and Canada.”

Shortages due to the blockade also forced General Motors to cancel the second shift of the day at its midsize-SUV factory near Lansing, Michigan. Spokesman Dan Flores said it was expected to restart Thursday and no additional impact was expected for the time being.

Later Wednesday, Toyota spokesman Scott Vazin said the company

will not be able to manufacture anything at three Canadian plants for the rest of this week due to parts shortages. A statement attributed the problem to supply chain, weather and pandemic-related challenges, but the shutdowns came just days after the blockade began Monday.

“Our teams are working diligently to minimize the impact on production,” the company said, adding that it doesn’t expect any layoffs at this time.

Stellantis, formerly Fiat Chrysler, reported normal operations, though the company had to cut shifts short the previous day at its Windsor minivan plant.

“We are watching this very closely,” White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said earlier of the bridge blockade.

“The blockade poses a risk to supply chains for the auto industry because the bridge is a key conduit for motor vehicles, components and parts, and delays risk disrupting auto production.”

A growing number of Canadian provinces have moved to lift some of their precautions as the omicron surge levels off, but Trudeau defended the measures the federal government is responsible for, including the one that has angered many truck drivers: a rule that took effect Jan. 15 requiring truckers entering Canada to be fully vaccinated.

“The reality is that vaccine mandates, and the fact that Canadians stepped up to get vaccinated to almost 90 percent, ensured that this pandemic didn’t hit as hard here in Canada as elsewhere in the world,”

Trudeau said in Parliament.

About 90 percent of truckers in Canada are vaccinated, and trucker associations and many big-rig operators have denounced the protests.

The US has the same vaccination rule for truckers entering the country, so it would make little difference if Trudeau lifted the restriction.

Protesters have also been blocking the border crossing at Coutts, Alberta, for a week and a half, with about 50 trucks remaining there Wednesday. And more than 400 trucks have paralyzed downtown Ottawa, Canada’s capital, in a protest that began late last month.

While protesters have been calling for Trudeau’s removal, most of the restrictive measures around the country have been put in place by provincial governments. Those include requirements that people show proofof-vaccination “passports” to enter restaurants, gyms, movie theaters and sporting events.

Alberta, Saskatchewan, Quebec, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia announced plans this week to roll back some or all of their precautions.

Alberta, Canada’s most conservative province, dropped its vaccine passport immediately and plans to get rid of mask requirements at the end of the month.

Alberta opposition leader Rachel Notley accused the province’s premier, Jason Kenney, of allowing an “illegal blockade to dictate public health measures.”

Despite Alberta’s plans to scrap its measures, the protest there continued.

“We’ve got guys here—they’ve lost everything due to these mandates, and they’re not giving up, and they’re willing to stand their ground and keep going until this is done,” said protester John Vanreeuwyk, a feedlot operator from Coaldale, Alberta.

“Until Trudeau moves,” he said, “we don’t move.”

As for the Ambassador Bridge blockade, Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said police had not removed people for fear of inflaming the situation. But he added: “We’re not going to let this happen for a prolonged

Reporters: US military blocking access to troops in Europe

W

A SHINGTON—Reporters covering the Pent agon a nd U. S. military are protesting what they say is a refusal to allow access to the approximately 3,000 US troops being deployed in Europe in response to rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

Pentagon reporters say they have been denied opportunities to interview or embed with the newly arriving troops, who are being sent to Poland, Romania and Germany as a gesture of reassurance to Nata allies in the face of a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine, which is not a Nata ally. The journalists say such blanket restrictions are rare during peacetime and unusual even in active warzones.

Ru ssi a h a s a m a ssed some 100,000 troops on the borders of Ukraine, some for joint military exercises in Belarus, but insists it has no intentions of invading Ukraine. President Joe Biden has ordered additional U.S. troops deployed to Poland, Romania and Germany. Poland borders both Russia and Ukraine, while Romania borders Ukraine. There are no plans to send US combat

troops to Ukraine.

The Pentagon Press Association, representing nearly 100 journalists who cover the Department of Defense, says the Biden administration has essentially banned access to the newly deployed rankand-file soldiers in Europe. The group appealed to the Biden administration in a letter Wednesday addressed to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and national security adviser Jake Sullivan.

The letter describes the denial of media access as “contrary to the basic principle of press freedom,” and asks the Biden administration to reverse course.

“It is a disservice to an American public in whose name these troops are deploying abroad, and it runs counter to President Biden’s pledges of transparency,” the letter states. “The public in a democratic society deserves independent media coverage of their sons and daughters in uniform, and that cannot be provided today without first-hand, on-the-ground reporting of troop activities in Europe.”

Associated Press national security writer Robert Burns is the association’s president.

“Restricting access to US troops

in Europe during a period of intense global interest is a disservice to the public, who rely on independent journalists to report what is actually happening on the ground,” AP spokeswoman Lauren Easton said in a statement.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby on Wednesday said decisions about limitations on coverage are part of a broader US government strategy for managing the Ukraine crisis on the “geo-political stage” in search of a diplomatic solution.

“Any decision to provide media access to our troops, whether it’s in an operational environment or a training environment, is a decision that we take seriously,” Kirby said. “We’re just not at a point now where we are able to provide that kind of access.”

Kirby noted that it’s a sensitive moment diplomatically as the U.S. and its allies try to prevent a Russian invasion.

“We believe there is still time and space for diplomacy,” he said.

“We still believe that there’s headspace with Mr. Putin that can be operated inside. We still believe that he hasn’t made a final decision” to invade Ukraine. AP

period of time.”

The demonstration involved 50 to 74 vehicles and about 100 protesters, police said. Some of the protesters say they are willing to die for their cause, according to the mayor.

“I’ll be brutally honest: You are trying to have a rational conversation, and not everyone on the ground is a rational actor,” Dilkens said. “Police are doing what is right by taking a moderate approach, trying to sensibly work through this situation where everyone can walk away, nobody gets hurt, and the bridge can open.”

To avoid the blockade and get into Canada, truckers in the Detroit area had to drive 70 miles north to Port Huron, Michigan, and cross the Blue Water Bridge, where there was a 4½-hour delay leaving the US. At a news conference in Ottawa that excluded mainstream news organizations, Benjamin Dichter, one of the protest organizers, said: “I think the government and the media are drastically underestimating the resolve and patience of truckers.”

“Drop the mandates. Drop the passports,” he said.

The “freedom truck convoy” has been promoted by Fox News personalities and attracted support from many US Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, who called Trudeau a “far left lunatic” who has “destroyed Canada with insane Covid mandates.”

Pandemic restrictions have been far stricter in Canada than in the US, but Canadians have largely supported them. Canada’s Covid-19 death rate is one-third that of the US. Interim Conservative leader Candice Bergen said in Parliament that countries around the world are removing restrictions and noted that Canadian provinces are, too. She accused Trudeau of wanting to live in a “permanent pandemic.”

Ontario, Canada’s largest province with almost 40 percent of the country’s population, is sticking to what it calls a “very cautious” stance toward the pandemic, and the deputy premier said it has no plans to drop vaccine passports or mask requirements. AP

Slovakia approves defense military treaty with US

B

RATISLAVA, Slovakia—Slovakia’s parliament and president on Wednesday approved a defense military treaty with the United States.

The Defense Cooperation Agreement passed 79-60 in the 150-seat legislature in a vote split between lawmakers from the four-party ruling coalition and the opposition.

The treaty allows the US military to use two Slovak air force bases— Malacky-Kuchyna and Sliac—for 10 years while Slovakia—a Nata member like the US—will receive $100 million from the US to modernize them.

The deal was signed by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Slovakia’s defense minister, Jaroslav Nad, on Feb. 3 in Washington.

It was ratified by President Zuzana Caputova on Wednesday.

The parliament vote took place amid fears that Russia will invade Ukraine. Moscow has massed more than 100,000 troops near Ukraine’s borders, but insists it has no plans to attack. The European Union nation of Slovakia borders Ukraine. AP

A10 Friday, February 11, 2022 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

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editorial

To smoke or ‘unsmoke’: The pivotal choice

‘U

nsmoke your life, unsmoke your world” is a global campaign that says the best choice any smoker can make is to quit cigarettes and nicotine altogether. For millions of Filipino smokers, however, this is a tough ordeal.

They need help. A 2021 study by Acorn Marketing & Research Consultants found that 94 percent of Filipino respondents believe that the government should enact policies to encourage smokers to switch to less harmful alternatives.

In December, the Senate approved on third and final reading the much-debated Senate Bill 2239, or the proposed Vaporized Nicotine Products Regulation Act. The bill seeks to regulate the importation, manufacture, sale, packaging, distribution, use and consumption of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. The House of Representatives ratified in January the bicameral conference committee report on the vape bill. The proposed law is now up for President Duterte’s signature or veto.

In the Philippines, about 24 percent of adults are using tobacco, according to the 2015 Global Adult Tobacco Survey. Filipino smokers consume an average of 11 cigarettes a day, equivalent to P678.40 in monthly expenditures, which could have gone much higher recently given the increase in cigarette taxes. The same survey showed that more than 76 percent of Filipino smokers wanted to quit, but only 4 percent of them succeeded.

Filipino doctors who support the regulation of less harmful alternatives to cigarettes said the vape bill provides the best hope to help millions of Filipino smokers to quit. Dr. Telesforo Gana, past president of the Philippine Urological Association and former chairman of the Philippine Board of Urology, is one of the thousands of smokers who successfully kicked the habit with the help of vaporized nicotine products. “It took me a very long time to stop smoking. Without vapor products, I would not have been able to stop. The reality is many smokers will try to stop smoking, but will never be successful. That is what the World Health Organization data says,” Dr. Gana said. (Read, “Doctors describe Vape Bill as ‘best hope’ to help millions of Filipino smokers quit,” in the BusinessMirror, February 1, 2022).

Dr. Romeo Luna Jr., president of the San Juan City Medical Center Staff Association, said he lost relatives and friends because they could not stop smoking.

“The grim reality today is that there are 16 million Filipino smokers and many of them will not stop smoking. As a medical practitioner, it is my duty to give them an alternative to make them stop smoking. That’s why I support the passage of the vape bill because it is our best hope to stop the epidemic of smoking,’’ he said.

Dr. Christian Luna, medical director of the Tulay Lingap Ni Padre Pio Surgicenter, said the medical community should focus on cigarettes as the “real enemy”. Smoking causes premature death from lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease and stroke. As less harmful alternatives, vapor products or “unsmoke” can help end the use of cigarettes in the country, Dr. Luna said.

The Philippine College of Physicians, however, urged President Duterte to veto the vape bill, pointing out that failure to do so would mean breaking his 2016 campaign promise to wipe out all forms of narcotics in the country. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said he supports the medical group’s call.

HealthJustice Philippines, a nongovernment organization, said that vapes and e-cigarettes are not safe. Lawyer Benedict Nisperos, Legal Consultant of HeathJustice said that approved cessation services are the best alternatives, for the goal is to stop smoking and end nicotine dependence and not to shift smokers to new nicotine addiction. (Read, “Doctors’ group asks PRRD to veto vape bill,” in the BusinessMirror, December 20, 2021).

Senate President Vicente Sotto III, who voted in favor of the vape bill, said the vape bill has strong provisions that protect minors.

Proponents said the vape bill works on the principle of harm reduction—a public health strategy that encourages switching to products that pose lesser risks to human health. In the case of tobacco, scientific researches found out that it is the smoke from combustion that contains thousands of toxic chemicals.

Studies by Public Health England, a leading health authority in Europe, show that vaping is 95 percent less harmful than smoking.

If signed into law, the vape bill will put in place a regulatory framework to remove substandard products in the market and give smokers a way to quit smoking.

If vetoed, this could pave the way for substandard and smuggled vapes to flood the market, which are more harmful to public health and which will negatively impact government’s income generation efforts.

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Better Days

R

ecently, the Department of Education (DepEd) authorized its regional units to begin the progressive expansion of faceto-face classes in public schools found in areas under Alert Levels 1 and 2 for Covid-19. This means that more grade levels could soon be included in this expansion.

After two years of community quarantines, the reopening of our schools is a welcome development. According to recent DepEd data, some 304 schools are eligible to restart face-to-face classes. With pediatric vaccinations now ongoing and steadily ramping up across the country, the immediate concern is on how the remaining 47,000 public schools, 12,000 private schools, and more than 200 public universities could be supported so that they too can reopen sooner rather than later.

Bigger questions, however, will need to be answered. What kind of education system will our children be returning to once the pandemic ends? Are they still on track or will steps have to be taken for them to catch up?

Truly, the Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted so many parts of our society. Not only did it introduce new challenges, but it also exacerbated the old ones. And sadly, among the worst-hit is our education sector.

In July 2021, the Movement for Safe, Equitable, Quality, and Relevant Education found via a survey of 1,299 students that more than a majority of them said they learned less under remote learning, compared to the conventional face-to-face setup. This was true for 86.7 percent of those using home-based modules; 66 percent for those using online learning; and 74 percent for those under blended setups (or a mixture of both modular and online learning).

Then in November 2021, the World Bank reported that 90 percent of our 10-year-olds were possibly thrust into “learning poverty” because of the pandemic, such that they do not know how to read and understand a simple passage of text.

The report surmised that this is because of the vast inequalities faced by our students. For instance, not all households have access to smartphones, laptops, tablets or gadgets for remote learning. Neither do all have stable Internet connections.

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Clearly, the country is in the middle of a learning crisis. But it would be misguided to think that such was caused by the pandemic. Our education system’s underperformance had already been observed even before Covid-19 hit.

For instance, in the 2019 TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study), which assessed academic performance across 58 countries, the Philippines ranked last for Grade 4 mathematics and science. Then in the 2019 SEA-PLM (Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics) study across 6 Asean members, our Grade 5 students underperformed in almost all the metrics utilized, with significant proportions scoring lowest in certain proficiencies.

The loudest wake-up call came with the results of the 2018 round of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) to which we volunteered to be included for the first time. Out of the 79 countries and economies surveyed, our students attained the lowest score for reading, and second to the lowest for science and mathematics.

Most disconcerting was the data that showed 31 percent of the Filipino students believed that they did not have the capacity nor the opportunity to become smarter. This shows that instead of encouraging our children to pursue their own aspirations, our education system appears to be stopping them or making it more difficult for them to do so.

In 2019, these findings prompted Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, Basic and Higher Education

Committee chairs Sherwin Gatchalian and Joel Villanueva, Senators Grace Poe and Imee Marcos, and myself to file a resolution calling for the establishment of a Congressional Commission on Education or EDCOM. This is similar to the commission headed by my father former Senate President Edgardo J. Angara in 1989, whose terminal report led to the establishment of our existing trifocalized system. Like its predecessor, this EDCOM 2 will study and assess the current performance of the education system to recommend policy and legislative reforms and other actionable items that would improve the performance of our education system.

We are happy to note that before the Senate went into recess earlier this month, it already passed the measure principally authored by my seatmate Senator Gatchalian to create EDCOM 2. A bicameral conference committee between the House and the Senate has yet to be convened, but we are hopeful that once Congress resumes in May, this legislative measure will be approved and immediately sent to the Executive for the President’s signature.

Its enactment is extremely crucial for the future of our youth, and in turn, of our post-pandemic recovery.

Sen. Sonny Angara has been in public service for 17 years. He has authored and sponsored more than 200 laws. He is currently serving his second term in the Senate.

E-mail: sensonnyangara@yahoo.com| Facebook, Twitter & Instagram: @sonnyangara

Unleashing Philippine creativity to the world

T. Anthony C. Cabangon

BusinessMirror is published daily by the Philippine Business Daily Mirror

MEMBER OF

Responding to the learning crisis

EAGLE WATCH

A

S the country entered the official election campaign season, we wonder about the economic platforms of our candidates.

Most, if not all, continue to talk about jobs, income, and affordable public services, which are not necessarily bad. But we must be more specific on how jobs will be created so that people can have sustainable incomes and livelihood and that they could access public services easily and within their resources. The pandemic has negatively affected the services sector of the country, which contributes the largest to economic output.

Hence, to increase jobs and incomes, candidates’ platforms should specify how affected sectors can be revived, shifted, or regenerated.

Some presidential candidates have specific programs and measures for jobs and income recovery, but they might miss or under-stress two important competitive factors that can boost economic recovery: 1) quality overseas employment and 2) the creative economy. Both are based on Fili-

pinos’ talents, skills, and creativity.

With the pandemic slowing down and turning endemic in many developed countries, it has become clear that human resources are not enough to push economic engines back to pre-pandemic levels. Consider recent news from countries like Singapore, Japan, Australia, and Taiwan. All are talking of talent crunches and the need to reopen their borders for foreign workers. Beyond these

neighbors, Europe and the United States are also poised to open their economies to more workers. This news might entice our workers to apply in these countries. However, we should be careful in selecting job opportunities by focusing on higherquality skills and professional work.

The newly established Department of Migrant Workers will be busy in the coming days in formalizing these opportunities. There will likely be a big demand for our workers as more borders open. It will be crucial to decide whether overseas work is a private option or a nationally directed policy. On the one hand, you are recognizing the quality of our workers; on the other hand, you are also concerned that we also need them to rebuild our economy out of the pandemic. This will be an important point to be implemented by the incoming administration, now that the Department of Migrant Workers is institutionalized.

Furthermore, while some national candidates talk about reinvigorating agriculture and manufacturing, there is a need to take advantage of Filipinos’ higher-level creative talents. With the boom of home-

based digital production of services, Filipino talents in music, dancing, and video production have become a common gig activity in the pandemic. Filipinos’ innate creativity directly matches the rise of global creative industries powered by digital innovation.

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) estimated the pre-pandemic market value of this global industry at about $500 billion. This includes visual arts, publishing, performing arts, new media, arts and crafts, design, and audio visuals. The UNCTAD estimates also imply that the Philippines has yet to establish a foothold in all these sub-segments of the creative industry, except for design. Based on our estimates, the captured contribution in our balance of payments by the creative industries is roughly $11 billion. This amount has yet to include many other subcomponents. Although the pandemic slowed down, some elements of the creative industries, such as performing arts and visual arts, were able to transition to digital contents using different platforms.

See “Eagle Watch,” A11

Opinion BusinessMirror

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Friday, February 11, 2022 A11

US inflation might have hit Questioning martyrdom and diplomacy a new 40-year high in Jan ASHINGTON—With American consumers spending freely and many supply chains still snarled, year-over-year inflation may have notched yet another four-decade high in January.

The factors that have accelerated prices since last spring remain largely in place: Wages are rising at the fastest pace in at least 20 years. Ports and warehouses are overwhelmed, with hundreds of workers at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the nation’s busiest, out sick last month.

Many products and parts remain in short supply as a result.

And reports indicate that the expiration of stimulus checks and other government aid has yet to slow Americans’ appetite for shopping.

Economists have forecast that when the Labor Department reports January’s inflation figures Thursday, it will show that consumer prices jumped 7.3 percent compared with 12 months ago, according to data provider FactSet. That would be up from a 7.1% year-over-year pace in December and would mark the biggest such increase since February 1982.

At the same time, other figures could suggest that the price increases have begun to slow. When measured from December to January, consumer inflation may have declined for a third straight month.

Analysts have predicted that prices rose 0.4 percent from December to January, compared with 0.6 percent from November to December and 0.7 percent from October to November.

Still, the fastest year-over-year inflation in 40 years has wiped out the benefit of rising paychecks for most Americans, leaving them less able to afford food, gas, rent, child care and other necessities. Inflation has emerged as the biggest risk factor for the economy and a serious threat to President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats as midterm elections loom later this year.

The Federal Reserve and its chair, Jerome Powell, have pivoted sharply away from the ultra-low-interest rate policies that the Fed has pursued since the pandemic devastated the economy in March 2020. Powell signaled two weeks ago that the central bank would likely raise its benchmark short-term rate multiple times this year, with the first hike almost certainly coming in March. Investors have priced in at least five rate increases for 2022.

Over time, those higher rates will raise the costs for a wide range of borrowing, from mortgages and credit cards to auto loans and corporate credit. For the Fed, the risk is that in steadily tightening credit for consumers and businesses, it could trigger another recession.

Many large corporations, in conference calls with investors, have said they expect supply shortages to persist until at least the second half of this year. Companies from Chipotle to Levi’s have also said they will likely raise prices again this year, after having already done so in 2021.

Chipotle said it has increased menu prices 10 percent to offset the rising costs of beef and transportation as well as higher employee wages. And the restaurant chain said it would consider further price increases if inflation keeps rising.

“We keep thinking that beef is going to level up and then go down, and it just hasn’t happened yet,” said John Hartung, the company’s chief financial officer.

Yet executives at Chipotle, as well as at Starbucks and some other consumer-facing companies, have said their customers so far don’t seem fazed by the higher prices.

Levi Strauss & Co. raised prices last year by roughly 7 percent above 2019 levels because of rising costs, including labor, and plans to do so again this year. Even so, the San Francisco-based company has upgraded its sales forecasts for 2022.

“Right now, every signal that we’re seeing is positive,” CEO Chip Bergh told analysts.

Eagle Watch. . .

Let’s return to the two-party system

By Christopher Rugaber AP Economics Writer

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continued from A10

Cognizant of these opportunities, a pending bill in Congress titled the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act aims to help develop the different segments of this sector by making a standard definition of each segment so that they are properly accounted for in the national accounts. It also aims to harmonize the different existing institutions under the Philippine Creative Industry Development Council to be lodged under the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

Currently, there are various government initiatives to assist the different subsectors in the creative industry spearheaded by the DTI Competitiveness and Innovation Group (CIG). Different background studies are being prepared for Digital Animation, Digital Advertising, Software Development, Gaming, Music, Toys and Crafts, and Radio and TV, among others, to establish their contribution to the economy.

These industries can generate more revenues than the current stream of business-process outsourcing since the creative outputs are intellectual properties.

As the world enters the Fourth Industrial Revolution supercharged by the pandemic, it is time for the creative talents of the Filipinos to go up the value chain by being creators of ideas, design, and innovation. If such environment continues to be limited, the creative talents might go to countries where they can be supported and nurtured. Let us hope that our candidates this election also have the creative mindset to help these industries get our share from that huge global revenue.

Dr. Alvin P. Ang is a Senior Research Fellow at the Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development.

Tito Genova Valiente

annotations

A

T the patio of the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral is a relatively unknown saint, his statue even made more obscure by its stark and crude simplicity. On the puerta mayor of the same cathedral can be found a bas-relief of the same person. He is San Pedro Bautista, the Franciscan friar who was assigned in the Philippines in the 16th century before he was sent to Japan as an emissary of the Spanish colonial government in 1593.

In Japan, Pedro Bautista would be one of the 26 martyrs of Nagasaki.

I am holding right now a book with the title, The Twenty-Six Martyrs of Nagasaki, written by Diego Yuuki, SJ. I got this copy of the book when I was fortunate to attend the beatification of the 188 Martyrs of Japan in 2008.

This is an interesting footnote to Japan and the Philippines: Japan who never had the appellation “Christian country” affixed to its name has more martyrs than the Philippines.

In the book, the compelling drama began when the governor of Manila, Gomez Pérez de Marinas sent ambassadors to Japan in the person of Franciscan friars. These missionaries remained in Japan and began putting up hospital for the poor and leprosaria, just like what the Franciscans did in the Philippines. All of them had to face the temperamental and moody (as reflected in the writings of the Jesuits and Franciscans) Hideyoshi Toyotomi, the shogun.

Pedro Bautista, according to Yuuki, “was the commissioner of the friars and the ambassador of the viceroy of the Philippines,” who was “a man of much sincerity, incapable of deceit, and was unable to understand what was hidden in Hideyoshi’s heart.”

In October 1596, a shipwreck happened involving a galleon. The book describes this event: “The San Felipe sank within sight of the poor, and the sea water poured into the ship, flooding the hold and damaging the

Manny F. Dooc

TELLTALES

L

ate last year, Sen. Panfilo Lacson broached the idea of returning to the 2-party system, which has characterized our political landscape after the war and until the snap election of 1986 where President Ferdinand Marcos and Cory Aquino squared it off one-on-one in the presidential race, and Sen. Salvador Laurel versus Arturo Tolentino in the vice presidential contest. In the first postwar general elections conducted in 1946, the liberal wing of the Nacionalista Party (NP) split from the Grand Old Party and gave birth to the Liberal Party (LP).

The NP and the LP became the dominant political parties that contested all of our country’s 13 subsequent elections until 1971 before Martial Law was declared. The size and strength of the two parties were almost equal and their clout spread evenly across the land that they alternately ruled Malacañang from 1946 to 1969 when regular national elections were held every four years. Presidents Manuel Roxas, Elpidio Quirino and Diosdado Macapagal belonged to the LP while Presidents Ramon Magsaysay, Carlos Garcia and Ferdinand Marcos were NP card bearers. From time to time, some minor parties appeared in the political scene like the Grand Alliance and Progressive Party of the Philippines of Manuel Manahan and Raul Manglapus, Nationalists’ Alliance Party of Claro Recto and other so-called third forces but they did not pose a serious threat to the LP and the NP. In his proposal, Senator Lacson had prudently observed that the multi-party system has spawned problems resulting in “bastardization’’ of party affiliations. Among

others, it has given rise to the insidious practice of adopting common candidates, which promotes opportunism, lack of party loyalty and absence of discipline.

Restoring the 2-party system is one of the cogent proposals that has come out of this political campaign. Only recently, the LacsonSotto ticket had dropped former QC Mayor Herbert ‘Bistek’ Bautista from its senatorial line-up after Mayor Bistek sent a letter to Sen. Ping Lacson and Sen. Tito Sotto that he wanted to be “the representative of the Nationalist People’s Coalition [NPC] in the Unity Ticket of the Marcos-Sara Duterte tandem. Tito Sotto is the chairman of the NPC who is the running mate of Lacson.

Lacson has a point: keeping Mayor Bistek in his ticket will be the greatest sacrifice since Christ had offered to turn his other cheek on his Sermon on the Mount. Amid the helterskelter of this election, there seems to be a strong case to return to the 2-party system to reinstate sanity and order in our politics.

Many of our people gained po-

valuable cargo. Part of the goods fell into the sea, while the rest was transported ashore in Japanese boats. The enormous mountain of silks and brocades piled up on the shore amazed the local inhabitants, for they had never before seen such treasures.”

The days that followed became a series of negotiations and goodwill as regards the release of cargoes to the Spanish crew. At the center of these mediations were the Franciscans, headed by Pedro Bautista who could measure his knowledge of Japanese language having heard confessions of the natives in their language.

There were other actors in this theatre: the daimyo or feudal lords, the village authorities, the monks, the other Europeans like the Portuguese, and the other missionaries to include the Jesuits. No one ever thought that all this would lead to the persecution of Christians and the martyrdom of hundreds of missionaries and those who converted to this “foreign” religion.

Amid the debates and doubts, the question about the presence of Christian missionaries in Kyoto and neighboring places, resurfaced.

What was their mission? Hideyoshi

litical consciousness after the EDSA Revolution. In the first general elections held in 1992 following the promulgation of our 1987 Freedom Constitution, seven political parties took part to elect the next president to succeed President Cory.

After LP/PDP-Laban, NP and KBL, which all existed before Marcos was ousted from power, new parties were formed to serve as political launching pads of the new aspiring leaders.

They included Lakas, Nationalist People’s Coalition, People’s Reform Party and Lakas ng Demokratikong Pilipino. More than 80,000 candidates vied for the 17,000 contested posts from the president down to the municipal councilors in that year’s election.

The election drought that marked the 21-year regime of the dictator had obviously hankered our leaders’ desire to hold elective public office.

Many new names emerged from the shadows to offer themselves to serve our people. Allegedly, they represented new politics and most of them dissociated themselves from the LP and the NP. However, Senators Doy Laurel and Jovito Salonga retained their original party affiliations and ran under their old party as the NP and LP bets for president, respectively, but they occupied the last two places after the official election results were released. The winner, Lakas Party candidate, Fidel V. Ramos, received the lowest plurality of votes in any presidential elections. He only got 23.58 percent of the total votes cast, narrowly defeating his closest rival, Miriam Defensor-Santiago, of the People’s Reform Party. Thus, President Ramos was a minority president who did not get the support of 3 out of every 4 Filipinos who voted in that election. This will not happen in a 2-party system where the winner gets the majority votes and

once more contemplated the issue.

Were they here to convert natives into the new religion or were they forces out to usurp his authorities.

It is said that during this period, the shogun turned wary of the increasing number of Christian feudal lords, Takayama Ukon, the one who travelled to Paco Manila, having been singled out.

On December 7, 1596, Taiko Sama, as Hideyoshi was called, ordered all Christians be put in prison. The next day, “the soldiers of Hideyoshi surrounded the Franciscan church and residence in Kyoto, and the friars remained under guard in their own house.”

It was the next year that the shedding of the martyrs’ blood took place: “It had snowed during the night and now the snow was melting under the

feet of the capital’s citizens, gathered to witness an unusual sight. Having decided to finish with the prisoners, Hideyoshi wanted to make their execution a public punishment. His orders were brutal—that their noses and ears should be cut off, and thus mutilated, they should process

claim popular support of the people.

The winning president is a majority president and there is stability in the government. Very likely, he controls Congress if his party is swept into office. The leadership of the House of Representatives and the Senate belong to the party in power, which is critical to support the legislative agenda of the administration. There is less animosity and conflict since they all come from the same party with a common vision and program of government. There will be less obstruction to the president’s policy initiatives and program. Horse-dealing and compromise which water down legislation and render proposed laws less potent are avoided. In a multiparty system, a coalition of forces is inevitable to form a government.

The tenuous union can collapse the government if a powerful partner withdraws its support from the coalition. The shaky leadership in the present House of Representatives can attest to this unstable arrangement. A stable government can engender economic growth. A classic example of a country with a 2-party system is the US where two major parties, the Democratic Party and the Republican Party compete in every election. Thus, each party strives to get majority support so that they can control Congress and dictate the legislative agenda of the government. The lack of support from the US Senate has hamstrung President Joe Biden’s efforts to fast tract the economic recovery which is reeling from the effects of the pandemic. Sending more administration candidates to Congress will ensure the passage of laws which will sustain Biden’s administration. On the other hand, electing more members of the opposition to Congress will strengthen fiscalization and establish a balance of power to scuttle

through the streets of the principal cities.” A Japanese who sympathized with the missionaries agreed to a mitigation of the punishment—“only the lobe of the left ear would be cut.”

Then they made their long journey to Nagasaki, on foot and sometimes on horses. At a certain point, Pedro Bautista was able to write a letter to Manila requesting that the debt they owed a Christian be paid.

In the same dispatch, he expressed his farewell.

It was on the hill above Nagasaki that the martyrs were designated to be crucified. It was the fifth of February (February 6 is Pedro Bautista’s feast day in Naga) when they arrived at their death place. Despite the prohibition, the Christians were described as having gathered in very large numbers.

The martyrs would die from the lances: “With a loud cry they [Hideyoshi’s men] raised their arms and two lances crossed within the chest of the martyr; sometimes the tips of the lances emerged from his shoulders.

Death was almost instantaneous. If the double lunge was not sufficient, they thrust their lances through the victim’s neck.”

San Pedro Bautista was the last to die: “He remained unmoving even when the lances entered his chest. His blood flowed freely, but he appeared to be still living, and rumors would spread that he had not died.”

The martyr, in fact lives on in The Book of Pedro Bautista, written by a medical practitioner, Mary Jane Guazon Uy, who meditates on science, sorcery and dermatology in the city. In a review of the book by the late Sylvia Mayuga, the author is quoted as saying: “Few Filipinos know San Pedro Bautista, a saint who once walked our land. I just had to bring him back to life in fiction.”

E-mail: titovaliente@yahoo.com

Biden’s administration. Success or failure can be easily pinpointed and there is greater accountability. This is easier to achieve in a 2-party system where one is either for or against the administration. In a 2- party system, two parties with divergent views on how to run the government are approximately equal in strength and they have an equal chance to gain the country’s leadership.

At present, the Philippines has a multi-party system with several political parties competing for leadership. Since 1992, we have never elected a majority president. With a wide field of candidates competing against him, President Erap, the most popular presidential candidate in recent times, was elected president in 1998 by 39.86% of the voters. Speaker Joe de Venecia who came in second only got 15.87 percent of the votes. This is the most lopsided win by any elected president post-Edsa. President Erap’s successors in office were elected by even narrower margins. If the supporters of all the losing candidates would oppose the minority-elected president, the latter would face a popular revolt. The winner in an election is the common enemy of all the losers and nothing is truer in politics than the adage: “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” We need to strengthen the institution of the presidency. The president needs the widest support of his constituents in order to succeed in office. Our future presidents should have the command of the majority of the Filipinos to be able to surmount the invincible problems which confront our nation.

As one of the Founding Fathers of the US has said: “We do not have a government by the majority. We have a government by the majority who participate.”

A12 Friday, February 11, 2022

Senators grill DA execs for importation of 60K MT fish

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By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

@jearcalas

ENATORS on Thursday grilled agriculture officials over the department’s decision to approve the importation of 60,000 metric tons (MT) of small pelagic fishes despite opposition from fisheries industry stakeholders and an agreement with a multisectoral council.

Senators led by Sen. Cynthia A. Villar, the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, were furious over Agriculture Secretary WIlliam D. Dar’s decision to allow the importation of 60,000 MT of small pelagic fishes.

Senators wanted to know why Dar pushed through with his importation decision despite a unanimous recommendation from the multi-sectoral advisory body National Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (NFARMC) not to allow additional import volume since the country has “sufficient supply.”

“You met with the NFARMC with regards to this. You had an agreement. But why did you not honor that? Why didn’t you do what you agreed upon?” Villar told agricul-

ture officials present at the committee’s hearing on Thursday.

“Explain to us. You met with the NFARMC, you made an agreement, but you did not follow that agreement,” Villar told Dar’s subordinates.

Agriculture Undersecretar y Cherl Marie Natividad-Caballero confirmed that the NFARMC was unanimous in recommending the non-importation of small pelagic fishes for the first quarter.

Nat i v i d a d - C a b a l l e r o a l s o disclosed that she chaired the NFARMC deliberations and is also a signatory to the body’s resolution.

Natividad Caballero explained that Dar approved the importation based on his “sound judgment” as the department head with the final decision about the matter, since NFARMC

only has a recommendatory power.

“It is more on the supply analysis,” she added.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) proposed the importation of 66,000 metric tons (MT) of small pelagic fishes to plug the shortfall in domestic supply which stood at 119,000 MT. “ W h at is t he e x pl a nat ion [on] why Dar did not follow the NFARMC?” Villar wanted to know.

Importation mindset

VILLAR and Sen. Imee Marcos, who chairs the Economic Affairs committee, also questioned the DA’s importation “mindset” when it comes to addressing shortfall in domestic supply, pointing out that the department has abandoned its developmental mandate of helping the farmers improve their production.

“Bakit kayo, laging importation ang palagi ninyong mindset?

Pag may kulang, importation.

Tinamaan ng Odette, importation. Bakit hindi kayo magprogram para maka-recover ang fisherfolk sa Odette. Wala kayong programa [Why is importation always your mindset? If there’s a shortfall, it’s importation. Odette struck, and you import. Why don’t you have a program to help fisherfolk recover from Odette?],” Villar said.

“When you decide about policies, you should consider the small farmers. It’s not the rich that we are helping,” Villar said, adding, partly in Filipino: “People are starting to notice that of him [Dar]—that every time there is a problem, he will allow importation. Why? Why can’t there be a developmental approach on the ground to help the poor Filipinos?” Villar added.

Villar also chided agriculture officials for Dar’s absence from the hearing. Agriculture Undersecretary Leo Sebastian reported that Dar is in Dubai to attend trade fairs and exhibits as well as partake in some negotiations.

“There’s an official trip of various government departments here in Dubai. [In] our case we are encouraging more foreign direct investments in agriculture in the Philippines,” Dar said in a Viber message to BusinessMirror.

The NFARMC members have remained firm that the government’s additional 60,000 MT importation of small pelagic fishes is unnecessary since the country has sufficient supply. (Related story: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2022/01/24/ das-move-to-import-fish-stirsmore-questions/)

PEZA REVIVES 100% WFH PROPOSAL FOR IT-BPO

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad @Tyronepiad

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HE Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) has revived its call for a 100 -percent work-fromhome (WFH) arrangement for the information technologybusiness process outsourcing (IT-BPO) companies without reducing their fiscal incentives.

The regulator of economic zones, in a statement on Thursday, asked the Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB) anew to approve a policy allowing ITBPO firms to operate under a WFH scheme without the requirement of 10-percent onsite capacity until September 12.

Earlier, the FIRB approved the extension until March 31, 2022 of WFH arrangements for up to 90 percent of the employees in the IT-BPO sector amid the pandemic.

The investment promotion agency (IPA) is basing its request on a provision of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act, particularly the Rule 23 entitled Temporary Measures for Exceptional Circumstances.

That provision allows IPA to implement temporary measures, upon approval of the FIRB, that can help the re-

covery of registered business enterprises (RBE) from exceptional circumstances.

Such events include pandemic, epidemic, war, armed conf lict, state of national health emergency, outbreak of diseases, international or regional financial crisis, major disasters such as volcanic eruption, earthquake and super typhoon, or analogous circumstances.

Peza, apart from the WFH proposal, also asked for other temporary measures, including the “movement of IT equipment and assets as long as the same is covered by surety bond and appropriate Peza permits.”

The regulator said no limitation on the number of IT equipment must be set as long as RBEs have complied with the surety bonds and permits.

The IPA also asked the FIRB to have the authority to develop “its own guidelines for the WFH arrangement under this recommendation as this is peculiar only to Peza, being the biggest IPA in terms of number of enterprises and owing to multiple IT Centers/ Buildings under its jurisdiction which is not applicable to other IPAs and/or economic zone authorities.”

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Neda chief’s to-do list for next admin: Keep fiscal discipline, liberalization push

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

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S the May 2022 elections draw near, many sectors are giving their laundry list for the next administration but businessmen preferred to ask what the next government should not do.

For Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua, his list includes keeping the current and past administration’s efforts to implement fiscal discipline and the liberalization of sectors of the economy.

In an economic forum hosted by the Management Association of the Philippines, Chua said the country has a good track record in terms of maintaining the country’s fiscal house as well as in opening up the economy to attract investments and create jobs.

“We have a very strong track record of managing the economy well over three administrations and that should continue, that should not be reversed. The prudence, the discipline, management of fiscal resources should continue,” Chua said.

“We also have a track record over six administrations to liberalize key industries whether in rice, in public utilities and telecoms, airlines, fertilizers, and so on. Even if they are slow to happen, they did happen over time. And that should not be reversed, otherwise you will have, I think, more challenging problems (to face),” he added.

Wealth tax

CHUA also shared his thoughts on the possibility of imposing a wealth tax. Last year, the Makabayan bloc filed House Bill 10253 which aimed to impose a wealth tax of 1 to 3 percent on individuals with net value assets exceeding P1 billion.

A recent study by the Fight Inequality Alliance, Institute for Pol-

icy Studies, Oxfam, and Patriotic Millionaires stated that if the country legislated a progressive annual wealth tax, civil society groups estimate that the “super rich” would be able to increase the country’s revenues by $9.2 billion annually.

A less progressive wealth tax would still yield a significant amount of $6.3 billion annually. This is based on tax rates of 2 percent on wealth over $5 million; 3 percent on wealth over $50 million; and 5 percent over $1 billion.

However, Chua was quick to caution the next administration against this general route. He said imposing a tax on wealth that “can run away” would not benefit the country.

“If you tax money that can run away then they will move money to other countries with lower tax rate,” Chua told BusinessMirror on Thursday.

He thinks a wealth tax should only be imposed on assets that cannot be brought outside the Philippines such as real estate. Chua, the architect of the country’s tax reform program, said package 3 of the tax reform program aims to properly evaluate real properties.

Passive income

CHUA also mentioned package 4 of the tax reform program, the Passive Income and Financial Intermediary Taxation Act (PIFITA), which will ensure that all taxpayers are treated fairly.

The PIFITA or Package 4 aims to simplify the taxation of passive income, financial services, and transactions. It will reduce the number of tax rates from 80 to 36.

It will also harmonize the tax rates on interest, dividends, and capital gains, and the business taxes imposed on financial intermediaries. PIFITA will also remove the documentary stamp tax (DST) imposed on nonmonetary transactions.

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OWWA lacks funds for new applicants for cash aid

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HE Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said it now lacks funds to accommodate new applicants from its Abot Kamay ang Pagtulong program (AKAP).

In a televised interview on Thursday, OWWA Administrator Hans J. Cacdac said the current P500-million fund allocation for AKAP is only sufficient to accommodate their applicants last year.

He noted they were unable to release the one-time P10,000 cash aid to all qualified AKAP beneficiaries last year due to fund shortages.

T he i n s u f f ic ie nt f u nd s prompted OWWA to suspend accepting new AKAP applications last Jan. 14.

The Department of Budgeting and Management (DBM) is expected to download the P500 million funds soon, allowing OWWA to give cash aid to 50,000 OFWs with pending AKAP applications, according to Cacdac.

“We expect this week” the downloading of the funds [for AKAP] “to DOLE Regional Offices,” Cacdac said.

The OWWA official said they have requested for additional funding from DBM so they could resume accepting new AKAP applicants.

“As to whether or not we will receive new applications, we are appealing to DBM and to the national government for us to be given additional for AKAP 2022,” Cacdac said.

As of Dec. 2021, OWWA said it distributed P5.49 billion worth of AKAP aid to 540,000 OFWs, whose employment was affected by business disruption caused by the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

Samuel P. Medenilla

Companies BusinessMirror

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

Friday, February 11, 2022

Peza: ARC to build ₧125-B economic zone in Quezon

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By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

@TyronePiad

he Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) has registered the country’s biggest economic zone in Quezon province which will cost P125 billion.

Peza said on Thursday that it signed a registration agreement last January 31 with Achievement Realty Corp. (ARC) to establish the Quezon Techno-Industrial Special Economic Zone (QTISEZ) in Barangays Rosario and San Jose in Mauban, Quezon province.

T he 1,836 -hectare specia l ecozone will house an international seaport and airport, with an estimated budget of P25 billion each.

“It will be the first international airport and seaport to be strategically located in the eastern part of Luzon,” Peza Director General Charito Plaza said in a statement.

The remaining P75 billion of the total cost of development is allocated to the construction of 2,000

factories which will generate over 200,000 jobs.

ARC Chairman Philip Cea said “funding would come from foreign [and local] investors who have expressed interests in the project and we are already in talks with them.”

The agreement gives authority to ARC as an ecozone developer and operator to “establish, develop, construct, administer, manage, and operate QTISEZ.” The company is allowed to construct, install, provide, operate and maintain infrastructure facilities, utilities, communication system and sewage and drainage system, among others.

ARC is also tasked with providing security and maintaining peace

and order within the ecozone.

The company shall pay to Peza all applicable fees, noting its agreement that the investment promotion agency may withhold, suspend or disapprove permits.

Meanwhile, the regulator of ecozones has the “exclusive power and prerogative to permit, supervise, and control the entry and exit of all goods, machinery, and equipment, merchandise, and article to and from QTISEZ.” “With the aims of making QTISEZ as a township, around 200 hectares shall be dedicated to mixed-use for the establishment of government offices, residential, commercial, and other sectors where our people can live, work, and play,” Cea added.

The ARC official also said he has inked several memoranda of understanding with Chinese and Korean investors to pursue projects for the ecozone in Quezon province.

The signing of the agreement was in line with Proclamation 1277 and the provisions of the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995, which allowed the creation of the said ecozone project. It is also pursuant to the government’s initiative

of boosting economic activities in the countryside.

“This huge investment ARC has entrusted to PEZA is going to be a historical project because this new economic zone shall come out, as of today, the future biggest economic zone in the Philippines,” the Peza chief said.

This month, Peza also announced its partnership with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines to build aerotropolis and/ or aerotropolis-linked ecozones in the country.

Their memorandum of agreement states that both parties will promote the establishment of said ecozones to attract investments in aviation industry-related manufacturing industries, logistics services and maintenance, repair and operations, among others.

“As we all may know, efficient connectivity through established infrastructures for transportation and logistics facility by air, land, and sea are crucial factor for ease of doing business and lower cost of doing business. Without it, we cannot build linkages and delivery and exchange of goods and services,” Plaza said.

SMC wants to expand cement output

By VG Cabuag @villygc

C

onglomer at e Sa n Miguel Corp. (SMC) on Thursday said it plans to double the capacity of its P10-billion cement manufacturing facility in Davao to reduce its reliance on imports and avoid delays in delivering critical infrastructure projects in the region.

San Miguel President and CEO Ramon S. Ang said its cement unit, Southern Concrete Industries Corp., previously Oro Cemento Industries Corp., will expand its operations for the operation of a new cement grinding plant, which started commissioning activities late 2021.

Full commercial operations are expected by July, the company said.

The facility, which started construction in 2018, uses the latest technology and world-leading brands in cement grinding as well as in pollution abatement.

It was recently granted fiscal incentives by the Inter-Agency Fiscal Incentives Review Board, which is chaired by the Department of Finance.

“We are grateful for the support of government and our communities in Darong, Davao del Sur, who immediately saw the many benefits and advantages of this modern cement facility,” Ang said.

“This plant was built to support infrastructure development and investments in Mindanao—to help sustain economic development, growth of local industries, and the creation of jobs. We will make sure we will hit the ground

running when we start operations

by July this year.”

Ang said the cement grinding plant, which can produce up to 2 million metric tons of cement per year, equivalent to some 50 million bags, is designed with a provision to readily expand capacity to 100 million bags.

“Our focus will be to immediately serve the needs of the Mindanao region, to fill in supply gaps, especially the demand for local cement. Right now there is heavy reliance on imported cement,” Ang said.

“But our government’s goal is to lessen our dependence on imports, especially since supply, price or quality issues directly impact, disrupt or delay critical infrastructure development. That is why we will look right away at doubling

the capacity of the plant.”

Apart from the plant itself, San Miguel also invested in building its own private port to receive clinker, gypsum and limestone. It is also seen to help decongest the Davao commercial port.

“As with any project, we also encountered many challenges in finishing construction of the project during this pandemic. But we never wavered in our goal of completing it as safely and as quickly as possible. This way, by the time our country is in full recovery and build-back-better mode, Mindanao will also be fully ready.”

During the project phase alone, the facility, located in an underdeveloped area, was able to provide 5,000 jobs. Meanwhile, full manning, once operational, is seen at over 600.

Aboitiz unit to acquire ‘green’ transformers

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

A

boitiz Power Corp. subsidiary, Davao Light & Power Co. (Davao Light), has programmed a budget of P87 million for the purchase of around 1,300 “green” transformers every year.

Davao Light said it has been using natural ester oil as insulation fluid for all of its new distribution transformers, mainly meant to serve the ever-growing demand of distribution transformer installations and to replace old units that use mineral oil due for decommissioning.

Natural ester, which is classified as vegetable oil, is sourced from rapeseed, canola, or soybean, making it non-toxic and 100-percent biodegradable.

Mineral oil, meanwhile, is derived from crude petroleum.

W hile generally effective for transformers, one of its disadvantages is that mineral oil leaks are more susceptible to fire due to their relatively low flashpoint.

Used transformer oil, some types

of which are considered toxic, must be dealt with through accredited environmental services companies for recycling or disposal.

“We had difficulties in looking for contractors that can safely dispose of our used transformer oil, which back then was still mineral. Since it was already widely used in the energy industry, natural ester was an attractive option to us,” said Arnel Bersabe, head of Davao Light’s substation and electrical equipment department.

Dist r ibut ion t ra nsfor mers perform the last voltage transformation in the grid, transforming medium voltages such as 13,800 volts, 23,000 volts, and 34,500 to one suitable for household and commercial use, typically around 240 volts.

Bersabe said they considered how natural ester helps prolong the life of transformers and is safer to use than mineral oil because it needs a higher temperature to burn. The average lifespan of distribution transformers is 35 years, but ester oils are estimated to extend the longevity of units

by up to 33 percent.

Davao Light also shared more of its “green” projects including the conversion of Davao City’s High-Pressure Sod ium (HPS) street lamps to Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights, which have 70 percent lower energy consumption, maintenance costs, and lasts three to four times longer than the former.

It also unveiled its fully digital substation last year. Among other advantages such as enhanced efficiency, reliability, and availability of power supply through real-time control and protection operations, digital substations have fewer conventional components that enable space reduction in the total area required for the installation of equipment, allowing for a decrease in substation footprint.

Davao Light is also looking into using amorphous steel instead of the current silicon steel for the core components of transformers.

According to studies, amorphous steel can lower transformer losses, or the energy “wasted”

due to resistance in the wire used to wind a coil, by up to 60 percent for a typical 50 kVA unit. Bersabe added that the total owning cost for transformers that use amorphous steel cores is pegged to be at least 10 percent lower than those that use conventional silicon steel.

“We are still validating this data. We will have a simulated installation of this transformer for actual measurement of its losses and verification of its in-service performance,” he added.

Davao Light is the third-largest privately-owned electric distribution utility in the country in terms of customer size and annual kWh sales. Davao Light’s franchise area covers Davao City, areas of Panabo City, and the municipalities of Carmen, Dujali, and Santo Tomas in Davao del Norte, with a population of approximately 2.2 million and a total area of 3,561 square kilometers.

As of December 2021, Davao Light served a total of 458,498 customers, with a recorded peak demand of 459 MW.

B1

Globe aims to build more telco towers

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

G

lobe Telecom Inc. plans to build more telco towers this year, as it aggressively expands its network to further improve its services amid the growing demand for data connectivity in the Philippines.

Rizza Maniego-Eala, the CFO of Globe, said in a press briefing her group is working with more than a dozen tower companies for its infrastructure thrust this year, targeting to build more than 1,200 telco towers in 2022.

“We are working with various tower companies for buildto-suit arrangements. We have 13 tower companies as vendors,” she said. “Last year, we built over 1,200 towers and our plan is to be roughly in the same level this year.”

Globe has set a P89-billion capital expenditures (capex) program for 2022 to bankroll the construction of more cell sites, upgrade existing ones, deploy 4G and 5G radios, and

add more fiber lines across the country.

Ernest Cu, the company’s president, noted that one of Globe’s wishlist to the next government is for it to continue the policy on ease of doing business as well as its anti-red tape initiatives to facilitate faster infrastructure builds.

Last year, Globe aggressively expanded its fixed line and wireless networks, building 1,407 new cell sites, upgraded over 22,300 mobile sites, installed more than 2,000 5G radios, and installed 1.4 million fiber-to-the-home lines.

These network enhancements allowed Globe to grow its full-year revenues by 4 percent to P151.5 billion, which drove core profits by 9 percent to P21.2 billion.

Eala noted that Globe’s revenue guidance for the year remains to be “low single-digit,” given the reconstruction efforts needed in the Visayas region due to the devastation caused by Typhoon Odette and the prolonged effects of the pandemic on its workforce.

B2

Friday, February 11, 2022

Companies BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

JFC posts strong recovery on robust overseas sales L

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

ocal fast-food giant Jollibee Foods Corp.

(JFC) said it saw a strong recovery last year on the back of higher overseas sales.

The company said its operating income for the fourth quarter of 2021 reached P2.5 billion, reversing its operating loss of P2.86 billion in the fourth quarter of 2020. Compared with 2019, it grew 63 percent from P1.5 billion.

For full year 2021, the company’s operating income amounted to P6.3 billion, a reversal of the previous year’s loss of P12.81 billion. The figure is almost at the same level as its prepandemic operating income of P6.5 billion.

Attributable net income for the year reached P5.94 billion, also a reversal of the previous year’s P11.51-billion loss, but still lower than the P7.3 billion it posted in 2019.

“JFC achieved a profit objective of generating an operating income in 2021 that reached pre-pandemic level despite its system wide sales still being behind by 13.2 percent. This was the result of our business transformation

program implemented in 2020 and the continuing strong cost and profit management in 2021,” Ysmael V. Baysa, the company’s CFO, said.

“By business units, the key drivers were the Philippines, with fourth quarter operating income equaling that of fourth quarter of 2019, Smashburger, with losses in the fourth quarter 2019 being reduced by 80 percent and CBTL [The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf] which turned its losses into profit in the fourth quarter and total year 2021. CBTL is now a profitable business.”

Systemwide sales, a measure of all sales to consumers, both from company-owned and franchised stores increased by 25 percent for the fourth quarter and 20 percent for the full year 2021 compared to the same periods last year.

Revenues grew by 18 percent for the year

to P153.5 billion from the previous year’s P129.31 billion.

Same-store sales of the Philippine business increased by 24 percent in the fourth quarter of 2021 compared to the same quarter last year while the international business grew by 9 percent.

North America increased by 17 percent, Europe, Middle East and other parts of Asia expanded 5 percent and CBTL by 29 percent.

SuperFoods and the China businesses declined by 23 percent and 8 percent, respectively primarily due to Covid-19 related restrictions imposed on some parts of Vietnam and China. Global same-store sales rose by18 percent versus the fourth quarter of 2020.

“JFC’s systemwide sales in its international business in the fourth quarter had equaled the sales in the same period before the outbreak of the pandemic,” Ernesto Tanmantiong, the company’s CEO, said.

“Systemwide sales in the Philippines in the fourth quarter were still 22 percent lower than those in the same period in 2019. However, despite this, the Philippine business’ operating income in the fourth quarter 2021 had already equaled those in 2019’s.”

He said Jollibee has allotted P9 billion for capital expenditures for new stores in 2022,

NGCP energizes Bohol-Leyte power link

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

T

he National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) said Thursday it has energized a temporary BoholLeyte transmission link meant to restore interconnection between the two areas.

The grid operator said the two special towers of the Ubay-C.P. Garcia 138kV Line toppled by Typhoon Odette have been restored and energized ahead of schedule.

Through its Emergency Restoration Systems (ERS), a temporary by-pass line was constructed to restore the interconnection of Bohol to Leyte. Bohol sources about 60 percent of its energy requirements from suppliers within the Visayas grid through its interconnection to Leyte. The new towers’ wind rating is 300 kilometers per hour (kph) compared to the damaged towers’ 240 kph.

The permanent restoration of these towers is ongoing using a new tower design with a higher windrating to increase its ability to withstand stronger typhoons. These new and sturdier towers are targeted to be completed by April, NGCP said.

Meanwhile, the grid operator has temporarily put off the competitive selection process (CSP) for the supply of ancillary services from interested grid-connected merchant plants and independent power producers (IPPs).

“Cognizant of the fact that several issues were raised by the prospective bidders for ancillary services (AS) regarding the conduct of Competitive Selection Process for Ancillary Services, and consistent with the policy of promoting competition in a transparent and non-discriminatory manner, all interested bidders are hereby advised that the conduct of Competitive Selection Process for Ancillary Services has been moved to a later date.

NGCP shall issue subsequent Advisories on the new timeline for the Competitive Selection Process,” it said.

representing a 50-percent increase compared with the P6 billion spent in 2021.

In total, the company is spending some P17.8 billion in capital expenditures this year, higher than the P7.8 billion it spent last year.

Some P10 billion is allocated for new stores and renovations of existing stores. The company said it will open 500 new stores in 2022, higher than the 398 it launched last year.

The balance of P7.8 billion will be mostly for supply chain and business technology investments.

The company said it plans to build a new commissary facility in Cebu to support its expansion plans in Visayas and Mindanao.

These capital expenditures will be primarily funded by cash generated from operations, bank loans and excess cash from the remaining proceeds from the bond issuances, it said.

“We are prepared to make this level of investments if the economies fully re-open and sales growth remains strong. Beyond 2022, our outlook for business growth is even brighter. We see very strong expansion in different parts of our business particularly those in North America, China, Southeast Asia and Europe while we expect the Philippines to sustain its healthy profitable growth,” Tanmantiong said.

mutual funds

February 10, 2022

NAV

One Year Three Year Five Year

per share Return*

Y-T-D Return

Stock Funds ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a

238.9

6.48%

-4.07%

-1.11%

2.49%

ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a

1.5888

20.34%

0.15%

2.53%

-4.53%

6.38%

-7.79%

-3.96%

1.86%

ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 3.2979

Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.765 -2.51%

-7.35% n.a.

1.12%

First Metro Consumer Fund on MSCI Phils. IMI, Inc. -a 0.7566 6.41%

-5.18% n.a.

-1.85%

8.96%

-2%

0.69%

2.46%

First Metro Save and Learn Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a

First Metro Save and Learn Equity Fund,Inc. -a

5.3104

0.7999

9.89%

-3.79%

-2.76%

MBG Equity Investment Fund, Inc. -a

-5.53%

-8.87% n.a.

-1.12%

93.37

PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a

49.1354

6.16%

-2.62%

0.45%

2.09%

Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a

513.07

6.27%

-2.49%

-0.04%

2.47%

Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. -a

1.4134

21.89%

1.8%

2.99%

4.21%

Philequity Fund, Inc. -a

37.4506

8.82%

-1.65%

1.44%

2.34% 3.08%

Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a

0.9704

7.69%

-2.78% n.a.

Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc. -a

5.0668

7.01%

-1.95%

1.1%

2.14%

Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a

846.55

6.85%

-1.94%

1.08%

2.18%

Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a

0.7651

1.66%

Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 3.8428 Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a United Fund, Inc. -a

3.4978

7.31%

-5.96%

-2.08%

7.27%

-4.14%

-0.42%

1.78%

0.9644

6.38%

-2.28%

0.84%

6.19%

-2.33%

1.4%

1.76%

2.12%

2.11%

Primarily invested in Peso securities (units) Philequity Alpha One Fund, Inc. -a

1.1988

Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a

11.66% n.a. n.a.

3.1%

1038.71 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.

Exchange Traded Fund (shares) First Metro Phil. Equity Exchange Traded Fund, Inc. -a,c

113.9473

7.15%

-1.73%

1.56%

2.22%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities (shares) ATRAM AsiaPlus Equity Fund, Inc. -b

$1.1158

Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.7258

-15.99%

3.69%

4.42%

-0.95%

-2.51%

12.23%

10.02%

-6.53%

Balanced Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities (shares) ATRAM Dynamic Allocation Fund, Inc. -a

1.6848

1.06%

-1.1%

-0.45%

-0.43%

ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a

2.3106

1.99%

-0.2%

0.22%

1.28%

First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund Inc. -a 2.735

5.12%

0.6%

1.78%

1.64%

First Metro Save and Learn F.O.C.C.U.S. Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a 0.2128

8.35% n.a. n.a.

NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a

1.95%

2.15%

1.1% 1.28%

2.0388

3.77%

PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a

3.8133

1.39%

1.31%

0.97%

Philam Fund, Inc. -a

17.0691

1.45%

0.92%

0.95%

1.33%

Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a

2.1505

3.29%

-0.33%

0.86%

1.37%

Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.6828 3.61%

-1.52%

0.3%

0.98%

Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a

-0.16%

0.88%

1.81%

0.9715

9.56%

1.82%

Primarily invested in Peso securities (units) Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a

0.989

-2.48%

-0.57% n.a.

-0.08%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a

0.9595

2.15%

-1.49% n.a.

1.59%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a

0.9498

2.93%

-1.82% n.a.

1.7%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities (shares) Cocolife Dollar Fund Builder, Inc. - a

$0.03621

-6.72%

0.5%

0.44%

-4.56%

PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -b

$1.0581

-11.01%

2.79%

2.91%

-0.84%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $4.5587 -3.17%

8.61%

7.29%

-5.07%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a,2 $1.1518 -4.22%

4.15%

3.51%

-3.9%

Bond Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities (shares) ALFM Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a

374.57

0.76%

2.76%

2.49%

0.07%

ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a

1.8872

-0.89%

0.28%

0.08%

0.13%

Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a

3.2475

0.89%

2.83%

3.8%

0.11%

Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a

2.2454

-2.25%

1.52%

1.3%

-0.27%

First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.4236 -1.05%

2.82%

1.81%

-0.1%

Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a

4.3819

-5.51%

3.75%

1.22%

-0.31%

Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a

1.3223

-0.08%

3.71%

2.88%

0.24%

3.973

-0.43%

3.51%

2.66%

0.18%

1.0237

-1.43%

3.96%

1.77%

-0.44%

Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.1868

-0.55%

4.01%

3.04%

-0.02%

Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. - a

-1.18%

3.13%

2.36%

-0.12%

Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a

1.7285

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities (shares) ALFM Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a

$488.01

0.6%

2.7%

2.32%

ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a

Є218.47

-0.45%

0.67%

0.87%

-0.32% -0.7%

ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b $1.1659

-7.92%

0.65%

1.05%

-3.16%

First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.0255 -3.41%

0.66%

0.48%

-1.92%

PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -b

-2.11%

-1.6%

-4.05%

$0.9814

-9.83%

$2.4137

-4.51%

2.9%

1.87%

-3.67%

$0.0618351

-1.16%

2.56%

1.76%

-0.73%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $3.0432 -5.13%

1.42%

0.64%

-4.79%

Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a

Money Market Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities (shares) ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. -a

131.35

1.03%

2.62%

First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a

1.0592

0.96%

Sun Life Prosperity Peso Starter Fund, Inc. -a,1 1.3178

1.48%

2.49%

2.54%

0.12%

1.9% n.a.

2.52%

0.14%

0.17%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities (shares) Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0612

0.71%

1.38% n.a.

0.06%

Feeder Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities (units) ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund Inc. -a

46.911 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.

Sun Life Prosperity World Equity Index Feeder Fund, Inc. -a 1.3428

14.05% n.a. n.a.

-2.9%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities (units) ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund Inc. -a

$0.9462

-4.42% n.a. n.a.

-2.45%

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

Pilot run of financial regulatory unit in Q2

By Bianca Cuaresma @BcuaresmaBM

T

HE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) announced on Thursday that the recently formed supervisory college for financial conglomerates has scheduled a pilot run in the second quarter of this year.

BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno, who is also the Chairman of the Financia l Sector Forum (FSF) said FSF members recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the establishment of an inter-agency, cross-sectoral supervisor y college that will enable coordination on the supervision of conglomerates.

Comprising the FSF are the BSP, Securities and Exchange Commission, Insurance Commission and Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp.

Diokno said pilot-testing shall begin after the FSF’s release of the MOU’s implementing rules and regulations within the first quarter of the year. A training program will also be developed.

“It is necessar y to further strengthen the supervision of financial conglomerates given their interconnectedness and systemic importance. The supervisory college will foster more effective regulation of these entities and promote financial stability,” Diokno said.

According to the BSP, financial conglomerates make up more or less 60 percent of the financial system.

“Given the systemic importance of these entities, FSF members felt the need to further strengthen supervision for a more effective discharge of their mandates under their respective charters,” Diokno said.

T he s up e r v i sor y col le ge’s aim is to enhance informationsharing, develop common understanding of risks, further improve risk assessment, foster a shared agenda for addressing identified risks.

It also seeks to provide a common platform for communicating key supervisory concerns, and establish a synchronized supervisory plan related to financial conglomerate regulation.

“The FSF members saw the need to formalize supervisory dialogue under the auspices of the FSF through the supervisory college,” Diokno said.

Banking&Finance BusinessMirror

B3

Govt allots ₧720M for cybersecurity

T

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

@BNicolasBM

HE Philippine government allocated P720 million to acquire a 2-year shared cyber-defense solution to protect public financial institutions and insurance system against hackers.

The proposed cyber-defense solution for government financial institutions (GFIs) and the insurance cluster shall require the vendor to provide a 2-year service of security monitoring and management, vulnerability management, threat intelligence and incident response.

This was the main requirement cited in the project’s terms of reference published along with the invitation to bid authored by state-run Land Bank of the Philippines (LandBank).

The approved budget for contract for the shared cyber defense solution was divided into two lots: the first for the GFI cluster at P464 million and the second for the insurance cluster at P256 million.

“With the continued evolving nature of cybersecurity risks, the Sec-

retary of Finance has mandated the government financial institutions and other agencies to establish a costeffective defense strategy that will shield their respective IT (Information Technology) systems from potential cybersecurity threats, along with other possible risks and data breaches in the digital landscape,” read the project description under the project’s terms of reference.

The LandBank was tapped as the procuring entity for the GFI and the insurance clusters. The state-run lender said bidders shall have the option to submit bids in any of or both lots.

Apart from LandBank, the GFI cluster is composed of Development Bank of the Philippines, United Coconut Planters Bank, Home Develop-

ment Mutual Fund or Pag-IBIG Fund and Philippine Guarantee Corp.

On the other hand, the insurance cluster included the Bureau of the Treasury, the Insurance Commission, Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp., Social Security System and the Government Service Insurance System.

All bids shall be submitted electronically on or before the 10 a.m. deadline on March 2, 2022, via the LandBank’s “Secure File Transfer Facility.” All bids must be accompanied by a bid security, the project reference document read.

The LandBank said bids received in excess of the approved budget per contract on a per lot basis shall be automatically rejected at bid opening also slated on March 2 through videoconferencing.

The lender further said that the bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Government Procurement Reform Act. Interested bidders may also attend the virtual pre-bid conference scheduled at 2 p.m. on February 16.

Bidding documents may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement Sys-

Digital banking, e-wallet users want greater protection–survey

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

M

@brownindio

ORE than three in five users of digital banking and e-wallet applications in Southeast Asia (SEA) prefer the implementation of one-time passwords (OTPs) through SMS for every transaction, a poll by cybersecurity provider Kaspersky Lab Inc. revealed.

Its latest study titled “Mapping a secure path for the future of digital payments in APAC” also noted that majority of those polled (57 percent of total respondents) also want to see the implementation of 2-factor authentication (2FA) as well as biometric security features like facial or fingerprint recognition (56 percent).

Interestingly, consumers in the region said the implementation of OTPs should be the priority for consumers in most SEA countries. These are: Indonesia (67 percent); Malaysia (66 percent); the Philippines (75 percent); Thailand (63 percent); and, Vietnam (74 percent). Singapore, however, has cited 2-factor authentication as the most urgent concern (65 percent).

The study also showed that digital payment customers said they welcome the use of machine learning in fighting social engineering attacks. The respondents (40 percent) stressed that companies should start preventing frauds/scams automatically based on spending behavior and/or transfer history.

“SEA’s sheer market size in terms of digital payment offers a lengthy runway for expansion,” Yeo Siang Tiong, General Manager for Southeast Asia at Kaspersky, told the Business Mirror. “In a competitive sector, payment companies should be assessed not just on their innovations, but also on their security posture.”

Drawing from findings of Kaspersky, Siang Tiong said that “customers are increasingly becoming aware of the value of technology to protect their finances online.”

“In general, these security features are useful preventive measures that can potentially enhance the cybersecurity standards in the digital payments space,” Siang Tiong told the BusinessMirror.

“However, these options should not be viewed in an isolated manner, but considered as part of a holistic cybersecurity framework.”

Siang Tiong cited that 28 percent of the respondents said tokenization can also augment the security of mobile banking and e-payment applications in the region. Tokenization is the process of protecting sensitive data by replacing it with an algorithmicallygenerated number called a token.

Siang Tiong warned that password-bearing messages sent via Short Message Service (SMS) can be intercepted by a Trojan lying inside the smartphone or through a defect in the SS7 (Signaling System 7) protocol used to transmit the messages. These features, he said, makes the SMS-based 2FA unreliable at times.

In such cases, he recommends that users employ self-contained authenticator apps, with SMS being used only as a last resort to limit a company’s vulnerability to data breaches.

With the complicated nature of securing apps and finances online, over three in five (65 percent) of the respondents urged banks and mobile wallet companies to provide more incentives to maintain the security decorum—such as changing passwords regularly. Another 60 percent noted that providers should educate users more about the threats online.

The ‘Stone Soup’ story, collaboration and associations

T

HE “stone soup story” is an old tale that has many versions and variations. It tells of a poor and hungry man who came to a village asking for food; but no one wanted to spare.

So he puts water and a stone in a pot and boiled it over a fire. Curious and intrigued, the villagers watch him as he starts to stir his “soup.” Eventually, one villager brings a couple of potatoes to add to the mix then others followed suit with a few carrots, onions and a handful of herbs. A farmer donates salt, pork and milk. All of a sudden, the “stone soup” becomes tasty chowder!

The story illustrates not only the value of sharing but also an appreciation of bringing something that may seem insignificant at the first instance.

The value of sharing and bringing something to the table, no matter how minor, for the sake of a community is what associations are all about. Associations exist and thrive because their constituencies–i.e., members, the Board, management staff

Editor: Dennis D. Estopace • Friday, February 11, 2022

Association World Octavio Peralta and volunteers–help one another to provide solutions to common problems, learn from each other to advance their careers, work with others to expand opportunities for growth and celebrate together as a broader community their achievements and services.

Akin to the word “sharing” is the term oft-mentioned nowadays: collaboration. This means working with others to create or advance something. Such collaboration happened recently by way of a webinar to highlight the importance of collective action and leadership to address issues challenging the world today.

The Philippine Council of Association and Association Executives (PCAAE), in collaboration with the Global Compact Network Philippines (GCNP) and the

Climate Action for Associations (CAFA), organized a virtual event on “Business and Associations for Climate Action and the SDGs.” The GCNP is the Philippine entity of the United Nations (UN) Global Compact whose primary goal is to inspire and promote collaboration among business corporations with the support from the government, academe and NGOs to enable them to implement the ten Global Compact principles and a wider scope of programs to contribute to the achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

CAFA’s mission is to harness the collective power and impact of whole sectors, systems and professions to support a sustainable economy. It is the place where professional and trade associations all over the world come together to work to drive faster, efficient climate action for and on behalf of the industries and professions they represent. CAFA is aligned to the UN SDGs, supports the ambition of COP26 and is a global accelerator for the UN-backed

“Race to Zero.”

The influence of associations and other membership organizations have on their sectors, professions, communities and stakeholder groups cannot be underestimated or overlooked as a key driver of change. Rather than targeting individual organizations separately, associations are natural conduits for addressing issues and challenges confronting us.

Like the lesson from the stone soup story where villagers contributed something to make a real meal, the coming together of associations to advance and advocate for a common purpose, mission or cause, in this case, tackling global issues on the environment, human rights, corruption and labor, is also a rock-solid story in itself.

Octavio Peralta is currently the executive director of the Global Compact Network Philippines and the founder and volunteer CEO of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives, the “association of associations.” E-mail: obperalta@gmail.com

tem (PhilGEPS) and the LandBank provided that bidders shall pay the corresponding cost of bidding documents no later than the submission of bids.

Attacks

LAST year GFIs, state-run pension fund, insurance agencies, revenue and treasury departments, including the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. were ordered to enter into a memoranda of agreement on a shared cyber-defense strategy.

The BIR and BOC were also ordered to fortify their systems against hacking and other cyber threats amid the increasing number of online scams.

The Landbank itself was linked to one cyber-attack incident wherein some teachers alleged last month the loss of as much as P121,000 each from accounts with the staterun lender.

The LandBank has denied its systems were hacked and suspects the incident could be due to “phishing.”

Phishing is a scheme in which hackers pretend to be legitimate banking representatives either by sending fake emails or text messages via bogus bank websites to obtain confidential bank details from cli-

ents and use these to pilfer or make unauthorized money transfers from the victims’ accounts.

Protection

PRIOR to the Landbank incident was the hacking of more than 700 accounts in BDO Unibank Inc. This attack “underscores the fact that banks and financial entities remain of interest to cybercriminals whose main goal is to steal money,” Yeo Siang Tiong, General Manager for Southeast Asia at Kaspersky, said through a statement last December.

“Groups that prey on the financial sector find vulnerabilities within the IT infrastructure of their target organizations to carry out their attacks,” Yeo added.

The executive cited the firm’s experience investigating cyber incidents tp “know that there are cyber gangs that are professionals and can really resist detection.”

Yeo said the Russian cybersecurity firm encourages financial companies “to pay more attention to cybersecurity literacy within the organization, invest into additional protection and regular security assessment on all parts of the network, and collaborate with relevant authorities in the country for better information sharing and prevent attacks in the early stage in the future.”

B4

Relationships

Friday, February 11, 2022 • Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

BusinessMirror

Partnering up can help you grow as an individual

The psychology of a romantic relationship that expands the self Because self-expansion is so critical, when expanding relationships end, participants describe feeling like they have lost a part of themselves.

Importantly, when less-expanding relationships break up, individuals experience positive emotions and growth.

When a relationship provides insufficient expansion, it can feel like it’s stuck in a rut. That stagnant malaise has consequences. Research finds that married couples who at one point indicated more boredom in their current relationship also reported less marital satisfaction nine years later. Insufficient relationship self-expansion also encourages people to have more of a wandering eye and pay more attention to alternative partners, increases susceptibility to cheating on one’s partner, lowers sexual desire and comes with a greater likelihood of breakup.

How does your relationship measure up?

Maybe you’re now wondering how your own relationship is doing on this front.

To provide some insight, I created the Sustainable Marriage Quiz. On a scale from 1 to 7, with 1 being “very little” and 7 being “very much,” answer these questions: n How much does being with your partner result in you having new experiences? n When you are with your partner, do you feel a greater awareness of things because of them?

PHOTO BY CLARISSE MEYER ON UNSPLASH

continued on B5

DELISH WAY TO MARK RED-LETTER DATE

I

By Gary W. Lewandowski Jr. Monmouth University

T’S common to want to become a better version of yourself. Much like the desires to eat, drink and avoid harm, human beings also experience a fundamental need to learn, grow and improve—what psychologists call self-expansion.

Consider your favorite activities. Things like reading a book, spending time in nature, volunteering with a new organization, taking a class, traveling, trying a new restaurant, exercising or watching a documentary all broaden the self. Those experiences add new knowledge, skills, perspectives and identities. When who you are as a person expands, you enhance your competence and capabilities, and increase your ability to meet new challenges and accomplish new goals.

Of course, you can achieve self-expansion on your own by trying new and interesting activities (like playing Wordle), learning new things (like advancing through a language app) or working on a skill (like practicing meditation). Research confirms that these kinds of activities help individuals expand themselves, which encourages them to put forth more effort on subsequent challenging tasks.

Interestingly, romantic relationships can also be a key source of growth for people. As a relationship scientist for over 20 years, I’ve studied the effects all kinds of romantic relationships can have on the self.

Today’s modern couples hold high expectations for a partner’s role in one’s own self-development.

GroWinG in your reLationship FALLING in love feels good, and spending time with a romantic partner is enjoyable, but love’s benefits run

LOVE is a wonderful journey of discovery. With time, people come to know new things to love about their loved ones— making them find more reasons to celebrate love each day.

This month of love, another perfect opportunity comes upon everyone to express their thoughtfulness and give love in the sincerest ways they can—from sending care packages to writing sweet tributes, to planning a Valentine celebration (together or apart). A great way to complement their efforts and show their love would be a Red Ribbon Valentine Black Forest Cake: an elegant, heart-shaped creation that marks a true expression of a love most sincere.

The famous pasty brand’s Valentine Black Forest is a luscious chocolate fudge cake that comes in a limited edition heart-shaped design. It is topped with rich chocolate shavings and drizzles of Ruby chocolate—which is the world’s fourth kind of chocolate following milk, dark and white—which offers that hint of fruitiness to elevate one’s black forest taste experience. To add to the romantic, luxurious look of the Valentine Black Forest cake, Red Ribbon finishes it with real Maraschino Cherries that are sure to swoon the hearts (and tastebuds) of many.

“Red Ribbon carries its penchant for taste and quality through the carefully concocted Valentine Black Forest Cake—which is a delightful and luxurious cake made with love in mind,” said Cathleen Capati, head of marketing for Red Ribbon. The heart-shaped cake is a Valentine’s Day exclusive and available only from February 12 to 14. The price starts at P650 for the regular size and P450 for the junior size. More information can be found at www.redribbondelivery.com.ph.

even deeper. People tend to value partners who help them become a better version of themselves.

One way to optimize self-growth in your relationship is by sharing in your partner’s unique interests and skills. When “me” becomes “we,” partners blend their self-concepts and include the other in the self. That merging encourages partners to take on each other’s characteristics, quirks, interests and abilities to some extent. Romantic partners inevitably have different life experiences, knowledge bases, perspectives and skills. Each area is an opportunity for growth.

For example, if your partner has a better sense of humor than you do, over time yours will likely improve. If they have an eye for interior design, your ability to put together a room will evolve. A partner’s differing views on climate change, politics or religion will grant you new perspectives and a deeper understanding of those topics. Your relationship helps you become a better person.

This isn’t to say that individuals should try to completely merge, running the risk of losing themselves. Rather, each person can maintain their own identity while augmenting it with desirable elements from their partner. reLationship consequences of more or Less THE science makes it abundantly clear that couples with more self-expansion are better relationships.

Specifically, people who report more self-expansion in their relationship also report more passionate love, relationship satisfaction and commitment. It’s also associated with more physical affection, greater sexual desire, less conflict and couples being happier with their sex life.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Today’s Horoscope

By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Taylor Lautner, 30; Kelly Rowland, 41; Jennifer Aniston, 53; Sheryl Crow, 60.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Be realistic and honest regarding what you can achieve. Set guidelines that will help you maintain your integrity and honor your promises. How you deal with others will determine your success. You can be kind and considerate without letting others coerce you into doing something questionable. Be good to yourself. Focus on being your best, and live in the moment. Your numbers are 3, 11, 21, 26, 32, 37, 42.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Talk to someone who always has your back. The discussion will deter you from making a mistake. You may be restless for a change of pace, but it must be the right move to be beneficial. Take your time. HHHH

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Leave nothing unfinished. Go over every detail yourself.

Once you are satisfied, feel free to kick back and celebrate. A positive reaction from someone you love will boost your confidence and open the door to new possibilities. Share your long-term intentions.

HHHH

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Plan your day carefully. Be sure to have paperwork updated to avoid problems with institutions or authority figures. Stick to facts and figures, and leave no room for error. Abide by the rules, and you’ll get what you want.

HHH

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Be realistic about what you have to offer or the direction you want to head. Consider what’s required of you to reach your goal. Put together a solid plan, and adjust to ensure that you can finish what you start. HHH

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Keep an open mind, but don’t believe everything you hear.

Someone is likely to exaggerate or lead you to believe something that will encourage you to make a snap decision. Keep your emotions in check. Protect your assets, investments and possessions. HHHH

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Make unique plans with someone you love. A social event will allow you to share your ideas and thoughts with someone who can offer suggestions that will motivate you to move forward. Let your intentions be known. HHHH

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Don’t let anger prevail. Stand back and look at the big picture before you make a move, comment or head into a discussion. Know what you are up against, and be prepared to handle matters responsibly. Something worthwhile will transpire. HH

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Invest more time and money into your home or living arrangements. Think outside the box, and you’ll come up with a responsible plan that will help you save money. A friend or relative will shed light on a perplexing situation. HHHHH

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Emotions will surface over trivial matters that you neglected to address. Don’t leave anything to chance or think that ignoring something will make it go away. Face the facts and take responsibility quickly.

You’ll bypass ending up in a compromising position.

HHH

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Be creative, and take care of your responsibilities efficiently and with finesse. The options you choose will lead to positive changes at home and how you present yourself to others. Love and romance are on the rise.

HHH

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Spend time with people who encourage you to follow your heart and dreams. Be true to yourself instead of letting someone dictate what’s possible. Uncertainty caused by someone’s input will hold you back. Take control, and make things happen. HHHHH

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Be honest, and keep the peace. Use reason and incentives if you wish to reach common ground with friends, relatives or peers. Embrace positive suggestions and change. If you hide something from someone you love, you’ll face the consequences. HH BIRTHDAY BABY: You are sensitive, unique and caring.

You are generous and indulgent.

‘barriers to entry’ BY REBECCA GOLDSTEIN The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS 1 Flights of fancy 6 Unexpected problem 10 Agonize (over) 14 American Eagle intimate apparel brand 15 Sign at a takeout counter 16 Step before dry 17 60-Across in heaven?

19 Road trip game 20 “What’s more...”

21 Pal, in Paris 22 Ray in the ocean 24 “I want a brewski!”

26 60-Across at the airport?

29 Passports, e.g.

30 Yellowstone herd 32 Connections 33 Bae or beau 34 Bad-mouth 36 Juicy bits?

37 60-Across at a royal residence?

40 Winter forecast 42 With intensity 43 Domino indentation 44 One more than bi-

46 47 50 53 55 56 58 59 60 63 64 65

___/her/hers Beanie or beret 60-Across on the ranch?

Usually solitary cephalopods Like hot caramel Green prefix Greek I Tijuana street food Individual controlling access Synagogue cabinets “Once ___ a time...”

Oklahoma setting of HBO’s Watchmen 66 High-pH substance 67 “Step right up!”

68 Squabbles DOWN 1 Japanese horseradish 2 All better, say 3 Flowers named for the Greek rainbow goddess 4 Insignificant 5 Volleyball move before a spike 6 Acronym encompassing chem and calc 7 Tag line?

8 “When I was your ___...”

9 Amanda who became the first National Youth Poet Laureate 10 Jitterbug dance style 11 One may sense saltiness or sweetness 12 Guatemala’s language, in Guatemala 13 “How come?”

18 Rice dish with saffron 23 Small batteries 25 More than a bite 27 Burns a bit 28 Summit 31 Take effect 34 Gaping mouth 35 “Golly!”

36 Ask too much 37 Candy with the tagline “Taste the explosion!”

38 Remove, as a bra 39 Name found in “kale chips” 40 Banana Boat stat 41 Falls across a border?

44 Not just any 45 Laser cannon’s smaller relative 47 Big fuss

48 49 51 52 54 57 59 61 62

Exam for some HS seniors Bejeweled crowns Bullwinkle, for one Digital ___ (break from screen time) Render unavailable Penny Key beside Q Imitate UFO pilots, maybe

Solution to today’s puzzle:

Show BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Friday, February 11, 2022

B5

‘Operation Hyacinth’ is not a film about flowers GMA’s ‘AHA!’ makes it to the Prix Jeunesse International Festival 2022 WELL-LOVED infotainment program AHA! scores a finalist status at the prestigious Prix Jeunesse International Festival 2022, joining shortlisted entries from 41 countries.

Airing on Sundays at 8:15 am, the GMA Public Affairs show was among hundreds of international children’s programs submitted this year. Aside from being a finalist, AHA! will also be included in the festival catalogue 2021/2022, dubbed “Quality in Children’s TV Worldwide.”

Program host Drew Arellano expressed his gratitude to the Prix Jeunesse Foundation for recognizing the show and attributed this latest milestone to the entire AHA! team.

“Thank you for this amazing acknowledgment from a legendary award-giving body. I am honored to be the host of AHA! but it is truly the staff and crew who are the engine and make the show fly to astonishing heights of success,” said Drew. “For the past 12 years, AHA! has evolved and adapted to the changing times. The program continues to offer something new and relevant to its audience. Entertained ka na, may natututunan ka pa!” he added.

An Anak TV Seal awardee, the show has been recognized by various local award-winning bodies. Drew has also received numerous awards as educational program host.

Considered as the Oscars of children’s TV, the Prix Jeunesse International Festival is a bi-annual festival that aims to shine a spotlight on the world of outstanding television productions for children. It is organized by the Prix Jeunesse Foundation, which was established in 1964.

This year’s theme is “Listen to Kids TV: The Power of Sound.” The awarding ceremonies will be held in Munich, Germany in June.

The psychology of a romantic relationship that expands the self Continued from B4 n How much does your partner increase your ability to accomplish new things? n How much does your partner help to expand your sense of the kind of person you are? n How much do you see your partner as a way to expand your own capabilities? n How much do your partner's strengths as a person (skills, abilities, etc.) compensate for some of your own weaknesses as a person? n How much do you feel that you have a larger perspective on things because of your partner? n How much has being with your partner resulted in your learning new things? n How much has knowing your partner made you a better person? n How much does your partner increase your knowledge?

Before adding up your score, know that these categories are generalizations. They suggest where your relationship may need attention, but also where it's already strong. Relationships are complicated, so you should see your score for what it is: one small piece of the puzzle about what makes your relationship work. n 60 AND ABOVE—HIGHLY EXPANSIVE. Your relationship provides lots of new experiences and helps you reach new goals. As a result, you likely have a more fulfilling and sustainable relationship. n 45 TO 60—MODERATELY EXPANDING. Your relationship has produced some new experiences and additions to your self-concept, but you have some room for improvement. n BELOW 45 — LOW EXPANSION. Currently your relationship isn’t creating many opportunities to increase your knowledge or enhance you.

Consequently you likely aren’t improving yourself as much as you could. Consider making an effort to seek out more new and interesting experiences with your partner. You may even rethink if this is the right partner for you.

What makes a relationship great? While there are many factors to consider, one area deserves more attention: how much it helps you grow. A relationship that fosters self-expansion will make you want to be a better person, help you increase your knowledge, build your skills, enhance your capabilities and broaden your perspectives. THE CONVERSATION

O

R maybe it is about “flowers”, with pansy still lingering as code for the kind of men that social institutions were (are) always wary of—homosexuals?

It is the mid-’80s in Poland, and the AIDS scare is on. As with all diseases that rage across communities, the issue is not only about contamination but more about the contaminant. A plague needs escape goats and gay communities are once more the easy target, the object of blame. This is one of the alleged reasons why a widespread operation done in clandestine manner is being conducted by the police of Poland.

There are other reasons proposed, like prostitution that the government feels is rampant among homosexuals, never mind if sex as a commodity is always there among heterosexuals.

From prostitution, it is a smooth jump into investigating drug use and then to crime alleged to be committed by or related to homosexual activities.

In historical records, the arrests happened around 1985 to 1988. The persecution bore down on individuals who were asked to confess, supply information and divulge their own network of friends and acquaintances. The government needed to come up with a database that would pinpoint without fail who were these “men” and, sometimes, “women”.

We know what happens when a registration of this nature is accomplished: an institution has “proof” dangling above certain personalities in society.

Blackmail and more repression are the natural, vile results.

While there are no official reports on what happened to those whose names became part of this official directory, it was said that many had to leave the country for fear that they would be subjected to more repression.

Now, here is this film, titled Operation Hyacinth, which deals with the dark ages for gender, sexuality, and freedom in a part of Europe. What used to be a secret is now an open book for all those who cherish their identities and what they—especially in what we assume to be a greatly evolved European society— thought could never be effective in modern times.

This was not the 1920s or the 1930s; this was not even centuries ago. The event chronicled took place from the mid-1980s to the end of the decade. Talk of underdevelopment of social mores!

It was reported that those who were arrested were asked to sign documents that officially marked their sexual proclivities as part of a dossier. Where the person would not admit to being gay, he was compelled to name individuals who he knew were homosexuals or solicited from him or from other males sexual services.

No gay rights activism worked while the operations went on unabated.

The principle of form following content is an achieved masterpiece in this film that presently preserves for the world the fact that repression and

control are organic to the state. Gloom and doom occupy and inform Operation Hyacinth. A foreboding is there at each turn, bringing the viewer to those moments when anyone could be arrested and interrogated, and forever marked.

An elegant film noir, the film opens with a murder and a young officer, Robert, who goes undercover to find out more about the crime. Robert happens to be the son of a ranking officer in the police force. He has not only his person to uphold but also the family honor to protect. He is up for promotion and his father always reminds him not to overthink too much about principles and moral crusades. His duty, as his father warns, is to identify this serial killer and that is that.

Robert is about to marry his girlfriend who is also in the police force, as a clerk tasked with files. Amid the dangers of his work, Robert has a satisfying sex life with his girlfriend. This would soon change. As he goes deeper in his off-book investigation, Robert befriends people he should be investigating. He forms a bond with a young gay student, Arek, and this causes him to question about the propriety and ethics of that friendship. How far can he go with the “different” form of sexuality he is getting to know better?

What truth is out there? What falsity is within us?

As Robert Mrozowski, Tomasz Ziętek has the volatility of a person whose power is in being the unquestionable authority. His perspective is the correct perspective against which other worldviews shall be measured. Obviously, the world of homosexuals is out of consideration in a society

that has only one lens to appraise relationships and respect. Robert Mrozowski never sees the fact that any kind of repression always involves a protection of one world from other worlds, where state laws working on banishing other people may actually be about duplicity and hypocrisy. This makes for a deep, singular character sketch and Tomasz Ziętek is a compelling, if not depressing, presence.

Vulnerability for vulnerability, Hubert Miłkowski as Arek has the face and personality that propounds for us how there are only humans not monsters among these communities that institutions, which include a secret police, of a scared society caricature for the sake of their own misguided survival.

The cinematography of Piotr Sobociński Jr. is a crucial part of this narrative where brooding darkness in the cityscape harbors a literal and metaphorical storm made to pour rains and bleakness on the lives of the citizens. The direction of Piotr Domalewski and the screenplay written by Marcin Ciaston never attempt to make the presentation epic. There is an intimacy in the framing of faces, and introspection is by both the lights and shadows through which we are always asked to make sense of conversations or the lack of them, or of gazes and the meanings that are not always there. We are voyeurs in the rooms and private spaces of these individuals whose lives are never safe because those who are supposed to protect them are out to snuff the life and freedom from their biographies.

Operation Hyacinth is streaming everywhere including the Philippines via Netflix. n

Valentine treat from Angelica THANKS to her past TV and movie roles of always being heartbroken, along with her frank answers in interviews and her no-holds barred social-media posts on love and life, Angelica Panganiban is known by many as the “hugot girl.”

Take a look at one of her posts: “Sa umpisa lang ’yan mainit, tignan mo sa katagalan magkakalamigan din kayo. Parang kami.”

But unknown to many, Angelica was at first hesitant to be called the hugot queen. While she didn’t elaborate on her hesistancy, it took her only a short while for her to get over this and just accept that this is what her fans want. After all, she says that she cannot control what people think of her.

But this image may also be advantageous, as it makes a lot of people easily relate to her, something that a lot of celebrities struggle with. Plus, it has landed her so many good roles including the new iWantTFC original series, The Goodbye Girl, a new TV comedy drama that explores the whys of heartbreak and the journey to healing after after facing rejection, indifference, and pain.

Based on the book of the same name by best-selling author Noreen Capili, The Goodbye Girl illustrates the five types of heartbroken women while sharing valuable lessons on how to conquer heartbreak and coming out of it stronger, wiser, better.

Directed by Derick Cabrido, this six-episode series is iWantTFC’s Valentine’s Day offering, streaming worldwide exclusively on the iWantTFC app and web site on February 14, with new episodes dropping daily. It also stars Loisa Andalio,

Barbie Imperial, Maris Racal and Elisse Joson.

The show is narrated by Yanna (Angelica), a financial advisor-turned-author whose world crumbles when she comes home to her husband (RK Bagatsing), who announces he will be leaving her for his one great love.

Yanna immediately gets drunk and hops on social media to livestream her miserable situation. Her relatable story goes viral overnight, and she becomes known as “The Goodbye Girl.” Yanna finds her new purpose in life, which is to give online advice to people who have gone through such or similar heartaches. One day, she gets a book deal from charming publisher Jeff (JC de Vera) to write about the stories her followers have shared with her and the advice she’s given them.

Then there’s Mara (Loisa), “The Clueless Girl,” an actress

who seems to have everything but can’t figure out why no one is willing to stay with her. Her ex-boyfriends have dumped her for no obvious reason—not even a third party—including her most recent one, Gab (Ronnie Alonte). Why do men fall in love with her quickly, but dump her just as fast?

Kiera (Barbie), meanwhile, is “The Other Girl” who becomes dissatisfied with being the mistress to Franco (Turs Daza), a married man. When she realizes that he may never fully commit to her, Kiera befriends his wife to get to know the “competition”, only to discover that she is just one of the many women being strung along by Franco.

Ria (Maris), “The Bitter Hopia,” seems to be getting mixed signals in her relationship with band member Caio (Rico Blanco). Everything about them is casual—the sex, the friendship, the connection—but she keeps hoping for more.

Is he just not capable of giving love, or is she the problem?

Julia (Elisse), “The Legally Blind,” is a hopeful bride-to-be.

She knows her fiancé Ean (Joshua Colet) is a womanizer, but believes he is only making the most out of his remaining bachelor days. She puts up with his behavior as he promises he will stop having affairs with other women after they get married.

Produced by Dreamscape Entertainment and Clever Minds Inc., The Goodbye Girl can be enjoyed on a bigger screen via via VEWD, ROKU and Amazon Fire streaming devices, Android TV, select Samsung Smart TV models, Telstra TV (in Australia), and VIDAA for select countries. iWantTFC is also available on Chromecast and Airplay.

POLISH actor Tomasz Ziętek is a compelling, if not depressing, presence in Operation Hyacinth, which deals with the dark ages for gender, sexuality, and freedom in a part of Europe.

B6 Friday, February 11, 2022

BAYAD earns international acclaim for its upgraded, secure cybersecurity platform ‘You are safe here’: The Manila Hotel installs HEPA purifying filtration units

THE Manila Hotel’s Grand Lobby, one of the biggest areas where guests gather, is the location of one of the biggest units of the air purifying filtration system to ensure guest and staff safety.

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HE Manila Hotel’s famed Café Ilang-Ilang and the romantic Champagne Room reopens on January 28 and February 2, 2022, respectively. Guests will find it much safer to visit and dine in the outlets as the historic hotel takes a technologydriven solution to create a safer environment for guests by installing several innovative High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) UV-Care Clean air purifying filtration system units in different high-traffic areas.

The UV Care Air Purifier with Humidifier with 8-Stage Filtration System is proven to kill 99.97 percent SARS-CoV2* and is a timely response to the surge of the COVID-19 Delta and Omicron variants in the country (*tested

by MRI Global USA, according to UV-Care website). According to its manufacturers, the more advanced, medical-grade H14 HEPA filter has VIRUX® patented technology with a built-in activated carbon and photocatalyst filters that, along with UV LED lamp, is proven to effectively eliminate bacteria, germs, viruses, and pathogens. Their product information also states that these air filtration units are efficient in capturing and removing airborne particulates such as PM 2.5 and other allergens, dust, mold, and pollution from the air, and provides Ultraviolet-C sanitization to disinfect the air and kill germs. When used along with the best practices recommended by the IATF, DOH and DOT, it could be an effective indoor

protection for both guests and staff.

The Manila Hotel welcomes dining and staycation guests with further assurance that “YOU ARE SAFE HERE”—because it isn’t just a tagline for us, but a commitment we uphold.

Staycation and leisure stays are now at guest-friendly rates from only P6,000 nett.

Café Ilang-Ilang will serve eat-all-you-can lunch and dinner daily; and Champagne Room will serve lunch and dinner from Wednesdays to Saturdays. For more information on room and restaurant rates and reservations, guests may call the trunkline 85270011 or 09989501912.

They can also book rooms by emailing resvn@themanilahotel.com, and make dining reservations via restaurantrsvn@ themanilahotel.com.

Beep expands prepaid QR ticketing in select buses

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ILIPINOS will now experience more seamless commutes as beep™ operator AF Payments Inc. announced that QR ticket acceptance is going live in four partner bus lines, namely, BGC Bus, TAS Trans, Precious Grace Transport Services, and San Agustin Transport.

These cover several areas in the cities of Taguig, Makati, and Las Piñas, as well as the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, and Bulacan.

Beep continues to expand its use of QR technology that it pioneered in the transport sector. It has partnered with GCash to allow commuters to generate their own prepaid beep QR ticket anytime anywhere, thereby eliminating the need to line up to buy tickets in select routes.

To do this, simply open your GCash app, tap GLife, and select “beep” from the list of partners. Select among the four bus operators, then choose your route, as well as starting and destination terminals. Your fare will automatically be computed.

After reviewing the details, tap “Buy Ticket” and complete your payment.

Click the Ticket History to view your QR ticket or take a screenshot, which you can scan on the reader at the bus terminal or upon entering the bus.

“We constantly evolve the beep payment solution not only to keep up with technology but, more importantly, to help improve the quality of life of Filipinos. With QR, we are empowering commuters to take back a fraction of their time usually spent lining up. Our goal is to enable growth and digital transformation in the transport sector to make progress more inclusive and beneficial to more people in the long run,” said Sharon Fong, Chief Commercial Officer of AF Payments Inc.

I

N the recently concluded Asia Pacific Cloud and Data Center Awards organized

by W. Media, Bayad was conferred the Outstanding IT and Cloud Project Award under the Cybersecurity Implementation Category for its accelerated and efficient deployment of a full cloud system for its cybersecurity platform.

The upgraded platform enables the company to further improve its security solutions while keeping pace with its evolution from a traditional payment center into a fullfledged fintech player that facilitates both onsite and online financial transactions.

“This international achievement is a recognition of Bayad’s commitment to ensuring the integrity of our service and our relationship with our stakeholders. For us, maintaining, facilitating, and intensifying digital trust is critical as we help spur the country’s digital transformation journey,” said Bayad President and CEO Lawrence Y. Ferrer.

“We help shape the Philippine payments landscape by elevating the financial experience of Filipinos, and this rests heavily on ensuring that each and every transaction coursed through Bayad is not only reliable, but also secure,” he added.

Bayad Chief Information Security Officer Mel Migriño highlighted that “the upgraded cybersecurity posture of Bayad gives its stakeholders the confidence to continuously ideate, innovate, and initiate new projects while staying protected.”

BAYAD, the country’s most trusted brand in payments, has received recognition for continuously innovating its cybersecurity platform to effectively adapt to the dynamic digital financial landscape “Cybersecurity is mission-critical as we process real-time bills payments and remittances, expand our partner network, and grow our e-wallet services,” she said.

Bayad is also one of the fastest growing subsidiaries of the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), the Philippines’ largest electricity distributor.

“It is imperative that cybersecurity becomes core to the culture of all our companies in Meralco. This is especially true for Bayad as a major player in the Philippines’ financial and payments landscape.

This award, conferred by an international pool of experts, is a confirmation that we are moving in the right direction,” said Meralco President and CEO Atty. Ray C. Espinosa.

Caltex, car clubs provide assistance to communities

MEMBERS of the Montero United Sports car club in partnership with Caltex organized a feeding program for disadvantaged children

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ALTEX partnered with L300 car club to provide logistical support for local farmers from Baguio. Caltex provided free change oil, and Delo diesel engine oil for the 30 vehicles of the members of the L300 car club, ensuring an uninterrupted journey as they help transport local farmers’ goods Caltex Delo engine oils helps to disperse soot and control sludge to improve fuel economy and engine durability, and minimize operating costs.

The ongoing lockdowns brought about by COVID-19 pandemic continue to affect the

livelihood of farmers as they find it challenging to deliver and sell their produce to markets.

Aside from this, the club with Caltex’s support also donated vegetables to some local government units to give to their constituents.

Caltex also recently partnered with MSU car club in conducting a feeding program for 100 less fortunate children by providing Jollibee meals.

Health and livelihood are key values of the Caltex brand that are demonstrated in social investment activities to help communities where Caltex operates in.

COA regularizes 199 qualified JO workers

C

The available routes include:

BGC Bus: East Route, Central Route, West Route, and Weekend Route; TAS Trans: Makati-Nuvali and Nuvali-Makati; Precious Grace Transport Services: Cay Pombo-North, Malolos-North, and North-Bulacan; San Agustin Transport: Las Piñas-Makati, Makati-Las Piñas, Noveleta-Makati, Makati-Noveleta, Imus-Makati, and Makati-Imus.

Note that the app can only generate one ticket per transaction. Simply repeat the process if you wish to generate another. Each ticket must be used within 24 hours from the date and time of purchase, or it will be forfeited without refund. There is no service fee for generating a QR ticket, but a minimal convenience fee may be charged.

Beep first launched QR ticketing in 2019 to provide a smart solution where both operators and commuters enjoy efficiency and convenience. It was initially

designed to replace the manual validation of paper tickets, but now in this evolving pandemic situation, QR technology offers a safer alternative to help the commuting public observe health protocols. AF Payments Inc. will continue to actively roll out QR payment in other transportation networks like EDSA buses and modern jeepneys all over the country. We wish to replicate the system across the country through collaborations with businesses,” Fong said.

Interested organizations may visit <https://business.beep.com.ph/> to know more, or reach beep™ via landline (02) 8737 9600 or email <customer.info@ afpayments.com>. To be updated on news and promotions, follow the official beep™ Facebook <fb.com/beepcardph>, Twitter <twitter.com/beep_card>, and Instagram <instagram.com/beep_card> accounts.

More information is also available at the website <www.beeptopay.com>.

OMMISSION on Audit Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo, whose term of office ended on 2 February 2022, announced that the Commission on Audit (COA) had approved the regularization of 199 qualified Job Order (JO) workers, both in the Central Office and in the Regional Offices, to permanent employment in the Commission.

“These are qualified JO workers who have contributed, in their own ways, to the successful implementation of our programs and projects. I had promised them when I began my term of office that the Commission would work for their regularization. Thanks to the efforts of the people in the Commission, we are able to give these JO workers the peace of mind of security of tenure and the entitlement to the same benefits as regular employees,” said the Chairperson.

Fifty-one out of the 199 JO workers have served the Commission for more than 10 years, 57 have been with COA for more than five years while 91 have worked in COA for less than five years.

Among the many accomplishments of COA at the helm of Aguinaldo include the construction of Provincial Satellite Auditing Offices (PSAOs) in 50 provinces and a Regional Office in Koronadal, South Cotabato in Region XII, the ongoing construction of PSAOs in 12 more provinces, the construction of the International Training Center in Tagaytay City, the issuance of various manuals and circulars relating to audit including the audit of the COVID-19 expenditures, the establishment of the Performance Audit Office, the achievement of the highest level of the mainstreaming of Gender and Development (GAD) among all

FORMER COA Chairperson Michael Aguinaldo government agencies and offices, and the institutionalization of the multi-awarded Citizen Participatory Audit program, which was just recently selected first place for the Asia Pacific Region by the Open Government Partnership (OGP) for its 2021 OGP Impact Awards.

The Commission also embarked on an Audit Modernization Program including the use of artificial intelligence in auditing through the Machine Intelligence, Knowledge-based Audit and Experience Learning tool.

The Commission performed its mandate under the Constitution, conducting annual financial and compliance audits of over 66,045 audit agencies, including 11,816 National Government Agencies and GovernmentOwned and/or Controlled Corporations and 36,608 Local Government Units, all in keeping with its mission to ensure accountability for public resources, promote transparency, and help improve government operations in partnership with stakeholders, for the benefit of the Filipino people.

Sports BusinessMirror

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

Friday, February 11, 2022 B7

Magnolia, Meralco stake unbeaten record in PBA resumption

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AGNOLIA and Meralco put their unbeaten slate on the line as they take on their respective rivals in the resumption of Season 46 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup after more than a month of delay at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Hotshots, ahead with 3-0 win-loss start, are hoping to keep their competitiveness against TNT Tropang Giga (2-2) at 6 p.m. while the Bolts are also in a mission to sustain their back-toback victories when they face Northern Luzon Expressway (NLEX) at 3 p.m.

“We are really on a mission,” Magnolia Head Coach Chito Victolero said after beating Barangay Ginebra last December 25 (117-94) just a week after the games were suspended indefinitely due to the rising Covid-19 case in Metro Manila.

Magnolia’s newest recruit Adrian Wong and returning Rafi Reavis will also be playing.

Import Mike Harris, prior to the break, is averaging 28.3 points, 12 rebounds and 3.0 assists, for the Hotshots after three games.

TNT, at 2-2, will be parading new recruit Mat

Ganuelas-Rosser and import Aaron Fuller.

The showdown between Magnolia and TNT could be most likely a rematch of their last Philippine Cup title last year, where the Tropang Giga won in five games series.

Coach Norman Black said the debut of Chris Banchero would have to wait a little time because he’s under the health protocols.

But import Tony Bishop and the rest of the Bolts are ready.

“Playing against a Yeng Guiao coached team is always tough because you know they will play hard. It’s important that we slow down their import McDaniels, and we close out well vs their 3pt shooters.

We once again will have to rely on our defense to get a win,” Black said. Josef Ramos

Eisma welcomes return of sports activities in Subic

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By Henry Empeño

UBIC Bay Freeport—The Subic Bay Freeport, long considered a go-to place for sporting events under a Covid-19 pandemic “bubble” setup, will host the 2022 National Age Group Triathlon (NAG-T) this Sunday.

The event will select the members of the national triathlon team to the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi in May. A total of 238 triathletes, some as young as 13, have enlisted for Sunday’s qualifying races here, said Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Wilma Eisma.

Organizers said the NAG-T qualifiers will be held in five different categories: super sprint distance, sprint distance, sprint distance male age groups, sprint distance female age groups and team relay.

The races will start at the scenic Adventure Cove beside Camayan Resort for the open-water swim, snake through the Corregidor and Ilanin roads up to the Subic International Airport for the bike leg and head back to Adventure Cove for the final run.

Another group of athletes that will represent the country to the SEA Games arrived early this week in Subic for training, Eisma said.

“The country’s men’s volleyball team will train here for two months at the Subic Sand Courts,” she said.

Four men’s volleyball teams, together with their coach, therapists and staff, began their SEA Games preparation at the Subic Sad Courts last Tuesday in a bubble training setup.

The women’s volleyball teams, meanwhile, will arrive here on February 14 also to begin their two-month training.

Men’s beach volleyball coach Rhovyl Verayo said they returned to Subic because of the sand court here, which was the venue of last SEA Game’s beach volleyball games.

“We have already played here during the 2019 SEA Games. So, we are used to this court already and it is the standard court for competitions. In fact, we placed bronze here during the last SEA Games,” he said.

Verayo also said that Subic is “a great place” for a bubble training set-up because event venues can be easily closed-off to the public when needed, and that accommodations are excellent.

Eisma also said that Subic has become a preferred sports venue because the athletes and organizers feel safe here due to strict health protocols being imposed in the Subic Freeport.

She pointed out that all participants in sports events in Subic are required to be fully-vaccinated and must present a negative RT-PCR test before competing.

“Our health measures not only keep the participants and organizers safe, but also Freeport stakeholders as well.

And that is why I very much encourage everyone to keep practicing health and safety protocols whatever alert level Subic may be in,” she said.

Subic is also scheduled to host the Ironman PH 70.3 Event from March 2 to 6, the restart of the Clipper Around the World Yacht Race on March 20 and Audax PH Ride on March 19 and 20 and April 23 and 24.

That happy middle ground LET me preface this by saying that, whoever is appointed as national team head coach, whatever they wish to do, we will support. As if we will not.

Having gotten that out of the way and since there are still articles or columns put out on the change in Gilas head coaches, let me offer some thoughts.

One, why is the chairman emeritus doing the talking?

KAMILA VALIEVA practices despite report of a positive drug test. AP

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EIJING—Kamila Valieva, the 15-year-old Russian superstar who was expected to deliver her nation its third straight Olympic gold medal in women’s figure skating, practiced as usual Thursday, hours after reports that she tested positive for a banned substance.

Valieva tested positive for a banned heart medication before the Beijing Games, the Russian newspaper RBC reported.

The sample was reportedly obtained before Valieva won the European championship last month in Estonia, a performance that solidified her status as the leader of Russia’s “quad squad” of elite women’s figure skaters.

It’s unclear if Russia is appealing or

ITALIAN GOLD

Stefania Constantini throws the last rock during her and teammate Amos Mosaner’s 8-5 victory over Norway in the mixed doubles final for Italy’s first-ever Olympic gold medal curling earlier this week in Beijing. AP

RUSSIAN STAR FACES DOPING ISSUE

fighting the result. Her appearance at practice implies that the federation isn’t accepting any finding that would eliminate her.

“She is not suspended,” Russian figure skating federation spokeswoman Olga Ermolina said, with no further detail.

Valieva ran through her program and skated with teammate Alexandra Trusova while getting pointers from coach Eteri Tutberidze at the practice rink. Valieva flashed a smile to one of her coaches near the end of the roughly 30-minute session, and none of the skaters took questions from reporters.

When Valieva left the press conference area, she gave a gesture with a fist in the air. It appeared she responded to something inaudible asked by a journalist speaking to her in Russian.

A positive test could cost Russia the gold medal from the team competition and threaten Valieva’s chance to win the individual competition that starts Tuesday. She is the heavy favorite.

The typically tight-lipped Russian team

was even more guarded during the men’s free skate, where Mark Kondratiuk simply said, “No comment,” to a series of questions about the squad and whether he thought Valieva’s case would be resolved. The 18-year-old Kondratiuk performed both men’s programs during the team competition and stands to lose his gold medal.

The drug detected, trimetazidine, is a

metabolic agent that helps prevent angina attacks and treats vertigo, according to the European Union’s medicines agency. It is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency because it can help endurance and increase blood flow efficiency.

The most famous case of trimetazidine in sports doping involved Chinese star swimmer Sun Yang. The three-time Olympic champion served a three-month ban in 2014.

Russian bobsledder Nadezhda Sergeeva tested positive for trimetazidine at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. She was disqualified from the two-woman bobsled event and served an eight-month ban.

It is unclear whether Valieva applied for a therapeutic use exemption or has a history of heart problems.

Russian athletes are in Beijing competing as the “Russian Olympic Committee” (ROC), after the country was banned because of a massive state-sponsored doping scheme at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. AP

ATHLETES FROM TROPICS CHASE OLYMPIC DREAM Y

By Josef Ramos

ANQING, China—The Philippines prides itself as the first tropical country to compete in the Winter Olympics when cousins Ben Nanasca and Juan Cipriano campaigned in the 1972 Sapporo edition.

They set the tone for their countrymen to aim for the Winter Games and the country saw its athletes compete in Calgary 1988, Albertville 1992, Sochi 2014, Pyeongchang 2018 and now in Beijing.

In these Games that made Beijing the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics, it’s not only Asa Miller who’s chasing the Philippines’s first medal but seven others from Southeast Asia—a fully tropical region on this side of the planet.

Timor Leste, Thailand and Malaysia are represented in these Beijing Games with most of their athletes competing alongside the Filipino-American Miller in alpine skiing.

Miller’s on his second consecutive Games, but someone else from the region has campaigned in three straight editions.

Yohan Goutt Goncalves, a French-East Timorese, has been chasing his Olympic dream since Sochi 2014 and looks at

Sunday’s men’s giant slalom with a potential shot at the podium just like the Portland-based Miller.

Thailand has the most qualifiers with four—Zanon Nicola (men’s alpine skiing), Jaiman Mida Fah (women’s alpine skiing), Mark Chanloung (cross

FRENCH-EAST TIMORESE Yohan Goutt Goncalves is vying in his third straight Winter Games.

Shouldn’t it be the president Al Panlilio or the Executive Director Sonny Barrios explaining what happened?

The narrative is only coming from one side including unnamed sources.

Second, it is said that there is no team.

Who isn’t here? Kai Sotto? Wasn’t he already abroad prior to the last qualifiers? Yes, he came back for it, but Kai’s dream has always been to play abroad. Playing in Australia is a path to the National Basketball Association. Besides, he will be released for official national team duty.

Dwight Ramos released as well? Isn’t Justine Baltazar back in La Salle?

Didn’t some of the players only sign with their Philippine Basketball Association clubs after the news broke out?

And what is the fuss? The Philippines is already in even if we bombed out of the qualifiers because we are the host nation.

Am not suggesting we lose. I think now is the time to tryout other players. Prepare them for tomorrow.

It doesn’t make sense for the coach of a national team to step down unless he knows very well that his time is done.

And these games…well it’s a short window. The World

country skiing) and his sister Karen (cross country skiing).

Alpine skiers Jeffrey Webb and Aruwin Salehhudin—are also going after Malaysia’s first-ever Winter Games medals.

All are, for obvious reasons, based outside of the region where there are only the wet and dry seasons with no snow at all.

With Southeast Asian blood in their veins, Goncalves and Miller have bonded together.

“We trained together and I think he [Miller] is a very good skier,” Goncalves said. “I believe he could be faster than me but let’s see on the race day.”

The 27-year-old Goncalves was 43rd in slalom in Sochi but didn’t finish in Pyeongchang. Like Miller, the chase for a medal here remains a dream.

“We are still very far from a medal but what is important is that Timor Leste is represented here,” he said.

The bond extends to the Malaysians.

“We really support each other…with the Malaysian skiers too,” he said. “We train, we give advice to each other and stay together.”

Nicola is also competing in men’s

Cup is next year. There is a lot of time to whip a team into shape in time for next year.

If that young team of collegiate and recent grads is to play in the World Cup next year…what do you think of their chances of getting past the group stages or even winning?

That is a very young team going up against the best of the world. They will fight for sure. Maybe they won’t advance, but maybe they will turn a lot of heads. How long before they succumb to the seasoned professionals?

Then again, it is certainly possible they can do it. After all, that old Yugoslavian team of Toni Kukoc, Vlade Divac and Drazen Petrovic and company pulled it off with most players in their early 20s. That team though had incredible talent and size.

The nationals surprised a lot of people with their play in the qualifiers.

Still… you do not want to flame out in the group stage after millions of pesos will be spent on these games. You want to put your best foot forward.

Next year is an occasion to showcase your very best. Not just for the entire country because this is a major sporting event. The very best players are in the pro league. Now, if they aren’t playing, it will be a huge opportunity missed. This is also

giant slalom and slalom events, hoping to bounce back from a forgettable DNF performance in Pyeongchang.

“It’s nice to meet someone like you from Southeast Asia. This is my second time in the Olympics and I hope to do my best this time,” said the 25-year-old Thai-Italian skier based in St. Bernardo, Italy, during a break in training on Thursday at the Athletes’ Lounge of the National Alpine Skiing Centre.

He will be competing in men’s giant slalom and slalom events on Sunday and Wednesday while teammate Webb will be racing only in slalom.

Mark and Karen Chanloung already competed in cross country skiing but failed to advance in the 15 km +15 km skiathlon, men’s sprint free qualification and women’s sprint free events.

Karen Chanloung, however, competed in the women’s 10-km classic event on Thursday, while alpine skier Jaiman Mida Fah did not finish in the women’s giant slalom and slalom events last Monday.

Salehhudin, who is baed in Colorado Springs, finished a respectable 38th out of 82 participants in the women’s giant slalom ruled by Swedish Sara Hector early this week. Salehhudin, however, didn’t finish in Wednesday’s women’s slalom.

telling the other Asian leagues they might have gotten some of the young stars but the best players remain the PBA. Imagine if they are upstaged by the young team (as if they weren’t already during the qualifiers) in the World Cup. Besides, there will be scouts from the NBA and other leagues watching. Imagine if a Filipino player shines alongside the world’s stars. It will mean interest from the top leagues and that will extend not only to other players but possibly, coaches.

Me? I find nothing wrong with the PBA stars playing. In fact, they should. And with everything that has happened, they will slowly be inserted into the team.

I just wish all parties would commit once and for all to a long term program.

What is the Gilas program anyway? It used to be a youth program but instead, it has been a patchwork team that may or may not be their fault.

Many other foreign teams encounter the same concerns as well. It is just the weird dynamics between professional clubs all over the world and national teams. One just needs to find the happy middle ground.

Did we?

Let’s hope for the best is all I can say.

Motoring BusinessMirror

B8 Friday, February 11, 2022

Editor: Tet Andolong

Kia’s K2500 really means business

The K2500 variants suitable for every business needs

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Story & photos by Randy S. Peregrino

HEN it comes to light commercial vehicles, Kia Philippines claims that the K2500 ticks all the right boxes in terms of practicality and functional features.

Well, having the only commercial vehicle in its segment that offers a 4x4 variant is enough to prove the bold claim. But knowing that the segment has demonstrated that conventional 4x2 drivetrains have sufficed their purpose—is it still necessary to consider more wheel tractions?

So, Kia Philippines hosted a drive event for us to experience the capabilities of the K2500, particularly the 4x4 variants. Unlike the usual media drive events for passenger vehicles, this one necessitated a change in perspective. It was all about assessing the essentials and functionality of a commercial vehicle. The destination playground? The General’s Farm in Batangas.

Commissioned were three 4x2 “Kargo” units (closed van with glass windows) and three 4x4 variants (Double Cab Dropside, Single Cab Dropside, and Karga). These workhorses propel on a 2.5-liter inter-cooled turbocharged diesel engine generating 128

hp at 3,800 rpm and 255 N-m of maximum torque at 1,500-3,500 rpm coupled to a sixspeed manual gearbox. But what caught our attention was the taller 200-millimeter ground clearance of the 4x4 variants. Maximum payload ranges from over 950 to more than 1,200 kg, with the two dropside variants having the heavier capacity.

Initially assigned to the 4x2 Karga variant, it was more of a continuation from our previous experience when we drove the vehicle during the Taal Volcano relief operation, pre-pandemic. The three-seater interior offers the needed level of ease when driving a commercial vehicle. The driver seat has sliding and reclining adjustments to get that ideal driving position. While there is no installed audio unit, at least the manually-controlled air-con is cold enough and has power windows. Interestingly, folding the middle seat converts it into a broad center console with functional compartments and cupholders.

Versatile dropside cargo bay for easy loading

Karga 4x4 variant showcasing its off-roading capability

The entire convoy took off from BGC to take the expressway routes to Batangas. For a commercial vehicle, the steering feels easier than expected, complementing the less stiff clutch pedal with an early friction point. Even better, it allows launching in second gear on even standstill and cargo less. There is no question that the mill provides ample power with effortless acceleration when pushed. Despite the lower gear ratio necessitating constant upshifting, at least the stick was easy to operate. The bounces are expected somehow but not as bad with the seats practically positioned on top of the tires. However, the vehicle was surprisingly stable on freeways, even within high-speed limits.

pected. But what the group was waiting for was the more challenging course designed for the 4x4 variants.

Also demonstrated was the versatility of the dropside cargo bay. With all the sides opened, the sizeable and heavy cargo was loaded with ease by sliding it on the cargo bed.

Moreover, there are extra hooks and provisions for ropes and other securing loads. The Karga version was also showcased for its cargo bay’s capacity to load large boxes of goods.

Finally, we are up for the 4x4 variant testing. All three body designs were lined up for us to experience in turns. We did the closed van, double cab, and single cab sequence in our case. The rough and grassy path to navigate has a series of tight curves, slide gradients, and muddy slopes. Onboard, we engaged the transfer case shifter to 4H, and off we went.

For every designed obstacle we passed, the vehicle demonstrated its capability in tackling those challenging terrains.

Going through the downward and muddy slope with a tight turn, we even opted to play around with the clutch pedal alone, yet still,

Rural farm driving experience

Reaching the General’s Farm in Batangas, our instructors designed specific paths for both the K2500’s drivetrain variants. The first exercise was to drive the 4x2 variant and navigate the rough and grassy tracks with some muddy portions. Of course, the vehicle quickly went through those as ex-

Best is yet to come–Alfred Ty

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T is heartwarming to know that Toyota has scored another milestone by recording the highest market share of all time of 46.3 percent in the Asean region. The accolades just won’t stop coming for the world’s No. 1 automaker.

This colossal feat is contained in the speech delivered by Toyota chairman Alfred Ty during the much-applauded February 4 launch of the Toyota Raize, a five-seater SUV with four variants. Here: “To our friends from the media, welcome to this year’s media thanksgiving engagement. We’re glad that you can join us today, whether from your home or from work. I trust that you and your families are in good health.

“Unfortunately, because of the emerging challenges for the gatherings, we had to meet you online once again. Hopefully, we will get together sooner than later.

“The challenges of the past years have pushed us to step up our game in everything we do. And there is no better testament to this than TMP’s partnership with all of you, which I think, has been anchored on mutual respect and trust with each other. This collaboration resulted to Toyota Motor Philippines ending the year with a strong 46.3 percent market share.

“This is a record high sales share and is also the highest in the ASEAN region. Thank you for your support throughout the year.

“In all, I can say 2021 was a year full of many learnings. But I’m sure all of you are most curious about what’s in store for this year. We are witnessing a lot of encouraging signs for an optimistic 2022: (1) Significant and sustainable gains in the fight against the pandemic with the constant ramp up in vaccinations. The start of the year was rough in terms of cases but we are already seeing the drop.

(2) The apparent rise in economic activity brought about by increased mobility. The 3rd and 4th quarter of last year saw very robust growth in the 7 percent range. We expect the momentum to carry forward in 2022.

(3) We can see a greater level of support from the government bodies to restart the economy. Most recent was the willingness to keep January open at level 3 in spite of the record cases. And now we are just starting level 2, just like it was in December.

(4) We are also hopeful for the successful peaceful turnout of the elections. Campaign spending, the honeymoon period of a new administration and sustained infrastructure spending contained in the national budget will sustain consumer and business confidence.

“Our global president, Mr. Akio Toyoda, recently revealed a whole new lineup of electrified vehicles in a press gathering in Japan.

I am very excited for what lies ahead in our

the vehicle quickly managed to climb, except for the single cab dropside where we needed to pump the gas a bit. The higher ground clearance, softer steering, ample engine torque, of course, the 4x4 drive train, and whatnot made it all relatively more manageable for the K2500 4x4 variants to go through all the difficult paths. By the way, did we mention that all variants were fitted with street tires?

On our way back to BGC, we drove the 4x4 double cab dropside variant. Onboard, it was quite a surprise as if we were not driving the same K2500 series. More spacious, particularly the rear passenger area, but what surprised us was the level of quietness inside.

The higher ground clearance also changed the driving dynamics, notably when we reached the ascending and winding roads connecting Batangas and Tagaytay. The perks of having a potent turbodiesel engine, more wheel tractions, good brake bites, and manageable steering made the climb rather engaging.

Soon after, the convoy took the CALAX and SLEX routes. The vehicle was as stable as its 4x2 sibling on the freeway, despite the taller ground clearance.

With the K2500, Kia means business. The off-road driving experience only proved that owning a commercial vehicle equipped with a 4x4 drivetrain, higher ground clearance, a versatile cargo bay will take your business anywhere, everywhere, uninterrupted. So, is it necessary for the business? Of course. Those businesses going through farm-to-market roads and the likes would even strongly agree.

But to those in the more accessible areas, the 4x2 variant would do just fine. quest to achieve our Environmental Challenge of 2050 goals.

“Toyota, as a global brand, is committed to providing a wide range of environmentally sustainable technologies including hybrid electric vehicles or HEVs that we have already launched here and are expanding in choices.

This serves as our practical and realistic entry point to electrification.

“We believe that FUTURE efforts towards carbon neutrality are important but what is even more important are the solutions we can roll-out TODAY—even as the government is in the process of putting together its road map to sustainability. Creating an ever-better future for the next generation depends on what we can do NOW. “As the future unfolds and a new normal begins to take shape, we trust that you, our partners, will continue to journey with us. As media evolves into ‘platforms of content,’ we are keen to work with you to discover innovative ways to keep the public engaged and informed. I have always believed that communication is key to building lasting relations.

“As we welcome the Year of the Tiger, I send our warmest wishes to everyone. May 2022 bring you strength, courage and boldness of spirit to make this year a truly meaningful one.

“Here’s to the lessons of the past and the best that is yet to come, to all the things we enjoy today and for our ever-better future – to good health and prosperity.

“Thank you once again and a happy Chinese new year!”

PEE STOP It was a mere Zoom Raize presentation, yes, but was I glad to see my dear friends again from Toyota Motor Philippines: Vince Socco, Jing Atienza, Shawin ChuaLim, Tini Arevalo, Elvin “The Big E” Luciano and Nadinne Capistrano. Good job! Mabuhay kayo!