BusinessMirror February 24, 2023

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

WHILE he supports the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) “as a free trader,” an economist-lawmaker on Thursday said the agreement could “accelerate the hollowing out of our domestic agriculture and manufacturing sectors” if there is no determined move to make manufacturing more competitive and agriculture more efficient.

Still, House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Joey Sarte Salceda said he believes “the

impacts on our country would be worse by not joining.”

“You lose out if you don’t join the competition. But you join the competition to win,” Salceda said.

“The RCEP’s most significant change is really easier rules-oforigin procedures. Any input from any member country of the RCEP is considered domestic input. As such, even when the inputs are, say, from a mix of China, Vietnam, and Thailand for complex goods, as long as they total to 40 percent of the value of the good, they will qualify for preferential tariffs—97 percent of which ATIGA already reduced to zero,” he

said, referring to the Asean Trade in Goods Agreement.

“It could let more Chinese and Australian complex goods into the country with zero tariffs. The outright tariff reductions are for only a handful of products, but this is the backdoor, so to speak,” he added.

However, Salceda said he is worried because Indochina is already integrating.

“There is a seamless interconnection of economies from as high north as China to down south in Singapore. And we, along with Indonesia, are the only ones to be left out of this interconnectiv -

ity,” he said.

Data from the BSP showed that net hot money inflows reached $292.12 million, a 214.1-percent growth from December 2022 and a 1,900-percent increase from January 2022.

The BSP said net inflows reached $92.95 million in December 2022 while inflows were at $14.6 million in January 2022.

“Majority of investments or 62.8 percent registered were in PSE-listed securities—investments mainly in banks, holding firms, property, food, beverage & tobacco, and electricity, energy, power & water,” the BSP said.

“The remaining went to investments in Peso government securities [or] 37.2 percent and in other instruments [at] less than 1 percent,” it added.

Investments for the month mostly came from the United Kingdom, United States, Singapore, Luxembourg and Hong Kong, with combined share to total at 83.8 percent.

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

THE Philippines is set to export its first batch of durian to China next month under a deal which was signed during the trip of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in Beijing in January. During a meeting with the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) in Malacañang last Tuesday, the Department of Agriculture (DA) informed the President of the shipment schedule.

DA Assistant Secretary Arnel De Mesa said an initial volume of 7,500 metric tons (MT) of durian would be exported to China.

The fruit will be sourced from 59 different farmers or producers covering some 400 hectares of production area.

The DA and China's General Administration of Customs already signed a protocol of phytosanitary requirements for the export of fresh durian.

President Marcos said more locally produced fruits, including coconut and ba -

nanas, are expected to be shipped to China in the coming months.

These after at least four Chinese firms have expressed interest in purchasing $2.09 billion worth of Philippine fruits.

Representatives of the Davao Durian Industry Association, who were present in the PSAC meeting, assured the President they are ready to meet the big demand from China.

The Davao region covers 78 percent of the total durian production in the country.

THE number of employerreported permanently displaced workers last year continued to rise despite the country’s high economic growth in the period, according to latest data from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

In its 2022 Job Displacement Report (JDR), DOLE’s Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) registered 412,753 displaced workers from January to December of 2022. This was higher compared to the 386,819 displacement figure in 2021.

“In that area, they even exchange non-tradeables, such as energy from Laos or Cambodia, where power prices are as low as 2 pesos per kwh. Thailand makes use of cheap Burmese labor. And China and Vietnam, for all their tensions, benefit from being next to each other. So, RCEP will only accelerate the integration of these economies and their valuechains,” he added. Salceda said that the Philippines is a service-driven economy, “so that works.” See “More,”

More displaced workers listed despite high growth in ’22

HOT money inflows surged in January on the back of investments in the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE)-listed as well as government securities, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

rEtUrnIng mIgrantS more than 600 returning OFWs attend a lecture dubbed, “Serbisyo para sa OFW” on thursday, February 23, 2023. the lecture is in collaboration with the Department of migrant Workers, Philippine national Police, Overseas Workers Welfare administration, Public Employment Service Office and United Filipino global. the seminar tackled online scamming and cyber crime, violence against women and children, and human trafficking. NONOY LACZA

Buoyed by robust Jan pipeline, BOI hikes 2023 target to P1.5T

By Andrea E. San Juan

thanked the President for his “hard work” in promoting the Philippines “as a hub for sustainability and innovation-driven manufacturing and services in the region.”

In the first month of 2023 alone, the BOI said it had generated P414 billion worth of investments, or more than 40 percent of its initial P1-trillion investments target for 2023.

In a statement on Thursday, Trade Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual, who also chairs the BOI, attributed the revision of investment approvals target for 2023 to the “robust” pipeline of investment leads, including those secured through the foreign trips of President Ferdinand “Bongbong”

R. Marcos Jr.

“Given the strong investment

approvals for January, as well as the robust pipeline of investment leads—including those generated through Presidential v i sits—I have increased the 2023 Investment Registration target of BOI from P1 trillion to P1.5 trillion,” Pascual said.

The Trade chief thanked BOI for “enthusiastically” welcoming his challenge. He likewise

In a statement issued by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), BOI’s mother agency, on Saturday, Pascual expressed confidence that the 80 percent to 90 percent of the initial P1trillion target of BOI could be achieved even before mid-year.

The Trade chief’s confidence in hitting such a target was backed by around P344-billion “potential investment leads” which he said will still be processed.

“The increase in investments proves that the government’s promotional visits abroad led by no less than the President himself, are working as a grow -

ing number of investors from around the globe, from Southeast Asia, the US, Belgium, China, and most recently Japan, have shown strong interest in putting in more investments into the country,” Pascual said in a statement on Saturday.

Following his announcement on Thursday of the revised P1.5-trillion investment approvals target for 2023, Pascual told reporters in a v i ber message, “We continuously work hard to ensure actual investment application by companies in our robust pipeline of investment leads.”

These investment leads, he said, are in the areas of: Renewable Energy, Data Centers, Electric ve hicle Assembly and Infrastructure, Exportoriented Manufacturing, and Telecommunications,

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Most or 369,465 workers who lost their jobs last year, were retrenched by 9,233 establishments.

The other 43,288 workers displaced in 2022 lost their jobs to the permanent closure of 1,714 firms.

Non-economic reasons, particularly resignation and project completion, were the most cited reason for the labor displacements.

among others.

The Trade chief stressed that the previous presidential visits of Marcos have contributed “significantly” to BOI’s “robust list of investment leads,” which he said includes companies that did not participate directly in activities held during the visit but are also “strongly encouraged by the positive projection of the Philippines as influenced by the visits.”

Meanwhile, with the recent ratification by the Philippine Senate of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) which is believed by Trade officials to provide an “enabling environment,” Pascual said he is confident that the trade deal “can contribute to pushing investors to decide on setting up in the Philippines.”

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Risks ahead

H OW E v E R , f or the coming months, offsetting risk factors include higher prices/ inflation, higher interest rates, higher Fed rate peak/terminal rate amid slower-thanexpected easing in US inflation gauges in the quest to bring down US inflation to the Fed’s target of 2 percent,” Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation Treasury Group Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said.

“[There is also the] risk of recession in the US, the world's largest economy, amid continued Fed rate hikes since March 2022, complicated economic reopening narrative in China, the world's second biggest economy, and geopolitical risks—US-China tensions, continued Russia-Ukraine war, North Korea missile tests, among others,” he added.

Meanwhile, BSP data showed gross inflows at $1 billion represented an 8.1-percent decline from December and was 37.25 percent higher than January 2022. The US received 69.4 percent of total outward remittances.

Year-on-year, registered investments in January 2023 increased by 37.3 percent or by $272 million from the $731 million recorded in January 2022; while gross outflows is slightly lower by 0.7 percent or by $5 million than the outflows recorded for the same period last year, at $717 million.

The BSP said these investments refer to inward foreign investments registered with Authorized Agent Banks (AABs).

These are PSE-listed securities; Pesodenominated government securities; Peso time deposits with banks with minimum tenor of 90 days; other Peso debt instruments; unit investment trust funds; and other instruments such as Exchange Traded Funds and Philippine Depositary Receipts.

The BSP said the registration of inward foreign investments delegated to AABs is optional under the rules on foreign exchange (FX) transactions.

It is required only if the investor or its representative will purchase FX from AABs and/or their subsidiary/affiliate foreign exchange corporations for repatriation of capital and remittance of earnings that accrue on the registered investment. Without such registration, the foreign investor can still repatriate capital and remit earnings on its investment but the FX will have to be sourced outside the banking system.

By sector, construction tallied the most number of displacements at 117,750 and was followed by other service activities with 65,056, and administrative and support service activities with 56,937.

Manufacturing came in fourth place with 56,372. It, however, had the highest increase year-on-year (53.6 percent or +19,673).

This, even after the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported the country’s economy grew by 7.6 percent last year, exceeding the 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent target range of the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC).

The further easing of pandemic restrictions and resumption of normal business operations for more firms last year led to fewer incidents of flexible work arrangements (FWA) and Temporary Closure (TC) incidents.

"Year-on-year comparison shows that all types of FWAs reported a decrease in the number of affected workers with the largest drop from reduction of workdays [-55.4 percent or -264,069], followed by others [-20.4 percent or 93,431] and rotation workers [-73.2 percent or -45,722],” the latest JDR report said.

TC cases also dropped to 148,496 last year from 406,065 in 2023.

The JDR is based on the displacement report regularly submitted by companies to DOLE. Samuel P. Medenilla

PHL...

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“But, it will create an edge for their manufacturing sectors, versus ours. Expect petrochemicals, footwear, paper, textile, and other goods where we have marginal comparative advantages to be under threat from tougher competition,” he said.

According to Salceda, agricultural goods from that area of the world will also be cheaper because they will be able to trade fertilizers, machinery, and other inputs with little trade barriers.

“If we are not serious about this, the only advantage our manufacturing sector will have left is our highly trainable, tech-savvy, and Western-oriented workforce. I expect the Department of Trade and Industry to have a plan to optimize the RCEP and to fight off its risks. What is the plan to use our tax incentives, our non-tax incentives, and other tools to protect and promote manufacturing?” he asked.

“I’ve seen very optimistic projections from our economic managers about RCEP’s impacts—but I have not seen a comprehensive framework on how to actually maximize RCEP and protect manufacturing and agriculture,” Salceda added.

GSP+ renewal S A LCEDA , m eanwhile, said he believes the Philippines will achieve renewal of the Generalized System of Preference Plus (GSP+) trade agreement with the European Union.

The GSP+ allows the Philippines to export goods into the EU at preferential tariffs. The agreement expires this year.

“I think that’s in the bag. We are back in the arms of our traditional allies, without angering China. So, from a geopolitical perspective, I think the EU no longer sees our tone and position as adversarial,” he said.

Asked whether losing the GSP+ privileges will be significant, Salceda said, “more so with the RCEP. We need places where we can export at preferential rates at an advantage compared to our RCEP partners. The GSP+ regime is one of those advantages.”

“So, I think we shouldn’t say it’s okay to lose these privileges. But I do think the economic team should have contingencies for if the GSP+ is not renewed, or at least if it gets renewed late,” he added.

On Tuesday, the Philippine Senate, with a vote of 20-1-1, adopted Resolution 485 concurring in the ratification of the RCEP Agreement, the mega trade deal creating the world’s largest free-trade zone.

THE Board of Investments

(BOI) has adjusted its 2023 Investment registration target from P1 trillion to P1.5 trillion following the “strong” investment approvals recorded in January 2023 alone.

The Nation

AFP, US Navy renew vow for stronger defense partnership

By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM

THE chief of naval operations of the United States Navy and senior officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have pushed for collaboration between the US and the Philippines, including the conduct of joint training and exercises, to ensure security in the Indo-Pacific.

Admiral Michael Gilday cited the need for the two countries to work closely together during his separate meetings with Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Andres Centino and Philippine Navy Flag Officer In Command Vice Admiral Toribio Adaci Jr.

Our alliance with the Philippines is ironclad and indispensable, we have shared values and interests and are both committed to preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Gilday said in a statement released by the US Embassy in Manila. We will continue to build on our strong alliance and strengthen our interoperability and mutual defense posture. We remain focused on enhanced security cooperation, combined training, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations,” he added.

Gilday’s presence in the country from Tuesday and Wednesday this week was part of his regional tour that also included a visit to Australia. It was his first trip to the country as US Navy’s chief of naval operations.

H is visit to the country came shortly after the bilateral dialogues of the Philippine Fleet with the US 7th Fleet and the Philippine Marine Corps with the US Marine Corps Forces Pacific.

T he US Embassy said that Gilday’s visit was focused on US and Philippine maritime domain awareness and naval capabilities and the importance of the US-Philippine alliance to peace and stability in the region.

During his meeting with Centino, Gilday discussed regional security issues and the collaboration between the two militaries, including joint training and exercises.

Both officials also underscored the importance of the additional four locations for American troops and their equipment under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.

During his separate meeting with Adaci, Gilday emphasized the need for collaboration among allies and the importance of providing forces in creating great opportunities to implement joint operations and maritime exercises.

A daci agreed with the US admiral and reassured the Navy’s sustained collaboration with its US counterpart.

DOT working with PNP, other govt agencies to ensure safety of tourists

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

‘

BISITA , be my guest,” is how the Department of Tourism (DOT) is trying to  encourage international foreign nationals, through their Filipino friends and relatives, to visit the Philippines. For a tourist from New Zealand, however, the famed hospitality of Filipinos took a deadly turn. Thirtyfour-year-old Nicholas Peter Stacey was shot dead shortly after midnight on Sunday in Makati City, by still unidentified motorcycle-riding assailants, according to the National Capital Region Police Office. I n a news statement, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia

“condemned in the strongest possible terms” the killing of Stacey, and extended her deepest sympathies to his family. She said she has “discussed the matter with Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr., who has assured the steadfast resolution of this matter.” Frasco stressed the DOT is “actively working” with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and reached out to officials of the New Zealand Embassy in Manila, which could extend its assistance.

Frasco

This dastardly act is not reflective of the millions of peace-loving Filipinos across the country. We shall continue in the efforts to work with relevant government agencies for the continued peace and security of tourists visiting the Philippines,”

said the DOT chief. For his part, Roberto Zozobrado, president of the Tourism Congress of the Philippines, told the BusinessMirror , “I commiserate with and extend my condolences to the victim’s loved ones.  Although I consider this an isolated incident, still, it shouldn’t have happened in a country known for its hospitable and caring people.”

He added, “At our Tourism Coordinating Council meeting [on Monday], the PNP declared and assured us, in front of Secretary  Frasco, that they are now increasing their presence and visibility in tourist areas all over the country.  I guess the PNP will have to step up and speed up the process to ensure the safety of our guests because the ball is now in their hands.”

Pro-divorce solon Alvarez: Let’s allow married couples to correct their ‘error’

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz  @joveemarie

LAWMAKERS on Thursday asked members of the House of Representatives to allow the husband and the wife to correct their “error” by legalizing divorce in the Philippines.

Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon

D. Alvarez appealed to his fellow lawmakers during the first hearing of the House Committee on Population and Family Relations on the proposed legalization of divorce in the Philippines.

“ To be with someone whom we will love and care for, in sickness and in health, till death do us part, is wonderful. Marriage is beautiful. But only for those who get it right. And for those who do get it right, congratulations!” said Alvarez.

A lvarez, however, said reality shows a different picture for most people and many get marriage wrong.

“And, as a mistake, and with the ‘options’ to sever marriage as timeconsuming, adversarial, and very expensive, the effect is to forcibly chain together those who should be allowed to distance and part ways in peace,” he said.

“For this situation, a toxic marriage, like an exploding star pulled back and collapsing unto itself, becomes a blackhole where nothing, not even the light of hope and love, can survive or escape,” said Alvarez.

T he lawmaker said they find out about marital abuse, alcoholism, addiction to harmful drugs, gambling, depression, reckless behavior, and neglect for each other and of the children.

“ This happens, not necessarily because the husband and the wife were inherently bad people. Often, that is not the case. But the situation they are stuck in eventually turns them that way,” he said.

Unfortunately, compatibility is not something easy and best discovered at the start of a relationship. This is why many marriages are mistakes. The spouses initially thought they were compatible, and then they later find out they were not. And there is no realistic and non-adversarial remedy available in our jurisdiction,” Alvarez added.

With this, he said the husband and the wife should be allowed to correct that error.

“And when allowed, studies show that those who are in their subsequent marriage are as happy, if not happier, compared to their previous unions. They have learned the lessons, they know who they are, what they want, and what they can offer, and they apply it to their next relationship,” he said.

A llowing for the dissolution of marriage, through divorce, and including grounds that do not require the husband and the wife to further squabble and wash their dirty laundry in public, so to speak, is the best way forward, said Alvarez.

A lvarez is pushing for the passage of House Bill 4998 or “An Act Instituting Absolute Divorce and Dissolution of Marriage in the Philippines.”

In House Bill 78, Albay Rep. Edcel C. Lagman underscored that there are only two sovereign states in the world where divorce is illegal—the Philippines and the Vatican City.

All countries worldwide have their statutes on absolute divorce in vary-

ing degrees of liberality, including all of the Catholic countries except the Vatican City State which has a population of only about 800 residents, mostly priests and nuns. The Philippines is now the only country, which has not legalized absolute divorce. Considering that divorce is worldwide, there can be no blunder in unanimity for its global legalization,” he said.

Absolute divorce is not for everybody. The overwhelming majority of Filipino married couples have happy and enduring relationships. They do not need a divorce law,” he cited.

L agman said that the bill reinstituting absolute divorce is an apt sequel to the Reproductive Health Act, which he also authored, since in both measures the central figure is the woman.

T he bill reinstates absolute divorce because it was previously practiced by pre-Spanish Filipinos, and also during the American era and Japanese occupation.

Under the proposed law, a divorce petition will undergo a judicial process where proof of the cause for the divorce is established and that the marriage has completely collapsed without any possibility of reconciliation.

T he bill said quickie, notarial, email and other speedy drive-thru divorces are prohibited.

T he Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) Senior Gender and Development Specialist Armando Orcilla expressed support for the passage of the divorce bill.

“ We fully support these bills filed to free married couples from the tedious process of annulment, be it in a form of divorce or dissolution of marriage,” Orcilla said.

EDC chief Tantoco mourns Cessna 340 crash victims

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

THE Energy Development Corporation (EDC) condoled with the bereaved families of the passengers of a Cessna plane that crashed in the town of Camalig, Albay over the weekend.

“ We mourn the passing of our

dear colleagues, pilot Captain Rufino James Crisostomo Jr., Joel Martin, Simon Chipperfield, and Karthi Santhanam…Our heartfelt sympathies go to their families and friends during this difficult time,” said EDC President Richard Tantoco.

T he four were aboard the Cessna 340 plane with tail number RP-

C2080 that was reported missing early Saturday morning shortly after taking off from the Bicol International Airport.

T he local government has now declared that the rescue efforts have now been reclassified as retrieval efforts.

“

It is with the deepest gratitude

(See, DOT sees domestic trips recovering to 122 million in 2023,” in the BusinessMirror , February 21, 2023.)

According to published reports, Stacey was walking along Filmore Street  in Brgy. Palanan with his girlfriend, Pamela Villanoza late Sunday evening, when two riders stopped their motorcycle to rob the latter. Stacey reportedly tried to grab the gun pointed at his girlfriend, but was fatally shot instead during the scuffle. The motorcycle riders were able to flee with Villanoza’s mobile phone and wallet.

In Auckland, Stacey’s family has set up a crowdfunding page to be able to bring his body home. “Nick was a selfless man, who worked hard within the community and his

Northcross Church group, always putting others first,” said the post on the Givealittle page set up by his sister-in-law Shaina Murray. Stacey is survived by his parents Peter and Sandra, siblings Chris Michelle, nephew Brody, girlfriend Pamela, Murray, and friends.

T he DOT has an existing program with the PNP to deploy tourist cops to protect foreign visitors, but most of them are deployed in or near popular tourist destinations. The tourist was killed, however, in a largely residential area in Makati.

L ast year, some 2.65 million foreign tourists visited the country, of which 19,194 were from New Zealand. Prior to the pandemic, in 2019, there were 37,872 travelers from New Zealand.

VIP creation a ‘game changer’ in Philippines’ fight vs future pandemics, says Rep. Villar

THE administrationbacked Virology Institute of the Philippines (VIP) will be the “game changer” in the country’s fight against emerging illnesses and offer better protection to the public in future pandemics, Deputy Speaker and Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar said on Thursday.

“ In the recent coronavirus pandemic, we have seen the worst and heavily challenged our medical sector. This bill is our immediate response to the pandemic to ensure that extensive research is done in viruses affecting humans, plants and animals,” said Villar, one of the authors of the measure in the House.

T he House of Representatives approved on final reading House Bill 6452 in December last year.

O nce enacted into law, Villar said the legislation will “better equip the country with mechanisms and methods in dealing with another possible pandemic that could threaten the lives and livelihood of people.”

V irologists play an important role in advancing a wide range of research when it comes to novel or emerging infectious diseases, in understanding virus biology including possible collaborations with researchers around the world, and developing potential antiviral drugs and vaccines for certain diseases.

V illar said the proposed legislation, once passed into law, will also boost the existing Balik Scientist Program of the govern -

ment, urging Filipino scientists currently working abroad to lend their expertise, experience and extensive skills to the soon to be established agency. “ We hope that our brilliant Filipino scientists, researchers and fellows will return to the country to contribute to the establishment of the VIP and ensure its success,” said Villar, adding that this is among the opportunities awaiting highlyskilled “ balik scientists.”

Villar also said she will ensure that competitive compensation and incentives will be given to balik scientist participants who will work in the VIP.

P resident Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. listed the proposed VIP in his administration’s legislative priorities.

T he Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) has already moved to allot a 5-hectare land at the National Government Administrative Center in New Clark City, Tarlac province to house the future site of the proposed VIP, even while the bill is still pending in Congress.

B CDA had said the proposed VIP’s facilities will include an administration building, lecture hall, good manufacturing product building, human and animal virology laboratory, plant virology laboratory, animal isolation, Biosafety Level 3 and 4 laboratory building, plant cultivation area, dormitory, power station, and a sewage treatment plant.

Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

that we thank the tireless efforts of all the rescuers from branches of government, civilian volunteers, and EDC Emergency Response Teams from across the country,” added Tantoco.

C hipperfield and Santhanam are both Australian citizens and technical consultants of EDC.

BI prevents two human trafficking victims from leaving Naia in separate interceptions

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

THE Bureau of Immigration

(BI) announced on Thursday it has intercepted two Filipino women at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on suspicion that they were victims of human trafficking.  Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the two women

were supposed to leave the country on February 4 and 5 but were prevented after they reportedly presented “dubious” travel documents.

T heir names, however, were withheld due to a provision in the antitrafficking law prohibiting public disclosure of names of human trafficking victims.

BI’s travel control and enforcement unit said the first victim was prevented

from leaving on February 4 for Saudi Arabia via an Emirates flight.

T he woman gave conflicting details about her age that prompted the immigration officers to subject her to secondary inspection.

T he second victim was intercepted on February 5 while attempting to leave for Singapore via Philippine Airlines. She was found to be in possession

of a “spurious” overseas employment certificate (OEC).

During interrogation, she confessed that she was hired by a fixer who processed her documents in exchange for P85,000 to work as a household service worker.

T he two women have been referred to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for assistance in filing cases against their recruiters.

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

UK vows full support to DOE’s offshore wind project targets

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

THE United Kingdom (UK) government has committed to fully support the development of offshore wind (OSW) projects in the Philippines.

I n its recent learning visit in the UK, a Philippine delegation led by the Department of Energy (DOE) met with relevant UK regulators and industry stakeholders for knowledge sharing of best practices, regulatory framework, and

industry development.

Technical discussions on significant stages in an offshore wind project lifecycle were covered, including Consenting, Contract for Difference (CfD), Marine Spatial Planning & Leasing, Permitting & Licensing, Grid Development, Offshore Transmission Owner (OFTO), Financing & Bankability and Industry & Supply Chain  Development.

T he UK companies also gathered for a roundtable discussion on the lessons learned and experience in support of the Philippine govern-

ment’s goal to successfully develop a competitive OSW industry from concept to implementation.

T he Philippine delegation is consisted of DOE, Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), National Transmission Corporation (TransCo), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA), Bureau of Customs (BOC), Board of Investments (BOI), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and

National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

The various agencies agreed on action items to enable the country to reach its full potential in offshore wind energy,” said DOE Undersecretary Rowena Guevara.

W hile recognizing the importance of collaboration among sector regulators and industry practitioners, Guevara emphasized that an offshore wind inter-agency committee in the Philippines is needed to facilitate OSW development in the country.

Under the National Renewable Energy Program 2020-2040, the Philippines set a target of 35 percent share of renewable energy (RE) in the generation mix by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040.

To date, the DOE has awarded 55 offshore wind service contracts with an aggregate capacity of 40.68 gigawatts, or almost twice the dependable generation capacity in the country and is currently in the process of amending the policies and guidelines for the OSW development.

Greening project at UMRBPL to ensure water supply for 500,000 households–DENR chief

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

OVER 500,000 households will benefit from a massive reforestation activity to be jointly implemented by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Prime Infra-led WawaJVCo Inc. (WJI) at the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape (UMRBPL), DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-

Loyzaga said. This particular endeavor will actually ensure that we will be supplying over 500,000 households in the East soon, and we’re very grateful that some of our work in terms of keeping our forest whole in generating blue forest will be part of the work of this group as well,” Loyzaga said in a statement.

T he country’s chief steward of the environment and natural resources has committed to the reforestation

of a 1,800-hectare area in the UPMRBPL during the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Prime Infra-led WawaJVCo Inc.

(WJI) Chairman Enrique K. Razon

Jr.,  February 20, in Makati City.

T he partnership aims to integrate water security, watershed protection, and forest carbon and biodiversity management in the area.

UMRBPL is a 26,126-hectare basin that was declared a protected area in 2018.  It straddles territories belonging to the city of Antipolo, and the municipalities of Baras, Rodriguez, San Mateo, and Tanay, all in Rizal province.

T he basin plays a vital role in regulating the flow of water toward the highly urbanized National Capital Region and provides ecosystem services such as protection from floods and landslides.

U nder the MOU, both parties will conduct joint site assessments, surveys, mapping, and planning activities in line with the mandate of the DENR, and Prime Infra’s Environmental, Social, and Governance framework that integrates sustainability thinking in resource management and decarbonization strategies.

T he DENR, in its mission to integrate strategies for science-based,

risk-informed, ethical, and equitable stewardship of the country’s environment, has agreed to design, develop, and establish afforestation, reforestation, and revegetation programs within UMRBPL based on internationally accepted voluntary carbon standards.

WJI, in turn, supports this by handling activities based on sciencebased interventions that complement the National Climate Change Action Plan and the Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan of the national government.

T he partnership also affirms the commitment of DENR and WJI to exert only the best practices in stakeholder consultations with the involvement of the local community and indigenous peoples.

“ This MOU for environmental stewardship between government and the private sector reflects the commitment of both parties to develop and implement science-based strategies in support of sustainable development,” said Razon Jr. WJI is the developer and operator of the Wawa Bulk Water Supply Project in Rizal province designed to deliver reliable water supply of at least 518 million liters per day to Manila Water and the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System.

Folk medical practice helps researchers find new drugs

By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief

DAVAO CITY—Traditional, or folk medical practices, including their array of herbs and concoctions, have contributed vastly to the discovery of new drugs, including the current interest on a plant with vast anticancer potential, an international biotechnology service center said.

“Historical data shows that plant-based traditional medicines have helped modern researchers find leads for new drug discovery,” the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications(ISAAA) said in its recent weekly issue of the Biotech Update online publication released this week.

T his was the case of the recent interest of an international collaboration of researchers on the plant called skullcap (Scutellaria barbata), which has been the common plant used in Chinese traditional medicine to treat indications similar to cancer symptoms.

In a February 15 writeup of Biotech Update, it said skullcap’s microevolutionary history was the key to the dedicated research on the anti-cancer potential of the plant, and “led to sequencing of skullcap plant’s genome.”

“It helped identify how the plant produces a compound called scutebarbatine A that is known to act against a range of cancer cells,” the research said.

Skullcap was more commonly known in China as banzhilian, it added. “It is used for the treatment of different medical conditions in traditional Chinese medicine [TCM].” “ TCM practitioners would boil the plant for two hours and dry the extract to produce a powder that has its isolated medicinal chemistry. The powder is given to patients to be taken as a decoction,” it said.

T he Biotech Update story said “previous clinical work showed that preparations based on the skullcap plant during chemotherapy could reduce the risk of metastatic tumors in patients.”

T he story said the international collaboration of researchers were fielded by the John Innes Centre and Chinese Academy of Scientists with support from The Royal Society. They were able to piece together the plant’s genome sequence. They found that the primary metabolite has activity against cancer cells but not with cancer cells. This is vital for anti-cancer metabolites in drugs,” it said.

T he researchers said that the discovery could help develop a sustainable and quicker method to synthesize larger quantities of the anti-cancer compound using yeast, it added.

T he Biotech Update story said the anti-cancer drugs obtained from TCM “have higher efficacy and less toxic side effects than chemical synthetic drugs.”

Ukraine urges all nations to support UN resolution to bring war to an end

By Edith M. Lederer The Associated Press

vote, including more than a dozen ministers.

Guterres called Russia’s invasion “an affront to our collective conscience” that violates the— Charter and challenges “the cornerstone principles and values of our multilateral system.”

The UN’s position is “unequivocal” in supporting the Charter’s principles, he said. “We are committed to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine, within its internationally recognized borders.”

Over the past year, the—chief said, the suffering, devastation and human rights and humanitarian consequences of Russia’s invasion have grown—and “it is also becoming more evident just how much worse it could all still become.”

Dmytro Kuleba told an emergency special session of the— General Assembly that despite Moscow’s “empty calls” for negotiations, “Russia still wants to destroy Ukraine as a nation.”

He said the resolution, to be put to a vote Thursday in the 193-member world body, “will contribute to our joint efforts to bring the war to an end as well as protect the fundamental principles of international law and the—Charter.”

Calling this “a decisive moment to show support, unity and solidarity,” he recalled standing in the assembly urging its member nations to prevent war days before Russia’s February 24, 2022 invasion.

Against all odds, he said, Ukraine exercised its right to self-defense enshrined in the—Charter and has been able “to stop the much stronger aggressor and kick him out of half of the newly occupied territory.”

Kuleba said he had a message for countries that want to be friends with both sides and want

an end to the war “with whatever result”: In this war there are not two sides, “there is an aggressor and a victim.”

“Never in recent history has the line between good and evil been so clear,” he said. “One country merely wants to live. The other wants to kill and destroy. There is no other country in the world that wants peace as much as Ukraine does.”

If countries don’t want to take Ukraine’s side, Kuleba urged them to take the side of the—Charter, international law and five General Assembly resolutions adopted since the invasion and stand up for the preservation of every country’s territorial integrity.

“Is there anyone in this room who is ready to give away one square meter of its territory to a blood-thirsty neighbor?” he asked, surveying diplomats in the vast assembly chamber.

Assembly President Csaba Korosi and—Secretary-General Antonio Guterres opened the emergency special session, and almost 80 countries will speak before the

“The possible consequences of a spiraling conflict are a clear and present danger,” Guterres warned, pointing to the irresponsible military activity at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant at Zaporizhzhia, implicit threats to use nuclear weapons, and increasing regional instability and global tensions and divisions.

“It is high time to step back from the brink,” the secretary-general said. “Complacency will only deepen the crisis, while further eroding our shared principles proclaimed in the Charter.”

The General Assembly has become the most important—body dealing with Ukraine because the Security Council, which is charged with maintaining international peace and security, is paralyzed as a result of Russia’s veto power. While the assembly’s five previous resolutions on Ukraine are not legally binding— as council resolutions are—they are important as a reflection of world opinion.

Russia and China show off ties amid maneuvering over Ukraine

By The Associated Press

There are no vetoes in the assembly, so the resolution is certain to be approved Thursday, but the big question is how many “yes” votes it will get. An October 12 resolution condemning Russia’s “attempted illegal annexation” of four Ukrainian regions and demanding its immediate reversal got the highest vote of the five resolutions—143-5 with 35 abstentions.

Russia’s close ally Belarus proposed a series of amendments that will be voted on first.

They would delete language referring to the “full-scale invasion of Ukraine,” “aggression by the Russian Federation,” and the demand that Russia immediately withdraw all its military forces from Ukrainian territory. They would also call for the start of peace negotiations, urge countries “to refrain from sending weapons to the zone of conflict,” and call on—member states to address the root causes of the conflict “including legitimate security concerns of member states.”

Russia’s—Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia claimed that Ukraine spent “all of its military potential” in the first weeks after “the active stage of the Ukraine crisis began” and said a year later, it is the collective West including the US, Nato and the European Union that is providing Kyiv with weapons, ammunition and intelligence information.

“It’s becoming very clear that the Ukrainian crisis will only become a catalyst for the visceral Russophobia to come to the surface,” he said. “It has now contaminated the American and European elites” who are competing against each other to impose sanctions when in fact the sanctions are hitting the developing world hardest.

BIDEN SHORES UP WESTERN ALLIES AS PUTIN DIGS IN ON UKRAINE

By Aamer Madhani & Zeke Miller

The Associated Press

WARSAW, Poland—President Joe

Biden closed out his wartime visit to Europe on Wednesday, working to shore up partnerships with allies on NATO’s perilous eastern flank—even as Russia’s Vladimir Putin was drawing closer to China for help as his invasion of Ukraine neared the one-year mark.

Biden’s meeting with leaders of the Bucharest Nine nations in Warsaw came at the conclusion of a whirlwind, four-day visit to Ukraine and Poland meant to reassure

allies that US support in fending off Russia isn’t at risk of waning.

In dramatic counterpoint, Putin on Wednesday played host in Moscow to Wang Yi, the Chinese Communist Party’s most senior foreign policy official, as US intelligence warned that Beijing is considering supplying arms and ammunition to the worn-down Russian military.

The flexing of alliances was a fresh indication that both sides are digging in for prolonged conflict in Ukraine with the fighting expected to intensify with the arrival of spring.

Biden’s trip had provided yet another

moment of telling counterprogramming on Tuesday when he delivered a ringing speech on Western unity in Warsaw, a day after he swept into Kyiv unannounced for a visit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. As Biden spoke in Poland, Putin announced that Russia was suspending its participation in the last remaining US-Russia nuclear arms control treaty.

Biden called that departure “a big mistake.” The exit is expected to have an immediate impact on US awareness of Russian nuclear activities. However, the pact—known as New START—was already on life support following Moscow’s cancellation late last year of talks that had been intended to salvage an agreement that each side has accused the other of violating.

Biden met Wednesday with leaders of the Bucharest Nine, the nations in the easternmost parts of the NATO alliance that came together in response to Putin’s 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. They include Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.

“You’re the frontlines of our collective defense,” Biden told them. “And you know, better than anyone, what’s at stake in this conflict. Not just for Ukraine, but for the freedom of democracies throughout Europe and around the world.”

These countries have worried that Putin could move to take military action against them next if he’s successful in Ukraine. Biden responded to that anxiety by pledging that NATO’s mutual defense pact is “sacred” and that “we will defend literally every inch of NATO.”

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who attended the meeting, pointed to past Russian actions in Georgia and Ukraine and said, “We cannot allow Russia to continue to chip away at European security. We must break the cycle of Russian aggression.”

It was unclear how the US and its allies aimed to do that, other than by continuing

RUSSIA and China showcased their deepening ties Wednesday in meetings others are watching for signs that Beijing might offer the Kremlin stronger support for its war in Ukraine.

The visit by Wang Yi, the Chinese Communist Party’s most senior foreign policy official, to Moscow comes as the conflict in Ukraine continues to upend the global diplomatic order.

Relations between Russia and the West are at their lowest point since the Cold War, and ties between China and the US are also under serious strain. Moscow suspended its participation in the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty with Washington this week. And the US expressed concern that China could provide arms and ammunition to Russia.

Speaking at the start of talks with Wang, Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed ties between the two countries and added that the Kremlin expects Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit Russia.

The Russian leader, whose own rule over Russia is imperiled by the war, noted escalating international tensions, adding that “in this context, cooperation between the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation on the global arena is particularly important for stabilizing the international situation.”

While Wang said “Chinese-Russian relations aren’t directed against any third countries and certainly can’t be subject to pressure from any third countries,” the specter of the war and how it has galvanized the West and deepened its divide with Russia hung over his meeting with Putin.

For instance, Wang emphasized that Moscow and Beijing both support “multipolarity and democratization of international relations”—a reference to their shared goal of countering the perceived US dominance in global affairs.

Earlier Wednesday, Wang held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. “Our ties have continued to develop dynamically, and despite high turbulence in the global arena, we have shown the readiness to speak in defense of each other’s interests,” Lavrov said.

Wang responded in kind, underlining Beijing’s focus on deepening ties with Russia—a relationship it has said has “no limits.”

China has pointedly refused to criticize the invasion of Ukraine while echoing Moscow’s claim that the US and Nato were to blame for provoking the Kremlin. The government in Beijing also has blasted the sanctions imposed on Russia after it invaded Ukraine.

Russia, in turn, has staunchly supported China amid tensions with the US over Taiwan.

The two nations have held military drills showcasing their defense ties. China, Russia and South Africa are holding naval drills in the Indian Ocean this week.

A Russian frigate, the Admiral Gorshkov, arrived in Cape Town in recent days sporting the letters Z and V on its sides, letters that mark Russian weapons on the front lines in Ukraine and are used as a patriotic symbol in Russia.

The rapprochement has worried the West. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said any Chinese involvement in the Kremlin’s war effort would be a “serious problem.”

Asked Wednesday whether Nato has any indication that China might provide arms or other support to Russia’s war, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also told The Associated Press in Warsaw, Poland:

“We have seen some signs that they may be planning for that and of course Nato allies, the United States, have been warning against it because this is something that should not happen. China should not support Russia’s illegal war.”

Stoltenberg said potential Chinese assistance would amount to providing “(direct) support to a blatant violation of international law, and of course (as) a member of the U.N. Security Council China should not in any way support violation of the U.N. charter, or international law.”

Government-backed scholars in China shrugged off Washington’s warnings over Beijing’s relationship with Moscow as a reflection of what they described as a polarizing and distorted US view.

to arm Ukraine’s military with the Western and aging Soviet arms that have allowed it retake about half of the territory it lost in the opening days of the war.

Biden returned to Washington late Wednesday night.

After the Russian military’s battlefield shortcomings were revealed at the start of the conflict, Putin, too, has been seeking rearmament, drawing on Iran and North Korea for assistance—and potentially China.

Administration officials don’t yet have an indication that China has decided to move forward on sending Moscow weaponry, but Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this week it would be a “serious problem” should Beijing follow through.

Throughout the conflict, China has cautiously weighed the pros and cons of directly aiding Russia. But a year into the war, Beijing now seems increasingly concerned that Russia—one of its closest allies—is teetering toward something that could approximate a loss in Ukraine.

The US and its allies have threatened secondary sanctions on countries that support the Russian war effort. But there was no consensus this week on potentially steeper sanctions for China, which could have global economic implications, should it decide to rearm Putin’s forces.

One European official described the intelligence regarding Chinese consideration of supplying Russia with weapons as “unambiguous.” Western officials do not know whether the possibility is currently being studied only by China’s military or some other single branch of the government, or by the Chinese government as a whole, the official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the West’s intelligence on the matter.

The Global Times quoted Zhang Hong, associate research fellow at the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, as saying the US and its allies have looked at the Russia-Ukraine conflict through “colored glasses.”

“It seems like anyone who talks with Russia will be seen as siding with Moscow in Russia-Ukraine conflict,” the English-language Chinese newspaper quoted Zhang as saying.

Wang’s talks with Lavrov followed his meeting Tuesday with Nikolai Patrushev, the powerful secretary of Russia’s National Security Council, who called for closer cooperation with Beijing to counter what he described as Western efforts to maintain dominance by thwarting an alliance between China and Russia.

While China recently has emphasized its close ties with Moscow, it also has to tread carefully to avoid an escalation of tensions with the West as it looks to stimulate its economy following the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Isolation from the West is not something (Beijing) wants to risk,” Yu Jie, senior research fellow for China in the Asia-Pacific program at Chatham House, a British think tank, said in comments published Wednesday. “President Xi and his colleagues have begun to realize that cooperation with Russia comes with substantial limits to avoid undermining China’s own political priorities and longer-term economic interests.”

Wang’s trip to Moscow took place against a backdrop of grinding battles in Ukraine, with neither side appearing to gain momentum. Ukraine’s presidential office said at least seven civilians were killed between Tuesday and Wednesday mornings.

During a speech at a patriotic concert, Putin on Wednesday hailed Russia’s “heroic” troops and claimed Moscow’s forces were fighting for the country’s “historic frontiers” to protect its “interests, people, culture, language and territory.”

“When we stand together, we have no equals,” he shouted to enthusiastic crowds at a Moscow sports arena.

The growing relationship between China and Russia is another example of how the war could spread into perilous new terrain.

Another was Putin’s announcement Tuesday that Russia would suspend its participation in the New START Treaty, raising new concerns about the fate of the arms pact, which was already on life support.

Last fall, Moscow decided to allow the resumption of US inspections of its nuclear sites but refused to hold a scheduled round of consultations under the pact.

The lower house of Russia’s parliament on Wednesday quickly endorsed Putin’s move to suspend the treaty, with officials and lawmakers casting it as an 11th-hour warning to Washington.

Reflecting Beijing’s cautious stance, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said the treaty was key to peace and stability and that China hopes “the two sides will properly resolve their differences.”

Monika Scislowska in Warsaw, Poland, contributed to this report

UNITED NATIONS—Ukraine’s foreign minister on Wednesday urged the world’s nations as the anniversary of Russia’s invasion nears to prove they stand for the United Nations Charter and vote in favor of a—resolution calling for a peace that ensures his war-ravaged country’s “sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity.”

The World

China halts some classes amid school Covid cluster, flu’s return

ANUMBER of schools across China halted classes earlier this week to stem the spread of Covid and other pathogens ranging from flu to the norovirus, as the country begins to see a comeback of other illnesses after pandemic restrictions were eased.

Ten second-graders in the same classroom tested positive for Covid on rapid antigen tests last weekend in eastern e-commerce hub Hangzhou, prompting local education authorities to suspend their class for four days starting Monday. The students were likely infected for the first time, officials said.

Shanghai suspended in-person teaching in an elementary school

class after four students were diagnosed with the flu and others developed similar symptoms. Flu cases—and subsequent class suspensions—were also reported in other schools across Zhejiang province, Chinese capital Beijing and nearby city Tianjin. The fresh surges parallel what was seen globally after countries eased Covid social distancing rules which kept other illnesses largely at bay. The “twindemic,” as the tandem waves of Covid and influenza has been termed, stands to get worse in China which saw years of some of the world’s strictest measures, followed by one of its fastest pivots back to normal life.

China’s unexpected rush to dismantle nearly all pandemic restrictions in early December unleashed the world’s biggest

Covid outbreak, with nearly 90 percent of the country’s 1.4 billion population infected in less than two months. While the reopen -

ing wave appears to have ebbed, the national CDC still reports around 10,000 Covid cases each day that were confirmed by laboratory tests.

While lockdowns and mass testing have eased as China moves on from its Covid Zero policy, authorities still grant schools the ability to halt inperson teaching—either by individual grade level, or the entire campus—to prevent wider outbreaks caused by Covid and other infectious diseases. It wasn’t unusual for schools to pause classes even before Covid, when flu and other pathogens to which children are particularly susceptible triggered student clusters.

Beijing’s CDC said Wednesday that it’s seeing outbreaks of flu and norovirus this month, mostly at schools and kindergartens. Cases of influenza are also creeping up as pre-pandemic normalcy returns. China’s flu positivity rate jumped to 3.4 percent from 0.7 percent in the week ending Feb. 12, according to CDC data.

The country’s Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention also warned of outbreaks of norovirus, which causes fever, vomiting and diarrhea; hand, foot and mouth disease; and chicken pox, all of which might easily erupt in schools as students mingle indoors. With assistance from Daniela Wei/ Bloomberg

A WORKER in protective gear hands out a Covid rapid antigen test kit to a resident at a testing station in Beijing in 2022. Education authorities are being cautious about illness, even after Covid Zero. BLOOMBERG

Chatbots can make neighbors fight

‘The report of my death was an exaggeration.”—Mark Twain. Manipulation of truth is as old as mankind. False and distorted news material has been a part of media history long before the invention of social media. That’s because sensationalism and fake news sell newspapers.

In the 19th century, rival American newspaper publishers Joseph Pulitzer and William Hearst competed for readership by employing sensationalism. Rumors were reported as though they were facts, a practice that became known at the time as “yellow journalism.”

American readers eventually protested against the lack of journalistic integrity and demanded objective news stories, which created a niche that The New York Times was established to fill at the turn of the 20th century.

Following the rapid advances in information and communication technologies, false information can now be produced easily and in a realistic format. By employing the power of artificial intelligence (AI), the dissemination of false information to a targeted audience can be done at an unparalleled speed and scale.

From the Associated Press: “Half of Americans in a recent survey indicated they believe national news organizations intend to mislead, misinform or persuade the public to adopt a particular point of view through their reporting. The survey, released Wednesday by Gallup and the Knight Foundation, goes beyond others that have shown a low level of trust in the media to the startling point where many believe there is an intent to deceive.”

“That was pretty striking for us,” said Sarah Fioroni, a consultant for Gallup. The findings showed a depth of distrust that go beyond the foundations and processes of journalism, she said. Journalists need to go beyond emphasizing transparency and accuracy to show the impact of their reporting on the public, the study said.

In a research paper published by Cambridge University Press—The role of artificial intelligence in disinformation—authors Noémi Bontridder and Yves Poullet said that AI systems are playing an overarching role in the disinformation phenomenon our world is currently facing.

“AI techniques boost the disinformation phenomenon online in two ways. First, AI techniques are generating new opportunities to create or manipulate texts and image, audio or video content. Second, AI systems developed and deployed by online platforms to enhance their users’ engagement significantly contribute to the effective and rapid dissemination of disinformation online. These latter techniques constitute the main contributing factor of the problem,” the authors said.

ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer) is a chatbot developed by OpenAI and launched in November 2022. It quickly garnered attention for its detailed responses and articulate answers across many domains of knowledge. For example, it can write and debug computer programs, compose music, teleplays, fairy tales, and student essays. It can answer test questions at a level above the average human test-taker; write poetry and song lyrics; emulate a Linux system; simulate an entire chat room; play games like tic-tac-toe; and simulate an ATM.

From an Analytics Insight article written by Pavin Mohmad: “The development of generative AI tools like ChatGPT represents a significant technological advancement. However, as with any new technology, it is critical to consider not only the advantages but also the potential risks and drawbacks. One such risk is ChatGPT disseminates fake news on a large scale. Misinformation can have serious ramifications, ranging from influencing public opinion to undermining trust in institutions. With the ability to quickly and convincingly generate large amounts of text, generative AI tools like ChatGPT can be used to disseminate fake news on a large scale.”

“Another issue to be concerned about is the use of AI tools to create bogus social media accounts or bots that spread misinformation. These accounts could be used to flood social media platforms with fake news, making it more difficult for people to find reliable information sources. AI tools can also be used to create fake news that support or oppose specific candidates or policies in an attempt to sway public opinion. This could have a significant impact on election outcomes and even be used to undermine the democratic process,” Mohmad said.

The proliferation of fake news on social media could have an adverse impact on public discourse, making it more difficult for people to have constructive and informed discussions about important issues. Fake news can also stir up and intensify social conflict, turning neighbor against neighbor. Millions of people are getting their news from social media, which makes the platform a powerful influencer. The consequences of giving social media the power to shape political beliefs and influence people’s behavior are serious with far-reaching implications. It would do well for lawmakers to work together with the research community to find ways to make these platforms as safe from abuse as possible.

Examining the Maharlika Investment Fund

sonny M. angara

Better Days

We recently attended a meeting of the Legislative-executive Development Advisory Council, during which the leaders and members of both the Senate and the house of Representatives brainstorm with representatives of the executive branch on the prioritization of bills for approval. Through the LeDAC, the administration will be able to convey its list of priority bills that are in line with its agenda for the short term and for the succeeding years. It is good that this process is back and executed on a regular basis. This will help the legislature map out its work over the course of the year and ensure that the bills approved will be acted upon positively by the President once it reaches his desk.

A total of 10 bills were identified for approval by June 2 or before Congress adjourns its first regular session. One of these is the proposed Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF), the Philippines’ version of the sovereign wealth fund (SWF) that many industrialized and developing countries have utilized to promote economic development in their respective jurisdictions. At present, the House has approved House Bill 6608 with an overwhelming majority vote

A Maharlika Investment Corporation will be created to manage the MIF, its investments and assets. The Board will be composed of the Secretary of Finance as the chairperson, a chief executive officer, the presidents of LBP and DBP, six regular members representing the contributors to the fund, five independent directors from the private sector, the academe, business sector and investment sector.

of 279-6. In the Senate, there are two counterpart bills being taken up by the Committee on Banks, Financial Institutions and Currencies: SBN 1670 filed by Senator Mark Villar and Senator Raffy Tulfo’s SBN 1814.

As proposed, initial funding for the MIF will be sourced from the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), the declared dividends of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and a portion of the gross gaming

revenues of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. Allowable investments include fixed income instruments, domestic and foreign corporate bonds, joint ventures, mutual and exchange-traded funds, Neda-approved infrastructure projects, and loans and guarantees to investors for public interest. All income earned from the MIF will go to poverty and subsistence subsidies and to social welfare programs and projects, excluding infrastructure projects.

A Maharlika Investment Corporation will be created to manage the MIF, its investments and assets. The Board will be composed of the

Secretary of Finance as the chairperson, a chief executive officer, the presidents of LBP and DBP, six regular members representing the contributors to the fund, five independent directors from the private sector, the academe, business sector and investment sector.

Prior to the conduct of hearings by the Committee on Banks, the economic managers briefed us on the MIF and tried to answer any questions we had about the fund. I have expressed my concerns in the past about the original plan to include the pension funds held by the Social Security System and the Government Service Insurance System insofar as I did not want to expose these funds to any investment that carries with it some degree of risk.

I’m relieved that this was eventually omitted in HB 6608 and in the two Senate bills. In response to queries from the media, I suggested the use of idle assets of the government, either through their outright sale or via joint ventures so that these could be put to good use.

After hearing the presentation of the economic managers, I have to say that the bills, in their present form, need a lot of fine-tuning. One thing that immediately crossed

From economic growth to human development strategy

Lady Lou M. D’Lonsod

eaGLe WatCH

IN the post-colonial era of the 1950s, economic decision-makers adopted a growth-focused development strategy. Most developing countries implement the scheme, as they experience low incomes and poor levels of health and education. The approach focuses on economic growth as the primary goal and industrialization as the key driver to achieve the goal. economic growth refers to the growth rate of income (GDP) per capita. In the definition of GDP, there are key terms that we need to remember: monetary value, final goods and services, manufactured in the country, and within a specific time frame.

“Monetary value” is the market value of the goods and services available. It is the product of the unit price and the number of goods and services bought. Using the market value is essential because different commodities available are measured in various units. Summing them up will take a lot of work. For example, a unit of oil is a liter. A unit of flour is a kilogram. A unit of eggs is a dozen. One cannot add up liter, kilogram, and dozen. However, when the quantities of these goods are multiplied by their corresponding unit prices,

GDP per person has been the key measure of the standard of living and the health indicator of the economy. The expectation of policymakers is for economic expansion to trickle down to other sectors. In the 1970s, countries had expanded; however, it was coupled with unemployment and widespread poverty. In the 1990s, economic growth slowed down and became negative. Growth theories fail to explain the events in the era; hence, some groups of economists advocated for human development and capabilities expansion.

is not part of Philippine GDP.

“Within a specific time frame” means that the monetary value of the finished goods and services recorded in the country’s GDP is of current or new production. GDP is time-bound; that is, the 2022 GDP of the Philippines records only the monetary value of finished goods and services manufactured in the nation in 2022.

one can add the peso values.

“Final goods and services” means that GDP only measures goods and services offered for sale, of which the purpose of buying is for final consumption. Many goods and services created in the economy are categorized as intermediate goods rather than finished goods. Products produced by one company and processed further by another are known as intermediate goods. Take, for example, buko pie, of which some ingredients are flour, condensed milk, buko, and eggs. In the example, the final good is

buko pie, and the intermediate goods are flour, condensed milk, buko, and eggs. To avoid double counting, GDP only records the value of finished goods and services.

“Manufactured in the country” means that the GDP of the Philippines measures only the output produced within the Philippines regardless of who produces it. The output produced by foreign companies in the Philippines is recorded under Philippine GDP. However, the output produced by Filipino workers abroad

Indeed, GDP per person has been the key measure of the standard of living and the health indicator of the economy. The expectation of policymakers is for economic expansion to trickle down to other sectors. In the 1970s, countries had expanded; however, it was coupled with unemployment and widespread poverty. In the 1990s, economic growth slowed down and became negative. Growth theories fail to explain the events in the era; hence, some groups of economists advocated for human development and capabilities expansion.

From the standpoint of human development, income is a tool for attaining human-centered objectives rather than a goal in itself. With assistance from Amartya Sen and the prominent scholars of the basic-needs approach, such as Gustav Ranis, Meghnad Desai, Paul

Stewart, the See “Eagle

Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua Founder

Eagle Watch . . .

late Mahbub ul Haq launched the human-centered development strategy in 1990 under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (Hirai 2017). The capability approach by Sen is the theoretical basis. The human-centered development strategy strongly emphasizes the quality of life people can realistically attain regarding the core concepts of “functionings” and “capabilities”.

“functionings” are the condition of “being and doing” while “capabilities” are the collection of valuable “functionings” to which a person has adequate access. A person’s capability represents her ability to select any functioning configurations— between various lifestyles—that she has a good reason to value (Sen 1980, 1992, 1999, 2004).

The concept of human development focuses on improving human welfare rather than the economy. r a nis, Stewart, and Samman (2006)

Angara . . . continued from A10

my mind was the matter of having a level playing field. The MI f will be allowed to invest in a number of financial instruments and sectors that will in effect compete with the private sector but with the advantage of being exempted from certain taxes. I anticipate that this would eventually lead to some concerns being raised with regard to the issue of fairness.

There is also the issue of safeguarding the fund, which is for most people, including the public, the most important aspect that must be addressed in the discussion of these bills. The proponents of the MIf have said that there will be tight safeguards incorporated into the bills and that transparency and accountability will be ensured in the management of the fund. There are many SW f success stories such as Norway, China and Singapore,

assert that human development has 12 dimensions: basic human development, mental welfare, empowerment, political freedom, social relationships, community welfare, inequalities, work conditions, leisure conditions, political security, economic security, and environmental conditions. The Human Development Index (HDI) is the multidimensional quantitative assessment of human development that incorporates three critical choices of individuals. In 2000, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) incorporated specific goals that would promote human development aside from poverty reduction, with no mention of income per capita. In 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which replaced the MDGs, integrated inclusive growth as one of its tenets (Stewart, r anis, and Samman 2018).

Ms. Lady Lou M. D’Lonsod is a graduate student at the Department of Economics of Ateneo de Manila University and a faculty member of the Department of Economics of Mindanao State UniversityIligan Institute of Technology.

but there are also cautionary tales, foremost of which is that of Malaysia and its 1Malaysia Development Berhad or 1MDB.

President f e rdinand Marcos Jr. has asked us to study the bills carefully and to come up with the best version possible. I expect that the Senate will go through the MI f bills with a fine-toothed comb, with a critical eye and then work on improving it with the goal of making it redound to the public interest in greater fashion. We have to be very careful that in pursuing these aspirations, we will not end up creating something that could work against us in many different ways.

Senator Sonny Angara has been in public service for 18 years—9 years as Representative of the Lone District of Aurora, and 9 as Senator. He has authored, co-authored, and sponsored more than 330 laws. He is currently serving his second term in the Senate.

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

What is worth singing about?

Tito Genova Valiente annoTaTions

The rains have been lulling me to deep sleep for a week now in this wet city. But one morning, I was awakened by a rough squawk from outside. The tall trees with their dense leafage had always been home for tiny birds with tiny, sweet songs. That was not a chirping. That was not even singing. Could it be a huge bird?

I stood up and began to look for my binoculars—a gift from my brother who understood my obsession with birds. I fancy myself as a birdwatcher and he indulges me by flooding a balikbayan box with thick books about birds. Positioned now at the porch of my home, I searched for the cantankerous creature (how we can anthropomorphize nonhumans is instinctive in all of us), unmindful of people who may be observing me as well. My research enterprise bore no fruit. There was no crow, hawk, or eagle—the three possible candidates for my curiosity that day.

I went in. But the voice of that “bird” went on and on. It was getting stronger and with a strange beat defying rhythm as I knew it. Was it saying something?

Anxiety set in: I recalled a post made immediately after the great earthquake shook Syria and Turkiye. The vlogger showed a series of live footage of animals seemingly troubled by what they were sensing a few days before the killer quakes. A dog was baying at night, its cry hollow and deep. Then birds were circling above the roofs of what would be ruined cities days after. This was terrible. But what lifted the images from mere mystification or, worse, conjectures, was the comment made by one reader who said, “ We do not deserve the love of these animals.”

There was an earthquake that came after that morning of birdwatching, or, rather, searching for

Mandatory military training

Dr. Carl E. Balita

Entrepreneurs’ Footprints

There is a growing support for the proposed mandatory military training. A Pulse Asia Survey revealed that 69% of Filipinos favors the rOTC in Senior high School. This is amid reluctance of the Department of National Defense due to the budget requirement that could reach P61.2 billion.

We may need to answer several questions. Is mandatory military training our best option to inculcate patriotism in our young men and women? Can we afford it, given the pressing need to address the infrastructure and resource requirements of education? Is it necessary, given the state of the academic outcomes of our educational system? Should it be mandatory given that some countries imposing it are reconsidering their implementation?

This column has always committed to argue with evidences, and not opinions. While I am a son of a retired PNP Colonel that failed only one subject in my college education at UST, that is rOTC, I neither take value of the experience nor will my being Doctor of Education and of Humanities matter in this article.

Patriotism, redefined

PATr IOTISM is the intended outcome of military training. To Schochet (2001) patriotism is about political allegiance (and, of course, loyalty), commitment, and dedication. In brief, it means love of country. To deny or renounce patriotism or to act contrary to what its proponents deem appropriate is to be disloyal.

Hopton (2021) notes that patriotism, as an emotion, would not even qualify as a reason for obedience

because philosophy traditionally contrasts reason and emotion as opposites. However, despite these reservations, it might be worth remarking that love is an important moral feature of personal life and so it seems odd that love of country receives so little attention in connection with discussions about political obligation.

According to Staub (1997), there are two types of patriotisms—blind patriotism and constructive patriotism. Blind patriotism would accept and show loyalty towards the state without questioning its applications. Alternatively, in modern societies, reasonable people who embrace democracy usually are accepted as constructive patriots. The global patriot is beyond the two concepts. A global patriot is one who seeks the good of all humanity.

Daria Omelchenko (2014), in a paper Patriotic Education and Civic Culture of Youth in Russia: Sociological Perspective published by the Altai State University, opines that the true patriot is described rather through the categories of abstract love and respect, than through active and disinterested participation in the affairs of great and local ‘patria’. She notes that one of the consequences of federalism in russia is that patriotism appears not a patriotism ‘in

the bird with the harsh caution. I did not feel it as I was asleep at 3 in the morning when it happened. But the next tremor jolted the island where I was born. I called up my cousins and advised them to be ready for anything.

Kyo Maclear has this book—Birds Art Life. Each chapter is classified under months of the year. The book, however, begins with December, under which are birds of her concern—Geese, Ducks, a Hawk, and a Pigeon. The chapter, as with the others, is introduced with a line: “On falling in love with birds and discovering other lessons in insignificance.” At some point in the December chapter, Maclear talks of a collection of photographs on her musician friend’s website: “These birds lived in gardens of steel, glass, concrete, and electricity…The birds were doing ordinary bird things— perching, flying, preening, hunting, nest building —but there was no doubt that they were of rather than above the mess and grit and trash of the world.”

Those indeed were not the usual photos of birds we find in documents that extol the beauty and exoticism

the whole’, based on the general civic identity, but a rather specific local patriotism, supposing identification with concrete ethnic group, nationality or a group of people, living in the concrete place.

Intended outcomes of military training

Gr A HLfS (2008) enumerates the most important things that military training inculcates as patriotism, obedience, loyalty to the group, and a willingness to employ violence in the resolution of disputes. As military training dwells upon the history and traditions of one’s nation, it instills pride in those traditions and emphasizes the necessity for upholding them. There is probably nothing more important to a military organization than absolute obedience. In the life-and-death situations which military personnel are often called upon to face, there is no room for questioning or thinking about an order.

In the military, staying alive frequently requires cooperation. Military leaders recognize this and emphasize it. This is the phenomenon known as esprit-de-corps. The highest honors in a military organization, moreover, are most often awarded to those who have subordinated their own interests to that of the group. Underlying everything else, the basic purpose of a military force is combat. In the military one must therefore be prepared for combat. Military personnel also have impressed upon them the idea that if they ever come face to face with an enemy it is a situation of “kill or be killed.”

All of these are important human traits. But are these only learned through military training?

of these beings. In the books of birds that I read in between dark biographies, I see creatures inhabiting promontories and cliffs, meadows and valleys—geographic locations seemingly meant to keep them, save them from the hands of humans. In those sites, they glory in their rarified existence. Or so we attribute such life to them.

The author looking at those photos comments how “the message in the photos wasn’t the usual one about environmental sins or planetary end-times.” According to Maclear, the message was about love. But “it was not the kind of love that knocked you over, left you in a state of craven hunger, and gave you jittery

A few days ago, an old friend, Ligaya, posted a video of numerous birds crowding the branches of a notso-tall coconut tree in their home. The birds had deep, shiny brown plumage and black beak. She was seeking help from friends to identify the birds. I responded immediately: “We call them “Chinese Maya”. They were sold as pets when we were in grade school,” I reminded her. She responded, assured that those indeed were the birds of her own childhood. I wanted to ask her if she remembered how long those tiny birds lived. Did she feel a sense that they were good pets, the kind you grieve when they die? Were they like cats? Or dogs?

Online, I see humans celebrating the birthday of their cats or dogs. But I have not yet seen someone celebrating a special day for their pet birds nor have I witnessed profiles being changed to a votive candle for the passing of a parrot or a parakeet.

otism can be greatly strengthened and embodied in military training. Cultivating the quality of patriotism of contemporary college students is conducive to inspiring their patriotism and helping them to establish a correct political outlook and values. Through routine military practice training activities, students cannot only improve their self-help ability in the face of a disaster but also arouse their enthusiasm in military training, so as to establish their determination to protect their country and enhance the effect of military training in college students’ patriotism education.

However, the study recommends that contemporary college students not only need to receive military training, but also must actively devote themselves to military training ideologically, so as to establish a correct military training concept.

The paper published in the University of Economics and Law, Wuhan, Hubei, China, acknowledges that, at present, due to some obvious defects in the understanding of military training among some college students, a theory of useless military doctrine has emerged. In view of this phenomenon, it is very important that we strengthen the ideological guidance of university students in military training so as to help them establish a correct “military training concept.” Under the background of constructing the Chinese dream, only by establishing the patriotic feelings of contemporary college students and linking their personal future with the destiny of the country can their real value be realized.

The analysis recommends that the contemporary college students should put the knowledge of the army theory into practice based on the establishment of a correct ideological understanding, reinforce the military theoretical knowledge in

bouts of insomnia. It neither idealized nor sought to possess.” for her, it was “a love for the imperfect and struggling. It was a love for the dirty, plain, beautiful, funny places many of us call home.”

Then came the question, which I now borrow for this rumination. What is worth singing about?

Shall the songs of birds be omen for me? What traditions hold us captive to these thoughts?

practice, strengthen the ideological and political education, and cultivate the feelings of patriotism.

Jeffrey robertson (2018) in the article Debating South Korea’s Mandatory Military Service published in The Interpreter of the Lowy Institute notes that the mandatory military service in South Korea historically serves two broad aims: national security and nation building. It can act as an important force multiplier in periods of national emergency, and can equally act as an important social equalizer, reinforcing the individual’s connection to the nation and society. He, however, documented that for many South Koreans, its current form does not fully reflect either of these aims. Debate is claimed to be emotional and muddied by nationalist rhetoric and political ideology.

On one side are those who see mandatory military service as a bulwark. It is seen as essential in the context of North Korean contingencies, ranging from invasion to collapse. Equally, it is seen as essential in the context of the fraught geopolitical situation amid US interests, and those of Japan, China and russia.

Some also see mandatory military service as a bulwark supporting South Korean traditions and society. It encourages social connection, conformity, hierarchy, and a shared sense of national pride. Among those having completed their service, popular sentiment has it that the experience “makes boys into men”—even arguing that it’s essential to understand and survive South Korea’s work and corporate culture.

His study concludes that reforming South Korea’s military service system is a political can of worms with few clear options. Abandoning mandatory military service in favor of an expanded volunteer professional service would serve national security aims, but at the same time, would not serve nation building

Surely, birds die. In fact, each morning, the trees near my home host numerous tiny, tiny birds. Those birds must die one day. But where do they go? Where do these tiny birds go when they die? I do not mean in the spiritual sense of it. I am not talking of bird heaven. No. I am asking, where do they fall? Are they so tiny, the wind and the insects easily feast on them till they are gone? Maybe they easily disintegrate. Maybe, their songs have no meaning at all. Maybe what they are telling us—I am now convinced —is the greater lesson not of singing but what we remember about the singing, the trail of those tiny reverberations in the air, the memories of a fine morning with them there but, most of the time, unseen.

E-mail: titovaliente@yahoo.com

aims. restructuring military service into a non-compulsory, better-paid, reserve service would serve both national security and nation building aims, but would potentially reinforce social and economic inequalities. restructuring mandatory military service into a modern institution to strengthen diversity and push gender equality would serve nation building aims, but would potentially neglect national security aims.

Anvar Khanimkulov r a himkulovich (2021), in his paper on the Development of Military Patriotic Training published in the European Journal Scholar, asserts that it is advisable to pay special attention to introducing military students to the heroes of our time, who are effective in the field of production and creativity, and to be active in this direction. It is necessary to create psychological and pedagogical conditions for adolescents not to put personal interests above the interests of society, to fully understand their human duties to society and the nation, to strive to work for the happiness of the people and the welfare of the country.

We had all these military programs for our young people in the past. There were stories of horror and of triumphs. But mostly, for compliance of the requirements. It may have awakened the heroes in others as much as villains for some.

It amplified who the person really is. In the face of the war we are currently talking about—nuclear and biological, even trade and economic —our proposed military training must prepare our young to fight for us. Level up on their competence in Mobile Legend, Valorant, and other gamified wars and fight scenes. Yes, young fi lipinos will fight until it is game over. For

ERC EXTENDS FIT-ALL SUSPENSION TILL AUG.

THE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has extended the suspension of the Feed-in-Tariff Allowance (FIT-All) collection for another six months until August this year to help bring down rising power rates in the country.

“ The ERC directed the extension of suspension in the collection of the FIT-All for another six months starting March 2023 until August 2023. Amid high cost of electricity, the ERC’s move will bring relief to the consumers in terms of a lower power rate by P0.0364/ kilowatt hour (kWh),” the agency said Thursday.

I n November last year, the ERC  suspended the FIT-All Collection from December 2022 to February 2023.

T he FIT-All is a uniform charge billed to all on-grid electricity consumers, reflected as a separate component in monthly electricity bills, to cover payments to renewable energy developers who are assured of a fixed rate per kWh for electricity generated by their projects over 20 years.

T he current FIT-All rate is at P0.0364 per kWh.

T he Distribution Utilities (DUs), Retail Electricity Suppliers (RES), and National Grid Corporation of the Philippines

(NGCP), are directed to report to the ERC, not later than March 31, 2023, the status of its implementation of the suspension of the collection of FIT-All charge from December 2022 to February 2023 billing period.

T he directive was issued in order for the Commission to ensure their compliance, as the collection agents. The directive is contained in ERC’s Notice of Resolution dated February 22, 2023.

A s of November last year, the FIT-All fund stood at P4,245,136.75. The ERC said the average monthly cost recovery revenue (CRR) collection from January to November 2022 stood at P1,795,344,358.07 while the monthly average disbursements from the FIT-All fund for the same period was at P2,041,946,215.36.

“

The FIT-All fund as of November 7, inclusive of the CRR collections in November 2022, shows a healthy fund balance that can sufficiently cover the FIT-All payment requirements for three month, assuming the same CRR collection,” said the ERC.

T he collections are then placed in the FIT-All fund managed by the National Transmission Corp., which, in turn, pays the accredited RE developers.

Lenie Lectura

Neda eyes PPP to shoulder part of ₧15-T infra program

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

THE National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) is proposing a P15-trillion infrastructure program, parts of which will be bankrolled by Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), as

Neda Director General Arsenio

M. Balisacan said the infrastructure program, to be presented to the interagency Infrastructure Committee (Infracom) this week, covers 3,700 projects. The finalized list will be submitted to the President on March 9.

B alisacan said this cannot all be financed by the government given its limited fiscal space, thanks to a long history of ‘boom and bust’ cycles as well as the Covid-19 pandemic.

“

I think tapping private capital is the way to go partly because the government has no money. We have very limited resources because the policy responses during the pandemic have raised the level of debt,”

Balisacan said.

Unfortunately, the country does not have a long history of sustained economic development; we are not Vietnam, we are not Thailand, we are not even Indonesia. We’ve had a boom-bust cycle of growth. So we really cannot sustain massive infrastructure development,” he explained.

B alisacan also told reporters that the proposed projects are spread across various sectors. They address physical connectivity, soft connectivity, water, energy, logistics, as well as climate change and resiliency projects.

A s of December, Balisacan said, some 210 PPP projects worth P2.335 billion have been awarded and another 98 projects worth P3.044 billion are in the pipeline.

T hese projects, Balisacan said, will be carried out in the medium term and some of these may even spillover to the next administration.

A shorter list will also be drafted for the government’s priority or Infrastructure Flagship Projects (IFPs) under the Build, Better, More Program.

T his will be accompanied by the crafting of the Public Investment Program (PIP) and Three-Year Rolling Infrastructure Program (TRIP) 2024-2026.

A part from the projects, the government intends to craft Implementing Rules and Regulations for the Public Service Act as well as introduce amendments to the Neda Joint Venture Guidelines in light of the recent Build Operate Transfer Law IRR.

RCEP ratification

THE recent ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement, Balisacan said, would benefit from efforts to improve infrastructure nationwide.

T he Neda chief said the RCEP by itself cannot be a gamechanger for the economy. It must be supported by other efforts, including on the infrastructure side, to boost the country’s investment climate.

The question of whether we will gain in the RCEP and the answer is very clear, we will gain. How much we will gain depends on what else we will do,” Balisacan said.

To improve the investment climate in the country, you have to do much more than ratifying a trade agreement. This RCEP is an additional lever but it’s not sufficient to create those quality jobs,” he added.

B alisacan noted that the ratification will also prompt the government to pursue amendments to the BOT Law/PPP Act as part of the Common Legislative Agenda of

the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac)..

T his must also be accompanied by efforts to address learning poverty and improve the education system to keep the country’s labor force competitive.

He said these investments will help the country reap the benefits from RCEP which are long-term.

E arlier, Ateneo de Manila University’s Leonardo A. Lanzona Jr. told the BusinessMirror that RCEP’s impact will take longer to be felt as the country needs to make institutional and technological changes.

H owever, Lanzona said, labor-intensive industries such as agriculture and manufacturing are expected to improve after RCEP if the government can support transition and other reform efforts.

L anzona said while investments in agriculture as well as industries are needed to maximize the benefits from RCEP, having a comprehensive plan to implement needed reforms is a more urgent requirement.

O n the question of which industries will benefit, University of the Philippines School of Economics head of research Renato E. Reside Jr. said the fine print of the RCEP should first be examined more closely.

However, Reside said the trade deal will have guaranteed longterm benefits as it will increase consumer choices. Such could even help lower food inflation in the country, he added.

Senators reviewing MTRCB mandate

THE Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media tackled in a hybrid hearing on Thursday bills to revisit the mandate of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), given fast-changing trends in media and entertainment and concern that content unfit for minors is being freely streamed on some platforms.

T he panel chairman, Sen. Robin Padilla, acknowledging his roots as a “product of the entertainment industry,” said the panel hearing aims to expound on “our goal today to make sure that our guidance is strong and effective for the viewers, especially our youth, from shows and audio-visual media in any mode, form and platform.”

Speaking in Filipino, the presiding chairman, assured: “I repeat, we don’t want censorship. We are not against the free and creative arts; rather, we are on the side of intelligent monitoring against unacceptable media such as content that is immoral, obscene, or promotes beliefs against the law and morality of society and of course, the feature that concerns your servant— damage to the reputation and dignity of our Motherland Philippines,” he added.

Padilla said the panel would try to expound on: first, the expansion of MTRCB’s powers; second, the MTRCB’s mandate to approve, disapprove and delete objectionable parts of the show; third, integration of video and online games and out -

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

door media in the scope of MTRCB; and fourth, the inclusion of online streaming platforms and on-demand streaming services in the jurisdiction of the MTRCB.”

“Our goal today is to make sure that our guidance is strong and effective for the viewers, especially our youth, from shows and audio-visual media in any mode, form and platform,” Padilla said in Filipino.

T he MTRCB was created by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 1986, and tasked to oversee not just television, cinema and optical media.

Since then, the Board functioned as regulatory body, covering not just television, film and optical media for public viewing.

S enator Sherwin Gatchalian noted, however, that the implementing law covering public viewing for Filipinos, as provided in the implementing decree, did not even mention the word “internet” and “online” in the existing decree.

T he lawmaker lamented, partly speaking in Filipino, that MTRCB has been “left behind” in the task of “filtering a proliferation of audio-visual media and content on new platforms and modes of viewing.”

Gatchalian said remedial legislation expanding the regulatory powers of MTRCB is needed to cover “video and online games given the growing 43 million Filipino gamers.”

For her part MTRCB Chairperson

Lala Sotto-Antonio thanked Senators Francis Tolentino, Grace Poe and Gatchalian for filing separate bills that will amend and expand the mandate of the Board.

“ We welcome the move to amend the charter of the MTRCB as it will allow the agency to adequately adapt to changes in technology and the ever-evolving needs of the viewing public and our other stakeholders,” Sotto-Antonio said in her opening statement at the hearing.

A t the same time, the MTRCB chairperson  added: “With regard to video and online gaming, the MTRCB believes in the necessity to regulate video and online games to protect the safety and well-being of the youth.” S enator Poe, meanwhile, said streaming platforms should implement more stringent self-regulation and be monitored to ensure that their content are age-appropriate, especially for young viewers. She also suggested requiring streaming services to secure legislative franchises before they are allowed to operate in the country like cable and broadcast companies.

Poe, herself a former MTRCB chief, said she supports measures that would update and expand the powers of the MTRCB and help the local entertainment industry.

We want to make sure that MTRCB keeps up with the constantly-changing media industry,” Poe said.  B utch Fernandez

working) day throughout the country,” Marcos said in his proclamation.

the principle, the celebration of Edsa People Power Revolution Anniversary may be moved from February 25, 2023 to February 24, 2023 provided that the historical significance of the event is maintained.

“I, by virtue of the powers vested to me by law, do hereby declare Friday 24 February 2023 as a special (non-

T he President directed the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to issue the necessary pay rules for the event. The Edsa People Power Revolution was a series of non-violent demonstrations which ended the dictatorship of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, Sr., who went on exile with his family in the United States.

updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.

48.

GUO, MIAOMIAO Gaming Support Specialist

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fastgrowing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.

49.

HAN, YANG Gaming Support Specialist

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fastgrowing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and

Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to

Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to

30,000 - Php 59,999 55.

MEIYING Gaming Support Specialist Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fastgrowing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.

Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 56.

Description: Being the voice of our players within our fastgrowing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.

Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 57.

RUI Gaming Support Specialist Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fastgrowing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.

Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to

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

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fastgrowing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.

59.

XUE, YONGJIE Gaming Support Specialist

Brief Job Description:

Being the voice of our players within our fastgrowing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.

60.

ZHANG, SHIPING Gaming Support Specialist

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fastgrowing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.

Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to

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

Basic Qualification:

A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to

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

Basic Qualification:

A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to

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

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

Companies

Friday, February 24, 2023

2Go swings to profit in 2022 as logistics demand surges

By VG Cabuag @villygc

The company said it posted a net income of P312 million in 2022. Group revenues reached P19.3 billion, some 25 percent higher than the previous year’s P15.4 billion, as the company benefited from the reopening of the economy and the complete lifting of mobility restrictions.

2Go said its financial performance last year snapped two straight years of losses which reached P1.14 billion in 2021 and P1.84 billion in 2020.

“Our 2022 growth was the result of high demand for our services with the opening up of the economy while

our increased profitability was also driven by the structural changes and financial discipline we have put in place. These changes are fully ingrained in all parts of the business and will benefit us in the long term. We are optimistic about ongoing momentum in 2023,” Frederic C. DyBuncio, 2Go president and CEO, said.

“Additionally, we continued to make bold investments as opportunities arose during the pandemic. Our aim remains to be the best-inclass logistics and transportation provider in the Philippines.”

Shipping revenues last year rose

67 percent, as revenues in its passenger travel business tripled, The company said there was a 48 percent increase in sea freight revenues for the year.

“Improving market conditions aided volume momentum in shipment of goods, while the holiday season boosted passenger numbers.” Logistics and other services revenue grew 30 percent, led by the growth in cold chain services, forwarding, e-commerce fulfillment and its international courier business.

The company’s shipping group

operates inter-island roll-on/roll-off freight and passenger vessels and freighters. The logistics group offers transportation via air, land and sea, warehousing and distribution, cold chain solutions, domestic and international ocean and air forwarding services, customs brokerage, project logistics and express and last mile package and e-commerce delivery.

The distribution group, meanwhile, leverages 2Go’s shipping and logistics services to provide valueadded distribution services to local and international principals and customers.

PXP Energy trims losses in 2022

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

PXP Energy Corp. trimmed its losses to P22 million in 2022 from the previous year’s P32.5 million on higher profit from the operations of its Galoc oil field.

The company reported on Thursday that consolidated net loss attributable to equity holders of the parent company went down to P36.1 million in 2022 from P1.714 billion in 2021 due to one-time impairment and decommissioning charges incurred in 2021.

Consolidated petroleum revenues was higher by 15.4 percent at P74.1 million last year from P64.2 million

Converge builds cable landing station

CONVERGE ICT Solutions

Inc. on Thursday said it has started the construction of the Philippine branch of the Bifrost Cable System, which aims to deliver internet capacity, redundancy, and reliability between the Asia-Pacific region and North America.

“The Philippine branch of the Bifrost Cable System will be landing here in Davao and as such, we’ll be bringing in the capacity and bandwidth of Bifrost to our domestic networks,” said Converge CEO and co-Founder Dennis Anthony Uy.

The 745-square meter, one-storey facility will be the first fully owned and operated cable landing station of Converge in the Philippines. The cable landing station sits on a 8,000sqm lot. Connecting Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines to the West Coast of North America, the Bifrost Cable System will span over 15,000 kilometers and will deliver capacity to “support the booming digital connectivity needs of the Asia-Pacific region and provide a critical, direct link with North America.” Lorenz S. Marasigan

in 2021 amid lower crude oil offtake at 479,955 billion barrels (bbl) following higher average crude price at $94.49 per barrel bbl in 2022 versus $70.46/bbl in 2021 in Service Contract (SC) 14C-1 Galoc.

Consolidated costs and expenses went down to P99.6 million last year from P102.7 million in 2021 due to a slight reduction in general and administrative expenses which reached P59.1 million last year. Petroleum production costs in SC 14C-1 Galoc remained flat at P40.5 million.

On October 11, 2022, the Department of Energy (DOE) granted the declaration of force majeure for SC 75 and SC 72 from April 6, 2022 until such time as the same is lifted

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

THE Mineral Production Shar-

ing Agreement (MPSA) between the government and Ipilan Nickel Corp. (INC) remains in force and is valid until April 10, 2025, according to an official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB).

This allows INC, a subsidiary of diversified conglomerate Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc., to maintain its exclusive right to conduct responsible mining operations in the Municipality of Brooke’s Point in Palawan, covering 2,835 hectares, with 260 hectares already partially declared as a mining area.

Engr. Glen Marcelo C. Noble, Regional Director for MGB-Mimaropa, issued the clarification in a letter dated February 21 to Brooke’s Point Vice Mayor Mary Jean D. Feliciano in response to a resolution by the Sangguniang Bayan of Brooke’s Point.

The resolution sought to investigate the operations of INC following claims that the alleged renewal of its MPSA in 2018 was without the endorsement of the Municipality of Brooke’s Point and that it is operating without

by the agency. Under a force majeure scenario, contractors are excused from performing their obligations under the service contracts.

PXP incurred expenses amounting to $13.78 million following the suspension of exploration activities under SC 75 and SC 72. The amount would be part of the approved recoverable costs, subject to DOE audit. With the suspension having nullified all the work done since late 2020, the DOE said SC 75 and SC 72 would be entitled to an extension of the exploration period corresponding to the number of days that the contractors actually spent in preparation for the activities that were suspended in April last year.

a Certificate Precondition (CP) from the National Commission of Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and a Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) clearance.

Noble said the MPSA did not expire on August 5, 2018 as MPSA No. 017-93-IV was amended on April 10, 2000 to conform to Republic Act (RA) 7942, otherwise known as the Philippine Mining Act of 1995.

To resolve the issue on the effective date of the MPSA, the DENR has issued the order dated December 21, 2021 confirming that the effective date of the same MPSA will be reckoned from the date of the execution of the amended MPSA.

Noble further said INC does not need to secure a CP as this requirement only applies to applications filed after RA 8371, or the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997, was enacted. He cites a letter by the NCIP dated March 31, 2006 stating that INC is no longer covered as it was already awarded an MPSA four years prior August 5, 1993.

INC has concluded the process of securing a CP in preparation for the renewal of its MPSA in 2025.

During a series of community consultations held from June to August last year under the guidance of the NCIP, Ipilan Nickel claimed that “an overwhelming number” of indigenous peoples

“Each of PXP and Forum will continue to coordinate with the government on the resumption of activities in both SC 75 and SC 72. Meanwhile, the Group shall continue to pursue exploration work with respect to its other projects in the Philippines, including SC 40 and SC 74,” PXP said.

PXP holds a 50 percent interest in SC 75 located in Northwest Palawan.

Forum Energy Ltd., in which PXP holds a direct and indirect interest of 79.13 percent, has a 70 percent participating interest in SC 72, also in Northwest Palawan, through its wholly owned subsidiary Forum. PXP, an upstream oil and gas company, has a total economic interest of 54.36 percent in SC 72.

(IPs) voted for the continued operations of the company.

In total, 3,739 IPs from Barangays Aribungos and Calasaguen voted in favor of INC versus only 614 dissenters from Barangay Aribungos. In Barangay Calasaguen, 100 percent of the eligible voters were in favor of responsible mining. This led the IPs from Barangay’s Barong-Barong, Ipilan, Mambalot and Maasin to concede in favor of INC.

There is also no need to secure a PAMB Clearance as the MPSA predates the proposed Final Boundary of the Mt. Mantalingahan Protected Landscape (MMPL). It is protected under the pertinent provision of Presidential Proclamation No. 1815, creating the MMPL while recognizing prior or vested rights.

“We are awaiting the renewal of our Mayor’s Permit as we have already submitted the necessary documents and complied with all laws and regulations,” said Alex Arabis, Resident Mine Manager of INC. INC employs over 1,500 people, wherein 90 percent are residents of Brooke’s Point. The company said IPs are also well-represented as they make up 28 percent of the total workforce. To date, INC has spent close to P53.3 million to fund various projects to improve the quality of life in Brooke’s Point and nearby areas.

B1

DHL Express taps larger Airbus plane

By Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuan

DHL Express, a global logistics service provider, said Thursday it has upgraded to the Airbus A330-300, which has a bigger capacity.

The company said its new aircraft is capable of carrying 55 tons, 31 percent higher than the 42 tons of the A300. It said the upgrade is part of its “continued investment” in its Philippine operations to cater to the demands of the market.

It will use the aircraft for the 12 weekly flights that will serve the Hong Kong-Manila-Cebu-ManilaHong Kong route.

“We continue to invest in our business in the Philippines and we are proud to bring these improvements to the country,” said Nigel Lockett, Country Manager for DHL Express Philippines.

“Our new and larger aircraft is a firm commitment to serving our customers and ensure that we are prepared to support their growth at a global scale and respond to the needs and demands of the market.”

DHL Express did not disclose figures, but he said electronic commerce (e-commerce) remains as the company’s “source of growth.”

“This sector (e-commerce) is actually spurring growth for our business, including the deliveries because these are individuals ordering online,” Roderick Queppet, Head of Commercial at DHL Express Philippines told reporters on the sidelines of the company’s aircraft tour in Pasay City.

Other sectors that are driving the company’s growth are tech, au-

tomotive, and retail, particularly the overseas Filipino workers who tap the services of the company to send items to their relatives.

Apart from upgrading the size of its aircraft, the logistics firm said it aims to operate at an earlier schedule to accommodate more shipments.

In fact, DHL said inbound flights to Manila now arrive 15 hours earlier. Arrivals in Cebu are earlier by nine hours, which means shipments arrive in the morning.

“This greatly benefits international shippers in the Philippines and will support our fast-growing market,” said Queppet.

Promod George, senior director for operations at DHL Express Philippines, said adding more aircraft is “always something to look at” depending on demand, capacity and the routes that DHL flies for.

According to DHL, its aircraft is part of a 15-year-agreement that it has entered into with AHK Air Hong Kong Limited and Cathay Pacific to enable overnight air delivery services and support express services for the Asia Pacific region until 2033.

“We consistently upgrade and enhance our air and ground infrastructure to ensure our customers can get faster international deliveries,” George said.

DHL Express’ logistics services range from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management.

The logistics firm said it has about 380,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories across the globe.

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

FAIRMONT Hotels & Resorts

is considering three seaside destinations as possible locations for a new hotel or resort in the Philippines.

In an email to the BusinessMirror, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts CEO Mark Willis said, “We look forward to expanding our Fairmont Hotels & Resorts footprint in the Philippines. The country is a unique global destination which features incredible nature through its wonderful beach and resort locations, including Boracay, Mactan or Palawan, which would make great locations to consider for introducing a second Fairmont hotel and a first Fairmont resort, should the opportunity arise.”

Acquired in 2016 by France-based AccorHotels, the international luxury hospitality chain manages the 280-room Fairmont Makati, which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary along with its sister properties—the 32-all suite Raffles Makati and 237 Raffles Residences—owned by the Ayala Land Hotels and Resorts Corp., the hospitality arm of Ayala Land Inc.

What makes the Philippines an ideal location for Fairmont Hotels, and Accor, said Willis, is “the beautiful nature…. The Philippines is a wonderful destination filled with natural wonders, from the bustling cities to stunning beaches and mountains, the destination benefits from both leisure and business travelers alike.”

He added the country also attracts a tourist market that Fairmont in

which it is particularly dominates.

“When looking at the strongest markets traveling to Philippines, we notice a strong inflow from regional travelers, for which the Fairmont Hotels & Resorts brand resonates, due to our latest openings in Asia including the Fairmont in Seoul, South Korea and China. The US also appears to be a key market for the country and for which the brand currently resonates the most.”

The famed hospitality of Filipinos also makes the country a welcome addition to Fairmont Hotels’ expanding network. “Indeed, the hospitality and welcoming traits of Filipinos forms an inherent part of the culture. Visitors to this incredible country are welcomed and treated as long-time friends. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts are a place where we turn moments into memories, and this is definitely how I felt during my last visit in the Philippines,” said Willis.

Like most hotels in the country, Fairmont Makati has also regained its stride, post-pandemic, although Willis declined to disclose the property’s current occupancy rate and financial health, pending Accor’s disclosure of its 2022 bottomline to investors.

Despite the widely-reported labor shortage in the local hospitality industry, Willis contends that “the labor market is fairly strong and resilient, therefore the hotel has been able to select potential ambassadors from a pool of qualified and skilled applicants. The hospitality industry in general was able to cope with manning requirements as the hotel industry bounced back after the pandemic.”

‘Ipilan Nickel MPSA valid until 2025’

Ferry operator 2Go Group Inc., a unit of conglomerate SM Investments Corp., said it swung to profit last year as its revenues rose by a quarter.

Metrobank’s net income surges 48% to ₧32.8B

IMPROVEMENTS in its corporate and consumer lending business were among the factors that boosted the net income of Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. (Metrobank) in 2022.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), Metrobank said its net income surged 48 percent to P32.8 billion in 2022.

This was largely due to the better corporate and consumer lending business performance; subdued operating expense growth; and lower provisions on stable asset quality.

“Backed by the strategies we initiated during the pandemic, our solid performance and the recognitions we received in 2022 reflect our efforts to support our clients’ growing needs as the economy reopens,” said Metrobank President Fabian S. Dee.

“With our strong balance sheet and highly capable team of Metrobankers, we stand ready to continue to be the trusted partner of all our stakeholders for the long term,” he added.

Metrobank reported that for the October to December period alone, its earnings rose to P9.3 billion, a 55-percent increase from a year ago.

With this, the Board of Directors approved a total cash dividend of P3 per share for the year. This is composed of a regular P1.6 per share dividend and a special cash dividend of P1.4 per share.

The regular dividend will be paid out on a semi-annual basis at P0.80 per share.

Meanwhile, Metrobank’s net interest income jumped by 14 percent, fueled by higher loan demand and better net interest margin of 3.6 percent.Gross loans expanded by 14 percent year-on-year, supported by a 15- percent growth in corporate and commercial loans as businesses started to build their inventories and resumed their investment spending.

Further, net credit card loans increased by 29 percent, leading the recovery in consumer lending. Total deposits grew by 15 percent from the previous year to P2.2 trillion with low-cost current and savings accounts (CASA) stable at P1.5 trillion.

Meanwhile, the Bank also saw a moderate growth in non-interest income; supported by an 11-percent increase to P23.5 billion in fees and other income.Operating expense growth was controlled at just 3 percent to P61 billion, bringing down the cost-to-income ratio to 54 percent from 59 percent in 2021. This helped drive the 24-percent rise in pre-provision operating profit to P52 billion in 2022.

The Bank’s non-performing loans (NPLs) ratio eased to 1.9 percent from 2.2 percent in 2021 and better than the industry’s 3.3 percent.

Moreover, its NPL cover remained substantial at 172.4 percent, reflecting strong ability to cover any potential risks to portfolio health.

Cai U. Ordinario

‘Wage hikes may only fan inflation’

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario & Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

not because of the availability of more jobs, opening of more jobs or increases in productivity then that will impact heavily on our competitiveness and on the economy. So we have to be very careful about those forces,” he added.

Labor Groups such as the TUCP told BusinessMirror that they want to propose raising the Emergency Cost of Living Allowance (Ecola) given that free rides on the EDSA Carousel Bus have been stopped and food inflation has significantly increased.

cent to 22 percent. How will people survive? Workers are not robots. You have to provide for them so they will have a decent meal that will sustain their health and will sustain their productivity,” TUCP Vice President Luis Corral said.

Balisacan said this is why the government aims to prioritize growing the economy faster to create not just jobs, but quality jobs that will allow Filipinos to increase their incomes.

On the sidelines of the Makati Business Club forum on Thursday, Neda Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said increasing wages because of the availability of more jobs and/or an increase in productivity, however, would not lead to higher inflation.

Labor groups have already called for additional allowances, grants, and a new round of wage hikes due to sticky inflation. Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) are just waiting for the latest inflation data before filing their petitions.

(Full story: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2023/02/23/laborseeks-wage-hikes-anew-amidhigh-inflation/)

“Obviously it [wage hike] will impact inflation because normally, in a quite dynamic economy, wages rise as a result of increases in productivity, in tightening of the labor market and there are not so many jobs that are offered in the market and will push up wages,” Balisacan told reporters.

“But when wages are pushed up

They said the Ecola in the National Capital Region (NCR) is at P570 but the real value of this benefit is only P424. This means, worker’s Ecola should be increased by P130 to at least reach the P500 level.

Given this as well as taking into consideration the recent spikes in inflation, the TUCP said the Ecola should be increased by P270 to as much as P300.

“Imagine, vegetables went up by 30 percent in January [while] electricity inflation went up from 20 per-

Based on data earlier shared by National Statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa, the country’s GDP in current prices reached P22.02 trillion in 2022 from P19.41 trillion in 2021; P17.95 trillion in 2020; and P19.52 trillion in 2019.

In constant prices, which is adjusted for inflation, GDP was at P19.95 trillion from P18.54 trillion in 2021; P17.54 trillion in 2020; and P19.38 trillion in 2019.

However, per capita gross national income in current prices reached P209,012 in 2022. This has exceeded the per capita gross national income

of the country at P200,135 in 2019. Per capita gross national income in constant prices, nonetheless, showed Filipinos only earned P188,939 in 2022. This is lower than the P198,522 per capita gross national income in 2019.“Our approach is to grow the economy quickly, make sure that the growth is accompanied by quality jobs. That’s why we are pushing very hard, working very hard to get investment coming in and to encourage our private sector to invest now because that is what will create high quality jobs,” Balisacan said. On Wednesday, the labor group said another government intervention to provide support for workers amid the rising cost of living is a onetime P5,000 cash aid for 4 million minimum wage earners.

The Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (SENTRO) also echoed TUCP’s call for wage hikes and cash grants, citing the recent decision of the Senate to raise its inflation aid for its employees from P12,000 to P50,000.

DepEd drive vs loan sharks backed

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

THE chairman of the House Committee on Labor and Employment on Thursday backed the Department of Education’s (DepEd) efforts to protect teachers from falling prey to loan sharks by providing them legal and financial advice.

outstanding loans and accrued interest to the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) reached at least P157.4 billion in 2019.

“This plan by DepEd led by Vice President Sara Duterte is a good step to protect our teachers against loan sharks and other abusive types of lending,” Nograles said.

said that he would be volunteering his services “to help our party-leader succeed in her efforts.”

Nograles said that he would engage his colleagues at the legal aid foundation, Lakbay Hustisya, and urge them to offer their services to teachers. Lakbay Hustisya, which the solon founded, provides free legal consultations to indigent inmates.

BSP, DOF JOIN IMF-JICA CONFERENCE IN TOKYO

Bangko

Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Felipe M. Medalla (seated on the front row, second to the right) joined Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno (seated on the front row, third to the right) in representing the Philippines at the conference entitled “Recovery from the Pandemic in Developing Asia: Achieving Inclusive and Sustainable Growth with Sound Fiscal Management.” The conference was conducted by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Japan International Cooperation Agency in Tokyo on February 13 and 14, 2023. Central bank governors and finance ministers from the AsiaPacific region attended the conference. The Philippine delegation included (seated, from right) DOF Chief Economic Counselor Zeno Ronald R. Abenoja and (standing, from left) BSP Senior Assistant Governor Edna C. Villa and DOF Communications Officer Pamela T. Suanco.

Rizal 4th District Rep. Fidel Nograles, the panel chairman, made a statement after Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte recently announced that her department has been coordinating with lawyer groups and other institutions to provide teachers with free consultations on loan contracts they might sign.

According to DepEd, teachers’

Nograles said that Duterte’s move would mean that teachers are armed with enough knowledge before signing any loan contract.

“Due to the current economic challenges, many of our teachers are entering loan contracts in order to support their everyday life, or to pay their other debts. We have to implement steps to ensure that their vulnerability is not taken advantage of by predatory lenders,” he said.

The Harvard-trained lawyer also

Fundraising: A Board Member’s Responsibility

IWAS sorting by topic the publications on association management and governance that I have acquired over the years when I saw this ASAE booklet, “Fundraising without Fear: A Board Member’s Guide to Raising Money” by Karla Taylor. I thought the concise and useful content of this guide is worth sharing to associations.

Why raise funds? As an association’s work and advocacy evolve and expand over time, there is need to raise money for initiatives that membership dues cannot cover, e.g., research, scholarships, visibility campaigns, and other projects to ensure that the association is able to serve better the industry or profession it represents.

Why does fundraising emanate from the Board? Generally

Association World

Octavio Peralta

speaking, when it comes to making the case for an association, no one is more convincing to raise funds than the Board member who is a keeper of the organization’s mission and a role model in giving, and has a vast network of potential donors.

Experience also shows peer-to peer request for money is more likely to be successful and that the management staff can only do preparatory and limited solicitation work.

What are the steps to solici-

tation success? While some asks are as simple as filling out a pledge form, others require longer preparatory time to cultivate leads and to organize face-to-face meetings. A successful solicitation begins even before you ask a prospect for money.

A few tips to consider:

1. U nderstand the case for giving: Explain why the money is important to your association, what will the money fund, and why it is a good deed or good business sense for the donor to support your organization.

2. K now how much you’re asking: Conduct a prospect research to ascertain that your request is not wildly high or disappointingly low, and propose a specific figure or a range of amounts from which the giver can make a decision.

3. L earn the donor’s history of giving: Recognize your prospect’s interests and involvement with your association. For instance, it’s one thing to ask the prospect to underwrite an awards program, it’s another to know that the prospect has attended an awards gala or has volunteered for the awards committee. Remember also that in most cases, people are more comfortable giving to those they know and with whom they have a relationship already.

4. Recognize what the prospect cares about: Know what’s in it for the prospect and link the association’s needs to the prospect’s reason for giving. Pay attention to the clues that the prospect gives you about what they like to support and why.

Last December, the DepEd also issued a memorandum that bans private lenders and loan sharks not connected with the agency from collecting payments at designated payout sites of the one-time service recognition incentive for public school teachers and non-teaching personnel.

Teachers’ debt has been a longstanding issue in the agency.

5. Be on the same page in the script when with a partner: Know your part on the solicitation discussion when partnered with a staff or another Board member just to be sure that both of you know who’s saying what.

If you have questions about the fundraising responsibilities you have, talk to your chairperson and/ or your staff. Keep in mind this acronym to sum up what your association hopes to receive from you: 4Ws for wisdom, work, wealth and wiring (connections).

Octavio Peralta is currently the executive director of the UN Global Compact Network Philippines and founder and volunteer CEO of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives, the “association of associations.” E-mail: bobby@ pcaae.org

AIA: Life insurance in PHL to grow more BOI, HSBC tie up on fora, biz matching

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

AIA Philippines is optimistic that the number of Filipinos with life insurance would continue to grow in the coming years, driven by better economic conditions and a young population.

AIA Philippines officials noted that the Philippines remains as one of, if not the fastest-growing economy in Asia, even surpassing China and the G-8 countries.

AIA Philippines CEO Kelvin Ang said the number of Filipinos insured in the past five years, between 2017 and 2022, grew by 60 percent, outpacing the country’s economic growth.

Ang traced the rising number of insured Filipinos to the Covid-19 pandemic, as they became more aware of the importance of having life insurance, including healthcare protection.

He added that life insurance companies are “doing better than before” because of the “sheer” demand for such products from the growing Filipino population.

“Death is not anymore the issue but falling ill for six months is the big issue because it is quite expensive,” Ang said at the launching of the AIA Insurance Management and Trust Corp. Philippines (AIAIM) on Thursday.

AIAIM Philippines CEO Angie Pacis said a key driver of the country’s economic growth is the demographic dividend coming from its growing number of young workforce.

“We have a young population - it is a big population with a growing middle class that is even becoming stronger. Because of that we will all continue to attract investments notwithstanding some structural problems,” Pacis said.

Given these prospects, AIA officially

launched on Thursday its AIAIM that would oversee the offering of various investment products of the group in the Philippines.

The company said AIAIM Philippines is tasked to “craft investment solutions” for its Philippine clients.

With the launch of AIAIM, the company also rolled out three Unit Investment Trust Funds (UITF) designed to cater to varying investment risk appetite of prospective Filipino clients.

In order to avail of the UITFs, the clients should have an existing or purchase an AIA variable unit linked products.

“These funds were designed to address the various needs and risk appetite of our customers. By creating funds that vary in exposure and investment portfolio, customers have the luxury of choosing what suits their needs, at the level of risk comfortable to them,” AIA Philippines Chief Investment Officer Lee Longa said.

THE Board of Investments (BOI) has recently inked an agreement with the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) to explore areas of collaboration in the form of investment seminars and business-matching activities, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

“The [memorandum of understanding] MOU between BOI and HSBC Philippines will serve as an instrument to facilitate collaboration in terms of investment promotion,” Trade Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual said in a statement on Thursday.

The Trade chief added that this partnership “will also enable the conduct of investment seminars and business matching activities that will be helpful to our local businesses.”

According to the Trade department which is BOI’s mother agency, the MOU, signed by HSBC Philippines President and CEO Sandeep Uppal and BOI Managing Head and Trade Undersecretary Ceferino S. Rodolfo, “endeavors” to forge collaborations in the form of conduct of investment seminars or missions and business matching activities; joint assistance to foster economic and industrial linkages between investors and corporations; and setting up of a special working team, as may be necessary, to undertake the

areas of cooperation.

Pascual noted that through this partnership, the DTI may leverage on the “vast” network and clientele of HSBC, particularly multinational companies seeking to expand in Southeast Asia.

“This will further expand opportunities for the Philippines and will help us gather more investments that will, in turn, generate more stable, high quality, and better-paying jobs for Filipinos,” Pascual noted.

During the courtesy visit, DTI said HSBC Philippines President and CEO Sandeep Uppal highlighted what the bank can do for the Philippines and what value it can bring in the future by working with DTI.

“It has always been HSBC Philippines’s commitment to support the country’s agenda on nation building and economic progress. We are indeed delighted to be in partnership with the DTI and through HSBC’s international network, we hope to bridge the Philippines to growth opportunities across the globe and vice versa,” Uppal said.

Meanwhile, DTI said Pascual expressed optimism that the MOU and the partnership between BOI and HSBC will “further accelerate and intensify” the government’s investment promotion activities and postpandemic economic recovery initiatives.

INCREASING wages to cushion the impact of high prices on workers may only fan inflation, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).

For the love of coffee

TODAY’S HOROSCOPE By

Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS

DAY: O’Shea Jackson Jr., 32; Billy Zane, 57; Helen Shaver, 72; Edward James Olmos, 76.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Draw on experience and map out a plan that helps you gain ground. Don’t waste time on something that isn’t likely to bring the accolades you desire. Do what you do best and give it a unique twist; someone will take note and buy into your vision. Listen to suggestions, but before you incorporate outside input, find out if there is a cost involved. Your numbers are 5, 17, 23, 28, 33, 37, 45.

IAPPRECIATE a good cup of coffee. OK, it’s more of a mug.

In my pre-pandemic travels, I made it a point to buy coffee beans from whichever country I was visiting at that moment. Even in my visits to local tourist destinations, I would sip the local brew and buy the beans if there were any produced in that province. Since the pandemic, I’ve largely stuck to buying local specialty beans to encourage our coffee farmers to keep planting and harvesting this precious commodity.

When I began my coffee journey, I used to brew my beans, ground up in my own grinder, in a regular drip coffee maker. I’d pour in the water in the reservoir, put about two scoops of grounds in the filter basket, then switch it on. Tadah! In a just a few minutes, I’d have a fresh pot of coffee.

I then graduated to the pour-over method, then the French press, but during the pandemic I purchased an espresso machine with an automatic milk frother. And while it takes a while longer to prepare a cup of coffee (I now use a double-wall glass mug), and it’s a bitch to clean, the machine extracts the flavor from the grounds more efficiently, packing a lot of flavor into each serving, and topped with the precious crema, that thin layer of foam that sits on top of the espresso.

While I have used Nespresso machines, largely in hotels and resorts, I have never purchased one, simply because I believed the discarded pods are mucking up the environment. But Patrick Pesengco, managing director of Novateur Coffee Concepts Inc., assures me they have addressed this concern of many environmentalists. Novateur is the exclusive distributor of Nespresso machines and coffee pods in the Philippines.

“So you drop your espresso capsules in our boutiques. And we recycle the aluminum and give them to smelters, and the coffee grounds we give to the coffee farmers. Aluminum is infinitely recyclable,” says Patrick. “My point is, we’re collecting But personally for me, we still need to educate the market. [When you use] a paper cup, even though it’s recyclable, the paper used to make that cup still had

6

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You’ll be eager to act and to bring about change, but first, get your strategy in place and your plans in order. A spontaneous change will lack consistency and fall short of expectations. Avoid disappointment; get organized and prepare to flourish. ★★★

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Emotions will lead to a costly mistake if you act on impulse instead of getting the facts first and figuring out how best to handle a situation. Concentrate on defusing a negative turn of events with a positive and helpful response. ★★★

to go through several processes. We’re doing our part, (which is why) we’re asking you to drop [the capsules] at our boutiques which are our collection points.”

I was able to sit down for a quick chat with Patrick as he launched the Vertuo, a machine which uses Nespresso’s revolutionary “centrifusion” technology. This involves the infusion of water into the coffee grounds packed in a capsule while it is being spun around, supposedly to extract the best flavor possible for each cup. With just a quick touch, Vertuo automatically recognizes different capsules embossed with a bar code, and sets the appropriate brewing parameters in terms of flavors and cup sizes.

We’re particularly excited about [Vertuo],” he says. “The actual device is so intuitive and sleek, and we feel that the range is a step in the right direction in terms of coffee appreciation, especially with the expanded range of roasts and flavors. This will definitely be a welcome addition in homes across the Philippines.”

According to Patrick, Filipinos like their coffee “intense, dark and strong,” and lately they are also trending toward iced coffee.

I asked him if it was possible to supply Philippine coffee to Nespresso for its capsules. He laments that they wanted to, but when he reached out to a friend whose family used to be one of the biggest coffee exporters in the country, Patrick says he was told, “‘Do you know the Barako that we’re selling here in the Philippines? We are already importing the majority from Vietnam, Thailand, or Indonesia.’ First of all, the volume, the quality, the way you source the coffee

ways to create a happy space

BY IDR. KATHERINE ANNE CORREA & IDR. MARKEE MADOLARIA

WE are excited to open our doors to our friends and family to our homes as we continue to open up amid looser pandemic restrictions. Hence, this is the year where we anticipate a more welcoming and happier place—an abode that makes us more than smile!

Here are some interior design tips to usher in positivity and inspire gatherings:

1. ADAPT TO YOUR LIFESTYLE. Don’t be restricted to styles you see on printed publications, online and other platforms. Mix your personality and address your needs that speak to you. For example, if you feel an open storage might add clutter but manifest your character, do so. You

won’t regret it for it connects you to your comfort. Be the maximalist in the ocean of minimalism.

2. STICK WITH THE CLASSICS. The timelessness of design elements is a good investment. Reinvent the vintage structure with a modern twist. Use patterns in modern applications. Imagine using sintered tiles as wall accents in a room, taking into account the proper proportions.

3. CREATE A SPACE THAT MAKES YOU SMILE. Apply personality-driven designs. Add textures to accentuate a wall or a furniture piece. Design decisions that pop out to truly bring happiness.

4. ENCOURAGE SUSTAINABILITY AND STABILITY. Build a space that nurtures comfort in knowing that the materials last long. Most resources nowadays come

beans… in other countries, they do it so efficiently. Here, we do it manually. Not only that, the plots of land of the farmer are small, so there’s no farm that can provide a volume with consistent quality coffee beans.”

Proof of this, anecdotally, is that Starbucks no longer sells its Kape Vinta blend using Philippine beans, also falling victim to the lack of consistent coffee supply. I also noticed that one popular local coffee farm has also been pushing beans from Guatemala, Ethiopia, Colombia, with the tins sitting right beside their bags of local coffee beans and grounds.

Introduced in the Philippines in 2017, Nespresso’s sales have been growing “by double digits,” according to Patrick, citing the pandemic among the reasons they’ve been able to move more machines and capsules, and the Filipinos’ growing consumption of coffee. “Filipinos are among the biggest per capita coffee consumers in the world. It just happens that majority [drink] instant coffee for now,” he says.

So Patrick has high hopes that their sales will continue to be strong this year, with the company undertaking several projects to further sell Nespresso machines and pods. “Aside from providing good quality coffee to Filipinos at home, it’s also supporting the local industry, maybe not through the coffee beans right now, but through the restaurateurs and a lot of other events, artists. So we want to keep doing SEE

“COFFEE,” B5

cheap. Yet there is always a question of “Will this be ready for wear and tear?” One example is the fad application of selfadhesive accent wall claddings. These cost cheaper than using natural ones, but create future problems on adhesions, porosity or even fireproofing.

5. USE SOLAR POWER AND NATURAL VENTILATION. We are blessed to be living in a tropical country where we can experience a good amount of sunlight and airflow. Let’s maximize these by considering proper window usage and placement. The sun’s heat may kick in during summer. Use this as a source of electricity. Solar energy technology is a solid investment because it’s free, local and green.

6. DESIGN IN HARMONY WITH THE NATURAL WORLD. Humanity has evolved

rapidly. Technology has created a heavy carbon footprint. Choose natural materials that will grow along with the timeless beauty of a space. Be conscious in choices and how they were manufactured. We may be enjoying beauty in our space, but we are neglecting our ecosystem. Let’s use indigenous products and consider our cultural grassroots.

■ Katherine Anne G. Correa is a freelance interior designer and an advocate of heritage conservation. She is currently the Program Chairperson of the Interior Design Program of De La Salle-College of St. Benilde. Markee Madolaria is a consultant, designer, and art director. He heads the design team “markthatspace” and shares his expertise as educator of Benilde Interior Design Program.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Reach out and touch someone with your kindness, awareness and helpful demeanor, and you will find common ground and an innovative plan that will encourage success. Celebrate with someone special and share your intentions. Update your image, and compliments will follow. ★★★

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Simplify your plans and take on a challenge that will make a difference to you and your community. What you do to help others will positively impact your profile and help you connect with people who can help you make your vision a reality. ★★★★

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Stretch your mind, awareness and plans to meet your demands, but don’t spend more than you can afford. Maintain balance, and strive to fix rather than replace something that isn’t working for you. Self-improvement and romance are encouraged. ★★

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Wasting time on nonsense will make you angry. Get organized and plan your day to meet your expectations. Take a unique approach to relationships and be willing to meet in the middle on topics that can lead to positive change and better connections. ★★★★★

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Focus on what’s happening in your community. Participate in events that are conducive to connecting with people who share your drive, determination and direction. Don’t take a risk with your health or finances. Romance will enhance a special relationship. ★★★

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Control your emotions to avoid mistakes. A decision someone close to you makes will have you questioning your relationship. Look for a creative or physically challenging project that will motivate you to do as you please, regardless of how others live. ★★★

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Live life your way. Don’t let negative people disrupt your plans or meddle in your affairs. Pay attention to what loved ones need and want, and do your best to help. Honest rhetoric will put things in perspective and encourage more success. ★★★★★

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Avoid unstable or unpredictable individuals. Take pride in what you do and concentrate on your vision, not someone else’s. An unexpected turn of events will make you second-guess your next move. Focus on home, family and what makes you feel secure. ★★

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Be honest, and you’ll sidestep getting involved in something that doesn’t interest you. Attend an event that can offer new beginnings and partnerships with people heading in a similar direction. A past partner will come to mind. Proceed with caution. ★★

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Put your anger to rest and concentrate on improving your life. Added convenience will make it easier to handle change and initiate your next move. Consider an expert opinion but, in the end, do what works best for you.

BIRTHDAY BABY:

You are versatile, proactive and open-minded. You are a visionary and a leader.

‘early shift’ BY SAM KOPERWAS AND JEFF CHEN

The

by Anna Gundlach

Show BusinessMirror

Not Just Bikes: Documenting advocacies

Ta docu; it could be a rant, but thoughtfully logical and articulate. And it works, this Not Just Bikes. to check out Not Just Bikes, perhaps even subscribe to the channel (subscription is of course free). At the outset, let me say how I abhor presentations where the voice of the narrator is relentless but in the case of this channel, the Canadian-born (as it turns out) annotator seamlessly places the images and moving pictures with the sound of the explanation that one is drawn into the discourse.

social inequality, appropriate/outdated technologies, quality of life. These are themes addressed each year by policymakers, politicians (who may also be into drafting of policies), developmental organizations, and concerned citizens. The problem with previous commentaries about these themes is that their positions basically accept the wisdom of building more roads and highways and, ipso facto, siding with the benefits of mobility by cars and other extrasomatic means of transport. Not Just Bikes does not merely comment on the situations brought about by such massive development and the overpowering use of capital; it takes us to those situations.

The narrator, Jason Slaughter, talks of growing up in Ontario, Canada, in what he calls Fake London with no small amount of snark. (He and his young family have relocated to the Netherlands, specifically Amsterdam.) Later on in his professional life, he travels to places, like San Francisco, New York, Japan, Thailand and other destinations. There, he observes how cities—so-called progressive and tony places— are car-dependent. He shows the development of cities through monumental views from above of human settlements almost unseen because more highly visible than life are the criss-crossing elevated highways. These are our flyovers soaring above our human world, without the poetry of flight because we know down there, a different regime operates, one where private vehicles are favored over public transport ferrying far more people from one place to another, where thoroughfares are not for humans but for technologies.

In Not Just Bikes, we finally learn (or re-learn, this depending on the education we get from schools or institutions) how cities grew in service to automobiles and not the other way around. To illustrate this, a disturbing documentary—Slaughter calls it a propaganda—released by General Motors (GM) in the 1950s sums up where all the troubles of US cities came from. It was in the 1950s, when GM exhorted the value of roads and highways while obliquely setting aside the fact that the increase in the number of automobile ownership is the one inducing the creation of those infrastructures. But we know what happens when roads are built: areas are demolished where the roads are going to be; highways kill places because they disappear when these endless bridges pass over them;

Coffee...

Continued from B4 that more.”

The launch of Vertuo was held at Ember at Greenbelt 3, where Chef Patron Josh Boutwood prepared an amazing array of dishes customized for pairing with the rich, full-bodied flavors of Nespresso coffee.

Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach also graced the event to talk about her love of the brand, saying that she has even gifted machines to friends and become a regular face at her local Nespresso boutique. She also makes it a point to have a machine around when working, declaring it an essential kitchen gadget.

“I’ve been a huge fan of Nespresso for a long time, and I’m not shy about it. I’m so pleased to be working with them and I can’t wait for people to try Vertuo for themselves,” she adds.

The Nespresso Vertuo may be purchased from Nespresso boutiques, pop-up stores, or certified machine retailers in Metro Manila and Cebu, or via bit.ly/3ZcaFtn. n

Coco Martin remains in FPJ territory

and the truth about capital valued more than ecology and the good life turns real.

A fascinating episode happens in this episode. It is about the narrator’s decision to walk in a US city, Houston. He happens to be in search of a new piece of luggage and his phone leads him to a store some 800 meters away. From the hotel, he begins to walk, using a sidewalk, with vehicles speeding closely by him. The stoplights are long and the drivers are looking at oncoming traffic and not for pedestrians. And then it happens—the sidewalk vanishes. At that point, I asked myself: Isn’t this true of the Philippines?

I recall walking in Quezon City and finding myself going up and down a hilly road (many do not realize that QC is really on a slope!). At some point of my walk, I found myself on the street. If I had walked straight on, I would have bumped three lampposts. Or worse, be hit by cars, the favored means of moving humans. The point of these walks is that cities are not really developed for people. Jason Slaughter speaks of “motorized mobility”, a concept that is all about cars and not about walking, or biking. He mentions also “stroads”, or streets that are turned into roads. Stroads are expensive and inefficient and they lead you to spots where you are exposed to danger of vehicles guided by traffic signs or lights that are meant for cars rather than humans.

So what happens to us, here in the Philippines?

Given that we have similar problems brought on by the perspective formulated by the GM “propaganda,”

the thought that we are “running out of roads,” what can we do?

Upon seeing episodes of Not Just Bikes, I recalled a young friend and a colleague at the Japanese Studies Programme of the Ateneo de Manila University, when I was teaching there. She is Danielle Guillen. Affix “Dr.” at the beginning of her name, for she received her PhD and M.S. degrees in Policy and Planning Sciences both from the University of Tsukuba in Japan. Her expertise includes transport tourism and she is an advocate of inclusive mobility, not just mobility for a few or the rich.

What do we have, Danielle, in our country?

After the sighs and groans (both expected) from Danielle, she started telling me of efforts from groups that are into policies and are also advocates. She mentioned active transport tourism, which is the promotion of certain areas via walking or walking tours or via cycling.

Do we have advocates? Danielle rattled off names: There is Firefly Brigade, which started two years ago. Then there is Tiklop (referring to Folding Bikes). The Asian Institute of Tourism (AIT), according to her, is leading walking tours in Diliman. These activities are used for audit, which means they are used to check if the place is “walkable” or “cyclable.” Or look for sidewalks? I asked her.

In subsequent presentations, Jason Slaughter talks of Amsterdam and Dutch bikes. More of Not Just Bikes next week. n

after a bloody riot and sets out to be king of the streets of Quiapo again.

What makes FPJ’s Ang Batang Quiapo such a delight to watch is the passion of the program to showcase Quiapo—its color, music and humor. Based on the hit 1980s movie starring Fernando Poe Jr., this new adaptation is a powerful show that peerlessly makes use of its colorful setting and has striking authenticity. The storyline so far is very realistic and the cast, astonishingly genuine. The show has crafted a stunning portrait of persevering life in the slums of Quiapo. And with hip editing and direction, the picture screams of pure entertainment.

Based on the ratings, FPJ’s Ang Batang Quiapo is now one of the highest-rated TV program, if not the highest-rated. It constantly trends on social media and has amassed more than a million views already. Lead star Coco Martin, who is also the showrunner and the director-producer, expressed his gratitude to the viewers for their overwhelming support, saying, “Nakakatuwa kasi na-appreciate nila ’yung pinaghirapan namin. Kasi talagang dugo at pawis ito.”

FPJ’s Ang Batang Quiapo airs on weeknights at 8 pm on Kapamilya Channel, A2Z, TV5, iWantTFC, and Kapamilya Online Live on ABS-CBN Entertainment’s YouTube channel and Facebook page. Viewers who use any digital TV box at home such as the TVplus box only need to rescan their device to be able to watch FPJ’s Batang Quiapo on TV5 and A2Z. The show is also available to viewers in and out of the Philippines on iWantTFC, while viewers outside of the Philippines can watch on The Filipino Channel (TFC) on cable and IPTV.

GMA reimagines history in ‘Mga Lihim ni Urduja’

GET ready for another groundbreaking drama set in pre-colonial and modern worlds via Mga Lihim ni Urduja, which debuts this February 27 on GMA. The series is a reunion project of the well-loved Encantadia Sang’gres: Kylie Padilla as Gem, Gabbi Garcia as Crystal, and Sanya Lopez as Hara Urduja.

It follows the story of Gem, a career-driven rookie cop, and Crystal, a budding entrepreneur and jewelry designer. They are assigned to work in a special law enforcement operation to recover priceless heritage jewelries. The jewels are believed to have been used as magical amulets of the legendary Hara Urduja.

The operation becomes more difficult due to their personal differences: Gem is a bit uptight while Crystal can be too spontaneous. But aside from their clashing personalities, they must also navigate through combat challenges and deadly opponents. Will they succeed amid the presence of bounty hunters who are out to possess Urduja’s jewels?

KYLIE PADILLA JERIC GONZALES SANYA LOPEZ

Meanwhile, the show will also take the viewers inside the Kingdom of Tawalisi located in precolonial Philippines. There lives Hara Urduja, a mystical warrior queen who rules an army of strong, skillful and extraordinary women. She holds a big responsibility to lead her followers and maintain peace in their land. But will

Hara Urduja be able to protect herself from people who want to dethrone her and use her power in vain? How will the lives of Gem, Crystal and Hara Urduja intertwine in this epic-modern adventure?

Completing the star-studded cast are Zoren Legaspi, Jeric Gonzales, Arra San Agustin, Rochelle Pangilinan, Pancho Magno, Winwyn Marquez, Michelle Dee, Kristoffer Martin and Vin

Abrenica. Mga Lihim ni Urduja is made possible under the supervision of GMA SVP for entertainment group Lilybeth G. Rasonable, under the helm of director Jorron Lee Monroy and codirector Dominic Zapata with associate director Ralf Malabunga. It airs weeknights at 8 pm on GMA, and at 9:40 pm on GTV.

JASON SLAUGHTER, the creator of Not Just Bikes, the hugely popular YouTube channel that explores urban planning and city design, among other topics. PHOTO FROM NOTJUSTBIKES

2 top Zuellig Pharma lady execs recognized as industry movers

ZUELLIG Pharma Philippines announced that two of its female top executives have earned recognitions for their outstanding leadership.

Cited as a finalist in the recently concluded Italian Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines (ICCPI) Leadership Awards was Market Managing Director Jannette Jakosalem.

ZP Therapeutics’ Regulatory Affairs Director Carem Arevalo, on the other hand, received the Philippine Association of Pharmacists in the Pharmaceutical Industry (PAPPI)’s Exemplary Award and Fire Up Award.

Jakosalem was nominated under the “Women in Business of the Year” category, which honors outstanding Filipino and Italian business leaders, entrepreneurs, and organizations who continued to promote best practices and global excellence in their respective fields. This affirmed her hard work and contributions to the country’s healthcare industry.

In fact, she became a prominent leader at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, when she supported various public-private partnerships, including the Project Kaagapay of Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation aimed at addressing urgent needs for health frontliners during the crisis.

The market managing director helped secure resources and gather personal protective equipment (PPEs) like surgical face masks, face shields, medical coveralls, gowns, gloves and goggles for doctors, nurses and health-care workers nationwide. Under her leadership, the project collected more than P100 millionworth of PPEs, including procurement of life-saving ventilators for over 20 public hospitals. Backed by the Zuellig Family Foundation, she mobilized funding to build the Philippines General Hospital’s Covid-19 isolation ward.

As a key private sector representative, Jakosalem was also a prime mover and member of Task Force T3 (Test, Trace

and Treat), convened by the Inter-Agency Task Force-National Task Force and the Department of Health, with support from the Asian Development Bank.

As vice chairperson of the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP), she also helped rally the industry in ensuring timely and robust production and delivery of much needed life-saving medicines and vaccines during the pandemic. And as such, PHAP and Zuellig Pharma became an active member of the Ingat Angat Covid-19 movement.

She has taken on the leadership of the diversity, equity, and inclusion or DEI pillar, which espouses women empowerment in the organization. In sustainability, the Cebunative aided in designing the first LEEDcertified warehouse of the group in Sta. Rosa Laguna during her former stint as the chief executive officer of Metro Drug Inc.

“Being one of the finalists of the ‘Women in Business of the Year’ at the ICCPI Awards

Filipino adaptation of Blood Wedding, to be staged at Erehwon Center for the Arts in QC

“BUWAN,” a Filipino adaptation of Blood Wedding (Spanish: Bodas de sangre), a tragedy by Spanish dramatist Federico García Lorca will be staged at the Erehwon Center for the Arts on February 25 and 26, 2023. Shows will be at 2pm, 4pm, 6 pm and 8pm.

Blood Wedding was written in 1932 and was first performed at Teatro Beatriz in Madrid in March 1933, then later that year in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Theatre critics often group Blood Wedding with Garcia Lorca’s Yerma and The House of Bernarda Alba as the "rural trilogy.” The script is based on Lorca's creation of drama and conflict, inspired by a true story of a fatal feud between two families in the Almeria province. The lead characters of Blood Wedding are ordinary women confronting their own passionate natures and rebelling against the constraints of society.

The play is a tragedy about a young woman and two men fighting for her love. The Bride is in love with Leonardo, but their families do not get along, so Leonardo marries another woman. The Bride is also arranged to be married to another man, whom she doesn't love, but will marry to appease her family's wishes. Although Leonardo is married already, he confesses to the Bride that he is still in love with her. At first, she tells him to be silent, but then confesses that she still

2022 is truly an honor. This recognition is a reminder, not only for me but for future leaders to always lead with integrity, respect, empathy, and gratitude towards your peers,” said Jakosalem.

Arevalo received the PAPPI Exemplary Award for her strong commitment, reliability, and consistency in delivering above-and-beyond contributions to achieve one or more of PAPPI’s strategic goals.

She also bagged the Fire Up Award for her exemplary teamwork, dedication, hard work, and burning desire to deliver results.

“Being recognized in the pharmaceutical industry is testament that women can do anything when they’re given a positive environment that allows them to grow and explore their full potential,” said Arevalo, who is one of the board of directors and chair of the Committee on Scientific Meetings, Continuing Education and Training.

“That’s why I’m grateful for Zuellig Pharma for being supportive of women in the workspace,” she added.

Roderick Abad

Guhring, a leader in cutting tool manufacturing, to take part in i-MTAP 2023 back-to-back with PSMEX 2023 at WTC

over 5,000 different types of tools and more than 100,000 different items, we have proven over time that our tools are cost efficient and deliver quality performance.

As a tooling solutions provider, we focus on improving our customer’s machining efficiencies and production output; all while reducing process costs. With a strong presence in the automotive, aerospace, electronics, and general engineering industries, our customers count on us to provide quality tools manufactured to standards of the highest level.

I-MTAP 2023 is International

Machinery Tools & Accessories

Philippines (I-MTAP 2023), a biennial exhibition that will be held from April 26 to 29, 2023, Halls B and C of World Trade Center (WTC) Metro Manila.

The event will be held back-toback with Philippine Subcon and Manufacturers Exhibition 2023 (PSMex 2023) themed “Make it in the Philippines,” an international biennial event that will cater to both local and international audience which covers whole business platform that will be beneficial to suppliers, distributors and end-users. It is an event that will showcase the capability of the Philippine products and services to the world.

i-MTAP 2023 will incorporate the following events, such as: International Industrial Automation and Robotics Philippines (I-AUTOROBOTS Philippines), International Sheet Metal Philippines (I-SM Philippines), International Machine

Tools & Accessories Philippines (I-MT Philippines), International Instrumentations & Metrology Philippines (I-IMET Philippines), International Plastics Philippines (I-Plas Philippines), International Welding Philippines (I-Weld Philippines), International Hardware, Accessories, & Tools Philippines (I-HAT Philippines) Guhring supports i-MTAP by occupying a 36 sq.m. area and will facilitate a free technical seminar on April 27, 2023 at WTC titled “Keeping the Competitive Edge with New Tooling Technologies.”

Originally starting as a twist drill manufacturer in 1898, Guhring has over a century’s worth of expertise in cutting tool manufacturing. Today, Guhring is one of the world’s leading manufacturers serving the metal-cutting industry. Our tools are recognized globally for their quality and is trusted by many even among well-known brands. Producing

Aside from providing precision tools, the company is well known for the quality of support given to customers. It is the only cutting-tool supplier in the country with a dedicated training facility complete with a classroom and a CNC machine. With the Guhring Tool Competence Center, customers can learn new technologies in manufacturing and metal-cutting. The center also serves as a testing facility where customer trials are run exclusively with the goal to achieve the best possible process before implementing it in their production line.

With powerful R&D resources and global presence in the industry, Guhring is at the forefront of technical innovations in cutting tools. In times of fast changing technologies and new materials, Guhring continuously adapts to meet new challenges brought about by an ever-changing market. Within a century, we have evolved from a twist drill manufacturer to a full-service provider in the field of machining.

“Together we build a better future.”

Visit i-MTAP 2023 and see their booth at Booth No. A95-A96 /A99-A100!

For more information about i-MTAP 2023, please contact MAI Events Management Philippines at 8985-3375 or email them at mai_mgt@compass.com.ph.

loves him, too. Despite these revelations, she goes on with her marriage to the other man, but on the night of her wedding reception, she elopes with Leonardo. When their disappearance is revealed, the Mother commands that everybody search for them. In the forest that the Bride and Leonardo have fled into, the play takes a surrealistic turn. The Moon and Death work together to encourage the Bridegroom and Leonardo to kill one another. At the end of the play, the Bride returns to the church hoping the Bridegroom’s Mother will kill her. Is she killed in the end, or does she live but be continuously haunted by the tragedy she has caused?

Filipino translation of the play is by Anthony Dusaban. Journey through the moral complexities of individual actions in #BUWAN. For tickets visit Ticket2Me https:// ticket2me.net/e/36855.

Unilever announces changes to its global structure model for sustainable growth, good in food in SEA

throughout its supply chain regenerate their land and ensure its long-term viability and resilience, while growing ingredients for its products that are in harmony with nature.

Indonesia’s beloved Bango sauce uses key ingredients like black soybean and coconut sugar. In partnership with the University of Gajah Mhada, the company developed a distinct variety of soybeans planted during the dry season, helping supplement income for 2,500 smallholder farmers.

Working with the Balit Palma Institute, Unilever Indonesia helped develop a dwarf variety of coconut trees that would provide better yield, significantly higher income for the community, and ultimately promote safer farming practices for both the land and the farmers.

EARLY in 2022, Unilever announced changes to its global organizational model to make it a simpler, more category-focused business. The new structure is helping Unilever navigate to sustainable growth, faster innovation, and a profitable future with five distinct Business Groups: Beauty and Wellbeing, Personal Care, Home Care, Ice Cream, and Nutrition.

Kristine Go has stepped into her role as the new General Manager of Unilever’s Nutrition business for Southeast Asia. Kristine is a Unilever veteran with a career spanning nearly two decades across multiple markets and with winning brands and campaigns under her belt. Most recently, she was awarded as Chief Marketing Officer of the Year at the Asia Pacific Tambuli Awards 2022.

Unilever Nutrition Southeast Asia business serves the equivalent to almost 1/10th of the world’s population. This presents various opportunities to continue growing the business in the region in the categories of scratch cooking aids, dressings, and functional nutrition, and to use Unilever’s scale for good.

In 2020, Unilever announced an expanded Future Foods ambition with two key objectives: to help people transition towards healthier diets; and to help reduce the environmental impact of the global food chain.

With this, Unilever has committed to:

■ An annual €1 billion global sales target from plant-based meat and dairy alternatives within five to seven years

■ Halve food waste in direct operations from factory to shelf by 2025

■ Double the number of products that deliver positive nutrition by 2025

■ Continue to lower calories, salt and sugar across all products

“What we put on our plate has an impact on our health and the health of the planet, and the livelihood of thousands of farmers so as Unilever Nutrition, we’re on a mission to help everyone eat for good today,” shared Kristine.

Unilever developed Regenerative Agriculture Principles which help farmers

In the Philippines, Sampalok is a key ingredient in Knorr’s portfolio, so its partner landmark farms are among those that have fully and successfully integrated sustainability principles in its operations. To date, the partnership benefits over 800 smallholder Sampalok farmers and their families.

Through programs of regenerative agriculture, highlighting nutrient-focused foods, increasing its plant-based portfolio, combating food waste, and so much more, Unilever is striving for a future where the food system can put food on 10 billion plates while caring for the planet.

On the average, Filipino families prepare 45 dishes a week. In the aftermath of the pandemic, fresh home cooking remains universal and occupies most home meal occasions. Filipinos are viewing health holistically and wellbeing and family bonding have figured highly in their priorities. And the common denominator that brings these altogether is food.

Knorr and Lady’s Choice are among Unilever’s prized food brands in the country, nearly synonymous to Filipino family meal favorites like “sinigang” and “macaroni salad.”

More than being profitable brands that deliver consistent and competitive growth for the company, Unilever’s nutrition brands have made great strides in sustainability and are gearing to accelerate its portfolio transformation aligned with the Future Foods ambition.

Knorr was able to unlock key partnerships with the government and NGOs to deliver social impact. The Knorr Nutri-Sarap Program educates and empowers mothers to prepare nutritious, delicious, and affordable meals for the family, successfully delivering 50% improvement on the malnutrition rates of program participants below five years old and impacting 1.5M individuals in Metro Manila and CALABARZON. The program is recognized globally as a bestin-class purpose initiative, now replicated in multiple Unilever markets, including Indonesia with its Royco Nutrimenu Program.

Flexitarism is a key global food trend with 23 percent of global consumers on a low meat diet. Through Unilever Foods Solutions, plant-based options without compromise on taste and texture are now available in the Philippines and other key markets through The Vegetarian Butcher.

UNILEVER veteran Kristine Go sits as GM of Nutrition Southeast Asia covering nine markets, including Philippines.

Zuellig Pharma Philippines Market Managing Director Jannette Jakosalem

ZUELLIG Pharma Philippines Therapeutics’ Regulatory Affairs Director Carem Arevalo

‘Buwan,’

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Malixi, Go keeping PHL flag afloat in Queen Sirikit Cup

RIANNE MALIXI got her game back and Team Philippines moved into contention for a podium finish in the penultimate round of the 43rd Queen Sirikit Cup at the Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club’s Masters course in Carmona, Cavite, on Thursday.

Malixi had a slow one-birdie, two-bogey card in the opening nine but came out stronger at the back side where he made three birdies and an eagle for a four-under 68—five strokes off India’s Avani Prashanth and solo second in the individual title race.

The Filipina ace who will turn 16 in two weeks roared back with a 15-foot birdie on the 10th, added two more on the 11th and 15th and capped her brilliant final nine with a long 25-foot putt for eagle on the 18th to end the day in contention for the individual title.

“Patience was the key. When two bogeys happened on Nos. 6 and 7, I got a little frustrated,” Malixi said. “But I told myself to calm down and patiently waited for the next birdie to drop. When it did on the 10th, it turned my game around. Positive things came, including that eagle on the last hole.”

Her score, coupled with Lois Kaye Go’s 77, helped the host squad to jump to sixth with 435.

South Korea slowed down with 144 but held on the top spot with 425, followed by India (143-428), Japan (145), Indonesia (137) and New Zealand (143) at third with 433.

Korea leaned on the 71 of Yoo Hyun-jo and 73 of Kim Min-sol.

India’s Prashanth’s 70 and Vidhatri Urs’ 72 counted in the three-to-play, two-to-count competition organized by the Women’s Golf Association of the Philippines.

“We achieved our goal of slicing down Korea’s lead and, as bonus, Rianne [Malixi] has a shot for the individual plum,” said captain Ann Granada, noting that if the young lass from Quezon City wins, she will be the second Filipina to do that after Dottie Ardina in 2011 in India.

Editor: Jun Lomibao • Friday, February 24, 2023

SUDDENLY, BIANCA’S AHEAD–BY 6 SHOTS

BIANCA PAGDANGANAN got back at PK Kongkraphan in emphatic fashion and topped the Thai ace with an eagle-spiked frontside assault then sustained her charge coming back for a 67 and a commanding six-shot lead over YaChun Chang and Pakin Kawinpakorn after 36 holes of the Anvaya Cove Ladies International in Morong, Bataan, on Thursday. An eagle on the par-four No. 1 fueled Pagdanganan’s second round attack and she kept on firing and netting birdies the rest of the way while showing restraint to dominate the field, which succumbed in another wind-blown day when bogeys became the norm rather than the exception.

But as her rivals sputtered and hobbled in blustery conditions, the Filipina ace flourished, gunning down four birdies after a miscue on the par-five No. 2 then rebounding from back-to-back mishaps from No. 12 with birdies on Nos. 15 and 18.

She surged ahead by three with a 33 at the turn and doubled it up at the finish with an eight-under 136 aggregate, including an opening round 69, for a whopping six-stroke bulge over Taiwan’s No. 1 and Kawinpakorn as Kongkraphan failed to recover from a costly double-bogey on No. 4 and limped with a 75 after a near-impeccable 68.

With a 143 total, the eight-year Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour veteran tumbled to fourth in a tie with compatriot Kultida Pramphun, who matched par 72, enabling Kawinpakorn, who fired a 70, and Chang, who carded a 72, to assume the challenger’s role at 142.

Thai Meechai Kusuma faltered with a 75 and slipped to sixth at 143, while Poruangrong Green also shot a 72 to tie compatriots Konsunthea Ornnicha and Jaengkit Chorphaka, who matched 73s for the second straight day, and Taiwanese Yi-Tsen Chou, who fumbled with a 76, at 146.

“I’m pretty satisfied with how I played today. I got my goals—hit the fairways and greens. It’s important to keep the ball in play and I’m pretty sure I got it done for most part,” said Pagdanganan, who got going after her 9-iron approach shot from 142 yards on No. 1 hit the top of the edge and rolled into the cup.

“I thought it’s going to the bunker but it was a good shot and got away with it,” she added.

All looked for a virtual repeat of the gripping first round skirmish when just three strokes separated seven players, including the fancied troika of Kongkraphan, Pagdanganan and Chang, in the $100,000 championship kicking off the 2023

Ladies Philippine Golf Tour and serving as the second leg of the LPGA of Taiwan Tour.

But things changed quickly and the breaks went Pagdanganan’s way, who bounced back strong from every miscue that spoke well of the character of the former SEA Games double gold medalist tracking the long road back to the LPGA.

“I made few errors but I kind of bounced back in the last four holes. It’s really important to stay patient out there with a lot of conditions—the winds and heat. It’s hard to stay in the moment,” stressed Pagdanganan, who moved 18 holes away from marking her first professional event in the country with a victory. But it’s doubly tough for her pursuers to overhaul such a big

BROWNLEE: I’M READY!

ALL eyes will be on freshly-naturalized Justin Brownlee who debuts in Gilas Pilipinas’s blue-and-white in the Philippines-Lebanon game in the sixth and last window of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) World Cup Asian Qualifiers on Friday at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.

Brownlee, who’s championship act at Barangay Ginebra San Miguel makes him a Filipino at heart, said he’s excited to bring his skill set to the FIBA stage.

“I’m pretty excited, it’s my first time but I’m a little bit nervous...butterflies...but I’m ready to go,” Brownlee, a threetime Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) best import, said. Although Gilas head coach Chot Reyes has yet to announce his final 12 at sundown Thursday, Brownlee is expected to be a shoo-in for the 6 p.m. game against the Lebanese.

“We’ll just take a look at how Justin Brownlee plays [in international play],” Reyes said.

Expected to be in the final 12 are June Mar Fajardo, Bobby Ray Parks, Jordan Heading, Dwight Ramos, Calvin Oftana, Thirdy Ravena, Scottie Thompson and Jamie Malonzo.

Gilas is in third place in Group E with a 5-3 win-loss record behind No. 1 Lebanon (7-1) and No. 2 New Zealand (6-2), but the Philippines, as co-host with Japan, are seeded in the 32-nation

World Cup set from August 25 to September 10.

Brownlee said he’s done his homework on Lebanon he described as a tough team—but stressed they’re ready.

“Lebanon is really a traditionally good basketball team, but I’m sure we are more prepared this time than the last time we faced them,” said the 34-year-old 6-foot-5 Brownlee who’s expected to prowl the 3 and 4 positions—his comfort zone.

And just like at Ginebra, the crowd will be key to Gilas’s overall performance. “Fans will come out there with great energy,” he said. “They will make you play harder and it’s a great feeling.” If Reyes has yet to announce his lineup, Lebanon already announced its roster—Amir Saoud, Sergio El Darwich, Hayk Gyokchyan, Gerard Hadidian, Jean Marc Jarrouj, Jad Khalil, Marc Khoueiry, Ali Mansour, Ali Mezher, Naim Rabay, Gabriel Salibi and Karim Zeinoun.

FIBA Asia Cup Most Valuable Player Wael Arakji (16.8 points) and Ali Haidar (13.4 points) are not in the lineup.

Saoud scored 17 points when Lebanon beat Gilas Pilipinas, 85-81, in Beirut last August.

“It’s a good test against Lebanon, which is the number one team in Asia after it finished second in the FIBA Asia Cup against Australia. Australia is not in Asia,” Reyes said. “It’s a different line-up now compared to the last time we faced them. We had Jordan Clarkson and Kai Sotto, but we don’t have them now so it’s a good test.”

Russia issue in sports persists a year after Ukraine invasion

ONE year after the invasion of Ukraine began, Russia’s reintegration into the world of sports threatens to create the biggest rift in the Olympic movement since the Cold War.

Russia remains excluded from many international sporting events, but that could soon change. Next year’s Paris Olympics are fast approaching and qualifying events are under way.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is working to bring athletes from Russia and ally Belarus back into competition, but not everyone agrees.

If Russian athletes are to return to competition, the sports world must resolve two key issues that became clear in the days after the invasion: How can Russian athletes return without alienating Ukrainians? And what can be done about the Russians who

support the war?

As the first battles raged, the Ukrainian fencing team refused to compete against Russia at a tournament in Egypt, holding up a sign reading: “Stop Russia! Stop the war!

Save Ukraine! Save Europe!”

A year later, one of the biggest obstacles to a Russian return to sports is Ukraine’s insistence it could boycott rather than risk handing its enemy a propaganda success or further traumatizing Ukrainian athletes affected by the war. Other European countries have also spoken of boycotting the Olympics if Russians are allowed to participate.

The last major Olympic boycotts came four decades ago when the United States and more than 60 allies skipped the 1980 Moscow Games. The Soviet Union and its allies retaliated by boycotting the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

The actions of specific athletes are a separate issue. Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak taped a “Z” symbol to his chest, mimicking a marking used on the country’s military vehicles, while standing on the podium next to the Ukrainian winner at an event in Qatar last March. He was banned for a year.

The IOC now says it will not support the return of any Russian athlete who has “acted against the peace mission of the IOC by actively supporting the war in Ukraine,” but hasn’t defined what that means in practice.

Sports organizations took swift action last year in response to the Russian invasion. A day after tanks rolled into Ukraine, Russia was stripped of the right to host the Champions League final in men’s soccer and the Russian Grand Prix in Formula One.

After four days, the IOC recommended excluding Russian and Belarusian athletes

from events “to protect the integrity of global sports competitions and for the safety of all the participants.” The Russian men’s national soccer team was in the World Cup playoffs at the time, hoping to qualify for last year’s tournament in Qatar, but Poland refused to play them. Russia was then excluded from the competition—four years after hosting the 2018 tournament and reaching the quarterfinals.

As the Paris Olympics come into view, the IOC has shifted its emphasis to what it says is its duty to avoid discriminating against anyone based on nationality, and to create a path for Russians and Belarusians to compete as neutral athletes without national symbols. Safety concerns might be avoided, the IOC says, if Russia and Belarus were to compete in events in Asia, including Olympic qualifiers at the Asian Games in China.

lead in the last 18 holes.

“I had so many unlucky shots, and the winds are very strong,” rued Kongkraphan, who birdied the first hole and had braced herself for a protracted shootout with the top Filipina player until she fumbled with that double bogey on a couple of missed chip shots to the elevated green.

Marvi Monsalve shared the spotlight by scoring a hole-inone on the 161-yard No. 16 using a Srixon Forged 7-iron and Srixon ball #1. But she holed out with a disappointing wet

B7

World Aquatics suspends PSI, orders elections

WORLD Aquatics (WA) has suspended the Philippine Swimming Inc. (PSI) and ordered the conduct of elections for the national federation’s board of directors through the Philippine Olympic Committee.

The suspension was prompted by a PSI letter to swimming’s world governing stating that it still has the recognition of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), the government agency that funds sports programs.

“While the World Aquatics Bureau noted that PSI denied all allegations, it considers the allegations against PSI to be proven and very serious,” WA stated in a memorandum dated February 22, signed by its executive director Brent Nowicki and sent to the PSI, POC and the Asian Swimming Federation.

“World Aquatics has tried to resolve the many issues with PSI, but PSI and in particular, certain members of its Executive [the President and Members of the Board of Trustees] have ever since vigorously resisted to any assistance and help for the necessary reforms, showing no interest and no willingness to act in accordance with World Aquatics Constitution nor with the principles enshrined in such Constitution.”

The WA added: “Worse, by letter dated 4 February 2023, the Secretary General of PSI requested, by using wrong and misleading arguments, the intervention of the Philippine Sports Commission, a Philippine governmental body, into the affairs of PSI.”

Following the suspension, the WA sought the POC in forming an Electoral Committee with the mandate “to take all steps necessary to conduct and hold new elections.”

The WA sand the Electoral Committee’s functions include the call for or invitation to submit nominations; preparation of electoral guidelines, to ensure that voting by secret ballot is possible, vetting of possible candidates including eligibility tests, convocation of electoral assembly and running of the assembly and taking all actions necessary for fair and democratic elections without undue influence.

“In accordance with the World Aquatics Constitution, the members of the Electoral Committee shall be confirmed by the World Aquatics Bureau, based upon recommendation from the Philippine NOC,” WA furthered in the letter.

WA’s suspension order bars the PSI from exercising any of its membership rights during the period of suspension, including the right to attend and participate in the international The suspension, WA indicated, will be lifted once the

Cebu CC wrests Seniors lead, Canlubang 2 strokes behind

PLAYING under the radar, so to speak, Cebu Country Club on Thursday pooled a second round 140 points built around the four-over-par 76 worth 50 points of Jufil Sato to take the overall lead in the Philippine Airlines Interclub Seniors championship at the Club Filipino de Cebu in Danao City.

Former pro Carl Almario marked his seniors debut with 49 points, and Cebu CC, playing in the lower Founders Division, counted the 41 of Kyu Ok On for a 290 total, now two points ahead of Canlubang, which remained on top of the centerpiece Championship division race after amassing 133 despite calling on skipper Tony Olives to play.

Zaldy Villa fired 48 points, Rene Unson accounted for 44 and Abe Avena contributed 41 as the defending champion Sugar Barons played well enough to keep its repeat bid alive even after Tommy Manotoc went home hours before the first round on Wednesday because of a family emergency.

Luisita thus gained ground on Cangolf after shooting a 137 for 283, with Ronnie Littaua shooting 47 and old reliable Rodel Mangulabnan 46 that went with Benjie Sumulong’s 44. Third round action will still be at Club Filipino, an unpredictable up-and-down course with sleek greens where Cebu CC will now be grouped with players from Canlubang, Luisita and Manila Southwoods—1, 2 and 3 in the premier race.

“We didn’t play really well today,” Luisita non-playing captain Jeric Hechanova said. “With Tommy (Manotoc) out

for Canlubang, it’s now a very wide-open race. Four teams now have a chance with Cebu CC joining the fight.” Southwoods also threw its hat in the ring after a daybest 139 in the Championship flight even with spearhead Jun Jun Plana sitting it out for the second straight day.

“Plana playing the last two rounds certainly gives Southwoods two solid teams,” Hechanova went on.

Theody Pascual, Joseph Tambunting and Thirdy Escaño are the others suiting up for the Carmona-based squad in the final 36 holes.

Riviera Golf, meanwhile, zoomed to second in the Founders division after a 126 led by the 50 points of Kyung Young-kho for 267, one point ahead of Orchard, which tallied 127 built around the 45 points of Luis Sajorda.

The annual event, considered the country’s unofficial national team championship, was shelved for two years due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the 74th staging of the event is supported by platinum sponsors ABS-CBN Global, Asian Journal, Airbus and NUSTAR Resort and Casino.

Gold sponsors include Radio Mindanao Network, Mastercard, Primax, University of Mindanao Broadcasting Network, PLDT/Smart and Konsulta MD.

Joining the event as silver sponsors are Philippine National Bank, Biocostech and VISA. Minor sponsors are Bollore Logistics, Tanduay Brands International, and Asia Brewery while donors are Department of Tourism, Ogawa, Newport World Resorts, Rolls Royce and Boeing.

BIANCA PAGDANGANAN cards an amazing 67 for a commanding six-shot lead in the second round. ROY DOMINGO

JUSTIN BROWNLEE gets his first acid test on the FIBA stage.

FORMER pro Carl Almario marks his seniors debut with 49 points for Cebu Country Club.

NEW MITSUBISHI XPANDER CROSS UNVEILED

AFTER the successful launch of the updated Xpander last year, Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) finally unveiled the much-anticipated sporty version Cross. This particular version of the modern seven-seater MPV has the design elements of a crossover with SUV capabilities. According to MMPC, this latest iteration of the brand’s best-selling model redefines the MPV segment through a more advanced and progressive look while combining luxury and comfort seen in premium vehicles.

“With the New Xpander Cross, customers can comfortably and confidently go out and experience the scenic places of the Philippines.

Hence our tagline: “Cross the Current.” Where your family can expand horizons in comfort and style. It is as if you are crossing into a new world filled with memorable experiences,” said Takeshi Hara, MMPC president, and CEO.

Beefier look

FOR the most part, the fresh look derived from the standard Xpander, like the front end, embracing a more horizontal structure, the prominent new black metallic radiator grille, and the latest signature Tshape headlight with a restyled

LED daytime running lights (DRL) and turn signal, among others, but with varying designs exclusive to the Crossover version.

Unique to the New Xpander Cross is the different and beefier-looking front bumper design, optional two-toned color, and of course, the dark plastic body claddings providing the rugged look, front guard bar motif rails, and roof rails. Since this version is a crossover SUV, the ground clearance is 225mm. The rear end also highlights the adoption of a homogeneous T-shape taillight unto the reshaped bumper and refreshed tailgate garnish and glass. The wheels are now bigger at 17 inches with a different multi-spoke design unique to the Cross version complementing the more significant side garnish over the dark cladding. MMPC claims that the New Xpander Cross was developed to exude a more “active” and “outdoorsy” image to make the vehicle perfect for individuals and families who prefer performance and functionality in one aggressively styled package.

All of Mitsubishi’s premium elements

SIMILAR to the standard version, the New Xpander Cross projects

a “Horizontal Axis” dashboard. The design smoothly integrates all the interior elements at the front. Across the dashboard runs the soft padded materials with actual stitches in a new navy-blue shade. Highlighted in the middle is the seven-inch Smartphone-link Display Audio (SDA-3) system - a touchscreen infotainment system

that supports hands-free functions and is compatible with both Apple CarPlay and Google Android Auto. That familiar-looking fourspoke leather-wrapped steering wheel is reminiscent of the Montero Sport: Mitsubishi’s premium Mid-Size SUV. It also tilts and is telescopically adjustable with a better grip. Moreover, the steering wheel return control is faster, providing better maneuverability at low speeds. The new eightinch LCD digital meter cluster is now highly visible to display multiple essential driving information. The center console has all the controls clustered and within reach. There is an intuitive digital AC system with a “max cool” button for rapid in-cabin cooling. All seats are wrapped with innovative leather in navy blue softtouch padding with stitching. Interestingly, it suppresses any increase in surface temperature with its heat guard technology.  The front console has been

converted into a larger open tray with a 12V outlet and USB port. The leather-wrapped armrest has a compartment at the back and can fit four 600 ml-sized bottles in the main space. In the second row are two rear USB ports (Type A and C USB terminals). There are even front-row and luggage under trays, multi-function seat-back pockets,

and third-row power outlets for additional storage and convenience.  Seats are set up to accommodate seven adults or more cargo space when rear benches are folded down. Mitsubishi claims that the interior has been reimagined with comfort and convenience in mind.

Drivability and safety

UNDER the hood is the same 1.5-liter MIVEC DOHC 16-valve generating 104 hp and 141 N-m of maximum torque mated with a four-speed Automatic Transmission. The rear suspension system has adopted the same components as the Mitsubishi Montero Sport. The enlarged rear shock absorber would provide more comfort and stability even on rough roads.  There are advanced safety features such as Active Stability Control (ASC), Hill Start Assist (HAS), and Traction Control (TCL). Other features are Electronic Parking Brake (EPB), Brake Auto Hold (BAH), and Cruise Control, among others.

Moreover, the New Xpander Cross has the New Active Yaw Control system, or AYC, that electronically and intelligently guides and stabilizes the car on sharp turns, especially on slippery road surfaces.

Honda donates; Lexus leads

IN a commendable act for humanity, Honda has donated 10 million yen (roughly US$75,000) to earthquake-hit Turkey and Syria. T his is on top of a couple hundred generators. Here is the report from Honda PHL’s Bryan Aaron Rivera: “H onda would like to express its deepest sympathies and condolences to the victims of the February 6, 2023, earthquake which struck an area near the Turkish-Syrian border.

“In response to this tragedy, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. will donate 10 million yen to the Japanese Red Cross Society to support the humanitarian relief and recovery effort in the affected areas.

A Honda subsidiary in Europe, namely Honda Motor Europe Ltd., and Honda Turkiye A. S. will donate more than 200 generators as well as essential products to meet the most urgent needs.

Moreover, Honda subsidiaries in the U.S., namely American Honda Motor Co., Inc., and Honda Development and Manufacturing of America, LLC have already begun receiving donations from their Honda associates, and the companies are planning to augment the donation with a company matching gift.

“H onda sincerely hopes for the earliest possible recovery of the affected region.”

In times of tragedies, mankind’s kindhearted lot would immediately come forward to extend help.

Lexus leads

THE Lexus IS led in sales in the luxury sport sedan for 2022, another proof of the enduring reliability of this iconic model going into its 25th year of release.

Data from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI) saw the Lexus IS as tops last year in the compact luxury passenger car segment.

S aid Jade B. Sison, the hard-working wordsmith of Lexus Manila president Raymond T. Rodriguez: “Sinc e the debut of its first-generation IS in 1999, the model has pursued the thrill of unique driving inherent to a compact rear-wheel-drive sports sedan. The IS has captured the hearts of over a million enthusiasts around the world, and the number is growing.

The model, born and bred at the Shimoyama Test Track, boasts of a performance that was developed on that extremely challenging on-road course that drivers around the world dream of traversing.

S aid Lexus expert Takumi Yoshiaki Ito: “Based on the philosophy that ‘roads make

cars’, we brought the new IS to life by driving it in harsh environments, including at the Shimoyama Technical Center, which opened in 2019.”

The F Sport variant boasts of a 300hp normally aspirated V6 engine that delivers 380Nm. This is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission for power delivery worthy of a proper sports sedan.

The IS 300h Premier and Executive are powered, respectively, by a 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder hybrid power plants mated to a Lexus E-CVT intelligent transmission for optimum efficiency.

To inspire even more driving confidence, the IS comes with LSS+2—a suite of the latest Active Safety features, such as the Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane Tracing Assist, and Automatic High Beam. The F Sport model comes equipped with the upgraded Pre-Collision system which detects oncoming vehicles and pedestrians, even when turning left or right at intersections.

“It comes as no surprise then that the Lexus IS is cherished by customers here in the Philippines,” said Sison. “Like no other, this model delivers on its promise to elevate the driving experience to a more exciting and confidence-inspiring level.”

The Lexus IS 300h Executive is pegged at P3,038,000, Lexus IS 300h Premier P3,398,000, and Lexus IS 350 F Sport P4,178,000. Lexus is a bit pricey, yes, but quality has always been expensive, right?

PEE STOP Car cognoscenti Bert Bravo turns in a new leaf today (February 24), his wealth of experience and wisdom the envy of both his peers and admirers. Happy birthday Pareng Bert. Cheers!...Condolence to the loved ones of General Santos’ Tony Royeca, my esteemed balae who had gone back to his Creator. You will be missed, Pareng Tony.

THE New Xpander Cross in radiant Sunrise Orange Metallic two-tone color

PROJECTING a “Horizontal Axis” dashboard with that familiar-looking four-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel from the Montero Sport