BusinessMirror February 25, 2021

PHL 2nd top source of digital workers–ILO

By Samuel P. Medenilla

THE BROADER LOOK »A6-A7

PHISHING PUSHES PROLIFERATION OF PROFITEERING PRACTICES IN PANDEMIC

ROTARY CLUB OF MANILA JOURNALISM AWARDS

2006 National Newspaper of the Year 2011 National Newspaper of the Year 2013 Business Newspaper of the Year 2017 Business Newspaper of the Year 2019 Business Newspaper of the Year

THOMAGUERY | DREAMSTIME.COM

T

HE Philippines is the second biggest source of digital workers worldwide, according to a new International Labour Organization (ILO) report.

In its latest World Employment and Social Outlook study, the labor arm of the United Nations said the country came next to India in terms of inflow of volume of work for outsourced jobs in digital labor platforms.

“A large proportion of this work is performed by workers in developing countries, particularly in India ($26 million), which accounts for almost 20 percent of the

total market, followed by Philippines ($16 million) and Ukraine ($13 million),” ILO said.

The said outsourced jobs include a mix of low-skilled and highskilled tasks, which mostly come from Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The data came from a 2019 study conducted by Oxford Internet Institute, which covered 200,000 projects from a “major freelance platform.”

Online challenges

ILO noted this could have increased during the onset of the Covid-19 See “Digital,” A2

ILO Director-General Guy Ryder: “Digital labor platforms are opening up opportunities that did not exist before, particularly for women, young people, persons with disabilities and marginalized groups in all parts of the world. That must be welcomed.” ILO.ORG

BusinessMirror A broader look at today’s business

EJAP JOURNALISM AWARDS

BUSINESS NEWS SOURCE OF THE YEAR (2017, 2018)

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

2018 BANTOG MEDIA AWARDS

PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY

DATA CHAMPION

BSP RAMPS UP FOCUS ON DIGITAL MONEY SYSTEMS www.businessmirror.com.ph

n

Thursday, February 25, 2021 Vol. 16 No. 137

P25.00 nationwide | 2 sections 20 pages | 7 DAYS A WEEK

DOTr eyes annual gain of ₧170B from rail

By Lorenz S. Marasigan

T

HE Department of Transportation (DOTr) expects to generate gains of roughly P170 billion per year after it completes the development of P1.7 trillion worth of railway projects through 2025.

Transportation Undersecretary Timothy Batan said each railway project is expected to generate economic gains of at least 10 percent of the total project cost, helping curb the P1.28-trillion annual direct economic cost of congestion in the greater capital region.

A DEPARTMENT of Public Works and Highways maintenance team makes quick road repairs in front of the Edsa Monument in preparation for the 35th anniversary of the Edsa People Power Revolution. Celebrated every 25th of February, it commemorates the 4-day massive but peaceful demonstrations in 1986 that led to the overthrow of strongman President Ferdinand Marcos. ROY DOMINGO

B

By Bianca Cuaresma

ANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno announced on Wednesday that they have established a new sector tasked to manage the “interplay” of physical currency and digital money into the economy.

BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto E. Tangonan

’20 FOREIGN INVESTMENT PLEDGES DOWN 71%–PSA

By Cai U. Ordinario

W

ITH the global economy nearly at a standstill last year, the country’s foreign investment pledges plunged 71.26 percent in 2020, according to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Based on the latest Approved Foreign Investments report, foreign investments declined to P112.123 billion in 2020 from P390.11 billion in 2019.

PSA data showed this is the lowest since 2017 when total approved foreign investments averaged P105.75 billion.

“Approved foreign invest-

ments do not represent actual investments generated but rather foreign investment commitments which may come in the near future. This consists of equity, loans and reinvested earnings,” PSA noted.

Of the total, investments from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) and the Board of Investments (BOI) accounted for the bulk of approved investments in 2020.

Approved investments from Peza amounted to P59.729 billion or 53.27 percent of the total, while those from BOI reached P47.73 billion or 42.57 percent of the total for the year.

Meanwhile, in the fourth quarter of 2020, total approved

foreign investments contracted 67.5 percent to P36.487 billion.

The fourth-quarter performance declined due to the 80.7-percent contraction in approved foreign investments from BOI and 49.2 percent in approvals in the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

However, approved investments in the Clark Development Corporation (CDC), Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (Ceza), and Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) posted double-digit growth of 19.6 percent, 16.9 percent and 10.1 percent, respectively.

The foreign investment commitments for the fourth See “Investment,” A2

The new sector will be called the Payments and Currency Management Sector (PCMS). Its function is to consolidate existing currency and payment management units and carry the responsibility for producing banknotes, coins and securities documents, as well as refine gold and print cards for the national ID. The Monetary Board has thus named digital finance services and inclusive finance expert Mamerto

E. Tangonan as deputy governor of the newly established sector.

“PCMS is tasked to maintain the safety and integrity of the local currency and to ensure a well-functioning payments and cash ecosystem that supports sustained and inclusive economic growth,” Diokno told reporters. “This is aligned with the BSP’s Digital Payments Transformation Roadmap, which See “BSP,” A2

BATAN: “The contribution of infrastructure projects is huge in our efforts to bounce back from the Covid-19 pandemic.”

“As I have said, we have economic costs amounting to P1.3 trillion per year due to congestion. If we can lower that, that will be a long-lasting legacy of this administration,” he said. “So if we will estimate that and we will invest P1.7 trillion in financial cost, we’re looking at roughly…10 percent of that as the economic return of that investment.”

The government is implementing several rail projects in various parts of the country to improve connectivity and mobility for the masses. It targets to set up as much as 1,209 kilometers of new rails, boasting 168 stations and 1,381 trains.

This will be a huge improvement from when the current administration took over in 2016, when there are only 77 kilometers of operating rails, 61 stations and 234 trains.

According to Batan, the P1.7trillion program is funded by a mix of official development assistance packages, general appropriations, and public-private partnership deals.

The lion’s share of that pie comes from the Japan International Cooperation Agency, which is providing the Philippines P796.58 See “DOTr,” A2

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 48.7010

n JAPAN 0.4628 n UK 68.7366 n HK 6.2810 n CHINA 7.5342 n SINGAPORE 36.8947 n AUSTRALIA 38.5225 n EU 59.1717 n SAUDI ARABIA 12.9869

Source: BSP (February 24, 2021)

News BusinessMirror

A2 Thursday, February 25, 2021

Investment…

Continued from A1

quarter of 2020 were mainly driven by investments from the United States, which accounted for 36.7 percent; Taiwan, 12.1 percent; and Japan, 11.7 percent of the total approved during the period.

Data showed the US committed investments worth P13.4 billion, while Taiwan and Japan pledged P4.4 billion and P4.3 billion, respectively. “Approved projects with foreign interests in the fourth quarter of 2020 were projected to generate 24,239 jobs,” the PSA said.

The investment approvals were obtained from the 7 IPAs, namely BOI, BOI Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, CDC, Peza, SBMA, Ceza, and Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (Afab).

Digital…

Continued from A1

pandemic last year, which forced more people to look for employment online as quarantine restrictions limited their movement outside of their homes.

It raised concern over the rise of online-based workers, who may be exposed to substandard working conditions, such as having irregular work and income.

“Half of online platform workers earn less than US$2 per hour. In addition, some platforms have significant gender pay gaps,” ILO said.

These workers also suffer from lack of access to social protection, freedom of association and collective bargaining rights, as well as long and unpredictable working hours.

This working condition, ILO said, could mostly be attributed to the terms and service agreement of online job platforms, which it noted is “blurring the previously clear distinction between employees and the self-employed.”

Social dialogue ILO said these issues could be addressed through a global social dialogue among digital labor platforms, workers and government.

Among the issues which must be resolved would be the “correct” classification of the employment status of digital workers and transparency and accountability of algorithms for workers and businesses from the said platforms.

The digital workers should be given access to adequate social security benefits, right to bargain collectively, and access to courts of jurisdiction, where they are based.

“Digital labor platforms are opening up opportunities that did not exist before, particularly for women, young people, persons with disabilities and marginalized groups in all parts of the world.

That must be welcomed,” ILO Director-General Guy Ryder said in a statement.

“The new challenges they present can be met through global social dialogue so that workers, employers and governments can fully and equally benefit from these advances. All workers, regardless of employment status, need to be able to exercise their fundamental rights at work,” he added.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

COA: Recto top spender in 2019, Bong Go spent least

T

By Butch Fernandez

HE Commission on Audit listed the office of Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto as the top spender among senators in COA’s 2019 report, with first-termer Christopher “Bong” Go as the least-spending senator in the 24-member chamber.

COA findings showed Recto’s office spent P113.48 million for salaries of employees and operational expenses.

Recto clarified he was not contesting the findings in the COA report, but explained that the expenses grew as the senator’s office extended assistance to calamity victims, and his research and policy team worked hard.

Listed as second top spender

by COA is Senate Majority Leader Miguel Zubiri’s office, spending P110.6 million also for calamity as-

sistance and office expenses.

Likewise spending over P100 million are the offices of Senators Grace Poe, Emmanuel Pacquiao, Leila de Lima, Aquilino Pimentel III, Sherwin Gatchalian, Francis Pangilinan and Senate President Vicente Sotto III. Comebacking Senator Bong Revilla’s office was listed as top spender with expenses at P48 million, followed by Senator Lito Lapid reporting P45-million expenses.

Among the first-termers, neophyte Senator Ronald dela Rosa

RECTO

GO

was reported as biggest spender at P46.67 million, while fellow administration Senator Go’s office was listed least spender at P33.7 million.

The COA report noted that only Senator Emmanuel Pacquiao did not charge to his office budget expenses for local and foreign travel expenses.

At the same time, the COA recorded the office of Senator Leila de Lima as spending the biggest for “motor vehicles and equipment rentals,” while Senator Pangilinan

was recorded incurring the biggest expenses for consultants amounting to P15.5 million.

According to Zubiri, there are big variances in the expenses of the senators’ offices, noting the COA findings covered “election year” in 2019, when the terms of some senators expired and new members were sworn in that year.

For his part, Senate President Vicente Sotto III affirmed he approved the publication of the COA report “so the people will know where their taxes go.”

PINOYS PRODDED TO VISIT GUAM DESPITE HURDLES

G

UAM continues to be open to business and leisure travelers, and is hoping for an increase in arrivals from the Philippines.

In a webinar on Wednesday, Philip Gejon, sales manager for the Guam Visitors BureauPhilippines, said, “Guam hasn’t closed its doors [throughout the Covid-19 pandemic]. It remains an open tourism destination.”

Visitors, however, have to take the Covid-19 test upon arrival and quarantine for 14 days in a government facility. The test and the quarantine will be paid for by the Guam government.

Only holders of current US visas may enter Guam, which

Gejon admits is an obstacle in attracting more tourists from the Philippines, and especially since the United States Embassy in Manila has temporarily stopped processing visa applications.

“What we can do is to promote Guam as a destination to those clients who have actual US visas already. In fact, we have been working with some travel agencies here in the Philippines [and] working on different groups going to Guam who are already US visa holders. So it will be a challenge [to visit Guam] if it’s your first time to apply for a US visa.”

For years, GVB has been trying to work with the US Embassy in Manila for a “Guam-only”

Asean could be hotspot for next pandemic–ACB head Continued from A12

“Protecting high-biodiversity areas that are likely natural habitats and home range of natural reservoirs of potentially disease-causing viruses must be part of an integrated approach to preventing future pandemics,” she said.

She said that in the Asean, there are more than 2,652 protected areas, and 50 of these have earned the distinction as Asean Heritage Parks or AHPs.

“Seven of these AHPs have cave ecosystems which serve as important bat habitats, not counting the forest areas that are roosting sites vital to sustaining bat populations. A number of AHPs have wetlands that are watering and feeding areas for migratory birds. The entire Asean region is part of the East Asian Australasian Flyway, and ensuring the health of wetland ecosystems will allow a robust and stable waterbird population to help keep viruses in check,” she said.

Indigenous people and local communities

LIM underscored the crucial role of

indigenous peoples and local communities in caring for and protecting the environment.

She said their indigenous knowledge of their environment and their presence within and around the habitats makes them indispensable frontliners in safeguarding biodiversity.

“Through a connection that has been forged through time, indigenous and local knowledge systems that are built around a harmonious relationship with nature are essential in ensuring resilience and sustainability,” she said.

In the short term, economic stimulus and biodiversity-friendly livelihood programs for communities in and around protected areas and wildlife habitats, especially during this crisis, can substantially help reduce the pressure to exploit and overutilize natural resources.

Finally, Lim warned that even with the mass rollout of Covid-19 vaccination, Asean should never lose the learnings and warnings of the pandemic, saying it may not be the last.

“Our new approach must not consider this crisis as a single event but part of a recurring challenge that needs us to recognize that people, domestic animals, wildlife, and environments are interconnected,” she said.

visa to encourage more Filipinos to visit Guam. Due to the challenging nature of securing a US visa, however, most Filipinos, especially those who don’t have relatives on Guam, opt to go to the US mainland for tourism purposes.

According to data from GVB’s web site, Guam received only 3,297 visitors from the Philippines from January to December 2020, likely due to Manila’s travel restrictions and community lockdowns, an 84.1-percent drop from the 2019 visitors.

In 2019, arrivals from the Philippines grew by 8.6 percent to 20,729, accounting for just 1.24 percent of the total foreign ar-

rivals in Guam. The Philippines ranks sixth in terms of top visitor markets for Guam, coming after Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, China, and the US/Hawaii.

United Airlines flies three times weekly between Hagatña, the capital of Guam, and Manila, offering a round-trip, economy airfare of $148 per person until the end of the year.

Tourism is Guam’s primary source of revenue for its economy, contributing $1.4 billion and 18,000 jobs. It has been marketing itself as a “cheap and close” destination for shopping, beaches, culture and history, and an active nightlife, to its Asian neighbors. Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo

FIA, new retail trade bill, Public Service Act amendments pushed Continued from A12

On Tuesday, the House adopted the Senate version, Senate Bill 2057, establishing the Covid-19 Vaccination Program that would expedite the vaccine procurement and administration processes. The House and the Senate will no longer need a bicameral conference meeting following the House adoption of the Senate bill. The proposed “Covid-19 Vaccination Program Act of 2021” would appropriate a P500million augmentation to the PhilHealth as an indemnity fund.

Bayanihan 3

MEANWHILE, Salceda said Congress should also pass another stimulus package during the worst of the economic crisis.

“We need to face certain difficult truths. When the House pushed for an aggressive spending package, we were told that a credit stimulus measure was more preferable. We were told that credit measures could be leveraged at least five times,” said Salceda during a technical working group meeting of the House Committee on Economic Affairs.

As of January 2021, Salceda said equity infusion into government financial institutions under Bayanihan 2 has not yet been released. Also, he said credit growth

SALCEDA: “When the House pushed for an aggressive spending package, we were told that a credit stimulus measure was more preferable. We were told that credit measures could be leveraged at least five times.”

went negative for the first time in December 2020.

“And if we were hesitant to adopt big spending, at least we should have done the other measures in that bill. It’s painful to see that the interventions proposed there are working in other countries. We should have coupled credit interventions with zero or negative interest loans and interest rate subsidies. We should have done credit mediation and refinancing.

We should have written off agrarian reform debt,” he added.

Salceda, along with Garin and Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, filed his own version of Bayanihan 3 in November.

DOTr… Continued from A1

billion; followed by the Asian Development Bank with P444.60 billion, the Chinese government with P307.04 billion, PPP deals with P107.76 billion and national budget of P13.07 billion.

Among the priority projects listed in the trillion-peso program are the Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark, PNR Calamba, and PNR Bicol, all of which will help interconnect cities and provinces in Luzon.

Batan also bannered the Mindanao Railways, which will run for 100 kilometers between Tagum and Digos. According to Transportation Assistant Secretary for Project Implementation-Mindanao Cluster Eymard Eje, the loan agreement with the Chinese government for this project is expected to be completed within the year.

Other projects include the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Lines 4 and 7, as well as the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 2 West Extension Project.

The LRT 2 West Extension Project, extending the existing line to the Port Area in Manila, will resume the bidding process this March, according to LRT Administration Spokesperson Hernando Cabrera.

“The contribution of infrastructure projects is huge in our efforts to bounce back from the Covid-19 pandemic. There are shortterm advantages, as these infrastructure projects generate both direct and indirect jobs per investment,” Batan said.

BSP… Continued from A1

aims to achieve efficient, safe and inclusive payments ecosystems.”

PCMS will also be in charge of anti-counterfeiting operations; currency forecasting; currency retirement; and the servicing of bank deposits and withdrawals in the greater Manila area (cash operations in the regions are performed by regional offices and branches).

According to Tangonan, they are looking to roll out more digital payment streams in the next two years.

“We will be working very closely with the BSP internal units as well as industry participants in the payments industry in order to roll out and make available in the market the additional digital payment streams. One of them would be like QR Ph. So that would enable us to digitize over-the-counter merchant payments, and even online purchases,” Tangonan said.

“The other one is the bills payment. Most of the households in the Philippines pay bills. So, that would increase the usage of digital payments. We will be also launching, together with the industry, a service called ‘Request to Pay,’ which will digitalize the way we collect money or payments,” the new deputy governor added.

Aside from that, Tangonan said they are also looking to launch “direct debits,” a program that will digitize installment payments, rental payments and those that are regularly occurring payments.

Immediately before joining the BSP, Tangonan led a six-year USAID-funded program on the EPESO project aimed at accelerating the shift of the Philippine economy from cash to digital payments.

In this capacity, he spearheaded a team in providing technical assistance to the BSP in the policy formulation and implementation of the National Retail Payments System (NRPS). He also worked with the BSP in obtaining industry buy-in for the NRPS. He also served as general manager of PT Smart Telecom; director of Globe Telecom Inc., where he handled the project management of G-Cash mobile banking project for rural banks; and first vice president of ING Life Insurance Co. (Phils.) Inc. Tangonan took his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of the Philippines and his executive MBA from the Asian Institute of Management.

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS NO.

FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY

POSITION

24/7 BUSINESS PROCESSING INC. 11/f Capella Bldg. L-3&4 B2, Asean Drive Filinvest Alabang Muntinlupa City 1.

GU, WEI Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

2.

QIN, SHIHONG Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

3.

SHENG, ZHIBIN Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

NGUYEN THI CAM VAN Vietnamese

VIETNAMESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

4.

8 STONE BUSINESS OUTSOURCING OPC 5/f To 10/f, Tower 4 Pitx #01 Kennedy Road Tambo Parañaque City

NO.

Thursday, February 25, 2021

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY

POSITION

NO.

44.

LI, XIANLONG Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

90.

45.

LI, XIAOBIN Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

91.

46.

LI, YAHUI Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

47.

LI, DAN Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

48.

LI, CONG Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

49.

LIU, YANG Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

50.

LIU, YANG Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

51.

LUO, ZHONGQUAN Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS POSITION

NO.

ZHENG, XIAOLEI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

ZHONG, WEILIN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

BAOLONG TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY GROUP LIMITED INC. 20-29th/f Century Diamond Tower Kalayaan Ave. Cor. Salamanca St. Poblacion Makati City 92.

DAO CHIU VI Vietnamese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

93.

LIU, SHIJIE Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

94.

WANG, WEI Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

BAYVIEW TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 43/f Yuchengco Tower Rcbc Plaza Ayala Ave. Cor. Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. Bel-air Makati City

FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY

POSITION

139.

SHEN, XIN Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

140.

SHUAI, YAO Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

141.

SU, YUANYOU Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

142.

SU, JUNHUA Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

143.

WANG, MENG Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

144.

WANG, MULIN Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

145.

WEI, BING Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

146.

XU, ZIRAN Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

5.

GUO, YUCHENG Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE

52.

LYU, HAI Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

95.

LE VAN DONG Vietnamese

CS ASSISTANT MANAGER (MULTI-LINGUAL)

147.

GUO, FEIYANG Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE

53.

LYU, XI Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

96.

CS SHIFT SUPERVISOR (MULTILINGUAL)

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

6.

WEI, JIAQI Chinese

YANG, ZHENFEI Chinese

148.

GUO, LINRUO Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE

54.

LYU, YINGCHAO Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

97.

CUSTOMER SUPPORT (MULTILINGUAL)

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

7.

LIU, YONGSEN Chinese

YUAN, JIE Chinese

149.

HUANG, YONGPENG Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE

55.

CHEN, XINLAN Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING GRAPHIC DESIGNER

98.

CUSTOMER SUPPORT (MULTILINGUAL)

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

8.

LU, SHANG Chinese

ZANG, ZHICHAO Chinese

150.

HUANG, ZHILIANG Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE

56.

HE, PENG Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING PROGRAM DESIGNER

99.

CUSTOMER SUPPORT (MULTILINGUAL)

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

9.

SASASE, ARATA Japanese

ZHANG, SHIXIONG Chinese

151.

JIA, CHUANMENG Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE

57.

HE, XIAO Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING PROGRAM DESIGNER

100.

CUSTOMER SUPPORT (MULTILINGUAL)

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

10.

TIAN, WEI Chinese

ZHANG, LONGCHAO Chinese

152.

LEI, YUTIAN Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE

58.

HOU, JIAYING Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING PROGRAM DESIGNER

101.

QUALITY ANALYST (MULTILINGUAL)

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

11.

LI, TAO Chinese

ZHANG, WENTAO Chinese

153.

LI, SONG Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE

59.

154.

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

CHINESE SPEAKING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE

103.

SENIOR MARKETING EXECUTIVE (MULTI-LINGUAL)

155.

ZHAO, CHUNYAN Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

14.

LUO, JIAJING Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE

GUO, XUFANG Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

MEEPUKRONG, ORRAPORN Thai

ZHANG, JINFENG Chinese

13.

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

102.

LUO, CAIZE Chinese

CAO, JUN Chinese

SENIOR CUSTOMER SUPPORT (MULTI-LINGUAL)

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

12.

LIU, ZHAOHUI Chinese

ZHANG, YANPING Chinese

156.

ZHU, YINKE Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

15.

LUO, SHICHU Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE

61.

JESIN MARVIANA Indonesian

ZONG, QINGBO Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

16.

LUO, ZHENZHOU Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

GUI, NANYANG Chinese

LEI, LEI Chinese

17.

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

62.

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

HU, RUYI Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

63.

LI BA HIEM Vietnamese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

64.

HUANG, XINYU Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

WANG, WEI Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

HUANG, HUAAN Chinese

WANG, LE Chinese

20.

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

65.

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

66.

MARKETING STAFF MANDARIN SPEAKING

21.

KONG, LINGHUI Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

LI, DAN Chinese

67.

XIONG, YUN Chinese

MARKETING STAFF MANDARIN SPEAKING

18.

19.

22.

KOU, YIXIAO Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

23.

LAN, TIANMENG Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

24.

LEI, TAO Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

25.

LI, YONG Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

26.

LI, JUN Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

LI, JUNLIANG Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

LIANG, HUI Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

27.

28.

LIAO, WEIBANG Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

LIU, ZEFFEI Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

LONG, TENG Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

32.

LU, XIN Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

33.

HAO, WENSHU Chinese

29.

30.

31.

60.

ALFANET GLOBAL SOLUTIONS, INC. Flr. No. 4th & 5th W Mall Bldg. Diosdado Macapagal Ave. St. Zone 10. Barangay 076, District 1 Pasay City

COMPUTER TECHNICAL SUPPORT SPECIALIST

106.

NGUYEN HO DONG HAI Vietnamese

COMPUTER TECHNICAL SUPPORT SPECIALIST

CAPSLOCK INC. 7th & 8th Flr. Y Tower Bldg. Coral Way Drive Cor. Macapagal Brgy.

076 Pasay City 158.

COMPUTER TECHNICAL SUPPORT SPECIALIST

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

107.

NGUYEN THI YEN Vietnamese

GAO, BAOSHI Chinese

159.

COMPUTER TECHNICAL SUPPORT SPECIALIST

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

108.

SAM XAY KIN Vietnamese

JIN, WEI Chinese

160.

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

109.

CHEN, FEI Chinese

KANG, YUNLONG Chinese

161.

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

110.

DU, XUNYING Chinese

LI, HAIPING Chinese

162.

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

111.

GUO, LICHAO Chinese

LI, ZHENG Chinese

163.

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

112.

JIANG, XIAOWEI Chinese

WANG, QIAO Chinese

164.

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

113.

LANG, YAN Chinese

WANG, ZHOUYI Chinese

165.

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

114.

LEI, YING Chinese

WU, JIAQI Chinese

115.

LI, LIMEI Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

116.

LI, QIAOZHEN Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

117.

LIU, BIN Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

70.

KLAMBUNSAWAT, WISSUTA Thai

THAI SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

71.

RAKSAPHAKDEE, DONNAPHA Thai

THAI SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

118.

LIU, WENLIN Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

72.

SRISAMAI, TINNAKORN Thai

THAI SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

119.

LIU, XIN Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

73.

POLYIEM, KAMIN Thai

THAI SPEAKING PRODUCT MARKETING SPECIALIST

120.

LU, JUNLIN Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

HUYNH DOAN TUAN ANH Vietnamese

VIETNAMESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

121.

74.

LUO, CHUNXIAO Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

122.

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

75.

LU DINH VUI Vietnamese

VIETNAMESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

SHEN, XUEAN Chinese

123.

TANG, ZHE Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

124.

WANG, JINGYI Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

125.

WANG, MINGSHI Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

126.

YAO, MINGFENG Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

127.

ZHANG, JIANGYU Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

128.

ZHANG, ZHILONG Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

129.

CHEN, JINE Chinese

130.

76.

LUONG THANH HAI Vietnamese

VIETNAMESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE SUPERVISOR

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

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

34.

HE, JIYUE Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

79.

CHEN, MEIZHU Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

35.

HE, DONGPING Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

80.

DAI, XIANGGUI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

HE, CHUNBAO Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

81.

LIU, HAN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

37.

JIE, YINGWEN Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

82.

NANG MON MON Myanmari

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

38.

JIN, GEN Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

83.

PHUNG SEN DAU Vietnamese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

39.

KANG, SUHUA Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

84.

QI, XINGYANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

40.

LI, JIANGHAO Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

85.

QIU, ZHONGJIA Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

41.

LI, WENHAI Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

86.

TRINH THI THUY AN Vietnamese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

87.

WANG, LIYA Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

88.

XU, CHAOMING Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

89.

ZENG, LINGKE Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

HOANG THI PHUONG Vietnamese

THAI SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

ANI, Indonesian

LI, JIA Chinese

105.

KHETNIMIT, PLOYCHOMPOO Thai

78.

43.

157.

69.

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

COMPUTER SYSTEM ANALYST

THAI SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

LI, WEI Chinese

SOE YU YU KHAING Myanmari

CHEEWAPANICH, RATTANAPORN Thai

77.

42.

104.

68.

ANDI SATRI Indonesian

36.

BIG EMPEROR TECHNOLOGY CORP. Eastfield Center Cbp1, Macapagal Blvd. Brgy. 076 Pasay City

CINATECH LIMITED CORP. 10-1 One Global Place 25th St., Cor. 5th Ave. Bgc Fort Bonifacio Taguig City 166.

FEBNY LIMLYA Indonesian

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST (BI LINGUAL IN MANDARIN)

167.

ZHANG, RONGJIANG Chinese

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST (BI LINGUAL IN MANDARIN)

CITILLION PROPERTIES INC. 12/f Cocolight Building 39th St. Cor. 11th Ave. Fort Bonifacio Taguig City 168.

LI, YUJIAN Chinese

PROJECT CONSULTANT

169.

WU, JIAZHONG Chinese

PROJECT CONSULTANT

170.

YANG, QING Chinese

PROJECT CONSULTANT

COLDSTREAM MARKETING SOLUTION INC. 603-4 Eastfield Ctr. Moa Comp. Macapagal Ave. Brgy. 076 Pasay City 171.

JIANG, YUQIAN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

172.

LI, HUCHENG Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

173.

LOK YEE SHUENN Malaysian

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

174.

TANG, XIN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

175.

ZHAO, MENGTING Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

176.

ZHUANG, MAN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

GUO, XIAOXIAO Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

131.

LAN, XINZHE Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

CONSULTING SUPERIORS INC. Unit No. 2c, Flr. No. 4/f, One E-com Center Bldg. Ocean Drive Mall Of Asia Complex St. Zone 10, Barangay 076, District 1 Pasay City

132.

LI, YUANYING Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

133.

LI, YIMING Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

134.

LIN, JIANQUAN Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

135.

LIU, ZHEN Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

136.

MAI, JIANHUA Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

137.

PAN, JINMING Chinese

138.

REN, HAO Chinese

177.

CHEN, AO Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE

178.

DU, XIN Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE

179.

GU, LINLI Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE

180.

HE, JIAXIN Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE

181.

HUANG, PEI Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE

182.

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

LAI, LIRONG Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE

183.

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

LI, XIAOFENG Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE

184.

LIANG, JIAPIN Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE

A3

BusinessMirror

A4 Thursday, February 25, 2021 ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS NO.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY

POSITION

NO.

185.

LIAO, BING Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE

186.

LIU, SHENGKUN Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE

GT MOBILITY VENTURES, INC. 43/f Gt Tower International 6813 Ayala Ave. Cor. H.v. Dela Costa St. Bel-air Makati City

187.

LIU, YICHUN Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

188.

LIU, YUYANG Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

189.

RAN, HUI Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

236.

190.

SUN, XU Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

191.

WEN, JIAQI Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

192.

XU, YUAN Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

193.

YAN, LI Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

194.

ZHANG, SHILI Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

195.

ZHAO, YING Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING DATA ENTRY CLERK

COSMOLINK GLOBAL SOLUTIONS INC. Flr. No. 6th, 7th & 8th Bldg. No. 100 Necc Bldg., Andrews Ave. St. Newport City Subd. District 1, Barangay 183 Pasay City 196.

XIA, DANTING Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

DA PROSPERITAS HOLDING INC. 16/f Tower 6789 6789 Ayala Ave. Bel-air Makati City 197.

CHI NGOC LINH Vietnamese

CHINESE SPEAKING ACCOUNTING ASSISTANT

DA SUCCESS BUSINESS TRADING INCORPORATED 2503 The Finance Centre 26th Street Corner 9th Avenue Fort Bonifacio Taguig City 198.

ZHANG, ZHIYUAN Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING MARKETING SPECIALIST

EXQUISEEN INC. Unit 1 & 3 14/f Shhg Law Center Sycip Law Center 105 Paseo De Roxas San Lorenzo Makati City 199.

RUDI HARTONO Indonesian

CHINESE SPEAKING SYSTEMS ANALAYST

FLYING DRAGON NETWORK PHILIPPINES INC. 4th-11th Floor Aseana 3 Building Aseana Avenue Corner Diosdado Macapagal Tambo Parañaque City 200.

CHEN, JUNBAI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

201.

DONG, XIAOYANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

235.

FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY

ITO, KENJI Japanese

POSITION

PROJECT MANAGER

HENTSON BUSINESS CONSULTANCY INC. Unit Ug-8 Cityland Herrera Tower 98 V.a. Rufino Cor. Valero Sts. Bel-air Makati City NGUYEN THI NGOAN Vietnamese

MANDARIN COORDINATOR

237.

TANG, SIGUI Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

238.

BUI THI LAN ANH Vietnamese

MANDARIN OFFICE MANAGER

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

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

338.

MYINT HTWE Myanmari

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

339.

PENG, YAWEI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

340.

PHAM THI THUY Vietnamese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

341.

QIAN, HEICHE Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

342.

SHEN, ZHANGHUI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

343.

SONG, ZHIXUE Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

344.

SONG, CHAOYI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

282.

CHEN, KAI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

345.

SONG, JIQIANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

283.

CHEN, SHICHENG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

346.

SU, QIAO Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

284.

CHEN, ZESHENG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

347.

SU, TAO Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

285.

CHEN, XUEJIN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

348.

TEO LIT SENG Malaysian

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

286.

CHENG, BO Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

349.

TIAN, RUOCHENG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

287.

CHENG, DONG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

350.

TRAN DINH QUANG Vietnamese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

288.

CHENG, QI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

351.

TU, WEN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

289.

CHENG, YUJIE Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

352.

WANG, XIHAN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

290.

CHRISTINA Indonesian

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

353.

WANG, GUOBIN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

291.

CUI, YAOJING Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

354.

WANG, YANLONG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

KUO, TZU-YIN Taiwanese

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

292.

DAI, GE Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

355.

WANG, GUIDONG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

WANG, JIAHENG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

293.

356.

WU, YONGQI Chinese

DENG, ZEFENG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

WANG, QIANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

DING, LANG Chinese

357.

WU, XINGAN Chinese

294.

358.

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

295.

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

WANG, YONGCAI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

XU, BINCHENG Chinese

DONG, KUNZE Chinese

359.

YANG, LI Chinese

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

WANG, CHENG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

296.

FAN, LIANGGANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

297.

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

WU, CHENGDONG Chinese

LUONG TUAN PHONG Vietnamese

GAO, NINGNING Chinese

360.

361.

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

298.

GAO, YIYANG Chinese

WU, FENG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

362.

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

299.

GU, QINGYANG Chinese

WU, JINGGANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

363.

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

300.

GU, WEIQIAN Chinese

XIAO, QINGJIE Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

364.

XU, XIAOCHUN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

ZHU, JUN Chinese

PRODUCT MANAGER FOR CHINA BANK ALL FLASH STORAGE PROJECT

INTEGRITY GLOBAL GROUP, INC. 2/f-3/f Ayala Malls Circuit A.p. Reyes Ave. Carmona Makati City ZHANG, WEN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

ITECHNO SPECIALIST INC. 9/f 100 West Building Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. Pio Del Pilar Makati City

249.

MANDARIN SPEAKING ACCOUNTS SPECIALIST

MING, XIAOYAN Chinese

281.

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

248.

278.

TANG, YAOJIE Chinese

337.

CHEN, JINTU Chinese

LIEW YEN NEE Malaysian

247.

MANDARIN SPEAKING ACCOUNTS SPECIALIST

POSITION

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

241.

246.

277.

FENG, LINLIN Chinese

FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY

280.

240.

245.

MERAKI SILVER SOLUTIONS CORPORATION Unit 1107,11th Floor, One World Place 32nd Bonifacio Global City Fort Bonifacio Taguig City

NO.

BAI, HONGJIE Chinese

BIAN, XIAOWEI Chinese

244.

POSITION

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

243.

FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY

279.

INFOVINE INC. 9/f Y Tower, Moa Complex Coral Way Drive Cor. Macapagal Brgy.

076 Pasay City

242.

NO.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

ARR SAN Myanmari

HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES PHILS. INC. U-5302, 53/f Pbcom Tower 6795 Ayala Ave., Cor., V.a. Rufino St. Bel-air Makati City 239.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

GE, JIAN Chinese

202.

FU, JIAHUI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

250.

NANG KHAM YIN Myanmari

IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

203.

HUANG, GUIMING Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

251.

NYI TAWN Myanmari

IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

204.

KE, FANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

JDB MANAGEMENT AND CONSULTANCY CORP. 107 T & D House Magallanes St. 069, Bgy. 655 Intramuros Manila

205.

LIU, HEJUN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

252.

HUANG, WEI Chinese

STRATEGIC AND FACILITATION OFFICER

301.

GUAN, YINGLYU Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

365.

XUE, XITONG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

206.

QIN, QIFENG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

253.

WANG, JINGTIAN Chinese

STRATEGIC AND FACILITATION OFFICER

302.

HAO, SHILI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

366.

YANG, KUNBIN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

207.

WANG, MINGHUI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

303.

HE, ZHIXI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

367.

YANG, XIAOHU Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

208.

XIAO, CHAORONG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

304.

HOU, FANGJUN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

368.

YANG, YUEPENG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

209.

YANG, XUHUI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

305.

HUANG, KANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

369.

YEE KANG SHUN Malaysian

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

210.

YANG, ZHENHONG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

306.

HUANG, YANMIN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

370.

YIN, YINGFEI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

211.

CAO THI BICH TRAM Vietnamese

VIETNAMESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

307.

HUANG, SHICHANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

371.

YU, TONG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

212.

LE THI XUAN MAI Vietnamese

VIETNAMESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

308.

JI, BIHAI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

372.

ZHANG, TINGYU Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

VIETNAMESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

309.

JI, YAQIAO Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

373.

ZHANG, LAIFENG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

213.

NGUYEN THANH SON Vietnamese

VIETNAMESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

310.

JIANG, LU Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

374.

ZHANG, ZHI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

214.

TRAN XUAN NGHIA Vietnamese

VIETNAMESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

311.

JIN, SHIKUN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

375.

ZHAO, PANPAN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

215.

TRIEU VAN HOANG Vietnamese

376.

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

ZHAO, XUJIE Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

312.

KYAW YE AUNG Myanmari

377.

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

ZHAO, RENJIE Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

313.

KYIN PAN Myanmari

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

ZHAO, XU Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

314.

LE KYAR SHIN Myanmari

378.

ZHOU, GUOHONG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

315.

LI, JA Chinese

379.

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

380.

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

316.

LI, MINGYUE Chinese

ZHOU, TONGMING Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

381.

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

317.

LI, MINGZHE Chinese

ZHUO, LIANGLIANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

382.

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

318.

LI, CUNJIN Chinese

ZOU, LIRONG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

383.

KANG, YONGJIE Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

319.

LI, DAPENG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

384.

OU, TINGWEI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

320.

LI, RUICHUAN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

385.

PAN, LUOCHENG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

321.

LI, TAO Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

386.

WU, YONGFEI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

322.

LI, WEIHENG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

387.

ZHANG, JIE Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

323.

LI, YANLING Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

388.

ZHANG, KUN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

324.

LIANG, WENLI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

389.

HUANG, SHENGBING Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SPECIALIST

325.

LIANG, ZEJIE Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

390.

SEIN SEIN HTAY Myanmari

MYANMARI CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

326.

LIU, ZEJUN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

327.

LIU, DINGGANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

328.

LIU, HUANHUAN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

329.

LIU, JUNYANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

330.

LIU, MEILING Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

331.

LIU, YONG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

332.

LIU, ZHIPENG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

333.

LOI KYAR YEE Myanmari

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

334.

LU, JIAHAO Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

335.

LUO, YAJUN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

336.

LY BICH LIEN Vietnamese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

FUXINGYING CAIYUN HENTONG, CORP. 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th Floor Eton Ewestpod Chino Roces Avenue Cor. Yakal & Malugay Streets San Antonio Makati City

JIANGSU DIBANG CONSTRUCTION PHILIPPINES CORPORATION Unit 2106-a West Tower Psec Exchange Road, Ortigas Center San Antonio Pasig City 254.

YU, XIAOLIANG Chinese

EQUIPMENT INSTALLATION SPECIALIST

255.

WANG, XIN Chinese

PIPING INSULATION SUPERVISOR

256.

WANG, MEILIN Chinese

PROJECT COORDINATOR

JINDINGYUAN BUSINESS SUPPORT, INC. 3-9/f Filinvest Cyberzone Bldg. A, Bay City Brgy. 076 Pasay City 257.

CHEN, LIHENG Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

258.

LI, XINQI Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

259.

TAN, SIYUAN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

260.

WANG, KAI Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

LAN TIAN ZI XUN INC. Rm. 2510 25/f Zen Tower 1111 N.lopez St., 071 Bgy. 659 Ermita Manila

216.

LI, QIONGYAO Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

217.

LUO, YIHAI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

218.

SHI, WEIHAO Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

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

219.

SUN, YIJUN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

262.

220.

WANG, SHENGNAN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

221.

XIE, LONG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

222.

XIONG, XINGGE Chinese

223.

XU, MINKANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

224.

YANG, YI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

225.

ZHANG, CHUAN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

226.

227.

228.

261.

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

ZHANG, DEQING Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

ZHU, BIMIN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

ZHU, YONG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

GENX SPORTS & MEDIA PRODUCTION CORP. 11/f Aseana I Bldg. Bradco Ave. Aseana City Tambo Parañaque City 229.

MOHAMMAD IMRAN Indian

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE - INDIAN SPEAKING

230.

LINNA CHONG TSEN FUN Malaysian

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MALAYSIAN SPEAKING

231.

232.

233.

234.

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

263.

HE, LURONG Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

264.

JIAO, YUSONG Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

265.

LI, ZHEN Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

266.

LI, XIAO Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

267.

LIANG, YAO Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

268.

LIANG, QIANG Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

269.

LIU, DONGQUAN Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

270.

YANG, QING Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

271.

ZENG, LIANG Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MALAYSIAN SPEAKING

272.

LIANG, MEIFEN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

273.

WANG, DANPING Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

MARGULIES, ELIZABETH ANNE American

DIGITAL FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT MARKET PLACE PRODUCT CONSULTANT

CHINESE IT SPECIALIST

CHEN, WENCONG Chinese

LOW JING YI Malaysian

GLOBE FINTECH INNOVATIONS, INC. 32/f The Trade & Financial Tower 32nd St. Cor. 7th Ave., Bgc Fort Bonifacio Taguig City

WU, YUANHANG Chinese

274.

275.

276.

ZHANG, TICHUAN Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

ZHANG, HAO Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

ZHANG, JIN Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

ZHAO, YINGHUA Chinese ZHOU, SONG Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

NEW ORIENTAL CLUB88 CORPORATION Sky Garage Bldg. Aseana Avenue, Entertainment City Tambo Parañaque City 391.

AI, SHIWEN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

392.

CHEN, HUI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

393.

DENG, TANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

394.

GAO, XINGRONG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

395.

GONG, JIAN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

396.

GUO, YANZHAO Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

397.

HONG, LIHUI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

398.

HUANG, WEN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

399.

JIANG, SUCHEN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

400.

LEI, XIANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

The Nation

www.businessmirror.com.ph

BusinessMirror Thursday, February 25, 2021 A5

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

AFP augments forces in Sulu, bares activation of new Army brigade

T

By Rene Acosta

@reneacostaBM

HE military has beefed up its forces in Sulu in a bid to thwart what is believed to be another unfolding plot by foreigninspired extremists to sow a fresh wave of terror in Mindanao.

Major Gen. William Gonzales, commander of the Joint Task Force Sulu and the Army’s 11th Infantry Division (ID), led the activation on Tuesday of the 1103rd Infantry Brigade and installed Col. Eugenio Boquio as its commander.

Gonzales said the activation of the new brigade made the 11th ID based in Sulu, now having three army brigades and one marine brigade, thus solidifying the presence of the military in the province.

“The creation of the new brigade is a significant step towards sustainable and inclusive peace in Sulu as we intend to fill it up with Tausug recruits. This provides an opportunity for the people of Sulu to take an active and meaningful role in securing their land,” he said.

“JTF-Sulu’s powerhouse team

welcomes another brilliant officer to its lineup.

To 1103rd Brigade Commander, Col Boquio, I expect nothing less than excellent leadership and constant collaboration with other security forces, local government units and agencies, and the general public of Sulu,” Gonzales added.

Sulu has become the “center of gravity” for terrorism lately following the defeat of the Islamic State (IS) during the siege of Marawi City in 2017.

While the military, especially the Joint Task Force (JTF) Sulu has consistently neutralized terrorist leaders, both from the Abu Sayyaf Group and the IS in Sulu, including IS leader in Mindanao Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan and his heir-apparent, Mannul Sawadjaan, the province has seen cases of suicide bombings

following the retreat there of the IS, which is aiming to recover.

Sulu is also the base of Radullan Sahiron, the “emir” of the ASG, and other hardcore leaders of the local terrorist group.

It was in the province where the IS is reportedly attempting to recruit suicide bombers.

Boquio expressed his gratitude for being given the opportunity to lead the brigade in the military’s counterterrorism operations in Sulu.

Before leading the new brigade, Boquio held the position as the chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’s Special Operations Command. He also served as the chief of staff of the JTF-Sulu in 2017 and commander of the First Scout Ranger Battalion from October 2014 to March 2016.

The 11th ID has four operational brigades in Sulu, including a marine brigade.

The 1101st Infantry Brigade is responsible for securing the southern portion of the 1st District of Sulu while the 1102nd Brigade is in charge of the town of Patikul that lies on the northern portion of the same district.

The entire second district of Sulu falls under the responsibility of the 4th Marine Brigade. The 1103rd Infantry Brigade’s deployment is yet to be determined.

Government prosecutors still confident of clinching guilty verdict vs de Lima In denying Senator de Lima’s demurrer to evidence, the trial judge concluded that, unless rebutted, the prosecution’s evidence is sufficient to convict the accused.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

G

OVERNMENT prosecutors on Wednesday asserted that the camp of detained Sen. Leila de Lima failed to destroy the probative value of the testimony of their witness during last Tuesday’s hearing on the drug case filed against her before the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Muntinlupa City.

This, despite prosecution witness Joel Capones being subjected to a grueling two-hour cross-examination by de Lima’s counsel during the hearing presided by Judge Romeo S. Buenaventura of RTC, Branch 256.

The cross-examination was aimed at destroying his testimony and credibility as a state witness against the senator who has been accused of conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading inside the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) when she was still secretary of the Department of Justice.

De Lima, along with several co-accused including Ronnie Dayan and Jad de Vera, were accused of conspiring and confederating with each other to commit illegal drugs trading, particularly violation of Section 26 (b) in relation to Section 5, Section 3 (jj), and Section 28 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

In an interview after the hearing, the DOJ prosecution panel led by Provincial Prosecution Ramoncito Bienvenido Ocampo Jr. claimed that Capones’s testimony “remains solid” even

BM

after the cross-examination.

Ocampo stressed that as far as the prosecution is concerned, Capones’s testimony was very clear and categorical that sometime in March 5, 2014 he saw alleged drug lord Jaybee Sebastian hand over to de Lima P1.4 million in alleged drug money.

“In his testimony, [Capones] delivered first the money to Jaybee Sebastian—the P1.4 million, and when the senator then Secretary of Justice arrived, Jaybee Sebastian handed the money to Secretary de Lima. That is part of the testimony,” Ocampo told reporters.

“His testimony is very clear as far as we are concerned. We leave it to the court for its appreciation of our evidence as far as the gist of the testimony of Joel Capones,” he stressed.

Ocampo said the prosecution panel would ask the court to put Capones on the stand anew for redirect examination once the defense wraps its cross-examination.

During his testimony before the court, Capones claimed that Sebastian prodded him to engage in illegal drug trading to raise funds to support the senatorial bid of the former justice secretary.

Capones admitted that he indeed transacted illegal drugs or shabu to heed the directive of Sebastian because he was convinced and impressed with the latter’s apparent strong influence with the previous administration, particularly with de Lima.

Capones narrated that in March 2014, during the anniversary of the

Commando Sigue-Sigue organization, he delivered the amount of P1.4 million to Sebastian as quota payment of the shabu drugs that he sold.

He also claimed that he personally witnessed Sebastian handed over to de Lima the P1.4 million that he delivered to the alleged drug lord.

In light of Capones’s admission that he traded drugs inside the NBP, de Lima’s camp had asked Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra to indict Capones also for illegal drug trading.

Meanwhile, Guevarra indicated that de Lima’s conviction “appears inevitable” unless she would be able to refute the evidence presented by the Department of Justice accusing her of conspiracy to commit illegal drugs trading inside the NBP in Muntinlupa City when she was still justice secretary.

“In denying Senator de Lima’s demurrer to evidence, the trial judge concluded that, unless rebutted, the prosecution’s evidence is sufficient to convict the accused,” Guevarra said, in a text message to reporters.

Guevarra made the statement after Presiding Judge Liezel Aquiatan of Muntinlupa City RTC, Branch 205 denied last week the separate demurrer to evidence of de Lima and her co-accused Ronnie Dayan. A demurrer to evidence is a plea to dismiss a case on the basis of weak evidence presented by the prosecution.

The court also junked the petition for bail by de Lima and Dayan who are both accused of conspiring and confederating with each other to commit illegal drugs trading, particularly violation of Section 26 (b) in relation to Section 5, Section 3 (jj), and Section 28 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

The denial of the demurrer to evidence paves the way for the court’s reception of the defense evidence to refute the allegations and testimonies of the prosecution witnesses on March 5, 2021.

“In denying the senator’s petition for bail, the trial court found that the evidence against the accused is strong,” Guevarra stressed.

TheBroa

Business

A6 Thursday, February 25, 2021 • www.businessmirror.com.ph

Phishing fuels proliferation of pro LL it takes is one click.

Someone’s personal information, such as bank account and contact details, can be stolen with just one click on suspicious links and emails.

These are then used by fraudsters to transact—buying items on e-commerce shops or transferring funds to personal accounts for self-benefit, among others— without the consent of the owner.

Long stor y short, they are stealing money.

Amid the great shift to digital platforms, online phishing and other related scams have been on the rise and the perpetrators are only getting even more ingenious.

These scammers have been preying on the vulnerable and less digital savvy consumers so they can pocket some money, usually out of desperation given the ongoing crisis.

Prevalent cyberattacks

WITH the banks advancing digital use, identity theft and phishing have become the most common types of online fraud in Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, according to study by big data and artificial intelligence (AI) firm Advance.Ai. By assuming someone’s identity—after obtaining personal information—Advance.Ai said that fraudsters are illegally completing transactions or making purchases.

They target sensitive data such as names, addresses and e-mail addresses.

Scammers are able to get such information through phishing. They trick unsuspecting customers into visiting fake websites to steal the users’ password to take over the account. Some even falsely represent themselves as representatives of

financial institutions to manipulate customers into providing their sensitive information.

“Some sophisticated fraudsters even intercept communications between customers and merchants (or between customers and banks) in order to siphon off logging-in data or access someone’s account legally via bots,” the Singaporebased consultancy firm said.

Retail attacks

A NOT HER popu l a r ph ish i ng technique is through email that appears to be sent by the credit cardholders’ bank, Credit Card Association of the Philippines (CCAP) said in a recent statement.

The industry group said, “these emails have subjects ranging from a new device log-in to a credit card upgrade and their goal is to attain the cardholder’s card details and online banking credentials.”

Ramon L. Jocson, Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) Chief Operating Officer, told the BusinessMirror that phishing is among the retail attacks that have indeed become prevalent.

Citing an Interpol survey, Jocson said phishing was present in 194 countries and comprised 59 percent of all reported attacks last year. Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization) is an intergovernmental organization.

“The pandemic situation is being used by fraudsters as an opportunity to do phishing attempts since not all customers are aware of cyber fraud and ways on how to spot fraudsters,” Philippine

National Bank (PNB) told this newspaper.

Engineering attacks

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has increased monitoring for developments relating to the digital economy following an accelerated shift to online transactions. Its findings pointed to an expected conclusion: the cases of reported cybercrimes in 2020 were much higher than the prepandemic levels.

“While their (fraudsters) tactics were constantly shifting from distributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) to malware attacks, these cyber threat actors heavily relied on social engineering attacks such as phishing to facilitate other types of cybercrime,” the BSP told the BusinessMirror, noting that phishing has also transformed in the form of voice and SMS (short message services) phishing.

Phishing incidents were the top cybersecurity concern for banks and financial institutions last year, the Central Bank confirmed.

According to the National Bureau of Investigation’s Anti Cybercrime Group, meanwhile, cybercrimes doubled in the second half of 2020 compared to the first half.

CC AP noted that lockdown measures prompted payments to shift from card-present or face-toface transactions to card-not-present (CNP), which includes remote payments and other digital means.

With this, cases of CNP fraud recorded between April to November of 2020 surged by 29 percent from the same period in 2019.

“Fraud happens more often in cyberspace, given that it is easier to facilitate there,” CCAP Executive Director Alex B. Ilagan said.

“It does away with the need to secure a physical card, and more importantly, it is a safer option for the fraudsters because of the anonymity that the internet provides.”

sites per month last year. Its cybersecurity operations center monitors this ty pe of fraud.

Despite such incidents, the Central Bank said that consumers were not deterred from accomplishing online transactions.

In fact, the BSP noted that around 4 million digital accounts were opened through banks and non-bank electronic money issuers from March 17 to April 30 last year.

Accounts opened per day averaged to 113,300 on April 16 to 30 last year, which showed a 39-percent increase from the previous month, it added.

Citing GSMA Intelligence data (based on fourth quarter of 2019 information), Advance.Ai noted that the Philippines has smartphone penetration of 159 percent, higher than Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore. However, the country is among the lowest in the region in terms of Internet penetration at 67 percent.

Surge during Covid

NOW, the question is: how come scammers can still mount successful attacks despite numerous warnings and previous incidents?

Fraudsters are keeping up with technological advancements and adapting more techniques to scam potential victims, Union Bank of the Philippines Chief Information Security Officer Jose Paolo G. Rufo told the BusinessMirror.

“The wealth of information and anonymity in the Internet increased their ability to collaborate with other syndicates to continuously hone their skills and toolsets,” he explained.

Ru fo sa id t h at f raud sters a re e v e n c re at i n g l o c a l i z e d and holiday-themed phishing

emails to entice the customers w ith fa lse rewards. T hese emails, as mentioned, will then lead to phishing sites.

BPI’s Jocson, meanwhile, observed that fraudsters are becoming more meticulous when it comes to crafting deceiving emails.

He said that phishing emails were “easy to spot” before because they usually contain grammatical errors or wrong spellings, among others. Some scammers now, he noted, have learned to “polish their prose and improve their visuals” so they can appear legitimate.

As Rufo mentioned, Jocson observed a surge in Covid-themed phishing emails in the past year.

These usually offer Covid-19 cure, preferential priority for vaccines and other related matters, he said.

“Lastly, the sophistication has also been reflected in how these criminal groups are organized - we have seen them layering the activities to the extent that most of the phishing site design/build and harvesting of data is outsourced,” Jocson added.

These instances are not only in the Philippines. Advance.Ai Chief Commercia l Officer Ber nardi Susastyo said fraud criminals in Southeast Asia have also adapted to sharpen their strategies in exploiting the digital world.

The big data company agreed that fraudsters are more equipped with tools for identity theft today, allowing them to commit more financial scams. This could result in economic losses and hamper the progress of the digital economy at the same time, Advance.Ai added.

Factors for fraud

APART from lack of awareness, Advance.Ai cited inefficiencies in

Still undeterred

FOR it s pa r t , t he Ay a l a -le d BPI said that it took down 300 phishing sites to 500 phishing

identity verification among the top factors for online fraud.

Identity verification should be addressed to improve the risk management of the banks and financial institutions, it noted.

FintechAlliance.ph Chairman Angelito M. Villanueva said banks should implement digital identification using the electronic-KYC (know your customer) procedure to protect their clients’ identity and other relevant data.

“The digital ID system would minimize or prevent occasions of fraud,” Villanueva told this newspaper. “An effective digital ID gives assurance, protection, and control over personal data.”

This would be realized with the “aggressive implementation of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in the deployment of the national ID system called PhilSys,” he added. PSA aims to register about 50 to 70 million Filipinos this year.

In addition, Jocson said that banks have implemented multifactor authentication, encryption and stricter onboarding processes, among others, to prevent potential identity theft.

Rule-based engines BM GRAPHICS: job ruzgal

A

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

CONTROLLING and mitigating risks to allow sustainable development of the digital economy has become a more serious undertaking, Advance.Ai said, noting that fraud exists given the opportunity.

aderLook

sMirror

Editor: Dennis D. Estopace • Thursday, February 25, 2021

A7

ofiteering practices in pandemic

content about online scams.

Villanueva, meanwhile, gave some simple tips that the consumers should always remember.

For example, banks will never ask for passwords and account numbers of their clients. Always reach out to your bank to verify emails that appear to be suspicious, he also said, adding that it may also be for the best to just delete them without even opening.

Weerapat Kiatdumrong | Dreamstime.com

More vigilance

With this, financial services firms have relied on new-generational technologies—such as AI—to counter cyberattacks, in addition to automating usual daily tasks and analyzing data, among others.

“Businesses will need to assess their readiness to manage online fraud risk and tap on the power of big data, AI technology and other advanced risk assessment technologies to help them better safeguard their assets and promote greater economic financial inclusion at the same time,” Susastyo said.

For Jocson, AI is also superior compared to rules-based engines and machine learning because it learns from the behavior and patterns of the user.

AI has the ability to take specific actions and alternative paths when dealing with fraudulent transactions as well, he noted.

“If there is an unusual behavior or pattern, the AI not only flags it as a possible fraud transaction, but can even take additional measures in either preventing the fraud, or recommending other compensating controls before the transaction is approved,” Jocson explained.

“Furthermore, the data provided by the AI can also help inform the measures we take or the communications that we release to strengthen cybersecurity,” the BPI official added.

Enhance systems

UNIONBANK’S Rufo, for its part, said that AI has been helpful in identifying fraud.

In fact, the Aboitiz-led bank has blocked thousands of fraudulent credit card transactions via its AI platforms since the beginning of the year.

“AI works by analyzing your purchase history, and compares it with fraudulent behavior to give it a score on how legitimate or fraudulent your application is,” Rufo said.

Apart from UnionBank, the Central Bank said other banks and financial institutions are also now testing or are in the early stages of AI implementation to beef up their fraud management system.

The BSP explained that such a system, with the help of AI and machine learning, will be able to collect, monitor and analyze transactions to point out fraudulent and suspicious activities. Doing so will allow early detection and even prevention of online scams, it added.

On the other hand, Villanueva emphasized the need to enhance information and data security systems as well as to prevent future scams.

“Periodic updates should be done on the system since scammers become very creative each day and before we know it, they would have invented the new modus,” he added.

Education as key

THE Central Bank understands that while the digital world is prone to scams, transitioning to it is a must to improve both the customer ex perience and financial inclusion.

Last year, it launched a digital payments transformation roadmap, aiming to convert 50 percent of the total volume and value of retail payments to digital by 2023.

In addition, the Central Bank is targeting to have 70 percent of Filipino adults financially included within the same time frame.

“To fully optimize the value and benefits of digital platforms, the BSP ensures that risks are appropriately managed and consumer protection is upheld,” the regulator vowed.

This is why BSP has a consumer education campaign #E-Safety to highlight the roles of financial consumers in protecting their digital identity and transactions.

“Amid the rise in the use of digital financial platforms through mobile and internet banking applications, cyber threat actors try to exploit consumers through targeted social engineering scams such as phishing,” BSP said. “To mitigate this, the BSP in coordination with the BSFIs [BSP supervised financial institutions], launched a more intensive consumer awareness and education campaigns as a strong first line of defense against phishing attacks.”

Device monitoring

VILLANUEVA commended the initiatives of the Central Bank and the Securities and Exchange Commission in ensuring robust and advanced anti-cybercrime tools and policies.

Still, there are other matters that the BSP should address to prevent fraud transactions further.

Apart from the National ID System, BPI’s Jocson pointed to the need for mandatory registration of mobile phone numbers.

The CCAP agrees with Jocson.

Earlier, the industry group pushed for the speedy approval of a bill aimed at requiring the registration of all SIM (subscriber identity module) cards used in mobile phones in a bid to reduce credit card scams. The CCAP was referring to House Bill 7233 or the SIM Card Registration Act. The proposed bill requires the SIM card owners to declare their full name, birthdate, gender and address. Such information will allow authorities to identify the SIM card holders in case their device was used for illegal schemes, CCAP told the BusinesMirror in a recent interview.

“This [bill] will minimize, if not totally stop, the use of prepaid mobile phone numbers for committing credit card fraud because it will eliminate the cloak of anonymity provided by prepaid SIM cards,” Ilagan said.

Jocson added that the existing

Cybercrime Law should also be amended to include phishing, mule accounts and economic sabotage, among others.

Online awareness

FIGHTING fraud is a shared responsibility of the regulators, banks and consumers, Rufo said.

This is why consumer education is a must to ensure that users know how to react when they receive phishing emails, he explained.

PNB said it is important for consumers to know how these crimes look like so they can be aware.

“We educate all our colleagues in the bank and all our clients regularly by alerting them and sending them advisories regarding cyber fraud through various platforms,” the Tan-led bank added.

To raise awareness about online scams, Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. (Metrobank) launched in November last year a financial education initiative dubbed “Scam Proof.”

It is an online platform that consolidates information about different online scams and fraudulent activities and how to avoid them. Both consumers and institutions can also report any fraud cases through the digital channel so the public can be warned of potential illicit schemes.

Apart from Metrobank, the Philippine Savings Bank, BDO Unibank Inc., RCBC, Citibank Philippines and CCAP contributed

WHILE phishing has become more prevalent in the past year, Rufo said that it was not entirely new.

“If you can recall the Nigerian Prince phishing and scamming has been in existence since the Internet era began and it did not really deter the growth of the Internet, the adoption of email, and to where we are now, the migration of a lot of people and services online,” he said.

The “Nigerian prince” scam is probably one of the longest-running Internet frauds today; and still lures vulnerable victims.

This illicit scheme victimizes consumers by sending an email claiming it came from a royalty overseas. A big investment opportunity or fortune is then offered by the scammer, who is asking for help to get it out of the country via the recipient’s bank account.

If the recipient agreed, his or her bank account would likely then be emptied by the fraudster.

“What every institution has to take part in is that the growth of technology comes with educating the public on the risks that comes with it, which includes phishing and online scams, so that they are able to navigate the cyber space peacefully while being cognizant of who could be the potential troublemaker online,” Rufo noted.

“Technology, digitization and online banking won’t stop, it will continually grow as it provides a lot of convenience and safety especially with the pandemic still around,” he added.

He a l so l i k e ne d ph i sh i n g and other online scams to the physical world ’s “ budol-budol ” or swindling. Classic examples are when “fake electricians or fake Internet installers knock on your door and then steal your things once they are inside [your home],” he said.

“To protect our home from these scams, we tell our family, don’t talk to strangers,” Rufo said, noting that the same should be done in the digital world: do not engage with strangers on fake websites.

“Phishing is your online ‘budolbudol,’” the UnionBank official quipped.

Stalking next prey

CONSUMERS are being warned that online scams are here to stay, especially because fraudsters are taking advantage of the uncertainty of the times due to the pandemic.

“Many have lost their jobs and other sources of income. People are becoming desperate to earn money,” Villanueva said, explaining this is a great motivation for fraudsters.

At the same time, the FintechAlliance.ph head noted that people are likely to be lured by get-rich-quick schemes promising high returns in a short period of time. To this, he reminded the public to avoid making hasty decisions and practice due diligence first before putting your money in investment opportunities.

“Scammers are just lurking in the dark like wolves waiting for the next prey,” he said.

All it takes is one click.

A4 Thursday, February 25, 2021 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug A8

News

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Dressed chicken inventory declines by more than half to 16,819.49 MT

T

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

@jearcalas

level” given the disruptions in trade caused by Covid-19 and rising demand for chicken meat due to higher pork prices.

NMIS said their data doesn’t include fresh chilled chicken and mechanically deboned meat (MDM) of chicken. Furthermore, NMIS added that the data only include those from accredited facilities.

“Inventory already in distribution channels are not included,” the NMIS said.

In the same latest report, the NMIS said the country’s pork inventory in accredited cold storages as of February 15 declined by 43.14 percent to 23,094.71 MT

A TYPICAL day for dressed chicken vendors at a Quezon City wet market. The National Meat Inspection Service has disclosed on Wednesday that the country’s dressed chicken inventory has plunged to more than half compared to the same period last year—from 38,008.71 metric tons to 16,819.49 MT—as of February 15, 2021. NONOY LACZA

from 40,616.34 MT recorded in the same period of last year.

NMIS data also showed that

DA chief to AmCham: Invest in PHL’s agribusiness sector

T

HE Department of Agriculture (DA) is encouraging the members of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (AmCham) to consider investing in the country’s agribusiness sector to help farmers attain “efficient management and delivery of agriculture and fishery products.”

In a news statement, Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said there are a lot of opportunities in the agribusiness sector under the new normal that AmCham members could explore.

“With the big potential and opportunity for agribusiness investments, we call on the AmCham members to invest in agriculture, especially in the provision of production, processing, cold chain, marketing, logistics and modern technologies, and agripreneurship,” Dar said during a recent virtual meeting with AmCham officers and members.

Dar said major investments are “urgently needed” in the construction of “cold chain facilities, including attendant logistics to enable food producers to efficiently manage supply and deliver farm and fishery products to the market on a regular basis.”

“The Covid-19 pandemic is currently defining the world as we know it, showing us that it is more than just a health crisis, but also a major concern with socioeconomic dimension to it,” he said.

“But this won’t dampen our spirit. We will aggressively continue to empower our food security frontliners—the farmers and the fishers,” he added.

The DA noted that the US remains as the country’s top source of food and agricultural product imports amounting to $2.8 billion in 2019, about 2.6 times the value of Philippine food and agricultural products exported to the US. “In particular, we encourage AmCham members and other

private sector stakeholders to invest in warehouses and cold storage for agricultural and fishery commodities,” he said.

“We need these facilities particularly during the harvest season, when there are surpluses, and thus buy at lower cost and store them. This is a tolling business that the private sector can take part of. We need not depend on the government alone.

We need your involvement,” he added.

Higher budget and investment for Philippine agriculture is one of Dar’s eight paradigms to level up the sector.

The DA noted that the government and the private sector “must provide the necessary budget and investment to grow and develop Philippine agriculture.”

“The increased budget will help unlock the bigger potential contribution of agriculture and agribusiness to the economy, including more employment opportunities,” it added.

Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

the latest pork inventory was 9.45 percent higher than the 21,100.28 MT recorded in the previous week

but 12.13 percent lower than the 26,283.67 MT recorded on January 18.

BI chief raises alarm on new modus victimizing OFWs wishing to depart

T

HE Bureau of Immigration (BI) has warned aspiring overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) against fake immigration officers offering to facilitate their departure from the country in exchange for money.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said the agency has sought the assistance of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in going after these fixers pretending to be immigration officers.

The new modus, according to Morente, was discovered after the agency received a report sometime in December regard a Filipino worker who wanted to depart to Dubai under a tourist visa, but was intercepted at the airport.

Morente said an immigration officer who introduced himself as “James” approached her and offered to escort her for a fee.

Based on the report, James claimed that he was assigned as an immigration officer at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and had the capacity to allow the victim’s departure.

She initially transferred P7,000 through GCash, and P28,500 through bank transfer to the suspect.

She again later transferred P39,500

upping her total transfer to P75,000 and attempted to depart but was intercepted again.

“The victim tried to ask for her money back from the suspect but he made excuses about it,” Morente said.

Upon verification with BI’s records, Morente said the suspect was not on its list of employees.

“I am unable to disclose the details of the said fixer but we received intelligence information yesterday [Wednesday] about him. We already have his identity,” Morente said.

“I have instructed our Travel Control and Enforcement Unit and Intelligence Division to coordinate with the NBI and ensure that this person faces the harshest penalties of the law,” he assured.

In light of the incident, Morente cautioned OFWs from entertaining offers of fixers and extortionists.

“They are sweet-talkers that will entice you to attempt to work illegally, but we have already measures in place to prevent that from happening. Report any fixing and extortion attempts to the police to make sure that they are arrested and they are prevented from victimizing other people again,” Morente said. Joel R. San Juan

Expert cites mileage gain in using B5 coconut diesel fuel blend

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

M

OTORISTS may expect to gain as much as 10 percent more mileage should they use the 5-percent coco biodiesel blend (B5), a noted petroleum and biodiesel expert said, citing a local study.

Biodiesel consultant Rafael Diaz said B5 usage translates to

a minimum 6-percent mileage gain, or between P1.39 and P2.97 per liter savings based on current pump prices.

Citing a study conducted by the University of the Philippines National Center for Transportation Studies (UPNCTS), the Department of Energy (DOE), the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), and the Land Transportation Office (LTO), he said the B5 blend provides motorists

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

A

HE country’s dressed chicken inventory nationwide as of February 15 declined by more than half to 16,819.49 metric tons from 38,008.71 MT in the same period of last year, latest National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) data showed.

Latest NMIS data showed that bulk of the volume were imported or about 10,771.80 MT, while the remaining volume of 6,047.69 MT were locally produced.

NMIS data also showed that the latest inventory as of mid-February was flat from the previous week’s 16,739.24 MT. However, the volume was 35 percent lower than the 25,924.54 MT recorded dressed chicken inventory in the previous month, based on NMIS data.

United Broiler Raisers Association (Ubra) President Elias Jose Inciong said the current inventory level “is not a comfortable

Govt agencies urged to step up job fairs to ease unemployment

with a 6-percent mileage gain during stop-and-go driving cycle and as much as 10 percent on a continuous driving cycle.

“The fuel cost savings attributed to mileage gain with B5 is one of the most significant benefits of B5, along with better combustion, cleaner air that results in wellness of public health and less engine breakdown,” according to Diaz.

Based on local and international studies, B5 blend usage is seen to significantly reduce carbon, hydrocarbon, sulphur oxide, and nitrogen oxide emissions from combustion.

Aside from this the PCA has also noted that the B5 blend will result in an annual savings of P13 billion from the importation of diesel.

Blending coco biodiesel or co-

conut methyl ester (CME) in local diesel started in 2007 upon the implementation of Republic Act 9367, or the Biofuels Act of 2006.

In the first year of the law, diesel was blended with 1 percent CME. It was increased to 2 percent in 2007 and has remained at that level since.

The government aims to implement the 5-percent blend within the year.

MID record-high joblessness in the country brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, lawmakers have filed a resolution urging government agencies to intensify online job fairs to further ease unemployment in the country, speed up economic recovery and keep families afloat during the economic crisis.

Deputy Speaker Camille Villar and Negros Occidental Francisco Benitez filed House Resolution 1597 asking the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Civil Service Commission (CSC) and other state agencies and other government agencies to conduct a vigorous Balik Trabaho E-Jobs and Online Job Fairs and similar virtual career platform activities geared toward assisting job seekers to resolve unemployment concerns and formulate short, medium- and long-term approaches and strategies to address the perennial dearth of opportunities in the country.

With the expected roll out of the government’s vaccination drive in the next few days and gradual reopening of the economy, the lawmakers said, a road map on employment, jobs and opportunities must be set in place, taking into consideration health protocols and government restriction on mass gatherings.

Villar said she believes the need for more virtual recruitment fairs is urgent in an effort to help displaced workers and everyone seeking jobs.

“The high-risk sectors with most displacements include manufacturing, transportation and storage, accommodation and food service activities, as well as arts, entertainment, and recreation,” she said.

“Various government agencies must innovate in generating job opportunities during the pandemic and health crisis,” Villar added, pointing out that there is an increasing demand for virtual career platforms resulting from the pandemic.

Villar said the Philippine unemployment rate soared to 10.4 percent last year, or about 4.5 million jobless Filipinos, the highest in 15 years, as thousands of establishments were forced to shut down amid quarantines and plummeting activity. At one point, 7.2 million Filipinos were jobless in April 2020, the height of t he go ve r n me nt - i mp os e d lockdown to contain the virus, while many more workers and businesses saw their incomes collapse.

“Virtual career platforms assist job applicants in finding unique opportunities and job vacancies,” said Villar.

Over 21,000 jobs were available in an online job fair spearheaded by DOLE a nd t he Ph i lippine O verseas Employ ment Ad m inist rat ion w it h mynimo. com in December l ast yea r. A tot a l of 60 0 domest ic f ir ms a nd 15 l icensed recr u it ment agenc ies pa r t ic ipated i n t he job fa ir.

The CSC, for its part, also held an online job fair in coordination with Jobstreet.com.

SC junks appeal of former DPWH exec, cohort in ₧6.37-million motorpool scam

T

HE Supreme Court has dismissed the petitions filed by a former official of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) who was convicted by the Sandiganbayan in connection with the anomalous transactions involving the fictitious re-

pair of government vehicles.

In a decision dated January 12 and made public online on Tuesday, the court’s first division denied for lack of merit the petitions for review filed by Maximo Borje and Conchita dela Cruz.

The charges involve 274 bogus transactions on supposedly emer-

gency repairs on 39 DPWH vehicles in 2001, when Borje was the chief of the motorpool section of the DPWH Board of Equipment (DPWH-BOE), and dela Cruz was a government supplier and the owner of DEB Repair Shop and Parts.

The Sandiganbayan had found

Borje and dela Cruz liable for fictitious transactions from March to December 2001.

The two allegedly forged and falsified documents to cause the payment of fictitious repairs and purchases of spare parts amounting to P6.37 million.

The high tribunal affirmed the decision of the Sandiganbayan, dated November 10, 2016. The petitioners were sentenced to up to 10 years in prison. They were also ordered to pay the DPWH P5,166,539 in civil indemnity.

“We find no reason to disturb the

findings of the Sandiganbayan that petitioners are in conspiracy with the other co-accused. This Court is not a trier of facts and in the absence of strong and compelling reasons, we accord finality to the factual findings of the Sandiganbayan,” the SC said. PNA

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

Unfriended no more: Facebook seen lifting Australia news ban

C

ANBERRA, Australia—Facebook announced on Tuesday that it would lift a ban on Australians viewing and sharing news on its platform after it struck a deal with the government on proposed legislation that would make digital giants pay for journalism.

The social media company caused alarm with its sudden decision last week to block news on its platform across Australia after the House of Representatives passed the draft law.

Initially, the blackout also cut access—at least temporarily—to government pandemic, public health and emergency services, fueling outrage.

Facebook’s cooperation is a major victory in Australia’s efforts to make two major gateways to the Internet, Google and Facebook, pay for the journalism that they use—a faceoff that governments and tech companies the world over have watched closely. Google also had threatened to remove its search functions from Australia because of the proposed law, but that threat has faded.

“There is no doubt that Australia has been a proxy battle for the world,” Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said.

“Facebook and Google have not hidden the fact that they know that the eyes of the world are on Australia, and that is why they have sought to get a code here that is workable,” he added, referring to the bill, the News Media Bargaining Code.

In fac t, this week , Microsoft and four European publishing groups announced they would work together to push for Australian-style rules for news payments from tech platforms.

The legislation was designed to curb the outsized bargaining power of Facebook and Google in their negotiations with Australian news providers. The digital giants would not be able to abuse their positions by making take -it-or-leave -it payment offers to news businesses for their journalism. Instead, in the case of a standoff, an arbitration panel would make a binding decision on a winning offer.

Frydenberg and Facebook confirmed that the two sides agreed to amendments to the proposed legislation. The changes would give digital platforms one month’s notice before they are formally designated under the code.

That would give those involved more time to broker agreements before they are forced to enter binding arbitration arrangements.

A statement Tuesday by Campbell Brown, Facebook’s vice president for news partnerships, added that the deal allows the company to choose which publishers it will suppor t, including small and local ones.

“We’re restoring news on Facebook in Australia in the coming days. Going forward, the government has clarified we will retain the ability to decide if news appears on Facebook so that we won’t automatically be subject to a forced negotiation,” Brown said.

Fr ydenberg described the agreed upon a m e n d m e n t s a s “c l a r i f i c a t i o n s ” o f t h e government’s intent. He said his negotiations with Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg were “difficult.”

A European publishers’ lobbying group that is among those teaming up with Microsoft said the deal shows such legislation is possible— and not just in Australia.

“The latest twist proves that regulation works,” said Angela Mills Wade, executive director of the European Publishers Council.

“Regulators from around the world will be reassured that they can continue to take inspiration from the Australian government’s determination to withstand unacceptable threats from powerful commercial gatekeepers.”

Facebook said it would now negotiate deals with Australian publishers. “ We a re s at i s f i e d t h at t h e Au s t ra l i a n government has agreed to a number of changes and guarantees that address our core concerns about allowing commercial deals that recognize the value our platform provides to publishers relative to the value we receive from them,” Facebook regional managing director William Easton said.

“As a result of these changes, we can now work to further our investment in public interest journalism and restore news on Facebook for Australians in the coming days, “ Easton added.

Google, meanwhile, has been signing up Australia’s largest media companies in contentlicensing deals through its News Showcase. The platform says it has deals with more than 50 Australian titles and more than 500 publishers globally using the model, which was launched in October. AP

The World BusinessMirror

Thursday, February 25, 2021

Human rights groups, experts fear fresh wave of political prisoners in Myanmar

J

AKARTA, Indonesia—Whether taken from their homes in the middle of the night or grabbed off the streets during protests, hundreds of people have been arrested in the weeks since Myanmar’s military coup, leading human rights groups and experts to fear a sizable expansion in the number of political prisoners in the country.

As of Tuesday, some 696 people— including monks, writers, activists, politicians and others—had been arrested in relation to the coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, or A APP, a Myanmar-based organization.

Many of t hose ar rested were charged using a legacy of laws—some dating back to British colonial times and others instituted under previous military regimes—that have been used against critics by every government, including the one led by Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party, which was ousted in the February 1 coup.

“The National League for Democracy was comfortable leaving repressive laws on the books because in some instances they felt they might be able to take advantage of those laws themselves,” said Ronan Lee, a visiting scholar at Queen Mary University of London’s International State Crime Initiative.

“It’s now clear that some of those laws are now going to be weaponized against democracy campaigners in a way that maybe the National League for Democracy didn’t foresee,” Lee said.

While the military continues to use and amend old laws to crack down on dissidents, new laws are

being introduced as well, signaling the military’s intent to continue arresting protesters.

The hundreds arrested since the coup join the already hundreds of political prisoners in the country who were imprisoned both under the previous junta and the National League for Democracy, or NLD. “We have now seen not just a new generation of political prisoners, but also the retargeting of former political prisoners,” said Manny Maung, a Myanmar researcher at New Yorkbased Human Rights Watch.

Dur ing t he NLD’s r u le, journalists, critics of the military and the government, and others were charged under colonial-era laws.

According to the A APP, Myanmar had over 700 political prisoners as of January 31, with hundreds being charged during the NLD’s time in power.

Many of the repressive laws used against dissidents date back to the country’s colonial era.

After over 120 years of British colonial rule, Myanmar, then called Burma, became an independent republic in 1948. Though no longer a British territory, the country retained many of its colonial-era laws, which were “designed in nature to

In this February 15, file photo, a man is held by police during a crackdown on anti-coup protesters holding a rally in front of the Myanmar Economic Bank in Mandalay, Myanmar. As arrests of dissidents continue during anti-coup protests across Myanmar, experts are concerned that a new generation of political prisoners will begin to fill the country’s prisons. AP Photo be repressive and silence political opponents,” said Nick Cheeseman, a fellow at the Department of Political and Social Change at Australian National University.

In 1962, the military took control of the country through a coup, and it remained under junta rule for decades. Under the junta, people were regularly imprisoned for speaking out against the military. Those arrested were often sent to prison for years, and torture—including beatings, waterboarding, and deprivation of food and sleep—was commonplace, according to the A APP. Suu Kyi was kept under house arrest for 15 years over a 21-year period during this time.

Before democratic reforms eventually took place—a period during which Suu Ky i was released from house arrest, her political party agreed to participate in 2012 byelections and press censorship was softened—A mnesty International estimated that Myanmar had more than 1,000 political prisoners, calling it “one of the highest of such populations worldw ide.”

In the years following Suu Kyi’s 2010 release from house arrest, a prisoner amnesty led to the freeing of thousands of inmates, including some 200 political prisoners, while others remained incarcerated.

For many observers, this signaled hope for further reforms, a view bolstered when Suu Kyi’s party took power following a landslide victory in 2015 elections.

But hope quick ly dissipated in the years that followed, as repressive laws widely stayed on the books and political prisoners remained w ithout official recognition.

The lack of repealing hard crimina l codes left some free-speech and other activ ist groups upset in Myanmar, but “really didn’t impact how many in the West interacted w it h Aung San Suu Ky i ” or her government, said Lee, the scholar.

“What the military is trying to do is use the laws to add some legitimacy to their illegitimate grab for power and the NLD gave them an opportunity to do that by leaving old laws intact,” Lee said. “But there’s also no question that if these

Vaccine delays leave Latin America and Caribbean economies sinking

L

atin America and the Caribbean, the region where the coronavirus outbreak caused the worst economic destruction and more than a quarter of the world’s deaths, is now falling victim to a slow inoculation campaign.

Political fights and production bottlenecks are st ymieing B razil’s vaccination effor ts.

Mexico is struggling to source doses as its death toll surpasses India’s. Colombia only began administering shots last week.

Such sluggishness alongside a recent spike in infections risks hampering an already slowgoing economic recovery.

“If vaccination and public health policy don’t succeed at reversing the trend that we’ve seen in recent months, clearly this recovery is at risk,” Alejandro Werner, the International Monetary Fund’s western hemisphere director, said earlier this month.

Latin America’s economic rebound was already wobbling after a new round of lockdown measures in response to the surge in cases that began around the Christmas holidays. Since January, JPMorgan Chase & Co. trimmed its first quarter growth forecasts for Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico, citing concerns of a rising case load and new restrictions.

The region contracted by more than 7 percent

last year, according to the IMF—the most in the world. The Fund doesn’t see output returning to pre-pandemic levels until 2023, and this year is off to rocky start.

In December, Brazilian retail sales suffered their biggest drop for the month on record, pointing to a sharp slowdown in Latin America’s largest economy. Meanwhile, Mexico saw its recovery lose steam, as growth slowed to 3.1 percent from 12.1 percent over the last two quarters of 2020. And on Tuesday, Peru reported that its economy shrank 11.1 percent last year, the biggest contraction since 1989.

Chile outperforms

Activit y is expected to pick up later this year, but a strong rebound depends on vaccines becoming more widely available in the coming months. Underscoring the importance of an efficient vaccine rollout, investors are already rewarding Latin America’s only success story so far: Chile. The country is on pace to inoculate 75 percent of its population in just six months, according to Bloomberg’s Vaccine Tracker.

This month, Moody’s Investors Service and Spain’s Banco Santander both revised upward their growth forecasts for Chile, setting it apart from its neighbors. Its economy will recover

to pre-pandemic levels three to six months earlier than most other countries in the region, according to Nikhil Sanghani, an economist at Capital Economics in London.

The Chilean peso has led gains among regional peers, rallying more than 3 percent so far this month.

Other countries in the region are nowhere close. At the current rate, Brazil would take twoand-a-half years to reach the 75 percent level of inoculation, which is the threshold experts say is needed for a return to normality. In Mexico it is estimated to take 3.6 years to reach that level, and in Argentina, over a decade. The US, by contrast, is projected to reach herd immunity by the end of 2020.

This outlook may improve over the next few weeks as some of the “teething problems” with the vaccine rollout start to ease, Sanghani said.

Delays in deliveries have sent countries that relied heavily on particular vaccines, such as Mexico and Colombia, running to ink last-minute contracts with competitors. Argentina is trying to produce more shots locally.

After dragging its feet for months in making vaccine orders, the administration of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is running out of doses to sustain its vaccination campaign, leading

nine state capitals including Rio de Janeiro to suspend immunizations.

Self-inflicted

The hold-ups in the vaccination drive aren’t all self-inflicted.

From the start, poorer countries have been pushed to the back of the line by wealthier ones that quickly sealed deals with drug makers, or are now commandeering vaccinations produced in their territory for their own citizens.

Much of the Caribbean and Central America are still weeks away from kicking off their campaigns. Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness last month accused rich countries of “hoarding” vaccines.

Economists watching mobility trends are bracing for another hit to activity caused by people once again sheltering at home and businesses closing shop. Chile aside, they remain skeptical about restrictions relief for the rest of the region given their slow start and distance from major vaccine distributors.

“Richer countries already started to buy out everything they could, only leaving bread crumbs for the rest,” said Joan Domene, a Mexico City-based economist for Oxford Economics Ltd.

Bloomberg News

Biden and Trudeau bypass tensions for unity on Covid-19, China, climate

U

NITED States President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said their nations would adopt a unified approach toward the pandemic, climate change and China, setting aside trade and other tensions in what the White House called the new US president’s first bilateral meeting.

After about a two-hour vir tual meeting between the two leaders and their staffs on Tuesday, Biden said that they had agreed to cooperate to strengthen the World Health Organization and industrial supply chains, “tackle climate change” and “better compete with China.”

He called for China to release two detained Canadian citizens, saying that “human beings are not bargaining chips,” and said that the US and Canada would “strengthen our shared

A9

commitment to provide safe haven for refugees and asylum seekers.”

Biden por trayed the relationship with the US’s nor thern neighbor and largest trading par tner as reinvigorated, after strains over immigration, trade and defense under former President Donald Trump. The new president made no mention of current disputes between the countries, such as Biden’s decision to halt construction of TC Energy Corp.’s Keystone XL oil pipeline linking oil-rich Alber ta to Nebraska.

“The United States has no closer friend— no closer friend than Canada,” Biden said.

Tuesday’s meeting was intended by the US as a coronavirus-era replacement for the tradition of a new president taking his first foreign trip to Canada. The leaders announced what they called a “road map” to improve

cooperation across a range of topics, from climate change to the coronavirus.

“In the face of Covid-19, of climate change, of rising inequality, this is our moment to act,” Trudeau said.

They announced a for thcoming ministerial meeting on climate and the resumption of the Cross-B order Crime Forum, an annual gathering of top law enforcement officials from each countr y to examine ways to collaborate on counter-terrorism and effor ts to combat smuggling and organized crime.

Although Biden and Trudeau are more closely aligned politically than Trump and the Canadian leader, sore spots have emerged with the new administration. Biden said on his first day in office that the Keystone pipeline isn’t “consistent with my administration’s economic

and climate imperatives.”

Trudeau has called the project—which would have shipped more than 800,000 barrels of crude a day from Alber ta’s oil sands to US refineries—a key priority, and raised concern about Biden revoking a permit for the project in a phone call with the president last month.

“Canadian energy workers power homes on both sides of the border,” Trudeau said after the meeting. “It goes to show that we’re all better off for this par tnership.”

And Biden’s “Buy American” order that strengthened requirements for federal spending, clamping down on contractors’ use of foreign suppliers, may spell trouble for Canadian suppliers who sell to US companies that contract with the federal government.

Tr u d e a u i s e x p e c t e d t o s e e k w a i v e r s

similar to those granted during the Obama a d m i n i s t r a t i o n to h e l p p ro te c t Ca n a d i a n b u s i n e s s e s. B u t W h i t e H o u s e a i d e s s a i d o n Tu e s d a y t h a t t h e y d i d n’ t a n t i c i p a t e the president offering any guarantees on procurement policy.

Biden offered full US suppor t to pressure China to release former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor, who were detained in 2018 after Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, a Chinese executive with Huawei Technologies Co. The US has sought the ex tradition of Meng—who is the daughter of the company’s founder—to tr y her on fraud charges. Her extradition case remains pending in Canadian cour ts.

“We’re going to work together until we get their safe return,” Biden said. Bloomberg News

laws didn’t work for the military, they’d still find other ways of arresting people.”

Since t his mont h ’s coup, t he military has also amended old penal codes and proposed new laws that experts say could be used as further tools to crack down on dissidents.

For example, amendments made on Februar y 14 to the countr y’s Penal Code sections on High Treason state that people can be sentenced to “up to 20 years for planning to hinder the success of defense or law enforcement.”

A controversial proposed cybersecurity law demands the elimination of online comments considered to be misinformation or disinformation that might cause “ hate” or disrupt stability, and any comment that might violate any existing law.

Those who are deemed to break the law can be sentenced to up to three years in prison.

The legal changes “are a textbook example of a military attempting to suppress dissent,” said Bo Kyi, a former political prisoner and founder of the A APP. “The wording of these amendments exposes quite literally anyone to imprisonment.”

With the continued crackdow n on anti-coup protesters—including arrests by plainclothes police in the middle of the night—prominent pro-democracy activists told The Associated Press that they have begun to stay in safehouses to avoid arrest. Others who have been arrested have not had contact w ith their families, and their locations remain unknow n.

“Conditions [for pr isoners] is something that we’re really worried about,” said Maung, the Human R ights Watch researcher. “ We are expecting the worst, which is that people are being mistreated and possibly even tortured, because that’s what used to happen.” AP

Chip shortage may cut Ford, GM earnings by a third, Moody’s says

T

he global semiconductor shortage will slash earnings at General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co. by about one-third this year as supply constraints hamper production and profits, Moody’s Investor Service estimates.

The chip shor tage will materially erode margins and could lower expected earnings before interest and taxes by as much as $2 billion for GM and $2.5 billion for Ford, the ratings agency said in a note published Tuesday.

GM’s EBITA margin could fall to 3.4 percent, while Ford’s could dip as low as 1.8 percent, according to Moody’s.

Rising demand for the chips needed to build technologically advanced and connected vehicles has introduced a new set of challenges for the Nor th American auto industr y, with shor tages triggering produc tion cuts and t e m p o r a r y p l a n t c l o s u re s, M o o d y ’s s a i d.

Demand from consumer-electronic companies exacerbated the supply shor tages amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Nex t week, Ford will idle an assembly plant in Ontario, Canada, where it builds Edge and Lincoln Nautilus sport utility vehicles. The company said that plant will shut for a week due to the chip shortage, the latest in a series of temporary shutdowns and line slowdowns caused by the lack of semiconductors.

The situation could deteriorate further after weather-related challenges in large parts of the country added to the component shortage, Bill Rinna, director of vehicle forecasts at LMC Automotive wrote in a report on Tuesday. North American production is likely to be hit hardest in the first quarter, with pockets of disruption emerging to a lesser extent in the second quarter, he said.

LMC reduced its production forecast by over 250,000 units, with the possibility of another 100,000 units lost, for the first quarter, Rinna said. The production loss across North America as of mid-February is estimated to exceed 190,000 units, he said.

“We do not see inventory returning to normal levels until the fourth quarter of this year, or the early part of next year,” Rinna wrote.

Bloomberg News

A10 Thursday, February 25, 2021 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

editorial

Covid-19 vaccines first before MGCQ

P

resident Duterte on Monday rejected the IATF recommendation to place the entire country under modified general community quarantine, which is the lightest quarantine classification that allows face-to-face classes for higher education institutions and paves the way for private and public offices to resume operations at full capacity. Duterte’s caution echoes the recommendations of the Octa Research Group, which warned that if the entire country were to shift to MGCQ on March 1, it would take less than a month for new cases to reach 2,400 daily—the level we saw in August 2020 that almost overwhelmed our hospitals.

Before you question the President’s decision, which gave weight to the opinion of medical experts who said that a shift to MGCQ would be risky and “contrary to sensible epidemic management,” let’s look first at what happened in the US where no Covid-19 restrictions were adopted under former President Donald J. Trump.

A graphic on the front page of the February 21, 2021 issue of The New York Times depicted the totality of Covid-19’s devastation in the US. It’s a grim but powerful visual made up of half a million dots: Each of the individual dots represents a life lost.

The first known Covid-related deaths in the US happened in February 2020.

It took four months to reach 100,000 deaths. The toll hit 200,000 deaths in September and 300,000 in December. Then it took just over a month to go from 300,000 to 400,000, and about two months to climb from 400,000 to 500,000. That’s a fifth of the current 2.5 million global death toll.

Some Americans poured out their anger on social media. Cheryl Bauman said: “Absolutely heart breaking and so unnecessary. Selfishness and stupidity and lack of competent leadership brought us here. Thank you New York Times for this perspective.”

“The deadly results of bleach therapies and myriad other quack suggestions that also poisoned our democracy, by none other than the worst US president ever,” said Yiannis Kustas.

“My father is unfortunately represented by one of those dots [January 12].

Thank you for reminding us of the toll it has taken on us as families and as a country. He was days away from getting the vaccine. He had so many plans to travel and spend time with his granddaughters, but his life was needlessly cut short,” said Cristina Pierson.

“We can’t become numb to these numbers. Each human life is precious.

Please stay vigilant. Wear a mask, get vaccinated, and keep your distance until this pandemic is under control. God bless all those who have died and those who continue to suffer,” said Josh Bernstein.

A new report from The Lancet Commission on Public Policy and Health found that 40 percent of Covid-19 deaths in the US could have been prevented if health measures such as wearing face masks and social distancing were adopted.

“Many of the cases and deaths were avoidable,” the commission said. “Instead of galvanizing the US populace to fight the pandemic, President Donald J. Trump publicly dismissed its threat [despite privately acknowledging it], discouraged action as infection spread, and eschewed international cooperation. His refusal to develop a national strategy worsened shortages of personal protective equipment and diagnostic tests. President Trump politicized maskwearing and school reopenings and convened indoor events attended by thousands, where masks were discouraged, and physical distancing was impossible.”

Are we doing better than the US? Do the math: The US, which has a population of 328 million, suffered more than 500,000 Covid-related deaths. The Philippines, which has a population of 110 million, reported 12,107 Covidrelated deaths.

The President’s position is clear: No MGCQ unless there’s a rollout of vaccines. “I cannot follow the example of other countries,” Duterte said, adding that the US, Brazil, Japan and South Korea all experienced a surge in cases after they opened up their economies. “Governance is not made of guesses. It has to be anchored on science.”

Political pundits have been harping about the Duterte administration’s “poor response to the coronavirus pandemic.” But a Pulse Asia survey conducted from September 14 to 20, 2020 gave the President a 91 percent approval rating.

We have a President that refuses to put people’s health and safety at risk.

Many people see that as a blessing. To borrow from a BusinessMirror columnist—T.G.Y.F. Thank God You’re Filipino.

Only at the intermission John Mangun

OUTSIDE THE BOX

T

o understand what I am about to say, you need to understand a little about me. Simply, I am the most fortunate. I may be “grouchy” as my business partner and my sons call me, but I am amazingly happy with my abundance. There are three things that bring misery to a man (and a woman, I suppose) especially at my mature age. These are health, wealth and spouse.

The last medical emergency in my family was about six years ago when son #2 had to be hospitalized with dengue fever. My personal “maintenance meds” are vitamin C, VCO, and a lovely 15-year-old Scotch I discovered last year. However, I pay my health and life insurance premiums in advance.

My incredible wife and I have been together long enough that she has come to tolerate the peculiarities and all my qualities that would drive a lesser woman to insanity. Or murder.

The wealth component is not only

Coping with pandemic moments, now

Since 2005

BusinessMirror A broader look at today’s business ✝ Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua Founder Publisher Editor in Chief Associate Editor News Editor

T. Anthony C. Cabangon Lourdes M. Fernandez Jennifer A. Ng Vittorio V. Vitug

Senior Editors

Lorenzo M. Lomibao Jr., Gerard S. Ramos Lyn B. Resurreccion, Dennis D. Estopace Angel R. Calso

Online Editor

Ruben M. Cruz Jr.

Creative Director Chief Photographer Chairman of the Board Ombudsman President Advertising Sales Manager Group Circulation Manager

Eduardo A. Davad Nonilon G. Reyes D. Edgard A. Cabangon Judge Pedro T. Santiago (Ret.) Benjamin V. Ramos Aldwin Maralit Tolosa Rolando M. Manangan

BusinessMirror is published daily by the Philippine Business Daily Mirror Publishing, Inc., with offices on the 3rd floor of Dominga Building III 2113 Chino Roces Avenue corner De La Rosa Street, Makati City, Philippines.

Tel. Nos. (Editorial) 817-9467; 813-0725. Fax line: 813-7025.

(Advertising Sales) 893-2019; 817-1351, 817-2807.

(Circulation) 893-1662; 814-0134 to 36. E-mail: news@businessmirror.com.ph.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Printed by brown madonna Press, Inc.–Sun Valley Drive KM-15, South Superhighway, Parañaque, Metro Manila MEMBER OF

the amount of money you have but the ability to look to the future and see family financial stability. But for a “Sr. Citz” and for younger men also, ‘”wealth” includes THE JOB and also how you spend your time. Most men that do not follow the Asian habit of working until the grave are unhappy.

As a side note, I am willing to bet real money that the nasty people that post vicious comments on SocMed are afflicted with “Health, Wealth, and Spouse Deficiency Misery.” You know who I mean.

My study of cycles led me in 2015

to believe that we were headed into a global period of major political chaos. I wrote my thoughts here several times. Did that political chaos happen? Three words, in chronological order: Duterte. Brexit. Trump.

And if you think those are some sort of massive crack in the natural order of things, that is why today you may be “broker” and more miserable. A secret. I was also shocked when the political chaos unfolded.

Economic chaos always follows political upheaval. On New Year’s Eve 2018 I told my family the clock was ticking, and now we had only one year left to prepare, to make all the money we could, and to lay a strong financial foundation for the future.

Twenty-twenty and economic chaos were coming.

My wife and I spent December 2019 at luxurious beach resorts, and with the entire family on New Year’s Eve 2019. Obviously, we have not been out of the city since then.

It is wrong to say that the current economic chaos is caused by the pandemic. Covid-19 is a severe coronavirus ailment that kills the sick and elderly. The demographics

Dr. Carl E. Balita

Entrepreneurs’ Footprints

A

ll human evil comes from a single cause—man’s inability to sit still in a room. French physicist, philosopher and theologian Blaise Pascal was quoted saying that in the 17th century.

In our present time, we have the quarantine experience that gives us the opportunity to be still and reflect. Yet, what we hear are stories of mental health concerns. We regret in grief what we have lost and many missed the chance to savor the experiences and learn the lessons. We are shocked by the uncertainty. We are tired of the limited movement in the old restless world. The social media that provide the most infinite potential to socialize have largely become a stressful community of lies, rages and biases.

But, we are still in the quarantine and we have the chance to enjoy its gift of the present moment living.

Locked down out of our comfort zone

IN the past, there was no lockdown but we were locked—in our comfort zone.

We lived within the order of a structured life in an organized universe where everything seemed to move the way they should be. We were able to think positively and create. We expressed our social nature in ways our freedom of choice and physical spaces allowed us. We knew how to be successful and happy. We loved life.

Humanity had the collective history defeating it in many battles for survival and supremacy and acted as if the universe is at our disposal.

Then comes the unprecedented pandemic that spelled disorder. There is

chaos that resulted from our not knowing what to effectively do. There is disruption in every way we live in a proportion we never imagined. We retreat hiding in the safety of our homes awaiting our modern science and technology to understand the invisible enemy, which is not even in itself a living thing.

Certainly, this experience led to our sufferings. We are snatched of our lives lived in a comfort zone. We have not much of a choice but to survive, then thrive.

And the pandemic takes a toll at one of our greatest assets—our mental health.

Anxiety and fear, stress and crisis

Since the early days of humanity, the threats of predators and incoming danger trigger the body’s alarm system and allow evasive action. It is a coping mechanism that increases the sensitivity to surroundings and the readiness to pro-

tect the self and everything that matter to self. The biological messengers in the brain set the entire body into a fight-or flight mode to confront or flee in response to any potential threats to safety.

Human creation is like a nearly perfect machine with survival homeostatic mechanisms programmed in its DNA. Our signal of danger threat, or motivational conflict, to trigger appropriate adaptive responses are anxiety and fear, along with complex and interrelated concepts of stress and crisis.

Uncertainty leads to anxiety—the fear of the unknown. Anxiety is a natural healthy psychological, physiological and behavioral state induced by actual or potential threats or internal conflict.

Anxiety is characterized by vague feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes. From a mild level that may positively lead to problem solving and better performance, anxiety may escalate to a tiresome sustained generalized state or a dangerously exhausting panic level or disconnected with reality, among others. Anxiety then becomes pathologic, hence, requiring professional intervention to resolve.

As anxiety that has vague cause and may actually need not have a trigger, fear has an object. It is a motivational state aroused by specific stimuli that gives rise to defensive behavior or escape. It has specific identifiable cause that is real, external, known or objective. Fear is perceived when the danger is present and imminent. But just like anxiety, fear elicits a holistic response that threatens the person and results in the expression of a range of adaptive or defensive behaviors.

These behaviors depend on the context and the available resources of the person.

The Hans Selye, the Father of Modern Stress Theory, defines stress as the

in the Philippines are about the same as everywhere. The young—age 20 to 50 cohort—account for 65 percent of the cases. The dead are older, with the 60-plus cohort accounting for 68.6 percent. The economic chaos has been caused by the quarantines.

History over the last 5,000 years shows a constant short-term shift from confidence in government to confidence in the private sector, back and forth. Here is a silly example. The Israelites lost confidence in Jehovah and built a “private sector” Golden Calf. That could not be allowed to happen. So “President” Moses “burnt the golden calf in a fire, ground it to powder, scattered it on water, and forced the Israelites to drink it.”

And you thought the current economic chaos to bring the people back in line was harsh. As we used to say before Political Correctness, “The opera ain’t over until the fat lady sings.” We are only at the intermission, between Act One and Act Two. E-mail me at mangun@gmail.com. Follow me on Twitter @mangunonmarkets. PSE stock-market information and technical analysis provided by AAA Southeast Equities Inc.

body’s non-specific response to any demand made upon it. Stress response is non-specific as it affects the whole being because the dominant systems in the response are the endocrine system and the nervous system, which are both powerful influential systems leading general or total body response. Stress results from any demand, which may actually range from events of positive nature to doom. Stress response therefore is highly personal.

Crisis, in a psychological standpoint, happens when a person faces an obstacle to important life goals. Such obstacle, for a time being, is insurmountable by the use of usual or customary methods of problem solving. It is a perception or experience of an event or situation that is intolerable and difficult that exceeds the person’s current resources and coping mechanisms. Crisis is so natural that it may come as a developmental experience across normal growth and development process. It may be existential derived from an inner conflict such as life purpose, direction or spirituality, like the mid-life crisis. The pandemic experience, however, is a situational crisis characterized by unexpected uncontrolled onset.

Coping, now

The responses of anxiety and fear and the experiences of stress and crisis need not be overstated. They are but natural responses ingrained in our human nature. But the intellect and freewill endowed upon our human nature hold the key to not only survival but also victory in this journey.

The foundation of our survival is on our ability to cope. Active coping strategies, the fight-or-flight, are used when escape from threat is possible. Passive coping strategies, the conservation-

See “Balita,” A11

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Thursday, February 25, 2021 A11

Bulacan airport project Transfigured and irreplaceable deserves full govt support Msgr. Sabino A. Vengco Jr.

Alálaong Bagá

Val A. Villanueva

Businesswise

‘A

controversial project...” I can only shake my head when some media entities describe San Miguel Corp’s P1.5trillion Bulacan Airport Project as controversial, without a clear and unequivocal explanation as to what makes it so.

My gutfeel tells me that some business groups with devious motives want to cast aspersion on the ongoing project, either out of spite or envy, by throwing all sorts of issues to derail the biggest investment the country has ever had coming from a single company. Some of our media friends are being overaccommodating in mouthing this nonsensical refrain.

The truth is that San Miguel is taking a huge risk in undertaking this project. While many businesses are explicably holding back, the company is pursuing big-ticket infrastructure projects, which will fuel economic activity despite the global financial contraction brought on by the pandemic.

One of the issues being thrown at the airport project is the decision of both houses of Congress to pass a bill granting it tax exemptions. This is not new. Since my early foray in business writing, the Philippines, through the Board of Investments (BOI), has already been offering tax incentives—tax holidays, import duty restrictions, among others—to attract foreign and local investments. I find it even weirder to see some former officials of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda)—who themselves crafted many of the tax-incentive provisions that are in effect to this day—putting in a bad light giving tax incentives to the airport project.

Let’s do the math. Granting tax incentives to San Miguel will be more than justified. For one, the project is an unsolicited proposal, and the humongous amount of money to be poured into it may not yield the returns envisioned by its proponents. Remember that the pandemic has led to the bankruptcies of global airlines amid slow air traffic and cargo movement. Meanwhile, employment generation, through the sheer size of the investment alone, should be a welcome relief. In this time of pandemic, the country is suffering from a debilitating economic shrinkage, performing at its financial worst since World War II. Economists see over a million direct and indirect jobs that would be generated by the project during the construction phase, and as many as 30 million jobs once the airport runs at full capacity. More importantly, the government will not be spending a single centavo for the project: no equity, no properties given, and no government loans to be availed of. San Miguel says that airport development alone is pegged at P740 billion. This will involve development of raw land and construction of facilities, (including expressways and a railway system) to make the airport easily accessible by all.

Based on my reading of Republic Act (RA) 11506, which grants the tax incentives, it is clear that the government will not bail out San Miguel for any future losses. The company assumes all financial risks and losses, without any government subsidies or guarantees.

Take note that guarantees and subsidies are different from incentives.

The tax incentives to be given to the project are also for a limited time and just commensurate—as the government has determined—to the massive and unprecedented investment of San Miguel. In return, the company builds the project, generating millions of direct and indirect jobs; decongesting air and land traffic that have cost the country billions in lost opportunities; making air travel better, more efficient, more equitable, and safer for Filipinos and tourists, and ultimately, helping unlock the true economic potential of the Philippines. All these at no cost, no effort, and no risk to the government.

The naysayers argue: by not collecting taxes and duties, isn’t the government essentially giving away those amounts to the corporation?

Let’s not overlook the fact that, if San Miguel does not put up the money to build the airport, there wouldn’t be foregone taxes to begin with—enerated from a project that government invested nothing in. And clearly, there will still be no solution to our airport congestion woes since no additional runway—much less, a new terminal— will be built at NAIA and Clark any time soon, and both airports are still too far away from Metro Manila.

On the other hand, letting San Miguel build the airport—in these difficult times—and incentivizing it for doing so, would propel the growth of businesses and tourism nationwide.

It will raise property values in Bulacan and even in nearby provinces. This means higher corporate income taxes and real-property taxes. Government also gets to collect income taxes from the millions of direct and indirect jobs that the airport will create. To top it all, the government gets a hefty share in the development’s income for the next 50 years. It would have none of these if the company did not invest in the construction of the airport in the first place. The development itself becomes government property at the end of the concession.

When will the tax exemptions end, and is there an “unknown competent authority” which has been tasked to declare when the company would have recovered its investments? According to the same RA 11506, it is only the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) that can establish whether the initial investment has already been recovered, thus, ending all direct and indirect tax exemptions.

Another issue some critics have been harping on against the project is subsidence—or the sinking or settling of the ground surface—and rising tides that would allegedly make the airport a “white elephant” in 50 years.

The company’s engineers have put in place a long-term solution to address land subsidence caused by groundwater extraction by communities that use water pumps due to the decades-long absence of clean potable water. Geologists concede that excessive extraction of groundwater causes subsidence, primarily in the form of deep well construction and operation. In Bulacan, water sourced from deep wells would soon be a thing of the past. According to San Miguel, it has already started investing majority of the P35 billion Bulacan Bulk Water project for the construction of various infrastructure, facilities, and equipment to steadily supply 3,800 million liters per day (MLD) of clean potable water through direct connection to all the water districts in the province.

San Miguel would supply bulk water to the water districts at a cheap selling price of less than P10 per cubic meter. This affords consumers lower water bill, which will eliminate the need for deep wells. Since the Bulacan Bulk Water project sources its water from Angat Dam, the steady supply will discourage the use of pumps which will result in reduced groundwater extraction. This will definitely address the long-term subsidence issue in the province.

Environmental concerns in Bulacan are not just about groundwater.

To resolve the issue about polluted upstream rivers leading to Manila Bay, San Miguel has already committed to cleaning the rivers that are part of the Marilao-Meycauayan-Obando River System (MMORS). The plan is to dredge, widen, and deepen these tributaries to address the risk of upstream flooding, and remove trash and silt that restrict the flow of water and harm the marine ecosystem.

For comments and suggestions, e-mail me at mvala.v@gmail.com

I

F the stay of Jesus in the desert for 40 days being tempted by Satan represents the relentless struggle between good and evil in the world, His mountain top transfiguration stands for the glory that awaits one who remains faithful (Mark 9:2-10).

Transfigured in glory Jesus was speaking to His disciples about His approaching suffering and death, but also of His resurrection after three days (Mark 8:31). To follow Him means taking up one’s cross and losing one’s life, but also that this is the way to save one’s soul, for which nothing is worth in exchange (Mark 8:34-37). To be untrue to Him in the world is to have no part with the Son of Man when He comes “in the glory of His Father” (Mark 8:38). It was to have a glimpse of this glory that Jesus took three of His disciples aside, to strengthen their faith and prepare them for the scandal of the cross.

On the mount of the transfiguration, the divinity of Jesus was al-

lowed to shine through the veil of his humanity. His raiment became dazzling white, exceedingly white beyond duplication. Seen talking with him were Moses and Elijah, two outstanding personalities in the history of the chosen people, parts of the larger picture that has now come to its fullness in Jesus Christ, who is the one to lead the people to their promised covenant with God. Jesus is the promised messiah whom all the precursors of the past spoke of and waited for.

‘My beloved Son’

Heaven itself gave testimony to Jesus as from out of the cloud overshadowing all of them a voice announced: “This is my beloved Son. Hear Him.”

At the river Jordan after the baptism of Jesus by John, heaven claimed Jesus and His identity was revealed to Him: “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11). Now the same truth is revealed to His followers, and the revelation carries a responsibility with it. The Son is the Word and the icon of the heavenly Father. The Father is now represented to us by the Son, consequently everyone must listen to Him, for He is the truth, the way and the life. What he says about his death and resurrection is life to us. His words about imitating Him and taking up our crosses point the way to eternal life. What he teaches concerning the glory of the Father and the kingdom of God is life-giving truth to us. This is a replication of the call made by Jesus at the beginning of His public ministry: the reign of God is at hand; we must believe in Him and configure our lives with His. The disciples were sorely afraid; the experience of the divine is both terrifying and fascinating. But there is a particular temptation in reaction to the divine phenomenon voiced by Peter: “It is good for us to be here.” It is good to be up on some clean mountain top without pollution and away from the hurly-burly of the world, and to put off or be ex-

empted from the Calvary of suffering and shame. It is good to be in ecstasy contemplating divine beauty.

But the miraculous apparition was only for a while; suddenly they saw Jesus only and the heavenly cloud faded. And they came down from the mountain top. And they were told to tell no one about their experience till the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Everything hinged on Jesus’ victory still to come.

Alálaong bagá, it is our faith that Jesus Christ is the definitive destiny of humankind. His way must be our way, his life ours. The certainty of the final glory strengthens us in our struggle for love, justice, and truth, but we must not be seduced to remain remote and detached on some mountain top. We have to go down on the plains of battle and live up to our faith and commitment to the gospel of Jesus. It is easy enough to be ecstatic over the transfigured Jesus on the heights, but we must also join Him mangled and deformed on the cross of Calvary or in the slums and bloody alleys of our society.

Join me in meditating on the Word of God

every Sunday, from 5 to 6 a.m. on DWIZ 882, or by audio streaming on www.dwiz882.com.

Crisis of agriculture: Rooted in bad economic assumptions

a net agriculture-exporting country for almost two centuries. In 2019, the share of agriculture in the total GDP of the country was a measly 8.82 percent, and yet the sector accounts for a quarter of the country’s labor force.

So what can be done to prevent the slow-by-slow collapse of the agricultural sector? What can be done to prevent the sector’s measly GDP contribution shrinking further?

At the moment, the proposal from the national government is the convening of a national “Food Summit.”

This is a welcome move, so long as all concerned sectors, especially farmers and producers, are invited, consulted, heard and given freedom to speak. And yes, the Summit Convenors led by the President should be open or prepared to accept that past premises and development frameworks advanced by the economic technocrats to grow the sector have not been working.

A case in point is the country’s experience with the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), which is being credited by some policy-makers as the reason for the alleged stability of the rice market. Accordingly, RTL has benefited both the consumers and the palay producers.

Most of the peasant and civil society organizations will dispute the above claim. A recent statistical study by the Federation of Free Farmers (“A Litany of Broken Promises,” February 22) shows that RTL has failed to deliver the promised benefits, namely: reduction of prices paid by the consumers (especially the poor), higher production and profits for the palay farmers, and reduced government spending with the downsizing of the

National Food Authority (NFA). None have been fulfilled.

First, on the price of rice, statistics show that the average price of rice was virtually the same as in 2017, whereas the justification advanced by the pro-RTL lobby then was that rice price would decline by as much as P7/kilo below the 2017 level. This did not happen despite the flood of imports totaling 3.17 million tons in 2019. Note that the years 2017 and 2018 saw a rapid rise in rice prices because the Neda-led “NFA Council” refused to give NFA and the Department of Agriculture timely permission to import despite the NFA’s forecast of looming rice shortages (in short, rice inflation then was partly Neda-made and was used to justify the enactment of RTL).

On the other hand, palay prices plunged down immediately to belowcost-of-production level after the RTL enactment because the rice imports made by a dozen or so big private importers, who were able to “game” the importation business as reported by the BusinessMirror, succeeded in controlling and influencing the wholesaling-retailing business. Per FFF estimation, the cumulative loss of the domestic rice farmers in 2019 and 2020 is a whopping P56 billion.

The income of a rice farmer fell on the average at P6,000 per hectare per season. In 2019, palay prices went down to as low as P6 to P7 a kilo farmgate price compared to the cost of production of P12 a kilo.

As to the promised improvement in rice production output, the FFF insists that there was hardly any that can be associated with the so-called government assistance under the yearly P10 billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF). The average yield per hectare in 2019-2020 was slightly better than the 2016-2018 period by only a trifle 3 percent. According to FFF, this rate of improvement means Filipino rice farmers will need 20 years before they can attain the six metric tons per hectare achieved by their Vietnamese and Thai counterparts.

Interestingly, most of the improvements in rice yield were recorded in rainfed areas, not in the irrigated areas, where most of the RCEF investments on new rice seeds and machinery are supposed to go. This implies something

ent in the here-and-now to accept situations, as they are to make the situation bearable. The obsession of the past that traps and the anxiety of the future that paralyzes distract us from the power of the current experience, which is the only moment that connects to life itself. Life and the now are inseparable. In fact, the only moment we have is the now.

The present moment is more important and powerful than the adversity that may just be a mental creation, or anticipated in the future that may not come at all. Worst is that the law of attraction

may actually bring to us the negative that we constantly mentally create.

We have to be aware of what the mind is doing to us. Our consciousness of how our mind works and where it brings us may enable you to take control of the moment and use every bits and pieces of it as a wonderful experience. The sense of isolation from the quarantine experience produces a narrative leading to unhappiness. Being alone need not make us lonely. Our grief over the loss of what we were accustomed in life consumes us that it delays our acceptance.

Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo

LABOREM EXERCENS

F

or a while, the agricultural sector was being touted as the nation’s salva-vida. At the height of the national quarantine last year, people learned to appreciate the critical role of farmers in feeding the nation. A number of city dwellers even became part-time farmers. An army of plantitos and plantitas also discovered the healing power and ornamental beauty of plants.

As a result, agriculture, on continuous decline in pre-Covid period, even posted positive growth in the third quarter of 2020 before slumping again in the last quarter. However, for the entire Covid year of 2020, agriculture’s growth contraction was a minimal minus 0.2 percent compared to the disastrous growth numbers for industry (minus 13.1 percent) and services (minus 9.1 percent).

Today, the picture for the whole agricultural sector is not pretty. Almost all agri sub-sectors—from rice to sugar, from poultry to piggery, and so on—are in crisis. Production is plummeting down. Worse, rising food inflation is threatening to transform the economic recession into a full-blown stagflation (economic stagnation and hyper inflation), which the country experienced in the 1980s, at the height of the debt-driven economic crisis under the waning years of the Marcos regime.

This is why peasant unions and agribased civil society organizations are now joined by the agri-based industry associations and consumer groups in the clamor for the needed salva-vida for the farming sector and price stability for the consuming public.

The truth is that the agricultural sector has been shrinking since 1994, the year the Philippine government signed on to the World Trade Organization and adopted the WTO’s overall demand of opening up the domestic market through agricultural tariffication and the progressive downward restructuring of agricultural tariffs.

Since 1994, the Philippines has become a net agriculture-importing country, reversing its record of being

Balita. . .

continued from A10

withdrawal strategy, are elicited when threat is inescapable. We may react actively (proactively) or passively (reactively) based on situations that come by.

Coping begins with our appreciation and gratefulness of the life within.

We have to learn to engage in what is referred to as “present moment living” where the most important moment of life is the now. We need to be fully pres-

is not working in the RCEF system as envisioned by the RTL proponents.

So who have benefited from the RTL? The quick answer: the big private importers and their allies in the distribution business. Who are the losers?

Domestic palay producers, consumers and, yes, the government. Despite the reduction of the role of the NFA in rice importation and the stabilization of prices for the rice consumers and palay producers under the old NFA’s rule of buy-high-sell-low framework, the government still incurred massive expenses. Why? It had to force NFA to buy as much palay for stockpiling purposes, had to urge LGUs to also engage in palay production to assuage the feelings of angry palay farmers, and, at one time, had to ask its own Philippine International Trading Corp. to import rice.

In sum, the Food Summit can be an opportunity to stop the continuing collapse of the agricultural sector if the Convenors are prepared to admit the false economic assumptions behind certain agricultural policies such as the RTL. Right now, there is a proposal for the total opening up of the whole sector to trade liberalization and importation. In the case of the piggery sector, one pro-RTL economist was even suggesting a uniform five percent tariff.

But if the solution to food inflation is simply more importation and more trade liberalization, what will happen to the domestic agricultural sector? If all the sub-sectors of the agricultural sector shall be swamped by imports under a program of trade liberalization, will there still be a domestic agricultural sector to speak of in the coming years?

Obviously, solutions to the farming sector cannot be reduced to a simplistic open-up-and-compete framework, or else you die. If this is so, why did the following countries provide so much subsidies to their farmers in 2019 —China, $185.9 billion; European Union, $101.3 billion; and the United States, $48.9 billion?

More in the next issue.

Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo is a Professor Emeritus of University of the Philippines.

For comments, please write to reneofreneo@ gmail.com.

We need to act based on the current moment. We are capable of more intelligent action if there is acceptance, rather than rejection, of the current moment.

Yes, we are in a stressful crisis confronted by fear and anxiety but remember that as we leave our footprint in our journey, the real growth, awakening, deepening usually don’t happen when things are doing well. They happen when we are out of our comfort zone.

For feedback, please send e-mail to drcarlbalita@ yahoo.com.

A12 Thursday, February 25, 2021

Asean could be hot spot for next pandemic–ACB head

By Jonathan L. Mayuga

W

@jonlmayuga

ITH 346 bat species, three species of pangolins, and over 2,000 migratory avian species, Southeast Asia could be a hot spot for the next pandemic, the Director of the Asean Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) warned.

ACB Executive Director Theresa Mundita S. Lim made this remark during an online dialogue on “Emerging Disease, Wildlife Trade and Consumption: The Need for Robust Global Governance—Exploring Ways to Prevent Future Pandemics” organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature and Cornell University Tuesday night (PHL time).

Leading experts in public health and conservation, during the event, tackled ways to foster global collaboration to mitigate zoonotic disease risks and prevent future pandemics.

Lim, a former director of the Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), delivered a brief talk on Emerging Disease, Wildlife Trade and Consumption.

Its rich biological diversity makes the Asean region vulnerable to the spillover of diseases from wildlife to domestic animals and humans. Species that have been implicated as the origins of Covid-19 and other new and emerging diseases thrive in the region.

She cited, for instance, the highly-pathogenic H5N1 influ-

enza, which broke out in humans and domestic poultry in Southeast Asia in 2003, and has been found to occur in a number of healthylooking wild bird species, including the tufted ducks that are present in the region.

“In 2015, my former agency and I were part of a multidisciplinary and a multi-institutional team that investigated bats as possible reservoirs of the Reston ebolavirus. We found both molecular and serologic evidence of the virus in multiple bat species,” she added.

Lim said researchers in Thailand also published a study on the presence of SARS-CoV-2-related viruses among Southeast Asian bats and pangolins.

“With 346 bat species, three species of pangolins, and over 2,000 migratory avian species, the Asean could be a hotspot for the next pandemic,” she noted.

Lim, a licensed veterinarian with expertise in zoonotic diseases, said that while pandemics may originate from animal reservoirs, the emergence is driven by anthropogenic factors which create opportunities for the transmission of a virus from wildlife to domestic animals and to humans.

Species-specific conservation

She said several key measures that could form part of the approach toward recovery and building a better and healthier future calls for the protection of wildlife species through species-specific conservation actions.

Robust mechanisms for implementing wildlife laws that address illegal and unsustainable use of wildlife at the local, national, and international levels will help reduce contact of natural hosts with multiple varieties of other species, including domestic animals and eventually—humans—in effect, lessening the opportunities for viruses to transform, she added.

Habitat conservation

Lim also highlighted the need to conserve and restore ecosystems and wildlife habitats as deforestation, habitat fragmentation, encroachment, and land-use change put great pressure on ecosystems and displace wildlife species, driving them closer to human settlements and exposing them further to poaching and man-made hazards.

4 SENATORS WANT LEILA TO ATTEND SESSIONS, CONDUCT HEARINGS

A

S she marks her fourth year in detention, four of Senator Leila de Lima’s colleagues have crossed party lines and moved to allow her to participate in plenary sessions and conduct committee hearings through teleconferencing or other forms of electronic communications.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto and Minority senators—Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, and Risa Hontiveros —jointly filed Senate Resolution 658 as De Lima marked her 1,462nd day at the Camp Crame Detention Facility.

The four stressed that there is available technology to allow De Lima to perform her functions as a duly-elected lawmaker.

On July 31, 2019, Senators Drilon and Panfilo Lacson filed Senate Resolution 51, entitled “Resolution Allowing Senator Leila M. De Lima to participate in plenary through teleconferencing, video conferencing, or other forms of remote or electronic communications.” It is still pending at committee level.

The Senate on May 4, 2020 adopted Resolution 43 allowing

the conduct of plenary sessions and committee hearings through teleconference, video conference, or other reliable forms of remote electronic means due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Through this, the Senate and its committees have been conducting plenary sessions and committee hearings through remote and electronic means.

After the Supreme Court allowed litigants to appear before the courts via teleconferencing, Camp Crame established three existing facilities within its grounds to allow De Lima to attend her court hearings via remote access from her detention center.

They added that in the case of then-Senator Antonio Trillanes, jurisprudence allows detained legislators to perform their duties as long as they are done within the confines of their detention centers as ruled by the Supreme Court.

As a duly elected member of the Senate of the 18th Congress, De Lima must be accorded “the privilege of participating in its plenary sessions and committee hearings via remote access,” they said.

Continued on A2

FIA, new retail trade bill, Public Service Act amendments pushed

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz

W

@joveemarie

ITH the country’s economic managers eyeing the shift to a modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) and following the recent move of the House of Representatives to adopt Senate Bill 2057 to expedite the procurement and administration of vaccines for the protection against Covid-19, lawmakers on Wednesday said now is also the time to pass key economic measures that will liberalize the economy and the bill providing another stimulus package.

AAMBIS-OWA Rep. Sharon Garin made a statement after five key business groups—the Foundation for Economic Freedom, Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Management Association of the Philippines, Subdivision and Housing Developers Association, and the UP School of Economics Alumni Association—released a joint statement urging Congress to expedite the passage of economic and constitutional reforms.

Garin, principal sponsor of the New Public Service Act (House Bill 78), Foreign Investments Act (House Bill 300), and Retail Trade Liberalization Act (House Bill 59), said these bills will make the Philippines more accessible to foreign investments and open new economic opportunities for Filipinos. The National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) had identified these as crucial measures to aid the country’s economic recovery, Garin said these bills will provide much-need investments to supplement Filipino capital as the economy gradually recovers from the adverse economic impact of the pandemic.

“These economic reforms will boost the country’s performance and competitiveness. By reducing some restrictions, we can look forward to more jobs being gener-

ated, improved quality of human resource, and sustainable economic growth,” Garin said.

She added that the bills espouse the goal of providing a “stronglyrooted, comfortable, and secure life” for all Filipinos inscribed in AmBisyon 2040. As of March 2020, the House of Representatives has approved the three key bills on third and final reading.

Charter change

In January 2021, political power blocs in the House of Representatives also manifested their support to ease foreign restrictions in the Constitution. Garin underscored the importance of new capital, ideas, and technology as the country treads the road toward economic resiliency.

As debates on the adoption of Resolution of Both Houses Number 2 (RBH 2) get underway, House Ways and Means Chairman Joey Salceda, for his part, said that approving proposals to amend the restrictive economic provisions of the Constitution will address the “staggering” cost of the country’s inability to open its doors to foreign investments.

Salceda told the House plenary that the Philippines had the tightest foreign direct investment (FDI) restrictions, performing poorly in terms of accumulating FDI stocks.

“In other words, we opened the fewest doors, so we were visited by the fewest opportunities,” said Salceda.

Also, Garin said passage of these economic bills and the bill on the Covid-19 Vaccination Program will help the country recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

For his part, Speaker Velasco said the crucial fight against Covid-19 is the vaccination of a significant part of the population to attain herd immunity and return to normal, noting that the country could no longer absorb the economic losses of any further restriction in economic activity.

Continued on A2

Fresh meat is displayed in the Las Piñas Public Market on Wednesday (February 24). Vendors said they are having a hard time complying with the price ceiling that the government has imposed, bolstering an observation by some senators and economists that the price caps are no solution to the supply shortfalls and price spikes in the market. NONIE REYES

‘Private firms may not sell Covid-19 jabs in pandemic’

A

LE A DER of the House of Representat ives on Wednesday said the recently approved Covid-19 vaccination program bill prohibits private entities, particularly pharmaceutical firms, from selling the life-saving shots during the crisis.

In a news conference, House Committee on Economic Affairs Junie Cua, one of the principal authors and sponsors of vaccine bill, said private companies are only allowed to procure the vaccines for the inoculation of their employees.

“Right now there is an abnormal supply situation. So if they [private entities] buy, it is only for them first and cannot be sold to others,” he said.

Vaccines against Covid-19 that are entering the country are given emergency use authority (EUA) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after thorough and stringent assessment. EUA is given as

the FDA acknowledges the status of the vaccines, being unlicensed and underdeveloped.

President Duterte had earlier certified the measure as urgent, thus allowing the House to approve the bill on second and third readings last Monday. The Senate passed its own version—Senate Bill 2057—the following day.

The House later on adopted the Senate version—a move Cua said was necessary and practical to fast-track approval of the measure since it would no longer have to go through the bicameral conference. “[The House and Senate] were constantly coordinating with each other because this legislation is so important due to limited [we adopted their version],” Cua explained.

Cua said that centralizing procurement of vaccines through the national government is the most efficient way in getting the much-

anticipated jabs.

With the limited volume of vaccine supply, Cua said the LGUs shall coordinate with the national government—through the DOH and NTF—for organized procurement of vaccines.

Cua also clarified that although the bill allows procurement and purchases of vaccines to forego public bidding during a pandemic, these are still subject to an audit.

The proposed “Covid-19 Vaccination Program Act of 2021” would appropriate a P500-million augmentation to the PhilHealth as an indemnity fund.

The bill stipulates that the fund would be utilized as compensation in case of death, permanent disability or confinement following the immunization.

The bill would allow local government units to directly accept donations of Covid-19

vaccines authorized by the FDA. However, these are still subject to inspection by the FDA as and following the guidelines and reportorial requirements of the Department of Health and of the National Task Force Against Covid-19.

Along with these, LGUs would be authorized to make advance payments for their vaccine procurements, create their own lists of vaccine recipients, and directly purchase ancillary supplies for the storage, transport, and administration of Covid-19 vaccines Those who would be inoculated under the Covid-19 vaccine program will be given a vaccine card, which would serve as a record but not as a requirement to go to work, go to school, or to travel, among other purposes.

The measure now awaits the signature of the President.

Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, February 25, 2021

B1

Ayala Land income plunges as PHL reels from Covid-19

A

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

yala Land Inc. on Wednesday said its attributable income fell 74 percent last year to P8.72 billion from the previous year’s P33.18 billion due to the disruption caused by Covid-19 to economic activity.

The company incurred a 43-percent decline in consolidated revenues to P96.27 billion, from the previous year’s P168.79 billion.

“There was no escaping the major disruption caused by the pandemic in 2020, but our company’s performance in the latter part of the year was encouraging and provides a baseline for our recovery plans moving forward,” Ayala Land President and

CEO Bernard Vincent O. Dy said.

“In 2020, greater value was placed on maintaining a strong balance sheet to weather this crisis and prepare our company to resume our growth aspirations. Operating procedures were also put in place to ensure the safety of our people and our customers and initiatives were introduced to provide assistance to various stakeholders during this dif-

ficult period.”

For the fourth quarter alone, the company said it had a net income of P2.4 billion.

The company said it will spend some P88 billion the year, and launching some P100 billion worth of projects. This is higher than last year’s P63.7 billion in revised capital expenditures, mainly for the completion of residential and commercial leasing assets, with a portion spent on land acquisition and development of estates. Dy said the company will start its “V” shaped recovery this year, but it will take Ayala Land some 2 to 3 years to recover what it lost during the pandemic.

The company’s office space rental faced headwinds as a result of the departure of the Chinese online gaming operators, but Dy said this is manageable since construction of new buildings slowed down.

The main aim, he said, is to sta-

bilize occupancy and rent.

Revenues from property development last year dipped 43 percent to P66.5 billion from the previous year’s P117.58 billion due to construction restrictions and lower bookings.

Sales reservations reached P81.9 billion, or less than half of the level in 2019. Fourth quarter sales reservations furthermore reached P21.1 billion.

Commercial leasing revenues contracted 44 percent to P21.9 billion in 2020 given limited mall and hotel operations.

The latter part of 2020 also saw El Nido Resorts and Lio Tourism Estate hosting more travel bubbles to the public in close coordination with the Department of Tourism and the local government units. From only 4 in the third quarter, a total of 37 travel bubbles were launched in the fourth quarter driving a 52-percent increase in revenues to P787 million.

PSALM rejects SPPC offer for Ilijan plant

By Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM

S

tate-run Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) rejected the “new” and “preposterous” condition imposed by South Premiere Power Corp. (SPPC) tied with its offer to fully advance its monthly payments for the Ilijan Power Plant.

The Department of Finance (DOF) disclosed this on Wednesday, saying San Miguel Corp.’s power unit demanding that PSALM “cede control and ownership of Ilijan Power Plant” upon SPPC’s full settlement of its monthly dues, and even ahead of the June 2022 turnover date provided in the Independent Power Producer Administrator (IPPA) Agreement.

In a business review of PSALM with the DOF on January 19, PSALM President and CEO Irene BesidoGarcia reported to Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III that SPPC’s offer now carries with it a new condition that “entirely differs from the tenor of SPPC’s original offer” last year. She also said SPPC’s latest offer was outlined in a letter dated January 11, 2021 and sent by the SPPC General Manager Elenita Go. Garcia also informed DOF that PSALM sent a response to SPPC dated January 18 wherein it said the new condition will “preempt any ruling of

SM Group units bag awards

C

ompanies owned by the SM Group received Golden Arrow Awards from the Institute of Corporate Directors for performing well in the ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard, an assessment benchmarked against international best practices on corporate governance standards across the region.

The SM companies which received the awards are SM Investments Corp. (SMIC), SM Prime Holdings Inc., China Banking Corp., Belle Corp., BDO Unibank Inc., Premium Leisure Corp., 2GO Group Inc. and Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corp..

“We thank the Institute of Corporate Directors for this honor. The practice of corporate governance remains an integral part of our business and our company culture,” SMIC Chairman Jose T. Sio said during a virtual awarding ceremony held last February 19.

The recognition is given to companies with outstanding scores in the 2019 ACGS assessment. It symbolizes the continuing efforts of Philippine companies to raise the level of compliance with the ASEAN corporate governance principles. “The environment brought about by the pandemic has heightened the challenges to business. But our values and commitment remain the same—to deliver financial sustainability while upholding fairness, accountability, transparency and to continue to make a positive impact on the environment and communities that we serve,” Sio said. VG Cabuag

The Ilijan Power Plant sits on a 60-acre site at Arenas Point, Barangay Ilijan, Batangas City. Photo from www.sanmiguel.com.ph

the judicial court on the matter and will undoubtedly prejudice PSALM’s legal position.”

Moreover, PSALM reminded SPPC that it is “willing to accept SPPC’s offer, provided that such acceptance is without prejudice to PSALM’s legal position” in the pending case.

Dominguez also told PSALM about the latest directive of President Duterte not to allow any private company to benefit or to secure a franchise until “they settle their full accounts with the government.”

Based on PSALM’s data, the monthly payments due from SPPC for January 2021 until June 2022 is about P14 billion. When the offer was made by SPPC early last year, the monthly payments reached about P22.68 billion.

Further, PSALM also stressed in its response to SPPC that the National Power Corp. (Napocor), and KEPCO Ilijan Corp. (KEILCO) -- the

independent power producer of the Ilijan Power Plant—had already agreed on the specific transfer date of the power plant. It added that it should not be obligated to fast-track or amend its current arrangements in the Energy Conversion Agreement (ECA) under another contract with a different party in order to accept SPPC’s offer.

Besido-Garcia recalled there was no demand to deliver the Ilijan Power Plant ahead of schedule when SPPC announced the prepayment offer in 2020 since SPPC said the offer was meant to help PSALM. Garcia explained that in the March 6, 2020 offer of SPPC to PSALM, the only condition imposed

by SPPC on the advance settlement of its monthly payments to PSALM was that it would be without prejudice to SPPC’s legal position with respect to the ongoing dispute with PSALM on the generation payments due under the IPPA Agreement.

SPPC, a subsidiary of SMC Global Power Holdings Corp., also still owes PSALM P23.07 billion in generation payments as of the end of December 2020 per PSALM’s books. The computation of generation payments due PSALM from SPPC is the subject of the pending court case, stemming from differences in computing generation charges.

Generation payments refer to the cost of energy based on the specific formula provided for in the IPPA Agreement, while monthly payments refer to the fixed monthly amounts due to PSALM based on the IPPA’s financial bid for its right to own the power plant at the end of the IPPA Agreement. According to its original IPPA contract, as payment for its right to market the capacity from the power plant, SPPC is supposed to pay PSALM fixed monthly payments up to June 2022. SMC, through SPPC, originally won the bidding for the Ilijan plant for $870 million.

By the time the contract ends in 2022, SPPC would have paid P392 billion for the Ilijan plant, more than double its bid price, broken into P97.5 billion in fixed monthly capacity fees, and P294.7 billion in generation fees.

The Ilijan Power Plant in Batangas City was constructed and owned

by KEILCO under the ECA with Napocor/PSALM. SPPC was appointed the IPP Administrator for the Ilijan Power Plant in 2010.

Customer-centric initiatives at heart of Globe’s #1stWorldNetwork

G

lobe has made significant progress in modernizing its network and IT infrastructure, creating product innovations across its businesses with the goal of realizing a #1stWorldNetwork.

Globe’s visionary direction and self-reinvention through the years were all anchored on providing the best overall experience for its customers.

“Aside from faster speeds, our goal has always been to give consumers easy access to all the digital use cases they desire. In the Philippines, this translates mostly to social media, messaging, streaming videos and music and this has been happening as a result of our consistent network performance which offers a better connectivity experience for our customers,” said Ernest Cu, Globe’s President and Chief Executive Officer.

These aggressive cell tower builds among others have resulted in improved internet speeds and higher Consistency Scores as confirmed by various independent analytics firms.

Ookla’s quarterly data shows that Globe’s overall Consistency Score in Q4 2020 improved

to 60.82 percent from Q3’s 56.83 percent. The company registered increases as high as 10 PPTs, with Consistency Scores of up to 65 percent in Q4 2020.

“We will also continue to be an enabler for growth sectors such as digital finance, where our services such as GCash have revolutionized the way Filipinos handle their money. We are fulfilling that particular objective as data speeds rise further,” added Cu. GCash is the undisputed leader and preferred mobile wallet in the Philippines, with 1 in 3 Filipinos using the app. It registered over P 1 trillion in transactions passing through the GCash app in 2020.

Cu shared that the company has also taken on the challenge of improving connectivity at home. “The Philippines has been behind in rolling out fiber since the industry previously prioritized mobile network builds. While mobile data was the easiest and fastest way to reach and connect people particularly in the rural areas, the demand today has truly shifted to the home so there has to be a renewed focus on fixed line builds,” he explained.

While FTTH is more challenging to build than mobile due to the country’s geography and topography, Cu said that subscribers can expect continuous improvements to happen as more fiber reaches a greater number of homes nationwide.

Globe is allotting 80 percent of its unprecedented P70 billion capital expenditure program this year on data network builds as it aims to deliver first-world internet connectivity for the Filipino. The company seeks to achieve 1 million FTTH lines in 2021.

“Demand is increasing exponentially alongside our builds, but we are endeavoring to expand as quickly and as much as we can year-on-year in order to ensure the satisfaction of the Filipino,” Cu added.

The company champions the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG), specifically UN SDG No. 9 which recognizes the importance of infrastructure and innovation as crucial drivers of economic growth and development. Globe has vowed to uphold the 10 United Nations Global Compact principles and 10 UN SDGs.

‘More Pinoys bought insurance via GCash’

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

F

INANCIAL technology (fintech) player GCash said it has helped provide 100,000 Filipinos with insurance products, which now amount to a total coverage of about P8.3 billion.

In a statement, GCash President Martha Sazon described this feat as an “explosive growth” which, she said, reflects that Filipinos are now growing more accepting and trusting of insurance.

“With the pandemic unfortunately continuing on in 2021, together with a myriad of other health and life-threatening conditions, insurance is a must. GInsure democratizes insurance to Filipinos through a variety of very affordable insurance products, including protection from dengue and Covid-19, protection from income loss, and hospital coverage benefits,” she said.

GInsure is an in-app feature that

allows GCash users to purchase insurance products offered by Single and MicroEnsure.

“With our partnership with GCash, more people are getting over the notion that insurance is intimidating or expensive or complex. Our alliance is proof that insurance can be affordable, simple and easy to access,” AXA Philippines President Rahul Hora said.

AXA underwrites the insurance policies offered by MicroEnsure.

“Partnering with GCash enabled Singlife to reach millions of Filipinos almost instantly, giving them access to meaningful protection products without breaking the bank in a modern, fuss-free manner,” said Singlife Philippines CEO Rien Hermans.

In the Philippines, only close to 40 million Filipinos have insurance policies, and 22.8 million of which were made through microinsurace.

The Insurance Commission targets to bring this number to about 50 million by 2022.

Mondelez PHL, Plastic Flamingo to build disaster relief shelters

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

M

ondelez Philippines Inc. is partnering with social enterprise the Plastic Flamingo to collect and recycle 40 metric tons (MT) of post-consumer plastic packaging this year to build disaster relief shelters for highly-atrisks areas.

During an online press conference highlighting the launch of the partnership, Joseph Fabul, Mondelez Philippines Country Manager for Corporate and Government Affairs, said the partnership is geared towards the company’s goal of contributing to a better future amid the pandemic.

The company is committed to reducing its carbon footprint. In 2018, it made a commitment to make 100 percent of the packaging recyclable by 2025. To date, Fabul said the company is about 94-percent globally compliant.

“Around a fifth of our packaging globally is plastic. But only 2 percent of that packaging is recycled in practice at scale,” he said. “The paper and carton boards, and some rigid plastics and flexible plastic films are already designed to be recycled.”

Aside from Eden cheese and Cheez Whiz, Mondelez is the producer of iconic global and local brands such as OREO, belVita and LU biscuits; Cadbury Dairy Milk, Milka and Toblerone chocolate; Sour Patch Kids candy and Trident gum.

While the company strives to make its packaging materials 100 percent sustainable, Fabul said that to date, technology is limited and that science has not offered a better alternative to plastic packaging like flexibles which the company uses to ensure food safety, and keep the food products fresh and in the best condition.

Nevertheless, Mondelez Philippines, he said, fully supports the government’s plan to ban certain types of plastics saying that it is in fact aligned with the company’s global goal.

“One of our global goals is to help minimize our climate change impact by addressing the collection and recycling of platic packaging. This means investing in waste management,” he said.

The company’s partnership with The Plastic Flamingo, a social company enterprise established in 2019, whose mission is to collect and recycle plastic wastes before they reach the ocean, started in 2020.

Todate, the partnership has expanded from a previous 1 MT collection agreement to a new commitment

of collecting and recycling 40 MT of post-consumer plastic packaging, which translates to some 40,000 kilograms of waste to be collected from designated pick-up points and processed into recycled eco-lumber.

The eco-lumber will be used to create disaster relief shelters or huts for use during typhoons and the like.

“Plastic is a highly efficient material for food packaging that provides the right levels of safety, quality, product protection, and preservation. Simply put, there are no available replacements for food plastic packaging yet to ensure the contents remain safe, high quality and affordable,” he said.

Nevertheless, Fabul said the company supports eliminating unnecessary plastic, or items which have viable replacements that do not harm the environment.”

Fabul also highlights that at the core of this much-debated issue is proper waste management.

“Inconsistent collection and not enough recycling facilities means that plastic as well as other waste often end up in landfills, communities, or oceans—whether they are recyclable or not.”

Francois Lesage, CEO of The Plastic Flamingo, during the same press conference, commended Mondelez Philippines’ continuing commitment to ensuring that proper collection and recycling of plastic happens in the country.

The Plastic Flamingo believes that a world without oceanic waste is possible with collective effort from different members of the community.

He agreed with Fabul’s statement that the task of addressing the country’s solid waste management problem should not rest on the shoulder of the government alone, adding that manufacturers and consumers can help prevent plastic pollution by working together.

“We encourage everyone to segregate waste in their homes, and to find recycling centers in their communities so that waste is properly disposed of depending on its kind.

For plastic waste, the simple step is to ensure it ends in the trash rather than disposing of it just anywhere.

These are things we all can do. And for those who can, we encourage investing in collection and recycling activities to make a greater impact together.”

The Plastic Flamingo, he said, does not use incineration technology in recycling plastics, ensuring the public that in the process of upscaling plastics, no toxic fumes are emitted into the atmosphere or air pollutants added to the air the people breathe.

B2

Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, February 25, 2021

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

February 24, 2021

Net Foreign Bid Ask Open High Low Close Volume Value Trade (Peso) Stocks Buy (Sell) FINANCIALs

ASIA UNITED BDO UNIBANK BANK PH ISLANDS CHINABANK CITYSTATE BANK EAST WEST BANK METROBANK PB BANK PBCOM PHIL NATL BANK PSBANK PHILTRUST RCBC SECURITY BANK UNION BANK BRIGHT KINDLE COL FINANCIAL FIRST ABACUS FERRONOUX HLDG IREMIT MEDCO HLDG NTL REINSURANCE PHIL STOCK EXCH SUN LIFE

43.5 103.2 84.1 23.8 7.85 9.87 50.25 10.74 22.05 24.45 54.5 96.35 17.04 127.4 73 1.39 3.85 0.59 3.26 1.48 0.41 0.77 146.7 2,198

44.5 104.5 84.15 23.9 8.49 9.88 50.35 10.76 22.8 24.85 54.55 114.9 17.3 128.7 73.9 1.4 3.87 0.6 3.5 1.51 0.44 0.83 146.8 2,200

43.4 105 84.05 23.9 7.85 9.95 50.5 10.8 22 25.6 55 96.35 17.1 129.8 74 1.47 3.97 0.58 3.4 1.5 0.43 0.83 147.2 2,198

43.4 105.7 84.4 23.9 8.49 10 51.2 10.8 22 26 55 96.35 17.1 129.8 74 1.48 3.97 0.6 3.4 1.54 0.44 0.84 147.2 2,198

43.4 103 84 23.8 7.85 9.85 50.25 10.76 22 24.4 54.55 96.35 17.04 125.5 73 1.28 3.8 0.58 3.22 1.44 0.405 0.77 146.8 2,198

43.4 103.2 84.1 23.85 8.49 9.87 50.25 10.76 22 24.45 54.55 96.35 17.04 128.7 73.05 1.39 3.85 0.6 3.22 1.48 0.41 0.82 146.8 2,198

500 21,700 4,215,020 437,227,955 2,540,790 213,735,504.50 68,200 1,626,890 700 5,623 334,400 3,310,676 7,517,220 379,579,188.50 6,000 64,664 5,000 110,000 1,431,100 35,775,135 2,440 133,190 220 21,197 9,400 160,380 347,390 44,088,907 49,100 3,588,608 3,783,000 5,109,060 243,000 940,260 21,000 12,540 87,000 289,020 437,000 643,600 1,440,000 588,850 180,000 148,280 3,450 507,322 185 406,630

-192,338,207 -52,355,729 -292,640 -3,925 -1,042,290 -232,532,521 -18,794,375 -1,092 -1,927 -1,710 -16,252,641 -58,310 129,810 -1,740.00 6,650 -4,050 -1,540 116,176 406,630

INDUSTRIAL AC ENERGY 7.22 7.23 7.4 7.4 6.89 7.22 75,130,800 533,805,191 1.3 1.32 1.32 1.32 1.28 1.3 2,110,000 2,737,170 ALSONS CONS ABOITIZ POWER 25 25.3 25.05 25.25 24.85 25 1,540,500 38,572,810 1.1 1.11 1.15 1.17 1.02 1.1 170,241,000 185,088,480 BASIC ENERGY FIRST GEN 29.8 29.85 29.9 29.9 28.5 29.85 970,700 28,386,440 FIRST PHIL HLDG 74 74.45 74.6 74.6 74 74.45 14,540 1,083,126 275 276.2 278.8 279 275 275 300,140 82,892,228 MERALCO MANILA WATER 15.18 15.2 15.7 15.7 15.04 15.2 3,934,800 59,963,278 3.56 3.57 3.56 3.57 3.54 3.56 1,503,000 5,344,490 PETRON 3.76 3.78 3.8 3.8 3.76 3.76 58,000 219,040 PETROENERGY PHX PETROLEUM 11.7 12.48 12.2 12.48 11.7 12.48 29,000 355,560 21.9 21.95 22 22 21.5 21.95 671,200 14,604,320 PILIPINAS SHELL SPC POWER 10.08 10.1 10.12 10.16 10.06 10.1 307,400 3,099,180 14.52 14.9 14.5 14.52 14.5 14.52 1,300 18,864 VIVANT 6.96 7.14 7.23 7.23 6.9 7.14 863,900 6,066,404 AGRINURTURE AXELUM 3.35 3.37 3.3 3.35 3.1 3.35 2,448,000 8,009,190 13.02 13.88 13.6 13.6 13 13.02 27,200 356,358 CNTRL AZUCARERA CENTURY FOOD 17.82 18 17.9 18 17.7 18 1,411,900 25,274,364 DEL MONTE 8.5 8.66 8.62 8.9 8.41 8.68 222,800 1,900,752 7.27 7.28 7.3 7.3 7.08 7.28 886,900 6,407,132 DNL INDUS EMPERADOR 9.94 10 10.02 10.02 9.93 10 426,200 4,244,781 66.75 67 67.6 68 66.75 67 61,170 4,105,416.50 SMC FOODANDBEV 0.62 0.63 0.64 0.64 0.61 0.63 1,823,000 1,132,030 ALLIANCE SELECT FRUITAS HLDG 1.48 1.49 1.48 1.5 1.43 1.49 15,018,000 21,823,130 51.2 51.5 51.1 51.5 51.1 51.5 16,480 843,828 GINEBRA JOLLIBEE 172.9 173 178.1 178.9 172.9 172.9 1,052,810 183,678,506 33.15 34.9 35.25 35.25 32.5 34.9 12,200 418,705 LIBERTY FLOUR 7.4 7.41 7.41 8.09 7.41 7.41 2,100 15,629 MACAY HLDG MAXS GROUP 6.49 6.55 6.5 6.63 6.44 6.49 425,200 2,770,782 0.395 0.405 0.42 0.425 0.34 0.4 61,110,000 23,449,450 MG HLDG SHAKEYS PIZZA 7.3 7.4 7.31 7.4 7.2 7.3 258,400 1,886,106 ROXAS AND CO 1.12 1.13 1.16 1.16 1.12 1.12 2,502,000 2,809,610 4.63 4.7 4.63 4.64 4.63 4.64 6,000 27,830 RFM CORP ROXAS HLDG 1.69 1.73 1.7 1.7 1.69 1.69 83,000 140,320 0.137 0.14 0.141 0.142 0.13 0.137 27,850,000 3,758,500 SWIFT FOODS 129.7 129.9 132.5 132.8 125.2 129.9 1,730,560 224,749,461 UNIV ROBINA VITARICH 0.87 0.88 0.9 0.9 0.86 0.88 6,111,000 5,313,420 52.05 54 52 52.3 52 52.3 2,880 149,811 CONCRETE A CONCRETE B 54.2 55.25 54.2 54.2 54.2 54.2 50 2,710 1.3 1.31 1.35 1.35 1.26 1.31 9,799,000 12,671,450 CEMEX HLDG 11.94 12 12.68 12.7 11.92 12 722,000 8,777,868 EAGLE CEMENT EEI CORP 8.4 8.44 8.85 8.9 8.4 8.4 1,022,500 8,818,548 6.3 6.35 6.28 6.31 5.95 6.3 1,375,400 8,421,415 HOLCIM MEGAWIDE 7.18 7.25 7.3 7.3 7.05 7.25 1,562,300 11,169,309 PHINMA 10.9 10.92 10.88 10.92 10.88 10.92 46,300 504,864 1.3 1.31 1.47 1.47 1.21 1.31 4,857,000 6,310,950 TKC METALS VULCAN INDL 2.8 2.82 2.98 2.99 2.66 2.8 47,401,000 132,111,210 2.05 2.07 2.15 2.2 2 2.05 1,883,000 3,893,270 CROWN ASIA 2.12 2.14 2.23 2.23 2.08 2.14 311,000 663,860 EUROMED LMG CORP 4.7 4.98 4.78 4.78 4.72 4.72 171,000 812,210 4.5 4.62 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 1,000 4,500 MABUHAY VINYL PRYCE CORP 5.4 5.45 5.41 5.42 5.4 5.4 47,600 257,099 20.7 21 20.25 21.3 20.25 21 481,800 9,858,620 CONCEPCION 4.04 4.08 4.15 4.23 3.96 4.04 21,763,000 88,536,300 GREENERGY INTEGRATED MICR 12.98 13 13.4 14 12.6 13 6,228,300 82,602,892 1.21 1.26 1.25 1.26 1.2 1.21 1,517,000 1,850,470 IONICS SFA SEMICON 1.52 1.53 1.52 1.6 1.45 1.53 4,274,000 6,409,580 CIRTEK HLDG 6.54 6.56 6.61 6.61 6.15 6.54 6,313,600 40,287,698

24,228,581 -195,000 -9,156,775 -3,966,320.00 -121,975 -697,311 -28,560,606 -14,120,918 -419,780 27,560 9,515,570 -2,016 -94,383 3,817,000 10,540 -1,041,322.00 7,030 -604,096 -62,680 -592,937.00 -3,399,800 -29,943,039 3,410 -1,482 1,592,677 2,230,950 1,052,720 -219,470 -4,630 -1,700 -2,720 -88,434,038 -183,500 -1,084 425,750 -3,151,116 -2,183,553 -170,327 -1,923,834 -246,476 26,200 951,840 85,330 128,030 -4,500 -1,620 73,775 -345,830 13,000,032 -2,400 97,260 874,406

HOLDING & FRIMS ABACORE CAPITAL 1.13 1.14 1.18 1.19 1.02 1.13 60,117,000 66,162,920 7.26 7.5 8.04 8.04 7.22 7.24 312,700 2,344,724 ASIABEST GROUP AYALA CORP 751.5 752 755 760 744 751.5 272,840 205,146,975 42.8 43.45 43.55 43.55 42.5 43.45 731,200 31,558,220 ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL 10.4 10.46 10.3 10.46 10.1 10.46 3,030,900 31,348,622 AYALA LAND LOG 2.95 2.96 3.07 3.07 2.84 2.96 6,248,000 18,290,740 7.35 7.39 7.35 7.37 7.35 7.35 69,300 509,555 ANSCOR ANGLO PHIL HLDG 0.81 0.82 0.84 0.87 0.78 0.82 10,833,000 8,798,310 0.87 0.88 0.9 0.93 0.83 0.88 10,670,000 9,106,000 ATN HLDG A 0.84 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.86 0.9 217,000 187,380 ATN HLDG B COSCO CAPITAL 5.36 5.4 5.45 5.45 5.32 5.4 1,513,700 8,135,468 5.24 5.38 5.27 5.38 5.2 5.38 4,524,100 23,986,338 DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV 8.8 8.94 8.79 8.8 8.75 8.8 45,800 402,870 0.236 0.24 0.238 0.238 0.234 0.235 190,000 44,840 FORUM PACIFIC 540 548 540 549 535.5 548 157,690 85,370,690 GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV 3.6 3.7 3.7 3.8 3.6 3.6 84,000 309,370 62.1 63.2 63 63.3 62.1 62.1 1,809,370 113,002,829 JG SUMMIT JOLLIVILLE HLDG 4.66 5.38 4.66 4.66 4.66 4.66 1,000 4,660 1.61 1.62 1.74 1.74 1.38 1.62 59,925,000 94,954,050 LODESTAR 3.74 3.78 3.74 3.74 3.74 3.74 140,000 523,600 LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP 14.02 14.4 14 14.4 13.72 14.4 1,446,100 20,390,274 0.52 0.55 0.53 0.55 0.52 0.55 931,000 491,200 MABUHAY HLDG 1.84 2.07 1.91 1.91 1.8 1.8 30,000 55,150 MJC INVESTMENTS METRO PAC INV 4.15 4.17 4.19 4.19 4.1 4.17 15,950,000 66,085,720 4.9 5 5.05 5.19 4.8 4.9 97,200 483,325 PACIFICA HLDG PRIME MEDIA 2.39 2.4 2.38 2.53 2.12 2.39 13,622,000 32,225,520 2.9 2.95 3.4 3.4 2.75 2.95 784,000 2,261,860 REPUBLIC GLASS 1.23 1.3 1.29 1.33 1.23 1.3 560,000 709,680 SOLID GROUP SYNERGY GRID 311 313 313 313 313 313 550 172,150 1,035 1,038 1,054 1,054 1,035 1,038 342,435 356,334,580 SM INVESTMENTS SAN MIGUEL CORP 123 125.7 125.4 125.7 121.9 125.7 133,220 16,483,696 SOC RESOURCES 0.79 0.8 0.8 0.81 0.78 0.8 998,000 791,640 2.38 2.63 2.39 2.39 2.38 2.38 6,000 14,330 SEAFRONT RES TOP FRONTIER 135.9 142 135.8 142 135.8 142 930 129,431 0.235 0.245 0.235 0.245 0.232 0.245 1,680,000 402,470 WELLEX INDUS 0.235 0.238 0.245 0.245 0.235 0.238 3,660,000 872,300 ZEUS HLDG

1,418,530.00 11,775 -63,643,745 -13,721,020 -8,555,546 3,926,080 657,990 339,816 -1,366,922.00 -15,223,805 -111,000 -55,431,998.50 -58,140 -385,220 -3,422,834 -47,320 -7,776,490 28,320 -756,730 -5,660 -3,750 -74,538,305 742,303 -21,300 -

PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.63 0.64 0.64 0.65 0.62 0.63 1,207,000 754,280 38.55 38.65 39.65 39.65 38.25 38.65 6,423,200 248,442,975 AYALA LAND ARANETA PROP 1.3 1.4 1.42 1.42 1.26 1.4 270,000 344,530 33.9 33.95 34.3 34.45 33.5 33.9 1,079,800 36,662,250 AREIT RT BELLE CORP 1.64 1.65 1.66 1.66 1.64 1.64 324,000 535,890 A BROWN 0.92 0.93 0.93 0.93 0.89 0.92 2,595,000 2,345,420 0.77 0.79 0.77 0.77 0.77 0.77 80,000 61,600 CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES 0.142 0.144 0.147 0.147 0.141 0.142 3,430,000 490,500 7.19 7.2 7.08 7.5 7 7.2 1,629,500 11,735,599 CEBU HLDG 5.21 5.25 5.25 5.25 5.15 5.25 1,248,000 6,507,020 CEB LANDMASTERS CENTURY PROP 0.405 0.41 0.405 0.43 0.4 0.41 16,520,000 6,857,100 0.335 0.34 0.35 0.35 0.335 0.335 4,090,000 1,383,650 CYBER BAY DOUBLEDRAGON 14.9 15 15.08 15.18 14.68 15 2,071,900 30,890,230 6.55 6.6 6.7 6.7 6.5 6.55 78,900 518,320 DM WENCESLAO 0.29 0.3 0.305 0.305 0.28 0.3 3,510,000 1,005,600 EMPIRE EAST EVER GOTESCO 0.085 0.091 0.087 0.091 0.086 0.091 760,000 65,510 1.14 1.15 1.15 1.15 1.12 1.15 8,353,000 9,483,750 FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE 0.9 0.91 0.91 0.91 0.89 0.9 1,700,000 1,530,120 7.43 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.43 7.43 12,900 96,309 8990 HLDG 1.45 1.46 1.51 1.64 1.4 1.46 24,268,000 37,427,620 PHIL INFRADEV CITY AND LAND 0.69 0.73 0.7 0.7 0.69 0.69 12,000 8,390 3.7 3.71 3.76 3.79 3.68 3.7 10,907,000 40,442,860 MEGAWORLD 0.5 0.51 0.52 0.53 0.46 0.5 164,908,000 81,238,080 MRC ALLIED PHIL ESTATES 0.45 0.46 0.425 0.46 0.425 0.45 2,130,000 946,650 1.5 1.51 1.5 1.52 1.46 1.5 1,814,000 2,723,100 PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND 18.72 18.76 19 19 18.66 18.72 2,626,100 49,286,964 0.285 0.295 0.29 0.295 0.285 0.295 750,000 215,250 PHIL REALTY 1.42 1.43 1.54 1.55 1.41 1.42 1,824,000 2,644,340 ROCKWELL SHANG PROP 2.7 2.76 2.73 2.77 2.73 2.76 585,000 1,619,230 2.11 2.19 2.19 2.2 2.11 2.19 411,000 882,590 STA LUCIA LAND SM PRIME HLDG 35 35.1 35.55 35.8 35 35 9,081,700 318,909,160 VISTAMALLS 3.89 3.98 4 4 3.86 3.98 35,000 137,000 1.73 1.75 1.8 1.87 1.72 1.73 3,498,000 6,239,090 SUNTRUST HOME PTFC REDEV CORP 40.3 47.6 40.25 40.25 40.25 40.25 300 12,075 4.22 4.24 4.2 4.22 4.15 4.22 1,813,000 7,585,270 VISTA LAND

-7,485,645 -10,950,700.00 -6,570 251,550 44,660 -1,470 -135,000 -105,109 -564,600 33,500 4,717,982 -2,610 214,190 2,476,810 -20,441,240 257,335 -22,350 1,125,500 -29,823,654.00 -389,180 -49,650 -4,240 -197,327,185 -326,990 1,874,090

SERVICES ABS CBN 11.98 12 12.24 12.24 11.98 12 135,500 1,630,024 7.1 7.14 7.27 7.35 6.99 7.14 1,328,200 9,484,366 GMA NETWORK MANILA BULLETIN 0.465 0.48 0.48 0.48 0.46 0.47 440,000 208,000 10.5 10.98 10.22 11 10.22 11 1,300 13,364 MLA BRDCASTING GLOBE TELECOM 1,985 1,993 2,026 2,026 1,985 1,985 68,170 135,863,755 PLDT 1,300 1,311 1,320 1,330 1,300 1,300 161,400 210,826,785 0.255 0.26 0.27 0.275 0.235 0.255 2,042,930,000 516,228,260 APOLLO GLOBAL CONVERGE 17.6 17.74 17.76 17.92 17.4 17.74 7,598,900 134,045,044 4.34 4.35 4.66 4.66 4 4.34 2,588,000 11,368,840 DFNN INC 16 16.08 17.42 17.42 14.4 16 324,840,100 5,187,954,982 DITO CME HLDG ISLAND INFO 0.165 0.167 0.174 0.174 0.16 0.165 20,500,000 3,363,660 2.03 2.07 2.15 2.15 2.03 2.03 166,000 340,570 JACKSTONES NOW CORP 2.75 2.78 2.96 2.98 2.62 2.78 13,670,000 38,111,610 0.455 0.46 0.485 0.49 0.425 0.46 58,120,000 26,394,850 TRANSPACIFIC BR 2.6 2.61 2.62 2.62 2.57 2.6 1,053,000 2,738,390 PHILWEB 2GO GROUP 8.26 8.48 8.4 8.48 8.25 8.48 52,100 432,855 14.78 15.84 14.76 14.78 14.76 14.78 600 8,860 ASIAN TERMINALS CHELSEA 4.05 4.09 4.3 4.3 3.9 4.05 4,240,000 17,238,950 CEBU AIR 45.5 45.6 46.4 46.4 45.2 45.5 579,500 26,406,415 121.9 122 120.9 123 120 122 1,474,130 179,439,415 INTL CONTAINER LBC EXPRESS 16.06 16.58 16.06 16.58 16.06 16.58 7,400 121,444 0.98 1.03 0.98 1.03 0.97 1.03 55,000 53,910 LORENZO SHIPPNG 5.36 5.4 5.5 5.52 5.2 5.4 3,031,900 16,268,129 MACROASIA METROALLIANCE A 2.71 2.78 2.79 2.8 2.48 2.71 2,091,000 5,481,940 2.6 3.29 2.58 2.59 2.58 2.59 5,000 12,930 METROALLIANCE B PAL HLDG 6.1 6.2 6.28 6.3 6.1 6.2 66,500 415,061 1.29 1.3 1.33 1.33 1.26 1.3 2,054,000 2,634,460 HARBOR STAR 1.45 1.48 1.45 1.45 1.45 1.45 16,000 23,200 ACESITE HOTEL BOULEVARD HLDG 0.045 0.046 0.045 0.046 0.042 0.045 181,700,000 7,990,500 5.43 5.45 5.81 5.82 5.05 5.43 5,126,400 28,217,654 DISCOVERY WORLD WATERFRONT 0.53 0.54 0.54 0.56 0.53 0.54 12,829,000 6,980,900 CENTRO ESCOLAR 6.72 9.57 6.7 6.7 6.7 6.7 100 670 584 644 584.5 584.5 584 584 80 46,745 FAR EASTERN U IPEOPLE 8.07 8.47 8.07 8.47 8.07 8.47 5,100 41,277 0.385 0.39 0.405 0.405 0.385 0.39 9,680,000 3,786,650 STI HLDG 4.33 4.36 4.36 4.36 4.32 4.33 20,000 86,810 BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY 7.3 7.75 7.5 7.75 7.19 7.75 2,235,000 16,534,505 2.05 2.1 2.15 2.15 2.05 2.05 111,000 228,690 PACIFIC ONLINE LEISURE AND RES 1.75 1.79 1.91 1.98 1.75 1.79 1,892,000 3,524,210 2.1 2.14 2.11 2.11 2.05 2.1 143,000 297,810 MANILA JOCKEY 2.53 2.55 2.56 2.6 2.38 2.53 10,409,000 26,029,990 PH RESORTS GRP PREMIUM LEISURE 0.465 0.47 0.475 0.475 0.46 0.47 8,830,000 4,088,900 6.24 6.5 6.6 6.6 6.24 6.24 4,800 30,460 PHIL RACING ALLHOME 7.86 7.92 8 8 7.82 7.9 1,792,000 14,113,384 METRO RETAIL 1.33 1.34 1.38 1.38 1.34 1.34 3,641,000 4,944,130 35.5 35.75 36.3 36.35 35.5 35.5 2,449,500 87,543,925 PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL 53.95 54 55 55 53.9 54 491,530 26,668,057 98.1 100 101.5 101.5 98 98.1 145,200 14,387,340.50 PHIL SEVEN CORP 1.33 1.35 1.36 1.36 1.3 1.35 3,800,000 5,016,030 SSI GROUP WILCON DEPOT 17.92 18 17.9 18 17.9 18 1,044,500 18,767,722 0.42 0.43 0.42 0.43 0.4 0.42 4,510,000 1,850,900 APC GROUP EASYCALL 6.75 6.95 7 7 6.69 6.95 124,100 854,676 425 440 432 440 410.2 440 2,010 868,620 GOLDEN MV 5.05 5.15 5.15 5.15 5.15 5.15 3,100 15,965 IPM HLDG PAXYS 2.21 2.37 2.22 2.22 2.21 2.21 66,000 146,110 2.98 2.99 2.93 3.09 2.66 2.98 262,534,000 753,860,050 PRMIERE HORIZON SBS PHIL CORP 4.32 4.33 4.45 4.5 4.32 4.33 39,000 169,860

-87,672,210 -95,949,085 -4,395,120 30,774,066 1,787,870 -6,757,266 -215,490 -242,660 959,350 59,800 -25,606 741,170 5,093,010 22,366,613 -32,120.00 -930 -634,193 14,287 -93,750 64,500.00 4,200 1,015,000 -2,118,800 -3,605,386 6,270 -4,813,060 -3,200 -4,549,549 -832,240.00 -41,506,825 -1,900,609.50 -1,244,449 -174,560 5,250,252.00 479,100 280,150 -

MINING & OIL ATOK 7 7.18 7.66 7.66 7 7 2,869,900 20,332,737 1,868,868 APEX MINING 1.56 1.57 1.61 1.61 1.55 1.56 4,719,000 7,391,170 -937,740 0.0034 0.0035 0.0038 0.0038 0.0032 0.0034 29,679,000,000 104,526,200 10,607,900 ABRA MINING ATLAS MINING 6.8 6.85 6.86 6.96 6.68 6.8 1,535,200 10,450,913 -2,309,079 BENGUET A 2.81 2.83 2.8 2.83 2.8 2.81 44,000 123,510 2.78 2.8 2.81 2.81 2.79 2.79 120,000 335,500 BENGUET B COAL ASIA HLDG 0.34 0.35 0.34 0.35 0.305 0.35 5,140,000 1,664,800 2.69 2.82 2.7 2.82 2.69 2.82 18,000 49,310 27,000 CENTURY PEAK 12.3 12.58 12.34 13 11.28 12.58 365,200 4,425,686 -79,068 DIZON MINES FERRONICKEL 2.97 2.98 3.04 3.05 2.73 2.98 33,824,000 98,022,740 6,306,520 0.475 0.485 0.53 0.53 0.43 0.49 35,312,000 17,019,480 435,000 GEOGRACE LEPANTO A 0.153 0.154 0.157 0.158 0.15 0.153 40,030,000 6,119,190 0.154 0.155 0.16 0.16 0.154 0.154 2,090,000 324,360 LEPANTO B 0.01 0.011 0.01 0.011 0.0099 0.01 136,400,000 1,365,010 MANILA MINING A MANILA MINING B 0.01 0.011 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 16,600,000 166,000 -2,000 1.66 1.67 1.73 1.75 1.57 1.67 2,708,000 4,461,060 -51,850 MARCVENTURES NIHAO 2.71 2.77 3 3 2.71 2.72 577,000 1,588,740 -5,430 NICKEL ASIA 5.9 5.93 6.25 6.25 5.75 5.9 19,671,600 116,779,508 -4,532,168 0.45 0.47 0.47 0.47 0.415 0.45 1,840,000 799,450 -4,300 OMICO CORP ORNTL PENINSULA 1.08 1.12 1.15 1.17 1.05 1.12 7,135,000 7,806,250 -65,750 4.9 4.92 5.08 5.08 4.76 4.9 1,825,500 8,873,883 -9,515 PX MINING 12.52 12.84 12.56 12.84 12.38 12.84 1,678,000 21,140,782 -8,305,852 SEMIRARA MINING UNITED PARAGON 0.0095 0.0096 0.01 0.01 0.0088 0.0096 698,100,000 6,520,860 20 20.35 19.5 20 18.6 20 811,300 15,561,070 -1,302,000 ACE ENEXOR ORNTL PETROL A 0.012 0.013 0.013 0.013 0.012 0.012 439,800,000 5,296,900 0.013 0.014 0.013 0.014 0.013 0.014 63,200,000 837,000 -2,600 ORNTL PETROL B 0.013 0.014 0.013 0.014 0.013 0.014 782,600,000 10,188,600 343,200 PHILODRILL PXP ENERGY 9.06 9.08 9.24 9.3 9.05 9.06 819,000 7,475,596 -1,707,530

PREFFERED HOUSE PREF B 100 101 100 101 100 101 22,010 2,211,010 101 101.4 101.5 101.5 101 101 2,100 212,205 HOUSE PREF A ALCO PREF C 110 118 110 110 110 110 180 19,800 100.2 102 100.5 100.5 100 100 20,000 2,000,707 CPG PREF A DD PREF 101.1 102 101.5 101.5 101.1 101.1 200 20,224 106.3 106.5 106.5 106.5 106.3 106.5 3,550 377,805 FGEN PREF G 504 508 504 504 504 504 2,000 1,008,000 GLO PREF P GTCAP PREF B 1,029 1,030 1,030 1,030 1,029 1,029 510 525,290 100.2 100.4 100.2 100.4 100 100.2 20,450 2,049,105 MWIDE PREF 100.7 101.3 100.7 100.7 100.7 100.7 20,100 2,024,070 MWIDE PREF 2B PNX PREF 3B 102.3 104 102.3 104 102.3 104 220 22,829 -2,046 1,000 1,004 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 720 720,000 PNX PREF 4 PCOR PREF 3A 1,085 1,100 1,100 1,100 1,085 1,085 60 65,250 1,125 1,140 1,140 1,140 1,124 1,124 1,790 2,039,480 PCOR PREF 3B 1.63 1.78 1.64 1.64 1.63 1.63 10,000 16,380 -1,640 SFI PREF SMC PREF 2C 79.6 80 80 80 79 80 3,880 306,933 -281,333 76.1 77.5 76.1 76.1 76.1 76.1 130 9,893 SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F 77.8 79.3 77.8 79.3 77.8 79.3 900,280 71,391,934 76.1 76.8 76.8 76.8 76.8 76.8 395,000 30,336,000 SMC PREF 2G 77 78.9 77 77 77 77 2,000 154,000 SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I 77.5 78.5 77.4 77.4 77.4 77.4 30 2,322 76.5 76.8 76.8 76.8 76.3 76.5 6,460 493,938 SMC PREF 2K

PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS GMA HLDG PDR 6.85 6.93 6.97 6.97 6.8 6.85 218,400 1,514,154 340,320

WARRANTS LR WARRANT 1.03 1.04 1.1 1.12 1 1.03 3,902,000 4,089,640 -145,130

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ALTUS PROP 18.8 19 19.9 20 18 19 561,500 10,572,644 -166,830 2.8 2.87 2.95 2.95 2.6 2.8 5,876,000 16,320,830 109,750 ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH 5.8 5.9 5.9 5.9 5.8 5.8 24,800 144,610 2.39 2.76 2.5 2.77 2.5 2.77 116,000 302,010 MAKATI FINANCE MERRYMART 6.72 6.73 7 7.03 6.36 6.72 39,729,500 264,169,524 -3,789,048

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS

FIRST METRO ETF 102.1 103 103 103 102.1 102.1 35,040 3,593,579 116,556

www.businessmirror.com.ph

SEC approves AboitizPower bond float, IPO of hospital

T

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

he Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has approved the registration statements of the P30-billion bond float of Aboitiz Power Corp. and the initial public offering (IPO) of Allied Care Experts (ACE) Medical Center-Palawan Inc. In its meeting on February 23, the SEC en banc approved the fundraising of the two firms.

AboitizPower may issue the debt securities in one or more series within 3 years. For the first tranche, the company will offer up to P4 billion of fixed-rate bonds due 2026, with an oversubscription option of up to P4 billion to be offered at face value.

Assuming full exercise of the oversubscription option, AboitizPower expects to net P7.89 billion from the first tranche. Proceeds from the offer will be used for the redemption of bonds maturing 2021 and for the early redemption of bonds maturing in 2026.

The company intends to list the fixed-rate bonds for trading on the Philippine Dealing and

Exchange Corp.

It picked BDO Capital and Investment Corp., BPI Capital Corp., China Bank Capital and First Metro Investment Corporation as joint issue managers, joint lead underwriters and joint bookrunners for the offering.

ACE Medical Center-Palawan will offer 36,000 common shares in tranches at an offer price ranging from P200,000 to P362,500 for every block of 10 shares, in cash or installment. The shares will be traded over the counter.

The company expects to raise P996.92 million in net proceeds, which the company will use for the construction of ACE Palawan Hospital, debt servicing, purchase of medical equipment and working capital for 6 months.

T he compa ny i s c u r rent ly building an eight-story, 120-bed healthcare facility with a total floor area of 16,538 square meters in Barangay San Pedro, Puerto

Princesa. The project is slated for completion by the fourth quarter of 2021 through the first quarter of 2022.

The intended market for the IPO is mostly medical specialists and their relatives.

Subscribing to the offer shares is a prerequisite for physicians and medical specialists to practice at ACE Medical Center–Palawan.

Physicians looking to hold clinic at the hospital must have paid in full 10 common shares plus a privilege to practice fee of P150,000.

The company will provide 32 clinic spaces for 320 medical practitioners, which will be given on a first come, first serve basis.

The IPO also comes with benefits and privileges, such as discounts on medical and dental services, which the stockholder, his/her spouse, dependents and natural parents may avail of in other medical facilities affiliated with the ACE Group of Hospitals.

AREIT income up by 42% last year

A

REIT Inc., the real estate investment trust (REIT) of Ayala Land Inc., said it earned P1.23 billion last year, some 42 percent higher than the previous year’s income of P866 million.

In 2019, its buildings were only Solaris and Ayala North Exchange but it added Teleformance Cebu and McKinley Exchange in its 2020 figures.

Revenues reached P1.95 billion for the period, some 3 percent higher than its REIT plan.

AREIT’s board also approved the declaration of dividends of P0.39 per share for the fourth quarter of 2020 to be distributed on March 25, to stockholders on record as of March 15. The company’s full-year dividends from its 2020 income totaled P1.32 per share, slightly higher than its REIT plan projection during the initial public offering.

“AREIT performed consistently, delivering dividends and growing its assets,” Carol Mills, president and chief executive officer of AREIT, said.

Among its strategic investments in 2020 was the Teleperformance Cebu Building which was acquired last September using primary pro-

ceeds from the IPO and this immediately contributed to the company’s operating income.

To further boost its growth prospects, the company also purchased in January of this year The 30th, a 75,000 sqm. commercial development located in Pasig City. In the same month, AREIT also acquired 98,000 square meters of land located at Laguna Technopark currently leased by Integrated Micro-Electronics Inc. for its manufacturing business.

AREIT’s total assets under management has grown to 344,000 square meters of gross leasable space from the 153,000 during its IPO, which including land that is directly leased and generating income. The company’s total deposited property is valued at P37 billion.

“Operations remained strong throughout the year. Business resilience, health and safety of all our building locators and service personnel were our focus areas as all our properties remained open throughout the pandemic,” Mills said.

AREIT aims to provide a 10 to 12 percent total shareholder return per year through organic growth and new acquisitions. VG Cabuag

‘Holcim CSR assists over 160,000 people’

U

NFAZED by the impact of Covid-19 pandemic, Holcim Philippines continued its corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaign, which benefitted 164,913 people in 2020.

Dubbed the Holcim HELPS, it includes health and sanitation projects which accounted for 35 percent of the total expenditures, followed by infrastructure projects with a share of 26 percent, community donations at 21 percent, and community water projects at 11 percent.

Holcim Vice President for Communications Cara Ramirez said the company is still committed to support the communities that have been home to their people and facilities for decades, especially during challenging times such as 2020 when the unprecendented health crisis hit globally.

“With the assistance from our partners and great dedication from our people on the ground, we provided much needed support that responds to our communities’ needs. As we grow our company, we will continue and strive further to

support the sustainable development of our communities through the HELPS campaign,” she said.

The centerpiece of such CSR program is on water access, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) for schools and communities in collaboration with the League of Corporate Foundations and the Manila Water Foundation (MWF).

Through these partnerships, Holcim Philippines communities received 5,300 information and education materials on proper hand washing and Covid-19 prevention, as well as 800 hygiene kits and children’s storybooks on WASH. Overall, it benefited 78,698 individuals in Bacnotan, La Union; Norzagaray, Bulacan; Mabini, Batangas; Lugait, Misamis Oriental; and Bunawan District, Davao City.

The firm’s donations to fight the pandemic benefitted 45,901 community members and government and medical frontliners. Over 15,000 food packs, 10,000 masks, 300 face shields and goggles, and 50 liters of soap and sanitizers were distributed to various stakeholders nationwide. Roderick L. Abad

mutual funds

February 24, 2021

NAV One Year Three Year Five Year Y-T-D per share Return* Return Stock Funds ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a 216.66 -9.32% -9.14% -2.11% -4.65% ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 1.3071 5.11% -6.47% 3.54% -0.45% ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 2.9846 -10.54% -13.17% -3.76% -4.74% Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.7628 -7.92% -8.31% n.a.

-5.11% First Metro Consumer Fund on MSCI Phils. IMI, Inc. -a 0.6926 -13.85% n.a. n.a.

-6.61% First Metro Save and Learn Equity Fund,Inc. -a 4.7118 -6.48% -7.07% -1.19% -4.64% First Metro Save and Learn Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a,4 0.6988 -12.8% -10.37% -6.48% -8.03% MBG Equity Investment Fund, Inc. -a 100.24 4.74% -5.17% n.a.

-1.67% PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a 44.6362 -7.48% -7.28% -0.54% -4.72% Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 466.13 -7.52% -7.22% -1.24% -4.67% Philequity Alpha One Fund, Inc. -a,d,5 1.0528 7.22% n.a. n.a. -4.06% Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. -a 1.1252 -7.66% -6.59% -0.36% -3.68% Philequity Fund, Inc. -a 33.3237 -6.9% -6.53% 0.3% -4.16% Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.8634 -10.44% n.a. n.a.

-5.43% Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc. -a 4.5676 -7.12% -6.78% 0.21% -4.67% Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a 764.19 -6.92% -6.66% 0.13% -4.67% Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 0.6898 -10.95% -10.45% -3.72% -4.05% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 3.4497 -12.1% -8.84% -1.48% -4.8% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.8743 -7.22% -6.97% -0.03% -4.73% United Fund, Inc. -a 3.1825 -8.16% -5.89% 0.94% -4.11% Exchange Traded Fund First Metro Phil. Equity Exchange Traded Fund, Inc. -a,c 102.5548 -6.94% -6.45% 0.85% -4.65% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ATRAM AsiaPlus Equity Fund, Inc. -b $1.3238 32.58% 5.51% 10.84% 10.05% Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.7723 23.8% 11% n.a.

5.95% Balanced Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ATRAM Dynamic Allocation Fund, Inc. -a 1.6567 8.07% -3.24% -0.46% -0.71% ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 2.2097 5.49% -3.18% 0.74% -3.31% First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund Inc. -a 2.5395 -0.61% -2.57% -0.26% -3.33% First Metro Save and Learn F.O.C.C.U.S. Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a,1 0.1916 -10.72% n.a. n.a. -3.52% NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a 1.9331 0.3% -0.62% 1.63% -1.57% PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a 3.6654 -0.61% -1.73% 0.67% -3.24% Philam Fund, Inc. -a 16.4034 -0.49% -1.79% 0.62% -3.15% -2.62% Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a 2.0392 -1.52% -2.89% 0.54% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.4695 -6.36% -4.53% -0.53% -2.9% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a,d 0.9847 -0.25% n.a. n.a.

-3.71% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a,d 0.9094 -4.64% n.a. n.a.

-4.19% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a,d 0.8916 -5.88% n.a. n.a. -4.45% Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a 0.8598 -7.11% -5.21% -1.16% -3.14% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Cocolife Dollar Fund Builder, Inc. -a $0.03849 -1.53% 3.09% 1.69% -1.61% PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -b $1.1874 15.28% 3.35% 7.07% 3.23% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $4.717 17.01% 8.32% 9.76% 4.52% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a,3 $1.219 7.71% 4.38% n.a.

1.41% Bond Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 371.3 3.33% 3.27% 2.68% 0.06% ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a 1.9044 -0.24% 0.49% 0.23% 0.22% Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a 3.2175 2.51% 4.27% 4.64% 0.09% Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a 2.2821 1.77% 2.72% 2.07% -0.61% First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.4297 2.58% 3.19% 1.91% -0.96% Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a 4.5817 4.04% 4.82% 2.48% -1.14% Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a,6 1.3192 4.8% 4.35% 2.66% -0.15% Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.9663 4.75% 4.34% 2.54% -0.87% Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a 1.0249 5.14% 4.13% 1.98% -1.64% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.19 3.05% 4.64% 3% -0.5% Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a 1.7405 2.12% 3.9% 2.37% -0.83% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $483.13 2.34% 3.01% 2.66% -0.15% ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a Є219.38 -0.87% 1.04% 1.26% 0.09% ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b $1.2252 0.65% 3.09% 2.14% -4.31% First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.0261 0.38% 1.85% 1.36% -1.88% PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -b $1.0736 -3.28% 0.9% -0.19% -1.75% Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $2.496 1.09% 4.71% 2.81% -1.56% Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a $0.0625401 2.74% 3.27% 2.32% 0.36% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $3.1456 -3.85% 2.25% 1.49% -2.42% Money Market Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 130.05 2.82% 3.34% 2.57% 0.18% First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.049 1.68% n.a. n.a.

0.09% Sun Life Prosperity Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.2991 2.27% 2.93% 2.6% 0.19% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0541 1.37% 1.78% n.a.

0.16% Feeder Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities Sun Life Prosperity World Equity Index Feeder Fund, Inc. -a,d,7 1.1943 n.a. n.a. n.a. 5.73% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund Inc. -b,d,2 $0.99 -1% n.a. n.a.

1.02%

a - NAVPS as of the previous banking day. b - NAVPS as of two banking days ago. c - Listed in the PSE. d - in Net Asset Value per Unit (NAVPU).

1 - Launch date is September 28, 2019. 2 - Launch date is November 15, 2019. 3 - Adjusted due to stock dividend issuance last October 9, 2019.

4 - Renaming was approved by the SEC last October 12, 2018 (formerly, One Wealthy Nation Fund, Inc.). 5 - Launch date is December 09, 2019.

6 - Re-classified into a Bond Fund starting February 21, 2020 (Formerly a Money Market Fund). 7 - Launch date is July 6, 2020.

"While we endeavor to keep the information accurate, the Philippine Investment Funds Association (PIFA) and its members make no warranties as to the correctness of the newspaper’s publication and assume no liability or responsibility for any error or omissions. You may visit http://www. pifa.com.ph to see the latest NAVPS/NAVPU."

Envoys&Expats BusinessMirror

Thursday, February 25, 2021

www.businessmirror.com.ph

PHL, Indian enterprises engage for infra endeavors

M

ORE than 200 representatives of Indian and Filipino firms recently converged online, eager to participate in the rapidly expanding local infrastructure sector.

The Embassy of India in Manila, together with the Confederation of Indian Industry and Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, organized a business conference on India-Philippines Infrastructure Cooperation on February 18.

The event was an outcome of discussions between Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez and Ambassador Shambhu S. Kumaran. The latter addressed the conference, together with secretaries of transportation Arthur P. Tugade and trade Ramon M. Lopez.

The envoy pointed to the well-established capabilities of Indian firms in a range of infrastructure sectors and their successful implementation of projects worldwide. He sought a pathway to facilitate their engagement in the Philippines.

The conference was conducted in

an innovative match-making format with the Department of Transportation, as it presented a slate of ongoing and prospective projects in aviation and airports, railways, maritime and ship-building, as well as road transport, for potential involvement of Indian companies. This was followed by presentations of senior representatives from six leading Indian infrastructure companies: Larsen & Toubro, GMR Group, IRCON, Shapoorji Pallonji, Adani Ports & SEZ, as well as RITES Ltd. about their respective potential, capabilities and interests.

According to the embassy, Indian companies are increasingly becoming active in the Philippines. For one, major infrastructure player GMR Group has already established a strong presence with its recent completion of its airport-construction projects in New Clark City and Mac-

MAJOR stakeholders during the online conference FB: INDIA IN THE PHILIPPINES

tan, Cebu. Based on deliberations at the conference, several Indian firms are considering entering the Philippine infrastructure market, valued at $343 billion until 2025.

The event concluded with the exchange of contact details between participating Indian companies and Philippine government agen-

cies. The embassy is confident the outcome-driven business event will likely to promote greater Indian business participation in the Build, Build, Build program of the country, as well as lead to active tie-ups between companies from both countries in exploring Indian infrastructure projects.

CDA: 650K Pinoys find home in UAE

By Edd K. Usman

T

HERE are around 650,000 Filipinos who currently reside in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). And the Arab nation loves them all.

Those facts were disclosed by the UAE Embassy’s Charge d’Affaires (CDA) Sheikh Saoud Al-Mualla. He emphasized the number “is…based on the last figures released by [our] authorities.”

In May 2020 the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) community in the Arab state reciprocated their love, acceptance, and appreciation for the emirates and its people, as they launched a sticker campaign containing the declaration: “Filipinos trust the UAE.” It was their way of giving back to the Emirati government and its people for their sincere care, compassion and tolerance. As the pandemic hit the world hard, authorities there provided care for its citizens, as well as foreign residents and expatriates.

In an e-mail from the UAE Embassy in the Philippines, Sheikh Al-Mualla opened up on the reason Filipinos are highly accommodated in his country. He said the “common perspective in the UAE about Filipinos is that they are acceptable to UAE citizens, as well as to other nationalities living in the Emirates.”

As he described it: “Filipinos are well-educated, disciplined, with good character and behavior, highly organized, and loyal to their employers. I

think [the nationality who has these attributes] would be most welcomed in our country.”

He added the UAE is a “country for all,” without any discrimination based on race, color and religion, among others. Likewise, this atmosphere of accepting each other is a result of the wise Emirati leadership’s initiative of tolerance.

The UAE is home to more than 200 nationalities—including more than half a million Filipinos, who work in every sector of the said country.

Obviously, the UAE’s strong policy of openness and acceptance of people of other religious beliefs and culture, as well as its labor laws, serve as a magnet to expatriate workers.

It’s a policy that stems from a long tradition started by its founder, the late President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan.

“The UAE is a country that has been designed by its Wise Leader to accommodate all nationalities, including Filipinos,” stated the CDA. “[Of] course, the principle of respecting the diversity in the UAE creates a wonderful environment which attracts all people to come together and share their potential and talents.

In particular, Filipino workers have been participating in the development of the UAE, not only in recent years but since the 1970s.”

He emphasized, “The contribution of Filipino workers is great in terms of their different professional fields and expertise from the highly professional engineering field,

CHARGE d’Affaires Sheikh Saoud Al-Mualla

medical field, hospitality service, and others.”

For one, the UAE—host of millions of workers from across the globe—is deeply committed in safeguarding the rights of all workers. It signed international conventions on the rights of workers as a member of the International Labour Organization.

To educate laborers on their rights, the UAE’s Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, or MoHRE, has launched several awareness drives. It has established offices in courts to provide legal support to workers in labor disputes, and units have been set up across the country providing protection for workers.

There’s also the Abu Dhabi Dialogue created in 2008—a forum for discussion and cooperation among Asian countries of labor origin and destination.

As the pandemic rages on, the

UAE is ensuring every worker is supported by facilitating their abilities to secure temporary employment, access new job opportunities, as well as securing housing, food and medical assistance.

With a vaccine now being administered in the UAE, the government is providing the injection to all those who live in the country, citizens and non-citizens, including expatriate workers.

Sheikh Zayed’s legacy has endured, being adhered to and implemented by his son and successor: President Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, as well as the rest of the UAE officials. The president of UAE is the emir of Abu Dhabi.

Seven emirates comprise the UAE, with Abu Dhabi as the biggest; the rest are Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. Sheikh Zayed and other founding members of the UAE established the state on December 2, 1971.

Sheikh Al-Mualla’s message to our compatriots with relatives in his country: “To the families of Filipinos who have been working or residing for good in the UAE, I would like to assure that, under the wise leadership of [our government], officials in their posts are exerting their efforts to reach the goals of peace of mind and heart for all its residents by providing [vital] measures in security and stability for their safety, even during the unprecedented situation [brought about by the pandemic].”

B3

International Mother Language Day

By Asad Alam Siam

Ambassador of Bangladesh to the Philippines

E

VERY year, we in Bangladesh observe February 21 as Shahid Dibash, or the “Day of Martyrs,” with deep respect. We remember those who sacrificed their lives on this day in 1952 to establish our right to speak in Bangla, our mother language.

The government of then-Pakistan decided that Urdu would be the only state language of the said country. Bengalis, who comprise the majority of the population of Pakistan whose mother tongue is Bangla, protested and demanded that both Urdu and Bangla be the official languages. Students came out in protest in Dhaka on February 21, 1952. Many were killed on the streets when police fired at them.

Eventually Bangla did become the official language of Pakistan, but the sad event fired-up Bengali nationalism.

And with time, under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman—our Father of the Nation—Bangladesh emerged independent through a nine-month-long liberation war.

As we celebrate his birth centenary and the Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh’s independence this year, February 21 holds more significance in 2021. It was on the said date we realized that the very essence of our culture and identity was at stake. Bangladesh, which means “the country where Bangla is spoken,” perhaps, is the only country in the world known by its language. This reflects our passionate love for our mother tongue, representing our cultural heritage of thousands of years.

For every individual, the mother tongue is crucial to his or her identity.

Language is not only a means through which we communicate; it is also a medium that carries our age-old heritage to us from our ancestors. It connects people, time and generations.

A child learns its mother tongue from her mother, family and society.

Therefore, it shapes a child into the kind of person he or she would be one day. It is one of the first tools of a child for emotional and cognitive development that builds its personal universe, and connects him or her to the wider world to the actions of understanding, of being understood, and most important, of creativity.

These pieces of learning never really fade away, notwithstanding a tiny community speaks the child’s mother tongue.

Like a river, language also has its own course: it adapts, adopts and morphs. It, too, thrives or dies. In this world, every year, many languages become extinct.

And with them die the knowledge and the wisdom that they carry: the myths, legends, folklores, emotions, sounds, symbols—the entire evolution. Therefore, we must remember that with the death of every language, we also lose a part of who we are, and what we could offer to the world. That, indeed, is an enormous loss.

‘Mother Language Day’ IN March 1998 a multilingual and multi-ethnic group residing in Canada known as the “Mother Language Lovers of the World” wrote to the United Nations secretary general. It highlighted that many small ethnic groups are forced to use other languages, and eventually are deprived of their mother tongue, forcing the latter to be nearextinct. Members suggested observing

Siam a day globally every year as the “Mother Language Day” and proposed February 21 for the same reason, due to the immense sacrifices made on the said day for the rights of speaking in one’s mother tongue in Bangladesh.

The group included 10 individuals: two of them spoke Bangla (Rafiqul Islam and Abdus Salam); two in English; two, Tagalog/Filipino (Albert Vinzon and Carmen Cristobal); an Urdu; a German; a Cantonese; and a Hindi. Bangladesh, as a state, soon adopted and pursued the idea within the framework of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco).

Finally, to celebrate the diversity of languages and the concomitant heritage values that they carry, the Unesco General Conference declared February 21 as “International Mother Language Day (IMLD)” on November 17, 1999. The day that we Bangladeshis observe as the “Day of Commitment to our Language” thus became a global occasion to celebrate the linguistic diversity and heritages of the world.

According to one estimate, more than 6,000 languages are spoken around the world. Every language has its own organic growth. Some are written, some are not. Many also accompany expressions, gestures or reflections. All these carry certain traits of history and culture of the people speaking in the language— not to mention that each one is endowed with a vast ocean of creative omnibus.

Languages: Irreplaceable heritage ON IMLD, we celebrate all the languages of the world: all 6,000 of them, and more.

We pay our homage to all our mother tongues, equally. We value each one of them with its own traditions, creative wealth, wisdom, sounds, symbols and emotions. They are our common irreplaceable heritage. We do not want them to be extinct. We commit ourselves to spare no efforts to save them, as they reflect the diversity of our humanity, our plurality, and our common inheritance in them.

T he Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda envisions quality education for all, enabling everyone to explore and establish his or her potential. Unesco’s Education 2030 Framework for Action—a road map to implement Goal 4—commits complete efforts and attention in the use of mother tongue in learning, teaching and the promotion and protection of global linguistic diversity— including multilingualism.

Today, as we pay our deepest respect to our language martyrs who sacrificed their lives in 1952 for our rights to speak in Bangla, we also join global efforts to save and flourish all the languages around the world.

Let us all cherish our mother tongue.

And in doing so, remind ourselves once again that, however diverse we may look—in essence—we are all one.

Manila, Czechia to collaborate on devt, cultural, educational fronts

A

MBASSADOR Jana Šedivá paid a courtesy visit to Mayor Francisco M. Domagoso on February 10 to discuss the current partnership between the Czech Republic and the City of Manila, as well as to also propose possible areas for cooperation in the future.

The envoy, together with Deputy Head of Mission of the Czech Embassy in Manila Jana Peterková, discussed with the city mayor both Manila and the Czech Republic’s pandemic response, where the ambassador expressed her admiration for the readiness of the local government unit (LGU) to roll out its vaccination program.

Šedivá also shared the different bilateral Czech development and cultural programs of the embassy in Manila City—including the ongoing project implemented through World Vision Philippines. The one-year humanitarian project aims to provide education and vocational training to 80 youths in Baseco, while assisting to bridge the gap in education and employment.

Further, Domagoso explained his efforts to make Manila a green and livable city, as well as expressed his interest to work with the European country in exchanging good practices in building smart cities. This was

DOMAGOSO and Šedivá

warmly accepted by the ambassador according to the embassy, as creating smart and green cities will be among its top priorities.

Aside from sharing the history of the Czech Republic and its transition from the Soviet Union’s occupation to being a member of the European Union, Šedivá also discussed with Moreno the different initiatives of the bloc. Highlighted in the discussion were the efforts of the EU to support the City of Manila in the rehabilitation of Pasig River, as well as the long-term efforts of the EU to contribute in building a green, resilient and plastic-free economy in the Philippines.

“It was my distinct pleasure to meet Mayor ‘Isko Moreno’ Domagoso and to share with him the efforts of both the Czech Embassy and the [EU] in building…relations and cooperation with the Philippines—particularly with Manila City,” said Šedivá. “We are also eager to...work closely with [the said LGU] in its aspirations to create a green and smart city.”

Symbolic of the continuous cooperation between the embassy and Manila City, Domagoso presented to Šedivá a key to the city. For her part, the ambassador gifted the mayor a crystal ornament from the Czech Republic.

B4 Thursday, February 25, 2021

Banking&Finance BusinessMirror

LandBank OKs ₧62.32-B loans to support LGUs’ recovery bid

T

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

@Tyronepiad

HE Land Bank of the Philippines approved to bankroll P62.32-billion worth of financing to 194 local government units (LGUs) across the country to support their Covid-19 recovery efforts.

In a statement on Wednesday, LandBank said that P1.89 billion of the approved loans have been released already to 32 LGUs as of February 2.

LandBank President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo said that the bank “recognizes the crucial role of LGUs in the whole-of-nation approach to recover from the economic downturn caused by the pandemic.”

The loan assistance is under the

state-run bank’s RISE-UP LGUs (Restoration and Invigoration package for a Self-Sufficient Economy towards UPgrowth for LGUs) Lending Program. The lending facility is aimed at extending necessary funding requirements of provincial, city and municipal LGUs to help them recover from the impact of the pandemic.

It was launched in July last year with an initial fund allocation of

P10 billion. The program fund was increased later to P80 billion in response to the rising number of loan applications.

Among the initiatives being funded by the RISE-UP LGUs Lending Program include purchase of agricultural produce, acquisition of equipment and construction of facilities for linking of products to the market.

In addition, the state-run bank also finances LGU programs and projects that provide basic and support services, social welfare, healthcare, and other infrastructure activities.

Meanwhile, LandBank also encouraged LGUs to take advantage of the interest subsidy in their borrowings.

The national government has provided a P1-billion interest subsidy fund for LGU loans, following the mandate of Republic Ac 11494 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act. Borrowers can avail this until December 31, 2022, unless otherwise earlier depleted.

PHL stock market has changed

H

ERETOFORE, the Philippine stock market was largely influenced by foreign players who would quickly opt out even by the mere rise in the interest rates by the Fed. Looming large, locally, were the institutional and employed workforce who were, by a huge measure, not too aggressive in their investment risk taking.

January 2021 awoke us to the new realities in the stock market.

In terms of the trading value in the PSE (Philippine Stock Exchange) the local boys who were just 48.7 percent (2014) and 44.6 percent (2015) of the total, began to dominate the market over their foreign counterparts at 58.9 percent (2020) and 73.3 percent (2021 January). Accordingly, retail players went from only 18.2 percent (2019) to 26.8 percent (2020) and finally, 50.7 percent (2021), a clear and marked shift from the dominance of the institutional buyers.

Total stock market accounts actually ballooned from 640,661 (2014) to 1,228,031 (2019) while those who trade with direct market access (DMA) and using electronic facilities rose from just 27.3 percent (2014) to 63.7 percent in (2019).

According to one leading stock brokerage firm, the appetite has shifted to more aggressive non-index trade which propelled up from a mere 54 percent (2019) to a huge 87.6 percent (2021) from 75.6 percent (2020).

Among individual players, the 30-39 year olds who dominated in 2019 at (40 percent) gave way to the younger generation of 18-29 year olds (51 percent) in 2020.

The majority share of those employed who stock-traded was being eased out by a growing minority coming from the unemployed, partially employed, small entrepereneurs,

Finex free enterprise Zoilo ‘Bingo’ Dejaresco III OFWs and students.

This rising revolution of the “newbies” was brought about by the availability of online trading (sans broker’s commission), more wide education by social media on economics and business, availability of time due to lockdown and work from home, forced savings due to the inavailability of then- easy- to- access postponable goods and services.

Will this new, increasingly bigger powerhouse of “retail investors” repeat what happened to GameStop, a Texas, US-based computer games retailer where they engaged Wall Street biggies who tried to short sell the company in a terrific tug of war for almost a month? By buying stock intensely causing prices to rise at a horrifying 1,600 percent (hike) at one point within January, some short sellers consequently lost their shirts; unable to cover their positions as the stock price rose dramatically.

Likewise, brokers like Robinhood were about to crash themselves due to the new cash requirements on both sides of the trade causing this particular broker to stop entertaining trade of GameStop on January 28 and causing the stock to reduce in trading volume and value tremendously before resuming trade days after.

In a congressional hearing, Robinhood justified that its actuation was not to favor the Wall Sreeters over the rebel retailers when they stopped the trade but, because of the the ensuing

circumstances, they had to borrow $3.4 billion to square their position.

GameStop which has been facing decreasing sales and losing money due to the pandemic was only trading between $31.40 and $39.12 per share from January 13 to January 20.

When the “rebels” attacked, the share shot to up to $473 at one point before the Robinhood “intervention.” When the dust settled, the stock careened to only $51.20 per share in February 11 and was trading at $40.59 per share on February 19.

Greedy onlookers who came in the rising market suffered considerable losses as the market plunged.

One 20-year old trader committed suicide allegedly for a mistaken belief he lost $750,000 in the trading frenzy. Again, this is a familiar cause of failures due to “nerding behavior where one stock is overly hyped and overbought” resulting in a clearly overvalued trading numbers.

Or the standard caveat of “buy the business, not the stock” was partially ignored by the players as do most bitcoin traders. Is it better, then, to hark back to Warren Buffett’s time- tested motto to “buy only based on intrinsic value” with a long-term view? Or is this conservative “Warren theme” too lame for our newfound maverick retail investors?

“Independent” stock analysts, in fact, place GameStop’s “real value” at only about $10 per share to $13 per share. Or is the “true” value representing what the next buyer is willing to pay for the stock?

People in the know say the GameStop saga, which nearly broke the stock trading ecosystem as we know it, could not happen here because we do not have naked short selling.

However, words in authority also dislcosed that “short-selling” will

briefs

➜ Security Bank advises clients

SECURITY Bank Corp. announced last Wednesday all its branches nationwide will be closed today, February 25, in observance of the Edsa People Power Revolution Anniversary, per Proclamation 986, series of 2020.

For assistance during this time, clients are advised to call the bank’s customer service hotline from 8 a.m. to 5 pm or visit its Facebook account.

➜ Regulators ink MOA on fintech oversight

THE financial sector regulators signed a Memorandum of Agreement under the auspices of the Financial Sector Forum on the establishment of a Cooperative Oversight Framework on financial technology innovation. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin E. Diokno was quoted in a statement as saying “the institutionalization of the Cooperative Oversight Framework on FinTech innovation symbolizes our unity in diversity and reinforces the spirit of shared commitment among financial sector supervisors to espouse an enabling regulatory environment in the digital financial economy.” The framework shall cover all financial institutions performing multiple regulated activities using a single application platform and wherein such activities fall within the regulatory regime of the member-agencies. The MOA virtual signing rite was attended by Diokno, Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Emilio B. Aquino, Insurance Commission Commissioner Dennis B. Funa and Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. President and CEO Roberto B. Tan.

➜ Insular Life launches new product

THE Insular Life Assurance Co. Ltd. announced this week the launch of its estate planning product called “Wealth Protect,” where “policyholders can pass on their acquired wealth in full to their heirs.” With low administration fee, this peso-denominated, investment-linked life insurance plan allows faster fund accumulation, the insurer said. “It also gives policyholders an opportunity to invest in different portfolio of funds, locally and globally, depending on their risk appetite and investment goals.”

A maximum of interest subsidy amounting to P10 million was set for city and provincial LGUs while P5 million was for municipalities.

“We are fully committed to finance local development projects toward generating jobs and jumpstarting the local economy,” Borromeo added.

Last year, LandBank registered net income amounting to P17.1 billion, which is 7 percent lower than P18.5 billion in 2019, following the slowdown in business activities amid the lockdown measures due to the pandemic.

Total assets as of end-December 2020 grew by 16.1 percent to P2.362 trillion from P2.033 trillion in 2019.

Capitalization, meanwhile, surged by 13 percent to P168.3 billion last year from 149 billion in 2019.

Common Equity Tier ratio stood at 15.17 percent.

The bank extended the waiver on inter-bank fund transfers until March 31.

soon be a reality here. Even local deterrents, like the minimum broker’s fee of .25 bps, might appear meaningless if the stock shoots to the roof by 1,600 times as this stock did.

The newly-formed retailer’s majority here is a new-found development but is unlikely to galvanize so soon into a one united front and wage a war of attrition between the “haves” and the “have nots” in the stock market.

In a recent Finex-sponsored virtual forum, experts opined that the same phenomenon can happen here for three other reasons: (a) company free float requirement is only 10 percent; (b) dealer accounts do not pay commission; and, (c) market manipulation conviction is rare.

Aside from the logical strengthening of capitalization of brokerage firms, enlarging the ecosystem to accommodate the increasing volume of trader base and better education of investors in stock valuation, we leave it to to the regulators and shareholders to determine further steps to ensure such a GameStop saga does not happen here.

But one thing sure, the landscape had changed dramatically and for the Philippine stock market, it will no longer be “business as usual, business like before” kind of drama. The pandemic also did generate newfangled, exciting notions in other sectors like this, the Philippine stock market. But it can also either become a blessing or a curse.

Zoilo “Bingo” P. Dejaresco, a former banker, is a financial consultant, media practitioner and book author. Dejaresco is Life Member of the Finex and Media Affairs Committee. His views here are personal and do not necessarily reflect those of Finex and the BusinessMirror. Email him at: dejarescobingo@yahoo.com

www.businessmirror.com.ph

BOC Limay seizes ₧260-M worth of smuggled goods

By Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM

T

HE Bureau of Customs (BOC) Port of Limay seized on Wednesday P260-million worth of smuggled cigarettes and rice in Orion, Bataan.

In a statement, the BOC said they intercepted smuggled cigarettes in master cases bearing the “Mighty” and “Two Moon” cigarette brands and “Premium Vietnam Rice” that were loaded on Landing Craft Transport (LCT) Yellow River.

The statement said the importation, which was unloaded from a mother ship originating from Vietnam and then loaded on LCT Yellow River, was accompanied with fake “Statement of Settlement of Duties and Taxes” for the rice and lack of tax seals for the cigarettes.

The shipment was also consigned to Asia Pacific Rice Trading Corp., the statement said.

Moreover, the LCT Yellow River partially unloaded the smuggled items onto several trailer trucks, which were seized in various checkpoints, and within the prem-

ises of the Orion Dockyard, Orion, Bataan.

The crew of LCT Yellow River and the various trucks with more or less fifty individuals are now subjected to inquest proceedings on charges in violation of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act and other laws, according to the BOC. Follow-up operations and investigations are ongoing on the supposed delivery addresses of the seized items.

Together with BOC Port of Limay in conducting the seizure was the composite team from Enforcement and Security Service, Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service, Philippine National Police and Philippine Coast Guard.

Last year, the BOC seized P10.629billion worth of smuggled goods, with cigarettes accounting for more than half of its total haul.

In terms of the estimated value of smuggled goods that the BOC seized from January to December last year, cigarettes comprised 54 percent or P5.77 billion, followed by illegal drugs (P1.855 billion) and counterfeit goods (P1.056 billion).

BDO Unibank nets lower profits in 2020 at ₧28.2B

B

DO Unibank Inc. registered a 36-percent drop in net earnings last year due to increased pre-emptive provisions against potential credit losses amid uncertainties brought about by government’s response against the pandemic.

The Sy-led bank reported in a statement on Wednesday that its profits plunged to P28.2 billion last year from P44.2 billion in 2019. This, as loan loss buffers reached P30.2 billion for the period.

“The Bank relied on its strong and resilient business franchise and balance sheet to support core business operations, despite significant hurdles from the pandemic and ensuing economic lockdown,” BDO said.

Shares in BDO slipped by 1.71 percent, or P1.80, to close at P103.20 each amid the 0.86-percent drop for the benchmark index on Wednesday.

BDO’s net interest income last year rose by 12 percent to P133.7 billion.

The bank grew its loan portfolio by 3 percent to P2.3 trillion, thanks to demand in consumer and corporate segments. BDO said it was still assisting its borrowers to ensure continued access to credit facilities.

Nonperforming loan (NPL) ratio and NPL coverage stood at 2.65 percent and 109.5 percent, respectively, as of end-December 2020. Total loan loss reserves were at 3 percent of the gross customer loans.

Current and savings account deposits climbed by 17 percent to P2.1 billion last year.

Despite booking higher trading gains, non-interest income slid 8 percent to P55.2 billion in 2020.

“Business volumes were initially impacted by mobility restrictions, but have since begun to recover gradually,” the bank explained. “Wealth management, on the other hand, remained resilient with trust volumes and fees sustaining growth.”

Operating expenses, meanwhile, declined by 2 percent to P112.6 billion because of lower marketing and volume-related spending.

As of end-December 2020, capitalization was at P393 billion, with capital adequacy ratio at 14.4 percent and common equity tier 1 ratio at 13.2 percent.

This year, the Sy-led bank said it is “cautiously optimistic on a gradual upturn” for this year.

“With its extensive market reach and devoted workforce, the Bank remains committed to providing banking products and services attuned to its customers’ needs,” the bank added.

BDO earlier said it was eyeing to install more upgraded automated teller machine (ATM) terminals this year to allow cardless, QR (quick response) code-based withdrawals.

There are over 100 QR-enabled ATMs in Makati currently.

Beginning April 7, BDO, along with other local banks, will be adopting acquirer-based ATM fee charging principle as mandated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. This scheme will charge cardholders for balance inquiry or fund withdrawal based on the fees imposed for other banks by ATM operators.

With this, the Sy-led bank will charge non-BDO clients P18 for withdrawal and P2 for balance inquiry.

Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

Moneybees eyes ₧2B in transaction volume

C

RYPTOCURRENCY exchange service provider Moneybees Forex Corp. is looking to book P2-billion worth of transactions this year, banking on increasing interest in the trading of the digital asset.

To achieve this, Moneybees targets to open 100 outlets by the end of this year.

“With the rising demand for cryptocurrency trading and investment, we aim to facilitate P2-billion worth of transaction volume in 2021,” Moneybees CEO Paulo Roberto E. Del Puerto was quoted in a statement as saying. “To serve more customers, we’re also looking at opening more outlets in malls around the Philippines and partner with major market players in the remittance and money exchange industry.”

This month, the cryptocurrency exchange player said that it opened three new outlets in partnership with money changer Tivoli Money Exchange, bringing its total

channels to seven.

Moneybees said customers may be able to buy and sell cryptocurrencies through Tivoli’s branches in Trinoma, Glorietta and Okada. Customers may transact as high as P5 million per day.

“The partnership with Tivoli is a great step for us to fulfill our mission of making crypto more accessible in the Philippines by providing a familiar and secure way of buying and selling crypto via [over the counter],” Del Puerto said.

Moneybees, which provides over-thecounter services for cryptocurrency trading, was founded in 2017. It teams up with moneychanger companies with physical outlets to facilitate cryptocurrency transactions. The financial service firm is duly registered with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and with the Anti-Money Laundering Council as remittance agent

with virtual currency exchange service.

“We welcome both new crypto and experienced traders and investors to try out our service. We are very excited to start rolling out to other partners in the next few months,” he said.

Moneybees noted that the surge in cryptocurrency transactions have prompted the price increases for digital assets Bitcoin and Ethereum, adding both peaked this month at $58,000 and $2,000, respectively. The latest developments, the firm said, brought the cryptocurrency market to over $1 trillion in market capitalization.

In 2017, the BSP released Circular 944, which is a regulatory framework that covers the guidelines for virtual currency exchanges. The Central Bank requires all cryptocurrency exchange service providers to be officially registered as remittance and transfer companies. Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

Life

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Thursday, February 25, 2021

B5

The melody lingers on JUDY GARLAND singing “The Man That Got Away,” a classic by Harold Arlen.

A

ND that is the title of the book I came across in a second-hand bookshop in our small city: The Melody Lingers On—The Great Songwriters and Their Movie Musicals.

Written by Roy Hemming, it features the great and iconic composers of music who formed what is now known as American popular music. These composers are arranged in alphabetical order, to wit: Harold Arlen, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Jimmy McHugh, Cole Porter, Ralph Rainger, Richard Rodgers, Harry Warren and Richard Whiting.

Thus arranged, the section on Harold Arlen got my attention—and affection—first. Even without this book, Arlen is known to many for that one song: “Over the Rainbow.” Note the title for there is no “Somewhere” there. Trivial? Exactly. The trivia, however, is no more trivial than historically accurate if one is writing about music and cinema.

In the book, Yip Harburg, the lyricist of the song, is said to have not taken seriously the melody from Arlen. Some producers also did think the song slowed down the film itself. Some “saner heads” were said to have prevailed and what we have now is one of the most popular songs ever written for a film.

The most interesting aspect in the career of Harold Arlen is not so much the variety of music he created but also his unquestionable trait of developing tones that are identifiably, but wrongly attributed as, black music. The best example is the song “Blues in the Night.” In the Warner Brothers’s movie of the same title, the song defined as a “12-bar blues lament,” is sung by black singer, William Gillespie. Watch it on YouTube and be amazed when you are told the composer is an American Jew. In the 1940s, Peggy Lee, white and blonde, would sing “Blues in the Night” in that style undeniably greatly influenced by Billie Holiday. When Dinah Washington and Ray Charles did their own respective versions of the song, the circle was completed.

Presently, the music is truly black, if one gauges its utmost interpreters.

Of all the great composers of that tradition named the American Songbook, Harold Arlen is noted for favoring black performers. Without him doing the music for the film version of Cabin in the Sky, we would not have seen the grand presence of the underrated Ethel Waters. In the all-black “musical fable” was a singer-actress whose pale skin the producers thought could be masked so as not to present her as “black.”

The young talent was Lena Horne.

Like “Over the Rainbow,” there is another song identified as a classic from Arlen and Judy Garland, the interpreter of that piece. The song is “The Man That Got Away.” Here is how Roy Hemming describes that song: “Vocally, it’s the finest moment in Garland’s adult career, as she shapes the complex song from a soft and gentle lament to an all-stops-out torcher.” To the admirers of Garland, she has that vocal approach even in her worst days, where she begins singing in a hush, doing a crescendo and giving this impression of her notes seemingly breaking and her throat just giving in, but she would pull out that volume and vibrato from nowhere to finish the song in a glory.

YouTube has this version that all forms of female singers should check every now and then to remind them of their limited talent and shelf life compared to that of Garland’s.

The lyrics of “The Man That Got Away” was written by Ira Gershwin, who, in the 1950s, had outlived his younger brother, George Gershwin who died young, at 38, in 1937. Ira would continue to write the words to the melodies composed by other artists.

From Arlen, I got tempted to jump to George Gershwin, who was so prolific we always thought he lived on till old age.

Gershwin’s contribution to American popular and jazz music are, however, so monumental that it is quite shocking to know that he and his older brother

Ira worked together for only 19 years.

That tandem produced standards that became jazz pieces like “Embraceable You” and “Lady Be Good.”

Gershwin would produce music that has entered already the canon of American classical music, and this is “Rhapsody in Blue.” Gershwin is also the man behind Porgy and Bess, an opera that features a song that easily navigates a torch song and a spiritual hymn. This is “Summertime,” a song that every aspiring jazz vocalist should be ready to perform.

Feeling guilty in not following the alphabetical sequencing, I went back to the composer after Harold Arlen and this was Irving Berlin.

Here is how Hemming introduces Berlin: “Irving Berlin has no place in American music. He is American music. That was how Jerome Kern, himself no slouch as a composer, once described the man who has written more hit songs over more decades than any other American.”

Hemmings writes: “Berlin can be called rightfully the man who, more than anybody else, ‘invented’ the kind of popular song that dominated movie musicals for their first few decades. Its roots goes back to the jazz-influenced Broadway show tunes that Berlin wrote in the decades just before and after World War I—songs that veered sharply away from European operetta traditions and set a simpler, more ‘natural’ pop style.”

Irving Berlin, indeed, seems to be there in the

beginning of American music as we know it. When the talkies came in 1927, and Al Jolson was first heard on-screen in the film The Jazz Singer, the singer-actor chose Berlin’s “Blue Skies,” a hit in 1926. The song would be sung in more films that it became a song that refused to be dated.

Closing the essay on Irving Berlin, Hemming writes: “But what an incredible output it remains. As Cole Porter so aptly put it in rhyme in one of his own hit song, ‘You’re the Top’ [from Anything Goes]: ‘You’re the top, you’re a Berlin ballad.’ Indeed, Irving Berlin was a rarity in that he sometimes was billed above the title of movies where his songs appeared.”

These top tunes, to use the old label, have been made by American Jewish composers or those with roots in Jewish ancestry. The irony is their songs at present are considered already part of the heritage that is called Americana. We trace this lineage of American popular music through the vetting of Cole Porter, described in The Melody Lingers On as having the pleasure of being “the best known of America’s WASP [White Anglo-Saxon Protestant] songwriters.”

Hemming recalls how Cole Porter once told Richard Rodgers (The Sound of Music) “that the secret of his [Porter’s] success is that he knew how to write ‘Jewish’ tunes, with a reliance on minor-key melodies typical of the Jewish musical traditions that he believed formed the basis of pre-rock American pop music.” n

quotable quotes, or short stories. n Read my past journal entries or write a new one. n Write poetry and be my own artist. I once dreamt of being a painter when I was a child. I love transporting myself in time sketching, mixing colors and getting my hands dirty with Cray-Pas. Bear that courage to dig back to your past. So what if you are far off from your childhood dreams today? Be grateful for today. Be grateful for your journey. Life is not meant to be one dimensional. You can create another playing field from these pockets of freedom time. That’s how I started my courage to write despite my demanding full-time job. n Spend time for meaningful conversations. This

can be with one of my “philosophical” friends; with Tin Jacinto from Healing House; or reconnecting with people from my past.

At some point in our lives, we can decide to gift ourself a major freedom time through transformative coaching.

“Transformative coaching is helping people create a shift within themselves and whatever it is they are trying to overcome, be it internal, relationship, career, etc. A transformational coach will not provide a solution but help their ‘coachee’ get to their own answer through a series of intentional questions,” according to certified transformative coach Krystle Dizon Dehesa (KDD), who was born and raised in San Francisco in California, USA, then relocated to Manila.

KDD—you can reach out to her through her social-media pages—encourages each person to equip themselves better emotionally. She says that every day we have to make tough choices, especially high performers such as CEOs, entrepreneurs, athletes, and the highest performers of them all: mothers.

One of the interesting programs she offers is called “A Mother’s Evolution” because as women we are ever evolving. In KDD’s words: “When we become mothers, we think we’ve hit our final stage but this is only the beginning. Motherhood pushes us beyond our limits because our potential is even greater than what we imagine for ourselves. In our lifetime, we will encounter several versions of ourselves and in this program, we learn to let go of who we were so that we grow to understand that there is no limit to who we can become.”

For me, the bottom line is that a medal pinned on us or not by the world doesn’t measure our worth.

We are first and foremost our own persons before we became a partner and a parent. And we owe it to ourselves and to those who love us to free up some time to take care of who we are. That said, carving out this freedom time actually brings long-term positive effects to those who matter to us the most.

Happy “Freedom Breathing,” everyone.

The freedom to breathe

February 25 is always a day that reminds me of the word “freedom.” For one, we celebrate our country’s emancipation that happened 35 years ago. It is also a date so close to my birthday that I often declare this free day as my gift to “breathe.” It is a day when I would allow myself to wake up to that day as a “white canvas” and then freely doodle, blot, smudge, or even just stare at it and magically fall asleep. This day is precious because, as with most parents, I feel guilty not spending every free time with my family.

But through the years, because I found these days to be both therapeutic and self-empowering, I have made time for these pockets of tranquility more unapologetically.

All parents have a lot of things on their plate.

Whether we are full-time homemakers or semi/fulltime working parents, we all face multiple tasks every day. Oftentimes, we are not in our own priority list.

The danger of treading forth without stopping to “breathe” is lethargy. It is not just getting tired physically, but, worse, emotionally and psychologically. Every ON button, needs some time OFF. Call it a recharge to restart.

It is odd to say this, but freedom time must be had when you think you need it least. In other words, the busier you think you are, or the more “zen” you think you are, freedom time must be seen as your best preventive maintenance. This time forces us to quiet our outside world and listen to our own stillness.

So when we are confronted with forces that seek to

influence us, we have a strong handle on who we are and decide what’s best for us in the long term.

These moments may be 10 minutes a day, a day in a week or a weekend off. It’s not the amount of time but the resolve to commit that freedom to breathe.

Here are some of the things I do in my freedom time: n Go to a quiet place. This can be the guest room where no one stays, a quiet corner by a tree in a park, an emptier section of a beach or the prayer room in a nearby Church. I just stay still doing nothing as long as I want, then I take an artistic shot of this quiet place to commemorate this time I gave myself. n Read a book with bite size thoughts like poetry,

Clockwise: recent photo of Basilica Menore in Naga City; certified transformative coach Krystle Dizon Dehesa; outside the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; photos before and after doing my poetry and art at a beach in Bicol; a favorite freedom time where I felt that I smiled most freely at a beach in Italy.

B6 Thursday, February 25, 2021

Pamper your heart on Heart Month and beyond

PhilHealth sustains ISO 9001: 2015 certification by SOCOTEC

S

TATE agency Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has been recertified ISO 9001:2015 after a stringent audit of its quality management system (QMS) conducted late last year.

PhilHealth received the certification after going through the remote surveillance audit conducted by third party auditor SOCOTEC Certification Philippines, Inc. last December 1618, 2020 amid challenges in mobility brought about by the ongoing pandemic.

Having earned its 9001 certification in 2015, PhilHealth has continued to be at par with the Government’s best, observing the highest quality standards in its services to achieve customer satisfaction.

The ISO 9001 certification is an

international quality control management system granted by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and is widely recognized as a benchmark for organizations in demonstrating continuous improvement and consistent provision of products and services that meet customer and regulatory requirements.

The said certification covers “Public Administration” which consists of the Agency’s processes, member coverage management, benefit delivery, provider management, and management and support processes.

“Despite the ongoing pandemic and the adversities that the Corporation has been confronted (with) for the past years, I’m happy that we (retained) the coveted ISO certification,” PhilHealth

President and Chief Executive Officer Atty. Dante A. Gierran said during a simple unveiling rites on Monday, February 15 where officers and employees from all its 17 regional offices nationwide have gathered in a synchronized flag ceremony.

He also recognized the efforts and hard work of the PhilHealth community who have always been the strength and backbone of the state agency, enjoining them to “sustain the efforts that have been made”, adding that “Obtaining the ISO certification needs renewal of commitment. We will continuously raise the bar. We will ceaselessly seek to improve our brand of quality service to the public -- consistent with the requirements of the ISO 9001 QMS Standards.”

SAM digital launches SAMKoin

T

HE Smart Asset Managers (SAM) has successfully launched its most anticipated utility coin, the SAMKoin (SAMK) this month. The cryptocurrency is listed in HotBit and Probit.

SAMKoin is a crypto currency created

by SAM Digital Technologies. It is classified as a utility token which can be used in trading like buying products and services. It is actually a “virtual money”

ROMMEL Santos, founder and Chairman of SAM Digital

that uses blockchain, the underlying technology behind it, according to SAM’s executive technical director, Erick Alvaro, or what is called the “ledger or record” of transactions.

Filipinos have come to embrace this financial technology in this “fintech” age where blockchain can be used in almost everything like accounting, patients’ record listing, videos, etc.

It’s “immutable or unalterable,” otherwise it will affect everything since it’s interconnected.

The most popular and famous blockchain to date, is Bitcoin. It is a digital currency. However, there are hundreds or even thousands of blockchain currently existing in the world.

Some uses of SAMK involve transacting with SAM Project Developments (SAMPD). It can be used to buy packages from Members’ Acceleration Program (MAP), then it can also be used in trading with global exchangers like ExMarket, Hotbit and Probit.

SAMKoin uses Proof of authority (POA) or the protocol used to create SAMK. Various technologies are behind it, according to Alvaro.

SAMKoin has created its own blockchain on POA network with various miners. The difference between POA and POW (ERC-20) is that for every transaction there is a huge transaction fees that users have to pay, which already has increased by over 1000% in last 2 years.

This is similar to creating your own asset and making one-time investment rather than paying rent to other blockchains on every transaction. This is also environment friendly and consumes much lesser power which is in accordance with SAM’s philosophy of nature first.

Moreover, the chances of hacking are much lesser as the Nodes that participate in verifying transactions are whitelisted. Process of verifying is called as Blockchain mining and is used to secure and verify blockchain transactions. Miners validate new transactions and record them on the global ledger or blockchain.

H

EART attack or myocardial infarction (MI) is the number one killer in the world and in the Philippines. It is a predator that attacks the old and the young. Angina, which is commonly associated with chest pain is a prelude to acute ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) or heart attack.

Since most of the deaths caused by heart attacks and stroke, among other noncommunicable diseases, occur in lowand middle-income countries, the Philippine Heart Association, Inc. together with various societies of interventionist has initially conducted dialogue with PhilHealth to include STEMI in the health coverage. It’s a work in progress, according to Dr. Dr. Agapito “Bimboy” Fortuno, one of the esteemed moderators during the virtual Usapang Puso sa Puso Forum entitled “NANDYAN NA BA SI ANGINA? Chest Pain, May Choice Ka!” on February 24, 2021 via Zoom and FB Live.

Other than that, according to Dr. Iris Garcia, the group is working on clinical practice guideline to come up with reasonable priced treatment for heart problems. This includes making the heart disease drugs to be included among the essential drugs to be part of PhilHealth coverage.

Angina could be signs leading to MI that most people/patients chose to ignore, instead of seeing it as a wake-up call. MI is a life-threatening medical emergency and delays in seeing the doctor results in high mortality rate of heart attack patients.

According to PHA doctors, it takes 6 hours from the onset of chest pain that a Filipino MI patient seeks consult. The it takes an hour to administer thrombolytics medicine infusion at the ER (door-to-needle) and

another 3 hours and 33 minutes ensues to complete angioplasty (door-to-device).

There are currently 50 hospitals around the country that are equipped with a Cath Lab. These tertiary hospitals are capable of performing angiogram and angioplasty.

Twenty-one of these 50 hospital are PHAaccredited Cardiology Training Institutions.

The Mary Mediatrix Medical Center (MMMC), a PHA-accredited Cardiology Training Institution, in Lipa Batangas, pioneered the creation of the first CODE HB “Heart of Batangas” STEMI Network Program in the Philippines on Feb. 26, 2015. CODE HB, a brainchild of Dr. Ariel Miranda, a highly esteemed Filipino interventional cardiologist, aims to provide timely thrombolysis and primary PCI to patients with STEMI to reduce morbidity and mortality especially in the rural communities.

CODE HB STEMI Network Philippines mainly focuses on early detection and prompt delivery of care for patients with acute coronary syndrome in Batangas and nearby provinces, utilizing the “hub and spoke model” in which MMMC serves as the hub and the neighboring non-PCI hospitals as spokes.

“Seek medical assistance if you feel chest pains or shortness of breath so that your condition can be properly diagnosed and treated. Have a busy, healthy lifestyle.

Pamper your heart on Heart Month and beyond, PHA said.

For more information about the PHA Advocacy – STEMI (acute STElevationMyocardial Infarction) Consult and the STEMICONSULT APP, visit www. philheart.org.

Virtual telehealth program wins silver at 56th Anvil

E

ACH day, 540 children around the world are born with a cleft, causing difficulties with eating, breathing, hearing, and speaking. To help these children, Smile Train, the world’s leading cleft organization, supports 100%-free cleft repair surgery and comprehensive cleft care for children globally—a service that could have been severely disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic, if not for the Virtual Telehealth Program and Speech Camp that was launched in the Philippines.

Since the start of the pandemic, Smile Train’s Speech Telehealth Program in the Philippines has treated over 100 patients, providing them with more than 700 cleft care-related sessions, including speech therapy, nutritional support, breastfeeding guidance for mothers of babies with clefts, pre-surgical consultations, and psychosocial care. This initiative was recently recognized during the 56th Anvil Awards as the organization bagged the Silver Award.

Launched in April 2020, two weeks into the lockdown, the Virtual Telehealth program is manned by volunteer speech language pathologists.

Maximizing technology and social media, the Virtual Telehealth Program made use of Facebook

Live, chat applications such as Viber and Messenger, and online discussions to ensure that speech therapy classes continued virtually. Moreover, the telehealth program managed to reach cleft patients who live in rural or isolated communities and made its services more readily available or convenient for people with limited mobility, time, or transportation options. ”This recognition by our peers in the communication industry is proof that we are making headway in our call for a more efficient telehealth network. A combination of a variety of solutions as encouraged by telehealth will ensure that children and adolescents with special needs do not get left behind, especially during a global pandemic,” said Kimmy Coseteng-Flaviano, Area Director – So uth East Asia, Smile Train.

The over 700 sessions given to more than 100 patients were provided from April 1st to December 31, 2020. With a strategy focused on educating, amplifying, and sustaining, Smile Train’s Virtual Telehealth Program garnered widespread coverage in the media, positive public reception, increased recognition for Smile Train and its advocacy, and ultimately saw an increase in speech language pathologists interested in working with Smile Train Philippines.

CHI recognized among Asia’s best employers

C

HEVRON Holdings Inc. (CHI) recently hauled two employer of choice awards from prestigious international award-giving bodies in recognition of its exemplary employment practices and workplace culture that prevail even amid unprecedented times.

CHI was named one of the ‘Best Companies to Work for in Asia 2020’

by HR Asia, Asia's most authoritative publication for human resource (HR) professionals. The publication lauded the company for raising the bar for employee engagement and workplace excellence in the region.

“Receiving this award even in the midst of these difficult, uncertain times is immensely meaningful. It is a validation of our emphasis on employee safety and well-being, and on diversity and inclusion as the centerpieces of our culture. It inspires us to continue the Chevron Way and to be agile in responding to changing times,” CHI General Manager Steven James Callaghan said.

Out of the 150 companies shortlisted for the award, only 21 emerged as winners. The awardees were selected based on the strict judging criteria by a panel of judges and on a survey conducted among employees across Asia using the publication’s proprietary Total Engagement Assessment Model.

The winners were announced during the virtual awarding ceremony held on December 31, 2020.

Aside from the HR Asia award, CHI also copped the highly coveted Global Best Employer Brand Award at the 15th Employer Branding Awards ceremony held on February 16, 2021.

The award is given by the Employer Branding Institute to companies that have utilized HR strategies in managing their employees and advancing their professional growth. Employer Branding Institute is a virtual global organization comprised of senior HR leaders from over 36 countries, recognized for their contributions to employer branding and talent management practices.

In response to the health crisis, CHI immediately shifted to work-from-home arrangements. Financial assistance and health consultations are also continuously provided to help them pull through the pandemic.

To also propel the country’s recovery, CHI, together with Chevron Philippines Inc., donated funds to the Philippine General Hospital Medical Foundation Inc. last year to provide medical supplies for healthcare workers. Last December, CHI also donated funds to help rehabilitate the communities affected by Typhoons Rolly and Ulysses.

Editor: Anne Ruth Dela Cruz

Health&Fitness

Sanofi partners with AC Health to fight diabetes, hypertension

T

he Covid-19 pandemic, which necessitated various levels of community quarantines and lockdowns, forced many people to shy away from consulting their doctors or going to hospitals for fear of contracting the Covid-19 virus.

This led to the disruption in the treatment of many people, particularly those with lifestyle ailments such as diabetes and hypertension.

A partnership for innovative health solutions

This is the reason why Sanofi Philippines, which is part of global health-care brand Sanofi of France, partnered with Ayala Healthcare Holdings, Inc. (AC Health), to make innovative solutions for lifestyle diseases more accessible to Filipinos.

According to Dr. Amal Makhloufi, Country Lead for Sanofi Philippines, there are about 3.7 million diabetic Filipinos and this number is expected to double in the next five years.

Among them, only 34 percent are diagnosed, 27 percent are treated, while only 11 percent are on insulin. Among those treated, less than 50 percent are able to manage or control their disease.

Hypertension is another major health problem globally and in the country, she said. Out of 12 million Filipinos, she said half are unaware of the implications of hypertension, and that if left unmanaged, can lead to complications such as Chronic Kidney Disease or CKD. “These patients require a multidisciplinary and holistic approach which goes beyond medicines. Access to medicines is only one part of the patient’s journey. They need proper education and understanding of their condition to help empower and give them confidence in managing their conditions.”

This is one of the things that this partnership with AC Health addresses, Dr. Makhloufi emphasized. “With this partnership, Sanofi is able to bring their treatment solutions—from disease education, treatment options, and holistic approach—to more people using AC Health’s vast network. The collaboration seeks to improve the management of lifestyle diseases like diabetes and hypertension.”

Accessible health-care services

With regard to making the programs accessible to more Filipinos, Dr. Makhloufi said the pandemic not ontly accelerated the distress and vulnerability of people with hypertension and diabetes; it also accelerated the use of the digital platform.

“We believe the health-care system of the future will be more innovative and more liberating with new technologies, especially using telemedicine, online pharmacies and online education, will make these programs available for everyone.

We believe health is for all, and Filipinos deserve to get better quality health care everywhere, every time,” she said.

Paolo Borromeo, President and CEO of AC Health, affirmed Dr. Makhloufi’s observation. “We are firm believers in affordable health care. Our clinics and pharmacies are located in densely populated areas and communities, and we also believe everyone deserves access to better and affordable health-care services. Our Family Care clinics as well as our online solutions, including Sanofi’s online solutions, we believe we can cater to the needs of the people, both in the communities and broader countryside.”

Borromeo is also equally excited about working with Sanofi to provide continuing education to doctors and healthcare workers. “While we have all been focused on Covid-19, it’s important to remember that other diseases, like diabetes and hypertension, have been long-standing challenges for our country. Our frontliners have borne the brunt of this pandemic, and it’s important we continue to provide them support for Covid-19 and our other existing health challenges.”

Under the partnership, Sanofi aims to achieve their goals using these three pillars—primary care capacity-building using their platform, MDCorner.com.ph to provide readily available and accessible training modules to doctors; empowering patients with an integrated and innovative holistic care approach through patient education, leveraging on science and technology to achieve better health outcomes and the prevention of complications; and, improving availability and accessibility of these innovative health solutions for lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.

Her Excellency, Michèle Boccoz, Ambassador of France to the Philippines and a former Assistant Director-General, Director-General’s Envoy for Multilateral Affairs at the World Health Organization in Geneva, said that the strong partnership between Sanofi and AC Health comes at a very crucial moment. “It will help catalyze and develop innovative models while harnessing the power of digital to help improve access to holistic healthcare, especially amid the challenges brought about by the pandemic.”

Fernando Zobel de Ayala, President and Chief Operating Officer of Ayala Corp., said they have had several partnerships with many French companies for several projects, and echoed that Filipinos deserve much better health care. “Our vision at AC Health is to build affordable, accessible healthcare services to more Filipinos. If there’s one thing we learned in this pandemic, it is the power of collaboration between the private sector, the national government, and specifically the many health-care companies and institutions. These types of partnerships are powerful because they create value not only for the partners but also for patients and our communities.”

The launch of patient support programs for lifestyle diseases like diabetes are expected to be piloted this year.

Enrolment into the programs will be based on attending doctor’s recommendations. Rory Visco

BusinessMirror

Thursday, February 25, 2021 B7

Govt, LGUs, private sector to play key roles in Covid-19 vaccine rollout

By Rory Visco

T

Contributor

he national government has already approved the Philippine National Deployment and Vaccination Plan for Covid-19 vaccines as part of the national immunization campaign to combat the Covid-19 virus.

The People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) recently conducted a webinar about the subject, where Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei Nograles presented the country’s vaccine deployment plan.

The presentation centered on one of the most critical stages in the country’s Covid-19 fight such as the procurement and deployment of the vaccines to help people make informed decisions about vaccination options, and the roles that the government, the private sector and other vital stakeholders will play in the rollout.

The country, he said, remains steadfast in its battle against the disease and will leave no stone unturned to make the people safe and to bring back a sense of normalcy to the nation. The fight, he explained, involves a “whole-of-nation” approach, where efforts are synchronized and integrated in all sectors.

It involves committed leadership and good governance, cascaded from the President, the Executive, to the Legislative, the private sector and the local government units (LGUs).

Lowering of our mortality rates, Nograles pointed out, has been the government’s main priority, which is why the government is trying to secure at least 148 million doses of vaccines for 2021 from at least seven vaccine manufacturers—Pfizer BioNtech, AstraZeneca,

Moderna, Novavax, Gamaleya, Sinovac and Janssen—for vaccine supply enough to cover 50 to 70 million Filipinos. He reminded that only Food and Drug Administration (FDA)approved vaccines and those that passed its stringent evaluations and tests, and eventually issued with Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) will be procured. “We urge everyone to look beyond brands and get immunized once these approved vaccines arrive. We want to protect ourselves against the virus so getting the vaccines is one way of achieving this.”

Is the Philippines on the right track?

The World Health Organization (WHO) believes that the country is on the right track with regard to the vaccine rollout based on the criteria it set, from regulatory readiness, presence of a national vaccine deployment plan, availability of storage facilities, and safety monitoring plans on possible adverse effects.

There is also already in place an Allocation and Prioritization plan to determine who gets vaccinated first, according to Nograles, again based on the WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) Values Framework and its six core principles based on public good, human well-being, reciprocity, equal respect, national equity, and legitimacy.

Nograles said this framework helped the NITAG or the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group to identify eligible groups for vaccination to directly reduce morbidity and mortality, and maintain the most critical and essential services needed, which is the primary goal. “The secondary goal is to control transmission and to minimize the disruption of social, economic and security functions, while the third is to resume the country’s essential activities to ‘near normal’ status.”

These goals, he noted, helped guide in the selection of eligible and priority groups, such as Group A (frontline health workers, indigent senior citizens, remaining senior citizens and remaining indigent population and uniformed personnel); Group B, (teachers and school workers, national or local government workers, essential workers, socio-demographic groups at significant higher risk than senior citizens, and indigent populations, including Persons With Disability (PWD), Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs), Indigenous People, Filipinos living in high-density areas, eligible students, OFWs, and other remaining workforce), and finally Group C, or those Filipinos not mentioned in Groups A and B. The deployment of the vaccine, he said, will be on a “Phased” approach that depends on timing, availability of doses, logistical requirements, and on a sectoral basis. The number of vaccinations will also be dependent on the number of vaccines delivered, he added.

LGUs’ role The local government units (LGUs), based on the Local Government Code, are mandated to take the lead in the implementation of the vaccination program, in accordance with the guidelines of the Covid-19 vaccine cluster and the Department of Health (DOH). “They are responsible in making sure that the ‘bottom-up’ planning process will be observed to ensure a smooth and satisfactory vaccine implementation. They should also determine the number

of eligible population for vaccination in their area, implementing units and number of vaccination sites, including the development of a waste management plan. LGUs should also help identify fixed vaccination sites, such as in medical centers, hospitals, rural health units, health facilities of other government agencies, and private clinics.”

National government, private sector’s role Nograles cited that it is the national government and their regional counterparts’ role to provide strategic direction, technical and logistical assistance, cascade policies and guidelines, and capacitate implementers.

“The Department of Health (DOH), meanwhile, will issue memoranda on specific operational guidelines applicable for each deployment of a specific type and quantity of Covid-19 vaccine.”

For the private sector, their much-needed support will center on administration, distribution and communication, equipment for logistical needs, resource mobilization and augmentation, supply chain for efficient vaccine storage, logistical management information systems. “The ultimate goal is to ensure the uninterrupted availability of quality vaccines, considering that there will be a multiple number and brands of vaccines to be used, from the manufacturer to delivery so that vaccination opportunities will not be missed.”

“With the availability of the vaccines and strict observance of minimum health protocols, we will be able to help curb the spread of the virus and eventually put an end to this pandemic.”

In the end, ensuring the success of the vaccination plan, as Nograles pointed out, is a shared responsibility and not just of the government. “We all need to participate in the necessary processes to ensure that our deployment and vaccination plan will be effective and efficient. We should all be involved in this, as a country, and as one nation.”

Boys more prone to violence, sexual abuse, study shows

C

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

hildren who have witnessed or experience violence and sexual abuse are at risk of developing emotional, social, and behavioral problems.

Around the world, one in six boys experiences sexual abuse; many more are exploited or exposed to inappropriate sexual materials.

In the Philippines, the 2016 National Baseline Study on Violence against Children noted that one in four children (24.9 percent) suffer from any form of sexual violence in any setting. Sexual violence occurs more often on boys (28.7 percent) than girls (20.1 percent).

The study also noted one in five children aged 13 to 17 experienced sexual violence, while one in 25 experienced rape during childhood.

In 2018, the Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Sexual Abuse (CPTCSA), which participated in a global scoping study “Caring for Boys Affected by Sexual Violence,” found that boys’ experiences in school, their use and exposure to multimedia content and the

influence of their peers have a bigger impact in shaping their views.

Safer children

Boys’ exposure to pornography also has a great impact on their understanding and shaping of their sexuality, sexual behavior, and their engagement in sex.

Cultural definitions of the roles of males and the expectations and assumptions for boys to be manly can increase their exposure and vulnerability to abuse, and this makes them far less likely than girls to report abuse or ask for help and support when abused. These factors affect the ways in which boys view and experience available services.

Boys who experience abuse suffer from long-term physical and mental harm and are more likely to have problems in their future relationships.

The CPTCSA, which has been working towards a safer world for children for over 20 years in the Philippines, said the qualitative study also noted that boys have varying influences regarding their

views on sexuality and on being male, and these can affect their potential perpetration or victimization regarding abuse.

“The experiences of boys on abuse and violence have negative consequences on their lives, and the effects can be felt throughout all of society,” said Zenaida Rosales, executive director of CPTCSA. She said, “The time has come for us to look at the realities of boys and do something about it.”

The CPTCSA is part of the Family for Every Child Global Alliance in initiating the Blue Umbrella Day (BUD) campaign, an international day to encourage parents, communities, and societies to protect boys and nurture them in ways that best support their wellbeing.

“This is a campaign to raise awareness and change social norms on how to better care for boys and protect them from all forms of abuse including sexual violence,” said Rosales. Apart from the Philippines, the campaign will also be launched in India, Paraguay and Guyana.

The Philippine BUD campaign, which is supported by 12 government agencies and six international NGOs,

kicked off this month with online forums that highlighted the need to lift the discourse on the empowerment of boys.

The BUD campaign hopes to engage the United Nations into adopting the movement into an international day of advocacy on the care, protection and empowerment of boys worldwide.

The CPTCSA advocates for a safe world for children free from sexual abuse and exploitation and is part of the London-based Family for Every Child Global Alliance in initiating the campaign to “encourage parents, communities, and societies to protect boys and nurture them in ways that best support their well-being.”

The organization also runs Rapha Helpline that has trained counselors who offer free online care and support 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Mondays to Fridays.

Those in need of emotional assistance and guidance may reach them via Globe (M-F): 0977-6520230; and Viber: Monday: 0961-7182654; Tuesday and Thursday: 0961-7182658; and Wednesday and Friday: 0961-7182655.

Smoke-free environment expansion pushed to help fight vs Covid-19

C

an a Covid-19 positive smoker transmit the disease to those who inhale second-hand smoke?

“It has been shown in studies that smoking severely weakens the lungs, the primary organ damaged by Covid-19, and that second-hand smoke coming from a Covid-positive smoker may carry the virus and transmit the disease to those who inhale second-hand smoke,” said former Health Secretary Jaime Galvez-Tan. Thus, he stressed that any legislation that will expand the smoke-free environment and limit smoking areas, which has been identified as ‘hotspots’ of transmission, will contribute to government efforts to address the Covid-19 pandemic.

Last year, National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. identified smoking areas as one of the main areas of transmission of the disease.

Smoke-free Bill of Yul Servo lauded

Health advocate groups welcomed the filing of the smoke-free environment bill by Manila City representative John Marvin “Yul Servo” Nieto on February 16, 2021.

Groups under the Philippine Smoke-Free Movement, a group of more than 70 civil society organizations, on Friday expressed their support for the bill, saying that

its provisions will fill the gaps in Republic Act 9211 or the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003 which the bill is set to supersede once passed.

“This bill will create more smoke free environments in more public places and build on the gains of the Executive Order 26 of President Duterte. Further, if passed into law, it will sustain the strict implementation of smoke free policies well beyond the term of this administration,” said Atty. Jacky Sarita, Managing Director of Health Justice Philippines, a member of the Philippine Smoke Free Movement.

In 2017, the President issued EO 26 which mandates the comprehensive smoking ban in public places which was widely enforced by the Philippine National Police and many local government units. The EO replicates an ordinance which was passed by President Duterte when he was still the Mayor of Davao City.

Servo said that as a health advocate and a family man, he believes that expanding the smoke-free environment must be pursued not only because of the growing threat of Covid-19 which primarily damages the respiratory system but also for the longer term as the “creation of smoke-free environment will generally protect public health from the harms of secondhand smoke.”

“Every Filipino family deserves a public place that is safe. As guaranteed by no less than the Philippine Constitution, we must provide a ‘healthful environment’ for all Filipinos especially our children and the youth,” Servo said in a forum on February 19.

Galvez-Tan, in a statement, agreed saying, “By preventing non-smokers from being exposed to secondhand smoke which has been established to cause respiratory diseases and different cancers similar to those acquired by smokers, this bill, if passed, will truly promote the constitutional right to health of each Filipino.”

According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, even a brief exposure to second-hand smoke is more than enough to damage cells in ways that can set in motion the cancer process. Non-smokers who are exposed to second-hand smoke inhale many of the same cancer-causing substances and poisons as smokers.

Expanding smoke-free environment

The new bill expands the definition of public places covered by the smoking prohibition in RA 9211 to include an absolute ban on public transportation and its terminals, government offices, and other public places which may be classified as smoke-free by local government units to protect public health.

Other salient points of the bill include 1) prohibiting indoor smoking areas and making smoking areas discretionary only; and 2) requiring local government units to create smoke-free task forces and allocate dedicated funds for its operation.

When asked whether this is an absolute smoking ban, Servo answered: “No, smokers will be allowed to smoke in designated smoking areas which must be in open spaces outdoors but this must be located in places where people don’t pass or congregate.”

For her part, Mardy Halcon of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said the new bill will align with the country’s commitments to international treaties of which the country is a part of and is consistent with the advice from the World Health Organization (WHO).

“These reforms on the smoke-free provisions of the Tobacco Regulations Act of 2003, especially the prohibition on indoor smoking areas, is aligned with the caution of WHO that no amount of engineering requirements can protect people from the harms of secondhand smoke,” she said.

“We urge other legislators to support and pass these reforms on our smoke-free laws which are widely supported by Filipinos to complement the health measures for the new normal,” concluded Sarita. Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

Sports

LUCKY TO BE ALIVE

BusinessMirror

B8

| Thursday, February 25, 2021 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

‘No restrictions’ on bikinis in Doha

D

OHA, Qatar—There will be “no restrictions” against female beach volleyball players wearing bikinis during a tournament in Qatar, the sport’s governing body said Tuesday after players threatened to boycott.

German players Karla Borger and Julia Sude had told radio station Deutschlandfunk that they would boycott the Doha event after being advised they can’t wear bikinis.

The Middle Eastern country is hosting the Beach Volleyball World Tour from March 8 to 12.

In a statement on Tuesday, the FIVB said it has consulted with the Qatar Volleyball Association (QVA).

“Following further discussions, the QVA has confirmed that there are no restrictions on female players wearing standard uniforms during the event in Doha, should they so wish,” it said in a statement.

Other players had also raised concerns about restrictions. The German players noted that bikinis were

necessary because of the heat in Doha.

The FIVB, which governs all forms of volleyball, said it had consulted with players in January before the decision was made to stage the women’s tournament.

“The FIVB believes strongly that women’s beach volleyball, as all sport, should be judged on performance and effort, and not on uniform,” it said.

“Therefore, during the competition in Doha, should players request to wear the standard uniform, they will be free to do so. The FIVB and QVA are united in their commitment to host a welcoming, safe and inclusive event that allows athletes to compete at their very best.”

Earlier, the Qatar Volleyball Association said “we are not making any demand on what athletes should wear at the event.” AP

METRO BIKE LANES MOVING FORWARD

T

HE Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) lauded on Wednesday efforts by concerned government agencies on the building of a bicycle lane network in Metro Manila.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Benhur Abalos convened a dialogue with representatives from the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the civil society network Move As One Coalition to discuss the construction of the bike lanes.

Abalos clarified MMDA’s stance that it will not stand in the way of building the bike lane network that will traverse Edsa and Metro Manila’s busiest thoroughfare.

The 338.53-kilometer proposed bike lane network is part of the Bayanihan II-supported Active Transport Projects identified by the DOTr and DPWH. The interconnected bike lanes that will traverse through Edsa, as per DPWH’s design, will be a combination of Class 2 (separated bike lanes

by bollards) and Class 3 (shared roadway in narrow carriageway width portions of Edsa).

“ICSC welcomes the collaboration of the DOTr, DPWH, and MMDA to establish the bike lane network along Metro Manila’s major roads,” said Aldrin Pelicano, inclusive transport advisor of the ICSC and founder of MNL Moves.

“We particularly commend the pronouncement of Chairperson Abalos and the collaborative leadership of MMDA on this, DOTr’s policy guidance to promote active transport, and DPWH’s design guidance,” Pelicano said.

“It is a good start to help ensure the safety and build confidence of the majority of Filipino commuters who do not have cars and are dependent on the limited public transport system but contribute to our economic recovery by choosing to cycle as transport, especially amid the pandemic,” he said.

“We look forward to using the Edsa bike lanes, and we hope that more improvement will be instituted as we continue to learn from the model,” he added.

THANKS to modern safety technology and a big dose of good luck, Tiger Woods survives this one. AP

T

By Tim Dahlberg The Associated Press

HE sheared-off front of the wrecked SUV told part of the story, and the officers on the scene filled in the rest. Tiger Woods was lucky to be alive, they said, thanks to modern safety technology and a big dose of good luck.

Alive and well, no. But alive nonetheless.

The good news—no, make that the BEST news—is that Woods seems on track to survive after being pried Tuesday from the SUV he wrecked in Los Angeles. That’s despite injuries that are so severe—including multiple open fractures of his leg—that he will be convalescing a long, long time.

The other piece of good news was that there was no immediate sign that Woods was impaired at the time of the crash—a significant bit of information, of course, because of his past.

The bad news is that the career of the world’s greatest golfer—at least on the game’s biggest stages—is probably over.

Coming back from his recent back surgery to play again at the age of 45 was always going to be a problem. Woods himself said previously that Father Time remains undefeated and that

his return to top level play wasn’t guaranteed.

Combine that with the gruesome injuries from his crash and now it borders on impossible.

This isn’t Ben Hogan, coming back from a near fatal car accident in 1949 to win the US Open next year. Hogan was nine years younger, hadn’t been through multiple back and knee surgeries, and didn’t have to try to swing his driver hard enough to hit it 350 yards to keep up with the other players.

Woods was fragile enough to begin with and there were already questions about whether he could return to play at a high level.

He might share Hogan’s determination to overcome everything in front of him, but in the end there’s only so much he can do to mend his broken body.

That means Woods will never break the record of 18 major championship wins held by Jack Nicklaus. It means his fans will never be able to will him on to another win like they did at the 2019 Masters.

And it means golf will be a lot quieter for a long time to come.

The wreck on a downhill stretch of road in tony Rancho Palos Verdes was stunning, though it shouldn’t have come as a shock.

It marked the third time in a dozen years that Woods has been taken from vehicles

in various stages of distress, a disturbing pattern that began with his infamous Thanksgiving weekend 2009 encounter with his now ex-wife outside his Florida mansion.

Four years ago he was found passed out in his car on a Florida highway with the engine running and charged with a DUI that was later plea bargained down.

And now the questions are just beginning about how he managed to crash a brand-new Genesis SUV on a clear morning on the California coast—a wreck that sheriff deputies say he was lucky to escape alive.

Suddenly, the 2019 Masters seems like it was an awful long time ago.

Woods has done things over the years we couldn’t imagine on the golf course. I’ve been along for many of them, covering Woods from his first PGA Tour win in Las Vegas in 1996 as well as the Masters comeback win two years ago that was one of the great sports stories of our times.

He transitioned from young phenom to all-time great as the years and the wins piled up, only to be humbled by a scandal that cost him his marriage, as well as a lot of fans. Then he came back to win his fifth green jacket in a storybook tale that might have made him more

popular than ever.

Woods celebrated behind the 18th green that day by hugging his children, much as he celebrated becoming the youngest Masters champion ever in 1997 by hugging his father.

Woods not only seemed to regain his game in the last few years but his ability to connect with others as he began smiling and signing autographs like it wasn’t the chore he made it out to be most of his career.

On Sunday he was at the Genesis Invitational at nearby Riviera Country Club as the tournament host. He couldn’t play because of his most recent back surgery just before Christmas but came on CBS to answer questions about whether he would be back in time for the Masters.

“God, I hope so,” Woods said. “I gotta get there first.”

He won’t be there this year. The odds are he will never tee it up at Augusta National as a competitive player again.

The one sure thing is that golf won’t be the same without him. The game will survive, of course, but it’s hard to imagine it without the one player who transcended the sport.

The only thing that really matters now, though, is that Woods survived, too.

Munzon in harness to take charge, bring leadership act to pro league

P

OTENTIAL top overall pick Joshua Eugene Munzon vowed to bring his A game to whichever team that picks him in next month’s Philippine Basketball Association Rookie Draft.

“I’m a leader on and off the court. I’m somebody you can hold accountable,” Munzon told BusinessMirror from his home in Los Angeles, California. “I think I can make my mark in the league with my experience playing overseas.”

Terrafirma will pick first in the online draft on March 14 and head coach Johnedel Cardel already expressed the team’s intention on Munzon especially after trading the explosing CJ Perez to San Miguel Beer recently.

“If Terrafirma chooses me, I’ll be ready to step in, contribute to that team not only on offense but also defensively. I hope to build chemistry with them,” the 26-year-old Munzon said.

Munzon, a 6-foot-4 rugged swingman, was a regular on the national 3x3 team in the last three years and also played for the Saigon Heat and Westport Malaysia Dragons in the Asean Basketball League.

He said he is now concentrating on fine-tuning his five-on-five game.

“I have been playing 5-on-5 for my whole life. I just played 3X3 for the past two years,” said Munzon, who expected to fly to Manila early next month. “I just need sometime on the court and I’ll be just okay.”

Terrafirma sent Perez to San Miguel Beer in exchange for Matt RosserGanuelas, Russel Escoto and Gelo Alolino plus the Beermen’s eighth overall pick this year and first round pick in 2022.

After Terrafirma, Northport will pick second, followed by NLEX at third and fourth,

Joshua Eugene Munzon going 5x5 after focusing on 3x3 for three years.

Rain or Shine at fifth, Phoenix at sixth, Alaska at seventh, Terrafirma again at eighth, Meralco at ninth, Magnolia at 10th, Northport at 11th and defending champion Barangay Ginebra San Miguel at 12th. Josef Ramos

2-in-1 PBA Press Corps Awards Night on TV5

T

HE Philippine Basketball Association Press Corps (PBAPC) holds a two-in-one Awards Night on March 7 to honor the outstanding performers of the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

The 2019 ceremony was shuttered by the Covid-19 pandemic, prompting the PBAPC to hold the double celebration at the TV5 Media Center in Mandaluyong City.

The awards ceremony will be held online.

The 45th season in 2020 was shortened because of the pandemic with the PBA forced to hold only one conference, the Philippine Cup, inside bubble facilities in Clark.

To be given out for the 2020 season are the Outstanding Coach of the Bubble, Mr. Executive, President’s Award, Mr. Quality Minutes, Scoring Champion, All-Rookie Team, Game of the Bubble, Top Bubble D-Fender and All Bubble D-Fenders.

They will share the stages with the 2019 Awardees led by San Miguel Beer’s Leo Austria, who will hoist the Virgilio “Baby” Dalupan Coach of the Year trophy.

Joining Austria in the honor roll are PBA Chairman Ricky Vargas (Danny Floro Executive of the Year), Bulakan Mayor and former league MVP Vergel Meneses (President’s Award),

Sean Anthony (Defensive Player of the Year), Terrence Romeo (Mr. Quality Minutes), June Mar Fajardo (Order of Merit) and CJ Perez (Scoring Champion).

Completing the 2019 batch of honorees are NorthPort-NLEX (Game of the Season); as well as CJ Perez, Robert Bolick, Bobby Ray Parks Jr., Javee Mocon, and Abu Tratter for the All-Rookie Team; and Kiefer Ravena, Christian Standhardinger, Beau Belga, Vic Manuel, Arwind Santos, and coach Yeng Guiao for the All-Interview Team; PBA D-League Finals MVP Thirdy Ravena (Aspirants’ Cup) and Hased Gabo (Foundation Cup).

NCAA, UAAP WELCOME DOH MEMO

C

By Josef Ramos

OLLEGIATE leagues welcomed a recent Department of Health (DOH) memorandum that conveys policies and regulations on the return of sports leagues amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Management Committee Chairman Fr. Vic Calvo described the DOH memorandum as a positive development that would guide the country’s oldest league as it targets to hold Season 96 this year.

University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) board of trustees member Francisco “Kiko” Diaz of the University of the Philippines (UP) also welcomed the

memorandum but stressed their league is in no rush to resume its shuttered season.

The DOH released Memorandum Circular No. 2021-0011 last February 18 detailing health and safety protocols for sports leagues, including amateur groups including the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League which targets a March 1 resumption of its postponed season and the Philippine Superliga which will hold a three-day beach volleyball tournament starting Friday.

Both leagues will hold their games in a bubble environment in Subic.

Calvo said that although the NCAA and UAAP remain under the Commission on Higher Education’s jurisdiction, he believes the DOH order would make their return easier this time.

“We are still in the jurisdiction of CHED and there’re still no face to face classes at the moment,” Calvo said. “But it’s like a benchmark and there will be a good domino effect on this development.

Diaz, on the other hand, said the UAAP board would discuss the memorandum.

“We haven’t discussed it yet in the UAAP, but personally I still don’t consider the environment safe for physical training for now,” he said. “In UP, we’re not rushing things to return to training because there’s no league yet.”

The UAAP canceled Season 83 because of the pandemic last year.

“It’s a welcome development, but UAAP is not on a rush to return,” he added.