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Thursday, July 8, 2021 Vol. 16 No. 267

P.  |     | 7 DAYS A WEEK

OUTBOUND seafarers get their vaccination jabs against Covid-19 at the Bonifacio High Street Mega Vaccination Hub. The event was graced by Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque, National Task Force Against Covid-19 Deputy Chief Implementer Vince Dizon and Taguig City Mayor Lino Cayetano. The seafarers were vaccinated with Pfizer-BioNTech since it is the most accepted vaccine for most countries that hire overseas workers. NONIE REYES

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B B C

@BcuaresmaBM

HE economy must meet three criteria before the country’s central monetary authority decides to pull back its aggressive monetary stimulus that was deployed at the height of the pandemic, according to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno.

He listed the three conditions for monetary policy unwinding as a clear and solid path to economic recovery, a manageable inflation environment and a consistent decline in Covid cases.

“The BSP will withdraw monetary support only when there are indisputable signs of solid economic recovery amid a manageable

inflation environment, as well as a sustained downtrend in community transmission of the virus,” Diokno said in a recent speaking engagement.

The Philippine economy declined by 4.2 percent in the first quarter of the year, prompting sevS “BSP ,” A

BPI: Above 4% inflation, dollar defense dent seen

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ROWTH in consumer prices is still expected to overshoot the government’s target range for this year due to local and external developments, the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) said.

In a recent analysis after the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) announced a slower inflation in June, BPI economists announced that they have revised their inflation forecast for this year from the earlier average of 4.5 percent down to 4.3 percent.

“We continue to see upside risks that could keep inflation above 4 percent in the coming months. Despite the reduction in pork tariffs, the price of pork has not shown a substantial decline. Moreover, oil companies have announced several oil price hikes in recent weeks and could translate to less favorable base effects for transport,” BPI said

in a statement.

“Upward pressure on global oil prices has persisted amid the reopening of major economies. The recent depreciation of the Peso will likely result in additional importation costs. With the restrictions on public transport capacity, this might force operators to increase their fares,” the bank added.

Just last month, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) expressed confidence that inflation will still average within the 2- to 4-percent target band for the year despite the elevated print in the early months of the year.

In their latest monetary policy meeting, the BSP announced their expectation of a 4-percent average inflation for the entire year, hitting the ceiling of their target range for

PESO EXCHANGE RATES ■ US 49.4110

PHL PORK IMPORTS RISE 176% IN H1 TO 277K MT B J E Y. A @jearcalas

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HE Philippines, the world’s eighth largest consumer of pork, imported a record nearly 135,000 metric tons (MT) of pork bellies and cuts in the first half— more than quadruple from a year earlier—as the country rushed to boost domestic supply and temper rising prices, government data showed.

The 367-percent increase in the imports of pork bellies and cuts drove overall pork imports to expand by 176 percent to 277,850.59 MT from 100,745.261 MT in the first half of 2020, Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) data showed.

BAI data also showed pork imports from January to June already being 8.5 percent higher than the total pork imported by the country in 2020 of 256,017.458 MT. Industry sources told the BM that total pork imports this year may breach the record volume in 2018 of 392,154.307 MT given the current growth rate of imports across all cuts.

Foreign pork suppliers are already upbeat about exporting record volumes of pork to the Philippines this year as the country is in dire need of supply, with domestic production dented by the spread of African swine fever. (Related story:

https://businessmirror.com.ph/ 2021/06/28/pork-shipments-tophl-could-hit-record-high-thisyear-suppliers/)

The twin measures of the government to reduce pork tariffs to as low as 10 percent

and increase the minimum access volume (MAV) of pork by 200,000 MT also whetted the appetite of both importers and exporters. The reduction of pork tariffs and increase in MAV only affects primal pork cuts, such as bellies, hams and shoulders.

The twin measures, initiated by the Economic Development Cluster (EDC), aim to boost domestic pork supply and meat inflation that drove overall inflation to accelerate further in recent months. With the twin measures in place, the Department of Agriculture (DA) aims to pull down the retail price of pork below P300 per kilogram from the current range of P310 to P390 per kilogram.

The DA pegged the country’s pork supply shortfall this year at about 400,000 MT. The country’s meat inflation slowed to 19.2 percent in June 2021 from 22.1 percent in April and May, which, officials pointed out, is a result of the twin measures that government implemented in April.

“The declining meat inflation points to the positive effects of Executive Orders [EO] 133 and 134. These are expected to further bring down meat prices during the second half of the year,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua said recently.

Imports of pork bellies alone doubled to 26,753.354 MT from 13,006.932 MT while imports of pork cuts ballooned by 581 percent to 108,094.001 MT from 15,872.893 MT,

Less than 50% of MSMEs maintain full operation in pandemic—DTI chief B T J C. P @Tyronepiad

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NLY less than half of the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are fully operating amid the lockdown protocols due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) reported on Wednesday.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said at a Senate hearing that 44 percent of 33,145 MSMEs have maintained full operations as of June.

Majority or 46 percent have partial operations while the remaining 10 percent decided to close shop.

The June data also showed that 53.8 percent of the MSMEs reported a decline in sales, he added.

The DTI chief explained that

some of the business owners who chose to fold up have shifted to other ventures already. Lopez said they opted to start a new one which can potentially thrive amid the pandemic.

“They look for other sources of income and therefore they have to operate another business. They pivot, they change their business model and register a new one,” he said.

Lopez said certain industries are struggling more compared to other sectors because of the restrictions imposed on them. He cited tourism, recreation, entertainment, live performances and amusement parks as examples of these.

“These are not the businesses C  A

C  A

C  A

■ JAPAN 0.4466 ■ UK 68.2020 ■ HK 6.3616 ■ CHINA 7.6266 ■ SINGAPORE 36.6822 ■ AUSTRALIA 37.0286 ■ EU 58.4186 ■ SAUDI ARABIA 13.1749

Source: BSP (July 7, 2021)

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News BusinessMirror

Thursday, July 8, 2021

BPI: Above 4% inflation, dollar defense dent seen C  A

the year.

Inflation has now reached an average of 4.4 percent in the first half of the year after posting a 4.1-percent print in June.

This means that inflation should reach an average of 3.6 percent in the second half of the year to reach the BSP’s projection.

BPI also warned of a possible erosion of the country’s dollar defenses this year.

“The Philippines has managed to keep its credit rating despite the huge contraction last year.

One of the metrics that have protected the country from a downgrade is the gross international reserves [GIR] to foreign debt ratio,” BPI said.

“The country’s GIR has increased in the past year given the huge decline in imports and the Dollar printing done by the Fed. But with the US central bank now hinting at the possibility of tighter policy and with imports now increasing, the country’s GIR could decline substantially moving forward,” it added.

The country’s GIR level hit $106.98 billion in May, equivalent to 12.2 months’ worth of imports of goods and payments of services and primary income.

Bianca Cuaresma

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Business groups urge Congress to pass 17 bills to boost economy

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B T J C. P

@Tyronepiad

EVERAL business groups and foreign chambers urged the 18th Congress to pass 17 priority measures seen to boost the economy during its final session year.

In a joint statement on Wednesday, eight Philippine business groups and seven members of the Joint Foreign Chambers said the pending reforms will bolster the country’s bid to economic recovery amid the pandemic.

“With one year left in the current Congress, we believe the 17 measures are achievable reforms that will generate substantial impact in achieving our shared vision of inclusive growth through job generation, poverty reduction, and global competitiveness,” the joint

letter read.

These include amendments to the Foreign Investments Act, Public Service Act and Retail Trade Liberalization Act. President Duterte certified the bills as urgent in April.

This list further cites the Department of Disaster Resilience and Department of Water Resources Management, ease of paying taxes, electric vehicles and charging stations and National Land Use and Management.

The business groups also called for the passage of measures on

Freedom of Information, Open Access in Data Transmission, Philippine creative industries, promotion of digital payments and public-private partnership.

On the banking and finance side, the private sector organizations sought the passage of the Rural Agricultural and Fisheries Development Financing System and amendments to Secrecy of Bank Deposits Law. The business groups, in addition, urged Congress to pass the remaining tax reform packages which cover property valuation and assessment reform; and passive income and financial intermediary taxation.

The business groups noted that most of these bills are in advanced stages in Congress already, requiring action in either the House or Senate.

The private sector organizations sent the letter to President Duterte in anticipation of his last State of the Nation Address this month. A copy was also sent to Senate Presi-

dent Vicente C. Sotto III and House Speaker Lord Allan Q. Velasco.

The signatories include Alyansa Agrikultura, American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Australian-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Bankers Association of the Philippines, Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine, Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines and Foundation for Economic Freedom.

Other business groups joining the call are the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines, Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines Inc., Korean Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Inc., Makati Business Club, Management Association of the Philippines, Philippine Association of Multinational Companies Regional Headquarters Inc. and Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation Inc.

‘DELTA RESILIENCE MUST NOT LEAD TO APATHY’

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HE Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday logged 4,289 additional cases of Covid-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 1,450,110.

There were also 6,399 recoveries and 164 deaths. Of the total number of cases, 3.3 percent (47,519) are active, 95.0 percent (1,377,132) have recovered, and 1.76 percent (25,459) have died.

Eleven duplicates—six recoveries and one death—were removed from the total case count.

Moreover, 61 cases previously tagged as recoveries were validated to be active cases; and 123 cases previously tagged as recoveries were reclassified as deaths after final validation.

The DOH on Wednesday also welcomed the statement of OCTA Research that the National

Capital Region (NCR) may be “Delta resilient” in a few months based on the current number of the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine that were administered to the people.

However, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said, “we would like to remind our kababayan not to be complacent against the threat of the Delta variant.”

From the start, Vergeire stressed that they have aimed to prevent the entry of the Delta variant into the communities through “stronger

border control.”

The existing quarantine protocols are intended to prevent or delay the entry of the Delta variant or any other variant of concern [VOC]. At the same time, we are pushing down our daily cases through the stronger implementation of the PDITR [Prevention, Detection, Isolation, Treatment, and Reintegration] strategies and the minimum public health standards in local government units (LGUs), workplaces, and establishments.

BSP cites...

In 2020, the BSP cut the overnight borrowing rate by 200 basis points from 4 percent to a record low of 2 percent to support the economy.

It has also cut the reserve requirement further to 12 percent from 14 percent to free up funds for lending to businesses and households.

In sum, the BSP has injected P2.2 trillion into the financial system, equivalent to about 12 percent of GDP as of June 10.

“When it comes to exit strategy, the BSP recognizes the necessity of carefully balancing the need to ensure sustainability of recovery and the need to guard against risks to the BSP’s price and financial stability objectives,” Diokno said.

“We recognize that economic recovery is still in its nascent phase.

As such, we will keep our monetary policy supportive of growth and allow previous monetary easing to work its way to the economy,” the governor added.

C  A

eral international agencies such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, and the Asean+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO) to cut their growth forecasts of the country.

The IMF forecasts a 5.4-percent growth for the country in 2021; the World Bank puts it at 4.7 percent; while AMRO has a more optimistic view at 6.4 percent.

For inflation, meanwhile, the growth of consumer prices in June slowed at 4.1 percent. It is, however, still above the government’s annual target of 2 to 4 percent on average for the year.

The Department of Health (DOH) reported on Wednesday that a total of 4,289 new cases were added to the country’s Covid-19 case numbers, putting the total at 1,450,110 as of July 7.

Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

Duterte signs EO on financial stability council

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O ensure financial stability, President Duterte has finally institutionalized the council overseeing local financial policies.

Duterte issued on Tuesday Executive Order 144 institutionalizing the Financial Stability Coordination Council (FSCC).

“In recognition of the importance of financial stability to the overall health of the country’s financial system, there is a need to formalize the creation of an interagency body on financial stability in order to institutionalize its powers and functions and strengthen the ability of the government to collectively address systematic risks, which may arise from different segments of the financial market,” Duterte said.

The FSCC executive committee will be chaired by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor and its members will include the Finance Secretary, Insurance Commissioner, Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chairman and one senior official from each of the five memberagencies, who will serve as nonvoting members.

“The FSCC shall formulate a Macroprudential Policy Strategy Framework, which shall guide its policy interventions,” Duterte said.

The FSCC is based on the provisions of Republic Act 7653 otherwise known as the New Central Bank Act, which required the five government agencies to coordinate for financial-related policies.

The National Treasurer may also be invited by the FSCC in its meeting as a special non-voting member.

The funding for the FSCC will be taken from the budget of the BSP. EO 144 took effect on July 6, 2021 after it was signed by Duterte.

Samuel P. Medenilla

PHL PORK IMPORTS RISE 176% IN H1 TO 277K MT C  A

based on latest BAI data.

Canada was the top supplier of combined imports of pork bellies and pork cuts as it accounted for 29 percent of total volume or about 39,701.563 MT, followed by the United States at a combined volume of 25,400.646 MT, based on BAI data.

Less than 50% of MSMEs maintain full operation in pandemic—DTI chief C  A

to be in, I would say, in times of pandemic because of many restrictions,” he said.

On the other hand, Lopez said the government has allowed full operations for manufacturing, export industry, business-process outsourcing and essential services sector.

The Covid-19 Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) recently eased the restrictions for some of the establishments in the National Capital Region (NCR) plus after maintaining its general community quarantine (GCQ) status.

DTI’s latest advisory showed that the allowable on-site operational or venue and seating capacity was increased for certain activities. This protocol is in place until July 15.

For example, indoor dine-in services in NCR, Bulacan and Rizal are allowed at 40-percent capacity while IATF capped the limit in La-

guna and Cavite at 20 percent. For outdoor dine-in services 50-percent capacity is allowed in the entire bubble.

Personal care services—including beauty salons, beauty parlors, barbershops and nail spas—are allowed at 50-percent capacity in NCR, Bulacan and Rizal. Laguna and Cavite are only allowed to operate at 30 percent in the same category.

Meanwhile, Lopez also reported on Wednesday that the government has issued 7,244 Safety Seals.

Business establishments with Safety Seal Certifications are allowed to operate at an additional 10 percentage points on top of the prescribed on-site operational capacity.

Other industries

THE trade official also shared the impact of the pandemic-induced lockdown protocols on other industries, as well.

The footwear industry saw its

sales drop by 80 percent on an annual basis, he said, noting that the non-essential sector was not able to operate during the onset of the pandemic.

“At the start of the lockdown, practically all stopped operations.

Only those who serviced the footwear requirements of the military reopened soon after the lockdown,” Lopez said.

Lopez said the aerospace industry will need two to four years before it can see prepandemic output levels again.

Citing the Shipbuilding Association of the Philippines, Lopez said the 118 local shipyards employing 30,000 workers were affected by the pandemic, as well.

“Most ship repairers stopped operations because of series of delayed importations of materials and postponed ship equipment services” he added.

Lastly, Lopez noted that the air carriers also suffered losses amid travel restrictions.

Economy BusinessMirror

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NEA spins off transfer of mandate to supervise ECs to BARMM govt With the SCO, we hope to help facilitate the smooth operation and transition of the BARMM ECs pursuant to Article VI, XIII and other relevant provisions of the Bangsamoro Organic Law. NEA Administrator Edgardo Masongsong

By Lenie Lectura

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@llectura

HE National Electrification Administration (NEA) has commencedthetransferofitsauthority to supervise electric cooperatives (ECs) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous RegioninMuslimMindanao(BARMM) to the Bangsamoro government.

The passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) in July 2018 paved the way for this transition.

NEA Administrator Edgardo Masongsong assigned NEA Deputy Administrator for Electric Cooperative Management Services (ECMS) Atty.

Vicar Loureen Lofranco to supervise the Special Concerns Office (SCO)

BM

tasked to handle the transition.

“With the SCO, we hope to help facilitate the smooth operation and transition of the BARMM ECs pursuant to Article VI, XIII and other relevant provisions of the Bangsamoro Organic Law,” Masongsong said.

The BOL allows the Bangsamoro government to create its own departments, agencies, government instrumentality, and GOCCs similar to what the national government currently has.

Under Section 30, Article XII of the BOL, the Bangsamoro government may opt for the creation of its counterpart of the electrification administration similar to NEA.

The SCO will extend technical assistance to the Bangsamoro government in setting up its electrification agency.

It will also collaborate with the Bangsamoro government and/or its Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy (MENRE) and other agencies for electrification and development programs and operational concerns in relation to the management and supervision of the ECs under the BARMM. Lofranco and Lanao del Sur Electric Cooperative (LASURECO) General Manager Nordjiana Lucman Dipatuan-Ducol paid a courtesy visit to BARMM Senior Minister and MENRE Minister Abdulraof Macacua last May 21.

During the visit, Lofranco said they discussed, among others, the concerns of LASURECO and other ECs operating in Bangsamoro areas.

Lofranco also serves as the project supervisor of LASURECO. There are seven ECs in BARMM, namely, LASURECO, Basilan Electric Cooperative Inc., Cagayan de Sulu Electric Cooperative Inc., Maguindanao Electric Cooperative Inc., Siasi Electric Cooperative Inc., Sulu Electric Cooperative Inc., and TawiTawi Electric Cooperative Inc.

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Thursday, July 8, 2021 A3

Fuel-marking scheme rakes in ₧250 billion as of June ’21–BOC

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By Bernadette D. Nicolas

@BNicolasBM

HE government has so far collected over P250 billion in duties and taxes as it marked nearly P26 billion liters of petroleum products under its fuel-marking program.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Bureau of Internal Revenue marked a total of P25.91 billion liters of fuel and have collected P252.22 billion in duties and taxes since the program was implemented in September 2019 until June this year.

For this year alone, the BOC said it has so far injected fuel markers to P8.35 billion liters of fuel equivalent to P74.72 billion in taxes collected.

As for the second quarter of this

year, BOC said its tax haul under the fuel-marking program reached P37.37 billion after marking a total of P4.16 billion liters of petroleum products.

In February, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda revealed that the government lost P357 billion due to fuel smuggling from 2010 to 2019.

While fuel marking helped lower smuggling, Salceda said foregone revenues are still rising because the Tax

Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law, Republic Act 10963, raised taxes on fuel products in 2018.

Fuel marking makes use of a unique chemical marker that can be embedded at a molecular level in petroleum products—gasoline, diesel, and kerosene—thereby enabling authorities to test, identify and distinguish petroleum products with paid excise taxes.

Under the TRAIN law, petroleum products that are refined, manufactured, or imported to the Philippines such as, but not limited to, unleaded premium gasoline, kerosene and diesel, shall be marked by an official marking agent after payment of taxes and duties.

The fuel-marking program was launched with the aim of halting illegal importation, manufacturing, and other fraudulent activities relating to the use and sale of petroleum products in the country.

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BusinessMirror Thursday, July 8, 2021 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug A4

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US defense chief extends condolences, assistance to C-130 crash investigation

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By Rene Acosta

@reneacostaBM

HE United States has offered assistance, including the identification of charred remains of fatalities, following the weekend crash of a C-130 plane of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) in Patikul, Sulu.

The offer was made by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III in his phone conversation with his Philippine counterpart, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, on July 6, Washington time, a readout of which was provided by Pentagon spokesman John Kirby and made available in Manila by the US Embassy.

“Secretary Austin offered to provide any additional assistance that is possible, including for the crash response and potential identification of victims,” the readout said, adding that Austin also offered his condolences to the country and to the families of the soldiers.

D u r i ng t hei r conversat ion, Lorenzana provided an update to his American counterpart and both discussed “critical medical evaluation support” that was provided by the US personnel for the crash victims.

The Lockheed Martin-manufactured C-130 plane with tail number 5125, which crashed and burst into flames after attempting to land at the airport in Patikul, was acquired by the military from the US and was delivered on January 29 this year.

The military has officially identified on Wednesday 19 of the 49 military personnel who perished from the crash. Aside from the soldiers, three civilians, who were near the crash site, were also killed and four

others were injured.

It also said that 47 other soldiers were injured or wounded.

On Tuesday, General Cirilito Sobejana, chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), said that the number of dead military personnel has been pegged to 50 as of this writing after one of those critically injured soldiers expired at the hospital while undergoing treatment.

But this was corrected by military public affairs office chief Capt.

Jonathan Zata, saying the official figure stands at 49 soldiers dead and 47 injured.

A statement from Zata’s office identified the 19 whose remains have been identified as Major Emmanuel Makalintal; Major Michael Vincent Benolerao; First Lieutenant Joseph Hintay, Technical Sergeant Mark Anthony Agana; Technical Sergeant Donald Badoy; Staff Sergeant Jan Neil Macapaz; Staff Sergeant Michael Bulalaque; and Sergeant Jack Navarro from PAF. The same news statement also included Captain Higello Emeterio from the AFP Medical Corps and First Lieutenant Sheena Alexandria Tato from the AFP Nurse Corps.

From the Army, those who have been identified were Sergeant Butch Maestro; Private First Class Christopher Rollon; Private First Class Felixzalday Provido; Privates Raymar

Carmona, Vic Monera, Mark Nash Lumanta, Jomar Gabas, Marcelino Alquisar, and Mel Mark Angana.

“The AFP has already transported 11 of the remains to their home towns,” the statement read. They are Captain Emeterio; Sgt. Maestro; Tsg. Agana; PFC. Rollon; PFC. Provido; Pvt. Gabas; Pvt. Alquisar; Pvt. Lumanta; Pvt. Angana; Pvt. Carmona and Pvt. Monera.

“The remains of 1st Lt. Tato are now being transported via C-295 aircraft while seven of the identified cadavers are being prepared for air and land transport,” it added.

The statement said that Sobejana assured that efforts are still focused on the identification of 30 more cadavers still in Zamboanga City, and the ongoing investigation of the plane crash.

“He [Sobejana] also corrected the previous report of 50 total fatalities, citing that there had been a double count. As of July 7, the total casualties are still at 49,” the statement added.

According to Zata, the ill-fated C-130 plane was carrying a total of 96 passengers. Of the number, 12 are from PAF, including the pilots and crew and two others, while 84 are from the Army.

On Tuesday, Lorenzana said while he was in Zamboanga City that the crash may have been caused by a combination of pilot error and weather, but military officials, including PAF spokesman Lt. Col. Maynard Mariano said this could not be definite yet as the investigation is still ongoing where all angles and factors are being looked into.

Mariano said that while the search and recovery teams have already recovered the plane’s flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR), they are yet to be shipped to “a facility capable of evaluating and analyzing data.”

He said both could be shipped to Lockheed Martin or even to the US Air Force for analysis and assistance.

Mariano also belied claims that the aircraft could have been overloaded, saying the aircraft “was well within the operational limits and capacity when it left Laguindingan Airport with 96 passengers compared to its maximum capacity of 120 passengers.”

Army spokesman Col. Ramon Zagala said the Army has already extended support to the crash victims and will continue to do, especially for the 37 Army personnel who died in the crash.

“The fallen troops’ bereaved families will be accorded with psychosocial support, financial assistance and pension to support them in this time of sorrow,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan Jr., commander of the Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command, cited the villagers of Patikul for their effort as first responders during the crash. “ The Western Mindanao Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines is extremely grateful to the assistance extended by our Tausug brothers and sisters in Sulu who were among the first responders that rescued several survivors of the air mishap,” he said.

“To the survivors and all of us, our brothers and sisters Tausug are our heroes. They risked their own lives to save their fellow Filipinos whom they consider as their protectors from the malefactors,” he added.

Aside from the villagers of Barangay Bangkal, Vinluan said the “CAFGUs and cadre from the Bangkal Patrol Base” were also among the first responders immediately responded to extricate more than 20 wounded soldiers from the site.

Gordon ‘guides’ Pacquiao on Senate probe procedures

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

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EN. Richard Gordon guided first-term Sen. Emmanuel Pacquiao Wednesday on established procedures being adhered to in conducting Senate inquiries into alleged anomalies, including reports on alleged graft and corruption cases implicating officials under the Duterte administration.

“Investigation of corruption cases must proceed but my committee cannot investigate based merely on newspaper accounts,” said Gordon, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon panel, also known as the Committee

on Accountability of Public Officers But the Senate chief prober reand Investigations. minded that “before we can even Gordon affirmed that “I have neithink of proceeding, the Blue Ribther received any request, nor has any bon must know what it will be speresolution been filed regarding Senacifically investigating. It cannot tor Manny Pacquiao’s allegations.” go willy-nilly into any battlefield However, Gordon adds that while without knowledge of the what, the “no documents have been shared with who, the how, the when, and the us, nevertheless, I will not shirk from damage it caused the government. my duty and responsibilities as Blue Unfortunately, we have yet to see Ribbon Committee Chairman.” the specificity of the allegations.”

In a news statement issued on Gordon added that while the Blue Wednesday, Gordon affirmed that Ribbon Committee, specifically tasked allegations hurled by Pacquiao to investigate public accountability against several executive departissues, “may call for a hearing motu ments, “like any other allegation proprio, I need to see the specific facts made by any other colleague, must surrounding the alleged offenses combe taken seriously.” mitted. In legal parlance, I need a bill of

particulars to be fair to all concerned.”

The Senate chief prober reminded that “the tremendous powers of the Blue Ribbon Committee cannot be exercised in a cavalier fashion that could only lead to abuse,” stressing that “we are not in the business of chasing ghosts. We are in the business of doing what is right.”

In the meantime, Gordon confirmed he already “instructed the Blue Ribbon staff, as well as my own office staff, to get in touch with the authorities to find out whether there is “smoke and fire that is right behind it.”

The senator-prober assured that “if there is basis, I will not hesitate to act and do what is right.”

Taking the flora craze too far: BOC seizes smuggled carnivorous plants in Pasay City

By Recto Mercene @rectomercene

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LOSE to 300 carnivorous plants illegally imported from the Netherland were seized by airport Customs authorities at a bonded warehouse in Pasay City on Monday, July 5, 2021.

The plants were discovered during the examination of 10 packages that were found without the required Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance and permit from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

The carnivorous plants were identified as Drosera, Nepenthes, Dionaea,

A LADY Customs officer inspects several boxes of carnivorous plants seized from a bonded warehouse in Pasay City.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BOC

Sarracenia, Pinguicula, and Cephalotus. The haul has a total value of P150,000.

C a r n ivorou s pl a nts, some times called insectivorous plants are any plant specially adapted for capturing and digesting insects and other animals by means of ingenious pitfalls and traps.

Carnivorous plants have been globally declared as critically endangered and are among the world’s rarest and most endangered flora. The collection and trade of these insecteating plants are restricted under Republic Act (RA) 9147, otherwise known as the Philippine Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.

The intercepted packages were subsequently turned over to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for rehabilitation and care.

The importers are also to face criminal prosecution.

The foiled smuggling attempt will be referred to the Bureau Action Team Against Smugglers (BATAS) Legal Service of the Bureau of Customs for further case build-up and prosecution.

The airport Customs district headed by Collector Carmelita M. Talusan said it has full confidence in its partnership with the DENR to strengthen border control against the illegal trade in flora and fauna.

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Thursday, July 8, 2021 A5

PHL expects 30-M vaccines after some cities ran out T

HE Philippines expects to receive about 30 million Covid-19 vaccine doses this month and next, according to its vaccine czar, who also apologized for supply delays that halted inoculation in some cities.

About 16 million doses will arrive in July that would include vaccines donated by Japan and US, those committed under Covax as well as shots procured by companies, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez said in a recorded briefing aired Tuesday night.

Around 14 million doses are expected in August, he said.

Several cities in the Philippine capital region have halted their first-dose vaccination programs as supply from the national government runs out. Galvez said delays in supplies are unavoidable and usually occur in the first and last weeks of the month as

vaccine manufacturers prepare for deployment.

The Philippines is battling one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in Asia, with nearly 1.45 million cases and more than 25,000 deaths as of July 6. Only about 2.9 million individuals or less than 3 percent of its population have been fully vaccinated, risking efforts to reopen an economy that remained in recession in the first quarter.

ministered in the first five days of July compared with 5.46 million doses for the entire month of June, Galvez said.

Border control protocol—which includes a 10-day facility quarantine, a Covid-19 test on the seventh day and four more days of quarantine at the local government level for people arriving in the Philippines—has prevented the delta variant in households and communities, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said in the same briefing.

Sinovac Biotech Ltd. has sought to amend its emergency use authorization to include children from three to 17 years old, Food and Drug Administration head Eric Domingo said.

Galvez also said the government is now targeting to increase the number of fully vaccinated individuals to 5 million to 7 million

Other details:

AROUND 3 million Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses from the US is expected this month, Galvez said. By end-August, the Philippines would have received a total of 47 million doses from various manufacturers, he said.

The vaccination roll out is picking up with 1.26 million shots ad-

this month to boost their protection against Covid-19.

In a related development, the Department of Health (DOH) said that they welcome the statement of OCTA Research that the National Capital Region may be “Delta resilient” in a few months’ time based on the current number of the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine that were administered to the people.

“We welcome the statement of OCTA research however, we would like to remind our kababayan not to be complacent against the threat of the Delta variant,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.

From the start, Vergeire stressed that they have aimed to prevent the entry of the Delta variant into the communities through “stronger border control.”

“The existing quarantine protocols are intended to prevent or delay the entry of the Delta variant or any other variant of concern.

At the same time, we are pushing down our daily cases through the stronger implementation of the PDITR [Prevention, Detection, Isolation, Treatment, and Reintegration] strategies and the minimum public health standards in Local Government Units [LGUs], workplaces, and establishments,” she stressed.

Galvez added they are targeting to administer 5 million to 7 million second Covid-19 vaccine doses before the end of the month to address such gap.

Of the 9.04 million people who got their first Covid-19 dose, only 2.92 million got their second dose, he said. Bloomberg News with Claudeth MoconCiriaco and Samuel P. Medenilla

DENR urges PCG to tighten watch on ships’ discharge of wastewater

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

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HE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is urging the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to strictly implement the monitoring and reporting rules of sewage discharge from marine vessels, especially those docked in Manila Bay as part of the government’s rehabilitation effort of the vast water body.

DENR Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Units Concerns and Manila Bay Anti-Pollution Task Force Head Benny D. Antiporda believes implementing strict rules on sewage discharge of marine vessels will help prevent water pollution in Manila Bay. During a recent meeting with PCG officials, Antiporda along with the DENR-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) also urged the help and support of shipyard associations, and marine vessel owners.

“In six years, a lot has changed already. Marine vessels have already increased in number and our popu-

lation has grown. Maybe it would be better if we talk about the solution, which is coming up with a suited policy on how to control or stop the pollution in Manila Bay,” Antiporda said in a news statement.

The DENR official suggested the need to have a more thorough data monitoring and reporting of sewage from the source, treatment, collection, coordination with agencies, and disposal to sufficiently support the Manila Bay rehabilitation effort.

“We cannot track the vessels if they discharge it within Manila Bay or outside the bay. Maybe we could come up with something that could safeguard the bay from discharges,” Antiporda pointed out.

For his part, PCG National Capital Region-Central Luzon Commodore Leovigildo Panopio said “the PCG takes the task of marine environmental protection seriously.”

He added the agency is currently formulating programs and policies concerning the enforcement of various laws and regulations aimed at the protection of the marine ecology.

He added that there is an ongoing

review of their existing circulars.

PCG Lieutenant Precious Omalsa, for his part, said that there should be no discharge of sewage from the vessels in the Manila Bay region since it will not satisfy the ruling under the PCG Memorandum Circular 10-14.

In the ruling, ships discharging comminuted and disinfected/treated sewage should be at a “distance of more than four nautical miles from the nearest shoreline.”

Meanwhile, ships discharging sewage that is not comminuted or disinfected/treated should be at a “distance of more than 12 nautical miles from the nearest shoreline.”

Omalsa cited vessels that are four nautical miles from Metro Manila but are two or three nautical miles from Bataan, which means discharges are still within the Manila Bay region.

“Cleaning up the bay is not literally getting a pail of water and filtering it. It is more of stopping or minimizing the pollution, for the environment, for nature to heal itself. But sad to say, due to too much pollution, it cannot heal itself anymore,” Antiporda said.

DOTr inaugurates Ilocos cruise port

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

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HE Department of Transportation (DOTr) will inaugurate today, Thursday, the expanded Salomague Port in Ilocos Sur, a critical piece of infrastructure that will help spur trade and tourism in the region.

In a media advisory, the agency said it has completed the construction of the reinforced concrete (RC) platform

back-up area and the RC pier extension of the port.

“Salomague Port is being groomed as one of the cruise ports in the country. The completed development projects in Salomague Port are expected to promote local economic sufficiency as job opportunities, especially in the tourism sector, will be offered once the port becomes fully operational,” the agency said.

The port is located near the tourist areas and beaches of Ilocos Sur and

Ilocos Norte. With the expansion, the transport agency said “cruise calls to the country are expected to increase significantly.”

“Before the pandemic, several regional cruise operators have already included the Ilocos region in their regular rotations,” the DOTr said.

It added that 71 people were employed for the construction phase of the port. Started in November 2019, construction phase was completed in April.

DOH backs LGU power to demand swab tests

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3

A

N official of the Department of Health (DOH) clarified on Wednesday that local government units (LGUs) are empowered to demand the presentation of RT-PCR test result for Covid-19 before travelers are allowed entry in their respective areas of jurisdiction.

“While the IATF has said that vaccination cards may be used in lieu of the testing requirements, as we iron out operational concerns, IATF Resolution 101 remains in effect,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told the BusinessMirror in an interview on the heels of an Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases’ (IATF) order relaxing the restriction for interzonal travel for fully vaccinated persons.

“This [also means] that the LGU can still require testing as a requirement to entry,” the health official explained when asked to react on the statement of Philippine Red Cross Chairman and CEO Sen. Richard Gordon that even a fully vaccinated person is still a “potential carrier” of Covid-19 and that travelers should still undergo an RT-PCR test.

Vergeire agreed with Gordon that fully vaccinated individuals “can still be infected and may still infect others.”

“Precisely why we have always said that we need to practice MPHS [minimum public health standards] even after getting the full dose,” she added.

Vergeire stressed that for interzonal domestic travel, the DOH has always maintained that more than the testing requirement, “what needs to be put in place is a robust symptom and exposure screening protocol/ system complemented by contact tracing.”

“Additionally, we encourage all who received their first dose to get their second dose as soon as possible,” she said.

Vergeire stressed that fully vaccinated individuals are seen to have lower viral loads and less likely to develop symptoms when infected with Covid-19.

“With these factors in place, they are also less likely to infect other people,” she said.

Gordon earlier reiterated that even a fully vaccinated person is still a potential carrier of Covid-19, and there is a high possibility to infect the unvaccinated.

“To beat this virus, we need to test regularly, isolate and treat the affected individuals, and vaccinate, so that people can safely return to work, can now go back to school, and the faster we can open our economy,” Gordon added.

PAL makes 2nd OFW flight to reopened Subic Intl Airport

By Henry Empeño Correspondent

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UBIC BAY FREEPORT— After being diverted to Clark on its first attempt on Monday, the Philippine Airlines (PAL) successfully landed a flight here on Wednesday to bring home the second batch of Filipino migrant workers that it would ferry to Subic from the Middle East this month.

PAL Flight PR5683 from Dammam, Saudi Arabia arrived at the Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA) at 11:02 a.m. and was met by an SBMA fire truck with a water salute, a traditional ritual used to mark the first flight of an airline to an airport.

The Airbus A330 aircraft carried 293 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), as well as four seafarers and two returning overseas

Filipinos (ROFs).

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma, who welcomed the arriving workers along with PAL consultant Charlie Yu and SBIA General Manager Zharrex Santos, said Wednesday’s flight marked the first time that Subic served as an alternate entry point for OFWs wanting to return to the Philippines.

“This is also the first time that a commercial flight arrived here in Subic after a decade of drought, the last one being the Astro Air flight that arrived here in 2011,” Eisma recalled.

Eisma pointed out that Subic had readied its airport for the use of returning OFWs after Sen. Richard J. Gordon urged the government’s Covid-19 task force in May last year to open up Subic, along with Clark and Mactan

airports, to allow more passenger flights for OFWs displaced by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“After one year, here we are,” Eisma said on Wednesday. “And we hope that, aside from being able to help out in the repatriation of OFWs, this would be the start of regular passenger flights here in Subic,” the SBMA chief added.

She also said the 299 passengers will be quarantined for from seven to 10 days in Subic Freeport accommodation facilities that were duly accredited by the Department of Tourism and certified by the Bureau of Quarantine.

Flight PR5683 was the second of six arrivals scheduled by PAL for Subic this month under the government’s program to facilitate the return of overseas Filipinos during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The first PAL flight arrived here on Monday but was unable

to land due to strong tailwinds. It was subsequently diverted to the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in the nearby Clark Freeport.

The first flight also came from Dammam and carried 309 OFWs, two seamen, and one ROF. Eisma said PAL has scheduled the next flight to Subic on July 15, 17, 25, and 27, as the airline distributed its flights to various airports to accommodate the market in line with the policy of the Civil Aeronautics Board to limit all international airports in the country to just 1,500 passengers per day.

The SBMA chief earlier welcomed the OFW arrivals here, saying it would create “a positive impact on local tourism that would also redound to the benefit of workers, business establishments, and service operators in our communities.”

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A6 Thursday, July 8, 2021• www.businessmirror.com.ph

PHL exporters await fresh prefe

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

T

@Tyronepiad

HE merchandise exports of the Philippines to the United States have been chugging along on well-oiled gears in recent years. That is, until a virus from Wuhan, China, formed like a monkey wrench and dented the momentum between the countries.

L ast year, Mani la shipped $10.02 billion worth of exports to Washington, which is 13.4 percent lower than $11.57 billion in 2019 amid the overall muted business activities in the pandemic.

The US is considered a major trading partner for the Philippines as evidenced by statistics.

But trade engagement between the countries has been supported by the US Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program as well.

The GSP deal is a unilateral preferential trade arrangement by the US to 122 beneficiary developing countries (BDCs) and least developed beneficiary countries (LDBCs), including the Philippines. It aims to promote economic growth, development and trade by providing duty-free market access to about 5,000 products into the US. However, the program expired on December 31, 2020—and local exporters are waiting for further developments. The US Congress is currently working to reauthorize the program.

Rate of utilization

TRADE Assistant Secretary Allan B. Gepty, in an interview with the BusinessMirror, emphasized the importance of the country securing a new GSP deal from the US. Gepty told the BusinessMirror that the preferential treatment for Philippine exports has been boding well for the industry, noting that the GSP’s utilization rate was at 74 percent in the last two years. In 2020, the country was the fifth-biggest beneficiary of the US GSP—a program that provides nonreciprocal, duty-free tariff treatment to certain products imported to the US from designated BDCs—after Thailand, Indonesia, Brazil and Cambodia.

“This is [an] important preferential arrangement with the US, taking into account that the US is our third-largest trading partner and second[-largest] export market. In terms of import sourcing, US is the fourth [major] trading partner,” Gepty told the BusinessMirror.

He also pointed out that the US-issued trade perks give local exporters competitive advantage vis-à-vis other economies.

Enjoying advantage

GEPTY also emphasized the relevance of being included in the GSP program.

“It is really important we have this preferential arrangement, although it is unilateral, but just the same our exporters are enjoying comparative advantage with our competitors to the US market because of this US GSP,” Gepty explained.

“We really want to optimize this preferential arrangement. Although, the US GSP now is pending,” the trade official added.

In the event that the US does not renew its GSP deal with the Philippines, Gepty said Philippine exporters will suffer the consequence of additional financial

burden for their exports.

The increased trading costs will impact revenues in a way, he said.

But Gepty also noted that Philippine exporters would find it more challenging to navigate among competitors due to a potential hit on competitiveness.

R ay mond A lber t H. Batac, Philippine Special Trade Representative at Washington, told the BusinessMirror there are no clear timelines yet for Congress to consider re-authorization of the GSP program.

“We wish to note, though, that GSP imports should continue to be flagged as such, because once the program is renewed by Congress, it usually includes a mechanism where all duties paid will be refunded,” Batac explained.

March of time

IF there is one thing Gepty is counting on, it is history.

The trade official said the country’s GSP deal has been renewed periodically.

“If you will have to base that on the historical actions taken by the US, of course, we are hoping that they will continue this GSP preferential arrangement,” he said.

Gepty underscored as well that the statistics have been proving that the trade relation between the Philippines and its former colonizer is not something to be taken for granted.

He believes that the US is still running with the same policy direction, seeing the Philippines as a strategic trading partner.

“We have already an established trade relation with the US. Our exporters have established that relationship; the trust is already there,” Gepty added.

Batac agrees with Gepty’s sentiment. He noted that the Philippines has been a GSP beneficiary since the start of the program.

In addition, he said the Philippines is compliant with all the requirements set by the US, including affording workers’ rights and respecting intellectual property (IP), among others.

“Being a unilateral trade preference program, GSP beneficiaries are not in a position to negotiate the program’s coverage, requirements, renewal, etc., and all beneficiaries are required to comply with a number of statutory criteria determined by the US government,” Batac explained.

Annual growth

PHILIPPINE Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) Chairman George T. Barcelon said he has a “positive” outlook for the country’s export to the US this year.

For one, overall exports grew by 7.6 percent to $17.56 billion (about P871.48 billion at current exchange rates) in the first quarter already. In March alone, export revenues improved by 31.6 percent to $6.68 billion (about P331.52 billion).

The US and Philippines’s trade engagement have been steadily

growing at least in the past decade.

According to Philippine Statistics Author it y (PSA) data, the compounded annual growth (CAGR) of the total trade between both countries is at 2.4 percent.

Broken down, the CAGR for import is 0.6 percent and for export, 3.9 percent.

The top exports under the US GSP include pneumatic tires of rubber, handbags, insulated electronic conductors, travel and sports bags, electrothermal hairdressing apparatus, other cane sugar and non-alcoholic beverages.

The US is among the top export destinations—that include Hong Kong, China, Singapore and Japan—of the local electronics industry. Electronics comprise bulk or 62 percent of Manila’s total exports.

deal with the US, especially if this would ease the flow of trade between the two countries, in view of recent trend of eliminating trade barriers and harmonization of trade rules/standards in recent years amid various free trade agreements,” RCBC Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort added.

Earlier this year, the US Trade Representative (USTR) released its 2021 “National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers.”

The report, which covers 61 countr ies, highlights foreig n trade barriers to US exports, US foreign direct investment and US

electronic commerce.

“US law requires USTR to submit this report to the President and Congress, as an inventory of the most important foreign barriers faced by US exports and investment,” Batac explained.

“The report is generated to enhance domestic awareness of these trade restrictions and to facilitate negotiations aimed at reducing those barriers.”

“We can continue to improve on

Investment barriers

IN securing another GSP deal, Barcelon said it would help if the Philippines addresses the trade barriers with the US. He cited geopolitical issues as one of these barriers.

The Philexport official recalled that the Philippines was under fire earlier because of concerns over the extra-judicial killings amid the government’s stance to apply violent solutions against players in the illegal-drugs trade and use.

“Addressing the trade barriers would be a step in the right direction towards another GSP

these aspects by building on our institutional resilience to clean up and limit the red tape associated with doing business in the country,” ING Bank Manila Economist Nicholas Antonio T. Mapa added.

National interest

WA SHI NGTON, t h rou g h t he USTR report, expressed worries over the Philippines’s government procurement process amid the perceived bias for Filipinocontrolled enterprises.

“Republic Act [RA] 9184 or the

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Editor: Dennis D. Estopace • Thursday, July 8, 2021

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erential perks in trade with US the IP office teamed up with the Asia Video Industry Association to curb piracy in the creative sector as well.

Trends, modus

THE USTR cited the “weak provisions in patent law” affecting the issuance of patents on certain chemical forms and the “ineffective” enforcement of IP due to lack of capacity, among others.

The IPOPHL said the concerns on said patent law were raised when the Cheaper Medicines Act (RA 9502) was enacted in 2008.

The agency said, though, that it has addressed this by amending the Examination Guidelines relating to “pharmaceutical invention involving known substances” to provide administrative interpretation of RA 9502 (The Universally Accessible Cheaper Medicines Act).

Since the removal of the Philippines from the USTR Special 301 Watch List in 2014, IPOPHL said the issue on patent law for issuance of certain chemical forms has not been raised until the 2021 report on trade barriers.

“However, we believe that this is an issue that has been settled already,” the IEO emphasized.

Meanwhile, the IPOPHL said the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights (NCIPR) hauling infringing products worth billions from seizure operations proves that the country’s IP enforcement is effective.

“In terms of capacity building, the members of the NCIPR reg u larly under ta ke capacit y building activities with international experts to update their skills in investigation and case build up including learning new trends and modus operandi of infringers,” the IEO added.

BM GRAPHICS: JOB RUZGAL

Issues of trade

Government Procurement Reform Act specifies minimum Filipino ownership requirements for suppliers and contractors of goods and consulting services (60 percent) and infrastructure projects (75 percent),” the USTR said in its report. “Domestic goods are also given preferential treatment over imported products in the bid evaluation process.”

Gepty explained, however, that the Philippines has always been transparent regarding its rules and regulations on government procurement.

“At least, we are an observer in the WTO [World Trade Organization] for government procurement,” he told the BusinessMirror. “We are trying to see what are the rules, what are the disciplines that we can adopt and see if the same would fit our national interest and national policies.”

Clearance permits

THE USTR also flagged the Philippines’ sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance (SPS-IC) permits

for agriculture imports as the US president’s trade advisory body sees these “hampering” trade between the two countries.

The US has raised concerns about the SPS-IC permit requirement before the W TO during the Import Licensing Committee meeting as well as the Committee on Agriculture meeting last year.

Washington, in a WTO document dated April 7, also asked the Philippines to explain the rationale behind the SPS-IC system and to detail the underlying laws, regulations and guidelines supporting said requirement.

“This [SPS-IC permit] requirement adds costs, complicates the timing of exports, and prevents the rerouting to the Philippines of products intended for other markets but not sold there for commercial reasons,” the USTR said.

“It also prevents an exporter from reselling an imported product if the importer refuses to accept delivery or abandons the shipment.”

However, Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez told the BusinessMirror that requiring SPS-IC permits for agriculture imports is a necessary measure despite the US tagging it a “trade barrier.”

Lopez said such permits “are needed non-tariff measures to ensure food safety and protect local industry from entry of plant and animal diseases.”

“It [SPSIC permit] should be applied to the extent that it is

necessar y to protect human, animal and plant life and should not be used arbitrarily,” he said, noting that standards should be subject to science.

“It [SPSIC permit] is not necessarily a trade barrier unless the measures are used unjustifiably,” the head of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) explained to the BusinessMirror.

In an earlier interview, the trade chief also supported the removal of non-tariff barriers for imports and replacing them with an appropriate tariff instead.

Responded, addressed

IN the same USTR report, Washington also expressed alarm over the current IP environment of the country. Despite this, the Philippines has been excluded from the Special 301 Watchlist—a rogue’s list of IP violators—for eight years and cleared of unlicensed software use allegations on the part of the government.

The IP Rights Enforcement Office (IEO) of IPOPHL, for its part, said that the IP concerns raised in the USTR’s 2021 report are not new and that the Philippines has already addressed these.

“We disagree with the evaluation. These are not new issues that have been raised against the Philippines and this is despite the fact that the Philippines has already previously responded to, and addressed, the issues,” the

IEO told the BusinessMirror.

For example, US right-holders have concerns with the surging online piracy and counterfeit drugs and apparel, even citing the inclusion of the Greenhills Shopping Center in the City of San Juan in the “Notorious Markets” List.

IP matters

RECOGNIZING that online piracy is a global concern, the IPOPHL noted it has been coming up with programs with a whole-of-government approach to resolve the matter at hand.

“Through the initiative of the IPOPHL, Congress is now discussing the proposed amendment to the IP Code [Republic Act 8293], which will give impetus to enforcement power of IPOPHL to address online piracy, among others,” the IEO said. “Parallel to this is the Internet Transactions bill, pending also in Congress, which will address issues on eCommerce including the proliferation of counterfeit and pirated goods online.”

The IPOPHL said it also revised the Rules on Administrative Enforcement that governs the jurisdiction and process of the IEO. Earlier this year, the IPOPHL and the National Telecommunications Commission announced their partnership with several internet ser v ice prov iders to streamline mechanisms in blocking pirated websites. This, after

BATAC gave assurances that the said concerns over trade barriers between the countries are being tackled through the bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (TIFA) mechanism. This communication, which is part of the countries’ long-standing economic relations, aims to resolve issues such as those mentioned in the report, he said.

“The Philippines also uses the TIFA mechanism when we wish to bring up any concerns with bilateral trade issues with the US,” the trade representative from Washington told the BusinessMirror.

Gepty, meanwhile, said the TIFA mechanism is in place as there is no free trade agreement (FTA) yet between the Philippines and the US. Under the US-Philippines TIFA, either party may request for consultations on any matter relating to bilateral trade and investment relations, both potential opportunities and even problems.

“Requests for consultations shall be accompanied by a written explanation of the subject to be discussed, and consultations shall be held within 30 days of the request, unless the requesting party agrees to a later date,” the accord noted. “Consultations will take place initially in the country whose measure or practice is the subject of discussion.”

The consultative mechanism also pushes for dispute resolution at the working level, but Manila and Washington may request for a review at a higher level.

Cooperation, parnership

WHILE the Philippines enjoys the preferential treatment on trading, it is looking for something more permanent to boost the economic cooperation with the US in a form of FTA.

“[We] hope to strengthen our relationship beyond the GSP and graduate towards an FTA that would provide a long-term rulesbased, and predictable trade environment for our two nations,” Lopez said in a recent event.

A n F TA wou ld a l low bot h countries to have wider market access and streng t hened partnership for foreign direct investments that can generate more job opportunities.

“We’re still on the same policy direction. We still want to pursue a bilateral FTA with the US for so many reasons,” Gepty said. “For purposes of stability, better to have an FTA.” For one, Gepty reiterated the established trade relations between Manila and Washington. He also underscored that the US is both a “valuable” and “strategic” partner of the Philippines.

A good bet

ON the other hand, Gepty said the Philippines is also a good bet because of the passage of many legislative reforms and pursuit of further FTAs, including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

This signals, said the DTI official, that the country is an open market for trade and investment.

The RCEP was signed in November last year by 10 Asean member-states and five Asean FTA partners: Australia, China, Japan, Korea and New Zealand.

India did not sign, however, due to unresolved trade concerns but the FTA is still open for its accession.

One of the world’s biggest economic deals, RCEP covers roughly a third of the global gross domestic product and international trade.

Currently, the Philippines is working on its accession to another mega trade deal: the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. This is an FTA among Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, New Zealand, Singapore and Vietnam signed on March 8, 2018 in Santiago, Chile.

The DTI is also finalizing FTA negotiations with South Korea.

Previously, Trade Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo said they were aiming to finalize the trade deal before the elections next year.

Launching FTA

THE bilateral trade agreement between Manila and Washington, however, remains up in the air as the latter recently transitioned to a new administration.

Jose Manuel G. Romualdez, Philippine Ambassador to the US, said in April they are still awaiting the go-ahead from the US Department of Commerce on how both parties would proceed with the trade deal discussions.

“If you are talking about the bilateral trade agreement that we were talking about last year, it hasn’t been moved since there is a new administration now,” he added.

Batac, meanwhile, noted that the Biden administration indicated early on that it would focus on addressing domestic issues first amid the economic slump that prompted the pandemic.

“There were pronouncements that no major trade initiatives will be taken in its first year, including the launching of any new FTA negotiations with any country,” he added.

The Philippines has yet to see major developments on the matter. Hopefully, rust wouldn’t cover all the gears of trade between the US and its long-term ally in Southeast Asia.

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The World BusinessMirror

Thursday, July 8, 2021

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

Sydney extends lockdown as Delta outbreak spreads

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two-week lockdown of Sydney will be extended for at least another seven days as authorities race to stamp out an outbreak of the Delta variant that’s grown to more than 350 cases since mid-June and has spread to an agedcare facility.

Current stay-at-home orders— except for exercise, essential shopping and medical care—will remain in place in Greater Sydney until midnight on July 16, New South Wales state Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters Wednesday. The lockdown was originally scheduled to end on Friday.

“This Delta strain is a game changer,” Berejiklian said when announcing the extension. “What we want to do is give us our best chance of making sure this is the only lockdown we have until the vast majority of our citizens are vaccinated. We know the vaccine is the key to our freedom.”

Sydney recorded 27 new cases in the community from the day before, with 13 of those in isolation during their infectious period. The infections include one resident and one staff member of an aged-care facility; Berejiklian said her government is

consider ing whet her to ta ke “ f u r t her act ions” to rest r ict movements in areas of Sydney where the city’s new cases are most concentrated.

T he lingering lockdow n of some 6 million Australians during school holidays is a blow to the domestic tourism industry and yet again shows the limitations of the government’s strategy of trying to eliminate community transmission of the virus.

While economies such as the U.K. and US are preparing to open up, Australia’s international borders remain largely closed to non-residents and comparatively small clusters of the coronavirus make even domestic travel difficult as states and territories pull up the drawbridge.

T he Austra l ian For mu la 1 Grand Prix that was scheduled to take place in Melbourne in late November has been can-

celed “ due to restrictions and logistical challenges” relating to t he pa ndem ic, orga ni zers said in a statement Tuesday.

A sluggish vaccine rollout is being blamed for the ongoing disruption. The nation has administered 8.4 million doses, only enough to fully cover an estimated 16.5 percent of the population, according to Bloomberg’s Covid-19 Vaccine Tracker. That compares with the US at 51.7 percent and the U.K. at 59.4 percent.

The program has been hampered by confused messaging over the health risks of the AstraZeneca Plc. shot and supplychain hold-ups from contracted drug-makers. The government has a nnou nced a fou r- phase plan to move from its current “Covid-zero” strateg y to fully re-opening borders and living with the virus, but has provided no timeline.

T hat’s putting Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who faces elections next year, under pressure. Morrison’s personal ap prov a l r at i ng h a s s l ip p e d from 57 percent to 51 percent, a Guardian Essential poll published Tuesday showed. A Newspoll published last week showed his conser vative coalition had slipped 2 percentage points to trail the main opposition Labor party, 49 percent to 51 percent.

Key developments:

Indonesia’s oxygen shortfall

Indonesia reported another deadliest day in the coronavirus pandemic as hospitals become overwhelmed and local oxygen supply struggles to keep up with surging demand.

There were 31,189 confirmed cases in the 24 hours through midday Tuesday, with 728 people dying from the disease known as Covid-19. Southeast Asia’s virus hot spot has breached fresh records in infections and fatalities for three straight days.

S. Korea’s most daily cases in 7 months

South Korea reported 1,212 new Covid-19 cases, the highest daily tally in almost seven months, as eased social distancing measures led to outbreaks at entertainment venues and shopping malls in the capital Seoul.

T he latest surge comes as Korea stepped up vaccinations, helping moderate severe cases and deaths, health authorities said. About 30 percent of the population have received at least one dose while about 11 percent have been fully vaccinated.

Separately, Prime Minister K im Boo-kyum said Korea will maintain its current social distancing measures for another week but may raise the level if the latest surge isn’t contained in the next two or three days.

Seoul earlier this week rescinded easing certain restrictions such as wearing masks outdoors and banned outdoor drinking past 10 p.m.

Singapore not counting Sinovac users

Singapore isn’t counting people who took the Sinovac-CoronaVac vaccine in its national count, according to the Ministry of Health.

Only people who have taken Moderna Inc. and Pfizer Inc. shots are reflected in the overall vaccination numbers, a spokesman for the ministry said. Sinovac takers are included in a national immuniza-

tion registry that clinics can see in order to avoid giving multiple vaccines to the same individual, the spokesman said.

Nearly 2.2 million people have officially completed their vaccination regimen, and 3.6 million have received at least one dose of Moderna or Pfizer shots, according to the ministry’s website. About 17,000 have received Sinovac shots, the spokesman said.

Low-dose mRNA vaccine spurs immune memory

A small clinical trial studying the immune response to a quarter-dose of Moderna Inc.’s Covid vaccine found a two-shot reg i men generated so - c a l led memory T cells that were comparable in quantity and quality to those produced after a natural Covid-19 infection.

T he finding, released in a study Tuesday ahead of peer-review and publication, points to a potential dose-sparing approach to mRNA vaccines, researchers at the La Jolla Center for Immunology in La Jolla, California, said.

Still, more research is needed to determine whether vaccination with a low-dose mRNA shot provides the same level of protection against Covid-19 as the standard inoculation, said Daniela Weiskopf, an assistant professor of immunology, in an interview.

Fresh call to ban Tokyo Olympics fans

Shigeru Omi, the head of the Japanese government’s coronavirus advisory panel, said it was desirable to hold the Olympic games without spectators, making a fresh call to ban fans, Kyodo reports.

He also said it was important the attendance of Olympic officials, such as IOC members, should be downsized to the minimum possible.

N.Z. provisionally approves Janssen shot

New Zealand’s med ic i nes reg u lator has g ranted prov isional approval of the Janssen Covid-19 vaccine for individuals 18 years of age and older.

“As a single dose vaccine, it may be useful in hard to reach locations or emergencies, or for those who cannot get the Pfizer vaccine,” Covid Response Minister Chris Hipkins said.

Myanmar records daily spike

Myanmar reported 3,602 new infections Tuesday, the largest single-day increase in cases since it first detected the coronavirus in March 2020, according to the country’s health ministry.

Japanese emperor receives vaccine shot

Japanese Emperor Naruhito received his first dose of Covid-19 vaccine Tuesday at the Akasaka Imperial Residence in Tokyo, public broadcaster NHK reports, citing the Imperial Household Agency.

Me a nw h i l e , t he Ja p a ne s e gover nment is consider i ng tighter alcohol restrictions in Tokyo and its three surrounding prefectures as it struggles to contain Covid outbreak in the capital area, Nikkei reports, without citing anyone.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and relevant cabinet ministers reached agreement Tuesday that stricter restrictions on alcohol are needed if the government were to extend its controlling measures in the area. Bloomberg News

Inflation seen rising in China, other big Asian nations in 2022

R

enewed virus restrictions across Asia have weakened consumer spending, but inflation may keep ticking higher in some of the region’s biggest economies.

China’s consumer prices will climb an estimated 80 basis points next year, the most in Asia, followed by Indonesia seen observing an increase of three quarters of percentage point, according to economists surveyed by Bloomberg. Analysts see the biggest price falls in the Philippines, where inflation is seen easing 1.2 percentage points.

Diverging inflation paths will determine the different paces at which Asia’s monetary authorities start to wind down pandemic-era stimulus. In South Korea, where a gauge of consumer prices ran at 2.4 percent last month, the central bank is expected to start raising interest rates this year.

The Reserve Bank of Australia is seen hiking in 2023.

Surg ing costs of impor ted commodities have driven China’s factor y inf lation to t he highest level since 2008, while se l l i ng pr ices to con s u me r s are holding fairly steady. The trend is likely to reverse next year, with consumer inf lation is expected to tick up to 2.3

percent from 1.5 percent this year, while producer prices slow to 1.9 percent.

Consumer spending in China will gain a firmer footing later this year and into 2022, helping to narrow the gap between supply and demand, said Jinyue Dong, senior economist with BBVA. Average inflation in the Philippines is expected to settle at 4.2 percent this year and ease to 3 percent next year. The recent higher inf lation is partly the result of statistical base effects that will start to fade out from November, according to economist Michael Ricafort at Rizal Commercial Banking Corp.

While inflation in most of Asia is likely to stay below 4 percent next year, India and Sri Lanka are seen as different. Price gains in those countries are expected to top 4.7 percent, out-pacing regional peers for a second year.

India is experiencing something similar to China’s costpush inf lation, where higher input prices are the main factor pushing up the cost of goods and services. Concerns about Indian inf lation have triggered a recent selloff in shorter-maturity rupee bonds, a trend that may accelerate if prices continue to increase. Bloomberg News

Biden seen elevating ransomware threat to national security priority

P

resident Joe Biden will take on the rapidly growing threat of ransomware against companies and localities by convening key officials to discuss administration strategy in the wake of a high-profile attack by hackers.

Biden w i l l meet w it h va r ious agenc y leaders behind c lo s e d do or s on We d ne s d ay t o d i s c u s s r a n s o mw a re a nd ways to combat it, t he W h ite House sa id in a st atement on Tuesd ay night t hat ca l led t he r isk a “nat iona l sec u r it y a nd econom ic sec u r it y pr ior it y for t he ad m inist rat ion.”

T he d i s c u s s io n s w i l l f o l low a s i m i l a r me e t i n g he ld on Tue s d ay b y A n ne Ne u b e r ge r, t he d e put y n at ion a l s e c u r it y a d v i s e r for c y b e r a nd e me r g i n g t e c h nol o g ie s , d i s c u s s e d v u lnerabi l it ies a nd strate g ie s w it h t he U S C on fe re nc e of M ay or s Confronting ransomware is gaining new urgency for the administration following an audacious attack over the US holiday weekend that affected more than 1,000 businesses with victims in at least 17 countries, according to cybersecurity researchers. A Russia-linked ransomware gang known as REvil is believed to be behind the attack, which exploited multiple previously unknown vulnerabilities in IT management software made by Kaseya Ltd. Cities and towns and local institutions, including hospitals,

have fallen victim to attacks.

Neuberger, in the virtual meeting, told the mayors that a recent pilot program to bolster the defenses of electric utilities would “soon be followed by similar initiatives to strengthen the cyber resilience of other critical sectors like pipelines, water, and chemicals,” the White House said. The statement did not elaborate.

She pledged that local and state and governments would “ have the full resources of the federal government when responding to a cyber incident, including the assistance of cybersecurity professionals from the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency,” the W hite House added.

Neuberger said the administration’s strateg y included international efforts to hold nations where ransomware crews operate responsible.

Even so, the assaults have continued even after the issue was discussed at Biden’s summit in Geneva last month with R u s s i a n P re s id e nt V l a d i m i r Putin. At that session, Biden said he gave Putin a list of 16 critical sectors that shouldn’t be hacked lest the A mer ican government respond w ith its own cyber forces.

Hou s e R e pu bl ic a n L e a d e r Kevin McCarthy, appearing on Fox News Tuesday night, criticized Biden’s response to the attacks, and to Putin.

Bloomberg News

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A9

Haiti President Jovenel Moïse assassinated at home: Official

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ORT-AU-PRINCE, Hatii— Haitian President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated after a group of unidentified people attacked his private residence, the country’s interim prime minister said in a statement Wednesday.

First Lady Martine Moïse is hospitalized following the attack late Tuesday, interim Premier Claude Joseph said.

Joseph condemned what he called a “hateful, inhumane and barbaric act,” adding that Haiti’s National Police and other authorities had the situation in the Caribbean country under control.

The nation of more than 11 million people had grown increasingly unstable and disgruntled under Moïse’s rule. Its economic, political and social woes have deepened, with gang violence spiking heavily in the capital of Port-au-Prince, inflation spiraling and food and fuel becoming scarcer at times in a country where 60% of the population makes less than $2 a day.

These troubles come as Haiti still tries to recover from the devastating 2010 earthquake and Hurricane Matthew that struck in 2016.

Moïse, 53, had been ruling by decree for more than two years after the country failed to hold elections, which led to Parliament being dissolved. Opposition leaders have accused him of seeking to increase his power, including approving a decree that limited the powers of a court that audits government contracts and another that created an intelligence agency that answers only to the president.

In recent months, opposition leaders demanded the he step down, arguing that his term legally ended in February 2021. Moïse and supporters maintained that his term began when he took office in early 2017, following a chaotic election that forced the appointment of a provisional president to serve during a year-long gap.

Haiti was scheduled to hold general elections later this year. AP

Amid tension with China, Australia says national interests come first

C

A NBER R A , Austra l ia— A u s t r a l i a w i l l a lw ay s keep its nat iona l inter ests a head of econom ic inter ests in its t roubled rel at ionsh ip w it h C h ina, a senior Australian law maker said Wednesd ay a f ter a W h ite House of f ic i a l pred icted long-ter m Sino Aust ra l i a n tensions.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, deputy leader of Australia’s ruling conservative Liberal Party, said China remained a “very important economic partner” despite bilateral disputes that had disrupted tens of billions of dollars in trade in Australian commodities including coal, wine, beef, barley, wood and lobsters.

“We will not put economic interests first,” Frydenberg told reporters.

“We will put the broader national interest first and that means standing up with a very clear and consistent sense of where our national interest is and that is what we have done,” he added.

Frydenberg spoke after White House Coordinator for the IndoPacific Kurt Campbell said there was “harshness” in China’s approach to Australia that “appears unyielding.”

“I wou ld have t hought we were basically settling in for the long-haul in terms of tensions between China and Australia,” Campbell told an Asia Society webinar late Tuesday.

A clash over vaccine diplomacy this week was the latest rift in bilateral relations, which plummeted last year when Australia called for an independent investigation into the origins of and responses to Covid-19.

A u s t r a l i a on Tue s d ay d e nied Chinese government and

state-media allegations that it was interfering in the rollout of Chinese vaccines in Papua New Guinea.

W h i le a n i nc rea si ng ly a s sertive China’s relations have soured with several countries, Australia has been singled out for special treatment through a ban on government ministerto-minister contacts.

Campbell said China appeared to have attempted to “cut Australia out of the herd and to try to see if they can effect Australia to completely change how it both sees itself and sees the world.”

“The United States...have tried to make clear that we’re not going to leave Australia on the field.

That’s just not going to happen,” Campbell said.

Fr ydenberg sa id Au st ra l i a was “ definitely liv ing w ith a different China than we’ve seen in years prior.”

He said Australia had protected its national interests by barring Chinese communication giant Huawei from involvement in the nation’s 5G networks, outlawing covert foreign interference in domestic politics and canceling deals struck by an Australian state government under Beijing’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative.

Fr ydenberg had also persona l ly bloc ked C h inese investment applications in Austra lia on nat iona l interest g rou nd s.

“I’ve increasingly seen foreign investment applications that have been pursued not necessarily for commercial objectives but for strategic objectives and, as you know, I’ve said ‘no’ to applications that in the past may have been approved,” Frydenberg said. AP

A10 Thursday, July 8, 2021 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

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editorial

PHL needs a resilient, flexible education system

A

S the country celebrates the National Disaster Resilience Month in July, Sen. Win Gatchalian highlighted the need to strengthen the basic education sector’s capacity to deliver education in emergency situations, such as the Covid-19 pandemic. The senator said the health crisis has adversely affected more than 26.5 million learners in the basic education sector who were forced to shift to remote learning following the shutdown of schools in March 2020.

To establish a more resilient and flexible education system, especially in the event of prolonged school closures, Gatchalian filed Senate Bill 1579, which has a kilometric title: “An Act strengthening the involvement of local communities and local government units in basic education governance by empowering them as partners in educating the learners, engaging their participation in the delivery of basic education services and assessment of the effectivity and effectiveness thereof, and integrating their interventions to achieve the shared goal of quality inclusive education.”

We are all familiar with the ancient African proverb that says, “It takes a village to raise a child.” In the same manner, Gatchalian believes that it also takes a village to educate a child. That’s because all the people interacting with our children in the community—relatives, neighbors, teachers, elders and church leaders, to name a few—can influence the growth and development of our children.

The chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture explained: “This legislation embodies my vision of a village raising every child—as it strengthens the involvement of every member of the local community in basic education governance by empowering its members to participate in the journey of a child’s education. I am envisioning the 21st Century School Board to be the distinctive hallmark of Philippine basic education to disrupt the ways we educate our children by mandating education to be a shared responsibility and accountability.”

Senate Bill 1579, or the 21st Century School Boards Act, seeks to increase the functions of the local school board to include the introduction of timely, organized, and localized interventions for continued learning delivery in times of calamities and emergencies. The measure also seeks to expand the use of the Special Education Fund to include, among others, the formulation and implementation of locally oriented non-formal and distance education classes and training programs.

Gatchalian sees a need to promote the use of a hybrid learning system that utilizes alternative learning modalities such as homeschooling, online learning, radio and television-based instruction, and printed modules.

The proposed measure also mandates that during health-related emergencies, safe school reopening plans should identify basic interventions such as cleaning and disinfection of schools, the provision of public health supplies, preventive public health programs, teacher training on disease prevention and management, among others.

The World Health Organization’s warning that the current global health crisis will not be the last pandemic to confront mankind should keep us on our toes. WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said all countries must invest in preparedness capacities to prevent, detect and mitigate emergencies of all kinds because “history tells us that this will not be the last pandemic, and epidemics are a fact of life.”

Gatchalian’s bill will help establish a resilient and flexible Philippine education system. We hope that members of the House of Representatives will get behind this proposal and come out with a counterpart bill. This will greatly benefit the young learners and ensure a better future for the whole country.

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Covid payback time John Mangun

OUTSIDE THE BOX

W

E may be at the beginning of the end. “Singapore could become one of the first countries to stop recording daily Covid case numbers in a bid to get life back to normal by treating the virus “like the flu.” “Boris Johnson says England on track to lift Covid restrictions and rules on mask-wearing.” “Fully vaccinated Canadians returning to the country from abroad no longer have to quarantine for two weeks.” “Taiwan eyes easing restrictions as Covid-19 cases decrease.”

On the other hand: “Super-viral Lambda variant detected in over 30 countries.” “Indonesia copes with oxygen shortages as Covid cases quadruple.” “Russia reports record 737 Covid-19 deaths.”

All of the above headlines are from the last 72 hours. We may be at the middle of the beginning at least from a health standpoint. However, from a financial standpoint, we have entered Covid Wave Two. As a planet and as individuals, sometime around March 15, 2020 our lives were thrown into chaos.

Businesses closed, jobs ended, and billions of people (think about that number) were forced to struggle to

just survive from day to day. And by “struggle” I mean beg, borrow, and steal as necessary.

What we think of as basic human rights disappeared in the ensuing weeks and months. “Freedom of Speech and the Press”? Social media proved to be as fascist as anything out of the 1940s and as “communist” as anything from the depths of Mao’s “Cultural Revolution” except without the estimated 20 million dead at the hands of “peaceful protesters” and the military.

The Press/Media are all in favor of “freedom,” but that is about their own and not yours. Ordinary as well as prominent citizens were censored

How the health aspects of the Covid play out in the next weeks and months is obviously uncertain. But there is no doubt that Wave Two of the financial stress is just beginning. and then vilified for suggesting that maybe the global fortress of truth and transparency—the People’s Republic of China—was not being completely honest about Covid. Likewise, the World Health Organization, apparently appointed by heaven itself as the protector of global health, was kept off-limits as possible from criticism.

But the Covid Financial Wave Two starts now. “As payback time approaches for more than 75 billion pounds [$104 billion] of emergency state-backed loans, Britain’s banks must tread a delicate path. With the first Covid loan repayments now falling due, Britain’s four biggest banks have hired more than 750 debt collection experts and being trained how to handle customers sensitively.”

British banks must protect their own balance sheets—and the government’s—on these loans. Yet, losses on the most popular bounce back loan scheme that enabled small businesses to borrow up to 50,000 pounds could be up to 60 percent.

So far, all is good with a single-digit percentage failure rate. So far because those were loans given at 2.5 percent interest rate. Nearly 17,000 businesses were charged at doubledigit interest rates.

In the US, “Millions of Americans are in a ‘race against the clock’ to receive rental assistance before the end of the month, when a federal eviction moratorium designed to help people cope during the coronavirus pandemic expires.” In mid-May, 7.5 million US adults said they were not current on rent or mortgage payments and had “slight or no confidence” they could make next month’s payment, according to the Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey.

The eviction moratorium kept many families housed. There were 1.6 million fewer eviction cases last year than would be in a typical year, according to the Eviction Lab. However, after the moratorium ends, they will need access to $47 billion in rental assistance.

How the health aspects of the Covid play out in the next weeks and months is obviously uncertain. But there is no doubt that Wave Two of the financial stress is just beginning.

E-mail me at mangun@gmail.com. Follow me on Twitter @mangunonmarkets. PSE stock-market information and technical analysis provided by AAA Southeast Equities Inc.

Why some schools in Canada have unmarked graves

By Rob Gillies | Associated Press

T

ORONTO—Leaders of Indigenous groups in Canada say investigators have found more than 600 unmarked graves at the site of a former residential school for Indigenous children, which follows the discovery of 215 bodies at another school in May.

The new discovery was at the Marieval Indian Residential School, which operated from 1899 to 1997 where the Cowessess First Nation is now located, about 85 miles (135 kilometers) east of Regina, the capital of the province of Saskatchewan.

Ground-penetrating radar registered 751 ‘’hits,” indicating at least 600 bodies were buried, said Chief Cadmus Delorme of the Cowessess.

Some and perhaps most are from over a century ago. The gravesite is believed to hold the bodies of children and adults, and even people from outside the community who attended church there.

Perry Bellegarde, chief of the Assembly of First Nations, said it is not unusual to find such graves at former residential schools but is always a devastating discovery that reopens old wounds about the forced assimilation of native children at those often-abusive institutions.

Many non-Indigenous Canadians were not aware of the extent of the

problems at the schools until the remains of 215 children were found in May at what was once the country’s largest such school in British Columbia.

What are residential schools?

From the 19th century until the 1970s, more than 150,000 Indigenous children were forced to attend state-funded Christian boarding schools in an effort to assimilate them into Canadian society. Thousands of children died there of disease and other causes, with many never returned to their families.

Nearly three-quarters of the 130 residential schools were run by Roman Catholic missionary congregations, with others operated by the Presbyterian, Anglican and the United Church of Canada, which today is the largest Protestant denomination in the country.

The Canadian government has admitted its role in a century of isolating native children from their

Trudeau said he has spoken to Pope Francis personally “to impress upon him how important it is not just that he makes an apology but that he makes an apology to indigenous Canadians on Canadian soil.”

homes, families and cultures, and that physical and sexual abuse was rampant in the schools, where students were beaten for speaking their native language. That legacy of abuse and isolation has been cited by native leaders as a cause of alcoholism and drug addiction widely seen on reservations today.

Indigenous leaders have called it a form of cultural genocide.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently called it “an incredibly harmful government policy that was Canada’s reality for many, many decades and Canadians today are horrified and ashamed of how our country behaved.”

He said the policy “forced assimilation” on the children.

What’s behind the discovery of the remains?

A National Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which was set

up as part of a government apology and settlement, issued a report in 2015 that identified about 3,200 confirmed deaths at schools. While some died of diseases like tuberculosis amid the often-deplorable conditions, it noted that a cause of death for about half of them often was not recorded.

The government wanted to keep costs down at the schools, so adequate regulations were never established, the reconciliation commission said.

It said the practice at the schools was to not send the bodies home to their communities. Delorme said the graves at the Saskatchewan school were marked at one time, but that the Catholic operators of the facility had removed them.

What apologies have been made?

Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper apologized in Parliament in 2008 for the government’s role.

Among the Christian denominations, the Presbyterian, Anglican and United churches also apologized for their roles in the abuse.

A papal apology was one of 94 recommendations from the reconciliation commission, but the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops said See “Schools” A11

Opinion BusinessMirror

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Thursday, July 8, 2021 A11

Why China is investigating Huawei takes patents brawl with Verizon to a Texas jury Huawei has been seeking more tech firms like Didi than $1 billion from Verizon,

By zen soo | AP Technology Writer

H

ONG KONG—Chinese regulators have clamped down on the country’s largest ride-hailing app, Didi Global Inc., days after its shares began trading in New York. Authorities told Didi to stop new registrations and ordered its app removed from China’s app stores pending a cybersecurity review. The government said it was acting to prevent security risks and protect the public interest. Didi is the latest company to face intensified scrutiny in a crackdown on some of China’s biggest technology giants.

What is Didi?

China’s Didi Global Inc. is one of the world’s largest ride-hailing apps.

Three-quarters of its 493 million annual active users are in China.

Beijing-based Didi operates in 14 other countries including Brazil and Mexico.

Years ago, Didi and Uber competed in China. In 2016, after a two-year price war, Didi bought Uber’s China operations.

Didi raised $4.4 billion in a June 30 initial public offering in New York.

The company has a market capitalization of about $74.5 billion.

Why Didi is in trouble

China’s cyberspace watchdog said it suspects Didi was involved in illegal collection and use of personal data.

It did not cite any specific violations.

The state-owned newspaper Global Times said in an editorial Monday that Didi has the “most detailed personal travel information” of users among all large technology firms. It said the company could conduct big data analysis of users’ habits and behavior, posing a potential risk for individuals.

The wider context

It’s unclear if there are other reasons the Chinese government might be focusing on Didi. Officials have expressed growing concern about use of user data by large technology companies.

China’s Cyberspace Administration announced Monday that it was also launching cybersecurity reviews of truck logistics platforms Huochebang and Yunmanman, and online recruitment platform Boss Zhipin. Registrations of new users were halted pending those reviews.

Full Truck Alliance, which operates the Huochebang and Yunmanman platforms, and Kanzhun Ltd., which runs Boss Zhipin, also recently listed shares in the US. A sweeping Data Security Law enacted in June requires companies and individuals to get approval from relevant authorities to transfer any data stored in China to overseas entities, such as law enforcement agencies.

The law takes effect on September 1.

Violators can be fined between 2 million to 10 million yuan (about $310,000-$1.5 million) and could have their business suspended.

What’s really going on?

China’s Communist Party leaders are uneasy with the growing influence of big technology firms. Key is-

China’s Communist Party leaders are uneasy with the growing influence of big technology firms.

Key issues are monopolistic practices and handling of user data. sues are monopolistic practices and handling of user data.

Until recently, tech firms operated in a regulatory gray zone, with relative freedom to create their business models, demand merchants and vendors sign exclusive contracts with their platforms and collect user data to better understand their customers.

After China introduced health monitoring and quarantine apps during the pandemic, it became clear that tech companies like ecommerce giant Alibaba and gaming company Tencent controlled huge amounts of data, said Shaun Rein, founder and managing director of China Market Research Group in Shanghai.

“I think it was in the last year and a half that you can start to see just how much power these technology companies have,” said Rein.

Alibaba Group Holding recently was fined a record $2.8 billion over antitrust violations. Other big tech companies have been fined or investigated for alleged anti-competitive behavior and lapses in financial disclosure.

“Two years ago Chinese consumers didn’t care, they thought the convenience of apps outweighed any negative benefits,” Rein said.

“But now Chinese people are quite concerned about data privacy, because Alibaba and Tencent have so much data—even more data than the government.”

Rein believes stricter oversight of the technology industry will make it more sustainable, with fairer competition that will benefit consumers.

What’s the impact on Didi?

Didi said in a statement that having its app removed “may have an adverse impact on its revenue in China.”

It promised to fix any problems, “protect users’ privacy and data security, and continue to provide secure and convenient services to its users.”

The app can no longer be downloaded in China, although those who already downloaded and installed the app can still use it, Didi said.

Didi’s stock price sank 5.3 percent on Friday after the cybersecurity review was announced.

Schools. . .

made two years ago.

in 2018 that the pope could not personally apologize for the residential schools.

Former Pope Benedict XVI met with some former students and victims in 2009 and told them of his “personal anguish” over their suffering.

After the discovery in May, Pope Francis expressed his pain and pressed religious and political authorities to shed light on “this sad affair,” but didn’t offer an apology.

Trudeau said he has spoken to Francis personally “to impress upon him how important it is not just that he makes an apology but that he makes an apology to indigenous Canadians on Canadian soil.”

Archbishop Don Bolen of the Regina Archdiocese recently posted a letter on its website to the Cowessess First Nation in which he repeated an apology he said he

The reconciliation commission was created as part of a $5 billion Canadian ($4 billion US) class action settlement in 2005, the largest in Canadian history.

Under the settlement, students who attended the schools were eligible to receive $10,000 Canadian ($8,143 US) for the first school year and $3,000 Canadian ($2,443 US) for every year thereafter. Victims of physical and sexual abuse were eligible for further compensation.

Trudeau has said the government will help preserve gravesites and search for unmarked burial grounds at other schools, but he and his ministers have stressed the need for indigenous communities to decide for themselves how they want to proceed. The government previously announced $27 million Canadian ($22 million US) for the effort in what it called a first step.

continued from A10

What compensation has been offered?

H

By Susan Decker | Bloomberg Opinion

uawei Technologies Co. says it was treated unfairly when the US government labeled it a security threat, yet China’s largest technology company is seeking redress from the American jury system in a major patent fight with Verizon Communications Inc. A trial is set on Wednesday in Marshall, Texas, in Huawei’s case against Verizon over claims it is using Huawei’s patented networking technology without a license. It’s the first of two scheduled this year over lawsuits Huawei filed last year against Verizon, the biggest US mobile carrier.

Accusations are being hurled by both of the deep-pocketed companies, illustrating the depth of animosity between them. Verizon says Huawei is using its patented inventions—not the other way around— and has accused Huawei of breaching pledges to offer fair and reasonable terms for licensing its technologies.

“These are two large rams with big horns and lots of testosterone and they’re going to butt heads in front of the jury for five days,” said Paul Berghoff, a patent lawyer with McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff, who isn’t involved in the case.

Huawei’s litigation with Verizon is the company’s first attempt to recoup investments after being barred from 5G network build outs in the US and other nations amid US spying allegations, Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Tamlin Bason said in a note last month. “Similar actions against US carriers and network-equipment makers are possible,” he said.

Huawei has been seeking more than $1 billion from Verizon, though the trial will focus on a small portion of that patent portfolio. The compa-

nies haven’t disclosed in court filings how much they are seeking in damages in this trial, and neither would comment before the trial.

The challenge for District Judge Rodney Gilstrap is to keep the trial focused on the question of patents for optical transport network systems, a key technology that enables the rapid transmission of large amounts of data, and not on geopolitical issues.

Huawei has asked the judge to prevent Verizon from bringing up the US government’s labeling of it as a national security threat, the Federal Communications Commission’s blocking subsidized purchases of Huawei gear, and Verizon’s allegations that the suit is retaliation for the government’s actions and Verizon’s decision to not sell Huawei phones.

At the same time, Verizon doesn’t want Huawei to bring up the company’s lobbying efforts, including its push for Senator Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican, to introduce proposed legislation to keep Huawei from collecting patent damages in US courts. That provision never passed into law. Many of the accusations beyond the patent issues are unlikely to be raised before the jury. The trial is scheduled to last only a week and the judge heard several days of arguments over what the jury would be allowed to hear, though his rulings are under seal.

Regardless, the companies bring

though the trial will focus on a small portion of that patent portfolio. The companies haven’t disclosed in court filings how much they are seeking in damages in this trial, and neither would comment before the trial.

plenty of baggage into the courtroom.

“Are you really going to prevent the jury from knowing this is a Chinese company suing an American company, for example? That’s not possible,” said Kenneth Weatherwax, a patent lawyer at Lowenstein & Weatherwax LLP, who isn’t involved in the case.

On the other side, jurors also can have preconceived ideas about the customer service record of a US cable and phone company such as Verizon, he said. “So it remains to see which side the jury might have a more visceral reaction to.”

Patents and politics

The key issues the jury has to decide are whether Verizon infringes three Huawei patents, whether Huawei infringes two Verizon patents, and whether Huawei’s initial royalty demand complies with the obligation of all owners of standard-essential patents to license their inventions on “fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory” terms.

Huawei says its three patents in the case are critical components of the International Telecommunication Union’s G.709 industry standard for the networks. It accused Verizon of refusing to even discuss a license even though the standard helps the New York-based company with more efficient networks.

Verizon said Huawei’s demands

were too high. Verizon also claims Huawei is using two of its patented inventions for the optical networks.

Those Verizon patents are not essential components of the standard, so there would be no limit on possible damages. The two sides are “scratching and clawing for data” that can alter the dynamics in negotiations, Weatherwax said. “The idea is that if you can get a big verdict on just these few patents, it has to color the negotiations for the whole shebang.”

A second case, in which Huawei accuses Verizon of infringing patents for network infrastructure, including routers, and Verizon’s Smart Family and One Talk applications, is scheduled for trial in October in Waco, Texas.

Huawei previously sued T-Mobile USA Inc. after licensing talks failed. The companies settled their patent fight in 2017 and Huawei has since been indicted by the US on charges that include allegations it stole a secret T-Mobile phonetesting robot.

Sanctions and combative stance

Shenzhen-based Huawei is one of the world’s most prolific patent holders, with more than 80,000 worldwide and 10,000 in the US alone, the company has said. The company received 3,178 US patents last year, making it the seventh-highest recipient of patents and ahead of American innovation juggernauts like Microsoft Corp. and Apple Inc., according to figures compiled by the Intellectual Property Owners Association. While Huawei has said it won’t weaponize its large portfolio of patents, the cases are seen as fresh sign of Huawei’s increasingly combative stance toward US companies in the wake of crippling sanctions from Washington.

Costly and critical: The battle for a key Yemeni city

By samy magdy | Associated Press

M

ARIB CITY, Yemen—The two fighters stand shoulder-toshoulder on a mountain overlook, with a clear view below of the enemy’s position. They are part of the last lines of defense between the government’s last stronghold in Yemen’s north, and the Houthi rebels trying to take it.

Hassan Saleh and his younger brother Saeed, both in their early 20s, have been fighting alongside other government fighters and tribesman outside the oil-rich city of Marib, against the months-long offensive by the Iranian-backed rebels. They say they need more weapons to push the attackers back.

“We need sniper rifles,” said Hassan, who was taking a position in a sandbagged trench in the mountainous Kassara region. All that most battalions have are old Kalashnikovs and machine guns mounted on the rear of pickup trucks.

This is the most active frontline in Yemen’s nearly seven-year-old civil war, where a steady stream of fighters on both sides are killed or wounded every day, even as international pressure to end the war intensifies. Amid another round of peace talks, this time led by Oman, the desert city of Marib remains the crucible of one of the world’s most bogged-down conflicts.

The Houthis have for years attempted to take Marib to complete their control over the northern half of Yemen. But since February, they have waged an intensified offensive from multiple fronts, while hitting the residential city center with missiles and explosive-laden drones, killing and wounding dozens of civilians.

So far, the rebels have made only incremental progress, inching slowly across the desert plain, because of Saudi airstrikes that wreak heavy casualties in their ranks. Government and medical officials in Marib estimate that thousands of fighters have been killed or wounded, mostly rebels, since February. In the Houthi-held capital, Sanaa, mass funerals and death announcements of soldiers, some of them children, indicate how costly the battle has been, though Houthis do not release official death tolls.

The grueling battle over the remote city seems intertwined with the sluggish efforts for peace. The Houthis appear to hope capturing Marib will give them the upper hand in talks. Meanwhile government officials complain that American and international wariness at fueling the interminable war prevents them from getting weapons they need to win in Marib.

The US is pressuring the Saudiled coalition that backs the government not to provide more weapons for fear they could fall into militants’ hands amid worries over government “graft and incompetence,” a Yemeni official told the Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief reporters.

“We are at a crossroads,” said Marib’s provincial governor Sheikh Sultan al-Aradah, arguing the weapons are needed to tip the scales at Marib. “The world has some reservations about arming Yemen in the current time.”

An AP crew travelled in recent weeks to the city through Saudi Arabia on a government-organized trip.

Marib, some 115 kilometers (70 miles) east of Sanaa on the edge of Yemen’s large deserts, is a strategic gateway from the central highlands to southern and eastern provinces.

It’s also home to oil and gas fields where international firms including Exxon Mobil Corp. and Total SA have interests. Its natural gas bottling plant produces cooking gas for the nation of 29 million people. Its power plant once provided 40 percent of Yemen’s electricity.

Its relative stability in past years made it a haven for those fleeing the war’s other fronts. The area, which had a pre-war population of 400,000, now also hosts some 2.2 million displaced people, many of

them crowded into camps, according to official statistics.

The city’s streets are bustling during the day with taxis and 4x4 vehicles belonging to security forces.

At night, men frequent restaurants and cafes or gather in homes, chewing leaves of qat for a stimulant effect.

There’s little heed paid to the fighting just outside their city.

But the posters of fallen commanders and troops lining the roadways serve as a reminder. The city’s cemetery has been expanded to absorb the surge in fatalities.

“We bury from 10 to 15 people every day, mostly martyrs in the war,” said Mohammed Saeed Nasser, a guard at the cemetery.

The main hospital in Marib has been overwhelmed by dozens of wounded fighters a day for months, said its director, Dr. Mohamed Abdo al-Qubati. At an intensive care unit, there were 10 patients, all but one injured fighters.

In one of the beds, Ali Saad, 22, lay partially paralyzed. He was shot by a Houthi sniper on the frontline on June 18.

Saad has been fighting in government forces since 2017. During that time, he and his family fled their home in southwestern Dhamar province as the war escalated. Later, he was captured and held for a year in a Houthi prison until he was released in an October prisoner exchange.

“I suffered a lot in captivity, I was tortured physically and mentally,” he said. “This gave us a glimpse into what Houthis were really like. We came out with a stronger and indescribable will to fight them.” His father and one of his three brothers were also wounded on the Marib front earlier this year.

Yemen’s civil war began in 2014 when the Houthis seized Sanaa and much of the north, forcing the government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to flee.

The Saudi-led coalition, backed at the time by the US, entered the war to try restoring Hadi to power. Amid the relentless air campaign and ground fighting, the war has killed more than 130,000 people and spawned the world’s worst humanitarian cri-

sis. It has also created smaller, parallel conflicts, between militants and different factions inside the country.

After years of criticism over civilian casualties from airstrikes, US President Joe Biden’s administration in February withdrew its backing for the coalition’s campaign in Yemen.

Yemeni government and military officials say that decision, along with Biden’s removal of the Houthis from a US terrorism list, emboldened the rebels in Marib.

“The Houthis appear to calculate that if they win in Marib, they will have won the war for the north of Yemen while humiliating the internationally recognized president,” said Peter Salisbury, Yemen expert at the International Crisis Group. “That is a considerable prize for their side, as it would also allow them to dictate terms for an end to the war.”

US State Department spokesman Ned Price said Thursday that the administration was “beyond fed up” with the Houthis and “horrified by the repeated attacks on Marib.” He denounced the rebels for continuing the offensive despite a “serious [peace] proposal before them.”

An Omani delegation held talks in Sanaa with Houthi leaders including the group’s religious and military leader, Abdel-Malek al-Houthi. A Saudi diplomat, meanwhile, said there have been ongoing efforts, including direct Saudi-Houthi talks since 2019, to find a common ground. He spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. A spokesman for the Houthis did not respond to calls and messages seeking comment.

The rebels want the reopening of Sanaa International Airport, a vital link for Yemen to the outside world that hasn’t seen regular commercial flights since 2015, and the lifting of restrictions on the vital Houthi-held Red Sea port of Hodeida.

Salisbury said negotiations have been stuck on what comes first. The Houthis, he said, want a stand-alone deal on the airport and Hodeida before negotiating a cease-fire. Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni government want a package deal on all those issues. AP Photographer Nariman el-Mofty contributed to this report

A12 Thursday, July 8, 2021

DBM BUDGET RELEASES FOR H1 SLOWER THAN ‘20 T

HE Department of Budget and Management released funds at a slower pace for the first half of this year compared to last year.

The budget department reported that it has so far released P3.83 trillion or 85.1 percent of this year’s P4.506-trillion national budget from January to June.

This is slower than the pace of budget releases in the first six months of last year at P3.78 trillion or 92.3 percent of the P4.1-trillion national budget.

Out of the amount released under this year’s national budget, P2.38 trillion or 90.1 percent of the P2.64-trillion adjusted program went to different departments.

Meanwhile, releases under special purpose funds hit P242.42 billion, equivalent to 55.1 percent of the P440.09-billion adjusted program.

Special purpose funds are appropriations in the national budget provided to cover expenditures for specific purposes for which recipient departments/agencies have not yet been identified during budget preparation.

For automatic appropriations, P1.01 trillion or 70.6 percent of the programmed P1.43 trillion was released by the budget department during the six-month period.

Broken down, releases under automatic appropriations went to Internal Revenue Allotment (P695.49 billion), interest payments (P132.89 billion), block grant to Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (P71.67 billion), retirement and life insurance premiums (P56.8 bil-

lion), special account in the general fund (P31.07 billion), tax expenditures fund/ customs duties and taxes (P14.5 billion), net lending (P7.18 billion), and pension of ex-presidents or widows of ex-presidents (P480,000).

As for continuing appropriations from the 2020 national budget and Bayanihan 2, the budget department released a total of P112.1 billion.

President Duterte earlier extended the validity of appropriations of the 2020 national budget until the end of this year while appropriations under Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2 were valid for obligation and disbursement only until June 30 this year.

The budget department has yet to release a final report on how much funds were left unspent following the expiration of Bayanihan 2 law but it earlier reported that P6.487 billion were left unitilized as of June 25.

After the expiration of Bayanihan 2, unobligated funds shall be reverted to the Bureau of the Treasury. Unprogrammed appropriations released by the budget department also stood at P77.07 billion while those for other automatic appropriations reached P16.13 billion.

Unprogrammed appropriations provide standby authority to incur additional agency obligations for priority programs or projects when revenue collections exceed targets or when additional foreign funds are generated. Bernadette D. Nicolas

Customs seizes ₧10B worth of smuggled goods in 1st half

T

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

@BNicolasBM

HE Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized over P10 billion in suspected smuggled goods for the first half of the year, boosting its hopes of netting a total of P20 billion worth of illicit products by year-end.

The BOC-Intelligence Group reported that the estimated value of seized smuggled goods from January to June this year has already reached P10.195 billion, almost equal the P10.629 billion worth of illicit products that the bureau confiscated for the entire 2020. The total value of seized smuggled goods last year was 48.36 percent lower compared to the value of smuggled goods it seized in 2019 at P20.584 billion.

Counterfeit goods accounted for more

than half of the value of seized goods from January to June this year at P5.575 billion.

This was followed by tobacco products, P1.089 billion.

Apart from this, the bureau through Manila International Container Port also seized agricultural products worth P12 million and medical supplies worth P10.5 million through the Port of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia).

Three facilities were also closed for breach of various customs laws and a total

of 562 importers’ accreditations were revoked and suspended.

Last year, imported cigarettes and tobacco products accounted for the bulk of smuggled goods.

For this year, the BOC targets to collect a total of P616.7 billion, significantly higher by 21.84 percent than the downgraded 2020 target set for BOC at P506.15 billion.

The bureau collected P302.74 billion in revenues for the first half of the year, exceeding its P291.83-billion goal as the economy gradually improved, resulting in higher import volumes.

The revenue take of the BOC for the first six months also represented a 19.6-percent surge from its P253.091-billion collection in the same period last year.

In 2020, the bureau’s total revenue collection reached P539.7 billion, above its full-year revenue collection target by 6.6 percent or P33.5 billion.

The downgraded goal for BOC last year was a 30.76-percent cut from the original target of P731 billion given the economic slump as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

House bill declaring PHL Rise portion as marine reserve OKd

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz

T

@joveemarie

HE House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources on Wednesday approved a substitute bill declaring a portion of the Philippine Rise —also known as the Benham Rise within the country’s exclusive economic zone—as a marine resource reserve.

The committee, chaired by Dasmariñas Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr., approved the unnumbered substitute bill to House Bill 36 filed by Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon.

The bill was approved despite the opposition of Senior Deputy Speaker Lito Atienza of Buhay partylist.

According to Atienza, the measure will only limit the country’s claim to the Philippine Rise, adding “this is not the time to limit ourselves to a small area.”

“Pag tayo pa ang gumawa ng batas na nililimitahan natin ang ating interes, eh parang pinahihina pa natin ang posisyon ng Pilipinas sa darating na panahon [If we ourselves craft a law limiting our own interest, it’s as if we are weakening the Philippine position sometime in the future],” Atienza told the committee.

It was during Atienza’s stint as secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources that the Philippine government submitted to the United Nations its declaration including Benham Rise as part of its continental shelf.

For his part, Biazon said experts recommended declaring a portion of the Philippine Rise as protected, with the category of marine resource reserve under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (Nipas), “for us to take advantage of the natural resources therein.”

Also, Barzaga said the technical working group of his committee had crafted the proposal carefully after several discussions.

Moreover, Biazon said his proposal seeks to declare Philippine Rise as a protected area and at the same time establish mechanisms that would ensure that measures towards this objective are enforced and implemented.

Benham Plateau or the Benham Rise, was officially renamed Philippine Rise by virtue of Executive Order No. 25 (Series of

2017) signed by President Duterte on May 16, 2017.

It is a 24-million hectare undersea region east of Luzon and is 35 meters underwater at its shallowest point off the provinces of Aurora and Isabela. The area is solely claimed, as part of its continental shelf, by the Republic of the Philippines, which was confirmed by the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf on April 12, 2012.

Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), a coastal state’s exclusive economic zone extends 370 kilometers (200 nautical miles) from its continental shelf, while its extended continental shelf extends for another 278 kilometers (150 nautical miles). The UN now recognizes the Philippines’s claim and the country’s territory has increased to 43 million hectares from 30 million hectares.

“It is now common knowledge that ancient reefs are in trouble. From Australia to Hawaii, they are succumbing to pollution, destructive fishing, and the effects of climate change. Things are especially dire in the Philippines where some of our reefs have been damaged and some continue to deteriorate due to the wanton behavior of some unscrupulous individuals and companies,” Biazon said.

The lawmaker, citing marine conservationists and experts in the field of marine biology and biodiversity, said Philippine Rise is a rare exception.

“Its reefs have dodged fishing pressure and pollution because these are so far offshore. It is virtually untouched and undisturbed by human presence. The same experts say that to find a reef this healthy and intact is indeed very special,” he said.

“However, special does not mean protected. Philippine Rise has yet to be given legal protection. It is vulnerable to the same pressures that have devastated other reefs worldwide. This is why scientists are racing to study the said area while it remains intact and pristine. Without legal protection, this unique place screams with an open invitation to be exploited, destroyed and ultimately be lost forever.

Clearly, there is a very urgent need to enact a law that would protect Philippine Rise,” Biazon added.

ART IMITATING LIFE A mural depicting the government’s campaign against Covid-19 is painted on a basketball court at the Bagong Lipunan Condominium Tenement, Barangay Western Bicutan in Taguig City. The local government commissioned the tenement’s visual artists to paint the mural. ROY DOMINGO

Licking poverty, inequality not likely by 2030–groups

By Cai U. Ordinario

E

@caiordinario

RADICATING poverty and reducing inequality in society may not be possible in less than a decade, according to civil society groups.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1 on eradicating poverty and 10 on reducing inequality must be achieved by 2030, less than a decade from today.

The groups said the SDGs will not be achieved in the country as long as the government refuses to adopt progressive policies that bring about real development and pushes neoliberal policies that benefit the few.

“While the SDGs at first glance aren’t objectionable, as a framework for development, these are deeply flawed and fail to address the structural problems that perpetuate poverty and inequality,” Ibon Executive Director Sonny Africa said in a statement.

Ibon Foundation Inc. said the country remains on track to meet only 22 percent of the SDG targets. The country was lagging or regressing in the remaining 78 percent, he asserted.

Africa noted that for SDG 1, the main limitation of the targets is the low threshold set to be considered as living in ex-

treme poverty which is less than $1.25 a day.

He said this discounts millions of people that make more than this, but are in poverty. This is the case in the Philippines, where the government does not consider Filipinos living on P72 per day on average as poor.

Africa said “shallow standards” were also set to achieve SDG 10. For instance, one of the targets is faster income growth of the bottom 40 percent of the population than the national average.

“This means nothing if income growth is minimally improved for the bottom 40 percent while the rich still get richer and the huge wealth gap remains or even widens,” Ibon said in a statement.

Further, Center for Development Programs in the Cordillera (CDPC) Executive Director Rhoda Dalang said one of the difficulties of achieving SDG 10 includes the discrimination against indigenous peoples (IP) which she claimed has worsened under the Duterte administration.

Dalang said there are instances of “genocidal and ethnocidal oppression of the Lumad people (as well as) big infrastructure projects like the Kaliwa, Jalaur and Genned dams that destroy livelihoods and the environment and displace IPs.” She also said policies like the Anti-Terror

Law are being used to brand IPs as terrorists when they resist major infrastructure projects.

Rius Valle of the SOS Network also said attacks on Lumad schools continued due to the resistance of these communities in the “corporate plunder of their ancestral lands.”

He said there have already been 1,030 cases of human-rights violations against the Lumad with 93,977 victims.

“Some of these attacks include the closure of Lumad schools, militarization, killings, illegal arrests and freezing the accounts of organizations that support the Lumad,” Valle said in a statement.

These views were shared at a recent forum for the July PH Civil Society SDG Watch series titled, “Rising above the health and economic crisis in the time of Covid-19” organized by the Council for People’s Development and Governance.

Representatives from various sectors in the recent forum also shared how government have not taken the SDGs on poverty and inequality seriously.

Other organizations who joined included the Bai Network of Indigenous Women (BAI), Save Our Schools Network (SOS), Panay Council for People’s Development (PCPD), and the Moro-Christian People’s Alliance (MCPA).

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

“K” LINE MARINE VENTURES PHILS., INC. Unit No. Cpb Ia, Flr. No.9/f, Ocean Breeze Bldg. Coral Way Drive St., Barangay 076 Pasay City KIMURA, HIROSHI President And General Manager 1.

Brief Job Description: To initiate and develop corporate objectives and policies and formulate long range projects.

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2.

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CAO, TINGTING Relationship Marketing Host 15.

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GAN, JIANWEI Customer Service Representative (Chinese Accounts) Brief Job Description: Assist Clients with all their concerns

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

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JEREMIAH TING DING PENG Customer Service Representative (Chinese Accounts) Brief Job Description: Assist Clients with all their concerns

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LONG, YUNZHAO Customer Service Representative (Chinese Accounts) Brief Job Description: Assist Clients with all their concerns

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WANG, XIN Customer Service Representative (Chinese Accounts) Brief Job Description: Assist Clients with all their concerns

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NGUYEN THI KY Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries NGUYEN THUA DAI Chinese Customer Service

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Brief Job Description: Handles the concerns of the people who buy their company’s products or services.

CHEN, LIN Mandarin Customer Relations Officer

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PAN, HUAJIN Mandarin Customer Relations Officer

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WANG, JING Mandarin Customer Relations Officer

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Brief Job Description: Offer full range of customer service to employer and clients.

YANG, TING Mandarin Customer Relations Officer

14.

Brief Job Description: Handles the concerns of the people who buy their company’s products or services.

Brief Job Description: • Lead and coordinate with technical departments such as deployment, construction and program management teams

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LI, ZHONGPING 5g Network Planner (Mandarin) 24.

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

BIG EMPEROR TECHNOLOGY CORP. 5f-13f, Jiaxing Tower Building Aseana Avenue, Aseana Business Park Tambo Parañaque City Eastfield Center Cbp1, Macapagal Blvd. Brgy. 076 Pasay City CHEN, LIN Mandarin Customer Relations Officer

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CHEN, SIGUI 5g Network Planner (Mandarin)

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

Basic Qualification: Has excellent problemsolving and communication skills in MANDARIN, with related BPO experience

Brief Job Description: Monitor all IT works and projects

CHEN, HONGDAN 5g Network Planner (Mandarin)

Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language

Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language

EDWARDS, JEVON DARREN ANDERSON Senior It Manager

CAI, LIN 5g Network Planner (Mandarin)

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 ANOC99 CORPORATION 5/f To 10/f Ayala Malls Manila Bay Building D. Macapagal Blvd. Cor. Aseana Street Tambo Parañaque City

Brief Job Description: Provide excellent VIP Guest Services and Gaming experience to foreign customers/patron

BEI, JINPENG 5g Network Planner (Mandarin)

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Any nationality who can speak and write Chinese fluently *preferably 6 months to 1 yr customer service experience detailoriented and has the ability to multi task

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LIANG, CHUANXIAN 5g Network Planner (Mandarin) 25.

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LIANG, WEIHONG 5g Network Planner (Mandarin) 27.

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Basic Qualification: Strong Understanding of LAN/WAN networking and experience with technologies such as MPLS / SD-WAN / DMVPN Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Lead and coordinate with technical departments such as deployment, construction and program management teams ZHENG, LEHUA 5g Network Planner (Mandarin)

Basic Qualification: • Strong Understanding of LAN/WAN networking and experience with technologies such as MPLS / SD-WAN / DMVPN Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Lead and coordinate with technical departments such as deployment, construction and program management teams ZHAO, JIAHONG 5g Network Planner (Mandarin)

Basic Qualification: • Strong Understanding of LAN/WAN networking and experience with technologies such as MPLS / SD-WAN / DMVPN Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Lead and coordinate with technical departments such as deployment, construction and program management teams ZHANG, QINGYOU 5g Network Planner (Mandarin)

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: • Strong Understanding of LAN/WAN networking and experience with technologies such as MPLS / SD-WAN / DMVPN

Brief Job Description: Lead and coordinate with technical departments such as deployment, construction and program management teams ZENG, FEIXIANG 5g Network Planner (Mandarin)

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: • Strong Understanding of LAN/WAN networking and experience with technologies such as MPLS / SD-WAN / DMVPN

Brief Job Description: Lead and coordinate with technical departments such as deployment, construction and program management teams both large and small YANG, XINLEI 5g Network Planner (Mandarin)

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: • Strong Understanding of LAN/WAN networking and experience with technologies such as MPLS / SD-WAN / DMVPN

Brief Job Description: Lead and coordinate with technical departments such as deployment, construction and program management teams both large and small WANG, YUANSHENG 5g Network Planner (Mandarin)

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Strong Understanding of LAN/WAN networking and experience with technologies such as MPLS / SD-WAN / DMVPN

Brief Job Description: Lead and coordinate with technical departments such as deployment, construction and program management teams both large and small SU, YAN 5g Network Planner (Mandarin)

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: • Strong Understanding of LAN/WAN networking and experience with technologies such as MPLS / SD-WAN / DMVPN

Brief Job Description: Lead and coordinate with technical departments such as deployment, construction and program management teams both large and small OU, WENGUI 5g Network Planner (Mandarin)

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: • Strong Understanding of LAN/WAN networking and experience with technologies such as MPLS / SD-WAN / DMVPN

Brief Job Description: Lead and coordinate with technical departments such as deployment, construction and program management teams both large and small LUO, BO 5g Network Planner (Mandarin)

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: • Strong Understanding of LAN/WAN networking and experience with technologies such as MPLS / SD-WAN / DMVPN

Brief Job Description: Lead and coordinate with technical departments such as deployment, construction and program management teams both large and small LU, QINWANG 5g Network Planner (Mandarin)

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

Basic Qualification: • Strong Understanding of LAN/WAN networking and experience with technologies such as MPLS / SD-WAN / DMVPN

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION LIU, KAIJIN 5g Network Planner (Mandarin)

CHINA COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES PHILIPPINES CORPORATION 12/f One/neo Bldg 26th St. Cor 3rd Ave., Bgc Fort Bonifacio Taguig City

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Any nationality who can speak and write Chinese fluently *preferably 6 months to 1 yr customer service experience detailoriented and has the ability to multi task

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

CALAY HOLDINGS, INC. 1201-1202 12/f Frabelle Business Center 111 Rada St. San Lorenzo Makati City

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Any nationality who can speak and write Chinese fluently *preferably 6 months to 1 yr customer service experience detailoriented and has the ability to multi task

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

BLOOMBERRY RESORTS AND HOTELS INC. Solaire Resort And Casino 1 Asean Avenue, Entertainment City Tambo Parañaque City

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

24/7 BUSINESS PROCESSING INC. 5th-6th-7th Flr. 81 Newport Bl Newport City Brgy. 183 Pasay City

CHEN, QING Customer Service Representative (Chinese Accounts)

No.

Thursday, July 8, 2021 A13

Brief Job Description: Lead and coordinate with technical departments such as deployment, construction and program management teams

LAI, YI Administrative Specialist (Mandarin) 42.

Brief Job Description: • Active participation in office management, including handling general clerical tasks.

SHI, JINGZHEN Administrative Specialist (Mandarin) 43.

Brief Job Description: Active participation in office management, including handling general clerical tasks.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Strong Understanding of LAN/WAN networking and experience with technologies such as MPLS / SD-WAN / DMVPN Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Strong Understanding of LAN/WAN networking and experience with technologies such as MPLS / SD-WAN / DMVPN Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Strong Understanding of LAN/WAN networking and experience with technologies such as MPLS / SD-WAN / DMVPN Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Strong Understanding of LAN/WAN networking and experience with technologies such as MPLS / SD-WAN / DMVPN Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Strong Understanding of LAN/WAN networking and experience with technologies such as MPLS / SD-WAN / DMVPN Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Strong Understanding of LAN/WAN networking and experience with technologies such as MPLS / SD-WAN / DMVPN Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Strong Understanding of LAN/WAN networking and experience with technologies such as MPLS / Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Strong Understanding of LAN/WAN networking and experience with technologies such as MPLS / SD-WAN / DMVPN Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Strong Understanding of LAN/WAN networking and experience with technologies such as MPLS / SD-WAN / DMVPN Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Strong Understanding of LAN/WAN networking and experience with technologies such as MPLS / SD-WAN / DMVPN Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Strong Understanding of LAN/WAN networking and experience with technologies such as MPLS / SD-WAN / DMVPN Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Strong Understanding of LAN/WAN networking and experience with technologies such as MPLS / SD-WAN / DMVPN Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Strong Understanding of LAN/WAN networking and experience with technologies such as MPLS / SD-WAN / DMVPN Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: • Comfort multitasking and handling multiple requests from different individuals and departments Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Comfort multitasking and handling multiple requests from different individuals and departments Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

BusinessMirror

A14 Thursday, July 8, 2021

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION QIN, JINLING Procurement Officer (Mandarin)

44.

Brief Job Description: Maintaining good supplier relations and negotiating contracts.

WU, HUIYAN Procurement Officer (Mandarin)

45.

Brief Job Description: Overseeing and supervising employees and all activities of the purchasing department. Overseeing and supervising employees and all activities of the purchasing department.

YE, WEIYAN Procurement Officer (Mandarin)

46.

47.

48.

Brief Job Description: Overseeing and supervising employees and all activities of the purchasing department.

LIU, YINING Project Manager (Mandarin) Brief Job Description: Planning and Defining Scope of the project

ZHOU, GUO Project Manager (Mandarin) Brief Job Description: Responsible for making decisions, both large and small

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

49.

Brief Job Description: Data privacy and security management; Spanish language proficiency

IRISBLOOM INC. Unit 25d 2/f Zeta Ii Bldg. 19 Salcedo St. San Lorenzo Makati City

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

62.

Basic Qualification: Supervisory and management experience Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Supervisory and management experience

HAN, WEI Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk

BU, LINGGANG Chinese Customer Service Representative 63.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proven ability to complete projects according to outlined scope, budget, and timeline.

64.

65.

50.

Brief Job Description: Establish and manage governance framework structure

66.

KO, KEUM YEONG Consultant 51.

Brief Job Description: Offers consultation and expertise to help Korean client open business

67.

LEE, MI SOOK Consultant 52.

Brief Job Description: Offers consultation and expertise to help Korean client open business

68.

69.

53.

Brief Job Description: *Studying company profile and operations to understand its marketing needs. * Implementing a marketing strategy according to objectives and budget.

Basic Qualification: *Preferably 6 months experience with the above position. *Can multi-task and keen to details. *Any nationality who can speak and write Chinese fluently.

70.

54.

55.

56.

CHEN, CHEN Chinese Project Manager Brief Job Description: Responsible for making decisions, both large and small

71.

GUO, JUNHUA Chinese Project Manager Brief Job Description: Responsible for making decisions, both large and small

TU, ZHONGYI Chinese Project Manager Brief Job Description: Responsible for making decisions, both large and small

Basic Qualification: Proven ability to complete projects according to outlined scope, budget, and timeline.

57.

Brief Job Description: Recommends potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs LO CONG HON Customer Service Representative – Vietnamese

58.

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

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

74.

75.

59.

60.

PERRON, FLAVIEN CHARLES JEAN Bilingual Speaking Agent (French/English) Brief Job Description: Answers calls in French language of Customers KOMONSEN, NANTHAKA Bilingual Speaking Agent (Thai/English) Brief Job Description: Answer calls in Thai language of customers

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

76.

77.

XIN, QICHENG Mandarin Customer Support Representative 61.

Brief Job Description: Support customer by providing helpful information , answering and responding to complaints

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

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality it support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

LIU, HUAN Chinese IT Support Specialist

78.

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support Specialist (CITSS) is an integral member of the company infrastructure, Application Support, and of the IT Division and is responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

LU, WENQIAN Chinese IT Support Specialist

79.

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support Specialist (CITSS) is an integral member of the company infrastructure, Application Support, and of the IT Division and is responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

WANG, CHUNSHENG Chinese IT Support Specialist

80.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality it support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

YANG, YUEJIA Chinese IT Support Specialist

81.

INVECH TREASURE PROCESSING CORPORATION Ground, 2nd, 3rd And 4th Floor Eight West Campus Mckinley West Fort Bonifacio Taguig City Basic Qualification: able to speak and write in mandarin/Fukien and at least college level with related BPO experience

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality it support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

LI, DEPEI Chinese IT Support Specialist

Basic Qualification: Must be proficient in the Thai language Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality it support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

LANG, TONGREN Chinese IT Support Specialist

HKT TELESERVICES (PHILIPPINES) INC. 10/f,17/f,32/f,& 37/f Union Bank Plaza Bldg. Meralco Ave. Cor. Onyx Road Ortigas Center Pasig City Basic Qualification: Must be proficient in the French language

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support Specialist (CITSS) is an integral member of the company infrastructure, Application Support, and of the IT Division and is responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

HUANG, LONGBO Chinese IT Support Specialist

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

Brief Job Description: Responsible to provide information to the company’s Chinese clients or customers in response to inquiries DONG, YUFEI Chinese IT Support Specialist

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

Basic Qualification: Proven working experience in digital marketing particularly within the industry and good communication skills

Brief Job Description: Responsible to provide information to the company’s Chinese clients or customers in response to inquiries ZHAO, JIARUI Chinese Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Proven ability to complete projects according to outlined scope, budget, and timeline.

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

72.

Basic Qualification: Proven ability to complete projects according to outlined scope, budget, and timeline.

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

Brief Job Description: Responsible to provide information to the company’s Chinese clients or customers in response to inquiries YAN, BAOHAI Chinese Customer Service Representative

73.

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

Brief Job Description: Responsible to provide information to the company’s Chinese clients or customers in response to inquiries LONG, PAN Chinese Customer Service Representative

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

FUJIAN ELECTRIC POWER ENGINEERING COMPANY 5 West Lawin Phil-am 1 Quezon City

Brief Job Description: Responsible to provide information to the company’s Chinese clients or customers in response to inquiries LI, XIANQIANG Chinese Customer Service Representative

FLY ASIAN INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION Eighty One Newport Blvd. Newport City Va, Brgy. 183 Pasay City CHEN, QUANZHEN Marketing Consultant (Mandarin Speaking Clients)

Brief Job Description: Responsible to provide information to the company’s Chinese clients or customers in response to inquiries LI, WEIYANG Chinese Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing Korean and English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Responsible to provide information to the company’s Chinese clients or customers in response to inquiries JIN, HUABAO Chinese Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing Korean and English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Responsible to provide information to the company’s Chinese clients or customers in response to inquiries JIAO, TENGFEI Chinese Customer Service Representative

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

DAEHAN Y.B. CONSULTANCY CORPORATION 1680 12/f Ramon Magsaysay Center Roxas Blvd., 076 Bgy. 699 Malate Manila

Brief Job Description: Responsible to provide information to the company’s Chinese clients or customers in response to inquiries JIANG, KAIHUI Chinese Customer Service Representative

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

Basic Qualification: 10+ years managing programs and projects with up to 100+ resources

Brief Job Description: Responsible to provide information to the company’s Chinese clients or customers in response to inquiries CHEN, KUI Chinese Customer Service Representative

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

Basic Qualification: Project management experience to include understanding of business process improvement methods.

Brief Job Description: Responsible to provide information to the company’s Chinese clients or customers in response to inquiries CAO, ZHIYIN Chinese Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proven ability to complete projects according to outlined scope, budget, and timeline.

Brief Job Description: Enters Customer and account data and keeping and maintaining information confidential

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support Specialist (CITSS) is an integral member of the company infrastructure, Application Support, and of the IT Division and is responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

YANG, BO Chinese IT Support Specialist

82.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality it support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION ZHAO, RUI Chinese IT Support Specialist

Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handing customer questions about services or products/ excellent mandarin communications skills.

83.

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

ITECHNO SPECIALIST INC. U-608 Eastfield Ctr. Moa Comp. Macapagal Ave. Brgy. 076 Pasay City 9/f 100 West Building Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. Pio Del Pilar Makati City

CREEDON TECHNOLOGIES PH 2/f Wynsum Corporate Plaza Don F. Ortigas Jr. Road, Ortigas Ctr. San Antonio Pasig City CONSTABLE, PAUL MICHAEL Head Of Program And Risk

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Basic Qualification: Proven ability to complete projects according to outlined scope, budget, and timeline.

COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS PHILIPPINES, INC. 2nd, 3rd, And 4th Floors, Science Hub Tower 4 Bldg. Mckinley Hill Cyberpark Fort Bonifacio Taguig City ALCARAZ LOPEZ, VICENTE Process Specialist

No.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ZOU, JUNHUI Chinese IT Support Specialist 84.

Basic Qualification: A Chinese and fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: A Chinese and fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: A Chinese and fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

85.

86.

87.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: A Chinese and fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: A Chinese and fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

88.

89.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: A Chinese and fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

90.

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

CHEN, ZHIXIN Chinese Mandarin Customer Service Representative 91.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: A Chinese and fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: A Chinese and fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services

LEE, EUNJOO Customer Service Representative Korean Speaking 92.

Brief Job Description: Duties, services, and responsibilities as may be assigned to him/her from time to time by the management of the Employer or other officials and superior officers.

LEE, INAE Customer Service Representative Korean Speaking

93.

Basic Qualification: A Chinese and fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Can speak and read Cantonese, Mandarin and Fukien language.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Can speak and read Cantonese, Mandarin and Fukien language.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Can speak and read Cantonese, Mandarin and Fukien language.

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

Basic Qualification: At least 19 years old.

Able to speak, write, and communicate in Mandarin/ Chinese Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Duties, services, and responsibilities as may be assigned to him/her from time to time by the management of the Employer or other officials and superior officers.

Basic Qualification: Good oral communication, specifically English and Korean Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Good oral communication, specifically English and Korean Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

LOVE TRAVEL AGENCY, INC. 2f-9 Gateway Bldg. Cartimar, Taft Ave. Brgy. 039 Pasay City LIM TZUU SHIN Chinese Speaking-assistant Administrator 94.

Brief Job Description: Welcoming visitors; carrying out clerical duties; coordinating and managing appointments

Basic Qualification: Excellent in written and verbal communication skills in Mandarin; proven admin or assistant experience Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

95.

96.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: A Chinese and fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

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

JVD GLOBAL CONSULTANCY INC. L2 Ayala Circuit Mall, Circuit Makati A.p. Reyes Ave. Carmona Makati City

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

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality it support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

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

JIU ZHOU TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL, INC. 25/f Robinsons Summit Jg Summit Center, Ayala Ave. Bel-air Makati City

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

Brief Job Description: The IT Support Specialist (ITSS) is an integral member of the company infrastructure, Application Support, and of the IT Division and is responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

WILLIE NAH KIN MING IT Support Specialist

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: A Chinese and fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality it support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

TRAN MY NGOC IT Support Specialist

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: A Chinese and fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

Brief Job Description: The IT Support Specialist (ITSS) is an integral member of the company infrastructure, Application Support, and of the IT Division and is responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

PHAN PHUOC THO IT Support Specialist

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: A Chinese and fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

Brief Job Description: The IT Support Specialist (ITSS) is an integral member of the company infrastructure, Application Support, and of the IT Division and is responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

PHAM THI HANG IT Support Specialist

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: A Chinese and fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality it support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

NGO TUYET KHANH IT Support Specialist

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: A Chinese and fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support Specialist (CITSS) is an integral member of the company infrastructure, Application Support, and of the IT Division and is responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

LEE MENG KWANG IT Support Specialist

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: A Chinese and fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support Specialist (CITSS) is an integral member of the company infrastructure, Application Support, and of the IT Division and is responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

97.

98.

CHEN, QIANG Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls HE, QIANG Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls LAN, TIAN-HONG Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling and service support calls ZHANG, ZHICHENG Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading, and writing in Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking , Reading and Writing in Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking reading and writing in mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking , Reading and Writing in Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

MINDSCAPE CREATIVES INC. Unit 19-o, Burgundy Corporate Tower 252 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. Pio Del Pilar Makati City DENG, BOWEN Mandarin Technical Support 99.

Brief Job Description: To troubleshoot , Maintain and monitor the computer system

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, Reading and Writing in Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

MINTON MULTIRESOURCES, INC. (ENFANT SPECIALTY SHOP) 2328 Severino Reyes St. Santa Cruz Manila

100.

LEE KUANG JIAN Specialist/trainer Brief Job Description: Training of other employees and dealers as required.

Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in writing, reading and speaking in English, Malay and Mandarin.

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

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

101.

AIKE SHINE Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

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

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

102.

103.

104.

105.

106.

107.

108.

109.

110.

111.

112.

113.

114.

115.

116.

117.

118.

119.

120.

121.

122.

123.

124.

125.

126.

127.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION AYE NOON Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries CAO, SHANFENG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries CHEN, CILONG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries CHEN, SENMU Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries FU, YUANBO Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries FU, AHUI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries FU, XIAOBING Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries GAO, ZHENQI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries GONG, HUANLI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries HUANG, ZHIQING Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries KYAR SHI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries LI, DONGXUE Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries LI, XUMING Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries LIN, FAWANG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries LIU, BOSHU Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries LIU, HAO Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries MA, ZONGYANG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries MAO, YANGYANG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries MENG, GAIQIN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries PU, LISONG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries SU, HUIDENG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries WANG, HONGWEI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires WANG, PENGXIANG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires WEI, CHUNHUA Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires WEI, MENGJIE Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries WU, YUFEN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese language

No.

128.

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

129.

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

130.

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

131.

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

132.

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

133.

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

134.

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

135.

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

136.

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

137.

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

138.

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write chinese language

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

139.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires YANG, LEI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries YIN, SHIBO Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries YU, JUNYUN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries ZENG, LINLIN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries ZHONG, CHUNHUA Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries ZHOU, XIANGHUI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries ZHOU, WENWU Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries WU, HAO Chinese Customer Specialist Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

140.

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

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

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

141.

CHEN, QICAI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

CHENG, WENWEN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

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

142.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read and Write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

143.

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

144.

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

145.

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

146.

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

147.

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

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

149.

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

150.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read and Write Chinese language

151.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read and Write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

152.

Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read and Write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read and Write Chinese language

153.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read and Write Chinese language

154.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read and Write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

155.

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

Basic Qualification: With bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or any related course with a minimum of 1 year IT experience and able to speak and write in MANDARIN.

156.

148.

GAO, HAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

HU, WENJUAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

KANG, YIBO Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

LI, ZHIXIANG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

LI, YILING Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

LI, CHENG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

LIANG, JIARU Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

157.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION LING, QINGLE Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

LIU, LINGLI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

LIU, ZHIMING Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

LIU, ZHIFENG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

LIU, LINAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

LIU, HONGZHI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

LONG, HAIHUI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

LONG, WEIPENG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

LU, GUOYANG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

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

158.

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

NEW ORIENTAL CLUB88 CORPORATION Sky Garage Bldg. Aseana Avenue, Entertainment City Tambo Parañaque City 1331 Pearl Plaza Bldg. Quirino Ave. Tambo Parañaque City

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

XIE, YUHONG Chinese Customer Service

WU, RUNAN IT Technical Support

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

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

TANG, YANGHUI IT Technical Support

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

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

XIE, LIXIN Chinese Customer Service

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

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

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Thursday, July 8, 2021 A15

159.

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

160.

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

161.

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

162.

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

163.

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

164.

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

165.

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

166.

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

NING, LINXIN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

QUE, YONGCHAO Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

SHEN, CHUNYAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

WANG, JIANHUI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services

WANG, KAI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

WANG, HAIBIN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

WANG, WEI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services

WU, BAOJU Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

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

167.

XIANG, FENGXIAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

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

BusinessMirror

A16 Thursday, July 8, 2021

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

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169.

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NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION XIE, ZHAOPING Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services

YAO, XUAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

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

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

CHONG KET ZHI SAM Malaysian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services

LOW WEE KEE Malaysian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

TENG HOWE KEONG Malaysian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

YAP KEAN NEE Malaysian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

SAI PHA SENG Myanmari Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

SAN SAN HTWE Myanmari Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

DAO VAN HAI Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

HOANG THI THUY Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

HUAT QUOC TOAN Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

LY CHU KHIENH Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services

LY HI THANH Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

MAI THI PHUONG THUY Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

NGUYEN DUY THANH Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

NGUYEN THI HUONG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

NGUYEN THI HUYEN Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

NGUYEN THI QUE Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills

No.

188.

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

189.

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

190.

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

191.

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

192.

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

193.

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

194.

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

195.

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

196.

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

197.

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

198.

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

199.

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

200.

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

201.

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

202.

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

203.

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 application with good oral and written communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

NGUYEN VAN HAI Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

PHAM DOAN TUE Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

PHAM XUAN TU Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services

PHAN THANH SON Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services

PHAN THI HOANG NGAN Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

PHUONG THI THANH NHAN Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

THAN DUC ANH TUAN Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

TRAN MINH TRI Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

TRAN VAN HUNG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

TRUONG THI ANH TUYEN Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

VAN VAN THUY Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

VU KIM ANH Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

VU THI CHUC Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

VU THI SINH Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

VU THI THUY DUONG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services

VY THI THU HA 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

GARCIA-SOLANS GOMEZ, GONZALO JOSE Spanish Content Moderation Analyst 204.

Brief Job Description: To organize its community of users; provide quality service support in variety areas.

205.

Brief Job Description: Represents leading international scotch whisky brands; initiatives with local market companies and its sales team, as well as local bartenders and consumers

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

LE DUY QUANG Foreign Language Marketing Specialist 207.

Brief Job Description: Conducting research and marketing strategies to develop areas of business.

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

208.

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

209.

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

210.

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.

211.

212.

213.

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

RED DOT MARKETING AND BRANDING INC. Unit 1514 Burgundy Transpacific Place Taft Ave. 079, Bgy. 727 Malate Manila

SA RIVENDELL GLOBAL SUPPORT, INC. 9-11 Flr., The Biopolis Bldg. Macapagal Blvd. Brgy. 076 Pasay City

214.

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in foreign language.

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

Basic Qualification: Has knowledge in computer applications

HAN, HAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Has knowledge in computer applications

LI, QUFAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Has knowledge in computer applications

LIANG, WEIWEI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Has knowledge in computer applications

LIN, FUZE Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Has knowledge in computer applications

XIANG, WEIZHI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Has knowledge in computer applications

YUAN, KAI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Has knowledge in computer applications

TO XUAN LUONG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services

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

SYKES ASIA, INC. G/f, 3/f, 4/f Worldwide Corporate Center Edsa Cor. Shaw Blvd., Highway Hills Mandaluyong City

MINOWA, YUSAKU Japanese Customer Service Representative 215.

Brief Job Description: Oversees handling of first line of inquiries from customers concerning warranty processes using Japanese.

Basic Qualification: Must provide first line customer service support through phone and email through the use of their local language (Japanese) Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999

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

Basic Qualification: Skilled in French language

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

216.

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

217.

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

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

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

218.

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

Basic Qualification: Degree holder with comprehensive knowledge in market sales, retail business, liquor, luxury and FMCG industry.

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

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

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

FAN, FENG Mandarin Customer Support Representative Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions, and responding to complaints.

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

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

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

VPC CORPORATE SOLUTIONS INCORPORATED 11/f 100 West, Sen Gil Puyat Ave. Cor. Washington St. Pio Del Pilar Makati City XIE, SIRUI Bilingual Finance Support Specialist 219.

Brief Job Description: Process and prepare financial and business forms for the purpose of checking account balances, facilitating purchases.

YAO, XUHUAN Bilingual Finance Support Specialist

220.

221.

222.

223.

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

Basic Qualification: Question and answer platform using English and Spanish language

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

MATONDO, PAUL EXAUCE French Operations Csr

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

PERNOD RICARD PHILIPPINES INC. Unit 509 & 510 Five E-com Center, Moa Complex Bldg. Pacific Drive St., Brgy. 076 Pasay City ROBERTS, OWEN DAVID Brand Ambassador

No.

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

OAMPI INC. 8/f 6780 Ayala Ave. Ayala Ave. San Lorenzo Makati City

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

www.businessmirror.com.ph

224.

Brief Job Description: Process and prepare financial and business forms for the purpose of checking account balances, facilitating purchases.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking foreign language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking foreign language

HUANG, TSUNG-SHIUAN Bilingual Marketing Specialist Brief Job Description: Assist in outbound or inbound marketing specialist

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking foreign language

JIE, JINMING Bilingual Marketing Specialist Brief Job Description: Assist in outbound or inbound marketing specialist

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking foreign language

KAO, HSIU-HUA Bilingual Marketing Specialist Brief Job Description: Assist in outbound or inbound marketing specialist

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking foreign language

XU, LIN Bilingual Marketing Specialist Brief Job Description: Assist in outbound or inbound marketing specialist LE THI GIANG Vietnam - Speaking Customer Service Officer

225.

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking foreign language

Brief Job Description: Responsible in resolve queries of Vietnam-customers through emails and chat

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking foreign language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 *Date Generated: Jul 7, 2021

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-NCR Regional Office located at DOLE-NCR Building, 967 Maligaya St., Malate Manila, within 30 days after this publication.

Please inform DOLE-NCR if you have any information on criminal offense committed by the foreign nationals.

PHILIPPINES E-SKY COMMUNICATION INC. Unit E-1905a East Tower Psec Exchange Road Ortigas Center, San Antonio Pasig City XU, YIDAN HR Manager 206.

Brief Job Description: Oversee human resources department and insures the function and task being carried out by the HR Team

Basic Qualification: College graduate; Proven working experience as HR Manager or other HR Executive; Fluent in Mandarin/Basic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

ATTY. SARAH BUENA S. MIRASOL REGIONAL DIRECTOR

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, July 8, 2021

B1

French firm wants to invest in shipyard project–DTI

A

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

@TyronePiad

French company has expressed interest in investing P1.5 billion in a shipyard project in the Philippines, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said on Wednesday.

Shipbuilding company OCEA, through its Chief Executive Officer Roland Joassard, informed Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez and French Minister for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness Franck Riester about its potential venture during a recent joint economic committee (JEC) meeting. It is seen to generate 500 to 600 direct and indirect jobs.

The JEC meeting held virtually earlier this month focused on economic discussions and commitments forged on bilateral coopera-

tion including agriculture; civil aviation, aeronautics and space; creative industries; electronics; energy and green technology; and infrastructure and transportation, and the maritime and shipbuilding sectors.

“This JEC meeting is a testament on how the Philippines and France are now rebuilding together, after global challenges faced during the early phase of the pandemic,” Lopez said.

Both countries also agreed to pursue collaborative projects on specific integrated circuit design

given the partnerships in the academe and electronics groups, namely Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Inc. and Alliance Electronique. DTI noted that both industry groups have been conducting business-to-business meetings since 2019 when they signed a memorandum of understanding.

Riester confirmed the financial support for the upcoming projects with the Transportation department, financial aid supporting the training boat contract of Philippine Merchant Marine Academy and the potential maritime expert proposal.

French space agency Centre National d’Etudes Spatiale also invited the Philippine Space Agency to join the Space Climate Observatory Initiative. It is group of space agencies and international organizations with the purpose of monitoring the consequences of climate change.

“In the virtual presence of its French partner, Centre National du Cinema, the Film Development

Council of the Philippines proposed continuing projects in film and animation that have already seen Philippine-made content gain attention in top French animation trade fair events in Annecy this year through the local film council’s partnership with French creative groups,” the DTI said.

The Philippines and France also enumerated specific projects on dairy development, geographical indications, and control and elimination of African swine fever. Both also discussed areas for market access as they gear up for a future bilateral agricultural meeting.

The next JEC is set in 2022 in Paris.

Total trade between the Philippines and France fell by 52.4 percent to $1.1 billion last year from $2.3 billion in 2019, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. Broken down, exports by the Philippines to France slid by 40.3 percent to $476.6 million while imports from the latter declined by 58.8 percent to $627 million.

Use of cross-border data tools pushed T proved during the 1st Asean Digital Ministers’ Meeting in January. These are in line with the Asean Framework on Personal Data Protection, which seeks to promote the growth of trade and flow of data in the digital economy. “Given the great shift to digitalization during this pandemic, the region can surely exceed the $240 billion it is projected to attain by 2025. But as early as now, we must ensure that the Philippines will have a slice of that growth,” Privacy Commissioner Raymund E. Liboro said.

The Asean digital economy reached approximately $72 billion in gross merchandise value in 2018, NPC noted. The figure was supported by growing interest user base in online travel, ecommerce, online media and ridehailing services.

“With its focus on trust, transparency, and accountability, the MCCs

he National Privacy Commission (NPC) is encouraging local companies to use tools that can integrate data management and cross-border transfer standards across Southeast Asia amid the growth of digital economy in the region.

The privacy watchdog on Wednesday said firms can tap Model Contract Clauses (MCCs) and the Data Management Framework (DMF).

These are tagged as “vital for Asean [Association of Southeast Asian Nation] businesses to use in their data-related business operations and help build trust, transparency and accountability.”

According to NPC, MCCs are voluntary standards that Asean companies may enforce in legally binding contracts to make sure customer data are protected during cross-border transfers.

Companies may modify the MCCs—as long as it will not contradict the existing clauses and domestic policies on privacy and protection—given the different levels of development among the countries in Asean region, NPC said.

“Meanwhile, the DMF is a voluntary and non-binding guidance for Asean businesses to establish a data management system and governance structure that appropriately safeguard different kinds of data,” the privacy agency said in a statement.

The framework enumerates key areas that require measures protecting the data’s confidentiality, integrity and availability.

These include government and oversight; policies and procedural documents; data inventory; impact/ risk assessment; controls; and monitoring and continuous improvement.

The MCCs and DMFs were ap-

Smart signs MOU with AST SpaceMobile

Tesda, Cebu contractors ink MOA

S

mart Communications Inc. has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with AST SpaceMobile Inc., an American company that is building the first and only spacebased cellular broadband network.

Under the MOU, the two companies will “explore opportunities” for the introduction of space-based cellular broadband services in rural areas in the Philippines.

“Our collaboration with Smart to look into opportunities to offer the SpaceMobile service to their customers in rural communities would allow the company to offer affordable broadband cellular access to the unconnected for the first time ever,” said Abel Avellan, chairman and CEO of AST SpaceMobile.

This new agreement with Smart adds to SpaceMobile’s existing agreements and understandings with mobile network operators which collectively cover approximately 1.4 billion mobile subscribers.

“This collaboration between Smart and AST SpaceMobile strongly supports this vision, as we continue to invest in our networks and explore the most relevant innovations that will enable us to continue expanding the reach of our services alongside delivering exceptional customer experience across the Philippines’s more than 7,000 islands,” Smart President Alfredo S. Panlilio said. Lorenz S. Marasigan

and DMF will elevate Philippine companies’ competitiveness and readiness to capture new markets,” Liboro said. “Because what companies do to safeguard their customers’ data from hacks, unauthorized access and other emerging threats is what is defining competitiveness today.”

The NPC chief said the agency will introduce more initiatives to capacitate companies, especially micro, small and medium enterprises, to allow inclusive growth. Earlier this year, the Department of Trade and Industry said it aims to boost the contribution of the e-commerce industry to P1.2 trillion by 2022, which is equivalent to 5.5 percent of the country’s GDP. Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

T

he Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) and Cebu Contractors Association Inc. (CCA) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) which aims to strengthen the construction sector and address unemployment and job-skill mismatch in Cebu.

Under the MOA signed by Tesda Secretary Isidro Lapeña and CCA President Francis Gerard Cañedo for the establishment of an industry board in Central Visayas, the agency shall facilitate the development of training regulations, curricula, assessment tools, expansion of assessment and certification infrastructure and the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Program registration with the help of experts from the construction industry.

Lapeña said the partnership will “uncover a lot of opportunities,” as the newly created industry board will serve as the channel of the existing industries in terms of design and implementation of projects, programs, and activities for TVET scholars.

“We will tap the experts in the construction industries in the development and regular review of our training programs to ensure that what we teach in Tesda is at par with international standards.”

He said Tesda will also develop incentives and guidelines that would encourage wider participation of the industry in the implementation of enterprise-based programs.

CCA will provide the necessary labor market information to Tesda in aid of policy and program decisions. It shall also lead and provide experts in analyzing forecasting skills needed for skills development and conduct

Tesda Secretary Isidro Lapeña

capability-building interventions for trainers and assessors.

Lapeña noted that establishing an industry board in every region is important as this will encourage participation of partners from the private sector in improving various aspects of TVET in the country.

He added that since his assumption as Tesda director general in 2018, the agency has intensified its efforts in establishing linkages and stakeholders in shaping globally-competitive workers.

“This is our way of ensuring that our actions are harmonized with end-users—that the skills we provide are responsive to the needs and requirements of the industries,” he said.

Lapeña is hoping that the partnership will empower more Filipinos especially those who are in the lower strata of the society. He also lauded CCA for supporting Tesda.

Also present during the MoA signing were CCA Vice President Benedict Uy, Tesda Deputy Director General Lina Sarmiento and Tesda Chief-of-Staff Director Juliet Orozco. Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

PSE to boost investor education initiatives

By VG Cabuag @villygc

T

he Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) said it would need to further educate the public about investing in stocks to sustain the sharp increase in the participation of individual investors in the market.

During the recent forum titled “Beyond the Pandemicrisis” organized by Maybank and ASEAN Exchanges, PSE President and CEO Ramon S. Monzon said he wants individual investors to stay in the market for the long term and not go for speculative stocks which can cause them to lose money.

“If they lose money, they would be disincentivized in participating in the market. For the PSE, we’re really boosting our investor education initiatives to make sure that retail investors are adequately protected from speculative investments,” Monzon said.

At the start of the year through the first quarter, Monzon said average trading volume rose 74 percent to 55 percent in the previous year, while retail participation rose to 43 percent from last year’s 27 percent.

The deluge of trading activity from retail investors, however, has clogged the system of some of the local stock brokers, causing them to stop accepting new clients.

COL Financial Group Inc., for instance, started to limit the number of new clients at the start of the year and halted the acceptance of new ones as activity surged by at least five times.

COL has the most number of individual investors among the local online stock brokers in the country. It has about 404,000 customer accounts with net equity of P78.45 billion as of September.

Data from the PSE showed that local investors accounted for 75.3 percent of value turnover in

January while foreign investors accounted for the remaining 24.7 percent of transaction value.

This is the highest local investor participation on a monthly basis since March 2010, when it hit 76.2 percent.

The value turnover ratio was 56.8 to 43.2 in favor of foreign investors in January 2020 and 54.6 to 45.4 in favor of local investors for the entire 2020.

As of July 2, foreign activity only averaged at 32 percent and the rest came from the local market.

Monzon said the PSE wants to sustain this by introducing several indices, possibly within the year, to cater the diverse preferences of investors.

He said the PSE may introduce an index for mid-cap stocks and for firms that give high dividends.

There are also plans to introduce an index for ESG or environmental, social and governance compliance of companies.

The mid-cap and the highdividend yield indices can be launched this year, but the ESG index may have to wait longer as the Philippines needs to look at how other markets in the region rolled out the index.

“Investments on the fixed income securities like the green bonds have been happening during the last three to four years, but in the equities market it has not happened. We started disclosure framework to allow investors to know the ESG compliance of listed firms. We want to create an ESG index but it is not just as easy as that. You need to craft rules [for it],” Monzon said.

B2

Thursday, July 8, 2021

Companies BusinessMirror

SMC: Only Class 1 vehicles with RFID may use Skyway 3

By Lorenz S. Marasigan

T

Meanwhile, the use of RFID aims to minimize the risk of Covid-19 infection among the motorists and toll personnel, and ensures faster, better, and convenient travel on the elevated expressway.

Currently, SMC estimates that around 80 percent of its motorists are RFID users since December 2020. This has also significantly improved traffic on all its tollways.

The operator of the elevated expressway will start collecting toll fee from motorists starting July 12. It said on Tuesday it is reducing its proposed toll rates for the expressway.

“There are still changes on a per distance basis, but end-to-end, it is definitely P264 VAT inclusive,” a company official said.

SMC has incurred roughly P3 billion in foregone revenues since the Skyway 3 was opened in December.

It has been allowing motorists to use the elevated thoroughfare for free for almost seven months.

T he food-to-infrastructure conglomerate spent over P80 billion to complete the project within two administrations, a significant amount of time considering its length. The delays were caused by right-of-way issues, realignments, and redesigns.

Skyway 3 has a design capacity of 200,000 vehicles per day. According to the Department of Public Works and Highways it diverts at least 75,000 vehicles per day from Edsa and C5.

@lorenzmarasigan

he 18-kilometer elevated Skyway Stage 3 will be dedicated to Class 1 vehicles with Autosweep RFID stickers starting July 12 as part of its safety measures, according to the chief of San Miguel Corp. (SMC).

Ramon S. Ang, the company’s president, said limiting the use of the thoroughfare to Class 1 vehicles and the use of digital payments are “twin moves” that “would address safety concerns on the elevated expressway.”

“We continue to look for ways to improve safety and user experience on our expressways, especially the new Skyway 3. We have implemented a number of measures to ensure safety, prevent over-speeding, and facilitate the more efficient flow of vehicles while still providing motorists significantly reduced travel times,” he said.

Ang added that limiting Skyway 3 to regular vehicles will further ensure safety for all users.

“With more private vehicles diverted to Skyway 3, our public roads will be freed up and decongested.

This will benefit, number one, our public transportation and commuters. It will also be beneficial to transporters of goods, who can opt to use the at-grade sections of the Skyway system where tolls are lower, as well as public roads which are free, as they are subsidized by government.”

mutual funds

July 7, 2021 NAV

One Year Three Year Five Year

per share

Return*

Y-T-D Return

Stock Funds ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a

224.48

8.64%

-3.68%

-1.21%

ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a

1.4504

34.98%

0.27%

1.89%

10.46%

10.43%

-7.64%

-5.96%

-1.17%

Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.7812 9.84%

-3.45% n.a.

-2.82%

First Metro Consumer Fund on MSCI Phils. IMI, Inc. -a 0.7639 11.66%

-2.16% n.a.

3.01%

First Metro Save and Learn Equity Fund,Inc. -a

-1.18%

-1.88%

-0.1%

3.44%

ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 3.0964

4.9365

11.55%

First Metro Save and Learn Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a,4

0.727

-3.31%

-4.53%

-6.24%

MBG Equity Investment Fund, Inc. -a

102.99

27.46%

-1.14% n.a.

1.03%

PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a

46.0042

10.17%

-1.32%

-2.55%

-1.8%

8.76%

-1.48%

-2.92%

-1.27%

Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a

482.79

Philequity Alpha One Fund, Inc. -a,d,5

1.0984

20.25% n.a. n.a.

Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. -a

1.1659

11.38%

-1.27%

-1.95%

-0.2%

Philequity Fund, Inc. -a

34.4436

11.67%

-0.9%

-1.42%

-0.94%

8.94% n.a. n.a.

-1.85%

Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a

0.8961

Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc. -a

4.7138

Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a

Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a

0.1%

10.89%

-0.7%

789.64

10.91%

-0.58%

-1.89%

-1.5%

0.7199

11.23%

-4.88%

-4.92%

0.14% -1.49%

Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 3.5698

9.01%

-1.78%

-1.62%

-3.21%

-3.29%

Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.9017 10.27%

-0.96%

-2.03%

-1.74%

United Fund, Inc. -a

-1.62%

-1.15%

-1.05%

-0.37%

-1.31%

3.2842

10.32%

-4.32%

Exchange Traded Fund First Metro Phil. Equity Exchange Traded Fund, Inc. -a,c

106.0012

10.9%

-1.44%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities $1.2645

27.07%

7.62%

8.42%

5.12%

Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.8124

ATRAM AsiaPlus Equity Fund, Inc. -b

28.74%

12.65%

12.62%

8.35%

Balanced Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ATRAM Dynamic Allocation Fund, Inc. -a

1.6957

7.53%

1.22%

-1.51%

1.62%

ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a

2.2566

7.91%

0.47%

-0.73%

-1.26%

1.34%

-0.38%

-0.13%

First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund Inc. -a 2.6237

6.61%

First Metro Save and Learn F.O.C.C.U.S. Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a,1 0.1967

4.07% n.a. n.a.

NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a 1.9676

5.26%

2.65%

0.47%

0.18%

PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a

3.716

4.44%

1.92%

-0.7%

Philam Fund, Inc. -a

16.6561

5.21%

2.03%

-0.71%

-1.66%

Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a

2.077

6.12%

0.67%

-0.46%

-0.82%

5.9%

-0.3%

-1.66%

Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.5447

-1.9%

-0.8%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a,d 0.9921

2.7% n.a. n.a.

-2.98%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a,d 0.9164

4.78% n.a. n.a.

-3.46%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a,d 0.9047

6.25% n.a. n.a.

-3.04%

Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a

7.67%

0.8933

-0.61%

-1.91%

0.63%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Cocolife Dollar Fund Builder, Inc. -a

$0.03822

-0.7%

3.19%

1.3%

-2.3%

PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -b

$1.1279

12.5%

4.1%

4.64%

-1.94%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $4.7649 21.45%

9.6%

8.79%

5.58%

5.54%

4.84%

1.5%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a,3 $1.2201 10.92%

-0.96%

www.businessmirror.com.ph

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

July 7, 2021

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

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

46.9 114.5 88.2 25.55 10.24 48.35 10.86 19.04 22.85 56 21.75 119.1 76.9 1.5 4.3 3.03 0.39 0.7 229 2,420 0.96

47.05 114.6 88.5 25.65 10.28 48.75 11 19.98 22.9 56.05 21.9 119.2 77.2 1.52 4.35 3.14 0.395 0.72 230 2,550 1

47 114.6 89 25.7 10.46 49 10.86 19.58 23.1 56 22.1 122.7 77.2 1.55 4.37 3.05 0.395 0.72 220 2,410 1

47 114.9 89.5 25.7 10.46 49.3 11.1 19.68 23.1 56.05 22.1 122.7 77.25 1.55 4.37 3.05 0.395 0.72 230 2,550 1

46.9 113.5 87.9 25.5 10.18 48.35 10.86 17.5 22.85 56 21.65 119.1 77 1.5 4.3 3.05 0.39 0.7 213 2,400 1

46.9 114.5 88.5 25.65 10.28 48.35 11.1 19.68 22.9 56.05 21.8 119.2 77 1.5 4.35 3.05 0.39 0.7 230 2,550 1

2,700 1,805,580 1,208,120 26,100 544,600 2,126,700 40,400 2,011,900 429,200 13,060 149,600 827,680 12,570 926,000 12,000 12,000 800,000 15,000 38,740 105 1,000

126,790 206,171,707 107,014,775 667,560 5,582,950 103,566,955 445,842 35,233,064 9,839,930 731,407 3,264,325 99,185,940 968,044.50 1,403,630 51,720 36,600 312,100 10,540 8,472,552 252,950 1,000

22,638,605 3,527,178.50 248 -21,109,715 -1,031,090 -11,000 -1,517,739 584,432 2,644,470 -

INDUSTRIAL AC ENERGY 8.66 8.67 8.7 8.79 8.65 8.67 33,901,500 295,180,685 ALSONS CONS 1.3 1.33 1.3 1.31 1.3 1.3 1,364,000 1,773,250 ABOITIZ POWER 24.8 24.85 25 25.1 24.75 24.8 1,611,900 40,009,120 BASIC ENERGY 0.75 0.76 0.77 0.77 0.75 0.76 20,124,000 15,336,260 FIRST GEN 29.7 29.8 30.1 30.15 29.65 29.8 866,000 25,841,905 77.9 78 79 79 77.8 78 233,560 18,217,262 FIRST PHIL HLDG 282.6 285 284.4 285 282 285 160,680 45,583,366 MERALCO 18.2 18.22 18.38 18.46 18.16 18.22 628,300 11,474,960 MANILA WATER 3.56 3.57 3.6 3.64 3.47 3.56 3,501,000 12,353,100 PETRON 4.04 4.1 4.05 4.05 4.01 4.04 152,000 610,190 PETROENERGY PHX PETROLEUM 12.88 13.04 13.04 13.04 13.04 13.04 25,000 326,000 PILIPINAS SHELL 20.6 20.65 20.6 20.65 20.35 20.65 164,800 3,389,090 SPC POWER 12.78 12.8 12.76 12.9 12.76 12.78 172,800 2,214,458 VIVANT 16.18 17.5 17.5 17.5 17.5 17.5 2,600 45,500 AGRINURTURE 6.2 6.24 6.2 6.31 6.15 6.24 1,913,500 11,888,386 2.9 2.92 2.92 2.95 2.9 2.9 296,000 860,130 AXELUM 70.05 76.9 68.7 68.7 68.7 68.7 60 4,122 BOGO MEDELLIN CNTRL AZUCARERA 14.1 14.78 14.3 14.9 14 14.78 6,600 95,590 22.95 23.05 23.45 23.85 22.6 22.95 785,900 18,030,335 CENTURY FOOD 15.58 15.6 15.8 15.88 14.82 15.6 534,400 8,312,442 DEL MONTE DNL INDUS 8.4 8.41 8.57 8.57 8.36 8.4 1,636,600 13,754,561 EMPERADOR 12.1 12.16 12.3 12.44 12.02 12.1 4,500,200 54,469,504 SMC FOODANDBEV 82.3 83 82.75 83 81.25 83 276,120 22,662,270.50 ALLIANCE SELECT 0.63 0.66 0.67 0.67 0.66 0.66 29,000 19,270 1.37 1.38 1.39 1.39 1.36 1.37 2,623,000 3,608,800 FRUITAS HLDG 97.95 98 98.9 98.9 97.9 98 20,480 2,007,494 GINEBRA 211 212.4 214 214 209.6 212.4 676,080 143,064,188 JOLLIBEE 31 31.4 31.5 31.5 31 31 200 6,250 LIBERTY FLOUR MACAY HLDG 7.55 8 7.96 7.96 7.55 7.55 2,400 18,530 MAXS GROUP 7.1 7.12 7.13 7.16 6.92 7.1 296,400 2,098,454 MG HLDG 0.29 0.295 0.29 0.3 0.285 0.29 670,000 193,150 MONDE NISSIN 16.2 16.26 16.5 16.58 16.18 16.2 8,270,200 134,475,846 SHAKEYS PIZZA 8.05 8.1 8.37 8.37 8.05 8.05 854,900 6,931,086 ROXAS AND CO 1.02 1.03 1.03 1.03 1.02 1.03 3,476,000 3,546,020 4.7 4.75 4.75 4.75 4.7 4.75 46,000 218,390 RFM CORP 0.142 0.145 0.146 0.146 0.142 0.142 11,040,000 1,584,080 SWIFT FOODS 143.6 144 144 145 143.4 144 497,030 71,532,601 UNIV ROBINA 0.85 0.86 0.87 0.87 0.85 0.86 1,088,000 934,870 VITARICH VICTORIAS 2.31 2.51 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 10,000 23,000 CEMEX HLDG 1.36 1.37 1.43 1.43 1.34 1.37 13,980,000 19,252,430 DAVINCI CAPITAL 2.94 2.95 3.01 3.01 2.95 2.95 1,653,000 4,904,630 EAGLE CEMENT 15.7 15.72 15.68 15.8 15.5 15.7 1,661,800 26,081,000 EEI CORP 8.02 8.16 8.17 8.18 8.02 8.16 1,083,500 8,834,125 7.12 7.2 7.2 7.22 7 7.2 2,419,500 17,263,760 HOLCIM 7.05 7.08 7 7.14 7 7.05 800,400 5,645,555 MEGAWIDE 14.92 15.36 14.9 15.46 14.9 15.36 44,000 658,192 PHINMA 1.06 1.07 1.05 1.06 1.04 1.06 125,000 131,420 TKC METALS 1.72 1.73 1.75 1.75 1.73 1.73 149,000 258,450 CROWN ASIA EUROMED 1.96 2.02 1.94 2.06 1.94 2.02 545,000 1,101,330 LMG CORP 4.3 4.65 4.3 4.3 4.3 4.3 1,000 4,300 MABUHAY VINYL 5.02 5.27 5.2 5.27 5.2 5.27 2,700 14,085 PRYCE CORP 5.4 5.42 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 40,000 216,000 CONCEPCION 21.45 21.95 21.55 21.55 21.5 21.5 5,500 118,500 4.24 4.25 4.45 4.5 4.23 4.25 12,514,000 54,213,180 GREENERGY 10.32 10.4 10.78 10.78 10.32 10.32 863,300 9,020,992 INTEGRATED MICR 1.1 1.11 1.13 1.13 1.11 1.11 146,000 162,760 IONICS PANASONIC 5.73 5.75 5.8 5.8 5.75 5.75 24,200 139,346 SFA SEMICON 1.39 1.4 1.42 1.46 1.38 1.39 2,597,000 3,669,080 CIRTEK HLDG 5.51 5.55 5.63 5.68 5.46 5.55 6,713,100 37,204,673

40,307,406 -661,700 -11,259,770 160,130 -8,568,955 1,444,840 -19,946,180 -1,822,800 -1,369,060 208,875 -257,882 -44,100 -4,470 682,145 -7,709,932.00 319,988 -2,315,516 87,690 -13,687 -1,469,870 394,308 -12,855,512 -2,637,835 9,400 37,260 5,672,071 -2,735,530 20,770 -7,987,116 8,071,680 14,323,553 117,660 74,500 16,640 19,700 -53,875 1,309,660.00 -1,867,420 142,180 19,547

HOLDING & FRIMS ABACORE CAPITAL 1.06 1.07 1.1 1.11 1.06 1.07 9,640,000 10,380,090 ASIABEST GROUP 7.08 7.2 7.08 7.2 7.06 7.2 11,400 80,714 AYALA CORP 798 799 811 811.5 796 798 221,160 176,904,585 ABOITIZ EQUITY 41.85 41.95 42.3 42.3 41.5 41.85 478,900 20,025,080 ALLIANCE GLOBAL 10.22 10.36 10.48 10.48 10.14 10.36 3,687,700 37,851,172 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.07 4.15 5,331,000 22,013,790 AYALA LAND LOG 1.06 1.07 1.12 1.18 1.05 1.07 32,715,000 36,494,360 ANGLO PHIL HLDG 0.71 0.72 0.72 0.72 0.71 0.71 916,000 651,290 ATN HLDG A COSCO CAPITAL 5.31 5.32 5.33 5.36 5.31 5.31 781,800 4,167,697 6.42 6.43 6.65 6.65 6.42 6.42 12,221,700 79,465,997 DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV 8.1 8.19 8.19 8.19 8.1 8.1 3,800 30,897 FORUM PACIFIC 0.295 0.31 0.295 0.295 0.295 0.295 130,000 38,350 GT CAPITAL 607 609 629 629 605 607 130,390 79,589,225 HOUSE OF INV 4.02 4.15 4 4.09 4 4.09 103,000 412,180 JG SUMMIT 62.2 62.5 62.95 62.95 62 62.5 938,060 58,524,419.50 4.59 5.45 5.46 5.46 5.46 5.46 2,000 10,920 KEPPEL HLDG A LODESTAR 0.87 0.88 0.87 0.89 0.86 0.87 1,803,000 1,571,830 LOPEZ HLDG 3.38 3.43 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.4 1,000 3,400 LT GROUP 12.74 12.78 12.88 12.88 12.74 12.74 1,926,200 24,618,792 0.55 0.56 0.54 0.55 0.5 0.55 643,000 337,240 MABUHAY HLDG METRO PAC INV 3.87 3.88 3.94 3.94 3.87 3.87 54,312,000 210,851,420 PRIME MEDIA 3 3.01 3.02 3.03 2.96 3.01 506,000 1,520,020 REPUBLIC GLASS 2.88 2.89 2.89 2.89 2.89 2.89 1,000 2,890 SOLID GROUP 1.29 1.3 1.29 1.3 1.29 1.3 32,000 41,550 1,005 1,012 1,014 1,014 1,005 1,012 101,130 102,125,900 SM INVESTMENTS 116.9 117.1 117 118 116.8 117 170,070 19,927,168 SAN MIGUEL CORP 0.76 0.78 0.75 0.76 0.75 0.76 33,000 24,950 SOC RESOURCES 2.19 2.37 2.19 2.19 2.19 2.19 11,000 24,090 SEAFRONT RES TOP FRONTIER 138 140 140 140 140 140 2,400 336,000 WELLEX INDUS 0.29 0.3 0.295 0.305 0.29 0.3 860,000 252,550 ZEUS HLDG 0.236 0.24 0.247 0.247 0.235 0.235 9,110,000 2,167,170

879,020 -54,967,890 1,993,930 1,401,236.00 16,350,140 19,000 -2,202,035 -11,843,830 19,130,090 -9,654,212 -15,872,262 -22,167,740 -56,810 -22,339,775 971,465 15,200 -

PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.66 0.67 0.68 0.68 0.66 0.67 238,000 159,370 AYALA LAND 36.35 36.4 36.75 36.9 36.3 36.35 4,051,200 147,498,900 ARANETA PROP 1.17 1.24 1.17 1.17 1.17 1.17 66,000 77,220 AREIT RT 36.5 36.6 36.5 36.8 36.45 36.5 240,800 8,795,420 BELLE CORP 1.41 1.42 1.42 1.42 1.41 1.42 384,000 544,980 0.93 0.94 0.94 0.95 0.93 0.93 509,000 476,430 A BROWN CITYLAND DEVT 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.12 1.04 1.07 3,021,000 3,244,670 0.134 0.137 0.137 0.137 0.134 0.134 2,770,000 372,250 CROWN EQUITIES 3.77 3.8 3.86 3.87 3.74 3.8 716,000 2,715,190 CEB LANDMASTERS 0.52 0.54 0.52 0.54 0.51 0.54 17,855,000 9,499,650 CENTURY PROP DOUBLEDRAGON 12.08 12.1 12.06 12.4 12.06 12.1 682,800 8,311,294 DDMP RT 1.99 2 2 2.01 1.99 1.99 7,653,000 15,278,440 DM WENCESLAO 7.16 7.19 7.19 7.19 7.18 7.19 34,500 248,035 EMPIRE EAST 0.295 0.3 0.31 0.31 0.295 0.295 6,980,000 2,095,150 EVER GOTESCO 0.495 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.485 0.5 42,422,000 21,006,445 1.12 1.13 1.12 1.13 1.11 1.13 3,150,000 3,531,400 FILINVEST LAND 0.9 0.91 0.9 0.91 0.9 0.91 8,000 7,210 GLOBAL ESTATE 8990 HLDG 7.18 7.33 7.34 7.39 7.17 7.33 45,100 330,179 1.39 1.4 1.39 1.41 1.39 1.39 259,000 361,980 PHIL INFRADEV 1.79 1.8 1.83 1.83 1.77 1.8 1,350,000 2,421,010 CITY AND LAND MEGAWORLD 3.21 3.22 3.22 3.25 3.2 3.21 28,795,000 92,481,720 MRC ALLIED 0.4 0.405 0.415 0.415 0.4 0.4 33,510,000 13,597,400 PHIL ESTATES 0.69 0.7 0.71 0.72 0.68 0.7 15,820,000 11,034,620 PRIMEX CORP 3.12 3.13 3.12 3.16 3.09 3.13 373,000 1,161,910 18.06 18.08 18.4 18.4 17.98 18.08 1,152,800 20,868,230 ROBINSONS LAND 0.4 0.41 0.415 0.415 0.395 0.41 10,630,000 4,273,550 PHIL REALTY 1.58 1.6 1.57 1.61 1.56 1.6 999,000 1,593,080 ROCKWELL 3.02 3.04 2.9 3.1 2.9 3.04 1,393,000 4,198,210 STA LUCIA LAND 36.55 36.8 36.8 36.85 36.45 36.8 2,521,900 92,574,755 SM PRIME HLDG SUNTRUST HOME 1.61 1.64 1.61 1.68 1.6 1.64 98,000 159,220 PTFC REDEV CORP 43.1 59.9 43.1 43.1 43.1 43.1 300 12,930 VISTA LAND 3.81 3.82 3.87 3.87 3.81 3.81 991,000 3,792,520

SERVICES ABS CBN 12.48 12.8 12.5 13 12.48 12.48 393,600 4,955,176 GMA NETWORK 13.88 13.9 14.4 14.46 13.84 13.9 4,072,200 56,959,430 MANILA BULLETIN 0.44 0.465 0.44 0.44 0.44 0.44 10,000 4,400 MLA BRDCASTING 10 10.46 9.8 10.52 9.8 10.52 1,900 19,298 GLOBE TELECOM 1,932 1,941 1,964 1,964 1,932 1,932 64,790 125,895,205 1,304 1,324 1,328 1,328 1,304 1,304 68,510 89,747,275 PLDT 0.177 0.178 0.177 0.178 0.175 0.177 133,120,000 23,538,680 APOLLO GLOBAL 22.4 22.45 22.9 23 22.35 22.4 2,407,600 54,156,780 CONVERGE 4.67 4.68 4.48 4.7 4.48 4.67 1,746,000 8,062,890 DFNN INC 8.88 8.89 8.99 9 8.84 8.88 2,924,400 25,980,921 DITO CME HLDG IMPERIAL 1.61 1.65 1.61 1.65 1.61 1.65 57,000 92,050 JACKSTONES 2.21 2.27 2.4 2.5 2.2 2.27 248,000 582,750 NOW CORP 2.54 2.56 2.54 2.59 2.49 2.56 2,128,000 5,400,830 TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.495 0.5 0.51 0.52 0.49 0.5 22,929,000 11,452,620 PHILWEB 2.4 2.43 2.4 2.4 2.39 2.39 35,000 83,760 8.39 8.49 8.56 8.56 8.49 8.49 14,200 120,779 2GO GROUP 14.8 14.88 14.96 14.96 14.8 14.9 6,500 96,746 ASIAN TERMINALS CHELSEA 3.08 3.09 3.11 3.11 3.07 3.08 159,000 489,260 CEBU AIR 52 52.15 53 53.1 52 52 480,190 25,170,819 164 164.5 164.1 166.4 163.9 164 1,531,930 252,213,109 INTL CONTAINER LBC EXPRESS 17.24 18 18.3 18.3 17.24 18 3,000 53,376 LORENZO SHIPPNG 1 1.06 1.06 1.06 1 1.06 3,000 3,120 MACROASIA 5.44 5.45 5.45 5.52 5.4 5.44 1,373,000 7,476,270 METROALLIANCE A 2.24 2.25 2.28 2.3 2.24 2.24 91,000 205,700 1.24 1.27 1.28 1.28 1.23 1.27 119,000 148,810 HARBOR STAR ACESITE HOTEL 1.91 1.96 1.97 1.97 1.91 1.96 22,000 43,180 BOULEVARD HLDG 0.14 0.141 0.148 0.15 0.139 0.14 800,180,000 115,357,180 3.04 3.14 3.17 3.17 3.03 3.13 27,000 83,800 DISCOVERY WORLD WATERFRONT 0.57 0.58 0.59 0.6 0.57 0.57 3,045,000 1,763,490 CENTRO ESCOLAR 6.5 6.69 6.52 6.52 6.5 6.5 10,000 65,026 STI HLDG 0.39 0.395 0.395 0.4 0.39 0.395 11,940,000 4,715,550 BLOOMBERRY 6.49 6.52 6.5 6.59 6.48 6.49 13,036,100 84,691,252 PACIFIC ONLINE 2.04 2.1 2.05 2.05 2.05 2.05 33,000 67,650 LEISURE AND RES 1.57 1.58 1.6 1.6 1.57 1.57 351,000 553,710 1.88 1.89 1.94 1.94 1.88 1.89 2,451,000 4,661,610 PH RESORTS GRP 0.42 0.425 0.425 0.425 0.42 0.425 1,140,000 479,950 PREMIUM LEISURE ALLHOME 8.38 8.4 8.34 8.45 8.21 8.4 1,401,200 11,739,472 1.41 1.42 1.45 1.45 1.4 1.41 462,000 652,100 METRO RETAIL 40.9 41 41.75 41.9 40.5 40.9 1,624,000 66,539,955 PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL 55.95 56 57.5 57.6 56 56 628,400 35,367,632 PHIL SEVEN CORP 94.9 99.9 99.95 99.95 94.5 94.9 38,260 3,634,129 SSI GROUP 1.26 1.27 1.27 1.29 1.26 1.27 4,582,000 5,832,730 WILCON DEPOT 20.65 20.7 21.5 21.5 20.2 20.7 1,502,700 31,241,790 0.39 0.4 0.39 0.4 0.39 0.39 750,000 297,900 APC GROUP GOLDEN MV 430 442.4 430.2 442.4 430.2 442.4 1,610 712,142 IPM HLDG 5.75 5.8 5.75 5.8 5.75 5.8 3,000 17,334 PRMIERE HORIZON 1.63 1.65 1.64 1.65 1.62 1.63 5,539,000 9,034,630 4.22 4.4 4.4 4.45 4.22 4.22 537,000 2,269,480 SBS PHIL CORP

660 -54,972,760 574,655 8,520 54,600 -67,000 564,670 -43,160 -1,035,778 6,165,600 167,850 8,290 -70,460 5,032 1,390 8,790 -29,158,380 -376,750 -109,040 218,660 4,088,820.00 12,150 -9,600 63,800.00 -14,103,890 -7,078,735 -17,943,865 -35,400 1,682,235 1,895,910 380,265.00 45,000 -281,160 49,500 8,560 -4,841,945.50 39,573,536 -9,140 -98,750.00 3,370,650.00 -541,140.00 -4,222,550 -32,091,533 -41,630 546,418 -179,040 17,844,825 -7,662,566 -3,035,583 -3,148,840 -5,937,040 269,790.00 -

MINING & OIL ATOK 8.42 8.45 8.52 8.53 8.45 8.45 321,000 2,727,450 -849 APEX MINING 1.6 1.62 1.65 1.65 1.61 1.61 811,000 1,318,930 ATLAS MINING 6.4 6.42 6.5 6.57 6.34 6.42 791,000 5,084,546 -52,444 ALFM Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 372.47 1.66% 3.2% 2.45% 0.38% BENGUET A 5.7 5.78 5.8 5.85 5.66 5.78 272,200 1,552,644 5.52 5.63 5.68 5.68 5.5 5.63 134,100 746,435 B BENGUET ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a

1.9228 -1.02% 1.14% 0.23% 1.18% COAL ASIA HLDG 0.3 0.315 0.3 0.315 0.3 0.315 730,000 223,050 Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a 3.2302 1.15% 3.75% 4.31% 0.48% CENTURY PEAK 2.85 2.88 2.87 2.88 2.85 2.88 260,000 744,440 351,250 6.41 6.65 6.45 6.69 6.35 6.41 112,000 713,271 18,465 DIZON MINES Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a 2.2627 -1.66% 2.24% 1.32% -1.45% 2.48 2.49 2.55 2.59 2.48 2.48 2,462,000 6,235,460 2,460,860.00 FERRONICKEL First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.4426 -0.46% 3.31% 1.68% -0.43% GEOGRACE 0.335 0.34 0.335 0.34 0.33 0.335 430,000 144,500 20,100 LEPANTO A 0.157 0.159 0.159 0.159 0.157 0.158 21,980,000 3,459,100 Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a 4.4845 -3.13% 4.41% 1.3% -3.24% LEPANTO B 0.165 0.167 0.162 0.167 0.162 0.167 260,000 43,120 33,400 Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a,6 1.3211 1.65% 4.16% 2.75% -0.01% MANILA MINING A 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 12,100,000 133,100 MINING B MANILA 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.011 19,600,000 216,300 Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.9732 0.01% 4.44% 2.25% -0.7% 1.21 1.22 1.2 1.23 1.2 1.22 40,000 48,360 MARCVENTURES Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a 1.0363 0.71% 4.75% 1.6% -0.55% NIHAO 1.5 1.51 1.51 1.51 1.48 1.5 405,000 607,550 NICKEL ASIA 5.46 5.48 5.5 5.5 5.44 5.48 3,066,500 16,736,279 4,544,750 Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.2174 1.25% 5.53% 2.48% 0.36% 1 1.02 1 1.02 1 1.02 374,000 376,530 ORNTL PENINSULA PX MINING 6.67 6.69 6.78 6.86 6.66 6.69 673,100 4,522,289 243,559 Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a

1.7505 0.25% 4.8% 1.82% -0.26% SEMIRARA MINING 16.3 16.32 16.62 16.62 16.12 16.3 2,533,600 41,214,692 1,094,462.00 Primarily invested in foreign currency securities UNITED PARAGON 0.0094 0.0096 0.0094 0.0096 0.0094 0.0094 19,000,000 180,200 ACE ENEXOR 18.5 18.7 19 19 18.5 18.52 73,400 1,365,116 13,204 ALFM Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $486.31 2.56% 3.2% 2.15% 0.5% ORNTL PETROL A 0.012 0.013 0.012 0.013 0.012 0.013 51,400,000 657,000 ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a Є220.16 2.16% 1.14% 1.05% 0.45% 0.012 0.013 0.012 0.013 0.012 0.013 500,000 6,200 ORNTL PETROL B PHILODRILL 0.011 0.012 0.012 0.013 0.011 0.012 43,700,000 517,500 ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b $1.1928 -2.27% 2.39% 1.21% -6.84% PXP ENERGY 7.86 7.94 8.11 8.12 7.86 7.86 327,900 2,617,914 131,782 First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.0261 0.38% 1.85% 0.86% -1.88%

PREFFERED PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -b $1.051 -1.97% 0.55% -0.96% -3.82% HOUSE PREF B 101.1 101.5 101.5 101.5 101.5 101.5 400 40,600 Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $2.5139 2.81% 5.49% 1.85% -0.86% HOUSE PREF A 101.2 101.5 101 101.2 101 101.1 7,480 756,010 AC PREF B1 527 532 526 526 526 526 10 5,260 Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a $0.0630008 3.9% 3.57% 2.18% 1.1% ALCO PREF B 101.6 103.5 103.5 103.5 102.5 102.5 5,390 552,865 Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $3.188 0.33% 3.47% 0.7% -1.1% AC PREF B2R 523 525 523 523 523 523 21,020 10,993,460 51 51.35 51.45 51.6 51 51 81,890 4,189,733.50 -929,780.50 CEB PREF Money Market Funds 101.5 102 102 102 100.5 101.5 51,590 5,197,804 503,491 DD PREF Primarily invested in Peso securities 105.3 109.5 109.8 109.8 104.1 105 3,190 340,913 72,466 FGEN PREF G 504.5 505 504.5 504.5 504.5 504.5 2,310 1,165,395 GLO PREF P ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 130.34 1.65% 3.04% 2.53% 0.41% GTCAP PREF B 1,017 1,030 1,030 1,030 1,030 1,030 40 41,200 MWIDE PREF 100.7 101.4 101 101.1 101 101.1 24,650 2,491,670 First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.0533 1.08% n.a. n.a.

0.5% MWIDE PREF 2A 100.1 110 104.5 125 104.5 110 270 30,815 Sun Life Prosperity Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.3056 1.68% 2.83% 2.56% 0.69% PCOR PREF 3A 1,115 1,116 1,115 1,115 1,115 1,115 5,680 6,333,200 PREF 2C SMC 78.8 78.85 79.3 79.3 78.85 78.85 10,100 796,552.50 Primarily invested in foreign currency securities SMC PREF 2F 78.8 79.45 78.8 79.5 78.8 79.5 3,030 238,785 Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0578 1.2% 1.66% n.a.

0.51% 78.5 79.5 78.3 78.5 78 78.5 115,400 9,011,960 SMC PREF 2I SMC PREF 2J 76 76.3 76 76 76 76 2,000 152,000 - Feeder Funds

Primarily invested in Peso securities PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR 12.02 12.18 12.04 12.18 12 12.02 39,900 481,288 -317,818.00 Sun Life Prosperity World Equity Index Feeder Fund, Inc. -a,d,7 1.3052 30.52% n.a. n.a.

15.55% GMA HLDG PDR 12.96 12.98 13.36 13.36 12.98 12.98 593,300 7,717,726 -6,956,000 Primarily invested in foreign currency securities

WARRANTS ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund Inc. -b,d,2 $1 7.53% n.a. n.a.

2.04% LR WARRANT 1.8 1.82 1.83 1.83 1.8 1.82 760,000 1,379,270 -

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

ALTUS PROP 17.24 17.5 17.32 17.5 17.1 17.5 102,600 1,770,214 -201,006 1 - Launch date is September 28, 2019. 2 - Launch date is November 15, 2019. 3 - Adjusted due to stock dividend issuance last October 9, 2019.

ITALPINAS 2.42 2.44 2.47 2.47 2.4 2.44 437,000 1,055,740 -9,680 4 - Renaming was approved by the SEC last October 12, 2018 (formerly, One Wealthy Nation Fund, Inc.). 5 - Launch date is December 09, 2019.

KEPWEALTH 5.08 5.28 5.15 5.28 5.05 5.28 20,500 104,847 -31,941 MERRYMART 4.03 4.04 4.04 4.09 3.95 4.04 7,803,000 31,363,160 -1,006,790 6 - Re-classified into a Bond Fund starting February 21, 2020 (Formerly a Money Market Fund). 7 - Launch date is July 6, 2020.

"While we endeavor to keep the information accurate, the Philippine Investment Funds Association (PIFA) and its members make no warranties as to the correctness of the EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS

newspaper’s publication and assume no liability or responsibility for any error or omissions. You may visit http://www. pifa.com.ph to see the latest NAVPS/NAVPU." FIRST METRO ETF 105.4 105.5 106.9 106.9 105.3 105.4 45,690 4,846,226 274,466 Bond Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities

Envoys&Expats BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

PHL, Japan sign pact on donation of 1M vaccines

T

HE Exchange of Notes on the Donation of Japanese Vaccines was formalized on June 29 for the provision of approximately 1 million AstraZeneca jabs produced in Japan for the Philippines.

On behalf of Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro L. Locsin Jr., Assistant Secretary Neal Imperial relayed the Philippine government’s gratitude to Japan through its embassy’s Chargé d’Affaires Masahiro Nakata for the “timely and generous donation.”

According to the embassy, the vaccines are on top of the Japanese government’s contribution to the COVAX facility in support of Asean member-countries, and are set to arrive early this month.

The donation, it said, is a testament to the strong bilateral relationship between the Philippines and Japan, which encompasses a broad spectrum of engagements—including the health-cooperation initiative.

The commitment comes on the heels of high-level exchanges, most recent of which was a phone call between President Duterte and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on May 19, when both leaders expressed solidarity in combatting the pandemic.

FOREIGN Affairs Assistant Secretary Neal Imperial (left) and Chargé d’Affaires Masahiro Nakata

The embassy relayed its country’s hopes that the upcoming arrival of the AstraZeneca vaccines would help bring the Philippines a step closer to its goal of herd immunity.

Since the onset of the health crisis, the Japanese government has pledged more than ¥100-billion assistance in emergency and standby loans, as well as support to the vaccination cold-chain facilities of the Philippines.

Japan has also extended its ut-

most assistance to the Philippines consisting of the Covid-19 Crisis Response Emergency Loan or CRESL, Post-Disaster Standby Loan-Phase 2 or PDSL 2, as well as the grant aid for the procurement of medical equipment and establishment of laboratory surveillance sites, among others.

The Philippines and Japan also commemorate this year the 65th anniversary of their bilateral relations’ normalization, and 10 years of strategic partnership.

Global Britain and trade ambitions in the Indo-Pacific

By Daniel Pruce

Ambassador of the United Kingdom to the Philippines

L

AST month my government formally launched accession negotiations with nations comprising the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, or CPTPP. Membership in this high-standard agreement would pivot Britain toward some of the world’s biggest economies of the present and future, which are here in Asia and across the Pacific in the Americas.

Why does this matter here in the Philippines?

The world economy is increasingly centered on the Pacific region.

The CPTPP covers a population of 500 million, and a gross domestic product of some $12.5 trillion. To put that in some context, the US has a population of 328 million and GDP of just over $21 trillion. Should the UK join CPTPP, the GDP of the region will rise to just over $15 trillion.

UK membership of CPTPP sends a powerful signal about the importance placed on free trade by this dynamic group of countries at this critical time in our history, and will help to reinforce commitment to the rules-based international system.

Although it would be inappropriate for the UK to take a formal position on other aspirant economies’ acces-

PRUCE

sion hopes before we are a member, expansion of the agreement is a key attraction of membership.

One of the largest FTAs

WE have noted the Philippines’s interest to join CPTPP and, if both our countries are to accede, it could remove tariffs on up to 99.9 percent of exports and imports. Our two historic trading nations would be joining one of the largest free-trade areas in the world, accounting for 13 percent of global GDP in 2019. Just to reiterate the point, this would rise to 16 percent with the UK’s accession, adding substantial value to this huge territory.

The UK’s membership would also help broaden the CPTPP’s global focus by providing a new economic and cultural bridge for its members to markets in Europe, while shifting the UK’s economic center of gravity toward faster-growing parts of the

world like Asia.

Moreover, the UK offers significant export and investment opportunities for CPTPP nations, too.

With a market of almost 67 million people, Britain is Europe’s biggest finance hub and its tech capital, with a world-class research and development ecosystem, the lowest corporate tax rate in the G7, as well as a highly skilled, flexible work force.

We would welcome new foreign investments in the UK where companies can join Jollibee, Ayala Corp., Alliance Global and Monde Nissin, among others. In Ernst & Young’s recent UK Attractiveness Survey, they found that investors now see my country as the most attractive place in Europe for future investment.

Stronger trading links

CPTPP offers more than just an increase in our trade and investment figures. As our secretary of state for international trade stated, this will mean stronger trading links with the Indo-Pacific, while also supporting supply chains, green growth and women’s economic empowerment for the UK and member-countries.

CPTPP has strong rules to support workers’ rights: Members must commit to having a minimum wage and recognizing trade unions. It also has strong environmental provisions, and it is clear that trade does

not have to come at the expense of the environment.

The CPTPP agreement also has strong rules against unfair trade practices, like favoring stateowned enterprises, protectionism, discriminating against foreign investors, and forcing companies to hand-over private information. The UK’s joining will strengthen the international consensus against such unfair practices. These, and others, are values at the very core of Global Britain.

Since the early part of 2020 we have all felt the impact of this global pandemic, and the associated restrictions on our economies. As we start to see vaccination programmes taking hold, we can see that economic activity is able to grow again and will enable countries to embark on a sustained recovery. The strengthening of trading routes and supply chains will help us all. Partnerships, such as CPTPP, should play an even more important role as we emerge from the global health crisis.

We left the EU with the promise of deepening links with old allies and fast-growing consumer markets beyond Europe. Joining the high-standards Trans-Pacific Partnership is an important part of that vision. As we enter into formal negotiations, we will keep one eye on the Philippines’s own aspirations.

Retired diplomat publishes guidebook on protocol, etc.

D

URING the pandemic, a personal passion-project bore fruit in the form of A Guide to Protocol, Social Graces and Etiquette, a book which serves as a manual of sorts for behavior, courtesy and related matters in and out of the diplomatic world.

The book is authored by Ambassador Monina Estrella Callangan Rueca, who began her career at the Department of Foreign Affairs Headquarters in Manila, and served in foreign posts such as Paris, Tokyo, Geneva and Madrid.

Rueca was then appointed as Philippine ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the Republic of Hungary, with concurrent jurisdiction over Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro. Prior to her retirement, she became assistant secretary and chief of protocol.

The former envoy has shared her experience and wisdom through the years in the 280page soft-cover compendium, which delves into the modern-day decorum insights she has amassed through her career as a diplomat

RUECA and her book

and a lecturer.

In the book’s foreword, former president Fidel V. Ramos said: “Today, protocol, social graces and etiquette are as relevant as ever in our increasingly interdependent world. Nations and people continue to strive for peace, harmony and friendship.”

Ramos further stated: “The observance of time-tested rules of behavior creates a condu-

cive environment for achieving these common goals. The rules evolve, recognizing facets of modernity and technology, while keeping... core values present since the beginning of humanity.”

“I was inspired by Ambassador Luis Moreno Salcedo, who wrote Guide to Protocol in the late 1940s. It was the very first one written by a Filipino which saw wide use,” Rueca shared.

“The rules of protocol and etiquette may have evolved over time, but what remains constant are the core values of humankind.”

Published and printed by Media Touchstone Ventures Inc., the book was edited by Melandrew Velasco. The cover design and layout were done by Michelle Manuel, while graphics and illustrations were rendered by Kim Buenconsejo and Jenesis Ann Canua.

Today Rueca imparts her knowledge at the School of Diplomacy and Governance of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. For queries and orders of the book, contact Susan Ubina at 0917-638-6285 or susanubina@yahoo.co.uk.

Thursday, July 8, 2021

B3

PHL, Switzerland commit to invest for a better future

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HE forum “Philippines and Switzerland: Investing Together for a Better Future”— organized by the Swiss and Philippine business communities—reflected on past achievements and opportunities for the future.

Ambassador Alain Gaschen provided updates on Swiss-Philippine cooperation in various areas. He explained that the “forum aptly reflects what our two countries have been doing to promote our bilateral economic, trade and investment relations.”

On clean technology and renewable energy, the embassy continues to reach out to Swiss companies in the Philippines to promote their efforts, build more awareness in our communities, and renew its commitment to sustainable energy.

A session on investment opportunities was also held, as Department of Energy Director Mylene C. Capongcol shared that the potential lies in upstream development, generation, retail, transmission, and distribution.

With Switzerland having one of the most impressive rail network systems in the world, infrastructure development is a potential area for growth. While there is little exchange of information on possible infrastructure cooperation between Switzerland and the Philippines, the Swiss sees the Build, Build, Build Program as a unique opportunity to showcase Swiss innovation. Its embassy, with a representation at the Asian Development Bank, has had initial talks with the Department of Transportation, as the forum explored various mechanisms for interested Swiss companies to participate.

The ongoing health crisis has also spotlighted investments in the health sector. Swiss pharmaceuticals have played an important role in the government’s fight against the pandemic, and continue to support the distribution of vaccines, life-saving medicines, and other health solutions. In this regard, the Swiss government is continuing its dialogue with the Department of Trade and

Industry (DTI), the Department of Health, and the Food and Drug Administration to provide easier access to critical medicines, as well as support the campaign to make the Philippines a clinical trial hub in Southeast Asia.

Aside from these topics, Gaschen acknowledged the potential for growth in agriculture, with the belief that fresh and high-quality produce from the Philippines could find a suitable market in Switzerland.

“This is on top of our continuous encouragement of Filipino farmers working on natural ingredients, processed food, [as well as] natural fiber and textile sectors to make use of our free-trade agreement for easier market access and wider business expansion,” he remarked.

Science and technology is also an important element in maintaining economic success, according to the envoy. The use of satellite and data analytics for crop insurance, new innovations in mitigating the effects of climate change, energy research, and more research and development in high-value manufacturing are only some of the avenues for cooperation.

Apart from these areas for growth, the Swiss ambassador noted that the Philippine-European Free-Trade Association Free-Trade Agreement is at the heart of its engagement—especially as the Philippines and Switzerland will be celebrating the 65th anniversary of their formal diplomatic relations next year. The latter has reaffirmed its commitment to the effective implementation of the PHEFTA FTA, so that the full benefits are accorded to all traders, businessmen, and entrepreneurs from EFTA member-states and the Philippines.

Joined by the DTI, the Board of Investments, the Philippine-Swiss Business Council, the Swiss Secretariat for Economic Affairs, the SwissAsian Chamber of Commerce, and Switzerland Global Enterprise, the event was also organized in preparation for the fourth Joint Economic and Trade Commission.

EU sends €.5M for victims of conflicts in Mindanao

A RECIPIENT of the aid for Mindanao from the European Union.

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HE European Union (EU) is providing €500,000, or more than P29 million, as vital humanitarian assistance for victims of a series of armed clashes in Mindanao.

The aid will address the pressing needs of the most affected people in some of the hardest-hit areas in the province of Maguindanao.

“The recent violence in Mindanao has caused the already-dire humanitarian situation in the area to worsen, with many more forced to live in displacement. [Their number adds] to those already affected since the start of the conflict in 2017,” said EU Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič, “The EU funding will help our partners on the ground to step up their support, ensuring crucial assistance is provided to those most in need.”

The assistance will reinforce the EU’s existing humanitarian partners Action Against Hunger, CARE International and Oxfam International in delivering much-needed assistance to those most affected. They will

focus on providing food security as well as ensuring access to clean water, sanitation and good hygiene practices. Other essential relief items will also be distributed.

The EU funding is being made available via the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian-Aid Operations, or ECHO, of the European Commission.

Mindanao has seen a surge in armed conflicts between government forces and members of nonstate armed groups, which caused what is considered the worst displacement situation since 2017’s Marawi Siege. The latest round of strife that broke out in early May in the western town of Datu Paglas caused damage to infrastructure and shelters, which left more than 30,000 people displaced.

The clashes came a few weeks after the fighting in March in the same area that forced over 66,000 people to flee their homes. The volatile security situation makes it hard for the displaced to return to their homes and restore livelihoods.

Agriculture/Commodities BusinessMirror

B4 Thursday, July 8, 2021 • Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

www.businessmirror.com.ph

DA wants 100% inspection of all farm imports

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By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

@jearcalas

he Department of Agriculture (DA) said it will conduct a 100 percent inspection of all imported farm products once it completes the construction of its examination facilities in the country’s key ports.

The DA issued the statement following its recent meeting with officials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA). They have

“agreed in principle” to put up a cold examination facility in agriculture (CEFA) at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Zambales, the agency said.

The proposal, which would allow the DA to use a 2,000-square meter lot at the freeport zone for 25 years, renewable upon mutual agreement, is subject to the approval of the SBMA board.

The facility to be established at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone is one of the five CEFAs that the government is targeting to build. The Manila International Container Port and the ports of Batangas, Cebu and Davao are other possible sites for the CEFAs, which will cost P521 million.

The DA said the partnership with SBMA for the establishment of CEFA will transform the Subic International port into the “country’s major hub for agricultural product imports.”

Del Monte PHL’s fresh pineapple exports hit ₧5.85 billion in April

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad @Tyronepiad

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el Monte Philippines Inc. (DMPI) saw its revenues from fresh pineapple exports reach P5.85 billion in April, with China as its primary market.

The fruit canner wants to have more retail outlets in tier 1 cities in China and to further penetrate the market for tier 2 and tier 3 cities with new distributors. It aims to double its fresh pineapple retail distribution network by 2025 from the current 15,000 outlets.

China, with an import volume of 182 million kilograms last year, is Del Monte’s primary market in North Asia. The country’s import of fresh pineapples has a compounded average growth rate of 18 percent from 2015 to 2020.

Citing analytics and consulting firm GlobalData, DMPI said in a statement that it is the biggest fresh pineapple exporter to China last year with a 53-percent market share. It is also a major supplier in Japan and South Korea, accounting for 33 percent and 21 percent of the market share, respectively.

Del Monte’s fresh pineapples are sold primarily under the “S&W Sweet 16” brand in China, Japan, and South Korea.

“Chinese consumers prefer trusted brands such as S&W which consumers are willing to pay a premium for,” said Liu Zhijie, owner of Goodfarmer Foods Holding Group Co. Ltd., one of DMPI’s key distributors in China.

“We are very pleased to be a partner of DMPI in ex-

Photo from www.delmonte.com

panding the fresh pineapple business in China where per capita consumption of imported pineapples is much lower than in other North Asian markets.”

“The high quality of fresh pineapples that we source from DMPI is the reason why they are among the market leaders in Japan. They have established a reputation for quality,” Union Co. Ltd. President Tatsuya Ishiguro added. Union is Del Monte’s biggest distributor in Japan.

The company earlier reported that its net income for fiscal year 2021 ending April improved by 33 percent to P4.6 billion from P3.5 billion the previous year. It attributed the higher bottom-line figures to better sales, lower costs and expenses and enhanced efficiency.

It also recently revived its plan to launch an initial public offering to raise as much as P44 billion.

“We thank SBMA Chair and CEO Wilma Eisma for the smooth negotiations, pending approval of the SBMA board, that will jumpstart the process of procurement. We wish the facility constructed as soon as possible,” Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said in a statement.

The DA said the Subic CEFA will be able to conduct “full and thorough” inspection of containerized farm imports through risk assessment, which will be complemented by the xray screening of the Customs bureau.

“This means all farm, fishery, meat, and food imports will be subjected to 100% sampling and laboratory testing,” it added.

The Subic CEFA would earn at

least P130 million yearly from testing and inspection fees on top of the expected employment generation, according to the DA. Dar said the CEFAs will “initiate a new way of conducting first-border inspections” for imported farm goods as inspectors can open all arriving imports in one cold warehouse and have ample time to examine shipments.

The CEFA network, formerly known as Agricultural Commodity Examination Areas, will be equipped with laboratories and manned by quarantine officers from the various DA bureaus.

The DA said each CEFA will have controlled temperature systems that

will enable quarantine officers to thoroughly inspect the contents of an identified high-risk containerized shipment and prevent the possible spread of hazardous biological agents, such as toxins, and radioactive elements carried by imported agricultural products.

“In all, the completion of the CEFA network will be one of the major accomplishments of the Duterte administration, as global biosecurity and quarantine protocols are put in place and strictly implemented to keep the country’s agriculture and fishery sector free from transboundary pests and diseases, and protect the health and welfare of Filipinos.”

Solon: Pork tariff losses could have gone to fighting African swine fever

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HE P1.3 billion in foregone revenue from imported pork tariff could have gone to fighting the African swine fever (ASF) and also uplifting small farmers and small entrepreneurs of the pork industry, Senator Francis N. Pangilinan said on Wednesday.

The foregone revenue was reported from April 9 to June 11 as the Philippines imported at least 76 million kilos of pork under lower tariff on both in-quota and out-quota imports of swine meat.

The policy is contained in Executive Order 134 issued in May which charges 10 percent for the first three months and 15 percent in the succeeding nine months imports within the minimum access volume (MAV). Those outside the MAV will be slapped 20 and 25 percent, respectively, for the first three and succeeding nine months.

“Pork remains expective; liempo is being sold for P380 per kilo. The cause of this is African swine fever,” Pangilinan said a statement.

Pangilinan reiterated his earlier position that slashing tariff was

not the best solution since it undermines the local pork industry and deprives the government of needed earnings. The lawmaker filed Senate Bill 2176 which seeks to create a Swine Competitiveness Enhancement Fund from pork import tariffs.

“What’s tragic here is when you ask around, no Filipino consumer— whether those who shop in wet markets or supermarkets—will say that they felt the easing of pork prices.

So who benefited from this policy?” he asked.

“We warned from the start that such policy is never a win-win solution but a losing proposition to the government, the local industry, and the consumers.”

Officials said the lower tariff aims to arrest the spiraling pork prices due to the lack of supply as an effect of ASF which decimated a big portion of the local swine industry.

But Pangilinan said consumers continue to complain of high pork prices, especially in wet markets.

“The lowering of pork prices was not felt by our people. What is very

evident based in government data are the revenues we did not earn because of the slashed import duties,” he said.

With lower revenues, Pangilinan said, the government will have less money to augment programs for the local hog raisers who badly need support to rise from the onslaught of ASF and to be competitive against imported pork.

The lawmaker said the Senate will continue to keep watch on developments and review the policy when needed to make it more responsive to the local industry and consumers.

Malacañang earlier heeded Pangilinan’s call to declare a state of calamity to allow government to augment the funds of the Department of Agriculture for calamity relief and rehabilitation, as well as provide indemnity funds for hog farmers and additional funding for biosafety measures.

He also proposed that affected hog raisers be given cash-for-work opportunities to help them get back on their feet.

Leaked plan of EU to green its Aboitiz makes ‘agripreneurs’ out of IP farmers timber industry sparks firestorm T

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European Union strategy to boost forest protection has turned a simmering scientific debate into a full-blown firestorm, pitting one of the bloc’s oldest industries against a perceived power grab by technology-driven regulators.

More than two-fifths of Europe is covered by woodlands, which play a pivotal role in capturing and storing greenhouse gases that would otherwise compound climate change when they amass in the atmosphere. Trees are also the foundation of a 640 billion-euro ($760 billion) industry that employs millions of workers who harvest timber for building material and energy.

In a 19-page draft leaked by environmental groups this month, the European Commission wrote that it’s preparing a new suite of high-tech surveillance measures and rules to protect European forests “under increasing strain,” while streamlining governance across all 27 member states. The EU’s executive arm wants to expand woodlands by planting an additional 3 billion trees, even as it encourages more timber use to replace carbon-intensive concrete in construction.

While the strategy drafted in Brussels could be a boon for the environment—as well as the emerging climate-data industry that accounts for carbon emissions—timber merchants wary of stronger restrictions have rallied to fight the proposal.

“The Commission is playing a political game with extremely high stakes,” said Anna Holmberg, a Brussels lobbyist for Sweden’s forest industry, the world’s third biggest, which has called the EU strategy tone deaf to forest owners and investors. The Confederation of European Forest Owners, another lobby group, said it’s concerned that surveillance measures could yield misleading information.

Tension has been building with industry since scientists at the Commission’s Joint Research Centre, or JRC, published a report in

July 2020 that found an abrupt increase, by almost half, in harvested forest over a threeyear period ending in 2018. They warned that growing demand for timber products risk derailing Europe’s climate goals by damaging an important carbon sink.

To complicate matters further, in April another group of scientists affiliated with the European Forest Institute, a government adviser that oversees an EU facility designed to reduce emissions from deforestation, said the Joint Research Centre had it wrong.

“The large harvest changes reported by JRC result from methodological errors,” the 30 scientists wrote in the journal Nature. “These errors relate to satellite sensitivity improving markedly over the period of assessment, as well as to changes in forests due to natural disturbances—for example drought and storm related die-back and tree-falls—being often attributed wrongly to timber harvests.”

The disagreement over facts underscores the confluence of factors that are making it difficult for policy makers and companies to manage the rising damages wrought by climate change.

For foresters, a decades-long succession of warmer winters and drier summers has weakened woodland resilience, exposing trees to wildfires and invasive species. Spruce beetles have wiped out millions of hectares, causing billions of euros in damages and forcing loggers to raze affected groves and replant new species of trees.

Over the same period, the European Commission has been funnelling billions into building out a constellation of Earth observation satellites managed by its Copernicus Climate Change Service. The massive volumes of freely-available information they produced has kickstarted a burgeoning new industry of climate-data startups that are angling to support government and business decisions.

Bloomberg News

he Aboitiz Group, through its corporate social responsibility arm Aboitiz Foundation and food unit Pilmico, assists farmers in Iligan to be efficient ‘agri-preneurs’ and create a more sustainable livelihood.

Through the Inclusive Agribusiness Project (IAP), the Foundation and Pilmico donated farm equipment to Hindang Farmers to help increase their production volume and meet market demands. The Aboitiz Foundation also donated a corn sheller for the Marawi-Baloi farmers in Nangka, Baloi, Lanao del Norte under the ‘Angat Lahat sa Agribusiness’ or ALAB livelihood program in partnership with Go Negosyo.

“Through this inclusive agri-business project, the Aboitiz Foundation is committed to further help Marawi Baloi Farmers Association and Hindang MPC to attain organizational sustainability and scale up their production, taking advantage of the significant demand for yellow corn. Most importantly, together with our partners Pilmico Foods Corporation and Go Negosyo, we intend to contribute to achieving sustained income for their members, which will lead to an improvement in their quality of life and well-being,” Aboitiz Foundation President and COO Maribeth L. Marasigan said.

Pilmico is one of the institutional markets that purchases yellow corn produce directly from the Hindang Banana Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative (Hindang MPC), which received a corn sheller, a moisture checker, PVC tarps, a weighing scale, and other farm inputs that the farmers can use in their crop production.

“We the members and officers of Hindang Banana Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Aboitiz Foundation and Pilmico in helping us get back on our feet in this pandemic. This is a big help for us farmers in ensuring that we have bountiful crops. Thank you),” said Larry Coracol, Chairperson of Hindang MPC. To ensure the sustainability of the project,

Marawi-Ibaloi farmers inspect the corn sheller donated by Aboitiz Foundation and Pilmico. Contributed Photo

Aboitiz partnered with the City Agriculture Office of Iligan City to provide skills training and updates on farming technologies.

Aboitiz is also closely working with the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) to monitor the organizational performance of the cooperative.

In 2018, Aboitiz Foundation together with Go Negosyo, Pilmico, and the Department of Agriculture started ALAB, a livelihood development project for Marawi’s Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). ALAB is a business incubation program that identifies and directly addresses the needs of selected cooperatives and associations, while also providing them the support needed in order for them to scale up. At the end of the ALAB program, the cooperatives and associations will be equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge, and tools to become successful agripreneurs, creating a positive change in the Philippine agriculture sector.

“We would like to thank Aboitiz Founda-

tion and Go Negosyo for their continuing efforts in helping small agri-businesses like us and for providing the needs for our business to grow especially in these times where our livelihood are deeply affected by the 2017 Marawi Siege and the Covid-19 pandemic.

May Allah the God almighty bless all the people behind this program and may you all succeed in your goal,” MBA Marawi Baloi Farmer Association President Abdul Baari Lininding said.

The enterprise development program of Aboitiz Foundation supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth as it continues to empower cooperative members with effective organizational management and technical skills, financial and infrastructure support, and access to markets to help grow and expand their businesses. Since 2016, the Aboitiz Foundation has extended over P90 million in enterprise development assistance to its beneficiaries nationwide.

Parentlife BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Knowing is the first step in protecting kids online

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NEW Kaspersky Safe Kids study has revealed what children around the world were interested in during 2020-2021.

Over the past year, their interest has grown in the categories of “software, audio and video” and “e-commerce,” while “Internet communication media” and “computer games” have slightly decreased.

Among users of Kaspersky solutions globally, TikTok, YouTube and WhatsApp are at the top of the most popular applications. At the same time, TikTok overtook Instagram with almost double the level of popularity.

Twenty-twenty turned out to be one of the most unusual years for modern children. The pandemic has changed many common life situations across the globe, including education, meeting friends and family, recreation and entertainment. A global leader in security, Kaspersky analyzed anonymized data such as search queries, the most popular Android applications and web site categories, provided

by Kaspersky Safe Kids users, to explore how the interests and needs of children have changed under the new conditions.

The most popular web site categories among children were “software, audio, video” (44.38 percent), “Internet communication media” (22.08 percent) and “computer games” (13.67 percent). Among the most popular apps, YouTube leads by a wide margin—the service remains the most popular video streaming service among children around the world. In second place is the messenger WhatsApp, and third is the social network TikTok. The top 10 also includes four games: Brawl Stars, Roblox, Among US and Minecraft.

When it comes to music tastes, alongside traditional leaders like K-pop bands BTS and BLACKPINK, singers Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish and Travis Scott, another musical genre, “phonk,” became popular. There is also a trend toward “creative” videos—more and more requests for beats, samples and lessons on creating music in various programs began to appear at the top of the list. At the same time, TikTok remains the main musical trendsetter for children.

Cartoons account for half (50.21 percent) of all video searches by children around the world. The most popular ones are Lady Bug and Cat Noir, Gravity Falls and Peppa Pig. In second place were various TV shows—the most frequent search in English was The Voice Kids. In movies and TV series, the most popular trailers were Godzilla vs Kong, Zack Snyder’s Justice League and the Disney+ series WandaVision. Netflix also

continues to attract the attention of more kids—the most frequent requests via the platform were for Cobra Kai and the now iconic Stranger Things.

For video games, those trending the most with children include Minecraft (22.84 percent), Fortnite (6.73 percent), Among Us (3.80 percent), Brawl Stars (6.34 percent)—which just recently captured the attention of children and is very popular—and the much-loved Roblox game (3.82 percent). In fact, the most frequently played game in the top 10 for almost all countries is Roblox. Of all the regions, it was children from Kazakhstan who became leaders in visiting sites devoted to computer games—26.01 percent. In second place were children from the UK (19.40 percent). But we see a very different picture in India, where children hardly ever visit sites dedicated to video games from a PC (just 5.08 percent).

In Kaspersky’s latest data on the Philippines, the top five (5) most popular apps and web sites for Filipino children are YouTube (29.40 percent), TikTok (14.47 percent), Messenger (13.51 percent), Roblox (8.71 percent) and Facebook (8.50 percent).

“Understanding and analyzing the interests of children on the Internet helps us to pay attention to the issue of safety. By knowing what kind of music a child listens to, who their favorite bloggers are, or what games they play, parents can strengthen their trusted relations with kids. For instance, they could film a TikTok video together. This will also let parents

help their kids to protect themselves from potential hazards online,” says Anna Larkina, web content analysis expert at Kaspersky.

To ensure children have a positive online experience, Kaspersky recommends that parents: n Learn more about your children’s interests. n Surf and learn together. See where children spend their time online and explore how to best keep them safe. n Explain that sensitive information should only be shared via messengers and only with people they know in real life. n Consider downloading parental-control apps and discuss this topic with your child to explain how such apps work and why they need them to stay safe online. n Spend more time communicating with children about online safety measures. Tell your children what must not, under any circumstances, be published on the Internet and why.

Filipino parents may also consider taking advantage of security software features like Kaspersky Safe Kids included in Kaspersky Total Security. Using Kaspersky Safe Kids will allow Filipino parents to not only manage the time spent by their children on-screen, but also block access to malicious content. This feature effectively scans the contents of a web page and sends an alert to the Kaspersky Security Network. n

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Thursday, July 8, 2021

B5

Far more US adults don’t want children than previously thought

By Jennifer Watling Neal Michigan State University Fertility rates in the United States have plunged to record lows, and this could be related to the fact that more people are choosing not to have children.

But just how many “child-free” adults there are has been tricky for researchers to pin down. National fertility data provided by the US Census and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lump together all adults who aren’t parents, making it difficult to understand how many people identify as child-free.

As social scientists, we think it’s important to distinguish child-free individuals from those who are childless or not yet parents. People who are child-free make the conscious decision not to have kids. They’re distinct from childless individuals—adults who want children but can’t have them— and from people who plan to have children in the future.

In a recent study of 1,000 people, we found that over 1 in 4 Michigan adults did not want biological or adopted children and were, therefore, child-free. This number was much higher than those reported in the few past national studies that have attempted to identify child-free people, which placed the percentage between 2 percent and 9 percent.

Although we can’t be sure why we identified more childfree people in our study, we suspect it may have something to do with how we determined who was child-free.

Past studies that attempted to estimate the prevalence of child-free individuals often focused only on women and have used criteria based on fertility. These studies left out men, older adults and biologically infertile people who nonetheless didn’t want children.

In our study, we used a more inclusive approach.

We looked at both women and men, asking three yes-no questions that allowed us to determine who was child-free based on the desire to have children, rather than fertility: n Do you have, or have you ever had, any biological or adopted children? n Do you plan to have any biological or adopted children in the future? n Do you wish you had or could have biological or adopted children?

Those who answered "no" to all three questions we classified as child-free.

In addition to examining how many child-free people there are, we also examined whether child-free people differed from parents, not-yet-parents and childless individuals in life satisfaction, personality or political views.

We found that child-free people were just as satisfied with their lives as others, and there were few personality differences. However, child-free people were more liberal than parents.

Although child-free people were pretty similar to everyone else, we did find that parents were less warm toward childfree people. This finding suggests that child-free individuals may be stigmatized in the United States.

Our study suggests that the number of people who choose not to have children may be larger than previously thought. Although our study focused on Michigan residents, the state’s population is similar to the overall US population in terms of age, race, income and education. So we’d expect to see similar numbers of child-free people in other states.

We hope to continue our research by collecting data over time across the country to determine whether it’s becoming more common to be child-free—and to understand how and why people make the choice not to have children.

THE CONVERSATION

❶ WalterMart has worked directly with farmers for a steady supply of fresh produce at farm-gate prices.

❷ AT the ribbon

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Supermarket brand reopens ALREADY a household name in New Manila, WalterMart E. Rodriguez Sr. recently reopened its doors to the public, with 7,000 square meters highlighting a more convenient and enjoyable community mall shopping experience in the new normal. The first WalterMart mall built in 1992, located in Pacific Center on E. Rodriguez Sr., underwent a face lift and is now ready to bring to customers four signature reasons that should again delight the public. n As the supermarket physically welcomes back shoppers, WalterMart upholds the highest level of service and safety in all of its malls via its 5S program: Screening, Shield, Sanitation, Social Distancing and Service Heart. To reinforce a safe shopping experience, shoppers can expect that WalterMart

employees are vaccinated and be seen wearing the Ingat Angat button pins. n WalterMart Supermarket has grown its online ordering capability via its Grocery Delivery site (www. waltermart.com) for a full omni-channel experience. In the store, wide aisles are designed for a seamless and relaxed shopping feel.

The brand also ensures that convenience is king with designated pick-up points via the curb side pick-up program, contactless parking, and QR code scanning. n With a robust mix of category from supermarket, home appliance, to services and food selections—complete may be an understatement.

Customers will love the choices at WalterMart Supermarket from farm fresh to seafood and oriental

produce, to international flavors and healthy organic sections—the widest assortment of essential goods are housed in this flagship store in New Manila.

With the increased demand on ready-to-cook meals, WalterMart Supermarket has partnered with restaurant brands to carry restaurant-quality food products, such as Shakeys, Goldilocks, etc.

The mall also has WalterMart Department Store and the Abenson appliance store that carries over a thousand SKUs from home appliance to work-fromhome essentials.

Shopping is more fun with stores, like Watsons, Handyman, Mr. DIY and Handyman, plus a Cyberzone. n “The reopening of WalterMart E. Rodriguez simply brings us back to our roots, why we do what

we do—to serve and be a partner in uplifting the lives of the communities that we serve,” says general manager and senior vice president for operations, Jerico Buning.

WalterMart has worked directly with farmers for a steady supply of fresh produce, and has endeavoured to reach more communities through its “Palengke Fresh”—a weekend farmer’s market located inside the mall. WalterMart is also the first supermarket to have hydroponics system installed in its store to ensure the freshness of their produce right in the comforts of a physical store.

Despite 2021 continuing to be a challenging year, WalterMart has shown its commitment to provide that signature service and a wide array of grocery items and more to the public.

cutting ceremony of the newly reopened WalterMart Mall in E. Rodriguez Avenue, chairman of the executive committee of SM Prime Holdings Inc., Hans Sy (front row, from right), Rev. Fr. Rico Glenn C. Deuna, and Quezon City Councilor Irene Belmonte. Joining them are WTA principal architect William Ti (from left), SM Supermalls SVP Glenn Ang, Constech Management president Engr. Art Carlos and Barangay Kalusugan chairman Rocky DC Rabanal.

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ON offer are fresh meat, seafood and Oriental produce, and wide assortment of groceries and imported items.

B6 Thursday, July 8, 2021

CSC grants eligibility to ICT specialists

Sweetness to go: Conti’s Bakeshop opens first cake drive-thru store

CONTI’S OPENS DRIVE-THRU AND TAKE OUT NOOK STORE AT ANNABU, IMUS CAVITE. In attendance were, from left: Conti’s General Manager Patricia Tan, Conti’s Founder Cecil Marañon, Jay Art Tugade of Phoenix Southern Petroleum Corp., Conti’s CEO & President Joey Garcia, and Conti’s Founder Angela Martinez

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HERE is always something sweet to look forward to. Conti’s Bakeshop and Restaurant opens first drive-thru store.

The leading bakeshop in the country just launched the first cake concept drive-thru store last June 22, 2021, at Phoenix Gas Station, on Anabu, Imus, Cavite. At a time when we all are wary of what the future brings we can always count on Conti’s to come up with the sweetest offerings.

It was a delightful day to open the very first cake drive-thru concept store and the 50th branch of Conti’s Bakeshop.

The store opening was attended by the

Founders of Conti’s Cecil Marañon and Angela Martinez. Also, present were Patricia Tan, General Manager, Joey Garcia, CEO & President, and Jay Art Tugad, President, Phoenix Southern Petroleum Corp.

“We are so proud of this landmark branch, it’s the 50th store and the first of its kind. This is a testament to the company’s obsession to giving our customers the best products and the convenience of getting them.” quips Ms. Patricia Tan, Conti’s General Manager. In the time of the pandemic, the company came to realize they need to give customers a more delightful

experience by giving them ease in getting the products. Conti’s desires to delight more people and commits to open more drive-thru concept stores and branches all over the country.

“Delighting more Filipinos is our happiness, this year we are looking forward to serving more of you as we endeavor to open more branches nationwide. Would like to thank our customers for their continued support” Joey Garcia, CEO & President of Conti's, said.

Follow Conti’s Bakeshop for more updates: Facebook | Instagram | Official Website

Bellevue Hotels and Resorts opens doors for exciting new food and beverage offers

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S the world welcomes a new normal, customers continue searching for ways to enjoy delicious meals from the comfort of their homes. The Bellevue Hotels and Resorts (BH&R) steps up to these cravings with top-notch dishes that put quality at the forefront without compromising on sanitary standards and convenience.

The heart of service at the Bellevue is an understanding of just how hard it can be to juggle working from home with house chores and meal preps. That is why from Alabang to Quezon City, a unique variety of platters, ala carte specials, and more are ready for guests to enjoy at the Phoenix Court (Bellevue Manila), Prime Cafe (B Hotel Alabang), and Johnny’s Steak and Grill (B Hotel Quezon City) or bring home to their families—minus the stress!

BH&R's new and improved social media channels have active Shop tabs that take you to their own shopping platforms on Facebook and Instagram!

Now, anyone can order their favorites and try out new cuisines with a simple click or swipe of their device. Customers are free to decide if they prefer to pick up their orders at the hotels’ designated

drive-through areas or have them delivered via courier service.

For meetings and events, customers may also avail of meals made with love by talented in-house chefs through the innovative “B To Go” delivery service, which provides a generous selection of snacks, packed meals, and food platters for corporate meetings and intimate social gatherings. Every order comes with bottles of water and hypoallergenic Clean Code alcohol spray for the comfort of each guest.

BH&R restaurants all across the Metro are also answering the need for easier access to their offerings through their partnership with GrabFood! Guests are now a few taps away from having Bellevue bestsellers delivered to their doorsteps.

Don’t wait any longer! Rediscover the scrumptious dishes from Bellevue Manila, B Hotel Alabang, and B Hotel Quezon City by placing your orders today.

For more information, please www.visit thebellevue.com or contact (+632) 828 8181.

NEW LABOR ARBITERS - Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello lll administers the oath of office to National Labor Relations Committee (NLRC) labor arbiters in a ceremony at the DOLE Central Office in Intramuros, Manila on July 2. The newly inducted arbiters are (left photo) Atty. Florendo Merencilla Rallang Jr. and (right photo) Atty. Neopolo Jose Casurao Jr. (Photo by Jerome Sajise /DOLE-Information and Publication Service).

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NFORMATION and communications technology (ICT) professionals may apply for Electronic Data Processing Specialist Eligibility (EDPSE), which they may use in vying for permanent appointment to functionally related positions in government.

The Civil Service Commission (CSC) grants the EDPSE to passers of the ICT Specialist Proficiency Examination or of training courses on Systems Analysis and Design and Computer Programming conducted by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

Said eligibility shall be considered appropriate only to positions for which the eligibility was given; to other functionally related positions belonging to the Information Technology/Management Information System Group such as Data Encoder, Data Machine Operator, Auxiliary Machine Operator, Data EncoderController, Computer Programmer, or Information Systems Analyst; and to other positions as may be determined by the CSC. Applicants who passed the proficiency test have to present an original and certified copy of the Certificate of Proficiency, and an original and photocopy of the Notification Slip, both issued by DICT. Applicants who hurdle the training course have to present an original and certified copy of the Certificate of Proficiency on the following computer courses: Systems Analysis

and Design, Computer Programming, Java, MS Access, Visual Basic, C#, or V.B.net; original and photocopy of the Certificate of Completion; and original and photocopy of the Grade Slip, all issued by DICT. Filing of applications for the grant of EDPSE shall be within three years from the date the Certificate of Proficiency was issued.

An evaluation fee of PHP200 is collected upon filing of the application, and a processing fee of PHP300 upon approval.

Applications may be filed through CSC Regional or Field Offices.

The complete list of requirements and procedures for application for the grant of EDPSE can be accessed from the CSC website at www.csc.gov.ph.

PhilHealth releases guidelines for COVID-19 vaccine injury and death compensation

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HE Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) recently announced its compensation package for those who will develop serious adverse effects (SAEs) following inoculation for COVID-19 that will lead to hospitalization, permanent disability or death. The said package and its guidelines are contained in its PhilHealth Circular No. 2021-0007 published on June 18, 2021.

In a recent media forum of the Department of Health, the state health insurer said that the compensation package is only available to those who received COVID-19 jabs through the Philippine COVID-19 Vaccination Program. The package is capped at P100,000 for hospitalizations to cover remaining charges after deduction of PhilHealth benefits, mandatory discounts, and other coverage provided by private health insurance companies and health management organizations (HMOs).

Similarly, a lump sum of P100,000 per beneficiary in case of permanent disability or death.

However, PhilHealth clarified that it will

cover patients who received inoculations through other initiatives, especially in the private sector, if the vaccines were sourced from the country’s Philippine COVID-19 Vaccination Program.

The compensation covers claims filed from March 3, 2021 to March 2, 2026 or until completion of the vaccination program, whichever comes first. Those who will avail of this package must have had at least one vaccine received through the said Vaccination Program.

In addition, it must also be established that the vaccine does not have a Certificate of Product Registration at the time of inoculation; the beneficiary has not received compensation from COVAX no-fault compensation program; and the result of the causality assessment must be “vaccine product-related reaction” or vaccine quality defect-related reaction”.

Hospitalization benefits can be availed of more than once if the cap of P100,000 has not been reached yet. However, coverage for permanent disability or death can only be claimed once.

For more information on this compensation package, the public may call PhilHealth’s Action Center Hotline at (02) 8441-7442; post a question and receive a call back at 0921-6300009; or e-mail at actioncenter@philhealth.gov.ph.

MPIC recognized as honored company in Institutional Investor’s 2021 All-Asia (Ex-Japan) Executive Team

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ETRO Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) was lauded as an Honored Company in the 11th Annual Asia Executive Team survey of the Institutional Investor Research, revealing Asia’s leading CEOs, CFOs, Investor Relations Officers, and Investor Relations programs that best uphold corporate governance standards and facilitate investment into their company.

MPIC ranked first in the following Industrials Sector (Rest of Asia) categories as voted by the sell-side analysts: Best CEO for MPIC President and CEO Jose Ma. K. Lim; Best IR professional for MPIC Vice President for Investor Relations Maricris Aldover – Ysmael; Best IR program, and Best ESG. A total of 4,084 investors and portfolio managers and analysts from 1,285 voter firms participated in this survey, nominating a total of 1,438 companies and 2,690 individuals across 18 sectors.

This included 3,503 buy-side professionals from 1,178 buy-side companies with an estimated $1,863 billion in Asia (ex-Japan) equities and 581 sell-side analysts from 107 companies. The companies were rated on several core areas, including Financial Disclosure, Services & Communication, COVID-19 responses and ESG. A total of 116 companies attained a published position to become an Honored company.

“We place high value on our engagements with investors and analysts in our efforts to align their interests with that of the Company. We are grateful for this recognition from Institutional Investor and are committed to further strengthening our IR program,” said Lim. “With the appointment of our new Chief Finance Officer and Chief Sustainability Officer, Chaye CabalRevilla, we are elevating our disclosures and IR programs by incorporating global sustainability standards and addressing the most significant ESG concerns of our shareholders.”

“We are grateful to our sell-side analysts for their vote of confidence. They have been very instrumental in bringing our story to the market,” said AldoverYsmael. “This recognition would also not have been possible if not for the support that we receive from everyone in MPIC, including the management teams of our portfolio companies.”

Editor: Anne Ruth Dela Cruz

Health&Fitness BusinessMirror

Children can get Covid-19, are not disease spreaders

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By Rory Visco Contributor

n the early part of the pandemic, it was believed that Covid-19 whether in its mild, moderate, severe and critical forms, were mainly a risk for adults, those with ailments like heart disease, diabetes and the like.

Based on gathered data, it was learned that fewer children got infected compared to adults, and symptoms were primarily mild or even asymptomatic.

But that’s not the case in other parts of the world. Some kids got severely ill, were hospitalized, brought to intensive care, or used ventilators so that they could breathe. On rare occasions, some perished.

A broader look According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Covid-19 dashboard, as of July 6, 2021, there are already 184 million cases of Covid-19 worldwide, with 3.99 million deaths and 2.17 percent Case Fatality Rate (CFR).

In the Philippines, among those who tested positive, approximately 10 percent are below 20 years old, with six percent below 15 years old. These results are consistent with the global situation where there are fewer deaths in the younger generation and the risk of death increases as the age increases.

In a recent webinar organized by the University of the Philippines, together with the UP Manila NIH National Telehealth Center and the UP-PGH, Dr. Maria Liza Antoinette Gonzales, Associate Dean for Faculty and Students of the UP College of Medicine, said that children are unlikely to be a major source of transmission of Covid-19, contrary to earlier assumptions.

She said that children comprise 1 to 10 percent of the diagnosed Covid-19 cases across countries. “However, due to the lack of a more systematic testing of children, the true burden of pediatric SARS-CoV-2 infection remains unclear.”

Dr. Gonzales pointed out that Covid-19 is generally mild in children, where the overall prognosis is good in children and adolescents compared to adults. However, there were also several studies, she said, where children with underlying medical conditions are more likely to develop severe illness and of dying following Covid-19 infection.

Reduced severity, susceptibility There were theories, she explained, that point to the reduced severity and

susceptibility of children to Covid-19 compared to adults, some of which include an active innate immune system, less lifetime exposure to toxins that affect the respiratory epithelium (cigarette smoke, air pollution), an adaptive immune system, less exposure to the virus or to those with Covid-19, and the absence of age-related comorbidities such as hypertension and diabetes.

A recent review in terms of published studies on pediatric Covid-19, she said, showed the most common symptoms were fever and cough, followed by nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Other symptoms included nasal, rashes, Kawasaki-like symptoms, conjunctivitis, fatigue, abdominal pain and neurological symptoms.

The treatment of Covid-19 in children is largely supportive, she continued. “Patients with mild to moderate symptoms can be managed at home with isolation, those with severe symptoms require hospitalization and intensive care. Oxygen supplementation may be given and mechanical ventilation may be required in some patients.

Common therapy among hospitalized children include anti-microbials, intravenous immunoglobulin and systemic steroids.”

So, what are the risks of severe Covid-19 in children? Several studies have shown a U-shaped curve of severity in children diagnosed with Covid-19 in infants under one year old and adolescents 10 to 14 years old are at higher risks in developing severe Covid-19.

Also discovered were regional differences in the comparison of clinical features, treatment and outcome between high and low-income countries.

The SALVACION Study The SALVACION (Surveillance and Analysis of Covid-19 in Children Nationwide) Study, named after Dr. Salvacion Gatchalian, a pediatric infectious disease specialist and staunch vaccination advocate who succumbed to Covid-19, is an online pediatric Covid-19 registry that aims to gather epidemiologic and clinical data on Covid-19 in the pediatric population. It is an initiative of the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines, in cooperation with the Philippine Pe-

diatric Society and the UP Manila National Telehealth Center and 101 Health Research. Data include epidemiologic profile, treatment and outcome of children less than 18 years old with probable or confirmed Covid-19.

From July 3, 2020 to May 31, 2021, the registry reported 972 patients, a small proportion of the over 142,000 pediatric cases below 20 years old that was reported by the Department of Health. “Data collection and analysis is ongoing and information is expected to evolve as more patients are enrolled,” she said.

Dr. Gonzales said at this time, there is no evidence-based therapy effective against Covid-19 for children, and only a few patients received at least one treatment aimed at modulating the course of the infection.

Overall, outcomes are generally good in children, she said, where a small number may develop prolonged symptoms like more than two months, or even six to eight months. Children may also experience long Covid-19 symptoms similar to adults and females may be more affected. Prolonged follow up check-ups is important for children with prolonged symptoms to monitor their health and well-being, including mental and psycho-social support.

Challenges of Covid-19 in children In addition to the risk of disease and illness, Covid-19 has led to challenges and issues that could negatively impact the health and well-being of children, like social isolation due to social distancing policies and school closures, which results in reduced social connections and physical activities for children. “It is important to recognize and address the fear, stress and behavioral changes, offer mental health and psychosocial support through telehealth and help children stay socially connected as well as find alternative ways to connect and support each other at a distance,” Dr. Gonzales said.

In terms of disruptions in medical care and social services, continuous well-child visits are important, particularly for children with special health-care needs (intellectual or developmental disabilities), and those with ongoing illnesses, which can be carried out through telemedicine.

Economic and societal disruptions are also seen, where health risks due to loss of family income since the pandemic caused a surge in unemployment and income decline for many families with children.

“Now is the time to open a trustworthy relationship and open communication with children, even as it becomes the duty of government to provide security to those families in need of economic and social support,” Dr. Gonzales emphasized.

TMC Clark to lead vaccination drive at Clark Mega Hub

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he Medical City (TMC) Clark will take the lead in the vaccination of employees of companies that procured Covid-19 vaccines through Zuellig Pharma Corp. at the old passenger terminal building of Clark International Airport.

Under the agreement signed between Dr. Almario G. Jabson, TMC Clark president and CEO, and Bi Yong Chungunco, CEO of LIPAD Corp., the operator of Clark International Airport, TMC Clark has committed to provide 60 hospital personnel that will include doctors, nurses, ancillary and IT staff.

The hospital personnel will man two vaccination stations at the hub and will be stationed there from Monday to Friday from 7 am to 5 pm. The schedule will depend on the number of people to be inoculated and the number of available vaccines for that day.

The ceremonial contract signing was

DOH pushes organ donation program to save more lives

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By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

y building a nationwide network of people who promote organ donation, the Department of Health (DOH) said that patients who require surgery have a better chance of receiving the organs they need.

With the passage of Republic Act 7170, otherwise known as the Organ Donation Act of 1991, as amended by Republic Act 7885, organ and tissue donations from donors who have been declared brain dead is now allowed.

Human transplantable organs include the kidneys, liver, lungs, heart, intestines, and pancreas, in addition to human tissues such as eye tissues (corneas, sclera, etc.), bones, skin, and blood vessels.

Last month, the National Organ and Blood Awareness Week was commemorated and an official of the DOH explained how Filipinos can contribute to the program.

Dr. Francisco Sarmiento, the program manager of the Philippine Organ Donation and Transplantation Program (PODTP) said that organ donation is a completely free and voluntary process.

“A single donor can save up to eight lives, while human tissue, such as skin and bone marrow, can save and improve lives of up to 50 people,” Sarmiento said. Organ donation is managed by the PODTP and the Philippine Network for Organ Sharing (PhilNOS).

Sarmiento encouraged the public to be open minded with organ and tissue donation.

“Kahit po tayo ay pumanaw na, mas magiging makabuluhan ang ating buhay dahil maililipat po natin ang bahagi ng ating katawan sa iba pang naghihintay at nangangailangan ng ating tulong,” he said in last week’s online media forum of the DOH.

Brain dead donors

The DOH is also encouraging families to consider organ donation of deceased relatives, including those who have been declared legally and

held June 30, 2021 Wednesday at the VIP Lounge of Clark International Airport. The rollout is scheduled to start on July 1, 2021.

“It is an honor to be part of this initiative as you all know TMC Clark has been pushing for Covid-19 vaccination from

the very start, Dr. Jabson said. “We hope the employees take advantage of this opportunity.” The Department of Health had earlier approved and certified the old Clark Passenger Air Terminal as a mega vaccination hub.

medically brain dead, to help others in need of transplantation.

“Through organ donation, one deceased human being can potentially save and dramatically improve the quality of life of eight or more individuals,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque said in his previous statement on organ donation.

Citing the data of the World Health Organization (WHO) from 2017, deaths caused by various end-stage organ diseases involved up to 230,000 Filipinos.

“This may have been prevented by organ transplantation. Unfortunately, organ donation from brain dead patients remains dismally low in the Philippines,” the WHO stated.

Presidential proclamation

To heighten Filipino consciousness on the benefits of organ sharing, a presidential proclamation is being proposed to be issued designating the month of September of every year as “National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Month.”

The program underscores the Filipino spirit of bayanihan where those extending help do not expect anything in return.

The DOH, through the PODTP and the PhilNOS, continues to sustain advocacy and educational campaigns on deceased organ donation.

“The DOH recognizes the noble and altruistic act of saving a life through committing one’s organs or tissues upon one’s death. This can be done by signing up as organ donor cardholders and providing consent to organ donation. Indeed, organ donors are heroes of our times,” Duque added.

Interested donors may reach out to the DOH and PhilNOS to sign up for a LifeLine card, which adds volunteers to the national registry of organ donors.

The DOH also discourages incentivized organ donations, where living organ donors not related to the recipient are motivated by financial rewards.

This system creates a risk for both the donor and the recipient, exposing them to further injury.

Strengthening Covid-19 testing with ARTs

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ver a year into the Covid-19 pandemic, testing remains crucial for early detection, isolation, and treatment of individuals affected by the virus. However, despite a steady increase in testing capacity among Department of Health (DOH) certified laboratories and public and private testing centers, calls for more accessible Covid-19 testing remain.

Alongside continued observance of proper safety protocols and social distancing guidelines, getting tested is the smart first step in the fight against Covid-19. As worries surrounding the virus have caused manifestations of mental distress among the general population, a quick, easy-to-administer and reliable test result can help alleviate emotional and mental strain, while limit viral transmission in the community. Antigen Rapid Tests (ARTs) provide this important option to nations battling this new wave of SARS-CoV-2.

Governments beyond the Philippines are also reacting quickly to the surge in infections.

Recently, Singapore’s Covid-19 Task Force’s decided to offer ARTs at SASH (Swab and Send Home) Clinics, ERs and Regional Swab Centres on top of RT-PCR tests and this has had important consequences.

Unlike RT-PCRs, ARTs are designed to detect infectiousness in individuals who may or may not have symptoms. With rapid turnarounds and reliable accuracy, ARTs can flag potentially positive patients who are in an active phase of their infectiousness, the period they can easily pass the virus on to others. Triaging these patients early is important in breaking the chain of transmission.

Scientists in the US have point out the phenomenon of Exponential Growth and Decay in the context of Covid-19. Epidemiologically, exponential growth means that the infection numbers can double in a matter of days. Countries such as India are in the grip of a second wave and have seen exponential growth in the past months.

Exponential Decay is the exact opposite—every case of Covid-19 prevented cuts of transmission chains, which prevents many more cases down the line.

Singapore’s decision to employ ARTs in this current environment where clusters of infections emerge and variants pop up across the world is therefore important and has relevance in the Philippines as well.

Prevention through detection Bi Yong Chungunco, CEO of LIPAD Corp., and Dr. Almario G. Jabson, president and CEO of The Medical City Clark, sign the memorandum of agreement where TMC Clark will take the lead at the Mega Vaccination Hub.

Thursday, July 8, 2021 B7

Amid the rising number of local cases and vaccine rollout, UP-Philippine General Hospital Medical Research Laboratory Chief Dr. Januario Veloso underscores the importance of getting tested in the overall fight against the pandemic.

“As cases continue to rise in the Philippines, we all need innovative weapons in order to manage this pandemic through expanding testing via a rapid, reliable and easy-to-administer Covid-19 test that can be scaled,” Dr. Veloso said.

According to Dr. Veloso, the Department of Health needs to rely on multiple testing methods based on different contexts to bring Covid-19 to more manageable levels without overwhelming

hospitals in Metro Manila. Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests would need to be complemented with rapid antigen testing.

“As the health situation in the country continues to become more critical and urgent, rapid antigen testing is emerging as a critical measure in expanding decentralized testing. More than detection, the use of Rapid Covid-19 antigen testing is a crucial preventive step and can drastically improve infection control,” he added.

Rapid antigen testing is seen as a cost-effective and efficient solution to identify the most infectious so they can quarantine and not spread the virus to their family, friends, and communities. It is also possible to reach more people in more places and provide results in a matter of minutes. Dr. Veloso advised that rapid antigen testing is important in the country’s ability to manage the surge of infections, even as coronavirus fatigue is gripping more Filipinos.

“There is a need for shorter turnaround times and expanded decentralized testing to control the transmission of the virus and to strengthen public health efforts to control surging coronavirus transmission. This is possible with rapid antigen testing,” Veloso added.

Rebuilding the community one step at a time

Abbott’s life-changing technology has been at the forefront in the fight against Covid-19 and the company has introduced breakthrough testing options to detect this unseen foe. Through the introduction of Panbio Covid-19 Ag Rapid Test Device, a reliable, affordable and scalable option is now made available for large-scale testing across a variety of community settings.

In the Philippines, Abbott partnered with the Office of Civil Defense in distributing 500,000 Panbio Covid-19 rapid antigen testing kits across affected local government units in Metro Manila—aligned with DOH’s recently adopted resolution allowing the use of rapid antigen testing as diagnostic and confirmatory tests in the Metro Manila and neighboring provinces, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal.

Abbott has shipped over 200 million Panbio rapid antigen tests to 120 countries across Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa. Most notably, Panbio rapid antigen tests were made available to low- and middle-income countries through Abbott’s partnership with the Global Fund, the World Health Organization and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

“Abbott’s committed to be the community’s partner in helping families stay safe in this difficult time,” said Sanjeev Johar, divisional vice president, Abbott’s rapid diagnostics business in Asia-Pacific. “The Covid-19 pandemic is a devastating public health threat that continues to affect the lives and economy of many across the globe. Through Panbio Covid-19 Ag Rapid Test Device, Abbott continues to collaborate with agencies to quickly address people who need testing and help provide the confidence they need to help get them back to living with a bit more normalcy.”

Sports

GOOD NEWS

BusinessMirror

FOR PHL V’BALL

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WO good news came one after the other for Philippine volleyball as Brazilian coach Jorge Edson Souza de Brito finally secured his visa and Kalei Mau got the International Volleyball Federation’s (FIVB) approval on her eligibility to play for the country.

Philippine National Volleyball Federation President Ramon “Tats” Suzara said that the Department of Foreign Affairs through officerin-charge Senen Mangalile has authorized the Philippine Embassy in Brazil to issue Souza de Brito’s visa three days ago.

And on Tuesday, the FIVB wrote both the PNVF and USA Volleyball, as well as the Asian Volleyball Confederation and the North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation that the 6-foot-2 Mau could now represent the Philippines in international competitions.

“These are a couple of good news for Philippine volleyball. With Coach Jorge flying in soon and Mau already available to play for the country, we can now go on full throttle for the women’s national team training,” Suzara said on Wednesday.

Mau, a dual Philippine and US citizen, was supposed to suit up in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, but was disallowed because of her affiliation with USA Volleyball.

It took some time for Souza de Brito to secure a Philippine visa amid Covid-19 protocol issues concerning the entry of foreigners to the country.

Souza de Brito will work handin-hand with national women’s team coach Odjie Mamon for two years upon his arrival.

The PNVF also secured an exemption from the temporary suspension of visa issuance for Thai coach Anusorn “Tai” Bundit, who will be one of Souza de Brito’s assistants.

Souza de Brito will bring to the Philippines his vast experience as a coach for several clubs in the toptier Brazilian league where from 2002 onwards won titles and podium finishes in Turkey and Japan.

The Philippines is preparing for the 21st Asian Seniors Women’s Volleyball Championship which the country is hosting next month, and barring postponement, the 31st SEA Games in Hanoi in November.

Majority of the 16-member national women’s team so far are already in a bubble training camp at the Ilocos Norte Centennial Arena in Laoag City.

The 26-year-old Mau is currently seeing action in Puerto Rico’s Liga De Voleibol Superior Femenino as an import for Changas de Naranjito.

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HIHIRO IKEDA, gaining much from a long respite to heal an injured hand, took charge in a topsy-turvy opener of the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Sherwood Ladies Challenge, banking on a late eagle on her way to a two-under 70 and a two-stroke lead over Gretchen Villacencio and Chanelle Avaricio in Trece Martires, Cavite, on Wednesday.

Ikeda wrested control after an unpredictable start at resumption of the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour that had the leaderboard shuffling on every converted putt and missed shot before the FilJapanese surged ahead on backto-back birdies to close out her frontside stint at the Sherwood Hills Golf Club for a 34.

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mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

THE Phoenix Suns’ Chris Paul (3) drives past the Milwaukee Bucks’ Jrue Holiday during the second half of Game 1 on Tuesday. AP

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HOENIX—Chris Paul waited 16 years to get to the National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals, bringing with him a team starving for its first championship.

The setting was entirely new.

The performance was same ol’ Chris Paul.

“Just knew he’s ready,” Phoenix forward Mikal Bridges said. “He’s prepared his whole life for this moment and it shows out there on the court.”

Paul had 32 points and nine assists in an NBA Finals debut that was well worth the wait, Devin Booker scored 27 points and the Suns beat the returning Giannis Antetokounmpo and his Milwaukee Bucks 118-105 on Tuesday night in Game 1.

Paul scored 16 points during a sensational third quarter that had Phoenix fans who waited 28 years to see the NBA Finals again screaming in delight.

“Every time he shoots it we think it’s going in,” Booker said.

It almost did in the third quarter, when Paul was 6 for 7 and made all three 3-pointers.

Finally playing for the title in his 16th season, the star point guard has the Suns in the NBA Finals for only the third time, and it sure looked as if they could make this ending different than the other two.

“We’ve been building all season

PAUL, SUNS IN GAME 1 long for these moments,” Paul said. “We’re going to keep playing.

This is just one game. We’ve got to stay locked in.”

Deandre Ayton added 22 points and 19 rebounds to continue his breakout stretch of play in his first postseason.

Antetokounmpo had 20 points and 17 rebounds after missing two games with a hyperextended left knee. Khris Middleton scored 29 points, but the Bucks will have to play from behind again after dropping Game 1 for the third straight series.

“We know it’s not going to be easy. We know it’s going to be tough,” Middleton said. “There’s times where we’re going to be down in this series. But this series isn’t over. We’re down. We’ve still got to keep competing and just playing.”

The series opener was the first NBA Finals game in Phoenix since Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls won their third straight champi-

onship here in Game 6 in 1993.

The Suns, who came into the NBA with the Bucks in 1968, made their only other finals appearance in 1976.

They hadn’t even made the playoffs since 2010 and just two years ago were last in the Western Conference with a 19-63 record.

But Booker was already headed for stardom by then, and 2018 No. 1 pick Ayton has played at that level in the postseason.

Paul has been steady as always since his arrival in an offseason trade. AP

Ikeda in control with eagle-spiked 70 She, however, went on a bogeybirdie-bogey roll from No. 11 to barely cling onto the lead but drained an eagle on the par-5 15th before losing steam at the end of the scorching day, bogeying the 18th and missing padding her lead to three.

“I didn’t expect to go under. I was looking at a three-over start which I think is good given the long layoff,” Ikeda said. “But I still feel the pain [in my left hand] all throughout.”

Villacencio missed grabbing solo second as she matched flightmate Ikeda’s closing bogey for a 70, the same output put in

Where the boys are TESSA JAZMINES | tessa4347@gmail.com

PART OF THE GAME IN earlier days, it was entertainers—singers, bands, performers, dancers—who were lured by the Land of the Rising Sun. These days it’s the basukettōboru senshu (basketball players) whose talents are being sought after to shine in full display in the land of cherry blossoms.

In almost rapid fire fashion, our senses were jolted lately by news of more and more young basketball talents signing up to play for the Japanese pro basketball league. The one-two punch of the Gomez De Liaño Brothers—Juan and Javi— signing up, respectively, with Earth Friends Tokyo Z and the Ibaraki Robots suddenly alerted us on the possibility of a landslide of local cagers headed towards Japan.

| Thursday, July 8, 2021

The grapevine buzzed with other blue chip young players who were being targeted by the Japanese B League. Bobby Ray Parks, Jr. for one. Big Man Justine Baltazar for another. Kobe Paras. Ricci Rivero.

Rey Suerte. Allyn Bulanadi. All the fine young men of Philippine basketball, to say the least.

The modern-day Japanese invasion started quite surreptitiously when Thirdy Ravena was singled out by the Japanese scopes and made to consider an adventure of the highest order to play in Japan. Thirdy was the first of his Gen Z tribe to make the big leap into the unknown when he signed with Japanese ballclub San-en Neophoenix in June 2020. He resigned again with the team this year.

Some eyebrows were raised at

by Avaricio after blowing a lone birdie on the par-three 11th with a bogey on the par-5 15th even as fancied Harmie Constantino and Princess Superal struggled with identical 74s.

Constantino, who marked her pro debut with a two-shot victory over Superal in the ICTSI Eagle Ridge Challenge last March before play was suspended, and Daniella Uy shared the early lead with birdies on Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, with the unfancied Villacencio grabbing the spotlight next with back-to-back birdies from No. 4 before slipping to second with a bogey on the ninth. his decision but most were wowed by the good fortune and international recognition he received. Admirers of Thirdy’s game (aren’t we all?) were genuinely happy for the mighty King Eagle whose last active moments on the televised court were still with the Blue and White.

The Thirdy move happened so fast, there was hardly enough time to react from the basketball powers that be. Besides, the young cager had no ties at all with the Philippine pro league. But this year, when Thirdy’s brother, Kiefer, attempted to follow suit by taking up the offer of Shiga Lakerstars to play in the Japanese B League, the raised eyebrows turned into frowns and closely knit brows.

Not so fast, Kuya, said the Philippine Basketball Association. Kiefer was reminded of his live contract with the NLEX Road Warriors, with whom he had just signed a three-year maximum deal. His hands were tied. The bind was legal.

True the PBA has all the legal right to stop Kiefer, said the pundits. But maybe the league should look at the matter from a bigger, more magnanimous, more progressive perspective. Kiefer may not be

CHIHIRO IKEDA is playing as if she’s not coming off a hand injury.

playing for the PBA, for the moment at least, but what an opportunity it would be for Philippine basketball.

Playing for an international coach in a vibrant, highly competitive league can only make a player better. And what pride Kiefer and his brother would give to Filipino players in particular and Filipinos in general outside of territorial waters.

The threat to the PBA of losing more of its present and future stars became all too real with the Japanese adventure of Juan and Javi Gomez De Liaño. How many more brilliant young cagers will follow suit and look northeastward to fulfill their basketball dreams?

Until the recent past, ask any young basketball hopeful from the grassroots what his ultimate dream was and he would tell you: “To play in the PBA.” But now, a veil seems to have lifted in the northeast. How many college standouts whose next logical step to glory is to someday graduate into the PBA are now thinking: “I’d like to play in the Japanese B League too some day.”

Kuya Thirdy and the GDLs have shown the way.

So that’s the PBA dilemma. And

Pacquiao to train vs taller, bigger sparring partners

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EN. Manny Pacquiao will be up against taller and bigger sparring partners as he makes the necessary adjustments against a taller Errol Spence Jr. who he will face in a title fight on August 21 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Up first against the eightdivision champion Pacquiao is Dominican Republic’s Elvis Rodriguez who is half an inch taller than the 5-foot-10 spence.

Besides height, Pacquiao’s camp is also looking for left-handed sparring partners.

“We are eyeing several competitive southpaw sparring partners for Senator MP [Manny Pacquiao],” Freddie Roach’s assistant trainer Marvin Somodio disclosed to BusinessMirror on Wednesday. But I cannot mention the others’ names because they are still being finalized.”

Pacquiao will go after Spence’s International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Council welterweight belts in their fight set at the T-Mobile Arena.

“Freddie [Roach] is happy with what he saw yesterday from

the senator, who still knows the combination of his training routines. He will never forget it,” Somodio said. “MP’s cat-quick footwork will definitely be one of his many arsenals against Spence Jr.” Spence, 31, is undefeated in 27 fights with 21 knockouts, while Pacquiao, 42, owns a 62-7-2 record with 39 knockouts.

“MP’s footwork, speed and strategy from the distance are major factors in the fight because Spence is a hard-hitter who throws a lot of body shots,” Somodio said. “MP needs to move around as he always does.”

Pacquiao last fought in July 2019 sending Keith Thurman to his first defeat in 30 fights via split decision at the MGM Grand also in Las Vegas, seizing the World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight belt in the process.

But the WBA declared Pacquiao a “champion in recess” last January after the Filipino boxing icon failed to climb the ring during the entire pandemic year 2020. Josef Ramos

THE tried and tested Manny Pacquiao-Freddie Roach partnership is back to work.

Basilan opens Mindanao leg with a bang

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FTER months of frustration, Basilan vented its ire on ALZA Alayon Zamboanga del Sur, 82-48, to open the Chooks-toGo Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup Mindanao Leg on Wednesday at the Provincial Gymnasium in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay.

It was Basilan’s first game since its Game Two win in the 2020-21 Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Lakan Division Finals in March 20, 2020.

Basilan changed its monicker from Steel to the Peace Riders for the VisMin

Super Cup. Leading by just eight points heading into the second frame, 15-7, the Peace Riders’ offense all of a sudden caught fire while still maintaining their tough defense, outscoring ALZA Alayon 25-7, to enter halftime with a huge 40-14 margin.

“After the first quarter, I told the players not to rush things but to focus,” Peace Riders head coach Jerson Cabiltes said.

The lead would eventually balloon to as high as 42, 78-36, on Darwin Lunor’s layup off a post move at the 4:23 mark of the payoff period.

Michael Mabulac stuffed the stat sheet for Basilan with 16 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block. He also registered a game-best plus-32 rating.

Hesed Gabo was the spark off the bench for Basilan with 14 points and seven rebounds while Chris Bitoon and Michael Juico chipped in 12 and 11 points, respectively.

Dan Sara was the lone Zamboanga Del Sur cager to tally double digits in points with 17.

to address the issue, it did appropriate soul searching. Although the league may not be able to match the huge rookie salary being offered (we heard roughly P490,000 a month), it has abolished the Rookie Salary Cap so teams can offer blue chip rookies the MAX contract, unlike before. The PBA has also reduced the former 2 years grace period for players to be drafted after graduation to just one. But here’s a tough one: expiry players who refuse to sign with a team that offers them a contract will have to sit out 5 years and pay a fine if they want to return to the PBA after playing in a foreign league.

Will that keep PBA players or future players from moving on to where they perceive the grass to be greener? We don’t know.

What I know is that hanging a Damocles’ sword on top of a player’s head won’t necessarily make him want to stay. Some people respond positively to threats or fear appeals.

But others don’t. The curious case of Terrence Romeo who chose to stay despite being the first PBA player to be offered a stint in Japan was not because he feared punishment from

his ballclub or the league. His motivation was gratitude and a sense of utang na loob to his club owner, Ramon S. Ang, for taking him in and giving him a real home.

The Gen Z kids should not be blamed for wanting to play abroad and should not be faulted for not opting in favor of the local league. I think the doors should not close on them too tightly either should they want to return. It’s like that proverbial case of the wronged spouse who gives his/her partner an ultimatum to “choose her or me.” The doors will stay shut forever if there’s no key.

For these young guys whose energies, talents and desire to showcase their pride as Filipino athletes have been frozen in limbo because of the pandemic, the opportunity to play in a normal, competitive environment like Japan is not just a leap of faith. It’s a leap of joy.

Look at it as their opportunity to stave off rust, flex their muscles, show off their wares and strut Filipino pride on a bigger stage.

In the meantime, just get better.

As attractive as greener pastures may be, there’s really no place like home.