NETANYAHU DEMANDS OPEN-ENDED CONTROL OF GAZA’S BORDER WITH EGYPT, COMPLICATING CEASE-FIRE EFFORTS
NETANYAHU DEMANDS OPEN-ENDED CONTROL OF GAZA’S BORDER WITH EGYPT, COMPLICATING CEASE-FIRE EFFORTS
FBy Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario
ILIPINOS looking for some relief in terms of rice prices may have to wait till next year for the full fruition of the promise offered by the reduction in rice tariffs, according to an economist.
On Thursday, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) disclosed that the country’s inflation rate slowed to 3.3 percent in August on the back of cheaper food and transportation costs. (See: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2024/09/05/inflation-slows-down-at3-3-in-august-2024-psa/).
Part of the reasons for the reduction in overall inflation was cheaper rice, which led to an inflation rate of 14.7 percent year-on-year growth and deflation of 0.5 percent monthon-month in August. Rice accounts for 8.87 percent of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and 32.7 percent of the reduction in inflation last month.
THE Asian Development Bank (ADB) said the country’s sovereign lending program could reach $24 billion until 2029 to finance various projects and programs that promote inclusive growth and climate resilience nationwide.
In the latest Country Partnership Strategy (CPS), ADB said the amount could be higher depending on the national government’s demand and the availability of funding through its Ordinary Capital Resource (OCR).
As of December 2023, the total sovereign loans and grants extended by ADB to the country reached $10.75 billion and $244.8 million worth of nonsovereign loans and grants.
“There is potential for lending to move above this level given sub -
stantial government demand and premised on increased OCR availability,” the CPS document stated.
“In such considerations, ADB will be cognizant of the single-country limit and any changes in the assessed low risk of sovereign debt stress in the medium term,” it added.
ADB said its CPS for the Philippines is also designed to pave the way toward gradually increased nonsovereign financing and Public Private Partnerships (PPPs).
The Manila-based multilateral development bank said this will allow the national government to reduce its level of public infrastructure investment by the end of the CPS period.
“The country’s cost-sharing ceiling for loans and grants, as well as
TA (technical assistance) projects, will be set at up to 99 percent on a portfolio-wide basis. Specific costsharing arrangements will be determined,” the document stated.
ADB said its CPS will focus on addressing critical development needs and bolstering support on three key areas—human development, economic competitiveness and quality infrastructure, as well as nature-based development and disaster resilience.
Crosscutting initiatives that promote digital transformation, gender equality, and improved governance and institutional capacity would also be integral to the strategy, ensuring a holistic approach to development.
ADB said in the next six years, it will intensify support for initiatives that benefit low-income households, promote regional economic growth corridors through flagship infrastructure investments, and shift focus to emerging sectors like clean energy, blue economy, and naturebased investments.
“ADB’s partnership with the Philippines is at its strongest. This new strategy will further a flourishing collaboration to support the country in achieving a prosperous future that leaves no one behind,particularly as it faces the dual challenges of accelerating economic growth and addressing persistent poverty and
Policy and Planning Rosemarie G. Edillon said this in her presentation at the launch of the Development Policy Research Month (DPRM) of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) on Thursday.
Edillon said this could greatly be reduced to around P92,000 a month, if reforms on economic and social policies are introduced. She said ensuring the resilience of the middle class to various shocks is the path toward attaining the AmBisyon 2040. “I think the point there really is by how much we can really drastically reduce that needed amount if we have the enabling economic and social policy,” Edillon told BusinessMirror.
By Reine Juvierre Alberto @reine_alberto
WITH the reduced rice tariffs lowering the rice prices and slowing down overall inflation in August 2024, consumers can expect rice prices to drop in September, according to Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto.
Inflation eased to 3.3 percent in August 2024 due to slower annual increment of food and nonalcoholic beverages at 3.9 percent in August 2024 from 6.4 percent in the previous month, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said. (See: https://businessmirror.com.
This is within the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) forecast of 3.2 to 4.0 percent for August 2024. The national average inflation from January to August 2024 stood at 3.6 percent and was within the government's target band of 3 to 4 percent for the year.
Rice inflation slowed down to 14.7 percent in August 2024 from 20.9 percent in July 2024. Monthon-month reduction in retail rice prices was recorded from 0.47 per
cent to 0.53 percent.
QUarrYIng
PHL bank reserves steady despite volatility: BSP study
By Bless Aubrey Ogerio
THE country’s bank reserves remained mostly ample despite experiencing occasional fluctuations during key economic periods, as shown by an August study about the reserve demand function of Philippine banks from April 2012 to June 2023.
Using a time-varying model to analyze data, the study found that the elasticity of interbank call loan (IBCL) rates to reserve shocks has mostly been negative but close to zero throughout the period, indicating that overall, banks have held sufficient reserves. There were, however, times of sig -
nificant change, such as during the Covid-19 pandemic when the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) took steps to increase liquidity. This included a total reduction of 200 basis points (bps) in the key policy rate and cuts in reserve requirements, which pushed reserve levels into what is considered
“abundant.”
In contrast, the relationship between rates and reserves tightened as the economy recovered from the pandemic. By June 2023, reserves shifted from “ample” to “scarce,” with an estimated elasticity of -0.7 bps and an average reserve level of 2.5 percentage points (pp) of bank assets—falling short of the 2.8 pp threshold for ample reserves.
The study divided the period into four main phases: before the Interest Rate Corridor (April 2013 to June 2016), the early IRC phase (July 2016 to December 2019), the pandemic (January 2020 to January 2022), and post-pandemic (February 2022 to June 2023).
During the pre-IRC phase, the reserve demand function showed positive elasticity, indicating a disconnection between reserves and rates due to the BSP’s asymmetric corridor system. The early IRC period saw peak elasticity, reflecting a stronger connection
between reserves and market rates due to tighter monetary policies.
Despite fluctuations, reserve levels generally remained ample during most of the pandemic recovery, with the elasticity estimate reflecting changes in reserve supply and demand.
The study also found a nonlinear, time-varying relationship between reserves and rates. When reserves were scarce, the link was stronger, while it was weaker when reserves were plentiful.
Key points along the reserve demand curve were noted, showing the shifts between scarce, ample, and abundant reserves. The level that defined scarcity has decreased to 1.3 percent of bank assets, down from before the pandemic, while the level that separates ample from scarce reserves is currently at 2.8 percent.
Full...
Continued from A1
“Hopefully, it's (full impact) earlier, it's within this year, but looking at the history of the tariffication we could see some time well into the next year to start feeling the effect (of the reduction in rice tariffs),” Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) Roehlano Briones told B usiness M irror at the sidelines of the launch of the Development Policy Research Month (DPRM) on Thursday.
Briones said the promise of the tariff reduction is to bring down the cost of rice by P6 to P7 per kilo. But non-trade factors such as issues with the implementation of some Sanitary Phytosanitary (SPS) policies prevent traders from maximizing the reduced tariffs.
He added that the case filed against the reduction of tariffs—currently at the Supreme Court—creates issues that also prevent the maximization of the benefits of lower duties.
If the Supreme Court grants the petition halting the implementation of the tariff reduction and some traders’ shipments have already been shipped, that could create problems for these imports.
“There are also some issues I have with the current cost, trade facilitation. [Because] it’s beyond tariff. For instance, there’s this 30-day use-it-or-lose-it requirement for the SPS,” Briones also told this newspaper.
marily due to reduced import tariffs on rice—potential pressures could emerge from higher electricity rates and abovenormal weather disturbances.
“The government is prepared to address these pressures to ensure stable inflation. Preparations to counter the effects of the l a Niña phenomenon are under way, including improvements in early warning systems, the utilization of communication systems to issue warnings about dam openings, measures to address the potential accelerated speed of livestock diseases, and greater involvement of local government units in information dissemination, are in progress. Notably, the government has allocated P15 billion for national risk reduction in 2024,” Balisacan explained.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) will expand the KADIWA ng Pangulo program in the Visayas and Mindanao to enhance access to affordable agricultural products, Balisacan said.
The DA is also collaborating with various food manufacturers to supply KADIWA stores with essential goods, including canned sardines, cooking oil, condiments, fresh fish, and poultry.
“The government will continue to implement measures to reduce further inflationary pressures, including enhancing agricultural productivity, expanding logistics infrastructure, and ensuring the efficient delivery of social services," Balisacan said.
“If we’re able to have greater competition in the industry, more innovations happening, then [the middle class lifestyle can become more affordable],” she added.
Under the business as usual scenario, a “matatag, maginhawa, at panatag na buhay ” includes owning a car which could cost
Policies that bring down the cost of education could downgrade private education costs to P5,000; tax reform could bring down income taxes to P22,500; better parks could reduce relaxation with family and friends to P2,000; and cut the cost of trips to around the country to P5,000.
“The middle class...is really, you know, the class where they can more or less withstand the shocks. Because actually that was lost in the conversation
P25,000 a month; enough money for daily needs, P50,000; and amortization for a medium-sized home, P26,000. The list also includes private education of chlidren that could cost P30,000 a month; income taxes, P45,000; relaxation with family and friends, P10,000; and occasional trips around the country, P8,000. But, Edillon said, this could be reduced through the correct policies. A good means of transport could only cost P5,000; daily needs, P40,000; and owning a medium-sized home, P12,500.
before, that you might have graduated [from poverty], but you can still revert [to poverty],” Edillon told this newspaper.
“So, the middle class is, you know, the resilient middle class is really one where you have resources so that you can easily recover from a shock,” she added.
Part of the reasons that it has been a challenge to strengthen the middle class is, admittedly, a propoor bias in terms of policymaking. But Edillon said this was necessary in the past when more Filipinos were poor and needed to be lifted from poverty.
What has changed today, Edillon said, is the fact that more Filipinos have graduated from poverty. The goal, she said, is to transform the country into a predominantly middle class society.
This means the population of the Filipino middle class should reach about 60 percent with poverty reaching single-digit or at the most, 9 percent; and the remaining would be composed of the near-poor and high income families.
“We’re seeing that over time, we are actually also really growing the middle class. As you reduce poverty, obviously, you are growing the middle class. And so, now it’s really about strengthening that middle class,” Edillon said during the open forum.
“We want them to grow much further than that. And so, in terms of the policies, I think we’re actually in the right direction. Because it's really more about giving them the wherewithal, the capability in order to move higher up that social ladder,” she added.
The middle class
A PRESENTATION by PIDS Senior Research
Fellow Jose Ramon Albert showed that the Philippine middle class comprised incomes between P24,060 and P144,360 per month based on 2021 data.
The lower, middle, and upper-middle income classes, Albert said, may comprise about 40 percent of the population using 2021 data. This was lower compared to the pre-pandemic estimate of around 43.5 percent due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, since the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has already released the 2023 poverty statistics, Albert expects the data to show an improvement in the numbers to around 45 percent of the population.
In 2021, all regions, except for the National Capital Region (NCR), Calabarzon, and Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR), were categorized as low-income.
In NCR or Metro Manila, three out of five persons or 62 percent are considered middle class while one in two or 50 percent in CAR are considered middle class. In Calabarzon, 49.5 percent of the population are considered middle class.
The 2024 DPRM has the theme “Securing a Future for All by Growing a Resilient Middle Class”. This aligns with the Philippines’s AmBisyon Natin 2040 vision of “a predominantly middle class society where no one is poor,” and highlights the critical role of the middle class in driving national development.
The culminating event of the month-long observance is the 10th Annual Public Policy Conference on September 19 at Makati Shangri-la Hotel in Makati City. The conference will focus on how the Philippines can effectively navigate global megatrends and capitalize on emerging opportunities to foster societal well-being and inclusive growth. Cai U. Ordinario
“And then, they said, make it 60 days so that we can shop around in case the order is cancelled. Which puzzles me a lot. Isn’t your permit supposed to be with a specific source? And if you switch your source, you have to reboot. You have to restart your application,” he added.
According to National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Undersecretary Rosemarie G. Edillon, there is still no assurance that the full impact of the reduction in rice tariffs will be felt this year.
Edillon told B usiness M irror that rice prices in the international market remain elevated and that will have an impact on the country’s imports of the staple.
Nonetheless, she said, expectations that oil prices will see reductions in the coming months give hope that lower rice tariffs will lead to cheaper rice imports.
“It looks promising, yes. And, of course, we're also banking on the [premise that] many other productivity-enhancing measures of DA (Department of Agriculture) will finally (come through and) we could see the results already,” Edillon told this newspaper.
However, National Statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa said the reduction in rice tariffs has so far slashed special rice costs by 80 centavos per kilo as well as wellmilled rice by 40 centavos per kilo.
Based on the latest monitoring of PSA, regular milled rice cost P50.66 per kilo, lower than the P50.90 posted in July, but higher than the P43.29 per kilo recorded in August 2023.
For well-milled rice, the PSA said it costs P55.56 per kilo, lower than the P55.85 posted in July but higher than the P47.65 per kilo in August 2023. In terms of special rice, the average price is P64.08 per kilo in August 2024, lower than the P64.42 per kilo in July 2024 but higher than the P56.24 per kilo recorded in August 2023.
Balisacan: Economy stimulated M EANWHI l E , Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said easing of inflation and stable prices will greatly benefit households and businesses, spurring consumer spending and economic activity.
Balisacan also said that while inflation continues to trend downward—pri -
ADB...
Continued from A1
income inequalities,” said ADB Country Director for the Philippines Pavit Ramachandran.
“We are leveraging our full suite of support modalities—financial and nonfinancial—to deliver transformative impact, ensuring that the benefits of growth reach all Filipinos, particularly the most vulnerable,” he added.
ADB said the CPS will also align with the Philippines’s development goals, reinforcing the government’s reform momentum in areas such as private sector development, public investment, and social inclusion. By working closely with lo -
“These efforts are crucial not only for stabilizing prices but also for ensuring that economic growth translates into tangible improvements in the lives of all Filipinos,” he added.
BSP’s take M EANWHI l E , the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said the latest inflation print was within the BSP’s forecast range of 3.2 to 4.0 percent.
The BSP noted that this was aligned with its assessment that inflation will revert to the target range in August after the temporary uptick observed in July, due to negative base effects and the easing of supply pressures for key food items, particularly rice.
“The balance of risks to the inflation outlook continues to lean toward the downside for 2024 and 2025, with a slight tilt to the upside for 2026. The downside risks are linked mainly to lower import tariffs on rice, while upside risks could come from higher electricity rates and external factors,” the BSP said.
Earlier, the monetary authorities may have entered the easing cycle as additional rate cuts could be on the horizon after the latest monetary policy action, which reduced interest rates for the first time in four years.
In an interview, BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona Jr. was asked whether the Monetary Board has entered its easing cycle, and he said another rate cut is possible this year. Nonetheless, the monetary authorities will continue monitoring the situation.
Remolona told reporters the Monetary Board will make another 25-basis-point reduction in policy rates either in its October or December meeting.
Remolona also noted that inflation has been “behaved” and remained within their expectations. He said the 4.4-percent inflation posted in July was within BSP’s expectations for the month.
The BSP Governor also said the inflation rate in July was driven mainly by base effects amounting to 0.3 percentage points. Remolona said without the base effect, the inflation would only be 4.1 percent. (See: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2024/08/17/bsp-easing-cycle-seenas-governor-remolona-says-anotherrate-cut-possible/).
cal communities, government agencies, and other development partners, ADB aims to co-create tailored solutions to tackle the most pressing challenges, from infrastructure deficits to climate change, and unlock new opportunities for growth and development.
As the region’s climate bank and building on ongoing deep dialogue with the government on climate policy reform, ADB will work to embed climate actions across its engagements and investment plans in the country. Under the new CPS, ADB will also catalyze private sector-led development by supporting policy and regulatory reforms, strengthening of markets and investment pipelines, and expanding funding availability. Cai U. Ordinario
Friday, September 6, 2024
Provincial wage hikes expected before year ends
By Justine Xyrah Garcia
FOLLOWING the P35 minimum wage increase in Metro Manila, provincial workers can expect that their call for a salary hike will also be addressed before 2024 ends.
Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said on Wednesday that the various Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board
(RTWPB) have ongoing discussions to review the current provincial minimum wages.
“ Susunod na po diyan ang Region IV-A o Calabarzon [Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon] at kung hindi ako magkakamali , itong buwan na ito ay mayroon nang lalabas na wage order ang nasabing [RTWPB],” Bienvenido said during a Malacañang Insider episode.
Govt inflation control focuses on keeping food affordable
PRESIDENT Marcos said initiatives to sustain the slowdown in the inflation rate will focus on keeping food accessible and affordable, and oil prices stable.
In a social media post on Thursday, Marcos lauded the slowdown in headline inflation rate last month to 3.3 percent from 5.3 percent year-on-year.
The latest inflation figure also improved compared to the 4.4 headline inflation last July.
“Today, we celebrate this victory for Filipinos,” Marcos said.
He attributed the improvement to Executive Order 62, which he issued last June to reduce the tariff on rice from 35 percent to 15 percent.
“By reducing rice tariffs, we brought rice inflation down from 20.9 percent to 14.7 percent, and meat inflation also eased from 4.8 percent to 4.0 percent, which is a great relief for the daily expenses of families,” Marcos said.
The National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) earlier said it will review by November if there is a need to adjust the existing rice tariff.
Marcos said the administration is aiming to keep inflation rate low through the expansion of his Kadiwa ng Pangulo initiatives, which allows agricultural producers to sell their products directly to consumers at a lower cost through state support.
He said the “controlled roll out” of the vaccine against African Swine Fever (ASF) will also help ensure the country’s reliable pork supply.
There are also ongoing government efforts, he said, to keep the price of oil and transportation stable through state subsidies.
“These are concrete steps we’re taking to make sure that the Bagong Pilipinas [New Philippines] we promised is felt where it matters most—at home,” Marcos said.
Samuel P. Medenilla
(Next is Region IV-A, and if I’m not mistaken, a wage order from the said RTWPB will be released this month.)
In August, several regions, including Regions I, II, III, VII, and XIII, began reviewing their minimum wage rates, initiating public consultations and technical evaluations to determine the adjustments.
Meanwhile, Regions IV-B (Mimaropa or Mindoro, Marinduque,
By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie
DAVAO City—The government’s Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) brought a whopping P1.2 billion in government services and financial aid to 250,000 beneficiaries here in two days— Thursday and Friday.
Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, the lead proponent of the BPSF, highlighted the importance of the service caravan’s partnership with the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) under the theme “MindaNOW: Serbisyo Para sa Mindanao.”
“We’ve returned here to bring President Marcos’s message that Mindanaoans are a vital part of Bagong Pilipinas. No one is left behind. That’s what the President wants to convey to everyone the BPSF has visited across the country,” Romualdez said during
Romblon and Palawan), V , VIII, and the Cordillera Administrative Region are set to begin their public consultations and hearings in October. The northern and south central Mindanao will follow in November.
RTWPBs of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and Davao already had their respective wage review
the opening of the event at the University of Southeastern Philippines, where he represented the President.
The BPSF, now in its 23rd iteration, aims to reach all 82 provinces across the nation, promoting “Mabilis, Maayos, Maginhawa at Masayang Serbisyo Publiko.”
The Davao event, locally spearheaded by MinDA Secretary Leo Tereso Magno, was supported by several representatives, including Tinggog Reps. Yedda K. Romualdez and Jude A. Acidre, DUMPER PTDA Rep. Claudine Diana D. Bautista-Lim, PBA Rep. Margarita “Migs” Nograles, and MARINO Rep. Sandro L. Gonzalez.
House of Representatives Deputy Secretary General Sofonias “Ponyong” P. Gabonada Jr. reported that P1.2 billion was spent on government services and financial assistance during the two-day event, with 38 agencies rolling out 57 programs.
earlier this year. These resulted in a P20 and P19 salary increase, respectively.
“So, sa madaling salita lahat ng mga [RTWPB], sa loob ng taon na ito ay magkakaroon na ng karampatang aksiyon doon sa adjustment ng umiiral na minimum wage level sa kani - kanilang rehiyon ,” Laguesma added.
(All of the RTWPB will take the
Of the total amount, P1 billion was given out as cash aid to indigent citizens, with 150,000 beneficiaries under the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Ayuda Para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) and 50,000 under the Department of Labor and Employment’s (Dole) TUPAD Program for disadvantaged workers.
Romualdez also revealed that nearly half a million kilos of rice were distributed to beneficiaries during the BPSF in Davao.
“The BPSF has been running for a year, and billions have already been distributed by the Marcos administration to 2.5 million Filipino families. We still have many more to reach in the coming days and months, as we visit all 82 provinces,” Romualdez said.
203 congressmen A REMARKABLE 203 lawmakers
appropriate action regarding the adjustment of the current minimum wage levels in their respective regions within this year.)
Currently, BARMM has the lowest minimum wage in the country, with daily rates ranging from P316 to P341 depending on the sector. In contrast, Metro Manila has the highest, with the new wage order bringing the daily minimum wage to P645.
joined the BPSF in Davao City on Thursday, a significant show of support as they observed firsthand how government services and financial assistance reached grassroots communities.
If sessions were held in Davao City last September, the House of Representativeswould have more than a quorum.
“We are delighted with the continued support from lawmakers for the BPSF. This is particularly important as we are in the budget season, and every House member here sees the value of allocating funds for government services and financial assistance programs,” Romualdez said. Romualdez underscored the spirit of unity displayed by government officials from the executive and legislative branches, as lawmakers from across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao came together to support the BPSF.
No mass worker displacement despite Pogo phaseout–DOLE
THE looming closure of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) and Internet Gaming Licensees (IGL) by the end of the year, has not resulted in mass displacement of workers from the said establishments, the Department of Labor and Employment ( DOLE ) said.
However, the agency said it will push through a program aimed at providing alternative employment opportunities to those who will be affected as early as this month.
In a chance interview in Malacañang Wednesday, Labor Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma said all of the 20,000 profiled Pogo and IGL workers in the National Capital Region (NCR) are still employed.
Most of those who were profiled have jobs related to administrative tasks, finance, human resources, and encoding.
“We have no report of any displacement so far. But DOLE-NCR is monitoring [the situation] since the majority of the IGL [are there in Metro Manila],” Laguesma said.
DOLE-NCR earlier reported that most of the 34 government-registered IGLs are in Metro Manila and employ around 80,000 workers. Of those employed by IGLs, 10,319 are Filipinos and 69,472 are foreigners. During his third State of the Nation Address (Sona) in July, President Marcos ordered the closure of all POGO before the end of the year. The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) later clarified the ban will also cover IGLs. Laguesma said they want to provide new employment options through a job fair to the Pogo and IGL employees, so they can avoid being unemployed once the ban takes full effect.
He said they will coordinate with the Pogos and the IGLs to disseminate information about the upcoming job fairs to their employees.
“We will be proactive about it. Within the month we will hold the job fair. We will not wait for the last two minutes [before the ban],” Laguesma said. Samuel P. Medenilla
House joint panel nixes Roque plea to quash subpoena duces tecum
By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie
THE House Quad Committee has dismissed a motion filed by former presidential spokesman Harry Roque to quash a subpoena requiring him to submit crucial documents, including business records, tax returns, and Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs) as these documents are key to an ongoing investigation into his alleged links to illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos).
Roque had initially promised to provide the joint panel with the requested documents but later filed a motion to quash the subpoena. He argued that the documents were irrelevant to the investigation, infringed on his and his family’s privacy, and violated his right to remain silent and protection against self-incrimination.
Roque also failed to attend the last two hearings of the Quad Committee, prompting the panel to issue a show-cause order against him.
On the motion of the Committee on Human Rights chairman, Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., the Quad Committee ordered Roque to explain his absence during the hearings on August 28 and September 4, and compelled him to attend the next session.
Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro moved to deny Roque’s motion to quash, which was immediately approved by Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, the designated overall chairman of the Quad Committee and head of the Committee on Dangerous Drugs.
Luistro stressed the importance of the documents, citing “overwhelming circumstantial evidence” linking Roque to Lucky South 99, an illegal Pogo based in Porac, Pampanga.
Discrepancy between salary and wealth growth
LUISTRO highlighted the discrepancy between Roque’s limited government salary and his sudden accumulation of wealth, including shares in Biancham Holdings, a family-owned company.
Luistro argued that if Roque is unable to explain the sources of his wealth, it could strengthen the evidence of his involvement in Pogo operations.
She added that the investigation could lead to legislative changes, potentially revisiting laws such as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, the Anti-Money Laundering Act, Corporation Law, and even the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability for Lawyers.
The committee has requested several
documents from Roque, including the deed of sale for property in Multinational Village, Parañaque; documents on the transfer of Biancham shareholdings; the extra-judicial settlement of his aunt’s estate; his Statements of Assets and Liabilities and Networth (SALN) from 2016 to 2022; and his 2018 income tax return.
During a previous hearing, Luistro questioned Roque’s business activities and financial records, pointing to significant inconsistencies between his declared assets and those of Biancham Holdings. Roque’s assets reportedly surged during the Pogo boom under the Duterte administration, which raised further suspicions.
Roque attributed the increase in assets to proceeds from the sale of family property in Parañaque, but lawmakers expressed skepticism.
He also denied being the lawyer for Lucky South 99, stating his client was Whirlwind, a Pogo service provider. However, documents presented to the committee suggested he had dealings with both companies.
Roque has faced further scrutiny after a raid on his Benguet property led to the arrest of two Chinese nationals linked to an illegal Pogo operation. He has admitted having an interest in Biancham subsidiary PH2, which owns the raided property.
In a separate instance, Chairman Alejandro Tengco of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) revealed that Roque had lobbied on behalf of Lucky South 99 regarding unpaid arrears, casting doubt on Roque’s claims of noninvolvement in Pogos.
Joint bank account DURING a House Quad Committee hearing on Wednesday, lawmakers expressed intrigue over a joint bank account once shared by Alberto Rodulfo “AR” dela Serna and Roque.
Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop raised questions about the unusual financial arrangement, which dela Serna revealed involved a substantial deposit of P3 million, the largest one-time amount. Dela Serna clarified that the account had since been closed.
Acop asked, “How much did you contribute, or initially put into your joint account?” to which dela Serna responded, “I didn’t contribute anything.” Despite not contributing any funds, Dela Serna admitted that Roque allowed him to make withdrawals from the account.
The hearing also revealed that dela Serna accompanied Roque on at least six trips in 2023, despite no longer being formally employed by him at that time. He previously worked as Roque’s personal assistant, earning a basic salary of P20,000.
Habagat continues to dump rain over Luzon despite Enteng exit
By Jonathan L. Mayuga
@jonlmayuga
THREATS of more floods and landslides continue to haunt Luzon as the southwest monsoon enhanced by Tropical Cyclone Enteng which has left the Philippine Area of Responsibility, is still expected to bring heavy to intense rains until Friday, the weather bureau reported.
In its Weather Advisory issued at 11 a.m. on Thursday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said 100 to 200 mm of rain is expected over Pangasinan, Zambales, and Bataan, while moderate to heavy rains (50-100 mm) over Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Benguet, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, and Batangas.
On Friday, Pagasa said moderate to heavy rains or 50-100 mm will fall over Pangasinan, Zambales, and Bataan.
“Under these conditions, flooding and rain-induced landslides remain likely, especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards as identified in hazard maps and areas with significant antecedent rainfall. The public and disaster risk reduction and management offices concerned are advised to take all necessary measures to protect life and property.”
Quarrying blamed MANY areas in Luzon, including Metro Manila and Rizal province experienced severe
Alice Guo returns to face music
By Nonie Reyes, Rex Naval & Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3
UGITIVE dismissed Bamban mayor
FAlice Guo was scheduled to return to the Philippines late Thursday night after Indonesian authorities turned her over to Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. and Gen. Rommel Marbil, National Police.
Abalos thanked the Indonesian government, especially its law enforcement agencies, for their meticulous operations for three weeks that ended with their arrest of Guo a few minutes before midnight on Tuesday.
Guo, who has a Chinese passport in the name of Guo Hua Ping, was turned over to Abalos and Marbil after a short conference in Jakarta.
Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia Gina Jamoralin was also present together with some officials from the National Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Immigration when Abalos and Marbil accepted Guo.
Abalos thanked the Indonesian police,
the International Police Organization (Interpol), and other agencies involved for their hard work that led to the capture of Guo. He noted that the turnover of Guo coincided with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and the Philippines.
“I’ve seen how meticulous the operations were. For almost three weeks you followed Miss Guo: from house to house, from city to city...,” Abalos said, addressing Indonesian officials at the news conference as he expressed gratitude to them saying, “On behalf of our country, our President, we’d like to thank you.”
After the dismissed mayor fled the country on July 18, the Philippine government has been seeking Guo her for he alleged key roles in helping set up an illegal Pogo hub in her town that was linked to various crimes like human trafficking and money laundering, among others.
However, even with Guo’s arrest, Abalos said, “the task is not yet finished.”
“Alice Guo is just one person, noting that both Indonesia and the Philippines“face similar challenges” such as battling human trafficking, illegal drugs, and conducting
sea patrols,” Abalos reiterated.
Jamoralin also expressed thanks and noted that this mission illustrates the “cooperation that we have, especially since we are celebrating 75 years of PhilippinesIndonesian relations.”
“I’m good”
WHEN asked by the media how she feels following her arrest, Guo responded, “I’m good,” and gave a double thumbsup sign.
However, she refused to answer when asked if she has been receiving death threats and just thanked the media while being escorted out of the room where the press briefing was conducted.
The chartered flight bearing Guo and her escorts was expected to land at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport at around 10 o’clock last night. It was scheduled to proceed to the Royal Star Hangar where Guo and her escorts will deplane for documentation by the Immigration, Customs and Quarantine.
Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco bared that upon knowledge of Guo’s arrival in Indonesia, he sent informa -
tion to the Indonesian immigration that Guo is the subject of a mission order issued by the immigration.
The National Police spokesperson said Guo will be immediately be taken to Camp Crame, Quezon City, for physical and medical examination upon her arrival in the country.
“This is standard operating procedure,” Col. Jean Fajardo said in a press briefing. The former town mayor is expected to arrive in the Philippines late Thursday night aboard a chartered aircraft.
Fajardo said Guo will be accompanied Abalos, Marbil and the officer-in-charge of the Intelligence Group, Brig. Gen. Romeo Macapaz.
After her turnover to the National Police, Guo was subjected to medical examination to ensure that she is in good health prior her transfer to the Senate where she has an existing arrest warrant.
Guo along with her siblings Wesley and Sheila, and their parents have a standing arrest order issued by the Senate for their refusal to appear in the ongoing investigation into the operations of the Zun Yuan Technology Inc., the Pogo hub in Bamban which was raided by authorities in March.
Shiela Guo’s evasiveness miffs senators
By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM
ENATORS on Thursday warned Shiela
SGuo that she faces not just indefinite detention in the Senate for not cooperating with investigators on illegal Philippine Overseas Gaming Operations (Pogos), but also hundreds of years in prison on account of the charges filed against her and several other family members by the Anti-Money Laundering Council and the Department of Justice. Shiela, who was arrested by immigration authorities in Indonesia last week and turned over to Manila, kept saying “hindikopotalaga alam [I really don’t know]” when pressed to reveal names of people who enabled their escape in July. Shiela was with Cassandra Ong, special representative of Pogo operator Lucky South 99, when taken by Indonesian authorities last week.
The only name she remembered among those who helped them was a certain “Mayor Dong Calugay” when pressed by Sen. Joel Villanueva. Calugay is the mayor of Sual, Pangasinan, where Shiela said they have a “farm.”
The Senate secretariat said while he received the invitation to the Senate hearing, Mayor Liseldo D.Q. Calugay of Sual, Pangasinan, had presented a medical certificate from the Sual Primary Care Facility that he is suffering from dengue.
Ong, meanwhile, was rushed to hospital late Wednesday when her blood pressure
plunged during a House of Representatives hearing, and senators were informed that doctors recommended “two to three days” of hospitalization to stabilize Ong’s condition.
When Shiela Guo declined to name any more names besides Calugay, Sen. Joel Villanueva warned her that senators will not hesitate to extend her detention because her noncooperation constitutes contempt.
Sen. Anna Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women and Family Relations, one of three
panels in the Pogo investigation, drew Shiela Guo’s attention to the AMLC’s information that the Guo siblings could face anywhere from 609 to 1,218 years in prison for the dozens of cases they are charged with.
Hontiveros told Shiela that senators are quite considerate of cooperative resource persons, citing the case of Alice Guo’s former accountant Nancy Degamo, whom the Senate set free from detention after she freely provided information in a hearing.
But for those who refuse to provide
information, especially on the focus of this particular investigation—the parties and state employees who abetted the escape of the Guo siblings and Cassandra Ong—the senators will seek the maximum penalties, Hontiveros stressed. Besides money laundering, Alice Guo is facing a case of tax evasion; misrepresentation before the Comelec and a quo warranto case for claiming she is a Filipino citizen even though evidence shows she and her siblings are Chinese.
flooding during the onslaught of Tropical Storm Enteng owing to the massive degradation of the Marikina Watershed.
Environmental group Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment (Kalikasan-PNE) blamed the massive quarrying and watershed degradation and condemned the Duterte and Marcos administrations “for prioritizing the profits of mining corporations over people’s lives and livelihoods” for allowing the quarrying operations to continue.
“The Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment condemns in the strongest terms the reckless quarrying and land conversion that have exacerbated flooding and landslides in Rizal province in the wake of Typhoon Enteng. This disaster is a direct result of the government’s failure to protect critical watersheds and prioritize people’s safety over corporate profits,” the group said in a statement.
According to th group, Rizal province, with its mountainous terrain, forms a crucial part of the Upper Marikina Watershed.
“This 26,125-hectare protected area acts as a natural flood control system for Metro Manila and surrounding regions. However, decades of quarrying, deforestation, and uncontrolled development have severely degraded this vital ecosystem,” the group said.
Kalikasan PNE claimed that only 20 percent of the forest cover of the UMW remained in 2015.
“The denuded forest reduced water absorption capacity, leading to more rapid and intense flooding downstream,” the group said.
“Typhoon Enteng dumped at least 230 mm of rainfall in just 18 hours, overwhelming the watershed’s already compromised capacity. In the past decade alone, over 10,000 hectares of forest cover in Rizal have been lost to quarrying and land conversion,” the group added.The group said the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and local government units of Rizal bear direct responsibility for this tragedy.
“They have recklessly granted permits for 19 large-scale quarrying projects covering 3,623 hectares in Rizal, with nearly half concentrated in landslide-prone Antipolo City. Twelve of these destructive projects have been operating since the 1990s, with ten renewed under the Duterte administration and two under Marcos,” the group claimed.
Additionally, of the eleven mining companies that were suspended in the aftermath of Typhoon Ulysses in 2020, at least eight are now operational. These are Rapid City Realty and Development Corporation and Hardrock Aggregates in Antipolo, and six in Rodriguez: San Rafael Development Corporation, Montalban Milex Aggregates Corporation, Rodrock and Aggregates Corporation (formerly Oxford Mines), Viba Aggregates & Marketing, ATN Holdings, and Amiterra Aggregates Corp. This has underscored that temporary suspensions in the aftermath of typhoons do little to mitigate the human and environmental impacts of these destructive projects.
“The human cost of this governmentsanctioned destruction is staggering. Over 300,000 people have been affected by flooding and landslides. Eight of the at least 15 confirmed deaths are from the province of Rizal. Thousands remain in evacuation centers, their homes and livelihoods destroyed.”
Basic
9.
Brief
10. CHEN, CONG Project Coordinator
Brief
11. GAO, HONGPING Project Coordinator
Brief Job Description: Plan, organize, and direct the activities of a construction project, under the direction of a general manager.
12.
GAO, JIALAO Project Coordinator
Brief Job Description: Plan, organize, and direct the activities of a construction project, under the direction of a general manager.
13. HONG, JIALUN Project Coordinator
Brief Job Description: Plan, organize, and direct the activities of a construction project, under the direction of a general manager.
14. HOU, JIANYING Project Coordinator
Brief Job Description: Plan, organize, and direct the activities of a construction project, under the direction of a general manager.
Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in business or related field of study. Competent in Microsoft applications including Word, Excel, and Outlook. Knowledge of file management, transcription, and other administrative procedures or a related field. With good communication and interpersonal skills.
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in business or related field of study. Competent in Microsoft applications including Word, Excel, and Outlook. Knowledge of file management, transcription, and other administrative procedures or a related field. With good communication and interpersonal skills.
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in business or related field of study. Competent in Microsoft applications including Word, Excel, and Outlook. Knowledge of file management, transcription, and other administrative procedures or a related field. With good communication and interpersonal skills.
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
Brief
Brief
46. ZHANG,
Brief
47. ZHANG, LIANHUA Marketing Specialist
Brief Job Description: Liaise
48. ZHANG, XUEFENG Marketing Specialist
Brief Job Description: Liaise
49. CHEN, BAOZHU Operation Supervisor
Brief Job Description: Recommending cost-effective solutions to operational challenges.
50. LIU, ZHENNI Operation Supervisor
Brief Job Description: Recommending cost-effective solutions to operational challenges.
51. SUN, ZHANGGUO Operation Supervisor
Brief Job Description: Recommending cost-effective solutions to operational challenges.
52. YE, JIANFU Operation Supervisor
Brief Job Description: Recommending cost-effective solutions to operational challenges.
53. XU, YANPING Sales Consultant
Brief Job Description: Study company profile and operation to understand its marketing need.
54. ZHANG, HAIJIANG Sales Consultant
Brief Job Description: Conduct presentations to demonstrate to potential clients benefits of our product.
DECATHLON PHILIPPINES INC. L2- 2093.1 Level 2, Festival Supermall Corporate Ave., Fcc, Alabang, City Of Muntinlupa
55. MULLET, MATHILDE Store Leader
Brief Job Description: The Store Leader role is at the service of customers by making Decathlon a go-to name for appealing and sustainable solutions dedicated to sport, fitness and well-being.
DESIPALACE CORPORATION (DESI PALACE) Units 4,5 & 6 The Lerato Tower 3, Malugay St., Bel-air, City Of Makati
56. SINGH, RESHAV Indian Chef-Tandoori Cuisine
Brief Job Description: Develop and refine recipes for a variety of South Indian curries, considering traditional techniques, regional variations, and seasonal ingredients.
EASTERN GOLD CORPORATION 503, Nueva St., Barangay 289, Binondo, City Of Manila
57. CAI, LINA Marketing And Sales Agent
Basic Qualification: Experience in the field of Retail Business/Operational Management: development and execution of local business
Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Tandoor chef or similar role.
Brief Job Description: Researches and develops various marketing strategies for products and services and implements marketing plans and works to meet sales quotas. Basic Qualification: Able to
58. CAI, QUNMING Marketing And Sales Agent
87.
Brief
Brief
BusinessMirror
JCC
90. DALY, RICHELLA
94. BOPARAI, SATNAM SINGH Customer Service Coordinator Brief
95. PAWANDEEP KAUR Customer Service Coordinator
Brief
Brief
BusinessMirror
132. YUAN, ZHIXIANG Mandarin Customer Service
Brief Job Description: Maintains customer records by updating account information.
133.
Brief
134. PENG, YUHONG Mandarin Operations Specialist
Brief Job Description: Maintain accurate sales record.
135. HUANG, CHUNTAO Mandarin Team Leader
Brief Job Description: Develop a strategy.
POWERCHINA PHILIPPINES CORPORATION Unit 2101 21/f Bdo Equitable Tower, 8751 Paseo De Roxas, Bel-air, City Of Makati
136. CHEN, SHOUCHENG Mandarin Quality Control Officer
Brief Job Description: The Mandarin Quality Control Officer ensures that the quality of product from plans to actual construction is strictly implemented. Basic Qualification: Must be knowledgeable in
137. DU, LIQIANG Mandarin Quality Control Officer
Brief Job Description: The Mandarin Quality Control Officer ensures that the quality of product from plans to actual construction is strictly implemented.
Basic Qualification: Must be knowledgeable in developing and reviewing project quality plans, contract documents and project specifications. Must have knowledge to a wide range of construction materials, methods, and techniques.
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
138.
LI, ZHICAI Mandarin Quality Control Officer
Brief Job Description: The Mandarin Quality Control Officer ensures that the quality of product from plans to actual construction is strictly implemented.
Basic Qualification: Must be knowledgeable in developing and reviewing project quality plans, contract documents and project specifications. Must have knowledge to a wide range of construction materials, methods, and techniques.
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
139. SONG, XIN
Mandarin Quality Control Officer
Brief Job Description: The Mandarin Quality Control Officer ensures that the quality of product from plans to actual construction is strictly implemented.
Basic Qualification: Must be knowledgeable in developing and reviewing project quality plans, contract documents and project specifications. Must have knowledge to a wide range of construction materials, methods, and techniques.
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
140. XUE, GONGJIANG Mandarin Quality Control Officer
Brief Job Description: The Mandarin Quality Control Officer ensures that the quality of product from plans to actual construction is strictly implemented.
Basic Qualification: Must be knowledgeable in developing and reviewing project quality plans, contract documents and project specifications. Must have knowledge to a wide range of construction materials, methods, and techniques.
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
Basic Qualification: Must be knowledgeable
141. YAN, HONG Mandarin Quality Control Officer
Brief Job Description: The Mandarin Quality Control Officer ensures that the quality of product from plans to actual construction is strictly implemented.
142. ZHANG, TINGMAN Mandarin Quality Control Officer
Brief Job Description: The
182.
Brief
183.
BusinessMirror
Brief
185. SHI, QIMOU Marketing Communication Manager
Brief Job Description: Ensure that all materials are developed and distributed according to an appropriate timeline.
186. LI, GUANGXIONG Marketing Executive
Brief Job Description: Providing administrative support to the marketing team, such as scheduling meetings and managing calendars. Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s Degree in similar field.
187. QIU, OWEN NICHOLAS Marketing Executive
Brief Job Description: Providing administrative support to the marketing team, such as scheduling meetings and managing calendars.
188. LIN, SHAOJUN Operation Supervisor
Brief Job Description: Monitor the quality of deliverables and services produced by the operations team.
The World
Editor: Angel R. Calso
Friday, September 6, 2024 A11
With charges and sanctions, US cracks down on Russian disinformation ahead of election
By Eric Tucker, David Klepper & Matthew Lee The Associated Press
WASHINGTON—The Biden administration
seized Kremlin-run websites and charged two Russian state media employees in its most sweeping effort yet to push back against what it says are Russian attempts to spread disinformation ahead of the November presidential election.
The measures, which in addition to indictments also included sanctions and visa restrictions, represented a US government effort just weeks before the November election to disrupt a persistent threat from Russia that American officials have long warned has the potential to sow discord and create confusion among voters.
Washington has said that Moscow, which intelligence officials have said has a preference for Republican Donald Trump, remains the primary threat to elections even as the FBI continues to investigate a hack by Iran this year that targeted the presidential campaigns of both political parties.
“The Justice Department’s message is clear: We will have no tolerance for attempts by authoritarian regimes to exploit our democratic systems of government,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said.
One criminal case disclosed by the Justice Department accuses two employees of RT, a Russian state media company, of covertly funding a Tennessee-based content creation company with nearly $10 million to publish Englishlanguage videos on social media platforms including TikTok and YouTube with messages in favor of the Russia government’s interests and agenda, including about the war in Ukraine.
The nearly 2,000 videos posted by the company have gotten more than 16 million views on YouTube alone, prosecutors said.
The two defendants, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act. They are at large. It was not immediately clear if they had lawyers.
The Justice Department says the company did not disclose that it was funded by RT and that neither it nor its founders registered as required by law as an agent of a foreign principal.
Though the indictment does not name the company, it describes it as a Tennessee-based content creation firm with six commentators and with a website identifying itself as “a network of heterodox commentators that focus on Western political and cultural issues.”
That description exactly matches Tenet Media, an online company that hosts videos made by well-known conservative influencers Tim Pool, Benny Johnson and others.
Johnson and Pool both responded with posts on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, calling themselves “victims.” Calling Russian President Vladimir Putin a “scumbag,” Pool wrote that “should these allegations prove true, I as well as the other personalities and commentators were deceived.”
In his post, Johnson wrote that he had been asked a year ago to provide content to a “media startup.”
He said his lawyers negotiated a “standard, arms length deal, which was later terminated.”
Tenet Media’s shows in recent months have featured high-profile conservative guests, including RNC co-chair Lara Trump, former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and US Senate candidate Kari Lake.
In the other action, officials announced the seizure of 32 Internet domains that were used by the Kremlin to spread Russian propaganda and weaken international support for Ukraine. The websites were designed to look like authentic news sites but were actually fake, with bogus social media personas manufactured to appear as if they belonged to American users.
The Justice Department did not identify which candidate in particular the propaganda campaign was meant to boost. But internal strategy notes from participants in the effort released Wednesday by the Justice Department make clear that Trump was the intended beneficiary, even though the names of the candidates were blacked out.
The proposal for one propaganda project, for instance, states that one of its objectives was to secure a victory for a candidate who is currently out of power and to increase the percentage of Americans who believe the US has been doing too much to support Ukraine. President Joe Biden has strongly supported Ukraine during the invasion by Russia.
Intelligence agencies have previously charged that Russia, which during the 2016 election launched a massive campaign of foreign influence and interference on Trump’s behalf, was using disinformation to try to meddle in this year’s election. The new steps show the depth of those concerns.
“Today’s announcement highlights the lengths some foreign governments go to undermine American democratic institutions,” the State Department said. “But these foreign governments should also know that we will not tolerate foreign malign actors intentionally interfering and undermining free and fair elections.”
The State Department announced it was taking action against several employees of Russian state-owned media outlets, designating them as “foreign missions,” and offering a cash reward for information provided to the US government about foreign election interference.
It also said it was adding media company Rossiya Segodnya and its subsidiaries RIA Novosti, RT, TVNovosti, Ruptly, and Sputnik to its list of foreign missions. That will require them to register with the US government and disclose their properties and personnel in the US.
In a speech last month, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said Russia remained the biggest threat to election integrity, accusing Pu -
tin and his proxies of “targeting specific voter demographics and swing-state voters to in an effort to manipulate presidential and congressional election outcomes.” Russia, she said was “intent on co-opting unwitting Americans on social media to push narratives advancing Russian interests.”
She struck a similar note Thursday, saying at an Aspen Institute event that the foreign influence threat is more diverse and aggressive than in past years.
“More diverse and aggressive because they involve more actors from more countries than we have ever seen before, operating in a more polarized world than we have ever seen before, all fueled by more technology and accelerated by technology, like AI, and that is what we have exposed in the law enforcement actions we took today,” she said. Much of the concern around Russia centers on cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns designed to influence the November vote.
The tactics include using state media like RT to advance anti-US messages and content, as well as networks of fake websites and social media accounts that amplify the claims and inject them into Americans’ online conversations. Typically, these networks seize on polarizing political topics such as immigration, crime or the war in Gaza.
In many cases, Americans may have no idea that the content they see online either originated or was amplified by the Kremlin.
Groups linked to the Kremlin are increasingly hiring marketing and communications firms within Russia to outsource some of the work of creating digital propaganda while also covering their tracks, the officials said during the briefing with reporters.
Two such firms were the subject of new US sanctions announced in March. Authorities say the two Russian companies created fake websites and social media profiles to spread Kremlin disinformation.
The ultimate goal, however, is to get Americans to spread Russian disinformation without questioning its origin. People are far more likely to trust and repost information that they believe is coming from a domestic source, officials said. Fake websites designed to mimic US news outlets and AIgenerated social media profiles are just two methods. Messages left with the Russian Embassy were not immediately returned.
ATTORNEY General Merrick Garland speaks during a meeting of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force, at the Department of Justice on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, in Washington. AP/MARK SCHIEFELBEIN
Netanyahu demands open-ended control of Gaza’s border with Egypt, complicating cease-fire efforts
By Josef Federman The Associated Press
JERUSALEM—Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel must keep open-ended control of Gaza’s border with Egypt, digging in on his stance on an issue that has threatened to derail cease-fire efforts.
Netanyahu’s comments came as the United States is developing a new proposal for a cease-fire and hostage release, hoping to break a long deadlock and bring an end to the nearly 11-monthold war.
The question of Israeli control of the Philadelphi corridor—a narrow strip of land along Gaza’s border with Egypt, seized by troops in May—has become a central obstacle in the talks. Hamas has demanded an eventual full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in
the multi-phase truce deal. Egypt, a mediator in the talks along with the US and Qatar, has also demanded a concrete timeline for Israeli troops to leave the Philadelphi corridor. And on Wednesday, the United Arab Emirates, which established formal ties with Israel in the 2020 Abraham Accords, also criticized the Israeli stance.
Speaking to foreign journalists, Netanyahu repeated his stance that Israel must maintain its hold on the border to prevent
Hamas from rearming by smuggling weapons into Gaza. He said it was a vital part of the war goal of ensuring Hamas cannot repeat its October 7 attack on Israel.
“Gaza must be demilitarized, and this can only happen if the Philadelphi corridor remains under firm control,” he said, claiming Israeli troops
had discovered dozens of tunnels under the border.
He said Israel would only consider withdrawing from the corridor when presented with an alternative force to police it.
“Bring me anyone who will actually show us…that they can actually prevent the recurrence” of smuggling, he said. “I don’t see
Pope, imam of Southeast Asia’s largest mosque make joint call to fight violence, protect planet
By Nicole Winfield & Edna Tarigan
The Associated Press
AKARTA, Indonesia—Pope
JFrancis and the grand imam of Southeast Asia’s largest mosque vowed Thursday to fight religiously inspired violence and protect the environment, issuing a joint call for interfaith friendship and common cause at the heart of Francis’ visit to Indonesia.
In an encounter rich with symbolic meaning and personal touches, Francis traveled to Jakarta’s iconic Istiqlal Mosque for an interreligious gathering with representatives of the six religions that are officially recognized in Indonesia: Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Catholicism and Protestantism.
There, he and the grand imam, Nasaruddin Umar, stood at the ground-level entrance to the “Tunnel of Friendship,” an underpass that connects the mosque compound with the neighboring Catholic cathedral, Our Lady of the Assumption.
Indonesia, which has the world’s largest Muslim population, has held out the tunnel as a tangible sign of its commitment to religious freedom, which is enshrined in the constitution but has been challenged by repeated instances of discrimination and violence against religious minorities.
From January 2021 to July 2024, there were at least 123 cases of intolerance, including rejection, closure or destruction of places of worship and physical attacks, Amnesty International noted on
the eve of Francis’ visit.
Approaching the elevator to the tunnel, Francis said it was a potent sign of how different religious traditions “have a role to play in helping everyone pass through the tunnels of life with our eyes turned towards the light.”
He encouraged all Indonesians of every religious tradition to “walk in search of God and contribute to building open societies, founded on reciprocal respect and mutual love, capable of protecting against rigidity, fundamentalism and extremism, which are always dangerous and never justifiable.”
Francis traveled to Indonesia, at the start of an 11-day, fournation trip to Asia and Oceania, to encourage Indonesia to combat religiously inspired violence and pledge the Catholic Church’s commitment to greater fraternity.
The meeting at the mosque showed the personal side of that policy, with Francis and Umar— the 87-year-old pope and the more youthful 65-year-old imam— showing a clear affinity for one another. As Francis was leaving in his wheelchair, Umar bent down and kissed Francis on the head.
Francis then grasped Umar’s hand, kissed it and held it to his cheek.
The event began with a similarly moving moment, as a visually impaired Indonesian teenage girl, Kayla Nur Syahwa, chanted verses from the Quran about tolerance among believers of different faiths.
Francis has made improving Catholic-Muslim ties a hallmark of his papacy and has prioritized travel to majority Muslim nations
to further the agenda.
During a 2019 visit to the Gulf, Francis and the imam of Al-Azhar, the 1,000-year-old seat of Sunni learning, launched a “Human Fraternity” movement calling for greater Christian-Muslim efforts to promote peace around the world. More recently, Francis traveled to Najaf, Iraq, in 2021 to visit the top Shiite cleric, who delivered a message of peaceful coexistence.
The new initiative launched Thursday, called “The Istiqlal Declaration,” now becomes another pillar of Francis’ interfaith push. It was signed by Francis and Umar at a formal ceremony in the tent on the Istiqlal Mosque compound. The other religious representatives at the encounter didn’t cosign it but were listed by organizers as having “accompanied” it.
The document said religion should never be abused to justify violence, but should instead be used to resolve conflicts and protect and promote human dignity. It also called for “decisive action” to protect the environment and its resources, blaming man-made actions for the current climate crisis.
“The human exploitation of creation, our common home, has contributed to climate change, leading to various destructive consequences such as natural disasters, global warming and unpredictable weather patterns,” it read. “This ongoing environmental crisis has become an obstacle to the harmonious coexistence of peoples.”
Fighting climate change has been an important priority for the Argentine Jesuit pope, who
has issued encyclicals insisting on the moral dimension of caring for God’s creation. The climate issue is of existential importance to Indonesia, a tropical archipelago stretching across the equator and home to the world’s third-largest rainforest and a variety of endangered wildlife and plants.
Umar, the grand imam, recalled in his remarks to the gathering that the Istiqlal Mosque was designed by a Christian architect and is used for a variety of social and educational programs that benefit everyone, not just Muslims.
Calling the mosque “a big house for humanity,” he said the tunnel was a melting pot for people of different faiths. “We hope and have the principle that humanity is one, so anyone can enter and benefit,” he said.
The interfaith gathering was the highlight of Francis’ visit to Indonesia, which concludes later Thursday with a giant Mass in Jakarta’s stadium expected to draw some 60,000 people. Catholics represent about 3 percent of Indonesia’s population of 275 million, but the country is home to the world’s largest Catholic seminary and has long been a top source of priests and nuns for the Catholic Church.
Francis is seeking to encourage their faith by becoming the third pope to visit Indonesia, after Paul VI in 1970 and John Paul II in 1989.
On Friday, Francis heads to Papua New Guinea for the second leg of his trip, one of the longest and farthest in papal history, which will also take him to East Timor and Singapore before it ends on September 13.
that happening right now. And until that happens, we’re there.”
Families of remaining hostages have stepped up their demands that he agree to a deal after Hamas killed six hostages last week as Israeli troops appeared to be moving to rescue them. In angry public statements, hostage families have accused Netanyahu of blocking a deal and potentially sacrificing their loved ones’ lives for the sake of holding the border strip. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets in recent days, calling for a deal and saying time is running out to bring home the hostages alive.
Netanyahu pushed back against the pressure, saying his stance was necessary to “ensure Hamas doesn’t pose a threat to Israel.”
“I can understand the torment of families,” he said. “But the responsibility of leaders is not merely to share the sentiment, the emotion, but also to exercise judgment.”
Asked by journalists for a timeline on ending the war, he refused
to give one. “How long can we do this? As long as it takes to achieve this victory. And I think we’re getting a lot closer,” he said. Netanyahu repeatedly insisted holding the border would also pressure Hamas to release hostages. At one point, he erroneously claimed the invasion of Rafah in May forced Hamas’ first release of hostages—which took place months earlier in November under a weeklong ceasefire deal. He then said the deal was “the result of our invasion, the military pressure we put on them.”
The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported early Thursday that an Israeli drone strike killed five men and wounded another in a car in Tubas in the West Bank. The Israeli military said in a statement that it carried out “three targeted strikes on armed terrorists that posed a threat on the soldiers,” without immediately elaborating. For more than a week, hundreds of Israeli forces have been carrying out the deadliest operation in the occupied West Bank since the IsraelHamas war began.
Malaysia won’t bow to China’s demands to halt oil exploration in South China Sea
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia—Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Thursday that Malaysia will not bow to demands by China to stop its oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea as the activities are within the country’s waters.
Anwar said Malaysia would continue to explain its stance following China’s accusations in a protest note in February to the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing that Kuala Lumpur had infringed on its territory. Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry said Wednesday it was investigating the leak of the diplomatic protest note that was published by a Filipino media outlet on August 29.
“We have never intended in any way to be intentionally provocative, unnecessarily hostile. China is a great friend, but of course we have to operate in our waters and secure economic advantage, including drilling for oil in our territory,” Anwar said in a televised news conference from Russia, where he is on an official visit.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer published the diplomatic note in which Beijing reportedly demanded that Malaysia immediately halt all activities in an oil-rich maritime area off Sarawak state on Borneo Island.
Anwar said it wasn’t the first time China had sent a protest note over the South China Sea dispute but stressed it shouldn’t mar a strong relationship. Anwar had called China a “true friend” during a visit to Malaysia by Chinese President Li Qiang in June to mark 50 years of diplomatic ties.
“We have said that we will not transgress other people’s borders,” Anwar said. “They know our position...They have claimed that we are infringing on their territory. That is not the case. We say no, it is our territory. But if they continue with the dispute, then okay, we will have to listen, and they will have to listen.”
Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan all dispute Beijing’s claims to almost the entire South China Sea. Unlike the Philippines, which has had public clashes with China in the disputed area, Malaysia’s government prefers diplomatic channels. It rarely criticizes Beijing publicly, even though Chinese coast guard ships have sailed near Malaysia’s waters. This is partly to protect economic ties as China has been Malaysia’s top trading partner since 2009.
The report said China had accused Malaysia of encroaching on areas covered by its 10-dash line, Beijing’s controversial map showing its claims to sovereignty in the South China Sea. The diplomatic note also expressed Beijing’s displeasure over Malaysia’s oil and gas exploration activities near the Luconia Shoals, which is near to Sarawak, it said.
Australia, Japan strengthen military ties amid rising concerns over China’s actions
By Rod Mcguirk
www.businessmirror.com.ph
Tarlac RTC
issues warrant of arrest vs Alice Guo for graft
THE Regional Trial Court of Capas, Tarlac has issued a warrant of arrest against dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo in connection with a graft case filed against her over her involvement in illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (Pogo) operations in the country.
The arrest warrant was issued Thursday afternoon by Tarlac RTC Third Judicial Region Branch 109.
This developed as the Department of Justice (DOJ) said Thursday the Indonesian government has not made an official request to swap dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo with Australian drug kingpin Gregor Johann Haas, one of Indonesia’s most-wanted drug suspects.
As such, Guo will be turned over to Philippine authorities without any impediment following her arrest in Tangerang City, Indonesia last Wednesday. Guo was expected to arrive Thursday night from Indonesia escorted by a team from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Immigration (BI) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) who negotiated for her immediate return to the country.
“We have not received any official request from Indonesia... We have seen the news reports, but as of now, no formal communication has been received,” DOJ spokesman Jose Dominic Clavano IV told reporters.
It can be recalled that following Guo’s arrest, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said that the Philippine government is facing some complications in its bid to bring Guo back to the country..
News reports in Jakarta had said that Indonesian authorities are seeking to swap Guo with Haas, an alleged member of the notorious Sinaloa drug cartel .
Haas was arrested May 15 in Bogo, Cebu by operatives of the BI’s fugitive search unit (FSU) based on a standing red notice by the Interpol which stemmed from a criminal case that was filed against him in Indonesia.
Indonesia authorities have accused Haasof being behind the attempt to smuggle into Indonesia on December 11, 2023 a shipment of floor ceramics filled with more than 5 kilograms of the illegal methamphetamine drug substance.
The drugs were seized by Indonesian authorities who later discovered via testimonies elicited from arrested drug couriers that the packages were sent by Haas from Guadalajara, Mexico.
Clavano stressed that talks about possible prisonerswap are premature as the process requires an official request through the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). “The process involves official communications from foreign authorities being routed through the DFA. We will respond if such a request is forwarded to us, but as of now, there is no such request,” Clavano stressed. Joel R. San Juan
End-Aug
THE country’s rice arrivals have breached 2.8 million metric tons (MMT) as of August 29, higher than last year’s import volume, latest government data showed.
Figures from the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) showed that total rice imports from January 1 to August 29 were higher than the 2.35 MMT recorded during the reference period.
More than 2.17 MMT of rice imports came from Vietnam, which remains the country’s top source of imported rice. Shipments from Thailand trailed behind at 371,390.74 MT.
BPI data showed that the Philippines also imported rice from other countries like Pakistan (156,121.32 MT), Myanmar (66,910 MT), and India (21,890.04 MT).
“The rice imports are picking up this August,” Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa told reporters in Filipino last Wednesday.
This, after rice arrivals in July slowed to 167,403.84 MT following the implementation of Executive Order (EO) 62 which lowered the tariffs to 15 percent and took effect on July 7.
Industry experts earlier noted that traders could slow down importing while waiting for the ruling on the legality of EO 62 after agricultural groups sought a temporary restraining order (TRO) against its implementation.
Rice arrivals in August reached 296,350.96 MT. However, this was still lower than the average shipments made from the first semester at 390,065.93 MT.
Competition body files raps vs onion importers, traders
T“We’re still expecting that there would be a reduction in [rice prices],” De Mesa said in Filipino, noting that the price of imported rice has seen a decline in retail prices.
Based on the DA’s price monitoring, the price of local wellmilled rice in Metro Manila markets ranged between P47 and P55 per kilo while regular milled ranged from P43 to P50 per kilo as of September 4. The price of imported wellmilled rice in select markets in the metro ranged from P47 to P55 per kilo while regular milled ranged between P47 and P50 per kilo in the same period.
However, this was lower than the imported well-milled rice recorded in May 29 which ranged between P52 and P55 per kilo with regular milled ranging from P49 to P51 per kilo.
Meanwhile, BPI data showed that BLY Agri Venture Trading led the 154 rice importers with a total volume of 198,646.99 MT. Orison Free Enterprise Inc. trailed behind at 164,095.45 MT followed by Macman Rice and Corn Trading at 128,563.30 MT.
Data from the attached agency of the DA also showed that it approved and issued 6,394 sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances (SPSICs) which covered the importation of 6.64 MMT of rice.
Rice importers should secure an SPSIC from the BPI before bringing in foreign rice stocks.
An SPSIC would certify that an inbound shipment is safe for human and animal consumption and would not bring in any pests that could be detrimental to the local agriculture sector. Ada Pelonia
By Ada Pelonia @adapelonia
tive agreements may be fined at least P110 million.
HE enforcement office of the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) filed charges against 12 onion importers and traders for violating the competition law.
According to the PCC Enforcement Office, the respondents were charged for “behaving like a cartel” through market allocation and anti-competitive exchange of business information which are under the Philippine Competition Act (PCA).
PCC Enforcement Office Director Christian Loren Delos Santos said their investigation revealed that the respondents agreed to allocate the supply of imported onions in the country and colluded to lessen competition. The agency alleged that the respondents exchanged sensitive business information such as price, suppliers, customers, volume, shipping, distribution, and storage.
“Our evidence showed that respondents assigned amongst
themselves the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearances (SPSICs) issued by the Department of Agriculture–Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI) and the distribution of volume of onions allowed for importation,” Delos Santos said in a press conference on Thursday. He added that by agreeing to allocate SPSICs and divide among themselves the actual volume of imports, respondents “effectively controlled more than 50 percent of the volume of onions imported into the Philippines” from 2019 to 2023.
“This is an anti-competitive agreement penalized under Section 14 (b) (2) of the PCA,” Delos Santos said.
Under the PCA, entities found to have engaged in anti-competi -
However, if the violation involves a basic necessity or prime commodity, such as onions, the fine may be tripled according to Section 41 of the PCA and Section 6.5 of the PCC’s Rules of Procedure.
The PCC said that given the duration of the collusive agreement and the involvement of a basic commodity, the Enforcement Office recommended approximately P 2.4 billion in total fine.
It could be recalled that prices of onion surged to as high as P700 per kilo in 2022.
Banned from importation
AGRICULTURE Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa confirmed through BPI Director Gerald Glenn Panganiban that these importers have been prohibited from applying for importation permits.
“Though some of them still have active registrations...they will not be able to transact with BPI,” De Mesa told reporters on Thursday. He said the DA and its regulatory agencies involved in the authorization of SPSICs such as the BPI, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), and Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) are studying improving the issuance of these import clearances to prevent such problem from happening again.
“They will coordinate with PCC to avoid this kind of problem happening again,” De Mesa said, partly in Filipino.
The SPSICs are required prior to importation to certify that an inbound shipment is safe for human and animal consumption and would not bring in any pests that could harm the local agriculture sector.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. supported the PCC’s decision to file charges against a dozen onion traders “whose cartel-like activities adversely impacted consumers and the broader economy.”
“I’m happy with the decision of PCC. It should be a sign to all smugglers and unscrupulous traders that we will go after all of them,” Laurel said in a statement. .
The agricultural chief also noted his dismay at the traders’ actions.
“We can’t allow a few individuals, driven by an insatiable lust for money, to exploit our farmers and consumers or, worse, sabotage our economy,” Laurel said.
“In addition to the fines and legal charges, the [DA] will explore the possibility of blacklisting these unscrupulous traders and potentially withdrawing the accreditation of cold storage facilities whose owners were complicit in this scheme,” he added.
CA junks TPO in favor of Quiboloy followers
Davao City has no basis.
TBy Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573
Region XI director, Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III.
HE Court of Appeals (CA) has nullified the Temporary Protection Order issued by the Regional Trial Court in Davao directing the National Police to allow Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) members access to their compound located on the Phil-Japan Friendship Highway in Sasa, Davao City.
Thousands of police officers are currently occupying portions of the KOJC compound in a bid to serve the arrest warrant issued against its founder, Apollo Quiboloy, who is facing qualified human trafficking, child abuse and sexual abuse cases filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
In a five-page order dated September 3, the appellate court’s Twenty-Second Division in Cagayan de Oro City held that the issuance of the TPO by Judge Mario Duaves of Branch 15 of the RTC in
Continued from A1
“The lower rice tariffs are already showing results. Rice inflation is slowing down and rice imports grew by 77 percent in August, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Customs (BOC),” Recto said in a statement on Thursday.
The Finance chief expects rice prices to drop “more noticeably” this month as
The TPO was issued by the Davao court as temporary and immediate relief for KOJC members pending its action on their petition for the issuance of a writ of amparo filed by the religious group through its Executive Pastor Marlon Acobo and Jose Maria College Foundation Inc. (JMCFI, Inc.) represented by Rosemarie Dimagnaong, et al.
The TPO directed the National Police to remove all barricades, barriers and obstacles that restrain KOJC members from going in and out of the group’s compound located along Sasa Highway in Davao City.
It also directed the police to stop any act that “threatens the life, liberty or security” of the religious group’s members.
The petition assailing the TPO was filed before the CA by Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr., , the National Police chief, Gen. Rommel Marbil, and the force’s
In ruling in favor of the petitioners, the CA held that Duaves “acted without authority in taking cognizance of the Amparo case.”
“It follows that the issuance of the TPO has no basis,” the CA said.
The CA agreed with the petitioners that the Supreme Court has already ordered trial court judges in Davao City and other stations in Mindanao to transmit the records of the case involving Quiboloy to the RTC in Quezon City, or the Office of the Clerk of Court of the Metropolitan Trial Court of Quezon City.
rice imported with lower tariffs in August reaches the local market. Rice tariffs were reduced to 15 percent from 35 percent until 2028.
Earlier, Recto said an average of 10 percent reduction in retail prices is expected for the rest of the year, which could lower the price of rice by at least 5 pesos per kilo.
“We will not be complacent. While we are now seeing the positive results of our
measures, we are proactively monitoring potential inflationary risks to address them in a timely and targeted manner,” Recto said.
Moreover, the Department of Finance (DOF) said the Department of Agriculture (DA) is ramping up its efforts in implementing measures to safeguard farmers and ensure food security.
As such, the DA is extending the ship-out date for rice imports to 60 days from 30 days,
Chavez is new PCO chief as Garafil takes MECO post
“The public respondent should have stayed his hand in the amparo case to prevent any semblance of bias or influence—the very evil sought to be prevented by the Supreme Court resolution. Wherefore, premises considered, the TPO dated August 27, 2024 is hereby declared null and void,” the CA added.
It also directed the Davao court to “immediately transmit” the entire records of the case to the Office of the Clerk of Court of the Quezon City RTC. The police have occupied the KOJC compound for almost two weeks now, hoping to capture Quiboloy based on the “hearbeat” it detected in KOJC’s alleged bunker.
“There is no denying that the amparo case is closely intertwined with the cases filed against Quiboloy, considering that what is at stake is the implementation of the warrants of arrest against the latter and his co-accused. Hence, such a case is within the coverage of the aforementioned Supreme Court resolution,” the CA said. The appellate court held that to allow the Davao court to continue hearing the case would circumvent the High Court’s resolution.
which allows local importers more time to secure better rates amidst price volatility and reduce retail rice prices.
The government also vowed its support to extend the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) until 2030 and its planned increase to enhance local rice production and address the needs of rice farmers.
“The sustained drop in inflation will boost our household consumption for the rest of the year as well as encourage more investments, particularly as borrowing costs decrease,” Recto added.
through fact-check officers.
Chavez said they will also come out with a new mechanism to ensure PCO will be able to come out with announcements on class and government work suspensions the
UN calls on world leaders to reboot global cooperation
IN a world where global challenges are outpacing the institutions designed to tackle them, the upcoming Summit of the Future, announced by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, presents a unique opportunity to strengthen cooperation on critical issues and address gaps in global governance. (See, “World leaders must reboot global cooperation for today and tomorrow,” in the BusinessMirror, September 4, 2024).
The UN chief underscores the pressing issues that demand our immediate attention: from entrenched conflicts and inequalities to emerging threats like climate change and the ethical dilemmas posed by artificial intelligence. The current global decision-making framework, largely a relic of the post-World War II era, no longer suffices in addressing the complex and interconnected challenges of the 21st century.
The Summit of the Future represents a pivotal moment for world leaders to come together and enact meaningful reforms. The proposed New Agenda for Peace offers a roadmap for revitalizing international institutions, ensuring a more inclusive and effective approach to conflict resolution and security. By expanding the definition of security to encompass gender-based violence and other modern threats, the agenda charts a course towards a more resilient and peaceful world.
Guterres rightly emphasizes the need for a revamped global financial architecture that prioritizes sustainable development and climate action. Developing countries, in particular, require increased access to affordable finance to transition away from fossil fuels and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Crucially, the summit will also address the governance of new technologies like artificial intelligence, highlighting the importance of establishing shared principles for a secure and equitable digital future. By engaging governments, tech companies, the academe and civil society in collaborative efforts to manage the risks and benefits of AI, the UN aims to foster a more responsible and inclusive approach to technological advancement.
At the heart of these proposals lies a commitment to human rights and gender equality, recognizing that true progress cannot be achieved without the full participation and leadership of women. By breaking down barriers and fostering diversity, the summit seeks to create a more inclusive world for all.
As we stand on the brink of a new era defined by unprecedented challenges and opportunities, the Summit of the Future offers a chance to redefine global cooperation for the 21st century. It is a call to action for leaders to embrace change, prioritize sustainability, and build a more resilient and equitable world for future generations. Global leaders should acknowledge that the moment to take action is upon us. Let us encourage them to seize this chance to mold a future that is genuinely suitable for our grandchildren, founded on solidarity, innovation, and a collective dedication to peace and prosperity for everyone.
As Guterres eloquently states, we cannot create a future fit for our grandchildren with a system built for our grandparents. Bold, visionary action is required to build more effective, inclusive, and representative institutions of global governance.
BusinessMirror
DMW AKSYON Fund for execution bond is against prohibition of use of public funds for a private purpose
TPinoy Marino Rights
he execution provision of the pending Magna Carta For Filipino Seafarers is constitutionally, statutorily and jurisprudentially repugnant due to the prohibition against the use of public funds for a private purpose.
The passage of the Magna Carta has been held in abeyance due to, among others, the debate on disability claims. It centered on the provision that aimed to amend the Labor Code that will have adverse significant impact on the “immediately final and executory” nature of decisions issued by the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) and the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB).
The House version contains the controversial escrow/execution bond provision while this was omitted in the Senate version.
Both houses of Congress through the bicameral committee convened three times (December 6, 2023 then May 23 and July 31, 2024) just to restore the provision. The House contingent led the reinstatement of the said provision.
The bicameral committee in the first report omitted the escrow but contained a provision on execution
T. Anthony C. Cabangon
Lourdes M. Fernandez
Jennifer A. Ng Vittorio V. Vitug
Lorenzo M. Lomibao Jr., Gerard S. Ramos
Lyn B. Resurreccion, Dennis D. Estopace
Angel R. Calso
Ruben M. Cruz Jr.
Eduardo A. Davad
Nonilon G. Reyes
D. Edgard A. Cabangon
Benjamin V. Ramos
Aldwin Maralit Tolosa
Rolando M. Manangan
BusinessMirror is
Fax line: 813-7025. (Advertising Sales) 893-2019; 817-1351, 817-2807. (Circulation) 893-1662; 814-0134 to 36. E-mail: news.businessmirror@gmail.com www.news.businessmirror@gmail.com Printed by brown madonna Press, Inc.–Sun Valley Drive KM-15, South Superhighway, Parañaque, Metro Manila
bond. The whole provision was deleted in the second report but was reinserted in the third report.
Under the latest version of Section 59, a seafarer may move for the execution of the monetary award pending appeal upon posting of a sufficient bond for the disputed portion of the award. And if the seafarer ultimately prevails in the case, he will be reimbursed with the cost of putting up the bond.
The last paragraph of Section 59 states: “The DMW, through the AGARANG KALINGA AT SAKLOLO PARA SA MGA OFW NA NANGANGAILANGAN (AKSYON Fund), may provide financial assistance to the seafarer depending on the final determination of maritime disability grading under Section 57 of this Act for the payment of premiums of the bond either in full or in part. Pertinent guidelines for assistance in the payment of premiums, including the availment process, amount,
The AKSYON Fund is part of the DMW budget that is sourced from taxes paid by the citizens. It cannot be used for private purposes or for the exclusive benefit of private persons.
or length of validity shall be issued by DMW, after consultation with stakeholders, including the DOLE, NLRC, Seafarers union, manning agencies, shipowners or their representatives.”
Using the DMW AKSYON Fund under this provision means utilizing public funds for a private purpose that is contrary to the law, the constitution and to pronouncements of the Supreme Court.
The prohibition against the use of public funds for a private purpose is an incident of the state’s power of taxation.
The AKSYON Fund is part of the DMW budget that is sourced from taxes paid by the citizens.
The Supreme Court elaborated in Planters Products, Inc. v. Fertiphil Corp. (GR 166006, March 14, 2008) that “taxes are exacted only for a public purpose. They cannot be used for purely private purposes or for the exclusive benefit of private persons. The reason for this is simple. The power to tax exists for the general welfare; hence, implicit in its power is the limitation that it should be used only for a public purpose. It would be a robbery for the State to tax its citizens and use the funds
generated for a private purpose.”
The Court added: “To lay with one hand, the power of the government on the property of the citizen, and with the other to bestow it upon favored individuals to aid private enterprises and build up private fortunes, is nonetheless a robbery because it is done under the forms of law and is called taxation.”
Such last paragraph undoubtedly benefits local manning agencies and their foreign principals because the DMW AKSYON Fund (sourced from taxes raised from the public) will be used to reimburse them for disability awards made to Filipino Seafarers that are reversed on appeal.
The Commission on Audit (COA) will also more likely than not disallow the use of the said action fund based on said legal principle, which is embodied in Ch. 2, Sec, 5 (b) of the Government Accounting Manual (GAM) for National Government Agencies per PD 1445.
“This is clearly discriminatory if not unjust to our seafarers who file for monetary claims because of financial distress. Let us all be reminded that the Magna Carta is meant to protect the seafarers,” Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III said.
Pimentel added: “The insertion seeks to treat foreign employers of Filipino seafarers more favorably than our law treats local employers of Filipino workers.”
“I will agree that the funds being
See “Gorecho,” A15
Japan real wages unexpectedly rise, keeping BOJ on hike path
By Erica Yokoyama
JApANeSe workers’ real wages rose for a second consecutive month, keeping the central bank on track for another potential rate hike later this year.
Real cash earnings for workers climbed 0.4 percent in July from a year earlier, the labor ministry reported Thursday. While the pace of gains slowed from the previous month’s increase, the result beat the consensus call for a 0.6 percent decline and followed the first advance in 27 months in June. Nominal wages grew 3.6 percent, also outpacing the consensus estimate.
The yen strengthened to as strong as 143.19 against the dollar following the data release, taking gains to as much as 0.4 percent for the day.
Base salaries experienced strong growth, rising 2.7 percent, the largest gain in 31 years. A more stable measure of wage trends that avoids sampling problems and excludes bonuses and overtime showed wages for full-time workers increased by a
record 3 percent.
Thursday’s data are an indication that a key peg of the virtuous cycle long sought by Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda may be falling into place. The BOJ has said it expects wage gains to fuel demand-led inflation, a condition it needs to confirm as it continues along the path toward normalizing policy after maintaining ultra-easy settings for decades.
“Ueda’s comments indicate that he still wants to raise interest rates,” said Masato Koike, economist at Sompo Institute Plus. “Assuming no further market turmoil, and given that wage growth will provide significant support, the likelihood of a rate hike before the end of the year has increased considerably.”
Almost all economists expect the BOJ to stand pat when the board next
Thursday’s strong data were driven largely by the historic wage gains that resulted from annual wage negotiations between the nation’s largest umbrella group for unions and employers. The union group, Rengo, secured wage increases of more than 5 percent for its constituents, the largest gains in more than 30 years.
sets policy on September 20. Most expect a move sometime between October and January after the BOJ conducted its second rate hike this year on July 31. Ueda has said the bank would consider additional tightening steps if the economy and prices develop in line with the bank’s projections. The gain in real wages will create a positive backdrop as the ruling Liberal Democratic Party chooses a new leader. Given its dominance in parliament, the LDP’s September 27 election is all but certain to determine the nation’s next premier after Prime
Minister Fumio Kishida announced his decision to step down. Kishida resigned after persistently low approval ratings that partly reflected voter dissatisfaction over the failure of wages to keep up with rising prices. Thursday’s strong data were driven largely by the historic wage gains that resulted from annual wage negotiations between the nation’s largest umbrella group for unions and employers. The union group, Rengo, secured wage increases of more than 5 percent for its constituents, the largest gains in more than 30 years. The BOJ has said in the past that over 80 percent of wage increases agreed for a new fiscal year tend to be reflected in data by July.
“For policy, the wage data increase our conviction that a rate hike will be on the table at the October meeting—though uncertainty over the pace of the US slowdown means it’s not a clearcut call,” said Bloomberg economist Taro Kimura.
Japan’s chronic labor shortage is likely to keep upward pressure
See “Japan,” A15
Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua
Dennis Gorecho
The excesses of Korean Air’s Lee Myung-hee and daughters
AFilipino maid, a bag of nuts and a bottle of water were catalysts
downfall of Korean Air chairman
The three women are members of the South Korean Hanjin Group, which owns Korean Air. The matriarch, supposed to be the guiding example of good behavior, topped the list of those whose actions provoked public outrage in South Korea.
In 2019, Lee Myung-hee was accused by a Filipina maid of abuse, including shouting and using profane language. In a 2015 audio recording published in one media outlet, Lee was heard saying, “You should’ve brought it to me before I left… I’m going to kill you, you little bitch,” and “You fucking bitch.”
Lee’s tirade didn’t stop there; she continued with, “Fucking piece of shit, I’m going to kill you all! You fucking bitch. Die, you worthless piece of shit!” Not even the presence of her grandchild, who was heard crying in the recording, could halt her tantrums.
As if the verbal abuse was not enough, Lee also demanded that the maid kneel before her to ask for forgiveness. This took place not in a historical k-drama but in 2015, in modern-day South Korea, at the home of a chaebol member.
Lee’s disgraceful behavior did not stop within the confines of her house, where she thought she could behave in any way she wanted. She was also accused of abusing and verbally assaulting workers, forcing an employee to kneel for forgetting to buy ginger, kicking and spitting at staff for being late, and pouring water on a driver for driving slowly.
The matriarch’s pattern of uncontrollable outbursts and her failure to manage such outrage hurt the family-led conglomerate and irreversibly damaged its reputation.
In 2020, CNN reported that Lee “was sentenced to 80 hours of community service and two years jail for 18 counts, which was suspended for three years for the abuse against nine of her employees.” These were for the assault of her domestic staff “that occurred between 2011 and 2018, including physically hurting her chauffeur and throwing metal shears at her gardener.” More than community service or a jail sentence—what Lee truly needed was professional psychiatric help. This point highlights the more significant issue of her mental state and its impact on the Hanjin Group’s image. Her antics must have caused Hanjin’s PR department to go into a tailspin because her behavior constituted a communications disaster.
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. In 2014, Lee’s eldest daughter, Heather Cho, who was vice president
Lee’s disgraceful behavior did not stop within the confines of her house, where she thought she could behave in any way she wanted. She was also accused of abusing and verbally assaulting workers, forcing an employee to kneel for forgetting to buy ginger, kicking and spitting at staff for being late, and pouring water on a driver for driving slowly.
of Korean Air at the time, caused global outrage when she demanded “that a plane she was on return to its gate so a flight attendant who served her macadamia nuts in a bag instead of a porcelain bowl could be removed.” The incident has been called the “nut rage,” resulting in a scandal that grabbed headlines worldwide.
Four years later, the other daughter, Emily Cho, a marketing executive at Korean Air, also caused public outrage in 2018 “over reports that she insulted an advertising executive and threw water in his face.”
Adding to the family’s notoriety, Lee and Heather were accused of smuggling luxury goods through Korean Air, as well as illegally hiring foreigners as housemaids, including 10 Filipinos disguised as airline workers.
Both daughters were stripped of their positions in the conglomerate and forced to publicly apologize for their actions. Many found it satisfying to see these women bow their heads and apologize to the media and the public, although their punishments were seen as insufficient for the severity of their misconduct.
The reasons behind the Cho women’s wanton behavior were difficult to explain, especially considering the potential impact on their family business. Their actions brought extreme shame to the family, prompting their father, Korean Air chairman Cho Yang-ho, to publicly apologize for them.
In a statement, Cho said, “As chairman of Korean Air, as well as a father, I feel terrible about the immature actions of my daughters. Everything is my fault and my wrongdoing. I apologize to the people.”
The company’s shareholders weren’t satisfied with the apology and voted to oust Cho as chairman in March 2019. He died the following month in California.
In the end, a Filipino maid, a bag of nuts, and a bottle of water humbled three of South Korea’s most abusive chaebol members.
My rant after the storm
Resilience reared its mythical head after a massive flooding took place this week. There was no other excuse for how we responded to the storm and its aftermath. We had been taught ever since that when we recover after an earthquake or survive a typhoon, we were told we owed it to our resilience.
And yet if we look again, only politicians relish this value called resilience. This gives them excuses not to do anything. After all, we are, like the bamboo, pliable, swaying to the wind, and bending without breaking. Interestingly enough, wasn’t it the molave that was poetized during the Commonwealth era by Rafael de Zulueta da Costa as “firm” and “resilient.”
In North Korea, however, the latest news is that 20 to 30 government officials were executed for failing to prevent the damage caused by the flooding in July in their country. Perhaps, we, as a people, have not only been lost in memory but in translation as well.
Consider the current Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) and recall its anthem: Pinoy, ikaw ay Pinoy/Ipakita sa mundo/ Kung ano ang kaya mo/Ibang-iba ang Pinoy/’Wag kang matatakot/Ipagmalaki mo/Pinoy ako, Pinoy tayo. Literally, it proclaims how you as a Filipino should show to the world what you can do. That you are unique. I wonder if other nationalities have the same sentiment, to demonstrate to others one’s capability? Why the public display? Why the fixation with the global space? The second line is even more problematic —the singularity of being Filipino. But does not ethnicity carry within it the splendor of uniqueness? That is not the oddest part of this battlecry, however. The next three lines are prime examples of non sequitur. They say, do not be afraid of showing off?
Be proud of being Filipino. Does one need to convince oneself to be proud of one’s identity? If so, why the fear in doing so? Is it because we are, after all the bragging, a people terrified? The wonder of these claims is their being part of popular discourse.
that are as gray as the undefined boundaries between insanity and joy. I say common because I have noted photos of people jumping off from roofs to the brackish stream below, proving that the flooding is deep enough to assure a flotation. In areas where torrents of alluvion rush down a slope in a neighborhood, men and boys enjoy racing using any big container or flat board. In a house the first floor of which has already been inundated, a man who looks like he is the father of the family slumps inside a massive basin, his eyes closed, cool and relaxed. At a street corner, a table has been propped up against a fence, on top of which are bottles of gin. Around it are men and some women, their bodies half-submerged in the flood, their heads floating above light with the alcohol, we can assume. Banish the flood from your
there is news about people losing their homes, of bridges collapsing, of landslides occurring, of hunger, and of death.
In our city, Naga in Camarines Sur, people were unprepared for the flood that covered its streets and subdivisions, of its river nearly overflowing. On the day of the typhoon, the announcement of which was perceived to have been made late in the day, people were out doing their business. Pardon the personal reference, I, for one, was some 16 kilometers away from the city, in a resort with a small infinity pool, in the middle of the rice field, conducting film education. At one in the afternoon, we were informed it was already Signal No. 1 over Camarines Sur. No big deal, we are used to that signal. We are even able to brave Signal No. 2 and 3. We forgot one thing: the rain and the flood have nothing to do with typhoon signals anymore. Typhoon signals in the context of climate change are like film titles: they have no relation to the content of the cinema but are mere markers for memories of disaster.
True, each nation and human group have the same claim of singularity but they are found in books and not in day-to-day conversation. And yet, there is a reason why I have belabored that song that now runs wild online. The recent flooding has produced numerous photos of how we demonstrated our Filipinoness (“Pinoy na Pinoy”) amidst villages turned into rivers, and streets transformed into gurgling streams. The most common of these are images of people swimming in waters
mind and you might as well visualize them talking about the weather. And yet nothing beats this scenario: Two men are each grasping one end of a bamboo pole that runs through the pale and shaven body of a pig. The caption says: Baha ka lang, Pinoy kami (literally, “You are a mere flood, we are Filipinos”). Even without the music, you can almost dance to the beat of this extension of the Pinoy Big Brother theme.
A word of caution still: For each photo showing our folly in the flood,
A local wag, however, had this reason why he was out in the mall when the flooding began: am I not a citizen of one of the most competitive cities in the nation? But we are resilient. I now tend to agree with this national psychological assessment. This morning as I was passing by one of the most popular hotels in the city, which saw its streets flooded a day before, I saw a nice bus. On its side was emblazoned the sign that beauty pageant candidates were there to be ferried for rehearsal and presentation. You see, after a storm, we do not only rise with grit; we are ready to strut it out and be confidently beautiful once more.
E-mail: titovaliente@yahoo.com
US says Kremlin-backed plot to meddle in election disrupted
By Chris Strohm, Zoe Tillman & Ramsey Al-Rikabi
RussiA-bAcKed entities pursued a sprawling, yearslong operation to meddle in the 2024 us presidential election and broadly boost the Kremlin’s interests, the biden administration alleged in announcing steps to disrupt the scheme.
The US Justice Department on Wednesday unsealed charges against two Russian nationals accused of laundering nearly $10 million to pay for a secret foreign influence campaign and revealed the seizure of several dozen web domains they claimed were used to “covertly spread Russian government propaganda.”
The operation allegedly included efforts to “reduce international support for Ukraine, bolster proRussian policies and interests, and influence voters in the US and foreign elections,” according to an FBI affidavit unsealed in Pennsylvania federal court.
The FBI cited internal planning documents from one of the entities saying it was in Russia’s interest to ensure that Donald Trump or another Republican candidate wins the White House in the November 5 presidential contest. The translated versions of the documents included in court filings are redacted, but the references to “US Political Party A” and “Candidate A” match the Republican Party and Trump.
“We have no tolerance for attempts by authoritarian regimes
Japan. . .
to exploit our democratic system of government,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said while announcing the charges and other court actions before an election threat task force meeting Wednesday.
A representative of the Russian Embassy and a spokesperson for Trump’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
As part of the crackdown, the Treasury Department announced new sanctions on Russian statefunded broadcaster RT and senior leaders—including editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan—for trying to recruit “unwitting American influencers” as part of its “malign influence” campaign by using a front company. The sanctions are part of the broader US actions against RT’s parent company, Rossiya Segodnya media group, and four other subsidies.
AI deep fakes
I T also targeted ANO Dialog, a nonprofit founded by the Moscow city government in 2019, which uses artificial intelligence as part of its disinformation effort against election campaigns and is linked to a Russian
influence operation that creates socalled deep fakes.
“Today’s action underscores the US government’s ongoing efforts to hold state-sponsored actors accountable for activities that aim to deteriorate public trust in our institutions,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement.
The US is restricting visa issuance for people, as well as potentially their family members and close business associates, who engaged in the alleged covert influence operation, according to a senior State Department official. The US is also designating six RT affiliates as foreign missions, meaning that they will need to notify the department of their employees working in the US and all real property held by the entities. The department also announced a $10 million reward for information on potential foreign efforts to influence or interfere with the election.
A spokesperson for RT did not return a request for comment. RT dismissed the US allegations as “hackneyed cliches” on its Telegram channel.
“Three things in life are inevitable: death, taxes and ‘RT’s interference in American elections,’” RT said.
The Justice Department has been ramping up election security efforts in advance of the presidential contest to avoid the chaos and violence that erupted after the 2020 vote. Earlier this week, the department unveiled
how national security officials will share information about foreign threats to the election with social media companies while protecting constitutional rights. US intelligence agencies have warned that countries such as Russia and Iran are conducting nefarious activities to interfere with the US election.
‘Doppelganger’ FEDERAL investigators wrote in the unsealed Pennsylvania warrant affidavit that the influence campaign —referred to as “Doppelganger”— violated US laws against money laundering and trafficking in counterfeit goods or services.
Since at least 2022, according to the FBI, Russian-controlled entities “cybersquatted” Internet domains that led to fake websites that impersonated real media outlets, including Fox News and the Washington Post. The Russian entities sought to drive traffic to these fake domains by deploying influencers, paying for social media ads, and creating fake social media profiles pretending to be run by US or other non-Russian citizens, US investigators said.
The propaganda effort was directed at least in part by Sergei Kiriyenko, who was described as serving as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “domestic policy curator” when the US government imposed sanctions on Kiriyenko in March 2021, according to court papers. With assistance from Jake Bleiberg and Eric Martin /Bloomberg
Tito Genova Valiente annoTaTions
in the
cho Yangho in 2019. His removal stemmed from the misconduct of his wife, lee Myung-hee, and their two daughters, who personified the worst of chaebol excesses.
Friday, September 6, 2024
2nd Front Page
DOE identifies 31 ports for offshore wind development
By Lenie Lectura @llectura
THE Department of Energy
(DOE) has identified 31 ports nationwide that could be redeveloped to cater to the booming offshore wind (OSW) industry.
Of the 31 ports being considered, 15 have been identified as “potential ports with support” by the DO e . Simply put, funding for the technical feasibility studies for these 15 ports is already assured.
Of the 15, seven ports (SBMA, PNOC- e SB, Culasi, Iloilo, Irene, Bauan International, and San Carlos) have secured technical assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
The ports of Currimao, Capinpin, Batangas, San Juan, and Lavezares could be supported by the e conomic Development Group ( e DG).
Meanwhile, the Bulalacao, Tabaco, and Pulupandan ports are
High prices,
likely to be supported by both the ADB and e DG.
The other ports being considered are Hanjin Shipyard, Wawa, Calatagan, Calaca,Caticlan,Banago, BR e DCO,Aparri, Dingalan, Lucena, Legazpi, Allen, Cebu International, Dumaguete, and Dapitan.
“Building Port Infrastructure” is among the DO e ’s four-point strategy for e nergy Transition. The other three are acceleration of renewable energy (R e ) projects, development of a smart and green transmission grid plan, and voluntary early decommissioning of coal power plants. As of August 15, the DOe has awarded a total of 92 OSW energy
low income still among top concerns of Filipino voters–poll
By Justine Xyrah Garcia
OR the 2025 midterm elec -
Ftions, economic issues remain to be a top concern for more than half of Filipino voters.
The recent ‘Pinasurvey’ conducted by digital research data provider Insightspedia revealed that 61 percent of Filipinos want to have government officials who can address the soaring cost of living, while 60 percent are concerned with the stagnant wages of workers.
Solving major crimes ranked third, with 50 percent of voters marking it as a key priority. Lack of jobs and cybersecurity placed fourth and fifth with 48 and 46 percent, respectively.
According to Insightspedia Managing Director Rolland Ramirez, these results reflect voter’s demand for candidates with “perceived expertise” in economic management.
“What these people value most is knowledge—someone who can actually fix the economy,” Ramirez said on Thursday. However, despite most voters’ focus on economic competence, the survey found that 37 percent of the 2,500 respondents tend to exhibit a “bandwagon culture.”
This indicates that a significant portion of the electorate could be easily swayed by popular opinion.
“Most Filipinos think of themselves as early adopters. If somebody we know, trust, look up to tend to vote in one direction, we tend to see or vote the same as well,” Ramirez explained.
The self-rated adoption index also found that 19 percent of voters are considered innovators or those who are first to embrace new ideas even if it means dealing with uncertainty.
Another 19 percent fall into the early majority. These voters are more cautious and prefer to see how new ideas unfold before adopting change.
The remaining are divided into two categories: the late majority, who wait for new ideas to be proven first and widely adopted; and lag -
gards, who value tradition and are not easily persuaded. Both segments comprise 12 percent of the voter respondents.
Types of voters
A SIDe from exploring voters’ preferences, Insightspedia also categorized their personalities into five distinct personality types—debunking the notion that the affluent and ordinary people are the only types of voters in the country.
Results showed that ⅓ or 33 percent of voters are classified as the misunderstood mainstream, which mainly come from the generation Z and boomers. These people are mainly concerned with a candidate's competency, albeit defined differently.
The second largest group are the passive onlookers with 23 percent. They are defined as the “least engaged” during elections, compromising the largest proportion of non-voters.
Seventeen percent comes from solution seekers, or those who value character or competence. These voters are the most persuadable as they are actively finding solutions to their problems.
The smallest groups are the connection cravers (15 percent), who value a candidate’s ability to relate to their personal concerns, and the economy worriers (12 percent), who are primarily focused on economic issues.
Despite these concrete figures, Insightspedia cautioned that survey results should be taken as a guide rather than a precise predictor of election outcomes.
“When voters get asked [questions], they typically say the ‘right thing.’ Because they know that [answer] was socially acceptable,” Ramirez said.
As the midterm elections draw closer, the online panel provider plans to release additional studies in the coming months to offer a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the country’s voting population.
service contracts with a potential capacity 66.1 gigawatt hours (GWh). Four of these OSW contracts were awarded to 100 foreign-owned companies. OSW is the only renewable energy with its own e xecutive Order which directs the establishment of the policy and administrative framework for OSW development.
The Philippines has immense OSW potential, with the World Bank estimating over 178 GWs of technical offshore wind potential in the country. With a rapidly rising energy demand and goals to increase R e shares to 50 percent in the country’s energy mix by 2040, OSW can play an important role in increasing energy security and decarbonization efforts in the Philippines.
Building up the country’s offshore wind market can also support the growth of many socioeconomic benefits including job creation, local economic growth, and low-cost sustainable energy, the World Bank said earlier.
The DOe is pushing for a clean energy scenario (C e S) to meet 35 percent of R e share in the power
generation mix by 2030 and 50 percent by 2050.
Based on the updated Philippine e nergy Plan, which covers the period 2023 to 2050, there are two CS e s drafted.
CS e 1 involves high R e with low OSW, plus nuclear, plus coal repurposing, which targets at least 50 percent R e share by 2040 and more than 50 percent by 2050. It also incorporates capacities from nuclear , 1,200MW by 2032, additional 1,200MW by 2035 and another 2,400MW by 2050. Furthermore, it also considers 19GW capacity from OSW and the repurposing of coal facilities.
CS e 2 or the high R e with high OSW, plus nuclear, plus coal repurposing, aims to surpass a 50 percent R e share between 2040 and 2050, including nuclear capacities—1,200MW by 2030, additional 1,200MW by 2035, and another 2,400MW by 2050. In addition, this scenario outlines significant expansions for a 50GW increase in OSW capacity, as well as strategic initiatives for repurposing coal facilities.
CHAVEZ IS NEW PCO CHIEF AS GARAFIL TAKES MECO POST
PR e SIDe NT Ferdinand Marcos has appointed Presidential Assistant for Strategic Communications Cesar B. Chavez as the new secretary of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).
Chavez formally took his oath of office before the chief executive in Malacañang on Thursday.
He replaced former PCO Secretary Cheloy V. Garafil, who was appointed as the new chairman of the Manila e conomic and Cultural Office (M e CO), the country's de facto embassy in Taiwan.
In an interview with Palace reporters after his oath-taking, Chavez thanked the President for his new assignment in the government.
“My task here is clear. It is to communicate for the presidency, to communicate for the government, and to communicate for the state,” he said.
Like his predecessor, Chavez said he prefers to be a “backroom manager,” instead of speaking directly in behalf of the President before the media.
“The best spokesperson, salesperson of this government; of this country; is still the President. But I’ll be helping the President and
our team to explain the interconnectedness of policies, especially those policies that will require more information campaign, more discussions,” Chavez said. The former broadcast journalist did not elaborate on what brought about the leadership change in the PCO.
But he stressed the change was not abrupt, especially since he was already offered the position as early 2022. He declined it then so he can focus on his appointment as Undersecretary for Rail of the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
“Because I really wanted the President to be the champion of infrastructure projects,” Chavez said. The position of PCO secretary was later offered to Garafil, who accepted it in 2023. During previous administrations, Chavez served in varying positions in the Bases Conversion Development Authority, Metropolitan Development Authority, Light Rail Transit Authority Last December, he was named by the President as his senior official for strategic information after he left the DOTr.
Weaker
By Rizal Raoul Reyes
CITIZ e NWATCH Philippines on Thursday warned legislators about an oversight gap in the proposed Konektadong Pinoy Act and urged them to reconsider its implications. They said the bill in its current form could result in unintended negative outcomes for broadband users.
“The bill’s intent to open up the telecommunications market to more players might seem like a good solution to our connectivity issues,” said Orlando Oxales, convenor of CitizenWatch Philippines. “However, without the proper regulatory safeguards, this approach could backfire, leading to a host of unintended consequences that could undermine the very goals it seeks to achieve.”
The Konektadong Pinoy Act is now awaiting action at the Senate as one of the Legislative- e xecutive Development Advisory Council (L e DAC) priority bills. The House of Representatives passed its version of the measure
on third reading in December 2022. Oxales said CitizenWatch Philippines is primarily concerned it might incapacitate the National Telecommunication Commission, which has long served as the gatekeeper of the country’s telecommunications sector and has ensured that only qualified operators with the adequate resources and expertise are allowed to provide services to the public.
“The Konektadong Pinoy Act proposes to reduce the NTC’s role to that of a mere registrar, stripped of its oversight functions,” Oxales said.
“If the NTC’s role is diminished, consumers may find themselves with little recourse when faced with poor service or unfair practices.”
He worries that this could give way to an influx of new entrants, even those without technical capability or financial stability to provide reliable connectivity to Filipinos.
“In the rush to increase competition, we could end up with a marketplace flooded with providers who would claim to prioritize speed but cannot deliver on
quality and security, leaving Filipino consumers with subpar and unsafe internet services.”
A worse, more alarming scenario could also emerge, Oxales said.
“These may open opportunities for cybercrime syndicates to infiltrate and cause harm to our individual and enterprise consumers in both the government and private sectors.”
In a separate statement, Stratbase Institute President Prof. Victor Andres Manhit warned that reducing the regulatory oversight function of the NTC could lead to a chaotic scenario wherein the country's telecommunications networks can be exploited by hostile entities, posing significant risks to national security.
“The Konektadong Pinoy Act should align with the safeguard provisions of the Public Services Act (PSA) wherein critical infrastructure, defined as public services whose disruption could significantly impact national security, public health, or safety, is subject to rigorous regulatory oversight by the National Tele -
communications Commission and other agencies, Manhit said.
CitizenWatch pointed out that by easing the entry requirements without corresponding measures to ensure that new operators will invest in infrastructure, particularly in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs), the bill risks exacerbating the digital divide rather than closing it.
“Rural and remote communities could be left further behind as new players focus on more profitable urban markets, where returns on investment are quicker and more substantial,” Oxales added. CitizenWatch raised the serious issue of erosion of consumer protection, because it is the NTC’s mandate to hold telecommunications providers accountable and compliant to standards that protect consumers. Operators could then resort to cutting corners to maximize shortterm gains, to the detriment of longterm service quality and innovation, Oxales said.
Editor: Jennifer A. Ng
Century Pacific Food buys Mindanao coco processor
By VG Cabuag @villygc
Tuna canner Century Pacific Food Inc. (CnPF) on Thursday said it acquired Coco Harvest Inc., which owns a coconut processing facility in Misamis Occidental, for about $40 million.
Built in 2016, the fully integrated facility of Coco Harvest sits on a six-hectare property and has the capability to produce higher value coconut-based products such as coconut water, coconut milk, desiccated coconut and virgin coconut oil.
“This deal is an accretive acquisition. More importantly, it marks a significant milestone for the company. Our coconut business, encompassing both domestic and export, has grown substantially these past few years on the back of burgeoning trends in health and wellness.
The additional capacity from
Coco Harvest will bolster our capability to serve rising demand, with room for expansion as the business grows,” Ted Po, CNPF president and CEO, said.
Century Pacific said the existing facility is strategically located to capitalize on the abundance of coconut supply in Mindanao.
The company is buying Coco Harvest with further facility improvements. The funds will come from internally generated cash.
The capacity expansion is expected to generate more than 1,500 manufacturing jobs in Mindanao.
It will also create demand for auxiliary services needed by the plant as well as provide market access for the harvests of coconut farmers in the region, according to CNPF.
In March, CNPF inked a new, expanded long-term agreement with The Vita Coco Co. Inc., a global player in the coconut water category. The agreement stipulates increased volume commitments from Vita Coco amounting to approximately 90 million liters over the next five years.
CNPF entered the coconut category in 2012 as a manufacturer of coconut water for OEM export. Since then, the export business has grown organically as the company built manufacturing capability in other product formats, serving key players in Southeast Asia, such as Linaco Manufacturing.
CNPF also launched a branded coconut business serving the domestic market. In 2022, the company further augmented its capacity to serve the business’ growing needs.
Po said CNPF anticipates that the business will outgrow the facility’s current capacity and has plans for further investments in expansion
in the future.
“We are encouraged by the longterm growth trajectory of our coconut business,” Po said.
“From where we started, it has evolved to become globally competitive in the category through the team’s commitment to excellence and innovation. It’s a platform where we believe we can create more value for the company as well as the local coconut farming industry.”
There are approximately 2.5 million coconut farmers in the Philippines, mostly located in the southern regions of the country where CNPF’s coconut business operates.
The company’s expanded presence in the region provides local smallholder farmers with market access.
In 2021, CNPF committed 1 million coconut seedlings to smallholder farmers in partnership with GCash and impact organization HOPE. These seedlings replace low-yielding, senile coconut trees, “thereby increasing farm productivity, boosting smallholder farmers’ income, improving their livelihoods, and supporting long-term coconut supply.”
BOI, Batangas govt forge partnership
By Ada Pelonia
HE Board of Investments
T(BOI) will provide technical assistance to Batangas in its bid to boost investments in the country.
Trade Undersecretary and BOI
Managing Head Ceferino S. Rodolfo and Batangas Governor Hermilando I. Mandanas signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to ensure the ease of doing business and quick realization of investments in the province. Among the technical assistance that would be provided were organizing learning programs and training local government unit (LGU) frontliners on investment promotion and facilitation and investor servicing.
HON Hai Precision Industry Co.’s revenue rose 33 percent in August, accelerating from the previous month thanks to demand for servers powering AI applications.
Apple Inc.’s main manufacturing partner, also known as Foxconn, reported sales of NT$548.3 billion ($17.1 billion)—a record for the month of August. That pace was up sharply from growth of 22 percent in July.
a record selloff. And analysts have issued fresh warnings that AI’s potential is thus far largely untested and unproven.
The agency said it will collaborate with the Batangas provincial government to promote the province as a prime investment destination.
“In return, Batangas will provide BOI with all necessary information relevant to investment promotion, such as land availability and the cost of doing business.”
BOI noted that the province would appoint a designated green lane focal unit or person to coordinate with the agency’s One-Stop Action Center for Strategic Investments for facilitating strategic investments through the green lane.
Rodolfo said Batangas has the advantages of the 5Ps—“Power, Port, Place, People, and the Provincial Government” which would make the province an attractive investment destination in the Philippines.
He also said Executive Order 18 on Green Lanes for Strategic Invest-
“The signing of the MOA is proof of the continued efforts of the BOI to strengthen its network with LGUs to promote seamless collaboration and ease of doing business between the national and local governments,” the BOI said in a statement.
ments was inspired by the Mandanas Ruling.
In 2018, the BOI noted that the Supreme Court decided that the just share of LGUs from national taxes is not limited to “national internal revenue taxes” collected by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) but also includes collections such as customs duties by the Bureau of Customs (BOC).
‘Economic driver’
THE BOI said Batangas province has been one of the top economic drivers in Calabarzon, reported as the region’s fastest-growing economy in both 2021 and 2022.
“As a first-class province, Batangas serves as a vital gateway for trade and investments because of its robust infrastructure, including the Batangas International Port,” the agency said.
It also noted that the province has been instrumental in facilitating
the permits and licenses of strategic investments, particularly renewable energy projects, under the green lane.
“With at least 16 economic zones and industrial parks housing over 849 locators, Batangas thrives in various sectors, including tourism, agriculture, infrastructure, and renewable energy,” BOI said.
As of 2023, the agency said the province has 17 operational power plants utilizing various energy sources, including coal, oil-based, natural gas, solar, and geothermal.
It added that there are 19 more planned power projects in the coming years, with particular emphasis on nine offshore wind projects expected to undergo testing and commissioning by 2029.
“BOI continues to strengthen its network with Local Government Units to promote seamless collaboration and ease of doing business between the national and the local government.”
FPH commits support for gathering on disaster risk reduction
LOPEz-LEd First Philippine Holdings Corp. (FPH) has pledged support for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on disaster Risk Reduction (APMCdRR) that the Philippine government and a United Nations body will co-host next month in Manila.
Federico R. Lopez, FPH chairman and CEO, joined other top business executives whose companies committed to serve as sponsors of the APMCdRR under a memorandum of agreement (MOA) finalized with Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga last Tuesday, September 3.
The Philippine government, led by the department of Environment and Natural Resources (dENR) and the United Nations Office for disaster Risk Reduction (UNdRR), will co-host the APMCdRR at the Philippine International Convention Center from October 14 to 18, 2024. This large international gathering will bring together representatives from governments, intergovernmental, international, national and civil society organizations, the private sector, science, academia and stakeholder groups to accelerate progress in reducing disaster risk.
The conference will provide an important opportunity to review risk reduction efforts, share innovative solutions and make actionable commitments to accelerate disaster risk reduction by 2030 in the world’s most disaster-prone region. As one of the private sector sponsors of the APMCdRR, FPH will provide resources to help the dENR co-host the conference. FPH will also present during the
gathering the disaster risk reduction programs and projects of its subsidiary First Gen Corp., as well as those of the Oscar M. Lopez Center for Climate Change Adaptation and d isaster Risk Management Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit think tank also known as the Oscar M. Lopez Climate Change Center or OML Center.
FPH, one of the country’s largest and oldest conglomerates, has a long history
of supporting advocacies not only to protect but also to enhance the environment. Its subsidiary First Gen has the Philippines’s largest portfolio of power plants that use clean, low-carbon and renewable energy (RE) sources. First Gen’s 30 power plants have 3,668 megawatts (MW) of combined capacity, including 1,651 MW of RE capacity—the largest among Philippine power companies—from 26 facilities that use solar, wind, hydro and geothermal energy. Its four other power plants with over 2,000 MW of capacity run on natural gas, the cleanest form of fossil fuel.
Named in honor of the late patriarch and father of the current FPH chairman and CEO, the OML Center is envisioned as an institution that supports the generation of the science and technology needed for building resilient communities. The think tanks works closely with decision-makers of business and policy, the groups with the greatest capacity for sustained climate action. The OML Center gives these decision-makers the information and the tools they need to make climate-smart risk management decisions.
Foxconn’s topline has begun to recover from a protracted smartphone slump, helped by a growing business supplying data center operators with servers containing Nvidia Corp.’s AI accelerators. Last month, it said it expects revenue to grow over the rest of year, reversing successive quarterly declines. The company’s shares are up close to 70 percent in 2024.
Some investors preach caution. Nvidia reported earnings that failed to live up to expectations, triggering
THE Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines (EJAP), the country’s premier organization of business journalists, in partnership with diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC), will hold its maiden aviation forum.
The EJAP-SMC Aviation Forum is slated on Monday, September 9, at the Makati diamond Residences.
The forum takes off a few days before the much-anticipated management transfer of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia), the country’s main gateway, to the private sector.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista will discuss what local and foreign travellers can expect once Naia’s operation and maintenance is handed over to the New Naia Infrastructure Corp. (NNIC), led by SMC. This will mark the start of the P170-billion modernization project that seeks to improve and accommodate recovering demand for air travel, as well as address the airport’s longstanding congestion issues.
SMC Chairman and CEO Ramon S. Ang will deliver the opening remarks and showcase the conglomerate’s plans for NAIA. Ang will be joined by NNIC General Manager Angelito Alvarez, who will tackle Naia’s detailed rehabilitation plan, new terminal assignments, and new passenger terminal building, among others.
Still, Hon Hai has set itself the goal of securing 40 percent of the global AI server market, relying on relationships with many of the world’s biggest tech companies and its own manufacturing expertise. The Taiwanese company also benefits from consumer electronics demand, and the addition of AI features and enhancements may encourage mobile users to upgrade their devices. Shipments of the iPhone in China have in recent months have bounced back, and the global smartphone market is recovering. Apple is preparing to unveil the iPhone 16 next week.
“Entering the peak season in the second half of the year, we anticipate our operation to gradually gain momentum,” the company said in a statement. Bloomberg News
“The forum will provide a crucial platform for industry leaders, policymakers and stakeholders to engage in meaningful dialogue and share insights to the broader public,” EJAP President Neil Jerome Morales said. On the part of the government, Tourism Undersecretary Shahlimar Hofer Tamano will share how NAIA’s improvements will boost the country’s tourism sector while Overseas Workers Welfare Administration chief Arnaldo Ignacio will shed light on its impact on overseas Filipino workers.
Cebu Pacific President Xander Lao, AirAsia Philippines CEO Ricardo Isla, Philippine Airlines President Captain Stanley Ng, the event’s major sponsors, will deliver speeches and participate in a panel discussion to be facilitated by doris d umlao-Abadilla of the Philippine daily Inquirer.
The EJAP-SMC Aviation Forum is also supported by Megaworld Corp.
photo are Noralene Uy, DENr assistant secretary and Marco toscano-rivalta,
tHE Foxconn technology Group factories with solar panels on top at the Quang Chau industrial Park in Viet Yen District, Bac Giang Province, Vietnam, on July 13, 2023. bloomberg
Prime Infra borrows ₧5B from state-run Landbank
By Lenie Lectura @llectura & Reine Juvierre Alberto
THE Land Bank of the Philippines (Landbank) announced it approved a P5-billion loan facility to Prime Infrastructure Capital Inc. (Prime Infra) to partly bankroll the Razon-owned firm’s water, sustainable energy, and waste management infrastructure projects.
A statement issued by the Landbank last Thursday read that the state-run lender marked its first partnership with Prime Infra through a loan agreement signed on September 4 by Landbank President and CEO Lynette V. Ortiz and Prime Infra President and CEO Guillaume Lucci.
“This significant financing deal reaffirms Landbank’s role as a key partner in driving sustainable development and supporting projects that align with the country’s environmental and economic goals,” Ortiz was quoted in the statement as saying.
“This financing aligns with Landbank’s commitment to advancing sustainability initiatives and promoting sound environmental management,” read the Landbank statement.
According to Lucci, the loan is intended to be used to partially finance working capital requirements and for bridging of syndicated term loans for projects in sustainable and renewable energy, water and bulk water
supply, and waste management and sustainable fuels.
Banking&Finance Recto keen on bid to lower contributions to Philhealth
He added that Prime Infra’s projects are focused on helping ensure water security, providing dependable energy, and implementing proper waste management solutions.
This year alone, it achieved significant milestones such as strengthening its position in the water market through East Zone concessionaire Manila Water Co. Inc., the start of the impounding process of its Upper Wawa Dam project that will provide water supply benefiting 3.5 million Filipinos, the inauguration of its first solar power plants that will supply up to 128 megawatts of renewable energy, and the inauguration of the Philippines’ first automated materials recovery facilities in Cebu and Pampanga.
In the medium term, Prime Infra will focus on completing the Upper Wawa Dam to start commercial operations, developing two pumped storage projects tagged by the Department of Energy as energy projects of national significance, drilling wells to continue indigenous gas production through Prime Energy, and scaling up the industrialization of its waste management business.
“We take pride that our diverse portfolio of projects not only positions us as a key infrastructure player but also helps contribute to the country’s economic growth and in fostering a more sustainable future,” Lucci said.
Taking a leap of faith
BEFORE the pandemic, my wife and I have been planning of converting the 90-year-old ancestral countryside house I have inherited from my grandparents into a home hotel since no one has been living there anymore. Aside from the funding needed for such a project, we were not sure if there will be a market for it. Today, the small business is doing well. We’re glad that we took a leap of faith!
“Leap of faith” typically refers to a decision or action that requires trust and confidence in the absence of complete evidence or certainty. It implies taking a bold step or making a significant commitment without having all the facts or guarantees. In the world of associations where decisions can shape the future and outcomes are often uncertain, “leap of faith” takes on a profound meaning. Associations find themselves at a crossroad where bold decisions are necessary to propel them forward. Some insights:
1. Leadership and vision. Leadership within associations ne -
SSS
Tcessitates visionary thinking and the willingness to take bold steps. Crafting a compelling vision for the future and rallying members around it can demand a leap of faith. By articulating a vision that resonates with the association’s values and aspirations, association leaders can motivate others to follow suit, fostering a shared commitment to the organization’s mission.
2. Embracing change. Associations, like any other entities, must adapt to evolving circumstances. In the face of technological advancements, changing demographics, and societal shifts, there comes a time when a leap of faith is required to embrace change such as adopting new technologies (like AI), redefining organizational structures, or revising mission statements to bet-
vows
By Reine Juvierre Alberto
FINANCE Secretary Ralph G. Recto clarified he has never opposed recommendations to lowering member contributions to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) after premium rates increased to 5 percent this year.
“[I] want to make it clear that I never opposed any recommendations to reduce PhilHealth member contributions,” Recto was quoted in a statement the Department of Finance (DOF) issued last Thursday.
The Finance chief said the government’s measures in securing financing for its various projects and programs are undertaken without compromising the primary needs of the public, including health.
“[T]o be clear, I fully understand the plight of the medical community. In fact, I believe that public health deserves the full support of the government,” Recto said.
ter align with contemporary needs.
3. Strategic alliances. Collaboration is a cornerstone of successful associations, and forming strategic alliances demands a leap of faith. Joining forces with other organizations or entities can open doors to new opportunities, expand reach, and foster synergies. However, the success of these partnerships is not always guaranteed. A leap of faith is required to build trust, share resources, and work towards common goals, even when the outcomes may not be immediately apparent.
4. Membership engagement. Encouraging active member participation and involvement requires a leap of faith in creating initiatives that resonate with the diverse needs of the membership base like implementing novel programs, launching outreach campaigns, or experimenting with unconventional communication methods. By taking risks and trusting in the willingness of members to accept new suggestions or ideas, associations can foster a sense of community and loyalty.
5. Overcoming challenges.
To recall, the DOF ordered PhilHealth and the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) to remit P89.9 billion and P110 billion in reserve funds, respectively, to the Bureau of the Treasury. The move aims to finance the unprogrammed appropriations listed in the 2024 General Appropriations Act. Recto said letting the reserve funds, which are all government subsidies, remain unused and accumulating interest without anyone benefitting is a “cardinal sin.”
A cost-benefit analysis of the DOF showed that if the reserve funds bankroll the standby appropriations,
Whether financial, operational, or external, overcoming obstacles demands a leap of faith. This may involve making strategic investments, implementing restructuring plans, or advocating for change in the face of adversity. By demonstrating resilience and a belief in the association’s capacity to overcome challenges, leaders and members alike can navigate turbulent times with confidence.
“Leap of faith” is not just a phrase; it is a strategic mindset that can drive positive transformation. The willingness to take calculated risks, trust in the process, and navigate through uncertainty can lead to a future where associations not only survive but thrive in an ever-evolving landscape. What leap of faith did you take lately?
Octavio Peralta is founder and volunteer CEO of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives (PCAAE), the “association of associations.” The PCAAE and SustainablePH will hold a joint sustainability summit at the PICC on November 27, 2024. The views he expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the BusinessMirror . E-mail: bobby@pcaae.org.
to provide protection to barangay officials
HE Social Security System announced last Thursday that SSS President and CEO Rolando L. Macasaet is pushing for the membership in the state-run, social insurance program of barangay captains and kagawads (deputies) serving in around 42,000 barangays nationwide.
In a statement issued on September 5, the SSS said Macasaet spoke with barangay officials attending the Liga ng Mga Barangay’s National Congress on August 13 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City to encourage them to become SSS members and receive a lifetime monthly pension when they retire from public service.
“Many of our barangay officials and workers serve their constituents for 10 or 20 years. However, when they retire from public service, they do not get any separation pay or monthly pension,” said the SSS chief. “Now, through the SSS membership, we are offering you an opportunity to get a monthly pension when you retire from being a barangay official.” Macasaet told the barangay officials to secure a social security number and start paying their monthly contributions
The SSS official added that they
entitled to sickness, maternity, disability, unemployment, funeral, and
Macasaet said they can also take advantage of various SSS loan programs,
such as salary and calamity, and get additional coverage from the Employees’ Compensation (EC) program for workrelated sickness or injury resulting in disability or death.
E-services
THE SSS statement also quoted Executive Vice President for Branch Operations Sector Voltaire P. Agas as saying that the state-run agency set up 50 laptops manned by SSS personnel, which assisted barangay officials in getting their social security numbers.
Agas added that the SSS brought Internet kits to ensure the nonstop service provision to those attending the event. He explained that the agency put up an SSS booth in the National Congress to assist barangay officials in their SSS transactions such as applying for social security and employer numbers or verifying their contribution or loan records.
Agas said barangay officials also conducted online services such as creating or resetting their SSS online accounts, updating member and contact details, generating a Payment Reference Number, enrolling in the Disbursement Account Enrollment Module and filing of benefit claims and loan applications.
the gross domestic product (GDP) will increase by 0.7 percent and generate an additional P23 to P24.4 billion in revenues.
According to Recto, denying funding to unprogrammed appropriations would only incur more debt for the state and drive up debt-to-GDP ratio to 61.4 percent from 60.6 percent in 2024 and deficit-to-GDP ratio to 6.4 percent from 5.6 percent this year.
“Of all people, you know all too well that no responsible Finance Secretary would ever allow this to happen. In a very real sense, standing idly by as funds like these sleep on would be a complete disservice to the nation—both for our people today and the next generation,” Recto told the members of the Foundation for Economic Freedom last Wednesday.
Despite the sweeping of PhilHealth’s fund, it will still be left with P550 billion in its benefit chest fund and will continue to receive subsidies from the national government.
Earlier, Recto was asked if he is in favor of reducing PhilHealth’s member contributions. He said he prefers better benefit packages to reduce Filipinos’ out-of-pocket expenses.
“Now, if the PhilHealth board
GSIS
deems they have excess funds and cannot spend it, then they can reduce members’ contributions,” Recto said.
PhilHealth President and CEO Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. said case rates will increase to a maximum of 30 percent across all cases on or before December 25 this year. (See https://businessmirror.com. ph/2024/09/05/rates-for-philhealth-benefits-up-by-yearend/)
“By the end of this year, members can expect a total increase of more than 50 percent across the board increase in benefits,” Ledesma said at the hearing for the 2025 P304-billion budget of the Department of Health and its attached agencies.
In February 2024, the PhilHealth hiked its case rates for breast cancer, neonatal sepsis and bronchial asthma to 30 percent and expanded the Konsulta and hemodialysis benefit package.
The PhilHealth aims to increase benefit packages for dengue treatment, chemotherapy, ischemic heart disease, ST-elevation myocardial infarction, emergency care, cataract extraction, post-kidney transplant care, prostate cancer, cervical cancer, open-heart surgeries and peritoneal dialysis.
reports 98.85% rating in client satisfaction survey
THE Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) announced having achieved a rating of 98.85 percent in the first national harmonized client satisfaction survey, which is a joint initiative by the Anti-Red Tape Authority and the Governance Commission for Government-Owned or -Controlled Corporations.
According to a statement the GSIS issued last Thursday, the survey saw over 426,000 clients share their experiences, far exceeding the required 1,500 respondents. Nearly 1.4 million transactions were evaluated using a one-page, pen-and-paper questionnaire.
“The outstanding rating from our clients reinforces the dedication and hard work of the GSIS team,” GSIS President and General Manager Jose Arnulfo A. Veloso was quoted in a statement as saying. “It reflects our commitment to provide top-notch services to our members and pensioners.”
The 31 services evaluated received ratings between 97.13 percent and 99.69 percent, all considered outstanding. GSIS frontline staff scored 99.4 percent on assurance for their understanding of clients’ needs and knowledge of products and services. They
also earned a 99.33 percent rating on reliability for delivering on promises with minimal errors.
Service quality ratings included 99.31 percent for outcome, 99.25 percent for integrity, 99.21 percent for access and facilities, and 99.08 percent for responsiveness and communication. Nearly 99 percent of respondents reported familiarity with the GSIS Citizen’s Charter, which outlines services and turnaround times.
Veloso said that this year, both internal and external services will be covered by the survey, which was designed to streamline feedback collection and reduce compliance burdens.
“This comprehensive approach will help us gain a more holistic view of our performance,” the GSIS chief added. Veloso emphasized the commitment by the state pension fund to use the feedback to further improve its services.
“We view these results not just as a measure of our current performance, but as a roadmap for continuous improvement,” he said. “Our goal is to enhance the lives of our key stakeholders, particularly our members and pensioners, by constantly refining and elevating our service standards.”
PCSO to grow services, hosts charity summit
THE Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) announced having hosted a “charity summit” last Thursday with the aim of enlisting the support and cooperation of some 200 participants, while also mapping out strategies on improving the delivery of charity services in the country.
In a statement issued on September 5, the PCSO quoted General Manager Melquiades A. Robles as giving emphasis on the importance of the summit even as he enumerated four goals.
“The objectives include creating a powerful network that transcends boundaries and connecting them [summit participants] to serve the most vulnerable in our society and provide a platform for knowledge exchange among delegates,” the statement read.
According to the PCSO, the summit also intends to identify opportunities for innovation and improvement in the delivery of charity programs and services.
“Participants also discussed chal-
lenges and explored opportunities to advance the goals, initiatives and advocacies of charitable institutions and how they can make a difference on the lives of the people, especially the poor,” read the PCSO’s statement. The participants included representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, charitable institutions, nongovernment organizations and partner agencies of the PCSO.
“We have a unique opportunity to foster collaboration and strengthen the charitable sector,” Robles said through the statement.
“Through our combined efforts, we can contribute to the development of a more just, equitable and compassionate society for all.” The event also kickstarted activities for the 90th anniversary of the PCSO, which coincides with the National Day of Charity on October 30 as declared in Proclamation 598 signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
Octavio Peralta
Association World
Social Security System President and cEo Rolando l. Macasaet (left) meets with House Speaker
Where to get that delicious chorizo and other Negrense treats in Manila
‘HALAD” is a big deal among Hiligaynon people. It means “to offer a dedication, a devotion, or a gift,” such that when I spent a few summers as a child in my father’s hometown of Roxas City, Capiz, I even participated in a May tradition, called “Halad kay Mama Mary.” There we were, little girls dressed in white with a small veil pinned to our hair, laying a small bouquet of flowers at the foot of a statue of the Virgin Mary at the Roxas Cathedral.
Similarly, “Halad” is also the theme of this year’s 38th Negros Trade Fair (NTF) to be held at the Glorietta 2 and Palm Drive Activity Center from September 17 to 22, where the best of Negros Island’s producers will be offered to the public. It is a trade fair that I look forward to every year, because I have grown to love the island’s products so much. I mainly go for the food, iconic items that even nonHiligaynons have come to adore: Lumpiang Silay from El Ideal, Chorizo Pudpod (recado of course!) from Ereñeta-Manaloto, ensaymada from Felicia’s (although the price last year knocked me off my feet!),
bottled bihod (fish roe) from Casa Carmela, and burrata from Casa Formaggio, among others.
Last year, feeling a bit under the weather, I lined up for a steaming bowl of delicious batchoy from 21 Restaurant and had a quick, happy exchange with some Bacolodnons at my table, an activity I really enjoy as it is among the few times I get to practice the language.
Of course, there are non-food items as well. Some of these were on display at Grace Park Dining last week, where the NTF was launched, like smocking dresses from ElleGee Handcrafted Fashion (the Philippines apparently holds its own in the export of such dresses to the US, according to its owner Bing Gonzaga); cool sneakers made from pineapple fibers from the popular Lakat Sustainables (sourced from the Hawaiian variety, which we eat); trendy earrings made from discarded Nespresso capsules (!) and other accessories from the Negros Volunteers for Change, among others.
This year’s NTF will have 115 booths, showcasing a wide variety of products that reflect the creativity and craftsmanship of Negrense producers. Attendees can expect to find: gifts, decor and houseware; furniture and furnishings; food; natural and organic products; and fashion and garments
During the media launch, Grace Park’s chef-patron Margarita “Gaita” Fores, along with chefs Patrick Go (Your Local) and Don Colmenares (Sauma Farm, Bar & Kitchen), presented a full course meal using ingredients from Negros. The dishes were creative and, of course, amazingly delicious. Anchoring the entire meal was a Bago City-roasted lechon, which when sliced open revealed not just the aromatics and flavor enhancers like lemongrass, but tadah!—a bottle of beer. Beer, by the way, not just helps tenderize meat (I use the same for lamb loins actually) but deepens the taste of the lechon, too.
I also liked the sisig tacos; its shell was made from tablea chocolate from Negros mixed with corn, and on the side was a salsa made from poached guava, santol, and nata de coco to kick it up a notch. My personal favorite was Gaita’s adobong pitaw, a dish usually served at Grace Park, deep fried and served calo-calo (garlic fried rice). This time, the bird was laid on top of a bed of tinigib, an heirloom corn variety supplied by Lanai Fresh Start’s Chin Uy.
(We met Chin last year in Bacolod City when we attended the Chicken Inasal Festival. A leader in the Slow Food Movement in Negros, Chin’s food at Lanai is crazy yummy as well, as he uses organic ingredients
grown by local farmers. His products will be at the NTF, as well.)
The pitaw, which I have always known as a snipe, or migratory rice field bird, is supposed to be a mynah bird, says Gaita as per her supplier. I’m not sure if this has anything to do with the fact that snipes are now supposedly an endangered species, as explained to me by a rep from Casa Carmela, when I noticed years ago that the taste of their bottled pitaw had changed.
One of the interesting desserts served was Chef Don’s Baba Au Rhum, using Don Papa Rhum, Kesong Puti clotted cream spiked with pineapples. Don Papa, made from molasses, a byproduct of sugarcane, is another proud product of Bago City, and has since been purchased by global alcoholic beverage powerhouse Diageo PLC (Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Tanqueray). He also made a cooler using Don Papa Rum, Negrense coffee, and sugarcane juice, which was quite enervating.
NTF chairman Mike Claparols (co-founder of Lakat Sustainables) tells us that “for this 38th Negros Trade Fair, we’re committed to sustainability,” as embodied in the slipper orchid which the organizers—the Association of Negros Producers (ANP)—are using as a brand. “It’s already under threat; it’s very endemic in Negros and the idea is how to get it back. That’s the whole idea of the Negros Trade Fair—to basically preserve not only our culture but also the environment, our commitment to our members, and also our commitment to our communities in the countryside.”
More than just a trade fair, he added, “we’ve expanded our roles, so we not only became mentors to the new MSMEs (micro, small, medium enterprises), but right now we’re also touching communities, rebelinfested areas.... You know, you can’t solve a peaceand-order situation with just a military solution; you also have to provide jobs.”
I’m old enough to remember the massive hunger in Negros Occidental in the 1980s brought on by the crash of world sugar prices, aggravated by the government control over production and trade. This is what spurred the growth of the Communist rebellion in many parts of Negros. The ANP was born out of the necessity to support local artistans and producers, and dedicated to uplifting the local economy.
Thirty-seven years later, the ANP and the NTF are still around, with its halad of livelihood and marketing opportunities to local artisans and MSMEs, and gifting the rest of Filipinos with topnotch, export-quality products from Negros. ■
By Eugenia
TAURUS
less and do more. ★★★
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Know your limitations and boundaries, and proceed cautiously. Listen, observe and test your thoughts and theories on those you trust to offer valid input. Expect to face competition and some underhandedness. Prepare and proceed with intelligence and integrity. Self-improvement is favored, and romance is in the stars. ★★★★★
CANCER (June 21-July 22): A passionate approach will get you where you want to go. Engage and make things happen when there is progress at stake. Engage in networking, socializing and charming those you encounter with your generous spirit. A kind gesture will bring high returns. ★★
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Be open to change that improves your domestic situation. Reach out to people who share your beliefs and those who can provide you with valid information that encourages good decisions. Only change what’s necessary and affordable and that guarantees you’ll get the results you require to reach your objective. ★★★★
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Set the record straight, live up to your potential and don’t allow anyone to outshine you. Use what you already have in a unique way. You don’t need the latest and greatest or to spend the most to have an impact. What you need is honesty, integrity and a solid plan. ★★★
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): An open mind, heartfelt attitude and charm will help you reach your destination. Change what holds you back or brings you down; wear your best attire and take the initiative to achieve. Anger and negativity are the enemy; feed your soul positive energy, and anything is possible. ★★★
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Set the stage for success. Work behind the scenes, perfecting and assembling every detail masterfully. Take pride and confidence in what you do. Refuse to let anyone’s negativity shape your future. It’s okay to be different. Own the spotlight and be proud of your uniqueness. ★★★
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Let go of what’s no longer working for you; clear space in your heart, head and house. Be open to suggestions and ready for a fresh start, and take the path that offers challenges that make you feel alive and ready to morph into someone new and exciting. ★★
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Refuse to let anyone take over or stand in your way. Use your time and energy to perfect your intent and to prove your point. Anger will stifle your progress and frazzle your mind
GMA Network qualifies for grant to produce miniseries about mental health
THE country’s leading broadcast company GMA Network (www.gmanetwork.com) receives a grant from the National Council for Children’s Television (NCCT) to produce a high-quality program that promotes awareness on Filipino culture, social issues, and holistic development of the youth. GMA is the sole broadcast company among the four qualified grantees to be awarded in the National Endowment Fund for Children’s Television (NEFCTV) 2022 Grants Program.
GMA senior vice president for entertainment group Lilybeth G. Rasonable highlights the common goal of the network and NCCT: “We are grateful to the NCCT for choosing GMA Network as partner in this worthwhile endeavor to help positively shape the youth and their future. This project of the NCCT is very much aligned with GMA’s objective to produce programs that will help in the positive development of our young audience.”
NCCT executive director III Desideria Mance Atienza, on the other hand, acknowledges the influence and credibility of the grantees: “We are certain that this memorandum of agreement will further our advocacy for child-friendlier television. We understand the role of engaging our families, content creators, and citizens in building a community of child-friendly media advocates.”
NEFCTV chose the theme of mental health and each content must be suitable for audiences aged 13 to 17 years old. The network proposed a child-friendly show, titled OK Ako, a three-episode miniseries featuring light and heartwarming stories that deal with loss, anger, anxiety, bulimia and depression. The program will air on September 8, 15, and 22 on GMA.
Meanwhile, the other grantees also briefly explained their creative concepts, such as Tropa Peeps, Lakbay Isip and Friendship Puzzles.
“Ito ang una naming proyekto na magpo-produce kami ng isang child-sensitive television program. We aim to educate the children about their rights to be protected against sexual abuse and exploitation,” Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Sexual Abuse (CPTCSA) executive director Zeny Rosales mentioned.
“We want to create a safe space for our audience. At the end of our episodes, may interactive activities wherein they can write their own diary and they can express themselves through drawings,” Tanghalang Pilipino Foundation Inc. company manager Carmela Millado-Manuel added.
“Friendship Puzzles is a light drama that tackles the phenomenon of children becoming more fragile due to social media. Naniniwala kami na ang mental health ay isang usapin na kailangang laging ilatag sa policy making and media programming,” stated The Lovelife Project for Health and Environment creative executive producer Crisaldo Pablo.
NEFCTV is created under the NCCT, an attached agency of the Department of Education. It is mandated to encourage the creation and broadcast of programs for the Filipino youth.
To be eligible for the grant, organizations must have a proven track record, expertise in video production and broadcast of children’s television programs, and must possess a firm commitment to the advancement of children’s causes.
Thus, this upcoming project solidifies GMA Network’s unwavering responsibility to produce world-class and meaningful entertainment programs with values and purpose.
Show BusinessMirror
Writing ruins and love in ‘Lie With Me’
WHEN the acclaimed novelist Stéphane Belcourt returns to his hometown, he discovers that he has never left his past. And more than that, he would come to know that his present has always been his past. In an opening scene fulfilling what French film director Robert Bresson describes of cinematography as “writing with images in movement and sound,” we enter the world that is neither yesterday nor tomorrow for a 17-year-old boy and a man, older, not wiser and not happier, confronting love and what it would have become. Thus, the landscape in autumn unfolds as a car drives thru the horizon, followed by a bike, their driver/rider lost in the haze and speed as we are caught in time and space that need not be defined. Are we looking at an event that is occurring at present? Who is this boy? And who is this older man? As we contend with what seems to be illusions of dimension, the music rises: a symphonic accompaniment to a narrative that all too soon, in seconds, reaches a crescendo. And as quickly as the furtive poetry makes its lovely point, our main character, Stéphane, has alighted and is back in the place of his youth. A rushing PR woman, Gaëlle, for the town celebrating its bicentenary of cognacmaking, is apologetic for being a bit late and for the car that is to fetch the guest of honor.
It is a day for traditions and the novelist is breaking handsomely those hallowed practices. As Gaëlle vibrantly explains to Stéphane that the sponsor used to invite visual artists, today they have selected him, a literary writer “because he is from this town.” Later, when he meets the sponsor, it is made clear that his selection is more than a breach in tradition.
As a writer of stories about men falling in love with men, it is a brave and daring move for the cognac maker to invite Stéphane, as there is the company image to think of. And yet the gentleman charmingly informs the writer that his writing has made the patron’s wife cry. It is a brisk opening that never prepares us for the nights and days to come, for the recriminations and guilt that will soon assault everyone. For Stéphane who has left this town, for Gaelle who has never left her village, and for the 17-year-old boy and his first love, Thomas.
Some three decades ago, Stéphane was this shy 17-year-old boy. From a crowd, as he tells a young man, he still wonders why Thomas singled him out. Unseen, he becomes seen in the eyes of another boy who could only love him in hiding. But the rest is personal history and we will all publicly share the lessons how dreams broken and shame felt are tandem muses in the narrative of lies that our tough society imposes on all individuals who happen to be “others.”
The story of Lie With Me is an old coming-of-age tale but in the direction of Oliver Peyon, it has become, to paraphrase another French auteur, Jean-luc Godard, a cinema that is between art and life.
From the furtive passing of notes to the hidden glances, to the ride to a mine pit that has become a swimming hole where no fish can live because the water is acidic, to the fear of discovery against the
backdrop of the raw beauty of a countryside—beauty not violence suffuses the landscape for these two boys haunted by their love that will live on in eternity, not in bliss but in sadness.
The camera is both relentless and forgiving in Lie With Me. And at this point, allow me to pay tribute to what I call “French” acting. Irony, sarcasm and humor are well and alive in the actors of this film. While we expect the leads to be victorious in their characterization, one supporting actress in the person Guilaine Londez, of theater and film, is one prime example of how there are no small performers in a compelling cinema. She starts as inconsequential but in that scene where she informs Stéphane of Thomas’ death, the minute shifts in her expression transforms the ellipses of that moment to a paragraph of despair. Guillaume de Tonquedec as Stéphane is, of course, a moving presence from the opening frame. There in that scene with Gaelle again, as he rushes outside the hotel, distraught, the camera goes ahead of him and waits outside—for us to look at him, a tiny, tragic figure. From there, he runs to where he, as a boy, used
PROSECUTOR ASKS FOR A CHARGE TO BE REINSTATED AGAINST ALEC BALDWIN IN THE ‘RUST’ CASE
By Morgan Lee The Associated Press
SANTA FE, New Mexico—A prosecutor asked a New Mexico judge to reconsider the decision to dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against Alec Baldwin in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of a Western movie, according to a court filing made public on Wednesday.
Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey said there were insufficient facts to support the July ruling and that Baldwin’s due process rights had not been violated. State District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case halfway through a trial based on the withholding of evidence by police and prosecutors from the defense in the 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film Rust. The charge against Baldwin was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it can’t be revived once any
appeals of the decision are exhausted.
Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer on Rust, was pointing a gun at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal when it went off, killing her and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has said he pulled back the hammer—but not the trigger—and the revolver fired.
The case-ending evidence was ammunition that was brought into the sheriff’s office in March by a man who said it could be related to Hutchins’ killing. Prosecutors said they deemed the ammunition unrelated and unimportant, while Baldwin’s lawyers alleged that they “buried” it and filed a successful motion to dismiss the case.
In her decision to dismiss the Baldwin case, Marlowe Sommer described “egregious discovery violations constituting misconduct” by law enforcement and prosecutors, as well as false testimony about physical evidence by a witness
during the trial.
In the request to reconsider, Morrissey argued again that the undisclosed ammunition was not relevant to the case against Baldwin, which hinged on his responsibility to handle a gun safely under familiar industry guidelines.
“No one on the prosecution team...ever intentionally kept evidence from the defendant, it simply didn’t occur to the prosecution that the rounds were relevant to the case even if they were the same or similar to the live rounds found on the set of Rust,” Morrissey wrote. She asserted that defense attorneys knew about the rounds but canceled an opportunity to view them prior to trial.
“This is a smoke screen created by the defense and was intended to sway and confuse the court...and it was successful,” Morrissey wrote.
Baldwin attorney Luke Nikas said a response will be filed with the court, without further comment.
to wait for Thomas, and there in the dark he sits. As the camera moves away from his profile, we see seated beside him the young Stéphane. Past and present are physically present again, both love and loss of love omniscient, because they have always been there in Stéphane.
In the town during his homecoming, Stéphane meets a young man, Lucas. The writer will soon know his link to Thomas. As the man who will complete the sojourn of Stéphane, Victor Belmondo, the grandson of Jean-Paul Belmondo (it must be said), is the gravitas of this romance. He is the point for the letter that Thomas has left for Stéphane. Belmondo has the iconic pout of his legendary grandfather but he possesses something more—a male allure fitted with an uncanny vulnerability.
The letter is read in place of the celebratory speech that Stéphane as the guest of honor is expected to deliver. In a scene that quietly turns into a tourde-force denouement, one is reminded of that controversial epistle delivered by Elio’s father in Call Me By Your Name. Here in Lie With Me, Stéphane’s words on the letters left by Thomas after his death is not about defeat but about truth, that someone, like his son, would read it and find out about the self that he has hidden from the world. In the letters and even photos left after death, Thomas—or any other man after his passing—is finally about to say, “I love you.” Built like an aria but with the lightness of the purest of truth, it is an ending that seals one’s love for a place, its present and its past. The speech is a less ponderous appeal for the act of faith that seems missing in our more outward striving to understand those whose sexuality places them at the margin, taken for granted or forgotten. Jeremy Gillet plays the young Stéphane and Julian de Saint Jean the young Thomas. Lie With Me is based on Philippe Besson’s 2017 novel. The student of languages can savor the pun on its French title Arrête avec tes mensonges, which means “Stop with your lies” and place it beside the English title Lie With Me, a bodily position against a false statement. The screenplay of the film is written by Olivier Peyon, Vincent Poymiro, Arthur Cahn, and Cécilia Rouaud. A significant part of the filmic narrative can
BDO Capital Remains as PHL’s Top Investment House for the 7th Year
BDO Capital & Investment Corporation (BDO Capital) received the highest honor as Investment House of the Year for the 7th year at the 9th Investment House Association of the Philippines (IHAP) Awards 2024.
This event also marked the Association’s 50th Anniversary, highlighting the significance of BDO Capital’s achievement.
BDO Capital consistently excels in delivering best-in-class investment banking services across various product lines in the Philippine capital markets.
In addition to this recognition, BDO Capital received the Best Equity House for the 6th year, Best Fixed Income House for the 9th consecutive time, and Best Project Finance House for the 7th year.
These accolades highlight BDO Capital’s outstanding track record in underwriting and arranging financing for significant projects in industries such as energy and transportation, which are critical to the country’s economic growth.
BDO Capital earned the Deal of the Year (large cap category) and Project Finance Deal of the Year awards for serving as Mandated Lead Arranger and Bookrunner for SMC’s Mass Rail Transit 7 Inc.’s (MRT-7) PHP 100 billion Syndicated Loan Term Facility.
MRT-7 represents the single largestever peso-denominated syndicated term loan in the Philippines to successfully
close and is a pivotal project under the Marcos administration’s “Build Better, More” infrastructure program, expected to significantly improve mass transportation in the country.
BDO Capital also won the Deal of the Year and Best Equity Deal awards (small to medium cap category) for serving as a Joint Issue Manager and Joint Lead Underwriter for the PHP1.6 billion IPO of Alternergy Holdings Corporation to fund various solar, hydro, and wind projects nationwide.
Apart from these deal awards, BDO Capital clinched the Best Equity Deal (large cap category) for acting as one of the Joint Issue Managers and Joint Lead Underwriters and Bookrunners for ACEN Corporation’s successful issuance of PHP 25 billion perpetual preferred shares.
BDO Capital secured the Best Fixed Income Deal award (large cap category) for its role as a Joint Issue Manager for the Bureau of the Treasury’s second offering of USD 1.26 billion Retail Onshore Dollar Bonds to raise funds for the government’s priority projects.
“BDO Capital’s ability to serve as a one-
stop shop investment house, covering all aspects of a deal from origination to execution, significantly benefits our clients by seamless structuring and execution, reducing costs and eliminating the need for multiple service providers. We consistently have our customers in mind in everything we undertake,” said Eduardo V. Francisco, President of BDO Capital.
IHAP, a non-stock, non-profit organization serving as the umbrella organization of Philippine registered investment houses, and which has banks with investment house licenses and the country’s top legal and accounting firms as Fellows, aims to enhance the roles and contributions of the country’s investment houses to the Philippine economy.
The IHAP Awards recognize outstanding performance based on league table rankings, innovation, deal structuring, and market impact, with evaluations conducted by IHAP members and a third-party panel of key capital market stakeholders serving as judges, consisting of senior representatives of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Philippine Stock Exchange, Philippine Dealing Systems Group, Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, Fund Managers Association of the Philippines, Shareholders Association of the Philippines, and CFA Society Philippines.
BDO Capital has also garnered international and local recognition as the Best Investment Bank in the Philippines from prestigious publications and associations such as Asian Banking & Finance, Finance Asia, Asiamoney, Alpha Southeast Asia, Global Finance, Acquisition International, and the Asia Pacific Loan Market Association.
The company’s leading position in the domestic investment banking industry is attributed to its robust capital strength and stability, strong distribution capability, and customercentric approach, offering customized, optimal solutions to achieve the business goals of clients, issuers, and investors.
Only the Best: Empowering Families with Lifelong Financial Security
FILIPINO parents want only the best for their children. This means choosing the right milk and vitamins to selecting schools and extracurricular activities.
While parents aspire to build generational wealth and secure their financial future, this goal often feels daunting and unattainable due to other pressing day-to-day expenditures.
Driven by its goal of boosting financial inclusion in the Philippines, Pru Life UK has introduced PRULifetime Income, a traditional insurance product that empowers parents to provide a solid financial footing for their children.
Building passive income is a key factor in achieving financial security. With multiple income sources, families can better save for life goals and handle emergencies.
PRULifetime Income offers a guaranteed annual payout of five percent of the policy’s coverage, enhancing a family’s passive income.
This payout begins after the 6th policy year and continues for life or until age 100, regardless of market conditions.
For example, if parents of a 10-yearold child purchase a PRULifetime Income plan with a coverage amount of P2 million, payable over 10 years, it will provide an accumulated payout of P900,000 by the time the child turns 24. This payout is guaranteed, regardless of economic conditions.
These payouts can help fund education, passion projects, or even a down payment for a car or house.
With the annual payouts given for life, this passive income can continue to financially benefit the child even into retirement.
PRULifetime Income also includes 200 percent insurance coverage, providing a double financial safety net. This ensures the child’s future family is financially protected, potentially leaving a legacy of P4 million (still based on the illustration above). Additionally, PRULifetime Income provides the option to enhance coverage with additional options such as Total and Permanent Disability Plus (TPD+), Accidental
and Disablement (ADD),
Accident (PA), and Waiver of Premium on
and Permanent
(WPTPD). These riders offer extra protection, ensuring that families are well-covered against various
“Many Filipinos seek
Kickstart Your Side Hustles with Maya Personal Loan
Bhow to get started:
Open your Maya app, go to the Loans tab, and start the application process by tapping “Apply now.” Enter your desired loan amount, complete the application process, and wait for feedback on your eligibility.
Choose your loan offer and tap ‘Accept’ if you’re
Reflecting on the Success of APV Expo 2024 and Looking Forward to 2025
THE Auto Parts & Vehicles (APV) Expo 2024 left attendees and exhibitors buzzing with excitement and optimism for the future of the automotive industry. Held from June 5 to 7, 2024 at the World Trade Center Metro Manila, the event was a resounding success, drawing thousands of participants from across the globe.
Over the course of three days, the expo became a hub of innovation, networking, and learning, setting the stage for even greater things to come in 2025.
This year’s expo exceeded expectations in every way, bringing together industry leaders, innovators, and automotive enthusiasts under one roof. With over 500 exhibitors showcasing cutting-edge products and services, APV Expo 2024 was a vivid display of the latest advancements in the automotive sector. From groundbreaking electric vehicle technologies to revolutionary auto parts, the expo provided a comprehensive look at the trends shaping the future of mobility.
Key highlights of the event included the “Pathways to Progress” seminar hosted by the Auto Tech and Mobility Association, which focused on strategic alliances within the industry. Additionally, the 1st Arangkada NCR Transport Congress, organized by the National Federation of Transport Cooperatives, brought together experts and policymakers to discuss the future of transportation in the Philippines. These sessions, along with numerous others, underscored the importance of collaboration and innovation in driving the industry forward.
and panel discussions led by industry experts, covering topics such as road safety, EV adoption, and sustainable transportation solutions. These sessions provided invaluable insights and practical knowledge that attendees could take back to their businesses.
Networking opportunities were abundant, with over 5,000 industry professionals in attendance. The expo facilitated meaningful connections between manufacturers, suppliers, and potential partners, paving the way for future collaborations and business growth.
As the curtains closed on APV Expo 2024, the excitement is already building for next year’s event. The automotive industry is evolving at an unprecedented pace, and APV Expo 2025 promises to be even bigger and better. Scheduled for July 25 to 27, 2025, at the World Trade Center Metro Manila, the upcoming expo will once again bring together the brightest minds and the most innovative companies in the industry.
With the Philippine automotive market continuing its upward trajectory, driven by factors such as rising vehicle sales and increasing consumer demand for electric vehicles, APV Expo 2025 will be
satisfaction and empowerment, ensuring lifelong financial security for many Filipino families.
To find out more about PRULifetime Income, talk to a Pru Life UK agent today or visit https://www.prulifeuk.com.ph/en/ prulifetime-income
their life goals without the concern of financial instability. Pru Life UK aims to accelerate value creation for customers by offering diverse financial products and solutions tailored to their evolving needs at every life stage. PRULifetime Income guarantees lifelong payouts and double insurance coverage, aiding customers in achieving financial security,” emphasises Allan Tumbaga,
APV Expo 2024 was not just about showcasing products; it was also a prime platform for knowledge exchange. The event featured a series of workshops
Capital is the country’s top investment house.
www.businessmirror.com.ph
Editor: Tet Andolong
THE SONET PERSPECTIVE
DUBBED by ACMOBILITY as a true game-changer in the Small SUV category, the Sonet is the brand’s take on the evolving segment targeting the younger generation of car buyers. As if the name derivation “Social” and “Network is not enough giveaway, the model is all about modern mobility. An experiential drive was organized to test and validate the model’s game-changing claims. A long stretch via the Southern freeways to a Taal lakeside pitstop and proceeded to climb the winding road to Tagaytay for the last stop. The participants took turns driving the commissioned 1.5 SX AT and 1.5 EX AT variants.
Bold inside and out
THE Kia Sonet’s platform configuration is what a small SUV is supposed to be. With its 4,110 mm length, 1,790 mm width, and standing 1,642 mm height, with a class-leading 205mm ground clearance, the vehicle is not a hatch pretending to be a crossover. Upfront is the latest rendition of the signature Kia Tiger-nose grille. The front and rear bumpers are highlighted with metallic bottom trims, complementing the body claddings. All variants feature 16inch wheels, with the higher-tier variants sporting sleek two-tone
The
also boasts
exterior features such as an electric sunroof, roof rails, rear spoiler, and new tailgate LED strip connecting the left and right rear LED taillights, underscoring its premium appeal.
Inside the top-spec 1.5 SX AT variant are luxurious leather seats, while the other trims have premium cloth upholstery. For added convenience, the 1.5 SX AT and 1.5 EX AT feature driver and front passenger seatback pockets and 60:40 folding second-row seats, providing ample cargo space. Other practical details are driver and passenger sun visors with vanity mirrors and a standard room lamp. The 1.5 SX AT has a sophisticated 10.25-inch TFT LCD multi-function digital instrument cluster, while the 1.5 EX AT features a 4.2-inch TFT LCD in the driver’s display. Exclusive to the 1.5 SX showcases is an advanced 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. On the other hand, the EX-trim has an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Other standard features are a sixspeaker setup, Bluetooth hands-free connectivity, voice recognition, and multiple USB ports, including USB-C.
As for convenient features, the top-of-the-line 1.5 SX AT has wireless charging, while all variants feature power windows and central door locks. The 1.5 SX AT variant includes a Driver-Side Auto up/down window with safety features. Remote keyless entry is also standard across all models, with the 1.5 SX AT and 1.5 EX AT offering Remote Engine Start, Smart Entry, and a push start button for added ease. Each variant also includes a full-size spare tire.
Not three but four cylinders UNDER the hood is a 1.5-liter In-
Line 4-Cylinder Dual Port Fuel
Injected Smartstream gasoline engine, generating 113 hp at 6,300 RPM and 144 N-m of maximum torque at 4,500 RPM. It is paired with the Kia Intelligent Variable Transmission. This is the same motor fitted to the Seltos EX variant. Thanks to the Sont’s smaller frame, the engine enabled quicker acceleration and better torque registration. Evidently, the advantages of having a better power-to-weight ratio were there throughout, particularly during ascents.
Whether SX or EX, the performance is the same, with the top-spec taking advantage of having a sequential mode to squeeze more torque per gear. But the sport mode for the EX works fine by retaining higher engine rpm ranges.
Fun-to-drive
OF course, small cars always entail fun-to-drive dynamics. It may seem compact, but the driver seating has an elevated configuration, providing better vantage points and comfort. Space-wise, there are plenty for its compact size,
particularly at the back. On the road, consider the Sonet a more agile car than the already impressive Seltos. The vehicle’s agility, nimbleness, and stable form remained even on freeway highspeed limits. The steering response was even the least to ignore. For its size, the Sonet’s NVH is one for the books. The top-spec’s suite of driverassist functions, particularly the LKA, were on top of everything during expressway stretches. The 1.5 SX incorporates Kia Drive Wise advanced driving assistance safety measures such as Lane Following Assist (LFA), Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Forward Collision Avoidance Assist (FCA), Downhill Brake Control (DBC), and High Beam Assist (HBA), plus the standard Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Hill-start Assist Control (HAC).
Comfort-wise, the long drive did not pose any problems for two tall adult occupants. The new seat contours provided enough support and coziness. Also, the cool aircon and crisp audio sound factored into the pleasure of driving and riding. Additionally, all variants have rear parking sensors and a rearcamera display, which provides maximum visibility and assistance during parking maneuvers. We all returned to Manila safe and relaxed, and we wanted more from this engaging new small SUV from Kia.
Moreno, Ison & Reyes to Asia Finals in Malaysia
THE recent National Finals of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing GT Cup Philippines (TGR GT Cup PH) was a huge thrill to fans that watched the action live for the first time at the SM Mall of Asia.
I was at the Media event serving as a side show to the country’s premiere e-race spectacle, and I have nothing but praise for the organizers headed by Jing Atienza, the affable executive vice president of Toyota Motor Philippines.
Crowds came in droves during the two-day event that, in the words of Allana Faith Rufo, the “sim racers
unleashed a dazzling display of putting the pedal to the metal to the delight of everyone present.”
No racer gave an inch in their corpuscled bid to bring home cash prizes, exclusive TGR merchandise, Autocross Challenge seats and the honor to represent the Philippines in the Asia Finals in Malaysia next month.
Here’s the report of Allana, Mixie Flavier’s motorsports expert: Fastest 40
“THE Finals began with the Quarterfinals on August 17 where the fastest 40 qualifiers battled it out on Trial Mountain in the Toyota GR Yaris RZ “High Performance” ‘20.
“Past TGR GT Cup PH Sporting Class champion Luis Moreno and defending champion Russel Reyes solidified their places as top contenders, winning all three races of their respective batches. Past Junior Class champion Enzo Ison also dominated his batch.
“Race one in the Semifinals saw
Moreno finish first eight seconds ahead of second-placer Jether Miole, with Ison placing third.
“After Ison ruled the second race, Moreno fought back to dominate the third race, with Ison and Miole winding up second and third, respectively.
Reyes first “IN second batch action, Russel Reyes grabbed the first race, with Matthew Ang and Stanley Golez finishing second and third, respectively. The second race saw Ang the winner, with Reyes and Golez in second and third, respectively. Reyes captured the third race, followed by Ang and Golez in that order.
“After several more exciting races, Moreno, Reyes and Ison emerged 1-2-3 overall.
“In capturing the TGR GT Cup PH 2024 title, Moreno ran away with 75 points, followed by Ison with 48 points and Reyes 45 points.
“Special awards were also given to Ison for Driver of the Day and
Matthew Ang for the Fastest Lap.
“Moreno, Ison and Reyes will represent Toyota Team Philippines in the Asia Finals in Malaysia on October 13.”
The race was sponsored by Petron and GT Radial, in cooperation with Seiko. This event was also supported by Toyota Financial Services Philippines, myTOYOTA Wallet, Denso, AVT, 3M, ROTA, Tuason Racing, OMP, and Kinto One.
Those interested in joining the TGR GT Cup Philippines next season can stay tuned to TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Philippines on Facebook, Instagram and X for the latest announcements.
Next in line is the second race weekend of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Philippine Cup on Sept. 28 at the Clark International Speedway in Pampanga. As usual, admission is free.
Rubicon arrives THE New Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon has arrived through Inchcape
Philippines, distributor of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and RAM Trucks in the Philippines, under its IC Automotive Inc. operations. Hailed as the most off-road capable and recognized SUV in the world, the Rubicon builds on its legendary history with an unmatched combination of offroad capability, authentic Jeep design, open-air freedom, advanced powertrains, superior on- and off-road dynamics, and a host of innovative safety and advanced technology features.
Said Arianne Colene Jalalon: “The latest evolution of the iconic SUV stays true to the Wrangler formula and delivers the freedom to go anywhere and do anything. It wears a more commanding signature seven-slot Jeep grille, new infotainment system, bigger tires, upgraded off-road features, luxurious & premium seats, and enhanced top-notch safety features.” Jalalon further said: “Propelling the Jeep experience
forward, the New Wrangler Rubicon is powered by a high performing 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine, mated with an eight-speed automatic transmission that produces an impressive maximum power of 268HP @ 5,250RPM and 400NM @ 3,000RPM torque. All these, ensuring exceptional responsiveness and performance.” Its suggested retail price is P5,780,000, while the 2-Door Rubicon retails at P5,590,000. Available at Alabang, Cebu, Clark, Greenhills and San Fernando. PEE STOP The One Honda Electrification event
Story & photos by Randy S. Peregrino
THE band of Kia Sonet 1.5 SX AT and EX AT variants basking under the sun lakeside in Taal, Batangas
REFINED interior highlighting the big instrument and infotainment screens
Crucial swim for Otom; Games approach climax
Duque, Tambalque rout Malarayat field, seal berths in finals
LIA
with an emphatic 15-shot victory over Rafael Mañaol.
The tournament, shortened to 54 holes after the first round was canceled because of Typhoon Enteng, still saw Duque maintain a huge lead throughout. Holding a 19-stroke advantage over Rafa Anciano heading into the final round, Duque’s total of 231 left her 29 shots clear of her nearest rival. Anciano, the Pinewoods leg champion, stumbled with a 90 to finish at 260, while Rada carded a 92 to claim third place at 268.
“I struggled quite a bit with my approaches, trying to navigate the wind and figure out my club selections,” said the 16-year-old Duque, whose backto-back wins bolster her chances of securing a spot in the national finals of the series organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. “It was either too long or too short of the green.”
She emphasized on the areas she needs to focus on in the finals.
“I need to work on my fairway woods and long irons, sharpen them up for sure,” she said. “Mindsetwise, I have to manage my course strategy better, putting myself in ideal positions for birdies and up-and-down scenarios.” Duque, who also hones her skills at the Alabang Golf Club, is determined to fine-tune her game for the upcoming challenges.
She heads into next week’s final leg of the seven-stage Luzon
ARA swimming head coach Tony Ong’s instructions to Angel Mae Otom in the women’s 50-meter butterfly S5 event of swimming at the 17th Paralympic Games at the La Defense Arena pool Friday were plain and simple: give your best and make it to the finals. Expect Otom to heed those instructions to heart beginning with the heats at 10:10 a.m. (4 p.m. in Manila) where she will be sideby-side with sensational defending champion Lu Dong of China, who will be gunning for her second individual gold. Ranked No. 2 in the world with a time 46.39 seconds entering the quadrennial sportsfest, the armless wonder from Olongapo City will have learned her lessons from her Paralympic debut two days ago when she finished sixth in the women’s 50-meter backstroke S5 race.
Now with Lu on lane 4 and she on lane 3, Otom will be tested to hilt if she has what it takes in keeping up with the Chinese star known as the “Armless Mermaid,” with the top eight qualifiers from two heats advancing to the finals set at 5:59 p.m. (11:59 p.m. Manila time).
“It was an opportunity lost,” Otom said two days ago after matching the powerhouse Chinese trio of Lu, He Shenggao and Liu Yu stroke for stroke, seemingly poised to achieve a podium finish and break the country’s eight-year-old dry spell at the Games, before running out of steam in the last 15 meters.
MSherwood Hills Golf Club in Cavite as a top contender.
Ong’s deputy coach and son Brian Ong disclosed that boosting Otom’s mental toughness in her last event at Europe’s largest indoor arena was one aspect they would work on in the stint supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.
“We are looking forward to her outing in the women’s 50-meter butterfly on Friday,” said the younger Ong, confident that the athlete would go all out in the country’s last-ditch bid to win a medal in this meet featuring the crème dela crème of physicallychallenged bets from 168 nations.
The late table tennis player Josephine Medina was the last to achieve a podium finish in bringing home a bronze medal from the 2016 edition in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Crunch time for top teams THE Paralympics Games are reaching their stretch run as medals will be awarded in 12 sports on Thursday and tournaments get down to their last few matches.
Powerhouses are closing in on basketball and blind football medals, while standout individual performers are seeking gold and records in events from swimming to powerlifting.
Semifinal action underway
‘Mondo’
runs fast without pole, too
ZURICH—Two-time Olympic pole vault champion Armand beat good friend Karsten Warholm in an exhibition 100-meter sprint on Wednesday, crossing the line in 10.37 seconds at Letzigrund Stadium.
IT’S a big day for team sports across the Paralympic venues as the semifinal rounds of several tournaments play out, featuring sitting volleyball, blind football and wheelchair basketball.
Brazil has never lost in blind football at the Paralympics since it was added to
ORE than 750 black belts from all over the country will take part in the 2024 Smart/MVP Sports Foundation Best-of-the-Best Taekwondo Championships this Saturday and Sunday at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Parañaque City.
The two-day competition that has the full backing of Smart Communications and PLDT big boss Manny V. Pangilinan will gather the elite fighters in Kyorugi (free sparring) and Poomsae (forms).
The Kyorugi will feature competitions in the Senior, Junior, Cadet and Grade School—both for male and female competitors—classes while Poomsae will be classified into Recognized Poomsae, Individual and Free Style Poomsae Individual. Given the level of competition, only gold and silver medal winners in various competitions like in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, National Collegiate Athletic Association, Armed Forces of the PhilippinesPhilippine National Police Olympics, Taekwondo Blackbelt Brotherhood, Taekwondo Blackbelt Sorority and Philippine Taekwondo Contingent are qualified to join the event.
With Pangilinan’s support, the Philippine Taekwondo Association is hoping to identify the country’s top bets for the next Olympics slated in Los Angeles in 2028.
The PTA will utilize the PSS (Protective Scoring System) and the ESS (Electronic Scoring System), electronic armors and socks together with the IVR (Instant Video Replay) system for accurate and fair scoring.
Matches start at 9 a.m.
the games in 2004, and its team includes Jeferson da Conceicao Goncalves, who goes by Jefinho and is sometimes called the Paralympic Pele. But it now takes on another powerhouse and rival, Argentina, winner of last year’s world championship. With AP
Tapales
Duplantis, a Louisianaborn Swede widely known as “Mondo,” lined up against Norway’s Warholm, the 400-meter hurdles world record holder, in a duel on the eve of the city’s Diamond League meet.
“I’m pretty fired up,” Duplantis said afterward. “How could I not be?” Warholm ran a 10.47. “I’ve got to give it to Mondo. He beat me today fair and square,” Warholm said. “It was a great race. He was out of
defends continental crown in Cambodia
By Josef Tamos
ORMER unified world
champion Marlon “The Nightmare” Tapales will defend his World Boxing Council (WBC) Asia super bantamweight belt against India’s Saurabh Kumar on Saturday at the Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. “I love to fight in Cambodia and defend my belt there,” the 28-yearold Lanao del Norte fighter told BusinessMirror on Thursday. “This will serve as a stepping stone for me to
ANGEL MAE OTOM is ranked No. 2 in the world in her final event in Paris.
PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE PHOTO
LIA DUQUE and Patrick Tambalque play almost unchallenged. ROY DOMINGO
