BusinessMirror November 04, 2021

FMIC, UA&P: Rates to stay at same level B T J C. P @Tyronepiad

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EY interest rates are not expected to change for the rest of the year amid the projection of below 4-percent inflation by December, according to a joint research by the First Metro Investment Corporation (FMIC) and University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P).

The FMIC and UA&P study sees the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) keeping an accommodative stance in terms of monetary policy until the end of 2021.

“Monetary policy should remain unchanged for the rest of

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the year as BSP remains supportive of the growth imperative,” they said.

In the last monetary policy meeting, the Monetary Board kept the interest rate on the overnight reverse repurchase facility at 2 percent. Overnight deposit and lending facilities were also untouched at 1.5 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively.

BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said last month they will likely maintain the interest rates for the rest of the year as well amid the manageable inflation level.

Diokno said the Philippines is “fairly comfortable” and does not “need to raise interest rates at

this time.” This, despite the upward adjustment in interest rates by central banks in other countries amid the pandemic.

“They fear inflation and...they see their exchange rate deteriorating so fast. As a result, some of them have adjusted the policy rates,” Diokno said earlier.

The think tanks said that the inflation level could reach 5 percent in October due to an increase in crude oil prices.

“However, we still see headline inflation to go below 4 percent starting December since the huge uptick in NovemberDecember 2020 wouldn’t repeat,” they added.

Consumer prices in September eased to 4.8 percent from 4.9 percent a month earlier, bringing the average figure to 4.5 percent.

FMIC and UA&P said this was below the 5-percent projection by the analysts.

“Lower food prices softened the impact of higher fuel prices.

Stable prices of heavy weighted rice prices, combined with the slight easing of elevated meat, fish and fruits, more than offset the minor gains in vegetable prices,” they explained.

BSP, for its part, maintained that the inflation this year is S “FMIC,” A

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A broader look at today’s business

FACTORY REBOUND SEEN TO BOOST GROWTH IN Q3 www.businessmirror.com.ph

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Thursday, November 4, 2021 Vol. 17 No. 27

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

LOCAL, FOREIGN BIZ ASK SOLONS: PASS REFORMS

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EVERAL local and foreign business groups renewed calls to pass the priority economic reform bills as Congress prepares to reopen sessions next week.

The business chambers, in a statement on Wednesday, asked the legislators to complete the passage of the bills that can help the country in its bid to post-pandemic economic recovery.

These include the amendments to the Public Service Act; Department of Water Resources Management; Ease of Paying Taxes bill; Freedom of Information; Open Access in Data Transmission; and Philippine Creative Industries.

In addition, they cited the promotion of digital payments; amendments to the Secrecy of Bank Deposits Law; and Rural

Agricultural and Fisheries Development Financing System Act. The business organizations also called for the passage of tax reform packages in property valuation and assessment; and passive income and financial intermediary taxation.

“Most of these 11 reform bills have reached advanced stages in either chamber of Congress and only require counterpart action in the other chamber,” they noted.

“While supporting the amendments to the Public Service Act, the business groups and foreign chambers expressed opposition to the inclusion of any provision in the pending Senate version, SB [Senate Bill] 2094, that S “L,” A

MITZI JONELLE TAN from the Philippines encourages Climate Youth activists, Indigenous people, and parents to call on leaders to “End Climate Betrayal,” marking the end of the COP26 Leaders Summit, November 2, 2021, in Glasgow, Scotland. “I don’t think that activists are being heard here,” said Tan. “We have to make sure that we really rally together and make sure that we’re so loud that the world leaders can’t keep ignoring us.

Because every fraction of a degree, every step towards the right direction is what matters here.” World leaders promised to protect Earth’s forests, cut methane emissions and help South Africa wean itself off coal at the UN climate summit—part of a flurry of deals intended to avert catastrophic global warming. DUNCAN MCGLYNN/AP IMAGES FOR AVAAZ

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B C U. O

@caiordinario

HE triple-digit growth of the country’s manufacturing sector will allow the economy to post robust growth in the third quarter, according to a local think tank.

In its latest Market Call report, First Metro Investment Corp.University of Asia and the Pacific (FMIC-UA&P) Capital Market Re-

search said, however, that growth may not be close to the 11.8 perC  A

Unicef remote learning index has PHL scoring high marks

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HE Philippines scored high marks in the United Nations Children’s Fund’s (Unicef) Remote Learning Readiness Index (RLRI), but many children still find it difficult to absorb lessons through online classes.

In the report, titled “Ensuring Equal Access To Education In Future Crises: Findings of the New Remote Learning Readiness In-

dex,” a Unicef-Social Weather Stations survey found that 84 percent of parents said their children are experiencing challenges with their online classes.

This despite the parents’ efforts in guiding their children through their online classes and/or in their modules which are being done at S “U,” A

PESO EXCHANGE RATES ■ US 50.4530 ■ JAPAN 0.4428 ■ UK 68.7119 ■ HK 6.4835 ■ CANADA 40.6748 ■ SINGAPORE 37.4059 ■ AUSTRALIA 37.4866 ■ SAUDI ARABIA 13.4506 ■ EU 58.4296 ■ CHINA 7.8830 Source: BSP (November 3, 2021)

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Thursday, November 4, 2021

Unicef...

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home.

“Improving the coverage of a country’s remote learning program is a priority but challenges exist beyond the initial RLRI assessment,” the report stated.

“Efforts should be put toward developing effective curricula, ensuring the program is actually used, improving the quality of remote teaching, and advancing ways to assess student performance through remote means,” it added.

Based on Unicef data, the Philippines received five stars in the RLRI indicating that the Philippines demonstrated high performance across all indicators or domains.

These domains are household level, policy response, and country preparedness. This was measured in the pre-primary, primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary education levels.

The Philippines joins Argentina, Barbados, and Jamaica which also received top marks in the RLRI. The country also led the pack among all Southeast Asian economies.

“A five-star rating identified countries with the best readiness for remote learning and the highest resilience to crises that lead to disruption of in-person instruction, although factors beyond the assessment—such as actual learning or within-country inequalities—should guide further policy discussions to strengthen the overall ecosystem of remote learning in the country,” Unicef explained.

Based on the report, the RLRI measures countries’ readiness to deliver remote learning in response to disruption of in-person learning.

The index is composed of three domains: households, government’s policy response capacity, and emergency preparedness of the national education sector. The index ranks countries’ performance, with countries at the top receiving five stars and those at the bottom one star. Cai U. Ordinario

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With longer period, DOLE jobs scheme to cover fewer people

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B S P. M

@sam_medenilla

ESPITE the bigger proposed budget for its Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) next year, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said it may be able to accommodate fewer beneficiaries for its flagship emergency employment program.

This, after Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III issued Administrative Order (AO) 117-2021 in May, extending the maximum duration of the program from 10 days to as long as 90 days.

Bello opted to extend the duration of TUPAD to address the needs of the growing number of informal

workers, who were displaced because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In an online press briefing on Wednesday, Bureau of Workers with Special Concern (BWSC) Director Ma. Karen Trayvilla explained that since having a longer duration will require a bigger budget, they will be forced to also

reduce the number of informal sector workers who may be accommodated under their TUPAD program next year.

Per their estimatesm they will be able to accommodate at least 4 million beneficiaries with their proposed P20-billion TUPAD budget next year provided all of their emergency work will last only 10 days, according to her.

The 4-million beneficiaries figure will be reduced by almost half if their employment duration lasts for 30 days.

“And then of course it will be further reduced if we extend the [duration of employment] further,” Travilla said.

New classification

UNDER AO 117-2021, the duration of TUPAD will now differ depending in the method of work of the beneficiary.

The shortest durations are for Emergency Response Method,

which only last for 15 days and labor-intensive method, which will take 45 days.

The classifications with the longest period of work are for labor-based appropriate technology method, which last 60 days; and labor-based equipment-supported method, which will take 90 days.

Trayvilla said DOLE will assess each TUPAD applicant to determine which method suits them.

“We have to take into account the profile of our beneficiaries to determine if they really need 90 days [of emergency work] because they may also qualify for bridging employment or alternative employment in the form of livelihood,” Trayvilla explained.

Currently, only the 5,700 contact tracers employed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) through DOLE, have qualified for the longest TUPAD duration, for over 90 days, she said.

FACTORY REBOUND SEEN TO BOOST GROWTH IN Q3 C  A

cent posted in the second quarter.

The think tank said growth may

still be robust despite the tighter lockdown imposed in Metro Manila in the July-August period.

Earlier estimates noted that GDP

growth may have been negatively affected by the lockdowns.

“Foreign direct investment was boosted by large inflows. Despite Metro Manila plus’s tighter lockdown in July-August, new economic data paint a brighter outlook for GDP in Q3 than earlier projected,” FMIC-UA&P Capital Market Research said.

“The Manufacturing sector’s sterling performance in August capped a three-month run with an average monthly YoY growth of 509.3 percent and PMI above-50 in September to boot,” it added.

The manufacturing sector, the think tank said, was able to create 680,000 jobs between November 2020 and August 2021, more than double the 383,000 jobs created by the Construction sector.

FMIC-UA&P Capital Market Research said this was not surprising given the manufacturing sector posted a growth of above 400 percent year-on-year in the June-toAugust period alone.

Based on data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the Volume of Production Index (VoPI) grew 534.6 percent in August.

This is slightly lower than the 539.7 percent posted in July but higher than the contraction of 82.2 percent posted in August 2020.

“In fact, these months in 2020 posted the lowest figures last year, but the current levels fall short of prepandemic levels by just over 5 percent,” the think tank said.

“The greater discipline and regular testing of those in the sector probably aided its robust performance, which export data also supported,” it added.

External trade

MEANWHILE, FMIC-UA&P Capital Market Research warned that the slow global recovery could affect the country’s external trade performance, particularly in the second half of the year.

In terms of imports, the think tank said more expensive petroleum products will also lead to wider trade deficits.

The country’s recent export performance was buoyed by the recovery in China, the United States,

Germany and Taiwan. However, the recovery is expected to slow in the July-to-December period.

Nonetheless, the local think tank said the growth in East Asian countries, which have also started recovering, may allow the Philippines to meet its target of growing exports by 15 to 18 percent this year.

“The runup of exports should continue for the rest of the year especially considering the recent depreciation of the peso,” the think tank said.

“Elevated prices of petroleum products and other commodities suggest that the trade deficits will remain high and put pressure on the dollar-peso exchange rate,” it added.

In June, this newspaper reported that Filipinos should brace for higher fuel and food prices in the coming months as international oil prices have already hit a record of $75 per barrel, according to local economists.

Former University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) School of Economics Dean Peter Lee U said that pump prices in the Philippines are not based on Brent Crude, where oil was reported to have already hit $75 per barrel, but on the Mean of Platts Singapore (MOPS).

Nonetheless, U said, Brent Crude and MOPS “normally move together” which leads him to believe that local oil prices may soon follow suit in terms of increasing prices.

Ateneo Eagle Watch Senior Fellow Leonardo A. Lanzona Jr. told the BM that higher fuel would also mean higher food prices. This will also not bode well for economic recovery.

Lanzona said this makes it necessary for the government to ensure that food supply will not worsen the situation. Sufficient food supply will not lead to higher prices and cushion the impact of an increase in pump prices.

He recommended that the government provide supply side interventions by focusing on agro-based industries which help keep food supply sufficient. He said government assistance in inputs for industries are also important.

6.1-M PEOPLE TARGETED FOR COVID-19 BOOSTER JABS

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VER 6.1 million individuals fully vaccinated against Covid-19 are expected to get additional jabs.

Of this group, National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19 chief implementer Carlitio Galvez Jr. said over 1.56 million are frontline healthcare workers, who will be given “booster” shots. The remaining 4.6 million individuals are senior citizens and immunocompromised individuals, who will need a third dose to be fully protected against Covid-19.

Galvez said the National Vaccine Operation Center (NVOC) is expected to announce by Friday the operational details for the administration of the booster shots as well as the third shots. The release of the guidelines this week is in preparation for the expected rollout of the Covid-19 shots on November 15, 2021.

Aside from the methodology of administration of the shots, Galvez said they are also waiting for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to revise the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of the vaccines, which will be used as a booster shot or as a third dose.

FDA Director General Enrique “Eric” Domingo said they have received applications from Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Sinovac Biotech, and Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology for the modification of their EUA of their respective Covid-19 vaccine.

“They requested that the third dose be included in their regimen or a booster dose," Domingo said.

“They already sent their available scientific data on this, which is now being studied by our experts,” he added.

The government considered giving “booster” shots amid reports that the efficacy of the existing Covid-19 vaccine waned after a few months.

As for the third dose, its administration was recommended by the World Health Organization for senior citizens and those who are immunocompromised. Samuel P. Medenilla

Local...

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expands the legislative franchise requirement to public services beyond those provided under existing laws,” the business chambers added.

Meanwhile, the groups lauded the government for the enactment of measures that can encourage more investments and generate more jobs, including those recommended by the business chambers.

The groups are also hoping for the early ratification of the following bills under the bicameral conference committees: Electric Vehicles and Charging Stations Act, Foreign Investment Act amendments and National Transportation Safety Board creation.

The signatories include the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Australian-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Bankers Association of the Philippines, Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines and IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines.

The letter was also signed by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines Inc., Korean Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Inc., Makati Business Club, Management Association of the Philippines, Philippine Association of Multinational Companies Regional Headquarters Inc. and the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippine Foundation Inc.

FMIC...

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expected to average at 4.5 percent. This is seen to further ease to 3.3 percent and 3.2 percent in 2022 and 2023, respectively.

The peso, meanwhile, is expected to trade sideways as “the mighty US dollar has begun to weaken in sync

with its economy,” the study noted.

“While the seasonal inflow of OFW [overseas Filipino workers] remittances provides the positive factor, the gaping trade deficit primarily caused by soaring crude oil prices may offset this,” it continued.

The dollar-peso exchange rate averaged at P50.14 against the greenback in September, which was more robust than P50.23:$1 a month earlier, FMIC and UA&P said.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

The Nation BusinessMirror

DOTr increases public transport passenger capacity to 70 percent

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

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HE Department of Transportation (DOTr) hopes to succeed in running the “pilot test” of the increase in seating capacity in public-utility vehicles (PUVs) and trains within the next month, as it hopes to bring the sector back to prepandemic operations.

At news briefing, Transportation Assistant Secretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Steve Pastor said the 70 percent cap for public transport—buses, jeepneys, and trains—will only run for 30 days in Metro Manila.

After that, a reckoning period shall commence, wherein the government will evaluate if the increase in public transport capacity was warranted and did not result in a spike in Covid-19 cases.

“There will be an evaluation after 30 days if the increase was effective. We will recommend to further increase the capacity to 100 percent [if we are able to prove that the increase did not result in a spike in cases],” he said.

To recall, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has approved the recommendation of the transport agency to implement the gradual increase in passenger capacity in public transportation, including road and railway systems for one month until they reach full capacity.

The implementation of this new

policy starts today, Thursday.

“Studies have shown that only 0.2 percent of traceable outbreaks in Germany were linked to transport; only 1.2 percent of Covid-19 clusters are linked to transport—land, air, and sea; and that there is only a 0.01 percent chance of contracting Covid-19 in public transportation, with the probability decreasing to 0.005 percent risk of infection with face covering,” Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Timothy Batan explained.

According to Transportation Assistant Secretary for Communication Goddes Hope Libiran, the increase in transport capacity in Metro Manila is anchored on the vaccination statistics of the metropolis, which is at over 80 percent, and the easing of quarantine restrictions.

She added that this initiative will help drivers and operators recover from the negative effects of the pandemic.

Jeepneys and buses may also remove the plastic barriers that were earlier mandated to reduce the risk of transmission. However, physical distancing and health and safety protocols are still required to be implemented.

“We want to ensure that this pilot implementation will be smooth sailing because we really want to increase the seating capacity—if we are able to prove that this will not result in a spike in Covid cases,” Pastor said.

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Thursday, November 4, 2021 A3

SC affirms NBI findings to indict lawmaker over pork-fund mess

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

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HE Supreme Court has affirmed the recommendation of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) before the Office of the Ombudsman to indict House Deputy Speaker Rep. Rufus Rodriguez for graft and other criminal offenses for allegedly receiving around P2 million in kickbacks from his priority development assistance fund (PDAF), or pork barrel fund.

In a 15-page resolution made public on October 29, the SC’s Second Division found no grave abuse of discretion on the part of the DOJ and the NBI in recommending to the Ombudsman the conduct of a preliminary investigation for the eventual filing of charges before the Sandiganbayan against the lawmaker who represent Cagayan de Oro’s Second district in the House of Representatives.

Sought by the BusinessMirror for comment, Rodriguez said the Office of the Ombudsman, in a Joint Resolution dated December 23, 2020, had already dismissed the cases against him arising from the alleged PDAF anomaly amounting to P3.5 million.

“At present, I have no pending case in the Ombudsman,” he told the BusinessMirror.

He also maintained that all his signatures in PDAF documents were forged.

“Although it has been my legal position that I was denied due process as required by our Constitution when the NBI investigated me on the alleged PDAF anomaly without giving me the opportunity to be heard and submit my evidence before it, and furthermore, that the NBI itself has found my signatures in the documents to be all forged, I fully respect the SC decision,” he added.

Napoles ‘connection’

THE NBI, in its executive summary dated August 7, 2015, alleged Rodriguez along with several other lawmakers, used his PDAF in illegal transactions with Janet LimNapoles’s nongovernment organizations (NGOs) to profit from the simulated disbursements and utilization of his PDAF. Based on its investigation, the NBI said all of the NGOs of Napoles, which were all bogus in nature, were used as mere conduits for the purported implementation and liquidation of projects financed by the PDAF. Some lawmakers, their representatives and officials of the implementing agencies, according to the NBI, however, pocketed bulk of the funds.

Napoles, who has been named as the mastermind of the pork

barrel scam, is currently in detention following her conviction for plunder, graft and other charges related to the multimillion porkbarrel fund scam.

Specifically, the NBI found sufficient evidence to prosecute Rodriguez for malversation of public funds, direct bribery, and violation of the provisions of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Then DOJ secretary and now detained Sen. Leila de Lima approved the NBI’s recommendation against Rodriguez during her term.

Right to due process

IN assailing the validity of the DOJ and NBI’s filing of the complaint against him, Rodriguez argued that the respondent agencies acted in excess of their jurisdiction and/or grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction in conducting a formal investigation against him in relation to the Napoles PDAF scam.

The petitioner said his right to due process and equal protection of the law was violated when they conducted an investigation and recommended his indictment without giving him the opportunity to be heard.

As a consequence, Rodriguez said he was not able to present evidence to refute the accusations against him.

However, the Court declared that the NBI’s investigation and the subsequent issuance of the executive summary and letter-complaints against the petitioner were done merely in the performance of its mandate.

“The NBI did not perform a judicial or quasi-judicial function when it recommended to the Ombudsman further fact-finding investigation or the corresponding preliminary investigation for the eventual filing of the appropriate charges before the Sandiganbayan. Instead, the findings of the NBI were merely recommendatory and still subject to the Ombudsman’s actions,” the SC pointed out.

Likewise, the Court found no merit in Rodriguez’s claim that the NBI and the DOJ went against its own internal rules by refusing to issue a subpoena and take or require his sworn statements.

“There is not even a vested right granted by law to any person under investigation to participate in the proceedings before the NBI,” the SC noted.

“Consequently, there being no grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction on the part of the NBI in conducting an investigation on the person of petitioner as to his participation in the Napoles PDAF Scam, the Court finds no ground to nullify the NBI’s investigation,” it added.

With Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

A4 Thursday, November 4, 2021 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

Economy BusinessMirror

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NPC leads formation of new global privacy working group

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

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@TyronePiad

HE National Privacy Commission (NPC) is taking the lead in creating a new working group tasked with gathering and promoting data-sharing best practices under the Global Privacy Assembly (GPA).

In a news statement issued on Wednesday,

the NPC said these privacy practices seek to guide governments and regulators as the countries pivot towards economic recovery.

“The new working group will focus on identifying practical approaches on how personal data can be shared and used to usher in innovation and growth, while protecting individual rights and promoting public trust,”

NPC Commissioner Raymund E. Liboro said.

“The creation of the group comes at a time that personal data processing has become integral to sustain a safe economic recovery amid privacy risks,” the privacy watchdog added.

Liboro explained there are already issues over the sharing of personal data in health

passports, health monitoring of incoming travelers and returning nationals, contact tracing and handling of children or students’ data in e-learning technologies.

Just last month, the NPC ordered 58 local government units (LGUs) to comply with the privacy laws in their enforcement of contract tracing efforts amid the recent reports of smishing attacks. This, after instructing 79 LGUs to do the same a month earlier.

He said the commission received reports and complaints from the public regarding the handling of personal data shared in contact tracing. Among these pieces of information include name, contact number and address.

“The working group endeavors to strengthen the capacity of GPA members and observers in developing proactive responses to curb risks in data-sharing activities,” Liboro said.

As such, he stressed the need to incorporate privacy-by-design across data-sharing processes and agreements.

The resolution on data sharing for the public good, the NPC reported, was submitted at the 43rd GPA. The new GPA working group will present its progress reports during the assembly’s 2022 closed session.

The new working group will take its cue from the Covid-19 working group of GPA, which was headed by the Philippines. The latter was created in a bid to provide assistance and insights on how to handle privacy issues during the pandemic.

“The GPA is alive and flourishing thanks to our interactions and exchanges,” newly elected GPA Chair Blanca Lilia Ibarra Cadena said at the 43rd GPA last month. “Our partnership is deepening, with our cooperation covering issues that concern society as a whole, achieving a growing impact.”

The GPA is an international body facilitating privacy dialogues and collaboration for over 130 privacy and data protection authorities.

Inflation prompts higher Treasury Bond bid rates

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

Q

@BNicolasBM

UICKER inflation expectations for the month of October prompted investors to submit higher bid rates for the auction of P35 billion in reissued fiveyear Treasury Bonds (T-bonds).

Despite the security capping higher average rate than the previous auction and the secondary benchmark rates, the Bureau of the Treasury still decided to fully award the P35-billion offering.

With a remaining life of four years and five months, the security is set to mature on April 8, 2026.

The security fetched an average rate of 3.762 percent, rising by 18.6 basis points from 3.576 percent in the last auction.

The average rate is also higher than the secondary market benchmark rates from PHP Bloomberg Valuation (BVAL) Service.

Compared to the 3.7529 percent BVAL rate for 5-year tenor, the average rate is up by 0.9 basis points.

Meanwhile, the average rate is also above by 15.8 basis points than the 3.604 percent BVAL rate for the security itself.

National Treasurer Rosalia V. de Leon said they have already expected that investors will ask for higher rates, adding that the Treasury is in “good cash position” to reject bids.

“Rates higher as market priced in higher inflation print for October and expectations that [the US Federal Reserve] will start un-

wind of bond purchases,” de Leon said.

The Philippine Statistics Authority is set to release the October inflation report this Friday.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) earlier said they are expecting that inflation could have hit between 4.5 percent and 5.3 percent in October. The government targets full-year inflation this year to settle within 2 percent to 4 percent.

De Leon also expressed confidence that the government securities will remain attractive to investors in the near term.

“Statements from [BSP] Governor Diokno and BSP provide assurance that inflation will be within target,” she said.

The auction was also oversubscribed as the security attracted total tenders of P46.65 billion.

For this month, the Treasury is set to borrow P200 billion from the local debt market in November, the same amount it programmed to borrow last month.

The Treasury aims to raise P140 billion through auctioning off T-bonds while another P60 billion is programmed to be borrowed through Treasury Bills (T-bills).

The national government’s outstanding debt as of end-September this year ballooned to another record high of P11.92 trillion, already breaching the government’s expected level of debt stock of P11.73 trillion by the end of this year.

This was also higher by 27.2 percent or P2.55 trillion than P9.37 trillion in the same period in 2020.

CHED chief to UP-Diliman: Respect HEIs’ decision to get rid of CTG-donated books

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3

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OLLOWING the decision of some state universities and colleges (SUCs) to remove books and other reading materials donated by so-called communist terrorist groups (CTG) from their libraries, the chairman of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said such decision should be respected in the name of “academic freedom.”

“There are reasons why some HEIs [Higher Educational Institutions] have decided to remove materials donated by governmentdeclared communist terrorist groups [CTGs] in their libraries. School authorities in these

HEIs are in the best position to explain why.

They are given sufficient administrative discretions under existing laws,” a news statement issued by CHED Chairman Dr. J. Prospero “Popoy” E. de Vera read.

De Vera stressed that the decision to remove books and other reading materials in a university library is done by individual HEIs in the exercise of academic freedom.

Earlier, three state universities—Kalinga State University, Isabela State University, and Aklan State University—pulled out reading materials from their libraries and turned these over to the regional National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency.

“HEIs must respect these decisions of other HEIs in the spirit of mutual respect and proper governance of their institutions,” de Vera said.

He also urged the University of the Philippines ( U P) -D i l i m a n to respect other HEIs who have decided to remove the said materials.

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DepEd lists schools in F-to-F pilot program

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HE Department of Education (DepEd) is expected to release by next week the final list of public schools that will participate in the pilot run of the limited faceto-face (F-to-F) classes.

The DepEd made the announcement on Wednesday as it released a list of some 100 public schools included in the pilot program scheduled to start November 15, 2021.

In a virtual interview with PTV, Education Assistant Secretary Malcolm Garma also disclosed they are still finalizing the list of some 20 other private schools, which will would likely participate in the pilot run.

Currently, he said, there are 57 private schools that are undergoing evaluation to qualify for the slots.

“By November 12, we will know... which of the 20 private schools will be selected based from the evaluation,” Garma said.

The F-to-F for private schools is scheduled to start on November 22, 2021.

Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones said they are now considering further increasing the number of participating schools amid declining Covid infection and high vaccination rates in the National Capital Region (NCR).

She noted this could allow more schools in the region to participate in the pilot.

“We will write a report to the President if the 100 [public] schools could be increased further due to the good news, which are now appearing,” Magtolis-Briones said referring to how health officials noted there is now a lower risk of Covid infection in NCR compared to previous months.

Samuel P. Medenilla

Vaccination of kids below 12 yrs old to begin in ’22

A

N official of the Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday revealed that government is considering the launching the immunization of children below 12 years by next year.

“We have considered that in our plans for next year,” Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said at an online forum after she was asked to comment on the news reports that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the use of Pfizer and BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11.

Cabotaje, who is also the head of the National Vaccination Operations Center, however, said, a recommendation from the Health Technology Assessment Council is needed to determine the type of vaccine that will be administered.

In the same forum, Cabotaje also said that they are ready to give booster shots for health-care workers once the recommendation of the World Health Organization and the authorization of the FDA had been released.

As of November 2, a total of 60 million Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered.

The nationwide rollout of Covid-19 vaccination among all children aged 12 to 17, began on Wednesday (November 3).

“Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will still be used among children during the nationwide rollout,” said Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), there are around 12.7 million children aged 12 to 17 in 2021. Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

Thursday, November 4, 2021 A5

MMC lifts Metro pandemic curfew after 19 months

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3

T

HE Metro Manila Council (MMC) has approved a resolution on Wednesday lifting the prevailing standardized and unified curfew hours in the National Capital Region starting Thursday, November 4, 2021.

“The Metro Manila mayors have agreed to lift the curfew hours in the metropolis.... But we will respect the implementation of curfew on minors based on existing ordinances of the respective LGUs [local government units],” Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos revealed.

According to MMDA Resolu-

tion 21-25, the lifting of the curfew hours from 12 midnight to 4 a.m. will complement the adjustment of mall operating hours to provide both mall goers and mall employees ample time to get home.

“The lifting of curfew hours in Metro Manila will help spread out influx of people coming to and from malls to further reduce the risk of virus’ trans-

NPA-free barangays in Mimaropa will receive devt projects–NTF-ELCAC

T

HE national government, through the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), announced on Wednesday that it has crushed communist guerillas in Region 4B, paving the way for multimillion-peso projects to thousands of barangays “liberated” from influence and threat of the New People’s Army (NPA).

National Security Adviser and NTF-ELCAC Vice Chairman Hermogenes Esperon Jr. made announcement, as Malacañang bared that President Duterte, also chairman of the NTF-ELCAC, has scheduled a visit to Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan (Mimaropa) region on Thursday (today) to personally check the projects implemented under Palace and Congress-approved Barangay Development Program (BDP).

For next year, additional 54 barangays from Mimaropa will be included in the BDP list or a total of 1,406 barangays nationwide with a proposed budget of P28.1 billion. This year’s BDP include 822 barangays.

According to Esperon, Region 4B or Mimaropa’s peace and security was effectively managed through the joint efforts of the security forces and civilian agencies.

“I am proud to note that from 2020 to 2021, two guerilla fronts have been significantly weakened while one has been dismantled,” Esperon said.

Of the 822 barangay recipients of BDP, Esperon said 25 are found in Mimaropa wherein a total of 109 projects worth P500 million are now in the implementation stage.

Esperon said the administration has started the sustainable agriculture and livelihood programs in Mimaropa such as Project Save and Project Sagip, which assisted local farming communities for their sustenance.

“Livelihood assistance were likewise provided to a total of 224 regular New People’s Army surrenderers who have returned to the folds of the law from 2020 to 2021,” Esperon added.

Under this flagship project, each barangay, cleared from NPA influ-

ence and threat, will be granted with P20 million worth of projects such as farm-to-market roads; school building, water sanitation facility; heath centers and livelihood projects.

Esperon also said that local executives, including governors and mayors from Region 4B have expressed full support to the BDP. “As a former mayor himself, and as a strong proponent of local government development, President Duterte has pushed for several development initiatives which promote inclusivity and sustainability. These undertakings, particularly aimed at poverty alleviation, addressing basic human needs and rural progress, were conceptualized to address the root causes and issues being exploited by the communist terrorist group [CTG] for its recruitment,” Esperon said.

Expected to join the President in his visit to Mimaropa are Palawan Gov. Jose Alvarez; Puerto Princesa Mayor Lucilo Bayron, representing the host local government unit; Cabinet members; lawmakers; and senior officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP).

The military’s Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) and the PNP formally declared the clearing of 12 barangays and three New People’s Army-allied organizations in Mountain Province from the influence of communist rebels through a document signed on Tuesday.

The villages were identified as Dalican, Guina-ang and Mainit of Bontoc; Aguid, Fedilisan, Madongo, Bangaan, Pide and Angkileng of Sagada; Balintaugan, Bagnen Proper and Bagnen Oriente of Bauko.

The 12 barangays were among the areas declared as having been cleared from insurgency during the “Area Clearing Validation Committee [ACVC]” meeting jointly presided by Nolcom deputy commander Brig. Gen. Andrew Costelo and PNP deputy director for Integrated Police Operations - Northern Luzon (DIPONL), Major Gen. Domingo Cabillan.

The 12 villages and the three rebel-allied organizations were for-

merly the focused areas of Platoon William under the Kilusang Larangang Gerilya (KLG) AMPIS, the communist group that operates in the areas of Abra, Mountain Province and Ilocos Sur. Nolcom spokesman Major Israel Galorio said the clearing parameters under the AFP–PNP Joint Letter Directive 03 (Series 2020) was utilized during the evaluation and validation process prior to the declaration of the villages as insurgency-free.

PNP DIPO-NL Director Lt. Gen. Marni Marcos Jr. credited the accomplishment to “the support and synergistic collaboration of the AFP and PNP.” On the other hand, Nolcom commander Lt. Gen. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr. commended the troops who were involved in the clearing efforts.

“This is a historic event, let me congratulate our troops, particularly Joint Task Force [JTF] Tala for their unyielding efforts to protect the well-being of our people in Mountain Province and free them from the menace of the communist terrorists,” Burgos said.

“Our task of defeating the communist terrorists was made easy with our continuous collaboration and active coordination. Several initiatives from JTF Tala and JTF Kaugnay were successful because of the active support and complementary efforts of our PNP counterparts,” he added.

Burgos said the rebels are “losing the support of the community” as manifested by the series of setbacks ranging from the “neutralization of their ranking leaders, mass surrender from their ranks, and mass withdrawal of support from their exploited supporters resulting to the irreversible collapse of the various NPA fronts in our area of responsibility.”

The Nolcom have dismantled three guerrilla fronts in Northern and Central Luzon. These are the KLG Southern Ilocos Sur, KLG Quirino- Nueva Vizcaya and KLG–Sierra Madre. Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz and Rene Acosta

mission,” the MMDA chief said.

The same resolution stated that mall owners have agreed to extend their operating hours until 11 p.m., instead of the usual 10 p.m. to help alleviate traffic in Metro Manila ahead of the Christmas shopping rush.

Curfew hours for minors or those under 18 years old shall be subject to existing ordinances of the Metro Ma-

nila local government units, along with the continued observance and enforcement of Covid-19 protocols and minimum public health standards, such as wearing of face shields and face masks, and observing social distancing.

The MMC, composed of the 17 local government units of Metro Manila, is the governing body and policy-making body of the MMDA.

PNP chief tells CHR: We also want to know truth about EJKs

By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM

T

HE Philippine National Police has acknowledged the analysis of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on the more than 500 incidents of deaths and alleged violence in the campaign against illegal drugs.

“We respect the investigation conducted by the Commission on Human Rights as this task falls under its constitutional mandate,” PNP chief General Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar said on Wednesday.

“But the main reason behind the investigation conducted by the CHR is the same reason why we coordinated with the Department of Justice for the review of the police operations relating to the campaign against illegal drugs,” he added.

Based on the CHR’s report, only 11 survived out of the 466 individuals who allegedly resisted arrest during police operations.

The human-rights body also stressed that at least 87 victims had mostly multiple gunshot wounds on different parts of the body and that there were signs that blunt force was allegedly used against those who died in the operations.

“We in the Philippine National Police would also want to know the truth because these allegations of human rights and extra-judicial killings that have been hounding us in more than five years have resulted in sweeping generalization that all our operations against illegal drugs are tainted with abuses,” Eleazar said.

“This is unfair to a number of our operatives who died and were wounded in the conduct of operations and this grossly ignores the fact that the efforts and sacrifices of our men on the ground have resulted in the unprecedented reduction of index crimes across the country,” he added.

The Department of Justice, with the PNP’s cooperation, has already started its investigation into the drug war deaths. An initial batch of 52 cases are already being checked by the National Bureau of Investiga-

tion for case buildup against some police personnel.

“The Philippine National Police remains focused on its commitment to transparency and accountability on this matter, and this is the reason why we are now working with the National Bureau of Investigation and will continuously coordinate with the DOJ for review of more of these cases,” the PNP chief said.

Meanwhile, Eleazar ordered the relief of a precinct commander in General Santos City who allegedly assaulted his men.

Reports reaching Camp Crame said that Capt. Nemecio Calipjo Jr., chief of Police Precinct 8 located at Barangay Tinagacan, allegedly punched and slapped four policemen assigned in his precinct.

“I have already directed the Regional Director, Police Regional Office 12 to immediately relieve Police Captain Nemecio Calipjo Jr. as commander of the General Santos City Police Precinct 8 while the investigation is being conducted against him,” Eleazar said.

One of the complainants alleged that the incident happened at around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday when Calipjo arrived supposedly drunk at the police precinct.

The complainant claimed the police precinct chief ordered his men to be at formation in front of the precinct, and while brandishing an M-16 rifle, allegedly started castigating and threatening to kill men.

Calipjo allegedly punched and slapped his subordinates while castigating them for about an hour and the rifle he was wielding even accidentally went off when he set it down.

It was claimed that the precinct commander was angry at his men for their alleged inaction on the concern brought to them by a resident close to Calipjo.

“All police commanders should set good leadership examples to their men and what Police Capt. Calipjo, based on the initial report I received, was clearly a breach of discipline and violation of PNP rules and regulations,” Eleazar said.

Dolomite beach remains off limits to public until year-end–DENR

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

T

HE dolomite beach along Roxas Boulevard will remain closed to pave the way for various rehabilitation works in Manila Bay, particularly the controversial P389-million Beach Nourishment Project in the Manila Baywalk area, officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said.

The target is to complete all pending works and activities before reopening the project by the end of the year.

At an online press conference on Wednesday, DENR Undersecretary for Environment and International Affairs Jonas R. Leones said the decision is to keep the dolomite beach closed so as not to impede construction activities under the project’s Phase 2.

To recall, a week after its softopening last October 16, people from all over the National Capital Region (NCR) and as far as nearby

provinces trooped to the “Boracaylike” white beach. On October 24, the number of visitors went up to an estimated 120,000.

This prompted the DENR to put in place crowd management measures, including a ban on children aged 11 years and below, closure of the dolomite beach on Fridays, and the total closure from October 29 to November 3 in light of the observance of All Saint’s Day and All Soul’s Day. According to Leones, all would-be activities that warrant the closure of the dolomite beach is in line with the continuing rehabilitation of Manila Bay, particularly in the area of Roxas Boulevard in Manila, with the hope of improving the water quality there to pass the accepted standard for bathing and swimming.

Under Phase 2, Leones said more crushed dolomite would be shipped to further expand the “white sand beach” from the current 140 meters to 500 meters, completely covering the Manila Baywalk portion from the US Embassy compound to the Manila Yacht Club area.

Moreover, he said, activities are geared to improve the water quality in Manila Bay, starting with the improvement of drainage system and enhancement of sewage treatment plants (STP) to further reduce the fecal coliform level that still runs into thousands to millions in the area.

Speaking mostly in Filipino, Leones said the target is also to fix the drainage system in three outfalls namely Padre Faura, Remedios, and Abad.

“All dirty water from households and industries will be diverted to the STPs. Rainwater, to prevent flooding, will be channeled to pass through the bigger pipe with a length of 400 meters from the sea wall. Also, we will do the outfall near the Dolomite Rock Garden wherein a high fecal coliform level was discovered based on a recent water sampling conducted by the DENR-NCR,” he said.

The target, Leones said, is to complete the project before the end of the year, or in case of change in Covid-19 alert level, by the first

quarter of next year.

Geoengineering intervention within the 360-meter area of the dolomite beach will also be undertaken.

Moreover, he said, there will be some developments near the Manila Yacht Club for fishing.

“We will also install lights along Bay Walk to illuminate and highlight the beauty of Baywalk,” he said.

Part of the plan is to construct a solar-powered office for the Manila Bay Task Force and public comfort rooms in the area.

All the activities, he said, will begin this week, hence, the need to close the dolomite beach until the project is completed.

The P389 million original budget for the project is being augmented by the DENR’s outlay from the years 2020 and 2021, he said.

Leones clarified that the project is not a project of the DENR alone but include members of the various agencies tasked to rehabilitate Manila Bay, including the Department of Public Works and Highways and

the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

Soon, he said, informal settlers in Manila Bay particularly in the Baseco area in Tondo will be relocated, hence, requiring the help of the Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development.

The official said all agencies are chipping in to boost the rehabilitation effort in Manila Bay. DENR Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Units Concerns Benny D. Antiporda remains optimistic that Phase 2 of the dolomite beach project will be completed before the end of the year.

He added that even though it will be closed, DENR would continue to monitor the area and make sure that unruly individuals will not trespass the beach unchecked.

The official said proper coordination with concerned authorities would be done to pave the way for the smooth implementation of Phase 2 of the Beach Nourishment Project.

BusinessMirror

A6 Thursday, November 4, 2021

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION QUALIFICATION AND AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION SALARY RANGE 24/7 BUSINESS PROCESSING INC. 14/f Capella Bldg., L-3&4 B2, Asean Drive Filinvest, Alabang, City Of Muntinlupa Basic Qualification: JIANG, YUAN Proficient in speaking, Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative reading and writing in 1.

Mandarin Brief Job Description: Responding promptly to the inquiries to ensure Salary Range: customer satisfaction Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: SU, CHENHAO Proficient in speaking, Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative reading and writing in 2.

Mandarin Brief Job Description: Responding promptly to the inquiries to ensure Salary Range: customer satisfaction Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 8 STONE BUSINESS OUTSOURCING OPC 5-10/f Tower 1, Pitx Kennedy Road, Tambo, City Of Parañaque Basic Qualification: Know how to recommend HU, ZHANGJIA potential products or Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking services to management by collecting customer 3.

Brief Job Description: information and analyzing Build sustainable relationship of trust through open customer needs. and interactive communication in Mandarin speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 ACCENTURE, INC. 7f, Robinsons Cybergate Tower 1, Pioneer St, City Of Mandaluyong Basic Qualification: SON, KWONHEE Minimum 1-2 years in Customer Service Senior Analyst Korean customer service 4. support experience Brief Job Description: Provide customer service for Korean and English Salary Range: merchants (voice, email, or chat) Php 90,000 - Php 149,999 ALLIANTPRIME SERVICES INC. Unit No. Unit 2c Flr. No. 4f, One Ecom Center Building, Ocean Drive St., Moa Complex Subd., District 1, Barangay 076, Pasay City Basic Qualification: CHEN, YUCHAO Proficient in speaking, Mandarin Field Marketing Officer reading and writing in 5.

Mandarin Brief Job Description: Plan, organize and execute marketing and sales Salary Range: programs Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: DENG, JIANWEI Proficient in speaking, Mandarin Site Technical Officer reading and writing in 6.

Mandarin.

Brief Job Description: Diagnosing equipment malfunctions and performing Salary Range: repairs.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 No.

ANOC99 CORPORATION 5/f To 10/f Ayala Malls Manila Bay Building D., Macapagal Blvd. Cor. Aseana Street, Tambo, City Of Parañaque

7.

8.

LIU, YONGHUA Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: managing incoming calls and customer service inquires ZHANG, CHAO Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

ATLAS FERTILIZER CORPORATION 2/f Builders Centre, 170 Salcedo St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati MAEDA, KOSAKU Assistant Vice-president, Import Procurement 9.

Brief Job Description: To assist in the supervision of activities related to importation of raw materials

Basic Qualification: able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Has adequate experience in international trading and importing pf chemical raw materials Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999

ATTIC TOURS PHILS. INC. Unit No. U-203 Coko Bldg., Patio Madrigal Bldg. Roxas Blvd. St., Barangay 078, Pasay City KAWAKAMI, KOICHI Basic Qualification: Operations Manager Japanese nationality.

10.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Plan strategies to increase sales and achieve the set Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 target.

INOUE, KAZUO Basic Qualification: Inbound Japanese Assistant Manager Japanese nationality.

11.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Manage complete inbound operation and staff Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 management AZBIL PHILIPPINES CORPORATION 4/f Republic Glass Bldg., 196 Salcedo St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati Basic Qualification: KUROSAWA, SHUICHI Degree in business General Manager, Building Automation (BA) Division management or a master’s 12. in business administration.

Brief Job Description: Analyzing accounting and financial data and developing Salary Range: and implementing growth strategies.

Php 90,000 - Php 149,999 BISTRONOMIA CORP. Unit 6g Icon Plaza, 26th St. Bgc, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree; PUIG RAMON, MARIA knowledgeable of wine Spanish Wine Specialist regions, denomination of origin and grape varieties Brief Job Description: from the different wine Oversees all wine purchases and cost management; regions of Spain; good 13. research and develops a training program for the customer service skills, ability company to improve the knowledge of wine tasting to lead and manage a diverse and wine service of the team members; oversees group of people; knowledge wine committee duties (minutes, wine of the month in authentic Spanish cuisine selection, introduction of new vendors, wineries etc.)

Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 C’EST LA VIE EVENT MANAGEMENT INC. 230, Narra Street, Marikina Heights, City Of Marikina Basic Qualification: HONG, DONGLIANG Can develop strong Key Accounts Specialist Consultant positive relationships with executive and management Brief Job Description: contacts; able to speak 14.

Oversee the relationships of the company with Chinese and communicate using clients; responsible for obtaining and maintaining mandarin. long term key customers by comprehending their requirements.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: LIN, RONGPEI Can develop strong Key Accounts Specialist Consultant positive relationships with executive and management Brief Job Description: contacts; able to speak 15.

Oversee the relationships of the company with Chinese and communicate using clients; responsible for obtaining and maintaining mandarin. long term key customers by comprehending their requirements.

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

No.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

CENTURY PEAK CEMENT MANUFACTURING CORP. U-1403/140 14f Equitable Bank Tower, 8751 Paseo De Roxas, Bel-air, City Of Makati ZHANG, WEIWEI Basic Qualification: Chinese Equipment Supervisor Must be fluent in Mandarin 16.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Oversee the equipment being used Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 CEVA LOGISTICS PHILIPPINES INC. Ceva Bldg. Pascor Drive, Cor. Johann St. Ibayo, Santo Niño, City Of Parañaque Basic Qualification: CHOO TZE WEI Deep project management Managing Director, Philippines / Chairman experience. Six Sigma, TQM preferred. Deep 17.

Brief Job Description: understanding of LEAN Responsible for managing: Budgets (FTEs, costs, processes revenues) and achieving monthly GR/NR/EBITDA Budget Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above CPG PHARMACEUTICALS INC. (CPG LIFESCIENCES) 6th F Kingstone Excel Bldg., Lot 3 Block 38 Civic Drive, Filinvest, Alabang, City Of Muntinlupa NAIR, RAKESH UNNIKRISHNAN Chief Operating Officer 18.

Brief Job Description: Developing Channel Partners, manufacturers, importer and distributors, wholesaler & retailers, for the pharmaceuticals products of the company across the globe.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in business administration or related field.

No.

CHIN KOK HAO Mandarin Accounts Staff 32.

33.

34.

25.

Brief Job Description: Provide and maintain customer service

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in managing incoming calls Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

FLYING FUTURE SERVICES INC. 3/f Salcedo One Center, 170 Salcedo St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

26.

27.

28.

29.

DONG, GEFEI Mandarin Marketing Specialist

Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin

Brief Job Description: organize promotions and events for company clients CAI, JIKE Mandarin Operations Specialist

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

Brief Job Description: Maintain accurate sales records reconcile delivery regards with supplies monthly LI, XIN Mandarin Product Developer Brief Job Description: Grow company revenues by developing new products ZENG, XIAO Mandarin Team Leader Brief Job Description: Maintain and drive program knowledge for self and team JIAO, ZHOUZHOU Mandarin Technical Support

30.

Brief Job Description: Monitoring and maintaining computer systems and networks

35.

31.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in answering questions about product and services of the company

Brief Job Description: Responsible in answering questions about product and services of the company NGOH KUN SHUI Mandarin Accounts Staff Brief Job Description: Responsible in answering questions about product and services of the company OON CHEE KEONG Mandarin Accounts Staff

37.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in answering customer questions about product and services of the company PEK KEN SENG Mandarin Accounts Staff

38.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in answering customer questions about product and services of the company RACHEL ARLENE KAMIJAN Mandarin Accounts Staff

39.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in answering customer questions about product and services of the company TONG CHUN KHEN Mandarin Administrative Specialist

40.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in answering customer questions about product and services of the company GIANG THI THIEN HUONG Mandarin Human Resource Specialist

41.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in answering questions about product and services of the company CHIEN, YING-HUI Mandarin Operations Specialist

42.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in answering customer questions about product and services of the company LAU MOO KIAT Mandarin Team Leader

43.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in answering customer questions about product and services of the company CIPTO Mandarin Technical Support

44.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in answering customer questions about product and services of the company LEE WEI YAN Mandarin Technical Support

45.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in answering customer questions about product and services of the company

SHI, GUOMING Mandarin Coordinator

46.

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

Brief Job Description: Typically works under a mandarin manager to maintain office equipment, physical space and telecommunications systems for a single building.

Mandarin coordinator handles building-equipment emergencies on an ongoing basis and serve, as a liaison between company employees and outside contractors called in to fix problems.

Basic Qualification: Can speak Mandarin

HUANG, JINZHANG Mandarin Customer Service Representative

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

Brief Job Description: Provides customer service support to the organization by obtaining, analyzing and verifying the accuracy of order information in a timely manner. Initiates and/ or implements corrective action as needed in order to ensure that an excellent standard of service and a high level of customer satisfaction are maintained. Prepare customer service summary reports.

Basic Qualification: Can speak Mandarin

47.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin

LI, HUAIJIE Mandarin Team Leader

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

Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

GOODYIELDS SERVICES INC. Unit Ug-08 Ug/f Cityland 10 Tower 2, 154 H.v. Dela Costa Cor. Valero Sts., Bel-air, City Of Makati

Basic Qualification: Can speak Mandarin

FRONTIER POINT MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS INC. 29/f Techzone Bldg., Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., San Antonio, City Of Makati ALBERT CHONG KOK WAI Mandarin Accounts Staff

Brief Job Description: Responsible in answering customer questions about product and services of the company MELVIN PHUAH TECK SUNG Mandarin Accounts Staff

FIRST GREAT COMPUTER TECHNOLOGIES INC. Lot 5, Sta. Agueda Cor. Queensway Pagcor Drive, Sto. Niño, City Of Parañaque LIAO, WEIFENG IT Technical Mandarin

Brief Job Description: Responsible in answering questions about product and services of the company LE HOANG SU Mandarin Accounts Staff

36.

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

Brief Job Description: Responsible in answering customer questions about product and services of the company CHIU, CHIH-CHUN Mandarin Accounts Staff

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

CRONYX INC. No. 4th-10th Flr. Yinhope Bldg., Dela Rama Cor. Zoili Hilario St., Seascape Village, Ccp Complex Subd. Zone 10, Barangay 076, District 1, Pasay City Basic Qualification: SUN, ZIYAN With atleast 6 months Chinese Speaking Program Designer customer service experience / Good in oral 19.

Brief Job Description: communication and written Assist/help customers, give customers information about product and services Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 DEXIN 999, INC. Red Hotel No. 345, Edsa Cor. Don Carlos Revilla St., Barangay 147, Pasay City Basic Qualification: WANG, ZONG Able to speak and write Mandarin Customer Support Representative in Mandarin/Fukien and at least college level with 20.

Brief Job Description: related BPO experience.

Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions, and responding to complaints.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 DEXIN INTERNATIONAL IMPORT AND EXPORT CORP. 534 Tomas Mapua St., 029, Bgy. 298, Santa Cruz, City Of Manila Basic Qualification: HUANG, DEXI Have skills in Chinese Cargo Office Agent documentations 21.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Prepare airline and custom documentations Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: LI, BIFENG Have skills in Chinese Chinese Cargo Office Agent documentations 22.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Prepare airline and custom documentations Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 DIGIVIRTUAL TECH CORPORATION 7/f Ba Lepanto Bldg., 8747 Paseo De Roxas, Bel-air, City Of Makati XIE, JIMING Basic Qualification: Mandarin Speaking Computer Support Specialist Excellent speaking, writing and reading in Chinese 23.

Brief Job Description: Investigate user problems and prepare reports for Salary Range: developers.

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 EASTERN GOLD CORPORATION 503, Nueva St, , Binondo, City Of Manila Basic Qualification: Can contributes information, ideas, and GAO, CUIMIN research to help develop Marketing And Sales Agent marketing strategies; can help to detail, design, and 24.

Brief Job Description: implement marketing plans Researches and develops various marketing strategies for each product or service for products and services and implements marketing being offered. plans and works to meet sales quotas

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

48.

Brief Job Description: : Accountable for the successful delivery of complex project implementation, in which the team leader also act as Project Manager. Manages and leads a team of employees. Communicates company goals, safety practices, and deadlines to team. Motivates team members and assesses performance. Provides help to management, including hiring and training, and keeps management updated on team performance.

Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Fluent In Mandarin Language, 1 Year Experience as Mandarin Coordinator, High Performance And Excellent Communication Skills, Computer Proficiency Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Fluent In Mandarin Language, 1 Year Experience as Mandarin Customer Service Representative, High Performance And Excellent Communication Skills, Computer Proficiency Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Fluent In Mandarin Language, 1 Year Experience as Mandarin Team Leader, High Performance And Excellent Communication Skills, Computer Proficiency Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

INDUSTRIAL INFORMATION RESOURCES, INC. Units 2807-2808 J. Vargas Corner Meralco Avenue, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

49.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION DOAN MANH THIEN TAN Research Specialist Brief Job Description: Gathers primary market research using the telephone.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Accuracy - the ability to perform work accurately and the roughly.

54.

HE, JIANGNAN Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

55.

HUANG, JIAWEI Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

56.

JIANG, QINGMING Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

57.

LIAO, FUXING Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

58.

LIU, SHIYUN Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

59.

LU, ANQUAN Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

60.

WONG ING SENG Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

61.

XU, JIARUI Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

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

METROGLOBAL SERVICES, INC. Unit 2209-2210 Antel Global Corporate Center, Julia Vargas Ave., Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig Basic Qualification: Graduate of Bachelor of Engineering with 6 years SINGH, SHWETA experience in Telecom Radio Network Optimization Consultant industry with proven track 62. record with all telecom Brief Job Description: experience.

Radio network optimization MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. 4th-11th Flr. Nexgen Tower, C4 Rd. Edsa Ext., Brgy. 076, Pasay City 63.

64.

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PENG, YONG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires LAI LI DJIN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries LEI, CHUNYI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries LESRLY YANSEN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries LU, ZHANGYANG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries PENG, WEI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries QI, QIANG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires.

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

71.

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

INQUICK SERVICES INC. Unit 606 6/f Itc Bldg., 337 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati Basic Qualification: HON YIN HOU Proficient in speaking, Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative reading and writing in 50. mandarin Brief Job Description: Identify and assess customers’ needs to achieve Salary Range: satisfaction Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 J-NA ALLOUT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS CORP. 3/f Lipams Bldg., #48 President Avenue, Bf Homes, City Of Parañaque Basic Qualification: CHOI, SUNG DAE College graduate, speaks Korean Customer Service Representative & write fluently (English & 51.

Korean) Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls & customer service inquiries Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 KUBOTA PHILIPPINES, INC. 232, Quirino H-way, Baesa 6, Quezon City OHSHIGE, TAKAHIRO Basic Qualification: AVP-after Sales Must be fluent in Japanese (Written and Oral) 52.

Brief Job Description: Oversees financial and admin operations of the Salary Range: department Php 90,000 - Php 149,999 MEGA-WEB TECHNOLOGIES INC. 6,7,8,9,10,11/f Met Live Bldg., Edsa Cor. Macapagal Blvd., Brgy. 076, Pasay City Basic Qualification: CI, HAO Proficient in speaking , Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Reading and Writing in Provider 53.

Mandarin Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

No.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: able to speak, read and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries SUDIBYO Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries SUGIYANTO Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires.

SUN, LI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries ZENG, LUYU Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries ZHANG, LI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries ZHANG, XUE Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries ZHANG, YAXU Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries ZHANG, ZHIYONG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries ZHAO, QIANG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries ZHENG, JIECHENG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries ZHENG, SHAOYANG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries ZHU, WENJIN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries ZHU, YANAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries AN, DAOLIN Chinese Customer Specialist Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires.

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FAN, XIAOQI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Bases Services

FENG, CHUNSHENG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

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

94.

GONG, CHENG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

A7

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

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

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Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: able to speak, read and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: able to speak, read and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: able to speak, read and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: able to speak, read and write Chinese language

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

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Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: able to speak, read and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: able to speak, read and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: ABLE TO SPEAK, READ, AND WRITE CHINESE LANGUAGE

Brief Job Description: MANAGING INCOMING CALLS AND CUSTOMER SERVICE Salary Range: INQUIRES. Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 NCH CUSTOMER SUPPORT SERVICES, INC. 6f, 7f, Tower 3 West Bldg., Double Dragon Plaza, Edsa Ext. Cor. Macapagal St., Brgy. 076, Pasay City Basic Qualification: GARBRECHT, MIRKO German language skills Customer Support Advisor - German Agent (written and spoken), good 87. oral and speaking skills Brief Job Description: Manage accounts and concerns of clients from the Salary Range: German market Php 90,000 - Php 149,999 Basic Qualification: DROR, IDAN College degree or Head Of Risk Management BETMGM equivalent qualifications 88. and/or experience Brief Job Description: Lead and manage the group risk management Salary Range: optimization and projects Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 NEW CHANGE TECHNICAL CONSULTANTS INC. 7/f Glorietta 4, Ayala Center, San Lorenzo, City Of Makati Basic Qualification: RAAVI, SASANK College graduate fluent in Sales Director english 89.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Handle sales concern and people Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: JACKSON, PAUL ELLIS College graduate fluent in Strategic Account Director english 90.

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Establish and maintain relationships Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 NEW ORIENTAL CLUB88 CORPORATION Sky Garage Bldg., Aseana Avenue, Entertainment City, Tambo, City Of Parañaque Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer DUAN, YINGNAN application with good oral Chinese Customer Service and written communication 91. skills Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

SU, ZHIFA Chinese Customer Service

ZHAO, HE Chinese Customer Specialist

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Thursday, November 4, 2021

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

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

113.

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

114.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION JIANG, ZHANDONG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

JIN, LIANGLIANG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

LI, LONGFEI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

LI, WEIYA Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

LI, XIAOQING Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

LI, YONG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

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

LING, ZHIJIN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

LIU, BAOSHAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

QIAO, MENGGAI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Bases Services

WANG, BAOBAO Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

WANG, WUWEI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

WU, FANGFANG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

XU, WENJUAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

XU, YIBO Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

YU, FENGYUAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

ZHAN, BINGHUANG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

ZHANG, FAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

ZHANG, TONG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

ZHOU, YANG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

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

BusinessMirror

A8 Thursday, November 4, 2021

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

115.

116.

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NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION HOANG NHUNG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

TRAN TRONG TRUONG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

UNG VA PHUC Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Knowledge in computer applications with good oral and written communication skills

No.

LI, XIAOHUI Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 130.

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

131.

118.

HIMENO, HIDEKI Consultant & Corporate Treasurer Brief Job Description: Will manage the company’s financial activities

132.

WENG, SHENG-FENG Bilingual Technical Support 119.

Brief Job Description: Resolve technical issues with patience and understanding

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

NOVARTIS HEALTHCARE PHILIPPINES, INC. 5/f & 6/f Ayala North Exchange Tower 1, Ayala Ave. Cor. Salcedo & Amorsolo Sts., San Antonio, City Of Makati PALATHINGAL, JACOB JOSE Ethics, Risk And Compliance (ERC) Head

120.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing strategic advice to the head of the company in all matters that are relevant to business; will enable drive ethical business conduct through the effective implementation of the ERC programs across all levels of the organization; responsible for establishing, promoting and reinforcing compliance standards, aligned with local laws and regulations and company-wide compliance policies

JOEL CHONG HSIN HUA Oncology General Manager 121.

Brief Job Description: Develop a clear, well-communicated business vision and strategy, drive for superior results and financial targets; lead cultural transformation towards a high engaged and high performing team; oversee the development of medical strategies and plans; build effective product portfolio and commercial excellence

Basic Qualification: University degree and formal education in the field of law, audit, finance, risk mitigation and assessment and other related disciplines; with significant years in experience in legal or audit practice related to the pharmaceutical industry; Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree; preferably with 15 years commercial experience in pharmaceuticals; focused on specialty care, specifically in oncology; core competencies in sales, marketing, product launch and listings Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

OAMPI INC. 8/f 6780 Ayala Ave., Ayala Ave., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati BOURGHELLE, THOMAS ANDRE JEAN MARC French Customer Service Representative 122.

Brief Job Description: To respond and resolve customer service and technical support concerns via chat and email

Basic Qualification: To maintain client’s internal and external knowledge’s bases. Perform other tasks as required Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

PHILIPPINES COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK CONSTRUCTION INC. Unit E-2004a East Tower, Psec Exchange Road Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig LIU, SHILIANG Site Supervisor 123.

Brief Job Description: To oversee construction projects and supervise the construction team.

Basic Qualification: Preferably years of prior experience in supervisory roles; fluent in Mandarin/ basic English.

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

SA RIVENDELL GLOBAL SUPPORT, INC. 2741, P. Zamora St., Brgy. 097, Pasay City

124.

LUO, XINXIANG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: customer support and data base services

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

NARITA, KAZUAKI Site Manager 125.

Brief Job Description: Manages and oversees the day to day construction management

Basic Qualification: Ability to supervise and oversee the direction project

126.

Brief Job Description: Be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goal.

133.

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Treasurer and Mandarin Country Manager; Familiarity; knowledge and awareness on Machinery and Heavy Equipment used by company; Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

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

CHANG, CHUN-JU Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 127.

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

HUANG, SHOU-HONG Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 128.

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

KU, WAN-WAN a.k.a. LESLIE KU Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 129.

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products / Excellent Mandarin communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products / Excellent Mandarin communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Coordinate project management activities. Resources equipment and information provide analytical support to manager in executing assigned projects

ISLAM, MD SHARIFUL Marketing Staff (bangladesh Client) 134.

135.

Brief Job Description: Handle marketing concerns and matters for Bangladesh client.

TAHMASEBI, MOEIN Purchasing Manager Brief Job Description: Handle concerns and staff in Purchasing Department.

AGUILAR PELAEZ, IVAN JESUS Chiropractic Consultant 136.

Brief Job Description: Manual spine adjustments and manipulation, correction misaligned bone LEFEBVRE, FLORIAN Chiropractic Consultant

137.

Brief Job Description: Manual spine adjustments and manipulation, correction misaligned bone VALETTE, AMELIE MONIQUE LILIANE Chiropractic Consultant

138.

Brief Job Description: Manual spine adjustments and manipulation, correction misaligned bone

No.

139.

Brief Job Description: Interacting with professionals, reviewing online portfolio, identify potential candidates YU, FENGJIE Sourcing Specialist

140.

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

149.

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

WORLD MEDICAL RELIEF-PHILIPPINE NATIONAL BUSINESS AND COORDINATION CENTER FOUNDATION, INC. 14-d 14/f Ocean Tower, Condo. Roxas Blvd., 077, Bgy. 701, Malate, City Of Manila

Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products / Excellent Mandarin communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products / Excellent Mandarin communication skills

150.

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

151.

Basic Qualification: Graduate as a doctor of chiropractic

153.

141.

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

154.

155.

TANAKA, SATORU Project Construction Manager 142.

Brief Job Description: Overall site management of civil and marine works under JICA STEP loan project

Basic Qualification: Proficient in both Japanese and English languages, oral and written Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999

TRIVES TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION Tower 4 Bayport West, Naia Garden Residence, Naia Road, Tambo, City Of Parañaque CHEN, SONGSONG Mandarin Customer Support Representative 143.

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions, and responding to complaints.

WANG, YAN Mandarin Customer Support Representative

144.

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions, and responding to complaints.

WU, SHENGPING Mandarin Customer Support Representative

145.

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions, and responding to complaints.

Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in MANDARIN/FUKIEN and at least college level with related BPO experience.

156.

157.

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

URBANDIDEAS INC. Unit 17-m Burgundy Corporate Tower, 252 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati 146.

147.

WU, MAN Mandarin Administrative Specialist

Basic Qualification: can speak mandarin

Brief Job Description: creates and revises systems and procedures

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

ZHAO, WEIPING Mandarin Customer Service

Basic Qualification: can speak mandarin

Brief Job Description: opens customer accounts by recording account info

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

Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling calls and providing customer support

Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling calls and providing customer support

Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling calls and providing customer support HERMAN Bahasa Language Customer Service Representative

158.

Brief job description: Responsible for handling calls and providing customer support IVAN KURSY Bahasa Language Customer Service Representative

159.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling calls and providing customer support SANTI Bahasa Language Customer Service Representative

160.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling calls and providing customer support CAFFEY TING SZE WEE Malaysian Language Customer Service Representative

161.

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

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

Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling calls and providing customer support

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

ZONAC AND SHIBATA SERVICES INC. 4/f Pbcom Tower, 6795 Ayala Ave. Cor. Rufino St., Bel-air, City Of Makati HUANG, WEIDA Mandarin Customer Service Representative 162.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in answering customers about products and services of the company.

LI, CHUN-HAN Mandarin Customer Service Representative

163.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in answering customers about products and services of the company.

LI, KE Mandarin Customer Service Representative

164.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in MANDARIN/FUKIEN and at least college level with related BPO experience.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling calls and providing customer support

HARTONO Bahasa Language Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in MANDARIN/FUKIEN and at least college level with related BPO experience.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in mandarin speaking

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing feedback on the efficiency of the customer service process

DAVID WIJAYA Bahasa Language Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing Mandarin

TOYO CONSTRUCTION CO. LTD. 3/f Planters Products Bldg., 109 Esteban St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

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

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

AYU PRATIWI Bahasa Language Customer Service Representative

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

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

Brief Job Description: Develop and sustain level of professionalism among staff and client

ANDI SUHERMAN Bahasa Language Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, fluent in mandarin and English, preferably 6months to 1 year to the same field

Basic Qualification: Ability to multitask and priorities tasks

ZIMI TECH, INC. 29th/f Burgundy Corporate Tower, Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati

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

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

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

WANG, JUNKANG Chinese Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 Basic Qualification: Graduate as a doctor of chiropractic

Brief Job Description: Develop and sustain level of professionalism among staff and client

YOUBIN CONSULTANCY INC. 7/f Ba Lepanto Bldg., Paseo De Roxas, Bel-air, City Of Makati

Basic Qualification: Graduate as a doctor of chiropractic Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

Basic Qualification: Ability to multitask and priorities tasks

WU, JIANYI Mandarin Speaking Technical Support

Basic Qualification: College graduate and fluent in English.

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

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

XUSHENG TECHNOLOGY CORP. Flr. No. 1-5 Bldg., No. 0050 F.b. Harrison St. Cor. Williams And Roberts St., Zone 4, Barangay 013, District 1, Pasay City

Basic Qualification: College graduate and fluent in English.

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

Brief Job Description: Handles administrative requests and queries from senior managers/officers

WU, ZEHUI Executive Assistant

152.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English language both in written and verbal. Must familiar in expert planning and administrative writing and reporting skills

Basic Qualification: Excellent in bilingual languages

CHEN, QIBIAO Executive Assistant

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

TOTAL CREST BUSINESS SUPPORT, INC. 26/f & 27/f Alphaland Corporate Tower, Ayala Ave. Extn. Cor. Malugay St., Bel-air, City Of Makati LIN, YU-HSUAN Mandarin Customer Service Specialist

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

XU, MINGHAO Bilingual Admin Support Specialist

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products / Excellent Mandarin communication skills

TETRAULT MABUHAY CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC, INC. Rm. 25, 2/f San Antonio Plaza Arcade, Mckinley Rd., Forbes Park, City Of Makati

SOCIALATEMYIND INC. Unit No. Unit 2c Flr. No. No. 4/f, One E-com Center Bldg., Lot No. 4/f Mall Of Asia Complex Ocean Drive St., District 1, Barangay 076, District 4, Pasay City Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products / Excellent Mandarin communication skills

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

TASNIM TRADE INTERNATIONAL INC. Unit No.b-10, D-21,f-111, Baclaran Bagong Milenyo Bldg., F.b Harrison St., Barangay 076, Pasay City

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

SINOCARE HEALTHCARE PHILIPPINES INC. Units A&b, 20/f Rufino Pacific Tower, 6784 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a. Rufino St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

WANG, JING Treasurer And Mandarin Country Manager

LIU, YEYING Project Coordinator

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

SHIMIZU CORPORATION 5/f King’s Court Bldg. 1, 2129 Chino Roces Ave., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

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

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

STONE ASIA AND SPECIALTY PRODUCTS, INC. 350, J.p. Rizal, Brgy. Namayan, City Of Mandaluyong

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

NOONA BUSINESS CONSULTING SERVICES INC. 10th & 31st Floor Ore Central Tower, 9th Ave. Cor. 31st St., Bgc, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

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

ZHOU, JUN Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

NEXUS R FORWARD FINANCE, INC. L-26-a Rufino Pacific Tower, 6784 Ayala Ave., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati Basic Qualification: With excellent managerial experience

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

ZHANG, SIQI Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Brief Job Description: Responsible in answering customers about products and services of the company.

YANG, LIN Mandarin Customer Service Representative

165.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in answering customers about products and services of the company.

Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 *Date Generated: Nov 3, 2021

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

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

VPC CORPORATE SOLUTIONS INCORPORATED 11/f 100 West, Sen Gil Puyat Ave. Cor., Washington St., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati CHEN, ZEJIANG Bilingual Admin Support Specialist 148.

Brief Job Description: Handles administrative requests and queries from senior managers/officers

Basic Qualification: Excellent in bilingual languages Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

ATTY. SARAH BUENA S. MIRASOL REGIONAL DIRECTOR

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

TheWorld

US mayoral races become huge milestones for Asian Americans

W

hen Cincinnati mayoral candidate Aftab Pureval decided to leave his attorney job in 2015 to run for county clerk, it was some fellow Democrats who warned him against the idea. They felt he didn’t have a “good ballot name” that would appeal to the predominantly white votership in Hamilton County, Ohio.

“When you see A-f-t-a-b on a yard sign, it doesn’t occur to people that’s a candidate not an insurance company,” Pureval told The Associated Press. “When you’re Asian, when you have an ethnic name, it’s just harder.

You’ve got to be creative, you’ve got to work harder, you’ve got to knock on more doors.”

Pureval, the son of a Tibetan mother and Indian father, must have knocked on enough doors. He went on to score a major upset, becoming the first Democrat in over 100 years to be elected clerk. Now, Pureval, 39, is his city’s first Asian American mayor—and he wasn’t the only one.

Boston voters for the first time elected a woman and an Asian American as mayor on Tuesday, tapping City Councilor Michelle Wu to serve in the city’s top political office.

While in Seattle, Bruce Harrell, who is second-generation Japanese American and Black, has a solid shot at being elected into the mayoral position.

What’s extraordinary is how spread out the cities are—Cincinnati, Boston and Seattle. Highprofile mayors who are Asian American and Pacific Islander, also known as AAPI, have typically been elected in places with historically large Asian populations like California and Hawaii. These candidacies signal just how large the AAPI electorate has multiplied with more feeling empowered to be a voice in the political fray.

The wider implications of his mayoral race mean a great deal to Pureval, who easily defeated former Democratic Congressman David Mann.

“We have a very small AAPI community in Cincinnati,” he said.

“I think if we’re successful tonight, it will show not just that AAPIs can run and win on the coasts or where there’s large Asian populations, but that AAPIs can run and win anywhere.”

Wu, 36, the first Asian American city councilor there, beat fellow city councilor Annissa Essaibi George, 47, an Arab Polish American. Wu, who is Taiwanese American, was the favorite especially after getting a coveted endorsement from acting mayor Kim Janey, who was elevated to the post when the former mayor resigned. Janey was the city’s first Black and first female mayor.

In Seattle, Harrell, 63, became the first Asian American mayor by appointment in 2017 after Mayor Ed Murray resigned over child sex abuse allegations. Less than

a week in, Harrell decided to continue serving on the City Council instead. He faces M. Lorena González, City Council president, in the mayoral election.

The AAPI Victory Fund, a Super PAC that mobilizes eligible Asian American and Pacific Islander voters and candidates, has endorsed Pureval and Wu (They never heard back from Harrell’s campaign about a meeting). The fact these three candidates made it this far is historic and pivotal, said Varun Nikore, AAPI Victory Fund president.

“It’s a layer of elected office that had typically gone unnoticed by most folks in our community,” Nikore said. “It’s going to be a giant magnet for other folks who are looking for stepping stones for higher political office ... You’re going to now see a new career path in politics for AAPIs.” As mayor, they each can lay a foundation for greater representation with who they select for their staff or as key decisionmakers.

“If your community is well represented, then you create a legitimate pipeline pathway for public service whether it be political office, whether it be appointed office, whether it be just appointing more AAPIs on boards and commissions,” Nikore said. “By being proactive at those levels, it really is this ripple effect that lasts—in some cases—decades.”

James Lai, an ethnic studies professor at Santa Clara University whose specialties include Asian American and urban politics, said these mayoral races are a “beautiful” microcosm of how Asian Americans are a growing political force. Since the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965 became law, Asian American communities have continued to emerge in regions like the Midwest and the Northeast.

“In fact, in the last 30 years, the fastest growing region for Asian Americans, according to the last three censuses, is the South region,” Lai said.

The Reflective Democracy Campaign, which looks at diversity in political leadership, recently released a study that found Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders make up over 6 percent of the US population but less than 1 percent of elected offices.

The presence of Asian American leaders in small and medium size suburbs, however, is another story, one worth paying attention to. Lai, also author of “Asian American Political Action: Suburban Transformations,” points out that more Asian Americans are getting appointed as mayors or taking the majority of city council seats.

Nikore, of the AAPI Victory Fund, believes the pandemicsparked racism that pushed American and Pacific Islander voter turnout in the 2020 election will continue. Candidate wins will also dispel stereotypes that Asians don’t “belong.” AP

BusinessMirror

Thursday, November 4, 2021

A9

Leaders vow to protect forests, plug methane leaks at COP26

By Frank Jordans & Jill Lawless

G

The Associated Press

LASGOW, Scotland—World leaders promised to protect Earth’s forests, cut methane emissions and help South Africa wean itself off coal at the UN climate summit Tuesday—part of a flurry of deals intended to avert catastrophic global warming.

Britain hailed the commitment by more than 100 countries to end deforestation in the coming decade as the first big achievement of the conference in the Scottish city of Glasgow, known as COP26—but experts noted such promises have been made and broken before.

More than 120 world leaders were heading home after two days in which they received stark warnings about the state of the Earth from Johnson, naturalist David Attenborough, Queen Elizabeth II and—most powerfully—the people of countries and regions already facing climate upheaval.

Johnson said at a news conference that it was important to “guard against false hope,” but added that he was “cautiously optimistic” about the outcome of the talks. The conference aims to keep the world on track to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels—the goal set at the Paris climate conference six years ago.

Johnson had a message for negotiators from around the globe who will strain over the next 10 days to turn politicians’ climate promises into reality: “The eyes of the populations of the world are on you.”

The UK said it has received pledges from leaders representing more than 85 percent of the world’s forests to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030. Among them are several countries with massive forests, including Brazil, China, Colombia, Congo, Indonesia, Russia and the United States.

More than $19 billion in public and private funds have been pledged toward the plan.

Experts and observers said fulfilling the pledge will be critical to limiting climate change, but many noted t hat such g rand promis-

es have been made before —to l it t le ef fect.

“Signing the declaration is the easy part,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Twitter.

“It is essential that it is implemented now for people and planet.”

Alison Hoare, a senior research fellow at political think tank Chatham House, said world leaders promised in 2014 to end deforestation by 2030, “but since then deforestation has accelerated across many countries.”

Forests are important ecosystems and provide a critical way of absorbing carbon dioxide— the main greenhouse gas—from the atmosphere. But the value of wood as a commodity and the growing demand for agricultural and pastoral land are leading to widespread and often illegal felling of forests, particularly in developing countries. Indigenous peoples are often among the hardest hit.

“We are delighted to see Indigenous peoples mentioned in the forest deal announced today,” said Joseph Itongwa Mukumo, an Indigenous Walikale and activist from Congo.

He called for governments and businesses to recognize the effective role Indigenous communities play in preventing deforestation.

“These are billions in investment towards env ironmenta l preservation, but it’s very difficult for this money to reach Indigenous communities, reach traditional communities,” said Chief Ninawa, a leader of the Huni Kui people from the Amazon attending the summit.

Some campaigners said the forests pledge was a step forward. Luciana Tellez Chavez, an environmental researcher at Human Rights Watch, said there

were “quite a lot of really positive elements.”

She said it was positive to see China and Brazil pledging to protect forests, but noted that Brazil’s public statements don’t yet line up with its domestic policies and warned that the deal could be used by some countries to “greenwash” their image.

Brazil’s government has been eager to project itself as a responsible environmental steward in the wake of surging deforestation and fires in the Amazon rainforest and Pantanal wetlands that sparked global outrage in recent years. Critics caution that its promises should be viewed with skepticism, and the country’s president, Jair Bolsonaro, is an outspoken proponent of developing the Amazon.

On Tuesday, the administration of US President Joe Biden launched a plan to reduce methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes significantly to global warming. The announcement was part of a broader effort with the European Union and other nations to reduce overall methane emissions worldwide by 30 percent by 2030.

Clamping down on methane flaring and leaks from oil wells and gas pipelines—the focus of the Biden plan—is considered one of the easiest ways to cut emissions.

Reducing methane from agriculture, in particular by belching cows, is a trickier matter.

Helen Mountford, a climate expert at the World Resources Institute, said the agreement “sets a strong floor in terms of the ambition we need globally.”

Separately, the US, Britain, France and Germany announced a plan to provide $8.5 billion in loans and grants over five years to help South Africa phase out coal.

South Africa gets about 90 percent of its electricity from coalfired plants, a major source of greenhouse gas emissions.

But campaigners say the world’s biggest carbon emitters need to do much more. Earth has already warmed 1.1 degrees Celsius (2F).

Current projections based on planned emissions cuts over the next decade are for it to hit 2.7C (4.9F) by the year 2100.

Increased warming over coming decades would melt much of the planet’s ice, raise global sea levels and greatly increase the likelihood and intensity of extreme weather, scientists say.

“I don’t think that activists are being heard here,” said Mitzi Jonelle Tan, a climate activist from the Philippines.

“We have to make sure that we really rally together and make sure that we’re so loud that the world leaders can’t keep ignoring us,” she said. “Because every fraction of a degree, every step towards the right direction is what matters here.”

At his end-of-summit news conference, Biden acknowledged the fierce skepticism from climate activists who say world leaders are not moving with enough haste.

He insisted that climate activists have been a “vital voice,” and expressed optimism that the world is waking up to understanding that the issue is not just a “moral imperative” but also an “enormous opportunity” to spur economies.

“Even if the funding didn’t come from some of the governments, you have the private sector now engaged where they’re talking about investing—literally the need to invest over trillions of dollars off the sidelines,” Biden said.

“So things are changing,” he added. “We just have to have the right stewardship and enough sense as world leaders to get it right.”

Some 25,000 people are expected to attend the vast COP26 gathering, from heads of state to activists and charity workers. Attendees on Tuesday included Leonardo DiCaprio, who drew a crowd of journalists and fans. The Hollywood star, who is a UN climate change representative, visited an exhibition highlighting the role plants can play in providing solutions to climate change.

One not there was China’s Xi Jinping. Biden said the leader of the world’s biggest greenhousegas-emitting country made a “big mistake” with his absence.

“They’ve lost an ability to influence people around the world and all the people here at COP,” Biden said As countries announced major initiatives, those attendees appeared ready to do their small part: For a few minutes Tuesday, the vegetarian version of haggis—a Scottish delicacy typically made with sheep’s lungs— was sold out. It was outselling the traditional version, servers said—perhaps unsurprising in a crowd well aware of the impact of meat-eating on the climate.

China, Russia urge UN to end key sanctions on North Korea U

NITED NATIONS—China and Russia are urging the UN Security Council to end a host of sanctions against North Korea ranging from the export of seafood and textiles to the cap on imports of refined petroleum products and the ban on its citizens working overseas and sending home their earnings.

A draft resolution circulated to counci l members a nd ob tained Tuesday by The Associated Press stresses the economic difficulties in North Korea and says these and other sanctions should be lifted “with the intent of enhancing the livelihood of the civilian population.”

The Security Council initially imposed sanctions on North Korea after its first nuclear test in 2006 and made them tougher and tougher in response to further nuclear tests and an increasingly

sophisticated ballistic missile program. Former UN ambassador Nikki Haley said in 2018 that the sanctions had cut off all North Korean exports and 90 percent of its trade and disbanded the pool of workers whom North Korea sent abroad to earn hard currency.

The draft resolution expands on a similar resolution Russia and China had circu l ated in December 2019. It faced opposition from Western nations when it was discussed and was never formally introduced at the council for a vote.

Several UN diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity because the draft has not been made public, indicated it would likely face a similar uphill struggle today, pointing to North Korea’s continuing violations of UN sanctions.

The US Mission to the United

Nations said North Korea has failed to comply with sanctions on its nuclear and ballistic missile prog rams and the Biden administration “remains committed to the sanctions regime” and calls on all member states to enforce the measures.

On October 19, North Korea fired a newly developed ballistic missile from a submarine in its fifth round of weapons tests in recent weeks, all of which violated UN sanctions. It was the North ’s first under waterl au nc hed test si nce Oc tober 2019 and the highest-profile test since President Joe Biden took office in Januar y.

The China-Russia draft resolution makes no mention of the missile tests. Instead, it notes that the North has refrained from conducting nuclear tests since September 2017, has kept to a morator iu m on f u r t her

nuclear tests and test launches of intermediate-range and intercontinental missiles from April 21, 2018, and has taken a d d it ion a l d e nu c l e a r i z at ion measures since.

The proposed resolution underscores “the necessity to respect the legitimate securit y concerns of the DPRK and ensure the welfare, inherent dignity and rights of people in the DPRK,” using the initials of North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. It reaffirms that UN resolutions “are not intended to have adverse humanitarian consequences” and notes “the serious impact of sanctions and the Covid-19 pandemic” within the country.

Nor t h Korea is str ug gl ing to deal with soaring prices of goods and shortages of medicine and other essential supplies that have accelerated the

spread of water-borne diseases such as typhoid fever. The countr y has yet to report any cases of the coronavirus though experts have questioned its claim of a perfect record.

The China-Russia draft calls on all UN member nations to intensity their efforts to provide humanitarian assistance, “ including but not limited to food, fertilizer and medical supplies,” and to provide goods, materials, technology and financial services needed by North Korea to combat Covid-19, improve livelihoods and develop the economy.

The draft resolution would lift a ban on North Korea impor ting some industr ia l machiner y and transport vehicles used to bu i ld inf rastr uct ure that can’t be diverted to the countr y’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

The long list of construction

and humanitarian items that would be exempt from sanctions includes bulldozers and firefighting vehicles; materials for railways and traffic control; air conditioners and radiators for heating; iron or steel parts for roofs and windows; screws and bolts; sewing needles and vacuum cleaners; kitchen utensils and equipment; agricultural equipment, bicycles and fire extinguishers.

On the political front, the China-Russia draft welcomed “the positive outcomes” of talks between the DPRK and South Korea and between former President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. At Kim’s second summit with Trump in Hanoi in February 2019, negotiations faltered after the US rejected North Korean demands for broad sanctions relief in exchange for a partial surrender of the North’s nuclear capabilities. AP

A10 Thursday, November 4, 2021 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

editorial

A $6-billion stunt?

E

lon Musk, the world’s richest person, ignited a global debate among his 61.9 million Twitter followers after he challenged a United Nations official’s claim that a small percentage of his wealth could help solve world hunger. David Beasley, director of the UN’s World Food Program, said in a CNN interview that “2 percent of Elon Musk’s wealth” will be enough to solve the world hunger problem.

In reply to Beasley, Musk said he would donate 2 percent of his wealth to the cause only if the UN World Food Program can explain how $6 billion would solve global hunger and that the WFP needs to publicly reveal how his money will be spent. “If WFP can describe on this Twitter thread exactly how $6B will solve world hunger, I will sell Tesla stock right now and do it,” tweeted Musk. “But it must be open source accounting, so the public sees precisely how the money is spent,” Musk added. The $6 billion amount is just a small fraction of Musk’s current net worth of $311 billion—and less than the $9.3 billion his wealth increased on Oct. 29 alone, according to the billionaires index.

Beasley replied: “We’ve never said $6B would solve world hunger. This is a one-time donation to save 42 million lives during this unprecedented hunger crisis. We need $6B plus NOW on top of our existing funding requirements due to the perfect storm from the compounding impact of Covid, conflict and climate shocks.”

Musk tweeted back, “Please publish your current & proposed spending in detail so people can see exactly where money goes. Sunlight is a wonderful thing.”

Beasley’s response: “@elonmusk instead of tweets, allow me to show you.

We can meet anywhere—Earth or space—but I suggest in the field where you can see @WFP’s people, processes and yes, technology, at work. I will bring the plan, and open books.”

Dan Price, the founder of credit card processing company Gravity Payments who gained recognition in 2015 after he raised the minimum salary of his employees to $70,000 and lowered his own wage to $70,000 from $1.1 million, tweeted: “We know how this is going to end: Elon Musk is going to donate $6 billion to help solve world hunger. He’ll write it off and pay $0 in taxes. He’ll be named Time’s Person of the Year as a great philanthropist while the average family pays a 14% tax rate.”

MSNBC Opinion columnist Hayes Brown believes otherwise. In a recent article—Elon Musk’s offer to donate Tesla stock to world hunger is bogus—he said, “Musk’s words have been taken at face value in a way that he has only rarely deserved. The refusal from Elon to cough up the requested billions isn’t a surprise. He’s been less than enthusiastic about using his unheard amounts of wealth for the betterment of the plebeians. Forbes reported last year that he’d given away somewhere around $100 million of his fortune to charitable donations, despite signing a pledge to give away half of his money to charity.”

Brown added: “If he had taken two seconds, Musk would have realized that the program has already been clear about where the money goes. The WFP is funded entirely through donations from member states and the public and has raised only about 75 percent of the cash it needs this year.

The remaining $6 billion that Beasley is trying to rustle up would cover the remaining gap in its budget. Musk also would have seen that the World Food Program is already providing the transparency he’s insinuating doesn’t exist. I somehow doubt that he’s taken the time to read through the 2019 report from the program’s inspector general or the WFP’s annual performance report for 2020. And yet this half-assed, entirely unserious move from Musk has gotten him attention and praise from not just his lackeys but the press as well.”

A Musk follower tweeted: “If he actually gave $6 billion of his money and it had an impact, I’d be alright with it.”

Someone replied: “I don’t think he’s gonna donate shit. It’s a stunt.”

Another tweet from a follower: “He’s offering up 6 billion to look like the good guy and hide the fact that he would have to pay up WAY more if he were actually taxed like the rest of us. Is the donation awesome? Yes. Does that take away the fact that he should be coughing up more? Absolutely not.”

Will Musk donate $6 billion to help end world hunger? Was his offer a bogus one? The world can’t wait to see how this $6 billion drama will end.

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What does China know that we don’t John Mangun

OUTSIDE THE BOX

U

S President Richard Nixon called it “the week that changed the world.” From February 21 to 28, 1972, the American public saw images of China for the first time in over two decades.

Nixon and National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger even met with Chinese Communist Party Chairman Mao Zedong.

As Nixon deplaned in Beijing, he took Chou En-lai’s hand in his for the global television cameras. The US president knew that in 1954, Chou was insulted when US Secretary of State John Foster Dulles refused to shake his hand.

Two long-term impacts of the visit continue up to now. Near-immediate effects included a significant shift in the Cold War balance with a wedge forming between the Soviet Union and China as the USSR made significant concessions to the US to gain favor. This included the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks that same year. The trip also initiated opening China’s economy to the US consumer market, and we all know what that has become.

In 1972, no one cared about Chi-

na. Now we must hang on every word that comes from the Beijing government. Two developments warrant further inspection.

For most economies, what happens domestically is not any bellwether for the world. China is the critical exception. The old “truth” that when the US sneezes, the Philippines catches a cold was never really accurate.

But today, if China’s economy “sneezes”, it means that its major trading partners are probably already sick. (Any comparison with the Covid pandemic is not politically correct but probably true.)

November started by China telling us that “China’s falling factory activity a sign of economic woes ahead.” “China’s factory activity

However, and now we go into conspiracy territory, some Chinese netizens were concerned that an impending invasion of Taiwan was the reason for the stockpiling directive. That is about as far-fetched as an alien invasion. But two years ago, so was a pandemic.

contracted more than expected in October (49.2 vs 49.6) to shrink for a second month.” Further, “New export orders fell for a third straight month.”

Input costs rise amid raw material shortages, and reduced power cuts profits. Bloomberg reported that China’s central government officials “ordered the country’s state-owned energy companies to secure supplies for this winter at all costs.” That is serious language for a government that rarely admits a significant problem.

Now comes a more interesting pronouncement. “China urges families to store basic supplies in case of emergency.” That was a notice from the Ministry of Commerce but without a specific reason. There has been some concern over vegetable supplies after heavy rain damaged crops.

The Economic Daily, a Communist

Party-backed newspaper, urged its readers not to be alarmed, saying the government’s advice was for making sure that households were prepared if a lockdown was announced in their area. There has been an uptick in Covid cases in certain places, but a general notice seems unusual. Unless the Ministry of Commerce knows something no one else does, like Covid cases are going rampant.

Temperatures across China have been falling even as demand for electricity generation ticks higher. But Vice Premier Han Zheng said coalfired electricity generation should be normalized very soon. China’s new locally transmitted Covid-19 cases spiked to a near three-month high and tighter curbs to contain the spread are expected in the capital Beijing ahead of a key gathering of the highest-ranking members of the Communist Party next week.

However, and now we go into conspiracy territory, some Chinese netizens were concerned that an impending invasion of Taiwan was the reason for the stockpiling directive. That is about as far-fetched as an alien invasion. But two years ago, so was a pandemic.

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

Biden uses trip abroad to confront China on climate

By Josh Boak, Zeke Miller & Ellen Knickmeyer Associated Press

G

LASGOW, Scotland—Over five days abroad at two global summits, President Joe Biden showed a new willingness to openly confront China over climate change and its lack of leadership on the global stage.

Biden ended his time at the UN climate summit in Scotland on Tuesday by chastising Chinese President Xi Jinping for physically skipping the event and failing to make the level of commitments that roughly 100 other nations did to curb greenhouse gasses. Xi also avoided the earlier Group of 20 summit in Rome, allowing Biden to dominate the conversation as he met with his French, Italian, British and German counterparts.

“We showed up, and by showing up we’ve had a profound impact on the way I think the rest of the world is looking at the United States in its leadership role,” Biden said at a Tuesday news conference wrapping up his trip abroad. Biden added that China had made a “big mistake” in bypassing the events because “they’ve lost an ability to influence people around the world.” But Biden’s global progress and willingness to challenge

China—a stance that also was critical to the rise of his predecessor Donald Trump—may be lost in the fog of domestic politics.

Biden jetted back to Washington to confront his deepest challenge yet as he struggles to pass $3 trillion in new government spending, including $555 billion to combat climate change. His poll numbers are flagging. The headwinds could worsen in Congress, where a wave of retirements bodes poorly for holding on to Democratic majorities in next year’s elections.

The president stressed that he wants to compete against China, rather than have conflict. But he also showed a new strategy of using climate as a cudgel against Beijing.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters during the trip that China has an obligation to “step up” on climate and the US will keep pressing Beijing.

One tool might be economic penalties: Biden brokered a deal with the European Union to block “dirty steel” made possible by Chinese coal plants.

The president outlined his thinking by quoting his father at Tuesday’s news conference.

“My dad had an expression. He said the only conflict worse than one that’s intended is the one that’s unintended,” the president said,

adding that he wants to make sure in an upcoming virtual meeting with Xi that there are no misunderstandings.

Biden was well-received on the world stage, where he shared backslaps, handshakes and elbow-bumps with global leaders across two major international summits, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen referring to him as “dear Joe.” He scored victories on key priorities like a global minimum tax on corporations and boosted global commitments to combat climate change.

Biden insisted no world leaders had been pressing him on the fate of the budget and climate legislation back in Washington and he expressed confidence in its passage.

But members of his own party are growing impatient at the delays in settling intraparty conflicts over the matter.

Since he launched his presidential campaign in 2015, Biden has cast the 21st century as a generational struggle between democracies and autocracies—principally the rising threat from China.

As much as the five-day European trip was meant to promote Biden’s message that America is back, it also was meant to highlight why he believes the US must reengage with

the world after four years of isolation. The president worked to forge new alliances and coalitions meant to contain Beijing from all sides, and on a host of economic, security and environmental issues.

Asked why Americans should commit to cutting emissions when China and Russia have not done likewise to the same degree—a frequent complaint that his predecessor cited to justify withdrawing from the 2015 Paris climate accord—Biden answered forcefully: “Because we want to be able to breathe, and we want to be able to lead the world.”

Biden issued a rare public mea culpa during the climate summit for America’s step away from leadership on climate during the Trump administration.

“Those of us who are responsible for much of the deforestation and all of the problems we have so far,” Biden said, have “overwhelming obligations” to the poorer nations that account for few of the emissions yet are paying a price as the planet has grown hotter.

As for Trump’s action, he said: “I shouldn’t apologize, but I do apologize for the fact the United States, the last administration, pulled out of the Paris accords and put us sort of behind the eight ball a little bit.”

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Thursday, November 4, 2021 A11

Fracturing GVCs: Causes and implications for the Philippines Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo

LABOREM EXERCENS

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ne phenomenon hogging the headlines of Bloomberg and other global business media is the fracturing of the global value chains (GVCs). The disruptions have resulted in the worldwide shortage of “chips” and are threatening the recovery of the global economy.

Will the GVC disruptions—lockdowns, re-shoring, downsizing, closure and so on of various intertwining GVC facilities located in different Asian countries—lead to the collapse of Factory Asia? Because of the GVCs set up by the multinationals, Asia has become the uncontested industrial workshop of the world. Asia has been supplying most of the manufactured goods needed by the world, particularly by the North American and European markets.

Almost all Asian countries are now “hooked” to the GVC system.

Some Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand have been involved in the GVC system on electronics, auto parts, garments and other products since the 1970s. Today, participants in the GVC system include almost all of the South and Southeast Asian countries, with Vietnam, Cambodia, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal increasingly becoming major assemblers-exporters. At the center of the GVC system in Asia is China, which has succeeded in cornering about half of the GVC investments.

From the 1970s to the turn of the millennium, the GVC system grew by leaps and bounds. The system was fairly stable. The exultant neo-liberal economists argued that there was only one way forward for developing countries: open up the national borders and join the GVC system.

But today, the GVC system is no longer as stable as before. Some GVC facilities are being closed or re-shored to the home countries of investing multinationals. The situation has been compounded by the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic. Lockdowns, logistical bottlenecks and “global dis-

tancing” have affected GVC facilities in some countries, whose outputs are supposed to be inputs to the GVC facilities of other countries. The disruptions are shaking the foundations and structures of the GVCs. However, Covid is not the only reason why the GVCs are fracturing.

There are three other major contributing factors, whose impact on GVC operations is often not immediately perceived.

First, we have the “Fourth Industrial Revolution” (FIR).

Industry 4.0 is enabling corporations to do more integrated production at home. In other words, the “fragmentation” or “atomization” of work in global industries, which allows the big corporations to outsource the labor-intensive phases of production to developing countries such as assembly work, is increasingly becoming irrelevant and non-profitable. In fact, the whole GVC system can be uprooted and reshored. For example, Adidas is now manufacturing shoes in its plants in Germany and the United States with the aid of new technology.

However, the re-organization— for examples: shortening the chain, re-shoring some outsourced activities, re-designing processes, etc.—of the different GVCs due to the impact of FIR is obviously not happening in one fell swoop. Some changes can be incremental, e.g., reduction of the number of chains or production assemblies (as in the case of electronics and auto parts which are distributed by multinationals for assembly in different countries); on the other hand, some changes can be sweeping, e.g., uprooting whole GVC system and bringing it back to the home country

of the multinational.

The major technology trends shaping or re-shaping international production are: robotics, AI-enabled automation, enhanced supply chain digitalization and 3D printing (additive manufacturing). The availability of cheaper industrial robots and AIenabled automation can offset the competitive advantage of low-cost manufacturing. Digitalization and additive or 3D manufacturing make a “rebundling” of the different stages or chains of manufacturing possible; they also enable manufacturers to do “mass customization” or production based on specific demands of customers (e.g., color, design, size, etc. of rubber shoes).

The second major disruptive reason: trade rivalries.

Trade conflicts, especially the US-China trade war, are well publicized. Then US President Donald Trump openly questioned why China has been racking up huge trade surpluses at the expense of the United States. Trump raised the following complaints: US-China trade balance one-sidedly in favor of China (for example in 2018, US imported $539.5 billion of goods from China and exported $120.3 billion in return, resulting in a US trade deficit of $419.2 billion for one year alone); China robbing the US of “hundreds of billions” a year due to Chinese piracy of US ideas amounting to “intellectual property theft”; China killing 100,000 Americans a year by exporting the dangerous fentanyl drug; and China manipulating its currency in order to gain competitive advantage in trade.

The response of China to Trump’s accusations was equally angry. The Chinese government has been arguing that its behavior as a trustworthy trade partner is well established. In a white paper issued in September 2018, China’s Information Office of the State Council explained that the slowing US economy is due to bad economics, specifically US having a low savings rate and yet consuming so much. Further, China argues that the US, which dominates the monetary system of the world, has been exploiting global markets by “printing a hundred-dollar bill” that is “no more than a few cents” while other countries “have to provide real

Malampaya’s ‘fire sale’ to Udenna Val A. Villanueva

Businesswise

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here seems to be a disturbing pattern in the way President Duterte shields his political allies and friends from accusations of wrongdoing. Time and time again we see him going ballistic on issues—his drug war, pandemic handling, corruption, etc.—whenever friends and allies are caught or exposed for alleged irregularities. Those at the receiving end of the “presidential wrath” are often bombarded with expletives, insults, and veiled threats.

Alfonso Cusi, secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE) and recently named president of Duterte’s party PDP-Laban; and Dennis Uy, chair of Udenna Corp. and one of Duterte’s biggest campaign donors, along with 24 others have been charged with graft in the sale of Malampaya shares allegedly for a song to Uy’s company.

Geologist Balgamel Domingo, who filed the complaint against them before the Ombudsman in Iloilo City, claimed that the government lost at least P138 billion in this “questionable” transaction. Other complainants were US-based lawyer Rodel Rodis and businesswoman Loida Nicolas Lewis.

It remains to be seen whether the President will jump into the issue.

Will he risk his flagging political capital to defend Cusi and Uy who have proven to be among his loyal allies? Duterte’s approval and trust ratings both had a “noticeable” drop, according to a nationwide survey by PUBLiCUS Asia. The second quarter

poll conducted from July 13 to 19 this year showed that Duterte’s approval rating dipped to 57.93 percent from around 65 percent in the first quarter, while his trust rating slid down to 50.4 percent from around 55 percent in the previous quarter.

This survey involved 1,500 respondents from a research panel of some 100,000 registered voters. In another survey conducted by SWS in June, his popularity rating was 21 percent below a record high reached in November 2020.

What bothers analysts is the audaciousness with which Cusi and his people let go of the Malampaya shares. Since Uy is believed by many to be Duterte’s crony, they say he could have shown at least some degree of caution, knowing that any deals made with Uy would come under public scrutiny. Uy, whose business interest has grown by several notches under the Duterte administration, is into diverse ventures— from food shops to energy firms—in a dizzying expansion binge that is

mostly leverage-backed. This has raised concern early on about the debt standing of Uy’s group, more so now that the country is in the midst of a pandemic-generated recession. One of his biggest catch is the country’s newest mobile operator Dito Telecommunity where Uy is president and CEO. Eduardo Mañalac, former president of government-controlled Philippine National Oil Co., was quoted by CNN as saying that the government has effectively foregone billions in profits when it agreed to sell its 45 percent Malampaya stake of Chevron in 2019 to Udenna. Note that since 2001, the government has partnered with private service contractors to conduct exploration for gas deposits on waters off Palawan. The natural gas subsequently siphoned there accounts for over 20 percent of the country’s power reserves. Under the agreement, the government gets 60 percent of the revenues, while its private partners, 40 percent. Shell Exploration BV and Chevron each had a 45 percent interest in the project, while 10 percent is held by the government through PNOC-Exploration Corp. The sale of the Malampaya shares to Uy means that he now controls 90 percent of the project due to his purchase of Shell’s and Chevron’s interests over the past two years.

Mañalac said that had the government itself bought the shares, it could have taken up to P138 billion.

Because neither government nor PNOC took the shares, we lost that amount. He added that, if Uy hadn’t come in, the government could have gotten an additional P42 billion, assuming that “it took control for the remaining three years of the Malam-

goods and services in exchange for that note”.

Trump’s trade/tariff war has been continued by President Joe Biden, who has asked American investors with manufacturing projects in China to withdraw. As a result of the trade war, a number of American, Japanese and other investors have downsized or even phased out some manufacturing facilities in China. The downside for the US side: disruptions in US businesses that are dependent on input imports from China.

But the trade wars are not limited to US and China. Japan has a well publicized “trade conflict” with South Korea, which came out in the open in 2019. Japan restricted the export of high-tech materials to South Korea. In response, South Korea scrapped a military-intelligence sharing agreement with Japan. Further, the two countries dropped each other from the list of “trusted” trade partners.

Third disruptor: climate change risks.

The third disruptor is the global climate crisis. Asia’s economy, especially the GVCs, is vulnerable to the risks associated with climate change and environmental degradation. An ADB Report (A Region at Risk, 2017) pointed out that disasters triggered by weather disturbances have a disruptive impact on supply chain networks involving different countries hosting the GVCs. This means flooding in one host country can affect the “just-in time” standard in the delivery of inputs/outputs from one GVC chain producer to another as well as the quality and quantity of inputs/ outputs under an “interdependent” system of production.

Some GVCs are also re-configuring or re-arranging production in response to global warming. Easily, the most significant among these are the GVCs for the auto industry (Toyota, Mitsubishi, Ford, etc.), which have well-developed networks of production plants in Asia. As is well publicized, the shift to electric vehicles (EVs) is now sweeping America and Europe, and is slowly gaining adherents among the rich Asian consumers. The shift is leading to a consolidation and restructuring of the auto GVCs as what has been happening in

North America, Latin America and Europe. These are likely to happen in Asia within the decade with the EVs becoming more and more affordable due to advances in fuel technology.

Of course, national disasters due to CC adversely affect whole economies, including the GVC production facilities they are hosting. For example, supply chain was seriously damaged in 2011 due to two major disasters: the Great East Japan Earthquake and the severe floods in Thailand.

paya contract—and even more, given the recent surge in global oil prices.”

According to Mañalac, the DOE has been negligent of its duties in conducting due diligence on Undenna’s financial standing, resulting in Uy’s company being given “unwarranted benefits” and causing “undue injury” to the government.

Mañalac’s complaint stated that “[d]espite knowledge of its right to match UC [Udenna Corp] Malampaya’s offer and the anticipated good returns of the investment in Chevron’s share, PNOC-EC failed to exert any effort to purchase Chevron’s participating shares.” It said that the DOE under Cusi, who is also PNOC chair, did not perform due diligence before clearing the deal. “Sec. Cusi still proceeded to belatedly approve the questioned sale despite Udenna and UC Malampaya’s failure to meet the technical and financial qualifications of a Service Contractor.... The newly-formed company did not have enough capital and was counting on loans to support the deal, it added.”

Retired Supreme Court senior associate justice Antonio Carpio said that the government should have intervened, especially because the Malampaya gas reserves have thinned out and the facilities’ contract is expiring in 2024. He said: “We have people who can run that —Filipinos. Dennis Uy will only take advantage of that… This is the biggest presidential gift to a crony.”

Based in Davao, Uy was one of the biggest campaign donors of President Duterte in 2016.

Cusi, who himself entered the billionaires club in 2017 with a net worth of P1.355 billion, describes the graft charges as political “ha-

rassment” related to the 2022 elections. However, Udenna spokesman, Lawyer Raymond T. Zorrilla, in a statement said: “We are well aware of the allegations and false narratives flooding the media and private groups on social media. Let us be clear that there is no law requiring approval of transfer of shares of companies that have interest in Malampaya.... Udenna as a key investor in UC Malampaya Philippines Pte Ltd will stand by this legal position.”

But Senate Energy Committee Chair Win Gatchalian does not buy this position. He said he believes that DOE’s decision to sell Chevron shares in Malampaya to Uy is defective and invalid after learning from Cusi that the sale was based on an evaluation using the so-called “farmin process.” The dictionary defines a farm-in-agreement as “a contract signed between two companies, the Farmor and the Farmee, where the Farmor is the owner of the acreage and the Farmee is willing to perform the drilling and exploration in the acreage of the Farmor.” In Malampaya’s case, the “farmor” is the Philippine government, and the “farmee” is the private company or companies it partners with. The specific context of such an agreement is that both parties want to share the costs and risks of drilling to increase capital expenditure for higher gain. Since the Malampaya project may contain more reserves than expected and will require more technologies, the government’s partner must have the expertise and wherewithal for such an undertaking. Is Udenna qualified for such a role?

Referring to DOE’s Department Circular 2007-04-003 which pre-

Arrival of Covid-19 creating a ‘perfect storm’ for the GVCs

Now on top of the foregoing three disruptors, here comes Covid-19. It has ushered in a “perfect storm” for the GVCs, roiling and disrupting the GVCs worldwide.

Governments around Asia have forced governments to impose and implement debilitating lockdowns, some on a recurring basis, to prevent the spread of the virus at the community and national levels. In the process, factories have been shut down and the movement of goods and services has ground to a halt in countries where harsh lockdowns have been declared. Two industries that are badly affected are transport (land, sea and air) and logistics, both of which play a vital role in keeping GVC operations humming with minimal interruptions. With Covid-19, interruptions and disruptions have become common. Social distancing at the community and national levels has been reinforced by global distancing as countries try to close national borders to prevent the entry of suspected carriers of the virus, especially those coming from countries with very low rates of vaccination.

In the assessment of UNCTAD (2020), Covid-19 tends to accelerate certain trends affecting the shape of GVCs such as the adoption of new technologies promoting automation and robotization, both of which lead to the reduction of GVC chains and re-shoring of some outsourced production such as electronics assembly and auto parts manufacture.

Protectionist tendencies, which are at the heart of trade wars, are also reinforced. Transnationalization or internationalization of production can slide into nationalization

or localization. The flow of capital through foreign direct investments (FDIs) is also disrupted.

Implications for the Philippines

Covid-19 and the three disruptors (technology revolution, trade wars and climate emergency) ­are indeed a perfect storm subverting Factory Asia. Does this mean the end of the GVC system?

The answer is no. The GVC system will not disappear overnight, although a few will be uprooted or closed down due to re-shoring or business losses. What is clear is that the fracturing process is a continuing one and so is the re-configuration process for each GVC. Naturally, the level of participation of each Asian country in each GVC, industry by industry, is changing, also industry by industry.

What then are the implications for the Philippines of the GVC fracturing phenomenon? There are at least two: First, it is not good for the country to be totally dependent on GVCs as the principal base for its economic development. No country, not even Japan and China, can rely solely on GVCs in the creation of jobs for its entire population. The creation of jobs under the GVC system should only be part of a bigger program of job creation involving the development of domestic industries, modernization of the agricultural sector and strengthening of ancillary service industries, including the mobilization and capitalization of savings from overseas migrant workers.

Second, the Philippines should avoid being trapped in the low and middle levels of GVC production.

GVC facilities at these levels are vulnerable to technology disruptions and decisions of GVC investors to relocate elsewhere or re-shore production at home. Moreover, being trapped at these levels for a long period, as what has happened to the Philippine electronics and auto parts assemblies (1970s-present), shows the host country is failing to scale up the industrial and development ladder.

Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo is a Professor Emeritus of University of the Philippines.

For comments, please write to reneofreneo@ gmail.com.

scribes the guidelines and procedures for the transfer of rights and obligations in petroleum service contracts under Presidential Decree 87, Gatchalian pointed out that “[n]owhere in the documents that the DOE submitted can you find the argument of using the farm-in [rule]. From day one, we were made to understand that this should be approved by the government and the process will follow PD 87 and DC 2007.”

The Gatchalian committee also learned that Udenna’s subsidiary, the Malampaya Energy XP Pte., which was incorporated in Singapore, has only US$100 (or P5,000) capitalization. “Basically that is the capital, will it qualify? Will this be declared as financially qualified?” Gatchalian asked Cusi during the interpellation on the financial state of the shell company used by Udenna. Cusi’s reply: “There are funders, how the buyer and the seller agree in this case…what the funders will have on the satisfaction of the sale agreement is beyond us.”

Since the DOE has the final say in the deal between Chevron and Udenna, the subsidiary could be, in Gatchalian’s words, “potentially disqualified because of its technical inadequacy,” unless of course Udenna taps Chinese money to fund the venture. This is definitely a cause for alarm because the energy security of the Philippines is on the line. We should disabuse our minds that China considers us a friend because its focus is world dominance, and small nations like ours are viewed as prey.

The Malampaya deal is a sellout that could very well be a Chinese gambit.

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

A12 Thursday, November 4, 2021

Govt urged: Resolve Dubai, PHL air row on arrivals cap

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo

F

@akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror

LAG carriers Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific (CEB) are rerouting their flights to Dubai to work around current clampdowns on the number of passengers and flights arriving or leaving the emirate.

PAL’s regular Manila-Dubai flight left via Davao on Thursday, carrying 100 passengers, while CEB has been bringing home Filipinos from Dubai to Manila using Cebu or Davao as transit point, according to spokespersons of both carriers.

PAL had to cancel its ManilaDubai-Cebu flights on October 31 and November 1 and 2, saying in a news statement, “We are compelled to cancel the following flights to and from Dubai because of flight restrictions imposed by local authorities. These cancellations and adjustments are beyond PAL’s control and prevent us from serving the urgent needs of our OFWs and other passengers….”

Business traveler Marivic Segismundo and her team from an international maritime ecommerce company were among those affected by the PAL cancel-

lations. They were supposed to leave for Dubai aboard PR 658 on November 1 to attend their company’s planning conference.

“PAL informed us less than 24 hours before boarding. Where does that leave us?”

She said this was already a rescheduled flight as their initial flight was supposed to leave on October 31, and had also been cancelled less than a day before departure. “Because of PAL’s initial cancellation, my team and I had to take a second RT-PCR test 1.5 days after our first to comply with Dubai’s 72-hours priorto-arrival rule. PAL sent us the second cancellation just as the medical person was leaving my house after the second RT-PCR test. They were offering us yet a third rebooking for November 3, but that would not have worked because by the time we

would have arrived and fulfilled Dubai’s 24-hour arrival quarantine from non-green countries, the planning conference would have ended.”

She added, “In all, the company spent money for visas, swabs, and hotel penalties. But the biggest cost? Stress and the likely perception that Manila is not a viable location for operational support while Covid exists.”

Departures ex-Dubai to Manila cut as well SEPA R ATE av iation sources told the BusinessMirror the adjustments had to be made after Dubai authorities did not give PAL the final permit to land on those days. A regular PAL or Cebu Pacific flight from Manila to Dubai using an Airbus 330-300 carries around 400 passengers.

The same sources said “Dubai authorities are [also] giving carriers originating from Dubai a cap of 70 passengers per flight to Manila. That cap is also being imposed on UAE-based carriers [not just on PAL and CEB].”

Dubai ’s restrictions, they averred, were “in retaliation” for Manila’s capping of the num-

ber of passengers that could arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) per day.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines has actually raised this limit to 4,000 passengers per day from the earlier 3,000 passengers—a restriction which does not exist in the country’s other gateways like Davao or Cebu.

“Dubai civil aviation and Emirates are not happy that the Philippine government imposed a cap on arrivals into Manila. So they’re squeezing PAL and CEB now. [Despite the increased cap], all airlines have to share in that.

That’s still not enough for Emirates and certain airlines. [Saudia too.],” the sources said.

PAL’s news statement also hinted at the air turbulence between UAE and the Philippines. “[We] urgently appeal to the Philippine and Dubai authorities to work towards resolving the situation so that we may again be able to operate our planned schedule of flights to and from Dubai and make use of all our seats onboard each flight, for the interest of our passengers.” PAL and CEB officials declined to comment on the issue.

CAB investigating issue

CIVIL Aeronautics Board officials would not comment on the issue as of presstime, but insiders said the agency is working to investigate and resolve the issue.

Meanwhile, PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said, “For November 3, 4, and 6, we intend to route our Dubai services to and from Davao instead of Manila.

Our November 5 flights will be routed to and from Cebu, instead of Manila. Using these alternate gateways will allow us to transport our passengers between the UAE and the Philippines in the coming days.” There are also plans to fly to Sharjah, another emirate, just a 30-minute drive to Dubai.

For CEB, its Dubai-Davao flights have been in place since October 21, while its Dubai-Cebu flights started on October 29.

“We offer ex-Dubai straight to either Davao or Cebu so we can accommodate more passengers coming home,” said CEB spokesperson Pao Lim. “Then we provide free flights to Manila after they’ve completed their required quarantine. There are no passenger flights exiting Cebu or Davao to Dubai, only Manila-Dubai.”

U.S. 7TH FLEET CONFIRMS SUB HIT SEA MOUNTAIN

By Malou TalosigBartolome

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HE US 7th Fleet has confirmed that one of their nuclear-powered submarines hit an underground “mountain” in the South China Sea last month.

However, the US 7th Fleet was mum on the exact position of the Seawolf-class nuclearpowered attack submarine USS Connecticut (SSN-22) in the South China Sea when it figured in the accident.

“The investigation determined USS Connecticut grounded on an uncharted seamount while operating in international waters in the Indo-Pacific region,” the US Naval Institute News quoted 7th Fleet spokesperson Cmdr. Hayley Sims as saying.

The collision hurt 11 sailors on board, although none suffered life-threatening injuries.

US 7th Fleet commander Vice Arm. Karl Thomas will review the report to determine if any appropriate follow-up actions, including measures to exact accountability, would be needed over the incident, USNI News reported.

T he Ph i l ippines on ly

claims part of the South China Sea—around 200 nautical miles west of its main territory.

However, China, which claims nearly the entire South China Sea—had earlier pressed the US for answers on such “irresponsible” behavior.

“What was USS Connecticut up to do secretively in the South China Sea this time?

What did it collide with? Why did that collision happen?”

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said last month.

“Was there a nuclear leak that creates nuclear contamination in the marine environment?” Zhao added.

A report by Hong Kongbased daily, South China Morning Post, quoted military sources as saying that the incident may have occurred in Paracel Islands. It appears that the submarine had a head-on collision that cracked its sonar dome that made it effectively blind and deaf underwater. A leaked satellite image of USS Connecticut moored in Guam showed that the other parts remained intact, suggesting the possibility that no leak occurred in its nuclear reactors.

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Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, November 4, 2021

B1

Ayala Land income up 35% despite tough restrictions

By VG Cabuag

A

@villygc

yala Land Inc. on Wednesday said its income in January to September grew 35 percent to P8.58 billion from last year’s P6.36 billion, as its operations improved despite the re-imposition of stricter quarantine restrictions in August.

Revenues were up by 15 percent to P72.6 billion from last year’s P63.32 billion, the company said.

For the third quarter alone, the company’s income was up 38 percent to P2.54 billion from the previous P1.84 billion, but still lower compared with the P8.05 billion it posted in the same period in 2019. Revenues for the quarter ending September, however, were up by a mere 6 percent to P23.64 billion from last year’s P22.12 billion.

“Our business recovery was sustained despite the reimposition of stricter quarantine measures last August. This was led by our residential business which continued to benefit from stable construction and sales this year,” company president and CEO Bernard Vincent O. Dy said.

“We remain positive that with the reopening of the economy, business activity will gain momentum in the fourth quarter, especially for segments like

our malls, hotels and resorts which broadly rely on increased mobility.”

For the nine-month period, Ayala Land said its property development revenues rose 27 percent to P51.5 billion. Sales reservations for the period grew by 15 percent to P70.1 billion largely due to the company’s strong sales performance earlier in the year.

The company generated P21.8 billion in sales in the third quarter, a 3-percent drop from last year.

Despite mobility restrictions during the third quarter, four new projects worth P13 billion were launched. These are Ayala Land Premier’s Ayala Greenfield Estates 4C Tranche 1 in Calamba, Laguna and Lanewood Hills Phase 2 in Silang, Cavite; Avida’s Centralis Towers in Pasay City; and Amaia’s Steps Pasig Clara.

US-based biotech firm wants to hire Filipino developers

Photo shows (right) Aldo Carrascoso, CEO of InterVenn, and Erwin Estigarribia, InterVenn's chief operating officer. Contributed Photo

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad @TyronePiad

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United States-based biotechnology company is seeking to employ up to 100 Filipino developers and engineers to handle the information technology (IT) segment of its operations.

The new office of Filipino-owned InterVenn Biosciences is located at the Podium West Tower in Ortigas central business district in Mandaluyong City. It is set to open on January 15, 2022.

“The new site will expand the local team’s roster of developers and engineers that form the backbone running the proprietary artificial-intelligence (AI) technology used in the company’s research,” the company said in a recent statement.

The company is headquartered in San Francisco, California but the AI technology team is mostly comprised of Filipinos residing locally.

“One hundred percent of our software is done in the Philippines,” InterVenn Founder and CEO Aldo Carrascoso said.

“Our engineering team in our Mandaluyong City office takes care of the cloud infrastructure, front end, back end, and

even security. Information security, information event management, events like infiltration, penetration testing. We have a full staff that does dev ops, server systems administration.”

The biotech firm recently obtained a P10-billion from Series C financing led by SoftBank Group. The funding is earmarked for company’s growth and investments in healthcare industry.

The capital infusion also supports the development and commercialization of Dawn, which is a blood-based test aimed at aiding physicians in matching cancer patients with the best possible immunooncology therapy.

The cancer technology is currently in an early validation process for use in patients with pancreatic and lung cancers and melanoma. The company is also studying its application on other types of tumor.

InterVenn is a pioneering medical company in glycoproteomic research and development. It employs a proprietary platform powered by AI and mass spectrometry to help advance oncology and other related fields.

Ayala Land launched a total of 18 projects in January to September with a combined value of P59.1 billion, higher than full-year 2020 launches of P10.6 billion, as the company responded to stronger demand in the residential market.

Commercial leasing revenues were affected anew by the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in August, falling 18 percent to P14.2 billion. While mall occupancy rates remained stable, revenues from shopping centers declined by a third to P4.9 billion due to limited operations as well as ongoing rent discounts granted to support tenants.

Revenues from office leasing grew 5 percent to P7.5 billion as business process outsourcing and headquarter operations were steady throughout the period. Meanwhile, hotels and resorts revenues ended 29 percent lower to P1.9 billion as resort operations were again further restricted.

Capital expenditures for the period reached P44.7 billion, with more than half allocated for residential projects, 16 percent for estate development, 14 percent for commercial projects and 13 percent for land acquisition.

Ayala Land has a total land bank exceeding 12,000 hectares nationwide.

AC Energy begins construction of solar farm in Zambales

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

T

he renewable energy arm of Ayala Corp. has started building the largest solar farm in the Philippines to date, its fifth facility to commence construction in 2021.

AC Energy Corp. (ACEN) Chief Development Officer Jose Maria Zabaleta said the 283 MW solar farm in San Marcelino, Zambales is capable of producing over 421 GWh of renewable energy per year.

The facility can help eliminate up to 287,796 tons of carbon dioxide emission annually.

“The San Marcelino solar farm marks the fifth facility that we have commenced with construction this year, and these project milestones all make for a fascinating period in the expansion of our renewable energy portfolio,” Zabaleta said.

He noted that the facility will help address the “potential power shortages in the country as energy demand continues to grow.”

The San Marcelino solar farm

is targeted for completion in the first half of 2023.

“As economies reopen and electricity demand grows further, we will aim for sustainable investments to play a leading role in accelerating the greening of the grid to meet our country’s needs.”

The solar farm will feature the latest solar technologies such as east-west oriented panels and string inverters to capture solar radiation more efficiently. The company, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Santa Cruz Solar Energy, Inc. as project owner, has tapped Power Construction Corp. of China Ltd. and PowerChina Philippines Corp. as the Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractors for the project, and to whom a notice to proceed was issued on Wednesday.

Located in a 300-hectare land covered by lahar, the solar farm has an expansion potential of up to 700 MW. ACEN is aiming to reach 5,000 MW of renewable energy capacity by 2025, gunning to become “the largest listed renewables platform in Southeast Asia.”

B2

Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, November 4, 2021

AllDay Marts raises ₧4.5B as shares soar in debut

S

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

hares of Villar-led AllDay Marts Inc. soared when it debuted on the Philippine Stock Exchange on Wednesday, hitting the 50-percent ceiling of price increase for the day.

AllDay shares opened at P0.90 per share, up by 50 percent from its initial public offering (IPO) price of P0.60. It stayed at that level for the rest of the day until its close.

“When we priced the IPO, we did so with a mind to help maximize long-term value for our new institutional and retail investors. The brisk market uptake of our shares validates this price and we are very pleased and grateful for the warm reception that the AllDay IPO was given,” said AllDay Chairman Manuel B. Villar Jr.

“This confirms that many share our vision in how to disrupt the supermarket landscape, and that many believe in AllDay’s capability to bring an elevated supermarket experience to more and more Filipinos across the country.”

PSE President and CEO Ramon S. Monzon said AllDay has set a record for the most number of investors who purchased shares using the PSE Easy system developed for individual investors called Local Small Investors (LSI).

Monzon said there were 6,624 small investors from 74 provinces, 2 territories and 26 countries including Papua New Guinea, the newest country to be added in the LSI list of locations overseas, who purchased the AllDay shares.

“They subscribed to more than 1.1 billion shares exceeding the LSI allocation of 685.7 million shares by 1.62 times. I understand that the allotment for institutional investors was likewise 2.5 times oversubscribed,” Monzon said.

The company refunded those who failed to take up the shares.

“We at the PSE remained hopeful and optimistic that the LSI takeup for IPOs would continue to increase, as the number of IPOs grew. Little did that we expect that this soon, the 13th IPO [since the LSI system launched in 2019], the 10 percent LSI allocation would be fully taken up.”

Proceeds of the P4.52 billion IPO will be used to expand AllDay’s stores nationwide.

The company said it intends to reach a milestone of 100 stores by 2026, leveraging its synergistic relationship with sister firm, property developer Vista Land and Lifescapes Inc. From incorporation in December 2016, the company has rolled out 33 stores to date.

“In a market now characterized by a pandemic and requisite recovery efforts, we know that we are in the best position to serve a market hungry for experiences and not simply essentials, a market ready to ‘reexperience’ retail,” Camille Villar, the company’s vice chairman said.

“We have said over and over, innovation is part of our DNA, and the cornerstone of our strategies. We believe that we have capably demonstrated this, and as we have seen in the warm reception of this initial public offering, and that there are many people who believe AllDay can continue to push forward the Filipino supermarket experience.”

Mercury Retail seeks up to $1.3B in IPO M

ercury Retail Holding Plc, which controls Russia’s biggest chains of alcohol retailers, seeks to raise as much as $1.3 billion in what would be the largest initial public offering in Moscow since 2013.

The holding, which operates more

than 14,000 convenience stores that sell alcohol, cigarettes and food under the Krasnoe & Beloe and Bristol brands, said on Wednesday that the price range has been set at between $6 and $6.50 per global depositary receipt. That would value the company at as much as $13 billion.

“We are proud of our business model and look forward to presenting it to international and Russian investors,” Mercury Retail’s Chairman Igor Kesaev said in the statement. “We believe they will appreciate the unique combination of our robust growth and profitability, the

enormous market opportunity, and Mercury Retail’s development potential and attractive dividend policy.”

The book-building process begins Wednesday and is expected to be completed on or around November 9. Russia has federal holidays Thursday and Friday. Bloomberg News

mutual funds

November 3, 2021

NAV

One Year Three Year Five Year

per share

Return*

Y-T-D Return

Stock Funds ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a

225.82

9.53%

-1.96%

-2.3%

-0.61%

ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a

1.6616

52.71%

6.6%

4.01%

26.55%

-5.44%

-4.98%

0.55%

Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.7506 5.79%

-4.04% n.a.

-7.65%

First Metro Consumer Fund on MSCI Phils. IMI, Inc. -a 0.7886 15.43%

ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 3.1501

-0.06% n.a.

6.34%

First Metro Save and Learn Equity Fund,Inc. -a

12.49%

14.96%

0.85%

-0.23%

2.65%

First Metro Save and Learn Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a

5.0723

0.7613

9.9%

-1.28%

-3.97%

MBG Equity Investment Fund, Inc. -a

100.25

15.8%

-2.86% n.a.

-1.59%

PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a

46.6636

Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a

485.24

Philequity Alpha One Fund, Inc. -a,d

1.1314

18.37% n.a. n.a.

3.11%

Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. -a

1.2791

21.75%

2.22%

0.87%

9.49%

Philequity Fund, Inc. -a

35.465

14.79%

0.56%

0.18%

2%

Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a

0.9094

11.12% n.a. n.a.

-0.39%

12.11%

0.19%

-0.73%

-0.38%

9.37%

0.07%

-1.36%

-0.75%

Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc. -a

4.8075

13.05%

1.01%

0%

0.34%

Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a

802.48

12.85%

1%

-0.05%

0.11%

Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a

0.7347

14.49%

-3.3%

-3.13%

Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 3.6633

2.2%

13.01%

-1.7%

-1.5%

1.09%

Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.9156 12.4%

0.65%

-0.27%

-0.23%

United Fund, Inc. -a

0.41%

0.67%

1.4%

1.19%

0.44%

3.3651

13.46%

-1.94%

Exchange Traded Fund First Metro Phil. Equity Exchange Traded Fund, Inc. -a,c

107.9182

12.94%

0.34%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities $1.1636

7.69%

8.98%

5.5%

-3.27%

Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.8509

ATRAM AsiaPlus Equity Fund, Inc. -b

23.49%

16.39%

12.45%

10.65%

Balanced Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ATRAM Dynamic Allocation Fund, Inc. -a

1.6836

8.92%

1.72%

-0.56%

0.9%

ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a

2.2337

6.96%

1.44%

-0.44%

-2.26%

First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund Inc. -a 2.6575

8.41%

2.96%

1.21%

1.16%

First Metro Save and Learn F.O.C.C.U.S. Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a 0.1982 NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a

6.5% n.a. n.a.

1.9854

5.95%

3.63%

1.55%

PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a

3.7

4.07%

3.19%

Philam Fund, Inc. -a

16.5701

4.1%

2.93%

0.21%

-2.18%

Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a

2.0802

5.65%

1.37%

0.24%

-0.52%

Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.5881 7.56%

0.59%

0.21%

-2.37%

-0.3%

0.41%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a,d 0.9792

2.29% n.a. n.a.

-4.24%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a,d 0.9211

6.68% n.a. n.a.

-2.96%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a,d 0.9113

8.1% n.a. n.a.

-2.34%

Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a

0.9244

13.08%

1.06%

-0.21%

0.05%

0.93%

4.13%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Cocolife Dollar Fund Builder, Inc. -a

$0.03781

-2.88%

3%

1.16%

-3.3%

PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -b

$1.0759

1.24%

5.6%

3.19%

-4.79%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $4.8095

16.6%

11.68%

8.72%

6.57%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a $1.22

7.34%

6.52%

4.51%

1.48%

2.5%

0.48%

Primarily invested in Peso securities ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a

372.89

1.08%

1.9269

-1.35%

1.31%

0.2%

Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a

3.242

1.13%

2.98% 3.22%

4.06%

0.83%

Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a

2.2413

-2.09%

1.87%

1.3%

-2.48%

First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.4232 -0.89% Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a

1.4%

3.08%

1.7%

-1.22%

4.4092

-4.5%

5.07%

1.34%

-4.77%

Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a

1.3187

0.52%

3.96%

2.63%

-0.2%

Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a

3.9594

0.2%

4.6%

2.58%

-1.04%

Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a

1.0305

5.62%

Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.1926 Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a

1.7329

1.89%

-1.25%

0.55%

5.11%

3.04%

-0.42%

-0.36%

-0.41%

4.29%

2.33%

-1.26%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a

$488.18

1.69%

3.05%

2.21%

ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a

Є219.78

0.94%

1.04%

0.79%

0.26%

ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b

$1.2013

-3.7%

2.34%

1.41%

-6.13%

First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.0259 -1.89%

0.86%

1.46%

0.79%

-2.63%

PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -b

$1.0221

-6.07%

-0.07%

-1.32%

-6.23%

Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a

$2.487

-0.61%

5.38%

2.1%

-2.09%

Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a $0.0624688 1.04%

3.19%

1.96%

0.27%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $3.1489 -0.74%

3.07%

0.96%

-2.32%

2.56%

0.85%

First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.0563 0.98% n.a. n.a.

0.78%

Money Market Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. -a Sun Life Prosperity Peso Starter Fund, Inc. -a,1

130.92 1.3125

1.2% 1.53%

2.92% 2.7%

2.54%

1.2%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0598

0.86%

1.52% n.a.

0.59%

Feeder Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities Sun Life Prosperity World Equity Index Feeder Fund, Inc. -a,d 1.3648

37.87% n.a. n.a.

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

November 3, 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 PHIL NATL BANK PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK UNION BANK BRIGHT KINDLE COL FINANCIAL IREMIT MEDCO HLDG MANULIFE NTL REINSURANCE PHIL STOCK EXCH SUN LIFE

43.9 126.6 91 24.15 9.31 49.8 20.35 57 19.5 121.6 92 1.7 4.04 1.1 0.31 970 0.64 219.6 2,700

45.4 127.4 91.05 24.2 9.32 49.85 20.4 57.7 19.6 121.9 92.1 1.74 4.05 1.11 0.34 975 0.69 228.8 2,888

45.5 127 88.5 24.1 9.35 49.5 20.15 58 19.3 121 90.8 1.68 4.06 1.07 0.31 970 0.63 230 2,700

45.5 128.5 91.3 24.2 9.4 50.15 20.4 58 19.6 121.9 92.25 1.8 4.06 1.13 0.34 970 0.63 230 2,890

43.9 126 88.45 24.05 9.26 49.25 20.15 57 19.3 120 90.8 1.68 4.05 1.07 0.31 970 0.63 219.2 2,700

43.9 126.6 91 24.15 9.31 49.8 20.35 57 19.6 121.9 92 1.7 4.05 1.13 0.34 970 0.63 219.6 2,890

1,200 1,427,480 5,389,830 35,700 177,300 4,262,700 76,600 4,130 136,100 116,210 26,390 481,000 126,000 27,000 20,000 100 40,000 770 30

53,800 181,634,051 487,888,286 861,910 1,647,450 212,390,495 1,554,390 238,508 2,656,040 14,101,176 2,420,237.50 834,360 510,580 29,010 6,500 97,000 25,200 169,906 85,750

INDUSTRIAL AC ENERGY ALSONS CONS ABOITIZ POWER BASIC ENERGY FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG MERALCO MANILA WATER PETRON PETROENERGY PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL SPC POWER AGRINURTURE AXELUM BOGO MEDELLIN CNTRL AZUCARERA CENTURY FOOD DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EMPERADOR SMC FOODANDBEV ALLIANCE SELECT FRUITAS HLDG GINEBRA JOLLIBEE MACAY HLDG MAXS GROUP MG HLDG MONDE NISSIN SHAKEYS PIZZA ROXAS AND CO RFM CORP ROXAS HLDG SWIFT FOODS UNIV ROBINA VITARICH CONCRETE A CONCRETE B CEMEX HLDG EAGLE CEMENT EEI CORP HOLCIM MEGAWIDE PHINMA TKC METALS VULCAN INDL CROWN ASIA EUROMED LMG CORP MABUHAY VINYL PRYCE CORP CONCEPCION GREENERGY INTEGRATED MICR IONICS PANASONIC SFA SEMICON CIRTEK HLDG

12.16 1.14 33.75 0.69 30.9 74.65 286 25.45 3.74 4.3 11.02 22.65 13.64 4.95 2.81 61.05 13.74 27.35 14.62 8.41 18.2 75.7 0.6 1.33 103.3 232 6.33 7.15 0.184 16.18 8.12 0.72 4.5 1.25 0.116 132.2 0.76 46.55 50 1.23 14.32 6.44 5.88 6.2 14.8 0.89 1.13 1.66 1.57 3.9 4.01 5.55 22 2.34 8.32 0.82 5.91 1.12 4.56

12.2 1.15 34 0.7 30.95 75 287.8 26 3.75 4.4 11.4 23 13.7 4.99 2.82 71.9 14 27.5 14.78 8.42 18.28 75.9 0.61 1.34 104.9 234 6.94 7.17 0.191 16.22 8.14 0.73 4.7 1.28 0.117 132.3 0.77 50.45 58.7 1.24 14.38 6.98 5.9 6.24 14.98 0.9 1.14 1.68 1.58 4.1 4.1 5.56 22.05 2.37 8.33 0.83 6.03 1.13 4.57

12.24 1.15 32.45 0.72 31 74.85 294 25.9 3.75 4.32 11.02 22.5 13.64 4.96 2.81 71.9 14 27.65 14.88 8.4 18.1 76 0.62 1.33 106.9 230 6.31 7.2 0.185 16.24 8.1 0.73 4.6 1.25 0.117 134.8 0.75 46.15 56 1.24 14.26 6.48 5.84 6.23 14.96 0.89 1.13 1.66 1.59 4 4.19 5.54 22 2.45 8.51 0.83 6.04 1.12 4.42

12.4 1.16 34 0.73 31 75.4 294.2 26 3.79 4.4 11.4 23.1 13.7 4.99 2.82 71.9 14 27.85 14.88 8.41 18.28 76 0.62 1.35 107 236 6.31 7.2 0.191 16.56 8.2 0.74 4.7 1.25 0.12 135 0.77 50.5 56 1.24 14.38 6.98 5.9 6.28 15 0.89 1.15 1.66 1.59 4 4.19 5.56 22.05 2.48 8.51 0.84 6.04 1.13 4.57

12.08 1.15 32.4 0.69 30.25 74.65 286 25.05 3.63 4.32 11.02 21.5 13.62 4.7 2.8 71.9 14 27.25 14.54 8.36 18.06 75.7 0.61 1.32 103.2 230 6.31 7 0.184 16.18 8.05 0.72 4.6 1.25 0.117 132.3 0.75 46.15 56 1.22 14.22 6.43 5.84 6.18 14.96 0.89 1.12 1.65 1.55 4 4.1 5.53 22 2.27 8.2 0.82 6.03 1.11 4.42

12.2 1.15 34 0.7 30.9 74.65 286 26 3.74 4.4 11.4 23 13.7 4.99 2.82 71.9 14 27.5 14.62 8.41 18.2 75.9 0.61 1.33 104.9 232 6.31 7.15 0.187 16.18 8.14 0.73 4.7 1.25 0.117 132.3 0.77 50.5 56 1.24 14.32 6.98 5.9 6.24 14.98 0.89 1.13 1.66 1.58 4 4.1 5.56 22 2.37 8.33 0.83 6.03 1.12 4.56

21,763,300 354,000 7,654,700 17,896,000 562,700 25,930 195,680 1,915,500 8,984,000 15,000 42,500 232,600 199,100 38,000 326,000 10 800 711,900 222,000 2,288,700 530,400 99,690 2,000 8,201,000 14,870 1,131,720 10,000 481,100 1,510,000 13,630,300 171,400 1,399,000 26,000 58,000 890,000 2,060,520 521,000 6,000 5,000 1,001,000 150,300 263,100 137,500 622,500 20,900 24,000 3,184,000 18,000 149,000 12,000 22,000 40,600 2,900 5,074,000 991,900 217,000 3,000 238,000 1,819,000

266,196,404 408,200 255,497,055 12,685,290 17,368,350 1,945,002.50 56,382,184 49,186,260 33,162,370 65,600 474,030 5,266,900 2,714,828 184,070 913,600 719 11,200 19,576,335 3,247,410 19,227,139 9,632,198 7,563,687 1,230 10,936,390 1,564,573 265,223,176 63,100 3,396,871 283,120 223,013,902 1,397,832 1,019,290 121,700 72,500 104,190 274,626,312 395,310 289,840 280,000 1,234,040 2,147,048 1,805,778 808,846 3,877,826 313,066 21,360 3,594,080 29,870 232,560 48,000 90,890 225,217 63,815 12,249,550 8,265,561 180,160 18,110 266,230 8,209,830

HOLDING & FRIMS

ABACORE CAPITAL ASIABEST GROUP AYALA CORP ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL AYALA LAND LOG ANSCOR ANGLO PHIL HLDG ATN HLDG A COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL JG SUMMIT KEPPEL HLDG A LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MJC INVESTMENTS METRO PAC INV PACIFICA HLDG PRIME MEDIA REPUBLIC GLASS SOLID GROUP SM INVESTMENTS SAN MIGUEL CORP SOC RESOURCES TOP FRONTIER WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG

1.11 5.44 870 50.35 10.84 5.79 7.05 0.92 0.49 5.3 7.8 7.76 0.29 550 58.6 5.99 0.62 3.12 10.3 0.98 3.89 3.03 1.65 - 1.16 998 117 0.65 128 0.25 0.18

1.12 5.98 870.5 50.55 10.86 5.8 7.25 0.93 0.51 5.33 7.85 8.03 0.3 558 59 6 0.65 3.24 10.32 1.2 3.9 3.26 1.66 2.91 1.17 1,000 117.1 0.73 133.9 0.26 0.185

1.12 5.36 860 50 10.7 5.93 7.25 0.91 0.5 5.31 7.62 7.75 0.29 560 59.8 6 0.62 3.25 10.18 0.94 3.86 3.15 1.6 2.9 1.17 990 116.9 0.65 131 0.25 0.175

1.13 5.43 874 50.6 10.86 6.05 7.25 0.93 0.51 5.35 7.93 7.75 0.3 562 60.2 6 0.65 3.25 10.38 1.25 3.92 3.26 1.65 2.9 1.17 1,005 117 0.65 134 0.25 0.185

1.1 5.36 860 50 10.6 5.76 7.24 0.91 0.49 5.3 7.62 7.75 0.29 550 58.6 6 0.61 3.12 10.04 0.94 3.84 3.02 1.6 2.9 1.16 990 116.7 0.65 131 0.25 0.175

1.12 5.43 870 50.35 10.86 5.8 7.25 0.93 0.51 5.33 7.85 7.75 0.3 550 58.6 6 0.62 3.12 10.32 1.25 3.89 3.26 1.65 2.9 1.16 998 117 0.65 134 0.25 0.18

8,914,000 7,300 409,950 1,327,400 4,809,300 8,169,300 100,200 303,000 480,000 3,279,600 11,408,900 32,200 460,000 176,030 3,119,500 15,000 672,000 344,000 28,116,700 18,000 16,387,000 13,000 1,467,000 6,000 30,000 114,905 120,650 1,000 500 350,000 360,000

9,945,500 39,191 356,473,720 66,922,595 51,851,438 48,604,685 726,289 278,760 238,500 17,460,076 89,302,536 249,550 133,800 97,504,640 184,324,561.50 90,000 416,040 1,077,350 286,639,982 20,330 63,565,360 39,660 2,363,890 17,400 35,000 114,949,215 14,107,351 650 66,680 87,500 63,450

PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.63 0.65 0.63 0.63 0.63 0.63 223,000 140,490 AYALA LAND 36.25 36.3 35.2 36.25 35.2 36.25 4,745,900 171,042,975 ARANETA PROP 1.04 1.07 1.04 1.07 1.04 1.07 4,000 4,230 AREIT RT 45 45.45 44 45.95 44 45 641,600 28,907,720 BELLE CORP 1.4 1.41 1.35 1.41 1.35 1.41 856,000 1,197,730 A BROWN 0.85 0.86 0.86 0.86 0.84 0.86 387,000 326,200 CITYLAND DEVT 0.74 0.75 0.74 0.75 0.74 0.74 201,000 148,750 CROWN EQUITIES 0.113 0.114 0.113 0.117 0.113 0.114 56,680,000 6,406,520 CEBU HLDG 6.26 6.5 6.22 6.3 6.22 6.23 33,400 208,473 CEB LANDMASTERS 2.88 2.9 2.88 2.9 2.85 2.88 694,000 1,993,550 CENTURY PROP 0.44 0.445 0.45 0.46 0.445 0.445 9,020,000 4,027,550 DOUBLEDRAGON 10.2 10.28 10.24 10.3 10.16 10.28 836,000 8,531,216 DDMP RT 1.79 1.8 1.79 1.81 1.78 1.8 6,310,000 11,316,120 DM WENCESLAO 6.9 6.95 6.88 6.96 6.88 6.95 24,800 172,127 EMPIRE EAST 0.27 0.275 0.275 0.275 0.27 0.275 1,270,000 343,500 EVER GOTESCO 0.33 0.34 0.35 0.35 0.33 0.33 17,380,000 5,812,600 FILINVEST RT 7.39 7.4 7.4 7.4 7.36 7.4 1,087,900 8,048,450 FILINVEST LAND 1.14 1.15 1.14 1.15 1.13 1.15 3,029,000 3,467,470 GLOBAL ESTATE 0.88 0.91 0.91 0.91 0.89 0.89 166,000 149,120 8990 HLDG 10.62 10.78 10.64 10.8 10.62 10.78 174,800 1,876,308 PHIL INFRADEV 1.21 1.23 1.25 1.27 1.21 1.21 579,000 705,950 CITY AND LAND 0.96 1 0.97 0.99 0.96 0.96 357,000 344,960 MEGAWORLD 3.15 3.16 3.14 3.17 3.12 3.15 12,134,000 38,218,700 MRC ALLIED 0.315 0.32 0.3 0.32 0.3 0.315 52,030,000 16,323,700 MREIT RT 18.28 18.3 18.2 18.82 18.18 18.3 18,902,900 347,013,592 PHIL ESTATES 0.495 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.495 0.5 2,066,000 1,030,930 PRIMEX CORP 1.72 1.76 1.71 1.8 1.66 1.72 283,000 478,340 RL COMM RT 7.22 7.23 7.21 7.24 7.08 7.22 6,065,000 43,695,853 ROBINSONS LAND 17.48 17.5 17.24 17.48 17.24 17.48 944,000 16,401,782 PHIL REALTY 0.238 0.243 0.239 0.24 0.238 0.238 820,000 196,040 ROCKWELL 1.51 1.57 1.52 1.58 1.51 1.51 23,000 35,010 SHANG PROP 2.6 2.62 2.62 2.62 2.62 2.62 12,000 31,440 STA LUCIA LAND 2.88 2.9 2.94 2.94 2.85 2.88 23,000 66,980 SM PRIME HLDG 34.6 34.7 33.65 34.75 33.65 34.7 7,064,000 243,802,620 VISTAMALLS 3.86 3.9 3.84 4.1 3.82 3.86 254,000 1,006,910 SUNTRUST HOME 1.45 1.46 1.46 1.46 1.45 1.46 113,000 164,380 VISTA LAND 3.83 3.85 3.76 3.88 3.76 3.85 3,044,000 11,616,870

SERVICES ABS CBN 14 14.1 13.96 14 13.82 14 455,900 6,354,940 GMA NETWORK 14.58 14.6 14.7 14.7 14.52 14.58 1,454,500 21,240,746 MLA BRDCASTING 9 10 9.5 10 9.5 9.5 5,000 47,640 GLOBE TELECOM 3,154 3,158 3,134 3,174 3,134 3,154 57,445 181,370,260 PLDT 1,634 1,640 1,668 1,669 1,632 1,634 41,325 67,872,585 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.085 0.086 0.088 0.089 0.084 0.086 423,000,000 36,571,420 CONVERGE 31.55 31.6 31.1 31.95 31 31.55 2,446,500 77,261,640 DFNN INC 3.21 3.23 3.16 3.3 3.15 3.22 734,000 2,339,520 DITO CME HLDG 6.85 6.86 6.81 6.99 6.8 6.85 7,830,800 53,850,469 JACKSTONES 1.92 1.99 1.92 1.92 1.92 1.92 6,000 11,520 NOW CORP 1.81 1.82 1.82 1.83 1.81 1.81 773,000 1,403,650 TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.405 0.41 0.415 0.42 0.395 0.41 30,780,000 12,597,850 PHILWEB 2.2 2.25 2.2 2.25 2.2 2.25 95,000 209,610 2GO GROUP 7.91 7.99 8 8 7.9 7.99 13,800 110,159 ASIAN TERMINALS 14.14 14.46 14.46 14.46 14.46 14.46 500 7,230 CHELSEA 1.95 1.98 2 2.02 1.95 1.98 1,019,000 2,029,220 CEBU AIR 46.15 46.2 44.75 46.25 44.75 46.2 674,800 30,710,535 INTL CONTAINER 178 180.5 179.8 181.8 178 178 887,210 159,075,473 LBC EXPRESS 21.7 22 21.8 22 21.5 21.5 28,200 618,885 LORENZO SHIPPNG 0.91 0.96 0.91 0.91 0.91 0.91 46,000 41,860 MACROASIA 5.85 5.88 5.4 5.85 5.31 5.85 4,707,300 26,608,500 METROALLIANCE A 1.53 1.55 1.55 1.6 1.52 1.55 209,000 319,430 METROALLIANCE B 1.6 1.76 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 2,000 3,200 HARBOR STAR 1.01 1.05 1.02 1.06 1.01 1.05 582,000 604,800 ACESITE HOTEL 1.48 1.52 1.5 1.52 1.49 1.52 16,000 23,920 DISCOVERY WORLD 2.12 2.14 2.13 2.16 2.13 2.14 152,000 324,410 WATERFRONT 0.495 0.5 0.49 0.51 0.485 0.5 1,009,000 497,360 STI HLDG 0.355 0.36 0.36 0.36 0.355 0.36 800,000 287,400 BERJAYA 5.38 5.45 5.38 5.49 5.38 5.45 52,500 283,066 BLOOMBERRY 7.1 7.11 7.3 7.34 7.06 7.1 4,691,900 33,508,200 PACIFIC ONLINE 1.99 2.12 1.98 2.13 1.98 2.05 18,000 37,160 LEISURE AND RES 1.53 1.56 1.51 1.56 1.51 1.53 154,000 235,810 PH RESORTS GRP 0.91 0.93 0.93 0.93 0.91 0.93 1,006,000 922,540 PREMIUM LEISURE 0.45 0.465 0.45 0.47 0.45 0.455 25,370,000 11,714,500 ALLDAY 0.9 - 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 450,806,000 405,725,400 ALLHOME 10.06 10.14 10.52 10.6 9.62 10.06 3,038,900 30,136,579 METRO RETAIL 1.34 1.35 1.36 1.36 1.33 1.35 548,000 732,150 PUREGOLD 43.1 43.15 42.8 43.4 42.6 43.1 2,223,300 95,796,825 ROBINSONS RTL 63.65 63.7 63.3 63.75 63 63.7 824,930 52,465,717.50 PHIL SEVEN CORP 90 94.1 94.15 94.15 94.15 94.15 70 6,590.50 SSI GROUP 1.23 1.24 1.22 1.25 1.2 1.24 1,354,000 1,663,570 WILCON DEPOT 29.7 29.8 30 30 29 29.7 1,891,600 55,863,100 APC GROUP 0.24 0.244 0.241 0.243 0.24 0.24 1,580,000 381,730 EASYCALL 4.5 4.6 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 1,000 4,500 IPM HLDG 7.04 7.06 7.02 7.06 7.02 7.06 25,000 175,900 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.77 0.78 0.8 0.81 0.75 0.77 31,496,000 24,386,330 SBS PHIL CORP 4.02 4.2 4.14 4.15 4.01 4.02 113,000 463,340

MINING & OIL

Bond Funds ALFM Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a

www.businessmirror.com.ph

20.82%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities

ATOK 6.28 6.39 6.25 6.5 6.21 6.35 206,500 1,319,735 APEX MINING 1.44 1.45 1.44 1.45 1.43 1.44 967,000 1,391,080 ATLAS MINING 6.4 6.45 6.41 6.47 6.39 6.4 1,264,900 8,112,651 BENGUET A 5.97 6.07 6.05 6.14 5.92 6.07 321,600 1,937,691 BENGUET B 5.9 5.95 6 6 6 6 400 2,400 COAL ASIA HLDG 0.28 0.29 0.285 0.285 0.275 0.28 1,050,000 294,100 CENTURY PEAK 2.7 2.78 2.7 2.78 2.7 2.78 3,000 8,260 DIZON MINES 5.24 5.44 5.25 5.25 5.23 5.23 3,100 16,258 FERRONICKEL 2.13 2.14 2.13 2.14 2.11 2.14 1,373,000 2,925,670 GEOGRACE 0.214 0.224 0.225 0.225 0.214 0.214 520,000 112,050 LEPANTO A 0.131 0.133 0.131 0.132 0.13 0.131 4,170,000 547,010 LEPANTO B 0.135 0.14 0.135 0.135 0.135 0.135 60,000 8,100 MANILA MINING A 0.0092 0.0095 0.0092 0.0093 0.0091 0.0092 102,000,000 938,200 MANILA MINING B 0.0092 0.0098 0.0093 0.0093 0.0091 0.0091 10,000,000 91,700 MARCVENTURES 0.91 0.92 0.9 0.92 0.9 0.92 74,000 66,640 NIHAO 1.02 1.03 1.01 1.02 1.01 1.02 114,000 115,690 NICKEL ASIA 5.46 5.48 5.4 5.54 5.38 5.48 1,297,900 7,072,430 ORNTL PENINSULA 0.8 0.81 0.82 0.82 0.8 0.81 898,000 726,310 PX MINING 5.19 5.24 5.3 5.3 5.16 5.19 240,700 1,257,751 SEMIRARA MINING 24 24.15 23.95 24.75 23.15 24 3,969,100 95,279,955 UNITED PARAGON 0.0064 0.0068 0.0065 0.0068 0.0064 0.0064 38,000,000 246,600 ACE ENEXOR 17.5 17.6 17.76 17.76 17.5 17.52 195,700 3,431,926 ORNTL PETROL A 0.01 0.011 0.01 0.011 0.01 0.01 14,900,000 155,300 ORNTL PETROL B 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 200,000 2,200 PHILODRILL 0.0094 0.0095 0.0093 0.0095 0.0093 0.0095 7,000,000 65,900 PXP ENERGY 6.23 6.3 6.6 6.6 6.21 6.3 1,095,600 6,911,835

PREFFERED AC PREF B1 510.5 524 510 520 510 520 110 57,100 ALCO PREF B 100.8 102.6 101.3 101.3 100.7 100.7 7,660 773,722 AC PREF B2R 520 525 525 525 520 525 4,950 2,598,500 CEB PREF 45.15 45.25 43.85 45.25 43.85 45.25 34,100 1,527,530 CPG PREF A 102.5 103 101.6 103 101.6 103 20,100 2,042,300 DD PREF 100.7 101.8 100.7 102 100.6 100.6 42,060 4,231,569 FGEN PREF G 103.1 105.4 105.4 105.4 105.4 105.4 110 11,594 GTCAP PREF B 1,030 1,045 1,030 1,030 1,030 1,030 10 10,300 JFC PREF B 1,044 1,046 1,044 1,044 1,044 1,044 400 417,600 MWIDE PREF 100.7 101.2 101.8 101.8 100.5 100.7 2,420 243,643 MWIDE PREF 2B 101.4 102.5 102.5 102.5 102.5 102.5 40 4,100 MWIDE PREF 4 100.2 101 101 101 100 100.1 8,120 817,320 PNX PREF 3B 105.4 107 107.4 107.4 105.2 107 1,230 129,688 PNX PREF 4 1,006 1,007 1,007 1,007 1,006 1,006 2,075 2,087,825 PCOR PREF 3B 1,180 1,188 1,182 1,182 1,182 1,182 100 118,200 SMC PREF 2F 79.25 79.3 79.2 79.2 79.2 79.2 6,600 522,720 SMC PREF 2H 76 77.5 76 76 76 76 1,400 106,400 SMC PREF 2I 79 79.5 79.5 79.5 79.5 79.5 1,290 102,555 SMC PREF 2J 77 77.2 77 77 77 77 2,500 192,500 SMC PREF 2K 75.65 76.3 76.3 76.3 76.3 76.3 1,700 129,710

PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR 13.4 13.92 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.5 50,000 675,000 GMA HLDG PDR 13.58 14 13.6 13.62 13.6 13.6 84,800 1,153,532

WARRANTS TECH WARRANT 1.26 1.27 1.21 1.27 1.21 1.27 819,000 1,013,900

"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

32,074,614 14,541,320 -24,580 10,454,345 -270,555 -33,837,886 -16,782,950 -306,390 -4,400 3,995,170 40,860 19,840 109,200 629,125 17,544 1,097,030 -21,744 -4,924,901 -46,200 636,784 -7,456,236 14,920 -89,779,050.00 -1,104,916 -91,238,972 -37,240 75,000 102,992 -109,810.00 -202,837 39,460 254,390 -719,861.00 11,200 6,073,500 -34,304 -2,170,470 -6,499,940 -6,061,938.00 89,251 -69,000 2,002,414.00 26,147,472 -27,125 -14,270 -98,701,882 -96,730 7,925,636 -13,960,870 -2,055,920 19,260,552.50 2,565,350 -3,960 92,312,945 933,155 -14,000 -51,810 55,860 -80,120 -161,260 -145,950 2,582,972 2,330,700 13,500 270,350.00 5,406,488 1,674,630.00 288,592 24,400 -8,610,720 -182,700 -152,693,912 -26,940 5,371,587 -3,386,596.00 -2,850 81,351,720 2,831,690 57,941,480 -3,271,930 1,152,400 -19,215,920 351,740 -1,550,456.00 -7,230 -49,900 -306,540 -9,541,400 -105,312,833 -21,800 -1,045,901 -97,200 5,660,197 4,100 6,470 14,200 -5,005,800 9,039,422.00 23,120 57,005,600 33,701,163.50 -103,400 -18,675,985 880,000 -215,300 -48,614 495,800 734,704 8,260 778,120 -91,700 -1,477,474 -169,839 -1,527,970 -130,000 - 449,295 - -675,000 -743,874

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES

ALTUS PROP 17.94 ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund Inc. -a,d $0.98 6.52% n.a. n.a.

0% ITALPINAS 1.81 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).

KEPWEALTH 3.78 MERRYMART 3.44

1 - Renaming was approved by the SEC last July 8, 2021 (formerly, Sun Life Prosperity Money Market Fund, Inc.). 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."

-6,864,404 127,717,626 -12,075 -10,237 38,189,130 -69,190 -3,849,655 -171,989 11,990 97,000 -21,440 42,400

18.6 1.84 3.9 3.45

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS FIRST METRO ETF

109.4

109.5

17.6 1.8 3.8 3.31

18.6 1.87 3.88 3.55

17.5 1.8 3.75 3.3

18.6 1.82 3.88 3.45

250,200 316,000 67,000 11,062,000

4,547,062 572,960 254,590 38,229,580

-10,000 -9,130 9,100 75,690

108.5 109.7 108.5 109.4 10,820 1,179,243 -89,610

Agriculture/Commodities BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng • Thursday, November 4, 2021 B3

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

L

OCAL banana growers and exporters sought the government’s help to fast-track the renewal of the licenses of their pilots and aircraft so they can resume aerial spraying in their plantations to avert billions of pesos in losses.

In a letter to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) raised concerns about the delays in the renewal of licenses of the group’s pilots and the release of the Certificates of Airworthiness for their aircraft.

It was addressed to CAAP Director General Captain Jim C. Sydiongco.

PBGEA said their pilots and aircraft have remained grounded, ham-

pering operations in banana plantations as they cannot conduct aerial spraying of pesticides to prevent the spread of diseases.

The group said this could lead to production losses as the absence of pesticide would result in a lower banana bunch weight.

“Failure to spray for one cycle would mean that at least one leaf will be unprotected and without fungicide coverage [for Cavendish banana, one leaf emerge every week before the coming of the bud or ‘puso’],” according to the letter dated October 20, a copy of which was obtained by the BusinessMirror.

“The loss of one leaf due to Sigatoka [a banana disease] especially before shooting will be critical since this is the stage when the fruit starts to develop. Study shows that losing

BUSINESSMIRROR FILE PHOTO

‘Aerial spraying delays to cut banana output’

one leaf due to Sigatoka will result in a reduction of 0.57 kgs of the potential bunch weight at harvest assuming there will be production.”

Growers and exporters could lose as much as $29.832 million or P1.491 billion if the licenses and the certification will not be renewed immedi-

Income from planting corn falls to 8-year low—report

D

ESPITE the reduction in production cost, Filipino corn farmers earned less last year as farm-gate prices fell to a 3-year low, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

In its latest report, the PSA said the net-profit cost ratio, which refers to the amount of income that a farmer earns for every peso they invest, fell to an 8-year low of 0.57 from 0.67 in 2019. This means that planters earned P0.57 for every peso they spent to produce corn.

“Net profit-cost ratio was biggest in Mimaropa region at 1.94 while the least was recorded in Cagayan Valley at 0.03,” the PSA said in its report

published recently.

PSA data showed that farmers’ net returns per hectare of corn last year declined by 15.25 percent to a 4-year low of P14,336 from P16,950 in 2019.

“Net earnings in the Mimaropa region topped at P38,357 per hectare.

Meanwhile, Zamboanga Peninsula netted the least at P568 per hectare.”

The average farm-gate price for all corn (combined yellow and white) declined by almost 7 percent yearon-year to P12.4 per kilograms, the lowest in three years.

PSA data also showed that the total cost of producing corn declined to P25,090 per hectare from

P25,252 per hectare in 2019.

“Across regions, Cagayan Valley had the biggest production cost in 2020 at an average of P51,014 per hectare. The least was recorded in Zamboanga Peninsula at P16,196 per hectare.”

PSA data indicated that the average cost to produce a kilogram of corn declined to P7.89 from P7.96 in 2019.

“On the average, production cost per kilogram of corn was highest in Cagayan Valley at P11.75. Mimaropa region had the lowest at P4.97.”

For yellow corn alone, the average net returns per hectare declined by 30 percent year-on-year

Soaring wheat prices are raising bread costs

W

HEAT prices have surged from the United States to Russia, hitting a record in Europe and raising bread costs all over the world. And there may not be much relief soon.

The crop—grown on more land than any other—was hit by droughts, frost and heavy rain this year in key exporters. That’s curbed supplies used in everything from pizza crusts and French baguettes to Asian noodles and African couscous, pushing benchmark prices in Chicago to an almost nine-year high.

That’s not just threatening higher grocery bills—it’s giving central banks a bigger inflation headache and risks worsening global hunger that’s already at a multiyear high. The worry is that big crops looming in Argentina and Australia won’t fully ease tight supply, and fields elsewhere are only just being planted.

“We could see further upside,” said Carlos Mera, head of agricultural commodities market research at Rabobank in London.

“The higher the price goes, the more fear there is in the market and the more panic buying.”

Wheat in Chicago traded lower on Tuesday, after touching the highest since December 2012, while Paris futures reached a record 297 euros a ton before closing at 292.75 euros.

Here’s what’s driven the rally:

Dwindling stockpiles

WHILE the world has a lot of wheat, much of that’s held in countries like China, which ships little abroad. Inventories in the top seven exporters —a better gauge of availability—are

expected to sink to an eight-year low.

Argentina and Australia just started harvesting, but it’ll take the better part of a year before Northern Hemisphere silos are replenished with the next crop.

Protectionist measures

RUSSIA—last season’s top shipper— started taxing exports this year to safeguard supplies and keep domestic costs in check, and signaled an overseas sales quota is likely. That’s helped to slow shipments and support prices elsewhere, while giving rival suppliers the chance to grab more market share.

Import needs

ALTHOUGH top wheat buyer Egypt

to P6,703, the lowest in 15 years, according to the PSA. Furthermore, the net profit-cost ratio for yellow corn plunged to 0.15, the lowest since 2002, based on historical PSA data.

The total cost of producing yellow corn fell to P44,319 per hectare in 2020 from P44,719 in 2019. PSA data also showed that the average cost of producing a kilogram of yellow corn reached P10.61 last year.

The PSA reported in August that the value of corn production in January to June rose by 6 percent to P54.461 billion, from last year’s P50.388 billion. Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas temporarily balked at high prices last month, appetite from importers remains strong, with Saudi Arabia booking more than double the expected amount in its latest tender.

Countries typically stockpile several months of supply, but governments can’t risk running out before the next major harvests.

The rising prices are becoming a bigger challenge. Turkey’s president has blamed supermarket chains for a surge in food bills, Egypt is preparing to hike prices for the bread it subsidizes for its citizens and Tunisia doesn’t expect any relief in durum wheat costs until next year’s harvest.

Costlier fertilizer

WHILE wheat’s rally is good news for farmers, their costs are going up too. Fertilizer prices are soaring from Europe to North America on production shortages, threatening to weigh on harvests next season.

Winter wheat makes up the bulk of supplies across the Northern Hemisphere, and while plantings are almost finished, farmers need to stock up on the nutrients now to boost yields and quality in the spring.

French growers are already worried about fertilizer shortages.

Bloomberg News

ately. The group noted that there are about 44,000 hectares of corporate banana farms in Mindanao.

The estimated potential losses represent 2 percent of the banana industry’s export receipts last year, when the value of shipments reached $1.644 billion, based on BusinessMirror’s computation using latest government data.

“In connection to the above and to avoid another pandemic to the already ailing banana industry, we are earnestly requesting that temporary licenses and certificates to operate be granted,” the group said.

The letter was also sent by the group to various Cabinet secretaries including Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez, and Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade.

PBGEA Executive Director Stephen A. Antig told the BusinessMirror that CAAP has not yet responded.

The country’s banana output last year declined slightly to 9.056 million metric tons (MMT) from 9.157 MMT recorded in 2019 due to spread of diseases, such as Fusarium wilt.

Despite a 14.38-percent contraction in shipments, the Philippines remained as the world’s top exporter of bananas for the third consecutive year in 2020. The country exported 3.725 MMT of bananas last year.

Trade map data of the International Trade Centre analyzed by the BusinessMirror showed that the Philippines was able to secure its spot in the global banana market despite a double-digit decline in shipments caused by anemic production and logistical problems.

BFAR: Closed fishing season for ‘galunggong’ starts to bear fruit

T

HE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Wednesday announced that the three-month closed fishing season for galunggong in Northern Palawan has started to rejuvenate fish stocks in the area.

The BFAR, an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture, said the closed fishing season started last November 1 and will last until January 31.

Under the closed fishing season rules, the use of purse seine, ring net and bag net in catching roundscad (galunggong) within the conservation area of northeast of Palawan are prohibited, according to BFAR. “Serving as a conservation measure, this policy is aimed towards protecting the species during its peak spawning season, and further addressing overfishing, climate change, among other concerns,” it said in a statement.

“Already in its 7th year of implementation, the closed fishing season has continually yielded significant positive results in the increased catch of galunggong in the area.”

Citing government assessment, DA-BFAR said galunggong catch by purse seine has increased to 434.98 metric tons (MT) in 2020 from 233.07 metric tons in 2015, while those caught by ring net grew to 206.30 MT from 187.02 MT in the same period.

“The recorded increase in catch of galunggong in the area has been made possible by the strong cooperation and support of the government, commercial fishers and other stakeholders in a bid to take care of our country’s fishery resources,” BFAR National Director Eduardo Gongona said.

“We strongly urge our fisheries stakeholders to be one with the government in the implementation of the closed fishing season in Palawan. This measure will help protect the commercially-important galunggong species, ensuring its availability

as part of our efforts following the guidance of Agriculture Secretary William Dar on achieving food security and fostering sustainable growth in the fisheries industry.”

The DA-BFAR said Palawan is one of the major suppliers of galunggong to Metro Manila as it accounts for 95 percent of the galunggong catch landed at Navotas Fish port.

“To further supplement the fish supply while the closed fishing season is in effect, the bureau will give emphasis to aquaculture products as an alternative, as well as ensuring the availability of fish products in the market through programs such as Oplan ISDA.” Due to the ban on catching galunggong during the period, the price of galunggong and other fish in the market are affected by the decrease in the market supply as most of the fish sold in Metro Manila come from the area.

To address the increase in the price of galunggong, the government is importing fish to augment the supply of locally-caught fish, triggering howls of protest from militant fishermen.

Pamalakaya, for one, insists that flooding the market with imported fish has not helped reduce the cost of fish in the market. The group said it added to the burden of small fishermen as it pulls down the price of local galunggong, which could cut their income.

This prompted the group to ask consumers to boycott imported fish, which they say may be “unsafe” as this may be laced with chemical preservatives unlike the fresh galunggong caught by local fishermen.

Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data showed that galunggong production in Palawan in 2020 rose to 9,033.55 MT from 7,507.03 MT in 2016.

PSA data also indicated that the province’s galunggong output in the first half went up by 6.31 percent to 6482.46 MT from last year’s 6,097.62 MT. Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas, Jonathan L. Mayuga

FAO: Actions now to feed the world and save the planet

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OLICY-MAKERS must find a way to “feed the world and save the planet at the same time,” QU Dongyu, DirectorGeneral of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), said at the G20 Leaders Summit in Rome last Sunday.

“Climate change will compromise our ability to produce sufficient amounts of nutritious foods and increase poverty and deepen inequalities,” Qu said.

Qu spoke during two sessions­— one focused on climate change and the environment and the other on sustainable development— at the Summit hosted by Prime Minister Mario Draghi of Italy and attended, mostly in person, by presidents and heads

of government representing around two-thirds of the world’s population and an even higher share of its economic activity.

He expressed his thanks to Italy for its support to the Food Coalition initiative and for making sure that global food security was high on the agenda throughout the 2021 G20 Presidency. The Leaders Summit culminated a year with 175 events, 20 ministerial meetings, two other G20 Leadersmeetings—one on Health and one on Afghanistan—as well as dozens of working group sessions that have led among other outcomes to the Matera Declaration on Food Security, Nutrition and Food Systems,

to which FAO was a major contributor.

Agri-food systems around the world are being threatened by a hosts of factors ranging from civil conflicts to biodiversity loss, and the Covid-19 pandemic has made things worse, pushing more than 800 million people into chronic hunger, while another 3 billion cannot afford healthy diets, the director-general said.

“We are not on track to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees,” he said.

With just nine agricultural seasons until the 2030 target date for the Sustainable Development Goals, “the urgency for climate action is stronger than ever,” the director-general told the G20

leaders. “Politicians need to take stronger leadership, People need to take the ownership and all society must work in coherent partnership based on science and innovation.”

The G20 Rome Leaders Declaration culminating the Summit encouraged partners and stakeholders everywhere “to collaborate with or join the Food Coalition launched by FAO as a means to respond to the impacts of Covid-19 on food security and nutrition.” Leaders also recognized the importance of sustainable agri-food systems not only to combat hunger but also to “make a major contribution to tackling the interlinked global challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss.”

FROM left: Food and Agriculture Organization Director-General QU Dongyu speaks with President Joseph Biden of the United States of America, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom. FAO PHOTO

Envoys&Expats BusinessMirror

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Thursday, November 4, 2021

PHL, South Korea conclude free-trade pact negotiations

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EOUL—Top officials of the Philippine Embassy in this city graced the ceremony announcing the conclusion of negotiations of the Philippines and Republic of Korea (ROK) Free-Trade Agreement (FTA).

With Ambassador to ROK Maria Theresa B. Dizon-De Vega and Commercial Counselor Jose Ma. Dinsay, the “hybrid” signing ceremony on October 26 was led by Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez in Manila and Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo in the South Korean capital city.

The FTA, together with the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, represents a more robust, resilient economic partnership between the Philippines and ROK. The Philippine-ROK FTA demonstrates both countries’ strong commitment to economic growth through industrial development, and is expected to substantially expand trade and investments between the two countries, giving a much-needed boost to economic recovery and a way toward sustainable economic growth.

Both sides prepared an economic and technical cooperation

chapter in the agreement covering a diverse range of areas, with ROK committing institutional support and capacity-building in smart farms, film production, and e-vehicles.

Clauses on public-health emergencies, vaccine production, and climate change are also included in the Philippine-ROK FTA text, providing a solid foundation in response to new and emerging issues. Clinical trials on the production of vaccines and continued cooperation between the two countries’ defense industries are also in the pipeline through the agreement.

In his remarks, Lopez cited Yeo’s leadership and dedication to the FTA, as the Philippines also credited its substantial conclusion through the hard work and persistence of both sides’ negotiating teams.

The secretary added both parties were able to achieve a mutually beneficial and a high level of liberal-

REPRESENTATIVES from the Philippines and South Korea formalize the free-trade agreement between the two countries. DFA

ization on trade in goods which will stimulate trade and increase investments from ROK, and vice versa.

He also thanked the said country for accepting all of the Philippines’s proposals under the economic and technical chapter, especially on increased cooperation in public-health emergencies.

In his congratulatory remarks, Yeo expressed his appreciation for the trade negotiators’ diligence in ensuring a timely conclusion of the FTA, as negotiations were officially launched in June 2019. Since then they have worked tirelessly for a mutually beneficial outcome despite hurdles posed by the pandemic.

Yeo also announced the Phil-

ippines and ROK have agreed on a higher level of market opening than the Asean-ROK FTA currently in place, and the RCEP awaiting implementation. He expressed that with the ROK’s FTA with the Philippines, “[Koreans] can enjoy Philippine bananas at low price, with better quality.”

Yeo also greatly admired the support from Lopez: “Once a friend, always a friend; however, the Philippines is more than just a friend—it is a brother-country.“ The Korean minister also reiterated that the FTA will broaden the future for the Philippines and ROK, paving the way for their shared prosperity.

Israeli envoy presents credentials to PRRD

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MBASSADOR-DESIGNATE Ilan Fluss presented his credentials as ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Israel to the Philippines to President Duterte at Malacañang Palace on October 20.

Fluss formerly served as deputy chief of mission at the Israeli Embassy in Manila from 1995 to 1998.

“I am honored to be back…this time as the ambassador of the State of Israel,” Fluss shared. “I am excited to take on this new role in the Philippines as my first assignment in this capacity.”

He noted the very warm and friendly relations between Israel and the Philippines, which was strengthened further by the historic visit of Duterte to Israel in 2018. Since then significant developments have been achieved in the fields of economy, agriculture and tourism, among others.

“Mr. President, innovation and technologies are not the future: they are the present, and the development of more cooperation in this field is one of my main goals for the years

SECRETARY Teodoro Locsin Jr. (from left), Ambassador Ilan Fluss and President Duterte MALACAÑANG

ahead,” the ambassador explained.

“The goal of our partnership is to create sustainable development, improve lives, create jobs, generate income, [as well as] enable the transfer of relevant know-how and technologies.”

Fluss hopes to make substantial contributions to the furthering of the countries’ friendship and partnership—including to the continued

work toward the prosperity of the two nations.

The ambassador was born in December 1965 in Haifa, Israel. After serving in the Israeli navy for five years, he graduated from the University of Haifa with a degree in psychology and Israel studies, as well as a Masters of Business Administration title from the University of Derby. Fluss joined the foreign

service in 1994 where, since then, he represented Israel in a variety of capacities.

He had served successively as spokesperson and Cultural Attaché at the Embassy of Israel in the Hague, Netherlands (1998 to 2000), served in the Ministry’s Asian Division (2000 to 2004), acting envoy and later on, as deputy chief of mission in Pretoria, South Africa. (While being there, he was also responsible for Israel’s diplomatic relations with Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and Swaziland.)

Fluss was counselor at the Permanent Mission of Israel to the UN (2006), director for Policy Planning and External Relations, then later on as deputy head of MASHAV (Israel’s development agency, from 2009 to 2016), special envoy for the Bureau of the Director-General (2016 to 2018), and eventually as the deputy head of the Economic Division at Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2018 to 2021).

He and his wife Gila have four children.

Mexico opens botanical garden to commemorate galleon trade

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HE Embassy of Mexico, together with the Intramuros Administration, National Historical Commission of the Philippines, the University of the Philippines-Los Baños and CEMEX Holdings Inc. presented the first phase of a botanical garden in Intramuros, Manila, with plants brought from Mexico through the galleons. They also unveiled a historical marker on the monuments at Plaza Hidalgo.

Through the event, the embassy recognized the importance of the galleon trade route in connecting the three continents, namely Asia, Europe, and the Americas—key contributors to the growth and development of trade and to the valuable exchange of culture, traditions, practices, knowledge, and peoples.

Ambassador of Mexico Gerardo Lozano Arredondo, National His-

OFFICIALS from the Mexican Embassy and other stakeholders of the commemorative botanical garden in Intramuros

torical Commission Chairman Dr. Rene R. Escalante and Intramuros Administrator Atty. Guiller B. Asido led the ceremony.

Lozano expressed the importance of young people’s knowledge of the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade Route not only as the main link that

connected Mexico with the Philippines, but also its broader impact in other aspects—particularly history, diplomacy, economy, culture, religion and more.

Moreover, the ambassador recognized that at some point, it marked the consolidation of the first process and early manifestation of globalization having influenced politics, philosophy, commerce, and trade of the entire world.

Aside from the celebration of the important historical link between Mexico and the Philippines, he evoked the contribution of the 201st Mexican Fighter Squadron which participated in the battle for the liberation of Manila. The monument in Plaza Hidalgo inside Intramuros signifies the robust relationship between the two countries, which continues to flourish until today.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

EU’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific

By Josep Borrell

European Union high representative and European Commission vice-president

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HE world’s center of gravity is moving toward the Indo-Pacific region, in geoeconomic and geopolitical terms.

Recently the decision by Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States to deepen their security and defense ties (the so-called “AUKUS” group) has certainly triggered a lot of debate on the underlying dynamics in the region, and how partners can best respond.

As the European Union, we have a big stake in the future of the region and, we believe, a big contribution to make as well. That is why we published our own Indo-Pacific strategy in September. Its central message is that the EU is ready to step up its engagement in and with the region, working on issues where we have long cooperated, such as trade and investment, while also expanding this to areas where there is scope to do more; for example: collaborating on shared global challenges like climate action and the digital transition, or on common security challenges like cyber and maritime security.

Why is the EU adopting a new Indo-Pacific strategy now? Amid the latter’s economic dynamism, we see that the regional order is increasingly challenged, due to growing geopolitical competition. We can observe the consequences around the world, but most sharply in this region. As the EU, we have a vital interest that the regional order remains open and rules-based. To that end, we want to enhance cooperation with all IndoPacific partners who share our goals.

What do we have in mind? Concretely, we have identified several priority areas where we seek to deepen cooperation in practical terms.

Take connectivity. The EU is and remains a connectivity superpower in terms of setting standards that are globally relevant and in terms of mobilizing finance. We want to build links, not dependencies, and that is why we favor a sustainable and rulesbased approach to connectivity.

Climate change challenge

A BIG priority will be our linkages on global challenges. Climate change is on everyone’s mind. It is urgent, so we need to join forces to fight, mitigate and adapt to climate change by increasing the level of ambition of our climate action ahead of the

2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP26, in Glasgow.

At the same time we should address broader environmental degradation—including plastic pollution and biodiversity loss. We welcome the Philippines’s commitment to take ambitious steps on climate action in particular addressing plastic litter and accelerating the clean-energy agenda. The EU will work hand-inhand with the country in those areas.

Under the strategy, we have stressed that we want to boost digital partnerships —including by working closely together on setting the standards that will shape our digital lives.

We also want to deepen our security engagement—including cyber security and counterterrorism, seeking to make that cooperation as concrete as possible.

Under the strategy, we commit to an open and rules-based regionalsecurity architecture—including secure sea lines of communication, capacity-building and enhanced naval presence by EU member-states.

In the Philippines, we are working with the Navy and the Coast Guard, providing assistance in maritimeawareness.

Inclusive strategy

FURTHERMORE, the EU will seek to conduct more joint exercises and port calls with Indo-Pacific partners—including multilateral exercises—to fight piracy and protect freedom of navigation in the region. The EU will also support Indo-Pacific partners’ capacity to tackle cyber crimes.

In terms of who we want to partner with, the EU’s strategy is inclusive of all our partners wishing to tie-up. Certainly, Asean and the Philippines lie at the heart of this crucially important region. Indeed, this region is a strategic partner for the EU. Naturally it has a prominent and privileged place in our Indo-Pacific strategy.

We also include China in our Indo-Pacific plans. In many areas such as climate and biodiversity, for instance, the Asian superpower’s cooperation is essential. Also, we want to deepen our links with democratic, like-minded partners.

In short, the EU’s Indo-Pacific strategy is about scaling up and diversifying our political and economic partnerships across the region with one overall motto: “Cooperate whenever possible; protect whenever necessary.”

USAID launches ₧750-M aid for climate resilience

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HE United States government, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), launched on October 28 a new project to build climate resilience in the Philippines as one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries.

The five-year, P750-million ($15 million) Climate Resilient Cities project will help urban areas adapt to, mitigate and endure the impacts of climate change by increasing their access to climate financing and tools to build resilience.

Through this project, USAID will support local government units and other stakeholders to better understand, use, and disseminate climate information to local communities.

Said effort will also help cities and nongovernment organizations access climate financing to increase community resilience and contribute to communities’ economic and social development, as well as support natural climate solutions that increase cities’ resilience to climate-change impacts.

“Over the past 60 years we have

been proud to partner with the Philippine government and local stakeholders to achieve shared development goals,” said USAID Philippines Acting Mission Director Sean Callahan. “Addressing the climate crisis, and particularly the vulnerability of cities, is crucial to helping build a more prosperous, resilient [country] for current and future generations.”

The Climate Resilient Cities project supports the Philippine government’s National Climate Change Action Plan, Nationally Determined Contributions, and National Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management Roadmap, while advancing the US government’s goal of tackling the climate crisis around the world. Climate Resilient Cities will also receive support from the government of the Republic of Korea, through the Korea International Cooperation Agency, as part of a joint partnership between the US and Korean governments.

The former has been a key development champion in the Philippines for six decades working with individuals, communities and the government in improving lives.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Parentlife BusinessMirror

Families can thrive in era of online learning: Part II

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AST week, I shared a lot of worrisome statistics on the effect of prolonged distance learning on our kids. I encouraged parents to fight from becoming a part of the statistics by understanding the bigger objective of schooling.

I shared that I use Hirsh-Pasek’s 6Cs of 21st Century Learning Skills as my quick guide: Content, Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Communication, Creative Innovation and Confidence. Last week, I shared Content and Critical Thinking. Let me continue with the other Cs this week.

COLLABORATION DURING her grade school years, my daughter became very individually competitive in academics. I often reminded her that most future problems will be highly complex that it would usually need a team to find a solution. More than this, I reminded her and my son that the better goal in life is not to be the best but to be able to relish success together with people around you. Today, both my kids love tutoring and encouraging their peers to do well in school. During distance learning, your kids can still spearhead class efforts. My daughter, with other class officers, worked to do a social contract to achieve class success.

I especially liked these lines in the poster they made: “HELP each other in any way we can” and “Push one another to IMPROVE.” At home, this is the best time to set family goals.

For us, our family vision has always been for each of us to be happy and fulfilled. Since my kids were toddlers, I always gave them tasks, from which they would feel they made a contribution to our family’s success and happiness. For example, when Meagan was 2 I would come home from work and go to her room, where it would be her pretend-play time. I would say, “Mommy is so hungry and tired.” She would then ask me what was my order, then I would show her my appreciation for helping me feel less tired. Today, both my kids try to do chores or be selfsufficient in school as their way of contributing to the household.

COMMUNICATION THIS is one skill that is truly timely to develop in this pandemic. I would set a night per child to be our alone night. They can choose the food they would like to eat and we would talk about different topics, like my son’s Valorant games or my daughter’s various angst as a teenager. There are even Socio-Emotional Learning play tools now available, like Talk Cubes, where topics are suggested by rolling the dice. Another opportune

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Thursday, November 4, 2021

Table talk Traditionally, a lot of life revolves around the dining room table. It is a unifier, a place of community—where families share a meal and their day’s stories, and friends gather for dinner parties and feel instantly at home.

The new norm has redefined the importance and functionality of a dining table—transforming it into a work from home station, an online school stop where one does homework and art projects, and a hobby hub.

That is, of course, apart from being a gastro address for home-cooked specialties and the take-out favorites we have come to love.

With that, we are rethinking our dining rooms with the modern multifunctional table as the centerpiece. And the good news is that there is a lot of table talk from Our Home (www.ourhome.ph) which also offers us some tips when selecting the dining table for your space. The hub for creative, stylish living has stores nationwide at select SM Supermalls. n CONSIDER THE SIZE OF THE ROOM. Dining tables should complement and be proportional to the size of your dining room. n RECTANGULAR DINING TABLES. Very practical and functional. Such can seat a large number of people and can easily adjust the seating capacity. Its linear shape allows for ample room to walk around the table. Our Home has many design options to choose from, like the Panfield and Alvea Dining Sets. n ROUND TABLES. Our Home’s Ancona dining table work well in small rooms where there is less bumping without the corners. It also creates a more intimate setting and cozy ambiance. n FOLDABLE TABLES. Our Home’s Jada table, as well as bar tables can also function as dining tables. There are some design options that will perfectly fit and look great in smaller spaces like a condo, loft or studio unit. n MAKE DINING FUN. Play around with different seating options. Mix and match host chairs, guest chairs and benches to maximize creativity in your dining room. Our Home’s Fredrik Dining Set combines that casualness of a bench setting but at the same time provides elegance with its dining chairs.

Marcus on a ‘work-with’ session with mom

activity now is to expose your child to your work. This was hard to do when we used to physically report to the office, but now, for those who work from home, it has become easier. My kids would listen in on mymeetings and then ask questions after.

CREATIVE INNOVATION THIS refers to the skill in developing new ideas or concepts, as well as effectively implementing and communicating them. This process of making tangible creative ideas extends beyond art and can include science and economics. One way to encourage this is by exposing our kids to nice technological solutions available like Canva to make certain topics or subjects even more easily understandable.

CONFIDENCE YOU can refer to my two-part column on August 18 and 25, titled How Courage is Built, on this. Now is a great time to engage our kids in trial-and-error activities like puzzle play, art, chores, even giving them the chance to suggest solutions, whether for home or work. The more trust we give them on the trying, the failing and the doing again, the more our kids can learn confidence.

Having made all these suggestions, I am aware that each parent’s schedule may be busier than the

A breakfast for two with Our Home’s Scandinavianinspired foldable Jada Dining Table.

Perfect for small spaces, pair it with a couple of Iona Dining Chairs for a great dining experience.

next. Let’s also try those “one” solutions that can hone these 21st Century Skills, as well as help our families achieve good mental health and happiness.

For example, as the family relaxed during pool time recently, I made use of the book 100 Things Successful People Do by Nigel Cumberland. We had a game where I read each point and my kids voiced out if they liked or had this trait. This activity was fun and allowed us to get to know each other better. Another great example are family projects. My daughter’s class had a “Mano Amiga Books and Essentials Drive” charity project. I saw collaboration in their meetings, ideas and implementation. Using technology, they produced and communicated impactful collaterals. They were initially happy to get 100 books since it was only a two-week drive.

But just after the first week, they ramped up their confidence to set their goal to 1,000 books. We as a family tried to spread the goal to as many family and friends, and handled the pick-ups. After two weeks, their class collected 9,625 books and raised P162,105.50 in cash/in-kind, including two full scholarships to the Mano Amiga Academy.

This pandemic is a great time for parents to learn how to be involved in their kids’ lives and be their “life teachers.” Let’s be pro-active and positive to be part of building our kids’ 21st century skills. n

Make your dining experience fun and exciting with Our Home’s Fredrik Dining Set with a rustic charm combining the casualness of a bench setting and the elegance of a dining chair.

Filipino children face life with far more scorching heatwaves, floods, droughts than grandparents Children born in 2020 in the Philippines will live through 4.9 times more scorching heatwaves, 2.3 times more river floods, 1.2 times more droughts and 1.5 times more crop failures than their grandparents or people born 60 years ago. ​Children in East Asia and the Pacific over the past year will face eight times more scorching heatwaves during their lives than their grandparents did, according to new research released recently by Save the Children. ​The outlook is similarly bleak for South Asia, where children will live through 3.6 times as many crop failures as their grandparents did. In Nepal, children will see 6 times as

many crop failures. ​Children in poorer communities will be worst affected, as they are already at a far greater risk of battling waterborne diseases, hunger and even facing death due to malnutrition, increased floods and cyclones, Save the Children said. ​Moreover, these climate impacts risk trapping millions more children into long-term poverty. ​The data is part of the organization’s new report “Born Into The Climate Crisis”—why we must act now to secure children’s rights, which outlines the devastating impact of the climate crisis on children if urgent action is not taken.

Great dining and great conversation starts in this Alvea 6 Seater Dining Set from Our Home.

​Under current pledges, children born in 2020 will face 7 percent more wildfires, 26 percent more crop failures, 31 percent more droughts, 30 percent more river floods, and 65 percent more heatwaves than if global warming were stopped at 1.5°C. ​Save the Children emphasized that there is still time to turn this bleak future around. If the rise is kept to a maximum of 1.5 degrees, the intergenerational burden on newborns is cut by 45 percent for heatwaves; by 39 percent for droughts; by 38 percent for river floods; by 28 percent for crop failures, and by 10 percent for wildfires.

Three clean-living hacks from careful moms AS hygiene becomes a crucial aspect of life today, moms are always on the lookout for tips, tricks and solutions to help them maintain a germ-free lifestyle for their families.

Whether it’s the products they use or different practices that have become a part of their everyday routine, finding the right partners is crucial to maintaining peace of mind when it comes to knowing their families are safe in the clean environment you’ve created.

To moms still at a loss in achieving such goal, the all-new Breeze Power Machine Antibacterial Liquid Detergent with Germ Attack Technology (www. facebook.com/BreezePhilippines) has gathered these

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clean-living hacks from some of the brand’s favorite mommy personalities. n Make it mommy-and-me bonding time. It might be difficult to explain all the nitty-gritty details of what’s going on to young kids, like why they need to stay inside or wear face masks and shields when outdoors. Teaching them different safety practices while at home, including proper and regular handwashing, and making sure to clean surfaces and clothes frequently, can help them develop these habits as they grow.

Model and mommy Sam Lewis welcomes her toddler Lukas whenever he wants to help out with everything, including the laundry. “He loves helping

wash our laundry, especially because he gets to operate our washing machine, hang them up to dry and help fold them up after,” she says. n Don’t forget to clean toys and different surfaces, toO. Protecting your kids means making sure the areas and things they interact with the most are clean too. From toys, books, small desks and learn-from-home setups, always remember to disinfect them, just as moms frequently wash their hands.

“From mopping floors, decluttering Keia’s toys, vacuuming our carpet, sanitizing our groceries and washing our clothes, sheets and linens,” mommy Cham Magsaysay makes sure no stone is left

unturned. “I’m very OC when it comes to cleaning and organizing my house.” n Be sure to wash ‘outside’ clothes as soon as you can upon returning homE. Mommy Jaycelle Playda tries to maintain the safe bubble within her home, even if she has to run errands outside. She does this trick for all her family’s “outside clothes,” being sure to use a detergent while at it, such as the Breeze Power Machine Antibacterial Liquid Detergent with Germ Attack Technology.

“I can power wash tough stains, and its advanced formula removes 99.9 percent of bacteria, making me feel more secure that all of our garments are totally clean and bacteria-free.”

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JRS Express embraces digital innovations on cashless and safe transactions under the new normal

Abbott, Real Madrid Foundation team up to address global malnutrition

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BBOTT becomes Health Sciences and Nutrition Partner of Real Madrid Football Club and Global Partner of the Real Madrid Foundation.

The foundation supports 65,000 children per year across 80 countries including the Philippines through education in sportsmanship, teamwork, respect, and health and nutrition.

The artnership supports Abbott's commitment to address global malnutrition over the next decade.

Abbott has entered into a three-year agreement to be the Health Sciences and Nutrition Partner of the football club and global partner of foundation.

The partnership will encompass education, sports and social welfare activities in support of at-risk children in 80 countries, as well as nutritional support for the first men’s and women's and Academy teams and new product innovation and development.

Real Madrid is one of the most successful and recognized sports clubs in the world and is supported by more than 600 million fans globally.

In 1997 the club launched the Real Madrid Foundation to support social and cultural integration for at-risk children around the world through sport, through teaching values such as teamwork, respect, collaboration—and physical fitness.

“Football is a universal sport that's played, watched and loved around the world,” said Daniel Salvadori, executive vice president of Abbott's nutrition business. “Abbott and the foundation have the same goal: to nourish children around the world so they can have better health and can achieve their potential.

The combination of our collective efforts will enable us to reach more people and have even greater long-lasting impact in the lives of tens of thousands of children around the world.”

Working with local partners, the

Real Madrid Foundation identifies and brings together local children in key at-risk areas—usually in remote, rural communities. The schools cover many different activities, ranging from healthy snacks and dental hygiene, to after school programs that involve health education and sports training. Each program includes a local social or environmental activity, such as healthcare facility visits. The children are screened for key health indicators at the beginning of each program and supported nutritionally throughout. The foundation also runs week-long clinics for children who wish to improve their game with the Real Madrid methodology.

In the Philippines, Real Madrid Foundation created its first social-sports school in Santa Cruz, Davao. Since 2011, more schools were set up in neighboring Davao towns such as Hagonoy, Digos and Padada as well as in Nasugbu, Batangas.

“Through the work of the foundation, we’re not looking to develop the next footballer, we’re looking to grow the next engineer, scientist or lawyer,” said Emilio Butragueño, director of institutional relations for Real Madrid. “By teaming up with Abbott, a global leader and expert in nutrition, we can support children around the world in living healthier overall.”

Abbott has long been focused on improving nutrition through our innovations, recently announcing the

formation of the Abbott Center for Malnutrition Solutions—a hub of Abbott and external nutrition experts and partners with a goal to reduce malnutrition in every region of the world over the next ten years.

This work will contribute to Abbott's 2030 Sustainability Plan ambition to transform care for malnutrition, chronic disease and infectious diseases, with a goal to improve the lives of more than 3 billion people by decade's end.

“Nutrition is fundamental for people to live their best and Abbott is dedicated to developing science-based nutrition and initiatives that help children and adults live fuller and healthier lives,” said Dr. Jose Dimaano Jr., medical director for Abbott’s nutrition business in Pacific Asia.’

The partnership will run through the end of the 2023-2024 football season and will encompass working with Real Madrid Foundation Social Sports Schools in 12 countries to provide malnutrition screening, education and nutrition support, while also supporting nutritional needs for the Real Madrid Foundation clinics, which take place in 42 countries. As the Health Sciences and Nutrition Partner, Abbott will also work closely with the club to drive research into new ingredient and product innovation and development as part of the nutritional support for the Real Madrid first men's, women's and Academy teams.

#TogetherforTamaraws Campaign generates PHP1.6M in donations

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PEARHEADED by the United Nations Development Fund’s Biodiversity Finance Initiative (UNDP-BIOFIN), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR-BMB) and DENR’s MIMAROPA Regional Office, Together for Tamaraws ran from July to December 2020 and generated PHP1,601,301 (USD32,000) from 194 supporters, around half of which were from the Philippines, with three-fourths coming from online pledges.

The funds were used to procure food packs, patrol allowances, thermal blankets, ranger uniforms, field hammocks, tents, stoves, cook sets, GPS and android devices, first aid and medical supplies, portable solar lamps and chargers, plus camera traps to photograph tamaraw safely and remotely.

The supplies and equipment were distributed in six tranches through partners like the Mindoro Biodiversity Conservation Foundation Incorporated (MBFCI).

“The success of Together for Tamaraws proves that when we work towards a common goal, we can address the growing

environmental and social issues brought about by the pandemic,” says TCP head Neil Anthony Del Mundo. “Our hardworking rangers, wardens and indigenous tribesfolk can breathe a bit easier, knowing they’ll have enough equipment and supplies to protect our tamaraw over the next months.”

The Mounts Iglit-Baco Natural Park (MIBNP), a former game refuge turned into a protected area, spans 106,655 hectares. It hosts at least 480 of the world’s 600 remaining tamaraw, plus many other endangered and legally protected species.

MIBNP’s Protected Area Management Office (PAMO) recently participated in BIOFIN’s workshops on preparing protected area finance plans together with other park management bodies.

BIOFIN has also been organizing meetings to polish and facilitate the approval of the substitute bill of House Bill 8299 or An Act Institutionalizing the Tamaraw Conservation Programme, Creating its Administrative and Implementation Mechanisms, and Providing Funds Therefore.

Authored by BIOFIN legislative

champion Cong. Josephine RamirezSato, the Bill underwent three committee hearings and was approved in its third reading last 22 September.

“Together for Tamaraws showed how Bayanihan is still very much alive, even amidst one of the greatest challenges of our time,” explains Sato. “Conserving the tamaraw means upholding the rights of our children, for their children to experience the rich culture, natural resources and unique beauty of Mindoro. This is why the Tamaraw Conservation Management bill must be passed immediately.

DENR-BMB, BIOFIN, the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) are pushing for a proposed Presidential Proclamation to herald 2022 as the Year of the Protected Areas (YoPA) and June of each year as the Month of Protected Areas. YoPA aims to increase awareness on the value of protected areas, promote visits and in turn, increase park revenues from visitors.

In addition, DENR and BIOFIN are staging the Virtual Travels to Protected Areas video contest, which offers allexpense paid trips to selected protected areas in the country. The contest is open until 15 November and interested participants can learn more HERE. “The pandemic forced us to practice physical distancing, but it should only be to stem the transmission of the virus.

It should bring forth empathy, not drive us to apathy. It must instill optimism and renew our vigor, not shroud us in hopelessness and breed indifference,” concludes Sato. “To all our frontline conservation warriors in our protected areas, keep up the struggle and thank you for your service. We will overcome this challenge, together.”

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RS Express, a domestic and 100% Filipino-owned company continues its innovation of products and services to keep up with the challenges of the new normal. These innovations, JRS Express said, were aimed at operating their business faster, more seamlessly and efficiently without compromising the safety of their customers.

In terms of trends and challenges that JRS Express has faced and weathered in recent years, the rapidly growing e-commerce market is something that the company has been keenly watching. “We’ve invested in more technology to streamline our processes while further enhancing our infrastructure with additional stations, additional delivery vehicles, and additional employees,” Following this masterplan, JRS Express has created new services to help secure online sellers and buyers from fraudulent transactions by using JRS Cash-on-pickup.

JRS continues to innovate by being the first to launch Payment-On-Delivery. JRS entered a partnership with Gcash and Paymaya, guaranteeing its customers with secure and contactless payments and transactions.

JRS Express upgraded their website and soft-launched its new mobile application--a new tech innovation to eprioritize pick-up deliveries for swift and trouble-free booking at the comforts of your homes. Customers are able to monitor and track their pickup deliveries with ease by using the new mobile app for Android devices. The app is

now active and currently available for use in the Metro Manila area and will soon be available nationwide.

Recognizimg the hardship encountered by the Filipino people during this pandemic, JRS has launched Express Economy Cargo Promotion rewarding its loyal customers with 20% off from General Cargo rates on their next shipment #until November 10, 2021.

BATTING FOR EQUALS RIGHTS IN ILO. Ambassador Valerie Berset Bircher (left), in-charge of International Labor Affairs of the State Secretariat of Labor Affairs of Switzerland, meets with Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III (2nd from left) on October 28 at the office of the Government Group chair at the International Labour Organization (ILO) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Also in photo are Nigerian labor expert Essah Aniefok Etim, Philippine Overseas Labor Office-Geneva Labor Attaché Chyt Daytec and Administrator Bernard Olalia of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration. Bello gave assurance that the democratization of the ILO’s Governing Body is a priority agenda in the Philippines’ chairmanship of the Government Group.

SSS extends calamity assistance to members, pensioners affected by Typhoon Fabian

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HE Social Security System (SSS) will open a calamity assistance package starting November 2, 2021, to help its members and pensioners in Calapan and Naujan in Oriental Mindoro, Malabon City, and all other areas that may be declared by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to be under the state of calamity due to Typhoon Fabian.

SSS President and CEO Aurora C. Ignacio said there are three programs under the package, which are the Calamity Loan Assistance Program (CLAP) and Direct House Repair and Improvement Loan for members, and Three-month Advance Pension for Social Security (SS) and Employees' Compensation (EC) pensioners.

“Through these programs, we aim to provide our members and pensioners with the financial means to recover from the effects of Typhoon Fabian,” Ignacio said.

The CLAP and Three-month Advance Pension will be offered until February 1, 2022, while the Direct House Repair and Improvement Loan will be open for one year from issuing its corresponding SSS Circular, which is until October 20, 2022.

The Three-month Advance Pension is offered to all SS retirement, disability, and survivor pensioners; as well as EC disability, and survivor pensioners whose residences are located in the calamity areas declared by the NDRRMC due to Typhoon Fabian.

For SSS members whose houses were

damaged or destroyed due to Typhoon Fabian, they may apply for the Direct House Repair and/or Improvement Loan with a maximum loanable amount of P1 million.

The loan term can either be five, 10, 15, or 20 years, plus the moratorium of six months.

However, the term must not exceed the economic life of the house or improvement after the repair and/or improvement were introduced (to be determined by the SSS); and the difference between the age of the applicant and 65.

Applications to the program must be filed at the Member Loans Department in the SSS Main Office (for those in the NCR), or Housing and Acquired Asset Management Sections located in the SSS Building in San Vicente, Tarlac City (Central Luzon) or SSS Building in Balagtas Boulevard, San Pablo City (Southern Luzon).

The complete details of the SSS' calamity assistance package can be accessed at https:// bit.ly/SSSCirc2021-012.

Editor: Anne Ruth Dela Cruz

Health&Fitness BusinessMirror

Thursday, November 4, 2021 B7

APAC employers’ medical expenses to go up in 2022

By Rory Visco

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Contributor

RECENT survey revealed that employer-provided medical benefit costs are forecasted to grow by 8.2 percent next year.

The 2022 Global Medical Trend Rates Report, released recently by Aon plc, a global professional services firm, said the growth will outpace general inflation by 5.8 percent.

In the past year, the use of outpatient services recorded the most significant drop in Asia Pacific due largely to Covid-19 pandemic-related restrictions. However, global health benefit costs are also seen to rise by 7.4 percent as medical utilization returns to pre-Covid-19 pandemic levels.

Last year, the use of medical plans recorded a low in April 2020 and is expected to exceed

pre-Covid-19 pandemic levels during 2022 as further relaxing of mobility restrictions are implemented. This, along with rising inflationary pressures and the view that Covid-19 healthcare costs will transition to the private sector, is increasing cost expectations.

Lower utilization

Tim Dwyer, Head of Health Solutions, Asia Pacific, Aon said the pandemic caused overall lower utilization levels in 2020, which provided plan sponsors with some respite.

“However, the dual effect of higher expected utilization and inflationary pressures presents new cost challenges that need to be managed. The normalization in utilization patterns, emerging risks such as mental and musculoskeletal health and the potential for a greater Covid-19 cost burden to fall on the private sector will require employers to carefully analyze their medical plans as cost pressures increase over the next two renewal cycles,” he said.

The report showed that over the last year, the increase in work-from-home setups were likely to have contributed to a significant spike in musculoskeletal conditions. Medication-related expenses experienced the largest inf lationary increases. The report also noted that a significant dip was seen in outpatient upper respiratory tract infection claims compared

to previous years. However, expectations are high that it will recover next year when social distancing and mobility restrictions are finally lifted.

“The good news is that there are plan design and behavioral interventions available to mitigate the cost increases. The route will be uncertain and will vary by country, so it is important that companies use data and insights to make better informed decisions to secure commercial protections at their renewals to deal with the volatility,” Dwyer added.

Medical plans

On a global scale, employer-sponsored medical plans in 2022 are forecasted to grow to 7.4 percent compared to this year’s 7.2 percent, although the projected medical trend rates may vary significantly depending on the region. Costs are seen to go up the most in the Middle East and Africa, where the average medical trend rates are projected to be at 11.1 percent versus this year’s 12 percent. Contrastingly, Europe is forecasted to record the lowest average medical premium rate increase, pegged at 5.6 percent, while Latin America and the Caribbean, on the other hand, will shoot up to 10.6 percent from this year’s 8.8 percent mark.

For select APAC countries, the forecasted health care benefit cost growth this year will be

Covid-19 increases risk of getting stroke–study

By Claudeth Mocon Ciriaco

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s there a link between Covid-19 and stroke risk?

The Philippine Corona Study, which is a retrospective study of neurological symptoms and associated manifestations of Covid-19 outcomes of 10,881 patients, indicated that 26 percent of the patients suffered from neurologic symptoms—headache with 6 percent, altered smell/can’t smell —5 percent, altered sensorium—4.4 percent, altered taste—3 percent, and muscle pains—2.3 percent.

According to Dr, Maria Epifania Collantes of the Stroke Society of the Philippines, the study also showed that the most common neurological complication is Stroke with 3.37 percent and Encephalopathy (damage or disease that affects the brain) at 5.72 percent.

A total of 37 hospital sites from various regions were involved in the nationwide comparative, retrospective, cohort study among adult, hospitalized Covid- 19 patients.

During the “Media Round Table: The Link between Stroke and Covid-19,” Dr. Collantes said that the study suggests that stroke mortality of patients who caught Covid-19 is high at 59 percent and that 42 percent with mild Covid infection still suffered from stroke while 29 percent with severe Covid cases had stroke.

The retrospective study on Covid-19 patients who had stroke as a complication or a presenting sign of the virus was conducted between March 30 to October 20, 2020. Of the total number, 2,018 patients with Covid-19 infection from Philippine General Hospital were part of the study population.

Forty-one out of the 2,018 patients (2 percent) developed acute stroke. The mean age of patients was 59 years old.

Understanding Stroke

Stroke happens when the blood flow to an area of the brain is cut off.The brain cells are deprived of oxygen and brain cells begin to die. When this happens, the abilities that are controlled by those areas in the brain lose their function.

There are two main types of stroke—ischemic stroke where a blockage develops in the brain’s blood supply (accounts for about 80% of all strokes); and hemorrhagic where a leak or rupture in a blood vessel in the brain develops.

Risk factors associated with a higher risk for stroke include males; people aged 55 or older; lifestyle (being overweight or inactive, cigarette smoking, heavy drinking) and medical (high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, history of cardiovascular diseases

Signs of Stroke

Signs you are suffering from a stroke is best represented with “BE FAST” where B stands for Balance difficulty; E-eye changes; F-Face drooping, crooked smile; A-Arm weak or numb; S- Slurred speech; and T-Time to call an ambulance/go to the hospital.

“When experiencing even the mildest symptoms of stroke, every second that goes by is crucial and there is a need for timely access to medical emergency care,” she said as she emphasized the need to remember the “Golden Hour” as time is of essence.

Info campaign launched for psoriasis awareness

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here is a lot of prejudice and misinformation around psoriasis due to a lack of understanding about the disease and its mental, emotional, and social impact on patients. In a society that puts a premium on flawless skin, life with psoriasis can be extremely challenging.

“Not only is the disease debilitating; the social stigma patients experience is likewise painful,” shared Josef de Guzman, president of Psoriasis Philippines, who has been living with psoriasis all his life.

Worse, de Guzman said, they sometimes feel alone in their journey as they battle the disease.

“We are perceived to be contagious when we are simply in need of care, attention, and understanding. By eradicating the psoriasis stigma, those who suffer from it will feel more empowered to seek proper treatment,” de Guzman said.

Ending the stigma

The Department of Health (DOH), together with the Philippine Dermatological Society (PDS), Psoriasis Philippines (PsorPhil), and Johnson & Johnson (Philippines), Inc. (J&J), launched a health literacy campaign to raise awareness, encourage action around psoriasis, and help improve patients’ lives.

The partnership kicked off on October 29 with a lay forum titled “Psoriasis: Bigyang Halaga at Pagaaruga” where healthcare practitioners, psoriatic patients, and members of the media were in full force to support its objectives.

“There are over a million Filipinos suffering from psoriasis every single day,” Dr. Francisco Rivery, President of the Philippine Dermatological Society.

“Psoriasis can manifest in several ways, but the most common comes in the form of thick plaque with silvery white scales. It may also involve the scalp and the nails,” he added.

Psoriasis causes body-wide inflammation that can impact other organs and tissues.

As a systemic disease, psoriasis can put patients at higher risk of hypertension and diabetes. One in three patients may develop psoriatic arthritis too, which can cause progressive, long-term damage.

“Psoriasis is a chronic debilitating disease,” continued Dr. Rivera, “but it is manageable with newer treatment options like using biologic drugs. It is not merely a skin disease.”

Various comorbidities

He added that it also brings about various comorbidities that require holistic care. As such, “we partner with several fellow specialists to manage patients with this disease, especially those with severe cases.”

For his part, Dr. Erwin Benedicto, head of the Medical Affairs Department of Johnson & Johnson (Philippines), Inc., said that they will continue with their research to develop new and innovative treatments for this condition. J&J is working closely with “relevant stakeholders to help end this stigma on psoriasis and build a responsive healthcare system that will address the needs of patients.”

“It is not just a matter of clearing the skin of lesions, but rather helping them decrease the risk of acquiring other systemic diseases. We also want to help patients gain back their confidence and regain control of their lives,” Benedicto said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Beverly Lorraine Ho, concurrent Director IV of DOH’s Disease Prevention & Control Bureau and Health Promotion Bureau, stressed that the DOH stands with their partners in bringing awareness and recognition to psoriasis.

“As more people living with psoriasis seek consultation and treatment, we can look forward to less Filipinos suffering from severe cases and complications,” she concluded. Claudeth Mocon Ciriaco

Immediate treatment of a stroke can minimize the long-term effects and help reduce the risk of death from stroke.

“This is particularly critical for ischemic stroke, where the treatment is only effective within 4.5 hours of the onset of symptoms,” Dr. Collantes said stressing that outcomes are the most optimal when patients receive treatment within 60 minutes following the onset of stroke symptoms. This window is known as the “Golden Hour.”

The Burden of Stroke

There are 17 million people worldwide who suffer a stroke every year, 1/3 of the 17 million die as a result while another third is left permanently disabled.

From 2009 to 2019, stroke has been identified as the second leading cause of death and one of the top five leading causes of disability in the Philippines.

Cerebrovascular diseases—under which stroke falls—was the third leading cause of death in 2020 according to the Philippine Statistics Authority report.

Occtober 29 is World Stroke Day. Established by the World Stroke Organization, and supported locally by Angels Initiative together with the Stroke Society of the Philippines, World Stroke Day aims to increase awareness about the signs and symptoms of stroke, improve stroke prevention, and have access to quality stroke treatment.

This year’s theme of #PreciousTime reiterates the message that stroke is a medical emergency. When experiencing even the mildest symptoms of stroke, every second that goes by is crucial and there is a need for timely access to medical emergency care.

BBM: Medical research needs more support to fight pandemic

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residential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. said more budget must be allotted for medical research, deeming it crucial in times like the ongoing health crisis.

Marcos, the standard-bearer of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, said the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) was created in the 1980s and even after many years, it has shown its excellence as it was the only laboratory in the country that could test the Covid-19 in the early months of the pandemic.

However, Marcos pointed out that the RITM’s low budget caused many missed opportunities for the institution since it was tasked to plan and implement research programs for infectious and tropical diseases only.

“It is the opportune time for the RITM to study Covid. But over the years, it has not received the attention it deserves,” the presidential aspirant said.

“There have been a lot of missed opportunities but there is still a chance to do something right because we already know what the problem is. We know where we are weak and we should build up our research facilities. That is so important because ast that time, we did not have to deal with Covid, or this pandemic. Now that we are faced with it, this is a reminder for us to do it now,” he added.

Marcos also sees the need to strengthen the University of the Philippines’ National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (BIOTECH) noting that the country should be able to produce its own vaccine.

“We produced our own flu vaccines before at the University of the Philippines Los Baños and we were able to vaccinate 60 percent of the population. We can do it but we really need to strengthen and enhance the system. There are so many new technologies out there that we can take advantage of,” he said.

highest in India at 13 percent from nine percent this year, while Thailand will shoot up to 11.7 percent, almost double from this year’s 6.6 percent, followed by Australia at 3.1 (from 2.5 percent), Hong Kong at 5.6 percent (from 5.3 percent), and South Korea at eight percent (from 7.5 percent).

No movement

Countries like the Philippines, China, and Singapore, on the other hand, will experience no movement in forecasted health care benefit cost growth with eight percent, seven percent, and seven percent, respectively. There is no projected or forecasted growth or movement in Japan.

However, Indonesia will drop to 12.2 percent next year from 13 percent, Malaysia at 12 percent from 14 percent this year, and Vietnam at 5.5 percent from 8.7 percent this year.

The report also showed that there is growing impact of noncommunicable diseases on health care costs globally. Among the dis-

eases that drove health care costs in APAC, on the other hand, were cardiovascular disease, cancer/tumor growth, ENT/lung disorder/ respiratory, diabetes and musculoskeletal/back.

Also confirmed by the report in terms of growing prevalence of modifiable risk factors from unhealthy personal habits globally and in the APAC region were high-blood pressure, physical inactivity, poor stress management, high cholesterol and ageing, which directly contribute to the emergence of non-communicable disease.

“Insurers have responded to emerging needs created by the pandemic by delivering virtual consultations, prescription delivery and support for employee physical and mental wellbeing.

While these services are likely to introduce short-term cost pressures, they should - over time have a controlling effect on medical trend rates,” according to Alan Oates, Principal and Actuary, Asia Pacific, Health Solutions at Aon.

Firms readying workplaces for returning employees

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S Covid-19 vaccines continue to arrive in the country, more people are getting vaccinated and protected from Covid-19. New Covid-19 infections per day, reproduction rate, Average Daily Attack Rate (ADAR), are showing promising numbers.

The economy is also starting to recover, albeit slowly, but many business owners are optimistic as workers return to their jobs. The growing concern, however, is— are companies ready to get them back? Are there sufficient health protection programs in place that will guarantee their protection in the workplace? Are there industries still at risk?

During the recent TV UP webinar titled “Work Bubbles: Ligtas ba sa Covid-19 ang ating mga Workers?” Dr. Joselito Gapas, Head of Occupational Health of First Philippine Holdings (FPH) Corporation, thought earlier on that the virus would simply die down if draconian control measures were put into place, probably with an occasional spike, but everything will eventually go back to normal.

Different outcome

Unfortunately, Gapas said, the outbreak turned out differently. There were multiple spikes and surges brought about by the virus variants, inadequate public health measures and delay in vaccine acquisition, including vaccine inequity in low- and middle-income countries.

That is why at FPH, Gapas said they came up with a “Covid-19 safety bubble” strategy that involved four key aspects of control and protection in areas they could focus on—the workplace, the home, the community, and travel to and from work.

In the workplace, Gapas said they protected their workers and business partners, which they expanded to include the home. “We protected the home since workers, once infected at home, can bring the virus to the workplace, or if workers are not protected, they can bring the virus home and infect the household. They should also be protected while they’re moving about in the community.”

Lastly, he said the workers will travel going to and from work. They need to be protected as well while traveling in between, Gapas said.

Protective “bubbles”

At FPH, they also implemented protective, preventive and reactive “bubbles” to reduce the risk of Covid-19. The “safety bubble,” Gapas explained, is a set of engineering, administrative, personal protection, and other measures meant to reduce the risk of people being exposed to Covid-19 and to prevent or minimize its spread.

They know, however, that this

is not perfect so they also came up with “recovery” measures in when infections occur whether at work or at home, how to help workers recover and return to their normal lives.

Gapas said the measures were meant to prevent “seeding” or prevent the virus from entering the bubble, prevent “spread” or prevent the virus from infecting other people, and “recover” to help the infected recover from the infection and save lives.

As a company with diverse business interests, Gapas knows that there can never be a “one size fits all” strategy as each company within FPH has different cultures, business processes and operations and levels of intellect among workers. That is why prior to implementing the program, all companies were required to conduct “risk assessment” before developing a Covid-19 risk management program. “They have to know their risk so that we can properly develop a program that is appropriate for that risk since the companies have different risk profiles.”

Inventory

The companies were also asked to do an inventory of their available resources, location, business operations, including worker and family profiles. As a result of the inventory, each company developed their own “fit for purpose” and cost-effective Covid-19 risk protocol.

Overall, the strategy involved developing various components like protecting the workplace, protecting the home, provision of support services (Covid-19 hotline, teleconsultation, counseling on emotional wellbeing, mental health access facility), communication and engagement because they believe that “when people are informed properly, they can decide rationally.” Last is vaccination where they vaccinated employees, business partners and household members via their “Vac2Normal ” program, which they planned as early as October 2020.

As of October 26, 2021, Gapas said 95.9 percent of their employees have already been vaccinated (77.4 percent are fully vaccinated, 18.5 percent got their first dose), with minimal vaccine hesitancy due to intensive education campaign. “Right now, we’re just awaiting clearance from the Department of Health to proceed with adolescent (12-17 years old) vaccination and booster shots for adults.”

For now, Gapas said the company is looking at future Covid-19 scenarios and strategies. “We believe the crisis is not close to being resolved but will simply move on to a new phase.” Rory Visco

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HE Philippines lost a gem after reigning US Women’s Open champion Yuka Saso announced on Wednesday her decision to choose Japanese citizenship when she turns 22 on June 20, 2023.

Japanese laws allow its people with dual citizenship to choose their nationality when they turn 22.

Saso was born to a Japanese father and a Filipino mother in San Ildefonso, Bulacan.

“I chose Japan because of its nationality law,” Saso told Yahoo News Japan on Wednesday. “I have in my heart that I am both Japanese and Filipino no matter which one I choose.”

“I am full of gratitude for being able to play in Japan again,” said Saso, a two-time winner in the Japan Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour.

Saso won individual and team gold medals at the Jakarta 2018 Asian Games and represented the Philippines at the Tokyo Olympics along with Bianca Pagdanganan and Juvic Pagunsan.

Saso returns to the Japanese Tour in the Toto Japan Classic that starts on Thursday in Shiga Prefecture.

Philippine Olympic Committee President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said he wasn’t surprised with Saso’s decision.

“We all knew it’s coming, it’s the power of the passport and incentives including sponsorship,” Tolentino said.

“Plus benefits from the Japanese government like health care, social security and the best passport in the world— she needs to play around the world.”

Live fans possible in PBA’s potential return to NCR

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By Josef Ramos

HE Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) could hold its second conference in Metro Manila once quarantine protocols are lowered to Alert Level 2, Senate Sports Committee Chairman Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go said on Wednesday.

Go also told BusinessMirror that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases heeded the PBA’s request to resume its import-laden second conference later this month with fans.

“In response to the PBA letter dated October 29, the IATF indicated that indoor basketball games will be allowed in a places under Alert Level 2 and where the concerned LGU [local government unit] has no objection, at 50 percent of the indoor venue seating capacity,” Go said.

The IATF is looking at the possibility of putting Metro Manila at Alert Level 2 starting November 15 because of the decline in Covid-19 cases.

“I’m hopeful that finally the PBA games will resume in Metro Manila because there’s a big possibility that the entire National Capital Region will be declared to Alert Level 2 before Christmas,” Go said. “If the league returns to Manila, it will be huge not only for the PBA but for the people and for small and big time business establishments.”

Sports

SASO OPTS FOR JAPANESE CITIZENSHIP

BusinessMirror

B8

| Thursday, November 4, 2021 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

YUKA SASO will be donning Japan’s colors in two years time. AP

EMPHATIC VICTORY!

HAMMERING Braves rout Astros to win first World Series crown since 1995. AP

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OUSTON—Most of the season, it just seemed this wasn’t their year.

They dropped their first four games, and soon injuries piled up. They lost their most dynamic player before the All-Star break. They were stuck below .500 in August.

Yet out of nowhere, suddenly, these Atlanta Braves transformed themselves and took off.

Jorge Soler, Freddie Freeman and the Braves breezed to their first World Series championship since 1995, hammering the Houston Astros, 7-0, on Tuesday night in Game 6. Max Fried threw six dominant innings in a signature pitching performance to close it out.

“We hit every pothole, every bump you could possibly hit

this year,” Freeman said. “Injuries, every single kind of thing that could happen, that could go wrong went wrong, and we overcame every single one of those things.”

How proud Hank Aaron would’ve been.

Even so, Atlanta’s troubles never fully went away.

General manager Alex Anthopoulos, the architect of the Braves’ midseason turnaround, missed this crowning achievement after testing positive for Covid-19. He was back home for the clincher.

Soler, a July acquisition who tested positive for the coronavirus in the playoffs, backed Fried early with a monster three-run shot for his third homer against the Astros.

Freeman hit an RBI double and then punctuated the romp with a

solo home run in the seventh that made it 7-0.

By then, it was a total team effort.

Ailing star Ronald Acuña Jr., the dynamo of Atlanta’s future, bounded from the dugout to join the celebration for Freeman, the longtime face of the franchise.

When Yuli Gurriel grounded out to end it, Freeman caught the throw at first base, put the ball in his pocket, and the party was on for manager Brian Snitker’s club.

A full hour after the game, hundreds of Braves fans packed behind the team’s third base dugout kept doing the chop and chant, causing loud echoes to bounce around the ballpark.

About 700 miles away at suburban Truist Park, thousands of fans poured into the Braves’ home to holler.

A mere afterthought in the

summer heat among the land of the Giants, White Sox and Dodgers, but magnificent in the Fall Classic.

“This is the toughest team I’ve ever been a part of,” said shortstop Dansby Swanson, who also homered.

Soler tapped his heart twice before beginning his home run trot after connecting off rookie Luis Garcia in the third inning, sending the ball flying completely out of Minute Maid Park and clinching the Series MVP award.

By the end, nothing could stop them. Not a broken leg sustained by starter Charlie Morton in the World Series opener. Not a big blown lead in Game 5.

Steadied by the 66-year-old Snitker, an organization man for four decades, the underdog Braves won the franchise’s fourth title. AP

AMATEUR SINGSON SETS PACE WITH 70 AT ICTSI AOKI CLASSIC MAFY SINGSON and Laurea Duque upstage the pros in the first round.

Season of ‘The Jaguar’

HE may not be counted among the acknowledged kings and princes of Philippine MMA, namely the Team Lakay.

But Jeremy “The Jaguar” Miado is consolidating a kingdom of his own in the sport that many say is second nature to Filipinos.

Almost a week ago, the 28-year old Bicolano dazzled global fans at ONE Championship’s ONE: Next Gen, a sixbout card topped by the ONE Women’s Atomweight World Grand Prix semifinals. Putting on a show of masterful striking from the bell, Miado was light on his feet, almost breezy in his demeanor, but meant business from the start.

Miao Li Tao, his opponent, coped and survived, but come the second, Miado found a golden moment and let a barrage of punches rain on his Chinese foe.

Miao had waited for this opportunity to get back at

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AFY SINGSON outshot Laurea Duque at the finish in a fierce duel of amateurs in windy conditions to snatch a two-under 70 as the young turks upstaged the pros in the opener of the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Aoki Classic at Eagle Ridge on Wednesday in General Trias, Cavite.

Singson broke a two-birdie, twobogey round with birdies on Nos. 15 and 16 then watched flightmate Duque stumble with a bogey-birdie-bogey card from No. 15 to move from onedown to two-up after 18 holes of the event marking the restart of the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour after a threemonth hiatus.

“I played pretty well. It was windy and just tried to hit it in the middle,” said Singson, who birdied Nos. 7 and 12 to negate her mishaps on Nos. 11 and 13.

She stayed in shape during the break through regular practice and workout but stressed the need for consistency in anticipation of the big

Miado for the flying knee knockout the Filipino dealt him in the Circle two years ago. He wanted to prove it was a fluke.

That this time around he was ready for the Filipino, and better than ever.

“Beating Miado would…definitely help me with my heart and spirit,” said the Chinese fighter, who found himself at the wrong end of a flying knee that connected straight to his chin and knocked him out cold.

“I never believed that Miado is the better fighter between the two of us. I was just going too rough and I wasn’t careful enough in that first match and that’s why he caught me. This time I’ll just stick to my game plan and do my thing and I believe that I will be the winner without a doubt.”

In fact, he wanted to be the one to knock Miado out this time around.

“I got finished last time, so there’s no excuse for me to not finish him this time,” he said. “I will put on a show and knock him unconscious for good.”

Well, the MMA gods had other plans. That golden Miado Moment came just 50 seconds into the second round. That flurry of punches—delivered so fast and masterfully by Miado—was enough to put a stop to Miao’s ambition. The rematch ended in another subjugating TKO. It was another spectacular strawweight win.

After the fight, Miado did his post-fight interview with emcee Mitch Chilson as lightly as if he were just a weekend basketball athlete back from a pick-up game from a nearby outdoor court. He showed no signs of wear and tear, not even a little hard breathing from the cardio he just put himself through.

guns’ charge in the next two days.

“I hope to keep it up, hit the fairways and greens and be more consistent,” added Singson.

Duque, the low amateur at Eagle Ridge-Aoki ruled by Harmie Constantino last March, bucked a bogey-bogey start with three birdies in an eight-hole stretch from No. 6 to wrest control by one over Singson after 14 holes. But her wobbly finish enabled her fellow Manila Southwoods team member to take command in the early going of the 54-hole championship put up by ICTSI. Still, she said she was more than satisfied with her performance given the tough playing conditions.

“My game was pretty solid. I started out with two bogeys but holed in some putts and ended up shooting even,” said Duque, who, however, opted to tone down expectations of a big finish this week.

“I just want to have fun, no expectations but I know I’m playing well,” she added.

While two of the five amateurs in the fold put up an impressive start in hot conditions, the pros struggled coming off a long break with Constantino barely surviving a day-long struggle in sweltering heat, hitting four birdies but fumbling with five bogeys to settle for third with a 73.

He has improved a great deal, noted insiders at ONE. Miado had been self training for the longest time and working by himself, with the help of his wife Chesla (also an MMA athlete) and his brother. But his gym, Switch, where he was the coach, closed down. And before he knew it, he was training with the Zamboanga siblings, Drex and Denice in Marrok Force Gym in Bangkok.

This time, he had a trainer, a mentor, and he started to discover and develop parts of himself he had never discovered before.

Marrok Force Director of MMA Williams Arangquiz, a Chilean Purple Belt, has been impressed with Miado ever since he came to Marrok Force through Drex and Denice.

“They said he was a good fighter so I checked him out and I was surprised by his power, watching his knockouts, and his unpredictable style.”

“Jeremy doesn’t give up easily,” Aranguiz said. “He has a very strong fighting heart and he loves his family. I know it has been very difficult for him recently, having been away from his family for over two years to focus on his career and it’s really a tough period for him. But he still comes into the gym looking to work hard every single day, and he’s just waiting patiently for his moment to shine.”

Aranguiz felt Miado needed a more solid ground game though. “When he arrived at Marrok Force, we worked a lot on his footwork, timing, and wrestling, especially in the area of takedown defense.” This is one of the reasons, Aranquiz said, that prior to ONE: Next Gen, Miado had not been able to string back-to-back victories in ONE. “I needed to improve my ground game like wrestling and BJJ [Brazilian Jiu Jitsu],” admitted Miado. “I chose Marrok

RSA HANDS TOKYO OLYMPICS MEDALISTS CASH INCENTIVES

S

AN MIGUEL Corp. (SMC) president Ramon S. Ang wished Tokyo Olympics medalists Carlo Paalam, Nesthy Petecio and Eumir Felix Marcial the best as they gun for the Philippines’s first Olympic gold in boxing in the Paris Olympics three years from now.

Paris 2024, interestingly, marks the country’s 100th year of participation in the quadrennial Games.

Ang personally handed his P5 million cash incentives each to silver medalists Petecio and Paalam and P2 million to Marcial for his bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

Besides the cash incentives, Ang said SMC will provide the three boxers with any SMC business of their choice that they can put up in their respective home provinces.

All three boxers are from Mindanao—Marcial is from Zamboanga City while Paalam and Petecio hail from Cagayan de Oro and Davao del Sur, respectively.

“At a time when our country is seeing the initial signs of hope to recover from the pandemic, our Olympic medalists continue to inspire us to do our best and rise above all difficulties,” Ang said. “As we wish them further success in boxing in the coming Olympics and in Eumir’s case, his next professional bout, we also taking steps to further secure their future with the San Miguel Corp. businesses of their choice.”

Ang said that the country’s first Olympic gold, courtesy of weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz in Tokyo would serve to inspire the three Olympic boxers to vie for the gold in one of the Filipinos’ favorite sport—where Anthony Villanueva and Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco achieved silver medal finishes in 1964 in Tokyo and 1996 in Atlanta, respectively.

Ang also gave a P10 million incentive to weightlifter Diaz, who won the gold in Tokyo.

Ang also sees the middleweight Marcial, who turned pro last year, as one of the brightest spots in Philippine boxing as he beat American Andrew Whitfield in his professional debut last December before becoming the first Filipino pro boxer to compete and win a medal in the Olympics.

“Eumir’s first bout is impressive, considering that he turned pro and fought his first pro bout following a long layoff due to the pandemic. I see him reaching the greater heights like great boxers Flash Elorde and Manny Pacquiao, who have long been associated with San Miguel during and even after their professional careers,”Ang said.

“If he becomes a champion in his division in the coming years and also wins a gold medal in the Paris Olympics in 2024, then he will have the unique distinction of being the first one to do so,” he added.

SAN MIGUEL Corp. president Ramon S. Ang strikes a pose with Tokyo Olympics medalists Carlo Paalam, Nesthy Petecio and Eumir Felix Marcial.

Force because they were the ones who gave my wife and me the opportunity to train with them. Here, we train together with the Zamboangas, who are very good people and very helpful. They always share advice and their knowledge about martial arts with us, unselfishly.”

Pre-fight, Miado said of Miao: “I expect a hard fight from Miao because he would like to get back at me for what happened last fight. But I’ll still be looking for a KO win.” He had accurately predicted “a KO or TKO win in the first or second round.”

And so Jeremy Miado, the unheralded, the simple, humble son of farmers from Albay is riding high on his recent spectacular, consecutive victory in ONE. He now has 10 wins and four losses, a career that is stunningly punctuated by a knockout win against legendary Muay Thai World Champion and former ONE Strawweight World Champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke in 2018.

Dejdamrong was able to even the score with him when they met again in February 2019, however. Just the same, his combat sports record to date of 76-7 is an amazing achievement for someone so lowkey.

Besides his blazing heart and his quiet but unswerving focus to become a professional martial arts athlete who will be a ONE champion one day, Jeremy has a built-in advantage as a martial arts athlete, says Pauline Cunanan of ONE. “He’s tall, he has the advantage of both height and reach. Athletes of Jeremy’s size in strawweight are extremely rare. Plus he is really strong. And he trains with very strong athletes too.”

Things are really looking up for Jeremy Miado. ‘Tis the Season of “The Jaguar.”