Issuu

FDI Aug net inflow up 19.8% to $812M

SYNERGY Grid and Development Philippines Inc. (SGP) publicly listed its shares from its Follow-On Offering (FOO) on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) on Wednesday. Leading the listing event and bell-ringing ceremony were Atty. Paul P. Sagayo, SGP President and CEO, and Ramon S. Monzon, PSE President and CEO. SGP Chairman Henry Sy Jr. and Vice Chairman Robert Coyiuto Jr. joined the event online, together with other executives from SGP, PSE, National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), and other partner institutions instrumental in the listing. Story in Companies, page B1. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

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ONG-TERM investments made by foreign investors to the Philippines sustained their growth in August this year, marking the third consecutive month of higher investments from its 2020 level. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported on Wednesday that foreign direct investments (FDI) hit a net inflow of $812 million in August—up 19.8 percent from the $677 million seen in the same month last year. This development brought the FDI net inflows for the first eight months of the year to $6.4 billion, higher by 39.7 percent

than the $4.6-billion net inflows in the comparable period in 2020. FDI are investments made by foreign players to the Philippines in the hopes of long-term return. Since these are in the country for a longer-term compared to their short-term counterpart—the foreign portfolio investments (FPI)—FDI usually create jobs for Filipinos and have a multiplier effect on the economy. The BSP attributed the increase in FDI net inflows in July this year mainly to the 71.6-percent growth year-on-year in investments in debt instruments,

to $4.5 billion from $2.6 million, in the January-to-August period during the year. Likewise, reinvestment of earnings rose by 11 percent to $776 million from $699 million in 2020. Non-residents’ net investments in equity capital, however, declined by 12.2 percent to $1.1 billion, from $1.2 billion a year ago.This, as placements dropped by 8.2 percent to $1.4 billion from $1.5 billion while withdrawals increased by 12.1 percent to $272 million from $243 million. Equity capital placements were sourced primarily from

Singapore, Japan, and the United States. These were channeled mainly in the manufacturing; financial and insurance; electricity, gas, steam, and air-conditioning; and real-estate industries. Just last month, a BSP paper on FDI developments in the Asean-5 showed that out of the 13 variables identified by the study as determinants to FDI attractiveness, the Philippines was the poorest in 7 indicators among the Asean-5 nations. The Asean-5 in the study comprised Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam. Bianca Cuaresma

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Thursday, November 11, 2021 Vol. 17 No. 34

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

OUTLOOK ON COVID DIP WB: TRANSPARENCY IN DEBT REPORTS NEEDED B C U. O @caiordinario

THE statue of St. Joseph and the Child Jesus, as seen from the Aurora Milestone Building in Quezon City, is reflected in a mirror, with the cityscape of Quezon City below. The Philippine economy could finally return to its pre-pandemic level by next year, given its higher-than-expected growth in the third quarter, the National Economic and Development Authority said. NONIE REYES B B C @BcuaresmaBM

NTERNATIONAL think tank Fitch Solutions raised its growth outlook of the Philippines for this year, as Covid-19 cases drop and economic activity starts to normalize in the country.

In a statement on Wednesday, the research arm of the Fitch group said it now expects the country to post a gross domestic product (GDP) output of 4.5 percent, up from the 4.2 percent earlier expected. “A gradual relaxing of domestic mobility restrictions and continued support measures from policymakers helped propel activity,

bringing the economy closer to its pre-pandemic output levels,” Fitch Solutions said. “There are signs of a continued recovery in the fourth quarter of 2021, with mobility data signaling an increase in domestic activity and vaccination rates rising in the key economic hub of Manila,”

HE World Bank has called for greater transparency to better assess the sustainability and restructuring of debts after the pandemic. World Bank Group President David Malpass warned that many poor countries will emerge from the pandemic with the largest debt burdens but have limited debt transparency. In its report titled, “Debt Transparency in Developing Economies,” the World Bank found that 40 percent of lowincome countries have not published any data about their sovereign debt for more than two years. “Improving debt transparency requires a sound public debt-management legal framework, integrated debt recording and management systems, and improvements in the global debt monitoring,” Malpass said in a statement. “International financial institutions, debtors, creditors, and other stakeholders, such as credit-rating agencies and civil society, all have a key role to play in fostering debt transparency,” he added. The report noted, however, that there are efforts to be

more transparent in terms of securing debt. The World Bank said countries like the Philippines have adopted a requirement to disclose entire debt contracts. Other countries which have disclosed debt contracts include Barbados, Kosovo, Kyrgyz Republic, and Sierra Leone. Transparency is crucial, the World Bank said, given the increase in government liabilities. As of 2018, International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) reflects P8billion total liabilities while Government Finance Statistics (GFS) showed P6.8 billion of general government gross debt. The World Bank noted that the Philippines reports its annual financial statements largely consistent with accrual-based IPSAS. Its 2018 Annual Financial Report reported general government gross debt of 38.9 percent of GDP. However, this has significantly increased. The national government’s outstanding debt as of end-September this year ballooned to another record high of P11.92 trillion from P9.37 trillion a year ago. Latest data from the Bureau of the Treasury showed the government’s debt stock grew S “WB,” A

C  A

Biz groups urge govt to look into Malampaya stake sale B T J C. P @Tyronepiad

EVERAL business groups urged the Senate and concerned agencies to continue looking into the sale transaction of Malampaya stake. In a statement on Wednesday, these groups said the government should “fully explore why the government did not exercise its right of first refusal over Chevron’s and Shell’s shares in Malampaya” gas field project. “By failing to do so, the govern-

ment may have given up tens of billions of pesos at a time when the government needs money more than ever and more importantly has put the country’s energy and national security at risk,” the statement read. Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. sold its 45-percent stake in Malampaya to Malampaya Energy XP Pte Ltd., a subsidiary of Dennis Uy-led Udenna Corp. It is yet to be approved by the Department of Energy. The signatories said they understand if the government has

concerns over buying the ownership Chevron and Shell despite the future revenues offsetting the cost given the current situation. As such, they asked the “Senate and concerned agencies and groups to fully explore if the government could easily get financing for such a purchase, as was done by the private purchaser, given Malampaya’s stable and highly guaranteed revenue stream.” The Senate and concerned agencies also need to look into why the government failed to award a license, whether by extension or to

a new consortium, in 2019, they said. “From an energy security standpoint, the delay may be a breach of fiduciary duty given that the existing wells are expected to be depleted by 2025, and the estimated 5 years needed to explore and develop additional wells,” the groups noted. It is also important for the legislators to see the logic behind the sale of a critical energy asset to an entity that has “no experience or C  A

PESO EXCHANGE RATES ■ US 50.0330 ■ JAPAN 0.4433 ■ UK 67.8347 ■ HK 6.4224 ■ CANADA 40.2324 ■ SINGAPORE 37.1551 ■ AUSTRALIA 36.8993 ■ SAUDI ARABIA 13.3410 ■ EU 58.0133 ■ CHINA 7.8250 Source: BSP (November 10, 2021)

News BusinessMirror

Thursday, November 11, 2021

10.5K cap for deployment of HCWs eyed

HE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said the deployment cap for healthcare workers (HCW) next year may be increased to 10,500 depending on the outcome of nursing board examinations this month. Labor Assistant Secretary Dominique R. Tutay said this was the proposal of the Mission Critical Skills Technical Working Group (MCSTWG), when it met last Tuesday to discuss the deployment cap for HCWs. The MCS-TWG is willing to recommend to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to increase the current 6,500 deployment cap by another 4,000 slots if 12,000 additional nurses become licensed this year. “So that will increase the deployment cap next to 10,500,” Tutay said. During the nursing board examination held in July, she said less than 5,000 board passers registered to become a licensed nurse. Tutay said in the next nursing board examination scheduled on November 21 and 22, 2021, at least 8,000 of the 12,300 registered examinees need to pass the test and become licensed nurses so the government could reach its 12,000 target new nurses this year. If that target will not be met, she said they may lower the increase in the deployment cap, but she assured it will not go below 5,000 slots. Samuel P. Medenilla

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Fully jabbed job applicants may have better hiring chance—DOLE D

SARA CAN’T RUN FOR NATL POST UNDER HNP

B S P. M

@sam_medenilla

ULLY-INOCULATED jobseekers may soon have a higher chance of getting hired under the proposed Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) policy to give employers discretion to hire based on the vaccination status of applicants.

In a virtual press briefing on Wednesday, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) disclosed there is now such a pending IATF resolution, which is expected to further increase the number of workers who are vaccinated against

Covid-19. “As its stands now the term used [in the resolution] is ‘may’ so it is still not mandatory,” said Labor Assistant Secretary Dominique R. Tutay, in explaining about the resolution.

Instead, she said, employers may use the vaccination status as one of the criteria when selecting a qualified applicant. Once finalized by the IATF, Tutay said DOLE will issue guidance for the implementation of the said policy. DOLE issued the statement after President Duterte said in his public address on Tuesday night that it is “legal” for employers to hire vaccinated workers over those who are not. “If you are not vaccinated, you will not be hired. I think that is legal,” Duterte said. He, however, stressed employers could not fire workers who refuse to get Covid-19 vaccines. Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III had made a similar policy pronouncement last month, which drew the ire of labor leaders, who tagged it as a form of discrimination.

LABOR Assistant Secretary Dominique R. Tutay

FITCH RAISES GROWTH OUTLOOK ON COVID DIP C  A

Fitch added. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) earlier reported that the country grew 7.1

percent in the third quarter of the year, surpassing market expectations. Fitch Solutions said they expect private consumption to grow by

3.7 percent in 2021, revised upward from the earlier expectation of 3.5 percent. The think tank said recovery in private consumption is key to the Philippines’s real GDP growth, given the fact that private consumption accounts for around 74 percent of output. “The easing of domestic restrictions in the fourth quarter of the year, particularly around Metro Manila, will help bolster private consumption. Google mobility data are already reflecting a strong rebound in domestic activity, with data for retail and recreation, and grocery and pharmacy mobility signaling the highest level of activity since the onset of the pandemic in the second quarter of 2020. This tallies with the recovery in the retail index, which in October rose to its highest level since July,” Fitch Solutions said. For next year, the research firm revised its growth outlook of the country from 6.8 percent to 6.5 percent. “While we expect economic growth to increase further

in 2022, remaining challenges will stop the Philippine economy returning to its prepandemic growth trajectory,” the research firm said.

Proceed with caution

ALTHOUGH Fitch Solutions turned more optimistic for the year, the think tank still warned of lingering risks heading into next year. “The Philippines still remains vulnerable to Covid-19 outbreaks given disparities between regional vaccination rollouts and the lower efficacy rates of the vaccines administered. As of October 21, only 22.6 percent of the population had been fully vaccinated and the lower efficacy of the vaccines being used could mean that there is a greater need for booster shots,” Fitch Solutions said. “In the near term, further disruptions could weigh on the pace of the economic recovery, and the prospects of a revival in the country’s tourism sector remain dim,” it added.

Comelec readies guidelines for in-person campaigning

ANDIDATES may be accompanied with an unlimited number of staff, when conducting inperson campaigns in areas with Alert Level 1 under the pending Commission on Elections resolution for in-person campaigns in the 2022 polls. Comelec Commissioner Marlon Casquejo presented the updated draft resolution at an online hearing of the Committee on Suff rage and Electoral Reforms of the House of Representatives on Wednesday. In the issuance, the only condition is that the unlimited number of staff in Alert Level 1 must still exercise minimum health standards such as wearing of face masks and 1-meter distancing. For areas under Alert Level 2, a candidate may be accompanied by a maximum of five campaign support staff. For Alert Level 3 locations, it is only three. Casquejo said in-person cam-

paigns will not be allowed in locations under Alert Level 4 and 5. Aside from in-person campaign rules, the pending Comelec resolution also contains guidelines for rallies; caucuses, meetings and conventions; motorcades and caravans; and meeting de avance. Casquejo said their rules for the size of the crowd which could accompany a candidate for in-person campaign will be based on the Alert Level System (ALS), currently still being piloted by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF). In a related development, Casquejo said they will soon also release the separate guidelines for online campaigns. Both guidelines were already presented to the Comelec en banc and will be subjected to its approval in its next meeting. Samuel P. Medenilla

AVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio needs to leave her political party, Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), and join a national party before she can run for a national position in the 2022 polls, according to the Commission on Elections. In a virtual briefing on Wednesday, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez explained the presidential daughter cannot run for president, vice president, or the Senate under HNP since it is a regional political party. “If you are HNP, and you are running for a national position, you would be running as an independent,” Jimenez said. To remedy the situation, he said Carpio must join a national political party that already has an aspiring presidential candidate. She could then become a substitute for the said candidate. The renewed possibility of the President’s daughter gunning for a national position sparked anew speculation that some of the Duterte allies who filed COCs for president or vice president may simply be “placeholder” candidates for her. Speculation that Carpio will be attempting to run for president or vice president surfaced last Tuesday after she withdrew her Certificate of Candidacy (COC) as reelectionist Davao mayor. No less than her father, President Duterte, said he is already supporting his daughter’s possible presidential bid. As of press time, Carpio has yet to announce her plans after withdrawing her COC as mayor. The deadline for the voluntary substitution of candidates is on November 15, 2021. In anticipation of the possible surge of last-minute substitutions, Jimenez said their office will remain open this Saturday. “We know as a matter of history that Filipinos love the last days. We are concerned that they may flock to the offices to withdraw since personal appearance is a requirement,” Jimenez said. Samuel P. Medenilla

WB...

C  A

by 27.2 percent or P2.55 trillion in just a year. The outstanding debt level as of end-September this year has already exceeded by 1.62 percent the government’s expected level of debt stock by year-end of P11.73 trillion. “Debt Transparency in Developing Economies should end any complacency about addressing debt transparency challenges in low-income countries. The time to act is now,” Malpass said in his foreword in the report. Achieving effective debt surveillance, the World Bank said, will not be easy—but it can be done. The report lays out a detailed list of recommendations, ranked in order of urgency. Prominent among them: publishing public and publicly guaranteed debt statistics annually; encouraging coordinated data collection and reporting; and instituting integrated debt recording and management systems that align with international standards.

Biz groups urge govt to look into Malampaya stake sale C  A

track record in gas exploration or production” during the bidding process. “Given the acquirer’s lack of expertise and heavily financed nature of the proposed purchases, it is highly likely that they will take on partners,” they added. The parties told the government to assess the buyer’s financial and technical capabilities and interests. In addition, the government needs

to “reserve, enforce and exercise its right to block and invalidate transfers of shares and control that may be disadvantageous to the Filipino,” they said. The signatories are the Energy Lawyers Association of the Philippines, Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, Filipina CEO Circle, Integrity Initiative Inc., Investment Houses Association of the Philippines, Makati Business Club, Philippine Women’s Economic Network and Women’s Business Council Philippines.

A4 Thursday, November 11, 2021 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

Economy BusinessMirror

Neglect of air quality costs PHL $87.6B a year–study

By Jonathan L. Mayuga

@jonlmayuga

HE cost of neglecting air quality is costing the Philippines a whopping $87.6 billion in losses a year, notwithstanding the enactment of the Philippine Clean Air Act two decades ago, a recent study has revealed. The result of the study, entitled Aiming Higher: Benchmarking the Philippine Clean Air Act by the Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) and the Institute of Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC), was presented during a webinar, which also bared that polluted air has contributed to at least 15 percent more Covid-19 deaths and illnesses on top of other medical impacts. In her presentation, Isabela Suarez, an analyst at CREA and a coauthor of the report said air pollution costs the Philippines P4.5 trillion every year, which in 2019 represented 23 percent of the GDP. “Neglecting air pollution comes with a heavy bill in the form of increased health care and welfare costs, as well as loss of labor and economic productivity,” she said. The report found that air pollution in the country is responsible for 66,000 premature deaths every year. “If this does not spell out how urgent the situation is, it’s hard

to imagine what else can spur the government to truly implement the country’s Clean Air Act. Our findings show the degree to which Filipino’s long-term exposure to air pollution increases the risk of developing illnesses such as asthma, lung cancer and stroke, as well as comorbidities to Covid-19,” Vince Carlo Garcia, a research analyst at ICSC and another coauthor of the report said for his part. In September, the World Health Organization (WHO) revised its recommended “safe levels” of air pollution based on growing scientific evidence that air pollution is more dangerous to human health than previously estimated. According to the report, if the WHO guidelines were met, the country’s annual air pollution-related deaths could be reduced by more than half while economic costs would be reduced to a third. A reactor to the webinar, Jundy del Soccorro of the DENR’s Environ-

mental Management Bureau (EMB) said the “first step to finding a solution is acknowledging the problem, [which is why] we need all the data and expertise from academe and government agencies.” The del Soccorro cited the initiatives the agency is pursuing in line with the Clean Air Act, including a project to gather data from industrial sources in real time. Del Soccorro said a total of 70 firms in the Philippines already have existing continuous emissions monitoring systems, 35 percent of which are now connected to their Air Quality Network Operation Center. The project aims to reach 100 percent completion by 2022. Suarez noted, however “the initiative can reach its full potential if more stringent emission standards are enacted so emissions from these sources are kept at a minimum.” During the webinar, Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, principal author of the Clean Air Act, expressed frustration over the Executive branch of government’s “inaction.” Legarda said, “Millions of premature deaths around the world have been attributed to poor air quality and millions more are exposed to higher levels of pollution from a growing number of pollution sources. Some of the pollutants also contribute to climate change.” Legarda said it was unacceptable that the country is missing “by more than 200 percent what is deemed to be safe” in accordance

to the WHO’s new guidelines. “The adverse impacts of climate change and poor air quality do not recognize political colors. It is incumbent upon us to come together and take leadership in the effort to promote the health of the environment and of our people,” Legarda said. Legarda urged the passage of a “Joint Resolution of Congress…to constitute the Congressional Oversight Committee on the Clean Air Act” to speed up the implementation of the law. The Aim Higher report showed sources of mobile, stationary, and area emissions have increased since the year 2000 but the policies that control emissions from each source have not kept up. The authors emphasized the full implementation of the Clean Air Act should be prioritized, especially as many of the solutions to air pollution have climate co-benefits. “Meeting the fully protective WHO Guidelines will take time but every improvement in air quality matters so we need to ensure that air pollution and emissions reductions are tied to welldefined, time-bound targets and milestones,” said Suarez. Among the DENR-EMB’s wish list for tackling air pollution decisively are the improved provision of budgetary support to improve the agency’s capacity to monitor outdoor and source pollution, and the prioritization of targeted initiatives with air pollution reduction benefits under the Build, Build, Build.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Business groups seek ‘immediate’ passage of transport safety bill By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad @TyronePiad

OREIGN business groups, industry associations and advocacy organizations pressed for the immediate ratification of the bill establishing the Philippine Transportation Safety Board (PTSB). In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, the signatories said that the PTSB bill “is ready for immediate passage.” “With the bicameral conference committee of both chambers having been convened, the associations and foreign chambers eagerly await the ratification of the reconciled version,” they said. The parties said that the measure has been pending before Congress for over two decades already, noting that it was only during the 18th Congress when significant strides were made. The bill wants to create a non-regulatory and independent agency with the primary task of conducting impartial investigations on transportation-related accidents and incidents. The said body is an attached agency to the Office of the President. The proposed law also seeks to prevent transportation accidents and make sure that transportation safety standards

are duly implemented. Currently, they noted that different agencies handle the investigations relating to transportation accidents. These include the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, Maritime Industry Authority, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, Philippine National Police, Land Transportation Office and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority. “Once enacted, the new PTSB can commence its programs to discourage the major transportation accidents causing the lives of too many Filipinos,” they said. The signatories of the joint letter include Air Carriers Association of the Philippines, American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Australian-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines and European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines. In addition, International Air Transport Association, Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines Inc., Korean Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Inc., Philippine Association of Multinational Companies Regional Headquarters Inc. and Safe Travel Alliance also signed.

News BusinessMirror

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Thursday, November 11, 2021 A5

DFA probes data breach into PHL passport tracking system By Malou Talosig-Bartolome

HE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is suspending the passport tracking system as it investigates a potential data breach of their passport applicants. DFA Undersecretary for Civilian Security and Consular Concerns Brigido Dulay confirmed a report that the data of passport applicants may have been inadvertently exposed or compromised following what could be a “miscon-

figuration” of their Online Passport Tracker. Before this incident, Filipinos who applied for the first time or renewal of passports can track the status of their application via DFA’s Online Passport Tracker. The tracker was launched last September 11, 2021, amid mounting requests for updates of passport application. In a news statement, the DFA said its Office of Consular Affairs

(OCA) was made aware of a data privacy issue last Tuesday. “DFA-OCA has taken down the Online Passport Tracker and all its data sources to avoid further data broadcasting,” the DFA said. Passport applications contain numerous personal data such as house address, date of birth, place of birth, e-mail address and mobile phone numbers. However, the potential data that were exposed were names and mobile numbers of the pass-

port applicants and not the other data entered during the initial online application, DFA Assistant Secretary for Public and Consular Diplomacy Eduardo Meñez clarified to the BusinessMirror. “The tracking system is different from our application system,” Meñez explained. It is not known how many passport applicants were compromised from the misconfiguration. “The DFA’s IT Unit is currently investigating the circumstances

surrounding this issue and is taking appropriate measures to secure the data that may have been exposed. An internal audit will also be conducted to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future,” Meñez added. Those who wish to follow up the status of their passport application may contact the DFA on these numbers: E-mail addresses: passportconcerns@dfa.gov.ph, oca@dfa.gov.phHotlines: 09773533942, 09619432021,

09560526290 or (02) 8651-9400 Facebook: facebook.com/dfaphl Twitter: twitter.com DFAPHL, twitter. com/DFAOCA, Instagram: instagram. com/dfaphl The DFA-OCA has assured the public that it continues to prioritize the protection and privacy of the data it handles in accordance with the Data Privacy Act of 2021 (Republic Act 10173). It has also coordinated with the National Privacy Commission in resolving this issue.

Duterte names Dionardo Carlos as next PNP chief 3.1-M Pinoys get PhilID cards–PSA By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM

ENERAL Guillermo Eleazar urged on Wednesday the 222,000-strong Philippine National Police (PNP) to rally behind the leadership of Lt. Gen. Dionardo Carlos who was appointed by President Duterte as the incoming chief of the PNP. “The President has decided, now is the perfect time for the PNP to express our unity and solidarity behind the chain of command as we welcome a new leader who will ensure continuity of command in our organization,” Eleazar, the outgoing PNP chief said. Carlos, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1988 and the current fourth highest official in the PNP, will succeed Eleazar when he vows out

of service tomorrow (Friday, November 12, 2021), the eve of his 56th birthday. “General Carlos possesses all qualifications for the position, and President Duterte found him tailor fit for the criteria he wants for the Chief PNP,” Eleazar said. “General Carlos has this position cut out for him based on his seniority, track record and professional competence,” Eleazar stated. The PNP chief said that Carlos, who is his chief of directorial staff, “became instrumental in promoting the PNP flagship reform agenda of Intensified Cleanliness Policy by ensuring timely and hands on implementation of actionable program by PNP units.” “The mission ahead is as huge as the responsibility that rests on the

shoulders of General Carlos. I wish him all the best in the new post even as I offer myself in my humble capacity as a retired PNP Chief in whatever assistance I can provide,” Eleazar said.

Still a guessing game

AT Camp Aguinaldo, soldiers are keenly waiting for announcement regarding the successor of General Jose Faustino Jr. as chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. While retirement and assumption ceremonies have been scheduled tomorrow (Friday, November 12, 2021) with Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana as the presiding officer and Duterte as the guest of honor and virtual speaker, Malacañang is yet to announce the name of the incoming chief of staff.

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

HE Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) is confident that it will meet its target of registering 50 million Filipinos in Steps 1 and 2 of the National ID this year. As of the end of October, two months before the deadline, the PSA has completed the registration of 40.26 million Filipinos. Over 3.1 million Filipinos have already received PhilID cards nationwide through the Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost), as of October 31, 2021. “The PSA salutes all those who contributed to this milestone for the PhilSys Step 2 Registration. As we are nearing the conclusion of another year, we look forward to attaining our goals in registering the general population to PhilSys,” National Stat-

istician and Civil Registrar General Dennis S. Mapa said. “Rest assured that the PSA, together with its field offices and partner agencies, are working diligently and in unison despite the pandemic to ensure that more Filipinos can use their PhiIIDs to access various services,” he added. The Step 2 registrations involve verifying the registrant’s demographic information and capturing their biometric data, such as fingerprints, iris scans, and frontfacing photographs. The PhilSys Step 3 Registration involves the issuance of the unique PhilSys Number (PSN) and the PhilID card. The PSA partnered with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) for card production and personalization, while PHLPost manages the door-todoor delivery of the PhilID cards. “We humbly ask for the patience

and support of the public as we, together with the BSP and PHLPost, continuously do our best in accommodating millions of Filipinos who have successfully registered for PhilSys Step 1 and Step 2. In the meantime, please stay tuned for the launch of the PhilSys mobile ID,” said PSA Assistant Secretary Rosalinda P. Bautista, Deputy National Statistician of the PhilSys Registry Office. The PhilSys mobile ID is the digital version of the PhilID card. The launch of the PhilSys mobile ID aims to accelerate the use of PhilSys, by providing a digital alternative to the physical card. The PhilSys Card Number (PCN) is the public version of the PhilSys Number (PSN) printed on the front side of the PhilID, which shall be used when transacting for private and government services.

The Nation BusinessMirror

A4 Thursday, November 11, 2021 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug A6

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Comelec lists 200 ‘nuisance’ bets in May ’22 polls By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

VER 200 individuals who filed their certificates of candidacies (COC) for the 2022 national and local elections are now at risk of being declared as nuisance candidates, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) revealed on Wednesday.

Of the said figures, Comelec-Education and Information Department (EID) Assistant Director Elaiza David disclosed 82 are presidential aspirants, while 15 filed their COCs to run for vice president. The remaining 108 are aiming to join the senatorial derby. “This is our data on the number of petitions filed by Comelec to declare candidates as nuisance [bet],” David

said in a televised interview over the government-run PTV. The Omnibus Election Code allows Comelec to file motu propio petitions to declare aspiring candidates as nuisance candidates. Among the conditions for a candidate to be declared as a “nuisance” is the filing of COC to put the election process in mockery or disrepute, or to cause confusion among

the voters by the similarity of the names of the registered candidates, or by other circumstances or acts that clearly demonstrate that the candidate has no bona fide intention to run. In a rel ated development, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the poll body has also received 91 petitions for the cancellation of COCs of some as-

piring candidates. He stressed that the substitution rule does not apply to candidates with canceled COCs. “If it is cancellation, it’s as if no COC was filed. Therefore, no right to substitution is attached,” Jimenez said at an online news briefing on Wednesday. In its tentative list of candidates, Comelec was able to regis-

ter the aspirants for the following national positions in the 2022 polls: 97 for president; 28 for vice president; and 174 for senators. Comelec is expected to come out with the final list of the candidates for the 2022 elections after the deadline for the filing of voluntary substitution expires on Monday, November 15, 2021.

MILF readies ‘decommissioning’ of 14,000 more armed fighters By Manuel T. Cayon

@awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief

AVAO CITY—The largest group of Moro “mujahideens,” or armed fighters, from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are set to be decommissioned this month as part of the decommissioning process that was agreed upon by government and the MILF in their final peace settlement. The third phase involves 14,000 fighters, from out of the estimated 40,000 fighters under the MILF’s armed wing, the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Force. The information office of the

Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said the third phase of decommissioning process has started on November 8 in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao. The November 8 decommissioning program was witnessed by officials and representatives from government, the MILF, the foreign-led Independent Decommissioning Body (IDB), and the Bangsamoro government. The formal decommissioning process would also be conducted in five assembly and processing areas (APAs) in Mindanao. The Sultan Kudarat decommissioning program in the old Provincial Capitol of Sultan Kudarat municipality was designated

first APA for the entire phase three of decommissioning. In his message, MILF Peace Implementing Panel Chairman Mohagher Iqbal said that decommissioning was a critical component of “normalization.” “We may know decommissioning as putting weapons beyond use, but at the core of it is the combatants’ wellbeing, livelihood, and security, their families, and communities,” Iqbal said. He was the MILF vice chairman for information and now holds the concurrent position of BARMM education minister. “We welcome the third phase of the decommissioning process. It serves

as a testament to MILF’s commitment to the peace process and the strong partnership with GPH [Government of the Philippines] addressing the underlying cause of the conflict, inequality, and poverty in the Bangsamoro region,” Iqbal said. The third phase of the decommission of the MILF fighters and their weapons came on the heels of a recent decision by the Philippine government, through Republic Act 11593, extended the period of the transition in the Bangsamoro government. The law extended to the year 2025 the term of the Bangsamoro Transitional Authority, which serves as the regional government’s Parliament.

Too early to claim victory over Covid-19–Drilon By Butch Fernandez

@butchfBM

ENATE Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon cautioned Duterte administration officials against prematurely claiming victory over the Covid-19 contagion, citing reports it is still “too premature” to say so and instead pressed for timely release of additional funds for anti-Covid booster shots. Drilon reminded Wednesday “it is too early to say that the Philippines is winning the battle against Covid-19,” citing the pandemic’s devastating effects on the economy, including lost jobs that need to be recovered, businesses needing government intervention, and, “most importantly, the need for booster shots for next year.” “I think it is difficult to dispute that our country’s recovery is still in limbo,” rues Drilon, adding; “What-

ever we have accomplished thus far can be reversed when Covid-19 cases rise again or a more contagious virus enters the country.” The Senate minority leader cautioned colleagues during plenary deliberations on the proposed P5.024-trillion national budget next year, recalling that President Duterte had earlier claimed that the country is winning the battle against Covid-19. “We are happy to hear the President saying that we are winning the battle against Covid-19,” Drilon said. “However, I think it’s too early to tell especially with the recent survey done by Bloomberg that our country is the least resilient among those surveyed and, therefore, the worst place to be in during the pandemic. We face a long road to recovery,” he added. The senator stressed that this was why “the 2022 national budget

should prioritize the purchase of vaccines and the needs of the health sector” as he insisted that the funding for the procurement of booster shots should be part of the programmed budget in 2022. Voicing fears that the absence of a clear source of funds may derail the procurement of the much-needed booster shots, Drilon likewise reiterated the warnings aired by medical experts that the effectiveness of the vaccines wanes. “The efficacy of the vaccines may generally last for six months,” warned Drilon, adding: “Therefore, the need for a booster is a certainty. Talagang sigurado na ang pangangailangan sa booster shots when the efficacy expires.” He, however, recalled that the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) allocated P45 billion for purchase of Covid-19 booster shots placed in the

unprogrammed fund and another P16.2 billion in the programmed fund supposedly to inoculate 113 million Filipinos next year. Drilon noted that projects under unprogrammed funds would not be implemented until there is an approved loan or once the government exceeds its non-tax revenues targets. He pointed out, for instance, that the P45.7 billion for the vaccines, placed in the unprogrammed fund, is equivalent to only 1.22 percent of the target revenue collections next year and, therefore, the government is capable of funding it through taxes or revenues. “If booster shots are not administered timely and properly, it could put the population at risk again,” Drilon warned, adding: “We will go back to this cycle of lockdown of our economy and go back again to the difficulties that we have experienced.”

SBMA keeps protocols despite absence of new virus cases By Henry Empeño Correspondent

UBICBAYFREEPORT—Authorities here will keep on enforcing health safety protocols in this free port, even when there is no longer any active Covid-19 case among residents, transient workers and employees of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA). SBMA Chairman Wilma T. Eisma said that while Subic is already Covidfree, Subic stakeholders and visitors should not get careless and should still wear mask, avoid crowded places, maintain physical distancing, and disinfect. The Subic agency announced on Monday that the latest active Covid cases in the free port consisting of five residents and three SBMA employees were all declared as recovered by the SBMA Public Health and Safety Department (SBMA-PHSD) after quarantine and treatment. Eisma said this was the first time Subic became Covid-free since recording the first positive cases in July last year. “But still this does not mean we can already relax our guard against the virus,” she insisted. “We cannot afford another surge.” “Remember that we are easing restrictions not because Covid-19 is gone, but because we have to sustain the economy, which has been badly affected by the pandemic,” she pointed out. Eisma said that after Subic was placed by the government’s InterAgency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases on Alert Level 2 status, the SBMA

VISITORS in a Subic theme park observe health safety protocols while enjoying an animal show. PHOTO COURTESY OF SBMA

relaxed entry to the free port and did not require any test at the border for those visiting Subic. The SBMA also allowed children 14 years old and below to enjoy parks and other open spaces, as well as al fresco dining restaurants here, while seniors 65 years old and above were allowed in malls, shops and other enclosed spaces when fully-vaccinated, she added. The latest SBMA announcement

posted on Monday indicated that the last reported Covid case among Subic Freeport residents was on October 20 and among transient workers and guests in the free port on September 25. Meanwhile, the latest case among SBMA employees was recorded on October 21. The announcement also showed a total of 275 confirmed cases among free port residents, with 271 recoveries or 98.55 percent and four deaths

(1.45 percent); and 128 confirmed cases among transients, with 124 recoveries (96.8 percent), one death and three relocated cases. Meanwhile, cases among SBMA employees, which were actually counted in their respective places of residence but reported by SBMA for transparency, indicated 197 confirmed cases, with 190 recoveries (96.45 percent) and seven deaths (3.55 percent).

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

TheWorld

Chinese forces exercise near Taiwan in response to US visit

EIJING—Chinese military forces are holding exercises near Taiwan in response to a visit by a US congressional delegation to the island. The drills in the area of the Taiwan Strait are a “necessary measure to safeguard national sovereignty,” China’s Defense Ministry said in the announcement Tuesday that gave no details on the timing, participants and location of the exercises. It said the “joint war preparedness patrol” by the Eastern Theater Command was prompted by the “seriously incorrect words and actions of relevant countries over the issue of Taiwan” and the actions of those advocating the selfgoverning island’s independence. The US has strong but informal relations with Taiwan, and tensions have been rising between the US and China over several issues including Hong Kong, the South China Sea, the coronavirus pandemic and trade. Details on the US delegation that reportedly arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday were not immediately available. A Chinese Defense Ministry statement from an unidentified spokesperson strongly condemned the visit, saying “no one should underestimate the firm determination of the People’s Liberation Army to safeguard the Chinese people’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity.” China regards Taiwan as its own territory to be annexed by military force if necessary. The sides split amid civil war in 1949 and, following a brief period of rapprochement, relations have grown increasingly tense under Taiwan’s independence-leaning President Tsai Ing-wen. During China’s National Day weekend in early October, China dispatched 149 military aircraft southwest of Taiwan in strike

group formations, causing Taiwan to scramble aircraft and activate its air defense missile systems. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said this week such tactics were aimed at wearing down the island’s defenses and degrading morale. I n Wa sh i ng ton , Pent a gon spokesperson John Kirby said congressional visits to Taiwan “are relatively common and in keeping with US obligations under the Taiwan Relations Act,” which obligates the US government to ensure Taiwan has the ability to defend itself and regard threats to the island as matters of “grave concern.” The delegation arrived in Taipei on Tuesday evening aboard a C-40 Clipper jet, which departed soon afterward, according to Taiwan’s official Central News Agency. Kirby said traveling on a US military jet was customary for such delegations. Details of the members of the delegation and how long they planned to stay on the island were not immediately available. Taiwanese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Joanne Ou said ministry had worked with the American Institute in Taiwan, which is the de facto US Embassy, on arrangements for the visit but gave no details. She said further information would be released at the “appropriate time.” Although the US switched diplomatic ties from Taipei to Beijing in 1979, it retains strong informal political and military relations with Taiwan. As a vibrant democracy, Taiwan also enjoys strong bipartisan support in Congress and the US government has been boosting relations through highlevel visits and military sales. That has been a key source of friction with Beijing amid a string of disputes over trade, technology, human rights and other issues. AP

New charges filed against jailed American journalist in Myanmar

ANGKOK—An American journalist jailed in Myanmar for more than five months has been served with two new criminal charges, including one that carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, his lawyer said. Denny Fenster is already being tried on three other charges that could give him as many as 11 years in prison if convicted. One of the new charges comes under the Counter-Terrorism Act, which was amended in August by Myanmar’s military-installed government. His lawyer, Than Zaw Aung, said the section of the act under which he was charged—which holds the accused person directly responsible for acts of terrorism— is punishable by from 10 years to life in prison. The lawyer spoke after Tuesday’s session of the court that is trying Fenster on the original three charges. The military-installed government has said it would apply the law harshly in cases involving opposition organizations it has deemed to be terrorist. Another section of the law, which could be applied to journalists for writing about groups officially deemed “terrorist” organizations, is punishable by a prison term of three to seven years. The other new charge, under Section 124(A) of the Penal Code, is usually referred to as treason, and carries a penalty of seven to 20 years’ imprisonment. Myanmar’s militar y seized power on Feb. 1, ousting the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. It has repeatedly used lethal force against protesters but has been unable to quell popular resistance to its takeover. More than 1,200 civilians are estimated to have been killed and there have been widespread arrests.

Fenster was detained at Yangon International Airport on May 24 as he was about to board a flight to go to the Detroit area in the United States to see his family. He is the managing editor of Frontier Myanmar, an online news magazine based in Yangon, Myanmar’s biggest city. Fen ster h a s a l ready been charged with incitement for allegedly spreading false or inflammatory information, an offense punishable by up to three years in prison. He was also charged with violating the Unlawful Associations Act for contacting opposition groups that were declared illegal by the military-installed government. The offense carries a penalty of two to three years’ imprisonment. A charge of violating visa conditions added earlier this month is punishable by six months to five years’ imprisonment. Fenster’s trial is closed to the press and the public, and details have been relayed only by his lawyer. It remains unclear what exactly he is accused of doing, despite testimony by several prosecution witnesses. The judge in the case ruled Monday that the prosecution had provided enough evidence for the trial to continue. So far, the prosecution appears to be trying to link Fenster to a not-yet-specified offense allegedly carried out by his former employer. Recent prosecution witnesses said the Information Ministry had records that Fenster was still working for the online news service Myanmar Now when he was arrested. But according to Myanmar Now and his current employer, Frontier Myanmar, he quit the former job in July last year and joined the latter company a month after that. AP

BusinessMirror

Thursday, November 11, 2021

Little time, but a ‘mountain to climb’ at UN climate talks

LASGOW, Scotland—The United Nations climate summit in Glasgow has made “some serious toddler steps” toward cutting emissions but far from the giant leaps needed to limit global warming to internationally accepted goals, two new analyses and top officials said Tuesday. And time is running out on the two weeks of negotiations. The president of the climate talks, Alok Sharma, told high-level government ministers at the UN conference to reach out to their capitals and bosses soon to see if they can get more ambitious pledges because “we have only a few days left.” This month’s summit has seen such limited progress that a United Nations Environment Programme analysis of new pledges found they weren’t enough to improve future warming scenarios. All they did was trim the “emissions gap”—how much carbon pollution can be spewed without hitting dangerous warming levels— a few tenths of a percentage point, according to the review released Tuesday. The analysis found that by 2030, the world will be emitting 51.5 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide each year, 1.5 billion tons less than before the latest pledges. To achieve the limit first set in the 2015 Paris climate accord, which came out of a similar summit, the world can only emit 12.5 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases in 2030. A separate analysis by independent scientists found a slight decrease in future warming, but one still insufficient to limit the warming of the planet to 1.5 de-

grees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of the century. The planet has already warmed 1.1 degrees (2 degrees Fahrenheit) since pre-industrial times. “There’s some serious toddler steps,” United Nations Environment Programme Director Inger Andersen said in an interview with The Associated Press a few minutes after the UN analysis was finished. “But they are not the leaps we need to see, by any stretch of the imagination.” In Glasgow, officials touted advances, but not necessarily success. “ We are making progress,” Sharma said, “but we still have a mountain to climb over the next few days, and what has been collectively committed to goes some way, but certainly not all the way, to keeping 1.5 within reach.” Andersen acknowledged that none of the three main UN criteria for success for the two-week climate talks has been achieved so far. They are cutting greenhouse gas emissions by about half by 2030; securing $100 billion a year in aid from rich countries to poor nations; and having half of that money be for developing nations to adapt to global warming’s worst harms. The second analysis by Climate Action Tracker, which for years has

Kishida reelected Japan’s PM in parliamentary vote

OK YO —Fumio K ishida was reelected as Japan’s prime minister on Wednesday after his governing party scored a major victory in key parliamentary elections. Elected just over a month ago by parliament, Kishida called a quick election in which his governing party secured 261 seats in the 465-member lower house—the more powerful of Japan’s twochamber legislature—enough to maintain a free hand in pushing legislation through parliament. The October 31 victory increases his grip on power and is seen as a mandate from voters for his weeks-old government to tackle the pandemic-battered economy, virus measures and other challenges. Kishida said he saw the results as a signal that voters chose stability over change. Later Wednesday, he will form his second Cabinet by keeping all but one of the ministers he appointed when he took office on October 4, and then map out his economic measures and other key policies at a news conference. Kishida had been chosen by the Liberal Democrats as a safe, conservative choice a month ago. They had feared heavy election losses if the unpopular Yoshihide Suga had stayed in power. Suga resigned after only a year in office as his popularity plunged over criticism of his handling of the coronavi-

rus pandemic and his insistence on holding the Tokyo Olympics despite concerns of a virus surge. The better-than-expected election results may give Kishida’s government more power and time to work on campaign promises, including Covid-19 control, economic revitalization and strengthening Japan’s defense capability. K ishida’s grip on power also m ay be st reng t hened by h is Cabinet changes. A key policy expert from his party faction, former Education Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, will be the new Foreign Minister, while former Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi will shift to the governing party’s No. 2 post. Motegi voted for Kishida in the party leadership race and will replace party heavyweight Akira Amari, who resigned from the post over his unimpressive election outcome due to his past bribery scandal. T hough many of K ishida’s ministers are first-timers, key posts went to those from inf luential and party wings, including those led by ultra-conservative former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and former Finance Minister Taro Aso. Kishida promises to create a reinforcing cycle of growth and improved economic distribution to raise incomes under his “new capitalism” economic policy. AP

monitored nations’ emission-cutting pledges, said based on those submitted targets the world is now on track to warm 2.4 degrees Celsius (4.3 degrees Fahrenheit) since pre-industrial times by the end of this century. That’s a far cry from the 2015 Paris climate deal overarching limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees) and its fallback limit of 2 degrees Celsius. Given what’s been pledged “we are likely to be in that area 2.4 degrees, which is still catastrophic climate change and far, far away from the goals of the Paris Agreement,” said climate scientist Niklas Hohne of the New Climate Institute and the Climate Action Tracker. Hohne’s group, independent of the UN, also looked at how much warming there would be if other less firm national promises were put into effect. If all the submitted national targets and other promises that have a bit of the force of law are included, future warming drops down to 2.1 degrees. And in the “optimistic scenario” if all the net-zero pledges for mid-century are taken into account, warming would be 1.8 degrees, Hohne said. That’s the same figure as the International Energy Agency came up with for that optimistic scenario. Andersen said success is about her great-grandchildren living in a world with warming kept to the level outlined in the Paris accord and that “the kids on the street” protesting in Glasgow help the United Nations in pushing negotiators to do more. “Progress happens at meetings. Success is delivered into people’s lives when their livelihoods and their health and well-being is improved,” Andersen told the AP. US Rep. Alexandria OcasioCortez, who brought her climatecelebrity star power to the UN

climate talks on Tuesday along with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, told reporters she had a message for those youth protesters: “Stay in the streets. Keep pushing.” As “high level” ministers try to forge a deal by Friday, they have a big gap to bridge. Or more accurately, multiple gaps: there’s a trust gap, a wealth gap and a north-south gap based on money, history and future threats. On one side of the gap are nations that developed and became rich from the Industrial Revolution fueled by coal, oil and gas that started in the UK. On the other side are the nations that haven’t developed yet and haven’t gotten rich and are now being told those fuels are too dangerous for the planet. The key financial issue is the $100 billion a year pledge first made in 2009. The developed nations still haven’t reached the $100 billion a year mark. This year, the rich nations increased their aid to just shy of $80 billion a year, still short of what was promised. “Everybody here is livid,” said Saleemul Huq, a climate science and policy expert who is director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development in Bangladesh. Huq said it’s more than just the money, it’s important to bridge the gap in trust between rich nations and poor nations. “They reneged on their promise. They failed to deliver it,” Huq said. “And they seem not to care about it. And, so why should we trust anything they say anymore?” Andersen and Sharma still hold out hope. “We’re not done yet. We still have a couple of days,” Andersen said. “And so we’re certainly from our side, from the United Nations side, we’re going to try to hold everyone’s feet to the fire.” AP

TheBroa

Business

A8 Thursday, November 11, 2021• www.businessmirror.com.ph

Filipinos find fin

in pandemic with cry (First of two parts)

By Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM, Tyrone Jasper C. Piad @Tyronepiad,

Reporters

E didn’t know if he’d laugh or cry when told that recovering from Covid-19 costs him and his mother half-a-million pesos. Christan Angelo Dumalanta chose neither—it still hurts when doing either—and turned to colorful creatures, love potions and ethereum. Dumalanta, hence, became one of 800,000 Filipinos who invested into, are playing—and earning from—Axie Infinity. Created by Ho Chi Minh Cityheadquartered Sky Mavis Pte. Ltd., Axie Infinity is a Pokémoninspired blockchain-based game that allows users to earn cryptocurrency tokens called Smooth Love Potion (SLP). An SLP can be converted to actual cash, which a player can access via a bank account or mobile wallet. The SLP has been trading around P4 two weeks ago. According to the coingecko website, the SLP price last November 10 is $0.077729 with a 24-hour trading volume of $522,298,049. The SLP price is up 4.9 percent in the last 24 hours, the website said. In the game, Axies, or digital pets, battle it out in adventure mode and against other Axies as well in PVP (player vs. player) arena. The game rewards the winning player with SLP, which can be converted into Ether, a cryptocurrency.

Secured by cryptography

LAUNCHED in 2018, Sky Mavis sought to introduce blockchain technology in a “fun and educational way,” believing that a game can integrate both work and play to empower the users while providing economic opportunities. From just about 80,000 daily active users across the world in May, the figure rose to 2.2 million as of October with monthly volume amounting to $616.61 million. While Axie Infinity was not the first cryptocurrency-based game ever, it now has 2 million players worldwide, 40 percent or 800,000 of whom are in the Philippines. This makes the Philippines the largest player base of Axie Infinity, according to Sky Mavis. Cryptocurrency, a form of digital or virtual currency secured by cr y ptography, can be sold and bought in cryptocurrency exchanges. However, it is not issued by any central authority, unlike government-issued currency or fiat currency. Also, it is not considered a legal tender in the Philippines. The most known example of cryptocurrency is Bitcoin, which is currently valued at over P3 million. Although cryptocurrency has been around since 2009, cryptocurrency-based games, including those under the play-to-earn model, only started gaining traction recently. Cryptocurrencybased games are built on blockchain technology, which is a type of database for transactions. Cryptocurrency games that have an earning component are dubbed as “play-to-earn” games.

Earning well

HOWEVER, users of Axie Infinity need to invest a certain amount of money to be able to play and earn. In Dumalanta’s case, he bought last March a team of three Axies—the minimum requirement to play—amounting to a total of P50,000, a tenth of the cost of his and his mother’s hospitalization for Covid-19. For Dumalanta, a 22-year-old 5th-year civil engineering student, his initial investment has paid off. The earnings by Dumalanta from playing Axie contribute to paying for electricity bills, groceries and other expenses. He was also able to pursue minor renovations in the kitchen and his bedroom with his money. He even plans to buy a car next year. Across YouTube, there are socalled “success” stories from Axie Infinity players. According to Dumalanta, the revenue stream is helpful because his father is no longer working after also recovering from Covid-19, while his mother is about to retire from teaching.

Recoup investment

THE surge in the number of Axie players in a short period is attributed to the financial freedom the game offers, according to Luis Buenaventura II, cryptocurrency expert and co-founder of licensed cryptocurrency exchange Bloomx, operated by Singapore-based Bloom Technologies Pte. Ltd. Buenaventura, also the country manager of Yield Guild Games (YGG), observed that the concentration of players in the Philippines is in Nueva Ecija, particularly in Cabanatuan City—Dumalanta’s hometown—where it all started to gain traction in early 2020. “The Axie ‘thing’ is the first phenomenon that I’ve witnessed that was actually generating income for the average low-income person,” Buenaventura told the BusinessMirror. “That’s why the popularity has grown so much.” (A monthly earning is comparable to a minimum wage.) Playing Axie Infinity has become a source of income at a time when unemployment is on the rise amid the pandemic, with Buenaventura saying that the success of the cryptocurrency game happened “organically” given its play-to-earn feature, noting that Sky Mavis doesn’t even have a unit for public relations.

Veer from entertainment

ACCORDING to Brylle Uytiepo, the pandemic also provided incentives for the Filipinos to learn the game. The 22-year-old Manila-based chef founded the Axie

Alerts PH Facebook page earlier this year to inform and educate the public about the game. “Since we’re experiencing lockdowns, we have more time to spend on our mobile phones and, of course, because of the financial effect the pandemic has brought us. That being said, those components helped the Axie-Filipino community strive and achieve its financial freedom,” Uytiepo told the BusinessMirror. “It turned our investment, time and entertainment into something that we can earn from,” he added. Uytiepo started playing Axie just this June, shelling out almost half of his savings for the investment. Like Dumalanta, he said he’s also able to help his family with the monthly expenses somehow from the game earnings.

Enlisting ‘scholars’

THOSE who can’t afford to buy their own Axie teams can apply as “scholars” under programs offered by different guilds. These “scholars” can still earn by playing other people’s Axie team under a profit-sharing scheme the parties have agreed upon. The scheme could go as high as scholars receiving 70 percent of earnings just like the profit-sharing agreement followed by YGG that now has 3,000 Axie Infinity scholars in the country. According to Axie Archipelago—a voluntary and self-report directory for Axie players in the Philippines—there are at least 800 guilds or groups of players across the country as of October. One guild can have an average of one to 10 members; some can have more than a thousand. The scholarship programs are seen to expand the Axie community across the world. It also allows more individuals to attain financial freedom, according to some. “The scholarship system helped spread the influence of Axie Infinity in the communities,” Uytiepo told the BusinessMirror. “With all that key-driven factors, I think we’re in it for the long run.

Those who need

BUENAVENTURA said that scholarship is also the “low-risk” path for those who want to play the game and earn money but don’t have the capital for entry. Under the scholarship system, the owner, also known as a manager, of the Axies assumes all the risks as he or she is the one investing. A manager also monitors how each scholar is performing in the game. Much like a regular job, scholars usually receive their “salary” from playing Axie Infinity every two weeks. Dumalanta said his earnings from playing as a scholar late last year allowed him to buy his first team back in March. Now, he has launched his own scholarship arrangement with five individuals. Dumalanta plans to have another five scholars before the year ends. He told the BusinessMirror he offers the scholarship to those who really need money and whom he considers “responsible gamers.”

Helping others

M anila-based entrepreneur Pat Buna a lso bui lt his ow n g u i ld— ca l led “Easter n Ga ming Combined ”—shor t ly after discover ing A xie Infinit y. Hailing from Eastern Samar, one of the countr y’s poorest

aderLook nancial freedom

sMirror

Editor: Dennis D. Estopace • Thursday, November 11, 2021

yptocurrency game provinces, Buna decided to help underprivileged students based in that area by letting them play and earn through Axie Infinity. Buna came from a low-middle income family and graduated from the University of the Philippines’s Tacloban campus. He said he still remembers how a classmate scrimped on meals to set aside income as a student assistant – small sums that he would send to his family. Buna said this inspired him to run a social venture through his guild, which is focused on helping underprivileged students. “I’m a big believer in the idea [that] education is one of the things that can help out an individual take him or herself out of poverty. Parang totoo siya for me,” Buna said. [That was true for me.] “That’s how I was able to get into where I am right now—through education. So I am strongly pushing for that, that [they don’t become] complacent,” he added. “At the same time, we’re supporting them pero hindi siya ‘yung tipong abuloy.”[But not as like alms-giving.]

Earning SLPs

BUNA, who is also co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Makati City-based business process outsourcing company nXscale Solutions Inc., said he started playing Axie Infinity in June. That time, he said, it only cost him P25,000 to buy a team of digital pets, or Axies. But currently, Buna said, the prices of Axies in the game’s marketplace have gone up. According to Sky Mavis, the average price of an Axie has reached $1,000 or roughly P50,000 each. Buna said it only took him a month to earn the same amount by playing the game. He said he initially just wanted to earn. Later on, he said he realized this could also be a way for him to help out students amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Buna told the BusinessMirror he initially spent P400,000 from his savings to buy an Axie team for each of their scholars. He said he was able to recoup his investment in a month. According to Buna, each scholar in his guild is given allowance for Internet expenses. He said some of them also receive additional money to buy school supplies. These are apart from a share of the earnings from playing the game, which is relative to how well they play Axie infinity. For every SLP earned, the guild gives back P1 or P2 per SLP to each scholar, according to Buna.

BM GRAPHICS: JOB RUZGAL

Provincial roots

SINCE he’s not physically present in Eastern Samar, Buna said he sought help from relatives who were both senior high school teachers in the said province that time. Now, Buna’s brother, who left his job as a teacher, is the guild’s manager. “So they have these contacts with these people; those who graduated. They know the background story of the family, [like their livelihood source],” Buna told the BusinessMirror. He added these graduates propose who can become a scholar. Of the current 26 Axie Infinity “scholars” in their guild, 20 are in college, one is in senior high school and one is in high schoo, Buna said. The remaining four scholars are currently part of the out-ofschool youth, he said. All students are now studying either in public high schools or state universities, Buna added. He said he’s aware the portion of SLPs they give back to scholars in their guild are not as high

as what in other guilds receive. Nonetheless, he said he needs to do this to make the social venture sustainable as well as avoid cultivating a culture of complacency that could hinder the student’s resolve to finish their studies.

Extending allowance

BUNA told the BusinessMirror their venture needs to earn “to make it sustainable.” “That is why we are giving them something on top of the price per SLP; like Internet allowance.” “On a per monthly basis, I give them, depending on the area, P300 to P500 per month in Internet allowance,” he added. Buna said the scholar also uses this to access their classes online. He said they also give around P5,0000 to P10,000 in school supplies allowance per semester to some of scholars despite the SLPto-Philippine peso value recently crashing to about P4. (It was at P6 when Buna first started playing Axie Infinity four months ago.) “This [school-supplies allowance] is not applicable to everyone, because we’re not as lucrative as we would want it [compared to] previous months,” Buna told the BusinessMirror. He said the extra allowance suffice as tuition fee is already covered by the government.

Out of ‘thin air’

JUST like a cryptocurrency, a nonfungible token like the SLP is also prone to price volatility. In the Axie Infinity economy, players generate the SLP through winning battles while breeders spend the SLP to breed Axies, Buenaventura explained. “ The SLP that is generated comes from nothing. It is generated out of thin air,” he told the BusinessMirror According to Sky Mavis CoFounder Aleksander Leonard Larsen, the SLP found in the game can be turned into a token and then sold on peer-to-peer markets such as Uniswap (by Universal Navigation Inc.) and/or Binance (by Binance Holdings Ltd.). “This is what creates the ability to ‘earn.’ This economy works as long as players are interested in creating new Axies,” Larsen told the BusinessMirror in an e-mail. Larsen said the SLP market is “player-driven and the price of SLP is determined by demand from players seeking to breed Axies, or speculate on the SLP price.” Larsen emphasized that Sky Mavis doesn’t participate in the SLP trading market.

Price, value

BUENAVENTUR A believes the SLP price is going down because players generate SLPs more than the amount consumed by Axie breeders. “The current price is a reflection of the fact that there are more players than there are people who are buying the SLP for breeding purposes,” according to Buenaventura, who is also the manager of another Axie Infinity-guild named “CryptoPopArt,” which focuses on helping underprivileged artists. For the SLP value to increase, Buenaventura said developers can create new opportunities for SLP to be spent or consumed inside the game.

Long-term sustainability

LARSEN said that the SLP price growth slowed down due to “concerns over an imbalance” in the amount of SLP generated and used per day. “Ensuring long-term sustainability for the [A xie Infinity]

economy will rely on a combination of player growth, new sources of demand for Axies and external organizations subsidizing play-to-earn by sponsoring leaderboard seasons and/or tournaments and more,” he told the BusinessMirror. Despite cryptocurrency being a “high-risk-high reward” asset partly because of its price volatility, Buna said this did not stop him from pursuing the social venture. “Regardless of how risky it is, as long as I can still support young people; say at P1 or P2 they earn, I can still give them allowance. I think it is still worth going through the hassle of venturing into this,” he told the BusinessMirror. Buna said he even plans to purchase laptops worth around P30,000 each that students can use for studying. Given the volatility of cryptocurrency in general, Buna also said he is trying to build a fund to sustain the social venture. In case the Axie Infinity really dies down, I can still somehow sustain it for at least like one more year, he said. “I’ll find another crypto game or another play-to-earn model out there where we can include them (students),” Buna added. “[My] idea is I want to make sure there’s sustainability.” He said he doesn’t want to help young people and then see it all disappear after two months. “I don’t like the idea of me helping, and then, after two months, it’s all gone.”

Economic freedom

BUT Larsen said they are still far from the “game-over” stage. “Sky Mavis is on a mission to create economic freedom for gamers; and we’ve barely scratched the surface of what we can accomplish,” Larsen said. He said while they expected Axie Infinity to succeed, they were surprised it would grow rapidly in a short period. Of the 2 million users of Axie Infinity, he said 25 percent of their players are “unbanked” or do not own bank accounts while 50 percent have not previously used cryptocurrencies. “This level of ownership and accessibility within the Axie economy is upending society and creating an economically viable digital nation,” Larsen told the BusinessMirror. “With regards to the Philippines, Axie Infinity became a source of income for Filipinos who lost jobs amid the pandemic, with top players earning up to $40 [roughly P2,000] within their first few weeks. For families financially-impacted by the Covid-19 lockdown, the game allowed them to earn extra income which helped them buy medicine, pay bills, connect to the internet and also provide financial assistance to others in their families and communities.” According to Larsen, great Axie players can earn as much as $14.17 per day or $440 per month or over P22,400. Depending on the skills of the Axies and the player, Larsen said playing the game can take anywhere from two hours to six hours a day. In the future, Sky Mavis even eyes releasing in the Axie Infinity universe several new games that are built specifically for the Axies the players own; to make the game “more fun to play and sustainable.” “We are also working on a free version of the gameplay to reduce the barrier of entry and allow anybody to experience Axie Infinity without having to initially purchase a set of Axies,” Larsen said. To be concluded

BusinessMirror

A10 Thursday, November 11, 2021

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION ACCENTURE, INC. 7f, Robinsons Cybergate Tower 1, Pioneer St, City Of Mandaluyong No.

LOHINOVA, OLEKSANDRA Tech Writing & Translation Specialist 1.

Brief Job Description: Provide language translation support services across technology programs and projects using strong verbal and written communication skills.

ADVANCE BEYOND INTERNATIONAL CONSULTING, INC. 3/f Salcedo One Center, 170 Salcedo St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati ZHANG, XIANHUI Mandarin Marketing Specialist

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: 1-2 years experience in analytical or customer service role. Strong, effective written and oral English / language communication skills. Impeccable attention to detail. Ability to multitask under pressure in an everchanging environment. Professional knowledge of Android, IOS and Mac OS desired. Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

Brief Job Description: As Mandarin Marketing Specialist, you shall interpret written or spoken marketing material into one or more other languages-mandarin, ensures meaning and context Basic Qualification: are maintained, creates glossaries or term dictionaries, Can speak, write, type in possesses knowledge of multiple languages, works with Mandarin language. Technical individual clients and corporations. Communicating in skills in software as stated 2. dual language English and Mandarin Chinese (spoken and above. written) with clients. Analyze business market stability for management and clients satisfactory. Monitor and align Salary Range: the organizational goals with the target market. Conduct Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 competitive business research and analyze bench marking data. Recommend website and campaign optimizations. Research and implement marketing tools to support our promotional projects (automation software, social media scheduling etc.). Work closely with sales and marketing teams to identify opportunities for new client acquisition. ALKEM LABORATORIES CORPORATION 5/f Filipino Bldg., 135 Dela Rosa Cor. Legaspi & Bolanos Sts., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati AWASTHI, AMIT Basic Qualification: Country Manager Bachelor Of Pharmacy, MBA 3. Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Responsible for overall business of alkem laboratories Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 corporation AMAZON OPERATION SERVICES PHILIPPINES, INC. B21 Three E-com Moa Complex, Harbour Drive Cor. Bay Shore, Brgy. 076, Pasay City VU HONG VI Basic Qualification: Seller Support Associate Fluency in both English and Vietnamese 4. Brief Job Description: Resolve seller queries and provide efficient service to Salary Range: amazon seller and merchants Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 AREVALO RODRIGUEZ, DIEGO FERNANDO Basic Qualification: Sr. Finance Ops Specialist Proficiency in the spanish language 5. Brief Job Description: Point of contact for suppliers, Fix issues in cooperation Salary Range: with amazon suppliers Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 BOOMING CONSULTANCY INCORPORATED 807-808 Aseana One, Bradco Avenue, Tambo, City Of Parañaque Basic Qualification: LIAN, JUNHUI Fluent in speaking Chinese/ Customer Service Representative Mandarin both oral and 6. written Brief Job Description: Provide information about product & services Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 BRIDGE MARINE CORPORATION 1350, Rm 600 Ermita Bldg., Barangay 668, Ermita, City Of Manila KIM, BOHYEONG Basic Qualification: Director Master’s license 7. Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Principal’s representative Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 CITIBANK N.A 16th Floor, Citi Plaza, 34th St. Bgc, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig Basic Qualification: • 15+ years of relevant experience in the financial services industry under Risk, Compliance, Operational Risk JOSHI, SUBODH YESHWANT or Internal Audit; Country Head - Philippines Operational Risk Management • Extensive knowledge of financial markets and Brief Job Description: 8. products; • At least 8 years Responsible for overseeing the operational risks of in a Senior Leadership Role; the Philippine Franchise by working with the different and • Proficient in developing businesses in enhancing governance and effectiveness of new ideas to mitigate controls. risk and improve current processes. Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

COCOPIG DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY INC. Unit F 20/f Marajo Tower, 26th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig Basic Qualification: LAN, JIANHUA Able to speak and write in Customer Support Representative MANDARIN and at least college level with related BPO 9. Brief Job Description: experience. Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions, and responding to complaints. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 COSMOLINK GLOBAL SOLUTIONS INC. Flr. No. 6th, 7th & 8th Bldg., No. 100 Necc Bldg., Andrews Ave. St. Newport City Subd., District 1, Barangay 183, Pasay City LEI, RU Basic Qualification: Customer Service Representative Fluent in Chinese dialect (Mandarin, Folkien Cantonese) 10. Brief Job Description: Interacting w/ customers via email assist w/ complaints , Salary Range: orders and other queries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: XU, JIAHUAN Fluent in Chinese dialect Customer Service Representative (MANDARIN, FOLKIEN, 11. CANTONESE) Brief Job Description: Interacting w/ customers via email, assists w/ complaints, Salary Range: orders, and other queries. Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: ZHANG, HUIHUANG Fluent in Chinese dialect Customer Service Representative (MANDARIN FOLKIEN 12. CANTONESE) Brief Job Description: Interacting w/ customers via email , assist w/ complaints , Salary Range: orders and other queries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 CTBC BANK (PHILIPPINES) CORP. 16-19 Flr. And Unit 2201 & 2202 2nd Flr., Fort Legend Tower, 31st. St. Cor. 3rd Ave., Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig LEE, CHIEN-HUNG Basic Qualification: Taiwan Business Department Head With bachelors degree in accounting , economics or Brief Job Description: 13. any business related course Knowledge and training in bank products and services credit analysis core credit, credit investigation and Salary Range: appraisal , selling and negotiating and foreign exchange Php 90,000 - Php 149,999 transactions

No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

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ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

DELOITTE & TOUCHE CONSULTING GROUP/ICS PTE LTD 6/f Padilla Bld. F. Ortigas Jr. Rd., Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig Basic Qualification: SHANDILYA, SAKET Experience in digital Advertising Marketing And Commerce (Salesforce marketing Salesforce Marketing Cloud Technical) development, customizations 14. and integrating marketing Brief Job Description: cloud Part of customer and marketing team of Deloitte Southeast Asia that uses that technology and creativity Salary Range: and creativity to connect customer Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 Basic Qualification: 5-8 years of experience PANDAY, KISLAY in technology media & Operations Transformation communication industry 15. experience in financial SUPPBrief Job Description: NCU/migration To help clients make decisions and implement solutions based on “heart of the business” strategy development Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999 DEXIN INTERNATIONAL IMPORT AND EXPORT CORP. 534 Tomas Mapua St., 029, Bgy. 298, Santa Cruz, City Of Manila CHEN, RONGZHANG Basic Qualification: Chinese Cargo Office Agent Have skills in documentation 16. Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Prepare airline and custom documentation Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 ZHAO, PANFEI Basic Qualification: Chinese Cargo Office Agent Have skills in documentation 17. Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Prepare airline and custom documentation Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

No.

HOU, ZHENG Logistic Manager 29.

KUDUR MALLAIAH, RADHA KRISHNA Head Chef 18.

Brief Job Description: Preparing authentic south and North Indian food, preparing menu, controlling the quality, quantity and taste,

30.

ANTHONNY GUNAWAN Head Of Automation 21.

Brief Job Description: Lead, manage, and grow the local cu automations technical team and all vendor arrangements. Engage with enterprise stakeholders to develop the technical vision and strategy for the organization’s automation roadmap

Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in information technology, telecommunications engineering, electrical engineering or related major. At least 10 years’ experience in telecommunications industry, project, and delivery management Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

ETRANSS REMITTANCE INTERNATIONAL CORP. G/f Jx Tower Block 2 Lot 17 Fuentes Cor. San Pedro Street, Aseana, Tambo, City Of Parañaque Basic Qualification: HU, SHANSHAN customer service in Chinese Customer Service Representative language. 22. Brief Job Description: Salary Range: customer service Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: HU, SHUYU customer service in Chinese Customer Service Representative Language 23. Brief Job Description: Salary Range: customer service Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: SOH CHEE HAN customer service in Chinese Customer Service Representative Language 24. Brief Job Description: Salary Range: customer service Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

25.

XIAO, WENQIANG Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: customer service

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

26.

YI, HUANLIANG Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer service representative

Basic Qualification: customer service in Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: High school graduate in Chinese curriculum, can speak and write fluent Chinese Mandarin, can operate computer Mandarin characters

31.

Brief Job Description: The Project Manager will be strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goal. HE, KANGKANG Technical Manager

32.

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

FLY ASIAN INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION Eighty One Newport Blvd., Newport City, Va, Brgy. 183, Pasay City LEONG CHUN CHEN Marketing Consultant (Mandarin Speaking Clients) 33.

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

TUNG, YU-CHING a.k.a. JULIAN Marketing Consultant (Mandarin Speaking Clients) 34.

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a logistic manager, excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a project manager, excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a project manager, excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a technical manager, excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Preferably 6 months experience with the above position. Can multi-task and keen to details. Any nationality who can speak and write Chinese fluently. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Preferably 6 months experience with the above position. Can multi-task and keen to details. Any nationality who can speak and write Chinese fluently. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

FLYING DRAGON NETWORK PHILIPPINES INC. 4th-11th Floor Aseana 3 Building, Aseana Avenue Corner Diosdado Macapagal, Tambo, City Of Parañaque

NGUYEN THANH DUNG Customer Service Representative 35.

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

Basic Qualification: College graduate level, preferably with customer service or sales experience fluent in mandarin and basic english Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

FUJIAN ELECTRIC POWER ENGINEERING COMPANY 5 West, Lawin, Phil-am 1, Quezon City WANG, ZHIFU Installation Supervisor 36.

Brief Job Description: Coordinate and direct commercial and residential multi family installation projects.

Basic Qualification: Equivalent combination of educational and experience. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

HA LONG PILIPINAS INC. San Luis St., Barangay, 011, Pasay City

HOANG THI UYEN Purchasing Supervisor 37.

Brief Job Description: Ensuring the confidentiality and security of files and filing system. Coordinates schedule arranging meetings and distributing memos and reports. Operating equipment and fax machine.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English language both in written and verbal, must be familiar in expert numeracy, problem solving and reporting skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

HEBE BEAUTY COSMETICS INC. 903 Picadilly Star Bldg., 4th Ave. Cor. 27th St., Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig LIU, QIUYUE Executive English - Chinese Interpreter 38.

Brief Job Description: Interpret & translate all legal business documents, agreements and conversation from Mandarin to English and vice versa. ZHOU, MENGYUN Mandarin Branding Manager

39.

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

FIBERHOME PHILS., INC. U-19d 19/f Rufino Pacific Tower, 6784 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a. Rufino St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati Basic Qualification: LIU, PEIMIN Fluent in Mandarin and Finance Manager English languages both verbal 27. and written Brief Job Description: Responsible for overall project planning Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: HE, XING Proven experience Logistic Manager as a logistic manager, excellent communication, 28. Brief Job Description: interpersonal and The logistic manager will be strategist and a leader able to presentation skills. steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goal. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

ENTREPRENEURS OF THE WORLD Room 605 6/f Co Ban Kiat Bldg. Ii, 231 Juan Luna St., Barangay 287, Binondo, City Of Manila Basic Qualification: GONDREXON, SOLENE PAULETTE NOELLE Master of Grandes Program Manager And Resident Agent Ecole De Commerce 19. Entrepreneurship Brief Job Description: Ensure the development of the access to energy program Salary Range: in the Philippines created by Entrepreneurs du Monde Php 90,000 - Php 149,999 ERICSSON TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC. 22/f Two/neo Bldg., 3rd Ave. Cor. 28th St. Crescent Parkwest, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig Basic Qualification: Degree in telecommunications KHUENKAEWTHANAKARN, JIRAROJ engineering, electrical Customer Project Manager engineering or related major. At least 12 to Brief Job Description: 20. 15 years’ experience in Lead assigned customer projects securing that project telecommunication industry. goals are met; customer’s expectation is fulfilled and that Strong knowledge of the customer relation is handled in the best possible way managing project lifecycle within the scope of the contract

Brief Job Description: The logistic manager will be strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goal. HUANG, PING Project Manager

DRAVIDA’S KITCHENETTE 08, Phil. Gun Club, Marulas, City Of Valenzuela Basic Qualification: Minimum of 5 years experience as a head chef, should know how to cook south and north Indian food, should speak any one Indian language

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Brief Job Description: Translating brand strategy into brand plan and go-tomarket strategy. LIU, JIANWEI Mandarin Regional Operations Manager

40.

Brief Job Description: Plan and lead center identification and set up activities at the right place, within the agreed timeline and as per the agreed standards. WEI, HAORAN Mandarin Regional Operations Manager

41.

Brief Job Description: Plan and lead center identification and set up activities at the right place, within the agreed timeline and as per the agreed standards.

Basic Qualification: Must be able to read, write and translate in Mandarin in both simplified and traditional Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in Mandarin Chinese; in both simplified and traditional Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in Mandarin Chinese; in both simplified and traditional. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in Mandarin Chinese; in both simplified and traditional. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES PHILS. INC. U-5302, 53/f Pbcom Tower, 6795 Ayala Ave., Cor., V.a. Rufino St., Bel-air, City Of Makati

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

CHONG HUI TING Contract Management Manager For Philippines Wireless And Open Settlement Protocol Project 42.

Brief Job Description: Liaise with project team members and customers to obtain input for the drafting of contracts; study the contracts to identify project delivery risks; meet with the customers to discuss project documents delivery process; handle the customer change request and trigger internal contract amendment process; provide advice and guidance to project teams

LIAW WEN HSIEN Huawei Indoor Business Solution Project Financial Controller 43.

Brief Job Description: In charge with rolling forecast and budgeting; analyze the amount of current month revenue forecast; manage project team’s finance related issues; responsible for financial analysis such as revenue and cost analysis; and conduct weekly report to the project team.

GAN CHUN CHYI Huawei Philippines Human Resources Manager

44.

Brief Job Description: Lead performance management for Huawei technologies Philippines, understand business strategy of each units and generate performance management strategy; provide coaching to managers, enable managers to continue improve people managements skills; conduct training for employees, guide them to develop smart goals; collaborate with various domains based on the company’s go-to-market process; develop talent management plan; evaluate employee performance and generate performance improvement plan; review organizational structure to clarify resources allocation

ZHAO, CHENGSHI System Designer For Service Quality Improvement And Network Optimization Project

45.

Brief Job Description: In-charge as the system designer of the solutions in presales stage and delivery stage; responsible for meeting the customer requirements for customized solutions in the responsible domain; review the comprehensive solutions in the responsible domain; work with business experts to explore and incubate data in different scenarios in the domain; analyze the mine network and marketing data provided by customer; accumulate analysis methods and data models; build technical team, manage business operations and personnel efficiency; understand the customer’s business requirements

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Must have at least 3 years work experience in contract management; has strong understanding of the operation and project delivery processes; has professional organizational skills and strong ability to manage projects; has deep understanding of local legal terminology; must have contract management skills, communication and negotiation skills; with technical skills in Microsoft Office suite and SPSS; must be a graduate of bachelor’s degree in international business administration; highly proficient in Chinese and English language Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 2 years of experience in project budgeting, forecasting and cost management; equipped with skills in project finance control and finance e2e process; with technical skills in Microsoft and mac OS system; and knowledgeable in various company system and tools. Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: With a least 2 years of overseas experience working as manager specializing in human resource management with relevant skills; has experience in talent management; able to define business needs and convert to human resource management; with technical skills on coaching, performance, management, HR resources business partnering and counseling Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 Basic Qualification: Must be familiar with the operation support network business support system (bss) / business enabling system (bes) operation support system (oss) / infrastructure enabling system (ies), ip bearer network including software-defined networking (sdn) and network cloud; has experience in largescale software product development, testing and maintenance, such as bss and oss/ies; knowledgeable with the operation process, network operation and maintenance (o&m) process, and enterprise structure of carriers/internet products and offerings; has knowledge with communications industry or delivery experience in data analysis projects Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

INFINI CONSULTANCY GROUP INC. Rm 2a 2/f Ma Daniel Bldg., 470 San Andres Cor. M H Del Pilar Sts., 077, Bgy. 701, Malate, City Of Manila Basic Qualification: Fluent in speaking, writing GUI, BIN and reading (Mandarin, Admin Officer - Mandarin Translator Folkien & Cantonese), atleast college graduate, 2-3years 46. Brief Job Description: work experience or fresh Responsible for listening to, understanding, and graduates. translating spoken or written statements from one language to another. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in speaking, writing WU, AZHA and reading (Mandarin, Admin Officer - Mandarin Translator Folkien & Cantonese), atleast college graduate, 2-3years 47. Brief Job Description: work experience or fresh Responsible for listening to, understanding, and graduates. translating spoken or written statements from one language to another. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 INSTITUTIONAL SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, INC. 15/f Solaris One Bldg., 130 Dela Rosa St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati Basic Qualification: Excellent reading ATIF AHMED MOHAMED FADL comprehension and language Data Analyst - Arabic Speaker skills in both written and oral (required fluency in English 48. Brief Job Description: and Arabic). Strong analytical Search for, collect, and verify data for companies and problem-solving skills, under mena-arabic market based on current collection with clear attention to details. methodologies and acceptable sources. Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 INVECH TREASURE PROCESSING CORPORATION Ground, 2nd, 3rd And 4th Floor, Eight West Campus Mckinley West, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig Basic Qualification: DIAO, CHUNLONG Able to speak and write in Mandarin Customer Support Representative MANDARIN/FUKIEN and at least college level with 49. 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 Basic Qualification: XU, CHAOQUN Able to speak and write in Mandarin Customer Support Representative MANDARIN/FUKIEN and at least college level with 50. 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 JIU ZHOU TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL, INC. 31/f Tower 6789, 6789 Ayala Avenue, San Lorenzo, City Of Makati Basic Qualification: CHEN, WEI-YOU Proficient in speaking reading Chinese Customer Service Representative and writing in Chinese Mandarin English and their 51. Brief Job Description: respective native language Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions suggesting information about other Salary Range: products and services Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: LI, JIA JING Atleast 19yr old, ability to Chinese Customer Service Representative speak and communicate in 52. Chinese mandarin Brief Job Description: Maintains financial account; recommends potential Salary Range: product and services; attract potential to a customers Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: SAKSITPHINYO, KANYA At least 19 yrs old; ability Thai Customer Service Representative to speak, write and 53. communicate in Thai Brief Job Description: Maintains financial account; recommend potential Salary Range: products and services; attract potential to a customers Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

MARKETROLE ASIA PACIFIC SERVICES, INC. 26/f, 27/f, 28/f The Enterprise Center Tower 1, 6766 Ayala Ave. Cor. Paseo De Roxas, San Lorenzo, City Of Makati Basic Qualification: ANA Can speak Chinese / Chinese Speaking Customer Service Staff mandarin fluently 54. Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Provide outstanding and exceptional customer service Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: ERI YANTO Can speak Chinese / Chinese Speaking Customer Service Staff mandarin fluently 55. Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Provide outstanding and exceptional customer service Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: ERIC ZHANG Can speak Chinese / Chinese Speaking Customer Service Staff mandarin fluently 56. Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Provide outstanding and exceptional customer service Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: HENDRA Can speak Chinese / Chinese Speaking Customer Service Staff Mandarin fluently 57. Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Provide outstanding and exceptional customer service Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: JIN, ZIXUAN Can speak Chinese / Chinese Speaking Customer Service Staff Mandarin fluently 58. Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Provide outstanding and exceptional customer service Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: JULIANTO Can speak Chinese / Chinese Speaking Customer Service Staff Mandarin fluently 59. Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Provide outstanding and exceptional customer service Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: MA, LIMEI Can speak Chinese / Chinese Speaking Customer Service Staff Mandarin fluently 60. Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Provide outstanding and exceptional customer service Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: SUN, MENGLU Can speak Chinese / Chinese Speaking Customer Service Staff Mandarin fluently 61. Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Provide outstanding and exceptional customer service Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: TONG, DING Can speak Chinese / Chinese Speaking Customer Service Staff Mandarin fluently 62. Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Provide outstanding and exceptional customer service Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: WANG, GUIZHI Can speak Chinese / Chinese Speaking Customer Service Staff Mandarin fluently 63. Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Provide outstanding and exceptional customer service Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: XIA, ZHONGHUA Can speak Chinese / Chinese Speaking Customer Service Staff Mandarin fluently 64. Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Provide outstanding and exceptional customer service Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 MC CONNELL DOWELL PHILS., INC. Level 4 Nol Tower, Commerce Ave., Mbp, City Of Muntinlupa Basic Qualification: WHYTE, DEREK Minimum of 10 years Senior Quality Assurance Manager experience in the application of quality management 65. Brief Job Description: principles in the construction Assess the effectiveness of the project execution plan industry & provide reports to the management on quality performance & areas of improvement Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above MEGA-WEB TECHNOLOGIES INC. 6,7,8,9,10,11/f Met Live Bldg., Edsa Cor. Macapagal Blvd., Brgy. 076, Pasay City Basic Qualification: WILLIAM NG YONG WEI Proficient in speaking, Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider reading and writing in 66. Mandarin Brief Job Description: Open and maintain customer accounts by recording Salary Range: account information Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 MINDSCAPE CREATIVES INC. Unit 19-o, Burgundy Corporate Tower, 252 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati Basic Qualification: LUO, TIANWEN Proficient in speaking, Mandarin Customer Service reading, and writing in 67. Mandarin Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 MJP-INTERNATIONAL TECH INC. 7r Fort Palm Spring, 30th St. 1st Ave., Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig Basic Qualification: LEE, KYUNGHOON 25 yrs above, can speaks & Technical Support Specialist write Korean language, with 68. IT knowledge Brief Job Description: Keeping current systems updated, conduct research, Salary Range: provide analysis data Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. 4th-11th Flr. Nexgen Tower, C4 Rd. Edsa Ext., Brgy. 076, Pasay City

69.

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73.

74.

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77.

ALVIN CHANDRA Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: managing incoming calls and customer service inquires ANTHONY Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: managing incoming calls and customer service inquires DOMAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: managing incoming calls and customer service inquires FAN, XU Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: managing incoming calls and customer service inquires FENG, CHANGQING Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: managing incoming calls and customer service inquires HENDRA Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: managing incoming calls and customer service inquires LE THI THANH THUY Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: managing incoming calls and customer service inquires LIANG, YONGHAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: managing incoming calls and customer service inquires LUAN, HECAI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

Thursday, November 11, 2021 A11

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

No.

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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

Brief Job Description: managing incoming calls and customer service inquires SHAUK WU Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries SUSI LIM Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries TENG, ZHONGYUAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries WANG, XINGMING Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries YANG, JIANHUA Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries YANG, QIAO Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries ZHOU, XUNAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries ZHOU, ZHIWEI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries ZOU, LIWEI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries EI EI KHAING Chinese Customer Specialist Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries FAN, DONGHUA Chinese Customer Specialist Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries JIN, XIAOJUN Chinese Customer Specialist Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries TWAN SANE KYI Chinese Customer Specialist Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries WU, ZHENGYU Chinese Customer Specialist Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries

FENG, ER Chinese Customer Service 96.

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

GAO, YANG Chinese Customer Service 97.

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

JIA, RONG Chinese Customer Service 98.

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

LUO, JIHUI Chinese Customer Service

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE 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 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 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 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

MSCI HONG KONG LIMITED U-1,2,3,4,7 & 8 29/f Zuellig Bldg., Makati Ave. Cor. Paseo De Roxas, Urdaneta, City Of Makati Basic Qualification: Minimum bachelor’s degree; TSUBOI OGUSICO, LARISSA excellent English and ESG Controversies Senior Associate Portuguese comprehension, writing and communication Brief Job Description: skills, relevant ESG 93. Part of the ESG controversies team, will search for, experience and/or a strong process, analyze and synthesize large quantities of background in research information into meaningful data analysis and ratings for analysis and writing. clients. Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 NEW ORIENTAL CLUB88 CORPORATION 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th & 10th/f, Pearl Marina Building Pacific Drive, Don Galo, City Of Parañaque Basic Qualification: CAO, ZUHAI College graduate. preferably Chinese Customer Service 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write 94. Brief Job Description: fluently (Native language & Manages incoming calls and inquiries, handling English) complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: CHEN, CHEN College graduate. Preferably Chinese Customer Service 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write 95. Brief Job Description: fluently (native language & Manages incoming calls and inquiries, handling English) complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

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

LEI, ZHUANGXIONG Chinese Customer Service 99.

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

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

BusinessMirror

A12 Thursday, November 11, 2021 ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION LIANG, WEIBIN Chinese Customer Service

100.

Brief Job Description: Manages incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents LIU, QING Chinese Customer Service

101.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file the documents. LUO, YANLING Chinese Customer Service

102.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file the documents. YAO, MANYING Chinese Customer Service

103.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file the documents. YU, CHENYANG Chinese Customer Service

104.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file the documents. ZENG, MUJUAN Chinese Customer Service

105.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file the documents. ZHANG, LONG Chinese Customer Service

106.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file the documents. ZHAO, DONGXU Chinese Customer Service

107.

Brief Job Description: Manages incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents ZHAO, JIANFENG Chinese Customer Service

108.

Brief Job Description: Manages incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents NGUYEN THI THANH HUYEN Vietnamese Customer Service

109.

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

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: College graduate. preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (Native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1yr experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language and English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1yr experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language and English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1yr experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language and English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1yr experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language and English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1yr experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language and English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1yr experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language and English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1yr experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language and English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate. preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (Native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1yr experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language and English)

111.

STAKE, OTTO Multilingual Customer Service Specialist Brief Job Description: Responsible for leading sales teams to reach sales targets.

116.

117.

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

NGUYEN TAI NGUYEN Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 118.

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

NGUYEN THI NHAI Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 119.

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

SHE VINA Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 120.

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

SIM CHEE HUNG Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 121.

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

SUSANA Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 122.

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

THEAM KIAT TUNG Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 123.

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

STONE ASIA AND SPECIALTY PRODUCTS, INC. 350, J.p. Rizal, Brgy. Namayan, City Of Mandaluyong ZENG, WEIWEI Project Coordinator 124.

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

ZHANG, HONGWEI Project Coordinator 125.

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

LIANG, XIAOYONG Project Manager 126.

Brief Job Description: Lead the planning and implementation of projects , Manage project manages assemble and coordinate project staffs full scale of project plans

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customers question about services or products/ excellent Mandarin communication skills

No.

132.

133.

134.

135.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customers question about services or products/ excellent Mandarin communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customers question about services or products/ excellent Mandarin communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customers question about services or products/ excellent Mandarin communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in mandarin and English language both in written and verbal must familiar in expert planning and administrative writing and reporting skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in mandarin and English language both in written and verbal must familiar in expert planning and administrative writing and reporting skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in mandarin and English language both in written and verbal must familiar in expert planning and administrative writing and reporting skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

MATANI, FENNY CHANDRAKANT Sales Manager 127.

Brief Job Description: Managing organizational sales by developing a business plan that covers sales, revenues and expense controls

Basic Qualification: Understanding of the sales processes and dynamics Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

TAISEI CORPORATION - PHILIPPINE BRANCH OFFICE U-902 9f Bdo Equitable Tower, 8751 Paseo De Roxas, Bel-air, City Of Makati INAZUMI, NORIHIKO Manager, Civil Engineering Department 128.

Brief Job Description: Preparation of bidding documents and in-charge of construction planning, cost estimation

Basic Qualification: 15+ years of project experience working in the construction industry Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

136.

129.

Brief Job Description: Creating and implementation of a trade marketing strategy. Managing brand awareness across various categories and products. Develop, implement and communicate metrics reporting processes and documentation across plants and companies in collaboration with operations, marketing and sales functions, fluency in English and Mandarin language is a must

130.

Brief Job Description: Call Chinese clients/ companies to remind on payments for past due accounts. Take payments and information and other pertinent data such as address and phone numbers from Chinese client. Explain and clarify with Chinese clients on non-payment and/or other service/ product issues. WEN, LIANG Mandarin Collection Officer

131.

Brief Job Description: Translates the UI| UX design wireframes to actual code that will produce visual elements of the application in English and Mandarin Language. A Front-End Developeris in charge to combine the art of design with the art of programming of the webiste of the company and its Chinese client. A Front-End-Developer implement visual elements that users see and interact with in a web application for Chinese clients. ZHANG, JIAYING Mandarin Front-end-developer Brief Job Description: Translates the UI| UX design wireframes to actual code that will produce visual elements of the application in English and Mandarin Language. A Front-End Developers in charge to combine the art of design with the art of programming of the website of the company and its Chinese client. A Front-End-Developer implement visual elements that users see and interact with in a web application for Chinese clients. ZHANG, TAO Mandarin Front-end-developer Brief Job Description: Translates the UI| UX design wireframes to actual code that will produce visual elements of the application in English and Mandarin Language. A Front-End Developers in charge to combine the art of design with the art of programming of the website of the company and its Chinese client. A Front-End-Developer implement visual elements that users see and interact with in a web application for Chinese clients.

Brief Job Description: Helps Vietnamese clients business owner to improve their business strategies and operations

CHEN, KAO-REN a.k.a. COLLIN CHEN Chinese Technical Support Representative 138.

Brief Job Description: Provide daily supports to users of various computer systems including answering questions, analyzing problems, and quickly forming solutions to return systems to proper operation YANG, CHANG-YING Chinese Technical Support Representative

139.

Brief Job Description: Provide daily supports to users of various computer systems including answering questions, analyzing problems, and quickly forming solutions to return systems to proper operation JAIKASEMSUKDEEMAK, SARUNYA Thai Customer Service Representative

140.

Brief Job Description: maintains financial account; recommend potential products and services attract potential to a customer HA THI THUY HANG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

141.

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

Basic Qualification: Preferably 6 months -1-year as Web Designer; Fluent in Mandarin and English Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Preferably 6 months -1-year as Web Designer; Fluent in Mandarin and English Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Preferably 6 months -1-year as Business Consultant; Fluent in Vietnamese and English Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Maintains financial account; recommends potential product and services; attract potential to a customers

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in Chinese Mandarin, English and their respective native language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in Chinese Mandarin, English and their respective native language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: At least 19 yrs old ability to write and communicate in Taiwanese Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Atleast 19yr old, ability to speak and communicate in Vietnamese Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

WEBB FONTAINE GROUP FZ-LLC, MANILA BRANCH Units 4401&4402 One San Miguel Avenue Condo., San Miguel Ave., Ortigas Ctr., San Antonio, City Of Pasig MIRZAKHANYAN, MANE Product Manager 142.

Brief Job Description: Lead business review and user acceptance testing sessions ensuring product design requirements

WTNBD INC. 8270, Dr. A Santos Avenue, San Isidro, City Of Parañaque KIM, HOSOO Marketing Manager 143.

Brief Job Description: managing marketing, advertising & promotional staff & activities in the company

Basic Qualification: Board level communication experience in identifying software/product development requirements. Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, Good Communication and Leadership skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

ZHONGWANG MACHINERIES PHILIPPINES, INC. Lot 424-d Riverside Ave., California Village, San Bartolome, Quezon City

144. Basic Qualification: Strong knowledge of consumer industry, ability to think critically and creativity. Fluent in English and Mandarin language is a must

Basic Qualification: Preferably 6 months -1-year as Web Designer; Fluent in Mandarin and English Language

WANFANG TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT, INC. 6-9/f Double Dragon Plaza, Edsa Cor. Macapagal Ave., Barangay 76, Pasay City

YAO, YAO Managing Director/corporate Treasurer

UNITED MOTION BUSINESS CONSULTANCY INC. U-2215 22f Cityland 10 Tower 2, 154 H.v. Dela Costa Cor. Valero Sts., Bel-air, City Of Makati WANG, DAN Mandarin Collection Officer

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

VPC CORPORATE SOLUTIONS INCORPORATED 11/f 100 West, Sen Gil Puyat Ave. Cor., Washington St., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati CHEN, ZIPENG Basic Qualification: Bilingual Admin Support Specialist Excellent in bilingual languages 137. Brief Job Description: Handles administrative requests and queries from senior Salary Range: managers/officers Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

TANZILA TRADING INC. U-29 3/f Bac., Bagong Milenyo F.b. Harrison St., Brgy. 076, Pasay City ZHANG, HAO Trade Marketing Specialist

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION MA, HAIYANG Mandarin Front-end-developer

TO THI TRA MY Vietnamese Business Consultant

SUNBEAMS IMPEX INC. #19 Main Avenue Acsie Road, Km., 16 West Service Road, Marcelo Green Village, City Of Parañaque

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

PH GLOBAL KIDS SMART FUTURE TECHNOLOGY INC. Unit 904, 9th Floor Picadilly Star Bldg., 4th Avenue Corner 27th Street, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig JIANG, SHANGGU Basic Qualification: Mandarin Finance Manager Must be proficient in Mandarin Chinese; in both 112. Brief Job Description: simplified and traditional Develops and implements financial management strategies, budgeting, forecasting, sales revenue cash flow Salary Range: and treasury analysis. Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: KANG, JINJU Must be proficient in Mandarin Operations Manager Mandarin Chinese; in both 113. simplified and traditional Brief Job Description: Ensure that price structures are communicated and Salary Range: understood by every member of his/her unit. Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 RAPOO PRO TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION Unit 8, Robinsons Cybergate Plaza Pioneer, Barangka Ilaya, City Of Mandaluyong Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling DOAN THI MY DUYEN customers question about Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative services or products/ 114. excellent Mandarin Brief Job Description: communication skills Assist/help customers, give customers information about products or services Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling HENDRY customers question about Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative services or products/ 115. excellent Mandarin Brief Job Description: communication skills Assist/help customers, give customers information about products or services Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

LAM KAH LEONG Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999 Basic Qualification: 18-50 y/o, good organizational skills, proficient in relevant computer applications

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION HOANG THI THU HANG Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

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

ONE SECAI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION G/f Warehouse C.m. Greenfield Compound, Km 14 Merville Access Road, Merville, City Of Parañaque Basic Qualification: • Responsible for all technology systems, processes, software design and development within the company. • Setting a vision for how technology will CHOY, PARKER PATRICK be used in the company, • Chief Technical Officer Identify, compare, select and implement technology Brief Job Description: solutions to meet current • Responsible for all technology systems, processes, and future needs, • Making software design and development within the company. executive decisions on • Setting a vision for how technology will be used in the behalf of the company’s company, • Identify, compare, select and implement technological requirements, technology solutions to meet current and future needs, • Acting as a mentor to team 110. • Making executive decisions on behalf of the company’s members. • Maintaining technological requirements, • Acting as a mentor to team a consumer-focused members. • Maintaining a consumer-focused outlook and outlook and aiding in the aiding in the delivery of IT projects to market, • Staying delivery of IT projects to on top of technology trends and developments,• Ensuring market, • Staying on top all technology practices adhere to regulatory standards. of technology trends and • Work closely with Marketing, Business Development developments,• Ensuring all and Operations to define and deliver new products and technology practices adhere enhancements to regulatory standards. • Work closely with Marketing, Business Development and Operations to define and deliver new products and enhancements

OPTIMORE INC. Unit 3-c 3/f Lpl Tower, 112 Legaspi St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

No.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Brief Job Description: He shall cover important aspects w/c are vital to expand the business of Zhongwang machineries Philippines

Basic Qualification: Master of Business Administration Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

ZIMI TECH, INC. 29th/f Burgundy Corporate Tower, Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati DEDY SOEDARTA Bahasa Customer Service Representative 145.

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

Basic Qualification: Proficient in writing, reading and speaking in both English and other languages needed to attain it’s job Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 *Date Generated: Nov 10, 2021

Basic Qualification: Preferably 6 months -1-year as Collection Staff/ Finance Staff; Fluent in Mandarin and English Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

In the ad material of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on Nov 10, 2021 , the company name of BYUN, YOUNGWHA, KIM, DAEWON, and RYU, JAE HA under Hyundai Corporation, should have been read as HYUNDAI MOTOR PHILIPPINES, INC. located at Unit 908 The Financial Centre, 26th St. Cor. 9th Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig and not as published. 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.

Basic Qualification: Preferably 6 months -1-year as Collection Staff/ Finance Staff; Fluent in Mandarin and English Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

www.businessmirror.com.ph

TheWorld BusinessMirror

Pfizer asks FDA to OK Covid booster shots for all adults

fizer asked US regulators Tuesday to allow boosters of its Covid-19 vaccine for anyone 18 or older, a step that comes amid concern about increased spread of the coronavirus with holiday travel and gatherings. Older Americans and other groups particularly vulnerable to the virus have had access to a third dose of the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine since September. But the Food and Drug Administration has said it would move quickly to expand boosters to younger ages if warranted. Pfizer is submitting early results of a booster study in 10,000 people to make its case that it’s time to further expand the booster campaign. While all three vaccines used in the US continue to offer strong protection against severe Covid-19 illness and death, the shots’ effectiveness against milder infection can wane over time. Pfizer’s new study concluded a booster could restore protection against symptomatic infection to about 95 percent, even as the extra-contagious Delta variant was surging. Side effects were similar to those seen with the company’s first two shots. A median of 11 months after their last Pfizer vaccination, trial participants were given either a third dose or a dummy shot. Researchers tracked any infections that occurred at least a week later, and so far have counted five cases of symptomatic Covid-19 among booster recipients compared to 109 cases among people who got dummy shots. The Biden administration had originally envisioned boosters for all adults, but faced a stinging setback in September when the FDA’s scientific advisers rejected extra Pfizer doses for everyone. The panel wasn’t convinced that young healthy people needed another dose, particularly when most of the world’s population remains

unvaccinated, and instead recommended boosters just for certain groups — one of a series of decisions about extra doses for all of the three vaccines used in the US. The current rules: People who initially received Pfizer or Moderna vaccinations are eligible for a booster six months later if they’re 65 or older, or are at high risk of Covid-19 because of health problems or their job or living conditions. Because the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine hasn’t proven as effective as its two-dose competitors, any J&J recipient can get a booster at least two months later. A lso, anyone eligible for a booster doesn’t have to stick with their initial vaccination type and can get a different company’s vaccine, what’s called mixing and matching. About 194 million Americans are fully vaccinated. Under today’s policies, authorities already estimated about 2 of every 3 vaccinated adults could qualify for a booster within the next few months. Many who don’t meet the criteria often score an extra shot because many vaccine providers don’t check qualifications. FDA spokeswoman Alison Hunt said the agency would review Pfizer’s application “as expeditiously as possible,” but would not set a timeline for a decision. She also said the FDA hasn’t yet decided whether to convene its panel of outside experts to vet the data. If the FDA authorizes Pfizer’s request for expanded boosters, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention then will make recommendations for how to use them. Globally, boosters also are a hodge-podge. Some countries restrict them to older or medically fragile people while others have few restrictions. Israel, for example, has allowed Pfizer boosters for anyone 12 and older. Canada’s health regulator on Tuesday authorized Pfizer boosters for people 18 and older. AP

Southeast Asia digital economy to reach $363 billion by 2025

outheast Asia’s booming Internet economy is set to double to $363 billion by 2025, eclipsing the previous forecast of $300 billion, research from Google, Temasek Holdings Pte and Bain & Co. shows. E-commerce, travel, media, transport and food are driving the region’s digital growth, with online spending rising 49 percent in 2021 to $174 billion, the companies said in their latest annual report. The region added 60 million new digital consumers since the start of the pandemic, led by Thailand and the Philippines. S o ut h e a s t A s i a , ho m e t o A libaba Group Holding Ltd.’s Lazada and Tencent Holdings Ltd.-backed Sea Ltd., will see a 62 percent increase in e-commerce gross merchandise value (GMV) this year as home-bound consumers pick up groceries and essentials from the likes of Lazada’s RedMart and Sea’s Shopee. Online shopping is now forecast to hit $234 billion in 2025 versus a previous $172 billion estimate, making up 64 percent of the region’s total estimated digital GMV of $363 billion, the research shows. “ We continue to see users come online at a blistering pace,” Stephanie Davis, vice president at Google Southeast Asia, said in an interview with Bloomberg TV’s Haslinda Amin and Rishaad Salamat. “Digital consumerism has really taken hold since the pandemic. We’re seeing a digital decade ahead of us in Southeast Asia and a possibility of $1 tril-

lion economy in the digital space by 2030.” Deals for Internet companies in Southeast Asia totaled $11.5 billion in the first half of this year, putting the region on track to surpass the $11.6 billion investment in all of 2020. Some of the region’s most valuable tech startups including Grab Holdings Inc. and GoTo are preparing to go public to raise capital or allow early investors to monetize their holdings. “2021 has been a record for investments in Southeast Asian net economy,” Rohit Sipahimalani, chief investment strategist and head of Southeast Asia at Temasek, said during a virtual press conference. “The world is awash with liquidity and looking for investment opportunities in low interest-rate environment, but it’s also because people have seen the resilience of the sector to Covid.” Indonesia is the region’s largest digital economy where online spending will probably double to $146 billion by 2025. Venture capital deals in the country in the first half of 2021 surpassed the full-year totals of each of the past four years, the report showed. Vietnam is expected to grow at the fastest rate among the six countries tracked by the study, nearly tripling in online GMV over the next four years. Each of the markets has big growth potential over the next decade, with Indonesia alone possibly becoming twice as big a market by 2030 as the entire Southeast Asia is currently, said Florian Hoppe, head of digital practice in Asia Pacific at Bain. Bloomberg News

Thursday, November 11, 2021 A13

Apec finds agreement on Covid jabs, carbon but tensions remain

ELLINGTON, New Zealand—Making coronavirus vaccines more accessible and reducing carbon emissions were two key pledges that Pacific Rim senior officials could agree to Wednesday.

But what went unstated were the deep tensions that run through the unlikely group of 21 nations and territories that include the US, China, Taiwan, Russia, and Australia. Those tensions have raised questions about who can join a Pacific trade deal and whether the US will get to host a future round of meetings. Trade ministers met online over two days as part of the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation

(Apec) forum. It is being hosted by New Zealand in a virtual format due to the pandemic. The officials highlighted areas where they could find agreement ahead of a leader’s meeting later in the week. New Zealand Trade Minister Da m ien O’Connor sa id a f ter the meeting that the members had committed, as they did last yea r, to joi nt ly f ight i ng t he pandemic. “We all know that none of us

are safe until we are all safe,” O’Connor said, adding that 17 A p e c me mb e r s “ h ave e it he r lowered or completely removed tariffs on vaccines and related products, making them easier to access.” In a joint statement, the ministers agreed to accelerate vaccine manufacturing and supply efforts and to support global sharing of vaccines. They also said they would study ways to ensure people could travel safely within the region to boost business, tourism and education. New Zealand’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Nanaia Mahuta, said Apec members strongly supported global climate commitments. “We know that there is a role for Apec to play in combating climate change,” she said. “It was for this reason that ministers agreed to send a strong signal on the importance of halting further spending on fossil fuel subsidies.”

When asked about tensions between Apec members, the two New Zealand ministers said it had not been a point of discussion. “There will always be differences between some of the member economies, but those differences are left for other forum,” O’Connor said. Both Taiwan and China have applied to join a Pacific Rim trade pact, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for TransPacific Partnership, with Beijing saying it will block Taiwan’s bid on the basis that Taiwan refuses to accept that it’s part of China. And it remains unclear whether all Apec members will support a bid by the US to host the 2023 round of Apec meetings. Mahuta said Wednesday that Apec was founded on consensus and that there was not yet a confirmed host for 2023. “We are hopeful that we will get there,” she said. AP

China keeps up zero tolerance as many try living with Covid

AIPEI, Taiwan—Wang Lijie planned to spend three days in the Gobi Desert last month to take in the area’s famous poplar forest as its trees turned a golden yellow. Instead, the Beijing resident has been stuck for more than three weeks, much of it in quarantine, after authorities discovered a cluster of Covid-19 cases in a nearby city. He was among more than 9,000 tourists who became trapped in Ejin Banner, a remote part of China’s Inner Mongolia region that is in the Gobi. As vaccination rates rise in many parts of the world and even countries that previously had strict Covid-containment strategies gingerly ease restrictions, China is doubling down on its zero-tolerance policy. C h i n a pioneered t h at ap proach—of strict lockdowns, multiple rounds of mass testing and centralized quarantine—during the world’s first major outbreak of the coronavirus in Wuhan. And it continues now, even as it says it has fully vaccinated 77 percent of its 1.4 billion people and started giving booster shots. “The cost is truly rather high, but compared with not managing it, relaxing [the zero-tolerance policy], then that cost is even higher,” Zhong Nanshan, a top government doctor, said in a recent TV interview. The impact of the restrictions is not widespread—but unpredictable. Unlucky travelers can find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time, like the tourists in the Gobi Desert, some of whom were bused 18 hours to finish their quarantine in another city. People from Beijing have complained online about leaving for a work trip and not being able to return home. In a sign of the effect the regulations can have even on thriving businesses, the wildly popular hotpot restaurant chain, Haidilao, decided to shutter 300 outlets in part because of the pandemic and is scaling back a plan to add 1,200 new ones. The strain has been particularly felt in places like Ruili, a city in the southwest that has been locked down repeatedly this year. But for authorities in Beijing, control over the virus has become a point of pride, a potent tool of propaganda—and proof, they say, of a superior form of

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, a medical worker collects a swab sample for nucleic acid test in Ruili City of southwest China’s Yunnan Province, on July 5, 2021. The border city in Yunnan is perhaps the most extreme version of what happens under China’s approach to Covid-19. China is doubling down on the strategy it developed during the first massive outbreak in the central city of Wuhan, which it has strengthened as the pandemic continues, one of strict lockdowns, multiple rounds of mass testing and centralized quarantine. Wang Guansen/Xinhua via AP

governance. They often trumpet their success at keeping deaths relatively low, especially in contrast to the United States, whose Covid-19 response the Foreign Ministry spokesman has called a “total failure.” C h i n a h a s repor ted about 4 ,6 0 0 d e at h s — comp a re d t o more than 755,000 in the US, a country with less than a quarter the population. “It’s becoming part of the official narrative that promotes that approach and links that to the superiority of the Chinese political system,” said Yanzhong Huang, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. It’s impossible to tell how much popular support the policies have since opinion polls are rare and criticism often censored. When Zhang Wenhong, a doctor in Shanghai who has been compared to top American health official Anthony Fauci, briefly raised the prospect of living with the virus, he was shut down by official criticism and a plagiarism investigation. But the head of China’s Center for Disease Control, Gao Fu, recently suggested the country could open up once it is 85 percent vaccinated—a sign the government is aware that at least some are eager for that. In the last three and a half weeks, Wang has had 18 tests for Covid-19. Yet, he isn’t complaining. He’s able to work remotely and has started a vlog of his daily life, interacting with residents of

Inner Mongolia online. “Regardless of the time you sacrificed, or how much money you spent, in the face of life, in front of health, those things are not worth mentioning,” said Wang. “For everyone’s health, for society to be more stable, some people have to make sacrifices.” But China’s strateg y sets it apart, as many countries shift to tr ying to live with the virus, especially as it continues to mutate and vaccines cannot fully prevent infection. Most notably, New Zealand, which had long pursued a zero-tolerance approach, announced last month a cautious plan to ease re s t r ic t ion s , d e s pit e a s i m mer i ng outbre a k . Au st r a l i a , T ha i l and and Singapore—a l l of which imposed severe travel restrictions for much of the pandemic—have also begun to open their borders. China, by contrast, slashed the number of international passenger flights allowed into the country by 21 percent last month to 408 flights per week until late March, while increasing the number of cargo flights by 28 percent. In Singapore, which started allowing quarantine-free entry to fully vaccinated travelers from certain countries, the number of new cases has jumped to thousands a day from less than 100 before. But most are not winding up in the hospital. “It’s just completely unrealistic to think that you can stay at zero,” said Dale Fisher, a professor in the

National University of Singapore’s medical school. But even if only a small percentage of infected people end up in hospitals, that could be a problem in China, with its huge population—and would be especially complicated for a government that has staked its reputation on keeping numbers very low. “I think what the government leaders, and scholars and public health officials are worried about [is], even a small opening may lead to bigger outbreaks on a much larger scale,” said Huang, of the Council on Foreign Relations. Some of the most dramatic examples of China’s policy come from Ruili, which is bordered on three sides by Myanmar and has struggled to keep the virus at bay. Videos of a 21-month-old boy with round cheeks who has been tested 78 times have circulated widely online. The boy’s father declined an interview but confirmed he shot the videos, which have inspired empathy, but have also been used by state media as propaganda to show how tough Chinese citizens are. One Ruili resident, who gave only his last name Xu, said he’s lost count of how many tests he’s taken. At the height of one lockdown, community volunteers threatened to fine him when he went to throw out the trash. To leave the city, he must pay for seven days of hotel quarantine— just go to a town 10 kilometers (6 miles) away. The restrictions have devastated his business, which sells jade from Myanmar. T he Ru i l i gover nment a nnounced in late October that it would give 1,000 yuan (about $150) to residents who had experienced hardship, and that it would allow small- and mediumsized businesses to defer loan payments. In the Xinjiang region in China’s west, Li Hui has been sealed up for about a month in the city of Yili, where a few cases were discovered in early October. His mother, who lives in a nearby village, twisted her wrist, but initially could not come into the city for treatment because of the restrictions. After much pleading, he got an ambulance to take her to a hospital a week after her injury. He still can’t visit her. “I don’t know how long Yili’s residents can endure,” he said. “I really can’t endure it anymore.” AP

A14 Thursday, November 11, 2021 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

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18th century insights and a warming planet

lobal warming is the issue above all issues at the COP26 summit in Glasgow. All participants understand that climate change threatens the survival of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people. The leaders of rich nations that are major contributors to global warming acknowledge this, that’s why they pledged in 2009 to give developing countries $100 billion a year by 2020 to help them deal with climate change. They failed to deliver. At the COP26 negotiations, rich countries want to push the target date back to 2023. This infuriated the developing countries, which blocked progress on the issues of transparency over climate actions and on fixing a common timetable by which all countries would keep updating their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the 2015 Paris Agreement. In retaliation, developed countries refused to discuss what to do about the loss and damage that poor countries suffer due to climateinduced super typhoons, floods, landslides, droughts and other catastrophes being exacerbated by climate change. They also blocked discussions on finding money for adaptation to climate change impacts. As negotiations at COP26 are deadlocked between developed and developing countries over finance, economists are trying to find the solution to the climate emergency in the works of an 18th century giant thinker. Adam Smith, a Scottish moral philosopher by trade, wrote the book, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, commonly referred to simply as The Wealth of Nations, in 1776. His thesis is that our individual need to fulfill self-interest results in societal benefit. From Bloomberg’s Greg Ritchie: Now, the past and the present are colliding as a group of economists publish a rethink of Smith’s most famous work, The Wealth of Nations, to reflect the modern challenge of a warming planet. The project, which takes the form of a 60-page book of essays, involved reassessing Smith’s well-known theories of value, development and how markets are shaped by an “invisible hand.” While Smith’s opus is traditionally viewed as promoting lightly-regulated markets, the authors of the essays argue if he was writing today he would be pushing for financial and economic curbs to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy.” In the Theory of Moral Sentiments, a book published in 1759, Smith talked about the impact of others suffering. His words are instructive: “As we have no immediate experience of what other men feel, we can form no idea of the manner in which they are affected, but by conceiving what we ourselves should feel in the like situation. Though our brother is on the rack, as long as we ourselves are at our ease, our senses will never inform us of what he suffers. They never did, and never can, carry us beyond our own person, and it is by the imagination only that we can form any conception of what are his sensations.” This is a profound way of telling rich countries to use their imagination to understand the suffering of poor countries being devastated by the effects of climate change. Smith’s theory was one of sympathy, empathy and solidarity. From that understanding comes compassion and action, which are badly needed by climate negotiators from rich countries so they can help resolve urgent issues at the COP26 summit before they go home on Friday. Since 2005

‘Hugs, not bullets’ John Mangun

OUTSIDE THE BOX

very nation struggles with the problem of illegal drug use. The related crime issues, such as robberies and burglaries for money to buy drugs is important. But civil societies all try to come up with a solution to keep people from killing themselves from illegal drugs.

Experts and politicians pointed to success in this area by looking to Portugal, which effectively decriminalized many drugs and saw a significant fall in the amount of OD deaths. Maybe making these drugs legal is the answer. Then again, Singapore, Japan, and Malaysia have fewer drug related deaths than Portugal, while Malaysia and Singapore have an often-enforced death penalty for drug trafficking. A single joint will get you five years prison time in Japan. Further, Portugal never had much of “drug lord” problem. It is easy to transport drugs around Europe as border controls are almost non-existent. Rarely do you hear of large drug busts in Europe. The exception is like when in February 2021, billions of dollars of cocaine was seized off a container ship in the German port

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vo Laredo, Tamaulipas as a result of the fighting between the Gulf and Sinaloa cartels. The newly elected President Felipe Calderón dispatched 6,500 Mexican Army soldiers to Michoacán state in 2006 to end drug violence there. During his six-year term, 50,000 drug related homicides occurred and US Ambassador in Mexico Carlos Pascual argued that this rise in violence was a direct result of Calderón’s military response. In 2012, newly elected president Enrique Peña Nieto emphasized that he was opposed to the previous policy of attacking drug-trafficking organizations by arresting or killing the drug lords and intercepting their drug shipments. But between December 2012 and January 2014, 23,640 people died in the “drug war.” President Andrés Manuel López Obrador took office in December 2018 with a “strategy for peace,” a policy of de-escalation and appeasement. He pledged during the campaign to offer “Abrazos No

Balazos”—“Hugs, not Bullets.” The hugs included social poverty programs, encouragement towards good behavior, and the insistence that he would ban corruption. One analyst: “Unfortunately, while these policies were enough to convince the wider Mexican public, it relied on every level of the cartels to be filled with honest individuals, and the number of cartel officials that fit that description was virtually zero. Obrador’s policy was manipulated by the cartels the moment it was introduced as should have been predicted when a nation gives massmurderers a chance at spreading their power without the threat of judicial retribution.” In 2019 Obrador was forced to release from capture ‘El Chapo’ Guzman’s son and high ranking Sinaloa cartel member after they fought the Mexican military with their .50 caliber machine guns and anti-aircraft weapons. “We saved lives, which is the most important thing,” the president said. “We will not confront violence with violence. There is no war against drug trafficking.” That is good news to the Mexican drug cartels that earn an annual revenue of $30 billion from illicit drug sales. 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.

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city of Hamburg. Had that shipment hit the streets, it would have disappeared into the market. As many as 250,000 people—cartel members, law enforcement, and civilians—have died in a real “Drug War” in Mexico since 2006. And that is through four presidential administrations. The birth of the Mexican drug cartels is traced to former Mexican Judicial Federal Police agent Miguel Félix Gallardo who founded the Guadalajara Cartel in 1980. He controlled everything moving through Mexico until he “retired” to a high-security prison in 1993. By 2003, several other cartels started springing up. But police, military, and political corruption was so high that the cartels grew like Columbian coca leaves and Sinaloa marijuana. In 2005, about 110 people died in Nue-

“We saved lives, which is the most important thing,” the president said. “We will not confront violence with violence. There is no war against drug trafficking.” That is good news to the Mexican drug cartels that earn an annual revenue of $30 billion from illicit drug sales.

he pandemic has caused major changes in our economic landscape resulting to reduction in working hours, massive job losses and business closures. It was a major challenge for the employers as they struggled to keep their business afloat with fewer customers and shorter operating hours while trying to stay compliant to government regulations for the welfare of their families and their employees. The SSS is cognizant of this fact. In 2020, we implemented various Covid-19 Relief Packages for our affected members and pensioners. Part of this is the Small Business and Wage Subsidy Program (SBWS), which we facilitated for our small business employers who suffered financial difficulties during the nationwide lockdown. Even up to this day, we also know that some employers, through no fault of their own, already missed the opportunity to settle their contribution payments. Now that things are starting to ease up and businesses are slowly being re-opened, we want to help our employers fulfill their obligations with SSS. Here’s good news: This November, SSS is offering the Contribution Condonation Penalty Program to all

employers who are delinquent in the payment of SS contributions and/ or penalties covering the applicable month of March 2020 and onwards. Qualified under this program are those who are delinquent in the payment of SS contributions and/or penalties whose financial positions demonstrate a clear inability to pay the assessed delinquency arising from economic crisis, serious business losses or financial reverses, or resulting from natural calamity, or man-made disaster without fault on the part of the employer. For purposes of determining existence of economic crisis, areas affected by natural calamity, or man-made disaster without fault on the part of the employer, the SSS shall confirm the same from the National Eco-

nomic and Development Authority (Neda), National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and/or its local counterparts, or the concerned regulatory or investigating government agency, respectively. To avail of this program, the employer shall submit an Application Form to the SSS Branch Office (BO)/ Large Account Department (LAD) having jurisdiction over its account. The employer shall attach in the Application Form the proposed mode of payment in settling its delinquencies, the amount of which shall be determined by the responsible Account Officer of the BO/LAD who will provide the same to the employer prior to the filing of the application. They also need to submit the following documents to support their application: A. For Corporation, Partnership, Cooperative, Joint Venture, Association and Other Institutions 1) Certified True Copies of the latest General Information Sheet (GIS) or Articles of Incorporation, Articles of Partnership, Articles of Cooperation, Joint Venture Agreement and other documents showing the responsible officers; 2) Audited Financial Statements for the last two years stamped “received” by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR); and 3) Duly notarized Secretary’s Certificate stating that the Board

of Directors/Trustees (for Corporation/Cooperative/Joint Venture), has authorized, through a Board Resolution, the name and position of the authorized person to sign and apply for the condonation program on behalf of the employer. 4) Duly notarized certification signed by the General/Managing Partner/s indicating the name/s of the partner/s who will sign and apply for the condonation program on behalf of the employer. In addition to the foregoing, in case of closure/termination/cessation of operation, anyone of its former director/trustee/partner/managing head shall sign the application and submit a duly notarized undertaking to settle the principal amount of delinquency in his/her personal capacity and anyone of the following supporting documents. a. Letter of Request for Retirement/Closure of Business b. Barangay Certificate of Closure from the Barangay where the business is located; c. Original Partnership Dissolution Agreement or Notice of Dissolution for Partnerships; d. BIR Form 1905 duly received by the BIR B. Single Proprietorship and Household Employer 1) Income Tax Return (ITR) for the last two years stamped received by the BIR or a duly notarized See “SSS” A15

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certification on the source(s) of funds to maintain the household (for Household Employer with no ITR); and 2) Sworn Statement/Affidavit on the reason/s for the inability to pay the assessed delinquency/ies without fault on its part. The applicant will be assisted in the preparation of the Sworn Statement/Affidavit by the responsible Account Officer. All employers applying under this program shall, in addition to the above-stated requirements, submit the following: a. For installment payment proposals, official receipt of the down payment which is not less than 5% of the amount of the principal delinquency; and b. Official receipt of the full payment of the Employees Compensation (EC) contribution and penalty delinquency, if applicable. All applications, including the proposed mode of payment, shall be processed by the concerned Accounts Management Section (AMS) of the BO or by the LAD having jurisdiction over the employer. An employer may also settle the total assessed contribution delinquency through any of the following modes: 1. Payment in FULL of the total assessed contribution delinquency through any SSS Branch/Office or authorized collection agent (e.g., accredited banks, payment centers/ partners) of the SSS, within 15 calendar days from receipt of the Notice of Approval by the SSS; or 2. An approved installment proposal to settle the total assessed contribution delinquency by the SSS shall earn an interest of 6 percent per annum. The employer shall be required to pay a down payment of not less than 5 percent of the amount of principal delinquency upon submission of the application and the balance of the delinquency to be settled for a maximum period of 24 months. The balance of principal delinquency shall be payable in accordance with the Schedule of Monthly Installment

Payments, as follows: Total Amount of Delinquency Maximum Number of Monthly Installments n Up to P1,000,000—Four months. n O v e r P 1 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 t o P2,000,000—Eight months. n OverP2,000,000toP5,000,000 —12 months. n O v e r P 5 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 t o P10,000,000—16 months. n Over P10,000,000 to P20,000, 000—20 months. n O v e r P 2 0 , 0 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 — 24 months. Always remember to pay within the scheduled monthly installment as the Notice of Approval issued by the SSS shall be deemed cancelled under any of the following circumstances: 1. Failure to pay in full within15 calendar days from receipt of the Notice of Approval by the SSS; 2. Any default in the payment under the approved installment proposal within the period provided therein; or 3. Failure to pay the current contributions from the month of filing of the application until the approval by the SSS, and for the entire duration of the approved installment proposal, if applicable. Interested employers may also visit our web site at www.sss.gov. ph and our official social-media pages for the complete details of this program. Remember, one of the legal obligations of an employer to SSS is to pay their share of contributions and remit these to SSS. This is a perfect opportunity to get your accounts updated with the payments and maintain your good standing. By doing so, you not only relieve yourself of the burden of having to pay the penalties incurred, but you are also ensuring your employees are covered with social security protection in times of contingencies. Let us continue to work hand in hand to deliver this commitment. Have a great week everyone! Aurora C. Ignacio is SSS president and chief executive officer. We welcome your questions and insights on the topics that we discuss. E-mail mediaaffairs@sss. gov.ph for topics that you might want us to discuss.

Thursday, November 11, 2021 A15

Japan’s Sojitz infuses multi-million dollar investment in PHL tower builder Val A. Villanueva

Businesswise

he Japanese press recently went on a frenzy over its country’s 150-year-old company’s move to underwrite approximately $61.36 million in equity in LBS Digital Infrastructure Corp. (LBSD), a wholly owned Filipino tower company.

Market analysts view this latest Sojitz Corp.’s maneuver as a sign of an economic boom in the rapidly growing Philippine telecom sector. Sojitz could not have chosen a better tower company. LBSD has been one of the country’s leading cell tower builders, which has practically built and operated majority of the industry’s cell towers. In its marker disclosure, Sojitz sees significant growth in the country’s telecom market. It regards the industry as one of the most promising markets in Asia in terms of the telecom tower business. By entering the tower business at this early stage, LBSD aims to secure its position as one of the Philippines’ largest tower operators. LBSD’s business expansion will leverage its access to abundant pre-identified potential tower sites in the Philippines and its established record of tower design and construction together with Sojitz’s management resources. Global usage of smart phones and 5G has resulted in mobile carriers shifting their means of differentiation from infrastructure to services and content. Expanding telecom tower businesses will make it possible for mobile carriers to quickly and efficiently invest in infrastructure for building their own networks in order to offer mobile users an improved standard of living with extensive network offerings. The telecom tower sharing to be promoted by Sojitz and LBSD will consolidate various

telecom towers constructed by the country’s mobile carriers in order to reduce capital investment costs and preserve the landscape. The Philippines holds the record for the world’s highest daily Internet usage with an average of 10 hours a day. Although the country shows a strong demand for data communications, the Philippines has a lower ratio of telecom towers relative to its population in comparison to neighboring countries. At present, there are delays in the establishment of telecommunication environments across the archipelago. Having just started full 5G deployment, the country is expected to see an even greater demand for telecom towers and small poles moving forward. By leveraging on its extensive experience and know-how, Sojitz will be able to establish telecom tower infrastructure in the Philippines that will improve the Filipinos’ quality of life. At the same time, Sojitz aims to expand the telecom tower business to other regions and related business fields. The installation of carbon fiber towers manufactured by Sojitz Group subsidiary IsoTruss will result in added value to LBSD’s telecom tower business. The carbon filter towers ii IsoTruss are lightweight but strong and resistant to corrosion, collapse and other forms of damage that the country’s frequent typhoons may bring. With the government’s improved common-tower policy, for-

Will the era of slow, exasperating Internet connectivity be a thing of the past? Sojitz investment in LBSD foretells a bright future for the country’s telecom sector.

eign and local tower builders have been intensely jockeying for a spot in this highly competitive business. The common-tower policy, originally proposed by then presidential adviser for telecommunications Ramon ‘RJ’ Jacinto, was spurned by the industry. Jacinto wanted telecom firms to rent their respective towers from a single tower company, a move that industry members found to be inimical to their best interest. On May 29 last year, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) revised the policy and issued a circular (DC 008, s. 2020) containing guidelines on a Shared Passive Telecommunications Tower Infrastructure, which is intended to foster growth and development of Independent Tower Companies (ITCs) and promote shared passive telecommunications groundwork, aimed at accelerating growth in Philippine telecommunications. Telecom companies welcomed the enhanced policy since it allows them to decide which among a slew of tower builders they can best partner with. Cost-wise, the common tower policy benefits the industry. By leasing from ITCs, they do not have to build and maintain their own cell towers. Since the ITCs will solve the lack of cell towers, which has been cited for the slow Internet connectivity in the Philippines, telecoms can now concentrate on their main business of providing fast and reliable Internet which will help bring the country in step with 21st century technology. According to PLDT and Smart President and CEO Alfredo Panlilio, even before this initiative on sale and lease back project, “we [have already] started a process called common tower for future build-out of new towers. We’ve come up with

Combating cybercrime in the postpandemic era: Taiwan can help By Huang Chia-lu

N 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged much of the globe. In mid-May 2021, the Republic of China (Taiwan) saw a sudden rise in case numbers. When Taiwan needed help the most, partners such as the United States, Japan, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland, as well as the COVAX Facility, global allocation mechanism for Covid-19 vaccines, immediately pledged to donate or provided vaccines to Taiwan, allowing Taiwan to gradually bring the pandemic back under control. This is a testament to the international joint efforts to tackle the serious challenges brought about by the pandemic. The same joint efforts will be needed to address growing international cybercrimes in the post pandemic era, and Taiwan is willing to be part of that effort.

Increasing importance of cybertechnology in the wake of the pandemic Throughout the pandemic, Taiwan government agencies and private companies have closely followed anti-pandemic policies to prevent cluster infections. People began working from home and schools adopted virtual learning. Consumers turned to e-commerce, and online food ordering and delivery service platforms flourished. The pandemic has led to these changes in our lives, and while it is sure to abate in the foreseeable future, the spread of cybertechnology will not. It has fundamentally altered the way we work, live, learn, and relax—resulting in an entirely new lifestyle. However, our increased reliance on cybertechnology has also made it easier than ever for criminals to exploit security vulnerabilities to commit crimes. Thus, cybersecurity will be one of the most important issues in the post pandemic era as it is essential to maintaining public safety worldwide. Cybercrime transcends borders; transnational cooperation is the key. As cybercrime transcends bor-

ders, victims, perpetrators, and crime scenes may be located in different countries. The most common cybercrime is telecom fraud, which utilizes the Internet and other telecommunications technologies. Transnational cooperation is necessary to bring international crime rings to justice. In 2020, Taiwan police used big data analytics to identify multiple Taiwan nationals who were suspected of establishing telecom fraud operations in Montenegro. Taiwan contacted Montenegro and proposed mutual legal assistance, enabling the Montenegrin Special State Prosecutor’s Office to move forward with the case. Through joint efforts, Taiwan and the Montenegrin police forces uncovered three telecom fraud operations and arrested 92 suspects accused of impersonating Chinese government officials, police, and prosecutors. It is believed that the suspects scammed more than 2,000 people in China, causing up to US$22.6 million in financial losses. This case highlights the features of transnational crime. The suspects were Taiwan nationals, while the victims were Chinese nationals. The alleged crime occurred in Montenegro

Montenegrin Special State Prosecutor’s Office transfers proceedings to Taiwan police.

and was perpetrated with telecommunications technologies. Thanks to bilateral police cooperation, the suspects were apprehended, preventing other innocent people from falling victim to the scam. Child and youth sexual exploitation is another internationally condemned crime, with countries worldwide making every effort to prevent it and bring perpetrators to justice. In 2019, Taiwan police received information from the US National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s virtual private network CyberTipline indicating that a South African citizen in Taiwan was suspected of having uploaded large quantities of child pornography on the Internet. Following the lead, Taiwan police quickly located the suspect and searched his residence, seizing evidence of child pornography. Police also found photographs and videos of him sexually assaulting Taiwanese children. The illicit images were stored on servers located in the United States, and the alleged crimes were committed in

Taiwan. As the victims in this case were underage, they were too young to adequately explain the situation or seek assistance. If Taiwan police had not received the leads, the suspect would likely have continued to assault more children. This case owes its success to transnational cooperation and criminal intelligence sharing, which can effectively curb crime. Cybercrime involves cross-border investigations. However, jurisdictions and definitions of crimes vary among law enforcement agencies worldwide. Criminal rings understand this all too well and exploit the resulting information barriers, fleeing to other countries to decrease the likelihood of being caught. Like Covid-19, cybercrime can strike individuals in any country. Therefore, just as the world has joined forces to combat the pandemic, countering cybercrime requires the cooperation of international police forces assisting and sharing information with one another. Only then can more crimes be prevented and more cases

be solved efficiently, allowing people worldwide to enjoy a safer life. Taiwan police authorities have long strived to promote international cooperation in combating cross-border crime. In 2020, there were three prominent cases. Through the joint efforts of Taiwan, Vietnam, and the United States, transnational telecom fraud call centers were raided in January; the following month, a US currency counterfeiting ring was discovered; and 12 individuals suspected of involvement in human trafficking and violation of the Child and Youth Sexual Exploitation Prevention Act were arrested in July. Taiwan police authorities have a specialized High Te c h n o l o g y Crime Investigation Unit and professional cybercrime investigators. The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) under the National Police Agency of the Ministry of the Interior, also established a Digital Forensics Lab that meets international standards. The laboratory was issued the world’s first ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation for Windows Program Analysis by the Taiwan Accreditation Foundation. In 2021, the CIB standardized its malware analysis procedures, in addition to establishing file analysis and network analysis mechanisms. Taiwan’s expertise in combatting cybercrime will benefit global efforts to build a safer cyberspace. Taiwan can help create a safer world. The Covid-19 pandemic has un-

almost a year-and-a-half process of identifying three partners and that has been approved in the Board on November 5. Three entities are building out 1,600 towers for the next year for us.” He adds that government initiatives, such as the streamlining of permitting guidelines and future plans of creating ‘One-Stop Shops’ in LGUs for the processing of all kinds of permits, will help expedite the expansion of Smart’s network across the country, particularly fiber. “PLDT’s fiber infrastructure is the country’s most extensive at around 615,000 kilometers as of end-September and also supports Smart’s mobile network, serving 96 percent of the population from Batanes to Tawi-Tawi,” he says. Globe Telecom’s Yoly Crisanto, the company’s SVP for Corporate Communications, told BusinessWise that the telecom firm has signed manufacturing license agreements with several ITCs: “As they learn how to navigate through the process of identifying, acquiring, and building new sites, we expect more aggressive builds coming from them moving forward. Our goal is to make them a significant partner of our builds. This is progressively being done.” With the emergence of ITCs, some analysts see the sale of telcos’ existing cell towers as a potential revenue. Crisanto lauds the idea. “Globe keeps its options on its passive infrastructure open,” she explains. “We are always on the lookout to monetize our passive assets and shifting these into active investments. For now, we are focusing our efforts on enabling the built-to-suit initiatives of our ITC partners. We will update the market if and when we are ready to act on our tower infrastructure.” Will the era of slow, exasperating Internet connectivity be a thing of the past? Sojitz investment in LBSD foretells a bright future for the country’s telecom sector. For comments and suggestions, e-mail me at mvala.v@gmail.com

derscored the fact that diseases transcend national borders and it can affect anyone—regardless of skin color, ethnicity, language, or gender. Distrust, disagreements, and a lack of transparency between nations accelerated the spread of the virus. Only when international partners provide mutual assistance and share anti-pandemic information, expertise, and vaccines can the world overcome the pandemic faster and successfully. The Global Policing Goals were endorsed by INTERPOL member countries in 2017, with the stated purpose of creating a safer and more sustainable world. With this mission in mind, we must work together to combat c r i me — just as we have joined forces to combat the pandemic. No police agency or country should be excluded. To fight cybercrime and bolster global cybersecurity effectively, the world needs to cooperate. Taiwan needs the world’s support and Taiwan is willing and able to help the world by sharing its experience. As the entire world unites to combat the pandemic this year, we urge the international community, in the same spirit, to support Taiwan’s bid to attend the INTERPOL’s General Assembly as an observer this year and participate in INTERPOL meetings, mechanisms, and training activities. Taiwan’s pragmatic and meaningful participation would help make the world a safer place for all. Huang Chia-lu is Taiwan’s Commissioner, Criminal Investigation Bureau

A16 Thursday, November 11, 2021

LANDBANK NET INCOME HITS P16.7B IN 9 MONTHS By Bianca Cuaresma @BcuaresmaBM

TATE-OWNED Land Bank of the Philippines announced on Wednesday that its net profit grew double digit in the first nine months of the year, owing largely to lower cost of funds and lower provisions for losses during the period. LandBank ’s nine-month income hit P16.72 billion in 2021, up 21 percent from the P13.8 billion in the same period last year. With the development, the bank said it is on track to meet its net income target of P19.68 billion by yearend. The bank’s total assets were up 13.6 percent to P2.564 trillion from P2.257 trillion in September 2020. This was driven by deposits of P2.267 trillion, which expanded by 14.68 percent. LandBank’s capital also rose by 25.77 percent year-on-year to P208.17 billion from P165.52 billion. The bank attributed this to the P27.5-billion equity infusion made by the National Government

in February 2021 plus the net income for the year. Return on equity reached 10.74 percent, which is above the industry average of 6.48 percent. “LandBank has shown remarkable resilience against the economic shocks of the pandemic. As we continue to exceed our year-end targets in total assets and deposits, we are optimistic that the Bank’s overall financial performance will keep in step with the country’s continuing recovery,” Landbank President and CEO Cecilia Borromeo said. The bank also said its “financial muscle” is driving the fulfillment of its social mandate of providing financial and support services to the agriculture sector and the country’s recovery and development efforts. As of 30 September 2021, the bank’s total outstanding loans to the agriculture sector reached P228.21 billion. The total number of farmers and fishers assisted stood at 2.97 million, closer to reaching the year-end target of 3 million.

Apec’s focus: open trading, sustainability and inclusive growth By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad @Tyronepiad

HE Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) ministers underscored the need to promote sustainability, inclusive growth and open trading, especially for Covid-19 vaccines and other essential goods amid the pandemic. The recent ministerial meeting focused on the recovery initiatives by the Asia-Pacific economies amid the pandemic. It was co-chaired by New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs Nanaia Mahuta and Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O’Connor. “As a leading regional body, it is important that Apec continues to emphasize its strong support for global climate commitments. While Apec accounts for 60 percent of global GDP, the same percentage is also true for emissions,” Mahuta said during a virtual press briefing after the meeting. As such, she said the Apec ministers “agreed to send a strong signal on the importance of halting further spending on fossil fuel subsidies.” This financing amounts to billions of dollars annually, Mahuta noted, adding that the “real impact is on our environment.” During the meeting, the ministers acknowledged the economic benefits of adopting a climate-resilient future global economy, commending the commitments for net-zero or carbon neutrality initiatives. The Apec leaders also stressed the urgency of ramping up renewable energy sources to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. “Ministers also recognize that an inclusive economy is a resilient and sustainable economy. A true economic recovery from Covid-19 is one where women and indigenous peoples are able to maximize their economic inclusion for the betterment of region,” Mahuta said. The ministers vowed to continue strengthening information-sharing to boost upskilling and re-skilling of the workforce. This, in addition to crafting training programs for those seeking job opportunities. The regional bloc also recognized the importance of micro, small and medium enterprises in providing employment and fostering economic growth. As such, the Apec ministers said they are seeking more participation of this segment both in the regional and global markets. The ministerial meeting also

delved into economically empowering other groups with “untapped economic potential,” citing the indigenous peoples and those living in rural and remote areas. “We underline the importance of collecting and analyzing disaggregated data in informing policy responses; promoting opportunities for these groups through e-commerce; strengthening food security; and the role of traditional knowledge in sustaining economic resilience,” the ministers noted. O’Connor, meanwhile, welcomed the ministers’ “strong stance against vaccine nationalism.” “We all know none of us is safe until we are all safe. It was heartening to hear that no Apec economy has introduced vaccine export restrictions since we discussed a shared response to vaccine nationalism back in June,” he said. Since June, the Apec countries have boosted trade facilitation for Covid-19 vaccines and other essential goods. Some economies even have kept zero to low taxes for vaccines and other medical supplies. “It is free, fair, and open trade that will help economies move forward out of this pandemic. With Apec comprising 47 percent of global trade, we need openness in our region to drive global growth,” O’Connor added. The same initiative was also previously agreed upon by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) members, which stressed the need to keep global and regional supply chains open for trade facilitation amid the pandemic to recover. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said earlier that ensuring trade flow will further strengthen the multilateral cooperation of the regional bloc. Citing the Philippines, Lopez said the government did not place export restrictions for essential goods, including personal protective equipment and medical devices. An initiative supporting the DTI’s sentiment is the Asean’s memorandum of understanding on the implementation of non-tariff measures on essential goods, Lopez said. “It calls for Asean member-countries to refrain from introducing or maintaining trade-restrictive measures on essential goods, which is instrumental to sustain a resilient supply chain while ensuring the trade in essential goods continue to be unhampered to meet the needs of Asean businesses as well as its citizens,” he explained.

Sinking 4X more than global rate, PHL airs climate alert

By Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

ANILA has called for the end to the debate and the start of climate action as countries like the Philippines are already sinking and experiencing more violent typhoons. In his address to world leaders at the 26th United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said climate change is very real for the Philippines. Dominguez said given the risks and the lives at stake, it is time to end the climate debate and begin implementing concrete actions to meet their commitments and obligations to humankind. “We account only for threetenths of 1 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions. Yet, we bear the brunt of the consequences of climate change,” Dominguez said on Tuesday. “Our country is sinking four times faster than the global average. Annually, we are confronted

with extreme floods and droughts as well as increasing severity and frequency of typhoons. Millions of lives are at stake,” he said. Dominguez is the Chairmandesignate of the country’s Climate Change Commission (CCC), and heads the Philippine delegation to the two-week COP26. He said the laundry list is quite long when it comes to climate action. He noted that for one, countries need to flesh out a framework for climate justice. “Unthink ing industr ialization,” Dominguez said, has led to the high pollution of the environment in the past 200 years. Countries who benefited from industrialization should pay for grants, investments, and subsidies for vulnerable countries.

DOMINGUEZ: “Our country is sinking four times faster than the global average. Annually, we are confronted with extreme floods and droughts as well as increasing severity and frequency of typhoons. Millions of lives are at stake.”

Dominguez noted that developed countries have fallen short on their commitment formalized at the 16th COP meeting to mobilize $100 billion per year by 2020 to assist developing countries in fighting climate change. “We have very high expectations for this COP26 meeting to become not just merely an annual platform for discussion but a catalyst for concrete action plans. It’s time that we do some actual work on the ground and build a framework for climate justice,” Dominguez said in delivering the Philippines’s country statement at COP26. On the part of the Philippine government, Dominguez said its Nationally Determined Contribu-

tion (NDC) to the Paris Agreement, the Philippines has set a bold and ambitious commitment of projected greenhouse gas emission reduction and avoidance of 75 percent from 2020 to 2030 for the agriculture, wastes, industry, transport, and energy sectors. Among the concrete actions that the Philippines has initiated to fight climate change are: (1) its first-ever Sustainable Finance Roadmap to deploy the engines of finance to get green projects moving across the country, and (2) pushing a law banning single-use plastics so that Filipinos can do t heir part every day in saving the world’s environment, Dominguez said. Another initiative, he said, is the Philippines’s partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on a landmark Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM) project to speed up the retirement of coal-fired plants in the country and the transition to clean energy, which followed President Duterte’s declaration of a moratorium on new coal plants. To move ahead with urgency in fulfilling its ambitious NDC target and implementing practical climate adaptation and mitigation projects on the ground, Dominguez said the Philippines’s CCC had put together a group of Filipino experts from all corners of the archipelago to engage fishers and farmers and prepare them in executing localized action plans.

MAYOR Francis M. Zamora inspects theaters at the Greenhills Promenade Cinema in San Juan City during the first day of reopening of cinemas under Alert Level 2, November 10, 2021. The IATF placed Metro Manila under a more relaxed Alert Level 2 on November 5, until November 21, thus easing quarantine restrictions in various indoor establishments and recreational venues. NONOY LACZA

BSP joins financial system network’s push for COP26

HE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) announced on Wednesday that it is joining the Central Banks and Supervisors’ Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) and its members in supporting the attainment of global climate goals under the Paris Climate Agreement. The statement was made in light of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) summit in Glasgow, Scotland. “Central banks and financial institutions should recognize their important role in contributing to the transition to a low-

carbon economy. As stewards of the financial sector, we should all commit to act with urgency in achieving the desired emissions reduction targets and in promoting the sustainability agenda,” BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said in a statement. In July 2020, the BSP became a plenary member of the NGFS—a group of central banks and financial supervisors that voluntarily exchange experiences and best practices to enhance the financial sector’s environment and climate risk management and accelerate the transition towards a sustainable economy.

“We need to take advantage of the momentum calling for action, and step up our response towards climate change,” the governor said. Among the commitments under the agreement include pushing the sustainability agenda in the financial system, providing an enabling regulatory environment to equip banks in managing climate change, environmental, and social risks, and facilitating the conduct of climate stress-testing exercises and collection of more granular data on climate, and environmental and social risks exposures in the banking industry. Earl ier t his year, t he BSP

established a Sustainable Cent ra l Ba n k ing Road map. T his will provide the framework and milestones in the adoption of sustainability principles in key operations of the BSP. In this roadmap, the governor said the BSP adopts three roles— as enabler, mobilizer, and doer—in advocating sustainability in the financial system. Among the other commitments are the promotion of a collaborative approach in the financial sector and building partnerships to intensify awareness and capacity-building activities for sustainability. Bianca Cuaresma

Companies BusinessMirror

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

Banking units boost SMIC profit in January-September By VG Cabuag

@villygc

M Investments Corp. (SMIC), the holding firm of the Sy family, on Wednesday said its net income in January to September grew 79 percent to P27.2 billion, from last year’s P15.2 billion. Consolidated revenues rose 5 percent to P289.4 billion during the nine-month period from last year’s P276.4 billion. Banking accounted for 60 percent of SMIC’s reported net earnings from core businesses, followed by property at 27 percent and retail at 13 percent. “Our third quarter results reflect the resilience of all our businesses and early signs of the economy opening up. With improved vaccination rates across the country and lower

Covid-19 cases, we are optimistic about conditions for the fourth quarter, but continue to be vigilant about risks,” SMIC President and CEO Frederic C. DyBuncio said. Retail net income was at P4.8 billion, growing more than double from P2.2 billion last year, benefitting from sustained growth in sales of the department store and specialty stores as well as cost management. Retail revenues, however, slightly

fell to P204.9 billion from last year’s P206.1 billion due to a higher base in 2020 from pantry loading of grocery items. Property developer SM Prime Holdings Inc. reported a 9-percent increase in consolidated net income to P15.6 billion for the nine-month period from last year’s P14.4 billion, but its shopping mall business continues to struggle from the effects of the mobility curbs of the government. Consolidated revenues recorded P56.8 billion, 6 percent lower from P60.7 billion last year. BDO Unibank Inc. delivered a net income of P32.4 billion, almost double compared to P16.6 billion last year, on the bank’s resilient business franchise and normalized provisions. China Banking Corp. posted a consolidated net income of P11.2 billion for the period, 35 percent higher than last year’s P8.25 billion on the back of sustained core business growth and

effective cost management. SMIC and SM Prime formally signified their intent to support the Taskforce for Climate-related Financial Disclosures. SM Prime announced that its target is to tap renewable sources for more than half of its power requirements across its businesses by the end of 2022, a commitment in support of the country’s goal of hiking the share of renewable energy to 35 percent in the energy mix by 2030. In June 2020, SMIC said it will adapt to changes brought about by the pandemic and expects its core businesses of banking, retail and property to come out stronger after the crisis. “The pandemic has made us more aware of the two important things for our customer—convenience and safety, and for ourselves, adaptability and transformation,” SMIC Vice Chairman Teresita T. Sy-Coson said during the firm’s online annual stockholders’ meeting.

Synergy lists follow-on offer shares By Lenie Lectura @llectura

ynergy Grid and Development Philippines, Inc. (SGP), the holding firm that has a controlling stake in National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), publicly listed its shares from its follow-on offering (FOO) on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) Wednesday. SGP has set the price of its FOO of 1,053,500,000 primary common shares with an overallotment option of up to 101,000,000 secondary shares at P12 per common share. SGP will use the proceeds to directly subscribe to non-voting preferred shares that will be issued by NGCP. Proceeds from the issuance of the non-voting preferred shares will be utilized by NGCP to finance its capital expenditure requirements and related cost and expenses. The grid operator is committed to invest approximately P440 billion across 211 projects in 13 years. These projects will support the growing electricity demand in the country and to make the country’s power backbone continuously reliable. NGCP is the sole and exclusive operator of the Philippines’s transmission network, linking power generators and distribution utilities to deliver electricity to end-users nationwide. It holds a 25-year concession and a 50-year congressional franchise to expand and operate the country’s power transmission grid. “Synergy Grid is very excited to be

Henry Sy Jr.

Robert Coyiuto Jr.

doing this follow on offering on the Philippine Stock Exchange today. As the indirect controlling shareholder of NGCP, this milestone marks SGP’s dedication and commitment to fulfill NGCP’s mandate as the sole power transmission service provider in the Philippines,” said SGP President and CEO Paul Sagayo. Sagayo and PSE President and CEO Ramon S. Monzon led the listing event and bell-ringing ceremony. SGP Chairman Henry Sy Jr., ViceChairman Robert Coyiuto Jr., other officials from SGP, PSE and NGCP also participated in the event online. In his welcome remarks during the listing ceremony, Monzon said the warm reception by institutional and retail investors to the FOO indicates “their desire to be part owners, even if only through SGP’s 40 percent indirect ownership, in the sole power transmission operator in the country.” “Adding an LSI [local small investor] component to this FOO instantly broadened the investor base of SGP to include more retail investors who would not have otherwise been able

to buy shares in SGP because of the overwhelming demand from institutional investors.” SGP indirectly controls 60 percent of the outstanding capital stock of NGCP, SGP’s sole operating asset, with an effective equity interest of 40.2 percent. Shares of SGP plunged 97 percent during the resumption of its trade on Wednesday, following the listing of its follow-on offer of primary and secondary common shares. Synergy Grid shares fell to P12.60 per share, down 97 percent from its previous close of P395.80 per share in May. The company’s shares have been suspended for trading since May after its public float level dropped below the minimum requirement of 20 percent. Its share price, however, gained P0.60 compared with its follow-on offering price of P12. Its gain runs counter to the general market decline, which saw the benchmark PSE index losing 65.99 points to close at 7,375.68 points. With a report from VG Cabuag

KonsultaMD: Telehealth demand will persist

lobe Telecom Inc. expects its portfolio company KonsultaMD, a telemedicine provider, to “follow the footsteps of its sister company Mynt,” which recently gained double-unicorn status after raising additional funding earlier this month. 917 Ventures Managing Director Vince Yamat said the group is “bent on growing” KonsultaMD as the demand for remote medical access continues to be accelerated by the ongoing health crisis. “We’ve had high hopes for KonsultaMD even before the pandemic. We saw it as a way to address the pain points in Philippine healthcare, which was suffering from a lack of healthcare professionals, inadequate health infra-

structure, and limited accessibility, not to mention the high cost of medical consultation,” he said. Yamat said telehealth has become an important innovation that will “stay and evolve.” Globe is banking on the rising demand for digital consultations, similar to the boom in demand for financial technology (fintech), which propelled GCash’s parent company Mynt to have a valuation of $2 billion—the only startup in the Philippines to do so to date. KonsultaMD CEO Cholo Tagaysay explained that for his group alone, medical consultations through the app “skyrocketed” by 1,549 percent to date when compared before the pandemic

started. The app has been downloaded by over 1 million Filipinos since it was introduced before the Covid-19 crisis. “Our situation has taken away the reluctance of many Filipinos to try telehealth services. People are looking for ways to stay safe from the virus while our hospitals are overwhelmed with patients. KonsultaMD has become a platform that connects Filipinos to much-needed medical consults for non-emergency cases,” he said. Beyond the pandemic, Tagaysay said the group is bullish that the demand for teleconsultations will continue to persist, “if the current trend is an indication,” citing the growth in medical consults despite the easing of restrictions earlier this year. Lorenz S. Marasigan

Thursday, November 11, 2021

SMFB 9-mo income up 68% to ₧24.2B

an Miguel Food and Beverage Inc. (SMFB), the combined food and beverage units of San Miguel Corp., on Wednesday said its net income in January to September grew 68 percent to P24.2 billion from last year’s P14.35 billion. For the period, SMFB said it posted consolidated revenues of P221.7 billion, up 14 percent from last year’s P194.55 billion as all its businesses registered double-digit sales growth. “Our results highlight the strength and breadth of our food and beverage portfolio. While there are still impacts from the pandemic, we are hopeful that the worst is behind us and we are on the path to a new, better normal,” SMFB President and CEO Ramon S. Ang said. “With our balance sheet in a strong position, we remain focused on further strengthening our momentum and continue to invest in areas that we believe will be critical to reaching our longer-term goal of delivering shareholder value while making sure that we do our part in supporting communities that need our help the most,” Ang said. Revenues from its food business grew 13 percent to P108.9 billion from last year’s P96.37 billion and 8 percent higher if compared with the pre-pandemic figures in 2019 at P101.05 billion. Revenues from its protein seg-

ment rose 20 percent as it continued to tap into existing channels while benefitting from increased sales to community-based outlets while protecting gains in pricing. Revenues of its animal nutrition and health segment also posted growth driven by higher volumes and supported by its new feed mills. The company’s prepared and packaged food and flour segments also continued to reflect positive performance despite higher material costs, as sales were buoyed both by home consumption and recovery in existing customers’ operations, it said. San Miguel Brewery Inc. had revenues of P82.1 billion for the period, higher by 13 percent from last year’s P72.48 billion, but down by 21 percent when compared with P103.88 billion in 2019. The company said it continues to implement cost management initiatives, resulting in a net income of increase of 27 percent to P14 billion from last year’s P11.08 billion. Its spirits business under Ginebra San Miguel Inc. continued to see strong momentum as it reported a double-digit increase in volumes. As a result, revenues were up 21 percent to P30.7 billion from the previous year’s P25.34 billion and a 43-percent increase from the P21.43 billion reported in 2019. VG Cabuag

Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, November 11, 2021

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

November 10, 2021

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

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

44 130 91.85 25.1 9.9 52.3 8.75 20.95 56.2 101 20.6 122 90.95 1.67 4 3.28 6.52 1.07 0.31 0.65 214 2,700 0.85

45 130.3 92 25.15 9.92 52.35 8.95 21.15 57.7 109.5 20.65 124 91 1.7 4.05 3.48 7.8 1.14 0.32 0.7 219.6 2,806 0.89

44 132 95.1 25 10.1 52.2 9 21.6 56 109.5 20.7 125.5 91.5 1.66 4.1 3.5 6.52 1.15 0.315 0.7 220 2,750 0.85

45 133.3 95.45 25.2 10.1 53.7 9.09 21.6 57 109.5 20.75 125.5 92.25 1.75 4.1 3.5 6.52 1.15 0.315 0.7 220 2,806 0.85

43.8 129.5 91.55 25 9.89 52.1 9 20.95 56 100 20.55 121.5 90 1.66 4 3.48 6.52 1.15 0.315 0.7 210 2,750 0.85

45 130 91.85 25.1 9.9 52.3 9.09 21.15 56.2 101 20.55 124 91 1.67 4 3.48 6.52 1.15 0.315 0.7 214 2,806 0.85

7,900 354,645 1,060,420 138,414,771 1,552,030 143,493,789.50 130,100 3,261,925 305,600 3,039,919 4,893,690 258,299,634.50 4,100 37,089 689,900 14,695,690 420 23,566 60 6,135 126,200 2,603,355 488,360 60,165,934 59,500 5,412,177.50 167,000 281,710 27,000 109,730 42,000 146,190 100 652 7,000 8,050 50,000 15,750 2,000 1,400 10,850 2,304,306 715 1,966,810 2,000 1,700

-26,900 -13,253,380 -26,899,182 150,100 -20,244 66,292,948.50 1,866,440 6,206 10,350 -29,048,084 1,253,006.50 -1,906,266 -28,060 -

INDUSTRIAL AC ENERGY 12.14 12.16 12.2 12.26 12.1 12.14 30,583,200 372,870,984 ALSONS CONS 1.12 1.14 1.13 1.14 1.12 1.14 243,000 272,500 ABOITIZ POWER 32.65 32.7 32.65 32.95 32.4 32.7 2,745,300 89,644,710 BASIC ENERGY 0.71 0.72 0.73 0.73 0.7 0.72 22,011,000 15,827,380 FIRST GEN 31.4 31.45 31.35 31.5 31.1 31.4 2,259,400 70,896,760 FIRST PHIL HLDG 75.1 75.6 75.6 75.8 75.1 75.1 11,930 897,971 MERALCO 297 297.6 297 298 295 297.6 118,130 35,105,288 MANILA WATER 25 25.05 24 25.05 23.9 25.05 15,774,700 378,940,165 PETRON 3.64 3.66 3.76 3.76 3.58 3.64 8,455,000 30,794,250 PETROENERGY 4.29 4.4 4.28 4.4 4.28 4.3 37,000 158,880 PHX PETROLEUM 11 11.2 11 11.2 11 11.2 26,000 290,000 PILIPINAS SHELL 21.9 22 22.3 22.3 22 22 176,600 3,904,000 SPC POWER 14.2 14.28 13.84 14.2 13.84 14.2 202,600 2,831,294 AGRINURTURE 4.6 4.73 4.66 4.85 4.56 4.74 231,000 1,069,860 AXELUM 2.79 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.75 2.8 147,000 409,180 CNTRL AZUCARERA 13.74 14.3 14 14 14 14 6,900 96,600 CENTURY FOOD 26.75 27.5 26.7 27.5 26.7 27.5 1,609,200 43,644,805 DEL MONTE 14.88 14.9 14.7 14.92 14.62 14.88 40,100 592,646 DNL INDUS 8.59 8.6 8.64 8.88 8.49 8.59 33,078,400 287,259,267 EMPERADOR 18.18 18.2 18.1 18.2 18.02 18.18 3,259,500 59,096,512 SMC FOODANDBEV 75.35 75.5 76 76.3 75.5 75.5 45,520 3,457,079 ALLIANCE SELECT 0.59 0.61 0.61 0.61 0.61 0.61 1,000 610 FRUITAS HLDG 1.33 1.34 1.33 1.34 1.32 1.34 3,216,000 4,260,600 GINEBRA 104.2 105.9 109.3 109.3 103.3 105.9 79,220 8,320,677 JOLLIBEE 254 254.2 259.6 259.6 252.8 254 738,360 187,512,468 LIBERTY FLOUR 28.05 28.85 28.25 28.25 28.2 28.2 1,800 50,830 MACAY HLDG 6.3 6.69 6.5 6.5 6.5 6.5 1,200 7,800 MAXS GROUP 7.5 7.52 7.58 7.59 7.44 7.5 329,700 2,473,995 MG HLDG 0.177 0.178 0.179 0.185 0.176 0.178 390,000 69,410 MONDE NISSIN 16.86 16.88 17 17.28 16.82 16.88 24,522,100 416,628,806 SHAKEYS PIZZA 8.57 8.67 8.78 8.78 8.6 8.67 358,400 3,107,035 ROXAS AND CO 0.69 0.71 0.71 0.71 0.7 0.71 1,714,000 1,200,780 RFM CORP 4.5 4.69 4.7 4.7 4.5 4.69 33,000 154,690 SWIFT FOODS 0.117 0.118 0.118 0.118 0.117 0.117 530,000 62,130 UNIV ROBINA 133.5 133.9 135 135.9 133.1 133.9 1,203,700 161,431,473 VITARICH 0.75 0.76 0.76 0.77 0.75 0.76 513,000 389,770 VICTORIAS 2.28 2.42 2.3 2.3 2.28 2.28 20,000 45,800 CEMEX HLDG 1.22 1.23 1.23 1.23 1.21 1.23 2,241,000 2,740,220 EAGLE CEMENT 14.18 14.2 14.3 14.3 14.16 14.2 274,500 3,900,900 EEI CORP 6.71 6.78 6.82 6.87 6.78 6.78 135,800 921,361 HOLCIM 5.86 5.87 5.93 5.93 5.86 5.87 414,700 2,442,212 MEGAWIDE 6.27 6.3 6.38 6.38 6.26 6.27 921,000 5,811,344 PHINMA 14.66 15 15 15 14.66 15 29,600 443,116 TKC METALS 0.86 0.9 0.86 0.86 0.85 0.86 111,000 95,230 VULCAN INDL 1.24 1.25 1.21 1.25 1.2 1.24 4,162,000 5,104,160 CROWN ASIA 1.69 1.7 1.71 1.71 1.7 1.7 54,000 91,880 EUROMED 1.55 1.59 1.62 1.62 1.55 1.55 39,000 61,920 MABUHAY VINYL 4.1 4.33 4.2 4.4 4.1 4.34 10,000 42,040 PRYCE CORP 5.7 5.74 5.65 5.75 5.65 5.74 181,600 1,032,840 CONCEPCION 22 22.9 22.5 22.9 22 22 5,100 113,350 GREENERGY 2.48 2.51 2.54 2.55 2.46 2.51 1,869,000 4,659,800 INTEGRATED MICR 8.7 8.71 8.54 8.9 8.53 8.7 1,197,200 10,347,875 IONICS 0.81 0.84 0.8 0.85 0.8 0.84 18,000 15,090 PANASONIC 5.95 6.05 6.05 6.05 6.05 6.05 3,000 18,150 SFA SEMICON 1.08 1.09 1.08 1.08 1.06 1.08 491,000 527,080 CIRTEK HLDG 4.27 4.28 4.38 4.38 4.26 4.27 2,272,000 9,743,100

55,709,880 -998,580 676,770 1,787,585 88,762 6,489,820 -320,646,820 1,388,820 111,000 1,386,200 2,768 -860,620 -22,069,250 111,650 -73,833,952 -1,412,910 -2,339,947.50 7,930 3,120,998 -21,375,034 15,180 7,026,764 15,400 141,000 -37,051,382 -12,380 -699,850 170,260 -111,892 -37,860 -38,116 -62,000 44,200 4,650 8,625 -35,200 -158,010 2,736,202.00 57,790.00

HOLDING & FRIMS ABACORE CAPITAL 1.16 1.17 1.19 1.21 1.16 1.17 18,349,000 21,594,140 ASIABEST GROUP 5.51 5.89 5.4 5.9 5.38 5.89 2,100 11,473 AYALA CORP 884 885 896.5 900 876 884 228,480 201,955,115 ABOITIZ EQUITY 51.15 52 51.85 52 50.75 52 1,184,600 60,983,373 ALLIANCE GLOBAL 10.98 11.02 11.4 11.48 10.98 10.98 7,031,100 78,419,714 AYALA LAND LOG 5.52 5.55 5.74 5.79 5.52 5.52 6,092,200 34,128,599 ANSCOR 7.01 7.3 7.5 7.5 7.3 7.3 15,400 115,277 ANGLO PHIL HLDG 0.92 0.93 0.93 0.94 0.9 0.92 466,000 431,650 ATN HLDG A 0.48 0.5 0.52 0.52 0.48 0.5 230,000 114,000 COSCO CAPITAL 5.35 5.36 5.33 5.38 5.32 5.35 4,295,700 22,975,137 DMCI HLDG 8 8.06 8.2 8.43 8 8 21,297,800 175,582,859 FILINVEST DEV 7.8 8.05 7.81 8.05 7.8 8.05 40,200 313,695 GT CAPITAL 570 574.5 590 596 567 570 231,010 133,310,010 HOUSE OF INV 3.84 3.92 3.86 3.86 3.84 3.84 11,000 42,370 JG SUMMIT 60.9 61 62 62 60.8 61 1,275,830 77,912,480.50 JOLLIVILLE HLDG 5.1 5.3 5.3 5.3 5 5.1 6,400 32,060 LODESTAR 0.64 0.65 0.63 0.65 0.63 0.64 211,000 133,820 LOPEZ HLDG 3.13 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.2 21,000 67,200 LT GROUP 10 10.02 10.52 10.68 9.95 10 15,974,300 162,523,339 MABUHAY HLDG 0.43 0.44 0.44 0.44 0.44 0.44 400,000 176,000 MJC INVESTMENTS 1.1 1.2 1.12 1.2 1.12 1.2 2,000 2,320 METRO PAC INV 4 4.02 4.05 4.05 3.99 4.02 15,023,000 60,337,250 PRIME MEDIA 1.5 1.56 1.57 1.57 1.51 1.56 259,000 398,920 SOLID GROUP 1.15 1.19 1.19 1.19 1.19 1.19 66,000 78,540 SYNERGY GRID 12.6 12.66 13 13.58 12.54 12.6 203,483,010 2,635,023,115.80 SM INVESTMENTS 975 977 990 993 971 975 264,070 257,947,725 SAN MIGUEL CORP 116.6 117.2 120 120 116 117.2 225,930 26,554,918 TOP FRONTIER 129 130 130 130 130 130 560 72,800 WELLEX INDUS 0.25 0.265 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.25 50,000 12,500 ZEUS HLDG 0.188 0.189 0.188 0.188 0.188 0.188 300,000 56,400

207,820 26,049,525 23,031,496 -2,464,530 -28,971 107,247 8,727,959 17,718,156.00 -14,695,975 37,961,575.50 64,000 -1,186,100 -171,600 2,327,640 -46,050 -749,600,901.55 -98,094,680 -14,933,535 -2,500 -

PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.63 0.65 0.65 0.65 0.63 0.65 296,000 191,380 AYALA LAND 37.5 38 38.05 38.1 37.25 38 5,095,200 192,722,040 ARANETA PROP 1.03 1.05 1.03 1.05 1.03 1.05 26,000 27,280 AREIT RT 45.45 45.5 46 46 45.3 45.5 188,100 8,560,480 BELLE CORP 1.37 1.39 1.42 1.42 1.37 1.37 652,000 905,130 A BROWN 0.83 0.84 0.83 0.85 0.83 0.84 182,000 151,150 CITYLAND DEVT 0.76 0.77 0.75 0.77 0.75 0.76 221,000 167,900 CROWN EQUITIES 0.106 0.113 0.115 0.115 0.101 0.113 6,740,000 703,430 CEBU HLDG 6.42 6.7 6.4 6.42 6.21 6.42 17,000 108,351 CEB LANDMASTERS 2.87 2.89 2.88 2.91 2.86 2.87 615,000 1,772,140 CENTURY PROP 0.46 0.465 0.46 0.465 0.455 0.465 6,510,000 3,002,500 DOUBLEDRAGON 10.06 10.08 10.08 10.18 10.06 10.06 176,600 1,780,632 DDMP RT 1.8 1.81 1.8 1.81 1.79 1.8 6,048,000 10,878,520 DM WENCESLAO 6.96 6.97 6.95 6.98 6.95 6.96 53,900 375,610 EMPIRE EAST 0.275 0.28 0.275 0.28 0.275 0.28 590,000 162,300 EVER GOTESCO 0.33 0.335 0.33 0.345 0.325 0.335 7,100,000 2,358,700 FILINVEST RT 7.35 7.36 7.39 7.39 7.34 7.36 1,479,900 10,883,280 FILINVEST LAND 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.14 1.12 1.12 2,486,000 2,795,390 GLOBAL ESTATE 0.9 0.91 0.89 0.9 0.88 0.9 175,000 155,530 8990 HLDG 10.5 10.52 10.62 10.64 10.2 10.54 260,900 2,719,700 PHIL INFRADEV 1.2 1.22 1.18 1.23 1.18 1.22 1,551,000 1,890,220 KEPPEL PROP 3.11 3.49 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.1 21,000 65,100 CITY AND LAND 0.93 0.95 0.96 0.96 0.93 0.93 159,000 148,930 MEGAWORLD 3.28 3.29 3.38 3.4 3.25 3.29 14,910,000 49,262,770 MRC ALLIED 0.295 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.295 0.3 7,060,000 2,088,350 MREIT RT 18.16 18.18 18.2 18.24 18.16 18.18 1,668,500 30,344,376 PHIL ESTATES 0.49 0.51 0.49 0.5 0.49 0.49 2,380,000 1,169,550 PRIMEX CORP 1.73 1.78 1.71 1.8 1.71 1.78 31,000 54,940 RL COMM RT 7.15 7.16 7.2 7.2 7.09 7.15 3,070,000 21,929,897 ROBINSONS LAND 18.74 18.78 19.1 19.1 18.66 18.74 2,113,600 39,792,748 PHIL REALTY 0.217 0.224 0.221 0.225 0.215 0.224 1,600,000 349,070 ROCKWELL 1.56 1.59 1.56 1.59 1.56 1.59 677,000 1,075,620 SHANG PROP 2.61 2.63 2.63 2.63 2.63 2.63 5,000 13,150 STA LUCIA LAND 2.88 2.93 2.85 2.92 2.85 2.92 177,000 515,000 SM PRIME HLDG 35.7 35.8 36 36.5 35.6 35.7 7,878,900 282,179,845 VISTAMALLS 3.75 3.9 3.73 3.9 3.72 3.8 30,000 114,170 SUNTRUST HOME 1.43 1.45 1.48 1.48 1.44 1.44 161,000 232,160 VISTA LAND 3.79 3.8 3.8 3.85 3.78 3.79 687,000 2,616,420 SERVICES ABS CBN 14.1 14.14 14.42 14.42 13.84 14.16 316,700 4,421,402 GMA NETWORK 14.82 14.9 15.2 15.3 14.7 14.82 1,881,600 28,074,054 MANILA BULLETIN 0.405 0.42 0.405 0.42 0.4 0.42 190,000 76,900 GLOBE TELECOM 3,500 3,510 3,440 3,540 3,320 3,500 89,110 310,653,150 PLDT 1,670 1,681 1,657 1,712 1,650 1,670 176,940 298,355,880 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.079 0.08 0.081 0.081 0.078 0.08 154,120,000 12,186,260 CONVERGE 33.85 33.9 35 35 33.5 33.9 8,228,100 278,762,025 DFNN INC 3.08 3.11 3.09 3.19 3.08 3.09 695,000 2,160,760 DITO CME HLDG 6.64 6.67 6.65 6.7 6.63 6.64 3,908,300 25,995,695 IMPERIAL 1.42 1.5 1.42 1.42 1.42 1.42 5,000 7,100 NOW CORP 1.83 1.84 1.82 1.83 1.8 1.83 2,067,000 3,743,170 TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.365 0.37 0.38 0.38 0.365 0.365 4,200,000 1,545,000 PHILWEB 2.2 2.26 2.24 2.28 2.2 2.27 244,000 540,080 2GO GROUP 8 8.1 8.1 8.1 8 8 14,900 119,610 ASIAN TERMINALS 14.4 14.8 14.8 14.8 14.78 14.78 7,600 112,468 CHELSEA 1.92 1.94 1.95 1.97 1.9 1.93 1,045,000 2,002,330 CEBU AIR 48.2 48.3 50 50 48 48.2 961,100 46,836,230 INTL CONTAINER 193 193.6 196 197.7 190.3 193.6 1,550,980 302,467,475 LBC EXPRESS 20.05 22 20.05 22.15 20.05 20.05 57,700 1,267,510 MACROASIA 6.15 6.16 6.5 6.5 6.1 6.16 5,749,400 36,037,560 METROALLIANCE A 1.52 1.58 1.5 1.51 1.5 1.51 29,000 43,700 HARBOR STAR 1.03 1.05 1.02 1.05 1.01 1.04 160,000 163,380 ACESITE HOTEL 1.47 1.5 1.47 1.47 1.47 1.47 33,000 48,510 DISCOVERY WORLD 2.2 2.27 2.2 2.29 2.19 2.27 231,000 519,660 WATERFRONT 0.495 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 180,000 90,000 FAR EASTERN U 590 600 600 600 600 600 20 12,000 IPEOPLE 6.87 7.2 7.16 7.27 7.16 7.27 1,900 13,621 STI HLDG 0.35 0.36 0.36 0.36 0.35 0.36 470,000 166,200 BERJAYA 6.01 6.19 6.1 6.2 6.09 6.19 26,200 161,028 BLOOMBERRY 7.77 7.8 7.72 7.89 7.68 7.8 4,919,600 38,364,120 LEISURE AND RES 1.55 1.59 1.6 1.61 1.55 1.55 503,000 801,940 MANILA JOCKEY 1.8 2.04 1.81 1.81 1.79 1.79 43,000 77,690 PH RESORTS GRP 0.81 0.82 0.84 0.88 0.8 0.81 3,184,000 2,626,000 PREMIUM LEISURE 0.46 0.465 0.475 0.475 0.455 0.46 9,530,000 4,406,800 ALLDAY 0.71 0.72 0.73 0.74 0.69 0.71 173,560,000 123,314,070 ALLHOME 9.98 10.02 10.02 10.32 9.95 9.98 776,200 7,758,430 METRO RETAIL 1.4 1.41 1.42 1.42 1.4 1.41 1,536,000 2,155,420 PUREGOLD 42.8 43 42.8 43.4 42.6 42.8 637,400 27,341,855 ROBINSONS RTL 66.65 66.75 68.3 68.3 66.45 66.65 275,130 18,463,194.50 PHIL SEVEN CORP 92.25 94 93.95 96.95 91.6 94 23,120 2,180,976 SSI GROUP 1.26 1.28 1.29 1.3 1.23 1.28 4,207,000 5,337,280 WILCON DEPOT 30.2 30.3 30.8 30.8 30.2 30.2 1,227,800 37,158,760 APC GROUP 0.24 0.248 0.24 0.24 0.24 0.24 570,000 136,800 EASYCALL 4.7 4.9 4.68 4.91 4.68 4.7 6,000 28,810 GOLDEN MV 525 540 530 540 526.5 540 650 349,370 IPM HLDG 7.08 7.1 7.1 7.1 7.1 7.1 7,500 53,250 PAXYS 2.1 2.38 2.1 2.1 2.1 2.1 70,000 147,000 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.64 0.66 0.68 0.68 0.64 0.64 14,935,000 9,846,140 SBS PHIL CORP 4.04 4.2 4.04 4.2 4.04 4.2 6,000 24,400 MINING & OIL

ATOK 6.2 6.22 6.4 6.4 6.05 6.2 78,000 478,374 APEX MINING 1.42 1.43 1.48 1.49 1.4 1.43 5,887,000 8,440,890 ATLAS MINING 6.23 6.24 6.24 6.25 6.23 6.23 1,279,900 7,979,320 BENGUET A 6.1 6.16 6.05 6.18 6.05 6.16 13,500 82,304 BENGUET B 5.75 5.97 5.73 5.74 5.73 5.74 400 2,294 COAL ASIA HLDG 0.28 0.29 0.28 0.29 0.28 0.28 1,540,000 432,600 CENTURY PEAK 2.7 2.77 2.6 2.77 2.6 2.77 8,000 21,310 FERRONICKEL 2.18 2.19 2.14 2.19 2.13 2.19 3,438,000 7,452,130 GEOGRACE 0.215 0.225 0.225 0.225 0.215 0.215 130,000 28,600 LEPANTO A 0.131 0.133 0.13 0.133 0.13 0.133 6,060,000 789,900 LEPANTO B 0.133 0.142 0.142 0.142 0.142 0.142 20,000 2,840 MARCVENTURES 1.04 1.05 0.96 1.04 0.96 1.04 5,135,000 5,162,930 NICKEL ASIA 5.6 5.65 5.68 5.69 5.59 5.6 2,531,100 14,290,848 ORNTL PENINSULA 0.83 0.84 0.85 0.85 0.83 0.84 299,000 250,610 PX MINING 5.12 5.18 5.2 5.2 5.12 5.12 124,800 641,613 SEMIRARA MINING 23.8 23.9 23.9 24.45 23.7 23.9 2,290,800 55,320,395 UNITED PARAGON 0.0062 0.0064 0.0063 0.0063 0.0063 0.0063 2,000,000 12,600 ACE ENEXOR 17.04 17.4 17.48 17.48 17 17.4 160,100 2,727,936 ORNTL PETROL A 0.01 0.011 0.01 0.011 0.01 0.011 19,200,000 196,500 ORNTL PETROL B 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 200,000 2,200 PHILODRILL 0.0093 0.0094 0.0093 0.0095 0.0093 0.0093 43,000,000 400,100 PXP ENERGY 6.23 6.24 6.23 6.34 6.13 6.23 319,300 1,978,202 PREFFERED ATOK 6.2 6.22 6.4 6.4 6.05 6.2 78,000 478,374 APEX MINING 1.42 1.43 1.48 1.49 1.4 1.43 5,887,000 8,440,890 ATLAS MINING 6.23 6.24 6.24 6.25 6.23 6.23 1,279,900 7,979,320 BENGUET A 6.1 6.16 6.05 6.18 6.05 6.16 13,500 82,304 BENGUET B 5.75 5.97 5.73 5.74 5.73 5.74 400 2,294 COAL ASIA HLDG 0.28 0.29 0.28 0.29 0.28 0.28 1,540,000 432,600 CENTURY PEAK 2.7 2.77 2.6 2.77 2.6 2.77 8,000 21,310 FERRONICKEL 2.18 2.19 2.14 2.19 2.13 2.19 3,438,000 7,452,130 GEOGRACE 0.215 0.225 0.225 0.225 0.215 0.215 130,000 28,600 LEPANTO A 0.131 0.133 0.13 0.133 0.13 0.133 6,060,000 789,900 LEPANTO B 0.133 0.142 0.142 0.142 0.142 0.142 20,000 2,840 MARCVENTURES 1.04 1.05 0.96 1.04 0.96 1.04 5,135,000 5,162,930 NICKEL ASIA 5.6 5.65 5.68 5.69 5.59 5.6 2,531,100 14,290,848 ORNTL PENINSULA 0.83 0.84 0.85 0.85 0.83 0.84 299,000 250,610 PX MINING 5.12 5.18 5.2 5.2 5.12 5.12 124,800 641,613 SEMIRARA MINING 23.8 23.9 23.9 24.45 23.7 23.9 2,290,800 55,320,395 UNITED PARAGON 0.0062 0.0064 0.0063 0.0063 0.0063 0.0063 2,000,000 12,600 ACE ENEXOR 17.04 17.4 17.48 17.48 17 17.4 160,100 2,727,936 ORNTL PETROL A 0.01 0.011 0.01 0.011 0.01 0.011 19,200,000 196,500 ORNTL PETROL B 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 200,000 2,200 PHILODRILL 0.0093 0.0094 0.0093 0.0095 0.0093 0.0093 43,000,000 400,100 PXP ENERGY 6.23 6.24 6.23 6.34 6.13 6.23 319,300 1,978,202 PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS GMA HLDG PDR 13.78 13.8 14.1 14.1 13.78 13.8 328,600 4,539,956 WARRANTS TECH WARRANT 1.08 1.09 1.15 1.15 1.05 1.08 3,281,000 3,576,010

139,750 106,543,445 2,301,665 4,260 -1,540 -48,671 26,130 -123,550 -93,624 134,880 20,300 2,122,929 127,300.00 543,630 -669,320 -10,259,250 -5,900 5,625,612.00 24,500 -13,820 -706,232 10,661,606 -216,410 194,570,985 18,650 62,020 113,218,180 -17,711,330 1,274,570 -77,121,535 40,080 -1,689,341 102,350 57,940 -9,312,935 120,690,094 -22,000 -831,582.00 6,754,865 512,680 -3,620 -500,200 1,046,500 5,872,243 70,000 8,425,155 4,271,560.50 -874,750 68,400 -9,662,135 124,740 -480,050 2,943,296 21,310 1,858,280 68,370 37,184 -20,750 8,238 621,830 1,740.00 -19,000 -480,050 2,943,296 21,310 1,858,280 68,370 37,184 -20,750 8,238 621,830 1,740.00 -19,000 -4,069,746

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ALTUS PROP ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH

18 1.8 3.85

18.06 1.83 3.9

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS FIRST METRO ETF

112.1

112.6

18.12 1.8 3.85

18.3 1.83 3.85

18 1.78 3.85

18 1.83 3.85

130,800 140,000 25,000

2,359,756 251,330 96,250

2,690 -

113.5 113.6 112.1 112.1 16,120 1,821,675 356,223

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Megaworld 9-month income up 6% on easing of curbs

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

egaworld Corp., the property development arm of businessman Andrew Tan, on Wednesday said its income in January to September grew 6 percent to P8.6 billion from last year’s P8.1 billion.

The company said consolidated revenues for the period rose 10 percent to P36.9 billion from last year’s P33.4 billion. “The recovery momentum has started to pick up and we hope that the lowering of the alert levels especially in Metro Manila will continue until the year-end. As more people safely go out and enjoy the

normal life, the better for business and our economy as a whole,” Kevin Andrew L. Tan, the company’s executive vice president, said. For the quarter ending September, the company said its income rose 46 percent to P3.3 billion from P2.2 billion last year. Consolidated revenues during the quarter rose by half to P14.5

billion from last year’s P9.6 billion, the company said. Real estate sales doubled during the quarter to P9.6 billion from last year’s P4.7 billion, mainly due to the the expansion in construction activities. This brings the company’s real estate sales for the nine-month period to P23.1 billion, up by 21 percent from last year’s P19.1 billion. Reservation sales for the quarter came in at P17.1 billion, a 35-percent increase year-on-year. During the quarter, Megaworld launched its first eco-tourism township, the expansive 462-hectare Paragua Coastown in San Vicente, Palawan. Revenues from its hotels and resorts business more than doubled to P552 million during the period, as the consistent performance of the company’s in-city hotels was

bolstered by the opening of Kingsford Hotel, its new homegrown hotel brand, in the company’s Westside City township beside Manila Bay earlier this year. It also reflected an increase in revenues by 9 percent to P1.3 billion for the full three quarters of the year compared to last year’s P1.2 billion. Office rental was flat at P2.9 billion, but it saw a slight improvement from the previous quarter on the back of new lease and renewal contracts. The full nine-month revenues from office leasing were also almost flat at P8.1 billion. The company’s shopping malls grew its rental income for the quarter by 16 percent year-on-year to P469 million, due to improved performance despite the company’s continued support to its retail partners by maintaining existing rental concessions.

D&L income surges 57% in Jan-Sept C hemical manufacturer D&L Industries Inc. on Wednesday said its income in January to September surged 57 percent to P2.16 billion from last year’s P1.37 billion, putting the company in a good position to hit its pre-pandemic income. Sales grew by a third to P21.53 billion from last year’s P15.91 billion. Alvin Lao, the company’s president and CEO, said its income for the third quarter is now higher than the 2019 level, which points to a recovery in the company’s earnings. “Our third numbers place us in a good position to achieve full year pre-pandemic income levels, an outstanding achievement given the macroeconomic challenges that continue to weigh on economic recovery globally,” Lao said. In 2019, D&L’s income reached P2.62 billion. “While rising raw material prices affected our margins, we don’t see this as a long-term phenomenon given our ability to pass these changes on to customers every four to six weeks,” Lao said. “Separately, we noticed that yearto-date growth of high margin volumes slowed in the third quarter, as a result of the stricter quarantine measures that were reintroduced in August and persisted until mid-October. While we were able to maintain almost full operations amid

these lockdowns, dine-in capacity was severely curtailed,” he said. For the third quarter alone, its net income grew 34 percent to P768 million from last year’s P573 million. The figure is 25 percent higher than the P617 million registered in 2019. Revenues, meanwhile, rose 33 percent to P7.62 billion from last year’s P5.74 billion and a 38-percent growth when compared with the P5.51 billion reached in 2019. Quarter on quarter, the company’s net income grew by 14 percent from the previous quarter, largely due to lower interest expenses and a 492-percent increase in other operating income, mostly attributed to foreign exchange gains. The company’s exports are mostly denominated in US dollar. The peso depreciation in the third quarter resulted in its exports having a higher peso value, it said. Its volume of high margin products saw a decline in for the third quarter due to the re-imposition of the strictest quarantine classification in Metro Manila and nearby provinces, which affected the country’s food businesses as dine-in customers were not allowed. The company said most business segments continued to post significant growth in January to September compared with last year. D&L’s own brand of consumer products saw flat growth for the period as it

Local Airbnb hosts earn over ₧207.5M F ilipino hosts of property rental platform Airbnb raked in over P207.5 million in revenues as of end-September. Airbnb reported on Wednesday that the said earnings came from new Filipino hosts in March 2020 to September 2021. This, as the company announced additional 50 upgrades in its offering to meet the changing needs of their customers. “For Airbnb, 2021 has been a year of relentless innovation to refine our core service,” said Brian Chesky, CEO and Co-Founder of Airbnb, said in a statement. “This year, we’ve delivered more than 150 upgrades and innovations. Our design-driven approach means that we’re constantly improving our service to adapt to this changing world,” he added. “For the first time ever, millions of people can

now travel anytime, anywhere, for any length, and even live anywhere on Airbnb. This is a travel revolution.” The upgrades include a new speed test tool verifying the speed of the WiFi in a property listing, translation engine, accessibility review and redesigned platform including the notable travel details, among others. The property rental platform is taking its cue from the flexible working scheme that has become prevalent amid the pandemic. “Over 70 percent of Filipinos polled said that staying in homesharing type accommodation provides them with amenities that make it easier to integrate living with travel, and allows them to experience more unique, one-of-akind travel in local communities,” a YouGov survey commissioned by Airbnb revealed. Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

experienced a high base effect due to the previous year’s surge in demand for hygiene and sanitation products. The company’s three main business segments, which account for 96 percent of revenues and 90 percent net income, all saw significant growth in net income, it said. “Going forward, the prospects of our overall business look promising.

We look forward to the onset of the Christmas season as we head into the last quarter of the year, as well as public spending ramping up in time for the elections in May next year. Our overseas business stands to benefit from our Batangas expansion coming online next year, which will be a key milestone in boosting our export sales further,” Lao said. VG Cabuag

mutual funds

November 10, 2021

NAV

One Year Three Year Five Year

per share

Return*

Y-T-D Return

Stock Funds ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a

236.56

9.29%

-0.47%

-1.05%

4.12%

ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a

1.7087

49.73%

7.83%

4.39%

30.14%

11.9%

-3.75%

5.54%

-3.7% n.a.

-6.47%

ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 3.3065

Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.7602 1.58% First Metro Consumer Fund on MSCI Phils. IMI, Inc. -a 0.813 12.78%

1.24% n.a.

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

13.52%

2.46%

0.89%

7.22%

0.7966

9.35%

0.49%

-2.77%

-2.62% n.a.

-1.19%

5.2983

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

100.66

11.04%

9.63%

PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a

48.8485

11.11%

1.66%

0.59%

4.29%

Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a

508.24

9.2%

1.54%

-0.11%

3.95%

Philequity Alpha One Fund, Inc. -a,d

1.1884

16.82% n.a. n.a.

Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. -a

1.3194

20.21%

3.3%

1.72%

12.94%

Philequity Fund, Inc. -a

37.1278

14.21%

2.09%

1.39%

6.78%

8.3%

Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a

0.9599

10.74% n.a. n.a.

5.14%

Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc. -a

5.0318

12.01%

1.29%

5.02%

1.25%

4.83%

2.47% 2.48%

Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a

840.3

11.83%

Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a

0.7745

14.67%

-1.66%

-1.79%

7.73%

Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 3.8177

12%

-0.53%

-0.38%

5.35%

Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.9585 11.38%

2.11%

1.02%

4.45%

United Fund, Inc. -a

1.83%

1.88%

5.6%

2.68%

1.75%

3.5043

12.62%

2.6%

Exchange Traded Fund First Metro Phil. Equity Exchange Traded Fund, Inc. -a,c

113.0064

11.92%

5.07%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ATRAM AsiaPlus Equity Fund, Inc. -b

$1.172

3.37%

6.56%

5.64%

-2.57%

Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.8874

19.43%

15.38%

12.95%

12.83%

Balanced Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ATRAM Dynamic Allocation Fund, Inc. -a

1.7019

5.99%

1.96%

-0.04%

ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a

2.2734

4.84%

1.99%

0.12%

-0.53%

First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund Inc. -a 2.7366

7.99%

4.07%

2.01%

4.18%

First Metro Save and Learn F.O.C.C.U.S. Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a 0.2033

5.83% n.a. n.a.

NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a

2.0296

4.31%

PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a

3.7962

3.64%

3.92%

1.02%

0.16%

Philam Fund, Inc. -a

16.997

3.68%

3.65%

0.97%

0.34%

Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a

2.1394

5.59%

2.22%

2.31%

Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.6792 6.94%

1.35%

6.02%

2.21%

0.45%

2.96%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a,d 0.9985

1.29% n.a. n.a.

-2.36%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a,d 0.9564

5.93% n.a. n.a.

0.76%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a,d 0.9481

7.21% n.a. n.a.

1.61%

Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a

0.9545

12.84%

2.01%

0.62%

2.62%

3.18%

7.53%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Cocolife Dollar Fund Builder, Inc. -a

$0.03807

-2.73%

3.2%

1.3%

-2.63%

PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -b

$1.0737

-2.27%

4.24%

3.18%

-4.98%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $4.8806 13.91%

11.24%

9.07%

8.15%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a $1.2327 5.92%

6.36%

4.77%

2.54%

0.48%

Bond Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a

372.91

0.97%

2.94%

2.53%

ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a

1.9227

1.47%

1.29%

0.1%

1.18%

Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a

3.2424

1.1%

3.18%

4.05%

0.84%

Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a

2.2431

-2.01%

1.86%

1.42%

-2.4%

-1.14%

2.99%

1.69%

-1.43%

First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.418 Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a

4.3925

1.44%

-5.13%

Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a

1.3183

0.35%

3.9%

2.64%

-0.23%

Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a

3.9531

-0.27%

4.44%

2.44%

-1.2%

Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a

1.0163

-1.85%

4.98%

1.79%

-2.61%

3.179

-0.08%

5.05%

3.12%

-0.85%

1.7229

-1.09%

4.22%

2.39%

-1.83%

Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a

-5.01%

4.72%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a

$488.76

1.66%

3.08%

2.23%

ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a

Є220.11

0.94%

1.1%

0.85%

ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b

$1.2017

0.98% 0.41%

-4.34%

2.34%

1.4%

-6.1%

First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.026 -1.89%

1.59%

0.87%

-2.26%

PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -b

-6.04%

0.18%

-1.23%

-5.94% -1.62%

$1.0253

Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a

$2.4988

-0.8%

5.45%

2.24%

Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a

$0.0624501

0.83%

3.16%

1.95%

0.24%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $3.1722 -1.33%

3.35%

1.16%

-1.59%

2.56%

0.85%

Money Market Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. -a

130.92

1.15%

2.89%

First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.0565 0.97% n.a. n.a. Sun Life Prosperity Peso Starter Fund, Inc. -a,1

1.3129

1.52%

2.68%

2.54%

0.8% 1.23%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0599

0.84%

1.51% n.a.

0.6%

Feeder Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities Sun Life Prosperity World Equity Index Feeder Fund, Inc. -a,d 1.3753

31.33% n.a. n.a.

21.75%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund Inc. -a,d

$0.98

2.08% n.a. n.a.

a - NAVPS as of the previous banking day. b - NAVPS as of two banking days ago. c - Listed in the PSE. d - in Net Asset Value per Unit (NAVPU). 1 - Renaming was approved by the SEC last July 8, 2021 (formerly, Sun Life Prosperity Money Market Fund, Inc.).

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

Agriculture/Commodities BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng • Thursday, November 11, 2021 B3

Shrimp production seen falling to 60,000 MT

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

opment Authority (Neda) Undersecretary Mercedita A. Sombilla noted that the country’s shrimp and prawn industry is a multimillion industry, contributing to both local fisheries production and export performance. However, Sombilla said the current status of the local shrimp industry is a “stark contrast” to its glory days in the early 1990s when its export value was worth $273 million and production reached beyond 130,000 metric tons (MT). Sombi l l a sa id t he average shrimp and prawn production today is around 67,500 MT. She attributed the decline in output to a series of bacterial outbreaks that devastated numerous shrimp breeding facilities nationwide in recent decades. Nonetheless, Sombilla said shrimp and prawn production remains as one of the bright spots in the country’s agriculture sector as it ranked 24th in terms of exports last year, contributing $230 million in export receipts. The shrimp and prawn industry also accounts for 20.5 percent of total aquaculture production, she added. The Neda official said there are still growth opportunities

@jearcalas

HE country’s shrimp output this year may decline to around 60,000 metric tons (MT) from an average of 65,000 MT, as tepid demand and high input costs prompted producers to tweak their operations, industry players said. Chris Co, member of the Philippine Shr imp Industr y Inc. (PhilShrimp), said total shrimp production this year may settle at 60,000 MT due to challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic and rising input costs. “A lot of the farms on the ground adjusted their production levels, reducing stocking densities as a result of the lockdown and slow dow n in economy,” Co said during a virtual press briefing for the biennial 13th PhilShrimp Congress. Co said the shrimp industry was not spared from the global logistics problems as the rise in freight costs and more expensive raw materials have led to higher

production costs. Worse, farmgate prices dropped earlier this year due to low demand. Nonetheless, Co said the industry remains optimistic that production would slowly regain its footing as demand picks up following the easing of quarantine restrictions in the country and opening up of the economy. “There has been a quick uptick in farm-gate prices by as much as P50 per kilogram in the past month, which reflects the gradual opening of the economy. This encourages farmers to increase their stocking or restock their idle ponds in the next three to five months,” he said. “We all hope that prices will con-

TIGER shrimp spawners are being checked if they are ready to spawn at the shrimp quarantine facility of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center Aquaculture Department. BusinessMirror FILE PHOTO

tinue to increase. Historical figures show that farm-gate prices peak in December, which is carried over

until January and February of the following year.” National Economic and Devel-

in the shrimp and prawn industry as the vast majority of areas nationwide remain untapped for aquaculture production, considering the archipelagic nature of the country. “Harnessing these available areas for production can increase the potential contribution of shrimp to aquaculture, which until now is being dominated by milkfish and tilapia,” she said during the 13th PhilShrimp Congress. “Expanding shrimp and prawn production areas is one part of the challenge. There are other challenges that have to be hurdled as well.” The challenges that the domestic shrimp industry face today include persistence of diseases, high costs of inputs, unsustainable aquaculture practices, and vulnerability to extreme weather conditions and impact of climate change, Sombilla said. “The most recent challenges relate to the Covid-19 pandemic which affected the demand for commodities like shrimp and prawn. Community quarantines affected local value chains which hampered access of both consumers and producers to markets.”

Local coffee producers to export ‘barako’ to Switzerland DOST helps Davao del Norte IPs fight nya’s Kianjege, Colombia’s Maytama, among others. Magnolia Misolas-Ashley, commercial counsellor of the Philippine Embassy in Switzerland, the commercial sale of “kapeng barako” in the European country will boost local farm-gate prices of Liberica and encourage farmers to produce more. “Arabica markets have long been established and it would be an uphill climb to compete. The Robusta market is price-driven and is won by large scale producers like Vietnam. We think Liberica is our entry to these tight but interesting commodity markets,” Misolas-Ashley said in a statement. At present, Juan said the farm-gate price of “kapeng barako” beans sells for P300 per kilogram to P400 per kg. But exporting the coffee variety to Switzerland will allow farmers to earn at least P400 per kg, she added. Juan said the Philippines’s free trade agreement with the European Free Trade Association, which includes Switzerland, made the export of kapeng barako more competitive as it will enter the Swiss market at zero duty. Blaser Café bought five 60kg bags or 300 kg in total of kapeng barako beans for its initial sale in December, she said. Market discussions and work in penetrating the Switzerland market for “kapeng barako” started two years ago with PCBI inviting Philippine trade officials, especially attach-

es and counsellors abroad, for a cupping session. The goal of the session was to introduce to trade officers the best way to promote coffee, which is to export them raw, to foreign buyers and eventually form market linkages with domestic roasters. Juan said Switzerland came into the picture in the middle of this year with Blaser Café buying three 60-kg bags of kapeng barako which had a soft launch at the Fernweh Festival last month. The Philippine liberica beans were roasted at medium temperature resulting in sweet, creamy, and juicy mouthfeel with rum, dried fruits, and brown sugar notes, according to PCBI. “Everyone loved it when they tasted it in Switzerland.” Data from the International Coffee Organization showed that the Philippines exports coffee to the world market but only the Robusta variety. Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data showed that the Philippines exported $1.633 million worth of coffee last year, which was 668.2 percent higher than the $212,617 recorded in 2019. The Philippines is one of the leading producers of Liberica coffee in the world, accounting for at least half of global production, according to PCBI. The country’s Liberica coffee production last year declined by 4.35 percent year-on-year to 462.53 metric tons, the lowest level since 2010, based on PSA data. Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

hunger through breadfruit cultivation

ELPING indigenous peoples (IPs) communities prepare for unpredictable extreme weather conditions, the Ata-Manobo tribe in Barangay Dagohoy and Barangay Sto. Niño, Talaingod, Davao del Norte participated in the Breadfruit Propagation Training last October 12. The activity was made possible through the joint efforts of the Department of Science and Technology XI (DOST XI) through its Provincial of Science and Technology Center of Davao del Norte, the Local Government of Talaingod, and the Action for Skills Knowledge Education and Wellness (ASKEDWELL). Dino M. Gulabane, the resource speaker from ASKEDWELL, highlighted the health benefits of breadfruit as a staple food and its potential marketability. An actual demonstration on planting the seedlings was also presented by Mr. Gulabane to the participants composed of 51 IPs from Brgy. Dagohoy and Brgy. Sto. Niño and the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources (MENRO) of Talaingod. Breadfruit or Kulo, as it is popularly called, begins to bear fruit in three to five years after planting and requires little attention. It can withstand drought and typhoons,

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

OFFEE drinkers in Switzerland will soon wake up to the taste of the Philippines’s beloved “kapeng barako” as local producers will start exporting Liberica coffee to the European nation next month. The Philippine Coffee Board Inc. (PCBI) said this will be the first time that local coffee will penetrate the Swiss market, providing Filipino producers a chance to earn additional income from exports. This will be also the first time that Kapeng Barako will be exported for commercial sale, PCBI President Pacita U. Juan said. “We do not have the competitive advantage in robusta coffee against producers like Brazil, which is cheaper than ours. In Robusta, we will have to compete against Vietnam, which is a major producer,” Juan told the BusinessMirror. “But in liberica, we almost have no competition at all. The closest competitor would be Malaysia but they are not producing nor exporting so much compared to us.” The barako beans, which will be exported unroasted, will be carried by Blaser Café, one of the oldest coffee traders and well-established coffee roaster in Switzerland. The Philippine Liberica coffee beans will join the BlaserCafé’s Terroir Line of signature coffee varieties from around the world, which includes Yemen’s Haraaz Sharqi, Ke-

hence considered a climate-rent tree. The fruit is an excellent alternative for carbohydrate staples of the Ata-Manobos like sweet potatoes, tubers, corn, and rice. Cooked Kulo, when eaten, not only quenches hunger but is also loaded with nutrients such as fiber, minerals, and vitamins. The training aims to promote the propagation of breadfruit as

a climate-resilient tree and an alternative nutritious food source. Fifty seedlings were successfully distributed in Brgy. Dagohoy and Brgy. Sto. Niño of Talaingod as part of the Climate Change Adaptation series of interventions under the Community Empowerment through Science and Technology Program. DOST XI S&T Information and Promotion.

US soybean crop is smaller than expected, breaking price slump

OYBEAN bulls got a surprise boost after a key report forecast a smaller-thanexpected United States harvest. Production, still pegged to be the second biggest ever, was lowered from last month’s estimate, which signaled a record large crop. The cut stemmed from yields in big growing states like Iowa that ended up less robust than anticipated, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) November supply-anddemand report, or WASDE. “Everything was exactly the opposite of what the trade was expecting,” said Jack Scoville, vice president of Price Futures Group Inc. in Chicago. Soybean futures broke a fourday losing streak in Chicago to rise the most in almost three weeks to $12.12 a bushel. America’s soybean export outlook was trimmed as well amid

sluggish sales to China. The slow pace has farmers nervous as they plan for next year’s crop. Surging fertilizer prices could lead to a bumper soy harvest next year as producers may shift away from more chemically reliant corn. In the nearer term, plantings in No. 1 grower Brazil are ahead of schedule. The South American nation should crowd out US exporters early next year as beans become ready to ship. That means the USDA may need to further reduce its US export forecast. “Those still might be too high,” Don Roose, president of US Commodities, said in an interview. In general, soybean crops have been resilient, weathering everything from drought to floods in the US, the second biggest global producer. Weather woes have helped drive crop prices to near-decade highs this year. That’s contributed

SOYBEANS are harvested with a Case IH combine harvester in this aerial photograph taken over Wyanet, Illinois, US, on September 25, 2020. BLOOMBERG NEWS

to increasing food inflation. Soy supplies are a key factor in whether costs will continue to climb as the beans are used as feed for animals raised for meat. A United Nations index tracking staples from grains to vegetable oils climbed 3 percent to a fresh decade high in October, threatening even higher grocery bills for households that have already been strained by the pandemic. In other crops, the outlook for US corn production was raised amid increased use in making ethanol as fuel demand surges. The corn harvest is still on track to be the second biggest on record, according to the latest USDA estimate. Corn ended the trading day in Chicago up, snapping five sessions of losses. For wheat, the USDA ratcheted up its global trade figure to 203.2 million tons, an all-time high.

Wheat futures in the US and Europe all rose on Tuesday. Wheat soared last week, with futures in Paris hitting a record and those in the US jumping to the highest levels in a decade or more. Weather woes in key growing areas have led to a shortage of grains, driving up prices of wheat used in baked goods and livestock feed. Global wheat exports will reach an all-time high as Russia, the European Union, India and Ukraine are all shipping out more than expected. That’s according to the USDA’s monthly crop report out Tuesday, which showed that exports will reach 203.2 million metric tons. The battle for what country holds the wheat-export crown remains a close race: The USDA upped its estimate for Russia by 1 million tons due to a bigger harvest, but the EU is still poised to take the lead for now. Bloomberg News

Envoys&Expats BusinessMirror

Thursday, November 11, 2021

www.businessmirror.com.ph

PHL, NZ enhance geothermal energy deal

HE Philippines and New Zealand will continue to explore cooperation on geothermal energy. This transpired as Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and Ambassador Peter Kell signed the Second Amendment to the Arrangement on Geothermal Energy Cooperation between the two countries on November 5. New Zealand previously provided the country with developing geo-

thermal fields in Tongonan, Leyte and Southern Negros Geothermal in Negros Oriental—both of which are still in operation. According to Cusi said this renewed interest for cooperation is aligned with the country’s push for indigenous energy as a power source. “We welcome the formalization

of the Second Amendment to the Arrangement on Geothermal Energy Cooperation, which comes at such an opportune time, considering that one of our primary goals is to revitalize the state of geothermal energy development and utilization in the Philippines,” the secretary said. Under the agreement, there will be an exchange of best practices and technical expertise in the sector of geothermal energy. The Department of Energy has also liberalized the local geothermal sector, as the government opened it to 100-percent foreign ownership to promote new energy sources. Kris Crismundo/PNA

SECRETARY Alfonso Cusi (left) and Ambassador Peter Kell sign the Second Amendment to the Arrangement on Geothermal Energy Cooperation. DOE FB, PNA

Forging ahead: Philippines-Netherlands relations at ‘70’ By J. Eduardo Malaya Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands

N a world where relationships are increasingly seen as cursory and fleeting, there is something to be celebrated when a partnership reaches 70 years. This year the Philippines and the Netherlands commemorate seven decades of diplomatic relations. Of course, actual people-to-people interactions began more than 400 years ago, when Olivier van Noort of Rotterdam led Dutch ships to the Philippine islands in search of spices and colonial conquest. Yet, like all relationships that reach the platinum milestone, it is a fine time to undertake an assessment of this relationship. Diplomatic relations require constant tending and unceasing determination by partner-countries to ensure productivity. This is particularly true at this time of intense competition for resources and of complex geopolitical, economic and environmental challenges. In November 2020 the Netherlands published its Indo-Pacific Guidelines for strengthening Dutch and European Union (EU) cooperation with partners in Asia. This pivot toward the said continent highlighted a reinvigorated cooperation with the Asean, and identified priority areas of practical cooperation. Both the Dutch and EU policy papers vis-à-vis the Indo-Pacific— the latter published in September this year—emphasized the importance of ensuring the growth and

MALAYA

development, security, rules-based international order, and stability of the region. This is borne of the realization that the Indo-Pacific region has become the world’s strategic and economic center of gravity, as European Commission Vice President Joseph Borrel noted. The Philippines has a major role in this region-to-region interface, as coincidentally it recently assumed the role of country coordinator of the Asean-EU relations up to 2025. It is in the interest of our country, the Netherlands and EU to maintain open economies and societies that allow for relatively free movement of goods, services and peoples.

Top economic partner

NOT W ITHSTA NDING the 10,581-kilometer distance between the two countries, the Netherlands has historically been one of the top economic partners of the Philippines. The former has been among the five leading investor-countries in the Philippines, and at $245 million in 2020, was Number 1 among 28 EU member-states. In 2019 the European country was the Philippines’s

ninth export market, with goods valued at US$1.9 billion—and growing. As nations with significant maritime interests, cooperation in the area of maritime sphere is robust, with some 22,000 Filipino seafarers onboard Dutch-flagged vessels that ply the world’s waters. Some 41,313 Dutch tourists visited pre-pandemic. They enjoyed our pristine beaches and shopping centers. We would like to see them back once leisure travels normalize. Dutch products and businesses abound locally. Most Filipinos have long been familiar with Dutch offerings without much thought about their origin, such as using Dove, Surf and other Unilever items, or filling up for gas at Royal Dutch Shell pumps. Even at this time of pandemic when economic activities have slowed down, dredger vessels from the Royal Boskalis Westminster NV—one of the world’s leading dredging companies—are busy in the Manila Bay undertaking land reclamation and development for the new international airport being developed by the San Miguel Aerocity Inc., in Bulacan. As the second international gateway to Metro Manila, it will unlock further opportunities and boost growth north of the capital region.

Global interests

THE pandemic underscored the vulnerability of states to transborder challenges, as well as the reality that effective solutions are increasingly multilateral in nature and best approached through shared undertakings and commitments. It has also shown that effective bilateral and

multilateral cooperation is one that adopts a perspective that benefits everyone. It is no longer enough that there will be no permanent friends and only permanent national interests, but that—given challenges such as the pandemic and climate change—global interests should be pursued as assiduously as one’s own national interests. In 2020, after 69 years, the Philippines and the Netherlands conducted their first bilateral consultations, which was followed by the second meeting in June 2021. The consultations affirmed commitments by both sides to work toward strengthening cooperation in the political, economic and sociocultural areas, as they also produced a joint work program with emphasis on trade and investments, water management, maritime matters, agriculture, as well as science and technology. It is with this outlook that the Philippine Embassy in The Hague, in partnership with the Ateneo de Manila University, the Netherlands Embassy in Manila and the Foreign Service Institute, hosted the webinar: “Philippines-Netherlands Connections @70: Reconstructing History and Forging Ahead” on November 9 and 10 (https://sites. google.com/dfa.gov.ph/fildutchsolidarity70/). It featured senior government officials, business leaders, historians and other distinguished personalities with the aim to assess relations, as well as contribute to a roadmap to strengthen and scale up ties. There is momentum for an enhanced, mutually beneficial partnership, and we should sustain it.

Japan govt formalizes food-aid project for BARMM via World Food Programme

KOSHIKAWA (left) and Barton. EMBASSY OF JAPAN

MBASSADOR Kazuhiko Koshikawa as well as World Food Programme (WFP) Representative and Country Director of the Philippines Brenda Barton recently signed a food-grant aid project for the Bangsamoro Region worth ¥350 million. With the aid, the WFP as the implementer will procure about 1,788 metric tons of Japanese-produced rice. This effort seeks to support around 9,877 farming and fishing households, including decommissioned combatants and indigenous peoples in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Through the undertaking, vulnerable and conflict-affected communities in the said region are expected to have improved food security, resilience, and livelihood, which will enhance peace and achieve development in the area. To supplement the food and nutrition needs of the targeted population, the Japanese rice will be fortified with iron prior to distribution. Provision of technical assistance by the WFP to the target communities will further strengthen and assist in restoring their livelihoods. The WFP will collaborate with the BARMM government to jointly implement the project.

UK Minister for Asia reiterates commitment on Indo-Pacific

Instituto Cervantes to screen contemporary Spanish films

HIS November Instituto Cervantes, the Festival de Cine Europeo de Sevilla and the Embassy of Spain in the Philippines will present the “New Cinephilias Online” film cycle featuring four recent movies which, due to their language and their themes, will innovate, take risks and play with contemporary structures and narratives. The film series continues on November 13 and 14 with the comedy Violeta no coge el ascensor (Mamen Díaz, 2019). Violeta is in her early 20s, and is condemned to spend the summer in Madrid doing an internship at a publishing house. During these weeks, she makes new friends—including good and bad decisions and, most of all, learns that failure is more of an art than a drama. The movie will be accessible only on November 13 and 14 through https:// vimeo.com/607379253. The third title, This Film is About Me (Alexis Delgado, 2019) will be shown on November 20 and 21. The documentary portrays Renata Felicitas Soskey, who is a movie star tailor-made for the film that Alexis Delgado imagines: the “Gloria Swanson” of her particular Sunset Boulevard—though not quite in the decadent Californian mansion chosen by Billy Wilder in 1950, but in the Galician jail where Renata is serving a sentence for the brutal murder

of her neighbor. The documentary will be accessible via https://vimeo. com/607398270. La reina de los lagartos (Burnin’ Percebes, 2019) will conclude the cycle on November 27 and 28. The comedy is about Berta, a single, young and determined mother who engages in a summer love with Javi, who is a peculiar man passing through her life and that of Margot, her daughter. The spaceship that had to pick up Javi does not appear, and Berta faces what she most feared. Link is accessible here: https:// vimeo.com/603905907. The films will be shown through the Instituto Cervantes channel on the Vimeo platform (https://vimeo.com/ channels/institutocervantes) and will be freely accessible for 48 hours from their start date and time. The series kicked off on November 6 with the thriller Arima (Jaione Camborda, 2017). New Cinephilias Online is presented by Instituto Cervantes, in collaboration with the Seville European Film Festival and the Embassy of Spain in the Philippines, in Spanish with English subtitles. Admission is free. For schedules, film details and further information, log on to Instituto Cervantes’ web site (http:// manila.cervantes.es), or the Instituto Cervantes Facebook page: www.facebook.com/InstitutoCervantesManila.

MILLING (third from left), with Ambassador Laura Beaufils (third from right) and members of the British Embassy-Manila.

THIS comedy will be shown by the end of November.

N her first visit to the Indo-Pacific region, Minister for Asia Amanda Milling traveled to the Philippines as part of her first visit to the region—the first by a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office minister since the United Kingdom’s confirmation as an Asean dialogue-partner. During her three-day trip, Milling met with senior members of the Philippine government to explore ways to further strengthen the bilateral relationship. She discussed trade and investments, climate change, regional security, the pandemic, as well as human rights. “The Indo-Pacific is of huge stra-

tegic importance to the UK,” the minister affirmed. “In the Philippines, a founding member of Asean, I reiterated our commitment to working with the region on vital issues such as maritime security and building back better after [the public-health crisis].” While in Manila, the minister also met with business leaders from top UK companies, as well as local journalists to discuss media freedom. The minister’s arrival, which coincided with 75 years of diplomatic relations between the UK and the Philippines, marked the first stop on her tour of the Indo-Pacific, which will also see her visit Singapore and Japan.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Parentlife BusinessMirror

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Thursday, November 11, 2021

The pandemic increased eating disorders among young people—but the signs aren’t what parents might expect

By Julia F. Taylor University of Virginia

ATING disorders began to spike among young people shortly after the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Experts believe the increase occurred due to disruptions in daily living, emotional distress and more time spent on social media—which research has shown can lead to lower self-esteem and negative body image. One peer-reviewed study indicates that eating disorder diagnoses increased 15 percent in 2020 among people under 30 compared to previous years. Other studies have suggested that patients who already had an eating disorder diagnosis got worse during the pandemic. The researchers reported an increase in eating disorder symptoms along with anxiety and depression. Eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and other specified feeding and eating disorders such as atypical anorexia. The peak age of onset is 15 to 25 years old, but individuals can develop eating disorders at any age. While eating disorders have historically been underdiagnosed in certain groups—specifically males, racial/ethnic minorities, and people who are

higher-weight, LGBTQ or from poorer backgrounds— the recent Covid-related increase in patients presenting for care has reinforced that no group is immune from them. Here are three groups of young people who are often overlooked when it comes to eating disorders. 1. ADOLESCENT BOYS AND YOUNG MEN. Historical research on diagnosing eating disorders has focused on females. This has made it harder for doctors, families and patients to recognize eating disorders in males. For example, adolescent boys may be more prone to focus on muscle strength and steroid use— indicators that are not captured in traditional, femalefocused screening tools and diagnostic criteria. However, newer research suggests that males may account for up to half of all cases of eating disorders. While males have likely been underdiagnosed in all categories of eating disorders, male adolescents seem to be more prone to avoidant restrictive food intake disorder. This is a relatively new eating disorder that involves inadequate food intake but not distress about body shape or size. Disordered eating—a pattern of problematic eating behaviors that include dieting, skipping meals and feelings of shame but does not meet formal criteria for an eating disorder diagnosis—is increasingly being self-reported by male athletes.

2. SEXUAL AND GENDER MINORITIES. Recent studies have also uncovered that disordered eating and eating disorders are more common among sexual and gender minority youth than among cisgendered heterosexual youth. This is thought to be related to higher rates of body dissatisfaction, stigma and victimization in those groups. Psychologists believe the bias and discrimination that gay, bisexual and transgender youth face increases their stress, negative thoughts and isolation. This may lead to body dissatisfaction and eating disorders. 3. “NORMAL”-WEIGHTED YOUTH. Many eating disorders are not associated with being thin. This means that youth can develop serious medical complications related to their eating disorders regardless of their body size. For example, adolescents with atypical anorexia nervosa meet the criteria for anorexia nervosa—such as intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, and persistent behavior that prevents weight gain— but they are not underweight. However, they may require hospitalization due to severe malnutrition and dangerous vital signs such as abnormally slow heartbeat or low blood pressure. Similarly, individuals with bulimia nervosa—who binge eat and then use forced vomiting, laxatives or other unhealthy behaviors to avoid weight gain—can

67% of Filipinos are moving less, feeling the consequences IF you have been feeling tired, heavy and lethargic lately, then you might be one of the many Filipinos whose physical activity has significantly declined over the past year. A recent survey conducted by Movement Today revealed Filipinos have been moving less since the start of the pandemic. With lockdowns and restrictions limiting our movement, it’s natural many have lost the motivation and capacity to exercise like they used to. While this is normal, a sedentary lifestyle can have negative effects on our overall health, according to Dr. Julie Li-Yu, president of the Osteoporosis Society of the Philippines Foundation Inc. (OSPFI). Not many realize having a sedentary lifestyle poses a great risk to our musculoskeletal health. While we may not think of it today, it can have a significant impact on our ability to move as we age, thereby affecting our overall quality of life. Therefore, it is important to remember the role that our bones, joints and muscles play in maintaining overall health and wellbeing. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), musculoskeletal conditions have been identified as one of the highest contributors of disabilities worldwide. This is why Dr. Li-Yu also encourages focusing on our muscles and joints, in addition to our bone health. “The OSPFI is one with many other health organizations all over the world in advocating for the prevention, recognition and treatment of osteoporosis and other musculoskeletal diseases,” she says. Conducted last August, Movement Today’s survey aimed to understand how Filipinos’ physical activity has changed in the past year. The study’s respondents were among adults, aged 20 to 50 years old. Of 293 total respondents, 67 percent said they felt less active since Covid-19 started, with 53 percent saying they were lucky enough if they could sneak in a 10- to 20-minute workout in a week, a far cry from the WHO recommended minimum time of 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week. This confirms that the current situation has led to a more sedentary lifestyle, causing many to feel physically and mentally drained. The WHO as well as the Center for Disease Control also recognize the pandemic has significantly impacted people’s lifestyles and ability to move, encouraging those stuck at home to be mindful in ensuring they stay active, as it can also significantly reduce susceptibility to Covid-19 by helping reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, Type 2

diabetes, on top of musculoskeletal health concerns. According to Dr. Li-Yu, when it comes to our bones, joints and muscles, health is built over time, with prevention as early as in childhood as key. “We call it a bone bank,” she explains. Our youth is spent nourishing and conditioning our bodies until we achieve our peak bone mass at about 30 to 40 years old. Thereafter, our bodies will decline, hence it is vital to “invest” in our bodies as early as possible by moving regularly as well as feeding it with the proper nutrition in order to have the best quality of life as we age. When it comes to movement, one does not have to spend much, or at all. According to Dr. Li-Yu, walking is an effective activity that benefits the entire body. She also suggests resistance exercises if one’s aim is to build specific muscle groups. “Any type of movement is better than nothing,” she says. Even while working from home, there are many ways to keep our bodies active. In addition to physical movement, having a well-balanced, healthy diet is also important. “Everything boils down to having a well-balanced diet. If we feed our bodies with the right nutrition according to the recommended daily allowance (RDA), then having healthy bones, joints and muscles will follow through,” she says. The RDA consists of macronutrients such as protein, fats and carbohydrates as well as micronutrients, composed of vitamins and minerals like iron, calcium and vitamin D. “A trusted bone expert and one of the pioneers of adult milk, Anlene has been advocating the importance of caring for bones, joints, and muscles for the past 30 years by providing superior adult nutrition to enable adults to move at any age and live their best lives,” says Roberta Mundo, Anlene marketing manager. The popular milk supplement contain vital macro and micronutrients such as protein, calcium, vitamin D, collagen and vitamin C to help strengthen bone, joint and muscle health. Also, the new Anlene Gold 5x offers more advanced nutrition for bones, joints, muscles, energy, and flexibility. On top of the high levels of calcium, vitamin D, and protein, it also has the complete set of B vitamins and a new ingredient called MFGMActiv, a natural dairy component composed of fats and proteins which supports optimal function of bones, joints, and muscles for better mobility.

also have normal body mass index, or BMI. Yet they may develop electrolyte abnormalities and severe gastrointestinal issues. NOTICING THE SIGNS CAREGIVERS, coaches, health professionals and all those who interact with young people should remain aware of the increased rates of eating disorders brought on during the pandemic. The signs that a youth may be developing disordered behaviors or a full eating disorder are not always obvious. For example, indications may include: an inability to take a rest day, or working out more than advised by a coach or athletic trainer; an intense focus on muscle building; avoiding eating in public; a sudden desire to eat “clean” or cut out certain food groups like dairy, meat or desserts; and use of steroids, diet pills or laxatives. Early intervention is important to reduce long-term illness and the emotional and physical devastation that can occur with eating disorders. Breaking down barriers for identification and treatment for all individuals—including boys, sexual and gender minority youth and kids across the weight spectrum—will improve outcomes for those who struggle with these significant illnesses. THE CONVERSATION

B6 Thursday, November 11, 2021

SM Hotels brings back its online GC sale in time for the holidays

M Hotel’s online GC Sale returns with even more tempting offers for a well-deserved holiday staycation. Backed-up by uncompromising safety standards through the SustainablySafe Program, SM Hotel properties across the Philippine archipelago look forward to welcoming families and friends once again and indulge in a much-anticipated getaway. From November 12 until December 19, 2021, grab huge discounts on overnight stays in participating hotels including Conrad Manila, Taal Vista

Hotel, Pico Sands Hotel, Park Inn by Radisson Clark, Park Inn by Radisson Davao, Park Inn by Radisson Iloilo, Park Inn by Radisson North EDSA, Park Inn by Radisson Bacolod, and Radisson Blu Cebu. Complementing these enticing discounts is a variety of leisure and wellness sprees including dining vouchers and spa packages, together with discounted Christmas hampers. Gift certificates purchased during the sale period have a validity of up to December 31, 2022, giving guests the flexibility to book and enjoy the offers at

a leisurely pace and at their convenience. Terms and Conditions apply. Take advantage of SM Hotels' Online Holiday Sale from November 12 to December 19 to experience worryfree staycations and gourmet dining with family and friends at SM Hotel properties nationwide. Rediscover the splendor of the Philippines through a diverse ensemble of hotels and resorts. As an added Yuletide surprise, Myster-E Boxes with exciting rewards and other fun-filled offers are up for grabs! Visit https://smhotels.whyqueue.shop/

Alibaba Cloud collaborates with UBX’s Xpanse to boost financial inclusion in the Philippines

LIBABA Cloud, the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group, has collaborated with UBX, the fintech venture studio and fund spun out of UnionBank of the Philippines, to accelerate financial inclusion in the country by harnessing digital technologies. Xpanse, UBX’s new open finance platform, will leverage Alibaba Cloud’s eKYC (Electronic Know Your Customer) solution provided by Zoloz, a strategic partner of Alibaba Cloud, to help financial institutions in the Philippines boost their business efficiency and reinforce system security through digitalizing the identity verification process. “Open Finance is significantly changing the way financial institutions interact with each other and their customers. Leveraging Alibaba Cloud’s advanced e-wallet technologies, UBX will enable Philippine financial institutions to reach more of the country’s unbanked and build trust remotely,” said John Januszczak, President and CEO of UBX. “Alibaba Cloud shares UBX’s mission of enabling a financially inclusive society through accessible financial services, especially in the new normal. We believe our proven technologies in the e-wallet industry could assist UBX in promoting financial inclusion and equipping financial institutions in the Philippines with advanced solutions that operate seamlessly and reliably for end-

users,” said Allen Guo, Country Manager for the Philippines, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence. Zoloz’s RealID eKYC solution streamlines the whole customer authentication process for financial institutions, eliminates paperbased procedures, and reduces the cost and time spent on manual verification, resulting in faster onboarding and an enhanced customer experience. The solution also helps financial institutions adhere to regulatory compliance more easily, thanks to its rich AI model and comprehensive risk management engine that can guarantee high accuracy and reduce identity fraud. As the leading public cloud service provider in Asia Pacific, Alibaba Cloud is one of the founding members of the FinTech Alliance of the Philippines, offering its expertise in cloud technology to provide appropriate solutions to address issues and challenges in the sector. The FinTech industry in the Philippines has been growing steadily in recent years, with advancements in digitalisation and the availability of smart devices leading development. In June 2021, Bangko Sentral Pilipinas (BSP) approved the new guidelines for the Open Finance Framework, allowing “consent-driven data portability, interoperability, and collaborative partnerships among financial institutions and third-party providers (TPPs).”

Chelsea adapts to new, advanced technology

HELSEA Logistics and the Chelsea Group harnessed the power of digitalization to take customer experiemce and employee efficiency to the next level during the pandemic. The move, inspired by Chelsea Logistics President & CEO Chryss Alfonsus V. Damuy, identified early on that digital transformation was one of the key milestones achieved by the Group as the country and the business community faced uncertainty brought by the global pandemic. Internally, Chelsea Logistics hastened its digitization efforts by converting its manual processes to automatic applications which enhanced employees’ performance and customer interaction. Its shipping lines, SuperCat and TransAsia Shipping Lines now use SAP S4 HANA, a future-ready enterprise resource planning (ERP) system with built-in intelligent technologies, with improved access to real-time financial transactions and advanced analytics resulting in better forecasting. For the freighter business, Trans-Asia Shipping Lines and TASLI Services are currently deploying Solverminds which covers Liner Operation, Commercial Management, Equipment Management and EBiz Customer Self-Service Portal.

Beyond the internal upgrades undertaken and planned, technology activities also focused on strengthening the Group’s core architecture so that the developments can be adapted to with a solid and resilient foundation. The Chelsea Logistics President & CEO said: “The pandemic taught us that digital transformation is not aspirational but rather foundational. With the assistance of the Udenna Group’s DITO CME, we streamlined our technology investments. We hosted all internal applications in the cloud for the benefit of our employees. At the onset of the pandemic, we made sure our customers could easily access our services through their smart phones.” Starlite Ferries, Trans-Asia, and SuperCat have rolled out their unified online booking system, allowing customers and partner agencies to place their bookings at their most convenient time. This online ticketing system, developed in partnership with BARKOTA, optimizes customer service as the application is capable of ticket management (i.e., refund, book, void, rebook) and ticket history viewing. Trans-Asia General Manager Sheila Sy considers the Group’s digitalization efforts as a lifesaver during the pandemic. “Most customers are looking for

convenient and safe ways to transact with us. Customers appreciate that we’re able to level up and provide business continuity solutions that matter when they are needed most,” said Ms. Sy. Chelsea Logistics tapped Amazon Web Services (AWS) for hosting major applications on the cloud. The consolidation allowed the integration of real-time data via AWS QuickSight a Business Intelligence tool. This interactive and secured digital solution allows the Group to take the pulse of its customers in real time, adapting to their behavior/ lifestyle changes while providing customized shipping and logistics solutions. With the promising growth of e-commerce logistics, Worklink Services (WSI), Inc., Chelsea Logistics’ distribution and logistics arm, has launched a warehousing and transport management system to increase supply chain efficiency, improve the flow of incoming and outgoing inventory, and track drivers and shipments’ real-time movement. To optimize and provide a seamless experience across all customer touch points, WSI invested in a TMS platform while maintaining and facilitating the highest level of data protection. Chelsea Logistics Technology Department Head Efren Bernardino shared the Group’s target to digitize all internal business processes by Q4 2022 through standardizing the productivity tools and use of robotics process automation. “Externally, we are looking at a three-year digital transformation plan, including reduced paperwork, automation of selected business processes, user-friendly interfaces, real-time customized dashboards. The use of API will be a norm when integrating with customers and business partners. We will continue with the cloud-first concept to lower capex and leverage on new technologies. We want to go beyond merely automating an existing business process, we want our customers to have fast and seamless digital experience when they connect with us,” Mr. Bernardino concluded.

NEW DOLE-NRCO DIRECTOR. Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello lll (left) officiates the swearing-in of Director Gerald Misalang Tan, the new Director IV of the National Reintegration Center for OFWs (NRCO), during the oath-taking ceremony held on November 3, 2021, at the DOLE Central Office in Intramuros, Manila. Misalang replaced former NRCO Director Ruel Martin, who is now the Labor Attache’ of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Jeddah. (Photo by Dodong Echavez/ IPS)

Pokémon releases latest news and promotional video

HE Pokémon Company recently announced the latest news about Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl and released its latest promotional video (https://youtu.be/ Jk3YTHWRqsM). Here are new information that Pokémon fans shouldn’t miss: The mysterious Team Galactic boss and commanders. From Team Galactic, the charismatic figure Cyrus rules over by speaking and acting with a calm, logical demeanor. It is interesting to note that he detests human minds and emotions, finding them defective. Then there’s Mars, a strong-willed individual who hates to lose and has sworn loyalty to Cyrus. Sometimes she can get a bit emotional because she loves her Pokémon so much. She stands by her partner Pokémon, Purugly. Not to be overlooked is Jupiter who carries a mysterious air around her. She is certainly skilled at Pokémon battles, but she’s willing to do anything—even steal other people’s Pokémon—to achieve her goals. Her trusted partner Pokémon is Skuntank. Saturn is another cool and collected character. Although Saturn is one of the few who occasionally harbor doubts about Cyrus’s plans, he is cold and dispassionate enough to carry out his boss’s orders faithfully. His partner Pokémon is Toxicroak. The Legendary Pokémon Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf. The three Legendary Pokémon, Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf, appear in the myths of the Sinnoh region. According to the people of Sinnoh, Uxie is the Being of Knowledge, Mesprit is the Being of Emotion, and Azelf is the Being of Willpower. It will be super fun to know how will these three Pokémon be involved in the game’s adventure. For the early purchase of Pokémon Brilliant Diamond or Pokémon Shining Pearl, the “Platinum Style” in-game outfit

will be given as a perk! Fans can receive this special gift by choosing Get via Internet from the Mystery Gifts function in the game on February 21, 2022. Fans can also change their outfit at Metronome Style Shop in Veilstone City. By wearing the Platinum Style, fans can continue their adventure dressed like the protagonist of Pokémon Platinum! Pokémon fans should mark their calendars. From November 16 to November 21, 2021, there will be an in-game event in Pokémon GO to commemorate the release of Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl. More details will be released on the official Pokémon GO Twitter account (https://twitter.com/PokemonGoApp) as well as on the official blog: Pokémon GO blog: https://pokemongolive. com/en/.

Editor: Anne Ruth Dela Cruz

Health&Fitness BusinessMirror

Thursday, November 11, 2021 B7

Booster shots to target health-care workers first By Rory Visco Contributor

s massive amounts of vaccines continue to arrive in the country, talk about booster shots became stronger, even the issue of “mix-and-match.” Are “booster” shots the same as “third shot?” Is it safe to use a different vaccine after being fully vaccinated with another? Who should be prioritized in getting extra shots?

Dr. Rolando Enrique “Eric” Domingo, Director-General of the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA), reminded during the Stop Covid Deaths webinar of the University of the Philippines titled “Covid-19 Booster na, Mix-and-Match ba?” that all the eight vaccine brands now in the Philippines are still under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) and are still undergoing clinical trials. “There is no completely certified vac-

cine brand yet in the Philippines. In the world, Pfizer is completely certified but only in the US FDA, and they have not yet applied for full certification, or not yet approved, in other countries. But even if still under EUA, their benefits far outweigh the risks. We focused on two areas: safety and efficacy before we gave them EUA,” explained Dr. Domingo.

Amendments to EUA Of the eight vaccine brands in the

country, only two, Pfizer and Moderna, were given amendments to their EUA for use on children aged 12 to 17 years old. Pfizer is also expected to apply for an EUA within the month for use on children five to 11 years old, he said. Of the eight brands, six are under a two-dose regimen while Sputnik Light and Janssen are given as single dose. Dr. Domingo noted that the hot topic these days are the booster shots, or additional shots. The Health Technology Assessment Council (HTAC) decided to separate them into two categories. For the “Additional” dose, he cited Sinovac (CoronaVac) as an example. “An interim recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO) is to give a third dose as part of the primar y series. They said that in the elderly and the immunocompromised, after giving the second dose, they did not see an immune response that’s high enough compared to the younger people so there’s a need for a third dose to be given at least 28 days after receiving the first two doses to get optimum effect of the vaccine,” he pointed out.

Immune response

As for the booster shot, Dr. Domingo said the next dose for booster is at least six months after the first two doses. Even if the immune response after the first two was good, there may be a possibility of the waning of the immune response so there’s a need for a booster. The Department of Health (DOH) is targeting to give booster shots during the last quarter of the year with the AI (healthcare workers) and A2 (elderly) as priority because they are the most likely to experience breakthrough infection. Then by early 2022, the target will be the A3 to A5 of the population. “There’s no need to immediately give boosters, and also, the objective is to vaccinate first the unvaccinated, at least 50 percent of the population, before giving extra doses, and that extra doses need not be given to everybody. Only those who are high risk and frequently exposed to the virus,” he said.

Final recommendation The experts’ group of the DOH also advised to wait for the final recommen-

dation of the WHO-SAGE (Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization) on giving the third dose, which will come out this month, and to have the unvaccinated get their jabs first before giving out an extra dose. “We will not achieve herd immunity if only 35 percent are vaccinated and with boosters, while 65 percent of the population are still unvaccinated.” On the issue of mix and match, Dr. Domingo said here in the Philippines, more studies are needed because there are several vaccine brands in use here, compared to the US where there are only three brands. Right now, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Sinovac and Sputnik were the ones that applied for variations in their EUA for the third booster of the same brand. However, the HTAC already asked the

FDA to study the “heterologous” vaccines. This means AstraZeneca is the primary vaccine, and the booster is Pfizer; Sinovac, then either Pfizer or AstraZeneca as booster; Moderna, with Pfizer as booster. “All these are being studied by the country’s vaccine experts,” Dr. Domingo noted. He explained that there are many possible permutations and combinations that is why they passed on the data to the vaccine experts, who asked for about two weeks to look at it. Right now, the DOH is already preparing guidelines for the roll out. “Possibly by the end of the month or by December, the boosters can be given first to health-care workers who are exposed to Covid, the elderly and vulnerable individuals, and then to the other segments of the population.”

My Covid-19 journey–from flu to the dreaded virus Covid meds arriving By Leony R. Garcia

(Leony is one of BusinessMirror’s Supplements writer. She has been working from home since the pandemic broke out. Even if she is already fully vaccinated, she came down with the virus. Here is her story)

ON’T take Covid-19 lightly. Never let your guard down and get all possible protection. That’s because anyone can get the virus. I’ve been working from home since the lockdown part 2 in March 2021. My family of five stay home all the time, with two members going out alternately only to buy the essentials. My eldest daughter also works from home. Further, we have all been fully vaccinated since July and September this year. Thus, it was far from my mind that my family would one day have its own Covid journey to take and share.

Rainy days and the flu season

My husband contracted the flu on the third week of September 2021. He took OTC (over the counter) drugs—paracetamol for fever, pain reliever for body pain and butamirate for dry cough. Every morning he bathes under the sun for hours. He was up and about in a week’s time. My youngest daughter, 18, caught the flu the following week. She had a high fever at 38 and up, runny nose and coughs. She was crying of back pain on the third and fourth day and she requested us to bring her to the hospital. We said no because she could easily catch the virus in the hospital. She belongs to the vulnerable group—she’s battling Rheumatic heart disease/mitral regurgitation. I feel my heart being pierced every time she says, “I will go to the Lord if you do not bring me to the hospital!” I believe the back pain must really be painful because she’s almost a master of pain with her twice-a-month antibiotic maintenance injection for 11 years and counting. Just like her dad, we gave her OTCs. Fortunately, it was also the time for her to take Sumapen 1000gm/day because her penicillin injection was delayed for a week because of the flu. Just like her dad, she got well in a week’s time. Thanks to Sumapen, the antibacterial medication which could have helped her and even aided relief to the back pain she has had. My time for the flu came on the fifth and last week of September. But thinking it must not be the flu and that I’m quite protected—courtesy of my 2nd dose of AstraZeneca on September 3—I did not take any medication. “I am just tired from weekend’s household chores. A cup of my favorite freshly brewed barako coffee would be enough to cure my tired body and lift my heavy head and spirit,” I told myself. I did not stop working from home and therefore, I didn’t have time to “baby sit” my sickness. On the 3rd day, that was Wednesday, however, I had chills which was quite weird because my temperature was normal at 36. On Thursday, I lost my sense of smell and I started experiencing body

aches which were tolerable. Thinking that it must be the pandemic disease, I asked myself, “What’s next, I cannot breath.” I immediately cut the grim thought and chided myself, “Remember that you are fully vaccinated.” I went to the pulmonologist the following Monday. She prescribed Azithromycin 500mg for five days and requested an X-ray and swab test for me. “You may not opt for the RT-PCR test but make sure to quarantine for 14 days,” she said. “You may not come back after five days if you feel well already,” she added. Even if I fully recovered my sense of smell after seven days, I felt I needed to come back and see my doctor again because I developed back pain and my dry cough persisted and was still unproductive even after a week of the mucolytic which she also prescribed. At the hospital, I decided for the X-ray examination and the swab test to finally determine what’s really bothering me. It took me two to three hours to convince myself that I needed the RT-PCR test. That was October 11 and my specimen was taken at 3:00 pm. I did not see my doctor anymore as I did not have any test results to show her. The following day, at lunchtime, a certain Ed messaged me that he is from the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU) informed me that traces of Covid-19 were detected in my specimen and hence I am positive for the virus. He also informed me that the contact tracers from my Barangay would be coming over to see my family.

Help is available

Feeling the persistent back pain, I knew that I needed help, that I needed another set of antibiotics at least for one week. Based on my experience with pneumonia four years ago, I took an antibacterial medication for 10 days and I was up and well after that. I was thinking of the same pattern for my medication this time around. Since I can no longer see a doctor face-to-face, I registered for Bayanihan E-Konsulta, a tele-consult program of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) via Facebook. After answering the questionnaire, a friendly volunteer, who requested anonymity for this article, called up and connected me to Dr. Faustino, a physician volunteer. With the five-days of Azithromycin I took from October 4 to 8, Dr. Faustino said, I would be on my way to recovery. But I should take the paracetamol cum pain reliever tablet twice a day to ease the back pain. My cough, since it’s unproductive should stop. “You are feeling the back pain because you had an infection in your lungs. It’s infected that’s why it is painful. Others would be feeling chest pain instead of back pain,” he said. “What was seen in your swab test are remnants of the virus. You would be alright after days of rest,” he assured me and sent his prescription via FB messenger.

Journey to facility quarantine

Two Barangay Gulod contact tracers came at around 9am on October 13 to

interview me and my household members. It took less than hour to record and fill up some forms for five persons. They said they would be back shortly to perform the RT-PCR test for my husband and three children. True enough, the swab team came at 11 am and did the specimen collection. I would be brought by the Barangay ambulance to the facility and my family would undergo home quarantine for 14 days should they test negative – or they would be going to a facility as well should they turn out to be positive. (Thank God, they all tested negative! The lab test result came after three days, on October 16.) One of the contact tracers was trying to convince me that I would enjoy my stay in the quarantine facility. “Maam, the facility is okay. You will be able to rest and relax well. It’s clean, quiet and the food is good. All your medicines and vitamins will be provided for free. I experienced it myself last year when I had Covid-19.” The Barangay Health and Emergency Response Team (BHERT) or the ambulance, picked me up the following day, October 14, at 10 am. The night before, the BHERT staff actually asked me to select my preferred facility. She said that the one in UP is almost a hotel with a strong WiFi connection. But I settled for Hope 2 Community Caring Facility (KorPhil IT Center) knowing it has a good internet connection as well. Besides, it was just 15 minutes away from the house. The ground entrance of KorPhil was made into a hospital triage complete with a mobile X-ray. After a short screening by the medical staff of Quezon City District Hospital and a mandatory X-ray examination, I was ushered into the facility. At the ground floor entrance, nurses on duty asked me to check my vital signs. After a while, my meds, along with a gargle formula (to ease my irritated throat due to dry cough) was handed to me along with a pail containing the bed sheet and a pillow before directing me to my assigned room on the second floor of the three-story building. I was relieved that Dr. Javee Anne Pelayo, the facility’s physician-in-charge, prescribed twice-a-day 250mg of antibacterial meds along with butamirate for my coughs, three times a day for five days. To summarize, I have two medications to take at the facility: Cefuroxime and butamirate. But I decided to add the paracetamol cum pain reliever which was prescribed by Dr. Faustino.

Covid care kit and other essentials

While on my way to the facility, Nicole, another volunteer from OVP called me up informing me that my Covid Care Kit is in transit for home delivery. I have just settled on my “nest” for the week or two shortly before 11 am when my daughter informed me that they had received the box containing various meds such as butamirate, paracetamol, antihistamine, mucolytic, vitamins (C and D3), amlodipine 5 mg (my hypertension maintenance) plus other essentials such as alcohol, disinfectant, face mask, a gargle solution, oral solution powder sachets, a thermometer

and a pulse oximeter. I requested my child to send over the oximeter and the D3 vitamins only because I also received the same set from the city government. Except for vitamin D3, the LGU kit has the virgin coconut oil capsules. Thus, aside from my three essential meds, I also took the VCO and Vitamins C and D to boost my immune system during my vacation at the facility. The OVP’s Covid Care Kit comes with a daily call or text to monitor my vitals and other symptoms. Volunteer Liana Mojica religiously called or texted me for 14 days to check on me. Meanwhile, I also received regular calls from Dr. Pelayo herself, or from her medical staff, to check on my progress. TanodKontra-Covid, an online health check from the government’s Department of Health, was also sending me a link daily for updates on my symptoms. Admitted at the facility are those with mild symptoms as well as the asymptomatic individuals. In my case, my symptoms were back pain and dry cough at the time of my confinement. My room is actually the Animation Center of the IT Center turned into a big ward with six cubicles with one hospital bed each. Being an IT school, there are two high-powered airconditioning units in the room but we, “housemates,” opted not to use them for us to get better the soonest.

#14daysofHOPE and recovery I’ve set my mind that I would be staying in the facility for 14 days (the required number of days for quarantine), especially when I felt extreme back pain at bedtime on my 5th day on October 18. I nearly requested a blood test to determine what’s on my back, whether I contracted pneumonia or tuberculosis. Thank God the pain subsided the following day. Though still feeling unwell, I was more than happy to receive a call from Dr. Pelayo. After tracking down my medication, she informed me later that I am scheduled to go home on October 21. Not fully convinced of my homebound schedule, I went downstairs at the nursing station to verify it. And the nurse on duty said, “This is how the facility is counting your stay. Your swab date plus 10 days. You will be out by October 21.” I was swabbed on October 11 and I stayed home for three days before I was brought at Hope 2 on October 14. October 21 would really be the 11th and “independence” day for me. Is 14 days enough to recover Covid patients? Recovery periods for patients vary even for those with mild symptoms like me. For me, 14 days are days of hope and the road to recovery. It was time to rest and sleep, relax and recharge, disconnect from the daily hustle and bustle of life in the quiet and fresh environment which Hope 2, the Korea-Philippines IT Center, offers. The KorPhil, surrounded with trees and greenery, is housed within the 4.42-hectare compound of the Quezon City University Main Campus located along Quirino Highway in Barangay San Bartolome, Novaliches.

in PHL this month

wholly owned Filipino company that imports and distributes a wide range of health-care products is scheduled to deliver a total of 300,000 Molnupiravir to the country this month. Molnupiravir is the new oral antiviral pill for mild Covid-19 cases. MedEthix is the first importer in the country to secure, on behalf of the first four grantees, the Compassionate Special Permit (CSP) for Molnupiravir. Developed by Emory University and MSD (Merck), Molnupiravir will allow patients with mild Covid-19 symptoms to be treated early in an outpatient setting. MSD has inked voluntary in-licensing deals with Indian pharma manufacturers to supply Molnupiravir to low and middle-income countries, including the Philippines. “Living our principle to heal always and in all ways, we at MedEthix are actively looking for ways to help Filipinos have a better chance at fighting the virus. So, we took the chance to apply for a CSP once MSD announced promising initial clinical results for Molnupiravir. We are honored to bring this treatment drug to the country as early as November and we assure Filipinos that we are going to offer the same level of quality as with our other products and services,” shared Monaliza Salian, MedEthi x co-founder, president and chief executive officer, in a media forum.

First to distribute

As the first local importer to be granted CSP as early as September, MedEthix is likely to be the first to distribute the new drug to Filipinos through its partnerships with hospitals. Meanwhile, JackPhar-

ma Inc., a pharmaceutical company founded in June 2015, will distribute the new drug to frontliners and other health-care professionals. Molnupiravir works by introducing copying errors during viral RNA replication. The drug enters the Covid-19 virus and alters it to become harmless. Even if the virus replicates, it is no longer deadly.

Five days Results of clinical trials sponsored by MSD licensee Aurobindo Pharma in India showed that 81 percent of the 1,200 mild cases taking Molnupiravir had negative RT-PCR results on the fifth day of treatment. This is compared to 17 percent of cases given only Standard of Care. All the patients included in the study were treated at home, which lessens the stress of finding a hospital that can accommodate Covid-19 patients. Molnupiravir comes in a 200 mg capsule with a recommended regimen of 800 mg to be taken twice daily for five days or as prescribed by a physician. It comes in a bottle of 40 capsules, which is the entire dose. “JackPharma is pleased to be part of the alliance as the first to bring Molnupiravir to our healthcare frontliners and the Filipino patients. With Molnupiravir, the treatment of Cov id-19 has sh i f ted— pat ient s patients can now be treated at home without the need to go to the hospital,” said Meny Hernandez, JackPharma president. MedEthix and JackPharma will further discuss how Molnupiravir works in the treatment of mild Covid-19 during meetings and webinars with healthcare frontliners scheduled in November. Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

MPBL back next month

HE Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) will hold the Chooks-To-Go MPBL Invitational Tournament from December 11 to 21, according to Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes. Duremdes said the short tournament will be held either at the Caloocan Sports Complex, Ynares Sports Center (Antipolo) or Sta. Rosa Sports Complex (Laguna). Duremdes said the tournament, upon instruction from league founder Senator Manny Pacquiao, will be managed by Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas. Thirteen teams confirmed their participation. They are Chooks-toGo MPBL Lakan season champion Davao Occidental Tigers, Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards, Makati Super Crunch, GenSan Warriors, Caloocan Supremos, Sarangani Marlins, Rizal Golden Coolers-Xentro Mall, Marikina Shoemasters, Laguna Heroes, Bicol Volcanoes, Imus Bandera, Negros Mascuvados and a squad from Bacolod City. “We will decide on the format once the roster of teams is completed,” Duremdes said. “This is just an invitational league, which is a preparation for next year’s full season.” Duremdes said there will no longer be a height limit for Filipinoforeigners. “As long as the player holds a Philippine passport, he can play,” he said. Restrictions on the number of homegrown players and former professionals were also removed. Duremdes also bared the league’s plans to turn pro and secure an accreditation from the International Basketball Federation. Josef Ramos

Bitoon, Gabo power Manila past Batangas

ICC Manila survived MTrans Batangas City’s late charge to post an 81-78 victory on Tuesday and gain the solo lead in the FilBasket Subic Championship at the Subic gym. MTrans scored six straight points in the last one and a half minute to cut its 81-74 deficit but time was not on its side as AICC Manila prevailed for its seventh win in eight outings. Chris Bitoon and Hesed Gabo scored 18 and 12 points for AICC Manila, who banked on its outside shooting by firing nine triples. MTrans, however, absorbed its fourth defeat in seven matches despite Jeff Viernes’s 32-point explosion. Pasig Sta. Lucia toppled Medical Depot, 78-65, to fan its winning streak to three games and improve to 4-3 won-lost. Cedrick Ablaza powered the Realtors with 18 points and nine rebounds while Rudy Lingganay also paced with 18 points, five boards and four assists. Egie Boy Mojica and Dawn Ochea combined for 26 points while Simon Camacho hauled 13 rebounds on top of seven points, but their efforts went futile as Medical Depot skidded to 3-4 to tie with MTrans. In the other game, the San Juan Knights ripped the Muntinlupa Defenders, 92-66, to hike their winloss tally to 5-2 at third place.

A PBA adventure

Sports

Ando, Sarno lead campaign in Uzbekistan world tourney

BusinessMirror

| Thursday, November 11, 2021 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

BARAQUIEL UP FRONT SUNSHINE BARAQUIEL grabs a two-stroke lead with a two-over 72 in the second round.

UNSHINE BARAQUIEL, whose wobbly windup cost her the first day honors Tuesday, sizzled at the finish this time by birdying two of the last four holes to salvage a two-over 72 and surge ahead by two shots in the second round of the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Tagaytay Highlands Ladies Challenge on Wednesday in Tagaytay City. It was in stark contrast to her meltdown in the first round that saw her bogey two of the last three and yield the lead to amateur Mafy Singson with a 77. The 30-year-old, back on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour after completing flying lessons in the US, actually tied for the lead with a birdie on the first hole but fell with a thud with a dismal fivebogey slide from No. 2, the last a three-putt miscue. She, however, didn’t stray too far behind with a run of pars

until she made her move with a birdie on No. 15 then stormed upfront with another feat on the last hole for a 38-34 and a 36-hole aggregate of nine-over 149. “I made a long putt for birdie on No. 1 then I don’t know how I blew it and I ended up having five bogeys in a row,” said Baraquiel. “I got mad but I told myself to ‘wake up’ and ‘start fresh.’ After that I shot two-under.” Chihiro Ikeda also produced a 72 in another topsy-turvy day at the exacting Highlands course as she poised herself to ending a two-year title spell with a 151, the same output put in by Daniella Uy, who dropped three strokes in the first two holes but parred the last 12 to save a 73 and nurture hopes of ending a long title drought.

Singson birdied the last hole to check an impending skid and post a second 76 but the top amateur dropped from second to fourth with a 152, just three strokes

adrift of Baraquiel while Harmie Constantino blew a gutsy even-par 34 start with a backside 42 marred by two double bogeys and a couple of bogeys. The Eagle Ridge-Aoki leg winner ended up with a six-over 76 and tumbled to fifth with a 153 while Chanelle Avaricio bounced back with a 75 after an 81 but lay seven strokes off the pace with a 156 in a tie with Lovelyn Guioguio, who rallied with a 73. Amateurs Burberry Zhang and Laurea Duque posted identical 157s after a 77 and 80, respectively, while Korean pro Jane Jeong skied to an 81 for a 158. Baraquiel credited her driving and approach shots for her surge and added her putting and short game, which have been missing majority of her campaign, clicked when they mattered most. “My putting and short game, which I said needed some work, worked for me in the end,” added

AUSTRIA ON SANTOS TRADE: I CRIED S

AN MIGUEL Beer Head Coach Leo Austria broke his silence on Wednesday, two days after the Beermen let go of Arwind Santos for NorthPort’s Vic Manuel. “I cried,” Austria told BusinessMirror. “It was a heavy decision for me because he was very instrumental in the success of my coaching career, he helped my career prosper and we have very good camaraderie.” Santos, 40, was in each and every game that saw Austria win his eight Philippine Basketball

COMMISSIONER Willie Marcial has shared that the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is open to forming stronger bonds with other pro basketball leagues in Eastern Asia. Comm Willie said the Japanese B.League has invited him to attend the All-Star Game happening on January 14 and 15 in Okinawa. The Korean Basketball League (KBL) also wants to meet and possibly explore ways to take their association higher. The PBA, the B.League and the KBL have precious shared experience via their collective participation in the East Asia Super League (EASL)—a high-level international tournament where participating teams are the pro league champions or semifinal teams of their respective countries. Besides the Philippines, Korea and Japan, China through the Chinese Basketball

Association crowns in seven years with the Beermen. Austria admitted that the coaching staff decided to pursue Manuel after they learned that NorthPort secured his services last week. “So after two days, we came out with a decision to trade Santos, which team governor Robert Non approved,” he said. The trade hit Santos hard. “It’s also hard for him. It came out with a heavy heart, but all good things have an ending, it just happened early,” Austria said.

Association (CBA) and Taiwan through the Super Basketball League (SBL) also participate in the EASL. The tournament follows a schedule that does not conflict with the timetable of any of the regional leagues, so everybody has a grand time strutting their stuff in a neutral playground, usually Macao. The PBA has joined the EASL—formerly known as the Super 8, then the Terrific 12—in 2018 with the NLEX Road Warriors and the Blackwater Elite representing the country. In 2019 the San Miguel Beermen, TNT Ka Tropa and Blackwater Elite joined the Terrific 12. This year, if plans push through, the EASL will play its most interesting tournament ever, with the highest performing PBA ballclub as the Philippine pro league representative. But we digress. All we’re saying is that the PBA is not new to collaborative efforts with counterpart leagues of neighboring countries. And now that the consciousness is high for the existence of other regional leagues, it’s all good for the PBA to consider those competing leagues not as rivals but as possible partners. Maybe it will enrich the basketball experience—not just of professional basketball players, but also of the basketball crazy public—with new basketball concepts, arrangements and possibilities. Look. It’s true that the PBA is the second oldest professional basketball league in the world next to the National Basketball Association (NBA). That probably means it’s the most experienced among all the pro leagues existing in Asia today, and possibly also the most venerable. But the PBA has also had its share of criticisms, like “boring,” “too many tournaments,”

Austria said that he would miss the former Far Eastern University star’s “great defensive presence, superb athleticism and vast leadership inside the court”—qualities that guarantee benefits for any team or coach. “He [Santos] knows his position defensively, he is a great shot blocker at 6-foot-4 with great timing,” he said. “He is also known for his great perimeter and three-point shooting and NorthPort would absolutely benefit in the trade because they acquired a true leader in Santos.” Manuel, also 6-foot-4 but burlier,

Baraquiel, now 18 holes away from nailing a breakthrough in the circuit put up by ICTSI. “I just have to keep the ball in play, and hopefully, my driving gets better tomorrow [today],” said Baraquiel, adding that club selection will also be key to her title drive given the tough wind condition. Ikeda actually posted the first nine-over overall total with birdies on Nos. 15 and 16 but slipped off a share of the lead with a double bogey on the par-4 18th after hitting an errant drive to the rough. Her approach landed behind a pine tree near the green and she needed to play out then two-putted for 6. “My game was better than yesterday [Tuesday],” said Ikeda, who last won via playoff over Pauline del Rosario at Midlands in 2019. “I birdied the 15th from six feet and made a long putt on the next.”

By Josef Ramos

OKYO Olympian Erleen Ann Ando, Asian champion Vanessa Sarno and eight other promising athletes will carry the country’s colors in the absence of Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz in the International Weightlifting Federation World Championships set from December 7 to 17 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Ando, who turned only 23 last November 1, will be competing in the women’s 59-kg category, down from the 64-kg class where she vied in the Tokyo Olympics. Sarno won gold as a 17-year-old at the Asian championships also in Tashkent in April. She will vie in the same -71 kgs class in the worlds. Diaz, who broke the country’s Olympic gold medal spell in Tokyo last July, opted to skip the world championships for her lack of preparation. She and head trainer and conditioning Coach Julius Naranjo flew to Malacca, Malaysia, to resume training but decided weeks of preparations aren’t enough for her to be in top shape for Tashkent. “Whatever she [Diaz] decides, I’ll always go for it and respect her decision,” Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas President Monico Puentevella said. “She has nothing to prove anymore, she won Olympic silver and gold. So if she competes or not, it’s the same—I respect her and all I want for her is to enjoy life after weightlifting.” Diaz wanted to win the world championships gold medal, the only piece of gem missing from her collection of Olympic, Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games titles. Joining Ando and Sarno in Tashkent are Diaz’s cousin, Asian championships silver medalist Mary Flor Diaz (-45 kgs), Ellen Rose Perez (-49 kgs), 2019 SEA gold medalist Kristel Macrohon (-76 kgs), Margaret Colonia (-64 kgs), Fernando Agadin (-55 kgs), John Febuar Ceniza (-61 kgs), Dave Lloyd Pacaldo (-67 kgs) and John Dexter Tabique (- 96 kgs). They will be coached by Christopher Bureros, Richard Augusto and Roberto Colonia.

will provide the Beermen an inside offensive threat that would compliment Moala Tautuaa and 6-foot-11 six-time Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo in the Governors’ Cup that opens later this month. “You need to double team Vic if you want to stop him—that’s one of the great assets we have on him,” Austria said. “So it will provide an opening for June Mar, CJ Perez and Tautuaa.” Josef Ramos SAN MIGUEL Beer Coach Leo Austria says it was a tough decision.

“nothing new,” “same old-same old” through the years. To its credit, the PBA definitely tries to make things more exciting for fans and rewarding for its stakeholders. Recent conferences and PBA Finals have had that must-watch, drop-everything lure, to be honest. Thanks too to the exciting coverage of the games and their peripheral attractions. And yet, the PBA’s hold on the future is not as secure as it used to be. No thanks to the aggressiveness and attractiveness of regional pro leagues that are scouting their horizons and looking beyond their shorelines for basketball talent to ramp up their ranks. Now, more and more young men—outstanding Pinoy cage talents who should be the next gen stars of the Philippine pro league—do not see the PBA as the only choice as their land of milk and honey. We’ve seen the exodus of these bright young men— Thirdy Ravena, Kiefer Ravena, Gomez De Liaño brothers Juan and Javi, Dwight Ramos, Ray Ray Parks, Matthew Aquino, Kemark Carino and Kobe Paras—all to the Japanese B.League. More young talents are dreaming of their own Japanese adventure. And why not? The action is hotter (they have less Covid restrictions), the audience is live and in full force, the excitement is real because they’re playing in a new atmosphere, the pay is higher and they are regarded as conquering heroes (they are imports, aren’t they?). So the idea of the PBA willing to talk with its perceived rivals, exploring new possibilities and concepts is an exciting thing. It’s not at all like throwing in the towel. It is in fact taking the challenge to play the game. Let’s face it. It’s become a borderless world. Whether

we realize it or not, the pandemic and the digital revolution have shrunk our boundaries or totally erased them. The world’s a village; we are all connected. Pro leagues here and pro leagues there? They’re not outer space. They’re fair game. The Japanese and Korean leagues are already in collaboration with each other. They have an “Asian Player Quota” in place in the KBL that allows players from Japan to play in the Korean pro league. KBL teams can field their Japanese player full time and also include him in their domestic salary cap and team roster. KBL free agents can transfer to the B.League and non-free agents can be traded or loaned. The system currently applies only in Korea and Japan. But Junwoo Lee, KBL General Manager thinks the concept can be applied to other countries in Asia. It will result in greater competitiveness and have economic effects as well. PBA chairman Ricky Vargas is all for enhancing relationships with other Asian leagues. He sees it as a way to become more harmonious and a guarantee that league rights concerning player movements will be better respected and more equitable. And even as the PBA opens up to dialogue and possible cooperation with the Korean and Japanese pro leagues, why not open the gates a little wider and look at other Asian leagues as well—the CBS and the SBL, for example, or the Indonesian Basketball League, the Lebanese Basketball League? While we’re there, why not cook up something with the collegiate leagues, the provincial leagues. Why ever not? Anything new is an adventure. And fans are always hankering for one.