BusinessMirror July 19, 2024

BIR VOWS TO FLUSH OUT ‘BIG FISH’ WITH SEC DOCS

By Reine Juvierre Alberto @reine_alberto

THE drive to flush out perpetrators of “large-scale tax fraud activities” is seen to get a big boost with the datasharing agreement forged by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

DA chief eyes extension of cheaper rice scheme

By Ada Pelonia

AGRICULTURE Secretary

Tiu Laurel Jr.

Francisco

wants to extend the trial period of the government’s cheaper rice program to one year.

The agriculture chief said this is to gather sufficient data to create a strategy that would keep the cost of the staple down for a larger number of Filipinos while sustaining farmers’ income.

“This program is a targeted intervention. It’s a large-scale trial to determine if we can sell rice at these low levels for an extended period with government subsidy. We will assess the data comprehensively, backtrack to the farm level, and determine what needs to be done to make this program sustainable,” Laurel said in a statement.

“This large-scale trial will gather data from farm to retail, that's why this cannot be done in a month or two months. This will be a oneyear program so we can review the entire chain—from buying seeds, planting them, utilizing fertilizer, sourcing fertilizer, harvesting, warehousing, up to the retailing stage—and determine where we could save on costs to lower prices to consumers,” he added.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) recently launched its P29 program in 10 Kadiwa centers in Metro Manila and Bulacan wherein P29 per kilo of rice would be sold to vulnerable sectors, such as indigents, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, solo parents and

The agreement, which allows BIR to access documents of corporations for auditing or tax fraud investigation, will widen the net against “big fish” tax evaders.

Internal Revenue Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui Jr. said the BIR will maximize its partnership with the SEC by running after big-time corporate tax evaders.

“This sharing of information between the agencies will be used to investigate large-scale tax fraud

activities perpetrated by companies such as that of Ghost Receipts and corporate tax evasion,” Lumagui said.

Earlier story: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2024/07/17/sec-bir-data-exchange-deal-to-boost-tax-admin/ Lumagui and SEC Chairman Emilio B. Aquino signed a memorandum of agreement and data-sharing agreement on Wednesday to allow the BIR as the first agency to access the web portal

Swift Corporate and Other Records Exchange (Score) Protocol. Lumagui told reporters on the sidelines that the protocol will speed up the BIR’s investigation and verification of all corporate officers and directors.

The Score Protocol will enable the SEC to share its electronic database of corporate records with partner regulatory and enforcement

By Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuan

THE Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) has joined other business groups in the call to phase out Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in the country, saying their operations were exploited as breeding grounds for crime and scams, among others. In a statement on Thursday, PCCI President Enunina V. Mangio pointed out that these Pogos pose “immense social threats as they were exploited as breeding grounds for crime, scams, and human rights violations.” Some of these were issued licenses by the Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) after it applied a stringent vetting system and weeded out hundreds, calling those allowed to stay on as internet gaming licensees (IGLs).

The business group also expressed concern over the “wideranging” impact on other sectors especially the commercial property sector, noting that many investors constructed office buildings to house the Pogos. PCCI said it is also worried over the “spillover effects” of the Pogo closures on the financial institutions who funded new office buildings to accommodate the Pogos and the collateral damages for ancillary industries such as real estate and communication services.

agencies to boost bureaucratic efficiency.

The BIR will have access to corporate documents of any SEC-registered taxpayer needed to support its mandate to make tax assessments, collect revenue taxes, fees and charges, and conduct enforcement activities.

Among the corporate documents, the BIR will have real-time access to including the Articles of Incorporation, General Information Sheet and Annual Financial Statements.

Furthermore, the SEC will onboard into the SCORE portal more financial regulators and government agencies in need of its records.

"We’d like to assure the SEC of our full support to this endeavor, which is much aligned to BIR digitalization projects.

I’m looking forward to the continuous improvement of processes, policies, and systems to provide better services to our taxpayers and to aid our employees in performing their day-to-day tasks,” said Lumagui in his message during the signing.

The BIR has been ramping up its digitalization efforts to improve tax collection to meet the P2.84-trillion revenue target for 2024.

Lumagui told reporters on the sidelines that he "hopes" that the imposition of revenue stamps on vape products and its strict monitoring of the imports of illicit vape and cigarettes will drive BIR’s collection efforts in the remaining half of the year.

The BIR will also bank on the recent imposition of the 1-percent creditable withholding tax on online sellers to compensate for the revenue shortfall, Lumagui added.

With a total P4.269-trillion revenue goal this year, Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto said the Department of Finance (DOF) will not impose new taxes but instead prioritize digitalizing its systems to improve revenue generation.

NBI nabs hackers behind attack on PHL Navy website

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has arrested two members of a hacking syndicate responsible for the breach of a government website.

NBI Director Jaime B. Santiago said first arrested on July 16 at Cagayan de Oro City was hacker “HAXINJA.” “HAXINJA”’s arrest came following the arrest of “NEWBIEXHACKER” in Tagaytay City on July 8, 2024 where a file that is code-protected and contains sensitive information from the database of the Navy was found in his possession.

DA…

During interrogation, “NEWBIEXHACKER” disclosed that the data was sent to him by “HAXINJA,” who also has the access code for the said data.

Under the supervision of the NBI-Cybercrime Division (NBICCD), the informant and “HAXINJA” established communication via phone call where they agreed to collaborate for a certain project called “E-Commerce

Indigenous Peoples (IPs) every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. It added that these vulnerable

Website”.

“HAXINJA” confirmed that he has in his possession the pass code to access a Navy File and will be able to give the same during their meeting which was set last Tuesday.

Under the direction of Santiago, operatives of the NBI together with representatives of Navy, hatched an entrapment operation which resulted in the arrest of “HAXINJA.”

The suspect was arrested while giving authorities access to the hacked file, which was confirmed to be a strictly confidential document.

Likewise, the other files in the flash drive of the suspect contain multiple documents and photos obtained from the database of the Navy.

Also on the same day, NBICCD operatives arrested another hacker identified as “D4rkJ1n in Cubao, Quezon City by CCD operatives.

sectors are estimated to total 6.9 million households or around 34 million Filipinos. Each beneficiary could buy 10 kilos of rice per month from Kadiwa centers at a subsidized price.

“The program sells rice purchased by the Food Terminal, Inc., a government corporation under the DA, from the inventory of aging stocks of the National Food Authority (NFA) and made available to disadvantaged sectors through the Kadiwa centers relaunched by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr,” the department said.

Aside from NFA stocks, the DA said it is also looking at rice supply from the contract-growing arrangement entered into by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) with farmers and, if needed, through importation by FTI and other DA-controlled

The hacker attempted to flee on a motorcycle taxi but was arrested at the intersection of Epifanio de los Santos and Main avenues in Cubao, Quezon City, after a brief case.

“HAXINJA” was presented for inquest proceedings for violations of Section 4(a)(1) and Section 5(ii) of Republic Act 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012) and Section 29 of RA 10173 (Data Privacy Act of 2012).

On the other hand, “D4rkJ1n” was presented for inquest proceedings for violation of Section (a)(5) of RA 10175 and Section 33(a) of RA 8792 (Electronic Commerce Act of 2000).

Santiago assured government offices that the NBI “remains committed to ensuring the security and integrity of the nation’s critical systems, and will continue to work closely with counterparts to bring other cybercriminals to justice.”

corporations to support the P29 program.

The DA chief said he plans to lower the selling price if the cost of the grain softens further as indicated by world market trends, with the expected lifting by India of its export ban on non-basmati rice and production in exporting countries such as Vietnam and Thailand improves with the end of El Nino.

Laurel said the program will be expanded to cover areas outside Luzon by August or September, and ideally to all the 1,500 municipalities of the country.

The DA noted that it is also pushing the “Rice-for-All” initiative where private traders are invited to sell their stocks of well-milled and fancy rice in Kadiwa centers at prices lower than those prevailing in the market.

More bill passage being fast-tracked—Chiz

Continued from A

Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) President Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis Jr. also noted in an earlier statement that three years after the passage of CREATE, “inconsistencies” have come up between this law and the corresponding administrative issuances on taxes and incentives enjoyed in freeport and economic zones.

“These issues have seriously and unfairly impacted the operations and competitiveness of existing companies and are

inconsistent with the current efforts of the Marcos administration to attract investors,” said Ortiz-Luis in a June 2024 statement of Philexport.

Among these contradictions is the distinction being made between registered domestic enterprises and export enterprises inside separate customs territories when applying VAT privileges. This distinction is being done when CREATE itself does not make such a distinction, Ortiz-Luis said. (Full story: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2024/06/10/philexport-pushes-create-more-to-plug-gaps-in-law/)

No to haphazard closure

WHILE PCCI supports the ban of Pogo operations in the Philippines, the business group warned against a “haphazard, indiscriminate and sudden closure” of all Pogos in the country because of possible “massive” loss of jobs and related displacement of many businesses and industries, from food services to administrative support and transport services.

With this, the PCCI chief said they support a “tiered” phaseout of Pogos in the country.

“First, we call for the immediate closure of all Pogos operating illegally and without operating licenses. Second, we call on Pagcor and other government agencies involved in regulating the Pogo business, including the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Immigration to carefully review the mandates from licenses, work licenses and tax obligations of the Pogo operators,” said Mangio. The head of PCCI also prodded Pagcor and other government agencies to create “credible alternative” employment opportunities for those affected by the Pogo closures.

“We hence enjoin the national government and Pagcor to carefully manage the Pogo phaseout or ban to avoid serious economic displacement,” Mangio underscored.

In a statement on Wednesday, eight organizations urged the government to help re-skill and ensure opportunities for Filipino workers who may lose their jobs amid the call of some government officials to impose a total ban on Pogos.

“We, the undersigned business groups, fully support the recommendation of Department of Finance [DOF] Secretary Ralph Recto and National Economic and Development Authority [Neda] Secretary Arsenio Balisacan for a total ban on Pogos,” the eight groups said in a statement released by the Makati Business Club (MBC) on Wednesday. The signatories of this statement are Alyansa Agrikultura, Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, Foundation for Economic Freedom, Institute of Corporate Directors, Justice Reform Initiative, Makati Business Club, Management Association of the Philippines and the UP School of Economics Alumni Association. The groups, citing former Neda undersecretary Sarah Dacanay, underscored that the contribution of Pogo investments to the Philippine economy is “minimal” at 0.2 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023. Against such minimal gains, the concerned groups noted the “social costs” which have direct effects on economic growth.

For instance, they emphasized that recent Senate hearings and statements by Neda have illustrated that Pogos have been linked to “negative externalities,” particularly involvement in crimes such as human trafficking, kidnapping, and money laundering, among others. (Full story: https:// businessmirror.com.ph/2024/07/18/8business-groups-back-total-ban-onpogos-urge-re-skilling/)

Angara takes over as Education chief

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

@claudethmc3

SEN. Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, who formally assumed as Secretary of Education on Thursday, vowed to build where his predecessor, Vice President Sara Z. Duterte already started.

In a symbolic gesture during the simple turnover ceremony held at the Bulwagan ng Karunugan DepEd Central Office in Pasig City, Duterte handed over the DepEd Seal and Flag to Angara, marking the transition of leadership at the department.

“ Nais kong bigyan ng pagkilala sina  [I wish to give due recognition to] Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, at mga  [and the] outgoing officials.  Sa loob ng dalawang taon kayo ang naging sandigan ng ating mga mag - aaral at ng mga guro sa panahon ng mga suliranin Maraming salamat sa inyong kooperasyon at tulong para sa maayos na transisyon , [For two years you provided support to the students and teacher during problematic times. Thank you for your cooperation and help for an orderly transition],” Angara said. Ang trabaho ninyo ang magsisilbing matatag na pundasyon ng mga programa at proyekto na aming isusulong [Your work will serve as a strong foundation of the programs and projects that we will implement],” he added, apparently referring to Duterte’s Matatag Agenda, launched in January 2023, which provides a roadmap of specific deliverables and

commitments that DepEd aims to do by 2028. For her part, Duterte welcomed Angara with a humor.

“Welcome to the chaos, Secetary,” Duterte joked and the audience laughed, including Angara.

“We all have dreams, bilang kalihim ng edukasyon tanging pangarap ko ay maitaas ang kalidad ng edukasyon sa Pilipinas Ngunit ang isang pangarap kung hindi pagsisikapan ay mananatiling pangarap lamang Kaya naman noong una akong magsilbi sa kagawaran noong  July 2022,  agad kong sinimulan kasama ng halos isang milyon nating kapamilya sa  DepEd  ang mga hakbang tungo sa mga natatanging pangarap,” Duterte recounted.

Duterte also highlighted her Matatag Agenda that stands for (1) Make the curriculum relevant to produce competent, job-ready, active, and responsible citizens; (2) Take steps to accelerate the delivery of basic education facilities and services; (3) Take good care of learners by promoting learner well-being, inclusive education, and a positive learning environment; and (4) Give support to teachers to teach better.

Meanwhile, Angara said that it is a big honor for him to be appointed as DepEd chief.

Buong pagpapakumbaba kong tinatanggap ang katungkulan na ito, bilang tugon sa tiwala at hamon ng ating Pangulo na higit na pag-ibayuhin ang mga programa na magsusulong sa mataas na kalidad ng karungan para sa ating mga mag-aaral.”

Gordon on National CPR Day ’24: First aid knowledge saves lives

IN observance of National CPR Day on July 17 under Presidential Proclamation 511, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) launched a nationwide campaign to raise awareness and promote the importance of CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).

Across 90 PRC chapters nationwide, 15,000 participants engaged in hands-only CPR demonstrations to underscore its life-saving potential.

Richard Gordon, chairman of the Philippine Red Cross, emphasized that while CPR is crucial, it is just one facet of a comprehensive first-aid training. With over 900,000 individuals already trained by the PRC in CPR, Gordon stressed the necessity of equipping every citizen with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to effectively respond to medical emergencies.

“Our vision is a future where every community, every household, and every citizen is trained for first aid, so each one of us is prepared to save someone’s life,” Gordon said.

Cardiac arrest remains a pressing health concern in the Philippines, claiming thousands of lives annually. Alarmingly, only 1 percent of victims receive the urgent medical attention required within the critical first minutes of cardiac arrest.

Gordon reiterated that timely intervention, especially through CPR, significantly improves survival rates.

Administered promptly, CPR can double or even triple a person’s chances of survival, highlighting its critical role beyond a medical procedure—it is a life-saving skill accessible to all.

Gordon commended President Marcos for acknowledging the need to instill and continuously promote health consciousness among Filipinos by equipping them with the necessary information, knowledge, behavior, and skills to respond to health emergencies.

The Philippine Red Cross reaffirms its commitment to expanding not just CPR education, but First Aid Trainings nationwide towards a CPR-ready Philippines, where knowledge and skills save lives.

Completion of military runway in Palawan to enhance security

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

PRESIDENT Marcos said the country’s borders will be better secured with the completion of the Balabac Military Runway in Palawan, which is among the sites of the country’s Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca) with the United States (US).

In his speech in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, on Thursday, the Chief Executive gave updates on the ongoing construction projects in Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan (Mimaropa) region, including the Balabac runway.

“The [construction] of the Balabac

Military Runway is already on its last phase. [This is important] especially since Palawan will play a big role in national security,” Marcos said in Filipino.

He said 89.30 percent of the construction work for the project is finished.

The President announced last year that Balabac is among the four additional Edca sites the country has agreed to be built in local military bases amid the increasing aggression of China at the South China Sea (SCS).

The other three additional Edca sites were the Naval Base Camilo Osias (Santa Ana, Cagayan); Lal-lo Airport (Cagayan); and Camp Melchor dela Cruz (Gamu, Isabela).

Marcos also reported on the

completion rate of the Ibato-Iraan Small Reservoir Irrigation Project in Aborlan, which is at 95.15 percent and the road widening of the Dr. Damian Reyes Road in Marinduque, which is at 45.45 percent.

To help boost tourism in Palawan, he said the Puerto Princesa Airport Development Project and the Pag-asa Island Airport Development Project are now ongoing.

He said the Maharlika Investment Corporation, the National Electrification Administration, and the Palawan Electric Cooperative are now studying how to improve the power supply in the province.

The said initiatives, Marcos said, aims to help boost the economy in Palawan.

The chief executive visited Puerto Princesa, Palawan last Thursday for the distribution of government aid to farmers and fishermen, who were affected by El Niño, which caused more than P3 billion in damage to the agricultural sector in Mimaropa. See related story on page A4. He said the Office of the President will give almost P10 million worth of aid to affected agricultural workers in the Palawan and Marinduque.  This is on top of the other aid provided by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) to the beneficiaries and their families.

Ethics complaint of Binay vs Cayetano not likely to end soon

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

HOPES of quickly resolving the ethics case involving feuding

Sens. Alan Peter Cayetano and Nancy Binay have been dashed after Binay signaled she was not satisfied with the apology made by Cayetano because it was limited only to Department of Public Works and Highways officials whom he bullied in a previous hearing, but not to her.

Napanood po natin ang panayam kay Senator Francis Tolentino kahapon at nais lang po natin linawin [We heard the interview with Senator Tolentino yesterday and we want to make it clear that the] apology was directed solely to the officials of the DPWH who attended the hearing,” Binay said in a statement on Thursday.

Tolentino, chairman of the Committee on Ethics, where Binay lodged her complaint against Cayetano, had earlier said he hoped mediation could

TBy Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

HE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) announced on Thursday the arrest of an alleged midwife who was caught selling a newborn baby through social media platform Facebook in the amount of P25,000.

NBI Director Jaime Santiago identified the suspect as Maria Christina Paule, who is now facing charges of child trafficking, that is punishable under Republic Act 7610, as amended

still work to avoid a lengthy process. However, he committed to ensure the parties all have a chance to make their arguments.

Cayetano apparently felt compelled to apologize to the DPWH officials because in the hearing he presided over where he tangled with Binay, the public works officials were barely given a chance to explain the basis for the estimates on the total cost of transferring the Senate to a new building in Taguig.

Cayetano, the chairman of the

or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act, in relation to RA 10175 or Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 and violation of RA 9208, as amended or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 1998).

Paule’s arrest stemmed from the information received by the NBI-Human Trafficking Division (HTRAD) from the Department of JusticeInter-Agency Council Against Trafficking-NBI CyberTip Center (DOJIACAT-NBI Cybertip) about Paule’s alleged illegal activity.

Committee on Accounts, tangled with Binay in the hearing because Binay dared him to explain his basis for hinting at wrongdoing in the building project that was bugged by delays and constantly rising cost estimates.

Binay’s predecessor in the Committee on Accounts, former Sen. Panfilo Lacson, had earlier sought for clarificatory meetings among Binay, Cayetano and himself so they can clarify the issue of changing estimates.

The DPWH is the project implementer for the new Senate building.

NBI arrests midwife who tried to sell baby

The NBI-HTRAD was able to verify the information and immediately sought assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), DOJ-IACATNBI CyberTip and its nongovernment organization partner Exodus Road Philippines to hatch an entrapment and rescue operation.

An NBI undercover agent posing as a buyer managed to engage the suspect in conversations in connection with the sale of the baby.

The operation resulted in the arrest of Paule who was caught in the act

Edcom II seeks Cabinet education cluster

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

THE leaders of the second Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom II) have filed a concurrent resolution urging President Marcos to establish a Cabinet Cluster for Education to ensure the cohesive and coherent implementation of education laws, policies, reforms, and regulations across various government departments and agencies while addressing the learning crisis in the country.

In filing House Concurrent Resolution 28, the Edcom II co-chairman, Pasig Rep. Roman T. Romulo of Pasig and Baguio Rep. Mark Go, Commissioner and Rep. Jose Francisco Benitez of Negros Occidental, Commissioner and Rep. Mohamad Khalid Dimaporo of Lanao del Norte, Commissioner and Rep. Pablo John F. Garcia of Cebu said the goal is to formulate a long-term integrated national education and workforce development plan. Edcom II, that was established by Republic Act 11899, is tasked with conducting

a comprehensive assessment of the education sector. The commission is tasked with recommending transformative, concrete, and targeted reforms to make the Philippines globally competitive in education and labor markets.

Edcom II’s mandate runs from 2022 to 2025.

The First Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom I) recommended the trifocalization of the education system, which led to the enactment of Republic Act 7722, creating the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and Republic Act 7796, establishing the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda).

Moreover, in Edcom II’s Year One Report, titled “Miseducation: The Failed System of Philippine Education,” the commission highlighted critical areas of coordination that remain incomplete.

These areas include developing plans and setting targets for the education sector as a whole, monitoring targets for learning outcomes, designing pathways through key stages and transition points

between subsectors, developing a strong pipeline of early childhood education workers and teachers, aligning teacher education and development, and overall manpower development for the Philippine education system.

After three decades since trifocalization, Edcom II said it sees an urgent need for a mechanism to ensure strong and close coordination among the departments and agencies involved in education and workforce development, particularly the Early Childhood Care and Development Council, the Department of Education (DepEd), CHED, Tesda, and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), with support from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to ensure operational funding.

Given the urgent need for a mechanism to ensure strong and close coordination among the departments and agencies involved in education and workforce development, EDCOM II proposed the creation of a President’s Cabinet Cluster for Education.

It said this cluster would provide strong

In a news conference Thursday, however, Cayetano said: “Just this week, I found out,  maraming tinatago sa atin  [a lot of things are being hidden from us]—caches...almost half a roomful of documents and we’re going through it.”

Based on these documents, he said, the “P25 to P27 billion [total cost]…could even be a conservative [estimate]  pala .” He is consulting Senate President Francis Escudero on the new documents he found, since he was the one who directed Cayetano to conduct a review of the New Senate Building project.

“I will not be distracted by Senator Nancy and the Ethics committee,” Cayetano said. “Right now, I do not know who is most guilty…or  natatakot lang sila  [they may just be scared to tell the truth],” he added, in reply to a question on who might be held liable for the changing cost estimates for the project.

of selling a 6-day old baby online at the agreed meeting place in Muntinlupa City on July 16. The rescued baby was turned over to the custody of the DSWD-National Capital Region.

Paule claimed that she was the one who helped deliver the baby and that the mother left after giving birth without notice, prompting her to just offer the baby for sale in order to recover her expenses.

The suspect admitted that the baby has yet to be registered.

Santiago praised the prompt action of HTRAD on the arrest of Paule and warned that the sale of babies is illegal and a serious violation of the law.

oversight over all education agencies under the Executive Department and be headed by an incumbent cabinet member with a direct stake in education or a presidential adviser with the rank of secretary. The commission said the aim is to address the learning crisis in the country and work towards a coherent and systemwide national education and workforce development plan, agency-level targets and budgets, and monitoring and evaluation systems. It added that this cluster will ensure the cohesive and coherent implementation of education laws, policies, reforms, and regulations among the departments, bureaus, commissions, and offices in the executive branch of government and formulate a long-term integrated national education and workforce development plan. By establishing this cluster, Edcom II said the government aims to address the long-standing challenges in the education sector and ensure a strategic, coordinated approach to national education and workforce development, ultimately aiming to make the Philippines more competitive globally in both the education and labor markets.

SEN. Nancy BinaySEN. Alan Peter Cayetano

A4

Friday, July 19, 2024

Marcos sets aside ₧140 million to prepare S. Luzon’s island-provinces for La Niña

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie & Samuel P. Medenilla

@sam_medenilla

THE government has allocated a P140-million fund for communities in the island-provinces of Southern Tagalog that are expected to experience above-normal rainfall with the onset of the La Niña phenomenon later this year, President Marcos said. Marcos said the assistance includes P102.77 million worth of food packs and P32.34 million of non-food items.

La Niña-affected communities in the area will also have P5 million of stand-by funds.

“And with the upcoming rain season, I would like to inform you that your government continues to prepare for any eventuality,” Marcos said in Filipino during his visit to Palawan on Thursday.

The President visited the province to distribute government aid to farmers, who were affected by the dry spells and droughts from El Niño in previous months.

The Philippine Atmospheric,

Geophysical, Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the high rainfall brought about by La Niña is expected to start by October this year and last until the first quarter of 2025.

Meanwhile, expressing optimism that the program will boost output while lowering imports, Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said on Thursday that at least 10,000 had received direct financial help from the Presidential Assistance to Farmers and Fisherfolk (PAFF) program.

The distribution took place at the Edward S. Hagedorn Coliseum in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, with recipients hailing from Palawan and the nearby province of Marinduque.

House members led by Palawan Rep. Jose Alvarez and local officials, including Palawan Gov. Victorino Dennis Socrates and Vice Gov. Leoncio Ola, Marinduque Gov. Presbitero Velasco Jr., and Puerto Princesa City Mayor Lucilo Bayron, attended the event.

“You—our farmers and fishermen—are the ones who feed and sustain our entire nation. It is our government’s duty to ensure your

families are well-fed and that your children have a bright future,” Romualdez told the beneficiaries.

“By supporting you, we can boost food production and ensure affordable prices for our citizens,” he added.

Romualdez assured the President of the continued support of the House of Representatives for these visionary programs that continue to help every Filipino.

“We are very, very proud to be working under your leadership. I assure you, in the upcoming budget, these programs and projects of yours will be fully supported by the House of Representatives,” he said.

Romualdez expressed optimism that the program would lead to increased production and decreased importation.

“The President’s mission is to secure significant income for our farmers and fisherfolk, increase food production so we no longer need to import from other countries, and ensure an efficient supply chain to make your products affordable in the market,” he emphasized.

Romualdez pointed out that the program intends to help all farmers and fishermen all over the country.

“This program, Presidential Assistance to Farmers and Fisherfolk, or PAFF, is designed for all farmers and fishermen across the country. It is part of the government’s efforts to strengthen the agriculture and fisheries sectors,” he explained.

“Our government’s goal is not only to provide direct assistance and support to our farmers and fishermen. We are also committed to improving infrastructure for your sector. We will introduce modern farming and fishing methods to boost production nationwide,” the speaker added.

He informed the people that the President had ensured that Palawan would be one of the first provinces to benefit from the program due to its natural resources.

“President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. made sure that Palawan would be among the first to receive opportunities to develop agriculture and fisheries. We all know that Palawan is renowned for its abundant natural resources and stunning landscapes, so it is only fitting to recognize its potential for development,” he said.

Romualdez also serves as the concurrent caretaker of the First and Third Districts of Palawan.

He urged the intended beneficiaries and the people in general to support the program.

“My fellow Palaweños, the PAFF program is for every Filipino who desires a better life and a bountiful harvest. Let us work together and support this program for a more prosperous Philippines,” he urged.

“Our guest today has come to bring the blessings of the government directly to all of you,” he said, referring to President Marcos.

Pangasinan ARBs first to be ‘fully emancipated’

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

HE Department of Agrar-

Tian Reform (DAR) is set to distribute on Thursdaythe Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage (CO CROM) to agrarian reform beneficiaries in Lingayen, Pangasinan.

The occasion marks the beginning of a significant transformation for agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) nationwide.

The distribution ceremony, to be held at the Pangasinan Capitol, will be the first under the New Agrarian Emancipation Act which was signed into law by President Marcos on July 7, 2023.

Republic Act 11953, also known as the New Agrarian Emancipation Act, is set to benefit over 600,000 Filipino farmers cultivating more than 1.7 million hectares of agrarian reform lands.

Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III said Cocrom serves as proof that the government has condoned the debts of the ARBs related to their agricultural lands.

This initiative aims to provide farmers with ownership of the lands they till. Under RA 11953, P57.56 billion worth of debt owed by 610,054 ARBs, who are cultivating a total of 1.173 million hectares of land, will be condoned.

Under this law, the ARBs are exempted from estate tax and will be included in the Registry System

for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

“The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program [CARP] beneficiaries will greatly benefit from this initiative. With their debts written off, hundreds of thousands of farmers will have additional resources for food, education, shelter, wellness, and other family expenses that they would otherwise forego,” Estrella said.

As a tribute to Marcos’s roots and the birthplace of Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III, the Ilocos Region has been chosen as the inaugural site for the COCROM distribution. The government aims to distribute approximately 200,000 CO CROMS to eligible ARBs before the year ends. The DAR will issue the Certificates of Condonation, which will be annotated on the Emancipation Patent (EP) or Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA). Once the condonation takes effect, the Registry of Deeds will register the EP, Cloa, or any other title under the applicable agrarian reform law, along with the annotation of the Notice of Condonation.

This historic event not only underscores the government’s commitment to agrarian reform but also heralds a new era of economic freedom and growth for Filipino farmers.

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Japan hosts Pacific Island leaders summit to counter China’s influence in the region

By Mari Yamaguchi The Associated Press

TOKYO—Japan is hosting a summit Thursday with leaders from more than a dozen Pacific Island nations, seeking to deepen cooperation and increased support for a rules-based free and open Indo-Pacific amid China’s growing influence in the region.

The Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting, or PALM, launched under Japanese initiative in 1997, has become Japan’s key diplomatic tool to deter China’s security and economic influence in the region by strengthening its ties with the Pacific Island Forum members,

stressing its willingness to stand by them and maintaining unity.

In his opening remarks, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he hoped to elevate Japan’s ties with the Pacific Islands to a higher stage and renew its commitment to “walk together toward

the future.” He stressed the importance to join hands to quickly tackle mutual issues such as the climate change.

Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, who is co-chairing this year’s summit, welcomed Japan’s approach to work with the

China Communist Party policy meeting endorses leader Xi Jinping’s high-tech vision for economy

By Ken Moritsugu & Elaine Kurtenbach

BThe Associated Press

EIJING—China’s ruling

Communist Party ended a top-level meeting on Thursday by endorsing policies aimed at building the country’s technological power and fortifying its national security.

A statement released when the meeting ended provided only a broad-brush summary of any decisions. More details are likely to emerge days later.

The meeting’s agenda focused on strategies for self-sufficient economic growth at a time when China faces tightening restrictions on access to Western advanced technology, such as leading-edge computer chips and artificial intelligence.

Foreign investors and markets were watching to see what the party might do to counter the slump in China’s real estate sector and weak consumer confidence that has hindered China’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. Economic growth slowed to

4.7 percent on an annual basis in the April to June quarter, as investments in real estate and property sales continued to decline despite a raft of measures aimed at encouraging families to buy housing.

Recent reports in state media and earlier government policy statements suggest Beijing will continue to prioritize investing in technologies and encouraging companies to upgrade their equipment and knowhow in line with leader Xi Jinping’s call for “highquality development.”

“Xi’s recent remarks on reform and opening-up at various major meetings provide a crucial window into the tone of the session, the priority of China’s reform agenda and the overall goal of further deepening reform and advancing Chinese modernization,” the party newspaper Global Times said in a commentary.

It said the meetings would “draw a blueprint for reform on all fronts,” aiming to improve China’s governance and to “resolve deep-seated institutional challenges and structural issues,

so as to promote high-quality development and advance Chinese modernization.”

Chinese leaders have repeatedly said China will keep its doors open to foreign investment and improve the business environment, despite ever-extending Communist Party controls over companies, social media, financial regulators and other aspects of life.

“This is opposite to earlier promises and pledged reforms of further opening up of the economy and pro-market policies,” Teeuwe Mevissen, a senior strategist at Rabobank, said in a report.

New incentives for foreign investors are a possibility, he said, as well as moves in line with Xi’s call for a “common prosperity” that enables ordinary Chinese to benefit more from economic growth.

Another priority is relieving the financial squeeze on local governments that have built up huge amounts of debt after a crackdown on heavy borrowing by property developers pushed the real estate industry into crisis, cutting off a vital source of tax revenues from sales of land-use rights.

Ex-North Korean envoy appointed

This week’s meetings are the third plenary session of the 205-member party Central Committee, which began a five-year term in 2022. Delayed from last year, third plenums usually set major economic and policy decisions. Past landmark plenums launched China into its ascent as a world manufacturing and financial power in an era of “reform and opening up.”

Economists say the odds the meeting will announce significant stimulus spending to help boost the economy are low. And details of any decisions may not come for days, if not after the party’s powerful Politburo meets later this month.

But the scale of problems Beijing is facing have upped the urgency for action.

“Historically, the third plenum generally disappoints when it comes to the announcement of significant policy overhauls. However, this time might be different given China’s mounting economic challenges,” Mevissen said.

Kurtenbach reported from Bangkok

vice minister in South Korea, the highest post for any defector

By Hyung-Jin Kim The Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea—South Korea’s president on Thursday appointed a former North Korean diplomat as a vice minister, the highest-level government job for any of the thousands of North Koreans who have resettled in South Korea.

Tae Yongho was a minister of the North Korean Embassy in London when he defected to South Korea in 2016. Tae is the highest-ranking North Korean who has resettled in South Korea in recent years. He has said he did so because he didn’t want his children to live “miserable” lives in North Korea and he fell into “despair” over leader Kim Jong

Un’s executions of officials and

nuclear ambitions.

North Korea called him “human scum” and accused him of embezzling government money and committing other crimes. President Yoon Suk Yeol appointed Tae secretary general the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council, which gives the president policy advice on peaceful Korean unification.

The appointment made Tae the first North Korean defector appointed to a vice-ministerial job in South Korea, among about 34,000 North Koreans who have resettled in South Korea, according to Seoul’s Unification Ministry.

In 2020, Tae was elected to South Korea’s parliament. There have been other North Korean defectors who have served as

lawmakers in South Korea.

Yoon’s office said in a statement that Tae was the right person for the post because he can utilize his living experience in North Korea and work experiences as a member of South Korean’s parliament’s committee on foreign policy and unification issues.

Most of the defectors left North Korea after a devastating famine in the mid-1990s. Upon arrival in South Korea, North Korean defectors are given citizenships, almost-free apartments, resettlement money and other benefits. But coming from authoritarian, impoverished and nominally socialist North Korea, many experience diverse discrimination and severe difficulties in adjusting to new lives in capitalistic, highly competitive

South Korea, according to their interviews and surveys.

Yoon promised to provide greater government support to improve the lives of North Korean defectors on the inaugural “North Korean Defectors’

on Sunday.

Most of the North Korean defectors are women from the North’s poorer northern regions along the long, porous border with China. But in recent years, the number of North Korean elites to flee to South Korea has steadily increased, according to the Unification Ministry.

On Tuesday, South Korea’s spy agency said that Ri Il Kyu, a counselor of political affairs at the North Korean Embassy in Cuba, had defected to South Korea last November.

PIF members “as equals” to achieve their 2050 strategy for the Blue Pacific, “our vision for a region of peace, harmony, security, social inclusion, and prosperity.”

He noted climate resilience and disaster risk management, sustainable management of oceans, economic resilience, ensuring people-centered development and investment in technology and connectivity as key areas for cooperation.

Japan also seeks to share with the leaders the importance of maintaining the rules-based, free and open international order in the region, with China in mind but carefully not spelled out.

South Pacific island nations have become a focus of security concern among Japan and its ally the United States and their regional partners such as Australia and New Zealand in recent years as Beijing increases its presence in the region

where many island nations are economically China-dependent, as with many other countries.

Leaders from 18 Pacific Island Forum member nations and regions are expected to adopt a joint statement stating their commitment to work together in areas including maritime security, defense cooperation, climate change and economic development and other key issues at the end of the meeting Thursday.

Kishida has been also holding bilateral meetings with the leaders since earlier this week on the sidelines of summit.

In his separate meetings Wednesday with several leaders, including Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Niue and Papua New Guinea, Kishida announced Japan’s support for infrastructure, fishing projects and other areas.

AP journalist Ayaka McGill contributed to this report.

Student protesters vow ‘complete shutdown’ in Bangladesh after days of violent protest

By Julhas Alam The Associated Press

DHAKA, Bangladesh—People stayed home and many malls closed their doors Thursday morning in Bangladesh’s capital as protesters attempted to impose a “complete shutdown” after days of student protesters violently clashing with police and ruling party-backed student activists.

Traffic was thin on Dhaka’s usually clogged streets. Offices and banks opened, but commuters complained that transport was limited.

Salma Rahman, an official at a financial institution in Dhaka, said that she left his car at home and caught a ride on a motorcycle.

“Our office has alerted us to stay safe on streets, as there is fear that violence could happen during the shutdown.”

Students have been demonstrating for weeks against a quota system for government jobs they say favors allies of the ruling party, but the protests have escalated since violence broke out on the campus of Dhaka University on Monday. Six people were killed amid protests on Tuesday, leading the government to ask universities across the country to close and police to raid the main opposition party’s headquarters.

The violence continued late Wednesday in Dhaka. Traffic was halted on a major highway as police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters, who set fire to a tollbooth, blocked streets and detonated explosives, Somoy TV reported.

Other news outlets said scores were injured in the hours of violence.

On Thursday morning, with classes suspended and dormitories closed, students near Dhaka’s BRAC University clashed with police, who fired tear gas.

Police set up checkpoints at the entrances to Dhaka University.

On Wednesday night, the protesters announced they would enforce “a complete shutdown” across the country on Thursday in response to security officials’ continued attacks on the campus demonstrators. The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party said that it would do what it could to make the shutdown a success.

Protesters are demanding an end to a quota system that reserves up to 30 percentof government jobs for family members of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s war of independence in 1971. They argue that the system is discriminatory and benefits supporters of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, whose Awami League party led the independence movement, and they want it replaced with a merit-based system.

Hasina’s government halted the quotas after mass student protests in 2018. But last month, Bangladesh’s High Court nullified that decision and reinstated the quotas after relatives of the 1971 veterans filed petitions, triggering the latest demonstrations. The Supreme Court then suspended the High Court’s ruling and is expected to rule on August 7. The government has also separately appealed the High Court decision in the wake of the protest, according to the attorney general’s office.

“I am requesting all to wait with patience until the verdict is delivered,” Hasina said in a televised address Wednesday evening. “I believe our students will get justice from the apex court. They will not be disappointed.” While job opportunities have expanded in Bangladesh’s private sector, many people prefer government jobs because they are stable and well paid. Each year, some 400,000 graduates compete for 3,000 jobs in the civil service exam.

Hasina said there would be a judicial probe into Tuesday’s deaths and vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice.

Cook

Day”

JAPANESE Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks at the Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting, or PALM, in Tokyo, Japan on Thursday, July 18, 2024. JUNTARO

YOKOYAMA/KYODO NEWS VIA AP

POLICE fire tear gas shells and rubber bullets to disperse students shouting slogans in favor of quota system in public service at the university campus, in Dhaka, Bangladesh on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. AP/RAJIB DHAR

President Biden tests positive for Covid-19 while campaigning in Las Vegas, has ‘mild symptoms’

By Aamer Madhani The Associated Press

LAS VEGAS—President Joe Biden tested positive for Covid-19 while traveling Wednesday in Las Vegas and is experiencing “mild symptoms” including “general malaise” from the infection, the White House said.

spend a long weekend at his home in Rehoboth Beach.

The president’s diagnosis comes amid intense scrutiny of his health and stamina after a disastrous debate with former President Donald Trump that sparked a flurry of concern among Democrats that Biden is not up to the rigors of winning another presidential term.

Biden gingerly boarded Air Force One and told reporters traveling with him, “I feel good.” The president was not wearing a mask as he walked onto Air Force One.

Press secretary Karine JeanPierre said Biden will fly to his home in Delaware, where he will “self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time.” The news had first been shared by UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguía, who told guests at the group’s convention in Las Vegas that president had sent his regrets and could not appear because he tested positive for the virus.

Dr. Kevin O’Connor, the president’s physician, said in a note that Biden, 81, “presented this afternoon with upper respiratory symptoms, to include rhinorhea (runny nose) and non-productive cough, with general malaise.” After the

positive Covid-19 test, Biden was prescribed the antiviral drug Paxlovid and has taken his first dose, O’Connor said.

Biden was slated to speak at the UnidosUS event in Las Vegas

Wednesday afternoon as part of an effort to rally Hispanic voters ahead of the November election. Instead, he departed for the airport to fly to Delaware, where he had already been planning to

The president had previously been at the Original Lindo Michoacan restaurant in Las Vegas, where he was greeting diners and sat for an interview with Univision.

Biden has been vaccinated and is current on his recommended annual booster dose for Covid-19.

The vaccines have proven highly effective at limiting serious illness

and death from the virus, which killed more than 1 million people in the US since the pandemic began in 2020. Paxlovid has been proven to curtail the chances of serious illness and death from Covid-19 when prescribed in the early days of an infection, but has also been associated with rebound infections, where the virus comes back a few days after clearing up. Biden last tested positive for Covid-19 twice in the summer of 2022, when he had a primary case and a rebound case of the virus. Health officials have reported recent upticks in emergency room visits and hospitalizations from Covid-19. There has also been a pronounced increase in positive test results in much of the country—particularly the southwestern US.

The Associated Press writers Josh Boak, Stephanie Nano and Zeke Miller contributed to this report.

Severe storms pound US and Canada, leaving trail of destruction and death

By Andrew Demillo & Ed White

The Associated Press

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.—Another wave of severe storms pummeled a wide swath of the United States and Canada, leading to flash floods and water rescues Wednesday in the Ozark Mountains, dropping a tornado that ravaged a community in upstate New York and stranding drivers in high water around Toronto. The relentless series of storms has caused deaths or damage from the Plains to New England this week. Hundreds of thousands of people have lost power and air conditioning during days of sweltering heat. As much as 11 inches (nearly 28 centimeters) of rain fell overnight into Wednesday on parts of the Ozarks in Arkansas and Missouri, the National Weather Service said. Buses and ambulances evacuated 86 people from a nursing home in Yellville, Arkansas, where water rose to about 4 feet (1.2 meters) during flash flooding, Marion County Sheriff Gregg Alexander said. A section of a bridge washed out and a historic courthouse flooded.

Cities across upstate New York were cleaning up after a storm swept through Tuesday with high winds and spectacular lightning and flying debris that killed one person.

In the small city of Rome, New York, a tornado ripped off roofs, tipped over vehicles and turned several buildings into piles of rubble.

Steeples crumbled and roofs were torn apart at First Presbyterian Church and the St. Mary’s Church, both built in the 1800s. Copper sheets from the roof of First Presbyterian were found wrapped around utility poles a quarter mile away.

The winds were fierce enough to move a multi-ton tourist attraction, a B-52 bomber displayed at Griffiss Business and Technology Park. A mural of a Revolutionary War figure on horseback—a Rome landmark—was destroyed, along with the building on which it was painted. All that remained was an image of a horse hoof.

Speaking outside St. Mary’s, Gov. Kathy Hochul said it was “miraculous” no one was killed in the city of 31,000. She toured the downtown Wednesday and said 22 buildings were damaged or destroyed. She described seeing trees “collapsed like toothpicks” and told of mobile homes tipped over with people inside. The governor marveled at narrow escapes, including two children in a medical waiting room who emerged unscathed even though the building was partially “obliterated.”

A National Weather Service preliminary damage survey released Wednesday night

estimated the Rome tornado’s top winds at 135 mph (217 kph) and gave it an EF2 rating, considered “significant,” on the Enhanced Fujita scale.

Chiropractor Kingsley Kabari was with a patient in his second-floor office in Rome when his cellphone blared with a tornado alert Tuesday afternoon. By the time he could pick it up to mute it, the storm had arrived, he said, blowing out windows, tearing at the roof of the two-story brick building and sending debris flying.

“It was like a bomb dropped on the building with very high-power wind. Things were just flying everywhere—and this was inside,” he said Wednesday.

The tornado cut a path between two nursing homes operated by Grand Healthcare, sparing them of the most severe damage but pelting the buildings with powerful winds and heavy rains that knocked out their power, regional vice president Bruce Gendron said.

He said he was at one of the nursing homes when the storm hit, and staffers moved residents away from the windows in case trees came toppling into the building.

The facilities’ backup generators kicked in, keeping most systems intact until normal power was restored Wednesday afternoon, he said.

“To our residents of Rome: Do not be discouraged. This community is resilient and we will build back,” Mayor Jeff Lanigan said.

A weaker tornado given an initial EF1 rating, with a top estimated wind speed of 110 mph (177 kph), also touched down about 230 miles (370 kilometers) away in Lyme, New Hampshire on Tuesday night, the weather service said. It remained on the ground for about 1.8 miles (2.9 kilometers) and knocked down at least 100 trees, said Jon Palmer, a weather service meteorologist in Gray, Maine.

About 30 miles (48 kilometers) away in Canastota, storm debris hit and killed an 82-year-old man, village administrator Jeremy Ryan said. Hochul said three homes collapsed and 30 other structures were damaged in the community.

A thousand miles (1,600 kilometers) away in Flippin, Arkansas, people went door to door to get as many as 40 residents to flee dangerous conditions before floodwaters began to recede. At least 30 residents were evacuated from an apartment complex in Greenbrier, 34 miles (55 kilometers) north of Little Rock, state emergency managers said.

“We’re not griping, because we absolutely needed the rain, but it will take a little while for us to drain out and clean the roadways back up,” said Alexander, the Marion County sheriff.

Bill Scruggs and his crew from Wild Bill’s Outfitter, based south of Yellville,

scrambled to save their canoes and kayaks from a sandbar in the Buffalo National River as waters quickly rose before dawn Wednesday.

Nearly 5 inches (12.7 centimeters) of rain fell overnight on the tourist hub of Branson, Missouri. Taney County Sheriff Brad Daniels said several campgrounds were evacuated and people had to be rescued from a flooded mobile home park in nearby Hollister.

Trees fell on houses and cars Tuesday in Keene, New Hampshire, forcing some residents to evacuate. Around Toronto, flooding temporarily closed several major roads and left drivers stranded. Authorities said they rescued at least 14 people from flooding on the highway.

More than 140,000 homes and businesses lacked power Wednesday evening in Northeastern US states, according to PowerOutage.us. The East Coast from Maine to the Carolinas was warned of weather that could feel hotter than 100 degrees (37.8 Celsius) in some places.

A storm helped bring under control a forest fire burning at a military bombing range in New Jersey as it dropped half an inch of rain, the state forest fire service said.

This week’s severe weather struck the Chicago area especially hard. The weather service said it so far has confirmed at least 18 tornadoes in northern Illinois and northwestern Indiana: six on Sunday and 12 during a frightening stretch Monday night.

The larger bunch emerged from a derecho, long-lasting windstorms that began in Iowa and rolled east for hours, according to senior meteorologist Brett Borchardt.

“It’s not unprecedented, but it’s very unusual. When we have a line of storms like that, they’re prolific tornado producers,” he said. Across the US, the storms have led to at least five deaths, including the one in New York. Flooding killed an 88-year-old couple who were in their car near Elsah, Illinois, on Tuesday, and a 76-year-old passenger in a pickup in Rockford, Illinois, on Sunday. A fallen tree killed a 44-year-old woman in Cedar Lake, Indiana, on Monday.

A cold front is forecast to cause scattered showers and thunderstorms in the East over the next few days but will also provide relief from the heat in the eastern and central United States, according to the weather service. However, excessive heat is forecast for parts of the West and Southeast.

White reported from Detroit. Associated Press writers Karen Matthews in New York City, Anthony Izaguirre in Albany, New York, Carolyn Thompson in Buffalo, New York, and Nick Perry in Boston contributed.

Unused PhilHealth funds: A

balancing act between fiscal responsibility and universal healthcare

THE debate over the unused funds from national government subsidies to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) highlights the delicate balance between fiscal responsibility and the commitment to universal healthcare.

On one side, t he Depar tment of Finance (DOF) is ad hering to t he mandate of t he budget law, which requires t he retur n of unused gover nment subsid ies to t he national treasur y. Finance Secretar y Ralph Recto has stressed t hat only t he excess, unuti lized subsid ies are being retur ned, not t he contributions f rom Phi lHealt h members.

However, Senator Pia Cayetano, a longtime champion of healthcare refor ms, has expressed her apprehension about t he potential impact of t his decision. As t he for mer cha ir of t he Senate committees overseeing t he healt h and education budgets, she is well versed in t hese matters. (Read the BusinessMirror story: “Return of PhilHealth funds to NG concerns senator,” July 17, 2024). Under pinning t his debate is t he Universal Healt hcare Law, which emphasizes t he uti lization of excess Phi lHealt h revenues to augment t he agency’s prog rams and reduce member contributions. Senator Cayetano aptly highlights t he impor tance of leverag ing t hese f unds to enhance t he reach and quality of healt hcare ser v ices prov ided by Phi lHealt h, as mandated by t he law. T he objective is to ensure t hat healt hcare coverage is extended to t he majority of Fi lipinos, a goal t hat rema ins unf u lf i lled. T he conflict lies in how excess f unds f rom t he Universal Healt hcare Law, specif ically t hose f rom Phi lHealt h shou ld be uti lized. Accord ing to t he law, any excess revenues shou ld be used to improve prog rams and potentially lower member contributions. However t he Depar tment of Finance has stated t hat any unspent f unds f rom national gover nment subsid ies, includ ing t hose f rom Phi lHealt h must be retur ned to t he Treasur y to suppor t national development prog rams and projects. T his creates a d isag reement on t he allocation of excess f unds f rom Phi lHealt h It is impor tant to note t hat t he f unds in question are f rom national gover nment subsid ies, not f rom member contributions. However, as Cayetano points out, it is crucial to deter mine which f unds are gover nment contributions and which are f rom members, and to ensure t hat any excess f unds are used to augment Phi lHealt h ’s prog rams and ser v ices.

T he matter of gover nment subsidies is indeed an interesting question. W hile t he DOF is correct in follow ing t he budget law, it is impor tant to consider t he broader implications of t his decision. T he gover nment has a responsibi lity to ensure t hat its citizens have access to quality healt hcare, and any reduction in f und ing for Phi lHealt h cou ld jeopard ize t his goal.

Healt h advocates h ave also protested t he ret ur n i ng of t hese f u nds, a rg ui ng t h at Phi lHealt h h as not yet ac hieved t he ade qu ate level of healt h cove r age mandated by t he Un ive r sal Healt hca re Law. T hey contend t h at t he f u nds shou ld rema i n w it hi n t he agency to f ur t he r expand access and se r v ices.

Cayetano’s call for transparency is crucial. It is impor tant to clearly d ifferentiate between gover nment subsid ies and member contributions to Phi lHealt h T he for mer can be subject to budgetar y ru les, whi le t he latter shou ld be protected and uti lized solely for t he benef it of Phi lHealt h members. T he larger question is whet her t he ex isting f ramework of gover nment subsid ies and Phi lHealt h ’s f inancial structure is optimally ser v ing t he goal of universal healt hcare. Perhaps t his episode can prompt a deeper rev iew of healt hcare f inancing to ensure susta inabi lity and equitable access. Ult i mately, t he i nte rests of t he Fi l ipi no people mu st be t he g uid i ng pri nc iple. Budgeta r y d i sc ipl i ne i s necessa r y, but not at t he expense of u nde r m i n i ng t he prom i se of affordable, qu al ity healt hca re for all. A ca ref u l balance mu st be st ruck, and Senator Cayetano’s sc rut i ny i s a welcome step towa rds t h at end.

BusinessMirror

Uniting to solve the education crisis

BY the end of this month, a new school year will officially start. Using the numbers recorded last year for SY 2023-2024, we can reasonably expect that more or less 27 million learners will be enrolling in the basic education system this time around—23.2 million in public schools, 3.7 million in private institutions, and some 611,000 in the Alternative Learning System (ALS).

T hese lear ners account for a little more t han one-f ift h of our total popu lation. T hey are signif icant not only for t heir huge numbers, but also because t hey embody t he biggest hopes and dreams we have as a nation for ourselves. T heir academic success and school experience after all are among t he key variables in t he equation of whet her t he f uture t hat awaits us all w ill be prosperous or not.

However it is no secret t hat t he educat ion system t hese lea r ne r s wou ld be entering or re-entering is undergoing a crisis one t hat has been brew ing arg uably for decades already and one t hat resu lts in our 15-year-olds per for ming among t he

Epoorest in t he world in inter national evaluations such as t he OECD’s Prog ramme for Inter national Student Assessment (PISA).

In t he past, to expla in t his education crisis, the usual scape goats were band ied about: decades of underinvestment in school inf rastructure; lack of resources; low compensat ion for teachers and school personnel; an outdated and congested curriculum; political inter ference; or even, corruption. But whi le such charges are not w rong or misg uided, t he explanation prov ided by t he Year One Repor t of t he Second Cong ressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) appears to be most succinct. And

t hat is, we fall shor t of t he standard prescribed by t he Constitution for t he State to “establ ish ma inta in, and suppor t a complete, adequate, and integ rated system of education.” In shor t, t he Phi lippine educat ion system i s f ragmented, as it fa i ls to act as a unif ied whole. T his is mostly characterized by t he concer ned gover nment agenc ies—including the Department of Education (DepEd), t he Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Technical Education and Sk i lls Development Authority (TESDA)—pursuing their ind iv idu al mandates almost completely separate of each ot her Fragmentation in t he education system is not only a matter of relations among gover nment agencies however It can also be obser ved in t he lack of active linkages between our educational institutions and industries. One example of t his is t he lingering resistance of t he private sector to hire lea r ners who h ave completed Senior High School (SHS) despite t he promise of t he K to 12 basic education prog ram to g raduate ind iv iduals w it h adequate worksk i lls and competencies.

A 2018 JobStreet sur vey on f resh g raduates even found t hat only 24 percent of employers—nearly 1 out of 4 – were ready to hire t he f irst batch of K to 12 g raduates. Fur t hermore, t he same sur vey found t hat 35 percent of employers were not ready to hire SHS g raduates, whi le 41 percent were sti ll undecided. Such tepid reception underg irds t he resu lts of a

June 2023 Pu lse Asia Sur vey, which showed t hat 4 out of 10 respondents were d issatisf ied w it h t he SHS prog ram. Hence, Senator Sher w in Gatchalian and myself (as a sort of last hurrah before my 2nd ter m in t he Senate is off icially cut shor t) f i led Senate Bi ll No. 2731, whic

news.businessmirror@gmail.com www.news.businessmirror@gmail.com Printed by

NTITLEMENT to disability benefits by seafarers is a matter governed not only by medical findings but also by law and by contract (OSG ShipMgt, vs De Jesus GR 207344, November 18, 2020).

he omega” (Elburg Shipmgt Phi ls. vs. Quiog ue, G.R. No. 211882, Ju ly 29, 2015) as t he POEA contract does not preclude t he seafarer f rom getting a

second opinion as to his cond ition. T he conflicting medical gradings w ill t hen be referred to a t hird doctor However, the prov ision on Determination of Disability Grading or Fitness to Work of the pending Magna Carta for Filipino Seafarers indicated that “the third doctor’s assessment shall strictly adhere to the Schedule of Disabilities as prov ided in the SEC or the applicable CBA, as warranted.” Proponents have arg ued t hat d isability shall not be measured by number of days of treatment but rat her by t he d isabi lity assessment issued by t he doctor T he prov ision essentially is a limitation t hat is inconsistent w it h t he Supreme Cour t’s pronou ncements t hat t he law also gover ns t heir entitlement, specif ically on the SC def inition of total per manent d isabi lity and t he 120/240 days ru le.

In Bitco vs. Cross World Marine (G.R. No. 2 3 9190, Feb ru a r y 10, 2021), t he Supreme Cour t d i sregarded t he par tial d isabi lity g rad ing issued by t he company-designated doctor as it noted t hat it is not t he injur y t hat is compensated, but rat her it is t he incapacity to work resu lting in t

Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua Founder

Pinoy Marino Rights

Dennis Gorecho

Ruthann Aron’s lust for power

AS the Philippines gears up for midterm elections, a multitude of candidates will vie for Senate, congressional and local seats. While some may be motivated by public service, others seek the power and prestige associated with office.

Rut hann A ron’s life is a classic example of incorrig ible lust for power t hat ambitious political cand idates shou ld know about and avoid. Political ambition shou ld be w ithin reason and shou ld have limits—something that the newbie politician didn’t realize early in her brief political career

T h e mu lt i -m i ll i ona ir e / lawye r was married to a successf u l doctor w ith two children and lived in a mansion in Potomac, Mar yland where status is not based on wealt h alone, but on political power and influence.

W hi le successf u l in her career as a real estate lawyer, her marriage to Dr Barr y A ron was f ra i l and untenable. Unable to control her husband’s phi landering, she sought ref uge in her professional and commu n ity work. She ac hieved t he latter by gett i ng a seat on t he prom i nent and high-status f ive-member planning board of Montgomer y County, which w ielded a lot of power due to t he fast development of real estate in t he Washington suburbs. Her influence in t he county was l i ke c r ack for R ut h ann. S he got hooked big time on community serv ice. Her intelligence, gender pro-life stance and track record as a f ierce lawyer later caught t he eye of t he Republicans who were on a prowl for cand idates to run aga inst Democrat Pau l Sarbanes in t he Senate.

It was a big leap for Rut h ann – f rom county ser v ice to national stage. Being cour ted by t he GOP to national elections was euphoria. First, she had to sur mount t he Republ ican prima r y, where she was pitted aga inst Wi lliam E. Brock III, whose pocket was deeper t han hers and w it h more political experience. She went to work hard, g uns blazing. Por tray ing herself as a fast-talking, hard-work ing and tough public ser vant, she led t he polls by t hree points unti l Brock hit back, as political opponents nor mally do. Brock dug up some d ir t on Rut hann, cla i m i ng she h ad problems follow ing t he law. Sa id Brock in one of t he rallies: “She has been found g ui lty, conv icted by jur y of f raud, more t han once.”

In pol it ics, sepa rat i ng t he wheat f rom t he c h aff i s easy. Seasoned pol it ic i ans wou ld h ave ignored t he mudsl i ng i ng and foc u sed on t he cou nterattack. Not Rut h ann. Becau se of her appa rent na ivety and lack of pol it ical experience, she took Brock’s attack as personal i nsu lts. You cou ld not compete nat ionally w it hout t he stomac h for wh at opponents cou ld d i sh out.

Ruthann’s case offers a stark lesson for politicians in the Philippines, where election-related violence is a persistent problem. It underscores the dangers of unchecked ambition in the pursuit of power. Politicians should manage their greed, or they would pay a hefty price for it.

Sourcing manners and morals

TTito Genova Valiente ANNOTATIONS

Part two

HIS is a continuation of my attempt to excavate materials used during the pre-war when Good Manners and Right Conduct was a separate subject in the elementary level of the Philippine public schools. How and when this course was removed is not clear; in fact, educators would tell you the said subject was never taken out but that a different approach has evolved and changed the pedagogical landscape, so to say.

And yet, t here is a sector whose voices come f rom t he older generations declaring t heir fa it h and trust on t he old, trad itional approach

stand ing mighti ly w it h his flute-li ke instrument as he played some tunes, which sent the rats (I suppose crazily) jumping and drowning in t he river

Rut hann also lost t he cour t case, ma inly on t he basis of t he testimony of another lawyer, A r thur K han, who represented compla inants who sued Rut hann years back.

To add salt to an already gaping wound, Rut hann’s husband, Barr y A ron, f i led for d ivorce. T hese setbacks appeared to have destabi lized Rut hann who became embittered and vengef u l. She f i led for an appeal and was g r anted anot h e r t ri al—b u t s h e cooked up somet hing whi le wa iting for t he cour t decision. Rut hann contacted a local businessman, Bi lly Mossberg, to help her f ind a hitman who cou ld k i ll K han before he cou ld testify aga inst her in cour t and her ex-husband, Barr y A ron for $10,000 per head.

T h e b u s i nessman r epo r tedly agreed, but only after informing then Montgomer y State Attor ney Rober t Dean about Rut hann’s plan to have two people k i lled. Wit h t he help of Dean and t he police, Mossberg gave Ruthann the name of a supposed hitman, Detective Terr y Ryan, a Montgomer y County policeman. Unknown to Rut hann, Ryan recorded t he phone conversations of t he supposed plot to k i ll K han and A ron, including the details that Ryan wou ld be paid after the obituaries for bot h were published. After deposits were made and ev idences gat hered, t he pol i ce a rrested R ut h ann on c ha rges of sol ic itat ion to commit murder in June 1997. She ser ved an 18-mont h prison sentence after plead ing no contest in Ju ly 1998. She was released in 2001. Rut hann’s case offers a stark lesson for politicians in the Phi lippines, where election-related v iolence is a persistent problem. It underscores t he dangers of unchecked ambition in t he pursuit of power  Politicians shou ld manage t heir g reed, or t hey wou ld pay a hefty price for it.

She eventually lost t he Republican primar y to Brock, which hit her li ke a ton of bricks. Instead of conced ing, t he inexperienced politician went to court, charging Brock of slander based on his speeches during t he political rallies. She cou ldn’t take the loss, went on a ta i lspin and prepared herself for another battle w ith Brock, t his time before t he cour t of law.

. . continued from A

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In my column (Business Mirror, Opinion, Ju ly 5, 2024), I w rote about two books for Grade 5 and 6, similarly titled Character and Conduct T he said book was w ritten by Sofia R. de Vey ra and Car men Ag uinaldo Melencio, ed ited by Samuel Ber man, a doctor of education. Given the limited space t hen and t he focus of t he ar ticle, I was remiss in mentioning t he stellar backg round of t he two women aut hors. Sof ia Reyes de Vey ra was a pioneer in t he f ield of civ ic ser v ice. She is cred ited for being one of t he found ing members of t he Asociacion Feminista which later created t he Gota de Leche, an organization t hat tra ined women in t he f ield of nutrition and also supplied mi lk for malnourished babies. Carmen Aguinaldo Melencio was t he daughter of Emi lio Ag uinaldo and a teacher

More stud ies shou ld be done on t hese intrepid women of our histor y. How d id t hese two come to collaborate on t his but forgotten material on insti lling manners and morals to Fi lipino pupi ls in t he years leading to war?

For t his brief incursion into t he evolution of an aspect in Phi lippine education, my concer n and curiosity

is on the k inds of stories selected that w i ll be remarkable enough for our g reat-g randparents to recall. Interestingly enough many of the accounts in t he books were some of t he unforgettable stories told to us by my own fat her – Jose Valiente. Grown up, we often wondered where our father sourced those magnificent adventures that made our chi ld hood wondrous. T hese books by t he two women, in a shock of recognition, d id conta in many of t hem.

First on t he list is t he stor y w it h t he title Pied Piper of Hamelin In t he book, t he version is adapted f rom t hat w ritten by Rober t Browning. O rig i nally a Ger man legend, t he stor y of a rat-catc her d ressed i n brig ht st riped colors, was placed under “Honesty”. It means for t he young minds t hen to be able to inter nalize t he value of honesty, t hey had to listen to t he stor y of t he Pied Piper of Hamelin.

W hat is t he stor y all about? It is about a town plag ued by rats unti l one day a man came to talk to t he local off icials and promised t hem he cou ld lure t he rats away f rom each and ever y home, from the sewers and pits of the v illage. All this in exchange for a fee. Fa ir enough

One of t he most mag ical t hings I sti ll remember up to now is how my fat her described t he Pied Piper

We all know what happened. T he local gover nment then did not fulfill its promise; in ot her words, it reneged on the contract. A ha, but anyone who cou ld play music t hat w i ll entice rats into t heir deat h must be a power f u l man indeed.

Angered by t he duplicitous off icials, t he Pied Piper came back and star ted play ing some music aga in, t his time, enticing all t he chi ldren to follow him to t he cave. No one cou ld stop t he boys and g irls and soon t hey were all inside t he cave, never to be seen aga in. It is a long road to honesty listening to t his stor y. W hat my young mind blamed t hough after listening to t his stor y was how adu lts can be so d ishonest w it hout t hink ing of t he impact of t heir actions on chi ldren. I t hought t hen how sad t his tale was. And not even t hat par t of t he stor y cou ld assuage me, about t he crippled boy who walked so slowly, he d id not make it when t he mysterious stone opening to t he cave vanished. T here are ot her stories. Even t he A r t hurian legend is here. Lancelot, Gala had. T he Holy Gra i l. No wonder Papa had a tremendous cache of stories when t he youngest among t he boys, Carlo, wou ld take a long time to sleep. In t he book, t here are stories for each value and it wou ld be a compelling lesson in pedagogy to go through t hem one by one in a

As they get to where the grandfather is standing, they all look to the sea and gasp as they see a massive tidal wave engulfing the land below, crushing their homes, and flooding the entire rice fields.

E-mail: titovaliente@yahoo.com

IMF’s economic view: Brighter outlook for China and India but tepid global growth

By Paul Wiseman AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON—T h e Inte r nat i onal Moneta r y Fund on Tuesday upgraded its economic outlook this year for C hina, India and Europe while modestly lowering expectations for the United States and Japan. But it says worldwide progress against accelerating prices has been slowed by stickier-than-expected inflation for ser vices, from airline travel to restaurant meals.

Overall, t he IMF sa id it sti ll expects t he world economy to g row a lackluster 3.2 percent t his year unchanged from its prev ious forecast in Apri l and down a tick f rom 3 3 percent g rowt h in 2023 “Global g rowt h remains steady,” Pierre-Oliv ier Gourinchas, t he IMF’s chief economist, told repor ters.

Sti ll, t he world economy’s expansion remains unimpressive by recent hi storical standa rds. From 2000 t hrough 2019, before t he pandemic upended economic activ ity, global g rowt h h ad averaged 3.8 percent

In t he Quiog ue case, t he Cour t d iscussed t he 120/240 days in accordance w it h t he Labor Code. T he company-des i gnated doctor/physician carries t he responsibi lity of mak ing a def inite and conclusive assessment on t he deg ree of t he seafarer’s d isabi lity and his capacity to resume work w it hin 120 or 240 days from repatriation, as the case may be, and t

a year T he IMF, a 190-nation lend ing organization, works to promote economic g rowth and f inancial stabi lity and reduce global pover ty. Gourinchas estimated that China and Ind ia wou ld account for nearly half of global g rowt h t his year Pa r tly becau se of a s ur ge i n C hinese expo r ts at t h e sta r t of 2024, t h e IMF u pg r aded its g r owt h fo r ecast fo r C hi na t hi s yea r to 5 pe rcent f r om t h e 4.6 pe rcent it h ad p r o j ected i n Ap ri l, t ho u g h down f r om 5.2 pe rcent i n 202 3 T h e IMF fo r ecast was posted befo r e Be iji ng repor ted Monday t h at t he C hi nese economy, t h e wo r ld’s second-la r gest afte r t h e Un ited States, h ad g r own at a slowe r -t h an-expected 4.7 pe rcent annu al r ate f r om Ap ri l t hr o u g h Ju ne, down f r om 5. 3 pe rcent i n t h e f ir st t hr ee mont h s of t h e yea r C hi na’s economy, w hi c h once reg u la r ly g rew at a dou ble-d i g it annu al pace, i s fac i ng sign i f icant c h allenges, notably t he collapse of its hou si ng ma rket and an ag i ng popu lat ion t h at i s leav i ng t he cou nt r y w it h labor shor tages. By 2029, Gouri nc h as w rote, C hi na’s g rowt h w i ll slow to 3 3 percent. Ind i a’s economy i s now forecast to expand 7 pe rcent, u p f r om t h e 6.8 pe rcent t h e IMF h ad p r o j ected i n Apri l, i n pa r t becau se of st ronger cons u me r spend i ng i n rur al a r eas. T he IMF sa id t h at t he “shoots of recover y materi al i zed i n Europe,” whic h h ad been battered by high energy prices and ot her econom ic damage f rom Ru ssi a’s 2022 i nvasion of Uk ra i ne. C it i ng a ri se i

T he g uidelines in T hird Doctor referral was issued by t he Supreme Cour t in t he recent case of Bunayog v. Foscon Shipmgt, Inc. (G.R. No. 253480 Apri l 25, 2023).

In reality, t he g rad ing system assessment under t he POEA SEC is not reflective of t he benef its t hat shou ld be g iven to t he seafarer T here are medical conditions that are classified as partial disability (between Grade 2 to 14) but in essence shou ld have been considered as total per manent. Employers w i ll never hire a seafa rer who su ffered complete loss of t he sense of hea ri ng on bot h ea rs (Grade 3), loss of speec h due to i njur

CREATE More bill passage being fast-tracked—Chiz

By Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuan

THE amendatory CREATE More bill will likely be passed before the Open Access bill as it is the priority of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., according to Senate President Francis Escudero.

At the PCCI’s 2nd General Membership Meeting on Thursday, Escudero said, “CREATE more is a priority of the President and only this afternoon I had a meeting with [Finance] Secretary [Ralph] Recto and he told me that the version of Secretary [Frederick] Go which is sometimes different from the DOF...has been reconciled.”

With this, the Senate President said they expect to file the Committee report or the reconciled version of all the agencies of the government, which he said “will now fast-track this bill,” adding that this may also be done by next week.

“They expect passage earlier than the Open Access bill because this is at the top of the list of the President,”

Escudero noted, adding, “We expect passage of Open Access before we adjourn on September 28 for the midterm recess.”

The lawmaker added that Marcos had been telling foreign investors about the CREATE More bill during his investment missions.

Several business groups have cited the need to amend the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act, a menu of tax incentives which took effect in April 2021; hence, giving rise to the CREATE MORE bill, which aims to enhance the tax regime and iron out inconsistencies and ambiguities.

For one, the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation Inc. (Seipi) Presi-

dent Danilo C. Lachica told reporters recently that Seipi backs the removal of valueadded tax (VAT) on constructive exports.

“Two, restore the 5-percent [gross income earned] GIE, and then third is to restore the autonomy of [Philippine Economic Zone Authority] Peza so that the [Fiscal Incentives Review Board] FIRB [does not impede] investment promotion,” Lachica added, partly in Filipino.

Another industry group, the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP), unveiled the IT and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) industry’s proposed amendments for the enhanced version of Create at a Senate hearing held in May 2024.

IBPAP President Jack Madrid earlier told the BusinessMirror that the industry eagerly awaits the amendments of Create “for the clarity, stability and predictability of our incentives regime.”

One of the proposals of the IT-BPM industry is to reconsider a section in the SB 2654 amending Section 294 of RA 11534, a piece of the measure that aims to impose a 2-percent duty on RBEs availing of the enhanced deduction regime.

“This has to do with a proposed imposition of a business enterprise local tax at a rate not exceeding 2 percent of gross sales for RBEs availing of the enhanced deduction regime,” Madrid said.

Calling the 2-percent duty “onerous,” he said this could also “discourage enterprises from opting for the enhanced deductions regime.” (Full story here: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2024/05/13/it-bpm-firms-eagerlyawait-new-law-aacmid-tax-perkswoes/)

For the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), which released a statement in May 2024, “administrative issuances implementing CREATE limited” the applicability of the value-added tax (VAT) exemption on importation and VAT zero-rating on local purchases by a registered export enterprise.

PCCI pointed out that under the CREATE Act, such incentive is granted to “Registered Business Enterprises (RBEs)” in general and does not distinguish between an export enterprise and a domestic market enterprise inside separate customs territories. (Full story here: https://businessmirror.com.

ph/2024/05/31/pcci-pushes-passageof-create-more/)

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo @akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror

SOME 70 percent of the 500-person workforce of the now-shuttered Sofitel Philippine Plaza, whose view of the Manila Bay sunset enamored former US President Barack Obama, have gotten their separation benefits.

In a Viber exchange, Philippine Plaza Holdings Inc. (PPHI) President Esteban Peña Sy told the BusinessMirror, “Per report of the Sofitel General Manager, as of today [July 17], 325 employees or 70 percent of the staff have received their separation pay and signed the quit-claim form.” The hotel has extended the deadline for workers to claim their separation benefits to July 31, after the original deadline of July 10, 2024, already passed.

“As recommended by our Human Resources team, we are extending the deadline for availing of the separation offer until the end of this month. For employees who do not avail of this offer, their separation package will be computed based on the CBA [Collective Bargaining Agreement] provision,” he added.

Peña Sy earlier told this paper that the separation benefit the hotel firm has offered is more than what has been provided

under the CBA between management and its labor unions. The hotel closed its doors to the public at the end of business hours on June 30, 2024. (See, “Sofitel Philippine Plaza workers will get nearly P300 million in separation benefits–hotel owner,” in the B USINESS M IRROR , May 10, 2024.) He explained, under the CBA, employees were assured of a separation pay “from half-a-month salary for each year of service to 1.15-month pay depending on seniority. [Sofitel Manila’s]

per month starting July 1, 2022 for supervisors, and another P1,000 monthly increase starting July 1, 2023. For the rank and file, a monthly P1,000 salary increase starting January 1, 2023 and another P1,000 increase starting Jan. 1, 2024. The separation pay is computed based on the adjusted salary,” he added. Also, employees who avail themselves of the hotel’s separation benefits offer “will receive a P10,000 appreciation bonus,” said Peña Sy.

Continued on A

NTC ramps up drive on sale of pre-registered SIM cards

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

THE National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) is ramping up its efforts against the sale of pre-registered SIM cards, which are commonly used for text scams.

NTC Commissioner Ella Blanca B. Lopez said the agency met with industry stakeholders—telecommunications companies, distributors, and dealers—to “address issues related to the sale of pre-registered SIM cards and irregular forms of assisted registration.”

She explained that the agency emphasized the critical importance of complying with the SIM Registration Act, which mandates strict guidelines for the registration and distribution of SIM cards to enhance national security and protect consumers against fraud and misuse. The law explicitly prohibits the sale of pre-registered SIM cards and any form of irregular assisted registration, citing these practices as violations that pose significant risks to public safety. Violations of this law are con-

sidered criminal offenses and carry penalties of up to six years imprisonment, a fine of up to P300,000, or both.

“The NTC is committed to ensuring the integrity of SIM registration processes across the telecommunications industry,” Lopez said.

“Through these dialogues, we aim to clarify regulatory requirements and expectations while fostering cooperation among telcos, distributors and dealers to uphold the law.”

The initial meeting was attended by representatives from Smart Communications Inc., Dito Telecommunity Corp., Megasmart One Inc., CommWorks Inc., Oxford Distributors Inc., and Mobile First.

A subsequent meeting with Globe Telecom Inc., and its distributors is also scheduled for this week.

“These engagements with industry stakeholders are necessary to promote awareness and adherence to regulatory standards. These efforts are pivotal in safeguarding the interests of consumers and ensuring a secure telecommunications environment nationwide,” the NTC Commissioner said. Lopez noted that this dialogue

is just the first step in a series of planned initiatives by the NTC to ensure that all stakeholders have a clear understanding of their legal obligations and the penal provisions under the SIM Registration Act. The SIM Registration Act mandates the registration of all SIMs. It aims to shield consumers from illegal activities such as scams, smishing, and other forms of mobile phone and online fraud.

Experts earlier said that bad actors are said to have been circumventing the law by purchasing pre-registered SIM cards or paying individuals for their identities. They are also now using overthe-top platforms and International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) catchers or fake cell towers to scam Filipinos.

Currently, the NTC said it is in talks with major platform providers like Meta and Viber to address these loopholes.

Recent data from the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) indicated a staggering 152-percent increase in cybercrimes and a threefold rise in online scams from 2022 to 2023.

ROTARIANS WELCOME MARGAUX Undersecretary Margaux Salcedo, Guest of Honor and Speaker from the Department of Budget and Management, is flanked by (from left) Rotary Club of Manila (RCM) Vice President Joel C. Valdez, Rotarian D. Edgard A. Cabangon, RCM President Jujut Enriquez, PD Sixto

“Noy” Benedicto, and Director Henry Go during the Rotary Club of Manila's weekly meeting at the Manila Polo Club in Makati City NONOY LACZA

July 19, 2024

NOTICE OF FILING OF APPLICATION FOR ALIEN EMPLOYMENT PERMIT (AEP/S)

NO.ESTABLISHMENT

1 AICE PHILIPPINES ICE CREAM INC.

Block 9A, Lots 1-3, Lima Technology Center, San Lucas, City of Lipa, Batangas

2 B O L I M AUTOPARTS PHILIPPINES, INC.

Lot 2, Block 10, Phase 1, Cavite Economic Zone, Tejeros Convention, Rosario, Cavite

3 DIGITAL JENIUS, INC.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL, POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

HONG, WENJIE

Sales Manager

Brief Job Description:

e ie nancial statements, su mit nancial analysis an management ork reports an pro i e a asis for usiness management ecisions

ZHANG, JINGBAO

Pro uction Technology Assistant Manager

Brief Job Description: Assist in manage service levels to meet usiness unit nee s

Bl g 6, Covelan ia R , Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite LIU, HONGFENG

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Manage incoming calls an customer service inquiries, han ling complaints, provi e solutions, process customer accounts an le ocuments

LIU, TAO

4 DIGITAL JENIUS, INC.

Bl g 6, Covelan ia R , Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

5 DIGITAL JENIUS, INC.

Bl g 6, Covelan ia R , Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

6 DIGITAL JENIUS, INC.

Bl g 6, Covelan ia R , Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Manage incoming calls an customer service inquiries, han ling complaints, provi e solutions, process customer accounts an le ocuments

LIU, XIAOLU

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Manage incoming calls an customer service inquiries, han ling complaints, provi e solutions, process customer accounts an le ocuments

LIU, YANG

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Manage incoming calls an customer service inquiries, han ling complaints, provi e solutions, process customer accounts an le ocuments

7 DIGITAL JENIUS, INC.

Bl g 6, Covelan ia R , Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite LUO, JUNPENG

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Manage incoming calls an customer service inquiries, han ling complaints, provi e solutions, process customer accounts an le ocuments

8 DIGITAL JENIUS, INC.

Bl g 6, Covelan ia R , Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite PAN, WEI

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Manage incoming calls an customer service inquiries, han ling complaints, provi e solutions, process customer accounts an le ocuments

WU, TIAN

9 DIGITAL JENIUS, INC.

Bl g 6, Covelan ia R , Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

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

Bl g 6, Covelan ia R , Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Manage incoming calls an customer service inquiries, han ling complaints, provi e solutions, process customer accounts an le ocuments

Basic ali cation:

College ra uate, prefera ly 1year experience in the similar el , Speaks an write uently ative Language)

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

Basic ali cation:

College ra uate, prefera ly 1year experience in the similar el , Speaks an write uently ative Language)

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

Basic ali cation:

College ra uate, prefera ly 1year experience in the similar el , Speaks an write uently ative Language)

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

Basic ali cation:

College ra uate, prefera ly 1year experience in the similar el , Speaks an write uently ative Language)

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

Basic ali cation:

College ra uate, prefera ly 1year experience in the similar el , Speaks an write uently ative Language)

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

Basic ali cation:

College ra uate, prefera ly 1year experience in the similar el , Speaks an write uently ative Language) Salary Range:

WU, YULONG

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief

Bl g 6, Covelan ia R , Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite WU, ZHENGYU

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief

Bl g 6, Covelan ia R , Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite XU, XUFAN

Chinese Customer Service Representative Brief

Bl g 6, Covelan ia R , Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

FAN Chinese Customer Service Representative

DIGITAL JENIUS,

Bl g 6, Covelan ia R , Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

16 DIGITAL JENIUS, INC.

Bl g 6, Covelan ia R , Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

17 DIGITAL JENIUS, INC.

Bl g 6, Covelan ia R , Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

YU, JIHONG

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

ZHANG, BING

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls an

ZHENG, LEIFANG

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Job Description:

Bl g 6, Covelan ia R , Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite ZHOU, MINJIE

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Bl g 6, Covelan ia R , Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

ZHU, JIA

Chinese Customer Service Representative

DIGITAL JENIUS, INC.

20 DREAM ESCAPADE TRAVEL AND TOURS INC.

#100, E. Gonzales Street, Barangay I (Pob.), Silang, Cavite

21 EPSON PRECISION (PHILIPPINES), INC.

Special Export Processing Zone, Lima Technology Center, Bugtong na Pulo, City of Lipa, Batangas

22 EPSON PRECISION (PHILIPPINES), INC.

Special Export Processing Zone, Lima Technology Center, Bugtong na Pulo, City of Lipa, Batangas

23 GRAND APEX CONSTRUCTION INC.

6th loor, L K Bl g., rtigas Avenue Extension, San Isi ro, Cainta, Rizal

24 GOLDEN COAST VIEWPOINT INC.

Bl g. 10, Islan Cove Pogo ub, Covelan ia Roa , Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

25 LITTLE V MOBILE TECH INC.

TAN HAU YEE

Marketing f cer-Man arin Speaking

Brief Job Description:

Support the marketing manager in overseeing the epartment operation

TAKIZAWA, TAKEMI

acilities An Safety epartment Manager

Basic ali cation: Must be 18 to 25 years ol with 6 months experience as marketing of cer

Salary

Brief Job Description: In charge of securing safety an operation an maintenance of facilities an utilities Basic ali cation: Must know apanese

YOSHIOKA, KOTARO

Printer Pro uction Control epartment Manager

Brief Job Description: verall management of activities involve in import an export operation. Basic ali cation: ith management skills an full knowle ge in importation an exportation Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999

WEI, HAN

Multilingual Project Manager

Brief Job Description:

Plan all construction operations an sche ule interme iate phases to ensure ea lines will be met an acquire equipment an material an monitor stocks to timely han le ina equacies

OZDEMIR, ERMAN

ice Presi ent of perations

Brief Job Description:

Establish, implement an communicate the strategic irection of the organization s operations ivision

nit-lower Basement, An enson Buil ing 3, ational Roa , Parian, City of Calamba, Laguna PENG, JIAN

Sales Supervisor

Brief Job Description: Assist with marketing campaigns, bran evelopment an review ata

XU, YALIN

26 LITTLE V MOBILE TECH INC.

nit-lower Basement, An enson Buil ing 3, ational Roa , Parian, City of Calamba, Laguna

27 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Sales Supervisor

Brief Job Description:

Provi e in ustry-speci c coaching an training to client an assist with marketing campaigns an bran evelopment an review ata

Covelan ia Roa Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite YANG, HAO

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls an customer service inquiries

28 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelan ia Roa Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Basic ali cation:

Able to perform un er strict ea lines, can withstan work. can speak English an Chinese ( uent in Man arin)

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

Basic ali cation: Must be able to speak English an Chinese ( uent in Man arin)

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, rea an write Chinese language

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

Representative

Covelan ia Roa , Binakayan, Pulvorista,

Covelan

Covelan

Covelan ia

Covelan ia Roa , Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite ZHOU, YANSHAN

35 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelan ia Roa Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

36 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelan ia Roa , Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

37 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelan ia Roa , Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

KHAMYIA

DESTIN, JEAN-ROBERT MATATA Customer Service

Covelan

Covelan

Kawit, Cavite

Basic ali cation:

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

42 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

43 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

44 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

PHENGDEEVUE

Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

SUGIANTO

Indonesian Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

ARIF ATMADI

Indonesian Customer Service Representative

Brief

CHRISTA BELLA

Indonesian Customer Service Representative

Brief

45

Representative

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

46 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

47

48

JUN HO

Indonesian Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite JUNAIDY

Indonesian Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite RICARDO Indonesian Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Indonesian language

Salary Range: Php 30,000 -

Basic ali cation: Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Indonesian language

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

Covelandia

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia

Covelandia Road, Binakayan,

Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

62 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

63 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

64 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

65 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

NANG SEING YOUN

Myanmari Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

NAW SAN

Myanmari Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

SAI PIN HOM KHAY

Myanmari Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

THAN THAN HTAY

Myanmari Customer Service Representative

Brief

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite WIN SANDAR HTAY

Myanmari Customer Service Representative

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Myanmari language

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Myanmari language

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Myanmari language

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries Basic ali cation:

AUNG NYEIN CHAN

66 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

67 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Myanmari Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite NAY CHI AYE CHAN

Myanmari Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

SAI PHA SENG

68 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

69 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Myanmari Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

SAI SAING LU

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Myanmari language

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Myanmari language

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Myanmari language

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Myanmari language

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

Covelandia

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

76 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite NAY CHI OO

Myanmari-Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description:

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia

Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

82 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

83 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

84 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

85 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

PHAM, THI THUY TRANG

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

TRAN, CONG NHAT

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

VANG, THI DO

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

VO, THI YEN

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite CHU VAN THI

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

CHU, THI MAI PHUONG

86 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

87 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

88 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

89 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

CHU, THI MINH THU

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

DANG VAN HUYNH

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite DUONG VAN DUNG

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

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

Basic ali cation: Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

Salary

90

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Brief

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit,

102

103

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite LE THI HONG TRANG

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

LE, THI THANH LAN

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

LE, VAN ANH

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite LUONG NGOC LY

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage

NGUYEN ANH TUAN

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

106 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

107

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

NGUYEN CAO CUONG

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

NGUYEN DUC LAM

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

NGUYEN HOANG ANH

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Basic ali cation:

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

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

Basic ali cation:

ali cation:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

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

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Brief Job Description:

incoming calls and customer service inquiries Basic ali cation: Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

Salary

NGUYEN HUU LOC

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista,

Covelandia

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

THI SAM

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

ali cation:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

Salary Range:

NGUYEN THANH HUAN Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief

Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

122 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

123 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

124 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

125

PHAM VAN THANH

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

PHAM THI THUY

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

TAN HOAN HIEU

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

TRAN DUC

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite TRAN, DINH CONG

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

TRINH VAN SON

126 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

127 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

128 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

129 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

TRINH, KHUONG DUY

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

TRUONG THI HANH

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Representative

Brief Job Description:

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

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

Covelandia

Covelandia

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

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

ali cation:

to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

Salary Range: Php 30,000 -

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

137 MHI POWER (PHILIPPINES) PLANT SERVICES CORPORATION

AG&P, Special Economic Zone, San Roque, Bauan, Batangas

138 NEW WAVE INFOTECH LIMITED PHILIPPINES, INC.

6th, 7th, 9th-12th Floor, Southwoods f ce Tower 2, San Francisco, City of Biñan, Laguna

NGUYEN, THI NGHIA

Vietnamese-Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

YOSHIMURA, MUNEFUMI

Deputy Department ManagerSolution Engineering

Brief Job Description: Monitor implementation of corrective and preventive actions taken by each section and make strategy for expansion of after-sales business

CHERISTIAN TANOTO

Foreign Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Document all pertinent end user identi cation information, including name, department. contact information and nature of problem or issue in the appropriate language

KIM, JUHO

Foreign Customer Service Representative

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Brief Job Description:

6th, 7th, 9th-12th Floor, Southwoods f ce Tower 2, San Francisco, City of Biñan, Laguna

Brief Job Description:

Document all pertinent end user identi cation information, including name, department. contact information and nature of problem or issue in the appropriate language

140

6th, 7th, 9th-12th Floor, Southwoods f ce Tower 2, San Francisco, City of Biñan, Laguna

141

6th, 7th, 9th-12th Floor, Southwoods f ce Tower 2, San Francisco, City of Biñan, Laguna

142 NEW WAVE INFOTECH LIMITED PHILIPPINES, INC.

6th, 7th, 9th-12th Floor, Southwoods f ce Tower 2, San Francisco, City of Biñan, Laguna

143 NEW WAVE INFOTECH LIMITED PHILIPPINES, INC.

6th, 7th, 9th-12th Floor, Southwoods f ce Tower 2, San Francisco, City of Biñan, Laguna

144 NEW WAVE INFOTECH LIMITED PHILIPPINES, INC.

6th, 7th, 9th-12th Floor, Southwoods f ce Tower 2, San Francisco, City of Biñan, Laguna

145 NEW WAVE INFOTECH LIMITED PHILIPPINES, INC.

6th, 7th, 9th-12th Floor, Southwoods f ce Tower 2, San Francisco, City of Biñan, Laguna

146 NEW WAVE

6th, 7th, 9th-12th Floor, Southwoods f ce Tower 2, San Francisco, City of Biñan, Laguna

LAM, HUE TRINH

Foreign Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Document all pertinent end user identi cation information, including name, department. contact information and nature of problem or issue in the appropriate language

LYU, JUNYING

Foreign Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Document all pertinent end user identi cation information, including name, department. contact information and nature of problem or issue in the appropriate language

NGUYEN, HOAI AN

Foreign Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Document all pertinent end user identi cation information, including name, department. contact information and nature of problem or issue in the appropriate language

NGUYEN, QUANG DUY

Foreign Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Document all pertinent end user identi cation information, including name, department. contact information and nature of problem or issue in the appropriate language

SHI, DONGMING

Foreign Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Document all pertinent end user identi cation information, including name, department. contact information and nature of problem or issue in the appropriate language

SUN, QIANXU

Foreign Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Document all pertinent end user identi cation information, including name, department. contact information and nature of problem or issue in the appropriate language

DANG, THI PHUONG

Foreign Marketing

Brief Job Description:

Plan sales and advertising campaigns, collect and analyze market research data

Basic ali cation:

Computer literate and having nished at least

Secondary Education and must be able to speak, write and read Chinese, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Indonesian or Indian language

Salary Range:

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic ali cation:

Computer literate and having nished at least

Secondary Education and must be able to speak, write and read Chinese, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Indonesian or Indian language

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

Basic ali cation:

Computer literate and having nished at least

Secondary Education and must be able to speak, write and read Chinese, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Indonesian or Indian language

Salary Range:

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic ali cation:

Computer literate and having nished at least

Secondary Education and must be able to speak, write and read Chinese, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Indonesian or Indian language

Salary Range:

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic ali cation:

Computer literate and having nished at least Secondary Education and must be able to speak, write and read Chinese, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Indonesian or Indian language

Salary Range:

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic ali cation:

Computer literate and having nished at least Secondary Education and must be able to speak, write and read Chinese, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Indonesian or Indian language

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

Basic ali cation:

Computer literate and having nished at least Secondary Education, College Grad nder Grad and must be able to speak, write and read Chinese, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Indonesian or Indian language

Salary Range:

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic ali cation:

148

6th, 7th, 9th-12th Floor, Southwoods f ce Tower 2, San Francisco, City of Biñan, Laguna

LEO, VAN BUT Foreign Marketing Brief Job Description: Plan

149

LY VAN VU

Foreign Marketing

6th, 7th, 9th-12th Floor, Southwoods f ce Tower 2, San Francisco, City of Biñan, Laguna

Brief Job Description:

collect and analyze market research data

150

6th, 7th, 9th-12th Floor, Southwoods f ce Tower 2, San Francisco, City of Biñan, Laguna

151 NEW WAVE INFOTECH LIMITED PHILIPPINES, INC.

6th, 7th, 9th-12th Floor, Southwoods f ce Tower 2, San Francisco, City of Biñan, Laguna

152 SERCOMM PHILIPPINES INC.

Lot 15, Road 3, Carmelray Industrial Park, Canlubang, City of Calamba, Laguna

NGUYEN, DUC THINH

Foreign Marketing

Brief Job Description: Plan

collect and analyze market research data

SONG, XIAOJIAN Foreign Marketing

Brief Job Description:

Plan sales and advertising campaigns, collect and analyze market research data

ZHAO, ZHIBAO Engineering Supervisor

Brief Job Description: Develop detailed plans for new designs and products, design, implement, and re ne product development, testing, and manufacturing processes.

153 SHING HUNG PLASTICS COMPANY INC.

Lot 8, Phase 1, First Philippine Industrial Park, Santa Anastacia, City of Sto. Tomas, Batangas HUANG, CHIN-YU Plant Manager

Brief Job Description: Plan, organize,

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

155 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

CHEN, JIA Chinese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description:

CHEN, JIANZHEN

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

147

DANG, THI HOI

Foreign Marketing

6th, 7th, 9th-12th Floor, Southwoods f ce Tower 2, San Francisco, City of Biñan, Laguna

Brief Job Description:

Plan sales and advertising campaigns, collect and analyze market research data

Computer literate and having nished at least Secondary Education, College Grad nder Grad and must be able to speak, write and read Chinese, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Indonesian or Indian language

Salary Range:

Php 30,000

156 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

CHENG, CHENG

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

157

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

158 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

159 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

160

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

161 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

162 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

163 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

164 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief

LI, YANG

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

LI, ZHE

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite PENG, LU

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

SHANG, YANG

165 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

166 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

CHEN, CHUNHUA

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Able

Salary

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

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

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

CHEN, HAO

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

169 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

170 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

CHEN, JIANGKUN

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite HUANG, JIE

171 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite WANG, JUNYONG

172 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

173 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

174 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

175 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

WANG, WENBO

Chinese

ZHENG

FUHANG

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite YANG, YUXIN

176 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite CHENG, CHENG

177 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

178 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

179 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

180 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

181 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

ERICHA MEGA VARIANTI

Indonesian Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

HARYOKI

Indonesian Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

HERMAN WIRANATA

Indonesian Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

FANIE DEASYANTI

Indonesian Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite VERINANDO

Indonesian Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

KEVIN

182 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

183 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

184 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

185 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read, and write Chinese and Indonesian language

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read, and write Chinese and Indonesian language

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read, and write Chinese and Indonesian language

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read, and write Chinese and Indonesian language

Salary Range:

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read, and write Chinese and Indonesian language

Salary Range:

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic ali cation:

Indonesian Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

HOANG THI NGOC MAI

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

GIANG, SEO DI

Vietnamese-Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

LANG, HONG MAI

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief

Able to speak, read, and write Chinese and Indonesian language

Salary Range:

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read, and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

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

Basic ali cation:

Able to speak, read, and write Chinese and Vietnamese language Salary Range:

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

187 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

VAN BINH

SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite TRAN VAN NGUYEN

Any person in the Philippines who is competent, able and willing

the foreign national is desired may le an objection at D LE Regional f

Floors, Andenson Building II, Parian, Calamba City, Laguna, within 30 days after this

Please inform D LE Regional f ce IV-A if you have any information on criminal offense committed by the foreign nationals.

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

SM Investments secures

By VG Cabuag @villygc

CONGLOMERATE SM Investments Corp. (SMIC) has raised some $500 million from its notes issuance, its first drawdown from its $3-billion multi-issuer Euro Medium-Term Notes (EMTN) program established last May.

uidance.

T he f ive-year notes were d istributed to high-quality global accounts. By geog raphy, t he notes were d istributed 87 percent to Asia, and 13 percent to Europe, Middle East and Af rica. By investor type, 83 percent of t he 5-year notes were d istributed to f und managers and asset managers, 11 percent to banks and financial institutions and 6 percent to private banks and ot hers.

Issued by SMIC’s wholly owned subsid iar y SMIC SG Hold ings Pte. Ltd., t he notes are g uaranteed by t he company. HSBC, J. P Mor gan, Standa rd Char tered Bank and UBS have been mandated by SMIC as joint lead managers and joint book runners, along-

side BDO Capital and Investments Cor p. and China Bank Capital Cor p. as joint lead managers. T he net proceeds f rom t he EMTN issue w ill be allocated for general corporate pur poses, t he company sa id. In June 2023, SMIC sa id it intends to d iversity into fast-g row ing sectors. Its chief executive off icer Frederic DyBuncio wants non-core assets l i ke log i st ics, renewables, mining and gaming to account for 15 percent of ear nings w it hin t he next t hree to f ive years. Core to DyBuncio’s plans are t he outlooks for 2GO Group Inc., t he countr y’s largest integ rated supply cha in operator as t he log istics sector g rows at tw ice t he pace of t he economy. Meanw hi le, Phi l ipp i ne Geot her mal Production Co. w i ll develop si x to seven g reenf ield projects in f ive years to double capacity and benef it f rom t he shift to renewable energy, he sa id.

CBy Ada Pelonia

ONSUMER goods make r Uni lever Phi lippines wants more Fi lipinos to have access to its nutrition education prog rams, which seek to enable consumers to make better food choices. T he company sa id t he company is targeting to cover 15 mi llion Fi lipinos by 2030. It sa id t he Nutri-Sarap prog ram of its food brand Knorr and t he Mak u lay ang Buhay prog ram h ave so fa r reac hed 12.5 m i ll ion Fi lipinos.

“T

a

m i ll

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

HE Man i la Elect ri c Co.

T(Meralco) sa id on T hursday it h as successf u lly sec ured bids for 500 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy supply t hrough a compet itive selection process (CSP). T he bid att r acted offers f rom t hree compan ies: San Roque Hyd ropowe r, Inc. (SRHI), Gi gasol 3, Inc., and Santa Cru z Solar Energy, Inc. (SCSEI).

During t he bid opening, SRHI emerged w it h t he most compet itive offer, presenting a total headline rate of P7.1000 per k i lowatt-hour (kW h) for 340 MW of t he required supply.

By Anne Ruth Dela Cruz

THE Depar tment of Tourism (DOT) h as pa r tnered w it h premier healt hcare inst it ution T he Med ical City (TMC), w it h the end goal of positioning the Philippines as a top destination for healt h and wellness.

T he signing of t he memorandum of ag reement, which was held at t he Grand Hyatt Manila on July 17, 2024, also marked t he launch of t he “Discover Your Wellness” series which is par t of DOT’s “Love t he Phi lippines” campa ign. T he project w i ll high light t he unique blend of worldclass healt hcare breat htak ing tourist attractions and v ibrant cu ltural experiences ava i lable in t he countr y.

“T he launching of t he ‘Discover Your Wellness’ initiative which is a collaborative effor t is a demonstration of our shared v ision to posit ion t he Phi l ippines as a premier dest inat ion for med ical tourism,” sa id Tourism Sec reta r y C hrist i na Garcia Frasco.

She added that the countr y’s “rich cu ltural heritage, breathtak ing landscape and mega biodiversity” prov ide the perfect background for a “medical tourism experience that goes beyond recover y and rejuvenation.”

“Our v isitors w i ll have t he advantage of immersing t hemselves in our cu lture, enjoy ing our cu linar y delights, and par tak ing of our various wellness activ ities t hat promote

Gigasol3 proposed P8.1819 per kW h for 139 MW, whi le SCSEI bid P8.1998 per kW h for t he rema ining 21 MW. All offers were below t he reser ve price of P8.2380 per kW h set for t his CSP accord ing to Meralco’s Bids and Awards Committee for Power Supply Ag reements (BAC-PSA). Accord ing to Meralco BAC-PSA Cha ir man Law rence S. Fer nandez, t he submitted bids under went rigorous assessments to ensure completeness and compliance, followed by a pre-qualif ication evaluation.”

A post- qu al i f i cat i on eval uat i on w i ll be cond u cted befo r e t h e BAC- P SA s u bm i ts i ts r ecommendat i ons to Me r alco’s Boa r d of D ir ecto r s fo r f i nal app r oval

and i ss u ance of Not i ces of Awa r d. Fer nandez noted t hat CSP aligns w it h t he Depa r tment of Energy’s (DOE) Depa r tment C irc u la r No. DC2023 -06-0021 and Energy Reg ulator y Commission (ERC) Resolution No. 16, Series of 2023

“As a hi g h ly reg u lated ent ity, Meralco has conducted its business in f u ll compl iance w it h t he ru les and reg u lations issued by t he ERC and DOE.”

T he 10-year power supply ag reement (PSA) w i ll commence in Februar y 2025, initially covering a 350MW mid-merit requirement, w it h an add itional 150 MW star ting in Februar y 2026.

For t he longer ter m, Meralco has

physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. T he synergy between our tourist attractions and med ical ser v ices offers t he holistic wellness jour ney t hat is tru ly unique to t he Phi lippines,” Frasco sa id.

Filipino people

SHE added t hat she ag reed w it h t he comments made by Dr Eugene F. Ramos, President and CEO of T he Med ical City Enter prise, who noted that what made the Philippines stand out among tourism nations is t he Fi lipino people.

“W h at o ur med i cal to uri sm g uests can be assured of in our countr y is t hat level of care, ded ication, war mt h, and love t hat can only be offered by a Fi lipino,” Frasco sa id. In his remarks, Ramos described t he gat hering as an inspiring occa-

sion when Fi lipinos get toget her to pool t heir talents, capabi lities and t heir desire to bui ld t he Phi lippines faster, g rander and in a more susta inable way t hrough collaboration, orchestration and synerg ies.”

“Phi lippine tourism offers a traveler a variety of oppor t unit ies to d iscover and expore, to surrender and to heal. After years of tr y ing to capture t hat per fect and memorable experience, we inev itably had to go back to what we tru ly are as a people: t he f riendliest, t he war mest and ‘smi lingest’ people in t he world and speak ing good English too whi le making those great noises that sound g reat li ke music,” he sa id.

Four aspects FOR his par t, Jose Xav ier “Eck ie” Gonzales, Cha ir man of t he Board of

already secured 1,880 MW of renewable energy capacity, sur passing its initial target of 1,500 MW. By 2030, renewable energy is projected to account for 22 percent of Meralco’s supply por tfolio.

Meralco had repor ted a 9-percent i nc rease i n ene r gy sales to 12,307GW h as of end-March t his year ma inly driven by higher consumption of residential and commercial segments, t he extra day in Februar y, and t he continuous recover y of t he industrial segment.

It sa id t hat hotels, educational i nst it ut ions, and restaurants h ad signif icant consumption upsw ings due to t he susta ined increase in inperson events.

T he Med ical City, sa id he was looking into four aspects when it came to med ical tourism. T he f irst is to go past t he gold standard for tourism. Gonzales pointed out t hat t he network is committed to have all of its hospitals accred ited by t he Joint Commission Inter national.

“T his accred itation is impor tant for med ical travel because it is addresses t he quality of care and safety issues. We are encourag ing more hospitals to get accred ited so t hat med ical travel oppor tunities can be spread across t he countr y,” he sa id.

T he second aspect is to expand the market.

Knorr brand representat ive Hanna h Banocnoc told repor ters on t he sidelines of a company event in Tag uig City. T hrou g h its pa r tne r s hip w it h GMA Network, t he company was able to produce a 13 -episode series under t he Maku lay ang Buhay prog ram. T he initiative was designed to enable parents to tap budget-friendly recipes that would increase their children’s appetite for nutritious food. Accord i ng to Un i leve r Phi l ippines, Knorr’s nut rit ion advocacy began over two decades ago, when it launched a feed ing prog ram t hat

PROPERTY technology (proptech) prov ider Lhoopa ra ised

$80 mi llion to help address t he lack of affordable housing in t he Phi lippines and t he rest of Sout heast Asia.

T he Philippines’s affordable housing backlog now stands at over 6.5 mi llion, and is seen to reach 22 mi llion by 2040.

“T his funding marks a pivotal moment for Lhoopa as we scale our operations to meet the grow ing demand for affordable housing in Sout heast Asia. Our dream is to create a much needed paradigm shift in real estate,” sa id Marc-Oliv ier Ca i llot, founder of Lhoopa.

Lhoopa President and Co-Founder Sabrina Tan added t hat t he new capitalization w i ll enable t hem to accelerate t heir mission “to solve t he problem of affordable housing and prov ide access and oppor tunities for f inancial g rowt h to local par tners.”

Accord ing to CB Insights data, t his is t he biggest f und ing round by a star tup in t he Phi lippines to date, and among t he largest capital ra ising activ ities in t he reg ion t his year

assisted 1 mi llion Fi lipinos.

However, limited resources and t he lack of education on nutrition were identif ied as some of t he major problems of t he prog ram. T his prompted Knorr to shift its focus to nutrition education to address t he gap and expand prog ram reach

Ident i fy i ng budget const ra i nts and lack of awareness as root causes of malnourishment, Unilever Philippines said it developed 63 recipes that cost as low as P6 per ser v ing.

“[T hese are] good for breakfast, lunch, and d inner and good for 21 days coming from the thinking that it takes 21 days to bui ld a habit,” Knorr brand representative Hanna LaurelVi llaroman sa id.

“All t hese 63 recipes are assessed by t he Depar tment of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute.”

Unilever Philippines said the recipes have been incor porated in education modu les, recipe books, and on-the-ground teaching activ ities, as well as the Maku lay ang Buhay show.

T he company said the Phi lippines is among t he top 10 markets for Uni lever’s Nutrition business worldw ide, w it h Knorr and Lady’s Choice among its popu lar food brands in t he countr y.

A quar ter of $20 mi llion of t he total amount was in t he for m of equity, which was co-led by t he World Bank’s Inter national Finance Cor p. (IFC) and Wavemake r Pa r tne r s, w it h pa r t ic ipat ion f rom Pav i l ion Capital, 10X Group, Concentric Equity Pa r tners (CEP), Un ited A rab Emirates-based Mirath Investments, and United States-based NataRock Par tners Fund. Ot he r i nvestor s i nclude Steve Mel hui sh (co-fou nder of PropertyGuru Group and Founding Par tner of Wavemaker Impact), Black K ite Capital, and Ron Hose (cofounder of Phi lippine-based Coins.ph). Existing investors Patamar Capital and Tekton Ventures also par ticipated in t his round. T

sustainability-linked offering for us. So watch out for t hat. I t hink, on or before Friday, we’ll send somet hing out in ter ms of what we’ve actually achieved,” he sa id.

[T he] IFC is calling it a bond...

we’re calling it a loan. T hey’re calling it a bond, which t hey w i ll take down in its entirety; but t hey don’t intend to sell it,” Bengzon sa id. “So, we’re look ing to package it as a susta inabi l ity l inked [instrument]...If t hey classify it as a bond on t heir side, maybe t hat’s what we submit it

to t he SEC [Securities and Exchange Commission].”

Accord ing to Bengzon, t his is t he “f irst time we’re actually doing a deal w it h t he IFC.”

“We’ve been engag ing w it h t hem ever y year But, I g uess, t his is t he f irst time where we actually came to ter ms and signed on t he dotted line,” he sa id add ing t hat he believes “t he big d ifference is t hey’re quite optimistic about t he prospects [for] t he Phi lippines.”

And, secondly, t hey’re w i lling to extend f inancing to us in local currency, Bengzon, also ALI’s Treasurer expla ined.

“In t he past, t hey want to extend it in US dollars, which we have no need for because we want to keep our balance sheet hedged naturally so we prefer local currency f inancing,” he added.

ALI l i sted t h e co u nt r y’s f ir st Asean S u sta i nab i l i ty-l i nked bonds amo u nt i ng to P 6 b i ll i on t h at was i ss u ed as t h e second t r anc h e of i ts b i ll i on s h elf r eg i st r at i on fo r t h e offe ri ng and sale of debt sec uri t i es.

T he f i xed-rate bonds w it h a principal amount of P10.25 bi llion were issued as the first tranche of the 2023 shelf prog ram on June 26, 2023 Proceeds f rom s u sta i nab i l itylinked bonds are intended to be used to f inance t he company’s capital expend iture requirements. VG Cabuag

ju dges fo r an academ i c MICE compet i t i on, a speake r i n one of t h e b reako u t sess i ons, and an attendee to t h e confe rence’s ot h e r p rog ram offe ri ngs. MICECON i s shor t for MICE Conference, t he cou nt r y’s prem ier and biggest gat heri ng for professionals i n t he meet i ngs, i ncent ive t ravel, convent ions, and ex hibit ions (MICE) i ndu st r y. Over 700 attendees, bot h f rom here and overseas, joi ned t he t hree-day event t hemed, “MICE XD: Xperience D iversi f ied.” Indeed, my experience i n t he conference was d iversi f ied as it was rewa rd i ng. On Day One, I was part of a 5-person panel of judges for the Philippine MICE Youth Challenge, a competition of school teams which v ied to w in as “MICE Youth Champions.” T he teams were required to prepare and then to present before the judges a business plan for a MICE project that promotes a local destination and an event that showcases a unique travel activ ity, a product, a culinar y specialty, or cultural program. Five teams f rom d i fferent sc hools a rou nd t he cou nt r y were shor tl i sted and competed for t he c h allenge c h ampionship. T he w i nn i ng ent r y, “SpiceCon: Malembo Pampalasa, A Jour ney i nto t he World of Flavor Cu lt ure, and Spice,” of t he Un iversity of t he Cord i lleras got pri ze money and an oppor t u n ity to compete i n an i nter nat ional c h allenge of t he same nat ure. On Day Two, I was a speaker i n one of t he after noon breakout sessions on t he topic, “Max i m i zi ng Value of Cl ient Adv i sor y Boa rds.” I covered t he wh at, why, and how of t hi s st rateg ic resource pool of select cl ients (or c u stomers) for

Japan Bank for Intl Cooperation sees role in Samurai bonds, RE

By Reine Juvierre Alberto

THE Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) expressed interest in the national government’s planned Samurai bond issuance and potential cooperation in renewable energy (RE) projects, according to the Department of Finance (DOF).

Accord ing to t he DOF, JBIC off icials expressed interest when t hey met w it h Finance Secretar y Ralph G. Recto last Wednesday.

T he pur pose of t he meeting was “to collaborate w it h t he Phi lippines on inf rastructure projects, Samura i bond issuances and other investment

BPI income up 21% in H1 on high margins, low cost

By VG Cabuag @villygc

AYALA-LED Bank of the Philippine Islands ended the first half of the year with record net income of P30.6 billion—up 21 percent from last year ’s P25.1 bill ion—d ri ven by rob u st revenues and sustained positive operating leverage.

For t he second quar ter alone, t he bank booked net income of P15.3 bi llion, up 17 percent year-on-year on t he back of higher revenue g rowt h of 23 percent to P41.7 bi llion.

Ret ur n on equity for t he f irst half was 15.5 percent and retur n

ucts, or ser v ices. In t he context of assoc i at ions, sett i ng up a member adv i sor y boa rd cou ld be essent i al to get i nputs on, say, professional development prog rams or member benef its f rom its d iverse membership. As an attendee myself, my experiences at t he event flowed f rom t he sensor y and professional development, to commu n ity relat ionship.

T he host organ i zat ion, Cla rk Development Cor p. (CDC), made sure t he event feat ured t he best t h at Cla rk Freepor t Zone and t he prov i nce of Pampanga can offer: f rom c u l i na r y del ights and c u lt ural shows, to local products and soc i al responsibi l ity projects. It was a whole-of-commu n ity comm itment and approac h whic h made t he event oozi ng w it h experient i al act iv it ies for t he attendees. One high l ight i n t hi s rega rd was t he welcome d i nner at one of t he Cla rk Inter nat ional A ir por t’s depa r t ure ter m i nals whic h, to me, was a novelty.

On t he professional development and commu n ity relat ionship sides, I lea r ned new t hi ngs f rom t he MICE professionals who spoke at several plena ries and breakout sessions on offer i n t he prog ram: f rom AI to apps for i nstant su mma ri zat ion of eac h session, d iversity and i nclu sion i ssues, to su sta i nable events, network i ng, peer lea r n i ng, and commu n ity bui ld i ng.

MICECON’s t heme on “Xperience D iversi f ied” h as del ivered on its prom i se. T h ank you T PB, CDC and to ever yone who made t hi s event h appen and a success!

Octavio Peralta is founder and volunteer CEO of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives (PCAAE), the “association of associations.” The PCAAE will hold its 12th Associations 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.

on assets was 2 percent, whi le ear nings per share for t he f irst semester stood at P5.80, up 14 percent f rom last year’s P5.09, notw it hstand ing t he add itional shares issued for t he merger of BPI and Robinsons Bank.

Total revenues accelerated to almost 24 percent to P81.2 billion yearon-year f rom P65.6 bi llion, boosted by t he 22 percent increase in net interest income to P61.3 bi llion.

Average loans expanded 18 percent and net interest margin w idened 23 basis points to 4.26 percent. Noninterest income was up 28.7 percent to P19.9 bi llion, driven by t he 28.8 percent increase in fee income to

P17 bi ll ion and foreign exc hange ga ins of P2.2 bi llion, up 58.6 percent year-on-year Strong fee income per for mance was led by higher ser v ice charges, bancassurance i ncome and c red it card fees.

Ope r at i ng expenses r eac h ed P38.3 bi llion, up 22 percent, on more spending for manpower, transaction processing costs and technology, resu lting in a cost-to-Income ratio of 47 percent. Prov isions booked were P3.0 bi llion, a 50 percent jump from last year W hi le its nonper for m i ng loan ratio rose to 2.2 percent, t he countr y’s four t h-largest lender in ter ms of assets sa id asset

BIR seizes vending machine dispensing vape products SSS warns members, public on fake alerts

HE B ureau of Inter nal Revenue

T(BIR) announced its officials seized last T hursday a vending machine dispensing the banned Flava-brand vape product.

A statement issued by t he BIR read t hat Inter nal Revenue Commissioner Romeo D. Lumag ui Jr led t he conf iscation of t he vending machine in a building meters away f rom commercial areas in Quezon City.

T he vend ing machine is not reg istered w it h t he BIR and has not pa id any excise taxes, Lumag ui was quoted in t he statement as say ing.

T he BIR sa id it was notif ied of t he machine after an ind iv idual asked v ia Facebook if Flava has pa id its taxes to t he BIR. “Vend ing machine na po ang style nila ngayon; naglipana sa Quezon City [T heir style is using vend ing machines which are now w idespread in Quezon City],” t he BIR quoted t he ind iv idual’s comment on Lumag ui ’s Facebook post. Upon confiscation, the Flava vape products were being sold for P500.00 each accord ing to t he BIR.

T he vending machine was located inside a bui ld ing where a gym, dance stud io, basketball cour t, cafe, baker y, laundr y station and a restaurant were nearby.

“Chi ldren cou ld have bought t he Flava vape since t he vend ing machine is open to t he public,” t he BIR sa id.

T he agency added t hat t he use of t he vend ing machine v iolates Republ ic Act (RA) 11900 (Vaporized Nicotine and NonNicotine Products Reg u lation Act) or Vape

THE prospect of an interest-rate cut in the Philippines is powering a rally in the nation’s bonds, putting them ahead of Indonesia’s as monetar y policy outlooks take centerstage for investors. T h e benc h ma r k 10-yea r Phi l i pp i ne bond y i eld h

law, which prohibits t he sale and promotion of vape products w it hin 100 meters of activ ity areas f requented by minors.

T he BIR d idn’t say if arrests were made last T hursday.

T he Depar tment of Trade and Industr y (DTI) had prev iously banned t he sale of Flava as it v iolated t he Vape Law for selling vape products w it h flavor descriptors appealing to minors.

“Selling illicit vape is illegal, whether the same be t hrough vend ing machines or online stores. T he BIR w i ll conf iscate and raid any i llicit vape products,” Lumag ui sa id.

“ Nananawagan tayo sa la hat ng mga nagbebenta at gu stong magnegosyo ng vape products: Siguraduhin na ma gbayad ng exc i se tax at bumili ng stamps para mas mapayapa ang in yong negosyo [We a re appeal i ng to eve r yone sell i ng or plann i ng to sell vape products: Make s ure t h at you a re pay i ng exc i se taxes and buy i ng stamps to h ave a peacef u l bu s i ness],” L u mag ui added.

T he BIR is bank ing on its intensif ied capturing of i llicit vape products and cigarettes and tax ing t hose to drive muchneeded revenues for t he gover nment.

“We’ve seen an increase in t he number of reg istered vape products and an increase in collections since we star ted implementing the stamps on vape products,” Lumag ui told repor ters earlier

T he BIR a ims to generate P2.848 tri llion in revenues for 2024. It has so far collected P1.36 tri llion as of end-June 2024. Reine Juvierre Alberto

THE Social Security System (SSS) is warning its members and the public to be war y of text messages sent by unscrupulous individuals pretending to be with or representing the SSS, promising recipients an incentive by accessing a link.

SSS Senior Vice President for Member Ser v ices and Suppor t Group Nor mita M. Doctor sa id t hat t he state-run social insurance program has been receiv ing repor ts f rom members of receiv ing text aler ts about benef it cla ims, expiring contribution payments, or My.SSS r eg i st r at i on. T h e membe r s were prodded to click a link.

“Do not cl ick t he l ink in t he message of t hese fake text aler ts. It w i ll lead to a phishing site t hat w i ll steal personal infor mation such as SS numbers and log i n c redent i als f rom My.SSS account,” Doctor sa id. T he SSS off icial was quoted in a statement as say ing SSS members and t he public can easi ly ident i fy i f t hey h ave received a scam text aler t by check ing its sender “T he SMS sender shou ld be “SSS” and t he off icial SSS website is www.sss.gov.ph If it is an unidentif ied mobi le number, it is a text message f rom scam-

mers pur posely sent to deceive its receiver,” Doctor sa id.

“Our SSS Special Investigation Department (SID) has already probed the incidents. We also submitted a text scam compla int conta ining t hese fake text alerts to the National Telecommunications Commission to help the government fight scam text messages,” she said. Doctor d iscourages members f rom sharing t heir social security number user names, passwords, and ot he r log i n detai ls of their My.SSS account w it h t hese scammers so t hat t heir My.SSS accounts w i ll not be compromised and be used for f raudu lent transactions. Doctor adv ised t hose who have become v ictims of t hese text scammers to d irectly repor t it to law enforcement aut horities such as t he Phi lippine National Police’s AntiCybercrime Group and to t he Cybercrime Div ision of the National Bureau of Investigation. “Wit h t he assistance of our SSS SID, v ictims can help law enforcement agencies in f i ling a case aga inst text scammers,” she sa id urg ing t he public to repor t text scammers to t he SID v ia ema i l at fid@sss.gov. ph or by calling (02) 89247370.

Octavio Peralta

Association World

B4 Friday, July 19, 2024 | www.businessmirror.com.ph

THE GAC M6 PRO ISAMODERN-DAYMPV

Story &

by Randy S. Peregrino

WHEN the GAC M6 Pro debuted in the Philippines, it was not a replacement for the GN6 but rather an enhanced version, so to speak.

It received substantial upgrades while retaining its unique platform as a genuine seven-seater MPV. Certainly, the latest M6 Pro version is better in many ways, inside and out. But how about the driving dynamics? Comfort level, safety, and other factors?

So, Astara-led GAC Motor Philippines recently hosted an experiential drive. Media members took the new MPV to Pampanga for a steady drive and did several technical drives at the test venue.

Modern-day MPV inside and out

EXTERIORWISE, the vehicle could pass for a small van if not

for the absence of sliding rear doors, considering the frame’s high roofline and a large tailgate. Inspired by a “wind wing” form, the front highlights the new prominent grille with matrix LED headlamps, aligned to the sharp contours with ultramodern features such as automatic height adjustment, headlights alarm, Follow-MeHome function, and high beam assist functions. The tail lamps are fitted with LED beads that span the vehicle’s width. 18-inch alloy wheels complement the overall look. The interior is perhaps the vehicle’s crème de la crème. For a compact MPV, the car boasts a genuine seven-seating capacity (2-2-3 configuration). The second row’s captain’s seats created center access to the 3rd row. It is where the frame’s van-like elements factor in. A levelled flooring and high

on B

photos

roofline overwhelm the headroom, particularly the last row. Another brilliant approach is relocating the spare tire section under the 1st row. It created an extra cargo area at the rear. But fold down to hide away the 3rd-row seats, and there are 1,100 liters more storage space. Of course, there is a panoramic sunroof and ambient lighting, and the seats are fitted with top-of-theline leather material with white stitching for added contrast and appeal. Adding to the comfort level is the crisp sound from the 10.25inch touchscreen infotainment equipped with an eight-speaker DTS sound system.

Blissful long drive ALL occupants took turns driving

to fully experience the MPV. The elevated seating configuration behind the wheel provided comfort and a good vantage point. Thanks to the A-pillar’s large quarter window, there are no obstructions and minimal blind spots. We like how GAC incorporated several elements from the luxurious M8, adding to the comfort of driving, particularly the higher center console and armrest. Also, there are plenty of cup holders and compartments.

Having a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine generating 174hp and 270N-m of torque at your disposal was a good start. As expected, acceleration is swift and smooth. However, how its mated seven-speed wet dual-clutch transmission (DCT) operates needs a little getting used to. Regardless of the drive mode, the throttle

slightly delays launching from a full stop. Also, there were occasional lags whenever the DCT downshifted on a sudden push to the throttle to accelerate - but setting it to Sport mode helped by retaining higher engine RPMs.

As a passenger seated in the captain’s seat, everything was blissful. The comfort level made it difficult to stay awake the whole time. Having a separate air-con control at the back was a plus, too.

The level of cabin noise suppression is superb for its size, even at highspeed limits. That is a definite plus factor, particularly for rear passengers. As for the ride, it leans toward the comfort side with fewer tire rebounds.

Peace of mind THE M6 Pro comes with the most

comprehensive suite of Advanced Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS) in its class, including Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Autonomous Emergency Brake (AEB), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Lane Keep Assist (LKA), High Beam Assist (HBA), Integrated Cruise Assist (ICA), Traffic Jam Assist (TJA), and Traffic Sign Recognition System (TSR), among others.

In addition to standard safety features, the vehicle has a surround-view camera system, Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Hill-start Hold Control (HHC), and Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).

The M6 Pro in action MEANWHILE, under the expert guidance of lead instructor Georges Ramirez, participants engaged in a series of exercises at R33 Drift Track in San Simon, Pampanga, demonstrating the M6 Pro’s exceptional handling, braking, stability, and traction control features.

There were various stages to mimic specific extreme situations. The initial phase was about panic braking during a tight turn. After accelerating, we slammed on the brake pedal while turning. Impressively, the vehicle stopped momentarily and avoided veering towards the outer lane. Next was a path with soapy linoleum on one side to mimic a sudden slippery road encounter. Again, we simulated panic braking upon reaching the wet portion after accelerating. The vehicle, maintaining control, avoided veering and sliding outside the lane. Even when accelerated afterwards, the car remained stable just before braking again.

Then, the next couple of stages underwent chicanes that showcased the vehicle’s agility and steering response until the final exercise.

We also tested the 360-degree view while backing up and only relying on the display screen. But the final stage was the extreme “moose test” or evasive maneuver test. On full throttle, we did a sudden left turn mimicking collision avoidance while immediately counter-steering to regain control. Impressively, the vehicle managed to regain control without veering away. All these extreme tests, for the GAC M6 Pro to successfully hurdle, only prove the vehicle’s reliability when dealing with extreme driving scenarios. These are the kinds of steadfastness a family car needs today for peace of mind.

Exquisite thrill for Hashimoto at Vios Cup

make-believe

Bandied about as the nation’s lone legitimate car contest of

and sizzle during its inaugurals in 2014 behind the brains of then president Michonobu Sugata of Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP), the Vios Cup has radically morphed into a more exciting and challenging competition to merit its new iteration as the TOYOTA GAZOO RACING (TGR) Philippine Cup in its first decade of inception.    Not only did the country’s famous race enthusiasts assemble anew for a fierce but friendly rivalry in the first of three events on tap, but also some of the TMP top brass, who make it a point to join the event with consuming passion like the rest of the field.

Like Sugata and Atsuhiro Okamoto before him, Masando Hashimoto also took part in last weekend’s first leg of the TGR

Philippine Cup even as he had barely warmed up his presidential seat at TMP after Okamoto-san’s departure last December.

To his pleasant surprise, Hashimoto-san, more of a jogging / biking bug than anything, outdid himself behind the Vios wheel as he completed his Novice Class debut with flying colors.

Despite missing a podium finish, Hashimoto-san ran away with two special awards as Coolest Racer (Denso Award) and Favorite Driver (AVT Award).

“This was my first time, which was very intense, yet a super fun experience,” Hashimoto said.

“Although I had a small crash in the practice round, I was able to complete the QT and Finals and, most important, I came back alive.”

He said he thanked Tuason Racing “for everything the team gave me” and added, “I am also proud to have broken my personal record with 2

minutes and 36 seconds at Clark International Speedway.”

Continuing, he said: “There are a lot of lessons learned through racing Genba, where I can get honest and non-layered inputs directly from mechanics, engineers, racers, fans, media friends and organizer, which was a totally different perspective from office reporting.”

He thanked his Novice teammates “for giving me the opportunity to be a part of the team.  And I also appreciate all the support from Toyota.”

Hashimoto-san concluded: “See you again at Clark in September for the second leg.” Truly, a good one deserves another?

I can still feel the excitement oozing from Hashimoto’s veins.

Welcome to the true world of racing, Sensei!

Meanwhile, it was also nice to see again at Clark several TMP bigwigs

like Vince Socco, Sherwin ChuaLim, Danny Cruz, Elvin Luciano, Nico Bravante and Jojo Villanueva.  Also, Lexus’ Carlo Ablaza, of course.

Continued from B4

A DRIVER’S haven with premium materials

INSIDE the 2nd row with captain’s seats

Relationships

Stupid is as stupid does

BY now, everyone who has a social-media account must have seen the photo attributed to the Philippine News Agency of a supersteep wheelchair ramp built by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) along the Edsa Busway.

Did the brilliant boys and girls in the MMDA think that wheelchairs are now powered by Pratt & to quickly zoom up the ramp?! I think not even skateboarders will probably want to scale up, nor swoosh down that ramp.

Should we be surprised by this devil-may-care

employed a person with disabilty (PWD) among its consult with PWD civil society groups, of which the country has many, and assess the project before the wheelchair ramp was constructed.

But what can you expect from an agency that similarly constructed a regular pedestrian walkway across Edsa just a few years ago that was equally challenging, as it zigged and zagged over the Metro Rail Transit railway? The MMDA was already jeered on social media for it, so one would think its executives would take a more circumspect approach to similar projects in its future. We were wrong. Stupid is as stupid does.

Aside from plain stupidity, the MMDA is also pedestrian crossing from Mindanao Avenue to Ayala this project, it was brightly-lit by solar power in the evenings. Since then, the dim-witted among

the lighting, and are just probably waiting for a pedestrian to slip during rainy evenings, fall down its steep steps, or, worse, get mugged.

evening to probably keep order or watch over the his mobile phone, entertained by probably another million and one videos by yet another up-and-coming insipid content creator.

Meanwhile, just a few blocks away, another

MMDA pedestrian overpass along Mindanao Avenue connecting Brgy. Bagong Pag-Asa to Project 6 is in a state of disrepair and neglect. The bright boys and both ends of the walkway. And with its steep steps as well, no PWD nor senior citizen will be able to use it. patintero with all the vehicles whizzing by.

Of course, the MMDA is not alone in this whotaxpayers, they are supposed serve.

Also recently having quickly made the rounds of social media is a billboard at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport passenger terminal four, which

marketing campaign. One eagle-eyed netizen, who we later found out was a travel blogger, photographed

rice terraces in Benguet instead of Ifugao. Sure, the Cordillera Administrative Region and its provinces can be confusing, but unless the DOT executives were absent during their Philippine geography classes in elementary school, they should have not made that mistake.

It was just last year that the DOT was publicly lambasted for using foreign scenes in place of local tourist sites in its so-called “mood video” to introduce brilliant minds at the agency would double check any

media output for public consumption. But no. Stupid is as stupid does. (By the way, one of the foreign scenes place for the Banaue Rice Terraces. Hahaha. Is this an famous rice terraces? Parang favorite ng DOT kasi.) Then just last week, government executives from the Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) proclaimed that a new “entertainment center” to be constructed “within walking distance” of their airport in Pampanga will attract pop stars, like

(Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) sector operates, nor do they probably know why perform exclusively in the city-state, mamsers. (See, “Surot,rats,

photo of the new San Diego sports arena instead of Ano bayan? Hawa-hawa na! Again, stupid as stupid does.

Over 8,000 families affected by Mt. Kanlaon eruption need help

A FAITH-BASED organization that aids children in vulnerable circumstances, World Vision is urgently calling for help for over 8,479 families and 4,751 individuals displaced by the eruption of Mount Kanlaon.

Two municipalities in the Negros region have been declared in a state of calamity.

While local government units have already provided affected families with food and other essential items, residents of the municipality of La Castellana and the city of Canlaon are in dire need of drinking water.

“Lahar has affected our rivers and other water sources. Families here in World

Vision communities are now buying water for drinking and other essentials. In other communities, livelihoods have been affected. Fish are dead, and some agricultural lands like rice and cane fields were covered by ashfall,” said World Vision program officer Vincent Mallillin.

Local government agencies have suspended work except for essential services, and are already utilizing its emergency fund to help affected communities.

World Vision continues to monitor the situation. The organization has around 2,000 assisted children in the province of Negros

Occidental, east of the Philippines. The World Vision community is just 24 kilometers from Mount Kanlaon.

Mount Kanlaon erupted on June 3, around 6 pm, and spewed coarse ashfalls that affected nearby communities. Phivolcs maintains Alert Level 2, which means there is “current unrest driven by shallow magmatic processes that could eventually lead to further explosive eruptions or even precede hazardous magmatic eruptions.”

More information about World Vision in the Philippines is available at www.worldvision. org.ph.

By Eugenia Last

in a direction that’s more reflective of them than you. It’s in your best interest to take the path that leads to progress and utilizes what you do best to reach your goal. Take the initiative to get things done, and live up to your promises before someone complains or criticizes you. Timeliness will be advantageous and win you favors, as well as the support you need to follow through with your plans.

Put your differences aside and do whatever it takes to take care of business. Use your creativity and intuition to attract interest, but wait for a better proposal before you agree to participate. Don’t believe everything you hear.

A clear mind will help you sort through what’s feasible and worthwhile. Pay attention to what things cost and how to get the most for your money. Prepare to barter and outmaneuver anyone who tries to take advantage of you.

Stick to the truth, set goals, establish what you are willing to do and entertain the people who can help you get where you want. Be proactive and respond appropriately; you’ll gain respect and interest in your achievements. Nurture meaningful relationships.

Take care of domestic issues and make your surroundings functional. Sorting through any differences you have with someone you love will bring you closer together. Take advantage of a unique opportunity, and enjoy the benefits that follow. A change will offer a different perspective regarding new possibilities and what’s available. Participate in activities that require discipline and imagination, and you will shine.

You are energetic, unique and transparent. You are expressive and powerful.

LAHAR has affected rivers and water sources near Mount Kanlaon.

SLEEPING PROBLEM

UNKNOWN to his fans, this handsome actor has a serious sleeping disorder for which he already has had an operation. The actor would also make for a scary roommate because he sleeps with a contraption that helps to monitor his sleep. He also snores heavily although the operation he went through has greatly diminished this. When the actor goes on out of town trips for works, he is not assigned a roommate. He is given his own room for privacy. The actor requests this because he does not want to scare his roommate. Aside from this sleeping disorder, the actor is perfectly healthy.

GOING STRONG

THE relationship of a young starlet and a still-married actor who is separated from his wife is still going strong despite rumors that they have broken up. The actor definitely likes them way younger than him as evidenced by the ages of his ex-wife and former girlfriends when they got together. The actor is over 10 years older than his new girlfriend, which makes people wonder what they have in common. That’s not unusual because his ex-wife was a minor when he pursued her.

STINGY MAN

THE athlete and his wife have been separated for quite sometime now but they have been hiding it because the latter does not want people to see that her marriage failed. This after she was repeatedly warned by people close to her that the man she was marrying was a deadbeat. She experienced this firsthand when they had a long distance relationship. Her husband would not send money for her and their kids unless she asked. Even when she did, the amounts he would send were paltry. The woman thought she was marrying a rich man. Yes, he was rich but also stingy.

FRIENDSHIP RENEWED

THE starlet and the actress used to the best of friends. One day, people realized they were no longer talking. The reason is that the actress caught the starlet cheating with a man who had a girlfriend. The man and his girlfriend were common friends of the starlet and the actress. The actress found it very odd that the starlet would go for a man in a relationship. They did not talk for years until the actress had a falling out with the man and his girlfriend for still unknown reasons. The actress and the starlet then renewed their friendship.

The politics when one is going to ‘Leave the World Behind’

AS the “News Authority ng Filipino,” GMA Integrated News is set to deliver a multi-platform coverage of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s (PBBM) third State of the Nation Address (SONA) this July 22. Simulcast on GMA, GTV, and Pinoy Hits, the State of the Nation Address 2024: The GMA Integrated News Special Coverage will be anchored by Pia Arcangel and Atom Araullo. In the days and hours leading to the annual event at the Batasang Pambansa, the country’s biggest, most credible and most trusted multi-media news organization will provide comprehensive updates. Flagship newscast 24 Oras will lead the pack by presenting the highlights of the speech and a series of special reports tackling some of the biggest challenges faced by the Marcos

administration in the past year, including China and the West Philippine Sea situation, El Niño, POGO, inflation, and politics.

Late-night newscast Saksi, GTV’s Dobol B TV, Balitanghali, Dapat Alam Mo!, and State of the Nation will round up the whole day’s biggest stories, with Unang Hirit ’s “Unang Balita” starting off the morning with an overview of PBBM’s report to the Filipino people.

As ‘local news matters,’ GMA Regional TV (RTV) keeps viewers in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao updated through its regional newscasts. Aired in different local languages, RTV’s special reports on the State of the Nation Address 2024 tackle the administration’s accomplishments and plans, and its impact on urban and rural areas across the country.

Viewers can catch Super Radyo DZBB

PHOTO

Astrolabio ready for war vs Nakatani

TBy Josef Ramos

OKYO—General Santos City pride Vincent Astrolabio vowed to bring home Junto Nakatani’s World Boxing Council (WBC) bantamweight belt when he battles the Japanese in his home turf at the Ryogoku Kokugikan Arena here on Saturday.

“I’ll be coming home as the Philippines’ second world boxing champion because I prepared so hard to condition myself,” Astrolabio told BusinessMirror after the pre-fight press conference at the Tokyo Dome Hotel on Thursday. The Philippines currently has only one world champion Melvin Jerusalem who owns the World Boxing Organization minimum weight title.

“I’m ready to go to war with Nakatani,” he said. Astrolabio holds a 19-4 win-loss record with 14 knockouts to Nakatani’s 27 winning streak in three weight divisions laced with 20 knockouts. The Japanese also stands three inches taller at 5-goot-8 but has only a one-and-a-inch advantage in reach, not exactly a challenge for the 27-year-old

Filipino, according to his chief trainer and manager Nonoy Neri.

“His long reach and height won’t be a factor,” Neri told the press conference.

“It’s no big deal because we can hit him with body shots before going to his head.

“Vincent also sparred with taller Japanese who gave us a few tips on how to tackle Nakatani,” he added.

Astrolabio said that his world title fight defeat to then WBO bantamweight champion Jason Moloney of Australia via majority decision in May last year in Stockton, California, taught him a lot resulting with an 11th-round technical knockout win over Navapon Khaikanha last August in a WBC 118-pound world title-eliminator in Bangkok.

“My last two fights especially my first world title bout which I lost motivated me a lot,” he said. “It drove me to work and develop my craft as a fighter under coach Neri and I had my confidence boosted when I beat the Thai.”

If Astrolabio trained in seclusion in Davao City, Nakatani prepared in a 40-day training camp in Los Angeles, California.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman graced the pre-fight event.

Aice fun run for Olympics on Saturday

WORLDWIDE Olympic Partner and Official Ice Cream of the Philippine Olympic Team to Paris 2024 Aice is holding the “Walk, Run, and Roll” on Saturday at the University of the Philippines oval in Diliman to launch the “Run to Paris: Cheer for Philippine Olympians.

Aice partnered with the Philippine Sports Commission and the National Council on Disability Affairs in organizing the fun run in line with its Olympic partnership and corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Aice will give away running kits and ice cream varieties like Chocolate Crispy, renowned for its five layers of goodness that blend a crispy chocolate texture with a creamy center, during the event that is open for free to enthusiasts.

“We are excited to unite with the community in supporting our

Philippine Olympians on their journey to Paris,” said Shereene Yu De Leon, Brand Manager of Aice Philippines.

“This event reflects our commitment to promoting inclusivity and health through sports.”

The gun start is at 5 a.m.

“Together with Filipino athletes, Aice Group is ready to welcome the Paris Olympics with high fighting spirit and the determination to achieve the best results,” Yu said. “We believe that with cooperation and synergy from all parties, the Philippines’ big dream in the world of sports will soon be achieved.”

As an ice cream company born and grown in Southeast Asia, Aice has always upheld the philosophy of “healthy and quality” in providing quality, delicious, innovative and affordable ice cream products.

LORD CEDRIC MASCARIÑAS and Alexis Belen clinched the overall championships in the Go for Gold Sunrise Sprint at the Bellevue Resort’s beachside in Panglao, Bohol, last Sunday.

Mascariñas delivered a stellar performance with the best time of 32:52 in the bike segment of the event, which included a 750-meter open-water swim, a 20-km bike ride and a 5-km run. He maintained his lead in the closing stages, clocking 19:09 to secure a hard-fought victory with a total time of 1:06:38.

PB8 FRIDAY, JULY 19, 2024

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph

Editor: Jun Lomibao

ARIS—All the way back when he first discussed the likelihood that 2024 would be his final season as a professional tennis player, Rafael Nadal made sure to refer to the Paris Olympics as “one of the important competitions I would like to be at.”

If, indeed, this is his last hurrah, and if, indeed, he does make it to the Summer Games a little more than a year after hip surgery—neither of which is an absolute certainty—it would be fitting that the site of the French Open is also the site of this goodbye. No event, at least in this sport, defines an athlete’s legacy the way the clay-court Grand Slam tournament does for Nadal.

And the opposite is true, too, which is why there is a statue of the 38-yearold Spaniard at Roland Garros, the site of a record 14 of his 22 major trophies and where the Olympic tennis matches begin on July 27.

Nadal skipped Wimbledon RAFAEL NADAL skipped Wimbledon in order to avoid going from clay to grass and back to clay at the Paris Games, where he has been planning to team in doubles with Carlos Alcaraz, the 21-year-old coming off back-to-back major titles at Roland Garros and the All England Club.

And even though the idea that Nadal could add to his gold medals—in singles at Beijing in 2008, and in doubles with Marc López at Rio de Janeiro in 2016—seems far-fetched, just the sight of him back in Paris will mean a lot to him and his fans.

“My body has been a jungle for two years. You don’t know what to expect,” said Nadal, who has been able to play only 16 matches since the start of last year, going 8-8, including a first-round loss at the French Open this May. “I wake up one day and I (felt like I had) a snake biting me. Another day, a tiger.”

Paris marks Murray’s adieu ANOTHER popular, and successful, figure in men’s tennis whose body has

let him down lately, Andy Murray of Britain, says this Olympics will mark his adieu.

The 37-year-old Murray, a three-time Slam champion, is the only athlete with two singles golds in the sport—from London in 2012 and Rio four years later.

After having hip replacement surgery in 2019, and various other injuries more recently, he withdrew from singles at Wimbledon because he needed a procedure to remove a cyst from his spine last month.

“It’s great that they’ll be at the Olympics one last time. Any chance to see those guys on a court again should be celebrated,” US coach Bob Bryan said. “They’re both working through tough times with injuries, but they’re showing that resilience and that will to fight and be on the court.”

Novak, Iga, Coco seek gold

WHILE Andy Murray and Nadal both own golds, the best of the best in ten -

Despite trailing Enrico Burgos (09:12) after the swim stage with a 10:06 time, Mascariñas surged ahead during the bike leg as Burgos slowed to 33:31 and finished with a run time of 19:37, ending at 1:07:01. Michael Lalimos claimed third place with a total time of 1:09:41, with splits of 10:20 (swim), 33:56 (bike) and 20:53 (run) in the short-distance triathlon that caters to athletes of all skill levels— from novices aiming to build a strong foundation to seasoned triathletes seeking to enhance their performance on an Olympic-style course. In the women’s category, Belen overcame a three-minute deficit after the swim leg (13:07) dominated by Necie Bullecer (10:08). She excelled in the bike (34:50) and run (28:18) segments, finishing first with a time of 1:23:05. Venice Herbias displayed a strong finish to secure second place in 1:26:29, with splits of 11:21 (swim), 39:09 (bike), and 28:30 (run). Joanna Marie Cruz, showcasing her running skills in the event organized by The IRONMAN Group, took third place in 1:26:45, with times of 13:36, 38:13 and 27:06. Mascariñas (20-24) and Belen (25-29) also topped their respective age-group categories in this event held alongside the main Sun Life 5150 Bohol Triathlon.

By Aldrin Quinto

LAUREL, Batangas—Teen pro Jiwon Lee shone brightest among the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour (LPGT) stars under dark clouds and torrential rains to win the Splendido Taal Championship on Thursday. Currently the hottest player in women’s golf in the country, Lee played consistently through several weather stoppages, making pars on the final six holes for an even 72 that was enough to hold off a hard-charging Mikha Fortuna. Lee led wire to wire, earlier firing consecutive 73s, on the way to victory in her debut as a professional after dominating the junior ranks and seizing a title from the pros last month.

The 16-year-old Lee had a 54-hole total of 218 to beat Fortuna by a stroke. It was another nerve-racking and impressive win for the Korean after topping last month’s LPGT Lakewood Championship in Cabanatuan City where she beat Southeast Asian Games double gold medalist Chihiro Ikeda in a playoff. Before that, she came up with dominant wins in the Junior PGT highlighted by a 20-stroke romp at

a 20stroke

qualification tournament for this year’s Belgium Short Course Championships and Sixth Asian Indoor and

interested swimmers must send their letters of intent to philippineaquatics@gmail.com.

Laro’t Saya yields Palaro bets

HE Philippine Sports Commission’s (PSC) Laro’t Saya Program (LSP) in Dumaguete City produced local athletes who brought their skills to the Philippine National Games and Palarong Pambansa, according to the City’s Sports Development Officer Ike Xavier Villaflores.

“Our athletes in arnis are now competing in the Palarong Pambansa in Cebu,” Villaflores said. “And not only in arnis but also in other sports they learned through the Laro’t Saya sa Parke Program.”

Villaflores said that the LSP also significantly contributed to the health and physical wellness of its participants, regardless of age or gender.

The LSP was launched in Dumaguete City on August 16, 2015, under then PSC chairman Ricardo Garcia.  Villaflores thanked the PSC for its continuous support of the city’s youth and physical activity program and encouraged other communities to adopt the LSP because of its positive results.

“The PSC started small here in Dumaguete and now, it’s in the collegiate and competitive level,” he said. “Even in discipline and in the academe, the youth has improved.”

nis do not always leave an Olympics with the top prizes.

Novak Djokovic of Serbia, for example, will be trying to fill that one gap on his otherwise-impeccable resume, which includes 24 Grand Slam trophies and more weeks at No. 1 in the rankings than anyone. Also eyeing a first gold will be such stars of the sport as Iga Swiatek of Poland, who has won the French Open four of the past five years, and Coco Gauff of the United States, the reigning US Open champion and runner-up to Swiatek at Roland Garros in 2022. She missed out on the Tokyo Olympics three years ago because she tested positive for Covid-19 right before she was supposed to travel to Japan. “I’ve been trying to put myself in the mindset of just enjoying the experiences,” Gauff said, “because you’re only going to have your first Olympics once.” AP

Carapa

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