BusinessMirror June 23, 2022

PHL exits extractive transparency initiative B B D. N @BNicolasBM

 J L. M @jonlmayuga

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THE WORLD »A10

CURRENCIES TUMBLE IN ASIA WHERE RATE HIKES ARE SLOW

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HE Philippines has withdrawn from a global initiative on extractives transparency as it cried foul over the body’s “unfair” metrics and procedures for assessing the countries’ compliance with its requirements.

The Department of Finance on Wednesday said Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III has already formally expressed the country’s decision to pull out from the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), which

prescribes a standard for transparency and accountability in the mining, oil and gas industries.

Extractive companies in countries implementing EITI are engaged to publicly disclose data on taxes, royalties and other payments they make to the government and their host-communities.

In his June 20 letter to EITI Chairman and former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark, Dominguez called EITI’s Validation—a quality assurance assessment process—“subjective, biased and unfair.”

“We find that the manner by which the EITI Board undertakes its Validation is unduly subjective,

biased and unfair. The Philippines has no confidence in the ability of the EITI to undertake an impartial, transparent, and evidence-based Validation process,” Dominguez said.

The Department of Finance (DOF) chairs the Philippine Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (PH-EITI), a multistakeholder body that governs EITI implementation in the Philippines.

Dominguez also said in his letter that the Philippines was treated unfairly by the EITI Board with its use of “irrelevant metrics” and reliance on “unvalidated reports in assessing the status of civic space in the extractives sector.”

The DOF said it has repeatedly asked EITI for details on the alleged issues on civic space to enable the government to address these, but their efforts proved futile.

Moreover, Dominguez called out EITI for its “lack of due process and for imposing actions on the Philippines that violate the country’s sovereignty.”

“We refuse to be taken hostage by unverified allegations from foreigners and people who have no mandate from the electorate,” Dominguez said.

Despite the country’s withdrawal from the EITI, Dominguez S “PHL,” A

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ASIAN REMITTANCE COST www.businessmirror.com.ph

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Thursday, June 23, 2022 Vol. 17 No. 258

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

EXCEEDS 3% SDG GOAL Fitch: PHL on track for gradual fiscal consolidation

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@caiordinario

EDUCING the cost of remittances is crucial, especially in trying times such as pandemics, as these transfers represent lifelines for millions of families, according to Asian Development Bank (ADB) experts.

In an Asian Development Blog, ADB experts led by Economic Research and Regional Cooperation Department Senior Statistician Stefan Schipper said there is still a long way to go to attain Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 10 on reducing transaction costs to 3 percent.

Currently, remittance costs still represent around 5 percent of remittances sent by migrants and migrant workers all over the world.

ADB said informal remittance transfers were also particularly expensive while regulatory environments are too restrictive.

“Remittance prices across Asia vary, but all are above the Sustainable Development Goal 10 global target of reducing the price to 3 percent of a transaction. Informal remittances are particularly expensive, and some regulatory environments are too restrictive,” the experts said.

“Remittances are a financial lifeline for many families in Asia.

Though these transactions have proven resilient during the pandemic, greater support through policy measures and digitization efforts are needed,” they added.

During the pandemic, altruism played a key role in remittance flows. Citing results of a survey by WorldRemit in mid-2020, the experts said 84 percent of over 3,000 overseas Filipinos sent home the same amount of money or more during the pandemic.

These Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) were hosted in countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Australia. Remittances to the Philippines increased to 9.66 percent of GDP in 2020 from 9.33 percent of GDP in 2019. Another factor that

B B C @BcuaresmaBM

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READY FOR JUNE 30 Members of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) conduct sea patrol security exercises along Pasig River in Manila on Monday, June 20, 2022, a part of preparations for the inauguration of Presidentelect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on June 30, 2022. NONIE REYES

NTERNATIONAL think tank Fitch Solutions said on Wednesday that the country is “on track” for a gradual fiscal consolidation over the coming years, following the recent release of the country’s National Budget Memorandum (NBM) earlier this month.

In a research analysis, Fitch Solutions said it now expects the country’s budget deficit as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) to come in at 7.5 percent in 2022 and at 6.2 percent in 2023, versus 8.6 percent in 2021.

These have been revised down from the firm’s previous forecast of 8.1 percent in 2022 and 6.7 percent in 2023.

“Our revision comes after the Department of Budget and Management released the National Budget Memorandum [NBM] on June 9, detailing the fiscal aggregates which are approved by the Development Budget Coordination Committee [DBCC] on May 24,” Fitch Solutions said.

“Our 2022 deficit forecast is slightly below the official projection of 7.6 percent of GDP due to a slower economic growth assumption, while our 2023 forecast is slightly wider than the government’s projection of 6.1 percent of S “F,” A

NON-HYBRID JOB SETUP A DEAL BREAKER IN ASIA B A E. S J

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EARLY 7 in 10 employees across Asia say not being able to work remotely or hybrid permanently is a deal breaker when considering whether to join or stay with an organization, according to Mercer’s 2022 Global Talent Trends Study.

“One in three employees in Asia are willing to forgo pay increases to be able to work flexibly, closely followed by well-being benefits,”read the statement released by Mercer on Wednesday. Meanwhile, one in two employees across Asia emphasize that the future of work is about balance—“fitting work around life and no longer life around work.”

Compared to 2020, the study

reported, employees nowadays say they are more likely to stay with their employer due to “life” related factors, such as flexibility and time off, compared to “work” related factors such as career progression and development.

However, according to the global trends study, 89 percent of executives in Asia are concerned about the impact of permanent hybrid and remote working, especially when it comes to the ability to build and maintain colleague relationships. Moreover, 7 in 10 also believe fundamentally that work gets done in an office, not remotely.

With 48 percent of organizations in Asia saying they are having difficulty in scaling up and sustaining hybrid work, there is signifi-

cant work to be done in evolving their flexible work culture.

In fact, Puneet Swani, Career Business Leader, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (AMEA), Mercer, said “Employers need to bridge the gap in expectations and embrace new, flexible models to cultivate a workforce that can design their own careers. Those who find that balance and align their policies to the wants and needs of their employees will not only boost the motivation and engagement of their existing workers, but also will win the best talent.”

Burnout

IT’S also worthy to note that on toC  A

C  A

PESO EXCHANGE RATES

■ US 54.2070 ■ JAPAN 0.3966 ■ UK 66.5879 ■ HK 6.9054 ■ SINGAPORE 39.1301 ■ AUSTRALIA 37.7985 ■ SAUDI ARABIA 14.4471 ■ EU 57.1125 ■ CHINA 8.1015

Source: BSP (June 22, 2022)

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Thursday, June 23, 2022

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GDP as we expect expenditure to exceed official target,” it added.

The firm’s positive view on the country’s path to fiscal consolidation is hinged on their expectation of strong revenue growth alongside a recovering economy and positive tax reforms. Fitch Solutions said these will “likely offset” expansionary fiscal spending.

“Accordingly, we expect the public debt to GDP ratio to peak at 60.9 percent in 2023, which bodes well for fiscal stability,” the firm said.

Broken down, Fitch Solutions expects revenue growth to come in at around 10 percent in 2022 and 2023.

As of the first quarter of the year 2022, government, tax and non-tax revenue collections grew by 23.7 percent amid economic reopening as more productive activities resume.

The firm also said it expects disbursements growth to be in line with the government’s projection of 6 percent for 2022, but exceed the official target of 2.6 percent in 2023.

“We see limited risks to the government’s fiscal position over the near term. While government debt as a share of GDP has ballooned to 59.2 percent in 2021 as compared with 39.6 percent before the pandemic, plans for fiscal consolidation at the back of increase tax revenue and rebounding economy is likely to bode well for fiscal sustainability,” the firm said.

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DMW to go after illegal recruiters on social media platforms—Ople

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B M T-B

@maloutalosig

HE days of illegal recruitment of Filipinos via Facebook and other social media platforms may soon be over, as incoming secretary of Department of Migrant Workers Susan “Toots” Ople vowed to go after them.

Recruitment agencies accredited by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) have been complaining that Facebook, Tiktok and Twitter are being used as recruitment platforms of Filipinos by individuals or groups that have no POEA accreditation.

Asked how the new DMW can stop the proliferation of illegal recruitment through social media, Ople replied, “We will have to work with social media platforms because those are the ones being used now.... It is faster to take down FB pages that

become havens for illegal recruitment. We will work closely with Facebook Philippines on that.”

Ople is an OFW advocate and head of the nonprofit organization Blas F. Ople Policy Center and Training Institute. She served as board of trustee of the United Nations Trust Fund for Victims of Human Trafficking that provides financial assistance to thousands of victims of human trafficking worldwide.

On Wednesday, she guested as resource person—as the first secretary of the DMW that

is being set up under law enacted in the 18th Congress—at the BUSINESSMIRROR Coffee Club, a free-wheeling forum with panelists from the ALC Group, including BM, Philippines Graphic magazine, Pilipino Mirror, DWIZ and CNN Philippines.

She noted that there are Filipinos who share advertisements or announcements of job openings overseas on their Facebook or other social media accounts, not knowing that they are committing illegal recruitment. Thus, she stressed the need to clearly define “online illegal recruitment” and “online human trafficking.”

“Minsan kasi akala ng isang Pilipino nakakatulong sya. Magpo-post sya ng mga trabaho dahil may kakilala syang agent, kunyari sa Dubai, di nya alam nagko-cross na sya ng line, illegal recruitment na ’yun. Pero sa tingin nya, tumutulong lang naman ako. Pero hindi eh, may batas tayo na dapat sundan [Sometimes, a Filipino would think he is being helpful, posting information because he knows an agent in, say, Dubai, but not knowing he has crossed the line to illegal recruitment. In his view, ’I’m just trying to help,’ but we have a law that must be followed],” Ople said.

She said she will form a task force against illegal recruitment and human trafficking and

will work closely with the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking. “We will use the laws of other countries to pursue human trafficking cases against foreign employers and foreign recruitment agencies who may be exploiting our OFWs,” Ople added. President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has also asked her to prioritize putting up a database of OFWs leaving the Philippines and arriving in the Philippines, as well as improving the blacklist of abusive employers.

She said she also met with Secretary-designate Ivan John Uy of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and was assured they will help ease the OFWs’ burden in complying with documentation requirements such as the Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC), contract verification as well as online submission of documents by OFW’s employers from overseas.

“We are so excited about our future collaboration under DICT Secretary-designate Ivan Uy. We discussed at length how digital solutions can ease the problems/inconvenience being faced by our OFWs and how digital solutions can be used for training and capacity building even if they’re onsite,” Ople added.

NON-HYBRID JOB SETUP A DEAL BREAKER IN ASIA C  A

tal well-being, eight in 10 employees are at risk of burnout.

“The percentage of energized employees has dropped signifi-

cantly from 74 percent in 2019 to 63 percent this year—the lowest level in the study’s seven-year history,” the news statement read, citing data from Mercer’s 2022 Global Talent Trends Study. Moreover,

across Asia, the number dipped to 56 percent and 44 percent specifically for Japan and Singapore respectively, well below the regional average of 68 percent.

Meanwhile, 8 in 10 employees in Asia, including an overwhelming 95 percent in Hong Kong, feel at risk of burnout this year. With nearly 98 percent organizations planning significant transformation this year, the collective fatigue could put these plans at risk. Yet only one in four executives and HR leaders in Asia view employee exhaustion as a threat to transformation or driver for attrition.

Swani, the career business leader, said facing organizational problems head-on will be key in the companies’ successful transformation. Swani said, “The silver lining is that one in three executives in Asia see prioritizing employee well-being as the people initiative that will deliver the greatest ROI in the next two years. As companies transform, it will be critical to rethink the employee experience and their well-being strategy more holistically and inclusively. Enhancing digital adoption, improving the communication of strategic vision, and addressing organizational complexity will be key.”

On employability, 97 percent of companies see significant skill gaps, according to the study.

“The pandemic supercharged companies’ race to reskill, with organizations globally investing more than US$2,800 per learner in reskilling last year, up from US$1,400 in 2020,” the statement read.

However, the study noted that it is unclear if the investment is paying off. Moreover, it’s worthy to note that nearly all (95 percent) employees in Asia reported recently learning a new skill, yet a staggering 97 percent of companies report significant skill gaps in their organization.

While providing opportunities to reskill and upskill is top of the people agenda of organizations in Asia in 2022, barriers remain.

Specifically, lack of time aside, at 36 percent, one in four employees said they are not sure which skills to focus on as well as where to go to learn a new skill for work.

In fact, HR leaders, too, have their reservations. They find it difficult to keep up with the pace of change and emerging skill needs at 37 percent. The HR leaders also find it hard to identify 36 percent of employees with the most potential to effectively leverage new skills. Lastly, the HR leaders are concerned that 35 percent of the upskilled talent will leave the firm.

With this, the study noted that addressing skill gaps is more pressing than ever for organizations to realize their strategy, meet evolving business needs and ensure the employability of their talent well into the future. The good news, it added, is that HR leaders in Asia are looking to build skills internally rather than acquiring talent, a significant development from prepandemic.

Further, the HR leaders in Asia are seeing the greatest impact, at 42 percent, from targeted learning investments and experiential learning through international rotations at 42 percent.

Swani stressed that “despite an uptick in experimentation during the pandemic to close the skills gap, companies in Asia and their employees are still very much in the learning phase.”

He added that employers should focus on figuring out how they can offer more opportunities for employees to pick up new skills and make rewarding skill acquisition more visible throughout the organization.

Mercer is a business of Marsh McLennan, the world’s leading professional services firm in the areas of risk, strategy and people, with 83,000 colleagues and annual revenue of approximately $20 billion. It believes in building brighter futures by redefining the world of work, reshaping retirement and investment outcomes, and unlocking real health and well-being.

PHL...

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stressed that the Philippines has the process, systems, and manpower to ensure transparency in the extractives sector.

The EITI Board announced in February this year that the Philippines achieved a “moderate overall score” in its 2019 EITI implementation and urged the government to improve the environment for civil society participation.

While it recognized the country’s efforts in EITI implementation, the EITI Board concluded that the country only “partly met” the objective of full effective and active engagement by civil society, given “government constraints on freedom of expression, operation and association in the EITI process.”

The EITI Board also said that its validation identified “alleged instances of intimidation of civil society activists and journalists,” saying such may be linked to the interventions or stated positions of these individuals on extractive operations or on issues concerning extractive investments.

The EITI Board also identified the “apparent use of the 2020 Anti-Terrorism Act to justify attempts at police intervention, judicial action or intimidation which may have limited civil society freedoms.”

“These breaches of freedom of expression, operation, and association, in some regions of the country, have had an impact on civil society’s ability to work on EITI-related topics and undertake EITI-related activities,” it said.

The Philippines joined the EITI in 2013. The EITI said the country is a leading producer of nickel, a significant producer of gold and copper, and exports iron ore, chromium, zinc, and silver.

It also produces some oil and gas. Based on the latest EITI disclosure for 2019, the Philippines’s mining sector also contributes 0.6 percent to the country’s GDP and approximately 7 percent to total exports.

EITI implementing-countries undergo validation every three years.

MICC gears up

THE Philippines’s withdrawal from the EITI came as the Mining Industry Coordinating Council (MICC) cochaired by the DOF with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) gears up to allow more mining projects with the lifting of the open-pit mining ban, and the reversal of other policies of the late and former DENR Secretary Regina Paz L. Lopez.

Such policy pronouncement has triggered howls of protest, particularly from anti-mining and environmental groups.

Jaybee Garganera, ATM National Coordinator, warned that a revival of the mining industry would lead to further displacement of communities, air and water pollution, loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, land-use changes, and food insecurity.

ASIAN REMITTANCE COST EXCEEDS 3% SDG GOAL C  A

helped increase remittances during the pandemic was the greater availability of social and financial assistance to migrant workers in developed countries.

For some migrants, financial innovation that allowed them to transfer money digitally, enabled them to increase their remittances to their families.

However, in some places, remittance flows declined due to their vulnerability to the pandemic and levels of social support. In some

cases, the experts said, government efforts to relax exchange controls affected remittance flows.

“Digitalization can help address some of these challenges. In addition, sending and receiving countries should address regulatory and infrastructure barriers to facilitate digital transactions,” the experts said.

“Universal financial access in receiving countries and among migrant workers in sending countries is also very important in making remittances easier, cheaper, and more widespread,” they added.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) earlier reported that remittances sent by Filipinos abroad to their families in the Philippines increased to a five-month high in April this year. The BSP said cash remittances coursed through banks reached $2.395 billion in April 2022, some 3.9 percent higher than the $2.305 billion posted in the same month in 2021.

The Central Bank’s data showed this growth was the highest since November 2021 when cash remittances posted growth of 5.1 percent.

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PRC assures ample blood supply anew

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ESPITE the recent increase in dengue cases in some regions of the country, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) has assured the public that its blood supplies are adequate for dengue patients.

The Department of Health (DOH) has reported recent increases in dengue cases starting at the end of March this year.

The DOH also bared that from April 10 to May 7, most of the dengue cases were from Region 9 (908 cases), Region 7 (881 cases) and Region 3 (593 cases).

In response, the PRC conducted dengue awareness and prevention activities to help the DOH in its efforts to curb the continuous increase in the number of dengue cases in the country.

The PRC also reminded the public of the need to always practice the 4-S campaign to prevent the dengue virus: Search and destroy breeding places, secure self-protection, Seek early consultation, and support fogging/spraying in hot spot areas.

In addition, the PRC encouraged healthy individuals to donate blood regularly through its 100 facilities nationwide to save the lives of dengue patients.

“Makatitiyak ang ating mga kababayan na laging sapat ang supply ng dugo ng Red Cross para sa mga nangangailangan, lalo ngayong panahon ng tag-ulan at nariyan na naman ang banta ng dengue sa atin. [We assure our fellowmen that Red Cross have enough supply of blood for those who need it, especially this rainy season where there is a threat of dengue],” PRC Chairman and CEO Richard Gordon said. Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Thursday, June 23, 2022 A3

PHL remains at low-risk classification despite uptick in Covid-19 cases–DOH

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By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

@claudethmc3

HE Department of Health (DOH) said on Wednesday the country remains at low-risk case classification despite the reported increase in new Covid-19 cases.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, who will replace Undersecretary Maria Cabotaje as Incident Manager of the National Covid-19 Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC), however, said the National Capital Region has

maintained a sharp increase in reported cases.

“Remaining areas, except for Mindanao, also showed an uptick in cases, but remain at less than 80 cases per day,” Vergeire said.

Vergeire said that more than half

of admissions remain to be asymptomatic and mild cases.

Meanwhile, Vergeire said that health-care utilization rate remains at low risk.

“While the country continues to see an upward trend in new Covid-19 cases nationally and in most regions, average daily attack rates, admissions, and utilization rates remain low,” Vergeire added.

The DOH, she said, is reminding the public to strictly adhere to the minimum public health standards and get vaccinated and boosted to maintain a low risk health-care utilization rate.

“Wear the best fitting mask especially when there’s a large

group of people, isolate when sick, double up on protection with primary series and booster shots, and always ensure good airflow.

Let’s all continue to be BIDAs to remain under Alert Level 1,” the health official said.

NVOC designation

MEANWHILE, Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III has designated Vergeire as the head of NVOC. “As a senior career executive in government service, Undersecretary Vergeire will be taking over the able leadership of Undersecretary Myrna C. Cabotaje, who will be finishing her term on June 30, 2022,” DOH said.

This succession, DOH added, is meant to avoid gaps in implementation of the ongoing Covid-19 vaccination program amid the transition of leadership.

“The Department, including Undersecretary Vergeire will welcome the guidance and decisions of the incoming administration as regards the leadership of NVOC,” the DOH added.

“That is the assignment. Pero syempre ‘pag pumasok po ang bagong administration maaari pa rin pong magbago ‘yan. [But of course, that would still change with the new administration],” Vergeire said as she lauded Cabotaje, under the Duque, for her “ leadership on NVOC.”

Judge orders issuance of e-warrant vs alleged NPA member Dra. Castro

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HE Department of Justice (DOJ) disclosed on Wednesday that an e-warrant of arrest would be issued against the controversial Dra. Maria Natividad Castro for alleged kidnapping and serious illegal detention.

This came three months after Regional Trial Court of Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur Branch 7, through its Presiding Judge Fernando Fudalan Jr., dismissed the case against Castro on the grounds of denial of her right to due process and lack of jurisdiction over the accused.

The complaint was filed by Rachelle, wife of victim Bernabe

Salahay, against Manuel Anob Masayod and several others, including Castro, or alias “Dr. Naty,” an alleged active member, recruiter, trainer and fund raiser for communist rebels.

In a news statement, the Department of Justice-National Prosecution Service (DOJ-NPS) said Judge Fudalan’s order to dismiss the complaint was reversed last June 16, 2022 by Bayugan City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Executive Judge Ferdinand Villanueva upon the motion of the prosecution.

On the same day, Judge Villanueva directed the issuance of an e-

warrant arrest against Castro.

Judge Villanueva ruled that contrary to Judge Fudalan’s findings, there was no denial of due process on the part of Dr. Castro as a preliminary investigation was conducted by the prosecution and that the court has acquired jurisdiction over the accused as she was arrested by virtue of the warrant of arrest.

He noted that even if Dr. Castro was not served with the summon to file her counter-affidavit, this cannot be considered as violation of her right to due process.

“The complainant-victim Salahay in his affidavit and supplemental af-

fidavit alleged that Dra. Natividad Castro is a member of the NPA. The prosecution likewise argued that she could not be served with the summon,” Judge Villanueva’s order read. ������������������������������� “If the accused/respondent cannot be summoned, it does not mean that preliminary investigation will be held in abeyance. The rule is clear that the prosecution will be resolve the complaint on the basis of the evidence presented,” it added.

Judge Villanueva also said the allegation of the accused that her name was only inserted as respondents and that there was no preliminary investigation conducted has no basis.

“There was a preliminary investigation and from the very beginning Dra. Natividad was included,” it added. Based on court records, the executive judge said Dr. Castro was not yet arraigned, thus, there is no double jeopardy.

The case stemmed from the complaint filed by Rachelle on January 14, 2019, for kidnapping and serious illegal detention before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor of Agusan del Sur. On February 18, 2019, Dr. Castro was arrested at her home in San Juan by virtue of a warrant of arrest and flown to Agusan del Sur. Joel R. San Juan

Group launches study on mercury-free option for lamps, batteries, med devices SC won’t meddle on new conditions

set by Indonesian govt on Veloso trial

By Jonathan L. Mayuga

By Joel R. San Juan

@jonlmayuga

@jrsanjuan1573

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NVIRONMENTAL watchdog Ban Toxics has formally launched on Wednesday a new study on mercury-free alternatives for batteries, lamps, and medical measuring devices in the Philippines.

The “Mercury-Free Alternatives in the Philippines: Batteries, lamps, and medical measuring devices” was released as part of the celebration of the fourth week of June as the National Poison Prevention Week by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 1777 s. 2009 to raise awareness on the preventive aspects of poisoning prevention at home, school, work, and in the general environment.

At a news briefing to highlight the new report, Jam Lorenzo, BAN Toxics’ Policy and Research Associate shared the gains in the phaseout of mercury and mercury-tainted products, particularly batteries, lamps, and medical measuring devices with the emergence of mercury-free alternatives.

Geri-Geronimo Sañez, Chief of the Hazardous Waste Management Section of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), meanwhile presented a short overview of mercury and its health impacts as well as the Philippines’s commitments to the Minamata Convention on Mercury.

In his talk, Sañez highlighted the risks of exposure to mercury, a toxic heavy metal, particularly its adverse effects to human health.

“Exposure to mercury can severely cause health problems, like neurological dysfunction,” he said.

The DENR-EMB, he said, strictly monitors industrial facilities to ensure compliance with the ban on mercury. However, he said when it comes to consumer products, the mandate falls on the authority of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Bureau of Products Standard (BPS), citing the case of mercurytainted whitening lotions that have been reported to being sold online.

According to Lorenzo, for mercury measuring devices, citing the 2018 Philippine Mercury Inventory Report, due to the ban on mercury-

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containing medical measuring devices in health-care facilities, there are no significant imports of thermometers and sphygmomanometers in the country.

Such is also consistent with the findings where trade data have shown that the market has shifted to digital alternatives.

The mercury inventory report utilizes thermometer and sphygmomanometer stocks to calculate annual mercury inputs due to the lack of imports for mercury-containing medical measuring devices.

Meanwhile, battery products imported by the Philippines are mostly mercury-free lithium batteries.

Major battery distributors in the country have also shifted to mercury-free alternatives for silver oxide, zinc-air, and alkaline batteries.

Meanwhile, for lighting products, the report said fluorescent bulbs and other mercury-containing lighting products are still widely available despite the diminishing demand in favor of LED alternatives. “Mercuryfree HID lamps, in particular, remain a concern, with the two major

suppliers of lighting products in the Philippines only selling mercurycontaining HIDs,” the report said.

On a positive note, the report said a majority of household and consumer-level lighting products sold and available are of LED varieties.

Funded by the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), the study presented trade data obtained from relevant government agencies, as well as the results of monitoring major ecommerce platforms. The results of the study are validated by cross-referencing relevant documents and conducting a validation workshop involving multiple government agencies.

The study also highlighted the Philippines’s progress in managing mercury-added products, with distributors and manufacturers of batteries, lamps, and medical measuring devices successfully shifting most, if not all, of their business to safer alternatives.

T he Minamata Convention on Mercury was ratified by the Philippine government on July 8, 2020. It is an international agreement established to protect human

health and the environment from emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds caused by human activity.

The sale of mercury-added products was made punishable by law through the issuance of the Chemical Control Order for Mercury and Mercury Compounds-DENR Administrative Order 2019-20 (CCODAO 2019-20).

On June 13, 2022, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Philippines issued FDA Circular No. 2022-003 which totally banned mercury-added medical devices such as thermometers, sphygmomanometers, and dental amalgams for dental restorative procedures.

“We commend the efforts of the Philippine government in reducing mercury-added products in the market. The next challenge is fully shifting towards safer alternatives and this can be achieved through the continued cooperation of private industries, civil society organizations, and the government,” Lorenzo said.

HE Supreme Court has noted without action the motion filed by the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) seeking specific instructions as to the conduct of the taking of depositions through written interrogatories of Filipina death row inmate Mary Jane Veloso against her illegal recruiters.

The OSG filed the urgent omnibus motion following new conditions imposed by the Indonesian government based on its letter dated December 4, 2020 informing the Philippine government that the deposition taking will be conducted by the Indonesian attorney general or office/officials appointed by the attorney general.

The letter further informed the Philippine government that the presence of the consular officer of the Philippines embassy in Jakarta and the presiding judge during the deposition taking is possible.

Furthermore, the Indonesian government said the deposition taking would be conducted in the prison facility in Wirogunan, Indonesia, where Veloso is currently detained.

The OSG said the resolution issued by the trial court on August 16, 2016 that was approved by the Court on October 9, 2019 and attained finality on March 4, 2010, conflicted with the conditions imposed by the Indonesian government.

The said rulings by the trial court and the SC allowed the taking of Veloso’s testimony by deposition upon written interrogatories before the Philippine Consular Office and officials in Indonesia pursuant to the Rules of Court and principles of jurisdiction.

But the SC’s Special Third Division, through Associate Justice Ramon Paul Hernando, pointed out that its final ruling pertaining to the deposition taking of Veloso was issued after full consideration of the documents submitted, from the trial court, to the CA and up now to the Court.

The Court noted that when it

issued the decision the only conditions set by the Indonesia authorities were: Veloso shall remain in detention in Yogyakarta; no cameras may be used in the taking of her testimony; none of the lawyers in the case shall be present during the taking of her testimony; and the questions to be propounded must be in writing.

The SC noted that the OSG’s motion is actually a request for formulation of guidelines in the conduct of the taking of Veloso’s deposition to adapt to the conditions set by the Indonesian government.

The request, according to the SC, is not a mere correction of clerical error but an amendment of its October 9, 2019 decision, which has already become final.

“The Court, even being the highest court of the land, cannot alter what is already rendered absolute.

The case has already been completely put to rest—Mary Jane is allowed by our law to give her testimony in Cristina and Julius’ case by deposition through written interrogatories under Rules 23 and 25 of our country’s Rules of Court,” the SC resolution read.

Cristina Sergio and Julius Lacanilao were convicted of largescale illegal recruitment in a case involving three other women in January 2020.

No need for judicial consent

IN noting without action the OSG’s motion, the SC pointed out that there is no need for the executive branch to get its approval in accepting, rejecting or modifying the conditions set by Indonesia.

It said filling in the details of foreign policy and negotiations are within the prerogative of the Executive department. “ The Executive department has already done so before when, through the ardent efforts of the Department of Justice, it magnificently secured this legal miracle for Mary Jane, that she may air her side of the story despite her incarcerations and conviction in a foreign country,” the SC explained.

A4 Thursday, June 23, 2022 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

Economy BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

NGCP places Luzon on ‘yellow alert’ for three consecutive days B

Gatchalian urges Duterte to back WFH option for state, private sector workers

By Butch Fernandez

T

By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

HE Luzon grid is running low on power reserves for the third consecutive day.

“The Luzon grid is on yellow alert due to insufficient operating reserve,” a notice from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) stated. The yellow alert took effect from 10 a.m to 11 a.m, and 12 p.m to 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

The shutdown of several coalfired power plants led to the issuance of the yellow alert warning.

These are the 460-megawatt (MW) Quezon Power Phils. Ltd. (QPPL) plant; Southwest Luzon Power Generation Corp.’s units 1, 3 and 4 (200 MW); GNPower Mariveles Energy Center Ltd. Co. (GMEC) units 1 and 2 (632 MW), and 300-MW SEM Calaca Power Corp. (Calaca) unit 2.

The NGCP said the forced outage

of these plants, the reduction of Kalayaan hydro plant’s output by 180 MW, and the reduced power drawn from Visayas via the high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission link were among the factors that led to the issuance of yellow alert on Wednesday.

Luzon’s operating requirement stood at 11,274 MW as against the grid’s available capacity of 12,008 MW, leaving a net operation margin of only 369 MW. The grid has been placed on yellow alert for a couple of hours since Monday. Prior to this, the NGCP issued last June 18 a red alert warning due to multiple power plant outages.

It said that a transmission line tripped due to “underbuilt” lines

owned by the Peninsula Electric Cooperative Inc. (PENELCO). These underbuilt distribution lines are constructed underneath NGCP’s transmission lines and are within the grid operator’s right-of-way.

The NGCP said the transmission line issue has already been resolved, but there are still power plants on forced shutdown.

A yellow alert is issued when the excess power is insufficient to meet the transmission grid’s regulating and contingency requirement, pegged at the time at about 495 MW and 647 MW, respectively.

A red alert status, meanwhile, could trigger brownouts. This warning is issued when supplies are insufficient to meet consumer demand and the transmission grid’s regulating requirement.

The Department of Energy (DOE) earlier instructed the NGCP to immediately resolve the transmission line issues, submit the list of affected customers that experienced power interruption, and explain the de-

tails of the incident. The DOE has also initiated its coordination with the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) in addressing the matter.

The ERC, for its part, said it is now looking into the incident. ERC commissioner Atty. Rexie Digal said the agency would evaluate all submissions by the NGCP and DOE.

Sufficient but expensive supply

MEANWHILE, a Manila-based climate and energy policy advocacy group reiterated the need for flexible and distributed power generation in the country’s power system.

Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) chief data scientist Jephraim Manansala, analyzing the spot market data over the weekend, cited the main causes of the red alert status in the Luzon grid.

He said the Luzon power system had sufficient but expensive supply these past few weeks due to the recurring downtime of a number of baseload power plants at overlapping periods. With Jonathan L. Mayuga

@butchfBM

ATTING for wider adoption of the work-from-home ( W FH) option, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian prodded employers Wednesday to seriously consider such arrangement sure to “save fuel and transport costs” for both employers and their workers amid surging fuel prices.

In a news statement, Gatchalian suggested the Duterte government should also encourage more government agencies to adopt the WFH option, as well those in the private sector, to engage in flexible work arrangements to also “save fuel and transportation costs and improve the quality of life of employees.”

Assuring that employers can also benefit due to cost savings, Gatchalian said, “Our office may look empty for some but we are practicing work from home arrangement to save on gas, avoid traffic congestion, save time, and eliminate daily commutes.” The senator asserted, “Employers can likewise gain benefit as well due to cost savings.”

The senator recalled that even before the Civil Service Commission (CSC) issued a resolution allow-

ing flexible work arrangements in government offices, he had noted that WFH had already been adopted by some companies in the private sector.

In order to promote the flexible work arrangement, Gatchalian said he aims to pursue the enabling legislation on his proposed tax incentives for employees on WFH or telecommuting program and income tax deduction for employers.

As provided in Senate Bill No. 1706, co-authored by Gatchalian, it proposes a reduction of P25.00 from the taxable income of an employee for every hour of work rendered under a WFH arrangement. He also proposed to make non-taxable the allowances and other benefits of employees covering expenses necessary for telecommuting, not exceeding P2,000 per month.

Employers, for their part, may claim an additional 50-percent income tax deduction for allowances granted within the specified ceiling, said Gatchalian, adding that such provision is aimed at encouraging employers to provide much needed allowances to their employees while the proposed tax deductions for workers will effectively increase pay of employees.

Creative industries devt bill now MMDA launches free solar-powered awaits Duterte’s OK–DTI chief charging station for e-bikes, scooters

T

HE Creative Industries Development Act, which covers both creative goods and services, is now up for the signature of President Duterte, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

At the 2022 Manufacturing Summit on Tuesday, Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said that the Creative Industries Development Act is only a signature away from being enacted into law.

Senate Bill No. 2455, titled “Creative Industries Charter of the Philippines,” aims to foster inclusive growth through a creative economy by developing and promoting all economic activities based on human creativity, skill, and talent related to technology, arts, and culture.

SB No. 2455 highlighted that “the State shall establish a Creative Industries Development Council mandated to implement a long-term plan for the development and promotion of the Philippine creative industries,

with programs aimed at creating opportunities and employment, nurturing human resources, ensuring financial-enabling mechanisms, and providing incentives to encourage and sustain Filipino excellence in the creative industries.”

The DTI has always vowed to support the creative industry—a sector seen generating high-value activities and job opportunities in its bid to recover post-pandemic.

In fact, last year, Trade Undersecretary Rafaelita M. Aldaba said that the DTI Competitiveness and Innovation Group had been implementing a program dedicated to shaping the creative sector.

Further, Aldaba pointed out last year that “leveraging on our cultural richness, highly skilled content artists and creators and their use of new technologies, we can transform the creative industries to thrive and fuel our economic recovery and growth.”

In 2021, she said, the DTI worked

with the Philippine Statistics Authority in coming up with the Philippine Creative Industries Satellite Account to address the lack of official industry data. She also emphasized last year that the creative industries are at the crossroads of art, culture, business and technology.

For their part, American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (Amcham) lauded the progress of the measure. It emphasized that they are looking forward to the passage of the Creative Industries Development Act, which is seen to further expand the creative sector’s economic contribution.

In 2021, Amcham said that the passage of the legislation creating strong institutional bodies, plans and incentives at the national and local level is crucial to achieving the Philippine goal of becoming the top creative economy in the Asean region in terms of size and value by 2030.

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3

T

O encourage the use of alternative modes of transportation amid the spikes in gas prices, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Wednesday launched a free solar charging station for electronic bikes and scooters.

MMDA Chairman Romando Artes said the project would help ease the burden of the public with the high cost of petroleum products by providing them free service that they can avail of whenever they need to charge their e-vehicles.

“Putting up free charging stations for electronic vehicles such as e-bikes and e-scooters would encourage the public to use alternative mode of

transportation and, at the same time, help them save expenses from high fuel cost,” Artes said.

The solar charging station, located at the new MMDA head office building in Barangay Ugong, Pasig City, will be opened to the public on Monday, June 27, from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Three solar panels with builtin inverter will be the main power source of the station with a total of six 220 volts charging outlets. Charging an e-bike will take approximately 6 to 8 hours, depending on the vehicle’s battery.

Those who wish to charge their e-vehicles must bring their own charging cords and cables.

The charging station uses new technology, where in case solar power harvested will be insufficient to power the

e-bikes being charged, the station will tap in to the main power grid of the building to compensate for the shortage in power.

Likewise, all excess electricity being harnessed by the solar panels will be distributed back to the building.

Artes also said that he is planning to build similar charging station at the MMDA headquarters in Orense, Makati, to accommodate those who are traversing Edsa.

Meanwhile, Artes appealed to e-bikers and e-scooter drivers to adhere to the Land Transportation Office’s Administrative Order No. 2021-039 or the Consolidated Guidelines in the Classification, Registration, and Operation of All Types of Electric Motor Vehicles for their own safety.

News BusinessMirror

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RITM optimizes testing for monkeypox virus

By Claudeth Mocon Ciriaco @claudethmc3

T

HE Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday announced that the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) has successfully optimized its Realtime PCR assay for detecting monkeypox virus as part of the national preparedness and response efforts.

“Following protocols, only those satisfying the definition of ‘suspect’ cases will be tested,” the DOH said citing that such is stated under DOH Department Memorandum (DM) No. 2022-0220.

The DOH noted that following the case definitions for monkeypox as provided in DOH DM No. 2022-0220, only “suspect” cases are to be tested following strict clinical criteria that can distinguish monkeypox from other related or similar diseases.

“RITM has in that context not yet tested for monkeypox as no patient fitting these case definitions have been identified, and there have been no confirmed local or imported cases in the country,” the DOH clarified.

The DOH added that testing services for monkeypox is being finalized.

“Rest assured that the DOH will inform the public of any further developments on this matter,” DOH said.

The RITM was earlier designated as the main isolation facility for suspect, probable, and confirmed monkeypox cases.

The DOH indicated that its Field Implementation and Coordination Team (FICT) and the One Hospital Command Center (OHCC) are working on the specific designation of isolation facilities with the priority to ensure compliance with requirements.

“According to DOH Department Memorandum 2022-0220 Interim Technical Guidelines for the Implementation of monkeypox Surveillance Screening, Management, and Infection Control, during the activation of Doors 1 and 2 of DOH’s 4-Door Alert System, the RITM is hereby designated as the main isolation facility for suspect, probable, and confirmed monkeypox cases,” the department noted.

DOH logs 32 more BA.5 Covid-19 subvariant cases in Luzon, Visayas

T

HIRTY-TWO more Omicron subvariant BA.5 cases were detected in the country, an official of the Department of Health (DOH) reported on Wednesday.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said, of the new cases, 21 individuals from Region 6, 4 from Region 4A, four from the National Capital Region and three from Region 3, tested positive for the BA.5 variant.

This brings the total figure of BA.5 cases nationwide to 43.

Vergeire said that 30 individuals are fully vaccinated, one is

‘Toots’ Ople on being cancer survivor, DMW chief: I can handle it continued from a14 She said she really had no intention to respond to this protest, but had to respond to a question from a BM Coffee Club panelist. Also, she changed her mind when she thought about other breast cancer survivors like her who might be discriminated against when they apply for work.

“I guess I have to stand up for fellow cancer survivors when I say you get to know yourself when you are down and out. God would not have given me this new path if I am not up for it,” she said.

Ople said she just wished that the protesters and her detractors would just see the value of life.

“I just want to be humble enough to say every morning is a blessing.

I hope yung mga nagpo-protesta can see every morning as a blessing.

Spread love lang, spread kindness,” she said. Ople will assume the DMW post on July 1.

Breast cancer is the leading killer of Filipino women aged 35-50. But with early detection, breast cancer is also one of the cancers with the highest rate of survival, BusinessMirror editorin-chief Lourdes M. Fernandez, a panelist at the BM Coffee Club, pointed out.

“I personally know of people [who had breast cancer] and have been in remission for two or three decades, they have been functioning, they have built families.

“We keep talking about inclusivity, PWDs, the same way we should not discriminate against people who are sick. We will get sick at some point in our lives,” Fernandez added.

partially vaccinated, while the vaccination status of one case is still being verified.

“At the moment, exposure of individuals is still unknown and travel histories are being verified,” she added.

She said that 22 were with mild symptoms, five were asymptomatic, while the remaining 5 are still being verified.

“Sixteen individuals are now tagged as recovered, 14 are still undergoing isolation, while the outcome of the rest two are being verified,” Vergeire said. Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

Thursday, June 23, 2022 A5

Philly dangles $20,000 bounty for arrest of gunman in killing of lawyer ‘Jal’ Laylo

By Malou Talosig-Bartolome @maloutalosig

P

HILADELPHIA authorities are offering $20,000 reward for those who will offer any information that would lead to the arrest of the gunman who shot and killed Atty. John Albert “Jal” Laylo in Pennsylvania.

Consul General Elmer Cato said this was relayed to him when he and Philippine police attaché Brig.

Gen. Joseph Lopez met with Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney and Philadelphia police officials Monday.

“Mayor Kenney expressed his condolences to the Laylo family and apologized for what he described as a terrible tragedy,” Cato said.

Referring to the 35-year-old lawyer’s mother Leah Bustamante Laylo, who herself was injured in the attack, Cato said they conveyed to Mayor Kenney “the sentiments of Mrs. Laylo and the position of the Philippine government, and underscore the great importance we place on the immediate resolution of this case.”

Cato and Philippine police attaché Brig. Gen. Joseph Lopez met the Philadelphia mayor and Pennsylvania police Tuesday.

Laylo and his mother were visiting families and friends in the US. They were on their way to the airport to catch a morning flight to Chicago when an armed man on board a black Cadillac shot at the Uber car they were riding at.

One of six bullets passed through Laylo’s head, rendering him in critical condition at the Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. He passed on Sunday morning. His mother sustained shrapnel wounds. The Uber driver was unscathed.

Cato said Mrs. Laylo is “still in anguish, she’s angry and she wants justice.”

THE bullet-riddled Nissan Maxima vehicle of Filipino lawyer John Albert “Jal” Laylo, who was gunned down in Philadelphia early Saturday while visiting relatives. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Pennsylvania police are looking at a theory of a mistaken identity, local media in Philadelphia reported.

Based on surveillance camera videos along 38th and Spruce streets and its neighborhood, the police believe that the gunman was supposed to target another Nissan car near the vehicle that Laylo and his mother were riding in.

“The case is a targeted shooting, but of mistaken identity,” CBS Philly 3’s Joe Holden tweeted. “Police say the shooter was in a black

Cadillac. Video shows the Cadillac in close proximity to another Nissan [not Laylo’s Uber] blocked before reaching the intersection of 38 & Spruce. Police believe the shooter fired as many as 15 shots into the ‘wrong’ Nissan.”

Prior to Laylo’s killing, there had been an upsurge in gun violence cases in Philadelphia. On Saturday, the same day Laylo was shot at, there were eight separate shootings that killed two people and injured five others.

Filipino community members held a vigil outside the Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, praying that justice be served for Laylo and expressing concern over the increasing incidents of gun violence in Philadelphia.

“We thank @PhillyMayor Jim Kenney and @PhillyPolice for their assurance that they will do everything they can to bring to justice whoever is responsible for the death of our kababayan John Albert Laylo,” Cato tweeted.

Sotto: 197 Congress-approved bills Govt agencies review endorsed to Palace signed into law rules on flexible work

By Butch Fernandez

@butchfBM

S

ENATE President Vicente Sotto III confirmed on Wednesday that there were at least 197 Congress-approved bills already “signed into laws” by Malacañang under the Duterte administration during the 18th Congress.

The senator also said that apart from the new laws, “there was one veto, but right now pending in the Office of the President are 182 bills passed by both houses of Congress.” “’Yung mga adopted resolutions concurring in the ratification of treaties and international agreements, conventions, there were three, including the Convention of Temporary Admission, Accession to the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness and the ratification of the Arms Trade Treaty,’” the Senate leader said.

Sotto III added there were 45 simple resolutions and 11 concurrent resolutions, noting that on the bills signed into law “I think you’re very well versed on the very important ones with national impact.

Hindi ko sinama sa listahan ’yung mga local bills.”

He clarified though that “we are talking of the bills only of national importance and those pending approval of the Office of the President” adding they are hoping that the President himself can approve it earlier or they can opt to let it lapse into law, adding “that is also okay.”

Still, the Senate leader reminded that “there are very urgent matters there” listing, such as the Separate Facility for Heinous Crimes Inmates Act, noting that “if ever it’s not signed into law, I hope it will lapse into law or the next President might act on it,

recalling it was one of the issues that I discussed with Presidentelect Marcos Jr. So hopefully, it will be signed.”

The Senate leader’s office also listed some the 182 Congress-approved bills still pending in Malacañang, including the National Transportation Board, Special Protection Against Online Sexual Abuse, and the Vaporized Nicotine Products, the Expanded Anti-trafficking Act, the Permanent Validity of Live Birth, Death, and Marriage Act, the Strengthening of the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel and the Agriculture, Fisheries, and Rural Development Financing Enhancement Act. “Also pending is the bill Increasing the Social Pension of Indigent Senior Citizens,” he said. “More or less ganoon. ’Yung mga napasa na including the Creation of the Judiciary Marshals Act.

VP-elect Sara appoints new spokesman

D

AVAO CITY—Vice President-elect Sara Duterte’s law school classmate is now her official spokesman to replace Cebu mayor Christina Garcia-Frasco, who will be taking the helm of the Department of Tourism.

Lawyer Reynold Munsayac is the former commissioner of the Presidential Commission on Good Government and in 2021 joined Duterte’s campaign. Duterte said Munsayac assisted her in 2017 to create the worldwide aggrupation Tapang at Malasakit.

Duterte said Munsayac was her

law school classmate.

In the 2018 Sen Sebastian College of Law publication, The Law Forum, it said Munsayac entered the law school in 2001 as entrance scholar and graduated valedictorian in 2005.

“Commissioner Reynold Munsayac obtained his high school diploma from Quezon City Science High School and his Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of the Philippines–Diliman. He entered San Sebastian College of Law in 2001 as Entrance Scholar and graduated as Class Valedictorian in 2005,” it said.

Munsayac joined the Fortun Narvasa & Salazar law firm and became a senior associate where he handled leading criminal cases, including the Maguindanao massacre and the Batasan bombing.

Duterte expressed her gratitude to Mayor Frasco for helping here “in the timely and effective communication of her messages to the Filipinos through the media.

She was committed to the truthful dissemination of information, and her duty as the spokesperson was marked with intelligence and grace.” Manuel T. Cayon

continued from a14

“It takes time for them to craft [the internal guidelines]. We will give them a month. Hopefully, they will be able to submit by then. But right now, there are many offices, which are already seeking assistance from our regional offices [for their guidelines],” Lizada said.

Labor reaction

FEDER ATION of Free Workers (FFW) President Sonny Matula supports the mainstreaming of FWA in the public sector, seeing it as beneficial to employees.

“In principle, FFW favors said arrangements as long as such should not disrupt the continuous delivery of government usual services from 8 am to 5 pm,” Matula said in SMS. The policy is also backed by Public Services Labor Independent Confederation (PSLINK) general secretary Annie Enriquez-Geron, but the labor leader expressed concern over the execution of flexible work guidelines, especially since she said there was no stakeholder consultation done for its creation.

“There was no consultation with public sector unions on this despite our letters since 2020 for a dialogue [with CSC] to discuss and determine which of the existing jobs can be done at home and the framework within which it should be implemented,” Geron said.

She said they hope CSC will issue a clarification on what work performance assessment tools will be used in implementing the flexible work arrangement.

Asked about the concerns of PSLINK, Lizada said the concerned

government agencies are already engaging with their regional offices to thresh out the said details.

Private sector implementation

CSC decided to institutionalize FWA, which were implemented by many government agencies since the onset of the Covid-19 crisis in early 2020, to provide more options for public employees to achieve work-life balance and minimize risk from infections.

The scheme is already widely implemented in the private sector especially during the pandemic.

Data from the Department of Labor andEmployment(DOLE)showedfrom January to May this year, 193,557 workers were affected by FWAs implemented by 3,681 establishments.

The most commonly implemented FWAs for private firms are reduction of workdays, compressed work week and telecommuting work arrangement.

“In terms of establishment size, the majority of the establishments which adopted flexible work arrangements were small enterprises [45 percent or 1,554],” DOLE said in its latest displacement report.

Some government officials are pushing for the mass implementation of flexible work arrangements to help employees cope with rising transportation costs due to higher fuel prices. This is compounded by the severe shortage in space in public transport, as many operators and drivers have reduced operations, unable to shoulder the added burden of spiking fuel prices amid authorities’ failure to adjust fares.

A6

BusinessMirror

Thursday, June 23, 2022

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

777 KORPHIL HOLDINGS CORP. Unit 2604, 26th Floor Ibp Tower, Julia Vargas Ave. Cor. Jade Drive, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig NAM, SANGHO Customer Service Specialist 1.

Brief Job Description: Perform customer support via phone, chat and email both in English and their national language

PARK, HYUNWOO Customer Service Specialist 2.

Brief Job Description: Perform customer support via phone, chat and email both in English and their national language

YUN, JUNSU It Professional 3.

Brief Job Description: Perform customer support via phone, chat and email both in English and their national language

Basic Qualification: Any nationality who can speak and write Korean fluently Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Any nationality who can speak and write Korean fluently Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Any nationality who can speak and write Korean fluently

4.

Brief Job Description: Creative thinkers, they apply innovative ideas to drive the automation of delivery analytics at the client level.

Basic Qualification: Can manage mediumsmall sized teams and/ or work efforts (if in an individual contributor role) at a client or within Accenture. Can work with minimal guidance when determining methods and procedures on new assignments. Skillful in solving moderately complex problems.

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

12.

5.

Brief Job Description: Provide Assistance To Assemble, Test And Maintain Company Equipment

Basic Qualification: Excellent In Mandarin Language

13.

Brief Job Description: Diagnosing Equipment Malfunctions And Performing Repairs

14.

15.

16.

Brief Job Description: Evaluation of the systems’ problems to recommend enhancements

Basic Qualification: Proficient In Speaking, Reading And Writing In Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

LE BAUT, THIERRY Technical Director 8.

Brief Job Description: Technical Director of foreign nationality with expertise in the field of Culinary Arts and Program Development

Brief Job Description: Delivers day to day operational marketing activities to the Thai-speaking markets

Brief Job Description: Delivers day to day operational marketing activities to the Thai-speaking markets

THEERANUKUL, PRATIPA Thai Speaking Marketing Officer Brief Job Description: Delivers day to day operational marketing activities to the Thai-speaking markets

HONG, WENXIN Field Sales Consultant 19.

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

Basic Qualification: Holder of French government issued certificates or accreditations as a professional chef

Basic Qualification: Degree holder, fluently speak and write Bahasa Indonesian, Vietnamese, and Thai to cater foreign market.

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

20.

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

9.

10.

Brief Job Description: Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing and other relevant courses.

VEGA BELLA INGGRID SITANGGANG Bahasa Indonesian Language - Officer Fund Management Brief Job Description: Must ensure their funds reporting requirements are met.

Basic Qualification: Fluently speak in Bahasa Indonesian, Chinese, Malaysian and Vietnamese to cater foreign market.

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

Basic Qualification: Fluently speak and write Chinese, Bahasa Indonesian, Bahasa Malaysian, Vietnamese and Thai Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

YOUNG, BELINDA WING HUNG Field Sales Consultant 21.

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

Brief Job Description: Interprets data, analyzes results using statistical techniques and provides ongoing reports.

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

JONATHAN LAW WAI HON Bi-lingual Speaking Customer Service Officer 23.

Brief Job Description: Resolves product or service by clarifying the customer’s complaint.

Basic Qualification: Strong English and mandarin communication skills (both oral and written)

THOMAS CHONG JIN KONG Bi-lingual Speaking Data Analyst Executive 24.

Brief Job Description: Interprets data, analyzes results using statistical techniques and provides ongoing reports.

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

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

WONG LING TIEW Bi-lingual Speaking Data Analyst Executive 25.

Brief Job Description: Interprets data, analyzes results using statistical techniques and provides ongoing reports.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Strong English and mandarin communication skills (both oral and written) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

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

RAMAMOORTHY, BALAMURUGAN Senior Associate - Projects 26.

Brief Job Description: Acts as liaison between business partners, clients and various application teams to resolve queries raised by the business or client

Basic Qualification: Expertise in mainframe (JCL, COBOL, VSAM, CICS, DB2, & Rexx) Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

CONCENTRIX SERVICES CORPORATION 18th, 20th, 21st Floor, Tera Tower, Bridgetown Along C-5 Road, Ugong Norte, Quezon City

27.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for the day-to-day supervision of a group call center associates including work and attendance monitoring in accordance with organization policy and applicable legal requirements.

Basic Qualification: In-depth knowledge of performance metrics, Excellent communication and leadership skills, organizational, Time management and decision making skills.

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

DEXIN INTERNATIONAL IMPORT AND EXPORT CORP. Lot 3 E&e Cmpd., F. Santiago St., Parada, City Of Valenzuela HOU, WANLIAN Chinese Cargo Office Agent Brief Job Description: Prepare airline and custom documentations

Basic Qualification: Have skills in documentations Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

EASTERN GOLD CORPORATION 503, Nueva St., Barangay 289, Binondo, City Of Manila

XIE, JUN Marketing And Sales Agent 29.

Brief Job Description: Researches and develops various marketing strategies for products and services and implements marketing plans and works to meet sales quotas.

Basic Qualification: Can contributes information, ideas and researches to help develop marketing strategies; Can help to detail, design and implement marketing plans for each product or service being offered.

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

EGIS PROJECTS PHILIPPINES, INC. Unit 703 Citystate, 709 Shaw Blvd., Oranbo, City Of Pasig

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

CHROMELAB TECHNOLOGIES INC. 25/f Techzone Bldg., 213 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., San Antonio, City Of Makati

Basic Qualification: Fluent and proficient in writing and speaking at least 2 of the following languages: English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Thai, Bahasa Malaysia, Bahasa Indonesia, Korean, Spanish and Portuguese. 1 year experience of working in a similar role.

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

WADHWA, TRUPTI RAJKUMAR Team Leader, Operations Basic Qualification: Can research accounts and generate or follow through sales leads; can valuate customers skills, needs and build productive long-lasting relationships; can meet personal and team sales targets

Basic Qualification: Fluent and proficient in writing and speaking at least 2 of the following languages: English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Thai, Bahasa Malaysia, Bahasa Indonesia, Korean, Spanish and Portuguese. 1 year experience of working in a similar role.

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Strong English and mandarin communication skills (both oral and written)

Basic Qualification: Fluent and proficient in writing and speaking at least 2 of the ff languages: English, mandarin, Cantonese, Thai, Bahasa Malaysia, Bahasa Indonesia, Korean, Spanish and Portuguese.

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

Basic Qualification: Strong English and mandarin communication skills (both oral and written)

Basic Qualification: Strong English and mandarin communication skills (both oral and written)

Basic Qualification: Fluent and proficient in writing and speaking at least 2 of the following languages: English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Thai, Bahasa Malaysia, Bahasa Indonesia, Korean, Spanish and Portuguese. 1 year experience of working in a similar role.

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Strong English and mandarin communication skills (both oral and written)

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

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

Basic Qualification: With good oral and communication skills.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 AXEL ALEXANDER ENDGE Bahasa Indonesian Language - Officer Fund Management

22.

28.

WU, JUNYING Field Sales Consultant

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

GOH EIK TING Bi-lingual Speaking Customer Service Officer

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

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

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

No.

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

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

ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY, INC. Ateneo De Manila University, Katipunan Ave., Loyola Heights, Quezon City

Brief Job Description: Delivers day to day operational marketing activities to the Thai-speaking markets

SIRIVARUNRAK, PATCHAYA Thai Speaking Marketing Officer

APRICUS TECHNOLOGY INC. 8/f Aguirre Building, 107 Aguirre St. Legaspi Village, San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

7.

Brief Job Description: Delivers day to day operational marketing activities to the Thai-speaking markets

SAKONWORAKUN, SARAYUT Thai Speaking Marketing Officer

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

Basic Qualification: Experience using help desk software and remote support tools

Brief Job Description: Delivers day to day operational marketing activities to the Thai-speaking markets

NILJEARANAI, CHEVAPON Thai Speaking Marketing Officer

18.

NOVIYANTY Customer Support Specialist - Indonesian Speaking

Brief Job Description: Handles clients and develop marketing strategies.

LAKONWONG, RATTANAKARN Thai Speaking Marketing Officer

17.

6.

SUREMANN, PHILIPP WALTER Marketing Executive

KLANGRACH, JACKRICH Thai Speaking Marketing Officer

ALLIANTPRIME SERVICES INC. Unit No. Unit 2c Flr. No. 4f, One Ecom Center Building, Ocean Drive St., Moa Complex Subd., Barangay 76, Pasay City

HU, XUNYUE Mandarin Site Technical Officer

Brief Job Description: Initiate conversation to uncover customer needs.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

BOWENHILLS TECH INC. 16/f Bdo Towers Valero, 8741 Paseo De Roxas Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati

ALIBATON CONSTRUCTION INC. Rm 3j 3rd Flr. Edificio Enriqueta Bldg., 422 N.s. Amoranto St. Cor D. Tuazon Ave.,, Maharlika, Quezon City WANG, YUWEI Mandarin Speaking Machine And Equipment Technician

THAM YEN NI Malaysian Language - Officer Customer Service

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

BIPLOB OVERRUN CORPORATION Unit No. Sb-21, 2/f Bac, Bagong Milenyo Plaza Bldg., F.b. Harrison St., Barangay 76, Pasay City

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

ACCENTURE, INC. 7f, Robinsons Cybergate Tower 1, Pioneer St, City Of Mandaluyong

YENKARLA BALA KRISHNA, RAJA NARESH Data Engineering Associate Manager

11.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

www.businessmirror.com.ph

RIDUAN BIN BERAHIM Project Director Brief Job Description: Responsible for the overall direction of the project

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Malay language, licensed electrical engineer, proficient in Microsoft Office, 3 years experience Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

FLY ASIAN INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION Eighty One Bldg. Newport Blvd., Newport City Vab St., Barangay 183, Pasay City

TAN, LIZO K Marketing Consultant (mandarin Speaking Clients) 31.

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.

TORPROM, PANITTA Product Executive Thai Speaking 47.

32.

Brief Job Description: Assist in the implementation of process improvement initiatives in terms of business analysis perspective.

KHOR WEI SENG Business Analyst Chinese Speaking

33.

Brief Job Description: Assist in the implementation of process improvement initiatives in terms of business analysis perspective.

CHEN, YI-TING Business Development Chinese Speaking

34.

Brief Job Description: Assist in collaborating with management on sales goals, planning and forecasting.

SEWE WAI LENG Business Development Chinese Speaking 35.

Brief Job Description: Assist in collaborating with management on sale goals, planning and forecasting.

WONG KANG SHEN Business Development Chinese Speaking 36.

Brief Job Description: Assist in collaborating with management on sale goals, planning and forecasting.

KASMADI Business Development Indonesian Speaking 37.

Brief Job Description: Assist in collaborating with management on sales goals, planning and forecasting.

SAMUEL MARBUN Business Development Indonesian Speaking 38.

Brief Job Description: Assist in collaborating with management on sales goals, planning and forecasting.

PARNSAWAI, NATSUDA Customer Service Thai Speaking 39.

Brief Job Description: Employee shall perform duties and responsibilities on a daily operations of call center activities.

TU TU PHAN Customer Service Vietnamese Speaking 40.

Brief Job Description: Employee shall perform duties and responsibilities on a daily operations of call center activities.

VU THI THOM Customer Service Vietnamese Speaking 41.

Brief Job Description: Employee shall perform duties and responsibilities on a daily operations of call center activities.

SYANTI Learning & Development Indonesian Speaking 42.

Brief Job Description: Identifying and implementing training methods and criteria.

Brief Job Description: Assist in conducting testing and launching of new product as well as protecting databases and confidential information.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 DONG, YI Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: 21 years old and above with business analyst experience.

48.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 21 years old and above with business analyst experience.

HUANG, YU Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 21 years old and above with business development experience.

49.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 21 years old and above with business development experience.

50.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 21 years old and above with business development experience.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 21 years old and above with customer service experience.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 21 years old and above with customer service experience.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 21 years old and above with customer service experience.

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

KO, YOUNG UK After-sales Parts Manager 51.

Brief Job Description: Hyundai Automotive After-sales and parts management and administration

MIKI, TOSHIHIRO Executive Vice President 52.

Brief Job Description: Management of over-all operations of the company.

HOSHINA, WATARU Executive Vice President/general Manager

53.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for Financial Control & Management of over-all operations of the company.

43.

Brief Job Description: Manages the execution of different marketing strategies for a company and developing efficient and intuitive marketing strategies.

TRINH THI TAI Marketing Executive Vietnamese Speaking 44.

Brief Job Description: Manages the execution of different strategies for company and development strategies.

JACA BONG MEI YEN Product Executive Chinese Speaking 45.

Brief Job Description: Assist in conducting testing and launching of new product as well as protecting databases and confidential information.

CHONSAWAT, KANTAPONG Product Executive Thai Speaking 46.

Brief Job Description: Assist in conducting testing and launching of new product as well as protecting databases and confidential information.

Basic Qualification: 21 yrs old and above with marketing executive experience.

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

CORDOVA FERNANDEZ, FRANCISCO JAVIER Deputy General Manager 54.

Basic Qualification: 21 years old and above with proven experience in overseeing all elements of the product development lifecycle.

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

Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems.

60.

CHAN NGAI ZHUN Operations Manager (Malaysian Account) Brief Job Description: Implement company policies and procedures

61.

62.

63.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

LIANG, LEILEI Chinese Customer Service 64.

Basic Qualification: 15 years global experience in automobile sales industry and with work experience with HQKorea further growth

Basic Qualification: College graduate with 5 years experience

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

LI, CHAO Chinese Customer Service

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

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

CHEN, JIAAI Chinese Customer Service

CHI, FAXIN Chinese Customer Service

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

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

LIU, YUZE Chinese Customer Service 65.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

WANG, FENGHUA Chinese Customer Service 66.

Brief Job Description: Knowledgeable in computer applications with good oral and written communication skills

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate with 5 years college.

YE, QING Chinese Customer Service 67.

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

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

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

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

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

ZHANG, LILI Chinese Customer Service 68.

55.

Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems.

IRENE GUNADI Indonesian - Marketing Officer 56.

Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems.

LUCKY PRATAMA SIREGAR Indonesian - Marketing Officer 57.

Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems.

STEVEN FERDINO Indonesian - Marketing Officer 58.

Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems.

Basic Qualification: Graduate 4 years bachelor degree with critical thinking and problem solving skills.

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

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

HARTONO Customer Service Representative 70.

Basic Qualification: Graduate 4 years bachelor degree with critical thinking and problem solving skills.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Graduate 4 years bachelor degree with critical thinking and problem solving skills.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

ERDY Customer Service Representative 69.

FIRMAN GEA Indonesian - Marketing Officer

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

GU THAR MEE Myanmari Customer Service 71.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Graduate 4 years bachelor degree with critical thinking and problem solving skills.

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

Basic Qualification: Graduate 4 years bachelor degree with critical thinking and problem solving skills.

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Melayu, Mandarin, and English language (spoken and written) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

NANOMITE CO. LIMITED Level 10-1 One Global Place, 5th Ave. Cor. 25th St. Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

MPOTECH DIGITAL SYSTEM INC. 2/f 331 Bldg., Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati

Basic Qualification: 21 years old and above with proven experience overseeing all elements of the product development lifecycle.

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

59.

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

Basic Qualification: 21 years old and above with marketing executive experience.

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

PUTU TOMY JULIARDANA Indonesian Customer Service Representative

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

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 TRAN THI KIM NGAN Marketing Executive Vietnamese Speaking

Basic Qualification: 21 years old and above with proven experience in overseeing all elements of the product development lifecycle.

No.

KELPHIL, INC. #724, 3f, Unit 3abcd Shaw Blvd. Cbc Building, Wack-wack Greenhills, City Of Mandaluyong

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree preferably in an education-related field with strong previous skills in the training administration and strong knowledge of training purposes and procedure.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

HYUNDAI MOTOR PHILIPPINES, INC. Unit 908 The Financial Centre, 26th St. Cor. 9th Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 21 years old and above with business development experience.

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

LI, FEIHU Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 21 years old and above with business development experience.

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

A7

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

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

GAMMA INTERACTIVE INC. 21/f Alphaland Makati Place, 7232 Ayala Ave. Cor. Malugay St., Bel-air, City Of Makati CHEONG RI YING Business Analyst Chinese Speaking

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Thursday, June 23, 2022

BUI VIET MANH Vietnamese Customer Service 72.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

Basic Qualification: Knowledge in computer applications with good oral and written communications skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language).

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year experience in the same field, Speaks and write (Native Language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year experience in the same field, Speaks and write (Native Language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year experience in the same field, Speaks and write (Native Language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Customer support and data base services Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language).

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

Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year experience in the same field, Speaks and write (Native Language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language).

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

Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language).

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

BusinessMirror

Thursday, June 23, 2022

A6 A8

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

CHU VAN TRONG Vietnamese Customer Service 73.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

DINH THI HOA Vietnamese Customer Service 74.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

DO THU TRANG Vietnamese Customer Service 75.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

HOANG VAN LUC Vietnamese Customer Service 76.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

LANG VAN THU Vietnamese Customer Service 77.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

LUONG VAN HAI Vietnamese Customer Service 78.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

LY VAN KHAI Vietnamese Customer Service 79.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

NGUYEN THI HONG Vietnamese Customer Service 80.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

NGUYEN VAN THUAN Vietnamese Customer Service 81.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

NONG DUC MINH Vietnamese Customer Service 82.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

NONG VAN THU Vietnamese Customer Service 83.

84.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

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

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language).

No.

87.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language).

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language).

KHOTPRATOOM, SONGKRAN Thai Speaking Customer Service Representative 88.

89.

85.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

86.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

Brief Job Description: Deal with all customer queries / complaints should be fluent in Thai & English speaking

DO DINH HOANG DIEP Vietnamese Speaking Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Deal with all customer queries / complaints should be fluent in Vietnamese & English speaking

NGUYEN NGOC PHUONG Vietnamese Analytical Officer 90.

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

Basic Qualification: Preferably with 6months - 1year experience with customer service representative

Basic Qualification: Preferably with 6months - 1year experience with customer service representative

Brief Job Description: Knowledgeable in computer skills including common business applicants

Basic Qualification: Any nationality who can speak and write Chinese fluently

HUANG, QINGRU Chinese Supervisor 91.

LAN, YUHUI Chinese Supervisor 92.

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

Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year experience in the same field, Speaks and write (Native Language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year experience in the same field, Speaks and write (Native Language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Knowledge in computer applications with good oral and written communications skills

93.

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

Brief Job Description: Organizing, ensuring and monitoring employees work performance.

106.

107.

Basic Qualification: College graduate, fluent in Mandarin and English.

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

108.

Basic Qualification: College graduate, fluent in Mandarin and English.

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

109.

Basic Qualification: College graduate, fluent in Mandarin and English.

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

110.

POINTER DIGITAL SECURITY PHILIPPINES INC. Rm. 438 4/f Comfoods Bldg., Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. Cor. Chino Roces Ave., San Antonio, City Of Makati TORRANCE, NEIL RUSSELL Director - General Manager 94.

Brief Job Description: Oversee Day-to-Day Operations, assigning performance and working with the Directors

Basic Qualification: Job Qualification Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

111.

SA RIVENDELL GLOBAL SUPPORT, INC. 9-11 Flr., The Biopolis Bldg., Macapagal Blvd., Barangay 76, Pasay City

95.

HSUEH, YU-CHUAN Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

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

LOPEZ ESQUIVEL, ALONSO Spanish Technical Support Representative 96.

Brief Job Description: Attend phone & non-voice support for assigned account, maintain record of phone & email transactions report, other task may be assigned when needed.

112.

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

TCL.ONLINE SERVICES INCORPORATED 23rd Floor Filinvest Axis Tower 2,, Northgate Cyberzone Fcc, Alabang, City Of Muntinlupa

113.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in English & Spanish Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

114.

TOTAL CREST BUSINESS SUPPORT, INC. 26/f & 27/f Alphaland Corporate Tower, Ayala Ave. Extn. Cor. Malugay St., Bel-air, City Of Makati TANG HIEN VAN Bilingual Customer Service Officer 97.

Brief Job Description: Prepare product or service reports by collecting and analyzing customer information JOU, JIUN-HUA Mandarin Field Marketing Officer

98.

Brief Job Description: Define Aregion-Specific Marketing Plan That Supports The Regional Sales Strategy

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in bilingual languages

ZHANG, YUJING Bilingual Technical Support Specialist Brief Job Description: Can speak English and Mandarin fluently

Basic Qualification: Proficient In Speaking, Reading And Writing In Mandarin

101.

Brief Job Description: Deal with and help resolve customer complaints

TANG, XIANSHU Chinese Language - Customer Service Staff Brief Job Description: Deal with and help resolve customer complaints

116.

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

Basic Qualification: With 1-2 years experience as Technical Support; Can work under pressure and requires minimum supervision Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

WISHLAND SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY INC. 28/f Techzone Condo Corp., 213 Buendia Ave., San Antonio, City Of Makati

LIN, CHANG-WEI Chinese Language - Customer Service Staff

115.

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, City Of Makati

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

Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English)

Brief Job Description: Organizing, ensuring and monitoring employees work performance.

ZHANG, CHAO Chinese Supervisor

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

Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English)

105.

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

Brief Job Description: Organizing, ensuring and monitoring employees work performance.

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

104.

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

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

Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year experience in the same field, Speaks and write (Native Language)

103.

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

PHILIPPINE KAIHEN MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL CORP. 528 Madrid Cor. Lara Sts., 026, Barangay 284, San Nicolas, City Of Manila

Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year experience in the same field, Speaks and write (Native Language)

102.

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

Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year experience in the same field, Speaks and write (Native Language)

100.

TUONG KHANH THUAN Vietnamese Customer Service

Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English)

No.

OPTIMUS SYSTEM SOLUTIONS INC. 8/f Alphaland Makati Tower 3, 7232 Ayala Ave. Extn. Cor. Malugay St., Bel-air, City Of Makati

99.

PHI DINH BAN Vietnamese Customer Service

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

NOVATECH (PASAY) LIMITED, INC. 4th Flr. W Mall Bldg., Diosdado Macapagal Ave. St., Zone 10, Barangay 76, Pasay City

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year experience in the same field, Speaks and write (Native Language)

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

VU VAN PHUONG Vietnamese Customer Service

www.businessmirror.com.ph

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

117.

118.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION XU, LIJUN Chinese Language - Customer Service Staff Brief Job Description: Deal with and help resolve customer complaints

HO THI HOANG PHUONG Vietnamese Language - Customer Service Staff Brief Job Description: Deal with and help resolve customer complaints

LA THI ANH Vietnamese Language - Customer Service Staff Brief Job Description: Deal with and help resolve customer complaints

LE HUYNH THANH THANH Vietnamese Language - Customer Service Staff Brief Job Description: Deal with and help resolve customer complaints

LUU THI HOP Vietnamese Language - Customer Service Staff Brief Job Description: Deal with and help resolve customer complaints

LY THE THAO Vietnamese Language - Customer Service Staff Brief Job Description: Deal with and help resolve customer complaints

NGUYEN BAO TRUNG Vietnamese Language - Customer Service Staff Brief Job Description: Deal with and help resolve customer complaints

NGUYEN DINH BAO Vietnamese Language - Customer Service Staff Brief Job Description: Deal with and help resolve customer complaints

NGUYEN THI LAN HUONG Vietnamese Language - Customer Service Staff Brief Job Description: Deal with and help resolve customer complaints

NGUYEN THI PHUC LY Vietnamese Language - Customer Service Staff Brief Job Description: Deal with and help resolve customer complaints

NGUYEN VAN NAM Vietnamese Language - Customer Service Staff Brief Job Description: Deal with and help resolve customer complaints

NGUYEN XUAN BAC Vietnamese Language - Customer Service Staff Brief Job Description: Deal with and help resolve customer complaints

PHAM BA LAM Vietnamese Language - Customer Service Staff Brief Job Description: Deal with and help resolve customer complaints

QUANG CHI GIANG Vietnamese Language - Customer Service Staff Brief Job Description: Deal with and help resolve customer complaints

SEN MUI PHONG Vietnamese Language - Customer Service Staff Brief Job Description: Deal with and help resolve customer complaints

TSU CUN DUONG Vietnamese Language - Customer Service Staff Brief Job Description: Deal with and help resolve customer complaints

VU DINH HUAN Vietnamese Language - Customer Service Staff Brief Job Description: Deal with and help resolve customer complaints

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking, Reading and Writing in Vietnamese Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking, Reading and Writing in Vietnamese Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking, Reading and Writing in Vietnamese Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking, Reading and Writing in Vietnamese Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking, Reading and Writing in Vietnamese Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking, Reading and Writing in Vietnamese Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking, Reading and Writing in Vietnamese Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking, Reading and Writing in Vietnamese Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking, Reading and Writing in Vietnamese Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking, Reading and Writing in Vietnamese Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking, Reading and Writing in Vietnamese Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking, Reading and Writing in Vietnamese Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking, Reading and Writing in Vietnamese Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking, Reading and Writing in Vietnamese Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking, Reading and Writing in Vietnamese Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking, Reading and Writing in Vietnamese Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking, Reading and Writing in Vietnamese Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 *Date Generated: Jun 22, 2022

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

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

TheWorld BusinessMirror

A10 Thursday, June 23, 2022

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

Currencies tumble in Asia where rate hikes are slow

A

By Karl Lester M. Yap

sian currencies fell on Wednesday, highlighting the pressure wrought by a stronger dollar as the Federal Reserve races ahead with interest rate hikes.

The Philippine peso slumped to its lowest level in more than 16 years while South Korea’s won slid to the weakest since July 2009.

Hong Kong’s de facto central bank bought the local dollar at the fastest pace on record this month to prevent it from crossing the weak end of the trading band.

Regional currencies have been caught out by the Fed’s hawkish bias, which stands in contrast to the more patient policy stance adopted by Asian central banks.

Idiosyncratic factors such as a widening current-account deficit for the Philippines and geopolitical risks for South Korea are adding

to the pressure.

“Central bank rate signals are becoming a bigger driver of Asian currencies,” said Eugenia Victorino, head of Asia strategy at Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB in Singapore. “Downward pressure on currencies where central banks are behind the curve in managing inflation will increase, particularly as the Fed keeps hiking aggressively.”

The next cue may come from Fed Chair Jerome Powell when he delivers his semi-annual testimony on monetary policy to Congress on Wednesday. He has indicated that another 75 basis-point hike, or a 50 basis-point move, was likely at the next review in July.

The peso dropped as much as 0.7 percent to 54.635 per dollar, its weakest level since November

2005. The won fell to a 13-year low of 1,297.85 to the greenback. The Thai baht and China’s yuan slipped at least 0.4 percent.

Over in Hong Kong, the monetary authority has bought HK$78.1 billion ($10 billion) of the local dollar so far this month, including its HK$20.8 billion purchase on Tuesday. The currency still continues to linger near the weak end of its 7.75-to-7.85 per greenback trading band.

“Ongoing global growth concerns, inflation worries and fears of tighter financial conditions continue to keep a leash on risk appetite,” said Christopher Wong, senior FX strategist at Malayan Banking Bhd. “Those Asian exJapan central banks perceived to be behind the curve could further

be marginalized, for instance TWD and THB.” Fed Bank of Richmond President Thomas Barkin said the central bank should raise rates as fast as it can without causing undue harm to financial markets or the economy. Over in Asia, central banks in the Philippines and Malaysia have started tightening policy but are likely to move more slowly than the US.

No hurry

Incoming Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Felipe Medalla on Wednesday reiterated the monetary authority is unlikely to raise its key rate by more than 25 basis points on Thursday.

“Most likely not,” Medalla said in a mobile-phone message, when

asked if a bigger rate increase is needed due to the peso’s drop. “Of course I don’t know for sure how MBMs will vote,” he added, referring to Monetary Board members.

Jonathan Ravelas, chief market strategist at BDO Unibank Inc. in Manila, said the peso may fall to a fresh record low if the Philippine opts for gradual rate hikes while the Fed tightens aggressively.

Some other policy makers are more inclined to wait. Indonesia’s central bank does not need to rush to raise interest rates unless it sees fundamental inflationary pressures, Governor Perry Warjiyo said Wednesday.

Similarly, Thailand has refrained from raising borrowing costs and opted instead to cap prices of essential goods to contain inflation. Bloomberg News

China sends warplanes near Taiwan after US rejects Taiwan Strait claims

C

hina sent its third-largest sortie of warplanes toward Taiwan this year, after the US rejected Chinese claims over the Taiwan Strait and reports of arms sales talks with Taipei in Washington.

Twenty-nine Chinese aircraft, including six H-6 bombers and an electronic intelligence gathering plane, entered Taiwan’s southwestern air defense identification zone Tuesday, according to a tweet from the Ministry of National Defense in Taipei.

Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu wrote on Twitter that the latest incursion showed China’s military threat was “more serious than ever.”

“But there’s no way #Taiwan will cave in & surrender its sovereignty & democracy to the big bully,” he added.

The deployment of warplanes was the largest since May 30, when 30 People’s Liberation Army aircraft buzzed the island as US SeNator Tammy Duckworth led a three-day trip to Taiwan. Before that, China conducted 39 flights on January 23—the most so far this year—a day after the US and Japanese held a joint naval exercise in the Philippine Sea. The latest flights follow reports the Biden administration has decided to reject a vague new assertion by China that the Taiwan Strait is not “international waters,” amid concerns the stance could result in more frequent challenges at sea for the democratically governed island. State Department Spokesman Ned Price reiterated at a Tuesday press briefing that the US believes “the

Taiwan Strait is an international waterway.”

“We’re concerned by China’s aggressive rhetoric, its increasing pressure and intimidation regarding Taiwan,” he added, “and we’ll continue, as we have said before, to fly, to sail, and to operate wherever international law allows, and that includes transiting through the Taiwan Strait.”

Separately, Taiwan and US officials are convening in Washington this week to discuss arms sales in meetings traditionally characterized as “monetary talks,” the Taipei-based United Daily News reported citing unidentified people. Taiwan National Security Council secretary-general Wellington Koo was set to meet US defense officials, the publication added.

China has ramped up military, diplomatic and economic pressure on Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party, which asserts the island is a de facto sovereign nation awaiting wider international recognition and not part of Chinese territory, as Beijing claims.

Two leading US seNators on the Foreign Relations Committee last week sought to overhaul Washington’s Taiwan policy, saying they want to deter any possible invasion of the island by China after witnessing Russia’s attack on Ukraine.

The “Taiwan Policy Act of 2022” would provide $4.5 billion in defense assistance to Taiwan over the next four years. It also would designate Taiwan as a major non-Nato ally and set up a “broad sanctions regime” to penalize China for any hostile action against Taiwan, including actions in the Taiwan Strait. Bloomberg News

Indonesia deports Japanese man accused of Covid-19 relief fraud

J

AKARTA, Indonesia—Indonesia early Wednesday deported a Japanese man to Tokyo where police have accused him, his family and acquaintances of participating in a fraud scheme that netted $7.3 million intended for small businesses hurt by the coronavirus pandemic.

Mitsuhiro Taniguchi, 47, was presented to journalists at the Directorate General of Immigration office in Jakarta before he was sent on a morning Japan Airlines flight to Tokyo.

“He was deported from Indonesia since his passport has been revoked by the Japanese government and he had no residence permit. He will be banned from entering Indonesia in the future,” immigration official Douglas Simamora said at a new conference confirming the man’s deportation.

Taniguchi was arrested on June 4 at a house owned by a fish trader in Lampung province. During his stay there, he described himself as an investor and invited the local residents to invest in fisheries.

Indonesian authorities are investigating whether other people in Indonesia were involved in the Japanese fraud scheme Taniguchi and a group of acquaintances allegedly submitted about 1,700 false applications for Covid-19 relief funds. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department believes they received subsidies on more than 960 of those applications totaling an estimated 960 million yen ($7.3 million).

An Indonesian Immigration officer escort Japanese fugitive Mitsuhiro Taniguchi who was arrested on Sumatra island in early June, prior to his deportation in Jakarta, Indonesia on Wednesday, June 22, 2022. Indonesia on Wednesday deported Taniguchi who was wanted by Japanese police for Covid-19 subsidy fraud. AP/Dita Alangkara

Tokyo police arrested Taniguchi’s exwife and their two sons on May 30 on suspicion of fraud and placed Taniguchi on an international wanted list, according to the Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun. It said the three are suspected of defrauding the government of 3 million yen ($22,500) in Covid-19 subsidies from June to August 2020.

The alleged scheme was uncovered in August 2020 when the office offering the subsidies consulted with Tokyo police. He had a limited stay visa for investors when he entered Indonesia in October 2020. AP

Agriculture/Commodities BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng • Thursday, June 23, 2022 A11

‘New govt must spend ₧160B for cheap rice’

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

T

HE incoming administration of President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. must shell out over P160 billion in the next six years for a proposed program that would allow poor Filipinos to buy rice at P20 per kilogram.

Outgoing Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said the presidentelect, who has designated himself as the next agriculture chief, must issue an executive order (EO) that would mandate the National Food Authority (NFA) to boost its current buffer rice stock level.

“I would like to believe that within the 100 days an executive order can be issued by the president mandating the NFA to increase buffer stock from the present level that they have which is good for only 7 days because of the limited budget of P7 billion,” Dar said in a televised interview.

Dar said the budget of the NFA must be hiked annually starting this year until 2027 to improve the staterun food agency’s capacity of buying and selling rice to the public.

“Our proposal (is) for the NFA to

A WORKER at the National Food Authority sweeps the rice grains at their warehouse in FTI, Taguig City in this BusinessMirror file photo.

be given (an) additional budget. For example this year, (set aside) P4 billion to prop up their procurement,” he said. “So, this is on top of the P7 billion so there will now be P11 billion to procure palay that will bring them up to the level of about nineday buffer stock.”

Dar said the budget of the NFA must be increased to the following amounts: P33.5 billion in 2024, P36.5 billion in 2025, P37 billion in 2026 and P37.5 billion in 2027.

“Say now the NFA will have a 9-day buffer stock this year (and this will go up) to say 15 day by mid-year of next year. And by the end of next year, 30-day buffer stock will be managed

by NFA,” he said.

“The NFA will have more exposure now in the procurement of palay, that it can maintain good prices of palay, at the same time whatever they bring out to the market in terms of rice, they can now sell it P20 to the 4Ps [Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program]. So, little by little, you are able to give priority to focus groups or targeted groups like the 4Ps, who can buy P20 per kg of NFA rice.”

Latest data from the Department of Social Welfare and development showed that about 4.2 million Fili-

pino households or some 16 million Filipinos benefit from the 4Ps program today.

The reduction in the price of the staple to P20 per kg is one of the campaign promises of Marcos Jr. He later clarified that it is an “aspiration” of his administration.

Dar also disclosed that he has crafted a plan that will slash the retail price of rice to P27.50 per kg.

This will be done via the programs dubbed Masagana 150 and Masagana 200, which were patterned after the Masagana 99 program of the president-elect’s father, the strongman Ferdinand Sr. Masagana 150 is an inbred rice program that would increase the average yield of farmers to 150 cavans per hectare or about 7.5 metric tons (MT) per hectare while Masagana 200, which is a hybrid rice program, would boost farmers’ average yield to 200 cavans per hectare or about 10 MT per hectare. “[These are] new [programs] that will be simultaneously implemented towards that level of P27.50 [per kg].

Over a period of time, we can go to the level of P27.50 [per kg] as this is the overll price now for the public market,” said Dar.

PHL faces raw sugar shortage as demand surges Higher yields, food output

A

SIDE from refined sugar, the Philippines may also suffer from a shortage of raw sugar due to higher demand from processors and manufacturers amid thin domestic supply and lower output.

Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) chief Hermenegildo R. Serafica said industrial users and manufacturers are now buying raw sugar just to meet their demand for the sweetener, putting more pressure on the country’s raw sugar supply.

“Manufacturers who didn’t buy raw sugar historically are now buying even raw sugar to have the raw sugar processed as refined sugar for their consumption,” Serafica said in a statement.

“So now there is also going to be a shortage in raw sugar. The high demand, low supply situation is being felt now with the high prices of sugar.”

Serafica said the situation was caused by the stalled implementation of the government’s refined sugar import program due to legal impediments.

He said the country could have avoided a “double whammy” if the sugar import program, which calls for the purchase of 200,000 metric tons (MT) of refined sugar under Sugar Order (SO) 3 had pushed through.

“If SO 3 had been implemented

according to schedule, we would have been able to address the demand of the manufacturers early on, prices would not be this high and our raw sugar and refined sugar supply would not be at this critical volume,” Serafica said.

“By addressing the need of the manufacturers, we would have alleviated the demand and the retail market would have stable sugar supply and prices. It is because SO3 was stalled, that manufacturers have been willing to buy sugar at whatever price to ensure that their factories don’t run out of sugar.”

The average retail price of refined sugar in Metro Manila wet markets has reached a fresh record high of P72.73 per kilogram while its average price in supermarkets is now at an all-time high of P74 per kg, based on SRA data.

SRA data also showed that refined sugar sold in Metro Manila markets was sold for P62.50 per kg to P90 per kg.

The average retail price of raw sugar in Metro Manila wet markets is now at P59.53 per kg while its average quotation in supermarkets is at P61.93 per kg.

The average wholesale price of refined sugar as of June 17 reached a new record high of P3,479.29 per 50-kg bag, 50.7 percent higher than last year’s P2,308.75, SRA data showed. Also, the average wholesale price of raw sugar rose by half

year-on-year to a record P2,731.67 per 50-kg bag.

Logistical concerns

AS the implementation of SO3 was resumed just last month, Serafica said “it will take time” before the entire import volume could be shipped into the country “due to logistical concerns.”

“Due to the delays, it is only now that imported sugar is starting to trickle in,” he said. “In fact, it would take a minimum of 3 weeks for a sugar shipment from Thailand to arrive in the Philippine ports.”

Before imported sugar can be used locally, Serafica said traders the shipment must first undergo a series of bureaucratic processes.

“The imported sugar must be issued clearances and released from the BOC [Bureau of Customs], then these will be issued approval for classification to B sugar so they may be used for local consumption,” he said.

“Classifying sugar is one of SRA’s tools to balance the sugar supply and demand. The imported sugar comes in as C sugar (reserved), it is then converted to B sugar (for domestic use) when the sugar supply situation demands or when we need to augment the local supply.”

Last week, the BusinessMirror broke the story that the Philippines has started to approve

the arrivals of imported refined sugar in the country, especially from Thailand, to boost the country’s domestic supply and temper rising prices. (Related story: https:// businessmirror.com. ph/2022/06/14/phl-clears-sugar-importsfrom-thailand-asprices-rise/) Serafica said the projected raw sugar output at the time SO 3 was crafted was at 1.982 million MT (MMT). Based on the latest SRA estimate, final crop output in the current crop year would settle at 1.8 MMT, lower than the estimated sugar demand of about 2.03 MMT. “SRA is also fast tracking all the requests for clearance to import and reclassification of imported sugar to B. We are processing these requests as soon as possible,” he said.

The country’s raw sugar production as of June 12 declined by 15.63 percent year-on-year to 1.789 MMT, based on SRA data. During the period, the country’s total raw sugar inventory was at 267,005.02 MT, down by 39.75 percent from last year’s 443,129.11 MT. SRA data showed that the country’s refined sugar output fell by 2 percent on an annual basis to 714,912.3 MT while the country’s total refined sugar stocks declined by 60.25 percent to 128,598 MT from last year’s 323,519.15 MT.

Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

NIA eyes ‘greater’ achievements under new govt

A

S part of the Philippine government’s presidential transition process, president-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Romualdez Marcos Jr. expressed his plans to reprioritize the development of agriculture in the country.

During the Agri 2022 Online Forum, he highlighted the need for a “change of approach” in the agricultural sector. His budget priorities include agriculture and food security, climate resiliency, economic recovery, improved healthcare and education, enhanced infrastructure projects, utilization of renewable energy, eco-tourism development, and sustainable development.

With 15 Regional Offices, two Integrated Irrigation Systems Offices, and 64 irrigation management offices (IMOs) nationwide, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) supports

the incoming administration to further develop the country’s agricultural sector.

“NIA expresses its support to the plans and platforms of Marcos administration as the agency looks forward to greater achievements in irrigation sector,” the agency said in a statement.

For agriculture and food security, NIA said it supported the “Build, Build, Build” Program of the Duterte administration. It started the construction of its big-ticket projects costing a total of P108.59 billion to cover more agricultural areas nationwide, such as the P1.029-billion Pasa Small Reservoir Irrigation Project (Isabela), P13.37billion Balog-Balog Multipurpose Project – Phase II (Tarlac), and the P11.21-billion Jalaur River Multipurpose Project II (Iloilo).

Other projects undertaken by the agency include the P25.731billion Ilocos Norte-Ilocos Sur-

Abra Irrigation Project, P3.5billion Lower Agno River Irrigation System Improvement Project, P4.134-billion Bohol Northeast Basin Multipurpose Dam Project, P31.22-billion Kabulnan 2 Multipurpose Irrigation and Power Project, and P5.444-billion Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation Project (North Cotabato).

In terms of renewable energy development, NIA has embarked on the development of hydroelectric power and solarpowered irrigation projects to maximize the utilization of existing irrigation facilities nationwide.

As of December 31, 2021, NIA already completed the construction of 333 solar-powered irrigation projects amounting to P1,517,533,450.71. These projects which can generate 4,215.33 horsepower also provide reliable irrigation water supply to 6,482.62

hectares of agricultural land nationwide, benefitting 8,467 farmers and their families.

“With the soaring price of gasoline and diesel, these solarpowered pump projects farmers can continue to irrigate their lands free from the burden of shouldering high fuel costs.”

Under the term of President Duterte, NIA said it also started venturing to floating solar power project on its dams and reservoirs as the SN Aboitiz Power Group has constructed a 2,500-square meter floating solar power energy plant in Magat Dam in Isabela which features solar panels fixed to floats on the water surface.

Instead of focusing on landbased solar projects, NIA offers its dams and reservoirs for the waterbased project which can achieve the same purpose of increasing power production while saving agricultural lands.

top priority of Marcos

I

NCOMING President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will prioritize increasing the country’s food production when he takes over as concurrent head of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

In a press briefing, he pointed out that the rice exportation ban being currently imposed

by Thailand and Vietnam, the Philippines’ main sources of imported rice, left the country with no choice but to increase its local production.

“You may have noted that Thailand, Vietnam for example, one of our main sources of imported rice, have decided to ban their rice exports at least for now. So, we have to compensate for that by hopefully increasing production here in the Philippines, so that’s one,” Marcos said when asked for his priorities as DA chief.

“There are many priorities that we have to attend to simultaneously, first of all will be try to increase production as we come to the planting period, the harvest period after the rainy season, during, before, and after the rainy season. Hopefully, we can counteract some of the increases in prices,” he added.

The President-elect announced Monday that he would be assuming the portfolio of Secretary of Agriculture due to the severity of the problem that the country would face with the looming food crisis and the continued increase in food prices.

“Furthermore, it is in response to the events in Ukraine which has affected the Philippines’s agriculture and including the food supply in a very serious way,” he further explained.

Another priority Marcos cited is the restructuring of the DA, though it would be a long-term process, to make it more responsive to the current global situation in terms of food supply.

He added this would include the return of agencies and organizations under the department, such as the National Food Authority (NFA), the Food Terminal Inc. (FTI), and Kadiwa, among others, to their original mandates and functions.

“As I have mentioned many times before, many of the agencies have changed their functions over the years and maybe it’s time

to return them. I talked about the organizations like the NFA, the FTI, and the Kadiwa, which we already have started to see especially at the local level but we have to structure the actual department so as to be more responsive to the global situation now when it comes to food supply,” the incoming President said.

In line with the programs he discussed with his economic managers, Marcos said there may be a need to review the P10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund created by Republic Act (RA) 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law. “Well if there is one part of the rice tariffication, it is the area wherein we reinvest the amount of funding that we reinvest into for our farmers, and mechanization, and post-harvest facilities.

Which is part of the rice tariffication, there’s P10 billion that is returned to the farming community,” he replied when asked what part of the law will be reviewed, which was one of his pronouncements during the campaign.

“Maybe we can have a look at that and see, maybe that now that we are in a situation where we very much have to boost production and we very much have to support the farmers, maybe we can look at that and hopefully increase it,” he continued.

“Pag nakikita naman natin ’yung accounting doon sa rice tariffication, ’yung P10-billion na ’yun kung minsan merong pang unspent so pwede pang gamitin ’yun,” he added.

Section 13 of RA11203, which took effect last March 5, 2019, provides that a Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund will be created with an annual appropriation of P10 billion for the next six years following the approval of the law.

The said fund will be used for programs, which will be implemented in rice-producing areas, such as procurement of rice farm machineries like tillers, tractors, seeders, threshers, rice planters, harvesters, irrigation pumps, small solar irrigation, reapers, driers, millers, and others.

Other programs also provided for under the said section of the law are rice seed development, propagation, and promotion; expanded rice credit assistance; and rice extension services.

A12 Thursday, June 23, 2022 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

editorial

Efren Carandang: First Filipino CLCS member

S

ince the establishment of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in 1997, no Filipino has ever been elected to serve in the UN body. Last week, the Philippines won a seat in the Asia-Pacific Group (APG) of the CLCS, the first time the archipelagic state will serve in the commission.

The Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the United Nations said the Philippines competed with eight other candidates under the APG, and successfully reached the required majority of votes. Out of 164 states present and voting, the Philippines garnered 113 votes after four tough rounds.

The successful Philippine candidate, Efren A. Carandang, will serve at the UN body for five years. He is currently the deputy administrator of the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (Namria) and one of the country’s most eminent scholars on ocean governance.

The CLCS is an international institution created by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to facilitate the expansion of continental shelf of coastal states beyond the 200-nautical-mile limit. It is mandated to study the scientific and technical data submitted by coastal states seeking to establish the outer limits of their continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles, and to make recommendations.

The CLCS has 21 members who are experts in the field of geology, geophysics, or hydrography. Commission members serve in their personal capacities and are elected for a term of five years.

In BusinessMirror’s Editorial on May 10, 2022, we campaigned for the inclusion of the Philippine nominee as CLCS member for 2023 to 2028. We described how Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. hailed Carandang as the Philippines’s foremost authority on the technical intricacies of the law of the sea: “His stellar career of 38 years is marked by tested strategic planning and management skills, expert knowledge in the use of advanced tools and technologies, and deep, extensive experience in hydrography and understanding of its ramifications in international maritime law.”

Locsin added: “Should Efren be elected, he will dedicate his skills and experience to hasten the consideration of coastal states’ submissions on their continental shelves. He will share his management skills to help the CLCS overcome its operational challenges and thereby improve its performance.”

As an expert on archipelagic baselines, Carandang was part of the core team that developed the country’s April 2009 submission for the 13-million-hectare Philippine Rise, formerly known as the Benham Rise, which was recognized by the UN body in 2012. The Philippine Rise is an underwater plateau located near Aurora, which is larger than Luzon, the country’s biggest island. Thus, Carandang’s team successfully added 135,506 square kilometers of seabed area in the Philippine Rise.

Carandang also helped provide key technical assistance in the conduct of negotiations with neighboring coastal states for the delimitation of overlapping maritime boundaries, which was instrumental to the success of the negotiations that resulted in the settlement of the Philippine maritime boundaries with Indonesia.

Carandang brings honor to the country as the first Filipino member of CLCS. As Secretary Locsin has said, “his service to the UN body would be consistent with his advocacy for the full and consistent application of international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, particularly on the determination of maritime entitlements, delineation of maritime zones, and delimitation of international maritime boundaries.”

Kudos to our representative to the UN commission!

Since 2005

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OUTSIDE THE BOX

M

aybe it is a characteristic of my generation, but I am naïve or dumb enough to give the benefit of the doubt to experts and people in authority to tell the truth. People have been lying since the Garden of Eden. But it has been my experience that people lie to serve their own self-interests. Only people with mythomania tell lies ‘just because’ and it is rare.

Therefore, rather than start with the information, start with the motivation that a person might have for telling the truth or lying. And I usually assume someone is not lying.

A doctor will probably tell you the truth about your health because he wants to heal you. On the other hand, how do we judge the motivation (and truthfulness) of someone, even a licensed physician, who recommends a new treatment that will grow hair to cover your bald head?

And where do we go when that physician says “maybe” about the treatment for baldness? Is that a clever strategy just to create credibility for the lie?

People lie to make money. That is a reasonable motivation. But people

also lie so that they can continue to earn. Government officials, both elected and salaried, are notorious for saying anything to keep their jobs. That is what campaign promises can be about.

We all know someone who has lied to uphold a reputation. That seems strange, as there might not be any direct financial reward as with many other lies. But then again, most people plead “Not Guilty” for the same reason and to stay out of jail.

The most insidious lies though are those that follow a twisted path of truth to arrive at a conclusion that does not make sense and treats the listener like a fool.

A US expert, at least by his Prize in Economics, said last week: “So

The most insidious lies though are those that follow a twisted path of truth to arrive at a conclusion that does not make sense and treats the listener like a fool. underlying inflation is probably less than 4 percent, vs 2 percent target; headline is 7.” Except that “headline inflation” was reported at 8.3 percent, but what is one percent or so among friends.

He goes on to say that “Right now we have 7 percent inflation (last three months on PCE deflator, annualized).” Of course, you might not know what the ‘PCE deflator’ is. It is a way of calculating inflation that uses Personal Consumption Expenditure to calculate price increases versus the CPI—Consumer price index.

The PCE inflation rate is always lower because it is not measuring individual goods price changes but what consumers spend. If you switch from pork to chicken, then pork prices do not matter and maybe chicken prices—and therefore inflation—is flat.

In truth, both the PCE and the CPI are “lies.”

All economics is personal. My entire family works from home, so gasoline prices mean much less than if we all were driving to Makati every day. The jeepney driver says he will stop driving because he is only

earning P300 because of high diesel prices. Fair enough. But there is someone out there making P200 a day doing another job that would like to trade places.

The worst and most dangerous lies are things like “High gasoline prices are because of the oil companies.” “June 15, 2022; Joe Biden called on US oil refiners to produce more gasoline and diesel.” As of March 2022, US refinery capacity utilization is at 91.3 percent, the highest in history.

“June 15, 2022; Joe Biden asked US refiners for their assistance in adding refining capacity to increase supply of gasoline and diesel.” Brilliant idea to build more refineries.

Planning, designing, permitting, and building a new medium-sized refinery is a 5 to 7-year process with costs ranging from $7-10 billion, not including land acquisition. “September 6, 2019; Joe Biden told a questioner during a campaign event in New Castle, N.H., “I guarantee you, we are going to end fossil fuels.”

“I’m not upset that you lied to me, I’m upset that from now on I can’t believe you”: Friedrich Nietzsche.

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.

Burden of disproving disputable presumption of work-relatedness of a seafarer’s illness

Jennifer A. Ng Vittorio V. Vitug Lorenzo M. Lomibao Jr., Gerard S. Ramos Lyn B. Resurreccion, Dennis D. Estopace Angel R. Calso

Chairman of the Board President Advertising Sales Manager Group Circulation Manager

John Mangun

Lourdes M. Fernandez

Senior Editors

Creative Director Chief Photographer

I can’t believe you

Dennis Gorecho

Legal Bytes

T

he burden to disprove the work-relatedness of an illness is on the employer and not on the seafarer-claimant.

The Supreme Court discussed in the case of Luisito Reyes v. Jebsens Maritime (GR 230502 February 15, 2022) the concept of disputable presumptions in relation to seafarer’s claims for disability benefits.

Halfway through his contract, the seafarer was medically repatriated to the Philippines due to back pain, which he allegedly suffered due to an accident on board the vessel.

He was diagnosed to have suffered “compression fracture L1 secondary to osteoporosis.”

After physical therapy sessions 108 days from repatriation, the company doctor issued a medical certificate declaring him fit to work, and the medical condition as not work

related since his illness was degenerative in nature.

The National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) denied the disability benefits because the seafarer failed to substantially show the causal connection between his work and his illness. The NLRC ruled that awards of compensation cannot rest on bare allegations, speculations or presumptions.

However, the Supreme Court, in affirming the decision of the

The Supreme Court pointed out that the labor tribunals erroneously placed the burden of disproving the legal presumption on the seafarer. The Court stressed that records show that employers failed to dispute the presumption of work-relatedness of seafarer’s injury.

Court of Appeals, noted that compensability of an illness or injury does not depend on whether the injury or disease was pre-existing at the time of employment but rather on whether the injury or illness is work­ related or had been aggravated by the seafarer’s working condition.

Under the POEA standard employment contract, work-related illness is defined as any sickness as a result of an occupational disease listed under Sec. 32-A of the contract with the conditions set therein; while work-related injury is an injury arising out of and in the course of employment.

Section 20, par. A(4) categori-

cally provides that those illnesses not listed in Sec. 32 of the contract are disputably presumed as workrelated.

The law clearly laid down a legal presumption of work-related illness or injury in favor of seafarers.

This legal presumption was borne by the fact that the said list cannot account for all known and unknown illnesses/diseases that may be associated with, caused or aggravated by such working conditions.

The presumption is made in the law to signify that the non-inclusion in the list of occupational diseases does not translate to an absolute exclusion from disability benefits.

Thus, the burden is on the employer to disprove the work-relatedness, failing which, the disputable presumption that a particular injuryor illness that results in disability is work-related stands.

The Supreme Court pointed out that the labor tribunals erroneously placed the burden of disproving the legal presumption on the seafarer.

The Court stressed that records See “Gorecho” A13

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Thursday, June 23, 2022 A13

Lapid, set to be Israel’s next premier, faces critical test

Shortcomings of the ‘No Contact Traffic Apprehension’ policy

J

I

Dr. Jesus Lim Arranza

MAKE SENSE

By Josef Federman | The Associated Press

ERUSALEM—In a 10-year political career, Israel’s Yair Lapid has transformed himself from an upstart political novice to a feisty opposition leader to the savvy operator who toppled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Next week, he is expected to assume his biggest role yet—as the new prime minister.

Following the government’s decision to dissolve parliament, Lapid, now foreign minister, is set to take office as caretaker prime minister until elections in the fall. It will be a critical test for Lapid, 58, who will try to convince Israelis he is worthy of the top office as he takes on a resurgent Netanyahu.

“A year ago, we started the process of rebuilding, and now: we’re carrying it on, and carrying it on together,” Lapid declared late Monday as he stood alongside his main coalition partner, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.

Officially, the two men were announcing the end of their year-old government—an alliance of eight diverse parties that was severely weakened by months of infighting and rebellion. But in many ways, Lapid sounded like he was beginning his next campaign. “Even if we are going to elections in a few months, the challenges we face will not wait,” he said, pointing to Israel’s high cost of living and security challenges in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.

In a swipe at Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption charges, he vowed to “stand against the forces threatening to turn Israel into a nondemocratic country.” Netanyahu, believing he is the victim of a political witch hunt, has made clear he intends to take on the country’s legal and law-enforcement establishment if he returns to power.

A former author, columnist, news anchor, bank pitchman and amateur boxer, Lapid left a successful career as a media personality to enter politics in 2012 as head of a new centrist party popular with middle-class Israelis.

He promised economic relief, an end to controversial draft exemptions for seminary students and a more moderate approach to the Palestinians.

Unlike the right-wing parties that dominate Israel’s political system, Lapid favors peace talks leading to an eventual two-state solution with the Palestinians, although it’s unclear if he will ever have the kind of mandate needed to engage in such a process.

In 2013, he led his new Yesh Atid party to a surprisingly strong showing in parliamentary elections.

Yesh Atid finished as the secondlargest party, with 19 seats in the 120-member parliament. Lapid became finance minister, a difficult and often thankless task. While marking some successes, his key promises of lowering the cost of living and bringing down housing prices failed to materialize. Netanyahu eventually fired him for insubordination.

Yesh Atid dropped to 11 seats in the 2015 elections. Lapid found himself in the opposition and appeared to be on the way to becoming the latest in a long line of centrist politicians to flame out after early success.

But Lapid managed to reinvent himself. He formed an alliance with former military chief Benny Gantz that came close to toppling Likud in three consecutive elections.

Those elections, focused on Netanyahu’s divisive personality and

Gorecho . . .

continued from A12

show that employers failed to dispute the presumption of work-relatedness of seafarer’s injury.

The examinations and procedures the seafarer underwent, as well as the diagnosis, showed a causal

fitness to rule, all ended inconclusively. Moving to end the deadlock, Gantz briefly joined forces with Netanyahu in 2020—leaving Lapid as opposition leader and a vocal government critic.

When the country went back to the polls in early 2021, Yesh Atid once again surged and emerged as the second-largest party in parliament.

In a stroke of creative diplomacy and political savvy, Lapid cobbled together a new coalition that pushed Netanyahu into the opposition for the first time in 12 years.

Although Lapid was the mastermind of the alliance, he cemented the deal by agreeing to rotate the job of prime minister with Bennett—a move that was seen by many as selfless and statesmanlike. Lapid took on the post of foreign minister.

The coalition members spanned the Israeli political spectrum, with little binding them together beyond opposition to Netanyahu. The government made history by being the first to include an Arab party.

The coalition got off to a strong start—passing the first national budget in several years, navigating a pair of coronavirus waves and improving relations with the U.S. and Arab allies.

Ultimately, ideological differences caused it to unravel. Parliament is expected to dissolve itself in a series of votes over the coming days. Once that happens, Lapid takes over as caretaker prime minister until elections in October or November.

The coming months present great risk—and great opportunity. Once again, Netanyahu’s Likud party appears to be the front-runner. And once again, Netanyahu’s leadership style and legal woes are likely to be high on voters’ minds.

While Lapid is sure to face relentless attacks from Netanyahu, who has tried to portray him as a lightweight who betrayed Israel’s security by allying with an Arab faction, he will do so from the perch of the prime minister’s office.

After serving as foreign minister for the past year, he will have even more opportunities to strengthen his international standing. He is set to host President Joe Biden on a visit next month and will have the opportunity to speak at the United Nations General Assembly in September.

Lapid spoke to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday to prepare for Biden’s visit, the Foreign Ministry said.

“The visit will have significant implications for the region and the fight against Iran, as well as immense potential to significantly improve regional stability and security,” it said.

As caretaker prime minister, he is unlikely to launch any major military operations or bold peace initiatives with the Palestinians. If Lapid can keep things quiet and avoid controversy, he could be well positioned for the next election.

“Lapid has to work now at looking prime ministerial,” wrote Anshel Pfeffer, a columnist at the Haaretz daily. “His new post, from next week on, as interim prime minister is his greatest asset going into the election.” connection between his illness or injury and the nature of the work for which he had been contracted.

The disputable presumption that injury or illness that results in disability, or in some cases death, is work-related stands in the absence of contrary evidence.

Compensability pertains to the entitlement to receive compensa-

t’s been over a month after the May 9, 2022 national election.

With the cessation of my election-related activities and as promised during my campaign for a Senate seat that win or lose, I will continue my crusade for the people’s cause.

Therefore, my Make Sense column for this issue is about my questions on the constitutionality and/ or legality of the No Contact Traffic Apprehension policy of the Metro Manila Development Authority.

Empowered by a resolution that was signed by the mayors of Metro Manila, the MMDA has been implementing NCTA for over two decades, with no legal challenge being raised against the traffic policy yet.

I am discussing the NCTA issue because many Filipinos are hurting in silence because of the inefficient, if not absurd, implementation of NCTA by the MMDA. I can personally attest to the disorganized implementation of MMDA’s NCTA because I am a victim of its flaws, not once but twice.

While renewing the registration

of one of my cars at the Land Transportation Office—my third renewal of registration for the same car after two fast and hassle free renewals the previous years—I was told at LTO that I have to pay first the penalties for the traffic violation made by my drivers three years ago that was captured by an MMDA camera.

Irritated, I hesitantly paid the penalty, even if the question of paying the penalty for the traffic violation of my driver kept bugging me. Then the same thing happened again during the registration renewal of my other car. I could have let the MMDA’s inefficiency—if not dereliction of duty—pass when I fell victim to this in my first car. But not with my second car, otherwise I will be condoning the shenanigans

I am discussing the NCTA issue because many Filipinos are hurting in silence because of the inefficient, if not absurd, implementation of NCTA by the MMDA. I can personally attest to the disorganized implementation of MMDA’s NCTA because I am a victim of its flaws, not once but twice. at MMDA. Imagine, I only learned of my driver’s traffic violation after three years! At a time when he was no longer working for me, and only during the third renewal of my car at LTO! Why did the LTO allow two years to pass before informing me about the traffic violation of my driver?

Thus, I listened aghast to the revelation of MMDA traffic chief Bong Nebrija in one of the episodes of our weekly radio program “Dito sa Bayan ni Juan” with former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile when we invited the MMDA chief as our resource person. Nebrija said that, unlike the cameras used in the US where they can capture photos of the driver, the MMDA cameras are not technically capable of doing that. Then why should the MMDA implement the NCTA when it is not

technically capable of efficiently implementing the program? And why should the MMDA penalize the vehicle and not the driver who committed the violation? Is this not an absurd traffic policy? Lastly, why did it take the MMDA three years to inform the LTO about the violation?

To make it even worse, why was I not informed, as registered owner of the car, by MMDA about the violation?

It is for these reasons that I am seriously contemplating filing a case against MMDA. To my knowledge, certain local government units in the National Capital Region have partnered with the private sector to implement their own version of NCTA. But with traffic enforcement being a government function, here are my questions: Can a mandated government function such as traffic enforcement be delegated to the private sector?

Can the private sector collect traffic violation penalties based on a city council resolution? How much of the collected penalties go to private sector?

Dr. Jesus Lim Arranza is the chairman of the Federation of Philippine Industries and Fight Illicit Trade; a broad-based, multisectoral movement intended to protect consumers, safeguard government revenues and shield legitimate industries from the ill effects of smuggling.

Senators reach bipartisan compromise on gun violence bill

By Alan Fram | The Associated Press

Lawmakers released the 80page bill nine days after agreeing to a framework for the plan and 29 years after Congress last enacted major firearms curbs. It cleared an initial procedural hurdle by 64-34, with 14 Republicans joining all 48 Democrats and two allied independents in voting yes. That strongly supported a prediction by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., of approval later this week.

Passage by the Democratic-led House could follow quickly.

Though Republicans blocked tougher restrictions sought by Democrats, the accord marks an electionyear breakthrough on an issue that pits the GOP’s staunch gun-owning and rural voters against Democrats’ urban-centered backers of firearms curbs. That makes it one of the most incendiary culture war battlefields in politics and a sensitive vote for some lawmakers, particularly Republicans who might alienate Second Amendment stalwarts.

The legislation would toughen background checks for the youngest firearms buyers, require more sellers to conduct background checks and beef up penalties on gun traffickers. It also would disburse money to states and communities to improve school safety and mental health initiatives.

Aides estimated the measure would cost around $15 billion, which Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, the lead Democratic bargainer, said would be fully paid for.

Resolving one final hurdle that delayed the accord, the bill would prohibit romantic partners convicted of domestic violence and not married to their victims from getting firearms. Convicted abusers who are married to, live with or had children with their victims are already barred from having guns.

The compromise prohibits guns

for a person who has “a current or recent former dating relationship with the victim.’’ That is defined in part as one between people “who have or have recently had a continuing serious relationship of a romantic or intimate nature.” An offender’s ability to own a gun could be restored after five years if they’ve not committed another serious crime.

On another late dispute, the bill would provide $750 million to the 19 states and the District of Columbia that have “red flag” laws making it easier to temporarily take firearms from people adjudged dangerous, and to other states with violence prevention programs. States with “red flag” laws that receive the funds would have to have legal processes for the gun owner to fight the firearm’s removal.

Momentum in Congress for gun legislation has a history of waning quickly after mass shootings. Lawmakers are scheduled to begin a twoweek July 4th recess by this weekend.

The legislation lacks far more potent proposals that President Joe Biden supports and Democrats have pushed unsuccessfully for years, derailed by GOP opposition. These include banning assault-type weapons or raising the minimum age for buying them, prohibiting highcapacity magazines and requiring background checks for virtually all gun sales.

Yet after 10 Black shoppers were killed last month in Buffalo, New York, and 19 children and two teachers died days later in Uvalde, Texas, Democrats and some Republicans decided that this time, measured steps were preferable to Congress’ usual reaction to such horrors — gridlock.

Murphy said that after Buffalo and Uvalde, “I saw a level of fear on the faces of the parents and the children that I spoke to that I’ve never seen before.” He said his colleagues

also encountered anxiety among voters “not just for the safety of their children, but also a fear about the ability of government to rise to this moment and do something, and do something meaningful.”

This bill, Murphy said, would “save thousands of lives.” Before entering the Senate, his House district included Newtown, Connecticut, where 20 children and six staff members perished in a 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Top GOP bargainer Sen. John Cornyn of Texas said of the pact, “Some think it goes too far, others think it doesn’t go far enough. And I get it. It’s the nature of compromise.”

But he added, “I believe that the same people who are telling us to do something are sending us a clear message, to do what we can to keep our children and communities safe.

I’m confident this legislation moves us in a positive direction.”

In a positive sign about its fate, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., voiced his support, calling it “a commonsense package of popular steps that will help make these horrifying incidents less likely while fully upholding the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.”

The National Rifle Association, which has spent decades derailing gun control legislation, expressed opposition. “It falls short at every level. It does little to truly address violent crime while opening the door to unnecessary burdens on the exercise of Second Amendment freedom by law-abiding gun owners,” the gun lobby group said. It seemed likely a majority of Republicans—especially in the House—would oppose the legislation.

Underscoring the backlash GOP lawmakers supporting the pact would face from the most hard-right voters, delegates booed Cornyn at his state’s Republican convention in Houston Saturday as he described the proposal.

In another measure of conservative sentiment, Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, a potential 2024 Republican presidential candidate, tweeted that the bill “ignores the national

tion and benefits upon showing that work conditions caused or at least increased the risk of the injury or illness.

The seafarer’s work included, among others: the assisting in cargo handling and operations; handling of the vessel, in docking, anchoring, piloting en route, in close quarters and open sea conditions; assisting

in mooring and unmooring of the vessel in port and at off-shore locations; and the testing of equipment.

The nature and demand of his work as a seafarer, which the court found to have been physically demanding, aggravated his medical condition resulting in a fracture to his lumbar spine.

The reasonable connection be-

tween the nature of his work and the medical condition while on board were substantially proven.

The burden to overcome the presumption is now shifted to the employers.

The medical report did not make any categorical statement as to the absence of work-relatedness of the injury sustained by the seafarer.

W

ASHINGTON—Senate bargainers reached agreement Tuesday on a bipartisan gun violence bill, potentially teeing up final passage by week’s end on an incremental but landmark package that would stand as Congress’ response to mass shootings in Texas and New York that shook the nation.

crime wave & chips away instead at the fundamental rights of law abiding citizens.” Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., a possible White House contender, said it would “restrict the freedoms of law-abiding Americans and put too much power in the hands of politicians and political officials.”

The measure will need at least 10 GOP votes to reach the 60-vote threshold major bills often need in the 50-50 Senate. Cornyn told reporters that he expected at least 10 GOP votes for the measure.

What’s uncertain is whether passage would mark the beginning of slow but gradual action to curb gun violence, or the high water mark on the issue. Until Buffalo and Uvalde, a numbing parade of mass slayings—at sites including elementary and high schools, houses of worship, military facilities, bars and the Las Vegas Strip—have yielded only stalemate in Washington.

“Thirty years, murder after murder, suicide after suicide, mass shooting after mass shooting, Congress did nothing,” Murphy said. “This week we have a chance to break this 30-year period of silence with a bill that changes our laws in a way that will save thousands of lives.”

The bill would require that federal background checks for gun buyers age 18 to 20 include examination of the purchaser’s juvenile record. That could add up to seven more days to the current three-day limit on background checks.

The suspects in the Buffalo and Uvalde shootings were both 18 years old, a profile that matches many recent mass shooters.

There would be hundreds of millions of dollars to expand community behavioral health centers, telemedicine visits for mental specialists and train first responders to handle people with mental health issues. More than $2 billion would be provided to hire and train staff for school mental health services, including $300 million to improve school safety.

Congress’ prohibited assault-type firearms in 1993 in a ban that expired after a decade, lawmakers’ last sweeping legislation addressing gun violence. Associated Press writer Kevin Frek-

Jurisprudence further states that although the employer is not the insurer of the health of his employees, he takes them as he finds them and assumes the risk of liability.

ing contributed to this report.

Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the seafarers’ division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan law offices. For comments, e-mail info@sapalovelez.com, or call 0917-5025808 or 0908-8665786.

A14 Thursday, June 23, 2022

‘TOOTS’ OPLE ON BEING CANCER SURVIVOR, DMW CHIEF: I CAN HANDLE IT

By Malou Talosig-Bartolome @maloutalosig

I

NCOMING Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople would have wanted to just ignore a group of “OFWs” who recently protested her appointment, questioning her fitness to handle the job due to her breast cancer. But she broke her silence to stand up for breast cancer survivors who may be discriminated against like her.

“Tama ba na pag may sakit ang tao, di na entitled na tuparin ang mga pangarap niya for herself and para sa bansa nya? Tama ba na i-discriminate ka kung nagkacancer [Is it right to say that someone with an ailment has no right to pursue his dream for himself or for the country. Is it right to discriminate someone who had cancer] or dialysis, heart ailment? Ibig ba sabihin hintayin mo na lang ang katok ni kamatayan [Does that mean one should just wait for death to knock at one’s door]?” Ople said in reply to questions at BusinessMirror Coffee Club episode streamed live on Facebook and YouTube on Tuesday. The Coffee Club brought together panelists from media outfits under the ALC Group, including the Philippines Graphic magazine, DWIZ, Pilipino Mirror and CNN Philippines.

President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos earl ier named Ople head of the new department created by law in January 2022, dedicated solely for the protection and welfare of over 10 million Filipinos working overseas. She was among his first appointees.

Ople, an OFW advocate and founding head of the Blas F. Ople Policy Center, had been diagnosed with breast cancer stage 2 in 2019 and underwent chemotherapy and radiation during the first two years of radiation. She wrote about her struggles in her “Scribbles” column in BusinessMirror.

Ople said in her first meeting with Marcos and incoming Executive Secretary Vince Rodriguez, she immediately disclosed that she has breast cancer.

“I was very upfront with President Marcos. When we met, I was first to say, ‘Sirs, I have breast cancer.’ You know, it was perfectly fine. They instantly and very efficiently moved to policy matters,” she recalled.

Ople described as “foul” the protesters’ move to use her photo taken two years ago which she posted on Facebook while undergoing chemotherapy. At that time, she said, the DMW had not yet been created.

Biz groups pushing Internet bills, cite key role in progress

T

By Andrea E. San Juan

HE Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and Better Internet PH urged the incoming administration to pass key Internet connectivity legislation in the next six months, which will allow more market players to participate in building the country’s digital infrastructure, especially in the countryside.

In a statement on Wednesday, the PCCI said, “we laud the campaign promise of President-elect Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, Jr. to make the development of the digital infrastructure a top priority. To accelerate economic recovery and help various industries bounce back from the pandemic, the Philippines needs to have accessible, reliable, affordable, and secure internet as the foundation of the digital economy.”

According to Google’s 2021 Economic Impact Report, if fully leveraged, the country “can foster a digital economy that can raise P5

trillion in economic value by 2030.”

Of this value, 70 percent can be generated by technology-led business, including e-commerce and mobile applications for the retail industry “which can facilitate digital transactions and interactions, reduce labor requirements, promote inventory efficiencies, and cut real estate costs, offering productivity gains ranging from 6 to 15 percent.”

Despite pushing for faster download speed through news releases, the PCCI said, the Filipino people and the business sector continue to suffer from poor Internet service.

“We urge the new administra-

tion to identify as urgent the passage of laws that will expand Internet coverage in the rural areas and provide more connectivity choices for all Filipinos,” the PCCI said in its statement.

One of the laws being recommended for its enactment is the Open Access in Data Transmission Act which introduces a regulatory framework, specifically for Internet services. The bill proposes a simple and efficient qualification and registration process for Internet service providers, promotes infrastructure-sharing, and helps fast-track Internet network rollout.

Another law is the Rural Wired Connectivity Development Act with an objective of expanding wired Internet services in the rural areas by giving incentives to industry players who will operate in rural areas.

On the distribution of radio spectrum for wireless services, the PCCI recommends enacting the Spectrum Management Act which also promotes transparency, equity, and competition in its management, including internet connectivity.

Meanwhile, another legislation is the Better Internet Act which

requires service providers to comply with a minimum Internet connection speed depending on the location (i.e. rural areas, highly urbanized cities,etc.) and to deliver at least 80 percent of advertised download speed.

The Satellite-based Technologies Promotion Act is also being pushed by the PCCI for its enactment. It capitalizes on the reform of Executive Order No. 127 s. 2021 and encourages more private-sector investment in satellite Internet as a connectivity option for geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA).

The PCCI believes the passage of the bills will help the Philippines utilize the digital opportunity that advanced countries have harnessed and their citizens are now enjoying. “With better internet connectivity, the Philippines will achieve the golden age in the digital era,” said PCCI. To further understand how the bills will improve internet service and access to benefit the Filipino people, PCCI and the Better Internet PH are organizing a webinar on June 28, 10 am. Interested parties may register at https://bit.ly/PCCIBetterInternet

Continued on A5

Govt agencies review rules on flexible work

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

D

ESPITE the implementation of guidelines for flexible work arrangement (FWA) for public sector workers last week, several government offices are still undecided on whether to adopt the measure or not.

At least three government offices—the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Commission on Elections—told BusinessMirror they are still studying the possible adoption of the scheme.

Civ il Ser v ice Commissions (CSC) Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2022-6, which institutionalized the government guidelines for FWA finally became effective on June 15, 2022.

It allowed government offices to make use of “flexi place” wherein workers can render service while they are outside of office; compressed work week wherein the 40hour work week can be compressed into four days or less instead of five; skeleton workforce wherein a minimum number of workers must report for office; workshifting wherein employees will be allowed work in batches to ensure an office operate 24/7; “flexi time” wherein a worker can report anytime between 7 am and 7 pm as long as they complete the 40-hour work-week; and weekend work.

Frontline workers

INTERIOR Undersecretary Jonathan E. Malaya disclosed they are currently looking at the possible impact of the measure on their operations since they are a “frontline agency.”

“The DILG Personnel Division is drafting our proposed guidelines to conform with the CSC MC, which we will then subject it to consultation with the Employees Union before

submission to the SILG (Secretary of Interior and Local Government),” Malaya said.

Comelec acting spokesperson John Rex C. Laudiangco said the matter has yet to be taken up by the Comelec en banc.

The president of the Comelec Employees’ Un ion (Come lecEU), Mark Christopher “Mac” Ramirez said while they welcome the FWA option, it may not be applicable to them amid their preparations for the next Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).

“We will be starting voter registration by next month, and preparations for December 5, 2022 are already under way. This means we will be in our offices daily and would have to render overtime services even on holidays and weekends,” Ramirez said in a SMS. For her part, Social welfare spokesperson Irene B. Dumlao said she will discuss the MC with their Human Resources Management and Development Services.

Pending list

AS of Tuesday, CSC Commissioner Aileen A. Lizada said they are still waiting for their regional offices to submit the list of government offices, which will be implementing FWAs. Under MC 2022-6, government offices must submit their internal guidelines to the CSC regional offices for record purposes.

CSC earlier said it will be up to the government offices to determine if they will adopt the FWAs in any of their departments.

“We will see which agencies are adopting work arrangements.

We will also see which type they will use if they decide to adopt it,” Lizada said.

She said they expect to come out with an initial consolidated list of agencies with flexible work arrangement by next month.

Continued on A5

BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) officially broke ground for its soon-to-rise Iloilo City office inside the rising financial district of Megaworld’s 72-hectare Iloilo Business Park in Iloilo City. Present during the ceremonies were (from left to right) Dr. Andrew L. Tan, chairman and president, Megaworld; Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas; and Felipe M. Medalla, incoming governor, BSP. PHOTO COURTESY OF ILOILO CITY GOVT

Sen. Win expects dark clouds for energy sector

S

EN. Sher win Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy, sees dark clouds ahead for the oil industry, as well as the transport sector.

“It seems to me that the situation is quite dire,” Gatchalian said in TV interview on Wednesday, adding: “I was just talking to the transport sector yesterday at UE and some industry players, and they are saying in a common direction that this elevated price of oil will be protracted.”

Gachalian took it to mean that the crisis from spiking oil prices will last until probably “end of the year” even as he had also earlier “heard from the CEO of Exxon Mobil” that it is looking at the next five years.

He continued: “So, whether it’s at the end of the year or next five years, we are seeing a $120 per barrel, elevated prices in the medium term,” adding that “we have to be prepared to shield our transport

sector from this elevated pricing.”

In an ANC Dateline Philippines inteview with Karmina Constantino, the senator, however hastened to clarify that, “I understand that we cannot raise fares right away because it’s a balancing act,” weighing both the need to ease the impact of inflation and consumer capability in paying transport fares.

“So, in the meantime that we are shielding the consumer, government has to step in and increase subsidies through Pantawid Pasada in the next six months,” the senator added.

Asked how sustainable would that be after six months, Gatchalian replied: “well, for now, it’s still cheaper than suspending excise tax on fuel,” noting that “If you suspend excise tax on fuel, the government will stand to lose about P150 billion in the next six months.’

“My proposal is to give at least P3,000 aid a month for our public utility drivers in the next five

months,” the senator suggested.

“That will cost approximately about P4 billion. So it’s still quite cheaper compared to suspending excise tax on fuel.”

He, however, clarified that the P3,000 per month is only to “cover the [drivers’] expenses and their take-home pay at this level of 80 pesos per liter of gasoline and diesel,” noting that “they are taking home zero, they’re not taking home anything. So the P3,000 is just to cover their take home pay at P3,000.”

The subsidies were intended to “encourage our drivers to go back and drive. At least if they are on the road, they will earn something as opposed to just being jobless. So, the P3,000 is to hit on the drivers and encourage them to go on the streets and continue their work.”

When drivers stop plying the roads, he explained, “we will be under capacity in terms of our transportation needs. Especially during rush hours. Right now a

lot of our commuters are feeling inconvenienced because they’re lining up longer, it’s taking time for them to find public transportation.

So we have to also balance supply and demand in terms of capacities and encouraging them to go on the street is actually one way of finding that supply and demand equilibrium in terms of capacities.”

The senator stressed, “everything is intertwined. And we’re managing inflation, fighting inflation should be the top priority of the next administration and fighting inflation is always a balancing act. We cannot abruptly increase fares because it will spill over to food and to other things to minimum wage. So it’s really a balancing act. But in that balancing act we can also inject intervention such as subsidies, such as the Pantawid Pasada and the Pantawid Pasada seems to be a more economical approach, at least in the near term.” Butch Fernandez

Companies BusinessMirror

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

Thursday, June 23, 2022

PXP Energy pursues other oil, gas exploration projects

P

By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

XP Energy Corp. is pursuing other projects after exploration activities for petroleum service contracts (SC)—SC 72 and SC 75 blocks in the West Philippine Sea— were suspended.

PXP is the operator under Service Contract (SC) 75 and Forum Ltd. is the operator under SC 72.

PXP President Daniel Stephen Carlos said during the company’s annual meeting that Forum plans to start this year the preparations for drilling programs for two onshore wells under SC 40-North Cebu.

“One of the proposed wells, Dalingding 2, will test the Dalingding prospect with the Barili Limestone, a proven gas reservoir in the northern Cebu area as the primary target,” said Carlos.

For SC 74, PXP had just commenced an independent technical evaluation and resource estimation of the Linapacan A&B discoveries.

Carlos said this includes assessing the viability of a joint development of the Linapacan B field and West Linapacan A&B fields located in the adjacent SC 14C-2 or the West Linapacan block where Forum is also a consortium member.

PXP currently has two pending SC applications with the Department of Energy (DOE).

The first block is a nominated

area, which is adjacent to SC 72 (Block A North Recto Bank).

“Once awarded, the company plans to acquire 2D seismic data along with marine gravity and magnetic data,” said the PXP official.

The second block is Area 7 located in the Sandakan basin in the Sulu Sea, which was offered by the DOE in a bidding round in 2019. Carlos said the reprocessing of the 3D seismic data will be the initial work program upon the award of the contract.

Last April, the DOE told PXP to suspend all exploration activities for SCs 72 and 75 until the issuance of the “necessary clearance to proceed.”

The clearance must be issued by the Security, Justice and Peace Coordinating Cluster (SJPCC), which is composed of the Departments of the Interior and Local Government, Foreign Affairs, National Defense, Justice, and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process with the National Security Council as secretariat.

“Moving forward, we remain hopeful that the work suspension

imposed last April in our two SCs will be temporary so that we can resume with our exploration work. We will continue to coordinate with the DOE on this, especially in light of the incoming administration,” Carlos said.

PXP, he added, is “one with the government” in its efforts to develop indigenous petroleum resources in the country considering the expected decline in Malampaya gas production in the next few years and the current spike in oil prices as the world slowly recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We aim to enhance the company’s value through the acquisition of new prospective areas and we’ll likewise remain open to evaluate the other opportunities in the region,” added Carlos.

PXP holds a 50-percent interest in SC 75. Forum Energy, in which PXP holds a direct and indirect interest of 79.13 percent, has a 70 percent participating interest in SC 72 through its wholly owned subsidiary Forum.

PXP has a total economic interest of 54.36 percent in SC 72.

CEB mulls over airfare hike

By Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuan

B

udget carrier Cebu Pacific (CEB) is considering increasing fares due to the surge in fuel prices, according to its president and CEO Lance Y. Gokongwei.

“We will have to increase fares, because costs are increasing. If not, (our operations) will not be sustainable,” Gokongwei said on the sidelines of the media launch of Supah, a grocery delivery app, in Quezon City last Wednesday.

The chief executive of JG Summit Holdings has joined the company board of SariSuki, the parent firm of Supah.

Gokongwei said, however, that Cebu Pacific is trying to mitigate the impact of the spike in oil prices on its business so it could maintain its current fares.

He also said the company will continue to offer promo fares to encourage more Filipinos to travel.

“We’re still getting people to go back to the habit of planning ahead their vacations because nawala ‘yun over the last 2 years. Before, customers would plan 6 months, 1 year ahead, now the customer behavior is 2 weeks ahead, 1 week ahead,” said Gokongwei.

About two weeks ago, the airline launched a special sale and offered tickets for as low as P12, one-way base fare, for flights cov-

ering the travel period February 1 to May 31, 2023.

“CEB continues to offer its guaranteed low fares to stimulate travel across its widest domestic network, with multiple flights to top Philippine destinations, such as Boracay and Cebu, both of which are operating 16x daily from Manila,” the company said in a statement.

Cebu Pacific reported a P24.9billion net loss for 2021. It generated P15.7 billion in revenues in 2021, 30 percent lower than the figure recorded in 2020. This was mostly driven by the 50-percent decline in passenger revenue to P6.3 billion, from P12.6 billion in 2020.

As travel restrictions continue

to ease, the airline has ramped up its international network by adding more flights to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Nagoya, Seoul, Osaka and Singapore.

This is in line with the Inter Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases’ Resolution 168, which states that effective May 30, fully vaccinated individuals who received at least one booster shot are exempted from presenting pre-departure Covid-19 test results for entry to the Philippines.

SariSuki ventures into rapid grocery delivery service

S

upah, a business unit of social commerce startup SariSuki and the first digital rapid grocery delivery service in the Philippines, said it will work closely with its suppliers, particularly farmers to mitigate the impact of logistics cost on prices.

SariSuki Co-Founder and CEO Brian Cu said during Supah’s media launch in Quezon City on Wednesday that the primary goal of the grocery delivery service is to bridge the gap between suppliers and consumers.

“Commodity prices have started going up so our goal is to really work closely with the suppliers, the farmers mainly, especially for the fresh commodities,” said Cu. He said the company has also set its sights on finding ways to reduce waste and farmers increase yield.

Lance Y. Gokongwei, President and CEO of JG Summit and a member of SariSuki’s board of directors, said Supah “offers great potential.” SariSuki is the parent firm of Supah.

“Supah offers great potential as it tries to address the consumers’ evolving needs in grocery shopping by finding the optimal balance among several critical factors like speed, assortment, value, and convenience,” said Gokongwei.

JG Digital Equity Ventures (JGDEV), the corporate venture capital arm of JG Summit, is an investor in Sarisuki.

Supah’s promise is to pick, pack, process and deliver in 15 minutes or less. “This is made possible by our strategic network of dark stores and first-party pickers and riders—getting you your groceries in a flash,” it said in a statement.

The digital rapid grocery delivery service conducted its pilot run last March. Currently, Cu said Supah has 100 riders, with a population coverage of 5 million, covering 8 dark stores. The CEO said their average delivery time is 8.5 minutes.

“Our business puts tremendous value on our customers’ time and needs. We see doing the grocery as effortless, time-saving and economical, while still making it possible to attend to other things.

Thanks to our efficient ecosystem of suppliers, vendors and riders, we are able to fulfill this commitment without a delivery fee.”

Its offer of free delivery will end on June 30. After the promo ends, Supah will charge a fixed rate of P39. Andrea E. San Juan

B1

TRAL lauds SC for swift action on motion to boot out Kazuo Okada

T

IGER Resort Asia Ltd. (TRAL) hailed the Philippine Supreme Court for its swift action on the urgent plea of Tiger Resort Leisure and Entertainment Inc. (TRLEI) to direct the group of Kazuo Okada to refrain from exercising management and board functions and surrender the physical possession of Okada Manila.

In a resolution dated June 13, a copy of which was received by TRLEI’s legal counsel Divina Law on June 17, the SC ordered Kazuo Okada to reply and comment to the Extremely Urgent Manifestation with Motion for Clarification Ad Cautelam submitted

by TRLEI on June 9.

The Kazuo Group, which forcefully took over the physical premises of Okada Manila has five days to respond to the SC’s resolution.

“We laud the honorable Supreme Court for treating this matter urgently and acting swiftly on the motion filed. The violent and forceful takeover of Okada Manila as well as the election of an illegally constituted board to manage it is a perversion of the High Court’s order and has only brought confusion and uncertainty to the future of Okada Manila, an over US$3 billion investment in the Philippines,” Divina Law Senior Partner Atty.

Estrella Elamparo said.

It will be recalled that Kazuo Okada and his partners led by former TRLEI board member Antonio “Tonyboy” Cojuangco, former officer Dindo Espeleta, and their legal counsel Herrera, Teehankee, and Cabrera Law Office stormed Okada Manila on May 31, to compel TRLEI officers to yield control over Okada Manila.

The Kazuo Group used as basis a status quo ante order (SQAO) issued by the Philippine Supreme Court. However, Okada, according to TRAL, does not have the right, nor the legal basis to do so—even with the SQAO. The status quo ante refers to the state of affairs

that existed prior to Kazuo’s removal as shareholder, Director, and Chairman.

Kazuo Okada was removed from TRLEI in 2017 by UEC and TRAL for alleged acts of misconduct.

The Japanese Supreme Court has since ruled with finality that the ultimate parent company, Okada Holdings Ltd., is majority owned and controlled by Tomohiro Okada, and not Kazuo Okada.

The SQAO neither authorized nor empowered Kazuo Okada, more so his cohorts, to install a new Board of Directors or officers, the TRLEI camp has insisted. This formed the basis of TRLEI’s motion for clarification, as submitted to the SC. In the midst of the developments with the SC, the Kazuo Group allegedly authorized billions of pesos in questionable payments to certain entities.

This comes on the heels of the bank freeze of Okada Manila’s accounts and what the other camp predicts would be its impending inability to honor its financial commitments, including its employees’ salaries.

Three local banks, namely BDO, AUB, and Union Bank, have already decided to freeze the bank accounts of Okada Manila following the takeover, Elamparo earlier reported.

“The legitimate board of TRLEI and officers of TRAL and UEC are wary that Okada Manila will not be able to meet its financial obligations and commitments to employees, contractors, and suppliers because of the frozen accounts.

More so, this puts to question how Okada Manila will survive—more so thrive—without funds for operating expenses, wasting precious opportunity with the gradual reopening of the economy. The SC’s swift action is all the more commendable given the urgency of this situation,” Elamparo concluded.

B2

Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, June 23, 2022

AllHome sets sights on pet lovers via specialty brand

A

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

llHome Corp., the listed retailer of the Villar Group, on Wednesday said it has expanded into the pet care retail and services sector with its specialty brand, PetBuddy.

PetBuddy opened its maiden location in Evia Lifestyle Center in Las Piñas and the company said it will add four more branches, mostly in the southern part of Metro Manila.

The company said its pipeline ex pansion include Sta. Rosa, Bacoor in Cavite, Antipolo and Taguig.

“There is a natural synergy between the building and maintaining of a home and the care of pets, and we are excited to build further on the convenience and value of the AllHome retail experience with PetBuddy,” AllHome Chairman Manuel B. Villar said.

“We are confident that we can apply the same elevated and upgraded product and experience offering that we banner with each AllHome store to a growing pet care market in the Philippines.”

The company said it forayed into the new sector of the retail market as pets have become part

and parcel of the home experience during the pandemic.

Pet adoption sustained its interest from Filipinos as a means to release stress and fight boredom.

“Pet care is expected to continue to expand over the forecast period, with rates of pet adoption remaining healthy to the benefit of the category. Interest in pets is likely to be sustained as the Philippine economy recovers from the impact of the Covid-19 crisis,” according to the May 2022 scan of the Pet Care Industry in the Philippines study by the Euromonitor International.

“If Filipinos were able to sustain their interest in pets during difficult times, then there is a good chance that they will continue to adopt pets during more favorable times.”

Pet supplies find a natural home in the full-line offering of AllHome, and figures heavily into current revenue splits in the

chain’s do-it-yourself category.

“Pets carry a special place in our hearts, and with the rising middle class of the Philippines, we are observing Filipinos putting more importance in sourcing the right kinds of products and services for these “members of the family,” Camille Villar, AllHome vice chairman said.

“Our customers display a sense of care and responsibility for their pets, and by leveraging our own expertise in providing elevated experiences to our customers, we are confident in our ability to delight pet owners with our new-

est concept, one that carries the signature elevated experience of the AllValue group.”

PetBuddy expands the offering with customer services through grooming and day care services, available in each of its five stores.

The stores are classified under the chain’s small specialty format.

The launching of these four new stores this year have increased the total of small specialty stores to 21 and has increased AllHome’s store network to 62, with 23 large mall-based, 18 large free-standing, and 21 small specialty stores, the company said.

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

June 22, 2022

NAV One Year Three Year Five Year Y-T-D per share Return* Return Stock Funds ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a 203.36 -7.49% -8.68% -5.82% -12.75% ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 1.3075 -5.03% -7.19% -4.02% -21.43% ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 2.7909 -7.66% -12.26% -8.4% -13.8% Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.6957 -9.61% -9.94% n.a.

-8.04% First Metro Consumer Fund on MSCI Phils. IMI, Inc. -a 0.641 -10.9% -10.23% n.a.

-16.85% First Metro Save and Learn Equity Fund,Inc. -a 4.5769 -5.09% -6.07% -3.82% -11.69% First Metro Save and Learn Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.6773 -8.67% -6.62% -3.66% -13.53% MBG Equity Investment Fund, Inc. -a 76.22 -23.4% -14.35% n.a.

-19.28% PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a 41.5406 -7.58% -7.75% -4.48% -13.69% Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 436.2 -7.74% -7.49% -4.36% -12.88% Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. -a 1.2473 10.03% -2.37% -0.88% -8.04% Philequity Fund, Inc. -a 31.8243 -5.5% -6.82% -3.38% -13.04% Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.8228 -6.32% -8.13% n.a.

-12.6% Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc. -a 4.2998 -6.65% -7.13% -3.86% -13.32% Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a 716.34 -7.12% -7.2% -3.93% -13.54% Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 0.6434 -8.37% -11.7% -6.58% -14.51% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 3.2209 -7.75% -9.78% -5.23% -14.69% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.8155 -7.42% -7.49% -4.18% -13.66% United Fund, Inc. -a 3.0075 -6.36% -7.37% -3.18% -12.5% Primarily invested in Peso securities (units) Philequity Alpha One Fund, Inc. -a 1.0288 -3.63% n.a. n.a.

-11.52% Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a 872.88 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.

Exchange Traded Fund (shares) First Metro Phil. Equity Exchange Traded Fund, Inc. -a,c 96.5556 -6.73% -6.99% -3.54% -13.38% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities (shares) ATRAM AsiaPlus Equity Fund, Inc. -b $0.9265 -26.05% -2.01% -1.11% -17.75% Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.425 -19.5% 3.27% 4.18% -22.82% Balanced Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities (shares) ATRAM Dynamic Allocation Fund, Inc. -a 1.5331 -7.98% -4.34% -2.98% -9.39% ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 2.0902 -6.31% -3.58% -2.49% -8.38% First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund Inc. -a 2.4886 -3.65% -2.37% -1.12% -7.52% First Metro Save and Learn F.O.C.C.U.S. Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a 0.1924 -0.57% n.a. n.a.

-7.94% NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a 1.8635 -4.17% -1.45% -0.47% -7.6% PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a 3.4163 -6.82% -3.25% -1.76% -9.26% Philam Fund, Inc. -a 15.3018 -6.93% -3.38% -1.84% -9.16% Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a 1.9562 -4.57% -3.27% -1.86% -7.79% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.2675 -6.47% -5.78% -2.88% -10.41% Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a 0.8478 -3.26% -5.45% -2.52% -11.15% Primarily invested in Peso securities (units) Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a 0.8879 -9.58% -4.66% n.a.

-10.3% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a 0.816 -9.32% -7.27% n.a.

-13.61% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a 0.8032 -9.45% -7.66% n.a.

-14% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities (shares) Cocolife Dollar Fund Builder, Inc. -a $0.03305 -13.66% -4.12% -1.64% -12.89% PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -b $0.9207 -18.97% -2.07% -1.12% -13.72% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $3.8897 -16.97% 1.34% 2.56% -19% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a,2 $1.0038 -15.72% -1.86% -0.15% -16.25% Bond Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities (shares) ALFM Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 372.07 -0.06% 2.08% 2.22% -0.6% ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a 1.8896 -2.01% -0.05% -0.01% 0.26% Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a 3.2234 -0.14% 1.9% 3.27% -0.64% -4.3% Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a 2.1654 -0.27% 0.55% -3.82% First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.3956 -1.96% 1.22% 1.57% -1.25% Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a 4.1822 -6.95% 0.13% 0.52% -4.85% Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a 1.3057 -1.3% 2.5% 2.58% -1.02% Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.8482 -3.18% 1.5% 1.96% -2.97% Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a 1.0067 -3.17% 2.3% 1.64% -2.09% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.1273 -2.7% 1.94% 2.52% -1.89% Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a 1.6901 -3.4% 0.99% 1.8% -2.34% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities (shares) ALFM Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $481.11 -1.02% 1.64% 1.78% -1.73% ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a Є210.84 -4.2% -0.99% -0.1% -4.17% ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b $1.0667 -10.35% -3.34% -0.98% -11.4% First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.0243 -6.9% -1.85% -0.49% -6.54% PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -b $0.8905 -15.64% -6.4% -3.8% -12.94% Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $2.2091 -12.3% -2.05% -0.21% -11.84% Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a $0.0607546 -3.52% 1.03% 1.22% -2.47% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $2.7442 -13.96% -3.82% -1.82% -14.14% Money Market Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities (shares) ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 132.03 1.34% 2.29% 2.53% 0.64% First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.0634 1.02% 1.59% n.a.

0.54% Sun Life Prosperity Peso Starter Fund, Inc. -a,1 1.3253 1.56% 2.16% 2.48% 0.74% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities (shares) Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0637 0.59% 1.16% n.a.

0.29% Feeder Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities (units) ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund Inc. -a 42.9904 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.

Sun Life Prosperity World Equity Index Feeder Fund, Inc. -a 1.1683 -6.59% n.a. n.a.

-15.52% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities (units) ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund Inc. -a $0.815 -17.68% n.a. n.a.

-15.98% a - NAVPS as of the previous banking day. b - NAVPS as of two banking days ago.

c - Listed in the PSE.

d - in Net Asset Value per Unit

(NAVPU).

1 - Renaming was approved by the SEC last July 8, 2021 (formerly, Sun Life Prosperity Money Market Fund, Inc.).

2 - Adjusted due to stock dividend issuance last November 25, 2021.

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

June 22, 2022

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

ASIA UNITED BDO UNIBANK BANK COMMERCE BANK PH ISLANDS CHINABANK EAST WEST BANK METROBANK PB BANK PHIL NATL BANK PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK UNION BANK BRIGHT KINDLE COL FINANCIAL IREMIT PHIL STOCK EXCH SUN LIFE

373,085 128,805,609 419,473 98,257,658.50 4,648,805 1,998,726 103,650,408.50 534,627 2,242,918 14,175 841,986 48,115,050 1,797,413.50 3,244,030 248,820 690 220,940 23,680

-29,503,724 222,239 -41,329,625.50 2,679,040 -1,575,788 -29,157,214.50 53,760 2,961,341.50 -814,515.50 -205,200 -

INDUSTRIAL AC ENERGY 7.38 7.39 7.35 7.44 6.8 7.38 10,149,500 74,721,277 ALSONS CONS 0.94 0.97 0.94 0.96 0.94 0.96 11,000 10,540 ABOITIZ POWER 29.3 29.35 29.4 29.55 28.85 28.85 555,400 16,166,935 1.86 1.88 1.76 1.94 1.76 1.93 52,534,000 98,646,980 RASLAG 0.365 0.37 0.38 0.38 0.36 0.365 1,100,000 401,950 BASIC ENERGY FIRST GEN 16.98 17 17 17.06 16.92 16.98 202,300 3,436,498 FIRST PHIL HLDG 60.3 62.95 60.25 61 60.25 60.5 53,910 3,258,849 MERALCO 371.6 371.8 372 373 369.4 371.2 172,340 63,973,326 MANILA WATER 16.46 16.54 16.4 16.54 16.4 16.5 483,800 7,973,748 3.12 3.14 3.11 3.14 3.09 3.09 659,000 2,048,790 PETRON 4.71 4.85 4.85 4.9 4.85 4.9 15,000 72,900 PETROENERGY PHX PETROLEUM 9.44 9.9 9.26 10 9 9.4 225,100 2,096,717 SYNERGY GRID 12.08 12.12 12.16 12.18 11.98 12.02 1,288,100 15,494,686 PILIPINAS SHELL 18.32 18.34 18.34 18.34 18.06 18.06 41,400 755,332 9.34 9.36 8.95 9.6 8.94 9.4 398,200 3,690,319 SPC POWER 1.51 1.52 1.57 1.57 1.49 1.5 89,411,000 135,412,340 SOLAR PH 4.55 4.6 4.5 4.64 4.5 4.59 155,000 710,640 AGRINURTURE AXELUM 2.23 2.26 2.23 2.26 2.23 2.26 45,000 101,290 CNTRL AZUCARERA 10.1 11.1 11.08 11.1 11.08 11.1 500 5,542 22 22.1 21.55 22.1 21.5 22 1,685,600 37,082,080 CENTURY FOOD 13.34 13.4 13.28 13.48 13.28 13.48 210,100 2,813,232 DEL MONTE 6.66 6.67 6.72 6.72 6.65 6.69 816,900 5,454,323 DNL INDUS EMPERADOR 18.86 18.88 18.22 19 18.22 18.9 7,821,500 148,034,728 SMC FOODANDBEV 49.85 49.9 49.95 49.95 48.05 48.05 87,900 4,271,930 FIGARO COFFEE 0.57 0.58 0.56 0.59 0.56 0.58 6,057,000 3,471,290 1.06 1.09 1.08 1.1 1.07 1.1 872,000 947,020 FRUITAS HLDG GINEBRA 100.4 103 104.9 104.9 100 101 4,580 459,475 195.4 195.5 196.9 197.9 195 195 467,360 91,556,810 JOLLIBEE KEEPERS HLDG 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.13 1.11 1.12 1,216,000 1,360,790 MAXS GROUP 4.4 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 4,000 18,000 0.114 0.125 0.114 0.114 0.114 0.114 600,000 68,400 MG HLDG MONDE NISSIN 13.36 13.4 13.44 13.5 13.22 13.4 4,384,100 58,556,878 6.82 7.05 6.9 7.05 6.9 7.05 300 2,100 SHAKEYS PIZZA ROXAS AND CO 0.53 0.56 0.53 0.56 0.53 0.55 2,217,000 1,177,380 RFM CORP 3.97 4 3.99 3.99 3.99 3.99 1,000 3,990 ROXAS HLDG 1.51 1.53 1.52 1.6 1.52 1.6 186,000 290,110 0.091 0.092 0.1 0.1 0.09 0.091 7,720,000 709,650 SWIFT FOODS UNIV ROBINA 96.55 96.6 97 97.3 96.2 96.5 706,480 68,166,052 VITARICH 0.58 0.59 0.59 0.6 0.55 0.56 414,000 234,260 VICTORIAS 2.48 2.79 2.48 2.79 2.48 2.79 12,000 30,070 CEMEX HLDG 0.63 0.64 0.62 0.64 0.62 0.62 736,000 461,130 12.22 12.38 12.38 12.38 12.38 12.38 5,200 64,376 EAGLE CEMENT 3.17 3.24 3.25 3.25 3.12 3.12 185,000 587,060 EEI CORP 5.14 5.29 5.14 5.14 5.14 5.14 14,400 74,016 HOLCIM MEGAWIDE 3.4 3.41 3.45 3.45 3.29 3.33 158,000 523,780 PHINMA 18.52 19.48 19.5 19.5 18.52 19.48 1,400 26,412 0.65 0.71 0.66 0.72 0.66 0.7 116,000 82,000 TKC METALS VULCAN INDL 0.79 0.81 0.8 0.8 0.78 0.79 436,000 345,120 CROWN ASIA 1.72 1.73 1.73 1.76 1.66 1.68 196,000 334,130 EUROMED 1 1.03 1 1.02 1 1.02 17,000 17,180 MABUHAY VINYL 5.76 5.77 5.76 6 5.76 5.9 9,200 53,586 PRYCE CORP 5.25 5.49 5.25 5.25 5.25 5.25 12,100 63,525 18.68 19.08 19.1 19.1 19.08 19.08 1,500 28,630 CONCEPCION GREENERGY 1.68 1.69 1.66 1.7 1.66 1.68 17,101,000 28,720,040 6.1 6.15 6.38 6.4 6 6.13 81,700 499,530 INTEGRATED MICR PANASONIC 5.78 5.99 5.99 5.99 5.97 5.97 3,500 20,931 SFA SEMICON 0.94 0.97 0.94 0.97 0.94 0.97 19,000 18,300 2.41 2.43 2.42 2.49 2.37 2.37 680,000 1,633,390 CIRTEK HLDG

10,592,678 -2,190,075 355,400 1,777,964 -211,007.50 -16,577,912 -1,211,396.00 164,770 4,900 2,733 -1,308,214 -81,270 1,234,711 4,407,310 -95,950 -22,510 10,544,840 1,550,466 -2,865,086 26,006,142 -1,326,180 1,160 -130,085 -61,570,604 11,200 -8,048,672 -720 -1,052,260 1,600 -18,488,997.50 32,020 61,900 -386,590 -320,140 4,980 16,700 -79,054 -

HOLDING & FRIMS

mutual funds

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ABACORE CAPITAL AYALA CORP ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANSCOR ANGLO PHIL HLDG ATN HLDG A ATN HLDG B COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG GT CAPITAL JG SUMMIT KEPPEL HLDG A KEPPEL HLDG B LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP METRO PAC INV PACIFICA HLDG PRIME MEDIA REPUBLIC GLASS SOLID GROUP SM INVESTMENTS SAN MIGUEL CORP TOP FRONTIER ZEUS HLDG

43.6 123 8.51 92.8 26.75 7.02 49.55 7.57 17.92 55.4 20 88.8 74.9 2.3 3.4 0.68 190 2,252

1.28 633 49 9.2 8.75 0.82 0.405 0.415 4.29 8.63 482 48.9 7.5 7.5 0.52 2.97 8.13 3.62 2.05 3.1 2.6 0.82 779 100.6 102.3 0.17

44.75 123.1 8.95 92.9 26.8 7.04 49.75 7.75 18 56.7 20.2 89.4 75.3 2.32 3.43 0.84 198 2,370

1.29 636 49.1 9.22 8.85 0.83 0.42 0.47 4.3 8.66 482.4 48.95 8 8.5 0.57 3 8.14 3.63 2.27 3.12 2.9 0.85 779.5 101 108 0.177

44.7 123 8.69 93.2 26.8 7.04 50.35 7.57 17.94 56.7 19.86 89.15 73.6 2.41 3.43 0.69 199 2,368

1.32 635 48.2 9.35 8.75 0.82 0.41 0.415 4.38 8.65 488 49.75 8 7.5 0.52 2.97 8.1 3.62 2.32 3.09 2.9 0.84 779 101.8 105 0.177

44.7 123.2 8.99 93.95 26.85 7.05 50.35 7.57 18 56.7 20 90.5 76.65 2.41 3.43 0.69 199 2,368

1.33 638.5 49.45 9.44 8.75 0.82 0.41 0.415 4.44 8.68 488 49.75 8 7.5 0.57 2.97 8.2 3.64 2.32 3.22 2.9 0.85 786 101.8 108 0.177

42 120 8.5 90.8 26.75 6.97 48.5 7 17.88 56.7 19.86 88.45 73.1 2.27 3.4 0.69 190 2,368

1.27 626 48.2 9.15 8.75 0.76 0.4 0.415 4.26 8.55 478 48 8 7.5 0.52 2.97 8.09 3.58 2.19 3 2.9 0.82 763 100.5 105 0.175

42 120 8.5 91 26.8 6.97 49.5 7 17.88 56.7 20 89 75.8 2.28 3.4 0.69 190 2,368

1.28 629 48.95 9.2 8.75 0.76 0.405 0.415 4.38 8.62 478 48.3 8 7.5 0.57 2.97 8.1 3.6 2.29 3.1 2.9 0.85 763 101 108 0.175

8,700 1,059,940 48,000 1,073,600 173,500 285,600 2,092,900 75,000 125,100 250 42,100 540,230 23,770 1,388,000 73,000 1,000 1,160 10

14,661,000 151,140 374,200 3,207,800 20,800 37,000 1,750,000 10,000 336,000 3,652,700 67,480 925,300 100 5,900 19,000 1,500,000 7,558,500 45,929,000 11,000 7,748,000 1,000 367,000 194,320 35,700 950 210,000

18,908,690 95,091,170 18,314,510 29,746,450 182,000 29,620 710,500 4,150 1,460,990 31,441,306 32,435,482 44,667,890 800 44,250 9,960 4,455,000 61,365,631 166,035,850 25,020 24,142,340 2,900 306,230 149,666,420 3,604,694 101,400 37,090

PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.54 0.56 0.54 0.54 0.54 0.54 133,000 71,820 ANCHOR LAND 6.5 7.89 7.89 7.89 7.89 7.89 200 1,578 AYALA LAND 27.25 27.3 27.75 27.85 26.5 26.5 10,326,100 278,602,165 3.23 3.31 3.25 3.3 3.2 3.28 482,000 1,555,070 AYALA LAND LOG 13.58 14 13.58 13.58 13.58 13.58 2,800 38,024 ALTUS PROP 2.1 2.11 2.24 2.35 2.02 2.04 10,261,000 22,111,080 ARANETA PROP AREIT RT 35.3 35.5 34.95 35.5 34.55 34.55 676,500 23,685,715 A BROWN 0.76 0.81 0.81 0.82 0.81 0.82 40,000 32,600 CITYLAND DEVT 0.69 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 1,000 700 0.082 0.086 0.086 0.087 0.086 0.087 20,000 1,730 CROWN EQUITIES CEB LANDMASTERS 2.6 2.61 2.6 2.61 2.6 2.61 33,000 85,840 CENTURY PROP 0.375 0.39 0.39 0.395 0.375 0.39 54,070,000 20,281,100 CITICORE RT 2.45 2.46 2.45 2.47 2.44 2.45 1,986,000 4,872,190 DOUBLEDRAGON 8.3 8.31 8.33 8.4 8.25 8.39 176,900 1,476,267 1.47 1.48 1.47 1.48 1.47 1.48 1,289,000 1,897,280 DDMP RT DM WENCESLAO 6.75 6.77 6.75 6.77 6.75 6.76 37,000 249,950 EMPIRE EAST 0.202 0.216 0.202 0.202 0.201 0.201 50,000 10,070 EVER GOTESCO 0.25 0.255 0.25 0.255 0.25 0.25 1,340,000 335,600 FILINVEST RT 6.86 6.87 6.82 6.9 6.82 6.82 334,600 2,301,378 0.87 0.88 0.88 0.88 0.86 0.87 5,930,000 5,145,700 FILINVEST LAND 621 675 642 675 642 675 160 106,020 GOLDEN MV PHIL INFRADEV 1 1.01 1 1 0.94 0.94 407,000 390,400 CITY AND LAND 0.73 0.74 0.71 0.74 0.7 0.73 238,000 172,860 MEGAWORLD 2.29 2.3 2.32 2.36 2.25 2.25 28,858,000 65,403,530 MRC ALLIED 0.191 0.196 0.19 0.198 0.19 0.198 810,000 159,540 15.5 15.7 15.7 15.8 15.5 15.6 691,000 10,798,710 MREIT RT 0.38 0.395 0.38 0.38 0.38 0.38 400,000 152,000 PHIL ESTATES PRIMEX CORP 1.96 2 1.99 2 1.96 2 77,000 152,240 RL COMM RT 6.42 6.44 6.5 6.54 6.22 6.22 2,186,400 13,930,749 ROBINSONS LAND 16.72 16.8 17.1 17.1 16.34 16.34 627,400 10,420,064 0.215 0.236 0.236 0.239 0.23 0.23 550,000 130,890 PHIL REALTY ROCKWELL 1.21 1.24 1.2 1.21 1.2 1.21 190,000 228,990 SHANG PROP 2.46 2.49 2.49 2.49 2.46 2.48 13,000 32,220 STA LUCIA LAND 2.91 3 3.03 3.03 3.03 3.03 15,000 45,450 SM PRIME HLDG 36.35 36.4 36.2 36.7 35.1 35.1 8,870,700 318,953,605 SOC RESOURCES 0.5 0.61 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 73,000 36,500 3.34 3.54 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 1,000 3,500 VISTAMALLS SUNTRUST RESORT 0.93 0.95 0.93 1.03 0.93 1.02 84,000 80,900 VISTA LAND 1.97 2 1.97 2.02 1.96 2 345,000 688,030 VISTAREIT RT 1.73 1.74 1.72 1.74 1.72 1.73 5,058,000 8,754,670

SERVICES ABS CBN 8.62 8.7 8.62 8.98 8.62 8.8 47,400 415,315 GMA NETWORK 11.62 11.64 11.6 11.8 11.6 11.66 511,500 5,958,968 GLOBE TELECOM 2,132 2,138 2,150 2,156 2,100 2,100 81,200 173,404,710 1,783 1,785 1,785 1,818 1,755 1,760 91,195 162,554,510 PLDT 0.039 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.038 0.039 293,500,000 11,451,400 APOLLO GLOBAL 19.76 19.78 19.76 19.98 19.3 19.3 9,357,400 183,518,104 CONVERGE DFNN INC 3.09 3.18 3.12 3.24 3.07 3.07 203,000 640,640 DITO CME HLDG 3.65 3.66 3.7 3.7 3.65 3.7 1,354,000 4,979,850 NOW CORP 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.24 1.15 1.2 1,093,000 1,319,790 0.275 0.28 0.28 0.285 0.28 0.28 1,950,000 546,050 TRANSPACIFIC BR 2GO GROUP 6.81 7 6.81 6.81 6.81 6.81 100 681 CHELSEA 1.34 1.36 1.35 1.35 1.32 1.32 65,000 86,650 CEBU AIR 42 42.8 41.4 43 41.35 42 152,200 6,400,950 INTL CONTAINER 190.4 190.5 195.5 197.5 186.7 186.7 1,768,810 334,729,019 20 21.95 20 21.95 20 21.95 300 6,195 LBC EXPRESS LORENZO SHIPPNG 0.55 0.64 0.74 0.75 0.55 0.55 35,000 19,820 MACROASIA 4.3 4.33 4.28 4.32 4.25 4.29 164,000 701,860 METROALLIANCE A 0.9 0.95 0.9 0.95 0.9 0.9 24,000 21,650 PAL HLDG 5.7 5.87 5.87 5.88 5.87 5.87 5,900 34,642 0.88 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.88 0.88 57,000 50,650 HARBOR STAR BOULEVARD HLDG 0.085 0.086 0.087 0.088 0.083 0.083 45,580,000 3,811,410 0.42 0.445 0.42 0.42 0.42 0.42 290,000 121,800 WATERFRONT IPEOPLE 6.5 7.21 6.5 7.21 6.5 7.21 3,800 24,792 STI HLDG 0.315 0.325 0.325 0.33 0.315 0.33 90,000 28,800 BELLE CORP 1.2 1.24 1.22 1.22 1.2 1.2 98,000 118,120 5.85 5.89 5.9 5.9 5.8 5.8 806,200 4,708,086 BLOOMBERRY 1.38 1.42 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 2,000 2,800 PACIFIC ONLINE LEISURE AND RES 1.36 1.37 1.4 1.4 1.34 1.34 2,267,000 3,104,960 PH RESORTS GRP 0.89 0.9 0.91 0.91 0.89 0.89 769,000 685,670 PREMIUM LEISURE 0.395 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.395 0.4 2,090,000 829,000 5.69 5.7 5.95 6.04 5.4 5.5 24,806,500 143,167,423 PHILWEB 0.315 0.32 0.315 0.32 0.305 0.305 13,500,000 4,198,200 ALLDAY 5.51 6.13 5.52 6.15 5.52 6.15 700 4,167 BERJAYA ALLHOME 4.42 4.55 4.55 4.55 4.5 4.51 36,000 162,820 METRO RETAIL 1.44 1.46 1.45 1.45 1.45 1.45 10,000 14,500 PUREGOLD 31.05 31.1 31 31.2 30.85 31 327,800 10,169,020 46.45 46.7 47 47.2 46.2 47 78,900 3,697,660 ROBINSONS RTL 49 50 53.8 53.8 49 49 245,400 12,195,660 PHIL SEVEN CORP SSI GROUP 1.2 1.21 1.2 1.23 1.2 1.23 924,000 1,131,050 WILCON DEPOT 22.95 23 23.2 23.5 22.8 23.05 1,699,300 39,197,970 APC GROUP 0.195 0.203 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 1,040,000 208,000 0.57 0.58 0.58 0.59 0.57 0.58 536,000 307,290 MEDILINES 0.415 0.42 0.425 0.425 0.405 0.41 2,540,000 1,043,650 PRMIERE HORIZON

MINING & OIL ATOK 6.82 7.05 7.18 7.18 6.9 6.9 118,700 822,626 APEX MINING 1.39 1.4 1.38 1.42 1.38 1.4 2,311,000 3,222,700 5.3 5.4 5.6 5.6 5.3 5.4 307,700 1,674,347 ATLAS MINING 6.4 6.45 6.45 6.45 6.38 6.38 14,000 89,920 BENGUET A BENGUET B 6.45 6.5 6.5 6.69 6.5 6.69 110,000 716,273 CENTURY PEAK 2.7 2.75 2.7 2.74 2.6 2.74 605,000 1,620,700 FERRONICKEL 2.34 2.35 2.31 2.39 2.31 2.35 1,153,000 2,714,810 LEPANTO A 0.134 0.135 0.134 0.135 0.134 0.135 4,520,000 606,990 0.0094 0.0097 0.0094 0.0094 0.0094 0.0094 10,000,000 94,000 MANILA MINING A MARCVENTURES 1.54 1.55 1.56 1.58 1.53 1.53 1,059,000 1,639,350 NIHAO 0.93 0.96 0.93 0.93 0.93 0.93 9,000 8,370 NICKEL ASIA 6.59 6.6 6.6 6.64 6.56 6.6 1,694,900 11,186,831 ORNTL PENINSULA 0.7 0.71 0.72 0.72 0.71 0.72 68,000 48,500 3.95 3.96 4 4 3.94 3.95 513,000 2,033,030 PX MINING 35.8 35.85 35.85 36.05 35 35 2,366,500 84,174,025 SEMIRARA MINING 8.05 8.1 8.4 8.4 8 8.1 90,900 741,510 ACE ENEXOR ORNTL PETROL A 0.01 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 1,600,000 17,600 PHILODRILL 0.0085 0.0089 0.0089 0.0089 0.0085 0.0085 2,000,000 17,400 4.2 4.22 4.22 4.22 4.1 4.1 167,000 691,790 PXP ENERGY

PREFFERED HOUSE PREF A 98.5 98.8 98.8 98.8 98.8 98.8 270 26,676 AC PREF B1 500.5 501 500.5 501 500.5 500.5 3,000 1,501,525 CEB PREF 41.2 42.5 41.1 42 41.1 42 5,100 214,110 98.1 101 101 101 96 101 25,070 2,427,870 CPG PREF A DD PREF 97.5 99.5 99.5 99.5 97.5 98 1,170 114,350 EEI PREF B 103.7 107 107 107 107 107 1,000 107,000 FGEN PREF G 100.4 104.7 100.4 100.4 100.4 100.4 120 12,048 GTCAP PREF A 995 1,009 1,009 1,010 1,009 1,010 720 727,150 PNX PREF 3B 99.2 101 101 101 99 101 77,480 7,683,660 973 980 973 973 973 973 30 29,190 PNX PREF 4 PCOR PREF 3A 1,046 1,051 1,047 1,051 1,047 1,051 10,605 11,118,655 PCOR PREF 3B 1,062 1,080 1,065 1,065 1,065 1,065 50 53,250 SFI PREF 1.5 1.96 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1,000 1,500 SMC PREF 2H 75.2 76.2 75.2 76 75.2 76 10,550 801,751 76.05 78.45 76.5 76.5 76.5 76.5 68,000 5,202,000 SMC PREF 2I SMC PREF 2J 74.25 75.5 75.8 75.8 75.8 75.8 530 40,174 TECH PREF B2D 54.5 56.5 54.5 54.5 54.5 54.5 17,500 953,750

PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR 8.23 9 9 9 9 9 135,000 1,215,000 GMA HLDG PDR 11.24 11.66 11.24 11.24 11.24 11.24 116,200 1,306,088

WARRANTS TECH WARRANT 0.485 0.49 0.5 0.5 0.485 0.485 70,000 34,150

6,404,170 24,317,310 2,248,490 297,578 182,000 -5,740 -368,000 -777,959 -1,311,788 -31,934,560 -4,455,000 -18,383,281 -139,777,690 -31,628,895 -193,010 -111,313,040 -99,750 36,666 186,660 -141,155.00 -68,130 -118,954 -52,378 -5,062,780 136,570 -600,548 32,000 -2,598,005 -625,958 -108,846,590 -123,090 -21,221,320 -24,532,980 429,000 -4,583,622 320,430 5,189,060 46,409,394 9,979 160,650 -16,800 -557,308 -40,800 -395,000 -1,731,365 31,750 -50 -2,624,750 -468,900 1,606,240 832,940 -6,100,745 -5,800 62,050 -1,234,840.00 -452,107 -44,823 1,620,700 1,073,650 876,461 -31,700 -12,687,020 -389,236 103,400 577,800 -11,240 -

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES CTS GLOBAL HAUS TALK ITALPINAS MERRYMART XURPAS

0.92 0.97 0.73 1.31 0.295

0.93 0.99 0.74 1.32 0.32

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS FIRST METRO ETF

96.6

96.7

0.91 0.97 0.75 1.27 0.32

0.96 0.99 0.75 1.34 0.32

0.91 0.97 0.72 1.26 0.32

0.93 0.97 0.72 1.29 0.32

17,663,000 35,000 70,000 1,720,000 80,000

16,548,580 34,050 51,490 2,230,360 25,600

-465,050 5,100 -

97 97 95.5 95.5 31,610 3,045,493 232,179

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Banking&Finance

Only 1/3 of young Pinoys polled have credit access

By Bianca Cuaresma @BcuaresmaBM

O

NLY about a third of young Filipinos said they have enough access to local credit and lending programs, a recent survey showed.

In its recently published report, TransUnion Information Solutions Inc. said albeit 94 percent of the socalled “Gen Z” Filipinos believe that access to credit and lending products is important to achieve financial goals, only 35 percent of them report having sufficient access.

“Generation Z” are people born between 1995 and 2004 and comprise a quarter of the world’s population. For the Philippines, about 40 percent of the population is considered members of “Gen Z.” According to TransUnion’s survey from February this year, exactly half of Gen Z consumers plan to apply for new or refinance existing credit in the next year. In particular, 47 percent plan on applying for a new personal loan. About 37 percent, meanwhile, are looking to get a new

mortgage, home loan or bond payment. 35 percent are looking to apply for a new credit card.

“This reflects an opportunity that credit providers can address.

Access to credit is an important step in everyone’s financial journey,” TransUnion’s report read. “In the long-term, effective access to credit helps build loyalty, improve financial inclusion in the country and can act as a catalyst for economic growth.”

The study also found that Gen Zs in the Philippines said they spent their money from November last year to February this year on adding or expanding digital services and adding to their subscriptions/ memberships.

In addition, 30 percent of young Filipinos also stated they increased their discretionary spending like dining out, travel and entertainment, while 28 percent said they have cut back on this spending.

“These shifts are, in part, due to the ongoing global Covid-19 pandemic but are also a reflection of the needs of this increasingly financially active generation,” the firm’s report read.

POWER DEAL This Tuesday, June 21, 2022, photo shows (from left, front): AC Energy Corp.

President and CEO John Eric T. Francia; ACEN Executive Director and Head of Commercial Operations Roman Miguel G. de Jesus; and, ACEN Assistant Vice President of Commercial Operations Sheila C. Mina. They are joined by Bank of the Philippine Islands executives (from right, back row): Sustainability Officer Nathaniel Barretto, Head of Technical Services Melissa Tangcora, and Head of Supply Chain Management Ma. Kathleen Aquino. The agreement between BPI and ACEN marks the 100-percent power supply transition from coal to renewable energy of BPI Buendia Center, one of the bank’s high-rise buildings located in Makati. The partnership between the two Ayala-led companies brings the country one step closer to the Philippines’ greenhouse gas emission reduction commitment as part of the Paris Climate Agreement. Photo courtesy OF Bank of the Philippine Islands

‘7 in 10 phishing attempts in PHL are finance-related’

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes @brownindio

C

YBERSECURITY provider Kaspersky Lab said that data voluntarily provided by their customers showed that seven in 10 phishing attempts targeted finance-related transactions in the Philippines from February to April this year.

At 68.95 percent, this is the highest percentage of phishing attempts in Southeast Asia, the cybersecurity provider said.

The cybersecurity company said it detected and blocked phishing attacks against three financial categories namely, banks, e-commerce stores and payment systems.

Statistics from Kaspersky Security Network (KSN) revealed that phishing attempts in the Philippines is higher than in Indonesia (65.90 percent), Singapore (55.67 percent), Thailand (55.63 percent), Malaysia (50.58 percent) and Vietnam (36.12 percent).

In all three finance categories during the same 3-month period, Kaspersky data showed that there were one in two (58.50 percent) phishing attempts against payment systems in the Philippines such as credit cards, debit cards and mobile payment apps or e-wallets.

Deterministic component

ON the other hand, the same data also showed that phishing attempts in local banks was the lowest in the region at only 2.17 percent, while phishing attempts versus e-commerce shops in the country was the second-lowest among Southeast Asia countries at 8.28 percent.

The percentages are from the data based on the triggering of the deterministic component in Kaspersky’s anti-phishing system on user computers.

The component detects all pages with phishing content that the user has tried to open by following a link in an e-mail message or on the web, as long as links to these pages are present in the Kaspersky database.

“Alongside the increased adoption in digital transactions here in Southeast Asia, we also see the rise of ‘super apps’ in the region,” Kaspersky General Manager for Southeast Asia Yeo Siang Tiong was quoted in a statement as saying. “These are the mobile applications that combine all popular monetary functions including e-banking, mobile wallets, online shopping, insurance, travel bookings and even investments.”

“Putting our data and digital money in one basket can trigger an aftermath snowball, with the impact of a phishing attack swelling at an unforeseeable rate,” Yeo Siang added.

“Super apps” are traditional banks and service providers’ way of standing out in a rather crowded industry. As they try to work with third parties and incorporate their services into a single mobile app, the attack surface expands, opening up more doors to a malicious exploit.

Phishing and emotions

PHISHING has remained to be the most effective trick on cybercriminals’ sleeves. It is a known way to crack into a user’s—or even a company’s—network by playing on a user’s emotions.

A possible scenario is given that one app has all the financial details of a user, a simple phishing link asking for the user’s credentials can compromise all the data available in the app. This magnifies the possible damaging effects of this threat.

“It is known that cybercriminals follow the money trail, so it is important for banks, app developers and service providers to integrate cybersecurity from the beginning of application development,” Yeo Siang added. “We expect hackers to target the rising ‘super apps,’ both its infrastructure and its users through social engineering attacks.”

While security systems are in place in most financial companies to protect customers from falling victim to suspicious activities, it is true that prevention is better than cure; much more can be proactively done at both the individual and bank level.

BusinessMirror

Editor: Dennis D. Estopace • Thursday, June 23, 2022

B3

EXCLUSIVE

Low tariff for contraceptives urged as peso remains weak

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By Cai U. Ordinario

Duties, VAT

@caiordinario

HE Commission on Population and Development (Popcom) will recommend the reduction in tariffs for modern contraceptives as the peso continues to depreciate against the dollar.

Popcom Executive Director and Undersecretary Juan Antonio A. Perez III told the BusinessMirror that all of the country’s modern contraceptives are sourced from other countries.

Perez said the depreciation of the peso could make contraceptives more expensive for the Philippines. This, he feared, would lead to “under-procurement” of these products, which could undermine programs to prevent unintended, as well as teenage, pregnancies.

“All of the modern artificial contraceptives are sourced from outside the country and the peso-dollar exchange rate, coupled with inflation, could lead to under-procurement relative to the needs of the program and resulting in more unintended and/or unplanned pregnancies,” Perez told the BusinessMirror.

He added officials of PopComm, the National Economic and Development Authority and the Tariff Commission would sit down and discuss “the possibility of expanding the current program to reduce tariffs on contraceptives in the interest of the FP [family planning] users in the country.”

Based on the “Harmonized Tariff Nomenclature 2017” of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), chemical contraceptive preparations—which include contraceptive pills—and sheath contraceptives—which includes condoms—are slapped with a 3-percent tariff.

However, under the Asean Trade in Goods Agreement, these contraceptive products have zero tariffs.

This means, no duty is charged when importing these products.

DATA from the Bureau of Customs last May showed the dutiable value of these imports reached $1.494 million. Using a foreign exchange rate of around P52 to the dollar, based on BOC computations, these shipments were equivalent to P78.148 million.

The total duties and value-added tax paid to import these contraceptives amounted to P9.665 million.

All these shipments were not charged any duties under the Asean-India Free Trade Area, Asean-China Free Trade Area and the Asean Free Trade Area.

However, two shipments involving Marvelon pills and Mirena IUDs (intrauterine devices) were charged tariffs worth P234,003.75. Total VAT paid for all shipments, including pills and IUDs, reached P9.431 million.

Based on the “Annual Report on the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012” released last year, the decrease in contraceptive use of about 1 and 3 percentage points could lead to an additional 47,000 to 359,000 unintended pregnancies in 2021 to the 2.1 million baseline of unintended pregnancies in 2020.

This will also lead to 11,000 to 84,000 unsafe abortions to the baseline of 496,000 unsafe abortions as well as 30 to 200 additional maternal deaths to the baseline of 2,300 maternal mortalities.

Baby boom

CITING a study conducted by the University of the Philippines Population Institute and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Popcom said projections showed that around 600,000 Filipino women would not have access to contraceptives available in public health clinics and hospitals as a result of lockdowns.

“This situation may lead to a baby boom where nearly 2 million newborns are expected to be born in 2021 as a result of the additional 250,000 babies caused by movement restrictions from all over the country,” the report stated.

The UNFPA’s “2022 State of the World Population report,” more than half (51 percent) of pregnancies in the Philippines are unintended.

The Philippines ranked 56th among 150 countries in terms of the annual number of unintended pregnancies at 71 per 1,000 women.

However, Perez said that during the lockdown period, the country was able to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies. This was mainly due to the reduction in the number of births.

Perez estimated that the country was able to avert 200,000 unintended pregnancies from happening. He attributed this to the efforts of local government units, especially health workers who were willing to provide services amid the lockdowns.

Firms could soon pay fees to BIR via SEC online portal

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N a bid to make business registrations easier and more convenient, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said it would soon allow its online payment tool to accept registration fee payments to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

The commission is eyeing to further enhance the online payment feature of its Electronic Simplified Processing of Application for Registration of Company (eSPARC) in the third quarter of this year to facilitate one-time payment of both SEC and BIR registration fees.

Launched in April last year, the eSPARC already allows online pay-

ment of SEC fees.

SEC Commissioner Javey Paul D. Francisco said during a recent Department of Finance (DOF) Executive Committee meeting that the SEC has already processed 25,685 online applications for business registrations since the start of the year until May 15. This brings the total number of applications processed through eSPARC to 69,350 since the digital tool was first launched in the second quarter of 2021.

The SEC and other DOF-attached agencies were ordered to fast-track digitalization programs to ensure continued delivery of services to the public even after the government

Insurer notes tech’s key role in staying resilient

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XECUTIVES of the Manufacturers Life Insurance Co. (Manulife Philippines) said technology played a key role in enabling it to withstand the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Technology remains a key driver in the financial sector including the insurance industry,” Manulife Philippines Chief Legal and Compliance Officer Fritzie T. Fabricante told the BusinessMirror.

Fabricante said the insurer has been on a “proactive mode” as far as digitalization is concerned.

She explained the firm had already done some digital innovations even before the pandemic hit the country in 2020. However, the company had to fast track because of the pandemic. She said the company had to implement steps such as non face-to-face selling.

“At the same time, we had to ensure our policies are aligned with the regulations of the Philippines insurance industry primarily to address the needs of the client,” Fabricante said.

“At the same time, Manulife made sure to protect the client’s data and information, guard cybersecurity breaches and comply with the new

regulations,” she added.

At the same time, Fabricante said the company has to maintain regulatory compliance. She said the leaders of the legal teams, general counsels and chief compliance officers regularly meet to fine-tune business plans.

Fabricante commended the Insurance Commission for helping the insurance associations and companies to come up with the regulations that are suited for the times. She added that the constant meetings between the regulator and the industry players enabled them to review the existing processes and able to address the need for digital transformation and digital innovations.

She considered the transition for Manulife as “fast” as it was able to work with the different units to determine the company’s and the clients’ needs during the pandemic.

Fabricante emphasized that reskilling and re-tooling are very important to remain relevant in the current business environment.

“We don’t need the pandemic to pursue and implement these initiatives because it is embedded in the Manulife system,” Fabricante said.

Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

ordered businesses to temporarily stop operations.

The fastest time recorded for processing an eSPARC application after the payment of the registration fee has been made was 74 seconds while the longest time was 157 minutes, according to SEC Chairman Emilio B. Aquino.

Applications of companies applying for registrations only require minimal online data encoding since most of the company information is already pre-filed under One-day Submission and E-registration of Companies (OneSEC), a subsystem of eSPARC. In March last year, the SEC also

launched its Electronic System for Payments to SEC (eSPAYSEC) to facilitate the payment of registration charges, penalties, and other transaction fees with the SEC online using debit and credit cards, digital wallets, and other cashless payment options.

Aside from this, the SEC also launched the Electronic Filing and Submission System (eFAST) which allows companies to submit the Audited Financial Statement, General Information Sheet, Sworn Statement for Foundations, General Form for Financial Statements, Special Form for Financial Statement, and other reportorial requirements.

Bernadette D. Nicolas

Online lender tapped for Palafox’s pay credit

By Roderick L. Abad

@rodrik_28

Contributor

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UICK Loans Online (QLO), the online lending platform operated by Mr. Angel Credit Corp. (Macc), would be used by Palafox Associates Inc. (PAI) to provide salary credits to the latter’s employees, according to PAI. Given the increasing number of the unbanked and the underserved portions of the country’s population, majority of Filipinos do not have sufficient savings, according to Palafox General Manager Rubiliza Mendoza.

“Circumstances when employees have sudden cash requirements can occur anytime, especially during these times,” Mendoza added.

In need of money, they lack or don’t have resources at all, nor have access to salary loan programs through banks or traditional online credit providers, she said.

“Through QLO, we offer our employees another kind of protection,” Mendoza said. “They don’t have to worry about loan access

when they need it.”

QLO’s salary loans are hasslefree, she added. Sans paperwork, employees can easily apply for a loan online through a mobile application. Apart from immediacy, they can expect almost 100-percent approval of their loans.

Palafox itself also benefits with this partnership since it doesn’t have to allocate more money to lend to its workers as they are fully funded by QLO and are payable through convenience of salary deduction, according to Mendoza.

The lender has a number of stipend loan offerings with different payment terms ranging from three to 12 months. This is a boost to the employees’ morale as they are given more freedom and flexibility to better manage their finances especially when emergencies arise.

“We believe this can have a positive impact on their welfare and satisfaction,” Mendoza said.

Macc is one of several online lenders recorded by the Securities and Exchange Commission with registration number CS201424334.

Envoys&Expats BusinessMirror

B4 Thursday, June 23, 2022

Donor-embassies introduce new projects for ex-MILF troops’ societal reintegration

By Manuel T. Cayon

D

Mindanao Bureau Chief

AVAO CITY—The United Nations (UN), European Union (EU) and Australia have pooled new resources to fund major social projects for former Mindanao-based combatants, including their families and communities.

Ambassadors Luc Véron of the EU Delegation in the Philippines and Steven Robinson of Australia, together with UN Resident Coordinator Gustavo Gonzalez launched on June 15 two projects designed in partnership with the Office of Presidential Adviser of Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) and the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA). These, they averred, will aid former combatants’ reintegration process into mainstream society.

Said initiatives would cover the communities in and around the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s (MILF) Camp Bilal in the two Lanao provinces, Camp Bushra in Lanao del Sur, Camp Rajamuda in North Cotabato, as well as Camp Badre, Camp Omar, Camp Abubakar all in Maguindanao.

The Access to Legal Identity and Social Services for Decommissioned Combatants (ALIAS-DC) project will support former combatants as they revert into civilian life by giving them legal identities. It will provide birth registration for 31,000 former combatants of the Moro

Islamic Liberation Front, their families, the Bangsamoro Islamic Women’s Brigade, and members of communities around MILF camps from marginalized sectors such as internally displaced persons and indigenous people.

Legal identity will accord individuals with certificates of live births, as former MILF combatants and their families will be able to cross checkpoints freely. They will also be able to access basic services and social protection. Nongovernment organization IDEALS will carry out this initiative forward to 2023 with funding of P62.41 million from the EU, and P18.1 million from Australia.

On the other hand, the Programme on Assistance for Camp Transformation through Inclusion, Violence Prevention and Economic Empowerment (PROACTIVE), will promote economic income and sustainable livelihoods, community resilience and security for two years.

PROACTIVE will work with commanders to create viable livelihoods in previously armed camps by sup-

porting the formation of social enterprises, offering individual agricultural and nonagricultural livelihood training sessions, assistance packages, as well as improving access to basic services and social infrastructure.

The project will also work to transform conf lict and create a culture of peace by enhancing the capacities and participation of local stakeholders such as women, youth, and faith-based leaders in community development and peacebuilding. Implemented by the UN Development Programme or UNDP, the project is jointly funded by the EU for P221 million.

After decades of conflict, obtaining a legal identity through birth certificate is a first step for former combatants in their re-engagement into society. As affirmed by the EU delegation, access to peace dividends also involves recreating viable livelihoods in previously armed camps. Achieving these goals of normalization requires strong ties among all stakeholders.

“Peace and development must walk hand-in-hand… Today we celebrate another milestone in this complex but rewarding journey,” said Gonzalez. “[The UN is] proud of being part of this collective investment jointly with the BTA, OPAPRU and our…development partners Australia and the EU.” “The EU is here to support the work of the Bangsamoro Transitional Government and the OPAPRU to further consolidate the peace process,” confirmed Véron. “[We have] been a staunch and long-standing supporter of the peace efforts in Mindanao: with the projects we [launched since 2020,

we have invested over €105 million, or some P9 billion] in projects covering… development and capacity-building for the transition.”

The EU envoy added: “We are happy to be partnering with Australia and the UN on normalization, since enhancing the normalization track— allowing for all the people engaged in the conflict to lead peaceful and productive lives without leaving anyone behind—is crucial to build lasting peace.”

Robinson remarked that Australia is a long-time supporter of Mindanao’s peace process, particularly in normalization. “I’m glad…we are helping provide… foundational assistance to former combatants. Identity documents are something that many of us take for granted; but if you lack these, you can find yourself locked out of education, health, work, and wider opportunities to participate in society. I hope these documents will help kick-start the process to transform these camps into peaceful communities.”

In his more than three-and-a-half years in the Philippines, the Australian ambassador shared that he has been fortunate to work closely with the government of the Philippines on the peace process, particularly Presidential Advisor on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Carlito Galvez Jr.: “I believe [the global community’s support is essential to the peace process here, as] no country can do this all on its own. I’m also proud that we are working on this together with the EU and the UN… I look forward to seeing more work that our collaboration will support in the future.”

‘Tastefully done:’ PHL chancery in the Netherlands renovated

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HE HAGUE—The newly renovated chancery of the Philippine Embassy in this Netherlands’ city was inaugurated on June 7 in ceremonies immediately preceding the embassy’s hosting of the Philippine Independence Day reception for members of the diplomatic corps, Dutch government officials, business owners and Filipino-Dutch community leaders.

“Through this long-sought renovation, we have infused this heritage building with a fresh lease on life to continue with its legacy of being the center by which we further strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between the Philippines and the Netherlands,” said Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya at the special ceremony.

“This chancery will also [be] for Filipinos in the Netherlands the equivalent of their municipio or municipal hall, which we hope they can be proud of,” he added.

The three-tiered edifice with a basement was originally constructed between 1871 and 1872. It is classified as a heritage building under The Hague’s Monument Registry. The renovation was its first extensive one since the Philippine government acquired the property in 1968 during the term of former envoy Delfin Garcia.

CBRE Chief Operating Officer Irene Flotman (from left); Bishop Johannes Hendriks of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Haarlem-Amsterdam who also conducted the blessing of the building; Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya; and Director Dominique Kuhling, chief of protocol of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs lead the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The renovated chancery building features a large reception hall on the ground floor, which has a 60-person sitting capacity. It is an ideal venue for meetings and conferences; trade,

tourism and art exhibits; as well as for cultural shows. The consular section has been restructured and enlarged to make the embassy’s consular operations and services more convenient

for the public.

“We wish to convey our deep appreciation to Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. for approving the funding of the renovation project, and to Assistant Secretary for Asset Management Medardo Macaraig for his encouragement and guidance,” Malaya noted.

“Tastefully done” was the general sentiment of those who graced the event, according to embassy officials.

Funding for the project, they said, was made possible via the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Building Fund, as administered by the DFA Properties Committee.

“Congratu lations, A mbassador Malaya on the festive reopening of your beautifully renovated chancery!” tweeted Max Valstar, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ South and Southeast Asia and Oceania division head, who witnessed the occasion.

Malaya also commended Consul Marianne Bringas, Administrative Officer Marife Guibone, and other members of the renovation committee whose hard work and tireless efforts brought the endeavor into fruition, and expressed appreciation to the Hague City government’s Monumentenzorg or the Foundation for Historic Preservation, and CBRE for their productive collaboration on the project.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Embassies release ‘Philippines Matters for America...’ publication

ASSISTANT Secretary Jose Victor Chan-Gonzaga (from left), Chargé d’Affaires ad interim Heather Variava and Undersecretary Cardozo Luna. US EMBASSY

AMBASSADOR Jose Manuel Romualdez WASHINGTON, D.C. PE

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ELEBRATING 75 years of bilateral relations, the East-West Center (EWC) launched on June 15 the Philippines Matters for America/ America Matters for the Philippines publication and web site in Washington, D.C. on June 13, and in Manila.

Produced by EWC with support from the United States Embassy in the Philippines, the infographics-based publication and accompanying data visualizations highlight the deep historical and contemporar y significance of the linkages between the two countries, featuring analyses of economic, diplomatic and cultural ties at the national, state, and local levels.

EWC President Suzanne Vares-Lum noted that the statistics on business, diplomacy, security, education and tourism “paint a picture of the positive impact of the US-Philippine relationship.”

EWC Vice President Satu Limaye added that it also showed “the range and depth of [their] connections and cooperation.”

“Although the challenges are different than they were 75 years ago, our countries are still working side by side,” US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires ad interim Heather Variava said. “We firmly stand united with the Philippines, and as

we mark the culmination of the 75th anniversary of our diplomatic relationship, the story of our cooperation as friends, partners, and allies makes us extremely proud.”

Over in the US capital, Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez said that, undoubtedly, the Philippines matters for the US, and vice versa. He added that the relationship between the two “has definitely stood the test of time, and remains relevant amid new and emerging challenges.”

“As President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. told Deputy Secretar y of State Wendy Sherman when they met in Manila recently, the Philippines’s partnership with the US ‘is not just a memory, but a part of us,’” said Romualdez. “This is true not only in terms of our government-togovernment relations, but in the close ties between our two peoples. This publication best encapsulates the result of 75 long years of [ties] in many areas.”

The web version is accessible via https://asiamattersforamerica.org /philippines/ publications.

The launch event was held alongside the diplomatic reception hosted by the embassy to mark the 124th anniversary of the Philippine Independence declaration.

Embassy celebrates 73rd year of PHL-Thailand two-way ties

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ANGKOK—The Philippine Embassy in this capital city joined the peoples and governments of the Philippines and Thailand in celebrating the 73rd anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Friendship between both countries on June 14, which marked the formal establishment of diplomatic relations between them.

Si nce 2021 t he e mb a s s y h a s marked the milestone with an annual bloodletting, in response to the call of the Thai Red Cross Society for lifegiving blood donations, especially in light of the ongoing pandemic. June 14 also happened to be World Blood

Donor Day. This year Ambassador Millicent Cruz-Paredes invited the Filipino

community in Thailand to join the annual blood drive as a meaningful a nd person a l way to stand in solidarity and f r i e n d s h i p w it h t h e Thai people.

In her message to the Filipino community on the occasion of the 124th year of the Declaration of Philippine Independence on June 12, Pa redes sa id t he blood donation would be their humble gesture of amity from the Filipino community, then

requested members of the Philippine Embassy to be among the first to take part.

Paredes personally led the embassy’s blood drive on June 10 by donating at the Thai Red Cross Blood Donation Center at Bangkok ’s Emporium mall.

Since 1949 the two countries have signed 54 bilateral agreements and conducted a series of high-level exchange of visits—including the official visits to the Philippines of Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in 2015, and Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in 2019.

IRISH ENVOY CALLS ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS USEC Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro met with Ambassador of Ireland William Carlos on June 15 at the Department of Foreign Affairs Headquarters. Lazaro noted the close relations between Ireland and the Philippines, while Carlos praised the warmth and friendliness of Filipinos as he acknowledged the vital role they play as health-care workers in helping Ireland cope with the pandemic.

They discussed opportunities to further trade and cooperation in the fields of education, culture, agriculture and maritime. Both sides agreed to work toward further cultivating the growing relationship between their nations.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Parentlife BusinessMirror

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Thursday, June 23, 2022

B5

At last, Covid-19 shots for little kids—5 essential reads

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BY AMANDA MASCARELLI The Conversation

OR many parents of kids under age 5, a safe and effective Covid-19 vaccine could not come soon enough. A full year and a half after shots first became available for adults, their wait is nearly over. On June 17, 2022, the Food and Drug Administration authorized both the PfizerBioNTech and Moderna Covid-19 shots for the nearly 20 million US children between the ages of six months and four years. The widely anticipated decision follows a unanimous recommendation in favor of the shots by the FDA’s independent advisory panel.

The remaining critical step is for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to sign off on the shots, which is expected to take place within days.

The following collection of articles from The Conversation’s archives traces the winding path of the development of Covid-19 vaccines for the youngest children, from the early days of clinical trials to the practical challenges of how to help kids overcome their fears and anxieties over getting a shot.

1. ‘KIDS AREN’T JUST LITTLER ADULTS’: As the Delta variant raged across the country in the summer of 2021, parents of kids under age 12 were anxiously awaiting the availability of a safe and effective Covid-19 shot for that age group. The FDA’s authorization for ages five to 11 finally came in October 2021. But that still left the preschool and younger kids waiting for their own version of the vaccine.

In July 2021, Judy Martin, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences, helped pull back the curtain for our readers on the often mysterious and slow-going clinical research studies that must take place before vaccines are authorized for children. Martin explained how the developing brains, bodies and immune systems of infants and young children differ from those of older children, and how that is taken into account during vaccine development, clinical trials and safety assessment.

2. SO YOU GET A SHOT, THEN WHAT?: The Covid-19 pandemic has turned a lot of once-obscure biology terms such as mRNA, spike proteins and “waning antibodies” into household words. Yet for all the talk of vaccines and immunology, few people have a deep understanding of just what exactly happens once a vaccine is injected into the body.

One curious 12-year-old posed that very question to The Conversation: “How does a Covid-19 vaccine work in the body?” So we asked Glenn J. Rapsinski, a pediatric infectious diseases expert at the University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences, to tackle that question for our Curious Kids series—at a level that young kids and adults alike can appreciate. When the body encounters the molecules in a Covid-19 vaccine— which mimics the SARS-CoV-2 virus—it activates an intricate and coordinated set of cells and processes.

It’s a lot like an elaborate construction zone. Some of these cells alert the body to the invader and recruit helpers, flagging the invader with signals akin to “flashing neon yellow signs.”

BIG bricks for small hands: LEGO Duplo’s Wild Animals of Asia.

were safe and effective.

5. HELPING KIDS OVERCOME FEAR OF SHOTS: While the wait for Covid-19 vaccines for young children has undoubtedly been excruciating for some parents, so might be their conversations with children who have serious anxiety over getting a shot. Lynn Gardner, an associate professor of pediatrics at Morehouse School of Medicine and a primary care pediatrician, has helped thousands of parents and their children cope with the very real fears that can surface in the doctor’s office.

Gardner wrote about what she calls the “Three P’s”—preparation, proximity and praise—that parents and caregivers can use to lessen their children’s anxiety around shots and help them have a more positive experience. “It is essential that you ask your child how they are feeling about receiving a shot,” she explained. “Giving them the opportunity to express their feelings can decrease the amount of stress and anxiety they feel about it. Validate their feelings by telling them you know needles can be a bit scary, but then reassure them that they can handle it. Explain why they’re receiving vaccines and emphasize it is for their overall good.” ■

“As all of these important processes are happening inside your body, you might see some physical signs that there’s a struggle going on underneath the skin,” Rapsinski explained. “If your arm gets sore after you get the shot, it’s because immune cells like the dendritic cells, T-cells and B-cells are racing to the arm to inspect the threat.”

3. TRAINING THE IMMUNE SYSTEM: As clinical trials of Covid-19 shots for children under age five crawled along in early 2022, the Omicron variant gained a firm foothold in the US. While serious cases of Covid-19 remain relatively rare in children, hospitalizations in kids under five increased dramatically due to the heightened transmissibility of Omicron, highlighting the urgent need for a safe vaccine in that age group.

Debbie-Ann Shirley, a pediatrician specializing in infectious diseases at the University of Virginia, wrote in March 2022 about the painstaking process of performing clinical trials sequentially for each descending age group.

“Several factors determine how our bodies respond to vaccines, and one of these variables is age,” Shirley explained. “Testing by age groups helps to account

for these differences in how the maturing immune system responds to different types of vaccines. It is common for childhood vaccines to be given in series to help train the young immune response to make better and stronger antibody responses with each subsequent dose.”

4. THE INEVITABLE BOOSTER SHOT QUESTION: In the fall of 2021, a mounting body of data from adults and adolescents found that immunity from Covid-19 vaccines and infections was waning over time, suggesting that booster shots would be needed—especially in the face of Omicron. The same trends proved true for the 5 to 11 age group, though vaccination continued to provide strong protection against severe Covid-19 that leads to hospitalization.

So in May 2022, the CDC recommended a booster dose for five- to 11-year-olds.

Covid-19 shots for infants and preschoolers are expected to follow a similar trajectory; Pfizer’s Covid-19 shots for kids under age 5 are intended to be a three-dose series. Moderna’s testing of the third dose is still underway. In May 2022, Shirley provided a snapshot of those studies and explained how researchers were determining that the third shots

LEARN the ABCs with LEGO Duplo’s Alphabet Truck designed for younger kids.

LEGO celebrates 90th anniversary EXPLORE the world of playful learning and building fun as LEGO celebrates its 90th anniversary this year with great finds at Toy Kingdom (www.toykingdom.com.ph) for kids and kids at heart.

Highlighting the celebration is an exhibit at SM Megamall’s Event Center, where kids can have fun building with blocks and bricks, have their photos taken with larger-than-life LEGO and shopping for their favorite LEGO sets.

The LEGO Group was founded in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen in Denmark, a Danish carpenter who aimed to inspire children to “play well”—as its name implies—and think creatively. In 1949, LEGO began manufacturing the interlocking toy bricks, which were launched in its present format in 1958. These building blocks with interlocking tubes can be assembled and connected in many ways to construct objects, including vehicles, buildings, and working robots.

As of 2021, LEGO was the largest toy company in the world. It has been inspiring millions of children to play and

build their imagination and ideas into a brighter future and reality. Movies, games, competitions, and eight Legoland amusement parks have been built another the brand. As of July 2015, 600 billion LEGO parts had been produced.

LEGO collectibles at Toy Kingdom include the timeless and colorful Classic collection; the big Duplo sets for small hands; and the Creator sets with specialized bricks to create buildings, creatures, vehicles and robots.

Younger kids can get their imagination going with LEGO Technic, which is designed for kids ages 8 to 16; and the adorable LEGO and Friends collections for girls with detailed and realistic cute mini-doll figures to play with.

Let a wealth of creative ideas emerge through play with LEGO City, building sets that are based on city life like airports, trains, construction and civilian services; LEGO Stuntz, which children can unleash their daredevil side with their very own stunt bikes and cars; and the cool LEGO Ninjago with building kits and epic battle sets.

LET a wealth of creative ideas emerge through play with LEGO City collections.

CREATE anything you can imagine with these huge LEGO Classic bricks sets with original classic pieces.

CEBU PACIFIC, PUBG MOBILE LAUNCH HISTORIC IBONG ADARNA-THEMED FLIGHT

JUST recently, Cebu Pacific Air, the country’s leading airline, operated a mobile game-themed flight to introduce Tencent Games’ PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) Mobile’s newest IP, Phoenix Adarna. An airport and in-flight experience featuring Adarna-inspired costumes, trivia games and merchandise giveaways made the flight the first-of-its-kind in Southeast Asian aviation history.

PUBG Mobile players will embark on a series of heroic missions inspired by the Philippine mythological bird Adarna, the fabled creature that heals all ailments. Players must complete missions within a time limit to unlock rewards or purchase in-game currency to become invincible like Adarna, and dress themselves in eye-catching items such as Agent Phoenix Set backpacks, a frame, parachute, even acquire a buggy. The flight replicates the adventure a hero undergoes in search of this famed fowl.

“We are excited to create this one-of-a-kind experience for our passengers and the PUBG Mobile gaming community. As a proudly Filipino carrier, we continue to look for fun ways to promote Philippine culture and tourism. We anticipated this to be the first of several collaborations with industry partners such as Tencent Games,” said Candice Iyog, CEB vice president for marketing and customer experience.

Benj Dalmacio, senior business development manager for PUBG Mobile Philippines echoes this excitement for this first-of-its-kind collaboration in the Philippines and Southeast Asia: “In PUBG Mobile, we continue to make the game relevant to our target audience: young adults. The Ibong Adarna, our country’s very own phoenix, symbolizes hope and rebirth, and holds a significant place in Philippine literature. We are proud for our platform to become a place of appreciation and learning of Filipino culture as well as helping in promoting the Philippine tourism industry. We are honored to partner with the country’s leading airline as they recognize the growing gaming community and live up to their fun brand.”

PUBG Mobile will blast a special seat sale exclusively communicated to the Filipino gaming community and raffle free domestic and international round-trip flights, courtesy of Cebu Pacific, in various community events throughout June. Phoenix Adarna items, with its bright plumage, will be available for PUBG Mobile gamers until June 30.

Aside from Cebu, tourist destination favorite Boracay will be the venue of offline events, with the appearance of a pop-up gaming truck for a battle royale game with top PUBG Mobile players and meet-and-greets. The island will also become the nesting place of Phoenix Adarna, with tourists spotting from afar tour boats, parasails, giant sandcastles, beach flags, kayaks, and gliders bearing the theme.

CEB continues to offer its guaranteed low fares to stimulate travel across its widest domestic network, with multiple flights to top Philippine destinations, such as Boracay and Cebu both operating 16x daily from Manila. It continues to implement a multi-layered approach to safety, while it operates with a 100 percent fully vaccinated crew, 95 percent of whom have been boosted—all to ensure every consumer flies safely and conveniently on Cebu Pacific. More information is available at www.cebupacificair.com.

Phoenix Adarna items, with its bright plumage, will be available for PUBG Mobile gamers until June 30.

PHOTO BY CDC ON UNSPLASH

B6 Thursday, June 23, 2022

Converge Business poised to take on the world

Boutique real estate firm boldly launches 1 Unit, 1 Floor concept

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UNE 2022 - New real estate company Mosaic Realty and Development Corporation (MRDC) builds its maiden project, The Silhouette, at the heart of San Juan City.

The 19-storey residential landmark located at Luna Mencias St, San Juan City, is a tranquil setting in the heart of a residential enclave just a stone’s throw away from a wide range of essentials and commercial establishments. An ideal point for those who are building families in close proximity to essential amenities.

Unlike big real estate companies, MRDC has an in-depth understanding of what exclusive and premium mean to the new generation. Priding themselves as a boutique property developer, Jillian Sze, CEO and co-founder of MRDC, notes that their company is composed of young, innovative talent that have been exposed to new information and new experiences that make them distinctly well-equipped to cater to a market that mirrors their experiences and lifestyles.

Yet, they are no less driven than their seasoned competitors.

As they make their way into the real estate scene, Ms. Sze says, “A boutique developer at the end of the day goes for quality over quantity. For a property developer like us, there’s this certain

lifestyle of exclusivity that sets our target audience apart.” Truly, The Silhouette offers bespoke features that residents can appreciate.

Future homeowners would take pleasure in MRDC’s 1 unit, 1 floor concept that provides these unique features: Each floor has a total area of 270+ sqm that is exclusive to each unit owner and where one can enjoy a 360-degree view of the city while inside the premium space. There are also 2 - 3 parking slots for vehicle/s which adds mobility through traffic in the Metro as well as 2 elevators with a unique discreet service to each unit. To keep

up with the discerning owner's active lifestyle, The Silhouette also features 2 floors of amenities for leisure and recreation, spacious function rooms, and various lounges. All these amenities plus a luxurious lobby area designed to please the senses and welcome the owner into their exclusive abode.

For more information about Mosaic Realty & Development Corporation and The Silhouette, follow their social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram or call 09173070371. You can also email mosaicrealty2021@gmail.com or visit their website www.mosaicrealtydevcorp.com

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ISTED fiber internet provider Converge ICT Solutions, Inc. is stepping up into the international stage. Just last month, the company attended the International Telecoms Week (ITW) where Chief Operations Officer of Converge, Jesus C. Romero sat with a panel of speakers and discussed the current situation of fiber internet and shared insights on how fiber connectivity solutions can shape the world in the coming years.

The company was also in the recently concluded CommunicAsia, an information and communications technology exhibition and conference held every year in Singapore, showcasing their enterprise-level solutions.

“It’s part of our commitment to bring better fiber solutions to the Philippines,” Romero explains. “We want to make connections with markets not just in our country, but around the globe, so we can improve our infrastructure. This further expansion outside of the Philippines, partnering with global enterprises and international markets, will help us reach out to and provide the unserved and the underserved with fast, reliable, and affordable internet solutions.”

Converge recently laid down over 500,000 kilometers of fiber, strengthening their network backbone in the Philippines, enabling them to reach the underserved and unserved areas of the country. With all these upgrades and expansions to their infrastructure not just in the country, the company is poised to expand to global markets.

Last year, Converge signed with Keppel Telecommunications & Transportation’s Bifrost Cable System. Bifrost is a submarine cable system that can directly connect Asia to the west coast of North America. Converge

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PH made significant recovery in travel and tourism

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HE impressive ranking of the Philippines as the world’s fourth fastest growing economy in 2021 was one of the topics that opened the discussions at the recently concluded Routes Asia 2022 held from June 6 to 8 at the Da Nang International Exhibition Fair Center.

“Despite the travel restrictions caused

by COVID-19, Philippine tourism saw some significant recovery contributing 10.4 percent to GDP in 2021—thanks to our people- centered initiatives which aimed, first and foremost, to keep our tourism workers safe and sustain our MSMEs,” Department of Tourism (DOT) Undersecretary Woodrow C. Maquiling, Jr. said during the Routes Asia “Panel Trends Discussion: Tourism Rebound – Future Travel” quoting the World Travel & Tourism Council’s latest Economic Impact Report.

The tourism undersecretary led the 14-man delegation from the Philippines. Speaking before senior decision-makers from leading regional carriers, representatives from trade associations, airline boards of directors, airports, and government ministries, the Undersecretary opened the discussions tackling the DOT’s calculated strategies that included its massive vaccination of tourism workers, investment in human capital, and provision of soft loans to small business players as key to the industry’s remarkable recovery.

He said, “It is essential that we recover

in tourism because it translates to national recovery. With direct, indirect and induced effects, we have achieved as much as 22.5 percent of tourism’s contribution to the country’s GDP pre-pandemic,” referring to the tourism sector’s contribution of US$92.6 billion to the nation’s economy before COVID-19.

Meanwhile, Amanda Byrne, General Manager at Queensland Airports, underscored how they have kept their market “warm” by capitalizing on domesticdriven campaign “Holiday Here This Year” which encouraged Australians to support tourism operators and communities around the country by planning a domestic holiday.

Asked what important lesson COVID-19 has taught airlines, Jay Lingeswara of VietJet Air was vocal in emphasizing that in

“every crisis there is opportunity” which led the international low-cost airline to invest heavily on its digital marketing.

Phillip Nguyen, Chief Executive Officer of IPP Travel Retail, agreed that new opportunities include consumer trends and behaviors, referring to the current market in Asia as our “most lucrative ones” right now.

Over the last five years, the Philippines was able to rake additional annual air seats to the Philippines from 477,152 to as much as 653,744 from China, Macau, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and Hong Kong.

Now on its 18th edition, Routes Asia is the premiere event for airports, airlines, tourism authorities, policy leaders, keynote speakers and exhibitors to meet, do business and plan for the future.

ROUTES ASIA 2022 “PANEL TRENDS DISCUSSION: Tourism Rebound – Future Travel” features Amanda Byrne, General Manager Business Development, Queensland Airports Limited; Usec. Woodrow C. Maquiling, Jr. of the Philippines Department of Tourism; Jay L. Lingeswara, Director, Commercial (Strategy, Planning & International), VietJet Air; Phillip Nguyen, Chief Executive Officer, IPP Travel Retail

was granted an Indefeasible Right of Use for one fiber pair on Bifrost’s main trunk, as well as a cable landing station in Davao.

Aside from this investment, Converge also recently joined the consortium behind the Southeast Asia Hainan-Hong Kong Express Cable System (SEA-H2X) submarine cable system. The ICT company owns 25% of the cable system, alongside China Mobile International Ltd., China Unicom Global, and PPTEL SEA H2X Sdn. Bhd. “We’re not just moving forward, we want to move ahead,” Romero continues. “With our participation in these international infrastructures, we can increase our own infrastructure capacities, which will then lead to increased bandwidth for all our subscribers, both residential and enterprise. As we expand our portfolios, we can also provide better enterprise-level fiber solutions for the Philippines.”

Converge Business currently offers secure and dynamic pure fiber solutions to SMEs and larger enterprises. To learn more about Converge Business and their enterprise solutions, just visit www.convergeict.com/ business/

Get smoother, brighter skin with Avon Naturals

Celebrate diversity and equality at Enchanted Kingdom ELEBRATE diversity and equality as we welcome everyone for an unforgettable PRIDE experience this month of June at Enchanted Kingdom, the country’s first and only world-class theme park!

Enjoy endless memories with our Magic of EKquality promo. Get one Regular Day Pass for only P850 bundled with a FREE glow stick.

Book your tickets until July 3 and enjoy your visit from June 3 – July 31, 2022 at the EK Online Store https://shop.enchantedkingdom.ph/.

Guests must be within the recommended age group in accordance to the government’s precautionary measures and operational guidelines.

Free item is given upon entering the Park and presentation of guest's e-ticket or online confirmation on the date of visit only.

Unclaimed items shall be forfeited.

Promo is available at the EK Online Store only. While different modes of payment are available: Credit/Debit Card or Cashless transactions including GCash.

The promo is not valid in conjunction with any other ongoing promos or with a Senior/PWD discount.

For more information on promos and ticket reservations and bookings, please visit Enchanted Kingdom’s official website www. enchantedkingdom.ph, online store https://shop.enchantedkingdom.ph/ or official Facebook page www.facebook.com/enchantedkingdom.ph.

THE ICT company is poised to expand its reach not just to the rest of the Philippines but in Asia and the US

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HE secret to smoother, brighter skin has always been right under our noses: the humble Papaya. The fruit is not only delicious, but it is also a good source of fiber, Vitamins C, and Vitamin A, as well as antioxidants that help prevent chronic diseases, reduce cancer risk, or even slow down cancer progression. In addition to keeping the body healthy, it is also best known for keeping the skin at its best: reducing wrinkles, sagging, and of course, promoting brighter and smoother skin.

For decades, Papaya has been a beauty cult favorite and has become one of the most prominent natural ingredients in personal care products. That is all thanks to an enzyme called Papain, which can act as a strong skin exfoliator that removes dead skin cells, making the skin brighter and more supple.

Now, through the no. 1 Lotion brand in the Philippines, you can get naturally brighter and smoother skin in just 5 days with the new

and improved Avon Naturals Papaya & Soy Collection—made from 100% Papaya fruit!

“Avon Naturals has always been natureinspired, and with Papaya, you can’t go wrong especially if you want smooth, glowing skin,” says Dione Cotoco, Head of Beauty, Avon Philippines.

The Avon Naturals Papaya & Soy Hand & Body Lotion provides 4x more Papaya extracts which when applied, can moisturize your skin for 30 hours leaving skin soft, smooth, and looking healthy. Dermatologically tested, each application is lightweight, non-greasy, nonsticky and quick absorbing!

The mild and cleansing Avon Naturals Papaya & Soy Shower Gel will leave your skin soft and smooth with each cleanse with 4x Papaya extract as the Hand and Body Lotion.

Meanwhile, the Avon Naturals Papaya & Soy Bar Soap will make you fresh from head to toe with every wash with 2x Papaya extract.

The Avon Naturals Papaya & Soy Collection is free from Parabens, Triclosan, Lanolin, Phthalates, Benzophenone, Mineral Oil and Silicon – all of which are proven to be harmful to the body over time.

Cotoco continues, “Everything in this collection is expertly formulated without these harmful chemicals and ingredients.

Every time you wash, lather, moisturize, you will get a burst of joy, feel you will get closer to nature, and ultimately achieve brighter and smoother skin.”

Shop via an Avon representative or online through avonshop.ph, or like, follow, and check out Avon Philippines on Facebook and Instagram to find out how you can shop your favorite Avon products!

Civil servants urged to be ‘future-ready’

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HE Civil Service Commission (CSC) urged civil servants to be ‘futureready’ and be prepared for new challenges that could affect public service delivery in the future.

“Pagsuong sa Hamon ng Panibagong Bukas” (Rise Towards the Challenge of a New Beginning), is a call for government workers to embrace change and adjust to new realities, especially as the country emerges out of the COVID-19 pandemic and onto the so-called “new normal”.

The CSC emphasizes that civil servants’ ability to be agile in the face of changes in the workplace is a crucial factor that can determine the quality and effectiveness of the government’s programs and services.

The Commission adds that, in an effort to aid public servants, measures are currently adopted to achieve continuity in the delivery of public services amid any disruption – be it a pandemic, natural disaster, civil disturbance, or similar others – while ensuring the safety and welfare of our government workers.

Pursuant to National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Memorandum No. 33 s. 2018, all government member agencies of the

DRRM councils at all levels and other government departments, offices, bureaus, services, units, and instrumentalities are enjoined to develop their own Public Service Continuity Plan.

Aligned with the principle of continuity, the CSC promulgated Resolution No. 2200209 on 18 May 2022, which provides the guidelines for the adoption of flexible work arrangements in government offices.

The policy serves as a preventive measure to safeguard the health, safety, and welfare of government officials and employees while ensuring the government’s continued operations and efficient delivery of public services.

Government agencies are encouraged to adopt any or a combination of the flexible work arrangements identified in the guidelines in case of possible disruption of government operations due to the occurrence of a natural or man-made calamity.

To such end, the Commission urges heads of agencies to take the lead in introducing upskilling and retooling programs, adopting technology-based productivity tools, and establishing an occupational safety and health program to allow employees to better cope with future workplace challenges.

Editor: Anne Ruth Dela Cruz

Health&Fitness BusinessMirror

Experts call for heightened info drive vs silent epidemic

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

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atty liver disease, which is considered a “silent epidemic,” should not be ignored according to the Hepatology Society of the Philippines (HSP).

During the “Fatty Liver Facts: What You Need to Know About This Silent Epidemic” press conference on June 17, organized by the HSP, the silent epidemic reportedly affects millions around the world.

It has no symptoms at the early stages, which is why many people are unaware that they have it until it’s too late.

At least 18 million Filipinos are either suffering from or at risk of getting the disease.

“Fatty liver disease is a littleknown, potentially fatal condition affecting many people,” noted Dr. Allan Policarpio, President of the

Philippine Society of Gastroenterology.

“The public can learn about it by listening to experts.”

Two types There are two types of nona lcohol ic fat t y l iver d i sea se (NAFLD)—non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) and the more advanced type known as the non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

The main characteristic of both types is that too much fat is stored in the liver cells.

Having small amounts of fat in the liver is normal, but it becomes a problem if more than 5

percent to 10 percent of the liver’s weight is fat.

For her part, Dr. Edhel S. Tripon of HSP stated that fatty liver is the fastest rising cause of liver cancer and cirrhosis worldwide.

“People who are overweight, diabetic, or hypertensive are prone to developing fatty liver,” she said.

Protection tips Dr. Tripon noted the following to protect ourselves against the disease: n L i fest yle i nter vent ion s aimed at weight loss are the main treatment; n Avoid other liver “toxins;” n Stop alcohol intake; n Avoid unnecessary medication including herbals and overthe-counter pain medication; n Vaccinate for Hepatitis A and B if not yet immune; and n Seek regular wellness checkups “The liver is a multitasking hard worker, so it is important to keep this organ as healthy as pos-

sible. A healthy liver is fundamental to wellness,” Dr. Tripon said as she stressed the importance of keeping the liver healthy.

Obese and overweight The Philippines has over 18 million obese and overweight people. They are all susceptible to NAFLD, noted Dr. Diana Alcantara-Payawal, President of the Philippine College of Physicians. “Some of them may already have fatty liver disease but are unaware of it,” Dr.Alcantara -Payawal said.

Meanwhile, HSP Vice President Dr. Wendell Z. Espinosa said that to lower the risk of developing fatty liver disease there is a need to raise awareness about “how to avoid modifiable risk factors among adolescents and young adults.”

“We need to increase the public’s awareness about nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which would likely lead to better prevention, early detection, and treatment of the disorder,” Dr. Espinosa said.

Relieving stress is as easy as ABCD

By Roderick L. Abad Contributor

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HERE’S no better way to ease and pamper one’s active bodies and busy minds than having a spa.

This is what ABCD Organics aims to do. It aims to relieve the customers of their internal problems while relaxing their physiques with its pure, organic, therapeutic grade essential and carrier oils.

Gaining from personal dilemma

FOR its chief executive officer (CEO), Neil Bernardo, it pays to face his own personal problem.

Suffering from severe acne, he turned to essential oils and realized that tamanu oil can help alleviate skin conditions. Having been able to successfully clear himself from this derma dilemma amid a lack of essential oil sources in the country, he decided to put up a business related to this.

The potential that he saw for plant-based and therapeutic-grade essential oils to make it in the lo-

cal online marketplaces did not fail him. In fact, his foray into these products propelled him to further growth, thanks to the limited number of stores that offer similar items coupled with the high interest of consumers in aromatherapy.

Hands-on businessman

BERNARDO kicked off ABCD Organics on his own. With the help of his mother, the owner was very handson in managing his enterprise—from packing and marketing to quality checks.

“My mom did makeshift quality checks that included randomly throwing away boxes to ensure that the packaging is done correctly and not hastily,” he said.

Because his mom’s eyesight was poor, the CEO made the process easier for her by labelling his products in four-letter words along with appropriate colors for each product. This, eventually, proved effective to his customers alike as they could easily identify the products. For instance, oregano essential oil was labeled as “OGNO,” avocado as “AVCD,” and ba-

sil as “BASL.” Starting with about 25 weekly orders, it did not take long before there was a growing demand for their products. With their growing trade, Bernardo’s mother soon tapped other family members to help in the logistics.

Sweet smell of success

ABCD Organics then became a hit with 150 to 200 orders per week just weeks before the Covid-19 pandemic.

The smell of success became sweeter when the country was placed under the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ ) periods beginning midMarch of 2020.

Due to the importance given to essential oils as they bring comfort and remedy to the health and wellbeing of the people staying at home during the lockdown periods, ABCD Organics was included in the list of vendors who were allowed to deliver their products as they qualified as “essential” goods.

From a steady stream of orders du r i ng t he compa ny ’s f i rst few months, its sales grew a few weeks

prior to the health crisis, hitting an average of 40 to 50 daily orders. Since such numbers continue until today, the family business had to outsource the fulfillment of orders. Luckily, it found a reliable logistics partner at the end of 2020.

“My sales are picking up because of the partnership. I have more time to focus on handling the marketing side of ABCD Organics because of Locad,” Bernardo shared.

Product line expansion

WITH mental health being a top concern this time of pandemic, the owner plans to expand in the next few months their portfolio of essential oil blends and hanging diffusers that are soothing to the minds of the consumers.

What’s more, he is expected to add artisanal soap bars and linen sprays to its roster of products.

Bernardo also looks forward to continue its partnership with Locad as it not only helps boost the sales of ABCD Organics but also frees him and his family from unnecessary worries.

The Medical City Hostel: A haven of comfort in the heart of TMC

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hen a loved one is sick and needs to be in hospital, the instinct is always to be close by so that the minute they are well, it is possible to be by their side with just the snap of a finger.

You experience feelings of helplessness and your heart races with worry when the phone rings, especially at the most ungodly hour, while you anxiously wait at home. Well, it doesn’t have to be this way because at The Medical City (TMC) Hostel, you can take care of your loved ones and have peace of mind because you are easily within reach.

The newly renovated TMC Hostel, a hotel within a hospital which was opened in 2013, offers immeasurable convenience to patients’ families. They no longer have to stay in a hotel near the hospital just to ensure that they are always near when needed. The facility has 21 rooms, of which 17 are standard, three premier twin rooms, and one family room. A ll are aesthetically designed to promote a rela xing, com for t able a mbi a nce fa r f rom the familiar feeling one gets in a hospital.

Must have amenities

Each room offers must-have amenities such as a stocked mini-refrigerator, microwave oven, coffee warmer, tea set, telephone, f lat-screen television, and the indispensable free Wi-fi.

There are also room kits for all guests which include a towelette, cotton buds with cotton swabs, a dental kit, toiletries, a comb, and two pairs of slippers to address and pamper the guests’ needs.

The reception is strategically placed in the middle of the floor, providing easy access for guests from both sides of the wing. Situated directly in front of the reception is a mini lounge area where guests can wait while their check-in is being processed. The Front Desk is open 24 hours daily.

Within the Hostel, a few steps from the reception, is its Business Lounge.

This facility may be used by guests who, aside from having an admitted patient, must also make sure that things at the office go smoothly. The Lounge can also be used for familyrelated gatherings. A guest pantry with a refrigerator and microwave is also provided for guests to store and reheat food and beverages.

Food partner

TMC’s official food partner, Kitchen City, prepares a daily complimentary breakfast meal. Guests can choose, if they desire, from a good selection of Filipino or American menus. If they wish to order lunch or dinner, the Front Desk can arrange it for them, or they can order directly through the Hostel Online Services. This can be done through a QR Code which is provided in each room, making it accessible to guests anytime.

The TMC Hostel was relaunched last May 2022, after an extensive overhaul of the rooms, including the hallways. It was attended by TMC executives, clients, and friends from the media.

Aside from the families of admitted patients, the Hostel also offers lodging for Outpatients. Individuals who reside far from the hospital or outside Metro Manila can take advantage of the hostel accommodations while waiting for their test results or laboratory procedures to be completed.

Spiritual, religious needs

The Hostel understands the spiritual and religious requirements of its

guests. It places a high value on the observance of practices by its guest.

A prayer room is available anytime, and Muslim prayer mats and Qur’an are available upon request. Guests are also entitled to use the complimentary roundtrip airport transfers and shuttle service to and from the Ortigas shopping center, subject to availability, and prior arrangement is required.

Walk-in guests will be accommodated depending on room availability.

Interested individuals must fill out a guest information sheet before going to the hospital. Once the guests have checked in, they may stay at the Hostel for as long as they need as there are no limitations on the number of days they may stay.

Now, staying in a hospital has never been this memorable!

The most reasonable hostel prices are offered here, which are at par with other hotels in the Ortigas Business District. For a unique experience that will surely last, stay at The Medical City Hostel and have a worry-free, pleasant and wonderful time.

For inquiries or to book a room at the TMC Hostel, please call 8-9881000 ext. 3201.

Thursday, June 23, 2022 B7

Coughing for two weeks?

Get checked for bronchitis

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hould you worry if you have bronchitis?

There are two types of bronchitis according to the Department of Health (DOH) Acute bronchitis occurs after a bout with flu or colds that is aggravated by smoking. In some individuals, it can lead to asthmatic bronchitis.

Chronic bronchitis comes with a cough that produces thick mucus for at least three months. A prolonged cough that is not caused by other conditions such as tuberculosis; shortness of breath and wheezing may be present.

The main cause of chronic bronchitis is heav y long-term cigarette smoking which damages the bronchial tubes and causes them to produce excess mucus.

This is frequent in 50 percent of patients with a history of smoking 40 to 60 packs per year. Other major causes include occupational exposure to dust, gas, paints, or fumes.

COPD Chronic bronchitis is also one of the two most common types of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The other one is emphysema.

Former Health Secretary Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan said that the most common significant risk factor for COPD is cigarette smoking.

“Smokers suf fer more f requently from severe bronchitis,” said Dr. Galvez Tan, trustee of HealthJustice Philippines, ex-

plained, adding that people with bronchitis have swelling and inf lammation in their bronchial tubes. Bronchial tubes are the air passages that link the mouth and nose with the lungs.

Worrisome?

On the question whether it is something to worry about, Dr. Galvez Tan said that the one that usually clears up is acute bronchitis while the persistent one is the chronic bronchitis.

He said that although the majority of cases of acute bronchitis are not life-threatening for it is usually mild and does not cause complications, chronic bronchitis, on the other hand, can lead to serious complications, including death from heart or lung damage.

Symptoms of chronic bronchitis include a “cough lasting for three months or more with increased mucus production; shortness of breath even when at rest; shortness of breath upon exertion in early stages and shortness of breath at rest in the later stages.”

“Quitting smoking can help prevent bronchitis,” Dr. Galvez Tan added.

Meanwhile, the DOH said that the presence of cough lasting for more than two weeks necessitates consultation with a physician.

“Self-treatment is not recommended especially for heavy smokers suffering from chronic bronchitis, very young children, and the elderly,” the DOH said.

Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

Takeda partners with CARE PH to improve, expand cancer research

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iopharmaceutical leader Takeda Healthcare Philippines Inc. has forged a partnership with Cancer Care Registry and Research Philippines Foundation (CARE PH) to expand cancer research efforts with the ambition to provide a comprehensive range of support for Filipino cancer patients.

CARE PH is a nongovernment organization founded by Dr. Beatrice Tiangco in 2017 in response to the Department of Health’s (DOH) initiative to establish a unified registry system in the country for non-communicable diseases such as cancer, stroke, diabetes, and heart disease.

One of their main goals is to create and populate a hospital-based cancer registry to supplement existing population-based registries in Rizal and Metro Manila.

Through this partnership, Takeda will provide CARE PH a grant of P1 million with the goal of supporting the organization’s mission of “every preventable cancer averted, every screen-able cancer detected, and every cancer patient counted.”

“This partnership with CARE PH ensures that we improve diagnostic rates for blood cancers such as myeloma, leukemia, and lymphoma, as well as other cancers, to increase the chances of prevention and cure in the Philippines. This will help Filipino cancer patients gain accelerated access to life-changing treatments,” shared Igor Gomes, Takeda’s Cluster Head and General Manager for Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore (VMAPS).

Together for better oncology research and care

According to the DOH, noncommunicable diseases are the top causes of death worldwide. In the Philippines, cancer affects 189 out of every 100,000 Filipinos, with four Filipinos dying of cancer every hour or 96 cancer patients every day. As such, cancer ranks 4th as the leading cause of death in the Philippines with 48,937 recorded cases from January to October 2021 as

stated by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Further, based on the research by the Global Cancer Observatory (Globocan), over 4,000 new patients were diagnosed with lymphoma, making it one of the top 30 cancers in the country. Approximately 300,000 deaths from this disease were recorded in 2020 alone, 2,500 of which occurred in the Philippines.

“We appreciate the liberty that Takeda has given to us in terms of how we can further improve our operations—from recruiting volunteers, hospitals, and towards initiating more cancer-related studies.

Our main focus in this initiative are the Filipino cancer patients.

We want to be able to provide them with registry and research outputs on the epidemiology of cancer in the country, which in turn will help prioritize screening, prevention and therapeutic initiatives, on the road to better healthcare for the Filipino cancer patient,” said Dr. Beatrice Tiangco, Medical Oncologist/Epidemiologist and Founder of CARE PH. With a standardized and consolidated hospital registry, more robust data can be gathered, more scientific research using local data can be published, and constructing evidence-based clinical practice guidelines will be facilitated.

The Takeda grant will also allow CARE PH to donate computers to be able to train more data encoders at various hospitals throughout the country, and spearhead additional site-specific cancer registries and studies, maybe even contribute to the research and development of newer therapeutic agents for the nation’s common cancers.

“This partnership with CARE PH is something that we are very enthusiastic about since we share the same value and commitment towards bringing better health and brighter future to cancer patients,” shared Loreann Villanueva, Country Manager, Takeda Healthcare Philippines Inc.

B8

Sports BusinessMirror

Thursday, June 23, 2022 • Editor: Jun Lomibao

www.businessmirror.com.ph

CONE: I’M HAPPY,

HONORED G MAFY SINGSON picks up another win.

Singson showcases winning, prevails in Florida by 8 shots

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AFY SINGSON kept her composure in tough conditions and pounced on her rivals’ wobbly start and finish to rule the Jax Beach Junior Open with a gutsy 71 to beat Alyzabeth Morgan by eight at the Jax Beach Golf Club in Jacksonville, Florida, Tuesday.

Singson broke away from a three-way tie after the first round with a one-birdie, one-bogey card at the front of the challenging par-71 layout then held sway with the same output at the back to top the 36-hole tournament with a 149 worth 1,600 points in the Global Junior Rankings.

The International Container Terminal Services Inc.-backed shotmaker, coming off a victory in the local pro circuit at Splendido last month, shared the lead with Morgan and Lexi Milbrant with 78s as the course played to an average of 82.70 in the first round.

But Morgan and Milbrandt succumbed to the test in the final round with the former failing to recover from a horrible five-bogey skid from No. 1 on her way to a 79 and the latter blowing it all on a backside meltdown of 45 marred by two double bogeys and a closing triple-bogey for an 84.

Morgan settled for second with a 157 while Milbrant ended up fifth at 162 behind Addy Vogt, who carded a 77 for a 157, and Veona Osborne, who pooled a 160 after a 78.

Singson, priming up for next week’s FCG International in San Marcos, California and the Junior World on July 12-15 in San Diego, swept the 15-18 Elite Tour girls’ division and the overall championship.

Meanwhile, Rianne Malixi fumbled with a four-over 76 and fell seven strokes behind Anna Song and Kaitlyn Schroeder at the start of the Rolex Girls Junior Championship at the Loxahatchee Club in Jupiter, also in Florida, Tuesday.

Malixi, who fell short of her final round rally at Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational in Arizona last week, birdied Nos. 12 and 13 to make up for a bogey-double bogey start but reeled with three straight bogeys from No. 15 for a 39-37 as she fell to a share of 25th in a field of 72.

But she lay too far behind Song and Schroeder, who matched 69s to post a threeshot lead over Jaclyn LaHa and three others with two rounds left in one of the tough tournaments on the American Junior Golf Association calendar.

BY JOSEF RAMOS

INEBRA tactician Tim Cone’s back with the national team and he who’s revered as the most successful Philippine Basketball Association coach couldn’t turn Chot Reyes’s offer down.

“I’m happy and honored to have the chance to help coach Chot [Reyes] and the Gilas program in any capacity” Cone told BUSINESSMIRRO� on Wednesday. “It can’t get more exciting than hosting the world championship at home.”

National team coach Chot Reyes announced during his acceptance speech at the PBA Press Corps Awards Night on Tuesday his choice of Cone on the Gilas bench.

It was a surprise revelation from Reyes on whose mind rest the gargantuan task of steering the country in the International Basketball Federation World Cup that the country is cohosting with Japan and Indonesia from August 25 to September 10 next year.

Known for his winning mentality that made him the winningest coach in the PBA with 24 crowns. Cone, owner of 24 PBA crowns, expressed excitement despite a tight 14-month window to work with.

“What a thrill for the country I’m looking forward to being part of the team that puts our best foot forward,” said Cone who coached the Centennial team to a bronze medal in the Bangkok 1998 Asian Games and to the gold in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in Manila.

But Cone—and importantly for Reyes— they’ll be working with the stigma of the gold medal lost at the 31st SEA Games in Vietnam last month.

Ginebra team governor and San Miguel Corp. head of sports Alfrancis Chua said that 64-yearold Cone working with Reyes presents no worries at all, especially for the Gin Kings.

With Cone on Reyes’s staff are Nenad Vu-

GINEBRA coach Tim Cone will help TNT’s Chot Reyes work the bench in next year’s International Basketball Federation World Cup.

cinic, University of the Philippines champion mentor Goldwin Monteverde, Jong Uichico and Josh Reyes.

Cone, meanwhile, will miss Ginebra’s games to Converge, Terrafirma, TNT Tropang Giga and Meralco from July 1 to 13 to join the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association Summer League as an assistant coach to Malik Allen in

San Francisco and Las Vegas.

“It’s just going to be two weeks and coach Richard del Rosario will take over for the meantime,” he said.

Reyes was at the PBA scribes’ awards night to receive the Coach of the Year award, the sixth time that he hoisted the Virgilio “Baby” Dalupan trophy.

Triathlon returns to Bohol T

RIATHLON wannabes gearing up for the ultimate test of endurance get the chance to sharpen their skills in an Olympic-style setup when the Sun Life 5150 Triathlon Bohol unfurls July 10 at the Bellevue Resort in Panglao Island. More than 500 participants make up cast in the first multi-sport event in post-pandemic with the host province ensuring another successful staging of the event featuring Olympic (1.5-km swim, 40-km bike and 10-km run) and Sprint distances in one of the country’s top triathlon hubs.

“Bohol has been a host venue for triathlon events the past decade and we have been in coordination with local authorities to help guarantee the safe conduct of the event,” said Princess Galura, general manager of the organizing The Ironman Group/Sunrise Events Inc. Kept out of the swim-bike-run competitions the last two years due to pandemic, athletes wanting to embrace multi-sport racing or aiming to reach Ironman level can’t wait to hit the waters and roads again with the organizers lining up a challenging course that will test the field’s speed and staying power but also its mental toughness.

Events on tap are the individual and relay competitions. For details, visit www. ironman.com/5150-bohol with social-media accounts at Sun Life 5150 Bohol (facebook) and 5150bohol (Instagram). For the Sunrise Sprint, log on to www. goforgold.sunrisesprint.com.

The Ironman Group has been staging over a dozen races per year with exclusive rights to the Ironman, 5i50, 70.3, IronGirl and IronKids events, drawing veteran and rising triathletes from the local front and overseas before the outbreak in late 2019.

The Bohol 5150 is also being held after the highly successful inaugurals of the Asics Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series Manila.

FIVB HEAD IN TOWN International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) president Ary Graca arrives in

the country with his wife Marina Graca to grace the Week 2 men’s competitions of the Volleyball Nations League that the country is hosting for two weeks at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Meeting them at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Wednesday is Philippine National Volleyball Federation President Ramon “Tats” Suzara. NONIE REYES

The waiting game IS it just coincidence? Or is it some kind of trend.

Looks like teams that have languished long in search of a crown found glory and their coveted reward this season.

The National University (NU) women’s volleyball team just pulled off a monumental achievement last Tuesday by winning the women’s volleyball crown in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). That was not just an ordinary win. It was a wow of a win.

The NU Lady Bulldogs brought the volleyball crown back to M. Jhocson in Sampaloc after 65 long years. The NU women had last lorded it over the field in 1957—so long ago that perhaps only “walking encyclopedias” like my former Sports World editor, Tito Tagle, would remember the details, or the players.

Or perhaps that beloved NU matriarch, Leticia “Mommy” Paguia, the doting owner and only daughter of Mariano Jhocson, the original owners of the university and after whom the street was named, would be able to regale us with details of that 1957 title. But both are now playing their respective games up above the clouds.

The Lady Bulldogs were so good this season, they swept the eliminations and also swept the best-of-three Finals, defeating erstwhile women’s volleyball powerhouse and 11-time champion De La Salle University. NU sailed to the UAAP women’s volleyball mountaintop on the wings of its home grown and home-honed core. It is only the third UAAP school to achieve a sweep of the elims after La Salle accomplished same in 2004 and Ateneo in 2015.

All but two of the individual volleyball awards were won by NU. Skipper Princess Robles was Finals Most Valuable Player. Alyssa Solomon was Best Opposite Spiker; Jennifer Nierva, Best Libero; Camilla Lamina, Best Setter; Sheena Toring Second Best Middle Blocker and Michaela Belen was both Rookie of the Year and league MVP. The Lady Bulldogs’ win is reminiscent of how the NU Bulldogs also claimed the UAAP men’s basketball crown back in 2014. Led by import Alfred Aroga and Gelo Alolino and expertly coached by Eric Altamirano, the Bulldogs also gave their University “the best gift ever,” a UAAP championship.

NU had last made waves in UAAP basketball 60 years prior in 1954. Just to give you an idea of how long ago that was, the Top Dog of that Season 17 campaign was basketball legend and Olympian, Narciso Bernardo—a name that today’s Gen Z or even Millennials would surely not be familiar with.

Come to think of it, the length of time that NU had to wait for another championship in men’s basketball and women’s volleyball makes the University of the Philippines’ 36-year title drought pale by comparison.

And don’t forget that the University of the East last won a basketball crown in 1985 (Season 48) which makes its title drought even longer than University of the Philippines.

Of course, when it comes to hoping and waiting for a championship to come, very few would beat the undying patience of Boston Red Sox fans who waited 86 years—from 1918 to 2004—to shake off the socalled Curse of the Bambino (Babe Ruth) to win another World Series. Unless it’s the fans of the Chicago Cubs whose drought lasted from 1909 to 2015.

In the National Basketball Association, there are teams and their fans whose faith and patience are also still being severely tested. The Philadelphia 76ers last won an NBA title in 1983. The Atlanta Hawks last took home the Larry O’Brien Trophy in 1958. The Sacramento Kings last had bragging rights in 1951. And the Phoenix Suns—who came so close in Season 74, and also showed a lot of promise this year—have yet to win their first National Basketball Association title.

The Suns are fifth-best in the NBA for all-time winning percentage and won three Western Conference titles in 1976, 1993 and 2021. It’s the Larry O’Brien Trophy that has been frustratingly elusive.

Well, they all can take inspiration from the Bulldogs, the Lady Bulldogs and the Fighting Maroons. Good things come to those who wait. But Destiny decides when the goodies will arrive.

PRADO BLASTS FIELD IN TAGAYTAY

T

AGAYTAY City—Jermyn Prado was a cut above the rest and Mathilda Krog was a gem in the rough in the criterium races of the PhilCycling National Championships for Road 2022 on Tuesday.

Prado, a national team mainstay and Southeast Asia’s former queen of cycling, gained a lap over the Women Elite field in the criterium raced under a points format to win the gold medal unmolested with a full 20-point performance.

“I trained hard for the championships and I really wanted to win this one,” said Prado, who topped the individual time trial and was second in massed start (road) at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games Tagaytay City hosted in 2019.

Philippine Olympic Committee and PhilCycling president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino flagged off the national championships that returned after a two-year pandemic hiatus at the start-finish gantry fronting the symbolic Praying Hands Monument along Isaac Tolentino Avenue.

“Do your best and aim to become members of the national team,” Tolentino told the close to 600 cyclists who registered for the championships that will select the new members of the PhilCycling’s

national team for the second half of the year.

PhilCycling secretary general Atty. Billy Sumagui and Go For Gold chief Jeremy Go joined Tolentino in the simple ceremony that kicked off the four-day championships copresented by Standard Insurance, MVP Sports Foundation and Smart and backed by Chooks-to-Go, San Miguel Corp., Petron, Le Tour de Filipinas-Air21-One LGC, Tagaytay City, Go For Gold, Cavite’s First District, Batangas First District, Batangas and the Philippine National Police.

Krog amassed three first-place finishes to win the Women’s Under-23 Criterium gold medal with 17 points. Her Philippine Navy-Standard Insurance teammate Kate Yasmin Velasco bagged silver with 14 points and Jenn Alexis Inson clinched bronze with nine points.

Ma. Mhay Ann Lina clinched silver with 10 points and Avegail Rombaon also of Philippine NavyStandard Insurance bagged bronze with eight points in the 16-lap criterium that offered 5-1-3-2-1 points in the intermediate sprints at the fourth, eighth, 12th and 16th laps.

Go For Gold’s Boots Ryan Cayubit pulled of a strong surge in the double points 20th lap for 11 points to steal the fold medal in the Men’s Criterium

PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee and PhilCycling president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino flagged off the national championships.

that was raced under the rain later Tuesday. Scratch It!’s Jonel Carcueva (10 points) and veteran Jan Paul Morales (9 points) completing the podium.

7-Eleven’s Rench Michael Bondoc (18 points) and Go For Gold’s Jericho Lucero (11) finished 1-2 in the Men’s Under 23 category, with Chrysler Tadena claiming bronze on 10 points after the tie break with

Efren Reyes.

Pepito Khalil, Rush Camingao and Renato Sabido finished 1-2-3 in 30 minutes plus three laps Men’s Junior (17-18 years old) class, while Guill Aisaiah Farin, Ian Lopez and Andrei Domingo ruled the 5-lap Men’s Youth (16-under) class.

Kim Bonilla, Maritanya Krogg and Rosalie de la

Cruz won gold, silver and bronze, respectively, in the Women Juniors raced over four laps, while Angelica Altamirano, Lyca Angel Jacobe and Tricia Mae Laboca were 1-2-3 in Women Youth.

Day 2 of the championships on Wednesday consisted of the individual time trial races from Nasugbu, Batangas, to the Praying Hands finish.