BusinessMirror July 20, 2024 by BusinessMirror

JUNE BOP GAP AT

By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto

THE country’s Balance of Payments (BOP), or its economic transactions with the rest of the world, recorded a deficit of $155 million in June, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), but the year-to-date BOP position is still a surplus.

Data from the BSP showed that the BOP deficit in June was at $155 million, lower than the $606 million recorded a year ago.

“The BOP deficit in June 2024 reflected outflows arising mainly from the National Government’s (NG) payments of its foreign currency debt obligations," the BSP said.

Despite the deficit recorded in June , the BSP said the current year-to-date BOP position registered a surplus of $1.4 billion.

However, the figure is lower than the $2.3-billion surplus posted in January to June 2023.

“Based on preliminary data, this cumulative BOP surplus reflected mainly the narrowing trade in goods deficit alongside the continued net inflows from personal remittances, trade in services, net foreign direct investments, net foreign borrowings by the NG, and net foreign portfolio investments,” the BSP said.

Two Islamic banks get clearance to open Islamic banking window

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has approved the application of two Islamic banks to secure Islamic banking window licenses to provide wider financial access and alternative banking solutions to Filipino Muslims.

BSP Deputy Governor Chuchi G. Fonacier told reporters on the sidelines of the Chamber of Thrift Banks’ (CTB) 50th Anniversary that the two Islamic banks will have an Islamic banking window where it could be a dedicated branch offering Islamic banking products and services.

Fonacier clarified that the banks would not be completely Islamic banks but only a window where they could offer Islamic banking services.

One of two banks is the Maybank Group’s Maybank Philippines, whose application for an

Islamic banking license has been approved, while Fonacier did not name the other bank.

“Those two have been licensed and I think they’ll soon be starting their operation,” Fonacier said.

Earlier this April, BSP Assistant Governor Arifa A. Ala said that the two banks are already in the advanced stages of discussions and could file their applications soon (See: https://businessmirror. com.ph/2024/04/18/islamic-banking-options-await-filipinos-as-lenders-filing-soon/).

“We see that promoting Islamic banking and finance can gener-

ate more investments. And it is also a form of diversification of sources of funding that can be used by the Philippines for different infrastructure projects,” Ala said.

Currently, state-run Al Amanah Islamic Investment Bank of the Philippines and Card Bank have set up their own Islamic Banking Unit (IBU) to provide Islamic banking, financing and investment services.

Islam’s banking system is based on the principles laid down by the Shari’a law. Islamic banks do not sell or capitalize on assets for

By Charlotte Graham-McLay & Elaine Kurtenbach

Associated Press

ELLINGTON, New Zealand—A widespread Microsoft outage was disrupting flights, banks, media outlets and companies around the world on Friday.

Escalating disruptions continued hours after the technology company said it was gradually fixing an issue affecting access to Microsoft 365 apps and services.

The website DownDectector, which tracks user-reported internet outages, recorded growing outages in services at Visa, ADT security and Amazon, and airlines including American Airlines and Delta.

See related story on Microsoft outage’s impact on Philippine establishments, A4 News. News outlets in Australia reported that airlines, telecommunications providers and banks, and media broadcasters were disrupted as they lost access to computer systems. Some New Zealand banks said they were also offline.

Microsoft 365 posted on X that the company was “working on rerouting the impacted traffic to alternate systems to alleviate impact in a more expedient fashion” and that they were “observing a positive trend in service availability.”

The company did not respond to a request for comment. It did not explain the cause of the outage further.

Meanwhile, major disruptions reported by airlines and airports grew.

In the US, the FAA said the airlines United, American, Delta and Allegiant had all been grounded.

Airlines, railways and television stations in the United Kingdom were being disrupted by the computer issues. The budget airline Ryanair, train operators TransPennine Express and Govia Thameslink Railway, as well as broadcaster Sky News are among those affected.

“We’re currently experiencing disruption across the network due to a global third-party IT outage which is out of our control,’’ Ryanair said. “We advise all passengers to arrive at the airport at least three hours before their scheduled departure time.”

Widespread problems were reported at Australian airports, where lines grew and some passengers were stranded as online check-in services and self-service booths were disabled. Passengers in Melbourne queued for more than an hour to check in.

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YOORAN PARK DREAMSTIME.COM

Rising PHL ESG funds buck global declining trend–BSP

By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto

THE Philippines is poised for a positive trajectory despite the decreasing environmental, social and governance (ESG) fund launches among the world’s biggest asset managers, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

BSP Deputy Governor Chuchi G. Fonacier told reporters on the sidelines of the Chamber of Thrift Banks’ (CTB) 50th Anniversary that the developments in the Philippines and other countries are “encouraging.”

“For the Philippines, the [ESG] funds are increasing,” said Fonacier, who also represented the BSP at the general assembly of central banks of the Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS).

Fonacier said the BSP will be engaging with Philippine banks in implementing the BSP’s Philippine Sustainable Finance Taxonomy Guidelines (SFTG).

The SFTG aims to advance

sustainable finance in the country and will serve as a tool to classify whether an economic activity is environmentally and socially sustainable and guides different stakeholders in making informed investment and financing decisions, according to the BSP. The SFTG aims to direct, accelerate and increase the flow of funds to economic activities that promote sustainability objectives, including reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and building climate resilience. It likewise promotes transparency and credibility by minimizing the risk of greenwashing and supports a just transition to a sustainable economy, it added.

“Right now, we’re having this capacity building as far as the implementation of the taxonomy,” Fonacier said.

“This entire 2024 is being dedicated to piloting how banks would make use of the taxonomy,” Fonacier added.

Bloomberg earlier reported that firms such as BlackRock Inc., Deutsche Bank AG’s DWS Group, Invesco Ltd. and the asset management arm of UBS Group AG have cut the number of new funds with ESG mandates, data from Morningstar Direct showed.

Bloomberg said just over 100 ESG funds were launched globally compared to the 566 ESG fund

launches during 2023. For May alone, only 16 ESG funds opened, the lowest monthly tally since 2020.

“Against a backdrop of po-

Islamic banks...

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profit or interest and do not participate in the trade of alcohol, pork, or activities related to gambling.

According to BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona, 92 percent of those in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) are unbanked.

The passage of Republic Act 11439 or the Islamic Banking Law

enabled the Philippines to have more Islamic banks. The law is the legal basis for the establishment of Islamic banks and IBUs.

This is complemented by three laws, such as the RA 11054 or the Bangsamoro Organic Law; RA 11211 or the Amendments to the BSP Charter; and RA 11840 or the Amendments to the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC). Reine Juvierre S. Alberto

Global tech disruption...

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Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport said on its website that the outage was having a “major impact on flights” to and from the busy European hub. The outage came on one of the busiest days of the year for the airport, at the start of many people’s summer vacations.

In Germany, Berlin Airport said Friday morning that “due to a technical fault, there will be delays in check-in.” It said that flights were suspended until 10 a.m. (0800GMT), without giving details, German news agency dpa reported.

At Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci airport, some US-bound flights had posted delays, while others were unaffected.

Australian outages reported on the site included the banks NAB, Commonwealth and Bendigo, and the airlines Virgin Australia and Qantas, as well as internet and

phone providers such as Telstra. News outlets in Australia—including the ABC and Sky News— were unable to broadcast on their TV and radio channels, and reported sudden shutdowns of Windows-based computers. Some news anchors broadcast live online from dark offices, in front of computers showing “blue screens of death.” Shoppers were unable to pay at some supermarkets and stores due to payment system outages. The New Zealand banks ASB and Kiwibank said their services were down.

An X user posted a screenshot of an alert from the company Crowdstrike that said the company was aware of “reports of crashes on Windows hosts” related to its Falcon Sensor platform. The alert was posted on a password-protected Crowdstrike site and could not be verified. Crowdstrike did not respond to a request for comment.

litical attacks in the US combined with a crackdown on greenwashing in Europe, it’s the latest sign that the finance industry is cooling to the ESG label,” the Bloomberg report said.

Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort told the BusinessMirror that there are still opportunities for the Philippines to catch up on renewable energies and other ESG funding or investments.

“Given the need to increase renewable energy supply in the country to reduce electricity costs, this would still require more ESG-compliant financing,” Ricafort said.

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Given this BOP position, the country’s Gross International Reserves (GIR) reached $105.2 billion as of end-June 2024. The GIR as of end-June 2024 was 0.19 percent higher than the $105.0 billion recorded as of endMay 2024.

“The latest GIR level represents a more-than-adequate external liquidity buffer equivalent to 7.7 months’ worth of imports of goods and payments of services and primary income,” the BSP said. The BSP added the GIR as of end-June 2024 is about six times the country’s short-term external debt based on original maturity and 3.8 times based on residual maturity.

Security Bank Chief Economist Robert Dan Roces said the Philippines’s current BOP reflects a “mixed picture” due to a BOP surplus recorded in June but still lower than last year’s level. Despite this, a surplus was still recorded in the first half of 2024 on the back of a narrowing trade gap and continued foreign inflows, he noted.

“The healthy GIR level provides a buffer. While the June deficit is a slight concern, the overall 2024 trend is cautiously optimistic, and we may be in a small surplus by the end of the year,” Roces added. Earlier, the BSP said the country’s overall BOP is expected to post a surplus of 1.6

BSP Deputy Governor Chuchi G. Fonacier: “This entire 2024 is being dedicated to piloting how banks would make use of the [sustainable finance] taxonomy.”

DICT checks global IT outage’s impact on banks, carriers, telcos

By Lorenz S. Marasigan

THE

Department of Information and Communications

Technology (DICT) late Friday said it is assessing the magnitude of the global IT outage that aﬀected several companies across the world and in the Philippines.

Renato A. Paraiso, Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs and DICT Spokesperson, emphasized that the department, through its Cybersecurity Bureau and the National Computer Emergency Response Team (NCERT), is actively monitoring the situation to understand the full extent of the outage.

“We are in continuous communication with relevant stakeholders to obtain detailed information and assess the full impact of this incident,” he said.

According to reports, the global IT outage is linked to a faulty update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. This incident has caused significant disruptions to Microsoft computer systems worldwide, impacting a wide range of sectors.

“We assure the public that the Department does not use the same cybersecurity service provider and that no DICT systems or assets have been affected,” Paraiso said. In the Philippines, banks and airlines reported that they were

affected by the issue.

Budget carriers Cebu Pacific and AirAsia reported that they are trying to “minimize” the effect of the disruptions caused by the outage—particularly in check-in processes and digital app navigation.

“The technical issue requires us to handle affected processes manually, potentially causing delays. We are working closely with our teams to mitigate disruptions to our operations and will provide regular updates as the situation progresses,” Cebu Pacific said.

AirAsia Philippines Spokesperson Steve Dailisan noted that the carrier is working with Navitaire, its partner, and Microsoft to resolve the issue.

“AirAsia Philippines is closely monitoring the situation and is in constant communication with Navitaire and Microsoft. Our top priority is to minimize any impact on our guests and ensure that all systems are restored to full functionality as soon as possible,” he said.

Philippine Airlines Spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said the carrier

DBM: Cash allocation release, utilization up in Jan-June, but underspending still a risk

By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto

THE government’s release of cash allocation and the state agencies’ utilization of their budget both increased in the first half of the year, according to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

Data on the 2024 Status of Notice of Cash Allocation (NCA) Utilization showed cash allocation released to state agencies increased by 9.57 percent to P2.256 trillion from January to June 2024 from the P2.059 trillion recorded in the same period in 2023.

Meanwhile, the budget utilization rate of state agencies and state-run corporations also improved from January to June this year, posting a utilization rate of 99 percent, higher by 1 percent than the 98 percent recorded in the same period in 2023.

Broken down, line departments

posted a 99-percent utilization rate, utilizing P1.654 trillion of the P1.675 trillion allocation, with a remaining P20.662 billion unused NCAs as of end-June 2024 this year.

Allocations to Local Government Units (ALGUs) worth P509.236 billion of NCAs released were utilized at 100 percent or P508.904 billion. A total of P331.946 million of NCAs are still unused.

For Budgetary Support to state-run corporations, a total of P70.805 billion worth of NCAs were used out of the P71.740 billion, with a utilization rate of 99 percent and the remaining P935 million to be utilized.

For June 2023 alone, the DBM allocated P363.225 billion to line departments, government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) and local government units (LGUs). This is 4.68 percent

higher than the P346.997 billion released in June 2023.

Of the total amount of NCAs already issued by the DBM as of end-June 2024, P21.929 billion remained unused by various agencies and corporations.

NCA refers to the cash authority issued by the DBM to central, regional and provincial offices and operating units to cover the cash requirements of the agencies.

A higher NCA utilization rate shows the capacity of line agencies to disburse their allocated funds in a timely manner and implement their programs and projects.

Risk of underspending

EARLIER, Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said there is still a risk of underspending among government agencies despite improved budget utilization.

Several issues still hound government agencies, government

Stronger military ties between PHL, Australia seen

THE defense ties between the Philippines and Australia have become stronger following the interaction of the heads of the two countries’ militaries on Thursday.

This was after AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. had a video call with newly

appointed Australian Defense Force (ADF) chief Admiral David Johnston, where both leaders affirmed their commitment to peace in the region.

Aside from this, Brawner and Johnston also pledged the continuation of strong defense and security relations between

the Philippines and Australia.

“They also emphasized the importance of their longstanding partnership in addressing shared security challenges and enhancing regional peace and stability,” AFP public affairs office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said in a statement.

was unaffected by the IT issue.

Telcos, banks

UNLIKE telcos elsewhere, Globe Telecom Inc., Smart Communications Inc., and Dito Telecommunity Corp. said the global IT problem had no impact on their operations.

Similarly, GCash and Maya confirmed that their systems remained fully operational throughout the incident, ensuring that users continued to have uninterrupted access to their financial services.

However, banks such as BDO, Metrobank, BPI, and Unionbank reported disruptions in their operations. Separately, they advised “extended wait times...and delays in or unavailability of processing transactions via our digital channels.”

“With the ongoing global outage related to Microsoft-based systems, customers may experience a slow down or temporary unavailability of some bank products and services through our online channels,” Metrobank said.

financial institutions (GFIs) and state-run corporations, such as procurement, according to Pangandaman.

Pangandaman underscored the New Government Procurement Act (NGPA) will help address budget underspending of government agencies as this will enable the early procurement of their projects and programs.

Moreover, the DBM issued a circular directing all government departments, agencies, bureaus, offices, state universities and constitutional offices to submit their budget and financial accountability report and catch-up plans.

This is to closely monitor the implementation of their programs and projects and identify challenges to those with below 50 percent utilization rates.

“In line with the objectives of the Medium-Term Fiscal Framework, the Department of Budget and Management [DBM] is committed to promoting the sound, efficient, and effective management and utilization of government resources,” the circular said.

He said discussion highlighted the mutual benefits of sustained cooperation and the shared goal of promoting peace and security in the region.

“Both leaders concluded the call with a pledge to continue strengthening their defense ties and working closely on various initiatives aimed at further enhancing existing military cooperation activities,” Trinidad noted. Rex Anthony Naval

Cayetanos tackle energy issues, Pia says energy security a must

I S the Department of Energy’s (DOE) selection process of power suppliers for electric power requirements tailor-fit for favored suppliers?

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano raised this question at a Senate energy committee hearing Thursday presided by his sister,

Senator Pia Cayetano. Alan Cayetano said the DOE and the Energy Regulatory Commission should look into the issue raised by Manila Times columnist Roberto Tiglao in his article dated July 15, 2024, citing an alleged obvious attempt to tailor-fit the qualifications of bidders.

Meanwhile, Pia Cayetano said that while she still has pet advocacies she would want to hear in Monday’s State of the Nation Address (Sona), “as the new Chairperson of Energy commitee, I really want to hear about energy security.”

To underscore the cruciality of energy security, she recalled that “in the late 1980s to 90s when we had the energy crisis, when mothers could not sleep because they had to keep fanning their children—not even using an electric fan, huh?” On top of the inconvenience, she said, was the huge extra cost of having to buy

generators, and the diesel to make them run. “It saddens me to hear of a brownout any time. So personally want that to be included in the Sona. Really, because the energy crisis or the stability of our supply, honestly won’t be resolved during the term of this presidency, this administration. But it can be solved today for the next 10, 20, and 30 years for the sake of our children and grandchildren. So that’s what I want, that 20 years from now, we won’t be asked, ‘why didn’t you do? Hindi kayo nagpundar? Because that involves so much investment. So we have to make it attractive for big companies to put up explorations of the indigenous sources, and then investments, and all of that. So, yeah, that’s my hope.”

Reliability crucial

THE reliability of the energy supply is crucial, Cayetano explained, because any shortfall leads to shortages during

Maharlika Investment Corp may now carry out investment plans

By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto

THE Maharlika Investment Corporation (MIC) may now proceed with its investment plans after its membership in the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds (IFSWF) and after finalizing its investment and risk management framework.

In a statement, the Department of Finance (DOF) said the MIC Board on Thursday has approved the corporation’s founding principles and framework stating its overall mission, governance structure and high-level investment approach for 2024 to 2028.

The framework outlines the policies, strategies and risk management practices guiding the MIC’s investment decision-making and portfolio management, according to the DOF.

The framework is a prerequisite for the MIC, the operator of the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF), before proceeding with its investments as mandated by the Republic Act (RA) No. 11954 or the MIF Law.

“We’re excited about the progress we’ve made and our membership in the IFSWF. We’re currently conducting due diligence reviews on several promising investment opportunities,” MIC President and Chief Executive Officer Rafael Consing Jr. told the BusinessMirror.

Consing did not disclose the

specifics of the MIC’s first investment, but he expects to make the first investment announcement in the late third or early fourth quarter of the year.

“We are investing along the themes of energy security. Renewable energy is one of them,” Consing added.

The MIC Board has also approved the MIC Board Protocol, which states the procedures for conducting Board of Directors meetings, in accordance with the MIF, its Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations, and general principles of good corporate governance.

Moreover, the MIC obtained membership in the IFSWF, an international organization setting governance standards for sovereign wealth funds around the world, on July 11.

The DOF said the acceptance of MIC’s application was based on its willingness to endorse, on a voluntary basis, the Santiago Principles, which pertain to the generally accepted principles and practices to ensure the effective operations of sovereign wealth funds globally. The principles put emphasis on appropriate governance and accountability arrangements as well as sound and prudent conduct of investment practices, the DOF added.

The Philippines would also have access to international recognition, networking and peer learning opportunities.

PHL ranking up 11 spots in place of employment index, but still low globally

THE Philippines ranks 56th globally as a place of employment for those seeking opportunities abroad, improving its ranking by 11 spots since 2020 according to the latestDecoding Global Talent 2024by Jobstreet by SEEK, Boston Consulting Group and The Network.

The study is based on survey data from more than 150,000 respondents in the workforce spanning 188 countries.

When asked why they chose the Philippines as one of their top career destinations, most of the respondents noted the welcoming culture and inclusiveness (52 percent), perceived good quality of life (45 percent), cost of living (43 percent ), and quality of job opportunities (43 percent). While the perception of the Philippines has seen a notable uptick, the country is still far compared to top global countries and ranks low within the Southeast Asia (SEA) region.

Talent from neighboring countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, as well as English-speaking countries such as USA and Canada, expressed interest in working in the Philippines.

Filipino mobility trends

peak hours. And, like a stock market, the market for electricity is influenced by the available supply on one hand and the demand on the other. Likening it to a wet market, prices of vegetables rise if there’s not enough of them and people need them, she added.

“But if we plan, supply and demand, if we plan it properly, then the time during which we are in crisis” or a shortfall is imminent will be less, the energy panel chief stressed.

“And if you ask me, doon tayo maginvest, doon sa sariling atin. So if it’s geothermal, indigenous natural gases, of course, renewable. I’m very much a renewable supporter. But yun nga, longterm planning. Sadly, binobola ko kayo pag may magsasabing bukas, next month maso-solve ito. Because that’s short-term solutions. We need the long-term solutions.” Butch Fernandez

WHILE for eign jobseekers see the Philippines as a potential destination for work, Filipino talent display a strong interest in relocating abroad for work, with 80 percent expressing readiness compared to 68 percent in the SEA region. However, it’s worth noting that the interest has declined significantly between 2018 (96 percent) and 2020 (91 percent).

Unlike the global trend where younger candidates are more willing to work overseas, Filipinos across life stages said they are willing to relocate—80 percent of those who said yes are highly educated; 82 percent are young or below 30 years old. For Filipinos willing to work abroad, financial motives and career progression rank highly as their reasons to relocate, said the report. They are also motivated by the search for better social systems and healthcare when thinking of working overseas. Meanwhile, the rest of the

respondents who are not willing to relocate (20 percent) said they decided to stay due to not being able to bring their family, the cost of relocation, or a strong attachment to home country among others.

In terms of the job roles of Filipinos who are looking to relocate, the results are diverse ranging from low- to highskill levels. Almost all workers in the craft professions, as well as manual and physical jobs, consider working abroad. It is followed by other more skillful professions such as in research/laboratory, engineering/technical, and services and hospitality. On the other end, marketing and media practitioners are the least likely to consider moving abroad. The report also reveals that about one-third of Filipinos prefer long-term work abroad without plans to return (35 percent), which differs significantly from workers in neighboring countries who typically prefer shorter overseas assignments of about three years. This discrepancy raises concerns about a potential and significant threat of irreversible brain drain in the Philippines. Meanwhile, the willingness of the global workforce to work remotely for a foreign employer without a physical presence in their home country has significantly increased—now at 66 percent from 57 percent in 2020. In the Philippines, Filipino professionals are now more eager for remote international work than ever (84 percent), way above the SEA and global averages.

“We encourage Filipino employers to develop a global talent strategy, as we may experience talent shortages in the future considering the number of Filipino jobseekers willing to work abroad. They can start by providing better compensation or benefits and better career opportunities as these are the main reasons people seek work abroad. Alternatively, Filipino employers can also consider attracting the working population from other countries,” said Dannah Majarocon, Managing Director, Philippines, Jobstreet by SEEK.

AIM confers honorary degree of Doctorate in Mgmt on ‘JAZA’

THE Asian Institute of Management (AIM) has bestowed the Honorary Degree of Doctorate in Management upon the chair of Ayala Corp. on July 7.

A Harvard-educated luminary,

Dr. Jaime Augusto Z obel de Ayala—who is fondly called through his initials “JA Z A” in the country’s business community—graduated with honors in Economics from Harvard University in 1981, and earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard Business School in 1987.

His strategic leadership has transformed Ayala Corp.—the Philippines’s most established and expansive conglomerate—into a dynamic global enterprise with interests spanning diverse sectors that include real estate, banking, telecommunications, energy, health care, logistics, industrial technologies, water, infrastructure, education, and technology investments.

With his guidance, Ayala Corp. has achieved remarkable success and profoundly shaped the Philippine economy, according to a statement from AIM.

As the Sustainable Development Goals pioneer in the Philippines, Dr. Z obel de Ayala was among 10 global leaders honored for advancing sustainability and promoting the 17 SDGs in local business. Under his leadership, Ayala Corp. has become a model for corporate social responsibility and sustainability. The company is committed to creating shared value for all its stakeholders, and has been recognized for its environmental protection, community development, as well as education initiatives.

Dr. Z obel de Ayala is a distinguished leader in the Philippine

Japan envoy visits

Nihongo Center Foundation campus

AMBASSADOR Kazuya Endo recently paid a courtesy visit to the Nihongo Center Foundation (NCF) Makati Campus, where he was given a tour and received a brief overview of the programs and class offerings.

The NCF has played a major role in promoting Japanese language learning in the Philippines. It offers a comprehensive curriculum catering to beginner, intermediate, and advanced learners. The foundation further supports its mission by providing scholarships to deserving students.

During his visit, Endo lauded NCF’s efforts and its active role in promoting language and cultural exchange between Japan and the Philippines.

NCF chair Francis C. Laurel thanked the Embassy of Japan for its steadfast support to the organization, and looked forward to a stronger partnership.

The foundation was established by the Philippines-Japan Friendship Foundation, which is a nonprofit organization promoting friendship between Filipinos and Japanese. It succeeded the “Nihongo Gakko” (Japanese Language School) of the Japan Information and Cultural Center, whose operations were transferred to PJFF in 1997.

NCF president Philip B. Sanvictores and Association of Filipino Nihongo Teachers president Carmencita Biscarra were among the officials at the event.

business community, serving as chair of the Makati Business Club, and as board member of prominent international institutions such as Temasek Holdings, JP Morgan International Council, JP Morgan Asia Pacific Council, Mitsubishi Corp. International Advisory Council, and LeapFrog Investment’s Global Leadership Council.

A staunch advocate for learning, he founded the Ayala Education Foundation, which provides scholarships to underprivileged students.

“Dr. Jaime Augusto Z obel de Ayala’s unwavering dedication to innovation, corporate governance and social responsibility serves as an inspiration to current and future business leaders,” said AIM president and dean Jikyeong Kang PhD. “His achievements pave the path toward impactful leadership—the very essence of what AIM strives to instill in our graduates.”

In his commencement address, Dr. Z obel de Ayala humbly thanked the AIM Board of Trustees for the honorary doctorate degree, acknowledging the significance of the recognition. He warmly congratulated the graduating class of 2024 while sharing in their joy and excitement for the future. With a reflection on the deep-rooted ties between Ayala and AIM, he recalled the pivotal role the former played in the institute’s founding with a generous land donation.

“AIM was not part of Makati’s

original plan,” Dr. Z obel de Ayala recounted during the AIM 2024 Graduation Ceremony. “However, it was decided that [the city] should house what would become Asia’s pioneering graduate school for business.”

He lauded the institute’s legacy for producing exceptional graduates who have made significant contributions across various sectors that include businesses, civil society, public service, academia, and data analytics.

As he addressed the graduating class, Dr. Z obel de Ayala centered his speech on the theme of choices and consequences : “We all make choices every day—some trivial, many meaningful. They shape who we are and the society we live in,” then urged fellow graduates to embrace purposeful decisionmaking in their careers.

He then highlighted three crucial life lessons. Dr. Z obel de Ayala first emphasized the importance of attention management in today’s distracted world : “Choose to prioritize the most meaningful and most impactful” as, according to him, “attention is a finite resource in a world of endless demands.”

“Our teams, and those that we work with, are the critical com -

ponents of success,” Dr. Z obel de Ayala stated, while he emphasized the second life lesson : the importance of choosing people well, and investing in relationships. He encouraged the audience to surround themselves with individuals who offer diverse perspectives, provide support, and inspire growth, drawing from his own experiences of building successful teams and fostering collaborative partnerships throughout his career.

In his parting message, Dr. Z obel de Ayala shared the third life lesson, as he urged fellow graduates to define their purpose and values : “They are both your anchor and… lighthouse, keeping you planted on what is most valuable, while helping you see a path toward the future.”

For AIM, the honorary degree is a tribute to Dr. Z obel de Ayala’s exceptional career and his enduring impact on the Asian business landscape. The institute said it recognizes not only the Ayala Corp. chair’s outstanding achievements in business, but also his steadfast commitment to leading with purpose, inspiring action, as well as transforming the lives of individuals and communities on a global scale.

‘FIND YOUR PURPOSE’ Sen. Pia Cayetano was the guest of honor and speaker during the 35th Commencement Exercises of Tarlac State University (TSU)’s College of Education. In her address, the lawmaker lauded the newly minted educators with clear aspirations, and reassured those still seeking direction that their paths would soon manifest. Emphasizing the significance of introspection, Cayetano urged graduates to discover their purpose within themselves. She further stressed the importance of lifelong learning and the strategic use of technology, including artificial intelligence, to not only foster personal growth, but also to shape education and make an impact on future generations.

SM Store equips students for upcoming school year

THE SM Store recently relaunched its “Shop & Share for Education” program that aims to provide students with backto-school kits, in time for the opening of School Year (S Y ) 2024-2025. The program aims to distribute back-to-school kits to 12,000 grade-school pupils in more than 70 public schools nationwide. Running until July 31, it encourages shoppers who make a minimum single-receipt purchase of P3,000 to sponsor a child’s school kit for only P100. Each contains notebooks, pad paper, pencils and ballpens, envelopes and bond paper. Now in its second year, “Shop & Share…” is SM Store’s effort to

help address the lack of access to basic school supplies—one of the top-priority issues of the local education sector. According to data from the Department of Education, more than 22 million students were enrolled in public schools for S Y 2023-2024.

However, a report by nongovernment group Save the Children Philippines revealed that many Filipino students from remote areas do not even own a pencil.

The first Shop & Share effort benefited 20 schools nationwide, in partnership with various nongovernment organizations and local government units of the adopted schools. It proved to be effective,

as it highlighted the way the SM Store can become a good avenue for collaborative social good, given its scale and nationwide footprint. This year’s initiative will have each store adopt one school beneficiary. SM Store believes that involving its customers creates greater impact for the program’s beneficiaries. Everyone is encouraged to pitch in by adding the school kit to the list on the next shopping trip this July.

For the SM Store, each sponsored school kit means an enriched learning experience for a school child in need today, who will one day become a steward of a better future.

Editor: Mike Policarpio

EDCOM 2 cements alliance with Ateneo School of Govt

THE Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) formalized a partnership with Ateneo de Manila University for an education-research fellowship through the Ateneo School of Government and the Gokongwei Brothers School of Education and Learning.

The EDCOM 2-Ateneo Research Fellowship will generate the final set of studies that the commission will utilize for its reforms. This initiative is also one among the various research endeavors undertaken by the former, which aims to recommend transformative, concrete, and targeted reforms that will enhance the global competitiveness of the Philippines in both education and labor markets.

“The importance of research was very clear when we started with EDCOM 2, as we understood that we cannot jump into solutions without first and foremost doing proper diagnosis of the problems we face,” said EDCOM 2 executive director Karol Mark Yee. “That is what real research requires : Not just general statements of what needs to be done, but an incisive analysis of the factors that cause it, and clear recommendations [on ways] to solve these issues, while accounting for the context in which we operate.”

Fr. Roberto Yap, who is Ateneo’s president, likewise emphasized the role of evidence in policy-making : “This collaboration not only underscores our shared commitment to improving the Philippine education sector, but also highlights the importance of evidence-based policy recommendations.”

“Ateneo is eager to work with EDCOM 2 in pursuing this endeavor of improving the education sector in our country through studying its challenges and forging the path toward its reformation,” he added. “We believe that through this

fellowship, we will uncover significant insights that will pave the way for substantial and lasting reforms to address the educational crisis.”

Present as witnesses were dean of the Gokongwei Brothers School of Education and Learning Design Fr Johnny C. Go, SJ, dean of the Ateneo School of Government Dr. Philip Arnold P. Tuano; Dr. Ma. Assunta C. Cuyegkeng, who is the executive director of the Lily Gokongwei Ngochua Leadership Academy; Ivyrose S. Baysic, who heads the Ateneo Policy Center; and Dr. Christian Leubert C. Milambiling, who is the program manager for Research of the Ateneo Center for Education Reform.

The EDCOM 2-Ateneo Research Fellowship will engage researchers affiliated with a higher education institution to work on 16 studies that will answer priority research questions on earlychildhood care and development, basic education, higher education, teacher education, technical-vocational education and training or TVET and lifelong learning, as well as governance and financing for education.

The commission will be working very closely with education research fellows to produce powerful studies that can truly inform and direct recommendations for which it is advocating. Yee remarked : “We are really working step by step with our scholars to make sure that whatever we know from the field, whatever we know from our hearings, we are able to share with our research fellows so that the studies really give us the most concrete and instructive recommendations.”

Applications for the EDCOM 2-Ateneo Research Fellowship were extended until July 15. Details of the 16 priority research areas can be accessed through https://bit. ly/3Vtrpxb.

Synodality, sustainability centered in ACUP’s first-ever youth gathering

THE Association of Catholic Universities of the Philippines Inc. (ACUP) is set to gather studentleaders, student affairs officers and organization advisers for its first Youth Seminar-Workshop on July 23 and 24 at the Fr. Francis Gevers Hall of Saint Louis University (SLU), Baguio.

The ACUP Youth Seminar-Workshop will explore ways in which the youth can be involved in synodal efforts in their schools and communities; emphasize the youth’s unique roles in promoting innovative ideas in line with synodality and methods of new evangelization; and empower them to act in matters of the environment, social transformation and technology in line with the teachings of the Church.

“Synodality,” according to organizers, means “journeying together as the people of God.” More practically, it means listening to individuals within the community, engaging in dialogue, and discerning the way forward for an inclusive, understanding, and missionary Church. It equips communities to live together in communion, achieve greater participation, and move forward more intentionally toward the mission. By listening to and sharing perspectives from the youth, young people are not just made welcome to accompany the Church in its common journey, but their relationship with Christ is also strengthened.

After beginning the gathering with a Eucharistic Celebration presided by Baguio Cathedral Administrator Rev. Fr. Roland Buyagan, Fr. Jason H. Laguerta’s keynote discussion on the morning of Day 1 will be “The Youth’s Role in Synodality and New Evangelization.” His long-established active involvement in the synodal efforts of the Church will prompt valuable insights that will be shared with participants.

In the afternoon, Living Laudato Si’ Philippines executive director Rodne Galicha will speak on “The Youth and the Environment : The Road to Laudato Si’ Schools.” His organization aims to empower citizens to adopt lifestyles and attitudes that meet the urgent need to care for our common home. It acts toward promoting sustainable development, while stopping the climate crisis and degradation through collective action among people from different sectors. His talk will explore the youth’s role as stewards of God’s creation and how they can apply this in their own learning environments. May Parsons, who is the Filipina nurse who administered the world’s first Covid-19 vaccine, will discuss “The Youth and Social Transformation : Inspirations to Uplift the Community.” The next plenary speaker is Break the Fake Movement founder Gabriel Billones Jr., who is the first Filipino who became an Obama Foundation Scholar at Columbia University in New York City. He leads an alliance of over 500 young professionals across Southeast Asia who fight fake news, promote media and information literacy, and encourage responsible digital citizenship. His talk will focus on “The Youth and Technology : How to Counter the Information Disorder.” Day 2 will begin with a Eucharistic Celebration, presided by Rev. Fr. Emery Mwako Ebumea and concelebrated by priests in the ACUP leadership. The keynote speaker, human-rights lawyer and Angat Buhay Chairperson Atty. Ma. Leonor G. Robredo, will discuss “ Tayo-Tayo: The Youth’s Involvement in Synodality and Social Transformation” at the Fr. Joseph van den Daelen Center for Culture and Arts Theater of SLU. Throughout her term as the country’s 14th vice president, she led efforts to implement community-centered and sustainable development initiatives on education, health, community engagement, and disaster response and rehabilitation. The following plenary discussion will be on “The Sustainable Development Goals Journey of the Louisian Community” by the 2022 Catholic Heroes awardee of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines and SLU executive assistant to the President Prof. Joselito C. Gutierrez PhD, who is also the officer in charge of the SDG and Laudato Si’ Center of SLU. In the afternoon, a workshop on Missionary Discipleship will be held, with breakout sessions focusing on the environment, social transformation, and technology. The gathering will conclude with dinner and a collaborative cultural presentation. Having celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, ACUP is currently led by its president Rev. Fr. Gilbert B. Sales CICM, PhD, who also serves as SLU’s president. Its secretariat is under the care of the University of Santo TomasOffice of Public Affairs. For more information, follow the official Facebook account under ACUP1973

DR. Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala

Tourism Editor: Edwin P. Sallan

MORE REASONS TO SMILE INTRODUCING BACOLOD CITY’S NEWEST LANDMARK

Photos courtesy of The Ascott Limited THE City of Smiles just got another big reason to keep on smiling.

With the recent launch of Citadines Bacolod City, the bustling city’s vibrant culture and rich heritage have just been enhanced in a big way. Bacolod’s dynamic atmosphere in tandem with the city's constant progress has made it an ideal landing spot for Ascott Limited’s newest property. Embodying the Citadines branding through its tagline, “For the Love of Cities,” Citadines Ba-

THE lush Shangri-La Mactan in Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu seems to have been crafted for more than just island vacationers; it also makes for an ideal location for group leisure and recreational activities. And in the case of Epson Fusion 15, it

colod City offers an unbeatable tandem of modern conveniences and the familiar serviced apartments concept that Citadines is known for. For families, it’s an ideal staycation destination that still has the feel of a home away from home. For business travelers, it has more than enough facilities to qualify as a MICE destination. And for tourists, Citadines Bacolod City’s strategic location at the northern part of the city is for starters close to Bacolod-Silay International Airport. Popular tourist spots like The Ruins, the Negros Museum and the Art District are all within easy reach. Shopping areas like The Row, Robinsons Place Bacolod and SM City Bacolod are likewise very much accessible. I was able to personally experience most of these first-hand during the recent stay of our media group here—which incidentally also coincided with Citadines Bacolod City’s grand opening.

With a festive event dubbed, “Sinadya : Celebrating the Opening of Citadines Bacolod City,” the proper-

set-up across the 13-hectare property, encompassing a white sandy shoreline, numerous landscaped gardens, swimming pools, and top-notch amenities. An ideal tropical hideaway FOR those seeking a comfortable shut-eye moment, Shangri-La has five hundred and thirty-three tastefully designed rooms and suites at their Mactan Resort and Spa. The two wings of the resort offer rooms with stunning views of the garden or ocean and a modern resort vibe with traditional Filipino touches. Guests can satisfy their culinary cravings at Tides, the resort’s interactive lifestyle restaurant, which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner from an open-kitchen buffet featuring worldwide dishes. In addition to Tides, there are six additional restaurants spread out over the property that serve equally delectable food and offer breathtaking

ty’s grand opening with its Masskara theme captured the lively spirit of Bacolod's renowned festivals.

“We are thrilled to open Citadines Bacolod City and to celebrate with the community through this special event. The opening itself, being my first in the Philippines, as a French man inaugurating a French brand, in this beautiful city, makes it very meaningful,” Patrick Vaysse, Country General Manager of The Ascott Limited Philippines noted during his opening speech. "Our goal is to provide an exceptional living experience for our guests, blending the comforts of home with the dynamism of Bacolod's cultural heritage.”

A little-known fun fact about Citadines is that the brand started in France back in 1984. The opening of Citadines Bacolod City marks a milestone as it also coincided with the brand’s 40th anniversary.

Accommodations at Citadines Bacolod City are not your typical hotel rooms. The studio-type rooms like the one where I stayed is well-equipped with modern amenities like a com-

views of Hilutangan Channel. One can choose from the Cantonese Tea of Spring, the seafood place Cowrie Cove Seafood Bar & Grill, the poolside joint Acqua, the alfresco Buko Bar, the beachfront Breeze Bar, and the Lobby Lounge. With its expansive layout, Chi, The Spa gives the impression of being a resort in and of itself, and it offers all the therapies every wellness enthusiast might need. Professional therapists provide a variety of health services, including massages, that draw on Asian and Philippine traditions.

Let the Fusion 15 mind games begin THIS year’s Epson Fusion is the most relaxed, according to participants who have been attending the earlier editions. For starters, there’s no stamina-draining challenge involved. The five challenges only necessitate memory mastery, analytical skills, some knowledge of Epson products, and beer pong accuracy. My group, Team Pink, placed highly on

fortable bed, a work desk, a TV, and a bathroom.

The apartment types go one step further with the inclusion of kitchenettes or even full kitchens, ideal for families or groups who prefer to prepare their own meals or enjoy extended stays. I particularly appreciate the modern design and the thoughtful touches that create a comfortable and home-like atmosphere.

There is a plethora of dining options and watering holes in Bacolod City including popular establishments like Delicioso Wine Food Coffee and 18th Street Palapala Seafood Grill & Restaurant as well as those that can be found at the nearby Paseo Verde strip mall which is just a stone’s throw away from the property. The in-house restaurants of Citadines Bacolod City, however, will make you think twice about going out.

There’s Pureza, the charming artisanal lobby cafe nestled within Citadines Bacolod City, offering Europeanstyle boulangerie and French viennoiserie. There also Namit, the all-day din-

each of the five challenges and ultimately won second place overall. We should have won first place had we not finished last on the previous night’s ice-breaker movie scene re-enactment game. We achieved the fastest time in the On Par game, which required a team to hit shots on the resort’s mini golf course. We also finished first on the Jeopardy game, which asked questions about Epson products (it helped a lot having Masako Kusama, Epson Philippines’ President and Director, as our teammate), and Cebu in general. We also placed in the top two on the other challenges: the Wavelength, a memory game that entails blindly matching hidden objects; the 20/20 Vision, which involves guessing blurry photographs; and the Pong game, sort of like a Beer Pong game without beer.

The push to be a carbon-negative company by 2050 BEFORE the fun and games started, Epson executives hosted a media dinner during our first night at Shangri-La Mactan. Following a short trivia game and the assignment of

ing restaurant, celebrates local Filipino and Southeast Asian cuisine. There’s Fuego, the steakhouse and bar lounge that offers a menu of steaks, antipasti boards, sides, and cocktails. Fuego draws inspiration from the flames of the majestic volcanoes that surround the Negros region.

There’s also the Adlao pool bar, for those who prefer to partake of snacks, fresh juices, and cocktails. Inspired by the Hiligaynon term for sunshine, Adlao is the perfect area to chill out and catch both the wonderful sunrise and the equally scenic sunset of Bacolod, whether or not you prefer to take an early morning dip, late night swimming or water fun in between. And then there’s also Tam Is, the grab-and-go haven inspired by the Hiligaynon term for sweet, a loving nod to Negros as the sugar bowl of the Philippines and intertwining the region’s history with delightful treats.

During the grand opening, our group and the numerous other guests were able to sample the decadent menu of property executive chef Jose Medrano; from a robust selection of cheeses and cold cuts to an artistic display of some of the city’s most fresh seafood options, alongside the signature hot dishes of the restaurant, such as the house salpicao and inasal, which quickly became personal favorites for me.

Equally impressive are all the amenities of Citadines Bacolod City including the grand ballroom, the meeting rooms, and the business lounge which are all particularly tailored for those staying here on business or for holding or attending special events.

There is also a spa, a fitness corner, a launderette, and a cubbies playroom that pretty much covers everything a traveling visitor here needs.

All told, there’s a lot to like about Citadines Bacolod City. As the latest addition to the City of Smile’s increasingly booming tourism industry, I won’t be surprised if it quickly becomes a preferred accommodation option for local and foreign visitors here. I for one, am already looking forward to my next visit.

team groupings, Masako Kusama, President and Director at Epson Philippines, highlighted the significance of establishing an eco-connection.

Other than being a yearly thanksgiving gathering between members of the media and Epson, the Fusion event also serves as a platform to disseminate updates about upcoming Epson products and innovations.

As I learned from our first dinner, Epson’s goals are to be carbon-negative and underground resource-free by 2050. To achieve this, Epson is investing heavily in decarbonization, resource recycling, and environmental technology development, all while reducing greenhouse gas emissions in their supply chain.

Making the most of Shangri-La Mactan’s amenities

SINCE the entire Epson Fusion 15 games took hardly half a day, we spent most of our threeday stay at Shangri-La Mactan roaming and enjoying the property’s amenities.

In between drinking a beer at the beachfront Breeze Bar, digging into the buffet spread at the Tides, and getting a relaxing massage at the Chi, The Spa, I found myself swimming at the resort’s private beach cove, which is adjacent to a marine sanctuary, explaining the presence of countless medium-sized fish and colorful corals.

For me, the highlight of our second day was the parasailing activity, which lifted me 300-400 feet in the air for around fifteen to twenty minutes while providing a breathtaking panorama of Mactan Island and the waters of the Cebu Strait. Being in the air with nothing but the sound of your own thoughts and the gentle caress of the wind on your face was a truly Zen experience. As the night’s Barrio Fiesta-themed dinner commences and even after the food were served and the open bar served cocktail drinks, can’t help but feel gratitude for, yet another wonderful experience coupled with staying in a world-class resort like Shangri-La Mactan and to once again participate in my second Epson Fusion event.

In line with this year’s Eco-Connection theme and Epson’s increased commitment to sustainability in both its current and future products, I also sense a deepening connection to our environment. This encompasses the waters surrounding Mactan Island, the underwater treasures it conceals, the verdant surroundings of Shangri-La Mactan, and whatever remains of our cherished planet. As a traveler who dreams of having my grandkids enjoy the beautiful places I’ve been to, I do hope that more brands will focus on becoming a carbon-zero company in the future so as to guarantee a longer life for our planet.

Story & photos by Marky Ramone Go

Personal care brand takes digital plunge

BATH and Body Works is a company that specializes in personal care and home fragrance. Its popular products include body mist, body lotion and body cream, threehand soap.

In the Philippines, you can get Bath and Body Works’ body care essentials, including hand soaps, sanitizers, fragrances, and even candles and home www. bathandbodyworks.ph.

into a collaboration with tech company Accenture to modernize, transform and simplify its core digital Works’ multi-year program to elevate the brand and

“Our collaboration with Accenture is about having a strong technology foundation and scaling the power of digital, data and AI to deliver new levels of customer experiences, agility and performance,” said by enhancing our operations, elevating our brand personalized and seamless experiences that keep them coming back.”

The personal care brand, in collaboration with Accenture, will also create new and innovative capabilities like a digital Fragrance Finder, a gen AI-powered conversational experience to help

Consumer Pulse 2024 research

“We are focused on leveraging our core strengths in fragrance and augmenting these with cutting-edge technology and AI experiences such as native mobile, headless

networks to deliver hyper-relevant and immersive experiences to customers with greater precision,” said Thilina Gunasinghe, chief digital and technology

will help this beloved brand continue to raise the bar chairman and CEO, Accenture. “Together, we will build a strong digital core of cloud, data and AI and Works create value, foster growth and continually delight their customers in new ways.”

services arm of Accenture, recently launched a report, titled “Generative AI for Customer Growth,” which found that companies applying gen AI to customer-

focused only on productivity.

“We are already seeing rapid changes in retail, our clients who are working with thin margins are using generative AI to free up resources. That gain is reinvested in operational improvements. For them, an incremental approach is not an option, they need to reinvent so generative AI is core to their strategy—not as proof of concept but in production, and not just for

global C-level executives and investigated how companies are investing in generative AI and related with 30 expert interviews with thought leaders, technology experts, policy specialists, and creative professionals.

Cu highlights importance of Open APIs at 2024 MWC Shanghai

critical in advancing digital solutions that will fuel growth and innovation, Ernest Cu, Globe president

which aims to accelerate the growth of digital services and applications through seamless integration of standard and common APIs. It was moderated by Cu and Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, CEO of Telecoms Business and group EVP at Axiata Group.

“We’ve been an advocate of open APIs for some time, although it’s not a federated group type of APIs. We started that initiative maybe even eight years ago. We had bilateral types of APIs that we made available believer in that and a big supporter,” Cu said. He emphasized the relevance of open APIs for emerging markets such as the Philippines, especially

“Our country’s National ID system is not yet complete. It’s in the works, but the challenges are immense right in that area, including fraud, scams, phishing and many others. I think a lot of it will be solved if we’re able to provide a secure identity type of www.globe.com.ph

When asked about the potential $300 billion opportunity for Open Gateway initiatives predicted expressed cautious optimism.

monetizing telco assets such as APIs to maintain growth. Globe has already seen success in monetizing extending this to APIs and services is a logical next step.

position as both a telecom provider and a leader in

information and services that could be shared and developed through open-source APIs on top of what Globe already has.

Addressing vital factors for the success of the paramount.

“A big spoiler for me would be security. Anytime you’re exposing anything that has access to a vast trove of information on the back end, it’s critical that we implement proper cybersecurity controls around it for all of us and have operators retreating from implementation or even joining the consortium,” he warned.

As the telco industry continues to evolve, Cu’s insights underscore the importance of collaboration, innovation and security in shaping the future of digital services and applications.

Fintech increases chance of women entreps to thrive, shine in business

Contributor

FILIPINO women, mothers in particular, are very resourceful. In tough times, they do multiple tasks to provide for and take care of their family.

To make both ends meet, a lot of them venture into entrepreneurship, either as their main means of livelihood or a source of extra income. In fact, majority of the 950,000 micro, small, and medium enterprises in the Philippines are women-owned, mostly wholesale, retail, food service, and accommodation businesses.

Financial technology (fintech) company Tala found out in its survey that over half or 56 percent of the respondents said that their foray in entrepreneurship is driven by the desire to have the flexibility to be a homemaker while making money. Also, they want personal growth, specifically become their own bosses (51 percent) and to challenge themselves and develop new skills (51 percent).

However, the study revealed that 55 percent had difficulty availing monetary services like loans, savings and credit lines because of complicated application requirements and paperwork, ineligibility to apply due to age, employment status and credit history, scams, unfair payment terms and interest rates, and limited knowledge in exploring digital platforms, among others.

Four-fifths (80 percent) shared they particularly considered taking a loan yet only 29 percent proceeded with their application to start a business, and 21 percent to supply their existing one.

Addressing their problems, Tala heeds the call for more accessible financial services by providing not just only a platform where businesswomen can apply for flexible, convenient online credit, but a chance to take control of their finances, improve their business, and attain their objectives.

“We have heard plenty of success stories from Tala customers who kickstarted and eventually grew their businesses with the help of our financial services. We take pride in these because it is part of our mission to be a reliable and trusted partner of entrepreneurs, especially women, in their journey to success,” said Missy Santos, marketing manager of Tala. Among them is mom and longtime Tala customer Aimee. Prior to finding Tala, she applied for several bank loans to support her food stall business. Due to lack of credit history, however, she got rejected each time. Then, her friend referred Tala and she tried it.

“When I got my first loan from Tala, I used the money for business purposes first. I went to the market and bought ingredients to make homemade tocino which I sold to my neighbors and friends,” she said. With the P1,000 credit as capital, Aimee earned a profit and reinvested for expansion. Her on-time repayment increased her loan limits. Through Tala’s referral program, she even helps others to now have the same access to credit and earn extra. Now, her family’s economic situation has improved tremendously. She also ventured into another business selling beauty products.

Beyond monetary services, Tala also supports women in terms of financial education that gives mothers, homemakers, and all aspiring businesswomen the right tools and knowledge to handle their finances better.

technological trend adopted by brands and organizations across industries, driving innovation and transformation worldwide, Chen said Omoda and Jaecoo have positioned AI at the core of its product development to ensure the brand remains progressive and meets market demands for intelligent technology and innovative solutions. Through a fully integrated digital management system across the value chain, Chen said AI empowers the two companies in various aspects, including product design, manufacturing, sales and service.

capabilities in the smart automotive sector, paving the way for sustainable development. By actively embracing AI technologies, Chen said Omoda and Jaecoo aim to deliver more personalized and intelligent products and services, catering to the younger demographics’ demands for high-tech and futuristic lifestyles. Furthermore, he said the brand is committed to advancing AI applications, enhancing its own competitiveness, development across the industry.

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

EU accepts Apple pledge to let rivals access ‘tap to pay’ iPhone tech to resolve antitrust case

Oppo’s latest ‘Renovation’ meets Gen AI

CAMERAS

THE MANY WONDERS OF GENAI

Fight still on forinboxing Paris

Schools get piece of esports action in ‘Estudyante’

THE Estudyante Esports: The National Championships

oﬀers prizes to top players and their respective schools with a prize pot of P1.6 million.

The organizing Dark League Studios said the event—featuring competitions in Mobile Legends:Bang Bang, Valorant, League of Legends and Tekken 8—is designed to boost school pride and spirit. Winning teams of the MLBB, Valorant and League of Legends tournaments get P250,000 each, while their schools will receive P80,000 each and the second-place teams will earn P100,000, with their schools getting P50,000 each.

Organizers will also award a Most Valuable Player, who will receive P50,000. The champion in Tekken 8 will win P50,000, the runner-up gets P30,000 and third placer P20,000.

“It’s an esports celebration of our schools and local communities,” said Dark League Studios chief executive oﬃcer AC Valdenor. “What makes this program special is how it brings schools together. It’s about giving every school, no matter how big or small, a chance to shine on a national esports stage.”

Preliminary competitions will be held in the National Capital Region (NCR), Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, with the national championships are set in September.

University of the PhilippinesDiliman and National University lead the early entrants in NCR, Holy Angel University and Lyceum Subic Bay head the ﬁeld in Luzon, University of San Jose-Recoletos heads the cast in the Visayas, while Mindanao State U-Iligan heads the Mindanao cast. Also entered are Jose Rizal University, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, University of Makati, University of Science and Technology Southern Philippines and Central Philippine University.

BOXING is already on the Olympic ropes after an epic ﬁght between its banished governing body and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Although the sport has been a staple of Olympic programs for over a century, it could be dropped before the Los Angeles Games if big changes in governance don’t happen in the next year.

The ﬁghts are still on in Paris this month, but this Olympic tournament will look like nothing fans have seen in decades—for better in some ways, and probably for worse in others.

Twelve years after women’s boxing made its Olympic debut with just 36 fighters in three weight classes in London, the sport likely has achieved gender parity, reaching the overall Olympic movement’s goal.

Give or take a few last-minute additions or dropouts, half of the 248 boxers in Paris will be women ﬁghting

LBy Aldrin Quinto

“Through the National Championships, we are fulﬁlling Dark League Studio’s thrust and intent to really bring esports more accessible to students and schools,” said DLS program director Deng Kibanoﬀ.

AUREL, Batangas—Tony Lascuña showed grit and composure in a frustrating week of stop-and-go play, firing a closing one-under par 71 on Friday to top the stormy Splendido Taal Championship by one stroke.

Needing par on the ﬁnal hole after big-hitting Keanu Jahns ﬁnished at 12-under with a bogey-free 67, Lascuña left himself some

in six weight classes. But this milestone was reached by sharply cutting the number of male boxers in an overall field that will be the smallest for Olympic boxing since 1956.

While there will be 23 more women ﬁghting in Paris than in Tokyo three years ago, there will also be a whopping 63 fewer men, and they’re ﬁghting in only seven weight classes—the fewest since 1908.

In fact, Paris will have dozens fewer boxers than in every other Games in the 21st century.

The 248 ﬁghters in Paris are a shadow of the Olympic-record 432 who participated in Seoul in 1988, and it’s even down sharply from the 289 boxers who participated in Tokyo.

USA Boxing head coach Billy Walsh has been an ardent proponent of the women’s sport ever since he coached Katie Taylor of his native Ireland to a gold medal in London, and he says the addition of three women’s weight classes in Paris is “fantastic.”

Walsh still recognizes the drawbacks to the sport’s growth when it comes up against the IOC’s typically ﬁrm cap on total Olympic participants. It’s rare to add more athletes to a traditional Olympic sport, particularly while the IOC is adding trendy new sports to each Games.

“It is sad in a sense for the men,” said Walsh, who competed for Ireland in the Seoul Olympics in 1988. “Because when I boxed, they had 12 [men’s] weight divisions. They went down to 10, and then down to eight, and now we’re down to seven.”

work after hitting his approach shot just short of the green.

He did not wince, ﬂicking a soft wedge shot to two feet which he calmly rolled in before making a huge ﬁst pump that drew cheers from the small gallery that stayed around the 18th green despite the rain.

Winner of the Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) season prologue at The Country Club in January, Lascuña added to his haul with a 13-under 275 total worth P360,000. The four-time Order of Merit winner had earlier rounds of 69-68-67.

Eyeing a return to the top of the tour backed by International Container Terminal Services Inc., Lascuña once again proved he can go toe-to-toe with the young big-hitters although the 53-year-old noted it was a struggle this week until the ﬁnal putt of his 54th professional title.

“I’m not young anymore, and it was tiring walking up and down this course,” said Lascuña as he pointed to his legs and rubbed his back.

With a blanket of fog shrouding the mountains early, Lascuña quietly made routine pars.

The grizzled shotmaker strung up three birdies from No. 7 to get to 15-under as the sun peeked through the clouds at mid-morning before rain again fell as the championship ﬂight of Lascuña, LJ Go and Aidric Chan marched onto the back nine.

Lascuña did show signs of fatigue, suﬀering bogeys on the par-4 No. 13 and on No. 15.

Well short on his approach to the 16th green, Lascuña had a tough pitch but stuck it to just inches for the muchneeded par.

“I knew then that if I missed that, it was over for me,” Lascuña said. “I told myself keep your hands steady, don’t mess this up. Good thing I did okay.”

Five behind at the start of the day, Jahns came up with three birdies on the front nine and got to ﬁve under with birdies on Nos. 10 and 15. But he could not convert in the closing holes, while Lascuña held on after four energysapping days on the scenic course made even tougher by several weather delays, including a one-hour stoppage with three holes to play.

In Rio de Janeiro eight years ago, 250 men had the career-deﬁning honor of being Olympic boxers. That number has been halved just eight years later, with 124 men competing at three fewer weights than in Rio.

Men’s boxing in Paris will have its fewest weight classes since 1908 in London, where the second boxing tournament in the modern Olympics was contested at just ﬁve weights. Three years earlier in Tokyo, men’s boxing already dropped to eight weight classes for the ﬁrst time since 1948.

That means there is no longer an Olympic weight class between 71 kilograms (156 pounds) and 80 kilograms (176 pounds).

Professional middleweights ﬁght at 160 pounds, and super middleweights weigh in at 168 pounds, but any ﬁghter who couldn’t go down or up to the Olympic limits was out of luck.

That’s a concern to Walsh and many others around the sport. The elimination of weight classes encourages fighters to stretch the limits of their bodies to see if they can fit into a less-than-ideal weight class for qualification—and that can lead to mismatches up and down the scales.

“When we’ve narrowed down the numbers, it’s also put a big gap in the weight divisions,” Walsh said. “There’s so much gap now. There’s a reason why there are [weight classes]. It’s because of the power of the punch. These guys are hurting you. There’s damage you can do. If some guy is barely making the welterweight division, he’s got 10 kilos he has to put on, and the other guy is coming down from four or ﬁve kilos above that, it’s a lot of power in the punch. It’s a combat sport, and people do get hurt, do get injured. I worry about that.”

Astrolabio, Nakatani comfortably make weight for WBC title duel

TBy Josef Ramos

OK YO—Battle’s on at the Ryogoku Kokugikan Arena on Saturday as Filipino challenger

Vincent Astrolabio and World Boxing Council (WBC) bantamweight champion Junto Nakatani both comfortably passed the oﬃcial weigh-in at the Tokyo Dome on Friday.

“I’m going for that belt,” Astrolabio said immediately after tipping the scales at 117.26 lbs with WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman and Brendan Gibbons, son of MP Promotions president Sean Gibbons by his side.

Nakatani was also trouble-free at 117.04 lbs and smiled at the General Santos City ﬁghter’s threat.

“I enjoy fighting especially if my

opponent’s punches are powerful,” he said through an inmterpreter. “That’s going to be exciting and I will do my best to knockout him out.” Nakatani’s words are packed with potential positive results—the 26-yearold Japanese knocked out 20 of his opponents in an unblemished 27-0 record to the 27-year-old Astrolabio’s 19 wins and four losses with 14 KO victories.

“I’m dedicating this ﬁght to all Filipinos and to my family,” said Astrolabio, who has a six-year-old daughter Lovecent and three-year-old son Z ach Nathan with wife Lovely Fuentes.

“As I’ve said, I didn’t go here to lose butt to bring the belt home,” added Astrolabio, who after the weigh-in feasted on bulalo, chicken and banana prepared by his assistant trainer Aries Jay Buenavidez while listening to Manny Pacquiao’s Lahing Pinoy

“Time to relax for a while,” he told BusinessMirror as he savored his meal. Head trainer and manager Nonoy Neri told BusinessMirror that his ward is “very hungry to win” the world 118-pound title.

“Vincent Astrolabio is very ready for this fight, he is very hungry to win,” he said.

Editor: Angel R. Calso

Yemen’s Houthi rebels claim drone strike that leaves one dead, at least 10 injured in Tel Aviv

By Ami Bentov & Sam Metz The Associated Press

TEL AVIV, Israel—Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Friday claimed responsibility for an early morning drone strike that hit a part of central Tel Aviv near the United States Embassy, leaving at least 10 injured and one dead.

The aerial strike rumbled through the streets causing shards of shrapnel to rain down and spreading shards of glass over a large radius. The Houthis have repeatedly launched drones and missiles toward Israel throughout the nine-month-long war, in solidarity with the Palestinian people and against Israel. But until Friday, all were intercepted by either Israel or Western allies with forces stationed in the region.

Y ahya Sare’e, the Houthis’ spokesperson, said in a statement published on the social media plat-

form X that the strike was made in retaliation to the war underway in Gaza between Israel and Hamas and had hit one of many of the group’s targets.

The Houthis claimed that their newest drones can bypass Israel’s aerial defense systems. However, a spokesperson for Israel’s military said on Friday that the explosiveladen drone had been identified on Thursday and attributed the hit to “human error.” The military’s assessment of aerial threats has not changed because, the military said, Israel’s adversaries have at-

Ursula von der Leyen reelected to a second 5-year term as European Commission head

By Mike Corder & Jean-Francois Badias

The Associated Press

STRASBOURG, France—Lawmakers at the European Parliament on Thursday reelected Ursula von der Leyen to a second 5-year term as president of the European Union’s executive commission, giving her a comfortable majority and heading off a possible leadership vacuum.

Von der Leyen raised both fists in victory as the Parliament President Roberta Metsola read out the result at the legislature. She called her reelection a victory for her backers, lawmakers she called “pro-European, proUkraine (and) pro-rule of law.”

The reelection ensures leadership continuity for the 27-nation bloc as it wrestles with crises ranging from the war in Ukraine to climate change, migration and housing shortages. Von der Leyen said she and her supporters are working “for a strong Europe,” citing themes of prosperity, security and defense.

“But the most important is the overarching topic of strengthening our democracy,” she said. “Our democracy is under attack from inside and from outside, and therefore it is crucial that the democratic forces stand together to defend our democracy.”

The Greens/European Free Alliance group in the parliament voted for von der Leyen after receiving assurances from her on her commitment to Europe’s climate initiatives, improving social policies including moves to provide affordable housing and to not do deals with the far right.

“The majority against the far right must hold for the future. We must not let our guard down in the face of growing far-right forces that work to strip away our rights and destroy our democracy,” said the group’s president Bas Eickhout.

A clear majority of 401 lawmakers in the 720-seat legislature voted for the German Christian Democrat after a speech in which she pledged to be a strong leader for Europe in a time of crisis and polarization.

Italy’s far-right Premier Giorgia Meloni said in a video statement that her Brothers of Italy’s party voted against von der Leyen because they didn’t agree with the “method nor the merit” of the process that led to her re-election. However, Meloni added, “the cooperation with the Commission is not undermined.”

The secret ballot came hot on the heels of strong gains by the far right, including Meloni’s party, in last month’s election for

the European Parliament. Meloni’s party won European elections in Italy with 28% of the vote.

In a speech that sought to shore up support across the political spectrum, von der Leyen pledged to strengthen the EU economy, its police and border agencies, tackle migration and pursue policies tackling climate change while also helping farmers who have staged protests against what they call stifling EU bureaucracy and environmental rules.

She also vowed to tackle housing shortages across Europe and said she would appoint a commissioner for the Mediterranean region due to the multiple challenges it faces.

Von der Leyen earlier told lawmakers she would “never accept that demagogues and extremists destroy our European way of life. And I stand here today ready to lead the fight with all the democratic forces in this house.”

She also took a swipe at Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his recent visit to Russia shortly after his country took over the rotating six-month EU presidency.

“This so-called peace mission was nothing but an appeasement mission,” von der Leyen said as she vowed that Europe would remain shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine.

Over the past five years, von der Leyen has steered the bloc through a series of crises, including Britain’s exit from the EU, the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. She has also pushed a Green Deal aiming to make the EU climate-neutral by 2050.

Von der Leyen’s election came as newly elected U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer was welcoming some 45 European heads of government to discuss migration, energy security and the threat from Russia as he seeks to restore relations between the U.K. and its continental neighbors.

Starmer took to X to congratulate her and say he looks forward to “working closely with you to reset the relationship between the UK and the European Union.”

EU leaders signed off on von der Leyen’s candidacy at a summit meeting late last month. The 65-year-old’s bid was boosted when the center-right European People’s Party, which includes von der Leyen’s Christian Democratic Union, remained the largest group in the EU Parliament after the elections.

Corder reported from The Hague, Netherlands. Associated Press journalist Samuel Petrequin in Brussels contributed.

tempted such strikes for months.

“It was a terror attack that was targeted to kill civilians in Israel,” the Israeli spokesperson said.

The Houthi strike hit hours after Israel’s military confirmed one of its airstrikes had killed a Hezbollah commander and other militants in southern Lebanon. Israel has so far not made attacks on the Houthis, allowing its allies instead to take the lead as it focuses its efforts on the war in Gaza and ongoing fighting with Lebanon’s

Hezbollah militant group.

It comes as international mediators continue to hold out hope for a cease-fire agreement, pushing Israel and Hamas toward a phased deal that would halt fighting and free about 120 hostages held by the militant group in Gaza.

The prospects a deal could improve as Israeli leaders signal their operation underway in Rafah is close to finished. However, fears of potential escalation resurfaced on Thursday after Israel’s far-right

national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, visited Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site on Thursday to pray for the return of Israeli hostages, he said, “without a reckless deal, without surrendering.”

Local police in Tel Aviv said that the Friday blast sounded at around 3 :10 a.m., reverberating to nearby cities and physically injuring at least 10 people. Tel Aviv District Commander Peretz Amar said officers could not locate the point of contact, suggesting the explosion occurred in the air.

“The force of the explosion caused damage that is not great but is spread over a large area. At the moment we don’t know what the object was,” Amar said.

Israel possesses a multilayered aerial defense system, capable of intercepting threats ranging from long-range ballistic missiles to drones and short-range missiles.

These systems have intercepted thousands of projectiles throughout the war. But officials warn they are not 100 percent effective, and the systems appear to have struggled against small and hardto-detect attack drones. It was not known which, if any, system was deployed.

Like Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis are backed by Israel’s archenemy, Iran. Israel for the most part also has avoided a direct confrontation with Iran throughout the war. Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel during a single incident in April in response to Israel’s alleged assassination of a pair of Iranian generals in Syria at the time. The war in Gaza, which was sparked by Hamas’ October 7 attack on southern Israel, has killed more than 38,600 people, according to the territory’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count. The war has created a humanitarian catastrophe in the coastal Palestinian territory, displaced most of its 2.3 million population and triggered widespread hunger. Hamas’ October attack killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and militants took about 250 hostage. About 120 remain in captivity, with about a third of them believed to be dead, according to Israeli authorities.

Metz reported from Rabat, Morocco.

President Biden faces growing pressure to step aside as Democrats fear 2024 loss

By Lisa Mascaro, Zeke Miller, Michael Balsamo & Aamer Madhani Associated Press

WASHINGTON—Democrats at the highest levels are making a critical push for President Joe Biden to rethink his election bid, with former President Barack Obama expressing concerns to allies and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi privately telling Biden the party could lose the ability to seize control of the House if he doesn’t step away from the 2024 race.

Biden’s orbit, already small before his debate fumbling, has grown even smaller in recent days. Isolated as he battles a Covid infection at home in Delaware, the president is relying on a few longtime aides as he weighs whether to bow to the mounting pressure to drop out.

Late Thursday, Montana Sen. Jon Tester became the second Democrat in the chamber—and now among nearly two dozen in Congress—calling on him to bow out, saying, “Biden should not seek reelection to another term.”

The Biden For President campaign is calling an all-staff meeting for Friday. It’s heading into a critical weekend for the party as Republican Donald Trump wraps up a heady Republican National Convention in Milwaukee and Democrats, racing time, consider the extraordinary possibility of Biden stepping aside for a new presidential nominee before their own convention next month in Chicago.

As anxiety and information swirled, Biden’s closest friend in Congress and his campaign co-chair, Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, told The Associated Press, “President Biden deserves the respect to have important family conversations with members of the caucus and colleagues in the House and Senate and Democratic leadership and not be battling leaks and press statements.”

The reporting in this story is based in part on information from almost a dozen people who insisted on anonymity to discuss sensitive private deliberations. The Washington Post first reported on Obama’s involvement.

Campaign officials said Biden was even more committed to staying in the race even as the calls for him to go mounted. And senior West Wing aides have had no internal discussions or conversations with the president about Biden dropping out. On Friday, the Democratic National Committee ‘s rulemaking arm expects to meet to discuss plans for the virtual roll call nominating the president in early August, ahead of the party’s convention later that month.

But there is also time to reconsider. Biden

has been told the campaign is having trouble raising money, and key Democrats see an opportunity as he is away from the campaign for a few days to encourage his exit. Among his Cabinet, some are resigned to the likelihood of him losing in November.

Biden, 81, tested positive for Covid-19 while traveling in Las Vegas earlier this week and is experiencing “mild symptoms” including “general malaise” from the infection, the White House said.

The president himself, in a radio interview taped just before he tested positive, dismissed the idea it was too late for him to recover politically, telling Univision’s Luis Sandoval that many people don’t focus on the November election until September.

“All the talk about who’s leading and where and how, is kind of, you know—everything so far between Trump and me has been basically even,” he said in an excerpt of the interview released Thursday.

But in Congress, Democratic lawmakers have begun having private conversations about lining up behind Vice President Kamala Harris as an alternative. One lawmaker said Biden’s own advisers are unable to reach a unanimous recommendation about what he should do. More in Congress are considering joining the others who have called for Biden to drop out.

“It’s clear the issue won’t go away,” said Vermont Sen. Peter Welch, the other Senate Democrat who has publicly said Biden should exit the race. Welch said the current state of party angst—with lawmakers panicking and donors revolting—was “not sustainable.”

Obama has conveyed to allies that Biden needs to consider the viability of his campaign but has also made clear that the decision is one Biden needs to make. The former president has taken calls in recent days from members of congressional leadership, Democratic governors and key donors to discuss their concerns about his former vice president.

Biden said Monday he hadn’t spoken to Obama in a couple of weeks.

Pelosi also presented polling to Biden that she argued shows he likely can’t defeat Republican Trump—though the former speaker countered Thursday in a sharp statement that the “feeding frenzy” from anonymous sources “misrepresents any conversations” she may have had with the president.

Pressed about reports that Biden might be softening to the idea of leaving the race, his deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks said Thursday, “He is not wavering on anything.”

However, influential Democrats including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries are sending signals of strong concern.

Using mountains of data showing Biden’s standing could seriously damage the ranks of Democrats in Congress, frank conversations in public and private and now the president’s own few days of isolation, many Democrats see an opportunity to encourage a reassessment.

Over the past week, Schumer and Jeffries, both of New York, have spoken privately to the president, candidly laying out the concerns of Democrats on Capitol Hill. Control of the House and Senate is at stake, and leaders are keenly aware that a Republican sweep in November could launch Trump’s agenda for years to come.

Separately, the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Rep. Suzan DelBene of Washington, spoke with the president last week and aired the concerns of front-line Democrats seeking election to the House.

Major political donors, particularly in Pelosi’s California, have been putting heavy pressure on the president’s campaign and members of Congress, according to one Democratic strategist. Schumer has told donors and others to bring their concerns directly to the White House.

And Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland used a baseball metaphor to suggest in a recent letter to Biden, “There is no shame in taking a well-deserved bow to the overflowing appreciation of the crowd.”

To be sure, many want Biden to stay in the race. And the Democratic National Committee is pushing ahead with plans for a virtual vote to formally make Biden its nominee in the first week of August, ahead of the Democratic

National Convention, which begins Aug. 19. Rep. James Clyburn, a senior Democrat and key Biden ally, wrapped up several days of campaigning for Biden in Nevada and said: “Joe Biden has the knowledge. He’s demonstrated that time and time again.” He warned against those who he said “have an agenda.” But among Democrats nationwide, nearly two-thirds say Biden should step aside and let his party nominate a different candidate, according to an AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll. That sharply undercuts Biden’s post-debate claim that “average Democrats” are still with him. The Biden campaign pointed to what it called “extensive support” for his reelection from legislators in key swing states as well as from the Congressional Black and Hispanic caucuses. Other Democrats in Congress have shown less support, including when Biden’s top aides visited Democratic senators last week in a private lunch. When Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania asked for a show of hands on who was with the president, only his own and a couple others including top Biden ally Coons went up, according to one of the people granted anonymity to discuss the matter.

The Associated Press writers Joey Cappelletti in Lansing, Mich., Ellen Knickmeyer in Aspen, Colorado, Steve Peoples in Milwaukee, and Josh Boak, Will Weissert, Mary Clare Jalonick, Seung Min Kim and Stephen Groves in Washington contributed to this report.

Pacific island leaders agree to enhance Japan’s role in the region amid growing China influence

By Mari Yamaguchi

The Associated Press

OK YO—Leaders of 18 Pa-

Tcific island nations and ar-

eas agreed to an enhanced role of Japan in the region’s development while opposing any attempted coercive activity, in a joint declaration adopted at their summit Thursday, as Tokyo seeks greater engagement to counter China’s influence.

The Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting, or PALM, launched under a 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 as an equal partner.

The leaders agreed that Japan provides greater support and cooperation in climate change, maritime security and defense, economic development and other areas, according to the joint declaration.

They noted climate change as “the single greatest existential threat to the livelihoods, security and well-being of the peoples of the Pacific” and showed their commitment to elevating their collaboration to support the region in mitigating and adapting to the impacts of climate change.

The declaration emphasized the “primacy” of peace and stability and shared “the importance of the free and open international rules-based order in line with the international law.”

They expressed “strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by the threat or use of force or coercion anywhere in the world,” according to the declaration that carefully avoided identifying China.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told a joint press conference after the meeting that Japan and the island leaders “shared values and principles such as the rule of law, democracy and opposition to attempts to change the status

quo by force.”

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

The leaders also adopted action plans of cooperation in seven areas including climate resilience and disaster risk management, sustainable management of oceans, economic resilience, “ensuring people-centered development” and investment in technology and connectivity.

The declaration needs to be put

into action, Brown said, adding that the region is having trouble getting climate financing and welcomed Japan’s consideration for a contribution but called on the country to “confirm earlier rather than later.”

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 Z ealand in recent years as Beijing increases its presence in the region where many island nations are economically dependent on China, as with many other countries.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who was at the meeting, told reporters that “the Pacific is so central to our stability and security” and that her country also wants to engage more in the region as a PIF family.

Australia and China have for years had strained relations mostly over trade, though ties have somewhat improved recently.

Wong said she cannot speak for other Pacific leaders but indicated concerns are shared by many. “If you look at the various communiques and declarations from the Pacific Islands Forum over the last two years, you will see that the reality of competition is something those leaders are engaged with,” she said.

Wong praised Japan’s “respectful way” of cooperating with the Pacific and its priorities as “a model

for how external dialogue partners should engage with the region.” Her remarks were echoed by New Z ealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters who warned in a speech in Tokyo on Friday of urgent challenges and high stakes in the region as he endorsed Japan’s involvement.

“Our region is not benign, far from it,” said Peters, who also attended PALM. He added that “relentless pressure” was being applied across the Pacific as influence was “peddled and interference campaigns waged.”

Peters did not single out China or any other nation as the target of his comments. But he too exhorted Pacific collaboration, to avoid “duplicating each other’s efforts or competing against each other for projects”, he said.

Japan has sought 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. In his separate meetings Wednesday and Thursday with the leaders and other representatives on the sidelines of the summit, Kishida announced Japan’s support for infrastructure, fishing projects and other areas.

AP journalists Ayaka McGill and Charlotte Graham-McLay contributed to this report.

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