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JULY REMITTANCES HIT $2.85B, HIGHEST IN 2021 www.businessmirror.com.ph

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Thursday, September 16, 2021 Vol. 16 No. 337

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

1ST AUCTION OF RETAIL $ BONDS RAISES $866.2M B B D. N @BNicolasBM

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HE Bureau of the Treasury raised on Wednesday an initial $866.2 million (P43 billion) during its rate-setting auction for its first-ever Retail Onshore Dollar Bonds (RDBs).

The amount awarded was also an upsize from the initial total offer of $400 million for the five-year and 10-year tenors.

The auction was more than twice oversubscribed, with total bids for the US-dollar denominated instruments amounting to $938.2 million.

Broken down, the Treasury awarded $551.8 million for the 5-year RDBs and another $314.4 million for the 10-year tenor.

During the auction, the 5-year and 10-year tenors fetched coupon rates of 1.375 percent and 2.25 percent, respectively.

National Treasurer Rosalia V. de Leon expressed satisfac-

FOR the second year in a row, students have been forced to attend classes from home as a precaution against Covid-19. A common complaint from most students and parents is the intermittent Internet connection. In photo, Lorgerie Norico, Grade 10 student at Manila High, studies outside their house so she can get a better signal. NONIE REYES

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@BcuaresmaBM

ASH sent home by Filipino migrant workers hit its highest level for the year in July, as overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) continued to defy expectations and retain altruistic trends amid the pandemic.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported on Wednesday

that remittances to the country hit $2.853 billion in July this year,

growing by 2.5 percent from its level last year.

Broken down, the increase in cash remittances was due to the growth in remittances from landbased workers and sea-based workers, which rose by 1.6 percent to $2.308 billion; and 6.9 percent to $545 million, respectively.

The strong July performance of remittances pushed the country’s cumulative cash remittances higher by 5.8 percent to $17.771 billion in the January-to-July period this year from $16.802 billion regis-

tered in the same period last year.

According to the BSP, the growth in cash remittances in the first seven months of 2021 came mainly from the United States, Malaysia and South Korea.

Meanwhile, in terms of country sources, the US registered the highest share of overall remittances at 40.4 percent in January to July 2021, followed by Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, S “J,” A

DOF eyes P21-B budget to boost digitalization bid

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HE Department of Finance (DOF) is seeking a higher budget for 2022 as it aims to implement modernization and digitalization programs that will help raise more funds amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

In his presentation before the Senate Committee on Finance on Wednesday, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said the proposed budget for DOF for 2022 under new appropriations is P21.24 billion, or

32.7 percent higher than its approved appropriations this year of P16 billion.

Despite the year-on-year increase, Dominguez was quick to point out that this is still 1 percent lower than its 2017 budget of P21.5 billion.

“The increase in next year’s funding will be spent for our modernization and digitalization programs to enhance our revenue enforcement

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Covid cuts local currency bonds appetite in region

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HE resurgence of Covid-19 cases in the region has dampened investor sentiment for local currency bonds in the second quarter of the year, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

In its latest Asia Bond Monitor report, the Manila-based multilateral development bank said almost all countries in the region experienced declines in long-term bond yields between June 15 and August 27.

However, data showed outstanding local currency bonds increased 2.9 percent, faster than the 2.2-percent growth posted in the first quarter this year.

“The emergence of Covid-19 variants and renewed mobility restrictions in some places are stifling the earlier momentum toward a sustained recovery,” said ADB Acting Chief Economist Joseph Zveglich Jr. “However, financial conditions in emerging East Asian economies remain stable, even as they cope with the continuing uncertainty.”

Nonetheless, ADB said the Philippines and Singapore bucked the trend and managed to see bond yields increase for the 10-year government bond yields.

The report said the 10-year yield rose in the

Philippines as the economy recorded 11.8-percent GDP growth in the second quarter this year, after posting a decline of 3.9 percent in the first quarter of 2021.

“On August 10, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said that it had yet to consider reducing the reserve requirement ratio. Inflation in the Philippines also remains elevated, and while it has trended downward in June, it spiked again to 4.9 percent y-o-y [year on year] in August,” the report, however, stated.

The local currency bond market weakened as overall stock grew 2.5 percent to $191.6 billion at the end of June. On an annual basis, the market expanded 25.1 percent.

Based on the data, the composition of the country’s local currency bonds were mainly government bonds which accounted for 83.8 percent of the total stock. It posted a growth of 3.9 percent on a quarterly basis.

The corporate bond segment’s decline steepened to 3.9 percent as market sentiment remained subdued due to mobility restrictions.

Corporate bonds outstanding decreased to $31.1 billion.

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S “DOF,” A

THE BROADER LOOK »A6-A7

OUTSOURCING SECTOR GOES AGAINST STRONG PANDEMIC CURRENT WITH RESILIENCE

PESO EXCHANGE RATES ■ US 49.9090

tion with the auction results, saying they hope to see the same level of demand for the RDBs for the rest of the offer period which is set to end on October 1.

De Leon also said they expect more onshore retail investors for this offering. “[I am] happy with results of maiden offering for RDB. Rates reflect various consideration for pricing including performance of ROPs [US-dollar denominated bond issued by the Philippine government], liquidity and worries on US rates liftoff,” de Leon told reporters in a message.

Asked whether the Treasury will shorten the offer period once it reaches its target amount, de Leon said they need two weeks “to throw the net far and wide to catch more.”

However, de Leon did not say how much they are targeting to raise with its sale of RDBs.

NEW SC JUSTICE Newly appointed Supreme Court Associate Justice Japar Dimaampao takes his oath before Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo. Dimaampao, who hails from Marawi City, is the second Muslim to sit as Supreme Court Justice. At 57, he is known to be the youngest justice to be appointed at the Court of Appeals at age 40. He was a former prosecutor and judge at Mandaluyong City Regional Trial Court. A Certified Public Accountant, Justice Dimaampao is a renowned professor, author and bar reviewer in taxation, civil law, commercial law and Shari’ah and Islamic Jurisprudence. Beside him at the oath-taking is his wife, Maria Gina Villapañe-Dimaampao. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

■ JAPAN 0.4550 ■ UK 68.9343 ■ HK 6.4161 ■ CHINA 7.7520 ■ SINGAPORE 37.1540 ■ AUSTRALIA 36.5334 ■ EU 58.9325 ■ SAUDI ARABIA 13.3069

Source: BSP (September 15, 2021)

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News BusinessMirror

Thursday, September 16, 2021

COVID CUTS LOCAL CURRENCY BONDS APPETITE IN REGION C  A

Meanwhile, local currency bond markets in emerging East Asia grew to $21.1 trillion at the end of June, driven by the continuing increase in government bond issuance.

Government bonds increased 3.3 percent to $13.1 trillion, compared with 2.1-percent growth in the previous quarter.

“Some central banks have used smallscale asset purchase programs to improve bond market liquidity and boost private investor confidence. Long-term debt is making up more of the region’s local and foreign currency debt structure, and the region’s sustainable bond markets are expanding,” Zveglich said.

ADB said growth in sustainable bonds in Asean economies jumped to 30.4 percent from 0.6 percent in the prior quarter, reaching $23.6 billion at the end of June.

Sustainable bonds in the Asean region plus the PRC; Hong Kong, China; Japan; and the Republic of Korea totaled $345.2 billion, equivalent to 19 percent of global sustainable bond stock.

Green and sustainability bond issuance in the region during the first half of 2021 exceeded the issuance for all of 2020.

ADB said market risks remain rooted in the resurgence of Covid-19 and its impact on the region’s economic recovery.

Coupled with a strong recovery in the United States, this could push further capital outflows and local currency depreciation that will increase external debt burdens. Potentially higher US bond yields could spill over to the region and increase local currency financing costs.

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DOLE readies raps vs scammers in TUPAD, seeks payouts return

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@sam_medenilla

ROUND 100 unqualified beneficiaries of the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will be required to return their payout.

In an online press briefing last Wednesday, Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III disclosed they were the victims of unscrupulous “coordinators,” who used the TUPAD program to illegally collect money from the government.

He said the DOLE would have to withdraw the amount received by the victims since they did not do any emergency work to qualify for the TUPAD program.

TUPAD is an emergency em-

ployment of DOLE usually meant for displaced informal sector workers. Its beneficiaries are required to work for 10 to 15 days in exchange for the daily minimum wage.

Bello said the erring coordinators from the second district of Quezon City had promised to give cash to some people through the TUPAD program without the need for them to go to work.

In exchange, the victims will have to give a large portion of their

July...

In a commentary after the data release, ING Bank economist Nicholas Mapa said July remittance numbers “surprised on the upside” when the market had expected a pullback from last year’s level.

“The $2.85 billion worth of foreign currency sent home was impressive given that this was the highest non-December level recorded with the funds sent home in July matching that

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Canada, South Korea, Qatar and Taiwan.

The combined remittances from these top 10 countries accounted for 78.6 percent of total cash remittances.

payout to the coordinators.

Bello said the coordinators allegedly asked for funds from DOLE, which are good for 15 days of work in Quezon City.

“So that is around P7,000, but the coordinators only gave P1,000 or P2,000 to the beneficiaries,” Bello said.

of TUPAD funds.”

TUPAD implementation

AS for the erring coordinators, Bello said DOLE is completing evidence before filing charges of qualified theft, estafa, or graft against them. He said DOLE-NCR and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) are probing the incident.

The filing of cases, Bello said, will deter other people from abusing their TUPAD program.

Labor coalition Nagkaisa lauded NBI’s involvement in the investigation. It called on Bello to report the implementation of this program to the Tripartite Industrial Peace Council (TIPC), and “let trade unions be involved in the audit and in overseeing in the disbursement

UNTIL the issue is resolved, Bello said, the implementation of TUPAD in the second district of Quezon City will remain suspended.

Last week, DOLE announced the suspension of TUPAD in the first, second, and fifth districts of Quezon City after it got reports of alleged anomalies in implementation of the emergency employment program.

Bello said he has lifted the moratorium in the fifth district after finding no complaints related to TUPAD implementation there.

He said he may also allow the resumption of TUPAD in the first district since there were only 23 still unverified complaints on the TUPAD implementation in this area.

“Any time now, if our director [in DOLE-NCR] says that there are not many complaints in district 1, I may also lift [the suspension],” Bello said.

which is usually sent home during the Christmas season,” Mapa said.

“Secondly, the higher dollar amount also surprised us as overseas Filipinos had in the past opted to send home less remittances whenever the Peso tends to weaken as exchange rate dynamics help beneficiaries cover Peso needs with less dollars sent home,” he added.

In the coming months, Mapa said, remittance flows are expected to sustain their upward trajectory with Filipino migrant workers

still finding a way to help support domestic consumption.

“With job losses back home elevated and the economy in recession, we expect overseas Filipinos remittances to accelerate to pick up the slack and boost local spending. Sustained overseas Filipinos remittance flows coupled with the recovery in BPO [business-process outsourcing] receipts will help offset the widening trade deficit and limit the impact on the country’s current account,” Mapa said.

Filing of charges

1ST AUCTION OF RETAIL $ BONDS RAISES $866.2M C  A

Proceeds from the sale of RDBs will be used to fund the government’s Covid-19 recovery and resilience programs.

RDBs ’win-win’—Dominguez

FOR his part, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III urged the public to invest their savings in RDBs, which he called a “win-win proposition.”

“Retail dollar bonds provide a safe investment and income opportunity. Buying them will help raise funds for our economic investments and the nation’s comprehensive effort to defeat the pandemic,” Dominguez said in his pre-recorded speech during the investor briefing on RDBs also on Wednesday.

“This helps open up the financial system to small investors and encourages more efficient intermediation. Overall, this aids in restoring the vigor of the Philippine economy at the soonest possible time,” he added.

At a minimum placement of just $300 (P15,000), the RDBs are seen to be far more accessible than the traditional US dollar-denominated global bonds issued by the Philippine government which require a minimum subscription of $200,000.

Apart from the minimum investment of $300, the Treasury said investors will get to enjoy full coupon payments as the final withholding tax on interest to be assumed by the Philippine government. On top of relatively higher re-

turns, RDBs are expected to attract US dollar earners as the structure mitigates foreign exchange risk on the part of investors by maintaining the original currency of their investment.

The Treasury said investors can choose whether to do a straight USD placement or through PesoClear, wherein cash flows in RDBs are paid and received by an investor in PHP with the currency conversions done by the selling agent bank.

The Retail Onshore Dollar Bonds shall be sold during the public period in minimum denominations of $300 and multiples of $100 dollars thereafter.

For those interested to invest in Retail Onshore Dollar Bonds, they may purchase via an over-thecounter facility, the Bureau of the Treasury’s online ordering facility, or through mobile applications like Bonds.PH, Overseas Filipino Bank, and LandBank.

Meanwhile, the Treasury also launched a mobile application that allows investors to learn and understand the fund-raising and debt management activities of the national government as well as its latest offerings of securities.

The national government programmed to borrow a total of P3.1 trillion this year, most of which is expected to be raised through domestic sources.

As of end-July this year, the national government’s outstanding debt has already grown to a new record high of P11.61 trillion, swelling by 26.7 percent from P9.16 trillion a year ago.

DOF...

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capacity. These programs will allow us to effectively raise more funds to finance our pandemic response and economic recovery program,” Dominguez explained.

If automatic (P1.64 billion) and unprogrammed appropriations (P210 million), and the budgetary support for government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) (P95 million) are included, the total proposed DOF budget for 2022 is P23.18 billion. Apart from the modernization program, Dominguez also attributed the increase in the DOF’s budget for 2022 to the implementation of the corresponding salary adjustments for the employees of the Department and its attached agencies under the Salary Standardization Law (SSL).

The largest budget allocations of the DOF for 2022 are for the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) with P10.9 billion, and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) with P4.35 billion—to be spent to further improve tax administration and hasten the digital transformation of these two main revenue agencies.

The proposed allocation for BOC’s capital outlay will also grow 21 times from last year’s budget because of the rollout of the P1.58-billion Philippine Customs Modernization Project.

Supported by the World Bank, the project aims to transform the BOC into a world-class customs agency by streamlining and digitalizing its systems and processes. It is also expected to be partially operational by 2023 and is scheduled to be in full operation by 2024, Dominguez said.

BIR’s financial expenses will also rise by 21 percent because of the interest expense and financing charges for the lease-purchase agreement between the Bureau and the Land Bank of the Philippines to provide regional BIR Offices with their own buildings to better serve the public.

96% budget hike for BTr

MEANWHILE, the Bureau of the Treasury’s budget for next year will surge by 96 percent to P4.23 billion in 2022 from P2.16 billion in 2021.

However, the bulk of its appropriation for 2022 will be for national government operations, with only 26 percent for its regular operations.

These national government expenses, which make up 74 percent of the Treasury’s budget, include the Philippines’s quota subscriptions or equity contributions to continue being a member of different multilateral institutions. Such membership in various multilateral institutions gives the Philippines continued access to concessional financing and technical expertise to support key projects and programs and allows it to vote on policies and plans of action that these institutions undertake.

“Our equity contributions are pooled together with the contributions of other member-countries to fund projects and programs supported by these multilateral banks.

In essence, the Philippines is both a contributor and a beneficiary of its equity investments in these multilateral institutions,” Dominguez explained.

The Office of the Secretary’s (OSEC) proposed budget is at P1.1 billion, or 30 percent more than its appropriations this year, owing to the increase in its maintenance and other operating expenses. These include operating requirements for projects such as the digital Philippine National Single Window that will allow the automation and streamlining of trade processes among the different regulatory agencies.

The OSEC will also improve the Philippine Tax Academy, an essential institution that trains all revenue agencies to improve their competitiveness and expertise. This includes the training of municipal treasurers and provincial treasurers.

The remaining five DOF-attached agencies—Privatization and Management Office, Bureau of Local Government Finance, Insurance Commission, Central Board of Assessment Appeals, and the National Tax Research Center—have a combined proposed budget of P723.2 million or around 3 percent of the total DOF budget.

The increases in their appropriations mainly owe to their respective information and communications technology infrastructure upgrades to support the ongoing modernization programs to prepare for the new economy, Dominguez said.

Bernadette D. Nicolas

The Nation BusinessMirror

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Comelec rejects lawmakers’ plea to extend voter listing

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

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HE Commission on Elections (Comelec) stuck to its decision thumbing down lawmakers’ plea to extend voter registration in advance the May 9, 2022, national and local elections.

This was conveyed to lawmakers at Wednesday’s hearing of the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the Automated Election System as Commissioner Marlo Casquejo reaffirmed the poll body’s fixed no-extension stand.

Casquejo told lawmakers it was a unanimous Comelec en banc decision to stick to the upcoming September 30 deadline, effectively rejecting lawmaker’s proposal to extend voter registration by one more month, or until October 31.

According to the poll commissioner, the Comelec can no longer extend the deadline, as it would af-

fect the poll body’s various preparations for the next elections in the midst of the pandemic.

Sen. Imee Marcos, however, wondered why poll body couldn’t extend the registration when the deadline was previously fixed in October, reminding that due to the pandemic, the ongoing registration was frequently suspended.

Marcos also pointed out that as of now, the Comelec itself said registered voters are counted at 61.9 million but the potential number of voters based on Philippine Statistics Authority data is 73 million or a difference of almost 12 million.

For his part, Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga wondered whether, at this time, the decision of the Comelec en banc could still be reconsidered.

Commissioner Casquejo, in turn, assured lawmakers he will bring up the matter at the upcoming en banc meeting of the poll body.

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Thursday, September 16, 2021 A3

Makati businessmen oppose proposal to jail SALN critics

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad @TyronePiad

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RIVATE sector groups have expressed strong opposition to the proposal to criminalize commenting on the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) of government officials, as they underscored the importance of integrity and good governance.

The Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, Integrity Initiative, Judicial Reform Initiative and Makati Business Club said in a joint statement on Wednesday that criminalizing opinions on SALNs goes against the freedom of speech, which is a “pillar of our democracy.”

The groups stressed that SALN is part of a system of laws and institutions to ensure integrity, adding that

the Ombudsman should be the “first to insist on transparency.”

“The Ombudsman should prosecute government officials involved in graft and fraud not persecute citizens who complain about them, or comment on their SALN. This overprotection at the expense of civil liberties is as corrupt, or even more corrupt than the corruption it is preventing to be exposed,” Integrity Initiative Chairman Alexander Cabrera said.

Last week, Ombudsman Samuel Martires proposed penalties such as imprisonment of at least five years for any individuals making comment on the SALN of a government official or employee.

The parties stressed that the leaders in both the government and business sectors should take part in

promoting integrity in the society.

“We need leaders with integrity who will work for the people, not themselves, who will ensure public resources go to the common good, not their private interest,” they added.

They stressed that “to now criminalize comments on them would in effect chip away at our constitutional right to public information and official records.”

The signatories explained that promoting a culture of integrity and good governance would also bode well for the business sector as it attracts investments that can generate job opportunities.

“To attract investment, businesspeople need to know they have a fair chance to succeed. A fair chance that comes from not having competitors who have an unfair

edge because those competitors are bribing officials. A fair chance that comes from not having to bribe officials themselves just to stay in business,” they explained.

Last month, several business groups, educational institutions and other private sector organizations threw their support behind the constitutional authority and duty of Commission on Audit (COA) to conduct examinations of government agencies’ accounts and expenditures.

Citing the Constitution, the private sector groups stressed that it is the constitutional duty of the COA to submit an annual report of its findings, in addition to publishing said documents. It is the constitutional right of the public to know said information, they added.

PHL pledges support for Afghanistan during UN flash appeal in Switzerland

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ENEVA, Switzerland— Permanent Representative Evan P. Garcia announced the Philippines’s financial contribution to the flash appeal of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to address the immediate humanitarian gaps in Afghanistan.

In his remarks, Ambassador Garcia recalled the Philippines’s tradition

and track record of welcoming and opening its doors to refugees and asylum seekers. Just last week, the Philippines welcomed Afghan nationals, including women and children, who were seeking refugee status in the country.

The Philippines, the envoy said, will remain true to its time-honored commitment to provide meaningful humanitarian response and humane

treatment to those who are vulnerable, marginalized, and in need, including refugees.

The Philippines’s pledge was made during the High-level Ministerial Meeting on the Humanitarian Situation in Afghanistan, which was convened by United Nations SecretaryGeneral António Guterres in Geneva, Switzerland, to encourage international support for Afghan people.

AMBASSADOR Evan P. Garcia, Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the UN and other International Organizations in Geneva, delivers the Philippine Statement on Monday during the High-level Ministerial Meeting on the Humanitarian Situation in Afghanistan at the Palais des Nations, Switzerland.

A4 Thursday, September 16, 2021 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

Economy BusinessMirror

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Digital experts push for cyber capacity building

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad @TyronePiad

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OTH the companies and governments in the Asia-Pacific Region should invest in cyber capacity building amid the growing digital adoption, cyber security and anti-virus provider Kaspersky Lab said.

Chris Connell, managing director for Asia-Pacific at Kaspersky, said in a recent forum that education and training of the work force is a must

to keep an organization’s cyber security intact as online attacks continue to threaten the digital space.

“Cyber capacity building is key really to developing a competent cybersecurity work force,” he said.

“Given its dependence on the online space, a collective security depends on each of us really and success, therefore, is the sum of our joint efforts working together.”

Connell added that “investing in cyber talent and promoting security awareness and digital education for

users are the keys to success in building cyber-resilient digital societies and economies.”

Citing several studies, Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization) Cybercrime Director Craig Jones noted the cyber-security skills gap in the region due to rapid digitalization.

The International Information System Security Certification Consortium, for example, noted that Asia-Pacific needs 2 million additional workers.

“With the continued rise in cyber threats and cybercriminal activities impacting communities, a new paradigm has emerged for global law enforcement. One of the key challenges that Interpol identified are the gaps in law enforcement cyber capabilities and capacity, nationally, regionally and globally,” Jones said.

Li Yuxiao, vice president of the Chinese Academy of Cyberspace Studies, stressed the need for longterm and joint building of a cyberspace community across Asia-Pacific.

The cyber capacity building, Li said, should highlight network infrastructure and potential cyber-security concerns, in addition to developing the personnel training system.

Seungjoo Kim, a member of South Korea’s Presidential Committee on the 4th Industrial Revolution, noted that security experts are prompted to have further knowledge in their field amid the industry 4.0.

“Now, it’s time for us to think about a more effective work force development program to train security

experts specialized in each industrial sector,” he added.

In addition, the South Korean expert urged the universities to educate “students who have solid basic skills, so that they can quickly acquire practical knowledge taught in the company.”

For the Philippines, the Department of Trade and Industry have been implementing the Inclusive Innovation Industrial Strategy (i3S), which is centered on innovation and science and technology, to ramp up industry 4.0 efforts.

House OKs ease of paying taxes bill on third and final reading

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

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HE House of Representatives on Wednesday approved on third and final reading the proposed Ease of Paying Taxes (EOPT) Act, which seeks to modernize tax administration and improve tax

compliance in the country.

Voting 193 affirmative, 0 negative and no abstention, lawmakers approved House Bill 8942 to simplify tax compliance procedures by segmenting taxpayers and better tailoring processes, enhance the portability of tax transactions, and legislate the Taxpayer’s

Bill of Rights.

The bill will now be transmitted to the Senate for its own deliberations.

The measure institutionalizes a simplified process of filing of tax returns for small taxpayers and, thus, facilitates their compliance with tax rules and regulations.

The bill also creates a Taxpayer’s Advocate office in the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to act as the taxpayer’s recourse for

issues with the bureau.

Key benefits of the EOPT include allowing taxpayers to file for a Tax Identification Number (TIN) offsite, removal of the required annual BIR registration, and harmonization of venue rules to allow fully online filings with the bureau.

The bill introduces a “medium” taxpayer classification and streamlined procedures for the “small” taxpayers.

It also cancels the BIR registra-

tion requirement, which will also cancel automatic BIR audits. The BIR shall decide whether or not to audit based on risk assessment evaluations.

The measure removes the need to secure authority to print from the BIR before hard copy invoices can be issued. The business style requirement will also be removed.

The bill ensures taxpayer’s rights as the guiding principle in formulating and implementing tax poli-

cies and regulations. The taxpayer’s right to have the cost of compliance respected whenever tax rules are prepared and enforced shall be considered whenever the BIR prescribes new rules on the filing and payment of taxes.

It also removes the required annual taxpayer registration fee payment of P500.

Earlier this month, the Joint Foreign Chambers called for the passage of the measure.

Pasay City mayor assures support to NG efforts to cut Covid spread

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

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@claudethmc3

TRESSING that the city is prepared to help national government (NG) efforts to bring down Covid-19 cases in the country, Pasay Mayor Emi Calixto–Rubiano threw her support on Wednesday to the recommendation of Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to place Metro Manila under Alert Level 4 quarantine classification.

“We support whatever measure the government will implement to help lower Covid-19 cases and to

contain this virus not only in Metro Manila but the whole country,” Calixto-Rubiano said after the IATF’s decision to place Metro Manila beginning September 16 under the experimental Alert Level 4 as part of the government’s efforts to lower Covid cases.

She said Pasay City would not have a hard time adjusting even if their city and the entire National Capital Region (NCR) were placed under Alert Level 4 since they have previous experience in implementing the system.

In March 2021, the city had implemented granular lockdown after active cases reached at least 40.

The mayor added that as part of their preparations, they already produced information graphics to be posted on the city’s official online pages, even as they are also utilizing public address system of every barangay for their information dissemination campaign.

Calixto-Rubiano said that they have already deployed more policemen, as well as staff from Pasay City Public Order and Safety Unit, traffic, Pasay City Environment Natural Office and even barangay officials were deputized to check or even apprehend violators if necessary.

Likewise, she said, they already prepared food packs and other necessary items to ensure that their residents who will be placed under granular lockdowns won’t have any excuse anymore to go out of their households.

The mayor said that Pasay City Hall would remain fully operational with at least 20 percent on site capacity with the implementation of work-from-home and other flexible work arrangement schemes.

Under the alert level, some restrictions will ease which will help some businesses to reopen.

Alert Level 4 means that “case counts are high and/or increasing, with total bed utilization rate and intensive care unit utilization rate at high utilization.”

Under Alert Level 4, outdoor dining is allowed at 30 percent capacity, while indoor dining services are limited to 10 percent capacity and would only cater to fully vaccinated individuals.

Barbershops, hair spas, nail spas and beauty salons are allowed to operate at 30 percent if they have outdoor seating and only at 10 percent indoor, provided that they only serve fully vaccinated individuals.

Religious gatherings are also allowed at 30 percent capacity in outdoor venues, but are limited to 10 percent in indoor venues where only fully vaccinated people may participate.

The ‘backbone of overland trade’: QUBEX project up for Senate OK

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HE House of Representatives has recently endorsed for the Senate approval the proposed Quezon-Bicol Expressway (QUBEX), which is envisioned to serve as the “backbone of overland trade” in Bicol.

This after the lower chamber last Tuesday approved on third and final reading the House Bill 9988, which would mandate the construction of the expressway.

The project will start in Pagbilao, Quezon, and will end at the existing Maharlika Highway in San Fernando, Camarines Sur. The project will have an indicative length of approximately 220 kilometers and will be an alternative option of travel from Quezon and the Bicol provinces. The feasibility study of the road project is already complete.

House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Joey Sarte Salceda said the construction of the QUBEX will reduce the travel time to 5 to 6 hours from Manila to Bicol.

“The lack of backbone transport infrastructure has its impacts on the lives of our people, especially during this pandemic. Bicol has suffered some of the highest inflation levels in the country during the current Covid-19 crisis. As of July 2021, the inflation rate for Bicol was 6.5 percent, 2.5 percent higher than the July national average,” said Salceda, one of the principal authors of the bill.

“Transportation is one of the key drivers [of inflation]. Our region saw transport inflation reach an eye-popping 13 percent in July. Food also continues to be expensive and is higher than the regional inflation at 6.6 percent. This is a direct result of the

fact that it is expensive to transport to the Bicol region, the expense coming mostly from travel time,” he added.

Currently, the lawmaker said overland travel to Bicol could take as much as 13 hours, with almost certain need for stopovers that make land transport expensive.

Salceda added that travel to Albay currently takes “between 10 and 15 hours, depending in the traffic situation.”

“With QUBEX, we expect to reduce travel time to just 5 hours, which would make Bicol around as close to Manila as Baguio or Ilocos are,” he added.

“The subsequent saving in time and fuel would help lower food, transport, and logistics costs in Bicol, and would make us competitive for business,” Salceda added.

Earlier, the Department of Public Works and Highways suggested that construction could start as early as 2020, but the contagion may have delayed the implementation of the project.

Salceda also suggested that the QUBEX should form part of an “integrated transport and economic development strategy” for the Bicol region.

“We are the transshipment point for the Southeastern portion of the country, from Region 8 down to Eastern Mindanao. So, we need a comprehensive transport strategy for Bicol. If you can bisect Bicol with an expressway, restore and improve the train lines, begin operating the international airport in Daraga, and also connect both the Pacific and the country’s inland ports in Bicol, you create plenty of opportunities to save on transport costs,” Salceda said. Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

News BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Thursday, September 16, 2021 A5

Enrollment for SY 2021-2022 reaches 26,308,875–DepEd

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3

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HE Department of Education (DepEd) reported on Wednesday that enrollment has reached 26,308,875 for school year (SY) 2021-2022, which, data showed, is 100.3 percent of over last year’s 22,587,496.

Data also showed that 11 out of 17 regions in the country have achieved a more than 100-percent enrollment rate, indicating that learners who did not enroll last year are returning in the basic education system.

The DepEd is still expecting the figure to increase since enrollment was extended until September 30.

“We thank our field offices, school heads, and teachers for their dedication and hard work in encouraging the public to enroll. Likewise, we are grateful to the parents of our learners who continue to put their trust and support in DepEd and for learning continuity amidst the pandemic,” the DepEd said.

Renewed optimism

ON Monday, Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones officially welcomed SY 2021-2022

with renewed optimism for basic education as around 24.6 million learners attended the first day of classes nationwide.

“Even in the time of cholera or Covid-19, with all its horrors and terrors, there is love. Even in the time of evil, there is always hope. Even in the time of the Delta variant, there is love.

And there is education,” Briones said before declaring SY 2021-2022 open.

Briones shared that the DepEd has strived to deliver its mandate of providing education for learners and ensuring the welfare of teachers amid the pandemic, citing the implementation of the Basic Edu-

cation-Learning Continuity Plan and the increase of salaries and benefits of personnel.

“We did what was considered impossible in five months. We translated printed material into TV, radio, cell phone, tablet; and yes, utilized walkie-talkies for remote schools,” the education chief said.

President Duterte also delivered his message to DepEd and Filipino educators during the virtual program watched by more than 300,000 live viewers.

“This event showed DepEd’s strong commitment to provide the best quality education for our stu-

dents despite the challenges of the pandemic,” Duterte said.

“To our teachers, we hope you will remain dedicated to your sworn profession and lead more of our young citizens towards a better and brighter future,” he added.

Based on the September 15 Learner Information System report, around 20,029,767 learners are enrolled in public schools, while 1,668,489 students are registered in private schools. Alternative Learning System (ALS) has 199,422 enrollees.

“The challenges we are facing now are even tougher than those we battled last year,” Briones said

adding, that they expect even more to enlist for late enrollment.

Meanwhile, Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Nepomuceno Malaluan thanked teachers and school leaders for the encouraging enrollment turnout rate for the new school year.

“The enrollment report is still on a steady upward trend. Taking into consideration the reporting lag and several regions already surpassing 100 percent of last year’s enrollment, there is indication not only of our learners from last year continuing this year, but also that some of our learners who opted to skip last SY are coming back,” Malaluan said.

Lawmakers cite law allowing LGUs to procure Covid-19 booster shots

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SENATOR and member of the House of Representatives on Wednesday said that the Vaccination Act of 2021 allows the private sector and local government units (LGUs) to procure booster shots to address the growing clamor for added protection amid the emergence of Covid-19 variants and waning efficacy of vaccines.

This was shared by Sen. Nancy Binay and Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay virtual forum on Wednesday.

“For the purchase of booster shots, it can already be covered by the Vaccination Act that we passed;

it falls within the vaccination program,” Binay said in Filipino when asked if there’s still a need to pass another law that will allow the private sector and LGUs to purchase vaccines for booster.

For her part, Garin noted that the government should now be considering various options to give the country flexibility in stopping the spread of Covid, especially breakthrough infections, affecting those that were already fully vaccinated as early as March.

Garin noted that administering booster shots is the direction being taken by the United States and sev-

eral European and Middle Eastern countries, with the vaccine manufacturers themselves recognizing the waning protection accorded by their Covid shots.

“There is such a thing as Mature Regulatory Agencies with actual trials already for booster shots. If Pfizer already has full authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration [FDA], this can be used as basis of the Philippine FDA to give access to the LGUs and also the private sector. The Department of Health [DOH] can serve as the consolidator,” Garin explained.

It may be noted that Section 5

of Republic Act (RA) 11525 (Vaccination Act of 2021) states that the private sector may purchase vaccines in cooperation with the DOH and the National Task Force (NTF) against Covid-19. Vaccines bought by private entities, under the law, shall be for their exclusive use, with the priorities being the health-care workers, senior citizens, economic frontliners, and essential personnel.

“I would understand the private sector’s need for booster shots. In their workplaces, even if everyone had been vaccinated, if one becomes positive, the infection will spread and the work will stop, so it is killing them,

especially the small companies. This is why they need to buy vaccines for booster shots,” Garin said.

Sinovac, she pointed out, has admitted that the immunity it provides wanes after six months, while Pfizer said there is a need for a third shot after the eighth month from the second dose.

“The mere fact that the US is administering third shot is already an admission of the waning effect of the vaccine. Israel has reached 2 million people already [for the booster shots] and they saw drastic reduction in cases,” Garin said adding, “With Delta surprise, vaccination could be

our consideration for the bubble but only if there is third dose.”

She also said the government should not be swayed by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guidance against the administration of booster shots.

“We are a small country. [The volume of] our third shot for health-care workers and persons with comorbidity is small. This is survival mode and the responsibility of our government is not to the WHO but to our people,” Garin said.

“We should all act with a sense of urgency,” she stressed.

Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

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Outsourcing sector g

pandemic curren T

Tyrone Jasper C. Piad, Reporter & Albert Josef Lirio, Contributor

HE Philippines’s business process outsourcing (BPO) industry began with a handshake—via a modem, that is—and offered basic programming services.

More than four decades later, it has blossomed into a burgeoning sector with multiple skill sets—and it shows no signs of slowing down, even bucking the overall downtrend in pandemic.

The BPO sector, given its impact and reach, has been touted as a life vest for an economy that has been drowning since the pandemic punched holes into it and threatened to sink it. In fact, the industry has been allowed by the government to maintain full operations despite lockdown measures.

Doing so is seen to help the economy bring in more revenues, in addition to generating more job opportunities. Both have been among the country’s primary goals given the poor state of the economy and soaring unemployment.

“Through decades of change and periods of ambiguity, the Philippine IT-BPM [information technology-business process management] sector has consistently demonstrated its resilience and agility,” IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (Ibpap) President and CEO Rey E. Untal said in a recent event.

“In the face of challenges like natural disasters, the financial crisis and, most recently, the Covid-19 pandemic, the industry has been able to sustain its annual growth both in terms of jobs and revenues,” Untal added.

Business continuity

UNTAL, chief of the 17-year-old Ibpap, said that demand from several industries has helped the industry not only stay afloat but also register some growth.

These sectors include healthcare, e-commerce, retail, banking, financial administration and even telecommunications, he enumerated.

Untal said the surge in demand from mentioned industry verticals helped offset the contraction booked in hospitality and travel.

These sectors are significantly affected by travel restrictions and mobility curbs applied to stem the Covid-19 infection.

“We also observed a notable upturn in IT outsourcing in the latter part of 2020 as clients invested heavily in digitization to mitigate remaining issues caused by the pandemic and as a way to enhance their business continuity plans,” he said.

The employment in the industry grew last year by 1.8 percent to 1.32 million while revenues rose by 1.4 percent to $26.7 billion.

The industry group noted that the firms were able to show some signs of recovery during the fourth quarter last year after most of them regained their footing by September.

“We were marked as an essential industry early on and received quite a bit of concession that helps the sector mobilize, both cargo and personnel,” Untal said. “This then

allowed us to achieve enhanced operations alongside our service providers while ensuring the health and safety of our employees.”

Employee assistance

LIKE any sector, the BPO industry was forced to make some adjustments amid the lockdown measures to keep the ground running.

The Ibpap official said they resorted to a hybrid work scheme—a mix of work-from-home and onsite labor force. The scheme allows them to have safe and continuous operations.

“There has been a growing requirement for work-from-home delivery as clients realized and accepted that remote work can be done without necessarily sacrificing employee activity and quality,” Untal said, adding that this working scheme also helps in optimizing costs.

Currently, the industry has an average ratio of 64 percent-36 percent for work-from-home and on-site staff, he added. More than a hundred companies are even implementing a 90-percent to 100-percent remote working arrangement, Untal said.

Apart from this, the industry also allocated additional budgets for employee assistance in pandemic.

Swed ish Outsourcing f ir m Transcom WorldWide AB, for example, spent about $7 million to $8 million to support its Filipino employees.

Transcom Global CEO Mark Lyndsell had said earlier this year that the assistance covers hotel accommodations to house their employees, extra allowances such as hazard pay and point-to-point shuttles to transport the workers.

Greenwood Village, US-headquartered Startek Inc., which has 15,000 employees across the Philippines and Australia, has also been extending support to its workers, including hotel accommodations and transportation since last year.

It also sent out computers for workfrom-home setups.

Startek Chief Operating Officer for Philippines and Australia Parikshat Nagpal previously said that the firm makes sure to look after the welfare of its employees while assuring the clients of business continuity at the same time.

Inclusive growth

BUT the BPO sector’s impact is not confined within its industry and related segments. Untal explained that the outsourcing sector has a multiplier effect for the Philippine economy.

“The sustained growth of the industry over the years has also triggered a multiplier effect in other business sectors. It spurs

commercial real estate development and consumption spending,” he said, noting that the sector is among the major source of foreign exchange as well.

The IT-BPM sector has also been driving the real estate market, particularly office spaces, Untal said.

According to Leechiu Property Consultants, 127,000 square meters (sqm) or nearly 44 percent of the total demand in the real estate was accounted for by the BPO sector.

The CBRE Group, meanwhile, noted that the IT-BPM sector occupies 86,000 sqm—comprising 45 percent of the demand—of real estate as of first half.

“In relation to job openings and opportunities within the sector, we’ve also monitored that they continue to come in,” Untal said.

Citing data from JobStreet, Untal said that the IT-BPM industry offered 60,000 job openings in the first half, which is 11 percent of the total postings.

“If you look at it purely from the skills standpoint, the IT and BPO skills demand easily accounts for close to 20 percent of the overall job postings currently,” he said.

Moreover, Untal pointed out that the industry has helped in achieving inclusive growth. There are also well-established IT-BPM hubs outside the capital region, he added.

The Ibpap official said nearly 30 percent of the sector’s total headcount operate in the regions.

More traction

WHILE voice-based BPO services are synonymous with the industry, another emerging segment is expected to gain more traction: online creative freelancing.

This, as about 1.5 million Filipinos are already participating in the gig economy, according to Creative Economy Council of the Philippines (CECP) President Paolo A. Mercado.

The CECP official said earlier that 1.3 million to 1.5 million Filipinos are already on international online platforms for freelancing services, majority of which comprises creative work. These include web design and multimedia content and editing.

He said that digital creative services and digital contents were the least affected segments in the creative sector last year amid the flexibility to work from home. Some of the digital creative services identified by Mercado are digital marketing, web and graphic design.

The CECP submitted in 2019 to the Department of Trade and Industry and Board of Investments a “Creative Economy Roadmap.” It sets five development sectors for the creative economy, including advertising, film, animation, game development and design.

The roadmap aims to make the Philippines the top creative economy in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations region by 2030 in terms of size and value of creative industries, as well as competitiveness of talent and content.

The trade department noted that total creative exports reached $6.8 billion in 2019, which was 6 percent of the total exports. Industry investments in the same year amounted to P281 million based on the data from investment promotion agencies.

Another segment

ANOTHER segment of the BPO industry that has a bullish outlook is healthcare information management system (HIMS).

According to Healthcare Information Management Association of the Philippines (Himap) Vice President Vincent Remo, companies have been dealing with rising cost and margin pressures, making outsourcing a viable choice for them during the pandemic.

The rollout of Covid-19 vaccination programs also “means the volume of transactions will dramatically increase, and there will be a need for more workers in the HIMS sector,” Remo added.

Apart from demand, the Himap official said the industry

growth will also be driven by the large pool of professionals in the medical field, including US-licensed nurses.

He noted that some 42,000 from medical and allied courses are graduating yearly in the country.

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Editor: Dennis D. Estopace • Thursday, September 16, 2021

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goes against strong

nt with resilience Covid-19,” he said.

Untal, in an interview with the BusinessMirror, explained that IT-BPM markets across the globe have made several adjustments to their operations due to the pandemic.

“For example, many enterprises have started to consider multiple aspects of their location to optimize costs, enhance their business continuity plans, and gain access to alternative talent pools,” Untal told the BusinessMirror.

“This has naturally caused some movements in terms of accounts and clients across certain delivery locations, including India and the Philippines,” he added.

According to the Ibpap survey, the majority or 87 percent of the ITBPM firms are expecting to book 5 percent to 15 percent growth while 13 percent are anticipating flat growth this year.

Increasing employment

IN terms of employment, the vital role of BPO operators has been underscored after government last year closed borders between cities and provinces, nearly tanking the economy.

In fact, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported a big jump in the employment numbers for the administrative and support services sector, where the BPO industry belongs to. After a month of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in April 2020, about 2.63 million individuals were employed in the sector, an increase from the 1.66 million reported in January of the same year. The growth was sustained into the pandemic’s first year, with the sector employing more than 3.19 million people in March 2021.

This display of resilience has not only attracted adult jobseekers but also young aspirants who are hoping to earn a little extra, as the prolonged lockdowns have already taken a toll on the earnings of Filipino households.

Students Fia Ortega and Jolo Camiguing are testaments to this.

“Lately, the services offered from the Philippines have also expanded to cover higher value services, such as clinical research, analytics and life sciences,” Remo said.

The HIMS sector, which comprises over 10-percent of the BPO industry, provides services

to companies processing medical billings, doing medical coding, case management, and all aspects of revenue cycle management; companies doing benefit management and fraud and abuse management; and, pharmacy benefit management, among others.

Gain access

UNTAL expects further growth for the sector despite the ongoing economic and health crises.

“As we move forward, we are, in fact, cautiously optimistic.

The sector will continue growing amid the lingering impact of

BM graphics: Job Ruzgal

Needs increasing

CAMIGUING is the youngest of three siblings and the only one left living with his parents. His mother is a government employee, while his father (already a senior citizen) has stopped working as a family driver.

Ortega has a similar story as she became the family’s breadwinner after both her parents lost their jobs last year. They started a small-scale online food business.

But their household expenses, including her and her brother’s schooling, cannot keep up.

This situation prompted her to apply for a job while, at the same time, meeting academic requirements.

Camiguing and Ortega reflect the rebound the country has seen in terms of youth employment numbers in the first quarter of this year. Youth employment numbers are back at around 6.80 million as of March, following a sharp decline of more than 2 million between January and April 2020. Some of the contributors to this recovery are BPO companies, where Camiguing and Ortega are currently employed.

After all, these firms need all the manpower they can possibly get, as the needs of their clients are also rapidly increasing due to the online shift in doing business.

Application process

ACCORDING to TaskUs Philippines

Inc. Senior Client Services Manager Neysa Palacio, hiring students “was not really a deterrent for us because we hire based on skills or profile.”

“It is possible that, even if you’re a student, you are fit for specific clients that look for specific traits,” Palacio said.

But with the limitations on physical interaction brought about by the pandemic, companies had to reconfigure their recruitment processes.

Work experience—specifically, the lack of it—is no longer a determining factor for employment in call centers. Palacio says that because of the urgent need for more agents, the policy has been relaxed to accommodate more applicants. Those who will apply would also need to be at least 18 years old and/or in their second year in college.

Connecting employers and jobseekers have now become easier, thanks to technology. On one hand, there are various Facebook groups composed of aspiring employees where they share information about company hiring.

Training, expectations

ORTEGA found some call center firms she initially applied for via social networking platforms. Camiguing, on the other hand, found his employer through digital advertisements.

The initial phases of the application process itself are also more convenient.

Both Camiguing and Ortega said they submitted their résumés and basic information online while their initial interviews were done over the phone. These included a backgrounder on the applicants and tests on English language fluency and customer handling.

Applicants who hurdle past the interviews and the onsite training will then be presented with a variety of work arrangements. They are allowed to choose which setup works for them, including the work schedule and whether they will be working from home or in the office.

In TaskUs, for example, employee’s expectations are set before they are deployed to the production floor to avoid possible conflicts with matters outside of work. As for students, this is in the form of their academic responsibilities.

Infection scare

EVEN with the flexibility afforded

by BPO companies, the weariness caused by the job has a noticeable effect on working students. As work hours in these companies follow office hours overseas, the time allotted for their school tasks are bound to be affected.

Camiguing said he comes home around 7 a.m. or 8 a.m. just in time for his 10 a.m. class.

“Maliit lang yung tulog ko. Ang dami ring readings, patong-patong siya. Binabasa ko sila sa break time para makahabol,” Camiguing added.

[I get little sleep and I have piles of reading materials to go through, some of which I read during break time so I can catch up.]

Some of his coworkers have even filed for a leave of absence or stopped attending school permanently to focus on work. Ortega, meanwhile, struggles to attend her synchronous classes as these happen mostly while she is on work duty.

There is also the fear of catching Covid-19, as some would still prefer to physically report on site than work from home. This is common for starters who, as previously mentioned, are undergoing

on-the-job training.

Ortega had a virus scare after she came in close contact with one of her superiors who tested positive for Covid.

Volume of benefits

THESE inconveniences are outweighed by the compensation they get from working as call center agents.

According to job review site Glassdoor, the average starting salary for call center agents in Manila is at around P17,000 (about $342.26 at current exchange rates).

The amount can still increase due to holiday pay, night differentials and other bonuses and incentives.

Some companies also offer other benefits such as health and accident insurance packages, whose coverage includes the employee’s dependents.

Most firms also provide generous assistance to workers who catch the virus. Both Palacio and Ortega said the companies they work for cover the costs for the swab tests of all employees who need to physically report to the site. They also shoulder Covid-related hospitalization expenses, and grant paid leaves to employees who are afflicted with the virus.

BPO companies are also securing Covid-19 vaccines for their employees. The firms where Palacio, Ortega and Camiguing are employed in have committed to inoculating their workers for free. This is on top of the recent inclusion of call center workers in the government’s priority list for vaccination.

Essential industry

THE vaccine rollout increases hope of returning to pre-pandemic “normalcy” sooner.

But Palacio said that while they are unlikely to go out of business after the pandemic, the return to “normal” might signal the end of the massive growth that BPO companies enjoyed since the past year.

“Honestly, I don’t think [the growth will continue] because businesses will be changing as well. They will revert back to what works for them, just as how [they] change [with what] happened now. It might not be good for us but, at the end of the day, we still benefit from it,” she said.

This is backed up by how some working students like Camiguing view their employment as something temporary.

He said that even with its “tempting” benefits, getting his undergraduate degree is still more important than working. Besides, he fears he can no longer keep the gig going, especially when face-to-face classes resume.

For others like Ortega who live in a cash-strapped household, it would be harder to let go of the stable income and insurance packages that come with the employment. She wants to continue being a working student not only to finance her and her brother’s studies, but also to help in paying for their household expenses.

“Mahirap din yung pasok ng pera ngayon,” she says. [Cash hasn’t been easy to get these days.]

While the BPO industry has mixed predictions about its future, one thing is for sure at present: the industry is essential, and it will exist even after the pandemic.

This assurance is more than enough for students and other jobseekers in search of stable financial support in these uncertain times.

TheWorld

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Thursday, September 16, 2021

Rival Koreas test missiles hours apart, raising tensions

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EOUL, South Korea—The rival Koreas test-launched ballistic missiles hours apart from each other on Wednesday in a display of military assets that came amid a faltering diplomatic push to strip North Korea of its nuclear program.

South Korea’s presidential office said it conducted its first underwater-launched ballistic missile test on Wednesday afternoon. It said a domestically built missile fired from a 3,000-tonclass submarine flew a previously set distance before hitting a designated target.

The statement said the weapon is expected to help South Korea deter potential external threats, boost its selfdefense posture and promote peace on the Korean Peninsula.

The test followed two short-range North Korean ballistic missile launches detected by South Korea’s military earlier Wednesday. On Monday, North Korea said it fired a newly developed cruise missile in its first weapons test in six months.

Experts say the North Korean launches showed it’s pressing ahead with its arms build-up plans while trying to apply pressure on the United States to resume stalled nuclear talks.

It’s not usual for South Korea to publicly disclose high-profile weapons tests that some experts say could provoke North Korea unnecessarily. Observers say Moon’s government, which has been actively pursuing reconciliation with North Korea, may be responding to criticism that it’s too soft on the North.

South Korea’s military said the North Korean missiles, launched from central North Korea on Wednesday, flew about 800 kilometers (497 miles) on an apogee of 60 kilometers (37 miles) before landing in the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.

The US Indo-Pacific Command said the launches, while highlighting the destabilizing impact of North Korea’s illicit weapons program, didn’t pose an immediate threat to “US personal or territory, or to our allies.”

“The firings threaten the peace and safety of Japan and the region and are absolutely outrageous,” Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said.

“The government of Japan is determined to further step up our vigilance and surveillance to be prepared for any contingencies.”

Japan’s coast guard said no ships or aircraft reported damage from the missiles.

Wednesday’s launches were a violation of UN Security Council resolutions that bar North Korea from engaging in any ballistic missile activities. But the UN council typically doesn’t slap fresh sanctions on North Korea when it launches short-range missiles, like the ones fired Wednesday.

On Monday, North Korea said it tested a newly developed cruise missile twice over the weekend. North Korea’s state media described the missile as a “strategic weapon of great significance,” implying it was developed with the intent to carry nuclear warheads. According to North Korean accounts, the missile demonstrated an ability to hit targets 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) away, a distance putting all of Japan and US military installations there within reach.

The North Korean missile tests came as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was in Seoul for meetings with Moon and other senior officials to discuss the stalled nuclear negotiations with the North.

It’s unusual for North Korea to make provocative launches when China, its last major ally and biggest aid provider, is engaged in a major diplomatic event.

Moon’s office said Moon told Wang that he appreciates China’s role in the international diplomatic push to resolve the North Korean nuclear standoff and asked for Beijing’s continuing support. Wang said Beijing will continue to support the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and improved ties between the Koreas.

The talks between the United States and North Korea have stalled since 2019, when the Americans rejected the North’s demand for major sanctions relief in exchange for dismantling an aging nuclear facility. Kim’s government has so far threatened to build high-tech weapons targeting the United States and rejected the Biden administration’s overtures for dialogue, demanding that Washington abandon its “hostile” policies first.

North Korea ended a yearlong pause in ballistic tests in March by firing two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea, continuing a tradition of testing new US administrations with weapons demonstrations aimed at measuring Washington’s response and wresting concessions.

North Korea still maintains a selfimposed moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile tests, a sign that it may not want to completely scuttle the nuclear negotiations with the United States. AP

Problems continue to plague El Savador’s bitcoin rollout

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AN SALVADOR, El Salvador—One week after El Salvador became the first country to make bitcoin legal tender, problems continued to plague the system Tuesday.

El Salvador rolled out a digital wallet known as the “Chivo” on Sept. 8, but the system has often been down for maintenance. It may have been overloaded by the sheer number of Salvadorans looking to take advantage of the $30 bonus that the government put in each account to incentivize adoption.

Even users like street vendor César Estrada, who were able to download the wallet, have been unable to access the bitcoins.

“A fter several attempts I managed to dow nload the Chivo wa llet, but I haven’t been able to use the $30,” said Estrada.

The problems aren’t limited to technical glitches. One of the young workers at the Chivo automatic teller machines set up to handle transactions acknowledged as much.

“The problems continue, but there has also been a lot of false information,” said the worker, who would identify himself only as Steven, “People are saying that if someone downloads the app, the government can spy on them, or even empty their bank accounts,” he said in disbelief. “So many things have been said that it gets into people’s heads, and added to that is that first, the system collapsed and the errors have continued.”

President Nayib Bukele, the main promotor of using the cryptocurrency, acknowledged the government’s threemonth rollout may have been too ambitious. He said technical glitches had prevented the app from working some kinds of phones.

“We set ourselves a goal that was too ambitious and we made mistakes,” Bukele wrote in his Twitter account.

“But we correcting things, and hundreds of thousands of Salvadorans can now use their @chivowallet with no problem. Soon, everyone who wants to can also enjoy the benefits.”

There has been skepticism about the government’s enthusiastic adoption of bitcoin since Bukele announced it in a video recorded in English and played at a bitcoin conference in Miami in June.

Bitcoin is subject to wild swings in value in a matter of minutes.

Last week, bitcoin joined the U.S. dollar as legal tender in El Salvador. Any business with the technological capacity to do so is required to accept payment in bitcoin, but no private citizen is required to use it. Recent public opinion surveys in El Salvador have said a majority of Salvadorans oppose making it an official currency.

Still Bukele claims there are now a half million users of the digital payment system in this Central American nation. And visits to several fast food chains and shopping malls in San Salvador showed that a majority of such businesses are accepting bitcoin. AP

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

TheWorld

Nigeria faces one of its worst cholera outbreaks in years

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AGOS, Nigeria—Nigeria is seeing one of its worst c holer a outbre a k s i n years, with more than 2,300 people dying from suspected cases as Africa’s most populous country struggles to deal with multiple disease outbreaks.

This year’s cholera outbreak, with a higher case fatality rate than the previous four years, is worsened by what many consider to be a bigger priority for state governments: the Covid-19 pandemic. Nigeria faces a resurgence of cases driven by the Delta variant, and less than 1 percent of the population has been fully vaccinated.

At least 69,925 suspected cholera cases were recorded as of Sept. 5 in 25 of Nigeria’s 36 states and in the capital, Abuja, according to the Nigeria Center for Disease Control. Children between 5 and 14 are the most affected age group and the overall case fatality rate is 3.3 percent, more than double that of Covid-19’s 1.3 percent case fatality rate in Nigeria.

At least 2,323 people have died from suspected cholera this year, but there are concerns that might be an undercount given that many affected communities are in hard to reach areas.

States in Nigeria’s north where flooding and poor sanitation increase the risk of transmission are the hardest hit. The 19 states in the north account for 98 percent of the suspected cases.

Cholera is endemic and seasonal in Nigeria, where only 14 percent of the population of more than 200 million have access to safely managed drinking water supply services, according to government data from 2020, which also shows that open defecation is still practiced by at least 30 percent of residents in 14 states.

Nigeria also continues to see regular outbreaks of yellow fever, Lassa fever, measles and other infectious diseases. “ We mu s t r e m a i n c o n scious that these mu ltiple outbreaks can further strain our health system,” outgoing Nigeria CDC director-general Chikwe Ihekweazu told The Associated Press.

But he and other officials say the experience from those

health crises has helped Nigeria prepare for the worst. “Prior investment in diagnostic capacity, case management, electronic surveillance systems, eventbased surveillance, risk communication, logistic management systems and national/subnational workforce development have paid off significantly during Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.

T hat has not cont a ined cholera, however, and in some states, authorities have said Covid-19 has taken center stage.

In Kogi State, which has Nigeria’s second-highest cholera case fatality rate at 24.5 percent, top health official Saka Haruna told the AP the rate is high because of the difficulty in accessing care in hard-toreach areas.

Even in the capital, finding care has been challenging. Ese Umukoro said she had a “very difficult” experience when her brother, Samson, had cholera and was rejected at three hospitals before being admitted at the fourth. She asked the government to “try their best to at least give us good water to avoid that kind of sickness.”

Sokoto State has Nigeria’s fourth-highest count of suspected cholera cases, and its health commissioner told the AP that 22 of the 23 Local Government Areas have been hit by the outbreak.

“What is driving the infections is lack of good sanitary conditions in our villages and open defecation, aggravated by heavy rainfall,” said Ali Inname.

It ’s a common problem.

G o v e r n m e nt d a t a f r o m a study supported by UNICEF found access to safely managed sanitation ser vices at just 21 percent nationwide.

Engineer Michael Oludare, an Oyo-based water scientist, said it is “very important” for authorities to provide basic water and sanitation. He said the poor, women, children and internally displaced people are among “those that will have problems when it comes to cholera.”

More o v e r, Ni ge r i a s t i l l grapples with the challenge of inadequate vaccines and trained manpower to cover all Local Government Areas where the cholera outbreak has been recorded. AP

Chinese ambassador to UK barred from Parliament

L

ONDON—China’s ambassador to Britain has been barred from Parliament and told he could not enter the building for a talk he was scheduled to give on Wednesday.

Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle said Tuesday it was not “appropriate” for the Chinese ambassador, Zheng Zeguang, to enter Parliament because China imposed sanctions against seven British parliamentarians over their criticism of Beijing’s human rights record.

Zheng was due to attend a reception in the House of Commons organized by a cross-party parliamentary group on China.

John McFall, Hoyle’s counter part in the upper chamber, the House of Lords, agreed that the scheduled meeting “should take place elsewhere, consider i ng t he c u r rent s a nc t ion s against members.”

China imposed sanctions on seven British politicians in March, including senior Conservative

lawmakers Iain Duncan Smith and Tom Tugendhat, who have spoken out against China’s treatment of its Uyghur minority in the farwest Xinjiang region.

The move came shortly after Britain, the US, Canada and the European Union sanctioned Chinese officials over Xinjiang.

The sanctioned parliamentarians welcomed the ban, saying allowing Zheng in the Parliament building would have been “an insult.”

The Chinese Embassy in the UK condemned the move and said it will harm the interests of both countries. “ T he des pic able a nd cowa rd ly ac t ion of cer t a i n i nd iv idu a l s of t he U K Pa rl i a ment to obst r uc t nor m a l e xc h a nges a nd cooperat ion bet ween C h in a a nd t he U K for person a l pol it ic a l ga i ns i s aga i nst t he w i shes a nd h a r m f u l to t he i nterest s of t he peoples of bot h cou nt r ies,” t he emba ss y sa id i n a st atement. AP

BusinessMirror

Thursday, September 16, 2021

A9

US Covid deaths, cases surge, wiping out months of progress

C

ovid-19 deaths and cases in the US have climbed back to levels not seen since last winter, erasing months of progress and potentially bolstering President Joe Biden’s argument for his sweeping new vaccination requirements.

The cases—driven by the Delta variant combined with resistance among some Americans to getting the vaccine—are concentrated mostly in the South.

While one-time hot spots like Florida and Louisiana are improving, infection rates are soaring in Kentucky, Georgia and Tennessee, fueled by children now back in school, loose mask restrictions and low vaccination levels.

The dire situation in some hospitals is starting to sound like January’s infection peak: Surgeries canceled in hospitals in Washington state and Utah. Severe staff shortages in Kentucky and Alabama. Lack of beds in Tennessee. Intensive care units at or over capacity in Texas.

The deteriorating picture nine months into the nation’s vaccination drive has angered and frustrated medical professionals who see the heartbreak as preventable.

The vast majority of the dead and the hospitalized have been unvaccinated, in what has proved to be a hard lesson for some families.

“The problem now is we have been trying to educate based on science, but I think most of the education that is happening now is based on tragedy, personal tragedy,” said Dr. Ryan Stanton, an emergency room physician in Lexington, Kentucky.

In Kentucky, 70 percent of the state’s hospitals—66 of 96—are reporting critical staff shortages, the highest level yet during the pandemic, the governor said.

“Our hospitals are at the brink of collapse in many communities,” said Dr. Steven Stack, Kentucky’s

public health commissioner.

The US is averaging over 1,800 Covid-19 deaths and 170,000 new cases per day, the highest levels respectively since early March and late January. And both figures have been on the rise over the past two weeks.

The country is still well below the terrifying peaks reached in January, when it was averaging about 3,400 deaths and a quartermillion cases per day.

The US is dispensing about 900,000 vaccinations per day, down from a high of 3.4 million a day in mid-April. On Friday, a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel will meet to discuss whether the US should begin giving booster shots of the Pfizer vaccine.

On a positive note, the number of people now in the hospital with Covid-19 appears to be leveling off or even declining at around 90,000, or about where things stood in February.

Last week, the president ordered all employers with more than 100 workers to require vaccinations or weekly tests, a measure affecting about 80 million Americans. And the roughly 17 million workers at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid also will have to be fully vaccinated.

“We read about and hear about and we see the stories of hospitalized people, people on their deathbeds among the unvaccinated over the past few weeks,” Biden said in announcing the rules. “This is a pandemic of the unvaccinated.”

The requirements have met with resistance and threats of

In this September 14, 2021 file photo, a syringe is prepared with the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine at a clinic at the Reading Area Community College in Reading, Pa. Covid-19 deaths and cases in the US have climbed back to where they were over the winter, wiping out months of progress and potentially bolstering President Joe Biden’s case for sweeping new vaccination requirements.

AP/Matt Rourke

lawsuits from Republicans.

Arizona on Tuesday reported 117 deaths, the most in a single day since last February. Tennessee now ranks first in the US in new cases per capita. Hundreds of students there have been forced to quarantine. Some schools have closed because of staffing shortages. Others have asked to switch to remote learning.

But measures aimed at containing the virus have run into opposition. Last week, a Tennessee high school student who spoke at a school board meeting in favor of a mask mandate was heckled by adults while he talked about his grandmother dying from the virus.

Stanton, the ER doctor in Kentucky, said he has admitted families where the Delta variant has swept through generations, especially if the older members are unvaccinated.

“Now in Kentucky, one-third of new cases are under age 18,” he said. Some children brought it home from summer camp and spread it to the rest of the family, and now, “between day care and schools and school activities, and friends getting together, there are just so many exposures.”

In Alabama, hundreds of Covid-19 patients fill intensive care units, and one hospital contacted 43 others in three states to find a specialty cardiac ICU bed for

WHO, partners aim to get Africa 30% of needed doses by February

G

E N E VA — T h e W o r l d Health Organization and its partners said they hope to provide Africa with about 30 percent of the Covid-19 vaccines the continent needs by February, badly missing the 60 percent vaccination coverage goal that African leaders had once hoped for this year.

At a press briefing Tuesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called the massive disparity in vaccination rates between rich and poor countries a “solvable problem” and called again for pharmaceutical companies to prioritize the UNbacked initiative known as COVAX, which is designed to share vaccines globally.

But drugmakers—including Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna— have shown no indications they are eager to switch their current tactics, which involve appealing to rich countries and their regulators to authorize booster shots.

Tedros called last week for a “moratorium” on the use of

boosters in healthy populations until the end of the year. Countries including Israel, France and Germany have already started dispensing third doses to certain people; the UK announced plans on Tuesday to offer boosters to anyone over 50 as well as younger people who might be more vulnerable to Covid-19.

In the US, the FDA is going to publicly debate the topic of boosters this week. In an opinion piece this week, two top FDA officials and senior WHO scientists wrote in the Lancet that the average person doesn’t need a booster shot.

To date, fewer than 4 percent of Africans have been fully immunized and most of the 5.7 billion vaccine doses administered around the world have been given in just 10 rich countries.

COVAX has missed nearly all its targets and has now resorted to begging rich countries to share their vaccine doses.

Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of vaccines alliance Gavi, said COVAX expects to have 1.4 billion doses

ready for delivery by the end of this year, about one quarter fewer than its original goal.

Afreximbank President Benedict Oramah warned that booster shots in Africa would require $500 million to $600 million more “on the conservative side,” and if the cost of logistics is included, that would mean $1 billion a year.

Strive Masiyiwa, the African Union’s envoy for Covid-19 vaccines, also called for export restrictions and intellectual property rights to be lifted to allow vaccine production within Africa.

In June, WHO and its partners launched a hub in South Africa intended to transfer technology needed to make the vaccines produced by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, but none of those companies have yet agreed to share their vaccine recipes.

“It’s not an unreasonable call, because our neighbors in the US supported these companies to produce some of these vaccines,” Masiyiwa said. “Now let this miracle be available to all mankind.” AP

Ray Martin DeMonia. It wasn’t soon enough. The 73-year-old died September 1.

“In honor of Ray, please get vaccinated if you have not, in an effort to free up resources for non-Covid related emergencies,” his family pleaded in his obituary.

In Hidalgo County, Texas, along the Mexican border, about 50 patients were in the hospital with Covid-19 on a given day in July.

By early August, the number had soared to over 600.

“Back in July we were almost celebrating. Little did we know,” said Ivan Melendez, public health authority for Hidalgo County. The situation has improved, with just fewer than 300 people in the hospital as of Monday, but ICUs are still above 90 percent capacity, Melendez said.

The biggest surge over the summer occurred in states that had low vaccination rates, particularly in the South, where many people rely on air conditioning and breathe recirculated air, said Linsey Marr, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech. She said states farther north could see upticks as the onset of cold weather sends people indoors.

Vaccination rates are not as low in some Northern states, but “there’s still a lot of unvaccinated people out there. Delta is going to find them,” Marr said. AP

Taiwan holds anti-invasion drill as China threat heightens

J

I ADONG, Taiwan—An F-16 screeched across the sky then landed on a highway surrounded by pineapple fields in southwestern Taiwan to quickly refuel before taking off again.

Four mi litar y aircraft, including Taiwan’s self-made Indigenous Defensive Fighter, the US-made F-16V and the Frenchmade Mirage 2000-5, landed in Jiadong early Wednesday morning—simulating what they would do if their air base were damaged by enemy forces.

The simulation is part of Taiwan’s five-day Han Guang military exercise designed to prepare the island’s forces for an attack by China, which claims Taiwan as part of its own territory. The annual exercise was smaller this year due to Covid-19 restrictions.

In the last t wo years, the threat from China has risen, as the People’s Liberation A rmy f lies fighter jets towards Taiwan on a near-daily basis in an effort to intimidate and harass the island ’s air forces. AP

A10 Thursday, September 16, 2021 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

editorial

Here comes the sun

S

olar energy is nothing new. People have used solar power as far back in history as the 7th century B.C. when humans used sunlight to light fires with magnifying glass materials. In 3rd century B.C., the Greeks and Romans were known to harness solar power with mirrors to light torches for religious ceremonies.

New York inventor Charles Fritts created the first solar cell in 1883 by coating selenium with a thin layer of gold. Fritts reported that the selenium module produced a current “that is continuous, constant, and of considerable force.” This cell achieved an energy conversion rate of 1 to 2 percent. Most modern solar cells work at an efficiency of 15 to 20 percent. It was the beginning of photovoltaic solar panel innovation in America. Photovoltaic is the technical term for turning light energy into electricity. It is used interchangeably with the term photoelectric.

From the introduction of solar-powered calculators in the late 1970s, the world never stopped searching for ways to use the sun to generate power for homes, vehicles and industries. Solar power is free and clean. It holds great promise to free the world from its dependence on coal and fossil fuels. Globally, coal power plants are still the largest source of electricity.

The International Energy Agency has challenged governments to take “decisive action” on climate policy to achieve deep decarbonization by midcentury. In its 2020 World Energy Outlook report, the IEA said “a surge of welldesigned energy policies” is essential in order for sustainability goals to be met by mid-century.

“I see solar becoming the new king of the world’s electricity markets,” said IEA Executive Director Dr. Fatih Birol. “Based on today’s policy settings, it is on track to set new records for deployment every year after 2022. If governments and investors step up their clean-energy efforts in line with our Sustainable Development Scenario, the growth of both solar and wind would be even more spectacular—and hugely encouraging for overcoming the world’s climate challenge.”

From the Associated Press: “Solar energy has the potential to supply up to 40 percent of the nation’s electricity within 15 years—a 10-fold increase over current solar output, but one that would require massive changes in US policy and billions of dollars in federal investment to modernize the nation’s electric grid, a new federal report says. The report by the Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy says the United States would need to quadruple its annual solar capacity—and continue to increase it year by year—as it shifts to a renewable-dominant grid in order to address the existential threat posed by climate change.”

Solar power installations are increasing exponentially around the world as countries step up their renewable energy efforts to cut carbon emissions from electricity generation. Although its future looks bright, solar power has a long way to go to become an alternative viable source of renewable energy. In 2019, just over 2 percent of global electricity came from solar. Here’s the installed solar capacity of the top 5 countries using solar power in 2019: China, 205 gigawatt; US, 76 GW; Japan, 63.2 GW; Germany, 49.2 GW; and India with 38 GW. The Philippines has innate advantages on the solar front. However, the solar sector faces the challenge of attracting investments. Based on Department of Energy data, the existing installed and dependable capacity as of December 31, 2019 is as follows: Coal, 6,929 MW (40 percent market share); natural gas, 3,452 MW (20 percent share); oil-based, 2,585 MW (15 percent share); solar, 362 MW (2 percent share).

ReEx Capital Asia associate Shiva Susarla, in a report by AsianPower, said the Philippines failed to take advantage of its huge RE potential due to lack of financing and the presence of policy constraints, particularly referring to the delay in the approval and implementation of the FiT scheme. The country’s policy, he said, was characterized by “uncertainty and delays”—something that investors did not appreciate. This was partly the reason the Philippines had the highest residential power rate and the third highest industrial power rate in the region.

Harnessing solar power is the best way to decrease our dependence on coal and fossil fuels, which are bad for the environment. We believe that market conditions for solar energy in the Philippines are getting better. But we need stronger government support and investment-friendly policies to help make the solar sector shine.

Since 2005

BusinessMirror A broader look at today’s business ✝ Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua

The PSE going forward John Mangun

OUTSIDE THE BOX

I

T has been easy not to talk about the Philippine stock market for months. In 2021, the range is basically between 7,200 and 6,400 (on a monthly basis) for about a 10 to 12 percent range. There has been some volatility.

The last time we were this flat for this long was in 2019 when the PSE index traded a 5 to 7 percent range with less volatility. The other reason for being silent is that I have been told that I can shatter investors’ dreams and break hearts.

Nonetheless, we are near the end of the third quarter, and I sense that we have come to a turning point.

Covid is not going to disappear anytime soon, so waiting for preCovid normality is a fools’ game.

Google search Covid vaccine is bad— or good—and read as many of the 500 million entries as you can. I will save you the time.

The vaccine is not a magic bullet.

There are questions as to its (no matter which manufacturer) long-term effectiveness, and there are some relatively rare but serious downsides.

As I have said before, I was hesitant at first but primarily because I was

hoping the whole thing would just go away. No chance. My immediate and extended family is fully “vaxxed” and one person was hospitalized for two weeks with the disease.

However, there is no way we can progress without mass jabbing. And if you disagree, save your laway. Do not get vaxxed and do not bore me with your scientific brilliance. But note that I do not send flowers to wakes. Max’s chicken is more useful.

To the PSE: My feeling is that almost everything corporate-wise that can happen already has, with some minor exceptions. With limited “due respect”, the drama about Philippine Airlines filing for Chapter 11 protection is sort of silly.

PAL is: A) an airline company which is a “bad” business in the best of times, B) no one can remember when the company made any real money, and C) killed by Covid like

The above is only part of the PSE story. Go find sound companies with “cheap” valuations that are holding fast to the dock during the Covid storm. Soon they will set sail for prosperous seas. I see the PSE index at 8,200 around end 2021 or early 2022, but it will not be easy. Accumulate cautiously and slowly if and when prices go higher. Start now. all the rest, so what did you expect?

Many consumer-oriented companies that adapted rapidly and with a strong focus will recover well 12 months from now. But there are some particular and surprising bright spots.

The REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) that came out in the last 12 months is a positive development. The performance of the property sector has been relatively good.

The big boys—Megaworld, DMCI, and the SM and Ayala companies are acceptable. But those in the “affordable and mid-range” market are near excellent. The leaders in this market—Cebu Landmasters, 8990 Holdings (HOUSE) and Century Properties—are doing well all things considered, back to or near pre-Covid revenue if not yet at profit levels.

This “affordable and mid-range” segment is so attractive that the Ayala Land REIT has shifted funds

(about P1 billion) from the high end to this sub-market. Two other companies in this market are talking about an IPO. Globe Telecom may change its trading symbol to GCASH. Just kidding. But the future market for these payment portals is immense and GLO is at the forefront and may have an unstoppable market share. The value of this business to the mother company, especially if G-Cash does an IPO, is huge.

Philippine banks make a fortune during the good times, and like a turtle with its head in the shell, they patiently wait with minimal damage during an economic storm. Some have downsized their branch network. You call it a “cash-dispensing machine.”

But every time you push the ATM “Enter” button, the sound is “Ka-ching” in the bank’s treasury office.

The above is only part of the PSE story. Go find sound companies with “cheap” valuations that are holding fast to the dock during the Covid storm. Soon they will set sail for prosperous seas.

I see the PSE index at 8,200 around end 2021 or early 2022, but it will not be easy. Accumulate cautiously and slowly if and when prices go higher.

Start now.

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.

Lean Alejandro and UP student activism

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Dennis Gorecho

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Kuwentong PEYUPS

‘T

he struggle for freedom is the next best thing to actually being free,” said the late UP student leader Leandro Alejandro.

Popularly known as Lean, he was a student leader and later key figure in the national anti-dictatorship movement.

Lean was assassinated on September 19, 1987 after announcing a planned nationwide strike against continued military involvement in government even after Martial Law was lifted and a new administration in power.

Lean was instrumental in setting up the UP Sandigan para sa Magaaral at Sambayanan (SAMASA) student political party, which was a key force in UP campus politics in the 1980s and 1990s.

SAMASA began as a universitywide alliance of student organizations campaigning for the return

Almost three decades after Lean’s death, the Great Lean Run was organized in 2015 by SAMASA using an innovative and historical approach to teach the new generation lessons on martial law. of student institutions such as the student councils.

When the University Student Council was re-established in 1981, SAMASA won landslide victories in that election and in several elections after. Lean became USC chairman in 1983.

SAMASA was established when students’ movement was at its peak to defend their democratic rights to organize inside and even outside

campus grounds.

Though I was in my first semester as a BS Economics freshman in 1987, I had vague memory of Lean at the time of his death.

I was not aware of his popularity perhaps due to my personal struggle or preoccupation to adjust myself with the UP culture.

Apolitical was the right word as I was the typical nerd in my first two years, spending most of my time in the library, classrooms and dormitory.

I was warned several times not to

participate in rallies and be associated with the activist groups.

Years later, if asked “Bakit ka ba naging aktibista?,” I usually answer back by saying that UP is the perfect place to grow in all aspects, whether it be intellectually, politically, socially in different or opposing spectrum.

Students have always been a potent force in social organization and social change in Philippine society.

The UP student politics has taught See “Gorecho” A11

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Thursday, September 16, 2021 A11

Are the ‘new’ pandemic guidelines the answer to our prayers?

Val A. Villanueva

Businesswise

S

tarting September 16 up to the month’s end, some areas in the country, specifically Metro Manila, will be under another experiment to restrain a pandemic, which the government has miserably failed to keep in check, much less eradicate.

After randomly scooping up and shuffling five letters from the Alphabet soup (ECQMG), the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has decided to categorize areas of containment using numbers borrowed from cyclone alert warnings. Numbers 5 to 1 will be assigned to each locality depending on the severity of Covid infection. Thus, number 5 has been designated as the highest alert level where infection cases are considered dire, with hospital and intensive care absorptive capacities in precarious juncture. Alert Level 5 is similar to enhanced community quarantine, the strictest lockdown level, while the remaining descending order numbers correspond to more lenient lockdown categories.

But instead of choosing which areas in Metro Manila should be padlocked, National Capital Region (NCR) mayors on Tuesday decided to place the entire Metro under one alert level—Category 4, the secondhighest alert level—to launch the pilot run of granular lockdowns “for uniformity and easier enforcement,” according to Interior Secretary Eduardo Año.

At present, NCR is classified at

high risk, said Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, “as it maintains a moderate risk two-week growth rate and high risk average daily attack rate.”

Under Alert Level 4, outdoor or al fresco dining will be permitted at 30 percent capacity. Indoor dine-in will only be allowed at 10 percent and open only to the fully vaccinated.

Restricted mobility is imposed on minors; people aged 65 and above; individuals with comorbidities and immunodeficiencies, and pregnant women. Those who are not required to stay at home may do interzonal and intrazonal travel. Individual outdoor exercises for all ages, regardless of vaccination status, shall be limited within their area of residence. Seniors may go out, but only to access essential goods and services, or work in offices and industries permitted by the government to function, albeit on a limited scope.

By this time, I’m sure the IATF and the DOH have already disseminated to different news organizations and posted on their respective web sites specific guidelines for each alert level for everyone to follow.

The way I see it, the government is trying to slowly open up some semblance of commerce which has

Gorecho. . .

continued from A10

us the vision of service to the people.

The campus molded us to fight for the causes we believe in; trained us for the skills we need to communicate ideas and rally others to effect changes in society.

In 1979 Lean joined the staff of the Philippine Collegian as features writer, while I became part of Kule from 1989 to 1991 as its photographer and later chief photographer. I also became a member of SAMASA. My mother knew that I would sooner or later be part of the student movement, which in a way became my justification for using the iconic “sandals” or tsinelas during my UP days.

Of all the rallies I covered, the dispersal of the May 14,1990 anti-US-Bases rally at the Central Bank was the most memorable.

I suffered a head injury when a teargas canister hit my head, causing lacerations that needed seven stitches. While at the hospital, I called my mother and greeted her “Ma, Happy Birthday. Please pick me up here at PGH.” One of the SAMASA election campaign poster in the early 1990s featured my photo with the phrase “May panahong magduda’t magtanong, ngayo’y panahon ng pagharap at pagsulong” lifted from one of the progressive songs.

More than his extraordinary height, Lean stood out as an activist because he possessed insight, a unifying approach, speaking and writing skills, and courage and boldness.

Almost three decades after Lean’s death, the Great Lean Run was organized in 2015 by SAMASA using an innovative and historical approach to teach the new generation lessons on martial law.

The 3.7-kilometer run at the UP Diliman Sunken Garden and Academic Oval is a special distance experiential run that includes an obstacle course, race, and chase production.

Participants crawled through mud under barbed wire, got bombarded by water cannons, and ran away from truncheonwielding military men or “Metrocom police” and “paramilitary groups” under threats of arrest or torture.

UP SAMASA aimed to “re-introduce” Lean, his ideals, and his works to the current generation of student activists through the fun run.

“I am sure you will agree with me,” Lean said in a letter, “when I say that the greatest adventure on Earth today is our struggle for freedom. The pain and the sacrifice are staggering. The battles are historical. And the victory shall be truly glorious indeed.”

The documentary film “Lean—In the Line of Fire is the Place of Honor” premiered live on YouTube on August 30, 2021, while a forum was hosted by Lean’s fellow UP student activist and renowned journalist, Malou Mangahas.

The documentary that took four years to finish memorializes Lean so that not only can those who knew him, remember him but more importantly that future generations would come to know him and learn from his life, struggles and contributions.

Let us continue to live by the ideals that bound us together.

Let us celebrate activism.

Peyups is the moniker of University of the Philippines. Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the seafarers’ division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan law offices. For comments, email info@sapalovelez.com, or call 0917-5025808 or 0908-8665786.

But what we should not lose sight of is the projections published by OCTA Research in their journals that there may be as many as 30,000 daily Covid-10 cases by the end of the month. Even the DOH sees that we are headed in that direction. This is where Limpin is coming from. She had merely expressed the fear and anguish of those who had lost their loved ones to the virus.

been crippled by different Covid variants. It just cannot afford to lose vital businesses that could shore up an economy severely hammered by the pandemic, in the same way that it doesn’t want to put many people out of work. It is catastrophic, to say the least. But the question is: will these ‘new’ guidelines put the country in a much better shape to combat the deadly microbe from where we were?

As I’ve written many months before, the battle to slow down the Covid spread should not be a zerosum game. Unfortunately, what we have all been witnessing in the past 18 months under the world’s harshest lockdown has been the government’s inability to strike a balance between public health and the economy. It has become a chicken-and-egg cliché since President Duterte appears to suffer from short-attention span. Instead of focusing on curbing the Covid-19 pandemic, he has been sidetracked by other political issues. His weekly pandemic report has been peppered by diatribes, usually punctuated by cusswords directed at his critics.

Lately, the President has not been

coy in using his weekly televised report as a platform to promote his political plans for the 2022 polls.

Perhaps people have become weary or dissatisfied with the too little or mostly hazy information they get from his weekly talkathon about the government’s pandemic response.

Data compiled by social monitoring platform CrowdTangle show that viewership of the President’s prerecorded speeches posted in PTV-4’s official Facebook page has suffered record lows since June of this year.

Nearly all netizens’ comments show disdain for the President’s disjointed brainwaves.

At the moment, lawmakers are bent on solving problems, such as why and when Duterte should fire Health Secretary Francisco Duque III. To them, Duque is the weakest link in the government’s pandemicresponse chain; his leadership of the department severely weighed down by charges of inefficiency and corruption. It is only Duterte’s defense of Duque’s integrity that seems to be saving him from a steep fall. In recent weeks, however, the President has made known that he would not fire the DOH chief, but would accept Duque’s resignation.

How can Duterte and his men keep doing what they do? One answer may be the 90+ trust rating the President supposedly has, based on a poll done by Pulse Asia. This survey now serves as the administration’s badge, believing the people approve of whatever they do.

Beyond issuing quarantine alert levels, the government should be truly sensitive to the people’s needs and miseries. It is not only the business, health, and labor sectors that are hurting; almost the entire Philippine population is. The pandemic, aggravated by the government’s inac-

tion, seems to be an endless source of hopelessness and helplessness for many people who have become more vocal with their dissatisfaction, aggravated by the government’s inaction.

The problem with this administration is that it treats well-meaning advice from concerned sectors as a slur to its governance. When Vice President Leni Robredo and other health experts offer some solutions, for instance, Duterte readily dismisses them as nonsense. “Don’t listen to them” is his usual refrain, seemingly oblivious to the fact that all Filipinos are in this together. Those who express their grievances against the inept pandemic response are not the enemy; the virus is.

In a leaked video of a September 7 pandemic task force meeting, the sight of a fuming Palace Spokesperson Harry Roque—looking much like a predator about to pounce on a cornered prey—shocked everyone. The virtual meeting was conducted right before the government announced that it was not downgrading Metro Manila to general community quarantine, but will instead pilot-test a new localized lockdown. Repeatedly pointing his finger, Roque lashed out at Dr. Maricar Limpin, president of the umbrella organization Philippine College of Physicians, which counts over 9,000 members nationwide.

Limpin, a pulmonary critical care and sleep specialist, is a convenor of the Healthcare Professional Alliance Against Covid-19. She later said that she felt humiliated and insulted by Roque when he berated her and their group for opposing the government’s planned shift to granular lockdowns from region-wide quarantine classifications.

Netizens and other groups described Roque’s outburst as uncalled

for. Limpin later told Rappler in an interview that she did not expect a government official, much less the presidential spokesperson, to scold her when she had merely wanted “to help alleviate the plight of the healthcare system. If Secretary Roque can do this to us doctors, what more for other people?”

Roque who was nominated by the government to the International Law Commission, insists that it was never his intention to disparage doctors and other health professionals.

He professes that he is merely taking the cudgels for the working class who are getting the bad end of the bargain in prolonged lockdowns, and got too emotional in expressing such. But several lawyers’ groups say Roque—if ever appointed to the ILC—is a disgrace “and may diminish the body and may taint its credibility.” The National Union of People’s Lawyers says the bid of Roque to the ILC post is a “hypocritical ambition of a fellow Filipino lawyer to reinvent himself” and is “morally undeserving to be part of this august international legal organ.”

But what we should not lose sight of is the projections published by OCTA Research in their journals that there may be as many as 30,000 daily Covid-10 cases by the end of the month. Even the DOH sees that we are headed in that direction. This is where Limpin is coming from. She had merely expressed the fear and anguish of those who had lost their loved ones to the virus.

I just hope that these new guidelines would be able to offer some reprieve to the mounting health and financial worries plaguing many of us. May God help us all!

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

California Gov. Gavin Newsom stays in power as recall fails

By Kathleen Ronayne And Michael R. Blood | Associated Press

S

ACRAMENTO, California—California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday emphatically defeated a recall aimed at kicking him out of office early, a contest the Democrat framed as part of a national battle for his party’s values in the face of the coronavirus pandemic and continued threats from “Trumpism.”

Newsom bolted to a quick victory boosted by healthy turnout in the overwhelmingly Democratic state. He cast it as a win for science, women’s rights and other liberal issues, and it ensures the nation’s most populous state will remain in Democratic control as a laboratory for progressive policies. “’No’ is not the only thing that was expressed tonight,” Newsom said. “I want to focus on what we said ‘yes’ to as a state: We said yes to science, we said yes to vaccines, we said yes to ending this pandemic.”

With about 60 percent of ballots counted, “no” on the question of whether to recall Newsom was ahead by a 2-to-1 margin. That massive lead was built on votes cast by mail and in advance of Tuesday’s in-person balloting. While likely to shrink somewhat in the days ahead as votes cast at polling places are counted, the lead that Newsom took among votes cast before Election Day—which were counted first Tuesday night—was insurmountable.

Republican talk radio host Larry Elder almost certainly would have replaced Newsom had the recall succeeded, bringing a polar opposite political worldview, though he would have had to contend with a Legislature dominated by Democrats. The California recall, which turned on Newsom’s approach to the pandemic, mirrored the nation’s political divide over business closures and mask and vaccine mandates, and both parties will dissect its outcome heading into the 2022 midterm elections.

President Joe Biden sought validation of the Democratic Party’s approach of tighter restrictions and vaccine requirements. The race also was a test of whether opposition to former President Donald Trump and his right-wing politics remains a motivating force for Democrats and independents.

Republicans had hoped for proof that frustrations over months of pandemic precautions would drive voters away from Democrats. They also searched for evidence that voters were tiring of liberal leadership. Democrats have con-

trolled every level of state government in California for more than a decade, a period marked by a housing crisis and the damaging effects of climate change. Republicans won back four US House seats last year, success that leaders hoped had indicated revived signs of life.

But a recall election is an imperfect barometer—particularly of national trends. Democrats outnumber Republicans nearly 2-to-1 in California, so the results may not translate to governors in toss-up states or reflect how voters will judge members of Congress next year.

Voters were asked two questions: Should Newsom be recalled, and, if so, who should replace him? Only a handful of the 46 names on the replacement ballot had any level of public recognition, but most failed to gain traction with voters.

Elder held a commanding lead on the second question and appeared all but certain to end the race with the votes needed to have replaced Newsom had the recall been a success.

He had entered the race just three months before Election Day and quickly rose to the top of the pack. But that allowed Newsom to turn the campaign into a choice between the two men, rather than a referendum on his performance.

Newsom seized on Elder’s opposition to the minimum wage and abortion rights as evidence he was outside the mainstream of California. The governor branded him as “more extreme than Trump,” while Biden called him “the closest thing to a Trump clone I’ve ever seen.”

Newsom became the second governor in US history to defeat a recall, cementing him as a prominent figure in national Democratic politics and preserving his prospects for a future run. Republican Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker survived a recall in 2012.

Though the contest didn’t quite bring the circus-like element of California’s 2003 recall — when voters replaced Democratic Gov. Gray Davis with Republican movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger—it featured quirky moments of its own.

Reality TV star and former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner entered the race but

gained little momentum and left the state for part of the campaign to film a reality show in Australia. Businessman John Cox, who lost badly to Newsom in 2018, tried to spice up his campaign by hiring a live bear to join him, branding himself as the “beast” to Newsom’s “beauty.”

Though Newsom defeated the recall, he may soon be running against Elder again: The governor is up for reelection next year, and the primary, which puts candidates from all parties on one ballot, is just nine months away.

The recall started as a project of an amateur political organizer but grew as frustrations about the pandemic wore on. Recall organizers needed about 1.5 million signatures—California has 22 million registered voters—to make the ballot. The effort got a boost when a judge gave organizers extra time. Also contributing was Newsom going to maskless dinner at the lavish French Laundry restaurant with lobbyists and friends.

The episode spiraled into a public relations disaster.

Supporters of the recall expressed frustration over monthslong business closures and restrictions that kept most children out of classrooms. Rising homicides, a homelessness crisis and an unemployment fraud scandal further angered Newsom’s critics.

But the broader public stayed on Newsom’s side. Polling from the Public Policy Institute of California showed his approval rating remaining above 50% throughout the pandemic. With weeks to go, the institute’s poll showed 60% of Californians approved of Newsom’s handling of the pandemic.

In the early months of his campaign, Newsom declared California was “roaring back” from the virus, and he used a windfall of tax dollars to dole out billions for programs from child education to homelessness. Middle- and lowincome Californians got checks of up to $1,100 each.

The rise of the highly contagious Delta variant over the summer dampened Newsom’s positive messaging, as he began to frame the race as one of “life or death” consequences. He pointed to Texas and Florida, which were seeing worsening surges as their Republican governors rejected mask and vaccine mandates, as cautionary tales for what California could become. When Texas’ new law banning most abortions took effect September 1, Newsom’s comparison with the GOP state only became more stark.

Newsom’s administration has mandated children wear masks in schools and is requiring all health care workers to get vaccinated. Teachers and government employees must be vaccinated or tested regularly.

The party’s biggest luminaries stepped out for Newsom. Beyond Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and former President Barack Obama appeared in the state or in campaign ads.

National Republican leaders largely kept the contest at arm’s length. Trump barely commented on the race until the final days, when he suggested with no evidence that the results would be rigged because of mail-in balloting. One of the recall’s original organizers said his comments would do more harm than good.

In the closing days, Elder’s campaign echoed Trump’s messaging, saying he expects “shenanigans” and linking to a website insinuating Newsom had already won the election due to fraud. The site included language from a petition circulated to help Trump’s effort to overturn last year’s presidential election, but that wording was removed by Tuesday afternoon.

Newsom has been viewed as a potential White House contender since at least 2004, when he defied federal law to issue marriage licenses to LGBT couples as mayor of San Francisco. His victory maintained those prospects, though he will still have to navigate around the ambitions of Harris, who came up through San Francisco politics alongside Newsom.

Newsom came to the contest with advantages. California’s electorate is less Republican, less white and younger than it was in 2003, when voters booted the Democratic Davis. Newsom was allowed to raise unlimited funds, dwarfing his competitors while flooding TV screens with advertising. Public worker unions and business and tech executives poured millions into his campaign.

The GOP had looked to build on its four congressional wins in 2020 and recruited tens of thousands more volunteers to campaign for the recall. Voter turnout and the recall results in the four Southern California districts, in Orange County and the Los Angeles suburbs, will offer an early indication of the party’s ability to hold the seats next year. Associated Press writers Julie Watson in San Diego, Jocelyn Gecker in Lafayette and Don Thompson in Roseville contributed.

A12 Thursday, September 16, 2021

COMELEC TO SOLONS: WE NEED P8B MORE FOR 2022 ELECTIONS

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

T

HE Commission on Elections is asking lawmakers for P8 billion more that it says it needs to buy more machines and add personnel for the safe and efficient conduct of the 2022 national and local elections.

At a hearing of the Joint Congressiona l Oversight Committee on the automated election system co-chaired

by Senator Imee Marcos, Comelec Commissioner Marlon Casquejo said P1 billion is needed to buy 10,000 additional vote counting machines (VCMs) needed to bring down the number of voters per clustered precinct, as part of health safety protocols for the pandemic.

With 10,000 new VCMs, Comelec said it can bring down the number of voters per precinct from 1,000 to just 800.

Per latest data it reported, Comelec had said there are

nearly 62 million voters in the country.

At least P7 billion is needed, meanwhile, to get additional personnel to take charge of the additional precincts and to raise the honorarium of election workers, given the presumption that voting hours will certainly be extended—likely to 12 hours—since the number of people in any precinct at any given time has to be limited for social distancing purposes.

Casquejo reported that they will use for the 2022 exercise the 97,345 vote counting machines that were used in 2016.

The refurbishment and repair of VCMs is currently being undertaken by the poll body.

Casquejo said the poll body will also conduct next week a time-and-motion simulation of the voting process in order to have a realistic estimate of the time needed to extend the voting hours for the May 9, 2022 polls.

Quarantines slowed PhilSys registration

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

L

OCAL quarantine restrictions have proven to be among the major challenges in implementing the National ID, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

In a Laging Handa briefing on Wednesday, PSA Deputy National Statistician of the PhilSys Registry Office Rosalinda P. Bautista said the PSA “lost close to 4,000 foregone registrations” due to local mobility restrictions.

However, Bautista said, the PSA continues its effort to register more Filipinos in the National ID. As of September 10, 42 million have completed Step 1 for demographic data capture; 30 million, Step 2 for biometric data capture; and over 1.7 million have received their IDs. “The pandemic is a big challenge for PhilSys registration. It’s not only in vaccination where we experience difficulties. Even our PhilSys registration teams are struggling because of the suspension of operations,” Bautista said, partly in Filipino.

The PhilSys registration has also been able to provide poor and unbanked Filipinos the opportunity to open a bank account when they complete their Step 2 registration through LandBank.

As of September 10, Bautista said, over 5 million Filipinos have already opened new LandBank accounts during their National ID Step 2 registration.

By the end of the year, Bautista said the government aims to register 70 million Filipinos under Step 1 and 50 million under Step 2. “[Our] registration teams are working tirelessly in areas where they are allowed to conduct the registration. We are also engaging with our youth sector, professionals to [register and help s e n ior s re g i ste r], es p e c i a l ly the online [Step 1 registration and make it] a family event,”

Rules followed, no overprice in PPE purchases–officials

T

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz

@joveemarie

HE chairman of the Commission on Audit (COA) and a former official of the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) on Wednesday told the House of Representatives that the Executive Department adhered to the procurement rules and there was no overpricing for the purchase of supplies for Covid-19 response last year.

At the hearing of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability on alleged overpriced Covid-19 supplies, COA Chairman Michael Aguinaldo said the Palace had the power to ignore Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act because of the passage of Bayanihan 1.

“But nonetheless, they still apply provisions of RA 9184 even if they could have totally ignored them. The President is allowed to order procurement expeditiously.

While the government could have done away with that, there has been an effort to put order in the process, by applying rules under the Government Procurement Policy Board [GPPB] requirement,” Aguinaldo noted.

“ The only requirement was that it [the procurement] should be advantageous to the government.

So we were actually surprised that they decided to apply the rules on emergency procurement as defined under RA 9184,” Aguinaldo said.

RA 11469 or Bayanihan 1 or the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act authorizes the President to adopt and implement measures needed to respond to the crisis brought by Covid-19 as the need arises, in the most expeditious manner, as exemptions from the provisions of RA 9184 and other relevant laws.

‘No overprice’—Liong

IN the same hearing, Deputy Ombudsman Warren Liong, a former director of the PS-DBM, said the purchase of Covid-19 supplies was

not overpriced.

“Were the PPEs purchased by the government last year overpriced?

No. The suggested retail price of the DOH was P28 and the mask procured by the government was P27.72,” he added.

Earlier, the COA flagged the transfer of P42-billion funds to PS-DBM from the Department of Health for the purchase of emergency supplies last year.

The controversial Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. secured P8.6 billion worth of the government contracts for the PPEs in 2020 and P2.9 billion in 2021. Pharmally was registered in September 2019 with the Securities and Exchange Commission with a paid-up capital of only P625,000.

Liong said the government was looking for a supplier who could immediately deliver the urgently needed supply, and “it turned out that Pharmally have 500,000 supplies that time.”

“Allegations that came up during the past week that there were ghost deliveries? Not true. Their face masks are readily available.

All procured items were delivered.

The DOH, IATF can attest to that,” Liong added.

Liong also explained that PSDBM fol lowed the procedure

for emergency procurement under the Bayanihan 1.

“Under Bayanihan 1 we were allowed to directly negotiate but we still underwent market price analysis,” he added.

‘Immediate protection’

HEALTH Secretary Francisco Duque III, in the same hearing, said the government has no “luxury of time” to wait until the supply stabilizes.

“We want immediate protection for our health-care workers,” Duque said.

“We thought if we did not do what we did—emergency procurement—then in all probability the number of deaths would rise further, And not only that, the healthcare system will collapse,” he added, partly in Filipino.

For his part, COA chairman Aguinaldo said there was no COA report on overpricing of emegercy supplies.

“There’s no statement to that, the observations related more to inventory management than overpricing. So it is not right to say that the COA reported that there was an overpricing. Because nothing was said in the report,” Aguinaldo said.

The Senate is also investigating the procurement of allegedly overpriced Covid-19 emergency supplies by the PS-DBM.

Bautista said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Warning

APART from the pandemic, another challenge is the excitement of those who have received their National IDs and post photos of their IDs online or through social media.

Bautista warned that if this continues, the IDs of these individuals can be used for fraud. This, she said, is the reason for PSA’s efforts to catch the attention of these Filipinos.

Preventing this from happening can also help the PSA improve the acceptance of the IDs by various establishments as a proof of identity.

Bautista said the National ID is experiencing “birth pains” as some establishments refuse to accept the National IDs of over 1.7 million as proof of their identities.

“We are experiencing birth pains. The ID being a new one and the ID not having a signature, these are our challenges. But we will not give up. We are advocating for the acceptance [of the National ID],” Bautista said.

She said government agencies such as the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and PhilPost are among the agencies that have issued memoranda to honor the National ID as proof of identity.

The PSA official also said they are working with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to encourage financial institutions to honor the National ID in their establishments.

Bautista said the PSA is also conducting webinars on the National ID to allay the fears of the public and establishments when it comes to the PhilSys. PhilSys aims to provide a valid identification to Filipinos to ease public access to financial services and inclusion, social protection, health, education, and other government services.

A CONSTRUCTION crew is seen working on an artificial beach strip on Manila Bay, part of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Manila Bay Rehabilitation Program, for which it is seeking a P1.67-billion budget. ROY DOMINGO

Only restos with fully vaxxed staff may operate in AL-4

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo

@akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror

O

NLY restaurants and food and beverage outlets whose employees are fully vaccinated will be allowed to reopen under Alert Level 4 status of Metro Manila.

This was the clarification made

by Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, after Malacañang announced the operation of dining establishments with capacity allocations for vaccinated individuals for indoor dining (10 percent), and al fresco dining (30 percent).

“A l l workers/employees of these establishments have to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19,” stressed Lopez, citing the guidelines approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) on the new Alert Level System. Asked how they can check the validity of a restaurant employee’s vaccination status, he told the BusinessMirror, “We will be checking the vaccination card issued by the

local government units with their ID to prove sila yon.”

The IATF guidelines also mandates minimum public health standards (MPHS) in these dining establishments, which include the installation of acrylic or dividers of a similar material, regular disinfection, and appropriate seating configuration ensuring social distancing.

Better than zero

ASKED why only 10 percent indoor dining was allowed for vaccinated diners, Lopez explained: “Indoor activity with mask removal [during eating] is a big concern especially for the highly transmissible Delta variant. So this [eating indoors] is supposed to be a prohibited activity. So the consensus built around our [Department of Trade and Industry’s] proposal to allow even 10 percent for indoor, and to allow only the safe population which are the vaccinated, and let the outdoor be opened to both vaccinated and unvaccinated. No distinction just to be able to allow even a small reopening in this sector and do this

in a safer manner.”

He added, “To us, this is better than zero or totally disallowed under Alert Level 4. For Levels 3, 2, and 1, higher operating capacity will be allowed of 30, 50, and 100 percent [of venue capacity] provided there’s MPHS.” Establishments with DTI’s safety seal certificate will be allowed “an additional 10 percentage points beyond the prescribed on-site or venue/seating capacity,” for Levels 3 and 2.

Luneta, Intramuros site reopened

MEANWHILE, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat said she would strive for staycations in Metro Manila hotels to be allowed again, considering 99 percent of their hotel workers are already vaccinated. “This [ALS] is just a pilot, so we’re just taking a few steps forward. The good thing is, the hotels and DOT-accredited restaurants especially those with the safety seal, they’re very strict in implementing the minimum health requirements,” she said on a TV show on Wednesday.

She will also push for age restrictions to be lifted for leisure tourism, “because Filipinos travel as a family, including their grandparents. We had that before [the Delta variant] and there was no Covid outbreak [in the leisure destinations].”

Romulo Puyat likewise announced the reopening of Rizal Park and three sites in Intramuros —Fort Santiago, Baluarte de San Diego and Plaza San Luis—under limited capacity and shortened operating hours starting September 16. However, only visitors between 18 and 65 years old are allowed due to the age restrictions imposed under AL-4.

The Intramuros Administration will set up an express lane for fully vaccinated individuals wishing to visit the reopened sites in the walled city. They will accomplish the mandatory contact tracing form when inside the sites and will only need to present it to security personnel before exit.

Visitors can check the schedule of operations of Rizal Park and Intramuros sites on their Facebook pages or web sites.

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

66 A-IDEA CONSULTING INC. Rm. 404 Caeg Building Dela Rosa St. Pio Del Pilar Makati City

1.

2.

3.

4.

GOU, YUAN Chinese Customer Officer Brief Job Description: Handling inbound and outbound service support calls

LIU, RUI Chinese Customer Officer Brief Job Description: Handling inbound and outbound service support calls

LONG, JIANG Chinese Customer Officer Brief Job Description: Handling inbound and outbound service support calls

YE, HONGQUN Chinese Customer Officer Brief Job Description: Handling inbound and outbound service support calls

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

HE, CHAOHUI Marketing Staff Mandarin Speaking 16.

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

17.

18.

19.

8 STONE BUSINESS OUTSOURCING OPC 5-10/f Tower 1 Pitx Kennedy Road Tambo Parañaque City

LAU CUNG HUNG Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 5.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin Speaking

LIU, YAOLIANG Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 6.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin Speaking

TA NGOC HOA Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 7.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin Speaking

YANG, LEI Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 8.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin Speaking

YANG, XIANCAI Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 9.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin Speaking

ZHANG, GUOLIANG Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 10.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin Speaking

DONNY CHEN SIN LOON Mandarin Customer Service Representative 11.

Brief Job Description: Interact with customer is provide information support and problem resolution to inquires and order status GAO, YANAN Mandarin Customer Service Representative

12.

Brief Job Description: Interact with customer to provide information, support and problem resolution to inquiries and order status.

SONG, YANTAO Mandarin Customer Service Representative

13.

Brief Job Description: Interact with customer is provide information support and problem resolution to inquiries and order status ZHANG, QIAOLING Mandarin Customer Service Representative

14.

Brief Job Description: Interact with customer is provide information support and problem resolution to inquiries and order status HAN, MING Marketing Staff Mandarin Speaking

15.

Brief Job Description: Monitor, review and report on all Marketing activity and result

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

20.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Analyze the productivity of the marketing plans and projects ,recommend to Senior Management

CHE NAM KIU Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires.

No.

32.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Analyze the productivity of the marketing plans and projects ,recommend to Senior Management Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Analyze the productivity of the marketing plans and projects ,recommend to Senior Management Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Analyze the productivity of the marketing plans and projects ,recommend to Senior Management

33.

34.

35.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Analyze the productivity of the marketing plans and projects ,recommend to Senior Management Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

36.

CHEN, DIYAN Mandarin Customer Service Representative 26.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service and managing the needs of customers through phone calls and emails

37.

CHEN, LE Mandarin Customer Service Representative 27.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service and managing the needs of customers through phone calls and emails

38.

DENG, MINGZHU Mandarin Customer Service Representative 28.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service and managing the needs of customers through phone calls and emails

39.

FENG, CHONG Mandarin Customer Service Representative 29.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails LAI, ZHICHENG Mandarin Customer Service Representative

30.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails LI, XINJIE Mandarin Customer Service Representative

31.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service and managing the needs of customers through phone calls and emails

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in mandarin Chinese with customers

40.

41.

42.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: College Graduate Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in mandarin Chinese with customers Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in mandarin Chinese with customers Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in mandarin Chinese with customers Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in mandarin Chinese with customers Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in mandarin Chinese with customers Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

BAYVIEW TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 43/f Yuchengco Tower Rcbc Plaza Ayala Ave. Cor. Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. Bel-air Makati City ZHANG, LEI CS Assistant Manager 43.

Brief Job Description: Assist the Manager in planning and executing customer service function.

VIRSADI, HIREN NAGINBHAI Customer Support (Multi-lingual) 44.

Brief Job Description: Conducts customer support to Korean, Thai speaking by online chat , email and telephone.

CHEN, DAN Elite Account Executive (Multi-lingual) 45.

Brief Job Description: Finding a potential client and managing the sales to securing up goals and deals.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in native Mandarin and English and able experience to manage a team.

Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999 Basic Qualification: A multi-lingual Indian national that can speak Korean and Thai with 1 year experience to customer service.

Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in Roth natives Mandarin & English; Able to handle high value customer Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999

BIG PHILIP HEAVY EQUIPMENT CORPORATION Unit 25-c Cleveland The Asia World City Don Galo Parañaque City JIA, WEI Interpreter/translator 46.

Brief Job Description: Proof head ESIT and revised translated materials.

Translate messages simultaneously or consecutively into specified languages orally or by using hard sign message content.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English language both in written and verbal. Must be familiar in Financial Management Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

CDI SAKATA INX CORP. Don Jesus Blvd. Alabang Hills Village Muntinlupa City

47.

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

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service and managing the needs of customers through phone calls and emails ZHOU, DIANXIONG Mandarin Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service and managing the needs of customers through phone calls and emails ZHENG, GUANGMING Mandarin Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in mandarin Chinese with customers

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails ZHAO, YANGJIANG Mandarin Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: College Graduate Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails XIAO, TAO Mandarin Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: College Graduate Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service and managing the needs of customers through phone calls and emails WANG, QUANBIAO Mandarin Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: College Graduate Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails QIU, ZUHAN Mandarin Customer Service Representative

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

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

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails LIU, XIAOJUN Mandarin Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Analyze the productivity of the marketing plans and projects ,recommend to Senior Management

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service and managing the needs of customers through phone calls and emails LIANG, CHAO Mandarin Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Analyze the productivity of the marketing plans and projects ,recommend to Senior Management

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service and managing the needs of customers through phone calls and emails LI, NAN Mandarin Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Analyze the productivity of the marketing plans and projects ,recommend to Senior Management

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service and managing the needs of customers through phone calls and emails LI, LIANGGUANG Mandarin Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Analyze the productivity of the marketing plans and projects ,recommend to Senior Management Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION LI, HONG Mandarin Customer Service Representative

BAOLONG TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY GROUP LIMITED INC. 24th-27th/f Century Diamond Tower Kalayaan Ave. Cor. Salamanca St. Poblacion Makati City

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Analyze the productivity of the marketing plans and projects ,recommend to Senior Management

Brief Job Description: Monitor, review and report on all Marketing activity and result

A13

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin Both oral and Written

Brief Job Description: Monitor, review and report on all Marketing activity and result

ZHU, WENCHENG Marketing Staff Mandarin Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin Both oral and Written

Brief Job Description: Monitor, review and report on all Marketing activity and result

WEI, OU Marketing Staff Mandarin Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin both oral and written.

Brief Job Description: Monitor, review and report on all Marketing activity and result

WANG, JICHENG Marketing Staff Mandarin Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin Both oral and Written

Brief Job Description: Monitor, review and report on all Marketing activity and result

LU, WENCHAO Marketing Staff Mandarin Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

Brief Job Description: Monitor, review and report on all Marketing activity and result

LIU, CHANGQUAN Marketing Staff Mandarin Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

Brief Job Description: Monitor, review and report on all Marketing activity and result

LI, RUI Marketing Staff Mandarin Speaking

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

Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

Brief Job Description: Monitor, review and report on all Marketing activity and result

LI, NA Marketing Staff Mandarin Speaking

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

Brief Job Description: Monitor, review and report on all Marketing activity and result

JI, TIANTIAN Marketing Staff Mandarin Speaking

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Thursday, September 16, 2021

MIYAMOTO, HIDETOSHI Technical Director Brief Job Description: Responsible for product research and development

Basic Qualification: Graduate in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering with at least 10 years experience Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

CHINA HARBOUR ENGINEERING COMPANY 5/f Rm 501 Ramon Magsaysay Center 1680 Roxas Blvd. 076, Bgy. 699 Malate Manila

BusinessMirror

A14 Thursday, September 16, 2021

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

CHEN, MINGLEI Mandarin Mechanical Works Supervisor 48.

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

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin Mechanical Works Supervisor, Familiarity, knowledge and awareness on Machinery and Heavy Equipment use by company, Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

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

LIU, BIN Mandarin Project Site Construction Supervisor 49.

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

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin Project Site Construction Supervisor, Familiarity, knowledge and awareness on Machinery and Heavy Equipment use by company, Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

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

KE, MIN Mandarin Site Supervisor 50.

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

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin Site Supervisor, Familiarity, knowledge and awareness on Machinery and Heavy Equipment use by company, Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

51.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails CHEN, WENHUA Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

52.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails CHEN, XIAOZHU Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

53.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails CHEN, CHENG Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

54.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails CHEN, KE Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

55.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails DING, YANG Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

56.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails DU, SONGQI Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

57.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails GAO, WEILONG Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

58.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails GUO, ZHAOHENG Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

59.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails GUO, CUNYING Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

60.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails HU, PANFEI Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

61.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails HUANG, SHAOSHENG Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

62.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails HUANG, YU Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

63.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails LI, CHUN-JU Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

64.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer services & managing the needs of the customer through phone calls and emails.

LI, HSUAN-YU Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative 65.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer services & managing the needs of the customer through phone calls and emails.

66.

67.

68.

69.

70.

72.

73.

74.

75.

76.

77.

78.

79.

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers.

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

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails SUN, ZHAOLONG Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

80.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails THIDAR, SAN Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

81.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails VONG NGOC PHAN Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

82.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails WANG, CE Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

83.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails WANG, LIHUA Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

84.

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers.

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

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails SUN, SHUAI Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails SUN, JIANPENG Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails QUAN, GUIYAO Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails LUO, RENFEI Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails LIU, WANQUN Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers

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

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails LIU, LEI Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers

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

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer services & managing the needs of the customer through phone calls and emails.

LIU, YONGNING Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers

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

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails LIN, SHUILONG Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers

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

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails LIANG, YUKUN Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers

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

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails LI, YUNDENG Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers

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

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails LI, WEI Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers

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

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails LI, DONGHUA Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

71.

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

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails LI, ZHAN Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION LI, XIAOLONG Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

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

DAXIFA CORPORATION Mpire Center 93 West Avenue Project 7 Bungad 1 Quezon City CHEN, KUI Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

No.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails XIA, SHIFANG Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

85.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails XU, HAIQIANG Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

86.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers

No.

YANG, LEI Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative 87.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers

88.

89.

90.

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers

91.

92.

93.

94.

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails

DEVINA MARTINA CHANDRA Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 95.

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

HE, YI Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 96.

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

QIAN, QIAO Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 97.

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

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers

VANDEWALLE, SACHA Software Development Manager 98.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers

Brief Job Description: Manage and lead the team with metrics to ensure success

MARTINEZ COBO DE GUZMAN, ALVARO Spanish Brand Ambassador 99.

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Strong analytical, diagnostic and problem solving skills, excellent in Mandarin verbal communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Strong analytical, diagnostic and problem solving skills, excellent in Mandarin verbal communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Strong analytical, diagnostic and problem solving skills, excellent in Mandarin verbal communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: 3-5 years of experience in software development and team management.

In-depth knowledge of programming languages such as python and JavaScript.

Brief Job Description: Analyze Spanish brand products positioning and consumer rights, monitor product distribution and consumer reactions

Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably graduate of business management related courses, fluent in writing and speaking Spanish language, with at least 5 years of experience in the related field

GLOBALLGA BUSINESS PROCESS OUTSOURCING Ground Level, Level 2-5 Floor Silver City 4, Ortigas East Ugong Pasig City

CHAN WEI YONG Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 100.

Brief Job Description: build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in mandarin speaking

CHENG, YUN Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 101.

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

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

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

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers

ESCLUSIVO INC. G/f & 2/f 1357 Candelaria St. Valenzuela Makati City

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

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

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

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers

EASTVANTAGE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS INC. Unit 2400 24/f Fort Legend Tower 3rd Ave. Cor. 31st St. Fort Bonifacio Taguig City

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

DYNA BINARY HOLDINGS INC. 18/f Tower 2 The Enterprise Center, 6766 Ayala Ave., Cor. Paseo De Roxas San Lorenzo Makati City

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails ZHOU, JIAJING Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails ZHONG, TONG Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails ZHANG, SHIYUN Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails ZHANG, HAITAO Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails ZHANG, JIANLONG Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails YUAN, HUAYU Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails YU, ZERONG Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin Chinese with customers

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin speaking

GONG, DU Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 102.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in mandarin speaking

Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing costumer needs Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs.

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

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

HUANG, JUNZENG Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 103.

Brief Job Description: build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in mandarin speaking

LIU, WEIFEI Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 104.

Brief Job Description: build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in mandarin speaking

LIU, BINGCAI Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 105.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in mandarin speaking

MO, ZHIXIN Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 106.

Brief Job Description: build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in mandarin speaking

NOH, YONGGUNE Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 107.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in mandarin speaking

PANG, LIQIANG Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 108.

Brief Job Description: build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in mandarin speaking

SHEN, HUAIPING Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 109.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin speaking

WANG, ZHAOHUA Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 110.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin speaking

WU, ALONG Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 111.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin speaking

XIE, HUIBIN Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 112.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin speaking

YAO, HUAN Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 113.

Brief Job Description: build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in mandarin speaking

YIN, TAO Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 114.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin speaking

ZHOU, SHANGLIN Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 115.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin speaking

GONG, WANQUAN Marketing Staff Mandarin Speaking 116.

Brief Job Description: Monitor, review and report on all Marketing activity and result.

HUANG, DEHUI Marketing Staff Mandarin Speaking 117.

Brief Job Description: Monitor, review and report on all Marketing activity and result.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs.

No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION LI, DEJUN Marketing Staff Mandarin Speaking

118.

Brief Job Description: Monitor, review and report on all Marketing activity and result.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs.

LI, ZHIQIANG Marketing Staff Mandarin Speaking 119.

Brief Job Description: Monitor, review and report on all Marketing activity and result.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs.

QUAN, YONGLE Marketing Staff Mandarin Speaking 120.

Brief Job Description: build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in mandarin speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs.

WANG, YUSEN Marketing Staff Mandarin Speaking 121.

Brief Job Description: build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in mandarin speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs.

WEI, YUCONG Marketing Staff Mandarin Speaking 122.

Brief Job Description: build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in mandarin speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs.

WEI, ZHONGREN Marketing Staff Mandarin Speaking 123.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing costumer needs

XIANG, SHUNZHONG Marketing Staff Mandarin Speaking 124.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing costumer needs

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing costumer needs Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs.

125.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing costumer needs Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

126.

Basic Qualification: Analyze the productivity of the Marketing plans and projects, recommend optimization to Senior Management.

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

Brief Job Description: build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in mandarin speaking

YUE, YUE Marketing Staff Mandarin Speaking 127.

Brief Job Description: Monitor, review and report on all Marketing activity and result.

ZHOU, SONGQING Marketing Staff Mandarin Speaking 128.

Brief Job Description: Monitor, review and report on all Marketing activity and result.

KE, YAN-HONG Chinese Speaking Admin Associate 129.

Brief Job Description: Prepare and maintain company documents and report and coordinate for daily administrative reports

KHAW JYH BOON Chinese Speaking Admin Associate 130.

Brief Job Description: Prepare and maintain company documents and report and coordinate for daily administrative reports

LAU CUN MOI Chinese Speaking Admin Associate 131.

Brief Job Description: Prepare and maintain company documents and report and coordinate for daily administrative reports

LUU DAT SANH Chinese Speaking Admin Associate 132.

Brief Job Description: Prepare and maintain company documents and report and coordinate for daily administrative reports

HENDRI Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 133.

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

A15

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Analyze the productivity of the Marketing plans and projects, recommend optimization to Senior Management.

No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION PHU MAN CHUONG Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

134.

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Analyze the productivity of the Marketing plans and projects, recommend optimization to Senior Management.

CHAU DOANH DOANH Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 135.

Brief Job Description: Enters customer and account data and keeping and maintaining information confidential

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs.

HOANG NGUYEN PHUONG NGUYET ANH Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 136.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs.

Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Analyze the productivity of the Marketing plans and projects, recommend optimization to Senior Management.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Analyze the productivity of the Marketing plans and projects, recommend optimization to Senior Management.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Analyze the productivity of the Marketing plans and projects, recommend optimization to Senior Management.

137.

138.

139.

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

Brief Job Description: Enters customer and account data and keeping and maintaining information confidential

GE, YAN Mandarin Information System Analyst 140.

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in holding customer questions about services or products/ excellent mandarin communications skills

WU, WENMU Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative 141.

Brief Job Description: Identify and assess customers’ needs to achieve satisfaction

KWON, NAHEE Korean Customer Service Representative 142.

Brief Job Description: Create and manage product in conjunction with marketing’s strategies to Korean Customer Representative LEE, YUNSEO Korean Customer Service Representative

143.

Brief Job Description: Create and manage product in conjunction with marketings strategies to Korean Customer Representative YOON, SINAE Korean Customer Service Representative

144.

145.

Brief Job Description: Create and manage product in conjunction with marketing’s strategies to Korean Customer Representative

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

Brief Job Description: Your primary function is to help the company and its Chinese clients to generate more income for the company.

CHEW MUI YEN Strategic And Facilitation Officer

146.

Brief Job Description: Your primary function is to help the company and its Chinese clients to generate more income for the company.

HU, HUARONG Strategic And Facilitation Officer

147.

Brief Job Description: Your primary function is to help the company and its Chinese clients to generate more income for the company.

HUI, JUNYI Strategic And Facilitation Officer

148.

Brief Job Description: Your primary function is to help the company and its Chinese clients to generate more income for the company.

REN, QIONG Strategic And Facilitation Officer

149.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months working experience / fluent in Mandarin / English

Basic Qualification: Proficiency in holding customer questions about services or products/ excellent Mandarin communications skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in holding customer questions about services or products/ excellent Mandarin communications skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in holding customer questions about services or products/ excellent Mandarin communications skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in holding customer questions about services or products/ excellent Mandarin communications skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in holding customer questions about services or products/ excellent Mandarin communications skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as Mandarin Information System Analyst, Excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills.

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

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

Basic Qualification: At least College graduate, speaks and write fluently (Korean and English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: At least College graduate, speaks and write fluently (Korean and English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: At least College graduate, speaks and write fluently (Korean and English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

JDB MANAGEMENT AND CONSULTANCY CORP. 107 T & D House Magallanes St. 069, Bgy. 655 Intramuros Manila

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in holding customer questions about services or products/ excellent Mandarin communications skills

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

J-NA ALLOUT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS CORP. 3/f Lipams Bldg. #48 President Avenue Bf Homes Parañaque City

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: proficiency in holding customer questions about services or products/ excellent mandarin communications skills

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months working experience / fluent in Mandarin / English

INQUICK SERVICES INC. Unit 606 6/f Itc Bldg. 337 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. Bel-air Makati City

CHENG, PO-WEN Strategic And Facilitation Officer Basic Qualification: proficiency in holding customer questions about services or products/ excellent mandarin communications skills

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

HECTECHURE CORP. Units A&b 20/f Rufino Pacific Tower 6784 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a. Rufino St. San Lorenzo Makati City

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Analyze the productivity of the Marketing plans and projects, recommend optimization to Senior Management.

Brief Job Description: Enters customer and account data and keeping and maintaining information confidential

LUU TU NHAN Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Analyze the productivity of the Marketing plans and projects, recommend optimization to Senior Management.

Brief Job Description: Enters customer and account data and keeping and maintaining information confidential

LEE HUI NEE Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs.

Brief Job Description: Enters customer and account data and keeping and maintaining information confidential

HONG TU PHUONG Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk

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

GRAND PREMIUM CREST HOLDING INC. 16/f Tower 6789 6789 Ayala Ave. Bel-air Makati City

Basic Qualification: Analyze the productivity of the Marketing plans and projects, recommend optimization to Senior Management.

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

Brief Job Description: Monitor, review and report on all Marketing activity and result.

XU, DAQUAN Marketing Staff Mandarin Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing costumer needs

Brief Job Description: Monitor, review and report on all Marketing activity and result.

XIE, TIESHENG Marketing Staff Mandarin Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing costumer needs

Brief Job Description: Monitor, review and report on all Marketing activity and result.

Thursday, September 16, 2021

Brief Job Description: Your primary function is to help the company and its Chinese clients to generate more income for the company.

TENG, YUNLONG Strategic And Facilitation Officer

150.

Brief Job Description: Your primary function is to help the company and its Chinese clients to generate more income for the company.

Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese language.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese language.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese language.

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

Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese language.

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

Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese language.

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

Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese language.

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

BusinessMirror

A16 Thursday, September 16, 2021

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION WANG, JIN Strategic And Facilitation Officer

151.

Brief Job Description: Your primary function is to help the company and its Chinese clients to generate more income for the company.

ZHANG, PENG Strategic And Facilitation Officer

152.

Brief Job Description: Your primary function is to help the company and its Chinese clients to generate more income for the company.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese language.

No.

170.

153.

Brief Job Description: Assist the Non-Steel Director & General Manager in developing strategies to increase and to achieve sales income and expand customer base

Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese language.

ZHAO, MENG Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider

171.

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

Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

Basic Qualification: Experience in dealing with overseas and domestic clients and suppliers. Assist the Non-Steel Director and GM with regards to the communication between Japanese and Filipino clients and suppliers

172.

MEGA-WEB TECHNOLOGIES INC. 6,7,8,9,10,11/f Met Live Bldg. Edsa Cor. Macapagal Blvd. Brgy. 076 Pasay City

154.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

155.

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

156.

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

157.

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

158.

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

159.

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

160.

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

161.

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

162.

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

163.

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

164.

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

165.

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

166.

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

167.

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

168.

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

169.

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

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

173.

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

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

TIAN, WENFENG Mandarin Operation Specialist 174.

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

175.

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

176.

177.

178.

179.

180.

181.

182.

183.

184.

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

LIU, LEI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries WANG, LONG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries XING, KAIMIN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries XU, SHUAI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries ZHANG, MAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Brief Job Description: Should report to senior management any problem encountered, Follow task directed and assigned to you by your direct supervisor and/or employer and adhere to Employer’s policies and procedures and licensing laws.

185.

CHEN, YONGBO Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

DENG, RUI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

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

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

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

186.

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

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

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

189.

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

190.

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

191.

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

Basic Qualification: Review, advice and approve all technical activity reports to various customers Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: ABLE TO SPEAK, READ AND WRITE CHINESE LANGUAGE Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write chinese language

CHUNG YEE YUNG Malaysian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

HOANG THI DIN Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

LE THI LINH Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

TRIEU VINH NGOC Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

192.

187.

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

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

KIM, JUNGWEE Finance Senior Manager Under The R&d Management Support Team Brief Job Description: Oversee the finance, general affairs and management information system operations

YU, YANG Project Coordinator 193.

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

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

Basic Qualification: Experience as Senior Manager and head of management support group Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English Language both in written and verbal, must familiar in expert planning and administrative writing and reporting skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

TELFA OUTSOURCING SERVICES INC. Unit 3b Mrb 1160 J. Bocobo St., 072 Bgy. 670 Ermita Manila CHRISLYN TIE SUI SING Mandarin Customer Service 194.

Brief Job Description: Maintains customer records by updating account information.

Basic Qualification: Excellent in reading, writing and speaking in Mandarin.

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

TENET GLOBAL BUSINESS CENTER INC. 8th Floor Citi Plaza Building 34th St. Cor. Lane D Bonifacio Global City Fort Bonifacio Taguig City SINGH, ABHIMANYU Vice President, Hr 195.

Brief Job Description: Create a GBC wide strategy for the human resources function

Basic Qualification: Have 8-10yrs of experience gained through increasingly responsible management positions with human resources Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

TOPAZBLITZ INC. Unit No. Unit 2c, Flr. No. 4/f, One E-com Center Building Bldg. Ocean Drive St., Mall Of Asia Complex Subd. Zone 10, Barangay 076, District 1 Pasay City WU, HAO-KUAN Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 196.

Brief Job Description: Enters customer and account data and keeping and maintaining information confidential

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

TOUEI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION 23/f Tower International 6813 Ayala Ave. Cor. H.v. Dela Costa St. Bel-air Makati City

NANKI, KARINA Japanese Administrative Officer 197.

Brief Job Description: Coordinate with the President and the Directors of the company in Managing the Corporation

Basic Qualification: College Graduate: Preferably 5 year’s experience in dealing with executive level documents. Transactions, and scheduling for Japanese directors Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999

VERTEX DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 1439 Adriatico Cor. Sta. Monica St. 072 Bgy. 669 Ermita Manila

198.

YE, GUOQIANG Chinese IT Specialist Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices.

Basic Qualification: College graduate with experience in maintain gaming devices; Fluent in Mandarin and English speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

VPC CORPORATE SOLUTIONS INCORPORATED 11/f 100 West, Sen Gil Puyat Ave. Cor. Washington St. Pio Del Pilar Makati City LI, XUGUANG Bilingual Finance Support Specialist

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

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

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

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

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS PHILIPPINES CORPORATION 7th-10th Floor Science Hub Tower 4 Mckinley Hill Pinagsama Taguig City

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

Basic Qualification: *Bachelor’s/College Degree or with equivalent training and work experience; *Must be fluent in speaking and writing Bahasa

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

NEW ORIENTAL CLUB88 CORPORATION Sky Garage Bldg. Aseana Avenue, Entertainment City Tambo Parañaque City

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

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

Brief Job Description: Manage all technical activities for various customers, ensure compliance to all objectives

ERICK Indonesian Customer Service Representative

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

188.

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

MPOTECH DIGITAL SYSTEM, INC. 11 P/f Burgundy Corporate Tower 252 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. Pio Del Pilar Makati City

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

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

No.

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. 4th-11th Flr. Nexgen Tower C4 Rd. Edsa Ext. Brgy. 076 Pasay City

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

Brief Job Description: Committed to improving customer experience and operational efficiency

ICHIMARU, SHINYA Head Of Global Service Center

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

MITSUBISHI POWER ASIA PACIFIC PTE. LTD. PHILIPPINES BRANCH 21f Tower 1 Insular Life Corp. Center, Fcc Alabang Muntinlupa City

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

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

MINDSCAPE CREATIVES INC. Unit 19-o, Burgundy Corporate Tower 252 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. Pio Del Pilar Makati City

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

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

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

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

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

CHEN, LIN Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider

XU, DALIANG Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider

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

JFE SHOJI PHILIPPINES, INC. 17/f 6788 Ayala Avenue Oledan Square San Lorenzo Makati City

TSUDA, JO Manager For Non-steel Department

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

www.businessmirror.com.ph

199.

Brief Job Description: Process and prepare financial business forms for the purpose of checking account balances, facilitating purchases.

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

YOUBIN CONSULTANCY INC. 7/f Ba Lepanto Bldg. Paseo De Roxas Bel-air Makati City LYU, RUOXUAN Chinese Product Trainor 200.

Brief Job Description: Responsible to combines data from both system when account info is incomplete

Basic Qualification: Proficiency is speaking reading and writing in Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 *Date Generated: Sep 15, 2021

In the ad material of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on September 10, 2021, the salary range of HWANG, GUN HEE, JUNG, CHANGSU, LEE, HOOSUK, YOO, KYUMIN, JUNG, JUNSIK, and KWON, SOONBEOM under ABSOLUTE STAFF SOLUTIONS CORP., should have been read as Php 90,000 - Php 149,999 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-NCR Regional Office located at DOLENCR Building, 967 Maligaya St., Malate Manila, within 30 days after this publication.

Please inform DOLE-NCR if you have any information on criminal offense committed by the foreign nationals.

ATTY. SARAH BUENA S. MIRASOL REGIONAL DIRECTOR

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, September 16, 2021

B1

NPC to online lending apps: Stop harassing borrowers

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By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

@TyronePiad

he National Privacy Commission (NPC) and financial institutions are calling on online lending application operators to refrain from harassing their borrowers through the unauthorized use of their personal data.

In a joint statement on Wednesday, NPC, the Philippine Finance Association, Fintech Alliance.ph and non-bank financing sectors condemned the excessive collection of personal data by some online lending platforms.

Some pieces of information are harvested “without legitimate purpose”, they said, citing the clients’

contact list and photo gallery, both of which are unnecessary in determining creditworthiness.

“We likewise reiterate our appeal to non-compliant operators of online lending apps to refrain from exploiting borrowers by using the borrowers’ personal data to shame and coerce them into paying their loans through unauthorized and

unfair use of their personal data,” they said.

The organizations said the operators should act with a “strong moral code” especially amid the challenges brought about by the pandemic to the borrowers.

The online lending firms, they said, should adhere to the Code of Conduct, Code of Ethics and Code of Collection Standards and Ethics created by the Fintech Alliance.ph and the Philippine Finance Association. The codes were crafted and standardized in the sector to protect the consumers.

In addition, the privacy watchdog reminded the lending app operators to follow the Data Privacy Act of 2012 and the related laws when processing the customers’ personal data.

“We call on these non-compliant lending entities to use lawful and reasonable methods in evaluating loan applicants’ creditworthiness as well as in debt collection practic-

es by upholding data subject rights without resorting to unfair debt collection practices and harassment of borrowers such as the use of insults or profane language, violent threats or false representation and unnecessarily exposing their borrowers’ personal data to unauthorized persons,” they added.

Last month, the NPC banned four online lending apps due to their unauthorized use of personal data, resulting in harassment and shaming of borrowers. These apps are JuanHand, Pesopop, CashJeep and Lemon Loan.

NPC has been cracking down on online lending app operators, issuing a ban against 26 lending apps in 2019 for failing to respond to allegations lodged against them, including the use of personal data to shame delinquent borrowers.

These are no longer publicly available for download, installation or use, NPC said.

PCC resumes review of M&As T

he Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) has resumed the motu proprio review of mergers and acquisition (M&A) applications following the expiration of the one-year moratorium under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2).

The competition watchdog noted that the ban on M&A review has been lifted after Bayanihan 2 expired on September 15. The Bayanihan 2 increased the compulsory merger notification threshold to P50 billion for two years, in addition to suspending the PCC’s power to review non-notifiable M&As. PCC said there have been only four transactions above the P50-billion threshold since Bayanihan 2 was enacted in September last year. The old thresholds were used for the review of the other three transactions during the period.

The prevailing size of transaction

threshold and size of party were P2.4 billion and P6 billion, respectively, prior to the passage of Bayanihan 2.

“With the year-long suspension lifted, and based on its increased market monitoring efforts, PCC can now launch motu proprio reviews and flag M&As which may have potentially anti-competitive effects regardless of any transaction value,” PCC Chairperson Arsenio M. Balisacan said.

The motu proprio review, PCC said, is part of the agency’s market surveillance function allowing it to look into M&A transactions that can substantially lessen market competition.

The investigation also applies to transactions that do not meet the threshold for compulsory notification.

“We are hopeful that the return of PCC’s motu proprio review powers would discourage deals that are

potentially anti-competitive. We continue to encourage firms to voluntarily notify the Commission to avoid the taxing possibility of unwinding their transactions after,” the PCC chief said.

“Keeping watch over M&As in the post-Covid-19 economic environment is critical to ensure that consolidation does not remain unchecked and is not allowed to lead to highly concentrated markets.”

PCC said M&A notifications declined as only 26 applications were filed last year from 46 in 2019. For this year, the agency received four notifications.

As of September 14, the competition authority has received 225 M&A transactions amounting to P4.56 trillion. These mostly came from manufacturing, financial and insurance, real estate, electricity and gas and transportation and storage sectors. Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

Converge CEO joins CNN Philippines’s ‘The Final Pitch’ as investor judge

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onverge ICT Solutions Inc. CEO and Co-Founder Dennis Anthony H. Uy joins the latest season of long-running, entrepreneurial-themed reality show The Final Pitch as an investor judge. Now on its seventh season, The Final Pitch which features start-ups looking for investors will be aired on CNN Philippines starting this October.

Considered a self-made entrepreneur, Uy hopes to provide the next generation of Filipino entrepreneurs with a chance to achieve success, especially those in technologies that can help uplift the country.

Converge will be the first telecommunications company to ever join the show, reflecting the thrust of the company to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through its fiber broadband technology and innovative products and services.

As an investor judge, Uy brings to the table an immense wealth of knowledge and expertise in building start-ups from the ground upwards, which comes from his experience in leading Converge from a homegrown internet provider in Angeles City in Pampanga into the country’s leading fiber broadband provider.

Converge has nearly doubled its subscriber base from year-ago levels, reaching 1.4 million subscribers

as of end-June. The only pure fiber broadband company in the country aims to reach the underserved and unserved areas in the country, with a goal to cover 55 percent of Philippine households by 2025.

Uy believes that an entrepreneur only needs passion, dedication, good intention, and knowhow to be successful. “The investors and all others will follow if you have those four qualities,” he said.

Converge has been at the forefront of providing high-speed broadband connectivity to different areas of the country. Now that Converge has completed its nationwide coverage through the expansion of its domestic backbone, Converge continues to provide support to small and medium enterprises to accelerate their business growth.

Converge banks on its experience as the fastest growing fiber broadband provider in the country today and promises to provide participants with internet connectivity depending on their needs. Furthermore, Uy is willing to collaborate with new businesses by providing mentorship and seed financing provided they pass Uy’s stringent requirements throughout the whole duration of the program.

Uy hopes to be a significant incubator of start-ups in the Philippines

given the opportunity to be an investor judge on The Final Pitch. The goal is to give the start-up community a chance to thrive, especially in a time where digitalization of businesses has become a must given the challenge brought about by the ongoing unprecedented global health crisis.

These efforts aren’t the only capabilities Converge has to offer when it comes to supporting start-ups.

“With our goal to establish a world-class digital highway nationwide, we want to fully harness the potential of connectivity by providing the right infrastructure and the right technology,” says Uy. “Now that our domestic backbone covers the whole nation, I am interested in finding individuals who will come up with futureproof answers and not just temporary fixes that that address the concerns of our nation as countless Filipinos deserve to always experience better.”

Uy will be joined by other esteemed investors judges in The Final Pitch such as Bernard Dy, Cauayan City Mayor; Ricky Villarante, Chairman and CEO of 8Ventures; Rose Ong, Senior Executive Vice President-COO of Wilcon Depot; and David Almirol, Founder & CEO of Multisys Technologies Corporation.

SEC unveils one-day registration scheme

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he Sec u r it ies a nd E xchange Commission (SEC) launched on Wednesday a new feature in its online company registration system which allows applicants to complete the registration in one day.

Domestic corporations may now register with the SEC through its One-Day Submission and Express Registration of Companies or OneSEC. It is the new feature of the agency’s electronic simplified processing of application for registration of company or eSPARC. “OneSEC gives new businesses the means to easily comply with the commission’s registration requirements, ensuring the continuity of our business sector amid the Covid-19 pandemic,” SEC Chairman Emilio B. Aquino said.

“The single-day processing of applications for company registration will help us further our goal of improving the ease of doing business in the country, complementing our other recent digital initiatives that aim to provide seamless transactions to the public,” he said.

OneSEC, which can be accessed at https://secwebapps.sec. gov.ph/application, will accept applications for the registration of domestic stock corporations,

which are fully owned by Filipinos and whose common shares have a par value of not less than P1 and in non-decimal currency, and subscribed for through cash payment.

The corporation must have incorporators, directors and subscribers who are natural persons and residents of the Philippines.

It must also have a perpetual corporate term of existence and be located outside an economic zone.

The proposed corporate name must include a descriptor according to the corporation’s industry classification, must not contain any trade name, and must not be subject to any appeal for reconsideration.

OneSEC will pre-fill the corporation’s primary purpose or main business activity based on the chosen industry classification, which may not be subject to any modification by the applicant.

To make the end-to-end registration process seamless, OneSEC is integrated with the SEC’s online payment portal called electronic system for payments to the SEC. Upon completing the online registration process, applicants may download the digital copy of their interim Certificates of Incorporation (COI). VG Cabuag

B2

Thursday, September 16, 2021

Companies BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Del Monte PHL income up 33% on international sales

By VG Cabuag

D

@villygc

el Monte Philippines Inc., the local unit of Campos-led Del Monte Pacific Ltd. (DMPL), said its income grew 33 percent to P1.3 billion in the first quarter of fiscal year 2022 ending July mainly due to the increase in its international sales.

The company also benefited from the reduction in the corporate tax rate to 25 percent following the enactment of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act in March. “I am pleased to report that our company has sustained its solid performance with double-digit sales and profit growth, a testament to our products’ health and nutrition value proposition,” Joselito D. Campos Jr., the company’s CEO, said.

“We are committed to offering more value to our consumers as we enter new segments such as dairy with our joint venture partner Vinamilk.”

Sales rose 16 percent to P8.6 billion for the period led by the international market.

The Philippines accounted for more than half of DMPI’s sales, while the balance came from the international market.

Del Monte’s international sales grew 37 percent to P3.3 billion on robust sales of packaged fruit and beverages, including premium packaged pineapple in the United States, and S&W packaged products in Asia.

The premium fresh fruit segment, mostly branded, increased sales by 29 percent as it continued its recovery from the first quarter last year which was affected by the pandemic in China. It achieved strong sales in the current quarter on the back of expanded distribution coverage with 747 new stores for the company’s top three distributors in China.

Some 3,000 Goodme and 1,000 ChaBaiDao fruit tea shops also used pineapple in their offerings. S&W fresh cut pineapple was also one of the best-sellers among the fresh cut pineapple products on South Korea’s largest e-commerce platform, Coupang.

Sales in the Philippines dropped 2 percent to P4.4 billion due to the slowdown in the healthy beverages and snacks category.

Beverage had an exceptional quarter last year but when compared to the first quarter two years ago, sales in the Philippines grew by 16 percent.

Del Monte and Vinamilk entered into a joint venture last month to expand further into the dairy sector in the Philippines, synergizing Vinamilk’s strength in dairy manufacturing and technology with Del Monte’s strength in marketing and distribution in the country.

The company will import products from Vietnam, and market them under a co-branded label through Del Monte, leveraging the trust and affinity built for the Del Monte brand among Filipino consumers, as well as its distribution network.

Del Monte Pacific, meanwhile, posted a net profit of $18.3 million during the period, reversing the $3.2-million loss last year. DMPL significantly improved its margins by 600 basis points from higher sales of higher-margin branded products in the US and lower costs.

Aboitiz unit completes plant repair

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

T

he construction arm of the Aboitiz Group has completed maintenance and shutdown works for Unit 2 (105MW) of Sarangani Energy Corp.’s Coal Power Plant in Maasim, Sarangani Province.

Aboitiz Construction was mainly involved in the repair of the boiler, pipeline system, and water treatment area of the power plant. Major maintenance works were focused on furnace, electrostatic precipitator, and steam turbine generator areas.

These tasks target to maintain the efficiency of the power plant operations and strengthen safety.

Overall, the intent is to maintain efficiency and improve plant conditions to provide enough power supply to the cities and municipalities in Southern and South Central Mindanao. Since last year, Aboitiz Construction has been tapped by

JGC Philippines, the client for the manpower supply, for the shutdown of the power plant. In 2019, Aboitiz Construction completed the structural, mechanical and piping works of the power plant’s 2nd Unit in Sarangani and was recognized for the achievement of 4.2 million safe man hours without lost time injury during the entire duration of the project.

Committed to advancing business and communities, a total of 1,300 employees (peak) were hired during the power plant construction.

Out of this number, 30 percent were local hires.

“To sustain our upward momentum, we are expanding our portfolio on power plant construction works and this project is a testament to our commitment of building projects that will enable us to advance business and communities,” said Alex Garciano, Aboitiz Construction’s Vice President for Construction Operations.

2GO to invest ₧150M in automation solutions

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

I

ntegr ated logistics and transportation services provider 2GO is spending P150 million to implement new technologies that are geared towards meeting future customer demands.

2GO COO Waldo C. Basilla said the investment in digital technologies and automation solutions will help the company adapt to the new normal. It will also help boost the group’s competitiveness in the long run.

He said 2GO is investing in automated sorting machines to be deployed in its hubs, which now process over 140,000 parcels per day, as demand for e-commerce continues to increase.

The company also invested in innovative transport management systems, which modernized 2GO’s destination mapping and vehicle routing to increase efficiencies.

“Ultimately, these changes are geared to enhance our custom-

ers’ buying experience which has been the central focus of 2GO,” Basilla said.

Meanwhile, 2GO has also completed the deployment of a modern warehouse management system, which streamlines its workf lows electronically, improves customer integration, order and inventory management, thereby improving its ability to accurately serve its customers’ fulfillment requirements.

For its distribution business, the company is enhancing demand planning systems to aid in forecasting and in ensuring the availability of goods on the shelves of retail partners. In response to its growing network, 2GO is implementing a platform that will allow it to streamline and adapt its procurement process to the new normal.

“As a technology professional, I am excited to be part of the digital transformation at 2GO. This allows 2GO to position itself to serve its customers’ evolving requirements,” Gigi Puno, 2GO Group Chief Information Officer said.

mutual funds

September 15, 2021

NAV

One Year Three Year Five Year

per share Return*

Y-T-D Return

Stock Funds ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a

222.69

12.94%

-4.4%

-3.27%

ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a

1.5559

43.56%

2.69%

2.24%

18.5%

15.52%

-8.37%

-6.25%

-2.59%

ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 3.0517

-1.99%

Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.7383 9.82%

-6.41% n.a.

-8.16%

First Metro Consumer Fund on MSCI Phils. IMI, Inc. -a 0.7767 13.44%

-2.44% n.a.

4.73%

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

17.47%

-1.85%

-1.32%

0.92%

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

0.7441

12.25%

-4.01%

-5.15%

MBG Equity Investment Fund, Inc. -a

98.31

17.92%

-5.15% n.a.

-3.56%

4.9867

PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a

45.5436

15.13%

-2.88%

-1.99%

-2.78%

Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a

478.89

12.77%

-2.47%

-2.41%

-2.06%

Philequity Alpha One Fund, Inc. -a,d

1.0984

24.68% n.a. n.a.

0.1%

Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. -a

1.2208

20.81%

-1.2%

-0.81%

4.5%

-1.97%

Philequity Fund, Inc. -a

34.773

17.56%

-0.93%

0.01%

Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a

0.8908

14.32% n.a. n.a.

-2.43%

Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc. -a

4.68

15.89%

-2.21%

-1.35%

-2.32%

782.45

15.89%

-2.15%

-1.38%

-2.39%

Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a

0.7084

16.49%

-6.26%

-4.56%

-1.46%

Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 3.6063

15.62%

-4.22%

-2.49%

-0.48%

Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a

Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.8932 15.43% United Fund, Inc. -a

3.2868

16.68%

-2.5%

-1.55%

-2.67%

-2.25%

-0.58%

-0.97%

-1.99%

-0.89%

-2.07%

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

105.0843

15.89%

-2.3%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities $1.2049

15.2%

6.67%

6.14%

0.17%

Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.8354

ATRAM AsiaPlus Equity Fund, Inc. -b

23.3%

12.54%

12.24%

9.72%

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

1.6828

7.78%

0.34%

-1.2%

0.85%

ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a

2.218

8.03%

-0.2%

-1.09%

-2.95%

First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund Inc. -a 2.6302

9.47%

1.21%

0.25%

0.12%

First Metro Save and Learn F.O.C.C.U.S. Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a 0.1948 NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a

1.9637

6.71%

12.41% n.a. n.a.

2.05%

0.72%

-0.02% -2.56%

PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a

3.6913

6.39%

1.34%

-0.54%

Philam Fund, Inc. -a

16.526

6.87%

1.36%

-0.51%

-2.42%

Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a

2.0611

7.65%

-0.12%

-0.32%

-1.58%

Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.5703 9.45%

-1.02%

-1.08%

-0.08%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a,d 0.9879

5.62% n.a. n.a.

-3.39%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a,d 0.9074

8.53% n.a. n.a.

-4.4%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a,d 0.8949

10.32% n.a. n.a.

-4.09%

Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a

0.9006

11.9%

-1.42%

-1.4%

-1.91%

1.45%

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

$0.03846

-1.89%

3.13%

1.36%

-1.69%

PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -b

$1.1026

6.28%

4.72%

3.62%

-4.14%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $4.8054 17.33%

9.58%

8.69%

6.48%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a $1.2272 7.97%

5.59%

4.62%

2.09%

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

373.15

1.34%

3.05%

2.41%

0.56%

ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a

1.9294

-0.98%

1.23%

0.21%

1.53%

Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a

3.2403

1.28%

3.44%

4.2%

0.8%

Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a

2.2634

-1.55%

2.18%

1.26%

-1.42%

First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.4413 -0.4%

3.25%

1.7%

-0.49%

Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a

4.479

-3.59%

4.72%

1.16%

-3.36%

Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a

1.3192

0.79%

4.01%

2.69%

-0.15%

Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a

3.981

0.77%

4.7%

2.1%

-0.5%

Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a

1.0392

0.64%

5.16%

1.63%

-0.27%

Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.2217

1.68%

5.23%

2.51%

0.49%

Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a

0.98%

4.51%

1.84%

-0.18%

1.7518

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

$488.51

2.09%

3.17%

2.15%

ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a

Є220.72

1.63%

1.16%

0.84%

0.7%

$1.21

-2.26%

2.62%

1.43%

-5.5%

ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b

0.96%

First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.0262 - 0.38%

1.85%

0.94%

-1.5%

PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -b

-3.38%

0.64%

-0.95%

-3.69% -0.04%

$1.0524

Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a

$2.5346

1.47%

5.42%

2.21%

Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a

$0.0630729

3.22%

3.53%

2.12%

1.21%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $3.2046 -0.33%

3.41%

1.01%

-0.59%

2.54%

0.68%

First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.055 1.01% n.a. n.a.

0.66%

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

130.69

Sun Life Prosperity Peso Starter Fund, Inc. -a,1 1.3096

1.29% 1.54%

2.97% 2.77%

2.55%

1%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0586

0.96%

1.58% n.a.

0.59%

Feeder Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities Sun Life Prosperity World Equity Index Feeder Fund, Inc. -a,d 1.3347

31.98% n.a. n.a.

18.16%

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

$0.99

4.21% n.a. n.a.

1.02%

a - NAVPS as of the previous banking day. b - NAVPS as of two banking days ago. c - Listed in the PSE. d - in Net Asset Value per Unit (NAVPU).

1 - Renaming was approved by the SEC last July 8, 2021 (formerly, Sun Life Prosperity Money Market Fund, Inc.).

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

Agriculture/Commodities BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng • Thursday, September 16, 2021 B3

PHL abaca output seen hitting 3-year high

B

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

@jearcalas

arring strong typhoons, Philippine abaca output this year may expand to a 3-year high after production posted double-digit growth in the January-to-July period, according to the chief of the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFida).

PhilFida Executive Director Kennedy T. Costales told the BusinessMirror that domestic abaca production may grow by 18.33 percent to 70,000 metric tons (MT) this year, particularly if the sector can sustain the 10.2-percent production growth rate it posted in the seven-month period.

The last time Philippine abaca production breached the 70,000MT level was in 2018, when output reached 76,259.38 MT, based on historical PhilFida data.

“We pray for good weather so that our farmers will have an

abundant harvest. We project that the Philippines will breach 70,000 MT by yearend, [higher] than the 61,491.67 metric tons.

Output may even surpass 70,000 MT,” Costales said.

Latest PhilFida data showed that abaca output during the sevenmonth period grew by 10.2 percent to 38,460.04 MT from last year’s 34,880.29 MT. “Generally, farmers and even local government units have already adjusted to the new normal. There are fewer mobility restrictions today compared to last year when

Photo from Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority

farmers had difficulties transporting their harvest from their farms,” he said.

PhilFida data showed that abaca output in Catanduanes province,

the country’s top producer of the natural fiber, rose by 2.3 percent to 10,638.81 MT, indicating a recovery from the devastation caused by Typhoon Rolly (international name

Goni) last year.

Abaca production in Northern Mindanao expanded by 83.6 percent to 4,697.36 MT from last year’s 2,558.97 MT while output

DA forms technical working group on rice classification

T

he Department of Agriculture (DA) has formed a technical working group (TWG) to review the current methodology used by government in collecting rice price data and to formulate a new rice classification system.

Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar issued Special Order (SO) 669 which authorized the creation of a TWG for the formulation of a new rice classification system.

In SO 669, Dar said there is a need to formulate a new rice classification system for monitoring rice prices since the old classification is “no longer relevant” under the new rice trade regime, following the enactment of the rice trade liberalization law in 2019.

“In order to better measure rice inflation in the country, a Technical Working Group [TWG] that will examine and recommend the most appropriate rice classification system in the country and will guide the Philippine Statistics Authority [PSA] in gathering rice prices and rice-related data in the future is hereby created,” he said in the SO dated September 15.

The TWG will be chaired by Agriculture Undersecretary Fermin D. Adriano and co-chaired by National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Undersecretary Mercedita A. Sombilla.

Agriculture Assistant Secretary Noel A. Padre and Marissa Romero of the Philippine Rice Research Institute will serve as vice-chairpersons of the

TWG. The TWG will have members from both the government and private sector, including a representative from International Rice Research Institute, according to the SO.Dar instructed the TWG to conduct a brief review of the literature on rice preferences and rice classification landscape of other countries as well as review the current methodology in collecting rice price data, including rice consumption in the Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES).

The TWG is required to submit to Dar its report and recommendation for the new rice classification system on or before October 31. It will eventually be endorsed to the Neda-PSA board.

“Formulate the new rice classifica-

tion system that will guide future data gathering on rice prices and other ricerelated concerns taking into consideration the difficulties currently encountered by PSA in gathering rice-related data,” Dar said.

In 2018, the BusinessMirror published its award-winning Broader Look story explaining certain gaps and discrepancies in the government’s data system when it comes to rice-related statistics, particularly per capita consumption of Filipinos. (Related story: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2018/08/30/snapshot-of-riceconsumption-data-remains-grainyas-pinoys-grapple-with-supplyprices/the per capita).

Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

Training on cassava production held in Southern Leyte

T

he Department of AgricultureRegional Field Office 8 (DA-RFO 8) together with the City Agriculture Office of Maasin conducted the cassava production technology training on September 7 to 9 in Brgy.

Libertad, Maasin City, Southern Leyte.

Following the prescribed health protocols, around 20 farmers from different barangays of Maasin City participated during the three-day training. Representatives from the City Agriculture and Fishery Council of Maasin and the Provincial Agricultural Services Office—Southern Leyte were also present to extend technical assistance and other support on the conduct of the activity.

Technical personnel of the DA-RFO 8 through its Corn Program/Cassava

Project served as resource persons of the production technology training.

Some of the topics discussed include cultural management techniques on cassava production, insect pests and diseases and its control, harvesting and post-harvest operations.

Aside from the lecture, the participants were also given the opportunity to experience the actual field work. In the demonstration site of the barangay, the farmers practiced the recommended technology guide on land preparation and planting methods, followed by fertilizer application. The cassava cuttings used for the training were the planting materials produced from the cassava model farm established in Malitbog Satellite Station.

Gemma B. Maco, one of the partici-

pants from Brgy. Pansaan, Maasin City, said she was able to learn new farming technologies on a par with traditional practices. Other participants shared their concerns during the open forum, particularly on marketing and other government support. It was also learned that the production technology training was part of the support on the establishment of the cassava model farm project in the said city.

The National Corn Program of the Department of Agriculture introduced the cassava model farm project in 2018 to address the increasing demand on cassava for food and feeds, and to encourage other regions to increase production yield of the said crop. The project specifically aimed to increase productivity of at least 20 metric tons

per hectare, reduce production costs through farm mechanization, and produce quality cassava tubers and planting materials.

The City Agriculture Office of Maasin identified the cassava farmers who shall participate in the establishment of the model farm having the target area of 30 hectares. Cassava planting materials, fertilizers and other inputs shall be provided by the regional field office.

Aside from that, the farmer-cooperators shall also be part of the upcoming activity on Bayanihan Agri Clusters which highlights the advantages of clustering and consolidation approach where organized farmers can avail support and investments, better market access, and benefits from economies of scale.

in Western Visayas grew by more than half to 2,084.44 MT from last year’s 1,248.65 MT, based on PhilFida data.

“The output growth in Northern Mindanao is a result of our massive distribution of seedlings in the region which started four years ago.

Now, we are reaping the benefits of those seedlings,” Costales said.

“We have also intensified monitoring reports to have more accurate data from the ground in areas like Western Visayas.”

Movement restrictions imposed by the government to stop the spread of Covid-19 coupled with the devastation caused by Typhoon Rolly pulled down the country’s abaca output last year to a 7-year low.

PhilFida data obtained and analyzed by the BusinessMirror showed that abaca production last year declined by 11.94 percent to 61,491.67 MT from the 69,828.8 MT recorded in 2019. Historical PhilFida data, dating back to 1980, showed that this is the lowest abaca output by the country since the 55,958 MT recorded in 2013.

The Philippines is the world’s top producer and exporter of abaca, accounting for about 84 percent of global market share.

Cordillera youth urged to venture in agriculture

T

welve youth recipients of the Department of Agriculture (DA)’s Egg Production Project in Cordillera urge fellow youth in the region to engage in agripreneurship.

Recipients namely Aldrin Joseph Recare and Mac Gyver Timbreza from Abra; Danica Alican, Berting Pataras, Judy May Pucdo, and Razel Arciso from Benguet; Janice Lee Bilalay and John Glenn Dulnuan from Ifugao, Charlen Bawalan and Billy Nera from Kalinga and; George Peckley III and Ivy Krizzel Aowes from Mt. Province were provided with the poultry project worth P94,525.00 which includes 100 heads layer chicken, 12.5 bags of layer feeds, a drum, and a set of modular layer cage.

The project aims to provide an additional source of income for families with college students who are taking up agriculture and other related courses through egg production enterprise.

Danica Alican, one of the youth recipients and recently graduated college with bachelor’s degree in agriculture at Benguet State University, urges her fellow youth to invest in agriculture.

Accord ing to A lican, through the project, she was able to apply what she learned about animal science, it provided her hands-on experience on

poultry production and marketing, and she gained income that sustained her family’s financial needs and helped pay her college expenses.

Moreover, she earned an income of P48,000 in a year out that she invested in hog raising and she plans to make the egg production as her sustainable business and to empower other agripreneur youth by sharing her experiences and skills.

For Alican, agriculture is not only about learning crops or animals but it can open up a lot of business opportunities.

Thus, she encourages the youth to invest in agriculture.

Meanwhile, Dr. George Peckley III, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and another recipient, joins the same call of encouraging the youth to engage in agriculture because of its benefits in securing food in the country.

Peckley added that the project gave him an opportunity to demonstrate his knowledge and experience in production and marketing of eggs, provided him extra income, and helped him pay his school expenses.

He said the project became his additional source of income amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Peckley said he plans to expand the poultry project by getting additional layer chicken and cages to sustain the egg production in their municipality.

Chicken processing firm readies first leveraged term loan tied to SOFR

A

loan financing the purchase of a chicken processing company is set to be the first in the $1.2 trillion leveraged loan market to use the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) as a benchmark next year as lenders prepare to ditch the scandal-plagued Libor rate.

Wayne Farms’s $750 million loan, which will help fund Cargill Inc. and Continental Grain Co.’s planned acquisition of Sanderson Farms Inc., will initially use Libor as a benchmark this year, and then automatically switch to SOFR in 2022, according to people familiar with the matter who aren’t authorized to speak publicly.

Regulators had originally expected to phase out the London interbank offered rate by the end of this year,

but then extended that deadline for U.S. dollar Libor until mid-2023 for transactions that are sold by the end of this year. Starting next year, new loans can’t be linked to Libor.

The Wayne Farms loan is part of a broader financing package that also includes a revolver facility and a term loan A that is not being syndicated to investors. The revolver and term loan A will be priced immediately off SOFR, according to research firm Covenant Review.

Bank of America Corp. began marketing the Wayne Farms loan last week, with commitments due

by September 22. Representatives for BofA, Cargill and Continental Grain declined to comment.

The syndicated corporate loan market, which includes leveraged

An employee packages sliced chicken legs and wings. Bloomberg News

loans and also revolving credit facilities, has been slow to adopt SOFR. Initially, SOFR could only be calculated as a daily rate, in contrast to Libor, which had a wide range of tenors including one, three, and six months.

That lack of a term structure made it difficult for many market participants to switch. But then in July, the Federal Reserve-backed Alternative Reference Rates Committee endorsed one, three and sixmonth SOFR rates, making it easier for banks, investors and companies in more markets to adopt the new benchmarks.

Other leveraged loans have been including provisions in their credit agreements that automatically shift the benchmark for pricing to SOFR

when US dollar Libor is discontinued for existing products in in mid-2023.

Some 90 percent of new leveraged loans in August came with what is known as a “hard fallback,” up from 30 percent in December and 60 percent between January and April, according to Covenant Review.

The Financial Times first reported that Wayne Farms’s new loan will automatically convert to SOFR. For revolving credit facilities, Ford Motor Co. was the first company to announce its intention to use SOFR. The carmaker is marketing a refinancing of three portions of its revolver using SOFR as a benchmark.

Commitments are due on September 17. A company can draw down on a revolving line of credit and pay it off repeatedly over time. Bloomberg News

Envoys&Expats BusinessMirror

B4

Thursday, September 16, 2021

TWO-DAY VISIT Admiral John C. Aquilino, commander of the United States Indo-Pacific

BIDDING GOODBYE Ambassador of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh Asad Alam Siam

(right) made his farewell call on Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. on September 1 at the Department of Foreign Affairs Headquarters. During the former‘s tenure, the Philippines witnessed the opening of the South Asian country’s consulate general in Cebu in May 2021, and one in Davao in September 2018. The two countries are slated to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their bilateral relations on February 24, 2022. DFA-OPCD/VANESSA UBAC

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ARRIVEDERCI, AMBASSADOR! The secretary of foreign affairs bade farewell to outgoing Italian envoy Giorgio Guglielmino (right), who concluded his tour of duty on August 20. Both acknowledged the importance of expanding Philippine-Italian ties, and looked forward to celebrating the 75th anniversary of their countries’ establishment of diplomatic ties next year. DFA-OPCD/ VANESSA UBAC

Command (INDOPACOM, right), paid a courtesy call on Locsin. The former welcomed the progress on the Visiting Forces Agreement as “a huge leap forward that puts stake on the ground for continued cooperation.” He assured the secretary that the US sees both their countries as sovereign and equal defense partners in ensuring peace and prosperity in the region, then reiterated the US’s commitment to the Mutual Defense Treaty. Aquilino also expressed the INDOPACOM’s readiness to support vaccine delivery to the Philippines. DFA-OPCD/ VANESSA UBAC

Locsin pledges renewed partnership with USAID on its 60th year in PHL T

PHL Embassy-The Hague commends Fil-Dutch groups’ humanitarian work

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ASHINGTON, D.C.— The Philippines and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) explored opportunities to further expand the collaboration between the country and the American aid agency, which are marking 60 years of ties this year.

During his working visit to mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and US, Secretary of Foreign Affairs (SFA) Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. thanked USAID Administrator Samantha Power on September 8 for the assistance of the US government and private sector to local pandemic response and recovery efforts.

USAID has helped facilitate the country’s procurement of personal protective equipment and other medical essentials which aided Filipino health workers through online training; expanding community access to water, sanitation and hygiene information, services and commodities; strengthening supply-chain management; as well as the delivery

Japan’s agrarian, agri devt project benefits 69K Mindanaoan farmers

Czech Embassy-Manila commemorates Blumentritt’s 168th birth anniversary

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MBASSADOR of Japan Kazuhiko Koshikawa participated in the online exit conference of the Mindanao Sustainable Agrarian and Agriculture Development (MinSAAD) Project on September 2.

The MinSA AD Project is a ¥6-billion loan fund from the Japanese government through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JIC A), which undertook the construction of farm-to-market roads, bridges, irrigation facilities, post-harvest infrastructure, rural water supply and agricultural capacity-building support.

First implemented in 2012 and completed in 2020, MinSA AD benefitted more than 69,000 agrarian reform beneficiaries in targeted settlement areas in Regions 10, 11 and 12. Models of small-scale farmers’ empowerment and sustainable development in the agricultural sector are the expected target areas of the project.

JICA Philippines Chief Representative Eigo Azukizawa, Agrarian Reform Secretary John R. Castriciones and Mindanao Development Authority Undersecretary Janet Lopoz also joined the ceremony online, which was held live in General Santos City.

POWER (left) and Locsin DFA

of cash relief through digital solutions.

The SFA and the USAID administrator exchanged notes on current vaccination efforts in the Philippines and the US, as the former emphasized the need for a stable and regular supply of vaccines especially from America.

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LTHOUGH formally established in 1973 through the creation of embassies in their respective capitals, relations between the Czech Republic and the Philippines actually go a long way back.

People-to-people ties between the two nations were already flourishing, and serve as a foundation of their current bilateral ties. Evidence of such is the formidable friendship of Czech professor Ferdinand Blumentritt and Dr. Jose Rizal.

Blumentritt was born in Prague on September 10, 1853, which was then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He was a master teacher in Litoměřice when he and Rizal started corresponding. Bounded by their mutual enthusiasm and interest in the Philippines, their friendship developed into like that of brothers. The Czech served as a confidante to the Filipino, as they collaborated on a number of literary works, including the latter’s annotations of Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas, where the professor wrote a prologue.

He was also a steadfast advocate of Philippine freedom, active in voicing out his support for the country’s independence through articles, and also contributed to local literature through his works such as the Diccionario Mitológico De Filipinas.

In celebration of the 168th birth anniversary of Blumentritt, the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Manila, in partnership with the National Historical Commission of the

AMBASSADOR Jana Šedivá (right) was presented with a portrait of Blumentritt and Rizal. EMBASSY OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC

Philippines (NHCP), National Parks Development Committee (NPDC), Philippine Navy, as well as the Philippine National Police, held a wreathlaying ceremony in Noli Me Tangere Garden, Rizal Park where his bust is located.

Deputy Head of Mission Dalibor Mička represented the Czech Embassy and honored the contribution of Blumentritt in the early CzechPhilippines relations. He also shared the plan of the embassy to unveil a commemorative plaque remembering the friendship of Blumentritt and Rizal.

“This will serve as a reminder of the long-standing relationship between the Czech Republic and the Philippines,” Mička said. “While this work is still in progress, we are glad...to pay our tributes today, and remember the birth of the Czech scholar who also contributed immensely to the Philippines through

They also discussed cooperation to address the climate crisis and the need for the US to diversify its supply chain for the manufacture of solar-powered products.

Locsin, for his part, urged USAID to work closely with the Philippines to mitigate the effects of climate change.

his extensive work about [its] history and culture.”

The planned memorial is one of the current initiatives the Czech Republic and the Philippines have in-store that will mark the longstanding friendship between the two prominent figures. In 2015 the Embassy of the Philippines in Prague launched the Rizal-Blumentritt Heritage Trail in the city of Litoměřice in North Bohemia. The embassy commissioned local artist Karel Mačas to draw the 10-points of interests in the heritage trail.

Apart from such, the Embassy of the Czech Republic has also been supportive to the initiatives of the NHCP in commemorating Rizal’s life. In June 2021 Ambassador Jana Šedivá joined the 160th natal anniversary of Dr. Jose Rizal in Calamba, Laguna. During the celebration, she was gifted with a portrait of the Philippine hero and Blumentritt, which was made by Janina Sanico out of natural watercolor paints. The portrait is now housed at the ambassador’s office, which continuously serves as a reminder of the amity between the two nations.

The bonds between Rizal and Blumentritt that started through correspondences continue to grow.

Founded on shared respect for liberal values, the ties that continually bind them is evident to this day in the flourishing CzechPhilippine relations, which has also expanded in diverse areas of mutual interests.

HE HAGUE—The Philippine Embassy in The Hague lauded Filipino community organizations for their humanitarian-assistance programs benefiting their compatriots who are experiencing difficulties at this time of pandemic.

The commendations were made during a picnic organized by the embassy for Filipino-community leaders on September 4 at the Zuiderpark in this city.

Ambassador of the Philippines to the Netherlands J. Eduardo Malaya handed plaques of commendation to the Filipino LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) Europe for their “Ayuda sa Amsterdam,” where they extended food, medical and cash assistance to vulnerable Filipinos in Amsterdam.

The program distributes grocery food vouchers from Albert Heijn groceries and Red Cross-Netherlands, and also rolls out a Zorgbus, or medical mission bus, in partnership with Dokters van de Wereld every first Friday of the month, which provides free medical consultation, free vitamins and medicines, as well as free counselling services.

Also commended were the Serve, Act, Respond as One Community (SARO), Media Correspondent and Volunteer Organization (MCVO) and the Filipino Migrants in Solidarity (FilMiS) for their “Tulong Kabayan Netherlands” drive which also provided food and cash assistance to affected Filipinos in this city of the Netherlands.

“The Filipino LGBT Europe, SARO, MCVO and FilMis deserve our collective appreciation, as their proactive programs best exemplify our tradition of bayanihan, [or] community self-help,” Malaya said.

AMBASSADOR J. Eduardo Malaya (center) hands plaques of commendation to Filipino community organizations for their humanitarian-assistance programs. PHILIPPINE EMBASSY-THE HAGUE/DFA

Certificates of appreciation to community members were also presented for their contributions to the embassy’s cultural programs, particularly their participation in the commemoration of the 123rd Independence Day of the Philippines, and the Fiesta Filipinas kit vlogging.

In a brief program, embassy officials provided updates on the conduct of overseas-voting registration, preparations for the “PhilippinesNetherlands Connection at 70: Reconstructing History and Forging Ahead” webinar from November 9 to 11, which is being organized in partnership with the Ateneo de Manila University and the Netherlands Embassy in Manila, as well as the chancery’s ongoing renovation project.

The Philippine Embassy also conducted overseas voters’ registration during the event. Some 70 Filipino community leaders and embassy staff members took part in the event and enjoyed the games, potluck lunch and fellowship.

PHL keen on tapping Israel for safe polls

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HE Philippine government is looking to reference the State of Israel’s expertise to ensure that the May 2022 national elections are conducted safely amid the pandemic, the latter’s embassy in Manila said.

“We had our experience in having two elections during the pandemic: one...in the beginning, [and another during its height],” Charge d’Affaires (CDA) Nir Balzam told reporters in a virtual forum. “We are willing to share...information, and I think the Philippine government and authorities are interested. We’re discussing it.”

Balzam did not elaborate on the possible partnership, insofar as they are “collaborating” with Manila by sharing pointers about measures implemented when his country held its own elections.

“I think there are [a few measures the Philippines has to understand first, such as its vaccination status and eligibility of] voters,” the CDA said. “There are still some things [the country has to do prior,] but we’re

collaborating on that.”

In Israel, authorities have managed to successfully hold its March 2020 and March 2021 polls by establishing a system that allowed even those in isolation to vote while maintaining health and safety measures concerning the pandemic. The Middle-Eastern country set up poll booths inside hospital wards as a means for its citizens to vote, even when they were undergoing home quarantine.

In both elections, Balzam shared that Israel “did not see any increase in new cases,” which achieved the state’s objective of allowing its citizens to participate in the democratic process despite the health crisis.

As the Philippines will hold its national and local elections on May 9, 2022, the Commission on Elections is currently crafting guidelines with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases on the manner of the voting process.

They are expected to be released

by October 1. Joyce Ann L. Rocamora/PNA

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Parentlife BusinessMirror

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Thursday, September 16, 2021

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7 tips for LGBTQ parents to help schools fight stigma and ignorance

By Abbie E. Goldberg Clark University

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ANY parents want to ensure that their kids are in classrooms where they and their families are respected and embraced. However, as a psychologist and researcher who has studied LGBTQ parents’ relationships with schools for over a decade, I have found that LGBTQ parents often have specific concerns when it comes to inclusion and acceptance. “[We have] always been very upfront that we are a family with two moms,” reported one parent in my research. “If the [school] was going to have an issue, we wanted to get the vibe early so we could find an alternative so our child didn’t have to suffer due to their closed-mindedness.”

LGBTQ parents who live in less gay-friendly communities are more likely to describe feelings of mistreatment by their children’s schools. Such experiences may prompt parents to confront negative treatment.

Based on my research and surveys with hundreds of LGBTQ families, here are suggestions for how LGBTQ caregivers can advocate for themselves and their children if they run into stigma or ignorance.

The statements quoted below are from various participants in my research: 1. Talk to the school pre-emptively. “I always tell the teachers in advance that I am a transgender gestational parent so they don’t think my kids are lying when they say their father gave birth to them.”

Engage the school in a conversation about your family prior to the start of the school year. Explain the basic details of your family, what your child calls each parent, and other important adults in your child’s life such as the donor or birth parents. Ask if they have any questions or would like you to suggest some resources.

2. Get involved. “My presence in these spaces is a constant reminder to the staff that there is a gay parent in the room.” Join the PTA or Diversity Committee, or attend their meetings and gradually seek out leadership positions. Volunteer in the classroom or at school events.

3. Provide input and suggestions. “We bought

books for the class library about different kinds of families, and arranged for PFLAG [a national advocacy group for LGBTQ+ people] and local LGBTQ groups to present to staff at our kids’ schools.” Highlight for schools where paperwork can be more inclusive, such as “Parent 1” and “Parent 2” instead of “Mother” and “Father.” Provide input about how celebrations, curriculum and classroom visuals could be more inclusive of LGBTQ-parent families, or donate inclusive books or other materials.

4. Investigate policies. Establish whether the school has procedures in place for dealing with sexist,

homophobic and transphobic behavior at school.

What are their policies against bullying? If sexual and gender identity and expression are not covered in such policies, advocate for including them.

5. Talk to your children. “We have told them that every family is different... We told them that some people don’t understand these differences, and to feel free to come to us at any time if they have questions.”

Check in with your children about what they are experiencing at school. Use general questions, such as “What is your teacher like?” or “Tell me about recess today.” Convey that you will listen to them

if something is going on at school, and you’ll talk together about how to handle it.

6. Empower your children. “There’s a lot of ‘That’s gay’ or ‘You’re gay.’ When someone says to my daughter, ‘Your mom’s gay,’ she says, ‘Actually, she is.’” Build your child’s confidence and sense of pride. If possible, connect them to other children with LGBTQ parents. This can make a difference in terms of their self-esteem. Help them develop a repertoire of potential responses to teasing—such as telling a teacher, ignoring it, or responding to an insensitive question with a straightforward set of facts. Consider outlining or role-playing possible scenarios.

7. Get support. “We did a presentation to the first grade class.... With the school’s permission, we shared how our family was created, and other parents joined in and shared their stories as well so as to not single out our son.” Find a community of other LGBTQ parents at school, in your community or online. You may also find allies in non-LGBTQ parents who want diverse and inclusive schools.

Research has shown that attending schools where LGBTQ topics and historical figures are incorporated into the curriculum, or where there are supports for LGBTQ people, benefits the mental health and self-esteem of children with LGBTQ parents. Having classmates who also have LGBTQ parents can also help.

Furthermore, children with LGBTQ parents who attend LGBTQ-inclusive schools may be less likely to experience bullying than those who attend schools with more negative environments. One study found that children of LGBTQ parents who attended schools without LGBTQ issues in the curriculum showed higher levels of withdrawn and aggressive behavior, along with more social problems.

Undoubtedly, LGBTQ parents are also thinking about the school’s quality and reputation, class sizes, safety and ability to meet their children’s needs and interests.

In seeking out inclusive schools and advocating for their children, LGBTQ parents should be sure to give themselves a break. It is impossible to fight or win every battle, and the reality is that LGBTQ parents should not have to fight these battles at all.

THE CONVERSATION

Showing love to the ‘grandest’ people in this pandemic

SEPTEMBER is the month we celebrate Grandparents’ Day. My maternal grandmother, Ama Inang, also just celebrated her birthday last week. My kids prepared a simple video greeting for their great grandmother, ending with Meagan playing her drums. It made me think of many of us who are worried on how we can properly care and support our parents and grandparents during this pandemic.

It has been reported by agencies, like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), that older adults are more prone to developing serious complications from Covid-19. Johns Hopkins Medicine, in an article titled “Coronavirus and Covid-19: Caregiving for the Elderly” reviewed by Dr. Alicia Arbaje, MD, MPH, PhD, says that “research [shows] that adults 60 and older, especially those with preexisting medical conditions, especially heart disease, lung disease, diabetes or cancer, are more likely to have severe—even deadly—coronavirus infection than other age groups.”

This means we need to take extra precaution in various ways. According to www.dispatchhealth.com, the best way is to limit your own risk. They recommend washing hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, as well as maintaining a 6-foot distance while wearing a face

mask when in contact. This prevents the exposure on the off chance that one has been exposed to the Covid-19 virus.

They also recommend cleaning and disinfecting surfaces in one’s home regularly. This includes kitchen counters, tables, doorknobs, etc. In our case, this includes my dad’s workplace and accessories he uses for Zoom meetings. It is better to postpone unnecessary doctor visitations, or switch to online consultations when possible.

Arbaje also cautions on being in crowds, and if you cough or sneeze, to do so into the bend of your elbow or into a disposable tissue. Keep your hands away from your face, as well as limit in-person visits, while keeping in mind that social isolation may also have a negative impact on older people’s immunity and mental health.

In our experience with my youngest sister, after ensuring the safety measures mentioned earlier for my dad, we were also very careful on preventing social isolation and anxiety due to the much limited mobility and socialization my dad was used to before.

From my own research from www.hopkinsmedicine.org and Unicef, below are the several ways we can provide social support to our seniors at this time: n Check on our loved ones regularly through phone calls. n Send them messages on any instant messaging platform. n Leave notes on their front door to let them know someone is thinking about them. n Cook something for them and leave it outside their door, but do let them know in advance. Remember to always give it in a disposable container, sanitize the outside of the container with disinfectant wipes. n Run errands for them. n Buy them their daily essentials of food and other grocery items, and even pet needs, good for at least two weeks. n Ensure the medical supplies they need for one to three

Favorite snack releases new flavor Remember that delicious and iconic ringshaped potato snack continues to capture the hearts of Filipinos, the Jack ‘n Jill Roller Coaster.

Many Filipinos and families who fell in love with these cheesy playful rings will be thrilled to find out about its quirky new look and exciting new barbecue flavor.

Roller Coaster Barbecue comes in two sizes: solo pack for snack times by yourself, and buddy pack for sharing among family members or friends. Let the balanced sweet, savory and

smokey barbecue taste tickle the taste buds. Enjoy it as is, or pair it with a favorite refreshing drink.

Universal Robina Corp., the maker of Roller Coaster and other famous Jack ‘n Jill snacks, released a barbecue variant to delight snackloving Filipinos.

The classic Roller Coaster Cheddar Cheese also debuted its brand-new look that screams “Keep the Fun Rolling!” Now is a good time to grab a bag of these yummy chips and have your family enjoy a playfully fun snack experience.

months are stocked up. n Send them a little reminder about their medication. n Teach them options for video chats using smartphones, laptops or tablets. n Encourage them to initiate telephone calls with friends and family. n Schedule virtual visitation or family meet-ups into their routines. n Identify one person nearby who they can rely on to care for them in case you are not available. n Most important is to inform them that if they develop symptoms such as fever with cough, fever and/or shortness of breath, to call their family doctor, helpline or the nearest hospital. n With many houses of worship closed, we can direct them to online services. n Keep them involved by giving them projects to work on like organizing old photos. It also might be a good time for them to share their favorite family recipes.

Some ways we apply the tips above in our own home include encouraging my dad to cook his specialties, then sharing them with us; giving my dad surprise gifts like how Meagan sent her gift with a cartoon of them with their Chinese names; celebrating occasions together in Zoom with specially designed virtual backgrounds (we even do virtual karaoke at times); and constantly updating each other in our family WhatsApp group. We look forward to our end-of-theweek virtual meeting, where we update each other about my dad’s ongoing projects, then my kids and husband would chat with my dad, then ending each session with a humorous online shopping group session of the new food finds of my youngest sister, Joan.

I can say that as much as we truly miss spending physical time with each other as a family in this pandemic, our concerted effort and journey to constantly find new and unique ways to still have fun together have been priceless.

PHOTO BY DAIGA ELLABY ON UNSPLASH

Intellipure Air Cleaner

Perfect home buddy

SURROUNDED by family and the comforts of our own familiar space, home is where we feel most secured and protected.

But is the house really safe? Not so, according to the American Lung Association. When dust and other visible dirt settles in, we know it’s time to wipe the furniture or sweep the floor. But knowing when to clean the air in our home is much more complicated because the naked eye cannot detect the presence of free radicals, pathogens and pollutants in the air.

Clearly, an air purifier to remove pollutants and pathogens should be a basic safety procedure to keep air clean and pure in indoor premises. In buying an air purifier, consider one that has proven to effectively clean the air in homes, schools and hospitals: Intellipure Air Cleaners.

Inside every Intellipure is the revolutionary DFS (Disinfecting Filtration System) Technology, which was developed using a US military grant to combat germ warfare.

The DFS technology can inactivate a proxy virus for SARSCoV-2 in 10 minutes with zero regrowth within 24 hours. The patented technology is capable of removing 99.99 percent of harmful viruses, mold, and bacteria passing through the system.

And unlike conventional air filtration systems, the DFS can also shut in these microorganisms and inhibit the microorganism’s growth through a process called microbiostatic condition. Once deactivated, these pathogens will be unable to multiply in the filter percentwhich helps in extending filter life.

Intellipure air purifiers have undergone tests by third-party laboratories attesting that they can capture particles down to .007 to a 99.99 percent effectiveness (better than HEPA efficiency). Portable models received Zero Ozone Certification from Intertek, having passed one of the most stringent ozone emission standards available in the USA. Used widely in US hospitals, government and military buildings, Intellipure is an energy-efficient air cleaner, using only 9 watts per hour on low, the Ultrafine 468 just 5 watts, the same energy needed by a small light bulb.

More information can be found at www.airintellipure.com.

B6 Thursday, September 16, 2021

PartyList encourages all to become cancer warriors

Business groups support granular lockdowns in high-risk MM areas

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RESIDENTIAL Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion expressed his support to the expected implementation of granular lockdowns across select LGUs in Metro Manila which were identified as high-risk areas.

“The shift to implementation of granular lockdowns is a good idea instead of implementing widescale lockdowns. There is a sufficient level of vaccinated individuals in Metro Manila and I think it is already appropriate,” he said.

He also added that it is necessary to implement a different solution to fight COVID-19 in response to different variants. “Patience is running out and we have to provide a different solution to help defeat COVID-19,” Concepcion said.

Meanwhile, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Benhur Abalos, expressed his support to the proposal of Concepcion, which was manifested last week with the issuance of resolution of MMDA urging the IATFEID to consider easing the restrictions for fully-vaccinated individuals in Metro Manila.

“We are one with Mr. Concepcion for lessening the restrictions that are still subject of study of scientific data,” Abalos affirmed.

Also, he explained that it might be good to revisit current standards that are being used to reclassify community quarantine restrictions.

“We have to find other factors to help us decide,” he added.

On the other hand, NTF COVID-19 Vice Chair and DILG Secretary Eduardo Año expressed his gratitude to the members of the private sector for their understanding, cooperation, and support. Moreover, he said, “we are going to discuss the feasibility of allowing fully-vaccinated access to various services such as dine-in services in restaurants,” he shared.

Meanwhile, NTF COVID-19 Chief Implementer Carlito Galvez, Jr. explained that over 70 percent of fully-vaccinated individuals will be attained in several regions of the country by the end of October, also through the help of vaccine supplies continuously arriving.

“We are also talking with

AstraZeneca to negotiate for the supply of third doses of vaccines for the private sector,” he said.

Recently, Metro Manila local chief executives have expressed their support to the proposal of Concepcion to allow more lenient restrictions for the fully vaccinated individuals to help drive the economy in the country’s capital.

With this, Cebu City Acting Mayor Michael Rama shared the current implementation of bakuna bubble in Cebu City. “The current implementation of the EO in Cebu City protects my constituents. This is the way forward and we want others to follow,” Rama said.

Pateros Mayor Ike Ponce also supported this and said it is timely to adopt the measure in Metro Manila. “We cannot stay doing the same measure given high vaccination rate in Metro Manila,” he said.

On the other hand, epidemiologist, senior technical adviser, and head of Epimetrics, Inc. Dr. John Wong presented the strategy for a safe return to workplaces as well as the three-phase strategy for the vaccination across the country for the unvaccinated who are either willing but waiting for their turn, unwilling for various reasons, or still undecided.

“We have to increase access and improve communication strategies, so we can convince those who have yet to take their vaccines when it's their turn,” he added.

OCTA Research Group fellow and UP Professor Guido David meanwhile presented that we still have not reached

the desire decrease in the number of cases in the country. “There may be decrease in the number of cases but the growth rate of COVID-19 cases has stalled in Metro Manila,” he said.

In support, University of Santo Tomas Professor of Biology and of Theology in Providence College (USA) Fr. Nicanor Austriaco said that NCR did not reach yet the full hospital capacity in Metro Manila. Instead, he said that it is the hospitals’ staff who are getting maximized.

“I agree with Dr. Guido that it is the nurses and the medical workers who are getting overwhelmed by the increased number of those getting hospitalized from COVID-19 and hospital capacity is far from getting maximized,” Fr. Austriaco stressed.

“If the vast majority of those getting hospitalized are unvaccinated Filipinos, then NCR will be crushed,” he added.

Concepcion, together with the MMDA led the discussion in a town hall entitled, ’Public-Private Discussion on Safe ways to Open the Economy in the Age of Community Quarantines.’

Aside from the implementers of the COVID-19 response program of the government and Metro Manila mayors, over 1,000 business owners participates the discussion which was also viewed by more than 100,000 audiences across different online platforms.

In conclusion, Concepcion said that they will continue supporting all initiatives for the country’s survival.

“Vaccination definitely protects us and this is the way forward,” he ended.

VACC-ed KNB? Win exciting prizes from Grab

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ET your perks before September ends! From Grab discounts of up to P250,000 to a chance to meet Grab ambassador Sarah G, magpabakuna na and let’s get Vacc To Normal with Grab!

Getting jabbed against COVID-19 is now becoming even more accessible as the rollout of available vaccinations gradually increases in the country.

However, this improved accessibility does not necessarily translate into more people getting themselves vaccinated, as

seen in a recent survey performed by the United Nations Development Program.

A study released in August revealed 2021 revealed that despite improved vaccine acceptance among Filipinos, many continue to be hesitant for various reasons, with 65.8% expressing their uncertainty about getting inoculated, with another 51.6% being determined about not receiving their vaccination shots.

Grab Philippines encourages more Filipinos to get their COVID-19 shots

through its Vacc To Normal campaign to help raise awareness on the benefits of getting vaccinated against COVID-19. With Grab, individuals can expect even enjoy a whole lot of discounts, offers, and other exciting deals only made available for the fully vaccinated throughout the month of September!

The rewards range from exclusive promo codes on Grab services such as GrabFood and GrabCar, to bigticket and exciting grand prizes such as P250,000 worth of GrabPay Credits and even VIP tickets to see Grab Philippines ambassador Sarah Geronimo in concert, this offer is something you would not want to miss this month.

Just show your proof of getting two vaccine slots within September, and the perks are all yours to enjoy.

Getting vaccinated has never been more rewarding.

If you have gotten yourself fully vaccinated, check out your Grab app for a list of discounts and deals you can maximize across Grab’s services.

To know more details about the program and to have a look at some of the prizes you may get the chance to win, check out https://www.grab.com/ ph/blog/grab-ph-vacc-to-normal/.

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HE pandemic changed the way medical services are delivered nationwide.

But cancer treatment should not be delayed or postponed. So much help is needed so that cancer patients need not be deprived of the care they deserve.

In the Philippines today, the Dept. of Health cites that cancer kills 300,000 victims yearly, or 800 individuals every day or 33 patients every hour.

The latest figures on Philippine’s cancer cases as of 2020, from WHO/ Global Cancer Observatory, reveals that a number of new cases has reached 153,751. More women are afflicted than men : 86,484 vs. 67,267. Of the 92,606 fatalities, more men died from cancer than women : 47,046 vs. 45,560.

Most prevalent kinds per gender, women: breast colorectum, cervix, lung, and ovary cancer. For men: lung, colorectum, prostate, liver, and leukemia.

In recognition of the overwhelming needs that cancer patients have, the Cancer Party List today is supporting hundreds of cancer patients, with different kinds of cancers, in various stages.

The Cancer Party List knows that not only does cancer take a toll on a patient’s emotional and physical well-being—the family as well shares the bigger worry: the cost of treatment and how it taxes every

one’s finances, peace of mind, and sense of security.

The out-of-pocket expenses for treatments can be quite costly. There are different types of cancer treatments, some patients may have to undergo only one, but most will have a combination of therapies. Easily, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and myriad medical tests and procedures amount to hundreds of thousands If not millions of pesos, depending on what stage the cancer is. Truly, the journey of cancer patients Is very costly and can easily drain one's finances.

As early as 2001, the Cancer Party List, then registered as CANCER, INC., believed that a clearer anti-cancer health agenda is needed: to give it a fighting chance to succeed, it planned for its long term goals to be achievable vis-à-vis advancements in science and medicine.

Presently the group prides itself with 22,126 members and volunteers who share the common mission of building an atmosphere of quality cancer education, creating an environment for effective patient care, and pursuing an evolving standard of treatment and rehabilitation processes.

More than ever, volunteers are needed to help this worthy cause. Visit https:// cancerpartylist.com

Get the first look at the setting of your Arceus adventure and the newly discovered Pokémon

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HE Pokémon Company (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara) is pleased to share the news about the Nintendo Switch software title Pokémon Legends: Arceus!

Your adventure will be set in the expansive natural majesty of the Hisui region, in an age long ago when it was rare for people and Pokémon to live in close harmony.

The region is home to Jubilife Village, a bustling settlement that many call their home. The village is the center of operations for the Galaxy Expedition Team (or Galaxy Team for short)—a collection of people from various regions who have come to study the Hisui region. Your goal will be to meet every species of Pokémon in the region.

Whenever you leave Jubilife Village to set out on an excursion, your first stop will be one of the base camps that will serve as a handy outpost for your work. These base camps are more than just starting points, however. You can stop by for a rest during an excursion, letting your team of Pokémon recover their health, or you can use a base camp’s workbench to craft some items.

In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, you may become unable to go on with your survey if you take too much damage, whether it’s caused by wild Pokémon attacks or falling from high places.

As you’re out exploring during your adventures, you’ll be able to collect all kinds of materials. You can use these materials to do some crafting combining these materials to make new items. You can craft items using the workbenches found at base camps and in Jubilife Village. You’ll find that you can make a

wide variety of items that will help you with your survey work—not the least of which being the Poké Balls you’ll need to catch Pokémon!

As you dash about through the wilds, seek out Pokémon you want to catch. They live freely in all kinds of places—in grassy fields, in forests, or out on the water, to name a few. Their modes of life can be closely linked to the environments they live in.

Early purchasers will be able to obtain a Hisuian Growlithe Kimono Set. The Hisuian Growlithe Kimono Set will be gifted to early purchasers of Pokémon Legends: Arceus. You can receive it by choosing Get via internet in the Mystery Gifts feature in your game, up until May 9, 2022. Dress yourself up in this great Hisuian Growlithe Kimono Set as you enjoy your adventures in the Hisui region.gr.

Koryolab 2021 launches its Virtual Residency Program

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HE CCP Choreographers Series aims to become the prime mover of contemporary dance expressions in Philippine society. Koryolab is the second tier of the CCP Choreographers’ Series, a three-part platform in support of the Filipino choreographer. It is a laboratory and research platform for the development of mid-career choreographers. The virtual residency program is where artists exchange ideas with mentors in ways that help them relate their practice to other disciplines.

Koryolab 2021 Virtual residency program took in ten artist-choreographers, namely Al Garcia (Taipei), Buboy Raquitico (NCR), Dingdong Selga (Eastern Visayas), Gerard Hechanova (Caraga), Gia Gequinto (NCR), Jared Luna (NCR), Nicole Primero (Western Visayas), Niño Horario (Western Visayas), Sasa Cabalquinto (NCR), and Sherwin Santiago (CAR).

Episode 1 will be rolled out on September 16, at 2pm, with filmmaker Ed Cabagnot taking the participants on a brief tour of Philippine cinema. Dubbed “Discovery: The Pinoy Experience in Cinema,” the first episode tackles how Philippine cinema has captured the Pinoy Experience in its recurrent themes and characters, as well as in its unique brand of storytelling and cinematic style.

Verne de la Peña provides insights on soundscapes in Episode 2, titled “Sounding Time and Space: Jose Maceda et al," on September 16, 7PM. In this episode, the audience gets a glimpse on the musical ingenuity of National Artist Jose Maceda.

In Episode 3: “Dancing with the Alien: Bodies versus Machines,” on September 17 at 2pm, Tad Ermitaño explores the irreversible correlation of dance and technology, a phenomenon prevalent during the pandemic.

Jay Cruz shares his process and ideologies as a choreographer in Episode 4 on September 17, 7pm. Dubbed “Choreography as a Critical Practice.”; Koryolab 2021 Virtual Residency Program episodes will be premiering on September 16 and 17, 2021 and will be streamed at the CCP, CCP Choreographers Series, and CCP Arts Education FB Pages.

Editor: Anne Ruth Dela Cruz

Health&Fitness

Prostate cancer is a silent killer that can be cured

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

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rostate cancer is a relatively silent disease in its early stages. Typically, symptoms like obstructed or too frequent urination, blood in the urine or other symptoms spread to other parts of the body like bone pain later in the course of the disease. Fortunately, we have ways to screen even symptomatic patients for the disease, to catch the disease in the early stages and prevent progression.”

So said Dr. Josefino Castillo, surgeon and head of St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC) Institute of Urology in Global City.

Prostate cancer is the fifth leading cancer site and the third leading cause of cancer deaths among Filipino males according to the 202 data from the Global Cancer Observatory. The Philippine Cancer Society in 2015 said that about six out of 10 cases are diagnosed in men aged 65 or older.

The prostate is an important reproductive gland found in men and plays a vital role in the nourishment and transportation of seminal fluid. Given the prevalence of this disease and the ways it can be caught early before progression, Filipino men need reliable health-care partners to guide them through health education, screening, diagnosis, and treatment.

Trained specialists Through its highly trained urologists and advanced medical technology, St. Luke’s Institute of Urology is highly equipped to detect, diagnose and provide advanced treatment of prostate cancer for years.

Its surgeons are highly equipped to manage prostate cancer in all of its stages, especially in stages amenable to surgical treatment, such as prostatectomy, or the removal of the prostate gland.

A patient who has benefited from SLMC’s expertise is Jhune San Jose, a father of four and a stage two prostate cancer survivor.

Though based in Singapore, he chose to return to the Philippines to undergo Robot-assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy (RALP) at SLMC. “I have done my own research and St. Luke’s has one of the highest success rates in this kind of operation. [RALP] is less invasive and offers a very quick recovery. That’s why I went for it and I’m very confident it will be a success,” San Jose said.

“Being robot-assisted, it’s the technology now, everything is moving in that direction so I strongly believe we should go with the highest technology available. It makes me confident that I am lucky as well that we have this technology during this time I have to undergo this surgery,” he said.

Minimally invasive approach RALP is considered a minimally invasive approach to the procedure of radical prostatectomy, which is the removal of a malignant prostate gland. It is currently the most advanced surgical procedure and gold standard in treating prostate cancer.

During the procedure, a surgeon operates several robotic arms that make small yet highly precise incisions, providing minimal scarring, less blood loss, and earlier recovery for the patient. Studies have also shown that compared to conventional approaches, RALP also provides better recovery of erectile function and urinary continence postprostate removal.

Prior to his RALP procedure, San Jose also underwent KOELIS MRI/Ultrasound Fusion Biopsy at St. Luke’s. KOELIS, an advanced biopsy technique which makes use of MRI images fused with ultrasound guidance, goes hand-in-hand with RALP because it is an advanced screening procedure that accurately detects suspicious areas in the prostate. This facilitates targeted biopsy of these areas for more accurate diagnosis.

“Prostate cancer, unlike other cancers, can be detectable at its earliest stages, even among patients with no symptoms, which is why we encourage our patients to get screened and if necessary, to undergo a biopsy,” said Dr. Diosdado Limjoco, head of SLMC Institute of Urology in Quezon City.

He said that KOELIS MRI/Ultrasound Fusion Biopsy of the prostate allows better outcomes.

“It allows more targeted biopsies, more accurate diagnosis, and because of its technique, a lower risk for post-procedural infection,” he added.

BusinessMirror

Thursday, September 16, 2021 B7

Institutions ready for face-to-face classes in health science courses

By Rory Visco

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Contributor

he Covid-19 pandemic has greatly affected the conduct of classes for students who are enrolled in health science courses. Some of these courses require students to undergo face-to-face classes so that they can apply what they have learned.

However, are health sciences schools ready to take on the challenge of faceto-face classes? Have they come up with the necessary guidelines and protocols to ensure the safety of students?

Ligtas ba sa UP Manila?

Dr. Carmencita Padilla, Chancellor of the University of the Philippines Manila, said UP Manila is the health sciences center of the UP system. At UP Manila, she said there are several levels of safety—safety of health workers, patients and the general public, and that of the non-Philippine General Hospital (PGH) and non-National Institutes of Health (NIH) employees, which are the faculty, students and staff. “We are practically

in one compound. Every time there is something happening in PGH, we must be aware because we may be affected.”

There is also an overall Nurse Coordinator for all Covid concerns, and each college has its own focal persons for Covid concerns. The Chancellor or Vice Chancellor for Administration is then immediately informed if there is a positive case.

So far, five colleges in UP Manila— Medicine, Nursing, Dentistry, Public Health, and Allied Medical Professions— have been granted accreditation to hold limited face-to-face classes. Each of these have been visited by a team from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and from other universities.

There are also general policies and guidelines in place at UP Manila, which Dr. Padilla said are constantly reviewed if they are appropriate to all the colleges.

One is vaccination where students of the different colleges are already vaccinated.

The physical facilities of the colleges were also redesigned to emphasize safety in the holding of the classes.

Dr. Padilla admitted, however, that there are major challenges in holding face-to-face classes, some of which include safe travel going to the UP Manila campus, the lack of dormitory beds for those staying on campus, and, more importantly, is the management of a faceto-face class when a student is positive.

She said that once face-to-face classes is established, there must be a protocol on how to deal with a student who becomes positive.

But what about the other students who were exposed? “We are now finalizing the protocol because we already have a guideline where the whole class is managed, not just the student who turned out positive.”

She added that since “PGH is part of the campus, they came up with a lot of guidelines, which we were able to use in the academic setting. And since everybody is careful, we’re no longer scared that we are in the same space as PGH.”

Our Lady of Fatima University

For Dr. Caroline Marian Enriquez, President of Our Lady of Fatima University, they implemented what they call a “Hands On” concept, which is an acronym for High fidelity simulation, Adoptive technology Networks Dedicated to Structured learning Optimizing Nursing Competencies. It combines blended technology and hands-on patient care that enhances the cognitive, psychomotor and effective domains of a beginning nursing professional.

“Always, the objective of the university, and we have done this in about five or six of our campuses, is to make sure that we have face-to-face classes, all our students are safe and that they believe in the system. We also have health and wellness teams who will make sure that our students’ health and their welfare are strictly monitored. The policies and procedures are in place, and we’re hoping that when the situation is safer, our students can safely come back to our campuses,” Dr. Enriquez said.

She explained that for face-to-face classes to be conducted safely, all the safety protocols should be followed. “We hope our students in our health programs like Nursing, Medicine, Medical Technology, Pharmacy and Dentistry will be able to experience that.”

Life-course immunization is key to promoting healthy ageing

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accination continues to be one of the most cost-effective interventions available to protect the elderly against infectious diseases.

In a report titled “ The Decade of Healthy Ageing in ASEAN: Role of LifeCourse Immunization,” the EU-ASEAN Business Council, KPMG in Singapore, and Sanofi, with the support of the Western Pacific Pharmaceutical Forum (WPPF), pointed to an urgent need to focus on the implementation of life-course immunization.

Despite the obvious benefits of vaccines against various diseases and ailments, Southeast Asia continues to lag behind the rest of the world when it comes to life-course immunization, falling significantly short of the 75 percent immunization target rate set by the World Health Organization (WHO).

“While the region focuses on Covid-19, and rightly so, we need to also give attention urgently to another pressing issue—ageing societies. As we age, we are

more susceptible to health complications.

Many diseases that afflict the elderly can be thwarted by immunization. Yet, the role and value of life-course vaccination or vaccination at every stage of life beyond childhood is not fully realized,” explains John Jackson, president of the WPPF. “The report provides a starting point for governments across the region to implement incremental policy changes that can further empower healthy ageing and economies.”

Dedicating resources

The report’s recommendations include recognizing life-course immunization as an important part of healthy ageing and dedicating resources to implementing this as part of healthy-ageing policies.

It also calls for engaging the expertise and knowledge of health-care providers and leveraging their influence to be advocates for life-course immunization. It also seeks to support grassroots efforts to share relevant narratives around the

efficacy and safety of vaccines, as well as to help bridge the digital gap among the elderly to access information and other matters related to vaccination.

Another aspect of the report focused on improving public access to vaccination points to ensure that people who want to be vaccinated can do so at their convenience. It also seeks to gain private sector support through inclusion of annual vaccination in employee benefit programs and development of insurance products by health insurers that help cover vaccination costs.

“While we are living longer, we are not necessarily living healthier,” according to Chris Humphrey, Executive Director of the EU-ASEAN Business Council.

“This report shows us the dividends that we can harness by better ensuring a healthier, more productive older working population. Southeast Asia needs to start planning now to ensure that we take the right policy action—including preventative care.”

Beyond monetary impact

For his part, Eric Mansion, General Manager, Asia Zone, Sanofi Pasteur, said that health is wealth but protecting older adults goes beyond monetary impact— healthy ageing allows ageing populations to enjoy a good quality of life in their golden years and contribute meaningfully to social situations and beyond.

“Life-course immunization should urgently be prioritized as a vital part of healthy ageing policies in Southeast Asia, to lessen the impact of ageing societies and to protect against vaccine-preventable diseases.”

“Although further implementing lifecourse immunization programs will be a costly and logistically complex endeavor, the alternative will be far more expensive and not just in monetary terms,” added Jackson. “Time is running out, and swift, decisive action to address the issues that threaten to undermine having a healthy, ageing population is imperative.”

Rory Visco

Health advocate calls for stricter implementation of EO vs smoking

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xposure to passive smoke has had a harmful effect on the health of many people, hence the need to reinforce Executive Order 26 titled “Providing for the Establishment of Smoke-Free Environments in Public and Enclosed Places.”

Former Health Secretary Dr. Jaime Galvez-Tan, a trustee of HealthJustice Philippines, said EO 26, which was further expanded to include e-cigarettes in EO 106, will help prevent the spread of Covid-19 in certain public places which have been dubbed by Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) officials as “hot spots” of transmission.

EO 106 prohibits the manufacture, distribution, marketing and sale of unregistered and/or adulterated Electronic Nicotine/Non-Nicotine Deliver y Systems (ENDS/ENNDS) or electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products (HTPs), and other novel tobacco products.

“Smoking is extremely harmful and damaging to health,” Dr. Galvez-Tan said.

He cited a World Health Organization (WHO) scientific brief which highlighted the link between smoking and more severe Covid-19 and death.

It stated that smokers and vapers may be “vulnerable” to contracting Covid-19 “as the act of smoking involves contact of fingers with the lips, which increases the possibility of transmission of viruses

from hand to mouth.”

The same warning was given by the Department of Health citing a review of studies by health experts convened by WHO which stated that smokers are vulnerable to complications brought about by the virus.

It may be recalled that HealthJustice wrote the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) after learning that workplaces particularly smoking areas are “one of the main sources of transmission.”

In this regard, HealthJustice recommended that Section 7 of the Joint Memorandum Circular 20-04-A, s. 2020 (Department of Trade and Industry and DOLE Supplemental Guidelines on Workplace Prevention and Control of Covid-19) be amended as follows: “Workplaces must be smoke-free. Except for workplaces which must be absolutely smoke-free pursuant to Republic Act No. 9211, employers may designate smoking areas which must be outside the workplace in an open space following the standards provided under CSC Memorandum Circular 17, s. 2009 for government offices and Executive Order 26 for other workplaces. Employers shall require employees to strictly observe physical distancing measures and other applicable health protocols [i.e. no talking inside designated smoking areas.]”

Police support

Meanwhile, HealthJustice, lauded the

Philippine National Police for taking a stand against smoking after it committed to protect the people from harmful effects of smoking and secondhand smoke, vowing to enforce EO 26 that bans smoking in public places.

PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Ronaldo Olay also said the strict enforcement of EO 26 may reduce the risk of contracting Covid-19. Olay said smoking puts people at increased risk for Covid-19.

“Breathing secondhand smoke can affect your lungs...This may leave the body more vulnerable to the virus,” he said in an interview over DWIZ’s “Healthy Life, Happy Life” radio program.

Olay, meanwhile, encouraged the public to report violators of EO 26 as it sets the standards for designated smoking areas (DSAs).

Under the EO, DSAs are areas of a building or conveyance where smoking may be allowed. It may be in an open space or a separate area with “proper ventilation.”

Likewise the EO also specifies that a “non-smoking buffer zone” be established for DSAs not located in open spaces. To protect minors, they are prohibited from entering the DSA or its buffer zone.

He said that the public may report violators to “E-Sumbong mo, Aksyon Ko!” which is an initiative of PNP Chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar.

Pending bills

While the two EOs do not “absolutely” prohibit smoking in all public areas and public conveyances, HealthJustice stressed that there is still a need to “streng t hen” its implementation to make it sustainable through the passage of three smoke-free environment bills.

In the Senate, Sen. Ronald dela Rosa sponsored Senate Bill 1976, while Representative John Marvin “Yul Servo” Nieto of the 3rd District of Manila backed House Bill 8754. Representatives Rowena Niña Taduran, Eric Yap, and Jocelyn Pua-Teo, all of the ACT-CIS partylist, sponsored HB 8763.

T hese bi l l s sought to e x pa nd t he coverage of t he smok i ng ba n i n Re publ ic A ct 9211 or t he Tobacco Regu l at ions Ac t of 20 03 to i nc lude a l l publ ic pl aces, proh ibit ion i n t he es tablishment of indoor smok ing areas, a nd st reng t hen t he power of loc a l gover nment u n its to en ac t st r ic ter smoke -f ree ord i n a nces.

If enacted into law it is expected to help reduce the transmission of Covid-19; lessen the number of people who will die due to tobacco smoke; protect the Filipino people from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke; provide an environment for smokers to quit, and prevent smoking initiation among the youth.

Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

Sports BusinessMirror

PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee (POC) President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino convinces Congress to support four major international competitions in 2022.

Sultan unfazed

by Puerto Rican knockout artist

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| Thursday, September 16, 2021 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

SENATE, HOUSE TO THE RESCUE

HE House and the Senate both vowed to include in the 2022 General Appropriations Act (GAA) a budget for four major international competitions next year, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino bared on Wednesday.

“House Speaker Lord Velasco and Senate President Vicente Sotto III assured the inclusion of the budget for four major international competitions next year,” Tolentino said. “This after the Department of Budget and Management didn’t allot a single centavo to the Philippine Sports Commission [PSC] budget for these major events.”

The major international events in 2022, Tolentino said, are the Beijing Winter Olympics (February 4 to 20), Thailand Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (March 10 to 20), Huangzhou Asian Games (September 10 to 25) and Shantou Asian Youth Games (December 20 to 28).

The POC, Tolentino said, would immediately determine the composition (entry by numbers) for the four major events in order to draw how much budget would be allocated by the 18th Congress.

“The budget hearings are coming up so we have to be steadfast,” Tolentino said.

“Philippine sports must be unwavering as we have to sustain the momentum of our

successful campaign in the Tokyo Olympics.”

Tolentino thanked Sotto and Velasco ahead of the realization of the additional budget, saying both chambers of Congress “are very supportive of Philippine sports.”

“We have our sports heroes in gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz, silver medalists Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam and bronze medalist Eumir Felix Marcial and the 15 other athletes who fought mightily in Tokyo,” Tolentino said. “Their success and how they campaigned changed the landscape of Philippine sports.”

The POC already pegged a 160-athlete delegation which will compete in 21 of the 31 sports in the AIMAG Thailand is hosting

Davis Cup action resumes without PHL team

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HE International Tennis Federation (ITF) barred the Philippines from fielding a team at the resumption of the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group 3 competitions that start this week, thus disappointing national players particularly Treat Huey and Ruben Gonzales.

“It is embarrassing that the [national] federation has been suspended and we are not able to play Davis Cup this week,” Huey said. “It’s heart breaking

JONAS SULTAN could end up fighting for a world title against a fellow Filipino.

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ONAS SULTAN climbs the ring on October 30 in New York against Puerto Rico’s Carlos Caraballo who knocked out all his 14 opponents since turning pro five years ago.

But Sultan is unfazed by the 25-year-old Caraballo, who has started to earn a reputation as a knockout artist.

“Knockout artist? All his opponents are weak, but let’s see,” the 29-year-old Sultan (17-5 winloss record with 11 knockouts) told BusinessMirror through phone call from his base in Sacramento, California, on Monday.

Sultan will go deep into training the moment his head trainer and coach Joven Jimenez and International Boxing Federation (IBF) super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas arrive in the US from the Philippines.

They would most likely hold camp in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“Once coach Joven arrives, we will start our training and then maybe I’ll also start my conditioning training with Sir Memo [Heredia]. I miss Coach Joven and Jerwin,” said Sultan, who lives in Cebu, said. “Right now I do light training, jogging in the morning and also relaxing.”

Sultan, who is supported

by Junnie Navarro and Mike Venezuela of Zamboanga Valientes MLV, wants to win a world title but he has to beat two fellow Filipinos to become one—World Boxing Organization champion Johnriel Casimero and World Boxing Council titlist Nonito Donaire Jr. “Maybe after this fight, I can get a world title opportunity. If [Naoya] Inoue doesn’t want to fight Casimero, I’m available,” Sultan said.

Japanese Inoue (21-0 with 18 knockouts) wears both the IBF and World Boxing Association belts.

Sultan is coming off a spectacular seventh-round technical knockout win over American Sharone Carter last August 14 in Carson City—one of the undercards of the CasimeroGuillermo Rigondeaux bout.

That was also Sultan’s first fight after a two-year layoff. Josef Ramos

that I don’t have the opportunity to represent the country this week and help us win and earn promotion to Group II. “To have the team withdrawn from Davis Cup this year by the ITF because of the state of our federation is truly sad.” Huey added.

The suspension came after PHILTA continued to snub deadlines from ITF to submit reportorial requirements that should include plans for amending its constitution to increase

membership and make the association more inclusive.

ITF President David Haggerty noted that the association is made up of an “exclusive membership base” which does not qualify PHILTA to be a national sporting federation.

The events that transpired also prompted Haggerty to ask PHILTA for its plan of action in diversifying its membership so that an election may take place.

Haggerty also noted that

in Bangkok and Chonburi—with Team Philippines hoping to surpass the two gold, 14 silver and 14 bronze medals won in the games’ 2017 edition in Ashgabat.

The country booked one of its modest performances in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta where it won four golds that went with two silvers and 15 bronzes.

Figure skaters Edrian Celestino, Sofia Frank and Christopher Caluza, meanwhile, will be vying for qualification for Beijing in an Olympic qualifier in Germany later this month.

The Asian Youth Games were last held in 2013 in Nanjing, China, where the Philippines garnered a 2-4-1 gold-silverbronze tally.

national associations or federations must comprise of regional representatives of organizations and should be presided over by sporting clubs.

“Playing Davis Cup and representing my country has honestly been the biggest honor of my career,” Gonzales said. “And I’m looking forward to playing Davis Cup again whenever that will be.”

The Group 3 competitions kicked off on Wednesday among Hong Kong, Kuwait, Jordan, Malaysia, Pacific-Oceania, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Syria and Vietnam— all aiming to level up to Group 2.

WHY RAMOS IS BRINGING ACT TO JAPAN B.LEAGUE W

By Josef Ramos

HY are Filipino players bringing their act to the Japan B. League, Japan’s professional basketball league?

Dwight Ramos, perhaps one of the best on the Gilas Pilipinas cadet program, tells why.

“It’s really just that I am 23 so I’m already old. My coaches and everyone believe that I’m ready to play professionally,” Ramos told BusinessMirror. “The Covid-19 situation is not so good here in the Philippines. Basketball has been affected. It’s hard to play, so I have to look for a better option.”

Ramos, who celebrated his 23rd birthday only last September 2, became the eighth Filipino to ply his trade in Japan after he recently signed a one-year contract with the Toyama Grouses, a Japan.BLeague Division 1 team.

The 6-foot-4 Ramos, a FilipinoAmerican from West Covina in California, was tapped by Ateneo, but never got to play in a Blue Eagle uniform because the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) shelved its resumption because of the Covid-19 pandemic—in fact, he couldn’t play in the UAAP anymore because he has turned pro.

Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin took Ramos in at Gilas for the 2021 Fiba Asia Cup Qualifiers and punched exceptional game averages of 13.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists. Gilas booked a six-game sweep of Group A.

Mariano named Wesley So Cup Finals MVP

By Rick Olivares

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ATIONAL Master Cesar Mariano was named the Jessie Villasin Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the recently concluded Wesley So Cup, the second conference of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines.

The proud son of Jaro led the Iloilo Kisela Knights past

be committed to play for the men’s national team under Baldwin.

“As long as they want me there, I will always play for Gilas Pilipinas,” said the son of Artemio Ramos, who is originally from Ilocos Sur, and Russian mother Liliya.

The other players in the Japanese B.League’s Division I are Thirdy Ravena (San-En NeoPhoenix) and his older brother Kiefer Ravena (Shiga Lakestars), Bobby Ray Parks Jr. (Nagoya Diamond Dolphins), Kobe Paras (Niigata Albirex BB) and Javi Gomez de Liaño (Ibaraki Robots).

De Liaño younger brother Juan and Kenmark Cariño are with Division 2 teams Earth Tokyo Z and Aomori Wat, respectively.

Ramos didn’t divulge how much salary he will earn in Japan, but admitted “it’s way beyond the normal salary of a professional player in the Philippines.”

“My agent [Titan Management] knows that but I keep it confidential,” he said. “The pay is absolutely higher in Japan than in the PBA.” Long-time player agent Danny Espiritu told BusinessMirror in a separate interview that the pay grade at the Japanese B.League is three times higher in a Division 1 team and most likely twice more in Division 2.

But he refused to speak on behalf of Ramos and other Japanbound Filipino players.

“As far as I know, if you sign up for one year in Japan, you will earn the equivalent of three years pay in the PBA [Philippine Basketball Association],” Espiritu said. “If you’re getting the maximum P500,000 in the PBA per month, you’ll get P1.5 million a month in Japan.”

More or less it’s times three or 2.5 times higher and that’s over and above bonuses that are stipulated in US dollars,” Espiritu added.

Ramos said he would remain available for Gilas and will still play in the PBA in the future.

“Hopefully, I think everyone comes to the Philippines, so the PBA is always an option for us,” Ramos said, noting that TNT would be his favored team.

“I have been with MVP [Manny V. Pangilinan] for the Gilas and I practiced with TNT before,” he said.

He said that he would always

the San Juan Predators for the championship.

Mariano played Board Four or the Senior Board for the Knights and booked an impressive 16.5/24 in the playoffs and 3.5/6 in the finals against an impressive array of opponents.

It was Mariano’s crucial draw against San Juan’s International Master (IM) Ricky de Guzman with two seconds left on his clock

Rookie Williams, Montalbo power Tropang Giga to No. 1 seed

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UPER rookie Mikey Williams and Kib Montalbo played their best game thus far as TNT Tropang Giga earned the No. 1 seed—with a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals to boot—following a 102-92 victory over NorthPort in the Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup at the Don Honorio Ventura State University gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.

Williams buried 19 of his 29 points and Montalbo scattered 17 of his career-high 22 points in the second half when the Tropang Giga blasted away at the Batang Pier for their league-best 9-1 wonlost record.

Williams, this year’s fourth overall pick, and the 2019 11th pick Montalbo put on a show in the third period as they transformed a 42-41 halftime cushion to a 76-64 cushion entering the last quarter.

TNT never relinquished control of the game after that.

“We didn’t come out as good as we should be and we came out real flat...so they [Northport] just really punched us to the mouth,” Williams said. “From there [in the second half], we solved the problem to finally get it done.

Williams went 10-of-19 from the field he highlighted with five triples and laced with five assists.

After Kevin Ferrer’s triple that narrowed the gap to 71-76 with 9:22 left, TNT answered with a triple each from Kelly Williams and Ryan Reyes to extend their lead to 82-71 with 8:23 to go.

Williams drove for a 94-80 advantage with still 4:32 left.

The Batang Pier, who missed Sean Anthony (bone spurs) and 7-foot Greg Slaughter (bacterial skin infection), couldn’t solve TNT’s second-half onslaught and failed to give Head Coach Pido Jarencio a fitting welcome after recovering from Covid-19 infection.

Troy Rosario added 18 points, while Kelly Williams racked up 11 points and Jayson Castro had nine for TNT. Paolo Taha made 20 points to lead NorthPort, while Robert Bolick posted 12 points and 11 assists but shot an atrocious 3-of-16 from the field—1-of-10 from beyond the arc.

The Batang Pier’s three-game winning streak came to a halt and dropped to a 4-4 record.

Josef Ramos

GILAS Pilipinas star Dwight Ramos explains why he decides to turn pro in Japan.

in the last game of the finals that won his side the title.

Vietnamese import, Woman Grandmaster Nguyen Thi Mai Hung, a late addition to the Isabela Knights of Alexander squad, received the SUDECO Best Import Award in the league’s third conference called the PCAP-SMCAyala Land Premier Cup. Nguyen scored an impressive 78.5/90 points for a total of 87.22 percent in more than 60 matches for Isabela. She was a former Asian junior and Vietnam national

women’s champion.

IM Cris Ramayrat of the Manila Indios Bravis was named the RiChess Masters Best Player of the Conference. He played the senior board for the Indios Bravos and scored the best record in the PCAP with 92/102 points (90.2 percent) in more than 68 games.

Ramayrat was a former San Francisco-USA Open champion and was the original Blitz King of the Philippines.

MIKEY WILLIAMS piles up important numbers for TNT.