BusinessMirror September 24, 2021

Duterte signs law fixing tax on POGOs

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

& Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

P

HILIPPINE Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO) will now be required to pay taxes for gross gaming revenues and regulatory fees.

This, after President Duterte signed Republic Act (RA) 11590 or an Act Taxing Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations as part of the priority legislative agenda to strictly regulate gambling while generating additional revenue for a government that borrowed heavily for the pandemic response.

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Under the new law, POGOs or offshore gaming licensees will have to pay a 5-percent gaming tax, to be remitted to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) not later the 20th day following the end of each month.

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) or any special economic zone authority or tourism zone authority or free port authority may also impose a regulatory fee POGOs, which shall not cumulatively exceed 2 percent of gross gaming revenue.

Gross gaming revenue or receipts refer to gross wagers less payouts.

The accredited service providers of POGOs will be subjected to

the gaming taxes.

Of the gaming tax revenues collected from POGOs, 60 percent will be allocated to the following purposes: Universal Health Care Law (60 percent); Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP) of the Department of Health (20 percent); and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (20 percent).

Pagcor or the special economic zone authority must get the service of a third-party audit platform to determine the gross gaming revenue or receipts of offshore gaming licensees.

Philippine-based POGOs with a license from Pagcor must pay a 25-percent income tax for non-

gaming revenues.

RA 11590 also reiterated that foreign nationals (FN) employed

by POGO firms and their service providers are not exempt from paying income taxes.

Offshore gaming licensees and their service provider will be fined P20,000 for every FN without a tax identification number.

The license of the erring establishment may also be revoked.

Those FNs who refuse to pay income tax may face deportation and be blacklisted by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Bureau of Immigration (BI) and other concerned agencies.

See “Duterte,” A2

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8-MO BUDGET DEFICIT WIDENS 29% TO P958B www.businessmirror.com.ph

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By Bernadette D. Nicolas

T

@BNicolasBM

HE national government’s budget deficit widened to P958.2 billion as of end-August as the growth in state revenue collection failed to keep up with the acceleration of government expenditures.

Continued on a3

BSP KEEPING POLICY SETTINGS DESPITE HIGHER INFLATION

T

HE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) announced on Thursday it continues to maintain the country’s all-time low monetary policy rates despite its expectation that the country’s inflation path is higher than earlier expected.

BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said the Monetary Board decided to maintain the interest rate on the BSP’s overnight reverse repurchase facility at 2 percent. The interest rates on the overnight deposit and lending facilities were likewise kept at 1.5 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively.

This is despite their latest baseline forecasts which indicate a higher inflation path over the policy horizon.

BSP Deputy Governor Fran-

cisco Dakila Jr. said inflation is now expected to average at 4.4 percent, representing an upward adjustment from the 4.1- percent forecast in August.

The inflation accelerated to 4.9 percent in August 2021 from 4 percent in its previous month. This is the highest inflation recorded since January 2019.

With the August 2021 inflation, the country’s average eight-month inflation stood at 4.4 percent.

For next year, Dakila said they also revised upwards their inflation forecast from 3.1 percent to 3.3 percent. For 2023, inflation is expected to average at 3.2 percent from the earlier 3.1 percent projection.

Continued on a3

PESO exchange rates n US 50.1820

A road maintenance crew does repair work on potholes left by heavy rains along a stretch of the 117.5-km Marcos Highway, which connects Metro Manila with Infanta, Quezon.

With the onset of La Niña, the weather bureau has predicted a higher probability of above-normal rainfall conditions in the country in the next few months until next year. NONOY LACZA

Certify 2022 budget, House asks Palace T

HE leadership of the House of Representatives on Thursday formally asked President Duterte to certify as urgent the P5.024-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) for 2022.

Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and Committee on Appropriations Chairman Eric Go Yap said the House sent its formal letter of request to President Duterte

for the issuance of the urgent certification to expedite approval of the 2022 national budget.

With this certification, Congress dispenses with the threeday rule between second and third reading approvals of a measure.

The Office of the Presidential Spokesperson confirmed that the Office of the President received the request from the House, and

said it was being studied.

The House eyes third and final reading approval by September 30 or before the congressional break.

At least 34 government agencies and attached agencies, commissions, bureaus and offices will still defend their budget allocations for 2022 at the plenary.

Congress goes on break from October 1 to November 7 as can-

didates for all national and local positions file their certificates of candidacy.

With the theme, “Sustaining the Legacy of Real Change for Future Generations,” the P5.024trillion budget is equivalent to 22.8 percent of GDP and is higher by 11.5 percent than this year’s national budget.

n japan 0.4571 n UK 68.3730 n HK 6.4451 n CHINA 7.7640 n singapore 37.0812 n australia 36.3167 n EU 58.6828 n SAUDI arabia 13.3794

See “Certify,” A2

Source: BSP (September 23, 2021)

News BusinessMirror

A2 Friday, September 24, 2021

Certify…

Continued from A1

Defer Meanwhile, the House deferred termination of its plenary deliberation on the P2billion proposed budget of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for fiscal year 2022.

The motion to defer was concurred in by legislators after Bayan Muna Rep. Isagani Zarate said there are still issues to be tackled with the DBM. Zarate rued that “they [DBM] continually gave unsatisfactory answers and insisted on the legality of their actions on how the Executive department used budgetary savings and contingent funds.”

On the issue of savings, lawmakers learned with the submission of at least six agencies there are about P57-billion savings from 2017-2020, “but we never knew this because they were not posted. This is one of the reasons why it is stated in

the General Appropriations Act that national savings should always be posted at the DBM web site and reported to Congress,” said the Davao-based solon.

“As it is they are using funds at their leisure without Congress’ approval, thereby impinging on Congress’ power of the purse, and violating its mandate,” he added.

Second, Zarate said the DBM’s National Budget Circular 586 and its Administrative Order 41 are unconstitutional, even illegal, because it forces departments and agencies to declare savings not even at the middle of the year—at the same time that Bayanihan 2 and the GAA 2020 are still being implemented.

“The circular and the memo creates DAP-like funds that the Executive may use wherever it pleases him, making it a form of pork barrel, especially during election time,” he added.

Zarate noted the P10.3-billion unused fund that was transferred to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz and Samuel P. Medenilla

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PHL banks have little exposure to China real-estate sector–BSP

By Bianca Cuaresma

T

@BcuaresmaBM

HE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said the local banking sector has very little investment in China’s real-estate sector.

In a recent press briefing, BSP Deputy Director Maria Cynthia Sison said Philippine banks are largely domesticoriented with cross-border exposures or claims from counterparties in other countries at 9.4 percent of total banking system assets. In terms of exposure

Duterte…

First year: P15.7B

to China, claims from counterparties based in China and its Special Administrative Regions are minimal, at 0.86 percent of total banking system assets, Sison added.

Earlier this week, one of China’s largest property developers China Ev-

Continued from A1

The principal author of the Fiscal Regime for POGOs law sees the new law generating P15.73 billion in total public resources in its first full year and P144.54 billion over the next five years.

House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Joey Sarte Salceda said the fiscal regime will help stabilize the POGO industry, which “was wracked by the uncertainty due to the Supreme Court temporary restraining order on their tax treatment.”

Salceda added the law will help the POGO industry “recover, since we’ve lost some of them to Cambodia already due to our uncertain tax regime in the past.”

“But they will operate under stricter terms. That is the spirit of President Duterte’s pronouncement earlier this year, and that is also the spirit of my proposal which I proposed as early as October 2019, way before the pandemic,” Salceda added.

“As long as they pay the right taxes and comply with all our laws, they will be able to operate,” Salceda said.

Industry shrinks by half

Salceda said that after the SC TRO and the Covid-19 pan-

ergrande Group fueled fears of a possible contagion over its potential default.

The BSP official, meanwhile, said Philippines banks are not expected to have any significant investments in Chinese real estate.

“Banks are only allowed to invest in real estate for two purposes. First, they can own real estate for their own use or as banking premises.

Second, they are allowed to hold real-estate assets which are acquired in settlement of claims or foreclosed real-estate property. Banks are required under the Law to dispose of foreclosed real-estate property within five years,” Sison said.

BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno also earlier said that the Philippine banking system, in general, remains

stable and is in a strong position to service the financing requirements of the recovering economy.

“The positive performance of the Philippine banking system is evidenced by sustained growth in its assets, deposits, and capital, as well as ample capital and liquidity buffers and loan loss reserves,” Diokno said.

“The BSP will continue to adopt policy reforms on risk governance aimed at promoting the continued safety and soundness of the financial system against the backdrop of rapid advancements in technological innovations, an evolving financial ecosystem, and the increasing attention towards the attainment of social and environmental goals,” the governor added.

demic, the POGO industry shrank by as much as 50 percent.

More than half, or 32 of the original 60 POGOs in the country have already left, according to Pagcor. “[The remaining 32 Pogos] closed Philippine operations and most transferred to other jurisdictions,” Pagcor Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Andrea Domingo told the BusinessMirror in a message on Thursday.

However, she did not elaborate on the reason behind the exodus of POGOs in the country, although Pagcor earlier warned that more POGOs will exit the country due to stringent BIR rules and the impact of movement restrictions amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

For their part, BIR Deputy Commissioner Arnel Guballa said on Thursday they cannot yet estimate

the revenues that they may collect following the signing into law of the measure.

“Many had closed operations, we heard,” he told the BusinessMirror.

Asked whether BIR will still go after Pogos who have already closed their operations in the country, Guballa said they will still need to verify if they have unpaid taxes.

In March, Guballa told the Senate Committee on Ways and Means that total POGO tax collections this year could only reach P3.92 billion or 45.37 percent lower than its actual collection of P7.18 billion last year.

Guballa said the projection is based on their January 2021 collection data showing their tax haul from POGOs only reached P327.2 million during the month, plunging by 68.63 percent from P1.043 billion in the same period last year.

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Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Friday, September 24, 2021 A3

DTI chief welcomes China’s intent to CPTPP accession

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad @TyronePiad

T

RADE Secretary Ramon Lopez finds it “more interesting” that China now seeks accession to Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which is a major trade pact the Philippines is applying to be a party as well.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) chief, in an interview with the BusinessMirror, said that China’s interest to be part of the

trans-Pacific trade agreement shows it initiative to strengthen economic times with more countries.

“It can also be viewed as a recognition that an open market policy under a rules-based system indeed promotes economic development,” he said.

On September 16, China filed its application to join the 11-member free trade agreement (FTA); Taiwan followed suit after.

CPTPP, signed on March 8, 2018, comprises Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Ma-

laysia, Mexico, Peru, New Zealand, Singapore and Vietnam. The AsiaPacific trade pact was launched by the United States to rival economic giant China, but former President Donald Trump withdrew their position in 2017.

“China, in joining CPTPP, makes it more interesting since we are also in RCEP [Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership] together,” Lopez said.

RCEP signatories include the 10 Asean member-states and their FTA partners: Australia, China, Japan,

Korea and New Zealand.

Earlier this year, Trade Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo confirmed that the Philippines signified its interest to join the CPTPP and wrote to New Zealand, the depository country of the FTA. Rodolfo also identified five target export products that the DTI would like to secure in the deal: automotive parts, garments, agricultural commodities, processed agricultural products and plant-based meat alternatives, and electronics.

“Philippines as a trading nation,

and as an economy that adopts an open market policy for trade and investments, is highly interested in joining the CPTPP,” Lopez said. “We are now in the process of evaluating the impact of joining the CPTPP and has made initial inquiry on the process of accession.”

While the country expressed its interest in CPTPP, Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) Chairman George T. Barcelon said that it will likely focus more on RCEP for now.

“I believe our country will give

the RCEP more priority rather than CPTPP.... It’s just this hasn’t been ratified by Congress,” he told the BusinessMirror.

The Philexport official stressed that the deal can help the country access markets even outside the Asean region.

Earlier this month, President Duterte ratified the RCEP document. It will be brought to Senate for concurrence “soon,” Lopez said in a recent event, noting that it is “on track” for implementation by January 1, 2022.

Pandemic dents EV industry, but outlook remains positive–EVAP

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HILE the pandemic delayed the electric vehicle (EV) sector’s progress, a positive outlook is retained given the “growing interest” from the part of potential investors and regulatory moves to beef up the industry.

Edmund A. Araga, Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP) president, said dur-

ing the 9th Philippine EV Summit on Thursday there were fewer EVs registered in the past year amid the pandemic.

Registered EVs slid by 35 percent to 1,015 units last year from 1,570 units in 2019. In 2010-2020, the country has 12,965 EVs registered with the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

These include mostly e-trikes

(7,100) and e-motorcycles (4,845).

Others are e-jeepneys (679), e-cars (276), e-sports utility vehicles (43), e-trucks (12) and e-buses (10).

But the EVAP head said that the industry has bright prospects given that more players are getting interested to join.

“In the past 12 months alone, EVAP has welcomed three EV charging system suppliers and

network providers,” he said. “In addition, several local and foreign-owned major electronics and automotive parts and component manufacturers have initiated meetings with EVAP for better understanding of the industry and for them to express serious interest to join the fray.”

“The growing interest from these sectors is monumental as they fill up

8-mo budget deficit widens 29% to ₧958B Latest data released by the Bureau of the Treasury showed the budget gap in the eight-month period was higher by 29.36 percent this year compared with last year’s P740.7 billion.

The year-to-date budget deficit level is now at 52 percent of the P1.86-trillion revised programmed budget gap for 2021.

State revenues from January to August grew by 3.87 percent to P2.01 trillion this year from P1.93 trillion

in 2020. The bulk or 90 percent of the revenues was raised through taxes while the remaining 10 percent came from non-tax sources.

On the other hand, government expenditures as of end-August hit P2.96 trillion, posting a double-digit growth of 10.94 percent from P2.67 trillion in the same period a year ago.

For the month of August alone, the national government’s budget deficit surged threefold to P120.9

billion from only P40.1 billion last year. This bigger August budget gap resulted from government expenditures outperforming state revenues.

The higher outturn was driven by the releases of various Covid-19 funding requirements, including financial assistance to households affected by the implementation of Enhanced Community Quarantine in the National Capital Region and subsidy releases to state-run Philip-

BSP keeping policy settings despite higher inflation continued from a1

Diokno said the risks to the inflation outlook are seen rising for the rest of 2021 as pressures on international commodity prices amid improving global demand and lingering supply-chain bottlenecks—and the potential effects of weather disturbances and possibly prolonged recovery from the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak—could keep pushing up prices.

Dakila said monthly inflation could hit above 5 percent in September and will still remain elevated in October before falling to within the target range of 2 to 4 percent in November.

Despite the looming inflationary pressures, prevailing

monetary policy settings remain appropriate, however, as price growth remains “manageable” and growth outlook remains uncertain, in the BSP governor’s views.

“Keeping a steady hand on the BSP’s policy levers will allow the momentum of economic recovery to gain more traction by helping boost domestic demand and market confidence,” Diokno said.

Diokno also vowed to keep monitoring evolving conditions for any threats to the inflation target.

“The BSP stands ready to take appropriate measures as necessary to ensure that the monetary policy stance remains in line with its price and financial stability

mandates,” the governor said.

Overall, Diokno also said the outlook for the country’s recovery continues to hinge on timely measures to prevent deeper negative effects on the Philippine economy.

“To this end, the acceleration of the government’s vaccination program and a recalibration of existing quarantine protocols will be crucial in supporting economic activity while safeguarding public health and welfare,” he said.

The BSP has kept the country’s monetary policy since December last year, with its aim to be supportive of the country’s economic recovery.

Bianca Cuaresma

Manila cited in top emerging start-up ecosystems report continued from a12 T he re por t noted t h at t he Phi l ippine Innovat ion Act and t he I n no v at i v e St a r t u p A c t a re pol ic ies t h at en able t he cou nt r y to i mprove it s i n no v at ion a nd ent re preneu rsh ip ecos y stem.

These are parallel with the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Inclusive Innovation Industrial Strategy, which seeks to support the innovative start-ups amid

the industry 4.0.

In addition, the DTI previously launched the National AI Strategy Roadmap which aims to make the country a big data processing and analytics hub that can provide high-value services.

It also provides incubation, commercialization support and fiscal incentives, among others, to innovative start-ups.

In Asia, Manila is among the top

30 best performers in the survey; Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, Seoul and Singapore took the lead. The regional ecosystem is worth $1.1 trillion, which is about 30 percent of the global share.

The best start-up ecosystems across the globe, meanwhile, include the Silicon Valley, London, New York City, Beijing, Boston, Los Angeles, Tel Aviv, Shanghai, Tokyo and Seattle.

Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

ADB: Organic food a boon for SEA continued from a12 Obtaining an international certification is even more expensive, making it uneconomical for small and marginal farmers.

Citing data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), ADB said only 54 percent of organic agriculture lands in developing Asia have been certified.

Further, other studies estimated that as of 2020, only

72 economies globally had fully implemented organic regulations and only 10 of them were located in Asia.

“Lack of support in terms of organic product distribution and marketing systems makes it even harder for farmers to meet certification requirements and standards,” the report also stated.

ADB said daily energy consumption per capita in the region is expected to increase from

2,612 kilocalories in 2012 to 2,844 by 2030.

Demand for food in Asia has shifted away from basic staples toward more resource-intensive animal-based products. Asians are also the biggest consumers of fish per capita in the world.

With this, ADB said, Asia’s agriculture sector must be productive enough to meet these increases and shifts in demand.

a big gap and put the country closer to completing an EV ecosystem,” Araga added.

Meanwhile, Araga said they are “hopeful” about the passage of the Electric Vehicles and Charging Stations Act, which advocates for the use of EVs. “We are all looking forward to its eventual passage, the bicameral deliberations, and finally the signing

into to law within the term of the current Congress,” he said.

The industry group welcomed the release of a department circular by the Department of Energy, which covers the development, establishment and operations of charging stations. Araga said this “provides pathway for fiscal incentives to motivate business to put up and adopt EV charging stations.” Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

continued from a1

pine Health Insurance Corp.

Government expenditures rose by 34.2 percent to P380.2 billion in August from last year’s P283.3 billion.

This also marks the second-highest growth for the year next to February’s 37.27 percent.

Meanwhile, revenues collected in August reached P259.3 billion, up by 6.59 percent from P243.2 billion last year.

In 2020, the government’s budget

deficit more than doubled to a recordhigh 7.6 percent of GDP or P1.37 trillion, from only P660.2 billion or 3.4 percent of GDP in 2019.

The government borrows to meet its spending requirements and finance its budget deficit.

The Department of Finance sees the government returning to its prepandemic budget deficit and debt levels as early as 2024 or by 2025.

From a record-low debt-to-GDP ra-

tio of 39.6 percent in 2019, the country’s debt as a share of the economy surged to a 14-year high of 54.6 percent in 2020, as the government ramped up borrowings to fund the Covid-19 pandemic response war chest.

Fi n a nce Sec ret a r y C a rlos Dominguez III said they are working on a fiscal consolidation plan to bring down the government’s debt and budget deficit levels as a share of the economy.

The Nation A4 Friday, September 24, 2021 Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

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Jonson camp disputes suicide angle, says struggle ‘evident’ in initial medical report

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

T

HE legal team of the family of 30-year-old visual artist Breanna Jonson, who was found dead last Saturday in a hotel room in San Juan, La Union, questioned on Thursday the order of the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office of Agoo, La Union to release her boyfriend Julian Ongpin, son of billionaire Roberto Ongpin, from police custody despite being considered as a possible suspect in her death.

In its official statement posted in their Facebook account, the Sunga Salandanan and Ampuan law firm also countered initial reports coming out in various news reports and in social media alleging that Jonson may have committed suicide.

Police Brig. Gen. Emmanuel Peralta, director of the Police Regional Office 1, said that based on the initial investigation, there were no signs or markings on the body of Jonson that would indicate physical confrontation with her boyfriend Julian Ongpin.

“Contrary to prior statements circulating on social media, the

initial medico legal report of Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center showed signs of struggle.

There were bruises found in some other parts of Breanna’s body other than her neck,” the law firm said.

It can be recalled that the Department of Justice (DOJ) told reporters that the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor of La Union issued its inquest resolution last Monday on the drug complaint filed by the Philippine National Police in San Juan, La Union and deemed it proper to conduct a regular preliminary investigation of the case to give law enforcers the opportunity to submit additional evidence in connection with the possession of dangerous drugs under Section 11, Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 case filed against Ongpin.

Ongpin was charged with possession of 12.6 grams of cocaine, a prohibited drug, which was reportedly recovered inside the hotel room of Ongpin and Jonson in Flotsam & Jetsam Resort in La Union where the latter was found unconscious and was later declared dead in a hospital.

Likewise, the DOJ said, the provincial prosecutor found the need to

investigate further if there was “foul play” which may have resulted in the death of Jonson.

Pending the preliminary investigation proceedings and further investigation on the death of Jonson, the DOJ said the provincial prosecutor deemed it proper to order the release of Ongpin from police custody.

Reacting on Ongpin’s immediate release from police custody, Jonson’s legal team said: “Despite presence of the crime’s corpus delicti as well as availability of the only suspect for the death, the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office of Agoo, La Union, resolved to release Julian on the ground that his apprehension does not allegedly fall under any of the instances where warrantless arrest is allowed.”

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, however, declined to comment on Jonson’s camp statement “to avoid prejudging the case.”

Guevarra, however, disclosed that the possibility of transferring the conduct of the preliminary investigation of the case to the DOJ head office in Manila is now under consideration and might come out with a decision on Thursday.

Earlier, Guevarra said the justice

department was just discussing the possibility of designating an acting prosecutor from another place to conduct the preliminary investigation where the offense was committed.

The DOJ secretary stressed, “Jurisdiction lies in the place where the offense was committed.”

Guevarra also confirmed that a team of forensic experts from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) conducted a second autopsy on Jonson’s body upon the request of her family.

The NBI team also proceeded to the hotel where Jonson’s body was found to conduct further investigation and to gather evidence.

It said the specimen taken from Jonson’s body would be subjected for laboratory examinations.

Jonson’s lawyers assured that they would exhaust all legal means to determine the truth behind the artist’s death.

“The family and the legal team will diligently undertake to uncover the truth, exhaust all remedies to secure justice for Breanna’s untimely demise, and find closure for the family, friends and loved ones of Breanna,” the law firm said.

PNP chief leads virtual celebration of 120th Police Service Anniversary

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HE Philippine National Police (PNP) commemorated on Thursday its 120th Police Service Anniversary through virtual ceremonies streamed live to different regional and provincial offices and police stations across the country.

PNP chief General Guillermo Eleazar said this year’s celebration focused mainly on the aspiration of the organization to promote integrity and cleanliness in all aspect of police service.

“Our job as police officers is one of the most challenging forms of public service. What we do, how we think and how we behave are always a special concern for the people in the community even if we are on off-duty,” Eleazar said in his message.

While the police service anniversary is annually celebrated in the month of August in commemoration of the

establishment of the Philippine Constabulary as the country’s first insular police force that was founded on August 8, 1901, Eleazar said it was moved this year due to the implementation of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the National Capital Region and in compliance with pandemic policies and guidelines.

“The true measure of public service is the appreciation, the trust, the confidence and the respect of the people we serve. Kaya naman kahit late ang ating Police Service Anniversary celebration dito sa Camp Crame, due to strict quarantine measures in Metro Manila, I made sure that the true spirit of our anniversary is understood and celebrated by our personnel on the groud because our police stations and offices in various parts of the country are the true frontliners of our police service,” Eleazar said. Rene Acosta

FROM PRESIDENT TO VP?

President Duterte affixes his signature to the Certificate of Nomination issued by the PDP-Laban’s Cusi Wing to signify his acceptance of his nomination as the ruling party’s official candidate for Vice President in the 2022 elections. With him are Energy Chief Alfonso Cusi (middle), president of the PDP-Laban faction that he heads, and Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea (left). MALACAÑANG PHOTO

Gordon confirms Duterte rant his pork funds went to the Red Cross

By Butch Fernandez

S

@butchfBM

EN. Richard Gordon confirmed Thursday President Duterte’s disclosure that the lawmaker’s pork barrel funds went to the Philippine Red Cross, but stressed there was nothing irregular as this was already cleared by the Commission on Audit (COA) which, he said, found nothing irregular long time ago.

Gordon, sitting chairman of Red Cross way before his

election to the Senate, recalled that he had long ago cleared the matter, with COA giving the green light, as well as with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The senator sought the clarification long before President Duterte disclosed recently that Gordon was giving his pork barrel funds to the Red Cross where he serves as its longtime chairman.

Gordon admitted clearing the issue earlier with authorities concerned and was assured by

regulators this was allowed, recalling that there was “no objection from COA, was approved by the Department of Social Welfare [and Development] and everything was liquidated.”

The senator surmised that the President was raising the issue because Duterte got mad after the Senate “investigated his people, including cronies who were linked to irregularities, including the mass purchase of face masks and personal protective

equipment [PPEs] and other anti-pandemic supplies.”

In turn, Gordon dared President Duterte to prove that he pocketed his pork barrel funds that, he assured, “cannot be proven as no such thing happened.”

The senator suggested that President Duterte stop picking on the Senate, and instead order an investigation into Senate findings on the “overpriced ” face masks, PPEs and nearly expiring Covid test kits.

Senate resolution honors ex-DSWD chief Soliman

T

HE Senate on Wednesday unanimously adopted a resolution sponsored by Minority senators honoring the late former Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Victoria “Dinky” Soliman, citing her invaluable contributions to the field of social work and the country.

Introduced by Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon, Senate Resolution 913 initially listed as co-sponsors opposition Senators Francis Pangilinan, Risa Hontiveros and detained Senator Leila de Lima, but was later amended to include all senators from both majority and minority blocs.

In sponsoring the Soliman Resolution, Drilon cited the ex-Cabinet member of the administration of the late former President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III as “a champion of social justice and democracy who dedicated all her life to social work and activism.” Butch Fernandez

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TUPAD pay mess in QC probed

T

HE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has recalled one of its officials as part of its probe into the “anomalous” implementation of its emergency employment program in Quezon City.

In a news statement issued on

Thursday, Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said DOLE’s Quezon City field officer Atty. Joel P. Petaca was recalled to DOLE-National Capital Region Office to undergo an inquiry to determine if he should be held liable for the incident.

“I want to know why he allowed

such problems to happen in the delivery of TUPAD [Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/ Displaced Workers] in Quezon City.

He was supposed to monitor the program of our department. Was he negligent,” Bello said.

TUPAD is DOLE’s emergency

Friday, September 24, 2021 A5 employment program for informal sector workers.

Its beneficiaries are paid the minimum wage in exchange for work, which lasts between 10 to 15 days.

Bello earlier said there were allegedly unqualified beneficiaries as well as “ghost beneficiaries,” who

were paid out from their TUPAD program although they did not engage in any work.

The said unqualified beneficiaries also complained that a certain coordinator deducted a considerable amount from their payout.

Samuel P. Medenilla

A6 Friday, September 24, 2021

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Editor: Angel R. Calso

Friday, September 24, 2021

A7

Vaccine inequity comes into focus during UN gathering

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he inequity of Covid-19 vaccine distribution will come into sharper focus Thursday as many of the African countries whose populations have little to no access to the life-saving shots step to the podium to speak at the UN’s annual meeting of world leaders.

Already, the struggle to contain the coronavirus pandemic has featured prominently in leaders’ speeches— many of them delivered remotely exactly because of the virus. Country after country acknowledged the wide disparity in accessing the vaccine, painting a picture so bleak that a solution has at times seemed impossibly out of reach.

“Some countries have vaccinated their populations, and are on the path to recovery. For others, the lack of vaccines and weak health systems pose a serious problem,” Norway’s Prime Minister, Erna Solberg, said in a prerecorded speech Wednesday. “In Africa, fewer than 1 in 20 people are fully vaccinated.

In Europe, one in two are fully vaccinated. This inequity is clearly unfair.”

Countries slated to give their signature annual speeches on Thursday include South Africa, Botswana, Angola, Burkina Faso and Libya.

Also among them will be Zimbabwe, where the economic ravages of the pandemic have forced some families to abandon the long-held tradition of taking care of their older people. And Uganda, where a surge in virus cases have made scarce hospital beds even more expensive, leading to concerns over alleged exploitation of patients by private hospitals.

On Wednesday, during a global vaccination summit convened virtually on the sidelines of the General Assembly, President Joe Biden announced that the United States would double its purchase of Pfizer’s Covid-19 shots to share with the world to 1 billion doses, with the goal of vaccinating 70 percent of the global population within the next year.

The move comes as world leaders, aid groups and global health organizations have growing increasingly vocal about the slow pace of global vaccinations and the inequity of access to shots between residents of wealthier

and poorer nations.

The World Health Organization says only 15 percent of promised donations of vaccines—from rich countries that have access to large quantities of them—have been delivered.

The UN health agency has said it wants countries to fulfill their dose-sharing pledges “immediately” and make shots available for programs that benefit poor countries and Africa in particular.

During an anti-racism event on Wednesday commemorating a landmark but contentious conference 20 years ago, President Felix Tshisekedi of Congo pointed to the fact that only about 1 in 1,000 people in his country have gotten at least one shot.

The disparity in vaccine availability around the world “clearly does not demonstrate equality between the countries and peoples of this world,” Tshisekedi said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy likewise called out failures in sharing coronavirus vaccines during his speech Wednesday night, his hopes in 2020 of “effective multilateralism and effective international solidarity” dashed a year later, “where one thing is to share objectives and quite another is to share vaccines.”

Also on Thursday, foreign ministers are due to ponder climate change as a security issue when the Security Council, the UN’s most powerful body, meets in the morning.

Climate change has been a major focus during this week’s General Assembly gathering. World leaders made “faint signs of progress” on the financial end of fighting climate change in a special United Nations feet-to-the-fire meeting Monday, but they didn’t commit to more crucial cuts in emissions of the heat-trapping gases that cause global warming. AP

Taiwan asks to join trade group, says China might interfere

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AIPEI, Taiwan—Taiwan has applied to join an 11-nation Pacific trade group, Cabinet officials said Thursday, setting up a potential clash with rival Beijing over the status of the island democracy.

Taiwan’s application to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership might be disrupted if China, which applied last week, is admitted first, said John Deng, a minister without portfolio.

The CPTPP, which took effect in 2018, includes agreements on market access, movement of labor and government procurement. Other members include Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Singapore and New Zealand.

The mainland ’s ruling Communist Party claims Taiwan as part of its territor y and says its elected government has no right to conduct foreign relations.

“China has been obstructing Tai-

wan’s opportunities in the international arena,” said Deng at a news conference.

“If China joins ahead of Taiwan, it will endanger Taiwan’s application.”

The CPTPP was the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a group promoted by thenPresident Barack Obama. His successor, Donald Trump, pulled out in 2017.

President Joe Biden has not rejoined.

China and Taiwan have been ruled separately since the Communist Party took control of the mainland in 1949 following a civil war. They have extensive trade and investment ties but no official relations.

Deng said Taiwan’s status as a democracy and market economy should count in its favor.

“Taiwan and China follow different systems of organization. We are an integrated market economy,” he said.

“We have democracy and the rule of law backing us. Our laws are transparent to all.” AP

A8

TheWorld

Friday, September 24, 2021

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Biden doubles US global donation of Covid-19 jabs

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resident Joe Biden announced Wednesday that the United States is doubling its purchase of Pfizer’s Covid-19 shots to share with the world to 1 billion doses as he embraces the goal of vaccinating 70 percent of the global population within the next year.

The stepped-up US commitment marks the cornerstone of the global vaccination summit Biden convened virtually on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, where he encouraged well-off nations to do more to get the coronavirus under control. It comes as world leaders, aid groups and global health organizations have growing increasingly vocal about the slow pace of global vaccinations and the inequity of access to shots between residents of wealthier and poorer nations.

“Global health security until now has failed, to the tune of 4.5 million lives, and counting,” UN Secretary General António Guterres told the summit, referring to the confirmed global death toll from the coronavirus. “We have effective vaccines against Covid-19. We can end the pandemic. And that is why I have been appealing for a global vaccination plan and I hope this summit is a step in that direction.”

The US purchase of another 500 million shots brings the total US vaccination commitment to more than 1.1 billion doses through 2022. About 160 million shots supplied by the US have already been distributed to more than 100 countries, representing more donations than the rest of the world combined. The remaining American doses will be distributed over the coming year.

“To beat the pandemic here, we need to beat it everywhere,” Biden said. He added that with the new commitments, “For every one shot we’ve administered to date in America, we have now committed to do three shots to the rest of the world.”

The latest purchase reflects only a fraction of what will be necessary to meet a goal of vaccinating 70 percent of the global population—and 70 percent of the citizens of each nation—by next September’s UN meeting.

It’s a target pushed by global aid groups that Biden threw his weight behind.

Biden is pressing other countries to do more in their vaccine sharing plans.

“We need other high income countries to deliver on their own ambitious vaccine donations and pledges,” Biden said. He called on wealthy countries to commit to donating, rather than selling the shots to poorer nations, and to provide them “with no political strings attached.”

The European Union committed to donating 500 million doses—a slight increase from its earlier announced plans—

according to a joint statement between the bloc and the US. “We call for nations that are able to vaccinate their populations to double their dose-sharing commitments or to make meaningful contributions to vaccine readiness,” the statement said.

They also committed to working with the US to bolster global vaccine supply.

Biden, in his remarks, said the US would also increase its funding to global aid groups that are administering shots.

The American response has come under criticism for being too modest, particularly as the administration advocates for providing booster shots to tens of millions of Americans before vulnerable people in poorer nations have received even a first dose.

“We have observed failures of multilateralism to respond in an equitable, coordinated way to the most acute moments. The existing gaps between nations with regard to the vaccination process are unheard of,” Colombian President Iván Duque said Tuesday at the United Nations.

More than 5.9 billion Covid-19 doses have been administered globally over the past year, representing about 43 percent of the global population. But there are vast disparities in distribution, with many lower-income nations struggling to vaccinate even the most vulnerable share of their populations, and some yet to exceed 2 percent to 3 percent vaccination rates.

Chilean President Sebastian Piñera said the “triumph” of speedy vaccine development was offset by political “failure” that produced inequitable distribution. “In science, cooperation prevailed; in politics, individualism. In science, shared information reigned; in politics, reserve. In science, teamwork predominated; in politics, isolated effort,” Piñera said.

The World Health Organization says only 15 percent of promised donations of vaccines—from rich countries that have access to large quantities of them—have been delivered.

The UN health agency has said it wants countries to fulfill their dose-sharing pledges “immediately” and make shots available for programs that benefit poor countries and Africa in particular.

COVAX, the UN-backed program to ship vaccines to all countries has struggled with production issues, supply shortages and a near-cornering of the market for vaccines by wealthy nations.

The WHO has urged companies that produce vaccines to prioritize COVAX and make public their supply schedules.

It also has appealed to wealthy countries to avoid broad rollouts of booster shots so doses can be made available to health care workers and vulnerable people in the developing world. Such calls have largely gone ignored.

COVAX has missed nearly all of its vaccine-sharing targets.

Its managers also have lowered their ambitions to ship vaccines by the end of this year, from an original target of some 2 billion doses worldwide to hopes for 1.4 billion now. Even that mark could be missed.

As of Tuesday, COVAX had shipped more than 296 million doses to 141 countries.

“Today’s summit was full of speeches but tragically lacking in action,” said Oxfam America’s President and CEO Abby Maxman. “While we commend President Biden for rallying world leaders to commit to vaccinate 70 percent of the world by this time next year, we have yet to see an effective plan to meet this goal. President Biden and leaders of rich countries should listen to what leaders from developing countries are asking for: the rights and the recipe to make their own vaccine doses.”

Biden, earlier this year, broke with European allies to embrace waivers to intellectual property rights for the vaccines, but there was no movement Wednesday toward the necessary global consensus on the issue required under World Trade Organization rules. While some nongovernmental organizations have called those waivers vital to boosting global production of the shots, US officials concede it is not the most constricting factor in the inequitable vaccine distribution—and some privately doubt the waivers for the highly complex shots would lead to enhanced production.

The 70 percent global target is ambitious, not least because of the US experience.

Biden had set a goal of vaccinating 70 percent of the US adult population by July 4, but persistent vaccine hesitance contributed to the nation not meeting that target until a month later. Nearly 64 percent of the entire US population has received at least one dose and less than 55 percent is fully vaccinated, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

US officials hope to increase those figures in the coming months, both through encouraging the use of vaccination mandates and by vaccinating children once regulators clear the shots for the under-12 population.

Aid groups have warned that the persistent inequities risk extending the global pandemic, and that could lead to new and more dangerous variants. The Delta variant raging across the US has proved to be more transmissible than the original strain, though the existing vaccines have been effective at preventing nearly all serious illness and death. AP

TheWorld

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Friday, September 24, 2021

A9

US and allies strengthen Indo-Pacific involvement

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ANGKOK—With increasingly strong talk in support of Taiwan, a new deal to supply Australia with nuclear submarines, and the launch of a European strategy for greater engagement in the IndoPacific, the US and its allies are becoming growingly assertive in their approach toward a rising China.

China has bristled at the moves, and the growing tensions between Beijing and Washington prompted UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the weekend to implore President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to repair their “completely dysfunctional” relationship, warning they risk dividing the world.

As the UN General Assembly opened Tuesday, both leaders chose calming language, with Biden insisting “we are not seeking a new Cold War or a world divided into rigid blocs,” and Xi telling the forum that “China has never, and will never invade or bully others or seek hegemony.”

But the underlying issues have not changed, with China building up its military outposts as it presses its maritime claims over critical sea lanes, and the US and its allies growing louder in their support of Taiwan, which China claims as part of its territory, and deepening military cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

On Friday, Biden hosts the leaders of Japan, India and Australia for an in-person Quadrilateral Security Dialogue for broad talks including the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change, but also how to keep the Indo-Pacific, a vast region spanning from India to Australia, “free and open,” according to the White House.

It comes a week after the dramatic announcement that Australia would be dropping a contract for conventional French submarines in favor of an Anglo-American offer for nuclear-powered vessels, a bombshell that overshadowed the unveiling of the European Union’s strategy to boost political and defense ties in the Indo-Pacific.

“One thing is certain, that everyone is pivoting toward the Indo-Pacific,” said Garima Mohan, an Asia program fellow with the German Marshall Fund think tank.

As partners pursue moves that play to their own strengths and needs, however, the past week has underscored the lack of coordination as a networked security strategy develops, she said.

“Not everyone has the same threat assessment of China,” she said in a telephone interview from Berlin.

The EU policy emphasizes the need for dialogue with Beijing, to encourage “China to play its part in a peaceful and thriving Indo-Pacific region,” while at the same time proposing an “enhanced naval presence” and expanded security cooperation with regional partners.

It also notes China’s increased military buildup, and that “the display of force and increasing tensions in regional hotspots such as in the South and East China Sea, and in the Taiwan Strait, may have a direct impact on European security and prosperity.”

Germany, which has close economic ties to China, got a wake-up call last week when China rejected its request for a port call for the frigate Bavaria, which is currently conducting maneuvers in the Indo-Pacific.

“China is telling them this inclusive approach is not going to work, so in a way it’s a rude awakening for Berlin,” Mohan said.

“You have to take a position, you can’t have your cake and eat it too, and if you have an Indo-Pacific strategy ... you can’t make it neutral.”

Other EU countries, most notably France, have also sent naval assets for exercises in the Indo-Pacific, and Britain has had a whole carrier strike group conducting exercises for several months as London pursues the new tilt toward the region recommended by a recent British government review of defense and foreign policy.

China’s Foreign Ministry said after rejecting the Bavaria’s port call that it remained “willing to carry out friendly

exchanges with Germany on the basis of mutual respect and mutual trust,” but made clear it was displeased with the increased naval presence in the region.

“Individual powers... have repeatedly dispatched military aircraft and warships to the South China Sea for some time in the name of exercising freedom of navigation to flex muscle, stir up trouble and deliberately provoke conflicts on maritime issues,” spokesman Zhao Lijian said. “China’s determination to safeguard national and territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests is unwavering, and will continue to properly handle differences with the countries concerned through consultations and negotiations.”

Beijing was less reserved in its reaction to the submarine deal with Australia, under which the US and Britain will help Canberra construct nuclear-powered submarines, calling it “highly irresponsible” and saying it would “seriously damage regional peace and stability.”

In signing the pact with the US and Britain, Australia canceled a $66 billion deal with France for diesel-powered submarines, infuriating Paris, which recalled its ambassadors to Washington and Canberra and suggested it calls into question the entire cooperative effort to blunt China’s growing influence.

While clearly irked by the surprise deal, many observers have suggested that the vociferous reaction from France may be more directed toward a domestic audience, where President Emmanuel Macron faces a reelection bid early next year.

But there was clear disappointment that the US seemed to be ignoring France’s own engagement in the region by not informing them in advance, said Laurence Nardon, an expert at the French Institute for International Relations.

“There was a way to do this while keeping Europeans in the loop,” she said. “The Indo-Pacific is important for the EU too; it’s not one or the other.”

In a call with Macron late Wednesday, Biden reaffirmed “the strategic importance of French and European engagement in the Indo-Pacific region,” according to a joint statement.

More than just a decision to pursue nuclear submarines, the deal was a clear signal of Australia committing long term to being in the US camp on China policy, said Euan Graham, an expert with the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Singapore.

The submarine deal seems likely to exacerbate the ongoing trade war between China and Australia, and Australia is hoping to strike a free trade deal with Quad partner India to help offset the economic impact.

While the European strategy outline will take time, the plan provides clarity in how the EU is prepared to work with the US and its allies in the region—something that has been lacking in the past.

“There’s a lack of understanding on the US side of why Europe is interested in the Indo-Pacific and exactly what kind of role it wants to play,” Mohan said in a podcast on the issue. “There’s also a lack of understanding of the US approach.”

In the outline of the strategy, the EU broadly looks to pool its resources for greater effect, and to work more closely with the Quad countries, the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and others.

It also envisions enhancing current operations, such as the Atalanta antipiracy mission off the Horn of Africa and in the western Indian Ocean, and the expansion of the EU maritime security and safety mission in the wider Indian Ocean area, which has already been broadened to Southeast Asia.

“The European assessment is very realistic about what they can and cannot do in the region,” Mohan said. “It’s about making sure the resources, the spending, that’s done right and has an impact.” AP

‘Grow up’: UK’s Johnson says world must face climate change

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ritish Prime Minister Boris Johnson told world leaders at the United Nations on Wednesday night that humanity has to “grow up” and tackle climate change, saying humans must stop trashing the planet like a teenager on a bender.

Johnson is due to host a major United Nations climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland in six weeks’ time. He is using a trip to the UN General Assembly in New York to press governments for tougher emissionscutting targets and more money to help poor countries clean up their economies.

In a speech to the General Assembly on Wednesday, he said it’s now or never if the world is to meet its goal of limiting the

global temperature rise to 1.5C above preindustrial levels.

“If we keep on the current track then the temperatures will go up by 2.7 degrees or more by the end of the century. And never mind what that will do to the ice floes,” Johnson said. “We will see desertification, drought, crop failure, and mass movements of humanity on a scale not seen before. Not because of some unforeseen natural event or disaster, but because of us, because of what we are doing now.”

In his speech, Johnson compared humanity to an impetuous 16-year-old —“just old enough to get ourselves into serious trouble.” AP

A10 Friday, September 24, 2021 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

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editorial

Goodbye coal?

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ore than 100 world leaders on Tuesday returned to the United Nations in person for the first time in two years. With the pandemic still raging, about 60 heads of state have chosen to deliver pre-recorded statements. In his annual state-of-the-world speech at the opening of the UN General Assembly, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres rang the alarm: “We are on the edge of an abyss—and moving in the wrong direction. I’m here to sound the alarm. The world must wake up.”

Alarm over global warming was a common theme in speeches at the UN. For example, Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said “the difference between 1.5 degrees and 2 degrees is a death sentence for the Maldives.” He added: “The state of environmental ruin small island states endure now, will without a doubt catch up with bigger nations sooner than later. There is no guarantee of survival for any one nation in a world where the Maldives cease to exist.”

Slovakia President Zuzana Caputova said, “Simply put, our common task is saving our planet. Previously, the Earth was whispering but now she is screaming that she cannot hold us any longer, that humankind is too heavy a burden to carry. Saving the planet is not a promise we make today for our successors to implement it later.”

Portugal President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa profoundly summed up: “It is not just for climate that there is no Planet B. It is for everything.”

US President Joe Biden Tweeted before he spoke at the UN General Assembly: “The evidence is clear: climate change poses an existential threat. If we don’t stay below 1.5°C of global temperature rise, we’re in deep trouble. We need to build back better by investing in clean energy, cutting emissions, and fighting climate change head on.”

In his speech, Biden pledged to double financial aid to poorer nations to $11.4 billion by 2024 so those countries could switch to cleaner energy and meet carbon emissions goals. He added that the US aims to become the world’s leading provider of climate finance to “help developing nations tackle the climate crisis.”

Hours later, Chinese President Xi Jinping surprised the UN General Assembly and all those listening to his pre-recorded speech all over the world when he announced that China will no longer fund coal-fired power plants abroad.

“This is the announcement many have been waiting for. It’s a big deal.

China was the only significant funder of overseas coal left. This announcement essentially ends all public support for coal globally,” said Joanna Lewis, an expert on China, energy and climate at Georgetown University.

The UN chief called Xi’s announcement welcome news. “Accelerating the global phase out of coal is the single most important step to keeping the Paris agreement’s key warming limit within reach,” Guterres said.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is hosting the upcoming climate negotiations in Glasgow, was seemingly overjoyed. “Today was a really good day for the world,” he said.

In a speech to the General Assembly, Johnson said it’s now or never if the world is to meet its goal of limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. “If we keep on the current track then the temperatures will go up by 2.7 degrees or more by the end of the century. And never mind what that will do to the ice floes,” he said. “We will see desertification, drought, crop failure, and mass movements of humanity on a scale not seen before.

Not because of some unforeseen natural event or disaster, but because of us, because of what we are doing now.”

We hope the next round of UN climate talks, to be held in Glasgow from October 31 to November 12, will bring global solidarity so that all parties involved will work together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The world needs to act on climate change now. Delayed efforts to stop global warming will have adverse consequences for humankind.

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Better Days

A

fter languishing in the legislative mill for over a decade, the bill institutionalizing a Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers, which we co-sponsored, has finally reached the plenary debates in the Senate. We laud Sen. Joel Villanueva, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment, and Human Resources, for his hard work and savvy in crafting a version that balances the interests of all stakeholders involved to meaningfully define and uphold the rights, minimum standards of work, and compulsory benefits of sea-based Filipino workers.

I have filed this measure consistently since my second term as Representative of Aurora Province in 2007, in full recognition of our seafarers’ contributions to the country. For one, sea-based workers have contributed at least $6 billion (approximately P300 billion) in remittances annually since 2018 per Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) statistics. Seafaring has also become inextricably linked with our nation’s global identity with Filipino seafarers constituting a third (or over 500,000) of the world’s 1.6 million seafarer population, according to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and the International Chamber of Shipping.

Even throughout the pandemic, seafarers have remained critical as they power the shipping industry that links countries to critical medical supplies and keeps the global economy running. And yet, despite

the crucial role these sea-based workers play, they sometimes go without any support to handle the unique challenges they face in the new normal.

The United Nations even described seafarers as “collateral victims” of Covid-19 restrictions and travel bans with over 250,000 seabased workers estimated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to be either barred from going home as they are stranded in seas or restricted from working being grounded onshore.

One shipping industry commentary also noted how even though seafarers are considered key workers, they are not treated as such at all. The commentary cited instances where seafarers had limited access to medical help with some even prevented from leaving their vessels to seek emergency treatment during the pandemic’s onset last year. The

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IMO also observed that depression and anxiety were prevalent among seafarers due to their extended stay in the sea, which was made more difficult by vague company policies that hindered their home governments from repatriating them.

The Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers responds to these evolving challenges. For instance, under the measure, seafarers are afforded the Right to Information such that ship owners, manning agencies, and others involved in recruitment and placement are required to provide clear information on employment terms and conditions.

There are also the Right to Communication and the Right to Information of Seafarer’s Family or Next-of-Kin that guarantee access to crucial information and communication facilities for the seafarer and the seafarer’s family. In addition, the Right to Free Legal Representation and the Right to Consultation ensure that seafarers are not only aware and consulted on maritime policies and regulations, but also have legal assistance within reach given that the nature of their work spans multiple jurisdictions with differing laws.

Most important in the measure are the compulsory benefits and standards of work. These ensure that seafarers have a standardized work contract providing the maximum hours of work, minimum hours of rest, decent accommodations, sanitation, recreation and food facilities, onboard and offshore medical care.

Seafarers also have the right to be members and receive benefits from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Social

Economic growth is a moving target

Lourdes M. Fernandez

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A fitting tribute for our seafarers

EAGLE WATCH

L

ast week, the ACERD Director, Dr. Cielito Habito, talked about the potential growth paths of the economy in light of the lockdowns. Under the most optimistic scenario, the economy can get back to its 2019 gross domestic product level by late 2022.

However, if we keep bungling our recovery, then we are looking at 2025. Hence, the title of this column says it all.

Economic growth will be a major campaign theme in next year’s elections. Those who want to win next year—from President to Barangay Captain—must understand the extent of the damage done to the economy by Covid-19 and the seemingly inadequate government response.

Three things need to be seriously considered. First, we should think about how to adapt to Covid-19 instead of merely avoiding it. Countries like Australia, Singapore, and Thailand have learned that an avoidance

approach requires lockdowns that have long-term adverse effects on the economy. We now know that Covid-19 is simply not going away, as it is also adapting and will most likely become endemic. The policy approach, therefore, should now shift to thinking strategically per sector. McKinsey Institute recently suggested that industries and sectors should be classified according to physical proximity. From here, it can be carefully analyzed which industries can practically adapt without

need for repurposing or reimagining how services can continue, albeit in a different and more efficient form without threat of zero to low-capacity operations. The Philippines is a 60 percent services economy highly concentrated in urban centers. We are already seeing the rapid transition of food and retail to e-commerce.

This transition is not without costs, as it is giving up a lot of jobs. To go into this transition will require not only vaccinating workers but also investments in upskilling, reskilling, and even basic Internet connectivity throughout the country. Should these be provided as public goods?

Second, the Philippine economy is 40 percent dependent on international trade. Our trade deficit is about 10 percent of our economy.

That is, we import more than what we export. The challenge is that our imports now include more food products because local production continues to be unproductive compared to international producers. The pandemic has created a huge backlog in the shipping industries as a result of lockdowns and quarantine requirements. Industry sources say that

Security System (SSS), PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG Fund, among others. Further, the shipowner or the manning agency shall shoulder the expenses of the seafarer related to repatriation, reintegration, or Covid-19 related quarantine.Seafarers comprise a significant portion of our overseas workers. A former Supreme Court Justice once described them as “an exploited class” and “thoroughly disadvantaged,” adding that the least that government can do is to protect them with our laws.

In recent years, we authored and sponsored several laws to enhance the welfare of our Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), including sea based workers such as the provision in the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act or CMTA (RA 10863) that allows balikbayans to bring home taxfree their balikbayan boxes valued up to P150,000; the OWWA Act (RA 10801) that provided representation for seafarers in the OWWA Board; and the Seafarers Protection Act (RA 10706) that prohibit ill-motivated practices of some unscrupulous professionals who take advantage of Filipino seafarers.

The Magna Carta for Filipino Seafarers should be part of this list. And as we commemorate National Seafarer’s Day on September 26, showing support for its swift passage would be the most appropriate way to give tribute to our unsung heroes at sea.

Sen. Sonny Angara has been in public service for 17 years. He has authored and sponsored more than 200 laws. He is currently serving his second term in the Senate.

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

shipments are at least two months delayed. The delay has led to the increase in container shipping fees estimated to have doubled already.

This worsened when a ship got stuck in the Suez Canal in March 2021 for six days, exacerbating the already worsening container shortages. The natural effect of this is global price inflation, especially of imported goods. Already, the high prices have been reflected by the United States and some countries in Europe. This supply bottleneck also affects us on the export side. Electronics, being the major export of the country, are mostly inputs to the global electronic market production. If the shipments are delayed, there will be knockoff effects to our own domestic production for exports.

Finally, we must also consider that the world tried to keep afloat during this pandemic through government borrowings. Almost every country, whether developed or developing, has packaged some form of stimulus to keep the economy going. As these are largely financed by debts, there will be a reckoning period when they See “Eagle Watch,” A11

Opinion BusinessMirror

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The pressing issue of climate change

Friday, September 24, 2021 A11

Outside Manila: September, 49 years ago Tito Genova Valiente

Manny F. Dooc

TELLTALES

A

S the various political parties draw up their final tickets and prepare to file the COCs of their slates a week from now, every political group vying for elective positions should also formulate their platform of government. On top of the current issues that are close to the heart of every presidentiable are the pandemic, economy, illegal drugs, and the alleged overpriced purchases of the health paraphernalia associated with the pandemic.

The two candidates who first declared their presidential runs, Senators Ping Lacson and Manny Pacquiao, have proclaimed corruption as their campaign battle cry, followed by the perennial issue of illegal drugs. However, outside of these current concerns, there are certainly other pressing agenda that should form part of our political rhetoric. Neglecting to include them may be fatal to one’s candidacy. One major concern that deserves to be included as part of our public conversation is climate change.

Climate change should be on the ballot in the forthcoming elections. The 2022 polls will be incomplete without tackling the issue of global warming. It should occupy a central focus in the political debate. Every presidential candidate should consider it a priority issue together with the economy, illegal drugs, and other matters that are of paramount importance to many people. A person seeking the highest office in our land will be irrelevant and unconnected if he ignores this critical subject. Just being conversant about the greenhouse effects will not be sufficient. He or she should fully appreciate the calamitous impact of extreme weather conditions. One does not have to be an expert but at least he or she should realize that it will be the dreadest pandemic, which shall hit our planet tomorrow. All over the world, thousands of people perish from flash floods, wildfires, heat strokes, and severe storms that become more frequent and more severe. Greenhouse gasses trapped in the atmosphere cause these disasters. Our political leaders should include climate change in their campaign planks. Unfortunately, traditional concerns like corruption, poverty and peace and order relegate to the background, if not bury, the issue of climate change when it is the worst tragedy that awaits mankind. The destructive fury of nature, which wrecks wide swathes of destruction across our planet, is a harbinger of the coming holocaust. As the leading voice of her generation in the current fight against climate change, Greta Thunberg has said that in confronting climate change, “(Y) ou must take action. You must do the impossible. Because giving up is never an option.”

What we want to hear from Senator Ping Lacson, Senator Bong Go, Yorme Isko Moreno, Vice President Leni Robredo, Mayor Sara Duterte, and other wannabes are their plans, if any, to deal with climate change. It’s important that they spell out their climate change solutions. It is not something that we can just wish away, or sweep under the rug. We cannot move on unless it is resolved. Our leaders cannot sidestep it and concentrate on low-lying issues. Our future survival hinges on our action now to slow down climate change. We can begin with a simple step. Let’s plant trees. Trees are vital resources that help shield us from natural disasters. They absorb rainwater and prevent soil erosion. They contain floods. They are habitats of birds and their foliage shelter wildlife. Their canopies shield us from heat and rain. They protect us from gale and wind. If you have trees around your home or office, they cool the temperature

For so long, governments across the world have left the issue of global warming unattended. Highly industrialized countries, which are mainly responsible for raising the world’s temperature, have not done their part to significantly reduce their gas emission. The Paris Agreement of 2015 where the countries around the world had set targets to reduce gas emission was hailed as a bold step. But it was not enough. and therefore lower your energy cost. Government officials should prevent deforestation in the name of progress. Forests should not be cleared for housing, agriculture and grazing animals. Pocket forests and parks in urban areas where trees abound should be preserved.

In fact, there should be more “Arroceros Park” in Manila and other urban areas. In some progressive cities of the world, trees are considered as infrastructures. They are the most enduring infrastructure since they live for centuries. Since trees are valuable resources, I agree that they should be included in measuring the wealth of a place. And every community should have an ordinance against cutting down trees even in the guise of development. To encourage planting of trees, I propose that instead of constructing a monument, we should plant and name a tree after a great person like a top sportsman or actors who have been awarded international recognition for their craft. It’s even better than getting a star in the coveted “Star Walk of Fame.”

There are other measures that can directly improve our resilience against extreme climate. Less reliance on fossil fuels is one of them. But that’s getting more costly and technical. Initially we can focus on doable measures like protecting our forests and strictly enforcing responsible mining. Once we have installed a pro-climate advocate in Malacanang, we can start to plan and work on big things to extend the life of our planet.

For so long, governments across the world have left the issue of global warming unattended. Highly industrialized countries, which are mainly responsible for raising the world’s temperature, have not done their part to significantly reduce their gas emission. The Paris Agreement of 2015 where the countries around the world had set targets to reduce gas emission was hailed as a bold step. But it was not enough. Many countries failed to meet their goal and the target set was far below what is needed to stem overheating. And now, another big international meeting on climate change will be held in Glasgow in less than six weeks from now. But this time mere talks will not be adequate. We need concrete action. Or we will be hounded forever by the wailing cry of the present and the unborn generations whose words will leave us sleepless: “You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words.” Let’s not allow that tragedy to befall upon us. Next year, let’s vote for climate change!

annotations

O

ur city had two Black Saturdays in September, 1972.

A local paper of Naga City in Camarines Sur, Naga Times, in its issue dated September 24, 1972, bears this headline, PC Calms Public. Martial Law had been declared a day before this issue came out.

“PC” refers to the Philippine Constabulary, a police force formed by the American colonial government, which was later merged with the Integrated National Police to constitute the Philippine National Police.

The headline, with its drophead, says: “No military takeover is assured here.” The article continues: “There is no cause for fear. Keep calm. There is no military takeover of the civil government. Life will be as normal as possible.” The assurance of normalcy is further explained in the succeeding sentence as it mentions the local leaders, including Col. Antonio T. Barrameda, then Provincial Commander, assuring the public that “the civil government here will continue its business as usual.”

Boxed beside the headline article is an article on “The General Orders.”

Explaining this, the article states: PRESIDENT MARCOS issued 6 General Orders, all dated 22 September 1972, to implement his Proclamation 1081 declaring Martial Law throughout the Philippines.” The article summarized the said orders, which provide that “he is governing the nation and directing the operation of the entire government in his capacity as commander-in-chief of the armed forces as vested in him by the Constitution.” Forming part of this order, Marcos “orders the Secretary of National Defense (Juan Ponce Enrile occupied this position at this time) to arrest and take into custody all (underscoring mine) named in a list (attached to GO 2); as well as all persons (underscoring mine) as may have committed crimes of insurrection or rebellion; crimes against national security, the law of nations, the fundamental laws of the state, public order; crimes involving usurpation of authority, improper use of names, uniform and insignias; and those guilty of crimes as public officers, or those who have violated

any decree promulgated by him [Marcos]—until ordered released by him [Marcos] or by his duly authorized representative.”

Right below this article on the General Orders, is an update on a news that has nothing to do with martial rule or with the nation. It was placed under the main title, Aftermath of a Black Saturday. It is about the Colgante incident, which refers to an old bridge (Colgante is a Spanish term that means “hanging, suspension bridge”; during the tragedy, the bridge was not technically a suspension bridge anymore) spanning the Naga River. The bridge crashed on a Saturday, September 16, 1972, during the annual fluvial procession that ferries the icon of the Virgin of Peñafrancia from the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral back to her shrine by the river.

This particular news says: “The official count of the dead in the Colgante bridge disaster is now 111.” To many, this number was not correct as they felt there were more deaths from that incident. The news continues: “Meanwhile, in other developments, some 20 damage suits against the city arising from the worst accident that ever happened here are expected to be filed this week…”

Two photos at the bottom of the bridge shows the rescue operations following the Colgante mishap. The caption states how “when the Colgante bridge collapsed under the weight of hundreds of people watching the fluvial procession last Saturday afternoon, more of them died than in the bloody Peñafrancia fiesta in 1898, when Filipino civil guards rose in revolt, killed Spanish civilians and ended 333 years of Spanish rule.”

On the same front page is the editorial written by the editor of Naga Times, the inestimable Luis F. General. According to the editorial: “President Marcos has placed the entire

country under martial law. And the question of the day—perhaps of the decade—is: What is the meaning of martial law?”

General proceeds further in the editorial: “It seems the simplest, the safest and most accurate answer is, to paraphrase Justice Holmes, that the meaning of martial law is what the president does and nothing more pretentious. There is now law, no interpretation by our Supreme Court that defines with enough precision the mechanics and matter; the height, weight, and breadth; the extent and limits of the powers that the President has assumed, as both the Executive and commander-inchief of the armed forces, with his declaration of martial law.”

The editorial has foretold the future: martial law would last for decades; the same questions asked by the editor would be asked by more but they would be asked “subversively”—until the democratic space

was restored again.

Atty. Luis F. General, one of the staunchest and most prominent Marcos critics in the region, would be arrested like many other journalists and politicians. The arrest, according to the late editor’s son, Atty. Luis Ruben General, himself an outstanding lawyer and writer, took place on September 25, 1972, a Monday. This was a day after what would be the last issue of that brave paper.

When the Colgante came crashing down that Saturday, the Bikolanos, especially those who had claimed to have seen apparitions of the Virgin on the late evening sky over the city, thought that was an omen. But a week after that tragedy, on another Saturday, martial rule was declared by the dictator, bringing in years of injustices, disappearances and death.

With the fall of that bridge was also the fall of a Republic.

E-mail: titovaliente@yahoo.com

EPA completes rule to phase out gases used as refrigerants

By Matthew Daly Associated Press

W

ASHINGTON—In what officials call a key step to combat climate change, the Environmental Protection Agency is sharply limiting domestic production and use of hydrofluorocarbons, highly potent greenhouse gases commonly used in refrigerators and air conditioners.

The new rule, which follows through on a law Congress passed last year, is intended to decrease US production and use of HFCs by 85% over the next 15 years, part of a global phaseout designed to slow global warming.

HFCs are greenhouse gases that are thousands of times more powerful than carbon dioxide. They often leak through pipes or appliances that use compressed refrigerants and are considered a major driver of global warming. President Joe Biden has pledged to embrace a 2016 global agreement to greatly

Eagle Watch. . . continued from A10

need to be repaid. The Philippines also borrowed heavily in both the domestic and international markets, growing by almost 20 percent from pre-Covid levels. This is not a local phenomenon, and that is why it is more concerning as the world has to

reduce HFCs by 2036.

White House climate adviser Gina McCarthy, a former EPA administrator, said the new rule was “a win on climate and a win on jobs and American competitiveness.’’

The rule is expected to reduce harmful emissions by the equivalent of 4.5 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide by 2050, McCarthy said, a total similar to three years of emissions from the US power sector.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan said the phasedown is backed by a coalition of industry groups that see it as an opportunity to “supercharge” American leadership on domestic manufacturing and production of alternative refrigerants.

The industry has long been shifting to the use of alternative refrigerants and pushed for a federal standard to avoid a patchwork of state laws and regulations.

“This action reaffirms what President Biden always says — that when he thinks about climate, he thinks about jobs,’’ Regan said,

echoing a Biden refrain about climate change. Transitioning to safer alternatives and more energy-efficient cooling technologies is expected to generate more than $270 billion in cost savings and public health benefits over the next 30 years, Regan said.

A pandemic relief and spending bill passed by Congress last December directs the EPA to sharply reduce production and use of HFCs. The measure won wide support and was hailed as the most significant climate change law in at least a decade.

Besides targeting HFCs, the American Innovation and Manufacturing, or AIM, Act also promotes technologies to capture and store carbon dioxide produced by power and manufacturing plants and calls for reductions in diesel emissions by buses and other vehicles.

Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., who is chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, was an influential backer of the law, along with Sen. John Kennedy, R-La.

Both represent states that are home to chemical companies that produce alternative refrigerants and sought regulatory certainty through federal action.

The HFC provision was supported by an unusual coalition that included major environmental and business groups, including the National Association of Manufacturers, American Chemistry Council and the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute.

The chemistry council represents major companies including Dow, DuPont, Honeywell, Chemours and Arkema.

The administration said it also is taking other steps to ensure reductions in HFCs, including creation of an interagency task force to prevent illegal trade, production, use or sale of the climate-damaging gases. The task force will be led by the Department of Homeland Security, and EPA’s offices of Air and Radiation and Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.

contend with the need to eventually pay these debts without disturbing the recovery for which they have been borrowed in the first place.

This could well explain why smaller firms are avoiding borrowing at this time because of the uncertainty of paying back. As the latest debacle of the largest Chinese real estate company shows, the knockoff effect can ripple to asset prices beyond China.

The bottom line is that for all these borrowings, there is a reckoning time to pay debts back.

These are realities that strategists of whoever wants to be in place next year should be carefully thinking about. Any desire to return to growth and how fast that will be should carefully consider how to address these three elements. The key is understanding that the pandemic is not

a unique national issue. It has the same blunt impact all over the world, regardless if a country is rich or poor, but its repercussions are unique in the way the response is developed, implemented and delivered. It is not too late to think of it this way.

Dr. Alvin P. Ang is a Senior Research Fellow at the Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development.

A12 Friday, September 24, 2021

PHL must invest more on social protection–expert

T

By Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

HE Philippines needs to invest more on social protection to help workers cope with external shocks and address “stubborn challenges” such as poverty and inequality, according to an international expert.

In a webinar of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) 7th annual public policy conference (APPC), United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific Social Development Division Director Srinivas Tata said the country only spends 2.6 percent of GDP on social protection, excluding health-care spending.

He said except for Timor Leste, all Asean countries’ spending on social protection is below the Escap average of 4.9 percent of GDP. The global average is at 11 percent of GDP while the European average is at 17 percent.

“Often investments in health-

care and social protection are seen as a cost while building a new bridge or a new road may be seen as an investment. This view, as we know, is skewed,” Tata said.

“It is important to understand that investing in people will have a huge return on the country’s development. Countries should not wait to become rich before such investment in the social sector is done,” he added.

In the Philippines, Tata said social protection only covered less than 40 percent of Filipinos, and only a handful of countries in the region have comprehensive coverage.

“More than half of the region’s population is left completely unpro-

tected against any contingencies throughout their lives. Excluding China, two-thirds of the region’s population are left completely uncovered,” Tata said.

Providing social protection is needed to address poverty seen in many parts of the world, including Asia and the Pacific. Tata said this is despite the “impressive economic growth” of the region in the past decade.

Tata said 26 percent or 175 million of the Asia Pacific region live on less than $1.9 per day, the global extreme poverty line. At $3.2 per day, the number increases to almost 900 million poor people in the region.

In the Philippines, about 4.6 percent or 5 million of the population still live in extreme poverty or below $1.9 per day. At $3.2 per day, the poverty increases to 25 percent or around 27 million people.

Widening inequality is also a “stubborn” challenge that can be eased with adequate social protection. Inequality is not only about income, Tata said, but also about access to services that open doors to economic and social opportunities.

One such access is for internet services. Tata said that in the Philip-

pines, the access of poor individuals aged 35 and over to the internet is only 13 percent, but it is 97 percent for richer individuals aged 15 to 34 years old.

“The chart shows that the overall access is 60 percent, that’s the average. However, if you compare the access rate between the best off and the worst off, you see the gap between the worst off and the people who are best placed,” Tata said.

Another challenge in providing social protection is the large share of informality among workers in the region, including the Philippines.

In Asia Pacific, close to 70 percent or 1.3 billion of all workers are part of the informal sector, Tata said. This means these people, he said, often do not have contracts, perform hazardous jobs, and do not have access to stable salaries or social protection.

The latest Labor Force Survey results released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) show the number of Filipinos invisibly underemployed grew 111.2 percent in July 2021. This means an increase of 2.196 million Filipinos in this category to 4.172 million in July 2021 from 1.976 million in July 2020.

MANILA CITED IN TOP EMERGING START-UP ECOSYSTEMS REPORT

M

ANILA is one of the top emerging ecosystems for start-ups in the world amid its growing financial technology (fintech) and e-commerce space, according to a study by Startup Genome and Global Entrepreneurship Network.

The Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER) 2021 put Manila within the 91-100 ranking out of the top 100 emerging start-up ecosystems across the globe.

It places the city in the same league as Prague, Memphis, Reykjavik, Lille, Burlington, Omaha-Lincon, Belfast and Hanoi. This list is led by (in order) Mumbai, Copenhagen, Jakarta, Guangzhou and Barcelona.

The report noted that the top 100 emerging ecosystems established $124-billion start-ups within 2011 to 2020, majority of which were contributed by 53 cities.

“The Philippine start-up ecosystem is rapidly developing with stronger government support particularly in high-growth services, such as AI [artificial intelligence], Big Data, and fintech, among others,” the report said.

The Philippines has $101 million worth of early-stage funding and $584 million in ecosystem value.

GSER pointed out that fintech start-ups in the Philippines were able to take advantage of the increased mobile banking usage, enabling regulatory environment and unbanked segments.

It noted that several local fintech firms were able to boost transaction volume and raise funding for expansion, citing PayMongo, Squidpay and NextPay. The shift to digital, meanwhile, allowed the e-commerce sector to flourish, the report said, which benefited start-ups in this field. The e-commerce revenues are pegged at over $5 million this year and forecast to reach $8.8 million in 2025.

“The continued emergence of fintech and e-commerce startups in the Philippine market highlights the important role of the government in addressing market failures and creating an enabling environment which is crucial in developing a robust start-up ecosystem,” Trade Undersecretary Rafaelita Aldaba said in a statement on Thursday.

Continued on A3

ADB: Organic food a boon for SEA

S

OU THE A ST A sian countries like the Philippines where demand for organic food products spiked in recent months could become hotspots for agricultural investments, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The ADB report said the pandemic highlighted the importance

of healthy food and a healthy lifestyle. The demand for these commodities increased in Indonesia, the Philippines, and the PRC. However, the theme chapter of the Asian Development Outlook Update 2021 pointed out that obtaining organic certification and meeting regulations remain “complex and expensive”

for farmers.

“Organic agriculture was expanding in developing Asia before the pandemic. [However] the report discusses issues related to certification and regulations. It is [still] unclear how the Covid-19 pandemic will affect the production and demand for organic products,” Takashi Yamano, principal economist at ADB’s Economic Research and Regional Cooperation Department told BusinessMirror via e-mail.

Yamano said the lockdow ns and mobility restrictions disrupted supply chains and markets, prompting farmers to switch from perishable to other storable crops.

He said this h a s led to a n increase in the prices of organic products. However, Yamano said, demand kept rising in places like the United States and Asian cities.

“These developments on both the supply and demand side suggest the possibility that the pandemic could mark a ‘turning point’ for the industry,” Yamano added, while acknowledging that “the evidence so far is anecdotal, and it warrants further study.”

Organic certification, noted the ADB report, requires annual inspections and monitoring that are often difficult and costly.

Continued on A3

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

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

1.

2.

3.

HOANG THU HUYEN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries SONG, PENGMING Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires DENG, JIANBIAO Chinese Customer Specialist Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

No.

ILHAM Customer Service Officer-Indonesian Speaking 19.

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

20.

21.

4.

Brief Job Description: Help in development and implementation of customer service policy.

LUANGJUNRAM, PLOENTA Customer Service Assistant Team Leader-Thai Speaking

5.

Brief Job Description: Delegate different customer service duties to team members to ensure a faster and smoother flow of operation through division of labor SUARAM, WARAMPORN Customer Service Assistant Team Leader-Thai Speaking

6.

Brief Job Description: Delegate different customer service duties to team members to ensure a faster and smoother flow of operation through division of labor CHANTEM, SUDAPORN Customer Service Officer - Thai Speaking

7.

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered.

CHOTCHUANG, PROMMANAI Customer Service Officer - Thai Speaking

8.

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered.

SRIHIRAN, SAOWAKON Customer Service Officer - Thai Speaking

9.

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered.

SUTTIPRAPHA, NITTAYA Customer Service Officer - Thai Speaking

10.

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered.

TIPVIMOLKARN, WARATTHIDA Customer Service Officer - Thai Speaking

11.

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered.

VINYA, SUTTIDA Customer Service Officer - Thai Speaking

12.

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered.

VONGTAVAN, JANISTA Customer Service Officer - Thai Speaking

13.

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered.

WONGSON, SAWITREE Customer Service Officer - Thai Speaking

14.

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered.

WONGWILA, KUNAKORN Customer Service Officer - Thai Speaking

15.

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered.

YAMSAKUL, MAYRISA Customer Service Officer - Thai Speaking

16.

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered.

DEBORA INTAN PURBA Customer Service Officer-Indonesian Speaking

17.

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered FERDY SUGIANTO Customer Service Officer-Indonesian Speaking

18.

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered

Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills

22.

23.

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25.

26.

27.

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Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Train staff to deliver a high standard of customer service and investigate and solve customers’ problems PETCHOO, KITTITUD Customer Service Team Leader - Thai Speaking

35.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered KAEWMUANGMA, PAPPIM Customer Service Supervisor - Thai Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills.

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered VU THI HONG Customer Service Officer-Vietnamese Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills.

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered VINH BAO QUOC Customer Service Officer-Vietnamese Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills.

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered TO THI NGOC CHAU Customer Service Officer-Vietnamese Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills.

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered SITTICHAIRAT, NATPHIMOL Customer Service Officer-Thai Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills.

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered SANGPUN, NOPPARAT Customer Service Officer-Thai Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills.

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered PANUKARN, PATTARA Customer Service Officer-Thai Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills.

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered MURIJUN, RATIROT Customer Service Officer-Thai Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills.

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered LOR-IN, NUTTHAYA Customer Service Officer-Thai Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills.

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered CHAIREE, SOMPOCH Customer Service Officer-Thai Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills.

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered BOONSUK, NATTAPONG Customer Service Officer-Thai Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered ANTAPANYA, KWANJIT Customer Service Officer-Thai Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered LIM XUE YI Customer Service Officer-Malaysian Speaking

APRICUS TECHNOLOGY INC. 8/f Aguirre Building 107 Aguirre St. Legaspi Village San Lorenzo Makati City PETCHOO, SAWANYA Customer Service Assistant Manager - Thai Speaking

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered NUL, CHAMRONG Customer Service Officer-Khmer Speaking

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered WANG SUSAN SIA Customer Service Officer-Indonesian Speaking

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Brief Job Description: Delegate different customer service duties to team members to ensure a faster and smoother flow of operation through division of labor NGO THUY MAI THY Customer Service Team Leader-Vietnamese Speaking

36.

Brief Job Description: Delegate different customer service duties to team members to ensure a faster and smoother flow of operation through division of labor SUKHANTHAMALA, NATTHAKIT Marketing Executive - Thai Speaking

37.

Brief Job Description: Identifying, developing and maintaining good relationship with potential Thai clients sponsors and other partners

Friday, September 24, 2021

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

No.

DOMINIC LEE KAH HIN Marketing Executive-Malaysian Speaking 38.

Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

39.

40.

Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills

41.

42.

43.

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

51.

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53.

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

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

Brief Job Description: proactive selling of products to both existing and new customers in order to achieve and exceed weekly, monthly and annual sales revenue targets and other performance targets JANSANGSRI, AIRADA Senior Telesales Marketing Officer-Thai Speaking

Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills

Basic Qualification: Possess program/project management skills

Brief Job Description: Monitoring, analyzing and managing a monthly advertising campaign via Google ad words HOANG THI LAN PHUONG Senior Telesales Marketing Officer- Vietnamese Speaking

Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered THONGTHUEK, PANNATAT Senior Marketing Officer - Thai Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Extensive knowledge of marketing strategies, channel and branding

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered NGUYEN THI KIM XUYEN Senior Customer Service Officer-Vietnamese Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered NGUYEN THI KIM CUONG Senior Customer Service Officer-Vietnamese Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered NGUYEN HOANG THANG Senior Customer Service Officer-Vietnamese Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered LUU THI THU NGOC Senior Customer Service Officer-Vietnamese Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered DUL, SREYNEANG Senior Customer Service Officer-Khmer Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered REISA MOLLYA PRAKARSA Senior Customer Service Officer-Indonesian Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills

Brief Job Description: Monitoring, analyzing and managing a monthly advertising campaign via Google ad words VANYOTA, JUNJIRA Senior Customer Service Officer - Thai Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered.

CHABCHAINAI, ACHIRAWICH Senior Customer Service Officer - Thai Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills

Brief Job Description: Handling phone calls involving selling, pacify and good service rendered APISITIBURISUIT, WASSANA Senior Customer Service Officer - Thai Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills

Brief Job Description: Monitoring, analyzing and managing a monthly advertising campaign via Google ad words AEKKITTIPAVON, KOTCHAPHAN Senior Customer Service Officer - Thai Speaking

Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Identifying, developing and maintaining good relationship with potential Malaysian clients , sponsors and other partners SINGLA, NIDHI Marketing Officer - Indian Speaking

Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Identifying, developing and maintaining good relationship with potential Malaysian clients, sponsors and other partners HERMANTO TIO Marketing Manager - Indonesian Speaking

Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Brief Job Description: Pro active selling of products to both existing and new customers in order to achieve and exceed weekly, monthly and annual sales revenue targets and other performance targets

PIAMTHONG, TREEYAPORN Senior Telesales Marketing Officer-Thai Speaking 54.

Brief Job Description: Pro active selling of products to both existing and new customers in order to achieve and exceed weekly, monthly and annual sales revenue targets and other performance targets

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Possess program/project management sk Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Extensive knowledge of marketing strategies, channel and branding Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Thorough understanding of social media and web analytics Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Thorough understanding of social media and web analytics Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: excellent communication and presentation skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Thorough understanding of social media and web analytics Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

A13

BusinessMirror

A14 Friday, September 24, 2021

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION KHUNCHUANG, PAITOON Telesales Marketing Manager-Thai Speaking

55.

Brief Job Description: Measures team performance; communicates goals and quotas to team; and encourages and motivates telemarketers as they work toward reaching goals and quotas AUNYATIKUL, AUNCHAYADA Telesales Marketing Officer-Thai Speaking

56.

Brief Job Description: Pro active selling of products to both existing and new customers in order to achieve and exceed weekly, monthly and annual sales revenue targets and other performance targets JITSATEANPORN, JITVIMON Telesales Marketing Officer-Thai Speaking

57.

Brief Job Description: Proactive selling of products to both existing and new customers in order to achieve and exceed weekly, monthly and annual sales revenue targets and other performance targets PAIKAEW, THIPHSUKHON Telesales Marketing Officer-Thai Speaking

58.

Brief Job Description: Proactive selling of products to both existing and new customers in order to achieve and exceed weekly, monthly and annual sales revenue targets and other performance targets

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Strong supervisory and leadership skills with a proven ability to motivate and manage a team

No.

70.

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills

71.

59.

60.

Brief Job Description: Using statistical methods to obtain interpret and present information

72.

DO QUOC THAI Vietnamese Language-officer Customer Service Brief Job Description: Initiate conversation to uncover customer’s needs

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

73.

KOHL, KATJA Head Of HR Services 61.

Brief Job Description: Lead/Overall responsible for the establishment, run, and continuous improvement of the Regional HR Service Center

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

74.

SUN, CHENFEI Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 62.

Brief Job Description: Assist/Help customers, give customers information about the product and services

75.

63.

YE, FEIYUN Management Support Analyst Brief Job Description: Act as executive assistant

Basic Qualification: Bachelor degree, well expirienced, english & mandarin excelent Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

76.

64.

Brief Job Description: Planning, Maintaining and Coordinate the development of primary and secondary market research

YANG, BO Chinese Speaking Business Analyst 65.

Brief Job Description: Planning, Maintaining and Coordinate the development of primary and secondary market research

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

77.

66.

67.

68.

69.

CHEN, CHENG Chinese Customer Service Officer Brief Job Description: Converse and interact with the customer

LI, YUANKUI Chinese Customer Service Officer Brief Job Description: Converse and interact with the customer

LIU, YANAN Chinese Customer Service Officer Brief Job Description: Converse and interact with the customer

MA, JUNJIE Chinese Customer Service Officer Brief Job Description: Converse and interact with the customer

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

78.

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

79.

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

80.

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

81.

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

82.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: A Chinese and fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

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 customer service

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in mandarin Chinese with customer service

KALASHNIKOV, KIRILL Deputy Head Of Countries Development 83.

Basic Qualification: A Chinese and fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

Brief Job Description: To manage business performance in companies in the Philippines and other APAC country branches

LIU, PEIYUAN Regional Sales Manager 84.

Basic Qualification: A Chinese and fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: A Chinese and fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

Brief Job Description: Responsible for the development and maintenance of regional customer relations; Assist customer with inventory management; Maintain regional market order

JIN, HENGXIANG Sales Management Manager 85.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in managing department matters, responsible for the management of retail, sales team, and client aspect, analyze sales data and identify problem.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: A Chinese and fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

TIKUYE, BEKALU KASSA Area Manager 87.

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

88.

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in mandarin Chinese with customer service

89.

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

90.

91.

92.

93.

94.

95.

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in mandarin Chinese with customer service

Basic Qualification: Proficient in Russian & English language, w/ advanced leadership & management skills, & a master’s degree in Economics

96.

ZHAO, WENXIN Sales Management Trainee 86.

Brief Job Description: Assist dept head in managing departmental matters; Assist in the management of retail, sales team, and client aspect; Analyze sales data

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English language, Bachelor’s degree in business administration, 3 years experience in the same field

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

Basic Qualification: 5-10 years’ work experience in project management, industry-related expertise, job-relevant degree, multilingual Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

Brief Job Description: Assisting clients by providing information on services GONG, MENGQI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Assisting clients by providing information on services LIU, JUN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Assisting clients by providing information on services SANG, JINXIU Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Assisting clients by providing information on services WANG, YONGCHENG Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer Service

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

Brief Job Description: In charge of solution sales and marketing in Philippines Digital Energy Business Dept 2. Developing the relationship with carrier and enterprise customers in Philippines to maintain a good foundation for digital energy projects.

Brief Job Description: 1. To successfully implement communications management and tactics within diverse fields across the public and private sectors. 2. Facilitate and manage all communications to ensure execution of strategic PR plans.

Basic Qualification: With at least 2 year work experience in Digital Energy Business department 2.

With Expertise in Digital Energy Solutions 3. Must be a graduate of Computer Science and Technology 4.

Must be highly proficient in Chinese and English language.

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above Basic Qualification: 1. With overseas experience in working as a PR representative 2. Can conduct public relation activities with ambassadors and diplomats and successfully convey key components of corporate messaging.

INVECH TREASURE PROCESSING CORPORATION Ground, 2nd, 3rd And 4th Floor Eight West Campus Mckinley West Fort Bonifacio Taguig City FAN, RUITAO Mandarin Customer Support Representative 97.

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

XU, BINBIN Mandarin Customer Support Representative 98.

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

KYI PHYAR PHYO Myanmari Customer Support Representative 99.

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

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

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

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

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

ITECHNO SPECIALIST INC. 24/f Yuchengco Tower I Rcbc Plaza Bel-air Makati City AN, RUI Chinese IT Support Specialist 100.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English language, Bachelor’s degree in business administration, 3 years experience in the same field

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

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

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English language, Bachelor’s degree in business administration, 3 years experience in the same field

CHEN, DENGBIN Chinese Customer Service

LIANG, JIAHAO Public Relations Manager

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

Brief Job Description: Involve planning and assisting in the development, marketing and distribution of the software systems under the department. The role is to provide a clear plan for their product, outlining goals as well as potential risks, challenges and opportunities.

ZHANG, FENG Director For Digital Energy Projects With Carrier And Enterprise Customers

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

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

Brief Job Description: To maintain computer system and networks

Basic Qualification: Have skills in computer system and documentation

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

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

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

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

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

ZHANG, JINGXI Computer System Analyst

ZHONG, XING Assistant Product System Manager

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

Brief Job Description: Over–all in charge of Ethiopian Airlines operation – Philippine Branch

Basic Qualification: College Degree

FLASH EXPRESS SOFTWARE (PH) CO., LTD. INC. 9th Flr. Arthaland Century Pacific Tower 5th Avenue 30th Street Cor. 4th Avenue Fort Bonifacio Taguig City

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

FIRST GREAT COMPUTER TECHNOLOGIES INC. Lot 5 Sta. Agueda Cor. Queensway Pagcor Drive Sto. Niño Parañaque City

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES ENTERPRISE (ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES ENTERPRISE INC.) U/1203 12/f Frabelle Business Center 111 Rada San Lorenzo Makati City

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

EMERALD WIRELESS TECH INC. 28th/f Arthaland Century Pacific Tower E-square Information Technology Park 25th St. Cor 5th Ave. Fort Bonifacio Taguig City

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

No.

DIGIDO FINANCE CORP. (UNAPAY, AND UNACASH) Unit 3&4 15th Floor Ibp Tower Jade Drive, Ortigas Center San Antonio Pasig City

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

DATACLICK INTERNATIONAL CORP. E. Rodriguez St. Roxas Blvd. St. Barangay 003 Pasay City

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

DA PROSPERITAS HOLDING INC. 16/f Tower 6789 6789 Ayala Ave. Bel-air Makati City

TANG, WAN Chinese Speaking Business Analyst

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer services and managing the needs of customer through phone calls and Emails LIU, BAIYING Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

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

CHINA INTERNATIONAL WATER AND ELECTRIC CORP. (BRANCH OFFICE) 1350 11/f Suite 1106 Ermita Center Bldg. Roxas Blvd., 072 Bgy. 668 Ermita Manila

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

BOUVARDIA INC. Unit-25d 2/f Zeta Ii Bldg. Salcedo St. San Lorenzo Makati City Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customers questions about services or products/ excellent Mandarin communication skills

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

BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM BUSINESS SERVICES PHILIPPINES, INC. L-2-3, Blk. 45, Alabang Zapote Road Cor. North Bridgeway, Filinvest Corporate City Alabang Muntinlupa City Basic Qualification: Deep knowledge of global/ local HR policies, procedures and processes. Expert knowledge of global HR is platform, deep expertise in working in a shared services environment. Know-how in data security, data privacy and internal controls

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

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: Degree holder, must fluently speak and write Vietnamese language to after foreign markets

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer services and managing the needs of customer through phone calls and Emails CHENG, YANG Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

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

Basic Qualification: Ability to liaise effectively with clients and other organizations

Brief Job Description: Converse and interact with the customer

CHEN, JING Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

BIGCAT SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS, INC. 18/f Pbcom Tower, 6795 Ayala Avenue Cor. Rufino Street Salcedo Vill. Bel-air Makati City JESSICA LINDA HANA LANGELO Bahasa Indonesian Language-supervisor Fund Management

MI, GUANGZHI Chinese Customer Service Officer

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

DAXIFA CORPORATION Mpire Center 93 West Avenue Project 7 Bungad 1 Quezon City

Basic Qualification: Excellent communication and presentation skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support Specialist (CITSS) is an integral member of the company infrastructure, Application Support, and of the IT Division and is responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

HE, XIAOWEI Chinese IT Support Specialist

101.

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support Specialist (CITSS) is an integral member of the company infrastructure, Application Support, and of the IT Division and is responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

Basic Qualification: A Chinese and fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: A Chinese and fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language 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, GUANYOU Chinese IT Support Specialist

102.

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support Specialist (CITSS) is an integral member of the company infrastructure, Application Support, and of the IT Division and is responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

ZHENG, KAI Chinese IT Support Specialist

103.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality it support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: A Chinese and fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

104.

Brief Job Description: Maintains financial account; recommends potential product and services; attract potential to a customers ZHANG, ZHIYONG Chinese Customer Service Representative

105.

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

117.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

118.

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

JIU ZHOU TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL, INC. U-3401 34/f Pbcom Tower 6795 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a. Rufino St. Bel-air Makati City KUAN, YUNG-I Chinese Customer Service Representative

No.

Basic Qualification: Atleast 19yr old, Ability to speak and communicate in Chinese Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Atleast 19yr old, Ability to speak and communicate in Chinese Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

119.

120.

121.

JOYCE & DIANA WORLDWIDE INC. # 98-c Malumanay St. Teacher’s Village West 4 Quezon City FUNG SHUM, WAI FUN General Manager 106.

Brief Job Description: Overseeing daily business activities, improving overall business functions, training heads of department, managing budget, developing strategic plans, creating policies and communicating business goals.

FUNG, ANDREW WAI FUNG Philippine Product R&D And Marketing Manager

107.

Brief Job Description: Develop concepts, products and solutions by working with company business units/ transfer new technologies, products and manufacturing process into and out of the company

Basic Qualification: Bachelor degree/5 years and more experience/fluent in English, Cantonese and Mandarin language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate/more than 5 years experience/fluent in English, Cantonese and Mandarin language/ strong personality and can work under pressure

108.

Brief Job Description: A knowledgeable it consultant to help people develop, use and intergrate it systems.

KIM, KIRI Sales Representative 109.

Brief Job Description: Sales representative are responsible for communicating the benefits of company’s products in order to drive sales.

OH, WONWOO Software Developer 110.

Brief Job Description: Software developer design, develop, and test software and applications for computers.

KIM, KANGHWI Technical Support Specialist 111.

Brief Job Description: Technical support specialist provide technical support, advice and assistance to consumers and businesses.

LIU, JIA Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries LI, PINGGUI Chinese Customer Specialist Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries MA LY MINH QUY Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer Service

WU, GUOCONG Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer Service

YU, RONG Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer Service

ZHANG, PEI Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer Service

LI, MING IT Technical Support 123.

Brief Job Description: Maintains the computer networks of all types of organizations, providing technical support and ensuring the whole company runs smoothly.

KANDA, MEGUMI Assistant Manager 124.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate with experience in the related position, fluent in English and Korean Hangeul.

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

112.

Brief Job Description: Reviews open invoice to identify delinquent accounts, initiates and receives business-to-business collection calls

125.

126.

Basic Qualification: College graduate with experience in the related position, fluent in English and Korean Hangeul.

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

Basic Qualification: Reviews open invoice to identify delinquent accounts, initiates and receives business-to-business collection calls

127.

113.

Brief Job Description: Business consultants help companies overcome challenges, increase revenue or grow.

KIM, JANGWOO Business Consultant 114.

Brief Job Description: Business consultants help companies overcome challenges, increase revenue or grow.

WU, WEI-HUNG Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate 115.

Brief Job Description: Developing, implementing sales strategies, client service, plan and analyzing sales data,

128.

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

MAGKING SERVICES CORPORATION Unit 5d Rose Industries Bldg. #11, Pioneer Street Kapitolyo Pasig City

HWANG, KYUNGJOON Business Consultant

CHEN, JUNJIE Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

CHEN, XIAODONG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

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

129.

Basic Qualification: Must be bachelor’s / college degree in any fields, at least 2 yrs. of working experience in the related positions, ability to maintain high level of confidentiality

130.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Must be bachelor’s / college degree in any fields, at least 2 yrs. of working experience in the related positions, ability to maintain high level of confidentiality

131.

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

132.

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

KE, XIAOTING Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

KUANG, XIANYONG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

LEI, XIAODONG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

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

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

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. 4th-11th Flr. Nexgen Tower C4 Rd. Edsa Ext. Brgy. 076 Pasay City

116.

HE, ZHONGBAO Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

No.

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

134.

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

133.

TANG, BIN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

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

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

135.

Basic Qualification: College Graduate/Level and Fluent in Mandarin/Basic Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate/level and Fluent in Mandarin/Basic English

136.

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

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate/level and Fluent in Mandarin/Basic English

137.

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate/level and Fluent in Mandarin/Basic English

138.

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

Basic Qualification: With bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or any related course with a minimum of 1 year IT experience and able to speak and write in MANDARIN. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

139.

140.

Basic Qualification: Has at least bachelor’s degree, proficient in both Japanese and English

141.

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

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

Basic Qualification: College graduate with experience in the related position, fluent in English and Korean Hangeul.

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

Brief Job Description: Provide support in the business development of the Japanese market in the Philippines

MAERSK GLOBAL SERVICE CENTRES (PHILIPPINES) LTD. Levels 5-8 North Wing, Estancia Offices Capitol Commons Meralco Ave. Oranbo Pasig City

SANCHEZ RODRIGUEZ, WILMER JAVIER Collector

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

NAVARRO AMPER & CO. 19/f Six/neo Bldg. 5th Ave. Cor. 26th St. Fort Bonifacio Taguig City Basic Qualification: College graduate with expirience in the related position, fluent in englist and korean hangul.

A15

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

NANTAI TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS INCORPORATED 3rd Floor Net One Center Building 26th Street Corner 3rd Ave. Fort Bonifacio Taguig City

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

LERIB SERVICES CORPORATION U-3d Rose Industries Bldg. Choice Market Ortigas Kapitolyo Pasig City LEE, HONG JIN It Consultant

122.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Friday, September 24, 2021

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

142.

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

143.

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

144.

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

145.

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

146.

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

147.

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

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

YE, WENHONG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

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

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

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

ZHONG, HUANGGUI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

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

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

AUNG TUN OO @ KYI PHA Myanmari Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

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

148.

HOANG VAN DUONG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

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

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

149.

NGUYEN HOAI THUONG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

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

OUTWIT, INC. 2/f Marvin Plaza 2153 Chino Roces Ave. Pio Del Pilar Makati City BAI, HAOZHI Mandarin Speaking IT Support 150.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for repairing and replacing equipment as necessary

Basic Qualification: Good social and presentation skills. Excellent oral and written communications skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

BusinessMirror

A16 Friday, September 24, 2021

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION LIN, CHIA-HUI Mandarin Speaking Operations Specialist

151.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for managing workflow throughout all departments within business

YEN, YU-FENG Mandarin Speaking Operations Specialist 152.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for managing workflow throughout all departments within business

ZHANG, DEPENG Mandarin Speaking Operations Supervisor 153.

Brief Job Description: Responsibilities of the operations supervisor include training and supervising employees

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Good social and presentation skills. Excellent oral and written communications skills

No.

166.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Good social and presentation skills. Excellent oral and written communications skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

STRANSOM, WHAN WOONG KIM Head Of User Experience & Design 154.

Brief Job Description: Collaborates with product, analytics, marketing, and technology to deliver UX projects that support product roadmaps

167.

LI, JIANZHONG Mandarin Network Cabling Specialist 155.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for having the knowledge of cable installations of voice, data, fiber optics and coax cables

TONG, KEFENG Mandarin Network Cabling Specialist 156.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for having the knowledge of cable installations of Voice data, fiber optics and Coax Cables.

WANG, XIAOYUN Mandarin Network Cabling Specialist 157.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for having the knowledge of cable installations of voice, data, fiber optics and coax cables

XU, LIMING Mandarin Network Cabling Specialist 158.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for having the knowledge of cable installations of Voice data, fiber optics and Coax Cables.

ZHANG, JIANBO Mandarin Network Cabling Specialist 159.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for having the knowledge of cable installations of voice, data, fiber optics and coax cables

ZHOU, WEN Mandarin Network Cabling Specialist 160.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for having the knowledge of cable installations of voice, data, fiber optics and coax cables

GUO, CHANGSHENG Mandarin Project Consultant 161.

Brief Job Description: Contribute their operational strategic or technical expertise to projects

GUO, YUANJIAN Mandarin Project Consultant 162.

Brief Job Description: Contribute their operational strategic or technical expertise to projects

QIU, JIALE Mandarin Project Consultant 163.

Brief Job Description: Contribute their operational, strategic, or technical expertise to projects

WANG, JIAWEN Mandarin Project Consultant 164.

Brief Job Description: Contribute their operational strategic or technical expertise to projects

XIONG, DIFEI Mandarin Project Consultant 165.

Brief Job Description: Contribute their operational strategic or technical expertise to projects

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

Basic Qualification: Minimum of 5 years of experience in telecommunications or related technical field; Fluent in Mandarin/Basic English

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Minimum of 5 years of experience in telecommunications or related technical field; Fluent in Mandarin/Basic English

Brief Job Description: Responsible for internal communications and presentations related to key performance, metrics, program updates and on going projects.

ISHII, KEIICHIRO Senior Construction Manager 168.

Brief Job Description: Manage and oversee the day-to-day construction management of the project

HE, MENGTING Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 169.

Brief Job Description: Assist/Help customers, Give customers information about products and services.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Minimum of 5 years of experience in telecommunications or related technical field; Fluent in Mandarin/Basic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Minimum of 5 years of experience in telecommunications or related technical field; Fluent in Mandarin/Basic English

DE VREUGD, AIMEE REMY Multilingual Helpdesk Technician Support 170.

Brief Job Description: Provide restorative or maintenance actions to resolve end-user problems

WEN, LIJUAN Chinese Speaking Business Analyst 171.

Brief Job Description: Planning, maintaining and coordinate the development of primary and secondary market research

XIAO, QUN Chinese Speaking Business Analyst 172.

Brief Job Description: Planning, maintaining and coordinate the development of primary and secondary market research

MANSOORI, ZAHEER KHAN Rf Optimization Specialist 173.

Brief Job Description: Radio frequency optimization – Azimuths and Tilts optimization, KPIS monitoring and reporting after implementation

ZHANG, ZENGMING Consultant 174.

Brief Job Description: Compiling and presenting information orally, visually and in writing; Must be fluent in English and Mandarin Language.

HUANG, CHENGXING Marketing Specialist

175.

Brief Job Description: Building and maintaining relationships with new and existing customers through prospecting and networking, must be fluent in English and Mandarin language.

Assisting with the analyses of marketing data, including campaign results, conversion rates, and online traffic in order to improve future marketing strategies and campaigns

CHENG, DANDAN Trade Marketing Specialist 176.

Basic Qualification: preferably 3 years of consulting experience in projects fluent in Mandarin/ Basic / English

Brief Job Description: Creating and implementation of a trade marketing strategy; Managing brand awareness across various categories and products.

DAI, YIZHONG Trade Marketing Specialist 177.

Basic Qualification: preferably 3 years of consulting experience in projects fluent in Mandarin/ Basic / English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products.

Excellent Mandarin communication skills.

Brief Job Description: Creating and implementation of a trade marketing strategy; Managing brand awareness across various categories and products.

Basic Qualification: Required skills: Basic hardware knowledge, basic software knowledge, basic networking.

JIN, SENYUAN Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 181.

Brief Job Description: Assist/Help customers, give customers information about the product and services

ZHANG, XINJIE Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 182.

Brief Job Description: Assist/Help customers, give customers information about the product and services

PANG YOKE YIN Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 183.

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

Brief Job Description: Develop, implement and communicate metrics reporting processes and documentation across plants and companies with operations, marketing and sales function; Fluency in English and Mandarin Language is a must.

GUO, LIPENG Trade Marketing Specialist

178.

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

Brief Job Description: Enters customer and account data and keeping and maintaining information confidential

CHEN, YONGSHENG Mandarin Customer Support Representative Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products / excellent Mandarin communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products / excellent Mandarin communication skills

184.

Basic Qualification: Demonstrate experience in marketing data analytics and tools. Through understanding of marketing elements. Fluency in English and Mandarin language is a must Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Strong knowledge of consumer industry, ability to think critically and creatively; Fluency in English and Mandarin Language is a must.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Strong knowledge of consumer industry. Strong range management; Ability to think critically and creatively.

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

VO THI NGUYEN TUONG CHAP Vietnamese Customer Service Representative 185.

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

Basic Qualification: Strong knowledge of consumer industry; Ability to think critically and creatively; Fluency in English and Mandarin Language is a must.

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

Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customers questions about services or products/ excellent Mandarin communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customers questions about services or products/ excellent Mandarin communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products/ excellent mandarin communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in MANDARIN/FUKIEN and at least college level with related BPO experience.

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

Brief Job Description: maintains financial account; recommend potential products and services; attracts potential customers

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in Chinese Mandarin, English and their respective native language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

XINCHUANG NETWORK TECHNOLOGY, INC. 3rd, 5th-10th Flr. Alabang Zapote Rd. Almanza Uno Las Piñas City

186.

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

Basic Qualification: Well-developed core consulting skills of research, analysis, presentation, attention to detail; Aptitude to grasp new concepts and effectively produce results; Exceptional problem-solving skills.

Basic Qualification: Strong knowledge of consumer industry, ability to think critically and creativity. Fluency in english and mandarin language is a must.

WANFANG TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT, INC. U-3501/02 35/f Pbcom Tower Cor. Ayala Ave. & V.a. Rufino St. Bel-air Makati City

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

Basic Qualification: Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering Graduate.

Minimum 3 Years Technical Extensive Experience in 5G core Planning & Optimization.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

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

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

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

Basic Qualification: Preferably 3 years of consulting experience in projects; Fluent in Mandarin/Basic English

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

180.

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

Basic Qualification: Team Leadership Skills/ Decision Making Ability/ Ability to motivate others

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

LUO, WEIJIE Trade Marketing Specialist

TANZILA TRADING INC. U-29 3/f Bac. Bagong Milenyo F.b. Harrison St. Brgy. 076 Pasay City

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

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

Basic Qualification: Graduate of Bachelor’s Degree with at least 10 years working experience preferably in the same industry. Must be fluent in Korean & English language.

SVR TELECOM (PHILIPPINES) INC. Unit 1814 18/f Cityland 10 Tower 1 156 H.v. Dela Costa St. Bel-air Makati City

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: preferably 3 years of consulting experience in projects fluent in Mandarin/ Basic / English

179.

SUPERINSIGHT MANAGEMENT CONSULTING INC. 12/f Robinsons Summit Center 6783 Ayala Ave. Bel-air Makati City

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: preferably 3 years of consulting experience in projects fluent in Mandarin/ Basic / English

LI, XINLEI Trade Marketing Specialist

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

STEFANINI PHILIPPINES, INC. 3f, 5f, 6f Imet Bpo Tower Metro Bldg. Metrobank Ave. Roxas Blvd. Brgy. 076 Pasay City

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Minimum of 5 Years of experience in Telecommunications or related technical field: fluent in Mandarin basic english,

No.

SNOWDROPS INC. 2/f Zeta Ii Bldg. 191 Salcedo St. San Lorenzo Makati City

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Minimum of 5 Years of experience in Telecommunications or related technical field: fluent in Mandarin basic english,

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

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

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

PHILIPPINES COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK CONSTRUCTION INC. Unit E-2004a East Tower Psec Exchange Road Ortigas Center San Antonio Pasig City

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

JANG, YOUNGHO Head Of Logistics Operation

PAYMAYA PHILIPPINES, INC. 6/f Launchpad Reliance Cor. Sheridan Brgy. Highway Hills Mandaluyong City Basic Qualification: 5-8 years of experience in UX design and research with leading tech companies.

Deep technical knowledge in front end mobile app native/ web solution design

HONG, GUILIN Chinese Customer Service

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

SAMSUNG SDS GLOBAL SCL PHILIPPINES CO., LTD. INC. 2001 Trade & Financial Tower 32nd St. Cor. 7th Ave. Bonifacio Global City Fort Bonifacio Taguig City

Basic Qualification: Good social and presentation skills. Excellent oral and written communications skills Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

www.businessmirror.com.ph

187.

188.

CAO, YOUDAN Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer service

LU, GUODONG Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer Service

XIE, SHAOMIN Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer Service

Basic Qualification: At least college graduate level. Must be fluent in Mandarin and basic English.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: At least college graduate level. Must be fluent in Mandarin and basic English.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: At least college graduate level. Must be fluent in Mandarin and basic English.

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

ZTE PHILIPPINES INC. Unit 1201 & 1202 12th Floor Fort Legend Towers 3rd Ave. Corner 31st St. Bgc, Fort Bonifacio Taguig City

189.

190.

SUN, ZHENG Outsourcing Manager Brief Job Description: Coordinate with the subcon issues

ZHAO, SHENGYU Project Quality Supervisor Brief Job Description: Project management

Basic Qualification: Graduate of any business course Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Graduate of any business course Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 *Date Generated: Sep 23, 2021

Any person in the Philippines who is competent, able and willing to perform the services for which the foreign national is desired may file an objection at DOLE-NCR Regional Office located at DOLE-NCR 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.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Strong knowledge of consumer industry, ability to think critically and creativity. Fluency in english and mandarin language is a must.

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

ATTY. SARAH BUENA S. MIRASOL REGIONAL DIRECTOR

Companies BusinessMirror

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

FLI to issue ₧10-B bonds

T

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

he board of property developer Filinvest Land Inc. (FLI) has approved the company’s issuance of P10 billion in fixed-rate retail bonds, which it will list on the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp.

The said bond float is the second tranche of the company’s P30-billion shelf registration program approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The second tranche consists of up to P8 billion in primary offer and P2 billion in over-subscription option, with maturities of between 4 to 6 years.

The company issued the first tranche of the shelf registered bonds worth P8.1 billion on No-

vember 18, 2020. The company mandated BDO Capital and Investment Corp., BPI Capital Corp., China Bank Capital Corp., East West Banking Corp., First Metro Investment Corp., RCBC Capital Corp. and SB Capital Investment Corp. as its joint lead underwriters and bookrunners for the said issuance.

RCBC-Trust and Asset Management Group will serve as the trustee.

“The board of directors of the

Jollibee expands footprint in Canada

L

company has authorized the management of the company to evaluate all aspects relating to the proposed offering of the second tranche bonds, including the determination of the timing thereof and interest rate,” it said.

For the first half, FLI income fell 22 percent to P1.87 billion from last year’s P2.41 billion as its rental segment, including offices and shopping malls, remained weak.

Revenues fell 10 percent to P8.31 billion from last year’s P9.3 billion due to lower revenues generated from its leasing business, which was tempered by the increase in the revenues of its residential business.

Real estate sales rose by 10 percent to P5.03 billion from last year’s P4.55 billion primarily attributable to higher construction percentage of completion achieved during the second quarter.

Rental and related services, meanwhile, plunged by 27 percent to P2.86 billion from last year’s

ocal fast-food giant Jollibee Foods Corp. on Thursday said it launched its new mobile kitchen in Hamilton, Ontario, and opened a new store in Winnipeg, Manitoba as part of its expansion in Canada.

Jollibee said it partnered with DoorDash, an online food ordering platform, to launch the mobile kitchen in Hamilton, Ontario.

Located at the southwest corner of the CF Lime Ridge Mall, the movable restaurant

P3.91 billion due to the decline in mall and office revenues as a result of lower occupancy and rental concessions provided primarily to mall and retail tenants.

“Reduced occupancy was caused by the pre-termination of leases by POGO [Philippine offshore gaming operators] tenants. The group expects new BPO [business process outsourcing] tenants to lease out the vacated office spaces in the remainder of the year,” it said.

Capital expenditure spent for the first half of 2021 amounted to P5.78 billion, with 60 percent going to residential developments, 26 percent to office developments and the balance to retail, logistics parks and land acquisition, the company said.

Filinvest Land has a P30-billion pipeline of residential projects prepared for launching as market conditions further improve. FLI is looking to expand to new areas across the country such as Bataan, Naga, Dagupan and General Santos.

offers Jollibee dishes exclusively through online ordering beginning September 2.

The 15-meter traveling kitchen allows Jollibee to expand its presence in both existing and new markets, without the traditional overhead costs of opening a brickand-mortar store.

The mobile kitchen offers a limited menu of Jollibee favorites like the original or spicy Jolly Crispy Chicken—its brand

Friday, September 24, 2021

B1

Cebu Pacific to retain fleet of 73 aircraft

B

UDGET carrier Cebu Pacific (CEB) will retain its fleet of 73 aircraft, as these jets and turboprops will play a key role in its recovery program.

Unlike full service carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL), which is reducing its fleet size by a quarter, Cebu Pacific VP Candice Iyog said the group is not planning to reduce its fleet.

“The 73 aircraft are for the full recovery of our network and we do want to go back to pre-Covid levels as soon as possible,” she said during a press briefing.

The group is ramping up its domestic and international operations, increasing frequencies to popular local destinations Boracay, Siargao, and Bohol, as well as the resumption of flights to Narita, Nagoya, and Fukuoka, among others.

“Domestic tourism will be the one leading the recovery process for us.

We’re doing everything we can to support this,” Iyog said. “We are ready to ramp up as quickly as demand comes back.”

Currently, Cebu Pacific operates at 26 percent of its capacity. By October,

in Canada for Chickenjoy—spaghetti, and peach mango pie.

Last year, Jolly Crispy Chicken was among the top 10 most ordered food items on the DoorDash platform and peach mango pie ranked in the top 20 most ordered list.

Customers in Hamilton may order from the mobile kitchen via the Jollibee website or through the company’s and DoorDash’s mobile application.

with the reintroduction of international flights as well as the increased frequencies for domestic destinations, the low-cost carrier will be operating at 38 percent of its pre-Covid capacity.

Iyog noted that Cebu Pacific is “in discussion with Airbus for delivery schedules.” She declined to discuss how Cebu Pacific will move forward with its order of 16 long-range A330 neo aircraft, 10 A321 XLRs, and five A320 neo jets.

To date, “more or less half” of Cebu Pacific’s fleet is being utilized for both passenger and cargo operations. Some jets are currently parked in Australia.

Cebu Air Inc., the operator of Cebu Pacific, saw its net loss widening in the first half of the year to P13.79 billion, 50.9 percent higher than the P9.14billion loss it recorded the year prior.

Revenues were also 66-percent lower at P5.90 billion from P17.33 billion due to declining earnings from its passengers and ancillary operations. Cebu Air shares increased by 0.76 percent or 3 centavos apiece to close at P39.6 per share on Thursday. Lorenz S. Marasigan

“As we continue to expand our store network across Canada, the mobile kitchen provides the ideal platform to serve our customers in a more flexible and far-reaching capacity, especially in communities where we don’t have a physical store location yet,” Maribeth dela Cruz, president of Jollibee Foods North America, Philippine Brands, said.

VG Cabuag

B2

Companies BusinessMirror

Friday, September 24, 2021

DOE endorses EV project of Century Peak to BOI

T

By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

HE Department of Energy (DOE) has endorsed the P2.5billion integrated electric vehicle (EV) and EV charging station project of Century Peak Energy Corp. to the Board of Investments (BOI).

Under the project, 20,000 imported EVs and up to 5,000 EV charging stations will be deployed in the next five years.

“As part of continued efforts to help strengthen our EV sector, the DOE has also recently endorsed a project to the BOI. When completed, the project is expected to help contribute to the reduction of

as much as 145.02 million liters of fuel. This is equivalent to at most a P7.99-billion reduction from fuel cost,” said Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi, in his speech delivered during the 9th PH Electric Vehicle Summit.

The DOE said it looks forward to the launch of more projects that will accelerate the country’s shift to

EV. “Again, our success depends on strong public-private collaboration, and I am confident that together, we could make this happen.”

The agency earlier halted the procurement of 100,000 EVs, which started prior to this administration. “I stopped this project because it is not feasible. However, we had no choice but to accept the 3,000 units that were already produced. And since there were still no takers, we ended up donating these units, despite the fact that we had to pay for them.”

Still, the agency continues to push for more energy-efficient vehicles.

It also established a clear set of EV guidelines, including the development and operation of EVs and their charging infrastructures, and the operation of EV charging stations.

The DOE, he said, may certify and endorse to the Department of

Trade and Industry–BOI any person or entity intending to invest in the EV charging station sector, so they may avail fiscal incentives, as provided under Executive Order 226.

“But to help prepare the path for more established EV charging networks, we would of course need support not only from investors, but from our local electric distribution utilities as well. Automotive firms, particularly those investing in cleaner mobility, are also significant partners in this endeavor. Innovation in the EV industry will help propel the transport sector forward,” said the energy chief.

“Policies and guidelines for all stakeholders must be in place to attract the necessary investments and effectively integrate EVs and EV charging stations in a robust and sustainable energy system.”

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ERC orders DUs to refund ₧20B T

he Energ y Reg u l ator y Commission (ERC) said Thursday that it has so far issued refund orders worth P20 billion from January 2020 to September 2021.

“Upon evaluation and verification of the reportorial requirements submitted, the Commission approved and directed the concerned Distribution Utilities (DUs) to refund a total amount of P20,145,890,691.21 to their respective customers,” said ERC Chairperson and CEO Agnes VST Devanadera.

The total refund represents the amount of discount granted to customers, the Market Transaction Fee refund and over recover ies in the pass-through and distribution charge. The big chunk of the amount represents the DUs’ over collection in their pass-through and distribution charges.

For 2020, DUs’ customers in Luzon were granted rate reductions in their power bills ranging

from P0.0025 to 0.9118/kilowatt hour (kWh); P 0.0028 to 1.3182/ kWh in Visayas; and P 0.0151 to 0.9118/kWh in Mindanao.

For this year, the rate reduction for Luzon customers is anywhere from P0.0014 to 1.5064/ kWh; P0.0088 to 0.5719/kWh for Visayas; and P0.0070 to 0.4348/ kWh for Mindanao.

For Manila Electric Co. and Cagayan Electric Power and Light Co., the refund rates are P0.1528/ kWh and P0.0268/kWh, respectively, which represents overrecoveries in the distribution charges. For the Market Transaction Fee, the rate reduction is around P0.0029/kWh to P0.0039/kWh. The ERC said it has put in place a systematic confirmation process of pass-through charges to ensure appropriate recovery of the various pass-through charges “in an efficient manner.” Also, these periodic adjustments are implemented properly in accordance with the approved automatic cost adjustment mechanisms. Lenie Lectura

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Banking&Finance BusinessMirror

In drive vs smuggling, BOC seizes 6.4K liters of unmarked diesel

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

@BNicolasBM

T

HE Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized 6,357 liters of unmarked diesel at one of the retail gas stations of a petroleum company in Pampanga as part of its efforts to curb oil smuggling in the country.

The Bureau of Customs Port of Clark issued a Warrant of Seizure and Detention against the operators of Petromobil Corporation’s gas station in Arayat, Pampanga after a field testing operation was done by the BOC and the Bureau of Internal Revenue last September 3.

“Follow-up field testing operations were conducted covering other identified Petromobil stations within the National Capital Region, Northern and Southern Luzon,” Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero said in his report to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III during a recent Department of Finance executive committee meeting.

The follow-up field testing operations resulted in BOC ordering the closure of another Petromobil retail station in Angeles City in Pampanga, while other stations of the oil company in Rizal and Bulacan were also found with deficient fuel marker levels of 20 percent and below.

“These stations, as well as the identified fuel source are subject to ongoing surveillance operations,” Guerrero said.

The BOC has also teamed up with the Philippine Ports Authority, Maritime Industry Authority, and the Philippine Coast Guard to mobilize a Department of Energy (DOE)-led task force against petroleum smuggling done within the country’s territorial waters.

The DOE-led Interagency Task Force on Energy (IATFE) intends to include the Philippine Navy and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency in the group so that it would become the “umbrella” or-

ganization fighting petroleum smuggling, Guerrero said.

Moreover, the Customs chief said BOC has been coordinating with the agencies in the task force to comply with Dominguez’s instructions to go after sea vessels turning off their automatic identification system (AIS) transponders to avoid detection, and also those directly unloading fuel in lorries.

“On the part of the BOC, we’re making use of our Command Center at the Customs Operations Center to conduct surveillance on vessels of interest (VOIs) and we are providing periodic reports to your office,” he said.

According to Guerrero, BOC’s Enforcement and Security Service has boarded 50 vessels as of September 10, including those VOIs that have been irregularly transmitting their positions because their AIS were switched off at certain times.

No violations of customs or anti-smuggling laws by these VOIs were found so far, but they were warned that subsequent instances of irregular transmissions will be dealt with more severely in the future, Guerrero said.

P280-B tax take

Almost two years since the start of the fuel marking program, the government has collected P280.48 billion in duties and taxes.

The government injected fuel markers on 28.8 billion liters of fuel from September 2019 to August 26 this year.

The fuel-marking program was launched with the aim of halting illegal importation, manufacturing, and other fraudulent activities relating to the use and sale of petroleum products in the country.

Fuel marking makes use of a unique chemical marker that can be embedded at a molecular level in petroleum products— gasoline, diesel, and kerosene—thereby enabling authorities to test, identify and distinguish petroleum products with paid excise taxes.

I

plete, unbroken, unimpaired, sound, and perfect condition which applies to an object, system, person, or human entity (e.g., organization, society or nation). He used this definition to show the relationship between integrity, workability, and performance.

He used the analogy of a bicycle wheel which, in its whole, unimpaired and sound condition, will work perfectly and will provide maximum opportunity for performance (winning a race for

The column contributor, Octavio ‘Bobby’ Peralta, is Founder & CEO of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives and concurrently, President of the Asia-Pacific Federation of Association Organizations. The purpose of PCAAE—the “association of associations”—is to advance the association management profession and to make associations well-governed and sustainable. PCAAE enjoys the support of the Tourism Promotions Board, the Philippine International Convention Center and the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific. E-mail: obp@adfiap.org

RDB good for PHL, investors

A

N economist-lawmaker said the country’s first offering of Retail Dollar Bonds (RDB) is both “a fair deal for investors and a good borrowing strategy for the government.”

House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Joey Sarte Salceda made the statement following the notes’ successful issuance this week.

The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) said it raised $866.2 million (about P43.18 billion) in its first offering of retail dollar bonds.

The agency awarded $551.8 million (around P27.5 billion) in 5-year retail onshore dollar bonds (RDB) and $314.4 million (about P15.67 million) in 10-year bonds during the auction.

The 5-year bonds fetched a coupon rate of 1.375

percent while the 10-year RDBs had an annual interest rate of 2.25 percent.

“Overall, it’s a fair deal for both the creditor and the government. We should do it more often, given the reception, as an alternative to offshore bond offerings,” Salceda added.

Salceda, whose committee also oversees the country’s debt management strategy, said that borrowing foreign currency from Filipino creditors is still much better than borrowing offshore.

“It’s also a good time to offer dollar-denominated bonds for the government, as the value of the currency has begun stabilizing to prepandemic levels,” Salceda added.

Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

B3

HMOs’ net income nearly doubles in Q1 amid Covid

T

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

@BNicolasBM

HE net income of health maintenance organizations (HMO) nearly doubled to P1.56 billion in the first quarter of this year as their expenses on healthcare benefits and claims dropped year-on-year even amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Citing data from the latest unaudited interim financial statements submitted by the HMOs, the Insurance Commission said the net income of HMOs from January to March this year surged by 95.57 percent from P797.6 million in the same period in 2020.

“This substantial increase in the industry’s net income, however, is primarily driven by a 9.24 percent decrease in total expenses, year-on-year.

That was, in turn, driven by a 15.62-percent decrease in Healthcare Benefits and Claims from P9 billion in Q1 2020 to P7.6 billion,” Insurance Commissioner Dennis Funa said in a statement on Thursday.

Pressed on the reason behind the drop in HMO’s expenses of Healthcare Benefits and Claims

Integrity: The foundation of performance T has been over four dea rider, for example). Take out cades ago when integrity a spoke and its workability as a virtue was first indeclines and its performance grained in my consciousness diminishes. Take out more as an individual and as a prospokes and its workability is Association World lost and there is no chance for fessional—first as a banker in the mid-70s to the late 80s, performance.

Octavio Peralta So Aljor offered this forand then as an association mula: Integrity equals workexecutive from then on. ability equals performance. As the integrity (the In the banking institution where I worked state of being whole and complete) of an object, after university, integrity was part of the orgasystem, person, or human entity increases, then nizational culture. My boss then would always workability increases; in turn, this also raises the remind me that “integrity is my passport in bankopportunity for performance. Obviously, when ing.” I completely understand this mantra since something has full integrity (i.e., entirely whole a bank is in the business of trust. I also believe and complete), its opportunity for performance that integrity transcends banking and, in fact, is at its maximum. all aspects of human life.

2. Integrity for a human entity: Integrity My organization, the Philippine Council for a person or human entity is a matter of keeping of Associations and Association Executives or honoring one’s word, nothing more, nothing (PCAAE), recently conducted a webinar on less. Prevailing wisdom holds that trust is created “Integrity: The Pathway to Performance.” Our only over a considerable period of time. While speaker, Aljor C. Perreras, founder and CEO of perhaps counterintuitive, maintaining your inPrimordium Inc., Philippines, has been continutegrity by honoring your word is a fast track to ously delivering personal growth and leadership being trusted. In this case, integrity equals trust. programs for 20 years, including as a former There are more aspects to discuss about senior leader in one of the world’s leading comintegrity which this space will not be able to panies that deliver transformational programs. fill. But suffice it to say that a person, group, Here are excerpts from Aljor’s presentation organization, association, society, and nation which delved deeper into the subject of integrity, committed to workability and performance reone worth sharing with associations and other quires a culture of integrity. Without integrity, organizations: nothing works!

1. Integrity is the state of being whole, com-

Editor: Dennis D. Estopace • Friday, September 24, 2021

even amid the pandemic, Funa told the BusinessMirror this may be due to the decline in healthcare utilization.

“It is possible that there was a decrease in utilization of healthcare - less surgeries because of restrictions in hospital admissions, less outpatient consults. Even capacity of hospitals may have been restricted because of Covid protocols and Covid infections.

Also, the HMOs’ limited workforce due to quarantine measures might have also been a factor,” he said in a message.

“I do know that some people have chosen to defer major surgeries as the general attitude is to avoid going to hospitals for fear of getting infected by Covid,” Funa added.

Meanwhile, the HMO’s total equity almost doubled to P15.14

billion in the first quarter of this year from P7.8 billion in the same period in 2020.

“According to the unaudited reports, this increase in total equity was due to an increase in Retained Earnings, which comprise 77.90 percent of HMOs’ total equity,” Funa said.

The HMO industry’s assets also grew to P66.56 billion in the first three months of this year, up by 31.77 percent from P50.51 billion in the comparable period last year. The growth in assets was attributed to the increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents that make up 53.92 percent of the industry’s assets.

As for the industry’s total liabilities during the first quarter, these also went up to P51.42 billion this year, higher by 20.38 percent than last year’s P42.72 billion.

However, the industry’s total revenues slightly contracted by 2.89 percent to P12.79 billion as of end-March this year, from

P13.17 billion in the same period in 2020 due to a slight decrease in Membership and Enrollees’ Fees.

To recall, the regulation and supervision of the HMO industry was transferred to the Insurance Commission from the Department of Health following the issuance of Executive Order No. 192, Series of 2015 by then President Benigno S. Aquino III. The Insurance Commission earlier reported that since the start of the pandemic last year, HMOs have already paid P3.98 billion in Covid-19-related claims, which constitutes almost half of the P8.25-billion aggregate Covid-19-related claims paid.

“Clearly, HMOs have a unique place in our country’s fight against the pandemic as frontliners and have become a strong and dependable partner in ensuring that our country’s healthcare needs during these uncertain times are addressed,” Funa said.

B4

Relationships

Friday, September 24, 2021 • Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

BusinessMirror

Where are you off to on your first vacation?

CLOCKWISE: Metaseqouia Road in Damyang-gun County of Jeollanamdo Province is one of the featured sites in K-pop group BTS’s music videos; Kayaking along Lio Estate’s mangrovelined waterways in El Nido; strawberrypicking in Baguio; and Melbourne, Australia is famous for being a food and beverage haven. It is even known to be the place in the world for coffee.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Today’s Horoscope

By Eugenia Last

z

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Erin Chambers, 42; Candace Kita, 54; Nia Vardalos, 59; Kevin Sorbo, 63.

Happy Birthday: Laboring over something you have no control over will not help you get ahead this year.

Step outside your comfort zone. Use your intelligence, not your brawn, to get things done. Broaden your horizons to avoid being trapped. It’s up to you to enjoy life’s journey. Don’t avoid the things you need to do; act and move forward. Your numbers are 6, 17, 23, 26, 31, 37, 44.

a

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Bartering is to your advantage. You’ll captivate through imagination and spark interest in what you want to pursue. A partnership looks promising. The more you talk, the easier it will be to convince others to join the conversation. HHH

b

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): An unexpected change will result if you make demands or let someone push you. Keeping a balanced lifestyle will help you ward off anyone trying to infiltrate your plans. Be secretive; you’ll complete what you set out to do without interference. HHH

T

HE recent Philippine International Travel Exchange (Phitex) 2021 brought a bit of good news to the tourism industry. The well-respected president of the Philippine Tour Operators Association Cesar Cruz declared that domestic tourism would likely “take off” before the end of the year, granted of course that there will no longer be any hard lockdowns.

He also said that even if many leisure destinations still have requirements like going online for travelers to get their QR code registrations, or submitting negative RT-PCR test results, people yearning to escape the city where Covid-19 cases have yet to cease are willing to accept these requirements and additional costs. It is no longer a case of financial ability but a desire for mental health, and the need to bond with family and friends, I would guess.

So I asked a few travel experts, some of who participated in the recent hybrid Phitex 2021, which was held at the Subic Bay free port, where they would first go when travel restrictions have eased, or when the pandemic is finally behind us, and we are all protected from the dreaded virus.

Here is what they said: n Ma. Anthonette Velasco-Allones—COO, Tourism Promotions Board and Phitex organizer: I’m going home to Naga City for a well-deserved recharging respite. On top of my list is a visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, as “Ina” has been my constant source of fortitude, hope and protection through the long dark nights of our lockdowns.

And usually, friends and food go together when I’m in Naga, where breakfast of binutong and crispy fried abu with a cup of tsokolate, spills over to buffet lunch lined with kinunot, Bicol express, cocidong lapu-lapu, laing, and adobong pusit in coconut milk, and literally just changing tables and plates for a hearty dinner of oriental lumpia and lomi in Rolando’s Cafe at Villa Caceres Hotel. n Aileen Clemente—Chair and President, Rajah

c

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Work diligently behind the scenes where no one will bother you.

Aim to accomplish the most in the least amount of time, and move on to activities that offer mental and physical stimulation. Engage in social events that are safe and captivating. HHH

d

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Stick to what and who you know. Avoid outsiders; stay within your inner circle to avoid mistrust and harsh words.

Put your emphasis on improvements and doing things in your unique fashion. Set trends rather than follow them. HHHH

e

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Hold on to your emotions. Refuse to give someone the upper hand by showing your true feelings. Keep your life simple, and stay focused on what you can accomplish without giving too much away. Do things your way, and avoid meddlers. HH

f

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Alter the way you do things, and you will learn something valuable. A change will revitalize your outlook and introduce you to a life choice you hadn’t considered in the past. A friend or relative will give you something to think about. HHHHH

Travel Corp.: I will still prefer to go to the US and stay in a place where there is a vast acreage of open space, but still near any of my siblings in the East Coast, so I can plan mini trips in between, without exposure to high-density potential Covid-19 locations. In the Philippines, I’ll probably stay and rent an island or a portion of an island—any, as long as it’s not too dense. n Randi Alampay—Faculty, University of the Philippines-Asian Institute of Tourism: Gina and I are celebrating a milestone anniversary (30 years!) as husband and wife in January. We decided on El Nido, it’s always been on our bucket list. But also because it

had to be a beach after two years of urban lockdown. I booked the family, us plus three children, at Lio Estate for the end of the year. If we make it out there and we’re allowed to go out of the town, we’ll try to sneak in a day trip to San Vicente’s Long Beach.

If international, Korea. After all those K-dramas, BTS, and Mamamoo...? Although Quebec also looked lovely in Goblin. n Sonia Lazo—Managing Director, Intas Destination Management Inc.: I’d like to go to Baguio

Continued on B5

Retrenched cabin crew continues mom’s apple pie business amid pandemic AT the onset of the ongoing pandemic, back-to-back devastating tragedies struck Paul Zamora, a young man on-the-go with optimistically favorable prospects laid out before him. His mom Lulu, a whiz at the family kitchen who shared sought-after baked goodies with friends and patrons, succumbed to cancer. Almost simultaneously, he was sadly suddenly laid off from his promising dream job as an airline flight steward.

Despite these heartbreaking challenges that hit too close to home, Zamora got a hold of his life and painstakingly moved on. With a degree in Culinary Arts from the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde and various apprenticeships under his belt both here and abroad, he eagerly picked up where the beloved matriarch left off—a hopeful wish to enhance the apple pie recipe to best suit the Filipino palette.

Since then, he was determined to continue the legacy of Lulu’s Pie (www.facebook.com/luluspie). The business gained the necessary initial push due to the viral power of social media. His heart-touching story reached several thousands.

PAUL ZAMORA working the kitchen.

“Being a retrenched cabin crew who started a business served as an inspiration to many!” Zamora shared.

In addition to the bestseller apple pie, there was a genuine clamor for other offerings. And thus, Lulu’s Pie began to serve cornmeal crust Chicken Pie, filled with his mom’s trademark roux and mirepoix Chicken ala King.

A favorite merienda and appreciated gift, a truly Filipino staple that even foreigners and visitors love, Lulu’s Pie added soft bun ensaymadas to their lineup, which consists of five flavors: Classic, Ube, Dulce de Leche, Strawberry Shortcake and has even evolved into a Torched variant. For good measure, they now have delectable Quezo de Bola rolls, also a crowd-favorite.

Zamora, who has been exposed to food and the kitchen from a young age and had showings of entrepreneurship even in elementary school, remains grateful for loyal and supportive customers. This continues to inspire him to do more, to unravel his untapped potential. Only time will tell what Lulu’s Pie has in store.

g

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): An energetic approach to life will catapult you past anyone who interferes. Your desire to win will keep you revved up and ready to excel. Taking on a partner will slow you down. Go it alone, and shoot for the stars.

HHH

h

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): A change is overdue. Put your plans in motion. Forgo the past, and move forward without looking back or letting any hurdles faced deter you from taking the first step. Embrace life and take charge of your future.

HHH

i

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sharing too much information will slow you down. Be sure you take care of the necessary details to ensure your plans unfold without a hitch. Timing is everything, and letting outside interference intervene will disrupt the outcome. Focus on preparation and presentation.

HHHH

j

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Spend more time at home or working alongside people who share your goals and interests. A change at home will make your life easier and help eliminate stress.

Learn from the experience you encounter, and you’ll achieve the happiness you deserve. HHHHH

k

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Stop and take inventory. Remember what’s happened in the past, and make the necessary changes to prevent making the same mistake twice. Trust your intelligence, not your emotions, and you will figure out the best way to move forward. HH

l

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Put your energy where it counts, and you’ll find a position that intrigues you. Revamp your resume to fit trends. Self-improvement projects are favored, and spending time with someone you love will bring you closer together. HHHH Birthday Baby: You are enthusiastic, physical and open-minded.

You are dedicated and loyal.

‘encircled’ by prasanna keshava The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS 1 ___ ghanoush 5 Desus & Mero network, for short 8 Loud kiss 13 Letters in an urgent request 14 PC brand 15 Use for a snooze 16 Chance to accompany a firefighter 18 Between, in Paris 19 Sheep sound 20 Celine whose first and last initials are apt?

21 One absorbs things quickly 22 Path toward redemption 25 Blemish on a shirt 26 Luau garlands 27 Nasal noise 28 Like an even match?

30 Awesome, to the Beatles 33 Broadcasts 34 Captivates 35 The Big Easy, in brief 36 Modern driving aid: Abbr.

37 Laborious undertakings 38 Comes to room temperature, say

9 Ollie’s pal in classic comedy 3 40 Temple honoree 41 Gem from a farm 46 Tie in a low-scoring game 47 Slippery swimmers 48 Praise in verse 51 It can come after “tea” or “table” 52 Up to speed, and like all but four bookending letters of 16-, 22- or 41-Across 54 Trace of color 55 Berry whose name is 75 percent vowels 56 The Irish Sea’s ___ of Man 57 Sinister smile 58 Org. for Penguins and Sharks 59 Brazilian soccer great DOWN 1 Wire fence feature 2 Bengaluru’s continent 3 Trouble-makers 4 King Kong, for one 5 2020 movie about a cartoon canine 6 Dye used for a bridal tattoo 7 URL ending for a nonprofit

8 Ignored the alarm 9 People who are under 18 10 Health insurance giant 11 Welsh ___ (dog breed) 12 Prepare to pray, perhaps 14 Extraterrestrial 17 Let in, or let on 21 Biases 23 Rowboat propellers 24 Is polite after a boring play 25 Sound heard at a salon 27 Droop 28 High-tech photography gadget 29 Fix, as a gambling game 30 1984 movie set in a town with a ban on dancing 31 Friend in battle 32 Common undergrad degrees 34 Night driving hazard 35 Pinot ___ 37 Something shocking 38 Discontinue 39 Fall guy 40 New ___, India 41 Expenses

2 Detach, like a corsage 4 43 Sierra ___ (African country) 44 As Time Goes By actress Judi 45 “She loves me not” flower part 49 Tiny house resident?

50 Sporting sword 52 Fleming who created James Bond 53 Sass

Solution to today’s puzzle:

Show BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Friday, September 24, 2021

Six documentaries, nine short films compete for Gawad Urian 2021

I

GMA Now levels up mobile TV viewing experience GMA Now levels up users’ mobile TV viewing experience with new features and improvements to make their interactive smart TV on the go even more enjoyable.

Since the platform’s launch last February, product creator GMA New Media Inc., GMA Network’s digital media and technology arm, has been continuously developing additions to the mobile dongle that enhance the user experience, not only for DTT but also in its OTT and interactive components.

GMA Now users can now save and share clips of their favorite shows with the new Screen Recording feature. To activate, simply tap the record button on the TV player and allow the required permissions. Recorded clips will automatically be stored in the phone’s Gallery.

The smartphone used should have at least 100MB of free storage in order to record.

Another new feature is the Picture-inPicture (PIP) Mode that allows users to multitask while enjoying GMA’s news, public affairs, and entertainment shows. As users switch to other apps while watching, the GMA Now TV player automatically floats above the other apps, allowing continuous digital TV viewing. This feature requires Android 8.0 Oreo and above.

On top of these exciting updates, GMA Now also further enhanced its existing features. Full episode videos of the network’s shows are now available on the newly redesigned Videos tab while Groupee Chat is now made more fun and interactive with new Groupee stickers.

Users can enjoy these new features by updating their GMA Now app on the Google Play Store.

GMA Now is a mobile digital TV receiver that allows Android smartphone users to watch the live broadcast of the channels GMA, GTV, Heart of Asia, Hallypop, I Heart Movies, and DepEd TV as well as other free-to-air channels accessible in their area.

Compatible with any Android smartphone that runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow or higher, GMA Now is available in portions of Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Pampanga, Cavite, Laguna, Abra, Ilocos Sur, Baguio City, Pangasinan, Batangas, Metro Cebu, Metro Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Bacolod City, as well as in Guimaras and Iloilo.

The GMA Now can be purchased at the special retail price of only P599 until October 27.

N the documentary Aswang, the being whose name refers to a complex of witches and viscera suckers leaps out of the myths and begins to appear in cities and human settlements. With these creatures come also the so-called drug war and the lives of those caught in the mayhem and violence hitherto unseen in this islands republic.

In the meantime, at the palace, a king reigns over a population said to still worship him.

A Thousand Cuts documents an online news site, Rappler, which has been the focus of Duterte’s wrath and attention. The film tracks the founder of the news bureau, Maria Ressa, and the writers who bravely document the present condition. Along the way, it looks into other characters closely linked to the administration and warns us how a press must remain free for it to play a crucial role in any history.

What happened to Marawi is the question asked in this documentary detailing A House in Pieces. As its former inhabitants return to the city, the view of a land—its houses and its people—in shamble becomes devastating not only for those who once lived there and had dreams like anyone of us, but also for us witnessing the ineptitude of a central government.

Despairingly intrusive and yet intimate, the portrait of the filmmaker’s father whose mind and life are fast vanishing can be shattering. Somewhere in the film called Elehiya ng Paglimot (Elegy to Forgetting), we ask the question: How much can I show and to what degree can I breach the familial and personal if only to drive home the point that memories make up the essence of both our past and, therefore, our future?

A structure meant to house ceremonials that affirm a community’s physical continuity and symbolic sustainability owes its title to the name of that space. Buklog chronicles a long ritual by the Subanen, an ethnolinguistic community in the Zamboanga Peninsula, showing a people who believe the world around them has spirits that guard and guide, and that it is the duty of leaders (healers) to maintain that belief and process the action towards them.

The final nominee for Best Documentary is called Masterpiece. In this film, a priest enlists the services of young artists whose subject matter has always been secular to paint the ceiling of an old church.

With their styles different from the classical form

the figures on the ceiling have always assumed, these young men and one young woman fulfill a dream that only Renaissance artists of Europe had perhaps experienced.

The themes and concerns in the short film categories are, as always, fresh and wide in range. One film deals with a father who concocts a fairy tale of flying into outer space to convince her young daughter why he may not see her anymore (My Father is an AstroNot). In another, an older man imposes a narrative of horror to a son who cannot understand how an openly homophobic father can distort fatherhood and desire (Ang Bahagharing Uhaw sa Ulan). Then there is a young mother whose art helps her face a loss as she constructs a boat that will carry her child to her final destination (Ola). In another home, a mother cannot accept how her only daughter dresses up and, over a radio play, they enact their own drama (Noontime Drama).

An elderly transgender is about to experience a new status with the law that gives citizens reaching the age of 100 financial benefits (Isang Daa’t Isang Mariposa). The artifice of cinema as a queerspace is supplanted by smartphones linking desires, intimacies and sexual freedom (Next Picture). An old Igorot woman walks to the town, enduring her disability because the sound of an explosion may have hurt again one of her loved ones (Dad-aan na).

The folk theater conjured around the death of God is transformed into a carnivalesque landscape of

contradictions, caricatures and commentaries (Pabasa kan Pasyon).

Completing the nominees for Best Short Film is an animation that has the contours of graffiti and street arts, which imagines how the present pandemic has only stressed out the gap between the poor and the rich, and how poverty has been an excuse for the tragedies in the mind of the nation (Yawyaw ni JP).

The list of nominees for the Gawad Urian 2021 follows below: BEST DOCUMENTARY ■ Aswang, Alyx Arumpac ■ Buklog, Roel Hoang Manipon ■ Elehiya ng Paglimot, Kristoffer Brugada ■ House in Pieces, Jean Claire Dy and Manuel Domes ■ Masterpiece, Kristoffer Villarino and Januar Yap ■ A Thousand Cuts, Ramona S. Diaz BEST SHORT FILM ■ My Father is an Astro-Not, Arjanmar Rebeta ■ Next Picture, Cris Bringas ■ Noontime Drama, Kim Timan and Sam Villa-Real ■ Dad-aan Na (Her Walks), Jules Lumiqued ■ Ola, Mijan Jumalon ■ Yawyaw ni JP, Sine Sanyata ■ Pabasa Kan Pasyon, Hubert Tibi ■ Isang Daa’t Isang Mariposa, Norvin de los Santos ■ Ang Bahagharing Uhaw sa Ulan, Levilou D. Corpuz

Where are you off to on your first vacation?

CONTINUED FROM B4 with family and friends. It’s been easy for me to imagine that the beach is just a few steps away from where I am. I’ve been longing for fresh and crisp air, while eating sinigang or barbecue with a watercress salad. Also hankering for that distinct Baguio vibe— artsy, folksy, and naturally bohemian. And always with nostalgia. I intend to see family and friends there, too. For international, I’d go where I’ve never been to...Korea. I’m an Army! A BTS fan! I would like to do the BTS trail as an Army as opposed to my usual trade show trail/pilgrimage as a tour operator.

■ BENJIE MARTINEZ—PRESIDENT, HOTEL SALES AND MARKETING ASSOCIATION INC./AREA DIRECTOR, SALES AND

MARKETING, BAYLEAF HOTELS: First leisure destination is Melbourne, Australia, to visit our family and friends, most especially our precious two-year-old granddaughter, our first grandchild. My daughter is a nurse there and she is now a citizen there. My son, though, is based in Vancouver...we’re empty-nesters already. Nothing beats spending quality time with your loved ones and celebrate life.

I for one, was planning to go to Boracay with family despite this terrible pandemic, because it was a niece’s 40th birthday. But I had to put it off because my second vaccination dose was delayed. Boracay has always been the family’s default vacation place because it has easy access to everything one can wish for—the creamy white, powdery sand beach and

awesome food choices, lots of libations, as well as friends among the residents there.

Truth to tell, even before I got my ticket and confirmation of a hotel booking, I already looked through my summer wardrobe to pick out the pieces I would wear to the island. Then, Metro Manila was put under lockdown last August 6, further screwing up my travel plans. I could not reschedule under those circumstances.

But as they say, third time’s the charm so maybe on my third try, I will eventually make it out to the island before the end of the year, so I can splash around in its crystal-clear waters and get a well-deserved spa treatment for my tired, weary bones. Crossing my fingers. ■

Lovi gets a fresh start

ABS-CBN Entertainment will produce the local adaptation of South Korean thriller drama Flower of Evil after acquiring the rights from content production companies CJ ENM Co., Ltd. and Studio Dragon Corp.

The Philippine version will feature multi-awarded actors Piolo Pascual and Lovi Poe in the lead roles as husband and wife, who were originally played by Lee Joon-gi and Moon Chae-won.

An irresistible mix of drama, romance, thrill and action, Flower of Evil follows a man who changes his identity in order to hide his dark past, successfully maintaining his disguise by building a happy family with his police detective wife. But when she starts investigating an unsolved serial murder case that might be tied to him, she must deal with the reality that her perfect husband might not be who she thinks he is.

Flower of Evil enjoyed high ratings in South Korea when it premiered on tvN, CJ ENM’s leading total entertainment channel, in 2020. The series continued to gain popularity in other countries for its nailbiting plot twists and remarkable performances after becoming available internationally through various streaming platforms.

The local adaptation of Flower of Evil will be Lovi’s first ABS-CBN teleserye after signing with the network.

It is Lovi’s second ABS-CBN project overall, after she starred in the 2020 iWantTFC original movie Malaya,

for which she clinched a Gawad Urian Best Actress nomination.

Lovi has won several awards throughout her career, including Best Actress trophies from FAMAS Awards and the Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival. As she enters the next phase of her career as a ABS-CBN talent, Lovi is tackling more international projects and pursuing her passions in Hollywood.

This year, Lovi launched her recording career in the US by releasing original one-word title songs, such as “Candy,” “Under” and “Lost,” under the Los Angelesbased VIM Entertainment. She is also working on an EP with American producers Bob Robinson, KrisKeyz, and Grammy winner Omen that will be released soon.

Lovi is also set to star in her first Hollywood movie alongside British stars Alex Pettyfer and Poppy Delevingne, the biopic The Chelsea Cowboy, where she will play English singer and icon Dana Gillespie.

Welcome to ABS-CBN, Lovi.

LOVI POE

B5

B6 Friday, September 24, 2021

PMPC goes virtual for the 2021 Star Awards for Movies

Sun Life teams up with Seedin Tech to bring a better future for Filipinos

THE tie-up was formalized via a virtual gathering on Zoom, attended by the executives from the two companies led by Sun Life PH President Alex Narciso Narciso, Sun Life Chief Technology Officer Teodoro Pineda, Sun Life Distribution and Business Development Head Deo Orpilla, Sun Life Partnership Distribution Manager Hilario Malapad, Sun Life Strategic Accounts Partners Ronnie Aquino and Catherine Estanislao, Seedin President and CEO Anson Uy, Seedin Executive Director and Partner Edison Tsai, Seedin Finance Operations and Compliance Officer Neil Aldrin Raymundo, Seedin Credit Risk Officer Isaiah Trance, and Seedin Business Development Officer Roxanne Regondola.

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UN Life of Canada (Philippines), Inc. (“Sun Life”), the number one life insurance company in the Philippines, and Seedin Technology Inc. (“Seedin”), a leading business financing platform in Southeast Asia, have inked a strategic tie-up to bring the promise of a brighter future closer to more business owners and investors.

Under the tie-up, qualified Seedin members will receive a one-year Sun Life personal accident or life insurance worth P25,000 which will be provided for free by Seedin. The personal accident insurance comes with a coverage for contingencies

such as loss of life, loss of sight, and dismemberment due to accident, while life insurance covers any cause of death (including COVID) except suicide.

The personal accident insurance program is open to members aged 18 to 64 years old while the life insurance is open to members aged 18 to 59 years old. Product terms and conditions apply.

“With Seedin as our ally, we are certain that we will be able to help more Filipino investors and business owners, especially those from small and medium-sized enterprises, be protected and future-ready,” Sun Life of Canada

(Philippines), Inc. President Alex Narciso said. “This initiative is part of our efforts in contributing to nation-building by empowering and assisting them in their efforts recover from the effects of the pandemic.”

“Through this tie-up, we’re enabling our members to grow their businesses and money while securing their health, which is especially relevant amid the pandemic.

With Sun Life and Seedin working together, I am confident our mutual clients can be ready for life’s challenges,” Seedin Technology Inc. President and CEO Anson Uy said.

AsiaMoney names RCBC as ‘Best Digital Bank’

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IGITAL prowess to do good.” This is what captured the attention of the 2021 AsiaMoney Best Bank Awards for hailing the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) as its back-to-back Best Digital Bank in the Philippines for two consecutive years.

The prestigious award-giving body specifically lauded RCBC’s recent efforts in using the bank’s digital finance solutions and platforms, particularly the financial inclusion super app DiskarTech and ATM Go, to facilitate and accelerate the government’s work in disbursing financial aid nationwide as part of its social protection program at the height of the pandemic.

Aside from disbursing social benefits during the pandemic, DiskarTech also facilitated the digitalized crediting of the SSS loan proceeds and other benefits directly to the members’ DiskarTech accounts registering a 110-percent growth month-on-month.

The mass market app also boosted support for micro, small and medium enterprises or mSMEs through

its recent partnership with social enterprise Hapinoy by onboarding more than 10,000 sari-sari store members nationwide, and enabling them to avail of the five-pillar sari-sari store benefits the app offers.

With its cardless withdrawal feature, ATM Go has become a reliable partner of ordinary Filipinos and mSMEs in providing grassroots-based sachet banking services in hard-toreach areas with over 1,500 terminals in 74 of 81 provinces in the country. By end of 2021, 100 percent of provinces will be covered.

“Doing well by doing good has become something that people believe in especially during the pandemic.

Innovating with empathy has always been an important hallmark of the work that we do here in RCBC, and with us, financial inclusion is beyond advocacy,” said RCBC’s President and CEO Eugene S. Acevedo.

“What makes this accolade extra significant is that fact that these back-to-back recognitions were given during a global health crisis,” added Lito Villanueva, RCBC’s Executive Vice

President and Chief Innovation and Inclusion Officer.

In the past few months amid the pandemic, RCBC was able to achieve several milestones, including covering 90 percent of the country’s provinces with 85 percent classified as poorest local government units via ATM Go. RCBC also became the first local universal bank to have the most extensive reach. The bank’s RCBC Mobile and DiskarTech apps have registered customers from across all 81 provinces in the Philippines.

RCBC continues to be one of the leading universal banks accelerating digital transformation in the Philippines. It was judged as the Philippines’ best retail bank in the 2021 Global Banking and Finance Review Awards. It is also the best digital bank for Business Tabloid in 2021, by the Asiamoney in 2020 and 2021, and by the Alpha Southeast Asia for 2020 and 2021.

Its digital products include RCBC mobile and online banking, handheld ATM Go mobile point-of-sale terminals, and DiskarTech, among others.

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HE 36th Philippine Movie Press Club, Inc. (PMPC) Star Awards for Movies will have its broadcast on September 26, 2021, 6:00-9:00 pm at STV (Social TV) and RAD streaming platform.

STV can be viewed in any normal TV sets with digital antenna and TV box and RAD streaming platform. After 9 pm, the show will also be streamed on PMPC Facebook page, FDCP Channel, and online media partners: Abante Facebook Page, Abante Tonite Facebook Page, Beautederm Facebook Page, EuroTV Facebook Page, AbanteRadyo Tabloidista Facebook Page, ATC Channel 31 Online TV Network, Benny Andaya Official Account Facebook Page, Channel One Global, Channel One TV Movie Global and Mulat Media.

Hosted by Rep. Alfred Vargas and Kapuso actress Sanya Lopez, this annual movie awards is presented by The Philippine Movie Press Club, Inc. (PMPC) in cooperation with The Film Development Council of The Philippines (FDCP).

This is the first virtual awards

presentation of the award giving body organized by the pioneering entertainment group in the Philippines, headed by its current president Roldan Castro. This is in line with the health and safety protocols being implemented by the government due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Awesome production song numbers shall be provided by Regine VelasquezAlcasid, Jed Madella, and Luke Mijares.

The show is written by Winnie Magcalen Mariano and directed by Pete Mariano.

The awarding ceremony is made possible in partnership/sponsorship by the Film Development Council of the Philippines, WEMSAP, and Mowelfund.

Empire East reaches 96% employee vaccination

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OPNOTCH homebuilder and residential property innovator Empire East recently announced that 96% of its employees have now been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, an indicator of the company's success in its "I AM ARMED" campaign.

"We highly encourage our entire workforce, from the ranks up to the executives, to get vaccinated for the protection not only of themselves and their families but also the homebuyers we serve," shared Atty. Anthony Charlemagne C. Yu, President and CEO of Empire East.

Even before the rollout of the national government's vaccination program, the company actively campaigned among its employees the benefits of being vaccinated through a series of webinars and social media information drives. Empire East even extended its "I AM ARMED" campaign to its accredited sales force, reaching a 90% vaccination rate.

"The safety of our homebuyers and our workforce has always been our top priority," says Atty. Yu. The developer's chief executive also added that while the company has already adapted to the "new normal" through its transmutation program, and contactless transactions with its stakeholders are being practiced, its offices and showrooms have now become safe spaces due to the herd immunity achieved by its employees and sales partners.

Despite the commendable high vaccination rate, Empire East never ceases to strictly implement all safety protocols within the premises of its work sites. The remaining 4% of unvaccinated employees are currently under remote work outside Metro Manila, awaiting the availability of vaccines. The company targets to attain a 100% vaccination rate among its people before the year ends.

Phoenix market share has more than doubled in the last decade

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OMEGROWN oil company Phoenix Petroleum is leading the pack of independent oil companies whose combined market share has now reached 61% of the total domestic petroleum market amidst market conditions that have shifted demand in favor of smaller retailers.

According to the Department of Energy, the cumulative market share of smaller firms, excluding end-users, has increased from 48.8% to 52.5% in the first half of 2021, while the market share of majors has shrunk from 43.9% at the end of 2020 to less than 40%. The share of end-users, meanwhile, rose from 7.3% to 8.5%. Leading the charge among the Independents is Phoenix Petroleum with an 8.3% market share, which was up from 7.1% at the end of 2020.

“As a Filipino company that started much smaller 19 years ago, we at Phoenix are glad and proud that the market is showing more appreciation and support for what we have to offer. Not only does it show how far we’ve come as a brand, but is also very telling of the capability of newer and smaller Filipino businesses to compete with well-established, global brands,” said Phoenix Petroleum President Henry Albert “Bong” Fadullon.

Phoenix’s fuel market share has more than doubled in the last decade. In 2011, the company accounted for only 3.3% of the domestic market, but has since increased to over 8% in 2021, effectively cementing its position as the third largest oil player in the country, and inching closer to the top two majors. The company’s commercial business was the initial driver of growth, but its retail business has likewise expanded tremendously in the last few years.

Phoenix is on track to opening 700 stations nationwide this year.

Additionally, the second quarter of the year saw Phoenix strengthen its hold of the market, experiencing a 70% volume increase compared to the same period last year, and leading to a 25% year-on-year growth for the first half of 2021.

“We remain optimistic for the remainder of the year as nationwide vaccinations continue and more economic activities are restored,” added Fadullon.

Established in 2002 in Davao City, Phoenix is the first independent oil firm that was listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange.

From only five stations in Mindanao by 2005, it now has 686 retail outlets nationwide.

Sports BusinessMirror

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph | Editor: Jun Lomibao

Friday, September 24, 2021 B7

U-BELT BOYS POWER MERALCO

By Josef Ramos

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OOKIE Alvin Pasaol joined forces with Mac Belo as the duo are slowly transforming into Meralco’s 1-2 U-Belt Boys Punch.

Pasaol and Belo provided the jolt that shoved the Bolts up front in the first half for a lopsided 79-66 rout of the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings on Thursday in the Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup at the Don Honorio Ventura State University gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.

Pasaol, a former University of the East Red Warrior, hit 13 of his 15 points in the first half where Meralco built a 45-26 cushion, the widest margin in the game.

Belo, who played college ball just across Lepanto and Morayta—Far Eastern University where he was himself a King Tamaraw—scattered 10 of his 15 points also in the opening half for the Bolts who never backed down in notching their ninth victory against two losses.

Pasaol and Belo never faced each other during their University Athletic Association of the Philippines days— Belo was about a season Pasaol’s senior—but their combination was enough for Meralco coach Norman Black to grin from ear to ear at this point in the conference.

“A lot of guys are stepping up,” Black said. “As far as we’re

concerned, it’s the next man’s up.”

Chris Newsome added 10 points, nine rebounds and six assists for Meralco, perhaps enough to redeem himself from paying a P20,000 fine for throwing the ball to Anthony Semerad in their game against NLEX on Wednesday.

“We wanted to go into the playoffs with momentum,” Black said. “Our offense was pretty good for the last three games.”

Meralco will enter the playoffs with a twice-to-beat advantage against the No. 7 Road Warriors.

The Gin Kings, who missed Japeth Aguilar (medial collateral ligament or MCL) and Scottie Thompson (health and safety protocols), dropped into a tie with Terrafirma and Phoenix Super LPG with a 4-7 record.

But thanks to NorthPort, Ginebra is alive and well in its quest to advance to the quarterfinals.

Robert Bolick unleashed a tripledouble of 22 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists as fifth seed Northport routed Alaska, 122-94, even 7-foot Greg Slaughter sitting out the game to rest his body.

The victory set the Batang Pier up for a best-of-three quarterfinal duel with No. 4 San Miguel Beer.

Freshman Jamie Alonzo finished with 21 points, six rebounds, four rebounds and two blocks, while Paolo Taha added 18 points for the Batang Pier, who finished the elimination round with a 6-5 record.

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Alaska ended its campaign with a 3-8 card.

Northport’s allowed Ginebra to salvage the eighth and last quarterfinal spot for a playoff series with Phoenix Super LPG. Terrafirma yielded the quarterfinal seat to Phoenix by virtue of the winner-over-the-other rule. The Fuel Masters beat the Dyip, 96-84, last September 9.

“We don’t want to go to the playoffs with a loss. It just so happened that Ginebra was our opponent today,” added Black, whose Bolts outrebounded the Gin Kings (63-36) for more second chance points (23-7). “Everybody supports everybody.”

Ginebra narrowed the gap to 5155 at the end of the third quarter behind Stanley Pringle. But Meralco doused the rally with Newsome sinking a three-pointer to give Meralco a 71-58 breather with four minutes and 21 seconds remaining.

The Bolts were never threatened the rest of the way.

Pringle led Ginebra with 19 points, while Christian Standhardinger had a double-double of 17 points and 14 rebounds.

Without Thompson and Aguilar, Ginebra missed a lot of numbers.

Thompson averaged 12.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 10 games in the conference while Aguilar was good for 14.6 points and 6.1 rebounds in eight games.

MERALCO’S Mac Belo and Alvin Pasaol unleash electrifying performances.

PSC organizes four-part IP forum; pencak gals in ‘Rise Up, Shape Up T

USOPC: American hopefuls for Beijing Winter Olympics must have vaccine

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S athletes trying to make the Winter Olympics will have to be fully vaccinated for Covid-19 under a groundbreaking new policy announced Wednesday by the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC).

CEO Sarah Hirshland wrote in a letter obtained by The Associated Press that, starting November 1, the USOPC will require staff, athletes and others utilizing training centers and other USOPC facilities to be vaccinated.

The requirement, she said, “will also apply to our full Team USA delegation at future Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

According to the team website, athletes will have to show proof of vaccination by December 1. The US is expected to send around 240 athletes to the Winter Olympics, though the mandate will impact hundreds more—anyone with hopes of making the final squad.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has been encouraging vaccines but did not require them for athletes who competed in the Summer Olympics. With that guidance, most national Olympic committees, including the USOPC, followed suit by strongly recommending the vaccines but not requiring them. The IOC’s first “Playbook,” a booklet offering health-related and other guidance for the Winter Games, is due out next month.

Earlier this year, around 83 percent of the more than 600 American athletes who qualified for Tokyo got the shots in time for the Summer Games, according to the USOPC’s final count. The IOC estimated about 85 percent of all athletes in the Olympic village had been vaccinated.

There were some Americans, including golfer Bryson DeChambeau and swimmer Michael Andrew, who spoke openly about not receiving shots. DeChambeau

Casimero defends crown against British challenger

ended up testing positive shortly before he was supposed to head to Japan and missed the games, while Andrew said he had contracted Covid-19 previously and didn’t plan to get vaccinated.

In her letter, Hirshland said the USOPC had been hopeful that many Covid-19 restrictions would be lifted by the end of the Tokyo Games.

“The stark reality is that this pandemic is far from over,” she wrote. “This step will increase our ability to create a safe and productive environment for Team USA athletes and staff, and allow us to restore consistency in planning, preparation and service to athletes.”

Hirshland said there would be a process for athletes to apply for an exemption.

The USOPC policy veers from those at other American sports organizations, including the National Football League and National Basketball Association, which don’t have mandates.

Neither does the National Hockey League (NHL), though it has strict protocols for unvaccinated players, including stipulations that allow teams to suspend unvaccinated players if they miss games due to Covid-19 or travel restrictions related to the virus.

The NHL has an agreement to allow some of its players to compete in the Olympics. AP

HE Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) will hold the 2021 Indigenous Sports and Games Webinar Series: Preserving and Promoting the Rich Cultural Heritage of our Ancestors in conjunction with the celebration of Indigenous Peoples Month.

The series is scheduled on October 7, 21 and 28 and November 5 at 1 p.m. through Zoom video conferencing platform.

The four sessions will serve as a continuation of the webinar launch last June 24.

More than a thousand participants registered for the series which aim to promote and preserve the traditions and culture of the Indigenous Peoples.

“Four distinguished resource

speakers representing different government agencies, and associations were invited to give talks on various topics concerning the rich culture of the Indigenous Peoples,” said Charles Raymond Maxey, PSC’s oversight commissioner for Indigenous Peoples Games program.

The activity is organized in partnership with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples and sponsored by Pocari Sweat.

PENCAK ACES IN ‘RISE UP, SHAPE UP’ FIFTEEN young girls and women who won pencak silat gold medals at the Seventh Women’s Martial Arts Festival will appear in the “Rise Up, Shape Up” web series leg

this Saturday.

They are Danyella Reiyn Coching (Tunggal pre-teen 9-11 years old); Szavein Emerald Cordovez, Jazzy de la Cruz and Antoinette Isabelle Sta. Romana (Beregu pre-teen 9-11 years old); and Zyche Mae Jizmundo, Ann Gilrose Sanchez and Hanna Kimberlay Cezar (Beregu Pre-junior 12-13 years old).

The series will also feature the other gold medalists in the 14 to 16 years old category and the 17 to 35 years old group, along with 2019 Southeast Asian Games silver medalist Francine Padios.

Women in Sports commissioner in-charge Celia Kiram will discuss in her regular segment “K-Isport: Kwentong Isport” a history of pencak silat in the country.

ORLD Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight champion Johnriel Casimero was tasked to defend his crown against mandatory challenger Paul Butler of England.

MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons relayed the information on Thursday, adding the CasimeroButler fight could be scheduled in December.

“The WBO World Championship Committee orders the parties herein commencement of negotiations for the above-mentioned WBO Bantamweight Mandatory Championship Contest,” Luis Batista-Salas, chairman of the WBO Championship Committee, told the Casimero and Butler camps in a letter.

“Please be advised that the parties have 20 days upon receipt of this letter to reach an agreement,” Batista-Salas added.

The World Boxing Council earlier this week ordered Nonito Donaire Jr. to defend his bantamweight crown against fellow Filipino Raymart Gaballo.

Donaire (41-6 winloss record with 27 knockouts) dethroned Frenchman Nordine Oubaali via a fourth-round knockout victory last May 29 in Carson City, California.

Both mandatory defense bouts by the two Filipinos, according to Gibbons, will go on full negotiations with both fights dependent on how much purse would be staked for the reigning champions.

Butler is handled by MTK Globak, but according to Gibbons, negotiations would involve the Englishman’s handlers, MP Promotions and TGB Promotions.

Casimero (31-4 win-loss record with 21 knockouts) successfully defended his belt twice—against Ghanian Duke Micah last September 2020 through a third-round technical knockout in Connecticut and via split decision against Cuban Guillermo Rigondeaux last August in Carson City.

Gibbons expects Casimero to arrive in the US at the end of this month to resume his training under conditioning coach Angel Memo Heredia.

Casimero is presently on a short vacation in Ormoc City. Josef Ramos

Martin ends career with gold medal at cycling road world championships

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RUGGE, Belgium—Veteran Tony Martin ended his much-decorated career in style as Germany won the mixed relay race at cycling’s world championships on Wednesday.

The 36-year-old Martin, a four-time time trial world champion from Germany who also won five Tour de France stages and wore the famed yellow jersey, announced last week

that he would end his 14-year professional career after the world championships.

He finished sixth in Sunday’s individual time trial won by Filippo Ganna of Italy and said he would call it a day after competing in the mixed relay, where teams of three men and three women compete against each other in a team time trial.

“It’s the best finish, isn’t it?”

Martin said. “It’s a dream for me.

Now it’s time to celebrate.”

The men’s teams started from the North Sea resort of Knokke-Heist and completed a 22.5-kilometer course to Brugge, where their female teammates took over for a 22-kilometer loop around the picturesque city.

Martin and his five

teammates—Lisa Brennauer, Lisa Klein, Mieke Kroeger, Nikias Arndt and Maximilian Richard Walscheid—finished 12.79 seconds faster than the Dutch team that included world champion Ellen van Dijk and Olympic champion Annemiek van Vleuten.

Italy completed the podium, lagging 37.74 seconds behind.

Ganna and his Italian teammates Matteo Sobrero and Edoardo Affini set the fastest time in the men’s race, at an average speed of 55.551 kph.

Martin had one year remaining on his contract with JumboVisma but decided after this year’s Tour de France that he would not continue. Martin crashed out of the three-week event in July during Stage 11, when he had to be taken away in an ambulance.

Martin also crashed in the Tour’s opening stage after a careless spectator brandished a large cardboard sign while leaning into his path.

THE German team, led by retirement-bound Tony Martin (center), celebrate its time trial mixed relay race at the world championships in Bruges, Belgium, on Wednesday. AP

Nicknamed “Der Panzerwagen” for his enormous power, Martin also won the one-week Paris-Nice in 2011 and is a 10-time German time trial champion.

Austrian junior rider Leila Gschwentner, meanwhile, was taken to the hospital with a shoulder injury after a collision with a public bus on Wednesday during a training ride at the world cycling championships.

The Austrian cycling federation said the crash took place in the city of Leuven, one of the host cities for the championships currently taking place in the Flanders region of Belgium.

The 17-year-old Gschwentner was riding the course that will be used for Saturday’s junior road race when the crash happened. The federation said no other injuries were detected.

It was the second road accident to mar the world championships after former professional cyclist Chris Anker Sorensen of Denmark died last week following a collision with vehicle during a ride in Belgium.

Sorensen was to commentate for TV at the event. AP

Motoring

B8 Friday, September 24, 2021

BusinessMirror

Editor: Tet Andolong

GAC Motor introduces ‘Go and Change’ campaign Story by Randy S. Peregrino

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ITH innovation at its core, GAC Motor Philippines recently launched its “Go and Change Campaign,” which heralds

the brand’s new strategic direction of focusing on the technology and improvement of its craftsmanship. Officially inaugurated late in 2018, the company successfully launched its initial vehicle line-up consisting of the GA4, GA8, GS8, GS4, and

the GN8. Its pioneer and flagship dealership, the GAC Motor Metrowalk, Pasig, opened its doors to the public.

“GAC Motor devotes itself to creating higher quality products and innovative technology

GAC Motor Philippines’ current roster of vehicles.

GAC Motors Philippines

to provide its customers with enjoyable riding experiences and to ensure a lasting value of your vehicles. When we say Chinese Craftsmanship, it means utilizing the brand’s supply chain and manufacturing strengths in creating a worldclass technology that will also be used in conducting highly advanced research,” said GAC Motor Philippines president and CEO Wilbert Lim. Lim also shared what makes Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd. (GAC Motor) one of the top-ranking auto brands in China. “Since its inception in 1997, GAC Motor worked deliberately to improve its expertise in car manufacturing and became experts in producing quality, safe, durable, and innovative vehicles.” The brand’s presence spans 26 countries in the Middle East, South Africa, and Southeast Asian regions.

GAC Motor boasts a commitment to give its consumers an enjoyable riding experience and the lasting value of their vehicles. The automaker will continue to utilize its supply chain and manufacturing strengths in creating world-class technology that will also involve conducting highly advanced research.

GAC Motor is driven by quality. To guarantee its customers high-quality vehicles and mobility solutions that withstand the test of time, the fastest-growing Chinese brand initiated the QDR (high Quality, high Durability, and high Reliability) Project. It established four research and development centers (R&D Centers) in the Silicon Valley, Los Angeles City, Detroit, and Shanghai. These R&D Centers are responsible for choosing premium materials and the technology used in the manufacturing of GAC vehicles.

GAC also funded several R&D Centers across the globe to develop artificial intelligence systems, autonomous, hybrid, and pure electric vehicles, fueling its strong push towards electrification as it laid out plans on creating a line-up of electrified vehicles in the coming years.

Future expansion plans, model launches, and special offers

The local distributor continues the strive to build rapport with its partners and answer the mobility needs of Filipinos.

As such, GAC Motor Philippines is set to launch three new vehicle editions in the Philippines—the all-new GS4, the bulletproof GS8, and the GN8 Master’s Edition.

With efforts to bring GAC vehicles closer to every Filipino, the local distributor will be opening several new dealerships in the country—two in 2021 and another two in 1st half of 2022. As for proving durability, reliability, and efficiency, the GAC Motor Racing Team will be participating, once again, in the upcoming 2021 Petron Bonifacio Endurance Cup on November 30.

When it comes to offering luxury, comfort, and quality of its vehicles, GAC Motor Philippines has an ongoing nationwide promo, the Champion’s Deals, celebrating its triumph from its previous endurance races. Here, GAC gives back to its customers by offering a P270,000 discount on its vehicle models. The promo will run until September 30. Another upcoming partnership is with one of the biggest superstores in the country. The goal is to promote the brand further and let consumers experience what GAC Motor vehicles offer.

Notably, GAC Motor Philippines subsidized the DTI’s Safeguard Tariff Duties and did not collect the additional taxes.

Instead, they provided at least a 10% discount on all vehicles.

Now with the dismissal of the safeguard tariff, the local distributor will adjust vehicle prices accordingly.

Apart from the upcoming vehicle launches, GAC Motor Philippines also extends its aftersales service to non-GAC Motor brands. These services include preventive maintenance service, electric diagnostics, tune-up, and even freon recharging. Other services include wheel alignment, tire installation, muffler, exhaust repair/installation, brake repair, and change oil/lube. Car wash, detailing, wash over, body repair/collision estimate, car paint job, and car disinfection are included. Moreover, the aftersales service offers insurance assistance and insurance claim vehicles. Representatives from aftersales can deliver the unit from the showroom and straight to customers’ doorsteps.

Meanwhile, GAC Motor Philippines also revealed its intention to bring in electric and hybrid models. According to the local distributor, if the country’s current situation improves and permits, they will probably launch an EV and the new GS8 in the 3rd quarter of 2022. On emission standards and efforts to go green, all GAC vehicles are Euro 5-compliant, hence fewer emissions. GAC Motor is also aiming for a zerocarbon footprint by manufacturing electric cars.