Aboitiz Group denies buying majority stake in Air Asia PH

By Joel E. Zurbano

ABOITIZ Group on Monday denied reports it acquired a majority stake in low-cost carrier Air Asia Philippines.

“We would like to clarify and state that this information is not true and accurate. At this time, we are actively verifying the sources that led to the publication of this article and have requested that the article be taken down,” Aboitiz said in a statement.

“We want to assure our stakeholders and the public that any significant developments regarding our company will be communicated and disclosed first by us through official channels. We appreciate your patience as we work to clarify the matter,” it said.

Meeting

Held on 28 July 2022

Capital A Berhad (Air Asia) chief executive Tony Fernandes said they would make the proper announcement on the issue of Air Asia Philippines’ ownership at the proper time.

“I’ve stuck to the script, all you will get from me is honesty and transparency. And it’s not just about the good things, right? The good things are that we are alive, we saved everyone’s job, we’re going to recruit. My chief pilot just asked me about his retirement plan, and I’m going to deliver on that as well. I’m going to deliver the money we owe to the people, and I’m going to deliver to the Philippines,” he said.

The airline recorded 93 flights on its first day of operation for domestic flights at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport-Terminal 2.

“The total number of passengers in and out of NAIA-Terminal 2 during our first day of transfer was 12,656,” said Air Asia PH information officer Carlo Carongoy.

Air Asia Philippines moved its domestic flights service from Terminal 4 to Terminal 2 on Saturday as part of the Schedule and Terminal Assignment Rationalization program initiated by the Manila International Airport Authority.

Terminal 2 now exclusively caters to domestic flights operated by Philippine Airlines, Air Asia and Royal Air.

“This change benefits both our domestic and international passengers. With NAIA Terminal 2 now handling domestic flights only, CIQ [customs, immigration and quarantine] personnel have been redistributed to NAIA Terminals 1 and 3 as additional deployment. This shall ensure maximum manning of these posts especially at peak hours,” MIAA officer-incharge Bryan Co said.

Grab PH, DICT vow to protect app users

GRAB Philippines said Monday it teamed up with the Department of Information and Communications Technology to protect app users from cybercrime.

Grab Philippines public affairs head Sherielysse Bonifacio said the “public-private sector collaboration is an integral component of efforts to fight digital crime, which is why Grab is working with agencies such as the DICT to ensure the security of our platform.”

“With e-commerce in the country estimated at half a trillion pesos last year, and it being projected to hit a trillion pesos by 2026, it is imperative for the private sector to be proactive in efforts to protect Filipino consumers who are doing more and more of their transactions online,” she said.

Grab Philippines country head Grace Vera Cruz said that her company is committed to ensuring the safety and security of its platform users.

“ The real and growing threat of cyberattacks on platforms, such as phishing and identity theft leading to fraudulent transactions on e-wallets,”’she said.

DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy said the country should harness the power of technology while ensuring the safety and security of its digital future. Darwin G. Amojelar Production gauge declined in June

THE Philippines› purchasing managers index, a gauge of the strength of the manufacturing and service sectors, softened to 50.9 in June from 52.2 in May and 53.8 a year ago, S&P Global said Monday.

Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. chief economist Michael Ricafort said the decline could be attributed to higher interest rates locally and globally amid elevated inflation.

Despite the slowdown, PMI still hovered above 50 for 22 straight months since September 2021.

Ricafort said contributing to the decline was the slowdown in exports which hit three-year lows recently and imports at near two-year lows amid the possibility of a recession in the United States.

He said the aggressive interest rate hikes by the US and other central banks since 2022 to deliberately slow demand and other economic activities also weighed on PMI. Julito Rada

SEC warns public against 3 companies

THE Securities and Exchange Commission advised the public against investing in three companies engaged in alleged unauthorized solicitation of investments without the necessary license from the regulator.

The SEC said that based on the information it gathered, it issued warnings against investing in Sunny Smart Asia, Crowdfunding Pinas and Global Fortune Trade which were not authorised to sell investment contracts to the public.

Annual Stockholders’ Meeting

4. Approval of the Management Report and Audited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 December 2022

5. Ratification of Acts of the Board of Directors and Management

6. Election of Directors

7. Appointment of the External Auditor

8. Other Matters

9. Adjournment by remote communication should send an e-mail indicating their intent to participate to IPO.Compliance@fruitasholdings.com. They will then be sent a link to a registration form requiring certain information and documentation. Upon their successful accomplishment of the registration form, they will receive an e-mail invitation with a complete guide on how to join the ASM and how to cast votes in absentia. Registration and voting must be accomplished by 21 July 2023. Proxies, in the form provided by the Company, however, must be scanned and emailed to the Company’s Corporate Secretary at IPO.Compliance@fruitasholdings.com not later than 18 July 2023. The proxies shall be validated by 20 July 2023. The Corporate Secretary’s decision shall be final and binding on the shareholders, and those not settled during the proxy validation shall be deemed waived and may no longer be raised. WE ARE NOT, HOWEVER, SOLICITING PROXIES

For purposes of the meeting, stockholders of record as of June 28, 2023 are entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the said meeting. Registration for the meeting begins at 1:00 p.m. For convenience in registering your attendance, present your valid identification, such as, a driver’s license, voter’s ID, TIN card, SSS card or passport.

If you will not be able to attend the meeting but would like to be represented thereat, you are requested to submit a duly signed and accomplished proxy form to the Office of the Corporate Secretary of Marcventures Holdings, Inc. located at the 4th Floor Citi Center, 8741 Paseo de Roxas, Makati City or on before 6:00 p.m., July 15, 2023. Beneficial owners whose shares are lodged with PDTC or registered under the name of a broker, bank, or other fiduciary allowed by law, must likewise present a notarized certification from the owner of record (i.e. the broker, bank, or other fiduciary) that he is the beneficial owner indicating thereon the number of shares. Corporate shareholders shall likewise be required to present a notarized Secretary’s Certificate attesting to the authority of its representative to attend and vote at the stockholder’s meeting.

The deadline for submission of proxies is on July 15, 2023. Validation of proxies will take place on July 20, 2023.

Pursuant to the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Notice dated March 13, 2023, an electronic copy of the Information Statement and Management Report and SEC Form 17A and other pertinent documents related to the meeting may be accessed through the Corporation’s website at https://www. marcventuresholdings.com/ and on the Philippine Stock Exchange Edge website. For any question about the meeting, you may send an email to: inquiries@ marcventures.com.ph Makati City, 27 June 2023.

For any registration concerns, please contact IPO.Compliance@fruitasholdings.com. Please refer to the Definitive Information Statement (“DIS”) on the guidelines on attendance by remote communication and voting in absentia. The DIS is posted on the website of the Company at www.fruitasholdings.com. Only stockholders who have successfully registered within the prescribed period, together with the stockholders who voted in absentia and by proxy, will be included in the determination of quorum. Stockholders may send their questions about the ASM and the Company to IPO.Compliance@fruitasholdings.com. Pursuant to SEC Notice dated March 16, 2021, the Stockholders may examine the Definitive Information Statement, Management Report, and SEC Form 17A at the Company’s website and through the PSE Edge Portal.

It also warned the salesmen, brokers, dealers or agents, representatives, promoters, recruiters, uplines, influencers, endorsers, abetters and enablers of these firms, as they may be liable under Section 28 of the Securities Regulation Code.

The SEC said Sunny Smart claims to be a company engaged in the business of trading cryptocurrency, stock and forex and promises investors stable and risk-free growth of financial assets and daily earnings of 2.8 percent up to 3.3 percent by registering through an online link and choosing from six investment plans. Jenniffer B. Austria

Cold storage to boost income in Visayas

MURCIA, Negros Occidental—The municipality of Murcia in this province has just welcomed one of its biggest investments to date— the P350-million state-of-the-art Sapporo cold storage facility and ice plant of Czark Mak Corporation Group of Companies.

The investment includes those for the solar power, real estate and planned dry warehouses. CZM’s businesses all over the country include real estate, manufacturing, warehousing, logistics, agribusiness, food and hospitality, and technology, among others, even as it continues to explore new business opportunities and to expand its current customer reach.

The construction of the cold storage facility is expected to be completed this month, with start of commercial operation scheduled for the third week of July. It will have a capacity of 1,728 pallet positions, with five frozen rooms, two chiller rooms and two blast freezing rooms.

CZM chairman and president Caesar Wongchuking said they identified Negros as one of their preferred areas of investment for the company’s cold chain portfolio as the region is heavy in agriculture and identified by the administration as one of the key growth areas.