BusinessMirror November 30, 2023

Comelec bars Smartmatic from election bids B P V. M

P SENATOR Mark Villar (left) and Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual conduct a price and supply monitoring of Noche Buena items in two supermarkets in Divisoria, Manila on Wednesday, November 29, as consumers are expected to flock to supermarkets to buy goods for the holiday season. Story in A4 Economy. ROY DOMINGO

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OLL technology company Smartmatic Philippines Inc. is disqualified from participating in any bidding “in all Comelec procurement,” Commission on Elections Chairman George Garcia said on Wednesday.

The resolution from the En Banc stated: “Smartmatic Philippines, Inc. is disqualified and disallowed from participating in any public bidding process for elections, in the exercise of its administrative power to decide all matters affecting election and in pursuit of its constitutional mandate.”

However, Garcia clarified that

the decision to disqualify Smartmatic was not based on a disqualification petition filed earlier in June, but on serious allegations in a case filed abroad, indicating alleged bribery involving the poll technology firm.

The petition filed locally in June sought to bar Smartmatic from bidding for the poll system in future elections.

Petitioners accused the company of “serious and grave irregularities” during the 2022 National and Local Elections (NLE).

The petition was signed by former Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Undersecretary Eliseo MI-

jares Rio Jr., former Comelec Commissioner Augusto Cadelina Lagman, Franklin Fayloga Ysaac, and Leonardo Olivera Odono.

Smartmatic had a hearing before the poll body on October 17, claiming that petitioners were propagating “disinformation.”

The company addressed Comelec last Saturday, urging the poll body to junk the disqualification bid. (Related story: https://business-

mirror.com.ph/2023/11/27/smartmatic-tells-comelec-to-junk-disqualification-bid/)

In an earlier statement, Smartmatic denied the petitioners’ allegations, stating that their accusations are “unfounded, presented as

facts but lacking evidence.”

Based on ‘integrity’

EXPLAINING the Comelec ruling, Garcia said, “It’s not based on the allegations of Rio and company.”

Contrary to the petitioners’ claims, the resolution stated that En Banc saw “no irregularities attended the conduct of the 2022 NLE,” and that their allegations have been “addressed by the Commission at length.”

The En Banc affirmed that the results from the random manual audit were consistent in the results, and that the petitioners admitted

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Thursday, November 30, 2023 Vol. 19 No. 50

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B J E Y. A

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@jearcalas

HE state’s budget deficit in October plunged by more than one half on an annual basis to P34.4 billion as revenues expanded by a third, outpacing the growth of spending on an annual basis.

The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) said the national government’s budget deficit last month fell by 65.27 percent from the P99.1billion deficit recorded in October of 2022.

“This was underscored by a notable 33.56-percent rise in revenue collections, outpacing government expenditure growth of 8.32 percent,” the Bureau of Treasury (BTr) said on Wednesday.

With the October fiscal performance, the national government’s (NG) year-to-date budget deficit stood at P1.018 trillion, 8.45 percent lower than the P1.112-trillion recorded shortfall in the same period of last year.

The actual January-to-October budget deficit of the national government is now about 68 percent of its P1.499-trillion programmed deficit for the whole year of 2023.

Revenue performance

THE state’s revenue collection in October S “B,” A

TAPESTRY OF HOPE

In Antipolo City, sidewalk snack vendors cast silhouettes against the backdrop of colorful parol, reflecting the intertwining dynamics of economic challenges in the Philippines as the Christmas season kicks into full gear. This juxtaposition captures the resilience of local life amid broader uncertainties, painting a vivid tapestry where everyday businesses thrive against the backdrop of cultural richness. The enchanting display of Christmas lanterns not only adds a festive touch but also symbolizes enduring hope despite the complexities faced by the Philippine economy. BERNARD TESTA

PHL TO PUSH GLOBAL CLIMATE Arta pins hopes on Senate FINANCING, CITING OWN MODEL to clear P200-M fund hike B S P. M

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@sam_medenilla

OLLOWING the government’s successful implementation of domestic climate financing, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said he will push for the creation of a similar scheme at a global level during the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) this week.

“We will use this platform to rally the global community and call upon nations to honor their commitments, particularly in climate financing,” the chief executive said at the ceremonial turnover of the People’s Survival Fund (PSF) in Malacañang on Wednesday. During the event, the chief executive led the turnover of P541.44-million PSF to six lo-

cal government units (LGU).

The fund was used by its beneficiaries for climate field schools in Mountain Province, installation of drainage and early warning systems in Bukidnon, as well as embankment and infrastructure in Eastern Samar.

It was also tapped for an irrigation project in Isabela, mangrove rehabilitation project in Quezon, and water harvesting infrastructure also in Mountain Province.

Trailblazer

MARCOS said the PSF can serve as a model for the proposed Loss and Damage Fund (LDF), which will be discussed in the COP28 held in Dubai, UAE. “I leave for Dubai, in the UAE tomorrow S “PHL,” A

B A E. S J

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@andreasanjuan

HE Anti-Red Tape Authority (Arta) has pinned its hopes on the Senate to approve the P200-million increase in its budget for 2024 so it could expand the coverage of its regional operations across the country.

Out of the agency’s almost P800-million budget request, Arta Secretary Ernesto V. Perez said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) approved P280 million as its budget for 2024.

However, he noted that the House of Representatives inserted a P200-million increase in the agency’s budget for next year.

Currently, the Arta chief said the deliberation on the budget increase of Arta is now in the hands of the Senate.

“Nasa Senate na po ito nagkaroon na rin ng

final deliberation. Hopefully the Senate kasi submitted for decision na ng Senate ito. We’ll soon find out and hopefully the Senate will also endorse the recommendation...the insertion of the lower house to increase our budget by P200 million,” Perez told reporters on the sidelines of the Ease of Doing Business (EODB) Convention on Wednesday held in Pasay City.

According to the chief of the anti-red tape watchdog, the increase in the budget would be allotted to the expansion of its Regional Operations.

“We will use it to expand our Regional Operations because right now the regional operations of Arta is only composed of seven staff.

With that, we can increase the number of employees. We will increase our regional offices,” Perez said, adding that the agency aims to cover S “A,” A

PESO EXCHANGE RATES US 55.4590 ■ JAPAN 0.3761 ■ UK 70.4163 ■ HK 7.1135 ■ SINGAPORE 41.6672 ■ AUSTRALIA 36.8691 ■ SAUDI ARABIA 14.7867 ■ EU 60.9716 ■ KOREA 0.0431 ■ CHINA 7.7707 Source: BSP (November 29, 2023)

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News BusinessMirror

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Comelec...

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that the parallel count of poll watcher Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) matched the transmitted results.

Instead, the commission based the decision on “the gravity of allegations related to bribery and compromised procurement process.” The allegations also “threaten to erode the public’s confidence” in the electoral system.

“In light of these findings, the Commission acknowledges the imminent peril to the integrity and robustness of our democratic institutions,” the resolution stated.

“We have to maintain the integrity of our electoral process. Para sa Bayan [For the country],” said Garcia.

Following the decision, Smartmatic expressed “disappointment” over the disqualification in a recent statement.

“Smartmatic expresses profound disappointment in the decision made by the Commission on Elections [Comelec] to disqualify Smartmatic from bidding on the 2025 contract for election technology,” the company stated.

According to the company, no Smartmatic company has been indicted in any country in connection with any election or election-related contract. Smartmatic has been providing Comelec poll machines and technology since 2010, when the country first implemented an automated election law. The company has urged the poll body to conduct the search “independently,” and to show the public any indictment of Smartmatic, claiming that there are none in the United States.

“Over the course of these 15 years, as we contributed technology and services to Comelec, we have consistently adhered to all their procurement processes during biddings and contract execution. Our significant role has played a key part in establishing the Philippines as a global model for election integrity,” said Smartmatic.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

SC upholds Kazuo Okada ouster, lifts status quo ante

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B J R. S J

@jrsanjuan1573

APANESE gaming tycoon Kazuo Okada has lost control over the country’s largest hotel-casino, the Okada Manila Resort in Parañaque, after the Supreme lifted the status quo ante order (SQAO) it issued in April 2022 which he used as basis to regain ownership of Tiger Resort Leisure and Entertainment Inc. (TRLEI), the company that operates the establishment.

In a 14-page decision, the Court’s First Division held that Kazuo’s complaint—that was elevated before it following its dismissal by the Regional Trial Court of Parañaque City on November 16, 2018 and the Court of Appeals on September 24, 2020—was an election contest and has since prescribed.

The Court noted that the complaint was filed more than a year after the 15- day reglementary period under the Interim Rules of Procedure for Intra-Corporate Controversies (Interim Rules).

“The records show, however, that the complaint was filed on August 29, 2018 or more than one year after the conduct of the June 16, 2017 special stockholders’ meeting where the elections for the removal and the replacement of Kazuo as director, chairperson, and CEO [chief executive officer] of TRLEI were held,” the SC said in a resolution dated November 13, 2023 but released last Tuesday.

“Clearly, the complaint was filed beyond the 15-day prescriptive period for election contests. Consequently, the CA did not err in

characterizing Kazuo’s complaint as an election contest in its Decision dated September 24, 2020. “The CA properly affirmed the RTC’s dismissal of the complaint on the ground of prescription,” it added.

Lack of basis

LIKEWISE, the Court held that even if the complaint would be treated as a case for reconveyance of shares of stocks, its dismissal is still warranted due to lack of basis.

The SC said Kazuo was merely a nominal shareholder in TRLEI and had no control over Okada Holdings Limited (OHL) and its subsidiaries.

This was established, according to the Court, by the evidence submitted to the CA which was tasked by the SC to look into Okada’s ownership dispute.

It noted that the CA was able to verify that the one share registered in the name of Kazuo reflected in the TRLEI’s General Information Sheet (GIS) as of May 2017 was merely a nominal share under the TRAL deed of assignment.

However, the TRAL deed of assignment, had been revoked by Tiger Resort Asia Limited (TRAL) in June 2019 which resulted in the cancellation of Kazuo’s stock certificate in TRLEI. “On the other hand, Kazuo failed to prove that he was indeed the owner of the subject share. Thus, there are no shares of stock in TRLEI that Kazuo can legally and properly recover in this case,” the SC said.

Kazuo filed a complaint for Declaration of Nullity of Removal as a Stockholder, Director, and Officer and Reinstatement as a Stockholder, Director and Officer (Complaint) before the Parañaque RTC City on August 29, 2018 against TRLEI and its directors Manuel Lazaro, Kenji, Sugiyama, Wolstenholme, Antonio Cojuangco Reynaldo David, Yoshinao Negishi and Tiger Resort Asia Limited (TRAL) and its directors Kenshi Asano and Takako Okada.

He alleged that his removal as stockholder, director, chairperson, and CEO of TRLEI. was void for being. without authority and in violation of Section 28 of the Corporation Code.

Kazuo prayed that judgment be rendered declaring as null and void ab initio his removal as stockholder, director, chairperson, and CEO of TRLEI, and reinstating him to those positions.

He insisted that his complaint was not an election contest because his unlawful ouster as a stockholder of TRLEI was integral to his subsequent void removal as director, chairperson and CEO. After the trial court and the CA junked his complaint, Kazuo sought redress from the SC, which issued an SQAO pending the resolution of the CA’s study of the evidence in connection with Okada’s ownership.

The SQAO directed all parties in the case to observe status quo prevailing prior to Kazuo’s removal as stockholder, director, chairperson and chief executive officer of TRLEI. The Court said SQAO “is meant only to preserve Kazuo’s right as a beneficial owner of TRLEI during the pendency of the main case.”

“Given this Court’s resolution on the main petition, the SQAO must consequently be lifted,” the SC declared.

In August 2022, the SC referred to the CA for the reception of evidence on the factual matters related to the ownership dispute.

Among the evidence the CA was tasked to receive were: on the propriety of maintaining the SQAO in view of alleged developments in Tiger Resort Leisure and Entertainment Inc. (TRLEI) following Kazuo’s ouster, specifically, its financial condition and the alleged dissipation of its assets; supposed nonpayment of landlord, suppliers and contractors; TRLEI alleged intention to list Okada Manila International Inc., (OMI) in the United States; TRLEI’s purported plan to transfer its casino business permit to OMI; supposed waiver of TRLEI’s leasehold rights over the land on which Okada Manila is situated; and other acts claimed to be ultra vires (beyond the powers) and prejudicial to TRLEI. Likewise, the CA was tasked to determine the existence, authenticity, and accuracy of the translations of purported decisions of the Japanese and Hong Kong courts which allegedly effectively ruled that Kazuo has no control over OHL, the ultimate parent company of TRLEI, Okada Manila Inc. (OMI), TRAL (Tiger Resort Asia Limited) and UEC (Universal Entertainment Corp.), and as such, limit Kazuo’s ability to influence and control the affairs of TRLEI. “To aid this Court in resolving the matters raised by the parties in relation to the issuance of the SQAO, we deem it proper to refer the pending factual issues to the CA for its determination,” the SC said.

The Court stressed that “disruption was never the intent of the SQAO.” Several TRLEI officers who were forcibly removed from their posts during Okada’s takeover have filed criminal charges against the business tycoon and several other individuals for kidnapping, serious illegal detention, grave coercion and unjust vexation.

Budget...

year.

Meanwhile, the BOC’s net collection in October reached P77.9 billion, 3.83 percent higher than the P75.1 billion it posted in the same month of last year.

“This drove the agency’s overall JanuaryOctober collection to P738.3 billion, making up 84.46 percent of the P874.2 billion [fiscal year] 2023 target and improving by 3.47 percent or P24.8 billion from last year’s comparable performance,” the Treasury said.

The state’s non-tax revenues in October rose by 22.32 percent to P31.1 billion from P25.4 billion, as earnings by both the Treasury and other offices rose on a year-on-year basis.

The BTr’s earnings grew by nearly 27 percent to P16.8 billion from P13.2 billion last year.

“The favorable outcome for the period was primarily bolstered by the increased earnings on NG deposits, BTr’s managed funds, and the NG’s share from Pagcor income,” the Treasury said.

“The BTr’s [year-to-date] income amounting to P174.8 billion similarly grew by 22.31 percent or P31.9 billion year-on-year and already exceeded the P58.3 billion full-year program by almost threefold,” the Treasury added.

The Treasury said other non-tax revenues, such as privatization proceeds, rose by 17.25 percent to P14.3 billion from P12.2 billion in October last year.

C  A

reached P385.8 billion, 33.56 percent higher than last year’s P288.9 billion, as both tax and non-tax earnings rose on an annual basis.

“Cumulative collections from January to October also increased to P3.224 trillion, 9.41 percent or P277.4 billion better than the previous year’s achievement for the same period,” the Treasury said.

For the reference month, 92 percent of the total revenues came from tax collections, with both the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Bureau of Customs (BOC) posting increases in their earnings. Total tax revenues in October rose by almost 35 percent year-on-year to P354.7 billion from P263.5 billion last year.

Tax revenue attributable to the BIR during the month was estimated at P274.4 billion, 46.94 percent over last year’s P186.8 billion.

The Treasury traced BIR’s higher collection during the reference month to the value added tax (VAT) filings.

“The higher outturn for the period was attributed to the third quarter remittance of the Value-Added Tax returns due on October 25, 2023 by virtue of Memorandum Circular No. 5-20232, which was implemented starting January 2023,” the Treasury said.

From January to October, the BIR has collected P2.133 trillion already, about 80 percent of its programmed goal of P2.639 trillion for the

PHL...

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[November 30] to participate in the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change or what is more commonly known as COP28; we are once again poised to lead,” the President said.

The PSF, which has an initial P1 billion capitalization, was created by Republic Act No. 10174 to help local government units (LGU) and accredited local and community organizations implement measures for climate change adaptation, mitigation and disaster risk reduction measures.

“We can proudly say that the Philippines is a trailblazer in domestic climate finance for adaptation, showcasing our nation’s commitment to global environmental responsibility,” Marcos said.

Department of Foreign Affairs Assistant

State expenditures

THE national government’s expenditures in October grew by 8.32 percent to P420.2 billion from P387.9 billion, according to the Treasury.

Secretary Maria Teresa T. Almojuela said the President is set to deliver the national statement during the plenary sessions of the COP28.

“He will be number 11 of so many speakers in one of the plenaries; and in the same afternoon, after he has delivered the national statement, he will be attending a leaders’ session on transforming climate finance,” the DFA official said. She said the President is also expected to have a dozen bilateral meetings during the sidelines of COP28. Aside from the President, the country has 237 registered delegates at the event.

Trillions of funds

DENR Secretary Ma. Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said the government is eyeing to immediately tap the LDF and other financial sources since the country will need “trillions” of pesos to augment its existing PSF to achieve its emissions reduction targets.

Under the National Adaptation Plan (NAP), the government will initiate measures to bring down emissions in the energy and transport

Arta...

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all the regions in the country.

The eight regional field offices (RFOs) of Arta are located in Northern Luzon, Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, Eastern Visayas, Western Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Eastern Mindanao, and Western Mindanao.

Despite the agency’s “small” budget, Perez noed that they are still able to accomplish a lot with the backing of chambers of commerce.

For instance, during the EODB Convention on Wednesday, Arta inked Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI), and the Nordic Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (NordCham).

Last week, Perez said Arta inked an MOU with the Korean Chamber, and before that, with the Malaysian Chamber. In the future, he said the anti-red tape watchdog will also sign agreements with the European Chamber of Commerce and the American Chamber of Commerce.

“By entering into this Memorandum of Understanding we will make them champions so that their members who experience red tape will be able to let us know. And with Arta knowing, the members will no longer be apprehensive about being target of reprisals. Through the memorandum of understanding that we have signed we will capacitate them to refer any complaints by any of their members so that Arta can act accordingly,” Perez said, partly in Filipino.

For GPCCI’s part, President Stefan Schmitz said the collaboration with Arta is a “proactive step towards creating a more dynamic and competitive business landscape in the Philippines.”

NordCham Executive Director Jesper Svenningsen noted that while Nordic companies see the partnership with Arta as a “stepping stone” in attracting foreign investments, “we are looking forward to taking the next steps and making sure that our points of view are being heard and all the companies the we represent that they are also being heard and whatever bumps on the road [we see], Arta will help us...smoothen it out so business will be even better in the Philippines.”

Svenningsen added, “The improvements that are already done by ARTA are a very significant step and we see more interest for foreign investments in the PH from the Nordics; and I think this signing of the MOU today gives us another stepping stone to really take it to the next level.”

The Treasury attributed the year-on-year increase to better spending by various government agencies and larger interest payments.

“The expansion was mainly attributed to higher capital expenditures from the implementation of road infrastructure projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways, modernization program of the Department of National Defense, and foreign-assisted rail transport projects of the Department of Transportation,” the Treasury said.

“Larger interest payments, as well as maintenance and other operating expenses, particularly the expenditures of the Commission on Elections related to the conduct of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections, also contributed to the higher spending outturn,” the Treasury added.

The Treasury said the national government’s disbursements from January to October reached P4.242 trillion, about 81.12 percent of the P5.228 trillion program amount for the year.

“Primary expenditures [net of interest payments] amounted to P361.2 billion in October, reflecting a 1.83 percent [P6.5 billion] increase over last year’s comparable level. Total primary expenditures as of the end of October also rose to P3.722 trillion, 2.69 percent [P97.5 billion] higher versus last year’s P3.625 trillion,” it said.

“October [interest payments] reached P59.0 billion, 77.74 percent or P25.8 billion above the previous year’s level. [Year-to-date] IP of P519.1 billion likewise grew by 19.84 percent or P85.9 billion [year-on-year],” it added. and agriculture sector. It will also implement adaptation programs to ensure food security.

Loyzaga noted the talks regarding LDF will be a “long fight” due to contentions, on which parties must finance including top carbon emitting countries, international financial organizations and private sector philanthropists.

“It is extremely important that this becomes operationalized soonest, and that we are able to access it in a timely and locally-driven fashion,” Loyzaga said.

“We hope that this will come in the form of additional social development funding, funding for resilient infrastructure so that in fact, we can in fact avoid the kind of destruction that we are already facing and have faced in the past,” she added. The Climate Change Commission (CCC) earlier said it is hopeful the country will qualify for the LDF since the country, while contributing only a small fraction of the global carbon emissions, is among the most devastated by extreme weather events caused by climate change.

DENR said the country contributes less than 0.5 of one percent of global emissions.

Thursday, November 30, 2023

www.businessmirror.com.ph • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

LTO to hold nationwide multiple motor vehicle registration drives

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

T

HE Land Transportation Office (LTO) plans to conduct a nationwide caravan to encourage “delinquent owners to register their motor vehicles amid the strict implementation of “No Registration, No Travel” Policy.

According to LTO Chief Vigor Mendoza II, the agency will coordinate with the local government, particularly at the barangay level, to launch multiple motor vehicle registration campaigns. ”At the barangay level, it will be easier for our barangay officials to identify which and how many of their constituents have unregistered motorcycles and vehicles. That’s why we will be seeking their help on this matter,” he said.

Citing data from the LTO, Mendoza said around 24.7 million motor vehicles, mostly motorcycles, have expired motor vehicle registration. Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Calabarzon regions have the most number of delinquent motor vehicles.

“By conducting the motor vehicle registration caravan, we at the LTO show that we are not only about enforcement. We will bring the services of the LTO closer to our clients,” he added.

Mendoza noted that the LTO will “simplify” the entire registration process, including providing assistance to clients who have difficulty in using online platforms.

“This is an extra effort on our part at the LTO, but all the hard work will be worth it because what we are ensuring here is the road worthiness of the vehicles, which is the mandate of your LTO,” Mendoza said.

The LTO is currently conducting aggressive implementation of the “No Registration, No Travel” policy which has so far resulted in the apprehension of “hundreds of motor vehicles across the country.”

DOJ backs amnesty for rebel groups, but cites exceptions

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

T

HE Department of Justice (DOJ) has backed the decision of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to grant amnesty to members of various rebel and insurgent groups, but drew attention to the exceptions: those involved in heinous crimes such as terrorism.

The Justice department headed by

Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, in a statement, said Marcos Jr.’s move “will usher in a new era of peace and reconciliation in the Philippines” which the DOJ is committed to support.

“We affirm our commitment to the rule of law and understand the necessity of these measures in fostering peace and national reconciliation,” the DOJ said.

Last November 22, Malacañang issued Executive Order No. 47 signed by Executive

Secretary Lucas Bersamin, which amended EO No. 125 series of 2021 or the Creation of the National Amnesty Commission. E0 47 updates the functions of the National Amnesty Commission to pave the way for the processing of the applications for amnesty under Proclamation Nos. 403, 404, 405 and 406.

The proclamations granted amnesty to the members of Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade

Hamas releases last Pinay hostage on 5th day of truce

By Malou Talosig-Bartolome & Samuel Medenilla

the International Committee of the Red Cross in the Rafah border crossing between southern Gaza and Egypt.

Hours later, President Marcos Jr. formally announced her release.

“Just days after expressing concern for Noralyn Babadilla’s whereabouts, I am very happy to announce that Noralyn is safely back in Israel, becoming the second Filipino released from Gaza,” Marcos Jr. said.

A

S Israel and Hamas extended their truce, 12 more hostages—including a Filipino-Israeli woman—were released from captivity on Tuesday night (Wednesday morning Philippine time).

Noralin “Nataly or Nora” Agojo Babadilla, a 60-year old Filipina with Israeli dual citizenship, is the last Filipino captive released after being taken by the Hamas during the October 7 attacks in southern Israel.

Babadilla and her Israeli par tner, Gidon Babani, are from central Israel and happened to be visiting friends in Kibbutz Nirim in southern Israel when Hamas fired rockets and stormed kibbutzim. Her partner was killed.

Little was known about Babadilla’s fate as many of the houses in Kibbutz Nirim were burned down. The Israeli government had said they are assuming she was among the 240 hostages since after more than 30 days of searching, she could not be found.

She was held for 53 days in Gaza Strip, presumably under the clandestine network of tunnels that Hamas built in the enclave.

Last Sunday, OFW caregiver Gelienor “Jimmy” Pacheco was among the first

NORALIN BABADILLA FB PAGE PHOTO

hostages released on the first day of truce between Israel and Hamas.

“With this positive development, I am pleased to inform the nation that all Filipinos affected by the war have been accounted for,” President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said in a statement.

Announcement Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Dr. Majed Al Ansari first announced the release of 12 hostages including a Filipino national, without naming the hostage.

Qatar brokered the exchange prisoners and truce deal between Israel and Hamas.

Israeli media and social media sites identified and showed videos of Babadilla and other hostages being turned over to

PHL thanks Qatar, Egypt, ICRC

THE Department of Foreign Affairs also welcomed the release of Babadilla and once again thanked the Qatari government for helping negotiate her release.

“We extend our sincere thanks to the State of Israel for agreeing to the conditions which facilitated the release of more hostages including Ms Babadilla, and for all their assistance they have provided our nationals in Israel,” the DFA said.

Manila also “recognized the support and participation” of Egypt, the ICRC and other international organizations in the process.

“We remain committed to looking after the welfare of Filipinos affected by the ongoing conflict, and share the hope for the eventual cessation of all hostilities in the region,” the DFA said in a statement.

(RPMP-RPA-ABB); Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF); and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

The Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) has designated the CPP-NPA as a terrorist organization, including several of its underground groups .

The proclamations limit the amnesty grant to those who committed crimes in furtherance of their political beliefs in order

All accounted for

PRESIDENT Marcos, Jr. said all of the Filipinos affected by the Israel-Hamas conflic t, including those who were hostaged, have now been accounted for.

This after he announced on Wednesday in a post in his X (formerly Twitter) that Babadilla has been freed.

“Just days after expressing concern for Noralyn Babadilla’s whereabouts, I am very happy to announce that Noralyn is safely back in Israel, becoming the second Filipino released from Gaza,” Marcos said.

The President thanked Israel, Egypt and Qatar for their role in facilitating the release of the hostages.

He assured the two released Filipinos of aid from the government.

“I have entrusted our officials at the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv to attend to her needs in coordination with Israeli authorities,” Marcos said.

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) will also provide assistance to the two victims.

“We at the DMW vow to remain resilient and devoted to providing care and assistance to our dear OFWs and their families, especially those who wish to come home and be reunited with their loved ones,” DMW officer-in-charge Hans J. Cacdac said in a statement.

A3

to encourage them to reintegrate into society and contribute to the nation’s progress.

However, the DOJ stressed that the said proclamation does not extend to heinous crimes such as kidnap for ransom, massacre, rape, terrorism, and other gross violations of human rights.

“The DOJ will continue to enforce the law and ensure justice for the victims of heinous crimes,” the Justice department said.

The DOJ assured the public that its officials and prosecutors will ensure that the amnesty process is “fair, transparent, and respectful of the rights of all parties involved.”

Motorcycle RFID seen to cut motorbike crimes

S

EN. Joseph Victor Ejercito has asked Land Transportation Office-Traffic Safety Division officer-in-charge Danilo Encela to explain the use of the Radio Frequency identification (RFID) installed in motorcycles.

According to Encela, the RFID contains the basic information about the motorcycle concerned— the file number, plate number, chassis number and the engine number.

The Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights had conducted the second public hearing Wednesday, on Senate Bill No. 159 or the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act filed by Ejercito.

“With the RFID, the plate number cannot be transferred from one vehicle to the other.

But we can also put additional information in the RFID like the owner’s name or whether the vehicle has been tagged with alarm,” Ejercito explained.

Butch Fernandez

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • www.businessmirror.com.ph

Thursday, November 30, 2023

A4

Group to govt: Cancel China-backed projects

By Cai U. Ordinario

D

@caiordinario

eepening ties with China at a time of geopolitical tensions would be disadvantageous for the country, according to nongovernment organization Infrawatch Philippines.

Instead, Infrawatch PH Convenor Terry Ridon said the government should re-evaluate existing China-funded projects and consider the cancellation of Chinese financing for several big-ticket infrastructure projects.

“In the delicate game of international relations, economic dependencies can become geopolitical vulnerabilities. Our economic strategies should not leave us exposed to pressures from a nation that challenges our territorial sovereignty,” Ridon said.

Infrawatch said based on the list of foreign-assisted projects in the 2024 Budget of Expenditures and Sources of Financing, there are currently six major infrastructure projects financed through Chinese loans.

“Canceling these projects is a

definitive way to assert our national interests and sovereignty.

It sends a strong signal to Beijing that we are serious about defending our sovereignty,” Ridon said.

The projects with the highest cost is the PNR South Long Haul Project, the 380-kilometer railway will link Calamba in Laguna and Legaspi in Albay. The project, set to be constructed from 2016 to 2024, has a total price tag of P175.3 billion.

Infrawatch also said there are other projects listed for Chinese Official Development Assistance (ODA), such as the P80.528-billion Davao City Expressway Project, the P39.22-billion Ambal-Simuay River and Rio Grande de Mindanao River Flood Control Projects, and the P23.04-billion Samal Island Davao City Connector (SIDC) Project.

T he l ist a lso inc ludes t he

A train of the state-run Philippine National Railways (PNR) prepares to leave one of its Metro Manila stations in this BusinessMirror file photo.

P15.291-billion Priority Bridges crossing Pasig-Marikina River and Manggahan Floodway Bridges Construction Project, under the China Government Financing Facility and the P1.17-billion Metro Manila Flood Management Project, Phase I (MMFMP1).

Infrawatch said one project listed as a grant from China is now underway—the P4.2-billion China Aid Localized Project for Davao

River Bridge (Bucana Bridge).

Apart from these projects, there are several loan agreements tagged as “flagship projects” by the Department of Finance, including the loan agreement for the New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa Dam Project, the Chico River Pump Irrigation Project (programmed to be finished by 2022), and the Safe Philippines Project Phase 1, which has been scrapped in 2022 by the

Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Inf rawatc h a lso caut ioned against projects like the scrapped P20-billion Safe Philippines Project, which nearly allowed the installation of thousands of CCTV cameras by a Chinese firm in Manila and Davao City.

“This should be a wake-up call.

We must vigilantly guard against such agreements that threaten our

national security and sovereignty,” Ridon said.

Infrawatch issued the statement fol low ing Socioeconomic Pl a n n i n g S e c re t a r y A r s e n io Ba l isaca n’s recent st atement t h at sought to se pa rate t he Ph i l ippi nes’s econom ic re l at i o n s w it h C h i n a f r o m t h e ongoing ter r itor i a l d isputes.

Earlier, the chief of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said the Philippines cannot afford to wait for Chinese ODA to finance three railway projects.

The ODA from China has been eyed to bankroll the Philippine National Railways (PNR) South Long-Haul Project, the Mindanao Railway Project and the SubicClark Railway Project.

However, Balisacan said the government has yet to receive any commitment from the Chinese government regarding the status of Beijing’s pledge. Manila has not even received documents pertaining to these ODA, added Balisacan.

The Neda chief also said the Philippines “cannot delay the completion of these projects” because of the economic impact these projects can contribute to Mindanao or the Bicol region, home to a number of poor Filipinos.

Balisacan said these railways can spur regional development in the countryside that would be crucial not just for stimulating economic growth but also for poverty reduction.

Bangsamoro farmers, fishers undergo training on halal production DTI, lawmakers vow to tighten price monitoring of holiday items

By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox

D

avao City—The Bangsamoro Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform (Mafar) announced that it is training farmers and fishermen to make sure that halal practices are being observed down to where food is being produced.

The first training involving 35 farmers and fishers from Barangay Pakias of Bongao, Tawi-Tawi was held last November 25 and 26. The participants belonged

to or were facilitated by the Tarbilang Foundation Inc. (TFI), a Tawi-Tawi based nongovernment organization.

The “Training on Halal AgriFishery Production,” focused on the basic concepts and principles of Halal, animal health care and maintenance, and halal fishery good practices, the Mafar said.

It said it wanted to enhance the knowledge of local farmers and fisherfolks “and provide innovative insights in the trending and latest practices to boost their products and income.”

Mafar Tawi-Tawi Provincial Director Aidarus Nami and Municipal Officer Nurphy Ayub conducted the training.

Nami said that unlike in the past, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) would now reach the grassroots level.

“BARMM is working to ensure that all Bangsamoro will have equal opportunity for progress and development. I am also thankful to the participants for letting us serve you and sharing your time with us,” he added.

He t han ked t he Tarbi l ang Foundation “for initiating this collaboration for our farmers and fisherfolks because inclusive development is BARMM’s goal, meaning all of us are part of this development.”

TFI Executive Director Jurma Tikmasan also expressed her gratitude to the provincial director of Mafar Tawi-Tawi for the prompt approval of their request.

“We should be very happy because the BARMM government is with us, their support is felt by the people,” she said.

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

S

enator Mark Villar, chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship, on Wednesday led Department of Trade and Industry- officials (DTI) in their price monitoring activity of Noche Buena items sold at stores in Divisoria.

“Ngayong malapit na po ang kapaskuhan, kailangan na mas mahigpit ang ating monitoring ng mga presyo ng produkto upang masigurado na magiging masaya ang Pasko ng ating kapwa Pilipino,” Villar said.

The Senator joined DTI Secretary Alfredo Pascual and other DTI officials in inspecting food items usually present in the Filipino Noche Buena table. Some of these items include pasta packages, spaghetti and tomato sauce, sandwich spreads, and canned goods, among others.

They inspected whether these food items are following the 2023 Price Guide for Noche Buena products which was released by the Consumer Policy and Advocacy Bureau (CPAB) last November 21.

“Patuloy po tayong nakatutok

sa mga presyo ng bilihin ngayong kapaskuhan. Atin pong sisiguraduhin na sumusunod ang ating mga sellers sa price guide ng DTI,” Villar added.

He emphasized the importance of the regular price monitoring activities for the protection of consumers, which in part is in compliance with the Price Act. The senator said the Price Act ensures the availability of basic necessities and prime commodities at reasonable prices at all times while securing a fair return on investment for businesses.

“We are very festive people,” said Villar, adding that the annual celebration of Noche Buena is a fixture in the Filipino Christmas.

He said their price monitoring activity is being done to assist the DTI in giving protection to consumers for them to “celebrate in order and ensure that consumers have a happy Christmas celebration.”

At the same time, Villar, together with Pascual, called for the public’s help in reporting any merchant or vendor that is noncompliant with DTI’s SRP and quality standards.

For complaints, he advised the general public to call the DTI Hotline 1384 or to report this to any social media accounts of the

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Thursday, November 30, 2023 A5

A night of honor, tears, and hope

‘M

AKE It Iconic’ is the global slogan being used by France this year to celebrate the daring French spirit, reaffirming how this spirit is made concrete in the arenas of tourism, gastronomy, culture, education, science, the economy, and infrastructure through innovation and strategic partnerships across different global concerns and initiatives.

Acclaimed French actress Emmanuelle Beart (center, fifth from left) with (second from left) SM Supermalls’ President Steven Tan, Ambassador of France to the Philippines Her Excellency Marie Fontanel, Cameleon Association founder Laurence Ligier, and SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation President and Chairman Elizabeth Sy with the members of the Cirquera de Cameleon troupe.

Acclaimed French actress Emmanuelle Béart hugs the members of the Cameleon troupe, celebrating their resilience and courage.

Here in the Philippines, we witnessed a stirring example of how such a partnership can resonate in a touching, emotional, and socially impactful manner when the Embassy of France, SM Supermalls, and the French Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) operating in the Philippines, Cameleon Association, banded together for a special charity dinner.

Held at the Lanson Place, Mall of Asia, the dinner had several elements to highlight and recognize, but it was wonderful to note that the strongest spotlight of the night

was reserved for Cameleon and its 26-year old struggle to develop a holistic approach to act on the causes of sexual violence and incest towards Filipino children and teenagers. Protected by a culture of silence and how it’s considered a taboo subject matter, Laurence Ligier, the founder of Cameleon, disclosed how 1 in 5 children below 18 has experienced sexual violence during their upbringing - and this alarming data applies to France, as it does here in the Philippines.

That this evening was happening on the second day of the ongo-

Acclaimed French actress Emmanuelle Béart

SM Supermalls’ President Steven Tan

(L-R): Ambassador of France to the Philippines Her Excellency Marie Fontanel, actor Cesar Montano, acclaimed French actress Emmanuelle Beart, Film Development Council of the Philippines Chairperson Tirso Cruz III, and SM Supermalls’ President Steven Tan

(L-R): Nick Deocampo of the University of the Philippines (UP) Film Institute, internationally recognized Balai Palma chef Aaron Isip, Design Center of the Philippines Executive Director Rhea Matute, acclaimed French actress Emmanuelle Béart, SM Supermalls’ President Steven Tan, Ambassador of France to the Philippines Her Excellency Marie Fontanel, Makati City Mayor Abigail Binay, and Embassy of France Cultural Counsellor Marc Piton

The members of the Cameleon troupe perform for the guests.

(L-R): Embassy of France Cultural Attaché Martin Macalintal, Ambassador of France to the Philippines Her Excellency Marie Fontanel, acclaimed French actress Emmanuelle Béart, SM Supermalls’ President Steven Tan, and Embassy of France Cultural Counsellor Marc Piton.

Ambassador of France to the Philippines Her Excellency Marie Fontanel

ing 26th French Film Festival at the SM Cinema of Mall of Asia and Megamall until December 3, 2023, was so appropriate. Ambassador of France to the Philippines, Her Excellency Marie Fontanel, mentioned how one of the films being screened during the festival, the documentary “Un Silence Si Bruyant” (A Resounding Silence), tackles this very subject of incest in the context of contemporary French society. Directed by French actress Emmanuelle Béart and Anastasia Mikova, Béart had flown to the Philippines to present her film and was the special guest of the night.

The fact that this was happening on the weekend when we celebrate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Woman and Children was just one more element of serendipity, and how the stars had aligned to make this such a momentous occasion.

The dinner also served as the opportunity to continue a tradition that commenced last year during the 75th anniversary of Philippine-French Diplomatic Relations - and this was to honor Filipinos who had spent years in French education and had subsequently excelled in their respective fields.

The list of the 2023 awardees was a sterling example of the diversity and fruitfulness of this kind of education and cross-cultural exposure. There was filmmaker and film historian Nick Deocampo of the University of the Philippines (UP) Film Institute, internationally recognized Balai Palma chef Aaron Isip, Design Center of the Philippines Executive Director Rhea Matute, and SM Supermalls’ President Steven Tan. Entertaining video clips of the four awardees were presented, and it was lovely to watch Steven Tan

recount how he pursued his Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) at the Ecole Superieure de Commerce de Paris, and that his love for French cinema was nurtured back then, making the current partnership between SM Cinema and the Embassy of France’s French Film Festival so meaningful to him.

Isip is an alumnus of the renowned Le Cordon Bleu. Deocampo obtained a certificate of film from the Atelier du Formation Au Cinema Documentaire, and Matute obtained a master’s degree in International Brand Luxury Management at École Supérieure des Sciences Economiques et Commerciales (ESSEC) in Paris.

Hosted by French-Filipina Anne Gauthier and attended by a guest list led by Makati City Mayor Abigail Binay and SM Hotels and Conventions President Elizabeth Sy, the most meaningful points of the evening were undoubtedly the speech of Cameleon founder Ligier and her introducing the set piece of drama and movement that followed, as performed by the young women, men, and children who form part of the Cameleon population in Iloilo. Empowered by Cameleon and striving to right their lives, the performance was an incendiary reminder of what they had undergone, and a blazing testament to how they were not going to let the culture of silence get the better of them.

Béart interacted with the Cameleon troupe after their performance and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house, as the French actress went into long hugs with the young girls and children, promising them that she would continue the struggle to break this culture of silence. Cameleon founder Ligier did not mince her words when observing how ironic it is that the bulk of the financial support she gets for Cameleon’s operation here in the Philippines still comes from French donors. She fervently hoped that their participation in the evening would help build up awareness and lead to more support for their noble, uphill struggle of a cause. To cap the evening, SM Supermalls’ President Steven Tan led the spirit of giving by personally committing his support to Cameleon.

Cameleon Association Inc. can be followed on social media and they welcome donations. Cameleon is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as a non-stock, non-profit, and is accredited by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). It is also a Philippine Council for NGO Certification (PNCC)-accredited donee institution.

A6

BusinessMirror

Thursday, November 30, 2023

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

7 PRIME TECH, INC. 10/f Ewestpod, Eton Westend Square, Yakal St. Cor. Don Chino Roces Ave., San Antonio, City Of Makati

YANG, HAO Warehouse Logistics Manager 10.

EPENDI Indonesian Speaking Customer Service Officer 1.

Brief Job Description: Manage large amount of calls, and handle customer concerns.

Basic Qualification: Foreign language speaking.

2.

Brief Job Description: Perform data analyst and facilitate in delivery to all end users.

LIANG, ANDI Mandarin Speaking Technical Support Specialist 3.

Brief Job Description: Places software into production by loading software into computer.

YANG, YUN Mandarin Speaking Technical Support Specialist 4.

Brief Job Description: Places software into production by loading software into computer.

YOU, TAO Mandarin Speaking Technical Support Specialist 5.

Brief Job Description: Places software into production by loading software into computer.

6.

Brief Job Description: Develop and execute a comprehensive business development strategy to expand the market presence of the company. Identify potential clients and establish strong relationships with key stakeholders in the waste water treatment, petroleum, and pollution response industries.

ZHANG, SHOUHENG Warehouse Logistics Manager 11.

Basic Qualification: Good verbal and written communication skills in Mandarin language.

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

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

Basic Qualification: Good verbal and written communication skills in Mandarin language.

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

Basic Qualification: Good verbal and written communication skills in Mandarin language.

12.

7.

Brief Job Description: Contact regular customers to take orders and advice sales, introducing new products and promoting sales items.

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

13.

Brief Job Description: Chinese Marketing Specialists develop and execute effective marketing strategies to promote products or services.

9.

Brief Job Description: A key accounts specialist consultant is an individual dedicated to marketing, selling, and supporting a specific type of customer.

Brief Job Description: Manage all aspect of travel operations including reservations, ticketing and traveling coordination.

14.

LAW WEI CAI (LIU WEICAI) Security Lead Brief Job Description: Lead the security and SOC teams.

HE, YOUYANG Project Coordinator 19.

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

Brief Job Description: The primary function of a project coordinator is to make sure projects run smoothly. Coordinating project schedules, resources, equipment and information.

Basic Qualification: College graduate. With excellent ChineseMandarin language communication skills.

15.

Brief Job Description: Oversee the relationships of the company with Chinese clients and responsible for obtaining and maintaining long term key customers by comprehending their requirements.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 ZHANG, QINHUI Key Accounts Specialist Consultant

Basic Qualification: Ability to work under pressure and motivation to succeed in a competitive environment. Good communication and interpersonal skills. Able to speak and communicate in Mandarin language is an advantage. Must be an aggressive salesperson.

Basic Qualification: Can develop strong positive relationships with executive and management contacts. Can develop Annual revenue and sales plans for assigned location.

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

Basic Qualification: Good communication and interpersonal skills and able to speak and communicate in Mandarin language.

QIU, WEI Project Coordinator 20.

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

Basic Qualification: Proficient in Vietnamese language, excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate complex issues to internal and external customers.

Brief Job Description: The primary function of a project coordinator is to make sure projects run smoothly. Coordinating project schedules, resources, equipment and information.

ZHANG, TIANYONG Project Director

21.

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

Basic Qualification: College graduate. With at least 5 years of related work experience and knowledge of travel management processes.

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

Basic Qualification: Proficient in foreign language.

Brief Job Description: Oversee the relationships of the company with Chinese clients and responsible for obtaining and maintaining long term key customers by comprehending their requirements.

Brief Job Description: Provide strategic leadership and technical, operational, financial and managerial leadership for successful implementation of project activities.

Ensure that the program is technical sound, evidence-based and consistent with funder and stakeholders’ priorities.

WANG, CHAO Warehouse Supervisor 22.

Brief Job Description: Tracking and coordinating the receipt, storage, suitable inventory levels, evaluate, and reporting.

KALANE, NITIN SOPAN Sr. Product Specialist-Functional 23.

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

Brief Job Description: The primary function of a project coordinator is to make sure projects run smoothly. Coordinating project schedules, resources, equipment and information.

CHEN, WENMO Project Coordinator 18.

Brief Job Description: The primary function of a project coordinator is to make sure projects run smoothly. Coordinating project schedules, resources, equipment and information.

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

Basic Qualification: Must be willing to attend meeting, sales events and trainings to keep abreast of the latest developments. Must be willing to work on field.

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

Basic Qualification: College graduate. With previous work experience in pipeline/tunnel projects or a similar role.

Proficiency in Microsoft Office and project management software.

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

Basic Qualification: Degree in Business, Management Logistics, and at least 2 years of experience in warehouse and related field.

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

Brief Job Description: Payment solution design and implementation support. SWIFT implementation and message format knowledge and application. Experience on payment gateways and clearing schemes.

Basic Qualification: Expert in business setup, system setup, interface setup of GPP application: expertise start and stop. Queue Manager, Environment start and stop, clear message queues using Putty, IBM websphere.

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

Basic Qualification: Can develop strong positive relationships with executive and management contacts and able to speak and communicate using Mandarin language.

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

Basic Qualification: Can develop strong positive relationships with executive and management contacts and able to speak and communicate using Mandarin language.

CONCENTRIX DAKSH SERVICES PHILIPPINES CORPORATION Ground Floor 10th 11th And 19th Floor Giga Tower, Bridgetowne It Park Along C5 Road, Ugong Norte, Quezon City

KHONA, RAJUL Service Delivery Manager II 24.

Brief Job Description: Analyze and maintain all Client Service Level Agreements. Implement improvement plans as needed.

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

Basic Qualification: Must be willing to attend meeting, sales events and trainings to keep abreast of the latest developments. Must be willing to work on field.

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

Basic Qualification: Must be willing to attend meeting, sales events and trainings to keep abreast of the latest developments. Must be willing to work on field.

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

Basic Qualification: An Associate’s Degree in a related field with more than seven years of experience (with at least two years of Progressive Management Experience) is preferred.

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

CRONYX INC. 6-12, 15-19/f Royal Peak Tower A, 485 Quirino Avenue, Tambo, City Of Parañaque

25.

17.

Basic Qualification: Must be willing to attend meeting, sales events and trainings to keep abreast of the latest developments. Must be willing to work on field.

COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS PHILIPPINES, INC. 2nd, 3rd, And 4th Floors, Science Hub Tower 4 Bldg., Mckinley Hill Cyberpark, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

PHAM THI LY Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate

CAI, WENZHAO Project Coordinator

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

CHINA INTERNATIONAL WATER AND ELECTRIC CORP. (BRANCH OFFICE) 5/f, Two E-com Mall Of Asia Complex Bldg., Harbor Drive St., District 1, Barangay 76, Pasay City

C’EST LA VIE EVENT MANAGEMENT INC. 230, Narra Street, Marikina Heights, City Of Marikina

LIU, LINGHAO Key Accounts Specialist Consultant

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

LIN, BINGBING Key Accounts Specialist Consultant

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

BETUR, INC. (COINS.PH) 30/f Union Bank Plaza, Meralco Ave. Cor. Onyx Road, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig

16.

8.

Brief Job Description: Communicates effectively with our customer base - buyers, merchants and internal customers. Take appropriate action to identify and help minimize the risk posed by fraud patterns and trends.

HONG (SPOUSE OF WON), SEUNG SOON Operation Director

AM-PRO IMPORTS MARKETING CORP. 16e Residenza Suites, 429 Shaw Blvd., Addition Hills, City Of Mandaluyong

NAN, KUISHENG Chinese Marketing Specialist

Basic Qualification: Strong understanding of warehouse operations and procedures. Excellent organizational and timemanagement skills.

No.

BASE CAMP INTERNATIONAL TOUR INC. 2101 Madre Ignacia St., Malate 077, Barangay 701, Malate, City Of Manila

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

Basic Qualification: College graduate. With at least a decade of experience in working with PSC complexes, with a focus on waste water treatment, petroleum industries and pollution response in terrestrial and maritime environment.

Brief Job Description: Planning and managing logistics, warehouse, transportation and customer service.

TRINH THI THANH Invest SPC - TSE [VNM]

ALL DIRECTIONS TRAVEL AND TOUR INC. 1960, A. Mabini St., Barangay 701, Malate, City Of Manila

SU, KUNCAN Chinese Speaking Marketer

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

AMAZON OPERATION SERVICES PHILIPPINES INC. 4/f Unit 2c, One E-com Center Building Ocean Drive, Mall Of Asia Complex St., Barangay 76, Pasay City

Basic Qualification: Good verbal and written communication skills in Mandarin language.

ADVANCED BIOCATALYTICS PHILIPPINES INC. Unit 608 6/f Soliman Corporate Center, 2182 Don Chino Roces Ave., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati

WILLIAMS, TROY MICHAEL Chief Operating Officer

Brief Job Description: Are responsible for ensuring that the supply chain is efficient and effective throughout their organization.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

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

ACSTREAM MANAGEMENT INC. 9/f Sterling Centre, 131 Dela Rosa Cor. Ormaza Sts., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

ZHANG, HU Mandarin Speaking Data Analyst

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Brief Job Description: Identify and maintain new business opportunities and existing partners.

WANG, YUQI Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate 26.

Brief Job Description: Identify and maintain new business opportunities and existing partners.

HO YEE XUAN Chinese Speaking Graphic Designer 27.

Brief Job Description: Liaising with clients to determine their requirements, timescale and budget.

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

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

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

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

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

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

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

LE THI THUONG Chinese Speaking Graphic Designer 28.

Brief Job Description: Prepare rough drafts present ideas and conceptualize visuals based on requirements.

NANG MYAT PHOO NGOHN Chinese Speaking Graphic Designer 29.

Brief Job Description: Liaising with clients to determine their requirements, timescale and budget.

NGUYEN THI THANH MO Chinese Speaking Graphic Designer 30.

Brief Job Description: Prepare rough drafts present ideas and conceptualize visuals based on requirements.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Proven graphic designing experience. Good in verbal and written communication.

No.

LI, SHIPING Chinese Speaking Program Designer 41.

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

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

31.

Brief Job Description: Communicate overall design and approach to a team of programmers and create flowcharts, diagrams, other models, and programming instructions to guide programming team.

42.

32.

Brief Job Description: Liaising with clients to determine their requirements, timescale and budget.

Basic Qualification: Proven graphic designing experience. Good in verbal and written communication.

LUONG HONG VAN Chinese Speaking Program Designer 43.

33.

Brief Job Description: Managing HR records including, resumes, applicant logs, and employee forms.

34.

Brief Job Description: Managing HR records including, résumés, applicant logs, and employee forms.

CHUI JIA SIEN Chinese Speaking Program Designer 35.

Brief Job Description: Communicate overall design and approach to a team of programmers and create flowcharts, diagrams, other models, and programming instructions to guide programming team.

GUO, KANGFU Chinese Speaking Program Designer 36.

Brief Job Description: Collaborate with other IT specialists, technicians, etc., to deliver software solutions.

HE, KAI Chinese Speaking Program Designer 37.

Brief Job Description: Collaborate with other IT specialists, technicians, etc., to deliver software solutions.

JIANG, JUAN Chinese Speaking Program Designer 38.

Brief Job Description: Collaborate with other IT specialists, technicians to deliver software solutions.

KONG, YONG Chinese Speaking Program Designer 39.

Brief Job Description: Collaborate with other IT specialists, technicians to deliver software solutions.

LI, CHANGCHUN Chinese Speaking Program Designer 40.

Brief Job Description: Collaborate with other IT specialists, technicians to deliver software solutions.

Brief Job Description: Collaborate with other IT specialists, technicians, etc., to deliver software solutions.

MAC THI MINH HANH Chinese Speaking Program Designer

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

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

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

No.

ZHANG, GUOXIN Chinese Speaking Program Designer 55.

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

Basic Qualification: With experience in computer aided design and good in verbal and written communication.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Brief Job Description: Collaborate with other IT specialists, technicians, etc., to deliver software solutions.

ZHANG, LIANG Chinese Speaking Program Designer 56.

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

Brief Job Description: Testing and deploying programs and systems, verify and deploy programs and systems.

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

ZHANG, SHURAN Chinese Speaking Program Designer 57.

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

Brief Job Description: Testing and deploying programs and systems, verify and deploy programs and systems.

NGUYEN THI KHANH LY Chinese Speaking Program Designer

Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and previous experience working in human resources.

48.

49.

50.

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

Brief Job Description: Collaborate with other IT specialists, technicians, etc., to deliver software solutions.

THONG COOC THAI Chinese Speaking Program Designer 51.

Brief Job Description: Collaborate with other IT specialists, technicians to deliver software solutions.

TU, WENBIN Chinese Speaking Program Designer 52.

58.

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

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

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

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

Brief Job Description: Testing and deploying programs and systems, verify and deploy programs and systems.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

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

Basic Qualification: With experience in computer aided design and good in verbal and written communication.

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

Basic Qualification: With experience in computer aided design and good in verbal and written communication.

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

Brief Job Description: Collaborate with other IT specialists, technicians to deliver software solutions.

WEI, GAI Chinese Speaking Program Designer 53.

Brief Job Description: Communicate overall design and approach to a team of programmers; create flowcharts, diagrams, other models, and programming instructions to guide programming team.

WU, ZHIQIANG Chinese Speaking Program Designer 54.

Brief Job Description: Collaborate with other IT specialists, technicians to deliver software solutions.

Basic Qualification: With experience in computer aided design and good in verbal and written communication.

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

DEXIN INTERNATIONAL IMPORT AND EXPORT CORP. 534, Tomas Mapua St., Barangay 298, Santa Cruz, City Of Manila

59.

LIAO, YINGXIANG Chinese Cargo Office Agent

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in Chinese documentation.

Brief Job Description: Prepare airline and custom documentation.

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

DIGICHROM INC. 25/f Yuchengco Tower, Rcbc Plaza, 6819 Ayala Ave. Cor. Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati

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

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

60.

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

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

61.

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

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

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

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

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

KHONG MINH CHI Vietnamese Speaking Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Immediately escalating serious complaints or issues.

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

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

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming and outgoing calls, chats, and emails.

TANG THI PHUNG Vietnamese Speaking Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Immediately escalating serious complaints or issues.

BAKIROVA, IULIIA Customer Service Associate 63.

Brief Job Description: Confirm bookings from allotment and framed free sale.

SUAREZ CAMACHO, CHRISTIAN Customer Service Associate 64.

Brief Job Description: Confirm bookings from allotment and framed free sale.

65.

Brief Job Description: Liaising with clients to determine their requirements, timescale and budget.

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

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

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

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

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in Vietnamese language.

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

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in Vietnamese language.

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin Chinese and English languages (verbal and written).

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin Chinese and English languages (verbal and written).

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

DYNAMIC STUDIO TECHNOLOGY INC. 5th To 8th/f & 10th/f Platinum Tower Building, Aseana Ave. Cor. Fuentes Street, Baclaran, City Of Parañaque

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

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading, and writing in Mandarin language.

DOTW SHARED SERVICES INC. Citynet 1 Unit G-10, 183 Edsa, Wack-wack Greenhills, City Of Mandaluyong

MYO MIN TUN Chinese Speaking Graphic Designer

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

Brief Job Description: Collaborate with other IT specialists, technicians, etc., to deliver software solutions.

TAN, JIANZHEN Chinese Speaking Program Designer

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

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

Brief Job Description: Collaborate with other IT specialists, technicians, etc., to deliver software solutions.

SAI KUM HLAING NOM Chinese Speaking Program Designer

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

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

ZHAO, ZHE Chinese Speaking Program Designer

62.

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

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

Brief Job Description: Collaborate with other IT specialists, technicians, etc., to deliver software solutions.

PENG, YICHAO Chinese Speaking Program Designer

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

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

Brief Job Description: Collaborate with other IT specialists, technicians to deliver software solutions.

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

JIANG, YUH-FANN Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

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

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

Brief Job Description: Collaborate with other IT specialists, technicians to deliver software solutions.

MYINT MYINT Chinese Speaking Program Designer

Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and previous experience working in human resources.

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

Brief Job Description: Communicate overall design and approach to a team of programmers and create flowcharts, diagrams, other models, and programming instructions to guide programming team.

MENG, XIANGCHAO Chinese Speaking Program Designer

47.

YI, SHANGDI Chinese Speaking HR Associate

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

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

46.

E, DONGYANG Chinese Speaking HR Associate

Brief Job Description: Testing and deploying programs and systems, verify and deploy programs and systems.

A7

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

45.

TRAN DUC TAI Chinese Speaking Graphic Designer

Brief Job Description: Communicate overall design and approach to a team of programmers; create flowcharts, diagrams, other models, and programming instructions to guide programming team.

LI, TIANYUAN Chinese Speaking Program Designer

44.

NGUYEN VAN SONG Chinese Speaking Graphic Designer

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Thursday, November 30, 2023

JIANG, JIAHAO Chinese Speaking Admin Associate 66.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing overall administrative support to the team he/ she will be assigned to.

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

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

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

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

BusinessMirror

Thursday, November 30, 2023

A6 A8

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

67.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

AM LWE Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

Brief Job Description: Identify and maintain new business opportunities and existing partners.

DU, CHONG Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate 68.

Brief Job Description: Identify and maintain new business opportunities and existing partners.

LIU, GUANGZHEN Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate 69.

Brief Job Description: Assist with drafting business plans, sales pitches, presentations, reference material and other documents as required.

TANG, JUNJIAN Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate 70.

Brief Job Description: Identify and maintain new business opportunities and existing partners.

VU VAN TUYEN Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate 71.

Brief Job Description: Identify and maintain new business opportunities and existing partners.

WU, JIABAO Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate 72.

Brief Job Description: Assist with drafting business plans, sales pitches, presentations, reference material and other documents as required.

CAO, KAI Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 73.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

Brief Job Description: Gather data and capture the information into databases.

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

No.

LIAO, YONGYOU Chinese Speaking Graphic Designer 80.

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

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

81.

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

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

Basic Qualification: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, strong organization and project management skills.

82.

Brief Job Description: Liaising with clients to determine their requirements, timescale, and budget.

WU, HONGLIANG Chinese Speaking Graphic Designer 83.

Brief Job Description: Prepare rough drafts and present ideas and conceptualize visuals based on requirements.

CHEN, PEIZHI Chinese Speaking HR Associate 84.

Brief Job Description: Managing HR records including, résumés, applicant logs, and employee forms.

HE, MAOXIONG Chinese Speaking HR Associate 85.

Brief Job Description: Managing HR records including, résumés, applicant logs, and employee forms.

AYE KHET Chinese Speaking Program Designer 86.

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

Brief Job Description: Managing HR records including, résumés, applicant logs, and employee forms.

CHI, QUAN Chinese Speaking Program Designer FU, JIANSHENG Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 74.

Brief Job Description: Entering and updating information into relevant databases.

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

87.

Brief Job Description: Collaborate with other IT specialists, technicians, etc., to deliver software solutions.

75.

Brief Job Description: Gathering invoices, statements, reports, personal details, documents, and information from employees, other departments and clients.

76.

Brief Job Description: Gathering invoices, statements, reports, personal details, documents, and information from employees, other departments and clients.

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

88.

77.

Brief Job Description: Prepare rough drafts and present ideas and conceptualize visuals based on requirements.

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

SUN, HAIBO Chinese Speaking Program Designer

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

Brief Job Description: Testing and deploying programs and systems, verify and deploy programs and systems.

ZENG, ZHAOXING Chinese Speaking Program Designer

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

Basic Qualification: Proven graphic designing experience. Good in verbal and written communication.

Brief Job Description: Communicate overall design and approach to a team of programmers and create flowcharts, diagrams, other models, and programming instructions to guide programming team.

Brief Job Description: Communicate overall design and approach to a team of programmers and create flowcharts, diagrams, other models, and programming instructions to guide the programming team.

78.

Brief Job Description: Liaising with clients to determine their requirements, timescale and budget.

HOANG, VAN HOAN Chinese Speaking Graphic Designer 79.

Brief Job Description: Liaising with clients to determine their requirements, timescale and budget.

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

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

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

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

SHI, YUANYANG Senior Marketing Specialist 93.

EXCELLENT JNGR RESTO FOOD CORP. (ROYAL INDIAN CURRY HOUSE) G/f-5/f, 5345 Gen. Luna St., Poblacion, City Of Makati

RANA, ALEJANDRA SINGH Procurement Coordinator 94.

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

Brief Job Description: Ensure vendors follow delivery schedules and product details.

Basic Qualification: Passionate about working with food.

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

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

Basic Qualification: Proven graphic designing experience, and good in verbal and written communication.

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

95.

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

96.

97.

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

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

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

NGUYEN THE CUONG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Assisting clients by providing information or services.

WANG, DANHUA Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Assisting clients by providing information or services.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in verbal and written Mandarin and English languages.

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in verbal and written Mandarin and English languages.

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

GENPACT SERVICES LLC 5f Genpact Bldg., Cyberzone Northgate, Alabang, City Of Muntinlupa

MORALES, OSWALDO Operations Manager

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

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

Basic Qualification: College graduate. With excellent people and communication skills.

FLYING DRAGON NETWORK PHILIPPINES INC. Malate Bayview Mansion, 1781 M. Adriatico Street. 076, Barangay 699, Malate, City Of Manila

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

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

Brief Job Description: Effectively manage the training budget. Evaluate organizational performance to ensure that training is meeting business needs and improving performance.

98.

Brief Job Description: Lead a team with managers and supervisors in day-to-day functions, including directing, planning, supervising and evaluating the work of assigned staff coordinates work flow to achieve the volume expected to meet operational requirements.

Basic Qualification: Relevant BPO management experience, and relevant experience in healthcare/ insurance background is a must.

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

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

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

99.

Brief Job Description: Driving the business toward revenue acceleration and cost reduction targets manage reporting, automation and process initiatives across talent match.

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree or higher, preferably in operations or finance and strong experience excel skills.

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

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

Basic Qualification: With experience in computer aided design, and good in verbal and written communication.

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

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

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

100.

101.

SHEN, JING Chinese Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Foreign language speaking.

Brief Job Description: Manage large amount of incoming phone calls.

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

ZHENG, YANYING Chinese Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Foreign language speaking.

Brief Job Description: Manage large amount of incoming phone calls.

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

HANDOKO Indonesian Account Specialist

91.

Brief Job Description: Researches and develops various marketing strategies for products and services and implements marketing plans and works to meet sales quotas.

Basic Qualification: Can contribute information, ideas, and research to help develop marketing strategies and can help to detail, design, and implement marketing plans for each product or service being offered.

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

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

Basic Qualification: Proven graphic designing experience. Good in verbal and written communication.

Basic Qualification: Can work harmoniously with executive team such as the marketing director or managing director to set the marketing strategy for the business. Must be willing to hire and manage junior marketing team that includes PR and creative staff. Able to speak and communicate using Mandarin language is an advantage Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

Basic Qualification: Proven graphic designing experience. Good in verbal and written communication.

Brief Job Description: Looking after the budget of the marketing department and making sure the budget spend is delivering a return on investment. Managing the design and production of promotional materials, such as websites and brochures.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

EASTERN GOLD CORPORATION 503, Nueva St., Barangay 289, Binondo, City Of Manila

KHOO SIOW CHI Marketing And Sales Agent HE, ZHENZHONG Chinese Speaking Graphic Designer

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

GIGA INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT INC. 2/f Lipam’s Building, 40 Presidents Avenue, B. F. Homes, City Of Parañaque

90.

FU, LIU Chinese Speaking Graphic Designer

No.

BHATIA, SUKHPREET Support Function Leader

89.

ZAW LIN TUN Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 SHI, CHANGGANG Chinese Speaking Program Designer

LUO, WENTING Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

MANVIRENDRA SINGH Restaurant Training Specialist

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

Basic Qualification: Ability to concentrate for lengthy periods. Good in verbal and written communication.

Brief Job Description: Liaising with clients to determine their requirements, timescale, and budget.

WAN, LI Chinese Speaking Graphic Designer

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

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

Brief Job Description: Liaising with clients to determine their requirements, timescale, and budget.

NG CHENG EN Chinese Speaking Graphic Designer

Basic Qualification: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, strong organization and project management skills.

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

www.businessmirror.com.ph

LIANG, ZHANHONG Marketing And Sales Agent 92.

Brief Job Description: Researches and develops various marketing strategies for products and services and implements marketing plans and works to meet sales quotas.

Basic Qualification: Can contribute information, ideas, and research to help develop marketing strategies and can help to detail, design, and implement marketing plans for each product or service being offered.

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

102.

103.

104.

Brief Job Description: Prepares work to be processed by gathering, sorting, organizing, and recording data, information, and documents.

YIULI SURYATIN Indonesian Account Specialist Brief Job Description: Maintaining hardware and software installations.

STEVEN Indonesian Financial System Consultant Brief Job Description: Maintaining hardware and software installations.

Basic Qualification: Foreign language speaking.

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

Basic Qualification: Exceptional ability to provide technical support and resolve queries.

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

Basic Qualification: Exceptional ability to provide technical support and resolve queries.

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

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

105.

106.

107.

108.

109.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ERIC KOERNIAWAN Indonesian IT Support Specialist Brief Job Description: Maintaining hardware and software installations.

GOVINDA Indonesian IT Support Specialist Brief Job Description: Maintaining hardware and software installations.

HANSEN HIMAWAN Indonesian IT Support Specialist Brief Job Description: Maintaining hardware and software installations.

RUSLAN MARWAN Indonesian IT Support Specialist Brief Job Description: Maintaining hardware and software installations.

TONNY JON Indonesian IT Support Specialist Brief Job Description: Maintaining hardware and software installations.

RIVALDY Indonesian Retention Specialist 110.

Brief Job Description: Collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate digital strategies into product deliverables.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Exceptional ability to provide technical support and resolve queries.

Basic Qualification: Exceptional ability to provide technical support and resolve queries.

111.

Brief Job Description: Writing daily reports, preparing general ledgers, trial balance, and other financial statements.

112.

Brief Job Description: Develop the overall strategy and plan for the delivery and service of the digital power business in Philippines.

YU, DAWEI IT Expert For Union Bank Cloud Project 113.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for infrastructure upgrade and digital transformation solutions for the financial industry.

118.

Brief Job Description: Referring customers to individuals qualified to offer and sell regulated financial products.

Basic Qualification: Exceptional ability to provide technical support and resolve queries.

HOANG VAN HUONG Customer Service Representative 119.

Brief Job Description: Provide outstanding and exceptional customer service.

Basic Qualification: Exceptional ability to provide technical support and resolve queries.

HUYNH KIM YEN Customer Service Representative 120.

Brief Job Description: Provide outstanding and exceptional customer service.

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

Basic Qualification: Exceptional ability to provide technical support and resolve queries.

MENG, XINYI Customer Service Representative 121.

Brief Job Description: Provide outstanding and exceptional customer service.

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

Basic Qualification: Foreign language speaking.

PHO, THU BINH Customer Service Representative 122.

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

Brief Job Description: Provide outstanding and exceptional customer service.

SONG, HUA Customer Service Representative 123.

Basic Qualification: With experience as Business Financial or Equivalent. Good in verbal and written communication.

CHEN WEI KIE Malaysian Customer Service Representative 115.

Brief Job Description: Maintain proper records of all transactions/ complaints that have taken place.

TEO YAH SENG Malaysian Customer Service Representative 116.

Brief Job Description: Maintain proper records of all transactions/ complaints that have taken place.

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

YULLI Indonesian Customer Service Representative 131.

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

Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problem.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Graduate of 4 years bachelor degree with critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

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

NEO INCORPORATED North Tower Centrum Bldg., Aseana Avenue, Entertainment City, Baclaran, City Of Parañaque

Basic Qualification: Can speak Chinese/ Mandarin language fluently.

WANG, XING Chinese Speaking Admin Associate 132.

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

Brief Job Description: Provide outstanding and exceptional customer service.

Basic Qualification: Can speak Chinese/ Mandarin language fluently.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for many clerical tasks to ensure the staff can communicate.

ARR SHOUNT Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate 133.

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

Brief Job Description: Identify and maintain new business opportunities and existing partners.

Basic Qualification: Can speak Chinese/ Mandarin language fluently.

BE THI BICH PHUONG Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate

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

134.

Basic Qualification: Can speak Chinese/ Mandarin language fluently.

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

Brief Job Description: Identify and maintain new business opportunities and existing partners.

HO CUN BAU Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate 135.

Brief Job Description: Assist with drafting business plans, sales, pitches, presentations, reference material and other documents as required.

Basic Qualification: Can speak Chinese/ Mandarin language fluently.

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

HOANG THI MAI Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate 136.

MPOTECH DIGITAL SYSTEM INC. 2/f 331 Bldg., Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati

Brief Job Description: Assist with drafting business plans, sales, pitches, presentations, reference material and other documents as required.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 ANDRA Indonesian Customer Service Representative 124.

Basic Qualification: Has at least 5 years work experience holding a senior managerial role for digital delivery and service management.

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

Basic Qualification: With at least 5 years work experience as an IT expert in the financial technology field. Knowledgeable in public cloud, private cloud, hybrid cloud, big data, artificial intelligence, network, storage, security, and data center.

Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problem.

ANGGIE WIYANIPUTRI Indonesian Customer Service Representative 125.

Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problem.

CALVIN RAHAJA Indonesian Customer Service Representative 126.

Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problem.

CARINA FADILLAH AFRIANTO Indonesian Customer Service Representative 127.

Brief Job Description: Forecast hiring needs and ensure recruitment process runs smoothly.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

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

IDEAL FOCUS SERVICES INC. 24/f Pbcom Tower, 6795 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a. Rufino, Bel-air, City Of Makati

114.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

MARKETROLE ASIA PACIFIC SERVICES, INC. 27/f & 28/f The Enterprise Center Tower 1, 6766 Ayala Ave. Cor. Paseo De Roxas, San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

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

CHIN JIA XI Bilingual HR Specialist

Basic Qualification: Proficient in foreign language.

Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problem.

Basic Qualification: Graduate of 4 years bachelor degree with critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

KELVIN KUA MENG HEE Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate 137.

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

Basic Qualification: Graduate of 4 years bachelor degree with critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

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

Basic Qualification: Graduate of 4 years bachelor degree with critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

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

Basic Qualification: Graduate of 4 years bachelor degree with critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

138.

Brief Job Description: Assist with drafting business plans, sales, pitches, presentations, reference material and other documents as required.

LI, WEIJIA Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate Brief Job Description: Collating and maintaining client information.

VI THI HUYEN Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate 139.

Brief Job Description: Identify and maintain new business opportunities and existing partners.

VU THI THAO Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate 140.

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

Brief Job Description: Assist with drafting business plans, sales, pitches, presentations, reference material and other documents as required.

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

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

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

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

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

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

Basic Qualification: Excellent written and verbal communication skills. With strong organization and project management skills.

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

Basic Qualification: Excellent written and verbal communication skills. With strong organization and project management skills.

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

Basic Qualification: Excellent written and verbal communication skills. With strong organization and project management skills.

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

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

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

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

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

Basic Qualification: Excellent written and verbal communication skills. With strong organization and project management skills.

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

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

Basic Qualification: Excellent in the Malaysian language.

CHAIRINA Indonesian Customer Service Representative 128.

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

Basic Qualification: Excellent in the Malaysian language.

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

Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problem.

DANDI SUANDI Indonesian Customer Service Representative 129.

Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problem.

Basic Qualification: Graduate of 4 years bachelor degree with critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

PHAM XUAN SON Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 141.

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

Basic Qualification: Graduate of 4 years bachelor degree with critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Brief Job Description: Entering and updating information into relevant databases.

WAISNY DINO Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 142.

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

Brief Job Description: Entering and updating information into relevant databases.

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

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

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

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

INTERGENERATION PRIME HOLDING INC. 11/f Tower 1 The Enterprise Center, 6766 Ayala Ave. Cor, Paseo De Roxas, San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

HE, XINRONG Chinese Speaking Business Financial Officer 117.

Brief Job Description: Writing daily reports, preparing general ledgers, trial balance, and other financial statements.

A9

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

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

ZHANG, BANGQIN Delivery And Service Director For Philippines Digital Power Delivery And Service

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

WANG, SHUAN Chinese Speaking Customer Financial Officer

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

GRAND EVEREST HOLDING INC. 17/f M1 Tower, 141 H.v. Dela Costa St., Bel-air, City Of Makati

ZHANG, QIAO Chinese Speaking Business Financial Officer

No.

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

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

GOUW EDWINA Indonesian Customer Service Representative 130.

Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problem.

Basic Qualification: Graduate of 4 years bachelor degree with critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

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

KHIN THIDAR NYEIN Chinese Speaking Graphic Designer 143.

Brief Job Description: Liaising with clients to determine their requirements, timescale and budget.

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

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

BusinessMirror

A10 A6 Thursday, November 30, 2023

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ME VAN QUAN Chinese Speaking Graphic Designer 144.

Brief Job Description: Liaising with clients to determine their requirements, timescale and budget.

NGUYEN THI NGA Chinese Speaking Graphic Designer 145.

Brief Job Description: Liaising with clients to determine their requirements, timescale and budget.

MA, SUODI Chinese Speaking HR Associate 146.

Brief Job Description: Responding to HR-related queries within the company.

TIAN, JUNQI Chinese Speaking HR Associate 147.

Brief Job Description: Managing HR records including resume’, applicant logs and employee forms.

DO, THI THUY Chinese Speaking Program Designer 148.

Brief Job Description: Collaborate with other IT specialists, technicians, etc., to deliver software solutions.

HOANG VAN CUONG Chinese Speaking Program Designer 149.

Brief Job Description: Collaborate with other IT specialists, technicians to deliver software solutions.

NGUYEN THI NA Chinese Speaking Program Designer 150.

Brief Job Description: Collaborate with other IT specialists, technicians to deliver software solutions.

ZHOU, CONG Chinese Speaking Program Designer 151.

Brief Job Description: Collaborate with other IT specialists, technicians to deliver software solutions.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

152.

153.

154.

155.

156.

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

FU, WEIJIE Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

LYU, HUIYUAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

MA, XIONGFENG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

NIU, SHUIQING Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

157.

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

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

158.

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

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

159.

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

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

160.

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

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

161.

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

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

162.

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

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

163.

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

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience. Good in verbal communication and written.

164.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

TAN, WEIBIN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

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

DA CRUZ BARROS, LEONARDO Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

DA SILVA, ALISSON FRANCISCO Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

FERRAZ MARTINS DOS SANTOS, MARIANA Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

SANTOS MONTEIRO, HUGO Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

WINI, BENVINDO COSTA P WATATA Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

YOSHIOKA, TAKU Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

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

NEW ORIENTAL CLUB88 CORPORATION Sky Garage Bldg., Aseana Avenue, Entertainment City, Tambo, City Of Parañaque 1331 Pearl Plaza Bldg., 133 Quirino Ave., Tambo, City Of Parañaque

CHEN, TAO Chinese Customer Service

No.

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

165.

166.

167.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

168.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

169.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

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

170.

CHRISTINA Indonesian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

DIVALDO ZHANGRINTO Indonesian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

EDI Indonesian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

FERY CENDRA Indonesian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

JOHAN Indonesian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

RICCY PUTRA JULIANTO Indonesian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

No.

171.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

172.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

173.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

174.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

175.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

176.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

177.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

178.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

179.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

180.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

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

181.

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

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

182.

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

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

183.

184.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

CHIN IUAN JEE Malaysian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

WONG SUIT FONG Malaysian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

HNIN HNIN WAI Myanmari Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

MYO LATT Myanmari Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

SAI KHANT THET PAING Myanmari Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

SAETONG, AEKKAMON Thai Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

DAO, VAN THANH Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

GIEP NGOC MAI Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

HOANG, NONG QUYNH Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

LE, VAN TUAN Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

NGUYEN BAO TRUNG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

NGUYEN HUYNH NHU Y Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

NGUYEN THI NGHIA Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

NGUYEN THI OANH Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

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

Basic Qualification: Kn Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

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

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

185.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

NGUYEN, QUANG TIEN Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

No.

186.

187.

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

CAI, JIXIAN Finance Director

NGUYEN, THI PHUONG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

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

Brief Job Description: Develop and control the company’s annual operating budget objectives by providing advice and guidance on financial strategy.

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

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

188.

189.

190.

191.

192.

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

PHAM VAN TUNG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

THAM, HINH CHANH Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

TRINH, THI THU Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

VAN, THI BICH NGOC Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

199.

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

Brief Job Description: Manage and supervise facility development and image enhancement projects. Coordinate logistics and communication between clients, vendors, and stakeholders. Follow all state and safety requirements to implement good safety conditions at work site.

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

LIU, ZHAOEN Chinese Construction Technician

200.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

Basic Qualification: Impressive leadership, communication and presentation skills.

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

Basic Qualification: Able to speak and communicate using Mandarin language is an advantage. Able to explain problems simply and clearly.

Proficient in MS. Manage and supervise facility development and image enhancement projects.

Coordinate logistics and communication between clients, vendors, and stakeholders.

Follow all state and safety requirements to implement good safety conditions at work site office. Able to follow health and safety regulations. Excellent mathematical and problem-solving skills.

Brief Job Description: Manage and supervise facility development and image enhancement projects. Coordinate logistics and communication between clients, vendors, and stakeholders. Follow all state and safety requirements to implement good safety conditions at work site.

Basic Qualification: Able to speak and communicate using Mandarin language is an advantage. Able to explain problems simply and clearly. Proficient in MS office. Able to follow health and safety regulations. Excellent mathematical and problem-solving skills.

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

193.

Brief Job Description: Identify customer service trends, determine system improvements, and implement changes that improve existing strategies and bring about improvement in customer service initiatives.

HSIEH, CHENG-CHING a.k.a. MICHELLE HSIEH Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Manager 194.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for driving and delivering key support metrics, best practices, knowledge-based content and methodologies that ensure the delivery of unsurpassed support and service.

TANGMAETHAKUL, JARUCHA Chinese Speaking Customer Service 201.

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

Brief Job Description: Conduct research with available resources to satisfy customer inquiries.

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work-related experience and good in verbal and written communication skills (Chinese language).

Basic Qualification: College graduate. With previous related work experience.

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

AKWASEH PIZOH, CONSTANTINE French Operations CSR II

202.

Basic Qualification: College graduate. With previous work experience in a similar role.

Brief Job Description: Provides expedient and accurate customer service to French speaking clients and customers, addresses French customer concerns, queries, issues, complains and/or places sales orders and product information request. Prepare reports by accessing account database, analyzing the information contained and providing useful accurate and appropriate data.

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

ESSOMBA NDJA, ETIENNE THIERRY French Operations CSR II

195.

Brief Job Description: Create specific promotions for affiliates.

Basic Qualification: Must fluently speak and write Indonesian language to cater foreign national markets.

206.

203.

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

Brief Job Description: Provides expedient and accurate customer service to French speaking clients and customers, addresses French customer concerns, queries, issues, complains and/or places sales orders and product information request. Prepare reports by accessing account database, analyzing the information contained and providing useful accurate and appropriate data.

Basic Qualification: Exceptional customer service, active listening, and verbal and written communication skills, professional phone voice, fluency in multiple languages may be desired. proficiency with computers, especially with CRM software and strong typing skill.

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

Basic Qualification: Exceptional customer service, active listening, and verbal and written communication skills, professional phone voice, fluency in multiple languages may be desired. proficiency with computers, especially with CRM software and strong typing skill.

196.

Brief Job Description: Assist in the planning and administration of the organization’s daily operation. Providing information, assistance and support to customers. Assist with the preparation of reports. Escalating complex issues to management.

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree holder.

Must fluently speak and write Mandarin language and can work under pressure.

MPANJO EDEME, KINYUY ANDREE GRIMAUD French Operations CSR II

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 204.

NGUYEN THI MY AN Vietnamese Language - Support Officer 197.

Brief Job Description: Assist in planning & administration of the organization’s daily operation. Providing information, assistance and support to customers. Assist with the preparation of reports. Escalating complex issues to management.

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree holder.

Must fluently speak and write Mandarin language and can work under pressure.

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

Brief Job Description: Provides expedient and accurate customer service to French speaking clients and customers, addresses French customer concerns, queries, issues, complains and/or places sales orders and product information request. Prepare reports by accessing account database, analyzing the information contained and providing useful accurate and appropriate data.

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

TOPKING TECHNOLOGY INC. 5/f Phinma Plaza 39 Plaza Drive, Rockwell Center, Poblacion, City Of Makati

Brief Job Description: Helps diagnose and repair various issues for different automotive vehicles, including cars, trucks and vans.

XU, MINGMING General Automotive Mechanic 207.

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

Basic Qualification: Must develop skills in areas like problem-solving, communication, and attention to detail, strong communication skills are a critical component of an auto mechanic’s abilities, and time management also helps mechanics estimate how long each repair will take.

Brief Job Description: Helps diagnose and repair various issues for different automotive vehicles, including cars, trucks and vans.

Basic Qualification: Must develop skills in areas like problem-solving, communication, and attention to detail, strong communication skills are a critical component of an auto mechanic’s abilities, and time management also helps mechanics estimate how long each repair will take.

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

WAYSEER CONSTRUCTION INC. 333 Juan Luna St., Unit 801 State Centre Bldg., Barangay 287, Binondo, City Of Manila

HAN, BAILONG Construction Manager 208.

Brief Job Description: Overseeing all the logistics of the construction project. Creating work schedules for the team, and allocating responsibilities.

ZHANG, XUE Construction Manager 209.

Brief Job Description: Overseeing all the logistics of the construction project. Creating work schedules for the team, and allocating responsibilities.

Basic Qualification: College graduate. With previous work experience related to the construction industry.

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

Basic Qualification: College graduate. With previous work experience related to the construction industry.

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

WENSHA SPA CENTER COMPANY, INC. 77 G/f Pasda Mansion, 77 Panay Ave. Cor. Timog Ave, Paligsahan, Quezon City

CAI, WENHAI Customer Relations Manager 210.

Brief Job Description: Initiate and upscale the customer’s base and uphold the relation between customers and therapists.

Basic Qualification: Must know how to speak Chinese language.

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

YUKI SERVICE CORP. Unit 1206, 12th Floor Trade And Financial Tower, 7th Avenue And 32nd Street Bgc, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

CUI, JINGZHAI Admin Supervisor 211.

Brief Job Description: Manage a team of administration professionals to achieve operational objectives.

SHI, XIAODAN Staff Assistant

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

Basic Qualification: Exceptional customer service, active listening, and verbal and written communication skills, professional phone voice, fluency in multiple languages may be desired. proficiency with computers, especially with CRM software and strong typing skill.

Basic Qualification: College graduate. With at least 2 years of work experience in a similar position. Fluent in Chinese-Mandarin and English languages.

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

212.

XIE, WENJUN Mandarin Language - Support Officer

Brief Job Description: Develop and write computer programs to store, locate and retrieve specific documents, data and information. Convert project specification and statements of problems and procedures to detailed logical flow charts for coding into computer language.

GUO, FENG General Automotive Mechanic

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

TELUS INTERNATIONAL PHILIPPINES, INC. Units 23/f, 31st/f - 37th/f Discovery Centre, Adb Avenue, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig

PHOENIXFIELD, INC. 7/f Iacademy Plaza, 324 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave, Bel-air, City Of Makati

ASTRI SILVIA SOEMARIYO Indonesian Language - Marketing Officer

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

VEHICLE MASTER SERVICE CORP. #27, T. Santiago St., Canumay West, City Of Valenzuela

SUPERCHAIN INCORPORATED Unit 1109-1110 11/f Ayala Tower One & Exchange Plaza, Ayala Ave. Cor. Paseo De Roxas, San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

NOVATECH (PASAY) LIMITED, INC. 4f Wmall Bldg., D. Macapagal Ave. District 1 Zone 10, Barangay 76, Pasay City

HUGHES, BLAKE THOMAS PATRICK Customer Service Manager

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION MO, GUOWEI Mandarin Computer Programmer

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

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

No.

STC BUILDERS AND DEVELOPMENT CORP. 15th Floor, Ramon Magsaysay Center, 1680 Roxas Boulevard, Barangay 699, Malate, City Of Manila

LIU, RONGJIN Chinese Construction Technician NGUYEN, THI THAO Vietnamese Customer Service

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

205.

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

A11

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

RUNTO TECHNOLOGY INC. Unit 2601, And 2602 26th Floor One World Place, 32nd Street, Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

198.

NGUYEN, THAI PHUONG NAM Vietnamese Customer Service

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Brief Job Description: Answering queries from staff and clients of the company.

Basic Qualification: Can speak, write, and type in Mandarin language.

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

Basic Qualification: Can speak, write, and type in Mandarin language.

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

*Date Generated: Nov 29, 2023 In the ad material of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on November 22, 2023, the position of WANG JINCHAO under the company CHINA INTERNATIONAL WATER AND ELECTRIC CORP. (BRANCH OFFICE), should have been read as TECHNICAL MANAGER and not as published.

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

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

A12 Thursday, November 30, 2023

TheWorld BusinessMirror

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

Mediators look to extend truce in Gaza with one more hostages swap planned

By Najib Jobain, Samy Magdy & Melanie Lidman

R

The Associated Press

AFAH, Gaza Strip— International mediators worked Wednesday to extend the truce in Gaza, hoping the territory’s Hamas rulers will keep freeing hostages in return for the release of Palestinian prisoners and further respite from Israel’s air and ground offensive. It will otherwise expire within a day.

Israel has welcomed the release of dozens of hostages in recent days and says it will maintain the truce if Hamas keeps freeing captives. But its other major goal—the annihilation of the armed group that has ruled Gaza for 16 years— could be slipping out of reach.

Weeks of heavy aerial bombardment and a ground invasion have demolished vast swathes of northern Gaza and killed thousands of Palestinians. But it seems to have had little effect on Hamas’ rule, evidenced by its ability to conduct complex negotiations, enforce the cease-fire among other armed groups, and orchestrate the smooth release of hostages.

Hamas’ leader in Gaza, Yehya Sinwar, and other commanders have likely relocated to the south, along with hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians who have packed into overf lowing shelters.

An Israeli ground invasion of the south could eventually ferret out Hamas’ leaders and demolish

the rest of its militant infrastructure, including kilometers (miles) of tunnels, but at a cost in Palestinian lives and destruction that the United States, Israel’s main ally, seems unwilling to bear.

The Biden administration has told Israel that if it resumes the offensive it must operate with far greater precision, especially in the south. That approach is unlikely to bring Hamas to its knees any time soon, and international pressure for a lasting cease-fire is already mounting.

“How far both sides will be prepared to go in trading hostages and prisoners for the pause is about to be tested, but the pressures and incentives for both to stick with it are at the moment stronger than the incentives to go back to war,” Martin Indyk, a former US ambassador to Israel, wrote on X.

Diplomacy ramps up

CIA Director William Burns and David Barnea, who heads Israel’s Mossad spy agency, were in Qatar

POPE Francis arrives for his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square, at the Vatican, on Wednesday, November 22, 2023. Pope Francis cancelled his trip to Dubai for the UN climate conference on doctors’ orders. The announcement marked the second time the pope’s frail health had forced the cancellation of a foreign trip: He had to postpone a planned trip to Congo and South Sudan in 2022 because of knee inflammation, though he was able to make the trip earlier this year. AP/ANDREW MEDICHINI

Pope Francis cancels trip to Dubai for COP28 on doctors’ orders while recovering from flu

By Nicole Winfield The Associated Press

V

Hamas is still believed to be holding around 150 hostages— enough to extend the cease-fire for another two weeks under the current arrangement of releasing 10 each day. But it is expected to drive a harder bargain for the release of Israeli soldiers, likely demanding the release of Palestinian prisoners convicted of deadly attacks.

ATICAN CITY—Pope Francis canceled his trip to Dubai for the UN climate conference on doctors’ orders Tuesday, even though he is recovering from the flu and lung inflammation, the Vatican said.

Francis, who turns 87 next month, was scheduled to leave Rome on Friday to address the COP28 meeting first thing Saturday morning. He also was supposed to inaugurate a faith pavilion Sunday on the sidelines of the conference before returning home.

The pope revealed Sunday that he had lung inflammation but said at the time that he still planned to go to Dubai, where he was to become the first pontiff to address a UN climate conference. Care for the environment has been a priority for Francis, and presidents and patriarchs alike have welcomed his moral leadership on the issue.

Until the announcement late Tuesday, all of the information from the Vatican

indicated the trip would proceed. The Vatican spokesman held his traditional pre-trip briefing earlier in the day and fielded questions about Francis’ planned bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Dubai conference. The Vatican travel agency accepted payment for journalists to fly on the papal plane, and the Vatican press office finalized accreditation details.

The announcement marked the second time the pope’s frail health had forced the cancellation of a foreign trip: He had to postpone a planned trip to Congo and South Sudan in 2022 because of knee inflammation, though he was able to make the journey earlier this year.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said Francis was improving from the flu and inflammation of his respiratory tract that had forced him to cancel his audiences Saturday. But “the doctors have asked the pope not to make the trip planned for the coming days to Dubai.

“Pope Francis accepted the doctors’

12 more hostages freed

IN this photo provided by Thailand’s Foreign Ministry, Thai hostages, who were previously released, hug their newly freed compatriots at the Shamir Medical Center in Israel on Tuesday, November 28, 2023. Hamas freed several Thai nationals seized in the group’s surprise attack on southern Israel last month, releasing them alongside Israeli hostages under a cease-fire deal.

THAILAND’S FOREIGN MINISTRY VIA AP

on Tuesday to discuss extending the cease-fire and releasing more hostages. Qatar has played a key role in mediating with Hamas, hosted the talks, which also included Egyptian mediators.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was set to visit the region this week, and was also expected to push for a longer truce.

A joint statement from foreign ministers of the G-7 group of wealthy democracies, which includes close allies of Israel, called for the “further extension of the pause” and for “protecting civilians and compliance with international law.”

The war began with Hamas’ October 7 attack into southern Israel, in which it killed over 1,200 people, mostly civilians.

The militants dragged some 240 people back into Gaza, including babies, children, women, soldiers, older adults and Thai request with great regret and the trip is therefore canceled,” he added.

Francis had part of one lung removed as a young man and has seemed increasingly prone to respiratory problems. He has also had mobility problems from strained knee ligaments that have required him to use a cane or wheelchair.

Francis came down with the flu late last week. After cancelling his audiences Saturday—including with the visiting leader of Guinea Bissau—he went to the hospital for a CAT scan, and the Vatican said the test had ruled out pneumonia.

On Sunday, he skipped his traditional appearance at his studio window overlooking St. Peter’s Square to avoid the cold. Instead, Francis gave the traditional noon blessing in a televised appearance from the chapel in the Vatican hotel where he lives and asked a priest to read his written daily reflections out loud.

He coughed and spoke in a whisper, and sported the cannula in which he was receiving antibiotics intravenously. Recruiting a substitute speaker was a first for this pope and recalled how St. John Paul II frequently had other prelates read his remarks in his final years as he battled the effects of Parkinson’s disease.

People who saw Francis this week said his health was improving but he still spoke in a whisper.

In April, the pope spent three days at Rome’s Gemelli hospital for what the Vatican said was bronchitis after he had trouble breathing. He was discharged after receiving intravenous antibiotics.

Francis spent 10 days at the same hospital in July 2021 following intestinal surgery for a bowel narrowing. He was readmitted in June of this year for an operation to repair an abdominal hernia and remove scarring from previous surgeries.

When asked about his health in a recent interview, Francis quipped in reply what has become his standard line—“Still alive!”

farm laborers.

Israel responded with a devastating air campaign across Gaza and a ground invasion in the north.

More than 13,300 Palestinians have been killed, roughly twothirds of them women and minors, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.

Israel says 77 of its soldiers have been killed in the ground offensive, and it claims to have killed thousands of militants, without providing evidence.

The plight of the captives, and the lingering shock from the October 7 attack, has galvanized Israeli support for the war. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also under intense pressure to bring the hostages home, and could find it difficult to resume the offensive if there’s a prospect for more releases.

IN the latest swap, nine women and a teenager, as well as two Thai nationals, were freed Tuesday and returned to Israel. The 17-year-old girl could be seen walking alongside Hamas militants to a waiting Red Cross Jeep with her small, white-haired dog named Bella. Soon after, Israel released 30 Palestinian prisoners.

After being extended by one day, the truce is due to end after one more exchange on Wednesday night.

A total of 60 Israelis have been freed as part of the truce, most of whom appear physically well but shaken. Another 21 hostages—19 Thais, one Filipino and one Russian-Israeli—have been released in separate negotiations since the truce began. Before the truce, Hamas released four hostages, and the Israeli army rescued one. Two other hostages were found dead in Gaza.

The latest swap brought to 180 the number of Palestinian women and teenagers freed from Israeli prisons. Most have been teenagers accused of throwing stones and firebombs during confrontations with Israeli forces. Several were women convicted by Israeli military courts of attempting deadly attacks. Palestinians have celebrated the release of people they see as having resisted Israel’s decades-long military occupation of

lands they want for a future state.

Tense calm in Gaza

THE cease-fire has brought calm to Gaza and increased deliveries of humanitarian aid, allowing people to stock up on food, water and fuel after weeks of severe shortages. Some have been able to sift through the rubble of their homes and bury relatives, but Israel has barred people from returning to the north.

On Tuesday, Israel and Hamas blamed each other for a brief exchange of fire in northern Gaza, but it did not appear to endanger the truce. Palestinian militants have halted rocket fire into Israel, as has Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which had repeatedly traded fire with Israeli forces along the northern border since the start of the war.

Israel’s bombardment and ground offensive have displaced more than 1.8 million people inside Gaza, nearly 80 percent of the territory’s population, and most have sought refuge in the south, according to the UN. The cease-fire has allowed increased aid delivered by 160 to 200 trucks a day into Gaza, but that is less than half what Gaza was importing before the fighting, even as needs have soared.

As UN-run shelters have overflowed, many have been forced to sleep on the streets outside. Rain and cold winds sweeping across Gaza have made conditions even more miserable.

On Tuesday, Hanan Tayeh returned to the ruins of her destroyed home in central Gaza.

“I came to get anything for my daughters. Winter has come, and I have nothing for them to wear,” she said.

Magdy reported from Cairo and Lidman from Jerusalem.

Myanmar and China conduct naval drills together as fighting surges in border area

B

ANGKOK—Myanmar and China are conducting naval drills together as the military government in the Southeast Asian nation loses ground in its northeast border region to a coalition of militias that also has strong ties to Beijing.

State-run Myanma Alinn newspaper said Wednesday that three Chinese vessels were anchored in Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, and that officials from both nations met Tuesday to discuss the maritime security exercises.

The Chinese vessels—the destroyer Zibo, frigate Jing Zhou and supply ship Qian Dao Hu—carry about 700 sailors and arrived at the Myanmar port Monday. The report didn’t give more details on the drills.

Myanmar’s military seized power from an elected government in 2021 and since has been in armed conflict with pro-democracy forces and ethnic militias.

The visit of the Chinese vessels comes during an upsurge in violence on Myanmar’s border with China by the Three Brotherhood Alliance, a group of militias that launched a coordinated offensive against the ruling military on October 27.

China is Myanmar’s biggest trading partner and maintains good relations with the ruling generals. The groups in the alliance also have good relations with China and have vowed to protect foreign investments such as Chinese-backed projects in territory they control.

The alliance has claimed widespread victories including four border crossings in the northern part of Shan state, and the military government acknowledged soon after fighting began that it had lost three towns.

IN this photo released from Myanmar Military True News Information Team, senior officers from Myanmar Navy, right side, welcome officers from the Chinese Navy Escort Task Group, left side, upon arrival at Thilawa port in Yangon, Myanmar on Monday, November 27, 2023.

Myanmar’s military-controlled government has been conducting joint naval exercises with neighboring China. THE MILITARY TRUE NEWS INFORMATION TEAM VIA AP

The alliance’s offensive has energized the nationwide armed struggle to overthrow the military regime that was installed after the army seized power, and fighting has spread to many parts of the country.

On Wednesday, the resistance forces in the northwestern Chin state seized a small town in Matupi township bordering India, according to Salai Danny, a spokesperson of the Chinland Defense Force-Zotung militia group.

Beijing has called for a cease-fire and has said the warring parties should try and resolve their differences through dialogue.

It has not, however, used its influence with the militia groups to pressure them to put an end to the fighting.

Before the offensive, China had been growingly discontented with the military

government’s inattention to large-scale criminality in Myanmar near the border, including drug trafficking and cyberscam centers.

As the Three Brotherhood Alliance has gained ground, thousands of Chinese nationals involved in such operations have been repatriated into police custody in China.

Supporters of Myanmar’s ruling generals have held several demonstrations in major cities accusing China of aiding the militia alliance.

Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, spokesperson of the ruling military council, was quoted in state media Wednesday as saying that Myanmar and China remain strategic partners and have close and friendly communications. AP

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Thursday, November 30, 2023 A13

Ransomware attack prompts multistate hospital chain to divert some emergency room patients elsewhere

By Jonathan Mattise & Jake Bleiberg

N

The Associated Press

ASHVILLE, Tenn.—A ransomware attack has prompted a health care chain that operates 30 hospitals in six states to divert patients from some of its emergency rooms to other hospitals while postponing certain elective procedures.

STAFF at The University of Kansas Health System St. Francis campus are seen on the first level of the hospital on November 29, 2022, in Topeka, Kan. The University of Kansas Health System-St. Francis Campus in Topeka is on “divert status” because of a November 23, 2023 cyber attack.

Debbie Cluck, a spokeswoman, said it affects ambulance and that the emergency room is open.

The disruption is sending patients flooding into the city’s other hospital.

Ransomware criminals do not usually admit to an attack unless the victim refuses to pay. “ The attack against Ardent Health is both egregious and quickly becoming the norm,” said analyst Allan Liska at the cybersecurity firm Recorded Future.

While some groups won’t attack hospitals, “they are greatly outnumbered by those who will and with the number of ransomware groups growing every day, the percentage who won’t attack hospitals is constantly decreasing,” Liska said.

Even when health care providers don’t pay, ransomware groups can sell patient data, Liska added.

The attacks also take a toll on hospitals around those that were targeted, said Dr. Christian Dameff, co-director of the Center for Healthcare Cybersecurity at the University of California, San Diego.

He described being in a “cyber blast radius” two years ago while working as an emergency room physician at a hospital near one that was attacked. He said patients waited longer for care and for beds if they needed to be admitted.

What is particularly problematic is when a targeted hospital provides specialized care, including for trauma and stroke patients.

If they are lucky, another suitable hospital is nearby. “But in certain areas, especially rural and critical access areas, you can have a prolonged transport time because of diversions,” said Dameff, who described the issue in a paper earlier

this year in JAMA. A recent global study by the cybersecurity firm Sophos found nearly two-thirds of health care organizations were hit by ransomware attacks in the year ending in March, double the rate from two years earlier but dipping slightly from 2022.

I nc re a s i n g ly, r a n somw a re gangs steal data before activating data-scrambling malware that paralyzes networks. The threat of making stolen data public is used to extort payments. That data can also be sold online. Sophos found data theft occurred in one in three ransomware attacks on health care organizations.

Analyst Brett Callow at the cybersecurity firm Emsisoft said 25 US health care systems with 290 hospitals were hit last year while this year the number is 36 with 128 hospitals. Not all hospitals within the systems may have been impacted, and not all equally, he said.

“The fact that nobody appears to have yet died is partly due to luck,” Callow added.

Most ransomware syndicates are run by Russian speakers based in former Soviet states, beyond the reach of US law enforcement, though some “affiliates” who do the grunt work of infecting targets and negotiating ransoms live in the West.

Ardent Health Services said it took its network offline after the November 23 cyberattack, adding in a statement that it suspended user access to information technology applications such as software used to document patient care.

By Tuesday afternoon, more than half of Ardent’s 25 emergency rooms had resumed accepting some patients by ambulance or by fully lifting their “divert” status, Ardent spokesperson Will Roberts said. Divert status means hospitals have asked ambulances to take people needing emergency care to other nearby facilities. Roberts said hospitals nationwide have at times used divert status during flu season, Covid-19 surges, natural disasters and large trauma events.

The company said it could not yet confirm the extent of any compromised patient health or financial information. It reported the issue to law enforcement and

retained third-party forensic and threat intelligence advisers, while working with cybersecurity specialists to restore IT functions as quickly as possible. There was no immediate timeline for resolving the problems.

Based in the Nashville, Tennessee, suburb of Brentwood, Ardent owns and operates 30 hospitals and more than 200 care sites with upwards of 1,400 aligned providers in Oklahoma, Texas, New Jersey, New Mexico, Idaho and Kansas.

Ardent said each hospital is still providing medical screenings and stabilizing care to patients arriving at emergency rooms.

In Amarillo, Texas, William Spell said he and his mother have had flu-like symptoms for days but couldn’t make a doctor’s appointment through an online patient portal because of the cyberattack.

“We are trying to figure out

British inquiry finds serious failings at hospitals where worker had sex with more than 100 corpses

Finland will close its entire border with Russia over migrant concerns

By Brian Melley

The Associated Press

L

ONDON—A British government-ordered inquiry said Tuesday it found serious failings at hospitals where an electrician who was later convicted of murder had been able to have sex with more than 100 corpses over 15 years without being detected.

David Fuller’s necrophilia was uncovered in 2020 when police used DNA to tie him to the 1987 slayings of two women and also discovered millions of images of sexual abuse in his home.

The images included videos of him having sex with the dead bodies of women and girls in the mortuaries at two hospitals where he worked in southeast England.

“The offenses that David Fuller committed were truly shocking,” the 308-page inquiry report said. “However, the failures of management, governance, regulation and processes, and a persistent lack of curiosity, all contributed to the creation of the environment in which he was able to offend.

“This is not solely the story of a rogue electrical maintenance supervisor. David Fuller’s victims and their relatives were repeatedly let down by those at all levels whose job it was to protect and care for them.”

Fuller, 69, is serving a life sentence with no chance of release after pleading guilty to two counts of murder. He is serving a concurrent 12year term after admitting dozens of instances of necrophilia that the prosecutor in the case said had never been seen on that scale before in a British court.

The inquiry was launched to find out how Fuller was able to get away with it for so long and to prevent such abuse from ever happening again.

Fuller, who had a criminal record as a burglar that he never disclosed in work papers, was hired at the now-closed Kent and Sussex Hospital two years after he killed Wendy Knell, 25, and Caroline Pierce, 20, in two separate attacks in the town of Tunbridge Wells in 1987.

Those crimes wouldn’t be solved for 33 years, after he moved on to work at the Tunbridge Wells Hospital, in Pembury.

EVERT NELSON/THE TOPEKA CAPITAL-JOURNAL VIA AP

other options as to what to do next,” said Spell, 34.

BSA Health System—the Ardent umbrella provider for Spell’s clinic and other facilities in the city—said it was working to restore its patient portal and system for video doctors’ visits. Spell said his doctor’s office could not tell him how long the outage might last and recommended trying an urgent care clinic.

“That’s just something we cannot do because urgent cares charge a lot of money just to walk through the door and be seen by a doctor,” Spell said. “There’s no way we can afford that.”

Ardent says it is still seeing patients in its clinics and is contacting them if rescheduling is

necessary.

Several hospitals in Albuquerque, New Mexico, within Ardent’s Lovelace Health System have continued to divert some patients needing emergency care to other hospitals, Lovelace spokesperson Whitney Marquez said. They also rescheduled elective and other non-urgent surgeries.

In Topeka, Kansas, a hospital spokesperson confirmed the attack put the University of Kansas Health System-St. Francis on divert status. Meanwhile, the city’s other hospital, Stormont Vail, said it increased weekend staffing after patient volume began growing Friday.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

By Jari Tanner

The Associated Press

H

ELSINKI—Finland said Tuesday it will close its last remaining border crossing with Russia amid concerns that Moscow is using migrants as part of “hybrid warfare” to destabilize the Nordic country following its entry into NATO. Finland already had shut seven of the eight checkpoints on its 1,340-kilometer (830-mile) border with Russia this month following a surge in arrivals of migrants from the Middle East and Africa.

Helsinki has accused Moscow of ushering them toward the frontier—through thick forests in the south to the rugged Arctic landscape in the north.

“The government has decided to close all the crossing points on the entire eastern border,” Prime Minister Petteri Orpo told reporters, saying Finland faced an “exceptional” situation that the government blames on Moscow for orchestrating.

“Finland has a profound reason to suspect that the entry (of migrants) is organized by a foreign state. This deals with Russia’s influencing operations and we won’t accept it,” Orpo said bluntly. “We don’t accept any attempt to undermine our national security. Russia has caused this situation and it can also stop it.”

T he complete c losu re a nnounced Tuesday is due to last for at least two weeks, after which one crossing point may be reopened, the Finnish government said.

The current situation means migrants arriving from Russia only would be able to seek asylum upon arriving at Finnish airports or harbors. However, there is currently no air or passenger boat traffic between Russia and Finland, so

FINNISH Border Guards escort migrants arriving at the Raja-Jooseppi international border crossing station between Russia and Finland, in Inari, northern Finland on Saturday, November 25, 2023. The European Union’s border agency says that it will send dozens of officers and equipment as reinforcements to Finland to help police its borders amid suspicion that Russia is behind an influx of migrants arriving to the country. EMMI KORHONEN/LEHTIKUVA VIA AP

those options don’t exist.

The Kremlin denies encouraging migrants to enter Finland and says it regrets the Finnish border closures. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova argued last week that Helsinki should have instead tried to “to work out a mutually acceptable solution or receive explanation.”

Finnish authorities say some 1,000 migrants without visas or valid documentation have arrived since August at the normally heavily controlled border, which makes up a significant part of NATO’s northeastern flank and acts as the European Union’s external border in the north.

Of that number, about 900 of those coming to Finland’s border with Russia arrived this month, an unusual increase for the country of 5.6 million, the Finnish authorities said. The asylum-seekers are from countries that include Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iraq, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria and Yemen, they said.

Most are young men in their 20s and 30s, but some are families with children and women, border guard

data and photos indicate. Many of them were dressed in sneakers and light outdoor gear. Nearly all arrived at the border zone on bicycles that Finnish and Russian media reports say were provided and sold to them.

The governor of Russia’s northern Murmansk region last week said there were at least 400 people waiting to enter Finland on the Russian side of the border and that the number was expected to increase as Helsinki closed its crossing points bit by bit.

Orpo said in a separate statement that Russia was guiding people to the border “in harsh winter conditions. Finland is determined to put an end to this phenomenon.”

Two years ago, the EU accused Russia’s ally Belarus of using migrants seeking a better life in Europe as pawns to destabilize Western democracies. European leaders called it a form of “hybrid warfare” by Moscow, along with disinformation, election interference and cyber attacks.

Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen used that same term in a November 22 interview with The

Associated Press.

She said there is no doubt that Russia “is instrumentalizing migrants” as part of its “hybrid warfare.” Before joining NATO this year, a decision prompted by Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, Finnish officials warned that Russia could seek ways to destabilize the country in retaliation, including cyber attacks and ushering migrants to its borders -- something that happened in Finland during the winter of 2015-2016.

“We have proof showing that, unlike before, not only Russian border authorities are letting people without proper documentation to the Finnish border, but they are also actively helping them to the border zone,” Valtonen said.

Some Western political analysts

Bleiberg reported from Dallas. Associated Press technology reporter Frank Bajak and writers Heather Hollingsworth in Mission, Kansas, and Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, New Mexico contributed to this report.

believe Russia’s motive is to create havoc on the EU’s external borders.

For decades, Finnish and Russian border aut hor ities bot h checked that only people with proper documents can cross— both ways. Recently, however, Finnish officials noted the change in checks by Russian guards, who normally don’t allow foreigners to within a radius of several kilometers (miles).

Interior Minister Mari Rantanen said the last border crossing for vehicle traffic that remains open, Raja-Jooseppi in Finland ’s Arctic north, would close at midnight Wednesday and stay shut until December 13.

A rail crossing between the two countries remains open but only for cargo traffic.

A14 Thursday, November 30, 2023 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.news.businessmirror@gmail.com

editorial

PBBM’s vision of unified and peaceful Philippines

A

Chinese proverb says: “Solve one problem and keep a hundred away.” Insurgency is a national problem that needs immediate solution to keep a hundred related problems away.

No lasting peace is achieved if the government fails to effectively address the problem of insurgency, which tends to grow bigger over time and create new problems. Without lasting peace, there’s no economic growth.

President Marcos recently granted amnesty to former and current members of insurgent and rebel groups who committed crimes “in pursuit of political beliefs,” whether they are punishable under special penal laws of the Revised Penal Code.

Malacañang issued Executive Order No. 47 on November 22 establishing the National Amnesty Commission. “There is hereby created the National Amnesty Commission, which shall be primarily tasked with receiving and processing applications for amnesty and determining whether the applicants are entitled to amnesty under Proclamation Nos. 403, 404, 405 and 406,” the President’s EO read.

Proclamations 403, 404, 405, and 406 grant amnesty to former members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front, Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade, and members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Moro National Liberation Front.

The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) hailed the signing of the proclamations for former rebels as a testament to the government’s unwavering commitment to unity, peace and justice toward genuine development.

“This is the moment that we all have been praying for our brothers and sisters who were blinded by their lost causes, particularly the CPP-NPA-NDF and the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas [RPMP] to be formally reintegrated into mainstream society. In issuing these amnesty proclamations, the President recognizes the complexity of our nation’s history and the diverse narratives that have shaped it. The amnesty initiative seeks to weave together the threads of justice, reconciliation, understanding, unity, and progress, transcending past grievances towards a shared vision of a unified and peaceful Philippines,” NTF-ELCAC said.

“We thank the President for always walking the talk with a clear vision rooted in the principles of reconciliation and unity. The amnesty serves as a bridge toward healing and reintegration for individuals who once stood on opposing sides of armed conflict. It is imperative to emphasize the profound commitment to justice and societal healing embedded within this amnesty program,” it added.

The NTF-ELCAC also called on the remaining members of the CPP-NPA-NDF and RPMP to give up the armed struggle and embrace this opportunity to finally reunite with their families, loved ones, and communities and become productive and peaceful members of our society once again.

“Let us move forward together, transcending past conflicts and differences, towards a future where peace reigns supreme. Our collective efforts today lay the groundwork for a more cohesive and prosperous Philippines tomorrow,” it said.

The MNLF sees the amnesty declaration as the country’s chance to achieve lasting peace. Ustadz Abdulkarim Tan Misuari, Deputy Speaker of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament, said President Marcos “has displayed his genuine desire to heal the wounds of the past and foster brotherhood.”

“By choosing amnesty, the President showcases his sincerity and foresight, recognizing that dialogue and negotiation are keys to resolving conflicts with those who once stood against the government,” said Ustadz, the son of MNLF founder Nur Misuari.

The amnesty, however, doesn’t apply to those charged under Republic Act 9372 (Human Security Act of 2007) or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 (RA 11479). Also disqualified from availing themselves of the amnesty are those who engaged in kidnap for ransom, massacre, rape, terrorism, crimes committed against chastity as defined in the Revised Penal Code, as amended, crimes committed for personal ends, violation of RA 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

The proclamation will also not cover those with grave violations of the Geneva Convention of 1949, and those identified by the United Nations as crimes that can never be the subject of amnesty such as genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, torture, enforced disappearances, and other gross violations of human rights.

Marcos said he decided to extend the amnesty to former rebels and other insurgents to “create a climate conducive for peace and reconciliation” in the country.

The endgame is unity, peace, reconciliation, and healing.

Since 2005

BusinessMirror A broader look at today’s business ✝ Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua Founder Publisher Editor in Chief Associate Editor News Editor

STREET TALK

I

live in BGC and I consider this one of the best decisions my wife and I had made in our lives. We are now “empty nesters,” and nearing our retirement years, which makes our BGC decision all the more a right move, insofar as we are concerned. Everything you need and need to go are here, and all within walking distance: a world class hospital, church, groceries, cinemas, wide open spaces, walkable and biking lanes, parks, etc. And maybe because most of the BPOs are here, there is no night or day in this area; which makes this place safe to walk around, anytime of the day.

I can say that BGC is the best example of a 15-minute city in the Philippines, more than the other CBDs and townships, so far. But being the success story that it is, there are signs of the beginning of some cracks in its success, with traffic congestion and scarcity of parking spaces becoming evident in this bustling business center. The BGC enclave can definitely stand some improvement. And seeing myself living here until my sunset years, I would like BGC to preserve and even better its premiere urban sustainability.

Making BGC more sustainable is not really a huge undertaking, if you think about it. Especially so, since its original master planners did their jobs really well. Yes, there is a real

need to improve the main road corridor ingress and egress infrastructure, plus more smart city solutions can come into play, such as modern public transport, waste water facilities, streetlighting from renewable energy sources, and a more robust broadband coverage. But as it is right now, there are some steps that can be taken to improve the overall sustainability of BGC. My two cents worth: Noise pollution: Noise can be a nuisance in this otherwise green community and the irritant really comes mainly from the vehicles that pass thru BGC roads, mainly from motorcycles, jeepneys and the luxury speedsters that frequent the area.

This can be corrected immediately, by mere policy of the area adminis-

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BGC on my mind

S

ince 1968 the Oxford English Dictionary has defined “Trivia” as “Details, considerations, or pieces of information of little importance or value. Things of little consequence.” That is wrong on two counts. “Trivia” should also be defined as “Facts [as about people or events] that are not well-known.”

Further, “trivia” provides critically useful information that is vital in decision-making more often than not. I firmly believe that if you take care of the little things, the big things will take care of themselves.

Also, big issues are made up of many little things. Fix the little things, the trivial things, and the big problems and questions may also be solved in the process.

China is the world’s largest manufacturer and exporter of goods and is sometimes called the “world’s factory.” China is an innovation leader with more top-ranked universities in the world except the US, with 86

in the top 5 percent. China’s GDP is now the largest in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP) equivalence.

Very impressive, even for all the people suffering from Sinophobia.

Here is more China trivia. Since 1992, Chinese GDP is up 4,600 percent. By comparison, the GDP for the US is up only 400 percent. However, over the same period, the total return of A-shares is up 600 percent.

By comparison, the US Standard and Poor’s 500 index is up 1,900 percent.

What has this information of little importance or value shown us?

Despite having over 1,100 percent the GDP growth, Chinese stocks have

trators. Keep BGC noise free. And flag down these noise pollutants, regardless whether these are the jeepneys or the Ferraris or Ducatis.

Pedestrian/Cyclist First Enforcement. The truth is, BGC is already generous in its bicycle and pedestrian lanes. What can be improved is enforcing the mantra to protect pedestrians and cyclists first. Again enforcement.

Cleaner BGC. A little more effort on this. And again, enforcement. I still see people leaving their trash on the streets and on the empty lots in BGC. Again, enforcement is the key. But we can even go a step further. BGC can be the first honest to goodness center for segregation in the country. We do have the weekly trash for cash mobile truck going around, which is good. But having more segregation sites and enforcing anti-littering laws will be much appreciated.

Enforce stricter traffic laws beyond illegal parking. BGC in its infancy used to have the same reputation as that of Subic, where traffic enforcement was comparable to that of other countries like Singapore and the United States. So, while everywhere else is traffic chaos, once you enter BGC, everyone should follow the rules. We had that before, why don’t we do it again.

Coordination among the BGC area managers. Then there seems to be a disconnect in the management of the different areas that comprise

BGC—the Ayala side, the Megaworld areas and the SM component. This is very evident not just in terms of traffic flows, but if one is observant you can see the non-coordination of supervision in terms of upkeep and maintenance. Walking towards SM Aura from Robinson’s Trion, along the perimeter of the American cemetery, you will find uncollected garbage and no lighting along the way, a stark contrast to the clean and well-lit avenues on the other side.

The fringes are important. Let’s admit it, the areas of Kalayaan Avenue, Capitula, the so-called EMBOs, are vital to the BGC ecosystem, even more than that of its posh neighbors in Forbes and Dasamarinas. For in these areas are the bedroom communities of those who work in BGC. It does not cost much to factor in the development of these areas. It just needs coordination for traffic management, administrative services and peace and order. Eventually this will lead to its gentrification that will only result in more value for BGC. BGC, with a little more effort, can indeed become the premiere model community not just here but in our region and even globally. And I do hope we can see the little improvements here and there. Otherwise, this might be a good reason to consider running to become a barangay captain of this place, just to see it happen.

Going back to 2009 when we began going higher with a starting “index” of 100, if you excluded the 10 best days, the index would be at 250. You do not want to miss the wins. However, if you exclude the 10 worst days, the index would be at 1,400. That is the trivia. The lesson is that no matter how many and how large the “wins,” it is the “losses” that determine if you walk away from the stock market with a profit or bleeding to death.

nese money supply growth rate was greater than the US money growth rate and even the US money supply is 500 percent larger.

Maybe money moves the stock market and not necessarily economic activity.

If you had bought a top-of-theline iPhone every time Apple released a new one, you would have spent around $16,000 (approximately $20,000 in 2023 dollars) on iPhones over the years. If you had bought the same dollar amount of Apple shares instead, you would have a nominal profit of about $130,000. Buy the company first and then the product?

An example. Your electric bill is P10,000 per month. Buy 500 shares of Meralco at P370 for P185,000, which is like a pre-payment of 18 months of electric bill. The cash dividend paid in 2023 on 500 shares was P9,774. Not a perfect offset but the return is 5 percent and that is better than a bank account. You are still going to have to pay the monthly electric bill regardless and MER was priced at P300 at end January 2023.

These best tennis players of all time—Djokovic, Nadal, Federer— See “Mangun,” A15

generated less than 1/3 of the return of the US market. Therefore, GDP growth is not necessarily mimicked in stock market return. Since money flowing into the stock market is what makes prices go higher, perhaps money flowing into economic activity like businesses is what makes GDP go higher. Perhaps at some point high GDP growth is actually counterintuitive to stock market performance.

Maybe there is something much more important for high stock market growth such as money supply. It has only been since 2020 that the Chi-

The author may be reached at thomasorbos@ sloan.mit .edu

www.news.businessmirror@gmail.com

Opinion BusinessMirror

Thursday, November 30, 2023 A15

UN warns that gang Bohol water issues reaching boiling point Abayabay argued that while the violence is overwhelming permit validity is questionable, the PGB found out that the ofHaiti’s once peaceful ficials mentioned, who discussed, voted and signed “the same are not the ones officially designated central region by law to be members of the

S

NWRB.”

By DÁNICA COTO & EVENS SANON | The Associated Press

AN JUAN, Puerto Rico—Gangs are invading Haiti’s rural central region, suffocating a once peaceful area that served as the country’s food basket but that is now plagued by kidnappings, killings and rapes, according to a UN report released Tuesday.

Only a handful of powerful gangs operate in Lower Artibonite, a region located north of the Port-au-Prince capital, but they have laid waste to numerous communities with sparse police presence and a lack of basic government institutions, said the UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner.

“A climate of fear reigns in Lower Artibonite, where murders, sexual violence, theft, destruction of property and other abuses are committed against the population on an almost daily basis,” the report stated.

More than 1,690 people have been killed and more than 1,118 kidnapped in that region from January 2022 to October 2023, according to the UN Gang violence has forced another 22,000 people to flee their homes, more than half of them children, according to the International Organization for Migration.

Gangs also have stolen crops and livestock, blocked irrigation systems and attacked agricultural lands, forcing impoverished farmers to pay for access, the UN said.

By April of this year, nearly 12,000 acres (5,000 hectares) of crops were lost because farmers have been forced to flee, according to the World Food Program. As a result, the number of people going hungry has spiked, with nearly half of Artibonite’s population of roughly 1.7 million people at risk of starvation.

The UN said the situation in central Haiti requires a swift response as it expressed concern about the delay in the deployment of a Kenya-led foreign armed force, which was approved last month by the UN Security Council to help the Caribbean nation bring gang violence under control.

“The consequences are disastrous for the populations affected but have provoked far too little reaction from national authorities and international actors,” the report said. “The longer it takes to deploy a specialized international force, the more robust the response will have to be.”

Earlier this month, a court in Kenya extended a block on sending police to Haiti even though Parliament has already approved the deployment.

The UN also recommended the deployment of more police to Artibonite, salary increases for police and justice officials and sanctions on those who finance and support the gangs.

It noted that self-defense groups have formed in the absence of law enforcement in Lower Artibonite, traveling mostly by foot and armed with machetes and knives as they hunt for suspected gang members as part of a civilian uprising known as “bwa kale” that began earlier this year.

Overall, the movement has killed more than 400 people, 11 percent of those in Artibonite, according to the UN. “In the past, lynchings could be

Mangun . . .

continued from A14

win about 55 percent of total points played. Granted that tennis is a zerosum game—I win, and you lose— and while stock market investing is not, we know every trade cannot be successful.

“Keep your wins big and your losses small.” Makes sense? Certainly, every investor knows that. But what is more important—winning trades or losing trades?

Going back to 2009 when we began

More than 1,690 people have been killed and more than 1,118 kidnapped in that region from January 2022 to October 2023, according to the UN. Gang violence has forced another 22,000 people to flee their homes, more than half of them children, according to the International Organization for Migration. mitigated or even controlled by local, police or judicial authorities,” the report stated. “This is no longer the case, given that these institutions are virtually no longer functional or present in the areas where they occur.”

But the gangs remain undeterred, and police are no match.

Gangs have set up ambushes on the sole main road that leads from the capital north to Artibonite and launched multiple attacks on judicial and police institutions. In one incident, they killed seven police officers in the central town of Liancourt in January, sparking police protests in Port-au-Prince and beyond.

“Some police officers even attempted to invade the international airport runway and the prime minister’s residence,” the report noted.

Gangs also have raided villages controlled by rivals, with more than 100 attacks reported in 17 communities from January 2022 to October 2023, with nearly 300 people killed, including a couple in their 80s slain inside their home, the report said.

More than 1,100 people also have been kidnapped during that period, with gangs beating victims with baseball bats or burning them with plastic wax, the UN said. Women and children also are sexually assaulted, it added.

The report highlighted the story of a 22-year-old woman officials say was repeatedly beaten, burned and raped while held captive for more than two weeks. Shortly after her release, she hanged herself in her bedroom, a death that highlights the lack of help available to survivors traumatized by gang violence in remote areas, the UN said.

The agency noted that the gangs in Lower Artibonite are backed by the powerful G-Pep coalition operating in the capital, which controls more than 50 miles (80 kilometers) of roadway leading north to the central region as well as coastal towns along the way.

Gangs in the central region also are backed by “extremely influential political and economic players. The latter in turn rely on these gangs to create instability, satisfy their political ambitions, control sectors of the economy and facilitate illicit trafficking by controlling main roads,” the report stated. Sanon reported from Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

going higher with a starting “index” of 100, if you excluded the 10 best days, the index would be at 250. You do not want to miss the wins. However, if you exclude the 10 worst days, the index would be at 1,400. That is the trivia. The lesson is that no matter how many and how large the “wins,” it is the ‘losses’ that determine if you walk away from the stock market with a profit or bleeding to death.

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

N

O light is seemingly on sight yet on the issue of Bohol water rights involving two LGU chief executives, a district representative, and a couple of groups and individuals. I was of the belief that upon my return from medical leave, there is already resolution on the table. On the contrary, complaints and counter complaints continue to pile up at the Office of the Ombudsman.

Recently, the Philippines Guardians Brotherhood (PGB) represented

by Mr. Virgilio Abayabay of Ubay, Bohol filed a complaint of usurpation of authority, which was received by the OMB-Cebu Regional Office on November 7, 2023, against the Undersecretaries of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda), the Senior State Counsel of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and a Director at the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

Providing us the OMB received copy, Abayabay alleged in his notarized complaint that on January 23, 2023, respondents Undersecretaries Anna Rebuelta-Teh and Rosemarie Edillon of the DENR and Neda, respectively, DOJ Senior State Coun-

sel Rosemarie Elena Laborte-Cuevas and DOST Director Juanito T. Batalon issued an order, as Members of the Board of NWRB, which “upheld the validity of the water permit previously issued by NWRB to Balilihan town in Bohol.”

However, Abayabay argued that while the permit validity is questionable, the PGB found out that the officials mentioned, who discussed, voted and signed “the same are not the ones officially designated by law to be members of the NWRB.” Whereas, Executive Order 123 dated September 12, 2002 designated, specifically, who should compose the members of the water board. Further, in Section 2 pursuant to PD 424, the Board shall be composed of the DENR secretary, the Neda secretary as vice chair,

with members coming from the DOJ, DOF, DOH, the Director of National Hydraulic Research Center and UP Executive Director, NWRB Secretariat. The names of these designated officials and customary signatories are nowhere in the order, Abayabay found out.

Usec Teh believes Richli Corp., a Bohol water firm and water right applicant in the disputed water source, is behind the complaint. “Richli Corp will not stop. I do not bother anymore to know they’re baseless accusations and lies.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Ralph Lim, the Richli spokesperson, countered: “We have nothing to do with the Guardians complaint and [we are] patiently waiting for the decision of the Court of Appeals since our firm is the aggrieved party in the patently questionable and illegal order.”

“This is the first time in the long NWRB history that an official order was not signed by its Executive Director. The action of the respondents in acting as alleged representatives in the deliberation and signing of the said order is patently illegal and they are guilty of usurpation of official functions under Article 177 of the Revised Penal Code,” according to PGB’s Abayabay.

Panglao resort owner, Mr. Grant Benedicto, despite seeing last quarter tourist arrivals higher, wish hitting the pre-pandemic level. But the water rights issue of parties appears not in resolve mode, putting the water supply of Bohol province at risk. Taking too long for the government to resolve, Boholanos now like to reach President Bongbong R. Marcos Jr.

PHL TikTok ban, up soon?

IT is about time that Tiktok loving Pinoys take a closer look at this video sharing app. Are they harmless as what many of us perceive it to be?

Some countries have already imposed a total or partial ban on TikTok, expressing concern on its impact on society, including potential threat to their respective governments and national security. The Philippines is on the verge of deciding whether it will ban the platform, at least, in government-issued mobile phones and other gadgets to protect sensitive data that China could be accessing through the app.

National Security Adviser Edgardo Ano said the Task Force that he has created to investigate TikTok is looking at the app’s possible involvement in cyber espionage. By December, the public will know the fate of TikTok in the country. While many users may be unhappy if TikTok will be restricted locally, I believe that the country’s interest should be paramount in this case. As I said in my previous piece, my hope is that our government will decide for the best national interest of the Filipinos.

For comments, tweet @billyandal or e-mail @andalbilly@yahoo.com

Climate contradictions key at UN talks: Less future warming projected, yet there’s more current pain

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By Seth Borenstein | AP Science Writer

he world is heading for considerably less warming than projected a decade ago, but that good news is overwhelmed by much more pain from current climate change than scientists anticipated, experts said.

That’s just one of a set of seemingly contradictory conditions facing climate negotiators who this week gather in Dubai for marathon United Nations talks that include a first-ever assessment of how well the world is doing in its battle against global warming. It’s also a conference where one of the central topics will be whether fossil fuels should be phased out, but it will be run by the CEO of an oil company.

Key to the session is the first “global stocktake” on climate, when countries look at what’s happened since the 2015 Paris climate agreement, how off-track it is and probably say what’s needed to get back on track.

Even though emissions of heattrapping gases are still rising every year, they’re rising more slowly than projected from 2000 to 2015. Before the Paris deal, scientists at Climate Action Tracker and the United Nations Environment Program were projecting about 3.5 degrees Celsius (6.3 degrees Fahrenheit) of warming over pre-industrial levels based on how much carbon dioxide countries were spewing and what they planned to do about it.

That 3.5 “is totally out of the picture. It will not happen,” said NewClimate Institute scientist Niklas Hohne, who works on Climate Action Tracker. “Our number is 2.7 [4.9 degrees Fahrenheit]. It could be even lower with pledges and with net zero targets.”

UNEP’s Emissions Gap projected 2.5 to 2.9 degrees (4.5 to 5.2 degrees Fahrenheit). The global goal is 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit).

Countries are promising and even starting on actions that should eventually reduce emissions, but those cuts haven’t materialized yet, said Climate Analytics CEO Bill Hare, also of Climate Action Tracker.

“So things aren’t as bad as they

could have been or as we worried they might be 20 years ago, but they’re still far from where we need to be,” said Stanford University climate scientist Rob Jackson, who heads scientists who annual track world emissions in the Global Carbon Project.

When he looks at the impacts of just 1.1 degrees Celsius (2 degrees Fahrenheit) of warming—about what the world has gotten so far— World Resources Institute CEO Ani Dasgupta said he wants to scream from the rooftops about how “unfair and unequal the devastation is.”

“No one who has half a brain can be happy where we are,” Dasgupta said.

Scientists underestimated for decades how much destruction just a little warming would cause, several scientists said. And that damage we are feeling far outweighs the gains made in reducing future warming projections, they said.

Hare points to more than 60,000 heat deaths in Europe in 2022. Others point to thousands dead from flooding in Pakistan and Libya.

“The more we know, the more severe impacts we see at lower temperature changes,” said Anne Olhoff, chief author of the UNEP Emissions Gap report. “The impacts happen much faster than we thought previously and much harder than we thought previously.”

The damage the world is seeing “is scarier to me than almost anything else,” Jackson said. “We are seeing the world’s weather start to unravel and there’s no evidence that that will stop.”

When it comes to emissions, the key is what’s causing them, experts say, citing fossil fuels.

“I think rightly the fundamental role of fossil fuels will take center stage” at the Dubai negotiations, called “COP” for conference of parties, said Melanie Robinson, cli-

Activists and even United Nations officials also said they are disturbed by countries pointing to their efforts to reduce coal and increase renewable energy, as they also approve new oil and gas drilling projects, especially after Russia invaded Ukraine.

mate director for World Resources Institute.

Heading into negotiations, world leaders have crowed about tentative agreements to triple the amount of renewable energy use and double energy efficiency. But that’s not enough, said Johan Rockstrom, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Research.

“It requires the tearing out the poisoned root of the climate crisis: fossil fuels,” said United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Guterres, numerous climate scientists and environmental activists all say what’s needed is a phaseout—or at the very least a phasedown—of coal, oil and gas.

But the host country runs the negotiations and appoints a president. The host country is the oil state United Arab Emirates and it has named ADNOC oil company CEO Sultan al-Jaber, who also runs a renewable energy company, as the conference president. Al-Jaber and his colleagues say by bringing fossil fuel companies to the table they can get more done and that it may take someone in the industry to get the concessions needed.

Environmental activists don’t believe it.

“We cannot trust these politicians and we cannot trust the processes of the COPs because the fossil fuel industries are tightening their grip around their processes and dictating their outcomes,” youth environmental activist Greta Thunberg said.

The process is in the hands of parties or nations and because of the COP rules it has to be by consensus or practically unanimous so that makes a phase-out of fossil fuels agreement unlikely, but a “phase-

down of fossil fuels is inevitable,” said Adnan Amir, the UAE’s No.2 official for the climate talks.

“There are many different views on the fossil fuels language from many different parties and how exactly we will land it will be about how we get the right formulation,’’ said COP28 Director-General Majid Al Suwaidi. “I think the sentiment is all the same. The language here that we’re seeing between parties is really much closer than we’ve seen in the past.”

New Climate Institute’s Hohne said a phase-out is needed but doesn’t think Al Jaber will allow it: “He would basically have to agree that the basis of his business model of his company would be eliminated.”

Hohne, Hare, Dasgupta and others look at al-Jaber and others’ heavy promotion of carbon capture and storage—technology that the scientists say hasn’t proven itself—and they worry that the climate talks will look like something significant has been accomplished when it actually hasn’t.

“I think there’s a high risk that it [negotiations] ends up in greenwashing, in just looking nice but not leading to much,” Hohne said.

Activists and even United Nations officials also said they are disturbed by countries pointing to their efforts to reduce coal and increase renewable energy, as they also approve new oil and gas drilling projects, especially after Russia invaded Ukraine.

A report by the activist Center for Biological Diversity said that while new efforts by the Biden Administration in its Inflation Reduction Act would reduce nearly 1 billion metric tons of carbon emissions by 2030, 17 different oil and gas projects it has approved would add 1.6 billion metric tons of emissions.

“Governments can’t keep pledging to cut commitments to cut emissions under the Paris Agreement and then greenlighting huge fossil fuel projects,” UNEP Director Inger Andersen said. “This is throwing the global energy transition and humanity’s future into question.”

A16 Thursday, November 30, 2023

Marcos backs 3 bills to fill PHL DELEGATION WORKING cybersecurity policy gaps ON 7 MAJOR DEALS AT COP28

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By Samuel P. Medenilla

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@sam_medenilla

RESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said he will call on Congress to fast-track the passage of three pieces of legislation to address the existing gaps in the country’s cybersecurity policies.

The chief executive made the commitment to the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) Digital Infrastructure Group during their meeting on Tuesday.

PSAC has recommended the passage of the Cybersecurity Act (Senate Bill No. 1365), Anti-Mule Act (Senate Bill No. 2039) and the Online Site Blocking Act (Senate Bill Nos. 2150 and No. 2385) in line with the Philippine Digital Transformation Framework.

Marcos agreed with the proposals and said he will be coordinating with lawmakers on the matter.

“It looks like there is a great need for structural requirements in legislation,” he told PSAC. Last week, the President reiterated that cybersecurity is one of the priorities

of his administration due to its impact on national security.

Data from the Department of Information and Communications (DICT) showed the country suffered 3,000 “high level cyberattacks” from 2020 to 2022.

DICT said it also supports the Cybersecurity Act to allow the government to protect public digital assets.

Among the salient provisions of the bill is it will allow the inventory and safeguarding of critical information infrastructures (CIIs). It will also impose potential penalties for underperforming entities in observing the standards and practices to protect digital assets.

PSAC is also endorsing the Anti-Mule Act to criminalize the registration or opening of an account using fake iden-

MARCOS

tity, selling or transferring an account to unauthorized persons, purchasing or using an account without being the owner, as well as recruitment of people to open accounts for fraudulent purposes.

It also seeks the passage of the Online Site Blocking Bill to institutionalize online site blocking of websites showing pirated content.

Also part of its proposals are the issuance of an Executive Order mandating minimum information security standards for CIIs, launching a Data Unity Summit, as well as the creation of a national mobile device database and an anti-financial crimes command center.

HE Philippine delegation is working on seven major negotiating working schemes at the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) happening now in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

These are loss and damage, climate finance, adaptation, mitigation, the global stocktake, the just transition, especially of labor towards a renewable energy future, “but also specifically our concerns about retraining and upskilling our workforce. And finally ...Article 6, which is how we cooperate globally,” Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said via text message to members of the Philippine media back in the Philippines. She heads the 150-member Philippine delegation.

There are 30 complex negotiations ahead, but she said the team that flew to Dubai for the COP28 is well-prepared.

“I want to say that this is a whole-ofgovernment approach. So we have the Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and Department of Migrant Workers (DMW). We have the Department of Agriculture (DA) as well.

And of course, the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda), the Department of Health (DOH), of course, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), of course, Climate Change Commission (CCC). All of us are working together,” said Loyzaga, a climate expert who used to head the Manila Observatory before being named DENR Secretary by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. According to Yulo-Loyzaga, the COP28 negotiators are at a turning point in terms

of climate negotiations.

Loss, damage on agenda

“THEY are very critical negotiations in this particular COP because after a long fight, we now have loss and damage on the agenda that will be submitted by the transitional committee without question, I understand, into the agenda for the COP,” she said.

“We anticipate at this point that there will be many issues relating to climate-vulnerable countries that will be addressed by this loss and damage fund,” she said.

Essentially, Yulo-Loyzaga said the Philippine participation in COP28 will center around three major themes.

She said the delegation will be presenting the Philippines this year as having done all the work in terms of biodiversity, and renewable energy planning, and cite the effort in building resilient communities. The team will center the Philippine positions around three general themes, namely: Pursuit of a low-carbon future which is sustainable and resilient for the country; Instituting naturebased solutions; and Banking on our biodiversity to work with other countries as well as the community in the country on resilience based on adaptation, mitigation, and disaster risk reduction; and then lastly, resilient community.

“We need to engage down to the local governments for us to be able to build resilience at the front line. So here at COP, finance is a huge theme,” she said.

Lastly, the DENR chief said the Philippines has a small Philippine Pavilion. There will be 32 major side events that will be co-hosted by the Philippine delegation. Jonathan L. Mayuga

Anti-red tape body says PPA fee hike proposal must undergo a RIA

By Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuan

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HE Anti-Red Tape Authority (Arta) said the Philippine Ports Authority’s (PPA) proposal to hike storage fees for foreign containerized cargo would have to undergo an assessment that would ensure that the regulation being implemented by the government agency is not burdensome to the public.

“Of course with that recommendation, [our constant response every time there is a proposed increase by way of a regulation, is that it must undergo a Regulatory Impact Assessment],” Arta Secretary Ernesto Perez told reporters, speaking partly in Filipino, on the sidelines of the Ease of Doing Business (EODB) Convention on Wednesday.

He was asked if the planned hike on the port fees should undergo the Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA).

The Arta chief underscored that it is part of the anti-red tape watchdog’s mandate to require the Philippine Ports Authority to subject to an RIA any proposed regulation to increase fees.

“It should undergo a Regulatory Impact Assessment; it’s the mandate of the Arta to require the Philippine Ports Authority to subject any proposed regulation to increase fees to conduct Regulatory Impact Assessment,” Perez said.

Perez defined RIA as a “scientific tool that will ensure that any regulation being implemented by any government agency does not unduly burden the people and the people will expect much faster, much better services.”

In a position letter signed by its president Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis, Jr. dated November 8.2023, the Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (Philexport) called for an analysis of the impact on port users of the proposed increase in storage charg-

PEREZ

es for foreign containerized cargoes at all PPA ports.

In an earlier statement by the Philexport, Ortiz-Luis recommended that the planned rate hike undergo a RIA as a “standard operating procedure” under the Ease of Doing Business (EODB) Law. The Philexport chief said this is to “prevent causing undue regulatory harm that might arise from higher charges.”

“As proposed, we are already seeing the immediate harm they will cause to shippers and the economy in general,” the letter, dated November 8, 2023 and addressed to PPA general manager Jay Daniel R. Santiago, also noted.

While Perez said he has not yet received a “formal request,” he stressed that, “I assure the public that once we receive it, or once we get into the details of it, we will act on it right away.”

Under the Ease of Doing Business Law, all proposed regulations of government agencies shall undergo regulatory impact assessment to “establish if the proposed regulation does not add undue regulatory burden and cost” to the agencies and applicators or requesting parties.

(LEFT photo) Jimmy Pacheco with Israeli ward, Amitai Ben Zvi. (Right photo) Ido Ben Zvi takes a wefie with Pacheco and brother Gilad inside the hospital in Israel immediately after they learned about Pacheco’s release from captivity on November 25, 2023. PHOTOS COURTESY OF HAGAR MADNICK (DAUGHTER OF AMITAI) AND IDO BEN ZVI

Israeli son thanks OFW for staying with father

By Malou Talosig-Bartolome @maloutalosig

T

HE son of the Israeli elderly ward of former Hamas hostage Gelienor “Jimmy” Pacheco met the Filipino caregiver at the hospital in Israel where he was brought after his release, and recalled the last words of his father.

“My father still had time to tell him (Jimmy), ‘Tell him, I do love him,” Ido Ben Zvi told Israel TV, his voice crackling, holding back his tears. “’Get out of here. Save yourself.’

But Jimmy chose to stay,” Zvi said.

Pacheco had worked as the caregiver of 80-year old Israeli-American Amitai Ben Zvi for four years, Ido said. When the Hamas mortars were attacking Kibbutz Nirim Oz on October 7, Pacheco was able to bring his ward inside the safe room.

But the Hamas militants came and forcibly broke into the safe room and killed the Israeli ward.

Instead of running away, Jimmy laid down under the sofa. When the terrorists came, they shot Amitai and took Jimmy.

“They (Hamas) took Jimmy to the backyard. They put him on his knees aimed a rifle at his forehead and harassed him. They did not kill him of course,” Ido said.

This is the third time Israeli employers spoke about how Filipino caregivers stood behind their ward in the face of danger during the October 7 attacks.

Ido said the first thing that Jimmy told them when they met at the hospital was, “I’m sorry for your dad.”

Pacheco’s story

IN a recorded message posted by the Philippine Embassy in Tel-Aviv, Pacheco said he was thankful to God for giving him another lease of life.

“Hindi ko lang talaga aakalain na bubuhayin nila ako kasi pinatay nila

ang alaga ko,” the 33-year old native of Ilocos Norte said.

While in captivity, he also lost of hope of surviving the ordeal.

“Noong nasa city pa ako ng Gaza, wala na talaga akong pag-asang mabuhay, wala nang pag-asang makabalik pa sa pamilya ko [When I was in Gaza, I had lost hope of surviving or returning to my family],” he added.

But his strong faith in God and his resolve to survive for the sake of his three young children brought back his will to live.

As for the lessons that he learned during this painful episode in life, he shared, “Sa mga kapwa ko OFW, ingatan po natin ang mga pinagpaguran natin kasi di natin alam – gaya ko po, hindi ko alam na dudukutin ako, kung papayatayin ako that time.

Paano na lang ang pamilya ko? Yun ang iniisip ko. Kaya, mag-ipon, pahalagahan ang bawat sahod. Kasi dun ko sa Gaza na-realize na bawat sentimo doon mahalaga sa kanila.”

Pacheco said he feels much better now, and his health is “improving.”

After one day of medical screening including psychiatric tests, the doctors released him and he is now in a hotel.

He lost around 10 kilograms of weight because he said, the Hamas were not giving the hostages enough food during his 49 days of captivity.

“I didn’t expect that I could leave that place that day because they were not saying anything. I was just moved to another area,” he said in Filipino.

Pacheco said he is looking forward to spending Christmas with his family this year as he was not able to do so for the past six years since he started working as anOFW. He thanked God, the Israeli government, the Philippine government and the Philippine Embassy in Tel-Aviv and everyone who prayed for his safety.

Companies BusinessMirror

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

Thursday, November 30, 2023

EDC to issue fixed-rate bonds

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By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

opez-led Energy Development Corp. (EDC), a subsidiary of First Gen Corp., is raising P10 billion from the issuance of fixed-rate bonds to partly finance the power firm’s renewable energy (RE) projects.

In a disclosure to the stock exchange, the board of directors of EDC has approved the public offering, issuance, and listing of the second tranche of its shelf registered Asean Green Bond Program of up to P10 billion fixed-rate bonds. However, this is still subject to the approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp. (PDEx).

The first tranche amounting to P5 billion was listed on the PDEx on June 25, 2021.

EDC Chief Finance Officer Erwin O. Avante said the P10 billion will form part of EDC’s budget for capital expenditures for 2024. “We have seven ongoing projects as of the moment but for this Asean green bond we will still finalize allocation which it will fund.”

EDC is the largest pure RE company in the Philippines, operating 1,181.8 megawatts (MW) of geothermal, 150 MW of wind, 132.8 MW of hydroelectric power, and 12 MW of solar power plants—for a total of 1,476.6 MW of clean and renewable energy, as of December 31, 2021.

Recognized as a world leader in wet steam field technology, EDC operates in various locations in the Philippines, including in Bicol, Leyte, Negros Island, and Mindanao.

EDC, through its subsidiaries,

also operates the biggest combined wind and solar farm in the region, located in Burgos, Ilocos Norte, and substantial hydropower assets located in Nueva Ecija.

The company accounts for 19 percent of the country’s total installed RE capacity, and comprises 62 percent of the country’s total installed geothermal capacity based on the Philippine’s 2020 total installed capacity. It has put the Philippines on the map as the third largest geothermal producer in the world.

“The public’s strong support for the expansion of our 100 percent RE portfolio and the financial institutions’ commitment to focus only on funding low carbon power are crucial in speeding up that necessary transition to a decarbonized world. We all need to work together to achieve this while we still can,” said Avante.

ACR: Sale of debt papers yield ₧1.14B A lsons Consolidated Resources (ACR) of the Alcantara Group has raised P1.149 billion, which represents the third tranche of its P3-billion commercial paper program.

The proceeds will primarily be used as general working capital, according to the publicly listed firm.

Earlier this year, ACR received an Issuer Credit Rating of PRS Aa minus from the Philippine Rating Service Corp. in relation to the company’s P3-billion commercial paper program.

The commercial papers are sold to investors looking for shortterm investments with low risk.

ACR said it is committed to strengthening its renewable energy projects, aiming for at least 50 percent of its energy mix to come from renewable sources.

The company’s renewable energy (RE) initiatives include the 14.5 MW Siguil Hydro Power plant in Sarangani, which is projected to be completed by the end of 2023.

Additionally, ACR has embarked on the development of a hybrid hydro and solar power project

in Zamboanga del Norte and a hydro power project on the Bago River in Negros Occidental. These ventures feature capacities of up to 37.8 megawatts and up to 42 megawatts, respectively.

With a portfolio of four power facilities with a combined capacity of 468 MW, ACR serves over eight million individuals across 14 cities and 11 provinces in Mindanao.

ACR reported P1.8 billion in net income at end-September this year, up 32 percent from the same period a year ago brought about

by the strong performance of its power assets in Mindanao.

COntinued on B2

B1

ICTSI: Australian unit to complete expansion project by end of 2023

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

I

nternational Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) said on Wednesday the Victoria International Container Terminal (VICT) is “on track” to complete Phase 3A of its expansion project by yearend.

The expansion project is being carried out in two phases. It involves the investment of P8.64 billion or AUD235 million.

Phase 3A includes extending the quay by 71 meters, totaling 735 meters, which enables the terminal to accommodate two 366-meter vessels simultaneously. The company said it will increase the Australian terminal’s capacity by 30 percent to 1.25 million TEUs. Upgrades are also being made on the landside. The addition of three new storage blocks and 15 new truck lanes aims to increase the terminal’s time slot offerings by up to 30 percent per hour from January 2024.

Phase 3A also involves the acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment, including two ship-to-shore (STS) cranes, six automated container

carriers (ACC), and six automated stacking cranes (ASC).

The ACCs and ASCs have been operational since August, while the STS cranes are expected to be fully operational by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, Phase 3B, scheduled for completion in 2025, will further enhance the terminal’s capabilities through the acquisition of another automated STS crane, three ACCs, four ASCs, and construction of two additional storage blocks.

“The project is a substantial leap forward for VICT. It will redefine the container terminal landscape at the Port of Melbourne and set new industry standards for operational efficiency and capacity,” VICT CEO Bruno Porchietto said.

“With the expanded capacity and new equipment, VICT will be able to service larger vessels—particularly the neo-Panamax ships with capacities of up to 14,000 TEUs—­a nd introduce economies of scale across the supply chain.

All these improvements represent our commitment to delivering the best service to our customers at the Port of Melbourne.”

B2

Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Dito enterprise unit targets small firms, LGUs—exec

D

By Lorenz S. Marasigan

@lorenzmarasigan

ito Telecommunity Corp. launched on Tuesday its enterprise unit targeting the P70billion small-and-medium-businesses market and local government units (LGUs).

Eric Alberto, the CEO of Dito, said the opportunity for Dito Business is “quite huge,” as the market “is not static,” and that many businesses and local governments have “not fully transformed and fullyenabled” yet.

“I don’t think the market is saturated. We have nearly a million enterprises registered and of that number, 800,000 are active and op-

erating…a lot of their requirements are still underserved,” he said in a press conference late Tuesday.

Alberto estimated the enterprise market at P70 billion.

Dito Business will be competing against industry giants that have been offering enterprisegrade connectivity and business solutions to businesses, namely PLDT Inc., Globe Telecom Inc.,

and Converge ICT Solutions Inc. What sets Dito Business apart, according to Dito Chief Revenue Officer Adel Tamano, is its 5G Standalone (SA) Fixed Wireless Access (FWA).

“Choosing Dito Business means choosing a standalone 5G network architecture that is independent of existing legacy infrastructures.

This will future-proof your business—we are the only telco in the country that can legitimately claim this,” he said.

He added that only a 5G SA solution can “unleash the full potential of 5G,” which includes “enhanced speed, lower latency, and the ability to connect a massive number of devices simultaneously.”

Dito has yet to introduce the specific enterprise solutions that it will launch, but it is planning to to officially unveil them by the first quarter of 2024.

Alberto noted that Dito has high hopes for Dito Business, as consumers have become more digitally savvy, citing a study conducted by the International Data Corp.

With this, businesses and local governments, he said, must adapt to cater to the transformed needs of Filipino consumers, who now demand digital solutions in their daily tasks—from ordering food, hailing a ride, buying groceries, and even availing government services.

“This kind of shift in transformation and adoption is no longer reversible.”

Alberto said only “40 percent of enterprises in the country are digitally transformed.” The opportunity for Dito lies on the remaining.

Another opportunity, he added, is for organizations to take Dito in as network redundancy.

Tamano said Dito can also capture the existing market, saying that it has not yet been saturated with 5G solutions.

Alberto expects Dito Business to be a “material contributor” to the company’s revenue base in the coming years.

ACR: Sale of debt papers yield ₧1.14B

COntinued from B1

The company currently has a portfolio of four power facilities with an aggregate capacity of 468MW serving over 8 million people in 14 cities and 11 provinces in the country’s second largest island. The 210MW baseload power plant of its subsidiary Sarangani Energy Corp. (SEC) continues to be the power firm’s income driver. The power facility services key areas in Mindanao including Sarangani Province, General Santos, Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Dipolog, Dapitan, Pagadian, Samal, Tagum, Kidapawan, and Butuan.

The company’s 100 MW Western Mindanao Power Corporation (WMPC) diesel plant in Zamboanga City and the 103 MW Mapalad Power Corp. (MC) diesel plant in Iligan City, also remains to play a vital role in supplying ancillary services to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines to help stabilize the power grid in the Western Mindanao Region. Lenie Lectura

www.businessmirror.com.ph

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

November 29, 2023

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

ASIA UNITED BDO UNIBANK BANK COMMERCE BANK PH ISLANDS CHINABANK EAST WEST BANK METROBANK PB BANK PHIL NATL BANK PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK UNION BANK COL FINANCIAL PHIL STOCK EXCH

131,555 400,968,295 8,276 288,085,634 2,415,585 95,754 168,978,454 3,649,200 598,006 4,468 11,240 20,386,744 46,435,603.50 352,430 948,770

-9,010 21,384,163 -13,927,822 1,747,650 -47,045,916 -15,604,933.00 -44,009,054.50 -921,450

INDUSTRIAL ACEN CORP 4.66 4.7 4.8 4.82 4.65 4.66 13,619,000 64,129,340 ALSONS CONS 0.54 0.55 0.55 0.58 0.54 0.54 1,957,000 1,075,380 ALTERNERGY HLDG 0.76 0.77 0.75 0.78 0.75 0.77 4,566,000 3,479,710 ABOITIZ POWER 37.1 37.15 36.7 37.1 36.55 37.1 2,641,500 97,683,540 RASLAG 1.19 1.2 1.19 1.19 1.19 1.19 8,000 9,520 BASIC ENERGY 0.18 0.186 0.179 0.183 0.178 0.183 830,000 149,550 FIRST GEN 16.94 17.1 17.24 17.24 16.88 16.94 905,400 15,416,420 FIRST PHIL HLDG 61.2 62 62 62 61 61.2 2,730 166,874 MERALCO 369 374 368 376 368 374 257,530 95,690,048 MANILA WATER 18.18 18.2 18 18.2 18 18.2 379,700 6,873,164 PETRON 3.39 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.24 3.4 794,000 2,656,470 PETROENERGY 4.52 4.6 4.36 4.6 4.36 4.52 22,000 98,040 PHX PETROLEUM 4.91 5.2 5.09 5.2 4.75 5.2 22,400 115,332 REPOWER ENERGY 6.55 6.72 6.72 6.72 6.55 6.72 1,300 8,718 SYNERGY GRID 6.18 6.2 6.25 6.34 6.17 6.18 818,700 5,096,644 SHELL PILIPINAS 11.88 11.9 11.92 11.92 11.88 11.9 41,600 495,186 SPC POWER 7.35 7.36 7.41 7.49 7.36 7.36 72,100 536,511 AGRINURTURE 1.11 1.14 1.12 1.15 1.1 1.14 5,178,000 5,831,800 AXELUM 2 2.04 2.05 2.05 2 2.04 223,000 447,770 CENTURY FOOD 30.35 30.4 30.4 30.7 30.1 30.4 3,104,100 94,426,680 DEL MONTE 7.11 7.49 7.49 7.49 7.49 7.49 100 749 DNL INDUS 6.03 6.06 6.01 6.07 6 6.03 533,100 3,208,861 EMPERADOR 20.8 20.85 20.75 20.95 20.75 20.85 113,200 2,359,105 SMC FOODANDBEV 48.8 50 49.95 50 48.65 50 59,400 2,928,360 FIGARO COFFEE 0.61 0.62 0.63 0.63 0.61 0.61 4,448,000 2,751,210 ALLIANCE SELECT 0.475 0.48 0.48 0.48 0.48 0.48 20,000 9,600 FRUITAS HLDG 1.04 1.05 1.03 1.05 1 1.05 5,404,000 5,501,040 GINEBRA 167.5 168 168 168 166.7 167.5 710 118,825 JOLLIBEE 233.8 235 238.2 238.6 232.8 233.8 1,882,660 441,891,264 KEEPERS HLDG 1.48 1.49 1.46 1.49 1.46 1.49 639,000 936,530 MAXS GROUP 3.45 3.5 3.6 3.6 3.43 3.45 166,000 581,630 MONDE NISSIN 8.03 8.1 8.3 8.3 8.02 8.03 4,026,300 32,563,239 SHAKEYS PIZZA 9.3 9.36 9.28 9.3 9.28 9.3 21,900 203,668 ROXAS AND CO 0.47 0.5 0.51 0.51 0.455 0.47 720,000 339,220 RFM CORP 2.95 2.96 2.99 2.99 2.96 2.96 136,000 405,010 UNIV ROBINA 115.4 115.5 118 118.8 115 115.5 745,600 86,397,576 CONCRETE B 38.55 47.75 47.75 47.8 47.75 47.8 200 9,555 CEMEX HLDG 0.78 0.8 0.84 0.84 0.78 0.78 556,000 436,630 EC VULCAN CORP 0.78 0.79 0.8 0.8 0.78 0.79 211,000 164,940 EEI CORP 5.64 5.69 5.76 5.76 5.53 5.69 372,500 2,093,133 MEGAWIDE 3.02 3.05 3.06 3.06 3.02 3.05 155,000 470,890 CROWN ASIA 1.55 1.57 1.57 1.57 1.57 1.57 17,000 26,690 EUROMED 0.8 0.85 0.85 0.85 0.85 0.85 2,000 1,700 PRYCE CORP 5.2 5.21 5.3 5.3 5.2 5.21 1,232,200 6,408,343 GREENERGY 0.255 0.26 0.27 0.275 0.255 0.26 27,930,000 7,425,350 INTEGRATED MICR 3.4 3.49 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.4 9,000 30,600 IONICS 1.09 1.1 1.1 1.11 1.09 1.09 562,000 617,910 PANASONIC 4.58 4.96 4.98 4.98 4.85 4.85 4,000 19,660 SFA SEMICON 2.05 2.12 2.13 2.13 1.93 2.12 295,000 624,990 CIRTEK HLDG 1.69 1.7 1.71 1.71 1.67 1.69 120,000 202,430

-3,503,550 -1,580,600 -5,149,060.00 -12,319,528.00 -17,094 33,329,880 4,466,984 -63,860 16,830 -155,840 -123,701 57,500 -32,221,385 -730,576 -386,425 -2,057,920 8,680 -228,920 -13,395 47,480,404 -97,070 -441,540 -20,115,170 52,080 -112,970 -26,227,569 75,660 7,800 -565 5,200,000 2,700 -21,800 -

HOLDING & FRIMS

ABACORE CAPITAL AYALA CORP ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANSCOR ATN HLDG A COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV GT CAPITAL JG SUMMIT KEPPEL HLDG A LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG PRIME MEDIA REPUBLIC GLASS SM INVESTMENTS SAN MIGUEL CORP TOP FRONTIER

45.1 133.1 7.07 102.7 30.1 8.31 50.85 8.8 18.4 51.65 23 69 56.1 2.71 169

1.02 662 48 10 11.06 0.38 4.5 9.21 5.15 547.5 37.7 4.6 4.33 8.88 0.115 2.73 2.9 841.5 106.1 96.2

45.95 133.4 7.49 103 30.5 8.32 51 8.99 18.46 55.85 23.15 69.05 58.5 2.72 171

1.03 662.5 48.05 10.06 11.38 0.385 4.59 9.29 5.2 548 38.4 5.45 4.36 8.9 0.127 2.78 3 848 108 99.85

45.95 132 7.69 102.5 30.05 8.34 51.65 8.8 18.4 55.85 22.9 70 58.8 2.75 172

1.04 657 47.85 10.2 11.36 0.38 4.59 9.37 5.2 556 38.8 5.47 4.3 8.93 0.111 2.8 3 844 105.9 96.1

45.95 134.5 7.7 103.3 30.65 8.36 51.8 8.8 18.46 55.85 23.15 70.3 58.9 2.75 172

1.04 664 48.1 10.2 11.38 0.38 4.6 9.37 5.2 564 39 5.47 4.3 8.94 0.111 2.8 3 855 108 96.1

45 131.6 7.07 102 30.05 8.31 50.45 8.7 18.4 55.85 22 69.05 56.1 2.71 169.5

1.01 653 47.85 9.91 11 0.38 4.5 9.21 5.2 547 37.7 5.47 4.3 8.88 0.111 2.73 3 839 105 96

45.1 133.4 7.49 102.7 30.5 8.32 50.85 8.8 18.46 55.85 23.15 69.05 56.1 2.71 171

1.03 662 48 10.06 11.38 0.38 4.5 9.21 5.2 547.5 37.7 5.47 4.3 8.88 0.111 2.73 3 848 108 96

2,900 3,001,280 1,100 2,815,820 79,200 11,500 3,310,530 416,000 32,500 80 500 293,700 826,960 129,000 5,550

388,000 568,700 441,200 6,904,800 39,300 100,000 2,556,000 1,273,500 200 198,330 1,423,000 200 100,000 3,304,300 50,000 51,000 49,000 218,950 210,390 930

395,260 376,084,325 21,164,985 69,722,100 444,714 38,000 11,514,140 11,780,463 1,040 109,532,735 54,147,575 1,094 430,000 29,431,362 5,550 139,720 147,000 185,222,440 22,337,024 89,293.50

PROPERTY AYALA LAND 30.15 30.65 31 31.55 30.15 30.15 11,198,400 345,334,830 AYALA LAND LOG 1.6 1.64 1.58 1.67 1.58 1.6 268,000 435,160 ALTUS PROP 8.97 9.19 8.98 8.98 8.96 8.97 7,700 69,054 ARANETA PROP 0.98 1.02 0.99 1.02 0.99 0.99 269,000 266,460 AREIT RT 28.2 28.4 29.35 29.4 28.2 28.2 4,504,500 130,105,565 A BROWN 0.64 0.65 0.65 0.65 0.65 0.65 80,000 52,000 CITYLAND DEVT 0.69 0.7 0.71 0.71 0.67 0.7 56,000 39,180 CROWN EQUITIES 0.061 0.069 0.063 0.069 0.063 0.069 220,000 13,980 CEB LANDMASTERS 2.46 2.5 2.48 2.5 2.46 2.5 55,000 135,660 CENTURY PROP 0.305 0.31 0.305 0.31 0.305 0.31 390,000 119,450 CITICORE RT 2.52 2.53 2.52 2.53 2.52 2.52 355,000 896,070 DOUBLEDRAGON 8.1 8.11 8 8.15 7.9 8.11 270,700 2,182,259 DDMP RT 1.21 1.22 1.2 1.22 1.2 1.22 1,574,000 1,912,570 DM WENCESLAO 6.25 6.29 6.25 6.26 6.25 6.26 10,400 65,100 EMPIRE EAST 0.131 0.134 0.134 0.134 0.134 0.134 30,000 4,020 EVER GOTESCO 0.285 0.29 0.295 0.295 0.295 0.295 250,000 73,750 FILINVEST RT 2.76 2.8 2.85 2.85 2.76 2.8 984,000 2,758,130 FILINVEST LAND 0.55 0.56 0.55 0.56 0.54 0.55 2,396,000 1,316,960 GLOBAL ESTATE 0.74 0.76 0.74 0.74 0.74 0.74 100,000 74,000 8990 HLDG 8.41 9.04 9 9.04 9 9.04 13,000 117,310 PHIL INFRADEV 0.485 0.55 0.5 0.53 0.485 0.53 156,000 81,505 CITY AND LAND 0.75 0.78 0.75 0.78 0.75 0.78 12,000 9,030 MEGAWORLD 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.03 2.03 7,373,000 15,050,130 MRC ALLIED 1.43 1.47 1.43 1.48 1.43 1.43 135,000 193,860 MREIT RT 11.94 12 12 12 11.94 12 274,600 3,291,248 OMICO CORP 0.228 0.23 0.228 0.228 0.228 0.228 20,000 4,560 PREMIERE RT 1.5 1.52 1.52 1.52 1.5 1.5 60,000 90,730 PRIMEX CORP 2.4 2.48 2.4 2.49 2.4 2.49 13,000 31,290 RL COMM RT 4.58 4.6 4.66 4.73 4.56 4.58 974,000 4,505,290 ROBINSONS LAND 14.72 14.84 14.6 14.92 14.6 14.84 1,627,000 24,095,722 ROCKWELL 1.35 1.39 1.35 1.38 1.35 1.35 3,000 4,080 SHANG PROP 3.61 3.69 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.7 6,000 22,200 STA LUCIA LAND 3.22 3.27 3.27 3.27 3.22 3.27 18,000 58,660 SM PRIME HLDG 32.5 32.8 33.9 33.95 32.5 32.5 14,813,900 486,568,630 VISTAMALLS 2.25 2.43 2.45 2.45 2.45 2.45 1,000 2,450 SUNTRUST RESORT 0.73 0.8 0.75 0.8 0.73 0.8 198,000 145,200 VISTA LAND 1.64 1.66 1.66 1.67 1.64 1.64 733,000 1,213,610 VISTAREIT RT 1.68 1.69 1.67 1.69 1.67 1.69 84,000 141,180

SERVICES ABS CBN 3.63 3.7 3.71 3.79 3.7 3.7 83,000 310,470 GMA NETWORK 8.29 8.3 8.3 8.32 8.28 8.29 144,200 1,196,809 GLOBE TELECOM 1,715 1,725 1,720 1,736 1,715 1,715 64,855 111,913,595 PLDT 1,251 1,255 1,253 1,260 1,240 1,255 64,140 80,293,375 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.014 0.015 0.014 0.015 0.014 0.015 76,400,000 1,094,100 CONVERGE 8.22 8.24 8.33 8.46 8.22 8.24 3,855,600 32,197,810 DFNN INC 3.05 3.14 3 3.14 2.97 3.14 4,836,000 14,730,230 DITO CME HLDG 2.3 2.31 2.31 2.33 2.27 2.3 2,162,000 4,964,200 NOW CORP 1.08 1.11 1.07 1.12 1.07 1.11 2,633,000 2,884,040 TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.133 0.142 0.136 0.142 0.136 0.142 300,000 42,540 ASIAN TERMINALS 15.4 15.92 15.1 15.5 15.1 15.4 4,800 72,950 CHELSEA 1.27 1.3 1.27 1.31 1.27 1.27 247,000 318,550 CEBU AIR 31.95 32 32.05 32.1 31.95 32 194,600 6,227,880 INTL CONTAINER 222.4 222.8 220 223.6 219.8 222.8 3,880,820 860,327,944 LORENZO SHIPPNG 0.56 0.67 0.56 0.56 0.56 0.56 16,000 8,960 MACROASIA 4.06 4.07 4.14 4.22 4.06 4.07 406,000 1,674,560 PAL HLDG 5.14 5.2 5.3 5.3 5.2 5.2 10,200 53,220 HARBOR STAR 0.85 0.86 0.82 0.87 0.82 0.87 6,000 5,070 IPEOPLE 6.5 7.36 6.5 6.5 6.5 6.5 2,400 15,600 STI HLDG 0.46 0.465 0.46 0.465 0.46 0.46 2,360,000 1,086,100 BELLE CORP 1.16 1.17 1.19 1.19 1.17 1.17 439,000 518,020 BLOOMBERRY 9.7 9.75 9.84 9.9 9.69 9.7 6,368,500 62,287,182 PACIFIC ONLINE 3.03 3.16 3.18 3.18 3.18 3.18 20,000 63,600 PH RESORTS GRP 0.89 0.91 0.9 0.93 0.89 0.91 1,510,000 1,364,800 PREMIUM LEISURE 0.59 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 1,976,000 1,185,600 DIGIPLUS 6.93 6.97 6.88 7 6.8 6.97 3,673,900 25,467,368 PHILWEB 1.75 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8 57,000 102,600 ALLDAY 0.16 0.162 0.165 0.165 0.158 0.16 10,920,000 1,762,380 ALLHOME 1.14 1.17 1.15 1.17 1.13 1.14 1,866,000 2,153,640 METRO RETAIL 1.18 1.23 1.17 1.22 1.17 1.22 449,000 544,980 PUREGOLD 27.65 27.75 27.7 27.85 27.5 27.75 1,397,600 38,627,940 ROBINSONS RTL 40 40.4 40.1 40.5 39.85 40 297,700 11,920,510 PHIL SEVEN CORP 72 80 80.5 80.5 75 75 960,860 73,506,245 SSI GROUP 2.77 2.79 2.82 2.82 2.79 2.79 184,000 516,210 WILCON DEPOT 19.62 19.66 19.9 19.9 19.62 19.66 805,400 15,855,738 APC GROUP 0.221 0.229 0.222 0.23 0.22 0.23 160,000 35,500 MEDILINES 0.325 0.33 0.33 0.33 0.325 0.325 170,000 55,400 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.173 0.177 0.174 0.179 0.171 0.172 2,290,000 397,060

MINING & OIL ATOK 5.19 5.2 5.15 5.2 5.15 5.19 23,100 119,650 APEX MINING 2.86 2.87 2.91 2.94 2.87 2.87 6,161,000 17,923,110 ATLAS MINING 3.48 3.52 3.4 3.52 3.4 3.52 629,000 2,189,400 BENGUET A 4.75 4.85 4.85 4.95 4.85 4.85 68,000 331,050 BENGUET B 4.88 5.14 4.87 4.87 4.87 4.87 9,000 43,830 DIZON MINES 3 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.1 5,000 15,500 FERRONICKEL 2.32 2.35 2.32 2.35 2.32 2.35 111,000 258,000 GEOGRACE 0.03 0.034 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 500,000 15,000 LEPANTO A 0.082 0.083 0.085 0.087 0.083 0.083 6,860,000 586,740 LEPANTO B 0.083 0.085 0.083 0.087 0.083 0.085 2,770,000 236,220 MANILA MINING A 0.005 0.0054 0.0053 0.0056 0.0051 0.0051 101,000,000 534,600 MANILA MINING B 0.005 0.0051 0.0051 0.0051 0.0051 0.0051 3,000,000 15,300 MARCVENTURES 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.03 1 1.03 276,000 278,230 NICKEL ASIA 5.07 5.1 5.06 5.2 5.04 5.1 834,200 4,235,318 ORNTL PENINSULA 0.67 0.69 0.66 0.71 0.66 0.67 36,000 24,880 PX MINING 3.11 3.13 3.15 3.15 3.09 3.13 1,495,000 4,666,800 SEMIRARA MINING 29 29.05 29.25 29.25 28.95 29 471,100 13,689,405 UNITED PARAGON 0.0041 0.0045 0.0042 0.0042 0.0042 0.0042 6,000,000 25,200 ORNTL PETROL A 0.0081 0.0083 0.0082 0.0082 0.0082 0.0082 1,000,000 8,200 PHILODRILL 0.0082 0.0084 0.0082 0.0082 0.0082 0.0082 7,000,000 57,400 PXP ENERGY 3.7 3.74 3.72 3.74 3.69 3.74 105,000 389,470

PREFFERED ACEN PREF A 1,014 1,030 1,013 1,020 1,013 1,020 40 40,660 ACEN PREF B 1,070 1,072 1,067 1,071 1,067 1,071 1,050 1,122,985 AC PREF AR 2,450 2,460 2,460 2,460 2,450 2,450 540 1,323,500 BRN PREF A 96.05 98.45 98.45 98.45 98.45 98.45 10 984.5 CEB PREF 31.4 32 31.5 31.5 31.5 31.5 1,900 59,850 DD PREF 91.05 91.45 91.45 91.45 91.45 91.45 100 9,145 EEI PREF B 91.15 95.9 96 96 96 96 3,570 342,720 GTCAP PREF B 940.5 972 940.5 940.5 940.5 940.5 900 846,450 JFC PREF A 945.5 959.5 945 945.5 945 945.5 60 56,725 JFC PREF B 905 925 920 920 920 920 50 46,000 MWIDE PREF 4 90.7 93.5 93.3 93.3 93.3 93.3 500 46,650 MWIDE PREF 5 100.2 101 101 101 101 101 160 16,160 PNX PREF 3B 23.2 26.55 26.9 26.9 24.95 24.95 600 15,340 PNX PREF 4 225.6 249.4 225.6 225.6 225.6 225.6 20 4,512 PCOR PREF 3A 975 994.5 971 971 970 971 200 194,100 PCOR PREF 4C 999 1,000 999 999 999 999 280 279,720 SMC PREF 2F 72 72.75 72.75 72.75 72 72 1,950 141,112.50 SMC PREF 2I 70.3 72 72 72 71 71 2,710 192,440 SMC PREF 2J 67.5 68 68 68 67.5 67.5 1,230 83,540 SMC PREF 2K 66.65 67.95 66 66.65 66 66.65 4,420 294,294

PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR GMA HLDG PDR

WARRANTS

TECH WARRANT

3.29 3.59 3.29 3.29 3.29 3.29 30,000 7.53 8.5 0.33

0.36

-

-

-

-

-

68,532,515 3,258,770 -8,106,184.00 13,638 -2,187,780 -3,516,120 -59,883,915 -32,861,035.00 -3,513,257 4,912,955 15,063,320 26,091,105 98,520 -39,104,675 -52,000 -15,500 -239,660 -105,031 -55,590 -29,500 323,880 149,710 -4,789,840 -1,480 301,646 -3,165,010 15,548,496 -14,800 -144,717,590 -324,590 -24,015 12,722,680 13,172,785 5,712,550 -548,850.00 -773,400 7,750 -3,775,915 517,678,562 -146,090 188,650 -8,783,966 -45,000 -3,158,751 32,000 -1,204,980.00 -218,855 -6,951,130 -2,740,580 -167,790 -11,475,796 85,500 2,060 644,440 319,400 15,500 -48,830.00 89,200 -852,352.00 2,531,310 -1,546,565 8,400 3,710 -56,700 9,200 -68,000 -

98,700 -

-

-

-

SMALL, MEDIUM & EMERGING

0.45 0.455 0.45 0.455 110,000 50,000 0.73 0.73 0.73 0.73 400,000 292,000 1.02 1.02 1 1.02 559,000 567,520 0.69 0.7 0.66 0.69 8,117,000 5,599,810 1,035,000.00 1.03 1.04 1.02 1.03 611,000 629,560 60,770 0.21 0.21 0.21 0.21 100,000 21,000 -

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS

99.4 99.9 99 99 2,580 256,275 13,875

BALAI FRUITAS CTS GLOBAL HAUS TALK ITALPINAS MERRYMART XURPAS

FIRST METRO ETF

0.425 0.73 1.02 0.69 1.03 0.203 98.6

0.445 0.76 1.03 0.7 1.04 0.204 99

www.news.businessmirror@gmail.com

Banking&Finance

Bankers cite WFH, Cloud top cybersecurity threats

By Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

R

EMOTE work and data storage on the cloud are considered among the top cybersecurity threats that could compromise consumers’ financial and other personal data, according to the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP).

BAP said the practice of remote work, which allows Filipinos to work anywhere, exposes consumers to unsafe internet connections given that working outside of an office “typically mean less oversight from the IT teams.”

The popularity of storing data on the cloud has attracted cybercriminals to steal data stored online. This is especially the case for corporations.

“Cybersecurity is an area that will continue to evolve for the years to come. As such, it is important for all stakeholders to keep abreast of trends so that they can protect themselves and their personal data,” the bankers’ group said.

Apart from these, ransomware is also another major threat, especially for business owners. Cybercriminals can access their victim’s systems and encrypt their files.

Once this occurs, cybercriminals only allow the victims to access their files again once they pay a ransom to the criminals.

“This form of cybercrime does not just carry the risk of financial losses.

That’s because the risks associated with losing customers’ trust is something that goes beyond the financial aspect—it can affect your public image, for example, thus making oth-

ers to never trust you,” according to the BAP. In order to avoid becoming victims, BAP said when working outside the office, it is advisable to avoid public WiFi hotspots or to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) when accessing the internet publicly.

Consumers should also know the difference between phishing emails and authentic emails; use strong passwords; only use devices provided by your office for work-related tasks; and not to leave your devices around in public places.

When using cloud storage for data, BAP said it is necessary to avoid storing files that contain sensitive information or at least encrypt these files to prevent third-parties from accessing them.

The BAP also recommends that Filipinos use strong passwords when using cloud services. This can be done by using more than 10 characters with a mixture of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers and symbols on passwords.

As for ransomware, BAP said companies and business owners should ensure that employees have a strong foundation on cybersecurity, such as knowing how to spot cases of phishing.

It is also pertinent that all software systems are updated at all times to address existing security vulnerabilities from previous versions of a system.

Companies and business owners should also maintain strong passwords and avoid clicking links on suspicious websites so that malware will not be downloaded.

‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ sales to surge by 173%–lender

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes @brownindio

T

HE gross merchandise value (GMV) of items bought using “buy now, pay later” (BNPL) options is expected to surge 173 percent by 2024, driven significantly by an increase in mobile commerce (m-commerce) penetration, according to financing firm Digido Finance Corp. (UnaCash).

The number is a wide increase from GMV of items bought via BNPL in 2023 (estimated at 154 percent), 2022 (178 percent) and 2021 (118 percent), indicating a clear synergy between the BNPL market and the mobile commerce market.

According to the firm, the consistent rise of BNPL “can be regarded as a modern digital-era payment solution.” Digido added that the latter is “not just in the Philippines, which offers convenience to both consumers and its partner merchants by minimizing the initial cost of purchases.”

“Innovative upgrades like pointof-sale loans will allow this payment method to experience remarkable growth in the years to come,” the firm added.

The BNPL option, according to Digido, allows consumers to purchase products immediately and avail through convenient installment periods. There are approximately 15 percent of all online transactions in the Philippines that utilize BNPL solutions, which has further amplified its relationship in the purchasing behavior of consumers.

Use of m-commerce—conven-

tionally understood as online transactions carried out on wireless devices, such as smartphones, smartwatches or tablets—has doubled over the past five years. By the end of 2022, more than half of the Philippine population was involved in mobile commerce, with penetration reaching 55 percent. Every year, the percentage of mobile commerce usage increased by an average of 6 percent. The largest increase in the indicator was observed in 2020, at 12 percent—primarily due to the impact of the pandemic.

In terms of sales, m-commerce had an average annual growth rate of 47.4 percent from 2018 to 2022. The most significant surge occurred in 2019, with a remarkable increase of 63.4 percent in sales through m-commerce, signifying a 4.7-fold increase or an equivalent of P243.3 billion. By 2022, it was worth P308.7 billion.

M-commerce has gradually increased its share in the larger ecommerce industry, initially having just a 16 percent stake in 2018 to an historical high of 74 percent in 2022. Share of m-commerce into e-commerce is projected to reach 80 percent by 2024.

Digido also estimates that the e-commerce market in the Philippines will grow 84 percent by 2024, considering the doubling of mobile commerce use from 2018 to 2022.

The e-commerce audience in the Philippines, predominantly mobile, are persons aged 25-34 years old, making up more than 30 percent of users, followed by those aged 1824 years.

BusinessMirror

Editor: Dennis D. Estopace • Thursday, November 30, 2023

B3

SEC moves to prevent access to unregistered Binance CEX

By VG Cabuag

T

@villygc

HE Securities and Exchange Commission has issued a warning against using the online cryptocurrency exchange (CEX) Binance.

The SEC said it moved to have the platform blocked in the Philippines to safeguard the public from unregistered investment products.

In an advisory dated November 28, the SEC said the crypto-exchange operator Binance Holdings Ltd. is not authorized to sell or offer securities to the public in the Philippines, pursuant to the Securities Regulation Code.

“Based on the Commission’s database, the operator of the platform Binance is not registered as a corporation in the Philippines and operates without the necessary license and/or authority to sell or offer any form of securities as defined under Section 3.1 of the [SRC] to engage in the business of buying or selling securities

or as a broker or dealer as provided under Section 28 of the SRC, or to create or operate an exchange for the buying and selling of securities as provided under Section 32 of the SRC,” according to the order.

“Those who act as salesmen, brokers, dealers or agents, representatives, promoters, recruiters, influencers, endorsers, and enablers of Binance in selling or convincing people to invest in its platform within the Philippines, even through online means, may be held criminally liable under Section 28 of the SRC and be penalized up to P5 million or suffer imprisonment of up to 21 years, or both,” the regulator added.

The SRC provides that entities seeking to engage in the business of

buying or selling securities or as a broker dealer, or seeking to create or operate an exchange for the buying and selling of securities, must secure a secondary license with the SEC. Binance defines itself as a facility for trading financial instruments and offers investment products, including spot trading using leverage, futures contracts, option contracts, cryptocurrency savings accounts, cryptocurrency staking services and a platform for initial coin offerings.

The SEC found that Binance has been employing promotional campaigns on social media to attract Filipinos to engage in investment and trading activities using its platforms.

An app version is also currently downloadable on Google Playstore and the Apple App Store.

In line with the issuance of the advisory, the SEC said it will be requesting assistance from the National Telecommunication Commission and the Department of Information and Communications Technology to block access to Binance in the Philippines. This will prohibit users from accessing the website and its applications while inside the country.

The removal of access in the Philippines is expected to take effect

within three months after the issuance of the advisory, in order to give Filipino investors who have holdings in Binance to close their positions and take out their investments.

The SEC said it has requested Google and Meta, the operator of Facebook, to prohibit online advertisements from Binance appearing to users in the Philippines.

The SEC has recently issued advisories against similar entities, such as OctaFX/Octa Trading and MiTrade, as it looks to address the rising number of online entities soliciting investments from the public without the necessary licenses.

Last week, the US Department of Justice issued a statement saying that Binance Holdings, the entity that operates the world’s largest CEX, Binance.com, pleaded guilty on November 21 “and has agreed to pay over $4 billion to resolve the Justice Department’s investigation into violations related to the Bank Secrecy Act, failure to register as a money transmitting business, and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.” (See https://www. justice.gov/opa/pr/binance-andceo-plead-guilty-federal-charges4b-resolution)

Govt raises ₧100B via full award of bids on T-bonds

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

T

HE national government raised P100 billion from the sale of Treasury bonds (T-bonds) this month with the Bureau of Treasury (BTr) capping the last tender with a full award on the back of easing yields.

Despite raising the said amount, the Treasury was failed to reach its target borrowing of P130 billion from the tender of T-bonds.

Out of its five T-bonds auctions, the Treasury made a full rejection once of P30 billion worth of government secu-

rities while making a full award in the remaining four other tenders including Wednesday’s auction.

In the lone T-bonds auction wherein it did not make a single award, the Treasury faced beyond benchmark asking rates from investors worsened by anemic demand that did not meet the full program amount.

In the four succeeding T-bonds auctions, the Treasury was able to make full awards as yields sought by investors continuously eased on the back of favorable domestic and global market conditions.

On Wednesday alone, the Treasury raised P20 billion from the auction of a

six-year T-bonds. The tender was oversubscribed with total bids reaching P60.266 billion, three times more than the programmed amount. The T-bonds had a remaining term of five years and 10 months. Likewise, the trend of easing yields continued as the average rate for the government securities settled at 6.099 percent, with a range of 6.045 percent to 6.12 percent.

The average yield for the six-year Tbonds was lower than the secondary market benchmark level of 6.219 percent.

Rizal Commercial Banking Corp.

(RCBC) Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort explained that lower US Trea-

sury yields and stronger peso exchange rate are providing support for the decline in investors’ asking yields for the local T-bonds.

“Lower auction yields recently due to stronger peso exchange rate among the strongest in nearly three months vs. the US dollar, global crude oil prices still lingering among 4-month lows, both of which would help further ease inflationary pressures and support pause in local policy rates,” Ricafort said.

“Another positive factor: The markets priced in Fed rate cuts nine; about 100 basis points in 2024 that could be matched locally,” the RCBC executive added.

Will AI take over the financial landscape?

T

HE world of finance is an ideal testing ground for exploring the possibilities of artificial intelligence (AI). We’re already seeing how data-driven technologies help influence our financial behavior: there are tools that use AI to assist users in investment research, and there are local apps that help people track expenses better, and that even recommend credit cards that best suit consumers’ needs.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas recognizes the convenience and operational efficiency that AI can bring to the table. Machine Learning, a subset of AI that learns patterns from data to help formulate decisions, is seen by the BSP as a tool that could enhance credit scoring, client interfacing, and even insurance risk management activities.

Role of AI in credit scoring

AT TransUnion, we have been using explainable machine learning for quite some time. We couple this with historical big data that we’ve aggregated. We analyze this data, identify patterns from it, and use the insights derived from it to create more personalized and fairer assessments of

an individual’s credit profile.

On a larger scale, we believe that AI can also help cast a wider net towards greater financial inclusion.

Through its capabilities to process large amounts of data, AI-enhanced credit scoring can extend opportunities to unserved or underserved Filipinos. By considering and analyzing data gathered from alternative sources in the credit scoring process, those who are new to credit and those with thin-file credit history stand to reap the benefits.

With the accuracy and effectiveness of AI models dependent on the quality of data used to train them, poor data quality can lead to inaccuracies in results and predictions.

Certain ethical considerations surrounding fairness must be addressed as well. Without any form of human oversight, the quality of data fed to AI algorithms could perpetuate existing biases towards or against individuals or groups. This could significantly impact outcomes in terms of loan approvals, investment decisions, or insurance underwriting.

Additionally, cybersecurity concerns can also crop up at different stages of AI implementation. Malicious actors can target a financial institution’s data and manipulate it —compromising integrity. Unauthorized data access can also lead to vast reserves of data being stolen and used to target individuals or organizations.

Industry challenges

Why AI needs us

Pia L. Arellano

WHILE much has been said about the opportunities that come from the financial sector’s use of AI, unique challenges may also arise. Data quality is a crucial consideration for the implementation of AI in financial services.

CERTAINLY, the opportunities for AI to transform the financial industry are massive. However, while it’s easy to be amazed by AI and its power, I can’t help but think of the advice a man named Ben Parker gave his nephew Pe-

ter (Spider Man): “With great power, comes great responsibility.”

As AI technology continues to evolve, the measures we, in the formal financial sector use to keep data safe must change as well. To prevent the biases that exclude Filipinos from the life-changing potential of having access to credit, we must establish stringent data governance practices and continuously monitor data quality. As AI systems are trained on historical data, we must take it upon ourselves to incorporate our expertise as markets and customer behaviors can change at the drop of a hat.

Above all, as efficient as AI can make things for us, we must never forget that it is only technology, and it will always be up to us to determine just how well we use it to make lives better.

Pia Arellano is the president and CEO of Transunion Information Solutions Inc. (TransUnion PHL).

She has over 28 years of industry experience across banking, payment solutions, telecommunications, and remittance services. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the BusinessMirror. E-mail questions to tuphcomms@transunion.com.

UBP to wield acquired Citibank business via two investment platforms

U

NION Bank of the Philippines (PSE: UBP) announced the roll out of two investment funds to leverage its acquisition of the retail banking business of Citigroup Inc. in the Philippines.

According to its head of wealth management unit, Therese Chan, UBP will be tapping the core strengths of Citi’s business.

The two wealth programs bring

together “time-tested propositions and even make it better with innovative wealth management approaches” from UBP, Chan added.

The first investment fund called “Elite” offers “elevated wealth management service to customers with its top-notch propositions.” “‘Elite’ customers are not only guided by a team of wealth management experts with proven track

record and experience in investment and financial planning, they are also able to get exclusive access to more local and international investment options to match their need for diversification,” a statement by the bank read. “Curated experiences and benefits, as well as first dibs to new releases and exclusive events, also await ‘Elite’ customers.”

The UBP promises up to P1 million cash credit if one opens an “Elite” account on or before December 31, 2023.

“We have also enhanced our wealth program for the emerging affluent, keeping in mind the children of our clients who may be in the process of creating their own wealth,” Chan explained. She was referring to the second investment channel

called “Access.”

The fund targets “the next generation of wealth builders.”

The UBP announced on November 20 the start of the public offer of its 1.5-year Senior Fixed Rate Series F Bonds due 2025 and 3-year Senior Fixed Rate Series G Bonds due 2026.

In a statement, the UBP said the bonds will be issued under its

P50-billion bond program and each tranche will be offered with a minimum aggregate principal amount of P1 billion, with an oversubscription option. The Series F and Series G bonds have interest rates of 6.5625 percent per annum and 6.6800 percent per annum, respectively, UBP said. The public offer period for the bonds ended on November 29.

Rizal Raoul Reyes

B4

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng • www.businessmirror.com.ph

Thursday, November 30, 2023

‘PHL will lean on biotech to boost rice output’

By Samuel P. Medenilla

M

@sam_medenilla

ainstreaming new farming technology to increase the production of rice and other food items is the focus of the Philippine Rice Research Institute’s (PhilRice) Strategic Plan 2023-2028, according to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. In his message at the 35th National Rice Research for Development Conference delivered by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., the chief executive said the priority of the plan is to disseminate new technologies that will not only increase food production but also lift farmers’ income.

“Rest assured that the government shall continue to give primacy to research and development to ensure a sustainable rice value chain,” Marcos said.

“We will also continue to support the initiatives undertaken by

the PhilRice in introducing modern agricultural biotechnology to improve rice production.”

Among the innovations to be introduced by PhilRice, an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture, is the NSIC Rc 160—a local premium rice, which will be marketed as “Lakambini.”

Similar schemes, Marcos said, will also be implemented for livestock, poultry, fisheries and high value crops.

The President stressed the importance of strengthening the food value chain so the country

Photo from www.philrice.gov.ph

can become food secure.

He said the measure will not only improve the productivity of farmers, but also deter illegal activities, such as smuggling and hoarding.

“In collaboration with relevant law enforcement agencies, we will continue to give priority to com-

bating illegal activities that involve our agricultural produce,” Marcos said.

The 35th National Rice R4D Conference was held at the DAPhilRice Central Experiment Station in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija with the theme: “Better Rice Communities.”

The President’s pronouncement came more than a month after the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released data on food selfsufficiency which indicated that the country’s rice self-sufficiency ratio (SSR) fell 77 percent in 2022.

The SSR last year was the lowest in more than two decades, as the

country remained as one of the world’s largest importers of the staple.

PSA data showed that the country’s rice SSR last year was lower than the 81.5 percent level recorded in 2021.

Historical PSA data showed that last year’s rice SSR was the lowest in 24 years or since 1998, when it settled at 72.1 percent.

This is the third time, since 1988, that the country’s rice SSR was below 80 percent.

The PSA defines SSR as the extent to which the country’s domestic production can meet its domestic requirement.

“A ratio of less than 100 percent indicates inadequacy of food production to cope with the demand of the population,” the PSA said.

“The higher the ratio, the greater the self-sufficiency.”

The country’s milled rice output last year fell to 12.921 million metric tons (MMT) from the recordlevel of 13.054 MMT registered in 2021, according to the PSA. During the same year, the Philippines’s rice imports surged to a record 3.863 MMT, about 30 percent higher than the 2.967 MMT it imported in 2021, PSA data showed.

Manila forms team to inspect Brazil’s meat exporters

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

M

@jearcalas

anila w i l l send an inspection mission to Bra zi l a s t he Sout h American country is seeking system-wide accreditation that will allow its establishments to export animals, meat and meat products to the Philippines.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. issued Special Order (SO) 1435 that formed and authorized the sending of an inspection mission to Brazil for the accreditation of Brazilian foreign meat establishments (FMEs).

“In view of the application of the Government of Brazil for System

Accreditation, a DA [Department of Agriculture] Inspection Mission for Foreign Meat Establishment accreditation to Brazil is hereby created and shall be composed of technical experts on border control, animal health, and meat inspection from the National Meat Inspection Service and the Bureau of Animal Industry [BAI],” Laurel said.

Under prevailing rules and regulations, a country may seek two types of accreditations to export meat and meat products to the Philippines—a system-wide or an FME-specific accreditation.

In a system-wide accreditation, all locally accredited FMEs by an exporting country can export meat

products to the Philippines while an FME-specific accreditation only allows specific firms to ship meat products to the country.

“Prior to accreditation, on-site assessment of the veterinary services, animal health and food safety control of the exporting country has to be undertaken,” Laurel added.

Under the order, the inspection mission is tasked to prepare the import risk analysis (IRA) design and conduct the on-site inspection and document validation.

Furthermore, the mission is expected to prepare and submit its report to the DA Accreditation Review Board within 30 days from the completion of the IRA, on-site inspection, and validation.

The members of the mission are entitled to claim their respective salaries, pre-departure expenses, round-trip economy airfare, and 50 percent of the daily subsistence allowance based on UNDP rate.

They are also entitled to clothing allowance.

Brazil has is now one of the Philippines’s key sources of imported meat, particularly chicken and pork.

In 2022, Brazil was the country’s top chicken meat import source and was the second largest supplier of pork to the Philippines.

The country imported 235.256 million kilograms of chicken meat and 79.109 million kilograms of pork from Brazil last year, based on BAI data.

Duterte said.

Citing a 2020 study by former University of the Philippines (UP) Anthropology professor Florencia Palis, Duterte said the average age of a Filipino farmer is 53, suggesting a potential shortage of farmers in the next 12 years.

His bill aims to formalize the Magna Carta to protect the rights of young farmers, covering aspects such as food security, education, training, and land access.

“Considering the consistently high poverty incidence rates in the agricultural sector, the shift out of the sector will continue, and food security will be endangered if the recuperation of the sector is not given the utmost priority.”

He added that agricultural development initiatives should extend beyond increasing production

and subsidies, emphasizing the need to “incentivize” the youth who are opting for more lucrative professions in urban areas.

“The Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) attributes the long-term movement of workers out of agriculture to the correlation between average daily basic pay and level of education, which tends to be stronger in other sectors than agriculture.”

The proposed legislation also includes the establishment of the National Young Farmers and Fisherfolks Council, which will serve as an advisory, recommendatory, and consultative body to ensure the success of programs and activities for young farmers.

Additionally, it suggests ensuring equal access to quality education and training and encourag-

ing partnerships with state universities and colleges (SUCs) for technology transfer. Graduates with an agriculture and fisheries specialization under the K–12 curriculum would be eligible for scholarship grants in related courses at any SUC. The bill also aims to ensure that young farmers are given equal access to farm technologies and mechanization; ensure innovation, development, and proliferation of young farmer-friendly technologies and mechanization in agricultural production and processing; equal access to formal sources of credit and capital, including forms of clean loans and mortgage, redemption, and insurance; and an equitable share of the produce of farms and aquatic resources.

Nestle’s coffee operations in Bien Hoa City, Vietnam. Maika Elan/Bloomberg

Nestle says India and China are House bill pushes for grant of incentives to young farmers ‘big focus’ for coffee growth

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

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n response to the current trend of younger generations leaving the agricultural sector, a lawmaker has introduced a bill that aims to encourage and support young farmers.

In filing House Bill 9329, or the Magna Carta of Young Farmers Act of 2023, Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte said his bill seeks to give incentives to young farmers.

“The Philippine Statistics Authority [PSA] reports on the employment drop in the agricultural sector, accounting for a total employment fall of 24.5 percent, or 9.7 million, in October 2020, 24.6 percent [10.77 million] in October 2021, and 22.5 percent [10.60 million] in October 2022,”

DA extends aid to farmers, fishers in quake-hit Mindanao areas

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he Department of Agriculture (DA) said it distributed assistance to farmers and fishers in areas in Mindanao that were recently struck by a strong earthquake.

In a statement, the DA said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. visited the affected sites in Region 12 last Friday and led the distribution of the government’s aid.

“I came here to personally see the situation after the earthquake,” Laurel told workers gathered at the General Santos Fish Port Complex. “I want to see firsthand what happened here and how we can help our farmers and fishermen in Region 12, in

Gensan and neighboring provinces.”

Laurel met with irrigators groups in Koronadal City to lead the National Irrigation Administration’s distribution of P26.3 million worth of machineries and checks for indemnity and loans in South Cotabato.

In General Santos City, Laurel distributed vegetable seeds, coconut and banana planting materials, fertilizers, and indemnity claims worth P4.7 million.

He said three teams from the DA have been deployed to help in the ongoing field validation in various areas in Region 12 affected by the earthquake. But even as the field work is

still ongoing, Laurel said 54 individuals have been master-listed as recipients of new fishing boats and paraphernalia worth an estimated P2.08 million.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources is also addressing the damage caused by swells spawned by the earthquake to fish cages owned by the Malapatan Fishermen Association worth P1.8 million.

The DA is provisioning 1,000 pieces of banana planting materials and 1,000 hybrid coconut seedlings for farmers affected by the earthquake.

Laurel said other assistance may be

provided after the field assessment. He added financial assistance is also available at the Agricultural Credit Policy Council.

The agriculture secretary made the rounds in south-central Mindanao to personally oversee the relief operations on the farmers and fishers affected by the temblor.

On November 17, a 6.8-magnitude earthquake rocked Sarangani, Davao Occidental and a large section of Mindanao, killing several people and injuring hundreds while damaging hundreds of houses and infrastructures.

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ndia and China are key coffee markets for Nestle SA, with the food giant bullish on the outlook for consumption growth in the world’s most populous countries, according to the global head of strategy.

“We have a really strong footprint in Asia and we are really bullish about those markets that have very low per capita consumption,” Philipp Navratil, head of Nestle’s coffee strategic business unit, said in an interview in Vietnam’s Dak Lak province. “China is really a big focus, and India is a big focus.”

Nestle’s presence in Asia includes instant coffee operations in Vietnam, which is the world’s biggest producer of robusta beans.

Futures for the variety in London surged to a record earlier this year on concerns around tightening supply, and the onset of El Niño is expected to bring drier conditions in growing areas.

Navratil said the Philippines and Thailand are key markets for the Swiss maker of Nespresso and Nescafe, including for soluble and ready-to-drink products. He added that Pakistan and Africa are other regions for consumption growth.

“In India, China, sub-Saharan Africa, there’s 4 billion people that drink less than 20 cups per year” on average, Navratil said.

There’s an opportunity “to really build coffee markets out of those huge populations,” he said.

Tyson’s plant

Tyson Foods Inc. officially opened one of its most advanced plants in the United States, where robots will help boost the company’s capacity to turn chicken meat into value-added items such as nuggets and fully cooked wings.

The $300-million plant in Danville, Virginia will produce roughly 4 million pounds of Tyson-brand chicken products a week when it reaches full capacity early next year, according to a company spokesperson. The first of five lines at the 325,000-square-foot plant began production in mid September, about two years after construction began, and a second line was put into service earlier this month.

“This brand new Danville facility represents a pivotable move in our company’s history,” Tyson’s Chief Executive Officer Donnie King said Tuesday at a ribboncutting event at the plant. “It represents a strategic growth drive, which is key for us as we continue to build positive momentum and drive profitability in our business.”

Tyson is seeking to expand its valueadded business, which is typically seen as more resilient in economic downturns, as part of efforts to accelerate long-term growth. The push comes when the meat giant is struggling with an unusual combination of headwinds that sent profits at its beef, chicken and pork operations to the lowest levels in more than a decade last year. The company has closed or announced shutdowns of six chicken plants as it seeks to slash costs and become more efficient.

The Danville plant is part of Tyson’s 2021 plan to invest $1.3 billion in automation, with the goal of reducing labor costs and increasing yields. The facility uses robots to execute some of the most difficult roles on the production floor, including packing and lifting boxes on pallets, King said. Still, the project is expected to create nearly 400 jobs for the southern Virginia region, the CEO said. Bloomberg News

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In praise of heroic mentors Uncover hidden gems at Paseo Outlets Black Friday Sale

Black Friday is fast approaching, and the excitement is building to burst at the Paseo Outlets at Greenfield City.

The Black Friday Sale is its annual shopping extravaganza and is set to be more thrilling than ever. From December 1 to December 3, prepare to embark on a treasure hunt like no other. With discounts of up to 80-percent off, this sale promises to be the crown jewel of your holiday shopping experience. But that’s not all: on December 2, the Paseo Outlets presents the “Celebrity Bazaar,” where your favorite stars will share their preloved and choice items with the public. It’s time to uncover hidden gems in style.

Find your way to these brands and you’re sure to discover incredible treasures waiting for you at discounted prices that’ll have you racing to the counter: 158 Designer’s Blvd. (Tommy Hilfiger); American Eagle Outfitters Outlet; adidas outlet; Bench Depot (Cotton On, Call It Spring, Kashieca, La Senza, Pedro); BrandSmart (Zara, Stradivarius, Pull&Bear); Crocs Outlet; F&F (Calvin Klein, Dune London, Superga, etc.); Fusion Outlet (Sperry, Keds, Skechers, etc.); Giordano Outlet; Levi’s Factory Outlet; Marks & Spencer Outlet; Nike Factory Store; Puma Outlet; Oakley Vault; Park Outlet (New Balance, Havaianas, Jordan, etc.); Payless Shoesource; Samsonite Outlet; Speedo Outlet; Sunglass Haven Outlet (Ray-Ban, D&G, etc.); The Outlet (Banana Republic, Gap, Old Navy); Timberland Outlet; Time Collection Outlet Store (G-Shock, Casio, etc.); Under Armour Outlet; USDS Outlet; west elm Outlet; and Pottery Barn Outlet.

The Paseo Outlets is renowned for offering top quality brands at unbeatable prices, and this Black Friday Sale is no exception. Be sure not to miss the largest Puma outlet in the country, or the newly renovated Crocs outlet that’s now double the size. Don’t forget to hit up Sunglass Haven where you can get the trendiest designer eyewear from top global brands. The real magic of Black Friday is uncovering these hidden gems while staying within your budget.

As you go on your shopping excursion, don’t forget to keep your receipts. Gather up at least P2,000 worth and you’ll discover an exclusive opportunity to Spin the Wheel.

Test your luck and you might find yourself bringing home a special surprise from participating brands.

While you’re unearthing hidden gems, don’t forget to take a breather. Enjoy a soothing serenade of Christmas Carols on December 1 and 3 while you enjoy the Paseo Outlets’ unique shopping environment. Its wide open spaces, lush greens, and fields provide the perfect backdrop for relaxation. Grab a bite at one of the many dining options, or simply enjoy the fresh air. This shopping destination is ideal for weekends with family, friends, and even your furry companions.

Clockwise: Coach Eric Brando II with our family; coach with his lovely new wife Kim Rose Sia Brando; Meagan with two of her “big brothers” in fencing, Dan Britanico and Sandro Sia; Meagan with her “big sister” Jylyn Nicanor, the No. 1 women’s sabre fencer in our country; coach with Meagan; and Meagan with her first fencing coach, Lucio Teves, who was key in building her love for the sport

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HIS week we celebrated National Heroes’ Day. For me, it was a week to remember the people who engrained my deep love for the Philippines. I believe it can also be a time for all of us to remember mentors who have somehow, one way or another, taught us something that led us to the person we are today.

Although my blood is not Filipino, I have always felt lucky to have been born and raised here. I grew up in a household of highly successful overseas professionals. I thought that was the life for me as well. However, this tendency was heavily tilted toward staying in our country by my nanny and my dad. My nanny, Manang Eyang, inspired me, despite her small income, to do more to make the lives of people around us better. I became a licensed teacher, so I could continue her work in inspiring children to be successful professionals, as she did for her relatives and kids in her barangay then. My dad instilled in us to show gratitude to the Philippines. He continues to inspire me with the scholars and the school projects he supports under his ASYAO Foundation.

As a parent, I have always hoped my children to be blessed with great mentors like I was. From all my beloved teachers who believed in me, and to people outside of school who gave me such timely guidance, I would always tell my children to be open to people

who genuinely care to teach them lessons in both skill and especially character.

When people ask me how I developed strong traits they admire, I would always say I was lucky to be guided well. I think it would be 30 percent from my nature, but 70 percent from good and caring people who saw how much I wanted to learn. I learned my diligence in school though my Grand Aunt. I learned to be adaptable and bold early by being the best Girl Scout I could be through my Scoutmaster and now priest-friend, Fr. Peterson Tieng. Even today, I am continuously blessed with mentors I work with in business and colleagues in organizations like the Philippine Association of National Advertisers (PANA).

Last November 25, our family attended the very intimate and beautiful wedding ceremony of Eric Brando II and Kim Rose Sia at the Manila Cathedral.

It was followed by a garden reception at Baluarte de San Diego. Although it was raining harder than usual in an outdoor setting, all the guests focused more on how they could celebrate with the couple in the most fun way possible. It is a testament to the deep relationships the couple has fostered through the years.

Eric Brando II has been Meagan’s fencing coach for close to 5 years now. Meagan would train with coach straight days during the week, even longer hours during school breaks. He would be ultra-tough during trainings but also showed Meagan that there was more to life than the sport. Coach has been like Meagan’s second dad who protects and guides her especially in gaining confidence in and out of the sport. Their best bonding moments would be during their travels together for international fencing competitions. Coach has been with Meagan to places, like Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, to as far as Kuwait and Uzbekistan. When Meagan was having emotional problems in her first Asian Juniors, I was truly

grateful that coach and her Kuya Sandro were there to patiently listen and get her through it.

I have seen how much faith and effort coach has put in Meagan as he drives her to gain skills and maturity beyond her age group. This allowed Meagan to be No. 1 in Juniors (U20) at age 16, and now at 17, she just recently earned a solid spot in the Women’s Sabre National Team after all the rankings.

On our way home from the wedding, Meagan shared how happy she felt for her coach Eric on his wedding day. She also shared how lucky she feels to have all her “ates and kuyas” (big sisters and brothers) in fencing.

Beyond all the medals, her relationships with each of them individually and as a group have been truly priceless. They have set a formidable bar for her on the meaning of true mentorship and friendship. She joined the long months of Ormoc, Leyte trainings with the national team during the pandemic.

The thrice a day training was grueling but all her ates and kuyas were there to teach her how to overcome her frustrations. The hard work would be all worthwhile with a weekend feast where her coach Don and coach Michael would cook her favorite lechon kawali. Her part was to wash the dishes after, while bonding with her Tita Sarah, Kuya CJ, Kuya Daniel, Kuya Dayro, Kuya Sandro, Ate Jylyn and other fencers.

I cannot forget the last Asian Fencing Championships Women’s Sabre team event in China, where Meagan was the 4th man. I saw her teammates—Ate Jylyn, Ate Coy and Ate Queen—rally to coach for her to be put in. Coach put her in twice.

They cheered for her both as she scored good points, and even when she didn’t. They won versus India even with an Olympian in the India team.

Here’s to you, Meagan’s “heroic mentors.” And again, super best wishes to the newlyweds, coach Eric and Ate Kim. n

Need a dose of happy? Here are superfood recipes to help turn your mood around WHEN you’re feeling down, the common reflex is to grab comfort food, which usually means ultraprocessed, high-in-sugar-and-fat fastfood selections.

However, this is counterproductive because research suggests that consuming more fruits and vegetables leads to higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction. This is because fruits and vegetables carry essential nutrients and antioxidants that promote a positive impact on your emotional and mental well-being.

Understandably, adding more plant foods to the daily table can be challenging as it can sometimes require more time and effort to prep and serve.

Filipino plant-based brand Sekaya can help you easily incorporate more plants into your dishes with Sekaya Raw Actives, a convenient line of nutrient-dense and plant-based superfood powders that enhance daily performance, energy and mood. Sekaya Raw Actives Daily Greens, in particular, is a versatile pantry staple, with each serving packing up phytonutrients equivalent to 50 leaves of spinach and kale.

This powerful combo makes Daily Greens a potent pick-me-up. The superfood powder contains vitamin C and B vitamins that help the brain protect and transport serotonin and dopamine, also known as “happy hormones,” to the cells in the body. The leafy greens’ high fiber content also stabilizes blood sugar levels, reducing mood swings and irritability. Plus, they provide essential minerals such as magnesium and potassium, which both help reduce anxiety and enhance cognitive function.

The best part is Daily Greens can be effortlessly mixed into mood-lifting meals and beverages, as highlighted in these Sekaya recipes. The spinach-andkale powder can be used to make Plant-Based Pesto by blitzing it with nuts, garlic, lemon juice, and olive

oil for the pesto sauce. For more flavor and health benefits, make sure to add loads of basil leaves, which act as an adaptogen that helps the body manage stress and maintain balance.

Stay refreshed and hydrated by blending Daily Greens with pineapple, cucumber, and lemon juice for a luscious Green Glow Juice. For more benefits, mix in Sekaya Raw Actives Barley Green that’s rich in fiber and prebiotics to foster gut health, which contributes to better mood and sustained energy levels. Fancy some comforting dessert? Combine Daily Greens with a chocolate drink and oat cream, then pour into popsicle molds and freeze overnight. The chocolate in these Plant-Based Chocolate Creamsicles is rich in flavanols, which are known for their antiinflammatory and antidepressant properties.

With the link between diet and mood more apparent than ever, it’s time to explore convenient plant-based options like Sekaya Raw Actives that offer an easy and delightful way to reap the benefits of nature’s most nutritious superfoods that invigorate both body and mind.

Sekaya is under Synnovate, the natural products division of UNILAB. Learn more about how you can benefit from Sekaya’s plant-based solutions and get health tips and information by following @sekayaph on Facebook and Instagram.

GREEN GLOW JUICE Ingredients: 1 scoop/5g SRA Barley Green 1 scoop/5g SRA Daily Greens 1⁄4 cup pineapple slices juice of 1⁄2 lemon 1⁄2 cucumber

2 tbsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice 3 to 4 tbsp nutritional yeast 1⁄4 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste) 1⁄4 tsp freshly-ground black pepper 2 to 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Pasta: 150g pasta 1⁄2 white onion 3 cloves of garlic 1⁄2 cup of sliced shiitake or button mushrooms 1⁄2 cup of sundried tomatoes 1⁄4 cup of black olive Instructions: Boil your choice of pasta/cook as per instructions.

Blend nuts with salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice, basil, extra virgin olive oil, and Daily Greens. Adjust seasoning according to preference.

Sauté onion, garlic, mushrooms. Add sundried tomatoes and/or black olives before heat goes down.

Serve the pasta with the pesto sauce and the sautéed ingredients and top with plant-based parmesan and fresh basil leaves.

250ml water Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a blender and serve.

Feel free to add ice into the mix for a green glow slush.

PLANT-BASED PESTO Ingredients (sauce): 1 scoop/5g SRA Daily Greens 2 cups packed fresh basil (large stems removed) 3 tbsp pine nuts, walnuts or cashew nuts 3 large cloves garlic (peeled)

PLANT-BASED CHOCOLATE CREAMSICLES Ingredients: 1 scoop/5g of SRA Daily Greens chocolate drink of choice (recipe uses a soy-based chocolate) oat cream Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until homogeneous. Pour the mixture into popsicle molds and freeze overnight.

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Thursday, November 30, 2023

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DIAGEO PHILIPPINES TURNS OVER 2 METRIC TONS OF USED GLASS CONTAINERS TO RECYCLING PARTNER

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IAGEO Philippines launched its first ever post-consumer glass recovery and recycling initiative to promote sustainability and circular economy last July 2023 in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. The Diageo Harmony is part of Diageo’s “Society 2030: Spirit of Progress” initiative to reduce solid waste contribution to landfills. This program is possible through the partnership with waste

collection company, Basic Environmental Systems and Technologies, Inc. (BEST), and recycling partner San Miguel Yamamura Packaging Corporation (SMYPC).

The program collects empty and clean used glass containers, including Diageo empty product bottles, through various collection points across BGC. These are then sorted and consolidated by BEST and will later on be returned to SMYPC’s

Manila Glass Plant for recycling. The used glass containers will be broken into cullet and will be used as inputs for manufacturing new glass containers as part of its circular economy program “The handover of two metric tons of collected used glass containers marks an important milestone of Diageo Harmony.

Collecting two Metric Tons of used glass containers for recycling from residents of BGC in over a 14-week period only shows that consumers are looking for ways to help the environment in whatever way they can,” said Rajesh Joshi, General Manager of Diageo Philippines. He further states, “This program wouldn’t have been possible without the strong partnership with the leadership teams of BEST and SMYPC, and we believe we can make this bigger and bolder with more partners joining the initiative.”

The ambition for Diageo Harmony is to expand this further to other companies, customers and partners to further extend the reach of this sustainability effort to more cities and geographies in the country.

ICCP’s Ocampo cited for contributions to the development of PH capital markets

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HE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently recognized Jesus Mariano P. Ocampo, Executive Vice President and Senior Managing Director of Investment & Capital Corporation of the Philippines (ICCP), for his invaluable support in the Philippine capital markets becoming among the best in the Southeast Asian Region.

The honor was presented during the Commission’s 87th Anniversary and Appreciation Ceremony held recently at the SEC Headquarters in Makati City.

Ocampo is a regular resource speaker of the SEC, the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), and other professional organizations on equity capital market transactions, particularly on taking companies

public and REITs. At ICCP, he manages the company’s equity capital markets portfolio and is responsible for the oversight and supervision of debt capital markets and the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) practice of the company.

Ocampo has over 30 years of expertise in investment banking, with a focus on equity capital market operations in the Philippines. He has managed over 30 public equity offering transactions. He is currently a director and corporate secretary of the Investment House Association of the Philippines (IHAP).

T he annua l ceremony awards indiv idua ls and organizations f rom t he public and pr ivate sectors who have

shared their voices in promoting the SEC ’s mission to improve ease of doing business, capital market development, investor protection, good gover nance, and organizationa l development.

ABOITIZPOWER Account Supervisor Michael Baltazar (left) and First Bay Power Corporation Representative Babylien Costuna (right) hand over donations to a representative of Barangay Sampaguita (center).

AboitizPower, partners donate medical supplies to Batangas, Cebu

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BOITIZ Power Corporation (AboitizPower) and partner First Bay Power Corporation gave much-needed vitamins, medicines, and medical equipment to barangays Sampaguita and San Diego in Batangas to aid the health needs of its communities.

“We’d like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to AboitizPower and First Bay Power Corporation for their generous donation, unwavering support, and dedication to our community’s well-being and health,” a local resident of Barangay Sampaguita said. “Residents will now have more access to medicines that are normally hard to come by.”

Meanwhile, AboitizPower, along w ith Ibaan Electric Cor poration and Cebu Electric Cooperative, Inc., also donated similar sets of medical supplies to M. J. Cuenco Memorial Hospital in Batangas and San Isidro Kintanar Memorial Hospital in Cebu, respectively.

“Being able to execute initiatives such as this and knowing that we can positively impact the lives of others adds much more value to what we do daily,” said AboitizPower Head of Wholesale Angeli Parcia.

“We at AboitizPower strongly believe that when we extend a helping hand and share the burden of those facing health challenges, we elevate our line of work to a higher purpose.

Our roles go beyond providing electricity as it becomes a genuine effort to help meet the other needs of the community,” she added.

First Bay Power Corporation distributes electricity to the Municipality of Bauan, Batangas. This includes a supply of 10 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy from AP Renewables, Inc.’s (APRI) MakBan geothermal facility as part of its contracted portfolio. APRI is a wholly-owned subsidiary of AboitizPower.

AboitizPower, through subsidiary Therma Luzon, Inc., supplies Ibaan Electric Corporation an amount of 10.92 MW for the municipality of Ibaan, Batangas, as well as adjacent barangays of Adya in Lipa City and Salaban in the Municipality of San Jose.

Cebu Electric Cooperative, Inc. serves Carcar City, Sibonga, Argao, Dalaguete, Alcoy, Boljoon, Oslob, Santander, Samboan, Ginat i l an, Ma l abuyoc, A leg r ia, Bad ian, Moalboal, Alcantara, Ronda, Dumanjug, and Barili in Cebu.

JTI becomes the first company in PHL to receive EY’s Global Equality Standard

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Enchanted Kingdom unveils the biggest parol in the country

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N C H A N T E D Kingdom (EK), the first and only world class theme park in the Philippines, highlighted the Filipino Christmas tradition through the launch of EK’s Giant Parol at the Agila Grounds last November 26, Sunday.

According to EK President and Chairman Mario Mamon, EK is committed to showcase the Filipino Christmas tradition of parols and local festive decorations to bring nostalgia during the holiday season. “We are very excited to share with you the biggest parol in the Philippines! It is our aspiration to provide a destination where families can create their enchanted Christmas stories,” Mamon further explained.

EK tapped renowned lantern maker from

Pampanga, Eric Bondoc Quiwa, in the creation of the 22-foot parol installed at the Agila Grounds. This is the centerpiece of the theme park’s holiday events along with 100 parols around the park.

EK’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) Cynthia R. Mamon shared that the making of the biggest parol is a three-week labor of love: from conceptualization and design, up to framing, welding, partitioning, installing the electrical components, then lastly, finishing. It is illuminated by 1,700 LED lights and will have a daily show of lights every night at the park.

EK is also set to showcase their homegrown talents through their Christmas shows such as “Christmas At The Kingdom (EK Story),”“Brooklyn

Diaries: Oh Paskong Maligaya (OPM)” and “Eldar’s Christmas Parade” featuring its storybook characters to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year.

The park is now open six times a week from Tuesday to Sunday, 11 am to 8 pm. Starting December 18, the theme park will also open its gates everyday, from 11 am to 8 pm with extended hours on selected special holidays until January 7, 2024.

For more information about this celebration and other upcoming events, visit https://www. enchantedkingdom.ph/ and EK’s official social media accounts @enchantedkingdom.ph for Facebook and Tiktok, and @ek_philippines for Twitter and Instagram.

TI (Japan Tobacco International) is the first company in the Philippines to receive EY’s Global Equality Standard (GES) certificate, achieving several of the highest assessment scores possible on equal opportunities. What’s more, the certificate was awarded to all three JTI entities in the Philippines, its nationwide market operations with its head office in Taguig City, alongside its global business services center also in Metro Manila, and its manufacturing facility in Malvar, Batangas.

This latest accreditation builds on JTI being awarded the #2 Top Employer in the Philippines earlier this year by the global authority on recognizing excellence in People Practices, the Top Employers Institute.

EY’s GES is one of the first worldwide Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) certifications and provides an in-depth diagnostic of all aspects of DEI, including measuring equal opportunities in the workplace. The GES framework is universal and increasingly being applied internationally by world leading brands, having been used in over 50 countries and across five continents to date. The assessment is a challenging process and requires evidence of comprehensive practices that protect and promote a level playing field for all employees, creating a safe haven of equality which is free from all forms of discrimination.

“We are delighted to have received EY’s GES certification for equality, diversity and inclusion excellence in our Philippine operations, and to be the first in the country to receive such an accreditation. It was a meticulous and robust assessment process for JTI, and we are very proud to be recognized for the level of ambition and commitment we have shown to advance DEI on a truly national scale across our three entities,” said Ari Wisnubroto, People and Culture Director at JTI Philippines.

“DEI is at the core of what we do at JTI. It is business critical, and we recognize it is important that workplaces be held accountable. The GES certification, therefore, does not mean that our work is done at

JTI Philippines. It is crucial that our DEI policies and practices evolve and are audited on a regular basis to ensure that our programs are benchmarked and that we are meeting our responsibility to serve the needs of our 4,500+ employees across the country,” Wisnubroto added.

EY’s GES report commended JTI Philippines for several of its corporate initiatives, including: n An analysis that found the company to be fully compliant on equal opportunities, which is embedded in the culture of the organization; n Its flexible working measures, which, among other key benefits, give employees the option to work 50 percent of their time away from the office; n Its progressive global family leave policy, enabling employees across the country holding eligible positions to benefit from 20 weeks fully paid leave when welcoming a child, regardless of their gender, sexual orientation or the way they become parents; n Its focus on career progression through the likes of mentorship programs. n Recruiting for underrepresented groups and having a balanced assessment and interview process; n Its innovative DEI ‘Bright Start’ program that supports individuals from socially disadvantaged communities by giving them the opportunity to attain a college degree while simultaneously earning a salary and developing their careers at JTI; n Its ‘Drive Ahead’ program aimed at enrolling female employees in driving school who are interested in a career in the field so that they can acquire a professional driving license that is required for a field force role; and n A market-leading approach to its wellbeing initiatives, including a strong focus on mental health.

The national accreditation for JTI in the Philippines follows on from the company’s global certification in 2021, where it became one of the first multinational companies in the world to receive the GES.

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Australia amplifies local financial tech cooperation

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HE Australian government and a major financial technology (fintech) group have agreed to promote trade and investments across the industry in the Southeast Asian region.

In a major step toward technological collaboration, FinTech Alliance. ph (FA.ph) and the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) have signed a memorandum of understanding that is seen to boost Australian-Philippine engagement on fintech policy and regulation in providing more access to capital opportunities and addressing barriers. “[Our] digital economies are growing rapidly and dynamically—there is so much more that we can do to realize the full potential of our trade and investment relationship,” said Ambassador HK Yu PSM of Australia.

“This exciting partnership will enhance fintech cooperation between our countries and provide fintech companies the support they need in order to grow our digital economies.”

The linkage follows the elevation of the two countries’ relationship to a “strategic partnership” as declared

by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, as well as the Australian gov-

ernment’s economic pivot to Asean through the launch of “Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040” in September.

With the tie-up, FA.ph and Austrade will organize initiatives to innovate financial services in the Philippines and Australia leading to enhanced commercial opportunities.

“We are very honored to be working together with the Australian government to further accelerate the rapid progress we are making in the fintech and trade industry, as well as for our digital economy,” said Lito Villanueva who is FA.ph’s founding chair. “Through this invaluable partnership, we will be able to drive massive digital transformation for all and continue to change the lives of our countrymen.”

The two organizations will be guided by the “Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028” and “Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy,” which sets out a practical pathway to increase continental state’s

Israel arranges P110K/mo. pension for kin of OFWs displaced by terror attacks

I

STAKEHOLDERS at the MOA signing between FA.ph and Austrade

two-way trade and investment with Asean, which includes the Philippine digital economy.

The cooperation will also foster information sharing on emerging market trends and developments— including the use of modern technologies to improve the fintech ecosystem in their respective markets.

It will also provide a framework for the Philippines to look more closely at Australia’s experience in open banking. At the same time, the latter’s fintech firms can learn more about the rapid development of the local digital economy.

Australia is home to strong innovators and early adopters in fintech, according to its embassy. The commonwealth has a robust and dynamic

ecosystem of the sector, backed by a stable regulatory environment, with policies that encourage innovation.

Areas of innovation include payments systems reforms, enhanced digital assets, and open-data regulations.

The Philippine fintech ecosystem is also undergoing a remarkable transformation, fueled by the country's rapid digitalization, a supportive regulatory framework, and concerted efforts to enhance financial inclusion.

Meanwhile, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas aims to shift 50 percent of all payment transactions to digital, and onboard 70 percent of adult Filipinos into the formal financial system by the end of this year.

South Korea opens agribiz cooperative in Nueva Ecija

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N November 15, the Batitang Agricultural Cooperative (BAC) in Nueva Ecija, aided by Korea Partnership for Innovation in Agriculture (Kopia) Phils. Center, PhilRice, and the Municipality of Zaragoza local government unit (LGU) formally started its seedling-agribusiness enterprise with the completion ceremony of its facilities composed of two greenhouses for seedling nurseries and a 200-sq.m. operation building to house the BAC-Kopia Office, farm tools, supplies-storage area, and the project’s members’ meeting room.

Kopia donated the center’s facilities to support the BAC for their seedling business, in partnership with PhilRice and Zaragoza LGU aiming to make the municipality and its locales within the province a vegetable-seedling center.

Country director Dr. Kyu-seong Lee of Kopia Phils. Center, Mayor Lally Belmonte of Zaragoza, PhilRice Deputy Executive Director for Development Dr. Karen T. Barroga

Aute ‘returns home’ to Manila through music

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ILIPINO artists paid tribute to Spanish musician Luis Eduardo Aute’s life, music and artistic legacy in a concert aptly titled “Manila Born: A Tribute to Aute.”

Instituto Cervantes (IC) de Manila, the cultural arm of the Embassy of Spain, organized the concert to mark Aute’s 80th birth anniversary last November 7. His legacy was brought to life with the screening of music-docu “Con tu Latido” and live renditions by Sheila Ferrer, Toma Cayabyab and his band “Debonair District.”

As an artist, IC said that the very fabric of Aute’s art resonates with this shared and unique experience of being Spanish and Filipino at the same time. This duality in his cultural identity was often displayed in the range of his creative work. His songs and poetry are often tinged by nostalgia, dislocation, and longingness which provide rich, evolved, and distinct narratives.

IC director Javier Galvan confirmed that “his songs resonate with local audiences.”

DR. KYU-SEONG LEE (right) explains about vegetable-seedling production. FB: KOPIA PHILS. CENTER

and BAC president Ising Marcos graced the ceremony, with more than 160 farmers from Batitang and nearby barangays.

Dr. Lee emphasized that BAC owns the facilities, as its members should treat it with care and use them effectively to boost their income and transform their commu-

nity via “the spirit of diligence, selfhelp, and cooperation.” He hoped that all members of the BAC and other farmers in Zaragoza “would work together as a family and support one another.”

For her part, Belmonte pledged her support to BAC’s efforts by providing transportation and other

assistance needed by the members, particularly in marketing their products.

Meanwhile, Dr. Barroga recognized Kopia’s valuable help to the community, as she further encouraged BAC to adopt the spirit of “Saemaul Undong”—a communitydriven development program of the Republic of Korea in the 1970s—to sustain the project even after the end of the funding.

The event ended on a high note as the BAC leadership, through Marcos as its chair, committed to continue Kopia’s legacy through continuous education and acquisition of relevant skills in making Zaragoza’s seedling industry sustainable and scaled. He pledged to do more in the coming months to further the seedling enterprise’s profitability.

The Embassy of Korea said this is just one of the grant programs to Filipino farmers enabling them to gain income through Kopia from the Korean government.

Philippine envoy, Jordanian minister discuss possible cultural cooperation

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N pursuit of promoting cultural cooperation and understanding, ambassador of the Philippines to Jordan Wilfredo C. Santos recently paid a courtesy call on Minister Haifa Najjar at the Ministry of Culture in Amman.

During their meeting, Santos highlighted the role of the Philippine Embassy in advancing the country’s interests while promoting Filipino talent, creativity, and friendship.

He further expressed his interest in collaborating with the ministry to advance cultural cooperation and understanding between the two countries.

Najjar, in turn, acknowledged the Filipino community in Jordan’s contribution to the diverse cultural environment in the kingdom through their service and participation in the local commu-

F there is an award for public diplomacy this year, I will have to nominate Ambassador Ilan Fluss of Israel to receive the gold medal.

Since the October 7 Hamas attacks, you can see him on television, hear his voice over the radio, and read his name all over the newspapers and online publications.

During Fluss’ courtesy call with CNN Philippines’ executives and newsroom people, one detail caught my attention. Commiserating with the relatives of the four overseas Filipino workers (OFW) who were victims of the attacks, he declared that since they were “legal workers, they are entitled to insurance and other benefits.”

I inquired how much.

According to the ambassador, the surviving spouse gets $2,000 (around P110,000) per month in perpetuity, or as long as the spouse lives. Also, the OFW’s parents, if both or either one is still alive, will also receive the same amount.

“I will now work [there]!” I quipped, which drew laughter from the network’s bigwigs.

For disclosure, I have a financialadvisory business with one of the major insurance companies; that is why this topic piqued me. Most of my clients are OFWs, and I have encountered those working in Israel who inquired to be insured.

But Israel is considered a highrisk country, so either no insurance firm would be willing to cover OFWs in Israel, or their premiums would be rated higher than the ordinary insured. So, I know this is really a big amount for insurance coverage.

“That’s why very few want to leave Israel,” Fluss shared.

Social security for victims

THIS weekend, a Filipino caregiver survived a 49-day ordeal as a Hamas hostage. Gelienor “Jimmy” Pacheco was taken to the hospital for medical screening and was even personally visited by Foreign Minister Eli Cohen of Israel.

Thankfully, Pacheco is safe and was cleared by the hospital, and might be home for Christmas. But he would probably endure the trauma of experiencing that scary period of being taken by armed Hamas militia, hearing the bombings, and seeing dead people as they were whisked away from one area to another.

For surviving that horrifying ordeal, the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv said Pacheco will receive very generous “lifetime” social services

nity. Both sides agreed to explore potential ways forward, including a pending proposal for a sister-city agreement.

The meeting concluded with a donation by Santos, which included a collection of Filipiniana books displaying the Philippines’s various

cultural traditions. It also included publications such as Everyday Culture and the Muslim Mindanao Cuisine and Culture.

Third Secretary and Vice Consul Angeli A. Payumo and Cultural Attaché Elijah Ang-Encarnacion joined the ambassador during his call.

Despite bombings, Pinoys stay

THERE are 30,000 Filipino caregivers working in Israel. Probably, there are more who are undocumented.

Before the pandemic, the number of Filipinos in the Holy Land was higher than the said figure, as there were thousands who were able to work there without passing through the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration or POEA. Filipinos do not need visas to visit Israel as tourists (one of the benefits extended to us when the Philippines voted for Israel’s right to self-determination before the United Nations in 1950s). So, they extended their stay and worked as caregivers.

There were also the same who ended their contract, had children, and were given a reprieve to stay. In 2022, many illegal workers, including Filipinos, were offered $5,000 (or P275,000) to avail of the amnesty program and leave Israel.

Filipinos who have worked there for several years may have been accustomed to hearing sirens, but since Israel waged war against Hamas after the October 7 strife, the missile attacks, and their trips to bomb shelters have become more frequent.

Nonetheless, the Department of Foreign Affairs said the alert in Israel for Filipinos is still at Level 2, or the situation is still continuously being monitored. There may be more than 100 Filipinos who have volunteered to go home, but there are still thousands who chose to stay behind— bombs or no bombs.

Malaysian Embassy stages three-part merry making

T AMBASSADOR Wilfredo C. Santos and Minister Haifa Najjar

benefits, apart from regular stipends from Israel, just like any citizen, and all families who perished on that fateful day of October 7.

According to the United Nations Office of Counterterrorism, victims of terror in Israel are also entitled to full reimbursement of expenses for hospitalization and treatment, nursing, medical rehabilitation, medications, and medical aid instruments.

In exceptional cases, they and their families are sent abroad for medical treatment.

Additionally, victims are entitled by law to a lengthy list of benefits and grants, such as, inter alia, assistance in housing.

Fluss emphasized that, unlike in other countries where migrant workers were accorded lesser benefits, there is no discrimination on Israel’s citizens and foreign nationals. Again, he pointed out that the insurance and social-services grants are only applicable to legal workers.

HE Embassy of Malaysia in Manila organized joint festivities of Deepavali and Christmas at the Ambassador’s Residence on November 12, where more than 150 guests attended.

Dressed in colorful costumes, diplomatic corps members, government officials, heads of Malaysian companies in the Philippines, embassy officers and their families, local staff, as well as the Malaysian diaspora in the Philippines joined the merry making. They were treated to a sumptuous meal of varied dishes, then engaged in traditional exchanging of gifts, and a “best costume” contest.

Part of its corporate social re-

sponsibility of giving back to the local community, the embassy also collaborated with the Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center Manila in organizing a blooddonation drive, where 25 guests participated.

The joint Deepavali and Christmas celebrations organized by the embassy manifested Malaysia’s respect for all religions and unity, as they marked the special holidays as one nation. It also signifies the country’s commitment to building a society of peace, harmony, thriving, and peace, in line with the concept of Masyarakat Malaysia Madani, or “skilled and inclusive society.”

Sports

Obiena to be hailed as youth Sports Idol by scribes in ‘Siklab’

BusinessMirror

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SIAN pole vault king Ernest John “EJ” Obiena will share the spotlight with 57 other young athletes from 33 sports during the third Siklab Youth Sports Awards on Monday at the Market! Market!

Activity Center in Taguig City.

Obiena, the World No. 2 pole vaulter, is the hands down winner of the “Sports Idol” award in the ceremony organized by the Philippine Sports Commission-Philippine Olympic Committee (PSC-POC) Media Group.

The Siklab Awards will also present a special citation to the Youth Football League and the Davao Aguilas Football Club, which is supported by Quezon City 1st District Rep. Juan Carlos “Arjo” Atayde.

Additionally, the Para Youth Star award will be given to Asean Para Games double gold medalist Ariel Alegarbes.

Sports patron Senator Christopher “Bong” Go will also be recognized with the Godfather Award in the event backed by MVP Sports Foundation, Smart/PLDT, CEL Logistics, JC, NLEX, Pacquiao 3-in-1 Coffee, Blue Hydra and Giligan’s with Market! Market! and Ayala Malls as venue partners.

Joining the multi-titled Obiena in the gala for the finest Filipino junior athletes 18 years old and younger are tennis star Alex Eala, World Combat Games champion Alyssa Kylie Mallari of muay thai, world youth weightlifting champion Prince Keil Delos Santos, Asian gymnastics junior championships silver medalist gymnast Karl Eldrew Yulo and Southeast Asian Games gold medalists Kira Ellis and Matthew Hermosa, along with 18 others.

They will be receiving the Go for Gold Siklab Young Heroes awards along with SEA Games silver medalist Gennah Malapit of athletics, boxer Ronel Suyom, golfer Rianne Malixi, gymnasts Charlie Manzano and Breanna Labadan, jiu-jitsu’s Santino Luzuriaga and Bianca Bustamante of motor sports.

Meanwhile, feted with the Burlington Super Kids Award will be world champions Joseph Anthony Godbout of modern pentathlon, pitcher Erica Arnaiz of softball, muay’s Jan Brix Ramiscal and Asian championships bronze medalist Jasmine Althea Ramilo of gymnastics, as well as wrestling’s Lucho Aguilar, Trisha Mae Del Rosario of obstacle sports and karate’s Sebastian Niel Mañalac.

Also sharing the limelight are Rising Stars awardees Christian Gian Karlo Arca and Mark Jay Bacojo of chess, jiu-iitsu’s Aielle Aguilar, Princess Reuma, Yanna Marte, skateboarding’s Mazel Alegado and fencer Jodie Danielle Tan. The awards night was previously held in 2018 and 2019, before being shelved due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 28-year-old Obiena has had a banner year highlighted by a gold medal finish in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, where he also set a new Asian Games record of 5.90 meters. He holds an Asian record of six meters.

He also bolstered his bid to become this year’s “Sports Idol” by securing a slot to the 2024 Paris Olympics following his feat in the Stockholm Diamond League-Bauhaus Galan in Sweden last July. There, Obiena cleared the entry standard of 5.82 meters and ended up at second place overall to punch his ticket to Paris.

hursday, November 30, 2023 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

AI experiment goes wrong at Sports Illustrated artificial intelligence, “the mistake is in trying to hide it, and in doing it poorly,” said Tom Rosenstiel, a University of Maryland professor who teaches journalism ethics.

“If you want to be in the truth-telling business, which journalists claim they do, you shouldn’t tell lies,” Rosenstiel said. “A secret is a form of lying.”

A GEORGE MASON University fan holds up a Sports Illustrated magazine at a send off for the team on March 29, 2006, in Fairfax, Virginia. AP

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EW YORK—Computergenerated writers... writing computergenerated stories?

Sports Illustrated is the latest media company to see its reputation damaged by being less than forthcoming—if not outright dishonest—about who or what is writing its stories at the dawn of the artificial intelligence age.

The once-powerful publication said it was firing a company that produced articles for its website written under the byline of authors who apparently don’t exist. But

it denied a published report that stories themselves were written by an artificial intelligence tool.

Earlier this year, experiments with AI went awry at both the Gannett newspaper chain and the CNET technology website. Many companies are testing the new technology at a time when human workers fear it could cost jobs. But the process is fraught in journalism, which builds and markets its valuesbased products around the notions of truth and transparency.

While there’s nothing wrong in media companies experimenting with

CONFLICTING ACCOUNTS OF WHAT HAPPENED

SPORTS Illustrated, now run as a website and once-monthly publication by the Arena Group, at one time was a weekly in the Time Inc. stable of magazines known for its sterling writing. “Its ambitions were grand,” said Jeff Jarvis, author of “Magazine,” a book he describes as an elegy for the industry.

On Monday, the Futurism website reported that Sports Illustrated used stories for product reviews that had authors it could not identify.

Futurism found a picture of one author listed, Drew Ortiz, on a website that sells AI-generated portraits.

The magazine’s author profile said

that “Drew has spent much of his life outdoors, and is excited to guide you through his never-ending list of the best products to keep you from falling to the perils of nature.”

Upon questioning Sports Illustrated, Futurism said all of the authors with AI-generated portraits disappeared from the magazine’s website. No explanation was offered.

Futurism quoted an unnamed person at the magazine who said artificial intelligence was used in the creation of some content as well—“no matter how much they say that it’s not.”

Sports Illustrated said the articles in question were created by a thirdparty company, AdVon Commerce, which assured the magazine that they were written and edited by humans.

AdVon had its writers use a pen name, “actions we don’t condone,” Sports Illustrated said.

“We are removing the content while our internal investigation continues and have since ended the partnership,” the magazine said. A message to AdVon wasn’t

48 matches usher in World Beach Pro Tour Challenge in Nuvali Sands

FOREIGN teams take their turn to train at the Nuvali Sand Courts Wednesday.

Giant Lanterns a win shy of MPBL national crown

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B8 | T

HE Pampanga Giant Lanterns bunched seven points in the homestretch to thwart the Bacoor Strikers, 68-65, at home on Tuesday and move within a win of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Fifth Season national title at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center in San Fernando City.

With the count tied at 61, Pampanga struck through Archie Concepcion with three and a basket each by MJ Garcia and Encho Serrano, to swing the balance and post a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five National Finals.

Pampanga dominated Game One, 71-58, but met a more determined Strikers, who even wrested the lead, 5653, with 8

minutes and 23 seconds left.

The Strikers had a chance to force an extension, but James Kwekuteye missed a hurried 3-point jumper and Mark Yee was unable to beat the buzzer for one last attempt.

Archie Concepcion, chosen for the second Mythical Team, led Pampanga with 13 points and 8 rebounds to earn best player honors over newly-installed Most Valuable Player Justine Baltazar, who posted 13 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists.

Encho Serrano contributed 8 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, while John Lloyd Clemente and Jayson Apolonio added 7 points each for Governor Dennis Pineda, also the Giant Lanterns’ head coach.

Atoning for his dismal 2-point output in the opener, Kwekuteye poured 16 points, 12 coming in the first half as

the Strikers stayed close, 29-33. By then, Baltazar had 11 points and five rebounds.

Bacoor got 12 points from Chito Jaime and 11 from Yvan Ludovice.

The game was tight from the start with neither team leading by more than 7 points till the end.

A long triple by Game 1 top scorer Kurt Reyson put Pampanga back on top, 50-49, after three quarters.

MPBL Founder and CEO Manny Pacquiao attended the game and awarded Baltazar with the special MVP ball during the awarding ceremonies of the season’s best performers earlier.

Baltazar was joined in the Mythical Five by Orlan Wamar of San Juan, Will McAloney of Nueva Ecija, Jhan Nermal of Bacolod, and last year’s MVP Jaycee Marcelino of Zamboanga Family’s Brand Sardines.

Pampanga will try to sweep the series on Saturday at the Strike Gymnasium in Bacoor.

immediately returned on Tuesday.

In a statement, the Sports Illustrated Union said it was horrified by the Futurism story.

“We demand answers and transparency from Arena group management about what exactly has been published under the SI name,” the union said. “We demand the company commit to adhering to basic journalistic standards, including not publishing computerwritten stories by fake people.”

NOT THE FIRST SUCH SITUATION

GANNETT paused an experiment at some of its newspapers this summer in which AI was used to generate articles on high school sports events, after errors were discovered. The articles carried the byline “LedeAI.” Some of the unpleasant publicity that resulted might have been avoided if the newspapers had been explicit about the role of technology, and how it helped create articles that journalists might not have been available to do, Jarvis said. Gannett said a lack of staff had nothing to do with the experiment. AP

F

ORTY-EIGHT qualification matches scheduled over 10 hours usher in on Thursday a Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour (BPT) Challenge Philippine leg at Nuvali that is bursting at the seams with the host Philippine National Volleyball League (PNVF) needing at least five hotels in and out of Santa Rosa City to billet athletes and officials.

“It’s the biggest beach volleyball competition the country has ever hosted,” PNVF president Ramon “Tats” Suzara said on Wednesday. “It’s the biggest and most prestigious with Olympic and world champions and topranked athletes converging in Nuvali.”

There are 16 teams each in the men and women main draw and the qualifiers alone, according to Suzara, have 32 teams for each gender representing more than 30 countries.

Dozens other teams in both genders are also in town as reserves in the tournament supported by gold sponsors Ayala Land, Mikasa, Senoh, Philippine Sports Commission, Pinay In Action and Smart as gold sponsors and PLDT, Gatorade, Maynilad, Rebisco, Ayala Malls, Department of Tourism, CBPI, Club Laiya, Foton as bronze sponsors.

Nuvali, through Ayala Land, built four world-class and FIVB-standard sand courts and one practice court on a sprawling area fronting Landers.

Hotels within the Nuvali area have overflowed that the PNVF had to book participants in hotels in Silang, Alabang and Batangas.

The qualification matches on Thursday start simultaneously in all four newly-built courts at 8 p.m. with the last matches set for 6 p.m.

The main draw proceeds Friday with simultaneous matches serving at 9 a.m. with the day’s competitions ending with 9 p.m. matches.

Teams have tested the courts in training since last Tuesday, including the Philipine squads coached by Brazilian Jao Luciano Kiodai.

“We’re going to expect the best of the bests here,” Kiodai said. “But the most important here is to introduce to the Philippines the high level of beach volleyball. It’s going to be hard, but the process is much more important than the results we are going to have,” said Kiodai, who’s been handling the national squads for a year now.

Jovelyn Gonzaga and Sisi Rondina won the gold medal last year in Subic but the duo already reverted to indoor volleyball, handing the mantle to veterans Jen Eslapor and Floremel Rodriguez and national team first-timers Sofiah Pagara and Khylem Progella.

Kiodai set potent expectations for the nationals.

“We already showed in the last Asian Games that we can play in the world and play the best we can,” he said, referring to last year’s Future finalist Eslapor and Rodriguez, who posted a Philippine-best fifth place finish in Asiad beach volleyball in Hangzhou.

The Philippine men’s teams are Ran Abdilla and Jeron Requinton, Anthony Arbasto and Alche Gupiteo and the veteran pair of James Buytrago and Rancel Varga.

Globe backs 15-year-old golf prodigy Serdenia

G ARCHIE CONCEPCION sparkles for the Pampanga Giant Lanterns in Game 2.

LOBE has taken under its wing 15-year-old golf prodigy David Charles Serdenia as the company nurtures its commitment to fostering emerging talents and empowering their dreams in their respective endeavors.

Serdenia, a caddie’s son who has been making waves in the golfing community, aspires to join the national team and represent the Philippines internationally.

His remarkable victory in the recent boys’ junior division of the National Golf Association of the Philippines Beverly Place Open in Pampanga highlighted his skills and dedication.

Despite his young age, Serdenia’s journey has been both inspiring and challenging—the self-taught athlete first developed a love for golf at seven but faced numerous obstacles, particularly financial constraints, which forced

him to put his golfing ambitions on hold for over two years.

Yet his mother, Ana Maria, a dedicated caddie for 25 years, did her utmost to back his passion, even borrowing money to cover tournament fees.

“During the pandemic, while working as a caddie, I saw him practicing. Every day, rain or shine, he was there on the putting green, pitching,” the elder Serdenia said. “I told myself my son truly wanted to be a golfer. I let him be.”

“I see my mom struggling, so I told myself to practice well to help my mom,” Serdenia said.

Fortunately, the golf community rallied behind Serdenia, providing financial assistance and donating equipment, including clubs, bags, shirts and shoes.

Ernest Cu, Globe President and CEO, first learned about Serdenia story and recognized his potential in the sport.

DAVID CHARLES SERDENIA (center) with mom Ana Maria Serdenia and Yoly Crisanto, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer at Globe

Editor: Anne Ruth Dela Cruz

Health&Fitness BusinessMirror

Thursday, November 30, 2023 C1

Southeast Asia faces uphill battle to achieve zero human deaths caused by rabies by 2030

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By Anne Ruth Dela Cruz

UCHING, Malaysia­—Rabies continues to pose a threat to millions of people in Southeast Asia and calls have been made to advocate more support and funding to achieve the global goal of zero human rabies deaths by 2030.

Reports indicate that rabies causes an estimated 59,000 human deaths annually in more than 150 countries with 95 percent of the cases in Africa and Asia. This means that one person dies of rabies every nine minutes. What is more alarming is the fact that 49 percent of deaths are children under the age of 15 years old.

This data is contained in a white paper titled “Moving towards a rabies-free Southeast Asia” that Boehringer Ingelheim unveiled during the Federation of Veterinary Association (FAVA) Congress 2023 that was held in this city earlier this month. The white paper was unveiled during

the Boehringer Ingelheim Stop Rabies Symposium.

White paper Developed in collaboration with Eco-Business, Asia Pacific’s largest media and business intelligence organization dedicated to sustainable development and ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) performance, the white paper highlights country-specific challenges and expert solutions to operationalize the One Health approach in preventing and eliminating rabies in Southeast Asia with focus on Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand.

The white paper also explores

Dr. Jerlyn Sponseller, STOP Rabies Technical Manager, Boehringer Ingelheim, sharing on the goals and strategies for the initiative.

strategies to achieve the “Zero by 30” global strategic goal to end dog-mediated human rabies death by 2030.

Dr. Jerlyn Sponseller, Boehringer Ingelheim’s STOP Rabies Technical Manager, said the initiative chose to focus on three areas for rabies elimination: vaccination of dogs; education particularly of children; and surveillance of both these initiatives.

“When we want to eliminate rabies in humans, we actually need to vaccinate the vector which is exclusively dogs and we are interested in initiating vaccination campaigns for dogs,” she said.

Education For Dr. Sponseller, though, it was more important for her to provide education, specifically to children because almost half of the rabies deaths occur in children and many of these cases are under reported.

“Children are disproportionately affected by rabies because they are lower in stature, they are closer to the ground and children like to play with dogs. There are also some cases where children don’t want to tell adults that they have been bitten by a dog or scratched by a cat,” she said.

She pointed out that children

Dr. Terence Scott, Director of Programs, Global Alliance for Rabies Control sharing on the importance, challenges and opportunities around rabies surveillance.

should not be embarrassed about informing an adult about being bitten by a dog so that they can seek medical attention after washing the wound with soap and water for 15 minutes.

“We can make use of the booklet developed by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control [GARC] which will help children understand dogs, teach them to be responsible dog owners and that they are fellow creatures in the planet that we are sharing,” she said.

Surveillance Dr. Sponseller added that it is

important to adopt surveillance methods to keep track of these interventions.

“By 2024, we plan to do more, upscale all programs, and we are interested in engaging with new initiatives in new countries,” she said.

Dr. Terence Scott, Director of Programs of the Global Alliance for Rabies Control, pointed out that rabies, while it is a highly preventable disease, is a neglected one in Southeast Asia because of insufficient data and weak program implementation.

See “Southeast,” C2

Health&

C2 Thursday, November 30, 2023

Awareness, regular monitoring still the best options to combat stroke

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By Rory Visco | Contributor

ESPITE the numerous information dissemination and awareness campaigns at the barangay, regional and national levels, stroke continues to be a top killer disease in the country.

Based on data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority in September 2023, the top three causes of death for 2022 were ischemic heart diseases, neoplasms, and cerebrovascular diseases.

Ischemic heart disease was the top killer in 2022 with 114,557 cases or 18.4 percent of the total deaths in the country, followed by neoplasms with 63,377 fatalities for a 10.2 percent share, and then cerebrovascular ailments round up the top three with 63,281 cases and likewise 10.2 percent of the total death toll.

What makes stroke dangerous?

ACCORDING to Dr. Alejandro Diaz, a neurologist and currently the Vice President of the Philippine Society of Hypertension (PSH), hypertension, or what most people know as “high blood pressure,” is a common condition that can lead to serious health problems if left untreated. Hypertension occurs when the force of blood against the walls of the arteries is too high and this causes damage to the blood vessels and increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Stroke, on the other hand, happens when a part of the brain is no longer getting the blood and oxygen it needs due to narrowed or blocked blood vessels. This blockage is

often caused by high blood pressure, which damages the arteries throughout the body.

“If left undetected and untreated, high blood pressure is one of the primary causes of stroke and other serious health problems,” Dr. Diaz warned.

Changing the mindset of Filipinos FOR the past several years, Dr. Diaz said the PSH regularly conducts what it calls the opportunistic blood pressure checks. It is a different kind of blood pressure screening campaign, where the PSH goes to markets, malls, hospitals or directly to the patients. In these campaigns, digital blood pressure monitors are used. However, most people are afraid to use this instrument because of several concerns, particularly in the area of accuracy.

However, Dr. Diaz said that what they envision is that more Filipinos become empowered to have their blood pressure monitored regularly so that they will be able to know and check their blood pressure status on their own, even in the comforts of their own home.

He, however, emphasized that people should follow necessary steps in order to get a proper and correct blood pressure measurement with their digital blood pressure monitor. This includes relaxing first, sitting with with back support, avoid crossing the legs,

no coughing, and placing the blood pressure cuff properly.

He said Filipinos are no strangers to stroke, and yet awareness about hypertension is relatively low at only 52 percent and that stroke is generally asymptomatic. “Hypertension is a long, gradual elevation of blood pressure. It doesn’t go up right away, and usually starts at age 20. Our desire now is to further increase that level of awareness,” Dr. Diaz said.

Stroke risk calculation done in three minutes YUSUKE Kato, General Manager of OMRON Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. Philippine Branch (Healthcare Division) and OMRON Healthcare (Thailand) Co., Ltd., echoed the sentiments of Dr. Diaz. “Enhancing awareness about hypertension is extremely important, and the Stroke Risk Calculator is one that the public can use so they may have the opportunity to assess if they are at risk to stroke.”

Aside from that, he said that OMRON is also conducting other activities to increase awareness. However, a lot of information available nowadays is not exactly correct so OMRON has to deliver trusted, reliable information. “That is why it is important for us to work closely with key opinion leaders like the PSH so that we can give valuable and accurate information to the public, and we would like to deliver this information to as many people in the Philippines as possible, particularly in the provinces,” Kato added.

Eunice Teo, Product Manager, Cardiovascular and Respiratory of OMRON Healthcare Singapore Pte. Ltd., said the Stroke Risk Calculator originated from an app called “Stroke Riskometer” and developed back in 2014.

The Stroke Risk Calculator mainly involves a set of around 20 questions for the person to answer to help assess his stroke

risks. “By answering the questions, which generally revolves around lifestyle habits, diet, and medical history, it will provide the individual an indication of stroke risks in the next five years or even the next 10 years or a medium- to long-term calculation.”

She said the questions and the algorithm used were developed by the Auckland University of Technology (AUT) in Auckland, New Zealand, with the help of over 300 prominent stroke experts from 102 countries, making it the project world’s largest international collaborative mobile health initiative of its kind.

The questions were clinically and scientifically validated by many global organizations such as the World Stroke Organization and the World Heart Federation, among others, to ensure their validity and accuracy.

This year, she said OMRON decided to work with AUT to help increase stroke awareness in many countries, including the Philippines. The Stroke Risk Calculator will be available through the OMRON website and is offered absolutely free.

Monitor hypertension, mitigate stroke risks DR. Diaz said living a healthier and longer life starts with understanding the body, listening to what it needs and making choices to change for the better. As stroke remains to be one of the top enemies of Filipinos, he pointed out that people of all ages should assess their level of risk and start taking action to reduce their stroke risks.

“One of the most effective and simplest things to do now is to constantly measure and monitor one’s blood pressure, keep a record of their readings, and assess all factors that contribute to their readings. But don’t stop at that, change your lifestyle if you must and commit to healthy habits,” he concluded.

Communication solutions provider to be more active in healthcare business

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes | Contributor

P

aris, France-based Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise (ALE), a leading provider of communications, networking and cloud solutions, said it plans to be more aggressive in the country’s healthcare business.

Kit Andal, Country Manager at Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise Philippines, told reporters in a recent press briefing that the Philippines, particularly the private sector, has shown huge developments in the health infrastructure in the country. Asian Hospital and Medical Center (AHMC) is one of ALE’s major clients as it developed network solutions that ensure seamless connectivity.

“ALE knows the healthcare industry and has delivered a cost-effective, easy-to-operate and easy-to-manage network solution that provides the

high-speed, reliable connectivity the Asian Hospital needs,” said Edwin Tambeling, AHMC Senior Manager for Facilities Infrastructure.

“Among the real-world impacts enabled by the ALE solution, is the ability to quickly and easily access information to make informed decisions about patient care. We are excited to be a part of that,” said Andal.

Sanctuary

Being a member of Metro Pacific Health network, Tambeling said AHMC is equipped with state-of-theart facilities designed with a hotel-like ambiance.

AHMC boasts a 296-bed capacity on a 17,250-square meter, well-planned and specially designed to provide a sanctuary that ensures the safety of every patient, guest, and staff.

Just like other countries in the world, Andal said the Philippines aims to rebound from the global health

crisis by building the health infrastructure to achieve health security. In this regard, he said ALE is bullish in the local market especially in the private sector’s aggressiveness in putting up the health infrastructure.

With digital transformation going full blast, Andal said ALE is ready to provide cutting-edge technology and services to the local hospitals and other prospective clients.

“Today’s evolving trends in the healthcare industry are creating an explosive growth in bandwidth demand. These trends are forcing networks such as the AHMC to work at higher-than-ever needs to ensure patient safety and reliable connectivity for doctors, staff, patients, and guests,” he said.

Easy to manage system

Furthermore, AHMC requires an easy-to-manage wireless local area network (WLAN) infrastructure.

Southeast...

Continued from C1

“There is not enough money to fight rabies in Southeast Asia. It is not because money is not available.

It is because we are not showing that the disease is not important. We have to show that we need the money and better resources and for that to happen, we need to have better data to support this,” Dr. Scott said.

To achieve this goal, Dr. Scott stressed that “surveillance is important because you have to understand the disease’s dynamics, track and monitor progress and forecast vaccine requirements.”

“Make a case for the disease so that the politicians will start listening to you. Get good data and adopt the one health system. Use your surveillance to target hose areas that are at high risk for rabies so that you can break the cycle of transmission in a particular area and eliminate the disease,” he said.

One Health

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, One Health is a collaborative, multisectoral, and transdisciplinary approach, working at the local, regional, national and global levels, with the goal of achieving optimal health outcomes recognizing the interconnections between people, animals, plans and their shared environment. One Health is an approach that recognizes that the health of people is closely connected to the health of ani-

STOP Rabies panel discussion on Moving Towards a Rabies-free Southeast Asia with, from left, Robin Hicks, associate editor, Eco-Business who served as moderator; Dr. Tan Do Yew, Boehringer Ingelheim; Dr. Farina Mustaffa Kamal, Universiti Putra Malaysia; Dr. Terence Scott, director of programs, Global Alliance for Rabies Control; and Dr. Jerlyn Sponseller, STOP Rabies technical manager, Boehringer Ingelheim.

mals and our share environment.

As part of its contribution to the Zero by 30 global campaign, Boehringer Ingelheim implemented its STOP Rabies campaign in five countries and one of them is the Philippines.

According to Dr. Apple Nagera, head of Business Segment – Pets, Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Philippines, the STOP Rabies program was launched to contribute the company’s expertise and heritage to deliver on-the-ground rabies elimination solutions through vaccination, education and rabies monitoring.

“Specifically in the Philippines, it is an ongoing effort to achieve zero rabies casualty in the municipality of Puerto Galera in contribution towards the join World Health Organization (WHO), World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and GARC’s global goal to end human deaths from

dog-mediated rabies by 2030,” she explained.

Puerto Galera was chosen based on the number of reported rabies positive cases, the size of the community and the cooperation of the local government.

“The municipality had four rabies cases spanning from 2021 to 2023 and is composed of 13 barangays, allowing impactful distribution of resources. Our goal is to work with the local government unit to have their community declared rabies free,” Dr. Nagera said.

Stray dog population

As for the challenges that they faced, Dr. Nagera pointed out the local loose stray dog population and a lack of accurate census determining the number of at risk population of dogs and cats as a successful vaccination drive relies on achieving at least 70 percent of the target population. There is also a need to improve the information dissemination of the vaccination and

“ALE, together with big partner EBDI, conducted a very successful proof-of-concept with EBDI that helped highlight the ALE OmniAccess solution as a key value proposition,” Andal said.

The Philippine healthcare system is shared between the public and private sectors. The pandemic allowed hospitals to upgrade and increase their facilities to cope with the situation. Public hospitals focused their efforts on preventive and primary care while also taking the lead in educating the public on health issues. On the other hand, private hospitals focus on specialized care for cardiovascular diseases, cancer, pulmonology, and orthopedics, according to the International Trade Association of the Department of Trade of the United States.

Aside from healthcare, ALE is also eyeing the government sector focusing on defense, development of smart cities and government institutions.

spray/castrate activities on the ground.

“The most recent rabies positive case this year set us back at least a year because one of the requirements of being determined rabies free is that there should be no rabies positive cases in both animals and humans for at least two years,” she said.

In spite of this setback, the first year of implementing the STOP Rabies program in the Philippines saw the vaccination of more than 2,500 digs and cats and the neutering of more than 200 animals. The team was able to conduct proper and human dog catcher training as well as conducted rabies question and answer sessions with barangay officers and health workers.

This year, the team was able to vaccinate more than 5,000 dogs and cats, neuter more than 200 animals and provide rabies education to more than 700 school children from Grades 1 to 3.

“Declaring an area rabies-free entails the cooperation and hard work of both public and private sectors. For us, we believe we can contribute to the goal by leveraging on our strengths and expertise in animal rabies vaccination, population management and education campaign. We are assisting Puerto Galera LGU towards a rabies-free status in 2026,” Dr. Nagera explained.

To take the municipality one step closer to this goal. Dr. Nagera explained that it is important to conduct another census to determine the target population to be vaccinated in 2024. “We also aim to continue the rabies education at the elementary schools with the school children and to the wider community,” she said.

Business

DOH reiterates commitment to combat antimicrobial resistance

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

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ntimicrobial resistance (AMR), according to the Department of Health (DOH), is the dangerous ability of infectious disease agents to survive and endure attacks by antimicrobials.

The antibiotic medicine to which they were previously sensitive becomes less and less effective causing persistence and the worsening of infectious diseases.

Considered as one of the most serious threats to global public health, the Philippines, recognizing the gravity of the situation, has been at the forefront of combating AMR since 2014.

The Inter-Agency Committee on Antimicrobial Resistance (ICAMR), comprising various pivotal government agencies representing the human health, animal health, science and technology, trade, local government, environment, and education sectors, is tasked with overseeing and implementing the country’s National Action Plan to Combat AMR through the One Health Approach.

Cause of AMR How does AMR develop?

Every infection starts with a germ, bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites that may be transmitted through different means (inhalation, ingestion, person-to-person contact and through animals including insects).

Germs may multiply in your body even if you feel fine (proliferation). This causes a person to be sick. Antimicrobials may not always be necessary in the management of an infection.

Improper and inappropriate intake of antimicrobials is dangerous and can lead to AMR. Resistant germs may be transmitted to other humans and animals.

WAAW celebration This year, the DOH marked the culmination of the celebration of the World AMR Awareness Week (WAAW) 2023, through the Philippine AMR Awareness Week (PAAW), together with the member agencies of the ICAMR and the UN Quadripartite, in a groundbreaking culminating activity and high-level media forum, resonating with the theme, “Samasamang magtulungan upang antimicrobial resistance ay mapigilan” (Preventing antimicrobial resistance together).

The commitment extended to the regional and global levels, with the Philippines championing the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration and the ASEAN Strategic Framework to Combat AMR through One Health Approach.

The 2023 PAAW reinforced the call for a united front against the accelerating crisis of AMR through collaborative efforts across sectors featuring the accomplishments of ICAMR Member Agencies, recognizing AMR champions and advocating for urgent action to address the crisis.

The week-long celebration was supported by the UN Quadripartite agencies composed of the World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, World Organization of Animal Health (WOAH), and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which lead global efforts and collaboration to fight AMR. “Since 2015, the Philippines has been a dedicated participant in the annual World Antimicrobial Awareness Week every November, demonstrating a steadfast commitment to harmonizing its endeavors with the global objectives articulated in the Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance,” expressed Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa.

As the Philippines highlights its unwavering commitment and milestones in the fight against AMR, Herbosa said, the event becomes a powerful platform to reinforce the Department’s “8-Point Action Agenda Para sa Healthy Pilipinas.”

“It serves as a compelling clarion call, urging the world to exercise meticulous care in the use of antimicrobials and join forces to prevent the emergence of antimicrobial resistance,” Herbosa added.

Appropriate use of antibiotics The DOH reminds the public to use antibiotics correctly: n Use antibiotics only when prescribed; n Take the correct dose of antibiotics at the prescribed time; n Take the antibiotic as directed by the physician. n Always finish your prescribed treatment regimen; and n Never share or use leftover antibiotics.

&Fitness Asian Hospital

sMirror

Thursday, November 30, 2023 C3

bags Asia CEO award for service excellence

Asian Hospital and Medical Center was well represented during the awarding ceremony of the Asia CEO Awards 2023 which was held at the Manila Marriott Grand Ballroom. Attending the ceremony were, from left, Dr. Noel Ligaya, Senior Manager, Asian Brain Institute; Sarah Jemah Aguiloso, Manager, Employee Engagement and Labor Relations; Genevieve Dela Pena, Manager, PhilHealth Assistance Office; Maria Loutjie Marty, Associate Director, Supply Chain; Dr. Jose Acuin, Chief Medical Officer; Hennesy Lou Miranda, Director, Marketing and Patient Experience; Atty. Jose Celestino P. Torres, Director, Human Resources; Maria Patricia Lota, Senior Manager, Marketing Management; Joane Paula Ranoco, Manager, General Nursing Unit, Medical Surgical 11th and Dr. Candice Melgar, Consultant, Critical Care Medicine-Internal Medicine.

I

t has been a successful and fruitful year for Asian Hospital and Medical Center as it recently bagged another award.

The hospital was named Grand Winner of the “MicroSourcing Service Excellence Company of the Year” of the Asia CEO Award 2023.

Dr. Jose Acuin, AHMC Chief Medical Officer who received the award in the hospital’s behalf, said joining the Asia CEO award was a chance for the hospital to showcase what it can do and the sort of impact it has on patients as well as the community.

“It gave us the chance to share how we impact not only our patients but also our community. It was also the perfect time to network and building synergies among the awardees and be able to share best practices,” he said.

Grand alliance The Asia CEO Awards represents the grandest alliance of Filipino and foreign business communities every created to promote the Philippines on the international stage. This award giving body started in 2010 with only 10 awards such as Finance Leadership, Executive of the Year, among others. This year, the awarding ceremonies were held on October 24, 2023

at the Manila Marriott Grand Ballroom.

In 2023, more companies across multiple industries like healthcare, real estate, manufacturing, and construction were invited to compete for 17 awards.

Notable awards include PSG Global Solutions Woman Leader of the Year, Lionheart Farms Sustainability Company of the Year, Kyani Wellness Company of the Year, Microsourcing Service Excellence Company of the Year.

The Microsourcing Service Excellence Company of the Year award recognizes Philippine-based organizations that achieved important success in service excellence. The accomplishments must demonstrate an organization providing high service level standards.

The other nominees in this category were Amaia Land Corp., CGI Philippines, Eastvantage Business Solutions, Inc., GoTyme Bank, iNG Hubs Philippines, Public Attorney’s Office, Sprout Solutions, Sutherland Global Services, Tech Mahin-

Dr. Jose Acuin, Chief Medical Officer of Asian Hospital Medical Center, proudly holds the trophy after Asian Hospital was named Grand Winner of the “MicroSourcing Service Excellence Company of the Year” Asia CEO Awards 2023.

The delegation from Asian Hospital and Medical Center with Richard Mills, Chairman of the Asia CEO Awards.

Dr. Jose Acuin, Chief Medical Officer of Asian Hospital and Medical Center, delivers his acceptance speech.

dra Limited, Theos Cyber Solutions and Unified Internship Program.

Safe, reliable, personal service

The Manila Marriott Grand Ballroom

According to Dr. Acuin, being in the healthcare field is equivalent to offering service that is safe, reliable and personal.

“In addition to highlighting our service excellence, we were also given the chance to showcase how we were able to make our processes more efficient to ensure better patient outcomes,” he added.

Last September, AHMC bagged the Ex-

cellence Award for its initiative to improve the discharge process for inpatients at the Hospital Management Asia Awards (HMA) 2023 held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Titled “Innovate to Accelerate: Improving the Turnaround Time for Inpatient Discharge Process using Lean Six Sigma Methodologies,” the project was given the Excellence Award under the Financial Improvement Category.

In March, Healthcare Asia awarded the Clinical Service Initiative of the Year and the Patient Care Initiative of the Year to AHMC. Dr. Beaver Tamesis, AHMC President and CEO, said he was grateful for the ac-

colades that the hospital received this year.

He attributed the hospital’s achievements to just one goal, and that is to give the patients the care and service they truly deserve.

“We are very grateful for the awards that we received this year. It only goes to show that we are doing something right.

We are motivated to do things right because of our North Star, our patients.

What we must do is that we must be aligned towards bringing the best service for our patient because that is what our patients deserve. That should be our guiding principle and that is what is the best for the patient.

Health&Fitness

C4 Thursday, November 30, 2023

BusinessMirror

Mental well-being should be part of basic health services—expert

By Roderick L. Abad Contributor

T

HE national government has been called on to include mental wellbeing in its basic health services given that more and more people have recognized its impact on their overall conditions.

“It should be delivered in the same manner as the government is delivering the basic health services,” Capstone-Intel Corp. Chief of Public Affairs Atty. Nic. A Conti told reporters in a media briefing held in Quezon City last November 16.

Republic Act No. 11036, or the National Mental Health Law, provides a rights-based mental health legislation and a comprehensive framework for the enforcement of optimal healthcare in the Philippines.

One of its vital mandates is the integration of national mental health services to the delivery of basic health services. Since this is not yet a reality in the country, he attributed this to the reluctance of many Filipinos to deal with it even though they are more cognizant of it.

‘State of Mental Health of Filipinos’ study BASED on the results of this nationwide survey conducted by Capstone-Intel from September 20 to 27, 93 percent of 1,210 respondents are aware of the term mental health. More than half or 52 percent rated their overall mental health as good; 33 percent, excellent; 13 percent, fair; and two percent, poor.

In terms of age group or generation, the boomers (zero percent) don’t feel they have poor mental health, as opposed

to Gen X (three percent), Gen Z (two percent), and Millennials (2 percent).

Sixty-five percent of the participants stated that they had experienced an impactful life experience that affected their mental health. Locationwise, more than half have said so, with the Cordillera Administrative Region having the highest level at 89 percent.

Unfortunately, this is not the case for 35 percent who answered “no”, as five percent are unsure. From those who admitted to having issues on their mental well-being due to what happened to them, majority or 79 percent have not consulted with a professional and only 21 percent have done so.

“So the reasons why mental health consultation level is low are the lack of awareness, shortage of facilities and professionals to turn to, and it’s not integrated into the delivery of basic health services,” Conti said, while citing that many people today are still in denial of having a mental problem because of the social stigma that comes with it.

“That’s why research like this is aligned also with the policy of the government that engage information dissemination on mental health issues.”

More than three-fourths or 84 percent reported no diagnosis, while 16 percent said yes. Of the 188 surveyed who bared that they have been diagnosed with such condition, more than half reported to have anxiety disorder (54 percent) and depression (52 percent) depression. Others claimed to have an eating disorder (18 percent), post-traumatic stress disorder (18 percent), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (13 percent), bipolar (13 percent), obsessive-compulsive disorder (7 percent), schizophrenia (7 percent),

and other conditions (2 percent). Some would rather not say their concern (9 percent).

Anxiety is higher among female participants (57 percent) compared to their male counterparts (52 percent).

The trend is opposite when it comes to depression as it is experienced by more men (53 percent) than women (49 percent).

In terms of responses on current treatment, it varied with 28 percent receiving therapy only, 20 percent using medication only, 19 percent getting both, 17 percent have received treatment in the past, and 16 percent have never sought professional help.

The research, likewise, examined the different strategies employed by respondents to sustain or improve their mental well-being, with a substantial majority or 80 percent indicated that they participate in exercise or physical activities; 72 percent engaged in social interactions with friends and family; 65 percent focused on music, arts, and entertainment; 61 percent practiced mindfulness, meditation, or spirituality; 46 percent resorted to travel; 44 percent prioritized the care of their plants and pets; and 29 percent got involved in arts and crafts.

Courses of action to take THE findings of the study based on Sentiment Analysis of social media posts of the respondents clearly indicate the need to address mental health issue in the country post-pandemic.

“That could be a guidance on the private sector and the government on how we are going to boost the [mental health] programs,” Capstone-Intel Research and Publications Director Ella Kristina D. Coronel said.

For her, one area such an initiative can be held is within schools, particularly through Physical Education classes. She believes that incorporating mental health education and exercises into the curriculum will enable students to better understand the importance of mental well-being from an early age.

On the other hand, Octa Research Chief Data Scientist Dr. Guido David pointed out the need to address the lack of psychological professionals, which pertains to guidance counselors in schools. On the average, he said that most primary and secondary schools as well as universities in the country usually have only one of them to look for the welfare of the entire student population. ”We have to scale up our staffing.

Because they’re understaffed, it’s more difficult for them to reach out to these children or students who are having issues like mental health they are not aware of. If there’s more staff [like them], then we can actually be more proactive rather than reactive. We can do evaluations, assessments of their status, and estimate what courses of action to take,” he said.

Expanding these initiatives beyond schools, regular mental health checkins should also be encouraged within companies, among employees, and within the wider community. By nurturing a culture of mental well-being and providing the necessary resources, they can collectively work towards a healthier and more resilient society.

“For graduating students who will join the workforce, as well as new or prospective employees, ‘work and life’ balance is important,” Dr. David stressed.

Golden Hour and Silver Linings in Heart Attacks

By Ariel A. Miranda, MD

A

bout one in every five Filipinos die each year because of heart disease. This is a sad reality that has been perennially staring us all direct in the eyes for so many years now.

In the year 2022 11-month (excluding December) data gathered by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), ischemic heart disease, or the weakening of the heart caused by reduced blood flow, was responsible for 103,628 deaths, or 18.4 percent of the total cause of mortality in the country. Despite advances in medicine and technology, this modern-day curse persists not only in the Philippines but also worldwide.

Many years ago, the common victims of this disease belong to the older age bracket of 50 and above. Today, patients as young as in their 30’s is not uncommon. Fortunately, like every proverbial dark cloud, there are now silver linings when it comes to heart attack.

First, heart attacks need not be a death or disability sentence anymore. When the patient is brought immediately for proper care in a medical facility, the chance of survival is great. In a nutshell, survival from a heart at-

tack episode depends on the time the patient is brought to the doctor after it occurred.

For example, for patients requiring an angioplasty, when this procedure is performed within what we call the Golden Period or four hours after the attack, the chance of survival is good as much as the heart muscle can be saved from permanent damage. Thus, in any heart attack, every second counts and every minute spells either life or death. Time decides what needs to be done immediately and next to save the heart, life even function of the patient. This is especially true with the proper care that may involve a team of multi-specialty doctors including rehabilitative and preventive cardiology physicians, a heart attack patient can be saved, revived and returned to normal.

Parang walang nangyari.

Second, being mindful and alert of the warning signs of a heart attack is a lifesaver.

People must not be over-confident whenever they do not feel anything wrong in their body.

For, deep inside their body may lurk the silent groundworks for the eventual heart failure.

The key is, we must always be careful with our heart and watch out for our lifestyle and take note of the elements like smoking, fatty food diet, lack of exercise and sleep, family

history, among others.

The secret to combatting deaths due to heart disease requires the teamwork of both patients and their doctors. We, as cardiologists, on our part are happy that modern science and medicine have enabled us to have at our disposal better care armaments. For example, we now have an injectable formula that is found more effective in lowering cholesterol which is one of the leading risk factors for heart failure.

That this new and modern treatment modalities do not translate to better heart failure outcomes can be simply attributed to that fact that, whatever strides science and medicine accomplish, the fast-changing lifestyle dynamics counter. Think about how our daily living landscape has transmogrified into the proliferation of unhealthy diet, ubiquitous fast foods, prolonged tinkering with our cellular phones and laptops, extended socials with friends and peers in bars, self-imposed sleep deprivation and adapting to it, and many others.

In many other instances, patients confuse chest pains as being simply caused by hyperacidity or acid reflux that they self- medicate.

In this regard, the general rule to note is that chest pains resulting from performing an activ-

Dr. Ariel A. Miranda is an Interventional Cardiologist, the Head of the Cardiovascular Catheterization & Interventional Laboratory of Cardinal Santos Medical Center (CSMC), and the Chairman of CSMC’s Cardiovascular Institute (CVI). To inquire about the CVI’s services, call +02 87280001 ext. 9999 / 09616423520 / 09776728398.

St. Luke’s Medical Center Launches HERE Foundation to pioneer health equity research

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t. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC), a trailblazer in delivering quality healthcare in the Philippines, marked a pivotal moment last November 16, 2023 by launching the SLMC Health Equity and Research (HERE) Foundation. The ceremonial launch took place at Shangri La The Fort, Bonifacio Global City, and was attended by business leaders and top researchers from both public and private sectors.

Dr. Arturo De La Peña, President and CEO of St. Luke’s HERE Foundation, said, “While St. Luke’s Medical Center delivers the highest standard of healthcare to individuals, it is imperative that we acknowledge and address the reality of healthcare inequality. Recognizing this disparity is the first step towards fostering a more inclusive and equitable healthcare

system, ensuring that quality medical care reaches all segments of our community, irrespective of socio-economic backgrounds.”

Dr. Antonio Dans, SLMC HERE Foundation Vice President, concurred, and highlighted the failure of many policies to bridge the healthcare gap between the affluent and the impoverished. “For example, PhilHealth benefits are supposed to improve access to healthcare for those with less. However, the National Demographic and Health Survey shows that the poorest Filipinos use PhilHealth three times less frequently than the richest,” Dr. Dans added.

Beyond research, the HERE Foundation will also champion capacity building in health equity research and advocate for relevant policies in collaboration with other institutions.

Dr. Dennis Serrano, President and CEO of St. Luke’s Medical Center, underscored the commitment to equal care, stating, “All this must begin with ourselves. At St. Luke’s, there is no distinction in the level of care provided to social service cases and self-paying patients.

They receive equal attention and are not segregated into separate rooms.”

The SLMC HERE Foundation is a non-stock, not-for-profit research foundation with a mission to finance research to enhance healthcare accessibility, particularly for the underprivileged. Research grants under the HERE Foundation will be administered by an independent Governing Council, featuring inaugural members selected for their profound expertise in various health research fields relevant to health equity.

PHL’s first cancer specialty hospital embarks on strategic partnerships to deliver accessible, affordable cancer care

By Candy P. Dalizon Contributor

I

n its pursuit to provide accessible cancer care that adheres to global standards while keeping costs in check, the newly inaugurated Healthway Cancer Care Hospital (HCCH) has forged strategic partnerships and maintains close collaboration with both public and private sector partners.

HCCH is part of the Healthway Medical Network (HMN) under Healthway Philippines, Inc. (HPI), which is an Ayala Healthcare Holdings, Inc. (AC Health) company.

On November 24, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. inaugurated HCCH, the first specialty hospital for cancer in the country.

Located in Arca South, the 100-bed facility is equipped with 18 chemotherapy infusion units, four operating theaters, two Linear Accelerators (LINACs), and all the essential diagnostic and imaging machines, including PET-CT, optimized for cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment.

The launch of HCCH is a direct response to various healthcare challenges in the Philippines. Among them is the pressing need for affordable and accessible cancer care services to Filipinos.

“We saw that over 100,000 cases a year were diagnosed and estimated that at least another 100,000 were undiagnosed.

Of those that were diagnosed, many were diagnosed at a late stage, many left untreated due to the hopelessness and the massive financial burden,” said AC Health President and CEO Paolo Borromeo.

Thus, HCCH seeks to provide more affordable rates for diagnostics, radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery, ultimately providing private cancer care access to more Filipino patients.

“Our vision is to be the leading private cancer care institution, providing world class treatment but at lower cost, so we can extend the best value, private cancer treatment to a broader base of Filipinos,” said Borromeo.

“We will be the most cost competitive private sector cancer facility offering at least 10 to 20 percent lower than the next cheapest one,” he added.

Strategic partnerships

ity or exerting physical effort might be early signs of heart failure. For example, when you suddenly feel shortness of breath when doing a regular length of walk or flight of stairs may be warning signs that you have to go to your doctor immediately. Kung yung kotse nga nadadala mo sa casa every five kilometers of travel, sariling katawan mo pa kaya? A regular visit to your doctor will be best.

Notable members include pediatric infectious disease and pharmacologic researcher Dr. Benjamin G. Co, biostatistician and clinical epidemiologist Dr. Cynthia P. Cordero, clinical epidemiologist and infectious disease specialist Dr. Mary Ann D. Lansang, medical anthropologist and former University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman Chancellor Dr. Michael L. Tan, health economist and senior research fellow at the Philippine Institute for Development Studies Dr. Valerie G. Ulep, and health technology assessment pioneer and former DOH Undersecretary for research development Dr. Madeleine D.R. Valera.

Research grant funding is open to eligible researchers nationwide, and inquiries can be submitted through their dedicated email address at herefoundation@stlukes.com.ph.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

During a media forum held last Tuesday, Borromeo explained that what sets HCCH apart are the various forms of stakeholder collaborations and partnerships that have contributed to the establishment of the facility and allow them to drive down costs.

HCCH has partnered with Cancer Treatment Services International (CTSI), Siemens Healthineers, and Varian to improve patient care delivery through sophisticated medical technology and digitalization. CTSI is a leading oncology services provider that has supported the delivery of safe, quality, and affordable cancer care for nearly two decades, developing multidisciplinary clinical services and solutions for over 100 hospitals, clinics, and physician groups worldwide.

Siemens Healthineers and Varian provide a wide range of advanced oncologyfocused medical imaging, radiation treatment, and digital healthcare solutions.

Borromeo expressed confidence in the exceptional service they get from these machines, attributing the reduced cost of diagnostics to their strategic partnerships with Siemens and Varian.

AC Health and HCCH are also privileged to have partnered with IFC (International Finance Corporation) for a $100 million 10year Social Bond, the first of its kind specifically issued for healthcare in the country. As partners, IFC has constantly guided HCCH to learn from international best practices and adhere to global standards, like securing the EDGE certification (green building certification system) for HCCH. HCCH has likewise partnered with pharmaceutical companies such as Roche, MSD, and AstraZeneca, to implement patient access programs, making it easier for cancer patients to avail of the latest therapies and innovative medicines under these companies.

“Each of those arrangements [with pharmaceutical companies] allow us to carry their cancer medication at affordable rates for our patients,” said Borromeo.

AC Health also seeks to bring down

the cost of medications for HCCH patients through its nationwide drugstore chain Generika and its drug importation arm, IE Medica and MedEthix, focused on bringing in high-quality biosimilars and generics.

Borromeo shared that having their own pharmaceutical group is an advantage, allowing them to provide their own generic and biosimilar medications. This unique aspect of the hospital empowers patients with the choice between branded, innovative drugs and biosimilars.

Equally noteworthy is the hospital’s collaboration with the government.

“While this is a private sector driven initiative, hindi po nagkululang ang suporta at pakikipagtulungan ng gobyerno at private sector from the start,” said Borromeo as he emphasized the full support they have been receiving from government agencies such as the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), DOST-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), and PhilHealth, among others.

Model of care In addition to partnerships and collaborations, Borromeo, HCCH President and CEO Jaime Ysmael, and HCCH Medical Director Dr. Manuel Roxas elaborated on other key elements that would support the realization of their vision for accessible and affordable cancer care.

“We built this [HCCH] efficiently. The construction, the design is very cost effective,” said Borromeo, adding that the P3 billion investment is low compared to other hospitals of the same type.

Ysmael also explained HCCH’s model of care which is the connected care circles or multidisciplinary integrated practice approach. This approach means a team of doctors collaborates and develops cost-effective treatment plans for each patient. The team can offer bundles or package pricing which are more affordable for the patients.

Ysmael said this coordinated care strategy leads to improved patient outcomes.

“Cancer is not one disease but many diseases lumped into one group. Each cancer has its own behavior and requires a certain discipline or expertise. From the medical perspective, cost effectiveness is not just equipment but also appropriate treatment,” said Dr. Roxas.

He related that they were able to develop well-managed teams dedicated to specific cancer types, known as centers of excellence (COE). HCCH has centers of excellence for breast, lung, colorectal, and head and neck cancers, each led by a seasoned leadership team with extensive expertise in developing COE programs.

Nation-building and AC Health ecosystem Overall, Ayala envisions AC Health as its next core business, having invested over P10 billion since AC Health’s establishment in 2015. This initiative aims to address healthcare gaps, reinforcing AC Health’s commitment to enhancing healthcare infrastructure in the Philippines.

The HCCH will be the central point for oncology for the Healthway Medical Network and the broader AC Health ecosystem.

With over P3 billion worth of investment in HCCH, AC Health further showcases their dedication to societal value.

HCCH stands out with robust support from the Healthway Medical Network and the extensive AC Health ecosystem, incorporating pharma and digital health. Leveraging Healthway Medical Network’s 15 outpatient centers (CDO and Davao branches opening by end of the year), four general hospitals, the recently joined FEU-NRMF Medical Center, and digital reach through AC Health’s KonsultaMD app, HCCH plans to extend affordable oncology services nationwide.

This includes a hub-and-spoke model for enhanced consultation access and cancer screening. Moreover, AC Health aims to further enhance access with quality affordable medicines through its Generika drugstore chain, IE Medica, and MedEthix.

For more information, visit https:// www.achealth.com.ph/ or head to Facebook for updates and announcements at https:// www.facebook.com/ACHealthPHL/