BusinessMirror March 18, 2021

NG posts ₧14.1-B budget deficit in January

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

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AP/ AARON FAVILA

THE BROADER LOOK »A6-A7

OF HEALTHCARE LEARNINGS, MUSINGS IN A PANDEMIC

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HE national government’s fiscal balance in January swung to a P14.1-billion budget deficit, a turnaround from the P23-billion surplus posted in the same month last year.

The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) said on Wednesday the shortfall resulted from the “modest increase” of 1.18 percent in government spending despite the 11.51-percent drop in revenue collection.

Revenue collection in January dropped to P260.7 billion from last year’s P294.6 billion. On the other hand, government expenditures for the same month amounted to P274.8 billion from last year’s P271.6 billion.

Broken down, tax collection made up 89 percent or P232.7 billion of the total, lower by 8.3 percent from P253.8 billion in January 2020.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue saw its collections declining by 6.54 percent to P182.2 billion from P194.9 billion a year ago. Meanwhile, Bureau of Customs revenues for the same month fell by 15.41 percent year-on-year to

P47.3 billion from P55.9 billion in 2020.

Non-tax revenues also plunged by 31.43 percent to P28 billion compared to P40.9 billion a year ago.

Of the total non-tax revenues collected for the period, BTr contributed P18.7 billion, a 34.27-percent drop from last year’s P28.4 billion.

The BTr said the decrease was attributed to the high base effect of dividend remittances from governmentowned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs), particularly the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, which remitted P17.3 billion last year, and the 58.69-percent drop in the national government’s share from the income of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

On government’s expenditure performance for the month, BTr said the uptick was moderated by lower interest payments, which declined by 23.43 percent or P14.4 billion year-on-year to P47 billion, mainly due to the redemption of Global Bonds in 2020 and the settlement of premiums on reissued Treasury Bonds.

Net of interest payments, however, spending grew by 8.37 percent year-on-year to P227.8 billion from P210.2

billion recorded a year ago, owing largely to higher allocations for local government units and disbursements by line agencies.

Despite the slight year-on-year increase in government spending for January, economists said this showed the “slow” pace of government spending which could drag the country’s economic recovery.

Union Bank of the Philippines Chief Economist Ruben Carlo Asuncion told the BusinessMirror they were expecting a much higher budget deficit for January on the back of increased spending despite the drop of revenue collections amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I was hoping that disbursements would have been indeed ramped up. Unfortunately, it was really slow, in my sense.

We were actually expecting a deficit of P129.8 billion for January, but a measly portion only registered for the month. This means that disbursements for the quarter would now have to catch up to help in the recovery,” Asuncion said in a message.

He also now sees “more pressure” for the government to ramp up its spending to prevent the economy from

See “Deficit,” A2

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ON SHUTDOWN OF SICs

DA panel to probe pork-import ‘tongpats’

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

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HE Department of Agriculture (DA) has formed a special committee to kick-start the investigation on the alleged “tongpats” (kickback) system in the country’s pork importation as claimed by a senator.

A day after pronouncing that the DA will investigate the claims of Sen. Panfilo Lacson, Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar formed a special committee led by the department’s legal service chief to look into alleged corruption in its meat importation system.

“While we stand firm that the issuance of MAV [minimum access volume] in-quota allocation is above-board and non-discretionary, we have created a special committee to look into allegations made by a lawmaker that there is a syndicate in the DA engaged in a payoff scheme,” Dar said in a statement on Wednesday.

PASSENGERS in protective suits are seen at the almost-deserted arrival lounge at the Terminal 1 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City on Wednesday (March 17, 2021). The National Task Force Against Covid-19 has suspended travel into the Philippines of foreigners and returning overseas Filipinos who are non-overseas Filipino workers, limiting the number of inbound international passengers/arrivals to only 1,500 a day, from March 20, 2021, to April 19, 2021. NONIE REYES

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By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

HE economy stands to lose P5.41 trillion if the 15 strategically important companies (SICs) identified by the government will fold up as business activities have remained generally muted during the pandemic, a state-run bank’s study revealed.

Land Bank of the Philippines economist Guian Angelo S. Dumalagan said that the potential loss— which represents SICs’ total economic linkages—would also affect their related businesses, including the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) if ever. He did not name the companies.

Dumalagan shared this find-

ing during a Senate hearing for the Government Financial Institutions Unified Initiatives to Distressed Enterprises for Economic Recovery Act (GUIDE) bill on Wednesday.

Broken down, the wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles account for the bulk of the potential

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 48.5680

DAR: “We would like to emphasize that our objective in increasing the MAV and reducing tariff is to stabilize supply and price of pork.”

loss at P2.492 trillion, followed by construction at P1.091 trillion.

Accommodation and food service activities might lose P645.3 billion; water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities, P581.4 billion; transportation and storage, P528.4 billion; and real-estate activities, P73.4 billion.

The DA said the investigation of the committee will take off from the initial findings by the DA-MAV Secretariat. Dar directed the committee to submit their final findings and recommendations to him by the end of the month.

In the same statement, the DA-MAV Secretariat pointed out that “the allegation of corruption to get a MAV import certificate is remote” since the existing licensees “are the same ones every year, and who were previously accredited by the past DA administrations.”

In its initial report to Dar, the DA-MAV Secretariat noted that, “there are no disparities between the allocations of the current MAV

Continued on A2

See “Pork,” A2

DUMALAGAN: “Not helping SICs would definitely mean not helping MSMEs who are depending on these SICs for their business.”

n JAPAN 0.4456 n UK 67.4949 n HK 6.2546 n CHINA 7.4651 n SINGAPORE 36.1127 n AUSTRALIA 37.6013 n EU 57.8202 n SAUDI ARABIA 12.9515

Source: BSP (March 17, 2021)

News BusinessMirror

A2 Thursday, March 18, 2021

Deficit…

Continued from A1

further lagging behind given the recent spike in infections and the question of whether to lock down further due to the rise of cases.

Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) Chief Economist Michael Ricafort also agreed with Asuncion, saying government spending for the month was “unusually slow compared to recent months in view of various Covid-19 programs and also compared to growth rates before Covid-19.”

Like Asuncion, Ricafort also said the government needs to step up, especially on infrastructure, given the timely approval of the 2021 national budget and the extension of validity of unused funds from the 2020 national budget and the Bayanihan 2.

“Increased government spending is one of the pillars of economic recovery program to pump prime the economy, which needs all the support measures that it could get,” he said.

But Ricafort also sees the recent spike in Covid-19 cases and the delay in the arrival and rollout of Covid-19 vaccines slowing down economic recovery prospects because these will temper any additional measures to reopen the economy.

Nonetheless, he said he expects government spending, especially on infrastructure, picking up in the coming months in preparation for the 2022 elections.

Last year, the national government’s budget deficit soared to a record-high of P1.37 trillion, more than double the 2019 shortfall of P660.2 billion.

As a percentage of GDP, the government’s full-year 2020 budget deficit also reached an unprecedented 7.63 percent, even eclipsing 5.02 percent in 2002.

For this year, the government even expects a much wider budget deficit at P1.78 trillion or 8.9 percent of GDP.

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PHL eyes trials for ‘booster’ vaccine to prevent Covid-19

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By Samuel P. Medenilla

HE government is now eyeing to conduct local clinical trials of new “booster” vaccines that could prevent Covid-19 infection.

In an online forum on Wednesday, Chief implementer of the government’s national policy on Covid-19 Carlito G. Galvez Jr. disclosed that during his trip to India last week he learned of the said vaccines being developed by the Serum Institute of India (SSI).

Among the vaccines is Covivax, which could further boost the immunity of those who already received existing Covid-19 vaccines that only prevent the adverse symptoms of the disease.

The boosters, Galvez said, will make their recipients immune from Covid-19 infections.

Continued from A8

The vaccine czar noted the said SSI vaccine is currently undergoing clinical trial in Australia.

“We are interested to also have a clinical trial here so we can see [its effects], especially since we are targeting to make the nation [Covid-19] disease-free by 2022,” Galvez said.

He said the expanded local clinical trial of SSI booster vaccines may include 30,000 to 40,000 subjects.

Local vaccine production

ASIDE from possible access to the booster vaccine, the government

GALVEZ: “We are interested to also have a clinical trial here so we can see [its effects], especially since we are targeting to make the nation [Covid-19] disease-free by 2022.”

is also considering a cooperation with SSI to help the country develop and manufacture its own vaccines.

“India is willing to cooperate with us since 60 percent of the vaccines brought here are from India through the Unicef [United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund],” Galvez said.

Currently, a Korean vaccine maker is offering to put up a plant in the country if it will purchase 40 million doses of its Covid-19 vaccine.

Galvez said they are still reviewing the offer from the said company and the technology it will bring to the country.

The government is considering the local development and manufacturing of vaccines to address its needs for the current and future pandemics.

However, members of the private sector expressed concern over the country’s readiness for vaccine manufacturing since there are still no existing laws and regulations, which will be on a par with that from other countries.

Galvez said the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine has already submitted a plan for vaccine development through the expansion of its research and development capabilities.

28-FOLD COVID SPIKE FEARED IF VARIANTS SPREAD

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F “variants of concern” become dominant, an official of the Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday warned that cases will increase by “28 times” instead of just three times after a month.

This, as University of the Philippines Prof. Guido David of the OCTA Research Team also warned that the Covid-19 cases in Metro Manila would increase to 16,000 daily on April 16, 2021, if the spread of the virus is not mitigated.

Dr. Alethea de Guzman, OIC Director III of the DOH Epidemiology Bureau, said that their aim is not to reach that situation— cases rising 28-fold—for if that happens, the health system will be “overwhelmed”.

De Guzman said that, of the samples sequenced by the Philippine Genome Center, only 6.6 percent were confirmed to be cases of

the B.1.1.7 (UK variant) and the B.1.351 (South Africa variant).

She said that 15 cities in the National Capital Region (NCR) were affected with a variant of concern (B.1.1.7) with 39 cases. The UK variant was also recorded in the Cordillera Administrative Region (41), Central Luzon (2), Calabarzon (4) and in Northern Mindanao (1).

Meanwhile, she said that NCR recorded 64 cases of B.1.351, Cagayan Valley (2), and Northern Mindanao (1).

“Seventy-four or 27 percent of these cases were incoming international travelers,” she said.

As of March 16, De Guzman said, “We have reached the peak we saw last July.”

“We are reporting 2.5 times higher new cases this March versus start of January; increasing percent of workplace clusters,”

she added.

While the variants of concern have markedly led to the case spikes, she said, “we have seen this upward trend before their detection.

“It’s not a question of what else should be done but how correctly and consistently should we do these prevention and control measures,” she said, adding that it may take the next two to three weeks to see if measures will lead to significant, continuous case decline.

The DOH official also noted that it takes not one but “all local government units, regions, establishments and workplaces to significantly push down our numbers.”

The Covid-19 cases in the country surged to 635,689 after 4,387 additional cases were logged on Wednesday.

Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

Pork…

Continued from A1

licensees and those given prior to the current DA administration.”

The DA chief said, “We would like to emphasize that our objective in increasing the MAV and reducing tariff is to stabilize supply and price of pork.”

The DA said that its MAV Secretariat imposes penalties on licensees who were not able to use 70 percent of their allocation for the year. The unused volume is recalled and deducted from the licensee and will be raffled off to qualified applicants, it added.

The BusinessMirror reported on Wednesday that the DA will look into the allegations made by Lacson during Monday’s Senate plenary session regarding the alleged P5 to P7 per kilogram of imported pork kickback scheme.

(Related story: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2021/03/17/dar-kickback-claim-on-porkto-be-probed/)

Lacson bared the allegation just before senators adopted a resolution, expressing the sense of the Senate, asking President Duterte to reject a twin proposal—both endorsed by the DA—to slash tariffs on imported pork while increasing the MAV for imports.

There had been concern that these moves, instead of curbing inflation from price spikes and supply shortfalls caused by African Swine Fever (ASF), would simply kill the local hog industry, deprive the government of revenue, and fatten vested interests.

Hog raisers asked Duterte on Tuesday to reject the cut-tariffshike-MAV proposals.

(Related story: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2021/03/17/local-hog-raisers-writeduterte/)

Meat Importers and Traders Association (Mita) President Jesus C. Cham earlier said the country’s MAV system is an “established, robust system” that is “very transparent and equitable.”

“The reason I say that [is] because this was established in 1996 and survived for 21 years without controversies,” Cham told the BusinessMirror.

Cham, who sits in the MAV Council and whose company has a MAV allocation, said he is not aware of any “tongpats” system in the current MAV setup.

Economy may lose ₧5T on shutdown of SICs Continued from A1

However, the loss figure is only a portion of the overall economic burden as Dumalagan said there are potentially 1,250 SICs. While the economist has not provided an estimate yet, it is expected to be considerably higher. Sen. Sherwin T. Gatchalian asked Dumalagan to submit a report containing the revised calculations.

The LandBank economist added that over 119,400 direct employees—0.30 percent of total employment—will be retrenched if these 15 SICs shut down completely. Majority of these are from the wholesale and retail trade segment—including supermarkets and retailers of petroleum products and food and beverage—with over 75,200 direct jobs.

“If these companies would fold up, those companies that are depending on these SICs might probably show some contraction in their employee level as well,” Dumalagan said.

Around 6.3 million workers, meanwhile, could be affected from potential 1,250 SICs, he said.

Aiding the SICs

GIVEN the repercussions, Dumalagan highlighted the importance of passing the GUIDE bill, which aims to provide capital infusion of P10 billion to government banks. The bill allocates P7.5 billion to LandBank and P2.5 billion to the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).

Both banks, under the GUIDE bill, will be authorized to invest the P10 billion in incorporating a special holding company (SHC) that can assist SICs with their capital requirements under strict conditions.

“Not helping SICs would definitely mean not helping MSMEs who are depending on these SICs for their business,” Dumalagan said, noting that closure of any of these companies would cause disruptions in the supply chain.

For the part of SHC, Dumalagan explained that its investment in each SIC should not exceed 25 percent of the P10-billion allocation to avoid concentration risk.

An initial breakdown shows that wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles; and transportation and storage are seen to be given 25 percent or P2.5 billion each. Accommodation and food service activities and real-estate activities may account for 20 percent and 12.50 percent, respectively, of the budget. Construction and water supply may comprise 8.75 percent each of the allocation.

If all goes well and the investee companies are able to pay dividends annually, total cash flow expected to be received for five years will amount to P13.75 billion with a net present value of P10.96 billion, the LandBank economist said. This reflects a return on investment (ROI) of 9.63 percent.

Dumalagan explained that there would still be positive returns over a five-year period even if two of the “riskiest” SICs—from transportation and storage and real-estate activities—did not deliver after the capital infusion. This time, the amount expected to be generated is P12.66 billion with net present value of P10.09 billion. ROI is much lower at 0.86 percent in this scenario.

As a safeguard measure, Dumalagan said that the SHC will assess

risks before investing in the SICs to reduce the probability of booking negative returns.

“In terms of risk mitigation, the SHC, before it invests into the SICs, would review the soundness of the rehabilitation plan of the potential SICs,” he explained. “At the same time, there would be monitoring involved to make sure the companies would act in accordance with the agreement and would act aligned with the initiatives they’ve mentioned with their recovery plans.”

In addition, the bill supplements the credit programs under the Bayanihan 2 as it aims to lower the cost of borrowings for the MSMEs reeling from the pandemic. Exemptions from paying documentary stamp tax, capital gains tax, and creditable withholding tax, among others, are provided in the bill.

The DBP said that the manufacturing, infrastructure and service industries are given priority in availment of loan assistance programs.

Trickle-down effect

THE GUIDE bill focuses on SICs with the aim of having an economic growth spillover to the related MSMEs, which an industry group is asking to ensure.

The Supply Chain Management Association of the Philippines (SCMAP) called on the government to put up safeguard measures to make sure this goal is achieved in the long run.

“I understand the logic of…supporting the large corporations like the SICs because they have big value supply chains in their network,” SCMAP president Pierre Carlo Curay said during the hearing. “My only concern… this type of investment into these

large corporations is [that] hopefully, there will be safeguards that can ensure the trickle-down effect of the investment into the different supply chains and MSMEs.”

He also called for improving the transportation sector during this pandemic to allow smooth mobility.

DBP President and CEO Emmanuel G. Herbosa agreed, saying that the government should “intelligently and rationally lift up transportation.”

Drilon: P10B not enough

MEANWHILE, Senate Minority leader Frank Drilon pushed for a bigger outlay to rescue the affected business sector reeling from the backlash of the deadly contagion, belittling the Duterte government’s plan to release P10-billion aid to imperilled big and small businesses on the brink of closing shop.

Also at the Committee on Banks hearing, Drilon said the amount is much too small to boost the economy that lost P1.5 trillion in the yearlong pandemic, noting the dip in GDP growth contracted by 9.5 percent in 2020.

He noted that the amount is “nearly half” of the P19.5 billion that the administration allocated for its anti-insurgency campaign, much like the pork barrel.

Senator Gatchalian, vice chairman of the Committee on Banks and Financial Institutions, indicated they intend to suggest to the Department of Finance to seriously consider increasing the P10-billion initial fund provided under the GUIDE bill.

With Butch Fernandez

The Nation BusinessMirror

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DENR to tap small fishers to clear Pasig River, Laguna de Bay of water hyacinth

Bangsamoro revives memory of Jabidah incident in bid to extend transition period

By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief

D A BICYCLE rider pedals his bike across Santa Cruz Bridge in Manila over the Pasig River strewn with floating water hyacinth, an aquatic plant native to the Amazon basin. The proliferation of water hyacinth into Pasig River might as well be an indication that the water level in Laguna de Bay is higher in terms of elevation than Manila Bay’s mean sea level, an expected occurrence since the Pasig River is a tidal estuary, which means that the flow of its direction depends on the water level difference between Manila Bay and Laguna de Bay. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has recently bared plans to tap the services of small fishermen to clear both bodies of water from water hyacinth proliferation. ROY DOMINGO

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

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O control the massive proliferation of water hyacinth in major water bodies, particularly Laguna de Bay and Pasig River, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) may soon tap small fishermen to do the job.

Considered as an invasive alien species in the Philippines, the water hyacinth is an aquatic plant native to tropical and sub-tropical South America. The water thrives fast and rise by as much as a meter above the surface of the water.

Water hyacinth is known to cover vast portions of the Laguna de Bay and the growth of this invasive plant species is known to proliferate in the Pasig River.

The problem revolving around the proliferation of water hyacinth was among the issues tackled when Environment Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Units (LGUs) Concerns Benny D. Antiporda met with members of the Manila Bay Anti-Pollution Task Force (APTF) last March 11 to discuss the ongoing rehabilitation of Manila Bay. The proliferation of the invasive water species is known to cause major obstruction to the smooth flow of navigation along waterways.

Antiporda, also head of the Manila Bay APTF, directed members of the task force to prioritize the removal of water hyacinth in Pasig River and Laguna de Bay.

A sub-committee on water hyacinth was then created to control and minimize the growth of the water plant while the Manila Bay APTF will also look into the possibility of employing the services of local fisherfolk to do the cleaning and harvesting.

“We want to make a drastic change in the quality of water in Manila Bay,” Antiporda said as he stressed the objective of the task force, which is to complement the actions of Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu as chairman of the Manila Bay Task Force.

“To see is to believe, to smell is to believe and to test is to believe,” he said, reminding its members of the task force’s three main goals, which are also the parameters in saying that the Battle for Manila Bay has been won.

Antiporda pointed out that one of the task force’s target is to ensure that no floating debris will be seen along Manila Bay and its tributaries.

“With the improvement of the water quality, there should also be no foul odor coming from the bay,” Antiporda said.

“Most important is the drastic change of the water quality in Manila Bay,” he emphasized.

He also instructed the Manila Bay APTF members to establish an effective monitoring system that has “complete standard operating procedure with the corresponding timeline” to ensure the compliance of “environmental polluters.”

“We need to double up our effort in running after them. We will deal with them head-on,” Antiporda stressed.

P20M each for every village: Duterte leads first distribution of BDP ‘bonanza’

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

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RESIDENT Duterte, together with some members of Congress, is set to visit the Eastern Visayas Region today, Thursday, March 18, 2021, to distribute P20 million for each barangay in the region for their socioeconomic development projects after being under the influence and threat of New People’s Army (NPA) rebels for decades.

For this year, Duterte, also the chairman of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), and Congress approved the disbursement of P16.4 billion for the Barangay Development Program (BDP).

In the region, total of 200 barangays will be benefiting from the NTFELCAC’s flagship program with allocation of P20 million each this year.

The President, who will be accompanies by members of his Cabinet and lawmakers representing the region, is also set to meet local chief executives and stakeholders for the implementation of the program.

The P20 million will be earmarked for farm-to-market roads (P12 million); school buildings (P3 million);

water and sanitation systems (P2 million); electrification (P1.5 million) and health and sanitation (P1.5 million).

These programs are aimed at addressing issues that communist rebels harp upon in their propaganda and recruitment, such as poverty, isolation, disease, hunger and lack of educational and livelihood opportunities.

Poverty

IN a news statement, National Security Adviser and NTF-ELCAC Vice Chairman Hermogenes Esperon said the poverty incidence in Region 8 was at 42.6 percent.

“This alarming double-digit poverty incidence is indicative of the dire economic situation experience in Region 8, especially in Samar. This historical data set illustrates the gravity of the situation in the region, particularly the World Bank estimates the national poverty rate in the Philippines to be at 19.8 percent in 2020,” Esperon said citing data from the National Economic and Development Authority.

The official added that taking into consideration of the deplorable poverty rate, it is ideally suitable for the Region 8 to be recipient of the NTF-ELCAC’s development programs through BDP and other projects.

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Thursday, March 18, 2021 A3

AVAO CITY—Advocates to extend the transition period of the Bangsamoro government are set to file today, Thursday, March 18, 2021, at Malacañan Palace a petition signed by more than 1 million signatories, optimistic that President Duterte would accede to their request for an extension.

Organizers of the online petition signing said they rushed the printing of the petition to submit it to the Office of the President coinciding with the 53rd anniversary of the infamous Jabidah Massacre in Corregidor Island.

As of 11:20 a.m. on Wednesday, the signatories reached 1,110,383, with even non-Muslims, such as Orlando Cardinal Quevedo of the Archdiocese of Cotabato City and Sen. Risa Hontiveros, affixing their signatures. Even in the lone province of Sulu, where the governor and his congressman-son expressed their opposition, was the first to ever sign the petition came from Indanan,

Sulu. Other signatories include members of non-Moro tribes in Maguindanao and residents coming from as far as Northern Luzon.

Prof. Agdulhadi Daguit, president of the Federation of Bangsamoro Coordinating Councils of the Philippines, said a delegation of Bangsamoro officers and key leaders of civilsociety organizations and peace advocate groups in Mindanao, would submit the petition in Malacañang, which granted them the 2:00 p.m. schedule. Daguit teaches at the University of the Philippines Institute of Islamic Studies.

He said a group of about 100 would conduct a brief program at the Palace grounds to demonstrate the “Bangsamoro’s wholehearted trust in the President to hearken to our call to certify as urgent the bills in the House of Representatives and the Senate.”

Lawyer Mary Ann Arnado, secretary-general of the Mindanao People’s Caucus, who is also among the organizers of the petition signing, said they timed the submission of the petition with the infamous Jabidah Massacre “to remind us all that 53 years ago, in 1968,

the Moro youths have awakened to the call for peace in Mindanao, and now, the same Bangsamoro homeland is still struggling to have that lasting peace.”

Hashim D. Manticayan, president of the League of Bangsamoro Organizations, said the “overflowing” support to the petition indicated three things: “the faith of the majority of the Bangsamoro people to the changes made by the Bangsamoro Transition Authority [BTA] and the Bangsamoro government, the complete trust of the Bangsamoro on the leadership of President Duterte that he would listen to their plight and that this is for the lasting peace in Mindanao.”

“If not for the weak Internet signal in many areas, we could have easily get more than 2 million signatures, more than a majority of the Bangsamoro population,” he said. The five provinces, including the recently annexed Cotabato City and the 26 barangays of North Cotabato, have an estimated population of 4.3 million.

Organizers have said that the BTA, which functions as the interim legislature of the Bangsamoro Au-

tonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, recently passed in February this year the Bangsamoro Civil Service Code, and was yet to pass other priority codes during the transition period slated to end next year. These are the Bangsamoro Education Code, Bangsamoro Electoral Code, Local Government Code and Revenue Code.

The BTA though disclosed that some priority codes on local government and education were already referred to their respective parliament committees, and the electoral and revenue codes are being finalized by the Cabinet.

The BTA was granted a three-year transition to end in 2022, which the current Bangsamoro government has told the national government was insufficient to finish the commitments by both parties, the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to the peace agreement.

Under the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, which was the final peace agreement, the former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao would be reconstituted to form the larger Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Lawyers to SC: Protect us from threats, killings

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

& Rene Acosta

@reneacostaBM

A

BOUT 900 independent lawyers and members of various law faculties are pressing the Supreme Court to take proactive measures that would protect judges, lawyers and members of the legal profession from threats and killings.

In a letter addressed to Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta and the other members of the 15-man High Tribunal, the lawyers admitted that they are “deeply troubled and concerned” by the recent reports that the Philippine National Police (PNP) has asked trial courts to compile a list of lawyers who represent personalities being linked with communist terrorist groups (CTG).

The University of the Philippines College of Law, through Dean Edgardo Carlo Vistan II, led the 157 faculty members and the other lawyers in seeking action from the SC. A separate letter signed by 736 independent lawyers was sent to CJ Peralta also seeking protection of lawyers against impunity.

In their letter-request, the UP College of Law expressed its outrage over alleged police action, which violate the independence of the judiciary through its attempt to secure the names of lawyers representing CTGs. They also expressed concern over lawyers who have been killed after having been “profiled” and “red-tagged.”

Vistan specifically cited the letter sent by Lt. Fernando Calabria to the Calbayog City Clerk of Court seeking the names of lawyers serving as counsels for alleged members of CTGs. “We do believe that this Court is vested with sufficient power under the Constitution to protect its officers, including lawyers, prosecutors, and judges, as well as its staff and personnel from such threats, intimidation, and even killings,” the letter-request read.

“For this reason, we now seek the Court’s intervention to protect its lawyers, its officers and to ensure that the administration of justice is not held hostage by threats, pressure, and intimidation by yet unidentified people acting with impunity,” it added.

Vistan said they are asking the Court en banc to formally discuss the issue by docketing it as an administrative matter.

They also suggested the creation of a “Special Committee to Protect Lawyers” to be headed by an incumbent member of the SC with representatives from lower courts, Integrated Bar of the Philippines and other lawyers’ network and the legal academe.

The committee, according to the

law dean, should be mandated to investigate the circumstances behind the letter sent to the Calbayog City Clerk of Court and all similar requests.

Vistan said the committee should also verify the number of lawyers who have been supposedly killed or may have survived attacks in connection with similar threats.

He also asked the SC to direct the committee to explore the need to promulgate rules to protect lawyers from threats, including the need to amend the existing rules on writs of amparo and habeas data.

“In the meantime, this Court may consider extending its good offices to coordinate with the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior and Local Government to update itself on the status of cases against lawyers previously killed,” the group suggested.

In their separate letter to CJ Peralta, more than 700 lawyers admitted that the profiling of lawyers being conducted by the PNP across the country has sent a chilling effect on the members of the legal profession.

“We are deeply troubled and concerned by this brazen and outright attempt to curtail legal rights and liberties, to endanger the lives of, and perhaps deliberately target, lawyers carrying out their legal duties, and this palpable act of intimidation meant to deprive alleged ‘CTG personalities’ of their constitutional rights to counsel,” the letter read.

The lawyers asked the Court to immediately intervene “motu propio” on the matter and protect the lawyers against impunity and ensure the independence of the judiciary and the adherence to the rule of law.

The Court, according to the lawyers, should require the PNP leadership to submit an official explanation on the matter and commence proceedings in a bid to prevent such instances from happening again.

The SC has remained mum on the issue although the Office of the Court Administrator has started its inventory of criminal cases involving lawyers who were killed, harmed, threatened or attackedunderthepresentadministration.

The Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) said a total of 89 lawyers have been either killed or have gone missing from the term of the late President Ferdinand Marcos up to the term of President Duterte.

FLAG’s data also showed that the Duterte administration has the highest number of recorded killings and disappearances involving lawyers, prosecutors and judges with 67.

Judicial in nature

IN a related development, Court Ad-

ministrator Jose Midas Marquez has temporarily shielded court judges from any responsibility over the killing of nine activists during the service of court-issued search warrants last March 7.

However, Marquez is not discounting the possibility of a case being filed by the parties who felt aggrieved by the issuance.

“The issuance of search warrants is judicial in nature. As such, judicial remedies are available to those aggrieved by their issuance. Any action at this time on their issuance may preempt judicial recourse any party may take,” Marquez said in a two-page memorandum submitted to Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta.

In his report, Marquez informed CJ Peralta that based on the reports of the Regional Trial Courts (RTC) of Manila and Antipolo, out of the total 72 applications, they granted 46 search warrants that were all served on the same day, March 7, 2021.

The Court Administrator said the executive judge (EJ) of the Manila RTC received an “unusually large number of applications” for search warrants.

Marquez noted that 63 applications were heard by the EJ and three Vice Executive Judges (EVJs).

Out of the 63 applications, 42 were granted, 19 were denied, while two were withdrawn.

As for the Antipolo RTC, there were nine applications, of which, four were granted, four others denied and one remain pending before a trial court.

PNP, IBP partnership

THE PNP and IBP have agreed to strengthen their collaboration and work together to address the killings involving members of the legal profession.

The cooperation was pushed during a meeting on Tuesday between top officials of the two agencies led by PNP Officer in Charge Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar and IBP President Domingo Egon Cayosa where the two issued a joint statement.

“Lawyer-killings shall be investigated promptly and thoroughly with the suspects subsequently identified, prosecuted, and penalized,” the statement read, which came as groups reported that at least 61 lawyers have been killed under the current administration.

Eleazar and Cayosa assured their organization’s support and cooperation in addressing the number of cases surrounding the death of judges, prosecutors and member of the legal profession over the past several years.

“The PNP leadership does not sanction or tolerate the use of unnecessary/ unreasonable force; illegal/questionable methods, or abuse of authority in

pursuing its mandate to enforce the law and maintain peace and order. It shall hold accountable and discipline any police officer or employee who acts in violation of the Constitution, law, or regulations,” the joint statement added.

On the other hand, the IBP “believes that JUSTICE BILIS is a key deterrent to criminality and will continue to encourage and enable its members to help move the wheels of justice in our country much faster.”

During the meeting, Eleazar and Cayosa pushed for further collaboration within the “Lawyer Security and Justice” agreement that the two institutions signed in March 2020.

Several groups claimed that under the current administration, the number of lawyers killed in the country has been the highest as they made comparisons from the time of former President Corazon Aquino up to the current term of President Duterte.

During the meeting, both Eleazar and Cayosa noted that the closer coordination between IBP and law enforcers and investigators resulted in the faster resolution of the recent killings of lawyer Eric Jay Magcamit in Palawan and lawyer Joey Luis Wee in Cebu City.

Cayosa reiterated the assurance of the IBP to provide legal assistance, through its legal aid program, to qualified police officers who are unjustly harassed for doing their job and who do not have access to a competent lawyer.

Eleazar informed Cayosa that the PNP Human Rights Affairs Office is conducting its own review of the PNP’s compliance with human rights standards in police operations because the PNP remains keenly responsive to the requirement of respect for human rights in law enforcement.

“We have sought to strengthen our partnership with IBP to develop greater confidence among police personnel and officers of the court,” Eleazar said.

The IBP reaffirmed its commitment to motivate both police officers and lawyers to work together in strengthening “communication lines” as officers of the court, ensure the prompt resolution and disposition of criminal cases and advocate for laws and reforms that will help pursue the ends of justice.

Eleazar, on the other hand, expressed the commitment of the PNP to provide timely assistance to lawyers, prosecutors and judges in distress or danger and extend appropriate security and protection in cases of threat or hazard in the performance of their duties and functions.

The PNP will also help enhance the knowledge and skills of lawyers in security, personal defense, firearms proficiency and discipline, and allow use of PNP facilities for such training.

BusinessMirror

A4 Thursday, March 18, 2021

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS NO.

FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS POSITION

24/7 BUSINESS PROCESSING INC. 5th-6th-7th Flr. 81 Newport Bl Newport City Brgy. 183 Pasay City 1.

LI, XUN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CHINESE ACCOUNTS)

2.

XIANG, MING Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CHINESE ACCOUNTS)

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

NO.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY

POSITION

NO.

POSITION

45.

DENG, SHENGHUA Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

46.

HAN, JINYAO Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

DIAMONDSTONE INC. Unit No. Unit 2c Flr. One E-com Center Building Bldg. Lot No.4/f, Ocean Drive St. Mall Of Asia Complex Subd. District 4 Barangay 076 District 4 Pasay City

47.

HE, LAIYAN Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

48.

HU, YIJIAO Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

49.

HUANG, WEIYI Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

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

85.

CHEN, XIYU Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING BUSINESS ANALYST

86.

REFVI BONG Indonesian

CHINESE SPEAKING FINANCIAL ANALYST

3.

KESHET, AMIT Israeli

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER

50.

LI, WEI Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

87.

4.

WILLY HUSADA Indonesian

INDONESIAN SPEAKING PRODUCT MARKETING SENIOR SPECIALIST

51.

LIAO, GUOWEI Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

FAREAST OUTSOURCE PROCESSING INC. 7th, 8th, 9th Flr. Nu Tower Moa Coral Way Brgy. 076 Pasay City

52.

LIN, KANGWEI Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

88.

FAN, YAO Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)

HUANG, RENXING Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING COGNOS DEVELOPER

NO.

122.

FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY ZHU, LONGXIANG Chinese

POSITION CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE-MANDARIN SPEAKING

INTEGREON MANAGED SOLUTIONS (PHILIPPINES), INC. 9/f 6750 Bldg. 6750 Ayala Avenue San Lorenzo Makati City 123.

JOANNA NARWASTU TAMPA Indonesian

BAHASA INDONESIA CONTRACT SPECIALIST

IRISBLOOM INC. Unit 25d 2/f Zeta Ii Bldg. 19 Salcedo St. San Lorenzo Makati City 124.

HUAI, SHENGDE Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING ADMIN ASSOCIATE

125.

LUO, XIAN Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING ADMIN ASSOCIATE

126.

QIAN, QIHANG Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING BUSINESS ANALYST

127.

YOU, HUIYUAN Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE

128.

LI, JING Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

YANG, CUILIAN Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING FINANCIAL ANALYST

5.

KOOMSUWAN, SARANPAWEE Thai

THAI SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

53.

LIU, BENFU Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

89.

THAI SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAM LEAD

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)

6.

BOONKAM, NUTCHUDA Thai

SHI, YUNPENG Chinese

54.

MIN, QING Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

90.

THAI SPEAKING SEO SPECIALIST

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)

7.

CHORMALEE, SORASITH Thai

TIAN, ZHUANG Chinese

55.

PEI, CHANGJIN Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

91.

WANG, DONGZHI Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)

129.

56.

QIN, YUNJIAO Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

92.

WANG, SHUMAO Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)

J-NA ALLOUT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS CORP. 3/f Lipams Bldg. #48 President Avenue Bf Homes Parañaque City

57.

WANG, RONGYI Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

93.

XING, YANYAN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)

130.

RAJA WATER Indonesian

INDONESIAN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

58.

WANG, YUPING Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

94.

YU, WEIJIAN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)

131.

SUYANTONO Indonesian

INDONESIAN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

95.

ZHANG, ZHENHUA Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)

132.

QUAN, BO Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

ALLSECTECH MANILA, INC. 3rd Floor Market! Market! Mall Bonifacio Global City Taguig City 8.

LIU, ZHENPENG Chinese

BILINGUAL CSR

ANDES CONSULTING ADVISORY INC. 22/f Robinsons Summit Center 6783 Ayala Ave. Bel-air Makati City 9.

CHEN, SI-AN Taiwanese

MANDARIN SPEAKING FINANCIAL CONSULTANT

59.

WU, JINLING Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

10.

LEE WEI QIONG Malaysian

MANDARIN SPEAKING FINANCIAL CONSULTANT

60.

ZHENG, HONG Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

61.

ZOU, BOCHENG Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

ANOC99 CORPORATION 5/f Ayala Malls Manila Bay Building D. Macapagal Blvd. Cor. Aseana Street Tambo Parañaque City 11.

CHEN, PEIRU Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

BOSCH SERVICE SOLUTIONS, INC. 23rd Floor, W Fifth Avenue Building 32nd Street Corner 5th Avenue Bonifacio Global City Taguig City

12.

DANG THI HONG PHAN Vietnamese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

62.

PARK, JAEWOO South Korean

13.

HU, LIANGLIANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

63.

14.

LE HOAI PHUONG Vietnamese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

RUNGRUENGHEMMARAT, THIPTIWHA Thai

15.

LIM XUE QI Malaysian

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

16.

NGUYEN THI HONG LINH Vietnamese

17.

TANG, HAIYANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

18.

WANG, ZHAOMIN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

19.

YUCHI, HUIMIN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

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

64.

ASSOCIATE

ASSOCIATE

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

076 Pasay City 65.

CHEN, JINFENG Chinese

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

66.

DONG, YONG Chinese

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

67.

FAN, BO Chinese

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

GUAN, WEIWEI Chinese

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

69.

HE, FAYIN Chinese

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

70.

TANG, KOU Chinese

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

71.

TIAN, ZEWEN Chinese

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

72.

ZHANG, WEI Chinese

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

73.

NGUYEN TIEN MANH Vietnamese

IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

74.

WIRAFIN Indonesian

IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

68.

20.

HSU, CHU-CHUN Taiwanese

COMPUTER SYSTEM ANALYST

21.

VANESSA KIEW KAR SUEN Malaysian

COMPUTER SYSTEM ANALYST

22.

CHEN, YUSHENG Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

23.

CHENG, WEI Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

24.

GAN, TIAN Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

25.

HAN, HAITAO Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

26.

HU, JIE Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

27.

LI, JIALONG Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

75.

LI, RUIHAN Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

76.

29.

LIU, JIYE Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

30.

LIU, WENZHANG Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

31.

LIU, GUOLIANG Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

32.

LU, HONGQIAN Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

33.

SHU, YUCHAO Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

34.

SU, JINZHONG Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

35.

WAN, YONGXING Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

36.

WU, YOULONG Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

37.

XU, YUNGUI Chinese

28.

SETSAWAT, THANYAROOT Thai

ASSOCIATE

CHINA GEZHOUBA GROUP CO., LTD. (PHILIPPINES BRANCH) 916 High Street South Corporate Plaza Tower One 26th Street Fort Bonifacio Taguig City HE, MAOHUI Chinese JIA, JIXIANG Chinese

MARKETING MANAGER

77.

LIU, BAIZHONG Chinese

COMMERCIAL SUPERVISOR OF PRDP

78.

LIU, ZHI Chinese

PROJECT DIRECTOR OF PRDP

CHRISTIAN DIOR PHILIPPINES, INC. (CHRISTIAN DIOR AND DIOR) 23/f Tower 1 The Enterprise Center 6766 Ayala Ave. Cor., Paseo De Roxas San Lorenzo Makati City FONG, KA WAI BERT Chinese

BOUTIQUE MANAGER

CINATECH LIMITED CORP. 10-1 One Global Place 25th St., Cor. 5th Ave. Bgc Fort Bonifacio Taguig City 80.

HUANG, JINRONG Chinese

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

81.

SU, ZHIMIN Chinese

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

38.

XU, ZHENG Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

39.

ZENG, FANMIN Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

CONCENTRIX CVG PHILIPPINES, INC. 25/f Ayala North Exchange Tower 2, 6796 Ayala Ave. Cor. Salcedo & Amorsolo Streets Makati City

40.

ZHANG, HAOTIAN Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

82.

41.

ZHOU, CHENZHE Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

D.M. CONSUNJI, INC. Dmsi Plaza 2281 Pasong Tamo Ext., Magallanes Makati City

42.

CAI, LIANGZHU Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

43.

CHEN, YICAI Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

44.

CHEN, HAONAN Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

83.

BURNS, JAMES ANDREW British

ISHAK HADI WINARTO Indonesian

DIRECTOR, SERVICE DELIVERY

PROJECT MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT

DA PROSPERITAS HOLDING INC. 16/f Tower 6789 6789 Ayala Ave. Bel-air Makati City 84.

LEE NIAN WAH Malaysian

96.

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

SU, CHENGWEN Chinese

MARKETING CONSULTANT (MANDARIN SPEAKING CLIENTS)

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

JOHNSON & JOHNSON INTERNATIONAL (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD. Edison Road Barrio Ibayo Merville Parañaque City 133.

SURYANARAYANAN, RAGHU KRISHNAN Indian

MANAGING DIRECTOR

KEPCO KPS PHILIPPINES CORP. 18/f Pacific Star Bldg. Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. Cor. Makati Ave. Bel-air Makati City 134.

LEE, JAEBOK South Korean

SAFETY MANAGER

97.

JELYMAN Indonesian

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

98.

BI, FUWEN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

99.

CEN, JINRU Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

100.

HU, PANFEI Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

101.

HUANG, GUANGKUI Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

102.

LI, JUN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

103.

LI, YUREN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

104.

LIU, HAIYANG Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

LAMUDI PHILIPPINES INC. 32/f Bpi-philamlife Makati Condo. 6811 Ayala Ave. Bel-air Makati City

105.

PAN, LEI Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

141.

106.

PAN, LEXIAN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

107.

SHI, QIANYU Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

142.

MAO, YONG Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE PROVIDER

108.

TANG, MINGSHAN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

143.

ZHANG, XIAOMING Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE PROVIDER

109.

WANG, XIANCHANG Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

110.

WANG, WENJIE Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

111.

YAN, JIULIN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

112.

YANG, KE Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

113.

ZHANG, WENJING Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

114.

ZHANG, ZHIPENG Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

115.

ZHONG, XIAOHUI Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

116.

HUANG, JIAHUA Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE-MANDARIN SPEAKING

117.

HUANG, ZHIQIANG Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE-MANDARIN SPEAKING

118.

KOU, LIAN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE-MANDARIN SPEAKING

119.

LI, JING Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE-MANDARIN SPEAKING

120.

TANG, ZHONGXIAO Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE-MANDARIN SPEAKING

YAN, MENGTING Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE-MANDARIN SPEAKING

MARKETING EXECUTIVE

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

79.

FLY ASIAN INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION Eighty One Newport Blvd. Newport City Va, Brgy. 183 Pasay City

121.

KONGANBUDDIES MARKETING INC. 48/f Lower Ground Pbcom Tower 6795 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a. Rufino St. Bel-air Makati City 135.

BENNY Indonesian

BAHASA CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

KONGANBUDDIES MARKETING INC. 48/f Lower Ground Pbcom Tower 6795 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a. Rufino St. Bel-air Makati City 136.

ANDY Indonesian

INDONESIAN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

137.

AYU ANDIRA Indonesian

INDONESIAN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

138.

ENJELIA Indonesian

INDONESIAN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

139.

JEFFERY Indonesian

INDONESIAN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

140.

MELY SUEVI Indonesian

INDONESIAN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

VERMA , ANURAG Indian

DIRECTOR, BROKER ACCOUNTS (CLASSIFIEDS)

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

MEGAWIDE CONSTRUCTION CORPORATION #20 N. Domingo St. Valencia 4 Quezon City 144.

GONZALEZ MARZABAL, TEOFILO FERNANDO Spanish

QA/QC AVP

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. 4th-11th Flr. Nexgen Tower C4 Rd. Edsa Ext. Brgy. 076 Pasay City 145.

ANONG, WUXI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

146.

BIAN, FUGUO Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

147.

CHEN, XIUQIANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

148.

DU, YANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

149.

GAO, PENG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

150.

HAN, ZHENGLI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

151.

HU, XINXIN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

152.

HUANG, JIAHUI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

153.

HUANG, CHUANZHUO Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

154.

HUANG, FUWANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

155.

LAI, XIAOJUN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

156.

LI, NING Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

157.

LI, YUANFANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

158.

LI, JIANPENG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

159.

LIU, NIAN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

www.businessmirror.com.ph

News

BusinessMirror Thursday, March 18, 2021

A5

‘Green growth’ can generate 30-M jobs amid pandemic–ADB

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

S

HORING up government revenues is essential to create green growth opportunities that could pave the way for a strong and sustainable recovery, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

In his opening remarks at the second Southeast Asia Development Symposium, ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa said green growth could generate around 30 million new jobs crucial in the region’s recovery.

Asakawa said domestic funds are crucial in the recovery. During the pre-pandemic period, the average tax yield of most Southeast Asian countries was far below the 15 percent of GDP threshold needed for sustainable development.

“In addition to collaboration, knowledge, and innovation, governments need reliable streams of revenue. This is a sobering reality,” Asakawa said.

“With long-term interest rates ris-

ing in the US, this may put further pressure on many ADB developing member-countries in terms of macroeconomic management and fiscal policy,” he added.

Asakawa said countries in Southeast Asia allocated over $420 billion for their respective Covid-19 response. However, due to the recession, government revenues suffered significant reduction.

However, he said, ADB continued to help governments such as through the Asean Catalytic Green Finance Facility. The fund can be accessed to finance sovereign green infrastructure projects on sustainable transport, clean energy, and resilient water systems.

Apart from boosting revenues and obtaining financing from new facilities, Asakawa said there is a need for governments to maximize their use of big data to recover from the recession in a sustainable manner.

Big data refers to the science of using artificial intelligence, such as machine learning, to analyze large amounts of data for insights

beyond what is captured in standard databases.

Asakawa said big data can be used to transform key government sectors such as health care, social protection, and education, allowing for more effective service delivery.

“Governments and the private sector can also leverage big data for better supply chain management across Southeast Asia,” Asakawa said.

The symposium, “Innovation through Collaboration: Planning for Inclusive Post-Covid-19 Recovery,” is being held virtually on March 17 and 18.

The event will explore how Southeast Asian nations can improve access to vaccines, revitalize businesses, create jobs, and harness big data and new technology to support growth.

The two-day event is bringing together more than 3,400 highlevel government officials, private sector representatives, and other stakeholders from more than 100 countries.

New corporate pension system favors workers, economy–DOF Bill’s features

Pension systems are seen as active participants in capital markets. They help increase contractual savings that would aid in funding productive long-term investments in the national government and the private sector as well.

Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III

By Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM

R

EFORMING the corporate pension system will ensure workers are financially stable post-retirement, while deepening the domestic capital market with a fully-funded and portable program, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III has said.

The Department of Finance (DOF) and other government agencies backed the passage of the proposed Capital Market Development Act of 2021.

At a recent hearing of the House Committee on Banks and Financial Intermediaries, Dominguez stressed the need to reform the “underdeveloped” current corporate pension system to expand and diversify the investor base of the capital markets, as well as to ensure that workers get to receive adequate benefits once they retire.

Dominguez said the corporate pension reform will make it possible for small investors to grow their hard-earned savings through investments in capital markets.

“Pension systems are seen as active participants in capital markets.

They help increase contractual savings that would aid in funding productive long-term investments in the national government and the private sector as well,” Dominguez said.

The bill centers on the establishment of an Employee Pension and Retirement Income (EPRI) Account, similar to the portable, employeemanaged retirement accounts in developed economies that ensure workers continue to contribute to, and grow, their pension accounts

BM

even when they transfer from one job to another.

Dominguez pointed out that under the existing Retirement Pay Law, employees are entitled to at least one-half of their monthly salary for every year of service. This, on the average, means their pensions will only last for three years even after they have worked for 40 years in a single company.

“Under this law’s pay-as-you-go structure, more than 90 percent of employers pay their workers out-ofpocket, resulting in underfunded pensions and a lack of an investable pool of assets to grow these accounts. The current system is also a disadvantage to the highly mobile work force, as employees can only start benefiting from their retirement funds at the age of 60, and only their respective final employers contribute to their pensions,” the DOF chief said.

Such weaknesses in the country’s corporate pension system, he added, were confirmed by the 2020 Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index, which ranked the Philippines only 36th out of 39 retirement systems around the world.

The study, which measures pension systems in terms of sustainability, adequacy, and integrity, placed the Philippines’s overall index value of 43, with 82.6 being the highest.

Because of these disadvantages, the Philippines has a very minimal pension assets-to-GDP ratio of 16 percent in 2017, far from the ideal and sustainable ratio of 100 percent of GDP, Dominguez said.

“The average ratio among developing economies is 36 percent—or more than double ours,” he added.

THE proposed measure is also being supported by the Capital Market Development Council, as well as government agencies including Securities and Exchange Commission, the Insurance Commission, the Department of Trade and Industry, among others.

Based on the bill, employers and employees will both contribute to the pension account of the employees.

National Treasurer Rosalia V. de Leon also said the establishment of an EPRI account will be compulsory for all employees defined under Labor Code, all employers, such as domestic corporations, resident foreign corporations, general professional partnerships, registered or not, regardless of the number of employees. However, this will not be required or will be done on a voluntary basis for self-employed and professionals, government employees, domestic workers covered by the Kasambahay Law and those excluded by the regulatory authority in the implementing rules and regulations. ��������������������������������� The bill also provides tax exemption on investment income earned by EPRI and on all benefits and distributions received by the employee at the time of vesting or retirement.

Bureau of Internal Revenue ( BIR) De put y Com m i ssioner Marissa Cabreros pointed out that the proposed measure “will have an impact on the revenues to be collected by the government,” but said, “this however, outweighs the opportunity to encourage long term investment savings, creating a robust pool of capital for the financial system.”

Citing an Asian Development Bank study by Dr. Renato Reside of the University of the Philippines School of Economics, Dominguez said a 1-percent increase in the share of pension assets in the economy corresponds to a 1-percent growth in the country’s real GDP per capita.

“Therefore, building a truly robust corporate pension structure makes available huge volumes of capital to our financial system. It is among the most efficient ways to fund our longterm growth,” he said.

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A6 Thursday, March 18, 2021• www.businessmirror.com.ph

Covid-19: In the eyes of a frontliner

Of health-care le musings in a pan W

J

By Rory Visco

UST like any typical individual who works in the medical field, 47-year-old Jerry De Mesa knows the dangers of being in close contact with patients, especially at the time that Covid-19 showed its fangs and destructive wrath.

As a frontliner, he knows the risks involved but like a faithful and obedient soldier, he went on with his duties in the hospital where he works, not minding his own health. Still, he exercised caution always and observed all measures to protect himself from the dreaded disease.

As a dialysis technician for one of the top hospitals in the National Capital Region (NCR), his line of work makes him come into close and direct contact with patients. “We take care of our patients here at the hospital in the best possible way because they have nowhere to turn to with regard to their medical needs at the dialysis center of the hospital where I work.”

By Anne Ruth Dela Cruz Health and Fitness Editor

HEN the Philippine government reported the first confirmed Covid-19 case in the country back on January 30, 2019, the country’s health-care system immediately started preparations to manage the expected increase in Covid-19 cases.

A mind that went blank

DURING a routine swab test in their unit at the hospital last year at the height of the pandemic, De Mesa said he did not expect that he would test positive for Covid-19 because he never really felt anything in his body. “My mind went practically blank, I didn’t know what to do or think of, if I will be scared, or if I will die since I just recovered from a kidney problem a few months before I tested positive,” narrates De Mesa, who also thought he would undergo dialysis just like his patients. Luckily, his kidney was able to recover.

The hospital’s Emergency Room doctor said it was good that he did not experience any symptoms but nevertheless told him to rest, to monitor and observe his body on a daily basis. That somewhat eased his anxiety and worries.

Health workers in Las Pinas prepare for their daily duty in this file photo. NONIE REYES

A member of the police Special Action Force (SAF) guards Christmas shoppers in Divisoria, Manila, to ensure they observe physical distancing: a reminder laid down clearly in a tarpaulin hanging in the area. ROY DOMINGO

A varied diet

SINCE one of the symptoms of Covid-19 is loss of smell and taste, he experimented by trying a variety of food. For bread, for example, he tried different spreads like peanut butter, then mayonnaise or cheese the next day. For home-cooked meals, he also tried different dishes for lunch and for dinner like fried fish, then stews and soup-based food. “I was trying to check if I will also experience symptoms like loss of taste just like my other coworkers who also tested positive with Covid-19, and if I will also experience fever, cough, headaches and body aches.”

He thanked God that he did not experience those symptoms that usually accompany the disease up until the end of his home quarantine period. As soon as his quarantine period was done, he immediately reported to the hospital’s employees’ physician to secure a health clearance that he is already fit to work. He has been back at work since and enjoying the company of his patients, but still cautious enough not to get re-infected.

A renewed sense of faith

JUST like those who recovered from the disease, De Mesa also found a renewed sense of faith in the Almighty. He knows his faith became stronger when he started with a kidney problem where he had edema and had difficulty in breathing. But his faith in the Lord never wavered. He just prayed harder than ever and he experienced God’s care. “I just thought that when I had my kidney problem and struggled with the pain, God didn’t forsake me, what more this Covid-19, where I don’t feel anything; so why should I be scared now?”

It is really about trust in God, he admitted, because De Mesa knows God has plans for us though it does not manifest yet and sometimes people do not understand why. “I learned that the hard way. I’m not much of a churchgoer like the others but I know how to pray and I don’t forget to thank God for all His blessings.”

Not a death sentence

AFTER his bout with Covid-19, De Mesa now believes that having the disease is not a death sentence, as most others may think, because there are those like him who are only asymptomatic or only experience mild symptoms.

What is important, he stressed, is for people to follow the minimum public health standards and other health protocols like proper wearing of face masks and face shields, use of alcohol or washing of hands with soap in case of contact and ultimately, physical distancing.

“But for me, perhaps the most important of all is not to forget to thank the Lord for all the blessings and for waking up to a new day every morning in the company of our loved ones.”

He said the biggest thing he also realized after testing positive with Covid-19 is the difference between money and time. “With your money, you can know how much is left just by looking at it, but with time, there is no way of finding out how much you have left.”

Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. is vaccinated against Covid-19. NONIE REYES

One of the simulation exercises held by authorities to ensure frontliners are always ready to respond to emergencies. NONIE REYES

A Robonurse brings medicine and supplies to patients at an isolation facility in Taguig City, as part of efforts to reduce exposure of human frontliners to the virus. ROY DOMINGO

The first batch of Sinovac vaccines arrive at Villamor Airbase on a Chinese government plane. NONIE REYES

While they were able to put in place the necessary infection and patient safety protocols not only to protect their patients but their healthcare workers as well, two doctors had many learnings and realizations to share as they battled this invisible disease for over a year. Another doctor, who managed to be part of the government’s efforts, had to leave premat urely to f ind anot her platform to push for his beliefs.

Dr. Gerardo D. Legaspi, Director of the Universit y of the Philippines-Philippine General

Hospita l (PGH), reca l led that w h e n e n h a n c e d c o m mu n it y quarantine (ECQ ) was imposed on M a rc h 15, 2020, he w a s summoned by Health Secretar y Francisco T. Duque III and was infor med that PGH wou ld be desig nated as one of the three Cov id-19 refer ra l hospita ls in the Nationa l Capita l Reg ion.

T he other t wo hospita ls were the Dr. Jose M. Rodr ig uez Memor ia l Hospita l in Ca loocan Cit y and the Lung Center of the Philippines in Quezon City.

When he spoke during the re-

cent Philippines Graphic organized webinar titled “Hospital Best Practices in Handling Covid-19 Patients,” Dr. Legaspi shared lessons he and his team learned from operating a referral hospital. At that time, PGH was already down to around 70 to 75 Covid-19 patients with 20 percent in the ICU, down from 220 to 140 during the peak months of July and August.

“All that we have done is based on using Science as the base of our decision,” he said. “it is not only enough to follow Science but you have to choose the right Science

and I am happy that our experts here guided us well with the safety protocols and interventions for our patients.”

Fear management

THIS also helped him and his team to manage their fear, which, Dr. Legaspi said, “was a hindrance to the effective management of a Covid referral hospital.” He noted that “fear was evident in everyone’s faces, including ours probably at the start. But when we believe in real Science, our fear started to melt away.”

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critical lessons he learned from this pandemic is that preparation is key.

“The preparations at TMC were not comparable with that of Singapore, but I think we were prepared because our preparations for global communicable diseases were not entirely zero and we started on the correct footing,” he said.

Crisis leadership

One of the things that Science also proved, according to Dr. Legaspi, is that the RT-PCR “is not the end game to Covid.”

“It is a point in time and the reliance on it will should be well-tempered because you know the assurance of negativity is brief or only during the time of testing,” he explained. “Still, whether you are positive or negative, precautions still need to be observed.”

Dr. Legaspi related that PGH did one mass testing of 4,700 employees, “and we promised ourselves that we will never do it again although we got a lot of information from that.” Instead, he said he would recommend targeted testing as a more efficient way to make use of RT-PCR. Surprisingly, PGH’s surveillance showed that those who were assigned in the Covid wards actually had a lower rate of infection than the support staff who were helping them or those working in non-Covid wards. “ This proves that if you have hospita l hea lth protocols wel l in place, even in a hospita l like PGH w ith high-r isk patients, Cov id infection can be brought to a minimum,” Dr. Legaspi said.

Caring for the health-care worker

When it came to their healthcare workers, Dr. Legaspi made sure that they were housed in nearby hotels, had shuttle services and that they were mentally and spiritually supported to deal with the situation.

“The staff enjoyed the food from donors and they were given one week off after serving in the Covid ward,” he said. “I think all of these gestures of support somehow made them feel less stressed at work.”

Dr. Legaspi recalled that whenever PGH was sought for comment on any issue, he would call Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire to ask if his statements would not counter the messages that DOH wants to impart.

“This is to prevent a lot of miscommunication from people working in the Covid crisis,” he said. “People should be able to identify with the messages to be sent so we made them attractive, easy to understand and of course, informative.”

For Dr. K arl Henson R. Evans, Director of the Hospital Infection Control and Epidemiology Center of The Medical City (TMC), one of the

RAPID diagnostics, he added, holds the key as there is really a difference between the early response to the pandemic “when we were getting the tests very late versus when there were more tests and we were diagnosing patients faster.”

Crisis leadership, Dr. Henson added, is critically important not only for the hospital but at the local government unit and national levels.

“Whatever your politics, I think we can all agree that our national healthcare system needs an upgrade and I think that this pandemic has defined everyone, especially our leaders, what the next things are and what next steps are required by the nation.”

T he declaration of ECQ was a lso a tur ning point for Dr. A nthony Leachon, a noted cardiolog ist who prac t ices at t he Ma n i l a Doc tors Hospita l. He reca l led getting a ca l l from Ma lacanang summoning him to suppor t a nd adv ise Secret a r y Carlito Ga lvez who was tapped as the Chief Implementor of the National Action Plan against Covid-19.

He wou ld repor t to Camp Ag uina ldo which ser ved as the Command Center.

“My role is to give medical advice to Secretary Galvez. In fact, on my second and third day, I presented a blue print on how they would carry out the plan,” he related. “After that, I was also involved in the delivery of major services, meeting with governors and mayors on their needs. It’s an action team really.”

However, Dr. Leachon was forced to resign after only three months because of “some differences in the policy as well as in the communication process.” For one, he noted that the data that the Department of Health had been disseminating was not updated because of the delay in its collection.

“I demanded transparency and openness rather than the propaganda system so that is what happened,” he said. “They should report what is happening and if there are deaths and not stone wall any communications.”

No sense of urgency

HE added that there was no sense of urgency “so that people will be informed and will be able to make the appropriate sacrifices” given the information.

“It is important that the people know the extent of the problem so that they will realize the need to stay at home and to observe the minimum health standards of wearing face masks and face shields, frequent handwashing, social distancing when they need to step outside.”

If he had his way, Dr. Leachon said he would form a coalition of stakeholders in order to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. He related his experience when he was invited to be part of the group that helped formulate the sin tax law. This group was composed of doctors, economists and members of the Cabinet.

Continued on A8

Editor: Dennis D. Estopace • Thursday, March 18, 2021

A7

Life after Covid-19

By Rory Visco

Contributor

I

T’S hard to bounce back after a traumatic medical experience, especially if it is related to Covid-19.

By profession, Edwynn Castillo is a Senior High School Arts and Design teacher who had been teaching for the past 30 years.

Currently, he is teaching at the Mataas na Paaralang Neptali A. Gonzales in Mandaluyong City.

He is also a musician at heart, having been a pianist at the San Felipe Neri Parish Church in Mandaluyong City and even playing at weddings.

Well, that was his life then.

Then came the Covid-19 pandemic and it changed his way of life and the practice of his profession. There was a dramatic shift in the learning mode and yet he adapted just like all the other teachers, where they taught their students online.

“My other routine was going to the grocery for our food since I was the only one in our household with a quarantine pass,” Castillo narrated of his life at the height of the pandemic.

Covid-19 struck

WHILE he was living his “new normal” life as a teacher, he noticed one day the irritation in his eyes, which he surmised was due to too much screen time during his online classes.

“That’s when I decided to visit my ophthalmologist but I also experienced coughing during that time but didn’t

pay attention to it since it felt it was nothing serious.”

He badly needed to see his doctor so Castillo abided by the strict protocols in the hospital he visited, which called for patients to be checked for Covid-19 symptoms. “I agreed to a swab test and unfortunately, I tested positive for Covid-19.”

Though not really an avid social media listener or internet surfer, he was aware of the news that many have died all over the world with a disease that knows no culture, economic status or geographic boundaries over the past several months.

“After I received the result, it made me miserable but I persevered and put my hope in God. Then I continued to grow weak and my cough progressed to pneumonia,” Castillo said.

What added to his misery was that he was confined at the hospital for almost a month (December 23, 2020 to January 18, 2021). “The most disheartening situation for me, aside from being Covid-19 positive, was that I spent Christmas and New Year alone. It was also traumatic because I grew so weak that my body would shake whenever I tore open my medicine or opened the cap of a bottle of mineral water.”

He said he gasped for air whenever he moved and could only eat two to three tablespoons of food because he found it hard to breathe when he was full. He slept in a prone position to rest his lungs, but this proved difficult because

he suffers from a slipped disc.

“I needed lots of rest, which I can’t fully have because sometimes I have to wake up and eat in the middle of the night, have medicines injected into my stomach, and monitoring of vital signs. But it also gave me time to reflect because it was during those times that I experienced God’s presence.”

The life that changed after Covid-19

CASTILLO said that he felt around 78 percent okay at the time he was discharged from the hospital because he knew Covid-19 had lingering effects. “I still gasped for air when I moved around and I could not move extensively, and the difficulty in breathing was still there, especially when I’m full.”

Consultation with his physician was also a constant thing for Castillo, who was also told to consult a rehab doctor for some strengthening exercises.

A devout Catholic, Castillo experienced the most dramatic impact on his faith and on his life due to Covid-19, which he said gave him three new perspectives in life.

One is, “life must go on.”

“I was once a biker; I loved to exercise and take long walks in our community. I do house chores, drive my family to work. But Covid-19 limited all those activities. I will have to spend more time to heal but life must go on. I know God’s healing power is working in me

right now; I hope and believe soon I will be alright.”

Second, he learned to trust in God with all his heart. Since Covid-19 is highly contagious, no one from his family or friends were allowed to assist him. With his body growing so weak, it was hard for him to move especially since he was on an IV. To make the situation even more appalling at the time of his confinement, he learned that his three children and mother-in-law also tested positive for Covid-19.

“Powerless and depressed, I cried to God and gave Him my trust for I know He can do miracles. I know He can bring out good even in worst situations so I calmed myself and focused on His words—“Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10) and “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5).

Third, he said he learned that when we care for others, we take care of God. During those times, he said, his wife was always on the go, and was forced to do everything from office to house chores. “I pitied her, I saw how tired and worn out she was. I asked God to guide her and give her strength and God told me that ‘don’t worry for your wife is taking care of me.’ I then understood what is meant by ‘whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it for me.’” (Mt.25:40).

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A8 Thursday, March 18, 2021 Continued from A7

“The problem here is that the opinions of medical experts are overruled by our economic experts so when our medical experts make certain recommendations, they are overpowered,” Dr. Leahcon said.

“This is a global pandemic; this is a medical pandemic. Why should the economy be prioritized?” “ This is the reason why there have been delays in the vaccines because their priority is how to

open the economy without realizing that the problem is that the economy will never recover until the virus is controlled,” he added.

Leachon had recommended that once the vaccination program is finally rolled out, the National Capital Region be prioritized since 50 to 70 percent of the business and major academic institutions are based here.

“If I want to change their game plan, the National Capital Region

should be vaccinated first so that you can open the airports and the businesses freely,” he said. “The other regions to follow are Region 4A and Region 3 because these are the regions that will bring you business.”

Ready for next pandemic?

ASKED if the country is ready for the next pandemic, Dr. Leachon declared that the country is not ready because the government has not invested in health-care

for the past 40 years.

“In t he 1960s, because of t he Vietnam War, t here was an exodus of the doctors and nurses to America. And in the 1970s and 1980s, there was a time that even doctors became nurses just to go abroad because of higher pay,” he said. “So we are the number one exporters of doctors and nurses abroad.”

T here is a lso a need, he said, t o re v it a l i z e Ph i l He a lt h b y reduc ing t he cor r upt ion and

appointing competent people.

It wou ld be best that the PhilHealth setup be made similar to that of the Bangko Sentra l ng Pilipinas where the Gover nor is g iven a set ter m of si x years.

To be f u l ly prepa red for t he ne x t pa ndem ic, he a l so recommended t h at t he cou nt r y have more PGHs bu i lt in t he cou nt r yside.

“If there are 14 regions, you have to build 14 PGHs so that not everyone will need to go to

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PGH in Manila,” he said. “So we need to build infrastructure in the countryside so that the doctors, after being rained in Manila, they would be willing to go back to be deployed in the regions and with every hospital, there will be economic development.”

“We are really not ready for the pandemic. Why? We don’t have the human resources, we don’t have a stable PhilHealth and we don’t have the infrastructure,” Dr. Leachon stressed.

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Thursday, March 18, 2021 A9

DOH and FDA say HCW’s death due to Covid, not vax

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco Correspondent

T

HE Department of Health and Food and Drug Administration confirmed on Friday that coronavirus disease (Covid-19) was the cause of death of a health-care worker (HCW) recently inoculated against the disease.

Upon receiving the report on March 15, the DOH said the regional and national Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) committees were immediately activated to conduct a thorough investigation into the case.

“Upon completion of the investigation following the 2019 World Health Organization AEFI causality assessment methodology, the NAEFIC and RAEFIC concluded that the cause of the

death was caused by Covid-19 itself, not by the Covid-19 vaccine,” DOH clarified.

The DOH also said that Covid-19 vaccines “cannot” cause somebody to be positive of the virus.

“The DOH and Food and Drug Administration [FDA] emphasize that vaccines are only one part of the solution in bringing the Covid-19 pandemic to an end. Even with vaccines, people must continue with the important prevention measures already in place: wearing masks, maintaining physical distancing, washing hands frequently, and avoiding crowded places and settings,” a joint news statement read.

Both DOH and FDA also encouraged all HCWs to get vaccinated amid an ongoing surge in Covid-19 cases.

“Millions of people around the world have received this vaccine and

evidence continues to show that the benefit of vaccination outweighs the risk of severe disease and death caused

by Covid-19,” DOH added. The DOH refused to reveal the vaccine that was injected to the HCW.

Ivermectin

THE FDA, meanwhile, warned the p u b l i c against the purchase and use of Iver mectin veterinary products purportedly to cure virus symptoms.

T h e

Tesda opens agri livelihood program for displaced OFWs T HE Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) on Wednesday said that overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) displaced by the Covid-19 pandemic would be provided with livelihood program for them to have a new source of income.

D u b b e d a s “A g r i - N e g o s y o P a r a s a OF Ws,” t he prog r a m w i l l of fer strengthened and more efficient deliver y of agribusiness-related programs and ser vices from the concerned agencies to address the urgent need of repatriated OFWs. “There are a lot of opportunities in agriculture. You can also establish your own mini-organic farms. This can be a good source of steady supply of food for your families,” he said. “This can also be

extended to the communities and from which it becomes a new source of income,” Tesda Director General Secretary Isidro Lapeña said as he urged OFWs to enroll in Tesda’s agriculture courses and other government programs.

Lapeña said that the program will not just give opportunities to OFWs but will also address the country’s food security concerns.

The “Agri-Negosyo para sa OFWs” is a one -stop shop of i nfor m at ion for OFWs which will introduce agribusiness; provide investment opportunities; assist in crafting business plans and studies; facilitate access to financing programs, trainings, available technolog y; and build network linkages. Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

IT infra ramp-up, more revenue boost PHL’s recovery prospects continued from a12

The limitations forced by the pandemic, he said, paved the way for upgrading the country’s digital transaction systems, including the use of electronic means to improve the government’s tax collection.

Digital tools to broaden financial inclusion were also launched amid the pandemic, among them the Digital PERA (Personal Equity Retirement Account) and the Bonds.PH mobile application for the country’s domestic bond offerings.

Apart from continuously implementing the Build, Build, Build program, Dominguez said the government will remain focused in pushing for the pendi ng refor ms, including the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act (CREATE), Government Financial Institutions Unified Initiatives to Distressed Enterprises for Economic Recovery (GUIDE) as well as the remaining packages of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program on improving property valuation and simplifying the tax system on passive income and financial intermediaries.

To further open up t he economy and bring in foreign

investments, he also reiterated that Congress also pass doable reforms such as the amendments to the Foreign Investment Act, the Public Service Act, and the Retail Trade Liberalization Act. “A crisis is both a threat and an opportunity. The pandemic seriously threatened our people’s health and our economy’s vigor. We have gone through a difficult test. From here, we are focused on the opportunities in the horizon,” he said. Bernadette D. Nicolas

FDA stressed that the registered Ivermectin veterinary products are “only” approved for the “prevention of heartworm disease and treatment of internal and external parasites in certain animal species.”

“Ivermectin is NOT APPROVED by the FDA for treatment of any viral infection,” the FDA Advisory

2021-0526 issued on March 15, 2021, read.

“The public is warned against taking animal drugs as the FDA has only evaluated their safety and efficacy in the particular species for which they are labeled. Using these products in humans can cause serious harm. Animal drugs are often

highly concentrated and can be highly toxic to humans,” FDA said.

It added, “The drug is an important part of the parasitic control program for some animal species and should only be administered according to its approved indication, or as prescribed by a duly licensed veterinarian.”

A10 Thursday, March 18, 2021 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

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editorial

Women’s Month 2021: Empowering all Juanas!

‘W

ithout equality, there can be no democracy.” These are the words of the late US first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who chaired the drafting committee of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 1948. The UN body sought to attain equality between women and men and eliminate all forms of discrimination against women.

More than seven decades later, women around the world still regularly suffer violations of their human rights throughout their lives.

From the Associated Press: “The head of UN Women on Monday called the Covid-19 pandemic ‘the most discriminatory crisis’ that women and girls have ever experienced, pointing to women losing jobs far more often than men, a ‘shadow pandemic’ of domestic violence, and 47 million more women being pushed into living on less than $1.90 a day this year. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the executive director of the UN women’s agency, said the World Health Organization’s [WHO] latest report shows that the highest rates of intimate partner violence in the past 12 months—16 percent—was against young women aged 15 to 24.”

The new data from WHO shows that violence against women remains devastatingly pervasive. “Across their lifetime, 1 in 3 women, around 736 million, are subjected to physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner or sexual violence from a non-partner—a number that has remained largely unchanged over the past decade.”

In observance of the National Women’s Month celebration this March 2021, the Department of Social Welfare and Development has lined up various activities to advocate the rights of women and girls. DSWD will conduct a national orientation for the agency’s personnel on the Safe Spaces Act or the Bawal Bastos Act. This is in line with the celebration’s theme, “We make Change work for Women,” with this year’s special focus on “Juana Laban sa Pandemya: Kaya!”

The Safe Spaces Act of 2019 or Republic Act 11313 is a landmark legislation that aims to protect all individuals from sexual harassment in physical or online spaces. Through the implementation of this law, the public is enjoined to work together and create a safe space for everyone. Undersecretary Luzviminda C. Ilagan, DSWD-Gender and Development chairman, said this year’s women’s month celebration is a reminder to continue upholding the strong and steadfast advocacy of advancing gender equality, strengthening the protection of women’s rights, and promoting women empowerment.

This year’s National Women’s Month celebration serves as a tribute, a platform, and a call to action that highlights the extraordinary roles of ordinary Juanas in society as trailblazers and harbingers of change. However, this year’s campaign is different from the previous ones because of the Covid-19 pandemic, which posed both challenges and opportunities for women.

Hence, this year’s observance highlights women’s participation in battling the pandemic, as well as gender issues exacerbated by the pandemic.

As we delve into the gender issues that emerged during the health crisis, DSWD believes that creating safe spaces in the community and even inside individual homes is also key in the continuing fight against the effects of the pandemic, where people are advised to stay home and go out only for important reasons.

As the DSWD joins the nation in celebrating Women’s Month, the agency vows to continue to initiate activities that will enable women to develop their full potential. Amid the pandemic, Women’s Month serves as a venue to discuss and address the issues that women continue to face so that empowerment can be fully achieved.

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Solutions to stop the Covid spread John Mangun

OUTSIDE THE BOX

I

have a burning desire to go on a ballistic rant about the fact that the Philippines was, and continues to be, hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. No, I am not happy since I have been in lockdown—as a senior citizen—for 12 mutherfreaking months.

Fortunately, I was able to restock my liquor cabinet before the city decided to protect me from the Covid virus sneaking into my house disguised as a bottle of “1800 100% Agave Silver Tequila.” Thank you Boozy.ph.

My management style is to listen to every complaint about how things are being done. Even from whiners.

However, if someone came up with a criticism that I had not thought of, my reaction was to put that person in charge of fixing the problem.

My belief is that if you are smart enough to find a problem, there is a good chance you can also find the solution. Further, it can create a de facto “task force” as the “Person in

Charge” starts reaching out to others for ideas.

Currently, all we seem to hear is the “complain” part and few ideas about the “fix.” Therefore, while I will whine about the situation, I will not target any particular government action because I am not smart enough to have solutions to battle Covid.

Oh, wait. I do have an idea. Put large billboards all over the country reading, “Wear a mask/shield, Fool!”

Masks slow the spread of the virus except when they don’t. “If coronavirus particles are in the air, the masks aren’t a reliable way of preventing someone from contracting the virus although there is some evidence that they are better than

nothing, says Babak Javid, professor of medicine at University of California, San Francisco.”

“Better than nothing” is to scientific reasoning as Green Cross is to whiskey.

In addition to having few if any ideas to help, the complainers are always making comparisons with other countries while coming from total dark ignorance. Thailand controlled Covid. Why can’t the Philippines? Here’s why.

Created in 1977, Thailand’s “Village Health Volunteers” (VHV) were set up as part of government efforts to help rural communities at a time when communist insurgents roamed the country.

In 2003 when the Philippines was concerned about who would be president, Thailand was concerned about the SARS outbreak. Scared to death is more appropriate. The nation immediately started beefing up its healthcare system. A multi-sector task force was created, including many retired military because generals have the knowledge and experience of moving personnel and supplies in long distances and they know how to preposition equipment.

After years of relative inactivity, in 2010—when the Philippines

was concerned about who would be president—Thailand’s VHV were enhanced with more training and the 1 million participants were receiving $20 per month. Each VHV was responsible for 10 households.

When Covid struck, this “millionman army” was put to work educating families under their watch and reporting any Covid symptoms to local health officials. The VHV were able to immediately trace contacts of anyone who was Covid positive.

With the combined military, police, and reserve forces, Vietnam has one of the largest per capita “armies” in the world. When Covid first hit, the military set a Cordon Sanitaire around areas of positive individuals. The military was used for contact tracing. A total of 10,242,896 people were eventually placed under quarantine, with over 4 million in government quarantine facilities.

My other recommendation to stop the Covid spread is a small sticker on my face shield: “If you can read this, I am going to hurt you badly.”

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.

Nurses fight conspiracy theories along with coronavirus

By ALI SWENSON & DAVID KLEPPER | Associated Press

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os Angeles emergency room nurse Sandra Younan spent the last year juggling long hours as she watched many patients struggle with the coronavirus and some die.

Then there were the patients who claimed the virus was fake or coughed in her face, ignoring mask rules. One man stormed out of the hospital after a positive Covid-19 test, refusing to believe it was accurate.

“You have patients that are literally dying, and then you have patients that are denying the disease,” she said. “You try to educate and you try to educate, but then you just hit a wall.” Bogus claims about the virus, masks and vaccines have exploded since Covid-19 was declared a global pandemic a year ago. Journalists, public health officials and tech companies have tried to push back against the falsehoods, but much of the job of correcting misinformation has fallen to the world’s front-line medical workers.

In Germany, a video clip showing a nurse using an empty syringe while practicing vaccinations traveled widely online as purported evidence that Covid-19 is fake. Doctors in Afghanistan reported patients telling them Covid-19 was created by the US and China to reduce the world population. In Bolivia, medical workers had to care for five people who ingested a toxic bleaching agent falsely touted as a Covid-19 cure.

Younan, 27, says her friends used to describe her as the “chillest person ever,” but now she deals with crushing anxiety.

“My life is being a nurse, so I don’t care if you’re really sick, you throw up on me, whatever,” Younan said. “But when you know what you’re doing is wrong, and I’m asking you repeatedly to please wear your mask to protect me, and you’re still not doing it, it’s like you have no regard for anybody but yourself. And that’s why this virus is spreading. It just makes you lose hope.”

Emily Scott, 36, who is based at a Seattle hospital, has worked around the world on medical missions and helped care for the first US Covid-19 patient last year. She was selected because of her experience working in Sierra Leone during the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak. While many Americans were terrified of Ebola—a disease that isn’t nearly as contagious as the coronavirus and poses little threat in the US—they aren’t nearly afraid enough of Covid-19, she said.

Scott blames a few factors: Ebola’s frightening symptoms, racism against Africans and the politicization of Covid-19 by American elected officials.

“I felt so much safer in Sierra Le-

one during Ebola than I did at the beginning of this outbreak in the US,” Scott said, because of how many people failed to heed social distancing and mask directives. “Things that are facts, and science, have become politicized.”

ER nurse L’Erin Ogle has heard a litany of false claims about the virus while working at a hospital in the suburbs of Kansas City, Missouri. They include: The virus isn’t any worse than the flu. It’s caused by 5G wireless towers. Masks won’t help and may hurt. Or, the most painful to her: The virus isn’t real, and doctors and nurses are engaged in a vast global conspiracy to hide the truth.

“It just feels so defeating, and it makes you question: Why am I doing this?” said Ogle, 40.

Nurses are often the health care providers with the most patient contact, and patients frequently view nurses as more approachable, according to professor Maria Brann, an expert on health communication at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. That means nurses are more likely to encounter patients spreading misinformation, which gives them a special opportunity to intervene.

“Nurses have always been patient advocates, but this pandemic has thrown so much more at them,” Brann said. “It can definitely take a toll. This isn’t necessarily what they signed up for.”

In some cases, it’s nurses and other health care workers them-

selves spreading misinformation.

And many nurses say they encounter falsehoods about the coronavirus vaccine in their own families.

For Brenda Olmos, 31, a nurse practitioner in Austin, Texas, who focuses on a geriatric and Hispanic patient population, it was a no-brainer to get the vaccine. But first she had to debate her parents, who had heard unsubstantiated claims that the shot would cause infertility and Bell’s palsy on Spanish-language TV shows. Olmos eventually convinced her parents to get the vaccine, too, but she worries about vaccine hesitancy in her community.

When she recently encountered an elderly patient with cancerous tumors, Olmos knew the growths had taken years to develop. But the man’s adult children who had recently gotten him the vaccine insisted that the two were connected.

“To them, it just seemed too coincidental,” Olmos said. “I just wanted them to not have that guilt.”

Olmos said the real problem with misinformation is not just bad actors spreading lies — it’s people believing false claims because they aren’t as comfortable navigating often complex medical findings.

“Low health literacy is the real pandemic,” she said. “As health care providers, we have a duty to serve the information in a way that’s palatable, and that’s easy to understand, so that people don’t consume misinformation because they can’t digest See “Nurses,” A11

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

A plea to Sen. Win Gatchalian: Lead the nation to its green future

To die like a grain of wheat Msgr. Sabino A. Vengco Jr.

Alálaong Bagá

Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo

LABOREM EXERCENS

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en. Win Gatchalian is one of the hardest working members of the Senate. A successful business executive, he breathes a fresh air of professionalism in his work as a legislator. He is also known as a passionate advocate of good governance and more investments on human resources, both of which are key to the transformation of the Philippines as one of Asia’s most progressive countries.

He is also seen on the side of the poor and ordinary consumers.

When many families were “electricshocked” by Meralco’s questionable billing statements and disconnection notices after the harsh ECQ last year, Senator Win, as chair of the Senate Energy Committee, immediately took up the cudgels for the poor consumers. He questioned the lack of transparency in Meralco’s billing operations in a time of widespread confusion and crisis.

And then last year, amid the social and economic depression caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, Senator Win surprised the nation with a stirring call to combat climate change: now, he said, is the time for the nation to go renewable. He echoed the global call of climate scientists: countries must “transition” now toward green energy, for time is limited to contain or stop the seemingly inexorable warming of Planet Earth beyond the 2.0 degree Celsius above the pre-industrial era. Note that the 2015 Paris Agreement seeks the cooperation of all countries in limiting their respective GHG emissions to a collective maximum of 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Senator Win was quoted last year as saying: “Now is the time to give renewable energy sources a boost as recent months have shown an increase in the generation of some power sources such as solar, geothermal, and biomass.” Hence, he is pushing for the Department of Energy to strengthen further the various programs in support of the renewables, including measures cutting the red tape in awarding and facilitating the installation of renewables. He also lauded the declaration of DOE for a moratorium on the establishment of new coal plants. He concluded: “The whole world is moving to energy and mobility transition so we need to keep up with the trend of generating power from renewable sources.”

We fully agree with Senator Win on energy transition. His call for energy transition deserves the support of the whole country. Energy transition is, in fact, at the center of the climate change agenda of all countries trying to meet their Paris 2015 commitments.

In this context, we are at a loss why the DOE, Climate Change Commission and even the legislature have not come out with a well-crafted energy transition program, that is, an energy transition blueprint containing clear programs for the phasing out of fossil fuels and the transitioning to the renewables. Moreover, we do not understand why, per data of the DOE, the share of the renewables has been shrinking in the total energy consumption of the country since 2010. This is ironic because the reverse is happening in many countries because the renewables—wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, biomass— have become competitive and even cheaper compared to the fossil fuels.

We are also at a loss why both chambers of Congress are now fasttracking the enactment of laws supporting the development of the natural gas industry, at the mid-stream and downstream levels, without articulating the downsides of natural gas usage. Recent studies of the UN Environmental Program (UNEP) show that natural gas is not exactly “clean” compared to coal and oil. Scientific data indicate that natural gas appears “clean” vis-à-vis coal and oil only because it hardly emits carbon dioxide; and yet, natural gas emits a different substance, methane, which

We fully agree with Senator Win on energy transition. His call for energy transition deserves the support of the whole country. Energy transition is, in fact, at the center of the climate change agenda of all countries trying to meet their Paris 2015 commitments. is worse than carbon dioxide in trapping heat or greenhouse gas.

These UNEP findings on natural gas are the reasons why two influential voices on climate change spoke against natural gas last February this year. The President of the European Investment Bank, Werner Hoyer, declared in the EIB’s annual briefing that “To put it mildly, gas is over.” He explained: “This is a serious departure from the past, but without the end to the use of unabated fossil fuels, we will not be able to reach the climate targets.”

Another personality who spoke against reliance on natural gas and the building of additional facilities for the natural gas industry is former Sen. John Kerry, the global climate point person appointed by US President Joe Biden. Speaking in the World Economic Forum, Kerry warned investors on natural gas as follows: “If we build out a huge infrastructure for gas now and continue to use it as the bridge fuel, we haven’t really exhausted the other possibilities, we’re gonna be stuck with stranded assets in 10 or 20 or 30 years…Gas is primarily methane and we have a huge methane problem, folks.”

The problem is: do our legislators and energy planners see natural gas the same way that Kerry, Hoyer and UNEP scientists see it: a threat to humanity because it is a global warming accelerator. Don’t they see the terminals and distribution infras for natural gas becoming stranded once the Philippines and the world become green in 10 or 20 years?

Even Russia, the world’s biggest natural gas producer, is in a quandary.

Its long natural gas pipelines going to Germany are on hold, partly because of the climate issues being raised by European citizens against natural gas.

Hence, the Russians are now trying to develop—with the help of German and Japanese scientists —cleaner fuel alternatives such as green hydrogen that can use the idle pipe lines.

Meantime, there are debates going on in the Asian Development Bank as to whether the Bank should stop financing the development of gas plants just like what the Bank did in relation to coal projects. Even the World Bank, which is preparing the WB-IMF “spring” convention, is having some internal debates because civil society organizations worldwide are pressing the Bank and the IMF to phase out financing for all fossil fuels, including natural gas.

So what should the Philippines do?

Our answer: our legislators and energy policy-makers should heed the global call of climate scientists and green climate advocates to phase out the world’s reliance on all fossil fuels, including natural gas. Our government must flesh out a clear and doable energy transition toward the renewables. We ask Senator Win, the chair of the Senate Energy Committee, to take the lead in this undertaking, in charting a green future for the Philippines.

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week away from the Semana Santa, the week made holy by the death and resurrection of Jesus, we are primed more intensely for the event of Calvary and its significance for humankind. John (12:20-33) leads our meditation on the thoughts and experience of Jesus relating to his passion and death on the cross.

The hour of Jesus IT was a paradoxical setting: the chief priests and Pharisees were increasingly convinced that Jesus should die (11:50.57), while some Gentile proselytes to Judaism wanted “to see” Jesus. In John’s gospel “to see” is to perceive with the eyes of faith, to come to believe. At the beginning, the first disciples themselves curious about Jesus were invited to “Come and see” (1:39). Later, Jesus would say that “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself” (12:32), as He in our last Sunday’s gospel pointedly made the connection that everyone seeing Him lifted up on the cross and

believing in Him will have eternal life (3:14). The Greeks would still have “to see” Jesus hanging on the cross, before they could be said to have “seen” Jesus and have come to believe in Him. The fullness of faith hinges on the hour of Jesus lifted up on the cross and raised in exaltation.

Although John omitted from his gospel the episode in Gethsemane, our present text has all the elements found in the synoptic accounts: the acknowledgment that the hour has come, the agony, the cry to the Father, the acceptance of the passion, and the consoling affirmation from heaven. Twenty six times “the hour” of Jesus is referred to in the

Thursday, March 18, 2021 A11

gospel according to John. It is not chronological time, but the divinely designated process of Jesus’ return in glory to his heavenly Father. It is what the entire Paschal Mystery of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus consists of. It is the coming of our salvation; it is what Jesus came for. And Jesus would not be driven away from Calvary if that would be where the hour leads.

A grain of wheat that dies

Whatever Jesus does would be for the glory of the Father. So, the hour is the glorification of the name of God, as it glorifies the Son of Man. Reminiscent of the voice confirming Jesus after the baptism at the Jordan and likewise on the mountain of his transfiguration, the voice from heaven reached down to him, “I have glorified it and will glorify it again.”

In effect, Jesus in his suffering and death receives divine approval and the guarantee that in everything it was the Father’s will he was doing. The people misunderstood the voice; they were on a different wavelength. They were not focused on God’s things.

To drive home the irony of Jesus’ death and his glory intertwined inseparably, Jesus gave the parable

of the grain of wheat. The gravity of what is being explained is introduced by the formula: “Amen, amen, I say to you.” The grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, to produce much fruit and greater life. This is foremost in commentary to the passion and death of Jesus, which includes already the certainty of his triumph in bringing everlasting life to the world. Jesus’ metaphor of the grain dying and giving life unavoidably becomes an invitation and a challenge of faith and love to the reader or listener.

Alálaong bagá, the true follower of Jesus does exactly that—follow Jesus in dying like a grain of wheat.

It is to believe and live accordingly in the paradox of Jesus’ “lifted up” in ignominy and in glory, where to die is to become more, while not to die is to be condemned to being nothing. To love God above all and to love others as oneself, we have to learn to “hate” our life in this world and be ready to give it up for what is really greater, so that we all can be lifted up to the life that is truly eternal.

Join me in meditating on the Word of God every Sunday, from 5 to 6 a.m. on DWIZ 882, or by audio streaming on www.dwiz882.com.

China fortifies foothold on PHL’s telecoms

2016, a few months before Duterte assumed the presidency.

Despite the government’s assurance that it has only the interest of Filipinos at heart, I find it disconcerting that we have allowed a Chinese company—required by its laws to be a partner in cyber intelligence— to have a big chunk of our telecom pie. Worse, we even open the doors of our military facilities for Dito to build its cell towers inside strategic properties. Such act is just like a cuckold husband having this fetish of watching his wife upclose having illicit affairs with other men, for lack of a better analogy.

Dito started its commercial operations on March 8 after passing the first test mandated by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) as the third-party telco.

The launch was made possible by the contribution and support of a group of China state-owned businesses starting with China Telecommunications Corp. (China Telecom) and Bank of China, China Energy Engineering Group (Energy China) and China Bester Group Telecom Co. Ltd., all of which work closely with the Chinese government and military. The 2017 National Intelligence Law of China and the 2014 Counter-Espionage Law mandate this close working relationship with the state council.

China Telecom, the 40 percent technology partner of Dito, is a Chinese state-owned telecommunication company, the largest fixed-line service and the third-largest mobile telecommunication provider there. Its parent organizations are the Government of China and the

State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council.

The Philippine Senate, though, has voiced concerns about the entry of China Telecom into the industry through Dito. By showing appreciation that the Senate Committee on Public Services did right in deferring the renewal of its franchise, Sen. Risa Hontiveros said that “lawmakers must further study the effects of the third telco’s entry considering that China owns a portion of the company.”

Hontiveros expressed concern because of the national security issues that have been raised in the region against China—with many of these issues still to be resolved—and in anticipation of the impact of granting Dito a quarter-of a-century-long franchise.

Sen. Francis Pangilinan also voiced fears that an agreement between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and China-backed Dito could be used for espionage with the latter’s communication facilities placed inside Philippine military camps.

In November 2010, China Telecom was charged by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission in its annual report for advertising erroneous network routes that instructed about 15 percent of US and other foreign Internet traffic to go through Chinese servers during an 18-minute stretch on April 8 of that year. An ensuing executive order prohibited US shares in companies, including China Telecom, which had links with the People’s Liberation Army.

Bank of China, another stateowned company involved in the Dito-China Telecom’s business, is the commercial bank where Dito first sourced its $500 million. Further borrowings may have to be concurred with, if not granted, by the Chinese government because of Dito’s staggering $2.5 billion initial commitment. The funding of this up-start venture in that amount on purely commercial grounds could constitute a big financial risk. The alternative is to resort to undertaking activities that may be non-commercial and/or political in nature.

On the technology side, one of

Dito’s Chinese contractors that will help build its network infrastructure is state-owned Energy China.

The company was debarred by the World Bank in 2019 in connection with the falsification of public documents referring to its corporate status. Energy China vice president Huang Fei assured the Department of Information and Communications Technology that it was prepared to corner the market and build all 50,000 towers in the Philippines to the tune of $4.4 billion.

State-owned China Bester Group Telecom Co., Ltd., is another contractor of the Dito/Telcom China’s joint venture that is into communication technology services, specifically in communication network technology.

Its notable client is China Mobile Limited, which provides mobile voice and multimedia services through its nationwide mobile telecommunications network across mainland China and Hong Kong.

In January of this year, the New York Stock Exchange decided to delist trading in China Telecom, China Mobile Limited, and China United Network Communications Group Co., Ltd. (China Unicom) starting November 11, 2021, based on the suspicion that investments in these telcos could be used by the Chinese military for the modernization of its military, intelligence and security apparatuses.

The intrusion of the syndicate of China state-owned businesses through Dito/China Telecom’s sensitive business and operations is viewed by Sen. Pangilinan as a latently organized and systemic approach to Chinese dominance in the Philippines’s industry, investments, and infrastructure in the digital world. He implied that such threats to Philippine sovereignty, security, and human rights may result in debt traps, territorial disputes and cyberattacks.

To many ordinary Filipinos, allowing a Chinese telecom company to compete here is akin to freely giving a third party the password to open up the country’s vault of classified national security secrets.

said Carnegie, 34, of Temple, Texas.

“This governor, and different people, they act like, ‘Oh, we’re proud of our front-line workers, we support them.’

But then they do something like that, and it taxes the medical field tremendously.”

Brian Southwell, who started a program at Duke University School of Medicine to train medical professionals how to talk to misinformed

patients, said providers should view the patient confiding in them as an opportunity.

“That patient trusts you enough to raise that information with you,” Southwell said. “And so that’s a good thing, even if you disagree with it.”

He said medical workers should resist going into “academic argumentation mode” and instead find out why patients hold certain beliefs—

and whether they might be open to other ideas.

That act of listening is imperative to building trust, according to Dr. Seema Yasmin, a physician, journalist and Stanford University professor who studies medical misinformation.

“Put down your pen, put down your notebook and listen,” Yasmin said.

Val A. Villanueva

Businesswise

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Filipino-American reader residing in Daly City in California, USA, sent me a long message unleashing a mouthful against the Philippine government’s footsie-play with China, despite the latter’s unapologetic grabbing of the country’s islands in the West Philippine Sea. Twenty-two-year-old James Howard, who spent half of his life in Makati City before migrating with his family in 2011, says that “it’s unconscionable for the Philippine government to kowtow to China, knowing fully well its brazen island-grabbing [citing] a fictitious nine-dash line to justify its bully behavior against its Southeast Asian neighbor.”

Excerpts of his message: “Sir, I totally agree with your column [Third telco threat and national security— June 18, 2020] that it’s going to be a national security nightmare for the Philippines to allow [Dito Telecommunity Corporation or Dito] to even set its foot on the country’s telecommunications sector.”

He says that several China-owned tech companies have been banned in the US precisely for national security concerns: “Considering how sophisticated US counter surveillance operations are, I wonder how the Philippines can make do with its antiquated surveillance system to counter China’s cyber spying.”

James is among many Filipinos who mistrust China. The latest SWS survey—done from July 3 to 6, 2020 —showed Filipinos’ trust in it sank to “bad” as it remained “good” for the US, practically giving President Duterte’s preference to Beijing a thumbs down. That nationwide mobile phone survey showed Filipinos’ trust in China fell from “poor” to “bad” with a net trust rating of -36.

The figure was down by 9 points from its net trust rating of -27 in December 2019. That trust rating for China was the lowest since the “bad” net trusting rating of -37 seen in April

Nurses. . .

continued from A10

the real data.”

When Texas Gov. Greg Abbott lifted the state’s mask mandate this month against the guidance of many scientists, nurse practitioner Guillermo Carnegie called the decision a “spit in the face.” “I was disgusted,”

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

A12 Thursday, March 18, 2021

PHL STILL SEEN AS LAST TO RECOVER IN APAC ON SLOW CONTAINMENT

By Bianca Cuaresma

T

@BcuaresmaBM

HE Philippine economy is expected to be the last among 14 Asia Pacific countries to recover to its prepandemic state, international think tank Moody’s Analytics said in a recent report.

In his most recent Asia Pacific Economic outlook, Moody’s Analytics economist Steven Cochrane said out of the 14 countries being monitored in the Asia Pacific, five countries—China, Vietnam, Taiwan, New Zealand and India have already exceeded their fourth quarter of 2019 economic performance in 2020.

Most of the countries, however, are expected to follow suit this year. Korea, Australia, and Indonesia are all expected to recover back to their end-2019 levels in the second quarter of 2021. Hong Kong and Japan are expected to follow in the third quarter and Singapore will recover in the fourth quarter of this year.

Only three countries are seen recovering on the tail end: Thailand is expected to recover in the first quarter of 2022, Malaysia in the second quarter and the Philippines in the third quarter of 2022.

“The Philippines has multiple factors working to slow its pace of recovery. It is coming out of a very deep hole, as it languished under quarantine orders for much of last year. It continues to struggle to contain

Covid-19, its fiscal policy response was quite limited, it has not yet developed an effective delivery system for vaccinations across its archipelago and rising food prices limit the role of consumer spending to support the local economy,” Cochrane said.

Across the region, the economist said the pace of vaccination will begin to boost the regional economy in the second half of the year. The US recovery is also expected to have multiplier effects via trade in the region.

However, Cochrane said among the major Asia Pacific countries, only the Philippines and Thailand “still appear to be lagging in their procurement of vaccines.” They forecast, however, assumes that Thailand and the Philippines will eventually acquire the needed vaccines as the number of sources expands.

Aside from being a laggard in the vaccination rollout, Moody’s Analytics also said the Philippines is among the countries that is still struggling to control the spread of the virus.

“Containment of Covid-19 in the Philippines has been elusive.

After gradually falling from August to February, the number of new cases is rising again, and some quarantine measures are still in place. And pork prices have risen, caused by African swine fever, and vegetable prices have increased, caused by lingering impacts of last year’s typhoons,” Cochrane said.

BOC to audit imports of fish, onions on compliance issues

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By Bernadette D. Nicolas

@BNicolasBM

HE Bureau of Customs (BOC) is also eyeing to audit importations of fish and onion, among other sensitive agricultural products that might be susceptible to customs compliance issues, including undervaluation.

Customs Assistant Commissioner and spokesman Vincent Philip Maronilla told the BusinessMirror that the second phase of audit covering importations of other agricultural products, such as fish and vegetables, may happen after their initial audit on last year’s pork and chicken imports or once they finish substantially the workload for the initial audit.

Maronilla, who heads the bureau’s Post-Clearance Audit Group (PCAG), said all of these audit phases are in line with Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero’s directive to intensify postclearance audit on all agricultural products.

“We will look into anything that is marked that is highly sensitive

by Department of Agriculture in

terms of protection for the local industries so we will review the allocation. The fish industry, we will check out the allocation; for the importations by manufacturers [we will check if they are using those purely for trading or are they using it purely for manufacturing,” Maronilla said.

Apart from the sensitivity of these agricultural products, he said they are also considering the revenue impact of the importations of these products.

On Tuesday, the Customs official told this paper that they are already eyeing to start this April their initial audit of last year’s pork and chicken imports to look into issues of undervaluation, among others.

He earlier said they are looking to initially audit shipments of 40 pork importers and 20 chicken importers, and are currently preparing their recommendation to the Commissioner of the list of companies to be issued audit notification

letters (ANLs).

Should the ANLs be issued in April, the initial audit is targeted to be finished by August or September this year.

If an importer receives an ANL, this does not automatically mean that they have already violated customs rules.

But if importers are later found to have indeed violated customs rules, they may face sanctions, including being asked to pay the deficiency, he said. Maronilla added erring importers may also be charged with civil offenses if they are found out to have been involved in fraudulent practices, adding that there is a possibility that PCAG will recommend to its legal service that these importers be further investigated for possible fraud.

While the bureau is currently focused on auditing last year’s imports for pork and chicken, he said “there is still a possibility” for them to cover more years of importations.

IT infra ramp-up, more revenue boost PHL’s recovery prospects

F

INANCE Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III has expressed confidence that the Philippines will thrive in the postpandemic era owing to the Duterte administration’s willingness to pursue further reforms.

In his keynote address at the opening plenary of the Asian Development Bank-hosted Southeast Asia Development Symposium, Dominguez said these reforms include improvements in the country’s information and technology infrastructure to expand the use of digital tools, enhance revenue collection performance and achieve greater financial inclusion for Filipinos.

He also stressed that the government should pursue sustainable policies targeted toward bolstering the healthcare system and keeping a strong fiscal position to withstand future headwinds.

“We are very optimistic about the near future. That optimism is based on our willingness to undertake the reforms necessary to rebuild a strong and inclusive economy that thrives in the 21st century. We are also doing our utmost to provide a sustainable, greener, and healthier future for our Filipino people,” said Dominguez, who sits as ADB Governor for the Philippines.

The finance chief also underscored the need to intensify global collaboration and redefine the challenges that confront the world today as it reemerges from a debilitating Covid-19 pandemic, so that countries can be better prepared to deal with future outbreaks.

Despite supply challenges, most countries—including the Philippines—have begun rolling out their vaccination programs, a

development that has “inspired market optimism” and “a sense that the worst is over and our economies can be fully functional in a matter of months,” he said.

“The availability of vaccines, however, should not lead us to neglect equally urgent concerns. We still need to do the tough things we must undertake to cope with the severe weather conditions induced by global warming or with the possible emergence of new viruses,” he said.

Unlike Covid-19 for which vaccines have been produced in a matter of months, Dominguez said there is no quick solution to the climate crisis.

Dominguez, who is chairmandesignate of the Climate Change Commission (CCC), reiterated his strong push for a legislative measure that will ban single-use plastics as a way to jumpstart the country’s fight against climate change.

In the same speech, he admitted that the pandemic also exposed the country’s “weaknesses” in providing emergency aid to low-income families as it does not have a national ID system in place to speed up the delivery of cash assistance to the intended beneficiaries.

This experience, he said, showed the need to accelerate the rollout of a unified national ID database and taught the government to adapt quickly by embracing digitalization which was what happened with the successful implementation by the Department of Finance (DOF), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Social Security System (SSS) of the Small Business Wage Subsidy (SBWS) Program for displaced workers in small businesses.

Continued on A9

A policeman guards a checkpoint at Barangay 675, Zone 73, District V in Paco, Manila, as the local government implements a four-day lockdown due to a resurgence of Covid cases. ROY DOMINGO

‘Covid deaths may double if rich states hog Covax jabs’

By Cai U. Ordinario

I

@caiordinario

F rich countries will insist on their exclusive use of the first 2 billion doses of Covax vaccines, global Covid-19 deaths could double, according to the International Vaccine Institute (IVI).

Speaking at a plenary session at the second Southeast Asia Development Symposium (SEADS), IVI Director General Jerome Kim said 8.8 billion Covax vaccine doses have been reserved mainly by highincome countries.

Kim said this would mean that as much as $4 billion to $5 billion of the economic cost of the pandemic will still be borne by advanced countries if they focus on universal vaccination in their countries.

“Modeling suggests that exclusive use of the first two billion doses by high-income countries without some equity will double global deaths,” K im said in a presentation.

Kim said in general, vaccine manufacturers have limited capaci-

ties. One reason is that while billions of vaccine doses can be manufactured, only a small portion have been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Of the 12.6-billion Covid-19 vaccine doses that can be manufactured by pharmaceutical firms by the second half of 2021, only 5.2 billion have been approved by the WHO. Less than half the vaccines that can be manufactured in 2022 and 2023 have secured WHO approval.

In 2022, a total of 30.2 billion vaccine doses can be manufactured and in 2023, slightly higher at 31.5 billion.

However, only 11.2 billion doses for 2022 are WHO-approved products and 11.3 billion doses in 2023 are WHO-approved.

One fact, Kim said, that could be a silver lining is that efforts to produce vaccines are now being done through contracting and licensing agreements. These partnerships are making it possible for more vaccines to be produced.

“Through Covax, we actually have a facility now for near-con-

current access to innovative vaccine technology in the same year that it is introduced in high-income countries,” Kim said.

“Let’s not lose this mechanism as new vaccines are rolled out, as old vaccines are reaching only a proportion of the population that they need to reach. Let’s remember, we can do it for Covid-19 and we should be able to do it for other vaccine preventable infectious diseases,” he added.

Kim also said governments around the world should work toward and invest in lifetime universal immunization for all vaccine preventable infectious diseases.

This is important to remember given that there have been a number of forgotten diseases that could be prevented by vaccines but still do not have vaccines, he said.

These infectious diseases include HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, Group A Streptococcus, non-Typhoidal Salmonella, and Shigella, among others. Together, these diseases killed 50 million people between 2011 and 2020.

ADB earlier said the Philip-

pines began its Covid-19 vaccination program on March 1, prioritizing healthcare workers. It has approved three vaccines, PfizerBioNTech, AZ/Oxford, and Sinovac, for emergency use but only the PRC’s donation of 600,000 doses of the Chinese vaccine has arrived in the country.

The first batch of 525,600 doses of the AZ/Oxford vaccine was supposed to be delivered on 1 March. The country has the second highest number of Covid-19 cases among Asean states at 576,352 as of 28 February. It plans to inoculate 70 million or more than 60 percent of its population this year.

The Philippines is relying on 44 million doses allocated by the Covax Facility for delivery within the year. In the first round of allocation, the country should be receiving 4,584,000 doses of AZ/ Oxford between now and May. The Covax Facility list also indicated 117,000 doses of PfizerBioNTech, which is based on its interim distribution forecast as of 3 February.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, March 18, 2021

B1

BOI grants fiscal incentives to Bulacan bicycle exporter

A

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

@TyronePiad

Bulacan-based company will get incentives for investing P356.4 million to manufacture bicycles for export, according to the Board of Investments (BOI).

In a statement on Wednesday, the attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) approved the application of TRINX Bicycle Sport Technology Corp. (TBSTC) as a producer and exporter of bicycles. This qualifies the company for incentives provided in the 2020 Investment Priorities Plan.

TBSTC is set to manufacture road and mountain bikes, foldable elec-

tric bikes and other bike variants, 75 percent of which is expected to be shipped out to the United States and Europe. The rest is allotted for the domestic market.

By September this year, TBSTC's facility in Bulacan is expected to begin commercial operations. The plant has a production capacity of up to 200,000 units annually and will initially employ 65 personnel.

Work force will be increased to 100 by the fifth year of operations.

Trade Undersecretary and BOI Managing Head Ceferino Rodolfo said producing bicycles will help the government in encouraging the public to use alternative transportation modes, such as cycling.

"This is timely and relevant, as it will not only supply the local demand for bicycles and electric bikes but also strengthen our position as a net exporter of bicycles with strong demand from overseas markets, including those in which we enjoy zero-duties under the Generalized System of Preferences scheme,” Rodolfo said.

Data from Philippine Statistics Authority showed that the country is a net exporter of bicycles in terms of value as of 2019 and enjoys a trade surplus of $10.2 million. During this period, the Philippines' outbound

shipments for bicycles amounted to $39.1 million, with the United Kingdom and Ireland as top export markets. Bicycle imports, meanwhile, reached $28.9 million for the period.

The bike manufacturing firm is 60 percent Filipino-owned. The remaining stake is being held by China-based Trinity Group which owns the Chinese TRINX brand. The said brand has over 1,000 terminal sales outlets.

Trinity Group, which was founded in 1990, is an enterprise group involved in the development, production and distribution of complete bicycles and bicycle components. It launched the TRINX brand in 2006, with high-grade and midgrade mountain bikes as its main products.

The group has an annual capacity of 2 million complete bicycles, 1.5 million frames and 1 million forks.

Meralco seeks ERC nod for PSAs

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

T

he Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) and two subsidiaries of SMC Global Power Holdings Corp. are seeking approval from the regulators to implement their power supply agreements (PSAs) that were successfully bidded out recently.

If approved, savings to consumers will amount to a total of 20.93 billion if these power supply contracts are implemented.

Meralco received “best” bids

PVC pipe maker income down 11%

C

rown Asia Chemicals Corp., maker of PVC pipes, said its income last year fell 11 percent to P121.24 million from the previous year’s P136.41 million as its operations were hampered by a series of lockdowns in 2020.

Revenues fell much deeper at 22 percent to P1.11 billion from the previous year's P1.43 billion after it halted its operations for two months starting on March 17 through May 17 to abide by the government's lockdown measures to curb the spread of Covid-19.

The company, which manufactures premium PVC compounds for wires and cables under the Crown brand, said it saw a decline in both its domestic and export sales as a result of the lockdown.

When the lockdown was eased through the declaration of general community quarantine, there were still some restrictive guidelines, it said.

“There was slow resumption of customer orders under uncertain business climate."

The company said there was a “decline in certain operating expenses incurred including salaries and wages and utilities due to the temporary cessation of operations.” But this was offset by additional operating expenses incurred to ensure the health and safety of its employees and customers, such as the frequent disinfection of facilities, giving of protective equipment such as face masks, face shields and alcohol, shuttle services and free lodging for employees residing outside Metro Manila.

The company also had a recognition of impairment loss on trade receivables amounting to P2.2 million. “Based on the above actions and measures taken by management to mitigate the adverse effect of the pandemic, it projects that the company would continue to report positive results of operations and would remain liquid to meet current obligation as it falls due. Accordingly, management has not determined material uncertainty that may cast significant doubt on the company’s ability to continue as a going concern,” Crown said in its report. VG Cabuag

from Excellent Energy Resources Inc. (EERI) and Masinloc Power Partners Co. Ltd. (MPPCL) for the supply of 1800megawatts (MW) of power. The parties have executed power supply agreements last March 2 but these need to be approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) before the contracts take effect.

Under the PSA between Meralco and EERI, the latter will supply the utility firm 1,200MW starting December 2023 at a levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of P4.1462 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). The estimat-

ed savings to Meralco customers would reach P14.64 billion.

The power will be sourced from EERI’s planned natural gas-fired power plant in Ilijan, Batangas.

EERI will construct, own, operate, manage and maintain 3x425.7MW units of combined cycle power plant capable of supplying 1,200MW. MPPCL will supply Meralco 600MW of power starting December 2023 at P4.2605 per kWh. MPPCL will put up a 600MW coal power plant in Masinloc, Zambales.

The PSA is good for 20 years. The rates are significantly below the

LCOE reserve price of P5.2559 per kWh. The PSA will result in savings to consumers of about P6.29 billion.

Meralco foresees a baseload capacity deficit in its portfolio covering 1,800MW. “Thus, in order to ensure continuous and reliable electricity for Meralco’s customers, there is a need for Meralco to source additional baseload capacity through bilateral power supply contracts,” the joint applications read.

The parties asked ERC to approve the PSAs and their terms and conditions after hearing on the merits.

SMC innovation extends shelf life of carabao’s milk

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

S

an Miguel Corp. (SMC) said it has developed a packaging solution that would extend carabao’s milk shelf life by six months and help farmers boost their income.

In a statement, SMC said its packaging unit has successfully developed a packaging solution “that will extend the life of carabao’s milk without the need for preservatives.”

SMC President and COO Ramong S. Ang said the San Miguel Packaging Group has been working to help carabao farmers find a solution on how to preserve the freshness of their product in the past few months.

Ang explained that the company has finalized the packaging solution using the so-called "retort" technology that allows fresh carabao milk to be sterilized in aluminum cans without the need for preservatives.

"This will be a major boost for carabao farmers and the carabao industry in general. The main limitation—perishability—that kept farmers from maximizing their income and growing their business, has been solved. Now, their products can be sold to more consumers in more markets,” Ang said.

“Carabao milk is very nutritious so there is a big market for it. We see this as potentially jumpstarting growth of the carabao industry. We look forward to continue helping them in any way we can to further grow their industry."

Earlier in the pandemic, SMC helped carabao farmer cooperatives mitigate financial losses by buying their excess milk inventory and donating them to poor communities, averting wastage of thousands of liters of fresh carabao milk.

Ang said the company invested in new equipment at its beverage filling facility in San Fernando, Pampanga, for the new retort process.

"The process can also be used for a variety of beverage products, including teas, coffee, soya, and other milk-based products," he said.

"While utilizing the retort process is new to the company, the aluminum cans it has been producing have long been capable of being utilized for retort."

Ang said the company is open to farmers, farmer-cooperatives, and small producers of similar products, who may want to learn more about the process, and engage San Miguel’s packaging unit as a toller or packaging provider, to grow their business.

“We are more than eager to work with, and help small producers. At the end of the day, this technology was developed with our farmers and entrepreneurs in mind, to help them through this critical period, as the economy is still not what it was," he said.

"By providing them a way to distribute their products to more customers, we’re hoping to help them stay in business, grow their industry, and support food security for our country as we deal with the pandemic."

Globe, WIA expand Govt limits airport arrivals assistance to LGUs

as Covid-19 cases surge

By Recto L. Mercene @rectomercene

T

he Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) will limit international arrivals to 1,500 daily starting March 18 to prevent the entry of new Covid-19 variants.

The restrictions will end on April 19, according to the National Task Force Against Covid-19 (NTF), saying the edict is aimed at preventing the rise of Covid-19 cases.

Also temporarily suspended is the entry of foreign nationals and returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) who are non-OFWs, beginning March 20 until April 19 except: Holders of 9(c) visas, medical repatriation and their escorts duly endorsed by the Department of Foreign Affairs-Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant workers Affairs or the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration; and emergency, humanitarian, and other analogous cases approved by the NTF. Bureau of Immigration (BI) officials and personnel posted at the NAIA welcomed the government’s decision to temporarily cut the number of inbound travelers from the previous 3,000 to 1,500 passengers per day.

The BI said the move "will lessen their exposure to the virus at this time when there is an upsurge of Covid-19 cases in the country.”

The agency responded to Memorandum Circular No. 5 dated March 16 and addressed to all concerned member agencies of the NTF. The memorandum stated that last

March 15, the Philippines recorded 5,404 new Covid-19 cases, the highest in the last 6 months.

In view of this, the BI head office in Intramuros, Manila suspended its operations until Wednesday for the sanitation and disinfection activities to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said the extended closure of the main building is "necessary to avoid intermittent delivery of services to the public and ensure that the bureau’s employees in the safest possible workplace."

He advised those with booked online appointments to secure their new schedules when the main office reopens for business and to check the BI website and its social media accounts for updates.

Canceled flights

Local carriers Philippine Airlines (PAL), Cebu Pacific (CEB) and Air Asia Philippines were told to comply with the restriction issued by the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) related to international arrivals.

CEB announced on Wednesday that it will cancel the following flights from March 18 to April 18, 2021: n Manila–Narita (Tokyo)–Manila n Manila–Nagoya–Manila The airline said affected passengers will be informed via contact details provided in the booking.

Guests may select their preferred option through the Manage Booking portal on the Cebu Pacific website within 30 days from date of

departure: n Rebook for travel within 90 days without any additional cost (fare difference waived); n Store the amount of ticket in a virtual wallet valid for 2 years and use this to either book a new flight or pay for add-ons (e.g. baggage allowance, seat selection); or n Refund the amount of ticket.

Due to the unprecedented volume of requests, CEB said the process will take as long as 7 months.

"Passengers who wish to voluntarily postpone their trips may conveniently rebook their flights up to 2 hours before their scheduled time of departure, following CEB’s permanent removal of change fees. A minimal fare difference may apply."

PAL said it will operate its full international schedule for March 18 but it will announce in due course any flight cancellations on other days for the rest of the period.

The flag carrier said those who belong to the profile of passengers prohibited to arrive in the Philippines within the said period, will have to avail of any of the following options: n Rebook on the f light of their choice (on the same cabin class) with rebooking service fees waived; or n Refund their ticket cost; or n Convert their tickets into a travel voucher for future use.

PAL Spokesperson Cielo Villaluna appealed to their clients for understanding as the carrier prepares to make adjustments in its operations to comply with the CAB directive.

Contributed Photo

W

idespread unemployment due to the pandemic has caused a surge in hunger. Hunger incidence in the country hit an all-time high when Covid-19 brought the economy to a standstill, a situation further worsened by strong typhoons which battered Luzon last year.

To help, Globe and Walang Iwanan Alliance (WIA) are expanding assistance to various local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila to aid more families and communities in support of the government's efforts. This month, Globe turned over more than 1,500 food packs to barangays in Valenzuela and Quezon City through the Rewards points donations of its loyal customers.

Earlier, Globe and WIA provided food packs to 16 barangays in Mandaluyong, 6 barangays in Paranaque, 3 barangays in Taguig, 2 barangays in Tabaco City, Albay and Manila and one barangay in San Juan and San Mateo, Rizal. They also provided rice subsidies in Quezon City, Marikina, Pasig, Taguig, Muntinlupa, Las Pinas, Manila as well as the provinces of Rizal, Cagayan, Albay, Quezon, and Camarines Norte which were affected by recent typhoons.

Having customers who are proactive in helping out has given Globe more opportunities to extend help nationwide. The company has empowered its customers to support the cause, through platforms such as Globe Rewards and GCash, gathering a total of P6 million in donations for WIA with over P1 million coming from Globe Rewards alone. This collective effort benefitted a total of 18,700 families.

Customers may donate their Rewards points to WIA for as low as 1 Rewards point. Donations will be used to purchase food packs for low-income families and help address hunger in the country.

"We are humbled and grateful to our customers who donate their points to provide food for the hungry. This goes a long way in helping address the basic needs of local communities,” said Globe Chief Sustainability Officer and Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications Yoly Crisanto.

A survey conducted by independent pollster Social Weather Station (SWS) in September last year showed a record hunger incidence of 30.7 percent in the Philippines with 7.6 million families suffering from involuntary hunger as a result of poverty. Almost a million of them are from Metro Manila alone. The hunger incidence in September erased the previous all-time high of 23.8 percent recorded in March 2012.

WIA has set up a vast network of anti-hunger advocates and the corresponding systems that can allow quicker and more effective responses where hunger arises. “WIA has a strong network in the grassroots communities and LGUs, and the partnership with Globe has allowed us to expand and scale up our efforts,” said WIA Spokesperson Jose Maria Montelibano.

To achieve a sustainable future for all, Globe continues to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals particularly Goal 9, the need to build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.

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Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, March 18, 2021

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

March 17, 2021

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

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

42.55 103.8 82.6 23.5 7.43 9.54 46 9.4 22.05 23.3 54.55 96.55 17.04 120.3 70.5 1.9 3.97 3.12 1.4 0.38 950 0.75 144 2,300 0.99

43.5 103.9 83.8 23.9 8.46 9.56 46.95 10.3 23.4 23.75 55.8 114.9 17.08 120.5 70.7 1.96 4 3.25 1.49 0.42 980 0.76 144.2 2,500 1.07

42.5 104.6 82.5 23.3 7.43 9.51 45.75 9.5 22 23.95 54.7 96.55 17.2 121.4 73.65 1.65 4 3.15 1.45 0.42 950 0.78 142 2,300 0.99

42.55 104.7 83.8 24 8.46 9.85 47.85 9.5 23.4 23.95 55.8 96.55 17.2 121.4 73.65 1.95 4 3.25 1.52 0.42 975 0.78 144.8 2,300 0.99

42.5 103.2 81.05 23.3 7.41 9.46 45.7 9.5 22 23.25 54.55 96.55 17.08 120.1 70.7 1.6 3.96 3.11 1.4 0.42 950 0.74 142 2,300 0.99

42.5 103.8 83.8 23.6 8.46 9.56 46 9.5 23.4 23.3 55.8 96.55 17.08 120.5 70.7 1.95 4 3.25 1.49 0.42 975 0.77 144 2,300 0.99

16,800 3,687,180 2,505,390 70,300 3,600 510,700 8,808,400 1,000 1,400 138,200 1,080 50 60,600 641,740 39,930 9,282,000 196,000 21,000 58,000 70,000 80 103,000 33,700 20 28,000

714,660 382,538,460 208,251,127.50 1,677,825 27,030 4,883,715 410,723,015 9,500 31,360 3,283,530 59,647 4,827.50 1,035,882 77,298,406 2,834,907.50 17,125,960 781,000 65,630 86,540 29,400 76,495 77,130 4,848,262 46,000 27,720

-4,250 -50,393,348 -35,041,126 -214,425 -650,563 124,944,130 -780,050 -1,035,882 -44,489,321 -2,505,398 -2,930 -16,200 -3,000 0 400,625 46,000 -

INDUSTRIAL AC ENERGY 6.88 6.89 6.92 6.95 6.8 6.88 15,222,600 104,700,747 1.25 1.26 1.22 1.25 1.22 1.25 299,000 369,820 ALSONS CONS ABOITIZ POWER 25 25.1 25.1 25.3 24.9 25 1,804,100 45,192,105 BASIC ENERGY 0.81 0.83 0.85 0.87 0.8 0.81 51,796,000 43,166,970 30.8 30.85 30.8 31 30.5 30.8 1,540,600 47,412,690 FIRST GEN 71 71.5 71.5 71.7 71 71 3,920 278,988.50 FIRST PHIL HLDG MERALCO 268 272.2 268.6 272.8 268 268 410,360 110,585,004 MANILA WATER 14.62 14.74 14.9 14.9 14.48 14.74 753,500 11,061,384 3.12 3.13 3.18 3.18 3.1 3.12 891,000 2,796,650 PETRON 3.57 3.86 3.59 3.59 3.56 3.56 257,000 918,040 PETROENERGY PHX PETROLEUM 11.56 11.82 11.82 11.82 11.56 11.82 16,200 190,184 20.4 21 20.95 21 20.3 20.4 522,800 10,736,205 PILIPINAS SHELL 10.3 10.36 10.28 10.38 10.2 10.36 257,600 2,656,702 SPC POWER AGRINURTURE 7.05 7.14 7.1 7.19 7 7.05 5,507,400 38,588,501 AXELUM 3.11 3.19 3.18 3.19 3.12 3.19 384,000 1,214,050 12.82 13.32 12.8 13.32 12.8 13.32 300 3,892 CNTRL AZUCARERA 17.24 17.4 17.4 17.4 17.2 17.24 1,008,700 17,442,828 CENTURY FOOD DEL MONTE 8.8 9 9.01 9.02 8.7 9 197,600 1,768,525 DNL INDUS 7.3 7.36 7.27 7.37 7.15 7.36 567,600 4,147,973 10.26 10.28 10.2 10.28 10.02 10.28 994,100 10,142,356 EMPERADOR 59.9 61 60 61 59.8 61 97,760 5,885,471 SMC FOODANDBEV ALLIANCE SELECT 0.61 0.63 0.63 0.63 0.61 0.61 48,000 29,300 1.35 1.36 1.4 1.43 1.36 1.36 12,417,000 17,275,110 FRUITAS HLDG 50.3 51 51 51 50.2 51 9,780 498,087 GINEBRA 182 185 180.2 185 180.2 185 754,480 137,247,670 JOLLIBEE LIBERTY FLOUR 30 31.15 28.55 30 28.55 30 1,400 41,000 6.6 7.7 6.37 7.7 6.3 7.7 20,200 129,048 MACAY HLDG 5.75 5.79 5.94 5.94 5.67 5.79 166,800 969,608 MAXS GROUP MG HLDG 0.295 0.305 0.29 0.31 0.29 0.3 4,330,000 1,306,100 SHAKEYS PIZZA 6.85 6.9 6.91 6.91 6.89 6.9 122,500 845,618 1.04 1.06 1.04 1.07 1.04 1.04 557,000 587,300 ROXAS AND CO 4.58 4.78 4.78 4.78 4.78 4.78 2,000 9,560 RFM CORP ROXAS HLDG 1.42 1.48 1.49 1.5 1.48 1.48 45,000 67,160 0.134 0.138 0.133 0.141 0.133 0.138 7,490,000 1,034,360 SWIFT FOODS 124.1 125 125.5 126.2 124.1 125 717,020 89,903,205 UNIV ROBINA 0.81 0.82 0.81 0.81 0.79 0.81 1,386,000 1,118,520 VITARICH VICTORIAS 2.2 2.25 2.19 2.19 2.19 2.19 22,000 48,180 CONCRETE A 51.2 52.5 51.8 51.8 51.2 51.2 190 9,788 55.35 57.95 55.4 55.4 55.3 55.35 800 44,257 CONCRETE B CEMEX HLDG 1.15 1.16 1.14 1.18 1.12 1.15 1,863,000 2,142,310 DAVINCI CAPITAL 3.08 3.1 3.1 3.21 3.06 3.08 12,060,000 37,693,930 10.72 11 10.64 11.18 10.64 11 93,500 1,030,736 EAGLE CEMENT 7.6 7.8 7.87 7.87 7.5 7.8 144,900 1,102,828 EEI CORP HOLCIM 5.48 5.5 5.27 5.57 5.27 5.48 431,300 2,356,809 MEGAWIDE 6.18 6.2 6.16 6.35 6.15 6.2 1,178,200 7,331,144 12.1 12.18 12.1 12.2 12.1 12.18 60,300 732,604 PHINMA 1.13 1.14 1.16 1.2 1.12 1.15 221,000 253,300 TKC METALS VULCAN INDL 2.05 2.06 2.05 2.17 2.02 2.06 8,057,000 16,801,900 CROWN ASIA 2.06 2.09 2.04 2.09 2 2.09 1,827,000 3,719,920 1.98 2.05 2.05 2.1 1.98 2.06 84,000 172,420 EUROMED MABUHAY VINYL 4.21 4.4 3.64 4.46 3.64 4.4 57,000 245,580 PRYCE CORP 5.29 5.3 5.35 5.35 5.3 5.3 60,000 320,500 21 21.45 21 21 21 21 194,400 4,082,400 CONCEPCION 3.97 3.98 3.88 4.02 3.86 3.98 22,183,000 87,590,390 GREENERGY INTEGRATED MICR 10.12 10.22 10.28 10.28 10.08 10.12 164,000 1,662,454 IONICS 1.09 1.12 1.1 1.12 1.07 1.12 75,000 83,080 5.56 5.89 5.57 5.89 5.56 5.89 3,400 18,958 PANASONIC 1.27 1.3 1.28 1.33 1.28 1.28 500,000 645,430 SFA SEMICON CIRTEK HLDG 5.89 5.9 5.74 6 5.74 5.9 698,000 4,105,614

2,435,632 -11,291,145 693,550 24,506,410 -12,070 -17,238,372 -2,938,728 -1,614,970 -1,294,795 -119,020 121,191 -81,340 -758,310.00 1,083,734.00 -150,485 5,728,054 -417,273 263,400.00 9,734,055 -31,881 96,400 -760,635 -47,860 342,230 -26,885,874 48,180 -315,920.00 -465,450 1,064 -865,098 876,506 -2,060,393 567,920 4,160 -2,050 -8,800 2,144,100 4,561,230 -71,166 4,280 41,400 -67,490

HOLDING & FRIMS ABACORE CAPITAL 1.02 1.03 0.96 1.03 0.96 1.03 32,258,000 32,187,160 6.81 7.1 7.13 7.13 6.8 7.1 15,700 108,060 ASIABEST GROUP AYALA CORP 756.5 760 760 762 747 756.5 116,230 88,069,795 ABOITIZ EQUITY 36.1 36.2 36.25 36.95 36.05 36.1 2,717,300 98,877,020 10.16 10.18 10.12 10.24 10.12 10.18 5,530,500 56,300,508 ALLIANCE GLOBAL 2.97 2.99 2.85 3 2.85 2.99 2,373,000 7,034,660 AYALA LAND LOG ANSCOR 6.49 6.62 6.5 6.62 6.49 6.62 6,000 39,107 0.69 0.7 0.66 0.7 0.66 0.7 1,368,000 944,310 ANGLO PHIL HLDG 0.82 0.83 0.82 0.83 0.81 0.82 2,011,000 1,640,520 ATN HLDG A 0.83 0.88 0.81 0.83 0.81 0.83 101,000 83,810 ATN HLDG B COSCO CAPITAL 5.25 5.26 5.3 5.38 5.2 5.26 4,184,900 21,986,059 DMCI HLDG 5.16 5.2 5.24 5.24 5.12 5.2 1,987,900 10,258,291 8.2 8.7 8.3 8.3 8.25 8.25 13,600 112,257 FILINVEST DEV GT CAPITAL 521.5 522 518 527 518 521.5 117,670 61,362,680 JG SUMMIT 60.25 60.45 61.1 61.6 59.8 60.45 1,872,860 113,491,568.50 1.17 1.18 1.21 1.24 1.16 1.17 4,652,000 5,570,680 LODESTAR 3.37 3.39 3.51 3.51 3.37 3.37 174,000 596,400 LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP 13 13.06 12.96 13.08 12.92 13.06 1,034,200 13,461,468 MABUHAY HLDG 0.48 0.53 0.48 0.48 0.48 0.48 10,000 4,800 1.74 1.86 1.74 1.74 1.74 1.74 3,000 5,220 MJC INVESTMENTS 3.85 3.86 3.8 3.88 3.8 3.86 6,265,000 24,175,550 METRO PAC INV PACIFICA HLDG 3.41 3.84 3.43 3.45 3.43 3.43 6,000 20,600 4.2 4.23 3 4.25 2.9 4.2 66,710,000 245,588,420 PRIME MEDIA 1.26 1.28 1.28 1.29 1.28 1.28 75,000 96,160 SOLID GROUP 321 352 345 365 320 352 1,580 540,384 SYNERGY GRID SM INVESTMENTS 1,000 1,005 1,002 1,008 990 1,005 424,375 425,346,242.50 117.6 117.8 117.3 118 117.2 117.8 165,170 19,433,061 SAN MIGUEL CORP 0.7 0.74 0.73 0.75 0.71 0.71 15,000 11,030 SOC RESOURCES SEAFRONT RES 2.12 2.69 2.22 2.22 2.2 2.2 7,000 15,460 135.4 139.9 139.8 139.9 139.8 139.8 503,780 70,428,445 TOP FRONTIER 0.237 0.249 0.236 0.236 0.236 0.236 110,000 25,960 WELLEX INDUS 0.204 0.21 0.201 0.21 0.201 0.21 290,000 59,190 ZEUS HLDG

717,290 -1,426 6,760,925 -43,129,525 8,354,984.00 1,789,570 680 -1,048,031 -2,310,557 -103,962.00 -740,600 -28,277,195 45,570 -371,860 -3,137,238 2,679,310 1,045,950 -115,794,325 4,630,081 -1,399 -

PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.61 0.63 0.62 0.63 0.61 0.63 479,000 296,790 35.65 35.7 35.75 36 35.4 35.65 9,295,700 331,745,815 AYALA LAND ARANETA PROP 1.2 1.28 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3 19,000 24,700 32.75 32.8 32.8 32.8 32 32.8 343,500 11,121,995 AREIT RT 1.46 1.47 1.46 1.47 1.46 1.46 43,000 63,110 BELLE CORP 0.86 0.89 0.9 0.9 0.85 0.89 285,000 247,920 A BROWN CITYLAND DEVT 0.77 0.79 0.77 0.78 0.77 0.77 130,000 100,170 0.134 0.136 0.142 0.142 0.132 0.136 1,410,000 190,060 CROWN EQUITIES 6.5 6.78 6.8 6.8 6.5 6.78 7,800 52,450 CEBU HLDG 5.51 5.57 5.67 5.67 5.5 5.51 1,184,700 6,605,308 CEB LANDMASTERS CENTURY PROP 0.39 0.395 0.39 0.41 0.385 0.39 14,330,000 5,665,750 CYBER BAY 0.32 0.33 0.315 0.33 0.315 0.32 300,000 97,150 13.2 13.24 13.38 13.38 13.14 13.2 1,121,000 14,851,730 DOUBLEDRAGON DM WENCESLAO 6.85 6.88 6.9 6.9 6.44 6.88 47,100 322,260 0.285 0.29 0.28 0.28 0.28 0.28 100,000 28,000 EMPIRE EAST 0.089 0.09 0.086 0.09 0.086 0.089 1,010,000 90,580 EVER GOTESCO 1.17 1.18 1.15 1.19 1.15 1.18 12,585,000 14,710,130 FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE 0.8 0.87 0.82 0.87 0.8 0.8 2,241,000 1,835,050 8990 HLDG 7 7.15 7.15 7.15 7.15 7.15 200 1,430 1.41 1.43 1.4 1.44 1.38 1.41 973,000 1,374,170 PHIL INFRADEV 1.08 1.09 1.1 1.14 1.04 1.08 2,400,000 2,563,710 CITY AND LAND MEGAWORLD 3.48 3.49 3.42 3.49 3.42 3.48 11,045,000 38,263,520 MRC ALLIED 0.375 0.38 0.37 0.39 0.37 0.38 26,040,000 9,980,800 0.425 0.43 0.38 0.43 0.38 0.43 12,140,000 4,946,950 PHIL ESTATES 1.5 1.52 1.48 1.53 1.48 1.52 1,050,000 1,585,070 PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND 18.2 18.4 18 18.54 18 18.4 3,562,900 64,930,382 0.255 0.265 0.255 0.255 0.25 0.25 130,000 32,650 PHIL REALTY 1.41 1.46 1.4 1.46 1.4 1.42 516,000 740,690 ROCKWELL SHANG PROP 2.67 2.74 2.74 2.74 2.67 2.67 108,000 294,230 STA LUCIA LAND 2.28 2.29 2.27 2.29 2.25 2.28 770,000 1,749,320 35 35.2 35.6 35.95 35 35 6,270,500 220,751,705 SM PRIME HLDG 3.71 3.88 3.67 3.88 3.67 3.88 4,000 15,090 VISTAMALLS SUNTRUST HOME 1.5 1.51 1.43 1.53 1.43 1.5 515,000 761,460 PTFC REDEV CORP 42.15 52.2 52.2 52.2 52.2 52.2 900 46,980 3.97 4 3.95 4 3.81 4 1,207,000 4,758,040 VISTA LAND

-88,401,785 -3,302,110.00 -1,460 8,600 -236,323 -93,200 -3,300 -286,138 1,807,780 -300 -135,740 -12,810,640 125,450 -11,550 688,500 -12,897,954 -224,960 50,730 -87,087,250 2,340 160,570

SERVICES ABS CBN 11.2 11.28 11.06 11.3 11.04 11.28 36,900 414,382 6.95 6.99 7 7.08 6.9 6.99 212,900 1,485,038 GMA NETWORK MANILA BULLETIN 0.445 0.45 0.445 0.445 0.44 0.445 690,000 306,500 10.1 10.8 9.1 11.8 9.1 10.8 7,300 80,330 MLA BRDCASTING 1,930 1,954 1,990 1,990 1,930 1,930 35,420 69,229,455 GLOBE TELECOM 1,311 1,313 1,298 1,316 1,298 1,313 197,615 258,511,745 PLDT APOLLO GLOBAL 0.191 0.192 0.193 0.198 0.19 0.191 513,940,000 99,470,790 CONVERGE 17.36 17.38 17.08 17.48 17.08 17.36 2,275,800 39,499,574 3.85 3.89 3.88 3.99 3.85 3.85 149,000 589,040 DFNN INC 10.64 10.66 10.26 10.9 10.26 10.64 39,554,000 421,347,048 DITO CME HLDG IMPERIAL 1.52 1.59 1.5 1.59 1.5 1.59 40,000 62,710 0.144 0.145 0.145 0.148 0.14 0.144 6,580,000 951,380 ISLAND INFO 1.94 1.99 1.94 2.05 1.94 2 61,000 121,560 JACKSTONES NOW CORP 2.67 2.69 2.74 2.74 2.65 2.68 1,750,000 4,697,020 TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.47 0.475 0.47 0.485 0.47 0.47 15,330,000 7,296,500 2.61 2.68 2.65 2.75 2.61 2.61 215,000 570,250 PHILWEB 10.16 10.18 9.49 10.86 9.3 10.16 1,012,900 10,156,852 2GO GROUP CHELSEA 3.55 3.56 3.4 3.58 3.4 3.55 945,000 3,321,200 CEBU AIR 43.65 43.9 43.05 44 43 43.9 142,200 6,212,655 127 127.6 126.8 127.6 125.8 127.6 3,092,180 392,426,603 INTL CONTAINER 16.54 17.16 16.54 16.54 16.54 16.54 2,000 33,080 LBC EXPRESS LORENZO SHIPPNG 0.99 1.03 0.98 1.03 0.98 1.03 139,000 136,670 4.81 4.82 4.88 4.96 4.71 4.82 1,955,000 9,477,940 MACROASIA 2.41 2.5 2.51 2.54 2.4 2.5 248,000 612,890 METROALLIANCE A 2.4 2.74 2.75 2.75 2.74 2.74 3,000 8,230 METROALLIANCE B PAL HLDG 6.1 6.12 6.15 6.15 5.85 6.1 49,400 294,220 1.14 1.16 1.13 1.17 1.12 1.16 357,000 406,650 HARBOR STAR 1.46 1.5 1.46 1.5 1.46 1.5 3,000 4,420 ACESITE HOTEL BOULEVARD HLDG 0.089 0.09 0.095 0.104 0.085 0.089 2,905,810,000 281,461,420 DISCOVERY WORLD 5.04 5.07 5.06 5.22 5.01 5.03 152,800 773,589 0.5 0.51 0.49 0.51 0.49 0.5 3,380,000 1,674,550 WATERFRONT 6.54 7.16 6.54 6.54 6.51 6.51 5,500 35,885 CENTRO ESCOLAR FAR EASTERN U 580 600 580 580 580 580 380 220,400 7.15 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.59 7.59 900 6,833 IPEOPLE 0.37 0.375 0.37 0.375 0.37 0.37 890,000 330,350 STI HLDG 4.33 4.57 4.59 4.59 4.59 4.59 6,000 27,540 BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY 6.8 6.82 7.1 7.2 6.72 6.82 8,419,700 57,986,809 PACIFIC ONLINE 2 2.07 2.07 2.07 2 2 66,000 132,780 1.67 1.7 1.65 1.75 1.65 1.7 90,000 153,850 LEISURE AND RES PH RESORTS GRP 2.07 2.09 2.02 2.1 2.02 2.09 3,330,000 6,903,320 PREMIUM LEISURE 0.395 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.39 0.4 950,000 373,300 7.99 8.05 8.05 8.05 8 8.05 265,400 2,127,819 ALLHOME 1.27 1.29 1.28 1.29 1.25 1.29 190,000 241,370 METRO RETAIL PUREGOLD 34.4 34.5 34.5 35.35 34 34.4 4,134,400 141,965,340 ROBINSONS RTL 52.8 52.9 53.8 53.8 52.05 52.9 445,410 23,570,060 91 93 93.95 93.95 88 93 5,380 483,789 PHIL SEVEN CORP 1.21 1.22 1.2 1.24 1.2 1.21 944,000 1,150,520 SSI GROUP WILCON DEPOT 17.28 17.5 17.5 17.5 17 17.5 187,500 3,250,900 APC GROUP 0.385 0.415 0.39 0.4 0.385 0.385 260,000 101,900 7 7.1 6.89 7.24 6.89 7.1 52,000 369,163 EASYCALL GOLDEN MV 432 450 450 450 450 450 170 76,500 4.95 5.09 5 5 5 5 7,000 35,000 IPM HLDG 2.19 2.2 2.25 2.29 2.16 2.19 34,626,000 77,001,620 PRMIERE HORIZON

-36,924,270 84,434,130 2,265,820 14,587,078 218,560 -18,424,524 49,470 7,760 45,260 -184,947 -113,330 4,281,460 158,289,380 -3,431,420.00 16,420 -110,510 4,262,410 5,040 -2 37,000 -31,331,482 272,280 11,850 598,730.00 -54,760 -1,249,855.00 -8,344,915 46,039.50 267,250 415,068.00 31,400 3,608 -1,946,170

MINING & OIL ATOK 9 9.05 7.25 9.16 7.25 9 4,879,800 41,756,472 34,860 APEX MINING 1.42 1.43 1.43 1.47 1.42 1.42 633,000 902,030 -70,060 ATLAS MINING 6.32 6.34 6.4 6.41 6.3 6.32 467,700 2,968,164 2,542 2.4 2.6 2.68 2.68 2.4 2.6 321,000 779,820 BENGUET A 0.295 0.3 0.29 0.31 0.285 0.3 430,000 127,100 COAL ASIA HLDG CENTURY PEAK 2.75 2.8 2.75 2.8 2.68 2.8 96,000 261,230 261,230 DIZON MINES 9.38 10.18 10.2 10.2 10.18 10.18 3,200 32,638 2.41 2.42 2.5 2.5 2.4 2.41 2,588,000 6,308,540 -759,680 FERRONICKEL 0.365 0.375 0.355 0.375 0.355 0.365 800,000 294,100 GEOGRACE LEPANTO A 0.132 0.133 0.134 0.135 0.13 0.132 14,450,000 1,904,050 0.133 0.139 0.14 0.14 0.14 0.14 180,000 25,200 LEPANTO B 0.0098 0.0099 0.0096 0.0098 0.0096 0.0098 5,000,000 48,500 MANILA MINING A MANILA MINING B 0.0094 0.011 0.0096 0.0096 0.0094 0.0094 5,000,000 47,700 1.17 1.18 1.25 1.25 1.18 1.18 1,034,000 1,245,210 7,200 MARCVENTURES 2.05 2.06 2 2.21 2 2.06 94,000 196,350 NIHAO 5.26 5.27 5.29 5.4 5.25 5.27 1,913,400 10,169,560 -1,129,251 NICKEL ASIA OMICO CORP 0.385 0.445 0.4 0.4 0.38 0.39 400,000 156,600 0.85 0.86 0.86 0.88 0.84 0.85 897,000 767,890 -12,180 ORNTL PENINSULA 4.67 4.7 4.65 4.7 4.61 4.67 178,000 830,380 PX MINING 11.96 11.98 12 12 11.88 11.98 1,718,500 20,525,048 -2,480,652 SEMIRARA MINING UNITED PARAGON 0.0081 0.0084 0.008 0.0082 0.0079 0.0082 24,000,000 195,500 22.5 22.9 24 24 22.5 22.9 172,400 3,959,220 -66,660 ACE ENEXOR 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.011 118,100,000 1,308,300 ORNTL PETROL A 0.011 0.013 0.012 0.013 0.012 0.012 363,300,000 4,710,100 ORNTL PETROL B PHILODRILL 0.011 0.012 0.012 0.012 0.011 0.012 42,600,000 492,200 8.57 8.7 8.52 8.68 8.52 8.57 254,000 2,181,374 -527,287 PXP ENERGY

PREFFERED HOUSE PREF B 100.1 101 101 101 101 101 2,070 209,070 100.6 101 101.5 101.5 101.5 101.5 10 1,015 HOUSE PREF A ALCO PREF B 101.2 102 102 102 102 102 440 44,880 515.5 525 515 515 515 515 100 51,500 AC PREF B2R 101.1 103.6 102 102 102 102 1,000 102,000 CPG PREF A 101.5 101.7 101.7 101.7 101.3 101.5 7,900 802,070 19,265 DD PREF FGEN PREF G 106.3 108.9 106.2 106.2 106.2 106.2 40 4,248 504.5 514 505 505 504.5 504.5 990 499,555 GLO PREF P 1,002 1,020 1,006 1,006 1,002 1,002 1,000 1,003,900 GTCAP PREF A 1,038 1,040 1,030 1,039 1,030 1,038 1,800 1,864,700 GTCAP PREF B MWIDE PREF 100.2 100.5 100 100.5 100 100 18,000 1,800,120 100 101 101 101.1 101 101 10,780 1,089,590 MWIDE PREF 2B 105 107 107 107 107 107 60 6,420 PNX PREF 3B PNX PREF 4 1,005 1,008 1,007 1,008 1,004 1,005 1,210 1,218,920 1,011 1,012 1,012 1,012 1,012 1,012 3,295 3,334,540 PCOR PREF 2B 1,124 1,138 1,124 1,124 1,124 1,124 300 337,200 PCOR PREF 3B 1.73 1.8 1.7 1.73 1.7 1.73 11,000 18,900 SFI PREF SMC PREF 2C 78 79.45 79.3 79.45 78.9 79.45 28,100 2,217,488 75.8 75.95 75.9 75.9 75.9 75.9 23,200 1,760,880 -759,000 SMC PREF 2E 77.4 77.5 77.5 77.5 77.5 77.5 38,000 2,945,000 SMC PREF 2F 76.8 77 77 77 77 77 730,000 56,210,000 SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I 78.95 79 78.5 79 78.5 78.95 543,420 42,907,704.50 76.25 76.95 76.25 76.25 76.25 76.25 6,000 457,500 SMC PREF 2J 76.2 76.7 76.95 76.95 76.95 76.95 10,600 815,670 - SMC PREF 2K

PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR 10.8 11.22 11.3 11.3 10.8 10.8 62,400 677,610 -575,690

WARRANTS LR WARRANT 2.05 2.06 2.09 2.1 1.96 2.05 5,561,000 11,301,150 -80,700.00

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ALTUS PROP 20.2 20.35 19.9 20.5 19.9 20.3 131,200 2,653,030 2.44 2.5 2.36 2.5 2.36 2.5 694,000 1,697,750 628,540 ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH 5.11 5.27 5.1 5.27 5.1 5.27 42,000 214,567 2.53 2.66 2.53 2.54 2.53 2.53 11,000 27,880 MAKATI FINANCE 4.84 4.85 4.72 5 4.72 4.85 16,655,000 81,078,220 1,008,530 MERRYMART

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS

FIRST METRO ETF 100 100.4 101 101 99.5 100 23,860 2,387,888.50 108,535

www.businessmirror.com.ph

PLDT set to deploy more fiber optic cables this year

P

By Lorenz S. Marasigan

@lorenzmarasigan

LDT Inc. is deploying 125,000 kilometers of fiber optic cables in the country this year—its highest ever deployment for any given year—as it anticipates higher demand for broadband given the current health situation.

Joachim Horn, next generation technology solutions advisor of PLDT, said there are three main reasons why the group is investing heavily in developing fiber lines in the country.

“One, of course, is the very high

number of home installs. Second, is the massive investment and increase in backbone fiber to connect more islands and provide more capacity.

Third is the continuous roll out of international capacity,” he said in a recent press briefing.

According to PLDT SVP Menardo G. Jimenez the group expects to “exceed 100,000 monthly average installations” of home fiber solutions this year. “The extensive nationwide fiber rollout in 2020, along with increased installations, helped serve the increasing demand from customers for connectivity for workfrom-home, online learning and streaming. The lockdowns brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic led to unprecedented demand for home broadband services,” he said.

Currently, PLDT has the most extensive fiber network in the country with 429,000 kilometers of fiber optic cables spread across the islands.

This network has enabled the company to cover 48 percent of all cities and municipalities in the Philippines.

“PLDT's massive investment in

its fiber backbone, strengthening the connections across the Philippine islands, is a critical enabler for our customers to enjoy the best experience on our fixed and mobile services,” PLDT Head of Network and Technology Mario G. Tamayo said.

In December, PLDT said it plans to spend as much as P92 billion in capital outlays in 2021 to meet the “surge in demand for data” and heed the government’s call to “elevate” the local telecommunications industry and deliver services that meet global standards.

Alfredo S. Panlilio, the company’s CFO and the president of subsidiary Smart Communications Inc., said his group is increasing its capital expenditures (capex) by as much as 25 percent in 2021 to expand both its fixed and wireless networks.

EDC seeks regulators nod for green bonds

E

nergy Development Corp.

(EDC), the Lopez-led unlisted power generation firm, has filed a shelf registration of Asean Green Bonds worth P15 billion, a third of which will be immediately sold to the market.

Proceeds of the said bond float will be used for eligible green projects under the EDC Green Bond Framework, the company said. These include geothermal, wind energy, solar energy, hyrdopower and bioenergy projects.

Of the total shelf registration, the company will issue P5 billion in fixed-rate paper, P3 billion of which will be its primary offering and P2 billion as its oversubscription option in 3-year and 5-year bonds.

Net proceeds from the offer will be used for the partial reimbursement of equity contributed by EDC into Bac-Man Geothermal Inc. in the fourth quarter of 2020 and first quarter of 2021 for the funding of the capital expenditure requirements of Palayan Bayan Binary Project.

Proceeds will also be used for potential fresh equity contribution in the first quarter of 2022 for the

Palayan Bayan project.

BDO Capital and Investment Corp. and BPI Capital Corp. were picked as joint issue managers, joint lead underwriters, and bookrunners, while SB Capital Investment Corporation will serve as co-lead underwriter.

The first tranche bonds shall be issued in denominations of P50,000 each, as a minimum, and in multiples of P10,000 thereafter, and traded in denominations of P10,000 in the secondary market.

The company plans to offer the bonds on May 10 through May 14, after which it will be listed at the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp.

EDC has picked Palayan Bayan Binary Project as an eligible green project. The said development is an expansion project which will utilize the existing geothermal resource of the reinjected brine adjacent to its geothermal operating power plant in Manito, Albay, using an organic rankine cycle process.

This is a process wherein heat from brine is used to produce electricity by heating up a motive fluid using heat exchangers to drive the

Power firms urged to submit comments on RDWR rules

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

T

he Energ y R eg u l ator y Commission (ERC) is asking industry stakeholders to comment on the second draft of its proposed Rules for Distribution Wheeling Rates (RDWR).

The draft rules are meant to assure customers they are properly billed by distribution utility (DUs) firms.

The commission posted on its website the second draft of the proposed RDWR and the second draft of the “Issues Paper on the Regulatory Reset for the July 2022 to June 2026 Fifth Regulator Period for the First Entry Group of Privately Owned Distribution Utilities.”

“We encourage the electric power industry stakeholders to submit their comments or inputs on the 2nd Draft of the proposed Rules for RDWR and on the 2nd Draft of the Issues Paper. The comments shall become part of the records of the rule-making proceeding and shall be considered in the finalization of the proposed RDWR,” ERC Chairperson and CEO Agnes VST Devanadera said.

The second RDWR took into

consideration earlier comments and concerns submitted by industry stakeholders on the first draft that was published in June 2019. Once finalized and promulgated, the revised RDWR will provide the framework for the ERC’s evaluation of the private DUs’ revenue applications and ensure that the rates that will be charged to their customers are just and reasonable.

The ERC will also tap technical consultants that will the agency in the review of the roll-forward of the Regulatory Asset Base, capital expenditure and operational expenditure forecast, and Regulatory Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) for the 5th Regulatory Period.

WACC is a measure of power utilities’ cost of capital. It is the return a firm must earn on existing assets to keep its stock price constant and satisfy its creditors and owners.

The ERC will accept comments until April 12.

“The ERC’s review of its existing policies and rules is aimed at making the rate setting mechanism, simpler, less complicated and more responsive to the evolving electr ic power industr y,” Devanadera said.

turbine and produce additional electricity from the steam byproduct. The Palayan Bayan project will be developed and operated by BacMan Geothermal, a wholly-owned subsidiary, through equity contribution by EDC. “The net proceeds shall not be used towards financing and/or refinancing of activities related to coal or any other fossil fuel-related tech-

mutual funds

nologies,” the company said.

For a debt paper to be marked as Asean Green Bond, it should follow the 4 core components of the International Capital Market Association’s 2018 Green Bond Principles that provide the guidelines on the use of proceeds of the bonds, process for project evaluation and selection, management of proceeds and reporting. VG Cabuag March 17, 2021

NAV One Year Three Year Five Year Y-T-D per share Return* Return Stock Funds ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a 210.27 18.11% -8.9% -3.27% -7.46% ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 1.2174 34.49% -8.98% 0.88% -7.28% ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 2.882 19.86% -13.15% -5.33% -8.01% Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.7348 17.38% -8.95% n.a.

-8.6% First Metro Consumer Fund on MSCI Phils. IMI, Inc. -a 0.6538 3.76% n.a. n.a. -11.84% First Metro Save and Learn Equity Fund,Inc. -a 4.5959 20.21% -6.75% -2.43% -6.99% First Metro Save and Learn Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a,4 0.6666 11.86% -10.57% -7.46% -12.27% MBG Equity Investment Fund, Inc. -a 96.66 32.77% -6.39% n.a.

-5.18% PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a 43.1737 22.97% -7.15% -1.91% -7.84% Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 452.28 18.91% -7.07% -2.47% -7.51% Philequity Alpha One Fund, Inc. -a,d,5 1.0171 26.1% n.a. n.a.

-7.31% Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. - 1.092 18.9% -6.65% -1.48% -6.52% Philequity Fund, Inc. -a 32.2945 20.03% -6.65% -0.97% -7.12% Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.8398 19.27% n.a. n.a.

-8.02% Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc. -a 4.4195 23.4% -6.61% -1.14% -7.76% Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a 739.27 23.79% -6.51% -1.27% -7.78% Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 0.6668 18.54% -10.59% -4.97% -7.25% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 3.3516 18.06% -8.52% -2.67% -7.51% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.8455 23.38% -6.82% -1.39% -7.87% United Fund, Inc. -a 3.0979 20.04% -5.86% -0.25% -6.66% Exchange Traded Fund First Metro Phil. Equity Exchange Traded Fund, Inc. -a,c 99.1988 23.8% -6.32% -0.57% -7.77% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ATRAM AsiaPlus Equity Fund, Inc. -b $1.2739 44.01% 3.67% 9.31% 5.9% Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.71 50.7% 9.22% n.a.

2.22% Balanced Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ATRAM Dynamic Allocation Fund, Inc. -a 1.6308 16.16% -3% -1.03% -2.27% ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 2.1606 16.58% -3.19% -0.23% -5.46% First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund Inc. -a 2.4958 12.47% -2.38% -1.23% -4.99% First Metro Save and Learn F.O.C.C.U.S. Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a,1 0.1877 5.51% n.a. n.a. -5.49% NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a 1.8986 9.44% -0.57% 0.95% -3.33% PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a 3.5623 13.22% -1.92% -0.28% -5.96% Philam Fund, Inc. -a 15.9857 12.92% -1.86% -0.24% -5.61% Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a 2.0012 11.65% -2.75% -0.15% -4.44% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.3943 11.26% -4.27% -1.32% -5.01% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a,d 0.949 13.29% n.a. n.a.

-7.2% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a,d 0.87 17.98% n.a. n.a.

-8.34% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a,d 0.8549 18.87% n.a. n.a.

-8.38% Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a 0.836 14.63% -5.24% -2.08% -5.82% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Cocolife Dollar Fund Builder, Inc. -a $0.038 1.77% 2.53% 1.33% -2.86% PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -b $1.1329 25.5% 1.3% 5.35% -1.5% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $4.5772 35.12% 6.91% 8.63% 1.42% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a,3 $1.1907 17.02% 3.39% n.a.

-0.95% Bond Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 370.04 2.64% 3.13% 2.59% -0.28% ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a 1.9052 -0.51% 0.63% 0.25% 0.26% Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a 3.2163 2.29% 4.15% 4.58% 0.05% Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a 2.2383 0.2% 2.09% 1.61% -2.51% First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.4208 2.86% 3.05% 1.75% -1.32% Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a 4.4401 1.94% 3.81% 1.92% -4.2% Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a,6 1.315 4.84% 4.22% 2.59% -0.47% Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a

3.9488 4.55% 4.22% 2.48% -1.31% Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a 1.0166 6.15% 3.85% 1.75% -2.44% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.1611 2.77% 4.53% 2.8% -1.4% Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a 1.7237 1.77% 3.79% 2.16% -1.78% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $481.09 2.27% 2.84% 2.46% -0.57% ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a Є219.32 0.71% 1.02% 1.2% 0.06% ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b $1.1823 4.22% 1.88% 1.33% -7.66% First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.0257 3.21% 1.2% 0.96% -3.38% PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -b $1.0474 -0.85% -0.02% -0.64% -4.15% Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $2.449 4.14% 3.9% 2.24% -3.42% Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a $0.0624248 4.07% 3.19% 2.21% 0.17% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $3.0974 0.97% 1.76% 1.02% -3.91% Money Market Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 129.86 2.49% 3.24% 2.53% 0.04% First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.0494 1.6% n.a. n.a.

0.12% Sun Life Prosperity Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.3001 2.14% 2.92% 2.59% 0.27% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0548 1.5% 1.77% n.a.

0.23% Feeder Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities Sun Life Prosperity World Equity Index Feeder Fund, Inc. -a,d,7 1.1939 n.a. n.a. n.a. 5.69% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund Inc. -b,d,2 $0.99 10% n.a. n.a.

1.02%

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

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

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

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

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

Envoys&Expats BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

PHL takes leadership role in labor-mobility advocacy

Thursday, March 18, 2021

B3

‘Team Europe’ earmarks €2.3M to shield Filipinos from Covid

T

HE Philippines successfully steered discussions on the regional review of the implementation of the migrant-labor governance in the Middle East.

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (Unescap) conducted the said review on “Labor Mobility and Human Rights: Examining Migrant Labor Governance in the Middle East in the Context of Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration” on March 11.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Sarah Lou Y. Arriola—elected as chairman of Unescap’s Asia-Pacific Regional Review of the Implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) from March 10 to 12 in Bangkok—delivered the Philippines’s statement.

Arriola articulated the problems of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), such as the confiscation of their passports by their employers and the lack of labor mobility mainly for those in doing domestic work, that had to be addressed in the negotiations leading to the international adoption of the GCM in December 2018.

“Throughout the negotiations, the Philippines lobbied for the inclusion of the following provisions: first, [the] fair and ethical recruitment that allow migrants to change employers and modify the conditions or length of their stay with their employers; sec-

ond, decent work and respect for international human rights; and third, measures prohibiting the confiscation of travel documents of migrants. Today, we have these three principles codified under Objective 6, Section 22, paragraphs (g) and (h) of the GCM—thanks to our traditional and nontraditional partnerships we created during the negotiations,” Arriola outlined.

Former CEO of the Labor Market Regulatory Authority of the Kingdom of Bahrain Ausamah Alabsi recounted the Philippines’s partnership with his country to institute reforms toward better labor mobility for Filipino migrant workers, exemplified by the flexi-visa system made available to irregular OFWs. The system allows laborers to be documented independent workers without their visas being tied to a specific Bahraini employer.

Since t he adopt ion of t he GCM in 2018, the Philippines— through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)—continued its advocacy for better migrationgovernance policies especially leading to positive developments on labor mobility not only in Bahrain, but also in Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

“Another welcome development is the rollout of labor-reform

AMBASSADOR Luc Véron (left) and the World Health Organization’s Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe

By Recto L. Mercene @rectomercene

T

UNDERSECRETARY Sarah Lou Y. Arriola

initiatives by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on March 14. These reforms will finally ease restrictions on labor mobility of migrant workers and will allow [them] to change sponsors after finishing their contract…” continued the DFA official. “We thank the KSA for taking these steps forward in their migration governance. This will definitely benefit our more than 800,000 Filipino migrants [there].”

International Organization for Migration (IOM)-Philippines Chief of Mission Kristin Dadey commended the transformative leadership of the Philippines in migration and development, which has provided greater labor mobility for Filipino migrant workers, especially in the Middle East. The organization likewise commended Bahrain for its openness to reforms that will benefit not only the foreign workers in the said kingdom, but also its business sector.

To further highlight its leadership in international migration

and development, the Philippine government recently announced its nomination of Arriola for the position of deputy director general for Management and Reform of the IOM headquarters in Geneva.

President Duterte previously conferred the Grand Cross (Gawad Mabini, Dakilang Kamanong) on Arriola in June 2019 for her invaluable contribution to the country during the GCM negotiations in Marrakesh, Morocco and its eventual overwhelming adoption by 164 countries in December 2018.

The DFA, Unescap and the IOM Regional Offices Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa organized the side event on “Labor Mobility and Human Rights…” moderated by Assistant Secretary Enrico Fos of DFA’s Office of Migrant Workers’ Affairs, together with Regional Director Maria Nenette Motus of IOM-Asia Pacific. Other panelists included IOM-Bahrain Chief of Mission Mohamed El Zarkani and Migrant Forum in Asia Regional Coordinator William Gois. DFA

Can Poland redraw Europe’s economic map?

By Salvatore Babones

W

HEN it comes to the global economy, g row t h i s t he on ly

constant.

Over the last century or more, the global economy has inflated much like a balloon, expanding almost uniformly with only minor warping of geographical patterns.

The United States has long been the richest large country in the world, with Western Europe following close behind, East Asia a little farther back, and a few outlying settler colonies like Canada, Australia, and New Zealand keeping pace.

China has grown from poverty to middle-income status; but even there, the richest areas from before communism (Shanghai and Guangzhou) have reemerged as the richest areas after. There has been rapid upward mobility for the four East Asian tiger economies, but these are better characterized as city-states (Hong Kong, Singapore) and part-countries (South Korea, Taiwan) than as full economies of their own. The region of East Asian prosperity has modestly expanded to include them, but the region retains its historical position relative to the US. The economic present is very much the heritage of the economic past. This becomes especially clear when the world is analyzed in terms of historical economic regions, substituting economic borders for today’s national borders. Colonialism, wars, and decolonization have dramatically

BABONES

altered the political map of the world since the late 19th Century, but have had much less effect on regional economies.

Distinguishing between political and economic borders is especially important when analyzing the convoluted economic history of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). There are no firm definitions of the region, but a good working rule is that the CEE consists of European countries that fell under communist regimes after World War II. Yet, they are often grouped together today: the countries that emerged from Communist rule in the 1990s actually form two distinct economic regions, with very different economic histories.

German-dominated Central Europe first began to industrialize in the 19th Century. Although Austria and Germany are now usually considered Western European countries, that is only because they were reorganized as nation-states around their westernmost economic cores in the wake of the world wars. It reached economic parity with Western Europe (though not with the US) well before the 1910s. Its transnational production networks incorporated what are now the

relatively prosperous Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Slovenia into a single, integrated Central European economy.

Despite the break-up of empires following World War I and the imposition of the Iron Curtain after World War II, geography reasserted itself after the fall of the Soviet Union; the Central European economy reintegrated.

This is less true of the economy of Western Poland than of those of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Slovenia, probably due to the wholesale displacement of populations in post-war Poland.

Physical geography remained, but human geography was changed forever.

Meanwhile, Eastern Europe— divided among and occupied by G er m a n , Au st ro - Hu ng a r i a n , Russian and Turkish empires— never fully shared in the prewar prosperity of Central Europe. For Eastern European countries, the challenge is not reintegration, but de novo development. They face the challenge—but also the opportunity—of building independent economies that are not inextricably tied to German priorities and German management.

Whereas the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Slovenia have remained permanent peripheries of Vienna and Berlin, Poland, Hungary, the Baltics, and the Balkans are much freer to shape their own economic futures. The Baltics may be too small to develop regional economies of their own, and the Balkans face serious challenges of cronyism and corruption. Hungary seems likely to be subsumed

into the Central European economy, whatever the proclivities of its current government.

But Poland is large enough to chart an independent economic course, and it has a natural hinterland in a poor but stabilizing Ukraine. Belarus and the Baltics, too, might eventually be integrated into an expanding Polish economic zone, with Warsaw at its core. This is not to argue for some kind of resurrection of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, or the pipe dream of a Polishled Intermarium. It is merely to recognize that Poland possesses unique opportunities for economic expansion in a region that has long lacked economic structure.

Geography is not destiny, and there is no guarantee that Eastern Europe will ever emerge as a distinct economic region of its own. But Poland does serve as a kind of economic breakwater on the eastern edge of Central Europe, in much the same way that Germany once formed a breakwater on the frontiers of Western Europe. With sound economic management (and effective foreign policies), Poland could, in theory, integrate a new Eastern Europea n economy a round a Polish core. It would take courage and vision to pull off such a feat, but it might be Poland’s best route out of the dreaded middleincome trap.

(Courtesy of the Embassy of Poland in the Philippines. Author is an American sociologist, associate professor at the University of Sydney, and an expert in the areas of Chinese and American economy and society.)

HE European Union’s (EU) ambassador to the Philippines Luc Véron said “Team Europe” has activated a €20.5-million program between the bloc and the World Health Organization (WHO), which covers eight priority countries in Southeast Asia.

Véron, Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III and the World Health Organization’s (WHO) representative to the Philippines Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe formally launched the program on March 15 to control the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in the country.

Part of the assistance will be spent on WHObacked activities to help prepare for the rollout of vaccines. Majority of the funding will be invested

by WHO to further strengthen the capacity of the Philippine health system to rapidly identify, respond to and suppress Covid-19 outbreaks. This is in addition to the EU funding provided to the COVAX facility for the supply of vaccines.

From the EU’s contribution, €2.3 million, or around P133 million, will directly benefit the Philippines. Other beneficiary-countries are Cambodia, Lao PDR, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The EU-WHO partnership aims to protect their peoples’ health and access to health services, especially among the most vulnerable, by strengthening their health systems.

“Team Europe is committed to helping Filipinos and health authorities beat Covid-19,” Véron said during the online event. “Through the program, the EU is proud to support the rollout of vaccines in the Philippines.”

As the largest contributor to the COVAX facility, Team Europe has to-date provided a total of

€2.2 billion, or P130 billion, to help 92 low- and middle-income countries—including the Philippines—help gain access to vaccines.

Another goal of the collaboration is to increase coordination and synergies between WHO and the Asean on emergency response and preparedness, given the shared objectives, similarities and challenges shared by member-states in the region.

Specific areas of actions under the EU grant are: strengthening surveillance, risk assessment and contact-tracing activities; enhancing the functions of national laboratories; improving case management, infection, prevention and control; utilizing risk communications and community engagement approaches; implementing specific public-health measures for travel and points of entry; scaling up readiness for Covid-19 vaccines; identifying and maintaining essential health services and systems; as well as operational support and logistics. “[Vaccines] have started to arrive... but it will be many months before this pandemic is over. That means all of us need to keep doing the basics...

The health system across the Philippines must be able to rapidly identify people with Covid-19, trace their close contacts, [as well as] provide places for their quarantine and isolation to break the chains of transmission,” explained Abeyasinghe. “[Every one: from local chief executives, officials of local government units] to civil-society organizations and citizens, needs to spread the message about Covid-19 prevention.”

“Global cooperation and solidarity [are] key to fight Covid-19, and to ensure early access to vaccines, diagnostics and treatments everywhere.

No one is safe until everyone is safe,” pointed out Véron. “This is why the EU has been leading the multilateral response to make sure no one is left behind.”

Australia trains Philippine, Asean ‘future leaders’ on border, regional immigration responses to pandemic

SENIOR Filipino and Australian immigration officials

S

EVEN senior officers from the Bureau of Immigration, alongside counterparts from the Asean, completed their training on pandemic response, which was delivered by the Australian’s Department of Home Affairs and renowned Australian research institution RMIT University.

The inclusion of Philippine senior immigration officials in the training program is an excellent example of Australia and the bureau’s close cooperation, as well as commitment, to joint and regional programs, according to the commonwealth’s embassy in the country.

“Australia is committed to supporting the Philippines’s response to [the health crisis], and this includes preparing for the resumption of travel and improving readiness for future pandemics,” said Ambassador of Australia Steven J. Robinson AO. “In the spirit of mateship and bayanihan, we are pleased to be able to work with the Bureau of Immigration on this leadership-training course, delivered online for the first time.”

The Australian Embassy in Manila’s Chief Immigration Officer and Counselor Jane Honner confirmed that the Border Control Agency Management Program (BCAMP) Upskill-Pandemic Preparedness was able to support 54 immigration and border officers from 10 Asean countries who are at the forefront of international efforts to oversee border closures and resumption of travel.

BCAMP Upskill-Pandemic Preparedness is a four-week Australian government-sponsored training program, delivered in partnership with the RMIT University branch in Hanoi, Vietnam. Its

four key themes are: challenges faced by immigration agencies; best practices during the health crisis; reopening borders; as well as preparations for future pandemics, with a focus on building skills and connections between immigration stakeholders.

Since 2010 BCAMP has provided specialized training for immigration, border and customs officers from Asean countries—including the Philippines. Honner affirmed: “This long-running initiative is a prime example of the cooperation between [our countries, as well as others,] to address problems of regional magnitude.”

“These provided an opportunity to pioneer practical, online, flexible and part-time courses for BCAMP alumni during the pandemic,” she added. “Delivered in July to August, and [previously] in November to December 2020, the program allowed participants to learn while still fulfilling their daily work duties and‘ other commitments.”

The Bureau of Immigration’s Deputy Commissioner Atty. Aldwin Alegre CPA, LLM delivered the keynote video presentation and shared his personal strategic insight on leadership: “This regional training program is [an essential part] of the Philippines’s preparation to open up travel and improve our readiness for future pandemics.

We are grateful to Australia for their continued support. All Filipino participants have expressed [the usefulness of the training], especially in developing a closer relationship with their Asean counterparts.”

B4 Thursday, March 18, 2021

Banking&Finance BusinessMirror

Reduce loan-interest for PUV modernization, Poe asks govt

S

By Butch Fernandez

@butchfBM

ENATOR Grace Poe pressed government last Tuesday to reduce to 4 percent the loan interests for public utility vehicles (PUV) modernization in a bid to “lessen the financial burden of operators and drivers.”

Poe, who chairs the Senate’s franchise-granting Committee on Public Services, prodded the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) to further cut the interest rate on the loans.

“If we want to really help our public transport sector transition to PUV modernization, all support must be extended to our operators and drivers who have been among the hardest hit by the pandemic,” says Poe. At a Public Services Committee hearing to tackle Senate Bill 867

embodying the proposed Just and Humane PUV Modernization Act, a leader of a group of drivers and operators said they cannot afford to borrow because of the 6-percent interest rate and the length of the loan term.

Danilo Yumul, chairman of the Confederation of Drivers and Operators in Central Luzon, told Senators that even before the pandemic, drivers could not afford the P40,000 monthly payment for the new PUV, adding: more so after lockdown measures were imposed.

We’re not a liability; we’re assets, Yumul said as he informed the Senate panel that they have not received any subsidy from the government for its PUV modernization program.

Poe asked Yumul and other stakeholders to furnish the committee the same letter outlining their concerns that they will submit to the

LTFRB. The solon proposed that the 6-percent interest rate could still be reduced and that the 2-percent reduction can serve as “subsidy” for drivers and operators.

“Lahat po ng mga hinihingi ninyo i-submit ninyo po ’yung sulat sa amin, ’yung ibibigay niyo kay Chairman (Martin B.) Delgra (3rd). Katulad nga kasi 6 percent na interes, mataas pa ’yun, pwede pang babaan,” Poe said. [All your requests in that letter; please submit the letter to us, the one you will give to Delgra. The six-percent interest, it’s still high; it can still be reduced.]

Once enacted into law, SB 867 mandates government to provide financial assistance of not less than 10 percent of the price per unit, with an additional provision that the interest rate on loan amortization should also not exceed four percent diminishing annual interest, considering the nature of PUV services.

Goldman leads US banks plowing billions into China

G

OLDMAN Sachs Group Inc. led US banks plowing billions of fresh cash into China last year, undeterred by political turmoil as the world’s second-largest economy further opens its $50 trillion financial market.

The bank’s “cross currency outstandings” rose 33 percent to $17.5 billion last year in China, covering a broad array of cash and financing to companies and government entities, according to an annual filing. Together with Citigroup Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co., Bank of America Corp and Morgan Stanley, the five big US banks had $77.8 billion in exposure, up 10 percent from 2019.

China’s financial markets are a potent lure for the world’s biggest banks, with billions of profits on the line in investment banking and wealth management. But they also face an opaque regulatory environment and a tense political climate that has deteriorated over the past years and that’s unlikely to see major improvements under the Joe Biden administration.

The banks are “drawn to strong economic performance like moths to a flame,” said Brock Silvers, chief investment officer at Kaiyuan Capital.

China opportunity

EUROPEANS banks are also keen to boost investments. Londonheadquartered HSBC Holdings Plc is increasingly pinning its future to Asia, with plans to invest at least $6 billion across the region, including China.

Credit Suisse Group AG is seeking to gain full control over its securities venture and plans to double its headcount and revenue in the world’s fastest growing major economy. UBS Group AG also wants to double its China footprint in three to five years, and is seeking to deepen control over its Chinese securities unit. Barclays Plc CEO Jes Staley said on Tuesday the bank is looking to build on its small presence in China, while continuing to invest in capital markets, an area that has brought in strong growth during the pandemic.

represents 1.3 percent of Citi’s total global exposure.

“We continue to support our clients across China, including banking 70 percent of the Fortune 500,” said a Citi spokesman.

Morgan Stanley

Two unidentified people walk on near-empty streets in a business district. Major American banks like Goldman Sachs have plunked billions of cash into China during the pandemic. Bloomberg News

But challenges abound. Foreign banks have to navigate a murky regulatory system. Despite China allowing them to apply for full ownership of their partnerships a year ago, none of them have yet been able to secure that. They also have to battle with uncertainty—as was the case when Ant Group Co.’s initial public offering was derailed days before its scheduled trading debut, putting millions in fees at risk.

Goldman Sachs

THE New York-based firm opened its Beijing office in 1994, marking the start of a permanent presence on the mainland. It started the process of getting clearance from regulators to take full control of Goldman Sachs Gao Hua and signed a definitive agreement with its partner to buy the 49 percent of the venture it doesn’t own, according to a memo late last year.

Full ownership “of our franchise on the mainland represents a significant commitment to and investment in China,” Chief Executive Officer David Solomon, President John Waldron and Chief Financial Officer Stephen Scherr said.

The move will end the 17-year collaboration with Beijing Gao Hua Securities. It also gives the firm free rein to pursue an expansive growth strategy that includes boosting its workforce in China to 600 and ramping up in asset and wealth management.

A Goldman spokesman said the firm currently has 70 new positions in mainland China that it’s looking to fill.

JPMorgan

THE bank’s total exposure to China rose 10.4 percent to $21.2 billion as of Dec. 2020, driven by trading and investing, which includes marketmaking inventory and securities, according to its filing.

JPMorgan raised its stake in its Chinese securities joint venture to 71 percent late last year, racing with Goldman Sachs to become the first foreign bank to attain full ownership. It plans to expand its asset and wealth management business as well as its corporate and investment bank, according to a results presentation.

A JPMorgan spokesman declined to comment.

Citigroup

CITI first established an office in Shanghai in 1902 and has a footprint across 12 cities across China.

Its total exposure to China—which includes multi-national companies doing business there—rose 16.6 percent to $21.8 billion as of the fourth quarter 2020. This was driven by increases in investment securities and consumer banking loans.

The bank is planning to include an investment banking unit in China as the nation opens up and liberalizes its financial markets, a person familiar said in October last year. China

MORGAN Stanley’s net exposure to China fell nearly 5 percent to $3.9 billion as of end December 2020 from the previous year, as it cut back on loans and lending commitments, according to its filing.

Morgan Stanley has a 51 percent stake in its China joint venture, while Huaxin Securities holds the remaining 49 percent stake. In February, the bank’s partner, said that it plans to sell a 39 percent stake in the venture, opening up for further control.

The firm has moved in staff from abroad to take the majority of key roles at Morgan Stanley Huaxin Securities Co., and eventually take full control. Morgan Stanley is seeking to build out an onshore brokerage and will also expand its asset management partnership.

A Morgan Stanley spokesman declined to comment on the filing.

Bank of America

ALSO cutting back was Bank of America, which saw its net exposure to China fall 13.9 percent to $13.4 billion as of Dec. 2020 as it reduced funded loans and unfunded loan commitments amid a broader attention to risk during the pandemic, according to the Feb. 24 filing.

The net exposure also includes securities and other investments.

The Charlotte, North Carolinabased lender said in the filing that in light of the global pandemic, it was “monitoring its non-US exposure closely,” particularly in countries where restrictions on activities to contain the spread of the virus have affected economic activity.

The bank also cut its net exposure to Hong Kong by 7.4 percent to $6.5 billion, but raised it in Singapore by 18.6 percent to $9.3 billion.

A bank representative declined to comment beyond the filing.

Bloomberg News

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₧15-B lending window for hog-raising opened

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HE Land Bank of the Philippines (LandBank) announced it opened a P15-billion lending facility for borrowers planning to venture in hog raising to boost domestic pork production curtailed by the African Swine Fever.

The state-run bank said it signed last Wednesday a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Agriculture (DA) for the lending window it calls “Swine” or the “Special Window and Interim Support to Nurture Hog Enterprises.”

The bank said the new loan portfolio would be “available for commercial hog raisers registered as cooperatives or farmers’ associations, small and medium enterprises and large enterprises or corporations.”

LandBank President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo was quoted in a statement as saying that “by extending financing support to hog enterprises,” it would “sustain their operations and pork supply during this difficult time.”

Borromeo added they aim “aim to respond to the recovery requirements of our hog industry and contribute to ensuring food security” through the lending program.

The state-run bank explained that the loans under the program should be used for swine production, including acquisition or importation of semen or breeding animals and feed milling operations.

Eligible borrowers can also use the loan for the construction, improvement or retrofitting of neces-

sary facilities that are compliant to biosecurity protocols of DA, the industry or integrators; acquisition of fixed assets; and as working capital, the LandBank added.

“Borrowers may avail of a shortterm loan line or a term loan for up to 80 percent of their total project cost or financing requirement, with an affordable fixed interest rate of 3-percent per annum for three years, subject to annual re-pricing thereafter,” it said.

The bank added that short-term loans would have a tenor of one year while loans for permanent working capital is payable up to five years.

Fixed-asset acquisition loans are payable based on the cash flow or payback period of the project, with grace period on the principal and interest, the bank added.

The agreement tasks the DA to provide the list of eligible program borrowers, assist borrowers in the preparation of a business plan, enrollment in the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. and secure necessary permits, according to the LandBank.

“The DA will also provide loan recipients training on biosecurity management and breeding or rearing of hogs, while engaging the services of different organizations in capability building and implementation of biosecurity protocols,” it added.

The state-run bank said the lending program would be available until December 31, 2026, in line with the DA’s hog re-population plan.

Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

SSS taps BPI as payment gateway in mobile app

T

HE Social Security System (SSS) announced it has added the Bank of the Philippine Islands as a new payment channel for members to pay contributions through the SSS mobile app.

These Individual members are the self-employed, voluntary and overseas Filipino workers (OFW) who have existing BPI accounts, the state-run pension fund manager said in a statement issued last Wednesday.

SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Aurora C. Ignacio was quoted in the statement as saying that the new online payment gateway “is very timely with the pension fund’s shift to digital platforms since its members are now familiarized with various electronic and online facilities.”

“While the pandemic played a major role for SSS to focus its resources on the digitalization of its core and business processes, the transition is actually one of the top priorities under the new charter,” Ignacio said. “We are glad our payment partners are also integrating their systems with ours to further improve services thru hassle-free and safe transactions.”

SSS said its members must download the SSS mobile app. The app requires log-in details as registered in the member’s My.SSS account. They can then generate a Payment Reference Number (PRN) in the SSS Mobile App by clicking the “Generate PRN/SOA” icon, the SSS said.

Members may opt to download

a PDF copy of the PRN or pay immediately using the “Pay” button in the interface. They must tap “BPI” as the payment method channel, then “OK” to confirm the prompted payment details, and “PROCEED” to be redirected to the BPI secure site.

At the BPI authentication page, members must provide their BPI log-in credentials and select the preferred account. BPI will then send a 6-digit one-time PIN (personal information number) to the member’s enrolled mobile number, which they must enter to confirm and complete the payment process. Successful payment notifications from BPI and the SSS Mobile App will be displayed showing the date and time of payment, PRN, applicable period, SSS contributions, total contribution, total payment and transaction reference number.

A fee of P15 will be deducted from the BPI account for each successful transaction, the SSS said.

“We are still exploring more online payment channels to provide convenience to our growing membership base, especially since the community quarantine is restricting movements,” Ignacio said. “Our main goal is to encourage them to use online platforms instead of personally going to the branches. We are focused not only on improving our online payment transactions but also that all our services can already be accessed online using the website, mobile app, and other electronic and selfservice channels.”

Despite hike in credit loss provisions, EastWest posts 2020 4% profit growth

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OTIANUN-led East West Banking Corp. grew its net income by 4 percent in the past year despite increasing its credit loss provisions by more than twofold in anticipation of potential bad loans.

In a disclosure on Wednesday, the listed bank announced that it earned P6.5 billion last year, which is higher than the P6.2 billion in 2019. Return on equity stood at 12.3 percent.

This, even though it hiked the total loan loss buffer to P9.8 billion—representing 4 percent of the total loan portfolio—last year from P4 billion in 2019.

The day of the disclosure saw EastWest’s shares inch up by 0.53 percent, or 5 centavos, to close at P9.56 each amid the 0.12-percent uptick for the benchmark index on Wednesday.

The bank said its net revenues

grew by 16 percent to P33.4 billion for the period. This was supported by net interest income, which improved by 23 percent to P26.5 billion because of lower funding costs. Net interest margin was at 8.1 percent. “[Lower] rates and the consequent lower funding costs resulted in higher net interest margins and higher trading gains,” EastWest CEO Antonio C. Moncupa Jr. was quoted in the disclosure as saying.

Non-interest income fell by 5 percent to P6.9 billion due to decrease in fees and other income amid the slowdown in business activities. Securities trading gains amounted to P4.2 billion for the period.

Operating expenses, excluding provisions for losses, slightly declined by 1 percent to P16.2 billion.

“The bank booked a P2.7 billion ‘modification loss’ or the value of

the assistance given to loan borrowers over the life of their loans that arose from the mandated and bank initiated cash-flow relief programs,” it added.

Loans and receivables were lower by 9 percent to P243.7 billion last year because of contractual maturities and dampened demand for borrowing. Deposits, meanwhile, climbed by 8 percent to P329.1 billion.

As of end-December, the bank’s assets stood at P408.2 billion. Capital adequacy ratio and common equity tier 1 ratio stood at 13.8 percent and 12.6 percent, respectively. “[The] bank, with its higher capital buffers and the loan loss provisions in 2020, is in a good position to face the remaining pandemic challenges and the rebuilding that will follow the vaccines,” Moncupa said.

Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

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Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Thursday, March 18, 2021

B5

The summer to speak, surprise and shine IMAGE FROM PRACTICAL FAMILY

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HE Covid-19 pandemic has changed the lives of families in various ways. My recent conversations with parents and experts confirm the reality of rising anxiety experienced by different members of the family in different ways. From my own kids, I see how much they miss the social interactions in school and sports activities. For us adults, managing our kids’ distance learning and Zoom meetings overload at times can be overwhelming.

With the recent spike in new infections and the continuing uncertainty of vaccine availability, how can families pull through this summer with a bit more laughter and positivity? My recommendation: speak, surprise and shine.

SPEAK FAMILY communication is not as automatic as we may think. Parents oftentimes feel helpless when kids give them one-line answers to questions like, “How was your day?” My daughter, at 14, told me recently that she felt lucky that she could confide in me so naturally, even on topics she thought would shock me. I told her it was not because I was a good communicator but because I was self-aware of that fear of not having good family communication, which prompted me to set up “exercise times” for family communication especially when my kids were younger.

I feel a relaxed environment fosters a better communication arena. Summertime, when kids are free from homework, and parents don’t have to do school prep routines, provide great practice times for different types of communication. Some activities I recommend: n FINDING RECIPES TO DO TOGETHER. Try to take the first step, and then allow your kids to lead the next steps. Enjoy the mismatch of ideas, the laughter in the mistakes, and even arguments. n HAVE FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT TIME. Be it YouTube karaoke, “Name That Tune” with each family

member’s playlist, or showing off dance steps from different eras, the purpose is for the whole family to find “silliness” together and hear pure laughter. n DO MINI FAMILY PROJECTS. Try building science kits, model car kits or even setting up a family pool together. My goal here was to establish family cooperation and pride in accomplishing something together as a unit.

Last, allow your child’s voice to be heard a bit more, no matter how outrageous their thoughts may be.

Refrain from our usual reminders or lectures. Share your personal stories also that are more quirky or less perfect, to let your child get to know how their parents were as kids or teenagers.

SURPRISE I ALSO believe that each child is unique. However, during the school year, our kids need to conform to certain norms and expectations. Summer for me should be a time to surprise the individuality of each

family member. I wrote in my column on April 19, 2017, titled “‘Flipping’ summer for a ‘stretched’ me” (bit.ly/2OY6bI4). This lines up my recommendations on the mindset and activities that stretches us and our kids beyond our comfort zones.

SHINE SUMMER can also be a time to build your child’s confidence in their own “stages.” Joining classes to hone or learn new talents allows learning as well as exposure to mentors and peers. Most of all, it’s a great arena for just having fun.

Kids are surely lucky that Promil Four i-Shine mounts its biggest online Talent Camp to date. Now in its ninth year, the campaign has transitioned into an Online Camp with classes that have been expertly designed for children, and with the virtual world at their fingertips, nothing can stop their gifts from shining. Participants can tune in via Promil Four’s official Facebook page (www.facebook.com/promilfour)

Family trips top Filipinos’ travel priorities

By Pauline Joy M. Gutierrez AS travel restrictions gradually ease up in different parts of the country, a new survey looks at emerging trends and opportunities for the local tourism industry.

According to Airbnb’s Philippines Travel Trends Survey 2021 with data analytics firm YouGov, at least six out of 10 Filipino chose family vacations as the primary reason to travel this year, outranking business and shopping as key motivators.

It found that 88 percent of those surveyed felt more connected with their families during the pandemic, while 60 percent of the respondents are planning on connecting with their immediate and extended families on their first trip.

“It’s not difficult to understand the brewing pentup demand for travel. People are not able now to do something they took for granted in the past. That’s why Filipinos want to connect as soon as they can,” shared Amanpreet Bajaj, Airbnb general manager for Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong and Taiwan, in a recent virtual event organized by the global travel platform.

Safety and affordability are prime concerns in choosing lodging, with 64 percent of respondents saying they consider health and safety protocols in deciding on their accommodations for their next trip, followed by affordability.

Over half of all respondents also expressed preference for traveling to less crowded, off-thebeaten-path destinations, away from mass tourist hotspots.

Interestingly, popular travel hubs like Boracay emerged as the top destination among the respondents, followed closely by Palawan, Baguio, Siargao and Tagaytay.

Road trips are expected to gain traction as the top choice for Filipinos’ first trip post-pandemic, as respondents indicated that they wanted to travel close to nature and places outside their communities well

within driving distance.

“People are more likely to start traveling near to their places and so local and domestic tourism is going to be something that takes center stage before borders open up and cross-border travel resumes,” said Bajaj.

Meanwhile, there is great interest in, and wide support for, sustainable tourism to shape the industry’s recovery.

“Travelers are looking at slower, more mindful travel amid nature. We believe that travel is resilient and will bounce back in time,” said Bajaj.

Bajaj added that they are supporting government efforts to revive local tourism as it pledged to drive sustainable long-term growth for its “Stays and Experiences” to help local Airbnb hosts and guests

community.

Research from Oxford Economics found that Airbnb contributed $1 billion in economic impact, with over 161,300 jobs supported directly and indirectly, in the Philippines.

In response to the pandemic, the company expanded its global Frontline Stays initiative to provide housing to Covid-19 responders, partnering with the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation.

“Covid-19 has been a global fork in the road for everyone. The single biggest focus for all travel stakeholders is that we kick-start travel again. We are responding by promoting safe travel in domestic corridors and supporting government protocols,” said Bajaj.

and The Gifted Channel on YouTube (www.youtube.com/ PromilPreSchool) to watch the episodes.

“Promil Four has always been about supporting parents in helping their children grow healthy and be successful at what they love to do,” says Maria Carmela Gabunada, marketing manager of Promil for Wyeth Nutrition. The biggest and most prestigious online camp for six years old and above is being led by some of the country’s most respected mentors: National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab, choreographer Georcelle Dapat-Sy, actor and director Audie Gemora, craftsmaster Robert Alejandro, arts director Kara Escay. Also joining them are celebrity vlogger Dimples Romana, folk-pop Ben&Ben, and photographer Magic Liwanag.

Let’s remember that as the pandemic stretches into summer, let’s take the opportunity of this increased togetherness at home to speak a little louder, surprise yourself a little bit more, and find each of your family’s stars to shine. n

Prenatal package to help ease expecting moms’ worries Learning you’re pregnant is probably one of the most exciting news you’ll receive in your life. But it can also make you feel scared and overwhelmed of what lies ahead.

In a snap, you’re no longer just taking care of yourself, you’re taking care of at least one other being growing in your womb. More than ever, you need all the help you can get, so you and your baby stay healthy for the journey.

The country’s top health institution Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed, www.makatimed.net. ph), is now giving all soon-to-be moms a chance to get the best health care possible with its new Prenatal Package, which includes outpatient laboratory and ultrasound procedures such as Anti-HBS Chemi, Blood Typing ABO/RH, Congenital Anomaly Scan, HIV Screening Test, Rubella IGG (German Measles), Transvaginal or Pelvic Ultrasound, and Urinalysis, among others.

These tests will give you and your doctor more information about your health to help in the early detection of conditions that may put you and your baby at risk. The package gives an additional 5-percent discount on repeat tests on the identified procedures.

For easy tracking, you’ll be given a Milestone Card that comes with vouchers for the covered procedures for easy tracking. On offer until November 25, the package is available to all maternity patients.

The package does not include ObstetricianGynecologist consultations, Pap Smear specimen collection fees, and cannot be used in case of hospital admission.

B6 Thursday, March 18, 2021

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Thursday, March 18, 2021

B7

The World B8

Thursday, March 18, 2021

Editor: Angel R. Calso

Violence resumes in Myanmar after day of peaceful protests

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ANGON, Myanmar—At least two people protesting last month’s military coup were reported shot and killed by Myanmar security forces on Tuesday after a morning of peaceful marches.

Security forces have killed scores of their countrymen in recent days, and the UN has put the death toll at 149 since the February 1 coup that toppled Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government.

The independent Assistance Association for Political Prisoners said 183 people have been killed since the coup.

Violence was reported on Tuesday in the biggest city, Yangon, where casualties have been the highest. Police fired rubber bullets in several neighborhoods, and one man was reported killed.

Another killing was reported in Kawlin city in the northwestern Sagaing Region.

UN Human Rights Office spokesperson, Ravina Shamdasani, said at least 11 people were killed on Monday, adding to 57 deaths over the weekend. While there were many more reports of killings, it was unable to corroborate them.

“The killing of demonstrators, arbitrary arrests and the reported torture of prisoners violate fundamental human rights and stand in clear defiance of calls by the Security Council for restraint, dialogue and a return to Myanmar’s democratic path,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

The coup reversed years of slow progress toward democracy in Myanmar, which for five decades had languished under strict military rule that led to international isolation and sanctions.

Protesters have recently used tactics meant to avoid violent confrontations. On Tuesday, social media reports said candlelight marches before sunrise were held in Mawlamyaing in Mon State in southeastern Myanmar.

Another tactic has been to use signboards as proxies for human protesters, placing them in rows in public places. This tactic was reported to have been used by a group of engineers in the second-biggest city, Mandalay, in central Myanmar.

More conventional peaceful protests of the sort that have been occurring daily were held without incident Tuesday in Monywa and Ye-U in central Myanmar, the city of Loikaw in the eastern state of Kayaw, and Kalaw in Southern Shan State, also in the east.

Complicating efforts to organize new protests as well as media coverage, cellphone Internet service was cut Sunday night, although access was still available through fixed broadband connections.

Mobile data service had been used to stream live video coverage of protests, often showing security forces attacking demonstrators. It previously had been turned off only from 1 a.m. to 9 a.m. for several weeks, with no official explanation.

Sunday’s violence in Yangon—virtually all by police—led to the greatest single-day death toll since the coup. Myanmar’s ruling junta declared martial law in a large part of the city.

The martial law announcements said the junta, formally called the State Administrative Council, acted to enhance security and restore law and order, and that the Yangon regional commander has been entrusted with administrative, judicial and military powers in the area under his command. The orders cover six of Yangon’s 33 townships.

The greatest violence and most deaths were reported in Yangon’s Hlaing Thar Yar township, an industrial area of many factories that supply the garment industry, a major export earner for Myanmar. Several factories, many of which are Chinese-owned, were set ablaze on Sunday by unknown parties, provoking the ire of Beijing.

Thousands of the township’s residents in cars, taxis, pickup trucks, on motorcycles and on foot jammed roads out of the area Tuesday. Some sought safety, while others no longer have jobs.

Protesters in the past week have responded to increased police violence by taking a more aggressive approach to self-defense, burning tires at barricades and pushing back when they can against attacks.

The Committee Representing Pyihtaungsu Hluttaw, comprising elected members of Parliament who were not allowed to take their seats, said Sunday the general public has the legal right to self-defense against security forces.

The CRPH, which operates underground inside the country and with representatives abroad, has established itself as a shadow government that claims to be the sole legitimate representative body of Myanmar’s citizens. It has been declared an illegal treasonous organization by the junta.

State television MRTV announced Tuesday evening that a leading figure in the CRPH, known as Dr. Sasa, was charged with high treason, which carries a death sentence.

Sasa, a medical doctor who uses a single name, is a member of the Chin ethnic minority and was appointed a special UN envoy by the CRPH, is accused of stirring up internal conflict and acting against the junta, which claims to be the sole legitimate ruling body despite having ousted an elected government.

Sasa said he was proud to be charged with treason, “because treason against the junta means that I am standing with the people of Myanmar, giving my life for their freedom, for federal democracy and for justice.”

His statement, dated Tuesday and duplicated on his Facebook page, recounted the Myanmar military’s long history of committing atrocities against ethnic minorities and putting down past protest movements, as well as the killings of civilians following last month’s coup.

“It is these Generals that have committed acts of treason every day. Taking what they want for themselves, denying the people their rights, and oppressing those that stand in their way,” Sasa said.

Sasa is the public face of the Myanmar resistance in the international arena, even though he reportedly is in hiding. He has spoken frequently with international media by videoconference.

He also has connected by video with foreign diplomats, UN officials and other junta opponents, including members of ethnic minorities who maintain their own guerrilla armies.

The state-owned Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported that junta chief Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing told colleagues the protests have turned into “riots and violence.”

Speaking at a Monday meeting of the junta in the capital, Naypyitaw, Min Aung Hlaing was quoted as saying the military was aiding police “as rearguards in required places to solve the difficulties and obstacles.”

“Although there have been fewer protests, violent acts emerged in some areas, such as burning public property and factories. So, security forces had to handle the situation very hard,” according to the account. “The protesters raided police stations and administrative offices and burned factories. Meanwhile, the shooting had to disperse the protesters, resulting in some security forces and protesters’ casualties.”

Virtually all independent accounts blame security forces for initiating violence against unarmed protesters.

Many protesters have called for foreign intervention to aid them under the doctrine of Responsibility to Protect—R2P—devised to deal with matters such as genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.

The UN and other regional bodies and nations have urged measures to reconcile the protesters and military and an end to violence. Several Western nations applied sanctions against the generals and their business connections, but the junta is confident it can withstand the pressure, especially with China as a diplomatic ally who can block coordinated UN action and make up shortfalls in aid and investment.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in Tokyo for talks with Japanese officials, explained that Washington wants to promote democratic principles in Myanmar, as it does elsewhere.

“We believe in democracy and human rights, the rule of law, because we’ve seen how our own countries are stronger, because we adhere to those values, and because they are under threat in may places, including in this region,” he said. “In Burma, the military is attempting to overturn the results of a democratic election and is brutally repressing peaceful protests.” The United States calls Myanmar by its old name, Burma, which was changed by a previous military regime.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said after his bilateral meeting with Blinken that they shared “strong concern” over the situation in Myanmar, especially attacks on peaceful demonstrations.

“There have been casualties among civilians, and we are strongly concerned about the development,” he said, adding that they demand Myanmar immediately release Suu Kyi and restore a democratic system. AP

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The World BusinessMirror

US cautions meeting with China unlikely to yield breakthrough

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enior US officials sought to set a low bar on expectations for the Biden administration’s first face-to-face meeting with Chinese officials later this week, saying it will be more about the two sides discussing their priorities— and differences—rather than trying to craft agreements.

“We expect there are parts of the conversation that could be difficult,” Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Tuesday aboard Air Force One en route to Pennsylvania. “There are issues that the president has not held back on voicing concerns about, whether it’s human rights, whether it’s economic or technology issues.”

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Antony Blinken are scheduled to meet with Yang Jiechi, a member of the ruling Politburo, and Wang Yi, China’s foreign minister, on Thursday evening and Friday in Anchorage, Alaska, following Blinken’s visits with allies in Japan and South Korea.

The US is still developing its China strategy and will use the Alaska session to further inform the trajectory for the relationship of the world’s two largest economies, a senior administration official told reporters Tuesday. The goal for the meeting is a frank exchange of views, but it won’t conclude in a joint statement, a second official said.

The official said it was important to make clear to the Chinese side that the Biden team’s public and private messages are the same and that there should be no expectation on Beijing’s side to hope otherwise. Blinken and Sullivan meeting jointly with their Chinese counterparts is intended as

a visible show of unity and a signal that Beijing can’t use its past tactic of playing different factions of an administration against one another, one of the officials said.

In remarks with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi on Tuesday, Blinken accused Beijing of using “coercion and aggression” in Hong Kong and the Xinjiang region of China as well as Taiwan.

But US officials have also sought to stress areas of potential cooperation, including on climate change and nuclear nonproliferation.

Psaki told reporters that the Alaska meeting isn’t meant to establish expectations for regular encounters between the two sides.

“I wouldn’t see this as one in a series,” she said.

“This is a meeting that our national security adviser and secretary of state are attending, and I wouldn’t build it out beyond there at this point in time.”

The meeting comes after President Joe Biden and the leaders of Japan, India and Australia held a virtual summit of the so-called Quad countries last week. While the session focused on issues such as bolstering coronavirus vaccine production to aid developing countries, the show of unity against China was unmistakable. The online gathering even prompted criticism from authorities in Beijing.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian called on countries to refrain from creating blocs. Exchanges between governments should create understanding and avoid targeting third parties, he said during a regular briefing in Beijing.

Bloomberg News

Huawei to start demanding 5G royalties from Apple, Samsung

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uawei Technologies Co. will begin charging mobile giants like Apple Inc. a “reasonable” fee for access to its trove of wireless 5G patents, potentially creating a lucrative revenue source by showcasing its global lead in nextgeneration networking.

The owner of the world’s largest portfolio of 5G patents will negotiate rates and potential cross-licensing with the iPhone maker and Samsung Electronics Co., Chief Legal Officer Song Liuping said. It aims to get paid despite US efforts to block its network gear and shut it out of the supply chain, but promised to charge lower rates than rivals like Qualcomm Inc., Ericsson AB and Nokia Oyj. Huawei should rake in about $1.2 billion to $1.3 billion in patent and licensing fees between 2019 and 2021, executives said without specifying which of those stemmed from 5G. It’s capping per-phone royalties at $2.50, according to Jason Ding, head of Huawei’s intellectual property department.

China’s largest technology company by revenue wants a seat at the table with tech giants vying to define the rapidly evolving field of connected cars, smart homes and robotic surgery. Battles are unfolding over who profits from 5G that may dwarf the size and scope of the tech industry’s first worldwide patent war—the one over smartphones. But having only just become a major player in 5G standards boards, Huawei is now grappling with US sanctions that have all but crippled its smartphone business and threaten to hamstring its networking division abroad.

Huawei will be flexible in negotiating rates on different 5G products -- everything from water meters to smart cars, according to Ding. “One thing for certain is that the $2.50 cap is set on smartphones,” he said.

Once the world’s largest smartphone maker, the Chinese corporation has seen a series of US sanctions almost obliterate its lucrative consumer business. With the Biden administration keeping up the pressure on Huawei, billionaire founder Ren Zhengfei has directed the company to grow

its roster of enterprise clients in transportation, manufacturing, agriculture and other industries.

Its library of 5G patents could turn into a new growth stream if it can levy royalties from rival smartphone players like Xiaomi Corp., Lenovo Group Ltd. and Oppo.

Companies like Qualcomm thrive on charging royalties on technology they supply to clients like Apple. The two mobile giants have clashed bitterly over what Apple called an unfair $7.50 royalty from every iPhone, which Qualcomm defended as a small price to pay for fundamental technology. On Tuesday, Huawei executives stressed American sanctions shouldn’t affect its ability to cross-license with US companies because those patents are publicly available.

The company intends to plow patent fees back into research to maintain its position in wireless networking versus Ericsson and Nokia.

Disputes over patents however are likely to escalate as 5G goes mainstream, enabling a host of future applications from autonomous cars to the Internet of things. Companies worldwide have fought over who will profit from fundamental technology, in cases that have pit patent owners including Qualcomm and Ericsson against those who use the systems in their products, such as Apple. Regulators and courts around the world continue to grapple with how to value patents for essential technology, and whether their owners have any rights to limit the use of those inventions. Huawei executives didn’t say how they would enforce their patents in case of disputes.

It’s a thorny issue that’s becoming more important as the world transitions to 5G. The value of standardized technology was a key issue in the smartphone wars, when developers of wireless technology like Nokia, Qualcomm and Motorola fought then-new entrants such as Apple and Microsoft Corp. The new disputes are potentially more lucrative as sales of devices using 5G are forecast to grow to $668 billion globally in 2026 from just $5.5 billion in 2020, according to Allied Market Research. Bloomberg News

Thursday, March 18, 2021

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Vaccine nationalism threatens WHO’s goal of 2 billion doses

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accine nationalism in countries including the US and India is likely to derail efforts by the World Health Organization to deliver 2 billion doses to poorer and middle-income nations by the end of the year, according to the head of the world’s biggest vaccine maker.

Countries are holding tight to their supplies and restricting access to materials needed to make more, said Adar Poonawalla, chief executive officer of the Serum Institute of India Ltd. The company is responsible for providing more than half of the shots used so far in the WHO-backed Covax program that aims to provide equitable vaccine access across the world.

Many manufacturers, including Serum, already have missed timelines and commitments, Poonawalla said in an interview with Bloomberg Live that aired on Wednesday for the Bloomberg Equality Summit. It will take two to three months for shipments to Covax to really pick up, and reaching the 2021 target of 2 billion doses will be challenging, he said, predicting it will “spill over by a few months.”

Poonawalla’s comments highlight the continuing challenge of vaccine inequality that threatens to prolong the pandemic after richer nations raced to stockpile supplies. Few African nations received a single shipment of shots before March, while more than 20 percent of the population in countries including Israel, the UK, Bahrain and the US have received at least one shot.

As a manufacturing giant, India has sought to portray itself as a generous benefactor through targeted vaccine diplomacy, while seeking to outdo regional rival China. At the same time, New Delhi has tightly controlled the deployment of the doses it has, mostly supplied by Serum, which is making the shot developed by AstraZeneca Plc. and Oxford University.

Indian officials have also requested

more vaccines than initially expected from the company, said Poonawalla.

“We had to dedicate a lot of our capacity, which was not originally planned for India,” he said. “We’re trying to balance it out as much as possible, but again for the first few months we have been directed to prioritize supplies to India and certain other countries that have a high disease burden.”

Daunting gap

Covax has been slow to get off the ground, which WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has linked to companies and countries prioritizing bilateral deals ahead of the health body’s approval process.

Poonawalla reiterated his concerns over impending bottlenecks caused by “raw materials nationalism” after the US invoked the Defense Production Act this month to safeguard supplies of items, such as bags and filters, for its own manufacturers.

“I’ve sent this message to all the decision makers in the US—please do not put a ban on critical raw materials that other global vaccine manufacturers need,” Poonawalla said.

The Serum CEO earlier this month said the export ban could hit his plans to produce about a billion doses of Novavax Inc.’s Covid-19 vaccine this year.

Despite those warnings, Poonawalla said he expects India’s regulators to grant approval for an August launch

of the Novavax candidate, which Serum will begin stockpiling starting next month.

By then, Poonawalla hopes that a fully privatized vaccine market will have opened up across India. Currently private hospitals and clinics are allowed to charge 250 rupees ($3.45) a dose, but they have to purchase those vaccines directly from the government and can only inoculate people aged 60 and above or those 45 and older who are high risk.

Serum wants a liberalization of the rules to allow corporate clients to negotiate directly and potentially buy supplies at a higher cost, as its vaccines are now being provided through the government at “very low subsidized price.”

Though opening up the private market would help accelerate India’s vaccination effort—it’s only administered about 32 million doses so far, behind the pace needed to reach a goal of 300 million people by August—there are concerns that doing so will lead to price gouging and unequal access across a country with enormous wealth divides.

A free market would allow corporations to immunize their workforces quickly and “speed up the opening of the economy,” said Poonawalla.

“This is an ongoing issue, which we’ve taken up with the highest levels of the government,” he said. “It’s a tough call for the government or anyone to make.” Bloomberg News

Japan and U.S. criticize China in top Biden officials’ 1st trip

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OKYO—Japan and the United States joined forces to criticize China’s “coercion and aggression” in Asia as senior ministers from both countries held their first in-person talks since President Joe Biden took office in January.

Aside from the sharp rhetoric aimed at Beijing, the meeting Tuesday in Tokyo and a planned stop next in Seoul are as much an effort by the Biden administration to reassure worried allies in Asia after occasionally confrontational dealings with the Trump administration.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, after holding the so-called “two plus two” security talks with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and their Japanese counterparts—Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi—said democracy and human rights are being challenged and the United States will push with its partners for a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Blinken said the Biden administration is committed to work with US allies as they face challenges from China and its ally North Korea, which is pursuing an illicit nuclear weapons program.

“We will push back if necessary, when China uses coercion or aggression to get its way,” he said.

In a joint statement released after the talks, the ministers shared strong worry over Beijing’s human rights violations in Xinjiang, “unlawful maritime claims and activities in the South China Sea” and “unilateral action that seeks to change the status quo” over the Japan-controlled East China Sea islands that China also claims. The statement also stressed the importance of “peace and stability” in the Taiwan Strait.

On the Biden administration’s first Cabinet-

level trip abroad, Blinken and Austin also agreed with their Japanese counterparts to cooperate on the coronavirus pandemic and climate change, as well as the nuclear threat posed by North Korea and the situation in Myanmar after its military coup.

Earlier Tuesday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s powerful sister warned the US to “refrain from causing a stink” if it wants to “sleep in peace” for the next four years. She also criticized the US and South Korea for holding military exercises.

Kim Yo Jong’s statement was North Korea’s first comments directed at the Biden administration.

The White House noted the Cabinet secretaries’ travel in the region and said its focus was partnering with allies on issues such as security in the region.

“Our objective is always going to be focused on diplomacy and denuclearization of North Korea,” press secretary Jen Psaki said.

Biden’s decision to send key ministers to Japan as their first overseas visit—rather than hosting Japanese officials in Washington—meant a lot for Japan, which considers its alliance with the United States the cornerstone of its diplomatic and security policies.

Blinken said the choice of destination was “no accident” and that he and Austin were in Japan “to reaffirm our commitment to the alliance and to build on it.”

He said the United States and its allies are working together on climate change, cyber security and health security “in support of our shared values.”

Blinken also said that the United States and Japan reaffirmed the importance of their threeway partnership with South Korea, though the

ministers did not publicly mention the strained relations between Tokyo and Seoul over wartime compensation issues.

South Korea and Japan have been struggling to repair relations that sank in 2019 following South Korean court rulings that ordered Japanese companies to pay reparations for forced labor during World War II. Those rulings led to trade curbs by both countries and Seoul threatened to scrap a bilateral military intelligence-sharing agreement that was a major symbol of the countries’ three-way security cooperation in the region.

Since then, both Japan and US have changed leaders, leaving hope for improved relations.

Austin referenced “China’s destabilizing actions” and said it was “a pacing challenge” for his department. He said the allies need to develop operational capability to respond quickly to a security threat like China.

“We know that competing in today’s shifting global dynamics can only be done through the spirit of teamwork and cooperation, which are the hallmarks of our alliance with Japan,” he said.

Kishi said Japan, which has increasingly worked side-by-side with the US military, will bolster extended deterrence and readiness across domains including space and cybersecurity by deepening coordination and aligning security policies.

Japan’s constitution prohibits the use of force in settling international disputes, and any attempt to increase its military capability is a sensitive issue in Asia.

Japan is also in a delicate diplomatic situation because its economy, like those of other countries in the region, heavily depends on China.

But Tokyo considers China’s escalating maritime activity in the region a security threat.

Beijing has built manmade islands in the South China Sea and equipped them with military equipment and is pressing its claim to virtually all of the sea’s key fisheries and waterways. Japan opposes China’s claim to the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands, called Diaoyu in China, in the East China Sea and its increased activity in the disputed area.

China has denied it is expansionist and has said it is only defending its territorial rights.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Tuesday said US-Japan dialogue “should not target or harm the interests of third parties.”

“The US and Japan should engage in exchanges and cooperation that will help enhance mutual understanding and mutual trust among regional countries, contribute to solidarity and cooperation, as well as peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region,” Zhao said at a daily briefing.

Later Tuesday, the American officials met with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who is expected to visit Washington sometime in the first half of April to meet with Biden in person— becoming the first foreign leader to do so since Biden became president in January.

Blinken and Austin on Wednesday will head to South Korea, with the focus of those talks being North Korea and its nuclear ambitions.

Blinken will meet China’s State Councilor Wang Yi and the foreign affairs chief of the Communist Party, Yang Jiechi, in Anchorage, Alaska, on his way back to Washington. Austin will go from Seoul to New Delhi for meetings with Indian leaders. AP

“There’s a serious imbalance in supply and demand of chips in the IT sector globally,” said Koh, who oversees the company’s IT and mobile divisions. “Despite the difficult environment, our business leaders are meeting partners overseas to solve these problems. It’s hard to say the shortage issue has been solved 100 percent.”

Samsung, the world’s largest smartphone maker, is working with overseas partners to resolve the imbalance and avert potential setbacks to its business, its co-CEO said. Its shares slid 0.6 percent in Seoul on Wednesday, while suppliers and Asian chipmakers including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and SK Hynix Inc. also fell.

Chipmakers like Samsung and TSMC are at the forefront of a global effort to plug a shortfall in supply of semiconductors, the building blocks of a plethora of consumer gadgets. The deficit has closed auto plants around the world and now threatens supply of other products. While the Korean company is the leading maker of madeto-order silicon after TSMC, it relies on external suppliers and manufacturers for certain parts like power management and radio chips.

Larger-than-anticipated Covid-era demand for smartphones has also stretched stores of Qualcomm Inc.’s Snapdragon chips, the go-to processors for mobile devices. Qualcomm designs the chips,

known as app processors, but relies on Samsung and TSMC to produce them and the Taiwanese chipmaker’s capacity has been strained.

“The tightened supply of Qualcomm AP chips produced by TSMC is affecting everybody except Apple,” said MS Hwang, analyst at Samsung Securities. “PCs will soon be hit due to the short supply of display driver ICs, and the profitability of TV will be affected by soaring LCD panel prices.”

Compounding matters, Samsung’s own production got sideswiped last month. Its fab in Austin, Texas—which makes chips both for internal and external consumption—was sidelined in February by statewide power outages and hasn’t resumed full production. The resulting shortfall in production of Qualcomm 5G radio frequency chips could reduce global smartphone output by 5 percent in the second quarter, research firm Trendforce estimates. But the outage there is likely to affect Samsung’s mid-tier phones and laptops more than its top-of-the-range models or server chips, said Greg Roh, a senior vice president at HMC Securities.

“If Samsung is publicly talking about future products, you know that the silicon crunch is serious,” said Avi Greengart, analyst and founder of consultancy Techsponential.

Carmakers got hit first by the chip crunch

in part because of poor inventory planning and are expected to miss out on $61 billion of sales this year alone. Honda Motor Co. on Wednesday said it will temporarily suspend some production next week at a majority of US and Canada plants, underscoring the deepening crisis.

Some analysts say shortages could get mostly ironed out in coming months. But the concern is that tight supply in certain segments—such as in more mature semiconductors where it takes time to build capacity—could eventually throttle the broader consumer electronics industry and jack up prices if it persists. Semiconductors are now near the top of official agendas from Washington to Brussels.

At the same time, China’s insatiable appetite for chips—fueled in part by its rapid recovery from the pandemic—and inventory stockpiling by local companies is fueling demand. Sales for the country’s chip industry climbed 18 percent to 891.1 billion yuan ($137 billion) in 2020, China Semiconductor Industry Association Chairman Zhou Zixue told a conference in Shanghai on Wednesday.

“The IC shortage will be a problem to frustrate the supply chain in next six months,” said Charles Shum, an analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence.

U.S.: Putin approved operations to help Trump against Biden Samsung warns of severe chip crunch while delaying key phone

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A S H IN G TON — R u s s i a n P r e s i d e n t Vladimir Putin authorized influence operations to help Donald Trump in last November’s presidential election, according to a declassified intelligence assessment that found broad efforts by the Kremlin and Iran to shape the outcome of the race but ultimately no evidence that any foreign actor changed votes or otherwise disrupted the voting process.

The report released on Tuesday from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence represents the most detailed assessment of the array of foreign threats to the 2020 election.

These included efforts by Iran to undermine confidence in the vote and harm Trump’s reelection prospects as well as Moscow operations that relied on Trump’s allies to smear Joe Biden, the eventual winner.

Despite those threats, though, intelligence officials found “no indications that any foreign actor attempted to interfere in the 2020 US elections by altering any technical aspect of the voting process, including voter registration, ballot casting, vote tabulation, or reporting results.”

The report is the latest official affirmation of the integrity of the election, even as Trump supporters continue to make false claims of interference, from foreign or domestic actors, and refuse to accept Biden’s victory. Multiple courts and even Trump’s own Justice Department re f u te d c l a i m s o f w i d e s p re a d f r a u d. Th e

document makes clear that even while Trump has cried foul about the legitimacy of the election, intelligence officials believe Russia sought to influence people close to Trump as a way to tip the election in his favor.

The report wades into the politically charged task of ferreting out which foreign adversaries supported which candidates during the 2020 election, an issue that dominated headlines last year. Trump, whose 2016 campaign benefited from hacking by Russian intelligence officers and a covert social media effort, seized on an intelligence assessment from August that said China preferred a Biden presidenc y— even though the same assessment also said Russia was working to boost Trump’s own candidacy by disparaging Biden.

Tuesday ’s repor t, however, says China ultimately did not inter fere on either side and “considered but did not deploy” influence operations intended to affect the outcome. US officials say they believe Beijing prioritized a stable relationship with the US and did n o t co n s i d e r e i t h e r e l e c t i o n o u tco m e a s advantageous enough for it to risk the “blowback” that would ensue if it got caught with interfering.

The primar y threats instead came from Russia and Iran, albeit with different i n te n t i o n s a n d t h ro u g h d i f f e re nt m e a n s, according to intelligence officials. AP

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amsung Electronics Co. warned it’s grappling with the fallout from a “serious imbalance” in semiconductors globally, becoming the largest tech giant to voice concerns about chip shortages spreading beyond the automaking industry.

Samsung, one of the world’s largest makers of chips and consumer electronics, expects the crunch to pose a problem to its business next quarter, co-Chief Executive Officer Koh Dong-jin said during an annual shareholders meeting in Seoul. The company is also considering skipping the introduction of a new Galaxy Note—one of its best-selling models—this year, though Koh said that was geared toward streamlining its lineup.

Industr y giants from Continental AG to Renesas Electronics Corp. and Innolux Corp. have in recent weeks warned of longer-thananticipated deficits thanks to unprecedented Covid-era demand for everything from cars to game consoles and mobile devices. Volkswagen AG said this week it’s lost production of about 100,000 cars worldwide. In Nor th America, the silicon shortage and extreme weather have combined to snarl more production at Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. The fear is the crunch, which first hit automakers hard, may now disrupt the much larger electronics industry.

Bloomberg News

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Thursday, March 18, 2021

It’s always women first at Araneta City

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UEZON City’s famed Araneta City takes pride in its legacy of giving first and memorable lifestyle and entertainment experiences for the past decades. The pioneer commercial district in Metro Manila has evolved and modernized through the years – it even replaced its old ‘Araneta Center’ name in 2019 to keep up with the times – yet it remains true to its branding as the “City of Firsts”.

It is a legacy that was started by the Araneta clan’s patriarch Don J. Amado, who built the Araneta Group empire from scratch. As the company prospered, he passed on the company's management to his son Jorge, who now acts as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Then, there’s also the contributions from the influential women who left an impressive mark in their respective fields and gave more prominence to the Araneta name: Judy AranetaRoxas who is known for her political and philanthropic activities; Stella Marquez-Araneta who is passionate in promoting Filipina beauties around the world; and Margarita Araneta Fores whose love for food and local products has touched many lives.

Following the footprints of these iconic ladies is a new set of female leaders who are changing the landscape of business with their thorough industry experience and dedication for work. These talented professionals are ready to carry on the rich heritage of the Araneta’s prominent legacy.

In celebration of International Women’s Month, we pay tribute to the great female executives who relentlessly keep the Araneta Group homage alive.

ENTERTAINMENT: Irene Jose

AN accountant by profession, Jose first joined the Araneta Group as its VP for Finance in 2013. Just a year later, she was tapped to become the first Chief Operations Officer (COO) of Uniprom Inc., the unit that oversees Smart Araneta Coliseum, New Frontier Theater, the Gateway and Ali Mall Cineplex and their accompanying Snaxx, TicketNet, and Binibining Pilipinas.

Her appointment as head of

CHACHA Juinio

MARIA Manlulu-Garcia

Araneta Group’s entertainment unit bears fruit for the company. Under her management, the Big Dome was able to reacquire the hosting rights for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the PULP Live World production after being away for 4 years.

It is also during her time when Wish 107.5 made Smart Araneta Coliseum home for the annual Wish Music Awards since 2016, and famous K-Pop act frequent the country with shows at the Big Dome and New Frontier Theater.

“It is fulfilling to see how our business unit plays a key role in bringing foot traffic to the Araneta Group, with the slate of shows that we are able to bring in despite stiff competition,” she said.

Jose relies on the power of prayer for constant guidance. “So, I always encourage people to pray and ask for wisdom in everything that we do,” she said.

FOOD RETAIL: Chacha Juinio

FAMOUS brands Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and Dairy Queen made their way in the Philippines through Araneta Group's PPI Holdings, the exclusive franchisee of these world-famous companies in the country.

And on top of all these is Juinio, who has been the COO of PPI Holdings since 2018.

The road to success wasn't easy for Juinio. “The most significant barrier I faced is bias. Early on in my career, the general consensus on women managers is we would give up our job as soon as we had children, or worst, we become unreliable when we have kids,” she said.

With gender equality and the rights of women now at the forefront of societal

IRENE Jose discussions, she believes that women need to have fate in their own capabilities.

“Women need to believe in their innate intelligence, their skills and more importantly their voice. I also advocate mentorship, so I would like to encourage all female leaders to look for a female role model in your company, in the industry you belong to even in organizations. Do not be afraid to ask for advice or to ask to be mentored,” she said.

HOSPITALITY: Maria Manlulu-Garcia

Garcia is part of the pre-opening team of Novotel Manila Araneta City in 2015 as Executive Assistant Manager. She was promoted to Resident Manager in January 2016, Hotel Manager in 2019 and as General Manager last December 2020.

She has become a prominent figure in the local hospitality and will forever hold the title of being the first ever Filipina General Manager of an international Accor hotel brand in the Philippines.

“More companies and management need to have the awareness to fully understand what diversity and inclusion are all about. It is no longer about women but about embracing all genders. No one wants to have a special treatment, we all just want to have the same and equal opportunity to all,” she said.

“The next-generation female leaders need to have is to truly be at the forefront of creating women-empowered workplaces. We need to shatter the glass in our own minds and believe that we have the same capabilities as anyone else,” she added.

Coca-Cola celebrates a successful decade of empowering 250,000 women entrepreneurs in the Philippines one of a handful of global lead markets to pilot the 5by20 initiative. Realizing that the full potential of women can only be achieved by investing and creating an enabling environment where women can succeed, Coca-Cola Philippines has made incredible strides in empowering and advancing women across its value chain. Over the last decade, the 5by20 program has reached all 17 regions and 81 provinces of the country, which includes sari-sari store owners, carinderia owners, repatriated OFWs, artisan women, and women in operations. For those in Coca-Cola’s external value chain, the company provides business skills training, financial services, and peer mentoring support.

Women as the best investment to spur economic growth

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OCA-COLA believes that improving women’s economic conditions enables the creation of more empowered communities. In 2010, the beverage company made a global commitment to empower 5 million women across its value chain by 2020. Today, on International Women’s Day, Coca-Cola announced that it has surpassed its global goal, enabling more than 6 million women through 318 programs across 100 countries. Here in the Philippines, Coca-Cola announced that it has successfully supported the economic empowerment of about 250,000 women retailers all over the Philippines—this represents 21% of the total universe of small sari-sari store owners in the country.

“Through this program over the last decade, we’ve seen women creating a ripple effect of change. As we move forward in this new decade, we will continue our commitment to fostering gender equality and support women as they challenge the barriers and the Kababae Mong Tao (Unlady-like) narratives in our society,” says Tony del Rosario, president of Coca-Cola Philippines and vice president for franchise operations of the East Region for Coca-Cola ASEAN and South Pacific. “This is good for society, good for business, and good for socioeconomic progress.”

A decade ago, the Philippines was selected as

THE journey of Coca-Cola towards women economic empowerment here in the Philippines started in 2011 with the pilot program of the 5by20 Sari-Sari Stores Training and Access to Resources (STAR) Program. In partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the STAR program for the past decade and until today helps women overcome barriers to achieving their full potential.

Globally-referenced as a case study on effective business-sustainability initiatives and identified as one of the country’s first business training modules that provides Gender Sensitivity Training, the STAR program continues to emphasize the critical role women play in their families and communities, at the same time, in fostering economic growth.

A 2020 report of the program’s impact revealed that 97% of the women participants found the women economic programs beneficial in their business management.

“Coca-Cola Philippines wouldn’t be where it is today without the strategic role that women play as a key pillar of our business success,” says Jonah de Lumen-Pernia, public affairs and sustainability director of Coca-Cola Philippines.

“Supporting women and small retailers will always be a priority for us. When women are empowered, their valuable contribution is not only seen within their families nor in the communities; but in the vibrancy of the economy as well.”

Since its inception, Coca-Cola has built many partnerships and engagements anchored in women’s

economic empowerment. The STAR Program has evolved into several other initiatives in response to the prevailing needs of women and sub-sectors— working closely with various government agencies, civil society organizations, and micro-finance institutions. To date, the STAR Program has expanded to sub-initiatives such as iSTAR, STAR Ka-Asenso, ReSTART, Women Artisans of Tondo, PASCO, STAR Rebuild, Women REACH, and OFW Rise, which continue to advance the gender equality agenda.

Coca-Cola and women towards a better shared future

EVEN after a decade of active participation in the sphere of women empowerment, Coca-Cola Philippines understands that supporting women and communities continues to be essential for economies to thrive into the next decade and beyond.

“Since last year, we have pivoted some of our women economic initiatives to support small retailers in restarting and recovering through the pandemic,” del Rosario further added. “Though we have surpassed our 2020 goal here in the Philippines and globally, the story of resilience and empowerment will continue, and we remain committed to helping women and communities thrive in line with our purpose of refreshing the world and making a difference,” he concluded.

The initiatives of Coca-Cola Philippines have produced positive results and unlocked the full economic potential of women through the support of like-minded organizations from the government: TESDA, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) – OWWA & NRCO, the Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC) – an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the Local Government Units (LGUs); civil-society organizations: Small Business Corporations, and USAID; and micro-finance institutions: Tagum City Council of Women (TCCWI), the Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation (NWTF), First Community Cooperative (FICCO), Alalay Sa Kaunlaran, Inc. (ASKI), and ASA Philippines.

To learn more about the women economic empowerment vision of Coca-Cola, visit https://www.cocacolacompany.com/shared-future/women-empowerment.

YOUNG ACHIEVER BAGS THE MOST COVETED AWARD. In celebration of the National Women’s Month, a young achiever stands out from the crowd. A truly gifted child, 6-year old Jan Mckayla S. Cariquitan was crowned “Ms. MPC 2021” Casa Level, a school activity organized

by Marymount Professional Colleges in Meycauayan, Bulacan. Aside from being the title-holder, she also won special citations as “Best in Talent” for her amazing rendition of artistic & rhythmic gymnastics, “Best in Sports wear” “Best in Long Gown”, “Social Media Star” for garnering a huge number of followers in fb votes and “Ms. Photogenic”. Prior to this beauty contest, she emerged as the Individual All Around 1st Place winner in the 1st Virtual Gymnastics Competition organized by TMC Gymnastics that was held only last month. Previously, Cariquitan won 2nd runner-up in the “Lakambini 2018” and 1st runner-up in the “Ms. United Nations 2019” competitions. She is a kindergarten student who also excel in academic performance. Aside from gymnastics and ballet, she is now enrolled in the taekwando class under the Meycauayan Taekwando Club. Visit MPC’s official fb page https://www.facebook.com/MPC1980/.

DITO launches commercially in Vis-Min areas, kickstarts CSR for free service to 3000 frontliners

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ITO Telecommunity Corporation, the country’s third major player in the telecommunications industry, heralded its entry into the market by announcing that it will be providing free call and text as well as broadband services to 3000 front liners in ten areas in Visayas and Mindanao with the help of the local government units as a way of strengthening its commitment of nation building and partnership with the Filipino people.

This announcement, capped by a ceremonial turnover to Davao City Mayor Sarah Duterte Carpio and Davao City Vice Mayor Sebastian Duterte as 300 front liners of the City were named as the first beneficiaries out of the 3,000 targeted front liners became the highlight of the commercial launch virtual press conference held last March 8, 2021.

The momentous yet simple ceremony was participated

in by key DITO executives Dennis A. Uy, Chairman and CEO, Retired Major General Rodolfo Santiago, Chief Technology Officer, and Atty. Adel Tamano, Chief Administrative Officer; with special messages from Secretary Gregorio Honasan II of the Department of Information and Communications Technology, and Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba of the National Telecommunications Commission.

“As a partner in nation building, we send the message to the people of the Philippines wherever they may be that DITO is more than just a telco. We are here to serve, and, in this manner, we want the entire country to know na “DITO NA KAMI, DITO NA TAYO and magkita-kita tayo diyan very soon,” DITO Chairman and CEO Dennis A. Uy said.

For more information on the points of sale, the attractive welcome plan and other details, please visit the official Facebook page of DITO at www.facebook.com/ DITOphofficial or the website at www.dito.ph.

Bellevue Kids Club presents Easter Jungle Adventure virtual party on April 4, 2021

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HE Bellevue Hotels and Resorts is bringing back their yearly Easter celebration, but this time they are taking it Virtual! The Bellevue group values the health and safety of their guests and clients, which is why they made sure their annual celebration can be enjoyed safely at the comfort of your own home!

Kids and parents alike will be treated to an exciting virtual jungle adventure on April 4, 2021, from 2 PM – 3 PM that includes a LIVE 45-minute program packed with

exciting games, live entertainment, and so much more!

Don’t miss out on all the fun! Avail your tickets now for only Php 300 nett by visiting onlineshopping.thebellevue.com!

Get ready for fun virtual celebration this coming April 4, 2021!

For further inquiries, please visit their Facebook and Instagram accounts @bellevuemanila, @bellevueresort @ bhotelalabang @bhoteqc or please call (02) 8771 8181.

Editor: Anne Ruth Dela Cruz

Health&Fitness BusinessMirror

Thursday, March 18, 2021 B11

‘I survived A year after lockdown Covid-19 and how I pushed my recovery’

By Gemma B. Cruz

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am sharing my experience with Covid-19 to raise awareness and to guide others on how to survive this invisible but deadly virus. With the right medicines, basic protocols, love and support from family and friends, you will be able to win this fight.

The symptoms of sore throat and mild cough manifested on Day One. I immediately isolated myself from my family by staying in one bedroom and reported to Nasser, my physician husband, who gave me antibiotics and an oral antiseptic spray. After five days, I requested for an antigen test. The test turned out to be positive and right there and then, I had my X-Ray, blood and RT-PCR tests. The RT-PCR result came out after three days and I was positive!

That day, a Monday, was the start of my ordeal as all the symptoms manifested—high fever, no sense of smell and taste, oxygen pulse was less than 95, coughing was like a mirror being broken in my lungs. It was the worst thing that can happen but I endured all the pain through prayers. I took all kinds of medicines given to me—the Chinese capsules, high doses of antibiotics, steam inhalation, vitamins, inhaler, essential oils, and food supplements.

I did the steam inhalation. I almost burned by face because of the hot steam but I endured, persevered and prevailed. Those essential oils helped me ease the difficulty of coughing and breathing. The food supplements which I know were helpful (and expensive) make me think that it complemented the little appetite that I had.

Home quarantine

That same day the RT-PCR result came out, the local government contacted us. My husband, children, and maid were put in quarantine. No one was allowed out of the house.

We were lucky that Nasser’s relatives live within the village. Their company manager was the one buying the things we needed. My sisters in the US were constantly communicating with us. They gave me tips like lying down in a prone position (stomach facing the bed). My in-laws came and gave us the Chinese medicines and food. Other relatives and friends sent more food and they constantly prayed for us.

On the second week of my Covid, I was already losing my appetite and having difficulty communicating with Nasser and my siblings. This was the time that I saw Nasser climb to the kitchen roof to check on my condition through a window.

I could hardly eat the food given to me. I would swallow one or two spoonfuls the most but it was so difficult and hard. In my mind though, I needed to eat to be strong against the virus. But I kept on coughing and every time I cough, I had to go to the bathroom to spit out the phlegm.

The steam inhalation was a major help to me. I did it even in the middle of the night and, almost every two hours as long as I was strong to stand up to put water and salt in the electric kettle and cover it with the blanket.

The Pasig LGU informed Nasser that the entire family would have the RT-PCR test on the 12th day. Three days after, the results came out and all were negative!

My husband and I were crying with joy. But despite the negative results, he was told to remain under quarantine for another week.

For my part, I went to the LGU to have my ECLEA test 15 days after Day One, and result came out after three days.

The result indicated that I was free of Covid, that I had the antibodies to fight the virus, and I was already allowed to interact with others. I was issued a clearance certificate.

Despite this very good news, I was still coughing. I still continue to take the medicines but was able to go out of the house and expose myself to the sunlight.

20-day isolation

For the 20 days that I was in isolation, I still felt that I was in the grace of God because I never felt bored. I was very busy monitoring and taking my medicines and supplements, doing my inhalation, praying, walking inside my bedroom, and reading books. Today is almost my 4th week, I take things lightly and continue to regain my strength by eating plenty of healthy food, less physical and mental activities but more of sleeping, reading, and praying.

Fighting the virus that hit my body was like a physical war. But I was so determined not to be defeated. Being defeated, means letting go of the people I love, especially Nasser. When I saw him climbed the roof, I realized that Nasser still needs me. It was an awakening for me to fight back the virus. I have to survive to see him again. And that means, I will also not leave our three sons. I realized that God will not allow it to happen of letting go and giving up the fight.

In the meantime, I have started some initiatives which are more focused first on helping and reaching out for those who are sick of Covid. They are my 1,000 Hail Marys prayed every first Saturday of the month which I started last March 6, 2021; my campaign and promotion of steam inhalation which I posted in my FB page, as well as sending it to some priests and my 3 p.m. Divine Mercy Prayer.

I still experience the effects of virus but how can I complain? The mere fact that I am still alive is more than enough a blessing. Every moment of the day now, I am forever thankful for the prayers and love of my dear ones.

DOH vows to continue improving its response to Covid-19 pandemic

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By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

s the lead agency in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, the Department of Health (DOH) has assured that it will carry on improving their response to the pandemic and ensure continuity in the delivery of basic health services amid the health crisis.

Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III also said the government will continue to strengthen the country’s Covid-19 response this year while he recognized the tireless efforts of DOH officials and personnel in combating the virus.

A little over a year after imposing a lockdown in the country, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, for her part, said that the Covid-19 response of the government has “improved so much.”

“We were not used to handle many Covid cases but as compared to the situation before, now doctors have wide array or options to manage cases,” she said.

She noted that the case fatality rate was also maintained at 2 percent or “a little above 2 percent.”

Improvement in bed allocation The health system, she added, also improved when it comes to bed allocation.

“All hospitals are able to allocate beds appropriately according to the standard,” she said adding that the creation of One Hospital Command helped in assisting Covid-19 patients to be accommodated in quarantine facilities for proper treatment.

Also, she stressed from one laboratory- the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM)—there are now over 220 laboratories in the country.

On a scale of 1 to 10, Duque gave a 9-10 rating for the DOH’s efforts in mitigating the impact of the pandemic, noting that the agency is at the forefront of the “whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach to fight against Covid-19.”

“Based on my experience on the ground, with my interactions with my DOH team, I would give them 9-10 in terms of great effort, [ not only] to contribute to our national pan-

demic response but also having led pandemic response in every aspects of our five-point strategy against Covid-19,” Duque said in one of the media forum of the DOH. He also underscored the sacrifices, hard work, dedication of the DOH family since the start of the pandemic.

“Their sacrifice is beyond measure, it’s incomparable,” Duque said in Filipino.

Achievements in Covid-19 response Duque noted that the response of the government has improved a lot since the start of the pandemic.

Case detection and diagnosis have vastly improved by the rapid establishment of laboratories and health provider networks.

As compared to the average of 1,282 actual tests per day recorded in March 2020, data from DOH showed that from March 7 to March 13, 2021 there were 256,753 individuals who were tested. There were 36,132 individuals tested on March 13 alone.

Building health capacities In response to the pandemic, Duque said that they focused on building the health capacities to ensure the safety of the Filipinos from the threat of the virus and other emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, “and that health services are closer to home.”

From 33,384 total beds in hospitals and Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facilities as of April 15, 2020, it increased to 160,024 as of December 28, 2020.

There was also a substantial increase in hired health-care workers (HCWs) to attend to the needs of those afflicted by the pandemic.

As of December 18, 2020, there were 12,733 hired HCWs while there were 14,789 redeployed HCWs as

the same date.

Appointment of Galvez as vaccine czar When President Duterte announced the appointment of National Task Force against Covid-19 chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. in November last year as the vaccine czar, Duque together with the Interagency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases, where he is the chairman, welcomed this appointment.

“We at the DOH and IATF welcome it and give our full support to Secretary Galvez for the success of our Covid 19 vaccine/Immunization program,” Duque told the BusinessMirror.

At the start, the appointment of Galvez was criticized for he is not a “health expert.”

Galvez, who gladly accepted the appointment, will be the sole person in charge of the negotiations and purchase of vaccines against Covid-19.

Meanwhile, Vergeire said then that Galvez’s appointment will expedite the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines.

“We will help him, we’ll support him. The whole government will cooperate along with other partners,” Vergeire said.

Addressing his critics, Galvez, a former chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said that his military background will make it easier for him to do the coordination.

Recently, Galvez flew to India to directly deal with the Serum Institute of India to guarantee both short and long term vaccine supplies for our country. Another team is expected to fly to Russia to further conduct a study on the vaccine produced by Gamaleya.

Picking up the pace of vaccination roll out Also, DOH and the NTF assured the public that the current pace of the Covid-19 vaccination for health-care workers would pick up once the bulk of the government-procured doses, as well as those from the Covax Facility, arrive by mid-second quarter of this year.

“It is not logical to compute performance evaluation from the start of the mini roll out. We will be able to get our benchmark vaccination rate when we start our massive community roll out by May and June,” Galvez said.

“We are only in the second week of our roll out, but the experience we are gaining from this phase will help us once supply of vaccines becomes

steady. As of latest count, we have already deployed almost 90 percent of our available doses. These vaccines have reached Batanes to Tawi-Tawi, from the northernmost to the southernmost island provinces—a testament that our distribution channels are ready should the vaccines arrive,” Galvez said.

“While herd immunity is the goal of every country including ours, our short term goal with the limited vaccine supply is to reduce mortality and protect those who are at most risk.”

Duque said. “We are confident that we will be vaccinating many more once our vaccines arrive, but while we wait for our turn to get vaccinated, I want to emphasize that we cannot let our guards down. Vaccination is only one of our strategies to beat this virus, but our adherence to MPHS or Minimum Public Health Standards is still the best,” he added.

Expanding Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams To strengthen the role of the Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHERTs) in helping Filipinos navigate the public health-care system, Duque said that the DOH has partnered with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for this.

Duque expressed his support for the initiative that expands the role of BHERTs in the community, capitalizing on the service infrastructure the department has built over the past seven months not only for effective Covid-19 response but also for universal health care (UHC).

The UHC law provides that each household must be assigned under the coverage of a Barangay Health Emergency Response Team that will help them gain access to public health-care services, including PhilHealth-covered Covid-19 services, primary care services, immunization, and consultations.

“While we continue to communicate the minimum public health standards and other services of our pandemic response, we cannot expect Filipinos to access services from our healthcare system on their own,” Duque said adding that through this partnership, “our BHERTs will become our community navigators in promoting localized solutions and services that every Filipino can access.”

BHERTs, initially tasked to provide immediate and appropriate emergency assistance during the pan-

demic, work closely with the national and local governments to implement the necessary health programs and standards in, as well as disseminate protocols and updates to, their assigned households.

The DOH noted that there were a total of 39,347 BHERTs nationwide last year.

“Through the joint efforts of the DILG and the DOH, we can make our communities safer from Covid-19 by enabling Filipinos to take charge of their health through the help of our BHERTs,” Duque said.

Minimum public health standards Duque said with almost a year of the Covid-19 pandemic, the DOH has made strides toward embracing the new normal by communicating to the public the minimum public health standards.

With the help of the DILG and local chief executives, the BIDA ang may Disiplina: Solusyon sa Covid-19 movement has helped localize and disseminate these minimum public health standards to communities nationwide.

The government is continuously reminding the public to follow simple things that would reduce exposure to Covid-19 like wearing face masks and face shields at all times, maintaining physical distancing, practicing proper hand hygiene, and avoiding poorly ventilated or crowded areas.

“Do this not just for yourselves, but also for the safety of your family and the community,” the DOH said.

The DOH has called for massive testing, contact tracing, and quarantine as it warned of the continuous detection of additional cases of B.1.1.7 (UK variant), B.1.351 (South Africa variant), and 13 cases with mutations of possible clinical significance (E484K and N501Y mutations), including the identified new variant found in the Philippines, or the P3.

As the deployment of Covid-19 vaccines will start, the DOH has encouraged everyone to only be allowed to be vaccinated with Food and Drug Administration approved vaccines.

Vaccines under the Emergency Use Authority shall suffice as the temporary approval for the Covid-19 vaccine to be used.

“However, let’s not be reliant on vaccines as the minimum public health standards are still the most effective way to stop the spread of Covid-19,” the DOH said.

Backing up frontliners amid the pandemic

By Mark Louie Napoles

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hey say what’s meant for you will always be yours, either through prayer, chance, faith, or maybe you will just be diverted in some equally or related form.

Back in 2004 after high school, I decided to end a childhood dream of pursuing a career in medicine, which was in demand at that time. I decided to pursue a business course instead. But fate has its own plans and I eventually found my way back to my dream field—a health-care institution—where I lead its Corporate Communications Team.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic last year, my team from the Corporate Communications Department of Asian Hospital and Medical Center has been maintaining a very hectic schedule. In spite of the great risk, the team has been supporting our fellow workers on the frontline and educating the public about the need to raise our guards against Covid-19.

Promoting safety, publishing relevant up-

dates and information were our foremost contribution and our primary responsibility to our aching community. Rising to the need to support all our stakeholders, our Corporate Communications campaign titled “Tagged SAFE” was launched and gained ground as days passed.

From releasing appropriate advisories and medical bulletins to the production of countless communication materials, disseminating the heartbreaking news, however difficult it may be, and showcasing triumphs, adapting new ways of doing media interviews whether they be live or taped for online television and radio guestings to launching new hospital services and product offerings. It never crossed our minds to give up and we remained unfazed in the face of this new normal era.

Physical, emotional challenge

Working in a hospital during a pandemic is a challenge not just physically but also

mentally. It is an everyday struggle and yet it was fulfilling. All our efforts were worth it, even if it meant that we had to report for work while the entire community was on lockdown. We had to don personal protective equipment for hours, undergo a series of laboratory tests for our safety, were obliged to isolate and quarantine, and not see family members for weeks or even months, so as not to compromise their well-being.

Each day, we would see worried individuals in our hallways, colleagues in tears, stories of colleagues and close friends getting infected, and worst of all, waking up to the horrible news that a good doctor and friend had passed away. On the brighter side, we witnessed countless stories of hope, healing, and survival, stories that were all worth celebrating. All of that became our motivation to give our best to serve as the support crew and backbone for our frontliners, serving as a wheel to keep them going.

As you go around the hospital, you will have the opportunity to come across other health-care workers. Aside from doctors and nurses, there are others who work tirelessly hand-in-hand to serve our public in the midst of Covid-19 crisis. They are housekeepers and aides who ensure that the hospital is disinfected and cleaned in the proper way.

Supply custodians

We are grateful to the supply custodians who wrestled with the shortage of PPEs and were able to provide whatever supplies the hospital needed. Standing 24/7 are the security officers and CCTV technicians who were committed to protect our patients, employees, and guests. The drivers of shuttle services, cafeteria staff, messengers, IT technicians, telephone operators, medical secretaries all donned PPE’s and were armed with courage, compassion, and commitment. Every one of them contributed a vital role in this fight

against Covid-19.

What was my greatest realization? It was that this pandemic is a team battle, and while we all come from different backgrounds, we are a family and we need each other in order to survive.

We have come a long way but there’s still so much to conquer. Let’s continue with a positive mindset and high optimism that this pandemic will end soon. When that time comes, we can finally give each other the warmest and tightest hugs we have ever given.

For now, to tag yourselves safe, wear your face mask and face shield, do proper hand hygiene, observe social distancing, and more importantly, go down on your knees and give thanks, and praise to God that one day soon Covid will all be but a memory.

The author is the Assistant Manager of the Corporate Communications Department of Asian Hospital and Medical Center.

Sports BusinessMirror

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| Thursday, March 18, 2021 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

Nietes eyes WBO belt in return to ring vs Colombian in Dubai

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By Josef Ramos

OUR weight division world champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes finally got an opponent—Colombian Pablo Carrillo— for his April 3 comeback two years after vacating the World Boxing Organization (WBO) super flyweight title.

Nietes, 38, confirmed to BusinessMirror on Wednesday that the vacant WBO international super flyweight belt will be at stake in his 12-round bout against the orthodox Carrillo (257-1 win-loss-draw record with 16 knockouts) at the Caesar’s Palace in Dubai.

“That was one of the options because they wanted me to compete for a title even if it’s not a world [title], that’s what they really wanted,” Nietes (42-1-5 record with 23 knockouts) said.

“So for now, I am targeting to reach the exact super fly weight [115 lbs].”

Nietes was originally pitted against Panama’s Orlando Penalba or Dominican Republic’s Norbelto Jimenez. But the Murcia (Negros Occidental) native said both fighters were later scrapped by MTK Global, which is promoting the card in partnership with Dubai-based D4G, because of travel concern.

Nietes and his trainer coach Edmund

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PSA HONORS DIAZ AND CO. R

IO DE JANEIRO Olympics silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz leads a short but solid list of sports personalities and entities to be handed out with citations in the San Miguel Corp.-Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Annual Awards Night Saturday on March 27 at the TV5 Media Center.

The 30-year-old pride of Zamboanga City completed a three gold medal sweep in the women’s 55 kgs division of the Roma Weightlifting World Cup in Italy last year just before the pandemic to virtually assure herself of a berth in the Tokyo Olympics.

Diaz, who ended the country’s 20-year medal drought in the Olympics after bagging silver in Rio De Janeiro 2016, and 19 others are going to be cited by the country’s oldest media organization headed by Manila Bulletin

Villamor will fly to Dubai from Cebu on March 30 hopeful that his team won’t be hampered by travel restrictions.

“We don’t have any problem even if we arrive there by March 30 in Dubai because we already completed our preparation, conditioning and sparring here,” said Nietes, who is scheduled to spar with Jeo Santisima and KJ Kataraja at the Villamor Boxing Gym in Cebu.

Nietes, the longest reigning Filipino world title holder, defeated Japanese Kazuto Ioka via split decision in Macau last December 31, 2018, to bag the WBO super flyweight champion.

He, however, vacated the crown in April 2019 to give fellow Filipino Aston Palicte a shot at a world title. Palicte, however, suffered a 10th-round technical knockout loss to Ioka last June 19 in Tokyo.

Table tennis bets try again in Doha ohn Marie “Jann” Nayre and Rose Jean Fadol try again to earn tickets to the Tokyo Olympics when they vie in the Asian Singles Olympic Qualifying Tournament that starts Thursday in Doha.

Nayre and Fadol failed to grab berths in Tokyo following their missed campaigns

HIDILYN DIAZ continues to give honor to the country.

in the World Singles Olympic Qualification Tournament Doha also hosted earlier this week.

“We have a greater chance here in this tournament to qualify for the Olympics although only the champion will qualify,” national coach Annabelle Comendador told

sports editor Tito Talao in the virtual event copresented by the Philippine Sports Commission and Cignal TV, with 1 Pacman Partylist and Rain or Shine as major backers.

Also to be cited are Vanessa Sarno of weightlifting, Tokyo Olympics-bound Eumir Felix Marcial and Irish Magno of boxing and EJ Obiena of athletics (pole vault), Margielyn Didal and Motic Panugalinog of skateboarding OJ de los Santor of karatedo and Kristina Knott, Natalie Uy, William Morrison and Christine Hallasgo of athletics.

The other awardees are chess’s Sander Severino of chess, sambo’s Sydney Tancontian, cycling’s George Oconer and the Philippine Navy-Standard Insurance team and the four major leagues that successfully held their 2020 seasons in a bubble during the Covid-19 pandemic—Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), Philippine Football League, Chooks-to-Go

Pilipinas 3x3 and National Basketball League.

Lady golfer Yuka Saso is on top of the honor roll as the recipient of the prestigious Athlete of the Year Award, an honor solely being handed out by the PSA. Lifetime Achievement Awards will also be given to three pillars of Philippine sports— former Gintong Alay Project Director Jose Romasanta PBA seventh commissioner and current Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Executive Director Renauld “Sonny” Barrios, and former Ambassador and Philippine basketball godfather, the late Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco.

The Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines will be bestowed the National Sports Association of the Year award for the second straight time, while tennis prodigy Alex Eala and world boxing champions Johnriel Casimero and Pedro Taduran will receive major awards.

PhilCycling postpones national championships

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HE PhilCycling has postponed its planned national championships for road, mountain bike (MTB) and BMX in May and June because of the spike in Covid-19 infections.

PhilCycling President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino made the announcement on Wednesday, citing the intensified campaign against the spread of the coronavirus which breached the 5,000 a day mark in the recent week.

“The priority is always the health and safety of everyone—cyclists, officials and fans,” Tolentino, also the president of the Philippine Olympic Committee, said. “No questions asked.”

“We’ll just have to wait until the pandemic is contained,” Tolentino added.

PhilCycling Secretary General Atty.Billy Sumagui has been working on the national championships since January, a week after the federation elected its new set of officers last December 29 for the next Olympic cycle.

The Road and Track Commission headed by Sunshine Joy Vallejos, Oversight Commission led by Jun Lomibao and national coaches for road Ednalyn Calitis Hualda and Reinhard Gorantes have already identified the routes for

BusinessMirror on Wednesday.

“Our only competitive opponent here is Singapore in the men’s side and Thailand in the women’s class,” Comendador said. “They defeated highly-rated world opponents in the last tournament.”

Also seeking Olympic berths in Doha are John Russell Misal and Jannah Romero.

The late Ian “Yanyan” Lariba was the country’s lone qualifier in the sport in the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics. Josef Ramos

the road championships at a supposed bubble environment at the Subic Bay Freeport.

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority headed by Atty. Wilma Eisma was already informed of the event that were supposed to be scheduled from May 5 to 8.

MTB and BMX Commission head Oscar “Boying” Rodriguez and coaches Eusebio Quiones, Frederick Farr and Renz Viaje were also laying the ground work for the disciplines’ national championships in Tagaytay City in June.

The PhilCycling’s letter of intent to stage the championships was also forwarded to the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

The national championships were part of the criteria for the selection of riders for the Vietnam 31st Southeast Asian Games set from November 21 to December 2.

Competitions for road included individual time trial, team time trial, criterium and massed start for men and women. For MTB, lined up were the cross country, downhill and cross country mixed relay, while the racing event was set for BMX. Close to 300—cyclists, commissaires, support personnel and staff—are expected at the national championships.

RISING STAR

Six-year-old Jan Mckayla Cariquitan shows the form that won her the artistic and rhythmic gymnastics in a school activity organized by the Marymount Professional Colleges. The young gymnast from Meycauayan, Bulacan, earlier topped the First Virtual Gymnastics Competition organized by TMC Gymnastics. Besides gymnastics and ballet, she is also into taekwando.

‘No Tourism Zone’

Cyclists could no longer stop and take selfies at Kabiang Tunnel.

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AVITE Governor Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla Jr. declared the Kaybiang Tunnel in Ternate as a “No Tourism Zone” starting this Friday to decongest traffic in the Ternate-Nasugbu Road.

Remulla also put the area as a no parking and no eating zone and also banned local tourists from taking pictures and selfies in the area.

Local tourists and cyclists pack the entries to the Kaybiang Tunnel almost everyday to take

photos and selfies, parking their vehicles on both sides of the road, thus causing heavy traffic.

Trash also pile up in the area everyday, prompting Remulla to restrict activities in the tunnel.

“There will also be no loitering in the vicinity of the tunnel and honking of horns while passing through the tunnel is now prohibited,” Remulla said in his social media page on Wednesday.

Checkpoints will be set up in Tanza, Naic,

Maragondon, Ternate and in other strategic areas to ensure the enforcement of the order, Remulla added.

Remulla also encouraged his constituents and concerned citizens to share #KeepKaybiangSafe and report any irregularities in the area.

The Nasugbu-Ternate Road toward Pico de Loro mountain is now marked with business establishments and eateries.

ONE’s ‘The Apprentice’ marked with authenticity

By Miguel La Torre

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UTHENTICITY marks the first season of The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition when it premieres across Asia on Thursday, according to ONE Championship Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Chatri Sityodtong.

The show promises a different kind of competition from the popular reality television show and consists of 16 candidates who will vie in a series of business-type competitions and physical obstacles.

The winner gets the chance to work as a protégé of the MMA outfit’s head at the ONE Championship Headquarters in Singapore for a year on top of bringing home $250,000.

“The most important thing for me in doing the Apprentice: ONE Championship edition is authenticity,” said Sityodtong as he stressed on the show’s originality. “They’re going to see my legendary temper, my compassionate, empathetic side, my soft heart.”

Team Lakay’s Lara Pearl Alvarez and former URCC champion and cancer survivor Louie Sangalang are in the show which was presented in an online media conference on Wednesday.

Sityodtong, also the show’s judge, said the reality show is not only about hosting a contest and picking the winner fit for the post, but also about inculcating the essential values of the company to their contestants and to the world.

“ONE Championship ultimately is about celebrating incredible values of integrity, humility, honour, respect, courage and compassion,” Sityodtong said. “It’s about unleashing real life superheroes who unite the world with hope, strength, dreams and inspiration.”

Serving as guest judges are Grab CEO Anthony Tan, Twilio CEO Jeff Lawson, Zoom CEO Eric Yuan, Zilingo CEO Ankiti Bose, Catcha Group CEO Patrick Grove and Everise CEO Sudhir Agarwal. They will also serve as mentors to the candidates.

The show was entirely filmed in Singapore and will air on TV5 on Saturday at 11 p.m. and every Monday starting March 22 on One Sports.