BusinessMirror March 22, 2021

PHL debt-GDP ratio tops Asean 5-average

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

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@BNicolasBM

HE Philippines’s debt-to-GDP ratio at 54.5 percent last year is “slightly higher” compared to the average debt ratio of Asean-5 at 51.5 percent, according to the Department of Finance.

Based on the 2017-2020 data provided in the economic bulletin of Finance Undersecretary and Chief Economist Gil Beltran, it was only last year that the Philippines’s debt ratio exceeded the Asean-5 average.

Aside from the Philippines, countries included in the Asean-5 are Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

Despite the Philippines debt-to-GDP ratio rising to a 14-year high last year

A VISITOR touches the True Cross from Rome, reputedly taken from the wood of the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. In celebration of 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines, relics and images of Jesus Christ and saints related to His passion and death are on display at the Immaculate Conception Parish in Las Piñas City, in coordination with the Work of the Saints Apostolate Movement. NONIE REYES

from a record low of 39.6 percent in 2019, Beltran said the Philippines is “at the middle of the scale” within Asean.

Beltran noted, though, that lower interest rates “helped cushion” the fiscal impact of the country’s higher debt-toGDP ratio.

He pointed out interest payments rose only by 5.4 percent to P380.4 billion in 2020 from P360.9 billion in 2019.

“The ratio of interest payments to revenues thus increased from 11.50 percent to 13.32 percent, up by 1.82 percentage points, but the ratio of interest payments to expenditures declined by 0.5 percentage point from 9.5 percent to 9.0 percent,” he said.

Average interest rate on the national government’s outstanding debt also declined from 4.67 percent in 2019 to 3.88

percent in 2020, Beltran said.

Nonetheless, the finance department expressed optimism that the risks from debt exposure are “minimized” as long as debt is managed prudently.

Apart from this, it would also help if “additional resources continue to be obtained for projects that contribute favorably to development.”

Beltran said the Covid-19 pandemic also helped widen the national government’s budget deficit to 7.6 percent of GDP, the highest in the country’s history.

However, unlike previous high deficit episodes when the government had to face both sky-high interest rates and a weakening peso, he said the national government emerged from this year’s episode with “lower debt service, low interest rates and a stronger peso.”

VACCINE BAR FOR ‘SIN’ PRODUCT MAKERS HIT 2-wk ‘bubble’

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Monday, March 22, 2021 Vol. 16 No. 162

P25.00 nationwide | 2 sections 20 pages |

for NCR, 3 places amid Covid spike

By Samuel P. Medenilla

@sam_medenilla

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THREE completed port projects—(clockwise from top) Borac Port in Coron, Port of Bataraza in Barangay Buliluyan and Port of San Fernando in El Nido—were inaugurated by Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade and Philippine Ports Authority General Manager Jay Daniel Santiago in the island province of Palawan on Friday (March 19, 2021). The ports are among the 424 completed seaport projects of the DOTr and the PPA, under the "Build, Build, Build" infrastructure program.

DOTR COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE

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By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco | Correspondent, Butch Fernandez @butchfBM & Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

EALTH and Palace officials on Sunday practically admitted there are suggestions to bar certain businesses—tobacco, liquor and infant formula—from procuring Covid-19 vaccines, but insisted the controversial provisions are still being discussed among stakeholders.

‘RATTLED’ GOVT TOLD: HEED PRIVATE SECTOR MORE

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

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@Tyronepiad

HE private sector is asking the government to listen more to its suggestions as the Philippines seems to relive the onset of the Covid-19 nightmare—which started a year ago—with surging infection rates and stricter lockdown protocols.

Business leader George T. Barcelon, Private Sector Representative in the Legislative-Ex-

ecutive Development Advisory Council (Ledac), said government’s recent move to tighten lockdown measures anew was a “knee-jerk reaction,” showing its lack of preparation in handling the increasing Covid-19 cases.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) released a circular last week that orders suspension and reduction of capacity for certain establishments under the general community quarantine (GCQ) as Covid-19 cases reached

a new record high. The order is in place until April 4.

This, after enforcing curfew in Metro Manila between 10 pm to 5 am, except for essential workers.

On Sunday, the Department of Health reported an additional 7,757 confirmed cases of Covid-19 after registering nearly 8,000 the previous day—or over 15,000 cases in just two days. The Philippines has booked a total of 663,794 Covid-19 cases as of latest data.

Continued on A2

O stop the surge in new Covid-19 cases, the government imposed a two-week “bubble” movement restriction in Metro Manila and its surrounding areas.

In Resolution No. 104, the InterAgency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) banned non-essential travel going to and from the National Capital Region (NCR), Bulacan, Laguna, and Rizal from March 22 to April 4, 2021.

Bulacan, Laguna, and Rizal were also placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) classification, similar to that of NCR. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque explained only people traveling for “essential” reasons such as work or going home will be allowed to pass through the bubble.

The bubble will remain in effect from March 22 until April 4, 2021. A curfew from 10 pm to 5 am the next day will be strictly followed, but will not cover workers, cargo transport, and public transportation.

The IATF issued the latest wave of restrictions ahead of the Holy Week break, when most people tend to travel to the province. Roque sought for their understanding.

Additional restrictions

FOR the areas within the bubble, public transportation will be allowed to continue to operate within the current passenger capacity, but all mass gatherings, including most religious activities such as masses, will be temporarily prohibited.

Continued on A4

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 48.6730

See “2-wk ‘bubble,’” A2

n JAPAN 0.4469 n UK 67.8112 n HK 6.2684 n CHINA 7.4812 n SINGAPORE 36.2258 n AUSTRALIA 37.7508 n EU 57.9987 n SAUDI ARABIA 12.9788

Source: BSP (March 19, 2021)

News

BusinessMirror

A2 Monday, March 22, 2021

‘RATTLED’ GOVT TOLD: HEED PRIVATE SECTOR MORE Continued from A1

To contain the virus, “circuit breaker” lockdown measures were also pitched, as a move to curb the rising cases. While Barcelon understands the rationale behind this, he said there are still other ways to keep the economy running while managing the health risks. The Palace has issued a statement that Metro Manila will not be placed under such restriction.

“Rattled ang gobyerno. You know why they are rattled? Kasi wala silang plano. They have no plans to mitigate, eh kung hindi kulong mga masa, kulong mga taumbayan,” he said in an interview with the BusinessMirror. (The government is rattled. Do you know why it is rattled? It is because they do not have plans to mitigate the rising cases but to force the public into quarantine.)

“I hope that the government will listen more to the private sector on how to mitigate [the rising Covid-19],” Barcelon added, explaining they have ground visibility and can bring up issues from the private sector, especially the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Barcelon made the statement hours before the InterAgency Task Force recommended placing Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal under GCQ on Sunday, and barring nonessential workers from crossing between these areas.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Pork retail price still way above govt-set price caps

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By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

@jearcalas

HE retail price of pork in Metro Manila wet markets has stayed at above P320 per kilogram and is reaching highs of P380 per kilogram, way beyond the mandated P280 to P300 per kg price ceiling of the government.

The higher prices come less than three weeks before the government’s price ceiling for pork and chicken meat products in Metro Manila is lifted.

Price monitoring by the Department of Agriculture (DA) showed that from March 15 to 19, the prevailing price of pork ham (kasim) in selected markets in Metro Manila ranged from P300 to P350 per kilogram.

DA reports showed that on March 19, a kilogram of pork kasim fetched P320 on average.

The prevailing price for pork belly (liempo) in the same reference period ranged from P320 to P380 per kilogram. On March 19, the prevailing price for pork cut was at P340 per kilogram.

Since February 8, pork kasim and liempo sold in Metro Manila

has been capped at P270 per kg and P300 per kg, respectively. The price ceiling is in effect for two months or until April 8.

‘Market dictates price’

PORK Producers Federation of the Philippines Inc. (ProPork) President Edwin G. Chen said these prevailing prices are the real market price for pork given the current tight supply situation of the country.

“That is the market price. Market dictates the price,” Chen told the BusinessMirror.

Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. (PCAFI) President Danilo V. Fausto said hog industry players have repeatedly said price for pork should be really at P330 to P360 per kg given current costs incurred by hog raisers.

Fausto noted that government

is just tolerating the higher prices of pork cuts in Metro Manila wet markets as it is aware of the challenges that both producers and retailers face in complying with the caps.

Some hog industr y players have been proposing to raise the price ceiling to P330 to P360 per kg or scrap the price cap and instead implement a suggested retail price with the same proposed amounts.

Fausto said the wholesale cost of a kilogram of pork currently ranges at P290 to P310 given the prevailing farm-gate level of P180 to P200, slaughter cost of P60 per kg, and transport cost of P50.

Fausto disputes the view that the price ceiling’s purpose has been defeated since prevailing market prices have breached the mandated price cap.

He pointed out that the price ceiling had a “psychological” impact on market players—that they are under scrutiny by government following the sudden surge to P400 per kilogram in recent months.

With the price ceiling, the industry will no longer push for a high price of P400 per kilogram, Fausto added.

DA data showed the lowest market price of pork began breaching the price ceiling on March 8, a month after the measure was implemented.

DA data showed the lowest price of pork ham in Metro Manila on March 8 was at P295 per kilogram while pork liempo’s lowest quotation was at P310 per kilogram.

Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar has been lukewarm to this proposal, arguing that an increase in the price ceiling would be “a redundant measure given that the actual average pork and chicken prices are higher than the ceiling imposed by EO 124.”

Dar said that if the price ceiling is raised then industry players would hike their prices anew, with Filipino consumers at the losing end.

“It is not far-fetched that if the price ceiling is raised to a new level, industry players will hike their prices once again, emboldened by the knowledge that they are capable of pressuring the government to change its mind,” he said.

“In the meantime, consumers will be fretting that the government is not really serious in protecting their interests,” he added.

Dar noted that Filipino consumers are “suffering from lower incomes due to the adverse impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on our economy.”

“Hog producers, wholesalers, and retailers are no less expected to do their share in helping the country’s economic recovery effort,” he added.

Stay at home

PEOPLE aged below 18 and above 65 as well as those with immunodeficiency, comorbidity and pregnant women are required to stay home at all times.

They will only be exempted from the restrictions if they are obtaining essential good and services, or for work. Those above 65 years old as well as persons with disability will be allowed to go outdoors if they will engage in exercises or therapy, respectively.

The IATF also urged the public to stop accepting visitors outside immediate family and to wear face masks even at home.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and local government units (LGU) were tasked to implement the provisions

Asean. . .

Continued from A12

The national government earlier received a $400-million loan from the ADB’s Asia Pacific Vaccine Access Facility (or APVAX). The Philippines is the first country to receive funding from the facility.

The $9 billion APVAX was created for the purpose of timely vaccine procurement and capacity building as well as infrastructure investment.

“Financing is just the starting point.

Delivering vaccines is a complex process, containing many moving parts including

By Butch Fernandez

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@butchfBM

ROQUE said the issuance, which was already approved by President Duterte, was the result of the emergency meeting held by the IATF on Saturday in response to the recent spike in new Covid-19 cases.

“We expect these new restrictions will result into lower number of Covid-19 [cases] and we also hope it will stop the spread of its new variants in other areas of the country,” Roque said in an online press briefing on Sunday.

IATF made the policy after the number of new Covid-19 cases per day rose from 4,000 earlier this month to around 8,000 last Saturday, sparking concerns infected patients may overwhelm healthcare facilities.

The policy was laid down after six hours of contentious discussions until 1 a.m. on Sunday.

During the meeting, it was reported that there were 80,642“active Covid-19 cases”in the country as of March 20, 2021. The total number of deaths has declined, however, from a peak of 2,090 in August 2020 to 670 in February 2021 From March 1-20, 2021, there were 171 deaths from Covid-19.

“There was so much debate last night (Saturday),withoneCabinetsecretaryadvocatingto keepcertainplacesopen.Therewerealsodiscussions on allowing tourism, but requiring test before travel. But even the chief medical consultant, who is usually liberal, said this might spread the virus to more provinces,” one source said.

Another source added there were also discussions on strictly requiring people at home to wear masks because of the inability of authorities to actually check and monitor compliance. “So it was agreed that masks at home will be ‘encouraged’, while visitors from outside [their personal/household bubbles] will be discouraged.” With Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo

HE draft presidential proclamation submitted by the Department of Agriculture (DA) for a state of emergency on account of the African Swine Fever (ASF) will not solve the pork supply crisis and price spikes if the Executive’s proposal to cut tariff on imported pork while substantially raising minimum access volumes (MAV) is approved as well, Senator Francis Pangilinan said Sunday.

This, Pangilinan said, is the reason senators adopted their own resolution on the pork crisis last week, and are holding Committee of the Whole hearings to inquire into related issues of alleged corruption in the pork importation system, among others.

The senator recalled that the DA had sent to the Palace last week its own draft declaration of a state of emergency due to ASF, a highly contagious and fatal hog disease that has caused the loss of 3 million heads of swine.

However, he noted, “the Senate resolution doesn’t only seek a state of emergency declaration,” but also addresses the impact of the twin DA proposals to increase the MAV or import quotas to 400 million metric tons while slashing tariffs to 5 percent.

Pangilinan said that nonetheless, a state of emergency declaration as pitched by DA is necessary, because it would give the national government leeway to augment the DA’s funds for dealing with ASF. Right now, he added that DA’s war chest against ASF for 2021 is only P3.6 billion, “but they need over P8 billion.”

Pangilinan said in a radio interview over the weekend “we want to bring down cost,” as prices of pork are now hovering at an average of P400, “assuming you can find it,” but this cannot be done at the risk of killing the local hog sector, which, he noted is “a P300-billion industry.”

Recent Senate hearings led by the Agriculture Committee of Sen. Cynthia Villar had shown that even at current tariff rates, the pork traders are “already earning so much,” Pangilinan said. If the corruption factor and technical smuggling issues raised by Sen. Panfilo Lacson were considered, the profits of importers would be even higher.

At the same time. Pangilinan also aired concerns over how slashing tariffs would shrink, not just the government’s revenue, but the proceeds that are used to benefit the affected sector, in this case, the hog industry ravaged by ASF the past two years.

With very low tariffs, “how can we help the affected sector?” he asked in a mix of English and Filipino.

The senator clarified, though, that he did not totally reject increasing import quotas as a tool for stabilizing local prices, but thinks the country does not need to raise the MAV to 400 MMT. “Do we really need all that? I don’t think so,” he added.

strategic and proactive communications.

Engaging with those unsure about inoculations will go a long way toward optimizing the Covid-19 vaccine rollout,” Waseem said.

Waseem said the success of all vaccination programs rest on good communication which can combat misinformation and overcome hesitancy among vaccine recipients.

She said the lack of effective communication strategies have been cited by ADB’s evaluation reports and the medical journal Lancet that effective communication are needed to vaccine acceptance.

A Lancet study, Waseem said, found that factors influencing vaccine decisions include trust, safety, effectiveness, and compatibility of the vaccine to religious beliefs.

“During an online fitness class, my trainer asked me if I would opt for vaccination against Covid-19. I told him I would do so as soon as I had the option,” Waseem said.

“Not convinced, the trainer enquired if I was aware that the Covid-19 vaccine could alter the recipient’s DNA. I argued with scientific facts that dispute this claim but very quickly realized I had lost the debate to the information the trainer had read on social media,” she lamented.

Waseem said communication strategies, media involvement and strategic engagement of stakeholders for new vaccine introduction will play a positive role.

She added that messaging from local leaders, celebrities, and other credible individuals, can contribute a great deal.

2-wk ‘bubble’…

Among the exempted religious activities are weddings, baptisms, and funeral services, provided that the number of participants is limited to 10 persons.

Roque stressed the new IATF resolution does not impose a “hard lockdown” as some people speculated, since most economic activity will continue.

However, he noted some establishments will be temporarily shut down for the duration of the new issuance, including, driving schools, traditional cinemas, video and interactive game arcades, libraries, archives, museums, cultural centers, limited social events at accredited establishments of the Department of Tourism (DOT), and indoor tourist attractions.

For restaurants and other food establishments, indoor dining will also be temporarily prohibited. Cockfighting and cockpit operations, including in areas under modified GCQ (MGCQ), are also banned for the period.

Emergency declaration on ASF useful, but....—Kiko

Continued from A1

of IATF Resolution 104.

Emergency response

News BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

‘Issue vaccination law’s IRR amid 2nd wave of pandemic’

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

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S the co-chairman of the House Economic Recovery Cluster noted that circuitbreaker measures will no longer work, maybe issuing “simple and reasonable” implementing rules and regulations of the Covid-19 Vaccination Program (CVP) Act will.

“I have asked the government to issue the IRR [implementing rules and regulations] on the Covid-19 Vaccination Program Act already. We cannot be bogged down by bureaucracy in the middle of a second wave,” Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda of Albay said.

“We can no longer afford paralyzing lockdowns. Border controls, too, will not work, as it appears that whatever we would like to stop at the borders are already here anyway. There is also little political or economic appetite for a further mobility restriction.”

The lawmaker noted that since minimum health standards are no longer observed as faithfully, “there is a false sense of security in the fact that some vaccines have already arrived. There is also lockdown fatigue.”

“This will be a bigger wave than the first one. Circuit-breaker measures will no longer work as much as effective vaccination. Overall, lockdowns may even hurt the country more than help,” he added. “That’s why we need a more ambitious pace of vaccination, combined with stricter minimum health standards and stronger healthcare system support.”

Five measures

CITING data from his team’s monitoring, Salceda said “the fact that the infectivity rate has shown no signs of slowing down, filling up Covid-19 centers at this stage will be inevitable.”

The lawmaker said “one key fact is that the share of mild cases remains at 97.5 percent and this means that currently, only around 2,000 patients are in need of hospital care.”

“If we can control this number and expand care-capacity, we can endure this wave without paralyzing the economy,” he said. “Moving forward, based on our assessment of the situation, we proposed at least five absolutely required measures to fight this recent surge.”

First, Salceda said the government should complete the administration of all vaccines currently available.

He noted that only around 200,000 of the about one million vaccines already available in the country have been injected.

“This is absolutely dismal performance. If this pace persists, we will need 30 years to fully achieve herd immunity. We must boost vaccine confidence among healthcare workers,” he said. “The best vaccine is not any particular brand; the best vaccine is the one available now. Waiting for a preferred brand is risking one’s life.”

Second, the lawmaker said outof-hospital care capacity should be expanded.

“Most Covid-19 cases can be treated at home. This is where the barangay health care worker system is critical.

We need to hire more of them to monitor local cases and provide remote advice and assistance,” Salceda said.

He urges the national government to hire telemedicine facilities to expand its remote care capacity.

Third, the lawmaker said the government should keep only essential functions on-site.

“Up to now, many government offices insist on staffing their workplaces, even when their workers can perfectly work offsite. This is very unwise.”

He is urging the Civil Service Commission to release guidelines “insisting that only those who truly need to go to work should be required to go to work.”

“Private workplaces have been wiser in this regard,” Salceda added.

Remove red tape

THE fourth measure, according to the lawmaker, is to train local governments on administering

localized lockdowns.

“There will be granular lockdowns at the LGU [local government unit] level.”

Salceda is urging the Department of Health (DOH) to ensure that LGUs “know how to administer these lockdowns.”

“I urge the National Task Force to help them support the needs of these communities,” he said.

Lastly, the solon said the government should remove red tape on private sector vaccine procurement.

“The private sector can do better with vaccine procurement because it does not suffer from the hesitation of vaccine companies to deal with government entities.”

Salceda added that the IRR of Republic Act 11525 (CVP Act) have not been released. He said they obtained draft copies of the IRR “suggesting that the DOH may even ban certain industries from procuring these vaccines.”

“Our intent in Congress was to allow as many players as soon as possible to be able to procure vaccines,” Salceda said. “Congress will hold agencies accountable if they contradict that intent.”

Stimulus

FOR her part, Marikina Rep. Stella Luz A. Quimbo said the effectiveness of any lockdown will not be maximized unless government provides another stimulus for households, workers, businesses and LGUs under the proposed Bayanihan 3.

“Should government decide to tighten restrictions, additional ‘ayuda’ will be needed to ensure that people who must quarantine will do so, knowing their families’ basic needs will be met,” Quimbo said.

“For workers ‘especially “no work, no pay” workers’ to comply with the stay at home policy, they need to be assured of a source of income for basic needs especially food.”

She added that workers who are Covid-positive need the same assurance that they will continue to be paid despite a prolonged absence at work.

“Firms, including providers of public transportation, need subsidies to test their workers and comply with minimum health standards,” Quimbo said. “Barangays need additional resources if they are expected to implement lockdowns.

Bayanihan 3

ACCORDING to Quimbo, these additional resources include food packs and additional police personnel to help monitor the borders and movement of people.

And as businesses continue to face lower revenues due to lockdown measures, the lady solon said the need for Bayanihan 3 remains.

“No matter what kind of lockdown measure we impose, for as long as we haven’t rolled out the vaccine to our target 70-percent population, businesses will be struggling and unemployment will continue to be the reality for many. Bayanihan 2 only provided for P6 bilion and that’s been released,” Quimbo said.

“We can reasonably infer that the lack of stimulus is why among Asean [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] countries, the Philippines, despite our longer and more stringent lockdown measures, still has not effectively and sustainably flattened our Covid curve,” she added.

The lawmaker also expressed hope that the economic managers heed lawmakers’ call that Bayanihan 3 be certified urgent.

‘Stay at home’

SPEAKER Lord Allan Jay Q. Velasco on Sunday urged the public to follow the advice of health authorities to stay at home amid the upsurge of Covid-19 cases in the country to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.

As the Philippines recorded skyrocketing spikes in cases in the last few days, Velasco said people should avoid non-essential travel and strictly observe health protocols even in their own homes.

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Monday, March 22, 2021 A3

Economists: Govt miscalculated in loosening mobility restrictions

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

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HE President’s economic team may have miscalculated the situationwhentheyrecommended loosening mobility restriction in their bid to boost the economy, according to economists.

On top of this, economists who spoke to the BusinessMirror said there were many issues in the implementation of the quarantine restrictions as well as the arrival of new Covid-19 variants which eventually caused the spike.

Over the weekend, the Department of Health (DOH) reported there were 15,756 new Covid-19 cases in the Philippines. This included the 7,999 recorded last Saturday and the 7,757 cases reported last Sunday.

“Government miscalculation is a generous description at this point — it presumes they are even attempting the math,” Ateneo de Manila University School of Government Dean Ronald U. Mendoza told the BusinessMirror in an interview last Sunday.

“All earlier indicators and forecasts suggested systems were still not ready even after a year of lockdown. They need the humility to ask the private sector and academia for help,” he added.

Action for Economic Reforms (AER) Coordinator Filomeno S. Sta. Ana III explained to the BusinessMirror that the efforts to loosen restrictions failed because the government was not effective in contact tracing and the referral system for Covid-19 patients was not functioning.

Sta. Ana added the following: government officials violated health protocols; the pronouncements from government officials provided a false sense of security encouraging more people to go out; and, the government lacked resources for relief or social amelioration.

He said there was also a failure of coordination among national government agencies and between central government and local government units. Sta. Ana said there was also divisiveness among Filipinos, which eroded collective action.

“They miscalculated the risk of the variant in a community waiting to be vaccinated but eager to step out from restrictions. They overestimated the trend of falling cases before this spike,” former University of the Philippines School of Economics Dean Ramon L. Clarete also told the BusinessMirror on Sunday.

(UA&P) School of Economics Dean Cid L. Terosa told the BusinessMirror that the economic team miscalculated the estimate because of the issues surrounding the arrival of the vaccines.

“I think the government miscalculated the loosening of restrictions because the move was based on the assumption that issues related to the availability of vaccines could be resolved in due time,” Terosa said.

However, De La Salle University’s Maria Ella C. Oplas told the BusinessMirror that it was not only the economic team, but also Filipinos, who miscalculated the situation.

Oplas said many Filipinos lowered their guard because of the low cases recorded after Christmas which was initially thought to bring in a surge in Covid-19 cases.

The low cases post-Christmas, Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development (Acerd) Director Alvin P. Ang said this is one of the reasons why he thinks the economic team did not miscalculate their recommendation.

“To me science, governance and economics must work together. I can only speak of the economic side so it will not be enough,” Ang said.

“Science should explain that; and if governance can implement that, and if the economy can absorb that.”

EXCLUSIVE

Sans science, data

FOUNDATION for Economic Freedom (FEF) President Calixto V. Chikiamco told the BusinessMirror that the economic team made their decisions “without science and data.”

Chikiamco also said the government made decisions while they were “oblivious of their own management of the pandemic.”

University of Asia and the Pacific

Quarantine needed

STA. Ana said whether Metro Manila residents like it or not, a quarantine is necessary. This is even without the government placing the megacity in quarantine.

While he admitted that a quarantine is “a blunt instrument,” it is necessary to prevent the further spread of Covid-19 and keep the healthcare system from being overwhelmed.

Quarantine will also prevent contact tracing and referral systems to go into disarray. He said even successful countries in flattening the curve such as New Zealand and a number of European Union members had to adopt a lockdown.

In the next two weeks, Sta. Ana recommends that the government consolidate contact tracing and centralize the data. The data should be analyzed to trigger real-time action.

He added that it is necessary to put in place efficient referral systems for patients since the “One Hospital Command is dysfunctional.”

Sta. Ana said it is also important to adopt an aggressive fiscal policy to flatten the curve and provide social amelioration or relief to those negatively affected by the quarantine. He said the structural reforms that were recently put in place will ensure the country’s ability to repay its borrowings.

“We should not tolerate hubris as manifested by the presidential spokesman’s chest thumping. That is, boasting that government performance is ‘excellent’,” Sta. Ana told the BusinessMirror. “The current

Government miscalculation is a generous description at this point—it presumes they are even attempting the math.

BM

Ateneo de Manila University School of Government Dean Ronald U. Mendoza spike, if not contained, will make it immeasurably harder for us to implement an efficient and effective vaccination strategy.”

Other measures

HOWEVER, Acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua told the BusinessMirror that implementing an Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) would only worsen the plight of millions.

In a statement sent to reporters, Chua said 3.2 million people or 23 percent of National Capital Region (NCR) residents are hungry.

Chua added there were some 506,000 jobless Filipinos in NCR and the cost of the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) and nearby provinces reached P700 million in wages.

“The indicators above will be worse if (we implement an ECQ),” Chua told the BusinessMirror last Sunday.

Clarete agreed and said implementing an ECQ will be “disastrous” for the economy. However, it may be necessary if there is a spike in cases.

Instead of quarantines, Unionbank Chief Economist Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion said it may be time to consider what is called in Singapore as “circuit breakers” or “timeouts” that last for a week or two. This may be a quick and effective way to stop the surge in Covid-19 cases.

Clarete said the government should also step up efforts to fast track the vaccination and arrest vaccine fakers. The government should also “arrest violators of masking, social distancing, and congregating prohibition mandates.”

“It’s easy to criticize but vaccination is bungled by this government.

Maraming gustong kumita [There are a lot of people who want to cash in],” Clarete said.

“Yes [vaccination is delayed] and the way it’s developing, there is an absence of a clear plan. (With this) fakers will come in to take advantage of the lack of strong leadership,” he added.

Step up

OPLAS said the private sector should also step up given that only temperature checks are being monitored. This means if some Filipinos enter their establishments with a cold or are coughing, these are not being monitored.

She also said it’s high time the government employed evidencebased approach, particularly in

terms of the distribution of frontliners and vaccines.

Oplas added that LGUs should be able to identify the barangays or at least streets where the cases are located. This will prevent people from passing through or visiting these areas.

She also recommended that the geographical spread of Covid-19 should also be taken into consideration in the assignment of frontliners and vaccine distribution.

“Why prioritize 100 percent of the frontliners in areas with only one case? When can you allocate the 80 percent of the vaccine to areas where they are needed the most?”

Oplas opined.

“At this point the key is devolution. Allow the local government to be on the forefront. Allow them to do by barangay or district lockdowns.

Instead of another Metro Manila lockdown,” she added.

Chikiamco added that a change in leadership at the DOH is also in order as well as the implementation of the test, trace, and isolate strategy.

He added that the private sector should also be allowed to procure and vaccinate Filipinos.

“The best course of action for the government at this time, in my opinion, is to declare a state of emergency in specific areas and to hasten efforts to inoculate as many people as possible soonest,” Terosa said.

Government plan

CHUA said there is a need to continue managing risks as Covid cases rise.

He said they want to do this by focusing on localized quarantines and addressing the sources of highest risk, so that the jobs/livelihood of the far majority will not be affected.

He said when the government decided to open the economy on October 12, 2020, cases did not spike.

He added that there was no surge in cases during the year-end holidays and the first two months of 2021.

The National Economic and Development Authority official said there was even a downtrend in the number of infections recorded per day after Christmas.

He attributed this to strict compliance with health standards and a gradual and careful approach to reopening.

“The issue we face now is not economy versus health. It is the total health of the people, whether from Covid, non-Covid sickness, or hunger,” Chua said.

Russian vaccine effective for senior citizens–Robes

S

AN Jose Del Monte City Rep. Florida P. Robes on Sunday vouched for the Russian vaccine Sputnik V, saying it has a 91.8-percent efficacy rate for people aged 60 years old and above.

This was what Robes said she gleaned from Russian Embassy officials who spoke during her Committee on People’s Participation hearing.

Vladlen Epifanov, MinisterCounselor and Deputy Chief of Mission of the Russian Embassy, said during the hearing the vaccine’s efficacy was confirmed by medical journal Lancet (vol. 397, issue 10275, February 20, 2021).

“Epifanov told our committee that the Lancet has confirmed the

efficacy rate of Sputnik V to 91.6 percent and for volunteers who are older, who are 60 years old and up, the efficacy goes up to 91.8 percent.

This show that Sputnik V is the best for senior citizens,” Robes said.

The Food and Drug Administration previously granted “Emergency Use Authorization,” or EUA, to Sinovac but recommended that the vaccine must only be used on clinicallyhealthy individuals aged 18 to 59.

Robes added that the Lancet also confirmed that 98 percent of those vaccinated developed good immune response, 1.3-better to 1.5-better than those who have had Covid-19.

“That is why I am so happy that Sputnik has finally been given EUA

by the FDA. Sputnik V will be a great addition to our vaccine efforts so we can cover not only 20 percent of our population but all Filipinos,” she said.

April arrival

DURING the meeting, Epifanov also told the committee that Russia may be able to provide the vaccine by April this year to cover at least onethird to one-half of the population in the country.

Epifanov also claims that Sputnik V does not have side effects or allergic reactions and provides immunity to the new, more aggressive strains of Covid-19.

He said that the Russian vaccine has been approved and is being used

in 29 other countries all over the world and is now being manufactured in several countries like India, Brazil and South Korea through the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) to ensure sufficient production of vaccines.

The Russian diplomat said the Philippines may avail of the RDIF to enable it to produce Sputnik V in the country to cover more of the Philippine population.

“I am hoping that proposals to set up a manufacturing hub in the Philippines will push through because this will not only boost our vaccine efforts but also contribute to our capability to produce our own vaccines not only for Covid-19 but for other diseases as well,” Robes said. Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

News

BusinessMirror

A4 Monday, March 22, 2021

www.businessmirror.com.ph

PHL says 200 Chinese ships at disputed reef

By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM

N

ATIONAL Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said on Sunday that eight Chinese fishing vessels were spotted in the Pagasa Island area last week just as the government reported the presence of at least 220 Chinese maritime militia vessels near Bataraza, Palawan.

The military said it was continuing to monitor the presence of the Chinese ships in the country’s maritime waters as the government mulls over its response, including the possible lodging of a diplomatic protest by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The presence of Chinese fishing vessels at Pagasa, just 50 nautical miles from the Whitsun Reef where the Chinese maritime militias were spotted, was disclosed by Esperon, and it came just two days after the Philippine Navy commissioned into service its newest frigate.

Whitsun Reef is located 175 nautical miles from Bataraza, Palawan.

Esperon said the eight Chinese fishing vessels were seen in Pagasa on Tuesday last week, but he could not say whether the fishing vessels are still there. He said they were considering actions over the vessels’ presence in the country’s maritime waters.

Over the weekend, the Philippine Coast Guard reported the presence of the 220 maritime militia vessels at the Whitsun Reef on March 7, a report that was confirmed by the National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea, also headed by Esperon.

The large numbers of Chinese boats are “a concern due to the possible overfishing and destruction of the marine environment, as well as risks to safety of navigation,” the task force said, although it added that the vessels were not fishing when sighted.

Frigate commissioned

THE sightings of the Chinese vessels

PHOTO of a Chinese vessel from the national task force for the West Philippine Sea

at the reef and in Pagasa came as BRP Antonio Luna (FF 151), the last of the two brand new and missile-capable frigate ordered from South Korea, was commissioned into the service of the Navy on Friday.

“As we christen and commission the FF 151, we expect to raise our capacity to protect our nation’s vast maritime interests. We also expect to improve our approaches in se-

curing our sovereignty, especially in the South China Sea,” said Acting Navy Flag Officer in Command Rear Admiral Adeluis Bordado during the commissioning.

Military spokesman Major Gen. Edgard Arevalo said the Armed Forces of the Philippines has sent assets to the areas where the Chinese ships are seen, both to validate and document their presence.

“The AFP’s Western Command has dispatched Air Force and Navy assets to conduct air and maritime sovereignty patrols to further validate the report,” Arevalo said on Sunday.

“Appropriate reports were made and forwarded to other agencies of government through the General Headquarters of such monitored number of CMM. These reports are made bases of filing appropriate actions not limited to filing diplomatic protests,” he added.

Arevalo said the military “will not renege” on its commitment to “protect and defend our maritime interest within the bounds of the law.”

Beijing: No comment

CHINESE Embassy officials did not immediately issue any comment.

China, the Philippines and four other governments have been locked in a tense territorial standoff over the resource-rich and busy waterway for decades.

Critics have repeatedly called out President Duterte, who has nurtured friendly ties with Beijing since taking office in 2016, for not standing up to China’s aggressive behavior and deciding not to immediately seek Chinese compliance with an international arbitration ruling that invalidated Beijing's historic claims to virtually the entire sea. China has refused to recognize the 2016 ruling and continues to defy it.

The arbitration body also ruled that China had breached its duty to respect the traditional fishing rights of Filipinos when Chinese forces blocked them from Scarborough Shoal off the northwestern Philippines in 2012. The Philippines, however, could also not deny Chinese fishermen access to Scarborough, according to the ruling. The decision did not specify any other traditional fishing areas within the Philippines’s exclusive zone where fishermen from China and other countries could be allowed to fish. With a report by AP

Church events subdued on Covid spike; 2 more clergymen sick

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

C

HURCHES within the Diocese of Cubao and Novaliches will temporarily stop holding on-site masses to minimize the risk of Covid-19 spreading among their parishioners.

On Sunday, Bishop of Cubao Honesto F. Ongtioco and Bishop of Novaliches Roberto O. Gaa made the announcements in separate statements in response to the spike in daily infections this month from 4,000 to over 8,000 during the weekend.

This, as two more local Church officials are now infected with Covid-19.

On Sunday, Archbishop of Lipa Gilbert A. Garcera confirmed he tested positive for Covid-19, which makes him the 10th Filipino prelate to be afflicted with it.

The others are Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples Prefect Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Manila Apostolic Administrator Bishop Broderick Pabillo, Ilagan Bishop David William Antonio, Caloocan Bishop Emeritus Deogracias Iñiguez, Lingayen-Dagupan

Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz, Imus Bishop Emeritus Manuel Sobreviñas, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, Cebu Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Antonio Rañola, and San Fernando (Pampanga) Archbishop Florentino Lavarias.

Also recently infected is Caritas Manila executive director Fr. Anton Pascual, who is now recovering at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center.

Prior to his infection, Pascual as Caritas head had been exposed to poor families who were affected

by Covid-19.

The clergymen’s camp appealed

for prayers for their quick recovery.

Following Pascual’s infection, Caritas Manila imposed a “lockdown” in its office in Pandacan Manila so it could undergo disinfection.

The lockdown will be from March 20 to March 28, 2021.

Caritas Manila, however, assured the public that services provided by its volunteers in different parts of Metro Manila for Covidaffected people will continue during the lockdown.

QC hard-hit

AMONG the hardest hit by the

Vaccine bar for ‘sin’ product makers hit Protests, mostly from lawmakers,

greeted revelations at the weekend that the purported draft implementing rules and regulations drawn up by the National Task Force Against Covid-19 and the Department of Health for Republic Act 11525 has at least two provisions barring these companies from the national vaccination campaign, on account of public health policy.

A DOH statement shared by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said authorities were “still in the process of reconciling the proposed provisions with other existing laws and guidelines.”

Asked by reporters, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said, in Filipino, “I have heard of that, but that is still under study.” He volunteered that this suggested ban arose from a public health policy banning government from accepting donations from manufacturers of liquor, tobacco and infant formula.

That angle could put government on the spot, since several such big manufacturers were among the first to donate to the government’s Covid response since last year.

Meanwhile, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez denied there is already a draft order barring tobacco and other companies from partnering with government on procurement of Covid-19 vaccines.

“Not true,” Dominguez said when asked about the supposed order.

Sen. Imee Marcos had said the draft about to be pitched by the National Task Force (NTF) against Covid-19 and the Department of Health (DOH) to President Duterte for approval, shuts out “entire industries” from the vaccination campaign, at a time when government badly needs private sector help to ramp up inoculation while Covid cases surge. The case log peaked at 7,999 on Saturday.

Besides Marcos, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. had also flagged the draft order, noting

bad policy in blocking private business from pitching in the vaccine drive.

‘Legislation by IRR’

ON Sunday, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto accused the NTF and DOH of “legislation by IRR” and Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon warned them the order, if issued, would be “illegal and unauthorized.”

Recto said the transcript of the 12-hour marathon deliberations on R A 11525 shows Congress never had this intention to block certain businesses from the national inoculation campaign.

Sought for reaction, Health Secretary Duque III said the national government commits to provide all Filipinos equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines.

Duque forwarded to BusinessMirror the statement of the DOH in response to the issue.

“The Department of Health was made aware of the circulation of an unofficial draft DOH Administrative Order outlining some selected sections of the draft Implementing Rules and Regulation (IRR) of Republic Act No. 11525 or the Covid-19 Vaccination Law,” the statement read.

In providing “equitable access” to the vaccines, the prioritization criteria and list approved by the InterAgency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases shall be followed, it added.

“The development of the IRR is guided by the principles of equal respect, national equity and legitimacy, found in the WHO SAGE Values Framework. Any provisions that may be perceived to discriminate against any sector of the population from accessing Covid-19 vaccines is not considered in any policy, guideline, protocol that shall be issued by this government.”

The DOH stressed that the contents of the draft IRR were based on recommendations from different stakeholders.

“The DOH together with the

government agencies composing the Vaccine Cluster of the National Task Force against Covid-19, as provided for by the law, are still in the process of reconciling the proposed provisions with other existing laws and guidelines,” it added.

“The National Government commits to honor the multiparty agreement among DOH, NTF, vaccine manufacturers, and other procuring entities like the private companies and LGUs. All comments and recommendations from different stakeholders are still welcome until the finalization and approval of the IRR,” the DOH reiterated.

Usurpers

RECTO ruedthattheDOHandNTFwere usurping congressional functions in effectively “legislating” through issuance of an IRR to carry out the government’s nationwide Covid-19 vaccine project.

Recto warned them “this is legislation by IRR, a bad habit by bureaucrats who imagine themselves as the third chamber of Congress.”

Recto reminded them that “no such provision exists in the Covid-19 Vaccination Program Act of 2021 or RA 11525,” referring to the barring of businesses engaged in the manufacture of liquor, tobacco or infant formula milk.

Recto zeroed in on two phrases in the draft section earlier cited

by Senator Marcos, saying it will “sabotage” the public-private vaccination partnership.

“One is that any private entity should not be ‘in any way related’ to the tobacco industry,” he said, noting: “So this can be read that a pharmaceutical company that makes or procures vaccines, half of which it shall donate to the government, cannot do so simply because it has breastmilk substitutes in its product catalog.”

As another tricky example, he asked: “Also, will an airline company with an interlocking directorship with a tobacco company be likewise banned under that provision?” in apparent refence

ation could spill further onto other places both within and beyond our Diocese,” Gaa said.

The new measures from both dioceses will take effect from March 22 to April 4, 2021 in the Diocese of Cubao.

The masses in the Diocese of Cubao will resume on April 5, 2021, while in Novaliches it will be on April 4, 2021.

For the duration of the twoweek c losures, bot h prelates said their priests will celebrate Holy Week and masses on online platforms.

continued from a1

to Philippine Airlines of the Lucio Tan Group, which also has a stake in Philip Morris-Fortune Tobacco Corp.

He listed a “second questionable phrase” that the ban covers companies dealing with “other products in conflict with public health.”

“But the list in the government almanac of unhealthy products whose consumption is punished by a tax is long. It includes soda, sugared products and alcohol,” he said, asking: “So the company making Ginebra is disqualified despite its donation of a gazillion liters of disinfectant alcohol to hospitals?”

And, “under the proposed “relationship rule,” its parent company, San Miguel—despite donating billions of pesos to the pandemic fight—will be disqualified from buying vaccines it plans to give to its workers and to the government for free, he said.

Recto noted the Gokongweis are into sugared drinks, wondering if this “will put them under the negative list?’

Excise taxes

surge is Quezon City, which is covered by both the Diocese of Cubao and Novaliches.

“Voluntarily closing our places of worship at the highest point of our liturgical year is heartbreaking. But we also open our eyes to a situation that puts many of our faithful at risk,” Ongtioco said in a statement.

For his part, Gaa said he made the decision after talking with Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte.

“I believe that if nothing drastic is done and things are left as they are now, the worsening situ-

“WHAT is wrong with these people in the DOH and NTF that they will not allow private wealth to be used for public welfare?” the Senate President Pro Tempore wanted to know.

He pointed out the sin tax paid by sweetened beverages was P38.6 billion in 2019, and P28.6 billion in 2020; adding that for alcohol, it was P77 billion in 2019, and P62 billion in 2020.

Tobacco was P147 billion in 2019, and P139 billion in 2020.

“If these merchants of sin would like to plow back their profits in the form of vaccines, half for their workers and half for the people, why would a fumbling government illegalize such an offer of help?” asked Recto.

Senate Minority Leader Drilon warned DOH that barring several companies from procuring vaccines for their employees is patently “illegal and unauthorized” and can expose them to legal liabilities.

“I am deeply disturbed by this report. If indeed such a draft admin-

istrative order exists, that is a clear violation of the COVID-19 Vaccination Act of 2021. Such a policy is discriminatory and morally unacceptable. The DOH does not have the authority to do that,” Drilon said in a statement on Sunday.

The alleged draft administrative order provides that “the NTF, together with the DOH shall review the requests of private entities to procure vaccines to ensure that private entities who will be part of the agreement are not in any way related to the tobacco industry, products covered under EO 51 series of 1986 or the “national Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, breastmilk Supplement and Other Related Products” or other industries in conflict with public health.”

“It will be unlawful for the DOH and the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 to do that. Republic Act 11525 allows private entities to procure COVID-19 vaccines in cooperation with the DOH. The law does not discriminate against or exclude companies based on their products, services or lines of business. The supposed administrative order, therefore, is discriminatory and it would go beyond the law and would constitute an actionable wrong,” said the former justice secretary.

RA 11525 or the Covid-19 Vaccination Act of 2021 was passed by Congress in February to aid the speedy vaccination program against Covid-19.

House leaders outraged

HOUSE leaders were similarly angered by the notion that authorities were even considering such a discriminatory ban on businesses.

House Deputy Minority Leader and Marikina City Rep. Stella Quimbo asked DOH not to be too hasty in rejecting private sector participation, which can deliver the much-needed push for a broader vaccination roll-out.

According to Quimbo, the P72.5 billion set aside for vaccines in the national budget and P10 billion un-

der the Bayanihan 2 is not enough to inoculate 70 million Filipinos.

“At a budget of P2,000 per head, we need at least P140 billion to achieve the vaccine targets. Donations from private firms engaged in legitimate business should be welcomed,” Quimbo said.

Excluding tobacco, milk and other companies from participating in the program also means denying their employees the chance to be inoculated sooner rather than later.

“We are fortunate that we have a proactive private sector that has expressed willingness to co-finance the vaccine program and will, in effect, protect as many Filipinos as possible. The proposed policy of preventing companies that are deemed to be engaged in activities that are contrary to public health reflects a misappreciation by its proponents of the public health mandate of the DOH during a pandemic,” Quimbo added.

House Ways and Means panel chairman Joey Sarte Salceda said the DOH draft order practically locks out the cash-strapped government from receiving any form of assistance from the private sector.

Rep. Ron Salo of Kabayan Party-list said the proposed order is discriminatory against the people whose livelihood depends on these industries.

Muntinlupa City Rep. Ruffy Biazon said instead of banning firms related to the “barred” industries, DOH “should just make it conditional that the vaccines will not be used in any way to directly or indirectly promote or distribute products of those industries.”

Rep. Michael Defensor (Anakalusugan) said: “Congress never meant to discriminate against any industry when we passed the law establishing the Covid-19 vaccination program, precisely because we recognize that government needs the help of the entire private corporate sector in quickly immunizing as many Filipinos as possible.”

With Bernadette D. Nicolas and Samuel P. Medenilla

Agriculture/Commodities BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng • Monday, March 22, 2021 A5

PHL banana exports plunge by 51% in Jan

T

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

@jearcalas

HE country’s banana exports in January plummeted by 51 percent to 186,419.019 metric tons (MT), from last year’s 384,151.173 MT, latest Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) trade data showed.

PSA d ata ana lyzed by t he BUSINESSMIRROR showed that the latest figure is the steepest decline in January banana shipments since 2006.

Data from the agency also showed that the value of banana exports in January fell by 47 percent to $84.659 million, from $159.454 million recorded a year ago.

Japan remained the top destination of Philippine bananas in terms of value while China was the top export market in terms of volume.

The country’s banana exports to China reached 71,386.846 MT, 32

percent lower than the 105,514.553 MT shipped to the East Asian country last January 2020.

Value of banana exports to China dropped by nearly 30 percent to $30.406 million, from $43.307 million last year.

PSA data also showed that banana exports to Japan in January plunged by 41 percent to 63,476.882 MT, from 106,985.011 MT while value of shipments declined by 39.7 percent year-on-year to $32.372 million.

The country’s banana exports to South Korea, one of the Philippines’s

BusinessMirror FILE PHOTO

key markets, declined by 51 percent to 23,269.464 MT from 47,393.123 MT, PSA data showed. The value of banana shipments to South Korea also went down by 50.2 percent to $12.065 million, from $24.204 million in January of last year.

The volume of bananas exported to Saudi Arabia, one of the country’s key markets in the Middle East, fell 61 percent to 10,564.715

MT while value of shipments in January declined by 65.2 percent to $3.294 million.

For this year, the outlook for the country’s precious yellow fruit export is “not promising,” as other banana exporters have “easily filled in the supply gaps” that the Philippines created in its key markets, the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) said.

“We also need to work doubletime in overhauling the production areas badly affected by diseases.

We are keeping our fingers crossed, though we will withstand the pandemic, hopefully with government’s intervention,” PBGEA Executive Director Stephen A. Antig earlier told the BusinessMirror.

Banana exports last year declined by almost a fifth to a 2-year low of 3.595 million MT as shipments across all key markets contracted due to weak domestic production.

PSA trade data analyzed by the BusinessMirror showed that total banana exports last year was 808,000 MT, or 18.35 percent, lower than the record-high 4.403 MMT posted in 2019.

Export receipts from banana shipments in 2020 declined by 20.6 percent to $1.552 billion from $1.953 billion.

Due to the double-digit reduction in value, bananas dropped to sixth spot in the list of the top export products of the Philippines, according to PSA data.

PBGEA attributed the decline in exports to “poor production”

caused by the rapid spread of diseases, which was compounded by logistical issues, such as movement restrictions to contain the spread of Covid-19.

The country’s banana output last year fell to a 3-year low after it contracted by 1.1 percent to 9.056 MMT, from 9.157 MMT in 2019, PSA data showed. Cavendish accounted for half of the output last year.

“There was a lot of production wastage. The decline in both volume and value were expected despite the demand for fresh fruits, including bananas in foreign markets,” Antig said.

Antig also said the spread of diseases, such as Fusarium wilt, in farms “[was] left unattended.”

The production situation was worsened by “forced work stoppage/ disruptions mainly because of the restrictions imposed by local government units [LGUs].”

He said difficulties in crossing borders between LGUs resulted in a “slow flow” of fresh bananas from farms and packing houses to ports.

This, Antig said, affected the quality of fresh bananas for export.

Lawmaker pushes passage of measure protecting farmworkers from pesticides

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

T

O provide firmer guidelines on the protection of farmworkers against the risks of being exposed to highly toxic pesticides, a partylist lawmaker has renewed her call for the immediate passage of the proposed Farm Workers’ Protection Act. A AMBIS-OWA Rep. Sharon Garin said her House Bill (HB) 3595, which is pending with the Committee on Agriculture and Food since August 2019, seeks to provide firmer guidelines on the protection of farmworkers against the risks of being exposed to highly toxic pesticides.

According to Garin, farmers and agricultural workers, particularly

those who are working in vegetable farms, have high exposure to pesticides with carcinogens.

The lawmaker, citing the Journal of Rural Medicine, said the most common types of pesticides used in the country are organophosphate insecticides, carbamates and synthetic pyrethroids—each providing distinct hazards to pesticide handlers.

The lawmaker also said a 2015 study done on pesticide use among farmers in Mindanao echoed the need to educate farmers about the risks of being exposed to highly toxic pesticides, underscore the importance of proper handling and application, and introduce alternative pest management methods.

“Organophosphates can be absorbed by humans through skin and inhalation, resulting nausea,

Tesda to put up RCEF-backed farm field schools

T

O enhance farmers’ skills, improve their productivity and increase their income, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) announced its plan to establish Farm Field Schools all over the country.

Tesda Secretary Isidro Lapeña said the plan is in line with the implementation of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF).

In a memorandum issued to all Regional and Provincial Directors, Lapeña has directed the Regional and Provincial Directors to establish Farm Field Schools in their respective Tesda institutions, particularly those located in 57 provinces that are recipients of RCEF. “The Farm Field Schools shall provide applicable technologies needed to improve the capabilities of farmers as they shift from the traditional method to modernized system of rice planting. These schools will also boost their competitiveness to help make the country’s agriculture sector more viable,” Lapeña said.

The Farm Field Schools is attributed to the Rice Tariffication Law which requires the special role of the farm school as venues of the extension services program.

The Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) or Republic Act 11203 was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on February 24, 2019 with a mandate of enhancing the productivity and overall competitiveness of the country’s rice sector.

Lapeña said Tesda continues to prioritize the agriculture sector, along with the construction sector, as priority areas in its scholarship allocation.

Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

diarrhea and other adverse effects on the nervous system. Many carbamates are known carcinogens or cancer-causing, while pyrethroids may also cause users to experience dizziness, headache, nausea and diarrhea. Exposure to immense doses leads to acute poisoning and can be fatal,” she said.

Upon the enactment of the bill, farm owners and operators shall be required to conduct mandatory testing for the presence of organophosphate pesticides in their respective agricultural sites.

The bill proposes an intensified education campaign among farmworkers and their families about the hazards of exposure to pesticides, how to avoid such exposures to children, personal clothing and possessions, and what to do if pesticide

exposure or contamination occurs.

A provision in the bill also requires every incident of pesticide exposure to farmworkers or their families, whether by direct exposure to pesticide applications or from the drift of pesticides from the application site must be reported to the Department of Agriculture.

The measure empowers the Department of Agriculture to assess penalties or fines against farm owners and operators for violation of the pro-

Bayer won’t ask US Supreme Court to reverse Roundup loss

B

AYER AG won’t seek the United States Supreme Court’s review of the first verdict finding its Roundup herbicide caused cancer.

The company said Tuesday that the decision not to pursue a further appeal of the verdict won by a school groundskeeper after a state appeals court reduced it to $20.5 million was made after “careful and extensive consideration,” and reflects a legal strategy to end the state court case and instead focus on the second Roundup verdict, in federal court.

“The decision is not based on the merits of this case,” Bayer said in an e-mailed statement, referring to a lawsuit brought by Dewayne Johnson and decided in 2018 by a San Francisco jury. The federal case being reviewed by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals “will serve as a better case for review by the Supreme Court,” Bayer said.

Litigation over Roundup—which plaintiffs claim causes cancer—remains Bayer’s biggest challenge. After losing three trials over the matter in the US, the company has been negotiating with tens of thousands of claimants for more than a year and a half, and has still failed to put the litigation behind it.

Bayer insists the product is safe.

The US Enviromental Protection Agency has weighed in on Bayer’s side in the federal appeals court case, in which a jury found Roundup defective because it’s sold without a cancer warning. A lower-court judge cut the verdict from more than $80 million to $25 million but refused to overturn the verdict.

The EPA has said it reviewed and

approved the Roundup warning label issued by Monsanto, which Bayer acquired in 2018 for about $63 billion. In the federal case, the agency backed Bayer’s argument that plaintiff Edwin Hardeman’s lawyers ignored the EPA’s authority and instead improperly relied on California law to claim the omission resulted in a flawed label.

In its statement Friday Bayer explained that in Johnson’s case the key issue of “federal preemption” has no bearing on any lawsuit besides his.

Hardeman’s case at the federal appeals court is “a better candidate for Supreme Court review” because the ruling is expected to address “the most significant federal questions at issue in the Roundup litigation, including preemption and the admissibility of expert evidence,” Bayer said.

Johnson was originally awarded $289 million. Bayer later won a ruling from the trial judge cutting it to $78.6 million and then persuaded the appeals court to lop off another $58 million.

While the Roundup litigation was significant before Johnson’s case went to trial, the trio of verdicts against the company fueled a frenzy of lawsuits that as of June totaled more than 125,000.

Bayer is also appealing the third verdict, which was in California state court.

Bayer said last month it still expects to spend $9.6 billion to resolve existing suits over the controversial weedkiller.

“Bayer has great sympathy for Mr. Johnson and all people battling cancer yet continues to believe the Johnson verdict is not supported by the evidence or the law,” Bayer said. Bloomberg News

posal. In no circumstance will any penalty or fine exceed P100,000.

It also directed the department to issue an annual report of all farm inspections to the legislature for the previous calendar year, including

compliance with the requirements contained in the proposal, enforcement actions, fines and penalties for non-compliance resulting from such inspections; and pesticide exposure or contamination reports.

A6

Women +

A BusinessMirr

Monday, March 22, 2021 | www.businessmirror.com.ph

CELEBRATING WOMEN IN THE TIME OF COVID-19

O

By Leony Garcia

NE day in March 1908, thousands of women united and marched for better labor conditions and laws, the right of suffrage, among others, in New York City. A year later, the women gathered again in Manhattan for what they dubbed to be the first International Women’s Day. The idea swiftly made its way to Europe with the holding of the International Conference of Women in Copenhagen in March 1910 with 100 women in attendance, representing 17 countries.

International Women's Day was then formally honored on March 8, 1911 by Germany, Austria, Denmark, and Switzerland. Russian Communist leader Vladimir Lenin even declared Women's Day a Soviet Holiday in 1917.

Owing its growing popularity, the United Nations began sponsoring International Women's Day on March 8, 1975, with a declaration that the body aimed "to recognize the fact that securing peace and social progress and the full enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms requires the active participa-

tion, equality, and development of women; and to acknowledge the contribution of women to the strengthening of international peace and security."

In February 1980, then US President Jimmy Carter declared in a Presidential Proclamation that the week of March 8 was officially National Women’s History Week.

By 1986, 14 states had gone ahead and dubbed March Women’s History Month. A year later, the US congress declared March as Women’s Month in perpetuity.

Fast forward to 2021. The pandemic year 2020 is easily the most challenging year for everyone in recent history. It is particularly challenging for women who were silently tasked to manage the kids and the household and make both ends meet as the man

of the house struggled to earn a living outside amid the global health threat.

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT AMID PANDEMIC

SOCIAL distancing strategies across the globe have devolved work, care and domestic duties to the household, as flagged by UN Women Asia and the Pacific.

“Entrenched social norms in

Southeast Asia have seen an increase in unpaid work for women with a large number responsible for homeschooling, cooking, cleaning and childcare (even while working from home), caring for elderly family and neighbors, procuring essential household items under the conditions of social distancing, and maintaining more rigorous cleaning regimes,” the report said.

In the Philippines, various groups and organizations have come up with programs and training to empower women even at the time of COVID-19.

Bravo Empowered Women Awards honor exemplary women and their achievements

In celebration of International Women’s Month, Security Bank Corporation and Zonta Club of

SKINCARE IS SELF-CARE!

#BRIGHTABOUTSKIN

C

ETAPHIL empowers women to be confident of themselves with their Bright Healthy Radiance product range.

Despite the challenging roles at home, workplaces or the community, women would always love to look beautiful or at their very best as they perform their duties. Beauty, after all, as they say, is empowering.

Being beautiful is not being vain. It's also about having confidence in yourself and how others perceive you to be.

That’s why Cetaphil, the number one prescribed skincare brand

by Dermatologists, has always been in the forefront of empowering women by taking care of their skin and overall health.

“Confidence is important in any aspect of life. It can empower you to drive yourself further, to have a greater sense of self-worth.

While our appearances don’t make up our entire identity, they play a huge role in how we’re interpreted – by ourselves and by others," says Galderma Philippines Business Unit-Head, Jade Silva-netto Ponoc.

That’s why after saying goodbye to 2020, the most challenging year for everyone, and into the last stretch of the first quarter of 2021, Cetaphil encourages women to practice self-love and care.

Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance Brand Manager, Tammy Au shares “Practice self-care. Self-care

GALDERMA Philippines Business Unit-Head Jade Silva-netto Ponoc

CETAPHIL Bright Healthy Radiance Brand Manager Tammy Au

is an investment in yourself - you allow yourself to feel worthy, to feel loved and cared for. Taking time to invest in yourself makes you feel amazing each day, you can create confidence from within, which is powerful. Self-love and the concept of ‘me time’ is very necessary, as it helps us rejuvenate not just our mind but also our body from all the stresses we face daily. In a world where we’re constantly faced with challenges and difficulties, the least we can do is to give ourselves a little love, which can be in the form of our daily skincare routine.”

Cetaphil also recommends women to invest in skin products

that truly care and bring out the best in them.

“We recognize that building self-confidence can be a challenge, and beauty and skin care products are not a fix. But developing healthy habits and caring for your skin can certainly help. Your skin health and appearance can have a dramatic effect on how you feel about what you see. When you invest time and effort into your skin, you are investing in yourself.

Pamper yourself with products that will give you your best skin yet in the gentlest manner. Our Cetaphil website provides a wide range of skincare products that address specific skin concern with the same

gentle ingredients for sensitive skin. Investing in your skin health can help you feel good about being in your own skin.”

The road to brighter skin shouldn’t harm but care for your skin even more. Cetaphil has a wide range of products for women's different needs. The goal is to empower women to embrace their differences and provide options to work on parts of themselves that they feel the most confident about.

Jade says, “All women, at any stage or in any situation, have the power to be beautiful and confident with their own skin. All it takes is a little encouragement. Every skin has its concerns, that’s why it’s im-

CETAPHIL Brand Manager Abe Mationg

portant to identify them first so you can be #BrightAboutSkin. By knowing these concerns, you can properly identify areas you want to target and improve, as well as choose the right products that will gently help with these.”

Makati & Environs honor women achievers through the annual Bravo Empowered Women Awards.

On top of the recognition, award winners will receive Php 50,000 each which they may use for their advocacies.

One winner is chosen in each of the eight categories: Arts, Culture & Heritage; Business; Culinary Arts; Education; Media & Public Affairs; Science & Technology; Social Services; and Sports.

Nominees must possess the following qualifications: Filipino citizen, of good moral character, with an outstanding track record in her profession, involved in an advocacy for the last three years, sustained a project for the improvement of society, must not have received recognition from any national or international award-giving body and must not be a member of Zonta or a Security Bank Employee.

Interested parties may visit www.securitybank.com/BravoAwards to download the nomination form and review the full guidelines.

The deadline for submission of entries has been extended until April 30, 2021.

Since its founding over 69 years ago, Security Bank’s mission has been to enrich lives, empower businesses, and build communities. It has been a partner of the Zonta Club since 2015 and has supported many of its projects including the on-going FilipinaZ Fair, an annual fundraising bazaar showcasing products made by women entrepreneurs.

Skincare is self-care. But not all skincare products are as caring as they appear. Cetaphil understands the needs of sensitive skin and formulated the Bright Healthy Radiance range that visibly corrects dark spots while being gentle on skin. It contains Niacinamide and Sea Daffodil, which evens out skin in the gentle manner that Cetaphil is known for.

“The Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance line has the right active ingredients at the right concentration for a synergistic brightening activity. Leaving your skin feeling hydrated, smooth and noticeably radiant.”

Now here’s the good news for women out there. Cetaphil Skin Analysis app is now available. "It recommends a personalized skincare regimen based on skin concern. You can buy these products directly through the app. Using the tool will introduce you to new products that can deliver results while being gentle on your skin," says Abe Mationg, Cetaphil Brand Manager.

Today is the time to be better-informed skincare enthusiasts and to look for a product that does more for ourselves. Be #BrightAboutSkin with Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance, the gentle regimen that puts the real care in Skincare.

Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance line is a complete regimen that will cleanse, tone, moisturize, and protect your skin to bring out its inner radiance. Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance includes the nondrying Brightness Reveal Creamy Cleanser, Brightness Refresh Toner, Brightening Day Protection Cream SPF15, Brightening Night Comfort Cream, Brightening Lotion, Brightness Reveal Body Wash, and Brightness Reveal Bar. The new Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance range of products is now available at the official Cetaphil Philippines stores in Lazada and Shopee. Customers can also purchase the products in Watsons, Mercury, and other leading drugstores and supermarkets nationwide.

To learn more about the new Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance and its gentle line of products to brighten skin, follow Cetaphil Philippines on Facebook and Instagram, or visit www.cetaphil.com.ph.

n’sMonth

ror Special Feature

From homemakers to E-Nanays: Empowering moms to survive the challenges of digital learning Take the case of Delma Marimon and Anale Cagalitan, both stay-at-home moms in Malabon City. At the height of the pandemic, they found themselves wearing more hats -- they are not only moms, nurses, or cooks, they became the teacher/ tutor of their kids as online learning was implemented at home.

“When my kids would ask me about checking emails or approving Zoom sessions for their online classes, I admit that I was so afraid as I didn’t know anything about online stuff. I realized that in order to help our kids learn during this time, we have to also learn on our own and equip ourselves with the digital tools,” said Delma in Filipino.

In October 2020, the Malabon City LGU launched a new program specifically to “transform stay-athome Nanays into E-Nanays.”

Last December 21, 2020, a graduation program presented E-Nanays Delma and Anale, who were among the 50 graduates, who underwent handson training to ensure that each one is truly learning, and trialand-errors are minimized. They learned the important Microsoft office programs, how to email and use different Facebook functions, and how to assist their kids during online learning sessions. They were trained at the City of Malabon University’s computer laboratories.

Malabon Mayor Lenlen Oreta, also CMU’s President, and First Lady Melissa Oreta, together with Malabon City Councilor Enzo Oreta, presented the certificates to the graduates. It was Coun. Oreta who

donated the desktop computers for the use of the E-Nanays. They were joined by the team behind the ENanay Tutorial Program, which includes Professor Maria Luisa Tongco, Dean Gloria Gomez, University Secretary Engr. Sheila Villanueva, and Professor Maria Catherine Arboleda. The Mayor also cited the 50 senior College of Teacher Education (CTE) students who became the “private tutors” of the Nanays.

Delma and Anale, along with other Nanays, are delighted with the fact that they are now also able to adapt to the new normal way of life, pay utilities using digital apps, and even purchase products online.

They feel “important” once again, and are digital-ready to face the future. #SpeakOut Art Collective: a collaboration between Filipina artists and Avon Philippines For over 130 years Avon has stood for women: providing innovative, quality beauty products which are primarily sold to women, through women. Avon supports women’s empowerment, entrepreneurship and well-being and has donated over $1billion to women’s causes through Avon and the Avon Foundation.

At this time of the pandemic, women have also found an ally in Avon against domestic abuse and violence. A National Demographic Health Survey records that 1 in 4 women has experienced abuse by their partner. Also, data from the PNP Women & Children Protection Center says that at least 1 woman or child is abused every 10 minutes in the country.

This silent pandemic is the subject of the #SpeakOut Art Collective, a collaboration between Filipina artists and Avon Philippines.

14 contemporary works from the all-female lineup deliver a commentary on domestic violence, bringing to light a problem that to this day, evades discourse, The art collective features the works of visual artists Denise Heredia, Nicole Concepcion, Ciane Xavier, Gabby Prado, Cru Camara, Tyang Karyel, Mara Fabella, Tammy De Roca, Bea Policarpio, and Bree Jonson. Musicians contributing their voices to the cause are Kiana Valenciano and Peaceful Gemini, through exclusive performances during the online launch which culminated on March 19 via Avon’s Facebook page.

Proceeds raised from the auction will be donated to partner organizations that rescue and support victims of domestic violence. These are Luna Legal Resource Center for Women and Children, Gender Watch Against Violence and Exploitation (GWAVE), Women’s Care Center Inc. (WCCI), and ING MAKABABAYING AKSYON (IMA) Foundation.

To raise more funds for the advocacy, Avon also launched limited-edition #SpeakOut fundraising products: the Avon #SpeakOut Lipstick, the Evita watch, the Avon Love yourself jewelry set, and the women's empowerment umbrella.

“We call on everyone to go online and speak out against domestic violence. Through this effort, we are hoping to spark more conversations and increase more awareness on the realities of domestic abuse caused by the isolation. We want to let survivors know that they are never alone,” said Razvan Diratian, General Manager of Avon Philippines.

The GM added that anyone can extend their support to the cause through Avon’s various fundraising channels at Avon.ph.

www.businessmirror.com.ph | Monday, March 22, 2021

A7

HOW FILIPINAS NAVIGATE

THE NEW NORMAL

Financial endeavors are just one of many ways women have supported each other during the pandemic

By Stephanie Joy Ching

Q

UARANTINE has been hard on all of us. Other than the social isolation, the Philippines also had to grapple with a rising economic crisis and social-political turmoil. In short, 2020 has been an exhausting year, particularly for women. In a study made by UN Women on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was shown that women are disproportionately hit harder during an economic crisis because of the gender wage gap. In addition to this, women also have less stable job positions compared to their male counterparts.

The report also predicted that out of the expected 96 million people that the pandemic will push into extreme poverty, 47 million of them are women. Moreover, as more women work in the informal economy, many face a higher risk of having no pension, unemployed insurance and a severe lack of social protection. In addition to this, the number of domestic abuse cases have risen during the lockdown. Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said in an October 2020 interview with UCANews that the city’s women and children’s help desk experience at least 12 complaints of domestic abuse per week compared to the average of five prior to the pandemic. There is also a documented rise in unplanned pregnancies, which is expected to rise by 42 percent this year.

Despite this bleak outlook, however, many women buckled down and tried to make the best of their situations. Through technology, people were able to build online communities to support and uplift each other through any problem the pandemic can throw at them.

For more financially stable women, this time allowed some of them to cultivate new skills, which they used to help others. Be it gardening, cooking, or working out, people have been sharing their crafts online and have sold some of their handiworks. Some even offer online work out sessions and other workshops to share their skills to others, bringing a sense of normalcy during lockdown. Some of these businesses even split some of the profits or made special promos to give to people who had a much harder time adjusting to the pandemic, which fostered a sense of community despite being physically isolated. In this way, businesses were able to generate income and at the same time give back to their communities in their own small way.

Other women, meanwhile, decided to take second jobs to supplement their reduced incomes or to make a living amidst their sudden unemployment. Most of these second jobs could be done remotely or were flexible in terms of time, such as running an online shop or offering teaching services to children over video chat. By taking on these remote jobs, they are able to ensure that their families and loved ones stay safe and supported through these uncertain times.

For women who aren’t able to financially support businesses, they contribute by sharing posts about small businesses and vendors that need help. Social media platforms suddenly became full of awareness posts of small businesses and vendors along with their locations, which helped generate more interest in them. Though they cannot directly support these businesses, they

do their part to direct them to someone who can.

Building a better world for the next generation of Filipinas

FINANCIAL endeavors aren’t the only way women have supported each other during the pandemic. As the news feeds keep showing certain problematic and backwards statements from prominent male personalities, along with the documented rise of gender-based violence and unplanned pregnancies, young women have been relentless in shedding light on these issues.

For example, a number of problematic victim blaming statements made by local police have been called out by young women, which culminated into the #HijaAko movement. Young women are tired of being blamed for the urges of unruly men, and are taking to the internet to change these outdated views for the next generation.

Whether it be sharing their survivor stories or sharing educational material on rape culture and their rights as a woman, the next generation of Filipinas are fearless, open, and are pushing for change against the misogynistic environment they’ve been in for most of their lives. Some women even post hotlines of certain organizations to help others gain access to birth control or help for domestic abuse cases.

Though separated from each other by the lockdown, the Bayanihan spirit proved itself strong and unwavering within every Filipina as they navigate through the new normal. Though they could be knocked down by financial troubles or misogynistic views, the Filipina will always rise from the ashes and rebuild herself anew.

Women’s resilience shines through our local sari-sari store owners as they counter pandemic challenges and gender inequality

I

in the community, but the pandemic hit her hard and eventually halted her business. But not for long, as she became a beneficiary of the Coca-Cola ReSTART program that loaned

N 2020, Rebecca Ceniza, a mother of two who worked as a cook in Kuwait in 2013, had to make the difficult decision to leave her work and return to the Philippines when the pandemic was at its height last year.

“Syempre natakot ako kasi hindi ko alam yung mangyayari—makakabalik pa ba ko?

Tsaka makakahanap pa ba ako ng pambayad sa pang-college ng mga anak ko? (I was scared because I didn’t know what the future was going to be like—would I be able to go back there?

Will I still be able to find ways to pay for my child’s college education?),” she shared.

The decision was difficult but what carried her through was the thought that she needed to work to support her family as her husband’s salary as a salesman wasn’t enough.

After returning to Cagayan de Oro, Rebecca decided to put up a sari-sari store and sell processed meats—skills she learned in TESDA training sessions and in one of Coca-Cola Philippines’ livelihood and entrepreneurship programs for returning overseas Filipino workers (OFW), the OFW Re-Integration through Skills and Entrepreneurship Program or OFW RISE.

She said that she learned how to properly run a business through the said program. Now, Rebecca continues to run her store and sell processed and marinated meats.

“Na-realize ko na hindi lang ako housewife--pwede rin akong mag-business kahit nag-aasikaso ako ng pamilya (I realized that I can be more than a housewife—I can run my own business even though I’m busy taking care of my family),” she said.

Breaking free from genderbased stereotypes

THERE is overwhelming evidence that achieving equality and empowerment of women has broad ripple effects that are good for society. As pillars of communities, women invest a sizable

that we always account for safety),” she said.

The P10,000 she got from the ReSTART program went to buying Coca-Cola products and other products that she could sell online.

Her sari-sari store has now grown into also offering ice cream products.

“Kailangan talaga pursigido ka kung gusto mong umunlad. (You really need to be determined if you want to succeed),” Racele said.

Empowering millions of women through 5by20 programs

COCA-COLA Philippines continuously provides women-related programs that will address the needs of women and economically empower them to become active agents of the country’s growth.

portion of their income addressing the families and their local communities’ basic welfare and needs, which contributes to economic growth.

Coca-Cola is one company that has been investing in women’s economic empowerment.

In 2010, Coca-Cola launched its 5by20® global initiative to enable the economic empowerment of 5million women entrepreneurs across its value chain by 2020. The program has been improving livelihoods for women, their families and their communities.

The Coca-Cola Company has now exceeded its 5by20 goal by enabling the economic empowerment of more than 6 million women around the world. In the Philippines, the 5by20 program was initially implemented through the Sari-Sari Training and Access to Resources or STAR program until it expanded to other initiatives to respond to different needs of women, such as iSTAR, STAR Ka-Asenso, ReSTART, Women Artisans of Tondo, WOMEN REACH, and OFW RISE. To date, Coca-Cola Philippines, through its women-centred programs, has empowered about 250,000 women.

“Women have limitless potential to make the world a better place, but the reality is much of that potential is hindered by prevailing cultural stereotypes. The stories of hundreds of thousands of Filipino women that have participated in our 5by20 programs prove that women can fully realize their potential when

GERLYN Ogong is just one of the empowered women by the 5by20 programs of Coca-Cola. Aside from her fruit delivery service, she explored and expanded her business to open another e-loading business and dragon fruit soap making to help maximize her monthly earnings.

provided with proper resources and enabling mechanisms,” shared Jonah De Lumen-Pernia, Coca-Cola Philippines Public Affairs and Sustainability Director.

An example of women helping other women and their community is Daisy Mogote, a STARpreneur with a sari-sari store and carinderia business from Muntinlupa. Daisy currently employs two women and is actively looking for a third to help with her business. She said that it’s imperative for women to help other women to reach their dreams and full potential.

REBECCA Ceniza, an OFW Re-Integration through Skills and Entrepreneurship Program or RISE graduate, received business coaching and mentoring that empowered and equipped her to manage her own sari-sari store business.

MORE women rose against the challenges of the pandemic as they received financial support and safety education and resources with the help of Coca-Cola ReSTART or Rebuilding Sari-Sari Stores Through Access to Resources and Trade program.

Meanwhile, Racele Renong, a ReSTART Program beneficiary and sari-sari store owner from Aklan, shows the indomitable spirit of a woman who doesn’t let her circumstances and even a pandemic stop her from wanting to earn a decent living.

Initially, she sold meals through her store, and when business was slow, she would get on her electric bike to sell meals

her P10,000 to re-open her business.

“Sabi ng asawa ko tumigil daw muna ako sa pagtitinda kasi ang dami ng nagkakasakit sa amin pero boring pag nasa bahay lang ako at kailangan namin kumita, basta ang mahalaga safe sa pagtitinda (My husband told me to stop selling because more people are getting sick at our place but if I stayed at home, I’d be bored and I’d rather make a living but it’s important

ACCORDING to Gerlyn Ogong—one of the 250,000 Filipino women empowered through programs like WOMEN REACH—Coca-Cola did not only provide them with the necessary resources, capital, and tools. She said that the beverage company enabled her and others like her, to feel confident about being a woman.

“Natulungan talaga kami ng program na ito na maging motivated at empowered, na hindi lang kami dapat nasa bahay at nag-aalaga ng bata. Na hindi porke’t naging domestic helper ka abroad, pagbalik mo mababa lang sahod mo. Nalaman namin na pwede kang magtayo at magpatakbo ng business kahit wala kang natapos dahil sa programa ng Coca-Cola.

Kahit anong estado namin sa buhay, pwede pa rin pala kaming maging entrepreneur.

(This program helped us become motivated and empowered that we shouldn’t be just stuck at home and taking care of the kids. We learned that just because you were a domestic helper abroad doesn’t mean you’re bound to settle for a low-income job when you get back. Coca-Cola helped us prove that we could set up our own business even if we don’t have the right educational background. Whatever our status is, we women can still be entrepreneurs),” she added.

After successfully achieving its original 5by20 goals, Coca-Cola is going beyond by empowering more Filipino women entrepreneurs.

“The success of our 5by20 programs inspires us to do more,” said Tony Del Rosario, President of Coca-Cola Philippines and Vice President of Franchise Operations for Coca-Cola East Region (Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia).

Coca-Cola Philippines may have empowered around 250,000 women entrepreneurs, but it doesn’t stop there. Coca-Cola will continue to champion women empowerment by creating avenues and opportunities for them to break barriers and gender stereotypes, and reach their full potential, captured in its ongoing #KababaeMongTao campaign.

A8

The World BusinessMirror

Monday, March 22, 2021

US ties with Russia, China sink as Biden maintains tough lines N

Editor: Angel R. Calso

Myanmar garment workers urge global brands to denounce coup

W

ASHINGTON—US relations with its two biggest geopolitical rivals are facing severe tests as President Joe Biden tries to assert America's place in the world and distinguish himself from his predecessor.

Airing myriad complaints, the Biden administration took an extraordinarily tough line with China and Russia this past week.

Public spats between the countries erupted as Biden characterized Russian President Vladimir Putin as a "killer" and his top national security aides excoriated China for a litany of issues.

Moscow and Beijing both fired back, setting the stage for months, if not more, of escalating tensions that are unlikely to be resolved without intense discussions at the leadership level and major concessions from all sides.

Biden himself kicked off the latest round of recrimination in a television interview in which he sought to draw clear differences between his Russia policies and those of former President Donald Trump who was accused of being soft on Putin. Just 24 hours later, Biden's top diplomat and national security adviser blasted Chinese officials in face-to-face talks.

Although Biden's strong comments about Putin reflected a shift from Trump's often-conciliatory approach to the Kremlin, the harsh criticism directed at China by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and national security adviser Jake Sullivan in many ways mirrored the previous administration's hard line toward Beijing.

The contrasting styles suggested that Biden is intent on reversing years of perceived US weakness toward Russia while rejecting Trump's 2020 campaign allegations that he's not tough enough on China.

In taking a strong line on Rus-

sia, Biden has said the days of the US "rolling over" to Putin are done. And, in the interview with ABC broadcast on Wednesday, Biden replied, "I do" when asked if he thought Putin was a "killer."

Russia responded by recalling its ambassador in Washington for consultations.

Putin then shot back by pointing to the US history of slavery, the slaughter of Native Americans and the atomic bombing of Japan in World War II in an "it-takes-oneto-know-one" response.

As that was unfolding, on Thursday in Alaska, China's top two diplomats reacted in similar fashion to criticism from Blinken and Sullivan about Beijing's human rights record in the western Xinjiang region and Tibet and its aggressive actions in Hong Kong, Taiwan and the South China Sea. Communist Party foreign policy chief Yang Jiechi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi accused the US of hypocrisy for condemning China while at the same time grappling with its own internal issues, including violence against Asian Americans and other people of color and political unrest following the 2020 presidential election.

Blinken and Sullivan took umbrage at those comments and replied that the US was not perfect but sought to openly and honestly address such matters. Sullivan said Americans' willingness to confront their shortcomings was the "secret sauce" of US success.

And, they sought to reframe US-China relations in the context of the Biden administration's resolve to correct those issues,

In this March 1, 2021 file photo, President Joe Biden attends a virtual meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington. US relations with its two biggest geo-political rivals are facing severe tests as President Joe Biden tries to assert himself as the world's foremost anti-authoritarian leader and distinguish himself from his predecessor. AP Photo/Andrew Harnik

strengthen the US economy and improve ties with democratic allies in Asia such as Australia, Japan and South Korea.

Blinken, having just finished a trip to Japan and South Korea with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, made clear to the Chinese that the US is aligned with its allies.

"I have to tell you, what I'm hearing is very different from what you described," he told Wang and Yang. "I'm hearing deep satisfaction that the United States is back, that we're re-engaged with our allies and partners. I'm also hearing deep concern about some of the actions your government has taken."

Blinken appears to have impressed his boss. "I'm very proud of the secretary of state," Biden said after the testy talks in Anchorage.

A similar effort with allies is underway in Europe with respect to Russia.

Blinken will leave Monday for Brussels for talks with NATO and European Union officials designed to repair strains caused by Trump's largely transactional diplomacy.

Trump's bluster, threats of trade wars and intense demands that Europe pay more for its defense angered many, particularly in the continent's two major powers:

France and Germany.

That trip is aimed at underscoring the Biden administration's "determination to strengthen the transatlantic alliance and reinvigorate our ties with allies through NATO" with an eye toward challenges posed by both Russia and China, the State Department said.

Russia's relations with the United States and the European Union already had plunged to post-Cold War lows after Moscow's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, meddling in elections, hacking attacks and, most recently, the jailing of Russia's opposition leader Alexei Navalny after his poisoning, which he blamed on the Kremlin. Russian authorities rejected the accusations.

Then, the US national intelligence director's office released a report finding that Putin authorized influence operations to help Trump's reelection bid. The Biden administration warned that Russia would face sanctions soon over its attempt to influence the election and the widespread SolarWinds hacks. "[Putin] will pay a price," Biden said in the ABC interview when asked about the declassified report. AP

US seeks stronger defense Thailand police use tear gas, rubber ties with Quad partner India bullets to break up Bangkok protest

T

he US sought to further strengthen defense cooperation with India as part of President Joe Biden’s push to develop closer ties with Asian partners amid widening differences with China.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin held talks with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on Saturday to discuss opportunities to elevate the US-India defense partnership through regional security cooperation, military interactions and defense trade.

Austin also met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, and late Saturday with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

“India in particular is an increasingly important partner among rapidly shifting international dynamics,” Austin said at a joint press briefing on Saturday with Singh after the talks. “I reaffirmed our commitment to a comprehensive and forward-looking defense partnership with India as a central pillar of our approach to the region.”

“In addition we are continuing to advance new areas of collaboration including information sharing, logistics and artificial intelligence and cooperation in new domains such as space and cyber,” he said.

The hour-long meeting between Austin and Jaishankar focused on a “changing global scenario” including India’s tensions with China, the situation in Afghanistan, and bilateral cooperation, according to India’s Mint newspaper.

Austin’s visit to New Delhi after talks in Tokyo and South Korea earlier this week follows a March 12 virtual summit, the first meeting

between Biden and top leaders of the so-called Quad partners India, Australia and Japan, all of whom have their own tensions with China.

References in a statement released after the meeting to an “open” Indo-Pacific region and shared security interests indicated the talks were a show of unity against Beijing.

Biden’s administration has prioritized Indo-Pacific partnerships at a time when the US’s differences with Beijing are deepening.

US and Chinese officials traded acrimony and accusations over two days of talks in Anchorage, Alaska this week.

While New Delhi and Beijing have moved back troops from a part of their disputed Himalayan borders, tensions between the neighbors that began in May 2020 continue to simmer.

The US is seeking to deepen military cooperation and intelligence sharing with India by operationalizing two of the three foundational agreements between the two sides—the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement and the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreements—that were signed in October 2020. India needs to equip some of its platforms with secure military communication equipment among other things needed to initiate the agreements.

Singh said the two sides discussed expanding cooperation between the Indian military and US Indo-Pacific Command, Central Command and Africa Command. They also spoke about optimizing agreements signed on logistics exchange, basic exchange and cooperation and communications compatibility and security, Singh said at the press conference.

Bloomberg News

B

ANGKOK—Police in the Thai capital used water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets on Saturday night to break up a rally by pro-democracy protesters calling for the release of detained activists, constitutional changes and reform of the nation's monarchy.

The rally held outside Bangkok's Grand Palace was a continuation of student-led protests that began last year and have rattled Thailand's traditional establishment, which is fiercely opposed to change, especially with regard to the monarchy.

The rally organizers had said they planned to have demonstrators throw paper planes with messages over the palace walls.

The demonstrators, who numbered close to 1,000, managed to break through a barrier made of shipping containers outside the ceremonial palace stacked two high. Police behind the containers responded first with warnings and then by shooting water cannons and rubber bullets. Police drove the crowd back and while skirmishes continued, the crowds appeared to have dissipated by 10 p.m.

During the skirmishes, protesters tossed smoke bombs and giant firecrackers at police, and

also splashed a royal portrait with paint, but failed in an attempt to set it on fire, though they did burn tires and trash at several locations.

Police Deputy Spokesman Col. Kissana Phathanacharoen said at least six police officers were injured and around five protesters detained. The city's Erawan emergency services said 11 people in all had been sent to hospitals.

Kissana said police had warned in advance that the rally was illegal, but the demonstrators proceeded anyway. He said in addition to throwing various objects, they used slingshots to fire nuts and bolts at police and hit them with metal rods. He said police had used water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets according to proper procedures.

The rally was called by REDEM, a faction of a broader protest movement last year that started with three core demands: that Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and his government to step down, the constitution to be amended to make it more democratic and the monarchy to be reformed to make it more accountable.

REDEM, which stands for Restart Democracy, claims to have no leaders and holds online voting to decide on rally dates and activities.

AP

ew YORK—Tin Tin Wei used to toil 11 hours a day, six days week sewing jackets at a factory in Myanmar.

But she hasn't stitched a single garment since a coup in February.

Instead, the 26-year-old union organizer has been protesting in the streets — and trying to bring international pressure to bear on the newly installed junta.

Her union, the Federation of Garment Workers in Myanmar, and others have been staging general strikes to protest the coup and are urging major international brands like H&M and Mango, which source some of their products in Myanmar, to denounce the takeover and put more pressure on factories to protect workers from being fired or harassed — or worse arrested and killed for participating in the protests.

"If we go back to work and if we work for the system, our future is in the darkness, and we will lose our labor rights and even our human rights," said Tin Tin Wei, who has been a clothing factory worker since age 13.

The response from companies so far has been mixed. Only a few have said they would curtail their business in Myanmar. Most others have put out statements that stop short of taking action, saying that while they denounce the coup, they want to support the workers by providing them with jobs.

Tin Tin Wei's union and the Confederation of Trade Unions in Myanmar have also been demanding comprehensive international sanctions—not the targeted sanctions some have imposed—to bring down the junta that ousted the civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi. As international sanctions were dropped in the mid-2010s when Myanmar began shifting toward democracy after decades of military rule and started to set some labor standards, Western brands looking to diversify their sourcing were attracted to the country's cheap labor. Broad sanctions now would cripple that burgeoning clothing industry, which has been growing rapidly in recent years before the coronavirus pandemic cut orders and eliminated jobs.

Comprehensive sanctions could wreck the livelihoods of more than 600,000 garment workers, but some union leaders say they would rather see massive layoffs than endure military oppression.

"I need to do some sort of sacrifice in the short term for the long term for our next generation," said Tin Tin Wei, who is the sole breadwinner in her family and has been receiving food donations.

The civil disobedience movement, or CDM as it is known, has included railway workers, truck drivers, hospital, bank employees and many others determined to stifle the economy.

The aim is "no participation with the junta at all," Sein Htay, a migrant labor organizer who returned to Myanmar from Thailand said in an e-mailed comment. "We believe that CDM is really working.

So we are motivated to continue."

But v iolent crackdow ns by Myanmar security forces against protesters including garment workers are escalating. Troops shot and killed at least 38 people on Sunday in an industrial suburb of Yangon—an area dominated by clothing factories—after Chinese-owned factories were set on fire. Tens of thousands of workers and their families were seen fleeing the area in the days that followed.

The garment industry plays a key role in Myanmar's economy, particularly the export sector.

Roughly a third of Myanmar's total merchandising exports come from textiles and apparel, worth $4.59 billion in 2018. That's up from 9 percent, or $900 million, in 2012

as international sanctions were dropped, according to the latest data from the European Chamber of Commerce in Myanmar.

Myanmar's apparel exports mostly go to the European Union, Japan and South Korea because of favorable trade agreements. The US accounts for 5.5 percent of Myanmar's exports, with clothing, footwear and luggage representing the bulk of that, according to garment trade expert Sheng Lu. But Myanmar still accounts for a tiny share—less than 0.1 percent—in US and European Union fashion companies' total sourcing networks. And there are plenty of other alternatives for brands.

Despite this, many are taking a wait-and-see stance when it comes to any long-term decisions. Experts note it's not easy to shift products to a different country, nor is it easy to return to Myanmar once companies leave. Furthermore, some argue Western companies play a role in reducing poverty by giving workers in Myanmar opportunities to earn an income while also helping to improve labor standards there.

Factory working conditions were already poor before the February coup, but the labor unions had made some inroads and gave workers hope. And while the National League for Democracy, the party that was ousted in the takeover, wasn't proactively protecting unions, it didn't persecute or crack down on them, says Andrew Tillett-Saks, a labor organizer in Southeast Asia who previously was based in Myanmar.

Asian brands have so far remained quiet about the turmoil.

The American Apparel & Footwear Association joined other groups like the Fair Labor Association in condemning the coup while urging members to honor existing financial contracts with factories there.

L.L. Bean CEO Steve Smith said he was saddened by the situation in Myanmar, which he visited in 2019. Bean uses several factories and suppliers for three product lines.

Smith said there's backup production elsewhere, but it's important not to abandon the country.

Other companies have been more forceful in their response.

For instance, Hennes & Mauritz and The Benetton Group have suspended all new orders from factories in Myanmar.

"Although we refrain from taking any immediate action regarding our long-term presence in the country, we have at this point paused placing new orders with our suppliers," H&M said in a statement. "This is due to our concern for the safety of people and an unpredictable situation limiting our ability to operate in the country."

Spanish brand Mango said it would work with its trade and union partners, globally and locally in Myanmar, to ensure there's no retaliation against any factory worker or union leader exercising their civil or union rights.

Moe Sandar Myint, chairwoman of the Federation of Garment Workers in Myanmar who organized small strikes on factory floors that later moved to the streets, said brands aren't doing enough to help workers. She wants to see "concrete action."

Nearly 70 percent of the garment factories in Myanmar are owned by foreigners, according to the European Chamber of Commerce in Myanmar, and a good chunk of them are Chinese-owned.

International brands using the factories don't directly hire the workers, often depending on a web of contractors and sub-contractors to produce goods for them.

But companies have "an enormous amount of influence in the industry," Tillett-Saks said. "They hold all the power over the supplier." AP

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Asian women: Georgia shootings point to relentless, racist tropes

‘Speak out’: Biden, Harris decry racism in US during Atlanta visit

A In this March 17, 2021 file photo, council member Helen Gym address community members during a vigil to mourn and confront the rising violence against Asian Americans at the 10th Street Plaza in Philadelphia. A deadly rampage at three Georgia massage businesses, where the employees were mostly of Asian descent, has prompted Asian American women to openly share stories of being sexually harassed or demeaned based on their race. Joe Lamberti/Camden Courier-Post via AP

F

or Christine Liwag Dixon and others, the bloodshed in Georgia—six Asian women among the dead, allegedly killed by a man who blamed his "sexual addiction"—was a new and horrible chapter in the shameful history of Asian women being reduced to sex objects.

"I've had people either assume that I'm a sex worker or assume that, as a Filipino woman, I will do anything for money because they assume that I'm poor," said Dixon, a freelance writer and musician in New York City. "I had an old boss who offered me money for sex once."

Tuesday's rampage at three Atlanta-area massage businesses prompted Asian American women to share stories of being sexually harassed or demeaned. They say they've often had to tolerate racist and misogynistic men who cling to a narrative that Asian women are exotic and submissive.

Elaine Kim, who is Korean American and a professor emeritus in Asian American studies at the University of California, Berkeley, recalled being crassly harassed by white young men while she was in high school. Later in life, one of her white students made sexualizing comments about the Asian women in her class and lurked outside their apartments.

Kim was reminded of these moments when she heard that the man accused in the Atlanta-area shootings had said he had acted because his targets tempted him.

"I think it's likely that the killer not only had a sex addiction but also an addiction to fantasies about Asian women as sex objects," she said.

Two of the Georgia massage businesses had been repeatedly targeted in prostitution investigations in the past 10 years, according to police records. The documents show that 10 people had been arrested on prostitution charges, but none since 2013.

The suspect in the shootings, a 21-year-old white man, considered the women inside the spas "sources of temptation," police said.

Grace Pai, a director of organizing at Chicago's Asian Americans Advancing Justice branch, called that characterization of the attacks "a real slap in the face to anyone who identifies as an Asian American woman."

"We know exactly what this racialized misogyny looks like," Pai said. "And to think that someone targeted three Asian-owned businesses that were staffed by Asian American women … and didn't have race or gender in mind is just absurd."

Framing the women who were killed as "sources of temptation" places blame on the women as the ones "who were there to tempt the shooter, who is merely the victim of temptation," said Catherine Ceniza Choy, a University of California, Berkeley, professor of ethnic studies and a Filipino American woman. She said this scenario echoes a long-running stereotype that Asian women are immoral and hypersexual.

"That may be the way the alleged

shooter and killer thinks of it, that you can compartmentalize race in this box and sex addiction in a separate box. But it doesn't work that way," Choy said. "These things are intertwined, and race is central to this conversation."

Stereotypes of Asian women as "dragon ladies" or sexually available partners have been around for centuries. From the moment Asian women began to migrate to the US, they were the targets of hypersexualization, said Ellen Wu, a history professor at Indiana University.

The Page Act of 1875 prohibited women coming to the US from anywhere for "immoral purposes," but the law was largely enforced against Chinese women.

"As early as the 1870s, white Americans were already making this association, this assumption of Asian women being walking sex objects," Wu said.

Asian lives are seen as "interchangeable and disposable," she said. "They are objectified, seen as less than human. That helps us understand violence toward Asian women like we saw this week."

US military deployments in Asia also played a role, according to Kim. She said the military has long fueled sex trafficking there, starting after the Spanish-American War, when traffickers and brothel owners in the Philippines bought and sold women and girls to meet the demands of US soldiers.

During the Vietnam War, women from Thailand and many other Asian countries were used for sex

by US soldiers at various "rest and recreation" spots. The bodies and perceived submissiveness of Asian women were eroticized and hypersexualized, Kim said, and eventually these racist stereotypes were brought back to the United States.

In American culture, Asian woman have been fetishized as submissive, hypersexual and exotic, said Christine Bacareza Balance, an Asian American studies professor at Cornell University and a Filipina woman.

A prime example is the wildly popular 1887 novel, "Madame Chrysanthème," a French narrative, translated into English, in which Japanese women are referred to as "playthings" and "China ornaments." More recently, an Asian woman has generally been portrayed in films as either "a manipulative, dragon lady temptress or the submissive, innocent 'lotus blossom' meant to please a man," Balance said.

Choy, the ethnic studies professor at Berkeley, said Tuesday's shootings and subsequent efforts to remove race from the conversation is yet another example of the denial of the racism and sexism Asian and Asian American women face.

"In American society, Asian Americans are not seen and listened to," she said. "We are seen in specific ways at times, as model minorities, as projections of white, male fantasy, but we are not seen as full-fledged Americans. We are not seen as full human beings. It's a kind of erasure and dehumanization." AP

Monday, March 22, 2021 A9

TLANTA—President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris offered solace to Asian Americans and denounced the scourge of racism at times hidden “in plain sight” as they visited Atlanta, just days after a white gunman killed eight people, most of them Asian American women.

Addressing the nation after a roughly 80-minute meeting with Asian American state legislators and other leaders on Friday, Biden said it was "heart-wrenching" to listen to their stories of the fear among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders amid what he called a "skyrocketing spike" of harassment and violence against them.

"We have to change our hearts," he said. "Hate can have no safe harbor in America."

Biden called on all Americans to stand up to bigotry when they see it, adding: "Our silence is complicity. We cannot be complicit."

"They've been attacked, blamed, scapegoated and harassed; they've been verbally assaulted, physically assaulted, killed," Biden said of Asian Americans during the coronavirus pandemic.

The president also called the shootings an example of a "public health crisis of gun violence in this country," as his administration has come under scrutiny from some in his own party for not moving as swiftly as promised on reforming the nation's gun laws.

Harris, the first person of South Asian descent to hold national office, said that while the motive of the shooter remains under investigation, these facts are clear: Six of the eight killed were of Asian descent and seven of them were women.

"Racism is real in America. And it has always been. Xenophobia is

real in America, and always has been. Sexism, too," she said. "The president and I will not be silent.

We will not stand by. We will always speak out against violence, hate crimes and discrimination, wherever and whenever it occurs."

She added that everyone has "the right to be recognized as an American. Not as the other, not as them. But as us."

Before leaving Washington, Biden declared his support for the Covid-19 Hate Crimes Act, a bill that would strengthen the government's reporting and response to hate crimes and provide resources to Asian American communities.

Georgia State Rep. Marvin Lim, who was among a group of Asian American leaders who met with Biden and Harris in Atlanta, said the group "didn't really talk about hate crime sentencing and all of these things there's been a lot of discussion around.

"We really talked about the grief people are feeling, the fear people are feeling, the possible responses to that," Lim said. "The discussion felt very affirming."

State Sen. Michelle Au, a Chinese American Democrat who represents parts of Atlanta's northern suburbs, was moved by the presence of Harris, saying: "Not only that she was there listening to us, but that she also understood these issues in a very intimate way, that in some ways you can't teach, that you can't teach that sort of lived

experience. So we felt that she was going to be an incredible advocate on our behalf in the White House."

Their trip was planned before the shooting, as part of a victory lap aimed at selling the benefits of pandemic relief legislation. But Biden and Harris instead spent much of their visit consoling a community whose growing voting power helped secure their victory in Georgia and beyond.

Activists have seen a rise of racist attacks. Nearly 3,800 incidents have been reported to Stop AAPI Hate, a California-based reporting center for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and its partner advocacy groups, since March 2020.

Biden and Harris both implicitly criticized former President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly referred to Covid-19 as the "China virus."

"For the last year we've had people in positions of incredible power scapegoating Asian Americans," said Harris, "people with the biggest pulpits, spreading this kind of hate."

"We've always known words have consequences," Biden said.

"It is the 'coronavirus.' Full stop."

In his first primetime address to the nation as president last Thursday—five days before the Atlanta killings at three metroarea massage businesses—Biden called attacks on Asian Americans "un-American."

Biden also used the visit to tour the headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where he received a briefing on the state of the Covid-19 pandemic and delivered a pep talk to the agency's scientists.

"We owe you a gigantic debt of gratitude and we will for a long, long, long time," Biden said, adding that under his administration "science is back" driving policy to combat the virus.

Though the originally planned political event to tout the $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief bill has been delayed, Biden still met with Georgia voting rights advocate Stacey Abrams, Democrats' likely 2022

candidate for governor, as Republicans in the state legislature push several proposals to make it harder to vote in the state.

"The battle for the right to vote is never, ever over," Biden said. "It's not over here in this state of Georgia. So we're gonna fight again."

He also met with newly minted Democratic Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

As the fastest-growing racial demographic in the US electorate, Asian Americans are gaining political influence across the country. In California, two Korean American Republican women made history with their congressional victories.

The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, typically dominated by Democrats, has its largest roster ever, including Asian American and Pacific Islander members and others who represent significant numbers of Asian Americans.

"We're becoming increasingly more visible and active in the political ecosystem," said Au, a Democrat who represents part of the growing, diversifying suburbs north of Atlanta. Yet, Au said, "What I've heard personally, and what I have felt, is that people sometimes don't tend to listen to us."

Au said a White House spotlight, especially amid tragedy, is welcomed by a community often overshadowed in national conversations about diversity. She noted Trump and other Republicans merely brushed off charges of racism when they dubbed the coronavirus the "China virus" because of its origins.

"To have them talk about it in this way, so publicly, and to say AAPI, or to note that our communities are going through difficult times, is huge," Au said.

As he boarded Air Force One on Friday morning, Biden, who was wearing a mask, stumbled several times up the stairs to the aircraft, before saluting the military officer who greeted him on the tarmac.

White House principal deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden was "doing 100 Percent fine." AP

5 nations demand equitable EU sharing of migration load Chile posts highest daily coronavirus infections

A

THENS, Greece—The interior ministers of the five Mediterranean countries on the front line of mass migration to Europe want their EU partners to share the burden more equitably.

"We can no longer be punished for our geographical position," Malta's Byron Camilleri said Saturday, summing up his position and that of his colleagues from Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Spain after they met in Athens.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas joined part of the meeting, Schinas is coordinating the commission's work to revise the European Union's pact on migration and asylum.

Ministers from Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta and Spain created a "MED 5" group last year in an effort to present united front and influence the new EU pact.

Their demands are threefold: better cooperation with the countries in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia where most Europebound migrants and asylum-seekers come from; greater willingness by other EU member nations to accept newly arrived migrants; and a centralized European repatriation mechanism overseen by the EU's executive commission.

More than a thousand people protested in solidarity with migrants and refugees in the center

S

From left, Greece's Minister of Migration and Asylum Notis Mitarachi, Interior Minister of Spain Fernando Grande-Marlaska, Italy's Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese, Cyprus' Interior Minister Nicos Nouris and Byron Camilleri, Malta's Interior Minister make statements following their meeting in Athens on Saturday, March 20, 2021. The ministers of Spain, Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Malta, which are on the front line of migration flows into Europe have met in Athens to discuss the European Union's migration policy as the bloc works toward a new migration pact. AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis

of Athens on Saturday. The timing was intended to coincide with the officials' meeting.

Southern European countries with extensive coastlines have borne the brunt of arriving asylum-seekers hoping to enter the EU. Most Europe-bound migrants travel by boat on dangerous maritime smuggling routes, either from the Turkish coast to nearby Greek islands or across the Mediterranean from North Africa.

The ministers discussed whether Turkey played an active role in pushing migrants toward Europe in

contravention of a 2016 migrationcontrol between the EU and Turkey.

Cyprus' interior minister, Nikos Nouris, said most of the migrants arriving in his country enter from the Turkish Cypriot-controlled northern part of the island nation.

He called for Turkey to accept inspections on its southern shoreline

by Frontex, the European border and coast guard agency.

At one point last year, Turkey's president said his government would no longer discourage migrants from trying to cross the border into Greece. AP

ANTIAGO, Chile—Chile has reported its highest daily count of new coronavirus infections since the start of the pandemic despite widespread restrictions and widely praised progress on vaccinations.

The government on Saturday reported 7,084 new cases in the South American nation of some 18 million people, topping a previous record in June. It said Covid-19 has become the country's leading cause of mortality, causing 26 percent of deaths so far this year.

Chile so far has given at least one vaccine shot to more than 29 percent of the population and both doses to 15 percent—far more than in other nations in the region.

But Health Minister Enrique Paris said people should remain cautious since populationlevel immunity isn't likely until about 80% are vaccinated, probably by about the end of June.

Officials said hospital bed usage has reached 94 percent, with rising numbers among those 60 and below as older Chileans have been inoculated. The medical association said the system has been strained by depression or exhaustion affecting as many as 30% of medical personnel.

The government has imposed supposedly tight restrictions on three-quarters of the country's municipalities and said Saturday it is tightening limits on people entering from abroad, especially from Brazil. AP

A10 Monday, March 22, 2021 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

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editorial

Covid: How we failed

W

hile receiving little mention in the local press, the world has been experiencing a surge in Covid-19 cases during the past month. Thirty days ago, the global sevenday Moving Average of new cases was 322,000. That figure is now up to 460,000.

That is not any consolation for the Philippines. A month ago, our seven-day average was 1,800. Now we are running at over 5,000.

There are other mixed statistics. The global “Serious or Critical” case percentage is now at a 0.4 percent, while the Philippines is currently at 1.9 percent. Our number today is actually better than it was on February 21 when we had 5.8 percent “Serious or Critical.” Global deaths are at 3 percent and our death toll is 2 percent of cases.

Like it or not, we are all in the same leaking boat.

Speaking to health-care professionals, we learned some idea of what we are facing. In many instances the health-care sector is being overwhelmed. In general, hospitals are facing shortages of medical supplies. Of course it is the government’s fault, every national government.

For the past 20 years, economic policies have guaranteed that production of basic medical supplies like masks, equipment, and 90 percent of the global supply of Vitamin C would come from one source. Since we are experiencing a global jump in cases, hospitals around the world are trying to get their supply needs from that one source: China.

Philippine doctors are being more careful about their own health.

One ENT (ear, nose, throat) specialist is extra cautious examining a patient that complains of throat problems. If the answers to his diagnostic questions point to a possible Covid infection, he gives the patient a medical referral for an immediate test. Another physician limits the number of patients she sees each day to avoid the potential of an increased Covid viral load overcoming her immune system.

We have learned that is difficult to prove that lockdowns are effective. Belgium with a population of 11.6 million adopted an extremely strict lockdown policy and Sweden (10.1 million) was criticized for keeping its economy open. After one year the results are close. Sweden has 73,000 cases per 1 million population; Belgium has 71,000.

However, Sweden’s per million death toll is 1,300 while Belgium has 1,900. For what it is worth, the Philippines is at 5,885 cases and 117 deaths per million population.

Nations that conducted wide contact tracing are now in the best condition. Local government units in the Philippines failed. The national government has limited personnel for the job other than the military and to a lesser extent the Philippine National Police. From Day One, there were outcries against any military involvement.

Local government units down to the barangay level were the first hope of proper contact tracing. They failed. Contact tracing was not properly coordinated. Your next-door neighbor could be Covid positive, but you would never know that through government sources because of privacy laws.

Rather than a national app for contact tracing, cities did their own thing. One doctor in Muntinlupa driving to his clinic in Mandaluyong and then to a hospital in Pasig must use three different apps and the data is not shared from city to city. We cannot now correct the contact tracing errors of the past. That ship has already sailed.

The situation may deteriorate further before it improves significantly. It is our individual personal responsibility to protect our own health. We all know the protocols that should be followed.

Be vigilant and take care of each other Atty. Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II

RISING SUN

A

fter the Philippines recorded 7,999 Covid-19 cases in one day last weekend, the Department of Health (DOH) issued an advisory calling on the public to stay home and avoid unnecessary trips outside the home. Aside from this, the health agency also urged everyone to follow health protocols at all times.

When you are not alone, the advisory reads, you must always wear a mask in the right way. This may be unusual for some because the DOH is now calling on all of us to wear a mask even when we are at home, as long as we are with other people, even if they belong to our household.

Those who experience symptoms of the disease must coordinate with the Barangay Health Emergency Response Team so they can be referred for testing and isolation. The follow-

ing contact numbers of the One Hospital Command Center were given: 0919-977-3333, 0915-777-7777; and (02) 8865-0500; and the DOH Hotline 1555.

Hospitals are being reserved for those with serious symptoms. Patients with mild symptoms are encouraged to proceed to quarantine or isolation facilities. There are nonCovid patients in hospitals that also need urgent medical care, and so the medical staff and hospital facilities

Leadership and learning

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Thomas M. Orbos

STREET TALK

O

N to my leadership series as part of our continuous re-awakening moving into the 2022 elections. Today we are going to talk about leadership and learning. In a speech that was never delivered on that fateful day in 1963, US President John F. Kennedy was to say that “leadership and learning are indispensable from each other.” There was an initial disconnect on my part when I first heard about this during my fellowship program at the Harvard Kennedy School, primarily because one of the principal traits we look for in a leader is his/her supposed expertise and air of authority in all concerns that affect us as his/her constituency.

We look up to our leaders and depend on their judgement to steer us in the proper direction, especially in times of crisis—just like now in these pandemic times. This authoritative notion of leadership is further strengthened by many aspiring leaders who blurt out their expert opinions on a vast array of subjects to quench their constituents’ thirst for answers. But diving deeper into this statement, you begin to see and appreciate the fact that a true leader is a learning leader. And those undelivered words of JFK resonate beyond his death and should remind us and our leaders about the need to be constantly learning. Why a learning leader?

A learning leader is humble. To begin learning, one needs to be humble

enough to admit that he/she does not know everything. Humility of leadership is a very rare commodity nowadays, with most being know-it-alls, arrogantly insisting on their beliefs and programs or the “pretend-to-be humble” ones, especially during the election season. And leaders need to be humble enough not just in their words but in their ways and actions as well. A leader that is caught up in the trappings of power will have less chances of succeeding to learn sincerely.

A learning leader listens. A good part of learning is listening. And true leaders know how to listen. Not listening to themselves or listening to what they want to hear, but rather listening to the inner sentiments of their constituents. And it is only

As Holy Week is coming up, the Catholics are being urged to stay home and just attend online masses instead. Several barangays across the metropolis are also being locked down in an effort to curb the spread of the virus.

must be kept available for those who need it most.

In a recent development, however, the Filipino Nurses United called on Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to resign in the midst of rising cases of Covid-19 among medical frontliners. There have been many instances in the past year when the secretary’s “incompetence” has been called out by different camps, including some senators. The nation’s response to the pandemic is seen as a failure by many, partly because of the health agency’s shortcomings.

In another report, OCTA Research has warned that unless im-

Leadership and learning truly go hand in hand. We rely on a leader who knows what to do to lead us to the Promised Land; but the only way to truly get there is to have a leader who is willing to learn, especially from constituents that he/she pledged to serve. in listening that one knows not just where his/her constituents stand, but equally important is where he/ she stands in so far as their sentiments are concerned. Have you ever encountered a leader that truly listens to you?

A learning leader confronts hard questions. A true leader sincerely confronts the hard questions that he would rather not face: Poverty, joblessness, injustice, inequality, corruption, etc. for the simple reason that he/she may not want the answers that would be needed to resolve such questions. Answers such as being hard not just on perceived enemies but also on known allies to resolve the problem of corruption and injustice. Or seeking the unpopular route in order to resolve a major issue, such as poverty. But the hardest questions are the ones that need to be resolved first. And true leaders will confront such questions without fear or delay.

A learning leader values knowledge. And valuing knowledge does not necessarily mean having all the educational accolades. Rather what

mediate action is taken, Metro Manila hospitals and medical frontliners will become overwhelmed by the first week of April. That also means ICUs will reach full capacity around that time.

As Holy Week is coming up, the Catholics are being urged to stay home and just attend online masses instead. Several barangays across the metropolis are also being locked down in an effort to curb the spread of the virus.

While the government tries to address the surge by imposing these lockdowns and restrictions, we are left with no choice but to follow and to do our best to keep ourselves and our loved ones healthy and safe in the coming weeks. Our personal efforts to eat well, take our vitamins, get enough sleep, sunshine, and exercise—all these must not be forgotten. It looks like the struggle is far from over, even with the arrival of vaccines. I would like to encourage one and all to be more vigilant this time, and to take care of each other.

is important is the desire to learn and the admission of the importance of such knowledge. So even if a leader lacks a college degree, so long as he acknowledges and values the advice of learned advisors, sound decisions can be made. It also goes without saying that it will be better to push for an educated path for his/her constituents, rather than the dispensation of cash and goods.

As they say—“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”

A learning leader evolves with his constituents. True leadership is not just the superficial interaction with your followers. Leadership is a give and take affair, not a one-way street.

And the best way to grow and evolve with your constituents is to have that learning process together with them.

A true leader will embrace what he learns on the ground and from the people he commits to serve.

Leadership and learning truly go hand in hand. We rely on a leader who knows what to do to lead us to the Promised Land; but the only way to truly get there is to have a leader who is willing to learn, especially from constituents that he/she pledged to serve.

Thomas “Tim” Orbos is currently a transport policy advisor for an international organization and worked in government on transport and urban development matters. He is an alumnus of Georgetown University and the MIT Sloan School of Management. He can be reached via e-mail—tmo45@ georgetown.edu /thomas_orbos@sloan.mit.edu

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Opinion

Bonanza for local govt

Little women

BusinessMirror

Siegfred Bueno Mison, Esq.

Joel L. Tan-Torres

THE PATRIOT

DEBIT CREDIT Fourth of a series

Part two

T

he bonanza of increased amounts of Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) for the Local Government Units arising from the Supreme Court decision in the Mandanas case is forthcoming in 2022. It follows that with the increased financial allotments, more responsibilities will have to be assumed by the LGUs. The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has taken the lead in defining the resulting roles and responsibilities of the LGUs with their increased funding. Under the “funds follow the function,” a good number of National Government programs, plans and activities that involve LGU roles and service delivery functions will be devolved to LGUs starting 2022. These PPAs include, among others, local infrastructure, agriculture, social welfare, health care and livelihood undertakings. These devolved services are those prescribed in Section 17 of the Local Government Code.

In addition, the DILG, in coordination with other government agencies, has initiated several preparatory and transitory activities to include: n Identification of potential sources of funds for the devolved PPAs. n Formulation of the Devolution Roadmap. n Development of a communication plan. n Drafting an Executive Order (EO) for the implementation measures.

In January 2021, the Department of Budget and Management presented the draft implementation EO to the various concerned agencies. The provisions in the draft include delineation of the roles of the national and local governments; guidelines on the preparation of devolution transition plans; proposal for the establishment of a growth equalization fund “to address the vertical and horizontal fiscal imbalance across LGUs”; establishment of an inter-agency committee on devolution to monitor and evalu-

ate implementation; and, options for national government employees who may lose their jobs once NG functions get transferred to LGUs. Noteworthy among the components of the draft implementation plan is defining that the proper role of NG shall be the setting up of national policies and service delivery standards and overseeing and monitoring of LGUs. The National Government shall also be tasked to formulate and pursue long-term development programs for LGUs to strengthen their capacities and capabilities to fully assume the devolved functions.

It is expected that the draft EO shall be signed by the President in 2021 to pave the way for the discharge of the national government agencies and implementing local government units of their respective roles and responsibilities.

There are a lot of expectations of the various stakeholders on the successful implementation of this re-invigorated devolution and autonomy initiatives by local government units brought about by the IRA bonanza.

(To be continued) Joel L. Tan-Torres is the Dean of the University of the Philippines Virata School of Business. Previously, he was the Commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the chairman of the Professional Regulatory Board of Accountancy and partner of Reyes Tacandong & Co. and the SyCip Gorres and Velayo & Co. He is a Certified Public Accountant who garnered No. 1 in the CPA Board Examination of May 1979.

This column accepts contributions from the business community. Articles not exceeding 600 words can be e-mailed to boa.secretariat.@gmail. com.

J

ust as vodka is very much entrenched in the Russian psyche, so is ballet. But when a Russian ballerina performs a classic act not on a grand stage, but in the frozen waters in the Gulf of Finland, it goes beyond typical Russian psyche. Way past the jingoistic level and obviously not to blister her toes from the arctic-cold temperature, Ballerina Ilmira Bagautdinova recently performed scenes from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake to incite opposition to a government project.

In protest, this ballerina used her talent to make the public aware as to how a construction of grain storage can imperil the area’s natural habitat. Sharing the video of her dancein-protest, Ilmira exclaimed that the location, subject to “destruction” is “a unique natural and historical place where swans nest in spring, families with children rest in summer, hundreds of fishermen go out on the ice in winter, and the forest has trails for quad bikes and skiers.

Nature in harmony with people. All of this is at risk of extinction.” Aside from this theatrical yet realistic way of making her voice heard, she also mounted an online petition to stop the construction, addressed to President Vladimir Putin. This petition, which reportedly has 7,000 signatures, and the ballet in protest are unique ways to be in the limelight in an otherwise aristocratic career.

Similar to ballet in Russia, midwifery during the Old Testament days has the same socio-political context. Exodus 1:8-22 of the Bible tells us the story of two midwives, Shiphrah and Puah who stood in defiance against government, akin to what Ilmira has done and is doing in Russia. These midwives refused to obey the order of the Pharaoh to kill all male infants at birth, at a time when the enslaved Hebrew people in Egypt multiplied and spread. Amid this government policy of genocide, one of the Hebrew babies whose life was saved by Shiphrah and Puah came to be known as Moses, the man who eventually rescued his people from slavery in Egypt. These midwives used their professional

expertise to protest against iniquity, making themselves relevant for genuine service to others. So too, Ilmira employed her proficiency in dance to object to some form of wickedness, rendering significance in aid of others.

Today, women (and men) find themselves in situations where they are caught between upholding what is right and obeying an unlawful or immoral order from authority. Simply staying quiet and maintaining a passive attitude over an evil that is already unfolding can be just as worse as doing the evil thing itself. Whether at the workplace, in school, or in a community, people can be pressured to conform to certain norms and end up doing acts, unethical by their own standards. Some may prefer to silently allow an impious transaction rather than protesting as it may cost them their job, integrity, or hard-earned prestige. Let’s emulate the two midwives, whose conduct of preventing genocide in ancient Egypt may well be the first act of civil disobedience in history, for fighting for what is upright. The conduct of these women reflects God’s heart for advocacy of doing what is right, for it is written in Jeremiah 22:3, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place.” We have to utilize our God-given skills or our chosen vocation, like those of Shiphrah and Pura and Ilmira Bagautdinova to fulfill God’s work and make a lasting

Monday, March 22, 2021 A11

With a virus that has evolved and infecting others by the hour, let’s appreciate and salute the efforts of our everyday Abishag and Shiela—the doctors and nurses, cooks and drivers, yaya and manang, and the little women in our families and communities. impact on the world we live in. And if the contribution of these obscure women are not enough to inspire us, let me introduce Abishag -- one of those other “little women” in the Bible whose role, mundane and quite insignificant, is worth mentioning in celebration of International Women’s Month.

Abishag was the Shunamite woman chosen to take care of King David during his old age. Weak at 70 years old, David needed a person like Abishag to do chores for him during the day and provide him with body heat at night. Biblical accounts of her noiseless yet notable service that implied no sexual relations with her master, Abishag waited on King David to probably bring him food, fix his clothes, and bathe him, during the day. But every night, she ‘lay in the king’s bosom’ to give him warmth.

While Abishag’s service was significant yet unnoticeable, it can be seen by most as a thankless job, similar to the roles of millions of caregivers around the world.

Sheila Calica is a Filipina caregiver in Canada. Typical of most overseas Filipino workers stories, she had to leave her family in Nueva Vizcaya so she could financially support them.

Tending to the needs of her foreign master, Sheila fights back tears whenever she performs her endless list of menial tasks. Once, Sheila got ill and had to stop working for at least two weeks. Once, she tried to apply for permanent residency, but failed. While Sheila is on the verge of despair, she still plods along with her service to others.

There are countless Abishags and Sheilas around the world. They perform the uncelebrated work of “emotional proletarians,” as they “produce authentic emotion in exchange for wage.” There will always be an Abishag and a Sheila in our homes, too. A daughter, a wife, or even a son or father can be rel-

egated to perform tedious tasks of taking care of the sick and the elderly, perfunctorily at times. Such a daily, mechanical, and oftentimes unappreciated ritual can be clouded with much hopelessness when one’s household, as in the case of Abishag, or employer, as in the case of Sheila, withholds that much-needed feedback to help their physical bodies recover from fatigue.

Through Abishag, the Bible tells us that no matter how “small” and discomforting our position may be, at home or at work, we should never lose hope. While some masters and employers may treat others under their payrolls like objects or office machines, we should not lose hope.

Some may see our job with little significance in our earthly view of things. But believers see each and every job, role, or task as a small yet critical part in God’s larger plan for all of us. Regardless of what we do, we are always seen valuable in the eyes of our Creator for it is written in the Bible, in Matthew 10: 29-31, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

With an inept government response to the pandemic, let’s find the courage to follow the examples of “little women” in the persons of midwives Shiphrah and Puah and ballerina Ilmira Bagautdinova who acted in defiance to uphold what is right despite the likely backlash. With a virus that has evolved and infecting others by the hour, let’s appreciate and salute the efforts of our everyday Abishag and Shiela—the doctors and nurses, cooks and drivers, yaya and manang, and the little women in our families and communities.

(Next: Little Women—Part 3) A former infantry and intelligence officer in the Army, Siegfred Mison showcased his servant leadership philosophy in organizations such as the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Malcolm Law Offices, Infogix Inc., University of the East, Bureau of Immigration, and Philippine Airlines. He is a graduate of West Point in New York, Ateneo Law School, and University of Southern California. A corporate lawyer by profession, he is an inspirational teacher and a Spirit-filled writer with a mission.

For questions and comments, please e-mail me at sbmison@gmail.com.

Forests as natural capital for healthy Asean Government needs risk management

By Dr. Theresa Mundita S. Lim

T

he Asean region is fortunate to have healthy biodiversity-rich forest ecosystems with actual cover constituting 46 percent of the region’s total land area. Considered one of the world’s most biologically rich and diverse ecosystems, forests are among its natural capital that sustains the region’s growth, especially now as we collectively aim to speed up recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Since the start of this health crisis, the Asean Center for Biodiversity (ACB) has been stressing the role of biodiversity in regulating climate and diseases. Today, on International Day of Forests, the ACB highlights the central role of these complex ecological systems in our efforts to build a healthy region, which is aptly resonant with the theme of this year’s celebration—Forest restoration: A path to recovery and well-being. Under these unprecedented times, there is a growing recognition of forests, along with other types of natural ecosystems, as integral components of a country’s total wealth, which provide life support and basic human needs, such as food, fresh and clean water, medicine, shelter, and fuel.

While we have seen a decline of the Asean forest cover in the past decades, the good news is that the overall rate of forestry loss in Asean slowed from 1.2 percent per year from 2000 to 2010, to 0.26 percent per year from 2011 to 2015, according to 2020 Asean-EU report Investing in Sustainable Capital in Asean. While this is an important progress, it is also worthy to note the need to continue improving genetic,

species, and habitat diversity in our remaining forests.

With habitat fragmentation being one of the biggest threats to biodiversity in forest ecosystems, big land mammals like tigers, elephants, and rhinoceros are among the species most affected. For instance, Philippine eagles, one of the largest raptors in the world, need about 133 square kilometers of forest to successfully breed and raise their young. Their dwindling populations would have significant effects on other species they interact with and the landscapes they live in.

Bearing these in mind, we are pleased to share some of the recent developments taking place on the ground. First, our heartfelt congratulations to the Indonesian government, the management of Gunung Leuser National Park, a designated Asean Heritage Park, assisted by VESSWIC through the Small Grants Programme of the ACB and the German Development Bank (KfW), for the birth of a healthy elephant calf last month. We wish that “Boni” will stay healthy to continue inspiring us to protect wildlife and their habitats.

In Lao PDR, on the other hand, the Department of Forestry with support from the Asean Center for Biodiversity and the European Union under the Biodiversity Conservation and Management of Protected Areas in Asean (BCAMP) Project has completed the five-year management plan of Nam Poui National Protected Area.

The plan involves working closely with 19 villages including ethnic groups for long-term solutions, which include carving out areas to serve as habitats for elephants, white-handed

gibbons, and other species thriving in the protected area, and promoting alternative livelihood activities and establishing clear and measurable links between livelihood improvement and conservation outcomes.

All these efforts are aligned with our main thrust of working with the Asean Member States in integrating biodiversity and nature into development plans and recovery efforts. For these endeavors, we take guidance from the Asean Comprehensive Recovery Framework and the Brunei Darussalam’s leadership as Asean Chair. We also take note of the remarks of Deputy Secretary-General of Asean for SocioCultural Community Kung Phoak at the recent partnership conference on the region’s post-Covid-19 recovery on March 15. “The region’s recovery efforts must be done in a systematic and coordinated way, in concert with stakeholders and partners,” he said.

The challenges we are currently facing only compel us to work more closely with all sectors and industries, especially as they directly benefit from healthy and thriving biodiversity, including our forest ecosystems.

Indeed, we have tremendous work ahead of us. As we celebrate the International Day of Forests this year, let us be reminded of the true value of our forests in the Asean. Protected, these ecosystems can effectively contribute to the wealth of our nations, as the backbone of our growth and prosperity, and our protectors against the impacts of climate change and emergence of new and deadly diseases.

Dr. Theresa Mundita S. Lim is the Executive Director, ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity.

By Reynaldo A. De Dios

M

anaging government is a risky business. Government entities and corporations are subject to a variety of exposures. To depend mainly on insurance for protection is not safe-proof. There is a need for a new response and the solution is the introduction and implementation of risk management policies in the government.

Historically, risk management has been an outgrowth of insurance management. The objective of risk management for any government entity and corporation is the conservation of its resources and assets from accidental loss and natural perils, such as typhoons, floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. These exposures affecting human financial, physical and natural resources are diverse and unpredictable.

The Elements of Risk Management cover the following: n Exposure Identification. The creation of a continuous process of identifying the resources for which a government body is responsible and the accidental loss exposures that could materially affect them. n Risk Evaluation. The measure of financial risk by analyzing past loss frequency and severity of individual and multiple government bodies, and by estimating future frequency and severity probabilities. n Risk Control. The reduction or elimination of risk or loss, within proper economic constraints, through careful procedures and practices in security personnel safety, fire prevention, vehicle safety,

products safety, environmental protection and emergency planning. n Risk Financing/Funding. The provision of sufficient funds to meet loss situations if they occur, by the most effective use of internal or external financial resources, including the purchase of insurance. n Risk Management Administration. The development of administration techniques to carry out the risk management process most effectively, using skills both inside and outside a government entity.

As a matter a fact on February 23, 1978, former President Ferdinand Marcos, recognizing the importance of Risk Management, issued Letter of Instruction No. 673. This LOI directed all Department Secretaries and Heads of Agencies, the Commissioner of the Budget, the National Treasurer and the General Manager of the GSIS to conduct studies for the purpose of developing and implementing a sound risk and insurance management program, covering the following specific tasks: n Inventory the resources and assets of every department and agency and exposures to accidental loss;

n Analyze and measure the financial risk inherent in each exposure such as fire, earthquake, typhoon and other extraneous perils in terms of probable frequency and severity of loss and set up effective methods in avoiding and controlling all exposures; n Evaluate the insurance policies covering the resources and assets of Departments or Agencies, in terms of scope of coverage, premium rates, adequacy of the sums insured and policy conditions; n Study the advisability of establishing a sinking fund (as an immediate charge against reserves, profit or surplus), to assume losses resulting from risks which are not considered significant and will not unduly affect the financial stability of the Departments or Agencies concerned; n Establish the basis of valuation of resources and assets in terms of book value, sound value or replacement value which should be related to the sums insured, of every insurance policy covering such assets and resources; n Recommend policies on risk and insurance management for the guidance of the personnel to be entrusted with this responsibility.

The implementation of sound risk management program in government will go a long way in reducing risk and minimizing losses.

There is no doubt that government needs Risk Management.

The author is a risk management consultant and Editor of Insurance Philippines magazine.

A12 Monday, March 22, 2021

DOH issues fresh appeals amid Covid case spike

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HE Department of Health (DOH) on Sunday renewed its call to the public to avoid nonessential travel and to just stay at home after the Philippines recorded over the weekend 7,999 cases—the highest recorded single day case count since the start of the pandemic.

OnSunday,theDOHalsologged7,757additional cases, bringing the total number of cases in the countryto663,794.Therewerealso15,288recoveries and 39 deaths under the“Oplan Recovery.” The DOH together with the rest of the government, also called on the public to observe strict adherence to minimum public health standards (MPHS) across “all” settings—even at home—in order to help reduce transmission.

Moreover, the DOH advised people experiencing symptoms of Covid-19 to immediately coordinate with their respective Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHERTs) for appropriate management and referral for testing and isolation.

The DOH stressed the number one objective right now is to ensure care is not hampered nor delayed for Covid and non-Covid patients.

“To do this, we need to ensure that our hospitals do not get overwhelmed, so everyone must act with extreme vigilance and help reduce transmission by consistently adhering to our preventive measures, as well as following our quarantine and isolation protocols,”the DOH said.

Of the total number of cases, 11.0 percent (73,072) are active, 87.0 percent (577,754) have recovered, and 1.95 percent (12,968) have died.

Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

Dominguez disputes Lacson Covid jabs funds of ₧126.7B

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By Bernadette D. Nicolas

@BNicolasBM

INANCE Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III debunked Senator Panfilo Lacson’s claim that government loans for procurement of Covid-19 vaccines have already reached P126.75 billion.

The Department of Finance (DOF) clarified on Sunday that government’s budget for the vaccines remains at P82.5 billion, of which P70 billion will come from unprogrammed funds to be unlocked by collecting additional revenues or by securing additional financing from the Philippines’s multilateral partner-institutions.

To date, the DOF said the government has secured loans amounting to US$1.2 billion (around P58.5 billion) for the country’s procurement of Covid-19 vaccines, particularly from World Bank, Asian Development Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Dominguez also sent a letter to Lacson, saying that these loans for vaccine procurement “are being processed for signing this March 2021 with an indicative aggregate loan amount of US$1.2 billion.”

These loans include: US$500 million for the Philippines’s Covid-19

Emergency Response Project—Additional Financing (PCERP-AF) from the World Bank; US$400-million Second Health System Enhancement to Address and Limit Covid-19 (HEAL 2) under the Asia Pacific Vaccine Facility of the Asian Development Bank; and US$300 million HEAL 2 loan from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

Copies of the letter were also sent to Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and the other senators.

Dominguez made the clarification following reports that have circulated saying that the government’s accumulated loans, along with the Department of Health (DOH) appropr iations under the Bayanihan 2 law (Republic Act (RA) No. 11494) to procure Covid-19 vaccines, allegedly now

amount to “P126.75 billion.”

In a tweet on Thursday, Lacson asked “NASAAN KA BAKUNA? (WHERE ARE YOU, VACCINE?)” as he tallied that the loans “approved”

by World Bank, Asian Development Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank already reached P126.75 billion, including the P10 billion allocated for the purchase of vaccines under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act. Dominguez noted that “some of the amounts in the report are not for Covid-19 vaccine procurement.”

Only US$700 million of the loans listed in the report were for vaccine procurement, the finance chief said. Dominguez said these are the US$400-million loan from the ADB and the US$300-million loan from the AIIB for HEAL 2, which the two multilateral institutions are cofinancing.

He added US$1.7 billion of the total of US$2.4 billion loans listed in the circulated report were intended for the purchase of Covid-19 medical and laboratory equipment, reagents, personal protective equipment (PPEs), ambulances and other essentials for medical frontliners, while the other loan packages mentioned were for general budgetary support to cover state spending on pandemic response measures.

MOST ASEAN NATIONS NEED 10 YRS FOR VACCINE DRIVE

By Cai U. Ordinario

T

@caiordinario

HE Ph i l ippines a nd many Asean nations will need over a decade to vaccinate majority of their respective populations, according to the Covid-19 vaccine tracker of Bloomberg.

The data, which was based on vaccine information from the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center, showed the average vaccination rate in the Philippines is at 25,527 doses per day, the third highest in the Asean.

“In the Philippines, the latest vaccination rate is 25,527 doses per day, on average. At this pace, it will take another more than 10 years to cover 75 percent of the population,” Bloomberg stated.

However, Asean countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia will be able to vaccinate 75 percent of their population within 7.5 years.

Data for Singapore showed that at an average rate of 30,185 doses per day, it will be able to vaccinate 75 percent of its population in a period of just eight months.

This is followed by Indone-

sia which can cover majority of its population in 3.1 years. The average vaccination rate in the country is at 342,132 doses per day, the highest in Asean.

This is followed by Malaysia which, at the rate of 17,688 doses per day, needs 7.5 years to vaccinate majority of its population.

Meanwhile, Asean nations in the same boat as the Philippines are Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, and Myanmar. The report did not include data from Brunei Darussalam and Lao PDR. The average vaccination rate in Vietnam is 3,675 doses per day; Thailand, 3,350 doses per day; Cambodia, 4,622 doses per day; and Myanmar, 52 doses per day.

Globally, the data showed it will take three years before the world can vaccinate 75 percent of all humankind. The current average vaccination rate is at 10.01 million doses per day.

In an Asian Development Blog, Asian Development Bank (ADB) Independent Evaluation Department Senior Evaluation Specialist Saleha Waseem said vaccination programs, including that for Covid-19, should not stop at financing.

See “Asean,” A2

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Monday, March 22, 2021

B1

Petron targeting to reopen Bataan refinery in June

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By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

etron Corp. is confident it would be able to reopen its Bataan refinery in June, following the registration of the facility with the Authority of the Freeport of Bataan (Afab).

“Nag-aantay na lang kami ng timing. May chance na mapatakbo na iyun,” said Petron President and Chief Executive Officer Ramon S. Ang. Petron temporarily ceased its 180,000- barrel-per-day (bpd) refinery operations in Bataan last February 10. During the temporary shutdown, Petron intends to conduct maintenance activities on key process units at the refinery. It informed the Department of Energy that the shutdown would last four months.

Ang said it would take around four months to complete all documentation needed. “I think aabot iyan siguro. It will take 4 months kase inaayos pa ang mga papers including opinion and approval from

the BIR and customers, etc..”

Ang said last year that the refinery closure could be permanent unless government provides a levelplaying field for oil importers and refiners.

He said the registration with AFAB would partially address Petron’s tax concerns but not fully solve the problem. Its accreditation with the Bataan Freeport means tax perks.

“It can help, but it won’t necessarily overcome all the problems, because the problem is the low consumption of fuel, of demand. Halos wala na,” said Ang, referring to refining margin.

He said Petron would continue to incur losses this year but not as much as last year.

‘Open access bill to ease transition to new normal’

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

T

Photo from www.petron.com.

The oil firm posted a net loss of P11.4 billion in 2020, from the previous year’s P2.3-billion net income, as revenues plummeted by 44 percent to P286 billion.

“Our demand is low, fuel demand is very low,” he said.

Despite this, he said Petron will

continue to expand its retail network, which has around 2,800 service stations. “We will continue to expand our network especially if there’s a good location.”

Petron’s operations in Malaysia, he said, is “much better than the Philippines.”

Bukas.ph parent firm raises $5M S

to the company. Its tech-enabled customer and partner onboarding process provides a trusted and accessible solution for students and schools.

The firm has also launched a value-added service providing partner schools with a way to track disbursements and provide real-time analytics, supporting school partners in both recruitment and retention efforts.

“ErudiFi aims to shape trusted relationships with universities and partner institutions as they expand in the region and the Qualgro team is excited to work closely with them to scale their reach,” said Heang Chhor, founder and managing partner of Qualgro. Its local subsidiary, Bukas. ph, is an education financing platform that offers affordable student loans. It works closely with top colleges and universities to provide an easy, secure, and integrated tuition installment plan for students.

“With our network of partner schools, we hope to reach as many students as possible across the coun-

try,” said Jon Robert Emlano, Bukas country manager for the Philippines.

“At Bukas, we believe that making education more affordable will provide a better tomorrow for Filipino families.”

To date, Bukas has onboarded partner institutions nationwide like Mapua University, Far Eastern University, Adamson University, Our Lady of Fatima University, PHINMA Education Network, University of Nueva Caceres, Centro Escolar University (CEU), and Eskwelabs, among others.

“We are grateful for the financing option that Bukas.ph provides as it has been of great help to our students and their families. Through this partnership with Bukas.ph, we can enable more students to continue with their studies, especially during these trying times. We hope to see more students avail of this and continue pursuing higher education in the coming years,” said Jericho P. Orlina, assistant vice president for business affairs at CEU. Roderick L. Abad

OUTHEAST Asia’s education financial technology company ErudiFi has raised a $5-million Series A round co-led by Monk’s Hill Ventures and Qualgro to further scale up its operations and services throughout the region, including the Philippines.

As a growing organization, the firm said it plans to use the fund to make key hires across product and engineering, marketing and operations, business development, and data functions.

It also intends to boost its education financing services, invest in product innovation to deepen its engagement and relationship with schools and students, and broaden its footprint in existing markets in Indonesia and the Philippines with academic institution partners.

Established in 2017, ErudiFi’s tech-enabled platform has helped secure funding for thousands of financially underserved students and has grown three times in 2020.

Through its Study Now, Pay Later

model, it facilitates education financing for students in the region, beginning with the Philippines and Indonesia. “Our partnership with Monk’s Hill Ventures and Qualgro opens a greater opportunity for us to further our mission in making education more affordable in Southeast Asia,” said Riche Lim, co-founder, chief financial officer, and chief strategy officer of ErudiFi. According to him, almost two-thirds of Filipino and Indonesian youths do not have access to higher education due to the lack of financing.

He said student retention is also a challenge in the region, with many schools experiencing dropout rates of 10 percent to 15 percent annually, mainly due to financial difficulties faced by students and their families.

“It is our dream to be able to bridge this gap. With this partnership, we are grateful to be able to pursue our goal of helping students build a better tomorrow,” he said.

Persistent focus on product innovation is key for ErudiFi, according

Epic Games’ value may hit $28 billion

EDC to help boost disaster resilience of Ormoc City

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pic Games could be worth about $28 billion based on its latest round of fundraising, Sky News reported, propelling the company into the ranks of the world’s 10 most valuable startups.

The owner of the popular game Fortnite is finalizing terms for a $1 billion funding round, Sky said, citing people familiar it didn’t identify. At that valuation, Epic would overtake startups including Rivian Automotive Inc., based on data compiled by CB Insights.

The latest raise came just seven months after Epic closed a round of capital from investors including Sony Corp. and Baillie Gifford at a valuation of $17.3 billion.

It recently expanded its portfolio with the purchase of the maker of “Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout,” an online game that was one of the breakout hits of the pandemic.

Bank of America Corp. is advising Epic Games on the latest transaction, Sky said. An Epic spokeswoman declined to comment on the report.

Multiple startups have seen their valuations surge amid the pandemic. Stripe Inc.’s valuation almost tripled in less than a year to $95 billion with its latest funding round, making it the most valuable United States startup. The online payments processing company raised $600 million in its round, Stripe said on March 14. Bloomberg News

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

E

nergy Development Corp. (EDC) has initiated various programs in Ormoc City that are meant to make the latter as the country’s model city for resilience and disaster preparedness.

“EDC is leveling up or elevating its partnership to pave the way for Ormoc City to become a truly resilient and regenerative community by adopting it through the National Resilience Council [NRC] and the Carlos P. Romulo Foundation’s Adopt-a-City program,” the Lopezfirm said Sunday.

In a virtual Memorandum of Agreement signing ceremony, the parties vowed to work together and leverage each other’s capabilities.

“Our work here in this partnership has a lot to do with valuing ecosystems services for climate change mitigation, adaptation, and disaster risk reduction. We are well in line with the statement of EDC Chairman Piki Lopez wherein he outlined a decarbonized and resilient future for the country, using the word regenerative, which is particularly

important as far as ecosystem based services are concerned,” said NRC President Antonia Yulo Loyzaga.

Loyzaga added that they would like to take advantage of the vast experience and knowledge of EDC, the human knowledge and technical capacity of the Ormoc City government, and NRC’s work in building this partnership.

EDC President and COO Richard B. Tantoco, meanwhile, committed to keep helping Ormoc City become resilient. “Climate change is going to worsen and we really need to be more and more prepared, which is why we are proud of this partnership with NRC and Ormoc City.”

The expansion of EDC’s role in the partnership include the formation of a multi-sectoral forest protection task force, the creation of 10 pilot barangay emergency response teams, the roll out of a city-wide disaster risk preparedness and response information campaign.

“We’d like our geothermal facilities in Leyte to be the most robust power facility in the country so 2-3 days after a major disaster, the Ormocanons will look up and see that there’s light and know that they can

begin rebuilding their lives. If we can help to prevent the Ormocanons from being repeatedly subjected to the attacks of climate change and worsening typhoons, we’re here to support and partner with Ormoc and NRC,” said Tantoco.

Ormoc City Mayor Richard I. Gomez said: “Ormoc is vulnerable to natural disasters, that’s why planning and foresight are very important, and partnerships like this are vital to us. Through this Adopt-a-City program, I know that we will achieve stronger resilience, reduce deaths, and increase development in our city. I want Ormoc to be a model city even if we are just medium sized so that other cities will look up to the things that we do in Ormoc and in Leyte.”

EDC’s Leyte geothermal facility has been supplying power to the province of Leyte and to the rest of the Visayas region for almost 40 years.

The company’s almost 1,200-megawatt total installed geothermal capacity accounts for 62 percent of the country’s generated renewable energy and is responsible for putting EDC and the Philippines on the map as the world’s 3rd largest geothermal producer.

he Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) lauded the approval on seconding of the Open Access in Data Transmission Act in the House of Representatives with its chief saying that this legislation may help Filipinos adapt the new normal.

Gregorio B. Honasan II, the ICT secretary, said the bill, which seeks to liberalize the industry, will help lower barriers to market entry, fasttrack and lower the cost of deploying broadband facilities, promote infrastructure sharing, and make spectrum management more fair and transparent.

“The DICT supports any policies aimed at spurring the growth of information and communications technology in the country. As the country transitions to the new normal, it is high time that we update our laws and policies to keep up with the digital times,” he said.

The bill aims to increase and promote fair and open competition in the industry, which

could potentially lower costs and increase service levels.

Should it be passed into law, the piece of legislation will mandate the interconnection among data transmission participants to avoid dominance by a single player or by a group of data providers.

Aside from this, the bill also mandates that there should be at least two providers at any given layer. Under the bill, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) is mandated to promulgate policies, rules and regulation to ensure and promote infrastructure sharing and co-location.

The telco regulator is mandated to maximize the utilization of radio frequencies by ensuring the equitable distribution of frequencies to registered data transmission participants.

The NTC is also tasked to set data transmission standards, and impose a fine of up to P5 million to those who fail to comply with the minimum service requirement. It may remove participants who fail to comply with the prescribed performance standards for three consecutive years.

B2

Companies BusinessMirror

Monday, March 22, 2021

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

March 19, 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 EAST WEST BANK METROBANK PB BANK PHIL NATL BANK PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK UNION BANK BRIGHT KINDLE COL FINANCIAL FIRST ABACUS FERRONOUX HLDG IREMIT MEDCO HLDG MANULIFE NTL REINSURANCE PHIL STOCK EXCH SUN LIFE VANTAGE

42.4 102 84 23.4 9.6 46 9.6 23.2 54.55 17.1 121 68.75 1.67 3.98 0.59 3.05 1.41 0.375 950 0.76 142.1 2,300 0.98

43.5 103.2 85.65 23.55 9.63 46.15 10.28 23.25 55 17.8 123 69.55 1.68 3.99 0.62 3.15 1.47 0.405 980 0.81 143.2 2,398 1.03

42.4 105.3 85.95 23.6 9.87 47.6 9.52 23.3 54.55 17.08 123 69.6 1.7 3.98 0.58 3.25 1.45 0.405 950 0.83 147 2,500 0.99

42.4 106.8 86.15 23.75 9.87 47.9 9.52 23.4 55 17.12 124.8 69.6 1.78 4 0.58 3.25 1.47 0.405 950 0.83 147 2,500 0.99

41.5 102 83.75 23.55 9.6 46 9.47 23.2 54.5 17.08 120.3 68 1.63 3.96 0.58 3.05 1.45 0.405 950 0.81 142.1 2,300 0.98

42.4 102 84 23.55 9.63 46 9.47 23.25 55 17.1 123 68.75 1.67 3.99 0.58 3.05 1.47 0.405 950 0.81 142.1 2,300 0.98

2,800 6,167,470 4,022,080 14,800 132,900 6,475,400 21,300 284,800 1,010 43,200 651,090 11,260 1,686,000 204,000 13,000 9,000 47,000 50,000 570 14,000 880 45 12,000

118,450 636,040,798 341,325,148 348,745 1,285,167 299,539,920 202,030 6,623,195 55,110 738,374 79,600,489 770,974.50 2,820,440 814,390 7,540 28,350 68,170 20,250 541,500 11,400 126,429 104,500 11,820

8,300 -166,389,658 52,702,277 -233,145 -140,273 -16,619,550 -5,397,755 -731,530.00 -18,889,239 47,752 -50 532,000 -40 70,000 -

INDUSTRIAL AC ENERGY 7 7.06 7.06 7.15 6.9 7.06 88,924,500 626,918,244 ALSONS CONS 1.28 1.29 1.29 1.31 1.26 1.29 1,246,000 1,609,300 ABOITIZ POWER 23.05 23.35 24.7 24.9 23.05 23.05 4,509,900 106,123,985 0.74 0.75 0.78 0.82 0.74 0.74 104,768,000 79,983,200 BASIC ENERGY 29.5 30.1 30.85 30.85 29.5 29.5 968,800 28,944,440 FIRST GEN 70.8 70.85 71 71 70.5 70.85 15,550 1,101,751.50 FIRST PHIL HLDG MERALCO 278.6 280 273.6 280 270 280 537,420 149,613,088 MANILA WATER 13.96 13.98 14.5 14.5 13.88 13.98 10,163,900 142,090,698 PETRON 3.13 3.15 3.16 3.16 3.12 3.15 409,000 1,284,680 3.59 3.84 3.56 3.87 3.56 3.87 11,000 39,470 PETROENERGY PHX PETROLEUM 11.44 11.78 11.78 11.8 11.76 11.8 5,400 63,602 PILIPINAS SHELL 20.45 20.6 20.75 20.75 20.4 20.45 655,100 13,495,535 SPC POWER 10.5 10.54 10.6 10.6 10.4 10.5 74,400 783,316 VIVANT 14.66 15.88 16 16 15 15.88 2,700 41,536 6.94 7.04 7.1 7.1 6.91 7.04 1,363,400 9,596,015 AGRINURTURE 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.14 3.05 3.12 614,000 1,904,270 AXELUM 17.46 17.48 17.54 17.54 17.4 17.48 2,120,900 37,065,002 CENTURY FOOD DEL MONTE 8.8 8.99 8.82 9 8.8 8.8 91,500 809,477 DNL INDUS 7.43 7.44 7.38 7.5 7.38 7.44 1,959,000 14,569,623 10.24 10.26 10.22 10.26 10.12 10.26 307,500 3,149,854 EMPERADOR 58.5 58.6 62 62 58.6 58.6 223,790 13,166,408.50 SMC FOODANDBEV 0.61 0.64 0.62 0.62 0.61 0.61 725,000 442,440 ALLIANCE SELECT FRUITAS HLDG 1.35 1.37 1.35 1.41 1.35 1.37 13,466,000 18,381,520 GINEBRA 50.25 51 50.2 51 50.2 51 128,720 6,554,037 JOLLIBEE 176 180.5 185.5 185.5 176 176 2,330,520 417,267,689 29.5 31 30 30 30 30 200 6,000 LIBERTY FLOUR MAXS GROUP 5.83 5.89 5.85 5.9 5.8 5.89 71,200 415,356 0.335 0.345 0.35 0.385 0.335 0.34 83,950,000 30,182,800 MG HLDG SHAKEYS PIZZA 6.88 6.9 6.9 7 6.9 6.9 12,600 87,596 ROXAS AND CO 1.02 1.04 1.03 1.05 1.02 1.04 725,000 744,020 0.137 0.138 0.144 0.148 0.134 0.138 17,640,000 2,475,420 SWIFT FOODS 129.9 130 127.4 130.5 126.4 130 2,533,730 327,719,122 UNIV ROBINA 0.79 0.8 0.82 0.82 0.79 0.8 1,158,000 925,520 VITARICH VICTORIAS 2.2 2.25 2.19 2.19 2.19 2.19 17,000 37,230 CONCRETE A 51.3 54.1 52.5 52.5 51.35 51.35 120 6,185 CONCRETE B 55.5 63 65.5 65.5 63.35 63.35 60 3,868.50 1.14 1.16 1.17 1.17 1.13 1.14 1,641,000 1,877,960 CEMEX HLDG 2.63 2.64 3.08 3.15 2.55 2.63 37,235,000 101,317,330 DAVINCI CAPITAL EAGLE CEMENT 11.24 11.3 11.2 11.24 11.04 11.24 418,100 4,645,818 EEI CORP 7.52 7.53 7.55 7.62 7.52 7.52 66,600 501,138 HOLCIM 5.55 5.56 5.55 5.7 5.55 5.56 336,700 1,874,476 6.23 6.24 6.28 6.28 6.21 6.23 554,300 3,462,191 MEGAWIDE 11.92 12.18 12.2 12.2 12.16 12.18 49,000 596,478 PHINMA 1.11 1.15 1.1 1.15 1.1 1.15 108,000 120,680 TKC METALS VULCAN INDL 2.15 2.16 2.32 2.32 2.11 2.16 8,407,000 18,472,870 CROWN ASIA 2.08 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.06 2.09 2,383,000 4,985,900 2.03 2.04 2 2.05 1.96 2.04 254,000 513,610 EUROMED LMG CORP 4.5 4.98 4.51 4.51 4.51 4.51 1,000 4,510 MABUHAY VINYL 4.4 4.48 4.46 4.48 4.46 4.48 41,000 183,050 PRYCE CORP 5.31 5.35 5.35 5.4 5.35 5.35 88,100 472,724 CONCEPCION 20.6 21.3 20.5 20.6 20.5 20.6 9,500 195,220 GREENERGY 3.82 3.85 3.98 3.99 3.8 3.82 20,005,000 77,627,610 10.08 10.1 10.64 10.64 10.1 10.1 518,700 5,339,348 INTEGRATED MICR 1.09 1.11 1.14 1.14 1.09 1.11 64,000 70,460 IONICS 5.65 5.89 5.57 5.89 5.57 5.89 2,200 12,306 PANASONIC SFA SEMICON 1.27 1.3 1.34 1.34 1.27 1.27 951,000 1,226,460 CIRTEK HLDG 5.77 5.78 5.9 5.9 5.75 5.77 954,300 5,537,103

133,734,620 -52,034,470 -348,050 -16,839,935 709,000 20,675,824 -23,437,196 113,770 2,447,085 20,880 -124,786 122,600 -6,014,078 44,300 6,409,310 -623,490 -6,879,574.50 316,020 3,059,998 -11,346,851 -32,578 -231,550 -62,440 10,880 -15,887,777 0 -443,170.00 1,196,660 4,246,624 -42,153 1,024,532 -402,894 -36,600 -744,410 -485,460 61,366 11,000 234,000 257,240

HOLDING & FRIMS ABACORE CAPITAL 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.1 1.05 1.07 36,738,000 39,344,280 ASIABEST GROUP 6.83 7 7.09 7.09 6.81 7 3,300 22,594 AYALA CORP 739.5 745 753 766.5 739.5 739.5 515,810 383,107,165 36.05 36.95 37.3 37.3 36.05 36.05 2,787,200 101,194,165 ABOITIZ EQUITY 10.38 10.4 10.4 10.66 10.36 10.4 4,870,900 50,997,280 ALLIANCE GLOBAL 2.9 2.91 2.9 2.94 2.9 2.9 1,095,000 3,179,880 AYALA LAND LOG ANSCOR 6.47 6.48 6.65 6.65 6.47 6.48 10,300 66,897 ANGLO PHIL HLDG 0.65 0.67 0.71 0.71 0.65 0.65 6,019,000 4,002,520 ATN HLDG A 0.81 0.83 0.84 0.84 0.81 0.81 1,780,000 1,455,060 0.81 0.85 0.8 0.81 0.8 0.81 54,000 43,450 ATN HLDG B 5.2 5.23 5.3 5.3 5.16 5.23 421,600 2,197,746 COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG 5 5.02 5.17 5.19 5 5 22,786,800 115,492,075 FILINVEST DEV 8.27 8.76 8.22 8.6 8.22 8.26 3,300 28,274 FORUM PACIFIC 0.25 0.255 0.247 0.25 0.247 0.25 390,000 96,960 512 518 531 535 512 512 161,590 83,290,845 GT CAPITAL 3.46 3.69 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.7 1,000 3,700 HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT 59.95 60 60.85 61 60 60 2,869,810 172,372,539.50 LODESTAR 1.02 1.03 1.18 1.22 1.02 1.02 18,854,000 20,382,500 LOPEZ HLDG 3.4 3.72 3.52 3.52 3.4 3.4 53,000 182,790 13.54 13.7 13.42 13.7 13.2 13.7 2,103,500 28,478,030 LT GROUP 0.48 0.51 0.49 0.49 0.485 0.485 50,000 24,350 MABUHAY HLDG MJC INVESTMENTS 1.74 1.88 1.74 1.74 1.74 1.74 2,000 3,480 METRO PAC INV 3.85 3.86 3.93 3.94 3.85 3.86 19,078,000 73,837,870 PACIFICA HLDG 3.51 3.74 3.75 3.75 3.75 3.75 5,000 18,750 PRIME MEDIA 3.15 3.16 3.3 3.48 3.05 3.16 29,045,000 93,876,740 2.5 2.75 2.49 2.5 2.49 2.5 19,000 47,480 REPUBLIC GLASS SOLID GROUP 1.25 1.28 1.28 1.28 1.28 1.28 25,000 32,000 SYNERGY GRID 360 390 362 393 358 390 2,230 831,070 SM INVESTMENTS 958.5 988 990 1,002 958.5 958.5 1,249,940 1,204,149,250 SAN MIGUEL CORP 115 118 120.7 120.7 115 115 249,970 28,937,323 0.69 0.71 0.71 0.71 0.7 0.71 38,000 26,770 SOC RESOURCES TOP FRONTIER 135.7 143 141.5 143 140 143 920 130,408 0.238 0.249 0.238 0.238 0.238 0.238 560,000 133,280 WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG 0.198 0.203 0.2 0.21 0.197 0.205 4,540,000 901,290

395,260 -2,127 61,516,180 -22,239,600 -7,894,666 11,580 12,960 22,010 20,250 -206,949 -27,750,913 -3,372 -28,478,620 -35,910,218 18,690 -119,870 -1,347,038 -9,811,070 3,223,690 -445,154,885 -11,259,712 -22,820 -

PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.61 0.64 0.61 0.64 0.61 0.64 174,000 110,580 AYALA LAND 34.5 35.45 36 36.35 34.5 34.5 18,215,000 634,640,720 AREIT RT 32.65 32.8 33.2 33.5 32.55 32.65 922,300 30,405,500 1.43 1.45 1.45 1.45 1.44 1.45 236,000 342,100 BELLE CORP 0.85 0.86 0.88 0.88 0.84 0.86 921,000 787,570 A BROWN CITYLAND DEVT 0.78 0.79 0.78 0.8 0.78 0.79 310,000 242,120 CROWN EQUITIES 0.134 0.137 0.137 0.137 0.137 0.137 160,000 21,920 CEBU HLDG 6.4 6.78 6.28 6.4 6.28 6.4 4,100 25,874 CEB LANDMASTERS 5.45 5.46 5.53 5.55 5.4 5.46 1,748,200 9,649,744 0.39 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.39 0.395 1,800,000 715,000 CENTURY PROP 0.32 0.335 0.335 0.335 0.33 0.33 40,000 13,350 CYBER BAY DOUBLEDRAGON 13.88 13.9 14.08 14.08 13.7 13.9 1,546,600 21,464,252 DM WENCESLAO 7.03 7.15 7.15 7.15 6.9 7.15 30,300 214,700 EMPIRE EAST 0.28 0.29 0.28 0.29 0.28 0.29 220,000 62,700 0.087 0.092 0.089 0.092 0.087 0.092 1,350,000 119,500 EVER GOTESCO FILINVEST LAND 1.11 1.12 1.16 1.17 1.12 1.12 36,554,000 41,232,670 0.82 0.88 0.81 0.82 0.81 0.82 105,000 86,090 GLOBAL ESTATE 8990 HLDG 7 7.2 7.2 7.2 7 7 4,400 30,880 PHIL INFRADEV 1.34 1.38 1.43 1.43 1.34 1.34 4,125,000 5,635,940 2.92 3.58 2.61 2.92 2.61 2.92 6,000 16,590 KEPPEL PROP CITY AND LAND 1.2 1.21 1.29 1.3 1.12 1.21 6,082,000 7,295,460 3.46 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.46 3.46 17,854,000 61,894,270 MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED 0.38 0.385 0.395 0.405 0.38 0.385 21,070,000 8,253,250 PHIL ESTATES 0.455 0.47 0.495 0.52 0.44 0.455 26,740,000 12,545,750 PRIMEX CORP 1.76 1.77 1.59 1.76 1.53 1.76 4,622,000 7,764,950 18 18.1 18.24 18.34 17.82 18.1 1,938,700 34,952,284 ROBINSONS LAND 0.26 0.275 0.28 0.285 0.26 0.26 1,100,000 296,550 PHIL REALTY ROCKWELL 1.43 1.46 1.47 1.47 1.41 1.43 60,000 86,000 SHANG PROP 2.67 2.71 2.67 2.67 2.67 2.67 12,000 32,040 STA LUCIA LAND 2.45 2.48 2.41 2.52 2.4 2.48 2,568,000 6,300,060 34.25 35.4 36.2 36.2 34.25 34.25 12,539,800 432,552,995 SM PRIME HLDG 3.7 3.87 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.7 2,000 7,400 VISTAMALLS SUNTRUST HOME 1.5 1.58 1.6 1.6 1.5 1.59 182,000 277,630 PTFC REDEV CORP 42.05 52.4 42 42 42 42 10 420 VISTA LAND 3.78 3.8 4 4 3.8 3.8 2,328,000 8,989,550

-308,618,980 -15,954,895 5,700 35,100 654,223 410,050 181,154 -19,597,690 28,000 486,320 37,510 -16,411,590 -273,950 -97,550 745,330 -10,738,006 -27,190 32,040 -835,450 -79,881,585 -9,190 -4,414,520

SERVICES ABS CBN 11.08 11.1 11.3 11.38 11.1 11.1 249,900 2,789,484 GMA NETWORK 7.34 7.35 7.05 7.35 7.01 7.35 1,641,500 11,840,111 MANILA BULLETIN 0.43 0.455 0.43 0.455 0.43 0.455 70,000 30,350 1,870 1,938 1,976 1,976 1,870 1,870 76,560 145,150,255 GLOBE TELECOM 1,195 1,217 1,295 1,297 1,195 1,195 580,925 707,014,860 PLDT 0.186 0.187 0.191 0.191 0.186 0.186 312,730,000 58,667,600 APOLLO GLOBAL CONVERGE 18.26 18.3 17.86 18.36 17.82 18.3 6,395,600 115,909,562 DFNN INC 3.82 3.91 3.9 3.98 3.8 3.91 92,000 358,190 DITO CME HLDG 10 10.02 10.5 10.6 9.91 10 44,807,700 453,763,945 1.48 1.62 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 5,000 8,000 IMPERIAL JACKSTONES 1.92 2 1.96 2 1.9 2 43,000 83,280 NOW CORP 2.61 2.62 2.7 2.71 2.61 2.61 1,522,000 4,015,160 TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.45 0.455 0.465 0.48 0.45 0.455 21,330,000 9,831,950 PHILWEB 2.7 2.75 2.6 2.79 2.6 2.75 1,489,000 4,075,660 9 9.37 9.9 10.48 8.76 9.37 685,700 6,528,057 2GO GROUP 3.71 3.72 3.7 3.84 3.6 3.72 4,274,000 15,966,810 CHELSEA 46.6 46.75 45.3 47.1 45.3 46.75 936,100 43,716,090 CEBU AIR INTL CONTAINER 124 124.6 126 127.5 123 124 2,620,100 325,897,560 LBC EXPRESS 16.54 17 17 17 17 17 5,400 91,800 0.98 1.06 1.07 1.07 0.98 1.06 33,000 32,810 LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA 4.88 4.9 4.96 5.05 4.9 4.9 1,868,000 9,258,230 2.38 2.45 2.44 2.55 2.36 2.45 217,000 531,070 METROALLIANCE A METROALLIANCE B 2.46 2.84 2.94 2.94 2.47 2.47 12,000 33,340 PAL HLDG 6.01 6.24 6.17 6.25 6 6.01 11,500 70,259 HARBOR STAR 1.15 1.18 1.2 1.2 1.15 1.19 358,000 421,680 0.095 0.096 0.093 0.101 0.092 0.095 1,412,590,000 137,177,500 BOULEVARD HLDG 4.51 4.9 4.92 5.2 4.51 4.51 425,000 1,966,950 DISCOVERY WORLD WATERFRONT 0.49 0.495 0.51 0.57 0.495 0.495 17,124,000 8,999,950 CENTRO ESCOLAR 6.52 6.92 6.97 6.97 6.52 6.52 1,300 8,794 FAR EASTERN U 580 590 580 580 580 580 70 40,600 7.14 7.92 7.15 7.15 7.15 7.15 7,000 50,050 IPEOPLE STI HLDG 0.37 0.375 0.375 0.38 0.37 0.37 660,000 245,900 BERJAYA 4.33 4.56 4.34 4.56 4.3 4.56 40,000 173,180 BLOOMBERRY 6.94 7 7.1 7.1 6.88 7 4,620,100 32,311,868 PACIFIC ONLINE 2 2.07 2.12 2.12 2.07 2.07 41,000 84,920 LEISURE AND RES 1.7 1.76 1.66 1.79 1.66 1.76 239,000 404,480 2.05 2.1 2.05 2.05 2.05 2.05 35,000 71,750 MANILA JOCKEY PH RESORTS GRP 2.07 2.1 2.11 2.15 2.04 2.1 2,684,000 5,601,500 PREMIUM LEISURE 0.395 0.4 0.4 0.405 0.395 0.395 470,000 187,750 ALLHOME 7.8 7.91 7.93 8 7.58 7.91 498,800 3,899,187 METRO RETAIL 1.27 1.29 1.3 1.3 1.25 1.29 780,000 981,750 36.8 37 36.2 37 36.2 37 5,552,700 203,677,435 PUREGOLD 52.2 53 53.45 53.75 52 52.2 706,190 36,911,739 ROBINSONS RTL 90 93 93 93 93 93 1,350 125,550 PHIL SEVEN CORP SSI GROUP 1.19 1.2 1.24 1.24 1.19 1.2 834,000 1,004,490 WILCON DEPOT 17.84 17.88 17.8 17.98 17.52 17.84 1,610,800 28,727,800 0.37 0.39 0.39 0.39 0.375 0.375 2,620,000 991,600 APC GROUP 6.8 6.97 7 7 6.72 6.97 70,800 481,847 EASYCALL GOLDEN MV 435 450 440 450 440 450 410 182,900 IPM HLDG 4.95 5.09 5 5 5 5 5,000 25,000 PRMIERE HORIZON 2.12 2.13 2.27 2.33 2.1 2.13 45,202,000 99,382,170

-15,105,200 -307,575,395 638,750 39,104,822 50,450 -29,183,029 353,250 105,500 -25,002 -404,330 25,981,140 107,214,585 -4,333,050 -93,000 -4,082,240 -29,220 1,148,441 -4,090 87,650 -1,289,774 -268,720 3,048,185 -4,032,629.50 -16,740 -143,960 11,150,570 60,500 -2,945,630.00

MINING & OIL ATOK 7.99 8 8.41 8.69 7.9 8 1,592,500 13,149,914 411,919 APEX MINING 1.44 1.45 1.47 1.47 1.43 1.45 348,000 504,170 34,930 6.39 6.4 6.31 6.48 6.31 6.4 133,800 857,896 43,426 ATLAS MINING 2.43 2.6 2.35 2.5 2.35 2.43 41,000 101,670 BENGUET A BENGUET B 2.51 2.92 2.51 2.51 2.51 2.51 19,000 47,690 COAL ASIA HLDG 0.285 0.295 0.285 0.29 0.285 0.285 160,000 45,700 CENTURY PEAK 2.71 2.8 2.71 2.8 2.71 2.8 6,000 16,700 13,990 DIZON MINES 8.7 9.88 10 10 8.68 9.88 69,100 609,710 2.36 2.37 2.45 2.45 2.34 2.37 2,657,000 6,320,470 282,340 FERRONICKEL 0.355 0.36 0.385 0.385 0.355 0.36 1,330,000 493,800 -19,250 GEOGRACE LEPANTO A 0.132 0.133 0.135 0.137 0.13 0.133 7,260,000 962,330 LEPANTO B 0.133 0.138 0.138 0.138 0.138 0.138 10,000 1,380 MANILA MINING A 0.0099 0.01 0.0098 0.01 0.0098 0.01 15,000,000 148,500 1.19 1.2 1.25 1.25 1.16 1.2 1,933,000 2,301,860 69,730 MARCVENTURES 1.92 1.95 2.05 2.05 1.95 1.95 141,000 282,330 NIHAO NICKEL ASIA 5.25 5.26 5.4 5.4 5.25 5.25 5,487,400 28,982,990 -7,425,468 OMICO CORP 0.39 0.415 0.385 0.4 0.385 0.39 280,000 108,850 ORNTL PENINSULA 0.83 0.85 0.85 0.86 0.83 0.83 586,000 492,560 -12,000 4.66 4.7 4.7 4.72 4.66 4.7 337,000 1,583,830 4,730 PX MINING 12 12.3 11.94 12.3 11.84 12.3 6,706,200 80,131,530 11,536,316 SEMIRARA MINING 0.0081 0.0083 0.0083 0.0085 0.0081 0.0082 33,000,000 274,300 UNITED PARAGON ACE ENEXOR 23.2 23.5 23.5 23.9 22.15 23.5 327,500 7,665,165 -91,770 ORNTL PETROL A 0.01 0.011 0.011 0.012 0.01 0.011 410,200,000 4,209,900 ORNTL PETROL B 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 228,200,000 2,510,200 2,200 0.011 0.012 0.012 0.012 0.011 0.012 123,700,000 1,396,000 30,000.00 PHILODRILL 8.55 8.58 8.68 8.79 8.55 8.55 187,200 1,609,534 21,272.00 PXP ENERGY

PREFFERED HOUSE PREF B 100.2 101 100.2 100.2 100.2 100.2 10 1,002 AC PREF B1 519 529 519 519 519 519 3,600 1,868,400 ALCO PREF B 101.3 102 102 102 102 102 200 20,400 515 521.5 515 515 515 515 30 15,450 AC PREF B2R CPG PREF A 102 103 103 103 103 103 70 7,210 FGEN PREF G 107.5 109 108.9 108.9 106.9 107.5 3,680 396,260 GLO PREF P 500.5 504 504 504.5 504 504 12,240 6,169,535 GTCAP PREF B 1,041 1,042 1,041 1,042 1,041 1,041 16,020 16,677,120 MWIDE PREF 99.9 100 100 100 100 100 12,000 1,200,000 1,000 100 101 100 100 100 100 500 50,000 50,000 MWIDE PREF 2A 100 101 101 101 101 101 500 50,500 MWIDE PREF 2B PNX PREF 4 1,006 1,008 1,008 1,008 1,008 1,008 1,080 1,088,640 PCOR PREF 2B 1,010 1,011 1,012 1,012 1,011 1,011 1,620 1,638,940 PCOR PREF 3A 1,065 1,115 1,061 1,061 1,061 1,061 3,000 3,183,000 78.5 79 79 79 79 79 1,370 108,230 SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2E 75.8 76.3 76.1 76.1 75.8 75.8 85,100 6,476,080 SMC PREF 2F 77.5 78.95 78 79 78 78.95 66,870 5,279,661.50 SMC PREF 2H 76.8 78.5 78.5 78.5 78.5 78.5 600 47,100 SMC PREF 2I 78.95 79 79 79 79 79 61,000 4,819,000 76.2 76.7 76.2 76.2 76.2 76.2 24,600 1,874,520 - SMC PREF 2K

PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR 10.56 10.78 10.6 10.6 10.5 10.56 113,400 1,196,894 -442,966 GMA HLDG PDR 7.01 7.06 6.93 7.05 6.9 7.05 550,200 3,843,500 -1,188,300

WARRANTS LR WARRANT 2 2.01 2.18 2.2 1.93 2 8,700,000 17,683,480 -31,720

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ALTUS PROP 19.86 20.15 20.4 20.75 19.54 20.15 131,600 2,627,141 ITALPINAS 2.45 2.49 2.54 2.54 2.45 2.49 660,000 1,636,230 -102,290 KEPWEALTH 5.12 5.39 5.11 5.11 5.11 5.11 8,300 42,413 2.54 2.66 2.53 2.54 2.53 2.54 22,000 55,680 MAKATI FINANCE MERRYMART 4.91 4.92 5.06 5.17 4.91 4.92 13,863,000 69,041,372 -4,122,616

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS

FIRST METRO ETF 97.7 99.85 101.9 101.9 97.7 97.7 44,960 4,447,103.50 379,881

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Weak consumer demand dents income of LT Group

L

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

T Group Inc., the holding firm of most businesses of tycoon Lucio Tan, said its attributable income last year fell 9 percent to P21.02 billion, from the previous year’s P23.12 billion.

The tobacco business accounted for P16.83 billion, or 80 percent of its income, followed by lender Philippine National Bank (PNB) which contributed P1.55 billion or 7 percent, liquor firm Tanduay Distillers Inc. contributed P1.1 billion or 5 percent, Eton Properties Philippines Inc. accounted for P799 million or 4 percent, while Asia Brewery Inc. contributed P583 million or 3 percent.

The company’s 30.9-percent stake in Victorias Milling Co. Inc. accounted for P264 million or 1 percent.

The company’s balance sheet remains strong, with its debt-toequity ratio at 4.3:1 with the bank, and at 0.16:1 without the bank.

The tobacco business, through PMFTC Inc., had a net income of P16.83 billion, 9 percent more than the previous year’s P15.56 billion.

“The higher income is attributed to the higher share of premium Marlboro with customers shifting from mid-priced Fortune, as well as the price increases to pass on higher excise taxes,” it said.

The industry’s volume is estimated to have declined by 12 percent in

2020 due to the end-Aug 2019 and October to November 2020 price increases to pass on the additional excise taxes, coupled with the impact of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) implemented in Luzon starting March 17 through May. PMFTC’s volume was 16 percent lower year-on-year in 2020, the company said.

Illicit activities have been on the rise since ECQ was declared in March. In 2020, there were 171 enforcements, compared to 114 in 2019. A total of 161 machines were seized from illegal factories, double the 82 machines seized in 2019.

These machines can form 24 lines, with each line estimated to produce as much as 3 million sticks per day.

President Duterte signed Republic Act 11346 in July 2019 which increased further the excise tax on tobacco starting January 2020.

Taxes slapped rose to P45 per pack in 2020 from P35 per pack in 2019, and will increase by P5 per pack annually from 2021 to 2023, then increase by 5 percent annually thereafter.

“Continued price hikes to pass

STOCK-MARKET OUTLOOK Last week

Share prices plunged last week with the main index returning to the 6,400-point level as negative sentiment prevailed among investors due to the rising Covid-19 cases, which hit record levels.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) declined 292.45 points, or 4 percent, to close at 6,436.10.

The main index was down only on Monday and Friday last week, but its fall was so steep that the recovery during the other trading days was not enough to make up for the decline.

Foreign investors, which make up only 37 percent of the trade for the week, were still net sellers at P3.4 billion.

Average daily trading for the week was at P7.3 billion, lower compared to the P10 billion recorded in the previous weeks.

All other subindices declined led by the All Shares index that lost 150.17 points to close at 3,909.41 points, the Financials index shed 11.70 to 1,398.58, the Industrial index decreased 69.23 to 8,520.73, the Holding Firms index plunged 419.66 to 6,528.93, the Property index retreated 195.91 to 3,184.33, the Services index was down 54.61 to 1,401.61 and the Mining and Oil index declined 250.30 to 8,511.15.

For the week, losers outnumbered gainers 182 to 56 and 16 shares were unchanged.

Top gainers were Boulevard Holdings Inc., Primex Corp., Sta. Lucia Land Inc., City and Land Developers Inc., Synergy Grid and Development Phils. Inc. and Concrete Aggregates Corp. B shares.

Top losers were Lodestar Investment Holdings Corp., Da Vinci Capital Holdings Inc., Basic Energy Corp. Nihao Mineral Resources International Inc., Benguet Corp. A and B shares, Premiere Horizon Alliance Corp. and DITO CME Holdings Corp.

This week

Share prices may continue to fall this week due to the increase in the number of Covid-19 cases, which could prod investors to further sell their positions.

“The PSEi scaled back to its November 2020 level, and concerns will be where the next support level will be in the coming weeks as the first quarter of the year draws close,” broker 2TradeAsia said.

It said any increase to 8,000 Covid-19 cases a day may bring sentiment further lower as market is averse with the strict quarantine measures. Rising cases may prod local authorities to restrict the movement of people and impose prolonged curfews.

For the week, the policymaking Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) will meet on Thursday, and many expect the BSP to keep its rates low, similar to what the US Federal Reserve has done.

The broker said, however, that the BSP may have to make its move on the rising inflation rates, which it said may be transitory in nature, but is already becoming “problematic” to the already depressed labor market, which may need either fiscal or monetary stimulus.

“The country is not faring well in combating Covid-19, at least regionally. The vaccine delays on top of localized outbreaks have impaired confidence of foreign inflows in local fundamentals as the main index suffered 23 straight days of foreign selling,” the broker said.

Stock picks

Broker Regina Capital Development Corp. advised to hold on to the stock of AC Energy Corp. (ACEN) as the stock has been trading between a narrow range of P6.39 to P7.20 since early March.

“The indicators are all showing bearishness, but the momentum is tepid. Meanwhile, ACEN has been trading between the 50-day and 100-day moving averages since early March. It occurred when the stock fell by a little over 5 percent in a day,” it said.

AC Energy closed Friday at P7.06 per share.

Meanwhile, it advised to take profits on the stock of grocery chain operator Puregold Price Club Inc. as its stock may have jumped 5 percent in one day, but the share price remains under its 20-day moving average of P36.39 and 50-day moving average of P37.65.

“This means that the stock it is still stuck in its downtrend. This stock has experienced similar one-day spikes before, but these previous events did not lead to sustained reversals of the downtrend. That would appear to be the case here as well since indicators did not detect any underlying movement before this anomalous trading day,” it said.

Puregold shares closed last week at P37 apiece. VG Cabuag

on higher excise taxes may result in further volume declines,” it said.

Volume declines

PNB’s net income under the pooling method was at P2.8 billion in 2020, down by 72 percent from the previous year’s P9.68 billion.

The lower net income was primarily due to the P16.9 billion provision for credit losses that the bank booked in 2020, almost six times higher than the previous year’s P2.9 billion, largely due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Tanduay’s net income, meanwhile, was at P1.1 billion, 65 percent higher than the previous P676 million, largely due to the increase in the volume of liquor sales and a 34 percent decrease in selling and marketing expenses to P1 billion.

Revenues from liquor were 33 percent higher with the increase in volume and higher prices to pass on the additional excise taxes. Revenues from bioethanol were 24 percent lower with the lower volume and lower average selling price.

As of end-2020, the company’s nationwide market share for distilled spirits was at 22.5 percent, compared to 27.8 percent during the previous year. In the Visayas and Mindanao regions, where most of Tanduay’s sales are generated, market share was at 62.2 percent and 78.9 percent, respectively, as of end-2020. In 2019, its market share in the Visayas and Mindanao was at 64.2 percent and 77.6 percent, respectively.

mutual funds

Eton’s net income last year fell 11 percent to P802 million from the previous year’s P900 million. The company had a leasing portfolio of approximately 181,000 square meters of office space and over 45,000 square meters of retail space by the end of 2020.

The income of Asia Brewery, meanwhile, rose by almost half to P591 million, from the previous P398 million, but mainly due to the absence of losses incurred from the joint venture with Heineken as it transitions to brewing and distributing Heineken and Tiger beer brands locally.

The company’s products suffered volume declines as a result of the ECQ from mid-March to end-May, and the reinstatement of MECQ for two weeks in August in Metro Manila and other provinces affected sales in sari-sari and convenience stores as well as in supermarkets.

With the majority of people working from home, on-the-go sales in convenience stores as well as in supermarkets were affected.

The company last year declared total dividends at P0.81 per share or P8.76 billion, significantly higher than 2019’s P0.30 per share or total of P3.25 billion. The 2020 dividends translate to a 37.9 percent pay-out rate compared to 20 percent in 2019.

On March 17, the company’s board declared regular dividend of P0.15 per share and a special dividend of P0.09 per share, for a total of P2.6 billion, payable on April 13. This is equivalent to 12 percent of LTG’s 2020 attributable net income.

March 19, 2021

NAV One Year Three Year Five Year Y-T-D per share Return* Return Stock Funds ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a 212.49 19.36% -8.78% -3.4% -6.48% ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 1.2398 36.96% -8.43% 1.07% -5.58% ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 2.9082 20.95% -13.05% -5.54% -7.18% Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.7463 19.22% -8.45% n.a.

-7.17% First Metro Consumer Fund on MSCI Phils. IMI, Inc. -a 0.6637 5.13% n.a. n.a.

-10.5% First Metro Save and Learn Equity Fund,Inc. -a 4.6318 20.86% -6.73% -2.4% -6.26% First Metro Save and Learn Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a,4 0.6737 12.72% -10.39% -7.32% -11.33% MBG Equity Investment Fund, Inc. -a

97.19 33.5% -6.05% n.a.

-4.66% PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a 43.6352 24.28% -6.97% -2.07% -6.86% Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 457.04 20.16% -6.83% -2.6% -6.53% Philequity Alpha One Fund, Inc. -a,d,5 1.0264 27.25% n.a. n.a.

-6.46% Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. - 1.1019 19.98% -6.54% -1.67% -5.68% Philequity Fund, Inc. -a 32.6318 21.28% -6.48% -1.13% -6.15% Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.8494 20.64% n.a. n.a.

-6.97% Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc. -a 4.4666 24.72% -6.46% -1.35% -6.77% Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a 747.24 25.12% -6.35% -1.47% -6.79% Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 0.6734 19.72% -10.45% -5.09% -6.33% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 3.3838 19.2% -8.43% -2.87% -6.62% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.8544 24.68% -6.68% -1.59% -6.9% United Fund, Inc. -a 3.1322 21.37% -5.73% -0.33% -5.63% Exchange Traded Fund First Metro Phil. Equity Exchange Traded Fund, Inc. -a,c 100.2684 24.7% -6.12% -0.79% -6.77% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ATRAM AsiaPlus Equity Fund, Inc. -b

$1.2789 60.46% 3.74% 9.39% 6.32% Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.7112 58.24% 9.28% n.a.

2.3% Balanced Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ATRAM Dynamic Allocation Fund, Inc. -a 1.6343 16.41% -3% -1.18% -2.06% ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 2.1702 17.1% -3.14% -0.37% -5.04% First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund Inc. -a 2.5065 12.76% -2.4% -1.2% -4.59% First Metro Save and Learn F.O.C.C.U.S. Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a,1 0.1885 6.02% n.a. n.a. -5.09% NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a 1.9075 9.95% -0.48% 0.85% -2.88% PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a 3.584 13.91% -1.73% -0.33% -5.39% Philam Fund, Inc. -a 16.0808 13.6% -1.66% -0.32% -5.05% -3.85% Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a 2.0135 12.34% -2.66% -0.23% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.4142 11.92% -4.2% -1.37% -4.45% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a,d 0.9528 13.74% n.a. n.a.

-6.83% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a,d 0.8775 19% n.a. n.a.

-7.55% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a,d 0.8629 19.98% n.a. n.a.

-7.52% Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a 0.8441 15.74% -5.11% -2.08% -4.91% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Cocolife Dollar Fund Builder, Inc. -a $0.03794 1.61% 2.38% 1.31% -3.02% PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -b $1.1372 25.98% 1.56% 5.43% -1.13% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $4.5783 40.15% 6.94% 8.52% 1.45% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a,3 $1.19 20.27% 3.37% n.a.

-1.01% Bond Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 369.91 2.61% 3.12% 2.6% -0.31% ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a 1.9053 -0.48% 0.65% 0.19% 0.26% Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a 3.2165 2.31% 4.15% 4.57% 0.06% Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a 2.2381 0.19% 2.07% 1.66% -2.52% First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.4194 2.74% 3.04% 1.71% -1.38% Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a 4.4354 1.83% 3.91% 1.99% -4.3% Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a,6 1.3143 4.78% 4.2% 2.58% -0.52% Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.942 4.7% 4.17% 2.69% -1.48% Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a 1.016 6.09% 3.94% 1.68% -2.5% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.1591 2.88% 4.53% 3% -1.46% Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a

1.7225 1.89% 3.79% 2.21% -1.85% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $481.2 2.3% 2.83% 2.44% -0.55% ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a Є219.33 0.71% 1.04% 1.21% 0.07% ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b $1.185 5.29% 1.97% 1.38% -7.45% First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.0257 4.9% 1.2% 0.88% -3.38% PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -b $1.0516 -0.45% 0.13% -0.56% -3.76% Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $2.4528 4.3% 3.88% 2.18% -3.27% Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a $0.0624381 5.07% 3.19% 2.21% 0.19% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $3.0958 3% 1.74% 0.94% -3.96% Money Market Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 129.82 2.49% 3.23% 2.52% 0.01% First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.0494 1.57% n.a. n.a.

0.12% Sun Life Prosperity Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.3002 2.14% 2.92% 2.59% 0.28% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0549 1.51% 1.77% n.a.

0.24% Feeder Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities Sun Life Prosperity World Equity Index Feeder Fund, Inc. -a,d,7 1.1985 n.a. n.a. n.a. 6.1% 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."

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Banking&Finance

Banks have ‘medium risk’ exposure to crime–BSP

By Bianca Cuaresma @BcuaresmaBM

L

OCAL banks have a “medium risk” exposure to money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said.

In a statement over the weekend, the BSP announced that they have completed the sectoral money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing risk assessment of banks and other BSP-supervised financial institutions (BSFIs).

The results of the assessment showed that the risk exposure of the sector is “medium;” pawning operations are at “low risk.” Financial inclusion products, meanwhile, have “low risk” while e-money and remittance services of pawnshops were assessed as “medium risk.”

The risk assessment was conducted in coordination with the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) and other relevant agencies or institutions, according to the BSP statement. The move, it added, was in line with the “National AntiMoney Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism Strategy of the Philippines” that calls for a “whole-of-government approach” to “strategically respond to the identified money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing risks.”

The risk assessment also showed that in terms of criminal activities,

those that pose the highest level of threat to the sector are the following: corruption; drug trafficking; investment fraud and swindling; and, violations of the Electronic Commerce Act of 2000 and cybercrimes.

“The BSP expects BSFIs to consider the results of the SRA [sectoral risk assessment] in their enterprise-wide risk assessment and to use these as inputs in enhancing their risk mitigation policies and strategies,” BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno was quoted in the statement as saying.

“The SRA showed us the results of the hard work not only of the BSP, but also of BSP-supervised financial institutions and our partner agencies in our fight against money laundering and terrorist financing,” Diokno added. “But we should also use the results of this exercise as a reminder to remain vigilant to the threats that undermine the integrity of the Philippine financial system.”

Just last year, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) urged Filipinos to be more “cautious and vigilant” in their digital transactions, as suspicious digital activity has been on the rise along with digital payments due to lockdown measures.

The AMLC said some of these include fraudsters pretending to be affiliated with a government unit and a government agency in soliciting Covid-19 donations and Online shopping swindling schemes involving Bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies.

Perspectives Breaking glass ceilings

W

hether in the home or in business, segregating roles on the basis of gender has a long history, going as far back as the Industrial Revolution. I would suggest that a very different and reformative revolution is underway today and it demonstrates the powerful influence that women in family businesses are having.

There is recognition that society is changing, as is education and children’s upbringing and GenX and Millennial women are stepping up in family businesses, including those in traditionally maledominated industries. For example, young Millennial women like Jodi Bloomer, cofounder of Canadian Fiber Optics, are playing instrumental roles in setting this new direction.

“In this case, being a woman has had advantages because the men around me don’t need to try to intimidate me,” she told us, “I am not challenging to them. I acknowledge that they know more than me in their own special areas; that I am here to learn, and I need their expertise and input to make good decisions for our company. There is a mutual appreciation for what each of us does well.”

Gaining a fresh perspective on the future

BECAUSE of societal bias and cultural or family traditions in some areas of the world, women have often been consigned to the role of ‘chief emotional officer’ in their family firms. In this hidden ‘CEO’ role, they take care of the emotional needs of the family, keeping the family together and perpetuating the family’s values and traditions across the generations.

Men have traditionally been associated with traits such as independence, auton-

omy and achievement, while women have generally been classified as nurturing and caring.

However, traditional feminine characteristics such as loyalty, concern, sensitivity to the needs of others, problem-solving and conflict resolution represent a holistic and constructive leadership style for both women and men. In a family business, this leadership style can be an asset because it combines loyalty to the firm and the family with a sensitivity to individuals’ needs, as well as a collaborative decision-making approach that is based on instinct, intuition and evidence.

In fact, encouraging a diversity of views and approaches can have tremendous power in helping to move family businesses toward more interesting and prosperous futures. And women and men have an opportunity to strengthen their family businesses by embracing their differences rather than fighting against them; in benefitting from the talent, knowledge and skills that each can contribute.

While the glass ceiling may not yet be shattered, I believe that there is a new generation of women in family business who are blazing their own trail. They are too busy looking forward to look up at the ceiling, and they are likely to be the role models for many female and male family business leaders of the future.

The excerpt was taken from “KPMG Thought Leadership, A balancing act: Privacy, security and ethics.” © 2020 R.G. Manabat & Co., a Philippine partnership and a member-firm of the KPMG global organization of independent memberfirms affiliated with KPMG International Ltd., a private English company limited by guarantee.

All rights reserved.

For more information on KPMG in the Philippines, you may visit www.kpmg.com.ph.

BusinessMirror

Monday, March 22, 2021

B3

SSS sickness benefit claimants lower by nearly 40% last year

D

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

@BNicolasBM

uring the pandemic year, the number of claimants to their sickness benefits in the state-run Social Security System (SSS) dropped by half compared to the filings in 2019.

The number of members who availed sickness benefits under the social security fund last year went down to 269,604 from 458,851 in the previous year.

The SSS said it released only P1.82 billion in sickness benefits last year, marking a nearly 40-percent drop from the P2.97 billion in 2019.

SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Aurora C. Ignacio said the imposition on lockdown measures last year caused the decline in the number of applications. According to Ignacio, the 76-day restriction on mobility from March 17 to May 31, 2020, affected the filing for various benefit claims in different branches of the SSS. Prior to the imposition of lockdown measures, the total sickness benefit disbursements from the so-

cial security fund and the number of beneficiaries availing sickness benefits have been rising every year since 2016.

For this year, Ignacio said they are expecting total sickness benefit disbursements to rise along with the easing of community quarantine restrictions.

“Comparatively, social security fund total sickness benefit disbursements in 2016 amounted to P2.17 billion, and in 2017, it reached P2.42 billion. It further increased to P2.65 billion in 2018 and P2.97 billion in 2019,” Ignacio was quoted as saying in a statement the SSS issued over the weekend. “We are expecting the figures will increase for 2021 as the government eases community quarantine guidelines that will allow more people to go out of their

respective homes.”

The statement comes as the Philippines records a surge in Covid-19 cases, posting a record-high daily tally of 7,999 new cases of infection last Saturday.

According to the SSS, the sickness benefit is a daily cash allowance granted to qualified members confined at home or in the hospital for at least four days, including the recovery period due to an illness or injury. The number of compensable days is up to 120 days per calendar year that can be extended for another 120 days the following year on account of the same medical condition. Illnesses or injuries that persist for over 240 days can qualify for SSS disability benefits.

The SSS said employers may file sickness benefit reimbursement claims through the pension fund manager’s online facility for “Social Security Sickness Benefit Reimbursement Applications,” or SBRAs. The SSS said the filing could be done without the employer “having to wait for the hard copy of the approved sickness notification and the need to submit a duly accomplished SBRA form to an SSS office after giving advance payment to the employee.”

The development of the online facility for SBRAs, which is available at the SSS’s web portal, is part of

our ongoing digital transformation drive, now made more significant due to the health and safety protocols imposed by the government to stop the spread of the Covid-19 virus, the SSS said in the statement.

“Aside from expediting the processing time of sickness benefit reimbursements by eliminating the transmission of claims from SSS branches to processing centers, this online facility will also reduce faceto-face interactions in our branches to help government efforts to stop spreading the virus,” Ignacio said.

Meanwhile, disbursements for sickness benefit under the Employees’ Compensation (EC) fund also decreased by 27.5 percent last year to P186.41 million from P257.01 million in 2019.

The number of beneficiaries also declined to 22,757 members from 34,860 in the previous year.

Since 2016, EC sickness benefit disbursement has also been increasing annually. It reached P100.44 million in 2016 benefiting 25,201 members, P121.29 million for 30,325 members in 2017, then P140.13 million for 31,662 members in 2018.

As of December 2020, the pension fund has a total of 38.8 million members, of which less than half, or only 41.7 percent (16.18 million) are regular paying members.

Pinoys turn to contactless payments amid lockdown

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad @Tyronepiad

W

HILE cash is still the main payment mode in the Philippines, multinational financial services company Mastercard Inc. said that contactless payment has gained traction since last year amid the accelerated shift to digital.

In its report titled “Mastercard Philippines Contactless Study,” the Purchase, New York-headquartered firm said that over 70 percent of contactless cardholders used their card in-store over the past year. A significant portion (40 percent) even claimed they were making contactless payment purchase at least once a week.

On the other hand, the 40 percent who did not transact via contactless card payments in the past year had worries over cybersecurity. The study revealed that hacking (86 percent)

and wireless skimming (82 percent) were the top concerns among the consumers.

“A key highlight in the study is the important roles that different stakeholders play in helping consumers to adopt this new payment technology,” Mastercard said, noting that 19 percent learned how to use contactless cards through instructions from bank employees while 17 percent were informed by cashiers. Meanwhile, 21 percent learned through self-discovery, it added.

The financial services firm said this trend shows that banks and merchants are essential in raising awareness and confidence in the usage of contactless payments in the country.

Mastercard Country Manager Rowell O. Del Fierro said they encourage more consumers to adopt a contactless payment mode.

We are “ramping up efforts to

help issuers, acquirers and merchants further drive contactless transactions by providing these industry players with data, insights, best practices and execution support starting with a deeper understanding of consumers’ motivations and concerns when choosing payment methods,” Del Fierro said.

In the Philippines, the study noted that 86 percent of consumers are aware of contactless cards.

Nearly half of the consumers said they are using such payment mode because it takes them less time to complete transaction. Meanwhile, 38 percent said use of contactless cards because of hygiene concerns.

“To accelerate the uptake of contactless card payments, [we are] also closely working with industry partners, to implement initiatives, programs and technology solutions that successfully enable businesses of all sizes to meet evolving needs of today’s customers,” Del Fierro added.

In a recent study by Visa, the company noted that 73 percent of Philippine respondents adopted contactless payments as it became more widely accepted. This led to cash usage declining to five consumers out of 10 consumers from seven consumers out of 10 consumers prior to the imposition of mobility restrictions last March 17, 2020.

Three-fourths of the Filipinos surveyed by Visa believe that digital payments can help in containing the spread of Covid-19. Respondents also cited convenience, lower risk of theft and ability to track financial records as reasons behind supporting cashless payments.

In addition, the Visa study revealed that consumers would completely transact via contactless payment terminals for bills payment (81 percent), grocery shopping (71 percent) and overseas travel (68 percent).

PNB to sell sour loans to infuse additional liquidity

A

IMING to infuse additional liquidity, the Philippine National Bank (PNB) said it plans to transfer its nonperforming assets (NPAs) to an asset management company or special purpose vehicle.

PNB Chief Financial Officer Nelson C. Reyes told the reporters in a recent news briefing that the Tan-led bank is interested in exercising the Financial Institution Strategic Transfer (FIST) Act, which was signed into law last February.

The law, Republic Act 11523, allows financial institutions to unload their NPAs by selling them to asset management firms to better handle their debt portfolio. NPAs refer to nonperforming loans (NPL) and real and other properties acquired in settlement of loans.

“We are interested in selling or transferring our nonperforming assets to FIST [company] to take advantage of the benefits to capital this would bring,” Reyes said.

Reyes said that PNB is currently in the process of identifying the eligible NPAs that the bank can

sell to a FIST company. The bank intends to complete this task by the second quarter of the year.

“Processes are being put in place and reviewed for organized and smooth transfer of accounts to FIST.” According to its financial report, PNB’s gross NPL ratio surged to 6.99 percent in 2020 from 1.59 percent year-on-year. Net NPL ratio, meanwhile, climbed to 6.93 percent last year from 0.68 percent in 2019.

This led to PNB hiking credit loss provisions for 2020 by over five times to P16.9 billion year-onyear. The bank said it earmarked loan loss reserves for essential industries which were heavily affected by the pandemic, including real estate, transportation, wholesale and retail trade.

PNB President Jose Arnulfo A. Veloso said that 7.5 percent of the bank’s loan portfolio has been restructured.

Out of PNB’s total consumer loans, 30 percent availed the debt moratorium under RA 11469, or the Bayanihan 2 law. Eight percent of the institutional banking

accounts, meanwhile, sought for the deferral of loan payments as well under the same law.

The loan portfolio of PNB fell by 9 percent to P600 billion last year.

This year, Veloso is “very optimistic” for the operations of PNB, pegging the profit guidance at 51-percent growth. This projection is a major turnaround considering the bank saw its net earnings for 2020 plummet by 73 percent to P2.6 billion from P9.8 billion year-on-year amid heightened credit loss provisions.

“PNB’s net income is projected to steadily increase in 20222023, supported by improvement in net interest income with higher income contribution from loans as growth is anticipated at double-digit, coupled with increase in yield rates,” the PNB chief added.

The bank is also setting aside around P5 billion in capital expenditures for this year, bulk— or P3.5 billion—of which is earmarked for digital initiatives. The remaining P1.5 billion is for other projects, including improvement of premises.

Consolidated assets by the bank stood at P1.2 trillion as of endDecember 2020. Capital adequacy ratio and common equity tier 1 were at 15.14 percent and 14.47 percent, respectively.

Branch operations

MEANWHILE, the PNB said effective March 22 up to April 16, the lender’s nationwide branch banking hours (except for mallbased and NAIA branches) shall be from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. “due to the reported increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in the country.”

“We encourage our clients to plan their banking transactions accordingly,” the bank ’s advisory read. The advisory added that the PNB Internet banking and PNB mobile banking app are available for day-to-day banking activities.”

PN B added it s “ B a n k O n Wheels” will be rolled out to service areas where there are no automated teller machines (ATMs).

PNB said its 1,721 ATMs and “cash accept machines will continue to serve you.” Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

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What to Do When Your Employee

Is Totally Checked Out W

Rebecca Knight

expectations or come up with a way to more fully recognize the employee’s contributions, for example with a new title.

If the issue is a work-related grievance, be sympathetic. It’s common for employees to temporarily check out because of interpersonal team dynamics, says Boyes. But while you must take complaints seriously, you must also make the impact of their disengagement clear. Rimm suggests saying, “I hear you. That stinks. But let me tell you how this looks. Your team feels like you’ve pulled away and you’re not contributing. It’s having an effect on morale and productivity.”

hen a member of your team checks out mentally, it can be frustrating for the whole team. In some cases, the person will only do the bare minimum of work expected. In other cases, he may fail to meet important deadlines or drop the ball on critical projects. What can you do to address the issue? And what’s the best way to ensure this person’s lack of motivation doesn’t affect your other team members?

Gather evidence

Boyes says that you need to get clarification on how precisely the employee is falling short. Ask yourself, “What are the requirements of the job that this person is not meeting?” It’s also important to consider how you know this information, says Rimm. Have you observed directly that their performance is off? Are you hearing it from others? Reflect, too, on the timeline. Is this a recent problem?

Or have you seen a steady slide in this person’s performance? “You need data,” Rimm adds. “Don’t con-

front anyone about their behavior unless you have good evidence of how it’s affecting others.”

Learn about resources

Before broaching the subject with your employee, Boyes recommends educating yourself about your organization’s resources for dealing with situations like these.

“There ought to be some processes and mechanisms in place,” she says. “It shouldn’t be up to an individual manager to deal with this ad hoc.” Learn about available support systems, including employee assistance plans, human resources programs and training courses.

Arm yourself with information so that you’re prepared to brainstorm solutions with your employee.

Be compassionate

When it’s time to have a frank and honest conversation with your employee, be kind. “Show up with genuine concern and interest for the other person as a human being,” says Rimm. Ask questions. “You’re not there to blame them or write them up; you’re there to understand what’s going on,” she adds. “Make it clear

Skypixel | Dreamstime.com.

There are myriad factors that might cause employees to check out, according to Alice Boyes, a former clinical psychologist. “It could be that they feel passed over and they’ve got a gripe. It could be that their job has changed, and they feel out of their depth. It could be a personal issue—maybe they’re going through a divorce.” Regardless of the reason, it’s your job to find a way to support them, says Allison Rimm, author of “Joy of Strategy: A Business Plan for Life.”

Here is how to get started:

Be open with your team—to a point

that you have a legitimate and sincere desire to support them through whatever it is that ails them.”

Offer individualized support

Once you have a better understanding of the underlying issue, you need to work together with the person to come up with a remedy, says Rimm. The solutions will be different depending on what’s behind your employee’s detachment.

If the cause is personal stress, offer flexibility. When an employee is scaling back to deal with a personal issue, you need to be delicate and discreet, says Boyes. If an employee is, say, having marital trouble or needs to tend to a sick parent, offer support and sympathy. Be gentle.

Ask the person what would be most

helpful—remote work? condensed hours? reduced responsibilities?— and then devise a plan to make it happen for a fixed period. You also need to figure out a way to tell the rest of the team that respects the person’s privacy and confidentiality, says Rimm. Ask your employee, “Would you will be willing to share this information on a limited basis?” Work together to craft a message that addresses the matter appropriately.

If the disengagement is due to a lack of skills, offer training. Start by asking your employees how changes to the work environment have impacted their capacity to do their job. “It might be that their skills, interests and abilities are no longer aligned with their re-

sponsibilities,” Rimm says. In this case, you could offer support in the form of continuing education courses or one-on-one coaching.

If your employees are bored, get creative. Find out what their goals are, says Boyes. Then, come up with a solution to energize them. “Maybe they need ongoing skill development or a new project to sink their teeth into,” she says.

Think about ways to challenge your employees and expand their professional horizons.

If an employee is burned out, consider whether the requirements of the job are reasonable.

“There’s often a lot of murkiness around a job’s official expectations and its actual ones,” says Boyes. Perhaps you need to rethink

In addition to speaking with the employee in question, you need to address the team. “Acknowledge the elephant in the room,” says Rimm. And yet, don’t single anyone out. Be respectful and professional. Boyes recommends figuring out what’s most annoying—wasted time, missed deadlines or grumpy attitudes—and then addressing those things broadly within your team. Set expectations. Explain requirements.

But whatever you do, keep in mind that this is not about one person; it’s about the team.

Be patient—to a point

Lighting a spark under a disengaged employee won’t happen overnight, says Boyes. And unfortunately, it may not happen at all. If the possible remedies you’ve implemented don’t seem to work, it might be a sign that the role isn’t right for that person. Candor is necessary.

Explain the priorities of the organization and be straightforward about your concerns. Hopefully, you can come to the conclusion together the person is no longer right for the job. As a gesture of good will, you might offer to help the employee look for a new job.

Rebecca Knight is a freelance journalist in Boston.

To reduce gender bias in hiring, make your shortlist longer

By Brian J. Lucas, Laura M. Giurge, Zachariah Berry & Dolly Chugh

I

t’s no secret that certain industries are dominated by men, especially in top leadership positions. Although organizations acknowledge gender diversity issues and voice an intention to do better, progress toward gender equity has been incremental at best.

Our latest research explores one reason for this: Gender inequities are baked into the structure of the informal recruitment process.

Imagine you’re a hiring manager in the technology industry and are looking for someone to fill a top management position.

Your goal is to move fast and find a top-performing candidate. You have some promising candidates in mind: one whom you remember from your alma mater’s alumni event, another recommended by your previous mentor and another whom your cousin recommended to you. Before you’ve even posted the formal job ad, you’ve created an informal shortlist of candidates who will—intentionally or unintentionally—receive more of your attention and more positive evaluations than those not on your informal list.

One problem with informal shortlists for male-dominated roles is that the prevalence of men in those jobs leads people to think automatically that men are more suitable for the roles than women.

Consequently, when people think about candidates who would be a good fit for those jobs, male candidates are more likely to come to mind over equally qualified female candidates. In other words, an informal shortlist may have more male candidates than equally qualified female candidates simply because men come to mind first.

Our research identifies a simple way to attenuate this form of gender bias: making your informal shortlist longer.

To test whether this fix would work in real life, we conducted three studies with 858 adults in which participants imagined as filmmakers recruiting a lead actor for their upcoming action-thriller, a film “packed with action, car chases and shootouts.” As is common with informal recruitment processes, we asked participants to generate a shortlist of three names for potential candidates. However, we next asked participants to expand their three-person shortlist by adding three additional names.

Across these studies, we found that

the number of female candidates listed was 33 percent higher in the extended shortlist as compared to the initial one.

We replicated this effect in two additional studies with 265 adults who had working experience in the technology industry.

In these studies, participants imagined working at a technology start-up in California that was looking to recruit a new CEO. Again, we first asked participants to generate a list of three potential candidates and then to expand this list by adding three additional names. We found that the extended shortlist contained 44 percent more female candidates than the initial one.

To understand why the longer shortlist works, we turned to creativity research that demonstrates how the mind generates ideas. Research finds that persistence on creative tasks can result in more creative ideas. This occurs because the more time people spend brainstorming about a given problem, the more likely it is that the ideas they generate will diverge from the status quo, a key ingredient of creativity.

We argue that the longer shortlist operates via a similar process: It contains more female candidates

because it pushes people to spend more time and generate alternatives that diverge from the option we tend to default to.

We tested this mechanism by looking at the way parents select role models for their children.

Many people tend to think of men as suitable role models for their boys, and of women as suitable role models for their girls. We asked parents with young children to list three role models for their boy or girl, and then extend this list with three more names. Among parents of boys, we found that the extended shortlist had more female role models compared to the initial shortlist.

We found the opposite pattern among parents of girls: The extended shortlist had fewer female role models compared to the initial shortlist. This confirmed our theory.

If a longer shor t list leads more female candidates to be listed, does this make a difference when it comes to candidate selection?

To answer this question, we conducted two final studies. One study recruited 240 university students to complete the Hollywood action thriller task, and the other recruited 2,166 adults with

technology industry experience to complete the technology executive task. In both studies, we randomly assigned participants to create either a three-person shortlist or a six-person shortlist. We then asked participants to rank the candidates in order of preference for selection.

In both studies, we found that participants asked to generate a longer shortlist listed more female candidates than those asked to generate a shorter shortlist, both in terms of quantity and proportion of female candidates. When it comes to candidate selection, we found that listing more female candidates was positively correlated with selecting more female candidates. However, although more female candidates were selected from the longer shortlists (20 percent) than from the shorter shortlists (17 percent), this mean difference was not statistically significant. This result suggests the need for further research.

Next time you make an informal shortlist, particularly for a leadership position or a job in a maledominated role, take some extra time to extend your initial list. Our research shows that adding a few more candidates can increase the gender diversity of your shortlist

and reduce the odds that you’ll shun qualified female candidates simply because male candidates come to mind first.

But also remember that achieving gender equity is a complex issue with complex solutions. We view the longer shortlist intervention as one way to make the informal recruitment process less prone to both systemic and implicit bias. However, the informal shortlist is just one step in the recruitment process, which also includes formal recruitment and interviews. We encourage managers to consider the longer shortlist intervention in combination with other interventions and initiatives designed to promote gender diversity along the professional advancement pathway.

Brian J. Lucas is an assistant professor of organizational behavior at Cornell University’s Industrial and Labor Relations School. Laura M. Giurge is a postdoctoral research fellow in the organizational behavior department at London Business School. Zachariah Berry is a PhD student in organizational behavior at Cornell University’s Industrial and Labor Relations School. Dolly Chugh is the Jacob B. Melnick term professor at New York University Stern School of Business.

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BusinessMirror

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Monday, March 22, 2021

‘Asian excellence’ T

O #StopAsianHate, let’s celebrate Asian Excellence with the following examples.

■ STEVEN YEUN AND RIZ AHMED. The last time two actors of Asian descent competed in an acting category at the Oscars was in 1984, when Chinese/Khmer Haing S. Ngor won the best-supporting actor trophy for The Killing Fields (eerily being currently replicated in Myanmar) over Japanese-American Pat Morita for The Karate Kid (its “sequel” Cobra Kai is currently a hit TV streaming series.)

This year, we have Korean-American Steven Yeun (Minari) and UK-born Pakistani Riz Ahmed (The Sound of Metal) competing in the best actor category.

Yeun’s and Ahmed’s nominations sends a clear message to Academy voting members who are predominantly older, white and male that acting excellence isn’t exclusive to white, Western actors.

Ahmed, 38, is also the first Muslim to be nominated as lead actor. “To be honest, I just feel like however people can find themselves in this moment, however they can find a connection to this moment, is beautiful to me,” he told the Los Angeles Times. “What matters to me is that these moments of celebration, these moments of collective recognition, are actually moments where as many people as possible can recognize themselves in it. And so that’s all that really matters to me. And I’m really pleased if this is an opportunity for more people than ever before to connect to a moment like this.”

“It’s probably a bummer that [I’m the first Asian American best actor Oscar nominee]. This is a hard one for me. As great as it would be to set a precedent or be part of a moment that breaks through a ceiling, I personally don’t want to be ensnared by that moment, either. The truth that I’m trying to understand for myself is who I am, individually,” Yeun, 36, told Variety. “I’m happy to serve a larger moment for the community. And I’m happy to push narratives and show who we are because I am that, too. I am an Asian American and the pride I have for that is immense.”

■ NAOMI OSAKA. She is the first Asian ranked No. 1 by the World Tennis Association, for 25 weeks in 2019. She was born in Japan to a Haitian father and a Japanese mother but has lived and trained in the

CLOCKWISE: Naomi Osaka (@naomiosaka), Vincent Bueno wearing Michael Cinco (photographed by @mekbueno), Steven Yeun (photographed

by Diana Markosian for GQ, @steveyeun), Kelly Marie Tran wearing Michael Cinco (@michael5inco), Riz Ahmed (photographed by David Needleman for The Hollywood Reporter, @rizahmed), Kelsey Merritt (@kelseymerritt), Leyna Bloom (photographed by Yu Tsai for Sports Illustrated, @leynabloom), and H.E.R. (@hermusicofficial).

United States since she was three years old. At 23, she has won four Grand Slam titles and is the current Australian and US Open champion.

The US Vogue January 2021 cover girl is also a vocal activist for Black Lives Matter. In February, at the height of unprovoked attacks on elderly Asians, she tweeted: “The amount of hate, racism, and blame for Covid toward the Asian community is disgusting. The fact that this topic is not very widely covered makes me concerned.... And while I’m here, saying ‘Ching Chong’ and ‘shrimp fried rice’ when talking about/to a Asian person isn’t cool. You aren’t funny, it’s not a joke and you’re beyond pathetic.”

■ VINCENT BUENO. The singer/musician/producer/ performer, proudly posting on his Instagram, declared that he “is the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest Entry for Austria and representing the Philippines all over the world.” Vincent’s singer-father is from Manila while his nurse mother is from Nueva Vizcaya. Michael Cinco, the Dubai-based Filipino couturier, shared with me the exciting news that he will be dressing up the Vienna-born tenor at the finals on May 18 to May 22 at the Netherlands.

Vincent, 35, was internally selected by Austrian broadcasting TV ORF. ■ KELLY MARIE TRAN. While guesting on Jimmy

Kimmel Live, the host gushed over her exquisite cocktail dress. It was a Michael Cinco. The Californian, born to Vietnamese refugees, was promoting the wonderfully life-affirming Raya and the Last Dragon, making Kelly Marie the first Southeast Asia Disney princess. (Our Lea Salonga doesn’t count.)

She seemed to be in happier place now after being subjected to vicious online bullying (her Instagram remains blank) after her turn in Star Wars.

“Do not blame yourself if someone is not educated enough to understand that there are different types of people in the world who exist and who deserve to be heard,” Kelly Marie, 32, told the New York Times regarding race. “Do not internalize racism, do not internalize misogyny, make space for yourself and ask for what you want, because no one else is going to make space for you.”

■ H.E.R. In 2019, during an appearance at The Late Late Show with James Corden, the enigmatic H.E.R. (Having Everything Revealed) was already proudly announcing her Filipino ancestry. “I’m half-Filipino and Filipinos love karaoke,” she said. “So yeah, I love to sing, I’ve always been around music my entire life and I just gravitated toward instruments.” With 13 nominations in three years, four Grammys at 23 years old and an Oscar nomination best original song for “Fight for You” from Judas and the Black Messiah, Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson is proving to be more successful as fellow half-Pinoy Bruno Mars.

■ KELSEY MERRITT. The Fil-Am stunner teased on Instagram an endorsement shoot with Bvlgari Parfums, the “olfactory language of Italy.” The Kapampangan beauty is seen holding a bottle of Dolce Estasi Eau de Parfum from the new Bvlgari Allegra range. I smell another sweet smell of success for this PMAP and Kashieca model.

■ LEYNA BLOOM. With her spread in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit special, Leyna becomes the second trans model after Brazilian Valentina Sampaio and the first Afro-Asian to be photographed for the magazine. She also follows fellow halfie Kelsey Merritt at Sports Illustrated. She has appeared for Dior Makeup and walked for Tommy x Zendaya at Paris Fashion Week. In her acting debut in Danielle Lessovitz’s Port Authority, at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, she became the first transgender woman of color to be featured in a leading role.

The New York Times asked her recently: What about critics who say that you are promoting stereotypes?

Replied the outspoken Model Activist member (with Aine Rose Campbell, Cameron Russell, Ebonee Davis and Nimeu Smit) and proud Blaan, “I’m promoting something that has been missing in the world: trans beauty in all shapes and all sizes. I’m representing Filipina, I’m representing Black, I am representing people who have been immigrants. For them, I’m a vessel of change.” ■

‘Maskne’ isn’t really just acne and here’s what you can do about it

ONE of the most common problems of people who need to go out every day is “maskne” or mask acne.

Maskne is not just acne but skin irritation such as redness, bumpiness and irritation that appear in areas of the face the mask touches.

Now that it’s summer, expect the maskne problem to become worse. Sweat that sits on your face and mixes with everything that’s on there is a sure recipe for acne disaster.

Here are some ways to deal with this problem.

Dr. Kaycee Reyes of Luminisce Holistic Skin Innovations said maskne is probably caused not just by pressure from the mask but also by stress and sweat. She suggests using a water-based moisturizer and an oil-free sunscreen.

■ TRY: NIVEA SUN UV FACE CREAM ANTI-AGE AND PIGMENTS. Spot treat acne with a salicylic acid product.

Salicylic acid is beta hydroxy acid that helps clear acne by exfoliating skin. I also love using acne patches. My friend Julie got some for me in Korea and while I looked at them initially as something that would prevent acne, I now see them as best used for protective purposes. Use these patches (which normally come in different sizes) on spots where you're often hit by maskne. Mine is the right cheek area. I usually apply three patches there.

■ TRY: IN HER ELEMENT MASKNEGEL AND HAPPY SKIN BEAUTY INVISIBLE PIMPLE PATCH. Always keep your makeup, skin-care products and beauty tools like makeup brushes clean and sanitized. In August 2020, I purchased a UV Care Pocket Sterilizer so that I could sanitize my makeup before storing them for future use. This was me thinking that quarantine would only last for a few months. It was probably one of the best beauty investments I made in quarantine. I now use it regularly on products that I've already opened, especially creams and serums.

I also use it after deep cleaning and drying my makeup brushes. UV Care devices work using ultraviolet light, which

represents a portion of the sun’s electromagnetic spectrum.

The devices "clean and sterilize objects and surfaces without the use of chemicals; kill up to 99.9% of harmful bacteria, viruses, germs, allergens as well as mold, dust mites, fleas, bed bugs and their eggs; and are laboratory tested and approved by doctors." I'm actually eyeing the UV Care Multipurpose Sterilizer Lite 1, which I can also use to sanitize items that have been in my bag for grocery runs.

■ TRY: UV CARE PORTABLE GERM ZAPPER. Always double-cleanse. When we wear sunscreen and other skincare products during the day, we need to double-cleanse to remove all products from our skin. I double-cleanse with an oil followed by a foaming cleanser. Sometimes, it's micellar water and a foaming cleanser, but mostly I use an oil cleanser these days.

■ TRY: HADA LABO CLEANSING OIL AND HADA LABO DEEP CLEAN AND PORE REFINING FACE WASH. Also, Skip the makeup. I cannot believe I said this because at the start of quarantine, I was the person who wore makeup even under a mask. I don't anymore because I have oily and acne-prone skin. In a hot and humid environment (your skin under that mask and face shield), bacteria that causes acne will thrive.

But if you must wear makeup, choose powder products or a foundation that's nearly mask-proof. I used the word "nearly" because completely mask-proof makeup, in my humble opinion, does not exist yet. Hopefully, one will be invented this year.

■ TRY: ESTEE LAUDER DOUBLE WEAR STAY-IN-PLACE MAKEUP. Just make sure everything that touches your face is clean and this isn't just for pandemic-related reasons.

Covid-19 is serious and potentially life-threatening but it's not the only pathogen that can harm your skin.

Let's admit it: Makeup is potentially a breeding area for viruses and bacteria. Double-dipping into cream and liquid products with brushes, unknowingly sneezing when makeup is open on a table and not washing sponges after every use are only some of the situations in which viruses, bacteria and even fungi can transfer from a person's skin onto makeup and skin-care products.

Washing your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before handling makeup is the best way to avoid contaminating them. It's not difficult if you're the only person handling your makeup. But if you're a makeup artist, imagine the care that's supposed to go into sanitizing products and tools before and after every use. It's not just for you but for your clients' peace of mind.

On Instagram, I've seen makeup artists taking the extra step by using UVGI (ultraviolet germicidal irradiation) on their

makeup and tools.

So I asked makeup artists why they used such devices.

"Many clients now insist on it, or at least ask if you have any of these devices. I have one client who even gave me a small handheld one before the shoot," said a makeup artist.

Jigs Mayuga uses a UV sterilizer from a Korean brand called Upang for his brushes after he has washed and dried them. The brand UV Care seems to be a popular choice among makeup artists, maybe because it's been around even pre-quarantine. Also, hospitals, institutions and establishments have used it even pre-pandemic. The brand also has air purifiers, portable sterilizers, surface and room sterilizers, escalator handrail sterilizers and other products and solutions that are effective in different settings for killing microorganisms and bacteria.

I'll be honest, if I was having my makeup done by someone right now, I would also subtly ask them if they used a UVGI device. Of course, I will not be having my makeup done by anyone else anytime soon.

Meanwhile, try to double mask if you can. The new Covid-19 cases are in record numbers. Stay at home if you have the luxury of doing so. I always say, let's leave the streets to those who need to be out for work or other urgent reasons.

Forever feminine

GLOBAL brand Forever 21 celebrates International Women’s Month with its limited-edition collection of graphic tees that express the joys of being a woman.

Known as the go-to brand for the latest trends, Forever 21 caters to women of all ages and body types. The collection features pieces designed to raise awareness of women’s empowerment with inspiring messages and great style.

Wear limited-edition graphic tee tucked in with a tulle midi skirt and metallic stilettos for a dainty ensemble, or give it a sporty look by adding a pair of track pants and sneakers. Forever 21 wants women to remember that nothing feels better than them being comfortable in their own skin, whatever their style is.

Precautionary measures are in place to ensure a safe shopping experience at all Forever 21 stores ((www.facebook.com/ Forever21PH Forever21PH). Consumers can also shop at the comfort of their home through Forever 21’s callto-deliver service via Viber/SMS at 0917-8114777.

ESTEE Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup (left) and UV Care Portable Germ Zapper

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B6 Monday, March 22, 2021

Biñan City holds COVID-19 vaccine simulation exercise

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HE city government of Biñan recently conducted a simulation exercise for its COVID-19 vaccine rollout. This is part of the city’s health program to inoculate its medical frontliners with Sinovac doses from the national government.

The event, held at the historic Alberto Mansion, was witnessed by medical teams from the Department of Health (DOH), medical practitioners, health workers, and local government employees.

Along with the simulation exercise,

the Biñan LGU also inked a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with its vaccination partner hospitals, which include: University of Perpetual Help System Laguna (Perpetual Help Medical Center– Biñan), Biñan Doctors Hospital, Unihealth Southwoods, and Ospital ng Biñan.

Biñan City Mayor Arman Dimaguila led in the MOA signing, stressing that they will continue to educate Biñanenses on the importance of having themselves vaccinated, especially with the emergence of COVID-19 variants.

In a press conference, Dimaguila expressed his thanks to the city’s doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers for being modern-day heroes in the battle against COVID-19.

He recounted that the early days of the pandemic was a trying time for Biñan City, such that they even ran out of body bags for those who succumbed to the virus.

Dimaguila reiterated that the best vaccine are the ones already available for use.

Meralco conducts air quality monitoring drive within its Ortigas Compound

Pictured here is the real-time data dashboard captured by air quality sensors deployed by Meralco’s subsidiary, MServ.

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S part of its #PoweringTheGoodLife sustainability initiatives, the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has been actively monitoring air quality within its 23-hectare Ortigas Compound in Pasig City since February 2020.

The air quality monitoring drive, which began inside and in front of the Lopez Building and later expanded to other areas, equips the power utility with information on indoor and outdoor temperatures, humidity, as well as traces amounts of particulate matter and carbon-based chemicals, and nitrogen dioxide.

This important data is used by the company to monitor and manage its carbon

emissions. Moreover, as air pollution and unhealthy air temperatures have been linked to lung cancer and a myriad of cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses, the initiative helps provide the thousands who frequent the compound a safer and healthier environment.

“Health and safety of our employees are of paramount importance. Our air quality monitoring initiative will not only help ensure a safe working environment for our people but also contribute to nurturing a healthy workforce to service our customers.

This is a crucial component of our drive towards sustainability,” said Meralco President and CEO Atty. Ray C. Espinosa.

MARINO pushes for amendments in Fair Elections Act to adapt to pandemic

M MAYOR Arman Dimaguila, Jr. (at podium) with the city’s doctors, representing hospital partners for the COVID-19 vaccination program.

Celebrity couple Solenn Heussaff and Nico Bolzico join the Lenovo Yoga family

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LOBAL innovation leader Lenovo is partnering with multihyphenates Solenn Heussaff and Nico Bolzico to showcase how there’s a Yoga device made “For All of Us.” Known for their quirky personas and thriving careers both within and outside entertainment, the duo embodies the uncompromising flexibility and performance of Yoga notebooks that cater to practically every kind of personality or profession.

“Lenovo’s Yoga ‘For All of Us’ campaign celebrates people’s uniqueness and how this particular line of our devices is designed to easily adapt to any situation and fit the users’ needs. Solenn and Nico are stylish, ambitious, and inventive, and these are qualities and principles that we integrate within our Yoga devices.

With this project, we hope to inspire fans and customers to be as bold and unapologetic in their pursuit of excellence,” said Michael Ngan, Lenovo Philippines President and General Manager.

Launched globally last year, the campaign highlights humanity’s unique traits – both the positive and the negative – and pairs them with Yoga’s innovative technology to allow people to perform to their fullest potential. It celebrates innate attributes that Yoga notebooks spark further among users such as creativity and resourcefulness, while at the same time supports human flaws such as impatience and forgetfulness with its purposeful design. This is a stark contrast from usual campaigns that only revolve around achievements, and people can see all of this unfold by following Solenn and Nico’s journey as they go through their dynamic lives with their Yoga notebooks in hand.

Lenovo’s Yoga For All of Us campaign fits in perfectly with the couple’s vibrant lifestyle. Aside from her TV and film appearances, Solenn is a painter, makeup artist, and mother

to one-year-old Thylane Katana. She is also a successful author of two books and has been involved in product designing through her lifestyle brand. Meanwhile, Nico has also been under the spotlight, but those commitments come second to being a fully-fledged father and entrepreneur in the agribusiness industry. The couple shares their life on social media where they have amassed a huge following.

Matching Solenn and Nico’s energy and flexibility are two of the most versatile Yoga notebooks in the lineup – the Yoga Slim 7i Carbon and the Yoga 9i. The Yoga Slim 7i Carbon’s featherweight body and long-lasting battery life can assist Solenn in home and career tasks, ranging from her art, music, and writing to, most importantly, family needs. The Yoga 9i, on the other hand, allows Nico more opportunities for

NICO and Solen show there’s a Yoga for all of us.

his businesses through its touch-screen In-Plane Switching (IPS) display with Integrated Pen, two Thunderbolt 4 Type-C ports for seamless connection, and up to 17 hours of battery use. Both devices also feature Intel’s powerful 11th-generation processors that provide uncompromising performance and contain several useful smart features for home and work.

Interested customers can take advantage of the Yoga For All promo in celebration of Solenn and Nico joining the Lenovo Yoga family. From March 10 to March 31, 2021, buyers of participating Yoga devices, along with select Lenovo IdeaPad, IdeaCentre, and Smart tablets, can get up to PHP 70,050 worth of bundled freebies from Lenovo and premium lifestyle brand Herschel. Visiting the website at lenovo.com/ph/en/yoga.

ARINO Party-list sought to amend Republic Act No. 9006, or the Fair Elections Act, to include the use of billboards and other digital tools in election campaigns to preserve social distancing as the country gears for the 2022 presidential elections in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

House Bill No. 8663, filed on 10 February, seeks to amend Sections 4, 3, and 6 of the Fair Elections Act and expand the scope of allowable election platforms as COMELEC mulls restrictions on how campaigns would be conducted.

“The COMELEC is suggesting banning face-to-face campaigning for the 2022 elections to help stop the spread of the virus. While this is understandable, we need to find new means to reach out to voters and ensure they are wellinformed when they exercise their right to vote. Billboards and digital platforms are the answer to this dilemma,” said MARINO Party-list First Representative Sandro Gonzalez.

The bill proposes incorporating digital and static billboards owned by private entities or persons and mobile or transit advertisement on public utility vehicles to the list of allowed election materials.

“Digital billboards, aside from being more environmentfriendly than printing thousands or millions of posters and leaflets, allow candidates and political parties to deliver their

message to their target audience in a more cost-effective manner. Combined with a social media campaign, town hall banners, and home advertising, more people could hear and judge a candidate’s message,” Gonzalez explained.

The bill limits each candidate or registered political party for a national or local elective office to not more than two digital or static billboards per barangay and not more than 240 minutes of advertisement per digital billboard.

“This bill preserves the spirit of the Fair Elections Act while at the same time adapting the law to modern times.

We hope that this bill can become law before the 2022 election campaign begins,” said MARINO Party-list second representative Macnell Lusotan.

House Bill No. 8663 also allows bona fide candidates to utilize mobile or transit outdoor advertisements in public utility vehicles provided these advertisements adhere to the guidelines set by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

“These proposed amendments to RA 9006 will level the playing field in terms of digital campaigning. Electronic billboards and digital platforms reduce the advantage of money in elections and also reduces the need for a candidate to personally meet people in this time of COVID-19,”said Gonzalez.

‘Tuloy Po Kayo: Palihan, Palabas, Palitan’

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AKING cues from the Pasinaya, the country's largest multi-arts open house festival, the Cultural Center of the Philippines welcomes netizens inside its virtual theaters through the CCP online multi-arts open community festival, beginning March 19 to 21 and March 26 to 28, 2021 via the various online platforms of the CCP. Dubbed “Tuloy Po Kayo: Palihan. Palabas. Palitan,” the concept of the festival comes from the tenet of Philippine psychology that touches on the Filipino’s desire to welcome his kapwa or fellow man into his home. For this festival, the audiences are invited to the artists’ creative spaces.

The artists and groups of all art forms welcome them to their homes, ateliers, salons, performance spaces and venues, and invites them to be part of the whole creative process.

They will show how they continue to create art despite the forced isolation, share their art forms and new talents discovered during the pandemic, and explore the spaces where they now create.

The festival is also a protest of sort to the ongoing pandemic. “Tuloy Po Kayo” (TPK) embraces the idea that no pandemic can stop artists from creating great works, finding new means of expressions, and sharing their ingenuity with others no matter what the medium is.

TPK gathers as many artists as possible, engaged in as many art forms as possible. Taking the new realities into consideration, TPK focuses on the revitalization of the industry through the presentation of a broad spectrum of artistic activities in all artistic genres.

This is CCP’s way to revitalize the Philippine arts scene, which has been greatly affected by the pandemic.

The center aims to provide venues to Filipino artists to share their creations, while introducing and developing audiences to the arts through a series of performances, workshops and exhibits.

For two weekends, the netizens can enjoy and join over 260 artistic and cultural activities, various workshops, performances from both solo artists and performing art groups from all over the country, exhibitions and virtual museum tours, and arts market, among others.

A re-branding of Pasinaya, the online multi-arts festival feature three-part program - Palihan, Palabas and Palitan.

Palihan features workshops conducted by various artists and artistic groups; while Palabas, which is slated on March 20, 21, 27 and 28, puts the spotlight on performances, productions, shows, and other activities from the CCP resident companies, regional groups and other participants.

Palitan, meanwhile, is all about business-to-business art exchanges with international and local festival organizers, art programmers and creative stakeholders.

The journey starts at the virtual lobby of the TPK site.

From there, the participants can choose which venue they want to explore. There are the virtual Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo, Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino, Tanghalang Huseng Batute, Tanghalang Manuel Conde, and Bulwagang Juan Luna.

Once they are inside the venue, they can choose which activity they want to participate in. Each workshop, performance or artistic activity will be 15 minutes long. The activities begin from 9am to 7pm in the evening. There will also be film screenings via the CCP Vimeo Channel.

Through “Tuloy Po Kayo,” the CCP hopes to show to the audience that despite all difficulties, art, artists and culture thrives.

Follow the CCP official social media accounts on Facebook (www.facebook.com/CulturalCenterofthePhilippines), Twitter (www.twitter.com/theCCPOfficial), and Instagram (www. instagram.com/CulturalCenterPH). Visit the CCP website (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph) for more details.

Marketing BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Monday, March 22, 2021 B7

PhilPop: Music breaking borders W

PR Matters

By Abigail Ho-Torres

HEN poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said, “Music is the universal language of mankind,” he was on to something. How else can you explain toddlers as young as two years old getting teary-eyed over a touching song on Sesame Street?

Or how K-Pop songs, written mostly in Korean, have swept the world by storm?

In last week’s column, my colleague Kane Errol Choa highlighted the power of music as a communication tool: how jingles stick to us even decades after the products they were written for have gone obsolete; how ABS-CBN station IDs have become sources of happiness and hope for Filipinos.

For songs to have that much power, they must be written well— and that’s no easy feat. So many elements have to come together: music, lyrics, arrangement, production, interpretation. While we are innately creative—yes, I’ll go with that stereotype because I believe in its truth—we can’t just rely on sheer creative talent to churn out songs that can speak to people, no matter the language used, and stoke emotions, whatever they may be.

Enter PhilPop Musicfest Foundation. For those of you who are old enough to remember the Metropop, PhilPop started off as something like that: a songwriting competition. From 2012 to 2016, PhilPop gave both aspiring and experienced songwriters a platform for their voices to be heard. But the stellar cast behind PhilPop did not want to stop there.

PhilPop Executive Director Dinah Remolacio called 2017 PhilPop’s “pivot year”—when it was decided that there would be no competition that year, and that focus would be given on conducting boot camps all over the country.

“PhilPop's main objective is to empower every songwriter to shape Pinoy culture through original music. As we search for that distinct Filipino sound that could potentially cross borders and put OPM songs on the world stage, the songwriting festival has been a tactical tool to discover and enrich that sound,” she related. “With its aggressive and progressive approach to songwriting, it was able to reinforce diversity. It paved the way for regional songwriters and works, written in the vernacular, to be heard by mainstream [audiences].

It has become a powerful platform where artists can be discovered. It triggered trends nationally.”

Powerhouse cast

Dinah is no stranger to the music scene. Before being tapped to manage PhilPop in 2016, she was already the executive director of the Organisasyon ng mga Pilipinong Mang-Aawit (OPM). She now concurrently manages the two organizations. This unique position has allowed her to leverage on synergies between the two groups, creating positive ripples across the local music industry and among local artists.

Helping her make PhilPop’s vision a reality are some of the biggest names in the music industry, including National Artist Ryan Cayabyab, a nd mu lt i-awa rded songwriters Noel Cabangon, Trina

Awards: D.O.T. bag wins for ‘Save Our Spots Campaign’ at the 56th Anvil Awards MANILA, PHILIPPINES—The Department

of Tourism (DOT)’s “Save Our Spots” (SOS) Sustainable Tourism Campaign won an award under the Public Relations Program Directed at Specific Stakeholders category of the recently held 56th Anvil Awards organized by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines.

SOS is part of DOT’s overarching campaign for sustainability called “More Fun Forever” which aims to inspire tourists, businesses and local communities to have a long-term view on tourism by protecting the country’s destinations and natural resources.

Batangas boot camp participants and their coaches pose for a class picture on the beach.

I hope that by doing what I do, I can spare them pain. I love what I do, I enjoy it, and I hope others can feel the same joy, so I share as much of my knowledge as possible with them.”

Into the future

Dinah Remolacio Belamide, and Jungee Marcelo. I personally could not think of a better team to help shape the future of Philippine music. Aside from their overflowing talent, they all share the same passion for sharing their knowledge with the next generation of Filipino songwriters.

“Only one thing drives me, and that is to educate the Filipino songwriter not only with tools to create, not only about their inherent rights, but to inculcate in them the power they possess in creating new music movements—movements that can propel the Philippine music industry to greater heights. A music movement can be a style, a unique genre, or an entirely new sound for the world to hear. But it must first be a sound so loved and consumed by the locals that we can turn the tide in our favor vs. imported music,” Cayabyab related.

Belamide noted the great strides that PhilPop had made over the years in terms of output: “I have seen how those who have taken the time to listen to PhilPop’s songs are delighted and impressed with the kind of music fellow Filipinos are able to come up with. Filipinos love music, and I think we just need to discover or re-discover what Filipino artists can offer. It is my hope that PhilPop can help create an ecosystem that will make Filipino music creation sustainable.”

Remolacio agreed, citing how PhilPop served as a launchpad for the careers of prolific songwriters Thyro Alfaro and Yumi Lacsamana, as well as twins Paolo and Miguel Guico, more popularly known as the leaders of the nine-member band Ben&Ben. “A number of budding songwrit-

DOT worked with its creative agency DDB MNL, a DDB Group Philippines company, to develop the SOS campaign’s integrated multimedia marketing communication materials, which were subsequently showcased online and in strategic travel touchpoints.

For Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Save Our Spots is a movement that calls for each individual to do their part in acting as a responsible tourist and encouraging the same behavior towards their peers.

“Sustainable tourism as a whole may

ers in the regions have gained confidence in pursuing their respective professional careers as artists, after PhilPop. The nurture aspect of the PhilPop boot camp has drastically improved the output of the festival and the lives of young talented musicians and artists. It has opened a lot of doors, opportunities, and a vast network that were initially limited for the [more established] songwriters, pre-PhilPop,” she said.

Paying it forward

On top of their talent and passion for education, PhilPop’s coaches and mentors are also filled with the desire to give back to the industry that they love. Marcelo recalled having also been a beneficiary of songwriting competitions, including Metropop and PhilPop, and the exposure that these gave him worked wonders for his career and his craft.

“So when the opportunity was offered to me to help in the development of the PhilPop boot camps and training workshops—as part of the core group in charge of the conceptualization and execution, and as one of the lecturers/coaches—I didn’t even think twice. I gladly took the challenge,” he said.

“I love the spirit of excellence and camaraderie. We are one big family: everyone gets to help, everyone gets to benefit—like what Proverbs 27:17 says: iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”

Belamide related that she saw herself in these young, aspiring songwriters, “so I want to see them succeed and be as happy as I am in our field. I genuinely want to see talented songwriters rewarded and compensated for what they do. I’ve had my share of frustrations, and

seem like an ambitious venture but every small contribution will go a long way to collectively benefit the country’s tourism status, precious destinations, and valued lives,” the tourism secretary said.

Tourism Assistant Secretary Howie Uyking added that the award-winning campaign is “meant to ensure that our destinations stay ‘more fun forever’ for the next generations of Filipinos and tourists to enjoy.”

The urgent problem of pollution in the country has not spared the country’s wellloved tourist spots. The more tourists flock

A s with most other programs and campaigns, PhilPop has also moved to the virtual space. Last year marked the first time that the PhilPop Finals Night was held online. This year, even as the pandemic continues to rage, PhilPop will still mount its boot camps, but in the digital realm.

According to Remolacio, PhilPop will soon be launching DigiCamp: an online learning platform and interactive songwriting tool for budding songwriters. Like the onsite boot camps, participants will be able to join lectures and workshops, but in the safety of their homes. This set-up, while without the physical interactions that past boot camps offered, would provide opportunities for PhilPop to tap international institutions and personalities to serve as resource persons for the classes.

Application for the program starts next month, and classes are slated to begin in July.

Given the power that music holds, no pandemic should stop an advocacy like PhilPop from pushing forward with achieving its mission of “music breaking borders.” As Marcelo very aptly said: “Every aspect of life is directly or indirectly affected by music, and PhilPop makes sure that something is done to promote the good kind.”

Happy World Water Day!

Today we’re celebrating World Water Day, an annual United Nations observance that highlights the importance of water. Here in the Philippines, water industry players from both the private and public sectors mount various activities for the entire month of March as part of the global commemoration.

For the cu lminating event, Maynilad and the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) have teamed up to stage the annual World Water Day Awards, which seeks to recognize groups and individuals who have contributed to various water-related causes all over the country. Today we’re honoring 19

to the country’s destinations, the more pollution is created, not to mention the increased incidence of disrespected locals and wildlife going extinct.

Thus, the Save our Spots campaign tackled sustainability on several fronts, providing tourists with concrete and specific steps that they can do as responsible tourists, and leveraging the DOT web site and other digital assets for the info campaign. It also tapped influencers and created memeable, shareable content using platforms such as IG Stories, GIFs, filters,

groups and individuals who were handpicked by the 11 organizations and agencies participating in the local World Water Day campaign.

This year’s winners are: n DENR-River Basin Control Of—Cagayan River Basin Management Council n Aboitiz Infra Capital’s Apo Agua Kavontog do’t Aweg award— Davao City Water District’s Adopta-Site Watershed Rehabilitation Program n Aboitiz Infra Capital’s Lima Water Agos ng Pag-asa award— NextCities Project: Water-EnergyNutrient Nexus in the Cities of the Future n National Irrigation Administration’s (NIA) Most Outstanding National Irrigation System Irrigators Association—Laposa Irrigators Association n NIA’s Most Outstanding Communal Irrigation System Irrigators Association—Padada Irrigators Association n NIA’s Most Outstanding Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program-Irrigation Component Irrigators Association – Anopog Paglaum Irrigators Association n Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands’ Bayani ng Katubigan award­— Macatagal Irrigators Association n NWRB’s Water Wise awards— Villages Water Supply System’s Tubig Load Program; BP Waterworks’ Walk the Line Project n Philippine Water Partnership’s Youth Partner for Watershed Protection and Development award— Masungi Georeserve Foundation n Laguna Lake Development Authority’s Kampeon ng Lawa awards —Kalayaan, Laguna’s Solid Waste Management Board; San Pedro City Sub-Water Quality Management Area; Hinulugang Taktak Protected Landscape n DENR-NCR’s Kampeon ng Katubigan award—Bureau of Jail Management and Penology Quezon City Female Dormitory n Local Water Utilities Administration’s Huwarang Lingkod Tubig awards – Metro Naga Water District (Luzon); Silay City Water District (Visayas); Davao City Water District (Mindanao) n Maynilad Water Academy’s Water Warrior Award for Water Education—National Historical Commission of the Philippines’ Museo El Deposito n Maynilad ’s Water Warrior Award for Advocacy Leadership— Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte Congratulations to all the winners!

PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the United Kingdom-based International Public Relations Association (Ipra), the world’s premier organization for PR professionals around the world.

Abigail L. Ho-Torres is AVP and Head of Advocacy and Marketing of Maynilad Water Services Inc. She spent more than a decade as a business journalist before making the leap to the corporate world.

We are devoting a special column each month to answer our readers’ questions about public relations.

Please send your questions or comments to askipraphil@gmail.com.

Viber stickers to inject the cause in daily conversations.

The DOT-led efforts and the resolve of the whole tourism industry to rise to the global challenge saw the growing recognition of the country’s sustainable tourism advocacy. More than tourism arrivals and receipts, it is the changed mindset towards sustainable and responsible tourism that is the real success achieved by the campaign.

Watch one of Save Our Spots’ online videos here: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Ai2dFX7qybE

Sports

Marcial PSA Executive of the Year, Pacquiao named ‘Fan Favorite’

BusinessMirror

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| Monday, March 22, 2021 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

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FOREIGN FANS BARRED FROM TOKYO OLYMPICS T

OKYO—At last it’s official after countless unsourced news reports and rumors: spectators from abroad will be barred from the postponed Tokyo Olympics when they open in four months.

The decision was announced Saturday after an online meeting of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Japanese government, the Tokyo government, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and local organizers.

Officials said the risk was too great to admit ticket holders from overseas during a pandemic. The Japanese public has also opposed fans from abroad. Several surveys have shown that up to 80 percent oppose holding the Olympics, and a similar percentage opposed fans from overseas attending.

Japan has attributed about 8,800 deaths to Covid-19 and has controlled the virus better than most countries.

“In order to give clarity to ticket holders living overseas and to enable them to adjust their travel plans at this stage, the parties on the Japanese side have come to the conclusion that they will not be able to enter into Japan at the time of the Olympic and Paralympic Games,” the Tokyo organizing committee said in a statement.

Organizers said 600,000 tickets were sold to fans from outside Japan. They have promised refunds, but this will be determined by so-called Authorized Ticket Resellers that handle sales outside Japan. These dealers charge fees of up to 20 percent above the ticket price. It is not clear if the fees will be refunded.

Toshiro Muto, the CEO of the organizing committee, said organizers were not responsible for money lost on flights or hotel reservations.

He said these did not involve any “contract arrangement with Tokyo.”

Organizing committee President Seiko Hashimoto, who appeared in seven Olympics as an athlete—she won bronze in speedskating in 1992—said there was pressure to wait longer to make a decision. But she said fans could now plan. She also lamented the move.

“So the fact that spectators are not able to attend the games from abroad—that is very disappointing and it’s regrettable,” she said. “It was an unavoidable decision.”

IOC President Thomas Bach called it a “difficult decision.”

“We have to take decisions that may need

sacrifice from everybody,” he said.

Muto seemed to rule out fans entering who may have received tickets from deeppocketed sponsors.

“If they are part of the operation of the games, if they are somewhat involved in the operation then there is still a possibility they may be able to enter into Japan,” Muto said.

“But solely as spectators for watching games— no, they will not be allowed to make an entry.”

The financial burden of lost ticket sales falls on Japan. The local organizing committee budget called for $800 million income from ticket sales, the third largest income source in the privately financed budget. Any shortfall in the budget will have to be made up by Japanese government entities.

“The ticketing revenue will be in the decline,” Muto said. “That is very clear at this point.”

Muto also hinted at more cuts for people on the periphery of the Olympics. He also said volunteers from overseas would “be dealt with in the same manner” but said details would be forthcoming later.

“But as far as other people related to the games or whether we should maintain the same number—perhaps we will have to

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OXERS Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio are motivated more than ever after earning berths to the Tokyo Olympics by virtue of their world rankings.

“I’ll do my very best because this is just a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Paalam, who at 22 is the second youngest Filipino qualifier for Tokyo after 21-year-old world champion gymnast Carlo Yulo. “It’s a dream of every amateur boxer to fight in the Olympics, so I really have to make the most of it.”

For Petecio, the wait was all worth it.

“My mindset is now nailed on my Olympic campaign,” said Petecio, who won the women’s featherweight gold medal in the International Boxing Association 2019 World Championships in Ulan-Ude, Russia.

“Besides my family and the country, I am dedicating my campaign to my best buddy Alexcel Dargantes,” she added. Dargantes, also a member of the women’s national team, passed away last February 13.

“She [Dargantes] really wanted me to fight in the Olympics—and this is it. She’s in my dreams and she’s my wallpaper on my iPad.” The Olympic Boxing Task Force of the

INTERNATIONAL Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach (on a screen) delivers an opening speech while Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee President Seiko Hashimoto listens at a five-party meeting of Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games with International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Andrew Parsons, Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike and Japanese Olympic Minister Tamayo Marukawa in Tokyo on Saturday. AP

International Olympic Committee canceled the qualifier supposedly set in June in Paris and went to the world rankings instead to fill up the remaining slots to the games set for July 23 to August 8.

Paalam and Petecio were high in the rankings, sparing them of the complications of the qualifier. The country hiked its Tokyo qualifiers to six with boxers Eumire Felix Marcial and Irish Magno and pole vaulter EJ Obiena clinching their berths last year.

Paalam said his coaches at the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines are working on his counter-punching.

“Everyone who’ll be in Tokyo worked hard to get there so I have to prepare seriously and work hard myself,” said the Cagayan de Oro City pug who is ranked No. 12 in men’s flyweight.

Paalam has been sparring with Rio 2016 Olympian Rogen Ladon and Marvin Tabamo at the Inspire Sports Academy bubble before the team flew to Thailand for a training camp.

“I’ve been around for quite some time and that gives me an edge,” said Petecio, No. 5 in AIBA’s women’s featherweignt ranking. “My coaches tell me that I am a strong puncher.

But for me, I want to develop a one-punch knockout.”

Summit on sports in pandemic

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HE eighth session of the National Sports Summit 2021 (NSS) of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) on Thursday will tackle the subject “Sports and Covid-19.”

International orthopaedist and sports medicine specialist Dr. Randolph Molo, head of the PSC’s Medical Scientific Athletes Services Unit and an International Football

Monday over One Sports+ from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, meanwhile, will receive the Chooks-to-Go Fan Favorite “Manok ng Bayan” Award.

The only fighter to win titles in eight different weight divisions, the sitting senator didn’t fight in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, but made sure to lend a helping a hand to those in need.

“Notwithstanding the pandemic, Senator Pacquiao went around the country to help affected communities with their everyday needs. In all, he already donated more than 5,000 kilos of chicken, rice and canned goods, aside from financial assistance in his various sorties nationwide,” said Chook-to-Go in its statement.

Pacquiao is a PSA Hall of Famer after having been named Athlete of the Year five times in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, and 2009.

Marcial defied the odds and bravely led a 500-plus strong PBA contingent in Clark in the last quarter of 2020 to stage the Philippine Cup in a bubble environment.

Despite a staggering P65-million price tag, Marcial was able to right the ship that led to the completion of a season that almost fell on the brink.

Past recipients of the award were PSC Chairman William Ramirez, San Miguel Corp.

President and CEO Ramon S. Ang, Manuel V. Pangilinan, Wilfred Uytengsu, Hans Sy, Ricky Vargas, Dan Palami, Ernesto “Judes” Echauz and Philip Ella Juico.

PRINCESS SUPERAL is doing her homework.

Rick Olivares bleachersbrew@gmail.com

Bleachers’ Brew

Glued to my tube

Gold medals beckon Petecio, Paalam

By Josef Ramos

reduce the number. That is the consensus.

That is the premise,” he said.

Overall, Japan is officially spending $15.4 billion to organize the Olympics. Several government audits say the actual cost may be twice that much. All but $6.7 billion is public money, and a University of Oxford study says these are the most expensive Olympics on record.

About 4.45 million tickets were sold to Japan residents. Organizers are expected next month to announce the capacity at venues, which now will be populated by only local residents.

The ban on fans from abroad comes just days before the Olympic torch relay starts Thursday from Fukushima prefecture in northeastern Japan. It will last for 121 days, crisscross Japan with 10,000 runners, and is to end on July 23 at the opening ceremony at the National Stadium in Tokyo.

The relay will be a test for the Olympics and Paralympics, which will involve 15,400 athletes entering Japan. They will be tested before leaving home, tested upon arrival in Japan, and tested frequently while they reside in a secure “bubble” in the Athletes Village alongside Tokyo Bay, or at venues or training facilities.

Athletes will not be required to be

OR successfully leading the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) in its 45th season under a most unconventional way, Commissioner Willie Marcial will be honored as Executive of the Year in the virtual San Miguel Corp.Philippine Sportswriters Association (SMC-PSA) Awards Night on Saturday at the TV5 Media Center.

Marcial will be the second PBA commissioner to be feted with the award by the country’s oldest media organization headed by Manila Bulletin sports editor President Tito Talao after Chito Salud in 2012.

The recognition is one of 32 awards to be handed out in the ceremony presented by San Miguel Corp. and backed by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and Cignal TV. Gretchen Ho and Carlo Pamintuan will host the program which has 1 Pacman Partylist, Chooks-to-Go and Rain or Shine as major backers. The program will be aired on

Medicine and Doping Panel member of the International Football Association and Asian Football Confederation, will be the resource person on the topic.

“The topic is very relevant as it would give ample, scientifically-backed guidance on how to continue our sports life despite the health crisis,” National Training Director Marc Velasco said.

T

HE International Container Terminal Services Inc. Eagle Ridge Ladies Championship, scheduled to unfold Tuesday at Norman course, has been cancelled due to the spike of Covid-19 cases in the country, particularly in the National Capital Region, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal.

The Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) placed the areas back to general community quarantine because of the rising

PGTI cancels Eagle Ridge tilt Covid-19 cases the last few weeks, forcing the PGTI to cancel the second of two LPGT events marking the start of the 2021 season.

“In line with the new IATF Resolution, Cavite shall be placed under General Community Quarantine [GCQ] from March 22 to April 4, 2021.

For the safety and protection of our players and employees, the ICTSI Eagle Ridge Ladies Championship will be cancelled until further notice,” the Philippine Golf Tour Inc. said in a statement.

The tournament was supposed to be payback time for Princess Superal, who worked on her putting ahead of her highly anticipated title rematch with Harmie Constantino.

The 2019 Ladies Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit champion flubbed a number of putts in the final round while Constantino came through with clutch strokes, enabling the latter to squeak out a two-stroke victory at the ICTSI Eagle Ridge Challenge at Aoki last week.

Gonzales, Barrientos modest in defeat in Ohio

R

UBEN GONZALES and Colombian partner Nicolas Barrientos held their heads up high despite failing to reach the final of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Cleveland Challenger Ohio on Saturday.

After consecutive straight-set victories to open their campaign, the duo couldn’t hold fort against second-seeded Americans Alex Lawson and Robert Galloway, 5-7, 4-6, in the semifinal at the Cleveland Racquet Club hard court.

“It was a tough match,” Gonzales said after he

and Barrientos failed to cash in a 4-3 first set lead.

“My partner and I started off really well, we just couldn’t sustain our level today.”

The pair had little answer to their opponent’s serves and broke the Americans only twice in six exchanges. The US duo, on the other hand, broke their opponents’ serves four times and tallied 69 winners.

Gonzales, however, remained positive despite the setback.

“We won some good matches this week so that’s really positive,” said Gonzales, who reached

his first semifinal round for the year. “It was great to play three matches into this tournament but most importantly, I feel my level of play coming back.”

Gonzales and Barrientos beat Americans Matthew Chen and Jonathan Powell, 6-2, 6-4, and Johnson twins Hunter and Yates, 6-4, 6-3, on their way to the semifinals.

Filipino-American Treat Huey and Dutch Sem Verbeek exited in the quarterfinals following a 5-7, 6-2, 7-10 loss to Ecuadorians Emilio Gomez and Roberto Quiroz. Miguel La Torre

James sprains right ankle in setback, out indefinitely

L

OS ANGELES—LeBron James left in the second quarter with a high right ankle sprain that the Lakers said will sideline him indefinitely, and Los Angeles went on to fall 99-94 to the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday.

Two hours after the game, the Lakers announced that James is out indefinitely.

The defending National Basketball Association (NBA) champions already are without

All-NBA big man Anthony Davis, who has missed 14 consecutive games with a right calf injury and likely won’t play again until April.

“Nothing angers and saddens me more than not being available to and for my teammates!”

James tweeted later Saturday. “I’m hurt inside and out right now. The road back from recovery begins now. Back soon like I never left.”

James was hurt when he rolled his ankle under Solomon Hill, who was called for a foul as he reached awkwardly for

LeBron James holds his ankle after going down with an injury in the first half. AP

a steal. The 36-year-old superstar screamed and fell to the court clutching at his ankle, yet he got up and briefly stayed in the game.

“I haven’t necessarily seen him scream and squall like that, probably ever, not even with that groin,” said Kyle Kuzma, who was with the Lakers when James missed 17 games with a groin injury two seasons ago. “It had to hurt a little bit, for sure.”

After the injury, James hit a corner three-pointer that extended his NBA-record streak of games with at least 10 points to 1,036, but he called a timeout and left the court shortly afterward. James knocked over a chair in frustration as he went to the locker room.

“The mood of the team is we’re disappointed we lost, and we’ve got to come back and get one tomorrow,” Lakers Coach Frank Vogel said. “I won’t disclose what LeBron was like [in the locker room]. It’s in-house.”

Montrezl Harrell suggested Hill’s actions during James’s injury were “not a basketball play,” and said the officials should have considered giving him more than a personal foul. AP

IT’S good to see Season 3 of Formula 1: Drive to Survive on Netflix. If I was a fan of Formula 1 racing before, I became an even bigger one after following the reality series since Season 1.

With the rising numbers of infected people due to the Covid-19 virus, I really do have to limit my trips outside (usually only for food and groceries). It gives me something to watch after I finished up Last Chance U. Last Chance U has got to be one of the best reality sports shows or documentaries I have ever watched.

The most recent series that featured basketball and the team of the Laney College Huskies was such an awesome series. The entire story is something that no writer can conjure. It’s just fantastic although the ending is anti-climactic and depressing and then hopeful.

That does sound contradictory but you will have to watch it to grasp what I mean.

The premise of Last Chance U are junior college programs that are seen as the last chance to get to a Division I or Division II school that will give one a better chance of turning professional.

Junior college football and basketball have both grown in the last decade or so and the recruiting is bigger as are the prizes.

There are two other series in Last Chance U— both American football and the programs of East Mississippi Community College and Independence Community College in Kansas.

Of the two, watch the East Mississippi series.

It is so good that it spawned a second season and even an epilogue several years after Season 2 ended.

Independence...I am not sold. I do not like any of the cast of character more so it’s foul-mouthed coach. Well, Buddy Stephens, the coach of EMCC uses expletives like punctuation marks and is no less offensive. Indy’s Jason Brown is full of himself.

I stopped watching after the third episode. This guy needs to get his feet back on terra firma.

Another recent addition is the documentary of football great, Pele.

As a football fan, one who rooted for the New York Cosmos during my much younger years, this is on my to watch list. The Cosmos was Pele’s last team and he played for them in the late 1970s in the old North American Soccer League where he teamed up with other football greats like Franz Beckenbauer and Giorgio Chinaglia.

Another series that I enjoyed is Late Life: The Chien-Ming Wang Story.

Wang is one of three Taiwanese players to have played Major League Baseball and he did so famously for the New York Yankees where he was a star before injuries got the best of him.

He won a World Series championship ring in his final season with the Yankees in 2009, but he has never worn it because he feels he didn’t help (due to his injuries).

It is a beautiful and sometimes painful documentary to watch more so when his life spins out of control owing to family and professional baseball problems.

And yet, I am happy that they produced this.

People should watch this to understand that fame can be fleeting.

It is a very difficult time for our country with infections higher than they have ever been before.

There are rumors of another lockdown and that can be devastating to an economy that is slowly firing up.

That is beyond our control and all we can do is follow government-mandated protocols and stay safe. We can work from home and do what we can to earn money while watching these really nice shows on Netflix.