BusinessMirror January 04, 2021

PHL manufacturing rises slightly in Dec ‘Close borders, cut Omicron exposure risk’

By Bianca Cuaresma @BcuaresmaBM

By Cai U. Ordinario HE cou nt r y ’s m a nu@caiordinario facturing sector recorded a the “ fractiona uptick ” LOSING country’s lborders itsofperformance towards isinone the most immediate the endofofaction 2021,the supported courses govern- by higher demand and ment must take to prevent theoutput latexpansion. est Covid-19 variant, Omicron, from In its report on the country’s reaching Philippine shores, accordPurchasing Managers Index ing to local economists.

(PMI), IHS Markit said on T he Monday new varthat iant the is aPhilippines’ threat, e s p e c i PMI a l l y hit w it51.8 h t in he December, hol id ay s up comingfrom up and morePMI foreigners the 51.7 recorded in being athe llowed to travel previous month. to the Philippines, De La SaPMI lle Univer A country’s is meant sit y economist Ella Oplas to gaugeMar theiahealth of its told BusinessMirror. manufacturing sector. It is The calculated holidays as usually bringaverage in a weighted Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who are eager to spend Christmas

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Pentagon chief austin tests Positive for covid

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of five individual subcomponents.

Readings above 50 show growth in the with their while lovedreadings ones, while for-50 industry below the eigners livingsignal in temperate regions threshold a contraction in the usually want to sector. relax in tropical manufacturing countries like the only Philippines.

This “Although modest, the latest uptick was the strongest year’s influx of OFWs is expected toin nine months, and broadly in line be heavier since many of them were withtothe long-run series average,” unable come home for the holidays the think 2020. tank said in its report. in December “MyIHS Markit said theis improvement recommendation to protect was partly driven by a quicker rise the borders. Do not allow people with in new orders received by Filipino a history of travel to countries with manufacturers theback offavorable positive cases to on enter,” Oplas said. domestic demand conditions.

“We should be more restrictive. [We toInbe] contrast to domestic have more protective in demand terms however, new export orders fell of our measures.” sharply and at the quickest rate for Oplas said that while this will be four months. Tighter restrictions a setback to some industries, this in international markets, linked is atofair measure considering that the Omicron variant, led to the this could help prevent placing the country in another strict lockdown,

downfall.

The report also noted that which, she said, the economy canfor no production volumes expanded longer afford. the first time since March, albeit is better that weHowever, do protective at“Itonly a slight pace. job preventive thanseen get exshedding measures has now been in eachagain. of the We lasthave 22 months, posed a lot to with lose,” the said. latest“We fallshould the joint-softest Oplas do it now so since that we March. can open just before Christ If it gets contained, we can open mas. it Omicron again.” remains a threat IHS Markit said firms were Ateneo Center for Economic Reoptimistic that demand will search and Development (ACERD) continueDirector to improve in the Associate Ser Percival months,said but warned K.coming Peña-Reyes closingthat the the newborders variant would may threaten country’s be effecthis rosy outlook. tive but should still adhere to the “Supply-side issues and virusstandards set by the World Health related restrictions threatened Organization (WHO). the sector once again. Delivery Whatwere is needed, Peña-Reyes told delays pronounced and often this newspaper, is for travel restrictions to be put in place swiftly and

hindered production. Shortages meanwhile continued to drive up for government to be signs proactive expenses, despite some of a in imposing them. moderation in input and output Previous instancesShreeya when the prices in December,” country had the opportunity to imPatel, economist at IHS Markit, said. pose travel restrictions did not pre vent “Looking ahead, the Omicron the spread of Covid-19.

That was variant almost hit not mainly will because thecertainly decision was the Philippines manufacturing made immediately, he said. sector, andpapatay in morepatay ways [If than “Kung we’re one.

Supply-side issues are likely slow] and we get caught flat-foottoed,persist [that’swhile risky]case We numbers were too reand input priceof inflation could active instead proactive before. climb further as we head into We should learn from that,” Peñathe newsaid. year,” added.

Reyes “It’sPatel a delicate balancing On Monday, the Department act. We need to push testing and of Health (DOH) reported 4,600 tracing to be properly informed new cases with a positivity rate of of our decisions. Blanket/shotgun 19.6 percent—the highest since approaches October 24. could have dire consequences on the economy.”

See “Omicron,” A2

NATLGROWTH GOVT BORROWINGS PHL MAY HIT

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Tuesday, January 4,29, 2022 Vol.Vol. 17 No.88

Monday, November 2021 17 No.52

n n

P25.00 P25.00nationwide nationwide||22sections sections26 20pages pages||

FOR 10 DIP TO P2.75T 5-6% INMOS ’21—THINK TANK

By Cai U. Ordinario

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

T T

DTI shrugs Omicron risk off ALrevival 3’s spurs of quarantine economic rules in PHL impact

@caiordinario @BNicolasBM

HE Philippine HE national economy may government’s post a growth of gross in 2021 5 to 6 percent borrowings of on the back of as easing end-October shrank mobility restrictions, particularly the last by almost 6inpercent quarter of the year, year-on-year to according to a local P2.75 trillion. think tank.

By Samuel P. Medenilla

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

I W

@sam_medenilla @Tyronepiad

NTER NATIONA L concerns HILE more mobility over the possible spread of rethe strictions may wipe out more infectious Omicron Coearlierprompted gains, the Departvid-19 variant the gov Latest data from the Bureau of the ment of Trade and Industry (DTI) is ernment to reimpose mandatory Treasury In its latest Market Call report, not too worried about the economic showed that the governfacility-based quarantine for all First Investment Corp.impact ofpassengers Metro Manila’s to ment’sMetro gross borrowings during the arriving in the shift country.

University of Asia and the Pacific Alert Level 3 starting January 3.

10-month period fell by 5.99 percent Acting Presidential spokesper(UA&P) Capital Markets son Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez from P2.92 trillion a yearResearch ago.

Karlo B. Nograles announced saidWith the economy’s growth will also said at a Laging Handa briefing on only two months left for on Sunday that the Inter-Agency be buoyed by the growth of the Monday that the recent move in this year, the latest figure is already Task Force for the Management manufacturing sector. quarantine measures will only have equivalent to 89.6 percent of its of Emerging Infectious Diseases P3.07-trillion The think tank pointedprogram. out that “minimal” effects onthe theimplemencountry’s borrowing (IATF) suspended IHS Markit Philippines Manufaceconomy due to continued operaBroken down, gross domestic bortation of its Resolution No. 150turing Purchasing Managers’ Intions of several sectors. rowings from January to October A (s.2021), effectively imposing dex (PMI) to increase. stricter “And I protocols think [thisfor is what’s good settled atcontinued P2.23 trillion, down In by all inbound November, PMI improved to 51.7, about the] alert level system [we 5.08 percent from P2.35 trillion travelers. an eight-month high, from 51 in have now], it allows all businesses in 2020.

To note, IATF Resolution 150October. to to operate for A continue had allowed fully except vaccinated The bulk of the amount was PEOPLE walk past the mural of Gat Andres Bonifacio at Manila City Hall Underpass. sourced “The economic outlook for Q4those that were excluded, and non-visa travelers from Green List from Fixed Rate Treasury The country will celebrate the 158th birth anniversary of Filipino revolutionary 2021 and next trillion), year has brightened which listed the earlier; therewithare Bonds (P1.19 followed by areas we to enter country hero Gat Andres Bonifacio on Tuesday, November 30. ROY DOMINGO with more openings among firms only a few of them,” he said, partly short-term borrowings from Bangout the need for facility-based and consumers again or filled in Filipino. as long as they secure ko Sentral ng Pilipinas BSPmalls (P540 quarantine and restaurants, with Christmas

Still, he Reverse estimated that revenue billion), Retail Treasury Bonds/Prenegative Transcriptionparties and all the celebration.

Beloss may reach P200 million myo Bonds (P463.3 billion), Retail Polymerase Chain Reactionwhile (RTsides, inflation will likely go below job losses to Onshore Dollar Bonds (P80.84 bilPCR) test could withinhit 72 100,000 hours prior 4lion). percent in December and through 200,000.

He expressed hope these In the same period, there was to their departure.

2022, more of spending,” RETURNING overseas Filipino workers pass by a Christmas Nativity display at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. The surging Covid-19 cases put a damper on Christmas celebrations for a second year, are only temporary amid the recent

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas dating its registry following the them. This allows everyone to see programs as President Duterte also athus net fueling redemption Treasury “Except for countries classified the think tank said. disrupting travel plans and family gatherings. The Department of Tourism on Monday disclosed another case of a quarantine breach involving a woman who arrived from the US and went straight to her surge of Covid-19 cases. @jearcalas enactment of the Coconut Farmwho are listed in the registry and if is expected to sign the industry Bills amounting to P43.94 billion. as ‘Red,’ the testing and quarantine Continued on A2 home and underwent a massage without going through quarantine protocols. NONIE REYES on A2

ers and Industry Trust Fund law. farmer doesn’t see his name then he development plan in early 2022. protocolsContinued for all inbound interna Net debt redemption means ORE than 3 million Rosales explained that about shall coordinate with the PCA imRosales said the PCA will not tional travelers in all ports of entry there were more debts repaid comcoconut farmers and 500,000 coconut farmers and mediately,” he explained at a recent stop updating its list of coconut pared to the amount borrowed durshall comply with the testing and workers are now regisworkers were added to the PCA’s dialogue with coconut farmers. farmers and enjoined them to reging the period. quarantine protocols for ‘Yellow’ tered with the government’s reg2018 list that had about 2.5 million “On the other hand, if people ister in order to reap the benefits Meanwhile, gross foreign borlist countries,” Nograles said, citing istry, which serves as the basis coconut farmers and farm workers. would see names on the list and of the decades-long idled coconut rowings in the same period also the provision of IATF Resolution Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas Bicol, Western Central accounting forwill 28.2 of The DA report showed it refor the number of people to be ByThe PCA’s next step is to conthey think theyVisayas, are not coconut levy fund. “We notpercent stop at 3.1 contracted by 9.7 percent to P518.7 No. 151-A. @jearcalas Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamthe total estimated agricultural corded billion losses in has covered by the utilization of the duct an exclusion-inclusion profarmers or their details are incormillion. We hope that more indibillion from last year’s P574.4 billion.

HeP1.2 noted Hong of Kong, which boanga Peninsula, Northern Minlosses.

The DA said Odette afthe sugarcane industry so far, P75-billion coconut levy fund. cedure by making the updated rect, they can report it to the PCA viduals will register in our coconut This was raised through global confirmed a case of the Omicron to public, the agriculture danao, Davao, Soccsksargen and fected 50,256 fisherfolk and damwith 51,159will hectares planta Philippine Coconut Authority farmers’AMAGE registry providfor immediate action,” he added. farmers registry,” he said. bonds (P146.17 billion), program variant, also fallofunder the Yelsector caused by Typhoon Caraga. aged various fisheries produce, tion affected.

(PCA) Deputy Administrator Roel ing everyone the opportunity to The PCA official noted that The updating of the coconut loans (P139.98 billion), euro-delow list countries.

Odette hasof breached the“Affected commodities fishing and is gears, fishnets TheThe DAsuspension said Odetteofalso M. Rosales said about 3.11 million check the veracity the list, the Rocompletion of the initial inlist farmersboats registry mandated by nominated bonds (P121.97 billion), thedamrules for P10-billion mark with at least clude rice, corn, high value crops, and gillnets. aged 1.4 million heads of chicken, coconut farmers and farm worksales added. of coconut farmers registry would Republic Act (RA) 11524 or the a project loan (P86.41 billion), and “Green List” countries will be in 163,760 farmers and fisherfolk afcoconut, Coconut The report showed that losses swine, cattle, goat, duck, ers have been registered with the “The list will be posted in public be just in sugarcane, time for thelivestock, expected Industry Trust Fund Act. yen-denominated samurai bonds effect fromcarabao, November 28, 2021 to fected in 11 regions, according to and fisheries.

Damage has also in the rice sector had reached sheep, horse, turkey, quail and government since it started upspaces where people can easily see rollout of coconut levy-funded See “3-M farmers,” A2 (P24.19 billion).

December 15, 2021. the Department of Agriculture’s been incurred in agricultural inP2.2 billion with 124,704 MT of guinea fowl estimated to be worth See “Borrowings,” A2 Continued on A2 (DA) latest report. frastructures, machineries and produce damaged across 91,905 P413.8 million.

In its latest damage report equipment. These values are subhectares.

The DA added that damage to n US 50.4600 n JAPAN 0.4374 n UK 67.2329 n HK n CHINA 7.9013 n ject SINGAPORE 36.8968thenDAAUSTRALIA 36.2807 n EUof56.5758 n SAUDI 13.4531 Source: BSP (November 26, 2021) issued on 6.4722 Monday afternoon, to validation,” said.

The losses the coconut sec- ARABIA the irrigation and agri-facilities the DA said agricultural losses “Additional damage and losses tor reached P1.5 billion as the tyhas reached P479.6 million. The irhave reached P10.7 billion with are expected in areas affected by phoon affected 211,764 hectares rigation and agri-facilities include a production estimate of 244,924 Odette,” the DA added. of plantation while the high-value shallow tube well, rain shelter, metric tons (MT) across 370,142 crops sector also recorded P1.5 crops nursery, green house, vermihectares of farms.

Fisheries loss: P3B billion in losses with 6,410 hectcomposting facilities, fertilizer pro The DA said the damage and THE latest damage report showed ares of assorted vegetables, fruit cessing center, livestock and poultry losses have been reported in Rethat the fisheries sector incurred trees, root crops, cacao, coffee, houses and multiplier farms. gions Calabarzon, Mimaropa, the highest losses at P3 billion, banana and rubber affected.

Continued on A2

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

M

FARM DAMAGE FROM ODETTE TOPS P10B, SAYS D.A.

D

PESO EXCHANGE RATES

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 50.9740

n JAPAN 0.4431 n UK 69.0188 n HK 6.5386 n CHINA 7.9983 n SINGAPORE 37.7865 n AUSTRALIA 36.9714 n EU 58.0084 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.5761

Source: BSP (January 3, 2022)

News

BusinessMirror

A2 Tuesday, January 4, 2022

DOLE sets aid to workers displaced by shift to AL 3

A

By Samuel P. Medenilla

@sam_medenilla

T least 30,000 workers who will be displaced by the stricter quarantine protocol in the National Capital Region (NCR) will get aid from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

In a virtual press briefing on Mond ay, L abor Secreta r y Silvestre H. Bello III said they

w ill be extending emergency employ ment to t he a f fec ted workers through their Tulong

Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (Tupad) program.

Under the Tupad program, qualified informal sector workers will be provided emergency employment, which will usually last at least 10 days, and be paid the prevailing minimum wage in their region.

“We could probably provide work to about 30,000 to 40,000 [displaced workers],” Bello said.

In a Viber message, Labor Assistant Secretary Dominique R. Tutay noted they are also studying the possibility of extending cash aid to formal sector workers, who will also be displaced by the stricter quarantine protocols.

DOLE issued the statement after the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) de-

cided last week to raise the Alert Level in NCR from 2 to 3 due to the surge in Covid-19 cases in the region.

T he higher A ler t L evel in the region, which will be in effect from January 3 to 15, will translate to the prohibition of certain activities in NCR such as contact sports, amusement parks and casinos.

The Department of Trade and Industr y (DTI) estimated the temporary prohibition of such activities in NCR is expected to affect between 100,000 to 200,000 workers.

Due to budgetary constraints, Bello said they may be unable to provide aid to all of those affected by tighter restrictions.

He noted other government agencies will be to assist the other remaining displaced workers.

DTI shrugs off AL 3’s economic impact These are based on the previous calculation of expected gains from easing the lockdown measure to Alert Level 2.

He explained that most sectors are still allowed to operate, albeit at lower operating capacity. It also helps that over 70 percent of the

population in the capital region are fully vaccinated already, Lopez said, noting this can fuel mobility and economic activities.

Under Alert Level 3—which is in place until January 15—indoor capacity for fully vaccinated and outdoor capacity are capped at 30

percent and 50 percent, from 50 percent and 70 percent under Alert Level 2, respectively.

However, the allowable capacity may still increase if establishments have secured a Safety Seal certification, which grants holders additional operational capacity for

Continued from A1

adhering to the Covid-19 health protocols.

These capacity limits apply to sectors given permission to remain operational under the new quarantine measure, including restaurants, barbershops, salons, fitness studios, cinema and film houses.

The Covid-19 Inter-Agency Task Force also allows the following activities but in limited capacity as well: venues for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions; permitted venues for social events like weddings, birthdays and family reunions; libraries, museums, galleries, parks and plaza; amusement parks or theme parks; Internet cafes; licensure exams, entrance exams and qualifying exams; religious gatherings; and necrological services.

Meanwhile, fun fairs and playgrounds; karaoke bars, clubs, concert halls and theaters; casinos, horse racing and cockfighting; and gatherings of individuals not belonging in the same household are banned.

Moving forward, Lopez said that officials are monitoring now the severe hospitalization cases for Covid-19 patients, as this will dictate whether Metro Manila can return to Alert Level 2. This, in addition to mitigating the cases of Covid-19 Omicron variant.

There is also a need to reassess current policies on quarantine measures, he said.

Lopez explained that it is about time to allow further mobility for minors to stimulate economic activities, as they are mostly allowed to go out for essential activities only. He pointed out that Covid-19 cases still went down recently prior to the current surge even though minors were permitted to go out.

“Again, in all these, as we learn to manage the virus, we really review the protocols and fine tune them,” he said.

He stressed, however, that establishments need to continue following the health protocols strictly.

For example, personnel should not only take the word of the customers when they claim they’re vaccinated to allow indoor services, he said.

Lopez reminded the personnel to always ask for a vaccination pass as proof.

The DTI official also backed the proposal by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority to limit the mobility of the unvaccinated as this will support public safety while incentivizing those who got inoculated.

Lopez said they can get behind this now because the country has secured a sizable stock of Covid-19 jabs for the Filipinos.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

PHL GROWTH MAY HIT 5-6% IN ’21–THINK TANK Continued from A1

“ We should end w ith a full-year 2021 GDP growth of 5 percent to 6 percent, and improve f ur ther in 2022, due to heav y election spending.”

However, UA&P economist Victor A . Abola told t he B usi n e s sM i r ror on Monday that the Alert Level 3 status may dampen this out lo ok . O ve r t he we e kend, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (I ATF) placed Metro Manila under A lert Level 3 starting Januar y 3.

The heightened restrictions are again expected to hurt the economy, particularly hotels and restaurants that have just started to recover from the pandemic.

(See stor y here: https:// businessmirror .com. ph/2022/01/03/hotel-restos-revenues-to-be-hurtby-ncr-return-to-al3/) “[There could be a] minor downward adjustment because I think most firms and workers will continue to produce and work as in NovemberDecember, subject to seasonal factors,” Abola said via SMS.

Head winds

THE think tank said that while

employment improved in October and “good prints” are expected for the November and October period, there are headwinds.

The Market Call report raised concerns over the job losses in Construction and Manufacturing. This, the think tank said, are among the headwinds in its outlook along with only a slight increase in Services jobs.

“This [manufacturing performance] suggested an approach to prepandemic levels despite weaker employment numbers.

However, manufacturers fretted anew over the unabated rise in raw material, transport, and energy costs as a result of worldwide clogs in supply chains and vaulting shipping costs,” the think tank said.

The think tank also highlighted the “uninspiring exports expansion” as another roadblock that could prevent the country from its path to recovery.

They expect exports to post modest rates in 2022, while “imports will only slide moderately.” The country’s balance of trade deficit could also expand to a new record in 2022, as the economy expands with less constraints.

FARM DAMAGE FROM ODETTE TOPS P10B, SAYS D.A. Continued from A1

The government has also recorded P10.8 million in losses to farm machinery and equipment, which include disinfectant applicator, mechanical dryer, rice mill, forage chopper, rice cutter, cassava spinner and shredder.

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

The DA said the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) has P828 million of available budget to indemnify affected farmers, while the Agricultural Credit

Policy Council (ACPC) has P500 million worth of emergency loan assistance available.

The DA added that it is ready to distribute P314 million worth of rice seeds, P129 million worth of corn seeds, and P57 million worth of assorted vegetables.

T he Bureau of Fisher ies and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) will provide P47 million worth of assistance to fisherfolk, according to the DA. Lastly, the DA said P6.6 million worth of animal stocks, drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry will also be distributed. The DA added that the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) will also provide assistance to affected coconut farmers.

Returning Pinoy skips quarantine, gets massage at her home instead Continued from A14

Based on Seda RM General Manager Marc Cerqueda’s report, the woman claimed that “no car picked her up” upon her arrival from the US at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on December 22. “The hotel management, however, claimed that when its personnel went to the airport to pick up the individual, according to the procedure, the individual evaded going with hotel staff by claiming a quarantine exemption that turned out to be non-existent,” said Romulo Puyat in a news statement on Monday.

Covid swab done at woman’s condo

GOVERNMENT sources said upon checking with the Philippine Airport Diagnostic Laboratory (PADLab), it was further confirmed that she had texted PADLab “stating she [was] not in Seda but in Park West.” PADLab added the woman

in question was swabbed on December 26, and the result was released the next morning. Sources declined to say the result of the woman’s Covid test.

Romulo Puyat said the DOT has endorsed the woman’s case to the Philippine National Police, as a member of the One-Stop-Shop for the Management of Returning Overseas Filipino, for appropriate action.

Cerqueda declined to talk to about the incident, saying the DOT is already investigating the quarantine violations of said guest. “ T he DOT appreciates t he hard work and dedication of all accredited hotels who have ensured that returning Filipinos safely and comfortably finish the prescribed quarantine before they are allowed to leave hotel premises,” she said.

“We remind all establishments and the traveling public to be responsible and strictly observe the guidelines and protocols imposed by the authorities,” she added.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

The Nation BusinessMirror

MMC reso curtails movement, activities of unvaccinated in NCR

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3

A

MID rising number of virus infections in the National Capital Region (NCR), the Metro Manila Council (MMC), which is composed of Metro Manila mayors, ordered the imposition of enhanced restrictions on the mobility of unvaccinated individuals.

“The advances in public health and the economic gains that have been achieved in the recent months under Alert Level 2 must be sustained and pre-emptive measures must be adopted in order to forestall and immediately address the perceived adverse impact of Covid-19, particularly the highly-transmissible Omicron variant, upon the NCR under said Alert Level 3,” the approved resolution read.

It added that despite the availability of vaccines, there are still a number of individuals who adamantly opt not to be vaccinated and thus, become more susceptible to severe cases of Covid-19 infection, which will in turn require hospital care thereby unduly burdening the health-care system to the detriment of public health.

Thus, the Metro Manila mayors have agreed that unvaccinated individuals in the NCR shall: 1. Remain in their residences at all times except for the procurement of essential goods and services such as, but not limited to, food, water, medicine, medical devices, public utilities, and energy, work, and medical and dental necessities; Provided, however, that individual outdoor exercise shall be allowed within the general area of their residence, e. g., within the barangay, purok, subdivision, or village subject to the guidelines of the Metro Manila local government units (LGU); 2. Be prohibited in indoor and outdoor/al fresco dining in restaurants and other food establishments and shall likewise be prohibited from leisure or social trips to malls, hotels, event venues, sports and country clubs, and similar facilities in accordance with the guidelines of the Metro Manila LGUs and the concerned establishments; 3. Be prohibited in domestic travel via public transportation by land, sea, and air except for the procurement of essential goods and services such as, but not limited to, food, water, medicine, medical devices, public utilities, and energy, work, and medical and dental necessities subject to the production of proof to support

and justify such travel; 4. Be required to undergo a Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test every two (2) weeks at their personal expense and present a Covid-19 negative result prior to being admitted for work onsite consistent with the guidelines, rules, and regulations issued by the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF) and the Department of Labor and Employment; Provided, however, that in the event that the RT-PCR test and/or result is/are not immediately available, a Rapid Antigen Test may be utilized in lieu thereof.

The same rules shall also cover individuals who reside outside of the NCR but who work and/or travel to the region.

Appealing for public understanding, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr., assured that once Metro Manila reverts back to a lower alert level, the restrictions for the unvaccinated will be lifted.

“These are just temporary measures while the NCR is under Level 3 for the protection of unvaccinated individuals amid the spiking number of Covid cases in the region,” Abalos explained.

The resolution shall be in force and in effect while the Covid-19 alert level in the NCR is at Alert Level 3 or higher and shall be automatically lifted once Alert Level 2 or lower is declared.

“Any individual and/or establishment found to be in violation of these Covid-19 protocols shall be prosecuted in accordance with the penal provision of the applicable Ordinance to be issued pursuant to this Resolution and without prejudice to further prosecution under the provisions of Republic Act 11332, particularly Section 9 [d] and [e] on Prohibited Acts in relation to Section 10 on Penalties, i. e., a fine of not less than P20,000 but not more than P50,000 or imprisonment of not less than one month but not more than six months, or both such fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the proper court,” the resolution read.

Furthermore, any individual or establishment who or which will falsify the Covid-19 vaccine card shall be prosecuted under Act 3815 or the Revised Penal Code, as amended, pursuant to Section 12 of Republic Act 11525 or the Covid-19 Vaccination Program Act of 2021.

The MMC is the governing and policy-making body of the MMDA.

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Tuesday, January 4, 2022 A3

NBI to boost capability to fight cyber fraudsters and scammers

By Joel R. San Juan

@jrsanjuan1573

T

HE Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed on Monday that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is set to acquire state-ofthe-art investigative and intelligence equipment to keep pace with cyber fraudsters, particularly those involved in various financial scams.

This came as the NBI received more than 1,400 cyber-related complaints involving financial scams and other frauds and attacks intended to cheat their victims into giving their hard-earned money.

However, Justice Undersecretary Adrian Sugay noted that the number of cases recorded in 2021 is much lower compared to the number of complaints that the NBI received in 2020, which was tallied at 2,022 cases.

Out of the cases that were docketed in the NBI in 2021, only 11, or less than 1 percent, were filed with the DOJ-National Prosecution Service (NPS) for preliminary investigation.

In 2020, out of the 2,022 complaints received by the NBI, only 25, or 1.25 percent, were brought before the DOJ-NPS for preliminary investigation.

“The NBI is geared towards the acquisition of state-of-the-art investigative and intelligence equipment, as well as the establishment of a cyber investigation and assessment center, under the aegis and guidance of the NBI Reorganization

and Modernization Act [RA 10867],” Sugay said when asked about the DOJ and the NBI’s plan to address financial scams this 2022.

Considering the fact that not all cases are reported to the NBI, Sugay stressed the need to consolidate statistical information from various financial institutions, online shopping and payment platforms, and even money remittance entities in order to determine how much money were

Lacson: Delaying polls may be seen as plot to extend Duterte in power

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

S

EN. Panfilo Lacson aired growing opposition concerns Monday over an administrationbacked plot by PDP-Laban to extend a fixed deadline for filing certificates of candidacies seen to delay the scheduled May 9, 2022 national and local elections that would clear the way for extending the term of outgoing President Duterte fixed to expire on June 30, 2022.

In a news statement, Lacson assured at the outset, he was not inclined to impute an administration scheme seen to extend Duterte’s term, as a result of the PDP-Laban Petition to Reopen the Certificates of Candidacies (COC) Filing Period.

“I would not like to think that the intention of the petition to reopen the filing of the COCs filed by the PDP-Laban is to delay the election on May 9, 2022—and

pave the way for the extension of the term of office of the President beyond June 30, 2022,” Lacson said, warning, “This is something the 1987 Constitution clearly forbids,” Lacson added he had alerted his vice presidential running mate, Senate President Vicente Sotto III and their Senator colleagues “the Senate must not allow this to happen.”

At the same time, Lacson assured that “we can preserve the presidential line of succession as provided under Article VII Section 7 of the 1987 Constitution.”

Asked how this could be done, Lacson noted both incumbents—Senate President Sotto III and Speaker Lord Allan Velasco—are stepping down along with President Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo on June 30 next year.

Should such a scenario becomes imminent, before Congress adjourns, Lacson explains that “we will elect a new Senate President whose term

expires on June 30, 2025,” adding that “He/she shall then act as President until a new President or Vice President shall have been chosen and qualified.”

Lacson assured “most of my colleagues have already agreed to this proposal, since democracy and the fundamental law of the land could be at risk” even as he clarified that “I am not accusing the administration of any malevolent attempt in this possible scenario. What I’m only saying is that the Senate will always be the bulwark of our democracy, and I take pride in playing a major role in it.”

Earlier, ruling PDP-Laban leaders indicated that should the Comelec approve their petition, they are not giving up on fielding a new presidential bet to lead the party’s national slate after neophyte administration senators—Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, and after him Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go— backed out.

PRC’s Gordon deploys payloaders to clear DOH confirms Domingo’s storm debris in Southern Leyte community resignation as FDA chief

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HE Philippine Red Cross (PRC) on Monday reported that it was able to clear 800 cubic meters of debris in the Municipality of Libagon, Southern Leyte to ease humanitarian relief operations in the area.

PRC Chairman and CEO Sen. Richard J. Gordon ordered the deployment of the PRC payloaders to conduct clearing operations to make way for intensified relief efforts.

“Magagamit din natin ang mga payloaders upang matulungan ang mga magsasaka na makapag tanim ulit [We can still use the payloaders to help our farmers plant rice again],” Gordon said. Payloaders are also used to assist farmers in desilting farmlands affected by different typhoons.

PRC Southern Leyte Chapter started the year with more commitment of service to humanity after visiting four Barangays in Caubang,

Son-ok 1 & 2 ang Manglit, Pintuyan.

PRC Southern Leyte Chapter also distributed 464 Shelter Tool Kits with tarpaulins plus Psychosocial Support to the affected families.

Through the leadership of Gordon, PRC was able to acquire seven payloaders to provide immediate assistance in clearing operations.

The payloaders are commonly used after a disaster to clear roads of debris to make relief more accessible. Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

F

OOD and Drug Administration (FDA) Director General Eric Domingo has resigned from his post effective January 3, 2022, the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed on Monday.

“Yes. We confirm the resignation of FDA Director General Eric Domingo. Dr. Oscar Guiterrez, Deputy Director General, FDA, was assigned as officer in charge,” DOH said.

Domingo, meanwhi le, told the BusinessMirror, “I believe

I did my part to help during the pandemic.”

“The FDA is now stronger, more efficient and systems are in place.

It’s time for me to move on to other things,” Domingo said. Domingo was appointed by President Duterte as the new director-general of FDA on February 6, 2020.

He was appointed FDA officer in charge following the termination of Nela Charade Puno in May 2019.

Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

DENR nabs 14 suspects for illegal quarry operation in Davao City

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HE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) reported on Monday the arrest of 14 miners for illegal quarrying activities in Waan, Davao City.

In news a statement, DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu underscored the need for continuous apprehension of environmental criminals to “deter potential culprits and discourage them from violating existing environmental laws.”

Cimatu issued the statement

following the successful operation of the Environmental Law Enforcement and Protection Service (ELEPS) of the DENR last December 11, 2021, in Barangay Waan, Buhangin District, Davao City that led to the arrest of 14 individuals and confiscation of 14 quarrying equipment.

“Our achievements in 2021 are further bolstered with our enforcement activities, especially when it comes to anti-illegal wildlife trading, anti-illegal

logging, and anti-illegal mining and quarrying activities,” Cimatu said.

Davao City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte had issued a cease and desist order (CDO) on March 7, 2021, after the operators neglected the previous CDOs issued by the City Mining Regulatory Board from 2018 to 2020.

The operation was undertaken

by ELEPS, together with the DENR-Region 11, Mines and Geosciences Bureau-Region 11, Davao City Police, Davao

City Environment and Natural Resources Office, and Task Force Davao and Public Safety and Security Command.

The arrested miners will be undergoing legal procedures in violation of Republic Act (RA) 7942 or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995.

DENR Undersecretary for Enforcement Benito Antonio de Leon said that the “continual success of the ELEPS operations proves that the DENR needs an enforcement

bureau to further bolster its current triumphs.”

“May our victories catch the eye of our legislators to ensure that this kind of work would continue, even beyond the current administration,” de Leon said.

In recent months, ELEPS also led the arrest of individuals involved in illegal quarrying activities, including the unauthorized operations inside the Taal Volcano Protected Area Landscape. Jonathan L. Mayuga

being stolen via online through these fraudulent schemes.

Among the common cyber scams that are now undergoing preliminary investigations or under trial include love scams, investment scams, compromised business e-mails, utility bills payment scams, and online shopping scams.

“We have observed that fraudsters still use social engineering and psychological manipulation techniques in order to convince unwitting and vulnerable people to divulge their confidential/personal information online,” Sugay noted.

When asked what the DOJ and NBI would be doing to keep pace with online attackers and fraudsters who have become sophisticated over the years, Sugay said the NBI Cybercrime Division has embarked on a massive information drives on social-media platforms; continuous capacity-building and training on technologies, as well as modernization of advanced equipment; and random scanning of social-media platforms to identify chatter indicating future attacks.

OWWA vows aid to family of OFW found dead in Pasay City hotel room

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HE Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) has vowed to extend assistance to thefamilyoftheoverseasFilipinoworker (OFW), who died at a hotel room in Pasay City on Monday morning.

OWWA Administrator Hans J. Cacdac made the commitment as authorities continue their investigation into the suspected suicide incident.

“Right now, what is important is to guide and keep the family company throughout this process with the SOCO [Scene of the Crime Operatives] and in claiming the remains of their loved one and laying it to rest,” Cacdac said in a phone interview last Monday.

“We will provide [OWWA] benefits and support to the family, who was left behind, at the right time,” he added.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), which oversees quarantine facilities for OFWs with OWWA, reported the 40-year-old male OFW arrived during the weekend from Papua New Guinea and was immediately brought to the quarantine facility in Pasay.

Cacdac said the OFW did not show any sign of distress when he arrived at the quarantine facility.

It was after the OFW had a phone call with his family, Cacdac said, that his relatives noticed something alarming with his action prompting them to go to his hotel last Monday.

The OFW was found dead when the assigned OWWA houseparent and PCG marshal, and hotel personnel forcibly entered his room.

Cacdac noted they were aware of the risk of some OFWs to feel depressed during the Christmas holidays due to their separation from their families.

He urged the families and OFWs, who may feel such depression to contact their helplines—09150795005 and 09691697068 for land-based OFWs and 09664739543 and 9691724255 for sea-based OFWs— so they could get the necessary counseling. Samuel Medenilla

A4 Tuesday, January 4, 2022 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

Economy BusinessMirror

‘Odette’ damage may prompt DA anew to resort to fish importation

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

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HE government is mulling over more fish imports this year to ensure sufficient supply of the protein-rich commodity and avert price increases in the market following the devastation caused by Typhoon “Odette” (international code name Rai) to the fisheries sector.

“This [is] being considered but following the process and it is on,” Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar told the BusinessMirror via SMS when asked if the government is eyeing to import more fish products this year.

In a separate statement issued by Dar to the media, Dar said he has given “notice” to the National Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (NFARMC) to convene and evaluate a proposal “to import additional volume of fish” for 2022.

The NFARMC is the country’s highest policy-making advisory multi-stakeholder body when it comes to the fisheries sector.

Existing rules and regulation stipulated that the agriculture secretary must consult the NFARMC for matters related to the fisheries sector, including importation.

“We are also giving notice to the National

Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council to convene soonest to consider a proposal to import additional volume of fish in 2022 under FAO 259 for distribution in public wet markets, as most of the fish cages and mariculture parks in Visayas and Mindanao, including those in Region 4A [Calabarzon] and Region 4B [Mimaropa], were badly damaged and need immediate repair or reestablishment,” Dar said.

Fisheries Administrative Order (FAO) 259 outlines the rules and regulations for the importation of frozen fish and aquatic products for wet markets during closed fishing season or during occurrence of calamities.

The BusinessMirror broke the story on Monday that Dar greenlighted the importation of11,015metrictons(MT)ofsmallpelagicfishes to augment fish supply in Odette-hit areas to prevent possible price spikes due to shortage.

Dar signed and issued last December 30 the certificate of necessity (CNI) to import 11,015 MT of frozen small pelagic for wet markets “for the benefit of the consuming public.”

The volume was the unused portion of the approved 51,246 MT of small pelagic fish imports out of the earlier approved CNI of 60,000 MT of frozen small pelagic fishes

for wet markets in August 2021.

Dar noted that several sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances (SPS-ICs) covering a volume of 2,441 MT were not used by importers and were surrendered to the government, leaving a total unused volume of 11,015 MT. Dar explained that he issued a new CNI for the remaining volume to augment fish supply in areas affected by Odette. Under existing rules and regulations, the agriculture secretary must issue a CNI prior to allow any fish importation for wet market consumption.

“There is still a necessity to import the remaining volume of 11,015 metric tons of frozen small pelagic fish for wet markets in order to augment the shortage in the supply of fish especially in areas affected by the Typhoon Odette,” Dar said in the CNI he signed last December 30.

“In order to ensure national food security taking into consideration public welfare, the importation of 11,015 MT of frozen small pelagic fish for wet markets is hereby certified as necessary which shall be distributed to the Visayas and Mindanao only,” Dar added.

Latest damage report released by the DA showed the damage to the fisheries sector from Odette has reached P3 billion already.

Lawmaker renews call to suspend TRAIN law’s excise taxes on fuel

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DEPUTY minority leader on Monday called anew to the leadership of the House of Representatives to expedite the approval of the bill that suspends the excise tax on petroleum products for six months when congressional sessions resume this month.

House Deputy Minority Leader Carlos Isagani Zarate of Bayan Muna, in a news statement, said oil companies will greet consumers this 2022 with a big time oil price increase with gasoline at P1.90 to P2 per liter, diesel

at P2.20 to P2.30 per liter and kerosene at P1.80 to P1.90 per liter.

“This will be added on top of the net increase in 2021 for gasoline at P17.65/liter, diesel at P14.30 per liter and kerosene at P11.54 per liter,” said Zarate.

“This pending consolidated bill is, in fact, already a watered down version to fast track its approval, but, it seems Duterte’s economic managers are blocking efforts to at least ease the burden of consumers, especially now that a new round of oil price hikes

is to be implemented,” Zarate said.

The bill is still pending on second reading in the lower chamber.

According to Zarate, lawmakers’ original proposal is the complete scrapping of the excise tax on oil products from the TRAIN law (Republic Act 10963 or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion), but, “in the spirit of critical collaboration and to expedite the approval of the consolidated bill we agreed for at least a six month suspension of the excise taxes on oil.”

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Concepcion backs mobility curbs on unvaxxed amid NCR Covid spike

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad @TyronePiad

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RESIDENTIAL Adviser for Entrepreneurship Jose Maria A. Concepcion is supporting the move to limit the mobility of the unvaccinated population amid the recent surge of Covid-19 cases and shift to Alert Level 3 in Metro Manila.

“This is what we’ve been pushing for ever since. This is what we are calling for under our Bakuna Bubble proposal, where we want to allow more mobility for vaccinated individuals,” the Go Negosyo founder said in a statement on Monday.

Meanwhile, Concepcion said that “the movement of unvaccinated individuals is limited so they won’t put themselves at risk of getting the virus and be afflicted with severe case of Covid-19” under the so-called vaccine bubble set up.

Concepcion was referring to the resolution of the Metro Manila Council, governing and policy-making body of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), to enhance the restriction on the movements of unvaccinated individuals. He described the decision as a “bold initiative” that can help mitigate the rising Covid-19 cases and aid the economy moving forward.

The Go Negosyo founder noted that MMDA is expected to issue a resolution urging Metro Manila local government units to regulate the mobility of unvaccinated individuals.

Among the measures are limiting the unvaccinated population’s mobility to essential activities only, including buying of goods and services, work, and medical and dental needs.

The MMDA, Concepcion said, wants them to be not allowed in indoor and outdoor dining in restaurants and other food

establishments, in addition to leisure or social trips to malls, hotels, event venues and similar facilities.

The unvaccinated individuals will also be prohibited from domestic travel via land, sea and air, except if it involves the mentioned essential activities.

They will be required to undergo swab tests every two weeks at their personal expense before being admitted for on-site work, the private sector group added.

Those guilty of violating the policies, including those who will falsify Covid-19 vaccination cards, will be apprehended.

“We expect business establishments to fully cooperate once these measures are implemented. We also want all of our employees and customers to be safe,” Concepcion said.

With the onset of the Covid-19 Omicron variant, Concepcion recently renewed his call for more Filipinos to get vaccinated.

“With variants continuing to emerge, I believe it is time we aim for close to 100 percent vaccination in the country,” Concepcion said.

“Omicron has only made vaccine mandates urgent and justifiable. The country’s economy is at stake,” he added.

In 2021, more than 50 million Filipinos received Covid-19 jabs, which is lower than the 54-million government target.

Metro Manila is under Alert Level 3 until January 15.

‘Not enough’

PARTY-LIST groups on Monday said the decision to ban unvaccinated individuals in Metro Manila from going outside their homes is not enough to curb the latest Covid-19 spike, saying restrictions will only be effective if the country drastically increase its testing capacity. With Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

‘The King is dead!

Long live the King!’

By Henry J. Schumacher

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HIS medieval chant I like. Given the objectives of the Integrity Initiative, I have three options to apply it to today’s environment: 1. Integrity is dead! Long live Integrity 2. Corruption is dead! Long live Corruption!

3. Corruption is dead! Long live AntiCorruption!

Let’s assume that it makes sense to focus on 1 and 3.

It shou ld be ou r moder n- d ay mantra, a l low ing for ever y fad, sur vey, or new statistic to loudly proclaim that Integrity and AntiCorruption as we know is “ dead ” and that something new shou ld immediately follow it.

This applies well to the concept of Integrity and Anti-Corruption as we know it. It’s not going anywhere, because real Integrity, as it is to be exhibited, is timeless. It’s not broken or inadequate, it simply needs a more specific focus and real attention to application and—in the end—implementation. We just don’t do it that well. Let’s unpack this a bit, fleshing out the realities of Integrity and Anti-Corruption as we know it compared with Integrity and Anti-Corruption as it should be.

What I am driving at is that AntiCorruption has to be more than lip service. As we clearly outline again and again that signing an Integrity Pledge is only the first step in a long adjustment process—from tone from

the top, to a common code of conduct, from control measures throughout the organization to compliance programs and compliance training, from “validation” processes to certification.

In the new anti-corruption environment, trust is a big deal. Trust has to be there until there is evidence of breach of trust. The new “King” wants a shift to focus on results over process. Management has to lead by example; remember, leading by example is not a choice—it has to be demonstrated daily.

The new King (Anti-Corruption) expects much more involvement of management in anti-corruption implementation. That involvement must lead to the appointment of compliance officers. The first big challenge coming up is for all organizations in the country to live with, comply with the Data Privacy Regulation. Why am I highlighting this? Breach of data privacy is a criminal offense! HR managers are under stress and lawyers have a new source of income.

Is your company using employee data ethically? Do we understand our company’s privacy comfort zone? Do we get guidance from our information governance committee? Do we share guidance with our team and encourage best practices? Do we invite feedback?

At the end of the day: the new King wants everybody to have Integrity; I hope you remember the slogan of the Integrity Initiative: “Integrity starts with I.” We have to be honest, consistent, and do what we say we will do!

I forgot to comment on 2. Corruption is dead! Long live Corruption!

Unfortunately, people involved in the many forms of corruption are continuously finding new ways to benefit from this formula: Corruption=Monopoly+ Discretion–Accountability.

Anti-corruption and having Integrity is tough—wear a helmet!

Let’s welcome the new King in 2022 and implement integrity, anti-corruption, data privacy protection, good governance and ethics throughout the New Year.

Feedback is very welcome; please contact me at hjschumacher59@gmail.com

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BusinessMirror Tuesday, January 4, 2022 A5

Fuel pump prices increase as power rate hike looms

By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

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HEFTY fuel price increases on Tuesday, and possibly higher power rates this month, greeted motorists and customers of the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco).

Starting 6 a.m. of January 4, gasoline prices will go up by P1.85 per liter, diesel by P2.40 per liter and kerosene by P1.85 per liter.

Oil firms justified that the pumpprice adjustment, the first for the year, reflects movement in the world oil market.

According to Department of Energy-Oil Industry Management Bureau (DOE-OIMB) Director Rino Abad, crude and refined products recently strengthened in the face of the Omicron Covid variant. However, given the perceived supply surplus at the beginning of 2022, prices are unlikely to increase to the 2021 highs in the near future.

But analysts, he said, foresee a resilient market, which appears to be shrugging off concerns over the Omicron variant.

“OPEC is closely watching the market. We may have a clear picture after their meeting on January 4,”

said Abad in an interview.

Reports had it that the alliance will likely approve another 400,000 barrels per day increase in output quotas for February.

Meanwhile, Meralco hinted on higher power rates this month.

While the utility firm has yet to receive all suppliers’ billings, indications point to a possible upward adjustment in power generation charge. The final numbers would be announced by end of this week, said Meralco utility economics head Lawrence Fernandez.

“The most important factor that will affect the January 2022 generation charge will be the outcome of WESM [Wholesale Electricity Spot Market] prices,” said Fernandez in an interview.

WESM operator, Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP), activated several times the secondary price cap, a price-mitigating mechanism designed to limit the increase in power prices, last December 1 and 2, 17 to 19 and 21 to 23.

The more frequent triggering and extended imposition of the secondar y price cap in-

dicate persistent high prices in the WESM. Fernandez also noted that while demand in the Luzon grid declined in December, there was an increase in the generation capacity on outage. “Fuel supply from Malampaya still remained constrained in December, affecting the operation of gas-fired power plants,” he said.

In particular, the 414 megawatt (MW) San Gabriel plant was on shutdown for most days last December because of Malampaya’s fuel supply restriction.

“The fuel supply reduction is still ongoing. Though not on total shutdown, San Gabriel’s capacity was reduced by around 200 MW until today because of inadequate fuel supply,” added Fernandez.

The Malampaya gas facility fuels power plants that deliver about a fifth of the country’s electricity requirements.

The Malampaya gas restriction incidents occurred several times last year, from March to June, and again in September. Back then, power rates went up.

“In general, Meralco generation costs in 2021 gradually increased mainly due to higher fuel prices, for both Malampaya gas and coal; use of alternative fuel by the gas plants due to persistent reduction in Malampaya supply; and higher WESM charges, as a result of higher demand and plant outages,” said Fernandez. Meralco’s generation costs make up bulk of an electricity bill.

Industry observers said the gas curtailment would continue to happen since gas from the Malampaya facility is fast depleting.

PHL gets new ‘high-risk’ tag for Covid

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3

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HE Philippines has been reclassified as “high risk” for Covid-19 following the increase in cases toward the end of 2021, a health official confirmed on Monday.

At a media forum on Monday, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire also said that the average daily cases per day is almost seven times higher or higher by 570 percent from the recent week as compared to the previous week.

“Nationally, we are now at high risk case classification from lowrisk case class in the previous week, showing a positive two-week growth rate at 222 percent and a moderate risk average daily attack rate at 1.07 cases for every 100,000 individuals,” Vergeire said.

Vergeire said that an increase in

positivity rate was observed in all regions of the country.

Meanwhile, the health systems capacity in the region is under 50 percent utilization.

The country’s health-care utilization rate is at “low risk,” with the total bed utilization at 18 percent and intensive care unit utilization at 22 percent.

Daily ‘scorecard’

ON Monday, the Department of Health (DOH) logged 4,084 additional cases with 497 recoveries and 16 deaths.

The total number of infections in the country is now at 2,855,819.

Of the 4,084 reported cases, 4,057 (99 percent) occurred within the recent 14 days (December 21 to January 3, 2022).

The top regions with cases in the recent two weeks were the National Capital Region (NCR) with

2,831 (or 70 percent), Region 4A (571 or 14 percent) and Region 3 (273 or 7 percent).

Of the 16 deaths, 11 occurred in December 2021 (69 percent), 3 in October 2021 (19 percent), 1 in September 2021 (6 percent), and 1 in August 2021 (6 percent) due to late encoding of death information to COVIDKaya.

Of the total number of infections, 0.9 percent (24,992) are active, 97.3 percent (2,779,241) have recovered, 1.81 percent (51,586) have died.

Two laboratories were not operational on January 1, 2022, while 21 laboratories were not able to submit their data to the Covid-19 Document Repository System.

Based on data in the last 14 days, the 23 labs contribute, on average, 5.1 percent of samples tested and 5.2 percent of positive individuals.

Quiapo Church closed until Jan. 6 for massive disinfection vs virus

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HE Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, otherwise known as Quiapo Church, will be closed for three days starting Monday for massive disinfection.

Fr. Douglas Badong, parochial vicar, said the basilica will not accept devotees from January 3 to 6 to give way to disinfection activities in support of efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Masses will continue to be aired online.

“The leadership of Quiapo Church, led by Msgr. [Hernando] Coronel, due to the news of the sudden increase in Covid cases in Manila, we thought that temporarily, the Quiapo church

will be closed,” Badong said in a video message posted on social media.

“This is the church’s cooperation to prevent the spread of Covid infection and make way for the cleaning and disinfection of the church and its surroundings in preparation for this important day for our devotees,” he added.

Devotees may come back on January 7, two days before the Black Nazarene’s feast.

“We will make the necessary preparations and cleaning up as part of the preventive measures that we must take so that by January 7, when it reopens, the church will be safer for those who attend church here especially for the coming feast of

the Black Nazarene on January 9,” Badong said.

He, likewise, urged the public to get vaccinated or avail of booster and additional doses against Covid-19.

Pope Pius church shuts down, too

MEANWHILE, the Sta. Maria Goretti Parish Church and office at the Pope Pius XII Catholic Center along United Nations Avenue in Paco, Manila will be closed until January 15 after two of its staff tested positive for the Covid-19 virus.

In a news statement, Fr. David Concepcion, parish priest, said thorough disinfection and intensive sanitation would be undertaken. PNA

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DOH now ‘assumes’ local transmission of Omicron in PHL

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3

A

LTHOUGH there is still a need for more definitive evidence before declaring local transmission, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Monday said there now the assumption that the more transmissible Omicron variant is already in the community amid a prevailing spike in Covid-19 cases.

However, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that with the experience in fighting Delta variant before, the country is “more ready” to deal with the Omicron variant.

“Tayo ay mas handa na ngayon dahil ating naranasan na ’yung ganun karaming mga nagpunta sa ospital at prepared na tayong lahat [We are more ready now because of our experience before wherein more patients were admitted to the hospitals],” Vergeire said adding that all hospitals were already told to prepare two weeks ago.

Vergeire also said that they have identified three close contacts of the 10 new Omicron Covid-19 variant cases in the country.

Vergeire said that patient 1’s one close contact tested negative; Patient 2’s seven co-passengers all tested negative; Patient 3’s 30 co-passengers all tested negative.

returning overseas Filipinos and two are foreign nationals.

On the other hand, Vergeire said that all local cases have been located and traced have completed the minimum 10-day isolation and have been tagged as recovered prior to release of genome results.

Ready to face Omicron

“Among patient 4’s 24 co-passengers, three tested positive, 15 tested negative, while the other six are still being verified,” Vergeire said.

Vergeire said that details on the contact tracing of the other infected patients are still being verified.

Of the 11 imported cases, nine are

THE country is ready for a possible Omicron variant wave which DOH Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega said on Monday seems to be upon the Philippines as the Covid-19 infections continue to increase.

“Well, it looks like the Omicron wave is upon us,” Vega, also the country treatment czar, said in an

interview with ANC television.

Vega said the Philippines has been experiencing a “steady increase” in terms of the Omicron just like what happened across South Africa and Europe.

“Our numbers have doubled and this is the start and we are very sure that this will peak. When it will crest down and decelerate, we don’t know.

But what is very important is that we are prepared for this omicron virus,” he said.

For the last two days, DOH reported more than 4,000 new daily cases, including 4,600 logged on Sunday, the highest infections since the country’s lowest 168 new cases recorded on December 21, 2021. With PNA

Govt eyes procurement of vaccine Baguio suspends issuance of new tourist travel permits for kids 5 to 11 years old this month

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

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HE government is now eyeing to start the vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 years old against the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) this month.

In a televised interview on Monday, Presidential Adviser for Covid-19 Response Secretary Vivencio “Vince” B. Dizon said they are now in talks with Pfizer International for the purchase of the necessary vaccine for the said age group.

“Hopefully, we can start the procurement of supply of the Pfizer vaccine this month of January,” he added.

To note, only Pfizer was able to

secure an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that allowed the use of its Covid-19 vaccine for those 5 to 11 years old.

Dizon said the government is prioritizing the vaccination of minors below 12 years old due to their high risk from infection.

“We saw how the children, especially those exposed in densely populated areas are hit by Covid-19 so we should prioritize and fast track the vaccination of children,” Dizon said.

Based from its National Covid-19 Vaccination Dashboard data last Sunday, the Department of Health (DOH) said the government was able to fully vaccinate 49.85 million of its over 100 million population.

B

AGU IO C I T Y—T he c it y government has temporarily suspended effective January 2 the issuance of quick response travel permits (QTP) for tourists or leisure travelers as the city prepares new guidelines for non-essential travels.

Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who is on mandatory quarantine after traveling to the United States to visit his parents during the holidays, said in a phone interview on Monday that he has been holding online meetings with city officials to set the new guidelines that will be covered in an executive order.

He said that aside from decreasing the daily arrival ceiling which is currently at 5,000, the city will also require that leisure travelers from Metro Manila who have already been

issued QTPs arriving until January 8 will be required to undergo the antigen test for coronavirus disease (Covid-19) at their own expense.

Engr. Aloysius Mapalo, city tourism officer, in an advisory shared to the media on Sunday evening, said that “for now, we are only not allowing to add more to the current pre-approved travels that already exceeded 5,000 daily until January 8.”

“We’re not on lockdown. We also did not stop the entry of tourists, actually, they are here,” he added.

The city government requires tourists to register at the online tourist information portal to be issued a quick response travel permit.

The QTP is the city’s way of counting and assuring that the daily arrival ceiling of 5,000 individuals will not

be exceeded. The same is asked to be presented at the border checkpoint and community quarantine triage manned by the city police office before the tourists are led to the central triage at the Baguio Convention Center where thorough verification of document and possible conduct of an antigen test for those exhibiting symptoms is done.

The city information office, in a message to the media, also clarified that the visitors already issued a QTP for January 2 to 8 will be allowed to enter the city.

Information obtained from the city government showed that officials are mulling over the cancelation of the QTPs issued for arriving tourists in January and February as cases of Covid-19 in the city continue to increase.

On December 30, the City Health Services Office said it was beginning to see an increase in Covid-19 cases, at it recorded a 1.24-percent rise in two weeks.

The City Health Officer has reported that data from the University of the Philippines (UP) Baguio Department of Mathematics and Computer Science and the Baguio City Health Services Office showed that from a low of 0.2 percent positivity rate logged during the period December 16 to 22, the data leaped to 1.44 percent from December 23 to 29.

As of 10 p.m. on January 2, the Department of Health-Cordillera tracker showed Baguio City has 73 active cases with the addition of nine new cases. On December 25, there were only eight active cases. PNA

Dean Merlin Magallona, intellectual giant who helped mold PHL international law experts, dies

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ROF. MERLIN MAGALLONA, one of the Philippines’s leading experts in international law who led numerous studies on maritime issues pre-Unclos and later became a UP Law dean and Foreign Affairs undersecretary, has died.

The highly respected intellectual died peacefully in his sleep on New Year’s Day at the age of 87, according to lawyer Romel Bagares on Twitter.

The muted announcement of the passage of someone with Magallona’s body of works contrasted sharply with the enormity of their significance, and their impact on Philippine policy making through various decision points in the highest leadership levels.

Maga l lon a, va r iou sly de scribed as “Professor Magallona” or “Dean Magi” to UP Law students, also served as the Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary For Migrant Workers’ Affairs (OUMWA) for one and a half years in 2001-2002.

As OUMWA undersecretary, he pushed for the creation of an Overseas Filipino Bond and government-subsidized housing program for OFWs—which were supported and endorsed by his then DFA Secretary and Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr. Coincidentally, it was during his time as a DFA senior official when Malaysia and Indonesia took their territorial dispute over Pulau Ligitan and Pulau Sipadan to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). A fervent advocate of the Philippine claim over Sabah, Magallona spearheaded the effort to make an intervention before the ICJ. Ligitan and Sipadan are islands off Celebes Sea and part of the Philippine claim over Sabah.

The Court later denied the Philippine request for intervention, with a caveat that elated the professor—i.e., whatever “reasoning or interpretation of the treaties” the Court had made over Malaysian and Indonesian claims, the

Philippine claim over Sabah “could not be affected.”

“Our objective was to protect the integrity of our historic title to Sabah. We have achieved that objective even if we were not allowed to intervene. So in spite of appearances, the decision of the International Court is really good news for us,” Magallona had said.

The Marxist-Leninist ideologies of Guingona and Magallona also grounded the DFA during the negotiations with the Americans for the Terms of Reference of the Visiting Forces Agreement.

Although then President Arroyo had already given the imprimatur for American forces to make a comeback to the Philippines at the height of the war against terror following the 9/11 attacks, Guingona and Magallona insisted on caveats in the terms of reference that would protect the sovereignty of the Philippines. In the end, the

TOR stated that the American troops who will be given immunity from criminal liability in the Philippines should only engage in “training exercises” and should not engage in direct combat.

However, Guingona’s stint as SFA was short-lived, and so did Magallona’s incumbency as a diplomat.

Post-retirement

AMBASSADOR to The Netherlands J. Eduardo Malaya said even after his resignation from the DFA, the former UP law dean had been very supportive of the department, especially when it comes to treaties and international laws.

“He is a towering intellectual and a genuinely kind person,” Malaya said.

In 2011, when the DFA was working on the candidature of then Senator Miriam DefensorSantiago for a seat in the International Criminal Court, she was

asked whom she prefers to write the draft for her lecture before UN delegates.

“Her (Defensor-Santiago’s) reply was that the only person she respected to come up with a draft was Merlin Magallona,” Malaya recalled.

Government officials would often use Magallona’s views and writings as standard, he added.

“His passing is a great loss to the law academe and the legal profession, particularly in the field of international law,” Malaya said.

“Although we do not always share his politics, one thing is certain: no one can question his integrity.”

Magallona’s integrity was so solid that people in and out of government, here and abroad, took time to read all of the studies he undertook or led, especially in the 1980s when he headed the Institute of International Legal Studies (IILS) of the UP College of Law. Prof. Roland Simbulan, one of those Magallona mentored, recalled that the IILS “and our Department of Social Sciences which I chaired co-sponsored several fora...on the issue of the US bases and nuclear weapons.

Both of us were resource persons in these events. We also coauthored publications on the above issues.”

Simbulan recalled of Magallona’s intellectual discipline: “He was very meticulous, and used his wide knowledge of public international law to defend and pursue the country’s interests and sovereignty.”

A reporter who covered the UP and to whom Magallona gave updates of the studies they were doing recalled learning from the professor the “nose-bleed minutiae of maritime concepts and issues at a time when few Filipinos had the slightest idea of the Unclos,” or the United Convention on the Law of the Sea, adopted in 1982, and which the Philippines is a signatory of.

It was the Unclos that the Philippines leaned back on heavily when it

brought its case against China’s “excessive claims” in the South China Sea before the arbitral tribunal in The Hague.

Legacy of UP Law dean

ONE of the UP students enrolled during Magallona’s term as dean recalled him fondly.

“Although I was not his student, he had a major role in my legal studies at the UP Law when I entered as a freshman in 1992 until I took the bar exams in 1998.

“Despite the fact that he was not my professor, I was able to understand the legal mind of Dean Magi, as we fondly called him, through his books, papers, and publications on international law,” said Dennis Gorecho, an expert on maritime law who writes a column for BusinessMirror.

“Encounters with law professors during the dreaded recitations involved answers that range from direct lifting from the SCRAs ‘in the original,’ for those who studied, to inventions through guess work for those who didn’t.

Despite the torture, most of the memorable moments in law school were funny blunders during class recitations, as reminisced by some of his former students,” according to Gorecho.

He quoted Professor Theodore Te, who once served as Supreme Court spokesman, as saying: “He [Magallona] was, for the most part, the most bewildering and at the same time entertaining professor we ever had…because his ideas were so different from what we were reading in the assigned cases.”

Te added that “the forest is barer at the moment because a great tree has fallen. But the seeds he has sown have become fruitful and will soon produce many new trees to try and fill the void.”

Gorecho also quoted Professor Antonio La Vina as describing Dean Magi’s language as “dense...and not easy to understand” because of the ideas and the framework, “When we

recited in his class, we really were not sure we understood what we were mouthing. And in his poker face, which was as calm as his voice, he did not give us a hint whether our answers were correct.”

In the landmark case of Magallona vs. the Executive Secretary (G.R No. 187167, August 16, 2011), Dean Magi led the petitioners questioning the constitutionality of Republic Act 9522, or “An Act to Define the Baselines of the Territorial Sea of the Philippines.”

Petitioners submit that R A 9522 “dismembers a large portion of the national territory” because it discards the pre-United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) III demarcation of Philippine territory under the Treaty of Paris and related treaties, successively encoded in the definition of national territory under the 1935, 1973 and 1987 Constitutions.”

Petitioners argued that this constitutional definition trumps any treaty or statutory provision denying the Philippines sovereign control over waters, beyond the territorial sea recognized at the time of the Treaty of Paris, that Spain supposedly ceded to the United States.

However, the Supreme Court upheld by a unanimous decision the amendment to the country’s archipelagic baselines to conform to the Unclos.

Magallona also served as a resource person for the constitutionality of the Bangsamoro Basic Law and pushed for the Philippines’ territorial sovereignty on multiple occasions.

While most intellectuals who constantly display their ideologies at every turn often end up distracting public focus away from hard, data-driven arguments on issues, Magallona, in Gorecho’s words, “made international law real and as a tool which allows smaller states to stand up to superpowers.” Reports by Malou Talosig-Bartolome and Lourdes M. Fernandez

A12 Tuesday, January 4, 2022 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

editorial

PhilHealth holiday amid Covid surge?

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he World Health Organization declared the Covid-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020, which means the world has been suffering for almost three years now. More than 285 million people have been infected by the coronavirus worldwide, and more than five million have died. As the world welcomed 2022 with muted celebrations, the fast-spreading Omicron variant continues to drive global infections to record levels. France, the UK, Portugal and Australia were among countries that set new records for Covid-19 infections as 2021 gave way to 2022.

France’s 232,200 new cases on Friday marked its third day running above 200,000 infections. The UK was close behind, with 189,846 new cases, also a record. Hospitalizations of Covid-19 patients in the UK rose 68 percent last week, according to government figures. Also on Friday, Portugal reported a new daily record of 30,829 cases, up from 28,659 the previous day, with the Omicron variant accounting for an estimated 83 percent of all new infections, according to official data.

From the Associated Press: “New York state shattered its record for new Covid-19 infections, reporting 85,476 cases on Saturday as the Omicron variant continues its lightning spread. That number compares with a daily average of just below 6,700 new cases on December 1, according to data from Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg.”

In the Philippines, the recent surge in Covid-19 infections in Metro Manila prompted the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to place the entire region under Alert Level 3 starting next week. Acting Presidential Spokesperson Karlo B. Nograles said the new alert level for the National Capital Region will take effect from January 3 to 15, 2022, dampening earlier expectations that the alert level will go from 2 to 1.

The IATF made the decision to intensify the Alert Level in Metro Manila on the eve of the New Year celebration after the government registered almost 3,000 new cases on Friday. (Read, Surge in new Covid infections prompts return to stricter Alert Level 3 from Jan 3-15, in the BusinessMirrror, December 31, 2021).

Lawmakers earlier lauded the decision of private hospitals to withdraw plans for a Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) “holiday,” as they warned that this reprieve from a public health crisis must be resolved once and for all with extensive reforms. “It is sad that some hospitals have to resort to this,” the lawmakers lamented, as they voiced their dismay that the issue with PhilHealth had been raised in a series of Senate committee hearings but “until now there was still no clear solution to the problem.” (Read, Senators laud deferment of PhilHealth holiday, but warn reprieve won’t last, in the BusinessMirror, December 29, 2021).

The Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. decided to push back its plan to stop receiving claims from PhilHealth in a move dubbed “PhilHealth holiday” to next month after receiving requests from concerned citizens. PHAPi President Jose Rene de Grano said that patient groups have also expressed their concern on PhilHealth holiday slated on January 1 to 5. The postponement, he said, would give them time to inform the affected patients on what to do.

The chairman of the House Committee on Health, Rep. Angelina Tan, M.D., said a “PhilHealth holiday” would unduly subject patients to pay the entire cost of hospitalization since hospitals will turn down deductions from PhilHealth.

“What is now happening, in spite of all the efforts to avoid this outcome, is a total disregard of the fundamental principles that we sought to enshrine in the landmark Republic Act 11223, otherwise known as the Universal Health Care Act, primarily the provision that all Filipinos are guaranteed equitable access to quality and affordable health-care goods and services, and protected against financial risk,” she said.

We are still in the middle of a pandemic, and the contagious Omicron variant poses a serious threat of more infections and more hospitalizations. It would do well for Health authorities to sit down with PhilHealth and PHAPi to expeditiously resolve the problem to ensure that health care remains equitable and affordable to all Filipinos.

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THE Entrepreneur

Y

ear 2022 should be a time for better economic opportunities.

Covid-19, hopefully, will dissipate and be reduced to a common cold in the face of increasing vaccination coverage. That will give the economy more room to expand and generate more job opportunities.

Twenty-twenty two is the opportune time to achieve the goal of regaining our pre-pandemic economic levels, which Covid-19 disrupted in the past two years. We need to ensure that our economy is back on track for the sake of our growing population, which crossed the 110-million mark on January 1 this year.

Our gross domestic product (GDP) shrank 9.6 percent in 2020, according to the revised estimates of the Philippine Statistics Authority. In dollar terms, it declined to $361.5 billion in 2020 from $376.8 billion a year ago, based on World Bank data.

The drop would be more significant on a per capita basis, if we consider the increase in our population during the period.

While the economy likely re-

bounded by about 5 percent in 2021, it was not enough to offset the 9.6-percent drop in 2020. This means if we are to achieve our prepandemic economic output in 2022, we should grow by another 5 percent or more this year.

The expansion will help us attain our goal of becoming an upper middle-income economy by 2022 or 2023. The World Bank defines an upper middle-income economy as one with a gross national income per capita of $4,046 or more. According to the World Bank, the GNI per capita (formerly GNP per capita) of the Philippines fell to $3,430 in 2020 from $3,850 in 2019. This should have recovered in 2021 and should continue to improve in 2022.

Better be worth it John Mangun

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Better opportunities in 2022

OUTSIDE THE BOX

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he Philippine Stock Exchange Composite Index ended 2021 virtually unchanged, down 17 points from the 2020 close.

The year turned out to be a roller coaster ride. In another sense, we started the New Year 2021 with the hope that the worst of the pandemic was behind us when in fact 2021 became the year of “you ain’t seen nothing yet.”

I will admit though that the stock market was generous to me this past year. The IPOs were profitable if you followed these great words of wisdom.... “You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, and know when to run.”

However, on October 11, 2021, I said, “Standing by what I said in my column ‘The PSE going forward’” on September 15, 2021. “I see the PSE index at 8,200 around end 2021 or early 2022.” That prediction/fore-

cast/crystal-ball gazing turned out to be a complete SCoaMF (look it up) which is why it is important to remember “Every hand’s a winner; And every hand’s a loser.”

The cycle change to “Economic Chaos” happened on January 20, 2020 and as I previously wrote, we have a “Panic Chaos” cycle coming about March 14, 2022, so be prepared.

The problems that the global economy is facing now go way beyond the headline “inflation,” “supply-

The cooperation of the population is critical to managing the pandemic. A healthy population, as I have been saying in the past, is the key to our economic recovery. It will lead us to the pre-pandemic economic levels and open more job and business opportunities for all of us in 2022.

Becoming an upper middle-income economy is an important milestone because it means higher purchasing power for Filipinos. This, in turn, will support various industries and generate more business opportunities for our people. It will also make us one of the largest economies in the world, given our large population of 110 million.

The PSA and the Commission on Population and Development estimate that the Philippine population likely breached the 110-million mark on the first day of 2022, rising by about 324,000 or 0.3 percent in 2021, despite the impact of the pandemic.

Thus, we need to sustain the growth of our economy for our 110 million people. Failure to do so will exacerbate poverty incidence and the unemployment rate.

Growing our economy, while the threat of the pandemic still

The problems that the global economy is facing now go way beyond the headline “inflation,” “supply-chain disruption,” and, of course, “Covid.” We talk about “temporary” and “systemic,” meaning the difference between short and long term.

But all that is meaningless. “Temporary” and “Systemic” are nonsense terms that are used by we the “experts” to camouflage the root causes. chain disruption,” and, of course, “Covid.” We talk about “temporary” and “systemic,” meaning the difference between short and long term.

But all that is meaningless. “Temporary” and “Systemic” are nonsense terms that are used by we the “experts” to camouflage the root causes.

Let me give you a silly example.

I wanted to buy my wife something special, a candy that she particularly enjoys that is not easily available in the Philippines. The only place I can find to buy it is from one of

lingers, requires a delicate balancing act. We could only achieve our lofty economic goals if we stay alert and cautious. The recent holiday activities, especially mask-free events such as home parties, dinners and karaoke sessions, may have contributed to the rise in new cases, with the virus reproduction number exceeding 1.0 again in Metro Manila.

While there is nothing wrong about celebrating with family and friends, we should keep in mind that we have to be very careful to avoid getting infected or infecting others. The celebration will be more meaningful if we are safe and protected.

The Department of Health registered 1,623 new Covid-19 cases on December 30, pushing the number of active infections to 11,772.

I have earlier said that to lift business and consumer confidence, we should keep the virus reproduction rate below 1.0 and manage the active cases to less than 10,000, so that our health-care facilities would have enough room to treat everyone.

We should also continue to apply our lessons from the September 2021 outbreak, when daily new infections exceeded the 20,000 level.

Local government units should not hesitate to impose granular See “Villar,” A13

the membership stores that delivers but that naturally charges a fee.

So in order not to pay a ridiculously high total price for the candy, I order other items that I really do not need to justify the delivery cost.

The high net cost for the candy is both “Temporary” and “Systemic” but in fact is a result of the “root cause” that I am not willing to drive 10 kilometers to the store.

Ever since we walked out of the Garden of Eden—or climbed down from the tree, depending on your worldview—government is usually the “root cause” of our problems.

Natural disasters? Ok, volcanoes erupting are “Acts of God.” But who thought it was a good idea to build a city (Pompeii) with 20,000 people at the foot of Mount Vesuvius? And 600,000 still live in the danger zone today.

2021: In the spring, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa banned chemical fertilizer imports and mandated that all agriculture switch to organic. By early September, Sri Lanka crop yields had fallen 19-25 percent, causing prices of See “Mangun,” A13

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Opinion

Past the pixels

The travails of a columnist

BusinessMirror

Manny F. Dooc

Lyca Balita

TELLTALES

Onwards

T

his country has new issues every week. They are often government-related, but civilians are occasionally the stars, and we haven’t had a break since the pandemic began. We have had murders caught on camera, face shield controversies, media franchises shut down, endless corruption allegations, and dolomite beaches, just to name a few. Last week’s issues: protocol breaches and parties in Poblacion.

Certainly, quarantine violators should be made liable under our laws.

There’s no issue there, especially considering the lives put at risk because of such breaches. However, big issues like this seem to reveal another sickness that’s also terrifyingly contagious, and this time, it hits us at our humanity: the desire to publish cruel posts in the hopes of going “viral” or Internet famous.

I have seen posts written by real people—and shared by people I personally know—wishing violent death on the woman who allegedly violated quarantine protocols.

Some even publicly wish death on her family. Many people attribute the sudden surge of cases to her, as though she single-handedly caused the thousands of new Covid-19 cases everyday—forgetting how lax many of us and public authorities have been last December. Hurling profanities and death wishes at scapegoats is easier than admitting governmental or even some civilian lapses, which contributed to the rise in cases. What have we become?

This attitude might be explained

by Fredrick Oduor’s statement that, “Perceptions on crime in the ambivalent virtual world-physical world dichotomy are skewed because the virtual world has the effect of physical ‘depersonalization,’ also offering dual citizenship [netizen] to the anonymous user, which eventually creates conflict for the individual committing the crime on the Internet.” Hence, many can post words they can’t say face to face. We’re filled with a strange kind of confidence to act more recklessly online because it is much easier to disrespect people when one can only see pixels rather than the target’s eyes. But we cannot forget that there are real people behind the memes, headlines, and pixels, and they’re people, too. Posts can easily destroy and even take lives, and it isn’t worth the shares and reactions.

Of course, this is not to say that violators should be let off easily. They should certainly be liable for their

Mangun. . .

Continued from A12

sugar, rice and onions to double. Tea production fell by 50 percent, erasing 5 percent of the country’s export income. Inflation skyrocketed.

November 21, 2021: “Sri Lanka revokes ban on fertilizers.”

High oil prices? Blame Putin, Covid, and Opec. Or maybe, “Oil And Gas Discoveries Plunge To Lowest Level In 75 Years—Oil and gas firms are currently having their worst year for new fossil fuel discoveries since

Villar. . .

Continued from A12

or localized lockdowns in areas with rising Covid-19 cases to manage the situation and keep the infections from spreading to other communities.

Business establishments should abide by the IATF guidelines, while individuals should follow health protocols such as the face mask mandate and social distancing measures. It is important to remain cautious and alert, or we may lose our freedom of mobility again if the situation gets out of control.

We have learned in the past that a general lockdown will not necessarily

The pandemic has already taken lives and years off those still alive. We cannot let it take our humanity, too. If this desire for virality at the expense of our humanity persists, we’d be facing a different kind of pandemic in a few years. It will not be preventable by a vaccine or face masks or social distancing, but it will spread quickly and can kill just as many, too. crimes, and we can’t keep allowing money and power to exempt a few from punishment. We should demand that violators be held accountable. But to wish violent death on a stranger and to encourage others to do the same, all for shares and likes and one day of going “viral”? Is that what we have become?

Unfortunately, this phenomenon isn’t isolated to the “Poblacion girl” issue. Comments sections, especially on Facebook, are filled with insults and violence and cruelty directed at other people. And when we open the profiles of these commenters, we see they are real people too: mothers, fathers, students, churchgoers, professionals, or children, whom we never would’ve expected to curse at other human beings. Most likely, they cannot say these things face to face either, but seeing only the pixels makes it easier for them to spout cruelty. Hopefully, we don’t forget that we can demand accountability without losing our humanity.

The pandemic has already taken lives and years off those still alive. We cannot let it take our humanity, too. If this desire for virality at the expense of our humanity persists, we’d be facing a different kind of pandemic in a few years. It will not be preventable by a vaccine or face masks or social distancing, but it will spread quickly and can kill just as many, too.

T

his is the 298th opinion I have published in my column, which I officially started in March 2019, about a week after I left my last government post. I wanted to write three times a week but a friend cautiously advised me that I might find it hard to find suitable materials to write about, aside from the pressure of meeting the deadline. Another former co-worker whose counsel I had sought warned me that my interest in writing might wane once I get exposed to the rigors of the work and get unfavorable feedback from the public. And he sympathetically consoled me that he would perfectly understand if my column “Telltales” gets aborted after six months.

But surprise of surprises, I am still around after three years of incredulously taxing the patience of my editors and the forbearance of my readers. Compared to the more established columnists of this paper, my column has only just begun and I’m still far from writing 30. I’ll still struggle to make my voice heard amid the cacophony of ideas and plethora of views flooding the marketplace. I’ll continue to hold my own perspective, seriously write about them and I’ll be delighted if I can nudge a reader to consider them more critically.

If I can help someone organize his thoughts more logically, going beyond popular beliefs, distinguishing truth from fiction and establishing facts from hearsay, then I have accomplished something as a writer.

I have definitely lived up to my newspaper’s noble aspiration, whose “Business” is to “Mirror” the truth. But I want my audience to be a responsible reader. By that I mean one who does not accept my points of view as gospel truth. I’m not omniscient—far from it. But there are things I know more about than other subjects and I don’t hide those facts from my readers. And in these areas of discipline, it’s less risky to take my words on their face value. My job is to bring the chosen topic to life

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.

contain the pandemic and might only spread the virus faster in households that do not wear face masks. On the other hand, allowing businesses to reopen, while observing the necessary protocols and measures such as regular temperature checks, could actually work.

The cooperation of the population is critical to managing the pandemic.

A healthy population, as I have been saying in the past, is the key to our economic recovery. It will lead us to the pre-pandemic economic levels and open more job and business opportunities for all of us in 2022.

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

Great and influential columnists have molded the opinions of many Filipinos and helped shape the policies and programs of our government. I’m not in that league and I cannot ever aspire to belong there. But my sleepless nights working on my column are more than redeemed if I succeed in cracking the mind of a single person to believe in himself and that, just like the next guy on the line, he, too, can be a contributing member of our society. sition, they may either affirm or reject the writer’s view.

Some of my readers text or email me about my articles, and many are blunt to open up their reactions, negative or positive, about my views. This is very common after I publish my political commentaries, which never fail to draw comments from the partisan supporters of candidates. Politics is a favorite fare of Filipinos and it is a national pastime. They talk politics during breakfast, lunch, dinner and at snacks in between them. No matter how hard the writer tries to be objective and neutral, readers will always see political color in the writer’s statements. Objective writing in a highly politicized environment is difficult to achieve. It will be challenging for a writer to make only statements that are verifiable by facts or supported by evidence.

Columnists are opinion writers who are wont to express their judgment and feelings on every issue. Many of them are not free from bias and subjectivity, and their writings are interwoven with personal opinion. I do not profess total objectivity in my articles, but I try to be fair and impartial. My writing is not strictly an informational account of the subject since I intersperse it with my personal views, which I try to back up with facts. When I make a statement that I know may draw a controversy, I ask these questions to myself: Is it something that I can

sleep over peacefully at night? Am I being unfair or unjust to a fellow human being? If my family asks me about it, can I give them honest answers without any reservation? If I cannot answer all these questions with a firm conviction, then I delete or modify it to conform to my own ethical standard of journalism.

I am not a trained writer or intellectually gifted to write about myriad subjects. Many of my subjects are drawn from my own personal experience and observations of the interesting things unfolding before me. Great ideas are lifted from what I read, hear and watch. I devour every book I can read. When anyone asks me what Christmas gift I would like to get, my immediate reply is to give me books. I gobble every newspaper and magazine I can lay my hands on—in waiting lounges, doctor’s clinics, airplanes and bookshops. My children gift me each year with subscriptions to Washington Post, The Economist, New York Times and other leading publications. If someone gives them to you as gifts, they come out a lot cheaper than when you directly subscribe to them.

I don’t miss the 7 o’clock news and the prime-time news programs of foreign news networks. I regularly visit Fully Booked and other bookshops, including second hand bookstores. You may be surprised to find treasures in them. They are my tools of the trade. Of course, this folly would not have reached this far without the technical support of my BusinessMirror editors.

Great and influential columnists have molded the opinions of many Filipinos and helped shape the policies and programs of our government. I’m not in that league and I cannot ever aspire to belong there. But my sleepless nights working on my column are more than redeemed if I succeed in cracking the mind of a single person to believe in himself and that, just like the next guy on the line, he, too, can be a contributing member of our society.

Exhaustion of administrative remedies in claims for refund of erroneously paid taxes

For feedback, send an e-mail to lyca.balita@ gmail.com

1946.” The International Energy Agency told governments this past May that all investments in new oil and gas fields must stop in 2021 if the world is serious about reaching net zero emissions by 2050. Better be worth it.

The area around Pompeii became very prosperous due to the desirability of living on the Bay of Naples for rich Romans. It wasn’t worth it.

so that I can get relevant reactions from the readers. If I can convince them to share my position or argument after they objectively evaluated them, then my mission as a writer is accomplished. If they disagree but develop their own independent ideas or judgments after weighing in the pros and the cons of the given issue, then I’m pleased of having been a part of the critical thinking process. If I can assist my readers to make up their mind on a public interest issue based on an informed decision, then I have contributed something to our society.

There is a productive relationship between the writer and the reader. When you put down your thoughts in writing, you open up yourself to a dialogue with your readers. The writer puts forward his ideas to others who may subscribe to, embrace, oppose or challenge them. There is this connection between you and your readers. Active readers don’t just close the article online or turn the page after reading it. More often, they react to it, and the process of what we call critical reading ensues. They analyze the material, recall their prior experience or knowledge concerning the subject, and apply them to the writer’s ideas. After checking out the facts, and weighing in on the writer’s po-

Tuesday, January 4, 2022 A13

Atty. Rodel C. Unciano

Tax Law for Business

H

appy new year!

Under the Tax Code, the procedures for claiming for refund of erroneously paid taxes are laid down under Sections 204 and 229. Section 204 applies to administrative claims for refund with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), while Section 229 applies to judicial claims for refund.

Section 204 provides that no credit or refund of taxes or penalties shall be allowed unless the taxpayer files in writing with the Commissioner a claim for credit or refund within two years after the payment of the tax. And pursuant to Section 229, no suit or proceeding shall be maintained in any court for the recovery of any national internal revenue tax alleged to have been erroneously or illegally collected until a claim for refund or credit has been duly filed with the Commissioner.

Fol low i ng t he r u les, bot h the administrative and judicial claims for refund must be filed within the two-year prescriptive period.

However, a taxpayer-claimant must first file an administrative claim for refund with the BIR before filing a judicial claim for refund with the Court. It has been settled that this does not mean that the taxpayer must

await the final resolution of its administrative claim for refund before seeking judicial recourse, since doing so would be tantamount to the taxpayer’s forfeiture of its right to seek judicial recourse should the two-year prescriptive period expire without the appropriate judicial claim being filed.

While it is settled that both the administrative and judicial claims should be filed within the two-year prescriptive period and that the administrative claim must be filed prior to filing of the judicial claim, there is so far no definitive rule on the required amount of time or number of days that the taxpayer has to wait from the filing of its administrative claim prior to filing of the judicial claim. It is clear that the taxpayer need not wait for the resolution of its administrative claim but if the claim remains unacted by the BIR, how long a time should the taxpayer wait prior to filing

Of course, it is to the advantage of the taxpayer-claimant to wait for the BIR’s resolution on the administrative claim but if the claim remains unacted upon by the BIR and the two-year prescriptive period is about to expire, it’s time to prepare for legal battle, otherwise right to judicial appeal is gone forever.

of its judicial claim?

In one case, the taxpayer filed an administrative claim for refund of excess and unutilized creditable withholding taxes on January 15, 2019. It filed its judicial claim before the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) on the following day.

The Court ruled that the filing of judicial claim for refund a day after the filing of administrative claim for refund does not comply with the requirement of exhaustion of administrative remedies.

A period of one day is insufficient for the BIR to resolve the administrative claim for refund considering that the claim has voluminous documents.

In another case, the taxpayer filed a claim for refund with the BIR and the CTA on the same day.

The Court said that the filing of the administrative claim with the BIR and judicial claim with the CTA on the same day does not constitute “prior filing” set forth under Section 229 of the Tax Code. The filing of both the administrative claim and judicial claim for refund on the same day

is akin to the concurrent filing of the subject claims.

Here, the taxpayer argued that it actually filed its administrative claim for refund prior to filing of its judicial claim for refund.

But the CTA ruled that the priorfiling requirement has not been complied as the filings were done on the same day.

Given the circumstances, and in the meantime that there is no definitive rule on this issue, the prudent approach therefore is to file the administrative claim at the earliest possible opportunity within the two-year prescriptive period, and if the claim remains unacted, to elevate the same to the Court at the latest possible opportunity, also within the twoyear prescriptive period.

Of course, it is to the advantage of the taxpayer-claimant to wait for the BIR’s resolution on the administrative claim but if the claim remains unacted upon by the BIR and the two-year prescriptive period is about to expire, it’s time to prepare for legal battle, otherwise right to judicial appeal is gone forever.

The author is a partner of Du-Baladad and Associates Law Offices (BDB Law), a member-firm of WTS Global.

The article is for general information only and is not intended, nor should be construed as a substitute for tax, legal or financial advice on any specific matter. Applicability of this article to any actual or particular tax or legal issue should be supported therefore by a professional study or advice. If you have any comments or questions concerning the article, you may e-mail the author at rodel.unciano@ bdblaw.com.ph or call 8403-2001 local 140.

A14 Tuesday, January 4, 2022

‘PRICE CAPS ON STATE HOSPITAL DRUG BUYS MERIT A REVIEW’

M

ANDATED price caps for public procurement of medicines must be reviewed as some pharmaceutical purchases made for public hospitals do not translate to lower medicine costs for the general public, according to the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS).

In a discussion paper, PIDS Fellow Michael R.M. Abrigo, Research Analyst Katha Ma-i M. Estopace, Consultant Gina A. Opiniano, Research Analyst II Zhandra C. Tam, and Administrative Assistant II Sherryl A.Yee recommended that the Drug Price Reference Index (DPRI) be reviewed.

Based on the study, price setting using the DPRI affects medicine procurement for drugs with few suppliers, making the approved budget of contract (ABC) too low compared to the market price of drugs.

“DPRI-compliance is associated with long procurement posting and higher propensity for procurement failure, but not with lower procurement price,” Abrigo, Estopace, and the other researchers said.

“There may be a need to rethink how DPRI is calculated, potentially expanding it to include trends in market prices rather than tender prices, to insulate it from erratic price changes based on few tenders, taking into consideration its intended function as price revelation mechanism,” they added.

Further, in light of the Mandanas Ruling taking effect this month, the PIDS researchers recommended that local governments pursue “pooled procurement” to facilitate the procurement process and reduce medicine prices.

“There may also be a need to more intently pursue pooled procurement at the province level if a national-level pooled procurement mechanism is dif-

ficult to pursue. As shown by our analysis, procurement at greater quantities is associated with lower procurement prices,” they said.

Based on the study, the PIDS researchers found the government purchased P20.1 billion worth of medicines in 2019, more than double the P7.8 billion recorded in 2014.

They said a third of the purchases made in that year consisted of procurement opportunities for drugs and medicines that had insufficient descriptions available to allow purchase.

Further, among the common challenges faced when purchasing medicines, the researchers said, was failed bids. This happens where there are bidders or there are a few bidders, leaving insufficient justification to award a contract.

“When health services ask suppliers why they didn’t participate in the bidding, they are informed that their ABC is too small compared to the market price of the medicine. This becomes a concern because the procurement of medicines is limited by the price range set by DPRI,” the researchers said.

This is part of the reason the researchers recommended the review of the DPRI. Currently, the DPRI is an important index because the Commission on Audit (COA) examines the DPRI for medicine and other pharmaceutical purchases.

Other issues that were raised include the times when a medicine is found in the DRPI but not in the National Drug Formulary; lack of availability; and problems with monitoring inventory.

The discrepancy between the DPRI and the NDF is a concern, because the NDF assures that the medicine is of good quality and is widely used by health services throughout the country.

BOC breaches goal for ’21 collection by nearly ₧30B

T

By Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

HE Bureau of Customs (BOC) has surpassed its annual collection target by nearly P30 billion in 2021, based on its preliminary data from the Revenue Collection Monitoring Group (RCMG).

The data showed BOC exceeded its target by 4.7 percent or P29.016 billion in 2021 at P645.765 billion.

The target for 2021 was only at P616.749 billion.

According to the BOC, the col-

lection for 2021 was also 2.45 percent higher than the pre-pandemic collection of P630.31 billion in 2019.

“The BOC’s positive revenue collection performance is attrib-

uted to the improved valuation, intensified enforcement operations against illegal importations, improved compliance by traders to customs laws, [and] the gradual improvement of importation volume,” the BOC said. “[This included] the government’s effort in ensuring unhampered movement of goods domestically and internationally considering the pandemic situation,” it added.

For the month of December, the BOC said it also exceeded its monthly revenue target by 20.8 percent with a total P62.478-billion collection against its month’s target of P51.705 billion.

Furthermore, 13 out of the 17 collection districts exceeded their target for 2021. These were the

ports of San Fernando, Manila, Manila International Container Port, Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Batangas, Legaspi, Iloilo, Surigao, Zamboanga, Davao, Subic, Clark, and Limay.

BOC Commissioner Rey Leonardo B. Guerrero commended the collective efforts of the men and women of Bureau of Customs who, despite the risks to their health and safety, showed unwavering commitment and dedication to service.

In November, the BOC also exceeded its collection target by 13.39 percent at P58.789 billion, based on preliminary data. The target was P51.847-billion for November.

This was also 34.5 percent higher than its P43.711-billion haul in November 2020.

Cai U. Ordinario

Returning Pinoy skips quarantine, gets massage at her home instead

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo

@akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror

N

OW it’s “Massage Girl.”

Another woman was caught skipping government’s mandatory quarantine procedures, and instead went home to her condominium unit and called for a home-service massage, according to Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat.

Speaking to CNN Philippines’s The Source, she said, “After this incident (Gwyneth Ann Chua and Berjaya Hotel), somebody gave the name, even gave pictures that the day [this other person] arrived, she had a massage and she was even posting it on Instagram stories!

Very proud ha, that she was skipping quarantine. And the person who knows her even gave a sworn affidavit. The person has since been caught.”

Netizens have since dubbed the violator as “Massage Girl,” in the same vein that they dubbed Chua, the young woman who went to a party in Makati instead of quarantining, as the “Poblacion Girl.”

Romulo Puyat said, upon further verification, the new violator “admitted that she skipped quarantine.”

Despite this new case, the tourism chief stressed that “majority of hotels comply” with government’s

mandatory quarantine procedures.

“There are just a few eggs,” she said, referring to the “absentee quarantine” practice, which was first reported by the BusinessMirror last week. Romulo Puyat said then she personally called up some hotel owners to find out the truth behind the scheme, where returning Filipinos pay for quarantine stays, but only return to the hotel on the fifth day for their Covid swab test. (See, “DOT chief livid over hotels selling ‘absentee quarantine’ packages,” December 30, 2021.)

Hotel tells on quarantine violator

MEANWHILE, government sources said it was Seda Residences Makati (Seda RM) which reported “Massage Girl’s” non-appearance at their establishment to relevant government agencies. They added, it was not the first time for the woman, whose name has been kept under wraps, to stay at Seda RM, an indication that she already knew the procedures by which she would be transported from the airport. Still, the sources averred, Seda RM sent all the details of the pickup procedures at the airport.

Upon further investigation, an airport taxi driver said he drove the woman in question to Seda RM, “and saw there was another person/ vehicle waiting for [her].”

Continued on A2

A CHURCH worker disinfects the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, more commonly known as the Quiapo Church, which will be closed from January 3 to 6, 2022, amid the increase in Covid-19 cases.

Rev. Fr. Douglas Badong, the church's parochial vicar, said the three-day closure would pave the way for its disinfection ahead of the Feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9. The government has placed Metro Manila under Alert Level 3 from January 3 to 15,2022 amid the increase in Covid-19 cases. Story on Quiapo Church on page A5. ROY DOMINGO

DILG sets random checks on quarantine hotels

By Samuel P. Medenilla

H

@sam_medenilla

OTELS which serve as quarantine facilities for inbound passengers will now be subjected to random checks from authorities, according to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

In a televised interview on Monday, Interior spokesperson Jonathan E. Malaya disclosed that Interior Secretary Eduardo M. Año issued the order to the Philippine National Police (PNP) after the reported case of a Filipina who arrived from the United States was able to avoid mandatory quarantine in a hotel in Makati last month.

Currently, at least 150 hotels in Metro Manila alone are accredited by the Department of Tourism (DOT) and may serve as quarantine facilities.

“Secretary Año wants the police to make the visit to make

sure those who are listed to be under quarantine will not be able to leave [the hotel] until their RT-PCR [Reverse TranscriptionPolymerase Chain Reaction] result comes out to stop the absentee quarantine modus,” Malaya said.

The Filipina in question arrived in the country on December 22, before she skipped quarantine protocols and went partying in Barangay Poblacion in Makati City the following day, earning her the monicker “Poblacion girl.”

On December 27, 2021, her swab test showed she was positive for Covid-19.

Possible liability

MALAYA said of the 15 people who had close contact with her, seven also tested positive for Covid-19, while for those who had secondary contact with her, at least one also became infected.

“So it was really a superspreader event, when

Poblacion girl was able to enter and leave her quarantine hotel,” Malaya said.

Government officials earlier said the concerned Filipina and those who allowed her to skip quarantine can face imprisonment for violating quarantine protocols.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) also noted the concerned hotel could also lose its accreditation and have its operation shut down.

Citing the initial investigation by the PNP-CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group), Malaya said the hotel where the Filipina stayed is likely to be held liable for the incident.

Malaya said hotels that serve as quarantine facilities have the responsibility to ensure that people staying in their establishments strictly comply with quarantine protocols.

Strictly monitored

THE Department of Labor and

Employment (DOLE) noted that such violation of quarantine protocols is unlikely for overseas Filipino workers (OFW) since they are closely monitored by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

“We have a listing of all our OFWs, who arrived and are monitored by us since we are the ones who welcome them, pay for their hotel accommodations and pay for their transportation cost,” Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said in a virtual press briefing last Monday.

“So we are closely monitoring them and they cannot skip [quarantine],” he added.

He noted that the “Poblacion girl” was not part of their jurisdiction since she was not an OFW. OWWA earlier reported it was able to extend aid, which includes hotel accommodations, to over 800,000 OFWs since the onset of the pandemic in 2020.

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

3D ANALYZER INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES INC. 7-8/f Double Dragon Plaza, 255 Edsa Cor. Macapagal Blvd., Brgy. 076, Pasay City ZHANG, XIXIA Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking 1.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services. Maintains customer records by updating account information in Mandarin Format.

WEI, PING Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

2.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services. Maintains customer records by updating account information in Mandarin Format.

11.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Spoken and Written Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Shall be responsible in interpretation of the marketing materials and communicating in dual language English and other needed language (spoken and written) with customers. Study company profile and operations to understand its marketing needs. Conduct marketing research to identify industry trends and commercial opportunities. Develop and implement a marketing strategy according to objectives and budget. Prepare detailed proposals and marketing plans. Advise on branding, positioning, communications and other marketing issues. Give direction to marketing efforts with the most effective methods and tools. Liaise with marketing department and external vendors. Monitor marketing projects and analyze results. Write reports with suggestions for improvements and new idea.

MOKRANI, AMAR Southeast Asia Business Development Manager 3.

Brief Job Description: Investigates and selects the opportunities offered by the water treatment and concessions market in the country/region in order to meet the organization’s objectives.

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree graduate and/ or Master’s Qualification in business, planning engineering, science or similar, preferably with international education background in Anglo-Saxon countries (Singapore, Australia or USA) Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

YUAN, HUIMING Mandarin Business Development Officer 12.

4.

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

Brief Job Description: The Mandarin Business Development Officer will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goals

ZHU, XINGYUE Mandarin Human Resources Supervisor 13.

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

Brief Job Description: The Mandarin Human Resources Supervisor will be strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goal.

5.

Brief Job Description: Must ensure their funds reporting requirements are met

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

LIU, WEI Mandarin Marketing Manager 14.

BLUELINE ACTIVE ASIA, INC. 37/f Lkg Tower, 6801 Ayala Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati

ZHOU, WENKAI Web Developer - Mandarin Speaking 6.

Brief Job Description: Website and software application designing, building and maintaining

7.

Brief Job Description: Execute quality checks of requisitions and creation of purchase orders based on defined standard processes and regulatory compliance regarding sourcing category.

Basic Qualification: Expertise and hands-on experience with a wide range of web application and programming languages

8.

Brief Job Description: Making presentation to Chinese investors/business partners and coordinating the efforts of Chinese workers.

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration or similar. Must be fluent in English and Vietnamese Language (spoken and writing)

9.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for working within all stages of project management. The primary role is to work closely with project managers to ensure that all budgeting, scheduling and coordinating processes run smoothly.

JIANG, JIAJUN Chinese Speaking Program Designer 15.

16.

17.

10.

Brief Job Description: The Project Director is responsible for the realization of large complex, on-and offshore project

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

CF VIP SERVICE GROUP INC. Unit 25d 2/f Zeta Ii Bldg., 191 Salcedo St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

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

ZHENG, JIANHE Chinese Speaking Program Designer 18.

22.

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as Mandarin Business Development Officer, familiarity, knowledge and awareness on Machinery and heavy equipment use by the company; Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin Human Resources Supervisor, Familiarity, knowledge and awareness on Machinery and Heavy Equipment use by company, Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin Marketing Manager, Familiarity, knowledge and awareness on Machinery and Heavy Equipment use by company, Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

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

ZHANG, MUYAO Chinese Customer Service Officer 19.

Brief Job Description: The Chinese customer service officer is a first point of contract for the company’s Chinese clients. The primary role of a Chinese customer service officer within the team is to respond to a variety of Chinese clients request and inquiries via telephone or via live chat

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

23.

24.

20.

Brief Job Description: Overseeing daily business operations.

Brief Job Description: To assist coordination and manage all documentation related matters between Korean accounts and other overseas principals under a specific team and local personnel. To represent the company during interactions with Korean market / clients / partners.

LIM SOOK YEE Mandarin Administrative Specialist 25.

Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in MALAY and at least college level with related BPO experience.

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

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

Basic Qualification: Advanced Level of Proficiency in English and Korean languages (written & oral). Graduate of any 4 year course. Minimum 3 years work experience in a managerial related role.

Knowledgeable in computer applications Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

Brief Job Description: Responsible in answering customer questions about product and services of the company

Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

GENX SPORTS & MEDIA PRODUCTION CORP. 26th And 27th Flr. Eastwood Cyber One Bldg., Eastwood City Cyberpark, No. 188 E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave. Bagumbayan 3, Quezon City

CHEN, ALEI Customer Service Representative-Chinese Speaking 26.

Brief Job Description: Recommends potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

HUANG, ZHAOQUAN Customer Service Representative-Chinese Speaking 27.

Brief Job Description: Recommends potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

MA, YANGYANG Customer Service Representative-Chinese Speaking 28.

Brief Job Description: Recommends potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

WANG, YIFAN Customer Service Representative-Chinese Speaking

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

Brief Job Description: Recommends potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

WEI, CHAO Customer Service Representative-Chinese Speaking 30.

Basic Qualification: A Chinese and fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

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

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

FRONTIER POINT MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS INC. 29/f Techzone Bldg., Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., San Antonio, City Of Makati

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledge of business processes and functions (Finance, HR, Procurement, Operations, ETC)

Brief Job Description: Investigate user problems and prepare reports for developers.

KO, MYUNGCHUL Assistant Documentation Manager

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

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

Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in MALAY and at least college level with related BPO experience.

FOSCON SHIPMANAGEMENT INC. Palacio Grande Building, Gen. Luna St. Cor Anda St., 069, Barangay 655, Intramuros, City Of Manila

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

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions, and responding to complaints.

LI, YANGYUN Mandarin Speaking Computer Support Specialist

Brief Job Description: Recommends potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

WEI, KEQIANG Customer Service Representative-Chinese Speaking 31.

DELIVERYK INC. Level 10-1 Fort Legend Tower, 3rd Avenue Corner 31st Street, Bgc, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

KIM, HYOUNGJOON General Manager

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

DIGIVIRTUAL TECH CORPORATION 7/f Ba Lepanto Bldg., 8747 Paseo De Roxas, Bel-air, City Of Makati

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

DATACLICK INTERNATIONAL CORP. E. Rodriguez St., Roxas Blvd. St., Barangay 003, Pasay City

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

VAN REES, JACK Project Director

WANG, HAO Mandarin Customer Support Representative

29.

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

Basic Qualification: Extensive experience in the international dredging industry with focus on Project Management

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

WEI, YANG Chinese Speaking Program Designer

Basic Qualification: Know how to speak mandarin and proficient with computers.

Basic Qualification: Higher professional education in Business Administration and Finance.

Skills in various ERP systems, preferably infor LN and knowledge of IFRS and GAAP. Work experience of at least 5 years on International Dredging & land reclamation projects

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

LI, XINGYUN Chinese Speaking Program Designer

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

BOSKALIS PHILIPPINES INC. Unit 3701, 3801 The Orient Square, F. Ortigas Jr. Road, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig

DEN HERTOG, BASTIAAN Finance Project Controller

Brief Job Description: The Mandarin Marketing Manager will be strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goal.

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions, and responding to complaints.

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

CRONYX INC. No. 4th-10th Flr. Yinhope Bldg., Dela Rama Cor. Zoili Hilario St., Seascape Village, Ccp Complex Subd. Zone 10, Barangay 076, District 1, Pasay City

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

BON JIN LENDING INC. Units A&b 20/f Rufino Pacific Tower, 6784 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a. Rufino St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati YI, KAI Project Director – Mandarin Speaking

21.

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

BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM BUSINESS SERVICES PHILIPPINES, INC. L-2-3, Blk. 45, Alabang Zapote Road, Cor. North Bridgeway, Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang, City Of Muntinlupa

TRAN VIET TUAN Specialist, Procurement Po (Vietnamese Speaker)

Basic Qualification: Can speak, write, type in bi-language. Skills as stated above

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

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, management or any business course

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

CHOO CHUN SIONG Malaysian Customer Support Representative

CMEC OFFICE IN PHILIPPINES Unit 717 High Street South Corporate Plaza, Tower 2 26th Street, Bgc, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

BIGCAT SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS, INC. 18/f Pbcom Tower, 6795 Ayala Avenue Cor. Rufino Street, Salcedo Vill., Bel-air, City Of Makati

WONGKUM, KANOKWAN Thai Language-officer Fund Management

No.

DEXIN 999, INC. Red Hotel No. 345, Edsa Cor. Don Carlos Revilla St., Barangay 147, Pasay City

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

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

CHINA HARBOUR ENGINEERING COMPANY 5/f Rm 501 Ramon Magsaysay Center, 1680 Roxas Blvd., 076, Bgy. 699, Malate, City Of Manila

ACCIONA AGUA, S.A. PHILIPPINES BRANCH #49, National Road, Putatan, City Of Muntinlupa

A15

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

PARK, SEONGJU Bilingual Marketing Specialist

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Spoken and Written Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Tuesday, January 4, 2022

Brief Job Description: Recommends potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

XU, JINQUAN Customer Service Representative-Chinese Speaking 32.

Brief Job Description: Recommends potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

Basic Qualification: Proven working experience in digital marketing particular within the industry and good communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proven working experience in digital marketing particular within the industry and good communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proven working experience in digital marketing particular within the industry and good communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proven working experience in digital marketing particular within the industry and good communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proven working experience in digital marketing particular within the industry and good communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proven working experience in digital marketing particular within the industry and good communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proven working experience in digital marketing particular within the industry and good communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

A16

BusinessMirror

Tuesday, January 4, 2022

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION YANG, RUMING Customer Service Representative-Chinese Speaking

33.

Brief Job Description: Recommends potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Proven working experience in digital marketing particular within the industry and good communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

No.

CHOI, HOEWON Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 34.

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

HENDRI Indonesian Customer Service Representative 48.

DIAO, FEILONG Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 35.

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

36.

Brief Job Description: Management, Dissemination of information and figures, Company Representative.

LI, PENGJIE Mandarin Interpreter 37.

Brief Job Description: Management, Dissemination of information and figures, Company Representative.

XIANG, BO Mandarin Interpreter 38.

Brief Job Description: Management, Dissemination of information and figures, Company Representative.

XUE, ZHANG Mandarin Interpreter 39.

Brief Job Description: Management, Dissemination of information and figures, Company Representative.

40.

Brief Job Description: Attends to customer’s inquiries and complaints regarding Philips products via phone calls and emails

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

41.

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

FANG, WEI Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 42.

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

LI, WEIJIA Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 43.

Brief Job Description: Assist/Help Customers, Give Customers Information about Product and Services

LIN, HSUAN-FAN Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 44.

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

SUN, SZU-CHIEH Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 45.

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

TAO, YUAN Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 46.

Brief Job Description: Assist/Help Customers, Give Customers Information about Product and Services

TSAN GIA QUYEN Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 47.

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

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions, and responding to complaints.

PHANG QI WEN Malaysian Customer Support Representative 50.

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

51.

Basic Qualification: College graduate, speaks and reads Mandarin, Have a great experience on the said position.

52.

53.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With Atleast 6 Months Customer Service Experience/Good in Oral Communication and Written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/ Good in oral communication and written

54.

55.

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

No.

63.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in Indonesian and at least college level with related BPO experience.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in MALAY and at least college level with related BPO experience.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in Mandarin/Fukien and at least college level with related BPO experience.

64.

65.

66.

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions, and responding to complaints.

Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in Vietnamese and at least college level with related BPO experience.

Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in Vietnamese and at least college level with related BPO experience.

KAWAKAMI, CHIKASHI General Manager For Business Development And For Japanese Accounts Brief Job Description: Has a good understanding of server technologies and the server team.

68.

69.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in Vietnamese and at least college level with related BPO experience.

70.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 71.

Basic Qualification: Bachelor Graduate Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

72.

73.

TOMEY, GERARDUS CORNELIS Managing Director 56.

Brief Job Description: The Managing Director will be responsible to direct and control the Company’s operations and to give strategic guidance and direction to the Board to ensure that the Company achieves its mission and objectives.

Basic Qualification: Extensive background in leading an organization, strong technical and telecommunications background

LEE, DUKHYUNG Sales Manager 57.

Brief Job Description: Managing organizational sales by developing a business plan that covers sales, revenue and expense control.

LENG DUC PHUONG Chinese Speaking Customer Service Staff Brief Job Description: Provide outstanding and exceptional customer service

LIU, LEI Chinese Speaking Customer Service Staff Brief Job Description: Provide outstanding and exceptional customer service

SHI, RUIJIE Chinese Speaking Customer Service Staff Brief Job Description: Provide outstanding and exceptional customer service

CHAI YEE WEI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

LI, BIN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

TA THI THUY Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

TANG WAI HONG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

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

TRAN HAU HIEP Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

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

TRUONG QUANG KHANH Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

LIN, WEIZE It Technical Support 74.

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s/ College degree in any field.

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

Brief Job Description: Maintains the computer networks of all types of organizations, providing technical support and ensuring the whole company runs smoothly

58.

Brief Job Description: Maintain, manage and repair IT systems

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

75.

KONGANBUDDIES MARKETING INC. 48/f Lower Ground Pbcom Tower, 6795 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a. Rufino St., Bel-air, City Of Makati PAN, HONGWEI Mandarin Customer Service Representative 59.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in Answering customer questions about product and services of the company

XU, YANXIN Mandarin Speaking Marketing Manager 60.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in Answering customer questions about product and services of the company

LE THI HONG DIEU Vietnamese Customer Service Representative 61.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in Answering customer questions about product and services of the company

76.

Brief Job Description: Chinese Support and Data Base Services

JIANG, JUNJIE Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Chinese Support and Data Base Services

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English Mandarin and Other MultiLingual Language

77.

MA, BO Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

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

Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English Mandarin and Other MultiLingual Language

78.

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

LARSEN & TOUBRO INFOTECH LIMITED Units 2024 - 2026 & 2027 - 2028, 2030, 20f Zuellig Bldg., Makati Ave. Cor., Paseo De Roxas, City Of Makati

62.

HUANG, GUOMOU Chinese Customer Service

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

Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English Mandarin and Other MultiLingual Language

SINGH, MANJUNATH LAKSHMANSINGH Technical Consultant

Basic Qualification: Bachelor of Engineering

Brief Job Description: Diagnosing and mapping client requirements

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Can speak Chinese/ Mandarin fluently Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Can speak Chinese/ Mandarin fluently Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

Basic Qualification: With bachelor’s degree in Computer science or any related course with a minimum of 1 year IT experience and able to speak and write in Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

KINDOSAR PROCESS SOLUTIONS INC. Unit 5d, Rose Industries Bldg., Pioneer St., Kapitolyo, City Of Pasig

HWANG, JUSUNG Technical Support Specialist

Basic Qualification: Can speak Chinese/ Mandarin fluently

NANTAI TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS INCORPORATED 3rd Floor Net One Center Building, 26th Street Corner 3rd Ave., Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

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

JK ESSENTIALS CORP. Building 66-18a, Ground Floor Former Panorama Compound, Veterans Center, Western Bicutan, City Of Taguig

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. 4th-11th Flr. Nexgen Tower, C4 Rd. Edsa Ext., Barangay 76, Pasay City

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

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

MARKETROLE ASIA PACIFIC SERVICES, INC. 26/f, 27/f, 28/f The Enterprise Center Tower 1, 6766 Ayala Ave. Cor. Paseo De Roxas, San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

IXSFORALL INC. 12th Floor The Trade & Financial Tower, U1206, 32ndt St. & 7th Avenue Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

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

Basic Qualification: With Atleast 6 Months Customer Service Experience/Good in Oral Communication and Written

Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in Indonesian and at least college level with related BPO experience.

ISLA PETROLEUM & GAS CORPORATION 14/f Citibank Center, 8741 Paseo De Roxas, Bel-air, City Of Makati

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

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions, and responding to complaints.

NGUYEN THI HUYEN Vietnamese Customer Support Representative

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

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions, and responding to complaints.

HA HOANG ANH Vietnamese Customer Support Representative

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

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

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions, and responding to complaints.

DIP KHI CHIENG Vietnamese Customer Support Representative

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

Basic Qualification: Strictly follow procedures and requirements outlined in addressing customer issues/requests

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

67.

Basic Qualification: College graduate, speaks and reads Mandarin, Have a great experience on the said position.

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

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions, and responding to complaints.

CHEN, PENG Mandarin Customer Support Representative

Basic Qualification: College graduate, speaks and reads Mandarin, Have a great experience on the said position.

INFOVINE INC. 9/f Y Tower, Moa Complex, Coral Way Drive Cor. Macapagal, Brgy. 076, Pasay City

CHEN, MENG Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk

49.

Basic Qualification: College graduate, speaks and reads Mandarin, Have a great experience on the said position.

HINDUJA GLOBAL SOLUTIONS LIMITED 7th Floor Aeon Prime Centre, North Bridgeway Avenue Corner Alabang- Zapote Road, Northgate Cyberzone, Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang, City Of Muntinlupa

KELVIN BHARATH JEGANATHAN Bahasa Indonesia Speaking Associate

WELLY WIRIANTO Indonesian Customer Service Representative

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

HI-SEAS CO. LTD. INC. 8th Floor, Jd Tower, Commerce Avenue, Mbp, Alabang, City Of Muntinlupa

HUANG, YONGKANG Mandarin Interpreter

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions, and responding to complaints.

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

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

INVECH TREASURE PROCESSING CORPORATION Ground, 2nd, 3rd And 4th Floor, Eight West Campus Mckinley West, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

GLOBALLGA BUSINESS PROCESS OUTSOURCING Ground Level, Level 2-5 Floor, Silver City 4, Ortigas East, Ugong, City Of Pasig Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

www.businessmirror.com.ph

79.

SHI, LU Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Chinese Support and Data Base Services

SUN, JU-CHIEN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in Computer Applications with Good oral and Written Communications Skills.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in Computer Applications with Good oral and Written Communications Skills.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in Computer Applications with Good oral and Written Communications Skills.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

80.

81.

82.

83.

84.

85.

86.

87.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

XING, XIUQI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Chinese Support and Data Base Services

XU, YUEHONG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Chinese Support and Data Base Services

ZHANG, SHA Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

EDRICSEN Indonesian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

SISKAWATY Indonesian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

NGUYEN DAC SON Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

PHAM QUOC THONG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

PHAM THANH TRUNG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in Computer Applications with Good oral and Written Communications Skills.

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

93.

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in Computer Applications with Good oral and Written Communications Skills.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills

TJIN YONG SHING Customer Service Representative 94.

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

TU KIM THANH Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills

95.

Brief Job Description: Identify and asses customer needs to achieve satisfaction

Brief Job Description: Manage large amounts of incoming calls. Generate sales leads. Identify and assess customers’ needs.

Handle customer complaints. Follow communication procedures, guidelines and policies.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills

CHUNG, HA JUNG Branch Manager - Manila South 96.

Brief Job Description: Targeting potential customers and assessing opportunities for sales.

ROBERTS, ANDREW ROSS Managing Director And Chief Technical Officer

Brief Job Description: Responsible for the day-to-day operation of the organization’s computer systems and network, ensuring 24/7 operation of systems and when problems arise, effecting quick and permanent solutions.

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

Basic Qualification: At least 1 year experience in the job mentioned, college graduate, fluent in English and Mandarin languages

90.

Brief Job Description: Manage large amounts of incoming calls. Generate sales leads.Identify and assess customers’ needs.

Handle customer complaints. Follow communication procedures, guidelines and policies.

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

CHI TAN SANG Customer Service Representative 91.

Brief Job Description: Manage large amounts of incoming calls. Generate sales leads. Identify and assess customers’ needs.

Handle customer complaints. Follow communication procedures, guidelines and policies.

Basic Qualification: Must be a College graduate; Can Prepare product or service reports by collecting and analyzing customer information; Can contribute to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed; Can Manage large amounts of incoming calls Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Making company decisions. Support the President by overseeing internal operations

99.

Brief Job Description: Develop business proposals, analyze content and past expenses, develop creative strategies

HARMEET SINGH Business Lending Development Officer 100.

Brief Job Description: Develop business proposals, analyze content and past expenses, develop creative strategies

SHIV KUMAR Business Lending Development Officer 101.

Brief Job Description: Develop business proposals, analyze content and past expenses, develop creative strategies

HUANG, YAOWEI Chinese Customer Service Representative 102.

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

XIE, LINLIN Chinese Customer Service Representative 103.

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

XIONG, LIWANG Chinese Customer Service Representative 104.

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

HOANG CONG PHUC Customer Service Representative 92.

Brief Job Description: Manage large amounts of incoming calls. Generate sales leads. Identify and assess customers’ needs.

Handle customer complaints. Follow communication procedures, guidelines and policies.

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

105.

Brief Job Description: Serves as primary contact for problem resolution and information gathering regarding customer complaints and work assignment

106.

Brief Job Description: Handle Service Support Calls, Emails and Chats Related to inquiry From clients and/or Customers Through Mandarin to English Translation

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

SKY DRAGON GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES CORP. 2f-5f, Unit 710 Shaw Blvd., Global Link Center, Brgy. Wack Wack, City Of Mandaluyong

Basic Qualification: Must be a College graduate; Can Prepare product or service reports by collecting and analyzing customer information; Can contribute to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed; Can Manage large amounts of incoming calls

Basic Qualification: Speak, Read and Write Korean and English fluently.

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

Basic Qualification: Relevant experience in E-Commerce, technology and industry; Business, Computer Engineering.

109.

PAUL SUMARTA Bahasa Indonesian Language-manager Operation Support Brief Job Description: Oversee the work of engineering IT or maintenance staff

CHIA YIK HONG Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer relations service provider

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or Information Technology Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

Basic Qualification: Fluent in mandarin, both oral and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

SPEED QUALITY TECH INC. 20/f Techzone Bldg., 213 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., San Antonio, City Of Makati

110.

111.

KUNG, HONG-FU Mandarin Customer Service Specialist Brief Job Description: Customer service

WEI, YI Mandarin Customer Service Specialist Brief Job Description: Customer service

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin both oral and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin both oral and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

NIBA NWICHAMBI, HANANEEL French Operations Technical Support Representative 112.

Brief Job Description: Provides expedient and accurate customer service to French speaking clients and customers

Basic Qualification: Skilled in French language Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

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

Basic Qualification: Strategic vision with the ability to execute

THE EVERLIVING COMPANY, INC. #739, G. Araneta Ave., Tatalon 4, Quezon City

113.

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

Basic Qualification: College graduate, fluent in English, preferably 6mos1year same field experience

Basic Qualification: College graduate, fluent in English, preferably 6mos1year same field experience Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, fluent in English, preferably 6mos1year same field experience Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

114.

Basic Qualification: College graduate, fluent in English, preferably 6mos1year customer service experience Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: A native speaker of the Indonesian language (spoken & written) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Through Extensive and Fluency in Mandarin Language and Characters Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: College graduate; Can speak Chinese Mandarin language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions, and responding to complaints.

Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in MANDARIN/FUKIEN and at least college level with related BPO experience.

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

WELCOME BANK (RURAL BANK), INC. Unit G 02 I Square Bldg., Meralco Ave., Antonio Village, San Antonio, City Of Pasig CHOI, SUNG HO Division Head Ii 115.

Brief Job Description: Responsible to develop and manage strategies, operations and policies related to the treasury function

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s/college degree in any field Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

WELLBE MEDIC AND INSURANCE AGENCY (PHILIPPINES) INC. Unit 2b & 2c, Blue Sapphire Residences, 30th Street, 2nd Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

KURODA, RYO Japanese Sales & Marketing Specialist 116.

Basic Qualification: College graduate, fluent in English, preferably 6mos1year customer service experience Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Chinese traditional consultant

NONG, LANYING Mandarin Customer Support Representative

Basic Qualification: College graduate, fluent in English, preferably 6mos1year customer service experience Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

CHUANG, HUI-TZU Marketing Planner

TRIVES TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION Tower 4 Bayport West, Naia Garden Residence, Naia Road, Tambo, City Of Parañaque

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

SEEKTOP SERVICE MANAGEMENT INC. 25/f Alphaland Corporate Tower, 7232 Ayala Ave. Extn. Cor. Malugay St., Bel-air, City Of Makati PHAM THUY THU HANG Customer Relation Representative (Mandarin Translation)

Brief Job Description: Coordinate, respond and address inquiries of Chinese Speaking Customers, call center activities

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

RUNNINGMAN CORPORATION 8/f Techzone Bldg., 213 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., San Antonio, City Of Makati STEVEN Indonesian-language Customer Support Staff

Basic Qualification: Must be a College graduate; Can Prepare product or service reports by collecting and analyzing customer information; Can contribute to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed; Can Manage large amounts of incoming calls

107.

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking foreign language

108.

RIGHT CHOICE FINANCE CORP. 5e-1 Electra House Bldg., 115-117 Esteban Street, San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

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

Basic Qualification: Must be a College graduate; Can Prepare product or service reports by collecting and analyzing customer information; Can contribute to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed; Can Manage large amounts of incoming calls

ZHANG, WEIYU Mandarin Speaking It/customer Support

Basic Qualification: Must be a College graduate; Can Prepare product or service reports by collecting and analyzing customer information; Can contribute to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed; Can Manage large amounts of incoming calls

RD GENERAL CONSTRUCTION AND HAULING SERVICES INC. 1444 Rm 301 Jalandoni Bldg. R, Salas St. 072, Barangay 669, Ermita, City Of Manila

OMNIWEALTH ENTERPRISE INC. 17th Flr. Citibank Square Bldg., No. 188 Rodriguez Jr. Ave., Eastwood City Cyberpark 3, Bagumbayan, Quezon City

BUI XUAN DIEP Customer Service Representative

SHANG SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS, INC. 11/f Pbcom Tower, Ayala Avenue, Salcedo Village, Bel-air, City Of Makati

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

OKTION MONEY CHANGER CORP. Unit Ug-07 Cityland Herrera Tower, 98 V.a Rufino Cor. Valero Sts., Bel-air, City Of Makati

89.

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

97.

RABIE HASSABELRASOUL, ABDELMAGID HAMAD Vice President

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

SEQUOIA SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS INC. 37f Lkg Tower, 6801 Ayala Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills

Brief Job Description: Developing the company’s strategy for using technological resources, efficiency, evaluation

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Basic Qualification: Must be a College graduate; Can Prepare product or service reports by collecting and analyzing customer information; Can contribute to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed; Can Manage large amounts of incoming calls

PROPERTYACCESS PHILIPPINES CORP. 8th Floor High Street South Corporate Plaza Bldg., Tower 126th St. Cor. 9th Ave., Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

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

Basic Qualification: Excellent in Chinese language

No.

OSSTEM PHILIPPINES INC. U-2708 A&b 27/f Centuria Medical Makati, Kalayaan Ave. Cor. Salamanca St., Poblacion, City Of Makati

BALVIR SINGH Business Lending Development Officer

YANG, SEUNGWOO Technical Support Manager

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

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

98.

88.

Brief Job Description: Manage large amounts of incoming calls. Generate sales leads .Identify and assess customers’ needs.

Handle customer complaints. Follow communication procedures, guidelines and policies.

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills

NOONA BUSINESS CONSULTING SERVICES INC. 10th & 31st Floor Ore Central Tower, 9th Ave. Cor. 31st St., Bgc, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig WANG, XIAOAN Mandarin Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage large amounts of incoming calls. Generate sales leads. Identify and assess customers’ needs.

Handle customer complaints. Follow communication procedures, guidelines and policies.

A17

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

SHWAN SHEE Customer Service Representative

Tuesday, January 4, 2022

Brief Job Description: Create, develop and recommend sales objectives and strategies of the company for Management’s approval; Handles Japanese customer concerns and ensure resolution in the most effective way.

Basic Qualification: JLPT N1 passer; Fluent in Japanese and English (Speak, read and write); At least 5 years working experience in the same field; Strong verbal, visual and written communication skills with the ability to explain approach to all levels of organization; Extensive knowledge in the same industry is preferred.

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

Y INVESTMENTS PHILIPPINES, INC. G/f Don Chua Lamko Bldg., 100 L.p Leviste Cor. H.v. Dela Costa Sts., Bel-air, City Of Makati MENG, FRANKIE General Manager 117.

Brief Job Description: Over-All in charge of the daily operations of the portfolio companies

Basic Qualification: MBA Graduate, Experience in handling different portfolios.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 *Date Generated: Jan 3, 2022

In the ad material of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on December 29, 2021, the position of DELONG, JAMES MATTHEW under EAST WEST AGEAS LIFE INSURANCE CORPORATION, should have been read as EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT-CHIEF DISTRIBUTION OFFICER and not as published.

Any person in the Philippines who is competent, able and willing to perform the services for which the foreign national is desired may file an objection at DOLE National Capital Region located at DOLE-NCR Building, 967 Maligaya St., Malate Manila, within 30 days after this publication.

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

Companies

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

BusinessMirror

Tuesday, January 4, 2022 B1

PSE hailed as best bourse in SE Asia for record deals

T

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

he Philippine Stock Exchange Inc. (PSE) has been named as the Best Stock Exchange in Southeast Asia for 2021 by institutional investment magazine, Alpha Southeast Asia.

The citation was given during the magazine’s Marquee Awards, the 15th Annual Best Deal and Solution Awards 2021.

“With record number of equity offerings both in deal size and a wide range of asset classes introduced into the market, the Philippine Stock Exchange has emerged as the Best Stock Exchange in Southeast Asia,” Alpha Southeast Asia said.

It said the PSE deals for the year, which involves eight initial public offerings (IPO), including the country’s biggest IPO and four real estate investment trust (REIT) listings, were “perfect examples of how best to create shareholder value.”

“With a stronger framework of corporate governance in place led by the PSE and an ongoing push to raise the standards of timely disclosure, PSE is well positioned among issuers and investors, both local and

foreign,” it said.

“This award was made possible by the guidance and support of our Board of Directors and the hard work and dedication of the whole PSE team. I hope that this recognition will serve as an inspiration to all of us to do even better this year,” PSE President and CEO Ramon S. Monzon said in his New Year’s message during the first trading day bell ringing ceremony.

Last year, PSE set a new record for capital raised in the stock market at P234.48 billion, breaking the previous high of P228.33 billion in 2012, on the back of the biggest IPO to date and four REIT listings.

Aside from the IPOs, there were 11 follow-on offerings last year, four

Photo shows (from left, by row): Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) Treasurer Omelita J. Tiangco and PSE Corporate Secretary Aissa V. Encarnacion; PSE General Counsel Veronica V. Del Rosario, PSE COO Roel A. Refran, PSE President and CEO Ramon S. Monzon and Securities Clearing Corporation of the Philippines COO Renee D. Rubio; PSE Technology Division Head Philip A. Driz, PSE Finance Division Head Roberto Jose R. Jimenez, PSE Capital Markets Development Division Head Mark Frederick V. Visda and PSE Market Operations Division Head Roel M. Villanueva. Contributed photo

stock rights offerings and seven private placements.

For 2020, however, capital raised at the PSE was only at P103.76 billion.

“We are pleased that more companies chose to raise funds through the PSE. Their confidence in the stock market made it possible for us

to achieve this record capital raising number,” Monzon said.

PSE will open the year with the back-to-back IPO of property developer Haus Talk Inc. and restaurant operator Figaro Coffee Group Inc. The PSE is also hosting its firstever Investment Expo on January 29 and 30.

EasyCall acquires TESI for ₧162M E

asycall Communications Philippines Inc. on Monday said it has acquired its affiliate firm, Transnational E-Business Solutions Inc. (TESI)— a technology company that specializes in software development, software as a service and information technology outsourcing.

The company said it acquired on January 1 all of the 1 million shares of the Delgadoowned firm for P162.92 million.

The board of EasyCall has also given its nod to securing bank loans or shareholder advances of up to P200 million to fund the deal, its capital expenditures and for other general corporate purposes.

ICTSI unit launches new feeder service

The company said it is finalizing its loans or shareholder advances and will pay the purchase price within 30 days.

“The acquisition of TESI will further enhance the products and service offerings of ECP as a technology company,” it said.

EasyCall, known for its pagers in the 1990s, has since shifted its focus to becoming a data technology company, and is keen on expanding its service offerings in the digital space through the acquisition of TESI.

TESI was previously 50 percent owned by the Delgado holding company, Transnational Diversified Corp. and 50 percent owned

by TDG Ventures Inc., which is also the biggest shareholder of EasyCall at 88.03 percent. “ We see sy nerg y bet ween EasyCall and TESI, having EasyCall directly own TESI, and we hope to expand our services to help businesses unlock their potential through digital transformation,” EasyCall President Zaki Antoni H. Delgado said.

“We are very optimistic that through this new development with TESI, we can build on our culture of innovation and provide the best digital solutions that address the needs of our customers.”

TESI is a company that has enabled businesses to fast-track their digital adoption through systems development using low-code applications, software as a service and information technology outsourcing, among others. Year to date, the software firm is net income positive, the company said. VG Cabuag

Batangas City Grand Terminal holds You-with-Us gift-giving activity

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

I

nternational Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) said on Monday it has started offering barge feeder service that directly links Brazil and Asia.

In a statement, the Razon-led company said TecPlata SA, its unit that operates at the Port of La Plata, Argentina, and the Port of Santa Fe are now accommodating demand for barge feeder services estimated at 80,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).

The service has a minimum of two port calls per month and it serves as an alternative river connection to Argentina’s central, northeast and northwest regions.

Insuga SA and Adecoagro SA were the first companies to use the new service to export bone meal to Vietnam and milk powder to Singapore, respectively.

“We need this—an operator who brings the barges in at a timely manner. We need security in the transshipment done by the shipping companies to get to the final destination, avoiding traffic, complexity, and costs in transporting the cargo by truck to the Port of Buenos Aires,” Sta. Fe Governor Omar Perotti was quoted in the statement as saying.

Aside from providing a lower inland cost alternative, the feeder service, ICTSI said, “also contributes significantly to the reduction of carbon emissions between Greater Buenos Aires and the country’s hinterland” TecPlata has a 30-year concession to build and operate an all-purpose port terminal in the greater Buenos Aires area in Argentina by the Consorcio de Gestion del Puerto La Plata.

T

he Batangas City Grand Terminal shared the joy of the holiday season with the health-care heroes in the frontlines by hosting Youwith-Us: A Corporate Social Responsibility Program last December 21 at the terminal ’s arrival area.

Now on its third year, the CSR program was funded by the proceeds from the “Bibingkoy and Bibingka for a Cause”

program organized by Batang a s C it y G r a nd Te r m i n a l .

Among the beneficiaries this year were 50 medical frontliners and indigent families of Barangay Alangilan, Batangas City who received hygiene kits, safety essentials, groceries, and snacks.

In a special message, Terminal Manager Cecilia Mendoza thanked all their partners, which included bus companies,

Batangas City Grand Terminal tenants, the Local Government of Batangas City, the Batangas Provincial Office, and the riding public, for their unending love, support and for making the “You-with-Us” activity more meaningful. “Let us continue to be instruments in spreading hope and joy to our health-care heroes in the frontlines, especially during this pandemic,” she said.

Group: Systems audit of NGCP is necessary

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

T

he Department of Energy (DOE) on Monday said it continues to push for a systems audit of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) following a request it received from the National Association of Electricity Consumers for Reforms Inc. (NASECORE).

“We have been pushing for systems audit, but we are awaiting action to be made by NGCP and ERC [Energy Regulatory Commission], more on ERC. As far as audit is concerned, we can see where we can improve… where we can strengthen,” said Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella during a virtual press briefing.

In a letter submitted to the DOE, the NASECORE said the audit is necessary because the NGCP allegedly failed “to ensure the quality, reliability, security and affordability of the supply of electric power” as required by law.

“This failure had been repeatedly witnessed during the 2013 Super Typhoon Yolanda, Typhoon Ruby in 2014 and the earthquake of 2017 due to its apparent inadequate, weak and grossly unreliable transmission system that are easily felled by typhoons,” said NASECORE President Pete Ilagan.

The NGCP did not comment on NASECORE’s statements. In the past, it maintained that it “has never resisted any audit,” and it just wants the audit to be done in accordance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, as well as the provisions of its concession agreement and franchise. It also said it would only accept an audit by the ERC because it is the only government audit

prescribed by law.

In June last year, the ERC has started virtual inspections on the transmission facilities of NGCP. “The ongoing inspections will cover NGCP’s Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao transmission facilities and the activities that will be undertaken are threefold: document verification of relevant documents on site; ocular inspections of the various systems, assets, and procedures; and probing questions or discussions with the concerned NGCP staff,” ERC Chairperson Agnes Devanadera said.

The inspections are part of the compliance review being undertaken by the ERC’s technical staff together with its appointed consultant, Nacarro, Amper & Co. When sought for comment on whether the DOE could audit NGCP, ERC Commissioner Rexie Digal said, “I think DOE has done it before, not only transmission but also gencos [generation companies] and DUs [distribution utilities].”

In its letter, NASECORE said NGCP’s performance is “unacceptable and unfair to electric cooperatives and distribution utilities [that] bear the brunt of the blame from consumers for the grid operators’ weak and the unreliable transmission system.”

NASECORE strongly urged the DOE to conduct an immediate and transparent audit of NGCP transmission system so as to determine the required upgrading and improvisation that will establish a resilient transmission system nationwide.

It also urged the ERC to conduct a regulatory audit of the funds it provided NGCP meant specifically for capital expenditures, which covers the rehabilitation and upgrading of the nationwide transmission system.

Tesla smashes quarterly delivery record in Q4

T

esla Inc. delivered 308,600 vehicles worldwide in the fourth quarter, smashing the previous record for the electric-car maker and setting a capstone on a year in which the company joined the exclusive $1 trillion market valuation club.

The better-than-expected results posted Sunday pushed Tesla’s total sales for the year to more than 936,000, up about 87 percent over 2020’s deliveries of just under a halfmillion vehicles. Thirteen analysts surveyed by Bloomberg on average had expected about 263,000 vehicles for the quarter, though some had revised their numbers upward in the final days of December.

The record quarter underscores the “green tidal wave taking hold” for Tesla and Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk heading into 2022, Daniel Ives, an analyst at Wedbush Securities, said in a note to clients. The strong results also point to robust demand in China and Tesla’s skill at navigating the global semiconductor shortage, he said. The company’s previous delivery record was 241,300, set in the third quarter.

“This is a trophy-case quarter for Tesla as the company blew away even bull-case expectations,” Ives, who rates the shares as outperform and has a $1,400 price target, said in an email. He called it a “jaw-dropper performance for Musk & Co. in the December quarter with massive tailwinds into 2022.”

Crypto trading suggests that Austin, Texas-based Tesla’s shares will rise when Wall Street wakes up Monday. Tesla tokens climbed 2 percent to $1,093 as of 2:38 p.m. in New York on the FTX crypto exchange after the deliveries were announced Sunday.

The EV market leader’s shares have soared on the back of expecta-

tions for continued growth, with the stock up almost 50 percent in 2021 and a market valuation exceeding $1 trillion—one of only five publicly listed United States-based companies to achieve that status. The shares fell 1.3 percent on December 31 to close at $1,056.78.

Musk praised his crew for coming through, saying in a tweet that the numbers were the result of “great work

by Tesla team worldwide.”

Quarterly deliveries are one of the most closely watched indicators for Tesla. They underpin its financial results and are widely seen as a barometer of consumer demand for electric vehicles as a whole because the company has led the charge for battery-powered cars.

Tesla has said repeatedly it expects 50 percent annual increases in deliveries over a multi-year period.

The seventh consecutive quarterly gain comes amid a global semiconductor slump that has crimped production at most other automakers and kept sales in check despite rising demand.

Musk, who became the world’s richest person last year, has described 2021 as a “supply chain nightmare” even as his company continued to grow deliveries each quarter. It has fared better than other automakers due in part to efforts by its engineers to rewrite software to adapt to whatever chips they could find for other purposes.

Tesla has said its delivery counts should be viewed as slightly conservative, and final numbers could vary by 0.5 percent or more.

Deliveries and actual production don’t necessarily match up one-forone during any given quarter. Production was 305,840 for the fourth quarter and 930,422 for the year.

Bloomberg News

B2

Companies BusinessMirror

Tuesday, January 4, 2022

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

Crabmeat cannery project in Bacolod gets BOI nod

January 3, 2022

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

ASIA UNITED 43.5 44 45 45 43.5 43.5 1,600 71,225 BDO UNIBANK 120 121 121 122 119 120 1,378,440 166,012,701 BANK PH ISLANDS 91.05 91.5 92 92 91 91.05 856,210 78,217,480.5 CHINABANK 25 25.3 25.9 26 25 25 105,800 2,686,080 CITYSTATE BANK 6.76 8.5 6.72 8.49 6.72 8.49 600 4,563 EAST WEST BANK 9.42 9.44 9.38 9.5 9.38 9.46 109,900 1,039,691 METROBANK 53.9 54 54 54.8 52.9 54 6,665,790 358,985,818.5 (1 PB BANK 9 9.88 10 10 10 10 100 1,000 PHIL NATL BANK 20.3 20.4 20 20.45 19.9 20.3 164,700 3,321,016 PSBANK 56.5 57.5 57.5 57.5 56 56.5 1,540 86,760 PHILTRUST 104.1 114 114 114 114 114 90 10,260 RCBC 19.96 20.1 19.96 20 19.96 20 152,300 3,040,872 SECURITY BANK 115.1 115.2 117 117.1 114.5 115.2 619,700 71,364,039 UNION BANK 98.5 99 99.45 99.5 98.35 99 53,100 5,257,539 BRIGHT KINDLE 1.56 1.7 1.55 1.68 1.55 1.68 20,000 31,390 COL FINANCIAL 4.1 4.14 4.15 4.15 4.1 4.15 11,000 45,250 FIRST ABACUS 0.67 0.71 0.68 0.68 0.67 0.67 12,000 8,100 MEDCO HLDG 0.3 0.325 0.3 0.33 0.29 0.325 400,000 118,300 MANULIFE 900 946.5 946.5 946.5 920 920 20 18,665 NTL REINSURANCE 0.6 0.66 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 45,000 27,000 PHIL STOCK EXCH 214 215 208.4 211 208.4 211 80 16,814 SUN LIFE 2,522 2,698 2698 2,698 2,600 2,698 35 93,450 VANTAGE 0.82 0.89 0.82 0.82 0.82 0.82 7,000 5,740

INDUSTRIAL AC ENERGY 10.5 10.6 10.9 10.9 10.5 10.5 15,082,200 161,123,070 ALSONS CONS 1.15 1.19 1.2 1.2 1.12 1.19 629,000 726,590 ABOITIZ POWER 30.5 30.7 29.7 30.7 29.7 30.7 1,562,300 47,133,685 BASIC ENERGY 0.61 0.62 0.61 0.63 0.61 0.62 8,468,000 5,186,880 FIRST GEN 27.7 27.8 27.65 27.9 27.65 27.7 43,100 1,197,995 FIRST PHIL HLDG 70 70.5 70.05 70.05 69.9 70 53,360 3,733,728 JOLLIVILLE HLDG 4.05 5.75 3.91 5.75 3.91 5.75 45,100 248,641 MERALCO 297.6 298.2 295.2 299 295.2 297.6 60,650 18,031,222(5, MANILA WATER 23.95 24 24.5 24.8 24 24 1,620,700 39,210,145 PETRON 3.16 3.17 3.17 3.18 3.16 3.17 289,000 916,150 PHX PETROLEUM 10.54 10.86 10.82 10.86 10.5 10.86 27,100 292,672 SYNERGY GRID 12.9 12.94 13 13.1 12.88 12.9 4,564,600 59,072,250 PILIPINAS SHELL 19.6 19.62 19.98 19.98 19.6 19.6 61,100 1,207,448 SPC POWER 13.9 13.92 13.84 13.96 13.84 13.92 44,900 625,826 SOLAR PH 1.3 1.31 1.27 1.34 1.26 1.3 156,710,000 206,249,520 AGRINURTURE 4.89 4.93 4.98 4.98 4.75 4.95 31,000 151,420 AXELUM 2.9 2.93 2.98 2.99 2.9 2.9 153,000 451,140 BOGO MEDELLIN 42.75 71.85 61 71.85 61 71.85 160 11,387.5 CNTRL AZUCARERA 13 13.2 13.5 13.5 13.2 13.2 11,600 154,032 CENTURY FOOD 28.5 28.8 28.8 28.8 27.8 28.5 907,600 25,860,800 DEL MONTE 15.16 15.18 15.3 15.3 15.14 15.18 157,200 2,390,432 DNL INDUS 8.88 8.97 8.96 9.16 8.81 8.88 1,162,300 10,415,394 EMPERADOR 20.3 20.4 20.5 20.6 20.25 20.3 1,326,100 27,156,995 SMC FOODANDBEV 70.5 70.55 71 71.35 70 70.55 37,310 2,632,381.5 ALLIANCE SELECT 0.59 0.62 0.62 0.62 0.59 0.59 59,000 34,840 FRUITAS HLDG 1.21 1.23 1.22 1.23 1.21 1.22 1,056,000 1,283,480 GINEBRA 109.2 110.5 111.5 111.5 109 110.5 30,080 3,310,602 JOLLIBEE 215 215.8 216 221.6 213.4 215 398,630 86,378,080 KEEPERS HLDG 1.3 1.31 1.3 1.32 1.29 1.31 12,763,000 16,635,960 MACAY HLDG 5.53 6.67 6.69 6.69 6.67 6.67 700 4,681 MAXS GROUP 6.46 6.47 6.48 6.5 6.4 6.46 74,500 481,613 MG HLDG 0.15 0.158 0.15 0.158 0.15 0.158 20,000 3,080 MONDE NISSIN 15.7 15.76 15.82 15.96 15.64 15.7 3,268,200 51,650,144 SHAKEYS PIZZA 10.12 10.14 10.28 10.28 10.1 10.12 188,000 1,899,732 ROXAS AND CO 0.63 0.65 0.65 0.67 0.63 0.65 2,125,000 1,364,850 ROXAS HLDG 1.03 1.23 1.05 1.05 1.05 1.05 54,000 56,700 SWIFT FOODS 0.101 0.102 0.102 0.102 0.101 0.102 3,240,000 329,980 UNIV ROBINA 128.8 129 129 129.7 128.8 129 254,480 32,841,713 VITARICH 0.71 0.73 0.72 0.74 0.71 0.71 710,000 510,220 VICTORIAS 2.4 2.54 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4 10,000 24,000 CONCRETE A 42.65 47.8 46 46 46 46 300 13,800 CEMEX HLDG 1.04 1.05 1.05 1.06 1.03 1.05 3,305,000 3,456,250 EAGLE CEMENT 14.6 14.7 14.6 14.7 14.58 14.7 494,900 7,226,192 EEI CORP 6.39 6.45 6.5 6.75 6.37 6.39 109,700 704,771 HOLCIM 5.3 5.33 5.5 5.5 5.3 5.33 248,900 1,362,875 MEGAWIDE 5.08 5.09 5.18 5.18 5.05 5.08 374,000 1,899,746 PHINMA 20 20.1 20.15 20.15 20 20 3,600 72,305 VULCAN INDL 0.92 0.94 0.96 0.96 0.91 0.94 344,000 319,700 CHEMPHIL 130.6 195.5 130.6 130.6 130.6 130.6 30 3,918 CROWN ASIA 1.68 1.72 1.69 1.69 1.68 1.68 29,000 48,830 EUROMED 1.41 1.46 1.5 1.5 1.39 1.45 31,000 45,230 MABUHAY VINYL 4.01 4.3 4.28 4.3 4.28 4.3 10,000 42,880 PRYCE CORP 5.6 5.7 5.75 5.75 5.6 5.7 26,000 145,860 CONCEPCION 20.5 21.35 20.5 20.5 20.5 20.5 1,700 34,850 GREENERGY 2.23 2.27 2.26 2.28 2.2 2.27 4,880,000 10,995,590 INTEGRATED MICR 8.27 8.55 8.36 8.57 8.2 8.55 164,200 1,370,825 PANASONIC 5.8 5.98 5.92 5.98 5.7 5.98 12,800 75,065 SFA SEMICON 1.08 1.11 1.09 1.11 1.08 1.08 241,000 261,710 CIRTEK HLDG 3.68 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.63 3.68 717,000 2,631,640

HOLDING & FRIMS

ABACORE CAPITAL ASIABEST GROUP AYALA CORP ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANSCOR ANGLO PHIL HLDG ATN HLDG A COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV FJ PRINCE A FJ PRINCE B GT CAPITAL JG SUMMIT KEPPEL HLDG A LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP METRO PAC INV PACIFICA HLDG PRIME MEDIA SOLID GROUP SM INVESTMENTS SAN MIGUEL CORP ZEUS HLDG

0.91 5.42 833 55.75 11.62 7.9 0.9 0.4 5.19 7.91 7.71 2.06 2.6 528 54.1 6.1 0.63 2.93 9.84 3.87 3 1.3 1.06 932 112.8 0.173

0.92 5.9 839.5 55.8 11.68 7.95 0.92 0.42 5.22 7.92 7.75 2.6 4.19 531 54.15 6.4 0.67 3 9.9 3.89 3.15 1.36 1.14 940 112.9 0.179

0.92 5.42 831 54.45 11.64 7.95 0.9 0.42 5.21 7.72 7.72 2.6 2.61 540 53 6.4 0.68 2.92 9.86 3.9 3 1.19 1.13 950 114 0.177

0.93 5.9 855 56.45 11.78 7.95 0.93 0.435 5.21 7.96 7.75 2.6 2.61 545 54.45 6.4 0.68 3 9.9 3.9 3.18 1.36 1.14 950.5 114 0.179

0.9 5.42 831 52.35 11.56 7.9 0.9 0.42 5.12 7.7 7.72 2.6 2.6 526 52.8 6.4 0.63 2.9 9.81 3.86 3 1.19 1.13 932 112.2 0.177

0.92 5.89 833 55.75 11.62 7.9 0.93 0.425 5.19 7.91 7.75 2.6 2.6 528 54.15 6.4 0.67 3 9.9 3.89 3 1.3 1.14 932 112.9 0.179

2,854,000 3,500 163,110 2,427,450 4,304,800 200 87,000 70,000 583,500 7,119,100 517,100 1,000 8,000 368,310 879,080 4,600 21,000 485,000 1,225,900 5,059,000 22,000 557,000 13,000 255,750 53,920 100,000

2,613,500 19,065 136,790,050 134,805,806.5 50,180,902 1,585 79,660 29,800 3,030,562 56,152,460 3,992,015 2,600 20,840 195,462,380 47,411,585 29,440 13,480 1,429,240 12,070,496 19,606,130 66,180 724,330 14,770 240,095,370 6,079,453 17,810

(0) (50,941,150) (9,518,888) (252,660) - - 01,471,983.5) - (161,251) (61,600) - - (3,317,149) 401,251 - - - 15,000 - - - 13,490

-

(7,001,564) (310,750) (3,299,760) 536,920 669,970 (3,253,515) - 864,812.0002) (6,771,315) (63,400) - 11,086,810 326,562 (73,870) 319,350 (49,610) - - - 2,155,845 - 2,012,707 7,899,825 (2,141,979) - 40,230 (243,141) 17,364,628 (4,932,050) 4,014 (19,200) (1,580) 8,460,528 - 691,880 - - (11,979,279) - 24,000 - - 6,989,734 9,044 - (538,200) 2,000 - - 16,900 15,950 - - - (1,906,170) 4,180 - - 100 (54,290) - (10,836,425) 5,988,468.5 811,938 - - - 1,453,951 (4,446,895) 3,975,800 - - (23,239,365) (1,831,899) - - 8,700 (11,231) 601,240 - - - (41,861,260) (126,758) -

PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.63 0.64 0.64 0.64 0.64 0.64 12,000 7,680 - AYALA LAND 34.7 35 35.3 35.35 34.7 34.7 4,072,300 142,316,460(24 ,692,024.9996) AYALA LAND LOG 6.61 6.63 6.4 6.81 6.38 6.63 5,291,500 35,156,697 (1,702,032) ARANETA PROP 0.97 1.02 0.97 0.97 0.97 0.97 1,000 970 - AREIT RT 49.1 49.2 48.5 49.1 48.25 49.1 801,700 39,091,335 17,676,620 A BROWN 0.77 0.79 0.79 0.79 0.79 0.79 31,000 24,490 - CITYLAND DEVT 0.73 0.74 0.74 0.74 0.73 0.74 114,000 83,380 - CROWN EQUITIES 0.097 0.104 0.097 0.104 0.097 0.104 15,010,000 1,456,040 - CEB LANDMASTERS 2.87 2.88 2.85 2.94 2.8 2.87 432,000 1,239,070 (63,130) CENTURY PROP 0.395 0.4 0.4 0.405 0.395 0.395 9,660,000 3,864,200 (43,550) DOUBLEDRAGON 7.05 7.14 7.21 7.21 7.03 7.05 330,900 2,341,077 (112,015) DDMP RT 1.77 1.78 1.79 1.79 1.77 1.78 3,117,000 5,546,350 (94,340) DM WENCESLAO 6.7 6.76 6.75 6.78 6.7 6.76 163,300 1,101,641 - EMPIRE EAST 0.25 0.255 0.26 0.26 0.25 0.255 480,000 121,700 - EVER GOTESCO 0.33 0.335 0.32 0.335 0.315 0.335 10,490,000 3,451,050 (19,850) FILINVEST RT 7.39 7.4 7.35 7.4 7.35 7.4 5,062,700 37,444,589 28,028,079 FILINVEST LAND 1.09 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.09 1.1 559,000 611,180 2,180 GLOBAL ESTATE 0.95 0.96 0.97 0.97 0.95 0.96 1,160,000 1,116,540 - 8990 HLDG 11.2 11.4 11.58 11.58 11.12 11.4 256,400 2,929,136 506,890 PHIL INFRADEV 1.11 1.15 1.12 1.15 1.11 1.15 1,679,000 1,919,680 ( 919,999.9998) CITY AND LAND 0.86 0.89 0.86 0.9 0.86 0.9 226,000 197,560 - MEGAWORLD 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.2 3.1 3.16 14,736,000 46,598,990 (11,042,500) MRC ALLIED 0.25 0.255 0.255 0.255 0.25 0.25 2,430,000 614,050 - MREIT RT 19.32 19.46 19.36 19.5 19.06 19.32 1,224,100 23,729,400 485,272 PHIL ESTATES 0.5 0.51 0.51 0.51 0.495 0.51 2,523,000 1,272,970 - PRIMEX CORP 2.12 2.14 2.15 2.15 2 2.12 2,149,000 4,406,430 (547,700) RL COMM RT 7.8 7.83 7.46 7.85 7.46 7.8 3,298,000 25,515,735 5,597,363 ROBINSONS LAND 18.32 18.5 18.62 18.62 18.18 18.5 1,535,400 28,160,374 (8,410,870) ROCKWELL 1.47 1.5 1.48 1.5 1.47 1.47 64,000 94,410 - SHANG PROP 2.58 2.61 2.61 2.61 2.58 2.61 10,000 25,890 - STA LUCIA LAND 2.67 2.87 2.61 2.88 2.61 2.88 6,000 17,000 - SM PRIME HLDG 33.5 33.7 33.9 33.95 33.5 33.5 4,817,400 162,000,915 (53,270,005) SOC RESOURCES 0.61 0.65 0.61 0.61 0.6 0.61 405,000 244,200 (241,150) SUNTRUST HOME 1.08 1.1 1.09 1.1 1.08 1.1 54,000 58,930 - PTFC REDEV CORP 47 50 50.95 50.95 47 47 300 14,795 - VISTA LAND 3.42 3.45 3.47 3.47 3.4 3.42 616,000 2,115,480 (225,660)

SERVICES ABS CBN 12.38 12.5 12.5 12.6 12.38 12.5 522,000 6,526,956 - GMA NETWORK 13.72 13.74 13.86 13.86 13.7 13.74 882,200 12,166,808 - MANILA BULLETIN 0.43 0.435 0.445 0.45 0.41 0.44 230,000 98,800 - MLA BRDCASTING 9.51 10.5 10.5 10.5 10.5 10.5 1,000 10,500 - GLOBE TELECOM 3,278 3,286 3322 3,348 3,264 3,278 23,765 78,317,330 (40,301,450) PLDT 1,808 1,812 1803 1,812 1,800 1,812 79,885 144,357,610 (1,142,305) APOLLO GLOBAL 0.076 0.077 0.078 0.079 0.076 0.076 125,200,000 9,590,590 (70,200) CONVERGE 31.15 31.2 31.5 32 30.55 31.15 9,028,500 281,274,660 15,564,150 DFNN INC 2.36 2.41 2.36 2.44 2.36 2.41 139,000 331,850 (23,600) DITO CME HLDG 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.09 5.02 5.04 3,855,800 19,441,954 4,252,315 JACKSTONES 1.69 1.75 1.74 1.75 1.74 1.75 8,000 13,950 - NOW CORP 1.24 1.25 1.27 1.27 1.24 1.24 484,000 604,050 (29,210) TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.295 0.3 0.295 0.305 0.295 0.295 520,000 155,250 - ASIAN TERMINALS 13.96 14.1 14.1 14.1 13.96 13.96 5,000 70,444 - CHELSEA 1.62 1.65 1.66 1.67 1.62 1.66 101,000 166,430 (500) CEBU AIR 41.75 41.95 42.15 42.9 41.6 41.75 680,300 28,510,390 6,650,860 INTL CONTAINER 194.8 195 205 205 195 195 818,700 161,211,520 23,480,772 LBC EXPRESS 23 24.5 24.95 24.95 24.95 24.95 1,600 39,920 - MACROASIA 5.3 5.31 5.18 5.32 5.12 5.3 2,390,600 12,634,738 8,467,274 METROALLIANCE A 1.1 1.14 1.08 1.14 1.08 1.14 75,000 81,530 - HARBOR STAR 0.84 0.9 0.91 0.91 0.91 0.91 19,000 17,290 - ACESITE HOTEL 1.56 1.65 1.66 1.66 1.56 1.65 28,000 45,070 (4,780) DISCOVERY WORLD 1.73 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.73 1.73 17,000 30,080 - WATERFRONT 0.46 0.475 0.455 0.455 0.455 0.455 100,000 45,500 - CENTRO ESCOLAR 6.55 6.79 6.52 6.52 6.51 6.51 4,000 26,060 13,020 FAR EASTERN U 535 550 550 550 550 550 10 5,500 - STI HLDG 0.345 0.35 0.35 0.35 0.345 0.345 560,000 195,850 - BELLE CORP 1.33 1.34 1.33 1.36 1.33 1.33 123,000 164,790 - BLOOMBERRY 6.2 6.21 6.15 6.23 6.08 6.2 8,043,400 49,543,024 12,097,428 PACIFIC ONLINE 1.76 1.82 1.82 1.82 1.82 1.82 24,000 43,680 (21,840) LEISURE AND RES 1.43 1.47 1.45 1.47 1.44 1.47 304,000 438,380 406,440 MANILA JOCKEY 1.82 2.36 2.38 2.38 2.38 2.38 4,000 9,520 - PH RESORTS GRP 0.76 0.78 0.79 0.79 0.75 0.78 108,000 83,060 (790) PREMIUM LEISURE 0.425 0.43 0.43 0.43 0.425 0.425 1,100,000 469,050 - PHIL RACING 6.63 7.29 7.79 7.79 6.63 6.63 1,000 7,558 - PHILWEB 1.9 1.94 1.95 1.95 1.9 1.94 87,000 167,440 57,600 ALLDAY 0.6 0.61 0.61 0.61 0.58 0.6 33,655,000 20,111,700 26,340 BERJAYA 6.04 6.1 5.72 6.5 5.71 6.1 239,100 1,452,722 (132,000) ALLHOME 8.35 8.41 8.39 8.43 8.39 8.41 313,700 2,635,222 1,927,457 METRO RETAIL 1.42 1.43 1.42 1.44 1.42 1.42 409,000 582,080 - PUREGOLD 39 39.35 39.15 39.4 38.6 39.35 532,500 20,785,680 7,130,410 ROBINSONS RTL 62.55 62.75 64 64 62.1 62.75 353,730 22,219,889.5 (3,346,116) PHIL SEVEN CORP 87 90 88 88 86 88 14,520 1,269,579 (103,159) SSI GROUP 1.1 1.11 1.12 1.12 1.09 1.1 1,150,000 1,260,870 10,900 WILCON DEPOT 30.15 30.2 30.15 30.45 30.15 30.2 668,600 20,193,635 (6,400,040) APC GROUP 0.227 0.235 0.235 0.24 0.235 0.235 180,000 42,450 - IPM HLDG 7 7.05 7.05 7.05 7.05 7.05 2,100 14,805 - MEDILINES 1.23 1.24 1.26 1.26 1.23 1.24 2,585,000 3,218,210 (2,510) PRMIERE HORIZON 0.53 0.55 0.54 0.56 0.53 0.53 3,370,000 1,823,180 23,220

MINING & OIL ATOK 6.1 6.14 6.05 6.1 5.65 6.1 218,100 1,326,779 - APEX MINING 1.66 1.67 1.65 1.72 1.62 1.66 13,207,000 22,124,850 (80,690) ATLAS MINING 6.15 6.16 6.17 6.21 6.15 6.15 515,500 3,179,786 229,387 BENGUET A 5.05 5.34 5.34 5.34 5.05 5.34 800 4,102 - BENGUET B 4.9 5.06 4.6 5.06 4.6 5.06 600 2,806 - COAL ASIA HLDG 0.265 0.28 0.28 0.28 0.28 0.28 50,000 14,000 - CENTURY PEAK 2.94 2.95 2.9 2.95 2.75 2.95 1,168,000 3,319,140 3,295,940 DIZON MINES 4.26 5.51 5.51 5.51 5.51 5.51 100 551 - FERRONICKEL 2.12 2.14 2.17 2.2 2.11 2.14 5,117,000 11,013,870 (3,226,890) GEOGRACE 0.19 0.198 0.198 0.198 0.19 0.19 100,000 19,560 17,580 LEPANTO A 0.141 0.143 0.141 0.145 0.141 0.143 7,640,000 1,092,520 - LEPANTO B 0.134 0.143 0.143 0.143 0.143 0.143 1,100,000 157,300 - MANILA MINING A 0.0098 0.01 0.011 0.011 0.0098 0.01 41,300,000 413,500 - MARCVENTURES 1.19 1.21 1.17 1.23 1.14 1.21 1,531,000 1,843,300 - NIHAO 1.01 1.04 1.01 1.01 1.01 1.01 25,000 25,250 - NICKEL ASIA 5.28 5.29 5.25 5.31 5.25 5.29 969,900 5,131,240 (514,373) ORNTL PENINSULA 0.75 0.78 0.77 0.77 0.77 0.77 25,000 19,250 - PX MINING 5.32 5.38 5.41 5.41 5.26 5.38 1,134,600 6,043,615 (181,903) SEMIRARA MINING 22.6 22.9 22.2 23.3 22.1 22.6 3,272,300 74,731,680 (7,252,205) UNITED PARAGON 0.0069 0.0072 0 0.0072 0.0073 0.0072 0.0072 23,000,000 166,400 - ORNTL PETROL A 0.01 0.011 0.01 0.011 0.01 0.011 37,200,000 378,000 - ORNTL PETROL B 0.01 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.01 0.01 3,100,000 31,700 - PHILODRILL 0.0098 0.01 0 0.0099 0.011 0.0096 0.01 12,000,000 120,250 - PXP ENERGY 5.98 6 6.06 6.06 5.98 5.98 191,200 1,148,112 (30,498)

PREFFERED

HOUSE PREF B 99.9 100.9 100.9 100.9 100.9 100.9 5,070 511,563 - HOUSE PREF A 100 101 101 101 101 101 10 1,010 - ALCO PREF D 512 525 512.5 512.5 512.5 512.5 400 205,000 - BRN PREF A 102.2 104 104 104 104 104 110 11,440 - CEB PREF 42.25 43 42.2 43 42.2 43 4,800 202,945 (4,300) DD PREF 100.6 100.8 100.8 100.8 100.8 100.8 11,730 1,182,384 - EEI PREF A 102 102.5 102 102 102 102 3,000 306,000 - EEI PREF B 106.9 107 107 107 106.2 107 27,700 2,960,375 - FGEN PREF G 102.2 105.8 105 105.5 105 105.5 250 26,350 - GTCAP PREF A 1,000 1,029 1036 1,036 1,036 1,036 20 20,720 - JFC PREF A 1,000 1,010 1010 1,010 1,010 1,010 50 50,500 - MWIDE PREF 2B 100.5 101 100.5 100.6 100.4 100.6 8,250 829,330 - MWIDE PREF 4 100.1 100.7 100.2 100.5 100.1 100.5 3,910 391,843 - PNX PREF 3B 101.9 102 102 102 102 102 2,470 251,940 - PNX PREF 4 994 998 998 998 998 998 900 898,200 - PCOR PREF 3A 1,017 1,060 1050 1,060 1,050 1,060 2,100 2,216,000 - PCOR PREF 3B 1,098 1,100 1119 1,119 1,100 1,100 205 229,300 - SMC PREF 2F 79 79.5 79 79.5 79 79.2 91,430 7,223,485 2,385 SMC PREF 2H 76 76.5 76 76.5 76 76.5 16,500 1,254,050 - SMC PREF 2J 76.45 77 76.45 76.45 76.45 76.45 990 75,685.5 - SMC PREF 2K 75.85 76 75.85 75.9 75.85 75.85 27,700 2,101,088 - TECH PREF B2C 51 52.95 51 51 51 51 2,000 102,000 - PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS

ABS HLDG PDR 11.94 13.4 12 12 11.9 11.9 100,500 1,198,550 GMA HLDG PDR 13.12 13.3 13.14 13.14 13.1 13.1 41,600 545,538

WARRANTS

TECH WARRANT 0.81 0.83 0.81 0.85 0.81 0.83 959,000

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES

ALTUS PROP ITALPINAS MERRYMART

18.8 1.18 2.4

19.28 1.2 2.41

19.32 1.21 2.51

19.32 1.21 2.51

18.8 1.14 2.4

18.8 1.2 2.4

61,800 1,186,000 4,615,000

788,300

133,990

1,175,684 1,399,960 11,218,250

- - (290,880)

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS FIRST METRO ETF

107

108.5

108.3

108.8

107

107

20,120

(1,192,550) 9,198

2,171,940

158,780

www.businessmirror.com.ph

-

T

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

he Board of Investments (BoI) has greenlighted a P9-million crabmeat cannery project in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, which is expected to contribute P110.7 million in income.

The attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) reported that it has approved the application of Carthage Crab Meat Processing (CCMP), the first one for the year.

CCMP has raw crab requirements of 1,970 metric tons (MT)

for its full operations. About 20 percent of these, valued at P132 million, will come from the local fishers.

BoI noted that CCMP can support the reopening of at least five picking plants amid the disruption on the operations of Western Vi-

Property stocks sink after demolition order

C

hinese developer shares dropped following local media reports that China Evergrande Group has been ordered to tear down apartment blocks in a development in Hainan province. Evergrande halted trading in its shares.

An index of Chinese developer shares slumped as much as 2.8 percent in Hong Kong before closing 1.7 percent lower. A local government in Hainan told Evergrande to demolish 39 buildings in 10 days because the building permit was illegally obtained, Cailian reported on Saturday.

Evergrande gave no details on the trading suspension other than saying it would make an announcement containing inside information.

The Hainan news underscored investor concern that policy makers are unlikely to dramatically ease their crackdown on indebted property companies like Evergrande even as they take steps to ensure stronger developers retain access to funding.

“Even though the Hainan project isn’t a significant one in its country-wide strategy, it will have a big impact on confidence,” said Kenny Ng, strategist at Everbright Sun Hung Kai Co. Property firms have mounting bills to pay in January and shrinking options to raise necessary funds.

The industry will need to find at least $197 billion to cover maturing bonds, coupons, trust products and deferred wages to millions of migrant workers, according to Bloomberg calculations and analyst estimates. Contracted sales for 31 listed developers fell 26 percent in December from a year earlier, according to Citigroup Inc. analysts. Evergrande’s sales dropped 99 percent and were 7 percent lower than November, the analysts wrote in a note dated Sunday. Sales for Shimao slid 25 percent from November.

The slump in developer shares wasn’t matched by their bonds. Chinese high-yield dollar bonds rose as much as 1 cent on the dollar on Monday, according to credit traders.

Evergrande records a 99 percent decline in sales year on year, the steepest among 31 listed developers tracked by Citigroup analysts, and a 7 percent drop versus November.

December sales overall were not as bad as feared, Citi analysts includ-

ing Griffin Chan write in Sunday note, with weighted average for 31 developers down 26 percent from a year earlier, and up 23 percent from November.

The government of Danzhou, a prefecture-level city in the southern Chinese province of Hainan, has asked Evergrande to tear down 39 illegal buildings in ten days, Cailian reported on Sunday, citing a document from the local government.

The report cited the document, which was dated Dec. 30, as saying that the Danzhou government said an illegally obtained permit for the buildings had been revoked so the buildings need to be dismantled.

Evergrande didn’t immediately respond to a request seeking comment and calls to Danzhou authorities went unanswered on a public holiday in China on Monday.

Shares in Shimao Group Holdings dropped 5.9% to the lowest since March 2009 after the property company missed its targets.

“Risks to Shimao’s liquidity could extend into 2022 as a parade of unfavorable media headlines threatens to keep potential buyers at a distance,” Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Kristy Hung wrote in a note on Monday.

The company missed its lowered, 290 billion-yuan sales guidance for 2021 by 7 percent, with December’s sales tumbling 68 percent year-overyear and by 25 percent sequentially, to 12 billion yuan, according to China Real Estate Information Corp.’s preliminary data.

China Evergrande on Friday dialed back payment plans on billions of dollars of overdue wealth management products as its liquidity crisis showed little sign of easing.

China’s property developers have mounting bills to pay in January and shrinking options to raise necessary funds.

The industry will need to find at least $197 billion to cover maturing bonds, coupons, trust products and deferred wages to millions of migrant workers, according to Bloomberg calculations and analyst estimates.

Beijing has urgedbuilders like China Evergrande Group to meet payrolls by month-end in order to avoid the risk of social unrest. Bloomberg News

sayas’ crab canneries due to pandemic. Each is projected to generate 70 to 100 workers.

The region, BoI said in a statement, has more or less 42 picking plants that produce 42 percent of the total crabs’ supply of the country, which are being sold offshore.

CCMP said it may source its input domestically given that the country produces an annual average of 30,919 MT of crabmeat.

The DTI agency noted that the project will also help address unemployment in Western Visayas, especially in Bacolod.

The firm seeks to employ about 808 employees, where 90 workers will be hired at the start of the operations.

The cannery will source domestically 50 percent of its packaging materials, which include cans,

mutual funds

cartons and stickers.

CCMP’s exports are projected to contribute additional 392.72 MT of pasteurized canned crab meat, with an export value of $17.674 million, at full capacity.

Ten-year forecast, meanwhile, is pegged at $152.681 million.

The firm’s export sales are expected to increase the Philippines’ export volume by 11 percent to 3,809 MT from 3,416 MT. BoI said the Philippines is the fourth biggest exporter of prepared or preserved crab, after Indonesia, China and Vietnam.

The country’s crab product exports amounted to $65.3 million last year, most of which were shipped to the United States, Ta iwa n, Hong Kong , C h i n a, Kuwait, Singapore, Japan and Indonesia.

January 3, 2022

NAV One Year Three Year Five Year Y-T-D per share Return* Return Stock Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a 227.75 0.24% -3.44% -1.06% -2.29% ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 1.6591 26.36% 4.88% 4.68% -0.31% ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 3.1624 0.94% -6.86% -3.86% -2.33% Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.7537 -7.27% -5.46% n.a.

-0.37% First Metro Consumer Fund on MSCI Phils. IMI, Inc. -a 0.7682 3.59% -2.4% n.a.

-0.35% First Metro Save and Learn Equity Fund,Inc. -a 5.0545 2.29% -1.54% 0.6% -2.47% First Metro Save and Learn Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.7632 -1.7% -2.94% -2.96% -2.57% MBG Equity Investment Fund, Inc. -a 94.24 -7.49% -7.06% n.a.

-0.2% PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a 46.7448 -0.2% -1.79% 0.59% -2.87% Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 4 89.23 0.06% -1.74% -0.04% -2.29% Philequity Alpha One Fund, Inc. -a,d 1.148 4.62% n.a. n.a.

-1.26% Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. -a 1.3342 14.21% 1.99% 2.79% -1.63% Philequity Fund, Inc. -a 35.6594 2.56% -0.99% 1.36% -2.56% Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.9148 0.2% n.a. n.a.

-2.83% Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc. -a 4.8182 0.56% -1.05% 1.24% -2.87% Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a 804.71 0.39% -1.06% 1.19% -2.87% Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 0.7378 2.63% -5.06% -1.87% -1.97% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 3.6883 1.78% -3.27% -0.31% -2.31% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.9172 - 0.05% -1.41% 0.93% -2.89% United Fund, Inc. -a 3.3622 1.31% -1.44% 1.67% -2.18% Exchange Traded Fund First Metro Phil. Equity Exchange Traded Fund, Inc. -a,c 108.2767 0.67% -0.85% 1.68% -2.87% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ATRAM AsiaPlus Equity Fund, Inc. -b $1.1231 -6.63% 6.52% 6.27% -0.3% Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.8471 10.42% 17.97% 12.25% 0.04% Balanced Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ATRAM Dynamic Allocation Fund, Inc. -a 1.6806 0.72% 0.54% 0.17% -0.67% ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 2.2447 -1.78% 0.47% 0.25% -1.61% First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund Inc. -a 2.6517 0.94% 1.35% 1.85% -1.46% First Metro Save and Learn F.O.C.C.U.S. Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a 0.2061 4.04% n.a. n.a.

-1.39% NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a 1.9877 1.05% 2.51% 2.24% -1.44% PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a 3.7123 -2.05% 2.31% 1.12% -1.4% Philam Fund, Inc. -a 16.6157 -1.91% 1.82% 1.07% -1.36% Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a 2.0913 0.01% 0.23% 0.95% -1.42% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.591 0.5% -0.64% 0.56% -1.54% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a,d 0.9778 -4.38% n.a. n.a.

-1.21% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a,d 0.9232 -2.74% n.a. n.a.

-2.26% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a,d 0.9114 -2.33% n.a. n.a.

-2.41% Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a 0.9396 5.85% 0.53% 0.95% -1.53% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Cocolife Dollar Fund Builder, Inc. -a $0.03786 -3.17% 2.35% 1.65% -0.21% PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -b $1.0657 -5.69% 4.55% 4.01% -0.13% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $4.8007 6.38% 12.72% 9.06% -0.03% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a,2 $1.198 1.23% 7.01% 4.73% -0.05% Bond Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 374.34 0.87% 2.91% 2.57% 0.01% ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a 1.8841 -0.85% 0.44% -0.16% -0.03% Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a 3.2442 0.9% 2.94% 3.93% 0.01% Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a 2.2502 -2.09% 1.83% 1.57% -0.06% First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.4255 -1.13% 3.15% 1.92% -0.02% Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a 4.3952 -5.07% 5.19% 1.67% -0.01% Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a 1.3171 -0.32% 3.88% 2.79% -0.15% Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.9569 -1.1% 3.99% 2.65% -0.22% Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a 1.028 -1.49% 4.81% 2.21% -0.02% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.1814 -0.77% 4.76% 3.43% -0.19% Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a 1.7268 -1.61% 3.88% 2.76% -0.22% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $489.61 1.15% 2.97% 2.52% 0.01% ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a Є220.01 0.36% 1.13% 0.98% 0% ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b $1.2029 -6.01% 2.24% 1.87% -0.08% First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.026 -2.26% 1.45% 1.03% 0% PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -b $1.0226 -6.18% -0.46% -0.44% -0.02% Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $2.5055 -1.36% 4.8% 3.04% -0.01% Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a $0.0622777 - 0.04% 3% 2.01% -0.02% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $3.195 -0.89% 3.6% 1.96% -0.04% Money Market Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 131.21 1.07% 2.77% 2.57% 0.02% First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.058 0.94% n.a. n.a.

0.03% Sun Life Prosperity Peso Starter Fund, Inc. -a,1 1.3157 1.45% 2.57% 2.53% 0.01% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0606 0.66% 1.44% n.a.

0% Feeder Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities Sun Life Prosperity World Equity Index Feeder Fund, Inc. -a,d 1.3979 23.75% n.a. n.a.

1.08% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund Inc. -a,d $0.97 -1.02% n.a. n.a.

0%

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

1 - Renaming was approved by the SEC last July 8, 2021 (formerly, Sun Life Prosperity Money Market Fund, Inc.).

2 - Adjusted due to stock dividend issuance last November 25, 2021.

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

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Banking&Finance BusinessMirror

Editor: Dennis D. Estopace • Tuesday, January 4, 2022

B3

DOF detects dangers in digitalization drive

A

By Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

S the national government ramps up digitization initiatives, the Department of Finance (DOF) warned that these can become targets for hackers and scammers.

Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said that while digitalization can further develop and deepen the country’s capital markets, it can also open the financial markets to malicious online attacks.

Last year, hackers were able to obtain information on 700 deposit accounts of BDO Unibank Inc. BDO, the country’s largest bank by asset, has said it is currently working with

complainants regarding the security breach.

“I’m telling you this type of digitalization is probably going to be a target for hackers and scammers; and just plain thieves,” Dominguez was quoted in a statement issued on January 3.

Nonetheless, the Finance Secretary still congratulated the Philippine Dealing System Holdings Corp.

(PDS Group) for its decision to launch

Poverty and personal finance

T

WENTY twenty one marks the second year of the world experiencing the adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Truly, the pandemic has hit hard on both the health front and economic front.

Many have died. Many have gotten sick. Many dreams have been shattered.

Based on the latest results of the poverty incidence in the Philippines conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority, it can be seen that many Filipinos have consequently fallen into poverty. The pandemic put a halt to the economic momentum of the country.

The Monthly Poverty Threshold for a family of five is the estimated amount needed to cover minimum basic food and non-food needs. In the first semester of 2018, the amount was equivalent to P10,532 and, as of the first semester of 2021, the number increased significantly to P12,082. If broken down on a daily basis and assuming 30 days in a month, it would mean that a poor family lives on less than P402 daily. Given poor economic conditions, making ends meet has been more and more challenging.

Poverty has significantly worsened in the country. The number of poor Filipino families increased from 4.04 million in the first semester of 2018 to 4.74 million in the first semester of 2021. The resulting poverty incidence among Filipino families thus increased from 16.2 percent to 18.0 percent. The number of poor Filipino individuals increased from 22.26 million in the first quarter of 2018 to 26.14 million in the first semester of 2021. The resulting poverty incidence among Filipino individuals thus increased from 21.1 percent to 23.7 percent.

The breakdown of the poverty incidence statistics shows key developments.

The National Capital Region is the only region that registered single-digit poverty incidence among families with 5.2 percent. Still, the incidence level increased.

The region with the highest registered poverty incidence is the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao with 39.4 percent. The ray of hope is that the level is a big improvement from its poverty incidence of 55.9 percent in 2018. The province with the highest poverty incidence is Sulu with 71.9 percent.

Given worsening poverty in the country, the challenge then is how to manage finances in light of the New Normal. One way is through income. The government

the country’s first ever digital corporate bond next month.

Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp. (PDEx) President and CEO Antonino A. Nakpil said the bonds will serve as proof of concept on the use of distributed ledger technology (DLT) in the corporate bond market.

Nakpil assured the Finance Secretary that PDS has an ongoing vulnerability assessment and testing program to immediately address any possible threats to its systems.

e-SIP, e-SIP

THE PDS also reported updates on the second phase of the electronic Securities Issue Portal (e-SIP) for the secondary market, which includes its cybersecurity hardening to ensure that the necessary security measures are in place before PDS launches the Portal’s secondary market utilities for its stakeholders, according to the DOF.

@BcuaresmaBM

personal finance and the private sector must collaborate to restore business opportunities and job opportunities. Both businesses and individuals must figure out how to generate multiple revenue streams. A good combination of active income and passive income based on competence can help in the recovery process. Both businesses and individuals must be agile in pivoting.

We should all live within our means.

If income is constrained, then expenses should be lower. Our lifestyle must be based on our income. Priorities therefore have to be identified. Needs are different from wants. Needs are things that are must-haves in life while wants are things that are nice to have in life. During tough times like situations of poverty, needs must be prioritized over wants. If spending will be higher than income, it could lead to cumbersome debt which could further exacerbate the financial conditions.

Moving forward, as the world recovers from the pandemic and as economic conditions hopefully begin to improve, the importance of saving must be at a heightened level of consciousness. Saving is the first step in attaining financial recovery.

We cannot spend what we do not have.

We cannot insure what we do not have.

We cannot invest what we do not have.

The future is uncertain and the pandemic teaches us that saving and having an emergency fund go a long way in managing finances given bad economic cycles.

If the gross domestic product is like a bibingka (rice cake), then high poverty can mean that there are many Filipinos who have little or no share of the bibingka. While government is expected to improve the quality of lives, there are simple personal finance acts that can be done to ensure that no Filipino is going to be left behind.

Gemmy Lontoc is a registered financial planner of RFP Philippines. To learn more about personalfinancial planning, attend the 93rd RFP program this January 2022. To inquire, e-mail info@rfp.ph or text at 0917-6248110.

from Singapore on a proof-of-concept DLT-backed digital registry and depository infrastructure to test this system’s functionality and performance as well as its integration with the e-SIP.

BIR program

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) recently launched a program it calls “Taxpayer FIRST,” which stands for “fast, innovative, reliable, secure and technology,” which allows for an improved electronic payment (ePayment) channels accessible to taxpayers 24/7.

Dominguez said the pandemic has forced the government to improve the efficiency of its tax collection system. This allows taxpayers to protect themselves from the pandemic, he explained.

The DOF chief added that 90 percent of the country’s total annual income tax returns were filed

electronically, representing a 100 percent growth.

The Finance Secretary also underscored that from 1.9 million ePayment transactions in 2015, ePayment utilization grew by 110 percent or about 4 million ePayment transactions in 2020.

“Through the difficult months, our two main revenue agencies continued to function effectively, bringing the revenue flows to our government direly needed,” Dominguez said.

The BIR targets to increase ePayment transactions to increase to 50 percent in 2022 as modernization efforts aim to improve voluntary compliance.

Putting taxpayers first through expanded ePayment channels, BIR estimates around P150 million to about P200 million savings in transaction fees with increased ePayment utilization.

Local banks urged to explore ‘alternative data use’

By Bianca Cuaresma

Genesis Kelly S. Lontoc

Executives said the PDS Group is also working with the Bankers’ Association of the Philippines (BAP) and the National Association of Securities Broker Salesman, Inc. (NASBI) to maximize the use of e-SIP in the standardization and digitalization of processes for customer suitability.

This initiative looks to do away with a tedious process for investors to keep filling up the same forms several times when buying corporate bonds from different brokers.

The e-SIP already allows the online submission of documents required for PDEx Listing and Philippine Depository & Trust Corp. (PDTC) registry services and facilities for issuers and underwriter-selling agents in their initial public offerings for corporate bonds.

Nakpil said the PDS has been working closely with a fintech firm

L

OCAL banks are called to look into the use of alternative or non-traditional consumer data in its efforts to design, improve and deliver financial services to promote financial inclusion in the country.

In an earlier speaking engagement, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin E. Diokno said these “alternative data” can help financial service providers to expand their services especially to the unbanked and underbanked population in the country.

Unlike traditional data—composed of bank transactional data and

credit bureau information—alternative data comes in several forms, including social media, mobile data, utilities data, behavioral data, online transactions, geolocation data and browser data, among others.

“With alternative data, a more complete picture of the client is painted thus allowing for more individuals and businesses to be assessed,” said.

The BSP further said forecasting creditworthiness is a promising use case of alternative data, especially since many Filipino adults and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) still have little or no credit history.

Diokno also noted that in a September 2021 rapid survey by the BSP,

respondents cited better customer profiling, improved pricing of loan products and lower default rates as the realized benefits of using alternative data.

While it took an average of two years before the benefits were realized, the potential is significant, according to the BSP chief.

“The use of alternative data for credit scoring is just one example of how data can be used to benefit consumers. Looking ahead, we must continue to take initiative in fostering an inclusive digital financial ecosystem,” the governor added.

In 2021, the country’s public credit registry and repository of credit information called for alternative

and non-traditional data to help financial consumers gain access to credit facilities.

Credit Information Corp. (CIC) President and CEO Ben Joshua A. Baltazar earlier said traditional credit data is mainly reliant on credit repayment activity and may exclude the so-called credit-invisible, underserved and newcomers in the financial system.

“Alternative and non-traditional data—which includes data from nonconventional sources such as online transactions, telecommunications and utilities—are complementary to the traditional data that the CIC currently receives from its covered financial entities,” Baltazar said.

Govt raises ₧15B in first PBCOM staff raises funds T-bill auction of the year to back livelihood group

T

HE national government raised P15 billion on the first Treasury Bills (T-bills) auction for the year, according to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr).

Oon Monday the auction committee fully awarded bids for T-bills which were almost five times oversubscribed. Total tenders received reached P71.1 billion.

The T-bills fetched low interest rates compared to previous auction rates at 1.075 percent for the 91-day T-bills; 1.269 percent for the 182-day notes; and, 1.6 percent for the 364day short-term securities. “(We) made full award on all tenors with rates dropping with inflation for December expected at 3.9 percent primarily on (the) implementation of oil price rollbacks,” National Treasurer Rosalia V. de Leon told reporters after the auction.

The Treasury said that for the 91day T-bills, P5-billion worth of offers were accepted, a total of P19.144

billion were rejected and a total of P24.144 offers were tendered.

For the 182-day T-bills, a total of P5 billion offers were accepted by the BTr. Some P19.32 billion were rejected and about P24.32 billion offers were received.

In terms of the 364-day shortterm securities, P5 billion were accepted and P17.589 billion were rejected. The total tenders received for the tenor reached P22.589 billion.

The national government’s outstanding debt was trimmed to P11.93 trillion as of end-November 2021; but this was still beyond the government’s expected level of P11.73 trillion for last year.

Latest data released by the Bureau of the Treasury showed that the current debt stock dipped by P39.7 billion or 0.3 percent from P11.97 trillion as of end-October, mainly due to the net redemption of domestic securities and favorable foreign exchange rates. Cai U. Ordinario

T

HE Philippine Bank of Communications (PBCOM) announced initiating last month an employee fundraising project called “Scent of Joy” where the bank sold hanging car diffuser scents to its employees.

Proceeds of the fundraising project, amounting to P50,000 was turned over to La Liga Mariquina Inc. through its President and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Jahnwil R. Alejaga last December 28 by PBCOM’s Marketing Head, Belle R.D. Justiniani and Marikina Branch Manager Geri Ignacio.

These diffuser scents are a product of La Liga Mariquina’s livelihood program made by the less-privileged residents of Marikina, the listed government securities eligible dealer said.

PBCOM said the donation will be used to fund the livelihood workshops to be implemented next year by the organization’s “Centro Ni Maria

Quina” Program.

“PBCOM continues to support La Liga Mariquina’s vision in building a sustainable and holistic approach to alleviating the plight of our less privileged brothers and sisters,” PBCOM President and CEO Patricia May T. Siy was quoted in the statement as saying.

“As La Liga Mariquina extends their livelihood program to more than just local Marikina barangays and communities, PBCOM and its employees are able to empower and help more and more members of the communities that we serve,” Siy added.

Last month, PBCOM told the Philippine Stock Exchange it submitted to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas its letter dated December 7, 2021, for the application to upgrade its commercial banking license to a universal banking license, subject to regulatory approvals.

Goldman Sachs backtracks on return-to-office order to staff as omicron surges

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OLDMAN Sachs Group Inc., one of Wall Street’s fiercest champions of returning its staff to offices, is asking US employees to work from home if they can until Jan. 18 as Covid-19 surges nationwide.

Goldman’s reversal comes after most of its major peers, including JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Citigroup Inc., adopted a more cautious stance as the omicron variant spreads rapidly across the US, encouraging staff to resume work in the new year from their homes.

“As we continue to monitor the trajectory of this spike, we now encourage those who can work effectively from home to do so,” the bank said Sunday in a memo to employees.

As recently as last week, Goldman was doubling down on its re-

turn-to-office plan by making vaccination booster shots compulsory.

Anyone entering its offices must get a booster by February 1 if they’re eligible for the injections by that date, Goldman told its US workforce on December 27.

A Goldman spokeswoman didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Holiday spread

THE New York region has been hit hard by this winter’s jump in infections, raising concerns about what will happen at office towers and in schools as families return from gatherings or vacations in coming days. That’s forced some banks to revise staffing strategies in recent weeks, with a number of them easing off mandates to com-

mute to buildings.

JPMorgan is offering employees the option of working from home in the opening weeks of this year, the bank told staff in a memo on Thursday. Employees there are expected to resume their in-office schedules by February 1.

Citigroup asked employee to work from home for the first few weeks of the new year if they’re able to do so. Bank of America Corp. is urging employees to work from home this week.

Jefferies Financial Group Inc. asked staff last month to work remotely and get a vaccine booster by the end of January. Chief Executive Officer Rich Handler self-quarantined in December after testing positive for Covid-19 himself.

Bloomberg News

Security guards stand outside of the Goldman Sachs Group Inc. headquarters in New York. Governor Andrew Cuomo lifted New York state’s pandemic mandates effective immediately, saying that 70 percent of the adult population has now been given at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine. Bloomberg News

B4

Tuesday, January 4, 2022 • Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

Art

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Today’s Horoscope

The completed Hamos mural in Barangay Basud in Sorsogon City. PHOTO BY RJ ABRIGO,

By Eugenia Last

KURIT-LAGTING

z

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Coco Jones, 24; June Diane Raphael, 42; Dave Foley, 59; Michael Stipe, 62.

Happy Birthday: Pay attention to what’s happening around you and to the people who truly matter to you.

Eliminate what's no longer needed, and simplify your life.

It's best to embrace change rather than have it forced upon you. Check out what’s trending, and adapt to take advantage of what’s available. Put your unique stamp on whatever you do, and move forward with confidence.

Your numbers are 8, 14, 17, 25, 36, 39, 43.

a

ARIES (March 21-April 19): An intellectual attitude will win favors. Reconnect with someone who is always helpful. Your strengths will stand out if you are enthusiastic and positive in the way you deal with others. The experience and knowledge you have will make a difference. HHHH

‘Hamos!’: Mural by Bicolano artists b calls for good governance, social justice

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): An emotional situation will cause stress and worry. Do something physical to release tension and clear your head. Being productive will build confidence. Dig in, get things done and move on to bigger and better opportunities. Put the past behind you. HH

A

woman with an open palm beside her mouth shouting hamos—Bicolano for “join us”—anchors a recently unveiled mural by veteran and young Bicolano artists that aims to promote good governance and social justice.

The mural, titled after the featured text, measures 9 feet by 40 feet, and is featured on a vacant wall along the highway at Barangay Basud in Sorsogon City. The project was organized by 1Sambayan-Sorsogon Youth, in partnership with Kurit-Lagting Art Collective and co-presented by the Concerned Artists of the Philippines Bicol Chapter (CAP-Bicol), 1Sambayan-Sorsogon, and 1Sambayan Youth National.

APPRECIATING ART IN ALL FORMS Clark Development Corp. (CDC) Chairman Atty. Edgardo D. Pamintuan, Angeles City Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr., and Pampanga Provincial Tourism Officer Christian Alvarez explore the Clark museum to see all the artworks created by Kapampangan artists.

PHOTO: CDC-CD

“We feel that this is a safe space to express our creative ideas to engage arts with politics, society and thought, especially our call for a government that is committed to creating a system that protects human rights and civil liberties,” Robert Christian Labalan, president of 1Sambayan-Sorsogon Youth, said in a statement.

According to Allan Abrigo, one of the cofounders of Kurit-Lagting Art Collective and team leader of the project, Hamos is inspired by constructivist art and social realist paintings in the Philippines. He said they intend to encourage young Filipinos to be one of the key players in the vision to revive the failing democracy in Philippine governance by taking a more active and responsive role as citizens.

Surrounding the mural’s central, shouting figure are silhouettes and other representations of different sectors of society, from the women to the youth, as well as laborers and artists, among others.

Also depicted are the demands of these groups, including access to basic needs, human rights, and social justice.

The mural was conceived through a series of collaborative brainstorming and sketching

sessions, according to volunteer artists RJ Abrigo and Gilbert Catabian. They added that another important aspect during the artwork’s production was “the spirit of volunteerism,” where members of the community provided food, paints and other materials.

“Initial sketches were made by young volunteer artists and we consolidated everything afterwards,” added JC Jamoralin of CAP-Bicol. “The artistic process was really very engaging because we encouraged everyone to put in their ideas.”

Abrigo and Catabian were joined in the project by other members of the Kurit-Lagting Collective and CAP-Bicol, namely, Allan Abrigo, JV Garcia, Jamoralin, Choi Carretero and Joseph Bausa. Also part of the project were youth volunteer artists Don Angelo Laureta, Venus Briñola, Pia Paola Larosa, John Sola and Victoria Clyde Tabuena.

“Ang pagkakaisa at pagbubuklod ng mga indibidwal, mga sektor at mga artista ng bayan ay napapatunayan sa isang kolektibong gawain kagaya nito para sa panawagan na magkaroon ng tapat at mahusay na pamumuno,” Abrigo said. “Ito ang hinihiling ng mga artista ng bayan na iboboto natin sa lahat ng pagkakataon.”

According to Limitless Art Organizer Bennylee Bondoc, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the artworks will go to the Camalig Community Pantry.

“We help around 200 to 300 people, sometimes we even reach 500. We want to help more people and we want to continue doing this project. You help the artists and you also help the community,” Bondoc said.

She also said this is not the first time they

d

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Money, contracts, shared responsibilities and being fair will be necessary if you want to maintain stability. An unexpected change of plans will require diplomacy. Work alongside others peacefully. Do your part, and move on to something new. HHH

e

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You'll gravitate toward reliable people, but if you take advantage of them, you will eventually damage your reputation and ability to get the help and support you need to reach your goal. Don't make promises you can’t keep. HHH

f

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You'll gain momentum if you channel your energy into what matters to you most. What you physically accomplish will make a difference in the end. All talk and no action will make others question your ability to deliver. Finish what you start. HHH

g

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Change and stress go together. Stay centered and think matters through. Don’t feel pressured to rush when paying attention to detail and taking your time are required to ensure your success. Follow your heart.

HHHHH

h

100 local artists join art exhibit for a cause in Clark A total of 100 Kapampangan artists are exhibiting their artworks until January 29 at the Clark Museum as part of a visual art exhibit for a cause.

Dubbed Limitless Art, the exhibit showcases over 200 artworks from new young artists as well as old masters who are also renowned National Artists.

The exhibit had its opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony on December 29, 2021, at the Clark Museum.

Clark Development Corp. (CDC) Chairman Atty.

Edgardo D. Pamintuan led the ceremony together with CDC Vice President for Administration and Finance Engr. Mariza O. Mandocdoc, Angeles City Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr., Pampanga Provincial Tourism Officer Christian Alvarez, and Pampanga Press Club (PPC) President Anthony Emmanuel G. Tulabut.

They were also joined by Hilton Clark Sun Valley Resort Commercial Director Francis David, Clark Marriott Hotel Assistant Director of Sales Jenny Rivera, and Park Inn by Radisson Clark Director of Sales Michael Nabong as guests of honor during the event.

c

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): There will be a shift in the way you think of the direction you take.

Distance yourself from anyone putting pressure on you. Use your intelligence, and choose to do your own thing rather than jeopardize your reputation. HHHHH

organized an art exhibit. Limitless Art is the fifth art exhibit hosted by Bondoc and a group of artists.

“The exhibit is called Limitless Art because art has no limits. The artworks are not just sculptures or paintings. We also have photography and for this year, I put up a portrait wall for our artists who do portraits so that people can see different kinds of portraits,” she added.

Clark Marriott Hotel, Hilton Clark Sun Valley Resort, Quest Hotel and Conference Center-Clark, and Park Inn by Radisson Clark also pledged their support for the project.

Art enthusiasts may visit the Clark Museum until January 29, Tuesday to Sunday, from 9 am to 4 pm, except on holidays.

The exhibit is open to all ages with an entrance fee of P100 for adults. Senior citizens, PWDs, students and children will be free of charge as long as they bring their IDs. The Clark Museum also offers a 50-percent discount on entrance fee for those who will be bringing their vaccination cards, complete with first and second dose of vaccine.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Talk less and do more. Don't waste time discussing trivial matters when productivity is what matters.

Live up to your promises, meet your deadlines and be reliable, and you will make a difference. Be part of the solution, not the problem. HH

i

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Make preparation a priority. Acting in haste will lead to mistakes. Concentrate on mastering what you are doing and producing something that you are proud of when you finish. Baby steps will lead to longevity. Savor every moment of the process. HHHH

j

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Question and assess your life and the changes you want to make. Focus on truth, facts and timing. Your intuition is there to guide you. Trust your gut, and do what you need to do to reach your goal. HHH

k

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Channel your energy into something constructive.

Make changes based on needs, not on what someone is doing or wants you to pursue. Fine-tune your skills to suit what's trending, and you'll stay ahead of any competition you encounter. HHH

l

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Be your best, and let others do as they please. More time spent building your brand and less trying to remake someone else will lead to greater rewards and personal satisfaction. If you love someone, don't try to change them. HHH Birthday Baby: You are insightful, spontaneous and energetic. You are original and loving.

‘object-ively speaking’ by paul coulter The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS 1 Flip-flop 6 Green dip, for short 10 Catchy song, or a jazz style 13 Uintah and ___ Reservation (tribal home in Utah) 14 Largest dolphin 15 Chow chow choice 16 *Altercations accompanied by irritable remarks? (Hint: What comes between R and T?) 19 Home to Gateway Arch Natl Park 20 Captain Hook's henchman 21 Like the "z" in "rendezvous" 22 Cow chew 23 Weighed down 24 *"I need to watch hoops!"? (... between A and C?) 29 Beetle or Viper 32 Diva's solo 33 Mystical glow 34 Submit taxes digitally 36 Bugler's "lights out" signal 37 Rotary phone parts 39 Behind schedule 40 Adorable aquatic mammal

42 Exam on which Elle Woods scored a 179 43 Grows older 44 Outdoor gear co.

45 *Advice to someone building a computer? (... between C and E?) 48 Gives up, as land 50 Egg-shaped lip balm maker 51 Welcomes at the door 53 Barely open 55 "Yeah, right!"

58 Compromise, or what two letters of a phrase do to form each starred clue's answer?

61 Like a comedy sketch about comedians 62 Modern cry of excitement 63 Pumbaa's pal 64 Green-lights 65 ___ Club (Costco competitor) 66 Leaves out DOWN 1 Throw 2 Go after prey 3 Spoken exam

4 Siesta 5 Mineral in some plaster 6 Not here anymore 7 Compulsion 8 Take steps 9 Leading to an effect 10 Speed Sock sneaker brand 11 Sign of things to come 12 (Hey, you!)

15 Archipelago part 17 "Too funny!"

18 Walk like a crab 22 Stop 23 Teletubby with a reduplicative name 24 University of Florida student 25 Super mad 26 Exclusive passes 27 Makes a Lego house, say 28 Rudely assertive 30 Tweak 31 Witherspoon of Legally Blonde 35 Imperfections 38 Broadcast on Twitch 41 Wheel spokes, geometrically 46 Seller of the Moons Over My Hammy breakfast sandwich

7 Certain flavored chip 4 49 "Como ___ usted?"

51 Snowballs and water balloons, e.g.

52 Hide-and-___ 53 (Clears throat) 54 High flyers?

55 TV cable initials 56 Boatloads 57 Egg layers 59 Oolong or pu'er 60 Lowly lit Solution to today’s puzzle:

Show BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Tuesday, January 4, 2022

B5

Betty White, TV’s Golden Girl, dies at 99

By Lynn Elber & Frazier Moore

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GMA dominates 43rd Catholic Mass Media Awards GMA Network continues to be the leader in value-laden programs and initiatives, earning 14 recognitions in total at the 43rd Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA) held virtually last December 26.

Late-night newscast Saksi was conferred the Best News Program award. Anchored by GMA News’ Arnold Clavio and Pia Arcangel, the program recently marked its 25th year.

Making it a double victory for Arcangel was docu-reality program Tunay na Buhay, which won as Best News Magazine Program. Now on its 10th year, the show tells the stories of people from all walks of life—from celebrities to prominent personalities and ordinary individuals.

Award-winning drama anthology Magpakailanman was cited

by CMMA as the Best Drama/Series Program. Hosted by Mel Tiangco, the weekly program features relevant and inspirational real-life stories that have touched the lives of many Filipinos and promoted good family values to its viewers.

For the second year in a row, Balitanghali took home the award for Best Special Event Coverage. Airing on GTV, the midday newscast anchored by Raffy Tima and Connie Sison was recognized for its unparalleled coverage of Typhoon Ulysses that struck Luzon in November 2020.

Earning the Best TV Special Award as well for the network was Fiesta: Ang Makulay na Pananampalatayang Pilipino produced by Jesuit Communications and aired on GTV as part of its Holy Week lineup.

GMA further extends its wins in the Radio category with its flagship AM and FM stations Super Radyo DZBB 594 and Barangay LS 97.1 Forever taking home various awards.

For DZBB, the tandem of Susan Enriquez and Mark Salazar in Usap Tayo: Super Kuwentuhan with Mark and Susan was named Best Educational Program while W Dobol Team won Best News Commentary. Winning for Barangay LS 97.1 Forever, on the other hand, was Talk to Papa which was cited as Best Counseling Program.

Various Kapuso programs and projects were also conferred with Special Citations.

Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho was given Special Citation in the Best Adult Education/Cultural Program category. Hosted

by GMA News’ Jessica Soho, KMJS was elevated last year to the Hall of Fame in the Best News Magazine category.

Meanwhile, documentary program The Atom Araullo Specials also received a Special Citation as Best TV Special.

GTV public affairs shows I Juander and Brigada likewise earned Special Citations as Best News Magazine and Best Public Service Program, respectively.

GMA Regional TV Balitang Bisdak, GMA Regional TV’s flagship newscast in Eastern and Central Visayas, took home the Special Citation for Best Special Event Coverage for its “500 Years of Christianity in the Philippines.”

The network was also given a Special Citation in the Best Digital Advertisement-Public Service category for its “Nasa Puso ang Pag-asa” campaign produced by GMA Public Affairs.

The Associated Press

OS ANGELES—Betty White, whose saucy, up-for-anything charm made her a television mainstay for more than 60 years, whether as a man-crazy TV hostess on The Mary Tyler Moore Show or the loopy housemate on The Golden Girls, has died.

She was 99.

White’s longtime agent and friend Jeff Witjas confirmed her death Friday. She had no diagnosed illness, and it was unclear if she died Thursday night or Friday, he said.

She would have turned 100 on January 17.

Her death brought tributes from celebrities and politicians alike.

“We loved Betty White,” First Lady Jill Biden said as she left a Delaware restaurant with President Joe Biden, who added: “Ninety-nine years old. As my mother would say, God love her.”

“She was great at defying expectation,” Ryan Reynolds, who starred alongside her in the comedy The Proposal, tweeted. “She managed to grow very old and somehow, not old enough. We’ll miss you, Betty.”

White launched her TV career in daytime talk shows when the medium was still in its infancy and endured well into the age of cable and streaming. Her combination of sweetness and edginess gave life to a roster of quirky characters in shows from the sitcom Life With Elizabeth in the early 1950s to oddball Rose Nylund in The Golden Girls in the ‘80s to Boston Legal, which ran from 2004 to 2008.

But it was in 2010 that White’s stardom erupted as never before.

In a Snickers commercial that premiered during that year’s Super Bowl telecast, she impersonated an energy-sapped dude getting tackled during a backlot football game.

“Mike, you’re playing like Betty White out there,” jeered one of his chums. White, flat on the ground and covered in mud, fired back, “That’s not what your girlfriend said!”

The instantly-viral video helped spark a successful Facebook campaign to have her host Saturday Night Live. The much-watched episode won her a seventh Emmy.

A month later, cable’s TV Land premiered Hot In Cleveland, which starred Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves and Wendie Malick as three past-theirprime showbiz veterans who move to Cleveland to escape the youth obsession of Hollywood.

They move into a home being looked after by an elderly Polish widow—a character, played by White, who was meant to appear only in the pilot episode.

But White stole the show, and became a key part of the series, an immediate hit. She was voted the Entertainer of the Year by members of The Associated Press.

“It’s ridiculous,” White said of the honor. “They haven’t caught on to me, and I hope they never do.”

By then, White had not only become the hippest star around, but also a role model for how to grow old joyously.

“Don’t try to be young,” she told the AP. “Just open your mind. Stay interested in stuff. There are so many things I won’t live long enough to find out about, but I’m still curious about them.”

White remained youthful in part through her skill at playing bawdy or naughty while radiating niceness. The horror spoof Lake Placid and The Proposal were marked by her characters’ surprisingly salty language. And her character Catherine Piper killed a man with a skillet on Boston Legal.

In 1985, White starred on NBC with Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty in The Golden Girls. Its cast of mature actors, playing single women

in Miami retirement, presented a gamble in a youth-conscious industry. But it proved a solid hit and lasted until 1992.

White played Rose, a gentle, dim widow who drove her roommates crazy with off-the-wall tales of childhood in fictional St. Olaf, Minnesota.

The role won her yet another Emmy.

She was born Betty Marion White in Oak Park, Illinois, and the family moved to Los Angeles when she was a toddler.

“I’m an only child, and I had a mother and dad who never drew a straight line: They just thought funny,” she told The Associated Press in 2015. “We’d sit around the breakfast table and then we’d start kicking it around.”

Her early ambition was to be a writer, and she wrote her grammar school graduation play, giving herself the leading role.

After two very brief marriages in the 1940s, White wed her third and final husband, actor and game show host Allen Ludden, in 1963. They remained married until his death in 1981.

When asked in 2011 how she had managed to be universally beloved during her decades-spanning career, she summed up with a dimpled smile: “I just make it my business to get along with people so I can have fun. It’s that simple.”

The world stage is set for UpLive’s singing competition 2022

By Leony R. Garcia UpLive announces its second annual global live streamed singing competition, UpLiveWorldStage. Formerly known as Singing for the World, WorldStage is judged by Emmy/ Grammy winner Paula Abdul and is done by peer-voting.

Last year’s competition drew over 4,000 participants from 20 regions around the world, and this year’s contest has expanded to over 150 participating regions. The grand prize includes a hit song and video produced by a Grammy producer, as well as a recording contract.

The competition is the latest example of UpLive’s commitment to empowering creators with cutting-edge technology while providing a global stage upon which to showcase their talents.

The grand finals of the singing competition is slated on Jamuary 23.

Founded in May 2016 as part of Asia Innovations Group (AIG), UpLive’s a live-streaming platform that allows users to broadcast and view real-time videos via smartphones. It has more than 200 million registered users worldwide, making it the largest independent video social entertainment platform in the world outside of China and is available in more than 100 countries. Twitter recently recognized UpLive as one of the most influential international brands in 2019. UpLive was also named as the Highest Paying Platform for Broadcasters in 2018.

In her message via Zoom, Paula Abdul said: “I am thrilled UpLive invited me back for another exciting year of outstanding worldwide singers. I was really impressed with the vast talent competing last year and I am sure it will be even bigger and better this year. Singing has been a passion for me, I enjoy sharing my experience with these young talented singers and have a positive impact on their career and life.”

The monthlong competition will be streamed live 24 hours a day and will include head-to-head PK battles and a “party mode” where mentors, judges and viewers can participate. The top 100 finalists will receive talent host contracts from UpLive.

There will be two top winners, one crowned by Paula Abdul as the overall winner, and a “People’s Choice” winner crowned by other judges and viewers.

Both winners will receive $5,000 in prize money, a virtual mentoring session with industry leaders, a recording contract, and a personalized song written by Grammy-nominated producers. Winners will also have a chance to record or join UpLive Boy Bands or Girl Bands in cooperation with KDS studios, which has produced albums for some of the biggest artists in the US including Justin Timberlake, NSYNC, Usher, and Christina Aguilera.

More information can be found at www.upliveworldstage. com/2021.

Three cheers for the new year still prevalent in the local movie industry. Thats why we are glad that Gumabao was able to score a good project when he accepted Silip sa Apoy, where he pitted talents with awardwinning actor Sid Lucero, from a powerful script of Ricky Lee. We look forward to seeing Gumabao in a variety of roles this year, whether in various states of undress or not. We are sure his dad Dennis Roldan is mighty proud of him.

As we all welcome the new year, may the careers of these three brave, bold and brilliant young actors soar higher than ever.

PAOLO GUMABAO We are happy to learn that 2021 breakthrough actor Paolo Gumabao has just wrapped up work with filmmaker Mac Alejandre for the film Silip sa Apoy.

Launched to stardom in the Joel Lamangan movie Lockdown, Gumabao made us take a second look at his assets, physical and otherwise, with a very brave and on-point performance that won him a lead actor trophy at the 28th Filipino International Cine Festival (FACINE) in November of 2021.

For some time, he was part of the ABS-CBN TV series Huwag Kang Mangamba but he was conspicuously missing after a while and we caught another actor playing his character toward the end of the series.

We heard Gumabao accepted another gay-themed movie, titled Sisid, and we were worried given that stereotyping is

REX LANTANO One of the most pleasant young actors we had the opportunity to meet and talk to this year is Rex Lantano, who headlines the nine-part series Love at the End of the World, on the very gay GagaOohLaLa platform.

For many years after finishing school, he played small roles on television and film, and patiently waited for the big breaks to come. In early 2021, Lantano bagged one of two lead roles for the series, Monti Parungao Daddy Love, and he became an Internet star for his wonderful performance and amazing registry onscreen, which earned him fans from all over the world.

We also loved a mantra that he posted recently on his social media accounts. It reads: Until its my turn, I will keep clapping for others happily. It just goes to show the kind of person he is—kind, accepting, realistic, secure.

We’d love to see Lantano in a regular role in a TV series and, hopefully, more amazing characters to breathe life to on the big screen.

VINCE RILLON His first movie outing was in Brillante Mendoza 2012 Berlin

FROM left: Paolo Gumabao, Rex Lantano and Vince Rillon.

Film Festival entry Captive. Vince Rillon was all but a fearless, carefree fourteener who never dreamt of becoming an actor.

Since then, Mendoza has never let go of this young man, and made him a constant staple in his films.

With every new character created specifically for him, Rillon is slowly being molded into the actor Mendoza envisioned him to be. He was in the cast of Ma’ Rosa, Lakbayan, Mindanao, Resbak, Amo, GenSan Punch and in a slew of Vivamax films that will start streaming in the new year, starting off with Siklo, under the direction of maverick filmmaker Roman Perez Jr. Rillon is fortunate to have Mendoza in his life, who has

been opening the big doors for him and giving him not only the breaks but also the good life that he is enjoying now. He is also extremely lucky that Mendoza is making sure Rillon plays his cards right, and that his young ward is able to start working with his other filmmaker-friends too.

We just hope Rillon learns to be really grounded and sincerely humble and that he continues to work hard with all these opportunities accorded to him by Mendoza.

Our best wishes to these three young men and may their roars be louder and more amplified in the coming Year of the Tiger.

B6 Tuesday, January 4, 2022

Doña Elena shares favorite pasta recipes GCash, partners planted 900,000 trees last Christmas, to plant more in 2022 How to Use the GForest App

GFOREST volunteers plant native tree saplings at the Ipo Watershed in Norzagaray, Bulacan, one of four GForest sites around the country. (GCash)

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ROM 1900 to 2015, the Philippines lost two-thirds of all its forests, with its once-impressive coverage of 21 million hectares reduced to a mere seven million hectares.

Despite a government ban on logging, the war against our trees rolls on. About 52,000 of them are felled daily for timber, charcoal, mining, slash-and-burn farming and land development. This intensifies soil erosion, flooding, river siltation, storm surges and droughts.

But there’s good news for our forests this Christmas. As part of its GForest movement, GCash and its partners planted over 900,000 trees before the year ends.

Together with the United Nations Development Programme’s Biodiversity Finance Initiative (UNDP-BIOFIN), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-

Philippines), Ramon Aboitiz Foundation (RAFI), Century Pacific, Ayala Land and Friends of HOPE, GCash will finish planting 120,000 timber trees in Bulacan’s Ipo Watershed, 26,596 timber trees in Pangasinan’s Alaminos Carbon Forest, 300,000 fruit and timber trees in Cebu’s Luyang Watershed and 500,000 coconut trees in the provinces of South Cotabato and Sarangani.

“With our current partnerships, we will be planting at least an additional 400,000 trees in 2022 to bring our total up to 1.3 million trees. We hope to further scale the positive impact of the GForest movement in 2022 as GCash continuously engages fresh and old partners to find new sites to reforest and farmer-beneficiaries to help,” explains GCash President and CEO Martha Sazon.

UPON logging in, GCash users are given the option to plant virtual trees, which generates funds to plant real trees around the country. Users earn green energy points by reducing their individual carbon footprints.

Since 2019, GForest users have generated over 16 billion green energy points by doing over 133 million low-impact paperless transactions. Paying bills online for instance, eliminates the need to drive to a bank and consume paper for receipts and forms. More points can be garnered for walking to work, taking the stairs and avoiding singleuse plastic items. GForest interfaces seamlessly with existing mobile fitness apps to accurately measure not just energy saved, but exactly how much carbon emissions are reduced.

Each green energy point corresponds to a gram of carbon saved. Points are then used to nourish a virtual tree in GForest.

After a user claims enough energy points by doing cashless transactions in GCash, they can use their points to "claim" a virtual tree in the GForest app. GCash and its allies will then plant a corresponding tree in one of its partner sites for each virtual tree claimed in this way. As of December 2021, users have planted well over one million virtual trees in GForest.

“Through GForest, we fully support our local farming communities not just by boosting their livelihoods through tree planting, but by empowering them through farm design and farm planting workshops plus educating them on our financial services which supports our vision of finance for all,” explains GCash Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Vice-president Chito Maniago.

Caltex and Suzuki Philippines partner for fuel discounts for new vehicle owners

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ALTEX, marketed by Chevron Philippines Inc. (CPI), continues to strengthen its partnership with various industry leaders to provide value offerings for Filipino motorists.

Adding to the roster of industry partners, Caltex recently inked a partnership with Suzuki Philippines, the country’s pioneer distributor of compact car.

The partnership, beginning November 2021, has a first-fill program wherein newly purchased Suzuki vehicles are entitled to get Caltex SavePlus

discount cards applicable to all Suzuki dealers nationwide. Caltex SavePlus cardholders can avail Php2 discount for gasoline and Php1 for diesel for every fuel up at Caltex stations.

“Caltex remains committed to finding ways to fuel motorists’ journey in more ways than one. We’re happy and proud to be partnering with brands like Suzuki that also share our belief of giving more value to our customers.” said Billy Liu, CPI Country Chairman.

“We’re very excited about our newest partnership with Chevron

Philippines Inc. It comes at an opportune time for us as we continue to explore various avenues that will give our loyal customers more bang for their buck,” said Keiichi Suzuki, Suzuki’s Vice President and General Manager for Automobile.

Aside from fuel discounts for new vehicle releases, the partnership allows Suzuki car owners to experience the five benefits of Caltex with Techron such as maximized power, better fuel economy, lower emissions, smoother drive and reliable performance.

NEW Suzuki vehicle owners can get Caltex SavePlus card, allowing them to avail fuel discounts when they gas up at Caltex stations.

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HE season for all the reunions, sending gifts to loved ones and also cooking for family and friends isn't over yet. Doña Elena Al Dente Pasta is a pantry staple that any home cooks can turn to when looking for an easy-to-cook yet still impressive dish for your loved ones. So whether you’re thinking of shipping them off with love, cooking for impromptu guests, or simply being intentional about cooking more healthily at home, these recipe ideas have you covered.

Marasigans’ Midnight Pastawith Tuna, Bacon, Pancetta, and Spinach

WHO says cooking lasagna is an ordeal to make? This 45-minute version uses ingredients like cheese, ground pork, and Doña Elena Tuna.

Guests would surely love the idea of enjoying a snappy, yet filling and tasty dish sans the rice.

Our Daily Ulam’s SeafoodPasta

PACKED with creamy and rich umami goodness, this white lasagna recipe got tons of flavor and a decadent definition of comfort food. Best of all, both kids and adults will surely love it!

Panay Gutom’s Tuna Spinach White Sauce Lasagna

MEET another go-to lasagna version with all the good stuff: cheese, mushroom, and herbs.

Since it has red pasta sauce, this classic version provides a delicious contrast to its creamy counterparts.

Simple Mediterranean Pasta

WHY does ground pork get all the love when cooking lasagna if there’s another proteinpacked, omega 3-rich alternative you should try like Doña Elena Tuna? Additionally, this version will surely appease all the garlic-lovers at your dinner table.

Belle's Kitchen Crunchy Garlic Tuna

IF looking for a lasagna version that possesses plenty of melted cheddar, parmesan, and mozzarella, look no further than this recipe.

While it takes one hour to make, this recipe is guaranteed with a restaurant-quality appeal and still remains tasty the day after!

Ricca’s Craving Tuna Lasagna with White Sauce

THERE’S no denying that pasta is a no-fail dish that can be cooked in many ways. But what better way to make it more inviting by taking it up a notch with Doña Elena Al Dente? It pulls flavors with Italy’s most-prized bronze die-cut technique that creates a rough surface with ridges on the pasta. Less starch but packed with protein, it’s also made with 100 percent durum wheat semolina that provides its “firm to the bite” result after cooking!

Doña Elena Al Dente and Pasta are available in all groceries and supermarkets nationwide.

Kaspersky recognized as a 2021 Gartner Peer Insights Customers’ Choice for Endpoint Protection Platforms

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OLLOWING a customer rating of 4.7 out of 5. 96%, customers said they were willing to recommend the Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business product. Kaspersky is one of only 3 vendors named a Gartner Peer Insights Customers’ Choice in the latest round of recognition for both the EPP and EDR markets. Kaspersky has been named a Customers’ Choice all four years that the recognition has been acknowledged by Gartner.

Gartner Peer Insights is a free peerreview and rating platform designed for enterprise software and services decisionmakers. Reviews go through a strict validation and moderation process in an effort to ensure they are authentic. The “Voice of the Customer” is a document that synthesizes Gartner Peer Insights’ reviews into insights for IT decision-makers.

This aggregated peer perspective, along with the individual detailed reviews, is complementary to Gartner’s expert research and can play a key role in your buying process, as it focuses on direct peer experiences of implementing and operating a solution. In this document, only vendors with 20 or more eligible published reviews during the specified 18 month submission period are included.

Reviews from end-users of companies with less than $50M in revenue are excluded from this methodology. See the full “Voice of the Customer” methodology here.

Kaspersky is the only vendor to be recognized as a Customers’ Choice every time Gartner has announced the recognition in the EPP market. When it comes to technical support, Kaspersky customers rated our EPP and Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solutions 4.7/5.0 and 4.9/5.0 respectively on Gartner Peer Insights as of Decemeber 1, 2021.

Kaspersky has also been recognized within the following Customers’ Choice category distinctions: Large Enterprise (1B - 10B USD), Mid-size Enterprise (50M – 1B USD), Public Sector, Government, Education, and Services. The company is also one of only two vendors recognized as a Customers’ Choice in the Finance Industry. As for the regional category, Kaspersky is one of only four vendors recognized as a Customers’ Choice in Europe, Middle East, and Africa regions.

Kaspersky believes that receiving the Customers’ Choice recognition is a testament to the company’s work constantly developing and upgrading solutions for businesses of various sizes.

As companies’ needs can be different

depending on the maturity level of their IT and cybersecurity provision, we suggest having dedicated security frameworks that cover them all. Proven and reliable endpoint protection from Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business at the Security Foundations framework level is fundamental for organizations of any size and infrastructure complexity. The next level of IT security maturity–Optimum and Expert frameworks–is supplemented with EDR, Managed Detection and Response (MDR), advanced anti-APT solution, threat intelligence services, and awareness training.

Kaspersky is the most reviewed vendor on the Gartner Peer Insights EPP market with 1,887 reviews by verified customers.

“Kaspersky is synonymous with security and data protection. It has long been well evaluated by several specialized sites, offering solid solutions against viruses, malware, and other malicious tools. The Kaspersky Endpoint Security tool is an excellent tool for protecting computers on a corporate network.

The service is based on a central server responsible for licensing and distributing updates and virus definitions. The system is so invisible that the user often hardly realizes that it is running,” said Data and Analytics specialist in the government industry.

“We are using Kaspersky Endpoint Security for over a year now and have been very much satisfied by the services and support it offers.

Kaspersky is among the oldest antivirus and top-rated in the world. Safety and security of files and data is highly reliable and the support it offers is commendable in case of any issues.

It is very good for internet security. Kaspersky even offers a diverse range of antivirus suites to match your protection needs,” a Decision Analytics Associate in the services industry said.

“For us, being named Customers’ Choice for the fourth time in a row is a testament to the key enhancements we have implemented in our products for businesses in the last couple of years. It is also proof of our dedication to providing the best protection for customers amid the growing risks facing their businesses as we navigate the pandemic and keep pace with evolving needs,” comments Evgeniya Naumova, Executive Vice President Corporate Business and Deputy CBDO, Commercial at Kaspersky.

Kaspersky is among the top 5 highestrated vendors on Endpoint Protection Platforms, Endpoint Detection and Response Solutions, Managed Detection and Response, Threat Intelligence, Cloud Workload Protection Platforms, and Services Automation markets on Gartner Peer Insights.

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

TheWorld BusinessMirror

Tuesday, January 4, 2022

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Weekly infections top 10 million, doubling previous global record

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stands with Lithuania’s Minister of Defense Arvydas Anusauskas during an honor cordon upon his arrival at the Pentagon in Washington on December 13, 2021. In a statement on January 2, Austin said he has tested positive for Covid-19 and is experiencing mild symptoms while quarantining at home. AP/Andrew Harnik

Pentagon chief Austin tests positive for Covid

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A SHINGTON—Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Sunday he has tested positive for Covid-19 and was experiencing mild symptoms while quarantining at home.

In a statement Sunday night, Austin said he plans to attend key meetings and discussions virtually in the coming week “to the degree possible.” He said Deputy Secretary Kathleen Hicks would represent him in appropriate matters.

Austin said he last met with President Joe Biden on December 21, more than a week before he began to experience symptoms, and had tested negative the morning of that day.

“I have informed my leadership team of my positive test result, as well as the President,” Austin said. “My staff has begun

contact tracing and testing of all those with whom I have come into contact over the last week.”

Austin, 68, said he was fully vaccinated and received a booster in October. He said he requested a test Sunday morning after experiencing symptoms while at home on leave and, given the result, planned to remain in quarantine for five days, per guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The vaccines work and will remain a military medical requirement for our work force. I continue to encourage everyone eligible for a booster shot to get one. This remains a readiness issue,” he said.

In October, another member of Biden’s Cabinet, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, tested positive for Covid-19. AP

Quebec begins retail store closures amid new surge in Covid infections

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ONTREAL, Quebec— Quebec proceeded with the first of three planned closures of non-essential retail stores Sunday as the provincial government tried to curb a new wave of Covid-19 driven by the highly infectious Omicron variant.

Hospitals and health-care resources in Quebec and Canada’s remote northern communities are also being stretched as case numbers explode.

Quebec Premier Francois Legault announced last week that the bulk of the province’s stores would be closed for the next three Sundays, with the exception of pharmacies, convenience stores and gas stations.

Charles Milliard, president of the Quebec Federation of Chambers of Commerce, urged the government to lift the measures as soon as possible. “ The last thing businesses need during these difficult times is additional restrictions,” Milliard said in a statement. “We must leave the choice to businesses to open or close at the time that makes the most sense for them, their employees and their customers.”

The closures came as Quebec reported 15,845 new Covid-19 cases, as well as 13 additional deaths linked to the virus.

The Health Department said the number of hospitalizations linked to the disease rose by 70 to 1,231. It said 162 people are in intensive care, an increase of nine.

Quebec City’s main hospital network says it will postpone half of its surgeries and medical appointments starting Wednesday due to the spike in Covid patients.

M a r t i n B e au mo nt , P r e s i dent and CEO of the CHU de Québec-Université Laval, told

a news conference that as many as 10,000 med ica l ap pointments could be delayed, allowing roughly 50 nurses to also be redirected to the pandemic’s ward.

T he hospital network says 783 health-care workers are in isolation, in addition to the 600 nurses already missing from the work force before the pandemic’s fifth wave hit.

The strain caused by the growing number of cases is exacerbated in remote communities where health care is already limited.

Bearskin Lake First Nation, a fly-in only community in northern Ontario, declared a state of emergency on December 30 when 43 residents tested positive for the virus. By Sunday, 169 people had confirmed or suspected cases of Covid-19, more than 40 percent of the total population.

“That’s a crisis,” Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Derek Fox said in an interview.

Bearskin Lake has no hospital and is usually served by a nursing station with two nurses. An emergency evacuation would take more than three hours for a plane to get in and out from Sioux Lookout or Thunder Bay, and that’s only if weather permits it to land.

A federal rapid response team with three primary care nurses, a paramedic and two environmental health officers landed in Bearskin Lake on December 30, bringing more testing capacity with them. Two public health nurses were sent by the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority as well.

Outbreaks in remote communities are also affecting Nunavut, northern Quebec and Labrador.

Nunavut confirmed another 22 cases of Covid-19 Sunday, bringing the total to 196 in just 10 days. AP

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lmost twice as many people were diagnosed with Covid-19 in the past seven days as the pandemic’s previous weekly record, thanks to a tsunami of Omicron that has swamped every aspect of daily life in many parts of the globe.

The highly mutated and infectious variant drove cases to a record 10 million in the seven days through Sunday, almost double the previous record of 5.7 million seen in a week in late April. The surging number of infections, at a time when many people have given up on testing or are using at-home kits with results that aren’t reported to local authorities, has led to canceled flights, closed offices and strangled production facilities and supply chains.

Soaring infections—with a record number of cases reported from Australia and the US to Italy and France—disrupted the holiday season a year after vaccines first started rolling out and two years after the emergence of the virus that many initially hoped would be fleeting.

The silver lining is that weekly Covid deaths are still on a downward trajectory, falling to their lowest level in more than a year.

The outlook for 2022 depends on whether the death toll follows cases and picks up in the weeks to come, or if early evidence suggesting the Omicron wave will be less severe holds up as more realworld data emerges.

Key developments:

Taiwan reports first local Omicron cases

Taiwan reclassified two imported cases as local cases in a suspected cluster of infections at a quarantine hotel, according to a statement from Taiwan Centers for Disease Control. Taiwan has reported 88 Omicron cases in total.

Australia secures more Sotrovimab

Australia secured an additional 46,000 doses of Sotrovimab, used for mild to moderate cases of the virus, taking the national stockpile

to 81,000, Health Minister Greg Hunt said.

Sotrovimab has a “79 percent effectiveness rate in reducing serious illness, hospitalization and loss of life,” Hunt told reporters.

“It’s not for everybody. It’s based on clinical advice, but it’s one of the reasons that we are seeing significantly lower ventilation rates.”

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Morrison reiterated that the government won’t be providing free rapid antigen tests for everyone despite shortages nationwide.

“We’re now in a stage of the pandemic where you can’t just make everything free,” he told the Seven Network’s Sunrise program.

Australia recorded its highest number of infections since the pandemic began, with more than 37,000 daily cases.

India infections five times higher

India added 33,750 new infections Monday, more than five times the cases it reported a week ago, pointing to a new virus wave building in the country.

The South Asian nation, which has confirmed almost 35 million cases in total, reported 123 more deaths Monday, taking the total tally of Covid-related fatalities to 481,893. India will start vaccinating 15-18 year-olds Monday. The country has administered about 1.46 billion doses overall.

Pakistan facing new Covid wave

Pakistan reported 3,520 coronav ir us cases in week ended Januar y 2, the highest in two mont h s, accord i ng to Joh ns Hopkins University data.

There is now clear evidence of the start of another Covid wave, which has been expected for a few weeks, particularly in Karachi, Asad Umar, the minister overseeing the nation’s Covid-19

response, wrote on Twitter.

More flight cancellations, led by China

About 3,700 domestic and international flights in the AsiaPacif ic reg ion were ca nceled over the weekend, and a further 970 are expected to be dropped Monday, according to the tracking firm FlightAware.com. China Eastern Airlines, Air China and Spring Airlines had the most cancellations.

Globa l ly, more than 9,100 flights were canceled over the weekend.

Food supply complaints in Xi’an

Some local residents in Xi’an, the epicenter of China’s current outbreak, complained on social media about a lack of access to food supplies during lockdown, as well as government efforts to censor their grievances.

Two v ir us control of f icers in the city were fined and put in detention for seven days for beating a man who had gone out grocery shopping on Friday, according to local media, citing a police statement.

China reported 101 positive Covid cases for Sunday, 90 of which were in Xi’an.

Hong Kong vaccinations pick up

Hong Kong administered over 7,000 initial injections on both Saturday and Sunday, the most since the end of November, as more citizens signed up for vaccinations following the discovery of a cluster of infections at a restaurant.

The number of people getting their first shots was surpassed by those getting boosters as access expanded to all adults on January 1, with some 8,000 and 10,600 given on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

Hong Kong is set to launch an expanded vaccine mandate that will require an inoculation in order to patronize restaurants, gyms and cinemas later this month.

Singapore probes New Year’s Eve street party

Authorities are looking into an impromptu gathering of New Year’s Eve revelers in Clarke Quay, the Straits Times reported.

The government task force managing the Covid situation said the gathering “ involved some

blatant breaches of safe management rules and is a potential superspreading event.”

The unauthorized party of hundreds—Singapore rules cap group sizes at just five—was widely shared on social media. In pictures and video, the crowd could be seen cheering, singing and counting down to the new year, many with their masks pulled down.

Australia’s Morrison ‘totally fine’

Aust r a l ia P r i me M i n i ster Scott Morrison said he’s feeling “totally fine” and hasn’t had the need to take a Covid-19 test, after a positive case was detected in his Sydney residence.

Morrison said he was exposed to the positive case at a press conference held outdoors on Wednesday. The New South Wales state health department advised the prime minister to be on alert.

Israel expands eligibility for fourth dose

Israel will start offering a fourth vaccine dose to people older than 60 as the Omicron strain has caused a surge in new cases in the country.

The fourth dose will also be made available to medical staff for whom at least four months have passed since their last jab, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in a press conference on Sunday. Last week, Israel approved the extra shot for people who are immunocompromised, as well as residents of nursing homes, and patients at geriatric hospitals.

Israel expects new coronavirus cases to climb to tens of thousands per day soon, Bennett said at the opening of a cabinet meeting on Sunday.

Twitter bans Greene for misinformation

Twitter Inc. on Sunday said it permanently banned the personal account of Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene for repeated violations of the platform’s prohibition against spreading misinformation about Covid-19.

The Georgia lawmaker was previously suspended for tweeting false claims about the Covid vaccine and health risks during the global pandemic. A tweet Saturday misrepresented data on the death rate from the vaccine, a company spokesman said. Bloomberg News

Sudan’s prime minister announces resignation amid political deadlock

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A I RO — Sud a n’s P r i me Minister Abdalla Hamdok announced his resignation Sunday amid political deadlock and widespread prodemocracy protests following a military coup that derailed the country’s fragile transition to democratic rule.

Hamdok, a former UN official seen as the civilian face of Sudan’s transitional government, had been reinstated as prime minister in November as part of an agreement with the military following the October coup. In that time he had failed to name a Cabinet and his resignation throws Sudan into political uncertainty amid uphill security and economic challenges.

In a televised national address Sunday, Hamdok called for a dialogue to agree on a “national charter” and to “draw a roadmap” to complete the transition to democracy in accordance with the 2019 constitutional document governing the transitional period.

“I decided to return the responsibility and declare my resignation as prime minister,” he said, adding that his stepping down would allow a chance for another person to lead the nation and complete its transition to a “civilian, democratic country.”

He did not name a successor.

The prime minister said his efforts to bridge the widening gap and settle disputes among the political forces have failed.

He warned that the ongoing politica l sta lemate since the military takeover could become a full-blown crisis and damage the country’s already battered economy.

“I tried as much as I possibly could to prevent our country from sliding into a disaster.

Now, our nation is going through a dangerous turning point that could threaten its survival unless it is urgently rectified,” he said.

The October coup had upended Sudan’s plans to move to democracy after a popular uprising forced the military’s overthrow

of longtime autocrat Omar alBashir and his Islamist government in April 2019.

Four months after al-Bashir’s ouster, the generals and the protesters reached a power-sharing deal to rule the country through e lec t ions i n 2023. Howe ver, military-civilian ties have been frayed by the military takeover that has threatened to return Sudan to international isolation.

Hamdok ’s resignation comes amid a heavy security crackdown on protesters denouncing not only the takeover but the subsequent deal that reinstated him and sidelined the pro-democracy movement. He was returned to office in November amid international pressure in a deal that calls for an independent technocratic Cabinet under military oversight led by him.

“I have had the honor of serving my country people for more than two years. And during his period I have sometimes done we l l , a nd I h ave somet i mes failed,” Hamdok said.

The Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change, an umbrella group of Sudanese political parties and pro-democracy organizations, has rejected the November deal and remains committed to ending military rule. The alliance accused Hamdok of allowing the military to dominate the government, and continued to organize anti-coup street protests which were met with heavy crackdown.

Over the past two weeks, there was increasing speculation that he would step down. National and international efforts have failed to convince him to stay in office.

T he US St ate Depa r t ment urged on Twitter Sudan’s leaders to “set aside differences, find consensus, and ensure continued civilian rule” following Hamdok ’s resignation.

It also called for the appointment of the next premier and Cabinet to “ in line w ith the [2019] constitutional declaration to meet the people’s goals of freedom, peace, and justice.” AP

Sports

PBA suspends all 10 games this week due to Alert Level 3

BusinessMirror

187 players join pro chess body’s upcoming draft

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By Rick Olivares

HE second season of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) will be an even bigger one with 187 players applying for the upcoming Draft.

Among some blue chip players hoping to join the country’s professional chess league include Adrian Pacis, Shercila Cua, Richielieu Salcedo, Carlo Magno Rosaupan, Joel Anthony Hicap, Rolly Parondo Jr., Harrison Maamo, Jerry Areque, Alexander Lupian, Roberto Suelo Jr., Jayson Salubre, Raymond Salcedo, Kevin Mirano and Marc Kevin Labog.

There are also two hopefuls who participated in the Open Conference— Fide Master Sander Severino and team manager James Infiesto of the national paralympics team.

The Iriga Oragons will get the first pick in the draft followed by the Quezon City Simba Tribe, Olongapo Rainbow Team 7, Palawan Queen’s Gambit, Cagayan Kings, Mindoro Tamaraws, Surigao Fianchetto Checkmates, Cavite Spartans, Rizal Batch Towers, Isabela Knight Raiders, Cagayan de Oro (formerly Lapu Lapu), Davao Chess Wizards, Tacloban (formerly Cordova), Toledo City Trojans, Zamboanga Sultans, Pasig King Pirates, Camarines Soaring Eagles, Negros Kingsmen, Caloocan LoadManna Knights, Manila Indios Bravos, Laguna Heroes, Iloilo Kisela Knights and lastly, San Juan Predators.

The draft will be held online this Saturday at 6 p.m. The All-Filipino Conference will begin on January 22.

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| Tuesday, January 4, 2022 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

ATHLETES’ WELFARE

PRIORITY–TOLENTINO T

HE Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) put premium on the welfare of pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena in accepting its Ethics Committee’s recommendation to declare athletics president Philip Ella Juico as persona non grata.

“If a president of a member NSA [national sports association] is not in one with the aim and purpose of the POC to protect and take care of the welfare of the athletes, then he or she does not deserve the recognition of POC…as simple as that,” the POC, through its president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, said on Monday.

“As far as the POC is concerned, the Ethics Committee acted within its inherent power which is to determine if the conduct of a member of POC, specifically the president of the Patafa, is ethical, professional and acceptable to the organization which he belongs to,” the POC added.

TOLENTINO

Patafa stands for Philippine Athletics Track and Field association, the NSA for athletics.

The Ethics Committee, Tolentino said, is a standing committee of POC as provided for in the bylaws whose sole purpose is about the conduct of its members.

“After the Ethics Committee found that Mr. Juico’s conduct is unethical, the [POC] Executive Board merely ad-

TRIPLE-DOUBLE RECORD Thunder rookie Josh Giddey (3), shown here being guarded

by the Dallas Mavericks’ Dwight Powell during their game on Sunday in Oklahoma City, becomes the youngest player in National Basketball Association history to record a triple-double. The sixth overall pick in last year’s draft from Australia books 17 points, 14 assists and 13 rebounds for his first triple-double in his team’s 95-86 loss to the Mavericks. The 6-foot-8 guard accomplishes the feat at 19 years, two months and 23 days, beating Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball, who has a triple-double at 19 years, 10 months and 17 days. AP

OBIENA

opted its recommendation,” Tolentino said. “The Executive Board did not penalize the NSA, in fact, he was not removed, suspended or reprimanded.”

Tolentino said it’s the POC’s prerogative to declare anybody a persona non grata—which means unacceptable person to POC. “Based on the complaint and evidence presented, his [Juico] conduct towards Obiena, who is a

very promising athlete, is unethical and violative of the provisions of the bylaws of POC specifically on uplifting the level of performance of Filipino athletes,” Tolentino said.

The POC’s legal team, Tolentino said, stressed that Juico didn’t answer the accusations against him and “he is defending himself using jurisdictional issue.”

“The complaint of Obiena is not an intra NSA dispute, but it’s all about the conduct of Mr. Juico as president of the Patafa on the way he treated an athlete,” the POC said. “He [Juico] should actually be thankful that he was given the opportunity to clear his side but he opted not to and instead hide on jurisdictional issue.”

“Any organization cannot be forced to accept a person who is not acceptable to the organization,” Tolentino, also the president of the cycling NSA, said.

“A persona non grata is a person not acceptable to POC.”

NGAP postpones Natl Stroke Play

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HE National Golf Association of the Philippines (NGAP) on Monday decided to postpone the National Stroke Play Championship that was supposed to start on Tuesday at the Manila Southwoods’s Legends course because of the alarming spike in Covid-19 cases in the National Capital Region (NCR) and other parts of the country.

NCR’s health status was hiked to Alert Level 3 over the New Year weekend because of increasing cases of infections that started on Christmas weekend, a development that the NGAP felt can affect the welfare of the 116 confirmed participants, including 24 in the women’s event.

With the concurrence of Manila Southwoods, the NGAP made the call to move the event to a later date.

While the NGAP regrets the postponement of an event that they have been looking forward to as a way to restart their activities long stalled by the pandemic, local golf’s governing body said it was “the most responsible action to take at this time.”

“We would rather err on the side of caution and not contribute to any risk of transmission at our event,” the NGAP said in a statement signed by secretary general Bones Floro.

“The NGAP board has therefore determined that the most responsible course of action to take at this time is to defer the tournament until the situation has improved.”

“NGAP shares everyone’s hope that, with increased vigilance and cooperation, we can do our share to defeat this pandemic. We will post updates on our tournament schedule as details become available,” Floro said.

LIONEL MESSI is isolating at home in Argentina. AP

Messi among four PSG players with Covid-19

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IONEL MESSI is isolating at home in Argentina after being among four Paris SaintGermain (PSG) players announced Sunday as testing positive for the coronavirus ahead of the team’s return to playing after a brief winter break.

PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino is uncertain when the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner will be able to return to France, or whether he can recover

in time to play away to Lyon in the league next Sunday.

Leading clubs across Europe, including Barcelona and Real Madrid, have been depleted by coronavirus infections—reflecting a wider surging case numbers on the continent spurred by the Omicron variant.

England has been the most affected as the Premier League has played on through the Christmas holidays amid a wave of postponements.

Here we go again THE new year means a fresh start, everybody starting from scratch, and a blank canvass for everyone to paint on.

For this new year though, it’s the aforementioned including Covid-19’s latest variant, Omicron.

For the sports world, it means coaches and players who are positive going into quarantine. Coaches and players who may have gotten in contact with an infected person entering Covid-19 protocols which means missing games, disrupting rhythms, momentum, game plans, strategies and substitution patterns.

Two words league officials, team executives, coaches and players don’t want to hear—cancellation and postponement.

According to Audie Cornish of npr.org, “In this era of Covid-19, sports have reflected the course of the pandemic in a very public way, from league shutdowns in March of 2020, signaling a closing of society at large, to rules and guidance about opening up venues. Now, sports are once again serving as an indicator. Infection rates are surging in major pro leagues, reflecting the rapid rise of cases in the general population.”

The ecosystem of sports will once again have to find ways and means to circumvent the surge. From the top league executive to sponsors and sports marketers and advertisers to the maintenance staff who keep the playing venues clean and spotless.

League commissioners will now have to worry about not just vaccinating their players, but giving them booster shots as well on top of the vaccination they’ve received already.

Back to npr.org, “You know, you look at those vaccination rates—almost every NHL player vaccinated, the NBA [National Basketball Association] reportedly at 97 percent. As of yesterday, the NFL said nearly 95 percent of players were vaccinated. Despite these safeguards, though, there are reasons why athletes may be more vulnerable to getting the virus, especially the highly transmissible omicron variant.”

Epidemiologist Zachary Binney adds, “If you’re an athlete and you’re playing for a team, you’re spending a lot of time together indoors, in meetings. You’re in the cafeteria eating together. It’s almost as much proximity as anybody

working in any office job or restaurant job would have to each other in terms of being indoors and in close contact.”

Now back to the booster shots, more than 60 percent of players in the NBA are eligible to receive booster shots have received them already.

NPR.org says, “the NFL [National Football League] announced changes to its Covid-19 rules, tightening them up considerably. Effective immediately, masking regardless of vaccination status, meetings will be remote or outdoors, no in-person meals and no outside visitors on team travel.

Zach Binney told me, hopefully, these kinds of enhanced protocols, along with more booster shots, can keep the NFL and other leagues operating during this current surge.”

Look for sports leagues to not take any chances and strictly enforce their respective protocols. From vaccinations, they’ll now be looking at booster shots.

Here in our shores, because of the Omicron variant, the ongoing Philippine Basketball Association season has grinded to a halt and the respective seasons of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines and the National Collegiate Athletic Association are now in limbo.

National sports associations will have to add another layer in their respective training bubbles in addition to adding more protocols.

For sports to survive the latest uptick of cases, everyone has to voluntarily cooperate.

Moving forward, all decisions must be guided by both medicine and science.

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By Josef Ramos

HE Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) on Monday opted to postpone all 10 games scheduled this week as the league awaits the advice from concerned government agencies on whether or not playing under Alert Level 3 is possible.

PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial wrote the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) early on Monday seeking approval on when the league could resume the Governors’ Cup eliminations.

The league, Marcial said, also wrote Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte on the local government unit’s decision on their request.

“We are waiting now for GAB’s response to our letter to continue playing,” Marcial said. “If they allowed us to play last July, I hope they will also allow us now.”

The PBA returned to the Smart Araneta Coliseum last December 15 and for 10 days, held a total of 16 games with fans at 30 percent capacity at the Big Dome. The Governors’ Cup opened on December 8 at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City but behind closed doors.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases reverted the elevated health protocols in Metro Manila and nearby areas to Alert Level 3 on New Year’s eve after recording a spike in Covid-19 infections.

The teams’ full practices were reduced to five-at-a-time sessions without scrimmages also on Monday.

COMMISSIONER Willie Marcial stares at another Covid-19 predicament.

No Novak yet but tennis world prepares for Australian Open

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Liverpool announced three further suspected coronavirus cases ahead of kickoff at Chelsea on Sunday with goalkeeper Alisson, forward Roberto Firmino and defender Joel Matip isolating. Manager Jürgen Klopp had already entered isolation so missed the trip to London.

French clubs are back playing for the first time in one-and-a-half weeks, a break which allowed players to go home or on holiday. AP

HILE the “will he or won’t he” question remains for No. 1 Novak Djokovic and his participation in the Australian Open, the rest of the tennis world returns to work this week to prepare for the season’s first major beginning January 17 at Melbourne Park.

The men’s Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Cup team event has been on since the weekend in Sydney, and there are three tune-up events being played this week in Melbourne as part of Tennis Australia’s “Summer Set” of tournaments—two Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) tournaments and one ATP. In Adelaide, there is a joint ATP and WTA tournament this week. Next week, both Adelaide and Sydney will hold joint ATP-WTA tournaments.

Djokovic is still nowhere to be seen.

Australian Open chief executive Craig Tiley says there is “quite a bit to play out” before nine-time champion Djokovic shows up to play in Australia.

The top-ranked player has continually refused to reveal if he is vaccinated against Covid-19, a requirement to play in Melbourne. But there has been speculation Djokovic could apply for a medical exemption to play as he eyes a recordbreaking 21st Grand Slam singles title. He is tied with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal with 20.

Djokovic withdrew from Serbia’s ATP Cup team last week.

“We’ve still got a few charter flights coming in until the end of this week and then all the players will be here,” Tiley said. “As far as the status relates to Novak, I think we’ll have a much clearer picture in the coming days otherwise it’s getting pretty late to show up and play the Australian Open. There’s quite a bit to play out and I think it will play out in the coming days.”

Naomi Osaka and Simona Halep will headline the WTA tournament in Melbourne this week while Nadal, recovering from Covid-19, is the top seed at the ATP event at Melbourne Park. Also in the ATP tournament is secondseeded Reilly Opelka, Nick Kyrgios and Grigor Dimitrov.

In Adelaide, top-ranked and Wimbledon champion Ash Barty is the headliner, joined by Coco Gauff, Petra Kvitova, Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka. Gael Monfils is the No. 1 seed at the Adelaide ATP tournament, while Karen Khachanov is seeded second.

US Open champion Emma Raducanu withdrew from the Melbourne tournament, having just come out of isolation after testing positive for Covid-19. AP