BusinessMirror January 21, 2022

Wealth tax law could hike revenues by $9.2B

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F the Philippines legislates a progressive annual wealth tax, civil society groups estimate that the “super rich” would be able to increase the country’s revenues by $9.2 billion annually.

A study by the Fight Inequality Alliance, Institute for Policy Studies, Oxfam, and Patriotic Millionaires bases the estimate on a wealth tax of 2 percent on wealth over $5 million; 5 percent on wealth over $50 million; and 10 percent over $1 billion.

A less progressive wealth tax wou ld sti l l y ield a sig nif icant amount of $6.3 billion annually.

This is based on tax rates of 2 percent on wealth over $5 million; 3 percent on wealth over $50 million; and 5 percent over $1 billion.

“The insane reality is that whilst billions face a daily struggle to

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survive during this pandemic, billionaire wealth is spiraling out of control. This cannot be right,” said Jenny Ricks, Global Convenor of the Fight Inequality Alliance.

“For years Davos has shown us the elites cannot and will not end the virus of inequality they have helped to create. We now have the rare opportunity to create the economy and society we want but this requires deep system change rather than a rehash of the status quo,” she added.

In the Philippines, the study said, there are 6,685 individuals with a net worth each of $5 million or more, with their combined wealth at a total of $164 billion.

There are 365 individuals with $50 million or more each, and a combined wealth of $91.45 billion.

“The insane reality is that whilst billions face a daily struggle to survive during this pandemic, billionaire wealth is spiraling out of control.

This cannot be right.”–Jenny Ricks, Global Convenor of the Fight Inequality Alliance

“An annual wealth tax applied to the wealth of multimillionaires and billionaires would raise $6.3

billion a year, enough to increase government health financing by 73 percent or reduce households’ out-of-pocket health budget by 84 percent or enough to reduce poverty at $3.2 a day by 90 percent,” the study stated.

Between 2016 and 2021, the number of individuals with wealth over $50 million increased from 295 to 365 with combined wealth increasing from $75.36 billion to $91.45 billion—a gain of 21.36 percent, adjusted for inflation.

There are 16 Filipino billionaires with a wealth total of $45 billion.

Throughout the pandemic, beginning in mid-March 2020, the wealth of the Filipino billionaire class increased $11.68 billion.

See “Wealth,” A2

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Sunday, December 2021Vol. Vol.1717No. No.58 58 Friday,December January 21, 2022 105 Sunday, 5,5,2021

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Odette farm sector victims get ₧3B in interventions

By Cai U. Ordinario

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@caiordinario

HE Philippines can still post a growth of above 7 percent this year if the government will increase its health-related interventions, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

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HE Department of Agriculture (DA) said a total of P3 billion in agricultural interventions has been released to farmers and fisherfolk affected by Ty phoon Odette, which impacted 10 regions in the country.

Of the P3 billion, Agriculture Secretary William Dar, in a statement, said P1 billion came from the Quick Response Fund (QRF) of the DA for the rehabilitation of affected areas, particularly in Regions 6, 7, 8, 13, and In a presentation of the preMimaropa which were directly liminary data for the upcoming hit by Typhoon Odette. report titled Covid-19 Country To date, agricultural damage Assessment (COCOA) Report— and losses from Typhoon Odette Southeast Asia: Recovering from translate to P13.3 billion, with t he Pandemic, A DB sa id t he 462,766 hectares of agriculturcountry’s growth could reach 7.1 al areas affected and 273,062 ROBINSONS Retail Holdings Inc. President Robina Gokongwei-Pe, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, Marikina City Mayor Marcelino Teodoro and South Star Drug General Manager Christine Tueres are seen at the launch of the percent this year with the right metric tons of total volume loss “Resbakuna sa Botika,” a government vaccination initiative tapping pharmacists of partner drugstores to administer Covid-19 vaccine shots. The launch was held at a South Star Drug branch on Bayan-Bayanan Avenue, health interventions. agonizing 533,709 farmers and Barangay Concepcion Uno, Marikina City, on Thursday, January 20, 2022. NONOY LACZA Howe ver, i f t he cou nt r y ’s fishers. health interventions will not be According to Dar, P828 million was set aside by the Philipenough, the worst-case scenario is pine Crop Insurance Corporaa growth of only 5.6 percent this tion (PCIC) as potential payout year. These estimates are based to around 79,217 insured farmon baseline expectations that the ers and fishers affected by the country’s GDP growth would avtyphoon. erage 6 percent this year.

The SURE Loan Assistance “With the continuing spread ORE than half of Filianalytical skills. tions that are geared towards for high value-adding jobs, these Program of the DA under the Agof the Omicron variant there is pino workers are using T hese are ser v ice, c ler ica l, more intensive use of ICT, data have also opened opportunities ricultural Credit Policy Council a pressing concern that the exmostly general skills, acand support workers; service and analytics, and high value-adding for workers who have jobs with (ACPC) also allotted P500 milpected economic recovery in 2022 cording to a recent study of state sales workers; skilled agricultursocial skills,” the economists said. general skills, such as motorcycle shows products, with hosts and ByManuel Manuel Cayon consumers become moreworkers; discernlion worth of loans to benefit could actually be stalledBy with the think tank Philippine Institute al, fishery become and forestry To add ress t hese gaps, t he drivers and taxi drivers for rideshows ofofproducts, with hosts and T.T. Cayon consumers more discernguestsproviding providing more detailsand and ingand and connected, weare areseeing seeing 20,000 af fected fardetails mers and emergence of the new wave of Cofor Development Studies (PIDS). guests more ing connected, we and workers in elementary ocauthors recommended assessing hailing services. giving testimonies, Zalora said. incredible innovations happening giving testimonies, Zalora said. incredible innovations happening fishers.

This program features vid infections that we’re seeing PIDS Senior Research Fellow cupations. the quality of jobs being created “A national upskilling program would alsohelp help brandsinintheretail retail sectorthat thatcompletely completely ItItwould also brands ininthe P25,000 loanable amount per now in January,” ADB Southeast Connie Bayudan-Dacuycuy and “This is sector worrisome given that and ensuring that reskilling and is imperative to ensure that these novateon onflexible flexible salesinterest, promoreimagine the theinshopping shopping experinovate sales promoreimagine experihousehold, with zero Asia Department Senior EconoDe La Salle University Profesdevelopments information and upskilling programs are in place, workers can participate in other tions, suchasasand giving discounts, ence,”Gunjan GunjanSoni, Soni, chiefexecutive executive tions, such giving discounts, ence,” chief no collateral, payable up to mist James Villafuerte said in a sor Law rence Dacuycuy found communications [ICT] have draas these can facilitate workers’ market opportunities in the fuand offering easier and attracofficer of the Zalora Group, told an and offering easier and attracofficer of the Zalora Group, told an three years. presentation, however. around 62 percent of the counmatically reshaped the world of upward occupational mobility. ture,” the study said. tivepayment paymentoptions optionssuch suchasasthe the onlinepresentation presentation itsTrender Trender tive online ofofits tr y’s working population have work.

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News

BusinessMirror

A2 Friday, January 21, 2022

Odette...

Continued from A1

To aid farm recovery efforts, Dar said the DA distributed P500 million worth of certified rice, corn, and assorted vegetable seeds; P1.63 million worth of seed nuts, seedlings, and fertilizers from the Philippine Coconut Authority; P6.6 million worth of animal stocks, drugs, and biologics for livestock and poultry; and P.2 million worth of farm inputs from Philippine Fiber Industry and Development Authority.

Also, he said the fisheries sector through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources also provided P31.58 million worth of interventions such as fiber boats, marine diesel engine, banca repairs, and various fishery products as relief goods.

Meanwhile, Dar said the inventory of basic commodities such as rice, livestock, poultry, and fishery products are enough.

“We keep a positive inventory of rice, which will be good for 115 days. We also have a combination of local supplies and imported frozen pork, and as for fish products, we are enhancing our aquaculture to come forward to elevate fish cuts as we have closed the fishing season this quarter,” Dar said.

Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

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PHL hotels, cities awarded at Asean Tourism Forum

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo

T

@akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror

HE Philippines received high honors at the ongoing Asean Tourism Forum (ATF) in Preah Sihanoukville, Cambodia for its commitment to upholding the highest of tourism standards.

In a news statement, the Department of Tourism (DOT) announced that Nobu Hotel, Nuwa Hotel, Hyatt Regency—all in the City of Dreams— as well as Conrad Manila, all in Pasay, were recognized among the best in the 8th Asean Green Hotel Award for 2022.

Recipients of the 3rd Asean Clean Tourist City Standard Award were Baguio, the Philippines’s traditional summer capital, and Ilagan in the province of Isabela.

For the 3rd Asean MICE Venue Standard Award in the meeting room category, winners were: the Magellan Ballroom of Quest Plus Conference Center in Clark, Pampanga; Forbes Ballroom (Conrad Manila); William Cameron Forbes Ballroom (Baguio Country Club); Mangrove Conference and Convention Center (Astoria Palawan); and the Marriott Grand Ballroom (Clark Marriott Hotel).

In the exhibition venue category of the 3rd Asean MICE Venue Standard Award, honorees were the World Trade Center in Pasay and the Cordillera Convention Hall.

“This recognition of our local cities, and hotels and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Convention, and Exhibition) venues not only serves as a testament to the Philippines’s commitment to uphold the best tourism standards, it also mirrors the strong Bayanihan spirit we have exhibited to overcome this crisis,” said Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat.

She added, “The current health crisis is a bane of the industry. Nevertheless, local tourism offices and our stakeholders aren’t backing down from this. By collaborating to help find solutions, they have proven that they can adapt despite the current limitations on their operations.”

The Philippines, however, failed

to receive any honor in the 3rd Asean Sustainable Tourism Award.

Reopen borders—Hun Sen

With the theme “Asean– A Community of Peace and Shared Future,” the ATF 2022 formally opened on January 18 in a ceremony attended by Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, and Cambodia Tourism Minister Dr. Thong Khon.

In his speech, Hun Sen urged other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to reopen their borders t o i nt e r n at io n a l t r a d e and tourism amid the Covid-19 pandemic. “I suggest adopting something similar to what Cambodia is enforcing at its borders: Those who are already vaccinated with two doses just take a rapid test and 15 or 20 minutes later they can leave and travel anywhere in the country. This would reduce the difficulties with travel in Asean.”

Vaccinated visitors have to present a negative RTPCR test result taken 72 hours prior to departure for Cambodia, then take a rapid antigen test upon a r r iv a l . I f t he t rave ler tests positive for Covid-19, he must take an RT-PCR test, whi le quarantined

Wealth...

Continued from A1

The study said billionaires saw their wealth increase by 35.1 percent during the pandemic while 3.7 million people are estimated to have been pushed into extreme poverty in 2020 alone.

The richest person in the Philippines as of November 2021 is Manuel Villar whose wealth has reached $7.5 billion. This means, he owns more wealth than the bottom 33 million Filipinos.

Rounding the top 5 richest Filipinos are Enrique Razon Jr. who is worth $6.6 billion; Henry Sy Jr., $3.6 billion; Tony Tan Caktiong, $2.7 billion; and Andrew Tan, $2.7 billion.

“The wealth of the Asian billionaire class is greater than the GDPs of Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines and Thailand combined,” the report stated.

Worldwide campaign

The Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) joined thousands of like-minded individuals and organizations in different parts of the world under the Fight Inequality Alliance (FIA) in a week-long series of actions and other activities to put a spotlight on the alarming rise in global inequality and to call for a tax on wealth.

FDC said t hat as t he super-rich continue to accumulate ever more wealth, millions of Filipinos have struggled to make ends meet with the continuing multiple crises since the start of the pandemic.

The toll that the pandemic exacted on the economy and government finances meant that borrowing continued to surge, with outstanding debt nearly doubling to P11.93 trillion as of November 2021 compared to the P6.09 trillion at the end of 2016.

in a designated facility.

If the result is still positive, the traveler will rece ive Cov id t re at ment .

“I urge the Asean tourism ministers to declare the full reopening of tourism throughout the region on January 19 from here in Preah Sihanouk province,” said the Prime Minister. As of January 19, there were only 30 new Covid cases recorded in Cambodia. Of the 121,030 recorded cases in the last six months, there were 3,015 deaths, according to the John Hopkins University’s Covid-19 Data Repository.

The Philippines still enforces travel restrictions.

Fully vaccinated travelers have to present a negative result from an RT-PCR test taken 48 hours prior to departure. Only arrivals from green list countries may skip a facility-based quarantine. Vaccinated travelers from yellow or red-list countries must quarantine in a hotel upon arrival for a given period.

Held at Sokha Beach Resort, the ATF is being attended by 350 participants from more than 27 countries and regions. These include tour ism leaders and officials, international buyers, exhibitors, media as well as trade visitors and travelers from the tourism industry.

The growth in borrowing came alongside the government’s futile efforts to rein in the growing deficit which, in November 2021 had already reached P1.3 trillion.

“Attempts to keep the budget gap from further widening led in many cases to reduction in support for affected sectors with top officials of the Department of Finance [DOF] and the National Economic and De ve lopment Aut hor it y [Neda] rejecting proposals for more economic support for the people, calling such mea su res ‘u nf u nd able,’” FDC said.

Global picture

The global study also found that 3.6 million people have over $5 million in wealth, with a combined wealth of $75.3 trillion and 183,300 households own over $50 mi l lion, for a combined wealth of $36.4 trillion.

There are 2,660 billionaires with a total combined wealth of $13.76 trillion based on Forbes as of November 30, 2021.

An annual wealth tax applied to the world’s richest would raise $2.52 trillion a year. This is based on a graduated rate structure of 2-percent tax on wealth over $5 million; 3 percent on wealth over $50 million; 5 percent on wealth over $1 billion.

A more steeply progressive wealth tax would raise $3.62 trillion a year. This is based on a graduated rate of 2 percent on wealth starting at $5 million; 5 percent on wealth over $50 million; and 10 percent on wealth over $1 billion.

An annual tax on the world’s richest, the study said, would be enough to lift 2.3 billion people out of poverty, make enough vaccines for the whole world, and deliver universal health care and social protection for all the citizens of low and lower middle-income countries (3.6 billion people).

Cai U. Ordinario

PHL...

Continued from A1

Further, they stressed the importance of tertiary education in enhancing the readiness of the country’s future work force. They underscored the role of higher educational institutions in providing learning environments that develop cognitive and noncognitive skills, which can enhance general and specific skills needed in the workplace.

Technical-vocational education and training (TVET) programs can also be leveraged, particularly for those who want to shift their career paths but do not have the necessary skills and training needed for the job.

In doing so, there should be an adequate supply of qualified trainers who can serve sector-specific skill needs. According to the authors, TVETs can tap industry experts as trainers to increase their pool of competent ones.

“TVETs can craft training programs that are aligned [with] the needs of the industry, giving them the impetus to improve their facilities and resources accordingly,” the study said.

The study found that while ICT jobs remain in demand in sectors including hotel/restaurant/tourism, wholesale and retail trade, and health and wellness, other sought-after jobs and top employment generators, such as the IT-BPM and manufacturing sectors, are looking to fill in positions with more analytical skills.

They said these jobs include software quality assurance analysts and IT support staff. In agribusiness, there is a clear need for technical experts, managers, pathologists, biologists, engineers, and quality control technicians. Such occupations require highly specific skills.

The study also found that the percentage of workers with tertiary education is higher for jobs with high levels of specificity.

In terms of gender, the study showed that female workers engaged in jobs that require highly specific skills are better educated than male workers. However, a higher percentage of tertiary-educated female workers are still engaged in jobs requiring low skills.

Cai U. Ordinario

Health...

Continued from A1

Despite the recovery of economies in the region, including the Philippines, ADB said growth remained below trend. The Philippines has the largest deviation from the trend among Asean-5 economies.

ADB said the country’s trend growth was an average of 6.4 percent between 2009 and 2019.

But estimates showed the country will only grow 5.1 percent in 2021 and 6 percent in 2022.

The growth in 2021 represents a trend deviation of 16.1 percent while the 22 forecast is 16.4 percent below the trend.

“The Philippines, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Thailand have the highest output gap relative to their output trend if you look across the region,” Villafuerte said.

Labor market

The ADB said the Philippine labor market struggled under the weight of the pandemic.

ADB earlier pointed this out as the hysteresis in employment in the Philippines.

Hysteresis happens when the skills of workers, who were unemployed over a long period of time due to a recession, deteriorate, making them unemployable.

This becomes a challenge since many businesses have responded to the pandemic by adopting technologies to make their operations more efficient. This will require workers who possess higher skills in information technology and business.

Workers would then require higher valueadded skills when entering the work force.

This could create a mismatch or worsen the existing mismatch between skills and jobs in the country.

“The paper actually suggests strengthening many labor market programs to help workers and enterprises make this transition to higher quality jobs and higher value skills. Reforms are ongoing to address the pandemics’ long lasting efforts on the labor market and the report cites some of them,” Villafuerte said.

Way forward

Policy priorities for the country include efforts to strengthen labor market programs, social protection, and support to businesses.

Firms, ADB said, should institute training reforms such as the creation of industry boards, workplace skills training, and industry-led apprenticeship.

These efforts should include providing workers with unemployment insurance to help them achieve income stability during times of involuntary unemployment. This can also be linked to labor market training programs, particularly those on reskilling and upskilling of workers.

The government should also support micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), invest in climate reforms, and infrastructure.

The Nation BusinessMirror

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PAO chief told: Ensure ‘clean’ environment in your workplace

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

J

USTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Thursday said he has advised Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) chief Persida RuedaAcosta to ensure a Covid-19-free working environment in her office premises amid her vocal resistance to be vaccinated against the virus, citing her age and other health reasons.

Guevarra issued the statement in response to Sen. Franklin Drilon’s call for President Duterte to prevent Acosta from physically reporting for work, as the government ramps up its campaign to inoculate more Filipinos against Covid-19.

The DOJ chief noted that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) mandates that personnel reporting for on-site work should be vaccinated.

However, those who insist to remain unvaccinated but are required to physically report for work are mandated to undergo RT-PCR or antigen testing at least every two weeks.

“I already advised PAO chief Acosta to comply with existing government regulations regarding on-site work as it relates to unvaccinated personnel, and to ensure a Covid-safe working environment in her agency without sacrificing efficiency,” Guevarra said.

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Friday, January 21, 2022 A3

DND favors ROTC for youth’s military training

By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM

& Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox

T

HE Department of National Defense (DND) on Thursday threw its support behind a proposal for mandatory military training for young Filipinos, but stressed that the Reserve Officer Training Course, ROTC, is a “much better” option.

“The implementation of mandatory ROTC in private and public schools is the better alternative. We are already starting to implement this in State Universities and Colleges,” Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana said in a statement released through Defense spokesman Arsenio “Popong” Andolong.

“This program, which targets the K11 to K12 levels, will produce a huge number of youths who will form part of our reservists,” Lorenzana added.

Tussle

THE defense chief ’s statement came amid a high profile tussle between vice presidential aspirant Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and senatorial candidate Walden Bello, who linked her proposal for a mandatory military service for Filipino youths to the history of the late strongman former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., and to the perceived “dictatorial tendencies” of her father, President Duterte.

“If only he [Bello] wasn’t so quick to react, he would have realized that

I also emphasized the need for the youth to be prepared for disasters and become proactive community partners in rescue operations and in aiding victims of calamities,” Duterte-Carpio said.

“I truly hope that our youth do not grow up to be a Walden Bello—an ungrateful citizen who sleeps peacefully at the comfort of their homes, unable to say prayer or a silent ‘thank you’ to the men and women who became martyrs while countering violent extremism, insurgency, and terrorism,” Duterte-Carpio said.

In his earlier social-media post, Bello accused the mayor of being “like father, like daughter.”

“Duterte’s legacy was to arm people and tell them to kill. Now his daughter wants to do it to the youth as well,” he said.

“Sara Duterte’s pledge to use the OVP [Office of the Vice President] to promote mandatory military service reveals her for the dictator-inwaiting she is, and tells us that she will be no different from Duterte Sr.,” Bello added.

Lorenzana said he is supporting mandatory military training for the youth because of its advantages, which include a “ready and steady trained pool of reservists to defend the country and do HADR [humanitarian assistance and disaster response] work.”

Also, the training and discipline that young Filipinos will acquire “will make them better citizens” while inculcating in them service to the country.

Challenges

HOWEVER, the defense chief said there are “huge” challenges in implementing the mandatory training, foremost of which are funding and resources.

“Training camps would need to be established all over the land, and manpower and funds must be allocated to accommodate the millions who will reach the age of 18 every year,” he said.

There’s also “the anticipated objections of those who are not inclined to serve in the military.”

Lastly, Lorenzana said the country is “not on war footing and there will be little need of a general mobilization.”

“We feel that the products of the ROTC program are more than sufficient to meet our requirements for warm bodies in case of conflict and in times of calamities and disasters,” he said.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) originally pitched the proposal for mandatory training for Filipinos.

“We welcome the proposal as this is attuned to the times while government is faced with adversities and challenges, aligned with our aspirations for the citizenry to contribute to nation building,” the AFP said through its spokesman Col. Ramon Zagala.

“Rendering mandatory military service will only help us to establish base for a strong Armed Forces, and therefore a strong nation,” it added.

Civic consciousness

DEPUTY Speaker and Buhay Partylist Rep. Lito Atienza strongly disagrees with the proposal of DuterteCarpio for people 18 years and above to undergo military training.

“I strongly object to this proposal.

This is a step in the wrong direction.

Rather than giving them military training, we should strengthen their civic consciousness and capability to respond to problems that affect the nation and Filipinos in general. We have already finally dispensed with the mandatory military training in the past, realizing that it is of no real use developing the youth towards this end. We are constantly visited by weather disturbances and severe climate conditions such as typhoons, landslides, earthquake and the like.

We should be molding our youth today to become more conscious of their civic duties and become better citizens,” Atienza said.

Atienza pointed out that we have already finished the geo-hazard maps showing disaster prone areas around the country, but government has not properly utilized it.

“By not using the geo-hazard maps we had prepared, the country is almost always caught flatfooted and unprepared, simply because of the lack of effort from the national government to harness volunteerism and civic action in times of crisis.

We have severe typhoons constantly visiting the country like ‘Yolanda’ and ‘Ondoy,’ and the latest example of this is the destruction wrought

by Typhoon Odette on several prov-

inces. We can be better prepared if we add a little more training for the youth of today and give them a bigger role in disaster preparedness.

Military training is not the answer,” Atienza added.

He also questioned “why should our young graduates be made to perform the task of defending the country when we have trained soldiers who are tasked to handle the country’s military needs.”

“This is an added burden on the youth. What we should be doing instead is to harness the youth’s strength, energy and capabilities in sports and cultural development,” he said.

Absurd proposal

IN a separate news statement, Akbayan’s First Nominee Perci Cendaña said, “This proposal is absurd, unfair and irrelevant. Nasa gitna tayo ng pandemiya tapos ito plano ni Sara?”

“It only serves to whitewash his father’s cowardice to China.

For the last five years, Sara’s father bowed down to China and its interests. The Duterte administration has done precious little to assert our sovereignty and territorial integrity in the West Philippine Sea. And now after failing in its duty, the government’s vice presidential bet wants future generations to make up for their treachery by imposing compulsory military service?” Cendaña, who was also a former Commissioner of the National Youth Commission, asked.

A4 Friday, January 21, 2022 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

DOLE sets distribution of ₧5K aid for workers

S

TARTING next week, qualified displaced workers and establishments may apply for the latest round of Covid-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III signed on Thursday, Department Order (DO) No. 232, Series of 2022 containing the guidelines for the

Economy BusinessMirror

implementation of the program.

CAMP 2022, which has an allocated P1-billion budget will cover workers who were affected (either displaced/temporarily laid-off ) during the implementation of Alert Level 3 or higher in their localities.

Beneficiaries will receive a onetime P5,000 cash aid.

Labor Assistant Secretary Dominique R. Tutay said they could start

accepting applicants by next week.

“It [DO 232] will take effect after it is published. We may be able to publish it during the weekend since it was just signed. We will open the application system by Monday [January 24],” Tutay told the BusinessMirror in a Viber message.

Documentary requirements

WHILE waiting for the opening

www.businessmirror.com.ph of CAMP 2022, DOLE spokesman Rolly Francia advised employers and would-be beneficiaries to start preparing the documentary requirements for their application.

“In this way they can already submit as soon as we start accepting applications online,” Francia said.

DOLE said the qua lif ied w or k e r s or t he i r e mplo y e r s

could file their application for C AMP 2022.

Private companies, which will apply for CAMP 2022, must have submitted a report of temporary closure or permanent closure through DOLE’s Establishment Reporting System (ERS) covering January 2022 onwards provided that applicant is situated in areas under Alert Level 3 or higher. Samuel P. Medenilla

News BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Friday, January 21, 2022 A5

Solon warns of ‘devious schemes’ to thwart polls

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

C

ITING recent events that “may even condition the mind of our people for a no-election [No-el] scenario,” a deputy minority leader on Thursday warned of attempts to undermine the integrity of the May national elections.

In a news statement, House Deputy Minority leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate noted an “emerging pattern” to influence the electoral process.

Zarate cited the report of an alleged hacking of the Comelec computer system and the “last two minutes” filing of a resolution in Congress calling for Charter change.

“While the Comelec already said that no such breach occurred recently, it can be recalled that it made the

same assurance in 2015 when it was warned that its system is vulnerable.

Five months after the said warning was made, the infamous ‘Comeleaks’ happened,” said Zarate.

“Thus, despite the Comelec’s latest statements, it is prudent that this hacking allegation should still thoroughly be investigated and ensure that its system is indeed tamper proof. The poll body should upgrade its system, which should also be vetted by an independent and reliable expert IT third party,” he added.

Zarate also cited the recently filed resolution in Congress calling for a constituent assembly to extend the terms of incumbent officials, and, a move to extend the filing of certificate of candidacies.

“While the Comelec already junked the petition to reopen and extend the COC [Certificate of Can-

didacy] filing, and, Congress now seems averse to Cha-cha, these developments may embolden some sinister forces to sabotage the elections and keep themselves in power,” said the Davao-based solon.

Power situation

WORRISOME, too, Zarate said, is the power situation during the elections. “[The Department of Energy] claimed that they have already devised plans to prevent brownouts during the elections, but, apparently this is not what is happening in reality. For instance, large areas of Visayas and Mindanao are still without electricity due to Typhoon Odette. So, when will their power be restored?” he asked.

“The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines [NGCP] has also issued a statement saying that there

Ex-VP Binay on ‘no vax, no ride’ policy flop: ‘Hello, it’s 2022. Haven’t we heard about GC?’

F

ORMER Vice President and senatorial aspirant Jejomar C. Binay today called the fiasco over the “no Vaccination, no Ride” policy as the latest example of government still fumbling its way through this pandemic.

“Hello, 2022 na at malapit nang mag-two years ang lockdown. Hindi pa rin ba sila nag-uusap kahit sa group chat [GC]?,” Binay said in a news statement.

A Department of Transportation (DOTr) policy barring unvaccinated individuals from using public transport has caused confusion, triggering public outrage and a series of clarifications from government officials.

“As we have repeatedly pointed out, government’s response to the pandemic has been defined by the absence of clear directions and efficient management,” Binay said.

The former vice president said since the government-imposed lockdown almost two years ago, policies have been rolled out “without the benefit of detailed guidelines and proper coordination.”

“This would have minimized if not removed any confusion on the part of citizens who are being made to comply and enforcers who are tasked to ensure compliance,” he said.

“Is it difficult for government

officials to deliberate and agree on a policy before it is implemented?

Mahirap bang magsulat ng guidelines at magpa-Zoom meeting bago ito ipatupad?,” he added.

Binay said after almost two years, the public has grown tired of unclear and inconsistent policies.

“By March, we would be under a government-imposed lockdown for two years. Two years of fear and uncertainty. Ganito pa rin ba sa ikatlong taon?,” he said.

“Pagod na po ang publiko. The least the authorities can do is to provide them with the care and compassion they need and the service they deserve,” he added.

DOH tells Sinopharm vax recipients to wait for WHO booster shot recommendation

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

T

HE Department of Health (DOH) will seek the assistance of the World Health Organization (WHO) to identify the Covid-19 vaccine brand suitable as a booster shot for individuals inoculated with Sinopharm vaccine.

National Vaccination Operation Center (NVOC) Chairman Myrna C. Cabotaje disclosed they are considering the option since the country’s vaccine expert panel (VEP) currently lacks data to determine the compatible Covid-19 brand to be used as booster shot for Sinopharm jab recipients.

“We are also looking at the release

of the World Health Organization, since they provide a platform on how to give boosters. We will see what boosters can be used for Sinopharm,” Cabotaje said in Filipino.

But she noted it may take a “couple of weeks” before they can come out with the recommended booster shots for those vaccinated with Sinopharm.

She issued the statement since many individuals, who were vaccinated with Sinopharm, have yet to get a booster shot.

“I know many of them have been waiting for a long time, that is why we are pushing [to get the recommended booster shots]. Many of them have been asking us about it,” Cabotaje said.

The health official advised those

inoculated with Sinopharm to just wait for their official announcement on the matter before they get their booster shots.

To note, President Duterte, who was already vaccinated with Sinopharm, announced in his public address last January 6, 2022 that he already got Sinopharm jab as his booster shot even without the DOH study or recommendation assuring its safety.

Acting Presidential Spokesman Karlo B. Nograles said Duterte got the booster shot based on the recommendation of the President’s physician.

Last Wednesday, Nograles said Duterte has not experienced any adverse side effects from getting his Sinopharm booster shot.

Study bares ‘vague’ category of online workers

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

O

NLINE workers may want to gain access to certain social benefits and even pay taxes, but their classification as workers and other requirements prevent them from doing so, according to a study released by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS).

In a study titled Exploring Policies and Initiatives for Online Workers in the Philippines, PIDS Senior Research Fellow Ramonette B. Serafica and Research Analyst Queen Cel A. Oren said the classification of online workers could overlap with existing categories, preventing them from accessing benefits and paying taxes.

In terms of paying taxes, specifically, the researchers said, if online workers would pay their taxes as selfemployed workers, the government will ask them to provide an address of where their store fronts are located, which is not applicable to them.

“Ensuring decent work for platform workers remains an issue due

to the vagueness and ambiguity of employment status for platform workers,” the researchers said. “The digital nature of the work and work arrangements also present both opportunities and risks for the workers.”

The researchers said steps in the right direction include the passage of the Freelancers Act and the Magna Carta for Workers in the Informal Economy.

The Freelancers Act aims to recognize the right of freelancers to easy registration and access to social protection benefits, while the Magna Carta for Workers in the Informal Economy affirms that social insurance programs should be made available to workers in the informal sector.

Ultimately, the researchers said, whatever reforms will be implemented such as a redesign of the country’s social protection system or taxation system, these designs must first be piloted to ensure feasibility.

“Whether it is to design a social protection scheme suitable for online workers or a mechanism to increase tax compliance, field experiments

could be conducted to determine the appropriate interventions that will encourage participation and reduce the informality of online work. New programs will also need to be piloted before full-scale implementation,” the researchers said.

The researchers said that a study by the African Development Bank showed that up to 540 million people would benefit from earning in platform work by 2025, consequently increasing self-employed workers.

Citing Payoneer, a cross-border payment platform, the researchers said the revenue of freelancers in Asia in 2019 doubled compared to 2018. The same data showed the Philippines is a leader in terms of online freelancers.

The Philippines, which ranked 6th, recorded a 35-percent growth in freelancing revenue from 2018 to 2019 and jumped to first place with a 208-percent freelance revenue growth from 2019 to 2020.

Before pandemic, the researchers said the number of full-time remote workers was expected to increase by 12.3 percent in five years.

may be a thin power supply from April to June. This is serious as it is smack right in the middle of the election period. Added to that are the yellow alerts due to forced plant

shutdowns, which already occurred last January 10 and 11,” he added.

Meanwhile, Zarate asked the public to be vigilant against “devious schemes” that could affect the

elections.

“Certainly, in a crucial election like this, there are those, as in the past, who would want to undermine the will of the people,” said Zarate.

A6

TheWorld

Editor: Angel R. Calso

Friday, January 21, 2022

UK lifts pandemic restrictions, says Omicron wave ‘has peaked’

L

ONDON—Face masks will no longer be mandatory in public places and Covid-19 passports will be dropped for large events as infections level off in most parts of the country, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Wednesday.

Johnson told lawmakers that the restrictions were being eased because government scientists think it is likely that the surge of infections prompted by the highly contagious Omicron variant “has now peaked nationally.”

While hospitals in northern England still are getting pressed by high caseloads and infections were still rising in schools, Johnson said hospital admissions and patients in intensive care units elsewhere in England were stabilizing or falling.

The government is no longer advising people to work from home, a nd compu l sor y face masks will be scrapped in secondary school classrooms starting Thursday.

Mandatory Covid-19 passes will not be needed to gain entry to large-scale events beginning January 27. Face masks will no longer be legally required anywhere in England as of that day.

“We will trust the judgment of the British people and no longer criminalize anyone who chooses not to wear one,” Johnson said.

The restrictions were introduced in December to slow the rapid spread of the Omicron variant and buy time for the population to get their booster vaccine shot.

Johnson said Wednesday that more than 90 percent of those over age 60 in the UK have had booster shots.

Official figures showed that

Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson, center, gestures during a visit to Finchley Memorial Hospital in North London on Tuesday, January 18. Ian Vogler, Pool Photo via AP

Covid-19 infections have dropped in most parts of the UK for the first time since early December. The government reported 108,069 new cases on Wednesday, about half the daily number recorded over the holidays.

The requirement for those infected to self-isolate for five full days remains, but Johnson said that measure will also end in the coming weeks. He said while the self-isolation rule expires on March 24, he will seek to scrap it earlier if the virus data continues to improve.

Johnson and Health Secretary Sajid Javid both suggested that the government is planning for a post-pandemic period when it can treat Covid-19 more like the flu.

“There will soon come a time when we can remove the legal requirement to self-isolate altogether, just as we don’t place legal obligations on people to isolate if they have flu,” Johnson said.

Nonetheless, Johnson urged people to remain cautious in the

last weeks of winter and stressed that the pandemic was “not over.”

The news was welcomed by businesses, especially those relying on workers re-populating city centers, as well as hospitality and tourism. But some said officials need to give more details about their plans to cope with the coronavirus in the longer term.

Johnson’s spokesman said the government would publish such a plan “shortly.”

“There’s a vital need now for greater consistency in how we live with the virus in the longer term.

Swinging back and forth between restrictions and normality has been damaging,” said Matthew Fell, chief policy director of the Confederation of British Industry.

Scotland and Wales, which set their own public health rules, have also announced similar easing of restrictions.

Britain has the second-worst pandemic death toll in Europe after Russia, with over 153,000 confirmed virus-related deaths. AP

Russia says it will take nothing less but NATO expansion ban

M

OSCOW—Russia maintained a tough posture Wednesday amid the tensions over its troop buildup near Ukraine, with a top diplomat warning that Moscow will accept nothing less but “watertight” US guarantees precluding NATO’s expansion to Ukraine.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, who led the Russian delegation at the security talks with the US in Geneva last week, reaffirmed that Moscow has no intentions of invading Ukraine as the West fears, but said that receiving Western security guarantees is an imperative for Moscow.

The talks in Geneva and a related NATO-Russia meeting in Brussels last week were held as Russia has amassed an estimated 100,000 troops near Ukraine in what the West fears might herald an invasion.

Amid the soaring tensions, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Ukraine on Wednesday to reassure it of Western support in the face of what he called “relentless” Russian aggression. In Strasbourg, French President Emmanuel Macron urged the European Union to quickly draw up a new security plan containing proposals to help ease tensions with Russia.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Wednesday that talks between Blinken and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov set for Friday in Geneva are “extremely important.”

In a move that further beefs up forces near Ukraine, Russia has sent an unspecified number of troops from the country’s far east to its ally Belarus, which shares a border with Ukraine, for major war games next month. Ukrainian officials have said that Moscow could use Belarusian territory to launch a potential multi-pronged

invasion.

The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday that some troops already have arrived in Belarus for the Allied Resolve 2022 drills that will run through February 20. It said the exercise will be held at five firing ranges and other areas in Belarus and involve four Belarusian air bases.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Wednesday it’s too early to tell whether talks could defuse the crisis, adding that “after years of rising tensions, staying silent is not a sensible option.”

“The Russian side is aware of our determination,” Scholz told the World Economic Forum. “I hope they also realize that the gains of cooperation outweigh the price of further confrontation.”

Russia has denied that it intends to attack its neighbor but demanded guarantees from the West that NATO will not expand to Ukraine or other former Soviet nations or place its troops and weapons there. It also has urged NATO to roll back the deployments of its troops and weapons to Central and Eastern European nations that have joined the alliance after the end of the Cold War. Washington and its allies firmly rejected Moscow’s demands but kept the door open to possible further talks on arms control and confidence-building measures to reduce the potential for hostilities.

Ryabkov insisted, however, that there can’t be any meaningful talks on those issues if the West doesn’t heed the main Russian requests for the non-expansion of NATO. He warned that the Russian demands “constitute a package, and we’re not prepared to divide it into different parts, to start processing some of those at the expense of standing idle

on others.”

The Russian diplomat said Ukraine’s increasingly close ties with NATO allies pose a major security challenge to Russia.

“We see the threat of Ukraine becoming ever more integrated in NATO without even acquiring a formal status of a NATO member state,” Ryabkov said, pointing at Western powers supplying Ukraine with weapons, training its troops and conducting joint drills. “This is something that goes right to the center of Russia’s national security interests, and we will do our utmost to reverse this situation.”

Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 after mass protests prompted Ukraine’s Moscow-friendly leader to flee to Russia. At the same time, Russia also cast its support behind a separatist insurgency that swept over large areas in eastern Ukraine. More than 14,000 people have been killed in nearly eight years of fighting there.

Asked if Russia could accept a moratorium on NATO’s expansion eastward, an idea circulated by some political experts, Ryabkov answered with a firm no, saying that Moscow has seen the West backtrack on previous promises.

He emphasized that “for us, the matter of priority is achievement of watertight, bulletproof, legally binding guarantees” that Ukraine and other ex-Soviet nations will not join the alliance.

Ryabkov suggested that the US could also take a unilateral obligation to never vote for NATO membership for Ukraine and other ex-Soviet nations.

Russia has urged the US and NATO to provide a quick written response. Peskov told reporters Russia expects to receive it “within days.” AP

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

24 INCH GAUGE CONSTRUCTION INC. L4 Blk. 4, Near Kay Buboy Bridge, San Dionisio, City Of Parañaque

HE, WEICAI Quality Construction Specialist 1.

Brief Job Description: Reviews, inspects, and documents all construction projects during the construction period of the current Bond Program.

Basic Qualification: Skilled in identifying local construction technologies and construction material sources; Can carry out and monitor testing and inspection of products and materials to ensure the finished product meets quality standards

NAN, KUISHENG Mandarin Software Quality Assurance Analyst

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 8 STONE BUSINESS OUTSOURCING OPC 5-10/f Tower 1, Pitx Kennedy Road, Tambo, City Of Parañaque

AYE MAY Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 2.

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

CHEN, YINGJIE Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 3.

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

DUONG VAN TAN Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 4.

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

LI, QIANG Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 5.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ADVANCED INBOUND OUTBOUND GLOBAL CORP. Unit 901 The Finance Centre Building, 26th St. Cor. 9th Ave. Bgc, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

CHOI, JAEUK Project Manager 6.

Brief Job Description: Leading project planning sessions; Managing project progress and adapt work as require; Overseeing all incoming and outgoing project documentation.

10.

Brief Job Description: You shall managing a team of mandarin staff including programmers, analysts and support specialists, evaluating the functionality of systems, consulting computer users to ascertain needs and to ensure that facilities meet user or project requirements, selecting and purchasing appropriate hardware and software, managing IT budgets, ensuring software licensing laws are followed, implementing and managing security or integrity and backup procedures, scheduling upgrades, providing user training, support, advice and feedback, testing and modifying systems to ensure that that they operate reliably managing secure network access for remote users, keeping up to date with new technology, designing maintenance procedures and putting them into operation training new staff. Ensure software packages contain no errors by analyzing development data, regularly interpret data and analysis in Mandarin.

QIN, FANG Field Sales Consultant 11.

Brief Job Description: The one responsible to “Get the sale” using various customer sales methods.

7.

KIM, BO SUK Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Process customer orders and payments

8.

Brief Job Description: Technical support specialist

ABI GERGES, JONATHAN Group IMS & Sustainability Manager 12.

Brief Job Description: Ensures the implementation & monitor the performance of the Integrated Management System

IWAI, NOZOMU Vice President And Treasurer 9.

Brief Job Description: Chairperson; Vice President and Treasurer in the Philippines.

13.

14.

Brief Job Description: Directs multiple client programs and often site locations. The Vice President drives consistent implementation of processes to deliver upon strategic vision for clients/verticals and will typically have a team of Sr. Directors and support staff.

Brief Job Description: assist/help customers, give customers information about products and services

NGUYEN THI THANH TRAM Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk

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

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers; give customers information about products and services

TRINH THI NHU TRANG Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 16.

Basic Qualification: Vice President

BZC IT SERVICES INC. 3f Salcedo One Center, 170 Salcedo St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

19.

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

Basic Qualification: University Degree in related field and 12+ years of experience (with at least 6+ years of progressive management experience) relevant experience preferred.

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers; give customers information about products and services

ZHU, YULONG Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 17.

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers; give customers information about products and services

Brief Job Description: Prepare Airline and Custom Documentation

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

LIU, JIACHENG Chinese Speaking Admin Associate 20.

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers; give customers information about products and services

WENG, MEIQIN Chinese Speaking Admin Associate 21.

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers; give customers information about products and services

GUI, ZEMING Chinese Speaking Program Designer Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers; give customers information about products and services

WANG, HU Chinese Speaking Program Designer 23.

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers; give customers information about products and services

YIN, KAIYING Chinese Speaking Program Designer 24.

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers; give customers information about products and services

WANG, YIJIE Account Manager 25.

Brief Job Description: The Account 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.

ZHANG, YU Account Manager 26.

Brief Job Description: The Account 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.

CHEN, HAO Technical Manager 27.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Basic Qualification: Have Skills in Chinese Documentations

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

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

FIBERHOME PHILS., INC. U-19d 19/f Rufino Pacific Tower, 6784 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a. Rufino St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

CRONYX INC. No. 4th-10th Flr. Yinhope Bldg., Dela Rama Cor. Zoili Hilario St., Seascape Village, Ccp Complex Subd. Zone 10, Barangay 76, Pasay City

Basic Qualification: Maintenance and monitoring of computer networks and systems

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

Basic Qualification: 6-10 years of relative work experience. Ability and willingness to travel overseas up to 80% of the time.

WANG, TIANZHU Chinese Cargo Office Agent

JIANG, ZHENGTAO Chinese Speaking Admin Associate

22.

Basic Qualification: Can research accounts and generate or follow through sales leads; Can valuate customers skills, needs and build productive long lasting relationships; Can meet personal and team sales targets.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

DYNAMIC STUDIO TECHNOLOGY INC. 5th To 10th/f Platinum Tower Building, Aseana Ave. Cor. Fuentes Street, Baclaran, City Of Parañaque

CONCENTRIX DAKSH SERVICES PHILIPPINES CORPORATION Bldg. F, Ayalaland, Technohub, Quezon City

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

ASSISTASIA PHILIPPINES INC. U-12k&l, Burgundy Corporate Tower, 252 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati

18.

COMMUNICATION AND RENEWABLE ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE CREI PHILS INC. Unit A, 7th Flr., Clipp Center 11th Ave. Cor. 39th St. Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

15.

KIM, MOONOH Technical Support Specialist

Basic Qualification: You shall managing a team of mandarin staff including programmers, analysts and support specialists, evaluating the functionality of systems, consulting computer users to ascertain needs and to ensure that facilities meet user or project requirements, selecting and purchasing appropriate hardware and software, managing IT budgets, ensuring software licensing laws are followed, implementing and managing security or integrity and backup procedures, scheduling upgrades, providing user training, support, advice and feedback, testing and modifying systems to ensure that that they operate reliably managing secure network access for remote users, keeping up to date with new technology, designing maintenance procedures and putting them into operation training new staff. Ensure software packages contain no errors by analyzing development data, regularly interpret data and analysis in Mandarin.

No.

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

LU, JIANBO Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing Korean and English

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

C’EST LA VIE EVENT MANAGEMENT INC. 230, Narra Street, Marikina Heights, City Of Marikina

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

ALL OUT MULTI-MEDIA SOLUTIONS CORP. Unit 2302-a West Tower, Pse Centre, Exchange Road, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

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

ANKOTI, DIGVIJAY Vice President, Service Delivery Basic Qualification: Native Korean.

Friday, January 21, 2022

Brief Job Description: The Technical 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.

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

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

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

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

28.

LIU, YANQING Mandarin Customer Service Brief Job Description: Provide and Maintain Customer Service

Basic Qualification: Knowledge in Managing Incoming Calls Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

DEXIN INTERNATIONAL IMPORT AND EXPORT CORP. 534 Tomas Mapua St., 029, Barangay 298, Santa Cruz, City Of Manila

GATEWAYSOLUTIONS CORP. Unit 2306 Antel Global Corporate Center, Julia Vargas Ave., San Antonio, City Of Pasig

A7

BusinessMirror

Friday, January 21, 2022

A8

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

LIU, JING Customer Service Representative

29.

Brief Job Description: A customer service representative supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions, and responding to complaints. They’re the front line of support for clients and customers and they help ensure that customers are satisfied with products, services, and features.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE 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

No.

WU, LONGFEI Chinese Speaking Brand Marketing Specialist 38.

LI, XUEFEI Mandarin Information System Analyst 30.

Brief Job Description: The Mandarin Information System Analyst 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.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY ASIA AND PACIFIC PTE. LTD. PHILIPPINE BRANCH Unit 1116 High Street South Corporate Plaza Tower 2, Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

ASHIDA, KENJI Assistant Sales Manager

31.

Brief Job Description: Supervise the activities of sales representatives and team to meet sales target. Oversee the stocking and inventory of goods to ensure timely supply of order. Track the progress of weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual objectives.

Maintain an updated knowledge of company’s goals, vision and values to ensure appropriate prioritizing.

Basic Qualification: Degree/Diploma in Engineering or equivalent. Minimum 3-5 years of M&E working experience in building/ construction industry Able to communicate well in English and Chinese as to liaise with relevant counterparts; Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a high level of attention to detail.

Strong interpersonal skills, ability to develop relationships and communicate with all levels of management.

Good in documentation, coordination and analytical skills Proficient in Microsoft Office applications Possess own vehicle would be an added advantage Willing to travel to various job sites. Fluent in Japanese Language and English Speaker preferred.

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

39.

GAO, MING Product Manager For Site Power Project

32.

Brief Job Description: Will be primarily responsible in sales and marketing of site power products in the Philippines; understand the existing site power solution from high level design (HLD) and provide solution; conduct pre-sales technical communication with customers to understand the customer’s needs; organize local marketing activities, including summits, meetings and workshops; act as technical support for major projects and response to bids to ensure solution; conduct site surveys and solution configuration for carrier network projects

40.

LAN, ZHE Chinese Customer Service Representative 33.

Brief Job Description: Track main industry trends through blogs, micro blogs and forums.

41.

XIONG, AILIN Chinese Customer Service Representative 34.

Brief Job Description: Track main industry trends through blogs, micro blogs and forums.

MARIYANTO Indonesian Customer Service Representative 35.

Brief Job Description: Track main industry trends through blogs, micro blogs and forums.

SUSANTI Indonesian Customer Service Representative 36.

Brief Job Description: Track main industry trends through blogs, micro blogs and forums.

42.

37.

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

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

PARK, BYENG SAM IT Consultant 43.

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

LIU, FANGFANG Visa Consultant

44.

Brief Job Description: Responsible that all the information from the Chinese and Vietnamese client to local documentation officer are correct.

Responsible to follow up local liaison officer of all immigration issues and operations remaining up to date with any changes to legislation and overseeing all the aspects involved in processing a visa and immigration services TO DUC QUAN Visa Consultant

45.

Brief Job Description: Responsible that all the information from the Chinese and Vietnamese client to local documentation officer are correct.

Responsible to follow up local liaison officer of all immigration issues and operations remaining up to date with any changes to legislation and overseeing all the aspects involved in processing a visa and immigration services VUONG KIM PHUONG Visa Consultant

46.

Brief Job Description: Responsible that all the information from the Chinese and Vietnamese client to local documentation officer are correct.

Responsible to follow up local liaison officer of all immigration issues and operations remaining up to date with any changes to legislation and overseeing all the aspects involved in processing a visa and immigration services

SATO, SHUNSUKE Project Manager 47.

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

No.

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

51.

52.

53.

54.

Brief Job Description: Management of the Division’s project operations and business activities and supervision of all staff members in the Division under the supervision of the General Manager.

55.

48.

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

DENG, MIAO Chinese Speaking Business Analyst 49.

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

LI, JIANLONG Chinese Speaking Business Analyst 50.

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

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

DU, JUNMOU Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 56.

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 FU, DI Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 57.

Basic Qualification: Preferably 6 months -1year as Visa Consultant; Fluent in Mandarin or Vietnam and English Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Preferably 6 months -1year as Visa Consultant; Fluent in Mandarin or Vietnam and English Language

58.

59.

60.

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 atleast 6 months customer service experience/good in oral communication and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

ZHANG, YIPING Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 61.

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE 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 atleast 6 months customer service experience/good in oral communication and written 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 atleast 6 months customer service experience/good in oral communication and written 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 atleast 6 months customer service experience/good in oral communication and written 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 atleast 6 months customer service experience/good in oral communication and written 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 atleast 6 months customer service experience/good in oral communication and written 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

NEPC POWER CONSTRUCTION CORP. 15/f Cyber One Bldg., Eastwood Cyberpark City, Bagumbayan, Quezon City

CHEN, YAN Mandarin Human Resources Supervisor 62.

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.

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.

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

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

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

ZENG, SI Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk

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

Basic Qualification: Strong leadership, high level of abilities in project management, new business development and internal control.

Ability to plan the strategy and to execute projects in cooperation with related business partners.

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

SU, HAIMING Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk

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

Basic Qualification: Preferably 6 months -1year as Visa Consultant; Fluent in Mandarin or Vietnam and English Language

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

LI, YI Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk

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

JIANG, XIN Chinese Speaking Admin Associate

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

CHEN, LIJUN Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk

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

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

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

WU, TING-CHEN Chinese Speaking Business Analyst

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

TAN, JUNQIAN Chinese Speaking Business Analyst

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

REN, CHUYI Chinese Speaking Business Analyst

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

LI, MING Chinese Speaking Business Analyst

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

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

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

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

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

MITSUI & CO. (ASIA PACIFIC) PTE. LTD. MANILA BRANCH 36/f Gt Tower International, 6813 Ayala Avenue, Bel-air, City Of Makati

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, speaks and write fluently (Korean, English and Mandarin)

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

LUCKY BINTANG CONSULTANCY INC. Unit G-02 Makati Executive Tower 2, 7652 Dela Rosa St. Cor. P. Medina St., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, speaks and write fluently (Mandarin & English)

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

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

Basic Qualification: College graduate, speaks and write fluently (Mandarin & English)

KAISER DYNASTY TRADING CORP. Unit 25d 2/f Zeta Ii Bldg., 191 Salcedo St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

WANG, YANG Chinese Speaking Brand Marketing Specialist

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

ZHOU, BEI Chinese Speaking Brand Marketing Specialist

Basic Qualification: College graduate, speaks and write fluently (Mandarin & English) Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

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

ZHAN, JUNQI Chinese Speaking Brand Marketing Specialist

Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 J-NA ALLOUT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS CORP. 3/f Lipams Bldg., #48 President Avenue, B. F. Homes, City Of Parañaque

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

XING, JIULIN Chinese Speaking Brand Marketing Specialist

HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES PHILS. INC. U-5302, 53/f Pbcom Tower, 6795 Ayala Ave., Cor., V.a. Rufino St., Bel-air, City Of Makati Basic Qualification: Has expertise in marketing and launch of data center energy products; has a background in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) including its principles and refrigeration; has experience in data room cooling and computer room equipment heat dissipation; can communicate with high-level customers and conduct product knowledge explanation and exhibition hall presentations; must have a master’s degree in automation control

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

XIAO, GANG Chinese Speaking Brand Marketing Specialist

HECTECHURE CORP. Units A&b 20/f Rufino Pacific Tower, 6784 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a. Rufino St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin Information System Analyst, Familiarity, knowledge and awareness on Machinery and Heavy Equipment use by company, Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ZHU, LIN Mandarin Operations Supervisor 63.

Brief Job Description: The Mandarin Operations 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.

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

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

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

64.

HUANG, SIQI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Bases Services

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

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

65.

66.

67.

68.

69.

70.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

LIU, JIAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Bases Services

YAN, GUIJIA Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Bases Services

ZHANG, PENG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Bases Services

ZHAO, QIAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Bases Services

BUNPAJAM, SITTI Thai Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Bases Services

LE THI TRA QUYEN Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer applications 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 communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer applications 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 communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer applications with good oral and written communication skills

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills

71.

Brief Job Description: A Mandarin Purchasing department officer source and buy materials, goods, and services on behalf of the employer to be resold or used in daily operations.

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

LIANG, YUJIA Mandarin Purchasing Department Officer 72.

Brief Job Description: A Mandarin Purchasing department officer source and buy materials, goods, and services on behalf of the employer to be resold or used in daily operations.

Basic Qualification: Fluency in Mandarin and basic English. Excellent in communication both in written and verbal.

Good knowledge at vendor sourcing practices (researching, evaluating and liaising with vendors).Vocational/ College level or Graduate.

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

ZHENG, ZHEN Mandarin Purchasing Department Officer 73.

Brief Job Description: A Mandarin Purchasing department officer source and buy materials, goods, and services on behalf of the employer to be resold or used in daily operations.

Basic Qualification: Fluency in Mandarin and basic English. Excellent in communication both in written and verbal. Good knowledge at vendor sourcing practices (researching, evaluating and liaising with vendors).Vocational/ College level or Graduate.

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

ZHOU, CHEN Mandarin Purchasing Department Officer 74.

Brief Job Description: A Mandarin Purchasing department officer source and buy materials, goods, and services on behalf of the employer to be resold or used in daily operations.

78.

Basic Qualification: Fluency in Mandarin and basic English. Excellent in communication both in written and verbal. Good knowledge at vendor sourcing practices (researching, evaluating and liaising with vendors).Vocational/ College level or Graduate.

79.

YANG, CHENGHONG Chinese Customer Service Representative 75.

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

YUAN, QILIN Chinese Customer Service Representative 76.

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

Basic Qualification: College graduate, fluent in English, preferably 6mos-1year customer service experience

77.

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

CUI, XIAORONG Sales Supervisor Brief Job Description: Supervise sales representatives and assistants

LIN, QIJUN Mandarin Customer Service Specialist 80.

Basic Qualification: Master’s in Business Administration in Human Resources. 10 years’ experience as HR Business Partner in a multinational pharmaceutical organization Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

Brief Job Description: Responsible for acting as a liaison between customers and companies. Assists with complaints, orders, errors, account questions, billing, cancellation and other queries.

WANG, HEGEN Sourcing Specialist 81.

Basic Qualification: Must know how to speak Mandarin

92.

Brief Job Description: Interacting with professionals, reviewing online portfolios, identify potential candidates

LABUSCHAGNE, ADRIAAN JAKOBUS Technical Training Specialist - Maintenance

93.

82.

Brief Job Description: Manage the development of power plant maintenance skills

94.

LUO, WEN Chinese Language Customer Service Representative

95.

83.

Brief Job Description: Report on a daily operation of call center performing customer - oriented telephone activities and various background operations duties.

97.

98.

84.

Brief Job Description: Oversee day-to-day company operations, define and implement operations strategy

99.

HALE, JHANA LEE Vice President For Technical Operations 85.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for design and develop operational processes and procedures

100.

101.

86.

Brief Job Description: Prepares product or service reports by collecting and analyzing customer information

102.

87.

88.

103.

Brief Job Description: Indonesian Written Reports on a Daily Operations of call center Activities performing Customer Oriented Telephone Activities and Various Background Operation Duties RIDWAN FERDIYANTO Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

CAI, WENHAN Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: With knowledge in computer application

Brief Job Description: Indonesian Written Reports on a Daily Operations of call center Activities performing Customer Oriented Telephone Activities and Various Background Operation Duties

Brief Job Description: Customer Support for Mandarin Speaking Client

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

RIO SUSANTO Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

LYU, YANG Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: With Knowledge in Computer Application

Brief Job Description: Customer Support for Mandarin Speaking Client

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

XUSHENG TECHNOLOGY CORP. Flr. No. 1-5 Bldg., No. 0050 F.b. Harrison St. Cor. Williams And Roberts St. Zone 4, District 1, Barangay 13, Pasay City MA, ZHENWEI Mandarin Speaking Technical Support 89.

Brief Job Description: Indonesian Written Reports on a Daily Operations of call center Activities performing Customer Oriented Telephone Activities and Various Background Operation Duties NIKO PRASETYA Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

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

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

Brief Job Description: Indonesian Written Reports on a Daily Operations of call center Activities performing Customer Oriented Telephone Activities and Various Background Operation Duties ELLA Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

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

Basic Qualification: Foreign language speaking

Brief Job Description: Indonesian Written Reports on a Daily Operations of call center Activities performing Customer Oriented Telephone Activities and Various Background Operation Duties CHRISTIAN WILIMIHARJA Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

VPC CORPORATE SOLUTIONS INCORPORATED 11/f 100 West, Sen Gil Puyat Ave. Cor., Washington St., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati WANWATTANAKUL, SIRIKATE Thai Speaking Customer Service Officer

Brief Job Description: Indonesian Written Reports on a Daily Operations of call center Activities performing Customer Oriented Telephone Activities and Various Background Operation Duties CHANDRA WIJAYA Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent verbal and written communications skills and strong leadership

Brief Job Description: Indonesian Written Reports on a Daily Operations of call center Activities performing Customer Oriented Telephone Activities and Various Background Operation Duties CATHERINE Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

UAA KINMING GROUP DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION 28th Floor Menarco Tower, 32nd Street Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig CERANTONIO, MARTIN ANTHONY Vice President For Operations

Brief Job Description: Indonesian Written Reports on a Daily Operations of call center Activities performing Customer Oriented Telephone Activities and Various Background Operation Duties CALWIN Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

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

Basic Qualification: Proven track record as a team with an understanding of management practices

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on a daily operation of call center activities performing customer-oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties ANGELINE SETIAWAN Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

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

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

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on a daily operation of call center activities performing customer-oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties RICKO Indonesian Speaking Customer Service Officer

96.

Basic Qualification: Proficient in writing, reading and speaking in both English / Bahasa / Thai / Chinese / Vietnamese / Malay

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on a daily operation of call center activities performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties REYVALDO ALFRED Indonesian Speaking Customer Service Officer

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

TRI7 SOLUTIONS, INC. Unit 9-a 9/f Marvin Plaza Bldg., 2153 Don Chino Roces Ave., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on a daily operation of call center activities performing customer-oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties MUHAMMAD RYAN SYAHPUTRA Indonesian Speaking Customer Service Officer

Basic Qualification: College Graduate

Basic Qualification: At least 15 yrs in experience in operation

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on a daily operations of call center activities performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties.

KELSEN DORANDO SYAH UTARI Indonesian Speaking Customer Service Officer

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

Basic Qualification: College graduate, fluent in Mandarin and English, preferably 6 months to 1 year to the same field

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION JONATHAN DERMAWAN Indonesian Speaking Customer Service Officer

THERMA LUZON INC. 14/f Nac Tower, 32nd Street, Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

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

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

104.

105.

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

ZAPPORT SERVICES, INC. 36/f Burgundy Corporate Tower, 252 Sen. Gil J. Puyat Ave., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati

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

Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written

Brief Job Description: Indonesian Written Reports on a Daily Operations of call center Activities performing Customer Oriented Telephone Activities and Various Background Operation Duties HASAN SUTANTO Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

106.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in mandarin speaking

Basic Qualification: College graduate, fluent in English, preferably 6mos-1year customer service experience

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on a daily operation of call center activities performing customer-oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties HENDRI GUNAWAN Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

107.

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on a daily operations of call center activities performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties.

HUI DIANA Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

CINDY VANIA Indonesian Speaking Customer Service Officer

Basic Qualification: College graduate, fluent in English, preferably 6mos-1year customer service experience Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on a daily operation of call center activities performing customer-oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties

ERIC ADRESANTO HALIM Indonesian Speaking Customer Service Officer 91.

SANOFI-AVENTIS PHILIPPINES, INC. Units 2103 & 2105 21/f One World Place, 32nd St., Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

No.

THE PENBROTHERS INTERNATIONAL INC. 6/f Opl Bldg., 100 C. Palanca St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

90.

ZHONG, FAMING Chinese Customer Service Representative

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 RIGHT CHOICE FINANCE CORP. 5e-1 Electra House Bldg., 115-117 Esteban Street, San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

Brief Job Description: Act as a single point of the contact for the employees, managers and General Manager/ Head of Departments in the business unit; Manage complex and difficult HR Projects crossfunctionally and liaises with Regional and Asia team where needed;

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

SIFANG AUTOMATION PHILIPPINES CORPORATION Unit W-2102c 21/f West Tower, Philippine Stock Exchange Centre, San Antonio, City Of Pasig

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

Basic Qualification: Fluency in Mandarin and basic English. Excellent in communication both in written and verbal. Good knowledge at vendor sourcing practices (researching, evaluating and liaising with vendors).Vocational/ College level or Graduate.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

SAH, SRIJATA Human Resources Business Partner, Philippines

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

POWERCHINA PHILIPPINES CORPORATION Unit 2101 21/f Bdo Equitable Tower, 8751 Paseo De Roxas, Bel-air, City Of Makati

HU, BIN Mandarin Purchasing Department Officer

No.

Friday, January 21, 2022

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on a daily operation of call center activities performing customer-oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties

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

Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

108.

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on a daily operation of call center activities performing customer-oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Indonesian Speaking and Written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Indonesian Speaking and Written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Indonesian Speaking and Written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Indonesian Speaking and Written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Indonesian Speaking and Written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Indonesian Speaking and Written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Indonesian Speaking and Written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Indonesian Speaking and Written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Indonesian Speaking and Written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 *Date Generated: Jan 20, 2022

Any person in the Philippines who is competent, able and willing to perform the services for which the foreign national is desired may file an objection at DOLE National Capital Region located at DOLE-NCR Building, 967 Maligaya St., Malate Manila, within 30 days after this publication.

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

ATTY. SARAH BUENA S. MIRASOL REGIONAL DIRECTOR

A9

A10 Friday, January 21, 2022 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

editorial

5G: ‘The dog that did not bark’

5

G is the fifth generation of cellular networks, advertised as 100 times faster than 4G. Other 5G features include ultra low latency— meaning it is optimized to process a high volume of data packets with no delays—high reliability, massive network capacity, increased availability, and uniform user experience. With its greater bandwidth, 5G is seen facilitating better services such as e-health, connected vehicles and traffic systems, and advanced mobile cloud gaming.

From Bloomberg: “A trade association representing major US airlines asked Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and the nation’s top communications and aviation regulators to prevent wireless carriers from implementing 5G services close to airports. Airlines for America warned in a letter Monday that the traveling and shipping public could see “catastrophic disruptions” if the new C-band frequencies were put into service within 2 miles of where aircraft fly. The association said it was willing to work with the government and carriers to find a mutually agreeable solution.”

In 2021, the US government auctioned mid-range 5G bandwidth to mobile phone companies in the 3.7-3.98 GHz range on the spectrum, known as CBand, for about $80 billion. Wireless carriers including AT&T Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. reached an agreement with federal regulators earlier this month to launch the new service on January 19. But the airlines are worried the signals could interfere with instruments that measure an aircraft’s altitude.

The new high-speed wireless service uses a segment of the radio spectrum that is close to that used by altimeters, which are devices that measure the height of the plane above the ground. Altimeters are used to help pilots land when visibility is poor, and they link to other systems on the aircraft.

AT&T and Verizon dismissed the concerns saying their equipment will not interfere with aircraft electronics, but they offered to reduce the power of their 5G networks near airports, as France has done. “The laws of physics are the same in the United States and France,” said AT&T CEO John Stankey and Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg in a letter to Buttigieg and FAA Administrator Stephen Dickson, whose agency is responsible for aviation safety. “If US airlines are permitted to operate flights every day in France, then the same operating conditions should allow them to do so in the United States.”

The US wireless industry trade group CTIA said in a filing with the Federal Communications Commission that “wireless carriers in nearly 40 countries throughout Europe and Asia now use the C-Band for 5G, with no reported effects on altimeters that operate in the same internationally designated 4.24.4 GHz band.” CTIA added: “Each day US aircraft, carrying thousands of US citizens, land in these countries without incident and with no expression of concern by the FAA or foreign aviation regulators. This is the classic dog that did not bark. The laws of physics are no different in the United States than in Europe or Asia.”

In South Korea, where the 5G mobile communication frequencies are in the 3.42-3.7GHz bands, there has been no report of interference with radio wave since the commercialization of 5G in 2019. Currently, its 5G mobile communication wireless stations are in operation near airports, but there have been no reports of “catastrophic disruptions”.

“I am shocked to see the reaction of US airlines at the last moment,” said Rohan Dhamija, managing partner of a global telecoms, media and technology management consulting firm. The 3.5 GHz C-band “was allocated after a lot of testing, and after adequately ensuring there’s no interference with anything else.”

Randall Berry, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Northwestern University, likened the interference issue to two stations that overlap on the radio dial. The FCC-determined separation “may be enough for some [altimeters] but not for others,” he said. One solution that Berry proposed is to provide all altimeters with good filters against interference. Although there could be a fight over who pays for that work, both the telecoms industry and the airline industry are too profitable for a solution not to be found. Pundits said it is likely that existing altimeters will be rated as safe eventually, or the airlines will design new ones that work against 5G interference.

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RA 11635–Saving private schools from excessive taxation Sonny M. Angara

Better Days

L

ast December 2021, President Duterte signed into law Republic Act (RA) 11635, which amends Section 27(B) of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997. This particular section of the NIRC deals with the tax treatment of proprietary educational institutions or private schools and non-profit hospitals. As the principal author of the law, we are elated with the support given by the President to the measure and in hearing the appeals made by the private school operators to save them from closure during these very challenging times.

Way back in June 2021, we filed Senate Bill 2272 in response to Bureau of Internal Revenue’s issuance of Revenue Regulation 5-2021 on the implementation of Republic Act 11534 or the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act, particularly on the provision that deals with the preferential tax treatment on proprietary educational institutions and hospitals. The said RR erroneously interpreted the provision of CREATE to mean that an educational institution should be both proprietary and non-profit in order to qualify for a preferential tax rate. Under CREATE, proprietary educational institutions are imposed a tax rate of 10 percent and this

would go down further to 1 percent starting July 1, 2020 until June 30, 2023. In fact, private schools have been enjoying the 10 percent tax rate since 1968. But as a result of the BIR issuance, the private schools ended up being imposed with the regular tax income tax rate of 25 percent, contrary to what we in Congress intended with the passage of CREATE. When Congress came up with the tax rates in CREATE for the private schools, it was in consideration of the very difficult circumstances faced by the education sector during this pandemic. Since March of 2020, faceto-face classes were prohibited and consequently, enrollments sharply declined. For many of these schools,

Korean wave and the power of ‘PM sent’

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they were forced to suspend their operations for the time being. Many other schools were not so fortunate and ended up closing their doors permanently.

Looking deeper into this issue, the impact of the school closures is far reaching. The first clear casualties will be the hardworking teaching and non-teaching personnel who have already been struggling to make ends meet because of the work suspensions brought about by the pandemic. Then there are the industries that depend on the operations of schools as their lifeline.

Here we have the small businesses such as the school buses (tricycles and jeeps), food vendors, and uniform makers, all of which will likely close shop if the schools they rely on shut down.

Private schools have long been the government’s partners in the provision of quality education to our children. When new policies were imposed, even if it meant that they would have to take a hit, just like the implementation of the K to 12 system and the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, they gave their full cooperation in the spirit of the provision of the Constitution that describes as “complementary” the roles of the public and private schools in the country’s educational system.

Sometime in July last year, the BIR came out with another issu-

B

oys over Flowers. Crash Landing on You. BTS. Surely, you must have heard of at least one of these, or even all of them. You are probably even an OG K-drama or K-pop fan since the Korean wave first hit the Philippines in the early 2000s.

However, for many Filipinos, what used to simply be an interest has become a source of alternative income during the pandemic.

The Covid-19 pandemic has truly shaken the fabric of our society. It has required institutions to adjust massively to continue operating amid all the uncertainty. However, business cycle fluctuations mean that it is usually smaller players who lose out more than larger corporations due to having less resources.

Business closures due to strict lockdowns mean many people losing jobs and experiencing transient poverty.

At the peak of the first ECQ implementation in April 2020, unemployment rate rose to 17.7 percent, with 7.3 million Filipinos unemployed. Because life goes on for these millions of Filipinos, many resorted to online selling, which helped them augment their household income, though it required some initial but manageable capital. Out of the

many items sold in online markets, one category stood out very much in 2020.

Because many people had much time in their hands, they binge-watched K-dramas, resulting in a spike in demand for Korean food products and other related merchandise.

What used to be seen mostly in Korean-owned grocery marts are now being offered in the virtual markets.

What I notice in social-media groups for these items is how many suppliers do not post the prices of their products, but would instead simply post a photo, a short description, and an occasional “Limited Stocks Only.” Multiple comments would flood such posts asking how much (“HM?”) to which the seller would reply with the classic: “PM sent.”

As the consumer, you probably find

this annoying. I myself sell Korean goods and still find this cumbersome. After all, the transaction could be made much simpler by posting the product’s price, thereby eliminating the unnecessary conversation that might delay the closing of the transaction. So, why do many online sellers do this, despite the DTI clearly advising that prices should be posted always?

In my 1.5 years of selling these products, I have observed Korean food items to exhibit characteristics of monopolistic competition. Barriers to entry and exit are minimal. Products are a bit differentiated. There are many market players, and firms have little market power.

Given this reality, producers or sellers who belong to this type of market would try to gain leverage by capitalizing on imperfect consumer knowledge, and even deliberately keeping information asymmetry to gain more sales and profit.

For instance, among the popular products currently sold in online Korean markets are honey citron and ginger tea. For a 1-kilogram jar, the acceptable retail price ranges between P330 and P400, with the latter being quite steep already. This already considers a profit margin of about 15 to 20 percent, as well as varying wholesale prices for different brands like Feliz, Cholocwon, and Ottogi.

However, many online sellers are aware of the high demand for this product during flu season and are capitalizing on people’s bounded rationality by pegging retail prices much higher (P475 to P500) so they could reap exorbitant

ance: Revenue Regulation 14-2021 that suspended the implementation of certain provisions of RR 5-2021.

This gave a temporary reprieve for the private schools as it took into account the pending bills filed in Congress seeking to clarify the tax treatment on proprietary educational institutions.

Given all of these circumstances, we in Congress agreed that something had to be done to correct the situation brought about by the issuance of RR 5-2021. Because levying a 150 percent rate increase could very well end up being the final nail on the coffin for many private schools.

RA 11635 effectively cuts the noose around the necks of our private schools. We acknowledge and thank our colleagues in the Senate, including the leadership, who gave their unanimous support to this measure.

The same goes to our counterparts in the House of Representatives, who acted swiftly on the bill. Our gratitude also goes out to our Secretary of Finance Carlos Dominguez for not raising any opposition to the law.

And, of course, to President Duterte for signing this very important measure into law.

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

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

profits from each bottle, since most people will not even bother to extensively PM many sellers to ask for the price and compare them, though it is the rational thing to do. It is a hassle, and, afraid of missing out, many consumers do not take the time to screen due to time constraints and scarce supplies.

Sure, it is a short-term win, but this is no way to keep customers coming back.

Once customers come across postings of the same product at much cheaper prices, they will resent the ones who sold items to them at scalper-like rates.

Indeed, keeping a safe but consistent profit margin is a slow game, but revenue is almost always assured because satisfied customers will return with more referrals, and word of mouth is one of the best marketing strategies.

At the end of the day, we understand how many people want to make a quick buck by trying to milk short-term huge profits. Life is hard, after all. Nevertheless, in a market with little power given to sellers, it might be best to be a tad more patient with lower prices that still allow one to maximize profit. This is through finding suppliers who offer competitive prices that are cost-efficient.

This way, people will not have to resort to “PM sent” to gain leverage. Instead, they gain market advantage through affordable products.

Ms. Ma. Angelica B. America teaches at the Department of Economics of the Ateneo de Manila University.

Opinion BusinessMirror

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Stonewall Jackson: The great general of the American Civil War Manny F. Dooc

TELLTALES

I

’M an incurable romantic when it comes to the heroic exploits of the famous American generals who figured prominently in the US Civil War in 1861 to 1865. When I was in high school, I would spend my Saturdays at the public library reading about the military campaigns waged by the two sides distinguished by the color of their uniforms—blue for the Union soldiers and gray for the Confederates. I never missed every movie featuring the memorable battles during the civil war. My favorites include Gettysburg, Glory, Horse Soldiers and Shenandoah. Of course, the classic film of epic length is the ultimate movie about the civil war, Gone With the Wind, which depicts the life and culture of the South just before and after the Civil War. General Ulysses Grant, the supreme commander of the Union Army, and his subordinate generals like George McClellan, William Tecumseh Sherman and George Meade and their counterparts from the Confederate Army led by Generals Robert Lee, Stonewall Jackson, James Longstreet and Nathan Forrest were the figures larger than life who populated my dreams. At the outbreak of the war, Lee was the commander of the army of Northern Virginia, his native state, and was considered as one of the finest generals to wear the uniform in the US. He was offered the command of the entire Union armies but he opted to be loyal to his home state, which was a part of the Confederacy. These generals were household names during the Civil War and their victories and defeats in battles changed the fortunes of the war and the destiny of the country.

Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson was the most popular and beloved general of the Confederate Army. The Americans, particularly those from the South, are celebrating his 198th birthday anniversary today. Jackson was the most celebrated general because of his many victories in significant battles and his military achievements were eclipsed only by General Robert E. Lee after Jackson’s death in 1863. He was twice wounded in action as he led his troops against overwhelming forces of the North. The pro-abolition Union armies backed up by wealthier, more powerful and heavily industrialized states in the North enjoyed tremendous advantage over the pro-slavery states of the South. Jackson was a native of Virginia, which became the seat of the Confederacy during the civil war. He attended the West Point Military Academy and took part in the Mexican-American War after his graduation. With his distinguished service against the Mexicans, he was taken in as an instructor at the famed Virginia Military Institute. When Virginia seceded from the Union, he commanded a brigade of the Confederate Army and boldly led his troops in the first battle of Bull Run where he fiercely defended their fort and turned back the massive Union forces. For this heroic feat, both allies and foes dubbed him “stonewall”, which stuck with him forever. Jackson was outstanding in battles and was a feared and respected commander.

He was the Confederate Armies’ hero of the campaigns in the Shenandoah Valley in 1862. He vanquished three Union armies commanded by different generals and successfully repulsed General McClellan’s troops in its assault of Richmond. He then reinforced the beleaguered Northern Virginia Army under General Lee, which was tasked mainly to defend Richmond. He captured the supply depot of General John Pope and repelled the advance of the Union forces during the 2nd battle of Bull Run. In the subsequent Maryland campaign, he led the capture of Harpers Ferry, a critical post controlled by the Union Army and strategic to the defense of the Confederate forces in Antietam. Before 1862 ended, he initially backed out in the battle of Fredericksburg but eventually beat back the Union forces of General Ambrose Burnside. But a tragic battle

awaited him in April and May 1863, which proved to be the last conflict for this invincible warrior. This was the battle at Chancellorsville where the Union Army of the Potomac had successfully crossed the river undetected to gather at Chancellorsville in order to prepare for a massive attack on Fredericksburg. Jackson made a surprise assault on the right plank of the enemy forces and successfully led his 30,000 troops in driving back for a couple of miles the larger Union army under General Joseph Hooker. At that point, Hooker erroneously thought that he was confronting overwhelming enemy forces of General Lee. That evening, Jackson wearily returned to his camp, accompanied by his closein security forces. As they traversed the friendly territory under cover of darkness, friendly forces ambushed Jackson. Before they could establish their identity, he and his companions were accidentally shot by fellow Southerners on their way back from the battle. The next day, General Lee and his troops continued the attack and this time against the entire plank and the panic-driven Union forces withdrew back across the river counting thousands of casualties and surrenderees left behind. It was one of the last major battles won by the Confederate armies during the final stretch of the war.

Due to severe injury caused by gunshot wounds, Jackson’s left arm was amputated but he died eight days later from pneumonia. His death was mourned deeply by the Confederate armies and the people from the South. His comrades-in-arms did to him what his enemies failed to achieve. This had greatly affected the morale of the secessionists who hardly recovered from his irreplaceable loss. The movie flick Gods and Glory featured the extraordinary lives of Stonewall Jackson, and his nemesis, General Joshua Chamberlain, the hero of Gettysburg, until Jackson’s untimely demise during a misencounter with his fellow confederate soldiers.

Stonewall Jackson is regarded up to now as one of the “most gifted tactical commanders in US history.

His tactics are studied even today.”

Undoubtedly his death had contributed to the defeat of the Confederate armies by the Union. Although all hopes of winning the civil war had vanished after the Confederate Army lost the Battle of Gettysburg, Stonewall Jackson’s freak death was an ominous episode that led to the Confederacy’s inevitable defeat. It was a setback from which the South had not recovered, shattering its hope of a military victory and ideological triumph of pro-slavery over abolition.

On April 9, 1865, General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant. Following President Abraham Lincoln’s instruction, that “there must be no French revolution here”, meaning no hanging, no bloodshed, and no guillotining of the defeated opposition, Grant treated Lee with honor, respect and dignity. For his part, Lee wore his finest uniform and shiny boots. When asked about it, Lee humbly answered, “Now I must become General Grant’s prisoner.” It’s one of the most poignant moments in US history. Stonewall Jackson must be proudly beaming in his grave.

Friday, January 21, 2022 A11

Meditating on Miyâ: The social media stray cat Tito Genova Valiente

annotations

A

ll cats are stray cats unless they belong to, or have been adopted, are cared for, or singled out by writer and thinkers.

Unlike dogs that can be put on the leash or tied, or imprisoned in homes, cats are left to roam, to walk the night and day. They are thus all “stray” animals. Like all other animals, cats and dogs (birds, spiders, etc.), are not really known by the universe unless they are mentioned by people.

Miyâ should have been this unknown animal. But one afternoon, when the sky was a dull blue displaying no cloud formation I could photograph to entice prayers, praises, and perorations from friends lonely or depressed because of this virus, there was this cat, ordinary in its yellow and white color, sunning under the eaves of my apartment. It was on its back it had a big belly. It lazily turned around and got up. The cat was pregnant. So the “it” became a “she” and I the man feeding her.

I went back inside and found a bowl with an unfinished pares—you know that food, which consists of beef cooked in thick broth. Before the pandemic, I was a pares fan, with my friend bringing me to its beginning in Retiro. This version though was bad and I thought this poor (in the economic sense of it and not in the sighing sense of the word) cat would not mind eating a leftover. I heated water in the electric kettle and made the dark gravy lighter. True enough, the cat took a bite of the beef and spat it out. She went back to the “soup” and lapped it up.

I took photos of the cat with my phone. And posted the photos online, addressing a grandnephew,

Julio, how I found a pet. I was, of course, being charming to this boy who ramps up his charm when he sees a cat.

Soon a cousin (Lia) asked: what’s her name? No name, I responded. She will be Miyâ, the generic name for cat in Ticao Island. Lia and I share the same birthplace and I know she would understand the impulsive naming. As I was the only one, I believe, who knows the meaning of the word Miyâ in the whole neighborhood, my choice of that name would render this cat singular. I was trying to be nonchalant after all this was the afternoon of the quotidian, made even more humdrum by the presence of this cat. But you know when you are asked to explain a choice, you ponder more, and introspect: How we—in our colonized history or peripheralized existence —always act our desire to expound on our identity. All because of a cat.

“Likes” copiously flowed onto my post. People were welcoming. I had become a cat person, a becoming that implied I was not that kind of an individual before this animal made

sense of my existence. Miyâ had become the objective correlative to my autobiography, unfolding as it were as I fed this other being that did not belong to me. At the back of my mind, I was doing my own analysis—Miyâ belongs to me because she did not run away when I moved closer with the bowl of food to where she was.

It is prodigious how one’s arsenal of quotes from grandmothers could come back as on-point divinations pertinent to animals.

To a cousin still, I explained how this gesture of mine excludes commitment. She, Miyâ, can ignore the food I give her and it will not be an issue involving utang na loob, which is a shady value anyway imposed on us by a contested value of reciprocity fashionable in the sociology of the

’60s. If there was a Social Contract in the tradition of Du contrat social ou Principes du droit politique, (French seems a slinky language to deal with cats), a 1762 book by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, it began and should end with the bowl of food. The theory has at its core the power of the State over the Individual; applied to Miya and this writer, the theory assumes

Can BOI revive industrial nationalism?

Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo

LABOREM EXERCENS This is the last part of our open letter to BOI.

D

ear Usec. Ceferino Rodolfo and Director Corazon Dichosa, our apology for this long reaction piece to the BOI-sponsored forum on “Leveraging Trade Investment Policies to Implement a Modern Industrial Strategy” (December 9-10, 2021). There are just too many important issues that need to be raised in visualizing and implementing a sound and effective industrial policy—e.g., national industrial visioning, strategizing trade policy in support of national industrialization (not the other way around), asserting State leadership in building up national industrial capacity, and so on. We hope the BOI can organize more brainstorming exercises to strategize how industrial policy, a policy abandoned by our neo-liberal economic technocrats in the 1970s-2000s, can be fully in place and help us reclaim our position as one of Asia’s leading industrial countries.

Our position is that industrial policy is not truly in place despite the BOI/DTI rhetorics and proclamation on the importance of industrial policy and the holding of BOI/DTI-sponsored conferences such as “manufacturing resurgence.” From our reading of the BOI/DTI documents on industry policy plans such as CARS, AI and high-skills development for advanced manufacturing, one key element of industrial policy is amiss or missing: articulation of the role of economic nationalism in all of these efforts.

The point is that industrial policy has a nationality. When one talks of Japan’s industrial policy, one does not only talk about the country’s overall industrial might but also concretely of the Japanese champions leading the industrial upgrading process such as Mitsubishi.

The same with South Korea, Taiwan and even Singapore.

China will not be where it is now if it simply relies on partnership with foreign companies in building the new China. Chinese economic planners have defied the “comparative-advantage” proposals of Western economists (who wanted China to focus forever on lowvalue-adding GVC work); instead, these planners studiously promoted China’s ascent in the GVC system, supported the formation of Chinese-led GVCs and

ensured that China would steadily reach the top of the industrial ladder. In all of these efforts, the government and the Chinese State corporations have taken the leadership role.

In the 1970s, when our Neda technocrats succeeded in imposing the narrow “labor-intensive export-oriented” (LIEO) industrial strategy, economic analysts from the ILO (Export-led industrialization and development, ed. by Eddy Lee, ILO, 1981) warned that the LIEO program was clearly discriminatory against the Filipino industrializing class, the class which spearheaded the country’s rapid industrial growth in the 1950s-1960s. Further, they noted that the LIEO program was launched and implemented without any constituency among the local or Filipino industrialists. In contrast, in Japan, Asian NICs and China, the home-grown industrial class was (and still is) on top of the twins: the domestic-oriented industrial sector (maintained by protectionist import substitution) and the export-oriented industrial sector (provided with all kinds of incentives). It was an integrated approach towards industrialization, while ours, a segmented one.

Because of the poor industrial visioning done by Neda in the 1970s and the succeeding decades, our industrial

sector has not only stagnated but also got divided into segments with limited linkages, as raised by Dr. Balaoing in the December forum. The classic example here is the export-led garments industry, which boomed in the 1970s-1980s without any linkages with the local textile and other supporting industries. In short, the garments industry became part of the enclave economy under LIEO. This garments industry withered away at the turn of the millennium, a decade ahead of the collapse of the textile industry. There were calls for garments industry upgrading and higher-level global niching as well as proposals for local textile development (e.g., ramie, pineapple, etc.) in support of the garments industry. Nothing happened.

Dear Usec. Rodolfo and Director Dichosa, Western economic commentators keep saying that industrial policy has made a global comeback. The truth is that it has not left in the developed world. Former World Bank chief economist Justin YiFu Lin made an acerbic observation on the response of developed countries to the 2008-2010 global financial crisis: all OECD countries are practitioners of industrial policy, as reflected in their uniform efforts to keep critical and strategic industries at home afloat and alive. This is in defiance of the slogan of the neo-liberals: those who cannot compete, let them die on the wayside.

The winning slogan: industries “too big to fail” has remained the guiding policy for each of the OECD countries.

Now what has economic nationalism got to do with the foregoing? History tells us that developed countries—in Europe, America and in Asia—have advanced industrially because of the strong spirit of nationalism. Or if you are scared with the term nationalism, patriotism and love of country. The classic example here is the United States. From George Washington to Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt, America made tremendous industrial progress based on the original ideas of Alexander Hamilton, e.g., tariff protection against British industrial products and support to America’s industrial upgrading and diversification. America’s jobs, economic growth and well-being depended on its ability to build its industrial muscle. It was only after World War II that America began liberalizing its tariff regime (while maintaining protection to its highly-subsidized agricultural sector up to the present).

Ironically, economic nationalism is

I have power over this cat.

The notion of commitment did not escape another friend (Emmie who either was in her chalet in Switzerland or hibernating in her Palawan resort) who said she is happy I am becoming a cat man even if I did not promise a commitment. I took that as a compliment.

To this airy (from my end) notion of commitment, a rush of responses came in from Danielle who as an expert in transportation and mobility I assumed to be more rational.

Aside from her welcome-to-the-club greetings (I did not know people can form a kind of Gemeinschaft a la Tonnies around cats), she issued a veiled threat about how cats become bosses in people’s lives. To Danielle, I rushed to explain how an urban poor cat like Miyâ is not empowered.

But Danielle was relentless; she cautioned me not to underestimate the powers of urban poor cats. Well, at least, she agreed there really are urban poor cats.

To Danielle and friends and acquaintances following the online conversation, I articulated my side: the literatures on the urban poor cats (and you can say the same of urban poor people) indicate how, when not enlightened by pet owners or human companions, these cats become pawn in the manipulations of humans who are called leaders or politicians.

I was not convincing my readers though. From a friend (Nanette) came the warning: what if you get attached?

This morning, I checked on the bowl outside which I forgot to retrieve.

It was empty. I guess rats feasted on them while Miyâ was somewhere warm, pondering on her belly and the sad future of her children.

E-mail: titovaliente@yahoo.com

written all over the Philippine Constitution. The charter mandates not only protection but also preference to local industry, agriculture and labor. And yet, what do we see? All-out liberalization in industry and agriculture even if no transition program has been put in place to prepare the locals against the possibly adverse impact of such liberalization to them. The usual justification: attract foreign investments.

No, we are not against foreign investments per se. But no country in the world developed by simply relying on foreign investments. They are supplements in a country’s promotion of growth.

As it is, there is no serious effort on the part of Neda to make economic nationalism as a guide in economic planning. The various Constitutional provisions on how the economy should be run based on an integrated program of industrial and agricultural development are not even mentioned in the present Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 and in the past PDPs. The opening chapter of PDP usually starts with a projection of imaginary growth based on the work of ivory tower economists with no practical exposure to the labor market and the social-economic environment confronting Filipino industrialists, entrepreneurs and workers.

Their framework: growth likely to surge under the triple policies of economic trade/investment liberalization, economic deregulation and privatization. If the PDP goals are not achieved after five years, the next government, strangely, tries to update the previous PDP without any major change on development strategy, especially in relation to industrial policy. And surprisingly, they still rely on the same economists whose projections on industrial and agricultural growth did not work.

We hope the present leadership of the BOI and DTI can make a difference. Please revive the spirit of economic nationalism in industrial planning. Needless to say, the spirit of economic nationalism was a driving force in the struggle of Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio for independence against Spain, of Crisanto Evangelista and Manuel Quezon for an Independent Philippine Republic, and of the post-war Filipino industrialists and nationalists such as Sen. Gil Puyat and Sen. Claro Recto for an advanced industrial Philippines.

Please make their vision work.

Salamat po.

A12 Friday, January 21, 2022

Thrift, eco-conscious mode drive preloved items’ sales

A

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad @Tyronepiad

S consumers tighten their belt amid the pandemic, a trend of purchasing “preloved” or secondhand items is on the rise this year—something that, some experts say, also supports sustainability goals of those seeking to minimize environmental footprints.

This is according to research by Euromonitor International, which noted that 33 percent of consumers buy used or secondhand items at least every few months. One-fifth of the consumers are also considering increasing their purchase of such goods in the future.

The think tank said that consumers have become thrifty amid the ongoing health and financial crises across the world. “Consumers are moving from an owning to an experiencing mindset. Sustainability and individuality are removing the stigma associated with secondhand shopping and driving peer-to-peer commerce,” it explained.

The study showed that younger generations, in the age bracket of 15-29, are following this trend as they search for one-of-a-kind products in the market. Nearly the same percentage can be observed for those in 30-44 and 4559 age groups; while consumers in the over-60 age bracket are the least open to the idea of buying preloved items.

It also helps that several digital applications serving as online marketplace for secondhand items are available, allowing consumers to reflect on which of their belongings can be kept or be sold.

“Consumers are continuously taking stock of their belongings to determine which items to keep, upgrade, resell or donate,” Euromonitor explained.

In addition, vintage and slow fashion supported the “pursuit of preloved items” in the apparel market, it said.

Apart from buying and selling secondhand items, consumers also promote sustainability by donating used items to charity or nonprofit organizations, sharing or swapping items and renting items instead of buying them, the study revealed.

Circular economy

THE same initiatives are also observed on the part of businesses, which have been implementing strategies for circular economy.

Circular economy refers to sustainable means of production and consumption by reusing materials as much as possible.

According to the study, 67 percent of the professionals that responded to the survey claimed their companies are engaged in responsible consumption and production.

“Companies are implementing new business models and embracing the circular economy as consumers shift to consignment shopping. Pursuit of preloved has been prevalent in the apparel industry for years but is expanding into other fast-moving consumer goods,” the report said.

Euromonitor said that businesses promote a circular economy through buy-back programs, reusable packaging initiatives, refurbished product offerings and peer-to-peer marketplaces.

To incentivize consumers and encourage them to participate, the study noted that companies offer gift cards, store credit and loyalty points.

“Businesses that find opportunities to tap into the ‘pursuit of preloved’ can benefit from an additional revenue stream,” Euromonitor said, in addition to building a better reputation for their brand.

Low-carbon footprint

THE mentioned trend is parallel with

another outlook by Euromonitor: consumers are more keen on having lowcarbon lifestyles this year.

Last year, the think tank said that 67 percent of the consumers tried to contribute a positive impact on the environment. Such actions include reduction of plastic use and food waste and recycling.

“Consumers are becoming aware of their individual contribution to climate change. Eco-anxiety is driving environmental activism and purchasing decisions,” it explained.

As such, Euromonitor said, “consumers expect brands to step up and are taking action through the products they purchase as concerns over the climate emergency escalate.”

Apart from promoting a circular economy, companies are seen adjusting portfolios to lessen carbon footprint and investing in product innovations that are deemed climate-friendly, the report said.

Among the technological tools seen facilitating a more sustainable shift are digital product labeling and mobile tracking applications, which can aid consumers in tracing their carbon footprint and recycling habits on their gadgets.

“Digital innovation is reshaping how retailers, manufacturers and consumers transition to a new era of environmental transparency,” Euromonitor said.

DBM RELEASES P1.185B MORE IN ‘SRA’ TO D.O.H.

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

@BNicolasBM

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HE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released on Thursday an additional P1.185 billion to the Department of Health (DOH) for the Covid-19 Special Risk Allowance (SRA) of eligible private and non-plantilla government health workers.

More than 63,000 health workers directly attending to or in contact with Covid-19 patients are seen to receive their SRAs from this amount, according to Acting DBM Officer-In-Charge Tina Canda.

This will be charged to the Contingent Fund under the 2021 national budget.

President Duterte approved the release of the additional amount on January 14, based on the listing of the Special Allotment Release Order posted on the DBM website.

Canda separately told BusinessMirror there is “no fixed period” covered for the SRA “because the request was based on the

Imee eyes probe into fish supply ‘shortage’

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ENATOR Imee Marcos is poised to file within the week an enabling resolution to pave the way for a Senate inquiry into a possible “fake shortage as pretext to allow entry of fish imports,” warning that rampant importation “will kill our local fisheries.”

In seeking the Senate probe, Sen. Marcos intends to ask the Department of Agriculture (DA) to clarify reports reaching her office that the DA “conjured a fake shortage” to justify importing 60,000 metric tons (MT) of fish supply.

“Stop this rampant importation that will kill our local fisheries,” said Marcos, who chairs the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs, asserting that “there is ample supply of fish for the first quarter of the year and that importation would only deal a fatal blow to local fisheries.”

The Senator noted that “we have enough fish from stocks unsold in 2021 and yet to be delivered until March,” reminding officials that “the closed fishing season is also about to end.” In a statement on Thursday, she noted that the DA had claimed the damage wrought by Typhoon Odette on the fishery sector in December required the importation of galunggong (round scad), sardines and mackerel, while the annual fishing ban remains in effect between November and February.

However, the senator recalled January 12 data of the Fisheries Inspection and Quarantine Division of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) showing that “only 14,349 MT of fish have been sold in the market, out of the 60,000 MT allocated to 25 importers who have applied for 48,985 MT so far.”

Thus, she added, almost 35,000 metric tons of fish in storage and incoming shipments will be available, “apart from the 11,015 MT still open for import applications.”

The lawmaker lamented “the DA turned a deaf ear to a unanimous recommendation” of the National Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (NFARMC) that there was “no need for the is-

suance of a certificate of necessity to import for the first quarter of 2022,” as stated in the council’s Resolution No. 3, Series of 2022. The NFARMC is an advisory and recommendatory body that must be consulted by the DA under Section 61 of the Fisheries Code.

‘Buying smartphones from snatchers’

FILIPINOS should not be fed by their government imported fish products like the iconic galunggong, especially when they come from nations ransacking the Philippines’s territorial waters, another senator said, likening the a situation to someone buying electronic gadgets from snatchers.

Partido Reporma chairman and standard-bearer Panfilo “Ping” Lacson raised this observation Thursday as he denounced the reported DA plan to buy over 60,000 metric tons of fish, which threatens to kill the livelihood of our own fisherfolk.

“Our aquatic resources in the West Philippine Sea are being stolen, right, and we are also deprived [of our liberty to fish],” said Lacson in a radio interview, speaking mostly in Filipino. Lacson, who visited Pag-asa Island off the coast of Palawan late November last year, said he is taking the issue of solving the regional disputes in the West Philippine Sea high up on his list of priorities because of the plight of local fishermen relying on the bounty of the sea for their livelihood.

Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, Lacson previously reported that the Philippines stands to lose around 300,000 metric tons or about 300 million kilograms of fish on average every year if foreign intrusions continue in Philippine archipelagic waters.

In a separate message, Partido Reporma spokesperson Ashley ‘Ace’ Acedillo said what the DA is actually trying to do in its plan to import ‘galunggong’ is to make unsuspecting Filipinos buy stolen items that are getting legally resold back into the public market. Butch Fernandez

submission of hospitals covering varying dates.”

For this amount, government health workers who are in plantilla positions are excluded.

The budget official explained that these health workers had already received their SR A earlier from the previous amounts released by DBM. The DBM previously said in September last year that it has released a total of P8.23 billion, benefitting about half a million health workers who each received SRA for the period covering December 20, 2020 to June 30, 2021.

Eligible health workers are entitled to receive SRA not exceeding P5,000 per month. This is on top of the existing compensation as prescribed under the Magna Carta of Public Health Workers and the DOH-DBM Joint Circular No. 1, series of 2016.

The grant of Covid-19 SRA shall also be pro-rated based on the number of days that the frontline health workers physically report for work in a month.

DepEd found compliant in 14 of 15 PBB indicators

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OLLOWING the assessment of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Harmonization of National Government Performance Monitoring, Information and Reporting Systems (AO25 IATF), the Department of Education (DepEd) said that teachers and non-teaching personnel will receive their Performance-Based Bonus (PBB) for Fiscal Year 2020.

“We have consistently introduced reforms in our processes to help our employees provide better services to our stakeholders. I thank the whole DepEd family for contributing to these reforms and to our goal of improving our performance amidst challenging times,” Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones said, adding that they hope to continue the culture of excellence in the Department as “we strengthen our programs and projects for basic education.”

A letter from AO25 Chairperson and Department of Budget and Management Undersecretary Kim Robert De Leon assessed DepEd as compliant in 14 of the 15 applicable indicators for the 2020 PBB. This is the most number of compliant indicators since the start of PBB in 2012.

“Since the start of PBB implementation in 2012, this is the first time that DepEd got almost a 100 percent compliance in all of the PBB indicators,” Undersecretary Wilfredo Cabral emphasized.

Cabral said that DepEd is ensuring that it will continue its process improvement through the institutionalization of the National Quality Management System (NQMS) to meet the eligibility indicators for PBB 2021. “[DepEd] embarked on developing the BE-LCP to enable basic education learners to continue learning and for teachers to deliver instruction in a safe work and learning environment amid the threat of Covid-19,” AO25 IATF said in its final assessment on streamlining and process improvement of agency services indicator.

The DepEd has also requested AO25 IATF for a re-validation on the submission of Undertaking of Early Procurement for at least 50 percent of goods and services after DepEd’s PBB Secretariat assessed Central Office and all Regional Offices compliant on the said indicator, as of October 15, 2021. Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

Companies BusinessMirror

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

Friday, January 21, 2022

Solar Philippines prepares share swap deal with unit

By VG Cabuag

S

@villygc

OLAR Philippines Power Project Holdings Inc. (Solar Philippines), the parent company of listed firm Solar Philippines Nueva Ecija Corp.

(SPNEC), said last Thursday it is open for an asset-for-share swap deal with the value favoring its unit.

Solar Philippines said it is ready to swap its 10,000 megawatts (MW) of developments for only three times SPNEC’s current outstanding shares, or 24.37 billion shares.

SPNEC has not yet approved any asset-for-share swap deal, which is subject to a third-party valuation and fairness opinion by an independent financial advisor. SPNEC has also set

a stockholders’ meeting on March 7 as it need to seek approval for the increase of its authorized capital stock to 50 billion shares from the current 10 billion. This is required for the proposed issuance of shares in exchange for solar projects.

“We are thankful for the level of interest in SPNEC even as a single pre-operating project. At the same

time, we note the feedback that adding our already operating or contracted projects would make SPNEC even more attractive,” Solar Philippines CEO Leandro Antonio L. Leviste said.

“We give this option as an expression of our gratitude to our public shareholders, especially those who believed in SPNEC when it was just P1 per share,” Leviste said.

Solar Philippines said evaluation is still ongoing but it has already reserved the assets for swap with SPNEC shares.

Its portfolio now comprises over 20 solar project companies, which include over 400 MW already operating or under construction. Certain projects are at a similar stage as SPNEC’s 500 MW under development, while others are planned to begin operations a later date given their scale.

SPNEC raised P2.7 billion from its initial public offering, the pro-

ceeds of which will be used for the 500-MW Nueva Ecija Solar Farm in 2021, becoming the first pure-play solar company to list at the Philippine Stock Exchange.

To fund the remainder of the 10,000 MW, Solar Philippines is entering into joint ventures with partners and may raise further capital, including a possible stock rights offering if a share swap with SPNEC is approved.

Solar Philippines targets to increase SPNEC’s planned capacity by 20 times while increasing outstanding shares by only five times.

The company acknowledged the importance of responding to the preferences of its public shareholders.

SPNEC has recently been the stock with the highest traded volume on the PSE, with over P7 billion in trading over the past month. SPNEC stock closed last Thursday at P1.60 per share.

ERC to Veco: Probe ‘extortion’ try

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

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ISAYAN Electric Co. (VECO), the distribution unit of Aboitiz Power Corp., was ordered by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to probe alleged extortion by its contractors in exchange for speedy restoration of electricity to select customers.

The ERC told VECO to conduct a thorough investigation of alleged rampant extortion and submit a report within 15 days upon

receipt of the directive.

“The number of incidents reported to the Commission which involved either VECO contractors or volunteers or both allegedly extorting money from VECO’s consumers to expedite the restoration of their electricity is alarming and needs the immediate appropriate action

by VECO. “Thus, we have directed VECO to conduct a prompt and thorough investigation of the matter and submit the result to the Commission in writing within 15 days from

receipt of our directive,” said ERC Chairperson Agnes Devanadera in a statement Thursday.

VECO’s report should also include measures put in place to prevent such incidents, the regulator said.

The ERC would like to know as well what VECO has done against those involved.

The ERC said it received reports that the delay in power restoration in Cebu is not caused by the damaged distribution lines but more by rampant bribery and corruption of either VECO contractors or volunteers who

prioritize the restoration of electricity of those who offer money.

“These reports of alleged extortion are truly disturbing and we cannot just disregard or take these things sitting down. We enjoin VECO to use the necessary means to obtain a thorough, comprehensive, and unbiased finding/s, including the use of witnesses’ testimony when available,” Devanadera said.

VECO was also told to expedite restoration of electricity in its franchise area and inform the agency of the progress of its restoration.

Unilever CEO misses out on Advil U

NILEVER Plc Chief Executive Officer Alan Jope faces growing pressure to deliver a new strategy after investor dissent forced the Dove soap owner to walk away from a bid for GlaxoSmithKline Plc’s consumer products division.

Unilever on Wednesday abandoned its 50-billion pound ($68 billion) pursuit of a business that includes brands like Sensodyne toothpaste and Advil painkiller, after the UK drugmaker rejected its approaches and Unilever’s share price plunged.

The very public defeat, which came after analysts implored Unilever not to proceed and a big shareholder said management had “lost the plot,” was a flashback to Kraft Heinz Co.’s failed bid to acquire the company in 2017 for $143 billion. That debacle prompted radical changes at Unilever, including consolidating its headquarters in the UK, ditching a cumbersome Anglo-Dutch structure, and adopting a more aggressive acquisition strategy that’s failed in its first big test.

A deal for the Glaxo brands would’ve been Unilever’s largest ever takeover and was intended to anchor the company’s pivot to focus on consumer health-care. Jope set out that ambition internally after the shift to London in 2020, which was meant to facilitate major acquisitions and disposals.

Unilever shares extended their relief rally on Thursday, rising 1.9 percent in early London trading.

Glaxo’s stock dropped 1.4 percent.

Earlier this week, Unilever said the Glaxo division was a “strong strategic fit,” but that it would ex-

drugmaker has said it would consider any offers, after Elliott Investment Management LP pushed her to boost shareholder returns, and new bidders could emerge.

In response to Unilever’s earlier interest, Glaxo had said it expects the consumer unit to see sales grow 4 percent to 6 percent in the medium term, faster than the market rate.

The estimate raises the bar for any other prospective buyers, amid expectations that a successful overture could require a top-up of $10 billion or so. Glaxo will set out the rationale for such growth at an investor meeting at the end of February.

plore other takeover opportunities in consumer health. The company also said it would maintain financial discipline and wouldn’t overpay.

Health, beauty

IN that statement, Jope also announced a revamp of Unilever that would refocus around its health, beauty and hygiene operations, predicated on major acquisitions, and suggesting divestitures may involve its food operations.

In recent years, that arm of the company has been wounded by inflationary pressures in emerging markets that have slowed Unilever’s overall growth compared with archrival Nestle SA, which gets a boost from its successful pet food business.

Still, Unilever’s share price fell sharply as investors questioned the rationale for the Glaxo deal. Analysts wrote notes titled “Please Don’t” and described it as a “very bad deal.”

Ratings agencies also warned about

a possible downgrade of Unilever’s credit rating if it went ahead with a takeover.

Jope was already facing criticism from some shareholders for a focus on sustainability as the company’s stock price languished.

‘Damage limitation’

IT’S “good news” that the deal won’t happen, Bernstein analyst Bruno Monteyne said, though he described the latest move as an effort at “damage limitation.”

Unilever is “trying to control the narrative,” he said in an email. “By ruling out a higher bid, it looks like they end the offer here. That is obviously not the case. Investors stopped the bid through the share price and the feedback they gave.”

Unilever’s move to abandon the pursuit also raises questions over the strategy of Glaxo CEO Emma Walmsley, who has said she favors plans to spin off the consumer division. The

Other bidders?

“We are strongly focused on maximizing shareholder value and are very confident in the future of the business and its potential,” a Glaxo spokesperson said. “The consumer health-care business has an exceptional portfolio and offers existing and prospective shareholders a highly attractive financial profile supporting investment and future returns.” Unilever’s pursuit of the unit had sparked speculation about other suitors emerging, including Procter & Gamble Co. or Nestle SA. When analysts pressed P&G about its acquisition strategy on Wednesday, Chief Executive Officer Jon Moeller said he likes the current portfolio and will be “very disciplined” on any deals. Skin care and personal healthcare are the two categories that P&G considers particular focus areas for potential deals, he said on a call, but “we don’t need large M&A to deliver” on financial targets. Bloomberg News

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ACEN to switch on 2nd Viet wind farm

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C Energy Corp. (ACEN) said last Thursday it would be able to switch on another wind farm in Vietnam within the first quarter of the year.

Of Acen’s six renewable energy projects in Vietnam, five are operational while the 60 megawatts (MW) Lac Hoa & Hoa Dong Wind in Soc Trang is expected to come online by the first quarter. The wind project is a collaboration with partner UPC Renewables and will feature the tallest wind turbines in the country to date at a record hub height of 162 meters.

Last year, ACEN has completed three wind power projects with over 380 MW of renewables capacity in Vietnam.

The 88 MW Ninh Thuan wind farm in South Central Vietnam commenced operations in October 2021 and is the second partnership bet ween ACEN and t he BIM Group. It is expected to produce 327 Gigawatt hours (GWh) per year, enough to power around 136,000 homes with renewable energy and help avoid 298,551 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) annually.

The 252 MW Quang Binh wind farm, a collaboration with AMI Renewables in the North Central Vietnam, began commercial operations in November 2021. As one of the largest wind farms in Vietnam, it can produce around 48 GWh of renewable energy per year, enough to power 270,000 homes and help avoid 580,000 tons of CO2 annually. It also features wind turbines at a hub height of 145 meters.

In the same month, ACEN and partner, The Blue Circle, also switched on the 40 MW Mui Ne Phase 2 wind farm in Binh Thuan Province, South Vietnam. The wind farm features turbines that carry the largest rotor diameter for an onshore wind project in Asia at 158 meters and are the first to use blades in two pieces assembled on site.

This technology boosts efficiency and lowers the cost of energy. Mui Ne wind farm is expected to avoid approximately 130,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually.

“We are pleased with the rapid progress that we have seen in our Vietnam projects.

Powering three energy plants in 2021 was a significant accomplishment that we could not have achieved without the collaboration with our partners and strong support from the government of Vietnam,” said ACEN President and CEO Eric T. Francia.

Patrice Clausse, head of ACEN’s International Group, said ACEN remains committed to help Vietnam reduce its dependency on fossil fuel and fossil imports and forge a cleaner, more affordable and more dependable energy pathway.

“We are proud to support Vietnam in its goal to increase its renewables capacity and eliminate the country’s greenhouse gas emissions at the soonest time possible,” Clausse said.

According to Nikkei Asia, Vietnam’s power demand is expected to reach 96 GW by 2025 as it becomes increasingly industrialized and the rising middle class drives construction and consumption.

By increasing its renewable energy sources, Vietnam could very well achieve its economic goals at net zero emissions by 2050.

ACEN has over 3,000 MW of attributable capacity across Asia Pacific, with 18,000 MW in its pipeline of renewables projects being developed organically and with its various partners across the region. An estimated 500 MW of these projects are expected to reach financial close by first quarter this year.

ACEN is on track to become the largest listed renewables platform in Southeast Asia with 5,000 MW of renewables capacity by 2025. Lenie Lectura

Bohol transmission lines fully restored

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HE National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) has completed the restoration of 69 kiloVolt (kV) transmission lines in Bohol affected by Typhoon Odette.

The grid operator said Thursday that it has completed the Ubay-Trinidad-Carmen 69kV line serving the franchise areas of Bohol I Electric Cooperative Inc. (Boheco I) and Boheco II. The said line was restored last January 18, 13 days ahead of its target schedule. The NGCP is working on restoring the two remaining 138kV lines in the province to establish connection to the grid and serve as internal backbone.

Aside from the Ubay-TrinidadCarmen 69kV line, NGCP also restored the Cebu-Colon 138kV Line 2 last January 17 and Colon-Calongcalong 138kV Line 1 last January 18. All 138kV lines in Cebu have now been restored. All distribution utilities in the province are already energized as of December 25 last year.

At the height of restoration activities, the company deployed more than a thousand personnel composed of linemen, engineers and other sup-

port personnel to simultaneously expedite the restoration of transmission services in all affected areas.

As of today, actual loading of power in Bohol is at 26 percent while Cebu is at 73 percent. For Negros and Leyte, loading is at 95 percent and 91 percent, respectively; while for Samar and Panay, loading is already at 100 percent. These figures represent the current amount of consumption or drawdown of power monitored by NGCP’s System Operations team compared to the normal, pre-typhoon level.

“We are continuously working on the restoration of the remaining affected transmission lines at the soonest possible time,” NGCP said. “We are coordinating with relevant internal and external groups to expedite all our activities, as well as ensure the safety of our deployed personnel.”

The NGCP is a Filipino-led, privately owned company in charge of operating, maintaining and developing the country’s power grid, led by majority shareholders and Vice Chairman of the Board Henry Sy, Jr. and Co-Vice Chairman Robert Coyiuto Jr. Lenie Lectura

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Friday, January 21, 2022

Companies BusinessMirror

URC installs solar panels in Southeast Asia centers

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NIVERSAL Robina Corp., the food group of the Gokongwei family business, said it has installed solar panels on its facilities in Southeast Asia as part of its push to save energy in its factories.

The maker of Chippy, Piattos and C2 iced tea drinks brand said its Thailand subsidiary has finished installing solar panels on six factories and four warehouses at its compound in Samut Sakhon province, southwest of Bangkok. The solar panels can generate an estimated 6 megawatts

of power. URC Thailand General Manager Tanant Suwanraks said URC Thailand has lined up more projects in line with its goal to help mitigate the devastating impact of climate change.

“We believe that the main core for businesses to carry on is to be

responsible to the people, community, society, environment and our planet,” he said.

URC Thailand began putting solar panels on its facilities in September 2019. The project is meant to reduce the company’s use of fossil fuels in favor of cleaner energy.

On the other hand, URC in the Philippines has been installing solar panels at its manufacturing facilities.

It has up to 1 megawatt installed at its plant in Canlubang, Laguna and some 21 kilowatts at its Vitasoy facility in San Fernando, Pampanga.

Meanwhile, the company’s Vietnam subsidiary has ongoing installation of 3 MW of solar rooftop system panels in its coffee plant located in Vietnam Singapore Industrial

Park Binh Duong, as part of URC Vietnam’s sustainability initiatives on renewable energy, reduction of water/energy usages and recycling activities.

The said solar panel system covering 18,500 square meters of roof area can potentially supply of about a fifth of actual consumption of the plant and can also reduce temperature around four to five degrees Celsius as thermal insulation effect on the factory roof. Plans for other URC Vietnam factories will also follow.

“We aim for a low-carbon economy by optimizing the use the of renewable energy,” David Lim, URC’s chief sustainability officer said.

“URC is gearing towards net zero (emission) by 2050.” VG Cabuag

Euro stocks erase gains as bonds stabilize

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UROPEAN stocks erased initial gains as the global sovereign-bond selloff paused and investors turned their focus to corporate earnings.

Europe’s Stoxx 600 Index was slightly lower, while all three major US benchmarks were poised to advance. Miners outperformed, boosted by the rally in metals.

Treasury yields dipped, but remain higher for the week on concerns about elevated inflation and the prospect of Federal Reserve interest-rate hikes. A dollar gauge was little changed, crude oil slipped and gold held around a two-month high.

Chinese regulators are considering making it easier for builders to access certain funds from pre-

sold properties, a step that would help tackle the industry’s liquidity crunch. An index of property developer shares climbed. Separately, Chinese lenders lowered borrowing costs to boost the economy.

The dominant theme for markets remains prospective Fed rate hikes and the possible reduction of its holdings in Treasuries starting later in 2022. The withdrawal of outsized stimulus threatens to inject more volatility across a range of assets. Global stocks have already dropped more than 3 percent this year.

“The focus of the rates market is still very much on the Fed and the anticipated dual-pronged attack of interest rate rises and balance sheet

reduction, all of which we would expect to keep uncertainty levels elevated and volatility bubbling along over the coming weeks/months,” Simon Ballard, chief economist at First Abu Dhabi Bank, wrote in a note.

Biden on Fed

PRESIDENT Joe Biden said it’s the Fed’s job to rein in the fastest inflation in decades, and backed the central bank’s plans to scale back stimulus.

He also indicated his $2-trillion economic agenda will have to be broken up, and said he isn’t ready to ease tariffs on China yet. On Russia-Ukraine tension, he said he believed Russia will “move in” on Ukraine, adding such a step

would hurt President Vladimir Putin “badly.”

In the US, upbeat earnings from companies including Morgan Stanley, UnitedHealth Group Inc. and Procter & Gamble Co. failed to shore up sentiment.

The earnings season so far has been a little bit rocky, and investors need to monitor commentary from companies about price and wage pressures, Rebecca Felton, RiverFront Investment Group senior market strategist, said on Bloomberg Television.

“We do believe stocks can continue to go higher even as the Fed changes policy,” she said, adding corporate profits will still likely beat estimates. Bloomberg News

J. Matheson weighs sale of KFC operator in HK

J

ARDINE Matheson Holdings Ltd., a diversified Asiabased group whose businesses span property, transport, retail and luxury hotels, is considering strategic options for its restaurant unit, people with knowledge of the matter said.

The Singapore-traded conglomerate is weighing a sale of Jardine Restaurant Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary that operates KFC and Pizza Hut franchises in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and Vietnam, said the people, who asked not to be identified as the information is private. The subsidiary also runs Pizza Hut restaurants in Myanmar, according to its website.

Jardine Matheson has held preliminary discussions with advisers, the people said. Deliberations are still at an early stage and the group could decide to keep the business, they said.

A representative for Jardine Matheson didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Yum! Brands Inc., the owner of the KFC and Pizza Hut trademarks, sold the KFC business in Taiwan in 2010 and offloaded the KFC franchises in Hong Kong and Macau to Jardine Restaurant Group in 2013, according to the unit’s website.

Jardine Restaurant Group operates over 900 restaurants in the region and has more than 27,000 employees, the website shows. The unit contributed $18 million profit to Jardine Group in the six months ended in June last year, compared with $15 million in 2020, Jardine Matheson’s half-yearly earnings announcement shows. Bloomberg News

www.businessmirror.com.ph

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

January 20, 2022

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

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

75,225 145,469,889 93,234,742 1,929,900 1,172,537 88,464,331 9,300 9,120 12,348,500 59,780 224,080 136,793,883 24,324,135 259,200 90,080 123,100 7,970 6,100 20,880 98,916 182,000

36,328,510 3,853,574 -11,985,324 -11,125,320 -2,280 813,664 -408,360 182,000

INDUSTRIAL AC ENERGY 9.71 9.73 9.51 9.79 9.51 9.73 12,665,200 122,692,460 1.04 1.05 1.05 1.05 1.03 1.04 322,000 333,070 ALSONS CONS 33.6 33.8 33.55 33.8 33.05 33.8 4,370,200 146,365,805 ABOITIZ POWER 0.54 0.55 0.56 0.57 0.54 0.54 8,481,000 4,634,900 BASIC ENERGY 27.75 27.9 28 28 27.65 27.9 18,900 526,755 FIRST GEN 70.25 70.3 70.2 70.3 70.2 70.25 14,570 1,023,360.50 FIRST PHIL HLDG 311 311.8 311 313 309.8 311.8 73,550 22,936,152 MERALCO 25.2 25.25 25.6 25.6 24.8 25.2 3,689,900 92,370,125 MANILA WATER PETRON 3.31 3.32 3.33 3.35 3.31 3.32 1,057,000 3,518,360 10.52 10.7 10.6 10.74 10.54 10.74 16,200 171,540 PHX PETROLEUM 13 13.06 13.08 13.14 12.94 13.06 4,508,200 58,682,026 SYNERGY GRID PILIPINAS SHELL 19.26 19.5 19.16 19.48 19.12 19.26 518,300 10,029,966 SPC POWER 14.48 14.5 14.44 14.5 14.4 14.5 166,900 2,412,710 SOLAR PH 1.6 1.61 1.62 1.65 1.58 1.6 133,677,000 215,095,450 AGRINURTURE 4.79 4.8 4.7 4.8 4.7 4.8 103,000 493,400 AXELUM 2.87 2.89 2.87 2.89 2.87 2.89 153,000 441,640 26.7 26.75 27.05 27.2 26.6 26.75 763,700 20,460,045 CENTURY FOOD 15.58 15.6 15.24 15.58 15.2 15.58 52,800 808,388 DEL MONTE 8.59 8.6 8.59 8.71 8.52 8.6 512,200 4,402,101 DNL INDUS 19.38 19.4 19 19.5 18.88 19.4 4,555,200 87,625,716 EMPERADOR 68.85 68.95 69 69.05 68.7 68.95 122,120 8,418,020 SMC FOODANDBEV 0.6 0.63 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 202,000 121,200 ALLIANCE SELECT 1.26 1.28 1.27 1.28 1.26 1.28 2,078,000 2,635,720 FRUITAS HLDG GINEBRA 121.4 121.5 121.4 122 121.4 121.5 10,990 1,335,663 JOLLIBEE 228.2 229 230 230 228 229 205,180 46,971,188 KEEPERS HLDG 1.36 1.37 1.39 1.39 1.36 1.36 7,146,000 9,798,990 LIBERTY FLOUR 26.25 28 28 28 27.95 28 1,200 33,585 MAXS GROUP 6.4 6.45 6.4 6.4 6.38 6.4 56,200 359,444 MG HLDG 0.149 0.15 0.147 0.149 0.147 0.149 730,000 108,170 16.24 16.32 16.24 16.8 16.22 16.24 13,120,200 214,264,484 MONDE NISSIN SHAKEYS PIZZA 9.57 9.61 9.6 9.65 9.6 9.61 89,800 864,630 0.66 0.67 0.67 0.68 0.66 0.66 980,000 650,920 ROXAS AND CO 4.64 4.65 4.65 4.65 4.64 4.65 63,000 292,940 RFM CORP 126.9 127 127.5 128.5 126.7 126.9 958,310 121,898,887 UNIV ROBINA 0.71 0.72 0.71 0.72 0.71 0.72 219,000 157,610 VITARICH 2.41 2.48 2.5 2.5 2.41 2.41 18,000 44,170 VICTORIAS 44.95 47.85 44 44 44 44 100 4,400 CONCRETE A 1.06 1.08 1.07 1.08 1.06 1.07 1,612,000 1,734,220 CEMEX HLDG EAGLE CEMENT 14.7 14.72 14.72 14.76 14.7 14.72 191,900 2,827,306 EEI CORP 6.32 6.33 6.36 6.36 6.31 6.33 246,100 1,558,377 HOLCIM 5.95 6 6.05 6.15 5.81 6 434,600 2,635,137 MEGAWIDE 5.03 5.06 5.07 5.09 5.02 5.04 777,300 3,923,247 PHINMA 20.7 20.9 20.6 20.75 20.6 20.75 19,300 399,830 0.78 0.8 0.78 0.78 0.78 0.78 34,000 26,520 TKC METALS 0.89 0.9 0.87 0.91 0.86 0.89 1,706,000 1,505,930 VULCAN INDL 1.7 1.73 1.7 1.73 1.7 1.73 44,000 76,000 CROWN ASIA 5.7 5.75 5.75 5.79 5.75 5.75 77,400 446,872 PRYCE CORP 20.35 21.5 21.5 21.5 21.5 21.5 100 2,150 CONCEPCION 2.17 2.19 2.18 2.23 2.17 2.19 4,658,000 10,282,510 GREENERGY 9.68 9.69 9.8 9.92 9.51 9.68 1,364,600 13,199,828 INTEGRATED MICR 0.71 0.72 0.73 0.73 0.71 0.72 305,000 219,370 IONICS 6.04 6.05 6.05 6.05 6.04 6.04 5,000 30,210 PANASONIC 1.08 1.1 1.08 1.1 1.08 1.1 51,000 55,100 SFA SEMICON 3.95 3.96 4 4.04 3.93 3.96 1,079,000 4,294,210 CIRTEK HLDG

29,528,681 -1,678,700.00 7,700 116,995 2,808 10,024,400 41,588,855 -1,195,456 -8,458,664 -28,920 193,380 47,800 -6,125,605 1,154,165 3,243,322 -5,276,692 -634,463 -1,533,318 1,265,720 22,400 31,360 -83,999,140 -140,601 -330,000 -288,300 -84,074,290 -12,840 2,591,688 -493,550 -604,029 -16,837 1,125,870 3,916,408 -100,800 -788,060

HOLDING & FRIMS

ABACORE CAPITAL ASIABEST GROUP AYALA CORP ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANSCOR ANGLO PHIL HLDG ATN HLDG A ATN HLDG B COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV GT CAPITAL JG SUMMIT LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG METRO PAC INV SM INVESTMENTS SAN MIGUEL CORP SEAFRONT RES WELLEX INDUS

44.15 128 95 25.8 9.46 58.15 8.86 17.62 20.05 57.4 20.35 110.7 102.8 1.8 4.09 3.3 0.82 0.29 0.65 212 2,800

0.93 5.35 844.5 60.35 12.5 7.9 0.9 0.64 0.72 5.14 8.5 7.12 553 58.3 0.63 3.22 10.02 0.38 3.88 946 111.5 2.14 0.219

44.25 129.3 95.1 25.9 9.51 58.2 9.3 17.98 20.15 57.5 20.4 111 103 1.85 4.1 3.31 0.87 0.325 0.71 215 2,810

0.96 5.7 845 61.7 12.54 7.95 0.91 0.68 0.74 5.15 8.51 7.5 554 60.1 0.66 3.26 10.06 0.415 3.9 958 112 2.4 0.245

44.25 127.9 93.6 25.85 9.51 58 9.3 18.24 20.35 57.5 20 107.8 101.3 1.8 4.11 3.21 0.89 0.285 0.72 215 2,800

0.93 5.95 850 62.3 12.8 7.9 0.9 0.51 0.5 5.12 8.51 7.39 552 58 0.62 3.25 10.06 0.375 3.9 953.5 111.7 2.14 0.235

44.25 130 95 25.9 9.53 58.5 9.3 18.24 20.35 57.5 20.4 111 104.5 1.8 4.11 3.3 0.89 0.325 0.72 215.8 2,800

0.97 5.95 856.5 62.9 12.8 7.9 0.91 0.73 0.75 5.14 8.57 7.76 556.5 60.1 0.67 3.26 10.14 0.375 3.9 962 112.1 2.15 0.235

44.25 127.5 93.6 25.8 9.39 57.15 9.3 18.24 20.05 57 20 107.2 101.1 1.8 4.07 3.2 0.88 0.285 0.72 215 2,800

0.92 5.95 843 60.35 12.46 7.9 0.9 0.5 0.5 5.1 8.47 7.39 552 58 0.62 3.22 10 0.375 3.86 943 111.5 2.14 0.215

44.25 129.3 95 25.85 9.51 58.2 9.3 18.24 20.05 57.5 20.4 111 102.8 1.8 4.09 3.3 0.88 0.325 0.72 215 2,800

0.96 5.95 845 60.35 12.5 7.9 0.91 0.64 0.74 5.14 8.51 7.5 554 60.1 0.67 3.22 10.02 0.375 3.88 958 111.5 2.15 0.215

1,700 1,127,270 982,920 74,600 124,000 1,521,930 1,000 500 614,000 1,040 11,200 1,249,490 237,550 144,000 22,000 38,000 9,000 20,000 29,000 460 65

7,728,000 100 176,230 1,184,450 104,036,700 12,300 381,000 75,281,000 27,830,000 511,800 2,843,500 13,600 93,950 802,450 164,000 653,000 5,825,800 50,000 8,648,000 113,970 13,010 53,000 170,000

7,356,970 595 149,262,410 73,049,397 1,310,782,420 97,170 346,200 46,340,840 19,898,190 2,619,879 24,194,037 101,746 51,993,600 47,593,211 106,000 2,115,990 58,401,346 18,750 33,534,520 108,477,395 1,453,963 113,470 38,950

PROPERTY

ARTHALAND CORP 0.61 0.62 0.6 0.61 0.6 0.61 1,090,000 654,900 34.1 34.4 35 35 34.05 34.1 11,850,400 405,895,290 AYALA LAND 6.12 6.17 6.1 6.2 6.01 6.17 3,287,500 20,004,660 AYALA LAND LOG 0.97 1.03 1.03 1.03 1.03 1.03 6,000 6,180 ARANETA PROP 52 52.05 50.7 52.4 50.7 52 1,868,080 97,011,031.50 AREIT RT 0.77 0.79 0.78 0.79 0.78 0.79 57,000 44,480 A BROWN 0.74 0.76 0.74 0.74 0.74 0.74 1,000 740 CITYLAND DEVT 0.1 0.101 0.1 0.101 0.1 0.101 740,000 74,020 CROWN EQUITIES CEB LANDMASTERS 2.9 2.91 2.9 2.92 2.89 2.9 735,000 2,129,820 CENTURY PROP 0.395 0.405 0.395 0.405 0.395 0.405 420,000 168,300 DOUBLEDRAGON 7.05 7.08 7.17 7.18 7.04 7.08 299,500 2,128,774 DDMP RT 1.79 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.79 1.79 2,664,000 4,775,840 DM WENCESLAO 6.77 6.78 6.7 6.78 6.68 6.78 247,500 1,671,030 0.255 0.265 0.255 0.255 0.255 0.255 10,000 2,550 EMPIRE EAST 0.32 0.33 0.32 0.33 0.32 0.33 12,420,000 4,001,950 EVER GOTESCO FILINVEST RT 7.59 7.6 7.59 7.69 7.55 7.6 2,851,100 21,841,114 1.09 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.09 1.1 7,519,000 8,197,650 FILINVEST LAND 0.93 0.95 0.92 0.96 0.92 0.96 68,000 64,620 GLOBAL ESTATE 11.5 11.7 11.5 11.7 11.5 11.7 129,700 1,513,050 8990 HLDG 1.13 1.14 1.13 1.17 1.13 1.13 283,000 324,770 PHIL INFRADEV 0.88 0.92 0.89 0.92 0.88 0.92 86,000 78,790 CITY AND LAND 3.2 3.21 3.2 3.21 3.16 3.2 8,401,000 26,863,510 MEGAWORLD 0.229 0.23 0.229 0.232 0.229 0.23 3,150,000 725,100 MRC ALLIED MREIT RT 22.4 22.7 22.1 22.75 22 22.4 4,893,300 110,188,935 PHIL ESTATES 0.485 0.49 0.495 0.495 0.485 0.485 460,000 225,800 2.09 2.1 2.1 2.19 2.06 2.1 548,000 1,139,830 PRIMEX CORP 8.57 8.58 8.5 8.69 8.5 8.58 1,583,700 13,590,117 RL COMM RT ROBINSONS LAND 18.9 19 19.26 19.26 18.9 19 3,147,100 59,891,298 PHIL REALTY 0.201 0.213 0.209 0.214 0.201 0.214 590,000 123,910 2.57 2.61 2.6 2.6 2.6 2.6 54,000 140,400 SHANG PROP 2.75 2.84 2.84 2.84 2.84 2.84 5,000 14,200 STA LUCIA LAND 33.8 33.9 34.45 34.45 33.65 33.8 3,882,900 131,553,080 SM PRIME HLDG 3.47 3.53 3.5 3.53 3.46 3.53 97,000 340,460 VISTA LAND

SERVICES ABS CBN 13.6 13.62 13.4 13.86 13.4 13.6 88,000 1,196,578 14.9 14.92 14.86 14.94 14.72 14.92 566,000 8,423,740 GMA NETWORK 0.415 0.42 0.415 0.415 0.415 0.415 90,000 37,350 MANILA BULLETIN 9.02 10.16 9.02 9.02 9.02 9.02 1,000 9,020 MLA BRDCASTING 3,328 3,360 3,316 3,380 3,316 3,360 25,475 85,470,270 GLOBE TELECOM 1,881 1,883 1,870 1,885 1,869 1,881 61,685 115,991,035 PLDT 0.078 0.079 0.074 0.078 0.072 0.078 323,080,000 24,537,410 APOLLO GLOBAL 31.25 31.3 31.75 31.75 31.3 31.3 6,306,300 198,668,940 CONVERGE DFNN INC 2.37 2.4 2.36 2.4 2.35 2.4 804,000 1,915,230 DITO CME HLDG 5.48 5.49 5.3 5.5 5.24 5.49 9,332,200 50,302,422 JACKSTONES 1.7 1.74 1.7 1.72 1.7 1.72 20,000 34,100 NOW CORP 1.37 1.38 1.38 1.39 1.34 1.38 1,271,000 1,742,140 TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.345 0.35 0.33 0.35 0.33 0.345 9,130,000 3,161,450 7.34 7.45 7.33 7.33 7.33 7.33 3,800 27,854 2GO GROUP 1.66 1.67 1.66 1.68 1.65 1.67 485,000 802,050 CHELSEA CEBU AIR 42.15 42.2 42 42.3 41 42.15 160,300 6,724,295 200.2 202.4 204.4 207.8 200.2 200.2 1,380,520 279,474,254 INTL CONTAINER 22.55 24.5 24.75 24.75 24.75 24.75 100 2,475 LBC EXPRESS 5.16 5.17 5.2 5.23 5.15 5.17 451,700 2,340,875 MACROASIA 0.84 0.85 0.83 0.86 0.83 0.85 128,000 107,730 HARBOR STAR 1.82 1.84 1.8 1.85 1.8 1.8 47,000 84,650 DISCOVERY WORLD 0.47 0.495 0.47 0.47 0.47 0.47 150,000 70,500 WATERFRONT 535.5 550 550 551 550 551 1,860 1,024,260 FAR EASTERN U STI HLDG 0.335 0.34 0.335 0.34 0.335 0.335 230,000 77,200 1.33 1.34 1.33 1.34 1.32 1.34 231,000 305,120 BELLE CORP BLOOMBERRY 6.37 6.39 6.37 6.44 6.37 6.39 125,800 803,326 LEISURE AND RES 1.31 1.32 1.29 1.32 1.29 1.31 1,086,000 1,422,970 MANILA JOCKEY 2.01 2.32 2.3 2.38 2.3 2.32 87,000 205,360 0.73 0.74 0.73 0.75 0.73 0.74 185,000 136,550 PH RESORTS GRP 0.445 0.45 0.445 0.45 0.44 0.445 2,950,000 1,309,550 PREMIUM LEISURE 5.6 5.75 5.65 5.65 5.65 5.65 50,000 282,500 PHIL RACING 2.01 2.04 2 2.04 2 2.04 106,000 213,190 PHILWEB 0.59 0.6 0.59 0.61 0.59 0.59 29,166,000 17,310,330 ALLDAY 8.76 8.77 8.63 8.93 8.63 8.76 168,600 1,476,808 ALLHOME 1.37 1.39 1.37 1.39 1.37 1.37 191,000 261,840 METRO RETAIL 37.45 37.5 36.7 37.45 36.65 37.45 878,700 32,766,530 PUREGOLD 57.1 57.2 57 58.6 57 57.1 1,527,870 88,033,535.50 ROBINSONS RTL 86.7 87 87 87 87 87 60 5,220 PHIL SEVEN CORP SSI GROUP 1.08 1.09 1.08 1.1 1.08 1.09 253,000 275,520 28.1 28.15 27.9 28.2 27.9 28.1 329,800 9,258,500 WILCON DEPOT APC GROUP 0.23 0.238 0.23 0.238 0.23 0.238 480,000 111,580 1.12 1.13 1.15 1.15 1.12 1.13 2,930,000 3,309,700 MEDILINES PRMIERE HORIZON 0.54 0.55 0.56 0.57 0.54 0.55 4,626,000 2,551,920 SBS PHIL CORP 3.88 3.95 3.95 3.95 3.95 3.95 1,000 3,950

MINING & OIL ATOK 6.01 6.1 6.24 6.24 6 6.01 170,200 1,028,503 1.78 1.79 1.8 1.84 1.74 1.79 19,505,000 34,929,840 APEX MINING 6.13 6.14 6.06 6.13 6.05 6.13 1,323,700 8,069,353 ATLAS MINING 5.13 5.3 5.12 5.3 5.12 5.3 4,800 24,594 BENGUET A 5 5.15 5.01 5.15 4.92 5.15 8,700 43,034 BENGUET B 5.21 5.25 5.31 5.4 5.1 5.25 31,000 164,990 DIZON MINES 2.26 2.28 2.28 2.34 2.25 2.26 22,390,000 51,083,480 FERRONICKEL GEOGRACE 0.184 0.199 0.185 0.185 0.184 0.184 150,000 27,720 0.141 0.142 0.138 0.142 0.138 0.141 17,590,000 2,470,240 LEPANTO A 0.14 0.141 0.141 0.141 0.139 0.14 580,000 81,430 LEPANTO B 0.0097 0.0099 0.0097 0.0098 0.0097 0.0098 13,000,000 126,700 MANILA MINING A 0.0098 0.01 0.0097 0.0099 0.0097 0.0099 7,000,000 68,300 MANILA MINING B 1.55 1.56 1.42 1.55 1.38 1.55 7,517,000 11,067,920 MARCVENTURES NIHAO 1 1.04 0.96 1 0.96 1 52,000 51,320 6.03 6.06 5.96 6.15 5.92 6.06 28,847,800 174,079,501 NICKEL ASIA 0.83 0.84 0.8 0.84 0.8 0.84 1,800,000 1,473,170 ORNTL PENINSULA 5.81 5.83 5.52 5.9 5.52 5.83 5,088,400 29,198,637 PX MINING 24.95 25 24.2 25 24.15 25 2,139,100 53,202,855 SEMIRARA MINING 0.007 0.0071 0.007 0.0071 0.007 0.0071 2,000,000 14,100 UNITED PARAGON 33.55 33.95 32.5 34.25 31.7 33.95 494,000 16,470,300 ACE ENEXOR 0.011 0.012 0.01 0.012 0.01 0.012 691,800,000 7,723,600 ORNTL PETROL A 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.012 0.01 0.012 702,200,000 8,350,600 ORNTL PETROL B PHILODRILL 0.0094 0.0095 0.0094 0.0095 0.0094 0.0095 55,000,000 520,100 6.08 6.09 6.05 6.08 6.05 6.08 164,700 999,098 PXP ENERGY

PREFFERED HOUSE PREF A 101 101.5 101 101 101 101 3,870 390,870 512 523 512 512 512 512 6,000 3,072,000 ALCO PREF D 512 524.5 512 512 512 512 10,600 5,427,200 AC PREF B2R 103.4 104 103.4 103.4 103.4 103.4 3,790 391,886 BRN PREF A 41.2 41.95 41.5 42 41.2 41.2 89,200 3,696,500 CEB PREF 101.5 101.8 101 101 101 101 90 9,090 DD PREF 102 104.9 104.1 104.1 104.1 104.1 1,000 104,100 EEI PREF A 107 107.8 107 107 107 107 2,220 237,540 EEI PREF B FGEN PREF G 102.5 104.5 104.5 104.5 102.5 102.5 1,550 161,175 1,010 1,033 1,033 1,033 1,033 1,033 200 206,600 GTCAP PREF A 1,015 1,044 1,044 1,044 1,044 1,044 150 156,600 GTCAP PREF B 1,000 1,010 1,010 1,010 1,010 1,010 5 5,050 JFC PREF A 1,010 1,015 1,009 1,010 1,009 1,010 655 660,925 JFC PREF B 101 101.2 100.9 101 100.9 101 39,250 3,964,057 MWIDE PREF 2B 99.5 100 100 100 100 100 5,010 501,000 MWIDE PREF 4 101 102 102 102 101 102 4,630 467,960 PNX PREF 3B 1,000 1,004 999 1,000 999 1,000 8,640 8,639,950 PNX PREF 4 1,047 1,060 1,060 1,060 1,060 1,060 220 233,200 PCOR PREF 3A 1,091 1,139 1,144 1,144 1,091 1,091 1,565 1,718,510 PCOR PREF 3B 1.5 1.99 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 9,000 13,500 SFI PREF 79 79.2 79.2 79.2 79 79 56,560 4,476,252 SMC PREF 2F 75.95 76.5 75.95 75.95 75.95 75.95 22,500 1,708,875 SMC PREF 2H 79 79.4 79.4 79.45 79.4 79.4 52,440 4,163,808 SMC PREF 2I SMC PREF 2J 76.5 77.1 76.5 76.5 76.5 76.5 1,700 130,050 75.9 76 76 76 75.85 75.85 1,580 119,901 SMC PREF 2K 53.35 53.65 53.4 53.4 53.4 53.4 15,000 801,000 TECH PREF B2D

PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR 13 13.1 13 13.1 13 13.1 20,300 263,930 14.28 14.4 14.28 14.3 14.2 14.28 41,700 595,338 GMA HLDG PDR

WARRANTS TECH WARRANT 0.91 0.94 0.95 0.95 0.91 0.94 1,267,000 1,180,250

4,885,580 -64,082,960 868,816 -11,275,356 3,160 -359,710 1,111,200 11,879,062 -14,780 -17,057,745 24,239,071 45,398,748 -18,635,820 13,578,560 -500,979 106,200 -259,699,680 -691,720 -26,308,682.50 -39,780 -26,100 -35,900 158,053 -1,176,130 0 800,700 7,189,151 -3,244,830 -3,384,270 -2,320 22,141,875 -6,210,392 -5,171,390 -36,605,425 109,760 -24,139,250 -20,487,320 -350,500 1,904,465 778,260 6,662,781 17,000 -45,620 6,640 -383,685 -157,309,698 -280,780 16,600 -7,980 -172,936 91,500 -1,637,800 607,707 6,561,740 6,880,341 -5,220 1,185,235 -111,900 18,660 24,040 -411,420 -30,996 -11,503,290 59,860 29,273,195.00 -158,779 -323,120 724.9999 11,000 -15,200 -1,243,960 -23,460 49,950 -15,880 - 8,568 -37,940

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES

ALTUS PROP HAUS TALK ITALPINAS MERRYMART XURPAS

18.82 1.48 1.08 2.15 0.395

FIRST METRO ETF

110.5

19 1.49 1.09 2.16 0.4

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS

111

19.38 1.54 1.1 2.22 0.4

19.4 1.58 1.1 2.22 0.4

18.82 1.47 1.06 2.12 0.385

18.82 1.49 1.08 2.16 0.395

2,800 33,003,000 1,090,000 8,325,000 2,930,000

52,990 50,121,830 1,176,210 18,013,860 1,158,400

-177,910 1,395,370 55,750

111 111.5 110.5 110.5 6,050 671,149 59,939

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Banking&Finance

DBP approves ₧2.1B loan for energy projects

T

HE Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) extended a total of P2.1-billion loan to two hydroenergy projects that seek to boost both the Luzon and Visayas grids.

The state-owned bank said in a statement last Thursday that loans provided to Matuno River Development Corp.

(MRDC) and Taft Hydroenergy Corp. (THEC) were under the “Financing Utilities for Sustainable Energy Development” (FUSED) program.

“With these projects, we hope to accelerate the use of renewable power resources and increase the country’s green energy mix,” he said. “Green financing can ensure that sustainable socioeconomic development can be achieved while protecting the environment.”

For MRDC, the funding amounts to P1.1 billion, which is earmarked to build an eight-megawatt (MW) hydroenergy power plant located in Barangay San Rafael, Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya.

The plant is expected to generate an additional 42 gigawatt hours (GWh) for the Luzon Grid via the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP).

THEC, meanwhile, has secured P1-billion financing. It was for the construction of a 16-MW hydropower project in Tubig River, Barangay San Rafael, Taft, Eastern Samar, which is expected to supply 70GWh to the Visayas grid.

The DBP said that the THEC plant will “help address the inadequate supply of stable and affordable electricity in the region particularly in Samar Island and Leyte Province.”

“Despite the constraints posed by the pandemic, commissioning of both projects is already in the planning stage, and commercial operations will soon commence,” Herbosa said. The state-run bank has released P41.57-billion worth of financing under its FUSED program for energy-related projects as of end-October last year.

Last month, the DBP launched Solar Merchant Power Plant (SMPP) Financing Program, which seeks to provide loans for utility-scale solar power developers in the country. It also aims to encourage more investments in the renewable energy sector.

“DBP is ready to provide financing to viable solar power developers for their capital expenditures such as the construction or expansion of their infrastructure facilities, acquisition of machineries and equipment, among others,” Herbosa said.

The loan facility covers “solar power developers intending to sell electricity through the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market with a longer tenor of up to 12 years with a one year grace period on principal payment.”

Qualified borrowers for the program may loan up to 60 percent of the total cost for projects in Luzon and up to 50 percent for projects in Visayas. Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

BusinessMirror

B3

Moody’s downgrades outlook for UnionBank on Citibank buy

M

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

@Tyronepiad

OODY’S Investors Service has downgraded its outlook for Union Bank of the Philippines to negative from stable following its recent acquisition of a consumer banking business that is seen to shrink the bank’s capital buffer.

In a statement last Thursday, Moody’s said that UnionBank’s purchase of Citigroup Inc.’s P55-billion business will adversely affect its solvency at a time when asset risks are still fueled by the pandemic.

“The acquisition will reduce Union Bank’s capital, and the bank will take multiple years to rebuild its capital buffer,” it warned.

Moody’s downgrade unfazed the trade in UnionBank shares that saw it going up by 1.78 percent, or P1.80, to close at

P102.80 each amid the 0.31-percent decline for the main index last Thursday.

Moody’s sees the listed bank’s tangible common equity (TCE) to adjusted risk-weighted assets ratio declining to around 13 percent from 15.3 percent as of end-2020 upon the completion of the transaction, which is slated by the second half of this year.

“Today’s rating action reflects the negative impact of the bank’s acquisition strategy, which Moody’s regards as a governance

risk under its environmental, social and governance (ESG) framework, given the implications for the bank’s capital, financial strategy and risk management,” the debt watcher said. The credit rating agency noted that the acquisition will boost the bank’s core profitability because of more share in higher-yielding retail loans. However, Moody’s posed concerns over the uncertainties in sustaining potential earnings, which are “highly dependent on post-acquisition retention of Citigroup’s clients and synergy realization.”

In addition, Moody’s pointed out that assets risks are expected to be elevated moving forward given the disruptions in pandemic.

It noted that the Aboitiz-led bank’s non-performing loan (NPL) ratio increased to 4.9 percent as of end-September last year from 3.3 percent in 2019.

But the credit watcher sees UnionBank’s funding structure and liquidity to remain stable in the next 12-18 months.

The long-term ratings for the bank are not expected to be upgraded in the next 12-18 months, Moody’s said. But it could be

revised should NPL ratio remain below 4.5 percent or core profitability improves “in a sustainable manner post-acquisition.”

Meanwhile, a downgrade may be imposed if TCE ratio stays below 12 percent or NPL ratio surges to beyond 6 percent.

Last month, UnionBank formally announced that it has entered into a share and business transfer agreement with several subsidiaries of the American multinational investment bank to buy the latter’s consumer banking business.

The acquisition covers Citi’s credit card, personal loans, wealth management and retail deposit businesses. In addition, the transaction includes its real estate interests in relation to Citibank Square in Eastwood, three full service bank branches, five wealth centers and two bank branch lites.

As of end-June, Citi’s consumer banking business has gross loans amounting to P59.7 billion; total liabilities of P71.7 billion, including deposits of P67.8 billion; investment AUM (asset under management) of P95 billion; and nearly 1 million customer base.

BIR to implement ‘fully-online’ application for OFWs

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

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HE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has vowed to implement a “fully online” application process for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), a leader of the House of Representatives said on Thursday.

The BIR made the commitment following a letter from House Committee Ways and Means Chairman Joey Sarte Salceda to BIR Commissioner Caesar R. Dulay asking the agency to allow OFWs to apply for tax identification numbers (TINs) without the need for physical appearance.

According to Salceda, OFWs remit around $12 billion annually, “which makes

Must-have for membership marketing

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Editor: Dennis D. Estopace • Friday, January 21, 2022

and is one of the top three HE perennial quesreasons (the two others are tion of a prospective education and peer netmember an associaworking) why people join tion’s membership recruitment officer must answer Association World associations. Advocacy could be in the form of lobis: “What’s in it for me?” or Octavio Peralta bying, formulating policy, “WIIFM.” Your prospect’s presenting testimony and needs should be top of case studies and providing specialized stanmind as you make your marketing pitch, dards and technical information. as it will be considered from the point of Learning. This consists of both online view of WIIFM. That’s why it’s critical to and face-to-face education programs, as well talk about the benefits of membership as certification or credentialing programs. rather than the features of your products Many association joiners find value in adservices—literally telling your prospects vancing their careers and facing their chalwhat’s in it for them. lenges through seminars, workshops and The unique values that associations offer conferences. A well-structured curriculum to their members and which attract memof educational courses covering principles bers to join can be classified into four general and practices of association governance benefits: community, advocacy, learning and management is relevant and important and knowledge. Highlighting these values for training and development as well as for in marketing to prospective members will problem solving. enhance membership recruitment, engageKnowledge. This comes in the form of ment and retention. publications such as bulletins, newsletters, Community. People are social beings. journals, books and magazines as well as They would like to interact with like-minded website resources and research findings. For individuals and those in same-purposed professional societies, some of knowledge organizations. Associations and other resources are with regards to individual member-serving organizations exist and salary, compensation and fringe benefits, thrive for this reason. Associations build member demographics, education and traincommunities where members interact with ing requirements of the profession, trends each other, help one another and share their in the profession, cost of doing business experiences. Marketing a community is an for a professional office and public opinion essential strategy for associations. Some polls. For trade associations, these could be community-building services include speexecutive salary and compensation, busicial interest groups, professional sections, ness conditions, trends and forecasts, cost member listserves, social networking sites, of doing business, industry demographics, online and offline networks, networking industry practices related to advertising, use and engagement opportunities, memberof technology and factory safety analyses. only connection events, discussion forums, The pandemic has accelerated the imperavolunteer opportunities, benchmarking and tive for associations to review their value best-practices data and committees, counpropositions to cater to the current and cils, or task forces. emerging needs of their members. These WIAdvocacy. The American Society of IFM benefits may be able to help your assoAssociation Executives (ASAE) defines an ciation better deal with your membership reassociation as an organization or group of cruitment, engagement and retention goals. individuals affiliated with one another that share a common purpose, interest, or mission and exist for the mutual enrichment Octavio Peralta is the founder and volunteer CEO of the and advancement of their membership.

Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives, Advocacy is being able to advance a cause the “association of associations.” E-mail: obp@adfiap.org

them a bigger source of foreign currency than even foreign direct investments.”

“Imagine if we were able to invest some of their remittances in worthwhile programs and projects,” the lawmaker said.

On top of its commitment to make the application process fully online starting 2022, the BIR also said that OFWs may now apply for TINs through an authorized representative or via email if they need the TIN to contribute to the Personal Equity and Retirement Account (PERA).

“Of course, once OFWs have a TIN for PERA purposes, they will then be able to use that TIN for applying for a brokerage account, so this is good news,” Salceda said.

This, Salceda said, will be an opportunity “for OFWs who may be particularly

interested in investing in Philippine stocks as a means for preparing for their return to the country and to secure the future of their family.”

“Due to the requirement that taxpayer information be verified by personal appearance in the Revenue District Offices (RDOs), OFWs who are still abroad are unable to open stock brokerage accounts without their TINs–and because getting a TIN requires personal appearance, they are practically locked out of the market,” Salceda wrote to BIR. But Salceda said financial security after their stint abroad remains a challenge for OFWs, and allowing them to invest in stocks is one good way to help secure their future.

Salceda, however, said he is optimistic that the Consumer Financial Protection Act will be passed before Congress adjourns this year.

The lawmaker said that the passage of the law will be good for OFWs as they tend to be “frequently targeted by scammers who present fake or fraudulent investment schemes.”

This week, Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III said that the Consumer Financial Protection Act has a “strong chance” of being enacted in the 18th Congress if “interpellations are not heavy.”

Salceda is principal author of the Consumer Financial Protection Act, which has already been approved on third reading in the House.

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Friday, January 21, 2022 • Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

Relationships BusinessMirror

Addressing work-from-home realities

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HE pandemic has kept many employers and staff at home, so much so that the work day feels endless at times as seemingly routine “office” tasks now overlap with one’s domestic chores and personal time with the family.

No wonder Sen. Francis Tolentino recently filed a bill to ensure companies respect the “rest hours” of their staff, defined as “any period other than the hours of work….”

According to his Senate Bill 2475 (Workers’ Rest Law), employers are forbidden from contacting any employee “for work and work-related purposes through phone, e-mail, message, and other means of communication, unless it is for the purpose of notifying the employee of the necessity of rendering emergency or urgent work as provided under Article 89 and 92 of the Labor Code of the Philippines,” during their rest hours.

The senator explained: “In recent years, alternative work arrangements have increasingly been adopted by employers for a variety of reasons, such as energy efficiency, or to enhance ‘work-life balance’ for employees. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has greatly affected and reshaped the business and employment landscape. Due to the lockdown and quarantine protocols imposed by the government, employers are necessarily compelled to implement alternative work arrangements in order to adapt to the demands of the new normal.”

These flexible work arrangements include working from home and telecommuting. He added: “While we recognize the benefits of [these] arrangements, they have thinned the line between work and personal space and time. Sometimes,

technology and work-from-home arrangements distort the idea of work and home from the point of view of the employees.”

On first reading of this spot of news, I thought this was yet another example of politicians intruding on the general conduct of business in the private sector. After all, isn’t this something that can just easily be hashed out by the human resources department of each company? Or, if an employee is feeling unrelenting work pressure, it would be just as easy to switch off and take a personal day.

But as a media colleague pointed out, there are many bosses out there who are really intrusive and contact their staff at any hour of the day or night. I suppose being a journalist for so long has made me rather immune to the rigors of constantly working at all hours. (“News never sleeps!” to paraphrase one media outlet’s tag line.) And as I further read Tolentino’s bill, I realized there was indeed some merit in his proposal.

Pre-Covid, an employee was supposed to render eight hours a day at work, for five (or six days), or a total of 40-48 hours a week. Any work done beyond those number of hours was considered overtime and amounted to additional pay (unless the company has a cap on the number of overtime hours staff can undertake).

He pointed out: “Instead of de­-stressing at home from the pressures of work, work is now brought to the employees’ homes or wherever they go.

Similarly, due to advances in technology, employees are now virtually always at the beck-and-call of their employers. The power of control of employers now overreaches beyond working hours through the use of phone and email.” (Not to mention those Zoom, Teams, or Webex video sessions that can go on endlessly, and which—from personal experience—center mostly on chismis with only a third of the session devoted to the actual meeting.)

Those covered by Tolentino’s proposed legislation are employees in profit or non-profit undertaking except for “field personnel [e.g. farm workers], domestic helpers, persons in the personal service of another, and workers who are paid by results.”

Employees cannot be forced to work during

their rest hours, attend meetings or seminars, travel and other similar activities. Violators will have to pay the employee P1,000 per hour of work rendered his rest hours.

If any employee is discriminated against or limited in employment opportunities because they asserted their rights to their rest hours, the “offender shall be penalized with imprisonment of not less than one month nor more than six months, and a fine of not less than P100,000.”

Tolentino cited several countries such as France, Germany and Ireland where workers won the right to disconnect from e-mail, smartphones, and other work-related devices. Portugal also enacted a law banning employers from contacting their staff outside of the regular working hours.

“In January 2021, the majority of lawmakers in the European Parliament voted in favor of putting forward a ‘right to disconnect’ law to implement across the European Union [EU],” he said. “The Parliament sought to grant workers the right to digitally disconnect from work without facing negative repercussions. The right to disconnect refers to rules that say an employee should not be expected to field work calls and emails, or communications with their bosses, outside of working hours,” added the senator.

He also cited research by European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, an agency under the EU, which showed “people who work regularly from home are more than twice as likely to surpass the maximum of 48 working hours per week, compared to those working on their employer’s premises. Almost 30 percent of those working from home report working in their free time every day or several times a week, compared to less than 5 percent of office workers.”

If passed, this piece of legislation will be a landmark in the country’s labor laws and will likely be the first of its kind in Southeast Asia. I understand the urgency by which the senator wants this bill passed. Hopefully, it will help our workers enjoy their personal space and time with their families more, as they continue toiling from home.

In the meantime, go ahead, switch off that damn phone and computer right now.

It’s Christmas every day at Cafe Claus u

u Ken Chan and

business partner Ryan Kolton PHOTOS BY JULIANA MAXINE VASQUEZ

v Bibingka cheesecake

v

By Dinna Chan Vasquez IT’S not surprising that actor Ken Chan got into the food business. He took up tourism and hotel and restaurant management at De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde before he became a full-time actor.

“It’s a pity because I was a graduating student when I stopped but I really couldn’t continue especially since we needed to go abroad for our practicum,” said Ken, who likes to cook and counts roast chicken and pasta as his specialties.

Ken and his business partner Ryan Kolton recently opened Cafe Claus, the first Christmasthemed restaurant in the Philippines at Tandang Sora in Quezon City.

Kolton, who is Cafe Claus’ CEO, said the conceptualization and planning for Cafe Claus took all of three years.

The first Cafe Claus is located near Ken’s residence. The place may not be on the usual restaurant row in Quezon City but Ken and Ryan chose it because former grew up in the area and wanted to share it with those who have practically seen him grow up.

Kolton said their vision for Cafe Claus is a “home away from home.”

“No matter what happens outside, no matter how down you feel, whenever you come through our doors, you can be comforted by the things that remind you of home.”

At the entrance are garlands and warm lights.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Today’s Horoscope

By Eugenia Last

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CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Booboo Stewart, 28; Ashton Eaton, 34; Emma Bunton, 46; Geena Davis, 66.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Stick to your plans, regardless of what others do or say this year. Trust and believe in yourself and your ability to reach your goals using practicality, innovation and dedication. Put your health and well-being first, and have a routine in place that will encourage you to look and feel terrific. Build your confidence, and set out to conquer your dreams. Your lucky numbers are 5, 12, 24, 28, 32, 36, 44.

a

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Make someone happy, and you’ll reap the rewards that come with doing something that makes a difference.

Think outside the box, and you’ll discover an exciting way to use your skills fortuitously. Put your energy where it counts most. HHH

b

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A change will be uplifting. Socialize or do something that will make you feel good about the way you look. Plan a trip, sign up for a course or spend time with people you enjoy being around. Take responsibility for your happiness. HHHHH

c

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Use the experience and skills you have to your advantage. You can turn the tables on a situation that is unfair or causing you grief if you remain calm and use your intelligence to sway others to share your concerns and solutions. HH

d

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Look for opportunities, and you won’t be disappointed.

Make upgrades at home that encourage you to spend more time there and less wandering about spending money you shouldn’t. Focus on relationships, togetherness and family fun. Romance is on the rise. HHHH

e

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Concentrate on stability, maintenance and responsibility.

Live up to your promises, and say no to unnecessary alterations. Spend less and take on more to avoid dependent situations that can result in a loss of control. Own the stage; take a leadership position. HHH

f

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Focus on personal gain, growth and overall happiness.

Make unique plans with someone you love, and share your intentions. An unusual opportunity will give you hope and encourage you to learn all you can to position yourself for success. HHH

g

On one side of Cafe Claus is a Christmas tree that’s decorated with ornaments, some of which personally belong to Ken and his family. Behind that is a book shelf that’s not just for aesthetics, as the books are for sale. There’s a mock fireplace with stockings, too.

Everything in the cafe—from the green couch seats, plates and décor—is Christmas-inspired.

One of Cafe Claus’ specialties is the roasted chicken—called Roasting on an Open Fire—a recipe Kolton inherited from his grandmother, who inherited it from her grandmother.

Among the dishes we tried and enjoyed are the beef lasagna (Uriel’s Love), chicken pot pie (Gertrude’s Christmas), mushroom soup (Myrrh), shrimp poppers (Pere Noel) and spinach dip with crostini (Sinter Klaas).

We also had the Gingerbread Macadamia Latte, enjoying its sweet, slightly spicy and nutty taste.

We were pleasantly surprised that the coffee came in a Cafe Claus-branded plastic cup with drawings of icicles and Christmas trees.

Their cakes and pastries are also worth trying.

We loved the bibingka cheesecake.

Ken and Ryan have big plans for Cafe Claus’ future. For one, they’re opening two more branches in the first quarter of 2022 (Eastwood in Libis and Promenade in Greenhills). By the end of the year, if things go according to plan, there will be six Cafe Claus branches including a hotel and café concept in Antipolo and a farm concept in Tagaytay.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Tidy up, move things around and make your space functional. An intelligent approach to getting something done will cut the time it takes you in half, leaving room for the people you love and the hobbies that bring you joy. HHH

h

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Rethink your home/work strategy, and you’ll come up with a stylish way to balance your life. An uncertain situation regarding responsibilities will need an adjustment if you want to take advantage of an opportunity. Never say never. HHHH

i

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Personal information you discover will change the way you feel. Avoid letting emotions turn into anger when new possibilities can lead to a brighter future. Use ingenuity to guide you and your attributes to point you in a new direction. HH

j

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Evaluate your financial position and how you can use your assets effectively. Investing in your well-being will bring you peace of mind. Discuss your plans with someone you love, but don’t give anyone the right to control your interests. HHHHH

k

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Uncertainty will set in if you expect too much from others. Set goals and pace yourself. Leave enough time to do the work yourself, and you’ll avoid disappointment. Taking care of matters from start to finish will help you excel. HHH

l

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Use your imagination, and you will find a way to solve any problem that arises. Understanding, compassion and affection will draw interesting individuals to your side. Strive for personal gain, romance and harmony; good things will transpire. HHH BIRTHDAY BABY: You are steadfast, loyal and articulate. You are trendy and social.

‘Head of the Table’ BY TRENT H. EVANS The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg ACROSS 1 George Takei’s husband 5 Most-grown apple variety in the

US 9 Recuperates 14 Deliver a dull speech to, say 15 Bits of binary code 16 Improbable victory 17 Smart breakfast grains?

19 Biscayne Bay city 20 ___ out (secretly observed) 21 Number of Canadian provinces 23 “Are you serious?!”

24 Smart Thanksgiving side?

27 “Not this again!”

30 Pull 31 Constricting creature 32 Response to a sneeze 35 Looking stylish 39 Currency in Finland 40 UV-blocking stat 42 Princess who became a Jedi 43 Queens’ domains 46 Alternative to a fast pitch?

49 Mass, e.g., in Boston 50 48-Down genre 51 Biden’s home state: Abbr.

52 Smart dairy slice?

58 16, for 32 59 Its nail may be polished 60 Devil, in Spanish 64 Like owls and orioles 66 Grub that keeps you smart,

and a theme hint 68 Publicly condemn 69 Take the bait 70 Like food truck orders 71 Foe 72 Gen Zer’s excited exclamation 73 Relative of a Heath bar DOWN 1 Occasions for outdoor

smoking, briefly?

2 Win, and then some 3 Diva’s showpiece 4 Dealers shuffle them 5 Heroic fellow 6 Santa ___ winds 7 “Lady Bird” actor Tracy 8 CIA informant 9 Play a kazoo 10 Spectacular blunders 11 “Same for me” 12 Car to watch out for?

13

18 22 25 26 27 28 29 33 34 36 37 38 41 44 45 47 48 52 53 54

55

56 57

What a honeybee can do just once Romantic poet John Worn-down pencils They may be inflated or fragile Stylish dresser Ride app “Krazy” substance Juno, to the Greeks Green field?

Increases Social media display Lodge, as a complaint Pronoun in Texas Explorer SUV maker NBA VIP One may form after a schism Trendy slimming strategy “5 O’Clock” singer Subtle criticism Refuge Restaurateur in an Arlo Guthrie song Brewing beer or collecting coins, e.g.

Spine-chilling Castaways’ constructions

61 62 63 65

67

Reserve on Vrbo Business card image Smell of a teen’s room, say The Bronx Bombers, on scoreboards Cleaned your plate

Solution to today’s puzzle:

Show BusinessMirror

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Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Friday, January 21, 2022

Feasting (literally) on cinema TOO MANY SECOND OPINIONS

THERE really is nothing wrong with selfimprovement and there’s certainly nothing wrong with wanting to look better. The young actress is no different from the rest of us in this. She was unhappy with some aspects of her physical appearance, so she had some things altered and improved. Her enhancements are sponsored by a certain celebrity doctor and that’s good because the doctor has a good professional reputation. But the actress has a habit of getting a second and even a third opinion because she loves freebies. She goes to other doctors to have some of the original doctor’s work “redone” and this is why she looks a bit overdone for her age. Again, there’s nothing wrong with having cosmetic procedures and surgeries but if you’re already sponsored by one of the best, then surely you should know you’re in good hands.

BOSSES’ FAVE

WHO is the starlet who’s a bet for stardom of her home network but who everyone else says is not fit to be a big star? The starlet came from a reality show and to everyone’s surprise became the favorite of big bosses. She’s getting choice assignments and even when her projects don’t do well, they still give her more because, as they say, “she’s the next big star.” By this time, it’s obvious that she is not.

There are other stars who belong to the network who are more promising. This girl only has her rabid followers on social media. It’s a pity because she’s taking away projects from those who really deserve it.

GENEROUS LOVER

EVERYONE seems to be so shocked when it was shared on social media that the actor gave his current girlfriend a very expensive present. The truth is we’re very surprised it took him this long to give her an expensive present. The actor is known to be generous with loved ones. His former girlfriends received a bunch of expensive gifts. One of them even received a car. The actor may seem problematic in the fidelity department but he doesn’t scrimp on gifts. It will be recalled that his ex, who he cheated on like most of his exes, burned all the gifts he gave her and they amounted to millions of pesos.

She didn’t want to give them away. She just wanted to burn them. Let’s hope the actor’s current girlfriend will be his last so there will be no burning of gifts.

NO ANNOUNCEMENT

THE couple’s separation is common knowledge in showbusiness but it hasn’t been announced yet by the two people concerned— the actor and his wife, also an actress. The couple split after it was discovered that the actor cheated months after they got married. The actor begged his wife for forgiveness but she was adamant at not giving him a second chance. This was the first time he cheated and it hurt the actress because the actor cheated on her with a woman who she actually liked. The woman was someone she considered a friend. In fact, she still follows the girl on social media. It’s her husband who she feels betrayed by and not the woman.

I

N 2014, the Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) reserved a special section celebrating the diversity and development of Asian Cinema. It was called Crosscut Asia, which looked into the cinema of Asia and, more than that, curated films from specific Asian countries.

The section is coming back grandly this year.

From January 21 to February 3, the TIFF and the Japan Foundation Asia Center will jointly present the program with a gustatory twist: it will be called Crosscut Asia Delicious! Online Film Festival. In this edition, the films will be culled from the year 2014 to 2019.

Even with the title bearing the word “delicious”, as reference to the food themes of the works selected, the festival will have two programs: Crosscut Asia, an edition featuring films from Asia that have something to do with food or culinary tradition; and Encore! Crosscut Asia, which will stream some other titles for free.

On the table ready to be laid out is the film of Eric Khoo with Wanton Mee. This docufiction by the acclaimed filmmaker follows a middle-aged food critic who, in his effort to define the traditions of this robust city-state of Singapore also reveals the development of a place as context to understand cuisine and culture. The critic gets in touch with a rich variety of street foods.

Indonesia serves Aruna and Her Palate, as concocted by Edwin, the one-name director who won the Golden Leopard in the 2021 Locarno International Film Festival. In this story, Aruna gets assigned to undertake a research trip aimed at investigating the avian flu outbreak. Friends come along with Aruna whose journey brings all of them in touch with the varied dishes in the regions across Indonesia.

Thailand serves My Love is Soup, a film that chronicles the life of Minnie who, notwithstanding her lack of skills in food preparation, lands a job in a tony restaurant. She commits errors that are not good for the restaurant. But Minnie has a secret legacy: her great-grandfather was a royal chef. The film partakes of the charm of Southern Thailand with its Muslim population.

A River Changes Course is a documentary from Cambodia. It depicts the lives of three young Cambodians and presents to us the day-to-day images of people going about their human existence. The documentary shows us the issues that confront the communities, which are the problems of overfishing, deforestation, poverty and debt. This film won the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize for documentaries at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.

From the Philippines comes Jay Abello’s Namets!

Set in Bacolod City, which known for its elite as well as its impoverished peasants, the film locates the comic conflict in an Italian restaurant deep into debt and is rescued by turning it into an eating place featuring traditional local cuisine.

An exotic attraction from the Philippines is Balut Country, directed by Paul Sta. Ana. In the film, a young man inherits a duck farm in Candaba, Pampanga. The man comes home with the plan to sell the land. Somewhere, he begins to feel a change of heart. Requiring a cultivated and daring taste, the delicacy “balut” refers to fertilized duck egg boiled

immediately after the embryo develops.

Japan’s contribution to the festival is Kampai!

Sake Sisters, a documentary. The film explores the vastly unknown taboo with regard to sake-brewing, which is that it has long been off-limits to women.

In Kampai!, we view the story of a new generation of women treading where other women dared not to tread—the business and tradition of making sake.

Under the second program, Indonesia has Three Sassy Sisters, a film that pay pays tribute to a 1956 film, Usmar Ismail’s Three Sisters (Tiga Dara), the reruns of which were part of the youth of Nia Dinata, the director who is fresh from her exposure courtesy of Netflix.

Lawrence Fajardo’s Invisible (Imbisibol) comes under the second program. The film tracks the tale of four Filipino migrant workers in Japan. The title mirrors the socioeconomic reality of “unregistered” foreign laborers who become part of the shadow economy. They contribute to the wealth-production of the country, which is Japan in this case, even as they remain “unseen”—invisible.

A suite of short films, labeled Pete Teo Special Short Films, consists of 15 short films made by Malaysian filmmakers, produced and released by Pete Teo. The films are said to have revolutionized the media and

political cultures of Malaysia.

Tang Wong is a unique combination of comedy and drama from Thailand. Directed by Kongdej Jaturanrasmee, the film follows four high school boys who pray before the idol at the spirit house.

The synopsis says that when their wishes come true, they must repay the debt by performing a traditional Thai dance.

The aftermath of the Super Typhoon Haiyan provides the landscape for this film, called Trap (Taklub). Directed by Brillante Mendoza, the film dramatizes what the survivors go through as they contend with loss of loved ones and faith.

The premier actress of the country, Nora Aunor, is a factor contributing greatly to the importance of this film, which received the Gawad Urian for Best Film in 2016.

A Special Menu is part of the festival. This will consist on online talks and interviews.

Viewing will be free of charge. Subtitles are in Japanese, English (some films have subtitles in various Southeast Asian languages). Some of the films will not be available in all designated countries. Registration began on January 18.

More information and registration can be found at crosscutonline.jfac.jp.

In “QR Code”, Vivoree discovers kindness as a security guard who gets fired from her job for allowing a man without a QR code to enter the building.

Fed up with her misfortunes, Ellie (Vivoree) decides to apply for a job overseas, but a series of coincidences complicates her decisions along the way.

In “Unseen,” Jerome (Elmo) and Mariel (Jane) are longtime lovers whose relationship is changed by an accident that leads to her blindness. Driven by guilt, Jerome dedicates his time to looking after Mariel until one day, he suddenly disappears from her life forever.

“Swap” follows the gripping tale of two sisters whose bond is torn apart by jealousy. Jessie [Belle], a deeply insecure “jologs” who envies the life of her famous vlogger sister Jenny [Shanaia], gets her ultimate wish when she wakes up to find out they have switched bodies. What follows is a startling realization that there is more to their lives than meets the eye.

Judging from its first two episodes which are currently streaming, Click, Like, Share balances social media concerns with an obvious affection for the

ABS-CBN formula of story-telling. Again, it might not be as bleak as Black Mirror or even Twilight Zone but there’s just enough darkness and dimension.

It is equal parts ominous and exciting, mysterious and enlightened.

The third season of Click, Like, Share, produced by ABS-CBN Entertainment and iWantTFC in association with Dreamscape Entertainment and Kreativ Den, also stars Allan Paule, Nikki Valdez, Mark Rivera, and Bernard Palanca. It drops new episodes every Wednesday.

All episodes of Click, Like, Share are also streaming for free in the Philippines on iWantTFC.

Examining the connected life

COMPARED to Black Mirror’s edgy commentaries on the modern world, iWantTFC’s Click, Like, Share feels tame, partly because Filipinos are at the helm of this series. Black Mirror is a stunning show that identifies the terror around us in this modern world—in dating apps and virtual reality, for example—and revealing the horrific conclusions. But that’s not to say that Click, Like, Share is a series not worth your watch because it really is. Especially nowadays when the real world is so scary, who needs more of it?

Season 1 of Click, Like, Share asked viewers to reevaluate their relationship with technology and

loved ones as they gained valuable lessons on the harmful effects of excessive use of mobile devices and social media. Season 2, meanwhile, showed the catastrophic consequences of cruel behavior on social media, offering a mature take on how abusing and misusing technology and social media twists one’s self-acceptance, purpose and beliefs.

This latest season aims to continue the series’ social media advocacy while examining how technology or social media affects personal relationships and emphasizing the values of forgiveness, paying it forward, sacrifice, and contentment.

Starring Vivoree Esclito, Jane Oineza, Elmo Magalona, JC Alcantara, Shanaia Gomez, and Belle Mariano, Season 3 still follows the same anthology format that features individual stories.

The first episode, titled “Repair”, is a story about healing with JC portraying a young cop, James, who lives with the shame left behind by his late dad, a notorious convicted criminal. When the death anniversary of his father’s victim comes, the issue resurfaces online, and JC finds himself transported back in time to confront his father.

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B6 Friday, January 21, 2022

CSC amends guidelines on absences for COVID-19

#VaxxedandHappyHere: Telus PH advances towards herd immunity

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ELUS International Philippines, a leading provider of digital customer experience (CX) and IT solutions, continues to encourage team member vaccinations across all seven of its Philippine sites with the launch of a “get vaccinated, get rewarded” program called #VaxxedandHappyhere Grand Bonanza.

This push is to help promote vaccine ambassadorship within the company’s employee population, which is aligned with the company’s health and wellness agenda, and demonstrates ongoing support for the government’s year-end vaccination campaign and targets.

As an addition to the TELUS International Philippines’ vaccine program implemented earlier in 2021, where team members were given free access to vaccines along with aftercare support, the company extended free access to vaccines to each employee’s family and household members. Any company employee, regardless of tenure, can enroll not just their dependents, but any loved one or household member for free COVID-19 vaccinations.

“The safety of our team members lies not only in getting them vaccinated, but also in ensuring that the people around them are safe and vaccinated as well. We want to give them peace of mind by protecting their loved ones

through free, convenient and accessible COVID-19 vaccinations,” said Jeffrey John Dela Cerna, HR Vice-President for TELUS International Philippines.

Employees and their loved ones are also encouraged to register for free booster shots through the company’s vaccination program to further strengthen their immunity.

As with the vaccine campaign implemented earlier in 2021, credible and easy-to-digest information on the efficacy and safety of vaccines continues to be shared through newsletters and various communication channels.

Employees are given a safe space to voice their concerns and engage in an open dialogue with experts to arrest doubts and correct misinformation through learning sessions with medical experts. Dela Cerna further explains that listening to team members and understanding their underlying sentiments is an important step to helping them overcome any reluctance around getting vaccinated.

The highlight of the vaccination drive is a “get vaccinated, get rewarded” program called #VaxxedandHappyhere Grand Bonanza, where fully vaccinated employees are eligible to win exciting prizes every month until March 2022. All vaccinated employees can qualify for the monthly draws, and over 200 individuals

have already won home appliances, gadgets, and vouchers from the draws in October to December. Four brand new cars, two Vespas, the latest gadgets, and premium home appliances, among others prizes, remain up for grabs.

The program was designed to give incentives to employees who have been vaccinated, as they promote vaccine ambassadorship within the workforce, augmenting reach and impact. In order to win one of the grand prizes (four brand new cars), the site where the employee works must also have attained 50 percent vaccination rate by the first draw in January 2022 and 80 percent by the last draw in March 2022.

“The health and wellness of all our 21,500+ team members has always been our key priority at TELUS International Philippines, especially now in our current hybrid operations where some of us work on-site and others from their homes,” said Mirei Magallona, TELUS International Philippines Country Vice President. “Our programs will continue to expand and evolve based on COVID-19 developments and team member feedback.”

“As the world slowly reopens, we have made it an imperative to ensure that our team members and their loved ones are fully vaccinated against COVID-19,” Magallona adds.

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HE Civil Service Commission (CSC) amended the interim guidelines on the use of leave credits for absences due COVID-19 quarantine and/or treatment.

In CSC Resolution No. 2101122 dated 31 December 2021, circularized through CSC Memorandum Circular No. 2, s. 2022 dated 18 January 2022, absence from work for every instance of the required quarantine period, isolation, and/or treatment for government workers who are “infected or identified as close contacts of a suspect, probable, and/ or confirmed cases of COVID-19 while in the performance of their official functions, (onsite or WFH arrangement)” shall be considered as excused absence. They may be required to adopt a work-from-home arrangement depending on the nature of their work pursuant to the guidelines on alternative work arrangements contained in CSC M.C. No. 18, s. 2020.

Previously, this provision only applied to public health workers or PHWs. The CSC says there is a need to consider the predicament of government workers aside from PHWs who are repeatedly exposed to COVID-19 in performing their official duties due to face-to-face interaction with clients and co-workers, or due to community transmission.

Excused absences

EXCUSED absence refers to the period when a government worker is not required to report for work due to required quarantine period, isolation, and/or treatment, and/or announcement of work suspension, but are entitled to pay.

The required quarantine period refers to the prevailing number of days required for a person to undergo quarantine, or separation and restriction of movement while waiting for swab tests results or if the person will become sick. The isolation period, on the other hand, refers to the separation of a person who is sick with a contagious disease for purposes of treatment and monitoring.

Absences incurred from undergoing the required quarantine period, isolation, and/or treatment after official travel from countries with or without localized COVID-19 transmissions or from local areas under community quarantine are considered excused absences. For personal travel, only the required quarantine period may be excused,

while the isolation and/or treatment period shall be charged against leave credits.

Absence from work for every instance of the required quarantine period for government workers who are “infected or identified as close contacts of a suspect, probable, and/or confirmed cases of COVID-19 due to personal activities” shall also be considered as excused absence. In both categories, the employees may also be required to adopt a work-fromhome arrangement while they are awaiting swab test results or completing the required quarantine period. However, in the event that they become sick, the period of their isolation and/or treatment shall be considered sick leave and charged against their leave credits.

Charge to leave credits

ABSENCES incurred from undergoing the required quarantine period, isolation, and/ or treatment due to personal activities in violation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging and Infectious Diseases’ protocols, shall also be charged against leave credits.

Per the Omnibus Rules on Leave, in the event when employees have exhausted their sick leave credits, the vacation leave credits shall be used instead. If the vacation leave credits are also exhausted, the employees may apply for sick leave of absence without pay.

Employees returning to work should submit to their human resource management office or officer (HRMO) their application for leave, and applicable documents requires.

It is the responsibility of office heads to ensure that efficiency and productivity work standards are met, and that delivery of public service is not prejudiced during the required #quarantine, isolation, and/or treatment of concerned officials and employees.

Las Pinas City gov‘t passes 2021 Seal of Good Financial Housekeeping for good practices and governance

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TELUS International Philippines team members and their families participate in the company’s vaccination effort.

Stop smoking this year with help from Nicorette

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HE new year is usually a time of reflection and goal setting. For most dissonant smokers, this includes renewing their commitment to quit tobacco for good. Quitting smoking is one of the most difficult resolutions to keep, with only 4 percent of the 98 percent of Filipinos who have expressed their desire to do so actually becoming successful. Willpower alone may not be enough to stop the habit, support in the form of nicotine replacement therapy products can help.

TJ Sanoy, 30 years old, is just one of the millions of smokers trying to kick the habit.

After several years of smoking up to 10 sticks

a day, he is now looking to stop completely in 2022 following a surprise diagnosis of hypertension. “For me, that was when the realization came that a lifestyle change needed to happen,” said Sanoy.

“This is not my first attempt at quitting.

I have tried quitting several times in the past, but nicotine cravings are really hard to ignore. This time around, I have decided to turn to what I feel is a sustainable solution to quitting: using nicotine replacement therapy products like Nicorette.”

“Nicorette is good for addressing those short-term cravings,” added Sanoy.

“I cannot call myself a non-smoker just

yet—I did slip a couple of weeks ago— but I have experienced a stark change since starting my quitting journey. I can control my cravings better now, and I consider that a huge win.”

“Nicorette is a medicated chewing gum for smoking cessation that actively fights nicotine cravings and withdrawal symptoms,” explained senior brand manager for Nicorette Philippines, Jason Khu. “It works by chewing which gradually releases small amounts of nicotine to manage the craving until you can fully manage without it, offering effective and reliable support to dissonant smokers who want to make that change.”

Quitting smoking does not happen overnight. It can be a long and demanding process, but the immediate health benefits far outweigh the challenges.

Studies show that smokers who abstain from tobacco use for a whole week can be 9x more successful in quitting and Nicorette can help in this first week.

Those looking to commit to quit smoking for good in 2022 can try supporting their smoking cessation journey with Nicorette. “Quitting is no walk in the park, so we can really use all the help we can get. Aside from nicotine replacement therapies, it is also important that you find support from other individuals who are on the same journey. Sharing experiences helps in knowing that you are not alone, and that we can get through this together,” ended Sanoy.

AS Piñas City Mayor Imelda Aguilar announced that the city recently passed the 2021 Seal of Good Financial Housekeeping (SGFH) of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Mayor Aguilar said the DILG recognized the city government’s efforts for sustaining good practices in fiscal accountability and transparency in local governance.

Based on the recommendation of the DILGBureau of Local Government Supervision (DILG-BLGS), Las Pinas City was among the three cities recognized by the DILG’s 2021 Good Financial Housekeeping Passers. The

other two cities joining Las Pinas were Makati and Muntinlupa.

The mayor said the recognition was certified and approved by the agency in the National Capital Region (NCR) dated November 5, 2021.

According to Maria Lourdes Agustin, DILG Regional Director, the criteria was based on the most recent available COA Audit Opinion and compliance with full disclosure policy.

Mayor Aguilar was thankful for the recognition given to the city government and vows that her administration will continue to give good governance and better services to the Las Piñeros.

PCPPI goes ‘G’ for a healthier lifestyle

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HE new year can be perfect time to achieve lifestyle changes for a fresh start. One of these changes may be committing to working out regularly to sweat off all those extra holiday gains.

At-home workouts have become more convenient during these times. To accompany you on your fitness journey, Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Inc. launches G No Sugar. It is the newest no sugar hydration

drink from PepsiCo’s line of beverages. G No Sugar helps you stay properly hydrated throughout your activities for the day.

“G No Sugar is the healthier option to our well-loved brand, Gatorade, to cater to those who choose fitness. It is the same sports drink that helps with the hydration process, minus the sugar,” announced PCPPI President and Chief Executive Officer Frederick D. Ong. Aside from being sugar-free, G No Sugar has no calories, so you can drink it regularly without worry. It is naturally sweetened with Stevia and is available in the refreshing flavors of Citrus Quench and Blue Bolt. On top of that, it has Gatorade’s formula of the right amount of electrolytes to keep you properly hydrated throughout the day.

The minimal calories in G No Sugar, roughly 2 calories per serving, complement your nutritional needs so you don’t have to strain your body from working out too much.

G No Sugar comes in 500ml bottles and is available in different supermarkets nationwide.

Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Inc. (PCPPI) is the exclusive manufacturer of Gatorade and other well-known beverage brands like Pepsi, Mountain Dew, 7-Up, Mirinda, Mug, Sting, Tropicana, Lipton, Aquafina, Premier, and Milkis.

Sports BusinessMirror

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph | Editor: Jun Lomibao

GOODBYE, GARBIÑE

Donaire deserves rematch with Inoue –Top Rank’s Arum

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ORLD Boxing Council (WBC) bantamweight champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire Jr. deserves a rematch with unified world champion Naoya Inoue of Japan this year, Top Rank boss Bob Arum said.

Arum told BusinessMirror in an internet call from his Las Vegas home on Thursday that negotiation are onging between Donaire’s promoter, Probellum CEO Richard Schaefer, and Inoue’s Teiken Promotions head Akihiko Honda.

“He’s [Donaire] always been a terrific and an interesting fighter,” the 90-year-old Arum said, adding that the Filipino-American’s back-to-back knockout wins last year over former world champion Nordine Oubaali of France in May and compatriot Reymart Gaballo last December both in Carson City showed he’s ready for a rematch with Inoue.

Arum said that the November 2019 fight between Donaire and the unbeaten Inoue (22-0 winloss record with 19 knockouts) in Saitama, Japan was a classic showdown where both fighters traded barrage of punches thus making their rivalry worthy of a second installment.

Even though Donaire (42-6 record with 28 knockouts) lost via unanimous decision, he gave the 28-year-old Inoue a tough time by damaging the Japanese’s face with a fractured orbital bone on the right eye and broken nose.

“You have to look at the first fight and that was a tremendous fight, so we’re hoping the next one will also be as good or even better,” Arum said. “It’s going to be exactly in April in Japan and I think it’s going to be a blockbuster fight. It’s going to be a big, big fight.”

Donaire expressed his desire to face anybody including a huge rematch with Inoue.

“I’m ready to fight Naoya Inoue in a rematch because he has the belts and that’s my goal—to collect all the belts,” Donaire said, referring to Inoue’s International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Association bantamweight titles. “Just bring it, I’m ready.”

While training as a fighter, Donaire also serves as a co-head trainer for ex-world champion Jessie Vargas of the US. Vargas, who is running for congress in Nevada’s fourth US congressional district, lost to retired eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao in November 2016 via unanimous decision. Josef Ramos

WORLD No. 3 Garbiñe Muguruza bows out at Australian Open. AP

ELBOURNE, Australia— The surprises started early at the Australian Open on Day 4, with No. 3 Garbiñe Muguruza becoming the highest-seeded player to exit the women’s draw just minutes after No. 6 Anett Kontaveit lost.

Not long after, No. 2-seeded Aryna Sabalenka served a dozen double-faults in the first set and appeared to be on the brink of a second-round defeat before recovering to hold off 100th-ranked Wang Xinyu, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2.

Muguruza never managed to earn a single break point and made a whopping 33 unforced errors, more than twice her opponent’s total, in a 6-3, 6-3 loss to Alize Cornet under a bright blue and cloudless sky at Rod Laver Arena on Thursday.

“A little bit surprised about my level. I am a little disappointed, too,” said Muguruza, who won the season-ending Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Finals in 2021. ”I feel like my shots weren’t as accurate and precise. I feel, also, my aggressive game wasn’t that aggressive today.”

Here’s how unexpected that result was: Muguruza is a twotime Grand Slam champion and a two-time major runner-up, too, including making it to the final at the Australian Open in 2020.

And the 61st-ranked Cornet?

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HE country will be fielding 584 athletes and 161 officials— coaches included—to the Hanoi 31st Southeast Asian Games set from May 12 to 25.

But Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said 80 more athletes are on appeal in a “Group B” category where their participation in the Games will be shouldered by their respective national sports associations.

“We understand the situation because of the budgetary constraint in the PSC, so we have to employ belt tightening measures as regards to officials and equipment,” said Tolentino after Thursday’s online meeting with Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) officials,

including commissioner Ramon Fernandez, the chef de mission to the Games.

The POC initially set a 627-athlete delegation to the SEA Games that were originally scheduled November last year but were postponed because of Covid-19 pandemic concerns.

The PSC has yet to determine the exact budget for the Games participation, although Fernandez already announced earlier that it’s in the vicinity of P200 million.

Members of Team Philippines will fly in two batches aboard chartered flights to Vietnam—the first on May 6 and the second on

ITMASTER Foundation donated P100 million in cash and testing kits to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) in response to the alarming spread of the Covid-19 in thickly-populated Metro Manila.

According to Pitmaster Executive Director Atty. Caroline Cruz, the foundation wants mass testing in every city in the National Capital Region (NCR) to help the government in its fight against the rampaging virus.

Metro Manila ranks as one of the thickly populated areas in the country, having a population of 13,484,462 based on the latest census. The number accounts for 12.37 percent of the country’s total population.

“This is our contribution to the government to have mass testing in every city at NCR, and immediately

Striegl versus Skelly in UFC Fight Night 202

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Sabalenka finished with 19 double-faults, including nine in her first two service games, in her win over Wang. She said she regained her composure during a quick trip to the locker room following the first set.

The US Open and Wimbledon semifinalist from last year said she had “a lot of experience of playing without the serve,” and she’d reassured herself that she had enough other weapons to win “even if you can’t serve.”

Sabalenka, who entered the year’s first major with a chance of reaching the top ranking, has made a stuttering start to 2022, with her service woes including a combined 39 double-faults contributing to first-round losses at tuneup events in Adelaide.

She faces No. 31-seeded Marketa Vondrousova, the 2019 runner-up at Roland Garros, who beat Liudmila Samsonova 6-2, 7-5.

No. 7 Iga Swiatek, the 2020 French Open champion, No. 19 Elise Mertens, Sorana Cirstea and Maddison Inglis, who beat Hailey Baptiste, 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-2, were among the other women advancing. Zhang Shuai of China moved into the third round when No. 12 Elena Rybakina retired from their match while trailing, 6-4, 1-0.

On the men’s side, fourth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Sebastian Baez, 7-6 (1), 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4, in a second-round match featuring two former junior world No. 1 players. AP

May 10, thus allowing those in the second wave to still vote in the May 9 general elections.

Filipino athletes will still be competing in all but one—xiangqi or Chinese chess—of the 40 sports in the Hanoi program.

They will be divided into four clusters–1A for Hanoi, 1B outskirts of Hanoi and 2A and 2B outside of Hanoi, including canoe-kayak and rowing in Hai Phong.

Deputy chiefs of mission Pearl Managuelod and Carl Sambrano also joined the virtual meeting.

Fernandez said they will seek AirAsia as the delegation’s official carrier.

“We will write Rep. Mikee Romero [AirAsia owner] hoping to get a discount, that will be his help,” Fernandez said. “If we get the athletes in chartered flights, they will be quarantined at New Clark City’s Athletes Village before flying from Clark Airport to Vietnam.”

The Hanoi Games organizers set a February 12 distribution date and March 12 deadline for the submission of accreditation forms.

The deadline for the submission of entries by name is set for March 12, after which the chefs de mission will meet again, most likely face-toface, on March 18.

Pitmaster Foundation donates cash, testing kits worth P100M to MMDA

PITMASTER Foundation Executive Director Atty. Caroline Cruz (third from left) hands over testing kits worth P50 million on top of a P50-million cash donation to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) during a simple ceremony at the Ynares Sports Arena in Rizal. Also in photo are (from left) Dr. Gloria Balboa (Department of Health-National Capital Region director), Department of the Interior and Local Govenment Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III, MMDA Deputy Chairman Frisco San Juan and General Manager Atty. Don Artes. NONOY LACZA

ILIPINO-AMERIAN mixed martial artist (MMA) Mark Striegl returns to the Octagon on February 20 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas where he battles American Chas Skelly in a featherweight bout.

This will be Striegl’s second UFC match since his debut in UFC Fight Night 180 in October 17, 2020,

She’s appearing in her 63rd career major tournament—and 60th in a row—but never has been beyond the fourth round.

Cornet will get a chance to equal that showing when she plays Saturday, her 32nd birthday.

She called herself “a little bit (of) a dinosaur.”

“I don’t know how many years I have left,” Cornet said. “Today was a perfect gift I could give myself and I really hope the journey’s going to go even farther for me.”

Sam Stosur’s 6-2, 6-2 loss to No. 10 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova ended the 2011 US Open champion’s 20th, and last, singles campaign at the Australian Open.

“I’ve done more than I ever thought possible. I dreamed of winning a Grand Slam (singles title), and I couldn’t have asked for anything more,” Stosur told the crowd in Kia Arena.

Muguruza said she didn’t feel at her best physically and noted that the start of this season was “kind of stressful,” because Covid-19 spread through her support team and she was apart from them for two weeks.

Kontaveit, who lost to Muguruza in the title match at the WTA Finals, was beaten 6-2, 6-3 by 19-year-old Clara Tauson of Denmark.

“I just went in there believing I could win, but it wasn’t like I have to win,” said Tauson, who will make her debut in the third round at a major against 2019 Australian Open semifinalist Danielle Collins. “It was more: ‘I can win, but we’ll see what happens.’”

TEAM PHL TO VIETNAM SEAG: 584 ATHLETES, 161 OFFICIALS

By Josef Ramos

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By Rick Olivares

Friday, January 21, 2022 B7

where Russian Said Nurmagomedov knocked him out in the first round.

“I am super excited about this fight,” Striegl said. “I have signed a contract for the fight. Oddly enough, Chas and I have the same professional fight record of 18-3-0 (wins-lossdraws). I am definitely excited and gunning for my first win.”

Striegl’s preparation for the fight is also the subject of a mini-documen-

tary that is being produced by the Philippines newest sports channel, Tap Digital Media Ventures (DMV).

The three-part documentary recounts Striegl’s journey from Japan to promotions like the URCC, PXC and One Championship all the way to the UFC. “Tap DMV is excited to be working with Mark Striegl and to bring not only his fights, but also the UFC

isolate those infected to avoid the virus spread among families and coworkers,” Cruz said.

Many government offices, industries and private offices are within the highly-urbanized cities in the NCR, thus making it highly susceptible to the rapid spread of the virus.

“According to experts, lack of early detection of Covid patients has been causing rapid spread of the virus in NCR,” Cruz said.

Cruz stressed that the foundation’s chairman, Charlie “Atong” Ang, wants to see that all residents in the NCR undergo testing, especially those who have symptoms.

“If he can have his way, our chairman, Charlie “Atong” Ang, wants all residents in NCR, especially those with symptoms, to undergo testing,” she said.

Cruz personally handed over the

P50 million cash and P50 million worth of testing kits to the MMDA in a simple ceremony witnessed

by Department of the Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Epimaco Densing (Chairman, Taskgroup of Communities Response, IATF), Department of Health NCR Director Dr. Gloria Balboa, MMDA Deputy Chairman Frisco San Juan and General Manager Atty. Don Artes at the Ynares Sports Arena in Rizal.

In response, the MMDA promised to distribute the cash donations and the testing kits to local government units in Metro Manila.

Cruz said that Pitmaster Foundation has remained open to those in need of dialysis and chemotherapy requirements only.

“Just proceed to our website and register. We will take care of the expenses,” Cruz said.

to the Filipino audience which is considered as one of the most rabid MMA fan bases in the world,” Tap DMV marketing manager Rely San Agustin said.

The 10- to 15-minute three-part documentary “Mark Streigl: The Road Back to the UFC” will be shown on February 2, 19 and 16.

Mark Striegl’s second UFC match in Fight Night 202 will be televised on February 20 over the Premier Sports channel on Skycable and Cignal as well as the TapGo streaming application.

Striegl is currently at George

Castro’s MMA Lab in Peoria, Arizona, where he has been training since January 3.

“There is a huge advantage coming in early to the United States where I get to train in one place as opposed to moving around in Manila because of the pandemic protocols,” Striegl said.

“Plus, I get to train under a former MMA fighter in George himself.”

Castro mostly fought in the World Fighting Federation and posted a 3-2 record with one no contest.

PBA to adjust 47th season sked for EASL kickoff games

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HE Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is ready to adjust its 47th season schedule for the teams set to represent the league in the East Asia Super League (EASL).

PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial said there was already an agreement within the PBA Board about tweaking the playing dates of the two teams seeing action in the home-and-away tournament once the meet kicks off on October 12.

Marcial added he had a recent talk with EASL co-founder and CEO Matt Beyer, who provided him already with the playing calendar for the fivemonth long meet.

“We already got the schedule— October 12 away, and October 19 home and we’ll be facing either Japan or Korea,” Marcial said.

Similar games will be held in November as each of the eight participating teams are scheduled to play three games at home and three games on the road.

“I told [PBA] Deputy Commissioner Eric Castro to adjust the schedule,” Marcial said. “The plan is for our teams not to play for a week prior to their EASL assignments— this means the EASL is green and go and we’re all excited.”

A similar adjustment in the schedule was made by the league in 2019 when three teams—San Miguel Beer, TNT and Blackwater—played in the Terrific 12 version of the EASL featuring some of the top commercial ballclubs in the region.

PLDT signs up ‘middle’ Reyes

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IX-FOOT middle blocker Mika Reyes has signed with PLDT Home Fibr for the 2022 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) season.

The 27-year-old from Pulilan in Bulacan said joining the High Speed Hitters will help her develop more as a player.

“The team looking for middles was a big factor for me joining them,” Reyes said. “But with all the teams which wooed me, it’s Sir Bajjie [Del Rosario, team manager] who made me feel that they really want me.”

“I was surprised how interested they are with me so I’m very grateful,” she added.

In PLDT, Reyes reunites with Rhea Dimaculangan, with whom she won three championships with Petron from 2017 to 2019. In addition, she gets to play alongside former Sta. Lucia players Dell Palomata and Jovie Prado.

What excites Reyes the most is that she finally gets to be under new High Speed Hitters Head Coach George Pascua.

Reyes had only faced Pascua before in the Philippine Super Liga.

“To be honest, I’ve never played under coach George,” she said. “This will be a great experience for me to adjust to his system.”

The other new additions to PLDT were Kath Arado, Jessey De Leon, Mean Mendrez, Wendy Semana, Fiola Ceballos and Lhara Clavano. Besides Dimaculangan, the team retained Chin Basas, Eli Soyud and Nieza Viray.

MIKA REYES brings her middle blocking act to the High Speed Hitters.

Motoring Here comes the all-new Honda Civic BusinessMirror

Henry Ford Awards Best Motoring Section 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 2011 Hall of Fame

B8

Friday, January 21, 2022

Editor: Tet Andolong • www.businessmirror.com.ph

Story by Randy S. Peregrino

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HEN photos of the latest generation Civic started surfacing online, it was a clear indication that the iconic sedan will eventually make its Philippine debut soon. Finally, Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) brought in the 11th generation Civic and it is ready to accelerate greatness. The iconic sedan features a new clean-cut look along with a range of high-tech features. The best part, the VTEC turbo engine now comes standard across all available variants.

It was in 1991when the Civic made its entry to the local market and happened to be Honda’s first vehicle offering in the country. Throughout several generations, the iconic model garnered much love from many loyalists and enthusiasts. Notably, the Civic recorded sales of more than 132,000 units locally, as of October 2021.

Grand concept Again, it seemed Honda went back to the drawing board to come up with another revolutionary design for the latest generation model. According to the Japanese automaker, it was able to achieve the “Exhilarating Civic”

The 11th generation Civic RS variant.

No more C-shaped taillights.

Photos Honda Philippines

through focusing on three core values: Design, Dynamics, and HMI (Human Machine Interface).

The result is a more matured look, keeping it in line with its stablemates.

Design execution involved a fine mixture of elegance and sportiness. Like the cleaner yet more prominent-looking front end with newly shaped LED headlights (RS model) integrated with standard Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) and LED fog lights (reserved for both the V Turbo CVT Honda Sensing and the RS Turbo CVT Honda Sensing).

T he f lanks f launt sleek lines

complimenting the long bonnet and sloping roofline for that added character.

Integrated turn signals in the side mirrors are standard. Its front pillar was also pushed back by nearly two inches improving driver’s visibility, including the door mirror’s design changes. Further, the compact sedan is now longer by 29mm resulting to a longer wheelbase by 37mm compared to its predecessor.

As for the rear end, it has a new pair of LED taillights. Exclusive to the RS model are black-painted side mirrors, door handles, sharkfin antenna and trunk spoiler, along with chrome-finished

dual-exhaust pipes for a sportier look.

Wheel options, meantime, include 16inch rims (S variant), 17-inch alloys (V range), and 18-inch matte black wheels (RS model).

Meanwhile, the interior’s overall layout is a complete departure from the previous generation. While it promotes minimalism in terms of design, one cannot deny the layout’s engaging effect. From quality materials like soft touchpoints to the stretched honeycomb pattern found on the vents. The top spec RS received a blended suede and leather upholstery while the rest come with fabric seats.

For in-car entertainment, the RS model has the nine-inch touchscreen display audio while smaller seven-inch screen is for the other variants. Both screens are Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capable, while the larger screen has Wireless Apple CarPlay. In terms of speaker systems, the S variant has four while the V grade received eight speakers. The RS variant, meantime, comes with a 12-speaker Bose sound system.

VTEC Turbo all the way One of the main highlights of the 11th generation Civic is the improved 1.5-liter four-Cylinder DOHC VTEC Turbo engine available in all grades. This engaging engine generates 176 hp and 240 N-m of maximum torque (additional 5 hp and 20 N-m versus its predecessor).

Paired to the improved turbo engine is the same Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). Still available are driving modes such as Econ, Normal, and Sport (exclusive to RS).

Honda Sensing In pursuit of Honda’s mission to provide “Safety for Everyone,” Honda Sensing now comes standard with the all-new Civic. The safety suite features Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low-Speed Follow (LSF), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), Road Departure Mitigation System with Lane Departure Warning (RDM with LDW), Auto HighBeam (AHB), and Lead Car Departure Notification System (LCDN).

Coming RAV4 hybrid & Lexus birthday

T

OYOTA is coming up roses this February as it unveils its new RAV4 HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle), boosting its electric-driven tomorrow with its second hybrid SUV. In ramping up its next-generation, environment-friendly cars, TMP is living up to its commitment to further expand its hybrid variant amid the rapidly-changing times.

Unwrapped last in 2019, Toyota’s second hybrid crossover comes practically on the heels of the smash-hit Corolla Cross HEV in 2020.

“The rapid succession of Toyota’s HEV model introductions in the country is an indicator that Hybrid cars are now mainstream,” said Sherwin Chualim, TMP’s First Vice President for Vehicle Sales Operations. “Filipinos are ready for energy efficient mobility options with less emissions, and Hybrids offer choices that are practical and ready-to-use in our existing infrastructure and road conditions.”

The coming of the RAV4 HEV brings to a total of five Hybrid models in the last few months, including the pioneering Prius, Corolla Altis HEV, and Corolla Cross HEV. Only last December, TMP had a rousing launch of the New Camry HEV in the luxury sedan segment.

On top of the self-charging Hybrid technology (no need to plug in) the New RAV4 HEV is expected to carry more exciting innovation and technology, like advanced safety features and the state-of-the-art Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA).

With reservations starting to pour in since January 17, dealerships nationwide have been alerted to deal with anticipated demand for the Hybrid RAV4 pegged at P2,157,000.

Happy Lexus 13

LEXUS Philippines recently celebrated its 13th year of founding, with its top gun, Raymond T. Rodriguez, flashing a smile as wide as Manila Bay. The ship steadied despite the pandemic’s perennial threat the year past.

The following is Jade B. Sison’s modest assessment of the industry-leading muscle’s 2021 performance in the luxury segment.

“It was 13 years ago when Lexus first opened its doors, and it has since been the gateway to a world of unparalleled luxury for the most discerning Filipino car buyers.

“Its lineup of luxury sedans, coupes, crossovers, and SUVs showcases not only the latest in cutting-edge technology but also exhibits the artistry of ‘Takumi’ master craftsmen. But beyond the vehicles themselves, Lexus prides itself in creating amazing experiences.

“The past year had special milestones for the brand, starting with the launch of the new LS and the newest variant of the Lexus IS, marking the resurgence of luxury sedans.

“The new LS is the pinnacle of luxury craftsmanship. It is Lexus’s flagship sedan, offering personalization that can suit the customer’s discerning taste. Anchored on ‘Takumi’ craftsmanship, the marriage of glass, metal, wood, and fabric can only

The new Honda Sensing system uses a single monocular camera with a wider field of view combined with improved software offering better vehicle, motorcycle, bicycle, pedestrian and road marking recognition.

The Civic also received Honda’s Gforce Control (G-CON) Collision Safety Body that enhances impact absorption for the added protection of passengers in the event of a collision. Other standard safety features are Speed Sensing Door Locks, Multi-View Reverse Camera, and Keyless Entry System., Honda LaneWatch Camera, and the Walk Away Auto Door Lock function are exclusive on the RS variant.

Moreover, there are Driver and Front Passenger Airbags, Side Airbags, Side Curtain Airbags (RS model), Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), Hill Start Assist (HSA), Emergency Stop Signal (ESS), Child Lock, ISOFIX Child Seat Anchor, Security Alarm, and immobilizer are standard safety features for all variants.

Pricing and colors The S Turbo CVT Honda Sensing variant retails at P1.290 million while the V Turbo CVT Honda Sensing grade is at P1.498 million. As for the RS Turbo CVT Honda Sensing model, the retail price is at P1.690 million. Colors available are Morning Mist Blue Metallic (new color; V and S variants), Meteoroid Grey Metallic (new color; RS, V, and S variants, Ignite Red Metallic (exclusively for RS model), Platinum White Pearl (RS and V variants only with an additional P20,000 premium), and Lunar Silver Metallic (exclusively for S variant).

produce distinctive art.

“The all-new IS sport sedan also made its debut with an additional variant suitable for first-time luxury car buyers. The Lexus IS300H was born and bred at the Toyota Technical Center Shimoyama Test Track, where the toughest and most challenging roads in the world have been recreated.

“This suits the IS perfectly, as every facet of its performance was developed on that extremely challenging on-road course, all for the sake of delivering an experience like no other to drivers around the world.

The new IS sets the bar for the dynamic handling of all future Lexus models.

“Just before the year ended, Lexus introduced the new ES — a model renowned for its quiet, smooth performance and high levels of cabin comfort and spaciousness.

The current changes focus on strengthening these qualities, refreshing the car’s styling, improving ride and responsiveness, and introducing new, technology-led equipment features.

“For added customer convenience, Lexus’ unique interpretation of Japanese hospitality can now be experienced from the palm of your hand with the arrival of the MyLexus Mobile App. “With it, owning and maintaining a Lexus is now easier and more convenient than ever before. Available for download for both Android and iOS users, the MyLexus Mobile App puts everything you need— from maintaining your prized vehicle, shopping for a new model, or learning more about the fascinating world of Lexus—all from the convenience of your handheld mobile device.”

PEE STOP Here’s to Honda for recently winning six major awards in the 10th year of the Asean NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) festivities. Recognized as the most successful manufacturer, Honda ran away with adult and child protection features and safety assist platforms, among others, with its best-selling models Accord, Civic, City, CR-V, Brio, HR-V and Jazz. Cheers!