BusinessMirror November 25, 2022

SHORT-TERM investments

made by foreign investors rebounded in October after five consecutive months of de cline, the Bangko Sentral ng Pili pinas (BSP) reported on Thursday.

Transactions on foreign invest ments registered with the BSP, through Authorized Agent Banks (AABs), recorded net inflows of $83 million in October 2022.

In September 2022 and Octo ber 2021, the country recorded net outflows of $367 million and $221.11, respectively.

“This resulted from the $645

million gross inflows and $561 million gross outflows for the month,” BSP said in a statement.

The data showed the country recorded $645 million worth of in vestments in October 2022. This, however, reflected a decrease of 27.7 percent or by $247 million compared to the $892 million registered in September 2022.

Majority of registered invest ments or 73 percent were in pub licly listed securities while the remaining went to investments in Peso government securities at 27 percent and other instruments

at less than 1 percent.

BSP said these investments were mainly in property; banks; holding firms; food, beverage and tobacco; and telecommuni cations.

“Investments for the month mostly came from the United Kingdom; United States (US); Sin gapore; Luxembourg; and Hong Kong with combined share at 84.4 percent,” the BSP added.

The data also showed $561 mil lion gross outflows for the month were lower by 55.4 percent or by $698 million than the $1.3 bil

lion recorded in September 2022. Majority or 67.7 percent of total outward remittances went to the United States.

Meanwhile, year-on-year, reg istered investments in October 2022 decreased by 32.1 percent or by $305 million from the $950 million recorded in October 2021.

Gross outflows were also lower by 52.1 percent or by $610 mil lion than the outflows recorded for the same period last year at $1.2 billion.

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

THE De partment of Finance (DOF) said the government’s fiscal indicators are improving as the increase in the deficit to GDP ratio slowed and revenue generating agencies hit double-digit growth in their collections.

Finance Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno told reporters on Thursday that the national government’s deficit as percent of GDP for the first three quarters slowed to 6.5 percent from 8.3 percent a year ago.

He added that for the 10-month period, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) also collected P1.9 trillion, up by 12.6 percent while the Bureau of Customs (BOC) increased its collections by 35.8 percent to P713.5 billion in the same period.

“Tax effort, defined as taxes as percent of GDP, rose to 15.3 per cent from 14.8 percent in 2021,” Diokno told reporters via Viber.

Board approves ₧11.2-B project to boost fishing sector

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

AROUND 355,000 fisher folks are expected to ben efit from a newly approved P11.2-billion Philippine Fisheries and Coastal Resiliency (FishCoRe) Project, which aims to rehabili tate and boost the competitive ness of the local fishing sector.

During its first meeting on Thursday in Malacañang, the National Economic and Devel opment Authoriry (Neda) Board gave the go-ahead for the imple

mentation of the project, which will be funded through multiple sources.

The bulk or P9.6 billion of the budget will come from of ficial development assistance (ODA) provided by the World Bank (WB).

Private sector partners and beneficiary groups or coopera tives will shell out P1.16 billion, while the Department of Agri culture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) will allocate P660.6 million for it.

”The seven-year investment

will support the implementa tion of reforms in fishery and aquaculture management in the Philippines aimed at improving the management of the country’s fishery resources and enhancing the value of fisheries production in selected fisheries management areas (FMAs),” the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) said in a statement.

The project will cover 32 mil lion hectares of coastal and ma rine area in 24 provinces.

NEARLY half or 44 mil lion of the Philippine population are con sidered economically secure but the country remains one of the most unequal in the world, according to the World Bank.

Inequality, the World Bank also said, is expected to wors en in the Philippines due to the pandemic. Its latest report estimated that the country’s gini coefficient reached 45.3 percent in 2020; 45.2 percent in 2022; and 45.3 percent in 2024.

In 2018, the country’s Gini coefficient, a measure of in equality, averaged 42.3 per cent. This rate was already considered one of the high est income inequality rates in

East Asia, second to Thailand and the 15th most unequal country in the world.

“The Philippines aims to become a middle-class society free of poverty by 2040, but we know from global experience that no country has managed to make this transition while maintaining high levels of in equality,” said Ndiamé Diop, World Bank Country Director for Brunei, Malaysia, Philip pines, and Thailand.

“Inequality of opportunity and low mobility across gen erations wastes human po tential and slows innovation, which is crucial for building a competitive and prosperous

See “Poverty,” A2

CREATE, Evida law factors in bid to extend govt’s CARS program

By Andrea E. San Juan

The government and t he private sector are threshing out a number of issues related to the extension of the Com prehensive a u tomotive Resurgence Strategy (C a R S) program, including the grant of perks to electric vehicles. we a re closely working with the industry on a C a R S extension,” Trade Undersecretary Ceferino S. Rodolfo told reporters at a media briefing on Monday in Pasay City.

h o wever, Rodolfo said that while the previous administration has sup ported the C a R S extension for three years, there were questions raised regarding where to “anchor” the par ticular extension.

“Because an issue was raised that it should be anchored on [Corporate Recovery and Tax i n centives for e n t erprises] CR e a T e law and not on a specific executive order, which was anchored on the BO i e O ,” Rodolfo ex

Neda...

Timely project

W HI l E F ishCoRe will mostly improve the working conditions of existing fisherfolks, it is also expected to generate 26,877 new jobs

plained, speaking partly in Filipino. w i th this, the Trade undersecre tary and Managing h e ad of Board of i n vestments (BO i ) s aid the unoccu pied third slot in the C a R S program “would have to be consistent with the e l ectric Vehicle i nd ustry Development a c t [e v ida] law.”

Under the e v ida law, Rodolfo said, there’s a mandate to formulate an elec tric vehicle ( e V ) incentives scheme. “So the task now of the inter-agency that’s looking into this, including our C a R S i a C , is to craft that e V i S t hat will be consistent with the CR e a T e law.”

w h ile there are interested partici pants for the third slot in the C a R S program, Rodolfo stressed that there has been a change in the framework since the CR e a T e law already entered into the picture.

w h en the C a R S program was in troduced, CR e a T e was still not there, so any new program would have to be consistent with the overall frame work,” said Rodolfo.

Rodolfo said “the Department of

from the development and implementation of appropriate fisheries management policies, establishing support facilities for the reha bilitation of coastal and maritime habitats and improving institutional capacities for strengthened enforcement.

Marcos, who also chairs the Neda Board, said the project is timely since it will help achieve his goal of ensuring food security in

Trade and i n dustry [DT i] f ully under stands the impact of the pandemic on all industries including particularly on the automotive industry. The demand was really hit together with the sup ply chain.”

h e s aid the C a R S program partici pants have already put in the fixed in vestments, noting that it’s not just the two registered participants that con tributed, but also their supply chain players, including the parts makers that the program attracted.

The C a R S program is a government stimulus program aimed at reviving the country’s declining manufactur ing sector by specifically targeting the auto industry, given its strong linkages to other industries and its so-called multiplier effect.

i t p rovides for a government sup port fund of P27 billion, or a budget of P9 billion for each enrolled vehicle model.

The P9-billion support includes all the incentives that parts makers, shared service providers and the ve

the country by addressing declining fish catch and high post-harvest losses.

“For some reason our aquaculture is not flourishing or being developed. That’s why this [project] is important for me. I think this is where—if not all, it will be part of our food supply. It will give very good income for our fisherfolk,” Marcos said at the Neda Board meeting.

hicle assembler will avail of. The C a R S program mandates a minimum production goal of 200,000 units for a maximum of six years, or the life span of the particu lar model enrolled.

Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. (TMP) and Mitsubishi Motors Phil ippines Corp. enrolled Vios and Mi rage, respectively, in the incentives program.

Toyota must deliver its commit ments under the program by 2024. a s o f July 2022, Toyota said it has already produced around 60 percent of the 200,000 units required under the C a R S program.

Trade Secretary a l fredo e . P as cual said on Monday, “ w e a lso must focus on the development of suppliers—that’s also the biggest deterrent to the manufacturing of vehicles. we d on’t have yet a good supply chain support.”

The Trade chief bared plans to scout for “foreign investors who would start the production components.”

Other approvals

A SI DE f rom FishCoRE, the Neda Board also granted the request of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for the utilization of savings for the requested change in scope and loan validity extension of the Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project (MSCIP) Phase I and the 19-month loan validity extension for its New Com munications, Navigation, Surveillance/ Air Traffic Management System (CNSATM) project.

Also approved were the request of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the implementation period’s extension and loan validity extension for the Samar Pacific Coastal Road Project; as well as the change in scope of works, increase in cost, and reallocation of con tingency cost to civil works category for its Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction and Cli mate Change Adaptation (IDRR-CCA) Mea sures in l ow- ly ing Areas of Pampanga Bay. l a st, the board also allowed the Phil ippine Competition Commission to change the scope for its Capacity Building to Foster Competition Project.

Hot...

Continued from A1

Year-to-date transactions—or between 1 January and 31 October 2022—for for eign investments registered with the BSP, through AABs, yielded net inflows of $305 million.

This was a turnaround from the $680-million net outflows noted for the same period last year or between 1 January and 31 October 2021.

Poverty...

economy that will in turn improve the wellbeing and quality of life of all Filipinos,” he added.

The World Bank said with high growth rates and the expansion of jobs outside agriculture, poverty fell by two-thirds to 16.7 percent in 2018 from 49.2 per cent in 1985.

By 2018, the middle class had ex panded to nearly 12 million people and the economically secure population had risen to 44 million.

However, inequality remained high since the top 1 percent of earners together captured 17 percent of national income, with only 14 percent being shared by the bottom 50 percent.

The World Bank said the expansion of secondary education, mobility to betterpaying jobs, access to basic services, and government social assistance have started to reduce inequality since the mid-2000s.

However, unequal opportunities, slow access to tertiary education among lowincome households, inequality in returns to college education, and social norms putting the heavier burden of childcare on women has slowed down the narrowing of inequality in the Philippines.

Deficit-to-gDP...

Climate risk Meanwhile , Diokno urged climate experts and leaders from the public, private, and development sectors to invest in adaptation to reduce climate risks and disasters.

“ we must urgently increase the availability of adaptation and re silience finance, particularly for s ustainable and climate-resilient infrastructure,” Diokno said at the recent Climate i nv estment Forum organized by the Climate Change Commission (CCC).

The country’s high exposure to cli mate and disaster risks, he stressed, h as pushed the government to be more proactive in prioritizing disas ter risks and climate change impacts.

a s s uch, the Department of Finance (DOF) proposed a threepronged blended approach of grants, investments, and subsidies as mo dalities of climate finance.

T his considers the private sec tor, multilateral development banks ( MDBs), and global financial regula tory bodies as vital partners in the mobilization of financing for adapta tion and mitigation projects.

T he government also continues to seek support from international channels and partners to ensure suf ficient fiscal space in addressing the c limate crisis.

The Philippines submitted its first nationally determined contribution or n D C in a p ril 2021.

“The first n D C commits to a projected greenhouse gas emission reduction and avoidance of 75 per cent, representing the country’s am bition for GhG mitigation by 2030 for the agriculture, waste, industry, transport, and energy sectors,” he explained.

he c alled the private sector an important pillar in a just transition to a low-carbon economy through energy transition, technology devel opment and deployment, and build ing of climate-resilient communities, w ith due regard to natural resources and ecosystem integrity.

To encourage private sector par ticipation, the DOF and the Bangko S entral ng Pilipinas (BSP) have also established a sustainable finance ecosystem to synergize public and private investments in green proj ects and create the environment for g reener policies.

SEC guidance

Meanwhile, the Securities and e x change Commission (S e C ) has re leased guidelines on the issuance of G reen Bonds under the a s ean Green Bonds Standards.

“This provides a reference point for determining the eligibility of green projects covering renewable energy, energy efficiency, pollution prevention and control, environ mentally-sustainable management o f living natural resources and land

Despite the strong recovery of growth and the labor market, the Covid-19 pan demic has partly reversed decades-long gains in reducing poverty and inequality in the Philippines.

It halted economic growth momentum in 2020, and unemployment shot up in in dustries that require in-person work. In 2021, the national poverty rate rose to 18.1 percent despite government assistance.

“Inequality shapes outcomes later in life, such as employment opportunities and income, which in turn influence how much support adult Filipinos are able to provide for their children to help maximize their potential,” said Nadia Belhaj Hassine Bel ghith, Senior Economist with the East Asia Poverty Global Practice covering Thailand and the Philippines, who led the study.

Recovery in the Philippines is uneven across the income distribution and the poorest who suffered the most from Covid have yet to fully recover their incomes.

With food prices going up, many fami lies coped by reducing their consumption, including eating less. These coping strate gies can have serious consequences on the health and nutrition of children in these vulnerable households.

The report says that inequality starts even before birth and is perpetuated over the life cycle. It starts with maternal nutrition and health during pregnancy.

Differences continue into childhood,

use, clean transportation, and ad aptation of green infrastructure,” D iokno said.

The government has also devel oped the Sustainable Finance Frame work laying down the process for en suring transparency and disclosure o f the use of proceeds, as well as the expected environmental and social impact of eligible green and social projects, in keeping with interna tional best practices.

These efforts have helped us suc cessfully issue our first-ever sustain ability global bonds worth $1 billion, a nd sustainability samurai bonds worth $600 million,” Diokno said.

Mandanas ruling

The DOF also called on local gov ernment units ( l G Us) to optimize their increased transfers from the Mandanas ruling in setting up plans on capital investments to address basic and growing needs of their constituents.

e O no. 138, s. 2021 strength ens the autonomy of l G Us, granting them, among others, the ability to borrow resources to improve local facilities and services.

“[a]s we implement the full de volution of certain functions from t he executive branch to local gov ernments pursuant to e O nu mber 138, series of 2021, local government units are confronted with the chal lenge of funding the expanded scope o f basic services and local develop ment projects. it is therefore impera tive that l G Us put in place plans on capital investments,” said Diokno. ho wever, data showed that l G Us had a low appetite for borrowing. i n the past five years, only around 62 percent of l G Us have availed them selves of credit. For 2021, l G U bor rowings only amounted to P136.6 b illion or around 0.74 percent of the country’s GDP.

The Bureau of l o cal Government Finance (B l G F), tasked to monitor and evaluate l GU borrowings, noted that l G Us were only able to utilize 51.5 percent of their borrowing ca pacity in the past five years.

T hese were most commonly used for the construction of local govern ment buildings and roads, acqui sition of lots, and procurement of he avy equipment.

To encourage local borrowing, the B l G F issued the Certificate of n e t Debt Service Ceiling and Borrowing Capacity to establish a maximum credit amount that l G Us can refer to.

The initiative is part of the gov ernment’s engagement with the world Bank Group where l GUs, espe cially city government stakeholders, a re given access to knowledge and tools to design creditworthy local strategies in planning and imple menting capital investment projects, s aid Diokno.

where disparities in access to health care, proper nutrition, safe drinking water, sanitation, and quality education deter mine the extent to which a child’s human capital develops.

The World Bank said policy priorities to reduce inequality in the Philippines can be structured around three themes, in cluding healing the pandemic’s scars and building resilience, setting the stage for a vibrant and inclusive recovery, and pro moting greater equality of opportunity.

Healing the pandemic’s scars will re quire promoting greater vaccine booster uptake, overcoming the learning loss due to Covid-19, strengthening social assistance, unemployment insurance programs for the informal sector, and taming inflation.

Setting the stage for vibrant recovery entails reskilling of workers, promoting entrepreneurship, increasing the partici pation of women in the labor force, and raising the productivity of agriculture.

Promoting greater equality of oppor tunity entails increasing access to quality health care, increasing equality of oppor tunity in education, and improving access to quality housing, among others.

Equality of opportunity needs to tar get the lagging regions and other people disadvantaged in accessing these be cause of the circumstances of their birth.

in fight vs illegal

By Glen Jacob Jose

AS part of a program aimed at implementing a “wholeof-nation” approach to control the proliferation of illegal drugs in the country, the Depart ment of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Thurs day urged local government units (LGUs) to formulate their local anti-drug plan of action (LADPA) and barangay anti-drug plan of action (BADPA) that responds to the needs of their localities.

L ADPA/BADPA is anchored on Republic Act No. 9165 or the Dan gerous Drugs Act of 2002, which embodies the national government’s commitment to eradicating the coun try’s illegal drugs problem.

I nterior Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. said LGUs must include in their LADPA/BADPA initiatives and efforts that will strengthen their campaign against illegal drugs and specify programs and activities that shall be given budget allocation in their respec tive annual budget relative to antiillegal drug efforts.

“ The local Sanggunian shall ap propriate the fund for the enforce ment of the anti-illegal drug initia tives included in the LADPA and BADPA,” the DILG chief said.

“Our anti-illegal drugs campaign takes a whole-of-government ap proach, which would only be effi cient if we are able to execute plans such as LADPA and BADPA down at the grassroots. It is imperative that our LGUs work with us and draft their respective LADPAs and BAD PAs in the barangays,” Abalos said in a news statement.

I n DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2022-141, Abalos encouraged provincial and city/municipal local chief executives (LCEs) to formu late their 2023-2025 LADPA within their first 200 days in office, specify ing their anti-illegal drug programs and activities based on their locali ties’ drug situation.

He said the LADPA shall include the anti-illegal drugs situation of the locality for accurate decisionmaking; priority anti-illegal drugs issues and challenges, prioritizing supply and demand reduction; ob jectives to address the local issues and challenges; critical policies, programs, projects, services and ac tivities (PPPSAs) for the anti-illegal drugs issues; and, funding require ments of the PPPSAs. The LADPA shall also include the physical and financial accomplishment reports of the existing LADPA.

He said that by doing this, LGUs can significantly contribute to the BIDA program, the revitalized an ti-drug advocacy campaign of the government that aims to reduce drug demand in the communities by harnessing the support of LGUs, na tional government agencies (NGAs), private sectors, faith-based organi zations (FBOs), and civil society or ganizations (CSOs).

Our focus right now is ev eryone’s solidarity in the fight against illegal drugs up to the grassroots, just like our ‘Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan’ or BIDA Program. We are looking forward to your cooperation in our desire to end illegal drugs in the country,” Abalos stressed.

Likewise, Abalos urges BADACs to prepare their three-year BADPA that includes the formulated strate gies, identified projects and funding requirements.

T he planning and submission of LADPA shall be until December 2022, while the encoding of the approved action plan shall pro ceed from January to March 2023. Likewise, the preparation and sub mission of BADPA and its approval shall take place from January to May 2023.

The Nation

PHL asks China for answer over latest sea feud

THE Philippines has sought an explanation from China after a Filipino military commander reported that the Chinese coast guard forcibly seized Chinese rocket debris in the possession of Philippine Navy personnel in the disputed South Chi na Sea, officials said Thursday.

Sunday’s incident off Philippineoccupied Thitu Island is the latest flare up in the long-seething ter ritorial disputes involving China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

C hina has denied its coast guard forcibly seized the debris from the Filipino sailors.

Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson in Manila, Maria The resa Daza, said without elaborating that a diplomatic note was relayed to China for “clarification from the Chinese side over the incident.”

Vice Adm. Alberto Carlos, who heads the military’s Western Com mand, said the Filipino sailors, using a long-range camera, spotted the de bris drifting in strong waves near a sandbar about 540 meters offshore. They set out on a boat and retrieved the floating object and started to tow

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes @brownindio

DESPITE stiff opposition from certain quarters, a recent survey showed that 8 out 10 Filipinos believe that the No Contact Apprehension Program (NCAP) will help solve some of the problems that perennially hound commuters in Metro Manila.

In a Pulse Asia survey commis sioned by Stratbase, majority of Filipinos agree that “NCAP will be effective in achieving its objective of disciplining motorists to improve road safety.”

T his was the sentiment shared by Stratbase-ADRI Chief Executive Officer Victor Andres Manhit as he bared the results of the recent survey.

According to Manhit, the NCAP will promote a culture of discipline as drivers are reminded and encour aged to follow existing traffic rules— knowing that improved surveillance systems are in place.

Manhit said that this effect can be seen on roads in Subic where a stopand-go policy is strictly enforces,

it back to Thitu Island.

A s they were traveling back to the island, “they noticed that a China coast guard vessel with bow number 5203 was approaching their location and subsequently blocked their pre-

plotted course twice,” Carlos said in a statement.

T he Chinese coast guard vessel then deployed an inflatable boat with personnel who “forcefully retrieved said floating object by cutting the

and on parts of Skyway 3 where 60 kilometers per hour speed limit is the norm.

“ Motorists know that these roads are monitored, and they willfully abide knowing the con sequences of violating the rules,” Manhit pointed out.

T he think tank executive also said NCAP will also help eradicate cor ruption and bribery in the streets.

“Since the NCAP remotely monitors traffic violations without the need for physical apprehension by traffic enforcers, it thereby reduces the oc currence of ‘kotong operations’ in the streets,” Manhit said.

According to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), NCAP was first introduced in 2009 and was only reimplemented during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration in 2016.

Several LGUs slowly started en forcing NCAP, and some insisted on its benefits in their respective cities and municipalities.

Shortly before the Supreme Court issued temporary restraining order against NCAP due to two legal chal

lenges on the no contact policy, five Metro Manila Mayors issued a joint statement last August 17, 2021, say ing NCAP enforcement has resulted in several positive things such as the “minimization of human interven tion in traffic enforcement, thereby

towing line” attached to the Filipino sailors’ rubber boat.

T he sailors decided to return to their island, Carlos said, without detailing what happened.

C hinese coast guard ships have blocked Philippine supply boats de livering supplies to Filipino forces in the disputed waters in the past, but seizing objects in the possession of another nation’s military constitutes a more brazen act.

China’s Foreign Ministry in Beijing has denied that the debris was seized forcibly. “The Philippine side salvaged and towed the object first. After friendly consultation at the site, the Philippine side returned the object to China, and China expressed apprecia tion for that,” ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said Monday. “There was no such thing as interception or forcible seizure at the scene.”

R esponding to China’s denial, top Philippine defense official Jose Faustino Jr. stood by the accounts of the Filipino navy personnel and said the debris was “rudely” taken from them by the Chinese coast guard.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said he would also seek clarification

when he visits Beijing in January to meet China’s leader Xi Jinping.

Faustino said a separate Philip pine investigation was underway after Filipino villagers on Thitu re ported hearing unexplained explo sions on Sunday.

It was not clear where the thunderlike blasts, which caused slight tremors on the ground, came from and what were their nature. Villagers on the is land were alarmed, officials said, add ing they prepared an evacuation plan in case there would be a need for it.

T hitu, which Filipinos call Pagasa, or hope, hosts a fishing community and Filipino forces and lies near Subi, one of seven disputed reefs that Chi na has turned into missile-protected islands in the disputed waters.

US security officials say that the developed islands, including three with military-grade runways, now resemble forward military bases.

T he Philippines and other smaller claimant nations in the disputed re gion, backed by the United States and other Western countries, have pro tested and raised alarm over China’s increasingly aggressive actions in the busy waterway. AP

eliminating corruption, creation of a culture of discipline among motor ists and the improvement of driving behavior; and ensuring road safety which is proven effective in reducing traffic violations and traffic-related accidents.”

Manhit stressed that the flow of traffic will be smoother with the implementation of NCAP.

“ The no contact policy decreases obstructions in traffic flow as there is no need to apprehend or stop ve hicles along the road,” he explained.

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

THE Department of Justice (DOJ) has thumbed down the plan of Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary (DSWD) Secretary Erwin T. Tulfo  to write erring fathers and compel them to provide financial support to their children under the pain of civil and criminal liabilities.

I n a five-page legal opinion, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Re mulla said that while “the intention is noble,” the plan might already constitute providing legal service to the minor children, which is not among the duties and functions of the DSWD under its charter.

T he said function, according to Remulla, belongs to other govern ment agencies such as the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO).

After a careful study and consid eration of your query, we note that the proposed act of the DSWD to write a letter to the fathers, presum ably on behalf of the minor child/ children, to remind them to give financial support, as ‘there are civil and criminal consequences under the law if financial support is not properly given,’ may be outside of the DSWD’s stated mandate, pow ers and functions under Executive Order No. 292, otherwise known as

the Administrative Code of 1987, and the DSWD Citizen’s Charter of 2022…,” the DOJ said.

T he DOJ legal opinion was issued in response to the letter of Tulfo seeking its position  on whether the DSWD can write a letter to the named father in the child’s birth certificate simply to remind him of his obligation under the law to provide financial support to his minor child and that his failure to do so has corresponding  civil and criminal consequences.

Tulfo’s query stemmed from reports that there are “deadbeat” fathers whose names appear in their child/children’s certificate of live birth but are remiss in pro viding their offspring financial support.

T he DSWD chief noted that such failure on the part of the fa ther is considered violation of the provisions of Republic Act 9262, also known as the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Chil dren Act of 2004.

However, the DOJ noted that the phrase, “There are civil and criminal consequences under the law if finan cial support is not ‘properly given’ in the proposed letter, can be likened to a demand letter to the fathers and make it appear that the DSWD is lawyering on behalf of the minor child/children.”

IN this photo provided by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), a Chinese coast guard ship sails near a PCG vessel during its patrol at Bajo de Masinloc, 124 nautical miles west of Zambales province, northwestern Philippines on March 2, 2022. The Philippines has sought an explanation from China after a Filipino military commander reported that the Chinese coast guard forcibly seized Chinese rocket debris in the possession of Philippine Navy personnel in the disputed South China Sea, officials said Thursday, November 24, 2022. PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD VIA AP

BusinessMirror

Corporate honchos list priorities in push for economic inclusion

By Andrea E. San Juan

SOME of the country’s company officials said the Philippines should focus first on provid ing capacity to domestic-oriented enterprises such as the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to promote economic inclusion.

O fficials from Aboitiz Infra Capital, International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) and Makati Business Club (MBC) believe that the government and private sector should ensure that the country’s MSMEs would be given the opportunity to produce in an “efficient manner.”

We need to connect them in a way that the flow of goods from them, whether in the domestic mar ket or international is transparent and known,” Christian Razon Gon zalez, Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Officer of ICTSI said dur ing the Pilipinas Conference 2022 last Tuesday in Makati City.

Gonzalez illustrated the situation of small merchants in the country, citing lack of access to information. The ICTSI official emphasized that the country should prioritize how domestic-oriented enterprises run their businesses instead of pouring all the attention into attracting for

eign investors.

“Every MSME right now has no bloody idea how much it’s going to cost them tomorrow to import what they need to produce the product. They don’t know what the truck is gonna cost, they don’t know what they’re gonna have to pay to the LGU [local government unit]. They know none of this so it’s a crapshoot,” Gon zalez said on Tuesday.

And you know, if foreign inves tors, we keep talking about giving foreign investors all this transpar ency and incentives and honoring their contracts, what about all the locals? We should start there and we need to find a way to get all in formation whether government or private sector get it out there that is clear and transparent, and there is certainty in order to run their busi ness efficiently in order for them to price their goods reasonably,” the ICTSI official added.

Meanwhile, Rizalina Mantar ing, treasurer of Makati Business Club (MBC) and former CEO and Country Head of Sunlife Philip pines, agreed with Gonzalez, say ing that MSMEs lack the capacity to do business in the country.

I agree with clarity, transpar ency, because it’s very hard to do business when you don’t know what

the rules are. And particularly for MSMEs, the capacity isn’t there. They don’t have the capacity to hire lawyers and accountants the way the larger companies would,” Mantaring said.

In relation to providing capacity to MSMEs, Cosette Canilao, CEO of Aboitiz InfraCapital, said the coun try’s small merchants should be in cluded in the digitalization efforts of the government.

“For the MSMEs, we have to in clude them in providing digital ac cess. Digitalization of government processes will not just benefit the foreign investors but most especially the MSMEs that will promote eco nomic inclusion,” Canilao said.

M eanwhile, Mantaring and Gonzalez also talked about build ing the capacity of the country’s manufacturing sector to boost local production. The business officials underscored the need to build the country’s infrastructure to ensure that the flow of goods both in the domestic and international markets would be unhampered.

“In order to attract foreign in vestment in manufacturing, you have to have a privatization and in frastructure program that’s driven by a broader strategy. Right now in this country, infrastructure priva

tization is done piecemeal in isola tion and someone has an unsolicited proposal there, someone wants to build something over here, the gov ernment wants to invest there, for what purpose?” Gonzalez said.

Where is the masterplan of cre ating industrial zones in areas that are already connected to the global market? Where is the masterplan to create infrastructure in places that will later become sites for invest ment in commercial areas that will be meant to be connected to the global market? Unless we start thinking based on a broader infrastructure plan, and move out of this isolated system of privatization and building infrastructure, frankly we will not accelerate investment nor manu facturing in a way we all want,” the ICTSI official pointed out.

M antaring, for her part, said “When you talk of markets whether it’s domestic or foreign, you also talk of supply chains. And we really need, one big factor for manufacturers… the cost of transport so we really need to be able to build our infrastructure to be able to bring goods from the remotest areas in the Philippines to all the cities and vice versa so it can build a much more efficient opera tion if your transportation is reliable and it’s cost-effective.”

Bill mandates ecotourism devt for Malamawi Island in Basilan

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

TO foster economic develop ment in Basilan province, a lawmaker from Mindanao has filed a so-called livelihood bill, declaring Malamawi Island in the City of Isabela, Province of Basilan, an ecotourism zone.

Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman filed House Bill  6293 that seeks to declare the island in the volatile south an eco tourism zone and mandates the De partment of Tourism (DOT) to develop the island as a tourism destination.

“First and foremost, this is a live lihood measure,” said Hataman.

According to the measure, Mal amawi is a small island in Basilan with a long stretch of white sandy beach on its northern coast. Because of its crystal blue water, refined white sand, and breathtaking scenery, Mal amawi Island has become a popular tourist attraction.

Tourist arrivals in Isabela City— both accommodation-based and day tours—have jumped from 60,549 in 2019, to a whopping 112,275 as of October in 2022. Arrivals dropped in 2020 and 2021 understandably due to Covid-19 restrictions.

“The Malamawi Island, in the City of Isabela, Province of Basilan is hereby declared an ecotourism zone. Its devel opment shall be prioritized by the DOT, subject to the rules and regulations gov erning the development of ecotourism

zones,” HB 6293 mandates.

Within one year after the approval of this Act, the DOT shall, in coordina tion with the local government units of the City of Isabela…and agencies of the government, prepare a tour ism development plan involving the construction, installation, and main tenance of appropriate infrastructure and facilities that shall encourage tourism in the area,” it added.

A ny tourism development plan of the DOT should be consulted with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) so that any activities and development to be car ried out in the area should conform to the concept of ecotourism.

The Secretary of Tourism shall include in the DOT’s program the implementation of this Act, the fund ing of which shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act and from internally generated funds of the DOT,” the bill added.

Hataman is confident that with the national government’s help, Mal amawi could rival the country’s great beaches such as Boracay and Siargao.

Cognizant of its importance to the overall development of Isa bela City and Basilan province as a whole, the local government unit has poured programs and projects to the island and its communities to bolster its capacity to accommodate visitors and improve the lives of its people, and enrich visitor and tour ist experience,” he said.

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

HOUSING in the country remain

expensive for most Filipinos as wage increases are just enough to cover for rising commodity prices, according to the Philip

pine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS).

I n their latest study, PIDS Vice President Marife Ballesteros, Su pervising Research Specialist Ta tum Ramos and Research Special ist Jenica Ancheta found that the popular 30-percent housing priceto-income ratio is not a suitable measure of housing affordability in the country.

T he researchers said this is because the ratio overestimates affordability among the poor and underestimates the same among higher-income groups. The rule is more applicable in developed countries with low poverty in cidence, a significant portion of middle-income families and ris ing real wages.

This is not the case in the Phil ippines, where there are 47 percent low-income and 20 percent vulner able households. Then, if you look at real wages, it is not rising. Whatever increase in wages we experience is only enough to cover inflation,” Ball esteros explained.

T he authors also measured housing affordability using the residual income method, which determines if a household’s re

maining budget after paying for housing is enough for necessities and other basic costs based on national median spending costs per income group. The Philippine Statistics Authority bases the fig ures on non-housing basic expen ditures on estimates.

R amos said that the 30-percent rule underestimates the number of households experiencing hous ing stress or having no income left after paying for housing and basic expenses.

I n their analysis, the number of Filipino households that experi enced socialized housing stress in 2018 rose from 16 percent using the 30-percent rule to 31 percent using the residual income method.

T he study also gauged the extent of shelter poverty in the country based on socialized housing price ceiling. Poor households have nega tive income left after paying for housing and non-housing basic ex penditures, while low-income but not poor households are vulnerable to experience the same.

Moreover, many low-cost hous ing projects are far from Metro Ma nila’s city centers. “This exposes households to further housing

By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief

DAVAO CITY—Farmers in Davao de Oro were given the equipment to produce chocolate, the Department of Science and Technology Region 11 said.

T he Camarin Manlobong Taytayan Onion Farmers Association (Camatofa) grow both onions and cacao in Barangay Andap, New Bataan, but the new equipment would help them explore a new and profitable venture in making chocolates.

T he Provincial Science and Technology Office said the

association received various chocolate-processing equipment such as conching machine, grinder, mixer, digital weighing scale, stainless table, chiller and upright freezer.

T hese were turned over to the organization after the initial deployment of post-harvest processing equipment and supplies for upcycling cacao fruits in 2015.

T he DOST said the assistance would aid farmers from Davao de Oro with their livelihood.

T he beneficiaries have ventured into cacao and processing after their farms was flattened by typhoon “Pablo” in 2012.

T he farmers also received

stress by straining their budget. The distance adds to their trans portation cost, especially if family members work in the urban cen ters,” Ramos said.

To address shelter poverty, the study recommends passing enabling policies and pursuing re forms such as creating land com munity trusts and a public housing fund at the national and local lev els, offering incentives for rental housing developments for low and middle-income groups, implement ing standard valuation of real estate properties, increasing idle land tax, and ensuring ease of doing busi ness in land titling and transfers, building permits, and licensing,” PIDS said.

M eanwhile, on Wednesday, the Department of Human Settle ments and Urban Development (DHSUD) said the country’s hous ing backlog might reach 7 million by yearend. Closing this gap would require the national government to build at least a million houses every year.

To accomplish such, the signing of an executive order (EO) on idle lands would make it possible to tap 16,000 hectares of unused land from

local governments nationwide.

“ We are continuously working on this inventory of plans and we will be partnering with other gov ernment agencies [that are] also involved in land,” DHSUD Under secretary Avelino Tolentino said in a televised briefing.

Tolentino said passing the EO would significantly contribute to the Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Program which is cur rently being done in Quezon City, Bataan, Bacolod City, Iloilo, Roxas City, Marikina City, Iligan City, Carmona, Cavite, and Tanauan City in Batangas.

T he DHSUD said a number of LGUs are also in line to participate in the housing program. Efforts are also underway to identify pos sible beneficiaries of these hous ing programs in order to address the backlog.

Tolentino added the program would also boost the economy and ensure the country’s recov ery from the ill effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. He said with 80 allied industries, the housing sector could provide income for industries and jobs for thousands of Filipinos.

PIDS study presents alternatives to address PHL housing backlog Davao de Oro farmers get

safety and operation training to help them use the provided equipment effectively and efficiently, the DOST said.

T he regional office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development also witnessed the turnover as it expressed commitment to support the organization through marketing and promotion of their products.

Camatofa President Mrs. Gloria Camporedondo, thanked DOST 11 for its support to the community farmers to help them economically recover.

Meanwhile, students and teachers from off-grid Manurigao Integrated School in New Bataan would now be able to access digitized Science and Technology (S&T) resources with the installation of solar-powered S&T Academic and Research-Based Openly Operated Kiosk Stations (Starbooks).

Starbooks is the first Philippine S&T digital library designed to be user-friendly and stand-alone

information kiosk that contains thousands of digitized S&T resources in various formats, the DOST said.  Users can access information such as investigatory projects, K to12 learning materials, DOST technologies and other publications.

With no conventional source of electric supply and Internet connection, the Starbooks powered by Solar Photovoltaic System will benefit a total of 156 students and seven teachers of the school,” the DOST said.  DOST 11 hoped to enhance the quality of educational experience for both teachers and students and to create interest in the field of S&T among Filipino students.

T he assistance was provided through the Community Empowerment through Science and Technology program of DOST spearheaded by the Provincial Science and Technology Office of Davao de Oro and in partnership with Davao de Oro State College Extension Services Division, it added.

Govt urged to focus on students’ digital skills devt for BPO jobs

By Andrea E. San Juan

AMID the growing demand for digital skills in the global arena, the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) said the government should focus on honing the skills of students to keep up with employment requirements.

In a televised interview on Wednesday, Celeste Ilagan, Chief Policy and Regulatory Affairs Officer of IBPAP, said the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) should ensure that students should have the necessary skills aligned with the job roles related to the Busi ness Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry.

“ ‘Yung pinaka-importante naman is to make sure na ’yung ating mga manggagawa ay meron tamang skills para sa mga trabahong nagbabago, nag e -evolve, at mayroon tay ong enough manpower na ma -supply itong industriya, which keeps on growing every year,” Ilagan pointed out, when asked on what are the key policies needed to support the Information Technology  and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) industry.

T he IBPAP official noted that if the

industry gains higher trust from clients abroad, more jobs will be generated in the country. Further, Ilagan underscored the need to hone the skills of Filipino employ ees amid the ongoing digital transforma tion in the global arena.

Mga 20 years na tayo sa industriya, lahat ng ating services ay nagiging higher value tu mataas ’yung skills, ’yung mga requirements sa mga empleyado noong mga panahon na ’yun iba na kaysa sa kailangan ngayon,” Ilagan said.

“Alam natin yung digital transformation mal aking bahagi ng pag unlad sa mundo and, there fore, ’yung mga empleyado din natin digitallyskilled, ganun din ang kanilang pinag-aaralan,” the IBPAP official added.

With this, Ilagan said, “So maigi para sa aming industriya na ’yung DepEd, ’yung ating CHED, ay sumabay na ibigay sa mga estudyante yung kinakailangan para paglabas nila ng es kwelahan, paggraduate nila, they already have the skills that are needed para matanggap sila dito sa mga gantong klaseng trabaho at gusto rin naman namin na high-school graduates palang sa senior ‘e ready na sila maging empleyado dito sa BPO industry.”

Apart from the said plea, Ilagan said the

Bicam panel starts work on ’23 budget

continued from a18

T he Senate increased the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources budget by P720 million and the Philippine Space Agency budget by P200 million.

Arrogancia has said the BFAR “should be modernized so they can provide our fishermen with sturdy fishing boats and high-tech equipped communications and GPS.”        BHW Rep. Natasha Co said the Senate has also increased the allocation of Council for the Welfare of Children by P60.132 million; Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council by P100 million; National Authority

for Child Care by P300 million; Philippine Commission on Women by P21.295 million.

Co said the Senate has also increased the budget of the National Nutrition Council by P37.83 million; Philippine Children’s Medical Center by P673 million;  Department of Health by P4.8 billion;  Early Childhood Care and Dev. Council by P232.383 million; SUCs in the Bicol Region by P122.562 million; University of the Philippines by P1.127 billion; Department of Education by P911.857 million and Commission on Higher Education by P512.5 million.

Neda eyes zero tariff for certain e-vehicles

continued from a18

Balisacan said they also hope the tariff adjustment will encourage the private sector to invest in “subsidiary auxiliary services” for EVs such as creating more charging stations to cater to such vehicles.        “The EO aims to expand market sources and encourage consumers to consider acquiring EVs, improve energy security by reducing dependence on imported fuel, and promote the growth of the domestic EV industry ecosystem,” Balisacan added.

Minimal revenue impact

HE also assumed that the zero-tariff for

EVs will have minimal impact on the government revenue.

“We have really reduced the tariffs for those vehicles that are not actually yet locally produced. And as of now, the quantity of those vehicles is not that big,” Balisacan said.

Neda is still ironing out some of the details of the proposed EO before it can be signed by Marcos.

In September,  the Department of Energy (DOE) said the zero-tariff policy is expected to be released before the end of the year.  Samuel P. Medenilla

Electric rates rising mid-’23 after Meralco refunds done

Meanwhile, Dimalanta said SMC Global Power Holdings Corp. (SMCGP) has asked the Court of Appeals (CA) to overturn its earlier decision that denied the joint petition with the Meralco to recover losses from its fixed-rate power supply agreements (PSAs).

“They filed a petition for certiorari before the Court of Appeals last Monday. San Miguel is seeking a TRO but Meralco is not part of it. They are asking CA to issue a TRO so the order will not be implemented and they are also asking the CA to reverse our decision. We already referred this to the OSG [Office of the Solicitor General],” said Dimalanta.

continued from a18

It maybe recalled that the ERC, in its orders dated September 29, denied the joint motions of Meralco with South Premiere Power Corporation (SPPC) and San Miguel Corporation (SMEC) for price adjustments to serve as temporary relief covering a combined P5.2 billion losses incurred by SPPC and SMEC from January to May 2022 due to the unprecedented spike in fuel prices.

SPPC and SMEC, which are both units of SMCGP, sent notices dated October 5, 2022, to Meralco stating their plan to continue to supply at the rates provided under the PSAs executed in 2019, albeit under protest.

Immigration to volt in with DOH/BOQ, DOT arrivals systems

Several commenters posted in response that when they arrived at Naia 1 or 3, the physical Immigration arrival card wasn’t required of them.

Sandoval explained the confusion: “This has been a problem before; sometimes some airline crew might not be sure of the rules so they just ask everyone to fill it [physical ar rival card] out. But the general rule is only

continued from a18

foreigners are required [to fill it out] upon arrival.”

She added that the Bureau of Customs will still require arriving passengers to de clare any taxable items in their luggage in a separate physical form, but this too, will eventually be integrated “in the third phase” of the new e-arrival system project. Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo

industry has always said that senior high school be given the necessary education to be prepared.  “Pwede na silang matanggap if meron training bago makatapos ng senior highschool, maisama na sa curriculum nila ’yung mga subjects or skills para maging handa.”

A s for college students, the IBPAP official said the industry is hopeful that subjects related to BPO services will be included in their curriculum.

And sa mga college students, ganun din

gusto natin mangyari na maisama sa curricu lum ’yung mga subjects na related dun sa how to provide the service ’yung mga [informa tion technology] IT, [artificial intelligence] AI, [robotic process automation] RPA, ’yung mga bagay na ganito, ito ’yung mas in-demand sa buong mundo at may kakulangan din sa tal ent sa ganitong klaseng areas,” said Ilagan.

Other key policies that will help boost the industry, Ilagan noted, are on hybrid work, a policy that will make Filipino employees be

at par with other countries in terms of labor cost, and a policy on ease of doing business. “Ang una, gusto natin na magkaroon pa rin ng hybrid work permission na manggagaling sa gobyerno and we saw that this has been addressed by government. Kailangan din na mas maging competitive ’yung Pilipinas ’yung presyo ng paggawa ng trabaho dito sa Pilipinas ay competitive sa ibang lokasyon,” Ilagan said on Wednesday. Yung ease of doing business is important to us ngayon,” Ilagan said.

14.

Brief

15.

QIN, GUOWEI Customer Service Representative (Chinese Speaking)

Brief Job Description: Provide customer service to clients

THAM CHEE KIAT Customer Service Representative (Chinese Speaking)

Basic Qualification:

*Any nationality who can speak and write Chinese fluently.

*Preferably 6 months to 1-year customer service experience. *Detailoriented and has the ability to multi-task.

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

Basic Qualification:

*Any nationality who can speak and write Chinese fluently.

*Preferably 6 months to 1-year customer service experience. *Detailoriented and has the ability to multi-task.

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

Basic

25.

Brief

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as Mandarin Business Manager, familiarity, knowledge and awareness on machinery and heavy equipment use by company. Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

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

ZUO, YUANLONG Mandarin Business Manager

Brief Job Description:

The Mandarin Business Manager will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goals.

16.

26.

Brief

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

ZHANG, JI Mandarin Deputy Managing Director

Brief Job Description: The Mandarin Deputy Managing Director will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goals.

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as Mandarin Business Manager, familiarity, knowledge and awareness on machinery and heavy equipment use by company. Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

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

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as Mandarin Deputy Managing Director, excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills.

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

27.

Brief

28.

SUN, HAITAO Mandarin Electrical Commissioning Supervisor

Brief Job Description:

The Mandarin Electrical Commissioning Supervisor will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goals.

SUN, WEIWEI Mandarin Electrical Commissioning Supervisor

Brief Job Description: The Mandarin Electrical Commissioning Supervisor will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goals.

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as Mandarin Electrical Commissioning Supervisor, familiarity, knowledge and awareness on machinery and heavy equipment use by company. Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

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

Basic Qualification: The Mandarin Electrical Commissioning Supervisor will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goals.

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

29.

QIN, MIN Mandarin Finance Manager

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

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as Mandarin Finance Manager, familiarity, knowledge and awareness on machinery and heavy equipment use by company. Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

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

LI, YOUGUI Mandarin Finance Senior Staff

Brief Job Description: The Mandarin Finance Senior Staff will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goals.

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as Mandarin Finance Senior Staff, excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills.

Basic

LIANG, QINGDE Mandarin General Manager

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 31.

Brief Job Description: The Mandarin General Manager will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission

Basic Qualification:

Basic

Basic

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

Brief

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as Mandarin Project Controls Analyst, familiarity, knowledge and awareness on machinery and heavy equipment use by company. Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 36.

Brief

37.

Brief Job Description:

The Mandarin Site Officer will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goals.

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as Mandarin Project Controls Analyst, familiarity, knowledge and awareness on machinery and heavy equipment use by company. Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

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

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as Mandarin Site Officer, excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills.

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

38.

Brief Job Description:

The Mandarin site officer will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goals.

48.

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

DATACLICK INTERNATIONAL CORP. E. Rodriguez St., Roxas Blvd. St., Barangay 3, Pasay City

DUONG TIEU LE Customer Support Specialist

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience, good in oral communication and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

49.

50.

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fastgrowing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time

HA THAM GIAI Customer Support Specialist

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fastgrowing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time

HOANG VAN THAO Customer Support Specialist

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as mandarin site officer, familiarity, knowledge and awareness on machinery and heavy equipment use by company. Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

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

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as Mandarin Site Officer,

51.

52.

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fastgrowing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time

LAM TAN HIEU Customer Support Specialist

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fastgrowing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time

Basic Qualification: Excellent Communication Skills in Chinese, Both Spoken and Written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Excellent Communication Skills in Chinese, Both Spoken and Written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Excellent Communication Skills in Chinese, Both Spoken and Written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Excellent Communication Skills in Chinese, Both Spoken and Written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

39.

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

53.

54.

NGUYEN THI MEN Customer Support Specialist

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fastgrowing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time

NGUYEN THI NGOC TUYET Customer Support Specialist

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fastgrowing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time

PHU TUYET NGAN Customer Support Specialist

Basic Qualification:

Excellent Communication Skills in Chinese, Both Spoken and Written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Excellent Communication Skills in Chinese, Both Spoken and Written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

55.

56.

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fastgrowing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time

TRAN THI HONG Customer Support Specialist

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fastgrowing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time

Basic Qualification: Excellent Communication Skills in Chinese, Both Spoken and Written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Excellent in bilingual languages

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 66.

CHEN, XIAOXING Mandarin Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Excellent in bilingual languages

Brief Job Description: Conduct research to provide answers to resolve their issues

FANG, GUANXIONG Mandarin Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 67.

Brief Job Description: Conduct research to provide answers to resolve their issues

Brief

Basic Qualification: Excellent in bilingual languages

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

Basic

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 69.

EFS

Basic

Basic

Brief

HUANG, GUOQING Customer Service Representative For Virtual Assistant (Chinese National)

Basic Qualification: Can speak and written mandarin language to English language. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 72.

Brief Job Description: Translates a variety of documents including literary and legal from mandarin to English language.

Basic Qualification: Can speak and written mandarin language to English language. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

EY GDS (CS) PHILIPPINES, INC. 17th Floor Cyber Sigma Building, Lawton Avenue, Mckinley West, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig 73.

CHAWLA, SARTHAK IAM Manager, (32-1)

ZHANG, JIE Mandarin Project Controls Analyst

ZHANG, YOUMING Mandarin Project Controls Analyst

LI, GUOQING Mandarin Site Officer

WANG, HUA Mandarin Site Officer

ZHANG, BAOMING Mandarin Site Officer

43 PHILSYNC TECHNOLOGIES CO. LTD. CORPORATION

CBC Asia Technozone, 9002 Emilio Aguinaldo Highway, Talaba IV, City of Bacoor, Cavite

44 PHILSYNC TECHNOLOGIES CO. LTD. CORPORATION

CBC Asia Technozone, 9002 Emilio Aguinaldo Highway, Talaba IV, City of Bacoor, Cavite

TAN KAI LIN

Mandarin Speaking Technical Support Specialist

Brief Job Description:

Interview clients to gather information useful in providing recommendations and solutions to a technical problem

TAN KAI SIN

Mandarin Speaking Technical Support Specialist

Brief Job Description:

Interview clients to gather information useful in providing recommendations and solutions to a technical problem

TSAI, TE-AN

Basic Qualification:

With good oral and communication skills in English and Mandarin language; Familiar in the field of administrative and support services activities

Salary Range: Php30,000 - Php59,999

Basic Qualification:

With good oral and communication skills in English and Mandarin language; Familiar in the field of administrative and support services activities

Salary Range: Php30,000 - Php59,999

Basic Qualification:

53 SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC.

Southwoods Office Tower 2, San Francisco, Biñan, City of Biñan, Laguna

DING, JIANTANG

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Filed incoming help requests from end users from the Peoples Republic of China via both telephone and work orders in a courteous manner consistent with Chinese standards.

LIU, CHUTING

54 SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC.

Southwoods Office Tower 2, San Francisco, Biñan, City of Biñan, Laguna

45 PHILSYNC TECHNOLOGIES CO. LTD. CORPORATION

CBC Asia Technozone, 9002 Emilio Aguinaldo Highway, Talaba IV, City of Bacoor, Cavite

46 PHILSYNC TECHNOLOGIES CO. LTD. CORPORATION

CBC Asia Technozone, 9002 Emilio Aguinaldo Highway, Talaba IV, City of Bacoor, Cavite

Mandarin Speaking Technical Support Specialist

Brief Job Description:

Interview clients to gather information useful in providing recommendations and solutions to a technical problem

WU, CHIA-WEI

Mandarin Speaking Technical Support Specialist

Brief Job Description:

Interview clients to gather information useful in providing recommendations and solutions to a technical problem

WU, YUEH-LUN

47 PHILSYNC TECHNOLOGIES CO. LTD. CORPORATION

CBC Asia Technozone, 9002 Emilio Aguinaldo Highway, Talaba IV, City of Bacoor, Cavite

48 SAN TECHNOLOGY, INCORPORATED

Neomax Plant 2, Block 7b, Phase 2, Cezia Road, Cez, Tejeros Convention, Rosario, Cavite

Mandarin Speaking Technical Support Specialist

Brief Job Description:

Interview clients to gather information useful in providing recommendations and solutions to a technical problem

KAMACHI, MASANAO Chairman of the Board and President

Brief Job Description: Develop IMS policy

With good oral and communication skills in English and Mandarin language; Familiar in the field of administrative and support services activities

Salary Range: Php30,000 - Php59,999

Basic Qualification:

With good oral and communication skills in English and Mandarin language; Familiar in the field of administrative and support services activities

Salary Range: Php30,000 - Php59,999

Basic Qualification:

With good oral and communication skills in English and Mandarin language; Familiar in the field of administrative and support services activities

Salary Range: Php30,000 - Php59,999

Basic Qualification: College graduate with experience in the same field

Salary Range: Php60,000 - Php89,999

55 SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC.

Southwoods Office Tower 2, San Francisco, Biñan, City of Biñan, Laguna

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Filed incoming help requests from end users from the Peoples Republic of China via both telephone and work orders in a courteous manner consistent with Chinese standards.

SONG, LIANGCHEN

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Filed incoming help requests from end users from the Peoples Republic of China via both telephone and work orders in a courteous manner consistent with Chinese standards.

WANG, LINA

Basic Qualification:

Must be able to fluently speak, write and read Mandarin and other local dialects spoken in other parts of China like Cantonese and Fukien.

Salary Range: Php30,000 - Php59,999

Basic Qualification: Must be able to fluently speak, write and read Mandarin and other local dialects spoken in other parts of China like Cantonese and Fukien.

Salary Range: Php30,000 - Php59,999

Basic Qualification: Must be able to fluently speak, write and read Mandarin and other local dialects spoken in other parts of China like Cantonese and Fukien.

Salary Range: Php30,000 - Php59,999

56 SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC.

Southwoods Office Tower 2, San Francisco, Biñan, City of Biñan, Laguna

57 SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC.

Southwoods Office Tower 2, San Francisco, Biñan, City of Biñan, Laguna

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Filed incoming help requests from end users from the Peoples Republic of China via both telephone and work orders in a courteous manner consistent with Chinese standards.

ZHANG, ZHEPENG

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Filed incoming help requests from end users from the Peoples Republic of China via both telephone and work orders in a courteous manner consistent with Chinese standards.

ZHENG, XICHENG

58 SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC.

49 SENSHU ELECTRIC PHILIPPINES CORPORATION

Lot 3E American Road, Greenfield Automotive Park, Don Jose, City of Santa Rosa, Laguna

Basic Qualification: Must be able to fluently speak, write and read Mandarin and other local dialects spoken in other parts of China like Cantonese and Fukien.

Salary Range: Php30,000 - Php59,999

Basic Qualification: Must be able to fluently speak, write and read Mandarin and other local dialects spoken in other parts of China like Cantonese and Fukien.

Salary Range: Php30,000 - Php59,999

Basic Qualification:

Basic Qualification: College Graduate

Southwoods Office Tower 2, San Francisco, Biñan, City of Biñan, Laguna

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Filed incoming help requests from end users from the Peoples Republic of China via both telephone and work orders in a courteous manner

Basic Qualification:

Salary Range: Php60,000 - Php89,999 50 SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC.

Southwoods Office Tower 2, San Francisco, Biñan, City of Biñan, Laguna

51 SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC.

Southwoods Office Tower 2, San Francisco, Biñan, City of Biñan, Laguna

52 SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC.

Southwoods Office Tower 2, San Francisco, Biñan, City of Biñan, Laguna

manner consistent with Chinese standards.

DAI, XINLU

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Filed incoming help requests from end users from the Peoples Republic of China via both telephone and work orders in a courteous manner consistent with Chinese standards.

Salary Range: Php30,000 - Php59,999

Basic Qualification:

Must be able to fluently speak, write and read Mandarin and other local dialects spoken in other parts of China like Cantonese and Fukien.

Salary Range: Php30,000 - Php59,999

Basic Qualification:

Must be able to fluently speak, write and read Mandarin and other local dialects spoken in other parts of China like Cantonese and Fukien.

Salary Range: Php30,000 - Php59,999

ATTY. NEPOMUCENO A. LEAÑO II Assistant Regional Director

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

China expands lockdowns as cases post daily record

BEIJING—China

People in eight districts of Zhengzhou with a total of 6.6 million residents were told to stay home for five days beginning Thursday, except to buy food or get medical treatment. Daily mass testing was ordered in what the city government called a “war of annihilation” against the virus.

During clashes Tuesday and Wednesday, Zhengzhou police beat workers protesting over a pay dispute at the biggest factory for Apple’s iPhone.

Across China, the number of new cases reported in the past 24 hours was 31,444, the National Health Commission said Thurs day. That is the highest daily fig ure since the coronavirus was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019.

The daily average of report ed cases is steadily increasing.

This week, authorities reported China’s first Covid-19 deaths in six months, bringing the total to 5,232.

While the numbers of cases and deaths are relatively low compared to the US and other countries, China’s ruling Communist Party

Brazil election agency rejects Bolsonaro push to void votes

RIO DE JANEIRO—The head of Brazil’s electoral authority has rejected the request from President Jair Bolsonaro’s political party to annul ballots cast on most electronic voting machines, which would have overturned the October 30 election.

Alexandre de Moraes had issued a prior ruling that implicitly raised the possibility that Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party could suffer from such a challenge. He conditioned analysis of the request on the presentation of an amended report to include results from the first electoral round, on October 2, in which the party won more seats in both congressional houses than any other, and he established a 24-hour deadline.

Earlier Wednesday, party president Valdemar Costa and lawyer Marcelo de Bessa held a press conference and said there would be no amended report.

“The complete bad faith of the plaintiff’s bizarre and illicit request...was proven, both by the refusal to add to the initial petition and the total absence of any evidence of irregularities and the existence of a totally fraudulent narrative of the facts,” de Moraes wrote in his decision hours later.

He also ordered the suspension of government funds for the Liberal Party’s coalition until a fine of 23 million reais ($4.3 million) for bad faith litigation is paid.

On Tuesday, de Bessa filed a 33-page request on behalf of Bolsonaro and Costa citing a software bug in the majority of Brazil’s machines—they lack individual identification numbers in their internal logs—to argue all votes they recorded should be nullified. De Bessa said that doing so would leave Bolsonaro with 51 percentzz of the remaining valid votes.

Neither Costa nor de Bessa have explained how the bug might have affected election results. Independent experts consulted by The Associated Press said that, while newly discovered, it doesn’t affect reliability and each voting machine is still readily identifiable through other means. In his ruling, de Moraes noted the same.

remains committed to its “zeroCovid” strategy that aims to isolate every case and eliminate the virus entirely while other governments end anti-virus controls and rely on vaccinations and immunity from past infections to prevent deaths and serious illness.

Businesses and residential communities from the manu facturing center of Guangzhou in the south to Beijing in the north have also been placed un der various forms of lockdown, measures that particularly af fects blue-collar migrant work ers. In many cases, residents say the restrictions go beyond what the national government allows.

Guangzhou suspended access Monday to its Baiyun district of 3.7 million residents, while residents of some areas of Shijiazhuang, a city of 11 million people southwest of Beijing, were told to stay home while mass testing is conducted.

Beijing this week opened a hos pital in an exhibition center and suspended access to Beijing Inter national Studies University after a virus case was found there. The capital earlier closed shopping

malls and office buildings and sus pended access to some apartment compounds.

The tightening came after the Communist party this month an nounced measures to try to reduce disruptions by shortening quaran tines and making other changes.

The party is trying to contain the latest wave of outbreaks with out shutting down factories and the rest of its economy as it did in early 2020. Its tactics include “closed-loop management,” under which workers live in their facto ries with no outside contact.

Economic growth rebounded to 3.9 percent over a year earlier in the three months ending in Sep tember, up from the first half’s 2.2 percent. But activity already was starting to fall back, and growth for the year is on track to fall well

short of the government’s target of 5.5 percent.

Foxconn, the world’s biggest contract assembler of smart phones and other electronics, is struggling to fill orders for the iPhone 14 after thousands of em ployees walked away from the factory in Zhengzhou last month following complaints about unsafe working conditions.

Foxconn, based in Taiwan, said its contractual obligation about payments “has always been ful filled.”

The company denied what it said were comments online that employees with the virus lived in dormitories at the Zhengzhou factory. It said facilities were disinfected and passed govern ment checks before employees moved in. AP

Reformist leader Anwar named new prime minister of Malaysia

By Eileen Ng The Associated Press

KUALA LUMPUR, Malay sia—Malaysia’s king on Thursday named reformist opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim as the country’s Prime Minister, ending days of uncertainty after divisive general elections pro duced a hung Parliament.

Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah said Anwar will be sworn in as the nation’s 10th leader at 5 p.m. (0900 GMT) at the palace.

Anwar’s Alliance of Hope led Saturday’s election with 82 seats, short of the 112 needed for a ma jority. An unexpected surge of ethnic Malay support propelled Former Prime Minister Muhyid din Yassin’s right-leaning National Alliance to win 72 seats, with its ally Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party emerging as the biggest single party with 49 seats.

The stalemate was resolved af ter the long-ruling bloc led by the United Malays National Organi zation agreed to support a unity government under Anwar. Such a tie-up was once unthinkable in Malaysian politics, long domi nated by rivalry between the two parties. Other influential groups in Borneo island have said they will follow the king’s decision.

“His Royal Highness reminds all parties that the winners do not win all and the losers do not lose everything,” a palace state ment read. The monarch urged Anwar and his new government to be humble, and said all opposing parties should reconcile to ensure a stable government and end Ma

laysia’s political turmoil, which has led to three prime ministers since 2018 polls.

The palace statement said the king was satisfied Anwar is the candidate who is likely to have majority support but didn’t give details of the new government.

Police have tightened security nationwide as social media warned of racial troubles if Anwar’s mul tiethnic bloc wins.

Anwar’s rise to the top will ease fears over greater Islamization. But he faces a tall task in bridging racial divides that deepened after Satur day’s poll, as well as reviving an economy struggling with rising in flation and a currency that has fallen to its weakest point. Malays form two-thirds of Malaysia’s 33 million people, which include large ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities.

“He will have to make com promises with other actors in the government that means that the reform process will be a more in clusive one,” said Bridget Welsh, a Southeast Asia political expert.

“Anwar is a globalist, which will assure international investors. He has been seen to be a bridge builder across communities, which will test his leadership moving forward but at the same juncture offers a reassuring hand for the challenges that Malaysia will face.”

It marked a second victory for Anwar’s reformist bloc. It won in 2018 elections that led to the first regime change since Malay sia’s independence from Britain in 1957. But the government col lapsed after Muhyiddin defected and joined hands with UMNO to form a new government. Muhy iddin’s government was beset by internal rivalries and he resigned after 17 months. UMNO leader Is mail Sabri Yaakob was then picked by the king as the prime minister.

Many rural Malays fear they may lose their privileges with greater pluralism under An war. Fed up with corruption and infighting in UMNO, many opted for Muhyiddin’s bloc in Saturday’s vote.

By Alex Brandon & Ben Finley The Associated Press

CHESAPEAKE, Va.—A Walmart manager pulled out a handgun before a routine employee meeting and began firing wildly around the break room of a Virginia store, killing six people in the nation’s second high-profile mass shooting in four days, police and witnesses said. The gunman was dead when officers arrived late Tuesday at the store in Chesapeake, Virginia’s second-largest city. Authorities said he apparently shot himself. Police were trying to determine a motive. One employee described watching “bodies drop” as the assailant fired haphazardly, without saying a word.

“He was just shooting all throughout the room. It didn’t matter who he hit. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t look at anybody in any specific type of way,” Briana Tyler, a Walmart employee, said Wednesday.

Six people were wounded in the shooting, which happened just after 10 p.m. as shoppers were stocking up ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. Police said they believe about 50 people were in the store at the time.

The gunman was identified as Andre Bing, 31, an overnight team leader who had been a Walmart employee since 2010. Police said he had one handgun and several magazines of ammunition.

Tyler said the overnight stocking team of 15 to 20 people had just gathered in the break room to go over the morning plan. She said the meeting was about to start, and one team leader said: “All right guys, we have a light night ahead of us.” Then Bing turned around and opened fire on the staff.

At first, Tyler doubted the shooting was real, thinking that it was an active shooter drill.

“It was all happening so fast,” she said, adding: “It is by the grace of God that a bullet missed me. I saw the smoke leaving the gun, and I literally watched bodies drop. It was crazy.”

Police said three of the dead, including Bing, were found in the break room. One of the slain victims was found near the front of the store. Three others were taken to hospitals where they died.

Tyler, who started working at Walmart two months ago and had worked with Bing just a night earlier, said she never had a negative encounter with him, but others told her he was “the manager to look out for.” She said Bing had a history of writing people up for no reason.

“He just liked to pick, honestly. I think he just looked for little things... because he had the authority. That’s just the type of person that he was. That’s what a lot of people said about him,” she said.

Employee Jessie Wilczewski told Norfolk television station WAVY that she hid under a table, and Bing looked and pointed his gun at her. He told her to go home, and she left.

Police said the dead included a 16-year-old boy whose name was being withheld because of his age. The other victims were identified as Brian Pendleton, 38; Kellie Pyle, 52; Lorenzo Gamble, 43; and Randy Blevins, 70, who were all from Chesapeake; and Tyneka Johnson, 22, of nearby Portsmouth.

It was not immediately clear whether they were workers or shoppers.

Pyle was a “lovely, generous and kind person,” said Gwendolyn Bowe Baker Spencer, who said that her son and Pyle had plans to marry next year. Pyle had adult children in Kentucky who will be traveling to Virginia, Spencer said.

“We love her,” Spencer said, adding: “She was an awesome, kind individual.”

The attack was the second time in a little more than a week that Virginia has experienced a major shooting. Three University of Virginia football players were fatally shot on a charter bus as they returned to campus from a field trip on November 13. Two other students were wounded.

The assault at the Walmart came days after a person opened fire at a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs, killing five people and wounding 17. Last spring, the country was shaken by the deaths of 21 when a gunman stormed an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.

Tuesday night’s shooting also brought back memories of another attack at a Walmart in 2019, when a gunman who targeted Mexicans opened fire at a store in El Paso, Texas, and killed 23 people.

A database run by The Associated Press, USA Today and Northeastern University that tracks every mass killing in America going back to 2006 shows that the US has now had 40 mass killings so far in 2022. That compares with 45 for all of 2019, the highest year in the database, which defines a mass killing as at least four people killed, not including the killer.

According to the database, more than a quarter of the mass killings have occurred since October 21, spanning eight states and claiming 51 lives.

Nine of those 11 incidents were shootings.

President Joe Biden tweeted that he and the first lady were grieving, adding: “We mourn for those who will have empty seats at their Thanksgiving table because of these tragic events.”

Kimberly Shupe, mother of Walmart employee Jalon Jones, told reporters her 24-year-old son was shot in the back. She said he was in good condition and talking Wednesday, after initially being placed on a ventilator.

Shupe said she learned of the shooting from a friend, who went to a family reunification center to learn Jones’ whereabouts.

“If he’s not answering his phone, he’s not answering text messages and there’s a shooting at his job, you just kind of put two and two together,” Shupe said. “It was shock at first, but ultimately, I just kept thinking, ‘he’s going to be all right.’”

Walmart said in a statement that it was working with law enforcement and “focused on doing everything we can to support our associates and their families.”

In the aftermath of the El Paso shooting, the company made a decision in September 2019 to discontinue sales of certain kinds of ammunition and asked that customers no longer openly carry firearms in stores.

It stopped selling handgun ammunition as well as short-barrel rifle ammunition, such as the .223 caliber and 5.56 caliber used in military style weapons.

The company stopped selling handguns in the mid-1990s in every state but Alaska, where sales continued until 2019. The changes marked a complete exit from that business and allowed Walmart to focus on hunting rifles and related ammunition only.

Many of its stores are in rural areas where hunters depend on Walmart to get their equipment.

Tyler’s grandfather, Richard Tate, said he dropped his granddaughter off for her 10 p.m. shift, then parked the car and went in to buy some dish soap.

When he first heard the shots, he thought it could be balloons popping. But he soon saw other customers and employees fleeing, and he ran too.

Tate reached his car and called his granddaughter.

“I could tell that she was upset,” he said. “But I could also tell that she was alive.”

Contributing to this report were Associated Press writers Denise Lavoie in Chesapeake; Michael Kunzelman and Sarah Brumfield in Silver Spring, Maryland; Matthew Barakat in Falls Church, Virginia; Hannah Schoenbaum in Raleigh, North Carolina; Anne D’Innocenzio and Alexandra Olson in New York; news researcher Rhonda Shafner in New York; and video journalist Nathan Ellgren in Chesapeake.

is expanding lockdowns, including in a central city where factory workers clashed this week with police, as its number of Covid-19 cases hit a daily record.

RESIDENTS buy fresh vegetables from street vendors as restaurants are closed in some districts in Beijing on Thursday, November 24, 2022. China is expanding lockdowns, including in a central city where factory workers clashed this week with police, as its number of Covid-19 cases hit a daily record. AP/NG HAN GUAN

‘Bodies drop’ as Walmart manager kills 6 in Virginia mass shooting

OPPOSITION leader Anwar Ibrahim shows his inked finger to the media after voting at a polling station in Seberang Perai, Penang state, Malaysia, on November 19, 2022. Malaysia’s king on Thursday, November 24, 2022, named Anwar as the country’s prime minister, ending days of uncertainties after divisive general elections produced a hung Parliament. AP/VINCENT THIAN

Oil retreats as EU price-cap talks drag and demand challenges mount

By Yongchang Chin

OIL fell again as the Euro pean Union considered a higher-than-expected price cap on Russian crude and signs of challenges to demand in creased, with record Covid cases in China and risks of a recession in the US.

West Texas Intermediate dropped below $78 a barrel af ter losing almost 4 percent in the previous session. EU officials discussed setting the ceiling for Russian seaborne exports at $65 to $70 a barrel. That’s far higher than many expected when the Group of Seven first proposed the idea as a way of punishing Moscow for the war in Ukraine while keep ing markets supplied. Ambassa dors are scheduled for more talks Thursday amid disagreements on the details.

There are mounting headwinds in the two largest economies, threatening energy demand. In the US, Federal Reserve econo mists briefed policymakers that the chance of a recession in the next year had risen to almost 50 percent as interest rates climb. In China, officials are pressing on with aggressive efforts to check the spread of Covid-19, ordering lockdowns and movement curbs as daily virus cases swelled to near 30,000, the most during the pandemic.

Crude has tumbled this month, unraveling the gains in October that followed a decision by the Or ganization of Petroleum Exporting

Countries and its allies to reduce production. While the price-cap plan—which is meant to comple ment an EU ban on seaborne Rus sian crude flows that kicks in from December—had been seen as po tentially supportive of oil should it result in lower output, a high cap may end up having a minimal impact on trading.

“They may settle for a number that is not too far from where Urals is currently trading, which makes the whole exercise even more ir relevant,” said Vandana Hari, founder of Vanda Insights, refer ring to the Russian crude grade that’s shipped from the west of the country. “Without a cap, Rus sian crude would have continued to trade at sizable discounts anyway.”

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said that the higher price cap now under consideration may reduce the risk of Moscow retaliating, although it expressed doubt that the mecha nism could be enforced.

Key metrics are signaling a weaker market, with WTI’s prompt spread in contango, a pattern that points to ample near-term supply. The difference between the two nearest contracts was 13 cents a barrel in contango, compared with 24 cents in a bullish backwardated structure last week.

Contributing to the softer out look, US gasoline inventories rose 3.06 million barrels last week, the largest build since July, govern ment data showed. Demand fell by the most in nearly two months before the Thanksgiving break.

Bloomberg News

Kishida struggles as latest scandal hits close to home

By Isabel Reynolds

JAPANESE Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, whose public support has nosedived over a series of scandals, is now seeing his clean personal image tarnished by questions over his own political campaign financing.

The premier sought to brush off a magazine report that questioned election expenses from last year, telling reporters Thursday while some receipts his office submitted didn’t include complete information, the money had been spent appropriately.

Kishida also denied domestic media reports that he was thinking of reshuffling his cabinet in the coming weeks. His support has tumbled to its lowest since he took office in October 2021, and he has been trying to repair damage after a series of scandals forced him to replace three ministers in the space of a month.

Though he need not face another election for more than two years, sagging approval ratings make it more difficult for Kishida to control his party and push policy pledges, including an increase in defense spending through parliament. The military outlay may require a tax hike, something that could cause him more political pain.

Kishida is facing a crucial junc ture in his nearly 14-month tenure. Eight of the 10 prime ministers in the two decades before him served less than a year and a half, and voters are used to a change at the top when polls indicate they’ve soured on a leader.

“I’m aware of the media reports,” Kishida said, when asked about plans to reshuffle the cabinet. “But I’m not thinking of that at all.

I must focus on parliament now,” he added.

An online r eport from the Bunshun magazine emerged this week about incomplete receipts relating to his campaign for the October 2021 general election. The money was spent appropriately, in accordance with a report to which the receipts were attached, Kishida said.

The premier said he would instruct his office to make sure such problems didn’t occur in future. He added he didn’t know the total amount involved, but believed the items purchased included things like convenience store food and stationery.

“His leadership is per ceived as weak,” said Mieko Nakabayashi, a former lawmaker and professor of political science at Waseda University. She added that Kishida’s failure to clamp down on party links to the Unification Church had disappointed voters. “Rivals within the party are seeing some opportunities.”

Battered image

KISHIDA , who came to office buoyed by a clean image, was battered by a scandal over his Liberal Democratic Party’s longstanding links to the Unification Church, which has a list of court rulings against it over its fundraising methods. The religious group, often derided as the “Moonies,” came under renewed scrutiny after former premier Shinzo Abe was fatally shot in July by a man citing a grudge over the former leader’s ties to the church, which he blamed for bankrupting his family by taking excessive donations from his mother.

In r ecent weeks, Kishida has seen his cabinet beset by scandals. Former Economy Minister Daishiro Yamagiwa resigned over his links to the Unification Church. Justice Minister Yasuhiro Hanashi stepped down after quipping that he only got noticed when he signed off on executions. Last weekend, Internal Affairs Minister Minoru Terada was forced to step aside over accusations of political funding irregularities.

A poll published by broadcast news network ANN on Monday found support for Kishida’s cabinet had fallen 2.6 percentage points to a new low of 30.5 percent. Polling by public broadcaster NHK shows older voters percenta key constituency in graying Japan that previously supported Kishida percentare turning away from him.

The setbacks come as he seeks to push through a number of potentially divisive policies, including a substantial rise in defense spending he has repeatedly pledged to Japan’s ally, the US. An expert panel said this week the changes would necessitate a tax increase, while polls indicate most voters don’t favor more taxation.

A separ ate plan to use national ID cards connected to the taxation system to double as health insurance cards has also met with public suspicion. Even a potentially popular bill aimed at helping the victims of the Unification Church’s practices was dismissed by lawyers as virtually useless, public broadcaster NHK said this week.

O n top of this, Kishida is struggling to deal with the country’s highest inflation in decades and a slowing economy.

“It c omes down to his decision-making and trust that people place in him. That’s what the entire series of scandals are pointing to,” Nakabayashi said. “He’s not really explaining what’s going on and people are feeling left behind.”

With assistance from Takashi Hirokawa/ Bloomberg

S. Korea truckers strike in bid to disrupt global supply chains

By Heejin Kim & Ann Koh

TRUCK drivers are on strike in South Korea for the second time in less than a year, targeting major ports in a bid to disrupt key exports from autos to petrochemicals.

The strike began Thursday morning, with demonstrations at 16 sites across the country. The union, which represents 25,000 workers, didn’t disclose details of the work actions in a statement Wednesday, but a representative earlier this week said it planned to block all ports in the country.

The work stoppage threatens a repeat of the union’s actions in June, when protests caused production disruptions costing about 1.6 trillion won ($1.2 bil lion). Auto, petrochemical, steel and other key industries were hit as companies from Posco Holdings Inc. to Hyundai Motor Co. curbed output.

Growing discontent

THE protests are the latest instance of global supply-chain workers showing discontent as food and energy costs soar following Rus sia’s invasion of Ukraine. Wages of transportation workers have been stagnant, putting unions under pressure to press for pay increases, said Russell Lansbury, emeritus pro fessor at the University of Sydney’s business school.

The Biden administration is currently seeking to avoid a strike of US rail workers that could create major supply-chain disruptions just before Christmas.

A lengthy dispute in South Ko rea may have ripple effects across the globe, as the country is the largest exporter of memory chips

and is home to some of the world’s biggest car companies. However, the impact may be more muted for some industries amid weaker global demand for steel and other raw materials.

The strike also puts more pres sure on President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is trying to keep the country’s economy on track as rising energy prices spur inflation, while the slowdown in global growth curbs exports. The Bank of Korea opted for a small rise in interest rates on Thursday as it seeks to minimize pressure on the economy while keeping inflation in check.

Wage demands

TRUCKERS are protesting a lack of progress on wage demands after months of negotiations following the previous strike. The union is trying to expand and extend a sys tem that calculates minimum wage based on operating costs, helping to alleviate the impact of soaring fuel prices.

The union said in its statement that the government is failing on negotiations, and is favoring cargo owners rather than expanding the plan to others including drivers of petroleum and grain trucks.

The Ministry of Land, Infra structure and Transport said ear lier this week that the government is seeking a three-year extension on the wage system. It is prepar ing a contingency plan to mini mize the impact of the strike on

Kremlin faces rising ire from wives and mothers of mobilized troops

DESPERATE to rescue their sons and husbands from the front lines in Ukraine, Russian women are putting pressure on the Kremlin in the latest sign of the spreading discontent caused by the war.

The scattered efforts by wives and mothers took off after Vladimir Putin ordered 300,000 reservists called up on September 21, forcing the authorities to pay attention. Regional governors have met activists and promised to help and the Russian president is planning to hold a session of his own with them as early as this week.

As the war grinds into its ninth month, Putin’s efforts to shield his population from the costs of the fighting are wearing thin in spots and the Kremlin is racing to reduce the impact where it can. Authorities are promising cash and other benefits for families of those called up and pledging to make sure they’re properly equipped and taken care of.

Protests against sending mobilized relatives to the front have taken place in at least 15 regions, with the biggest near the border with Ukraine, according to data collected by Verstka, an independent media outlet that’s one of the few covering the movement. Families’ demands typically aren’t political, focusing on ensuring their menfolk get adequate training and equipment and are taken care of at the front.

They’ve gotten some high-level attention.

P utin admonished officials earlier this month to make sure that concerns are addressed, vowing to “talk to people myself to get some feedback” on the situation.

The governors of some regions near the Ukraine border have promised to help, though activists said results have been limited so far. Other officials rejected the appeals flat out, saying the soldiers at the front are “alive and well.”

“ These people don’t want to stop the war, they want to improve soldiers’ conditions,”

said Ekaterina Schulmann, a political scientist and a fellow at the Robert Bosch Academy in Berlin. “But for that reason it’s harder for the authorities to ignore them or to frame those protests as extremism or foreign influence.”

Opinion polls show support for the war has slipped since the highs seen in its first months, before Ukraine’s counter-offensive forced Russian troops to give up vast swathes of territory. Anxiety spiked at the announcement of the mobilization, which triggered an exodus of as many as half a million Russians from the country.

Soldiers’ mothers have been a political force in Russia for decades, as activists sought to rescue draftee sons from harsh treatment. The movement strengthened in the 1990s, seeking to bring back soldiers sent to fight in the Chechnya region. This time, a group claiming to represent the families said it has supporters in 89 cities.

State TV hasn’t given much attention to the families’ protests, which have been widely discussed in social media. Videos of angry wives heading near the war zone to rescue their relatives have circulated widely in social media, though none have been confirmed officially.

In a video appeal post ed by Verstka on November 9, the wife of one those mobilized said his company commander revealed that only about 30 out of 200 men had made it to safety after they came under fire in Luhansk, eastern Ukraine.

In another video posted a day later by a group of 20 women on the Russian border with Ukraine, they vowed to go to the front line to recover their husbands and sons and brothers. “If they don’t come out and help us, we’ll go, including a pregnant girl,” one of them said, adding that their relatives were without body armor or helmets and dragging wounded comrades with them. Bloomberg News

industries, and said any illegal activity to block shipments would be “strictly handled.”

Some companies made prepa rations in advance of the strike, securing as many parts and raw materials as possible.

A spokesperson for Hyundai Motor said logistics and vehicle production at its Ulsan plant re main unaffected so far, but the company is monitoring the situa tion closely. A representative for refiner SK Innovation Co. said complexes in Ulsan and Incheon are operating under normal con ditions and ships are moving as scheduled.

Posco said the strike may cause serious disruptions to restoration work at its Pohang steel plant, which sustained damage from flooding in September. The com pany is hoping the union will al low trucks to come in and out for the repair work.

Shares of export-sensitive com panies in South Korea were mixed Thursday. Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. fell 0.8% and Posco was flat, while Hyundai and chemicals manufacturer LG Chem Ltd. rose.

assistance from Sohee Kim and Sharon Cho/Bloomberg News

With

TRUCK drivers and members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions shout slogans during a protest at the Uiwang Inland Container Depot in Uiwang, South Korea on Thursday, November 24, 2022. Truck drivers are on strike in South Korea for the second time in less than a year, targeting major ports in a bid to disrupt key exports from autos to petrochemicals. BLOOMBERG NEWS

Defending PHL’s territorial integrity

AT a special summit held virtually on November 22, 2021 between leaders of China and Asean to commemorate 30 years of dialogue relations, Chinese President Xi Jinping assured Southeast Asian leaders that China does not seek hegemony and will not bully its smaller neighbors.

It was a game of duplicity. Xi was paying lip service to the idea because a week before the online event, two Philippine boats headed for Ayungin Shoal with food supplies for our military forces there were blocked by Chinese Coast Guard vessels, which blasted the Philippine ships with water.

President Duterte took the opportunity at the virtual summit to condemn the act: “We abhor the recent event in the Ayungin Shoal and view with grave concern other similar developments,” he said, adding that the episode “does not speak well of the relations between our nations and our partnership.”

From the Associated Press: “The Chinese coast guard forcibly seized floating debris the Philippine Navy was towing to its island in another confrontation in the disputed South China Sea, a Philippine military commander said Monday. The debris appeared to be from a Chinese rocket launch. The Chinese vessel twice blocked the Philippine naval boat before seizing the debris it was towing Sunday off Philippine-occupied Thitu Island (Pag-asa Island), Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos said Monday. He said no one was injured in the incident.”

With this brazen act of seizing objects in the possession of another nation’s military, China wants to show how it can intimidate and bully small nations like the Philippines, which can’t match its military might.

The Philippines on Thursday issued a diplomatic note to China seeking explanation on a South China Sea incident where the Chinese Coast Guard “forcefully retrieved” a suspected rocket debris being towed by the Philippine Navy near Pag-asa Island. The Department of Foreign Affairs wants China to clarify what happened between the Philippine Navy and the Chinese Coast Guard in waters off Pag-asa Island on November 20, said DFA spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza in a statement.

From the Associated Press: “Vice President Kamala Harris urged countries on Tuesday to stand up for territorial integrity and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, which has been challenged by China, and said Washington would press an international campaign against “irresponsible behavior” in the disputed waters. Harris did not cite China by name but was obviously referring to Beijing when she underscored America’s support to treaty ally the Philippines in the face of intimidation and coercion in the South China Sea.”

“We must stand up for principles such as respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, unimpeded lawful commerce, the peaceful resolution of disputes,” Harris said. “We will continue to rally our allies and partners against unlawful and irresponsible behavior. When the international rules-based order is threatened somewhere, it is threatened everywhere,” she said.

Harris reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to defend the Philippines under a 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty that obligates the allies to help defend either side that comes under attack. “An armed attack on the Philippines armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the South China Sea would invoke US Mutual Defense commitments,” Harris told President Marcos. “And that is an unwavering commitment that we have to the Philippines.”

China is a signatory in the United Nations Law of the Sea Treaty. But it continues to breach the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. On January 22, 2013, the Philippines instituted arbitral proceedings against China in a dispute concerning their respective maritime entitlements and the legality of Chinese activities in the South China Sea. China refused to participate in the arbitral proceedings. On July 12, 2016, the Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Sea Arbitration issued a unanimous award largely favorable to the Philippines.

China’s vast territorial claims on historical grounds in the South China Sea have been invalidated. Still, China wants to reach global superpower status, and it is happy to bully its way into this dream. It shows no respect for the Philippine Navy. To defend its territorial integrity, the Philippines needs all the support it can get from the community of nations. It’s time to ask China to respect international law.

Honoring our veterans

sonny M. angara

Better Days

EvEry year on April 9 we honor our war veterans during the commemoration of the Araw ng Kagitingan or the Day of va lor. We remember how Filipino and American soldiers fought side by side against the Japanese in their invasion of the Philippines in 1942. For 93 days they stood their ground, outnumbered and outgunned as the Japanese forces went on their relentless attack until April 9 when American General Edward P. King finally surrendered in what has come to be known as the Fall of Bataan. Historians recorded the plight of 76,000 Filipino and American prisoners of war who were forced to walk from Mariveles, Bataan to San Fernando, Pampanga and then by rail to the internment camps in Tarlac. Several of the POWs died along the way and only 54,000 made it to their final destination.

On April 9, 1990, former President Corazon Aquino signed into law Republic Act (RA) 6948, a landmark law that standardized and upgraded the benefits provided to our military veterans and their dependents. The law paved the way for the grant of a monthly disability pension, which ranged from P600 to P1,125 depending on the level of their disability. It served as a way for our government to recognize the veteran’s “patriotic services in times of war and peace, for the cause of freedom and democracy; for the attainment of national

unity, independence, and socioeconomic advancement; and for the maintenance of peace and order,” as the law states.

Four years later, under the presidency of Fidel V. Ramos, a veteran himself, RA 6948 was amended by RA 7696 to increase the disability pension rates to a new range of P1,000 to P1,700. The law also provided an additional P500 a month for the spouse of the veteran and for each of their minor children.

It has been 28 years since the pension rates were adjusted. The cost of

living has drastically become more expensive since. It is a no-brainer that the disability pension should be increased to factor in inflation and to make this more meaningful for the beneficiaries.

It was the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) that brought to my attention the matter of the disability pension of our soldiers early on during the present 19th Congress. I promptly filed Senate Bill 911 to institute a second round of increases for the disability pension of our veterans. In our bill, we are seeking an increase of at least 450 percent to the disability pension that will effectively widen the range to P4,500 to P10,000 a month. The benefits given to the spouses and children will go up 100 percent to P1,000 each. Our gratitude goes out to our chairman of the Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation, Senator Jinggoy Estrada for conducting hearings on our bill, as well as his own Senate Bill 683, the report of which he sponsored in plenary last Tuesday. It is worth noting that the original law, RA 6948, had Senator Estrada’s father, the former President Joseph Estrada as one of the co-authors and my own father, former Senate President Edgardo Angara as a co-sponsor. And when RA 7696 was enacted, my father was the sitting Senate President.

Based on official data from the PVAO, there are 7,957 persons cur-

rently receiving disability pension. And 4,386 of them are veterans, 2,776 are spouses of veterans and 795 are minors. Even though the government is still strapped for cash at this time due to the lingering effects of the pandemic, we are grateful for the support that the Department of Budget and Management has provided for the increases proposed in the bill, as relayed to the PVAO. The PVAO estimates the fiscal impact of the pension increases at P442 million for 2023; P434.1 million in 2024; P402.3 million in 2025; P384.6 million in 2026; and P366.8 million in 2027.

The PVAO administrator, Undersecretary Reynaldo Mapagu, said the increase in disability pension would not only provide our veterans with additional disposable income for their daily expenses, but would also serve as a tangible manifestation of the government’s effort to promote the welfare of veterans. I fully agree with the PVAO. This is an expense that is justified to honor our veterans for the service they have provided to keep us safe and to uphold the freedoms we enjoy to this day.

Senator Sonny Angara has been in public service for 18 years—9 years as Representative of the Lone District of Aurora, and 9 as Senator. He has authored, co-authored, and sponsored more than 330 laws.  He is currently serving his second term in the Senate.

E-mail: sensonnyangara@yahoo.com| Facebook, Twitter & Instagram: @sonnyangara

Covid-19: Hormesis for the new age of economics?

Priscile Minde y. Bahjin

eaGLe WatCH

IN the fields of biology and medicine, hormesis is defined as an adaptive response of cells and organisms to a moderate (usually intermittent) stress. Examples include ischemic preconditioning, exercise, dietary energy restriction, and exposures to low doses of certain phytochemicals. In a similar way, perhaps, will economies be able to adapt to the stresses brought about by the pandemic? This article attempts to ponder on this question.

While the long-term ill effects of Covid-19 are still being discovered and evaluated, some social scientists look at the “collateral beauty” that came with the virus. Such “collateral beauty” could potentially have a longer-lasting effect than the physical and economic devastation brought by the pandemic.

Indeed, Covid-19 has changed not only the consumption priorities of microeconomic agents, but also their social behavior, socialization preferences, and even reproductive behavior. The health and insurance services industries are likely to face an in-

crease in demand for their products and services because people would naturally want to be better prepared for another pandemic. The need to be healthy has become a priority as well. Covid-19 was certainly dangerous to those with comorbidities and pre-existing conditions. For many health-compromised individuals, Covid-19 felt like a missile specifically targeting them.

The younger members of society are likely to become more healthconscious, and, perhaps, they are on the path of adopting better and healthier lifestyle choices. It would

be nice to imagine this happening on a global scale. Since 2009, the World Economic Forum has been emphasizing the need for governments to invest on better and accessible health infrastructures for citizens. Participants in the Philippines, notably the Ayala Group, took heed and set up pharmaceutical and community clinics all over the country.

For almost two years, the wearing of masks and physical distancing have altered social dynamics. The effects of limited contacts and postponed reproductive behaviors on population growth are yet to be seen, but some are speculating that newly married couples, post-pandemic, are reevaluating child-bearing decisions, given the threat of pandemics with new variants, although these are seen to be less virulent and life-threatening.

There are, of course, optimists who believe that the opposite direction might prevail. After two years of restraint in their reproductive behavior and socialization, people might celebrate life with wild abandonment. Nevertheless, it should be remembered that Covid-19 was accompanied by regional conflicts and threats of instability in East Asia and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. These twin events greatly contributed to

global food inflation.

It is bad enough that food shortages increase the prices of goods, but the threat of new viruses could be disastrous. The global citizenry is on a savings mode, and this seems to apply to the Philippines where savings has increased. Will conspicuous consumption by the rich also take a backseat, as hinted by tepid performance of the luxury goods industry?

The global citizens will probably demand more home-based entertainment. Netflix’s revenues increased sharply by 23 percent in 2020, and by 19 percent 2021. The entry of other platforms threatened its stock value and revenues.

The Blockchain system is another platform, if man wants physical money to be replaced by digital money or currency. For some futurists, the shift from fiat money to cryptocurrency will take some time to be fully mainstreamed. Bitcoin, the most definitive and most popular cryptocurrency, was conceived in 2009 and was used as digital money in 2010. Even before it became widely used as digital currency throughout the world, it became a “tradeable currency” whose value fluctuated not with reference to the demand for other currencies

Defending PHL’s territorial integrity

AT a special summit held virtually on November 22, 2021 between leaders of China and Asean to commemorate 30 years of dialogue relations, Chinese President Xi Jinping assured Southeast Asian leaders that China does not seek hegemony and will not bully its smaller neighbors.

It was a game of duplicity. Xi was paying lip service to the idea because a week before the online event, two Philippine boats headed for Ayungin Shoal with food supplies for our military forces there were blocked by Chinese Coast Guard vessels, which blasted the Philippine ships with water.

President Duterte took the opportunity at the virtual summit to condemn the act: “We abhor the recent event in the Ayungin Shoal and view with grave concern other similar developments,” he said, adding that the episode “does not speak well of the relations between our nations and our partnership.”

From the Associated Press: “The Chinese coast guard forcibly seized floating debris the Philippine Navy was towing to its island in another confrontation in the disputed South China Sea, a Philippine military commander said Monday. The debris appeared to be from a Chinese rocket launch. The Chinese vessel twice blocked the Philippine naval boat before seizing the debris it was towing Sunday off Philippine-occupied Thitu Island (Pag-asa Island), Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos said Monday. He said no one was injured in the incident.”

With this brazen act of seizing objects in the possession of another nation’s military, China wants to show how it can intimidate and bully small nations like the Philippines, which can’t match its military might.

The Philippines on Thursday issued a diplomatic note to China seeking explanation on a South China Sea incident where the Chinese Coast Guard “forcefully retrieved” a suspected rocket debris being towed by the Philippine Navy near Pag-asa Island. The Department of Foreign Affairs wants China to clarify what happened between the Philippine Navy and the Chinese Coast Guard in waters off Pag-asa Island on November 20, said DFA spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza in a statement.

From the Associated Press: “Vice President Kamala Harris urged countries on Tuesday to stand up for territorial integrity and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, which has been challenged by China, and said Washington would press an international campaign against “irresponsible behavior” in the disputed waters. Harris did not cite China by name but was obviously referring to Beijing when she underscored America’s support to treaty ally the Philippines in the face of intimidation and coercion in the South China Sea.”

“We must stand up for principles such as respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, unimpeded lawful commerce, the peaceful resolution of disputes,” Harris said. “We will continue to rally our allies and partners against unlawful and irresponsible behavior. When the international rules-based order is threatened somewhere, it is threatened everywhere,” she said.

Harris reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to defend the Philippines under a 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty that obligates the allies to help defend either side that comes under attack. “An armed attack on the Philippines armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the South China Sea would invoke US Mutual Defense commitments,” Harris told President Marcos. “And that is an unwavering commitment that we have to the Philippines.”

China is a signatory in the United Nations Law of the Sea Treaty. But it continues to breach the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. On January 22, 2013, the Philippines instituted arbitral proceedings against China in a dispute concerning their respective maritime entitlements and the legality of Chinese activities in the South China Sea. China refused to participate in the arbitral proceedings. On July 12, 2016, the Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Sea Arbitration issued a unanimous award largely favorable to the Philippines.

China’s vast territorial claims on historical grounds in the South China Sea have been invalidated. Still, China wants to reach global superpower status, and it is happy to bully its way into this dream. It shows no respect for the Philippine Navy. To defend its territorial integrity, the Philippines needs all the support it can get from the community of nations. It’s time to ask China to respect international law.

Honoring our veterans

sonny M. angara

Better Days

EvEry year on April 9 we honor our war veterans during the commemoration of the Araw ng Kagitingan or the Day of va lor. We remember how Filipino and American soldiers fought side by side against the Japanese in their invasion of the Philippines in 1942. For 93 days they stood their ground, outnumbered and outgunned as the Japanese forces went on their relentless attack until April 9 when American General Edward P. King finally surrendered in what has come to be known as the Fall of Bataan. Historians recorded the plight of 76,000 Filipino and American prisoners of war who were forced to walk from Mariveles, Bataan to San Fernando, Pampanga and then by rail to the internment camps in Tarlac. Several of the POWs died along the way and only 54,000 made it to their final destination.

On April 9, 1990, former President Corazon Aquino signed into law Republic Act (RA) 6948, a landmark law that standardized and upgraded the benefits provided to our military veterans and their dependents. The law paved the way for the grant of a monthly disability pension, which ranged from P600 to P1,125 depending on the level of their disability. It served as a way for our government to recognize the veteran’s “patriotic services in times of war and peace, for the cause of freedom and democracy; for the attainment of national

unity, independence, and socioeconomic advancement; and for the maintenance of peace and order,” as the law states.

Four years later, under the presidency of Fidel V. Ramos, a veteran himself, RA 6948 was amended by RA 7696 to increase the disability pension rates to a new range of P1,000 to P1,700. The law also provided an additional P500 a month for the spouse of the veteran and for each of their minor children.

It has been 28 years since the pension rates were adjusted. The cost of

living has drastically become more expensive since. It is a no-brainer that the disability pension should be increased to factor in inflation and to make this more meaningful for the beneficiaries.

It was the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) that brought to my attention the matter of the disability pension of our soldiers early on during the present 19th Congress. I promptly filed Senate Bill 911 to institute a second round of increases for the disability pension of our veterans. In our bill, we are seeking an increase of at least 450 percent to the disability pension that will effectively widen the range to P4,500 to P10,000 a month. The benefits given to the spouses and children will go up 100 percent to P1,000 each. Our gratitude goes out to our chairman of the Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation, Senator Jinggoy Estrada for conducting hearings on our bill, as well as his own Senate Bill 683, the report of which he sponsored in plenary last Tuesday. It is worth noting that the original law, RA 6948, had Senator Estrada’s father, the former President Joseph Estrada as one of the co-authors and my own father, former Senate President Edgardo Angara as a co-sponsor. And when RA 7696 was enacted, my father was the sitting Senate President.

Based on official data from the PVAO, there are 7,957 persons cur-

rently receiving disability pension. And 4,386 of them are veterans, 2,776 are spouses of veterans and 795 are minors. Even though the government is still strapped for cash at this time due to the lingering effects of the pandemic, we are grateful for the support that the Department of Budget and Management has provided for the increases proposed in the bill, as relayed to the PVAO. The PVAO estimates the fiscal impact of the pension increases at P442 million for 2023; P434.1 million in 2024; P402.3 million in 2025; P384.6 million in 2026; and P366.8 million in 2027.

The PVAO administrator, Undersecretary Reynaldo Mapagu, said the increase in disability pension would not only provide our veterans with additional disposable income for their daily expenses, but would also serve as a tangible manifestation of the government’s effort to promote the welfare of veterans. I fully agree with the PVAO. This is an expense that is justified to honor our veterans for the service they have provided to keep us safe and to uphold the freedoms we enjoy to this day.

Senator Sonny Angara has been in public service for 18 years—9 years as Representative of the Lone District of Aurora, and 9 as Senator. He has authored, co-authored, and sponsored more than 330 laws.  He is currently serving his second term in the Senate.

E-mail: sensonnyangara@yahoo.com| Facebook, Twitter & Instagram: @sonnyangara

Covid-19: Hormesis for the new age of economics?

Priscile Minde y. Bahjin

eaGLe WatCH

IN the fields of biology and medicine, hormesis is defined as an adaptive response of cells and organisms to a moderate (usually intermittent) stress. Examples include ischemic preconditioning, exercise, dietary energy restriction, and exposures to low doses of certain phytochemicals. In a similar way, perhaps, will economies be able to adapt to the stresses brought about by the pandemic? This article attempts to ponder on this question.

While the long-term ill effects of Covid-19 are still being discovered and evaluated, some social scientists look at the “collateral beauty” that came with the virus. Such “collateral beauty” could potentially have a longer-lasting effect than the physical and economic devastation brought by the pandemic.

Indeed, Covid-19 has changed not only the consumption priorities of microeconomic agents, but also their social behavior, socialization preferences, and even reproductive behavior. The health and insurance services industries are likely to face an in-

crease in demand for their products and services because people would naturally want to be better prepared for another pandemic. The need to be healthy has become a priority as well. Covid-19 was certainly dangerous to those with comorbidities and pre-existing conditions. For many health-compromised individuals, Covid-19 felt like a missile specifically targeting them.

The younger members of society are likely to become more healthconscious, and, perhaps, they are on the path of adopting better and healthier lifestyle choices. It would

be nice to imagine this happening on a global scale. Since 2009, the World Economic Forum has been emphasizing the need for governments to invest on better and accessible health infrastructures for citizens. Participants in the Philippines, notably the Ayala Group, took heed and set up pharmaceutical and community clinics all over the country.

For almost two years, the wearing of masks and physical distancing have altered social dynamics. The effects of limited contacts and postponed reproductive behaviors on population growth are yet to be seen, but some are speculating that newly married couples, post-pandemic, are reevaluating child-bearing decisions, given the threat of pandemics with new variants, although these are seen to be less virulent and life-threatening.

There are, of course, optimists who believe that the opposite direction might prevail. After two years of restraint in their reproductive behavior and socialization, people might celebrate life with wild abandonment. Nevertheless, it should be remembered that Covid-19 was accompanied by regional conflicts and threats of instability in East Asia and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. These twin events greatly contributed to

global food inflation.

It is bad enough that food shortages increase the prices of goods, but the threat of new viruses could be disastrous. The global citizenry is on a savings mode, and this seems to apply to the Philippines where savings has increased. Will conspicuous consumption by the rich also take a backseat, as hinted by tepid performance of the luxury goods industry?

The global citizens will probably demand more home-based entertainment. Netflix’s revenues increased sharply by 23 percent in 2020, and by 19 percent 2021. The entry of other platforms threatened its stock value and revenues.

The Blockchain system is another platform, if man wants physical money to be replaced by digital money or currency. For some futurists, the shift from fiat money to cryptocurrency will take some time to be fully mainstreamed. Bitcoin, the most definitive and most popular cryptocurrency, was conceived in 2009 and was used as digital money in 2010. Even before it became widely used as digital currency throughout the world, it became a “tradeable currency” whose value fluctuated not with reference to the demand for other currencies

IMMIGRATION

TO VOLT IN WITH DOH/BOQ, DOT ARRIVAL SYSTEMS

GOVERNMENT is tar geting to launch a new e-arrival system in time for the holidays, a peak season for arrivals from abroad, that include balikbayans (homecom ing Filipinos) and overseas Fili pino workers.

I n a Viber exchange, Dana Sandoval, spokesperson for the Bureau of Immigration (BI) told the BusinessMirror , “The [new] system is already in place; [we’re] just ironing out glitches before the launch,” which is be ing targeted for December 1. She added that this would mean integrating Immigration’s ar rival system with that of the Department of Tourism, which relies on BI’s arrival and depar ture cards for its tourist data, and the just launched e-arrival system of the Department of Health/Bureau of Quarantine (DOH/BOQ).

T he “DICT (Department of Information and Communica tions Technology)  is handling the project,” she added. The cur rent e-arrival system of DOH/ BOQ replaced the One Health Pass, which was launched when the Philippines reopened its borders to fully vaccinated in ternational travelers.

O ver 2 million international

travelers have arrived in the Philippines from February 10 to November 18, the bulk of whom were from the United States and South Korea.

Electric rates rising mid-’23 after Meralco refunds done

By Kathryn Jose @kathryntjose

ELECTRICITY

‘Physical

arrival card for foreigners

only’ SANDOVAL , meanwhile, said only foreigner nationals are re quired to fill out the physical ar rival card required by their agen cy. She stressed this in response to a Facebook post by journalist Marites Dañguilan Vitug, who narrated that when she arrived recently from abroad via ter minal 2 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, she had to “fill up three forms: 1) eAr rival card—to be filled up online. Fairly easy. No attachments of vax certificates and passports unlike the One Health Pass of old. This is a DOH requirement.

2) Upon arrival, a hard copy of an arrival form has to be filled up. Short version of the online form, a requirement of the im migration bureau. 3) A customs declaration form as well.”

Da ñguilan Vitug noted the United States and Mexico, which she recently visited, “did not require arrival and customs forms.”

“ This means rate impact of the refund completion will be felt be ginning June 2023,” Meralo utility economics head Lawrence Fernan dez said.

He was referring to the Distribu tion Rate True-Up (DRTU) refund orders of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) that will be com pleted by November and December this year, and January and May of next year.

DR TU-1 worth P13.89 billion was implemented in March 2021. The average refund rate of P0.27 per kilowatt hour (kwh) for residential customers will end in December this year.

D RTU-2 worth P4.84 billion started in March 2022 and will end in January 2023. During this period, residential customers are entitled to a P0.19 per kwh of refund.

T he implementation of DRTU3 is from May to November this year.  The total refund amounted to P7.8 billion or P0.47 per kwh for residential customers.

“ DRTU-3 is expected to be com pleted this November so that 47-c/ kwh deduction in residential rates will not be present starting De cember. In January and February 2023, the deductions of 28 and 19 centavos per kwh, respectively, will go away,” said Fernandez.

DRTU-4 is from July this year up to May 2023. The P21.8-billion refund is equivalent to P0.87 per kwh of savings to residential cus tomers. “DRTU-4 is projected to be completely refunded by May 2023. This means rate impact of the re fund completion will be felt begin ning June 2023,” added Fernandez.

A ll four DRTU adjustments have

reached P1.80 per kwh for residen tial customers. This means that af ter Meralco would have completed the implementation of DRTU 1 to 4, residential customers will see an increase in their electricity bills.

Currently, the refunds being experienced by residential custom ers of Meralco total P1.80 per kwh. Once all four refunds are completed by May, the total increase that will be felt by households will similarly be P1.80 per kwh,” said Fernandez.

T he DRTU adjustments helped temper customers’ monthly bills for the past months.

FIT-All suspension TO help reduce electricity rates, the ERC said it is crafting a resolution on the possible three-month sus pension of FIT-All rates.

T he FIT-All is a uniform charge billed to all on-grid electricity con sumers, reflected as a separate com ponent in monthly electricity bills, to cover payments to renewable en ergy developers who are assured of a fixed rate per kWh for electricity generated by their projects over 20 years.

ERC chairperson Monalisa Di malanta said Thursday that the agency is reviewing other rate ad justments that could help cushion the impact of the completion of the four DRTU-related refunds.

“ We are still studying other pend ing adjustments related to over and under calculations. Hopefully, there could be more refund. That’s why we are studying everything, includ ing the FITAll suspension para may pang salo [so there is a buffer],” she said. “It could be suspended for three months and, hopefully, that will help cushion or reduce the power rates,”Dimalanta added.

S he revealed that a resolution to suspend the implementation of FIT-All for three months has been crafted.  “We have already deliber ated the resolution to suspend but we want to make sure that RE de velopers would still be paid in full.

T he FIT-ALL rate was set at P3.64 per kwh beginning October 2022, as directed by the ERC and relayed by the National Transmission Corp. (TransCo), which administers the FITAll fund.

“It is small that’s why we are still looking for more that could help bring down overall rates. At the same time, we are reviewing fuel costs that are being passed on by non-RE generators. If, upon review, we find out that there is no basis to pass this on then that will translate in a reduction also,” she added.

Meralco said the suspension of FITAll will benefit all electricity consumers nationwide.  Continued on A5

Bicam panel starts work on ’23 budget Neda eyes zero tariff for certain e-vehicles

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

SOME members of the Senate and the House of Represen tatives will meet on Friday (today) to reconcile the disagreeing provisions of the proposed P5.268trillion General Appropriations Act for 2023.

D uring the congressional bi cameral conference committee, lawmakers from both houses will thresh out differences in their ver sions of the budget bill.

The Congress is eyeing to finish the final version of the annual budget and ratify it before its break on De cember 16 so as to have a budget sent to Malacañang and signed into law by the President before the year ends.

“Of course, on top of our priority list is the final approval or ratifica tion of the proposed P5.268-trillion national budget. We will have a budget before the end of the year,” Speaker Martin Romualdez said.

T he proposed 2023 P5.268-tril lion GAA is the first national bud get to be enacted under the Marcos administration.

T he Senate bicameral contingent is composed of Senators Juan Edgar do Angara, Pilar Juliana Cayetano, Loren Legarda, Imee Marcos, Cyn thia Villar, Ronald dela Rosa, Sher win Gatchalian, Christopher Law rence Go, Risa Hontiveros, Nancy Binay, Mary Grace Poe, Francis To lentino, Mark Villar, Joseph Victor Ejercito, Alan Peter Cayetano, Fran cis Escudero and Jinggoy Estrada.

O n the other hand, the House contingent is composed of Rep. Elizaldy Co, Rep. Stella Luz Qui mbo, Rep. Ralph Recto, Rep. Aure lio Gonzales Jr., Majority Leader Manuel Dalipe, Rep. Ferdinand Alexander Marcos, Rep. David Su arez, Rep. Neptali Gonzales II, Rep. Jose Aquino II, Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon, Rep. Eleandro Jesus Ma drona, Rep Michael John Duavit, Rep. Marcelino Libanan and Rep. Edcel Lagman.

A ngara, the Senate Committee on Finance chairman, described the

2023 budget measure as one that addresses the needs of the people post-pandemic, supports the goal of ensuring food security, reviv ing education and preparing the country for the impacts of climate change, among other things.

A ccording to Angara, around P152.67-million lump sum alloca tions, including confidential funds, were realigned by the Senate.

E arlier, Speaker Romualdez said the House may adjust the proposed P5.268-trillion national budget for next year for the rehabilitation of areas affected by Severe Tropical Storm (STS) Paeng.

R omualdez asked the House Committee on Appropriations to compile the damage assessment from House members and execu tive offices “so that they may aid us in reviewing possible adjustments in budget allocation for repair and rehabilitation of affected areas under the proposed 2023 General Appropriations Act.”

The House of Representatives will use its power over the purse to see to it that rehabilitation of af fected communities will proceed unhampered,” Romualdez added.

Budget increase

MEANWHILE , Pangasinan Rep. Christopher De Venecia thanked the Senate as some P932.924 mil lion in total were added to the arts and culture agencies, with the bulk going to the National Museum, Na tional Commission for Culture and the Arts, and Cultural Center of the Philippines.

“ The arts and culture sector saw their DBM-proposed 2023 bud gets shrunk, but with the gracious intervention of the senators, the agencies’ appeals were heard and granted with significant amounts restored,” he said.

Q uezon Rep. Reynan Arrogancia also lauded the Senate for increas ing the budgets of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Philippine Space Agency, and Southern Luzon State University.

TO help reduce the country’s carbon emissions and depen dence on oil, the National Economic and Development Au thority (Neda) is now pushing to make certain electric vehicles (EV) tariff-free.

I n a press conference in Malaca ñang on Thursday, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Bali sacan announced the Neda Board had endorsed a new Executive Order to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. to implement the new tariff modification.

“ The EO will temporarily reduce the most-favored nation (MFN) tariff rates to zero percent for five years and completely built-up or CBU units of certain EVs, except for hybrid-type EVs,” Balisacan said.

C urrently, Balisacan said the tariff for e-vehicles range from 5 percent to 30 percent.

Hybrid exclusion

THE zero-tariff policy will cov er EVs such as passenger cars, buses, mini buses, vans, trucks, motorcy cles, tricycles, scooters and bicycles among others.

L ikewise, it will also reduce the tariff for certain component parts of EVs from five percent to one per cent for five years.

However, the pending EO will ex clude hybrid vehicles, which makes use of an electric motor and a tradi tional combustion engine, for now.

“ We will review the performance of this reform after one year to see if there is a need to also include the hybrid,” Balisacan said.

EV industry growth

THE measure together with other tax incentives for green-related initiatives under the Corporate Re covery and Tax Incentives for Enter prises (CREATE) Act are expected to help boost demands for EVs by making them more affordable.

rates are expected to go up starting June next year after all the distribution-related refunds now being implemented by the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) are completed by May 2023.

Thanksgiving travel rush is back with some new habits

By David Koenig & Alexandra Olson | The Associated Press

THE Thanksgiving travel rush was back on this year, as people caught planes in numbers not seen in years, setting aside inflation concerns to reunite with loved ones and enjoy some normalcy after two holiday seasons marked by Covid-19 restrictions.

Changing habits around work and play, however, might spread out the crowds and reduce the usual amount of holiday travel stress. Experts say many people will start holiday trips early or return home later than normal because they will spend a few days working remotely—or at least tell the boss they’re working remotely.

The busiest travel days during Thanksgiving week are usually Tuesday, Wednesday and the Sunday after the holiday. This year, the Federal Aviation Administration expects Tuesday to be the busiest travel day with roughly 48,000 scheduled flights.

Chris Williams, of Raleigh, North Carolina, flew Tuesday morning with his wife and two kids to Atlanta, Georgia, to spend the holiday with extended family.

“Of course it’s a stressful and expensive time to fly,” said Williams, 44, who works in finance. “But after a couple years of not getting to spend Thanksgiving with our extended family, I’d say we’re feeling thankful that the world’s gotten to a safe enough place where we can be with loved ones again.”

Although Williams said the family’s budget has been tight this year, he’s capitalized on the opportunity to teach his kids some personal finance basics. His youngest, 11, has been learning how to budget her allowance money since March and is excited to buy small gifts for her friends on Black Friday or Cyber Monday. “Probably slime,” she said, “with glitter.”

The Transportation Security Administration screened nearly 2.3 million travelers on Tuesday, down from more than 2.4 million screened the Tuesday before Thanksgiving in 2019. On Monday, the numbers were up versus 2019—more than 2.6 million travelers compared with 2.5 million. That same trend occurred Sunday, marking the first year that the number of people catching planes on Thanksgiving week surpassed pre-pandemic levels.

“People are traveling on different days. Not everyone is traveling on that Wednesday night,” says Sharon Pinkerton, senior vice president at the trade group Airlines for America. “People are spreading their travel out throughout the week, which I also think will help ensure smoother operations.”

AAA predicts that 54.6 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home in the US this week, a 1.5 percent bump over Thanksgiving last year and only 2 percent less than in 2019. The auto club and insurance seller says nearly 49 million of those will travel by car, and 4.5 million will fly between Wednesday and Sunday.

US airlines struggled to keep up as the number of passengers surged this year.

“We did have a challenging sum-

mer,” said Pinkerton, whose group speaks for members including American, United and Delta. She said that airlines have pared their schedules and hired thousands of workers—they now have more pilots than before the pandemic. “As a result, we’re confident that the week is going to go well.”

US airlines plan to operate 13 percent fewer flights this week than during Thanksgiving week in 2019. However, by using larger planes on average, the number of seats will drop only 2 percent, according to data from travel-researcher Cirium.

Airlines continue to blame flight disruptions on shortages of air traffic controllers, especially in Florida, a major holiday destination.

Controllers, who work for the Federal Aviation Administration, “get tested around the holidays. That seems to be when we have challenges,” Frontier Airlines CEO Barry Biffle said a few days ago. “The FAA is adding another 10 percent to headcount, hopefully that’s enough.”

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has disputed such claims, saying that the vast majority of delays and cancellations are caused by the airlines themselves.

TSA expects airports to be busier than last year and probably about on par with 2019. The busiest day in TSA’s history came on the Sunday after Thanksgiving in 2019, when nearly 2.9 million people were screened at airport checkpoints.

Stephanie Escutia, traveling with four children, her husband and her mother, said it took the family four hours to get through checking and security at the Orlando airport early Tuesday. The family was returning to Kansas City in time for Thanksgiving after a birthday trip to Disney World.

“We were surprised at how full the park was,” said Escutia, 32. “We thought it might be down some but it was packed.”

She welcomed the sense of normalcy, and said her family would be gathering for Thanksgiving without worrying about keeping their distance this year. “Now we are back to normal and looking forward to a nice holiday,” she said.

People getting behind the wheel or boarding a plane don’t seem fazed by higher gasoline and airfare prices than last year or the widespread concern about inflation and the economy. That is already leading to predictions of strong travel over Christmas and New Year’s.

“This pent-up demand for travel is still a real thing. It doesn’t feel like it’s going away,” says Tom Hall, a vice president and longtime writer for Lonely Planet, the publisher of travel guides. “That’s keeping planes full, that’s keeping prices high.” Associated Press writers Hannah Schoenbaum in Raleigh, North Carolina, Margaret Stafford in Kansas City and AP video journalist Terence Chea in Oakland, California contributed to this report.

Passing on

Tito Genova Valiente

annoTaTions

IT was one year to this day when our Ate Naomi had passed on. Weeks before this day and days before that time in the hospital were tough. Her case was terminal and the certainty of death did not make anxiety a default although it neither did allow us respite from contending with her dying, and, predictably, being gone.

The pandemic was still around and protocols were rigid. Except for her son, my nephew, and a caregiver, there was no procession of wellwishers, of friends assuring healing. It was only when no amount of oxygen could aid her breathing anymore that a daughter braved to take the place of her brother to prepare for the long haul. Outside of an affliction marked by metastasis, there was the virus tremendously dangerous to all of us and eluding dissipation.

My assignment was to man the fort, to be in the house to mind the 3-year-old Julio and be ready to bring the boy into any transportation as we drove fast to the hospital when the day—or night—had come.

The day did come. Fast. My niece was on the phone at 9 or 10 in the morning. “Wara na si Mama.” Mama is gone.

It is the boon of human relations that we have at our disposal terms that make any kind of loss bearable. Gone Passed away. Ellipses help. Face to face, the silent gestures work, the tearing up a bit is in itself a triumph of the spirit.

When death comes, the elements of time as caught by a day, or a sliver of an afternoon, can be monumental. The universe, not the blindingly massive notion studied by science but the reality of us being part of that which is indescribably infinite, embraces us. It offers a privilege for those in sorrow to gain access to a Being, which is otherwise unseen and unfelt through ordinary, regular days. In sorrow, your steps are big and the sole of your shoes or slippers

create a thud, to which you listen if only to understand sadness.

All things mattered on the first day of passing: the way her favorite plants had bent with the breeze (were the blooms on that unnamed grass withering?); the winds were felt at windows, the air in the kitchen ceased; the stove where she busied herself for years to prepare feasts only mothers could realize had turned into artifacts of remembering. Then her room in seconds was a moment you avoided gazing at. The children knew there would be a time for it—walking into that space and hoping for what had become an impossibility, that she would be there, getting stronger each day. Recovering.

The words spread fast when one of us, a member of a huge human community, leaves this world. Observe that thought and conjure the scene: “to leave this world.” Then the outpouring of sympathy begins. Every consolation offered is both balm and bane—the words heal but they also remind you of someone being missed and being not here forever.

The little things also are with death and grieving. You feel the wreaths. You pray and, without knowing it, you transfer your petitions onto the flowers because their beauty and scent exude forgiveness and forgetting.

Pray, I’d say, that more candor comes out of the mouths of guests. Pray that no one says: “Grief carves a hole in your heart and no amount of time and space will ever fill that emptiness.”

And yet a year has passed. What do humans do in those intervening months? Like all human beings a thousand years before us, we survived death, as it was not for us then. The world has remained nurturing for us left behind. We looked at clouds and, mind you, felt assured our loved ones were just there watching over us. We read into the rain; we rested with the stars and the night. We surrendered to the absence. As for the little boy in the family, he seems to have accepted that her “Nana” is gone. It will take 10 or more years (and I certainly will not be around anymore) when this boy grows into a man who will make sense of a person that, one day, disappeared from the house of the living. Death is Life’s meaning. The Japanese have their own way of addressing a binary that is more of a resolution: they have their “jisei” or “death poetry.” Note the characters or kanji of the term: the “ji” means “to resign;” “sei” refers to “generation” or “world,” making this poetry a farewell to the world.

Listen to Seiyu’s jisei:

Not even for a moment do things stand still—witness color in the trees.

Listen once more to this death poem that is a life poem, for while it is a paean to what should have brought about stillness, it lauds motions that are eternal and pays tribute to the hues of life no force on this earth can banish.

In the book, Beyond the Veil: Reflexive Studies of Death and Dying Kalliopi M Christodoulaki (co-author with Aubrey Thamann), notes in an online interview, how “In the end, death is a biological phenomenon that is understood culturally and felt personally.”

In our home, my niece, Dana, could not bear to unpack the old Christmas tree her mother had always put up each year. She called me up to seek permission to retire the old tree. She needed no permission, perhaps, an assurance that it is alright to begin anew. “Go on,” I told her. “It is your tree now.”

E-mail: titovaliente@yahoo.com

Protesting workers beaten at Chinese iPhone factory

By Joe Mcdonald & Zen Soo | AP Business Writers

BEIJING—Police beat workers protesting over a pay dispute at the biggest factory for Apple’s iPhone, whose new model is delayed by controls imposed as China tries to contain a surge in Covid-19 cases.

Foxconn, the biggest contract assembler of smartphones and other electronics, is struggling to fill orders for the iPhone 14 after thousands of employees walked away from the factory in the central city of Zhengzhou last month following complaints about unsafe working conditions.

China’s status as an export powerhouse is based on factories such as Foxconn’s that assemble the world’s consumer electronics, toys and other goods.

the 25,000 yuan, according to Li.

“Foxconn released very tempting recruiting offers, and workers from all parts of the country came, only to find they were being made fools of,” he said.

Videos online showed thousands of people in masks facing rows of police in white protective suits with plastic riot shields. Police kicked and hit a protester with clubs after he grabbed a metal pole that had been used to strike him. People who shot the footage said it was filmed at the site.

The company earlier warned iPhone 14 deliveries would be delayed after access to an industrial zone around the Zhengzhou factory, which Foxconn says employs 200,000 people, was suspended following outbreaks.

Other videos showed protesters spraying fire extinguishers toward police.

A man who identified himself as the Communist Party secretary in charge of community services was shown in a video posted on the Sina Weibo social media platform urging protesters to withdraw. He assured them their demands would be met.

Foxconn, whose headquarters are in New Taipei City, Taiwan, said that its contractual obligation about payments “has always been fulfilled.”

national government allows. More than 253,000 cases have been found in the past three weeks and the daily average is increasing, the government reported Tuesday. This week, authorities reported China’s first Covid-19 deaths in six months.

The government will enforce its anti-Covid policy while “resolutely overcoming the mindset of paralysis and laxity,” said a spokesman for the National Health Commission, Mi Feng.

Early Thursday, the government reported a total of 31,656 cases found over the past 24 hours, including 27,646 without symptoms and 212 infections it said were acquired abroad. The total was up about 10% from the previous day.

or cryptocurrencies.

Speculations powered Bitcoin’s value, especially during the pandemic. Before 2019, Bitcoin’s value hovered around $6,000 to $18,000, but it skyrocketed to almost $70,000 in 2021. Speculators such as Elon Musk took an interest in cryptocurrencies. Holding and transacting with paper money meant a higher probability of contracting the deadly virus. Even with the announcement of the development of a vaccine for Covid-19, visionaries like Elon Musk believe that Covid-19 is just the beginning of a new age where bio-hazards like viruses and bacteria are looming over humanity.

Back to cryptocurrencies, the idea of non-physical money as a feasible medium of exchange and trade has been underscored by the virus. Although Bitcoin and others were conceived to diminish the power and authority of the central banks, Covid-19 proved that while digital money may be safer and cleaner, banks and governments are still the safest and most reliable institutions to safeguard the welfare of the citizens. Could the Keynesian notion of government intervention in times of upheavals and crises have been proven right? Has Covid-19 made Keynesianism fashionable again in the world of economic stylings?

Ms. Priscile Minde Y. Bahjin is a graduate student at the Department of Economics of Ateneo de Manila University.

The ruling Communist Party is trying to contain the latest wave of outbreaks without shutting down factories and the rest of its economy as it did in early 2020. Its tactics include “closed-loop management,” under which workers live in their factories with no outside contact.

Foxconn offered higher pay to attract more workers to the Zhengzhou factory to assemble the iPhone 14, which sells starting at $799 in the United States.

On Tuesday, a protest erupted after employees who had traveled long distances to take jobs at the factory complained that the company changed terms of their pay, according to an employee, Li Sanshan.

Li said he quit a catering job when he saw an advertisement promising 25,000 yuan ($3,500) for two months of work. That would be a significant hike over average pay for this type of work in the area.

After employees arrived, the company said they had to work two additional months at lower pay to receive

The protests in Zhengzhou come as the ruling Communist Party faces rising frustration about restrictions in areas across China that have closed shops and offices and confined millions of people to their homes.

That has boiled over into protests in some cities. Videos on social media show residents tearing down barricades set up to enforce neighborhood closures.

The ruling party promised this month to try to reduce disruptions by shortening quarantines and making other changes. But the party is sticking to a “zero-Covid” strategy that aims to isolate every case while other governments relax controls and try to live with the virus.

The protest in Zhengzhou lasted through Wednesday morning as thousands of workers gathered outside dormitories and confronted factory security workers, according to Li.

Apple Inc. did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The company denied what it said were comments online that employees with the virus lived in dormitories at the Zhengzhou factory. It said facilities were disinfected and passed government checks before employees moved in.

“Regarding any violence, the company will continue to communicate with employees and the government to prevent similar incidents from happening again,” a company statement said.

Foxconn offered up to 10,000 yuan ($1,400) to newly hired employees who wanted to quit and return home, the finance news outlet Cailianshe reported, citing unidentified recruiting agents.

Foxconn didn’t respond to a request for confirmation or details.

Protests have flared as the number and severity of outbreaks has risen across China, prompting areas including Beijing, the capital, to close neighborhoods and impose other restrictions residents say go beyond what the

Also Thursday, people in eight districts of Zhengzhou with a total of 6.6 million residents were told to stay home for five days, going out only to buy food or for medical treatment. Daily mass testing was ordered in what the city government called a “war of annihilation” against the virus.

The city government of Guangzhou, the site of the biggest outbreaks, announced Wednesday it opened 19 temporary hospitals with a total of almost 70,000 beds for coronavirus patients. The city announced plans last week to build hospital and quarantine facilities for 250,000 people.

Also Wednesday, Beijing opened a hospital in an exhibition center and suspended access to Beijing International Studies University after a virus case was found there. The capital earlier closed shopping malls and office buildings and suspended access to some apartment compounds. Zen Soo reported from Hong Kong. AP news assistant Caroline Chen contributed.

STI losses narrow on hike in enrollment

By VG Cabuag @villygc

STI Education Systems Holdings Inc., which owns and operates one of the biggest networks of private schools in the Philippines, said its net loss in its fiscal 2023 first quarter narrowed to P42.36 million from last year’s P114.23 million.

Revenues rose 34 percent to P500.4 million from the previous year’s P372.8 million, mostly brought about by the increase in enrollment, as well as improvement in the enrollment mix, with majority of the students availing of courses regulated by the Commission on Higher Education.

STI said enrollment in the schools reached 94,312 compared with 82,629 for school year (SY) 2021-2022.

This represents a 14-percent growth or an increase of 11,683 from the SY 2021-2022 enrollment,

with the number of students in the programs regulated by CHED showing an 18-percent hike to 66,309 students this school year from the previous 56,342.

New students contributed significantly to the increase, as they reached a total of 41,565 compared

to the number of new students in the previous school year of 35,566.

STI Holdings’ fiscal year starts on July 1 of every calendar year (CY) and ends on June 30 of the following CY.

The group’s total assets as of September 30 amounted to P15.62

billion, 7 percent higher than the P14.57 billion recorded as of June 30.

The increase was driven by the P859.9-million increase in receivables. Receivables from students rose to P1.21 billion in September from P605.1 million in June.

Legalize motorcycle taxis–Grab

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

Follow I Ng the reconstitution of a technical working group (T wg) for motorcycle taxis, grab and Move It collectively called on the government to hasten the legalization of motorcycle taxis in the Philippines and to open the industry to more players.

In separate statements, g r ab and Move It said stronger competition will “address the needs of commuters for affordable, safe, and reliable mode of public transportation.”

o n wednesday, the House Committee on Metro Manila Development conducted a public hearing on the safety and efficiency of motorcycle taxis, which have yet to be legalized as public transportation.

we appreciate that there are continuing discussions that would help our lawmakers craft the law toward the legalization and regulation of the industry. Putting in place a law is the win-win solution for all stakeholders, particularly our commuters who deserve an efficient and safe form of public transportation,” grab said in a statement.

“Under a regulated environment, we expect to see more industry players and we welcome this as this will provide more job opportunities to Filipinos and give more choices to our commuters. Competition will make the motorcycle taxi business vibrant and its service better.”

During the hearing, the lawmakers agreed that there is “no need” to review and dispute the acquisition of Move It by g r ab, as they are compliant with the qualifying parameters set by the first T wg on motorcycle taxis.

“Nagpapasalamat po kami sa ating mga mambabatas at mga government officials sa kanilang naging papel sa paglilinaw na ang ating acquisition deal with g r ab ay legal at above board. Makailang ulit na po natin itong ipinaliwanag sa publiko, at nagagalak po kami na maging ang ating mga mambabatas at regulators ay sang-ayon po dito. Panahon na po na isang-tabi natin ang iringan sa motorcycle taxi, at tutukan natin ang pagsasabatas nito para sa ating mga riders at pasahero,” said Move It Chairman Francis Juan.

Earlier this month, Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista ordered the reconstitution of the T wg as the body that would “oversee and monitor the continuous pilot implementation of MC taxi operations.”

Three motorcycle taxi platforms—Angkas, JoyRide, and Move It—are currently operating under a pilot program, pending the legalization of the service.

-13.76%  phiLequiTY

-4.95%  -4%  -10.75%  phiLequiTY

-6.54%  N A -11.76%  phiLequiTY

prOsperiTY phiLippiNe equiTY FuND iNc. -A 3.2927  -12.3%  -7.93%  -5.82%  -12.79%  suN LiFe prOsperiTY phiLippiNe sTO ck iNDex FuND iNc. A 0.8343  -11.06%  5.92%  -4.63%  -11.67%  uN TeD FuND iNc. A 3.0527  -11.38%  -5.82%  -4.06%  -11.19%

1.8716  -6.79%  -1.52%  -0.74%  -7.19%

3.3965  -9.73%  -3.54%  -2.39%  -9.79%

15.0756  -10.51%  -3.79%  -2.63%  -10.51%

iNc. -A 1.9664  -7.32%  -2.69%  -2.25%  -7.31%  suN LiFe OF cANADA prOsperiTY bALANceD FuND iNc. -A 3.2775  -9.91%  -5.29%  -3.5%  -10.13%  suN LiFe prOsperiT Y DYNAMic FuND iNc. A 0.8581  -9.27%  -4.18%  -2.93%  -10.07%

CIMB Bank to double loan offers next year

CIMB Bank Philippines Inc. expects to double the amount of loans it extends to Filipinos next year on the back of the encouraging performance of its loan portfolio this year.

The country’s 33rd-largest bank by asset said it has disbursed this year about P25 billion to its borrowers, double what it provided in 2021. The lender also grew its cash-in transactions to over P100 billion this year.

CIMB Bank CEO Vijay Manoharan said in a briefing last Thursday that 60 percent of their current loan portfolio was accounted for by P2,000-worth to P4,000-worth of loans. But some of the loans they extended were larger and reached a million pesos.

“We will grow our loan book very aggressively, close to double from the current position,” Manoharan said. “We see a very strong performance, healthy quality of our books.”

These loans were usually taken out by Filipinos to pay utility bills, education, home improvement, medical bills and other day to day needs while waiting for their next pay check to arrive.

CIMB Bank has also partnered with SeaMoney Finance Philippines Inc. to onboard 2.5 million loan customers in 2023, doubling the 1.3 million users of Shopee’s “buy now pay later,” or BNPL, scheme in the country.

The partnership will also provide an exclusive savings rate to all its BNPL customers. The scheme allows Shoppe users to purchase items today and pay for the same transaction at a later date.

“We will be able to provide Filipinos an easier and more flexible option to fund their e-commerce purchases and ultimately, fulfill their life’s purpose,” Manoharan said.

The bank has been in operation in the Philippines for the past four years and said has since grown its customers to over six million, including 2 million lending customers.

CIMB Bank is offering a savings interest rate of up to 12 percent per annum for the month of December.

The bank also has plans of extending loans to micro-sized, smallscale and medium-sized enterprises. Manoharan said they will start studying how they can help smallscale business owners next year.

“We, at CIMB, are humbled by the overwhelming trust and confidence from our customers since we launched in 2018. Our customers have embraced a new way of banking, the CIMB way of digital banking; and we are grateful for all the milestones we’ve achieved,” Manoharan said.

CIMB Bank Philippines allows Filipinos to open deposit accounts without fees and maintaining balance. The bank promises to make opening accounts easy and be completed in 10 minutes using smartphones. Cai U. Ordinario

Banking&Finance

NG eyes ₧135B via sale of treasuries

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

THE national government aims to raise P135 billion from the auction of debt papers in December, according to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr).

The BTr said the government aims to raise P30 billion from auctions of Treasury bills (T-Bills) and P105 billion from auctions of Treasury bonds (T-bonds) next month. To note, the December goal is lower than the P215 billion set for this month.

The BTr said the government intends to raise P10 billion each from the auction of 91-day, 182-day and 364-day T-bills. The aim is to raise

P15 billion from these notes per auction day (December 7 and December 14).

For the T-bonds, the BTr said, it aims to raise P35 billion from the auction of 5-Year bonds on December 1; P35 billion from the sale of 12-Year bonds on December 9; and, P35 billion from 20-year bonds on December 15.

This year, the government is set

to borrow a total of P2.21 trillion, of which 75 percent will be sourced locally while the remaining 25 percent will come from foreign sources. The country’s debt-to-GDP ratio slightly eased to 62.1 percent in the second quarter of the year from 63.5 percent in the first quarter. However, this remained above the internationally-recommended 60-percent threshold for a healthy economy.

Fintech start-up bags $4.5M from investors New security feature for GCash up in Dec

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

FINANCIAL technology (fintech) firm Bayani Pay Inc. announced having raised $4.5 million in a seed funding round led by Talino Venture Labs Pte. Ltd., Wavemaker Partners Global Ltd. and East West Bank of America.

BayaniPay CEO Winston Damarillo, who announced the development at a news event last Wednesday evening, said that the fresh funding will enable the fintech to grow its suite of services and expand its customer base to enterprises.

Damarillo expressed “excitement” on the growth of the California, United States-headquartered firm.

“Our ongoing efforts are driven by the desire to eliminate the financial hardships of new immigrants and minority communities,” he added.

Wavemaker Partners Managing Partner Frederick T. Manlunas said the group sees a huge opportunity in the remittance and payments market, given that the need for cross-border

payment solutions have become “more urgent,” especially with the “painful and expensive” fees that are charged to remitters.

“BayaniPay is addressing this pain point with their suite of payment solutions that simplifies the various types of remittances,” Manlunas said. “Whether the need is peer-to-peer, consumer-to-business or businessto-business, BayaniPay has created intuitive solutions to make this payment journey a simple and cost effective exercise.”

East West Bank of America President and CEO Parker Shi said the investment that the financial institution made in BayaniPay reflects its belief in the strong collaboration that started between the two groups earlier this year.

BayaniPay contracted with East West Bank, the largest independent bank headquartered in Southern California, to offer Filipino American customers banking services, including a Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) insured checking account.

Shi said they “applaud BayaniPay’s

progress in using our digital banking technology to provide omnichannel banking as a service to underserved customers.”

“This means that BayaniPay customers can enjoy the same quality of service, whether they’re banking with their mobile devices or transacting at their local East West Bank branch,” Shi added. Aside from this, Damarillo said BayaniPay has strengthened its partnership with BDO Unibank Inc. to enable the first cross-border digital payments and remittance services between the US and the Philippines.

BayaniPay is collaborating with BDO Unibank to enable its users in the US to directly pay services in the Philippines through paycode technologies.

Local businesses and services can simply provide Filipino-American customers paycodes that they can use for easy and convenient cross-border payment of bills, tuition and school fees, medical expenses and even real estate.

Damarillo said the opportunity for the market is huge, given that FilipinoAmericans account for $146 billion of the Asian-American market.

The ‘5G Association’: Old and new

NEVER has digital technology development and innovation for associations accelerated than during the Covid-19 global pandemic. New and enhanced videoconferencing platforms, learningmanagement systems, associationmanagement software, online communities and the like proliferated in the association world in such a short time.

Digital technology, though, is only a part of the solution as associations seek ways to engage with their members, organize online events, be more efficient in their operations and generate new sources of revenue. While technology is the enabler of these activities, relevant content, member experience and organizational culture are essential ingredients that make associations even closer to their members and stand out from the rest.

So how can an association achieve providing value and uniqueness on one hand and gaining much-needed resources to sustain its mission on the other? Perhaps the following five “Gs” can help association executives in search for ideas and a guidepost going forward:

1. Gravitate to purpose. The American Society of Association Executives (Asae) defines an association as an organization or group of individuals affiliated with one another who share a common purpose, interest, or mission and exist for the mutual enrichment and advancement of their membership. In essence, the purpose of an associa-

tion is to serve its members.

In Asae’s multi-year research done a decade ago and titled “7 Measures of Success: What Remarkable Associations Do That Others Don’t,” one of the attributes of success is the alignment of member services to purpose. The study cites that service offerings of successful associations have been consistent with their purpose and have remained central and unchanging even in the midst of changes in the external environment.

2. Give value. There are at least four value propositions an association provides its members: (1) learning, e.g., education and certification programs; (2) knowledge, e.g., publications, website and research studies; (3) community, e.g., special interest groups, online and offline networking, benchmarking and best practices and volunteering opportunities; and, (4) advocacy, e.g., lobbying, formulating policy positions, providing testimonies and specialized information. Delivering these values with exceptional content and experiences provide impetus to the sustainability of an association.

3. Generate relationships. Part-

nering and working with others do not only provide economies of scale but also transfer of knowledge, creativity and innovation. Collaboration has been the new currency associations have used at this time to leverage their resources in offering new services to members.

4. Grow the staff. The association is only as good as its people. The pandemic, with all its disruptive effects, has nonetheless spawned new skills and talents for the association staff as well as new ways of working amidst different settings. Balancing staff re-skilling and up-skilling with understanding and care for wellness is an imperative for associations to grow and prosper.

5. Go digital. There is no way and nowhere to go but digital. This has been the case during the pandemic and will be the case post-pandemic. Leaders in the use of technology will remain relevant, attuned with the times and emerge flourishing into the future.

The “5G association” may not be the fifth-generation version of what an association is supposed to be in the future but, for me, it is a technologypropelled, back-to-basics thinking and mixed with lessons learned from the pandemic.

Octavio Peralta is currently the executive director of the UN Global Compact Network Philippines and founder and volunteer CEO of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives, the “association of associations.” E-mail: bobby@pcaae.org.

‘PHL has numbers to be epicenter of global fintech innovation’

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes @brownindio

THE CEO of Betur Inc., doing business as “Coins.ph,” believes in the Philippines’s potential “to globally lead the digital transformation of the financial sector.”

“The Philippines has proven it can be a global leader in the adoption of financial technology,” Betur CEO Wei Zhou said at the second edition of the Fintech Alliance’s Inclusion and Digital Transformation (INDX) Summit 2.0 last November 23. “With over 100 million people, the majority of whom are below the age of 30, we have the numbers to become the epicenter of global innovation in fintech.”

Zhou added this population segment “are already the leaders in Web3 [third generation of the World Wide Web].”

“And with our regulator’s progressive mindset in finding the balance between protecting investors and promoting innovation, we are poised to become a force to reckon with,” Zhou was quoted in a statement as saying.

Betur is one of 233 firms registered with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas as Operator of Payment System as of November 18.

Zhou appeared on a panel on Day 2 of the conference to discuss the challenges posed by the adoption of new technologies in the financial sector, and the progressive steps taken by

industry and regulators in the Philippines to promote innovation, upskill the workforce, and develop relevant competencies. Zhou spoke alongside other leaders from industry and government.

“As the world moves into the Web3 era dominated by digital currencies and blockchain technology, the Philippines is ahead of the curve in terms of both user adoption and homegrown technology development. With hundreds of millions of people now owning digital assets and relying on crypto’s instant transactions and cheap fees to make payments and send money seamlessly around the world, regulators in the Philippines have pursued a balanced approach that encourages

crypto platforms to operate within a well-thought-out regulatory framework that protects citizens without stifling innovation,” said Zhou. “That is an incredibly encouraging sign for the country’s ability to remain at the forefront as innovative new technologies continue to transform economies across Southeast Asia and around the world.”

Coins.ph operates under both “Virtual Currency” and “Electronic Money Issuer” licenses.

Coins.ph said it continues to serve as the leading bridge to the world of Web3, helping millions of people in Southeast Asia to easily buy, sell and store a wide array of digital assets and fiat currencies.

GCASH-operator GXchange Inc. announced plans to roll out a new security feature that will combat account takeovers and prevent unauthorized transactions brought about by text and other scams.

In a press launch, G-Xchange Chief Customer Officer Winsley R. Bangit said the platform will introduce a “double authentication” feature that will link a GCash account to a specific device using biometrics.

“This feature removes customers’ dependence on SMS OTPs [one-time passwords], which has been exploited by some fraudsters to scam users. It will provide a unique identifier that can’t be phished by scammers. It also provides an additional layer of security to the current SMS OTP,” Bangit said. “We never stop innovating to make sure our 71

million users have the safest and most convenient experience when they use the app.”

During the same event, GXchange also signed a memorandum of agreement with the Philippine National Police AntiCybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) to strengthen collaboration in going after perpetrators involved in phishing, smishing, online fraud, e-scams, vishing, and other cybercrimes that take advantage of GCash users.

GCash is being used by fraudsters to steal money from victims through various means including phishing and smishing.

This forced G-Xchange to migrate transaction notification messages to the in-app inbox and masked the names of send money recipients to further protect the users’ funds and personal data.

Lorenz S. Marasigan

Standard Chartered Bank marks 150th yr

STANDARD Chartered Bank Plc. (SCB) announced it recently celebrated its 150th Anniversary in the Philippines with a Filipiniana -themed dinner event at the Shangri-La The Fort in Taguig City to honor bank clients and partners, and to pay tribute to the Filipino culture and heritage.

“The event showcased the finest of Philippine-Spanish cuisine as well as the best of Original Pilipino Music,” the bank said in a statement issued last Thursday.

A ceremonial toast to the bank’s long and deep history was led by SCB Philippines CEO Lynette V. Ortiz, joined by Finance Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Felipe M/ Medalla, UK Ambassador to the Philippines Laure Beaufils, Monetary Board

Member Anita Linda R. Aquino, SCB Asean Cluster Head Andrew Chia and Corporate, Commercial and Institutional Banking Regional Co-Head for Client Coverage Asia Heidi E. Toribio.

Diokno was quoted in the statement as saying that SCB “is an important player in the

financial community and a reliable partner in our road to an A credit rating.”

The chief of the Department of Finance said he “looks forward to continuing our fruitful partnership for many more years to come.”

According to Ortiz, as the oldest international bank, SCB’s history is closely intertwined with the Philippines’s.

“The bank has come a long way from an institution financing agricultural enterprises and trade in 1872, to one of the country’s trusted allies and partners supporting the key engines of the nation’s economic development,” she added. “Through the years, we differentiate ourselves through our local expertise, unique international network, close ties with the market and regulators, and our steadfast commitment to always deliver the best of our local and global resources.”

As it marks its 150th year in the Philippines, SCB reaffirms its commitment to be the country’s staunch partner in nation-building and sustainable development, the lender said in the statement.

Octavio Peralta

Association World

Relationships

Hanging at the wooly mammoth’s world

they want to join. Don’t worry—most of the servers are networked to each other, so users in one particular instance can read the posts and interact with other account holders in other servers.

LIKE many others appalled by the current goings-on at Twitter since billionaire tycoon Elon Musk paid $44 billion to run rougshod over it, I sought refuge in Mastodon, a smallish social media platform.

In a recent interview with IT magazine Wired the 29-year-old founder of Mastodon, German programmer Eugen Rochko, said about 800,000 new accounts have been created in the weeks since Musk took over Twitter. This raises the former’s total number of users to an estimated 3 million (and counting) across 4,000 servers. Of course, that is still less than a fraction of Twitter’s 397 million users (as of November 5), but the influx of new users show that people want to keep conversations going, without the hate, or a profitmotivated megalomaniac with zero sensitivity and communication skills flexing his power on the platform.

Speaking from personal experience, I find Mastodon a less frenetic platform. It’s relatively peaceful as most users are on their best behavior.

(Think of it as New Manila, versus Twitter’s Tondo or Divisoria, maybe?) While users do write about their passions the same as they do on Twitter, the conversations I’ve engaged in and monitored have largely been courteous. Maybe the trolls have yet to understand how the platform works, or server administrators have been on their toes moderating content earnestly, and kicking out the troublemakers.

Unlike Twitter, which has one central server, Mastodon, like I said earlier, has about 4,000 servers or instances. It’s a decentralized platform that allows new users to choose servers, according to their interests or hobbies, their professions, or even their language/countries. (Taken together, all these servers form the fediverse.)

So the first thing that new users should do before creating an account is select what instance

Mastodon.Social, which is maintained by Rochko himself, is the largest of these instances, with about 900,000 account holders from around the world. Another large server with over 780,000 users is Pawoo, which originated in Japan, and thus most interactions are in the Japanese language. There are servers such as tabletop.social, which caters to fans of board games, or borahae.love, which attracts the BTS Army.

Of course, it was confusing as hell at first, trying to figure out what to do. I first created an account at mastodon.world, intending to pollute the air there with my brilliant musings on life (hahaha). Eventually, I created another account (and have been publishing) on the journa.host server, founded by former New York Times reporter Adam Davidson. A home to some 2,000 journalists now, administrators recently disclosed to have received funding from the

Craig Newark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York’s Tow-Knight Center, further underscoring its non-profit service.

The server is maintained by Davidson and a host of journalist-volunteers; to join it, one has to fill up a form so the administrators can verify your person. Since I primarily use Twitter to follow the news here and abroad, it made more sense to sign up to this particular Mastodon server. (Follow me @StellaArnaldo@journa.host.)

Other Philippines-based journos, I’ve noticed, have signed up to newsie.social or mastodon.world. (Meanwhile, I’ve recently encountered US-based Filipino users publishing on tambayan.us, while the University of the Philippines has already created its own server upsystem@social.up.edu.ph.)

So in the wooly mammoth’s world, I’ve largely shared my pieces published in this paper, posted other pieces from other news publications or digital news media, reblogged other users or favorited their toots, posted some personal stuff too like dishes I recently cooked. For pieces I want to share, but not sure others will appreciate due to the topic, I publish with a content warning (CW).

The CW makes it possible for other users in the fediverse to decide on their own whether or not they want to read what you’ve published, unlike on Twitter where everything is thrown at you. And let’s face it, sometimes you just have no choice but get sucked into reading all the items and musings of others whether you’re mentally prepared or not.

I’m not sure about the rules in other servers, but at journa.host, users are not allowed to insult or attack others, one of the prime reasons many account holders have deserted Twitter. This contributes to the relative calm in my Mastodon timeline.

Mastodon is not without its issues, of course. Sometimes I am unable to publish photos, and I’m not totally sure if videos are allowed at all on my server. And of course, since the platform is decentralized, I can only publish in my instance and not on the other servers. But I can choose the audience for my posts e.g. whether it is public, for my followers only, or for the users I only mention in it. When in doubt, read the admin rules on your particular server.

For now, Mastodon feels more like a social club or a place to hang with the cool, adventurous kids, and I relish the fact it isn’t like the public town square where people can watch and cheer a (digital) public hanging. ■

4 well-being tips for remote and hybrid work

THE pandemic has opened doors to diverse arrangements with employment. While some grant the autonomy to set up shop where we most feel productive, it is still essential to take care of your mental health.

Boston University (BU) Employee Wellness experts understand that dedication can take away from one’s own time, as well as physical, emotional, intellectual, environmental, social and spiritual welfare.

“Regardless of the location and mode of communication, it is important to give priority to your well-being,” the team noted.

“Some challenges are encountered by those who are working remotely, hybrid, or even both that require much attention.”

Echoing BU Employee Wellness is the Benilde Well-Being Center (BWC) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, which shows its appreciation to the general workforce who remain committed and passionate in their jobs despite the rapid changes in work measures.

Here are four points to keep in mind:

1. MAINTAIN BOUNDARIES. When home becomes associated with work, it may be difficult to separate personal and professional time. Work-life balance, relationships and activities may be neglected by the extra time spent working. Establish healthy boundaries by creating a structure. Change into and out of work clothes to

differentiate work time. Set your office hours. Do not respond to e-mails once you’ve clocked out.

2. MAKE BREAKS A PRIORITY. Take 10-minute breaks. It enables the brain to rest and reset. It reduces the build-up of stress in a day. Stretch and walk. This reduces physical strain of sitting for long periods of time. Quick meditation can make a big difference.

3. AVOID TECH FATIGUE. The shift from in-person to virtual meetings (and vice versa) can cause eye irritation, exhaustion and fatigue.

A Stanford Research suggests reducing window size to lessen the excessive

amounts of close-up eye contact. An external keyboard and camera increase the personal bubble space. It also diminishes immobility brought by staying in the field of view.

You may use the “hide self-view” option to avoid looking at yourself during virtual meetings. Simply turn off your camera periodically to stand up and walk around. Having audio only calls allows you to direct your gaze away from the screen.

4. CULTIVATE WELLNESS. Develop and sustain healthy lifestyle practices. Engage in regular exercises. Practice work-life balance. Avoid negative outlets such as alcohol and drugs.

Today’s Horoscope

By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Katie Cassidy, 36; Jerry Ferrara, 43; Christina Applegate, 51; Bruno Tonioli, 67.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: A reasonable attitude will help you win every time. Refuse to let outside influences dictate what happens to you this year. Stick to your schedule, regardless of the direction others take. Have confidence in yourself, and you will feel good about your decisions and the outcome. Some partnerships will be on trial, but not all broken. Your numbers are 3, 12, 24, 28, 34, 37, 45.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Put more thought into handling your money. Look for an investment that encourages you to upgrade, and be ready for anything that comes your way. Call on those who have your best interests at heart. ★★★★★

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Stop thinking and rearrange. It’s OK to change your mind and head in a different direction if you tidy up loose ends first. Don’t settle; do what makes the most sense and brings you closer to your long-term goal. Make your presence felt. ★★★

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Be a good listener, fact-finder and friend. Don’t share sensitive information or make changes without doing your homework. Be open to suggestions but intelligent enough to tailor solutions to your circumstances. Put your needs first. Romance is encouraged. ★★★

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Think about what you want to happen and how you propose to get things done. An innovative approach will plant seeds and give others a chance to see the possibilities. Invest more time and money in yourself, your future and new prospects. ★★★

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Put your skills to the test and take on a challenge. Get in the game and make a difference. A change someone makes may not be to your liking but will turn out better than anticipated. Don’t hesitate when action is required. ★★★

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You are overdue for a change. Try something new and let your imagination run wild. Put some thought and effort into your home and lifestyle, and you’ll devise a plan that excites you. Avoid illness or injury. ★★★★★

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You have the drive and power to get things done your way. Traveling, pursuing educational opportunities and getting together with people who contribute to you mentally, physically and emotionally will achieve your desired results. Stick to the truth, and don’t share secrets. ★★★★

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Don’t limit what you can do; take hold of whatever situation you face and turn it into something spectacular. Think big, budget wisely and put your energy where it will bring the highest return. ★★★

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Check your ego at the door and get down to the business of honesty and integrity. How you treat others and allow them to treat you counts. Your job is to build respect by being fair. ★★★

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): A quiet approach to whatever situation you come up against will work best. Don’t step in and take over prematurely. Give others a chance to do their thing before you pounce. ★★★

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Put your emotions aside and move forward cautiously. Go over every detail and size up situations before you share your thoughts and intentions. Your approach to responsibilities will be fundamental when trying to impress superiors. ★★★★

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Regroup and assess your next move. Align yourself with people you know you can trust, and keep an eye on those you know will disappoint you. Stand back and observe until you see an opportunity to advance. Avoid confusion and emotional manipulation. ★★

BIRTHDAY BABY: You are friendly, insightful and courageous. You are sensitive and generous.

: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes.

: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others.

: Focus and you’ll reach your goals.

: Aim high; start new projects.

: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

Gendering politics: ‘Walang Kasarian ang Digmang Bayan’

man cannot escape himself: he meets up in a Gay Pride parade a former lover now decked in the most fabulous drag costume, a mirror to his conflicted restrained self, ready to point fingers at those who try to remind him of the silenced lapidary labels. The scene is also referential to Altarejos’s earlier Kasal, a filmic foreboding, an engaging conceit.

Paolo encounters an ex-partner who taunts him of his proclivities. There in a toilet, a furtive sex act is performed, the trajectory in male homosexuals who are ready to prove that gender is performative and begets the physical and material more than the symbolic.

of inequalities but about genders and identities, and how the dialectics in the internal definition of human sexual politics can be translated to revolutionary ideas necessitating actions.

THE well-loved and multi-awarded drama anthology show Magpakailanman (#MPK ) marks 20 years of life-changing stories on GMA this month.

As part of its anniversary special, #MPK unveils another collection of inspiring, heartfelt, and even thrilling narratives from various people.

Senior vice president for entertainment group Lilybeth G. Rasonable reiterates how the program has touched the lives of many: “It’s something meaningful for each member of the Magpakailanman team. Over 20 years, it has become more than just a job. To be able to start an inspiration, lalo na throughout the pandemic and now that we are on very challenging times, nagiging mas relevant ang #MPK para sa ating lahat.”

Meanwhile, GMA Kapuso Foundation ambassador and special adviser and renowned host Mel Tiangco reveals the secret behind the success of Magpakailanman: “I think it is the sincerity of the show more than anything else. Each one of us, we have our own stories, challenges and personal triumphs. Nakaka-relate ang viewers namin sa mga totoong kwento at totoong tao na itinatampok sa MPK.”

Mel also highlights her biggest goal for the show: Gusto ko hindi lang ma-entertain ang audience kundi magkakaroon din sila ng realization and inspiration. Gusto kong ma-uplift ang mga tao at may matutunan sila na once in a while, pwede nilang balikan.”

This November 26, the show tells the story of Maegan Aguilar, titled “Listen to My Heart.” The second part of her ever controversial life will air on December 3 via “Love Me for What I Am.”

Maegan was once a promising singer-songwriter and was popularly known as the daughter of OPM icon Freddie Aguilar. Due to wrong decisions and substance abuse, Maegan got entangled in numerous complicated relationships. She lost her way and, later on, lost custody of her children as well.

Is there still a chance for Maegan to find true love? Will she be able to reclaim her rights for her children? Is the world ready to accept and witness the talent of Maegan once again?

IT is not easy to accept the premise of Jay Altarejos’s Walang Kasarian ang Digmang Bayan (translated as Revolution Knows No Gender). For the film is built on the discourse that revolution, which is clearly of the nationalist democratic form, has accepted all genders.

In this fixation on ideologies, we grovel in disbelief at the character of Paolo, not because he is framed within a society battling its government aimed at killing young and old people alike—all poor—but because he is fighting internal demons that do not have anything to do with the liberation of the collective or the greater society. It does not matter that he has a brave mother in rage. It does not even matter that the world where this young man lives has subsisted on distorted of notions of good and evil, or of a belief system that disfavors justice for all, where even boys are murdered and whose deaths are turned into official statistics. Our young protagonist seems above all this.

Here is a man who cannot be called “gay” because he himself does not contend with that label. But why insist on names? Then again, why not? This lack of contention on Paolo’s is tension in a cinema which propounds how gender shall banner sexual admission over privacy, a middle-class obsession. But the young

While love and sex continue to happen in the lives of individuals, killings continue and justice is rendered inutile. There is hopelessness and anger in the land but Deus has ceased to be a powerful machine to pluck from this sorrowful existence all suffering mothers and kin. Even the monsters who are generating mayhem are not fully realized in this film. They are posters on the wall, armed men in the dark.

Where does this film lead us to? Where is the revolution that is spoken of in the title?

Altarejos presents to us a solution to a story, which is a problematic aspect in the narrative to those who are not enamored by the romance in the revolution. This solution is seen in the long walk—a journey—by our young man. He moves away from the dingy city and ends up in a forest mystical with clean streams. The flight is not heroic. While there is a clear departure, a detachment from the old community fraught with evil, there is no distinct arrival and there is no promise of return for this brave soul.

The young man reaches a clearing and is met by comrades. How did he come up with this decision to join the “rebels?”

Where did his change of heart and mind begin?

The problem with those who look for character motivations in a man who opts to fight fascist forces and capitalist might is to miss what this film is all about. Walang Kasarian...is not about a revolution aimed at toppling monolithic structures

ABS-CBN exec eyes global market

RUEl S. BAyAnI is grinning from ear to ear. When I sat down with the topnotch producer-writerdirector-TV executive for an exclusive interview, he just shared with me a teaser of good news: Cattleya Killer, a series he spearheaded and recently exhibited in MIPCOM (Marche’ International des Programmes de Communication or International Market of Communications Programmes), is deep in negotiations for international distribution. He can’t disclose the details yet, but what he can share is the “journey” of how this came into fruition. It all started when, after passively participating for the past years in MIPCOM in Cannes, France, ABS-CBn was finally able to present. According to its web site, “MIPCOM Cannes is the world’s greatest gathering of television entertainment professionals from 100 countries. Celebrated as ‘the mother of all entertainment content markets,’ and happening every October, MIPCOM is the most anticipated week for global decision-makers to compete for new series, source international production partners, and set the development agenda for 2022 and beyond.”

For a long time, Paolo has been making decisions as a private entity. His ends are intimate joys, not democratic, i.e., people, praxis and upheaval. Here are the boons of the altermyth that is revolution: Altarejos may still be sourcing imagery from his wellspring of memories about men conquering their sexuality but captive to what the bourgeois society has pronounced pathological, or titillated by ruinous loves, but his politics in Walang Kasarian has reached an evolution of the collective. In place of class struggle, gender warfare is the tool of this advocacy cinema.

So, should we celebrate the union of two men as liberation? The magic of cinema crystallizes the interstitial, oralizes the muted gaps in the narrative: two men are married but they are not necessarily vetted for happiness ever after (the hetero marital bliss is Judaeo-Christian, patriarchal and bourgeois philosophizing). Here is where Altarejos embraces with such passion, and with poignancy (a requirement in dramas of films) the thought that anytime, in the mountains, one in the couple may die. The battle for a cause, however, continues because love has ceased to be a private social contract; a marriage has become as public/social as a revolution, where all genders can enlist, and be red-tagged by a government that knows no empirical change.

Walang Kasarian ang Digmang Bayan is directed by Joselito Altarejos from his own screenplay. The film was nominated for the 2022 Gawad Urian in several categories, including Best Film. It won Best Editing (tied with On the Job: The Missing 8). The Manunuri cited its editing (Altarejos/Gerone Centeno) “for its use of fiction, theater, footages and images to piece together a tapestry of individual stories...histories and alternate future.” It is recognized for its attempt “at a grand coverage of time, sweeping across selected eras in Philippine and world histories.” n

These special episodes are headlined by highly-talented GMA actress Sanya Lopez as Maegan; Jason Abalos as Xander, the ex-partner of Maegan; Jon Lucas as Lyndon, Maegan’s weak former lover who distanced their son from her; Dion Ignacio as Oliver, the fourth man in Maegan’s life who might restore her hope in love and in life.

Meanwhile, the spooky season and the anniversary special of Magpakailanman is extended as the show brings “Haunted Soul” on December 10.

The horrifying true experiences of Lezlie Hombre is portrayed by multi-awarded and box-office icon Bea Alonzo on her first-ever #MPK guesting. Joining her are Marco Alcaraz as Adrian, the deceitful husband of Lezlie; Bing Pimentel as Lezlie’s mother who has been her moral compass; Marnie Lapuz as Elaine, the boss of Lezlie who is also a good listener to all her problems; and Josh Ivan Morales as Incubus, a male demon that will cause distress in Lezlie’s life.

The anniversary special of Magpakailanman airs on November 26 at 8:15 pm on GMA. Viewers can also stream the show on #MPK ’s Facebook and TikTok accounts.

work for selling to the global market. “Screenings only happen 3 to 4 times a day for four days. It’s hard to get a slot but thanks to our distribution agent in lA and aggressive marketing na talagang napansin we were able to secure one,” shares Ruel. “There were only two Asian participants this year: Japan and the Philippines, and this is the first time for the Philippines that this has happened.”

In their screening slot, a special AVP of ABS-CBn was shown as well as a trailer, plus a specially edited episode of Cattleya Killer was screened to industry leaders and buyers. The gritty and thrilling series stars Arjo Atayde, Christopher de leon, Jake Cuenca, Ria Atayde, Jane Oineza and many more. It tells the story of Anton (Arjo) and how he helps his dad (de leon) stop a murder spree that seems to mimic the killing style of Gene Rivera, a serial killer who terrorized Manila 20 years ago—a case his dad had solved. The series is directed by Dan Villegas.

During the MIPCOM event where he was joined by the Ataydes (who also acted as co-producers of the show), Ruel couldn’t help but be emotional when he

went onstage: “I would like to dedicate all our efforts to our Kapamilyas, our kababayans, the Filipinos all over the world. To champion Filipino talent in the global stage is one thing, but to provide them joy, pride, honor and inspiration—that to ABS-CBn is a true measure of our success.” Ruel couldn’t help but feel emotional during that time, especially when he mentioned the word “kapamilya” and he saw a lot of Filipinos bearing Philippine flags in the audience looking at him. “A lot of Filipinos came to support us. They, together with buyers and executives from acquisition companies, were there to watch our show. This has been a dream of mine and ABS-CBn, which is to champion Filipino talent in the global stage.”

When you ask him what makes Filipino works a standout among others, he turns serious and says: “We always champion the resiliency of the Filipino spirit and the Filipino family. This is reflected in almost all Pinoy content. It’s the value of family and it says a lot of who we are as a people. you don’t have to be Filipino to appreciate family and I think that resonates very well.”

“It is not sexuality which haunts society but society which haunts the body’s sexuality.”

—Maurice Godelier

Ruel shares that when Eugenio lopez Jr., AKA Kapitan, was still alive, the former ABS-CBn boss would religiously attend this event every October in Cannes where he and his team would buy shows for airing on the Kapamilya network and or its cable and UHF subsidiaries. “Pero doon pa lang, ’yun ang dream niya, makapag-screen sa MIPCOM because it is the biggest TV event in the world,” says Ruel. After much wheeling and dealing, it was only this year that ABSCBn was finally given a full slot to screen an original

‘Magpakailanman’ celebrates 20 years of life-changing stories

Nickel Asia claims environment awards on the heels of financial achievements

NICKEL Asia Corp. (NAC) once again took center stage as two of its affiliates were accorded the most coveted Presidential Mineral Industry Environmental Award (PMIEA) in the recently concluded 68th Annual National Mine Safety and Environment Conference (ANMSEC) in Baguio City.

“At NAC, we align profit with purpose amidst the challenges of climate change and these honors only demonstrate that caring for the environment goes hand in hand with good business performance,” says JB Baylon, Chief Sustainability Officer and SVP for Public Affairs and Communications.

NAC recently reported more than P21 billion in gross revenues. NAC’s attributable net income reached P6.9 billion from January to September, up from last year’s P6.17 billion.

Hinatuan Mining Corporation (HMC) and Taganito Mining Corporation (TMC), both subsidiaries of NAC, are recipients of the prestigious PMIEA this year, a back-to-back win for both.

In addition, the Best Mining Forest Award and the Most Improved Safety Performance under the Safest Mines Award were also accorded to TMC, with operations based in Claver, Surigao del Norte.

“We persevered and worked hard to clinch these most coveted awards this year and being acknowledged for our commitment to responsible mining is an honor and an exhilarating feeling for all our employees,” says Engr. Artemio Valeroso, Resident Mine Manager for TMC.

It is also a back-to-back win for HMC this year. HMC, with operations based in Tagana-an, also in Surigao del Norte, was the grand slam winner during the 67th ANMSEC last year, sweeping all major honors from the country’s most prestigious award-giving body in the mining industry.

“Last year was our first and a grand slam! This year, taking home the Presidential award and the third runner-up honor for Best Mining Forest, remind us to remain steadfast, focusing on our goals and to keep working hard to sustain the good business of NAC in the industry of

responsible mining”, says Engr. Francis Arañes, HMC’s Resident Mine Manager.

Two more NAC subsidiaries were honored – Cagdianao Mining Corp. (CMC), with operations in Dinagat Islands, a Platinum Achievement Awardee for Surface Mining Operation Category; and Rio Tuba Nickel (RTN) in Palawan, the two-time ASEAN Awardee for Best Mining, was a Platinum Awardee for its nickel operations and Titanium Awardee for its limestone project.

RTN was also declared the grand slam champion in the safety competition during the “Mine Safety Field Demonstration and Field Competition” held on the fourth day of the conference.

The Annual Mine Safety and Environment Conference is organized by the Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association (PMSEA) in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Mines and Geosciences Bureau, the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines, the Philippine Society of Mining Engineers (PSEM).

TeaM Energy builds multi-purpose hall in Quezon, fully equpped school buidling in Pangasinan

the convenience of students and teachers.

The multi-purpose facility comes complete with a stage, floodlights, and 100 chairs. This was donated by TEFI to Lipata Elementary School in Barangay Lipata, Padre Burgos, Quezon. This covered facility will be used for different programs and activities by the school and barangay.

“TEFI continues to partner with local government units and different organizations in helping uplift and improve the country’s education sector,” says Nestor Banga, Program Manager of TEFI. “We hope that these brand new facilities in Pangasinan and Quezon contribute in improving the learning experience for students and teachers,” he adds.

AS part of its efforts to help boost the country’s education sector, TeaM Energy, through its corporate social responsibility arm TeaM Energy Foundation, Inc. (TEFI) recently completed the construction of a fully equipped school building in Pangasinan, and a 320 square meter multi-purpose hall in Quezon.

The brand-new school building in Siaosio Integrated School in Sual, Pangasinan consists of two fully furnished classrooms that include armchairs, blackboards, teacher’s desks, electric fans, and lighting fixtures. The classrooms also have their own restroom for

Over the years, TEFI’s Project SiKAP (Silid Aralan tungo sa Katauparang ng mga Pangarap), has successfully constructed high quality classrooms and school-buildings to aid the continuous development of the country’s education sector.

TEFI is the social development arm of TeaM Energy, which operates two coal-fired power plants: the 1,200 MW Sual Power Station in Pangasinan, and the 735 MW Pagbilao Power Station in Quezon Province. It also has a 50 percent stake in the 420 MW Pagbilao Unit 3 Power Project in Quezon.

DE La Salle University recently received the Green and Community Initiative Award in the Asia Corporate Excellence and Sustainability Awards (ACES). The awarding was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on November 18.

Vice President for Research and Innovation and University Fellow Dr. Raymond Tan received the award on behalf of the University.

The ACES Awards is one of the most prestigious recognition programs that honors exemplary leaders and sustainability advocates in the region. DLSU is the lone academic institution awardee in the 2022 edition.

All recipients underwent a stringent selection process including preliminary research and due diligence by MORS Group, open-ended ethics clearance through

secondary data, and benchmarking and score-carding by the jury panel.  DLSU is commended for its community initiatives citing its “robust approach to how the organization seeks to support and fulfill its community-centric goals.”

For its environmental agenda, ACES Awards highlighted DLSU’s Sustainability Policy “towards driving efforts towards being a sustainable green campus, as well as contributing to climate change research, action and advocacy through its communities.”  The Office of the Vice President for External Relations and Internationalization spearheaded DLSU’s ACES Awards campaign and supported by the Center for Social Concern and Action, Campus Sustainability Office, and other university units.

THE Upsilon Sigma Phi together with the Sigma Delta Phi and Kariton ng Maralita Network turned over two Kariton Klasrum or Classroom-in-a-Cart to Pook Malinis, Barangay U.P. Campus, Quezon City last November 19, 2022.

World Trade Center‘s Business Broadcast Forum to tackle sustainable trade, circular economy

IN the Philippines, waste management remains to be the biggest challenge.

Our country is one of the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Therefore, strong collaboration between the public and private sectors is important to develop integrated and transparent supply chains in waste and secondary materials, if harmful waste dumping practices are to be avoided and circular economy value chains are to emerge at scale.

Trade and cooperation are the key ingredients for accelerating the circular

economy in developing economies, and harnessing opportunities for innovation will depend on leveraging foreign investment. The circular economy emphasizes the development of technology or system that transform waste into new inputs for production at all nodes within the value chain.

In line with the sustainability advocacies of World Trade Center Metro Manila, the WTCMM Business Club is organizing this year’s Business Broadcast Forum with the theme, “A broader look at the Sustainable Trade & Circular Economy in the

Philippines” happening on December 1, 2022, 2:00PM – 5:00PM, at the Luna Function Room of World Trade Center Metro Manila.

Business Broadcast is WTCMM’s forum platform that aims to gather the business community to present relevant topics that would be most relevant and beneficial to businesses at present time.  Through this forum, we will be able to encourage more partnerships among key stakeholders in developing innovative solutions to support the Circular Economy in the country and analyze how to achieve sustainable trade by analyzing how industrialization and economic growth objectives interact with those on sustainability and responsible production. The transition to sustainable development is a universal agenda and implies the transformation of economic systems. One prominent strategy to achieve sustainable development is to move to circular economy approaches.

Everyone is encouraged to be part of this very interesting business forum to know how to address the environmental damages that amplify the vulnerability of our country to climate change and to learn from the best practices from the guest speakers on how to support sustainable trade and the circular economy of the country. The registration fees for RWTCMM Club members is P900 while non-members will be charged P1,200.

Each cart is loaded with books, art materials, and other educational necessities. Aside from the donated carts, volunteer students also taught the beneficiaries basic Reading and Arithmetic and conducted storytelling sessions. Beneficiaries include elementary students and out-of-school youths in the chosen community.

Amalia Alcantara, a mother of one of the beneficiaries, said that this will help her child in learning how to read and do basic arithmetic. Alcantara admits that due to poverty, she may not be able to send her child to school next year.

“Face-to-face na sa eskwelahan kasi, eh walang pamasahe mga bata tapos yung modules wala na rin Malaking tulong itong Kariton Klasrum para sa mga nanay kagaya ko lalo na nawalan pa ako ng trabaho noong pandemic para maka-aral pa rin ang mga anak namin sa

Conrad Manila holds Xmas tree lighting ceremony

CONRAD Manila recently held its tree lighting ceremony with beautiful musical performances by Young Voices of the Philippines and the Philippine Youth Symphonic Band. The Christmas tree is shaped like a pine tree with acrylic crystals and beads as trimmings and ornaments. It is 4.8 meters tall and three meters wide at the base. It is inspired by a Swarovski tree designed with the concept of dazzling Christmas which is in line with Conrad Manila’s theme “Season of Splendor.”

On hand to witness the festivities were Fabio Berto, Conrad Manila General Manager; Pasay City Rep. Antonino Calixto; Pasay City Mayor Imelda “Emi” Calixto-Rubiano; Irene Marcos-Araneta. Chairman, Young Musicians Development Organization; Elizabeth T. Sy, President, SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation; Peggy Angeles, Vice-President, SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation and Hans T. Sy, Chairman of the Executive Committee, SM Prime Holdings, Inc.

NICKEL Asia subsidiaries are recipients of prestigious Environment Awards

STUDENTS in Pangasinan waiting for their face-to-face classes to begin at the newly constructed school building donated by TeaM Energy Foundation in Sioasio Integrated School in Sual.

DLSU recognized as one of the most sustainable institutions in Asia; is the lone academic awardee

Upsilon Sigma Phi donates two Kariton Klasrum units to UP community as part of Upsilon Month celebration

pagbabasa, saka nawiwili pa rin sila,” said Alcantara. The Upsilon Sigma Phi continues its unending legacy of service as it gives hope to the youth through the Kariton ng Pag-Asa project during the fraternity’s founding month anniversary, aiming to create a longterm and sustainable impact in supporting education.

Cool Smashers stave off Angels in straight sets in semifinal duel

CREAMLINE prevailed in a duel of spurts in the first set, caught fire in the second and survived Petro Gazz’s uprising in the third frame to score a 25-21, 25-20, 25-23 victory at the start of the semifinal round of the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference at the PhilSports Arena on Thursday.

The Cool Smashers underscored their superb all-round game anchored on their explosive hitting as they buried the Angels with 53 attack points with import Yeliz Basa and Jema Galanza combining for 28 before winding up with 17 and 14 points, respectively.

Creamline were also solid in their receives all game and didn’t yield a single ace while scoring six of their own.

A nd although the Angels lived up to their billing as the league’s top blocking team, 9-5, and barely edged the Cool Smashers in overall reception, 35-33, the grand slamseeking crowd favorites dominated the other departments.

They finished with 47 excellent digs against their rivals’ 43 and Jia de Guz man put up another sterling 19-excel lent set performance, seven more than her counterpart Djanel Cheng.

It doesn’t matter how many sets, it’s the win that’s important,” said Creamline Coach Sherwin Meneses, whose wards stared at defeat in the third set after trailing 14-18 on a Lindsey Vander Weide’s off-the-block hit.

But the Angels surprisingly settled for drop shots, enabling the Cool Smash ers to counter with Tots Carlos and Galanza scoring on back-to-back hits with another pair of Basa and Galanza blasts capping a 4-0 run that forced a tie.

Still, Petro Gazz refused to crack and fought back to surge ahead again at 23-22 on a Vander Weide power tip. But a costly MJ Phillips net miscue stymied their charge while virtually helping set the stage for the Cool Smashers’ decisive closing 3-0 run.

A nd Ced Domingo stepped up again the way she did in their past matches, scoring on a quick hit off a broken play then completing another brilliant de Guzman feed that bounced off Shiela Pineda’s arms and which Vander Weide had failed to save.

Everyone really went back to the basics when we were trailing. The team stayed composed,” de Guzman said. “Until they score 25, we knew we can still chase them.”

The Cool Smashers take on the Cig nal HD Spikers on Sunday before facing the Chery Tiggo Crossovers on Tuesday.

Vander Weide finished with 16 points while Phillips and Aiza Pontillas added 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the Angels, who beat the Cool Smashers in the finals of this conference last 2019 at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

But Coach Rald Ricafort only drew three points each from Myla Pablo and Remy Palma as the Angels finished with just 37 attack points.

The Angels started out strong and seized a 10-7 lead but the Cool Smashers struck back to grab the lead at 16-15 before racking up five straight points to pull away by six. Petro Gazz, however, countered with its own five-point binge to threaten within one but Creamline held sway behind Alyssa Valdez’s power hits to pound out the fourpoint win in the first set.

The Cool Smashers kept their momentum and controlled the second early, 7-1, and fended off the Angels’ series of rallies while bucking their wobbly stints from the service line to go two sets up.

Petro Gazz then battled Creamline in a back-and-forth duel in the third before wresting a 17-13 led on a power tip by Vander Weide and aided by a Domingo attack error. But after Carlos and Vander Weide traded hits, the Angels failed to launch their attacks and settled for drop shots which the Cool Smashers turned into points before the latter got the better of the former in the clutch.

DOHA, Qatar—

Another World Cup day, another World Cup shock.

Substitutes Ritsu Doan and Takuma Asano scored late goals Wednesday to help Japan come from behind and upset Germany, 2-1.

B oth Doan and Asano play for German clubs.

I believe it’s a historic moment, a historic victory. If I think about the development of Japanese soccer, thinking of players, for them this was a big surprise,” said Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu, who had five Germany-based players in his starting lineup and three, including the scorers, on the bench.

They’re fighting in a very strong, tough, prestigious league. They’ve been building up their strength. In that context we believe that those divisions (Bundesliga and second division) have been contributing to the development of Japanese players,” Moriyasu said. “I’m very grateful for that.”

I lkay Gündogan had given fourtime champion Germany the lead with a first-half penalty. But Doan, who plays for Freiburg, pounced on a rebound to equalize in the 76th minute after Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer blocked a shot from Takumi Minamino.

Then Asano, who plays for Bochum, sprinted clear of Nico Schlotterbeck and beat Neuer from a narrow angle in the 83rd minute.

It was the first competitive meeting between the two nations. They played two friendlies in the past, with Germany winning 3-0 in 2004 before a 2-2 draw in 2006.

G ermany outplayed Japan for much of Wednesday’s match and had 24 attempts on goal compared to Japan’s 11. The Japanese had only 24 percent possession.

JAPAN PIERCES GERMAN PANZER

said. “We have to make sure we never stop.”

Japan will next play Costa Rica on Sunday, while Germany will face Spain. The Spanish routed Costa Rica, 7-0, in the other Group E match.

G ermany’s buildup was fraught by protests and political statements because of Qatar’s human-rights record and its treatment of migrant workers and members of the LGBTQ community.

G ermany midfielder Joshua Kimmich complained Tuesday that he had the feeling he wasn’t able to fully enjoy playing at the tournament because of all the negative coverage.

Ginebra in crucial game against NLEX

By Josef Ramos

BARANGAY Ginebra San

Miguel faces NLEX Friday with the Gin Kings going all out for a win that would keep them on track for a twice-to-beat advan tage in the playoffs of the Philip pine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup.

“All our games are important for our run to the top two seeds,” Ginebra coach Tim Cone—the first PBA coach to breach 1,000 wins, told BusinessMir ror on Thursday. “A loss could knock us out, so the NLEX game is crucial.”

We cannot  afford to stumble. We have to come in with great focus,” said the 64-year-old Cone, whose 1,000th victory came in the form of a 98-84 rout of Blackwater a week ago.

The Gin Kings-Road Warriors game is set at 5:45 p.m. at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.

Ginebra is 7-2 won-lost to be in third place in the standings behind the Hong Kong Bay Area Dragons (92) and Magnolia (8-2).

R ain or Shine, meanwhile, battles Blackwater at 3 p.m. with the Elasto Painters hoping to keep their chances alive for the last quarterfinals spot.

Currently at ninth with a 4-6 record, Coach Yeng Guiao is hoping to beat the already-eliminated Blackwater (3-8).

Inspired by the progress of his naturalization as a Filipino citizen, Ginebra resident import Justin Brown lee continues to weave wonders with averages of 27 points, 10 rebounds and 7.0 assists in nine games. Scottie Thompson is also fuming with norms of 11.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists for the Gin Kings.

The Road Warriors will try to win their last two remaining games to snap a five-game losing skid and improve their 3-7 record at 11th place. They went down in the conference as the team that lost to a languishing Ter rafirma Dyip beat, 124-114, to end a 25-game losing streak.

It’s brutally disappointing, not only for the players, but also the coaching team,” Germany coach Hansi Flick said. “We deserved to go in front. It was more than deserved. Then you have to say that Japan gave us a lesson in efficiency.”

The match was played a day after Argentina’s 2-1 upset loss to Saudi Arabia.

B efore their game, Germany’s players covered their mouths during the team photo to protest against FIFA following its decision to stop plans to wear armbands that were seen as protesting discrimination in host nation Qatar.

Nancy Faeser, Germany’s sports minister, attended the match at the

Khalifa International Stadium and was sitting beside FIFA president Gianni Infantino while wearing the same “One Love” armband that FIFA had outlawed with its threats of consequences.

It was only the third time Germany had lost its tournamentopening game after defeats against Algeria in 1982 and Mexico in 2018. In the other World Cup openers for Germany, the team had won 13 matches and drawn four.

Despite giving away the penalty for a clumsy challenge on left back David Raum, Japan goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda made a string of saves and was player of the game. We fought as a team,” Gonda

Davao Tigers, Lions win in Dumper Cup opener at Big Dome

the stretches that mattered, Kyt Jimenez canned two free throws off an unsportsmanlike foul on the Islanders’ KG Canaleta and followed it up with a clutch jumper for an 86-83 Tigers lead with a minute and 26 seconds remaining.

L arry Rodriguez nailed the insurance basket for an 88-83 Davao lead with 54.6 remaining.

Johnsherick Estrada’s layup earlier gave Boracay an 83-82 edge.

K eith Agovida wound up with a double-double of 25 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Tigers, while Bonbon Custodio chipped in 17 points, four rebounds, six assists and two steals.

S ta. Rosa Laguna ripped Cagayan De Oro-PSP, 100-62 behind a balanced attack in the other game on opening day.

M on Rogado scattered 17 points, grabbed two rebounds and issued five assists for the Lions, while Enzo Joson added 16 points, four

Suyom eyes gold in youth boxing worlds

rebounds and three assists.

M ark Yee, Marvin Lee and Troy Malilin also had 12 points each for Sta. Rosa.

Dariel Bayla and Alexander Mohammad carried the fight for Cagayan De Oro with 16 points apiece.

J ohn Wilson also finished with 16 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals and Rodriguez had 14 points and three rebounds as Davao launched its drive for a second straight crown on a high in the league presented by Dumper party-list and Winzer and supported by Wcube Solutions Inc., MDC, Unisol, Don Benitos, and Finn Cotton, with Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and Gilas Pilipinas great Marc Pingris serving as commissioner.

E strada paced the Islanders with 18 points and four rebounds, while former PBA stars Canaleta and Mac Cardona got 17 and 14 points, respectively.

RONEL SUYOM outclassed hometown bet Rafael Lozano Serrano, 5-0, on Thursday to reach the boys’ minimum weight gold medal bout in the International Boxing Association Youth Men’s and Women’s World Championships at the Ciudad Deportiva Camilo Cano Arena

G ermany was playing at the World Cup for the first time since its surprising group-stage exit as defending champion in 2018, while Japan is appearing in its seventh straight World Cup and is looking to reach the quarterfinals for the first time.

Dapitan City in elite roster of 5150 hosts

IRONMAN races will be back in full blast next year with a touch of history as a new destination awaits an expected stellar international field in the 5150

Dapitan on September 10, 2023.

K nown as the Shrine City of the Philippines, the historical city of Dapitan is up for its first triathlon hosting, laying the groundwork 11 months before the big sporting event that features a 1.5-km swim, 40-km bike and 10-km run race around the Zamboanga Peninsula.

We are proud and happy to have the world-renowned Ironman 5150 Triathlon here in Dapitan on Sept. 10, 2023. It’s really something that we should all look forward to,” Dapitan City Mayor

in La Nucia, Spain.

The 17-year-old fighter from Butuan City was relentless against Serrano, mak ing him a favorite to rule the 48-kg class over his final opponent Suresh Vishva nath of India. The final is set Saturday.

It was a perfect execution of the fight plan by Ronel,” Association of Box

Seth “Bullet” Jalosjos said. Jalosjos announced the first-ever short-distance racing’s staging in the historic city during a welcome lunch he had hosted for members of Lanao del Norte’s Tri SND Barracuda that took part in the first Mayor Bullet Jalosjos Triathlon Cup along Dapitan Boulevard recently.

Team Tri SND Barracuda, headed by team leader Ulwan Dimaporo and star athlete John Alcala, winner of the justconcluded Ironman 70.3 Puerto Princesa, has been a regular fixture in the Ironman/Sunrise Events Inc.organized endurance racing.

O nline registration starts on December 1. For details, visit www. ironman.com

ing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) Secretary General Marcus Jarwin Manalo said in a message to Business Mirror. “He was very assertive from the start that troubled his opponent.”

Serrano was a European youth champion last year, according to Manalo. Josef Ramos

THE Japanese celebrate their upset of the Germans as an avid Canadian fan cheers for her team in its match against Belgium. AP

DAPITAN City Mayor Seth Frederick “Bullet” Jalosjos (second from right) holds the 5150 Dapitan marker during Wednesday’s launch graced by (from left) recent Ironman 70.3 Puerto Princesa winner John Alcala, Sunrise Events Inc. president and general manager Princess Galura and George Aseniero, a great grandchild of one of Dr. Jose Rizal’s former students.

DEFENDING champion Davao Occidental pulled off a thrilling 88-85 decision over hard-fighting Boracay in the opening match of the Pilipinas Super League Pro Division- Second Conference Dumper Cup on Wednesday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Proving steadier in

Story & photos by Randy S. Peregrino

HYUNDAI Motor Philippines, Inc. (HMPH) has entered the compact MPV arena and ex panded its lineup by bringing in the new Stargazer. According to HMPH, the brand is putting forward a new era in the local MPV segment through fu turistic styling, advanced driver assis tance technologies, and premium space and comfort. The company also claims that this new seven-seater model aims at Filipino families looking for a vehicle that can meet their daily mobility needs, modern lifestyle, and preference.

Future-Oriented

EXTERIOR-WISE , the design elements drew inspiration from the brand’s “pio neering spirit.” Upfront is a boldly styled skid plate, flush-type radiator grille, and unique multi-face reflector (MFR) headlights. The fascia is rounded with a horizontal LED strip that cuts across and integrates the Day Time Running Lights (DRL) and positioning lamps.

The flanks highlight a one-curved silhouette with a sleek body and an gular wheel arches for enhanced aero dynamics. The class-leading longer wheelbase of 2,780 mm has shorter overhangs and offers a roomier in terior. For a better visibility, there is an additional PVC-fitted delta glass

between the A-pillar and side mirror and the quarter glass melded at the back. Furthermore, it has flag-type side mirrors that maximize the field of view while minimizing wind noise.

The rear has a straightforward yet sleek bumper and rear skid plate. Of course, there is the distinct Hsignature tail lamp, which spans the entire end. 16-inch diamond-cut al

loy wheels complement the overall exterior design.

Refined and Human-Centric Interior

THE interior design showcases the influence of “modern furniture” meshed with practicality, mimicking the comforts of home living. Access to the second and third rows is easy

thanks to better headroom, leg room, and shoulder room. There is a volumi nous, more expansive flat cargo space when seats are folded down. There are 31 storage spaces incorporated into the dashboard, center console, seat, and door trims. Notable ones are the ledge beneath the front air vents for essential small items, a transferrable cup holder guide at the center, a front row seatback table and pockets for snacks, booklets, or documents, and the luggage board that can be opened to organize trunk items better.

Highlighted at the center dash is an 8-inch touchscreen display with wireless phone projection for Apple Car Play and Android Auto. The 4.2inch TFT-LCD cluster displays a digital tachometer, speedometer, fuel indica tor, and the like. The intuitively also shows vehicle information and syncs with the four drive modes: Eco, Smart,

Comfort, and Sport. Moreover, there are two device holders and six char gers, including a wireless power char ger below the main AC panel.

Efficient and CarefullyEngineered

MOTIVATION comes from a 1.5-liter Smartstream gasoline engine generat ing 113 hp of power and 144 N-m of maximum torque mated with Intel ligent Variable Transmission (iVT).

The iVT is one of the brand’s flagship proprietary technologies configured to shift gears more responsively with less delay or lag. Smartstream is the nextgeneration powertrain line of Hyundai vehicles developed for optimal airflow, heat and friction control, more effective combustion, and reduced exhaust that better regulates gasoline consumption.

HMPH claims that the driving performance of the STARGAZER was

fine-tuned to the ASEAN region’s re gional climate and road conditions. It is evident through the excellent en gine output, precise handling, trustworthy braking, and top noise, vibra tion, and harshness (NVH) ratings.

Safety and Smart Technologies

THE new Stargazer offers many safety features with a highly rigid chassis made of high-strength steel. There is a sixairbag system (driver, passenger, side, and curtain) and Tire Pressure Monitor System (TMPS). This new MPV is also equipped with Hyundai SmartSense for safe driving, such as Forward CollisionAvoidance Assist (FCA), Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Blind-Spot CollisionAvoidance Assist (BCA), Safe Exit Warn ing (SEW), Driver Attention Warning (DAW), and High Beam Assist (HBA).

For convenience, Lane Follow Assist (LFA) utilizes the front-facing camera to recognize lane markers and controls the steering wheel so the vehicle stays in its lane. As for parking assistance, there is Rear Cross-Traffic CollisionAvoidance Assist (RCCA), Reverse Parking Distance Warning (PDW-R), and Rear-View Monitor (RVM). Addi tionally, there are assistive functions to prevent potential accidents, such as the Emergency Stop Signal (ESS) and Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC). Inter estingly, smart controls allow remote ignition to start and roll down or close the windows by simply pressing and holding down key fob buttons.

The new Stargazer 1.5 GLS Pre mium IVT retails at P1.218 million, while the 1.5 GLS IVT mid variant is at P1.128 million. The base model 1.5 GL IVT, meantime, is priced at P998,000. Colors available are Creamy White Pearl, Magnetic Silver Metallic, Dragon Red Pearl, and Midnight Black Pearl. HMPH also offers a 5-Year or 200,000-km (whichever comes first) warranty.

Vios Cup frees me like a bird

amid the challenges of the pandemic.

This shift led TMP’s transforma tion to become a mobility company. With this, we launched the myTOY OTA App—which we developed with the intention of providing customer convenience and upgraded consumers’ overall vehicle experience.

PRACTICALLY a hermit I was from March 2020 until recently— blame it on the pandemic—when I cut loose from prison-like life.   What triggered the escape was my coverage of the Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Vios Cup November 18 to 19 at the Clark International Speedway in Pampanga.

F inally, I was back in the groove, breathing air in open space anew, free as a bird soaring up high. It’s business as usual—again. What a relief.

“ It took a motoring giant like Toy ota to pluck you out of slumber land,” said Vernon B. Sarne, the irrepressible Visor Chief. Top-notch fotog Manny Nascimento smiled.

To say I was glad to see Vernon again, the Beatle bug like me and Danny “Sir John” Isla, plus many of my fellow motoring journalists, would be the understatement of the year.

I w as overwhelmed seeing my pals again, to say the least, them warmly welcoming me back, especially when AutoIndustriya’s Brent Co, the min ute he saw me, blurted out: “The leg end is back!”

M e a legend?  Sunshine Cabrera unbelieving.

Toyota president Hiro Okamoto re acted, like, he’d seen a ghost, his eyes

almost jumping out of their sockets.

Toyota top gun Vince Socco ges tured to me lovingly, arms spreadeagled, as though he hadn’t see me for ages.

Toyota executive Jing Atienza ushered me in warmly to our dinner table and, after a feast of Pampanga’s exquisite cuisine, we started killing Macallan, that ubiquitous single malt fare and fave of Clark Freeport top honcho Ed Pamintuan.

S herwin Chualim, another Toyota big shot, did his usual chore of spiritspouring, generously anew. Ah, Shawin. Here is his opening remarks on the eve of the Vios Cup Finals at the Hilton Clark, thanks to Shaina Semana.

Thank you all for being with us here today as we wrap up this sea son’s TGR Vios Cup. 2022 has been an eventful year for us as we continue our efforts that capture our vision of Mobility for All.

Over the years, consumer prefer ences and interests have been shaped by the changes in our society. Now, they don’t just buy cars as a vehicle but, more importantly, for the expe rience that it brings. For example, we quickly shift to digitalization which brought convenience in our daily life

As the next phase of further im proving customer ownership experi ence, we believe that connectivity is important to this improvement.  We see and acknowledge the customers’ need for an even better quality of service that will allow them to move connected.

“ With this, we are pleased to let you in on our newest suite of con nected services—myTOYOTA Con nect, which is a product of our aspira tion to let our customers experience enhanced mobility that only Toyota’s universe of products and services can offer. This suite will have several fea tures that will let you move with com fort, accessibility and peace of mind. All of which will bring the vehicle experience to the next level that will produce happiness for all.

Thank you and have a nice eve ning.”

PEE STOP Spencer Yu, president of SMC Asia Cars, says: “The BMW iX is the first battery-electric vehicle (BEV) that BMW introduced in the Philip pines. Public reception was overwhelm ing, a good step towards sustainable motoring that is one of our big values as a member-company of San Miguel Corp. We can expect more BEVs from BMW, and the iV is just the first.”

THE 2023 Hyundai Stargazer compact MPV with future-oriented exterior design